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The post ​Is there a purpose for punishment? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

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The post How do we know the difference between what feels good and what is actually spiritual? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The post Daily Darshan: April 14th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The childless Dasharatha was advised by his family priest Vashishtha to perform a fire sacrifice ceremony to seek the blessings of God for children. Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, decided to manifest himself as the eldest son of Dasharatha in order to kill Ravana. While performing the fire worship ceremony, a majestic figure rose from the sacrificial fire and handed to Dasharatha a bowl of rice pudding, saying, "God is pleased with you and has asked you to distribute this rice pudding (payasa) to your wives - they will soon bear your children." The king received the gift joyfully and distributed the payasa to his three queens, Kausalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Kausalya, the eldest queen, gave birth to the eldest son Rama. Bharata, the second son was born to Kaikeyi and Sumitra gave birth to the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Rama's birthday is celebrated now as Ramanavami. Continue reading "The Ramayana – A Summary
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Preaching program in Kiev, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 20.12)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/puDLwk

Salavation For Dummies.
Samapriya devi dasi: Riding around in a burnt out jaloppy,
fuming and leaking it’s all become sloppy
creaking and rattling tired and floppy,
maybe I should get a new shinning copy.
Do I really want to go through all this again?
There’s always problems from beginning to end.
Stand up for your rights your word to defend
and searching for someone on whom to depend.
We speak what we realize and it’s become clear
most of us lonely and covered with fear.
The time now is coming, the last act to appear
when we reap what we sow and become what we hear.
Make our lives simple what more can we do?
It’s passing us by as though time just flew.
But we have the answer the ultimate clue
on your knees to receive it, and it’s given to you.
Handed to us through disciplic succession
in one strand of beads, the final concession.
We must take it up as our only possession.
Salvation for Dummies in this age of deception.

Harinama in Athens, Greece (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 20.12)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/5cdC8o

Zen Master’s Home (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Last night we entertained the elite of Beijing in the home of a famous Zen Master. Charmed by our philosophy, our talented musicians and the holy names people were swept off their feet and chanted and danced in great happiness in the courtyard of that prestigious residence.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Q3I4yV

April 14. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Sanskrit Lessons.
It was perhaps because of Carl’s interest in Sanskrit that Prabhupada began holding Sanskrit classes. Carl and David and a few others would spend hours learning Sanskrit under Prabhupada’s guidance. Using a chalkboard he found in the loft, Prabhupada taught the alphabet, and his students wrote their exercises in his notebooks. Prabhupada would look over their shoulders to see if they were writing correctly and he would review their pronunciation. His students were learning not simply Sanskrit, but the instructions of Bhagavad-gita. Each day he would give them a verse to copy in the Sanskrit alphabet (devanagari), transliterated into the Roman alphabet, and then translated word-for-word into English. But their interest in Sanskrit waned, and Prabhupada gradually gave up the daily classes to spend time working on his own translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
His new friends may have regarded these lessons as Sanskrit classes, but actually they were bhakti classes. He had not come to America as the ambassador of Sanskrit; his Guru Maharaj had ordered him to teach Krishna consciousness. But since he had found in Carl and some of his friends a desire to investigate Sanskrit, he encouraged it. As a youth, Lord Caitanya had also started a Sanskrit school with the real purpose of teaching love of Krishna. He would teach in such a way that every word meant Krishna, and once His students objected, He closed the school. Similarly, when Prabhupada found his students’ interest in Sanskrit was transitory, and since he himself had no mission on behalf of Sanskrit linguistics, he gave it up.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=7

Sanskrit Lessons

Duty… A dictionary defines it as a “moral or legal obligation or requirement.” A thesaurus lists synonyms like, “Responsibility, obligation, commitment.”

Essentially, “duty” means to do what is required of you.

What’s required of you?

That depends on who you are. If you are a student it’s your duty to study. If you are a parent its your duty to care for your children. If you are a driver, its your responsibility to get to the destination safely. Etc. Etc.

The specifics of Duty are different for everyone, the essence is the same – to do what is required of you, rather than doing whatever you might feel like doing at the moment.

The result of duty is to reduce selfishness, which is the basis of kāma, which is the primary effect of avidyā. So, following one’s duty gives rise to vidya (knowledge). Thus by following duty selflessly one gradually becomes qualified to more fully utilize the tools and techniques of jñāna-yoga (the yoga of knowledge/consciousness) such as study of philosophy and meditation upon the root of consciousness. By such meditation and study, one’s knowledge transforms into realization, and one is very likely to develop a sense of emotional attachment to the root of consciousness, paramātmā. Thus from jñāna-yoga, one can ascend to bhakti-yoga.

