Planet ISKCON

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The common understanding of an Advanced Civilization in today's context is to be advanced in Technology, having a comfortable lifestyle, Earning Lots of money and having enough or rather lavish facilities to enjoy the senses to the fullest. This is the yard stick that is generally used to gauge the Advancement in Civilization. Owing to this yardstick Countries like United States of America, Great Britain etc are considered as First world Countries and more advanced in civilization then others. Undoubtedly these countries are advanced as far as Material comforts and Technology is concerned, however the ancient Vedic scriptures of India have a different perspective on Advancement in Civilization. As per Bhagavad-Gita, the living entities in this world are not the material bodies which are visible with the eyes, but they are eternal spirit souls possessing different kinds of bodies. It is something like a driver sitting in a car where Car is compared to the material bodies and the driver is compared to the spirit soul. So the material body is dead in itself and cannot be animated unless the spirit soul resides in it, just like a car cannot move without a driver. Continue reading "Advanced Civilization
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Please know that I also suffered a great deal emotionally as my long sought after first born child was diagnosed as autistic and mentally retarded. They might as well have given me the news of her death, which is how it felt at first. I was emotionally devastated by this and it very nearly ruined my life at the time. I went from being a top Ford salesman to being virtually unable to sell anything (after a lifetime of sales work). I cried a lot with self-pity, "Why me, God?" This caused me to call out to Krishna as if I was at the time of my own death. Eventually, by His Grace I evolved from within to divest myself of all self-pity (as the most useless human emotion) by harmonizing spiritually from deep within until I could ask, "Why not me, God?" Continue reading "Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly
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Nowadays the great innovations of medical and scientific science can maintain patients alive, even those that in the past were given no hope to survive. These innovations can prolong the patient’s existence artificially even knowing that they will never regain acceptable health and life conditions. This situation is commonly called over-medication. The definition of cerebral death, since the end of the sixties has allowed for the development of transplant surgery. Before that time, the extraction of organs from a patient with a heartbeat was deemed a felony. Among this scientific and social debate there are ever more crucial questions. Up to which point is it right to keep alive a body that is worn out and unable to grant a minimum of dignity to the psycho-physical entity called person? What is the line that marks the decisive boundary between the unavoidable medical assistance and the over-medication? Continue reading "Segments of life: Looking at death under another prospective
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Harinama with Book Distribution.
Karuna Dharini dasi: Some time ago I tried distributing books at UCLA (the University of California at Los Angeles). Before long I was dreading my encounters with the kids there — they were so smart, so quick, so elite, and so uninterested in taking Srila Prabhupada’s books. I wouldn’t go back there again. They are like great yogis in that their attention on their education is unwavering. Their textbooks probably contain information that they personally formulated in their last life. My mother graduated from UCLA, and because I didn’t she was never very pleased with me. (Very recently, old age and disease have softened her beautiful heart and she can chant a little.)
Recently I and two other matajis were doing harinama at UCLA with harmonium and kartals. I didn’t want to go, but they talked me into it. The girls’ voices sounded very good — in tune, accompanied by nice instruments. The girls sounded like true angels, and some of the UCLA students were distracted from their academic trance by the fine singing and playing. We also passed out halavah.
I put up my book table, and it was another sankirtan miracle! I spoke to two biology majors — one guy, one girl — who each took the new “Origins” magazine the North American BBT has reprinted (thanks to Ramesvara Prabhu), and they gave quite generously. One elderly professor of engineering took a Gita for $10. He said he wanted to read it next year when he retires.
One young man was very thrilled to see the “Bhagavad-gita As It Is.” He said had his own Gita, by another author. He quoted from it several times. When he said, “One’s self can be one’s own worst enemy or one’s own best friend,” I took the opportunity to show him the proper translation of the verse in the Sixth Chapter of “As It Is.” He bought Prabhupada’s immediately.
Then there was a student who takes all his courses on line but was checking in at the UCLA campus for the day. He is a traveling entrepreneur who wants to get his degree while he flies around doing business in every major city of the world. I showed him the ISKCN addresses at the back of the Gita. He loved the sound of the harinama. He listened for a whole hour! He plans to visit our temples in India.
Harinama and university preaching go very well together. Often students who have muscial skills sit down with the harinama and pick up the instruments, and they’re fascinated. Often they can play and sing quite well. I would like to please urge all Vaisnava youth and anyone who else does excellent harinama to please take it where it will be very well received. Take it to the universities. Inside temples is fine, but the tastiest nectar has not yet been tasted by you!
Thank you,
Your Servant,
Karuna Dharini dasi

