Meet Dimyana, a happy recipient of Srila Prabhupada’s…
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Meet Dimyana, a happy recipient of Srila Prabhupada’s books. She studies neuroscience and pre-Medical. Wears shirt that says ‘Yogi Namaste’. Her grandmother is from Egypt. She approached the table, she had already Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita, which she started. Not only Gita but also most of the other books I had on the table. We spoke about where she comes from, the bay area, and how her experience is down here in southern California. She’s into philosophy and wants to help society to her full capacity. Before she left I gave her a garland that I brought from the temple. I could see that she is a very grateful person. She even gave me tips on where a more optimal place to set up a meditation book table on campus.
More here: http://tattvadarsi.com/blog/

Iskcon Tribal Preaching Programme. -Mahaprabhu told “Grihe…
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Iskcon Tribal Preaching Programme.
-Mahaprabhu told “Grihe thako vane thako sada Hari bole dako” Srila Prabhupada also had that dream which is a success in so many towns, but now only by his blessings a dream to make a difference in the lives of the tribal people of India is coming true.
These tribal people are simple but with a great sense of intimacy with Mother Nature and thus they can easily personally get close to God if shown the right path.
They are, like everyone else, clearly falling prey to the ways of the modern world and it was necessary to make them realize the beauty of their own culture and lifestyle in order to pull them out of the strong clutches of the greedy modern world. With this vision in mind a journey started, the journey of ISKCON Tribal Care Initiative.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/ScnZIL

Harinama in Fiji (Album with photos) Lord Krishna’s Holy Name…
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Harinama in Fiji (Album with photos)
Lord Krishna’s Holy Name extends a hand to deliver the conditioned souls fallen into the ocean of birth and death. No one is as able as the Holy Name about saving lives.
Srila Prabhupada: “In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” (Brhan-naradiya Purana)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Ydh7fI

January 27. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 27. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada Gave At All Levels.
The mixture of basic and advanced Krishna consciousness appears constantly in Prabhupada’s purports. In his Bhagavatam purports, he does not always stick to a storyline. In his explanation of the verses, he feels free to lecture in each particular purport, expanding on the themes in different directions. There may be an occasion when one wants to read only the verses as translated by Prabhupada or his followers, in order to get more involved in the story flow. However, we should never think that a careful study of the Bhaktivedanta purports may be avoided or skipped over in our reading of the Bhagavatam. Rather, the more we study the purports, the more we will appreciate Prabhupada’s relationship with Krishna. As Prabhupadanugas, we want to understand Prabhupada’s Krishna consciousness as much as we can. This will help us to understand our own relationship with Krishna.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Burlavaripalem, India, Offers its Green Turf for…
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Burlavaripalem, India, Offers its Green Turf for Preaching.
Burlavaripalem village happened to be the 47th one in the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra series. It is a sleepy village situated at a distance of about six kilometers from the ocean. It’s a small village with around 2000 population. The village has a mix of modern and old mud-and-straw houses. Agriculture is the main occupation of the villagers here. One very special feature of the village people is their self-sufficiency in the growth of vegetables. Here almost everybody grows their own vegetables and the extra is sold in other villages and towns. It seems even a millionaire in the village grows his own food and goes to sell them as a custom. This village is known for growing many varieties of leafy vegetables.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/yutYdn

