Planet ISKCON

Relish photographs of Srila Prabhupada interacting with his disciples throughout the world, along with excerpts from his letters in which he encourages his disciples to be all they can be and do all they can do for Krishna's pleasure. An empowering and enlivening 12-minute film meant to reawaken Prabhupada's mood and mission, especially regarding his female disciples. A video by Visakha Dasi

Over the weekend of April 22nd to 24th, more than thirty scholars met at Harvard University’s Center for the Study of World Religions to talk about the growth, impact, and challenges of ISKCON since its inception in July 1966. Participants included some of the earliest scholars ever to study the Hare Krishna Movement, such as retired professors Thomas J. Hopkins and Larry Shinn, as well as the retired head of the British Council of Churches’ Committee on Interfaith, Kenneth Cracknell. 

Monday, April 25th, 2016
Calgary, Alberta

Sunday, April 24th, 2016
Edmonton/Calgary

Saturday, April 23rd, 2016
Edmonton, Alberta

Friday, April 22nd, 2016
Edmonton, Alberta






Marquis.”

Remnants of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj’s sandals.
Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was born in a Nadiya family of physicians at the village of Jhamatpur, within the district of Barddhaman, near Naihati. His father was Sri Bhagiratha, and his mother was Sri Sunanda. He had a younger brother named Syama das. The deity of Gaura-Nityananda installed by Sri Kaviraja Gosvami is still being worshiped there. It appears that his family line is no more. More information about the early life of Sri Kaviraja is available in a book called Ananda-ratnavali.
Read more: http://goo.gl/hGTTx2

The post Daily Darshan : April 28th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

By Brittany Nunn

The first time Woodrow Wilson High School’s basketball coach, Patrick Washington, laid eyes on Woodrow senior Shakshi Davis, he was a tall, lanky eighth-grader shooting hoops by himself on a neighborhood court.

“I was leaving school one day and something told me that instead of going my normal way, I went the opposite way to get to the highway,” Washington says.

“I drove by the park across the street where the hardtop is, and I saw this kid about 5’11” out there with an old tattered basketball. It was one of those rubber basketballs with little spots missing on it where the rubber had been torn. He was out there shooting.”

Washington stopped to watch him. After Davis knocked down a couple of baskets, Washington got out his car to introduce himself and ask him where he went to school. He learned Davis went to J.L. Long Middle School and, although he loved basketball, he had never played on a team. No one had ever asked him to play on a team and he didn’t have money for shoes or equipment, he said.

“I said, ‘OK, I tell you what, I like your shot. I don’t know that you’ll ever be able to be a superstar basketball player, but you have a good shot,’” Washington recalls.

Washington told Davis he had some old basketballs in the back of his car and offered him one. Washington then looked down at Davis’ feet and noticed his shoes were held together with duct tape.

“Immediately it just gripped my heart, and I felt compelled to do something,” Washington says. “Whether he ever decided to play basketball for me or not, I don’t want to see any kid like that.”

Davis happened to wear the same size shoe as Washington, so the coach gave him a pair.

“I told him, ‘Just use these and if you ever make it to Woodrow Wilson, you’re going to play basketball for me. You just keep shooting your jumpers,’” Washington says.

What Davis didn’t realize at the time was how much his run-in with Washington would change his life.

Washington has earned a reputation for getting his players into college, usually on basketball scholarships. In the 17 years he has been a coach at Woodrow, only a handful of his players skipped college.

What Washington didn’t realize at the time was the real reason why Davis hadn’t ever tried out for a basketball team: Davis was afraid of getting to know people — or rather, of people getting to know him.

Davis is Hindu. His family is a part of the Hare Krishna community in East Dallas and is heavily involved at Kalachandji’s, the Hare Krishna temple that moonlights as a vegetarian Indian buffet. He was afraid the other students would spurn him if they found out.

“My family is weird because I have an Indian religion, I live in America, but my dad’s side of the family is African, so my middle name is African,” he says. “Because of my religion I’m vegetarian, so that’s kind of weird.”

He went to TKG Academy in elementary school where he was surrounded by other Hindu kids and families. Public school was a culture shock and some of the other kids bullied him in junior high because of a small ponytail he wore as a part of Hinduism.

He responded by isolating himself.

“At first I really didn’t relate to anyone once I got to public school,” he says. “I was a loner. That’s why I liked to shoot a lot.”

He spent hours shooting baskets at the neighborhood court.

