Planet ISKCON

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The post Reincarnation 2 – Europes incredible delusion – we have only one life appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Romapada Swami

Queation: My father is now deceased, but was a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic. He was placed in a mental hospital for years. My brother is also paranoid schizophrenic and is on strong medication. I grew up observing the actions of the mentally ill.

As such I look very carefully at the reasoning given. I am a retired police officer and have come in contact with many people who are mentally ill.

Now to the question, If a mentally ill person believes his delusion and acts according to it (harming or killing), does the mentally ill person acquire karma?

Answer: Karma is not an easy topic to understand as it is convoluted and complicated. It spans many lifetimes and even sages cannot fully comprehend them. In any case, every human being, apart from the pure devotees of Lord Krishna, is always creating karma as well as enjoying or suffering his or her past reactions.

First, I will offer a response to your question above which leans in the direction “No, such challenged persons are not held fully responsible for their wrongdoings.”

Karma is only created in the human form of life. But it is said that karma does not act on a child or on grown-up persons with child-like or animal-like intelligence. For example: according to Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 13 verse 1, Srila Prabhupada describes an interesting story of Manduka Muni who was wrongly sentenced to be impaled for an action he did not commit. The story is narrated as follows.

Once upon a time the state police caught some thieves who had concealed themselves in the hermitage of Manduka Muni. The police constables wrongly arrested all the thieves and Manduka Muni along with them. The King’s court specifically sentenced the muni to death penalty by being pierced with a lance. When he was just about to be pierced, the news reached the king that the condemned man was not a criminal but a great sage. The king at once stopped the death penalty enactment. The king personally begged the muni’s pardon for the mistake of his men.

The saint at once went to Yamaraja, who prescribes the destiny of the living beings. Yamaraja, being questioned by the muni, replied that the muni in his childhood pierced an ant with a sharpened straw, and for that reason he was put into difficulty. According to Mahabharata, the muni explains to Yamaraja that according to scriptures, actions committed by young children should not be considered to be sinful though they may seem so. This is also supported by Madhvacarya.

This is an interesting point to consider. It is said that from the time when a child is born his/her karma is actually taken up by the parents or guardians until the age of fourteen since they are considered incapable of distinguishing good from bad. In any case there are situations where according to scriptures a person may be excused for a sin. In SB 11.21.16, Krishna explains to Uddhava, “Sometimes piety becomes sin, and sometimes what is ordinarily sin becomes piety on the strength of Vedic injunctions. Such special rules in effect eradicate the clear distinction between piety and sin.”

Therefore, we may conclude that when an adult is behaving like a child or an animal due to a challenged condition of embodiment due to his past karma, he does not actually acquire the same full karma as an adult who is normal and has the capacity to know what is right or wrong.

On the other hand, consider the case of a child or baby touching a burning piece of wood. The burning wood is not going to say, ‘Since you are a child I will not burn you!’ Rather, there is a reaction or karma. In this case the reaction is immediate!

Similarly the karma for incapacitated people doing sin unknowingly will be minimal but there is karma.

Generally such individuals are to be taken care by the parents or guardians so that they do no harm themselves or others, unconsciously or unknowingly.

According to Srila Prabhupada, the king or the administrative leader/s of the state or country takes 1/6 of the karma of his/their subjects. This includes both good and bad karma. Similarly the guardians or persons who are meant to protect and take care of such challenged individuals take the majority of the karma and the person committing the sin get a smaller portion of the karma.

Krishna further tells Uddhava, “The same activities that would degrade an elevated person do not cause falldown for those who are already fallen. Indeed, one who is lying on the ground cannot possibly fall further. The material association that is dictated by one’s own nature is considered a good quality.”

For example: Although intimate association with women is most abominable for a renounced sannyasi, the same association is pious for a householder, who by Vedic injunction is authorized to approach his wife at the suitable time for procreation, having performed the prescribed purificatory practices prior to attempting to conceive a child. Similarly, a brahmana who drinks liquor is considered to be committing a most abominable act, whereas a sudra, a low-class man, who can moderate his drinking is considered to be exercising self- controlled. Piety and sin on the material level are thus relative considerations. Piety and sin therefore depend upon particular circumstances and are at times difficult to distinguish.