Is sincerity based on our past karma? Question: Is sincerity…
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Is sincerity based on our past karma?
Question: Is sincerity based on our past karma, our circumstances as the living entities traveling through different bodies and certain situations?
Answer by Radhanath Swami: Certainly our present condition is deeply influenced by our past karma and whatever sincerity we have is due to how we have cultivated in the past but most important is that we have free choice now. And what we do with that free choice determines how this seed of the devotion and the sincerity required to nourish that seed of devotion develops. Someone may come to Krishna Consciousness and even the slightest rules and regulations are extremely difficult to follow. Someone may come and has no taste for chanting the Holy Name and someone else may come in the first day following the rules, following the regulations, chanting sixteen rounds is just easy and natural. This is obviously due to our previous spiritual development in previous life but if a person wants it you have the free choice to want however difficult it is. And if you choose to put your self in association with those who are sincere and to follow the instructions and serve those who are sincere then you can become the most sincere.
So we are not so concerned with the condition that has been created by our past. We are concerned with receiving the mercy of the Lord now. Jagai and Madhai they were totally insincere souls. They were thieves, murders, drunker but just by coming into the association of Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya and understanding the necessity of surrendering to them they receive the mercy of the Lord and with that mercy they became the supreme most sincere devotees of the Lord. So we should not compare our selves to others because every two devotees are different. Every devotee has previous sinful activities that are influencing your mind and previous devotional activities that are influencing your mind. We should not be envious that this person Krishna Consciousness is so easy and natural and for me it such a hard struggle. I have been a devotee for fifteen years and I am struggling this devotee has been for six months and he is just so Krishna Consciousness, so naturally advanced why should we compare our selves. You are thinking you have been for fifteen years and she is been for six months but actually she may have been a devotee for six life times and you may have been for fifteen years. So we shouldn’t even try to calculate or compare our selves with other because we don’t know what’s in the background but what we should know with complete faith that whatever our level of sincerity is if we associate with people who are sincere. We submissively hear from them and we try to serve them then Krsna will give us all the sincerity i.e. required to perfect our lives.
So yes, the particular condition that you are in now is due your past. But the particular condition that would be before you in the future is according to what you do now. If you associate with sincere devotees you become sincere. If you associate with insincere devotees whatever sincerity you have will be lost. And Krsna sees how you make that choice who to associate with. And how you associate with them by hearing submissively, by serving, by following their example Krsna can give us everything i.e. required to perfect our lives in Krishna Consciousness. And at the present movement our sincerity is simply based on how we are willing to associate with devotees. If we want to become Krishna Conscious, however difficult it may be, if we just follow this principle Krsna will help us. But if we are critical or if we are envious then we are lost Krsna will not recognize our endeavor.

Indian Gov’t taking steps to help Vrindavan widows. Scale…
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Indian Gov’t taking steps to help Vrindavan widows.
Scale Industries Kalraj Mishra, while expressing great concern for the condition of Widows of Varanasi and Vrindavan, said that BJP government was all set to initiate several measures to ensure their dignity and welfare in the near future. The Minister was addressing a large number of widows, who came here from Vrindavan and Lucknow to take part in a programme on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose here, today. Pointing out the mindset of society towards the widows in general and Vrindavan in particular, he said they have been ignored, so far. Mr Mishra said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed for the welfare of Widows and he promised to take steps soon. Mr Modi, during his yesterday’s visit to Varanasi, referred about the condition of Widows and promised to make provisions for their welfare. On the occasion, Mr Mishra lauded the efforts taken by s Sulabh International for the welfare of widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi. He said other organisations should come forward to extend a helping hand to the old-aged widows.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/TBhXw2

Jake Emlyn – Sleepy Souls (3 min new musical video) Srila…
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Jake Emlyn – Sleepy Souls (3 min new musical video)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna is everywhere. Simply you have to catch Him. And He’s also ready for being caught. Yes, if somebody wants to catch Him. Suppose you are a devotee. If you want to catch Him, He comes forward ten times than your desire. He’s so kind. Therefore, we have to simply receive Him. London, August 21, 1973.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/8HHG0h

New Malden Bhakti Vriska, 7 girls distributed 3000 books during…
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New Malden Bhakti Vriska, 7 girls distributed 3000 books during the book marathon in UK (7 min video)
We are a small group under the name of New Malden Bhakti Vriska. It is our aim with Krishna’s mercy to spread the glories of the holy name by motivating people to get involved and possibly join us.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/pSbPQz

January 26. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 26. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Heart. The gift of an artist is his ability to feel something with love and then convey it in an interesting way. The art should infect others with the exact same sentiment that the artist felt. A God-conscious teacher is able to do that, too. He has love of God, and he has the gift of conveying it. It was Lord Caitanya’s desire to convey Krishna-prema by chanting Hare Krishna. Prabhupada was empowered to do that – to chant Hare Krishna and to explain Hare Krishna. He was generous in interspersing his basic Krishna conscious talks with direct introductions into the topmost sphere of Goloka Vrindavana. Furthermore, he did it in plain language. Goloka Vrindavana is itself down-to-earth. The earth is cintamani, but nevertheless, it is earthy. It is not like Vaikuntha, with emphasis on the celestial. Vrindavana’s emphasis is on the humanlike. When Prabhupada talked about Krishna-loka, he did it like that, speaking as a resident and telling us what it was really like.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Vaishnava Winter Festival Baltic’s 2016 – All the…
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Vaishnava Winter Festival Baltic’s 2016 – All the videos.
Sri Navadvipacandra-stavaraja (by Srila Raghunandana Thakura) May Lord Caitanya, the moon of Navadvipa, who is the king of dancers, appear splendidly in my heart. His charming, graceful form is as effulgent as gold, and He has enchanted the minds of all. He is the abode of perfect beauty, and He is greatly agitated the mind of the monarch Cupid.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/xIMDRk

