Were you a prince in your last life?
Kadamba Kanana Swami: Krsna knows the past, present and the future. He knows us better than we know ourselves because we actually have no idea who we were. We could go to India and visit the Bhrigu readers of Rajas…
Author Archives: Dandavats.com
Were you a prince in your last life?
February 7 1976 – Mayapur February 7th, 1976
Today is Sri…
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February 7 1976 – Mayapur February 7th, 1976
Today is Sri Advaita-acarya’s appearance day, a half-day fast, and the day chosen for the launch of the boat.
In the early morning Prabhupada was driven in a jeep to Hoola Ghat on the Jalangi River, where he inspected the “Nitai Pada Kamala.” Its renovations are complete, and the Deities have been installed below deck. The small wooden forms of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai will be taken on procession through villages whenever the boat lands.
It is a good facility, a 12 ton “Jali” class boat, about forty feet long and fifteen feet wide. It has a shallow draft and was previously used to transport hay, although the maritime authorities have licensed it to carry up to 56 passengers. The devotees have added a cabin above deck along most of its length. Brightly painted in green, yellow, and red, the boat was gaily decorated for today’s occasion with strings of orange marigolds. The high mast is painted in yellow and red strips like a barber’s pole. Inside the cabin the main support beams are bright-yellow and red with lotus-flower motifs.
Tamal Krishna Maharaja helped Srila Prabhupada on board over the rickety bamboo ramp. Prabhupada carefully inspected every corner of the boat. Then he sat for a few minutes on a straw mat, while the devotees held kirtana. Prabhupada likes the idea of preaching on the boat, and he encouraged Sudama Maharaja to make it a success.
Later in the morning Sudama Maharaja sailed away down the Ganga with seventeen men, including four of the older boys from the gurukula, on their maiden voyage. It was a magnificent sight. Many local villagers lined the shore, eager to witness their departure.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => TD 1-9: Sri Dhama Mayapur
Read more: https://goo.gl/SRjTQC
Kardama Muni continued: What is the use of enjoyments other than…
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Kardama Muni continued: What is the use of enjoyments other than the Lord’s grace? All material achievements are subject to be annihilated simply by a movement of the eyebrows of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By your principles of devotion to your husband, you have achieved and can enjoy transcendental gifts very rarely obtained by persons proud of aristocracy and material possessions.
Purport:
Lord Caitanya recommended that the greatest achievement of human life is to achieve the grace of the Lord, love of God. He said, premā pumartho mahān: to achieve love of Godhead is the highest perfection of life. The same perfection is recommended by Kardama Muni to his wife. His wife belonged to a very aristocratic royal family. Generally, those who are very materialistic or who possess material wealth and prosperity are unable to appreciate the value of transcendental love of God. Although Devahūti was a princess coming from a very great royal family, fortunately she was under the supervision of her great husband, Kardama Muni, who offered her the best gift which can be bestowed in human life: the grace of the Lord, or love of God. This grace of the Lord was achieved by Devahūti by the goodwill and satisfaction of her husband. She served her husband, who was a great devotee and saintly person, with great sincerity, love, affection and service, and Kardama Muni was satisfied. He willingly gave love of God, and he recommended that she accept it and enjoy it because he had already achieved it.
Love of God is not an ordinary commodity. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was worshiped by Rūpa Gosvāmī because He distributed love of God, kṛṣṇa-premā, to everyone. Rūpa Gosvāmī praised Him as mahā-vadānya, a greatly munificent personality, because He was freely distributing to everyone love of Godhead, which is achieved by wise men only after many, many births. Kṛṣṇa-premā, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest gift which can be bestowed on anyone whom we presume to love.
One word used in this verse, nija-dharma-dohān, is very significant. Devahūti, as the wife of Kardama Muni, achieved an invaluable gift from her husband because she was very faithful to him. For a woman the first principle of religion is to be faithful to her husband. If, fortunately, the husband is a great personality, then the combination is perfect, and the lives of both the wife and the husband are at once fulfilled.
