Planet ISKCON

Sri Isvara Puri appeared in this world on the full moon day of the month of Jyestha. He served his guru, Sri Madhavendra Puri, very faithfully, especially during the end of Sri Puripada’s life.

On day when Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Gaya, He approached Sri Isvara Puri and requested that he initiate Him with the divine mantra. “My mind is becoming very restless in anticipation of this initiation. “Srila Puripada very blissfully replied, “What to speak of mantras, I am prepared to offer You my very life.”

Thereafter Srila Isvara Puri initiated Mahaprabhu with the divine mantra.

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From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir
Date: February 29, 2016 Speaker: HH Bhakti Caru Maharaj
Subject: on HH Gour Govinda Swami on Occasion of his 20th Disappearance Day Anniversary

Yesterday was the disappearance day of our very dear and very exalted godbrother, His Holiness Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj. Because those two occasions are clashing, it was decided that we will have a special class on Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj. Therefore, instead of having a class on the book Bhagavat, we’ll have a class today on the peron Bhagavat.

HH Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj ki jaya!

HH Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj’s tirobhava mahotsvaha ki jaya!

Gaura Premanade Hari Hari Bol!

On the disappearance days of exalted devotees, we sing a special song composed by Srila Narottama Das Thakur. It goes like

je ānilo prema-dhana koruṇā pracur
heno prabhu kothā gelā ācārya-ṭhākur
 
kāhā mora swarūp rūpa kāhā sanātan
kāhā dāsa raghunātha patita-pāvan
 
kāhā mora bhaṭṭa-juga kāhā kavirāj
eka-kāle kothā gelā gorā naṭa-rāj
 
pāṣāṇe kuṭibo māthā anale paśibo
gaurāńga guṇera nidhi kothā gele pābo
 
se-saba sańgīra sańge je koilo bilās
se-sańga nā pāiyā kānde narottama dās

Although most of you know this song, let us read the translation first before singing this song.

He, who brought the treasure of divine love and who was filled with compassion and mercy–where has such a personality as Advaita Acarya gone?
 
Where are my Svarupa Damodara and Rupa Gosvami? Where is Sanatana? Where is Raghunatha Dasa, the savior of the fallen?
 
Where are my Raghunatha Bhatta and Gopala Bhatta, and where is Krsnadasa Kaviraja? Where did Lord Gauranga, the great dancer, suddenly go?
 
I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?
 
Being unable to obtain the association of Lord Gauranga accompanied by all of these devotees in whose association He performed His pastimes, Narottama Dasa simply weeps.

Pranam Mantras

HH Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj ki jaya

Srila Prabhupada attracted many exalted spiritual personalities. HH Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj is one of them. When we look at his life we can see that from the very beginning of his life, he had been a very, very dedicated devotee of Krishna. He was a very exalted devotee of Krishna.

Maharaj appeared in a small villiage in a small village in Orissa called Jagannathapur. He appeared in a devotee family. His father Ishavar Manik and mother were very wonderful devotees. His maternal grandfather, his mother’s father, was such an exalted devotee of Krishna that the whole day he used to just chant the holy names. He was also very famous as a kirtaniya. He had his kirtan and I heard that on special occaisions, the King of Orissa used to call his group to Jagannath Puri and to the capitol to chant the holy name of the Lord.

His mother’s family, in a village called (inaudible), which was about fourteen kilometers from Jagannathapur, had been worshipping Sri Sri Radha Gopal deities for more than 350 years. We can see that by Krishna’s divine arrangement, he appeared in a devotee family and had a very wonderful spiritual upbringing from his childhood.

He was born on 2nd September, 1929. When he was eight years old, he already read Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Caitanya Caritamrita. Not only did he study these scriptures, but he could actually give classes and speak on those topics as an eight year old boy.

He was also a very brilliant student. Unfortunately, his father left this planet when he was 27 years old and the responsibility of maintaining the family came upon him. He could not go to the university. But although he did not have the opportunity to go to the university, on his own, he studied. During the day he used to work and at night he used to prepare for his graduation course. Although he appeared privately, he stood second in the whole university. That shows what a brilliant personality he was.

After doing his BA, he did his B8, and he took the occupation of a teacher. Although he was involved in his household life, he was extremely detached. I personally have seen, like, when Maharaj was in Bhubaneswar, the temple, there were many devotees. I was introduced to one boy who was his son. He was also staying in the temple, but he did not get any special treatment as Maharaj’s son. He was just like any other devotee there. Maharaj was extremely detached.

When he was 45 years old, Maharaj left home. He just left home and started to travel around India to the holy places. He went to the Himalayas and Maharaj, naturally, was quite disappointed in this mayavadi influence in the community of the sadhus. Most of the so called sadhus are impersonalists now a days. It’s very painful for a devotee.

Finally, Maharaj came to Vrindavan and in Vrindavan he thought that he would find the vaisnava association. Although all four sampradayas were very well established in Vrindavan – Maharaj used to go to the different ashrams in Vrindavan and spend days there. He would stay in the ashrams and listen to them. He could see that even though they were vaisnavas, it was not really appealing to his heart because he couldn’t see or find pure Krishna Consciousness in them.

In that respect we can consider that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu influenced two countries very effectively, two parts of India, Bengal and Orissa. Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the first twenty-four years of His stay on this planet, He stayed in Bengal. He started the sankirtan movement and created a tremendous influence. Nityananda Prabhu continued that.

In Orissa, He Himself was there. The unique thing about Orissa is that it is actually the land of Jagannath. As a result of that, most of the people there are great devotees. They have an inherent attachment to Krishna, to Lord Jagannatha.

Unfortunately, due to the British influence – When the British first came to India they came to Bengal, to Calcutta. They established their set up in Calcutta. As a result of the British influence, Mahaprabhu’s teachings were sort of lost. As you all know, when all kinds of apra sampradays started to pop up and the teachings of Lord Caitanya were practically covered over. Then came the teachings of Ram Krishna. The whole of Bengal became totally spoiled by their thoughts and non spiritual propaganda, whereas Orissa was not affected by any of these things.

Therefore, Krishna Consciousness remained quite in tact in Orissa. Even today we can see the difference between Bengal and Orissa. In Bengal, gradually due to Srila Prabhupada’s influence, things are changing due to our preaching, namahatta preaching in the villages and all. Krishna Consciousness is being established.

Orissa is very different. Even if you go to the villages, you will see that people are so devoted, so Krishna Consciousness. We can understand why Gour Govinda Maharaj was disappointed even when he went to Vrindavan. The pure Krishna bhakti was not there. He could not find it in these four sampradayas.

One day he saw a sign – the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Nothing that impressive, construction was going on, it was a construction site. But the sign was there. It appeared to him, an international society. He went to speak to the people in there. When he went there, he found the westerners, the Americans and Europeans. They had become Krishna Conscious. That impressed him so much. He felt that this was the real thing.

Krishna bhakti is meant for every single living entity. It is not just meant for Indians or Asians. It’s for everyone. Then he started to speak to some devotee who explained to him about Srila Prabhupada and how he went to America and spread Krishna Consciousness there and made them into devotees and how they were affected by Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.

He became eager to see Srila Prabhupada. He was already dressed in saffron and was a sadhu from his appearance. He asked the devotee, can I please meet your guru? That devotee said yes. You have to speak to his secretary. At that time Brahmananda Maharaj was his secretary. He went and spoke to him.

Srila Prabhupada, at that time, had just finished his lunch and was about to take rest. When Brahmananda told him that Srila Prabhupada had just taken lunch but, anyway, I will go and ask him if he would like to meet you. He went and told Prabhupada that one sadhu wanted to see him. Prabhupada’s immediate response was yes, bring him in.

Gour Govinda Maharaj was taken to Srila Prabhupada. At that time his name was actually Brajabandhu. We can see, born in a village called Jagannathpur, he had a name of Brajabandhu, friend of Vraja, friend of Vrindavan. We can see the spiritual background he had actually appeared in.

Prabhupada saw him dressed in saffron. After some exchange, Srila Prabhupada asked him if he was a sannyasi. He said no, I didn’t officially, formally take sannyasa. I’m just wondering around in search of spiritual upliftment. Srila Prabhupada said, I will give you sannyasa. In their first meeting Srila Prabhupada told him that he would give him sannyasa.

Srila Prabhupada gave him first and second initiation. In 1975 on the occasion of the inauguration of the Krishna Balaram Temple, Srila Prabhupada gave him sannyasa and the name Gour Govinda Swami. Srila Prabhupada gave him three instructions. Translate my books into Oria, build a temple, and you preach around the world. Prabhupada saw his spiritual accument.

At that time in Orissa, we got a piece of land given by a wealthy person. This land was far away from the city. Prabhupada told him to go there and build a temple. Being instructed by Srila Prabhupada, he just went. I

nitially, he did not have any place to stay, he had nothing in that place. There was a little village far away. But where the land was, there was nothing around there. The place was so remote that it was the hideout of dacoits. There was a tea shop. In the back of the tea shop was a room. Maharaj made an arrangement to stay in that room. At that time, one student became very affected by Gour Govinda Maharaj. He later became Sacinandan Prabhu. I think he was his first disciple.

Sacinandan Prabhu, on a cycle, used to take Gour Govinda Maharaj. In the carrier of the cycle, on the back, Maharaj used to sit there on the cycle to the city. Maharaj used to go to the offices or houses where he used to preach.

With his own hands he built a hut. He started to stay there.

In 1977, when Srila Prabhupada came to India, soon after the Kumba Mela in Janurary, from the Srila Prabhupada went to Calcutta and from there he went to Bhubaneswar. He stayed there for seventeen days. For Srila Prabhupada a nice arrangement was made in a rich supporters house. But Srila Prabhupada decided not to stay there. He decided to stay on the land in the small hut for seventeen days with a whole lot of his disciples. On the Nityananda Trayodasi day, Srila Prabhupada did the ground breaking ceremony of the temple there.

Gour Govinda Maharaj took up the mission. I have noticed those days that whoever came in contact with Gour Govinda Maharaj became extremely influenced. Even when some personalities were quite difficult to deal with, they committed themselves to serve with Gour Govinda Maharaj. In spite of all those difficulties and hardships, lack of facilities, they stayed there in Bhubaneswar serving and helping him.

One person who I remember is one of our very wonderful god brothers, Tejas Prabhu. I think Srila Prabhupada told Tejas Prabhu to help Gour Govinda Maharaj with funds. Tejas Prabhu is very expert at fund raising and Prabhupada understood that he should help Gour Govinda Maharaj in building that temple.

I remember in those days that Tejas Prabhu used to travel around with Banamali Prabhu, another Orissan devotee. They would travel to different places collecting funds. It was a struggle. The temple was coming up. But gradually we saw how the city started to move there.

Today, if you go to Bhubaneswar Temple, it doesn’t look like it used to be a dacoits den thirty-five or forty years ago. The city has shifted there. You see all high-rises in that area. A beautiful temple has come up.

When Maharaj started to give initiation, in 1985, devotees from all over the world became very much inspired by him. Not only his disciples, but many of our god brothers became very inspired by Gour Govinda Maharaj. They started to support and then the temple came up.

He was a brilliant personality. I remember in those days, during this time of the GBC meeting and Gaura Purnima festival, senior devotees gave a class for one day. But Gour Govinda Maharaj was so popular that he was asked to give the class for two days in a row.

He was extremely erudite and he was very straight forward. In one hand, he was very soft and gentle, smiling, but sometimes he would become hard as a thunderbolt. If somebody would say something without quoting the scripture he would say it’s cheating, how do you substantiate that statement? Where is it in the scriptures?

He had such a profound command over the scriptures. I had the good fortune of having some close exchanges, intimate association with Maharaj. I remember the first time I saw him, it was in the Calcutta temple. I was just a new devotee and one day Maharaj came and, he was a sannyasi so I made arrangements for his prasadam. While I was serving him prasad he was talking to me. All the time he was just smiling and laughing while talking to me. He was happy to see that I had joined.

At that time I did not meet Srila Prabhupada. I had just joined in Mayapur. I met Srila Prabhupada at Kumba Mela in 1977. Prabhupada, in our first meeting, gave me the instruction to translate his books into Bengali. That was the first instruction I received from Srila Prabhupada – you translate my books into Bengali. That gave me the opportunity to come close to Srila Prabhupada.

Then I was with Srila Prabhupada serving him personally. Then Srila Prabhupada from Mayapur went to Bombay, from Bombay to Hrishikesh, from Hrishikesh he came to Vrindavan. At that time, Prabhupada’s health was very bad. As a matter of fact, Srila Prabhupada went to Vrindavan from Hrishikesh in order to leave his body. In Hrishikesh he told us that the time had come for him to leave his body and that he wanted to leave his body in Vrindavan. So we should make arrangements to bring him to Vrindavan immediately. And we did that. That night we packed up and in the morning we left for Vrindavan.

Many devotees were coming to see Prabhupada at that time. Gour Govinda Maharaj also came to see Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada had some very sweet exchange with him. Gour Govinda Maharaj was saying that the place was so remote where our land is in Bhubaneshwar that hardly anybody is coming. Prabhupada actually told him at that time, don’t worry, that place will become filled with people. I don’t know whether or not Srila  Prabhupada said that the city would shift to that part or not, but one thing he assured him was that many, many people would come to the temple. Don’t worry.

When Gour Govinda Maharaj was leaving, Prabhupada called me. He asked me how he was going to Mathura. I went and asked Maharaj, how are you going to go to Mathura, to catch a train there. Maharaj said that he would take a bus, public transport. Prabhupada said no, tell them to drop him in my car. Prabhupada wanted him to be dropped at Mathura station in his car.

After that, I had on a few occaisions, visited Bhubaneshwar. I remember those days. There were very few devotees. Mostly it was very sweet. Bhagavat Prabhu was there. He was very fond of Gour Govinda Maharaj. He is our god brother from America.

Gour Govinda Maharaj was just absorbed in reading and translating, studying, and giving discourses. I noticed that he would not eat. Sometimes he would come and stay in Calcutta where I used to stay. I noticed that until Maharaj had translated a certain number of pages, I think it was ten pages of Srimad Bhagavatam, he would not eat. He would eat only after he had translated a certain number of pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. It was extremely austere.

Another time I remember Maharaj had some sort of ulcer in his leg. He wouldn’t take any treatment and it was getting worse and worse. The ulcer actually was eating up his bones, but he would not take any treatment. Finally, due to the intense persuasion of his devotees, he accepted the treatment. Otherwise, he was very detached and just depending on Krishna. Tremendous will. Tremendous determination. He was extremely detached. At the same time, rich with his devotion to Krishna.

He became a GBC. We also noticed that in the GBC Meetings, he would rarely speak. When there would be some critical input needed, and if the devotees asked Maharaj, he would give such a pure Krishna Conscious solution. We could see that although he was not speaking, he was listening so intently about the whole proceedings during our meetings.

Maharaj started to travel around the world and I noticed that wherever he went, he got such tremendous appreciation. He was very gentle and meek normally, but when he used to give a class, he was like a lion, roaring. Once one devotee how he was sitting next to him, he was shouting so much, I could hear him straight. I told him, it’s not that, it’s his ecstasy that’s making him speak like that. It’s the ecstasy that makes one speak like that, roaring like a lion.

Maharaj was, wherever he went, he created a tremendous appreciation. Devotees were so fond of him wherever he went. Devotees appreciated his scholarship, the depth of his devotion, and his very profound dealings with everyone in a very loving and intimate way. At the same time, he was extremely straight forward.

Twenty years back, here in Mayapur, Maharaj was here during the GBC Meeting. On the day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s appearance, that year also was Srila Prabhupada’s 100th anniversary, 1996. One evening, Maharaj gave darshan just before evening arati. He told the devotees to go and attend the arotik. So all of the devotees, after just listening to him, came to the arotik. Maharaj used to stay where my room is in the conch building. Maharaj’s room was three rooms after that. His servant just came running to me. He came and told me that Guru Maharaj fainted. I also ran to his room. In the meantime, one devotee who was not a devotee but who had some experience in whichever way, I came and I found that he was feeling Maharaj’s pulse. He told me that he left his body. It was so sudden that we couldn’t even imagine that he could leave. He gave a class, spoke about Lord Jagannath’s glory, and to the group of devotees sitting there, and in a few minutes after that he just left.

The whole night we chanted kirtan. His leading disciples wanted to take Maharaj’s body to Bhubaneswar. They took Maharaj to Bhubaneswar in a vehicle. Some of us traveled to Bhubaneswar. Radhanath Maharaj and I traveled by train to Bhubaneswar that day. It was such a loss. It came so suddenly. There is no way of knowing how and when Krishna will call his devotees back to a new assignment.

In a similar way we saw how Tamal Krishna Maharaj also left his body so suddenly. At a time like that, we have to understand that Krishna called them to give them a more important assignment, some more important engagement. For us, it’s a great loss. We can’t fathom or understand what is Krishna’s plan, what is Srila Prabhupada’s plan.

I’ll end the class with a pastime that HH Gour Govinda Maharaj narrated about why Krishna came as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

One day in Vrindavan, Radharani was waiting for Krishna. The sakhis arranged the kunja. They met in flower groves. They decorated the place very beautifully for Krishna to come. Radharani was waiting for Krishna, but Krishna had not come. It was quite late but still, Krishna did not come.

One messenger was sent to find out what actually happened, why Krishna was not coming. So she went and found out that Krishna was with Candravali. Candravali, although she is Radharani’s sister, is Radharani’s competitor. Incidentally, in Vraja lila, it is Radharani and Candravali. In Dvarka lila, Candravali becomes Rukmini and Radharani becomes Satyabhama. So they are always with Krishna.

Krishna is with Candravali. Hearing that, Radharani became so upset. She said, if He ever comes here, don’t allow Him to come near me. I don’t want to see His face. When Krishna came, Lalita and Visakha stopped Him saying, no way can You go there. She doesn’t want to even see Your face.

Completely dejected, Krishna left the place and went to the bank of the Yamuna and started to cry, rolling on the ground. Radharani had rejected Him. Purnamasi came and, Purnamasi is yoga maya. She is an elderly lady who makes all of the arrangements for Krishna’s pastimes. That’s yoga maya’s position. She came and asked Krishna what happened. He narrated the whole incident. Then Purnamasi said, serious matter, let me see what I can do. Just stay here and I will make some arrangement, let’s see what I can do.

After a short while, Vrinda devi came there. Vrinda said look, Purnamasi sent me to help You out to unite with Radha, to arrange for you to meet Radha. So Krishna said please do that. In separation, My heart is breaking. Vrinda said look, if you go like this, there is no chance. Krishna said tell me what I should do. She said, get rid of your long hair, shave your head up. Give up the peacock feather on your forehead. Give up your flute. Instead of flute, you take a sannyasa danda. Dress up like a sannyasi. Give up this form of bending in three places and become straight. On top of everything, you have to hide your blue color. If you go there with this complexion, she will automatically recognize you. Assume a golden color.

According to Vrinda’s instruction, Krishna went there as a sannyasi. A sannyasi’s business is to beg. He was singing a song describing that, I am a begger, begging for Radha’s love. When Lalita and Visakha heard, they were very happy. Oh, you are glorifying Srimati Radharani. Where did you learn this song? He said, I learned it from my guru, ghandarvika. Ghandarva means the fine arts. They thought it was the teacher who teaches fine arts.

They thought, oh, you are a very nice sannyasi. What do you want? He said look, I am here to help everybody. Anyone who is in distress, my business is to help them out. They said, you see, our mistress is in great distress. Can you help her out? He said, sure I can. Please come and tell her what she should do. He said yes, I am a great astrologer. I can help her. Just by seeing the lines I can make out what is going to happen. I can suggest accordingly.

They went and reported that such and such a sannyasi came and he said that he can help anyone in distress. We thought that since you are in such distress we should ask him to help you. He agreed. Radharani came to the veranda, the sannyasi was there. She was covering her face because she didn’t see anyone but Krishna. She said, so sannyasi thakur, can you please read her palm? He said I am a sannyasi, I can’t touch a woman! They asked so how will you read the lines? He said no, no. Not the lines of the hand. I can read the lines on the forehead.

Lalita told him look, she doesn’t look at anybody other than Krishna. The only male she looks at is Krishna. No one else but Krishna. He said look, I am a sannyasi. I am beyond all of this bodily concept of life. One should not be ashamed in front of me. Tell your mistress to open her veil and let me see the lines on her forehead. Her veil was lifted, but as soon as the sannyasi saw her face, he could not retain his sannyasi form. He assumed his Shyamasundar form and this is how Krishna met Srimati Radharani and broke her anger.

Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan ki jaya! Sri Sri Radha Madhava ki jaya!

Srila Gour Govinda Maharaj ki jaya!

Gaura Premande Hari Hari Bol!

Preaching program in Goa with Radhanath Swami.
From 12th to 14th of February 2016 Radhanath Swami was at Goa, India. He addressed 9000 Goans at a two day event called Maha Jagruti, ‘the great spiritual awakening’, celebrating ISKCON’s Golden Jubilee. The festival was held at Dr Shyam Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium.
The chief secretary of the Goan Government R. K. Srivastava, chairman of Dempo group Srinivas Dempo, chairman of NRB group Narayan Bandekar, and chief editor of magazine Viva Goa were present for Maha Jagruti.
At a program in Kranti Yoga Village Radhanath Swami reminisced about his Goan visit of 1971, details of which are found in his book The Journey Home. Kranti is a popular yoga school located amid tranquil coconut groves and luscious palm trees of southern Goa. 60 western yoga students attended the talk; 45 purchased The Journey Home. The Founder and Director of Kranti Yoga, Tarun Agarwal, was also present.
At another event, the inauguration of an ISKCON temple in Goa, Radhanath Swami said, “People from all over the world come to Goa in search of happiness, and so we have the chance to share with them the secrets of spiritual happiness as taught by Sri Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada.”

Preaching program in England with Kadamba Kanana Swami.
…Finally, we arrived at Suan Mataji’s house. It was a nice and cozy place near the edge of a forest just outside of London. Being a Chinese devotee, her home had an interesting mix of very devotional paraphernalia like Vaishnava paintings, books and sculptures juxtaposed with classic Chinese paraphernalia like those traditional lanterns with red and gold motifs. Curiously enough, on the wall of her living room was a humongous map of the world. Maybe it’s to keep Suan Mataji motivated in her mission to take over the world and flood it with the Holy name!!
And of course in the center of her room were gorgeous deities of Gaura Nitai. The crowd was mostly Chinese students, bankers and doctors but there were also a few European and Nepali students as well.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/9Z5gfU

Vaisesika Prabhu at ISKCON Mayapur on 2016-02-27, Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 09.11.25

March 6. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Dream.
When asked about his dream on board the Jaladutta, Prabhupada said: “The dream was I must come here … The dream was that Krishna in His many forms was rowing the boat.”
Be true to the great personality who brought pure love of God, be true to yourself who desires pure life and freedom in love of Krishna, be true to this highest mission for the world’s welfare. In other words, I realize I cannot force anyone, and all will have to withstand maya on their own, but if they will only follow His instructions, they will be safe. Otherwise, all this danger, implications; caught in the web of action-reaction.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=6

Prabhupada’s Dream

Written by Nandan

Class at the Manor SB 10.2.22

Continuing his discourse on demonic psychology, Maharaj clarified that demons existed in previous ages as well. If one reads the beginning of Krishna Dharma Prabhu’s Ramayana, Rakshasas were flying in the sky and then killed saints who were performing sacrifices. They killed the saints mercilessly.

This class and yesterday’s has to rank as two of the finest classes Maharaj has ever given, in my opinion. It was a no holds barred, candid understanding of the human psyche, warts and all. And related directly to devotees themselves, Maharaj really put up a mirror to the devotees of the Iskcon community, the reflection in the mirror isn’t always fair and pretty. But then a Guru’s duty is to cut. And Maharaj wasn’t carrying a poxy, little flick knife; he was wielding a foot long kukri machete, ready to chop up all our misconceptions about ourselves and others.

It started with a general study on demons, looking at Kamsa and the Vrindavan demons, their power, attributes and features. How even though they make alliances together, demons deeply hate each other. For example, the Vrindavan demons were never actually friends of Kamsa; they were only his allies because he had defeated them, so it was all fear based. And that’s the key; it’s all based on fear. And Kamsa’s cruelty was magnified by fear. Maharaj talked about Kamsa’s history, being the inauspicious result of an illicit union between Dhrumila and Padmavati. In fact Padmavati, Kamsa’s mother was of a somewhat dubious character, never regretting anything that Kamsa did and always gossiping about Krishna.

In the modern age, we often find ourselves in demonic association. Maharaj revealed having a personal friend who he did not even tell that he joined the Hare Krishna’s because he knew the friend go completely crazy. Once when he brought that friend to his house, his mother called him a hawk. Maharaj realised that in a way, she was protecting him. So nowadays, the demonic culture is integrated into society. Hardheartedness and cruelty are predominant. Animal cruelty and organ trafficking, etc. It is all coming from hard heartedness.

Maharaj gave the example of Aghasura who was not just a snake but had a human form as well. But he liked the snake form because he was completely cold blooded. All humans were just utensils to him… completely ruthless.

Like nowadays when people get married, in many cases it is because they need someone to torture and vent their frustrations on. Sad to say, it happens in the Hare Krishna movement too. At this point, one could sense a lot of the backs were straightening and ears were pricking up in the audience. This is NOT what they expected to hear. One Mataji even let out a little yelp of, “Really!?”Maharaj replied, “Yeees! It’s going on right now.” Maharaj then looked directly at the audience and declared that some of us are doing it or maybe one of you guys listening on the internet, “You know who you are!”

He explained that he does a lot of counselling within the devotee community and he routinely gets cases revolving around some form of abuse. It has come to a point where he is like, “Oh no, not again!!” We can say it’s the work of ‘kali chelas’ in the sankirtan movement. But ultimately we are cruel out of ignorance because we are being cruel to our own destiny.  This tendency of cruelty is rising out of ignorance and step by step we are going down. Little deviations here and there. That is how it is working. The class was very comprehensive and covered many other aspects and is certainly one of the most powerful and hard hitting classes at the Manor. And yet Maharaj has the uncanny knack of conveying hard truths in such a humorous manner. You would have to hear it to believe it, so please hear it. Comes highly recommended!!

Evening Crawley Program

It was literally a crawl through the traffic to get to the Crawley program and that too, late in the evening. Maharaj wasn’t exactly over the moon with the timing of this program. Nonetheless he sees a lot of promise with this sanga group and comes here every time he is in the country. But this time he decided to tell them at the end of the program to adjust the timings, otherwise he won’t be getting back at his house until way after midnight.

Once Maharaj and his group of devotees got to the event, he started of singing the ‘Jaya Radha Madhava’ prayers and at ‘…Yamuna tira vanachari’ the audience would jump the pause before the first line again. After a couple of times of doing this, he stopped the kirtan and smilingly told everyone to be aware of the pause, otherwise the beat of the tune gets ruined. Everyone laughed. He added, “I’m not going to let you kill the tune!” Cue more nervous laughter. Before resuming the prayers, he also told the mrdanga player to hold in the reins and take it easy, that it was not a horse race where he needs to gallop away with the beats. Because Maharaj said it in such a humorous manner, everyone took it in good spirit and it showed Maharaj to be a true perfectionist. After all a Vaishnava is daksha (expert) in whatever seva he performs.

After the prayers, Maharaj started to speak, basing his talk on the esoteric poems of the Padyavali. The main conclusion was that only devotional service counts, nothing else. One of the verses in the Padyavali talked about so many devotees lacking in certain qualities like Kubja who had no beauty, Gajendra who had no knowledge, Dhruva who had no maturity… but in the end, none of that matters; only devotional service counts. We have to make Krishna the centre of our lives and that means physically as well. Your Krishna deity should be in the centre of the home, even if it means we have to settle for a small corner in the room.

A lot of worshipers themselves are unclear as to who Krishna even is. ‘Nam nam akari bahuda nija sarva shakti….’ But how much do we know of Krishna energies? The sankirtan movement is making things crystal clear. Krishna is the original lamp and there is one type of ignorance which is thinking that after getting access to the absolute truth, there will be something more. But they don’t realise that beyond that there is simply more chanting.

And do we even understand who Srila Prabhupada really is!? Once Malati Prabhu had a dream and a beautiful effluent personality appeared and said, “You have no idea who Srila Prabhupada is. He is being worshipped all over the universe.” It transpired that this personality was a Yamaduta. They are generally perceived as being ugly but to devotees this is what they like. Maharaj urged all the devotees to really think about how unique Srila Prabhupada is. He spread the sankirtan movement once in a lifetime of Brahma!

Trivikrama Swami expanded the whole vision of Srila Prabhupada by questioning whether Srila Prabhupada really did go back to Godhead after leaving here. This was in 1979 in Vrindavan and the devotees were alarmed. What was Maharaja saying? And then Maharaj released the bombshell, “Maybe he has gone to another universe to start the whole thing again?” Maharaj recalled how when the devotees heard this, they were fainting. How much do we really know Krishna?

Maharaj spoke on and raised some fantastic points and shared some profound realisations.

But it was getting late and Maharaj was looking to make an exit. As per his decision, at the end of the session he said to the Crawley devotees, “Next time make your programs earlier, then there will be more juice. The later it gets, the less juice there is!”

HH Kadamba Kanana Maharaj Ki Jai!

This time I have rather than written put together a small video explaining were I am and how the current one size fits all system is killing my desire to do service

sadly at this moment I am currently deliberating leaving ISKCON due to the current system that is less about caring and inspiring but more about forms and good class results; it’s killing me

please I beg don’t kill me any more, the life support is failing

KK Bindu #370, three crucial points for making advancement from Vallabhacharya, plus more.
The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released.
This issue includes:
* DISCIPLE MEANS DISCIPLINE – An excerpt from a lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
* BHAJANA IS NOT FOR SHOW – Valuable instructions from a letter written by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada to a disciple.
* WISDOM, PATIENCE AND SURRENDER – A first time translation done especially for this issue of Bindu from Srila Vallabhacharya’s Viveka-dhairya-asrayah regarding three crucial points for making advancement on the path of devotion.
* NAMA-TATTVA: EVEN DRUNKARDS AND BRAHMIN KILLERS – A verse from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana. It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu370

This morning in Sri Mayapur Dham devotees celebrated the flag lifting for the start of Gaura Purnima festival month.

As a special offering to Srila Prabhupada to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of ISKCON, 50 National flags were put up in the park and 50 lamps were offered. Then as the flags reached the top of their poles, thousands of colorful flower petals came down from the sky showering all the devotees present, with sweet Bliss. Beautiful sannyasis broke coconuts as an auspicious way to officially begin the festival in front of hundreds of cheering devotees. Loud kirtan could be heard from far away and devotees could be seen dancing all around the flags. This was the official start but here in Sri Mayapur dham, it is always festival, there is so much happening at the same time, anyone can constantly be plunge deep into the spiritual world. Everywhere we look something spiritual is happening, and on top of being already in the Spiritual world, for the last week now, we have been blessed with Sravan utsava . This most amazing festival with all day long special classes one after the other. HG Madhavananda das, HH Bhakti Purusottam Maharaj, HH Nrsimha Maharaj, HH Bhakti Vinod Maharaj, HH Bhakti Rasamrita Maharaj, HH Lokanath Maharaj and HH Bhakti Charu Maharaj all gave amazing divine discourses.

Be prepared, as this is only a beginning… Tonight immediately after we finish drinking the nectar coming from the lips of HH Lokanath Maharaj in the last class of Sravan utsav, devotees will have to run to the temple room where Kirtan Mela Adhivas will be starting. Not a moment of rest, always running after more nectar.

This is life in the Holy Dham…

I sincerely hope all devotees take advantage of each second in the Dham and get surcharged with Spiritual energy.

Haribol, Haribol

Jay Srila Prabhupada

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur writes: “Many of us maintain a similar concept that we renounce our family life, we sacrifice a lot in the service of our spiritual master, some of us collect donations and do a lot of multifarious direct and indirect service for the satisfaction of our spiritual master, but what do we gain? Here we forget that we do such sums very well and it is only for our own well-being that he is getting the sums done by us. The spiritual master is engaging us in different services for our own satisfaction and welfare in the path of devotion. Those who are averse to their own benefit, only consider such services to be meant for the welfare of the spiritual master, for the temple complex, for the vaisnavas, for the Lord, and thus foolishly take little interest in them”.(Upakhyane Upadesa) Continue reading "Who benefits from our service to iskcon?
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The post Daily Darshan : March 5th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The post Mayapura Gurukuli Yamuna asks why there is so much suffering in a world made by Krsna appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Gita Upadesham - an offering for ISKCON 50.
All glories to ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary! With great pleasure, we would like to announce that the Temple President of Sri Jagannatha Mandir Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, HG Kripa Sindhu Krishna Das has received the Congregational Preaching Medal from HH Jayapataka Swami the Co-GBC for ISKCON Malaysia.
Some of the preaching activities that actively is conducted by the Congregation devotees of SJMKL currently are Gita Upadesham home to home preaching, Bhakti Vrikshas, Nama Hatta, Harinam & Palanquin Processions, Book Distribution Activities.
The Gita Upadesham programme is specially designed as an offering to Srila Prabhupada for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary.
The congregation of Sri Jagannatha Mandir is taking up to this service very enthusiastically and up to date the devotees have visited 900 homes. The aim is to complete 5000 homes by December 2016.
The Gita Upadesham is a simple programme whereby a devotee approaches people by going home to home. If allowed devotees will chant a verse of Bhagavad Gita and explain it’s meaning to the residents of the home. The Hare Krsna mahamantra is also introduced to them. All this is done in less than 15 minutes and we move on to another home. It is not only easy to do for the devotees but is preferred by the residents of Kuala Lumpur as it suits their busy schedule.
The Gita Upadesham also acts as a tool to identify potential people who will be interested to attend a more comprehensive programme and learn more. It helps the SJMKL preachers to channel those interested to weekly Bhakti Vriksa programmes. As for the Bhakti Vriksa programme, SJMKL Congregation is now conducting a total of 22 house programmes in Kuala Lumpur. The aim is to conduct 50 house programmes by December 2016
We seek the blessings of the glorious Vaishnavas to make this endeavour a success.
SJMKL Admin
More photos here: https://goo.gl/nogGZt

Our heart is compared in the scriptures to be like a clear crystal that reflects what is before it. We become like who we associate with closely or intimately. That means that when we open our heart to someone, and they open their heart to us there is an exchange of energy or power--we and they are influenced. I meet people all day where I work. Some I have gotten to know well, others casually. I see coming together with someone like two doors facing each other. Behind each door is many pathways leading to different oceans. So two people coming together has the potential of revealing many oceans. We could get lost in our own or another persons' ocean unless we can uncover the soul, which is what spiritual association can offer us. There is an urge of human beings for intimacy---to be able to share their story and who they currently are or are trying to become. Sharing our self means being able to open our door to let someone in. It may be a crack to reveal our particular color of light in the beginning, as we are all eventually guarded as to who we let in---otherwise we may have boundary issues or be taken advantage of. Continue reading "The Importance of Friendship and Association
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By Madhavananda Das

There is a lot of discussion right now, especially in America, about the latest presidential election. In a recent issue of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu we put together a collection of statements from Srila Prabhupada regarding his mood towards voting in secular circles. As always, Srila Prabhupada’s attitude is purely Krishna conscious. I also found it very detached — he was asked several times if he wanted his followers to vote or not, — he repeatedly replied that the choice was up to them. For brevity, I’m only posting some of the most relevant quotes below. To see the complete article in issue 185 click here or go to: http://gopaljiu.org/Bindu/Bindu_back_issues.htm

Because of the importance of the Krishna consciousness movement, people should be Krishna conscious and should not vote for anyone who is not Krishna conscious. Then there will be actual peace and prosperity in the state. When a vaisnava sees mismanagement in the government, he feels great compassion in his heart and tries his best to purify the situation by spreading the Hare Krishna movement. (Purport to Bhag. 6.2.3)

We don’t very much like this so-called democracy. What is the value of this democracy? All fools and rascals. They vote for another fool and rascal and he becomes prime minister, or this or that. That is not good for the people. We are not for this so-called democracy because they are not trained. (Lecture in London, 24 July 1973)

The first teaching of Bhagavad-gita should be taken by the persons who are going to be elected in the government service. The public should be aware of this. If somebody comes to canvass for votes, you should first inquire, “Have you have read Bhagavad-gita? Mahatma Gandhi read Bhagavad-gita. Why shouldn’t you? Do you know what is Bhagavad-gita? If so, then I will give you my vote. Otherwise, get out.”… It is a great necessity that government men must study Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise, don’t give them vote. (Lecture in Bombay, 22 March 1974)

Devotee: Some of our devotees should run for office.

Prabhupada: No. If you can make the people Krishna conscious, then everything will come automatically. If they vote for a Krishna conscious person to be president and prime minister, then everything will be saved. So that means you have to create Krishna conscious voters. Then everything will be right. That should be one of the aims of the Krishna consciousness movement. The government is still under the control of the public. If the public becomes Krishna conscious then naturally the government will be Krishna conscious. But that is up to the public. (Lecture in Bombay, 6 November 1970)

Educate the people. “Don’t vote for the rascals. Just try to understand who is the real man, who is the real leader. (Morning walk conversation in Los Angeles, 11 December 1973)

Interviewer: Do you think most of the Hare Krishna members will participate in the election in November? Do you think they will register and vote?

Prabhupada: Personally I never give votes.

Interviewer: Will they follow your example and not vote?

Prabhupada: I do not know, but our principle is that I vote for this man or that man if there is some spiritual benefit. That is our point. (Interview with the religion editor of the Associated Press in New York, 16 July 1976)

I have never given vote. Since we have got this sva-raj, Indian independence, as soon as the vote question comes up, I go away. I think, “Why shall I give this nonsense person my vote? None of them are liked by me.” So I avoid it. I don’t believe in it. (Room Conversation in Bombay, 8 January 1977)

Jayapataka Swami visits the new Iskcon temple at Ekachakra after exiting the hospital (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krishna, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacaris and grhastas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.21.45-47 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/gb6ugL

You are a pujari and you are too busy for making ghee wigs by hand? Check this video :-) Watch it here: https://goo.gl/d7TuSg
Srila Prabhupada: If we make our Deity worship program extremely opulent and gorgeous, and if all of the devotees are always attending arati and holding kirtan in front of the Deities, that will be the best program for attracting the Indian people to Krishna Consciousness Movement. Letter to Giriraja, June 8, 1972.

NBS#32 Lord Kapila’s Teachings.
This issue dives deeper into the philosophies presented by The Supreme Lord to mother Devahuti.
NBS # 32 Features:-
1) What is Sankhya Philosophy ?
His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
2) Further Inquiries By Mother Devahuti
Sri Maitreya Rishi
3) Material Life
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur
4) Renunciation Of Conduct Unfavorable To Pure Devotion
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
This issue can be viewed through these links:
ISSUU: http://issuu.com/nbsmag/docs/nbs_32
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/doc/302354221/NBS-32

By Janesvari Devi Dasi

The design for the overall TOVP Master Plan has been created by one of our Russian architects, Rangavati dasi, who has been with the TOVP since 2013.

We are trying to create the most aesthetic and colorful gardens in India for the pleasure of the Lord.

By clicking on an icon number, you will get a glimpse of how magnificent the surrounding TOVP gardens will look. There are currently 2 sections available: Vegetation and Outdoor furniture.

Here is the link for the masterplan: http://masterplan.tovp.org

NOTE: For best visual experience please follow the following guidelines.

Use FULLSCREEN mode to get the best visual experience. Fullscreen mode can be activated by clicking an icon in the top left corner of the map.

Please be patient while the images load initially. Due to their large size (high resolution) it will take some time to load the maps fully. And then, when you click each pin/point on the map the first time wait for each image to load fully, it will auto-position itself properly on the map. The second and all consecutive times you load the map and each point it will open almost instantly.

Gauranga das S.B.7.2.9-10 – Feb 25th 2016

Pioneers of Kirtana

March 5. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Pioneers of Kirtana.
Prabhupada gave us – and is giving us – the great opportunity to be pioneers in the spreading of kirtana. Often the word “pioneer” conjures up the image of leaving our home country and going to open a centre in a different part of the world, or join a world tour of kirtanas. However, Prabhupada also encouraged us to perform kirtana among our own people. Therefore, he made those of us who were pioneering among the student population in Boston as much a part of the pioneering movement as those who went to Germany and London, or later, Japan and Africa. We always felt that Prabhupada was with us and that we were trying to accomplish what he asked of us. We could only pray to be successful. No one could sit down and relax. We were so caught up in immediate preaching that we had no time to reflect on our relative position to other temples, or what the non-devotees would think of as later. To serve Prabhupada, we were forced to live in the present. We hardly had time to think. Such a life thoroughly engaged our minds and senses in Prabhupada’s service and we left it to him to define whether it was pleasing or not, and to encourage us.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=6

Written by Nandan

Morning Class at the Manor, Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.21

As mentioned before, Maharaj does have the bearing of an all knowing wizard. Not just on spiritual matters but even on material things. On the morning drive to the Manor, Maharaj was pleasantly chanting to himself. I had accidently put the heating on full blast, soon enough a feeling of déjà vu came as Maharaj looked at me quizzically and questioned why the Brits are so much into their heat? They have the Gulfstream coming through and so it’s never as cold as Europe and yet they have the hottest houses!

The cold in Holland is a different matter, particularly the Friesland area. Maharaj went into the fascinating history of the North Europeans. For example, the Friesland people are actually of Celtic origin while the rest of Holland is completely Germanic. The Germanic people can be overbearing, but the Dutch contingent is probably the worst and by far the most stubborn. That is why they have always maintained their separateness from Germany.

Of course, it is all hypocrisy; Maharaj remarked that the Dutch had no problem in trying to impose their way on other people. Thus we have the terrible history of colonialism, and yet it is not even talked about properly in the schools. There is still a lot of whitewashing of history going on. But if one ever goes to the Dutch museums, you’ll always see a black and white photo of some guy posing with his hand on the globe. A symbol of taking over the world, real demonic mentality…

Soon Maharaj arrived at the Manor, near the end of Guru Puja and commenced his class. It could have been a continuation of the conversation in the car for it was all about the demonic tendencies in humans. Kamsa used the scriptures but twisted their meanings. He was also confused; one moment he wanted to kill Devaki and the next minute he was feeling some overwhelming family affection. There was some semblance of human affection. But this affection is hollowed out by his own desires and was very external. One moment he was one thing then the next minute he switched. Now Devaki wanted to believe him because she is soft-hearted but he was influenced by modes of nature so his family affection was never going to be that deep.

Of course, Vedic culture certainly helps to curb the demonic tendencies. Just like in astrology when one is dominated by one planet and then another, you become a completely different person. So the scriptures will give that awareness. But it goes deeper, like when Indra tried to kill the Vrajavasis and Krishna asked why he was doing that. Indra replied that he was proud. The devotees are able to curb their pride through intelligence but he was angry. But Indra himself IS also a devotee?

So the point is, it’s not JUST demons who are prone to this behaviour, we also have to be introspective. Maharaj made a very deep point that we’re all operating under different combinations of the modes. So externally we may act the part of the ideal devotee, folding our hands nicely and saying all the sweet, humble stuff. Maharaj then did a side splittingly funny impression of a devotee that bought the whole house down. BUT inside there is still a raging animal within us like when we ravenously gobble up a mangal aarti sweet when no one’s looking!! Cue more laughter.

The whole situation reminded Maharaj of a book he once saw in a German bookstore called ‘The Inner Schweinhund’ or ‘The Inner Pigdog’. Pigdog apparently is a common German term! We all have to be aware of the Schweinhund within us. We’re in a war and infiltration is the worst tactic of the enemy, the enemy within. It was such a deep class, I’m only giving the basics but Maharaj gave a comprehensive analysis of the human condition regardless of whether one calls oneself a devotee or not. Yet at the same time, Maharaj conveyed it in a way where you get the impact but you’re also left in stitches because of all the humour he uses to get the point across!

Maharaj concluded by giving a wonderful glorification of the legendary Agnidev Prabhu who was present in the class. And how in Radhadesh recently, Agnidev Prabhu didn’t just do his spell binding kirtans but spoke at length on the history of bhajans in Iskcon and how he became part of it all. And that was something Maharaj was highly appreciative of. Agnidev Prabhu ki Jai! Afterwards both personalities expressed mutual appreciation for each other, exchanged some personal words, realisations and warm embraces. It’s always amazing to see the dealings between great vaishnavas. Something for us to emulate.

…Later as Maharaj was freshening up in the ashram, he further glorified Agnidev Prabhu and his brilliant translation of  Krishna tave Purina by Srila Prabhupada. He got the essence of it perfectly. Before, another devotee named Jaya Sacinandan Prabhu had translated it but Agnidev Prabhu’s one was better because he brought it directly to Krishna as it was meant to be. The conversation then moved onto the different servants Maharaj has had. Nimai Prabhu would be relieved to know that Maharaj considered Nimai to be a very switched on, sharp lad. Maharaj also recalled his time being served by Gurudas Prabhu (larger than life personality who does everything to the max) and started smiling. The rest of us were also smiling. Gurudas Prabhu is one of the characters where there is never a dull moment, everything becomes an adventure. Maharaj mentioned that Gurudas does have a bit of the ‘Guru’ in him. On the plane, he wouldn’t just talk to random passengers about who he is, he would get them to chant Hare Krishna and all!

Off to Soho…

Around lunchtime, Maharaj arrived at the bustling Soho temple in Central London. He happily sat down in the corridor, reading from his smartphone. The devotees wanted to give him a VIP room but he just said he was at home in the corridor. After all, he has been coming there for a long, long time since the deities were in Bury Place…

After lunch, arati Maharaj gave a Bhagavad-gita class. It was a mixed crowd of mainly professionals. The main theme was the transient nature of this reality and the old Mr Bean example was given where he pulls up at a hotel and drills holes in the wall, puts up pictures on the wall and drills a door in the wall to make a toilet!! Ridiculous but just as ridiculous is us calling this place home. Our nature is to look for a permanent situation; but one has to remember this is only a transit lounge.

In this little temple Maharaj explained how we approach Krishna in his intimate Vrindavan form, not in his universal form. That would be akin to us connecting with an ant! How much of an intimate relationship can you develop with an ant?

Afterwards, Maharaj went upstairs to honour prasadam and rest in the VIP room. A host of devotees accompanied Maharaj and naturally some devotees starting asking questions. Madan Mohan Govinda Prabhu (the UK head of Bhakti Vriksha) was there and asked some pertinent questions related to devotee care, developing the grhastha congregation and varnashrama. A few questions here and there was okay but Maharaj was insistent that he didn’t want to get into a full blown ‘Q & A’ session, which is what it was turning into. He just needed to recuperate this trip. So after a point, Maharaj deflected the questions to Ter Kadamba Prabhu and went downstairs to rest in the restaurant.

The restaurant has a kind of French roadside café feel to it, there was a nice gentle breeze outside, the sun was out and the street was as vibrant as ever. And to top it all, one of the devotees was doing a really sweet but funky kirtan on the roadside with nothing but his voice and a large silver bass drum. It was brilliant, had raw, pioneering mood to it. Sitting at a window side seat, Maharaj was enjoying the ambience. He remarked that was good there, relaxed and chilled; not so formal and certainly no need to put on the ‘sadhu profile’. A couple of disciples were with him. They were tucking into some delicious chilli paneer, creamy cakes and gateaux. And Maharaj was simply giving his realisations about life and Krishna consciousness. A lot of disciples would probably admit that these informal chats are the most nectarian times one can have with Maharaj.

He soon got talking about how so many devotees come to devotional life through some sort of bereavement. His own parents left the planet 45 years ago and very close to each other. So near that the funerals were exactly the same, with the same people, sitting in the same position, in the same formation greeting each other, in the same way with the same expressions and the same clothes and the same priest saying the same things and then everyone leaving in the same way!! After the second funeral, Maharaj’s thoughts were, “I’ve been in this movie before.” The disciples couldn’t take it anymore, any more laughter and they would be rolling on the floor!!

Meanwhile a Mataji had started distributing books outside and Maharaj observed her, commenting on how expertly she was doing books, using all the tricks to get people’s attention. On the train journey back, Maharaj spoke about Jayadvaita Maharaj, his various qualities and areas of interest. In particular, the detailed research Jayadvaita Maharaj has done in the field of hypnotherapy. Maharaj also mentioned a technique that Jayapataka Maharaj uses to remember his thousands of disciples names. He would question them in a testing manner, “Do you know what your name means?” In the process of explaining, the disciple would reveal their names and Maharaj would act as if he remembered all along!!

The conversation soon turned to the nitty, gritty aspects of varnashrama. Not surprising since this is one of the hot topics in Iskcon now. While Maharaj explained the ins-and-outs of the Vedic social order, he was quick to assert that in the Golden Age, ultimately there is only ‘eka varna’. Under the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the one varna of the paramahamsa will take root. This is not the first time that Maharaj has qualified the concept of varnashrama as being secondary to Mahaprabhu’s shelter. It seems Maharaj has noticed that devotees can get overly hung up on the varnashrama issue, losing sight of the ultimate goal.

Back at the house, Maharaj was having personal chats with disciples. Meanwhile I was playing around on the harmonium. Not knowing anything about playing, I was speculating a particular tune and producing sounds similar to that of a cat stuck up a drain pipe. After a while Maharaj just shook his head, he couldn’t take it anymore and sat down with me and for the next 20 minutes and taught me about cords, what cords to use and the notes for the tune. He then went back to his chat upstairs. I continued playing, but every time I would play a note wrong he would shout out, “What was that? What did I show you? Play the correct cord!”

Oddly enough, it was one of the most nectarian experiences I’ve had with Maharaj which I’ll always remember.

HH Kadamba Kanana Swami Ki Jai!

By Indradyumna Swami

Volume 14, Chapter 8.

March 3, 2016

The Light of the Soul

“Welcome home!” Mahavan dasa, a Russian disciple, greeted me as I came out of New Delhi’s slick new airport terminal, tired after my flight from Bangalore. Mahavan is my secretary when I travel in India. A brahmachari in his thirties, he wears saffron, shaves his head, and stuffs his bag with the latest gadgets—cell phones, iPads, ear buds, chargers.

“We’re not home yet,” I said. “I wish we were, but Vrindavan is still a good three hours away.”

“Well, let’s get there quickly,” he said. “The car is just over here.”

We began working our way through the crowd of people that were going into and coming out of the terminal when Mahavan suddenly pointed to an elderly man in soiled burgundy-colored robes in the midst of the throng. “Gurudeva,” Mahavan said, “look at that man. It looks like he’s asking people for help. I think he’s a beggar.”

“He’s not a beggar,” I said. “He’s a Buddhist monk from Tibet. It’s part of his tradition to approach others for alms. It helps the monks develop humility.”

“But he doesn’t have a begging bowl,” Mahavan said, “and he looks desperate.”

No one was giving the man anything. As we watched, a teenage boy shoved him aside. The monk covered his face with his hands and sat down on a bench. A moment later, an affluent-looking couple walked past, and he got up and approached them, but they too ignored him, and when he persisted the man shouted at him. The monk looked flustered. He sat back down on the bench and stared straight ahead, as if in contemplation. Despite his bedraggled condition, he appeared effulgent.

I was shocked at the way people were treating him. I felt it was my duty to help him, so I started to walk toward the bench when he noticed me and jumped up to hurry over and grab hold of my sleeve. “Please let me stay with you for a while,” he said in English. “I need the shelter of spiritual people.”

“Sure,” I said. “Why don’t we sit down?”

“Do you have the time?” he asked softly.

“For someone like you I have all the time in the world,” I said. We walked toward the bench he had been sitting on. He continued to hold onto my sleeve.

“Are you hungry?” I asked. “Can I get something for you to eat?”

“Thank you, no,” he replied. “I am not hungry.”

“Have you lost your way?” I asked. “Maybe I can help you get to your next destination.”

“Just a minute,” he said. He straightened his back and closed his eyes, assuming a meditative pose. As he slowly inhaled and exhaled, he became calm, serene, and composed.

“How in the world did he manage to find such peace right after being mistreated?” I wondered. The minutes passed, and I felt a wave of tranquility come over me as well. Finally he opened his eyes. He didn’t look directly at me, but stared into the distance as he told me his story. “My name is Tsering Lama,” he said. “I come from the Sera Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet. I have lived there since I was five years old.”

“Wow!” I said. “How old are you now?”

“I am seventy years old.”

“And what service do you do in the monastery?” I asked.

“I study the scriptures,” he said. “Since my childhood I have studied the teachings of Master Lama Tsongkhapa who lived in the fourteenth century. He was the founder of the Gelug-pa School which I belong to, and a highly respected teacher of the Buddhist scriptures. My main service is to debate with others about the scriptures. It is an integral part of our tradition.”

“I am honored to meet such a learned scholar,” I said. “And I am sorry to see how people are treating you today.”

He shook his head, as if to suggest the mistreatment was of no concern or perhaps to dismiss my praise. “It has been my lifelong dream to visit Bodh Gaya,” he said. “It is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment. That holy site is here in India in the state of Bihar. Several months ago I said goodbye to my beloved disciples and set out on foot alone for Bodh Gaya.”

I wondered how many hundreds or even thousands of disciples such a man could have.

“When I arrived here in Delhi,” he continued, “two men invited me to spend the night at their home. I was exhausted from months of traveling, so I accepted their invitation. That night they fed me and gave me some tea to drink. The next thing I knew I was waking up on the sidewalk in a Delhi slum. It seems that the tea they gave me was laced with some drug that caused me to fall unconscious. I discovered that they had stolen everything I possessed: my clothes, my passport, my money, of course, and even my sacred chanting beads. I had been saving that money since my childhood for this pilgrimage, and suddenly it seemed impossible that I would make it to Bodh Gaya.

“Now I have nothing. I have been here at the airport for three days begging for money to complete my journey. Nobody has given me a single rupee, most likely because I look so dirty and disheveled.”

I took his hand. “I will help you,” I said.

“No, no,” he said. “I will not take money from a holy man like you.”

“It’s OK,” I said. “I am not holy yet. I’m trying, but I’m just a beginner, really. I have a long way to go. Believe me, you can safely accept some money from me.”

“What you say in humility is not true,” he said soberly. “I studied your face. I can see your true self through your eyes.”

“You can see me through my eyes?” I asked.

“Yes” he replied. “I have learned this from our Tibetan masters.” He looked straight into my eyes with a steady stare. Feeling uncomfortable, I looked away, but he caught my chin with his hand and turned my head toward him so he could study my face. His small hand had a powerful grip.

I also looked at his face. His dark brown eyes peered out from slanted eyelids that curved upward at the outer corners, reminding me of Tibetan art. He had a small flattish nose, and his thin lips, though fixed in a determined line, seemed to be slightly, almost imperceptibly, smiling. He obviously had not shaved for some days, and his golden skin bore a few small scars. He seemed to glow with a radiance that I could feel more than see, and the softly pungent fragrance of Tibetan incense still hovered about his stained, travel-weary clothes. Though his head barely came up to my nose, I had the feeling that I was standing in front of someone large and powerful, someone who could knock me over with the flick of a finger.

After some minutes he spoke. “You have served your master well in this life.”

“Well, I have done some service,” I said. “Like I said, I’m trying, but…”

“You have spread his glories through the written word, through discourses, and through festivals that you hold in distant lands.”

“Distant lands?” I thought. “How could a Tibetan monk know about the festivals in Poland?”

“But your service was interrupted last year by disease,” he said.

“Well, yes. I had a bout with cancer and…”

“In March,” he said.

I caught my breath. “Yes,” I said. “Yes. You are exactly right. It was in March of last year.”

“And there is more disease to come,” he said.

“Oh really?” I said. I could hear the disappointment in my own voice.

“But don’t worry,” he said. “I will help you.”

He got off the bench and sat down on the ground in a full yoga asana. He closed his eyes once more and quickly seemed to be transported to another plane. After a few minutes his eyebrows furrowed in the intensity of his meditation and his lips moved as he chanted mantras in the Tibetan language.

People stopped to stare at the unusual sight: a sannyasi sitting on a bench and a Buddhist monk meditating on the ground next to him. They looked at me as if asking for an explanation, but I had none. I could only sit silently while he offered prayers on my behalf. Twenty minutes later he opened his eyes and turned to me. “I have removed the obstacles,” he said. “You will live a long life in service to your master.”

“Well, gosh,” I said. “Thanks so much.” I got up and helped him back onto the bench.

“Compassion is central to the teachings of Buddha,” he said.

“I know that,” I said. “But why are you being so kind to a stranger like me?”

“We are not strangers,” he said. “I am returning a favor you offered me several lifetimes ago.”

I felt the hair on my arms stand up.

“You mean… Are you saying we were together in a previous…?”

“Some things are better left unsaid,” he replied. “And I must go. I must try to fulfill my dream.”

“Wait,” I said. “Wait a minute. I want to help you.” “No,” he said. “As I already told you, I would not accept money from you. You are using it to help people less fortunate than yourself.”

“But wait,” I said. “How do you know how I use money? We’ve only just met.”

“As I told you,” he said, “the eyes show the light of the soul.”

He turned and started walking away toward the terminal.

“No!” I said running after him. “I won’t let you be mistreated by those people again. Please take this donation. It’s enough to get you to Bodh Gaya and back to Tibet by train.” I pushed some bills into his hand.

He looked at the money for a long time. When he looked up his eyes were moist.

“I will accept your kindness,” he said slowly. “And I will not forget you.”

He started walking away again, but then stopped and turned back.

“We won’t meet again in this lifetime,” he said. “But I will leave you a special gift in the monastery in Lhasa. When you arrive, mention my name. The monks will direct you.” He took a small piece of paper from the sleeve of his robe and wrote down the address of the monastery. I felt goose bumps erupt on my body.

“Please make sure you go there,” he said. “What I am leaving for you will be a great asset in service to your master.”

“Do you mean money?” I asked.

“Oh, no,” he said. “Nothing like that. It is something more wonderful than anything money could ever buy. You will not be disappointed.” With that he disappeared into the crowded metro station.

I turned to Mahavan. “What just happened? Was that a dream?”

“No,” he said, looking as astounded as I felt. “I saw it with my own eyes. Will you actually go to Lhasa?”

“Yes, of course I will,” I replied. “I’ve always wanted to go to Tibet. And now I have the best reason ever: to increase my service to my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.”

“Can I go with you?” Mahavan said.

“You must come,” I said, “just to remind me that I’m not dreaming when we discover what the monk has left us. And to confirm that service to a great soul never goes in vain.”

“One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord’s existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahatmas. For those who are not interested in such activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide open. The mahatmas are equipoised. They do not see any difference between one living entity and another. They are very peaceful and are fully engaged in devotional service. They are devoid of anger, and they work for the benefit of everyone. They do not behave in any abominable way. Such people are known as mahatmas.”

Travel Journal#12.2: North and Central Florida

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 12, No. 2
By Krishna-kripa das
(January 2016, part two)

North and Central Florida
(Sent from Mumbai, India, on March 2, 2016)

The second half of January I spent four days in Orlando, four days in Tallahassee, and five days in Gainesville chanting at Krishna Lunch and the Farmers Market, except Sunday when I attended the Alachua Sunday Feast. I also spent two days in Tampa, one chanting at University of South Florida and the other with Gainesville and Alachua devotees chanting at the Gasparilla Pirate parade. While I was in Orlando, I came to Gainesville just for the day, to chant Hare Krishna with my friends from Gainesville and Alachua in the Martin Luther King Day March, a yearly event we have been attending for several years.

I share insights from Srila Prabhupada’s books and lectures, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami’s books and journal, lectures by Amala Bhakta Swami and Giriraja Swami, a seminar on cow protection by Balabhadra Prabhu, Prabhupada memories by Govinda Dasi, lectures by Prabhupada disciples, Kalakantha Prabhu, Krishnasravana Prabhu, Sesa Prabhu, and Sukhada Devi, and lectures by newer devotees.

Thanks to Megan Sauer for her pictures of Nama Kirtana Prabhu and I chanting at Lake Ella in Tallahassee. Thanks to Jeremiah for his recording of the kirtana at our Tallhassee temple. Thanks to Audrey for her picture of the Gainesville Farmers Market harinama. Thanks to Carol Cole for her video of me playing harmonium and chanting in front of the University of South Florida library. Thanks to Sudevi Dasi for her pictures of the program with Amala Bhakti Swami at University of South Florida in Tampa.

Itinerary

March 1–3: Mumbai

March 5–10: Mayapur Kirtan Mela

March 12–21: Rishikesh Harinama

March 22–April 11: Vrindavan

April 13: Mumbai

April 14–21: Dublin, Ireland

April 22–24: Newcastle, England

April 27: King’s Day, Amsterdam

April 28–29: Holland

April 30–May 1: Birmingham 24-hour kirtana

May 2–: The North of England and Scotland

July 10: Prague Ratha-yatra

July 12–16: Polish Woodstock

August 5–11: Baltic Summer Festival

August 18–21: Trutnoff (Czech Woodstock)

September 13–: New York City Harinam

Chanting Hare Krishna in the Martin Luther King Day March

Hare Krishna devotees from Alachua and Gainesville chanted in the annual Martin Luther King Day March this year as they have for several years. As usual we were the only group with music, and because we had a nice loud sound system, it was easy for people to hear us. Despite our dominating presence, many people were favorable, and no one complained about us.

Christiana danced with some of the people from other groups in the parade, including this lady, who also played the shakers.

This gentleman played his own drum along with us.

Kalki, our fired-up brahmacari book distributor, danced blissfully in the march.

The young ladies at Krishna House danced very joyfully as well.

This lady dances with us every year.

Here is some video showing what it was like (https://youtu.be/b4VeY4WzVDE):

Chanting at University of South Florida

Having taken a bus from Orlando, and a city bus to the campus, I was late getting to University of South Florida so I decided to chant as walked to the library because I like to chant a full three hours. One Asian-looking girl looked toward me and moved her head to the music as I approached. I asked her where she was from and she said India. I asked which part, and she said South India, Karnataka. Recalling the most significant place I had been in that state, I told her had been to Udupi. She said, “I am from Udupi.” She talked about how they had their big biannual festival there recently for the changing of the swami who manages that famous Krishna temple. I mentioned I had been to a program a Hare Krishna swami did in a nearby town at a university with a large medical school. She said, “Oh, you must mean Manipal.”

“Yes,” I said, “Manipal.”

She replied,  “Actually I am an exchange student from Manipal University.”

I met a librarian who taught yoga and was very interested and said she would come next week.

One girl who was senior, was just starting to learn about yoga. She said she would definitely come, and she did and brought three friends.

One Christian lady, Cathy Cole, who loves to chant in her church choir, was intrigued with my portable harmonium and the chanting, and she took this little video (https://youtu.be/CYjnc6V9O8s):

When she sent me the link to the video she said, “It was a pleasure listening to your music and sharing thoughts.”

As the time of the program approached, I left the library to set up in front of the Marshall Student Center, the program venue.  On the way there, I met a Bhakta Carlos, who was distributing books. I told him the details about the program and asked him to tell the people he meets. As I approached the Marshall center, I saw Sudevi Dasi, who was wondering where I was chanting, and we went to sing together in front of the center with books on display for ten or fifteen minutes before program. One young guy skateboarded up to us, and said, “Hare Krishna.” Earlier in the week he had been playing recordings of George Harrison chanting Hare Krishna, and was happy to see us, and learn of the program. He also came to it.

Altogether I was very pleased that five people came to the program because I took the trouble to come from Orlando to Tampa to chant at the campus.

Amala Bhakta Swami gave an interesting, entertaining, and informative lecture, and I think there is a good chance that all the new people who came to the program will come back.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

I chanted at Lake Ella in Tallahassee on the weekend and at Florida State University, behind the library, on Monday and Tuesday.

Saturday it was so cold, I wanted to quit after just an hour and a half. I ended up staying out two hours, as I had to wait for a ride.

Still we met some nice people, like two girlfriends who were FSU students, and one of whom, Megan Sauer, took this picture of us.

Ramiya Prabhu and his wife, Ananta Devi, joined me in chanting at the campus, and it was so wonderful to have their contribution to the kirtana, an increase in our outreach this year.

A seriously inquisitive young man named Jeremiah came to a couple programs, even recording a kirtana because he liked it. You can hear it too at:

https://soundcloud.com/krishna-kripa-das/tallahassee-kirtan

Krishna Lunch Kirtana

Different devotees sing at Krishna Lunch each day. Usually Adi Karta Prabhu just distributes books and talks with students. This time he led kirtana (https://youtu.be/HRZmrWCB754):

Palika, visiting from Bhaktivedanta Manor, also a wonderful singer, played karatalas.

Krishna House Devotees Chant at the Gainesville Farmers Market

A kid enjoyed playing the tambourine and shakers and a visiting musician enjoyed playing the flute as Krishna House devotees chanted at the Gainesville Farmers Market (https://youtu.be/i5xuMxsQpQs):

Interfaith Progressive Dinner

The progressive dinner is a yearly event put on by the University of Florida chaplains, with the intent of creating a forum for students of different religious faiths to get to know each other. This time it was not the last week of classes, and more people could attend, a suggestion from Amy of Krishna House, who is involved with interfaith at University of Florida. The idea is that people take snacks at the Hillel House, then the main course, which is Hare Krishna spaghetti, at the St. Augustine Catholic Church, hot drinks served at the Episcopal Church, and the desserts served at Gator Wesley, where there is entertainment.

I had an interesting conversation with a Mormon preacher. I asked him about the Mormon references to restricting the eating of meat, and he showed me the reference from a book associated with the Book of Mormon on his smartphone.

He elaborately explained to me and a young lady from the Episcopal Church the whole history of the Book of Mormon. As the discussion continued, he made a reference to how peaceful the Hare Krishna people were. That reminded me of a story, which I asked if I could tell briefly. I asked one student eating our Krishna Lunch how he liked it, and he said it was great but the most amazing thing was that whenever he eats the Krishna Lunch, the whole afternoon he never becomes angry, and he advised us to market this. I then explained how by cooking food in the spirit of devotion to God, the food becomes transformed and has spiritual qualities, which is something that the student experienced although he did not know the philosophy behind it. The young Episcopal lady smiled and appreciated the point that the consciousness the food is prepared in has an effect on the food itself.

The Gator Wesley people were really conscientious this year to make sure that there were plenty of desserts did not violate the lactovegetarian diet of the Hare Krishnas.

Michael Collins and his wife Madhava Devi Dasi sang and played instruments, and Madhava danced as well, which was something not there in the other performances. They sang devotional tunes with a lot of feeling and expertise. Because I tend to like more mellow music than the genre they played, I could not completely appreciate it, but I am sure it reached many of the students who regularly hear more intense music. In particular, Audrey of Krishna House really loved it.

One of the interfaith leaders read an inspiration quote I thought had some value, and I asked him about it afterward. I decided to take a picture of it to share with others.

Hare Krishnas Chant and Dance at Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Festival

The Gasparilla event had two Hare Krishna chanting groups because instead of waiting at our meeting place, the first Alachua devotees to arrive went in one direction along the crowded roadway while the Gainesville devotees and the Alachua devotees who came later, not finding them, decided to go in the opposite direction. We did not meet for an hour and twenty minutes. Then we chanted together for an hour or so.

Vanna was very enthusiastic and successful in distributing some vegan oatmeal cookies I had leftover from my college outreach in Tallahassee. Many people liked them. I asked two girls who seemed especially enthusiastic to see us if they had encountered Hare Krishna before.

They smiled and said they ate Krishna Lunch at University of Florida all the time. We told them we were the people who serve the Krishna Lunch. And that made them more happy.

Many people enjoyed dancing with us.

Some took photos of themselves and their friends dancing with us.

One lady came by two or three times and played the karatalas. I asked her how she knew about Hare Krishna. She said she has seen the devotees in different places and always likes to participate with them.

One young lady took pleasure in striking Abhi’s drum.

I was happy to see the enthusiasm of all the devotees who came from Krishna House to participate in the event. They included Abhi, who played the drum, Carlos, who played harmonium, Vaishnava, who helped drive, Audrey, who danced, and Vanna, who danced and distributed cookies.

Here is a collection of video clips from the event (https://youtu.be/EKVyiqIbw2o):

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

The atheist wishes there may be no God so he can do what he likes.

Dharma is to obey the laws of God. Adharma is to disobey them.

Our real dharma is to serve God and if we neglect this, we are liable to be punished.

Preaching means whatever Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita you simply repeat. Both speaker and hearer become liberated.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18 in Mayapur on September 28, 1974:

It is the desire of Krishna that someone as pious as Maharaja Yudhisthira is in control of the government.

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.18 in New York on April 10, 1973:

Unless you deal with God, you cannot experience His greatness.

Meditation is to concentrate the mind to see how the Lord is in the heart. This is real yoga.

The more you purify, the more you can see God within and without.

It is not so cheap thing that you can see God, especially when affected by lust and greed, the lower qualities of material nature. But by the process of Krishna consciousness, we can change our qualities.

God is giving our daily bread. Why should we bother him by asking? Do the animals go to the church and ask for bread? God consciousness does not mean you go to God and ask for something, rather you give everything to God.

Mother Yasoda is always anxious to give Krishna protection. This is Krishna consciousness.

The Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy is very sublime, to see God as subordinate, and in that mood serve Him with affection.

If we apply the ointment of love of God, we can see Him.

If you can see God, talk with God, and go back to Godhead, why should you lose this opportunity? That is Krishna consciousness.

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.5.24, purport:

“Lord Krishna is very much pleased with His devotees, even if they are not on the topmost stage of devotional service. Even on the lower stages of devotional service one is transcendental, and if one continues with devotional life, he continues to be a deva or sura [a godly person]. If one continues in this way, Krishna will always be pleased with him and will give him all instructions so that he may very easily return home, back to Godhead.”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From Japa Walks, Japa Talks:

The Bhagavatam is our daily newspaper, our in-depth study of current events. As we read the news, we’ll stay in touch with our needs and our predicament as entangled, permanently bound jivas. And we will also be reminded of the remedy.

From “Poem for January 28” in Viraha Bhavan:

“The harinama devotees
have a strong bond.
They may express some
differences and have
superficial conflicting
personalities, but they
are an elite corps
with firm allegiance
to a common, highest cause.
Their main feature
is cooperation in
steadily, staunchly, going out together
every day. They exchange
a non-sentimental love

and a high degree of efficiency in
working together.
They serve Lord Caitanya
and endure petty differences.”

Amala Bhakta Swami:

Srila Prabhupada said that ISKCON is here forever.

We go from this Vaikuntha to that Vaikuntha.

Speaking during the occasion of the solar eclipse at Kurukshetra, Krishna indicates the amazing power of the great sages is such that ordinary people become interested in inquiry about the Absolute Truth simply by being in their proximity.

After greeting the sages and washing their feet, those who are intelligent take that water on their heads and bodies to facilitate and expedite their spiritual advancement.

The sages are greeted so nicely they are made to feel what they are, truly venerable persons.

The sages came to glorify the Lord, but the Lord surprised them by glorifying them before they had a chance to glorify him.

The Lord accepts the cowherd girls with romance in their eyes, cowherd boys with friendship in their eyes, and the elderly ladies with maternal affection in their eyes, because He does not want to disturb their pure emotions for Him.

Although Krishna is always happy, that happiness can be increased. Like an ocean always has waves, yet a sudden wind can create a much bigger wave.

Mike Phelps, famous as all-American hero, won eight gold medals for swimming. He was harassed by all kinds of businessmen wanting him to endorse their products. He became an alcoholic, got in a car accident, and had to go through rehab. Thus success without Krishna consciousness is failure. The Pandavas were successful, but because they were conscious of Krishna, they were happy.

The more you think “me, me, me, mine, mine, mine,” the more you distance yourself from Krishna and you feel an emptiness within, and thus you are unhappy.

If you endeavor for wealth, strength, and beauty, and you have no knowledge of Krishna, you will be miserable.

The devotee wants to serve the Lord with joy and with love, knowing that there is nothing better.

Although originally callous to the many great sufferings of the animals he half killed, by the purity of the association of Narada, Mrgari, the hunter, became willing to change his life. By chanting the mantra and following the lifestyle that Narada suggested he become so nonviolent he did not want to kill an ant.

After Dhruva performed austerities and saw the Lord, he no longer desired to have a kingdom greater than Lord Brahma, but the Lord, impressed by his saintly qualities, wanted him to rule the world for 36,000 years to set an example.

We can pray, “O Lord, you are nondifferent from this book,” and beg for His revelation.

If there is one thing that bothers Krishna it is the misery of His children, and Srila Prabhupada knew his books could eliminate that misery.

From a class at the University of South Florida in Tampa:

I always make sure that everyone understands each point before we move forward.

We offer respect to our spiritual teacher to get the maximum blessing before we even begin.

Reality is much more than we see. If we look at our hands with a microscope, we see so many things we do not see with our eyes. Similarly if we look at the sky with a telescope, we see so much more.

Spiritually elevated beings see themselves as one with you as they are all also connected to the same source.

Krishna was so beautiful that anyone who saw him, male or female, would practically pass out. That is because Krishna is the reservoir of all beauty.

In yoga we begin to look into ourselves more carefully, and then we can look into others more carefully.

Yoga helped me retain vigor.

Yogis traditionally meditate on the tip of the nose or on a place on the forehead between the eyes.

In yoga you become the captain or master of your mind.

The five senses are all pulling on the mind, and thus the mind is agitated, and you cannot make clear decisions.

As we cannot see the bottom of the stream when the water is agitated and it becomes muddy, we cannot think clearly unless our mind is peaceful.

The peacefulness of yoga samadhi is very deep, but it does not reach the bliss of bhakti-yoga.

God reciprocates with the love in your heart so nicely it satisfies the soul.

When our team wins, we rejoice because we identify with our team. One man became so frustrated with his team losing, that he moved to the city of the team predicted to win the next year. Unfortunately, the next year that team lost and he remained frustrated. When we identify ourselves materially, we will always be frustrated.

Real love is experienced between the soul and the Supersoul in the heart.

As we become more aware that we are souls, we try to serve God more. We associate with people who inspire us and give us their blessings so we feel peace.

Yoga gives us a happiness that is above and beyond our little physical form.

When our consciousness is cleansed we can experience the peace we are looking for without external endeavor.

By yoga we can become impervious to all kinds of material tribulations.

The best meditative state is to develop pure love of God and that will bring us to the greatest ecstasy.

Giriraja Swami:  

We come to the temple because of the association of devotees. If everything was here, but there were no devotees, no one would come. What brings us to Krishna is the association of devotees.

We develop good or bad practices by association. Babies do not smoke, but by association with people who smoke, one develops that habit.

Association is the most critical factor in peoples’ lives to bring them up or down.

With a damaged car, you can replace the parts and eventually get it to work, but you cannot do that with the body when it is dead.

The car needs the help of a driver or it cannot move, and similarly the body needs the presence of the soul to function.

Most people identify with the body and act for the body but only achieve some stimulation, not lasting happiness.

As if we make a mistake in the beginning of solving a mathematical equation, we will be assured of an erroneous result despite doing all subsequent calculations perfectly, we mistake the body for soul, our calculation of how to be happy will be incorrect.

There was a generation of people who did everything their society taught them would make them happy, but never obtained happiness. This led people to investigate the cause of actual happiness. One professor wrote a book called Stumbling on Happiness. He discovered that we are very poor at predicting what will make us happy.

Most people identify with the body, and those who don’t identify with the mind. The mind simply accepts and rejects things but is never satisfied. Sometimes it rejects something it accepted just a moment before.

Anything material that gives us happiness will not continue to give us happiness for long.

As a youth, I would be so excited to get a new phonograph record, but I realized I could not listen to it too much, or I would lose my taste for it.

At a campus program, I had just seen Srila Prabhupada dismantle the arguments of many challenging students, and I knew he could have easily torn me apart for getting lost while driving him home from the program, but he smiled compassionately and dismissed it. I was so impressed with his kindness.

One Muslim student who heard Srila Prabhupada speak at Harvard went on to become a Muslim professor. He told the devotees that whenever he is in some difficulty or crisis, he always remembers the swami who gave that talk, what he said, and Krishna Himself. When he hears the devotees speak of Srila Prabhupada, tears well up in his eyes.

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.

‘O my Lord! O infallible Supreme Person! When a person wandering throughout the universes becomes eligible for liberation from material existence, he gets an opportunity to associate with devotees. When he associates with devotees, his attraction for You is awakened. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead – the highest goal of the topmost devotees, and the Lord of the universe.’

‘O devotees! O you who are free from all sins! Let me inquire from you about that which is supremely auspicious for all living entities. Association with a pure devotee for even half a moment in this material world is the greatest treasure for human society.’” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.83–85)

Ordinary association reinforces the illusion that you are the body and by getting things for the body you will be happy.

Association with devotees helps us as individual souls connect with the Supreme Soul, and that will give us ultimate happiness.

Q (by Kalakantha Prabhu): What about inappropriate feelings that arise in the course of pursuing our spiritual goals?”

A: Krishna recommends in Bhagavad-gita to tolerate. Others say control your breath, count to ten. Do not react and damage relationships. If you know something is going to bring a bad result then do not indulge in it. Try to see the good in others. If we are seeing bad in others, perhaps we should look to see if that fault is in ourselves and try to correct ourselves. If we find a place is full of the atmosphere of criticizing devotees, we can try to change the atmosphere, but easier and more practical is to just do the right thing ourselves because it is the right thing.

The principle with chanting and everything else is to do the best we possibly can at the moment. It may not be the best we have ever done.

We cannot always predict what situation will be favorable. Sometimes we get the most mercy when we least expect it.

Q (by me after class): What did you gain especially from Srila Prabhupada’s personal association?

A: I was impressed most by his humility, his faith in Krishna, especially in His holy name, his enthusiasm to preach, even when no one was present, and his kindness to all living entities. I could tell many examples of each.

You bathe every day don’t you? The problem is we think eating and sleeping are necessary but not chanting. This is because we do not read enough.

[To an Indian student:] Work is worship is not in Bhagavad-gita. Whatever anyone says has to be supported by Bhagavad-gita.

Arjuna accepts Krishna as param brahma, and we must also accept Him as such. Arjuna also accepted that whatever Krishna says is true, and therefore we must accept Bhagavad-gita in total as well.

To develop his theory of psychology, Maslow studied healthy people as opposed to studying mentally ill people or rats. He was the chairman of the department of psychology at Brandeis University where I studied. He found healthy people had peak experiences that transformed them. He was very open to have all sorts of yogis and swamis speaking. I had an idea of perfection and finding a perfect master, so I was excited by this.

I rejected the swamis and yogis for different reasons, one for too tightly embracing his female followers, one for getting angry, one Zen master, who when asked about Vedanta replied, “Why are you asking me about Vedanta? I can hardly keep up with Zen,” and one professor, whose Zen was playing golf.

When Srila Prabhupada said in the first lecture I ever attended that only one in thousands of people is looking for perfection, I thought, “That is me.”

I asked Srila Prabhupada, “Every swami advocates his own method as best? Which is the best method?”

Prabhupada replied, “What is your goal? Do you want to become God or do you want to serve Him? If you want to become God, that means you are not God now. How can someone who is not God become God? If you want to serve God, if you hear and chant about Him, He will give you guidance. If you want to become God, why should God help the competition?”

I was reminded of the sign I had put in my bathroom “You are God.” I learned that I could not become God and that Srila Prabhupada could understand what was going on within me. I understood he was my master and bowed down before him.

Once while chanting Hare Krishna in Boston, I felt love for everyone in the classroom and beyond the classroom, like all the way to California. I praised the chanting to Srila Prabhupada and he chuckled and replied, “Thank you very much.”

At the age of eight, I got some inkling I was meant for a higher purpose, that I have a mission.

I wanted to help people so I thought of being a doctor, but then I realized that those in mental agony suffered more, so I thought of going into psychology. But studying anxiety at college I saw that the psychology professors had quarrels about the budget.

Balabhadra Prabhu:

From a seminar on ox protection at the Orlando Sunday feast:

While training the oxen, when we stop, I always talk to them, and say they are doing a good job.

At Bhaktivedanta Manor, practically all the farming is done using the oxen. When tour groups of children visit, they love to go for ox cart rides.

At a program solely about cows near Udupi, in nine days the organizers got the 500,000 attendees they were hoping for.

One cow at the Czech farm, Rasalila, gave milk for the pleasure of Krishna for many years without giving birth to a calf.  I tasted her milk, and it was the most incredible nectar. She had a friend, Tungi, and just two weeks before Rasalila left her body, Tungi also started giving milk without a calf, as if taking over Rasalila’s service.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.17.3, both verse and purport, are very important statements on cow protection. Verse 8.24.5 is also important.

If we show how to protect cows, it does not matter where we are, it will be very beneficial.

The question we are asked most often is how many cows are giving milk, but cows and milk are just part of cow protection. Religious principles are derived from cow protection. In Vedic times, cows were bred to produce bulls to assist in agriculture, transportation, and religious principles. The second reason was dung, and the third, urine, for medicine. Milk was the last reason, and it considered to come as a natural byproduct.

I always had a problem with anger, even when I began working the oxen at Gitanagari. In Small Farm Journal I read, “You cannot have any anger when you are working the bulls. If you become angry, stop working them. Feed them, and come back when your mind is peaceful.” I took note of that and applied it. One devotee, with a degree in psychology, who observed me working the oxen for some time, told me, “The more you work with the oxen, the more you improve at controlling your anger.”

It is not that Krishna was a cowherd boy, but Krishna is a cowherd boy.

A lot of devotees who follow vegan diets, do so out of compassion for the cows.

It would be so helpful if more and more temples got involved in cow protection so the deities could be offered ahimsa milk.

The cows and bulls are more valuable alive than dead.

Rajsthan Goseva Sangh, one goshala in Rajasthan, was completely self-sufficient from selling cow products when we visited them about 1998. They had a cancer clinic which used medicine derived from cow urine and had a success rate of 85%.

Bhakti Raghava Swami never touched a cow before once he came to visit me. Now he is a great advocate of cow protection and has done valuable service.

When people would accuse of us exploiting the oxen by forcing them to work, I would point how because their great size, 2,500 pounds each, I could not force them to do anything. They work because we have a relationship with them. Actually they love to work, especially when they are being treated properly.

Usually vegans would be the ones who complain about us exploiting the oxen. I would point out they were eating vegetables produced with tractors. And I would explain in detail, all the exploitation of the environment needed make the tractors.  Then I explain about the tires necessary for the tractors and the exploitation to obtain the rubber. Then I tell how because of the tractors, the oxen were not worked but slaughtered, and how the farm workers replaced by them were jobless. The real fact is not using the oxen for farming has resulted in mass exploitation.

Srila Prabhupada captured our hearts with his gratitude. Whatever service we did for him, he would always say, “Thank you very much.” And it melted our hearts.

Organic milk is really just a smokescreen. It still has the problems of calves sold for slaughter, cows slaughtered after they stop giving milk, etc.

We created a minimum standard for cow protection in ISKCON. It included the idea that before breeding, there must a program for training and working the bulls.

Still too few farms live up to this standard.

When I was minister of cow protection, I tried to incite a competition between farms, getting them to report how many oxen were working and how many hours of work they performed.

Srila Prabhupada said on December 4, 1968 in a lecture in Los Angeles:

“So the example is set by the Supreme Personality of Godhead that human civilization will advance only on the basis of brahminical culture and cow protection. As soon as there is falldown from brahminical culture, and as soon as there is discrepancy in the protection of cows, there will be no more peace in the world. Therefore He specifically said, go-brahmaṇa-hitaya ca. This Krishna consciousness movement is for the protection of brahminical culture and cows.”

More information on cow protection, see the ISCOWP website at http://www.iscowp.org or write to iscowp@gmail.com.

Govinda Dasi:

I was a senior at University of Texas in Austin. There was the first shooting from the university tower. We were so disillusioned that we left school in the middle of the year and went to San Francisco seeking enlightenment. 

I did yoga and read in a yoga book when the chela is ready, the guru will appear. Thus I practiced celibacy and meditated for eight hours a day. I must have got this inspiration from a previous life. I found a Back to Godhead in a head shop. 

In the second BTG I read the description of Srila Prabhupada walking down the street, and it was like the doors of perception opened and I had a darsana (vision) of Srila Prabhupada. I realized without doubt he was my guru. I looked up the address of the temple, and it was just five blocks away, and we went there and asked for an interview with the swami.

Srila Prabhupada would ask many questions to familiarize himself with America. He was surprised that I had traveled so much, and when I said in all my travels nothing had made me happy, he smiled broadly, and said, “That is required.” He understood that although I could get whatever I wanted, I was not happy.

He listened to our problems attentively, and he told us, “If you come to my classes morning and evening, all your problems will be solved.” Of course, there are always problems, but the devotee becomes detached from them.

In college you have philosophies like existentialism which elaborately describe the problem but have no solution.

From the beginning Srila Prabhupada engaged us according to our propensities, and do this he inquired what we were studying. He immediately engaged us in painting Radha Krishna because we had an art background.

We had no desire to be anywhere except with him, so when he went to New York, we went to New York, driving in there four days with some hippies.

The charm, the personal wit, and the caring in Srila Prabhupada is more than I can describe.

Srila Prabhupada wanted all his lectures recorded. On the bhajans he recorded himself playing both the drum and the harmonium. These recordings are his gifts.

“A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord. Although when a pure devotee speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of a pure devotee, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.20.25, purport)

Once I tried correcting his pronunciation for the word “analogously” in his  reading of the preface of Brahma-samhita, and he replied, “You pronounce it your way, and I will pronounce it my way.” I never tried to correct him again.

Gaurasundara was learning the Sanskrit and Bengali. He learned about the suffix “ji” and asked Prabhupada if he could call me Govindaji. Prabhupada indicated “ji” was low class. I asked, “Why do we call you “Swamiji” if it is a low class ending?” He said it was not important, but I thought it was important so I pressed him several times.  That was out of character for me, so I think Supersoul was pushing me.

Prabhupada said, “You can call me Gurudeva, Guru Maharaja, or Srila Prabhupada.”

“That is three,” I said, “what about one?”

