Author Archives: Dandavats

Sri Guruvayur Yatra
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Hare KrishnaBy Chandan Yatra Das

Guruvayur, also called ‘Dwarka of Southern India’, houses the famous Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple. Guruvayur Sri Krishna, also affectionately called as “Sri Guruvayoorappan”, the presiding deity, was installed by Brihaspati and Vayu. Sri Guruvayoorappan is a four-armed form of Lord Krishna in standing posture with a chakra in the right hand, conchshell in the left, and mace and lotus flower in the other two. Lord Krishna displayed this form of His only twice during His appearance on earth: once to Arjuna just before the battle of Kuruksetra while speaking the Bhagavad-Gita, and once to His parents, Vasudeva and Devaki, at the time of His appearance in Mathura. This deity was worshipped by Vasudeva and Devaki in Dwarka. When Lord Krishna wanted to end His manifest pastimes on this planet, He entrusted His devoted friend Uddhava, to take good care of the Deity. Lord Krishna prophesied to Uddhava that at the end of His earthly sojourn, the island of Dwarka would be swept away by the sea, 7 days after He would leave.

When Krishna thrusts his mercy, inconceivably
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Hare KrishnaBy Chaitanya Charan das

An inspiring departure. For many years, Shri Shah had been averse to even visit Vaishnava Seva P’s house, leave alone stay there. Like most fathers, he had had great dreams for his son. When Vaishnava Seva Prabhu had started practicing bhakti, his father had become upset. His anger was not because they were from a Jain background, but because he feared that his son would neglect his career. In his disappointment, he had spoken heated words to, Vaishnava Seva Prabhu’s spiritual master, HH Radhanatha Maharaj. He had even threatened to not attend Vaishnava Seva Prabhu’s marriage.

Making Peace with our Body and Mind, Finding Joy in the Self
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Hare KrishnaBy Karnamrita Das

The fact that we are souls having a human experience, doesn’t mean that we can deny the body—we can however, make our body and mind as favorable as possible for spiritual practice. This should be the guiding principle for any introspection, healing, or counseling we undergo. The intern result of such endeavors should be living and acting in the mode or quality of goodness as outlined in the Bhagavad Gita, and being a balanced human being—so helpful for steady sadhana for the long haul of a life.

Hare Krishna! Film Successfully Tells the Story of Its Founder
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Hare KrishnaBy Gargs Allard

If one sees this movie for what it is (and is advertised) – the story of the swami who started the Hare Krishna Movement against all odds – then it is an amazing account of spiritual purity, power and accomplishment. The non-devotee, however much he or she may or may not be turned off by Hare Krishna people, has to acknowledge there was certainly something that attracted its followers of the late sixties and early seventies. This film more than aptly shows what that was, or who it was – Srila Prabhupada.

That Special Song
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Hare KrishnaBy Indradyumna Swami

“I just wanted to thank you for your talk. It literally saved my life.” “Saved your life?” I said, thinking that perhaps she was speaking metaphorically. “Yes,” she said. “Two years ago my only child, my 16 year old son, was killed in a head-on car collision. I was devastated and as a result my relationship with my husband deteriorated quickly. We began quarreling and fighting and eventually separated. Six months ago we divorced. Because I was so distraught I couldn’t focus at work, and several months ago I lost my job. My friends were unable to cope with me, and one by one they abandoned me. I couldn’t make sense of it all. I kept asking, ‘why is all this happening to me?’” She paused and then said: “There seemed to be no reason to keep living. So I came up here to the coast last week with the intention of ending my life.”

All India Padayatra Visits Guruvayur, Kerala and Celebrates Chida-dahi Mahotsava In Chemmanur
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Hare KrishnaBy Acarya Dasa

It is believed that the deity of Guruvayurappan was once worshipped by Vasudeva and Devaki, Lord Krishna’s parents, and represents the Maha Vishnu form as revealed to them when Krishna appeared. The deity was also later worshipped by Krishna Himself. Carved from ‘Patala Anjanam’ stone or black bismuth and in a standing pose the deity is a four-armed form of Vishnu carrying the conch Panchajanya, the discus Sudarshana Chakra, the mace Kaumodaki, the lotus and adorned with a divine Tulsi garland. The deity faces east and is four feet tall. Despite the size of the deity devotees consider Him to be little Krishna. He is worshipped according to pooja regulations stipulated by Adi Sankaracharya and later formally recorded in the Tantras by Chennas Narayanan Namboodiri (born in 1427).