As you can see, the rules governing karma change according to place and circumstances. Even if one takes the time to study material piety and sin he/she will ultimately experience frustration due to the relativity and variability of the subject matter. Best is to be Krishna conscious and rely upon the Lord to protect us. For people who are mentally challenged, the best course of action anyone can do is to protect them and if they are devotees, they can let such people hear the holy names of Krishna and give them sanctified or blessed food, or prasadam. Doing so will both relieve them of their past karma and present karma – again this depends on the potency of the person giving them either the holy name or prasadam.

Meeting a Lover of the Lord (6 min video)
Agnideva Prabhu recalling the first time he met Srila Prabhupada in New York.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/dm1JP3

NBS#31 Sweet Pastimes of Lord Nityananda.
On the upcoming auspicious occasion of Nityananda Trayodasi, this issue presents the sweet pastimes of most merciful Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
The Teachings of Lord Kapila shall be continued in the next issue.
We pray that this issue brings some pleasure to the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
NBS # 31 Features:-
1) Why do we worship Sri Sri Gaur Nitai?
His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
2) Srivasa, Sachimata and Lord Nityananda
Srila Vrindavan Das Thakura
3) Brahmana and Lord Nityananda
Srila Narhari Chakravarti Thakura
4) Prayers at the Lotus feet of Lord Nityananda
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
5) Akrodha Paramananda
Supreme Bliss and Freedom from Anger
Sri Locana Das Thakura
This issue can be viewed here:
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/doc/299621546/NBS-31

Yatra to Inamanamellur.
On the banks of Gundlakamma river, amidst Guava fruit orchards and blessed by Lord ChennaKeshava is the well-known Inamanamellur village. The village was once well known for its rich Sri Vaishnava traditions; therefore the name of the village has Tamil origin. But presently these traditions are followed more so as obligations. The younger generation is totally apathetic to these traditions. Though situated on the banks of a river the villagers are more focused on agribusiness like tobacco and aquaculture,instead of developing agriculture. Paddy is also a prominent crop. Somehow from over a century guava is grown in abundance in addition to other fruits. As seen in most of the opulent villages the younger generation has settled down in towns and cities, while the large houses in villages are mostly inhabited by elderly people. Village has a mix of traditional houses and concrete structures with all modern amenities.
After the pleasant experience in Gollapalem village in the morning hours of January 14, 2016, the Yatra team arrived in Inamanamellur village to witness a contrastive atmosphere. The youth in Gollapalem village had participated very actively in the program, but here we found the youth in a totally different mood. They were gearing up for a volley ball match that was to commence from 5pm and expected to continue till midnight as a part of sankranthi celebrations. Choosing the right spot for the program was a hard task despite the village being big, the people from one street do not usually visit other streets due to caste constraints and political reasons. Finally after lot of consultations with the locals, we decided to hold the program in the main street near the pedestal where Hanumanji’s 20 feet murthi is installed. Inspite of repeated announcements and having performed harinaam in main streets of the village, people did not turn up even until evening 7.30 pm. We decided to play a few videos and only then people started coming and in no time a decent crowd of over 60 people assembled. The program started by Sripathi prabhu introducing Bhagavad-gita and Krishna consciousness. Later Haridas prabhu spoke about the Holy Name and Ramsharan prabhu about the glories of mother cow. Video on Gau-vaibhavam was also screened. After the pledge to protect mother cow, arathi was performed and prasadam was generously distributed. As we were concluding the program, the village temple utsavamurtis were brought in procession as a part of festival celebrations. Devotees felt that the village temple deities came to bless the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra as a grand finale of the program.

