Websites from the ISKCON Universe
My Relationship with My Salary (3 min video)
Ananga Sakhi Dasi is a Research Technician at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA. Here she shares about her relationship with her salary she and how she chooses to engage it in Lord Krishna’s service. She is a practitioner of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Tradition in Bhakti.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/trBa7R
How the Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK was found and bought.
Dhananjaya: By the end of 1972 nothing had happened. Prabhupada wrote to me: Better to take the upper hand and begin very energetically attempting to get some place. Expending energy for Krishna, that is appreciated and not the actual result of our energy. But if there is lack of energy being devoted for some purpose, then everything will be delayed and possibly stopped. Better to seize the iron while the fire is hot, that my guru maharaj used to tell me.”
KK Bindu # 364, A first-time translation of a rare song, “The Real Meaning of Sevaka”, and more … The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released. This issue includes: * THE GOPIS’ LUST FOR KRISHNA – Reflections from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. * FIRM FAITH IN GURU – Instructions from from His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada: “A sincere disciple has the same devotion for his gurudeva that he has for the Supreme Lord. And he worships and serves him the same way. Those who do not serve their gurudeva this way fall from their position as a disciple.” * THE BRANCH AND THE MOON – An insightful analogy explained by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja, * THE REAL MEANING OF SEVAKA – A first time translation done for this issue OF Bindu from a little known book called “Manah Siksa”, by the poet Premananda Das.
It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu364
UK devotees distributed more than 20.000 Srila Prabhupada’s books, in just a few days, coming closer to the 100.000 goal set for this December marathon.
Sutapa das: As of Friday we have distributed 15,000 books! Yesterday, Saturday 5th Dec, we took it beyond the 20,000 mark. There are 100-150 devotees that went out – Sacred Street Party, Manor Harinam team, Bhakti Vriksa groups across London, Door to Door teams, Traveling sankirtan parties across the UK, and other book distributors.
Sankirtana Yajna ki Jaya!
Padayatra Odisha 2015 (Album with photos)
Gunacuda Dasi: Padayatra Odisha was started in 1992 by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami and has continued every year during Kartik. Here are some photos from this year’s Padayatra in Nayagarh district. There were around 40 from Iskcon Bhubaneswar, local Nama Hattas, England, Ghana and New Zealand.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mn55HL
Ter Kadamba (8 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: After visiting Yavat, where Radharani lived for some time, we walked to Ter Kadamba, a sacred place where Rupa Goswami did bhajan 500 years ago. Mother Sitala spoke on the pastimes of Rupa Goswami and Bada Haridas prabhu led us in singing the glories of the Six Goswami’s. It was our final parikrama of Kartika, and one of the best as well.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/tTBggh
Waterfront Festival Mauritius.
Here again we are glad to announce the coming of the 8th Annual Hare Krishna Waterfront Festival to be held on the 11th to 13th December 2015.
In context of the celebrations of the 40th Anniversary of ISKCON in Mauritius this year’s festivities are more promising with Snan Yatra, Deep Utsav and an open Air Youth Concert along with a Maha Aarti of New Manasi Ganga. Lots of Senior and Special Guests will also be present.
December 6. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: When I hear people make mistakes while speaking about God, I try not to be puffed up. Just because we have received the best God conscious education from Srila Prabhupada, does not mean we should look down on others. Students at Harvard University or Oxford University may be better educated, but they spoil their treasure if they look down upon common people. Similarly, we do not want to be a snob in God consciousness, but appreciate what Srila Prabhupada has taught us.
I feel humbled sometimes when I see someone else’s faith in God. I also meet people who have more love for God than I do, even though they may not have received such a thorough education. I will never stop being grateful to Prabhupada, however, for giving me this education. In that sense, I am proud.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3
The Sydney Opera House Event.
Damodara Pandit dasa: The Sydney Opera Event is an A-List ISKCON 50th Anniversary global event. We anticipate that many VIPs (government officials, actors, musicians, and so on) will attend. It will also be streamed globally and a commemorative DVD and CD will be produced.
The purpose of this event is to expand the global appreciation of Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement through a wonderful performance art event. We are looking at inviting ISKCON’S top performance artists to participate.
The evening will be a cultural gala evening, but all acts will fit into a narrative of the Hare Krishna Movement’s roots, inception, growth, achievements and future.
The event has the working title ‘Transcendental Journey: Krishna 50 years on’. The first draft of the storyboard has been completed by Deva Gaura Hari dasa and Damodara Pandit dasa. The story presents Srila Prabhupada’s departure from India and then backtracks to the movement’s source, including the Lord’s pastimes in Navadvipa, Jagannatha Puri and Vrindavana. Then the night will explore the Hare Krishna Movement, expanding in the west with scenes including 26 Second Avenue, Hippy Hill, women of bhakti and the second generation.
