Author Archives: Dandavats

Jagannath Ratha Yatra Solo
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Hare KrishnaBy Harinarayana Das

When all the participants performed their cultural presentations in front of the stage of honour then the devotees entered with the gopi dancers in front. The leader of ISKCON in Indonesia His Grace Vrajendra nandan prabhu presented a mahaprasad flower garland already offered to the Lord and a Bhagavad-gita to the mayor of Solo. They were delighted to receive the book. Then they were amused seeing the Lord on the chariot. The carnival finished at the mayor’s office yard. Many participants took the opportunity to take picture in front of the chariot. Many also asked for the flower garland that decorated the chariot. The prayer to the Lord Nrashinga deva concluded the ratha yatra. Devotes then took rest and prasadam was distributed to all. Book distribution team distributed 150 Srila Prabhupada’s books, and people scrambled to get Lords’ maha parasadam. An officer of Sragen regency approached Garuda Prabhu and Tapana Misra prabhu to invite the devotees to participate in the carnival in his city. It means that Lord Jagannath already captivated the heart of people in Central Java and paved His way into the next city for yet another enchanting Ratha Yatra festival.

The Unseen Universe
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Hare KrishnaBy Yogesvara Dasa

A groundbreaking museum of science – the Vedic Planetarium – seeks to reveal what the eye cannot see. Recently, the “Back To Godhead” Magazine published an article with the above title to reveal some of the facets of the planetarium within the main dome of the TOVP. (On behalf of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium Executive Committee) Illustrations by Alexey Klimenko, Duncan Smith, and Nina Tara.

From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 27, 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Sivarama Swami

It needs to be clear for all the members of Krishna Consciousness movement, when we are talking about Srila Prabhupada as the founder Acharya, it means that Srila Prabhupada is our Mahajan, and Srila Prabhupada‘s teachings in textual for us and his teachings, his examples, his instructions, all the instructions of the other Mahajan. Otherwise Prabhupada will use the other example, you cannot jump over. Jumping over means, you think, well Srila Prabhupada said this but such and such Acharya, Jiva Goswami, Vishwanath Cakravarti Thakura, said something different. So no, Srila Prabhupada didn’t say anything different, it’s just the matter of we don’t understand the context in which Srila Prabhupada is saying the same thing as what the Acharyas say. Because ultimately that is the qualification that the Divine Grace would repeatedly emphasize, that I haven’t changed anything I just follow my spiritual master.

New Krishna Temple Takes Off in Naperville
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Hare KrishnaBy Naveen Sharma

In pursuance of the great desire of Srila Prabhupada (Founder-Acharya of ISKCON), the new temple will be a center for disseminating the profound message of Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Delivered in a modern context to people irrespective of color, nationality, background or gender, the spiritual teachings are aimed to free mankind from the sufferings of material existence and help people find everlasting peace and happiness in Krishna Consciousness. The new temple will have a beautiful deity alter with Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundar and will also offer seminars, workshops, expanded Sunday school programs for children’s education, summer and winter camps for children and young adults, and congregational outreach programs for spiritual education in multiple languages.

Kolkata Fundraiser Brings Lakshmi to Narayana
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Hare KrishnaBy the TOVP team

On February 26th, under the direct inspiration and guidance of His Holiness Bhakti Caru Maharaja, the TOVP Fundraising Team consisting of Jananivas prabhu, Ambarisa prabhu, Mother Svaha and Vraja Vilas prabhu held a fundraiser at the Kolkata temple and raised an incredible $400,000 in pledges to everyone’s amazement. Led by the Lord in the form of His Padukas and Sitari, the TOVP Team inspired the devotees with the vision of this great world-changing project, bringing not only a sense of unity to all the devotees for the local preaching, but for the worldwide mission of Lord Gauranga’s samkirtan movement. Momentum is building as more and more devotees become enthused to help complete the TOVP construction and see the fulfillment of Srila Prabhupada’s vision. This is due to the fact that it is bringing the members of ISKCON together for a common worldwide cause, above and beyond their local interests, and that this worldwide cause is, in fact, inspiring the local causes to expand and grow.

Insights from insightful classes by Iskcon devotees
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Hare KrishnaBy Krishna-kripa das

Kalakantha das: Two major challenges in ISKCON: 1. Lack of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. 2. Lack of qualified leadership Solving lack of reading challenge: 1. Personal vows. 2. Study groups. 3. Bhakti Sastri courses. Lack of qualified leaders: 1. GBC College, which has been going on for three years The initial GBC was 100% American. Now it is 60% American. Of those in the GBC college now, none are Americans, yet they come from all other parts of the world.

2nd Sannyasa Candidate Training Seminar Held in Mayapur
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Hare KrishnaBy Krishna Kshetra Swami

The number of sannyasis grows from year to year in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, to well over 100; and those who take the vows of this final ashram of renunciation are, since recently, receiving formal training over and above what they receive individually in the course of their devotional lives and through the guidance of their sannyasa mentors. In pursuit of this aim of formal training, on February 18 – 22 we held a Sannyasa Candidate Training Seminar in Sridham Mayapur, with some 30 sannyasa candidates—all senior brahmacaris or vanaprasthas—attending. This was the second time such a program has taken place.

More Australians putting their faith in Hinduism
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Hare KrishnaBy Krati Garg

Garlands have been pinned to the wheels of the chariot and curries seasoned to perfection for prasadam (a religious offering), while Krishna’s idol is adorned with jewels for public viewing. The occasion is Rath Yatra, or Chariot Festival, organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Held annually to emulate a similar large-scale Rath Yatra at Puri, in India, the festival attracts thousands of Australians to see the Hindu God Krishna — or Jaggannath (Lord of the Universe) — step out of the sanctum of his temple in Albert Park onto the streets of Melbourne for his darshan (viewing). This year, a record 25,000 people took part in the yatra at St Kilda’s Catani Gardens, reflecting Hinduism’s rising popularity in Australia, which is expected to be confirmed in the latest Census as the nation’s fastest growing religion.

