The Temple of Jagannath at Puri
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By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur

We are opposed to the atheists alone who live and enjoy for themselves. Those who are anxious for the blessing of God are our brothers in faith, whatever error there may be in their ideas and forms of worship. Love of God, however misdirected it may be, does by force of its own natural strength, rise higher and higher in the scale of spiritual progress. Its want is the degradation of the soul alone. Those who do not love God have an opposite course from us and are objects of pity with all classes of theists. God save them. We were led to these remarks by a desire to show that we are candid examiners of the institution of Jagannatha without that hatred to the idolatrous (who are not prepared to understand the philosophy of Purushottam Tattva) which is perceivable in the short sighted and rash reformers of our country. Continue reading "The Temple of Jagannath at Puri
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Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in Russia (Album…
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Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We can ask favor from anyone, but we must know that nobody can favor us unless sanctioned by the Supreme Person. Suppose we approach a rich man to favor us with some contribution. Krishna is there within, and if He says, “You give him this money,” the man will give us. If he is not so fortunate now; therefore Krishna did not dictate him. So there is nothing to be sorry. This should be our principle. Mayapur March 22, 1976.
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Two Approaches to Sādhana
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There are two approaches to sādhana. One is motivated by an intellectual conception, the other is motivated by an emotional conception. Intellect and emotion are involved in both approaches, but the intellectual approach has intellect as the prime motive and emotion as the supporting instrument, while the emotional approach has emotion as the prime motive and intellect as the supporting instrument.

The intellectual approach is called śāstrik or vaidhik because intellect is born from śāstra (“śāstra yonītvā”). Therefore the intellect-motivated sādhana depends heavily on the depth of ones comprehension of śāstra, especially the depth of the comprehension that all the conclusions point towards bhakti (love) being the supreme morality, the supreme rule, the supreme goal, and the Divine (Viṣṇu) being the supreme beloved.

Clear knowledge of these conclusions of śāstra is also essential in the emotionally-motivated approach to sādhana – because intellectual conceptions are important supporting instruments of the sādhana. The primary requirement, however, is the force, clarity and specificity of the emotional attraction to Divine Love, bhakti. 


Tagged: Raganuga Bhakti, Vaidhi Bhakti

March 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations. Satsvarupa…
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March 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Dependent on Krishna.
He would record every amount received; yet Prabhupada didn’t worry about the money at all. When he moved from one place to another in 1966, he didn’t worry about the rent money, but simply depended on Krishna. American hippies were accustomed to living as mendicants too, but their renunciation was more an act of irresponsibility, and therefore, simply another variety of materialism. Prabhupada was purely renounced in Krishna’s service.
It is an amazing feature of Prabhupada’s surrender and dependence on Krishna that he came to the West completely alone with no material backing. Because the Gaudiya Matha had become divided after his spiritual master left this world, there wasn’t enough solidarity among his godbrothers to fund him from his Guru Maharaj’s institution. If someone pressed him about what religion he was representing, or about who sent him, he couldn’t claim anything other than a philosophical and spiritual connection with the Gaudiya Matha.
Prabhupada didn’t demand his disciples to do what he did – to go alone to a new place without any income – but it inspired us to think that he founded the movement on his complete dependence on Krishna.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=6

A Call for Gaura Purnima Sponsors
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Hare Krishna, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. As the waves of devotees raise their hands , with closed eyes and gently swaying their bodies, in ecstatic love loudly calling out the names, Gauranga! Gauranga, bestowing auspiciousness to the entire planet, I pray at the divine lotus feet of Sri Gauranga […]

The post A Call for Gaura Purnima Sponsors appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Purusottama das Thakur
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Sri Purusottama Thakur

“The twenty-third and twenty-fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda Prabhu were Sadasiva Kaviraja and his son Purusottama dasa, who was the tenth gopala. Since birth, Purusottama dasa was merged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and he was always engaged in childish play with Lord Krsna.” [C.C. Adi 11.8-39]

“Sri Sadasiva Kaviraja was extremely fortunate. His son’s name was Sri Purusottama das. He was never externally conscious of his material body. Nityananda Candra enacted many pastimes from within his heart.” [C.B. Antya 5/741-742]

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Love follows
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 May 2015, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture: Mindfulness and Meditation)

SP

Love will follow when we are attracted; when we admire; when we see amazing qualities; when we see a wonderful nature; when we see mercy, kindness and compassion; when we see strength; when we see beauty… Love will follow. Love will follow naturally. Love cannot be pushed, “You have to love!” You have to love your country. Well I don’t, I am sorry, I like it but I don’t love it. In Sydney there is this plaque and it says, “The greatest good a man can do is to give his life for his country.” Well I don’t think so; I am not convinced about that.

Yes, so love, love will go where there is admiration; where we see great qualities; where we see great kindness, great compassion, mercy, determination; where we see an incredible example, where we see someone who is just greater than we are… then love will automatically awaken, it is not difficult! Then love will come there.

Art with Bhava
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“Bhava” in Sanskrit means “ecstasy; the stage of bhakti just prior to pure love for God”. Today, the Lower Elementary class had the great fortune of having an art lesson from Krishna Bhava Devi, a very talented artist and devoted disciple of Srila Prabhupada. She is also the dear grandmother of Vara, our Kindergarten student, and a long-time resident of New Vrindaban.
Mother Krishna Bhava taught the young students a step-by-step method for creating a beautifully colored lotus flower. What a nice meditation on Lord Krsna, who lives in a land abounding with lotuses and whose limbs are compared to the beautiful and gentle lotus flowers. She further enhanced the mood and meditation with the accompaniment of soft Kirtan.
May our art and hearts lead us closer to the Lord with feelings of love, of bhava.

Krishna Devotees Look to Provide for This Life
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For Roger Siegel, the last half-century has been the proverbial long, strange trip. It started in New York, where, as an idealistic college dropout in the early 1960s, he tutored Harlem schoolchildren. It included civil rights marches in Alabama and peyote hikes in the Nevada hills.

It took a major turn in San Francisco in 1967, when Mr. Siegel became Gurudas, a disciple in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or Iskcon, a.k.a. the Hare Krishnas.

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/business/retirementspecial/krishna-devotees-look-to-provide-for-this-life.html?_r=1

Is the spiritual an energy like material energies such as thermal or electrical energies?
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Answer Podcast


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Why did Lord Chaitanya first become a scholar and then a devotee?
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Answer Podcast


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Devotion amidst persecution – Lord Chaitanya delivers Chand Kazi – Part 2
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Podcast


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Devotion amidst persecution – Lord Chaitanya delivers Chand Kazi Part 1
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Podcast


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The post Devotion amidst persecution – Lord Chaitanya delivers Chand Kazi Part 1 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

HG Vraja Bhakti Vilas Prabhu Leaves Body
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Dear Devotees, Well wishers

Please accept my most humble obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.