So duty is an initial precursor to bhakti and therefore everyone in society should be very warmly encouraged to adhere to their various duties under all circumstances.

Those who are at the stages of jñāna and bhakti already act only on the selfless platform, so there is no separate need to specifically encourage them to ordinary duties. Such people are rare, but they tend to perform ordinary duties anyway, to set the proper example for the masses.

Duty is the essence of dharma, morality. It therefore generates all the essential moral qualities such as humility, tolerance, forgiveness, nonviolence, compassion, etc. Jñāna- and bhakti-yogas, being successors to the duty-yoga, karma-yoga, generate these essential moral qualities even more deeply.

Vraja Kishor das

vrajakishor.com

This continues directly from the previous excerpt; We Do Not Eat Fruits Washed by Karmīs

Then we went to other European countries and everything was so different. The devotees were kind, generous, and helpful. The parents of the straightedge kids whose homes we sometimes stayed in didn’t seem so terrified by the “Hare Krishna sect.”

I remember sitting on the grassy hill of one of the Krishna farms somewhere out there in I-forget-where, twirling a dandelion flower between my fingers, wondering how Viṣṇupāda could be the leader here, were everyone was so sweet, and over there too, where everyone was so mean? I realized that the center of a circle is perceived through its circumference. Unless we are personally very close to someone, we only experience them through those who are close to him.

I imagined the fanatical book-distributing non-karmī-fruit-eaters from over there approaching their guru saying, “Shelter is coming, but is this punk rock bonafide?” I imagined their guru saying something relative to their mood. Something like, “Well, Prabhupāda stopped Viṣṇujana from doing the same thing…” Then, I could see them coming away with the conclusion, “Our guru says you are bogus.”

On the other hand I imagined the simple, down-to-earth people from over here approaching their guru saying, “What should we do to help Shelter when they come?” Responding to their mood, the same guru might say, “Bring them prasādam and see if you can coordinate some book distribution and harinām.”

I decided to suspend my previous judgement on Viṣṇupada’s character. Maybe he was who I initially thought he was, maybe he wasn’t. Until I got to know him and his surroundings, I couldn’t know for sure. And why should I be in any rush to find out? I should have better things to do.

Then I thought of Prabhupāda. He was so different at 26 2^nd Avenue and during the very early years of ISKCON, when his circumference was so much smaller and women like Yamuna Devī, Mālatī, and Jadurāṇī were an important part of it. Later, the circumference so much larger and so  very different, and he too seemed very different. I began to realize that what ISKCON accepted as “Prabhupāda’s Mood” was really only the mood of the circumference at a given point in time. Even what they saw as “Prabhupāda’s Teachings” was only the teaching they had managed to evoke from him, and was only what they had managed to comprehend of it.

This gave me some hope that I might be able to get close to Prabhupāda himself, without the circumference, if I studied his books carefully – especially the earlier ones.

– Excerpt from an early draft of

Train Wrecks and Transcendence: A Collision of Hardcore and Hare Krishna
Available May 2016

By Vraja Kishor [VrajaKishor.com ]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.12)

Here is the events schedule at the Radha Vrindabana Chandra Temple. Please come and celebrate this auspicious event!

Harinama in Happy Japanese Island Okinawa, Japan (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “The essence of all Vedic knowledge—comprehending the three kinds of Vedic activity, the Vedic hymns, and the processes for satisfying the demigods—is included in the eight syllables Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. This is the reality of all Vedanta. The chanting of the holy name is the only means to cross the ocean of nescience.” (Narada-pancharatra)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/35uhi6