“My form wasn’t good or anything, but I would just stay there all day and make shot after shot,” he said. “I’d make at least 1,000 shots per day.”

When Washington approached him, Davis recognized the opportunity. So as soon as he started at Woodrow, Davis joined the basketball team. He still was quiet and reserved. He didn’t bond in the locker room the way many of the other players did. He didn’t eat in the cafeteria, but instead brought a vegetarian lunch to school every day.

“When I first met him, it was like an act of Congress to get him to talk,” Washington points out.

Not only was he serious about basketball, Davis also was bserious about academics. When the coach started talking with him and his family about college, Davis relished the possibility of playing college basketball and he continued to devote himself to practicing for hours every day.

He slowly began to warm up to other students at Woodrow, especially his teammates. He noticed the other students were very open with each other, and by the time he reached varsity, he decided he should open up as well.

“I decided it’s worth it. I’ve been here for long enough. People should just know,” Davis explains.

He braced himself for hostility, but to his surprise the other students were intrigued. They were eager to know more and asked him questions about his family and faith. His religion did give him a reputation, but not in the way he expected.

“I thought being different was a bad thing, but once I started to open up to people I realized it was a good thing,” he says. “I started getting to know more people and people started talking to me more. People knew me because I’m different. It has actually benefited me a lot more than I realized it would.”

Of course, as Washington points out, Davis is hard not to like.

“Because of his demeanor and how he handles himself,” Washington says. “It’s really tough to play for me, but if I get onto him about something that he’s not doing he never ever talks back. He just says, ‘I gotcha. I gotcha,’ and he goes immediately and tries to correct it. He’s a joy to coach. He really is.”

This year Davis’ hard work has paid off. He’s a starter for the Woodrow basketball team after carving out a name for himself by shooting at 42 percent from the three-point line.

But he isn’t stopping there. An attitude like his will take him places, Washington believes — like college. Washington has been talking with colleges about Davis and he says there are at least a couple of small schools interested in having him on their basketball team.

Davis says he’ll be happy wherever Washington finds a place for him. He plans to take Washington’s advice to go where he’s wanted. After all, that worked for him at Woodrow.

“Just knowing somebody actually wants you,” he says. “That was it.”

Source: http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2016/04/25/class-2016-shakshi-davis/

The post A social system that depends on speaking nicely to devotees appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

By Giriraj Swami

This verse appears in Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.68) in connection with a misunderstanding between Durvasa Muni and Maharaja Ambarisa. As a result of this misunderstanding, Durvasa Muni tried to kill the king, when the Sudarsana cakra, the celebrated weapon of Godhead, appeared on the scene for the devoted king's protection. When the Sudarsana cakra attacked Durvasa Muni, he fled in fear of the weapon and sought shelter from all the great demigods in heaven. Not one of them was able to protect him, and therefore Durvasa Muni prayed to Lord Visnu for forgiveness. Lord Visnu advised him, however, that if he wanted forgiveness he had to get it from Maharaja Ambarisa, not from Him. In this context Lord Visnu spoke this verse. The Lord, being full and free from problems, can wholeheartedly care for His devotees. His concern is how to elevate and protect all those who have taken shelter at His feet. The same responsibility is also entrusted to the spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual master's concern is how the devotees who have surrendered to him as a representative of the Lord may make progress in devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always mindful of the devotees who fully engage in cultivating knowledge of Him, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Continue reading "Caitanya’s Sannyasa, Prabhupada’s Mercy
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Harinama in Moscow (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krishna, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.25.33 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/WBKA8D

By Jagabandhu das

My Father-in-law was at first alarmed by the framed photo of Srila Saraswati Thakur adorning our living room wall captioned with His Divine Grace's bold declaration that "...Western civilization must be crushed." I explained that the whole world was contaminated by the ideology of extreme exploitation which has it's heart inextricably intertwined with the roots of what History portrays as Western "civilization." This idea of exploitation ruins any realm in which it exists like a malignant cancer or lethal virus. It is this ruinous mood which must be crushed and not the spiritually hollow edifices populated by the despairing, spiritually bankrupt masses. It is this spiritually cancerous mood which must be crushed. For the ultimate, intrinsic mutual benefit of all the denizens of Earth. Crushed by Love. Whose Love? Mahaprabhu's Love for Krishna, which was His Ardent Desire to dispense to all souls. Unconditionally. Regardless. Forever. Srila Saraswati Thakur Himself flawlessly exemplified this Divine Love to an unfathomable extent. Indeed, He was the ripened fruit of Srila Bhaktivinode's Divine Love and so perfectly represented such Supreme Affection to an unbelievable degree. Srila Saraswati Thakur was Himself the very Personification of Krishna-Prema, which is the ultimate goal, primary purpose and final function of all souls. Continue reading "The Crush of Love
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By Vraja Bihari Dasa

