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

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 50^th 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.

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.

09.03.2016_H.G. Garuda Prabhu_SB 6.5.40

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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Prayers can bind us not only to a higher power but to one another as well. Rukmini Walker points out powerful prayers from the Bhagavad-Gita reinforcing acts of humanity and loving-kindness. The video has been produced by Karuna Produsction (www.karunaproductions.com) and broadcast by Odyssey Networks (www.odysseynetworks.org).

March 10. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada and Dreams.
The appearance of Srila Prabhupada in dreams is a shaky kind of evidence that cannot always be held as absolutely true, free of all symbolism or mental concoction. We often don’t like to hear other people’s dreams about Prabhupada, especially when they claim they are literally true. If Prabhupada appears in a dream and says, “There’s going to be a world war. You should immediately go to south Italy.” – It may mean many things. It may not be a literal order from Prabhupada himself.
Still, dreams are worth pursuing. Much of our conscious life is spent trying to capture Prabhupada’s presence, but so much time is spent in sleep. If one can dream of Prabhupada and Krishna, then that time will not be wasted. And in fact, dreaming of Prabhupada or Krishna may be a good sign that Krishna consciousness is finally infiltrating one’s heart.
One who craves to be with him will accept whatever he can get, even infrequent, inconclusive dreams.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=6

Prabhupada and Dreams 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 February 2016, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Srimad Bhavagatam 10.2.19)

Recently I bought a book by Sadananda Swami, the German sannyasi godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhantha. This was a book by him and his disciple Vamana das, who was a writer known in Austria known as Walter Eidlitz. Several of his books were also translated into English. Sadananda Swami wrote about suffering in the material world and then he said, “We should not have the misconception that Lord Caitanya’s movement is meant to, in anyway, minimize the suffering of material existence.” He said, “It is not meant for that purpose, but rather it is meant to fill the emptiness in our heart.” So that was a very profound point actually. When I read that, I was thinking, “Wow. I have never really so clearly phrased that point, not even in my thoughts.”

But yes, the emptiness in the heart gets filled; the heart overflows when the ecstasy is there, just like Devaki whose heart was filled. Remember how Devaki conceived through the heart. It was Vasudev who originally conceived Krsna purely and that pure Krsna consciousness was transferred to the heart of Devaki who then conceived of that love for Krsna and then the Lord manifested in her womb.

Download the audio for this lecture here:

http://www.mayapurtvarchives.com/p/downloads-2016.html

From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

Date: March 4th 2016

Speaker: HH Badri Narayan Maharaj

Subject: S.B.7.2.11

TEXT 11

viṣṇur dvija-kriyā-mūlo

yajño dharmamayaḥ pumān

devarṣi-pitṛ-bhūtānāṁ

dharmasya ca parāyaṇam

TRANSLATION

The basic principle of brahminical culture is to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu, the personification of sacrificial and ritualistic ceremonies. Lord Viṣṇu is the personified reservoir of all religious principles, and He is the shelter of all the demigods, the great pitās, and the people in general. When the brāhmaṇas are killed, no one will exist to encourage the kṣatriyas to perform yajñas, and thus the demigods, not being appeased by yajña, will automatically die.

PURPORT

Since Viṣṇu is the central point of brahminical culture, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s plan was to kill Viṣṇu, for if Viṣṇu were killed, naturally the brahminical culture would also be lost. With brahminical culture lost, yajña would no longer be performed, and for want of yajña the regular distribution of rainfall would cease (yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ [Bg. 3.14]). Thus there would be disturbances all over the world, and naturally the demigods would be defeated. From this verse we get a clear indication of how human society is disturbed when the Vedic Āryan civilization is killed and the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies performed by the brāhmaṇas are stopped. Kalau śūdra–sambhavaḥ: because the population of the modern world consists mostly of śūdras, the brahminical culture is now lost and is extremely difficult to reestablish in a proper way. Therefore Lord Caitanya has recommended the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, which will revive brahminical culture very easily.

harer nāma harer nāma

harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva

nāsty eva gatir anyathā

Because of the increment in demoniac population, people have lost brahminical culture. Nor is there a kṣatriya government. Instead, the government is a democracy in which any śūdra can be voted into taking up the governmental reigns and capture the power to rule. Because of the poisonous effects of Kali–yuga, the śāstra (Bhāg. 12.2.13) says, dasyu–prāyeṣu rājasu: the government will adopt the policies of dasyus, or plunderers. Thus there will be no instructions from the brāhmaṇas, and even if there are brahminical instructions, there will be no kṣatriya rulers who can follow them. Aside from Satya–yuga, even formerly, in the days when demons were flourishing, Hiraṇyakaśipu planned to destroy the brahminical culture and the kṣatriya government and thus create chaos all over the world. Although in Satya–yuga this plan was very difficult to execute, in Kali–yuga, which is full of śūdras and demons, the brahminical culture is lost and can be revived only by the chanting of the mahā–mantra. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, or the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, has been inaugurated to revive brahminical culture very easily so that people may become happy and peaceful in this life and prepare for elevation in the next. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya quotes this verse from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:

vipra-yajñādi-mūlaṁ tu

harir ity āsuraṁ matam

harir eva hi sarvasya

mūlaṁ samyaṅ mato nṛpa

“O King, the demons think that Hari, Lord Viṣṇu, exists because of the brāhmaṇas and yajña, but factually Hari is the cause of everything including the brāhmaṇas and yajña.” Therefore, through the popularizing of hari–kīrtana, or the saṅkīrtana movement, the brahminical culture and kṣatriya government will automatically come back, and people will be extremely happy.

Before we start, I’d like to ask for some blessings. I am a relatively new sannyasi. I am often introduced with the term “Your Holiness.” The only way that I can accept that is with a little changing of the spelling, that I am full of holes. Because I am full of anarthas and holes like swiss cheese, I just ask for your blessings. Please, can I say something useful and pleasing to you. Then our time together will be well spent.