According to the Bhagavad-gita (15.1), this material world is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. All varieties of this world exist in the spiritual world in its original pure form. If this material world, despite the inherent miseries of repeated birth and death, can appear so attractive to us, we can only imagine how attractive the spiritual world must be, which is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. Therefore, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, regularly appears in this world to attract us and take us back to His blissful kingdom. At scheduled intervals He descends as various incarnations in different parts of the universe. At other times He remains in this world in the form of His Deity (archa-vigraha) whereby He accepts personal loving service from His devotees. In this article, we will see how Krishna in His Deity form appears in so many amazingly different ways on this earth just to show His special love for His devotees. Continue reading "Krishna The God of Varieties
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What Kind of listener am I?
The topmost listener is one who comes before the speaker with proper respect and is eager and expert in hearing of Krishna’s teachings and pastimes. He has rejected all mundane topics, has faith in the Supreme Lord, hears submissively, always contemplates the knowledge he has heard and likes to ask relevant questions. He is dear to Lord’s devotees.
There are listeners who are known as superiors.
Cataka bird : A cataka bird does not take water from any source other than the rain cloud. It eagerly waits for the swati constellation, because it only drinks the raindrops that fall during that constellation. It will rather die than drink any other types of water. One who does not hear any book other than the scriptures concerned with Krishna is called a cataka listener.
Swan : Just as the swan can extract milk from a mixture of milk and water, one who can extract the essential teachings while listening to various topics is called a swan listener.
Parrot : Just as a parrot can recite whatever it has been taught, one who is able to properly repeat the topics he has heard from his teacher and others is called a parrot listener.
Fish: Just as a fish that is situated in an ocean of condensed milk quietly drinks milk without even blinking its eyes, one who quietly listens with full focus and relishes what he hears is called a fish listener.
Some listeners are classified as inferior:
Wolf :Just as the cry of wolf frightens the deer attracted by the sweet sound of the flute in the forest, the foolish listener whose questions and comments are a source of frustration and pain to the other listeners is called a wolf listener.
Bhurunda bird: Just as the bhurunda bird that lives in the Himalayas tells everyone whatever it has heard without doing anything himself, one who repeats what he has heard to others but does not practice it himself is called a bhurunda listener.
Bull: Just a bull does not distinguish between eating sweet grapes or pungent oilcakes, the person who listens to everything without intelligence and discrimination is called a bull listener.
Camel : Just as the camel rejects the mango leaves to chew bitter neem leaves, one who listens to Krishna’s teachings and then eagerly listens to mundane topics is called a camel listener.
– Srila Vyasadeva, Srimad Bhagavat Mahatamya, Skanda Purana, verses 10.41.35-37

First Girls’ Mela at Sri Mayapur International School.
Mayuri Pillai: Saturday the 6th of February hosted the first Girls’ Mela at SMIS. A nice group of girls over the age of fourteen gathered at the main campus to partake in the planned weekend’s events. HG Devaki Mataji, a senior disciple of HH Niranjana Swami gave an inspiring two day seminar on “Fascinating Womanhood”, presenting the transformation from materialistic views on womanhood to spiritual views, and thus motivating our enthusiasm.
The seminar concluded with a lunch feast in the open air. At 6:30 pm, after sunset we met back at school after the Hatti Procession. We sat around the bonfire, cooking dinner to the company of an upbeat kirtan, followed by a game of “Capturing the Flag in Pitch Black”. It was fast approaching midnight when we finally managed to get to sleep, exhausted from “Truth & Dare” and stuffed with the night prasadam of soup, buttered buns and fire roasted potatoes.
The next morning we performed darshan arati to Gaura Nitai and had a quick breakfast prior to the second day of the seminar. We performed humorous little skits summarizing the topics of previous day’s discussions before mataji began to speak.
The two-day course delivered a deep insight into various prospects, from a woman’s position in vedic culture to being able to advance in Krishna Consciousness as a youth. The whole group felt enlightened and benefited at the end and inspired to keep trying to make further progress.
The first Girl’s Mela was a great success and we are already planning for the next one! Please come and join the next Girls’ Mela….!

The post Daily Darshan: April 13th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The post Gaura leaves this world appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The Lord’s descent from His transcendental abode is already explained in the 6th verse. One who can understand the truth of the appearance of the Personality of Godhead is already liberated from material bondage, and therefore he returns to the kingdom of God immediately after quitting this present material body. Such liberation of the living entity from material bondage is not at all easy. The impersonalists and the yogis attain liberation only after much trouble and many, many births. Even then, the liberation they achieve—merging into the impersonal brahma jyoti of the Lord—is only partial, and there is the risk of returning to this material world. But the devotee, simply by understanding the transcendental nature of the body and activities of the Lord, attains the abode of the Lord after ending this body and does not run the risk of returning to this material world. In the Brahma-samhita (5.33) it is stated that the Lord has many, many forms and incarnations: advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam. Although there are many transcendental forms of the Lord, they are still one and the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. One has to understand this fact with conviction, although it is incomprehensible to mundane scholars and empiric philosophers. As stated in the Vedas Continue reading "Lord Rama
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Kadamba Kanana Swami: When I first went to India, Lord Ramachandra was the first deity I ever saw because the first temple I went to was of Lord Ramachandra and that was my temple! It was a small round temple and later on, they renovated and made it into a big marble temple. Oh, I miss my small round temple; it was so nice; the deities were really close but now they are high up and far away.

