Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Flame Of Eternal Love (video)
“The Flame of Eternal Love” a documentary about Srila Prabhupada and the development of the Society for Krishna Consciousness in the USSR.
Anchor: Sofia Ignatova. Actors: Alexey Sviridov, Acyuta Priya, Nimai, Vrinda. English Anchor voice: Jaya Madhava Prabhu. English voice: Alisa Tchebotareva. Music: Yury Dimentyev. Sound: Vibhavari das. Written and directed by: Arjuna das.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/dBBjcy
Astronomy of the Bhagavat Purana – The Vedic / Hindu world view ( 3 videos)
Radha Mohan das: My explanations are based on the w…
Court in Session (video)
Questions and Answers on Krishna Consciousness with Shaunaka Rishi prabhu about he importance of actual…
Wise-Love, a Book Trailer Video (2 min video)
“In this short book trailer about Wise-Love, a new book written by Pranada dasi, we’re invited to feel the hope of Wise-Love (Bhakti) and its transformational power. Wise-Love is an introductory handbook presenting Bhakti in new lights, attractive language, and a manner relatable to a Western audience. It comprehensively covers the core tenets of our philosophy true to siddhanta, yet its short, thematic chapters are easy to assimilate for an outside reader.”
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/UXwzpf
Yatra to SVARNA VILLAGE.
Svarna is a big village away from cities and towns blessed with abundance of water due to big ponds and canals. Agriculture is main occupation in the village. There are hundreds of acres of arable lands around the village. It is a very ancient village dating back to 12th century. There is a huge Vishnu (Vallabhacharya) temple and a Shiva (Bhoga Lingeshwar) temple. The village has the highest literacy in the Prakasham district. But the younger generation is mostly settled in towns and cities due to which we find mostly old couple or single individuals in big houses leading a life of lonesliness. The main food crops cultivated here are paddy, peanuts, corn and vegetables and cash crops like cotton, chilli and tobacco. This village is considered one of the richest in the district. In spite of all favorable conditions for agriculture farmers are frustrated because of the modernized agriculture which demands investments in high usage of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and mechanization.
On January 11, 2016, the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra team arrived to the serene village in the afternoon. This was their 53rd village. A small team went to announce about the evening program while others were at the book table interacting with the villagers. The Yatra bus abuzz with activities as soon it was parked. In the evening devotees set out for the harinaam through almost all main streets of the village. The nagarsankirtan met with mixed response–some people received us with reverence while others were totally indifferent and some people followed us for some distance and a few made offerings in different forms to the Lordships. The program was planned in a well-furnished village function hall in the center of the village. Somehow until 7.30 pm no one arrived to the hall putting us in anxiety. A little later two young men enthusiastically arrived having heard the announcements. They told that the farmers usually return to their homes around 6.30 pm from their farms. Then they take their bath followed by dinner. It is after this that they come for such programs by around 8 pm and stay until midnight if required. As predicted, the village folks started arriving by 8 pm and in no time the hall was full. Everyone heard attentively and later appreciated the program, especially the solutions offered to the modern agricultural problems. Many took the copies of power point presentations and video presentations. We were told that there were some Ayyapa festivities on the same day and many farmers were involved in that program; otherwise there would have been better turnout. The young men requested us to visit their village more often. The proceedings gave immense satisfaction as we got opportunity to deal with young men genuinely interested in spirituality.
Yatra to SVARNA VILLAGE.
Svarna is a big village away from cities and towns blessed with abundance of water due to big ponds and canals. Agriculture is main occupation in the village. There are hundreds of acres of arable lands around the village. It is a very ancient village dating back to 12th century. There is a huge Vishnu (Vallabhacharya) temple and a Shiva (Bhoga Lingeshwar) temple. The village has the highest literacy in the Prakasham district. But the younger generation is mostly settled in towns and cities due to which we find mostly old couple or single individuals in big houses leading a life of lonesliness. The main food crops cultivated here are paddy, peanuts, corn and vegetables and cash crops like cotton, chilli and tobacco. This village is considered one of the richest in the district. In spite of all favorable conditions for agriculture farmers are frustrated because of the modernized agriculture which demands investments in high usage of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and mechanization.
