Author Archives: Dandavats.com

How Do We Know? Ananda Devi Dasi: We may sometimes ask…
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How Do We Know?
Ananda Devi Dasi: We may sometimes ask ourselves, rather we should regularly ask ourselves, how are we doing in our spiritual life? Is our consciousness changing and developing? Is our love for Krishna growing? Are we becoming less affected by our life, our karma, and the world in general? Are we developing a strong sense of who we are that lives within our body?
Prabhupada suggests we take test. In the purport to verses 8-12 in Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 13 he writes – “As for actual advancement in spiritual science, one should have a test to see how far he is progressing.” He invites us to judge ourselves by the 20 items listed in these verses.
Before taking the test, read the verses and purport as they are filed with insights to help us answer as honestly as we can. It’s just between us and Krishna or if we are brave, we can do it as an exercise with others. It’s a great guide to our inner journey – a journey more important than anything else we will work for in our life.
Turn the 20 items into questions by prefacing each with “How am I doing with…? We can use numbers between 1 – 10, or mark ourselves good, not so good, or terrible. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but not too easy either! Acknowledging where we are is the best way to get where we want to go. Good luck!
1. Humility
2. Pridelessness
3. Nonviolence
4. Tolerance
5. Simplicity
6. Approaching a bona fide spiritual master
7. Cleanliness
8. Steadiness
9. Self-control
10. Renunciation of the objects of sense gratification
11. Absence of false ego
12. Perception of the evil of birth, death, old age & disease
13. Detachment
14. Freedom from the entanglement with children, partner, home, and the rest (if these people and things do not support your spiritual advancement)
15. Even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events
16. Constant and unalloyed devotion to Me
17. Aspiring to live in a solitary place
18. Detachment from the general mass of people
19. Accepting the importance of Self-realization
20. Philosophical search for the Absolute Truth

January 22. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 22. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Snowstorm in New York City. January 22, 1966. While Srila Prabhupada prayed to receive Radha-Krishna in New York, a snowstorm hit the City. That morning, Srila Prabhupada, who had perhaps never before seen snow, woke and thought that someone had whitewashed the side of the building next door. Not until he went outside did he discover it was snow. The temperature was ten degrees. The City went into a state of emergency, but Prabhupada continued his daily walks. Now he had to walk through heavy snow, only a thin dhoti beneath his overcoat, his head covered with his “swami hat.” The main roads were cleared, but many sidewalks were covered with snow. Along the strip of park dividing Broadway, the gusting winds piled snowbanks to shoulder height and buried the benches. The Broadway kiosks, plastered with layers of posters and notices, were now plastered with additional layers of snow and ice. But despite the weather, New Yorkers still walked their dogs, the pets now wearing raincoats and mackinaws. Such pampering by American dog owners left Prabhupada with a feeling of surprised amusement. As he approached West End Avenue, he found the doormen blowing whistles to signal taxis as usual, but also scattering salt to melt the ice and create safe sidewalks in front of the buildings. In Riverside Park, the benches, pathways and trees were glazed with ice and gave off a shimmering reflection from the sky.
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Meet Bhrigupati Prabhu! H.G. Bhrigupati Prabhu spent over 40…
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Meet Bhrigupati Prabhu!
H.G. Bhrigupati Prabhu spent over 40 years in ISKCON distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. He has distributed 2,000,000 books and has been the top distributor in North America for numerous years. In 2005 at the Gaura Purnima Festival in Mayapur, he was awarded the Global Excellence Award for book distribution. He is currently the Sankirtan leader for Los Angeles, California. He regularly gives classes on the philosophy of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita.

“Best Ever” ISKCON North American Leaders Meetings Highlight…
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“Best Ever” ISKCON North American Leaders Meetings Highlight ISKCON 50!
Many of the more than sixty temple presidents and GBCs attending this year’s ISKCON North American Leaders Meetings called the event “the best ever.” This was largely owing to the upbeat mood brought about by ISKCON’s 50th anniversary, increasing book distribution successes, and the inspiring association at the meetings. “It was very, very positive and full of proactive presentations,” says GBC and ISKCON Communications Director Anuttama Das. “The focus was on how so many wonderful things have been accomplished over the past fifty years, and yet there’s so much more to do to try to expand Prabhupada’s movement and fulfill his vision.” The meetings, which were held from January 14th to 16th and were the first to take place at the newly opened mandir in Houston, Texas, began with a keynote address by academic and author Yogesvara Das (Joshua M. Greene).
Read more: http://goo.gl/qPGCxK