I also apologize to the translators, wherever you are. I speak quickly and I wish you all good luck. I will try and go slowly but we are all either blessed or cursed by our particular natures.

I was listening some time ago to a lecture by Srila Prabhupada from1969 in New York. He is speaking from Bhagavad Gita. He is talking about the cycle or the wheel of life. Those are Prabhupada’s actual words – cycle or wheel of life. He is saying that you offer sacrifice so that you please the demigods, the demigods provide rain therefore you get grains and everybody is happy. Prabhupada says it is the wheel or chakra of dharma and the wheel is meant to turn.

Here we see Krishna’s arrangement for this world. There is a wheel of dharma. Everyone has their role to play. They push it and the wheel turns. Everyone is happy.

Prabhupada is talking about how they are all sudras. So, how is this world going on? Socrates says to know thyself and to thine own self be true. We should first know what our position is. Who am I? What’s going on in this world? It’s what makes a man different from an animal. We are looking for the cause of all causes and of course, we have found the cause of all causes that makes that wheel turn. They are also looking for the cause of all causes. Prabhupada that because they are sudras, fools, they have so many ideas.

I heard another tape where Prabhupada was using the word adrista. He says that there is no such thing as the word accident in the Vedic scriptures. They use instead the word adrista which means that there is cause but we don’t see it. We don’t know it.

People are stumbling along without knowing why this wheel is turning and where they fit in it. They are searching it out in their own way. As Prabhupada says here in the purport, everyone is born sudra. The basic common sense is lost.

My mother, who has passed away now, she went to the doctor. She had some condition so they gave her a pill for it. The pill had a side effect which caused headaches. The doctor said to not worry, they have a pill for that. Now she was on two pills. That caused another side effect, so, they gave her another pill. Now she was on three pills. Finally she got up to five pills. She told the doctor that this was depressing. The doctor said they have a pill for that. My mother said, “We’re out of here. We’re finding another doctor!”

They are looking for the cause of causes but all they are doing is compounding the problem because they do not know the root.

One of my favorites, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I wanted to, go home and google “dark matter.” Do you know what dark matter is? In order to hold the cosmos together it should do one of two things, according to the understanding of physics. It could either completely spin out or it could implode on itself. The reason that it stays where it is is because of certain gravitation forces, pushes and pulls, that hold everything in place. We know that it’s Balaram, but they have their speculative idea. The problem is that gravity is created by mass. To get the right gravitational pull there needs to be a certain amount of mass. They can’t find it. It’s called dark matter. To make all of their equations fit together and explain creation, there is over 90% of matter in the universe that they cannot find.

Suppose that I open Badrinarayan Swami’s Convenience Store, Best and Cheapest. You come on in and buy something. Suppose that you give me a hundred dollars to buy a ten dollar item. I say thank you very much, jaya, and close the cash register. You will say hey, where is my change? I’ll say no, no, it’s there. They are just dark dollars.

It’s laughable, but that is the cornerstone of astrophysics, dark matter. One devotee told me a joke: dark matter, anti-matter, it doesn’t matter. They are completely in a fog.

Prabhupada was with a man once who was talking about the missing link. I was actually there at that time. Prabhupada replied that the missing link is my foot in your face. Only Prabhupada could say that. He said later on that I can say this but you cannot. He said that an old man can go anywhere and say anything.

I was listening to another tape and there is a man talking about creating life. Prabhupada said, fine, prove it. They make so many unfounded claims and nobody calls them on it. Prabhupada was brave. He called them on it. If you say you can create life, fine.

Prabhupada said if you take a car and the car runs out of gas then you put gas in it. It’s a simple thing. If you fix the wire then the machine works.

Prabhupada said take plastic and make an egg shape. Fill it full of chemicals and see if you can produce a chicken. Prabhupada told the man to sit on it and see if he can produce a chicken.

What do you say when somebody says that to you? About evolution, Prabhupada said, what evolution? You’re still monkeys. Actually, your ancestors may be monkeys, but my ancestors are the great Vedic sages.

One of my favorites, again, you can google it, is Parks Observatory in Australia. They have one of those giant telescopes. NASA uses it to trace things. It’s one of the best in the world. For seventeen years they have been printing scientific papers where they say that they have found what must be two dark stars colliding. It’s either a red dwarf star being born or two dark stars colliding. For seventeen years there have been accolades and clapping. Do you know what it turned out to be? The microwave oven in the staff kitchen. That’s what they had been recording. If you put something in there for two and a half minutes and they open the door a little early the bell would ring. Something would burst, and that’s what they were recording. Cal Tech, MIT, IIT – oh yes. But it was a microwave oven.

So, they are groping. They don’t know what is going on. And people just buy it.

The fact of the matter which is being described here is that the universe is finely tuned. It is designed by Krishna. It is a machine, a wheel of dharma, which is meant to turn according to the principles which Krishna has given. That’s how the whole thing works.

The wheel is turning but, surprise of surprises, it’s not turning our way. We’re trying to get in there and turn it the other way, but this is the way that it works. It is the only way that it works.

In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna was telling Arjuna to fight but he kept saying no. He had his own idea. Prabhupada would take terms and turn them in a different way. Prabhupada said that the whole purpose of the Bhagavad Gita was to get Arjuna to say yes to Krishna, to turn Arjuna from a “no” man to a “yes” man. In America we have this saying that someone is a “yes” man. But Srila Prabhupada heard it in a different way.

We have a choice. We can try and dominate this material nature. We have this archetype example of Hiranyakasipu of someone trying to control things, that everything is under my control and goes my way. Or, we can recognize that our actual position is as a small cog in the machine and that it goes Krishna’s way. We can try and control or we can try and cooperate.