January 25. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 25. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Appreciating the Mahatma.
Lord Krishna defines mahatma as one who is under the protection of the Divine nature. He is fully engaged in devotional service because he knows Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mahatma is always engaged in chanting the glories of Krishna and worshiping Him with determination.
It is difficult to actually find a mahatma living in this world. This is Krishna’s opinion: vāsudevaḥsarvamiti / sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Therefore let us appreciate how rare Srila Prabhupada is, even by material calculation, Indian sannyasis were scarce in America in the 1960s. Vaisnava sannyasis were extremely rare. Yet the true rarity of Srila Prabhupada is that he is a pure devotee of Krishna. He left Vrindavana to give Krishna to others. That makes Prabhupada one among millions.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Subhadra Dasi: Last week, we were going store to store to…
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Subhadra Dasi: Last week, we were going store to store to distribute Bhagavad Gitas, and there was a bar along the way that we also went in to.
One of the patrons there raised his eyebrows and said “Hare Krishnas? Hare Krishnas? I used to always see you guys at the airports. Where’ve you been?”
Vaisesika prabhu, not missing a beat replied: “Oh, we only go to bars, now.”
Everyone laughed and the guy said, “That was a good one!”

Kavicandra Swami: With an effort to subdue my intensive fault…
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Kavicandra Swami: With an effort to subdue my intensive fault finding nature I decided to write something glorifying various god-siblings.
Ladies first, (my mother taught me that, trying to make me into a “southern gentleman”)
First Urmila Devi Dasi (Edith Best) comes to mind.
In spite of a ”privileged” childhood and substantial achievements in academia, she remains a very humble Vaishnava. She has earned a PHD in education and is one of the most sought after speakers in ISKCON, yet she enjoys cooking with her grandchildren and sharing the pleasures of that. She is keeping a low profile and showing a good example for other Matajis.
She has the confidence of some of our most respected sannyasi preachers who allow her to edit their commentaries on the “Manah Shiksa”, That project is her initiative.
I have only met one of her many grandchildren, Jahnu Best. He is very humble devotee who leaves his luxury home in Hawaii to serve on the Polish tour, which is an austere lifestyle. That is following in he grand mother’s footsteps. She also leaves the comfortable life with her big family in Hawaii for intensive traveling and preaching.

Unparallel beauty…in Mayapur for Krishna Pushya Abhishek…
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Unparallel beauty…in Mayapur for Krishna Pushya Abhishek (Album with 40 photos)
Sri Sri Radha Madhav Asta Sakhis Flower Dress 2016.
Mind blowing flower set for Sri Sri Radha Madhava this morning.
HG Jananivas Prabhu, head pujari for Sri Sri Radha Madhava, told me that several hundred devotees stayed up all night getting everything prepared for this incredible set.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cnEQmB

British Museum: Krishna in the garden of Assam. Meera Khurana,…
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British Museum: Krishna in the garden of Assam.
Meera Khurana, London: The Britsh Museum in London have a beautiful exhibition on called ‘Krishna in the garden of Assam’. It is a display of the ancient ‘Vrindavan Vastra’ (Cloth of Vrindavan), made in Assam on tapestry in the late 17th century, depicting Lord Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan. The British Museum have owned this since 1905 (over 100 years) and it is finally on public display. It is thought to be the last surviving example of devotional Vaishnava textile art from Assam, made in the late 17th century. Made with woven silk, it is 30 feet long, displaying many of Lord Krishna’s pastimes from Vrindavan, including killing Bakasura, dancing on Kaliya, stealing of the Gopis clothes etc. The dasavatars (10 incarnations) and Garuda are also woven. Below sample shows Garuda. The exhibition is free and is open until 15 August 2016, in the British Museum, London. It is at the back of the Museum – go through the great courtyard, to the north staircase, climb up, past the Indian Gallery, climbing up to room 91. http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/krishna_in_the_garden_of_assam.aspx
The sample in the photo shows Garuda.

