Websites from the ISKCON Universe
New Film: Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Abhiseka. ISKCON Auckland 50th Celebrations (10 min video)
Prananatha das: For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and the world wide devotees, I’ve just released a new film,
shot in 4K, of the very rare occasion of Sri Sri Radha Giridhari’s abhiseka.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/mFSQ4B
ISKCON of Central New Jersey Deity Installation and Kirtan Mela 2016.
July 29 @ 6:30 pm - July 31 @ 9:00 pm
Join us for the most awaited event of 2016!
Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev and Subhadra Devi and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Deity Installation (Murti Sthapana) and Kirtan and Cultural Festival
Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement, With the Installation of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai and Jagannath Baladev & Subhadra!
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement, the temple ISKCON of Central New Jersey is pleased and very excited to announce that the installation of the deities – Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai & Jagannath Baladev & Subhadra and Kirtan Mela 2016! – will take place on Ekadasi Day– Saturday, July 30, 2016! The festivities will begin the day before – on Friday, July 29 – and will continue until 7pm on Sunday , July 31 Evening.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/2Kvopx
Giriraj Swami met with guests and received gifts from devotees in Mauritius on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima.
By Ranacora Dasa An answer to the question: "Why is a good Christian like you worshiping a Hindu god?" People often ask me why I changed my faith from Christianity to worship of Krsna. They ask what made me give up Christianity. I am always quick to answer that I never "gave up" Christianity. The principal instruction Jesus gave was to love God, and I believe I can best do that by worshiping and serving Krsna. The Whole World in Krsna's Mouth What is it that makes Krsna more attractive or meaningful to me than the God of the Bible? Well, first of all, as a devotee of Krsna I believe in only one God. and He is the same Supreme Person whether He appears in the Vedic scriptures of India or the Bible of the West, although He may be known by different names. So by worshiping Krsna I don't reject the God of the Bible: I simply get to know Him from a different perspective. The Vedas teach that God appears many times in this world in different places and different ages. Each time He comes for the same reason: to reveal Himself to His lost children and to lead them back onto the right path. When Krsna came into this world five thousand years ago, in northern India, He showed the symptoms of God Himself. Krsna performed many supernatural feats and displayed many facets of His character, but He is best remembered for His childhood, as the darling son of Yasoda, playing in the forest of Vrndavana with His friends. Continue reading "What Attracts Me to Krsna?
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Ecstatic Harinam Sankirtan in London, UK (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us a nice weap...
By Acyuta Dasa Srila Prabhupada often referred to bhakti-yoga as “the science of Krishna consciousness.” This was not his attempt to falsely confer a sense of empirical cachet upon a spiritual process, an area of knowledge that is, in the West anyway, largely considered to be too nebulous to warrant such distinction. Prabhupada was well aware of the antagonism that scientific circles sometimes have for their spiritual counterparts, as well as the condescension with which western societies frequently treat religious pursuits. However, he appropriated the epithet not to make reference to these tensions, but rather to indicate those similarities that the practice of bhakti-yoga legitimately shares with the process of scientific inquiry. It could be said that Srila Prabhupada presents in his books, and throughout his recorded lectures, a hypothesis of sorts: God exists, He is a person, and His name is Krishna. Prabhupada also provides a system of experimentation centered primarily on chanting Krishna’s holy names that, if followed diligently, allows the spiritual scientist the ability to personally confirm or deny that hypothesis based on observable evidence. Continue reading "The Science of Association
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By Bhakti Caitanya Swami One day in late January, or perhaps early February, in 1973, a devotee named Caranaravindam das came into the main brahmacari room in the ISKCON temple at 7 Bury Place, London, and told us how he had just met an amazing devotee while he was preaching in East London, I think in an area named Forest Gate. The devotee was named Krishna das, and he was from India, and he did not know about the existence of ISKCON or Srila Prabhupada, but as soon as he saw our brahmacari he became extremely excited and inspired, and wanted to know where in London he could find our devotees and temple. Shortly after that Krishna das visited Bury Place and took part in the programmes. George Harrison had recently donated Bhaktivedanta Manor, and Srila Prabhupada spent some time there during that year. While Srila Prabhupada was staying in the Manor Krishna das met him and was deeply impressed by him. Prabhupada asked him about his background and if he was initiated, and Krishna das told him he was already initiated in the Brahma sampradaya, and Srila Prabhupada told him that he should join the temple, and that after some time he would give him sannyasa. Krishna das was deeply affected by the meeting, and would sometimes tell us about it. It was a life changing experience for him. Continue reading "In memory of His Holiness Krishna das Maharaja
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Edinburgh Hosts Hare Krishna Festivals.