SB 3.23.8: https://goo.gl/KXWZuv
Donetsk temple of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara May 25, 2018 (Album…
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Donetsk temple of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara May 25, 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One cannot capture the blowing wind. And it is even more difficult to capture the turbulent mind. One must engage one’s mind fully in Krishna. Only then will there remain no other engagements to agitate the mind. (Bhagavad-gita 6.34, purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/V8kfjd
Windows to the Spiritual World! (video)
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Windows to the Spiritual World! (video)
Wonderful narrations from the original artists of BBT during the recent Srila Prabhupa…Read More…
Theistic practice
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Question: I read a quote that says that the secret of success is that we should act as if everything depends on ourselves, but internally we should pray as everything depends on Krishna, and these are two lines that internally we develop our devotion…
Raganuga dasa ACBSP left his body.
A disciple of Srila…
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Raganuga dasa ACBSP left his body.
A disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Raganuga dasa, left his body yesterday morning at about 11 …Read More…
Bliss from traveling and preaching (13 min video)
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Bliss from traveling and preaching (13 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: As the spring tour winds down we find ourselves in the wo…Read More…
New Dvaraka Prabhupada Festival-2018 (Album of photos)…
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New Dvaraka Prabhupada Festival-2018 (Album of photos)
Dharmatma Das: Feeling very grateful to have attended this wonderful festival centered on glorifying Srila Prabhupada. How refreshing! It was my first and, Krishna willing, won’t be the last.
This year’s theme was, “Windows to the Spiritual World.” Many of the original artists came together to share wonderful stories of the creation of the beautiful artworks that adorn Srila Prabhupada’s books and Temples worldwide and many other topics concerning Transcendental Art.
There were ecstatic morning programs, inspiring seminars with the artists, Watseka Avenue Rathayatra, Deity Boat Festival, the sweetest kirtan by Hari Bhakti and Amala Kirtan prabhus, wonderful association and over the top delicious Prasadam.
Thanks to Svavasa and Naikatma prabhus and all of the residents of New Dvaraka for creating such a loving and wonderful atmosphere wherein we all gained even more of an appreciation of our dear most spiritual father, Srila Prabhupada!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/dHiNqx
Harinama in Slovenia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: All…
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Harinama in Slovenia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: All glories to the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra or Krishna sanki…Read More…
The heart of the heart of Iskcon: BBT Artists! (video)
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The heart of the heart of Iskcon: BBT Artists! (video)
The history of the Krishna conscious art production in Iskcon, under th…Read More…
The Habit Trap
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The Habit Trap. Dhirasanta Das Goswami: A village was once attacked by wild boars.
Every day the wild boars would enter to rampage the food supplies of the village. The villagers tried various means to fight and chase away the wild boars but without m…
SP answers artist’s questions (video)
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SP answers artist’s questions (video)
Rameswara prabhu reads from notes he kept about thousands of SP’s answers to the questions the artists needed to know for illustrating his books. Inedited and detailed descriptions about persons and pastimes from the Bhagavatam, Chaitanya Caritamrita, Bhagavad-gita and others.
Sadbhuja Das: We have been working on numerous sectors of the…
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Sadbhuja Das: We have been working on numerous sectors of the ToVP, please see the update on the current works:
1. Utility Flo…Read More…
Nectar In The Blue Mountains (Album of photos)
Indradyumna…
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Nectar In The Blue Mountains (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The first 2 days of the Sadhu Sanga Sanga Retreat in the Bl…Read More…
Srimad Bhagavatam Class by H.H. B.A. Janardan Swami
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Srimad Bhagavatam Class by H.H. B.A. Janardan Swami at ISKCON Vrindavan, (video)
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For Atheists and Theists Alike: Time as God.
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Sarva Dasa: As a blogger on a metropolitan newspaper’s religious blog page, I find that some of my references to a higher power or supreme being are met with ridicule or scorn by those readers who profess faith in atheistic views. This is certain…
Reading my books – excerpts from Conversations
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Reading my books – excerpts from Conversations.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison – September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst: Prabhupād…
What is this? What is this? What is this?
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What is this? What is this? What is this?
Bala Gopal dasi: In Rome, Prabhupada wasn’t very well. So he was traveling with his own personal cook, who was Satsvarupa Maharaj. But when they arrived, they had just come from India, Satsvarupa had hepatitis. So then it was decided that I would be his cook. Because of that, Prabhupada was very involved in the cooking.
On three different occasions he came into the kitchen, and on this one particular time he came in to cook lunch and he cooked the whole meal along with me and whoever was helping, Narmada. For some reason, I’m pretty sure we made asparagus that day.