Question:What is the purpose of marriage as viewed by ISKCON? …
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Question:What is the purpose of marriage as viewed by ISKCON? Answer by Romapada Swami: The purpose of marriage is to provide an opportunity for all the members in the family to properly support one another to peacefully practice and grow in their Krishna Consciousness. In Vedic scriptures, the institution of marriage is referred to as an “ashram” or a sacred place of purification. Marriage provides much opportunity for this as it involves rising above one’s own personal attachments/issues and serving the other members of the family with devotion and detachment. This is not easy (many married devotees will attest for this) but it is so by design to help devotees grow and become more pure in their Krsna Consciousness. Thus, marriage, if properly approached, is an amazing opportunity offered to the conditioned soul to shed its false ego and become more advanced in Krsna Consciousness and cultivate devotional qualities like patience, determination, chastity, faith etc. The key to making this all happen is a strong relationship of service and inquiry with a bonafide spiritual master, as well as those who closely guide one’s spiritual life.

January 21. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 21. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Correspondence with Bon Maharaja. January 21, 1966 Srila Prabhupada received Bon Maharaja’s reply. Two weeks before, Prabhupada had written to his godbrother, the Director of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Vrindavana, that he had found a place for a temple in New York and that he wanted to install deities of Radha and Krishna. In his reply, Bon Maharaja quoted price estimates for fourteen-inch brass deities of Radha-Krishna, but he also warned that to begin deity worship would be a heavy responsibility. Srila Prabhupada responded: I think that after the temple has started, some men, even from America, may be available, as I have seen they have at the Ramakrishna Mission, as well as in so many Yoga societies. So I am trying to open a temple here because Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati) wanted it. Prabhupada also requested Bon Maharaja’s assistance in getting the Government to sanction release of the money he felt Padampat Singhania would donate. He mentioned that he had carried on an extensive personal correspondence with the Vice-President of India, Dr. Radhakrishnan, who was also known to Bon Maharaja. Tell him that it is not an ordinary temple of worship, but an international institution for God consciousness based on the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
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New devotional CD by Stoka Krishna das from Italy “Calling of the Soul”
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New devotional CD by Stoka Krishna das from Italy “Calling of the soul”
Dear devotees, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am very happy to present this CD for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and all the Vaisnavas.
“Really beautiful, innovative in the Vaisnava soundscape and done very well, very devotional and professional. They are all new melodies, sweet, virtuous and relaxing, with soothing voices perfectly tuned and synchronized, the instruments are played expertly and the introductions are extremely attractive”
(Review from the Italian magazine “Movimento Iskcon” by Sri Lalita devi dasi)
The CD “Calling of the soul” is available here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stokakrishnadas and on www.amazon.it, also obtainable for download on Itunes and Spotify.
Your humble servant,
Stoka Krishna das (GRS)

NBS#29: The appearance of Lord Kapila. This issue covers the…
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NBS#29: The appearance of Lord Kapila.
This issue covers the appearance of the divine son of Kardama Muni and Devahuti, Lord Kapila, who is an incarnation of Lord Himself. Also included for this issue, is translations of various acharyas on the famous verse from Bhagavad Gita.
“Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna”
We pray this issue brings some pleasure to the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
NBS # 29 Features:-
1) Kardama Pacifies Devahuti
Sri Maitreya Rishi
2) The Appearance of Lord Kapila
Sri Vishvanatha Chakravati Thakura
3) Why Did Kardama Muni Leave Home?
His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
4) Birth and Activities of The Supreme Lord
Sri Sridhar Swami, Sri Madhusudana Saraswati,
Sri Vishvanatha Chakravati Thakura, and Sri Baladeva Vidyabhushana
5) How Should One Approach The Supreme Lord?
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur,
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/EpTTO3

Inspirational Videos by Ghanashyam Priya ( 3 brief videos) “The…
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Inspirational Videos by Ghanashyam Priya ( 3 brief videos)
“The Bhagavad-gita says that when we focus on a deeper motive, or a higher purpose, or deeper meaning in life, then we can affect and impact the outer space,” he proclaims. The vibrantly colorful images and dramatic music create a euphoric tension that make you want to jump up, pump your fist, and shout, “I can do it!”
Watch them here: https://goo.gl/acimhz

