Author Archives: Dandavats.com

We Believe (3 min video)
The Congregational Development Ministry is an ISKCON Ministry dedicated to enhancing and enlarging our communities. The Ministry has been active for twenty years, providing necessary resources for the furthering of Srila Prabhupada’s vision for our society’s communities. Today we request your support so that we may continue to perform this vital service.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/X0FeCa

Yatra to Jandrapeta Village.
Jandrapeta is presently merged in Chirala town but still in patches we can find village environme…

Puri Retreat (Album with photos)
Attending the Puri Retreat and visiting Tota Gopinatha, Sweta Ganga, Sarvabhauma’s House, Siddha Bakula, Narendra Sarovar (Chandan Sarovar) and other places in Jagannath Puri!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/RSujhf

Mayapur: Departure of our bull “Jagannath”!
One of the attraction of our Saturday elephant procession is our beautiful big horned black bull Jagannath, majestically pulling the bullock cart of Gaura Nitai. It is a usual sight that the visitors would somehow sneak in to have a snap with him. He is a very gentle, very friendly bull, who has been doing this service for years for the pleasure of Gaura Nitai. Sometimes he also pulls the Goshala bullock cart that used to run from Govinda’s to Goshala. Recently he was ill, became very weak and on 2nd February he left his body. The way he departed was amazing, which shows that he is a very special soul. Though normally the cows deny taking its food prior to its departure, Jagannath voluntarily gave up having food for 14 days and was taking very little water, without showing any sign of tiredness. He was very peaceful and grave and didn’t accept service from anyone. On the early morning Brahma muhurta hours, he left his body facing the north direction. His departure reminds of the great Mahajan Bhishma deva. His body was peacefully laid with garlands of Narasimhadeva, Radha Madhava covered by the dust of the holy Dhama in the midst of Kirtan by devotees. Every soul in the dhama is special and Jagannath is undoubtedly one of those special souls. Now he has gone back to continue his eternal service in Goloka Dhama. We also thank the devotees who served Jagannath by bringing garlands, caranamrita, cleaning his place and playing non-stop Prabhupada chanting box. We pray to him that may we also be blessed with the opulence to leave our body in the dust of the holy Dhama. We will forever miss his association in the elephant processions.

Harinama in Paris (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is e…

February 10. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Preferences.
Srila Prabhupada is a person. Like anyone, he likes his prasadam in a certain way and expressed his preferences about various things. We may wonder, are Prabhupada’s preferences absolute? Does his expression of personal preferences make him a relative person?
The pure devotee gives us so many details about Krishna and the process of devotional service. He tells us what Krishna likes to eat, and what He doesn’t like to eat; he tells us how to behave under all circumstances, and how to think. The pure devotee spiritual master represents Krishna absolutely; therefore, do we have a right to look into the pure devotee’s life and that everything be governed completely by Krishna’s indications? If we can detect in his life any personal preference for doing something just because “I like it,” is that a defect in the pure devotee?
But the pure devotee is a person. Like any person, he will have personal preferences. What we notice if we minutely examine the life of a pure devotee is that all of his preferences are favorable to devotional service. They are each individual expressions of his meditation on, and service to, Krishna. This may not always be comprehensible when we examine the pure devotee without the requisite faith.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Yatra to Peddaganjam village.
If one desires to see the remnants of an ideal village, then Peddaganjam becomes a frontrunner. I…

Hare Krishna in the Movies – 186 Dollars to Freedom (2012)
7 brief clips from the movie when the name of Krishna is mentioned and an actor impersonates a devotee.
Srila Prabhupada: “As fire burns dry grass to ashes, so the holy name of the Lord, whether chanted knowingly or unknowingly, burns to ashes, without fail, all the reactions of one’s sinful activities. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.18)
Watch them here: https://goo.gl/PjmFX0

Cultural Festival and Pandal Decoration ISKCON Mumbai’s 50th Anniversary Celebration The Joy of Devotion Day 1 on 5th Feb 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: even a little devotional service can save one from the greatest danger. Devotional service, which begins with chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is so powerful that even if one falls down, he can be saved from all calamities if he somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord. This is the extraordinary power of the Lord’s holy name. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.1.63 Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/uWKGvQ

