Planet ISKCON

The naming ceremony of Radha from Krishna aur Kans movie.

By Yamuna Devi Dasi

With spiritual fasting, you may not make headlines, but you'll make headway on the path back to Godhead. What do Mahatma Gandhi, Dick Gregory, Jane Fonda, Norman Mailer, Bolivian dissidents, British suffragettes, and Irish revolutionaries have in common? Well, for one thing, at one time or another and for one reason or another, they've all fasted. Materially their fasting was somewhat successful, whether it was undertaken to free India from British domination, turn public opinion against the Vietnam War, lose weight, win amnesty for political prisoners, get the right to vote, or what have you. But how about spiritually? It's not that merely by starving we're sure to make spiritual progress. A lot depends on our purpose. Fasting for some political purpose my help us reach some political goal. But the Vedic teachings direct us beyond such goals. Fasting, say the Vedic scriptures, is meant to help us control the mind and senses so we can advance in spiritual realization; it's not for any other purpose. This may sound like a hard-nosed, shortsighted viewpoint, but before we make a hard-nosed, shortsighted judgment, let's take a closer look. Continue reading "Spiritual Fasting
→ Dandavats"

Graduation of Sri Paramahansa Goura (Album with photos)
Education.
Duca is a Sanskrit word that means suffering born of spiritual ignorance. Similarly Duca in Latin refers to decay, decayed, expires.
Plato defines ‘Educare’, education as the art of guiding and caring for the development of body, mind and Soul, to rid the later of the darkness of ignorance.
Graduation Etymologically means Grada or, go thru the stairs, now you can only go in two directions, up or down, unfortunately nowadays education focuses only on the matter and therefore we see that the degradation of spiritual values creates a civilization intended to materialism and therefore the exploitation of Mother Nature who in turn belongs to the Supreme Being, because is one of His energies.
The Bhaktivedanta Academy, established in 1984, is an educational institution based in Sri Mayapur Dham, India, which provides education for children, adults students on the principles of Vedic Gurukul system. Educational programs aim to complete a cultural reorientation students to produce a society in which individuals understand that their main occupation in life is to practice pure devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, unalloyed, with the goal of returning home, back to God.
Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita mentions some of the principles of true education.
Chapter 16, Verse 1-3
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one’s existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty and steady determination; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor-these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.
Chapter 13, Verse 8-12
Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth-all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.
Sri Paramahansa Goura entered Gurukula when I was 6 years old, along with Srinam Vanamali who was 8, they help each other to practice and absorb the lessons of the life of the Ashram. Today Sri Gaura graduated after completing all stages in his life as a Brahmacari, celibate student and receive the blessings of his teachers to continue in the path with purity and devotion. Manorupa and I we were always humbly proud of his determination to stay and complete his training in Gurukula.
Please extend your blessings to this exemplary young man, in this way the teachings he has received can be transmitted to subsequent generations of seekers of truth.
Om Tat Sat.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/b6g4aa

From Back to Godhead

By Saksi Gopala Dasa

It was the Thursday before Christmas, and London’s Oxford Street (the longest shopping street in the world) was brimming over with Christmas shoppers. Twice already that week plainclothes police had arrested devotees chanting Hare Krsna there, but today we were intending to avoid any trouble. The five of us took a new route, profusely distributing the holy name to everyone within earshot. As we made our way through Piccadilly Circus (London’s “Times Square”) and then along crowded Regent Street, we brought smiles to many faces and raised eyebrows on many others. Finally we reached Oxford Circus, where we reluctantly stopped chanting and started back along Oxford Street toward the temple.

But all the shops were staying open late, so the street was still filled with pedestrians, though traffic had died down. The rustle of hundreds of footsteps filled the air. With so many materially conditioned souls surrounding us, there we were, chanting quietly to ourselves on our beads, and just holding our karatalas (hand cymbals) and mrdanga drums! It was hard to restrain ourselves from the loud glorification of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. In fact, it was impossible! Casting aside any thoughts of our inevitable arrest, we launched into the most ecstatic chant ever! The tall buildings echoed to the sounds of Lord Caitanya’s sankirtanaparty while dumbfounded shoppers stood open-mouthed and bus lines of bewildered souls turned their heads to see the source of the transcendental sound vibrations. Single file, we chanted and danced along the clear space at the edge of the pavement, which widened as the crowds thinned out. Tottenham Court Road Tube Station, the end of the gauntlet, loomed up ahead. We were almost there, with no police trouble, when three highly suspicious figures suddenly appeared, blocking our path a few yards ahead.

“All right, lads, yer nicked!” said the young “student,” flashing his police I.D. card with immense relish.

“What! How can you arrest us? We’re not doing anything illegal.”

His two hard-faced confederates, similarly disguised, moved in closer.

“Come on! You know as well as I do you’re causing an obstruction. Down to the station; you’re all under arrest!”

“Obstruction? The pavement’s fifteen feet wide, we’re walking in the gutter, and there’s hardly anybody to obstruct’!” we protested. “All around you there’s drug addiction, prostitution, crime, and violence, and you can’t find anything better to do than arrest us for chanting the names of God! What kind of policemen are you?”

The retort seemed to catch him by surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and barked, “Look lad, you’re under arrest. Anything you say may be used as evidence. Now move!” Then, adding a liberal quantity of unsavory words (quite unbefitting a constable of Her Majesty’s Police Force), he joined his two colleagues in forming a rear guard, and the three of them escorted us toward the police station.

We were thinking of how unfortunate they were. Not only were they obstructing Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana party and harassing devotees, but these were the same policemen who had arrested the chanting party twice earlier that week! What demons! For protection we started chanting the glories of Lord Nrsimhadeva Krsna’s half-man-half-lion incarnation very softly at first, and then a little louder. The mrdanga crept in, marking the rhythm, and the karatalas soon followed. With no complaints from our police escort as yet, we chanted louder and louder until the street once more resounded with the holy names. Amazed that they made no objection, we turned and saw that the three policemen were grinning from ear to ear! We were incredulous. Here was the mercy of Lord Caitanya! By repeatedly arresting the chanting party, these previously offensive policemen had become purified by associating with devotees, and now they were taking great pleasure in the chanting of the holy names!

“Now stop or you’ll cause an obstruction,” directed our police guide as we approached a large bus line, which engulfed the pavement. We obediently stopped, considering it our good fortune that we had been allowed to chant at all.

Then something totally unexpected happened. After we had passed the bus line, our captor definitely proved himself to be no ordinary police constable when he ordered, “Okay, start chanting again.”!!

So we did, all the way to the police station, accompanied by the three blissful police constables, who, grinning from ear to ear, made no objection as the ecstatic sankirtana party passed right into the police station, past the main doors, through the hallway, and into the charging room itself!!!

Everyone was thunderstruck. Arrestors and arrested alike couldn’t believe it. Shaven-headed Hare Krsnas chanting their way into the cop shop. With drums and cymbals? It was unthinkable! The sergeant on duty turned a vivid scarlet and exploded in a fit of anger, threatening to “throw the book” at us and charge us with all manner of subversive criminal activities. We apologized profusely, pleading that we didn’t quite realize where we were, and he became somewhat pacified. As we answered philosophical questions from some of the interested constables, the sergeant charged us with obstruction, one by one, and we had to wait as he filled in numerous forms.

“All right, boys, tomorrow morning at ten o’clock you’ll be appearing in the Magistrates Court,” said the sergeant, now quite amiable. And with that he allowed us to go. Feeling very blissful at the way things had turned out, we filed into the hallway and prepared to return to the temple for the evening arati (temple worship) of Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara. (Londonisvara means “Krsna, the Lord of London.”) On our way out of the station, we passed a high-ranking plainclothes detective-inspector. He paused and turned in our direction. Not knowing what to expect, we were surprised when he glanced over us in an almost fatherly way and said in a concerned voice, “Don’t be discouraged, lads; keep up the good work!”

Next morning in court we pleaded “not guilty” to the charges against us, and the judge deferred our case to February 2. At the time, we were unaware of the significance of the appointed date. Our trial was to be on the appearance day of Lord Nityananda the incarnation of God who helped spread Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana movement, and who personifies His mercy.

The Trial

As is customary on such holy days, the five of us fasted through the morning of Lord Nityananda’s appearance day and chanted His glories. At noon we attended a blissful arati and then broke our fast with a splendid feast. Afterward, we set off for Great Marlborough Street Magistrates Court, confident that Lord Nityananda would protect us. We were accompanied by a new and enthusiastic visitor to the temple, the Reverend Norman Morehouse (second only to the Bishop of Norwich), who came along to observe the court proceedings.

