Planet ISKCON

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Answer Podcast

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The post When modern civilization collapses in future, should devotees have a Vedic alternative ready? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

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The post What does Prabhupada’s statement about 50% of his mission being incomplete mean​? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Conversation in NVD.

The post The concept of butter and fire defines one of the constitutional aspects of Varnasrama appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Russia. (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Decorate the Deity as nicely as possible with nice flowers and dress. You will forget all other false beauty. Letter to Kirtanananda, October 22, 1968.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/9gsgF4

Preaching program with BB Govinda Swami in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Krishna Caitanya, who was outwardly very fair, with a complexion like molten gold, simultaneously manifested His eternal associates, opulences, expansions and incarnations. He preached the process of chanting Hare Krishna and those who are under His lotus feet are glorious. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 3.79 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/oF1Hbx

Presentation From the TOVP Architecture and Design Department in Pune, India, with Sadbhuja Prabhu (7 min video)
Sadbhuja prabhu discusses the systematic procedure for the next stage of the embellishments for the TOVP with the architecture & design department in Pune.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/2hbiiy

Always remember Krishna and never forget Him!
Srila Prabhupada: Pious activity is on the material platform, but chanting of the holy name of Krishna is completely on the spiritual plane. Therefore although pasandis do not understand this, pious activity can never compare to the chanting of the holy name. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 3.79 Purport)

Curious to see if I was an authentic Brit I recently attempted the Life in the Uk test that the government requires aspiring new British citizens to take. To my great relief I passed it with 90%, only falling down on a question of how long was the hundred years war. I can’t see many people knowing that it was actually 116 years nor indeed how relevant to being British that knowledge is. I would think it better to test prospective citizens on their ability to talk about the weather or perhaps on their queuing technique.

Although born in London, after coming to the spiritual path of Krishna consciousness I now believe that Britishness, Frenchness, Chineseness or any other such designation only pertains to the temporary body. According to Krishna who spoke the ancient Sanskrit text of Bhagavad-gita, we are eternal spiritual beings living in material bodies, and in that respect we are all the same.  Krishna even offers a little test of his own that we can all do to show the truth of this. Observe, he suggests, how the body changes quite radically from a baby to youth to old age, and yet you remain the same person. Now in my sixties I vividly see the truth of that wisdom. I don’t feel any different now to when I was thirty, but my aging body begs to differ. As Oscar Wilde once said, the problem with old age is not that you are old, but that you are young.

The unchanging self within the body is, I understand, who I really am and as Krishna explains this might take many forms in so many lifetimes. What is called British now will in due course become simply dust or ashes, and I will have moved on to who knows where. So instead of being British and proud, with my 90% pass mark, I am now simply trying my best to be a humble spirit soul.

Sankirtan on 3rd St Promenade, LA (Album with HR photos)
Devotees of New Dwaraka, Los Angeles temple, go out on harinam sankirtan every Friday night to the 3rd St Promenade in Santa Monica Beach. Photos taken April 29th, 2016.
Srila Prabhupada: One should never consider the chanting of the holy name of Godhead equal to pious activities like giving in charity to brahmanas or saintly persons, opening charitable educational institutions, distributing free food and so on. The results of pious activities do not equal the results of chanting the holy name of Krishna. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 3.79 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hTISfS

May 5. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: The Swami’s Arrival Went Mostly Unnoticed.
The Swami’s arrival went unnoticed. The neighbors said someone new had taken the gift shop next to the laundry. There was a strange picture in the window now but no one knew what to make of it. Some passers-by noticed a piece of paper announcing classes in Bhagavad-gita taped to the window. A few stopped to read it, but no one knew what to make of it. They didn’t know what Bhagavad-gita was, and the few who did thought, “Maybe a yoga bookstore or something.” The Puerto Ricans in the neighbourhood would look in the window at Harvey Cohen’s painting and then blankly walk away. The manager of the Mobil gas station next door couldn’t care less who had moved in – it just didn’t make any difference. The tombstone-sellers and undertakers across the street didn’t care. And for the drivers of the countless cars and trucks that passed by, Swamiji’s place didn’t even exist. But there were young people around who had been intrigued with the painting, who went up to the window to read the little piece of paper. Some of them even knew about the Bhagavad-gita, although the painting of Lord Caitanya and the dancers didn’t seem to fit. A few thought maybe they would attend Swami Bhaktivedanta’s classes and check out the scene.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=8

The Swami’s Arrival Went Mostly Unnoticed

“One of the attributes that the spirit soul has that makes one unique and beautiful to Krishna is free will and the way you choose to use it. It is always yours and shows your relationship with Krishna. Free will gives meaning to love. Without free will you are a prisoner. Love means: I choose you—you are special to me. That also means I have the right to refuse you. If I choose you that makes the choosing more meaningful. It’s not that we are giving up our free will. But we approach a spiritual master and say. ‘I am confused please instruct me.'”