​Youth meeting at Radha Vrindavanachandra temple, Pune

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Talk at Bhaktivedanta Hospital

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New York Rathayatra 2016 (Album with photos)
The Chariot Festival of Lord Jagannatha (Ratha Yatra), the Lord of the Universe, has been performed at the spiritual seaside resort of Puri, India for more than two thousand years. Since 1976, this attractive, beautiful, and bliss inspiring annual Jagannatha Ratha Yatra festival has been celebrated by the Hare Krishna devotees on New York’s Fifth Avenue, the heart of New York City. This Jagannatha Ratha Yatra festival is performed in a mood of love and devotion and invokes auspiciousness for universal peace, harmony, and good will for all of God’s children.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hcZfKU

Krishna SLC Temple Groundbreaking Celebration.
Schedule of Events: Groundbreaking Ceremony 10 am
Cultural Dance and Music, Kirtan 11 am
Sumptuous Lunch Free for the Public 12 pm
When: Sunday July 10, 2016 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM MDT
Where: SLC Krishna Temple
965 East 3370 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84601

Written by Nimai

The last week of Kadamba Kanana Swami’s stay at the AVP hospital passed by very quickly. The main treatment was over and the focus was on rebuilding Maharaj’s strength. By then, he was allowed to be in the sunlight again so we resumed our daily 5 km program and walked through the neighbourhood. We also got to speak to the main doctor of the hospital during the last days. He suggested that Maharaj should stay in one place for a year and forget all travelling, however Maharaj explained that it’s his duty as a sannyasi to preach so finally, they agreed to slow down the travelling for some time.

Svayam Bhagavan Das, a disciple who is originally from South India, came all the way from his preaching center near Mumbai to visit Maharaj. He speaks the local language too which was very helpful sometimes. Maharaj gave one class at the temple where he spoke about “The storehouse of love of God”.
He explained how Vedic culture had decreased, using Srila Prabhupada’s analogy of the dead elephant – a dead elephant is still useful as we can make use of the tusks because they consist of ivory and we can make use of the hide, etc. Similarly, Vedic culture had become ritualistic and the love was lacking. But then, the Panca Tattva broke open the storehouse of love of God and drank the nectar. They became intoxicated and started spreading the mercy. They preached that kirtan will purify everything.

Maharaj spoke about taste in spiritual life. He said that just knowledge is not enough. We can be the most determined person, but if we don’t have taste we will become weak sooner or later. So this taste comes by chanting the holy name and THEN material enjoyments start to look very shallow.

We got lots of Ayurvedic medicine to last for the next three months. From Coimbatore, before travelling to Amsterdam, we spent another few days in Vrindavan. Maharaj spoke to a few devotees who came to visit him but was still quite exhausted from the weeks of treatment that had just finished.

One day, we went to Loi Bazar to do some shopping. Maharaj bought a whole stack of books in preparation for his scheduled one month of writing in Radhadesh. He gave a class too, which was in some ways a continuation of the class in Coimbatore. He spoke about Dadhīci Muni, who gave up his body so the demigods could make a weapon out of his bones. He was a very powerful yogi and completely free from material desires. Maharaj then explained that our position is not one of Dadhīci. We live in the age of Kali where our birthright is weakness. We are dependent on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy which is like a shield that blocks off maya. We should not worry about the temporary but look at the long term benefit that we get from singing and chanting the holy names of Krsna. Watch the video of the class on YouTube here.