We arrived at the courthouse a few minutes before our appointed time of 2:00 P.M. and waited in the big hallway while the Reverend went through to the public gallery. The plainclothesmen who arrested us soon turned up, now in uniform, and waited with us. (It took a little persuasion before they cautiously took some of the hazelnut cookies we had earlier offered to Lord Nityananda.) At last we were beckoned into the courtroom itself and ushered into the dock. A stir went through the assembly. Shaven heads and saffron robes were the last things anyone expected to see in Magistrates Court on a Tuesday afternoon. The Magistrate (a balding, portly man in his late middle age, sporting a red rose in the lapel of his dark gray suit) surveyed us over the top of his gold-rimmed spectacles. After we reaffirmed our plea of “not guilty” to the court clerk, one of the constables, who had been sworn in at the witness box, proceeded to report the alleged conditions of our arrest.

In the constable’s version of the story, the chanting party miraculously grew from the original five members to seven and later to eight when he described how three devotees “ran off and escaped arrest.” According to his description, it seemed that there were many more people on Oxford Street than we had been aware of. Indeed, we had supposedly forced unlimited numbers of pedestrians into the road and had exposed them to the grave risk of being run over by the almost nonexistent traffic! The judge listened impartially and then, since we had no lawyer to speak on our behalf, he asked us if we would like to comment on the policeman’s evidence. We humbly pointed out that the constable, like everyone else, had imperfect senses, and that he had contradicted himself in assessing the number of devotees on the chanting party. The judge politely suggested the constable had made “a mathematical error.” At this a titter of laughter rippled through the courtroom, while the constable shuffled his feet and looked embarrassed.

The magistrate then asked if we would like to speak in our own defense. Having been previously chosen as spokesman, I stepped forward to be sworn in at the witness box and was taken aback when the usher asked me to hold a copy of the Bhagavad-gita in my right hand. He handed me a card, and I read out the words: “I swear by almighty Sri Krsna that the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

Heartened by smiles from the devotees in the dock, I began to describe the circumstances of our arrest this time as they actually had happened. The magistrate listened as I went on to say, “We understand that the police have a duty to perform, sir; but we also have a duty. We have been instructed by our spiritual master indeed, we are instructed by all the principle scriptures of the world the Koran, the Torah, the Bible, and the Vedas thatwe should glorify God by chanting His holy names. Whether you know the Lord by the name of Allah, Jehovah, Rama, Govinda, or Krsna, God is one.”

“Oh, quite so, quite so,” affirmed the magistrate.

Encouraged, I went on: “In the Vedic scriptures, in the Brhan-Naradiya Purana, it is said, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam “

“In English but what does it mean in English, please?” he interjected.

” Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. This was written in the Sanskrit language five thousand years ago. It means, ‘In this age of Kali [the present age of materialism and quarrel] there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for making positive spiritual advancement but the chanting of the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.’ “

The judge in fact the whole courtroom sat there fascinated. I remembered Srila Prabhupada’s introduction to the Srimad-Bhagavatam and began to speak further.

“Although mankind has made great material advancement in so many spheres, we can see that factually there is a fault in the social body at large. People are not happy with their day-to-day activities, and there is an increasing disturbance of drug addiction, prostitution, violence, and crime. The root of the problem is lack of God consciousness. People are unaware of the actual purpose of life.”

Intrigued by this sound philosophy coming from the witness box, the judge relaxed his judicial appearance, sat back, and took a sip of water from his glass.

Even more encouraged, I asked, “Sir, with your permission, I would like to read a short passage that appeared in the London Observer in October 1972. It is an excerpt from an article written by that eminent English historian, Arnold Toynbee.”

Upon hearing the name of such a distinguished personality, the judge smiled slightly, and nodding his head in approval, he asked that I continue.

” ‘The cause of it [the world’s malady] is spiritual. We are suffering from having sold our souls to the pursuit of an objective which is both spiritually wrong and practically unobtainable. We have to reconsider our objective and change it. And until we do this, we shall not have peace, either amongst ourselves or within each of us.’ “

I continued, “As devotees of the Lord we strictly follow four principles: mercifulness, truthfulness, cleanliness, and austerity. These are the higher qualities of human life, and the absence of these qualities means the degradation of society. So the spreading of spiritual understanding among humanity at large is the highest welfare work. And an essential part of this program is the distribution of literature, and the congregational chanting in the street of the holy names of God.”

“Is that all?” inquired the judge.

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

“Then you may step down.” Adjusting his spectacles and regarding the devotees, who were once more assembled in the dock, the judge then said in a very firm yet amicable manner, “In legal terms you are guilty of obstruction, although it is of a very minor degree. Taking this into consideration, and seeing your obvious sincerity, I have decided to dismiss the case.”

We smiled jubilantly, thanked the magistrate, and were about to step down, when Krsna prompted me to add, “Sir, we were wondering if you had a court library here, in which case we would like to present a book for addition to the collection.”

“Thank you,” he replied. “I am quite sure we can accommodate it.”

I gave a copy of Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Isopanisad to one of the clerks, who promised to pass it on to the judge. Then we left the courtroom, thanking Lord Nityananda for His mercy.

Outside, our friend Reverend Morehouse greeted us with an ecstatic “Hare Krsna!” Beaming from ear to ear, he shook each of us warmly by the hand. “Congratulations!” he exclaimed. “It was wonderful! I am so proud of you all. I must say, though, I was somewhat surprised at the decision of the judge. In the cases before yours he had been quite severe. I’m sure that the Lord must have had a hand in the matter.”

And so were we. Sankirtana isalways successful, but it is especially so on Lord Nityananda’s appearance day: even a judge will take a book!

On the way back to the temple, I read one verse in Srila Prabhupada’s Caitanya-caritamrta that summed up our whole wonderful experience:

aparadha ksamaila, dubila prema-jale
keba edaibe prabhura prema-mahajale

“Lord Caitanya excused all the offenders, and they merged into the ocean of love of God, for no one can escape the unique loving network of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu”

ISKCON50 London Mellows.
Dates: Saturday 9th July & Sunday 10 July
We are excited to announce this exclusive ISKCON50 kirtan event in celebration of the 50th anniversary of ISKCON. Join us over the weekend as we chant 50 musical melodies for the pleasure of Their Lordships and Srila Prabhupada. More details will be available on our website nearer the time.
The event will be recorded live by Radha-Krishna Records and we hope to offer an album at Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara’s 47th Anniversary event.
Read more: http://goo.gl/w6lK8Q

Offering an E card!
As you all are aware that in July 2016, ISKCON will complete 50 years of its existence. Being a golden Jubilee year, devotees from all across the globe will come together to present “Golden Jubilee Card” to His Divine Grace Shri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Yes, there is an e-card designed where devotees can submit their offering to Srila Prabhupada on the occasion of Golden Jubilee. Offering submission is available till 31st May 2016. Once you submit the offerings, an email will be sent to you for verification. Devotees are requested to kindly verify their email. It’s only after verification that your offerings will be finally submitted to Srila Prabhupada and will be counted.
Your offering will be confidential. Our technical team is also instructed not to read the offering column. Your personal details will be confidential and will not be displayed.
By submitting our offering to Srila Prabhupada for Golden Jubilee we will not only send our heartfelt message to him but we will also break the World Record in the category of “highest number of devotees submitting e-card offering”.
Devotees are requested to submit their offerings only once. Double entry by a devotee will not be accepted, it will be counted as violating rules.
So let’s get started. Kindly go to the exclusive website http://www.offeringstosp.com and submit your offering immediately.
This website can be accessed from your Computer / Laptop and even Smart Phone.
Let’s get going!

Nagy Zsolt asks where Kali is and whether chanting can protect us from him?

