Author Archives: Dandavats.com

Rama Navami Celebration 2018 in ISKCON Calgary (Album of photos)…
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Rama Navami Celebration 2018 in ISKCON Calgary (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If we keep ourself on the material platform, then for thousand years we may chant, it will be difficult. That is called namaparadha. Of course, holy name is so powerful that even by chanting with offense, gradually he becomes pure. Therefore we should not give up chanting. Any circumstances, we should go on chanting Hare Krsna mantra. But the warning is that if we keep us on the material platform, then it will be not possible to understand Krsna, His holy name, His attribute, His form, His activities. It will be not possible. Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 – June 28, 1975, Denver
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Sri Rama Navami Celebration at Iskcon of Silicon Valley (Album…
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Sri Rama Navami Celebration at Iskcon of Silicon Valley (Album with photos)
SB 1.10.6 TRANSLATION: Because of the King’s having no enemy, the living beings were not at any time disturbed by mental agonies, diseases, or excessive heat or cold.
PURPORT To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Satan’s philosophy. In this age there is enmity toward poor animals, and therefore the poor creatures are always anxious. The reaction of the poor animals is being forced on human society, and therefore there is always the strain of cold or hot war between men, individually, collectively or nationally. At the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira, there were no different nations, although there were different subordinate states. The whole world was united, and the supreme head, being a trained king like Yudhisthira, kept all the inhabitants free from anxiety, diseases and excessive heat and cold. They were not only economically well-to-do, but also physically fit and undisturbed by supernatural power, by enmity from other living beings and by disturbance of bodily and mental agonies. There is a proverb in Bengali that a bad king spoils the kingdom and a bad housewife spoils the family. This truth is applicable here also. Because the King was pious and obedient to the Lord and sages, because he was no one’s enemy and because he was a recognized agent of the Lord and therefore protected by Him, all the citizens under the King’s protection were, so to speak, directly protected by the Lord and His authorized agents. Unless one is pious and recognized by the Lord, he cannot make others happy who are under his care. There is full cooperation between man and God and man and nature, and this conscious cooperation between man and God and man and nature, as exemplified by King Yudhisthira, can bring about happiness, peace and prosperity in the world. The attitude of exploiting one another, the custom of the day, will only bring misery.
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March 25,2012- March 25,2018… congratulations to everyone…
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March 25,2012- March 25,2018… congratulations to everyone who has taken part in this great vow to make Harinam Sankirtan and transcendental book distribution happen 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for 6 solid years…may the blessings of the Lord and all of His devotees shower abundantly upon you all !

Rama Navami Abhiseka in Iskcon Slovenia (Album with…
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Rama Navami Abhiseka in Iskcon Slovenia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The devotees who have developed love of Godhead are certainly in an exalted position. Of all these devotees, the gopis are recognized as superior because they do not know anything other than satisfying Krsna. Nor do the gopis expect any return from Krsna. Indeed, sometimes Krsna puts them into extreme suffering by separating Himself from them. Nonetheless, they cannot forget Krsna. When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, the gopis became most dejected and spent the rest of their lives simply crying in separation from Krsna. This means that in one sense they were never actually separated from Krsna. There is no difference between thinking of Krsna and associating with Him. Rather, vipralambha-seva, thinking of Krsna in separation, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did, is far better than serving Krsna directly. Thus of all the devotees who have developed unalloyed devotional love for Krsna, the gopis are most exalted, and out of all these exalted gopis, Srimati Radharani is the highest. No one can excel the devotional service of Srimati Radharani. Indeed, even Krsna cannot understand the attitude of Srimati Radharani; therefore He took Her position and appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to understand Her transcendental feelings. –Srila Prabhupada’s purport to The Nectar of Instruction, verse 10
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Preaching in Nuremberg (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: So…
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Preaching in Nuremberg (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: So you have to constantly poke them, these rascals. Just like one man is sleeping. You have to call him constantly, “Mr. Such, Mr. Such, wake up, rascal. You are sleeping. Why?” This is our business. Uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata. That is sung by Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Kota nidra jao maya-pisacira kole: “How long you will sleep? You have got this opportunity, human form of life. Now get up.” Jiv jago, jiv jago, gauracanda bole. This is our mantra: “You rascal, get up. Take to this Krsna consciousness and solve all your problems.” > Morning Walk – June 29, 1975, Denver
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The beautiful altar in Sri Sri Radha Radhanatha temple in…
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The beautiful altar in Sri Sri Radha Radhanatha temple in Durban, (Album of photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: The altar in Sri Sri Radha Radhanatha temple in Durban, South Africa this morning. In Srimad Bhagavatam Sukadeva Goswami gives us the following blessings: “Having cut off the nose and ears of Surpanakha, thus disfiguring her, the Lord was separated from mother Sita. He therefore became angry, moving His eyebrows and thus frightening the ocean, who then allowed the Lord to construct a bridge to cross the ocean. Subsequently, the Lord entered the kingdom of Ravana to kill him, like a fire devouring a forest. May that Supreme Lord, Ramacandra, give us all protection. In the arena of the sacrifice performed by Visvamitra, Lord Ramacandra, the King of Ayodhya, killed many demons, Raksasas and uncivilized men who wandered at night in the mode of darkness. May Lord Ramacandra, who killed these demons in the presence of Laksmana, be kind enough to give us protection.” (SB 9.10.4-5) Please view at full screen.