We believe it will be a fabulous night out. Get ready. Get excited!
Radha Kunda Seva: Alley to Three Goswami Samadhi (Album with photos)
Every day, hundreds, if not, thousands of people go through this alley because it is part of the Goswamis’ parikrama path. Although it is a public, highly traversed area, it is also regularly dirtied with all kinds of trash and filth, and people even do bathroom business here. The idea is that we can restore the walls enough to paint decorative murals of the pastimes of Krishna, both beautifying the alley, and re-enforcing the fact that it is not a place to litter and make dirty. At its current level of sponsorship, it is being cleaned once a day.
Find them here: http://goo.gl/gTQKxV
Harinama in Mexico (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When the transcendental vibration of Hare Krishna is sounded, even the…
Bhakti Tree preaching (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: Along with catering for the Veggie Club at the university, there are pr…
Yet another Ratha Yatra Festival on Queen St, Auckland, New Zealand (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One has to continue c…
December 5. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Srila Prabhupada on Immortality: Srila Prabhupada spoke of immortality. He said people do not know how to become immortal, and this is the greatest blindness in Western civilization. They think they can attain lasting goals within the temporary material world, but that is impossible. Prabhupada said it was the mission of Lord Caitanya and Lord Krishna to teach immortality. If we can know why Krishna comes into the world, as taught by Lord Caitanya, we will become immortal (janmakarma ca me divyam). Immortality is inconceivable to us. It is not a topic that we have already mastered. It is the basis of everything. Although we may grasp it academically, what do we know of eternality? Who is thoroughly convinced that he is spirit soul? How nourishing it was, therefore, to hear this from Srila Prabhupada.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3
Kurma Dasa: An Absolute Beauty!
Janelle from Nambour asked about a good Christmas fruit cake. Here is an absolute beauty, published in my very first cookbook ‘Great Vegetarian Dishes’. It was originally given to me by Hari Bhakti Dasi who got it from her mother. Try it – you won’t be disappointed.
This traditional fruitcake is ideal for weddings, birthdays, or any special occasion requiring a luscious, rich cake. It can be kept for several weeks after baking.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/7F7jfd
Beautiful Mayapur! Beautiful Kalna, West Bengal (8 min video) (Ambika Kalna or simply Kalna is a town, a municipality and headquarters of Kalna subdivision in Bardhaman District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated on the western bank of the Bhāgirathi.)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/kA8xvO
Life Beyond Borders – Radhanath Swami (1hr Keynote speech – video)
Martin Pollard, a postgraduate journalism student, said “The moment he stepped onto the stage, his energy was infectious. He changes the room just by his presence and I was inspired how conscientiously he answered my questions.” Martin added “I get quite nervous seeing men of the cloth and I’m definitely in the non-religious camp, but the principles he spoke of, I could relate to. He was just a really compassionate, wise man to be honest!”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/q857HD
A new biography of ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada, entitled “Swami in a Strange Land: How Krishna Came to the West” is set to be released on May 3rd 2016, during ISKCON’s 50th anniversary year.
While there is already an exhaustive biography of Prabhupada in the form of Satsvarupa Das Goswami’s multi-volume Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita, as well as many individual memoirs, author Yogesvara Das (Joshua M. Greene) felt the need for a single volume bio that would be accessible and marketed to a broad general audience.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/qeftpW
Temple of Vedic Planetarium update. (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: In this recent time we have been concentrating on the in…
ISKCON Auckland New Zealand : Today’s Rathayatra, Thursday 3rd Dec. (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting the holy name is the chief means of attaining love of Godhead. This chanting or devotional service does not depend on any paraphernalia, nor on ones having taken birth in a good family. By humility and meekness one attracts the attention of Krishna. That is the verdict of all the Vedas. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 4.71 purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hsdlpf
December 4. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Prabhupada Idioms: The dictionary defines an idiom as “a style or form of expression that is characteristic of an individual.” One has to know how Prabhupada used idioms by listening to his lectures, or by being present for his talks. Each of these phrases can open up a whole world of Prabhupada realization.
“Where is the difficulty?”
Prabhupada said this after explaining how easy and accessible Krishna consciousness is. Anyone can offer Krishna a fruit, a flower, or some water. Even a child can take part in the chanting – “Where is the difficulty?” Just as we were born from our father, so our father had a father, and his father had a father; if you go back ultimately, you will find there is an original father who is the source of everyone. In this way we can understand that Krishna is the seed-giving father – where is the difficulty to understand this?