Radha Kunda Seva – January 2016 Photos and Updates (Album with photos)
The crowds gathered in Radha Kunda on New Year’s Eve are a sure sign that the world is discovering the speciality of this most glorious holy place. It’s amazing, really, how many people are able to squeeze into this tiny town. And yet, what a perfect way to launch the New Year – by visiting Radha Kunda.
Even better… what a perfect way to spend each and every day – by serving in Radha Kunda!
The fog was late this year, but it finally showed up mid-month. There’s something so magical and mysterious about the fog, the way it closes in on you and isolates you from the world around you. The cleaning and prasadam distribution continued, each cleaner bustling about in his or her little fog bubble and each prasadam recipient emerging from their fog to join the happy prasadam bubble.
We conducted an informal survey of the widows to get a sense of what their needs are. When it comes to shelter, it is very important to them that they have their own independent housing situation. Most of them have a room that they can use for the remaining years of their life while paying a very minimal rent each month. Since they cannot afford gas for cooking and their rooms don’t have the ventilation to allow them to cook using cowdung, and since some are too elderly and feeble to cook for themselves, they are very grateful to receive a fresh, hot meal each day. The main lacking they expressed is medical care. For a while, we were providing medical care to one particularly old and invalid widow, Guru dasi. And we are finding out, as we suspected, that there is a larger need for medical care among the widows in general.
We are also always thinking of ways to engage the widows who are able in some service. A good number of them are already involved in cleaning and prasadam distribution, and the most recent idea is to set up those who will with book tables selling books on the practice of Bhakti Yoga by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. We already have a widow who is eager to take up this service and we should be launching this project soon.
Meanwhile, we are going ahead and sharing the finished plans for the kitchen and asramas with you. We are waiting for government approval at which point, as soon as the funds are in, we will be ready for construction!
We are so grateful for your blessings and support. Jai Jai Sri Radheeeee, Shyam!
Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com.
Your servants, Mayapurcandra dasa, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, and Urmila Devi Dasi.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/G1YEis

Yatra to Vetapalem.
Vetapalem is a big village and very soon transforming into a town. This village is known for hundreds of acres of cashew farms. It is one of the biggest exporter of cashew in Andhra Pradesh. The population is dominated by vaisya community. This village is also famous for cultural activities, especially theatre. There are many famous drama artists and poets from this place. Another prominent thing in this place is a huge library, interestingly this library was established in the pre-independence era in 1918, it has remained a private, family-maintained library–a rare institution of its kind in Andhra Pradesh and perhaps in India. It is one of the foremost research oriented libraries of Andhra Pradesh. This library founded by Late V.V.Shreshti in 1918 has the rare privilege and good fortune of its foundation stone being laid by MK Gandhi ji in 1929. In 1935, Babu Rajendra Prasad visited the Library and acclaimed it. The buildings were opened by Seth Jamnalal Bajaj and Shri Tanguturi Prakasam. Also a whole set of Srila Prabhupada books are available in this library. Successive Chief Ministers and great scholars visited the library and paid encomia.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/zrphZ0