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ISKCON Delhi celebrates 20th anniversary & Kirtan Mela…
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ISKCON Delhi celebrates 20th anniversary & Kirtan Mela (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The bhaktivedantas are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. To them no one is enemy or friend; no one is educated or uneducated. No one is especially favorable, and no one is unfavorable. The bhakti-vedantas see that the people in general are wasting time in false sensuous things. Their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to reestablish their lost relationship with the Personality of Godhead. By such endeavor, even the most forgetful soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhakti-vedantas, the people in general gradually progress on the path of transcendental realization. From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 1.5.24
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Sri Harinam Sankirtan Nectar – Sydney CBD 23/03/18 (Album of…
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Sri Harinam Sankirtan Nectar – Sydney CBD
23/03/18 (Album of photos)
Words: Jessica Bondaruk. Photos: Karuna Avatar das.
In the Krishna Book Srila Prabhupada writes that the “devotees of the Lord, are not selfish. Whatever benefits they derive from the Supreme Personality of Godhead as benedictions they want to distribute to all other persons. That is the greatest of all humanitarian activities.” (Krishna Book, Ch.43.)
When we think of humanitarian activities, we might think that it is about doing “good activities” – whatever that may entail. Doing “good” activities is of course better than doing bad ones, but devotees of Krishna knows this isn’t the goal of life.
The concept of “good” can be subjective and simply setting out to do good can keep us tied to this material platform.
It can be said that true humanitarianism is to share with others the power of the holy name. The difference between this activity and any other is that it is all encompassing. The analogy of watering the roots of the plant rather than the leaves has been used many times to demonstrate this, but it’s a clear example. Chanting the holy name, and so connecting with Krishna, is the ticket to being able to see the bigger picture, and ultimately bring true happiness, rather tham superficial happiness, to all beings.
This is why we are chanting in the streets of Sydney every week – to introduce every possible person to the sound of the names of Radha and Krishna.
Today Radhika Prasad distributed 24 books in city. Some ladies visiting from Singapore, who took some of Srila Prabhupada’s books to read, graciously bowed to Radhika Prasad requesting that he continue this good work of Harinam and book distribution. Another man who took back to Godhead asked if he could hire the devotees for their determination.
Don’t forget we are chanting in the street every Friday in the City of Sydney. We meet at 6.30pm at Town Hall.
Please join us whenever you can, you will enjoy it and everyone will benefit.
All glories to Sri Harinam Sankirtan
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Boat cruise and Vrindavan Kirtana in Auckland, New Zealand…
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Boat cruise and Vrindavan Kirtana in Auckland, New Zealand (Album of photos)
Govinda dasi: Srila Prabhupada? So, our relationship with you as spiritual master has existed eternally in the past, or will exist eternally? Prabhupada: That don’t bother with it. Go on, do with minimum. Past and present, you are present, the commentary is just carry out the orders, that’s all. When you have accepted spiritual master, carry out, that’s all. cakhu-dan dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei. Past means that, then you admit to your disciple, that in the past you could not carry out, therefore accept another birth. So, carry out. That is the point. What is the use of talking past, present and future? ar na koriho mane asa. This is wanted. Don’t think of anything else. That is the point.
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Giriraj Swami: This verse is quoted in Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Sri…
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Giriraj Swami: This verse is quoted in Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Sri Padyavali: [Mother Yasoda is telling Sri Krishna a story:]
“There was once a king named Rama.”
“Yes.”
“His wife was Sita.”
“Yes.”
“On the order of His father, Rama lived in the Pancavati Forest. There Ravana kidnapped Sita.”
Hearing His mother narrate His own activities performed in ancient times, Sri Krishna suddenly called out, “Laksmana! Where is My bow? Where is My bow? Where is My bow?”
May these alarmed words of Lord Krishna protect us all.