Inspirational Coaching – “Sutras for a Happy Life”
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Coimbatore

The year 2016 marked the Golden Jubilee (1966-2016) of the incorporation of ISKCON ( International Society for Krishna Consciousness) in New York by its Founder Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In continuance with the Golden Jubilee celebration, ISKCON Coimbatore is now presenting a series of inspirational life-changing talks titled “Saaram”. The first of its kind was held on 12th July 2017, at Nani Phalkiwala Auditorium, Mani’s High School, Coimbatore.The function was inaugurated by HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami (Zonal Secretary) ISKCON, along with Ms Vanitha Mohan, President, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other dignitaries from Coimbatore.HG Gaur Gopal Das from ISKCON Mumbai, life coach, and international motivational speaker addressed the gathering on “Sutras for a Happy Life”. HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami delivered an inspirational speech and also highlighted the significance of the upcoming Sri Kovai Chandra temple project at ISKCON, Coimbatore.The audience expressed their gratitude and appreciation towards the committed service of ISKCON in enlightening people with the secrets of Vedic scriptures, which is vital to achieve success and taste real happiness in life.

Philly yoga and meditation center links city dwellers back to nature
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Hare KrishnaBy Sam Newhouse

Bhakti yoga center in Fishtown, Pennsylvania, United States is part of a new “urban-rural farm connection” project. “We’re in a very serious situation, as the only species that has destroyed its own habitat, and we need to understand that without a connection to the land – and all that that connection entails in terms of a balanced lifestyle – there’ll be no major solution,” Swami said. “The question is, how many urbanites want to invest in a rural connection, if not moving to a rural area, at least developing an active reciprocal relationship?”

His Holiness Lokanath Swami Dedicates Vyasa Puja to TOVP
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Hare KrishnaBy Sunanda Das

Most significantly was the presence of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari from Mayapur along with His Grace Sriman Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus representing the TOVP. Maharaja dedicated over three hours of prime-time to the TOVP presentation and fundraising showing by his own example the importance of the project. Due to his inspiration over $1 million U.S. was raised in pledges.

A sweet Recollection of the Mayapur Ratha-yatra celebration
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Hare KrishnaBy Mayapur Internal Communications Team

Starting in the late 80’s with one small chariot, Ratha-yatra was celebrated just inside the Mayapur campus by the gurukula students. As time went on, Ratha-yatra grew, and the campus grounds could no longer hold the festival. We had to start thinking big. In 1997, the Mayapur management organized the first ever Ratha-yatra festival coming from Rajapur to ISKCON Mayapur with three grand chariots. It was only with their leadership and expertise that this festival continues today.

Hare Krishna ‘Festival Of Chariots’ Parades Through Boston
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Hare KrishnaBy Greg Cook

Around noon on Saturday, men wrapped in white robes gathered just off Boston’s Boylston Street in the middle of a festive crowd of women dressed in bright colored saris and men in dhoti kurtas, with gopi dots and lines of color painted on their faces. The robed men lined up before the tall yellow chariot wagon, garlanded with flowers, that resembled a temple on wheels. One man raised a coconut above his head, then smashed it on the pavement for an auspicious beginning to the annual Festival of Chariots — or Ratha Yatra (a Sanskrit phrase that roughly translates as “chariot procession”) — by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Boston or ISKCON Boston or more generally known as the Hare Krishnas.

TOVP FullDome Mayapur Project
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Hare KrishnaBy TOVP

Operation FullDome is a way to give any visiting guest to Sri Dham Mayapur an opportunity to experience the most unique immersive spiritual experience in a spiritual town. The visitors will relax in comfort and watch high-quality presentations of professionally made FullDome films, using only top grade technology – the same technology that Disney, NASA, and many Fortune 500 companies use. This place will become the pivot point of interactive educational and spiritually riveting audio-visual experience. The proceedings from this project will go towards the TOVP Exhibits.

ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Sannyasa Ministry

Srila Prabhupada on “What is a Sannyasi?” As there are hairs and nails on the body and sometimes we separate these parts from the body similarly when the material energy is separated from the service of the Lord it is inferior energy. Inferior energy is not false but temporary. The same temporary energy when surcharged with Krsna consciousness it transforms into supreme energy by the supreme will. By this will any energy can be transformed into another just like electronic energy in a refrigerator or in a heater, to an ordinary layman, he sees cold and hot but to an electrician he sees electricity. So when one is engaged in the service of the Lord that person is already in the spiritual energy, and a sannyasi is to transform himself from the inferior to the superior, spiritual energy. If your consciousness is absorbed in Krsna you are always a sannyasi.” (SPL to Jayananda, 29th September, 1967)

ISKCON is more than people, communities, music, food and deity worship. It is a calling that asks you to keep Krishna at the centre of your life
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Hare KrishnaBy Rachna Tyagi

So, what are the prerequisites to join them? “ISKCON is a calling. The person coming to ISKCON actually comes to serve Krishna. He wants to dedicate his life to Krishna,” says Das. As a student of structural engineering in IIT-Madras, he came across a book on Prabhupada at a library in IIT-Bombay. He says, “When I read that, I felt it was something that nobody had taught me. I was very inspired, especially after I finished reading the Bhagavad Gita. I felt this was what I should dedicate my life to. I then switched over to philosophy, did my master’s and got my doctorate on the topic,” says Das.

Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha Research Center organizes an International conference on Vaishnavism at Mumbai University
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Hare KrishnaBy Vijay Krsna Kumar Das

Scholars and academicians from various parts of the country and abroad converged at the Kalina campus of Mumbai University to participate in a first of its kind International conference on the topic “Relevance, Role and Resurgence of Vaishnavism studies in 21st century.” Jointly organized by the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha Research Center of ISKCON and Shree Halari Oswal College, the conference witnessed participation of more than 200 students, scholars and administrators from the field of academia. Honorable Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, Dr. Sanjay Deshmukh and several other dignitaries like Dr Satish Modh, Director of Vivekanand Institute of Management Studies, Mrs Maya Shahani, Chairperson at Thadomal Shahani Centre for Management, Dr. Chandrakant Puri, a Chair Professor at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Contemporary Studies, HG Gauranga Das from ISKCON Mumbai inaugurated the conference by lighting the lamps. It was followed by Sarasvati Vandana and the University Anthem.

The Disappearance of Lord Sri Krishna
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Hare KrishnaBy Ravindra Svarupa Das

Srimad-Bhagavatam Eleventh Canto Chapter 31: The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Dāruka delivered the account of the total destruction of the Vṛṣṇis, and upon hearing this, O Parīkṣit, the people became deeply distraught in their hearts and stunned with sorrow. Feeling the overwhelming pain of separation from Kṛṣṇa, they struck their own faces while hurrying to the place where their relatives lay dead.

Russia Comes to Mayapur
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Hare KrishnaBy Mayapur Internal Communications team

In the book The Seventh Goswami, a biography of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura , it is stated that Thakura Bhaktivinoda prayerfully invoked the Lord, and expressed his heartfelt desire, “When will that day come when the fair-skinned foreigners will come to Sri Mayapur-dhama and join with the Bengali Vaisnavas to chant ‘Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana!’ … Very soon the chanting of Harinama sankirtana will be spread all over the world. Oh, when will that day come when people from America, England, France, Germany, Russia will take up kartals and mrdangas and chant Hare Krsna in their towns?” Interestingly enough, just one-hundred years after Thakura Bhaktivinoda predicted this, three-thousand devotees form America, England, France, Germany, Russia and fifty other countries gathered at ISKCON Mayapur, joined together with one-thousand Bengali Vaisnavas, and chanted and danced together, chanting “Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana Gaura Hari!”

The Importance Of Opposition And Life Reverses
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Hare KrishnaBy Karnamrita Das

In the lives of great persons there is always opposition and apparent road blocks in accomplishing their goals or mission in life. Whether through another person, an accident, their own body or mind, or some natural disturbance, what appears on the surface to be an impediment is passed through and the glory of the person is revealed. Practically we can see that great success in any undertaking or field is not accomplished without passing through many setbacks and even failure. In the personal growth or success literature such perseverance and determination in the face of what seem insurmountable odds are part of any great person’s story.