Websites from the ISKCON Universe
A really well made 3D animation, promo of the Rathayatra of ISKCON Myanmar (1 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: Guru and Krishna are two parallel lines on which the spiritual express runs very smoothly. Letter to Devananda, September 27, 1967.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xeKaPf
June 14. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada Talks of His Childhood.
He talked of his childhood at the turn of the century, when street lamps were gas-lit, and carriages and horse-drawn trams were the only vehicles on Calcutta’s dusty streets. These talks charmed the boys even more than the transcendental philosophy of Bhagavad-gita and drew them affectionately to him. He told about his father, Gour Mohan De, a pure Vaisnava. His father had been a cloth merchant, and his family had been intimately related with the aristocratic Mulliks of Calcutta. The Mulliks had a deity of Krishna, and Prabhupada’s father had given him a deity to worship as a child. He used to imitate the worship of the Govinda deity in the Mulliks’ temple. As a boy, he had held his own Ratha-yatra festivals each year, imitating in miniature the gigantic festival at Jagannatha Puri, and his father’s friends used to jest: “Oh, the Ratha-yatra ceremony is going on at your home, and you do not invite us? What is this?” His father would reply, “This is a child’s play, that’s all.” But the neighbors said, “Oh, child’s play? You are avoiding us by saying it’s for children?”
Prabhupada fondly remembered his father, who had never wanted him to be a worldly man, who had given him lessons in mrdanga, and who had prayed to visiting sadhus that one day the boy would grow up to be a devotee of Radharani.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=9
Prabhupada Talks of His Childhood
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2016, Coimbatore, India, Hospital Conversations)
The spiritual world is where we should be. Residents of the spiritual world descend to the material world to preach. As long as we are in material consciousness, there is struggle with the senses so we have to take responsibility of preaching like how Haridasa Thakur did.
In distress, still we remain dedicated to Krsna. Our service may be checked by suffering but we accept the suffering if Krsna desires it. Our life belongs to Krsna’s mission – we must directly support the mission; we must find a way to do something even when in distress. We must accept fate. Krsna’s potencies are unlimited, so happiness is unlimited. Krsna consciousness is blissful because it naturally brings human beings to Godhead. Therefore, the topmost devotees see no problem in suffering in devotional service. In the state of bhava, due to vaisnava aparadha, some obstacles may occur but in prema, there are no obstacles!
The body is a jail, other than by Krsna’s mercy we cannot get out of it. This is the nature of the material world. Relation with material energy is false but material energy is not false.
Transcribed by Man Beharini dd from Pune
By Josh Hawley This topic is more relevant at this point in time than any other in modern history. We stand at a crossroads of mankind. If the enlightened leadership of mankind can catch a clue from Bhagavatam, and take note of the cause of the "pinprick through out the social body at large, wherein large scale quarrels take place over even less important issues," then there is hope. The problems arising from gross mis-identification with matter is what is unfortunately being perpetuated by the current broad form -slaughter house of the mind psuedo education system- as the goal of life. According to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, this mis-identification (what is known in the Vedic scientific language as jiva bhuta sanatan) of consciousness with matter is the root cause of all the problems of our existance. It is not the sympton, but the root cause. This negative identification or ahankara conception, which is essentially false mis-identification of our original jiva shakti consciousness with fallible matter as its source. Opposed to the positive conception of (jiva shakti) self consciousness as part and parcel of the infallible Absolute Consciousness or Param Brahma consciousness. This ahankara, self mis-identification, is the beginning of all of our subsequent problems of existence.This is confirmed by the Vedic Scientific Treatise Sri Brahma Samhita: ahankara atmakam vishvam, tasmad etad vyajata. It behooves the atheistic class to promote and disseminate nescience amongst the general masses in order to maintain the illusion of themselves being god. For without nescience as the popular world view, they cannot continue to perpetrate their criminal acts upon humanity and life in general. Continue reading "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: Scientific Revolutionary in the Field of Consciousness
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By Dr. J. Chakrabarty The concept of evolution of species, generally attributed to Charles Darwin, actually had its origin thousands of years ago in ancient India, and formed the basis of the illuminating philosophy of the Vedas. Since Darwin lived at a time when the profundity of the Indian wisdom already made an indelible impression on the minds of the western savants, it is hard to imagine how Darwin could possibly have escaped the compelling influence of the Indian thoughts while formulating his theory of evolution. Darwin differed, however, from the Indian views on evolution in several respects, all of which made his theory an intellectually unacceptable proposition. Three of the most conspicuous lines of difference between the two theories will be discussed in what follows. Continue reading "On the theory of evolution – Science and Religion
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By Giriraj Swami All of us—husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children, students, and teachers—have duties, and sometimes we begrudge the performance of our duties because we think their execution will impede our personal happiness. But duty is duty, and duty must be done. Even in the cold of winter, one must bathe. And even in the heat of summer, one must cook. " Continue reading "Duty—with Krishna Consciousness
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Kirtan Preaching program in Mayapur (Album with photos)
Amazing photos from our Kirtan preaching program which happened yesterday.