On January 11, 2016, the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra team arrived to the serene village in the afternoon. This was their 53rd village. A small team went to announce about the evening program while others were at the book table interacting with the villagers. The Yatra bus abuzz with activities as soon it was parked. In the evening devotees set out for the harinaam through almost all main streets of the village. The nagarsankirtan met with mixed response–some people received us with reverence while others were totally indifferent and some people followed us for some distance and a few made offerings in different forms to the Lordships. The program was planned in a well-furnished village function hall in the center of the village. Somehow until 7.30 pm no one arrived to the hall putting us in anxiety. A little later two young men enthusiastically arrived having heard the announcements. They told that the farmers usually return to their homes around 6.30 pm from their farms. Then they take their bath followed by dinner. It is after this that they come for such programs by around 8 pm and stay until midnight if required. As predicted, the village folks started arriving by 8 pm and in no time the hall was full. Everyone heard attentively and later appreciated the program, especially the solutions offered to the modern agricultural problems. Many took the copies of power point presentations and video presentations. We were told that there were some Ayyapa festivities on the same day and many farmers were involved in that program; otherwise there would have been better turnout. The young men requested us to visit their village more often. The proceedings gave immense satisfaction as we got opportunity to deal with young men genuinely interested in spirituality.
February 12. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Manifestation of Steady Bhava.
The Vaisnava acharyas have minutely delineated all the various manifestations of ecstasy. In this regard, there are eight kinds of bodily symptoms which occur when a devotee feels love of Krishna, and Prabhupada mentioned them in one of his early essays:
In the beginning, there may not be the presence of all transcendental ecstasies, which are eight in number. These are: 1. being stopped as though dumb; 2. perspiration; 3. standing up of hairs on the body; 4. dislocation of voice; 5. trembling; 6. fading of the body; 7. crying in ecstasy; and 8. trance.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati comments that even if a pure devotee does not manifest these eight symptoms of ecstasy, he may still be fully qualified to chant the holy names. Sometimes pure devotees restrain their ecstatic symptoms because people who do not understand them may become afraid or blasphemous. Also, sometimes people who recognize these symptoms, but who have not attained bhava themselves, will imitate them in order to get a reputation as an ecstatic devotee. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati concludes that it is more important to demonstrate detachment. Furthermore, the steady symptoms of bhava as described in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (Nectar of Devotion), are important criteria for knowing if one is advancing in spiritual life.
Srila Prabhupada fully displayed these steady symptoms of bhava at all times, although he occasionally manifested the different bodily manifestations of the eight symptoms.
One symptom of steady bhava is proper utilization of time. Srila Prabhupada followed a daily schedule of his own making. He was always on time, although he was not fanatical about it. He was always using his time to serve Krishna no matter what he was doing. To this end, Prabhupada felt that his schedule enhanced his own meditation and practice.
Pure devotees of Krishna meditate on Krishna’s schedule. Krishna performs various pastimes with His eternal associates according to the time of day. Krishna’s day is divided into eight main periods, and within these eight periods there are more minute divisions. Pure devotees fill their minds with remembrance of Radha-Krishna by meditating in this way.
Similarly, Srila Prabhupada’s daily schedule is well known to his devotees. We can meditate on Prabhupada at different
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5
A simple Hare Krishna family (5 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: One who has got a helpful wife at home does not require to accept …
ISKCON 50 celebrations 2016 in Mumbai.