After flying from Delhi (30 May), we stayed two nights in Amsterdam at Uddhava and Visakha’s house. Maharaj bought more books while in Amsterdam and got ready to start his writing. Then we travelled to Radhadesh where we will stay until the end of June.

Visit Flickr to see all the photos.

The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released.
KK Bindu #377 includes: “The Necessity of Initiation”, A first time translation of a rare commentary from Caitanya-caritamrta.
This edition includes: * NEVER A SUDRA – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks about the position of devotees. * THE NECESSITY OF INITIATION – A first time translation done especially for this issue, of Virachandra Goswami’s (the son of Lord Nityananda) commentary on Caitanya-caritamrta, madhya 15.110. * HAPPY AS A MATERIALIST – A fresh translation from Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati’s Vrindavan-mahimamrtam (9.84). It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu377

Devotees make Harinama even more attractive with “self-effulgent” garlands! (Album with photos)
Govindas Sydney street sankirtana. Vivid light festival day.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mvfFsy

An Evening with the Lord on Boat - Iskcon Kolkata (Album with photos)
On 12th June, 2016, the Well-Wisher Department of ISKCON Kolkata arranged one of the most exquisite boat festivals in a cruise ship called Paramhansa of Vivada Cruise, Millenium Park, Kolkata, hosted by their MD Mr. Nath, in memory of his beloved late wife. Many renowned and successful leaders of the society, corporates and businessmen graced the occasion with their family and friends, along with the Temple Management members of ISKCON Kolkata. The ship left the shore at 5pm and the guests witnessed warm reception, lovely darshan, aratis and experienced devotional cultural programs led by devotees connected to the regular classes of the department. The festival ended at 8pm with dancing kirtan and dinner prasad. The hosts and guests promised to continue the festival every year with increased festivities.
PC: Souvic Sasvata Nimai das.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Fnmvdh

LOVE, LEARN, PRAY, GIVE, ACCEPT, RELEASE, LET GO, CELEBRATE: I often think about how to express the most important aspects of life that can most benefit us all. The following is one perspective and attempt to do this. We begin by sensing that love is our nature and that which we most hanker for. When we discover that our capacity to love in this world, and the capacity for others to accept the amount of love we are capable of giving, is limited and ultimately unsatisfying, we can begin our quest to realize our spiritual nature as beings of eternity, wisdom, and love.

We discover that the fulfillment we seek is only possible when our spiritual nature is gradually awakened, since this nature is who we truly are. There are many stages of this divine awakening which will be promoted by those who seek the goal their path offers. According to the bhakti Vedic scriptures, the highest stage is when our loving propensity and full consciousness is reposed on the Supreme Original Person, God, or Krishna.

When we love Krishna, then we always know what to do. This is true learning and practical wisdom. Krishna teaches in chapter 15 of his Bhagavad Gita, that when we know Krishna as the Supreme Original Person, without doubting, then we know everything that is necessary.

In our endeavor to learn to love Krishna (bhakti) we learn that prayer—through chanting the holy name, reciting prayers in the scripture and by great devotees, and our personal prayers—is our connection to God and leads us to serving and remembering him. We also learn that by serving, loving, and giving to others in the spirit of service to Krishna, we grow spiritually and help others as well (para-upakara). We can’t separate Krishna from his devotees.