January 24. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 24. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Expressions. It is possible to simultaneously cherish Prabhupada idioms while avoiding some of them in our lecturing and speaking. Some expressions were used by Prabhupada in a particular way, but are grammatically incorrect or archaic. Yet some devotees may see any criticism of ISKCON jargon as insulting to Srila Prabhupada when it is done in a cold-hearted way, without understanding the attachment we have for His Divine Grace and the way he speaks.
The solution to such perceived language misuse is not to eliminate strong teachings of surrender; neither will eliminating the strong preaching spirit help. We have to be sensitive and non-hypocritical. We should be “context sensitive,” speaking with awareness of time, place and persons. On the other hand, if we use ISKCON-speak in a way that is insensitive or unthinking, we may become offensive to our fellow devotees. Hackneyed speech can become a hackneyed way of thinking. We then fall into a habit of speaking without expressing our feelings or realization. We speak “the party line.” If I try to manipulate a fellow devotee by speaking officialese, it is offensive to the devotee and to the philosophy which I claim to represent. Devotees are repelled when they hear another devotee rattle off words which demand obedience and surrender to the highest ideal, although the speaker of those words is himself not following them. “Don’t be on the mental plain, prabhu. Prabhupada wants us to cooperate. Therefore, you should do what I say.”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

About Varnashrama College (8 min video) Bhakti Raghava Swami: In…
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About Varnashrama College (8 min video)
Bhakti Raghava Swami: In the Ninth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.10.51), commenting on the varnashrama structure in Lord Ramacandra’s ideal kingdom, Srila Prabhupada writes: “Among the four yugas [ages]—Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali—Kali-yuga is the worst, but if the process of varnashrama-dharma is introduced, even in this age of Kali, the situation of Satya- yuga can be invoked. The Hare Krishna movement, or Krishna consciousness movement, is meant for this purpose.” Srila Prabhupada means the original varnashrama, the social organization that can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, because it provides for the spiritual advancement of all types of people.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/BjWjmn

GM Seeds Ruin Sambandha with the two Mothers (Gomata and…
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GM Seeds Ruin Sambandha with the two Mothers (Gomata and Bhudevi)
Vrndavanlila Devi Dasi: Then Jananivas prabhu took over beginning with interesting stories from Mahabharat related to the conversation between Yudhistra and his brother Bheem, just when Kali has made his entry. In the course of narrating, prabhu told them about strange phenomenon that Kali purusa had seen and asked its explanation: Fencing is eating the crops- what does it mean and why? — leaders Cow has been seen eating her own calf. Its meaning and why? — abortion Whole elephant being able to pass through the eye of the needle but his tail getting stuck — Kaliyuga who do big scams will not be caught, but those who pay one small EMI are caught Pilgrims travelling. One big rock blocking the path. All healthy looking strong looking men are unable to remove it. But one thin man removes it with the help of one thin string. That rock turns to powder whenthrown.— its meaning. This thread is of Harinam in Kali. A man puts a few glasses of water but when he putsthe same water back it is much lesser instead of being equal – one father will take care of so many children but all the sons will not be able to take care of one father.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/dNm6WB

Some interesting facts about cows! At first glance, cows might…
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Some interesting facts about cows!
At first glance, cows might seem to be simple animals, but they’re not! Cows are fascinating animals. For instance did you know that cows can smell something up to 6 miles away, or that cows can produce 125 lbs. of saliva in one day.
Here’s a list of interesting facts:
1 Cows are social animals, and they naturally form large herds. And like people, they will make friends and bond to some herd members, while avoiding others.
2 Cows are red-green colorblind. In a bullfight, its the waving of the cape that attracts the bull not the red color
3 A cow’s heart beats between 60 and 70 beats per minute.
4 Cows can hear lower and higher frequencies better than humans.
5 An average dairy cow weighs about 1,200 pounds.
6 A cow’s normal body temperature is 101.5°F.
7 The average cow chews at least 50 times per minute.
8 The typical cow stands up and sits down about 14 times a day. 9 An average cow has more than 40,000 jaw movements in a day.
10 Cows actually do not bite grass; instead they curl their tongue around it.
11 Cows have almost total 360-degree panoramic vision.
12 Cows have a single stomach, but four different digestive compartments.
13 Cows are pregnant for 9 months just like people
14 A dairy cow can produce 125 lbs. of saliva a day
15 Cows spend 8 hours per day eating, 8 hours chewing her cud (regurgitated, partially digested food), and 8 hours sleeping
16 You can lead a cow upstairs, but not downstairs. Cows knees can’t bend properly to walk downstairs.
17 Cows can’t vomit
18 The average cow drinks 30 to 50 gallons of water each day 19 Cows only have teeth on the bottom.
20 Cows have a great sense of smell. They can smell something up to 6 miles away.
21 A Holstein’s spots are like a fingerprint. No two cows have exactly the same pattern of black and white spots. They are all different
22 The average cow will eat about 100 lbs. of feed per day.