Iskcon New Govardhana – Harinama at Broadbeach – 18 March 2018…
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Iskcon New Govardhana – Harinama at Broadbeach – 18 March 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that you go and preach and make propaganda about krsna-upadesa. This is Krsna consciousness movement. We are teaching all our men how to spread krsna-upadesa, how to spread Krsna consciousness. Then anartha upasamam saksat. Then all the unwanted things he has contaminated will be finished. Then pure consciousness… Pure consciousness is Krsna consciousness. Pure consciousness means to understand that “I am very much intimately connected with Krsna as part and parcel.” Just like my finger is very intimately connected with my body. Intimate… If there is little pain in the finger, I become so much disturbed because I have got intimate connection with this finger. Similarly, we have got intimate connection with Krsna, and we are fallen. Therefore Krsna also feels little pain, and therefore He comes down: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8] Krsna is feeling pain. So you become Krsna conscious, then Krsna will feel pleasure. That is Krsna consciousness movement. From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.7 – Vrndavana, April 24, 1975
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Comedian Russell Brand Buys Hare Krishna Vegan Cookies For…
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Comedian Russell Brand Buys Hare Krishna Vegan Cookies For Entire ‘Re:birth’ Audience.
Comedian Russell Brand is currently touring the UK and Ireland as part of his humor-laden stand-up comedy show, Re:Birth. News recently broke that the generous vegetarian celebrity brought the whole of his sold-out Swansea audience food from a local eatery, Govinda’s Vegetarian and Vegan Cafe.

Far East/Middle East (FEME) books in Vrindavana (Album with…
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Far East/Middle East (FEME) books in Vrindavana (Album with photos)
Satyanarayana Bbt Feme: Our BBT Far East/Middle East (FEME) book posters and new Arabic Gita banner have found a permanent new Home in Sri Vrndavana dhama, now that Daivisakti Mataji’s “Matchless Gift” bookstore and BBT Vrndavana have decided to carry all our foreign book titles, including the just-printed Arabic Bhagavad-gita As It Is…!
This means that India has now been added to the other areas of the world – North America, UK, Europe, Australia/NZ – where these foreign language titles are currently being distributed. In Vrndavana specifically, the books seem to be eagerly desired by tourists, students and devotees who are among the 100,000’s visiting the Sri Sri Krishna Balarama temple from around the world each year (eg., including the ten Arabic-speaking tourists from Lebanon who made certain they took Arabic books with them before catching their flight home a few days ago…)
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
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Gold Coast home program (Album of photos) Ramai Swami: On the…
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Gold Coast home program (Album of photos)
Ramai Swami: On the way to the Saturday evening Brisbane temple program I stopped off for a lunch program at Rupa Vilasa’s house on the Gold Coast.
He and his family operate a preaching center in Southport, which has been going for about five years now. Quite a few devotees came and it was an enjoyable stopover.
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ISKCON Zagreb — Sunday Feast: 18 March 2018 (Album with…
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ISKCON Zagreb — Sunday Feast: 18 March 2018 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Krsna, in His Paramatma feature, lives in the hearts of all living beings in both the transcendental and mundane creations. As the Paramatma, He witnesses all actions the living beings perform in all phases of time, namely past, present and future. Sri Krsna knows what the living beings have done for hundreds and thousands of past births, and He sees what they are doing now; therefore He knows the results of their present actions that will fructify in the future. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, the entire cosmic situation is created as soon as He glances over the material energy. Nothing can exist without His superintendence. Since He sees even the abode where the collective living beings rest, He is the original Narayana. (From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Cc Adi 2.46)
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Harinam Sankirtan in Taiwan, China (Album with photos) Srila…
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Harinam Sankirtan in Taiwan, China (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Here we have got attraction, material, so we have to withdraw this attraction. How it will be possible? If we become more attracted to Krsna, then this attraction will go away. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. Bhakti means the more you realize Krsna, the more you will become detestful: “Ah, nonsense.” This is test. One side increasing taste, the other side decreasing. This is the test.
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ISKCON Newcastle center in South Africa (Album of photos)…
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ISKCON Newcastle center in South Africa (Album of photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: We have been staying near our ISKCON Newcastle center in South Africa. Last night we had a pre-Ramnavami program with the devotees there. It’s a nice yatra, and they have a nice property which they’re developing. They already have a large hall, which they built, and a house behind it which they use as a temple, but they’re going to build a proper, purpose-built temple shortly.