—Jivananda Dasa

———————
Intiation Introduction by Giriraj Swami
Intiation talk by Jivananda Dasa
Intiation talk by Sandamani Dasi
Intiation talk by Giriraj Swami
Name Giving Ceremony

By Daamodara Dhananjaya Das

Outreach – How to beget devotees from a Rathayatra During one of our meetings between GBC-SPN (Strategic Planning Network) Outreach Committee and the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, the subject matter of discussion was how to improve our outreach during the festivals that we celebrate in ISKCON. It has been observed that most of our festivals are successful in creating a majestic impression in the minds of the people, but fail to generate new devotees in a large number. In spite of so much time, labor, money and intelligence being used in each festival, we remain almost unproductive. Especially our Rathayatras are celebrated with a great pomp and circumstance, but they hardly yield any fruits in terms of new devotees. Hence, the GBC-SPN Outreach Committee, in collaboration with the Congregational Development Ministry, designed a process to generate contacts during the Rathayatras and thus, make them worth all the expenditure.

Before we get into the technical details, here are some practical examples of the process, successfully implemented at various places. The first implementation was at Mathura Rathayatra during the month of Kartik in the year 2015. A team of 15+ devotees was exclusively engaged in this sublime task to generate contacts. A database of approximately 400 new contacts was registered at the end of the celebration, which followed another dedicated outreach program, especially to cultivate these contacts, after around a month. ISKCON Ahmedabad implemented it twice during the Rathayatras, while celebrating the annual function, and produced a contacts database with approximately 500 entries. Very recently the same exercise was carried out with an improved modus operandi during the first ever Rathayatra at ISKCON Vapi – Gujarat, which yielded approximately 800 quality contacts to a team of 20 dedicated preachers, who carried out this mission. The feedback of the devotees who participated in this project, invariably has been extremely delightful and now this has turned out to be one of their favorite services to take. They were completely satisfied and were contented with the idea that they could be instrumental in bringing new souls to Krishna Consciousness. We, as a committee, will track their results and follow up for gathering their statistics, so as to report to the GBC.

Now let us understand the step by step procedure to implement the same:

1) Gather a team of preachers who are well conversant in the local language, with a
pleasing personality, who are humble and tolerant, clear in their basics and responsible,
as these could be (ideally – should be) the future mentors/counselors of the new
contacts that they would generate in the process. Please remember, better the
preachers – better the outcome. Hence, kindly do not underestimate this process and
please give this service a higher priority in your list.
2) Each preacher should have a separate dress code or something unique in their
appearance if possible and should carry a kit which has:
a) A handbag (Sankirtan bag)
b) A cap for protecting them from the heat (these could be uniquely colored caps, so as
to differentiate them from the others)
c) A pen and a writing support pad
d) An I-Card holder and a printed I-card with the heading such as ‘May I Assist You?’
e) Handouts / leaflets / handbills – with the information about the temple/center, the
programs being conducted during the weekdays, festivals, services, specialties,
Govindas, etc. (whatever you wish to project). Also, add basic information about our
philosophy and the importance of Sankirtan yagna, Mahamantra and so on.
f) Printed cards with the picture of the Deities on one side and the Mahamantra on the
other or some other gifts like small books, key rings, etc.
g) Small and decent packets of dry Mahaprasadam, with a print of Lord Jagannatha on
the packet, if feasible.
h) Printed forms with the following details: Name, Age, Gender, Occupation, Education,
Email, WhatsApp (mobile) number, Area of residence (full address in not required –
this is just to facilitate grouping according to the area they stay in) and what is he/she
interested in (list out various activities we usually have in our temple/center).
3) Have a meeting with the team on the previous day or whenever convenient and explain
to them the purpose and importance of the project. Handover the kits to them during
the same meeting, so that they are ready for the warfront beforehand and explain about
each and every item in the kit and their respective purpose.
4) How and when to start? As soon as the Rathayatra begins, the team should come in
action and should spread out in all the directions, walking alongside continuously with
the Ratha. Matajis can cover the matajis’ side and the prabhujis can approach the
prabhus (or as convenient). Begin very gently with a polished language, expressing
genuine love and concern and exhibiting the service attitude. With the like genders,
keeping your hand on their shoulders, handshaking and embracing will make them feel
completely at home.
5) Whom should they approach? Those who are well-dressed, look educated and refined,
interested in the subject, residents of aristocratic societies, big shops and showroom
owners, students, youth, parents of the school going children, principals or trustees of
the schools or collages that come one the way, etc. The other class of people can just be
given the handbills and prasaadam and can be invited verbally to the temple. The choice
is yours.
6) Create a small team of 2 members, responsible to supply the paraphernalia of the kit to
the preachers on the field, as and when required. Generally the team leader can take up
this responsibility, so as to know how the preachers are performing. A vehicle, ideally a
two wheeler, is inevitable for this purpose.
7) Don’t miss the prasadam pandal after completion of the Yatra, as many would have
come just for the prasadam. Sit beside them while they honor prasadam and note down
their details.
8) Ask the team members to write their names on each form for the purpose of
identification.
9) Finally, collect all the forms, prepare a database in an excel sheet and segregate
according to their educational level, age and the area of residence.
10) Create a follow-up team. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THIS
PROCESS. If you fail to follow them up and to keep the contacts alive, the complete
effort could be wasted. Ideally, the matajis who are soft-spoken and having
sophisticated language are the best for this purpose. You may contact us for further
training or complete guidance on the follow-up system.
11) Thereafter, arrange various step by step outreach and fundamental training
programs like Discover Your Self, The Gita Program, etc. and gradually get them to the
next level of interest and acceptance.
12) Finally, group them according to their age group, educational background or gender
and start a complete devotee training program like Bhakti-vriksha, Namahatta,
Counseling system, temple residents training, etc. according to your needs and
availability of the resources.