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Lessons from Hanuman, Lord Rama’s Greatest Servant.
This Friday, 15 Apr 2016, devotees around the world will put extra focus on the essence of Gaudiya Vaishnavism—loving service to God—as we celebrate the appearance day of Lord Ramachandra, God’s form as the ideal leader. And who better to follow as the perfect example of selfless, devoted service than Lord Rama’s greatest devotee, the monkey warrior Hanuman?
We cannot, of course, imitate Hanuman’s actions. This is someone, who, as a newborn baby, tried to eat the sun because he thought it was a delicious-looking fruit, and would have succeeded had not Indra the lord of the demigods stopped him by striking him unconscious with his deadly thunderbolt weapon. He was then personally revived and granted untold powers by the creator Brahma, in an effort to pacify his father Vayu, the God of wind, who in a fury had taken away the ability to breathe from every living entity in the universe.
We can, however, follow Hanuman’s example of using his talents and capacities to the fullest in the Lord’s service.
Doing Our Very Best
Hanuman’s talent was strength, and a quick study of his life reveals endless examples of his using it to the fullest. When Rama’s wife Sita devi was kidnapped by the demon king Ravana, Hanuman jumped, with playful disregard, across thousands of miles of fathomless ocean to warn Ravana to release her.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/uzYJL7

By Sesa Dasa

Here are three questions for you to ponder, dear reader: First, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Second, what do a highway billboard, a small town storefront, and the Greek philosopher Aristotle have in common? And third, what do either of these questions have to do with Lord Rama?

The ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana describes the life of Ramachandra, the incarnation of God whose advent in this world is celebrated each spring by Hindus and followers of Vedic culture worldwide. The work contains 24,000 verses and is considered to be the original Sanskrit poem. However, the Ramayana is not simply an epic tale; because it describes the activities of the Personality of Godhead, it is a complete guide to God-realization.

The story is told in response to Sage Valmiki’s question to Narada Muni: “Who is an ideal man?” Narada’s answer, a brief description of the life and qualities of Lord Rama, forms the basis for Valmiki’s much longer epic.

So which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or, in other words, is Lord Rama a God to whom we ascribe human qualities, or are we made in the image of the divine Rama, whose form we thus reflect and whose qualities we aspire to embody? Srila Prabhupada clearly stated, “The materialistic theory that God-worship is anthropomorphic is not correct.” On the contrary, he explained that “because we are part and parcel of God, we have got all the qualities of God, but because we are a minute part of God, therefore all the qualities of God are present in minute quantity.” “The impersonalist rascals,” he goes on to say, “they cannot understand what is the nature of God. In the Bible also it is said: ‘Man is made after God.’ You can study God’s quality by studying your quality, or anyone’s quality. Simply the difference is in quantity.”

So, what’s the proof that man follows God, that we are theomorphic? That’s where the billboard, the storefront and the teachings of Aristotle come in.

I saw the following message on a highway billboard along the Florida Turnpike: “A Commitment to Something Greater than Themselves.” Was the message religious? Not overtly. Was it marketing something? No. Was it aimed at some sensual enjoyment? Nope. The billboard was a recruiting ad for the U.S. Marine Corp. It pictured a young man, maybe 20 or 21, smartly dressed in a Marine Corp uniform (the best looking uniform the armed services have to offer) and sharply saluting. The billboard carries the legacy of self-sacrifice, of self-sacrifice, nobility of spirit, and being prepared to lay down one’s life for higher principles. What is the origin of these ideals? The answer can be found in the Ramayana.

A central theme of the Ramayana is how to live according to dharma: Right action or sacred duty according to one’s social role, status, and gender, even if it means sacrificing one’s own interests.