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June 15. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Lunch With Swamiji.
At noon the front room became a dining hall and in the evenings a place of intimate worship. Prabhupada kept the room, with its twelve-foot-square hardwood parquet floor, clean and bare; the solitary coffee table against the wall between the two courtyard windows was the only furniture. Daily at noon a dozen men were now taking lunch here with him. The meal was cooked by Keith, who spent the whole morning in the kitchen.
At first Keith had cooked only for the Swami. He had mastered the art of cooking dal, rice, and sabji in the Swami’s three-tiered boiler, and usually there had been enough for one or two guests as well. But soon more guests had begun to gather, and Prabhupada told Keith to increase the quantity (abandoning the small three-tiered cooker) until he was cooking for a dozen hungry men. The boarders, Raphael and Don, though not so interested in the Swami’s talk, would arrive punctually each day for prasadam, usually with a friend or two who had wandered into the storefront. Steve would drop by from his job at the welfare office. The Mott Street group would come. And there were others.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=9

Lunch With Swamiji

Parents’ role in a school is usually limited to supporting their children’s education and showing up for conferences. If it’s a private school, they pay tuition as well. As required, they may also volunteer some of their time. We are so blessed and fortune that we have parents who volunteer to teach a weekly class; parents who coordinate Teachers’ Appreciation Day; parents who take responsibility to order uniforms; parents who help in fundraisers; parents who help in preparing materials.
Lilavathi Vasudha Mataji (Leelavati Malisetti) recently approached me and very nonchalantly handed me a check. It was a $2000 donation to the school. A gift.
The true gift, I told her, was her choosing to move closer to our school and enrolling her daughter, Vikasni at TKG Academy. Lilavathi Mataji and her husband, Parthasarathi Prabhu, lived with their daughter in Plano, TX. They had a nice house and Vikasni attended a nice Montessori private school. But Lilavathi Mataji felt that something was missing. She longed to be closer to the temple and the devotees. She desired for her daughter to have more Vaisnava association. Krsna heard her heart’s prayers and made all arrangements for them. Vikasni immediately fit right in and made many friends among her classmates.
It is indeed our blessing to have them join our growing TKG Academy family and we thank them deeply for their support, financial and otherwise.

If we look back into Vedic history we will probably find many incidents that contravene modern-day standards of human rights and discrimination. If say, a liberal human rights monitor group were to go back 5,000 years, they would likely report negatively to the UN. Ekalavya, Romaharsana, Radheya, (How many of us felt sorry for him?) and many others like them, suffered, or benefited from their fair share of discrimination based on social standing, and other issues. There are some attempts to start varnashrama-dharma, which again, by modern-day values, falls into the category of discrimination according to ability and inclination, and being assigned higher or lower social positions. Even if these ideals were implemented without birthright status as is practiced widely in India, the equality seeking workers, socialists and feminists would predictably protest such social divisions. Who can blame them? The corruption of the monarchy, the exploitation by landlords and greedy capitalists, and the abuse of male domination had led to the formation of these rights organisations. In a modern world shifting towards a more human friendly and equal system, it is not surprising that certain Vedic ideals are deemed politically incorrect. Continue reading "To Be Politically Incorrect
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Harinama in Munich,Germany (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: There is need of a clue as to how humanity can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause. Srimad Bhagavatam will fill this need, for it is a cultural presentation for the re-spiritualization of the entire human society. Delhi, December 15, 1962.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZhhxbB

Read it belw or here: http://www.conch.org.au/assets/june-2016.pdf

by Dr. Demian Martins

The latest expeditions of the Baladeva Vidyabhusana Project were very fruitful and one of the highlights among the unpublished Gaudiya manuscripts discovered and digitized is the “Caitanyastakam,” eight verses composed by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati in praise of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The astaka genre has been very common among Sanskrit poets for centuries and it is well known that several of Lord Caitanya’s personal associates composed astakas to glorify Him, the most famous being those by Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Srila Narahari Sarakara and Srila Rupa Gosvami, who actually composed three different collections of eight verses. The recovery of Prabodhananda Sarasvati’s “Caitanyastakam” brings our attention to the fact that there might be more of such lost compositions, which are so important for sharing the impressions the authors obtained from the association of Lord Caitanya. The text and its English translation will soon be published together with the same author’s “Viveka-shatakam.”

