Author Archives: Dandavats

Strategies To Become A “Weekend Warrior”
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Hare KrishnaBy Vaiseshika Dasa

Many “Warriors” are householders who have family obligations and who work during the week to earn their livelihood. But despite their busy professional and family lives, these devotees, eager for the nectar that comes from direct preaching, go out on weekends to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. But the “Weekend Warrior” comes in all shapes and sizes: Kids, students, temple managers, retired book distributors, and congregational members of ISKCON are all joining the swelling ranks of the “Weekend Warriors.”

Preaching program at Honor All of the Supreme Court of Justice (Chile)
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Hare KrishnaBy Members of Krishna Sambandha

November 29, for the first time in the history of Chile and its Courts of Justice, a concert was held in the Hall of Honor of the Supreme Court. Never before had there been a musical presentation in this space of great patrimonial and historical value for our country. The concert, consisting of an exhibition of classical and devotional music from India, was performed by Krishna Sambandha, composed of members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). This activity was initiated with a speech by His Excellency Mr. Hugo Dolmestch, President of the Supreme Court, and was attended by the Minister of Supreme Court, Gloria Ana Chevesich, the National Prosecutor of the Public Ministry, Andrés Montes; Ministers of the Constitutional Court; The President of the Court for the Defense of Free Competition, Enrique Vergara; The first Secretary and Cultural Manager of the Embassy of India in Chile, Mr. Venkataraman and Mr. Shammi Arora; The President of the Indian Federation in Chile, Kishan Dadlani and the leading exponent of classical Indian music in Chile, Master Millapol Gajardo.

Gurukula Headmaster meets Minister
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Hare KrishnaBy Syama Sakhi devi dasi

Recently, Gurukula principal, Vinod Bihari dasa, joined 29 other principals and Education Minister, Adrian Piccoli, in a meeting organised by the AIS (Australian Independent Schools of NSW) in Sydney. Vinod Bihari gave a presentation on the programs implemented by the Gurukula that have led to such enormous success. Vinod Bihari talked about how the school is focusing on best instructional practices that tailor to student learning. The Gurukula has also pioneered a coaching model whereby a specialist educator from the US gives real-time feedback to teachers in the classroom. Education Minister Adrian Piccoli expressed a genuine interest in knowing more about the Hare Krishna School. The Minister left his entourage to spend some time alone with Vinod Bihari looking at a photographic presentation of the school on a nearby wall, and hearing about the Gurukula’s teaching and welfare programs. Minister Piccoli expressed that after his conversation with Vinod, his impression of the Hare Krishnas changed by 180 degrees for the better. The AIS Public profile page commented how Mr Piccoli specifically noted how much he enjoyed meeting Vinod Bihari. The Tweed Weekly and Tweed Daily interviewed Vinod and published articles acknowledging the school’s ongoing successes.

“Our Next Program”
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Hare KrishnaBy Vamsuli Dasa

“Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. Please think over these points very seriously and as soon as I return we shall take up the program. My beloved sannyasi disciple Swami Pusta Krishna has promised to give me a car, and as soon as I get it I shall move from village to village along with some selected assistants and organize this farming village development program.”

Remembering Kartik
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Hare KrishnaBy Ramanuja das

Ram Ghat on the banks of Mandakini Ganga, the caves of Gupt Godavari, the ever pleasing Kamad-giri or the sacred mountain on which Lord Ramachandra set up His residence – which is considered to be as good as Giriraj Govardhan in Vrindavan and many other pastime places of Lord Rama decorate Chitrakoot as beautiful ornaments which have attracted the minds of saintly personalities since time immemorial. Many ashrams would very happily and hospitably welcome the devotees and gladly agree to allow them to take prasadam which they provide free of cost to the sadhus every day. Lecture halls for the six days program as well as accommodation for the devotees were arranged at the Udyamita campus. Seminars on importance of devotee association, simple yet clear lectures by Subhag Swami, tips by Niranjan prabhu, fired up kirtans, chanting at train station and of course dramas depicting pastimes of lord Ramachandra enlivened the devotees. His Holiness Subhag Swami explained the meaning of go to dhama only for sightseeing….this is meant for those who don’t know the real purose of visiting holy places. The dhama is accepted to be holy because the Supreme Lord or His devotees enacted pastimes there and more because advanced devotees reside in these places and constantly speak about the lords pastimes. It is instructed that one visit the holy places because there one can avail the opportunity to hear Krishna katha from self-realized souls and enrich their Krishna consciousness.”

