Author Archives: Dandavats.com

December 23. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Prabhupada has said that each person is ultimately alone, like a pilot in a one-man airplane. This will be made clear to us at the time of death when we have to “fly our own plane.” Then we will want to surrender ourselves fully to Prabhupada and Krishna. Then there will be no relief in medicines, when the body itself, which seemed to be our friend and shelter, will not be able to sustain us. Worldly pleasures and possessions will lose their taste. Now is the time to prepare. Later, our ability to think of Krishna and Prabhupada will be impaired. Telling memories of Prabhupada is for now, when we are looking for subject matter for hearing and reading, and when we are capable of it. The living being is so lively and curious that if he doesn’t hear of the pure devotee, he will hear something else. So Prabhupada meditation is a way to keep the mind fixed at the lotus feet of the pure devotees.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Coconut Island Harinam Party , Fiji (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra one immediately …

In the Temple of My Heart, Jaya Jaya to the Son of Jagannatha and Sachi, Namami Nandanandanam – Bharatanatyam Dance by Campakalata D…

Jayadev @ Mantra Lounge – December 2015 (11 min video)
Jayadev and the crew from Scotland brought the Mantra Choir to Mantra Lounge for our festive special on Friday evening, and it was incredible!! See the video for yourself here…. https://goo.gl/dE6ibi
You still have a chance to be part of the ‘Virtual Mantra Choir’ by taking a short clip of yourself and submitting it BEFORE New Years Eve 2015! Don’t miss out, see Mantra Choir for further details!!

Gita Jayanti – Mayapur 2015 (Album with photos)
Yesterday the devotees in Mayapur celebrated Gita Jayanti by chanting Bhagavad …

December 22. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
“Although we are unable to glorify you adequately, we nonetheless have a transcendental taste to glorify your activities. We shall try to glorify you according to the instructions received from authoritative sages and scholars. Whatever we speak, however, is always inadequate and very insignificant.” – Bhag. 4.16.3 Discussion of the activities of mahatmas will help us to become better devotees. When a young disciple of Srila Prabhupada’s sent him an original poem, “Eight Verses in Praise of My Spiritual Master,” Prabhupada replied that it was “very nice and thoughtful.” He encouraged his disciple to continue praising the Vaisnavas: “May Krishna bless you to improve more and more in writing the glories of our previous acaryas and the Lord. Be engaged in glorifying the parampara system and your life will be glorified automatically thousands of times.” – Letter August 14, 1971
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Sakhi’s Graduation (Album with photos)
Congrats to the latest Bhaktivedanta Academy Gurukula graduate, Sakhi Caran Raya Prabhu. He now heads up the most important service in Mayapur: the mahaprasadam department. Maharaja told me to make sure to get a good photo—someday this will be his “before” picture.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lk7ieB

Cure for the Chronic Disease of Fault finding by HG Gaur Gopal das (video)
Is fault finding really that bad or really that detrimental to our spiritual lives? Srila Prabhupada describes it as a sinful activity. “Those who are committing sins like illicit sex, fault-finding, and unjustified violence rarely attain spiritual knowledge or realization. Sinful activities deepen the dark gloom of ignorance, while pious activities bring the light of transcendental knowledge into one’s life.” Srila Prabhupada Puts Fault Finding Right Up There With Illicit Sex And Unjustified Violence (Meat Eating).
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Csb7OZ

Most Inspired! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The holy town of Udupi lies on the Arabian Sea in the South Indian state…

Vedic Cosmology: Integrating God and Physics.
One of the strongest points of tension that often comes up in cosmology between science and religion is the age of the universe. Some interpretations of the Bible calculate it to be about 6,000 years old,…