In a humble attempt to serve the worshipable Deities of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana and the Shyamananda-parivara, I have recently translated “The Glories of Sri Sri Radha-Shyamsundar,” which narrate the pastimes of Their appearance, the history of Their temple, Their different festivals and outfits, etc., and also “Prabhu Shyamananda,” a short narration of the amazing pastimes of one of the greatest preachers of the Gaudiya sampradaya. Both booklets and many of the works of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana in PDF can be downloaded for free in the following page:

www.archive.org/details/@baladeva_vidyabhusana_project

The technical philosophical terminology employed by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his “Tattva-dipika” is being carefully glossed, after which the work will be published without delay.

Although the number of manuscripts being located and digitized is gradually increasing, there are a few stumbling blocks on the way. The major one has been the outrageous anti-research, anti-publication policy maintained by certain libraries, which although relatively few in number, contain thousands and thousands of Gaudiya texts. These libraries are mostly under the Indian government and are run by staff who think that manuscripts are like museum pieces, not to be touched or copied at any cost. One of the largest manuscript libraries in West Bengal, for example, is run by communists who allegedly damage unpublished religious manuscripts to make sure that they will never be published. This is pushing me to appeal to high government authorities and, if necessary, to start a legal battle that will be very time consuming and was not at all in my plans.

The increasing number of unsorted collections I am finding in all directions also gives me mixed feelings: joy for what we may occasionally find there, and sadness for the little chance of seeing them being classified in the near future. This is so mostly because of the lack of funds and interest on the part of the owners and the limited resources and lack of interest on the part of the government. Despite these difficulties, the Baladeva Vidyabhusana Project is going on to accomplish its objectives:

1. Search for lost manuscripts. (Such as the commentaries on nine Upanisads, Srimad Bhagavatam, etc.)

2. Digitally preserve manuscripts currently existing in different libraries.

3. Digitally preserve all editions of Vidyabhusana’s books.

4. Digitally preserve articles written about Vidyabhusana.

5. Type all the original texts in digital unicode system, which can be converted into Devanagari, Bengali and Oriyan characters.

6. Prepare a critical edition for each work.

7. Translate all the works into English.

8. Publish all translations with the original Devanagari text.

9. Investigate and verify existent biographical data of Vidyabhusana, including historical evidences of the conflict between the Gaudiyas and the Ramanandis of Rajasthan.

10. Publish a comprehensive biographical work.

To see samples of the discovered manuscripts, and for inquiries and donations, please visit:

www.vidyabhusanaproject.blogspot.com

THE HOSPITAL ROOM SMELLS strongly of antiseptic as I walk in. Chris sits on his bed, immersed in rapidly pushing buttons with his thumbs. "Nintendo?" I ask nonchalantly, breaking his concentration. "Play Station," he replies, continuing to madly push buttons. I sit in a chair next to his bed, observing his strategy for blowing things up. After a couple of minutes, Chris slams the game paddle to the floor. "I hate this game," he snarls, with a few expletives thrown in. Instinctively I reply, "Hmm, sounds like you're really angry." My statement of the obvious sounds ludicrous to both of us. Chris ignores me. He covers his head with the bed sheet and mumbles to himself. I feel uncomfortable and don't know what to say to draw him out. Chris is an eleven-year-old boy I've been working with in mental-health therapy for the past year. He has a history of explosive, raging outbursts. Recently he kicked a brick wall so hard he broke the femur in his right leg. Now he's confined to a hospital bed with pins in his leg. I make another feeble attempt to connect to him. "Anger is a powerful feeling. Looks like we need to explore new ways for you to control it, rather than it control you." After enduring a few more minutes of silence, I decide to try a different approach. " I brought you some cookies," I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster. At this, he peers out from under the sheet and asks, "What kind?" Relieved to hear some response, I reply "Peanut butter." He puts his hand out, and I place the cookies in it. Both he and the cookies disappear under the sheet. The muted sound of his munching fills the sterile room. Continue reading "The Root of Anger
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Srutakirti Prabhu, a disciple and former personal servant of Srila Prabhupada, recounts Prabhupada’s practical instructions regarding chanting rounds.“It was easy to understand that Srila Prabhupada enjoyed chanting japa. He always stressed the importance of chanting our 16 rounds. He once told me that as a householder, he used a simple process for completing 16 rounds that we could apply.
‘When I was a householder,’ Srila Prabhupada said, 'I would chant four rounds before each meal and four rounds before retiring in the evening. In this way 16 rounds could be chanted without difficulty.’ He laughed and said, 'If you don’t take prasadam before chanting your four rounds then you will be sure to get them chanted.