The post Bhanu Parwni (Varanasi) asks how to overcoming the laziness to chant and why nonveg is not acceptable to Vaisnavas appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Child Krishna meets baby Radharani for the first time.
The Divine Appearance of Srimati Radharani.
The Puranas relate a story concerning the divine appearance of Shrimati Radharani as follows. One day, Vrishabhanu Maharaja, who was living at Ravel at that time, went to the bank of Yamuna at around noon to take a midday bath.
As he approached the bank of the Yamuna, he saw a golden lotus flower floating on the water and shining brightly like a thousand suns. Vrishabhanu immediately waded into the river and when he came near to the golden lotus flower, he beheld the most beautiful and radiant form of baby girl lying within the petals of the lotus.
At that same moment, Lord Brahma suddenly appeared in the sky and speaking in a grave voice, informed Vrishabhanu that in his previous life, Vrishabhanu and his wife Kirtida had performed great austerities in order to get the consort of Lord Vishnu as their daughter.
Lord Brahma told Vrishabhanu that this girl was the origin of the goddess Lakshmi and that he should take great care of Her. Lord Brahma then placed the baby girl in the arms of Vrishabhanu who became overjoyed, and after taking permission from Lord Brahma, returned to his home.
Seeing the beautiful baby girl shining like millions of autumnal moons, mother Kirtida was overcome with joy and immediately arranged for all kinds of religious rites to be performed and donated thousands of cows to the brahmanas.
At that time baby Radhika was placed in a gem-studded cradle and gently rocked back and forth by all the little girls of the village. Day by day Her luster increased just like the digits of the moon.
Within a short while it was observed that the baby girl made no noise and had not yet opened Her eyes. Vrishabhanu and his wife feared that their baby girl was perhaps blind from birth and also dumb.
At that time, Srila Narada Muni visited the home of Vrishabhanu and informed him that regardless of the girl’s apparent blindness, they should continue with the birth celebrations.
Vrishabhanu therefore made elaborate arrangements for a lavish birth celebration and sent out invitations to all the residents of Ravala and Gokula and especially to his dear friend Nanda Maharaja and his family.
On the appointed day, the guests had assembled and the birth celebrations were going on in great jubilation. Nanda Maharaja and Yashoda Mayi had arrived with Rohini and also brought their small children Krishna and Balarama.
Kirtida met with Yashoda and told her that she was very happy to have such a beautiful daughter, but was feeling rather distraught because her child was both dumb and blind.
Krishna had just passed His first birthday and was happily crawling around the courtyard on His hands and knees. Arriving at the cot in which Radhika was lying, Krishna held on to the sides and managed to lift himself up, He then peered into the cot where His gaze fell upon the beautiful moon-like face of baby Radhika.
As soon as baby Radhika smelt the exotic fragrance of Krishna’s transcendental body, She immediately opened Her eyes for the very first time, and looked directly at Krishna, who was the first person that She had ever seen.
As Krishna gazed lovingly at baby Radhika, He began smiling ecstatically. Radhika then suddenly began to cry and for the very first time she made a sound. Vrishabhanu and Kirtida, along with all the assembled Vrajavasis, were overjoyed to find out that their beloved daughter Radhika, was not blind nor dumb after all.
In the Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi it says. “So powerful is the glancing of Her eyes, that the flute slips from Krishna’s hands, His peacock crown starts to slip, and His yellow shawl becomes displaced as He swoons and falls to the ground. Alas, will I ever get the chance to serve with love and devotion such a person as Radharani.”

Mayapur Daily Darshan May 12 2016 Candana-yatra Day Four (Album with photos)
Vana Bihari - Frolicking in the forest.
The cows take the lead, directed by Krsna’s flute song, kicking their hind legs in the air, shaking their necks, repeatedly lowing as they turn their heads to glance lovingly at the divine brothers. The cowherd boys play flutes, blow horns, and sing about Krsna’s many victories over the demons as they dance, twirl sticks and show off to their elders in many clever ways. Sometimes the gopas make a single line, each boy holding the dhoti of the boy in front of him, forming a giant colourful serpent that slowly snakes its way into the forest and out of sight.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/A5C5Vn

The post Daily Darshan: May 11th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Akshaya Tritiya parikrama (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: On Akshaya Tritiya, all the Saptadevalaya (Seven Goswami Temples) have their Deities completely covered in sandalwood paste for Chandan Yatra. Not all of them allow photos, but wherever Jaya Radhe could take pictures, we can relish the extraordinary darshans!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EvstvJ

By Shanti Rupa Devi Dasi

In conjuction with ISKCON 50 celebrations ISKCON Malaysia has planned to conduct a cross country Mahabharatham Quiz contest in Tamil – A first of its kind in Malaysia.
Organised by ISKCON Malaysia, the first leg started off by Perak branch of ISKCON Malaysia on the first of May 2016. Tamil schools from ipoh, Taiping, Teluk Intan and Sungei Siput took part in this event. They all gathered at the Mahamariamman Temple hall in Ipoh . A total of 18 schools paticipated.
The event began by a welcome address by HG Param Brahma Das, the regional chairman for the state of Perak. Next HG Simhesvara Das, the regional Seceretary for ISKCON Malaysia inspired the students by highlighting the ill effects of this age which is trying hard to lure us away from god and that chanting of the the mahamantra and reading the classical epics is the best way to combat these ill effects.

Then came the spectacular official launch of the event – a Tamil song on Mahabharatham accompanied by 30 drums (tablas). The sweet yet bold and melodious voice of HG Gokula Lakshmi and the synchonised sound of the 30 tablas mesmerised the audience.

The quiz then began. This was a combined effort of a team of devotees from Kuala Lumpur. HG Atmaram pr, HG virabhadra pr, Bh. Kamalanathan were the main persons behind this. The quiz was conducted in 3 stages. The quarter finals , semifinals and finals .

Every student and all the teachers were fiven a Bhagavad gita cd and a Bhagavad Gita as it is book. Apart from this, every best student in each school was given a gift. Three shools were chosen as the best of the lot.They received a cash prize and books and other souvenir gifts individually.

The 3 best schools were : Chidanbaram Tamil School – Teluk Intan
Simee Tamil school
Mukim Pundit Tamil school

More than 400 people participated in this event including students, teachers , parents and local devotees.

Sumptious prasadam was served during the breakfast, lunch and evening after the end of the program.

Everyone immensely enjoyed the programs. the teachers and students, parents and even the devotees very much appreciated this program as this was very informative and everybody learned some new aspect /information on Mahabharatam.

There are plans for similar programs in Johor bharu, Penang and Klang valley including Negri Sembilan.

The final round to select the winner in this contest will be held in Kuala Lumpur.

The post Daily Darshan: May 12th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

May 12. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: ’66 Kaleidoscope.
A kaleidoscope is a tube-shaped optical instrument that you rotate to produce symmetrical designs by means of mirrors that constantly change patterns made by bits of colored glass. Memories of being with Prabhupada sometimes appear like that. This seems to especially happen when you travel a lot, because you tend to shake up your identity and your consciousness. It is different than when staying in the same place and following the same routine.
But a kaleidoscope is abstract. When you look into it, you do not see a meadow and cows; you see all the fragments of light, diamonds, and swirls and chips and sparks. When you shake it up again, hold it to the light and look in – there is another beautiful combination of fragmented colors. Similarly, I tend to get a jumble of images when I shake my “1966 kaleidoscope.”
A little flash of the movie, Happiness at Second Avenue – Prabhupada playing the drum there … the artificial colors of that film. You see yourself also with shaved head. Everyone looks young, but not so pretty or handsome. It is realism, or maybe the nature of the film that makes you look a little funny. There you are, and there is Swamiji playing the drum, reaching forward to get his karatalas.
When you look into the kaleidoscope, you see a lot of memory reels. You can look at them if you want. It is not an actual memory but a memory can that contains facsimile messages. It is something like that TV film, Happiness on Second Avenue, but this is your own film …
Here is a reel of going into Swamiji’s worship room. You go in there, sit down, and Swamiji sits down. He puts on his tilaka and you put on your tilaka … Say it tenderly and lovingly, even if it is “just words.” The scriptures are also words. Vaisnavas do not say that words are inadequate. Even if they cannot completely capture something, words do a service. So have a respect for them. Have a respect for the words in the memories of Prabhupada. And accept what you see in the kaleidoscope.
The floor of the storefront … Prabhupada playing the drum … I am being lifted out of the tragedy I was in. I am wearing an aquamarine shirt, which I later cut up and made into a beadbag. With him we could sit on the floor with our shirts of the past, our minds becoming cleansed by the cosmic sounds he described as “transcendental sound vibration,” delivering the mind from all that Lower East Side stuff and all the hurt of our previous lives …
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=8

’66 Kaleidoscope

Gita verse-by-verse podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 10.11 – The way to drive out darkness is to turn on the light appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Question 1) In Raganuga bhakti we aspire for the passion present in an eternally perfected brajabāsī – a devotee like a cowherd boy/ gopī/ Krishna’s parents, not a perfected devotee in this world?

Rāgānugā is the method of striving for a specific type of passionate relationship with Krishna found in Vṛndāvana-līlā. People like Prabhupāda, Rūpa Goswāmī, and Śrī Caitanya are the ones who explain this, and guide us in how to do it. They are not the Rāgātmikās but they are the guides to the rāgātmikās. We follow their teachings and examples in our own worldly form, our sādhaka-rūpa. Their example is not the goal of sādhana, but it illustrates how the sādhana is to be done effectively.

Question 2) A very popular notion propagated by many senior leaders in ISKCON these days (one of the ways they “avoid Raganuga topics”) is that we are all practicing Raganuga sadhana already because we are following Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who is Radharani and Radharani is the “perfect Ragatmika bhakta”, so we are following the topmost Ragatmika bhakta-Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Can you clarify this?