January 20. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 20. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Do It For Him. It is reassuring to take stock of the fact that we follow Prabhupada in almost everything we do. Often we feel bereft of love for Prabhupada, and we think that we are distant from him. However, if you take inventory, you will see that you are always doing what he wanted you to do. I do not wear sannyasi clothes because it is my destiny to be a Vaisnava monk; I do it because he introduced it. When I think like this, it gives me assurance that I am completely immersed in Prabhupada consciousness. Even me, a laggard who does not fulfill front-line duties, who fails in many ways to cooperate with devotees – even I am following Prabhupada in general, and in the particulars, with devotion. Chant your rounds, read his books, do your preaching service, whatever it may be; do things the way he wanted them done. With the instinct of a well-trained person, you act the way Prabhupada taught you. To give a crude example, consider the way a jet pilot moves in the cockpit. He does not expressly think, “Now I am going to pull this switch and that lever to make the plane take off and veer to the left.” He does not have to think so specifically about what he is doing because he has experience. We also have experience and should be guided by Prabhupada’s vani. Whatever comes up in our lives, we simply act according to Prabhupada’s instructions. If someone asks us, we may verbalize the source of the instruction. Usually, we do not have to verbalize it – you see something and you do it the way Prabhupada did it, because you see the wisdom of his ways.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

KK Bindu #367, “The Final Words of Bhakta Kavi Gopal…
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KK Bindu #367, “The Final Words of Bhakta Kavi Gopal Krishna”, plus more …
The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released. This issue includes:
* IRRESPONSIBILITY IN BHAKTI – In this excerpt from a letter to a disciple,
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada strongly speaks about the principle of guru.
* THE FINAL WORDS OF BHAKTA KAVI GOPAL KRISHNA – The story of the last day and final prayers of this great Odishan Gaudiya Vaishnava poet.
* NAMA-TATTVA: NAMA IS ALL POWERFUL – a verse from Skanda Purana.
* “MATAJI” – From the life of Srila Lochan Das Thakur
It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu367

What makes us act selfishly? Answer by Radhanath…
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What makes us act selfishly?
Answer by Radhanath Swami.
Question: The caring attitude is pleasing to everyone, but generally the default attitude in this world is one always thinks selfishly. So is it an inbuilt script of the mind that makes one think selfishly?
Radhanath Swami: The false ego misconceives: “I am this body, I am this mind, I am the controller, I am the proprietor, and I am the selfish enjoyer.” This is foundational to all material complications. It impels us to put ourselves above others and act selfishly. And when we continue to act in that way it becomes a habit. According to how we habituate ourselves, by making those wrong choices, we become more and more engrained in that way of thinking.
That is the way any habit works. For example, if you smoke a lot of cigarettes you become addicted, and the more you smoke the more you become addicted. The habit becomes a craving, and then it is very difficult to do anything without feeding your habit. When you are in the middle of it, you cannot really understand the effect of what you are doing because you are so much a slave of the habit. So that is exactly the way the ego works. Our selfishness, our arrogance, our greed, our selfish passions, our anger, and our envy – as we make choices to feed these habits, they become stronger and stronger and stronger.
But when we associate with saintly people we began to understand what we really want in life and what our condition is. And then we will take the medicine and the way of life by which we can become liberated from these habits of egotism. Chanting of the Holy Names is the simple medicine that will cure one from all the symptoms of ego, ignorance and selfishness.

January 19. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 19. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Honoring Prasadam. The way he taught in his Prospectus written in the 1950s for the League of Devotees, Swamiji gave prominent mention to prasadam. He invited members to live with him in the asrama, and he advertised the daily schedule. There were many times during the day when prasadam was served. The menu was described exactly. By studying that daily schedule, one can understand that prasadam is like attending arotikas, bhajanas, or Bhagavatam readings. Prasadam was not a material break in a spiritual day. It was another full-fledged, spiritual activity – a devotee was either chanting, or working, or honoring prasadam. Prasadam works. It makes you feel satisfied and free of sex agitation. Everything seems nice. You don’t want to argue with people. Prasadam helps to heal the ailing self. The atma is not only the soul; it is the mind, body and self. All of these will be satisfied by eating prasadam. When you honor prasadam, the body says, “I like Krishna consciousness.” The mind says, “I like it too, I am not agitated any more.” The self exclaims, “This prasadam was offered to Krishna. Swamiji says it is not ordinary food.” Prasadam is an item of faith, a sacrament.
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36th day Prachar Yatra Report. If we closely observe the…
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36th day Prachar Yatra Report.
If we closely observe the situation in the world it is full of exploitation: the ‘haves’ exploiting ‘have-nots’, strong exploiting the weak, masculine gender exploiting the female gender, human species exploiting the lower species, powerful country exploiting the weaker countries, irreligion exploiting religion, cities exploiting villages, man exploiting environment, etc. The list of exploitation is vast and gets longer as the influence of kali-yuga progresses further. The history is also full with such exploitative stories.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/fncyYA