“Our Family Business” set to release at ILS Meetings, Mayapur, February 2016. It’s finally here! The launch of the highly anticipated BBT publication of Our Family Business ­ The Great Art of Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s Books. And the timing couldn’t be better, as ISKCON’s leaders from around the world gather in Mayapur to kick off the 50th anniversary celebration of the incorporation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness by its Founder­ . Acarya . His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It’s as if Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself wrote the script for this release. “Our Family Business” gives us a never­before­seen glimpse into the spontaneous beginnings of ISKCON and how Srila Prabhupada’s plan from the get­go was to unleash the explosion of a worldwide spiritual revolution through the mass distribution of his books. The author, His Grace Vaisesika Dasa, gives us this rare glimpse into ISKCON’s history from the unique perspective of one who has been distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books continuously for more than 40 years. He has thoroughly researched those books as well and employed his own innovative style to artfully narrate the development of ISKCON through the heart­warming, exhilarating, and life­changing adventures of book distributors throughout the world. He offers first­hand insights into the service of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books and authoritatively describes Srila Prabhupada’s vision of book distribution as “literary kirtana” perfectly linked to the yuga­dharma. He goes on to deeply analyze how book distribution is high sadhana that instills a taste for hearing and chanting about Krishna and delivers powerful spiritual realizations. In this very readable book, His Grace Vaisesika Dasa discusses how all services devotees do are actually a part of the family business of distributing transcendental knowledge through the written word and how book distribution benefits distributors, the devotional community, and all those who receive Srila Prabhupada’s books. He also reveals simple and vital secrets to improving and perfecting one’s daily sädhana. He details the famous “Four Laws of Book Distribution” – proven principles guaranteed to improve and increase your book distribution – as well as practical ways to involve your whole congregation in book distribution while making it fun and easy! Several senior disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada have given glowing reviews of . Our Family Business . . His Holiness Jayapataka Swami says, “It’s surely a must-have.” His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami strongly recommends the book to those who distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books, those who want to distribute books but don’t feel inspired enough, and those who have never distributed books. His Holiness Radhanath Swami says he can “feel the contagious spirit of gratitude and compassion that springs from the heart of Vaisesika Dasa” on every page. “ . Our Family Business . is a great milestone in the history of the Hare Krishna movement,” says His Holiness Indradyumna Swami. Our Family Business . will be officially released on 24th February 2016 at the ISKCON Leadership Sanga meetings in Mayapur. For further information about the book, and to place orders in bulk or retail, please check out the website . www.ourfamilybusiness.us . For latest updates on the book, photos, blurbs, reviews and videos, Like the Facebook page . https://www.facebook.com/OurFamilyBusiness/www.ourfamilybusiness.us . For latest updates on the book, photos, blurbs, reviews and videos, Like the Facebook page . https://www.facebook.com/OurFamilyBusiness/ , or follow @BrihatMridanga on Twitter. All questions and clarifications can be directed to brihatmridanga@gmail.com.
Brief video introduction of the book placed at https://vimeo.com/153455522
About the Author: His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu was born in 1956. As a teen, he was an avid spiritual seeker. Soon after receiving a Back to Godhead magazine from a friend in the spring of 1973, he moved into the ISKCON temple in San Francisco at the age of sixteen and, with the blessings of his parents, became a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and a full-time monk dedicated to the practice of Krishna bhakti. Today, he lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Her Grace Nirakula Devi Dasi, also a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Together, they have developed an ISKCON community of three hundred families in Silicon Valley, based on the study and distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books. He is an initiating guru in ISKCON and travels widely to teach the tenets of devotional service and the great art of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books.

February 9. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Hearing from Srila Prabhupada.
We are reading in Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta how Srila Prabhupada met with his guru only a few times, but every meeting he did have with him was of great significance to Srila Prabhupada. The first time they met on the roof in Ultadanga, in Calcutta, Prabhupada was impressed. His whole life was changed. They met again at Kosi in Vrindavan. At that time, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati noted that Prabhupada was hearing very attentively. Then they had other meetings, including one at Radha-kunda, where his guru maharaj told him, “If you ever get money, print books.” Prabhupada is the perfect example of one who made the utmost of his meetings with his spiritual master. There were no tape recorders in those days (although there were books). A meeting was very important to Prabhupada, as well as his letter exchanges with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.
We can also meet Srila Prabhupada, even now, by hearing from him in an open and loving way. The receptive disciple is compared to a fertile woman becoming pregnant by her association with her husband. The spiritual master can impregnate the receptive soul with bhakti-lata-bija, the seed of devotion. Individual speaking and meeting can have such an effect.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

New book: Brahma Samhita translated by Bhanu Swami.
Urmila Devi Dasi: This translation of Brahma Samhita by Bhanu Swami is very easy to read and understand. The book also contains Jiva Goswami’s commentaries and is fully illustrated in a modernized Kerala style.
Here’s where to purchase: http://us.srivaikuntaenterprises.in/index.php…
or visit the website http://www.srivaikuntaenterprises.in/shop/, click on the icon for ONLY INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS on the left corner, and select Brahma Samhita from Bhanu Swami book list.
Nice inside photos here: https://goo.gl/cRcuq8

Pictures of the ISKCON Radha Rasabihari Mandir, Juhu, Bombay, Rathayatra.
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given u…