The theme of this talk is the wisdom of surrender. We have these top graduates at IIT and Cal Tech, but what they have is not actually intelligence.

In the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam it’s talking about the first step in God realization. It is that recognition that I am dependent, that I am not the controller. I could get struck by lightening. Anything could happen. One of the top attorneys in San Diego was on his way to court and he fell in a manhole and was killed. Somebody had left the lid off.

Another man was walking in El Cajon, which means “the box” in Spanish. He was happily walking down the road and was hit by a lime green bowling ball. It fell out of the sky, hit him in the chest, and killed him. Anyone want to ask where the lime green bowling ball came from? A man was flying to a bowling competition in Las Vegas. The engine failed in his airplane. He was trying to throw weight out of the plane and so he threw his bowling ball out. Anybody here expect to get hit by a bowling ball today? Of course, you are in the holy dhama so it may be an auspicious thing.

Govinda das says that like a drop of water on a lotus leaf tottering, that’s our actual position.

The first step in God realization is to recognize that we are dependent, that the universe is going on by design. We all know that wherever you see order, patterns, symmetry, there is intelligence behind it. And behind intelligence is a person. That is our universal experience. It is the universal experience since time immemorial. Yet, in Kali Yuga, they scratch their heads and say no, no.

One man from MIT, I think his name is Steven Goul, he said that the universe is the original free lunch. Everything came from nothing. We’re supposed to swallow this stuff?

The Vedic view being mentioned here is to see how everything is going on by Krishna’s design, how we are actually dependent. That dependence is not a weak willed, oppression. They say “mother earth,” it’s a loving sense of indebtedness and gratitude. Gratitude without reciprocation is meaningless. Like when Prabhupada gives the example: Prabhu, can you get me a glass of water? The devotee says, jaya, prabhu, and doesn’t move. The guy says, you know I’m really getting thirsty here, can you get me some water? And the response is jaya, prabhu.

What is the proof that you heard me? What is the proof of hearing? Action. It’s meant to make the wheel turn, something is supposed to happen.

Here we have Hiranyakasipu. What is his reaction? His reaction is revenge, anger, devastation, rage against the universe.

Prabhupada was in Detroit in 1975 or 76. He was sitting out in the garden afternoon. Everything was designed to bloom in the spring. Prabhupada gave it the name Devasadan Mandir, place of the demigods. Everything was in bloom, purple and yellow, it’s just beautiful. Prabhupada is sitting out in the garden and there is this canal that comes off of the Detroit river. It has caught on fire three times and took four days to put out. People would go out on there boat. This man was out on his boat and he couldn’t have been very far from Srila Prabhupada. He got up in his boat and he started shouting. He said I know you Hare Krishna people. You’ve got those big houses. You’ve got those big festivals. You’re always feasting. He was going on and on like this. He was furious. When he ran out of steam Srila Prabhupada said yes, come and join. The guy completely blew a gasket. He didn’t expect that. Prabhupada did not deny it at all.

One newspaper reporter asked Prabhupada one time what do you do for recreation. Prabhupada said what? Our whole movement is recreation. My father used to joke with me that I retired at seventeen and a half when I joined the Hare Krishna movement. We work hard for Krishna but ours is a labor of love. It’s a different type of thing. It’s not a burden but a labor of love.

The wisdom of surrender begins with the recognition of our actual position. I was at the drug store, chemist shop. I was buying something. I was there with the cashier. There was someone trying to get out. They were pushing on the door with difficulty. The cashier said it says pull. Oh, ok, and they got out. We’re like that. We’re hammering against the door pushing. But it doesn’t work that way, my friends. Just give it a pull and it will work just fine.

We just follow Krishna’s instructions. We are part and parcel of Krishna, servants of Krishna. Everything will come.

Again, talking about Hiranyakasipu, Prabhupada says in one lecture that we have a little Hiranyakasipu inside our heart, all of us. I know that certainly I do. You’re all saintly, but, certainly me.

We are all trying desperately to control events. Prabhupada calls it the childlike innocence of bhakti. It’s one of those great sutras by Prabhupada. It’s not childish as in foolish or uneducated, but the childlike innocence of bhakti.

Someone was asking about astrology saying I’m in a Venus period. We’ve all heard that before. Prabhupada says that with one kick, Krishna can kick ten thousand Rahu planets. What happened when Krishna appeared? All the planets aligned themselves despite their natural alignment. They all readjusted themselves.

For the devotee who surrenders to Krishna with that childlike innocence of bhakti, Krishna arranges things. We are under Krishna’s shelter. We cannot control events. I’m sixty-three years old and believe me, I have learned that. At forty or thirty it may not have gotten through yet, but by the time you are my age, you know.

What can we control? We can’t control events so what can we control. We can control how we respond to events. We can’t control the event, but we can rage like Hiranyakasipu, we can try to manipulate everything. I think it’s Dylan Thomas who says do not go gently into that long good night. He’s talking about getting old and then dying. Do not go gently into that long, dark, night, but rage, rage, rage against the dimming of the light. Well, you can rage until hell freezes over but the light is going out, my friend.

We’re talking about control. We’re trying to surrender. Ok, I’m surrendering to Krishna, why doesn’t He answer my prayers? We accept that God is all powerful. We would not want to argue that God is not all powerful, by definition. Anyone deny that or want to argue it? Have a crack at it, go ahead. That God is not all merciful? There are cornerstone principles. There are many more, but He is all powerful and all merciful.

Now, I’m offering a prayer, whether by lighting a candle or tying a cloth or sending up a prayer flag. God’s not answering. If He’s all powerful then that means that He could answer it if He wanted to. Why doesn’t He if He’s all merciful? If He’s all powerful then He has the ability, and if He’s all merciful then He has the kind, Karuna heart. Why doesn’t He do it? Guess what? Maybe He knows what’s best for us.