It is with very sad and heavy heart, that I convey the news that HG Vraja Bhakti Vilas Prabhu (53 Years), senior disciple of HH Lokanath Maharaja and one of the most profound Vaishnava Purohit of ISKCON has left his body on Tuesday 8th March at 7:40 am in Vraja Mandal Dham at Kosi Kalan. He left the world with all auspiciousness around him – Srila Prabhudpada Japa playing in his ears, devotees chanting around him, and having Vraja-raja and Ganges Water in his mouth and over his head.

He was being treated for liver failure at ILBS hospital Delhi under the care of devotees of Delhi-NCR. His sudden departure has left the devotee community across the world in great sorrow. The last rites were performed on the banks of Yamuna at Kesi Ghata in Vrindavan.

He was presently serving as Co-President of ISKCON Ghaziabad Temple
(INDIA). He is survived by his wife, a daughter, and a son. He had dedicated his entire life in serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

Born in a Vaishnava Brahmin family of South India, he joined ISKCON at a very young age in mid 80s. He received his Harinam Diksha in 1991 and Brahmin Diksha in 1992. He had served in many capacities in ISKCON Delhi which includes Sankirtan department, Head Pujari, Life Member preaching, and as Vice-President. He then served as Temple President of ISKCON Noida and contributed significantly with great determination and vigour for building the project. He is remembered by devotees as being soft spoken, caring, and as one of the most profound devotee for Bramhinical services like performing vaishnava Yagna, Deity installation, and diksha ceremonies. He was the head priest during the deity installation and opening festivals of many temples such as ISKCON Delhi, Aravade, ISKCON Kanpur, and ISKCON Alachua. We are all blessed to have such exalted souls on the planet with us.

As Krishna says in Bhagvada Gita “antakale ca mameva smarana muktva …”, One who remembers me at the time of death comes to my personal abode. The devotees who were closely serving HG Vraja Bhakati Prabhu in the hospital, could hear him chanting the shlokas and remembering the Lord of Tirupati, and this was when externally he was in great pain. This showed his mood of surrender towards Lord.

Let’s pray to Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Govind to give Their eternal service to Vraja Bhakti Prabhu and give strength to his immediate family to bear this great loss. Also let’s join hands in serving the remaining family of this Great Vaishnava devotee of Lord.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant, Krishnabhakta Das

New Temple opening ceremony (Album with photos) Srila…
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New Temple opening ceremony (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The difference between a devotee and a nondevotee is this, just like the bee and the fly: the bee always is attracted by the honey and flies go to the open sores. So the devotee is only attracted by the good qualities in other people and does not see their faults. Letter to Badrinarayana, November 7, 1971.
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Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur- 10 Feb 2016. Today being the…
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Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur- 10 Feb 2016.
Today being the last day of Kirtan Mela in Mayapur, I thought I should write something to share with everyone. I just came back from the temple were the Pandav Sena (Mayapur kirtan group) just finished leading their Kirtan. “Oh Thank you Krsna…that was some real amazing Kirtan”

Although it was lunch time for most devotees here in Mayapur, the temple was full. All we could all do, was sing along with the Kirtan leader with a bright smile on our face. The powerful Mrdangas sounded like a giant heart beat perfectly following the rhythm of the Kirtan. The Holy Name was entering one ear and going straight to the heart, then entering from the other ear and again going straight to the heart, incredible powerful transcendental feeling. All devotees have been in bliss for the last four days now and this last Kirtan Mela day is just the most perfect ending for this week that has given special spiritual energy to every single person who attended the Mela. This evening, thousands of devotees will once again fill up the temple room and chant together with their whole heart begging the Lord to give them Mercy. HG Agnideva prabhu, HH Indradyumna Swami, HH Bhakti Charu Swami & HH Lokanath Maharaj will be ending the week long Kirtan mela with very sweet but powerful kirtan and bajans.

Our most dear Panca Tattva seem to be affectionately watching over all the devotees in Sri Mayapur Dham showering blessings in every direction. The reciprocation between The Lord and his devotees is very special in the Holy Dham it is so sweet it’s like a perfect Gulabjamun cut in two and shared with a very special intimate friend.

So, tomorrow morning, after a short but transcendental night of rest full of sweet kirtan dreams, devotees will leave the material comfort of their room for the first day of the Navadvip Mandal Parikrama 2016.

Hare Krsna

Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur- 10 Feb 2016
→ Mayapur.com

Today being the last day of Kirtan Mela in Mayapur, I thought I should write something to share with everyone. I just came back from the temple were the Pandav Sena (Mayapur kirtan group) just finished leading their Kirtan.  “Oh Thank you Krsna…that was some real amazing Kirtan” Although it was lunch time for most […]

The post Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur- 10 Feb 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk. Krishna-kripa Das: See and…
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Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk.
Krishna-kripa Das: See and hear how my friends from Krishna House share Krishna food, music, and books with people at the Jacksonville Art Walk, Tallahassee First Friday, and Ocala Rainbow Gathering. I share realizations from Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, Giriraj Swami, several Srila Prabhupada disciples from Gainesville and Alachua, and younger devotees. Check out …
Travel Journal#12.3: North Florida -Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/tDbVp8

An Ox? What’s That?Hare Krishna Devi Dasi: We can learn a lot…
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An Ox? What’s That?
Hare Krishna Devi Dasi: We can learn a lot about history and the people writing it by keeping tuned to what is not being said. Applying this principle, we can see why Westerners have such trouble understanding the significance of cow protection—especially protection of the bull or ox. Because of what is routinely suppressed or overlooked in history books, it’s hard for people to understand when Prabhupada says,

“According to smriti [scriptural] regulation, the cow is the mother and the bull the father of the human being. The cow is the mother because just as one sucks the breast of one’s mother, human society takes cow’s milk. Similarly, the bull is the father of human society because the father earns for the children just as the bull tills the ground to produce food grains. Human society will kill its spirit of life by killing the father and the mother.”

—Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.2.29, purport

Because of a silence in contemporary history books, we cannot understand that the bull is our father. To us it seems a sentimental concept. Yet most major civilizations around the world owe a great debt to the bull or ox (neutered bull). We read about land being cleared, fields being planted, roads, castles, temples, cathedrals, and aqueducts being built. But somehow our history books (and films) are silent about the “engine” that was indispensable for all this growth of civilization.