13th Annual Sir J.C.Bose Memorial Award, 2015. Indian Science…
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13th Annual Sir J.C.Bose Memorial Award, 2015.
Indian Science Monitor, a non-profit organization has been working relentlessly for more than two decades in identifying and promoting great achievers. Sir J.C.Bose Memorial Award (previously as ISM Achievement Award) has been constituted 10 years ago and till now more than 40 eminent luminaries have been awarded and their contribution in the field of Science & Technology, Education, Environment Science, Agriculture, Social Sciences have been highlighted to the concerned public and to the Government.

January 23. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 23. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavatam purports sometimes shift from one topic to another. For example, in his purport to Bhagavatam 10.1.17, we read that at one time the world was overburdened with demoniac kings who were harassing the people. The verse and purport are relevant to modern politics, where every nation is trying to build up its military power. Then in the next verse, we hear that Lord Brahma went with the demigods to the shore of the milk ocean and recited the Purusa-sukta prayers. Brahma received a direct message back from Lord Visnu. In that purport, Prabhupada writes mystically that you may get a direct message from Krishna when you meditate on Him. He says that this can be done even today, and he gives the example of how subtle communications go by television and other methods. When reading Prabhupada purports, we should be patient and happy to follow Prabhupada as he goes from one topic to another. Gradually, we may begin to understand, that for Prabhupada, Krishna is present everywhere, and the jurisdiction of Krishna consciousness is everywhere. If Prabhupada turns his attention to the world’s political situation with thoughts of lamentation or anger, that is Krishna consciousness. When he turns directly to Krishna and forgets this world, that is also Krishna consciousness. As Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, “For one who sees Me everywhere, I am never lost and he is never lost to Me.” We should move with Prabhupada in his Bhaktivedanta purports from one topic to another. With each purport, he gives all that the previous acaryas have said, and he reflects on it based on his own experience. If we read Prabhupada with at least a little understanding of how he composed his purports, one after another, then we, too, will begin to see Krishna everywhere.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Work to Live – Avoid Work That Eats You Alive! Chaitanya Charan…
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Work to Live – Avoid Work That Eats You Alive!
Chaitanya Charan Das: Work is essential for survival, as the Bhagavad-gita (03.08) acknowledges. Yet the same work that is vital can become vitality-sapping if done excessively. When work becomes the sole definer of our self-identity and self-worth, it degenerates to an indulgence, even an addictive indulgence.
Just as alcohol can become an obsession that devours everything else in an alcoholic’s life, so too can work become an obsession that devours everything else in a workaholic’s life. Whereas alcoholism’s harms – physical deterioration, financial drain and behavioral lapses – are usually hard to hide, workaholism’s harms are often hard to notice. It inebriates us with a heady sense of success while silently sidelining things that make life worth living.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/IGgrjj

“Keep up the good work.” -Alex. From the UK. Somehow…
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“Keep up the good work.”
-Alex. From the UK. Somehow or other I got the attention of her and her future husband, and they came over to the table. She told me she already had and read the Bhagavad Gita, but she hadn’t seen this version of the translation. Srila Prabhupada’s translation, I began to explain, was from a traditional lineage of over five thousand years, personally handed down from one spiritual master to the next. So the potency of this translation is unbroken from when it was spoken by Krsna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. I was trying to show her the authenticity of this particular translation. That’s when she began to tell me that she is actually a Hindu. “Wasnt expecting that response!” I thought to myself, most souls that I have met who are Hindu are in Indian bodies. But not this gem.
Her story is that she was studying journalism and which facilitated her to travel abroad to study in India where she fell in love with the culture and philosophy of Hindu life, so she said that’s when she decided to “convert.”
So then I told her that Bhagavad Gita, although used by the Hindu as their holy text, is actually not a Hindu text, but a scripture written for the platform of the soul to realize self, beyond designations. The reason being is that anyone being born in a non-Hindu family is experiencing the same material reality as one who was born into a Hindu family, therefore Sri Krishna speaks this transcendental knowledge to Arjuna for the behalf of humanity as a whole. The reason I began to explain this was for the case that maybe some translations of the Bhagavad Gita don’t stress the importance that we, the soul, are not these bodies.
We had a nice talk and it was pleasant to hear about her spiritual life and attraction to ancient India and all that is continuing to offer. For more: http://www.tattvadarsi.com/

Vrinda Kunda Festival Schedule
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Deena Bandhu dasa: 6 February, Varaha Dvadasi will be 17 years since the opening of our Vrinda Kunda Temple! To celebrate, we will do special parikramas to the Holy Places of Braja. The program will culminate with our famous Kalash Yatra, an ecstatic S…