Making sense of Vedic Rituals. Are traditional rituals mere acts of blind faith, or are there scientific reasons behind following them? An envelope protects and carries something valuable. It is the inner content of the envelope that’s actually precious. Similarly empty, meaningless rituals are like an empty envelope: devoid of any substance at best or downright offensive at worst. Continue reading "The Empty Envelope
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Applying for Sannyasa - Procedure - Formalities (8 min video)
In this video Bhakti Prabhava Swami explains how to apply for sannyasa. He highlights crucial aspects of the application procedure.
For further information: bhakti.prabhava.swami@gmail.com
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/VgM7Bq

Govardhan Ecovillage recently hosted a Multi-faith event by GreenFaith: Interfaith partners for Environment organized by of Rev. Fletcher Harper and Gopal Patel. Check out the pictures, courtesy Ravneet Singh and Sandeep Theophil.
Govardhan Ecovillage is a model farm community and retreat center highlighting the importance of spiritual ecology: the need for us to live in harmony with ourselves, nature and the sacred.
We’re located 108km north of Mumbai at the foothills of the Sahyadri mountains.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hnXLrf

7th Annual Clearwater Beach Festival of Chariots and Ratha Yatra Parade
MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Bhadra das 352 316-4560 or Bhadradas@gmail.com
WHAT: An Indian multi-cultural parade and festival will be celebrated with entertainment for the whole family. There will be live music, singing, classical dance, books, bazaar, and lots of free delicious vegetarian food. The Ratha Yatra Parade is the oldest known parade in the world.
WHEN: Saturday, May 7, 2016. There is a cultural program at the Pier 60 Pavilion from 1 PM to 4:30 PM. The Parade begins at 1 PM at the Pier 60 Pavilion, and returns there at which time the free feast begins. The cultural program continues till 4:30 PM
WHERE: The Pier 60 Pavilion at 1 Causeway Blvd.on the beach, Clearwater Beach.
WHO: All are welcome. Free admission. Wholesome fun for the entire family.
SPECIAL: VERY VISUAL event with colorful traditional costumes and flower decorations. Photography is permitted.
If you’ve ever dreamt of visiting colorful, exotic India, we have a treat for you. Get a taste of India without leaving Florida on Saturday, May 7, 2016. The 7th Annual Festival of the Chariots & Ratha Yatra Parade, an Indian multi-cultural extravaganza, will take place on the beach at the Pier 60 Pavilion on Clearwater Beach from 1 PM to 5 PM.
There will be lots of family-friendly activities and entertainment: live music and dance acts and classical Indian dance. But the big draw is the delicious vegetarian food. There will be a sumptuous feast served free of charge to all. There will also be a free hatha yoga class taught by the Lotus Pond Yoga Studio starting at 1 PM., so bring a yoga mat if you want to join in.
The procession route is about 2 miles long and can be easily walked by all age groups. It begins at 1 PM at the Pier 60 Pavilion and returns to the same location. The parade will move in a leisurely fashion, stopping here and there along the route, giving way to song and dance. The procession’s unique feature is a huge chariot with a blue, red and yellow canopy decorated with swans, lotus flowers, flags, Hanuman and a brass chakra on top. This chariot has two very thick ropes attached to it that are over one hundred feet long. These ropes are pulled by the parade-goers, propelling the chariot along the parade route. Riding on the Chariot are the beautiful Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, decorated with stunning silk outfits & real flowers. It’s a vision from another world. Accompanying the procession is lively Indian music and dancing, backed by double-headed mrdanga drums & karatala hand cymbals. It’s an ecstatic, exciting event.
The festival is co-sponsored by ISKCON Alachua, the USF Tampa Bhakti Yoga Society and the Lotus Pond Yoga Studio. The Founder/Acharya, of ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness), His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, came to America from India fifty years ago and introduced the timeless tradition of the Festival of the Chariot (called Ratha Yatra in India). Since the 60’s this festival has been held yearly in over 50 major cities in the United States, Canada, and all over the world. Nine Ratha Yatras are held yearly in the state of Florida: Miami, Jacksonville Beach, Tallahassee, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Clearwater Beach & St. Augustine.
All are warmly invited to attend this joyous, colorful festival, free of charge. Take advantage of a rare chance to experience the vibrancy of India, right here in Florida. Questions? You may visit our website at www.festivalofchariots.org or contact Bhadra das at 352 316-4560 or Bhadradas@gmail.com
http://festivalofchariots.org/
Please see a video of the St. Augustine Festival two weeks ago at this link: firstcoast.tv/festival-chariots-2016/

TOVP: State-of-the-Art Machinery! (1 min video)
Here’s a short video of the CNC machine in action, making a 800cm long by 12mm thick peacock model from PVC.
This 5-AXIS, CNC router worktable measures 2m x 4m, with a rotary indexing head at one end that will do 900mm x 1.2mm designs. It will be used mainly for pattern making for GRC, as well as for the decorative ceilings, and woodcarving for the doors and frames.
It has been specifically made for us. With this State-of-the-Art machine, we’ve replaced the Chinese stepper motors with Italian ones. We’ve also replaced the Chinese cutter head with a superior Italian one, which makes it better in all respects.
It is a major purchase for the finishing work!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/GhFLHy

Harinama in Prague (Capital of the Czech Republic) (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krishna, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacaris and grhastas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.21.45-47 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pyAgkY

Huge Harinama in King’s Day in Amsterdam (20 min video)
Inspired by Kadamba Kanana Swami, almost two hundred devotees chanted Hare Krishna and danced in the streets of Amsterdam on King’s Day, inducing passersby to participate, which many delighted in doing. April 27, 2016.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/5YPSDh

April 28. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: The Need for a New Place
Carol: Carl was trying to be something he really wasn’t, but he would never have suggested that the Swami had to leave. Swami, I am sure, was astute enough to pick up on this tension. As soon as he could, he tried to move to another place.
Gradually Carl reached an impasse in his relationship with Prabhupada. He couldn’t share his life with both his wife and the Swami, and ultimately he was more inclined toward his wife.
Carl: I couldn’t see my loft becoming a temple. I was raising cats and dogs, and he wanted them removed. He used to call me a meat-eater. But then he changed our diet. Of course he was hitting the American culture, which doesn’t know what all this business is. I have to put it on myself as much as anyone. I could understand and absorb India through an impersonal agency like a book or a record, but here was the living representative of Godhead, and to me it was as difficult as anything I had ever had to do before or since.
Prabhupada was not insensitive to the distress his presence was causing. He didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. And of course he could have avoided all inconvenience, both for himself and for people like Eva, if he had never come to America. But he wasn’t concerned with convenience or inconvenience, pleasing Eva or displeasing her. He wanted to teach Krishna consciousness.
Prabhupada had a mission, and Carl’s loft didn’t seem to be the right place for it. Prabhupada’s friends all agreed: he should move more into the center of things. The Bowery and Chinatown were too far out of the way. They would find him a new place.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=7

The Need for a New Place

About HH Bhaktimarga Swami:Over forty years ago it was a youthful quest for life that lead Chatham, Ontario born Bhaktimarga Swami, (formerly John Peter Vis), to adopt an Eastern order of monastic life that landed him in the Hare Krishna movement. Since that time, as a celibate monk, Swami has evolved as an instructor of bhakti-yoga and mantra meditation. His presentation on this subject of life, based on the popular Hindu text, “Bhagavad-gita” is lively, candid and informative.

With a background in fine arts, Swami also developed a passion for the performing arts. Even in the course of his duties as a monk, he expands his portfolio and manages to take an active role in theatrical productions from epics of ancient Indian origin. Casting, scripting, and directing morality theater takes him annually to venues from North America to India and Africa.

Finally, Bhaktimarga Swami achieved a remarkable feat in 1996 when he went the way of a pilgrim and walked on foot cross country from west to east and then back for a return journey from Cape Spear, Newfoundland to Vancouver Island in 2003, going full circle. He likes to share of his unique experiences and fond memories on the road after trekking 16,000 kms. Swami is a consistent feature in “The Longest Road”, a recent National Film Board documentary detailing the history of the people who shaped or were shaped by the Trans Canada Highway, the world’s longest continuous maintained road.

Programs:




 

T​he New Vrindaban staff​ has ​once again ​graciously offered to ​host HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja’s retreat ​this year at New Vrindavan. Please see the retreat info at http://nvfestivals.com/bcsretreat/ ​or read below.​ Right before the retreat, on June 18-19, there is a 24-Hour Kirtana for which you need to register separately at http://www.24hourkirtan.net. Guru Maharaja and […]

The post 2016 USA Retreat with H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami! appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa on 12th April 2016 in the evening. Guru Maharaja was warmly welcomed by all the devotees. An ecstatic kirtan was lead by HG Nrsimhananda prabhu. The next day Guru Maharaja gave darshan to all his disciples at the Sandton Office Towers. It was short […]

The post Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj’s recent visit to South Africa appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

The post Daily Darshan: April 27th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Varnasrama series.

The post Cultivating good qualities even as they develop appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

By Syamananda Dasa

Scientists today are searching for evidence but are not looking for it. You can see a particular event but if you are not exactly trained in the science of investigation you may never find it. Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, understood this well. In one of his adventures Holmes and a police inspector are both investigating the death of a man. His critically wounded wife was found lying next to his dead body. This is how Doyle describes the event: “The study proved to be a small chamber, lined on three sides with books, and with a writing-table facing an ordinary window, which looked out upon the garden. Our first attention was given to the body of the unfortunate squire, whose huge frame lay stretched across the room. His disordered dress showed that he had been hastily aroused from sleep. Continue reading "Evidence for the Existence of God
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By Radhika Ramana Dasa

This is the age of the internet. People are spending more and more time online. They are emailing, socializing, chatting, downloading, uploading, sight-seeing, blogging. And of course, they are searching. In fact to perform all the previous tasks, one needs the help of a search engine like Google. Google is so famous today for helping people find something on the internet that it is almost synonymous with a search-engine. Continue reading "God & Google
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On April 22nd, 2016 Radhanath Swami joined faith leaders from around the world at Church Center of The United Nations in New York City to encourage world leaders to sign the Paris agreement on climate change. The event (The Interfaith Climate Change Statement To World Leaders Handover Program) was mainly organized by GreenFaith, in partnership with a number of faith based organizations.

Although a climate change agreement was made in Paris, each individual country that signed on still needs to approve it through their respective parliaments and legislative bodies. The Interfaith Climate Change Statement presents the positive judgement of the Paris Agreement from 250 global faith leaders, and urges its prompt signature and ratification by governments so that it can come into force as soon as possible. It also calls for action relating to emission reductions and a swift phase out of fossil fuel subsidies. The statement serves to renew the strong commitment of the faith community to remain active in defining the moral responsibility to care for the Earth.

The ceremony included short talks by faith leaders and representatives of the UN. It concluded with the presentation of The Interfaith Climate Change Statement to H.E. Mogens Lykketoft, the President of the UN General Assembly and was followed by a press conference.

Radhanath Swami shared the following message with the assembly.

“It is a great honor to be here in such a distinguished assembly.”

“From a spiritual prospective the condition of todays environment is to a large extent due to a crisis of the human spirit. The ecology of the world is a reflection of the ecology of the human heart.”

“The universal principle of religion or dharma, is to learn the science of harmonizing the body, the mind and the true self to live in harmony with God, each other and with nature. To transform greed into the joy of giving, arrogance into humility and gratitude, indifference into compassion, and prejudice into love.“

“In the Bhagavad-gita, there is a verse spoken by Lord Krishna:

bhoktāraḿ yajña-tapasāḿ
 / sarva-loka-maheśvaram


suhṛdaḿ sarva-bhūtānāḿ / 
jñātvā māḿ śāntim ṛcchat

That the Supreme Divine source of everything, or God, is the proprietor of all that exists –the mother, father and the most intimate friend of all living beings. And true peace is possible when we learn to recognize that we are not proprietors, but that rather we are caretakers of sacred property and caretakers of each other.”

“The Hindu Declaration on Climate Change states that all life is divine and interconnected. This current crisis is a real opportunity to put aside our differences and unite with one heart and one voice to appeal to world leaders and genuinely put forth policies and action to honor the sacredness of life itself.”

Other speakers included the following.

• Rev’d Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith
• Kiran Bali MBE JP, Global Chairperson, United Religions Initiative
• Imam Talib Abdur- Rashid, President, Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan New York
• The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, Bishop for Indigenous Peoples, Anglican Church of Canada
• Sister Gayatri, Representative to the UN in New York of the, Brahma Kumaris
• Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations in New York: His Excellency Mr. François Delattre
• Director for Strategy, Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Mr. Halldór Thorgeirsson
• The President of the UN General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft

Kirtan newsletter.
Yasomati Devi Dasi: It has already been more than a month since Kirtan Mela Mayapur. We have received several comments, most saying that they felt it was the best for them, easier to connect. Actually, this is not surprising as chanting is a personal journey, which increases in spiritual wealth and realizations as time goes by, as long as one is careful to stay away from offences. There were challenges like the absence of HH Sacinandana Swami and Madhava prabhu, but somehow or other, thousand chanted and danced sincerely in unison, in front of merciful Pancatattva.
We have important news for the Kirtan world, ISKCON Mayapur has granted us 3.4 acres to assist the Lord in His manifestation of the first Kirtan Oasis in the world, Kirtan Village, a retreat centre for fine tuning our chanting and help others do the same.
To read the entire newsletter click here: http://goo.gl/CPAOrF

Summer Camps.
At Goloka Education, our endeavor is to enrich education by bringing values based resources to the devotee communities. Currently, we have developed a short course in Sanskrit for the benefit of the congregations that are undertaking Summer camps for children in their respective locations. The idea is to introduce Sanskrit along with the slokas, scriptures and other activities that the Camp organizers are already planning. Please find attached a promotional image that will explain the salient features of this course. Read more: http://golokaeducation.com/

This 5-AXIS, CNC router worktable measures 2m x 4m, with a rotary indexing head at one end that will do 900mm x 1.2mm designs. It will be used mainly for pattern making for GRC, as well as for the decorative ceilings, and woodcarving for the doors and frames.

It has been specifically made for us. With this State-of-the-Art machine, we’ve replaced the Chinese stepper motors with Italian ones. We’ve also replaced the Chinese cutter head with a superior Italian one, which makes it better in all respects.

It is a major purchase for the finishing work!

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

Here’s a short video of the CNC machine in action, making a 800cm long by 12mm thick peacock model from PVC.

The post State-of-the-Art Machinery appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Kirtan In The Land of Confucius (4 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: In this final video of our recent tour in China we visit the famous Confucius Institute in Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, the famous Chinese philosopher and teacher. During our two day stay we gave a seminar on Krsna consciousness and had ecstatic kirtans with the students. The holy names continue to flood the Land of the Great Red Dragon!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Yd201c

Today we got to meet our Mayor Ivy Taylor, of San Antonio (a major city in south-central Texas) and gifted her with the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Exciting news and hoping we can meet with her again in the near future. She was excited about getting such a book to read.
We have a gofundme page for the renovations of our temple: https://www.gofundme.com/iskconsa

Harinama and book distribution in Tel Aviv. Israel. 09.04.2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended five items of devotional service, namely to serve the devotees of the Lord, to chant Hare Krishna, to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, to worship the Deity of the Lord and to live in a place of pilgrimage. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.19.38 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Flpyft

Harinam Sankirtan in the largest city on this planet, Tokyo! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The holy name of the Lord and the Lord are nondifferent; therefore when a devotee chants Hare Krishna, Krishna and His internal potency are dancing on the tongue of the devotee. Bhagavad-Gita 12.8 Purport.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/5ET2ka

April 27. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Difficulty Living With Carl.
Yet for Carl and Eva, Prabhupada’s simple presence created difficulty. Never before during his whole stay in America had he been a more inconvenient or unwanted guest. Carl’s studio was arranged for him and his wife to live in alone, using the bedroom, kitchen and living-room any way they liked. If they wanted to smoke marijuana or eat meat or whatever, that was their prerogative, this was Carl’s home; he lived here with his wife Eva and their dogs and cats. But now they had to share it with the Swami.
Almost at once the situation became intolerable for Eva. She resented the Swami’s presence in her home. She was a feminist, a liberated white woman with a black husband and a good job. She didn’t like the Swami’s views on women. She hadn’t read his books or attended his classes, but she had heard that he was opposed to sexual intercourse except for conceiving children, and that in his view, a woman was supposed to be shy and chaste and help her husband in spiritual life. She knew about the Swami’s four rules – no meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication or gambling – and she definitely did not want Carl’s swami trying to change their ways to suit his. And he had better not expect her to wait on him as his servant. She sensed the Swami objecting to almost everything she did. If she were to seek his advice he would probably ask her to stop taking drugs, get rid of the cats and dogs, stop drinking and stop contraceptive sex. If the Swami had his way, they would probably eat only at certain times and only certain foods. Eva was a heavy smoker, so he probably wouldn’t like being around her. She was ready for a confrontation.
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