February 18. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada Revealed the Topmost Bhakti.
Some devotees are starting to inquire more about how to be part of the intimate pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Some say Prabhupada taught only vaidi-bhakti. They claim they have to go elsewhere to get the higher teachings about the rasas. But it is not true. Everything is there in Prabhupada’s books. Prabhupada is on the highest platform. He is very advanced in his love for Krishna, and he has a very intimate relationship with Krishna in Vrindavana. We should never mistake that. The one important message is to stay faithful to Prabhupada. By faith in guru, we get Krishna. Not otherwise.
We should never think that Prabhupada didn’t teach the topmost understanding. We should always know that only when he allows us, can we enter the dhama and our eternal relationship with Radha-Krishna. Radha and Krishna and Their associates are mysterious, transcendental persons beyond this material existence. They will allow us to come to Them when we are qualified by sincerity and purity. We cannot simply pick up a book on internal Krishna consciousness and expect to be allowed to enter. You have to please your guru, the representative of Radha-Krishna. By his grace, you can make progress.
The real substance is service to Prabhupada. His service does include the higher topics, but like anything in Krishna consciousness, inquiry into these topics is a gradual process. We have to be careful not to hear from anyone who tells us Prabhupada was deficient, or incomplete in his teachings. In fact, it would be better not to know anything than to hear from someone who teaches us that Prabhupada didn’t give us what we need. Better to continue as he wanted us to, chanting Hare Krishna and praying to Radha and Krishna in the temple. We can always please Them with our wholehearted efforts.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

A new documentary short, “Hare Krishna: 50 Years of Service and Joy,” is now available for screening at ISKCON temples and institutions everywhere. Released for ISKCON’s 50^th anniversary, it showcases the society’s many impressive contributions to the world. The twenty-minute film was created by a professional documentary filmmaker crew, who traveled around the globe to shoot the footage and interview devotees.

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10.03.24 – Krishna Consciouness is Simple for Simple Person by Purna Prajna Prabhu on 2011-10-28 at ISKCON Chowpatty

Prabhupada Revealed the Topmost Bhakti

The post Daily Darshan : February 18th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

“О царь земли!
Тому, кто устраивает дома для Хари праздник –
в мире Хари также вечно будет праздник”.

[ как сказано в “Бхакти-расамрита-синдху” 1.2.220, из Падма Пураны ]

Kirtan with Madhava

Returning to WA!
Join us in March for some exciting kirtan events with special guests Bhanu Swami and  Madhava.

The Culture of Kirtan
Three Evenings exploring the ancient tradition of kirtan. 
Kalamunda Hare Krishna Temple
Wed Thurs Fri   March 9-11
5.30-8.30pm

Kirtan with Madhava
Inspirational kirtan with Madhava!   Free Event!    All Welcome!
Bendat Community Centre
Wembley
Sunday March 13
4.30- 8.30pm

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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The post Gita 09.26 – Krishna is hungry for the reciprocation of affection appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 February 2013, Prague, Czech Republic, Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi-Lila 1.2)

It is said that the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are more cooling than millions of moons and the shadow of those lotus feet can cool down the entire universe. So, this idea that the universe needs to be cooled down, we also find in the Srimad Bhagavatam when Prahlad Maharaj says in the fifth canto: svasty astu viśvasya khalaḥ prasīdatāṁ, (Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.9).

Prahlad Maharaj was praying that there may be auspiciousness in the entire universe and that all the envious personalities in the entire universe may cool down – all those who are overcome by lust and see others simply as utensils to satisfy that lust; those who look upon the bodies of others without thinking of their well being, not caring for the soul that is inside but just care to satisfy their own lust through the bodies of others.