Nityam Bhagavata-sevaya#27. The Marriage of Kardama and Devahuti.
Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! After the special issues on Radha Kund and Govardhana for the first anniversary of the NBS e-magazine, we are resuming to the topics of Srimad Bhagavatams Third Canto. In this issue, the Supreme Lord is arranging the marriage of Kardama and Devahuti. Additionally, a fresh translation from the Mahabharata, in regard to the conversation between Draupadi and Satyabhama, is done for this issue. We pray this issue brings some pleasure to the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. NBS # 27 Features: 1) Kardama Muni Glorifies The Supreme Lord Sri Maitreya Rishi 2) Lord Arranges For Kardama Muni’s Marriage Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur 3) Lord Fulfills His Devotees Desires His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 4) Kardama Accepts Devahuti Sri Maitreya Rishi 5) Service Attitude of Devahuti Sripad Vallabhacharya 6) How Should a Wife Serve Her Husband? Conversation between Draupadi and Satyabhama.
This issue can be viewed here: https://www.scribd.com/doc/293763987/NBS-27

The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine, # 365, was just released. Devotional alliteration, a look at an aspect of the science of Sanskrit devotional poetry, plus more … This issue includes: * HEALTH COMES FIRST – Instructions to a disciple from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. * DEVOTIONAL ALLITERATION – A special article compiled especially for this issue of Bindu. From time immemorial, Sanskrit poets have been using a variety of alankaras, literary ornaments, to decorate their poetry. One commonly used ornament is anuprasa. The closest English equivalent for this term is “alliteration”, or the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Anuprasa has been frequently employed by various Gaudiya acaryas in their prayers to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. This article provides a brief perusal of the use of anuprasa in their writings with many things translated for the first time. It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu365

December 21. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
In the first year in New York before he started ISKCON, Prabhupada’s life was full of risk and adventure. His coming to America was itself a risk. We can’t imagine what it was like for Prabhupada to be without money in a foreign country and yet to dare to present Krishna consciousness. If at any point he had gone back to India, after the robbery in his room on 70th Street, or on any of those Scindia return voyages, or after he had to leave the Bowery when Mr. Paul went crazy – if at any point he had gone back, then we would never have been born. Sometimes he had to abandon the strict regulations of sannyasa in order to stay and do the more important work of spreading Krishna consciousness. When he stayed in Carl Yeargen’s apartment, he had to keep his food in the same refrigerator where Carl kept cat food.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Gift a Van. Get the mercy of a million books!
Please help us to buy 2 new sankirtan vans and to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books in Germany.
Dear Devotees and Friends, approaching ISKCON’s 50th anniversary in 2016, we have one very special goal in mind: distributing ONE MILLION Shrila Prabhupada’s books from Simhachalam, our Prahlada Laksmi Narasimhadeva’s temple in Germany. And you could easily be part of it! Simhachalam temple is not only well known for the first Narasimha deity installed in the West, but also for its amazing distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Since 1987 till November this year devotees have distributed around 918 000 books from Simhachalam temple!
For two years now our book distribution is on the rise. In 2014 our three sankirtan teams distributed almost 50,000 books! Also the number of our book distributors is increasing now.
Unfortunately two of our three vans were not willing to be part of Prabhupada’s mission any longer and broke down several times during this year. Some of our book distributors had to spent more time repairing the engines than being active in the book distribution.
Read the entire article here: https://goo.gl/wahoIn

Radha Golokananda’s Boat Festival 2015 (6 min video)
Devotees in ISKCON Mauritius annually organize this beautiful boat festival for the pleasure of Radha Golokananda and Their devotees.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/udwDRw

$4.6 Million Endowed for New Hindu Studies Program in Berkeley, California.
Ajay Shingal – a Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur – said in a press statement announcing the endowment: “I have two kids, they don’t go to the temple without us. I truly believe if we want these temples to survive, our kids have to be very grounded in their religion through education.”
“To me the biggest contribution one can make is the gift of education; I truly believe that the institution we are forming at GTU will be transformative in its impact,” said Shingal, who serves on the Board of Trustees of the Dharma Civilization Foundation.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/VTnVJM