I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to be a fireman. I wanted to be President of the United States. Thank heaven that didn’t work out.

You’re all great souls who took birth to serve Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, but I thought it was a bright idea to come to this material world. Do you want to talk about original foolishness? We thought it was a great idea to come to this world. Everything after that is just downhill. We made such a huge and stupid mistake. Then we think we are going to make a right idea? What we are asking for, what we want, what we think we need, what do we know?

We should simply think, let me serve Krishna. Let me engage in Krishna’s devotional service. If He doesn’t answer my prayers, there is a good reason for it.

On one tape, Prabhupada says that he had just taken sannyasa. He was in Vrindavan, and he was gored by a bull. He said I was thinking, I’ve surrendered to You. I’m here in Vrindavan. I’m trying to preach. Why has this happened? Prabhupada says that later on he understood. He doesn’t say why, only that later on he understood.

We’ve all had that experience. We thought something was great and we didn’t get it. But it worked out for the better. Krishna is playing the long game. We’re playing the short game. I got a scratch, I itch it. Stimulus, response. We may be a little more sophisticated but basically it’s stimulus, response.

Krishna has the long game. He’s trying to deliver us from this material world. He’s trying to purify our hearts. He’s trying to pull us out of this place.

What if it’s true? Just think about it for a minute. Everything we read, beautiful, sweet Krishna and wonderful pastimes.

I was there in LA. Prabhupada said that everything here in this world is a struggle. Does anyone want to doubt that? Just stand up, a muscle could pop, you could fall over, make a garland and you could stick yourself in the thumb. Where do we start? I live in San Diego. We have earth quakes, tidal waves, drive by shootings, and fires. But, there is always a sea breeze blowing. But it’s not such a nice place.

There is a saying that the best laid plans of mice and men do oft go astray.

Hirayakasipu has his plan to control and dominate as the archetype conditioned soul raging against how the wheel of the universe is turning. Krishna has got him on both ends of the spectrum. It’s very far out if you think about it.

Sometimes somebody will be proud like me, but I have no reason, no qualification for being proud. If you look at Hirayakasipu, he actually had some reasons to be proud. He was no “slow” as they say in America. If he raised his eyebrow, all of the demigods would be trembling. He was a powerful person. How does Krishna deal with it?

First of all, on the micro end of the spectrum, his own sweet little son, Prahlad, was five years old. What can they do? They are completely dependent. I ran away from home once and I asked my father if he would give me a ride to the corner so I could run away. He had to take me in his car. He pinned a note on me. He let me out on the corner and said, you’re old enough. It’s very good that you’ve made this decision, don’t forget to write. I made it about half a block. My father followed at a short distance to keep an eye on me. He pulled up next to me and said, so how’s it going? How is independent life? I jumped into the car and never ran away again until I joined the Hare Krishna movement.

Krishna is like that, He gives us our independence but He’s there at every moment just waiting for the lightbulb to go on.

So Hirayakasipu is completely defeated by Prahlad in every way. Everyone is afraid of him and Prahlad says, my dear best of the demons, he’s completely unafraid. On the other end of the spectrum, could Hirayakasipu have possibly calculated that Lord Nrsimhadeva was going to pop out of that pillar, half man, half lion, with all of the benedictions fulfilled? Nails that are not living and not dead, a door step that is not inside or outside, all of the fine print was masked. He was looking at this huge abhutanashringa, his mane touching the sky. He was stunned. On the small side and the big side, Prahlad Maharaj and Hirayakasipu, he was completely defeated. We’re not even in the game, not even in that league.

We should cooperate rather than try and dominate.

There is a GBC man, I don’t want to embarrass him, and a GBC meeting. He told me this story personally. There was a decision that he didn’t like. I know that may be shocking but it happens sometimes. Your temple president, your husband, your wife, we all make decisions that may bother us a bit. He wasn’t happy. He went to Prabhupada and was telling him all of the reasons that he wasn’t happy. And Prabhupada said, that’s alright. Whatever you’ve decided, like the Pandavas, you execute. They argued. Bhima and Arjuna wanted to fight. Yudisthira was counseling right time, right place, right circumstance. Prabhupada said that whatever has been decided, you just follow. If there is some mistake, Krishna will fix it, He will adjust. The devotee bowed down but he was thinking yeah, but how long is that going to take? You know how the mind runs. When he came up, Prabhupada slammed his hand down and said, but not in your time, in His time.

We have a duty to fix inequities, injustices. It’s not that we think spiritual does not mean moral. I’m not talking about mode of goodness, but a strain of ethics. If you throw a rock into a pond there are concentric circles that go out. The spiritual plane includes morality, ethics, kindness, and all of those factors. It has to or it’s hollow. It’s faux spiritualism.

No doubt that we have a duty to speak up and do the best that we can, to right inequities. I’m not saying that. If my tooth is rotting in my head I don’t say ok, well, I guess that’s Krishna’s arrangement and just accept it. Prabhupada said that devotees are fearless but they are not fools. We have intelligence so we should use it.

In the ultimate issue we just accept, alright Krishna, You’ll take care of it in Your time. Either You will take care of it and it will be adjusted. We all want to see it in our own lifetime. I want to see justice done. We have had so many difficulties in life. Where do you want to start?

When you’re all back to Godhead are you going to complain that, three lives ago you broke up my marriage and my husband ran off with another person, in that car accident I really banged up my knee. All of it fits together.

If you look at the Pandavas, Prabhupada said they were being hunted in the forest like animals when they were in the banishment. Those are Prabhupada’s exact words – hunted in the forest like animals. They were fleeing here and there for their lives. Yet, we find in this ashram they met one rishi and helped him with this and that. He gave them a benediction, here’s a certain weapon. When Yudisthira was here he gave good advice to a king and the king said if you ever need anything you just call me. If you look in the Mahabharat and put all of the pieces together then you can see how Krishna was simply preparing them for success on the battlefield of Kuruksetra.

