Author Archives: Dandavats

How Lord Jagannath Appeared In The Western World
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Hare KrishnaBy Shyamasundar Das

Whenever you came to the Swami’s door, your heart was in your throat. (This feeling never left me, even after a thousand trips to that door.) There was a heightened sense that something marvelous was about to occur, a tingling in the blood. You never knew what to expect, just that it would be a wonderful surprise, whatever happened. He’d be sitting behind his little table or in his rocker clicking his beads, dressed in saffron, maybe with a white sweater, sunlight through the south-facing window shining on his freshly-oiled head and his face a radiant gold, emerging from some deep bliss—and he would welcome you no matter what hour of day or night.

Vaishnava-Muslim Dialogue in the United States: A Model
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Hare KrishnaBy Anuttama das

Anuttama and Sanullah decided to create a forum for deep dialogue between Muslims and Vaiṣnavas in Washington, D.C.—perhaps at the same time providing a format and example for others to follow. It was obvious to both, that very large meetings were not conducive to dialogue that would be truly satisfying. However, their mutual experience of that large-scale event did give them an opportunity to reflect together on the process and transformative power of dialogue itself. It is during those conversations that Anuttama voiced his interest in organizing a small Hindu-Muslim dialogue in Washington D. C. He had confidence in such an approach, having been instrumental in the founding of the still-ongoing Vaiṣnava-Christian Dialogue in 1997. “Given Anuttama’s enthusiasm, his energy, and—particularly—his faith,” says Sanaullah, “I felt it was worth a try.”

Dharma in Business
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Hare KrishnaBy Anand Caitanya das

Over 150 business professionals & entrepreneurs attended this event. By hearing the experiences of esteemed speakers, the attendees were empowered with answers to the questions “What is the dharma of business? And why is connecting with that dharma vital to the future of humanity and the planet?” Amit Chandra, noted businessman and MD, Bain Capital, called upon the audience to get involved in charitable works and learn to give back to the society. “We must spare at least one-third of the time to do social work,” he said. In a country which celebrates its wealth creators, Amit Chandra and his wife are known to be a couple that both give between 50-75% of their time and annual income to social causes. Many business leaders grapple with the issue of when is the right time to start giving, how much should they give, and should they get involved with their time? Sunil Sanghai in the question and answer session with Amit Chandra requested him to help answer this question for the assembled audience.

ISKCON’s Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) wins Smart Village Award 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Gauranga Das

The Smart Cities Award Ceremony was part of the Mega Event organized by the India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) and the Exhibitions India Group. The three-day event hosted over 400 global exhibitors from around 40 countries across 20,000 square-metres of exposition space on the themes of Buildings India, Solar India, Transport India, Smart Cities India and Water India. Along with the expo there was also a three day conference and other key programmes including the CEO Speaks, Mayor’s Conclave, Smart Cities India Awards, Smart Village Conclave and Youth Leadership Summit. GEV also participated as one of the panelists in the Smart Village conclave which was focused on bringing together individuals, institutions, Government, industry/Technocrats, NGOs, etc. to bridge the urban rural divide and provide best practices, learnings or case studies which the other villages can replicate or learn from.

Does Surrender Mean to Become Dependent or Independent or …?
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Hare KrishnaBy Atmananda dasa

There is no contradiction. Rather, we become both: simultaneously dependent and independent: independent for Krishna; both surrendered – thinking ourselves fully dependent – and autonomous. By becoming instruments, we act as little Krishnas, manifesting His brilliant and magnetic qualities, as Srila Prabhupada does. He instructs and guides us to become fully qualified – like touchstones – to transform others also, into pure servants of the servants of the Lord. Surrender means that we are willing and able to carry out the apparently impossible mission, the desire of guru and Lord Chaitanya, just as we see Arjuna doing on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

Malaysia Tour an Unprecedented Success!
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Hare KrishnaBy Sunanda Das

For twelve days, from April 21st – May 2nd, Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari led the TOVP Fundraising Team consisting of Jananivas and Vraja Vilas prabhus on a multi-city tour of Malaysia. The results were astonishing and unprecedented for a relatively small country like Malaysia. Over $2 million U.S. in pledges was raised!!!