Mexico City! (Store in a Mall!) Centro comercial Santa Fe.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Odana Sashti Festival In Rajapur.
Being in Mayapur and very close to Rajapur, home of Lord Jaganath, Baladeva and Subadhra, we all jumped in a car and went to take part of the festivities that were organized for the very sweet pastime of Odana sashti. This yearly Rajapur festival is a rare opportunity for the devotees to all sit in front of Lord Jaganath and listen to some of his very delightful pastimes this year told by HG Jananivas prabhu.
The weather in Mayapur is very pleasing at that time which gives a break from the intense heat that devotees usually have to tolerate, so it makes it easy and cozy for everyone to join the festivities and peacefully enjoy the narratives of the sweet pastimes. Odana sashti being the first day of winter, all the Mayapur Deities are from that day onward, dresses in winter clothes.
Lord Jaganath,Baladeva and Subadhra, receive special treatment as they are given new starched cloth and beautiful handmade new mukut pieces. Young Mayapur devotees worked hard to shape 26 new mukut pieces to share between Lord Jaganath and his brother Lord Balaram and Subadhra was prowdly wearing a new splendid crown also made with love by young devotee girls. This tradition helps the devotees remember the pastime of Lord Jaganath and his great devotee, Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who once became critical of the Lord’s servants.
“Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi, a close associate of Lord Chaitanya’s, once upon seeing that the Deities were being offered starched garments, became critical towards the servants of Lord Jagannatha. When Pundarika was thus speaking in this way, Svarupa Damodara tried to explain that the characteristics of the Supreme Lord are beyond the jurisdiction of worldly etiquette, and encouraged Pundarika not relinquish his critical thoughts. Svarup Damodara’s advice fell on deaf ears, so Lord Jagannatha and Balarama enacted the pastime of appearing to Pundarika in a dream that evening and slapping him on his cheeks nonstop, leaving him with red marks on his face. Thus Jagannath destroyed the sinful mentality of criticizing the behavior of the Supreme Lord’s servants by his supreme mercy.”
In the forenoon, sweet graceful Kirtan was lead by HG Narahari Nityananda prabhu which brought about a soft but still festive mood that was ideal for that auspicious day.
And of course the festivities ended with a Prasadam feast which was appreciated and relished by hundreds of pilgrims and devotees.
Lord Jaganath,Baladev and Subadhra Ki Jay

Harinama in the Islands of mercy, Fiji (Album with photos)
Ecstatic Celebration of Prabhupada’s 50th Anniversary of coming to the Western World.
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna chant is called the maha-mantra, the great, exalted mantra above all other Vedic mantras, because simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra brings so many beneficial effects. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 9.1.17 Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/SxjhMK

December 20. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Prabhupada meditation transcends time and place, although it can happen in any time and place. He can be with you even in a hot cubbyhole in a cheap hotel. When he does come to you, your place becomes transcendental. Rupa Gosvami has stated that everything can be used in the service of Krishna. Even the botheration of travel can evoke a fond meditation. Whatever our ongoing situation, we can always dovetail it with Prabhupada meditation of one sort or another. Give respects to the memories of Swamiji. Just hold them in your mind, worship his lotus feet. You do not have to be a radio broadcaster telling everyone about it. It is a moment of remembrance for you. For your own benefit. Appreciate that you were there; worship the minutes and hours. “Prabhupada, I loved you. I do love you. I appreciate the Krishna consciousness that you have brought. I want to be carried out of this material world; please save me. Please let me remember that I am your menial sisya who learns from you, practices Vaisnavism under your direction.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Ram Ghat – Chir Ghat Karttika (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Some more pics from Karttika Parikrama. Come along with us to places we don’t often go. Ram Ghat, where Dauji did Rasa Lila with His gopis, and Chir Ghat, where Krishna stole the garments of the gopis. A few other places along the way! And the most astounding Deity of Dauji in Braja at Khelan Van (Shergarh)! Pics thanks to Vittalrukmini Das!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pFvyDU

The chilean music band Krishna Sambandha performed in massive Indian Festival in Centro Cultural Chimkowe. This vaisnava song is nam…

Mayapur: Sri Radha-Madhava Elephant Procession!
Saturdays around 5:00 pm in Mayapur… Magical moments of Sri Radha-Madhava Elephant Procession. Mystical sounds could be heard by every single living entity anywhere near ISKCON Mayapur campus. Very intense thundering of large drums beating to the rhythm of two elephant’s hearts, was the best way to bring back to mind some very sweet pastimes of our dear Lord Krsna in Dwarka.
Every Saturday evening, Sri Radha Madhava leave their altar carried by one of our leading Pujari, HG Jananivas prabhu and are reverently placed on the head of a magnificent elephant.
Two devotees beautifully decorated, have the service of carrying their Lordship on elephants along with some devotees around the Mayapur campus. The fire lanterns being the only source of light during the procession, create a fascinating and kind of mysterious atmosphere which bring everyone to an enchanted mood. The roads are so colorful and beautifully decorated with breath taking Rangoli designs, it is hard to walk without stopping to take a longer look, but we have to follow the procession with hundreds, if not thousands of devotees and pilgrims chanting and dancing with raised arms.
Kirtan lead this week by the Pandav Sena, was amazing and made everyone’s heart melt and voices merged into a one unison sound. All of us present could feel how once again, these pastimes performed by the Mayapur devotees are incredibly powerful and help so much to bring everyone into a good spiritual mood. Krsna consciousness is serious business but, Oh my God… How fun and heart cleansing it can be. So every Saturday evening, we can all really do what Srila Prabhupada said “ Just chant and be happy!”

Pujari Course in Mayapur.
For the pleasure of their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancatattva, Prahlad Nrisimha Dev, Srila Prabhupada and for all the readers Mayapur Bhakti Vriksha happily informs that, for the first time there was a Training class arranged by Mayapur Bhakti Vriksha on ‘Bhoga offering and Aroti performance’ for one day (2 times class) on 6th December, 2015 to facilate those upcoming Bhakti Vriksha members in order to help them regarding daily Bhoga offering and Aroti performance in their home.
It took place in Mayapur Pancatattva extension hall and 130 bhakti Vriksha members participated with great enthusiasm. The class divided into two sessions. The first session from 10:00am-12:00pm (theoretical) and second session 3pm-5pm (Practical). After first session a delicious lunch Prasadam were served to all. The class ended with auspicious Harinam Sankirtan and they returned home with joy. Haribol!
Thank you very much.

December 19. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Even if Srila Prabhupada and Vyasadeva and other acaryas do sometimes teach us in preliminary ways, as one deals with less intelligent people, the learner will not be harmed if he follows their exact instructions. If there is more esoteric information that is beyond him, and which he does not know because his teachers do not teach him – still he will not be harmed if he trusts them. They know the best way to bring him through all the obstacles, back home, back to Godhead. The literal presentation of Krishna consciousness in the Scriptures that Prabhupada insists on is not itself simplistic or dogmatic. Prabhupada states that Krishna certainly walked the Earth in His divine form and He is also present now in His holy name. He is fully present in stone or brass deities, but these truths are themselves very esoteric and can only be fully understood by the pure devotee. As stated in the scriptures, atah sri-krsna-namadi … “One cannot understand Krishna with blunt senses. When his senses are purified through service, then one can understand Him.” Prabhupada taught esoteric knowledge, but he has kindly given it to us in such a way that even beginners can accept Krishna literally – but they should know that the full Krishna will be revealed to us only when we are purified.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Interviewing devotees about the relevance of the Vedic Planetarium Temple in Mayapur. (brief videos)
Srila Prabhupada: Now here in India we are constructing a very large Vedic Planetarium…within the planetarium we will construct a huge, detailed model of the universe as described in the text of the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Within the planetarium, the model will be studied by onlookers from different levels by use of escalators. Detailed information will be given on open verandahs at the different levels by means of dioramas, charts, films etc.