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is more powerful than Deity worship. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu set a practical example in that He did not establish any temples or Deities, but He profusely introduced the sankirtana movement. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.14.39 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hrDdR4
From the recent visit of the British Prime Minister to Bhaktivedanta Manor.
The Prime Minister commented on the positive atmosphere he felt, and after recounting Srila Prabhupada’s journey to the West remarked that not only was ISKCON celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, but that he would also be celebrating his own 50th birthday this year.
Lord Jagannath’s cart in Puri is getting ready! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is eternal. Nitya-siddha Krishna-prema. The pure souls are eternally in love with Krishna. Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra one revives his original relationship with God and thus becomes so happy that he does not want anything material. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.7.39 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/M6Osby
After 9 months of courses at ISKCON Leicester from the 60 students, 15 remained. Completing the Explore, Gita Life and Bhakti Life they are the latest members of Prabhupada’s family all who have now taken up the chanting of the Holy names and following the regulative principles.
200 gallons of blood is what Bhaktisiddhanta said. I have finally realised what this means.
In September we enroll even more students with the hope of leading as many more souls to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya as we can.
Consistency is what’s needed then let the Lord work his magic.
Great group effort and I am sure Prabhupada is happy with everyone. Kiran Tailor Sachi-Tanaya Das jay
Ps. thanks to Gurudas and Sutapa for coming and doing a session for the new sanga of graduates.
Saving a life!
Caitanya Candra Dasa: I was distributing SrilaPrabhupada’s books in the same spot in Gothenburg, Sweden for the whole month of the 2016 Prabhupada Marathon, except for one half-hour of the last day, when, for some reason, I decided to try the other side of the walkway. There I stopped a well-dressed man, aged 36. I told him who we are and what our books are about and said that these books help with everyday problems like stress and depression.
He looked at me with a shocked look, and then he told me, “Believe me or not, but I am just on the way to go and kill myself by jumping off a bridge. I have had enough. I just can’t take it anymore. I want to end it all. But I see this as a divine intervention that you have stopped me. I believe in karma, so somehow it is our fate to meet, and to meet right now.”
It turned that the man, Sun, has three children, a well-paid job, and a good relationship with his wife. But on weekends (this was a Saturday), he goes crazy and drinks and takes drugs and is therefore a bad husband and father. And he’s had enough of that.
We spoke for about forty minutes, and I explained to him the benefits of chanting and finding inner contentment and unlocking the happiness within. We spoke about his kids, and he began to feel enlivened. He basically found hope by our meeting and getting a Chant and be Happy. He clutched the book like someone holding a lifeline and mentioned over and over again that this is no coincidence that we met and this was a life-changing event. He then gave a nice donation and left.
As he was leaving I asked him, “You’re not going to jump off the bridge?”
“No, I’m going to go and read this book. You just changed my life.”
Sadly, I was unable to get his contact info. Somehow, Krishna guided me to go on the other side of the walkway for that short time to meet him. Right after that meeting I went back to my old spot and continued.