They came in through the open window!
Tribhuvannatha Das: A devotee named Jeremy was with us on our Festival tour of East & Central Africa. Jeremy is more of a congregational member of ISKCON and is just starting to understand the commitment that there is in Krsna Consciousness. He caught malaria and had to come back early. Upon his return I spoke to him on the phone. I mentioned how he should be careful not to fall down from the process of KC. Two weeks later he was back to his ‘old ways’ but still a devotee – not as strict as before though.
He’d been out with his girlfriend, and while admiring some waterfalls in the mountains of Wicklow, Ireland, he slipped and fell 60 ft down the side of the mountain – lucky for him he chanted at the top of his voice Krsna! Krsna! as he went tumbling down the side of the mountain, the bushes slowed his pace, but then over the edge… another 160 ft sheer drop to death!
He screamed “Krsna” and suddenly he stopped… ‘smack’ he had landed on the only rock jutting out from the side of the mountain. He was damaged – broken pelvis, leg, etc. but still alive. The rock had an unusual inward curve, just the right size to cushion his body. If it had been a normal rock he would have simply bounced off it, to his death! The rescue team said that they could not believe his fortune. Ten others before him had fallen from the same spot, nine died, one crippled. Then in hospital (where he is making a full recovery) in comes Michael who has just fallen off a crane. His head hit a steel girder on the way down (his luck was he had a hard hat on), the whole top of his head, peeled like an orange. Miraculously his heavy coat had got caught on the way down and saved his life. He came over to see Jerry – by this time in his life he has gone from been one of the most debauched personality to almost a saint, even setting up his own alter at the hospital! He had heard that Jerry was a ‘Hare Krsna’ and was intrigued to meet him. After some conversation Jerry complained about the ‘nightmares’ he was getting. “Nightmares!” says Michael. “I was attacked by five horrible-looking monsters that came in through the window. They said they had come to get me.” (While in intensive care Michael was ‘dead’ three times, in the same night). He described them in detail. He was so frightened at their appearance that he threw a chair at the window, four nurses had to restrain him! They had come to get him, he even mentioned that one appeared to have a rope. “They came back again, and said they were coming to get me very soon. “Was it just a nightmare?” asked Jerry. “No!” said Michael, “these guys were as real as you or me… These guys were very real!”

Iskcon Pune to hold 500 Harinamas and distribute 500,000 of Srila Prabhupada’s books in one year for ISKCON’s 50th this year!
That’s exactly what ISKCON of Pune in Maharashtra, India is doing as they ambitiously set out to 50th-ize the year 2016. And much, much more besides: the plan is to set higher-than-usual goals for all of Pune’s outreach efforts in multiples of five or fifty. GBCs Radhanath Swami and Gopal Krishna Goswami, as well as supporter Lokanath Swami, are the inspiration behind the plan. Radheshyam Das – temple president at Pune for the past twenty years – is leading the charge. Meanwhile ISKCON Pune’s two temples, 200 full-time celibate monks, and 1,000 congregational families will jump into action to make it a memorable year in celebration of ISKCON’s 1966 incorporation.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/v05Jip

Bhakti-Vriksha – Caring for ISKCON devotees – the important ratio.
Kripamoya das: Many, many moons ago, way back in the last century, when the ISKCON movement was just becoming established as ‘a confederation of centres, farms, schools and restaurants’ and anybody who was anybody lived in a temple, the temple president was the natural person to care for the spiritual lives of the devotees.
The president was the appointed head of the community, the spiritual supervisor of standards of worship and practise, and often the chief inspiration behind the preaching too. It was a very responsible position – and it still is. Along with the ‘temple commander’ the president engaged the members of local ISKCON in all the activities necessary to support a spiritual community and to prosper in their own spiritual lives.
Of course, it wasn’t just the temple president who cared for the devotees, but it was he who bore the responsibility to ensure it was done. And you could always get to talk to him if you needed to.
Back then – if my memory of the 1970s serves me correctly – the average size of an ISKCON community was around 15. Older devotees sometimes refer to those days as when ‘the movement had a real family atmosphere.’ The 1-15 ratio – spiritual head to resident members – was actually a very powerful factor in the ‘family atmosphere’ that devotees still talk about.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/W5zyNY

Pandal program of ISKCON Mumbai’s 50th Anniversary Celebration The Joy of Devotion Day 1 on 5th Feb 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us a nice weapon for this age. The narayanastra, or weapon to drive away maya, is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra in pursuance of the associates of Lord Caitanya, such as Advaita Prabhu, Nityanada, Gadadhara and Srivasa. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.11.1 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/SDn7dS