Before we conclude, here is another example of a successful Rathayatra Outreach, with some variations:

A festival at ISKCON Kolkata is the breeding ground of new contacts, whether it is Janmashtami or a Rathayatra. Usually a pandal is built with multiple area wise sections, so as to facilitate easy search of a Bhakti-vriksha (satsanga) program in the closest neighborhood of the visitor. As soon as the visitors enter a relevant section in the pandal, a team of devotees belonging to that area, engage them in some or the other spiritual activities like quiz or spiritual questions, award them some gifts and give Mahaprasadam and register their details, so as to follow up and invite them to the Bhakti-vriksha program going on in their area. Eventually, a huge database of contacts is generated at the end of the festival.

Hence, if you so desire, we can happily assist you at all levels, right from managing the Rathayatra Outreach Program up to the devotee training program, according to your requirements. For further assistance please send us an email at: djparajia@gmail.com or pancharatna@gmail.com

Please visit us at:

ISKCONOutreach.com and ISKCONCongregation.com

Thanking you in anticipation,

On behalf of the GBC-SPN Outreach Committee & the Congregational Development Ministry,

Your servant,

Daamodara Dhananjaya Das

Sadbhuja prabhu discusses the systematic procedure for the next stage of the embellishments for the TOVP with the architecture & design department in Pune.

The post Presentation From the TOVP Architecture and Design Department in Pune, India, with Sadbhuja Prabhu appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

O Krishna! In Your absence every moment lasts for years. The whole world seems so empty that my eyes are raining tears. When we no longer expect happiness from illusions, we naturally expect happiness from Krishna. Yet the ever-independent Krishna may or may not give it. Happiness accompanies Krishna, who comes and goes at His own sweet will. Very advanced devotees find ecstasy in separation from Krishna; beginners may struggle. Still, when Krishna leaves us, where else in creation can we turn? We must call out for Him. If fact, when we don’t feel Krishna’s presence it’s time to chant with extra determination and patience. Krishna accepts everyone, but He doesn’t collect casual devotees. He is testing our resolve. Though we experience Krishna through His holy names, we discover that He does not reveal Himself at our command. Who is this unreliable person? Do we still want Him? Continue reading "Japa And The Opening Heart
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NITAYOGA World peace yoga festival in Budapest (Album with photos)
1200 happy people together! :) Yoga, lectures, kirtan and prasadam!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/5E5nhR

Harinam Makes Every Soul Dance With Love Of Godhead!
On the 11th of April our party traveled to Paksi-tirtha also known as Tirukalukundram. Bhakivinod Thakur sings in the 3rd verse of ‘Suddha Bhakata Carana Renu’
se-saba sthana, heribo ami,
pranayi-bhakata-sange
Which translates as: ‘May I always visit all the holy places associated with the lila of Lord Caitanya and His devotees.’
We are all very fortunate to be on padayatra here in India because in this way during our travels we can take darsana of some of the tirthas visited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the acaryas. In this way we are not just traveling here and there –instead wherever we go we always try to hear more about the glories of the dhama from the dhama gurus.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/DfVPWu

Conversation.