Of course, everything ultimately depends on Krishna. Krishna is preparing us for success at the time of death. That’s all that matters, ante narayana smriti, what happens at the time of death. Door number one or door number two, do I pick the small potatoes or do I surrender to Krishna? Do I remember Krishna?

If we understand what the nature of the game is, the activity, let me remember Krishna at the time of death and go back home back to godhead, then what it takes to get there will be a minor issue.

The Bhagavatam is full of compare and contrast. It’s full of both success stories and the archetype fools. Shakespeare could never touch it. It’s full, it’s just wonderful. Here we have right in front of us in this section of the Bhagavatam Prahlad Maharaj, innocent and defenseless. Then you have someone so powerful who, when he moves his eyebrows, the demigods are afraid. Yet, that small boy is completely fearless and completely victorious so much so that that small boy delivers the father. It’s an amazing thing.

I was thinking in the same way that you have the Pandavas and the Kurus. By all material calculations the Kurus should have completely defeated them. Yet they became completely successful. You have Amarish and Durvasa Muni. Durvas Muni went all the way to the spiritual world. He pulls out one hair and a big demon comes up. Ambarish just folds his hands. Yet we have Durvasa Muni ultimately falling down at the feet of Ambarish saying please forgive me. Ambarish’s response was that if I have done anything pious and have any good credit then you please take it.

I was thinking about Srila Prabhupada. Everything was against it. I remember the mantra: dogs run free so why can’t we? That was a mantra. Of course the thought never hit that maybe I’m not a dog. The fact of the matter is that Srila Prabhupada was completely against the social current. The nation was being torn apart over the Vietnam war. Everyone under forty was saying don’t do it, stop.

Prabhupada was speaking from Bhagavad Gita. It’s an amazing thing if you think about it. We could just go down the line. Everyone wanted to grow their hair and Prabhupada was saying shave up. It’s exactly cross currents. They asked Prabhupada, why did you come to America? Prabhpuada said that one of his godbrothers had gone to London and failed. Another brother went to Scandinavia and he failed. Another one went to Germany and he failed. Prabhupada said in his own sweet humility, well, if I’m going to fail, at least let me fail in a new place. We know that Prabhupada is a great bhakta, a great general. He knew if you turn America, you turn the world. It worked, against all odds.

That wisdom of surrender to just surrender to Krishna message, words, and what he’s doing in my life, let me surrender to that. That is actual wisdom. You can rage, rage, rage against the dimming of the light. You can rage against the machine. Your cold fingers will be torn away. Sans hair, sans teeth, sans everything – we are stripped of everything.

When you go into the Vatican there is a skull. The skull is the first thing that greets you. It says you are what I once was. I am what you will become. That’s pretty heavy. The skull is right there. You are what I once was, happy with my little camera and my shorts with a tour guide. I was also happy once skipping along the lane. But now I am what you will become.

When I first met the devotees, Sukadeva, I can never repay him, I thought I was a golden boy kissed by the gods. I was living in Laguna Beach where the sea breeze is always blowing. If I just stayed on the conveyor belt, if I didn’t jump off, everything was going to be just great. I was talking to Sukadeva and he was saying that this world is suffering. I said maybe for you. There is a bumper sticker that you see in America that says those who say money can’t buy happiness don’t know where to shop. I was thinking yeah, maybe you’re a good will willy who can’t get it together but I’m having a great time. Sensing that arrogance, the last thing he said to me as he turned away was that you know, there’s one thing about this world, no body gets out alive. It kept rattling around in my head. Have you ever seen those buildings where they blow out the linch pins and the whole thing collapses? It blew out my whole world view. Everything collapsed.

They have everything in America, everything foolish. They have dog races with greyhounds. It’s a particular type of dog, sleek and thin with a long pointed nose. They can run as fast as a cheetah. They have these dog races, especially in Miami. But they have them in southern California, too. They take a wounded or dead rabbit and they wave it in front of the dogs. They smell the blood and they get super agitated. They have a little metal fake rabbit that’s on the track that takes off and the dogs all race after it as fast as they can. They race around the track but they never get the rabbit. What happens every now and then get a dog who says, wait a minute, what am I running for? I’m never going to get this thing. Why? I’m knocking myself out and I’m just going to come back to the same spot and have to do it tomorrow. I’m done. I’m out of here. I quit. They literally get dogs who won’t run. They just stop. And once they get like that, they’re done. You can never retrieve them because the light went on. Why am I knocking myself out for nothing?

When are we going to have the brains of a dog? I’ve done it. I’ve been up to Brahma. I’ve been to Indraloka. I’ve done it again and again and it’s the same story. What have I got to show for it? Someday the light goes on and we say wait a minute. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. How many times have we been fooled? When are we going to wake up?

That’s the message of Bhagavatam, the wisdom of surrender. Just surrender to Krishna and get out of the game.

Here’s a joke. A man makes a deal with the devil, a faustian deal. The man says look, you give me everything I want in this life, and then I’ll go to hell. But in this life, whatever I want, wherever I look, everything is under my control, everything surrenders to me. Whatever I want, I get, women, wealth, fame, I get it all. Then, when I die, I’ll go to hell. So the devil says ok, no problem.

It’s working, he’s president of the United States, wins a Nobel Peace Prize, married and divorced fifteen times. Everybody does exactly what he wants and surrenders to his will. After a while, it becomes quite boring. After boring it begins to wear on him and becomes irritating. After irritation it actually becomes horrible. It becomes so frustrating that he says to the devil come take me now, I’m ready to go to hell. The devil says what do you mean, go? You’re already there.

Without that sense of service, devotion, and love for Krishna, you can get everything you want and it will not make us happy. That’s not the way the wheel turns. It’s not the way that we’re made. We’re standing in front of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it is so nice that even Krishna, the controller of all things comes to play the role of a devotee. He wants to see what Radharani is tasting, what is that service mood. What is she experiencing? She’s enjoying more than me.

Fine. Get whatever you want and become Hiranyakasipu with no Prahlad and no Lord Nrsimhadeva and ultimately, it becomes hell.

The last line of the purport, closing sutra, says that you popularize hari kirtan, brahminical culture, the ksatriya government will automatically be revived and the people will become extremely happy. That’s what’s in this simple chanting of the holy name, putting on festivals, distributing books, giving them divya jnana, giving them Krishna prasadam. With that one simple act of popularizing the sankirtana movement what happens? Brahmincal culture, ksyatria government falls into place, and the people become extremely happy.

Jayadvaita Swami told me once that he was in New York City at JFK airport. He was changing some money. Have you seen that fiftieth anniversary magazine? It’s great, I would join that movement. When you look at it, it’s all of the festivals, prasadam, deities, temple, philosophy, it’s just fantastic. You look at it and think, wow!

Jayadvaita Swami was at JFK changing some money. A typical New Yorker looks up at him dressed like a nice sannyasi and says, that’s what I like about you people. You are what you pretend to be. It’s an American thing. She meant to say that you are what you’re supposed to be.

Look at that magazine. That’s the potential that’s in this movement. That’s what the world is crying for. If there was a baby here just crying, we would go on for sometime. But if the baby is in distress, you’ll think, where is the mother? Where is the father? How can we help? You can’t tolerate it.

In San Diego they spent millions of dollars renovating the downtown. It was like $300 million dollars. It was a cesspool. They renovated the thing. The problem is that they didn’t make a plan for what to do with the homeless people who were there. So you go downtown and you’re having your $300 dinner of fermented grape juice and bones and feathers and dried beasts. Then you’ve got some homeless guy pressing his nose on the window so it’s kind of hard to get into the mood. It spoils the whole thing. You walk out of the store with your thousand dollar cashmere coat and there’s a guy lying in the gutter. It really spoils the vibe.

They called in a blue-ribbon commission, the best city planners around the world. They spent six months preparing the plan. The heart of the solution, which was announced with great fanfare, was for the shop keepers and the restaurant owners was to put up curtains. Put up curtains. That way, you can enjoy the meal and you won’t see the man who is dying in the gutter. If you don’t see it, it’s not there, don’t worry about it.

We are not meant to be like that. We know what’s wrong. We know the cause and the solution. We have the sweetest medicine. To take it is not bitter, it’s not difficult. Who can’t eat? Prabhupada says anyone here have a problem taking prasadam?

Let us close on this note. I’m speaking to myself, don’t worry. Rather than trying to be in the mood of Hiranyakasipu to control and dominate, to rage against the machine, we should have the wisdom of surrender to see which way the wheel is turning. Find our place. It’s doesn’t matter where you fit in that wheel, but fit in the wheel of the sankirtan mission. Put your shoulder to the wheel and push it forward. Let us become that Hare Krishna movement that is in that fiftieth anniversary magazine. The world is crying and waiting for us. The time is now.

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

“Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja was respected by all the Vaisnava community and was thus known as Vaisnava Sarvabhauma, or chief amongst the Vaisnavas. There are some nice stories connecting him with the finding of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birthplace recorded in Sri Navadwipa Dhama Mahatmya.

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PRAY FOR DIFFICULTIES?--I DON'T THINK SO: A dear young friend of mine sent me a quote from a devotee who had noted that in happy situations devotees tend to forget Krishna, so his recommendation was for devotees to pray for difficulties so that can better remember Krishna. While Queen Kunti--a pure soul, by the way--prayed for difficulties, that were in a certain context, and to make a point. When the Pandavas and their Mother Kunti, were in difficulties they had Krishna's association and direct intervention, while at the time of her prayer, when life was good, Krishna was leaving them, so to her, problems and difficulties with Krishna were much better than a happy life without Krishna. She wasn't a lover of problems, pain, or difficulties, but of Krishna, and she was willing to accept any condition if it fostered her love and service for him. That is the lesson we are meant to learn from her prayer.

I know young devotees, who after hearing Queen Kunti's prayer, prayed for difficulties and distresses, but when they obtained them (be careful what you pray for!!!), they were not happy and more Krishna conscious, but were often simply bewildered, in anxiety, and became upset with Krishna. We have to be able to digest and know the meaning of the results we pray for. In a similar way I tell devotees not to ask their guru to answer a certain personal question if they aren't willing to accept advice that may go against what they want or feel they should do. On a certain level many of us just want to surrender, but to do so, well, we may not be ready to, and after doing the "surrendered action," resent having to do it. Therefore, we have to know ourselves. While we do want to stretch spiritually we don't want to break in the process, or become depressed.

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The post Can any pastime be analyzed metaphorically for some moral instruction? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Hare Krishna Dear Devotees and Friends,
We are pleased to invite you all  for the special occasion this year of Iskcon’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations founded by HDG Srila Prabhupada. Second Maha Harinam of the Year 2016, this Saturday 12th March from the corner of James and William Street in Northbridge next to Govindas Restaurant at 1.00 pm.

THE MAHA HARINAAM –

THE BIGGEST WALKING MUSICAL PARTY IN PERTH

ASSEMBLY TIME :  12.30 PM
START TIME    :  1.00 PM
FINISH TIME   :  2.00 PM   

FREE PRASADAM : 2.00 PM  ONWARDS  (SPONSORED BY GOVINDAS RESTAURANT).

Please join us, bring your family and friends and partake in glorifying the Lord by helping reawaken a person to his spiritual identity and existence by chanting and dancing to the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.In this age of Kali we have forgotten our real identity as spiritual beings, as part and parcel of Krishna. Krishna’s holy names are endowed with all of His potencies and this sound vibration can reawaken a person to his spiritual identity and existence.Please join us,  plant the seed of bhakti as per Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instructions and get blessings from Mahaprabhu. There will be free prasadam available after the Harinaam Party at Govindas Restaurant.
Note:- Please confirm your presence by calling on any one of the following number.

Bhakt Akshay Puri (0401 414 172)
Stoka Krishna das (0401 843 690)

Hare Krishna

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The post How do we explain the authenticity of the Lord’s pastimes to skeptics who doubt Vyasadeva’s saintly authority? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The post The affection between a calf and its mother appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in Czech Republic (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Whatever Krishna said, that is good, and everything else bad. Bas. Our confusion is finished. Bhubaneshwar, January 23, 1977
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ncS5pk

The post Daily Darshan : 9th March, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Some devotees think, that because they are devotees, they must preach instantly to whomever they meet. Perhaps if we had the required force of purity, we could effect changes in people’s hearts on first contact. The reality is however, that not everyone has the required sukrti to appreciate our words; we have to create it for them. Being in the workplace alongside the same faces, day in, and day out, can present challenges for a devotee keen on preaching. Simply letting everyone there know one is a devotee, who always has a superior say on any issue, will more likely cause others to think we are highly opinionated, and indifferent, who have lost the ability to socialise properly. This will lessen, or even destroy any chance of developing the required sukrti for them, to hear Lord Chaitanya’s messages. Continue reading "Preaching in the workplace
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The idea that it is better to give than to just receive (to just be "on the take"), is a universal truth understood by people of all religions. In addition people understand that giving is actually getting, or by giving you are nourished and benefited. In a broad sense we can tell people that Krishna consciousness is all about learning how to give, rather then just being an exploiter. So people should be encouraged to begin the process of giving somewhere, somehow, to someone. Ultimately from our vision giving to God and saintly persons is the highest giving (because we receive the true benefit of giving), yet everyone has to begin, and should be encouraged. In many places in the Gita different levels of giving are recommended according to the consciousness of the people involved. Everyone should understand the ultimate purpose of giving----pleasing Krishna and realizing our eternal nature as a servant, cooperator, or giver to God. Continue reading "Give to Live
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The post How do laws of nature invalidate design – don’t laws require a designer? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Dear Vaisnavas, friends, my family and all,

I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your kindness, your prayers and good wishes in this trying time. It has been about a month since I was diagnosed with a tumor in the rectum. In two operations, the cancer affected areas have been removed. Initially doctors were recommending a follow up treatment of chemo and radiation combined. I must say that I had great difficulty in my mind to surrender to such a hellish treatment, which may destroy cancer and the rest of the body as well and I decided not to do it and instead rely on Krsna and natural treatment. Yesterday I met with the doctors and in conclusion, they gave their blessings for this, providing that I submit myself to regular check ups which I will do. There is obviously a risk that cancer will come back once it has started, but we leave that up to Krsna.

Meanwhile I feel greatly relieved and more close to my heart following a natural path and investing in my own Krsna consciousness and sharing it through writing. Now I need six more weeks of recovery from the operations and one more procedure to improve the urine flow.

Then I can try to resume a ” normal” life. I am planning to take it easy, listen more to the body and travel less, stay longer in one place, follow a health regime and focus on writing.

I can’t just pick up from where I left off. There will be many events and  programs that I was scheduled to attend, I may attend some and others not. It has to do with my own energy levels, preserving them and letting them dictate what to do and what not. I have been on a recovery program before, so I am familiar with it. Please forgive me if I can’t be available as much as before. It is easy to get swept up in stream of activity, but that is not what I need.

Meanwhile I am looking forward to meeting many of you personally somewhere at some given point in time. You are all wonderful people, I am living by your prayers and kindness.

Once again,
Thank you very much
Your friend and servant,
Kadamba Kanana Swami

Sankirtana is for everyone!
Titiksu dasa: I would like to share one story from the UK about some non devotees doing book distribution.
In Rochester, we have an ISKCON charity shop. Many charities raise funds in the UK by renting a shop and selling old clothing and other items donated by the public. Its traditional that people wanting to do something to help charities volunteer their time to help in these shops, and in Rochester they have volunteers like this. They are not devotees and not even vegetarians or anything. During the Marathon, Mukunda put a book table outside the shop and had these volunteers man it. He had written on some cards a few lines about the different books so they could tell interested people. If anyone was more seriously interested they were to be directed to Mukunda. In this way books were going out and the volunteers were getting very happy! Soon the most popular job in the charity shop was manning the book table. He couldn’t get them to stop.
This proves the point that anyone can be engaged in SKP, even non-devotees!
Your servant, Titiksu dasa

Let’s start with the good news: we can be Krsna conscious anywhere. And here’s the bad news: there really isn’t an ideal environment for being Krsna consciousness. I hear you saying, “How can you say that?” What about the temple, what about Vrndavana and Mayapura, what about a Rathayatra Festival?” Yes, those would seem to be ideal environments for developing Krsna consciousness. But let me ask you a question: Does everyone who goes to Vrndavana, or a temple, or to a Rathayatra become Krsna conscious? Most people do, but one can even fall into maya in the Lord’s personal presence. The panacea of the age is the maha-mantra. It is the yuga dharma, it is the best way to be Krsna conscious. Does everyone who chants Hare Krsna become Krsna conscious? The impersonalists don’t. They chant to become one with Krsna. And I would be embarrassed to tell you how many rounds I have chanted in my life and not even thought of Krsna while His name was continually coming from my lips. Continue reading "Transforming Your Workplace into the Spiritual World
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Lokanath Swami at ISKCON Mayapur on 2016-03-07, Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11-05-32

Preaching program in Nepal with Mahavishnu Swami (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: How can we think mundane thoughts and at the same time chant? Two things are happening, and one will conquer. As maya is working to drag you from Krishna consciousness, you can challenge maya by chanting Hare Krishna. (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, 3.6.10, Los Angeles 1968).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/23V4RW

Hare Krishna.

This is the thirteenth year that we have been coordinating transcriptions of the Srimad-Bhagavatam lectures given in Mayapur during the Gaura Purnima festival. All are being posted on dandavats.com and the audio files are available here:

http://www.mayapurtvarchives.com/p/downloads-2016.html

Various devotees have helped transcribe over the years, but at the moment we are looking for volunteers to help for the next two weeks.

Kindly let me know if you are able and willing to help.

Your servant,
Ananda Tirtha Das
ananda.tirtha.pvs@pamho.net

Gunagrahi das Goswami Health Update - Official.
Fortunately, there has been no increase or spreading of the cancer to any other areas of the body or where the cancer is presently, such as the lungs and lymphnodes.
Maharaja is in good consciousness and receiving association of senior devotees daily. He is very grateful for all the love and support being expressed worldwide.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/95Ag7d

Radha Kunda Seva: February 2016 Photos and Updates (Album with photos)
Today is the most auspicious Maha Shiva Ratri day. Lord Shiva, in his form of Gopeshvara Mahadeva, is the guardian of the Dhama and it is only when he opens the door to the Dhama that one is allowed to live and serve there. Six years ago, on this very day the deal was finalized for the purchase of our land in Govardhan. Now construction has begun on a temple on the land. And our Padma Charitable Trust parcel is waiting and ready for the construction of a kitchen to begin. On this day honoring Lord Shiva, we are praying to him that he open the door so that we can be allowed to continue serving the Dhama and the Dhama Vasis.
This month we share with you the news of Guru dasi’s passing. She had been ill and weak for many months. Your sponsorship of her allowed her some basic comforts in her final days, and we are happy to report that her passing was peaceful and auspicious. We are posting photos of her cremation ceremony. It was beautiful to see how her daughter and friends came together to honor her and chant the Maha Mantra for her eternal spiritual benefit.
And as always there’s our favorite news each month - the cleaning and prasadam distribution are continuing unabated each and every day. All glories to the combined effort of many Vaishnavas both on the ground at Radha Kunda and around the world for coming together to do this service.
Jai Jai Sri Radheeeee, Shyam! Gopeshvara Mahadeva Shiva Shankara ki, Jai!
Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com.
Your servants, Mayapurcandra dasa, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, and Urmila Devi Dasi.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Thvfh0

March 9. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Expectations for Us.
Prabhupada is always the instructor for his disciples. There is usually an edge of chiding in his voice, but it is still gentle and loving. Of the disciple, Srila Prabhupada writes: “… A disciple cannot disobey the order of his spiritual master, that is the relationship between the disciple and his master.” He gives the example of Arjuna who surrendered to Krishna “without any vanity regarding his own erudition, and without any reservation.” If you relax your defenses and allow him to instruct you, even in how to fold a cadar, then your relationship will be smooth. You will not become aggravated and neither will he become displeased; you will quickly learn how to do things his way. The spiritual master is to train you to be expert in spiritual activities, including the details of how to fold a cadar. As soon as you resist, thinking you know how to do something, or that he is too demanding, then there will be trouble.
Prabhupada wants us to understand the difference between the temporary, material world and the eternal, blissful world of Goloka Vrindavana. This is the life-work that Prabhupada wants from us, to somehow fill our minds with more and more Krishna and less and less maya. And Prabhupada is with us in our attempts to hear about Krishna. It is the basis of our relationship with him. Srila Prabhupada spoke specifically of Krishna. He described His flute and the feelings of separation the gopis experienced. Prabhupada was fully absorbed in Krishna. He wrote in KRSNA Book, “The spiritual masters should enrich the devotees to the highest devotional perfection. Feeling constant separation while engaged in the service of the Lord is a perfection of Krishna consciousness.” (KRSNA, Vol. 1, page 231)
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=6

Prabhupada’s Expectations for Us

The question is: “Is Bhakti something dormant / forgotten in our souls, and we have to wake it up / remember it by sādhana?”

The question arises in connection to Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu’s definition of sādhana-bhakti not as a means to create perfection, but to manifest something eternally perfect. The question is also related to Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu’s explanation of why realized bhakti (Bhāva-Bhakti) is so rare.

Śrī Rūpa explains that Bhāva-bhakti (realized bhakti) is so rare for two reasons: (1) It cannot be created by any effort, (2) it has to be received from Krishna, who is timidly reluctant about giving it, for in giving it he gives his very self.

This indicates certainly that Bhakti is not something we possess, nor something we even have the capacity to create. It is something we must obtain, something we must attract to manifest in our hearts.

In describing Vyasa’s Samādhi, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam also very clearly describes bhakti and jīva as distinct, different entities. Śrī Jīva analyses this section extensively in Tattva-Sandarbha. Bhagavān has three potencies, seen by Vyāsa as jīva (subjective consciousness), māyā (a me-based / selfish perception for consciousness), and bhakti (a Bhagavān-based / loving perception for consciousness). Neither māyā nor bhakti are “in” the jīva. The jīva, however, is “in” them! Vyāsa definitely saw the jīva situated in māyā, but saw that it could be placed in bhakti by a sādhana of hearing and chanting about Krishna.

Then what is “inherent and dormant within us”? The potential for bhakti is! Consciousness is designed to be an agent of bhakti, that is our essential and eternal svadharma and svarūpa (“Jīvera svarūpa hoya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa”).

Here is a good analogy to clarify all this.

The jīva is like a garden field. Prema-bhakti is the flower. The seed for the flower is not inherent in the field of the garden, it has to come from somewhere else, but the potential to grow flowers is inherent, and you could say “dormant,” in the garden field – waiting for, needing the seed. 

Vraja Kishor

www.vrajakishor.com