By this expression, Prabhupada encouraged us to come forward and not make excuses. If we take to Krsna consciousness, we will not find it difficult. Prabhupada used the phase as a challenge to those who believe that spiritual life is too problematic. Prabhupada untangled the problems with logic and sastra, and then interjected this challenge.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3
A visit to Vrindavana (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Goodbye Vrindavan! This morning I went on Govardhan parikrama with BB Govinda Maharaja and a few devotees. I wanted to say goodbye to one of my favorite places in Vrindavan before I leave this weekend. I purposefully left my camera behind, but couldn’t resist to take a few photos with my iPhone in the amazing light that graced Giriraja in the early morning. With a few slight adjustments the iPhone photos turned out almost like watercolor paintings!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Gxopp4
Prayers for Chennai!
Jayapataka Swami is praying for people at Chennai who are suffering due to the flood. Maharaj expressed h…
New Book Looks at Past, Present and Future of ISKCON.
The book is an academic sequel of sorts to the 2007 book “The Hare Krishna Movement: Forty Years of Chant and Change” by authors Dr. Graham Dwyer and Richard J Cole (Radha Mohan Das). That book came about after Dr. Graham Dwyer, a Research Fellow at Winchester University, finished his PhD in social anthropology in a Hindu community in Rajasthan. Wanting to continue his studies, he visited ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor, where he met and befriended Radha Mohan Das, the Manor’s communications secretary.
Read more: http://goo.gl/wPOGkt
Srila Prabhupada: “Contact our good friend Mr. George Harrison and ask him to help us to find a bigger property.”
Dhananjaya: At 5:00 a.m. on Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s Disappearance Day in December 1970, a white Mercedes stretch limousine with blacked out windows came to our temple.
The chauffeur, with his cap, his dark suit and his polished black shoes, had a piece of paper with my name on it. I was called out of the temple room. I identified myself and the chauffeur said, “I’ve been told to take you to the fruit and vegetable market.”
I said, “Who told you to do this?” He said, “George Harrison is with John Lennon on a yacht on the Thames, and he remembered it was an auspicious spiritual master’s day, so he gave me 100 pounds.
John gave permission to use his Mercedes and I’m to take you to the fruit and vegetable market to get fruits and vegetables for a feast.” While partying with his friends on a yacht, George spontaneously decided to do this.
Srila Prabhupada wrote to me, “How is the preaching in London?” That year so many boys and girls joined our temple that the brahmachari and brahmacharini rooms were overflowing.
About 65 devotees were living in a property meant for 10 or 12. I reported this to Prabhupada and he wrote back, “Contact our good friend Mr. George Harrison and ask him to help us to find a bigger property.”
George Harrison happened to be in town at the time—that year he recorded the album later called “Living in the Material World,” which had an insert of a big color print of Krishna and Arjuna, the same picture that’s on the cover of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
When I visited George, I’d take him all his favorite types of prasadam, like deep-fried potatoes, cauliflower and deep-fried curd soaked in sour cream, samosas, cauliflower pakoras, different kinds of sweets like burfi, sandesh and Simply Wonderfuls, as well as the strawberry buttermilk nectar that we became famous for.
I was seeing him once a week until he said, “If you keep bringing all this stuff you have an open invitation to come as often as you want.” Then I began visiting him three or four times a week and when I felt it was the right opportunity I said, “George, now we have so many devotees in our temple that we’re running out of space. Could you help us find a bigger place?”
Without hesitating he said, “Sure. No problem. Visit different estate agents, see different properties and if you find something really good, call me and I’ll come with you to check it out.”
Shyamsundar Prabhu reads excerpts of his upcoming book “Chasing Rhinos with the Swami” about the begining days of the Hare Krishna movement in England. (video)
Never before known details about the meeting with the Beatles and other amazing facts happened those early days, narrated in a unique way.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/F88gFJ
December 3. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Prabhupada is mysterious and we cannot fully understand him. We know him the way an affectionate child knows his father. We think, “This was my father’s cup and these were his shoes. This is what he says.” We know him in a familiar way, yet we also know that he is inconceivable. We should never minimize the strength that we get by thinking of ourselves as followers of that person, Prabhupada. If I study a God consciousness or Vaisnava philosophy with someone who does not have a tight connection with guru – or if I myself do not feel my connection to Srila Prabhupada – then spiritual life becomes vague. There is a hollow feeling. Someone may talk of “experience of God,” but you want to ask him, “Do you know what you are talking about? Do you have experience of this?” No matter what he may say, he cannot convince or touch me the way Prabhupada did. That which is most solid for me in Krishna consciousness is based on my relationship with Prabhupada. It comes to this: God is known by our relationship to the guru. If all you know is guru, you are doing all right. Vaisnava philosophy does not approve of strong aspirations for connection with God, while maintaining weak connections to guru.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3
Iskcon Disciple Course.