The Mindfulness Dilemma
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Hare KrishnaBy Sankirtana Das

Is it any wonder that we would want to retreat from a world that offers news of constant strife? What have we to look forward to? A world of uncertainty, a lackluster economy, a people divided, everyone talking past one another, hurtling slogans and accusations, and never connecting nor really listening to one another. With these burdens weighing upon us, meditation doesn’t seem to be enough. Maybe it’s downright ineffective! At the end of her article, Ms. Whippman evokes some studies which conclude that the results of meditation are “underwhelming” and that it might only “bring some small benefits. . . . compared with pretty much any general relaxation technique at all, including exercise. . . .”

Tulasi Care
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Hare KrishnaBy Giriraj dasa

We can understand how pure is the service which Tulasi offers to Sri Krsna. So we should always endeavor after becoming the servant of Tulasi devi. I do not know who has taught you that part of a Tulasi plant may be cut off and then replanted? From the Tulasi plant you can cut off only leaves for offering them to Krsna, never for cutting and planting. That is an offence. The manjaris (seeds) can be offered in water and it makes the water fragrant and tasteful. And the manjaris can be planted for growing new Tulasi plants. Yes, the prayer you have enclosed is bona fide. Tulasi devi never goes back to Godhead, she is always with Godhead. She is a pure devotee and thus she has appeared on this planet to render service to Krsna by being offered in all temples throughout the world by being offered up to the lotus feet of Krsna.”

Inauguration Of Goloka Goshala At Iskcon Coimbatore
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Coimbatore

“Goloka Goshala” was inaugurated at ISKCON Coimbatore temple premises on 27th November 2016, for the pleasure of Their Lordships Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi, by the chief guest, Sri S.P. Velumani. Hon. Minister of Tamilnadu Municipal Administration, in the auspicious presence of HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami Maharaj, Temple President and Zonal Secretary of ISKCON. A special plaque marking the occasion was also unveiled by the chief guest. The inauguration function was graced by the presence of special dignitaries like Sri.P.Nagarajan (Member of Parliament),Sri.P.R.G.Arunkumar( MLA, North Coimbatore), Sri.V.C Arukutti (MLA, Kavundampalayam constituency)and other VIPs. Three healthy cows and a bull were donated to the temple by devotees. HH Bhakti Vinoda Swami Maharaj named the cows as Ganga, Yamuna, Surabhi and the bull as Sudhama.

Please Don’t Be a Burden to the Earth
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Hare KrishnaBy Paramadayala Nityananda Dasa

Use of fossil fuel can be described by the Vedic term “ughra karma” or greatly destructive work; but changing to other forms of energy does not address the real problem. Human beings will continue to be a major burden to the Earth until we acknowledge that we are not the owners of the Sun, wind, water or atoms; these are produced and owned by God, and any energy we derive from them must be used for His pleasure. However great the population may be, we are not a burden to the Earth when we use energy in Krishna’s service. But we cannot avoid adverse reactions when we misuse energy for our sense gratification. As a society of Brahmana’s, it is the duty of ISKCON members to inform those who place their faith the Paris Agreement that it does not identify the real problem or give the real solution. This may make us unpopular, but people are suffering due to ignorance, so how can we not tell them the truth?

What You Live You Give
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Hare KrishnaBy Mahatma das

I once attended a workshop facilitation training in which we were taught that many people will come to our trainings with the mindset of “I already know that.” They explained that they might know of it, about it, or are familiar with it, but they don’t know it unless they live it. So if our audience thinks they already know what we will be teaching, the learning process shuts down for them. So we were taught to joke with the audience by saying, “The three worse words in the English language for learning are, “I know that.” The point of this article is to see how this relates to us I am not the body. I’ve heard it 4000 times. I know this. Or do I?

Krishna, please don’t let any of those Bhagavad-gita copies come back home with us!
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Hare KrishnaBy Promila Chitkara

It was December – the month of Srila Prabhupäda’s book marathon! We were quite excited when we began book distribution. We remained excited throughout. The thought of reaching out to unlimited number of souls thrilled me. The results we achieved were seemingly in proportion to our efforts. Actually, the mercy we received during this time was much beyond the external effort or internal state. There were times when nothing seemed to work out, but then everything worked out at once. The first time when we got zero response I had this feeling Krishna would do something just before we decided to give up. He did! He always does! (I recalled the past incidents when He intervened just when I was about to give up.)