This is potentially half-correct. They may be doing the sādhaka-rūpa seva correctly, but that is not the complete picture. Rāgānugā sādhana has two simultaneous and complimentary aspects: the external practice (sādhaka-rūpa seva) and the internal significance (siddha-rūpa seva).

One thing that is perfectly correct is that Sri Radha “is the perfect Rāgātmikā bhakta.” Therefore the conclusion is that we should follow her for the internal significance of our devotional practices. Sri Krishna Caitanya, her manifestation, is “the perfect realized Sādhaka.” We should follow him for the practicalities of how to tangibly practice with cognizance of the internal relevance of our practice to the ideal bhāva we are inspired for.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu considered himself a follower of Radharani. So if you claim you are following him you have to also do so, or at least do something very similar and complimentary (like being a follower of another Vrajabāsī). Otherwise, you are only claiming that you follow Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s contribution to Vedānta is the Rāgānugā mārga. So, one who avoids the Rāgānugā-mārga is not Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s follower.

Question 3) Is it possible that a devotee first gets attracted to the passion of a sādhaka like Ramananda raya or Sri Rupa Goswami, and later, as a result, gets attracted to the passion of a corresponding siddha like Srimati Vishaka devi or Sri Rupa Manjari? Or should it always be the other way round (first having passion for mood of a Vrajabāsī and therefore emulating the sādhakas of Gaura līlā)?

Our attraction to a sādhaka devotee leads us to become attracted to what they are attracted to – a perfect, passionate relationship with Krishna in Vṛndāvana Līlā. Our attraction to those passionate relationships with Krishna will attract us to sādhaka devotees who very perfectly aspire for them. So, it goes both ways.

Question 4) We feel forced into the understanding that we have to develop attraction to Gauranga Mahaprabhu, but unfortunately, we are attracted to Radha-Krishna lila. 

It is essential to study from the source material rather than relying on heresay. From heresay you may develop misshapen ideas that it is unfortunate to be attracted to Radha Krishna līlā. The truth is there is nothing more fortunate than being attracted to Rādhā Krishna līlā! It is the rarest fortune in existence.

Question 5) Where exactly does the sadhana-siddha first go, after achieving perfection in this life, Gaurlila or Vraja līlā?

The sadhakas who have attained bhāva take birth from gopīkās in the pastimes of Krishna manifest in this world. When that manifestation de-manifests from this plane, they go with it into the eternal manifestation of Krishna līlā. 

Question 6) ISKCON propagates the understanding that in Goloka Vrindavan there is a subset or section or a part where Caitanya Mahaprabhu is having his pastimes eternally and devotees who are attracted to Gaur Lila will go there and others who are attracted to Krishna, will end up in Vraja. Is this correct?

Frankly, I don’t know if this is “correct” or “incorrect”, but I know that it is not said in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam nor have the Goswāmīs of Vrindavana said it in any literature that I have had the fortune to study so far.

My understanding is that Gaura-līlā is an aspect of Vraja-līlā. They are not two separate things. When the angle on Vraja-līlā is to relish the sweetness, it manifests as gopīs, etc. When the angle is to share the sweetness, it manifests as very advanced sādhakas like Śrī Caitanya, Ramananda Raya, Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī, etc.

“Sharing the sweetness” implies that it is given to those who don’t yet have it – so how would this manifest in a perfect environment like the “spiritual world”? It doesn’t seem relevant or even possible in that setting. It necessarily manifests where consciousness is bereft of Krishna – this world. This does not mean it is not eternal, this world is also eternal. But in the “spiritual world” it is an intrinsic part of the Vrindavana-bhakti, not distinctly or separately manifest.

Look at the cover of Aindra’s book. If you look at it from one angle you see Gaurahari and his associates. If you look at it from another angle you see Śrī Rādhā and her associates. This is how it really is, as far as I am able to grasp the subject.

Question 7) For a new bhakta like us, who lacks specificity in our attraction to a particular relationship with Krishna, we should go on reading and hearing Krishna Lila until we are eager/greedy to aspire in the footsteps of a particular passionate Vraja-jana, is this right?

Yes, that is in the third of the three verses we are discussing. While you are still developing a specific attraction, then rely on your intellect and wisdom to keep hearing about all of them.

Question 8) Why it is sometimes said that only the āsakti sādhaka (very advanced sādhaka) can appreciate Rādhā Krishna līlā? 

People who are very advanced and conversant with any subject are the only ones who can fully appreciate that subject, but this doesn’t mean no one else can appreciate the subject at all.

We develop āsakti, in fact, by beginning to appreciate Krishna from whatever śraddha we initially have. We will develop āsakti for Rādhā Krishna by cultivating our śraddha for them.  It’s not that by hearing about Varāha-līlā somehow we suddenly get intense attraction to gopī-bhāva. Yes, a person with gopī-bhāva can nourish their gopī-bhāva even by hearing Varāha-līlā, but a person without gopī-bhāva is not at all likely to get it by hearing about Varāha or Nārāyaṇa. If you want a relation with Gopīnātha, you have to hear about Gopīnātha.

Question 9) What role does hearing play in developing an aspiration for a particular passion?

Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī explained that hearing Krishna līlā is the crucial foundation of developing an aspiration for its passion.

Question 10) Whom should we hear from?

We should hear about it from a person who sincerely appreciates its passion and also clearly understands its tattva.

Hear at least from Śrī Śukadeva Goswāmī and Śrī Vyāsadeva by hearing the verses of Srimad Bhagavatam from beginning to end. This is absolutely essential. It is one of Sri Rupa Goswami’s “five most important aspects of sādhana.”

Question 11) How do we find such classes that are focused on arousing our attraction to Krishna?

Oh, this is the biggest problem in the universe! We are wandering through the universe life after life, until by some incredible luck, we finally get an answer to this question. Such kathā is the rarest thing to find anywhere.

Hear about the wives of the brāhmaṇas of Vraja, they got their intense aspiration for Gopīnātha as a result of hearing the “classes” of the gopīs themselves.

At least we can hear the verses of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Question 12) In ISKCON, we find the classes are more universal and general in order to suit the needs of everyone which arise from variation in the advancement.

In my opinion, this is the biggest flaw of ISKCON. Krishna consciousness cannot exist without Krishna Kathā, but I have found the Krishna Kathā in ISKCON to consistently be extremely dissapointing (although on rare occasion it can be very good). It is the greatest dissapointment and the worst failure. A “society for Krishna consciousness” is such in name only if it is not a society of Krishna Kathā. Our Krishna consciousness cannot possibly be deeper than our Krishna Kathā.

Question 13) How does one generate the “lobha” (the qualification) to practice Raganuga bhakti? 

Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī explained that. We generate the aspiration for a passionate relationship with Krishna by hearing about passionate relationships with Krishna.

Vraja Kishor das

www.vrajakishor.com

Tagged: ISKCON, Raganuga, Raganuga Bhakti, Rupa Goswami

---

Written by Nandan

Wednesday, 27 April

It feels like yesterday that we were on the last Kingsday parade. Already a year gone…. This may have already been said umpteen times but one can’t emphasize enough how different it felt without Kadamba Kanana Swami being here! As we were getting ready for the parade, Maharaj was already making plans to leave that day to go to Amsterdam. Not for the parade, but to get ready for India. We started off early in the cold morning, on our coaches to Amsterdam. Most of the devotees were still half asleep including myself.

The drive was interesting but not in an obvious sense. After leaving the last few hills and valleys of the Ardennes behind us, it was pretty much a seamless road from Belgium to Holland. It was hard to even decipher when one is even in Holland. But the road signs were a giveaway. As per its reputation, you couldn’t get much of a flatter landscape than Holland. Nothing much stands out naturally, no hills, no bump in the ground; just damp, green, flat fields. The deeper we were getting into Holland, field after field after field, were outlined with waterways; the only things punctuating the monotony were the various factories, offices and pylons along the way.

A landscape can tell quite a bit about a nation. Everything about the Dutch countryside was neat and clean but in a rather controlled, clinical manner – the numerous pylons across the fields, the buildings that were basically big boxes with no aesthetics and the eerily uniform fields. It is as if every blade of grass was trimmed to the last millimetre and the entire landscape was sterilized. Efficient and utilitarian, that is what came to one’s mind looking at the landscape. Nothing was left to just flourish by the grace of Mother Nature… Although we need to give the Dutch some credit, they did dredge up a lot of the land from the sea and made it into a country. So I guess the land had to be controlled to a ‘T’.