It was Father Bull. He cleared the land, planted the fields, ground the grain, hauled the stone and timber, and moved the dirt.

Throughout the ages, there has been a worldwide appreciation for the working ox. The Chinese named a year after him and declared it a sin to eat his flesh—as did the ancient Egyptians (for certain breeds). The people of India revered both the bull and the cow and set rules to protect their well-being. Europeans also respected the work of the ox.

Americans in the days of the pioneers esteemed the work of the ox, and cited Biblical references to his value. An 1853 Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge states under its entry for “Ox”:

The rural economy of the Israelites led them to value the ox as by far the most important of domestic animals, from the consideration of his great use in all the operations of farming. In the patriarchal ages, the ox constituted no inconsiderable portion of their wealth. … Men of every age and country have been much indebted to the labors of this animal. For many ages the hopes of oriental husbandmen depended entirely on their labors. This was so much the case in the time of Solomon that he observed, in one of his proverbs, “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,” or rather empty; “but much increase is by the strength of the ox.”

Though such people were usually meat-eaters, that they could see the ox maintaining their daily life would have made it easier to convince them of the sin of killing their father the ox—which is precisely what Lord Caitanya was able to do in speaking with the Muslim Kazi of Navadvipa in sixteenth- century India.

On the contrary, how difficult it is to explain to modern Westerners the sin of cow-killing, when the ox has been—intentionally or unintentionally—eliminated from the history books. You may read a whole article about Colonial America, for example, and never see one mention of the ox—without whom the whole economy would have collapsed. I’ve noticed many times that when a modern artist needs to include an ox in an illustration, the commonest solution is just to draw him from the back—wagon, big ear, big horn—that’s all. Father Bull is so far removed from people’s experience that they don’t even know what he looks like.

But Prabhupada’s followers are changing that. We farm with oxen, and we take oxen on international walking tours in our Padayatra festivals. Devotee ox-drivers on Padayatra often report, “People come up and ask us what kind of animals they are.” Because of curiosity to come up and pet Father Bull, people get a chance to take some prasadam (sanctified food) and hear the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. Just as ignorance of Father Bull’s importance condemned them to sinful meat-eating, becoming attracted by him sets them on the road to spiritual life.

Add your chant video too! Fortunate People has launched its 50K…
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Add your chant video too!
Fortunate People has launched its 50K Chants Campaign for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. The campaign was presented at the International Leadership Sanga in Mayapur recently, where it was enthusiastically received by an audience of some 600 devotees including ISKCON leaders. It is now being officially promoted by the ISKCON 50 Committee.
1) Upload your chant video to Facebook, Instagram or Youtube 2) Share it to the Facebook.com/fortunatepeoplesmile page, and 3) Add the hashtag #fortunatepeople so that the project’s website fortunate-people.com can automatically find it.
All the videos that have been uploaded so far can be watched on the website, and are sure to lift your spirits – the sight of so many complete first-timers smiling, lauging and chanting Hare Krishna “for world peace” is heartwarming indeed.
The website also features a world map that shows which locations in the world have uploaded chants.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/ySjq4O

Travel Journal#12.3: North Florida
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Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 3
By Krishna-kripa das
(February 2016, part one)
North Florida
(Sent from Mayapur on March 10, 2016)

Where I Went and What I Did

The first half of February I was based mostly in Gainesville, singing at Krishna Lunch, but I made one final trip to Tallahassee to chant at Lake Ella and behind the Florida State University library and to talk to students. With youthful, enthusiastic devotees from Krishna House who pleased me by their cooperation, I sang at three special events in North Florida: the Jacksonville Art Walk, First Friday in Tallahassee, and the Ocala Regional Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest. While at Krishna House, I attended their Tuesday night program for new people, and I tell briefly about that.

I share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s conversations and from his books. I share a quote from Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Jaiva Dharma. I share excerpts from Viraha Bhavan, the online journal of Satsvarupa dasa  Goswami. I had the good fortune to hear more from Giriraja Swami, and I share useful realizations from that. I share notes on lectures by Prabhupada disciples Akuti Devi, Adi Karta Prabhu, Brahmatirtha Prabhu, Kalakantha Prabhu, Mother Nanda, Ramiya Prabhu, and Sesa Prabhu. I also share insights from Madhava Prabhu from New Raman Reti, Pran Govinda Prabhu, Kalki, and Audrey.

I would like to thank Krishna Keshava Prabhu from Alachua, Nama Kirtan Prabhu from Tallahassee, Adi Karta Prabhu from Alachua, and Sravan Ananda Prabhu from Orlando for their kind donations toward my traveling expenses. I would like to thank Dhruva Prabhu from Kansas City for kindly loaning me the entire cost of my ticket from Dublin to Mumbai, almost $500, so I could go to India this year. I would like to thank Prishni Devi Dasi for paying my expenses so I could attend the Bhaktivedanta Institute meeting in Gainesville when I was in Orlando doing college outreach. Thanks to Vanna for her picture of the Ocala Rainbow Gathering and to Ekayani for her picture of First Friday.

Itinerary

March 5–10: Mayapur Kirtan Mela
March 12–21: Rishikesh Harinama
March 22–April 9: Vrindavan
April 10–13: Mumbai
April 14–21: Ireland
April 22–24: Newcastle, England
April 26: Radhadesh (Kadamba Kanana Swami’s Vyasa Puja)
April 27–29: Holland (including King’s Day in Amsterdam on April 27)
April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana
May 2–July 9: The North of England and Scotland
July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra
July 12–16: Polish Woodstock
July 30: Berlin Ratha-yatra
August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival
August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)
September 13–: New York City Harinam

Krishna House Tuesday Night Program

There is a program every Tuesday to introduce students to the Hare Krishna philosophy and practice at the Bhakti House, one of the Krishna House buildings. Different devotees give the lecture each week. Recently the programs have become quite lively with people who are inquisitive and people who like kirtana participating. Here is some video of Adi Karta Prabhu and his wife, Rucira Devi, doing kirtana the first Tuesday in February (https://youtu.be/sIrk334EuH8):


Jacksonville Art Walk

The first Wednesday of the month, devotees from Krishna House do harinama and book distribution at the Jacksonville Art Walk. This month it was just me, Bali, Ekayani, Christiana, Audrey, and Vanna. Bali later said he came so I would not be the only guy. Although we were a small party, the devotees were very cooperative and participatory. We did not have a single book distributor but encouraged everyone to distribute books at least part of the time, and four out of the six of us did. I just talked to people who were obviously attracted by our small but enthusiastic chanting party, and relatively easily distributed a Bhagavad-gita, a Science of Self-Realization, and four small books. We met interesting people. One young lady knew Christiana from Gainesville and Vanna from Ann Arbor.