Devotees, congregation, wellwishers, and the general public filled Mumbai’s Jamnabai Narsee Ground to its 4,000-person capacity for a colorful glorification of Srila Prabhupada’s historic achievements this February 5th to 7th. “Srila Prabhupada famously stated, ‘Bombay is my office,’” says Western India Communications Coordinator Parijata Dasi. “So we were happy to host one of the first major ISKCON 50 celebrations in 2016, our Golden Jubilee year.” The event was organized by Sura Das, convenor of ISKCON 50 Mumbai, as well as all of ISKCON’s four temples in the city – Juhu, Chowpatty, Mira Road, and Kharghar.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/1IsiYl
Harinam Sankirtan @ Brickfields, on the streets of Little India, Malaysia (Album with photos)
Shevaanni Pillai: Harinam Sankirtan @ Brickfields on 10/2/16. We had a very blissful time during Hari Nam today on the streets of Little India at Brickfields. We were joined by our special guest from Europe, Gaura Sundar prabhu. People were very charmed and attracted by the ecstatic melodies of the Holy Name. Most of them were very receptive and happily gave donations and accepted Srila Prabhupada’s books. There were some sporting people who also chanted on our microphone. One particular Chinese family loved the sankirtan so much, they even danced with us so spontaneously and enthusiastically! It was truly inspiring to see how Krishna’s mercy affected even the most unexpected people . This made us even more fired up to spread His glories. In total, we managed to distribute about 50 small books. Harinam Sankirtan Ji Jai! Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mXZIXy
Famous heart stealer Sri Krishna Bhagavan.
Srila Prabhupada: Decorate the Deity as nicely as possible with nice flowers and dr…
Yatra to Paparajutotha.
Though the name of the village is totha (garden or orchard in Telugu language), it is presently bustlin…
Harinama in Melbourne Australia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One should never consider the chanting of the holy name o…
ISKCON Cow Science meeting.
AURANGABAD: To help coordinate cow-protection initiative the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in association with SARA Group has organised a unique Gau-Vigyan Parishad – the Council for Cow Science.
ISKCON has organised the day-long seminar to mark it Golden Jubiliee celebration on Saturday, at Bhanudas Chavan Sabhagraha, Station Road Osmanpura, Aurangabad.
MLA Atul Save will inaugurate the seminar, while chairman Sara Builder Sitaram Agrawal and president ISKCON Aurangabad Rohinipriya Prabhu will attend the programme.
Meanwhile, Uttam Maheshwari from Mumbai will explain the medicinal value of products obtained from panch-gavya and their immense health benefits.
“The conference is arranged without any charges and about 300 participants on first come first basis can be accommodated,” said the organiser Shrikant Jogdand.
Similarly, on Friday from 11 am to 4 pm for 50 participants there will be free training on preparation of cow products and is arranged at SARA Gowshala , Juna Jakat Naka, Chikalthana.
February 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: A Combination of Friendliness and Heaviness.
Was Srila Prabhupada friendly? Yes, of course. No one could say he was unfriendly or unconcerned. But Prabhupada was friendly even to those he never met. He was friendly to all living entities because he distributed Krishna consciousness. He gave his life to distribute Krishna consciousness to others. Prabhupada was friendly in the deepest sense. He came to the world a true friend of everyone because he had something which would be of great benefit to whoever accepted it. He didn’t have the kind of friendliness that we associate with “service with a smile,” commercialized cheater – the kind of friendliness you get on the airlines from the stewardesses who help you “fly the friendly skies.” Prabhupada was sometimes very heavy. It is incomprehensible, his friendliness. He worked for everyone’s benefit and that often meant knocking down their illusions and shaking them out of their foolishness. Yes, Prabhupada was friendly.
Yet, Prabhupada was often heavy, and for a good reason. He understood devotion to Krishna and wanted to expose the many nonsense frauds, incarnations, scholars and prakrta-sahajiyas, and any other pretentious people. He was a great devotee of Krishna who wholeheartedly embraced love of God. We should never allow ourselves to be disturbed by his heaviness. Prabhupada had to be that way. He’s entitled to be as soft as a rose or as hard as a thunderbolt. Prabhupada had Krishna in his fist, and he can Him to us. He is teaching us love of God. It is up to us to develop that simple devotion that develops with devotion to guru. We want to be sheltered by Prabhupada, our Nrsimha-guru.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5
TOVP progress (Album with photos)
Today we visited the different areas of the TOVP site with Ambarisa Das and Bhavananda Prabhu…
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