Harinama in Melbourne, Australia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual enlightenment is possible by the mercy of the …

Please pray for H. H. Vedavyas Priya Swami. He had an emergent cardiac bypass surgery couple days back and is still in ICU. Maharaj …

February 8. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Dissolving the “Illusory Prabhupada”
We have to be patient with ourselves as we serve Prabhupada. It is natural to select certain instructions that we think fit our situations and our personalities. When we try to relate to the spiritual master as preachers, we even encourage newcomers to find something in Prabhupada’s teachings which they can follow wholeheartedly. We just have to be careful not to present a watered down version of what Prabhupada is teaching. Until we are pure, there will always be some trace of compromise in our ability to follow, but we should always seek to increase our surrender and to know internally who our spiritual master is and what he wants from us. Even if there is some trace of illusion in ourselves, ultimately, there is nothing illusory about Prabhupada.
A duality can sometimes exist between Prabhupada as he is and one’s conception of Prabhupada as we want him to be. (There are many “Prabhupada saids” floating around our movement – how often do we hear “Prabhupada said” offered by someone trying to end an argument?) Therefore, it is good for us to expose ourselves to the “real” Prabhupada as he wrote letters to people, as long as we carefully understand the context from which he is speaking. Exposing ourselves to Prabhupada’s books and letters replaces any imagined idea of Prabhupada with the real person. A search for the real Prabhupada has to be in a sensitive and ongoing way.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

ISKCON Mumbai’s 50th Anniversary Celebration The Joy of Devotion Day 1. Hema Malini At Jamnabai Narsee School Grounds (22 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: “I have brought medicine to awaken very living being from perpetual sleep. Please receive the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and awaken. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.13.9 Purport)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/JwNFWB

Scientific Sankirtan: Responses for the Paper Why Biology is Beyond Physical Sciences?

Srila Prabhupada built a house the whole world could live in, welcoming melechas and yavanas whose lives were degraded and covered in sin.

Scenes from 2016 parikrama with Sivarama Swami (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna mantra says, “My dear Lord Krishna, my dear Lord Rama, O energy of the Lord, Hare, kindly engage me in your service.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.24.69 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cL9UEt

New York City Daily Harinam Ashram Wants You! Going on 4 years, the NYC Harinam ashram has performed the Yuga Dharma in NYC, and so…

ISKCON Mumbai’s 50th Anniversary Celebration The Joy of Devotion (Album with photos)
ISKCON Mumbai’s 50th Anniversary Celebration The Joy of Devotion Day 1 on 5th Feb 2016 Celebration in Presence of HH Gopal Krishna Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Lokanath Swami, HH Nava Yogendra Swami, HH Indradyumna Swami, HH Atmanivedana Swami, HH Prabodhanand Saraswati Swami, HG Basu Ghosh Das, HG Devakinandan Prabhu, HG Pancharatna Dasa, HG Radha Jivan Prabhu, HG Sura Das Prabhu, HG Yasomotinandan Prabhu, HG DadiVaksha Prabhu, HG Mahaman Prabhu, TP’s of all Mumbai Temples, and many senior Leaders of ISKCON.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/NNcRU0

February 7. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Legacy is One of Disturbing the Sleeping Dogs. Although the old adage tells us to “let sleeping dogs lie,” Prabhupada explains the necessity for waking them up. In his purports to the verse where Krishna tells us not to disturb the minds of the materialists or the ignorant, Krishna advised the devotees to prosecute their duties peacefully, and said they should not feel troubled by persons who have no desire to practice spiritual life. Prabhupada reminds us, “If you give a good thief instructions, he will just become angry.”
Krishna tells us in the Bhagavad-gita that only persons who are austere can receive the message of Bhagavad-gita. In an apparently different mood, Krishna says that whoever distributes the message of Godhead and makes devotees is the dearest servant of the Lord. Prabhupada clears up this apparent contradiction by telling us that the devotees know Krishna’s inner purpose. Although Krishna doesn’t want to trouble His devotees by exposing them to harassment, His deepest desire is that the conditioned souls be given a full chance to take to Krishna consciousness. Actually, they have already had many chances. Krishna Himself has appeared in His many forms, but still the generations of conditioned souls continue to revolve in the cycle of birth and death, refusing to hear the message of Godhead. Krishna wants to give them another chance. Now it is Kali Yuga and the conditions are even more unfavorable for coming to spiritual life. Krishna and the devotees have to be more accessible, the process has to be easier and shorter. Despite Krishna’s merciful holy name, which is the only way in this age to attain God consciousness, the devotees are still harassed. And because of Kali Yuga, people are even more violent in their rebellion against God consciousness.
Prabhupada knew Krishna’s inner desire. He woke up the sleeping dogs. And he wants us to do the same.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