Several people danced with us.

One older man danced for a while, his arms raised in the air. I asked his wife, while he was dancing, if he had some connection with Hare Krishna earlier in his life, but she was not sure of the extent of it. They lived in West Virginia and had been to New Vrindavan. She had read the abridged biography of our founder, Srila Prabhupada, and told me, “I love that Prabhupada.”

Another older man wearing a National Park ranger’s uniform, expressed some interest, bought a small book, and offered to give us a tour of the National Park, with its Fort Caroline, which is near the beach in Jacksonville, and which includes the highest point in Florida, with a ten-mile view. 

One young lady, who delighted in dancing with us, told me she had danced with us at a previous Art Walk.

Vanna got one guy to chant. 

I wrote down the details of our University of North Florida Krishna Club for at least five people who were attracted by the chanting and the literature. I was happy how everything worked out well and everyone had a great time, although I was the leader and our party was smaller than usual. We were blessed with excellent weather. Although the first week in February, even at 9 p.m. when we ended, I was warm enough wearing a short-sleeved kurta.

In this video you will see how Christiana’s singing attracted lots of people to take part by dancing with us in Jacksonville and how Audrey was so enthusiastic she kept the chanting going at the van for a while before we left. (https://youtu.be/WaF_tpRCtYE):


Chanting Hare Krishna at First Friday in Tallahassee

I was happy we had a party of eight devotees to chant at Tallassassee’s First Friday this month, including Gauranga Prasad Prabhu, who is full of positive energy. At first I was annoyed that the people across from us were playing recorded music at too loud a volume, but I recalled I had my amplifier with me, and that helped to combat it a lot. I was impressed that we had more people listen to us for a longer time than before. 

One guy listened to us for half an hour. He told me he first became interested in Hare Krishna in New York City, hearing and getting a book from the devotees who chant in Union Square, but he had recently moved to Tallahassee. He remembered some of the names of the devotees on that Union Square harinama party. He said he was planning to look up our temple in Tallahassee but was too busy getting settled to do that. He came to First Friday and some people told him that the Hare Krishnas were serving food and explained where, and so he joined us. I invited him to the Tallahassee temple and he came for two Gita classes and developed friendly relationships with Nama Kirtan Prabhu and Elias. I found out he worked for a company that collected food that was past the expiration date and arranged to give it to charities, and I invited him bring some of the food to the temple. He brought 15 avocadoes on his next visit. 

Audrey (on right) and Nickole talked to some of the young people who enjoyed listening to us. In conversation, Nickole discovered that one of them had gone to the same high school as she did in Miami. 

At the end, Gauranga Prasad Prabhu led harinama not just once, but twice, around the Railroad Square. The organizers of an art and music festival to be held at the Square later in the month, upon hearing us sing, invited us to perform at it. Again I was so happy my friends at Krishna House came and shared their enthusiasm for devotion to Krishna with others.

Here is a rather fuzzy video clip with Gauranga Prasad Prabhu singing and showing Audrey dancing with one girl (https://youtu.be/5tdqwBnmmOQ):


Chanting Hare Krishna Elsewhere in Tallahassee

Because a wedding was going on near where I usually chant at Lake Ella in Tallahassee, I chanted by the playground. 


At least seven kids were excited to play my instruments as I sang for three hours on a sunny but brisk North Florida winter day. I would show the kids the standard one-two-three karatala beat and the four different sounds you can make with the drum, open and closed on the big and small ends. Then I would let them play as best they could, without additional instruction, as my mission was to allow people to hear the chanting of Hare Krishna and not teach the playing of musical instruments. 


They were happy playing with me and stayed longer than I would have expected. The parents did not object much to the kids associating with me.

I was happy that Ramiya Prabhu and his wife joined me for the final day of chanting at the Florida State University campus. Kirtana is so much more powerful with even one or two more people.

Chanting at the Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest


We had a small but enthusiastic party of three guys and three girls chanting and distributing prasadam and literature one Saturday afternoon to those attending the Rainbow Gathering at the Ocala National Forest. I was happy Vanna chanted her mind and decided to go the last minute. As the previous year, we put our prasadam buckets in a cart which we pulled from one group of people to the next. 


People were very happy to get the prasadam.


Bali and Abhi were great in chanting and playing the instruments.
Audrey helped out in different ways.

Vanna pulled the cart and served out.

Amrita encouraged people to take mantra cards and books. 

Here Amrita teaches a guy the Hare Krishna mantra.

We met one guy who very, very happy to get Bhagavad-gita. One young mother told us that she read Bhagavad-gita every night to her child as the kid was taking rest. While serving prasadam and while people were eating it, we would chant. Then we would move on to the next group of people. Usually we go into the forest looking for people, but this year we found enough people parked and camped along the road that we were fully engaged. We had brought five buckets of halava, each a different flavor, from the five days of Krishna Lunch that week. The mint carob was especially tasty. The peach was pretty good too. At the end, I went to each of the different Rainbow kitchens to donation the rest of the halava. The lady, who was in charge of the first kitchen where we played earlier in the day, was very happy to take a bucket of halava. She said that for the moment she is living in the Gainesville area, and I invited her to come visit us sometime. The Jesus Kitchen took the last two buckets of halava. Some people sang with us or played their instruments. One young guy who sang with us a while helped pull our cart of prasadam. Thanks to all the devotees who came and made it possible to share Krishna music, food, and books at that event.

Here is some video showing the first kitchen we stopped at to give you a feel for what it was like (https://youtu.be/CxRzzKr38HI):


Funny Pictures


This sign on the Krishna House men’s ashram box of communal health and body care products reminds me of this Sri Isopanisad verse (1): “Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.”


Giriraja Swami’s servant carried the Swami’s books for sale in a bag from All Souls Chapel and Crematory at St. Michael’s Cemetery. One of the books was entitled Life’s Final Exam. I thought that was so funny I had to take a picture of it!

For photos I took but did not include, click on the link below:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103872792410945983719/TravelJournal123?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOe3r4rtw-2u9gE&feat=directlink

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From a conversation New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on June 24, 1976:

“People see, with their own eyes, how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another body to still another body. Nevertheless, with their dull brains they cannot understand that at death, when the aged body is finished, the soul goes on to yet another body, material or spiritual. But people cannot understand this. They are so dull-brained. They cannot make the simple distinction between the body and the soul. It will take five hundred years to teach them this simple truth – their education is so advanced.”