Professor Massimo Introvigne – Interview
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Hare KrishnaBy Massimo Introvigne

The first is that this trend would not stay in Russia only, it will spread to neighboring countries. Already in Kazakhstan a Jehovah’s Witness, who moreover is suffering with cancer, has been sentenced to five years in a labour camp based on accusations of extremism very similar to those raised in Russia. The second is that these easy accusations of “extremism” will be rapidly extended to other groups. Some Baptist Protestants are already complaining that they are being attacked in Russia as “extremist”, and the same is true for the Hare Krishna (ISKCON) and other communities. But, as I said, with this definition of “extremism” nobody is safe.

Iskcon Informational Town Hall Meeting At The Brooklyn Public Library
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Hare KrishnaBy the GBC Brooklyn Temple Sale Committee

The pending sale of the ISKCON Brooklyn Temple (Radha Govinda Mandir) has generated interest, concern and even controversy in ISKCON, not just in the New York Metropolitan Area but also around the world, especially in light of the GBC Body’s stated opposition to the sale (see attached GBC Resolution no. 314). In order to foster openness, inclusivity and awareness of the current state of affairs as well as to dispel confusion and misconceptions, the GBC Brooklyn Temple Sale Committee is hosting an ISKCON Informational Town Hall Meeting at the Brooklyn Public Library on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 7:00 PM sharp. The evening’s program and ground rules are set forth below.

Iskcon related news and stories from May 11th, 2017
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Hare Krishna“I remember at the Ardha Kumbha Mela in Allahabad, when some of your disciples felt it was too difficult to rise early, take bath and attend the morning program with you. Seeing this, you encouraged us by personally going outside in the dark of night, at 3 A.M., to bathe in unheated water and in near freezing weather, despite your age and dwindling health. Then, wrapped head to toe in wool, you sat with us outside in the wet predawn cold for a full three-hour morning program—without fail. In this connection, I pray that this vision of you always remain framed in my heart to give me strength against austerities.”

How to break habits
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Hare KrishnaBy Romapada Swami

The process of retraction of bad habits can be summed up as follows: Recognition, Regret, Rectification, and Reinstatement – aided by saintly association and devotional practices. Retraction of bad habits was compared by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura as being synonymous to the jiva’s returning back to the spiritual world, because in effect these bad habits are nothing but the binding effects of our long material association and past activities. The first step in overcoming this material conditioning is of course to recognize the bad habits themselves. This recognition should be accompanied by sincere regret followed by firm resolve to give up the habit. But often we find that despite being aware and regretful for their habits, many people are unable to avoid their sinful tendencies, because of the lack of proper effort. It takes great commitment sustained over time to accomplish the result.

New TOVP website
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Hare KrishnaBy the TOVP Staff

We are extremely happy to announce the launch of a new website, tovp360.org, which offers a virtual tour through the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, one of the largest temples in the world. The virtual-reality panoramas in this site will show you every nook and corner of the magnificent temple. From 24 different places, you can see all around you and look both above and below to get a feel of this sacred space. Walk in and around the temple, from the temple rooms up to the roofs and domes. There are even 360 degree bird’s-eye views from above the temple that show the whole Mayapur Project.

The Tulabharam Pastime of Rukmini devi
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Hare KrishnaBy Nandini Radha devi dasi

Krishna remains a mute witness to all this drama and rubs salt into the open wounds of Satyabhama’s ego that he has now to become a slave to some cowherd and will have to suffer the separation from his dear wife. Narada suggests to Satyabhama that Rukmini may be able to get her out of the predicament. She finally swallows her pride and appeals to the devoted first wife of Krishna. Rukmini comes and with a prayer to her husband puts a single leaf of the sacred Tulasi on the scale (Tula). The scales then become all at once so heavy that even after removing all the jewels, the scales are weighed down on the side of the Tulasi leaf. Satyabhama and Rukmini are called Tulabhrami.

Video for the day
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By Mahatma Das “Too Busy to practise Bhakti” “Six Generations from now” “Discipline vs Regret ” “Face Your Demons” “You Teach your kids by your marriage” “Unhealthy Possessiveness” “Krsna knows everyone’s heart” “Promise of Vaikuntha” “Envy affects y…