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Preaching program in Stuttgart, Germany (Album with…
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Preaching program in Stuttgart, Germany (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Even if you find in devotee something bad, and his behavior is not in the standard, but because he is Krsna conscious, he has no other business, he is sadhu. Api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. He is sadhu. He is saintly man. Even if you find some defect in his character, because he is sticking to Krsna consciousness, he is saintly. Krsna says. How is that, a saintly man has got some this bad character? So that answer is next verse: ksipram bhavati dharmatma sasvac-chantim nigacchati kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31] “Yes, there are some defects. It is right. But it will be very soon finished.” Just like you make the switch off, electric fan. So after the switch is off, still it is moving. But that movement is not real movement because the switch is off. It will stop very soon. Srila Prabhupada – June 22, 1975, Los Angeles
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Kurukshetra- Jagannath Rath Yatra 2018 (Album of photos) Srila…
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Kurukshetra- Jagannath Rath Yatra 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We must be purely chanting. But we should not be disappointed, even impure. Therefore we must have fixed chanting process. Because we are not in the pure stage. Therefore, by force, just like a boy in the school. We had this training in our childhood school. Our teacher would ask me, “You write ten pages, handwriting.” So that means practicing ten pages, my handwriting will be set up. So if we do not even follow sixteen rounds, where is the question of chanting Hare Krsna? So don’t be artificial; don’t be a showbottle. Be real thing. And that is wanted. If you want real benefit of spiritual life, don’t be showbottle. If one can chant purified offenseless, once krsna-nama, he is free from all material bondage. Once only. –From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.26-30 – Hawaii, January 23, 1974
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Govinda Swami: Clean Vraja Campaign Update!! When I came home to…
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Govinda Swami: Clean Vraja Campaign Update!!
When I came home to Vrindavan I wrote a note that explained my personal crisis while being here … due to the prevailing insane situation in Vrindavan.
After my post, many friends from around the world commented, shared wonderful ideas, and offered their time, expertise, and commitment to help the ecological and heritage crisis that we are facing here in Vrindavan.
I started thinking.
Hey !! Please don’t laugh. I can still think .. a little
First I sat down with Indradyumna Maharaja to think of the folks we know who have been very successful in their services in Vrindavan.
We first met with Padmanabha Goswami of Radha Raman Mandir, one of our oldest Vrindavan friends, who is a recognized activist for the ecology and culture of Vrindavan.
Then we met our Vrindavan temple president Pancha Gauda Prabhu who has so successfully served and developed Vrindavan Temple for nearly 30 years.
Then we met Rupa Raghunatha who is the driving force of Food For Life Vrindavan and the world famous Sandipani Muni School for underprivileged girls.
Rupa has built schools and gives A to Z care for 1,400 young girls in Vrindavan and manages a staff of over 300 persons.
And then we met Jagatananda Prabhu, a very old friend with whom I shared my early days of Krishna consciousness in Toronto. We have probably not met since 1980.
Jagatananda is a teacher, scholar, writer, Sanskritist, master of Bengali language, translator and the editor of the internet newspaper Vrindavan Today.
In all the discussions we shared ideas and agreed that;
If we wish to attain the cherished goal of restoring Vraja we will need the assistance of the varied members of civil society in Vraja .. as well as the enforcement of the law of the land by the respected officers of the Indian Government.
On the first point;
Pancha Gauda and Rupa Raghunatha prabhus both run huge organizations. At present they are both in the process of creating better professional systems to manage their organizations.
Rupa Raghunatha has already engaged an international consultant to guide the restructuring of Food For Life Vrindavan and it has given fantastic results.
This last February his consultant visited Vrindavan and guided the FFLV team in their second training.
And, while the consultant was in Vrindavan, Rupa called together a group of prominent Vrindavan citizens and spent an afternoon of consultant guided brainstorming.
The conclusion of two hours of work was fantastic.
Now our desire is to again invite the consultant, pull more members on board, and chalk out a real plan for our work in Vraja.
And on the second point;
In India, we have a Prime Minister of the nation.
In each state, we have a Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister of our state Uttar Pradesh is a sadhu named Yogi Adityanatha. He is the Mahant of the Gorakhpur Temple Pith and has long been involved in national politics.
He is the president of an organization dedicated to the development of Vraja Bhumi .. and his vice president is a wonderful retired senior officer of the police. His name is Sri Shailesh Jha Kant Mishra.
He is the direct secretary to our state Chief Minister.
Mishraji is quite an amazing individual. He is a disciple of Devraha Baba, a renown saint who passed from this world around 1990.
At the time of his passing, he is said to have been between 300 and 400 years old.
Five generations of Mishraji’s family were disciples of Baba.
Baba instructed Mishraji to never purchase a house or own a piece of property during his life, instructed his wife never to purchase gold, and told him that one day he would be called to serve the sacred land of Vrindavan.
And in his retirement, he was requested by the Chief Minister to come to Vraja and serve.
Thus for him, this is a sacred service that has been given to him by his guru maharaja.
Through Pancha Gauda and Rupa Raghunatha, I have heard that Mishraji has agreed to be a part of the Vrindavan partnership development team and will assist in giving proper guidance and support to the committee.
He has said that until he dies he will be dedicated to the service of Sri Vrindavan Dham.
And folks … that is very good news.
So, in conclusion .. the ball is rolling … in a great direction.
I will keep all of you updated when I hear that there is any more information.
Your prayers, hearts, voices, arms, professional abilities, references, will all be needed to make this long-term dream come true.
Hare Krishna and good morning from Vrindavan !!
Yours in service,
BB Govinda Swami