I had cooked for him previously, but one of Prabhupada’s endearing qualities was his pure innocence. He would come into the kitchen, and this was a very, very tiny room. Prabhupada would walk into the kitchen and he’d see a bowl of chickpeas. He’d point at everything, “What is that?” He was just so curious, but never imposing. He would just be pure innocence – “What is this? What is this? What is this?” – curious about everything. So we had a couple Italian devotees cook an Italian preparation on a few days and Prabhupada inquired what it was before he ate it, but he enjoyed them.
Reference: Following Srila Prabhupada – Remembrances
Decisions! Vaisesika Dasa: The word, decide, means, “to come to…
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Decisions!
Vaisesika Dasa: The word, decide, means, “to come to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration.”
Before leaving one’s present human body, a man or woman has the chance to make a fixed number of decisions. Because our time is limited, the number of decisions we get to make is also limited.
However, the decisions that we make now – before the process of aging debilitates us – directly determine our future body and facility.
Bhakti yogis keep their spiritual intelligence sharp by regularly hearing from the scriptures, the guru and advanced devotees. When the need to make an important judgment arises therefore, these wise practitioners are prepared to make beneficial decisions that situate them ever more soundly in their service to the Lord.
Srimad-bhagavatam 7.19.12:
After all the rsis and others had seated themselves comfortably, the King, [Maharaja Pariksit] humbly standing before them with folded hands, told them of his decision to fast until death.
PURPORT
Although the King had already decided to fast until death on the bank of the Ganges, he humbly expressed his decision to elicit the opinions of the great authorities present there. Any decision, however important, should be confirmed by some authority. That makes the matter perfect. This means that the monarchs who ruled the earth in those days were not irresponsible dictators. They scrupulously followed the authoritative decisions of the saints and sages in terms of Vedic injunction. Maharaja Pariksit, as a perfect king, followed the principles by consulting the authorities, even up to the last days of his life.
A Motivational Talk at PIET (Album of photos)
On the 24th May…
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A Motivational Talk at PIET (Album of photos)
On the 24th May 2018, H.G. Govind Krsna Prabhu invited to Panipat Institute of Engineering & Technology (PIET) to give a motivational talk on “HOW TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION”? On the completion of the session, the Director & Principal said that they had found a teacher in Him & that the session was an enthralling one!
The Audience were Awestruck .. with the presentation & participated throughout the session very enthusiasticallyOn the 24th May 2018, H.G. Govind Krsna Prabhu invited to Panipat Institute of Engineering & Technology (PIET) to give a motivational talk on “HOW TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION”? On the completion of the session, the Director & Principal said that they had found a teacher in Him & that the session was an enthralling one!
The Audience were Awestruck .. with the presentation & participated throughout the session very enthusiastically.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EoQGXR
Dhanvantari, a plenary portion of a plenary portion of Lord Vishnu (video)
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Srimad Bhagavatam Class by Bhanu Swami at ISKCON Juhu (video)
SB 8.8.34 — This person was Dhanvantari, a plenary portion of a plenary portion of Lord Viṣṇu. He was very conversant with the science of medicine, and as one of the demig…
Sadhu Sanga Retreat: Up And Running (Album of photos)…
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Sadhu Sanga Retreat: Up And Running (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Friday evening in Boone, North Carolina, USA, saw th…Read More…
The childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna
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HH Radhanath Swami speaks about the childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna in his visit to Pune NVCC (video)
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RATHA – YATRA Festival by ISKCON Dnipro, Ukraine (Album with…
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RATHA – YATRA Festival by ISKCON Dnipro, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When one is face to face with the sun, there is no longer darkness for one’s eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a sadhu, a devotee, who is fully determined and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will no longer be subject to material bondage. (Srila Prabhupada’s rendering of SB 10.10.41)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/VGWVHi
Auckland New Zealand, Harinama with Prasadam distribution (Album…
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Auckland New Zealand, Harinama with Prasadam distribution (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: A dynamic program! Tonight we added something new to our Friday night giving the holy names festival. One of Srila Prabhupada’s favorite programs, free prasadam distribution. To the delight of all.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/qMyzWn
Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Cow Sanctuary, letting out the happy…
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Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Cow Sanctuary, letting out the happy cows after a long winter! (1 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/CMVDve
Iskcon Communications Minister: Religious freedom is under attack in many parts of the world!
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Iskcon Communications Minister: Religious freedom is under attack in many parts of the world!
On May 8, 2018, the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) held a policy briefing on Capitol Hill with government leaders, academics, and experts on religious freedom issues, including ISKCON’s Minister of Communications, Anuttama Dasa.