Rama was to be king, but, on the night before his coronation, palace intrigue led to his sudden banishment. Kaikeyi, one of the wives of Rama’s father Dasarath, demanded the king deny Rama his right to the throne, and instead send him in exile to the forest. Rama, as a kshatriya (a person belonging to the ruler/ warrior class), had every right to question this injustice. Was he really duty-bound to honor an unjust promise made by the hen-pecked Dasarath? No, but, in line with his true greatness, Rama conceded to both demands, with utter detachment and without a trace of disappointment. For him, “pitru vakya paripalanam” (honoring his father’s words) was one of the highest dharmas. As an ideal warrior, obedience was important, regardless of the propriety of the request to be obeyed. Thus Rama’s heroism lies in both his acts and his attitude.

I saw the following message on a small town storefront in the rural South of the United States: “Honor, Loyalty, Respect, Confidence, Etiquette.” When I peered inside the window, it became obvious that the storefront housed a martial arts academy.

Back to Godhead magazine recently published a story about Jaya Vijaya Dasa (aka Jason Goreing), a third degree black belt and 1994 Australian Taekwondo master. Jaya Vijaya said, “The true value of martial arts lies not in learning the art itself, but in acquiring the internal qualities developed by learning its basic practices.” The sign on the storefront carries the legacy of internal character development.

Students at the Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in India recently did a project on personality development for their course “Indian Management Thoughts and Practices” and came to these conclusions about the Ramayana: “Culture and values are the base on which a person builds his personality and his character. Ramayana teaches an individual the way to live by enriching his personality.” Two elements of eastern culture that students particularly highlighted are key themes in the Ramayana: the importance of loyalty in relationships and respect for one’s elders.

Lord Rama Himself exhibits such loyalty and respect, so why should we not also aspire to do so? Lord Rama said, “As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is My eternal principle that if any living being takes shelter of Me, even once, saying, ‘I am Yours,’ then I award that person freedom from all fear. Even if Ravana [who had stolen away Rama’s wife Sita] were to come here and surrender to Me, I would give him all protection.”

Finally we come to Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, and his thoughts on happiness. He taught that unlike momentary feelings of pleasure, happiness is a state of overall spiritual well-being and fulfillment. As such, it’s the ultimate end underlying all of our strivings. He believed that such happiness can only come at the end of a life well-lived in accordance with virtue. Aristotle’s teachings carry the legacy of sensual restraint, the message that true happiness is achieved through being bound by the chords of virtue.

During the time of the Ramayana, polygamy was prevalent and it was an acceptable social norm for kings to marry many women. Rama’s own father Dasaratha had three wives. Lord Rama, however, took a vow (“eka-patni-vrata”) to accept only one wife and eschew any other connection with women. This determination is his glorious example for today’s couples, particularly setting the sterling standard for a truly respectable man.

We know that we are made in the image of God because we can find the original and purest example of our ideals in the activities and character of Lord Rama. Whether we are an officer in the Marine corps, a student at a martial arts school, or a scholar of philosophy, we all strive to live up to his divine standard, whether we realize it or not. For those of us who understand his true position and our eternal relationship with him, there is all the more reason to hear about, celebrate, and follow the life and qualities of Lord Rama as our highest duty and greatest pleasure.
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Prasadam and book distribution with Harinama in Warsaw, Poland (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We can chant Hare Krishna, and Krishna will immediately become available. Krishna is available in this easy way, for which there are no hard and fast rules. We can chant at any time and immediately get Krishna. Just see the mercy of Krishna! (Teachings of Queen Kunti, 8, Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/6CG903

Please see this unique animation of the timeline of the travels of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Amazing where Srila Prabhupada went, in just a few years, in an advanced age and what he has accomplished!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Z9yNqZ

The Hare Krishna world in Europe was quite different from the one I was used to. The ‘80s hadn’t devastated it as fully as in America. I guess that’s because their main post-Prabhupāda guru actually managed to “keep the dream alive” and continue acting as their unquestionable divinely-anointed leader. Harikeśa Swāmī, a.k.a. Śrīla Viṣṇupāda, made rock albums himself. They were  completely awful in every way, and the fact that his disciples could listen to them made me really believe in brainwashing. Yet, despite being a wannabe rocker himself, he declared 108 an affront to Śrīla Prabhupāda. If we were real devotees, he said, we would be selling Prabhupāda’s books on the streets, not rocking out on stage.

His followers looked down on us. We knew it right away because it was one of the first things they told us. “Śrīla Viṣṇupāda says you are not bonafide.”

Oh, thank you. Nice to meet you, too.

Some of the ISKCON’s most prolific booksellers were here amongst his disciples. When we walked into the temple room they welcomed us with their backs.