2nd Annual ISKCON health care professionals retreat in Gita Nagari.
Premvilas das: 2nd Annual North American ISKCON health care professionals retreat will be held in Gita Nagari from September 22-25th, 2016.
It is open to any professional in the health care field and retreat is meant to promote collaboration and networking among health care professionals in North America. Students/residents/fellows currently in the health care field or simply aspiring to choose health care as a professional are welcome as well.
Mission statement: To connect and inspire all devotees within the medical profession; to improve our practice of Krishna consciousness; to assist one another to improve our service to Srila Prabhupada: and to expand Krishna consciousness amongst medical professionals
Vision Statement: 1. To create a forum for all physician devotees and those within the medical field to meet annually and have fellowship.
2. Through association, to become better devotees and better medical professionals.
3. To equip physicians, medical professionals and students to blend their devotional life with their professional pursuits.
4. To understand how to meet the challenges within their profession as well as maximize their opportunities.
5. To develop Plans and Strategies how together medical practitioners can best serve ISKCON’s mission, Srila Prabhupada and the body of ISKCON devotees within North America.
6. To unite together in effective ways to increase the number of medical professionals who take up sadhana bhakti.
7. Establish a forum to get to know one another and network with one another on many levels throughout the yea
To register or to be added to the group for future notices and events, simply send an email to medicalretreat@gmail.com

For Youth – By Youth – Europe Summer Youth Events #ISKCON50
Kumari Kunti: Summer-time fun all over Europe. Mark your calendars and get your sunglasses out – #ISKCON50 youth events are inviting you to come party with Krishna!
In honour of the 50th birthday celebrations of Founder-Acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness, we will be offering two events this summer in Europe for youth.
July 18 – Aug 19
Euro Bus Tour – Remembering Srila Prabhupada
Krsna consciousness travelling kirtaniya youth trip around Europe! This year we are going to Greece (and back). This is the 3rd annual Euro Bus Tour and is for youth aged 16-30 (space for only 30 people so sign-up quick)! We already have youth from Australia, US, UK and EU registered.
For more information
www.youthbustour.com
Fb: www.facebook.com/EuroBusTour
September 1-4, 2016
Youth Mela – Connecting to Srila Prabhupada
Europe-wide youth in Leicester Temple, UK. This is a youth convention for workshops, inspiration, sanga, kirtan and empowerment in ISKCON’s movement for the next 50 years. This is an ISKCON youth Europe & Pandava Sena initiative that should not be missed! Youth aged 15-35 are invited.
For more information:
www.youthmela.org
Fb: www.facebook.com/YouthMela
Ys Kumari Kunti
ISKCON Youth Ministry Europe Volunteer

ISKCON Mumbai: Juhu Ratha Yatra on 5th February 2016 (Album with photos)
For over 5000 years the Rathayatra festival has been …

Bhagvad-Gita As It is Audio Now available on Iphone/Android Mixcloud App.
Bhagavad-Gita As It is audio is now available for fre…

TOVP update (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: As the finishing work goes on, new different items come to life.
Lately we …