From Srimad-Bhagatavam 8.5.48, purport:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the only object of our love. As long as we are in this material world we have so many desires to fulfill, but when we come in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we immediately become perfect and fully satisfied, just as a child is fully satisfied when he comes to the lap of his mother. Dhruva Maharaja went to the forest to achieve some material result by austerity and penance, but when he actually saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead he said, ‘I do not want any material benediction. I am completely satisfied.’”

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

From Jaiva Dharma:

“A natural human sentiment, compassion finds its highest expression in the works of devotees of the Lord. The tenderness of the heart experienced toward Krishna is known as bhakti. All other jivas are servants of Krishna. When one experiences tenderness of heart toward them, it is known as daya, compassion. Therefore, compassion is included within bhakti.”

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami:

From “Poem for February 2” in Viraha Bhavan:

“All creative work
comes from Krishna in the heart.
A devotee shouldn’t
chant hoping to
get personal, creative
ideas. He should pray to serve
Krishna nicely. We are
not egoistic creators
but ‘subordinate lovers of the Supreme.’”

From “Poem for February 4” in Viraha Bhavan:

“Today’s drawing shows four
devotees dancing and chanting
with upraised arms.
They are happy and jumping.
Even if harinama devotees
are chanting sitting down,
they are dancing
in their hearts. The
more enthusiastic and
physically nimble among
them will actually get
up and dance. This
adds to the ecstasy.
Lord Caitanya and His associates
used to chant and dance.
The people were so amazed
at Mahaprabhu’s
physical manifestations.
He used to leap high, and
Lord Nityananda would run beside
Him to catch Him if He fell. We
may not be so empowered and
we may be growing old and
not inclined to dance, but
on occasion, we may rise to our feet
and fill our spirit
and the spirit of the group
and what to speak of the onlookers!”

From “Poem for February 5” in Viraha Bhavan:

 “The Hare Krishna chanters in
the City go out every day
and situate themselves
in public in a sacred spot.
They sing kirtana for long
hours and purify the
atmosphere. They do
congregational chanting
of the Hare Krishna mantra, which is
the only sacrifice recommended
for the Age of Kali.
They are doing the
most important
welfare work for
humanity because
the chanting removes
sinful reactions and
awakens love of Godhead
in the hearts of those who hear.
No other philanthropic or altruistic
work is as important
because all other endeavors cannot
break the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Harinama can do that, and that is why
its servants are the best friends and rescuers.”

From a letter to a disciple:

“The simple explanation of the fight between the Kauravas and the Pandavas was that Dhrtarastra was favoring his own sons over the Pandavas, but in a way which was contrary to dharma. And since Krishna’s mission is to reestablish dharma for humanity at large, and since the Kauravas were not willing to act according to dharma in a peaceful way, Krishna used such a major fight to catch the attention of the whole world to His personal teachings about the ultimate dharma: surrender unto Him in loving devotion. This is the heart of the Mahabharata, as can be read in the Bhagavad-gita.”

Bhakti Tirtha Swami:

From a recorded lecture:

My mother said, “Give me my flowers while I can see them.” As a kid I could not understand, but as an adult I appreciate her love for life.

Giriraja Swami:

The cowherd boys asking Krishna for food are under the influence of the spiritual energy (yogamaya), while ordinary people asking God for food are under the influence of the material energy.

The yogamaya energy causes the devotees to forget that Krishna is God and also causes Krishna to forget that He is God, so they can act in an intimate relationship.

Krishna did not want to his friends to tell the wives of the brahmanas performing sacrifice that He and Balarama were hungry because that would cause them too much pain. Rather they should say Krishna and Balarama are nearby.

Krishna is atma-priya, the most beloved of the soul.

We are naturally attracted to Krishna, as iron is attracted to a magnet, but as rusty iron is not attracted to magnet, when we are covered by material contamination that attraction is not manifest.

Krishna gave the wives of the brahmanas’ suggestions how they could advance in devotion to Him while remaining at home: “It is by hearing about Me, seeing My Deity form, meditating upon Me and chanting My names and glories that love for Me develops, not by physical proximity. Therefore please go back to your homes.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.23.33)

We also have not met Krishna this life, but we are attracted to Him by hearing about Him.

Anu means both “continuously” and “following.”

These pastimes of Krishna’s kindness to His devotees should awaken in our hearts a desire to have such a relationship with Krishna.

When the brahmanas’ wives returned home and their husbands saw their advanced devotion to Krishna, they accepted them as gurus who knew how to transcend the path of birth and death whereas they were actually ignorant of it.

Adi Karta Prabhu:

Our civilization is not very advanced because people are simply trying to benefit their own bodies and those of others without considering the soul within the body and its needs.

The body ages, but the person within the body remains the same.

According to the Vedas there are multiple universes. Now even the scientists have decided there is more than one universe.

Practically everyone in India has a name that has some relationship with Krishna.

Just outside of London we have a temple and 70,000 people come each year to celebrate Krishna’s birthday. You will not find such attendance at Anglican Churches to celebrate Christmas.

Krishna never likes to be worshiped as God because it takes the intimacy out of the relationship.

Akuti Devi:

The cure for our egoistic protest about hearing extensive glorification of Krishna is to continue to hear such glorification.

Krishna is for everyone, those who like the sweetness of His childhood pastimes and those who like to see his amazing opulence.

Srila Prabhupada could glorify both the opulence and the sweetness of Krishna.

We can feel we are reeled into Krishna’s shelter, away from the craziness of materialistic life.

A lot of us are on a marathon, as we do not have so much time left, we who are more than 50 years old.

Prabhupada’s essay on the ideal varnasrama community includes morning and evening kirtana.

It costs no money to realize the soul, but it takes a lot of time and energy.

We cannot imagine we will have a great spiritual life if we cheat on our sadhana.

Comments by Pran Govinda Prabhu: Giriraja Swami was telling us if we can eliminate the offenses to Vaishnavas and inattention that the other offenses will be reduced. Giriraja Swami also said if someone is going to criticize someone to him, he asks the person why he think he needs to hear the criticism, to make the devotee consider what he is doing. Radhanath Swami said if we focus on the good qualities of the devotees, we will not be disturbed by things we may not like about them.

Brahmatirtha Prabhu:

As a cat playing with a rat and a cat playing with its kitten may seem from a distance to be the same thing, the love between the gopis and Krishna may seem like the relationship between girls and boys of the material world, although they are completely different.

To achieve higher consciousness, we must be willing to give up those things that keep us in lower consciousness.

Sacinandana Swami decided to pervade all his regular spiritual practices with gratitude to improve his devotional consciousness.

Sacinandana Swami expresses realization that there is a lover of God within his heart, and through prayers to the Lord, he found hope that he could be uncovered.