I considered what a broad minded spirit Maharaj is… no wonder he left this place to seek something different!! After a few hours, we finally got to Amsterdam. Despite the unimpressive, staid buildings coming into Amsterdam; the city centre was quite picturesque with elegant, statuesque buildings that seem to be straight from the 17^th Century. Quaint lanes criss-crossed with wide boulevards, and of course what would Amsterdam be without her canals!?

So it was the 2016 Kingsday parade… People were out and about but it wasn’t buzzing like last year. Probably due to the weather; like the rest of the week, it was cold and drizzly. I’ll be honest; it wasn’t an easy start for us – the weather, Maharaj not being there and then to cap it all; we found out that Lokanatha Swami couldn’t make it due to feeling sick! Some of us probably had to dig a little deep to get that motivation and stay focused. Nonetheless we ploughed on and got the harinama going. And of course, the legendary Parashuram Prabhu and his gang of devotees from the UK were there to help fire things up. Without Maharaj, the main devotee organizing us and giving us the energy was Vraja Krsna Prabhu (senior Bhakti Tirtha Maharaj disciple from Bulgaria who lives in South Africa) but more about him later.

Gurudas started off and was really good. He was surprised that he got picked to sing. He considered himself a little fish amongst all the ‘big guys’, but he certainly delivered. Once he got going, the devotees felt rejuvenated. In between his singing, he would periodically shout out “Kadamba Kanana Maharaj ki jai!” Admittedly some of the devotees were a little bemused but then they got the spirit in which he intended it. Gurudas had this innate ‘Gothic style’ of singing which really appealed to the Western crowd. His kirtan went from the start point near the Kennedylaan station up to the Apollolaan which was the first crowded street we came to. From there, veteran kirtaneer Parividha Prabhu took over.

Naturally he knew how to work the crowd in his inimitable theatrical style. As we were coming near the famous Rijksmuseum (the Rembrandt themed museum with the big grassy plain), Nrsimha Caitanya Prabhu commenced his kirtan. It was wonderful! Prabhu is a talented, young kirtaneer from Czech and he happens to be one of the most appreciative devotees of Maharaj’s jokes I’ve ever seen. Whenever Maharaj would crack a joke, witty comment or wisecrack, he would break into one of the most infectious laughs ever. The best is when he is laughing so much at a joke, that no sound is coming from his mouth; his head is just moving, the shoulders bobbing and he has the widest grin stretching from ear to ear. Naturally his kirtan was high-spirited and fired up, a bit like him! Unfortunately this year, the police barred us from going under the arch of the museum. The sound effect of the kirtan under there is just incredible, and the majesty of the arch itself adds another empyreal angle to the experience. But never mind, the show must go on!

Our route continued through some of Amsterdam’s famous landmarks such as Leidseplein, then going onto Koningsplein. Soon Vraja Krsna Prabhu took over and that’s when things really got going… Incroyable! This was harinama! Prabhu was a total tour de force of kirtan potency. He knew how to take the kirtan to the next level, then off the hook for extra measure. One of the special things about the Kingsday parade was how many non-devotees immersed themselves and got into the kirtan. But it was dependent to a great degree on the kirtaneer’s potency; in this regard Vraja Krsna Prabhu potency was like molten lava. At one of the town squares, he got so many devotees and non-devotees, of every race, age, shape and size to go nuts on the kirtan, going round in spiralling circles, dancing around in intricate formations. Beautiful, simply beautiful! The power and passion he was bringing was staggering – hot, perspiring, face becoming beetroot red and eyes wide open like saucers… it didn’t matter. He was belting out the maha mantra with everything he had, often right in people’s faces out of pure inspiration. Personally I feel the word ‘ecstasy’ is one of the most overused words in Iskcon, but in this case he really did look like he was in ecstasy.

One couldn’t help but be moved by his effort. Thankfully he did quite a few kirtan slots during the whole day as did the other devotees. After this first one, I went up to him saying how much I loved it. Prabhu replied that since Maharaj isn’t here, he was just doing what he could to bring that energy through. No doubt Maharaj would be very happy with his endeavour today… he captured the raison d’etre of the event. When we were moving away from the town square, Sesa Prabhu pointed up at a huge Ferris wheel looming behind us. He commented that it was the cycle of samsara (material existence) which all the people around us are on. They did not know it but this holy name we were singing is what was releasing them from the clutches of this wheel. Well said Sesa!

The harinama carried on with great gusto and the weather seemed to be reciprocating as well. It was a lot warmer and sunnier now. The Kingsday revelers with their orange hats, wigs and plastic bottles of beer were also getting in on the fun more, joining us in kirtans wherever they saw us. There was also the ubiquitous whiff of ganja all around us, this is Amsterdam after all. The wonderfully audacious Gita Govinda Mataji (Maharaj’s disciple from Holland) remarked to me that this is what you call the ‘Heineken’ mantra miracle. The people have got beer in their hands and at the same time they were singing the maha mantra. They think they’re having a laugh, having fun, singing along with the beer in their hands. Little do they realise, they are cutting the karmic knots of the beer drinking and accessing the highest gift anyone can ever have! All with a beer in their hands… the ‘Heineken’ mantra miracle.

Soon we sang our way to the river side to have lunch. Some of us sat on a bench opposite the river and there were celebration boats going past blaring out techno music, guys and girls boogying on the boats, downing their beers, smoking their ciggies, toking their joints. The ladies inevitably were dancing quite provocatively. A Prabhu sitting next to me said the ladies here were very feminine! I thought about it and disagreed. I guess this shows the effect the holy name is having on the consciousness of someone as degraded as me. Whereas before, I would have happily agreed with him in great appreciation; now I realise it wasn’t really an expression of femininity. The postmodern culture of the Western world has led to an increasingly blurred line between masculinity and femininity. Coming from a Western nation, I know that that the classic ‘femininity’ that Prabhu was referring to is not so much there anymore. What we were witnessing on the boats looked like ‘hyper-femininity’. The young girls seemed to be over emphasising, overcompensating for some authentic feminine grace that may have been there in more traditional setting. But now it was more of a performance of projecting femininity. Some of the gyrating girls may have even been fully aware of what they were doing. The guys… maybe not so much!!

After lunch, the harinama continued on route to Vondelpark. This was where we would have the famous tunnel experience. Every year, this is undoubtedly the piece de resistance of the whole parade! It is always hard to describe this part of the parade because it really is beyond words. Vraja Krsna Prabhu and Parividha Prabhu were spearheading the kirtans and giving everything they had to the holy name. Every iota of their being was fully focused on raising this kirtan underneath the tunnel to higher and higher levels of euphoria! It may well be Krsna’s arrangement that the acoustics in the tunnel were perfectly made for this harinama. Every syllable sung; gloriously reverberating in one’s ears and ribcage. And practically everyone, devotees and non-devotees alike were going completely insane! Never mind that most of them didn’t know what they were singing. The holy name is beyond mundane logic and rationality, it is said to be Krsna himself and is invested with all of his potencies. Right now, underneath that tunnel one could witness those statements in practice. The holy name was taking hold of everyone on a primal level.  They were all dancing madly and yet in complete unison, in voice and body. Moving in perfect synchronicity up and down and across the tunnel in tune with the sacred sounds. Sometimes the chanting would rise to a crescendo, and sometimes descending to a diminuendo. Everyone would similarly rise and descend accordingly, completely at one with the sound vibration. A perfect example of ekatvam; as specified in the Sri Isopanisad.

For those of you who were there, surely you’ll identify with what I’m trying to describe. For those of you who weren’t, do not rely on my paltry verbal descriptions of the tunnel experience. Next year, just go there and experience it for yourself. The proof is in the pudding. That’s enough from me for this year’s Vyasa Puja celebrations. I’ll leave you with an excerpt from Bhakta Michael (poet, preacher and scholar from the UK) on his feelings about the Kingsday harinama…

What can I say? The whole experience was brilliant, exhilarating and exciting. For my mind, body and soul. The kirtans were inspiring and the opportunity to have philosophical discussions with new people over lunch was nourishing because it allowed me to share wisdom of Krsna with others and actually practice Krsna consciousness by chanting Hare Krsna aloud for my benefit and others.

 At a certain point the kirtan even inspired me to take an internal vow to chant more attentively in my japa. For the future, unless I’m not in Europe, there will never be a year that I won’t attend Kingsday to participate in the harinama!

 HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaj ki Jai!!

2016 Vyasa Puja and Kingsday ki Jai!!

Visit Flickr to see all the photos.

Perth Temple has been having regular Bhakti Vrksa programs for some years now and I usually participate on my visits there.

It’s always enthusing to see fortunate souls who want to have kirtan, read and ask questions about verses from Bhagavad Gita.

If you find yourself, as a parent, spending much time and effort coming up with various engagements and gadgets for your children, you should have seen our group of 30 students, ages 4 to 14, happily and deeply absorbed for over an hour in playing and creating with what you would normally call “trash”!