He replied, “You can call me Srila Prabhupada. That would be very nice.”

Then he explained what Prabhupada meant and said, “I am the Prabhupada and you are the Prabhus are taking shelter.”

Prabhupada means he whose lotus feet the masters take shelter of.

He was the most gentlemanly and fatherly person you could ever hope to meet.

Srila Prabhupada started us studying Sanskrit and Bengali.

When the lotus blooms, the bees come. Although there were no devotees, sankirtana parties or books, but somehow so many people came.

I prayed to be able to understand his accent, and almost immediately I was able to understand.

If you ask Srila Prabhupada for some service, he will guide you from in the heart.

Our first service was putting up posters for the mantra rock dance.

Krishna speaks through his devotees, and therefore their association is so important.

The whole year I was cooking for Srila Prabhupada he had the same five things on Ekadasi: pan fried peanuts, sweet potatoes mashed with yogurt, a wet vegetable preparation with cauliflower and potato slightly fried, and fruit salad with sour cream.

Srila Prabhupada said, “Ghee is for cooking for Krishna, oil is for cooking for Shiva.” He also said, “Ghee is for the inside of the body, and oil is for the outside of the body.”

People take lots of prasadam in the beginning because it their first contact with Krishna in many lives and they cannot get enough.

I dealt with a contractor in Gainesville who lived on Krishna Lunch when he was a student.

There is a problem in ISKCON that some tulasis have crossbred with other varieties of basil, so we have to be careful.

Srila Prabhupada said that personal ambition cannot be dovetailed in devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada said regarding our children, “Demigods are waiting in line to take birth in this movement.” And you can see that in their spirit of enjoyment. But 

Prabhupada also said that the children of our children would be pure devotees.

Kalakantha Prabhu:

It is an art to not be too liberal or too conservative, to retain the essence of the tradition, while attracting new people.

Comment by Caitanya: Now there are more people who work in the department of agriculture than there are farmers.

Krishnasravana Prabhu:

We can go up or down or remain in this realm. Krishna does not force anyone, but He advises how we can return to Him.

Other names like Allah and Jehovah have the same power as they are all names of God, but I am a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, so I chant Hare Krishna as he advised and the Vedic literature recommends.

Q (by me): In Bhagavad-gita 18.65 Srila Prabhupada stresses worship of Krishna alone, yet in Bhagavad-gita 8.14 he accepts worship of the other Vishnu-tattva avatars. Why is this?

A: When you love someone you want His name and fame glorified all over the world, and because Srila Prabhupada is a pure devotee of Krishna, so he is glorifying Krishna. Even in Dvaraka, Vasudeva Krishna is attracted by the beauty of the youthful Vrindavan Krishna. Even Maha-Vishnu wanted to see Krishna so He kidnapped the brahmana’s sons. Even Laksmi was attracted by the sweetness of Krishna and tried to attain the position of the gopis.

A (by another SP disciple): Srila Prabhupada is trying to bring us to the topmost platform in Bhagavad-gita 18.65 and so he promotes Krishna as superior to the other incarnations. He also says the knowledge is the most confidential.

In a war, if you surrender, you lose, but if you surrender to Krishna, you win.

Q (by Jorge): How to we think of Krishna while talking to someone at our job?

A: If a woman has a lover, she will do her household duties nicely so her husband does not suspect, but she is always thinking of her lover because of her intense attraction. Similarly we are all lovers of Krishna by constitution, so we should perform our duties in this world very nicely, and at the same time always think of Him.

Sesa Prabhu:

We are eternal individuals, and we have each have a history by which we have become here today, to Srimad-Bhagavatam class.

Fiji is the island where Kaliya came from and eventually returned. During a brief transit through a Fiji airport, one Indian man with governmental influence, who was amazed at hearing of Srila Prabhupada’s great preaching work in the West, visited him at the airport, and Srila Prabhupada convinced him to build a Krishna temple within that brief time. There was installed a deity of Kaliya-Krishna.

The Kaustuba gem was given by Kaliya to Krishna.

Within in the last couple of years, in Fiji, workers in an excavation reported seeing a multi-headed snake in the mountains.

Comment by Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu Prabhu: It is explained in a former life, Kaliya was a king who washed a devotee’s feet but did not respect the water considering the devotee’s social position. Thus he got a mixed result.

One of the key lessons of Kaliya pastime is that Krishna’s mercy follows the mercy of the devotees. Because Kaliya’s wives offered prayers on his behalf he attained Krishna’s mercy. When they saw in their husband exalted qualities of humility, remorse, regret and doubt in response to Krishna’s chastisement, they prayed to Krishna for His mercy upon their husband.

Sukhada Devi:

The cowherd boys offer the challenge to Krishna and Balarama of liberating the Talavana Forest from influence of the Dhenuka demon, and the two are up for the challenge.

Radha-Damodara temple is said to be the hub of the universe. Srila Prabhupada was inspired to serve Rupa Goswami and thus he stayed there. He desired to be blessed by the mercy of sages there.

Srila Prabhupada prayed to Rupa Goswami for his mercy, and he attained it. He literally cried for the mercy as he swept the Rupa Goswami’s samadhi.

The Yamuna River is described as a necklace of sapphires or blue lotuses.

The children I take on sankirtana look forward to it every year. One girl suggested we bring lunch next time so we could stay out all day.

Once a devotee was saying how Vrindavana is becoming degraded. Srila Prabhupada said no, that those who are responsible for taking care of Vrindavana will take birth as hogs and dogs there, but even the hogs and dogs in Vrindavana are liberated.

Comments by me:

I always go to Radha-Damodara temple.

Srila Prabhupada described Vrindavana as a place where people are inclined to love Krishna and where Krishna is inclined to love them.

Vrindavana is a special place. Even a young Afro-American lady who was not a Hare Krishna concluded that sacred places do in fact exist and Vrindavana is such a place, after she stayed there for a month as some devotees friends had encouraged her to.

Madhava Prabhu [from New Raman Reti]:

Part of Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s daily bhajana, in addition to glorifying Radha-Krishna, is to take shelter of the Lord to overcome material tendencies. We can learn from this.

Q: When are the exams [for your series of seminars on Saranagati]?

A: Every day, at every moment. [laughter]

Visvambhara Prabhu of Bhaktivedanta Academy:

We find that the students who went out distributing prasadam cakes and Srila Prabhupada’s books enjoyed that experience. That was our goal. In fact, some of them did not want to come back.

Kalki Prabhu:

By Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, through his books, we can understand who is actually a sadhu, a saintly person.

By giving classes morning and evening, by speaking with people, and encouraging disciples, in so many ways, Srila Prabhupada expressed his compassion by enlightening people in Krishna consciousness.

This chanting of Hare Krishna is so nice that plants, animals, and insects, all advance spiritually by hearing the chanting.

Devotees asked Srila Prabhupada what happens to the grass that hears the chanting of a pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada explained that it gets a human body in the next life, which would normally take ten million births.

People do not understand how on the material platform, there is no steady happiness, but if we explain this carefully, they can come to get an appreciation of it.

Like Krishna wants to glorify His devotees, the advanced devotees want to glorify the other devotees.

Srila Prabhupada’s minimization of sleep was just a symptom of being fully engaged in devotion.

Srila Prabhupada was doing the same thing as the Goswamis, using the Vedic literature to support the conclusion of pure devotion service to Krishna.

Humility and tolerance are very important. If we are humble and tolerant, we will not commit offenses, and thus we will be able chant the holy name constantly.

We should always be looking within ourselves to see how we can improve our devotional service.

Krishna consciousness is already spreading all over the world, but if we assist we will get the credit for helping. Otherwise, it will happen anyway and we will miss out.

Comment by Abhimanyu Prabhu: Locan Das Thakura wrote in one of his books that Lord Caitanya said some people would try to escape by going to Western countries but that he would send his senapati bhakti [commander-in-chief devotee] to rescue them.

Comments by me:

If we are not tolerant, we will be absorbed in the dualities of material life, and will not have time to mercifully benefit people.

Sometime we have the idea that we want everyone to love us, but that is not realistic. Even the greatest saints and the Lord Himself, although they are goodness personified, still have enemies.

Vasudeva Datta:

If you do not read in the morning, you may find that you do not have time to read later, and the reading does not happen.

—–

This verse inspires me when I chant Hare Krishna in public in different cities around the world. I am an instrument, although tiny, in fulfilling Lord Caitanya’s prediction. Although not everyone will appreciate the chanting, Lord Caitanya will be pleased, and He is the bestower of all benedictions:

prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama

sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

[Lord Caitanya said:] “In every town and village of the world, in every place, My name will be propagated.” (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-kandha 4.126)

Mayapur GBC Meeting (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: Every year at the time of the Mayapur Gaura Purnima festival, the GBCs from all over the world come to meet.
There are many proposals of various kinds put to the GBC body and discussions go over.
Find them here: http://goo.gl/7Wvrfc

Iskcon Toronto: We are happy to share our March edition of our monthly newsletter!
ISKCON 50th - This year, around the world, ISKCON is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary! Our Founder Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada incorporated ISKCON in 1965 in New York. Global festivities will celebrate Krishna conscious values, spiritual contributions by Srila Prabhupada, and the incredible impact ISKCON has had around the world! We encourage you to help us showcase Krishna consciousness through books, prasadam, educational initiatives and even by simply encouraging your friends and family to visit the temple! The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple is working on very exciting plans to celebrate ISKCON’s 50th anniversary! You can read more about the international celebrations at ISKCON 50.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/ZNlh0f

Seminar: Sri Tattva Sandarbha – The Life of Jiva Goswami – Romapada Swami.
HH Romapada Swami Maharaja is a disciple of ISKCON Founder Acarya His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was first introduced to this movement of Krsna consciousness when he was a college student more than 37 years ago. He has accepted renounced order of life- sannyasa, and preaches the message of true devotion by traveling all over the United States of America, Canada, the Caribbean, India, and many other parts of the world. With his most kind and loving persona, he inspires his followers to take to the process of devotional service. He is also serving the movement for years as a Governing Body Commissioner (GBC) of ISKCON in the North America region. HH Romapada Swami very strongly believes in educating everyone in the process of devotional service. He frequently makes presentations and delivers seminar lectures across the world, in many famous educational institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Harvad University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Penn State University, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, BITS-Pilani, and at many renowned corporate offices such as Microsoft, Lucent Technologies, just to name a few.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/Eh7Rjd

https://flic.kr/s/aHskvx1KvK

The post Bhaktividya Purna Maharaja and Radha Damodara appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Krishna-conscious Carnival at Hungarian Nursery Schools.
It is an age-old custom in Europe that in every February, people say goodbye to the cold and dark winter and welcome spring in a celebratory way, singing, dancing, and dressed up in colorful costumes.
The students of Krishna-valley and the Budapest Gurukula’s nursery schools did not want to miss out on the fun all their fellow nursery schoolers enjoy during this season, so with the help of their teachers, they also put up their own show.
The day of the carnival was full of activities – they decorated the school, enjoyed dancing and singing, playing with the balloons, eating delicious donuts, but everyone agreed, the highlight of the day was the Krishna-conscious costume party.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/kfDtbi

The seven subterranean planets, i.e. those are below the earthly plane (not to be confused with the earthly globe) known as Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Mahātala, Rasātala and Pātāla (SB 5.24.7) are, in fact, more opulent than the Heavenly planets!!! In those subterranean heavens, known as bila-svarga, “there are very beautiful houses, gardens and places of sense enjoyment, which are even more opulent than those in the higher planets because the demons have a very high standard of sensual pleasure, wealth and influence”. (SB 5.24.8). Srimad Bhagvatam keeps describing, “There are many wonderful houses, walls, gates, assembly houses, temples, yards and temple compounds, as well as many hotels serving as residential quarters for foreigners.”(SB 5.24.9) “There are many lakes and reservoirs with clear, transparent water, agitated by jumping fish and decorated with many flowers such as lilies, kuvalayas, kahlāras and blue and red lotuses.”(SB 5.24.10) Continue reading "The Illusion of Heavenly Planets
→ Dandavats"

At which stage of devotional service does, a person understands that he/she is better off practicing spiritual economics (giving rather than taking)?

The post Bh. Alexey asks appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

It is an age-old custom in Europe that people say goodbye to the cold and dark winter and welcome spring in a celebratory way, singing, dancing, and dressed up in colorful costumes. The students of Krishna-valley and the Budapest Gurukula’s nursery schools did not want to miss out on the fun, so they also put up their own show, -- while at the same time kicking off ISKCON's 50th Anniversary year.