Comment by Shyamala Kishori Devi Dasi: Prabhupada was once asked about how one who could not hear or see or even touch could become Krishna consciousness. Prabhupada replied, “Well, he can bow down.”

Once Srila Prabhupada said, “When my disciples are hungry, they will eat any damn thing.”

If we really believe that as part of Krishna that we have something lovable about us, that belief will help us conquer lust. That will help us develop humility and confidence.

Comment by Bali: You cannot lie to Krishna. Why lie to everyone else?

Comment by Naomi: As far as bumps on the road, you can go around them. If you hit them, you may have to change a tire, which is something we could use help with. You can use them to humble yourself.

When I had a conversation with Srila Prabhupada about advancing in spiritual life, he began and ended the conversation with the very same verse, which was the only verse I knew: “Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.30)

Srila Prabhupada explained that if accidentally one makes some mistake due to conditioning it is forgiven but not if one intentionally does something wrong.

We have trouble accepting that the real self we are hearing about is really us.

Kalakantha Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada asked the devotees, “Who is stronger Krishna or Balarama?” Seeing their bewilderment, he explained that all the planetary systems rest on Lord Balarama, but as in our deities in Vrindavan, Balarama rests on Krishna.

Pralambasura is the first demon who was killed without having first attacked and the first killed outside the immediate precincts of Vrindavana.

Balarama is the original spiritual master. He takes care of those who have rejected Krishna and tries to elevate them. Thus He is very important to us.

Laksmana was upset that as the younger brother of Lord Rama He could not prevent Him from suffering exile in the forest, thus He came as the elder brother, Balarama, of Krishna, in Their next appearance. He found even as the elder brother, Krishna would not listen to Him, thus in frustration He appeared as the avadhuta Nityananda, and He did as He pleased.

A friend had this exchange with his college professor:
Student: “I am not sure that what you are teaching us is true.”
Professor of Psychology: “Where in the contract does it say it has to be true? We are just teaching you what you need to get ahead in this field.”
Thus disillusioned, my student friend dropped out of school.

The distress of the householders is they work hard for success, but after attaining what society taught them would satisfy them, they find they are still dissatisfied.

Comment by Dhrstadyumna Prabhu: When there was a terrible blizzard in Denver, it was one of my most memorable and ecstatic experiences as we read Srila Prabhupada’s books ten hours a day. Previously, before I was a devotee, when we were shut in it was just suffering.

Almost all medicines are toxic, and therefore they have to be taken in very regulated doses. Krishna consciousness is not like that. With Krishna consciousness, it is the more the better.

Because we have no taste for devotional service in the beginning, our regulated devotional service is our greatest investment. If we can take it seriously, the rest of our life will be an experience of deep fulfillment.

Although driving Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, as a pacca [first-class] brahmana, Akrura stopped part way to take his midday bath.

Some parents see Krishna House as the termination of their kids’ lives. Other people find it to be an oasis from the madness of society. Others think, “Why are these people wasting their time? They could be earning money.” Similarly people misunderstand the pastimes of Krishna and their value.

Mother Nanda:

Even with the cows, Krishna has a personal relationship with each. It is not just a few great personalities in the Bhagavatam, but actually every living entity, including ourselves, has a intimate relationship with Him.

The blazing fire that Krishna swallowed can be compared to the blazing fire of material existence.

Our saga in the material world did not just start 18 or 23 years ago [with the beginning of this life], it has been going on for thousands of years.

The cowherd boys did not call out, “Father”, “Mother”, “Indra”; they only took shelter of Krishna.

We may not solely take shelter of Krishna. We may find we are taking shelter of our credit or debit card. But we can pray to able to full take shelter of Krishna soon.

Kunti prayed for calamities because calamities force you to take shelter of Krishna.

Comment by Bali: Sometimes when things are going well with our devotional service, we think that we are perfect, and then we start accepting things that are unfavorable, and then we get into trouble, and that is not a good thing.

Chanting your rounds with concentration, associating with devotees, and having a friend in devotional service are all helpful if we get distracted and can help us get back to normal.

One acarya said that Krishna advised His friends to close their eyes before He swallowed the forest fire because He got into so much trouble when His friends saw Him eating dirt He was worried what would happen if they saw Him swallowing fire.

Comment by Naomi: We can see from this pastime that surrendering to Krishna makes one fearless because the cowherd boys were in such anxiety, but they became completely fearless by taking shelter of Krishna.

Ramiya Prabhu:

If your professor told you that you are speaking like a learned person, but actually you are a fool, you might walk out of the class, but when Krishna spoke that way to Arjuna, Arjuna stayed to hear Krishna’s wise words.

Regarding being in his seventies, my father there is nothing “golden” about it.

Like a car gets old, breaks down, and needs to be repaired, so it is true with the body.

Yoga is to get your body and mind in a peaceful state, so you can consider what is beyond the body. After you practice yoga, when you walk out of this room, if you get caught up in the external world, you will lose your peace.

A proper teacher does not just speak. You can see in his life examples of what he is teaching.

Do you know anyone who is sometimes a friend and sometimes an enemy? One moment they are friends, and then next moment they are enemies. It is very scary. The mind is like that.

As far as enjoyment, it is beyond our control. Sometime it is there and sometimes it is absent, but we cannot let ourselves be disturbed in either case.

We struggle internally, I want it, I don’t want it, but when we give it to Krishna, we are freed of the struggle.

Radha makes a special manohara-laddu that is most attractive to Krishna. Once when Krishna received one and put it in his mouth, he made a terrible face as it if it was disgusting, and then He distributed them to His friends, including Radha to please them, because they all love His remnants. She understood this and was not disturbed by his behavior.

Comment by Zoe: The Latin word humus means soil, and this word humble is related, as soil is lowly.

Sesa Prabhu:

Q: One may ask, “Why did Krishna create an arrangement to punish Indra which involved His devotees getting so much distress in terms of the heavy rainfall?”
A: One answer is that is arrangement not of Krishna but of His pastime potency (lila-shakti). Because this pastime potency can act independently from Krishna, it can be said that it is not the doing of Krishna.

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate
na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca dṛsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca

“The Supreme Lord has nothing to do, and no one is found to be equal to or greater than Him, for everything is done naturally and systematically by His multifarious energies.” (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)

The real glory of the Govardhan-lila is that Krishna very wonderfully reciprocated with all of His different devotees simultaneously. His lila-shakti made this amazing arrangement.

If we see meaning in everything that happens to us, then we can get an understanding of how Krishna is acting for us.

There are activities and relationships both in this world and in the spiritual world.

The name Vaikuntha, which means without anxiety, contrasts with our experience of this world, which is full of anxiety.