John Bush, the father of our student Ember, is the owner of Adbongo, a resource efficiency consulting business. What you consider your garbage and scraps, he sees as endless possibilities of creations.  In his pocket, he carries a wallet made of juice boxes. The soles of his shoes are made of tires. He came to our school to present his ideas and increase awareness for reusing and repurposing waste. With him he brought a wreath made of what you’d simply call “junk”. Within minutes, all the children were busy creating, constructing, painting, cutting, gluing. “The only limitation is your imagination” John said. One student, inspired by this idea, went home and gathered some boxes to create a model of “TKG Academy” building.

We are hoping together to improve our use of our resources and reduce the waste. Certainly, we will not look at trash the same way again…

Photoset not found

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Bhagavad-gita 2.41 during the Sunday Krishna Fest.

“Keep in mind that when Srila Prabhupada was reading this verse in the Bhagavad-gita with the commentary, that was the moment that his firm resolution took place that. ‘Yes, now I must leave everything and follow the orders of my spiritual master and go to America.’ And, because of that order and his faith in that order we are all here, this temple is here and Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji is here.”

“Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura instructs us, in his famous prayers for the spiritual master, as follows:

yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado
yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ’pi
dhayan stuvams tasya yasas tri-sandhyam
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

“By satisfaction of the spiritual master, the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes satis?ed. And by not satisfying the spiritual master, there is no chance of being promoted to the plane of Krishna consciousness. I should, therefore, meditate and pray for his mercy three times a day, and offer my respectful obeisances unto him, my spiritual master.” (Bg 2.41 purport)

“This process of developing faith obviously has to extend to the spiritual master. Because if one doesn’t have faith in the spiritual master then how will he satisfy Krishna? This faith must be based on knowledge and not sentiment or fanaticism. What to speak of other considerations like false prestige or fashion.”

Kirtan, Dallas
Bhagavad-gita 2.41, Dallas

Harinama in Yoga Vidya Musik Festival, Germany, in one of the biggest Yoga centers in Europe (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna is the root of everything. If He is pleased, everyone will be pleased. If you pour water on the root, the water will be distributed all over the tree. This is the best service to humanity. Letter to Mr. Karsan, December 2, 1976.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/q4XPz2

Perception of animals.
Question: What divides animals and humans in Hinduism? How are animals perceived in Hinduism? Are they treated differently?
Romapada Swami: First I would like to offer some background on the word “Hinduism”.
Srila Prabhupada, the founder-Acarya of ISKCON, explains, people from Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Persia mispronounced the name of the river “Sindhu”, calling the river “the Hindu” and the people living in and beyond its valley “Hindus.” (Please refer to Science of Self Realization).
There is actually no such word as “Hindu” in the Vedic texts, nor in a Sanskrit dictionary.
According to the Vedic teachings all living entities are spiritual equals, i.e. eternal spiritual souls, fragmental parts of the Supreme Soul, some of which are occupying different bodies within this created realm. See Bhagavad-gītā 14.4 and 15.7. All life therefore has equal value and is entitled to protection under the law of material nature. Heads of State governments are duty-bound to provide this protection, according to the codes of the Vedic scriptures.
Drawing upon information revealed in the Vedic literature, Srila Prabhupada teaches that just as all human beings are embodied spirit-souls, equal in the eyes of the Lord, so too are animals. As such, he explains, the human being who kills an animal must be held morally and karmically responsible for that death under the laws of God and nature, just as one would be for causing the death of a human being. According to the Vedic instruction, he says, human society should protect the animals’ right to live and be protected.
Bhagavad-gita 5.18 “The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste).”
What divides Animals and Humans:
Animals are largely controlled by natural instincts, arising from impulses born of the modes of nature. Due to the fact that their consciousness is less evolved than the soul occupying a human form of life, animals are not held responsible karmically for these actions; they do not incur any new karma.
Humans on the other hand have received their life form as a result of naturally occurring evolution of consciousness, including the ability of rational thinking, thus making choices of behavior beyond the level of animalistic impulse. With this facility of higher consciousness comes responsibility for their actions, thus resulting in Karma.
By design, human life is ultimately meant for reviving our lost relationship with God by following the instructions of God contained in religious books like the Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. Animals do not have the capacity or developed intelligence by which they can understand the process of self-realization and God realization (including understanding why are we suffering, who am “I”, what is the goal of my life, etc.).
These are some of the major differences between the animal and the human form of life.

By Sri Nandanandana dasa

There have been some people who have declared that the worship of Deities or images or the murti in the temples is but a recent invention of Vedic culture. However, that is not an accurate point. It is true that according to the different yugas or ages (such as Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga) there are different processes for spiritual development that have been more recommended than others. For example, meditation was the recommended process for Satya-yuga, when people lived much longer and could sit in meditation for long periods of time. Then in Treta-yuga it was best to engage in various and extravagant rituals, havans, yajnas, or fire ceremonies. Then in Dvapara-yuga it was best to engage in elaborate worship, with opulent offerings to the Deities and prayers and mantras sung to the Deities. So, all of these processes have continued down through the ages to some degree or another. However, in Kali-yuga, though we still see all of these processes used, it is now the chanting of mantras, especially the Hare Krishna mantra, that is the most highly efficient and recommended process of spiritual growth in this age. Continue reading "The Antiquity of Deity Worship in the Vedic Tradition
→ Dandavats"

Job Advertisement – Principal of SMIS for Sri Mayapur International School. (Sridham Mayapur, West Bengal, India)
Starting from August 2016. Sri Mayapur International School (“SMIS”) is a popular and highly regarded Cambridge International Examinations-affiliated school, situated at the world headquarters of ISKCON in Sridham Mayapur.
With thousands of resident Indian and foreign-bodied devotees, a thriving community has developed at Mayapur. Further growth is imminent - ISKCON is building the world’s largest Vedic temple and plans have been approved to build a “Vedic City”.
Now in its third decade, SMIS has established itself as one of the leading Krishna Conscious schools in the world, and caters for children from Pre-school to Year 13. Examination results at IGCSE & A-Level and student numbers are rising each year.
The Board of Governors is seeking to appoint a Principal with an excellent track record and educational experience, fully committed to inclusive education in this spiritual environment. The position will be highly impactful and dynamic, as SMIS plans to undergo a transformational period of change – with new systems, processes and resources.
SMIS is an equal opportunities employer. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply immediately. The deadline is 24th May 2016. A detailed information pack, job & benefits description and application instructions are available by emailing careers@mayapurschool.com or on +91 3472 245 363 / www.mayapurschool.com

By Acintya Caitanya Dasa

Jananivas Prabhu’s service was to bring frankincense to Srila Prabhupada’s room in the evening. He mentioned that usually after you fill a room with frankincense, you open the doors and windows so that the mosquitos go out with the smoke. Srila Prabhupada however liked to keep the smoke within the room and stopped Jananivas Prabhu from opening the doors and windows. Since it was Srila Prabhupada’s darshan time, there would usually be many western devotees in the room and these western devotees would begin to cough and their eyes would water since they were not used to the smoke. Continue reading "An unexpected encounter
→ Dandavats"

