Author Archives: Dandavats

It’s Kartika, Damn It!
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By Tulasi-Priya dasi

At the risk of losing more Kartik Kredits, I’ll tell you that my main vrata this year is to keep my hand in the beadbag whenever it’s not required elsewhere. In spite of having a lot to do, I managed to fulfill my quota today. But if I happen to remember at 11pm that there’s a load in the washer that is on the verge of mildewing (not that that happened tonight, for example), I’m not going to resent the boring necessity of hanging them up for taking me away from my chanting. It’s Kartika, damn it! This is my opportunity to surrender to what ever life-fate-Krishna dishes out, and get the big bhakti bucks back for doing so.

TOVP Kartika Announcement and Appeal
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Hare KrishnaBy Braj-vilas das

Performing vrata in the month of Kartika (Damodara) is glorified profusely in the Puranas. Since this month is very dear to Lord Krishna, by performing austerities or restraining one’s sense gratification and performing activities to please the senses of the Lord, one becomes very dear to the Lord. As Satya yuga is the best of yugas, as the Vedas are the best of scriptures, as Ganga is the best of rivers, so Kartika is the best of months, the most dear to Lord Krishna. The vrata may begin on the ekadasi of the waxing moon of Asvina, on the Purnima, or (samkranti) when the sun enters the house of Libra. Five activities are glorified: staying awake, early morning bath, worship of Tulasi, offering lamps and performing austerities. One should practice brahmacarya, give charity, and perform homa and japa.

The October issue of Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhaktivedanta Manor

Evening honours Patrons’ £2million Haveli building pledge. Record volunteer count makes Janmashtami huge success. 20th Anniversary of “Save the Manor” campaign. Manor school children’s interfaith presentation at Hertsmere Council. Film group explores Hinduism at the Manor. Manor College provides training for Avanti staff. Manor Monks attend Jain Parliament event. Indian High Commissioner lauds ISKCON’s contribution. European award for Excellence. Youth alumni reunite at Krishna Avanti School. Europe-wide youth event hosted at ISKCON Leicester. Mayor celebrates new deities at ISKCON Leicester. Culture Night feeds 5,000 in Belfast’s biggest lunch. ISKCON monk invited by Ernst and Young. ISKCON Leicester temple open after renovations

Overcoming Material Desires
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami

Modernized material benefits are like the dust of material contamination. When this dust is agitated by the whirlwind of fruitive activity, it overcomes the heart. Thus the mirror of the heart is covered with dust. There are many desires to perform auspicious and inauspicious activities, but people do not know how life after life they are keeping their hearts unclean. One who cannot give up the desire for fruitive activity is understood to be covered by the dust of material contamination. Karmis generally think that the interaction of fruitive activities can be counteracted by another karma, or fruitive activity. This is certainly a mistaken conception. If one is deluded by such a conception, he is cheated by his own activity. Such activities have been compared to an elephant’s bathing. An elephant may bathe very thoroughly, but as soon as it comes out of the river, it immediately takes some sand from the land and throws it all over its body. If one suffers due to his past fruitive activities, he cannot counteract his suffering by performing auspicious activities. The sufferings of human society cannot be counteracted by material plans. The only way suffering can be mitigated is by Krsna consciousness. When one takes to Krsna consciousness and engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord‑‑beginning with chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord‑‑the cleansing of the heart begins.

Bhaktivinoda’s Thakur Saranagati – The Process of Surrender
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Hare KrishnaBy Krishna Ksetra Swami

1) Within my heart I have always been anxious for the maintenance of my wife and children, my own body and relatives. 2) How will I earn money? How will I obtain fame? How will I arrange the marriages of my sons and daughter? 3) Now, through self-surrender, I have been purged of all anxiety. O Lord, surely You will provide for the maintenance of Your household. 4) Surely You will preserve me, knowing me to be Your own servant. O Lord, in Your devotional service I feel great happiness. 5) All events take place by Your will, O Lord. The deluded soul of this world declares, “I am the doer,” but this is pure folly. 6) If You do not act first, then what is a tiny soul actually able to do? By Your will he can only desire to act, and unless You fulfill his desire, he cannot do anything. 7) I will serve You free from all anxiety, and at home, if any good or evil should occur, it will not be my responsibility. 8) Bhaktivinoda thus gives up his independence and engages in the exclusive service of Your lotus feet with no other interest in life.