A young monk and transcendental teamwork.
Damodara Krsna dasa: Here is some nectar about traveling book distribution in New Zealand.
I was in Hastings-in-Taranaki, around 6 or 7 in the evening. There were only a few people walking on the street, and one of them was an elderly lady. I approached her. When I said I was a monk, to my surprise she became very delighted and took in her hand the soft Gita I was presenting. After less than a minute of my telling her about the Gita, she said “Can I buy this book?” I said yes, and she gave $10 and sincerely said, “You have just made a young boy very happy.”
I asked her, “Who is he?” and the lady replied, “He’s my grandson. It is his eleventh birthday and he wants to be a monk.”
I thought, “Wow, an eleven-year-old boy who wants to be a monk gets a ‘Bhagavad Gita As It Is’ from his grandmother for a birthday present. Nice.”
Another day, I and two other devotees (Sriman Krishna Prabhu and Bhakta Chi, a practicing medical doctor) visited two small towns called Hawera- and Stratford-in-Taranaki. Two went to one place, and one to the other.
On the second day I was in Stratford and stopped a lady. She was very favorable. The day before she had gotten an “Easy Journey to Other Planets” from Bhakta Chi and read the whole book that night. So she happily gave $20 and took a Bhagavad Gita. That is what I call teamwork. I took her details and plan to get in touch.
The same day in Stratford I approached a lady with children and told her I was a monk. She asked, “Are you from Cambridge?” (Cambridge is a small town outside Hamilton.) I told her I wasn’t, but after speaking to her for awhile I learned that six years ago in Cambridge she’d met Mahavana Prabhu, a devotee who now runs a Brahmacari ashram in Wellington, and had had such a positive impression of him and the prasadam he gave her that she now happily gave me $20 and took a Bhagavad Gita.
My realization is that book distribution is really a team effort, especially in a small place like New Zealand. Each devotee is responsible for leaving every person they meet with a good impression. A person may not get a book from the first devotee they meet, but because they are left with a good impression, the next devotee they meet can distribute a book to them.
Your Servant,
Damodara Krsna dasa

https://flic.kr/s/aHskAWi6j1

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TUESDAY JUNE 14th - Disappearance of Baladeva Vidyabusana
Baladeva Vidyabhusana, The Gaudiya Vedantist.
“The Gaudiyas should not worship Radha and Krsna together,” the Ramanandis told him.“Radha and Krsna are not married. There is no precedent for Their being worshiped together! Sita and Rama are together, and Laksmi and Narayana, because they are married. But Radha and Krsna are not married.”
Now the Ramanandis were escalating the quarrel. They not only criticised the Gaudiyas’ lineage but also found fault with the Gaudiya method of worship.
The Ramanandis demanded that Radha be removed from the main altar and be placed in another room, to be worshiped separately.
Jai Singh sent word to the mahantas (religious authorities) of the Gaudiya temples. “You must prepare a response to the criticisms voiced by the Ramanandis of Galta Valley. I am sympathetic to your philosophy and practice, but your response must be adequate to silence the Ramanandi panditas, or I shall be forced to separate Radharani from Krsna.”
The mahantas of the four major Gaudiya temples of Amber submitted their response in writing.
They explained that Rupa, Sanatana, and Jiva Gosvamis shared the same opinion about Radha and Krsna:
They could be worshiped either as married (svakiya rasa) or unmarried (parakiya rasa), since both these pastimes (lila) are eternal.
Worship of Krsna in either lila is adequate to establish a devotee’s eternal relationship with the Supreme.
The Ramanandis rejected these arguments. Fighting for their religious and political power, they again approached Jai Singh.
Because Radha and Krsna were not married, the Ramanandis complained, worshiping Them together condoned Their questionable relationship.
The Ramanandis also criticised the Gaudiyas for worshiping Krsna without first worshiping Narayana.
To appease the Ramanandis, Jai Singh told them he would ask the Gaudiyas to place the Deity of Radharani in a separate room.
He would also ask them to explain their breach of Vaisnava etiquette in neglecting Narayana worship, and he would ask them to prove their link with the Madhva sampradaya.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/1lMCzi