Your aspiring servant,
Caitanya Candra Dasa
Hungary
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NYC Ratha Yatra Parade (Album with photos)
Bhismadeva Dasa: Yesterday the 40th annual Ratha Yatra parade was celebrated in New York with great pomp. Ecstatic chanting and dancing for miles was lead in front of each of the Lord’s three chariots.
Syamali and I we’re overwhelmed with gratitude to all the devotees who helped to coordinate and carry on this blissfull offering.
In addition, we got to visit the first temple of the Hare Krishna movement, The Bhakti Center, and the “Hare Krishna Tree” that our founder-acarya first started chanting under in Tompkins Square Park. :)
It was a very enlivenning pilgrimage and reunion with dear friends.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Jfmz6W
June 13. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada in the Summer.
The summer of 1966 moved along, and Prabhupada kept good health. For him these were happy days. New Yorkers complained of the summer heat waves, but this caused no inconvenience to one accustomed to the 100-degree-plus temperatures of Vrindavana’s blazing summers. “It is like India,” he said, as he went without a shirt, seeming relaxed and at home. He had thought that in America he would have to subsist on boiled potatoes (otherwise there would be nothing but meat), but here he was happily eating the same rice, dal and capatis, and cooking on the same three-stacked cooker as in India. Work on the Srimad-Bhagavatam had also gone on regularly since he had moved into the Second Avenue apartment. And now Krishna was bringing these sincere young men who were cooking, typing, hearing him regularly, chanting Hare Krishna, and asking for more.
Prabhupada was still a solitary preacher, free to stay or go, writing his books in his own intimate relationship with Krishna – quite independent of the boys in the storefront. But now he had taken the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as his spiritual child. The inquiring young men, some of whom had already been chanting steadily for over a month, were like stumbling spiritual infants, and he felt responsible for guiding them. They were beginning to consider him their spiritual master, trusting him to lead them into spiritual life. Although they were unable to immediately follow the multifarious rules that brahmanas and Vaisnavas in India followed, he was hopeful. According to Rupa Gosvami the most important principle was that one should “somehow or other” become Krishna conscious. People should chant Hare Krishna and render devotional service. They should engage whatever they had in the service of Krishna. And Prabhupada was exercising this basic principle of Krishna consciousness to the furthest limit the history of Vaisnavism had ever seen.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=9
The Sole Bearer and Maintainer
What is a “genuine spiritual emotion”? It means different things to different people…
Emotions occur in the mind, and are observed and experienced by consciousness. Since emotions occur in the mind, not the soul, perhaps they cannot be “spiritual”?
The mind, however, is not entirely distinct from the soul. The mind and body are actually extensions of consciousness. Without consciousness, they cease to function, they disintegrate. They cannot exist without consciousness, and consciousness also cannot manifest its existence without them. Even in Vaikuṇṭha, consciousness manifests itself via a mind and body. The only difference is that Vaikuṇṭha consciousness experiences full satisfaction from its mind and body and therefore has no impetus to change them. Thus the mind and body in Vaikuṇṭha are permanently related to the consciousness which manifests them.
In our realm and even in Vaikuṇṭha, emotions occur in the mind. But this doesn’t mean that emotions “not spiritual,” because the mind is but a tool and extension of the spirit. In this sense, any sincere emotion can be “genuinely spiritual.”
Another definition of spiritual is, “pertaining to spirit.” These emotions arise as a result of our relationship to our own consciousness and to the super-consciousness Śrī Krishna. Those who experience these emotions are called yogis or (particularly in relation to Krishna) bhaktas.
There are two basic classes of bhaktas: sādhakas – who practice, and siddhas – who are perfect. Both of them can have genuine emotions for Krishna, but the sādhakas have these emotions by way of emulation (“kṛti-sādhya” in Rūpa Goswāmī’s terms). Thus even a sādhaka experiences some semblance of bhakti-rasa, which includes some semblance of its five emotional components: sthāyi (relationship), vi (excitant), anu (expression), sattvik (reflex), and vyabhicāri (feelings). They often share these cultivated expereiences through their art, music (kīrtan), dance, drama, poetry and prose.