First Ever Lord Narasimha Jagannatha Ratha Yatra
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Hare KrishnaBy Srivas Nimai Dasa

We all know about the Yearly Lord Jagannatha Ratha Yatra at Puri Dham. Then again, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we have had many Ratha Yatras over the years in ISKCON. At the same time, we are also aware that there is Lord Narasimha Palanquin (Ratha Yatra) Yatra in Lord Narasimha Sri Vaishnava Kshetras. Then, what is this first ever Lord Narasimha Jagannatha Ratha Yatra?!!! ISKCON Vijayawada has been conducting many Ratha Yatras to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Years in addition to special events like the release of a Special Postal envelope to honour Srila Prabhupada. Mangalagiri (auspicious Hill when translated) is a town 15 Kms (9 miles) from Vijayawada in the State of Andhra Pradesh in India. This town got its name as Lord Panakala (sweet drunkard) Narasimha Swami resides on top of the hill. The Lord here accepts half the quantity of the sweet drink that a devotee offers. If one offers 1 glass, he drinks ½ a glass. On the other hand, if we offer 2 glasses he accepts one glass only!!!

“All glories to Mexico City!” (photos)
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Hare KrishnaBy Dharmatma Das

Srila Prabhupada found the Mexican people pious. Their humility, simplicity, and devotion was reminiscent of the people of India. “Mexico is very much like India,” he said. We met this far out guy downtown who convinced us to come to a big Entreprenurial Convention going on in Santa Fe, a modern suburb of Mexico City. It took place in a huge venue and tens of thousand young students and business start ups attended. We were received like Rock Stars and within moments had huge crowds going crazy in ecstatic Kirtan masterfully led by Sundar Nitai prabhu. Fantastic preaching field. Many books, thousands of mantra cards and over 1000 small cups of Halavah were distributed until we were politely escorted out amidst cheers from the appreciating crowds.

Public Program in Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Hare KrishnaBy Sutharsan Chakra das

The special feature of the program was the drama – “Who is a Fool”. The story of the drama revolved around a proud king who engaged in vain materialistic endeavours and social welfare without any higher goal in life. The king ordered to find the biggest fool in his kingdom and hand over him a stick. At the end of his life, the king understood that he had wasted his valuable human life and realised that he is actually the biggest fool and the “fool’s stick” should actually be given to him. He then became repentant and took complete shelter of the holy name of Krishna. This drama was full of spiritual instructions emphasising the precious knowledge of Bhagavad-gita and the importance of the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. It thus conveyed a strong spiritual message in a very amusing and humorous way. Especially youngsters liked the drama very much. Some of them said that they had never seen such an enlivening spiritual program in their whole life.

Soul Searching at The Bhakti Tree, Newcastle, Australia
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Hare KrishnaBy Amala Prema devi dasi

As Prabhupada once said in a room conversation on farm management on December 10, 1976 in Hyderabad, “But attract them. They will come here to eat, ‘Oh, very nice thing.’ That is wanted. I made this movement successful simply by love feast. They did not come to hear Hare Krsna. They came for love feast. From very beginning, when I was in 26 2nd Avenue, every Sunday I was giving nice foodstuff, at least 200 men. Daily at least more than 15, 20. I was cooking myself. That is the beginning of my movement”. Following on in Prabhupada’s footsteps, the Bhakti Tree team primarily serve prasadam to the community. A group of Bhakti Tree visitors eating prasadam on a regular basis have come to be the first valuable gems of the Soul Searching Saturdays. We know from the Bhagavad-Gita, “Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” Therefore, these souls coming to hear the Vedanta philosophy are precious, and they should be cared for and we should continue feeding their souls as well as their bodies.

Italian Parliament Hosts ISKCON 50 Conference
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Hare KrishnaBy Parabhakti das

The conference was entitled “Fifty Years of the Krishna Consciousness Movement: Srila Prabhupada, Messenger of Peace and Spiritual Knowledge” and it was held at the Chamber of Deputies, one of two houses in the Italian Parliament’s bicameral legislature and a spot where all major political decisions are made. At least one hundred devotees of different ages and “ashramas” or stages of life represented ISKCON at the conference, and the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies introduced it. There were be speeches by Madhusevita Das, President of the ISKCON Italian Confederation, and Parabhakti dasa in the role of Italian Confederation Vice President and Communications Director. The event included also bhajans, a prasadam buffet, and a screening of the twenty-minute documentary film Hare Krishna: 50 Years of Service and Joy, which showcases ISKCON’s many impressive contributions to the world. All Members of Parliament received Italian language editions of the ISKCON 50 magazine “The Hare Krishnas: Celebrating 50 Years” in their mailboxes. The magazine is an easily accessible introduction to ISKCON and its founder, history, beliefs and works.

TOVP: Tour in South Africa highly successful
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Hare KrishnaBy Braja Vilas das

This is our second visit to South Africa and the tour took us to Durban, Capetown, Johannesburg and Botswana, as well as some smaller cities. We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, support, cooperation, attentiveness and generosity of the South African Yatra leaders and general devotees, especially considering this was our second visit. We received pledges well over $2 million, matching the amount pledged on our first tour two years ago. The overall feeling was one of deep commitment to the project and unity of purpose. As reported by Swarupa Damodar prabhu, the Regional Secretary of Durban: *“The TOVP team made such exciting and inspiring presentations and although about $1m was ‘liberated’ from the Durban yatra, everyone, including the managers and devotees were so blissful.