The Process of Dying.
At the moment of death the following things take place. If the person is impious and quite sinful, the messengers of Yamaraja, called the Yamadutas, fierce, horrible looking persons with twisted features, copper red flaming hairs that stand on end, black in complexion and frightening to behold, appear at the deathbed of the person in question and drag him forcibly from his body with ropes and chains. This scene so frightens the person that he literally dies of fright. They then pack up the subtle body of the person in a bag, where they take the soul, now covered only by the subtle body of mind, intelligence and false ego, to the abode of Yamaraja for judgement. He is taken over long stretches of hot, dry sands, and along the way he is insulted in various ways by other horrible creatures and bitten by dogs. He is suffering terribly on this journey and he wishes it would end. (The movie “Ghost” presented a world that included ghosts, psychic powers, Yamaduta-like evil spirits, and an effulgent heavenly realm. See also the real-life stories below.) However, when it does end he is taken before Yamaraja, the fierce demigod in charge of death and punishing the sinful. He is forced to accept a position of suffering according to his sins in one of the hells which exist at the bottom of the universe, just above the Garbhodaka Ocean. In this hellish region called the Naraka, there are approximately 27 hellish places. As an example of this a person who has engaged in the slaughter and eating of other innocent animals will enter into Krimibhojana, wherein he will exist as a worm who is eating the tail of another worm as that worm is eating his tail. There are many such hells just according to the crimes committed. One may find the complete description in the last chapters of the 5th canto of the SB. After such intense and horrible forms of suffering the living being is thrown again into the lower species of life just suited according to his sinful desires in his human life. However, most persons are not quite that sinful and therefore they may expect a more normal departure from the body. At the time of death, death is denoted as the moment when the spirit soul departs from the material gross body. At that time the soul, covered by the subtle body of mind, intelligence and false ego, leaves the body. The subtle body always travels with the soul wherever he goes within this material world and therefore the living entity has a continuity of material experience throughout his different lifetimes. Death may come from a variety of causes, but when it actually happens the first thing that a person experiences is total blackness. All is dark, but this lasts only for a moment. The Supersoul, situated right next to the soul, illuminates a hole which appears to the soul to be a light at the end of a tunnel. In fact the darkness which appears is the body but now that it is dead it is devoid of consciousness and now we are seeing it from the inside for the first time. There are some 118 different passageways through which one might depart from the body. One may only go through one of these at the time of death. These passageways are called nadis, or channels of consciousness. According to Garuda Purana 1.67 death occurs when both main (spine) nadis, Ida and Pingala, are at work. Under normal conditions they switch. One might understand them to be the major nerve channels of channels of energy flow within the body, but the exact medical synonym is not available to us at this time. In any case one will depart from one of these nadis to his next destination. We do know that one who departs from the anus or genital goes to the lower regions, wherein one who departs from the upper portion of the body goes to the higher regions. Those who depart from the top of their skulls, from the hole known as the brahma randhra, the place where the three bones in the skull meet, will attain the regions of Brahman. The Supersoul illuminates only one of these passageways according to the karma of the soul. He selects the passageway just according to the previous activities of the living entity and as soon as it is illuminated the soul naturally wants to move towards the light. As soon as he is out of the body, he feels relieved of the burden of the material frame and starts to move, naturally drawn towards his next form. At that time he will experience the world from the point of view of the subtle body and will see things much clearer than they are seen through the present body. Just try to imagine how much more beautiful the world must be when seen through spiritual eyes! He then enters into the womb of a new mother as it is being impregnated by the father and awaits the time until the new body develops itself sufficiently to maintain consciousness. When the embryo is about seven months of age it is sufficiently developed to support consciousness and the baby awakens in his new body and immediately moves, sometimes kicking the mother from within in a vain attempt to get out of the horrible entanglement that he has found himself in. If he is pious, this horrible condition of having the arms and legs jammed into the chest as one is bent over in the foetal position, causes the soul to pray to the Lord as follows, “O Lord, this condition is terrible. Please save me from this situation and get me out of this womb immediately and I promise to serve You in this lifetime for sure.” However, as soon as he takes his birth he becomes too much attached to all the attention and service being rendered him by mother and family members and he forgets all about serving the Lord and falls totally into maya again. Avoid the process of rebirth, it is not auspicious in any way.

Harinama under the snow in Moscow, Russia (5 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: The materialist thinks that persons engaged in Krishn…

4 cookery seminars with Kurma das at Zurich (Album with photos)
Padma Purana: “A person who honors the prasada and regularly eats it, not exactly in front of the Deity, along with caranamrita [the water offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, which is mixed with seeds of the tulasé tree], immediately can achieve the results of pious activities which are obtained through ten thousand performances of sacrificial rites.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/fd3nI1