Of course, our lack of bonafidity didn’t stop them from coming to our shows to sell books and so on. Somewhere in Germany, we pulled into a club and they were already there, somberly eyeing the peculiarities of our decidedly un-bondafide selves. They hadn’t brought anything to eat, but, as usual, the person in charge of the show had cooked us a vegetarian meal.

The devotees sat along the wall, glaring as we sat at the table.

It was exceedingly awkward, so I made a plate and carried it over to offer it to them.

“We eat only prasādam.” their spokesman said, renouncing my offer with a German accent that was almost cartoonish.

“This is prasādam.” I replied, already a bit insulted.

“No. It is cooked by the karmīs,” he declared. “Krishna does not accept it. And we do not eat karmī grains.”

I handed him an apple from a basket of fruit on the table.

He refused it, “It has been washed by the karmīs.”

Devotees all over the world are guilty of fanaticism, but this was just beyond imagination. I sat down and ate as much karmī grain as I could, in as boisterously joyful a mood I could possibly muster. We then informed they were welcome to stay for the show, but they were not welcome to sell books or do kīrtan. We would do the preaching.

They left.

Hey, if you are going to be “unbonafide,” you might as well do it without the hassle of having people breathing down your neck.

– Excerpt from an early draft of

Train Wrecks and Transcendence: A Collision of Hardcore and Hare Krishna

Available May 2016

By Vraja Kishor [VrajaKishor.com]

The 2nd Vaisnava Film Awards Festival (20 min video)
The 2nd Vaisnava Film Awards Festival in Mayapur took place on 18, 19, and 20th March 2016.
Seventeen golden Nityananda Awards were granted to special achievement and lifetime achievement recipients in an exciting 90 minutes ceremony, on the stage of Mayapur Festival’s main entertainments pandal.
Ground-breaking new videos were shown, each before it’s respective producer/director was honored by this rare event’s formal recognition.
No doubt this 2nd Award’s Festival is setting a trend that is likely to perdure and grow in popularity in ISKCON. So is the wish of organiser Nrsimhananda Das of Iskcon Television, who was assisted this year by Vasudeva Das, of BhakTV and VANDE (Vaisnava Arts For A New Devotional Era).
The Awards Night was filmed by Subuddhi Ray Das, and edited with the original HD clips by Vasudeva Das.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/kC8aCM

April 13. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Carl Yeargens.
New people began coming to see Prabhupada on the Bowery. Carl Yeargens, a thirty-three year-old, black, bearded man from the Bronx had attended Cornell University and was now independently studying Indian religion and Zen Buddhism. He had experimented with drugs as “psychedelic tools” and he had an interest in the music and poetry of India. He was influential among his friends and tried to interest them in meditation. He had even been dabbling in Sanskrit.
Carl: I had just finished reading a book called The Wonder That Was India. I had gotten the definition of a sannyasi and a brahmacari and so forth. There was a vivid description in that particular book of how you could see a sannyasi coming down the road with his saffron robe. It must have made more than a superficial impression on me, because it came to me on this one chilly evening. I was going to visit Michael Grant – probably going to smoke some marijuana and sit around, maybe play some music – and I was coming down Hester Street. If you make a left on the Bowery, you can go up to Mike’s place on Grand Street. But it’s a funny thing that I chose to go that way, because the shorter way would have been to go down Grand Street. But if I had gone that way, I probably would have missed Swamiji.
So I decided to go down Hester and make a left. All of a sudden I saw in this dingy alcove, a brilliant saffron robe. As I passed, I saw it was Swamiji knocking on the door, trying to gain entrance. There were two bums hunched up against the door. It was like a two-part door – one of them was sealed and the other was locked. The two bums were lying on either side of Swamiji. One of these men had actually expired – which often happened and you had to call the police or health department to get them.
I don’t think I saw the men lying in the doorway until I walked up to Swamiji and asked him, “Are you a sannyasi?” And he answered, “Yes.” We started this conversation about how he was starting a temple, and he mentioned Lord Caitanya and the whole thing. He just came out with this flow of strange things to me, right there in the street. But I knew what he was talking about somehow. I had the familiarity of having just read this book and delved into Indian religion. So I knew that this was a momentous occasion for me and I wanted to help him. We banged on the door and eventually we got into the loft. He invited me to come to a kirtana, and I came back later that night for my first kirtana. From that point on, it was a fairly regular thing – three times a week. At one point Swamiji asked me to stay with him, and I stayed for about two weeks.
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Carl Yeargens