The emulated emotions and expressions of a sādhaka, however, cannot compare to the natural emotions and expressions of a siddha-bhakta: True bhakti-rasa can only be experienced and expressed by those with true sthāyi-bhāva, the nitya-siddha prema-bhaktas, but even the reflections and emulations of bhakti-rasa are very powerful: they can fulfill all desires, grant all liberations, and propel one into siddha-bhakti.
What, then, is a “genuine spiritual emotion”? It means different things to different people. To a common person, it means sincerely heartfelt emotions. For a bhakti-sādhaka it is sincere cultivation of Krishna-centric emotions. For a siddha-bhakta it is bhakti-rāsa, the ultimate treasure.
Vraja Kishor das
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2016, Coimbatore, India, Hospital Conversations)
In Satya yuga, there is no varnashrama but in Treta yuga varnashrama is introduced. In grhastha life, devotees are busy but still, we must study Srimad Bhagavatam because it is our main book. This book describes the hierarchy of Krsna’s various plenary portions and also the lives of the Maha-Bhagavats. When Krsna descended, then dharma and jnana came with Him. When he left, immediately Kali yuga manifested. The Srimad Bhagavatam is the light in this age.
Chandogya Upanishad establishes that Srimad Bhagavatam is essence of all Puranas. Six puranas are dedicated to Lord Siva (tamasic), four are dedicated to Lord Brahma (rajasic), five sattvic puranas are dedicated to Lord Visnu and one transcendental, amala purana, is the Srimad Bhagavatam. The Caitanya Caritamrta is extension of Srimad Bhagavatam; the final verse of Srimad Bhagavatam emphasizes the sankirtan movement.
Transcribed by Man Beharini dd from Pune
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9.
“If the Krsna consciousness movement spreads all over the world, and if by the grace of Krsna everyone accepts it, the thinking of envious people will change. Everyone will think of the welfare of others. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja prays, sivam mitho dhiya. In material activities, everyone is envious of others, but in Krsna consciousness, no one is envious of anyone else; everyone thinks of the welfare of others. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja prays that everyone’s mind may become gentle by being fixed at the lotus feet of Krsna (bhajatad adhoksaje). As indicated elsewhere in Srimad-Bhagavatam (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh) and as advised by Lord Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (18.65), man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, one should constantly think of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna. Then one’s mind will certainly be cleansed (ceto-darpana-marjanam).” (SB 5.18.9 purport)
“Krishna consciousness means always thinking of Krishna. By always thinking of Krishna—ceto-darpana-marjanam—our consciousness will be purified, we will become happy and we will think of the welfare of others. That is why we have temples. That is why we are undertaking building the new temple—to give people a chance to come and think of Krishna and become happy, peaceful and bring peace to the world. That is the only motive. Devotees are so selfless. It takes a lot of effort to get architectural drawings made, get permits from the government, organize the materials and the contractors and raise funds. It is a lot of endeavor. But, that is the merciful nature of a vaisnava—he wants to do good for others by spreading Krishna consciousness.”
By David Crick
British Prime Minister David Cameron returned to Bhaktivedanta Manor ten years after his first visit to take part in the Bhumi Puja for the Manor’s new Shree Krishna Haveli.
After seeing the George Harrison garden he proceeded to the temple room where he took darshan of Sri Sri Radha-Gokulananda, Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman and Hanuman and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. He also garlanded Srila Prabhupada and met some of the residents.
The Prime Minster then joined some 300 guests in the main marquee. Present were local politicians, MPs, spiritual leaders, business leaders and a cross section of the devotee community. Also speaking and taking part in the puja were Their Holinesses Bhakti Charu, Sivarama and Radhanath Swamis and His Grace Praghosa Dasa GBC.
On arrival Mr Cameron was treated to a charming performance of “You Raise Me Up” by the children of the Bhaktivedanta Manor and Krishna Avanti Trust schools. After being introduced by MP Sailesh Vara he took to the stage, where his first words were “Hare Krishna!” – much to the delight of those present.