February 6. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Intolerance of Maya.
Srila Prabhupada was especially uncompromising in his condemnation of materialistic activities. He used strong language to describe people who are devoid of the inclination for spiritual life, calling them dogs, hogs, camels, and asses. He also referred to them as rascals. He called the leaders of the countries cheaters. He said they were all going to hell for their impious activities. By any standard, this was harsh criticism.
Srila Prabhupada also protested against the government. He did it in a non sectarian way, favoring neither the communists nor the capitalists. According to the scriptures, he said, any political leader in this age is bound to be the lowest kind of man. And, in a sense, he protested against the material bonds that held families together. When his young disciples joined him, he created friction between ISKCON and the parents of the devotees. The anti-cult movement became prominent and made ISKCON one of its main targets. But Prabhupada was willing to put himself and his followers on the firing line for the sake of spreading Krishna consciousness.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Famous Iranian actress visits New Govardhana.
Kisori Devi Dasi: An internationally famous, multi award-winning Iranian actress recently visited New Govardhana along with an Australian-award winning film-maker, Faramarz-alKahder. Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, one of the most significant actresses of Iranian cinema, came to Brisbane in early December to attend an award ceremony. Fellow Iranian Faramarz, who now lives in Australia, decided to show Fatemeh the sights. He contacted his friends Mandakini devi dasi and Aravinda dasa, who are involved in the film industry, and have known Faramarz for 10 years. Fatemeh, nicknamed Simin, along with being a famous actress, is an activist in Iran for the preservation of culture and has spiritual and charitable inclinations. She carries around in her handbag a dainty little trinket box which has a cover picture of Radha-Krsna and is broad-minded about spiritualism. She is also very well-known in India and has rubbed shoulders with the Dalai Lama and the Iranian President. After having a lovely prasadam meal at Mandakini and Aravinda’s home, they visited New Govardhana and she was enchanted by it. Kirtana was going on inside the temple and they absorbed the peaceful atmosphere. Simin expressed a strong desire to return to New Govardhana and plans to return and rent a cabin on the farm for a few weeks. Movies Simin has starred in include, Here Without Me, Nabat, Tales and The Blue-Veiled.

Iskcon devotee saves man from drowning in the river.
‘I AM NOT A HERO, BUT I’m happy I was able to help somebody.’ Brave Filip Čargonja jumped into the river Sava and rescued a man who wanted to commit suicide.
(Translated automatically)
I’d like to talk to this man, I hope you will take advantage of a second chance for life, says Philip Čargonja, from Rijeka living in Zagreb
I sat on the stairs along the Sava. I put the glasses, drank in the sun and meditated. Suddenly I heard a ‘plop’.
I thought someone threw garbage into the water. The bridge is noted laughing girl, but there was no panic and I thought someone was playing. But in the middle of the riverbed saw my leg to be fidgety. It was an older guy in a black suit, who did not bother to swim. I told him ‘Come on, man, swim! Enough kidding! ’ I encouraged him, and when I realized that there is no intention to swim, passed me the creeps. His head is no longer out on the surface – recalled the rescue Filip Čargonja (34), from Rijeka to Zagreb address, filmography and a member of the Hare Krishna movement, which is January 27, around 15.50 hours bravely jumped into the cold river and rescued the man planned to kill himself. Since the river carried the man, so the Čargonja moved along the edge, and when he reached for his cell phone from confusion failed to think of the number of emergency. Seconds seemed to him like an eternity, a blessing in disguise is that the river is man dragged to his side of the coast.
There wife and son
– I was hoping I’d catch him at the railway bridge. But Sava was fast but is still floating. I took the bag, ran into the water to his waist and grabbed her arms to suit. His head was blue. I have not managed to completely get away because the big man and the coast is steep. I’m banging his chest, gave him mouth-to-mouth, but in vain. Clogged his nose and blew air is to breath. I held his tongue 15-20 minutes that is not choked and cried walkers on the bank to call an ambulance – recalled more Čargonja your venture. Soon came the doctors of the ambulance, the police, or the wife and son of the unfortunate man, a former defense attorney.
Life is precious
Čargonja is not considered a hero.
– I am pleased that I helped someone. At home they took me to the police because I was wet. His wife did not know what to think when she saw my wet clothes after I came home. And with this man I’d like to talk. I know that life can be so difficult that you can not see out, but I hope that this man take advantage of a second chance at life and realize how precious life is and a great opportunity for the development of the soul – concludes brave and humble Čargonja.
Source: http://goo.gl/QtRRAV