Comte de Mirabeau said, “Short absence quickens love, long absence kills it.”

Bhaktimarga Swami said in a class, “In the material world, love is accompanied by fear, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam.”

Because of the [absolute] nature of Krishna, love of Krishna is different than the love of the material world. Being with Krishna, desiring to be with Krishna, and lamenting the absence of Krishna, are all ways of associating with Krishna and experiencing His presence.

Understanding the difference between love in the spiritual and the material world can help us move toward spiritual love.

Comment by Kalakantha:  The gopis address Krishna as Govinda because He has stolen their senses, Damodara because his absence will kill Mother Yashoda who addresses him by that name, and Madhava, indicating that He is the husband of the goddess of fortune and not them, and thus He is guilty of harming other men’s wives.

When ordinary people criticize God, it brings condemnation upon themselves, but those in love with Krishna can criticize Him like anything without being degraded, and still Krishna does as He wishes.

Madhava Prabhu [from New Raman Reti]:

Srila Prabhupada explains that because this world is a reflection of the spiritual world the highest thing, the relationship between the gopis and Krishna, when reflected in the material world in the relationships of unmarried girls and boys, becomes the lowest thing.

If we cannot see the pastimes between Krishna and the gopis in a pure way, it is better to leave them aside and focus on other pastimes.

We may be hiding things, but when we come to Krishna to surrender, we cannot, for He knows all.

From a talk on “Building Strong Relationships”:

There are three features of relationship:
1.             Understanding our relationship.
2.             Acting according to that relationship.
3.             Reaching the ultimate goal of that relationship – love.

When the soul looks toward Krishna, the material influence slackens.

Pran Govinda Prabhu:

Advaita Acarya Prabhu asked Lord Caitanya to see the same universal form that He had shown Arjuna. And so Lord Caitanya showed him Arjuna, his chariot, and the same universal form that Krishna had shown. Advaita did this not for Himself, but to establish that Lord Caitanya was Krishna Himself.

The spiritual world is centralized [in the sense that it has a center, Krishna] while the material is decentralized.

Advaita Acarya was so attractive as a child, when he came with His father to a Durga Puja festival, which His father, as a minister, was invited to, people looked at Him instead of Durga. He did not bow to Durga, which bewildered the brahmanas. He said that he did not have to as Durga was His maidservant. He further said if He bowed to the deity, she would shatter. They pushed him to bow to her anyway, and the deity shattered.

Kalki Prabhu:

Srila Prabhupada makes the point that an acarya must propagate devotional service to Krishna and that Lord Caitanya is the original acarya.

In a caption to a picture of his guru in Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada glorifies his guru for spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. He does not use that glorification as the caption for his own picture.

Serving the guru is the means of pleasing the Krishna.

Comment by Abhimanyu Prabhu: The determination of Advaita Acarya was, “Either I will bring Lord Krishna to this world, or I will destroy it by My Sudarshan cakra.”

Audrey:

From a dinner conversation:

I prayed that I did not want to have to worry about school or a job but that I would have hours to read Srila Prabhupada’s books every day. I find here at Krishna House, that Krishna gave me exactly what I wanted. I did not even know this place existed before!

-----

We may be frustrated by all the bad qualities of this age, but the situation is not hopeless. If we chant Hare Krishna it can be the best age, because we can awaken our love for God and attain the spiritual kingdom. We can also offer this solution to others. This verse explains that:

kaler dosa-nidhe rajan
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krishnasya
mukta sangah param vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.3.51)


Children in Krishna Consciousness
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By Ambika devi dasi

Bhaktivedanta Gurukula (http://www.krishnaschool.org/) has welcomed students at the beginning of the new school year. Gurukulas are very important in our society because while the students are being trained in academic knowledge, they are also being guided to remember the cause of all causes, Lord Krishna. This early guidance will remain with them throughout their lives and will assist them to see the Lord’s presence in everything.

In the sixth chapter of Bhagavad gita, Krishna explains how a spiritual seeker who does not attain perfection returns to this world, taking birth in a pious, prosperous or transcendentalist family. That soul then revives the divine consciousness of his previous life and makes further progress in order to achieve complete success.

There are many references given by the Founder Acarya of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada, regarding the special nature of children born into a Krishna Conscious family: “These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is a very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused.” Letter to Arundhati, 30/7/72

A letter from 2/11/69: “It is very good news that Vishnu-arati is advancing nicely in Krishna Consciousness and I know that you and your husband will always do your best to bring her up on the right path of KrishnaConsciousness. To raise one soul to Krishna Consciousness is counted by Krishna as a very great service, so you do this duty very carefully and Krishna will certainly bestow His blessings upon you.”

Just as Lord Chaitanya astonished Mother Saci by preaching to her after she had chastised Him for sitting on rejected pots, so also these children have experienced spiritual life in previous births and can astonish us at times with their realisations. By nurturing their bhakti creepers, we will do them the best possible service. To achieve this, we need the vision that all living entities are souls and are part and parcel of Krishna.

Despite being situated in small bodies at present, these children are elevated souls whom the Lord has placed amongst us in order that we may assist them in rekindling their love for Him.

Puzzle of Life
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We pick up different pieces from different places. The people we contact, namely family, friends, colleagues, critics, mentors, managers, and others, are not simply there by chance. These individuals are strategically placed by providence to make a unique contribution to our development.

UK Youth Mela to Empower ISKCON Youth in Europe
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Around 300 youth aged 15 to 35 from all over Europe are expected to attend Youth Mela in Leicester, UK from September 1st to 4th this year. The convention, organized by the Pandava Sena and ISKCON Europe Youth Ministry, aims to empower youth throughout ISKCON Europe and connect them with Srila Prabhupada. The event is inspired by the International Leadership Sanga in Mayapur, and Kulimela worldwide.

Preaching program with HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana (Album with…
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Preaching program with HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: If one renders even a small amount of sincere devotional service, Krishna becomes obliged to elevate such person; and what to speak of one whose entire life and soul has been dedicated to Krishna’s service. Letter to Harer Nama, November 6, 1969. Find them here: https://goo.gl/UzidnS

Global 50,000 Chants Campaign Launched for ISKCON 50
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The innovative sankirtan outreach project Fortunate People is inviting devotees to post videos of themselves and newcomers chanting the Hare Krishna mantra to its website fortunate-people.com, with an aim to gather 50,000 chants for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. Fortunate People is a UK-based project that allows distributors of Prabhupada’s books to keep in touch with people they’ve met on the street.