Rover Pipeline, LLC Reaches Agreement with Hare Krishna Community
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Hare KrishnaBy Tate Blanchard

Protests took place Thursday and may have paid for those wanting to protect sacred grounds. The case had just wrapped up before 5 P.M. involving the Rover Pipeline in Federal Court according to an attorney for Rover Pipeline, LLC, William Wilmoth with Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. There were a number of parties in attendance in Federal Court with concerns about where the Pipeline would be located as it makes its way through the Ohio Valley. Wilmoth said, the last group to be addressed in the last minutes was the Hare Krishna group and Rover had agreed to re-engineer and re-located their plans for the pipeline in a way that will not interfere with the Krishna sacred grounds. That is something Wilmoth said his clients take very seriously and they never want to disrupt any grounds that are sacred to anyone.

Vanipedia is celebrating 10 years in the service of the devotee community worldwide
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Hare KrishnaBy Visnu Murti dasa

In the ecstatic mission to bring Srila Prabhupada teachings to the forefront; our volunteers have frequently connected with me to express their realizations & breakthroughs in their spiritual lives while performing their services for Vanipedia.  It is their experiences and insights that have actively nurtured our convictions in driving Vanipedia’s growth through the years. We wish to thank them for their inspired contribution for the advancement of Srila Prabhupada’s vani on the internet on such a grand scale.

From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 22, 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Devamrita Swami

Remember, right before Prabhupada’s departure he said something very extraordinary, because devotees were concerned, they have the big concern, how they would know what to do after Prabhupada’s disappearance in this world. I’ll speak in the context of what previous speakers have informed you that during our sanyasi GBC guru Sanga, so many senior Vaishnavas brought up the point that reading Srila Prabhupada’s book. How we get tremendous renaissance when reading Prabhupada’s books. So, if you recall right before Prabhupada’s departure, the devotees asked, they went in anxiety totally justified how do we know what to do, how do we know how to make the right decisions after your departure. Srila Prabhupada. And he responded very interesting, very interestingly he said come together read my books and discuss them everything will become clear and how to proceed in the future? So we should remember that. Try it because at first our material intelligence will tell us, Look I have got many practical consideration, logistical considerations strategic consideration to make. Just get in together with Vaishnavas, opening Prabhupada’s books, reading them and discussing them, the way forward is with all my practicalities in the material world, they all will become clear, we should try it. We need a renaissance in this approach, then we can evaluate the results. Let’s take this instruction of Srila Prabhupada deeply into our hearts.

Rathyatra in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic
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Hare KrishnaBy Dhaniya devi dasi

The Dominican Republic proved itself to be not only a hotbed of enthusiastic, powerful local devotees, but also a wonderful place for preaching. The people are inquisitive, receptive and looking for an opportunity to learn more about God consciousness. Latin America is brimming with chances to spread the Holy Names and any and all services are welcome from any devotees looking to participate in next year’s festival.

Time for a Revolution
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By Bhakti Vikasa Swami

If you really want to see iskcon a lot stronger than it is at present, and if you are ready to take part in a grassroots revolution, here is a program for you. It is non-political and non-controversial, easy to implement, and with negligible cost, yet it will benefit the whole society of devotees worldwide. The program is that all members of the Krsna consciousness movement should read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Of course, many devotees are already reading Prabhupada’s books, but still, far too many are not. Numerous devotees who have been initiated for ten years or more, and are even brahmana-initiated, have not read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books, and apparently have never thought of doing so.

From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 23, 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Jayapataka Swami

What other avatar thinks how to deliver all the souls? I mean they come into universe, they kill the demons but actually, to think how to get every man, woman and child, how to get everybody all people Krishna Conscious. Where is the other incarnation that have so much mercy. Even as 24 years, he was a grahasta he thought logicians, argumentative students mayavadis, all these people are somehow avoiding me, avoiding my mercy so there he took sanyas. And with that he got all the others. In fact, he went to Banaras, there Kasi Misra and Chandrasekar, Chandrasekar was considered like a sudra. They ate Prasad at the house of Kasi Misra but they stayed at the house of Chandrasekar. But they both approached him. But they couldn’t tolerate hearing all the mayavadi sanyasi criticising Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya, on the way back stopped at Banaras. And then he devised a plan, to liberate the sanyasis. So, a brahmana came and invited for prasadam, he said I have invited all the sanyasis of Banaras. I know that you don’t come, you don’t mix with other sanyasi, but I am begging you, just have mercy on me please come. So, Lord Caitanya agreed. He went and he saw all the mayavadi sanyasis were there, he went by the doorway and washed his feet he offered his obeisance and sat down by the dirty foot water in front of all the brahmanas.

What’s the higher consciousness? How to awaken that Consciousness?
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Hare KrishnaBy Radhanath Swami

Life is a journey. A quest of fulfillment, for seeking pleasure. Some people find that pleasure in wealth, in glory, or other material comforts of life. We are all seeking happiness, but it is within ourselves. If the fish swam deeper in life, it won’t have been bothered by the hawk. But it swam just around life. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krsna says: A person who has peace within, who is self-realized in consciousness is very deep, like an ocean. The deeper you go in the ocean, the calmer it becomes. The more it becomes unaffected by the storms swirling on the surface .so, one who goes deeper realizes the self. Bhagavad-Gita tells what it to be above it is. Bhagavad-Gita explains different levels of realizations.