The post Should we de-emphasize the importance of diksa-gurus appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The Radha-Madhava Deities in Mayapur: what are they made of?
“Jananivasa told me about a conversation he had had in the temple with a middle-aged Bengali guest who had asked him, “Are Radha-Madhava made of brass or gold?”
“Well, what are you made of?” Jananivasa replied.
After a pause, the gentleman answered, “Flesh and blood.”
Jananivasa told him, “As long as you think you’re made of flesh and blood, then you’ll think the Deity is made of one metal or another. But if you can understand that you’re not the body, that you’re spirit soul, and also that the soul is part and parcel of God, then you’ll understand that you’re of the same nature as Krishna.”
The man wasn’t sure that he had understood, so Jananivasa continued, “Do you accept that God is in your heart?”
“Yes.”
“So what’s He made of there, brass or gold?”
The man didn’t know.
“On the basis of the revealed scriptures,” Jananivasa said, “we can understand that God’s form is eternal and full of bliss and knowledge. That form, which is present in the heart of every living entity, is made of pure spirit, and that is what the Deity in the temple is also made of. You can’t see the Deity in your heart,” he explained as the gentleman nodded in agreement, “you don’t know who He is. So the Lord comes in a form you can see. Radha-Madhava appear to be material, but They are purely spiritual, and to the extent that you realize your nature is spiritual, to that extent you will understand that Krishna Himself is personally on the altar.”

Did you know about the “connective” beads and the “protective” beads? Watch this inspiring class by Brighupati prabhu given yesterday at the Iskcon Los Angeles temple and find out.
With many amazing book distribution stories which show how many people are waiting to be introduced to Lord Chaitanya’s movement!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/HIBIJq

Sankirtana Dasa, long time resident of New Vrindaban community, recently won a Storytelling World Resource Award for his dramatic storytelling CD Hanuman’s Quest. He is also a recipient of a WV Artist Fellowship Award, a National Endowment of the Arts Grant, an Ohio River Border Initiative Grant, and a Next Generation Indie Book Award for his Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest.

For many years Sankirtana had used his background in theater to write, act and direct Krishna Consciousness dramas. Today, he offers dramatic storytelling programs in a variety of venues. He is on the visiting artist rosters of the WV Division of Culture & History, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Artsbridge, and is a member of the WV Storytelling Guild. The following interview with Sankirtana Dasa was conducted by Abhay Charana Dasa at New Vrindaban Communications.

***

Q: What do want to accomplish with your cd’s and books?

SKd: I see my work as a bridge in presenting Krishna Consciousness to the general public. Through my storytelling programs, books, cds and slide shows, I want to do two things: present it in a way to inspire devotees and to make Krishna Consciousness interesting and relevant to people in general.

Q: You recently won a Storytelling World Resource Award for your CD Hanuman’s Quest. What did this mean to you?

SKd. I’ve been involved with the national storytelling community for 25 years now. At one time I was the West Virginia liaison for the National Storytelling Network. I’m also with the WV Storytelling Guild. So it’s certainly an honor to be recognized in the field of my peers. Besides the international storytelling community, the Storytelling World Resource Awards are also of great interest to teachers who use storytelling in the classroom. The Awards are a way of acknowledging important resources for these communities.

Q; You are also an award-winning writer and storyteller. Which do you identify with more?

SKd: Whether you’re focused on the written word or the spoken word, it’s all about storytelling. My background is in the performing arts. I enjoy being in front of people. But I also enjoy writing and the challenges it presents. I enjoy using whatever creativity I have in Krishna’s service. Basically we are all creative beings. People need to be encouraged to connect with that and use it in Krishna’s service.

Q: So what’s your secret about storytelling?

SKd: First of all, storytelling is a vital tool for anyone who wants to present Krishna Consciousness. Srimad Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Ramayana – these books depict transcendental knowledge through stories and they are especially meant for us conditioned souls of the Kaliyuga. Basically, storytelling is about using words to create images and action. Images can impact people’s minds. Ideas and concepts only to a lesser extent. In Krishna Book, Prabhupada explains that we have a natural aptitude to hear stories through reading literature and seeing dramatic performances. When we redirect our hearing to Krishna’s pastimes we can more easily attain transcendence.

Q: Why do you think you won this award?

SKd: For one thing, the story of Hanuman is a fantastic, engaging story. And Hanuman is an endearing personality. Also, the musical background on the CD really compliments the storytelling, and I think that helped sway the judges’ decision. The exciting musical score is by Tommy Raga and Sada Ruchi. Sada Ruchi also did the recording and mixing. I am indebted to them.