Failing To Succeed.
Mahatma das: There is No Failure on the Spiritual Platform. Spiritual success means to please Krsna and guru, and can sometimes have nothing to do with measurable external results. Since devotional service is absolute, you can even successfully serve Krsna in your mind.
In the Nectar of Devotion there is a story of a devotee who wanted to offer sweet rice (khir) to his Deities, but couldn’t afford the ingredients. So he cooked the sweet rice in his mind. While in this meditation he touched the sweet rice and actually burnt his finger. Even though he only offered it in his mind, Krsna appreciated and accepted that offering.
I suggest that you visualize what kind of devotee you would like to be and what kind of service you would like to render. That is also devotional service. Don’t you think Krsna will be pleased if you think how you can be a better devotee and offer Him better service – even if you can’t realize those goals right away?
Just the fact that you make a goal to be a better devotee or do a particular service is itself devotional service. And, if we always think about doing something there’s a good chance we will do it someday.
Prabhupada thought about preaching in the west for 42 years before he was able and ready to do it. Show Your Heart to Krsna Making goals reveals your heart and desires to Krsna.
The acaryas pray, “When oh when will that day be mine…” in the mood of hankering for a level of Krsna consciousness they presently don’t have. So having clear devotional goals expresses the hankering of your heart to Krsna. And since we are not pure devotees, we can express simple desires, like praying “when oh when will that day be mine when I think of Krsna once and awhile at work.”
Later on you can worry about praying for the day when you will be running along the Yamuna half mad in ecstatic love. Also, research has shown that you are more likely to follow through on a goal if you write it down. Try it.
Even if you think you can’t achieve the goal or won’t follow through, write it down anyway. You’ll be surprised at what happens. I once wrote down some goals and then forgot about them. But a week or so later I found myself pursuing some of those goals even though I hadn’t reviewed my list. So, for example, if you want to wake up an hour earlier every day, just write that goal on a piece of paper and see what happens.
Often, the process of writing down a goal puts that goal into your subconscious and then you start acting on it.
A Devotee Can’t Fail.
Because devotional service is absolute, the effort is spiritual and perfect despite the outcome. Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master would appreciate a devotee if he sold even one magazine for a few paisa (cents). Prabhupada said there is no question of success or failure in devotional service because our position is like a soldier who has a duty to fight. We simple do our duty. Therefore, the only failure is to not make the effort.
Read more: https://goo.gl/8QtbDU

Bhakti Day Retreat at Bhaktivedanta Manor (Album with photos)
Thank you to everyone who came this weekend to our day retreat at Bhaktivedanta Manor (Saturday 11th June 2016).
Here are some photos from the first half of the day where we had a vegetarian lunch, a tour through the gardens, took the Bhagavad Gita walk, a talk on Srila Prabhupada and the origins of kirtan in the west (this year is the 50th anniversary!), a visit to see the cows, seminars and Mantra Meditation Q&A, followed by free time to wander before kirtan in the evening.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/BM8dZj