Mahabharata Controversies – Karna’s Tragic Choice (video)
A tragic figure of the Mahabharata had to decide between Krsna’s pleasure and his own prestige.
By HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Hbr1NL

Cows of Braj (Album with photos)
Vishnu Purana: My Lord, you are the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and the of the entire world.
Purport: In this prayer we see that special mention is made of the cows, indicating that special protection must always be given to the cows who are very dear to the Supreme Lord. The Lord is very fond of cows and we are encouraged to give reverence and love to the cow. For the cowherd men and the cows, Krsna is the supreme friend. Therefore, He is worshiped by the prayer “ namo brahmanya-devaya go brahmana –hitaya ca”. His pastimes in Gokula, are always favorable to the brahmanas and the cows, His first business is to give all protection to the cows and the brahmanas. In fact, comfort for the brahmanas are secondary, and comfort for the cows are His first concern ( Srimad Bhagavatam 10.8.16 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/NNXNWI

TOVP: Choosing the best decorations for the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Prabhu has recently visit…

ISKCON Auckland New Zealand: Harinama in the streets of the city (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one uses the vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material body, for material wealth and followers, or under the influence of greed or atheism – in other words, if one utters the holy name with offenses – such chanting will not produce the desired result very soon. Therefore one should diligently avoid offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.60)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/0HrXkU

Harinama in Moscow Russia, the Reading Project.
You’ve certainly met dancing and singing Hare Krishna devotees in the streets of your cities and you have a question: who are they and what are different from others? How dangerous are they to me? Or maybe I should not worry? Our magazine provides answers not only on these issues, but also talks about the fact that we are all united, like opening for everyone new horizons in a modern, it seemed to have the length and breadth investigated the world. If you are just getting started with our movement, the magazine Harinam – your best friend and guide. Do not wait for happiness! Take it at once! Try harinama taste this minute! Do not wait until the ripe! You deserve to be happy without delay.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/2h6yM5

December 18. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
A doubtful person inquired and got answers from Swamiji. Gradually, he began to accept whatever Prabhupada said. He wanted us to accept everything, a “package deal”: the demigods in the higher planets, four-armed forms, thousand-headed forms, and so on. Everything started to be part of the same axiomatic truth – whatever was in the Vedas, whatever was taught by the spiritual master. One did not get to pick and choose. Besides, there was a reason why everything was believable. If it was not “believable” to you, that is also understandable. You did not have to comprehend it with your own brain – it was often beyond you. Once you accepted these premises, then you accepted particular teachings that sounded strange to outsiders on the principle of acintya, inconceivable knowledge. And as one came to learn, knowledge born of these senses was defective. The realities of other worlds didn’t have to tally with our world. The guru knew what was right.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Merciful Vrinda Devi (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: A few special shots of our parikrama to Vrinda Kunda this Kartika….

Srila Prabhupada: “Whatever you have on your plate when you start, you have to finish that prasadam.”
Daivishakti: In 1974, maybe in August, after Janmastami, Prabhupada was again recovering from his sickness. And we used to cook for Prabh…

Food For Life Nepal Picnic Program – A Thousand Smiles (Album with photos)
Food For Life Nepal organized picnic program for a thousand children @ ISKCON Nepal temple, Budhanilkantha. A perfect place for a family gathering & to get a spiritual experience…
Our thanks & gratitude to ISKCON Nepal for their help & support.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pDRHgt

The new generation of preachers are here!
Sri Mayapur International School: Our Grade 4 students went for Book Distribution ins…

December 17. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Prabhupada had a lot of ammunition. He had good reasoning power and good arguments. He had personal saintliness and a mystical connection with the Supreme. He had the ancient and great Vaisnava tradition behind him. He was from India and spoke of many acaryas who also accepted Krishna consciousness. He said that what he was preaching was the same thing that Christ and Buddha taught. So, if one went against him, he went against all the Vishnu incarnations, all the God-teachers and sages of renunciation and lovers of the Supreme. He frankly said that the truth is beyond our senses; we should accept it and be humble. Prabhupada said that what he was teaching would bring freedom from anxiety. This was wanted. Swamiji himself appeared to be free of anxiety and he was “fixed.” He said that anyone could do it just by chanting Hare Krishna.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Harinama around Sigatoka Temple, Fiji (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: No one in this life can chant the holy name of the…

Harinama at Coolangatta (Coolangatta is the southernmost suburb of City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia) – 13 December 2015 (A…

Parikrama – 13 December 2015 (Album with photos)
Yoga Pitha, Srivas Angan and Murari Gupta’s House
Find them here: https://goo.gl/aBDHRm