Q: But what did you bring to the telling?

SKd: Krishna has kindly helped me develop a dramatic sensibility. The elements of tension and suspense; of creating a scene or character with a minimum amount of description; of pacing and moving the story along in a clear and concise way which the listener can easily grasp. These are all part of the storyteller’s, and the writer’s, craft.

Q: When did you know you had this talent?

SKd: Well, you didn’t really know. Uncertainty can be a compelling force. It keeps you on your toes. But just like a carpenter – you do have to know the tools of your craft. You have to work at it. You have to sweat. You have to piece it together. It’s both a craft and an art. And finally you have to pray that it all comes out right. Man proposes. God disposes.

Q: Do you have anything in the works you would like to share with us?

SKd: For the 50^th celebrations, both last year and this year, I’ve focused on taking my slide show Journey To The West: Why & How the Hare Krishna Movement Came to America to colleges and other venues. I’m also working on two new books. I have nothing to say about them at this point. Usually, I like to have a few things in the works that I can bounce back and forth to.

Q: Thank you for sharing your craft with us.

SKd: And you know, I want to offer more workshops and coaching sessions to pass this craft along to others. Thank you.

For more information on Sankirtana Dasa’s award-winning CD and book visit www.Mahabharata-Project.com

The post Daily Darshan: May 4th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

My path to yoga - an academic essay by Priscilla Black.
My Journey with wellness and yoga began 2 years ago. I was a social alcoholic, recently divorced and had just moved back to my hometown in Kentucky. I had been back home for about 6 months before I became pregnant. I lost the false sense of direction I had and knew that I needed to make changes. I was smoking about a pack a day and blacking out almost every night. As soon as I became pregnant I lost everything and anyone I thought was a friend. I made a decision to move to Dallas to live with my parents so that I could concentrate on the tiny human growing inside of me. I had no aspirations of keeping the child. I knew that I would give her up for adoption but still I wanted to make sure that I was the healthiest that I could be. I wanted Her to be healthy.
…I decided to attend a Wednesday program. I remember being nervous. Wondering, if anyone could sense my anxious energy. I was told that there was going to be kirtan. “What is Kirtan?” Kirtan is the chanting of the holy names of God. So I chanted. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama Hare Rama. Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ Everyone in the room was so happy and blissful. So at peace. This felt right. I could sense that She was happy. After kirtan was a lecture. This lecture was about Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti yoga, like any other form of yoga, is a path to self-realization, to having an experience of oneness with everything. This is what I was longing for. This is what my soul needed. I took notes and listened more intently than I ever have. I learned this lifestyle of non-violence and self-realization and love. After this night at Kalachandji’s, I never left.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/wWruD3

Mark Your Calendars!
The Prabhupada Festival is just around the corner. Free for all to attend and to glorify His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the festival takes place over Memorial Day Weekend at the ISKCON Los Angeles Temple. Please visit www.PrabhupadaFestival.com for more info and discover ways you can participate in this year’s festivities. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

May 4. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Srila Prabhupada’s Mission on the Lower East Side.
Prabhupada had not made a study of the youth movement in America before moving to the Lower East Side. He had never even made specific plans to come here amid so many young people. But in the ten months since Calcutta he had been moved by force of circumstances, or, as he understood it, “by Krishna’s will,” from one place to another. On the order of his spiritual master he had come to America, and by Krsna’s will he had come to the Lower East Side. His mission here was the same as it had been on the Bowery or uptown or even in India. He was fixed in the order of his spiritual master and the Vedic view, a view that wasn’t going to be influenced by the radical changes of the 1960s. Now, if it so happened that these young people because of some change in the American cultural climate were to prove more receptive to him, then that would be welcome. And that would also be by Krishna’s will.
Actually, because of the ominous influence of the Kali millennium, this was historically the worst of times for spiritual cultivation – hippie revolution or not. And Srila Prabhupada was trying to transplant Vedic culture into a more alien ground than had any previous spiritual master. So he expected to find his work extremely difficult. Yet in this generally bad age, just prior to Prabhupada’s arrival on the Lower East Side, tremors of dissatisfaction and revolt against the Kali-yuga culture itself began vibrating through American society, sending waves of young people to wander the streets of New York’s Lower East Side in search of something beyond the ordinary life, looking for alternatives, seeking spiritual fulfillment. These young people, broken from their stereotyped materialistic backgrounds and drawn together now on New York’s Lower East Side, were the ones who were by chance or choice or destiny to become the congregation for the Swami’s storefront offerings of kirtana and spiritual guidance.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=8

Srila Prabhupada’s Mission on the Lower East Side

Nitya-siddha