The post The principle of dvy-angulonam appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post PRAY acronym: Revisiting our conceptions about praying appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Wheat Alternatives.
Kurma das: Sheila from New York writes:
“Can you suggest some flours that I can use instead of wheat, especially for the grain-fast on the sacred Ekadasi day?”
My reply: “Yes. Here’s my list of non-wheat flours, some you may not have encountered.”
Amaranth flour: Milled from the seeds of the amaranth plant, this flour boasts a higher percentage of protein than most other grains, and has more fibre than wheat and rice. It is also higher in the amino acid lysine, which some food scientists believe makes it a more complete protein than flour made from other grains. Amaranth flour can be used in cookies, crackers, baking mixes, and cereals.
Arrowroot flour: The root stalks of a tropical plant are the source of this flour, often used as a thickener for sauces and desserts; the finely powdered arrowroot turns completely clear when dissolved (giving gloss to sauces), and adds no starchy flavor. Because of its easy digestibility, it is also an used as an ingredient in cookies intended for infants and young children. I use it as a grain-free substitute to corn flour (cornstarch for all US readers).
Buckwheat flour: A common ingredient in pancake mixes, buckwheat flour is also used to make Japanese soba noodles. It is available in light, medium, and dark varieties (the dark flour boasts the strongest flavor), depending on the kind of buckwheat it is milled from. You can make your own buckwheat flour by processing whole white buckwheat groats in a blender or food processor.
Chestnut flour: This tan flour is made from chestnuts, the meaty, lowfat nuts that are often served as a vegetable. The flour is a little sweet and is traditionally used in Italian holiday desserts. Italian shops sell it.
Potato flour (potato starch): Steamed potatoes are dried and then ground to a powder to make this gluten-free flour, which is commonly used in baked goods for Jewish Passover (when wheat flour may not be used).
Quinoa flour: Higher in fat than wheat flour, quinoa flour makes baked goods more moist. You can make your own quinoa flour by processing whole quinoa in a blender; stop before the flour is too fine – it should be slightly coarse, like cornmeal.
Tapioca flour: Milled from the dried starch of the cassava root, this flour thickens when heated with water and is often used to give body to puddings, fruit pie fillings, and soups. It can also be used in baking.
Water-chestnut flour (water-chestnut powder): This Asian ingredient is a fine, powdery starch that is used to thicken sauces (it can be substituted for cornstarch) and to coat foods before frying to give them a delicate, crisp coating.
I am sure this is not a complete list. I also encountered flatbreads made from banana flour whilst in India. Last time I posted this information I received this letter from Gandhari dasi:
“I also have some more flours used by Gujarati Krishna Devotees.
1) Ragigara (or Ragigaro or rajgira/rajgeera) flour – Very small – is a very small tiny seeds like yellow mustard seeds but much smaller. The seeds can be used to make popcorn and these popped seeds are used to make khir with milk and sugar. The flour is used to make halavah which turns out to be a brown and sticker than regular halavah. The flour is used to make vada, parathas, puris, rotis and small pakoras with mashed potatoes using herbs, ground black pepper and salt added. (note from Kurma: this is amaranth, as described in my list above.)
2) Singado flour. Pakoras are made using ground peanuts and mashed potatoes, little baking power, salt and coriander leaves and ground black pepper. (note from Kurma: this is another name for Water Chestnut flour, as described above.)
3) Cassava grits and flour. (very starchy but sweet tasting roots). Boil the grits with 2 to 3 times the water. It turns into mashed potato consistency and any chopped vegetables can be added. These can also be used to make halavah and base for the Ekadasi Pizza. Boiled Cassava makes excellent subji with lots of fresh tomatoes. Boiled – sliced (one inch thick sticks) – Fried sticks sprinkled with black pepper and salt and a little lemon, make amazing chips that far surpass potato chips. Hope this helps. Gandhari Dasi”

Harinama in Russia (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)

---

Written by Nandan

Srimad Bhagavatam 7.8.19-24

The temple deities were stunning as always. It never fails to astonish me how the pujaris can dress the deities so beautifully every day! It is like there is never an off-day, the deities are on form, every day, day after day. And this is not just in Radhadesh, every Iskcon temple one sees the same phenomena. The most attractive deities one can imagine, in the most striking clothes, every day, all year around. No wonder, even followers of other spiritual groups come to visit our temples and seek advice on deity worship.

On this morning (26 April), the temple room was full but not overflowing like yesterday. No doubt, many devotees were still resting from the previous night’s kirtan. Following on from yesterday’s morning class, Maharaj continued with his outstanding exposition on Hiranyakashipu’s consciousness.

Hiranyakashipu may be the prototype demon but the Lord outdid Hiranyakashipu not just in terms of strength but also in intelligence. And he appeared before Hiranyakashipu neither as a human or an animal, not during the day or night or inside or outside….that’s supreme intelligence. And Krsna gifts us our intelligence as he declares in the Bhagavad-gita.

But then Maharaj had enough of talking about Hiranykashipu and wanted to focus on Prahlad Maharaj. We have to really embrace Prahlad’s mood, he said. It is not just trying to conquer lust and anger but about positive engagement. Prahlad was always fully absorbed in ecstasy despite all the trials and tribulations. This state is not found through determination but through building up of taste by sato vritteh (following in the footsteps of the acharyas) and regularity of spiritual practice. Of course, sato vritteh does not mean we imitate the Goswamis but we embrace their spirit. Maharaj said in this regard, “… like when I had shingles, I was only sleeping one hour a night and I realized I ain’t no Goswami!!!” But regularity must be there. So we need to get absorbed like Prahlad and if we feel a vacuum; then we know we have to put in more. But Maharaj made it clear that to get ecstasy from Krsna, we have to make the first step.

Vyasa Puja Ceremony

Finally, we got to the event of the day. We were in the community room and it was packed to the brim and beyond, as expected. Tulsi Prabhu started of singing the Guruvastakam prayers in a melody that no one but he and Maharaj seemed to know of.  Right till the end of the prayers, a lot of the devotees were still trying to get a handle on how the melody was going! And during the melody, Sesa Prabhu went to present the Vyasa Puja book to Maharaj which he had so painstakingly put together. Everyone had that mood of reverence and sobriety. Maharaj himself was actually looking pretty chilled out with his limbs casually stretched out.

Gurudas soon came to the front and started off with a few jokes just to relax the atmosphere. He went onto recollecting various life experiences and crisscrossing paths with Maharaj. After the introduction, Krsna Kirtan Prabhu came on and narrated a sober, deeply touching Vyasa Puja offering made by HH Sacinandana Swami. Sacinandana Swami spoke of how he loves and cares for Kadamba Kanana Swami and also told him not to neglect the needs of the body. Really moving and tender and so inspiring to see the loving feelings exalted vaishnavas have towards each other. It was like being privy to something precious that you are not really qualified to witness.

Gurudas then recited a beautiful Celtic prayer in honour of Maharaj. It was gifted to him by a Scottish church. Soon the offerings by the disciples were being shared one after another. Too many to count but all full of sincerity and heart. Srila Prabhupada disciple, Jaya Badhra Mataji mentioned how she pictured Maharaj as this principled, exuberant but kind personality who was boldly leading a battalion of fearless, exhilarated kirtaneers. It was a nice image to conjure.

Then young Nimai (Maharaj’s plucky, German servant) came up and recalled how he was making a right ‘balls up’ of putting up a mosquito net and then he quoted Maharaj’s priceless response… every German isn’t an engineer after all! This brought out some hearty chuckles, particularly from the European devotees. Nimai went onto reminisce how Maharaj was in poor health once and promised that he would lead a kirtan for only 45 minutes in Soweto. Of course, he believed Maharaj and Maharaj ended up leading the kirtan for 2 hours and everyone started dancing on stage, so the stage effectively became a trampoline!! He then finished off by saying, “Traveling with you has been the best experience of my life!”

To hear a lot of the offerings was quite humbling and not always easy for a reprobate like myself to relate to. There was talk of seeing his holy feet, thanking him for giving them life, taking the sacred dust of his feet and living to please him! Scripturally one understands this is the mood but to hear it from a modern day devotee is something else. If anything, it made me realise I have nowhere near that level of devotion!

One offering that particularly stood out for me was Sutapa Prabhu’s. He started off by stating that the Guru disciple relationship is like a tennis match. He hits the ball in your court and you have to work with it. Otherwise if you don’t hit it back, the match will become a little stale.

After the offerings Gurudas announced the commencement of Maharaj’s kirtans and speech.

Vyasa Puja Address to Disciples

Maharaj then started explaining that when Rama and Sita crossed the river, the bees were also crossing the river but after being intoxicated with honey. Hence they couldn’t fly straight. But there was one bee who wasn’t intoxicated, he didn’t drink the honey but simply took them across, like a Guru. That was what he was, the Guru…..

Our purpose is to become residents of the spiritual world, to bee with the gopas, gopis, the cows and the dust. We hear these things again and again. We serve and we hear and little by little we start to get familiar with the pastimes. Then the weight starts shifting from our material leg to the spiritual leg… As the weight shifts to the spiritual leg, the entire world becomes spiritual and then we realize we were already there.

Maharaj pressed upon the need to give to the community of the devotees. Initially we come to the movement and we start hoarding the prasadam but eventually, we must turn around and give to others. Then that recurring theme came out in Maharaj’s message about caring for each other. He confessed to burning out a few devotees in the past and the problem is that there are only a few devotees in the world as it is. We may call ourselves the “international society” but really, after a year you start to recognize everyone! Like in a village, so it’s imperative that we make a contribution to the vaishnavas….

Maharaj elucidated on the topic of real freedom, stating that he was born a Dutchman with a rebellious spirit and he seems to attract a bunch of rebellious people. So naturally rebellious people need space, so he is here to create that space for us in Lord Caitanya’s movement.

But this was balanced with the principle that one who wants freedom must take responsibility for themselves. So ultimately the ball is back in our court. Particular stress was given to not getting attracted with pretty things like sex desire. Let’s be real; it won’t fulfil us. So let’s not make too much of it. The world is oversexed now and makes far too much of it… Maybe some people need a bit of romance but then keep it within the boundaries Krsna lays for us. Don’t go beyond that; as it’s the same script again and again…

In reference to the recent health scare, Maharaj expressed how he would like to be with us for many more years. Even though he could not attend the Kingsday parade the next day, he heartfully requested all of us to go for it in the harinam and to pass on the message to Lokanath Maharaj to really ‘cook it up’ in the tunnel….