There are two Hare Krishna festivals set to take place in Edinburgh this week to mark the 50th anniversary of the spiritual movement’s arrival in the West from India.
The movement, characterised by the bright and colourful dress, shaven heads and Hare Krishna chanting worn by those who are a part of it, defines itself as “a universal, non-sectarian message of love, simple living, service and above all – connecting the self with the original spiritual source, Krishna.”
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The events will be organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a world-wide organisation set up in the 1960s which today boasts 700 temples and centres around the globe.
The first of the festivals will take place on Saturday 23 July 2016 at 2pm. Beginning in The Meadows, there will be a large procession moving through towards the High Street down to Holyrood Park where there will be a free vegan feast beginning at 4pm.
Aditya Devi Dasi, the main organiser behind the event said: “This event commemorates the story of Lord Jagannath being paraded through the streets of Puri, east India. The huge processions accompanying the chariots play music, instruments, and devotional songs, including the infamous Hare Krishna mantra.
Here in Edinburgh we’ll be parading through the city with our chariot. Anyone is welcome to come along and take part in this auspicious occasion.”
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/WKtUw2
For various reasons, we were delayed in bringing to you these recordings of Kadamba Kanana Swami captured during the months of April and May.
Download ALL
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Deena Bandhu Das: Please join us in prayers for our very dear Godbrother Krishna Das Swami who just left this world a few minutes ago. He was on his way to Vrindavan, and after entering Vraja Bhumi, fully conscious and with devotees chanting in the vehicle, he peacefully departed.
He was born in Punjab and took diksa from Madhva Sampradaya. He was lamenting when he met Srila Prabhupada and knew his glories, that he couldn’t take diksa from him. So Prabhupada gave him sannyasa! Krishna Das Swami was very instrumental in preaching in UK, South Africa, and Mauritius. He even convinced the municipality in Mauritius to name the neighborhood of our Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir as Vrindavan!
Srila Prabhupada: “Write a letter to the Coca-Cola company and propose that they change the name of their drink to ‘Enjoy Hare Krishna’
Danavir Goswami: Prabhupada spoke to guests at the Sunday night programs. At the end of his lecture he asked if there were any questions, and one old lady cried out, "Why have you come so late?”
She was practically in tears that she had missed the opportunity to take to Krishna consciousness when she was younger. Prabhupada said, “Because you are so late.”
On another occasion, another old person asked the same question, and Prabhupada answered in a different way; He said, “Better late than never.”
Krishna sends the pure devotee when someone’s ready. If you’re not ready then Krishna won’t send.
Two ladies in their fifties asked if they could see Srila Prabhupada. I was the temple president, so I brought them to see him.
They were very respectful but didn’t know what to say. There was silence. Finally one of them said, “Swamiji, we have been meditating for the last twenty years.”
They thought that Prabhupada would be impressed, but he said, “What have you achieved by your meditation?”
The lady thought for a moment and said, “We have learned to become silent.” Prabhupada said, “Stones are silent for millions of years. To become silent is not a very great accomplishment.” That set the mood for that discussion.
There was a young Indian gentleman who had been staying in one of the temples and who said to Srila Prabhupada, “I’ve noticed that some of your disciples nod out in the morning when they are chanting japa. I would like to teach them yoga exercises so they won’t fall asleep.”
Prabhupada politely said, “Yes, yes. Sometimes they fall asleep, but they will learn and improve.”
He sidestepped the question, but the man insisted, “If you just give me your permission, I will teach them yoga.”
Prabhupada said, “No, it’s not required. Bhakti-yoga is—” The man became adamant. He said, “They are deficient. I must teach them.”
The post Even a crocodile can be delivered by the touch a Vaisnava’s feet appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
PADAYATRA Lithuania 2016 (Album with 416 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual enlightenment is possible by the mercy of the spi...
Initiation Ceremony at Iskcon of Silicon Valley (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is t...
The post From Istanbul to monsoon in Mayapura appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
“A kind request to all devotees to pray for the well-being of His Holiness Krsnadas Swami Maharaja. His material condition is such that the request is to kindly pray to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna for his safe journey back home, back to Godhead”
HH Krishna Das Swami is presently in ICU in Paras Hospital, Gurgaon and Maharaj’s health is deteriorating day by day with multi-organ failure.
Srila Prabhupada’s fingertips.
Throughout our lives, we benefit from the selfless gifts of our spiritual master. He teaches us things so essential that we forget that there was a time when we did not know them. He shapes us in ways so fundamental that we could not be called human without them. He gives us gifts so profound—protection, wisdom, love, and life itself—that there is no way to measure their value. He cleans up our mistakes, looks after us even when we want to avoid him, and speaks the truth even when we would rather not hear it.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Gita verse-by-verse podcast
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The post Gita 10.25 – Japa is an opportunity to offer our most treasured possession – consciousness appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Firm Reins on Fledging Bhakta
ISKCON of Soho St, London and Bhaktivedanta Manor have been setting the standard and celebrating ISKCON 50 in style this July – the month when in 1966 Srila Prabhupada incorporated his society. On Saturday July 2nd, performing arts group “Something Spiritual” put on “Departing for the West,” a spectacular production depicting the life and struggles of Srila Prabhupada with a cast and crew of sixty-five young people at Harrow Arts Centre.
Today, Sri Guru-purnima, or Vyasa-purnima, is the divine disappearance day of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the eldest of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana. The authorized poet Sri Kavi-karnapura, in his book Caitanya-candrodaya-na
taka (9.34, 35, 38), quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 24.348–350), tells how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu blessed Sanatana Gosvami with His specific mercy.
gaudendrasya sabha-vibhusana-manis tyaktva ya rddham sriyam
rupasyagraja esa eva tarunim vairagya-laksmim dadhe
antar-bhakti-rasena purna-hrdayo bahye ’vadhutakrtih
saivalaih pihitam maha-sara iva priti-pradas tad-vidam
“Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the elder brother of Srila Rupa Gosvami, was a most important minister in the government of Hussain Shah, the ruler of Bengal, and he was considered a most brilliant gem in that assembly. He possessed all the opulences of a royal position, but he gave up everything just to accept the youthful goddess of renunciation. Although he externally appeared to be a mendicant who had renounced everything, he was filled with the pleasure of devotional service within his heart. Thus he can be compared to a deep lake covered with moss. He was the object of pleasure for all the devotees who knew the science of devotional service.
tam sanatanam upagatam aksnor
drsta-matram atimatra-dayardrah
alilinga parighayata-dorbhyam
sanukampam atha campaka-gaurah
“As soon as Sanatana Gosvami arrived in front of Lord Caitanya, the Lord, seeing him, became merciful to him. The Lord, who has the complexion of a golden campaka flower, opened His arms and embraced him while expressing great affection.”
kalena vrndavana-keli-varta
lupteti tam khyapayitum visisya
krpamrtenabhisiseca devas
tatraiva rupam ca sanatanam ca
“In the course of time, the transcendental news of Krsna’s pastimes in Vrndavana was almost lost. To enunciate explicitly those transcendental pastimes, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu empowered Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami with the nectar of His mercy to carry out this work in Vrndavana.”
“Srila Sanatana Gosvami is the ideal spiritual master,” Srila Prabhupada explains, “for he delivers one the shelter of the lotus feet of Madana-mohana. Even though one may be unable to travel on the field of Vrndavana due to forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he can get an adequate opportunity to stay in Vrndavana and derive all spiritual benefits by the mercy of Sanatana Gosvami.” (Cc Adi 1.47 purport)
On this auspicious occasion I pray to follow in the footsteps of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, that he may bless me with remembrance of Krishna and Vrndavana and the ability to share with others the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swam
As attendance at Woodstock Poland swells to over 700,000 people devotees go into action with Ratha Yatra, massive prasadam distribution, kirtan and discussions. Auspiciousness prevails everywhere.
The special guests of the 50th Anniversary events at ISKCON Auckland, New Zealad, were greeted with a traditional Maori greeting, followed by a Haka. Then they were all then invited to garland Srila Prabhupada.
“Traversing the U.S. on foot.”
Emily Wenger: MUSCATINE, Iowa— Bhaktimarga Swami, also known as “The Walking Monk,” passed through Muscatine on Thursday as part of his walk across the U.S.
The 63-year-old Swami hopes to encourage people to connect with their spirituality through walking.
He began his trek in New York City and plans to finish his journey in San Francisco in the summer of 2017 after taking a break during the winter months. He timed the end of the walk to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.
Although his entry into Muscatine Thursday was greeted with rain, everything around him, Bhaktimarga Swami said, reminds him of his spirituality.
“So when you’re outside walking seven hours a day on average you can’t help but see the spiritual things that creep up around you, the rain has a message to tell you,” he said, “Davenport to Muscatine has been one of the most beautiful days.”
While walking to Muscatine on Highway 22, Bhaktimarga Swami said he encountered a curious police officer, and people who have offered him rides along the way. In those interactions, he said, he has seen the kindness the Midwest has to offer.
“The people have been very kind, mostly I would say, with offering rides. And then I have to disappoint them and say I can’t cheat,” he said.
The Swami became a monk in 1973, and said the introspective walks he has been taking for 20 years are a way to raise spiritual awareness.
“It’s my calling,” he said.
What Bhaktimarga Swami has noticed most is the kindness from people along the way. While traversing the U.S., he said he has had a place to sleep every night.
“The people are phenomenal, they have been really kind,” he said.
Every day Bhaktimarga Swami walks around 20 miles, sometimes beginning as early as 3 a.m. to avoid the worst heat of the day. He has friends who follow him, and occasionally check in.
“He checks in sometimes just to make sure I’m still alive,” Swami laughed.
He also takes occasional detours from his walks, to drive to a nearby temple to speak, but he always begins where he left off.
The Swami has crossed his home country of Canada three times (actually it’s four), and he said the Iowa cornfields remind him of home.
“The cornfields are what I grew up with,” he said.
Cars have caused a disconnect among people, Swami said. Returning to walking allows personal connections to form.
“The automobile is cold, you don’t really see each other,” he said.
He hopes that the universal understanding about walking will help raise people’s spiritual awareness.
“It is a kind of non-denominational approach to spirituality,” he said.
The Swami is an instructor of bhakti yoga. Bhakti means “devotion,” and he said the objective of yoga is connection with the divine.
“It’s a very old traditional practice that has roots in India and like the Mississippi it flows through all people, countries, nations, and races,” he said.
He is also a director and playwright of “morality stories” based on ancient Indian epics, which he said are a spiritual outlet for his creativity. Bhaktimarga Swami said walking across countries sometimes reminds him of these plays.
“When you put your feet right on the ground and you meet everybody and you see the way their hair blows, you see the skin color, you see the face of the individual whatever it may be, grumpy or cheerful, that’s like having a drama in itself,” he said.
That drama crosses boundaries of religion, and Bhaktimarga Swami said that while appreciating differences, the unity of people is most important.
“The diversity is beautiful but we really have to look at is the oneness factor,” he said.
While moving across the country, Bhaktimarga Swami hopes to remind people of the need for human connection.
“The intent is to try to encourage people to slow down the pace of life and get connected to their soul,” he said.
Beth Van Zandt took a photo whose caption reads. “It’s not every day you see a monk walking down the street of Muscatine, but, Bhaktimarga Swami of Chatham, Ontario, Canada, walks along Cedar Street Thursday in Muscatine as he treks across the United States, walking from New York City to San Francisco. He is a member of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness and has walked across Canada three times.”
May the Source be with you!
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By Chirag Dangarwala "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty". The above mentioned verse is one of the most famous verses in Bhagavad Gita, although many know this verse and probably might have recited and heard them many times, very few of us are able to take it to heart and follow it as it is. The verse here is directing us on the art of working, in chapter 2 of Bhagavad Gita Lord Krsna gives Arjuna a prelude to Art of Working. Technically it is called “Karma yoga”, yoga means connection to God and karma means our fruitive activities. In general every living being is working for some results, if a person is working day and night at a factory he is doing so to get money or get a high position etc. So every one practically is motivated to work based on the results he or she may derive after that. But from what we understand in this verse what Krsna is saying looks to be exactly contradictory at the first glance. Continue reading "Art of Working
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By Kesava Krsna Dasa We oftentimes hear devotees say that their preaching efforts might become easier if a disaster strikes somewhere, or everywhere. More suffering should mean more turning towards spirituality and God. Will things be as simple as this? Would thinking like this be a tacit admission that we cannot preach successfully in “normal” times? In the event of a disaster, how do we know if the devotees themselves will not be immune to its likely trauma and effects, so as to impact on their own preaching abilities? Could it also be, that our urgency to see rapid and dramatic preaching results not always displaying, cause us to impatiently seek results through tragic adversity? Are impatience and tragedy useful companions for a preacher? The fact that we somehow or other turned away from Krishna - since how long no one knows - was itself the ultimate of all disasters. Forever seeking peace and happiness within this tragedy can only earn the unlikely goal of a “peaceful and happy disaster.” Devotees are aware of these incompatible achievements. We can imagine a comedy movie or drama having the title, “Disastrous Serenity, and Jubilant Tragedy.” Continue reading "Waiting for Disaster and War?
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ISKCON Auckland NZ: Hon Phil Goff a member of Parliament received a copy Bhagavad Gita, and Dane Susan Devoy received Krsna book at ...
Lively Saturday evening Harinama in London (3 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: It is the practice of the brahmanas conversant with ...
By Keshav Murari Das India’s government-owned TV channel, Doordarshan National aired a one-hour programme about ISKCON on July 13th, featuring a studio interview with Keshava Murari Das, President of ISKCON Rohini (New Delhi), interspersed with several video clips about different activities of ISKCON. He explained how Srila Prabhupada started the movement and continued to speak about the achievements of ISKCON today such as the movement’s expansion into 650 centres, distribution of 300 million plates of free prasadam and 50 million books. The programme showed several clips such as the youth festival in Pune attended by 20,000 young people and the recent visit of the then Prime Minister David Cameron to Bhaktivedanta Manor in London to celebrate the 50th anniversary. Video of the interview included. Continue reading "50th Anniversary of ISKCON’s Incorporation on 13 July, Program aired on DD National Channel India
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Abhisekha on spiritual evolution, Samir the eternality of worldly relationships and Kovacs Timi on the cause of being unable to commit.
The post Questions from Babhru on sastra describing Vraja appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Auckland 50th - Arrival of VIPs (6 min video)
Our VIPs are greeted with a traditional Maori greeting, followed by a Haka. They ...
Preaching program in Bologna, Italy (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Others, who are not devotees, may think, “How can people devote so much time simply to talks of God?” The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is simply the repetition of three words, Hare, Krishna, Rama, but still devotees can go on chanting this Hare Krishna mantra twenty-four hours a day without feeling fatigued. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.13.1Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/2qhNhV
Iskcon Amritsar, Punjab: World Of Krishna Consciousness - 50 Years Of Bliss & Celebrations (Album with 250 photos)
You hardly have seen so many people happy together at one place!
Srila Prabhupada: Srimad Bhagavatam 2.4.15: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord Śrī KRISHNA, about whom glorification, remembrances, audience, prayers, hearing and worship can at once cleanse the effects of all sins of the performer.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/WKSvbO