January 18. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 18. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Touched by His Greatness. Do not forget that Srila Prabhupada is your master. Never be condescending in your praise or estimation of him. As disciples, we worship our guru with affection as well as with objective evidence of his greatness. We also have to be regularly touched by his greatness. In describing Prahlada Maharaja’s prayers to Lord Nrsimhadeva, Prabhupada asserts that Prahlada was able to please Lord Nrsimhadeva even though others, great demigods and even Laksmidevi herself, could not. What was Prahlada’s quality that so attracted the Lord? Prabhupada goes right to the heart of it sweetly and simply, entering the mentality of Prahlada Maharaja and explaining it to us. A great teacher is one who can convey tremendous thoughts and experiences to the students. It is one thing to feel something, and it is an added empowerment to convey it to others. That teaching ability arises from compassion and empathy. Prabhupada was able to grasp the whole relationship of Prahlada Maharaja and Nrsimhadeva and give it to an audience—not of great scholars or long-time practicing sadhus—but to ordinary persons. He stressed the simplicity of Prahlada Maharaja’s approach: in a childlike way, he prostrated himself before Nrsimhadeva.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Preparation of Cow Dung Patties in Vrindavan (8 min video) In…
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Preparation of Cow Dung Patties in Vrindavan (8 min video)
In the rural areas of India it is customary to make patties from cow dung. Each family has a few cows, the cows eat fresh grass or hay, they give milk, and their dung is made into patties and used as fuel, for cooking, for heating and many other purposes. The video shows a few rural women making the dung patties, drying them and storing them in a hut, which is also made of cow dung. This is a maximal and very practical utilization of the cow’s products – therefore in India the cow is considered a mother. If the cows are raised with love, fed with the proper food, and cared for, in a very natural way according the cow nature, they give back.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xkzkP5

Harinama in Lagos, Nigeria (Album with photos) Mahat Tattva…
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Harinama in Lagos, Nigeria (Album with photos)
Mahat Tattva Dasa: Lively Harinama in the company of a dozen or so devotees in a large market area. I was pulled over by police for taking a photograph of a police officer. After much yelling and shouting, the police let me go and returned my camera. Before I left, their mood drastically changed to where they were all smiling and chanting Hare Krishna.
During the Harinama devotees were distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, On Chanting pamphlet and prasadam fried-banana chips.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/zsbxlz

January 17. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily…
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January 17. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Staying in Love. Turn to Prabhupada. What do I mean by that? You are facing in one direction and you hear a sound, or your mind tells you that you want to look in another direction. Physically, you move your neck and head in order to see the desired object, or you may turn your whole body. At least you turn your attention. When we turn to Prabhupada, what do we see? Like dawn, at first we do not see much. We strain our eyes and wait as outlines start to become clear. We see the peaks of hills and can clearly distinguish the horizon. The sun is not up yet, but we desire to be with Prabhupada—so we talk of him. Way off in the mind’s eye, we see him going out on another walk, and we run to catch up. Abstractly, but in truth, we think of how our lives have been made fortunate by meeting a great devotee of the Lord. He gives us salvation and turns us to the next life without so much fear. As Christ says, “To those who are given, more is expected.” Because we have been given his association, there is an obligation. This is guru-daksina. People who have a relationship bound in love are obliged to continue it. One reason relationships diminish is that people do not communicate. The same thing can happen in the guru-disciple relationship. One can continue to perform the rituals but lose the sense of being in love. When the guru-disciple relationship begins, it is romantic. One is swept off one’s feet in adoration. You promise to give everything. However, we have to learn how to stay in love with Srila Prabhupada.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4