Bhaktivedanta Institute of Gainesville Conference
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Hare KrishnaBy Krishna-kripa das

Since Vivekananda’s 1893 address to the Parliament of World Religion in Chicago, Aurobindo’s extensive writings on evolutionary theory in the early to mid-20th century, and Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s discussions with scientists and philosophers popularized by his young Hare Kṛṣṇa followers in the late 20th century, the natural sciences of the West have been on the mind of great thinkers from India. Focusing on how Bhaktivedanta Swami’s teachings have been developed and articulated in the early 21st century, this conference highlights developments from some of those on the forefront of the encounter between Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the sciences. Friends and followers of Sadaputa Prabhu, many in Alachua County, Florida, started a branch of the Bhaktivedanta Institute in Gainesville. They decided to do a practice conference on November 13, inviting devotee scholars to speak and present papers. What follows is some notes I took on the presentations of things that were striking to me.

Austerity and Pleasure: Managing Our Sexuality While Waiting for Transcendence
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Hare KrishnaBy Urmila Devi Dasi

The enlightened devotee’s detachment derives from the superior satisfaction of spiritual love. The rising tide of spiritual love gradually increases to a flood. This love, real love, means giving rather than taking. It means giving oneself for the pleasure of God. It means being an agent to unite the Lord and His energy of pleasure – Krishna with Radha, Narayana with Lakshmi, Rama with Sita. Of course, the Lord and His eternal consort do not depend on a tiny soul to aid their union. It is the kindness of the Lord that He engages the expanded living beings in this way so as to share His bliss. The finite soul, thus linked with the infinite through loving service, eternally experiences ever-expanding ecstasy. Such is our natural, constitutional, inherent nature. Let us take daily steps toward regaining our nature and letting go of its pale reflection.

Finding Ourselves – Who We Are and What We Are Meant to Do
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By Giriraj Swami

We all want to know who we really are, what role we are meant to play in God’s plan, what contribution we are meant to make to God’s work. And, by God’s grace, we may get a sense of our calling, what we are meant to do in His service. But even then, we may shrink from what we know is our duty, shirk what we know is our responsibility. We may fear the challenges ahead and retreat into what we imagine will be a safer, more comfortable place. We always have that choice–to face God and the mission he ordains for us, or to flee from Him, and in doing do, depart from our true self. Especially as we grow older, we may wonder what fruits our efforts will bear, whether we should even bother to make the effort. Even those who have labored faithfully in the service of the Lord may wonder what will come of the efforts they have made, the projects they have undertaken.

Iskcon 50 celebrations at Iskcon Nairobi
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhakta George Shihundu

Despite the chilling cold and rainy weather of Nairobi, a large group of more than 250 devotees assembled at the Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihari Mandir to commemorate the ISKCON’s golden jubilee. Amongst them were HH Bhakti Narasimha Swami(South Africa), HG Akhandadhi Prabhu(UK), ISKCON Nairobi Vice President Rukuma Prabhu,HG Manasi Ganga Mataji, and 90 jubilant students that celebrated attaining a Certificate of Ethics and Morality after a year-long course on Vaishnava philosophy. The programme is run by the Hare Krishna Training Center, part of ISKCON Nairobi. The goal is to introduce students to the ageless wisdom of Vedic philosophy and practice of Krishna Consciousness. The centre seeks to further A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada’s mission of preaching to all people around the world. The centre also seeks to establish a large pool of devotees by targeting mostly young students from local universities who have an interest in understanding their purpose in life. By offering character building courses, students are not only introduced to the need to live an ethically astute and morally sound life as young adults, but are also introduced to the unwavering practice of Krishna Consciousness that is a much needed weapon against the vagaries of society in an increasingly volatile East African region struggling with poverty, Islamic fundamentalism, corruption, and ethnically motivated conflict and violence. Perhaps the pure love for Krishna and the peace that comes with it could not have come in handy. It is akin to the 60s when Prabhupada gave the hippies the Krishna Conscious “drug” for self-realization.