The talk was followed by the ceremonial flower offerings and the Guruvandana prayers keenly led by Gour Mohan Prabhu (a young, witty sankirtan devotee from Germany) and then we were off to the tent for the famous Vyasa Puja feast…

The Feast

Due to the difficult weather, the tent was quite chilly and it took some getting used to. But when the feast came, such discomforts were easily overlooked. The feast was magnificent. Even after being vegetarian for six years now, I am still sometimes amazed at how delicious vegetarian food can be. Notwithstanding the spiritual effect of it being prasadam; this feast really bought out that feeling. There weren’t so many dishes as other Iskcon feasts, but this was a good thing. It meant one could focus on and relish what was there instead of getting bewildered by too many items. There were these fried, squidgy, lentil cubes with tamarind chutney; fried rice with herbs and creamy vegetable sabji. But the dish that really smashed it was the spinach and paneer curry. The paneer chunks were huge – the size of babies’ fists and so soft and succulent. For dessert there was an assortment of sweets such as the Vyasa Puja sponge cake with cream and srikand with sweet fritters. The one thing that could’ve been better was the drink. Frankly, it was too sweet a but it was an incredible feast regardless… and thanks to Pradyumna and Mahibarta Prabhus for their effort.

Evening time

Later there was more revelry as devotees from the British yatra put on a drama based on the famous ‘Narada Muni and the cobbler’ pastime. It was a hoot! Soon after, Maharaj decided to retire to his room and practically those same devotees who were in the drama decided to follow him back! Everyone was feeling quite relaxed in Maharaj’s room. There was that feeling of just being with Maharaj that was nice. Not asking loads of questions or having deep, intense conversations but just being in Maharaj’s company. That was nice. There wasn’t even that much talking, the conversations were quite sporadic, a few words here and there, then gaps of comfortable stillness where Maharaj would just lean back on his chair and the devotees would quietly meditate on what Maharaj had said or simply bask in his association.

Tulsi Prabhu’s Guruvastakam prayers came up. Maharaj joked how no one got the melody… at all! But he really appreciated it, being familiar with that melody. In fact, he clarified that it was the correct Guruvastakam melody to be sung at that time of day. While on the subject, Maharaj clarified another thing; during the foot wash there is no need to sing the Guruvandana prayers. Instead that is the time to be singing the Guruvastakam prayers!

Another topic that was raised was how Maharaj would boldly stop a kirtan if the devotees were not singing the melody properly or missing some beats etc. Whilst devotees had a little giggle at this, Maharaj did assert that the deeper issue is of not listening properly. As a movement, we are trying to transfer knowledge and communicate with others. At the same time, good listening is also required. This applies to following instructions and listening to classes as well. A lot of the time Maharaj noticed that people just associate what they are hearing with their own pre conceived notions. For example, if there is a class on varnasrama; they wouldn’t actually hear what was being said. They would go away, just knowing that the topic was varnasrama and their own stereotypical version of it. A very relevant point which a lot of us have to be mindful of….

Before winding down for the night, Maharaj encouraged all the disciples assembled to have fun tomorrow. He admitted that for such an event, some spiritual leadership is certainly required. But even though he won’t be there, there will be other stalwart devotees such as Lokanath Maharaj to build up the energy and strength.

Visit Flickr to see all the photos!

HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaj ki Jai!

Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education newsletter.
The VIHE in Vrindavan was established to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire for an educational institute in Vrindavana. The VIHE in the holy Dhama provides an ideal facility and atmosphere for you to improve your sadhana, develop your devotional qualities, engage in serious study, associate with senior devotees, and receive training in practical skills relevant to management and preaching.
The VIHE also aims to preserve and disseminate standards Srila Prabhupada set for acting in Krishna consciousness and to deepen devotee’s understanding, realization and appreciation of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and movement. Thus, the Krishna conscious culture and values that Srila Prabhupada gave us can be passed on to successive generations. All courses are well researched and taught by senior devotees who have a deep understanding of the subject.
Please find the VIHE newsletter, fresh and new: Three secrets by HH Sacinandana Swami, HG Bhurijana Prabhu on the new Govardhan Retreat Center, testimonials from the alumni and well-wishers, announcements and more:
https://goo.gl/bwiyu7

Deities installation ceremony in Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We have to work sincerely, and because Krishna is in everyone’s heart, there will be no difficulty to have the necessary facilities. Letter to Satsvarupa, September 14, 1969.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lOyx7j

By Visakha devi dasi

On Saturday morning, April 9, 2016, the quaint Florida costal town of St. Augustine hosted the Lord of the Universe, Jagannatha, along with His sister Subhadra and brother Balarama, for Their traditional, annual Rathayatra parade and festival. The weather was perfect, the townspeople curious and friendly, and the devotees jubilant to be participating in the first Rathayatra of the year.

The mayor of St. Augustine, Nancy Shaver, was delighted to attend. She said, “The Festival of Chariots is a moment of joyful peace for me, I am invited to attend many programs but this festival gives me inner peace.” She was given Kurma’s cook book & she said “I will definitely try using the recipes.” She inaugurated the event by breaking a fresh coconut before the Rathayatra cart, and the procession began. Seven mridungas accompanied the lead kirtan singer, as Adikarta das played a harmonium and a newcomer played a base drum. The hari- nam party, flanked on both sides by the thick ropes of the Rathayatra cart that was being pulled by many hands, walked through St. Augustine’s main streets as Lord Jagannatha and His divine family members watched with wide-open eyes.

The Rathayatra procession was followed by a feast, free to all comers, and then the devotees sent off on a roaring hari-nam through St. Augustine’s elite shopping district. The Vaishnavis from Gainesville’s Krishna House were in the front of the hari-nam party, dancing together in a spontaneously choreographed step. Sri Vrindavan devi and her team of book distributors offered Srila Prabhupada’s books to all takers. Happily, there were many takers. The color, the gaiety, and the uplifting mood induced many, many people to stop and listen, watch, photograph, and wonder, and make this festival a sweet success.

May 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Keeping a One-Two-Three Kirtana Beat.
People came to the storefront seeking consciousness expansion, which they had been getting on LSD, and Srila Prabhupada promised that they would find it without drugs, by chanting. Prabhupada taught the rhythm, one-two-three, one-two-three. When he gave some of the hippies the karatalas, they wanted to play their own beats. But Prabhupada stopped them and said, “No! Keep this beat: one-two-three.” Although we did not accept him in the beginning as our spiritual master, he insisted that we keep this beat, and so we agreed. He asserted his authority on the beat of the mantras; if you wanted to stay in the storefront and participate, you had to do it his way or confront him. But aside from the one-two-three beat, Prabhupada was very lenient and allowed all kinds of musical instruments to be played. Even piano innards were brought inside and strummed.
The people in the storefront would leave after the kirtana. Maybe only half would stay for the lecture. On a good night there might be many people, and after the kirtana half would leave.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=8

Keeping a One-Two-Three Kirtana Beat

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 12. 187 – 198

“The philosophy of monism is an adjustment of the Buddhist philosophy of voidism. In a mock fight with Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Nityananda Prabhu was refuting this type of monistic philosophy. Vaisnavas certainly accept Lord Sri Krsna as the ultimate “one,” and that which is without Krsna is called maya, or that which has no existence. External maya is exhibited in two phases — jiva-maya, the living entities, and guna-maya, the material world. In the material world there is prakrti (material nature) and pradhana (the ingredients of material nature). However, for one who becomes Krsna conscious, the distinction between material and spiritual varieties does not exist. An advanced devotee like Prahlada Maharaja sees everything as one — Krsna. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.4.37), krsna-graha-grhitatma na veda jagad idrsam. One who is in full Krsna consciousness does not distinguish between things material and spiritual; he takes everything to be related to Krsna and therefore spiritual. By advaya-jnana-darsana, Srila Advaita Acarya has glorified pure devotional service. Srila Nityananda Prabhu herein sarcastically condemns the philosophy of the impersonal monists and praises the correct nondual philosophy of Sri Advaita Prabhu. (CC Madhya 12.194 purport)

Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 12.187, Dallas

Gita verse-by-verse podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 10.10 – Krishna gives us the intelligence to attain him appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

20 August 2016

H.H. Mukunda Goswami is visiting Sydney to attend a world-class show celebrating ISKCON’s 50th anniversary entitled “Transcendental Journey: Krishna 50 Years On” is set to play at the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia.