Hare Krishna community celebrates 50 years as religious movement
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Hare KrishnaBy Samantha Turnbull

Fifty years ago, a 70-year-old monk travelled from India to the United States in the hope of starting a spiritual revolution. His name was Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and on July 13, 1966 he incorporated the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), formalising what is widely known as the Hare Krishna movement. ISKCON now runs 602 temples, 54 schools and 65 farming communities across the globe. This month, the New Govardhana Hare Krishna community at Eungella, near Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales, hosted about 1,000 visitors to mark the 50th anniversary of ISKCON. New Govardhana president Ajita Dasa said the milestone proved the Hare Krishnas belonged to a serious religious institution. “It means the establishment has gone through what most religious organisations have gone through,” he said. “We’ve had teething problems, we’ve dealt with it, and the fact ISKCON is still around helping people means it’s here to stay.” ISKCON belongs to the Vedic or Hindu culture with its philosophies based on the Sanskrit texts the Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavat Purana and Srimad Bhagavatam. Devotees practice bhakti yoga and worship Lord Krishna. Continue reading "Hare Krishna community celebrates 50 years as religious movement
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​Why did the Pandavas tolerate poisoning and arson, but not Draupadi’s dishonoring?
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Ratha-yatra in Prague, Czech Republic, the heart of Europe (Album…
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Ratha-yatra in Prague, Czech Republic, the heart of Europe (Album with photos)
“And A Child Shall Lead Them” Isaiah 11-6.
Nine-year-old Vamsi Gopal das led the post-Rathayatra Harinam. With his sweet Kirtan and smile he led for over a half hour. The streets of Prague were packed and he charmed them all…..
Find them here: https://goo.gl/zmCXUP

TOVP: Corian for TOVP Coffer Ceilings (Album with photos)…
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TOVP: Corian for TOVP Coffer Ceilings (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: The TOVP Design team is considering using a material called corian for the coffer ceilings in the domes. It is cost efficient and light. Its primary use is for counter tops, bench top surfaces, and kitchen sinks. It comes in unlimited colors, so we could chose any color that we like. Our coffer ceilings would be made of a thin layer of corian and would be very light weight. Corian is excellent because it has great longevity, so it could last for a very long time.
The TOVP Design team has created a small sample to test the corian. The demo was made on the TOVP’s personal CNC (Computer Numerical Control) carving machine. This model is not a coffer ceiling, but rather is an example of how the corian may be used with the lighting. Thus, this sample is not what will be built in the TOVP. The model has three patterns of different textured carvings. One of the patterns is a very endearing and well detailed image of Srila Prabhupada.
The corian demo is very attractive when the light is turned on. All the patterns and images light up very nicely. This is the same technique that we can use to light up the domes from behind. We are pleased with the model and are optimistic about pursuing the coffer ceiling construction.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/a9AiD8

Special month of activities at ISKCON-London to celebrate 50th Anniversary of ISKCON’s Incorporation
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON-London Communications Secretary

July is a very special month in our ISKCON 50th Anniversary Year. On 13th July, 50 years ago the International Society of Krishna Consciousness was established. ISKCON-London launched its 50th Anniversary celebrations in August last year, with a festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's departure from India to the West. Now, in this special month, ISKCON's incorporation month, a number of wonderful events have been planned. What better way to kick-off the celebrations than with the chanting of the holy names? The events commenced with London Mellows kirtan weekend on 9th and 10th July. Kirtaneers from across the UK community came together to make a special offering of 24 hours of kirtan for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. It was recorded live by Radha Krishna Records, ISKCON-London’s record label, and we will be producing a 50th Anniversary album which will be released later this year. On the actual incorporation day, 13th July, there will be an all-day festival at the Temple. This will be a glorious day of celebration and Their Lordships will be offered new outfits in honour of the occasion, there will be special themed classes, kirtan, maha harinama, and prasadam feast. ISKCON-London will join Bhaktivedanta Manor on a joint initiative themed “Day of Gratitude” to distribute 5000 cupcakes to commuters at key locations in central London. Continue reading "Special month of activities at ISKCON-London to celebrate 50th Anniversary of ISKCON’s Incorporation
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​Why did Duryodhana put the clause of incognito stay in the Pandavas’ exile?
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Did Draupadi dishonor Duryodhana, thereby causing him to dishonor her?
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Bhagavatam study 58 1.11.32-39 Krishna seemed attached but remained detached
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Srila Prabhupada Drama by “Something Spiritual”
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On the eve of Saturday 2nd July in the outskirts of London, a cast and crew of 65 young people who are part of an upcoming performing arts group known as "Something Spiritual", came together to put on a spectacular production depicting the life and struggles of Srila Prabhupada. It was a night that captured hearts, moved people to tears and transformed the lives of many.

July 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations. Satsvarupa…
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July 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Swamiji Puts on Tilak.
After his bath he would come into the front room, where his assembled followers would sit around him. He would sit on a mat facing his picture of the Panca-tattva, and after putting a few drops of water in his left palm from a small metal spoon and bowl, he would rub a lump of Vrindavana clay in the water, making a wet paste. He would then apply the clay markings of Vaisnava tilaka, dipping into the yellowish paste in his left hand with the ring finger of his right. He would scrape wet clay from his palm, and while looking into a small mirror which he held deftly between the thumb and pinkie of his left hand, he would mark a vertical clay strip up his forehead and then trim the clay into two parallel lines by placing the little finger of his right hand between his eyebrows and running it upward past the hairline, clearing a path in the still-moist clay. Then he marked eleven other places on his body, while the boys sat observing, sometimes asking questions or sometimes speaking their own understandings of Krishna consciousness.
Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaja used to put on tilaka without a mirror.
Devotee: Did it come out neat?
Prabhupada: Neat or not neat, that does not matter. Yes, it was also neat.
Prabhupada would then silently recite the Gayatri mantra. Holding his brahmin’s sacred thread and looping it around his right thumb, he would sit erect, silently moving his lips. His bare shoulders and arms were quite thin as was his chest, but he had a round slightly protruding belly. His complexion was as satiny smooth as a young boy’s, except for his face, which bore signs of age. The movements of his hands were methodical, aristocratic, yet delicate.
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Beyond repression
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 February 2016, Bhaktivedanta Manor, United Kingdom, Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.21)

DBN_RY_2016 (7)

Our process is not repression, it is not just simply abstinence – to give up illicit activities and let the pushing of the senses rage within. This is not possible for us. NO! We must engage in devotional service and then devotional service begins to absorb us. There will be no time for sense gratification and after a while, there will be much taste for devotional service!

Agnideva Prabhu is here. I am really happy that he is. He was in Radhadesh also and they were so insistent that he would sing that song that Srila Prabhupada wrote; the song with the long name that I can never remember, where Prabhupada was expressing his desire to be with Krsna again. Everyone wanted Agnideva Prabhu to sing that song and they had printed song sheets that were so small that it was just unreadable and he did not have his reading glasses.

Then instead of singing, he began to speak. Actually, I was happy that he spoke, it was meant to be a kirtan event but he spoke. I liked it because he spoke of something that he had been a part of. He spoke of the history of how certain bhajans came into our movement, how they were translated, how they were being sung and how the melodies came about. He gave us history and that was a gift. It was something unique which he was a part of, and it was something that he could share. I was very appreciative of that, and things like that which are very interesting will naturally be attractive. Then you can forget the senses – at times like that you do not have to worry about the senses. At times like that your attention is there and you are absorbed.

In this way, we look for the next opportunity to get absorbed, ‘Is there anything special going on?’ Devotees have a radar, they are always looking everywhere. You have to develop these antennae, these radars for ‘special juice’. Wherever it is, find it and somehow or other get to it! In this mood, we will find that these material issues – the senses, desires and needs – they are not so much in the forefront.

I Don’t Know My Name – Grace VanderWaal
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The first question in spiritual life is “Who am I?” I took this “Finding my Identity” theme from a song that is currently popular and made a music video for it that includes some subtle (or not so subtle lol) Krishna consciousness. Let me know what you think of it in the comments. Please give it […]

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Hera Pancami
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On the 5th day of Lord Jagannath’s stay in Gundica Temple, the festival of Hera Pancami is observed. Lord Jagannatha takes permission from His eternal consort Lakshmi Devi to go to Gundica and return in 2-3 days. But, Sri Jagannath Deva doesn’t return to Sri Mandir in 3 days. On the 5th day Lakshmi Devi […]

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Balancing The Roles Of The Gbc And The Disciple In Guru Selection
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By the Sastric Advisory Council

Members participating in the authorship of this paper: Drutakarma Dasa, Gopiparanadhana Dasa, Purnacandra Goswami, and Urmila Devi Dasi “The rules and regulation are that nobody should accept blindly any guru, and nobody should blindly accept any disciple. They must behave, one another, at least for one year so that the prospective disciple can also understand, ‘Whether I can accept this person as my guru.’ And the prospective guru also can understand, ‘Whether this person can become my disciple.’ This is the instruction by Sanatana Gosvami in his Hari-bhakti-vilasa.” Continue reading "Balancing The Roles Of The Gbc And The Disciple In Guru Selection
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Experiences and realizations of devotees who give people Krsna…
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Experiences and realizations of devotees who give people Krsna consciousness by giving them books by Srila Prabhupada and his followers.
Death Wish Stopped
Once I was distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in a small city in Belgium, and I met a woman who listened very emotionally as I showed her a book. She told me she didn’t need the book, because she had just bought some pills in the pharmacy (she showed them to me) and was on her way home to take them all at once and end her life.

Sri Madan Mohan Temple and Srila Sanatana Gosvami
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Hare KrishnaBy Chandan Yatra Das

Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Nawab Hussein Shah. Sanatana Gosvami was unable to leave at that time. But he lost all interest in serving the government. He sent a letter to Nawab saying that he was very sick. He stayed home studying Srimad-Bhagavatam along with Vaishnavas. Days and weeks went by and Nawab’s kingdom was in great difficultly without Sanatana. He sent a doctor to check what is wrong with Sanatana. Doctor came back and reported that he is in perfect health. He is studying Srimad-Bhagavatam in an assembly of brahmanas. Nawab was infuriated and came to the house of Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana was reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nawab yelled, “What are you doing? You have cheated me. I want you to come with me.” Sanatana said, “I will no longer be a part of your activities. You can count on me no longer for any service.” Continue reading "Sri Madan Mohan Temple and Srila Sanatana Gosvami
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​After Bhishma, why was Drona, not Karna, made the Kauravas’ commander?
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​Wasn’t Krishna’s covering the son to deceive Jayadratha wrong?
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​Why did Arjuna target Jayadratha when Abhimanyu was killed by Durjaya?
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