Those who gave a treasure to the world!
They were in…
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Those who gave a treasure to the world!
They were in aristocratic positions and rejected it all to come live in Vrindavana, we…Read More…
Creation in the Vedic tradition (9 min video)
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Creation in the Vedic tradition (9 min video)
This is Radha Mohan das’ latest presentation about Vedic Cosmology. It focusing on ‘creation’ as described especially in the 2nd and 5th Cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Bhagavad Gita class by HH Bhakti Charu Swami
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Bhagavad Gita class by HH Bhakti Charu Swami at the Hare Krishna Temple of Melbourne (video)
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“The More Anxiety the Better” by HG Mahatma Prabhu
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“The More Anxiety the Better” by HG Mahatma Prabhu (5 min video)
Vishnujana: How do we render perfect service to Krishna?
Prabhupäda: By your anxiety. If you are anxious to serve Krishna, that is the real asset. The more you increase your anxiety to serve Krishna, the more it becomes perfect. ‘How I can love Krishna more and more.’Laulyam, simply your eagerness, that’s all.“ So if you have a pinch of that anxiety, “How I can serve Krishna?” you must know you are the most fortunate man.
Lord Chaitanya’s Moon Is Rising by TKG Academy Students
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Lord Chaitanya’s Moon Is Rising by TKG Academy Students (6 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: We are confident what is God, what is His father’s name, what is His name, what is His address – everything. No samsaya, no doubt! Everything complete. Asamsayam. We are confident that we are going to Krsna, back to home, back to Godhead. There is no doubt. -From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.1 – March 9, 1975, London
Wedding of Sudarshan & Rukmini in Mayapur (Album with…
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Wedding of Sudarshan & Rukmini in Mayapur (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The basic principle is love. So similarly, our full surrender, full Krsna consciousness, can be achieved when we develop our love for Krsna little by little, little by little, and then come to the perfection. When we come to the perfection, then we cannot live without Krsna. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us. In the last stage of His life He exhibited such manifestation of love that He was dying without Krsna. Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me [Siksastaka 7]. Sunyayitam. Sunyayitam, “everything is vacant.” Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. “Without Govinda, I see everything vacant.” Sometimes we have got experience. If we lose a friend, a son, at that time everything becomes vacant without my son, without my lover. That is practical. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was exhibiting that type of love for Krsna, that He was feeling that “Without Krsna, everything is void.” Sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. This He taught personally, how to raise oneself to the topmost stage of love for Krsna. That is the ultimate aim and object of life. -From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.40 – January 15, 1975, Bombay
Find them here: https://goo.gl/1U9DpB
KC presentation in BRICS Alliance Business Forum (Album with…
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KC presentation in BRICS Alliance Business Forum (Album with photos)
Gaur Gopal Das delivered a keynote speech at first ever B…Read More…
“The Essence of Cooperation”
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“The Essence of Cooperation” A lecture by HH Kesava Bharati Goswami (video)
Preaching program in Kazan Russia (Album with photos)
Bhakti…
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Preaching program in Kazan Russia (Album with photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: We are now in Kazan in Russia. The devotees have…Read More…
Ratha Yatra in Parramatta, Australia 2018 (Album with…
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Ratha Yatra in Parramatta, Australia 2018 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Preach as much as possible, by sankirtana, big sankirtana. Big sankirtana is book distribution, and small sankirtana is with mrdanga. Big sankirtana is going on all over the world; small sankirtana locally. Overflood the demons’ godless civilization. Our declaration of war against this godless civilization. – December 31, 1976, Bombay
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The Secret for a Happy Family is this…
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The Secret for a Happy Family is this…(3 min video)
Sivarama Swami: Teach your children well!
Shan-henda from the Sultanate of Oman … This bright and…
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Shan-henda from the Sultanate of Oman … This bright and inquisitive student at the University of California Riverside seemed fascinated to see these books translated into her native Arabic. She eagerly bought both the Arabic Gita and “Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers” from Prema Sankirtan Prabhu.
“Queen of queens” was the translation she gave for her unique Arabian name. If she keeps reading her new transcendental books with an open and sincere heart, she may just one day find herself fortunate enough to be serving the Supreme Queen of Queens in the eternal land of Sri Vrndavan dhama. Such is the inconceivable mercy pouring forth from Srila Prabhupada’s books…!