By Krishnarupa devi dasi (ACBSP) New Govardhana recently hosted its second ISKCON Disciple Course this year. The course was held over two weekends, with 13 attendees – four from Brisbane, two from Kingscliff and the balance from the local community. As facilitator of the course, I was impressed with everyone’s enthusiasm and commitment. Since Janmastami 2015, any devotee desiring to take either first or second initiation must have undergone the course and received a certificate proving that they have passed the assessment. It is recommended that the course be taken well before the initiation stage for first initiates. It is expected that New Govardhana will be hosting the next Disciple Course around April next year.
(In the photo: Students from the recent ISKCON Disciple Course, with facilitator Krishnarupa devi dasi – second row, centre)
MEET THE PUJARI: Syamamrita Vitarani devi dasi.
In the mid-nineties, Syamamrita Vitarani (Victoria Zinchenko) would sometimes …
Chennai’s Iskcon Temple gets inundated by flood waters.
Note from the local devotees: Chennai is suffering from continous rain. Most areas flooded.
Our temple is surrounded by water. We are moving our devotees to a safer place.
Videos and photos: https://goo.gl/d2xprv
https://goo.gl/N0CSGK
https://goo.gl/ZPeygw
The Sacred Path To Ter Kadamba (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: From Yavat, where Radharani lived with Her in-laws, to T…
December 2. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada, you had so little money: Camping in an office lent by a yogi; barely having enough for eatables to pay the high prices, to survive the Manhattan cold – but you are not afraid.
We want to follow you, Srila Prabhupada, although we fight so much. We pray to receive you in the standard ways. Please deliver us from the wrongs of ordinary life in which we tend to get stuck. Please deliver us from forgetfulness of you, forgetfulness of your mission.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3
Festival of the Holy Name in Alachua, USA (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Those who are advanced and highly qualified and are interested in the essence of life know the good qualities of Kali-yuga. Such people worship the age of Kali because in this age, simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can advance in spiritual knowledge and thus attain life’s goal. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.5.36)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HflNkK
ISKCON Calgary 25th Anniversary Celebration.
ISKCON Calgary is very happy to announce the Celebration of 25th Anniversary of our Beloved Sri Sri Radha Madhava & Srinathji Deities. MAHA ABHISHEK of the Big Deities will be performed with 12 Hour Kirtan throughout the Program…
10:00 AM TO 10:00PM – 12 HOUR KIRTAN
4:00PM – 5:30PM MAHA ABHISHEK
5:30PM – 6:00PM BHOGA OFFERING
6:00PM – 6:30PM SANDHYA AARTI
6:30PM – 7:30PM DRAMA & PLAY
7:30PM – 8:30PM LECTURE
8:30PM – 10:00PM PRASHADAM WILL BE SERVED WITH ESTATIC KIRTAN GOING ON…
We would be very happy to have you all come with all the Friends and Family members to Celebrate with us the big momentum on the Christmas Day December 25th 2015 Friday.
We hope to see you all @ ISKCON Calgary
Radha Madhava Cultural Association (RMCA)
313 4th ST, NE
T2E 3S3 AL – CAN
For further details please contact +1(403) 265 3302
2015 Krsna Kidz Camp & Youth Retreat (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: All glories to the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra or Krishna sankirtana movement. All glories. All victory. How it is victory, all victory? If you chant this Hare Krishna mantra, then the dirty things which have accumulated in your heart due to material contamination will be cleared off. (Purport to Siksastakam)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EWgpEk
UK devotees try to double their book distribution results during the December “Marathon”. Last year the British yatra distributed a little more than 50.000 pieces of Krishna conscious literature. This year they try to reach 100.000! As Sankirtan leader Sutapa Prabhu writes: “Sharing Krishna Consciousness and pushing beyond the comfort zone to reach out to others, qualifies one to see the miracles of Mahaprabhu.”
Read more: https://goo.gl/BG2FbG
TKG Academy: Wish Fulfilling.
In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Goswami describes the six loving exchanges between devotees, two of which are offering and accepting gifts. As the holiday season is coming upon us, when we exchange gifts with our loved ones, we ask that you consider extending your gifts to our students as well.
“Kalpavrksa” is a wish-fulfilling tree, and the devotees are also known to be fulfilling desires. We are hoping for our wishes to come true, with your help. Big or small, every gift counts.
Thank you very much!
December 1. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Srila Prabhupada taught of the importance of the spiritual master. No one can understand Krishna except through the spiritual master. However, he never said, “I am that pure devotee. I am the spiritual master.” If somebody asked him bluntly, he replied, “That you can judge for yourself.” Yet he preached that we must surrender to the spiritual master. When some met Prabhupada, they resisted, suspecting that he was just an exchange of material false egos. They thought, “Oh, he’s trying to sell himself as the guru. He wants me to submit to him,” so they resisted. However, some who wanted a guru did not resist and accepted him. We wanted a loving exchange with Krishna. “Why are they after me?” Prabhupada asked later, “I am just an Indian, I have no money. I never bribed them.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3