The Prime Minister commented on the positive atmosphere he felt, and after recounting Srila Prabhupada’s journey to the West remarked that not only was ISKCON celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, but that he would also be celebrating his own 50th birthday this year.
He also said that the UK benefited from its strong religious tradition and reflected that he had been at church this morning, was at a temple now and would be observing a Jewish rite with a friend in the evening.
Mr Cameron was presented with a large ornate copy of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is before beginning the ground-breaking ceremony. He said that he had been to many of these, but that this was the first one he had done in a tent!
Please find some photos of the festival below.
http://davidc.zenfolio.com/manor_haveli_bhumi_puja
I don’t have photos of his visit to the George Harrison garden or the temple room, but these can be seen in the following video trailer, which also wonderfully captures the atmosphere from the day.
With best wishes,
Hare Krishna,
David.
By Caitanya candrodaya dasa The desire to see God, to touch God, to talk to God is in itself probably the strongest argument for His existence; besides the logic and evidences from the scriptures, this direct experience is very significant indeed. Bringing Deity Worship from the insiders circle of elderly pujari-priests and making it part of the congregational development is probably the only way it may become part of the positive future for many places in ISKCON. While everyone hankers for direct experience of God in person, it is rarely attained, even for great souls like Sri Narada of Srimad-Bhagavatam, what to speak of the beginners like us. Yet Srila Prabhupada and the acaryas place the arcana, or Deity Worship, in the realm of service opportunities for neophytes. It is true that the worship of God in His deity form may attract neophytes, but it will also promote us to the next level of advancement, if done properly. Thus expanding the scope of Deity worship is a direct preaching, especially if done in an attitude of care and encouragement to the aspiring devotees. The "proof of the pudding is in the tasting" (sometimes misquoted as "proof is in the pudding", which is not true..) and the practical experience of God via processes of bhakti-yoga provides that conclusive personal proof of His existence, yet the arcana process of tasting requires and demands the community expansion to survive these days. Continue reading "The Desire To See God
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By Chirag Dangarwala Over the years modern science has speculated and researched to find out the number of species on earth, the method that main stream science has adopted is experimental which is commonly known as "seeing is believing", but without going much in detail regarding the imperfectness of this method, which is based on imperfect senses of the human being and imperfectness of the instruments developed by the human beings by these imperfect senses, it is extremely difficult to understand or gauge the vast variety of species that inhibit this tiny planet earth in the entire universe. For those who have faith and logical thinking can ponder on the information given in the ancient Vedic Writings like the Srimad Bhagavatam about the construction and constitution of this material universe of which our earth is but a tiny speck. In connection to this, the Vedas give us a exact statistics of the number of inhabitants in this entire universe. As per the Vedic Writings among the living entities there are many species; which can be seen in our ordinary experience. Vedic literature gives a detailed statistics on the number of species of different living entities that are present in the universe, which is as follows Continue reading "Human form of life
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Glorious Rathayatra in New York (Album with photos)
Ratha Yatra, June 11th, down 5th Ave to Washington Square park.
Srila Prabhupada: In the Padyavali there is a statement by some devotees: “We shall not care for any outsiders. If they should deride us, we shall still not care for them. We shall simply enjoy the transcendental mellow of chanting Hare Krishna, and thus we shall roll on the ground and dance ecstatically. In this way we shall eternally enjoy transcendental bliss.” (Nectar of Devotion, 27)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/2vrxrW
Ratha Yatra Festival in Munich, Germany (Album with photos)
Shower of mercy during Ratha Yatra Festival in Munich,Germany!
Srila Prabhupada: In the Adi Purana Krishna tells Arjuna: “Anyone who is engaged in chanting My transcendental name must be considered to be always associating with Me. And I may tell you frankly that for such a devotee I become easily purchased.” (Nectar of Devotion, 12)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mvGC89
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Bhagavatam class at Radha Vrindavanchandra Mandir, Pune
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