Honoring the Pure Devotee
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By Padmapani das

As the latest headlines and news reports from around the world become more disturbing for us all, it’s quite natural to wonder just where the joy of life has gone for so many people. The pressing threats of world war, terrorist attacks and a host of other menacing perils hang ominously above our heads as we go about our daily activities, hoping against hope that somehow everything will work out all right. Yet deep in our hearts we know that something might happen at a moment’s notice which can potentially destroy everything. Our precious lives — and the lives of our loved ones — hang in the balance. In reality, most of us don’t have much of a safety net except for a vague sense of faith that life will go on. If truth be told, we live on a wing and a prayer.

This constant state of insecurity may appear to be something new as a result of our so-called material advancement which has ushered in a new era replete with multiple means of mass destruction. But according to the Vedic scriptures, this is an age-old dilemma for humankind. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, spoke the following words 5,000 years ago:

abrahma-bhuvanal lokah
punar avartino’rjuna
mam upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.” (B.G. 8.16)

In this simple yet potent verse, we are confronted with both the problem and the solution to our material miseries and anxieties. According to Krishna, the Supreme Lord (and therefore the supreme authority), the very nature of this world is insecure because there is no permanent shelter here. Who can deny that life is constantly changing — for better or worse — no matter how much we struggle to make it stand still? As the old saying goes, “Time waits for no man.”

Krishna informs us that not only is this lifetime transitory, but there are more lifetimes, and they are all temporary and miserable. Krishna says, “punah avartinah,” which is translated as “again returning.” We must continue returning again and again to this world of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. This is what the Vedas refer to as samsara, or the cycle of birth and death. The living entity or spirit soul (atma) encased in one fleeting material body after another is rotating “from the highest planet down to the lowest” in search of permanent happiness. But since this world is certified by the Lord Himself to be a place of misery, then all such wanderings are ultimately futile. In other words, we’re looking in the wrong place.

As gloomy as this may all sound at first, there is a straightforward answer to the problem. Lord Krishna is the benefactor of all living entities, so we can rest assured that He won’t leave us high and dry. In fact, He doesn’t. In the very same verse, the Lord promises, mam upetya tu kaunteya, punar janma na vidyate: “But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.” Here is the simple but sublime solution. We must seek our happiness in Krishna’s abode where there is no more birth and death. This is called our eternal life, or “back home, back to Godhead.”

Of course, we may then inquire as to how we can actually make it to the spiritual sky where life is full of endless joy and happiness. If we read the Bhagavad-gita in full our inquiries will be satisfied. Krishna advises the following in the fourth chapter of the Gita:

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (B.G. 4.34)

In the purport to this important verse, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the author of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, writes the following:

“Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should not only hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.”

Lord Krishna Himself recommends that we approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession. Because he is the transparent via medium to the Lord, the spiritual master is qualified to accept service on the Lord’s behalf. This is the process of Krishna consciousness as revealed to us by the Supreme Lord and which is supported by the self-realized spiritual master, the Vedic scriptures and the saintly persons or sadhus (B.G.10.3, Purport). Therefore it should be clearly understood that when we worship the spiritual master, we are not worshiping a common ordinary man. He is the authorized representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Vedic literatures inform us that glorification of the spiritual master is due to his exalted position as a pure unmotivated servant of his own spiritual master in disciplic succession (parampara) from the Lord Himself. Srila Prabhupada clearly explains: “One has to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam through the process of devotional service and by hearing the recitation of a pure devotee. These are the injunctions of Vedic literature — sruti and smrti. Those who are not in the disciplic succession and who are not pure devotees cannot understand the real mysterious objective of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-gita. (Cc. Madhya 22.131)

The worship of Srila Prabhupada is therefore the worship of the entire parampara, and ultimately the worship of the Supreme Lord Krishna. It should always be understood that the pure devotee never takes the glorification for himself, and this can be easily concluded by studying Prabhupada’s books, hearing his lectures and reading his letters and essays. For example, in just one of his letters written in 1968, Srila Prabhupada counseled a disciple:

“A Krishna Consciousness person thinks always about himself as the lowest creature in the world, and the more one thinks like that he becomes elevated more and more. A Krishna Conscious person is never falsely puffed-up; he is satisfied with his humble position as the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna.” (Srila Prabhupada letter, June 1, 1968)

Prabhupada always practiced what he preached. There was never any discrepancy between what he instructed and how he lived his life. That is the meaning of acarya, or one who teaches by example. Srila Prabhupada was the first to rise in the mornings, and no one could keep up with his incessant devotion and service throughout the day — day after day, month after month and year after year. Yet despite his impeccable standard of pure devotional service, Srila Prabhupada always remained humble and sincere. In the same letter, he stated the following:

“Personally I have no credit for myself, but I am trying to act as faithful servant of my predecessors and just presenting without any adulteration the message which I have received from my Spiritual Master. Similarly, if this message is presented by you all who have accepted me as the Spiritual Master, then all the people of the world may be benefited by receiving this transcendent message of Krishna Consciousness. Try to execute this mission wholeheartedly and faithfully, and all of you try to broadcast the message to your best capacity.”

In conclusion, we humbly encourage everyone to study Srila Prabhupada’s life and teachings to their heart’s content. There is so much available. His early writings and letters are just as timely and relevant to the world today as they were in the Forties and Fifties. And his later writings are indeed a welcome relief and panacea for society’s chronic maladies. If one takes the time to really understand who Prabhupada is and what he is saying, there can be no mistake that he should be regarded with the highest respect and love. It is not blind fanaticism or sectarianism to honor the pure devotee of Krishna; but in fact, it’s what the Supreme Lord wants us to do (B.G. 4.34). Since we’re hoping to get out of this material world of miseries and go back to Him in the kingdom of God, then it’s not without good reason that we should follow His advice in this regard. Therefore we can safely say that Prabhupada is for everyone, just as Krishna is for everyone.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Krishna’s mercy that sent me to a children’s prison
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Hare KrishnaBy Piyush

We all know that Krsna’s birthplace was a prison cell. Not many of us, however, know that before Srila Prabhupada left for the West, Srila Prabhupada brought Krishna’s message to the Tihar prison, Asia’s largest prison based out of Delhi, in the 1960s. Little did I realize that my own journey of transformation would start from a prison, albeit one for children. By the year 2012, I had had a journey that many materialists would envy to have. Rising from a very humble beginning, I rose fast in the material world with my resume marked with global education and a 7-year corporate stint that concluded at a senior management position with an Indian multinational. This journey continued further when I left the corporate world and co-founded a leadership training organization wherein I had the opportunity to train over 3000+ young minds. Continue reading "Krishna’s mercy that sent me to a children’s prison
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