So, we are looking at auspiciousness. This sankirtan yajna is sometimes described as ‘jagan mangalam amhasam’ (Srimad Bhagavtam. 6.3.2), it makes the entire universe auspicious. This cooling effect of taking shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda is indeed exciting! Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura speaks about the blazing forest fire of material existence and how all living beings are afflicted by the blazing forest fire, ‘saṁsāra dāvānala-līḍha-loka’ (Guruvastakam). People are afflicted by this dāvānala, this blazing forest fire! Narottama Dasa Thakura says, ‘dibā-niśi hiyā jvale,’ day and night, it is burning. So in this way, we see that the metaphor of the burning condition comes up many times of how this whole world is burning in this fire of lust, greed and anger, and also how it is burning within our heart!

What can be said, it is very powerful! Sometimes even sincere people who want to be devotees, they also feel affected by the heat of the blazing forest fire. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that sometimes a boat is swept away by the wind. Arjuna raises the question that sometimes a man acts against his will just like a boat being swept away by the wind. So here, we are looking at the key to strength; the key towards cooling down, towards not being affected by this material agitation is by taking shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala
je chāyāy jagata juray (Narottama Dasa Thakura)
 
How does one take shelter of the lotus feet!? That is an interesting question. It is said that one should pray to those who have taken shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda then one will also get the shelter of the lotus feet. So, one can pray to the dust at the lotus feet of Nityananda because that has always taken shelter at the feet of Lord Nityananda.

But how to get the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda? For an ordinary soul it is not so simple; it is not so easy. There are two places where this dust can be found, one place is the feet itself but how to get to the feet of Lord Nityananda? The other place where the dust can be found is in the footsteps of Lord Nityananda. After all one’s dust is in one’s footsteps. So, we take shelter of the footsteps of Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda is the first servant of Lord Caitanya.

First of all, Lord Nityananda is assisting the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his mission, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam, (Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā, Verse 33). Krsna expands himself into unlimited forms. He expands himself in unlimited forms out of his causeless mercy and to experience pleasure. So Krsna is taking that form of Lord Nityananda to give pleasure to his original form, Lord Caitanya!

On the seventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magh, the great ocean of ecstasy swelled to its limits, being forcibly attracted by the moon of Advaita.

He appeared from the womb of Sri Nabhadevi as the moon appears in the autumn sky. His father, Sri Kuvera, Pandit floated in that ocean of joy.

The foremost of all the Vaisnavas who reside at Navadwip is Sri Advaita Acarya, whose virtuous presence has made all the worlds blessed. He is the most preeminent preceptor in all fields including knowledge, renunciation and devotion.

In explaining Krsna-bhakti he is like unto Lord Shankara himself, and whatever scriptures that exist within the three worlds he explains in the light of Krsna-bhakti.

The post Bhavananda Prabhu talks about Srila Prabhupada appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Tuesday night Mayapura kirtana appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Ratha Yatras in Maharastra (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The first result of chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, is that dirt is cleared from the consciousness, or the mirror of the mind, and then at once the blazing fire of material existence is over. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.26.61 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/5cvqNC

Parikrama 2016.

The post Ramesvara Prabhu speaks about book distribution (Part 2) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

ISKCON Pakistan: Sri Adwaita Acharya Appearance Day 14 Feb ‘16 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krsna and the sound vibration “Krsna” are nondifferent, so if one loudly vibrates Hare Krsna, he will be able to think of Krishna immediately. This process of chanting is the best process of self-realization in this age; therefore, Lord Caitanya preached it so nicely for the benefit of all humanity. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.24.35 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/b6vaan

Harinama in Moscow (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended five items of devotional service, namely to serve the devotees of the Lord, to chant Hare Krishna, to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, to worship the Deity of the Lord and to live in a place of pilgramage. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.19.38 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZZSt44

KK Bindu #369, “The Ornament of Equivocal Phrase” part 2, plus more …
The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released.
This issue includes: * PREACHERS NOT BUILDERS – An excerpt from a letter by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. * HOPE FOR DEGRADED DEVOTEES – Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada speaks of the importance of helping devotees who have had problems following the principles. * NAMA-TATTVA: BACK FROM THE DEAD – A verse from the Vishnu-dharmottara Purana. * SRILA PRABHUPADA’S BOOK DISTRIBUTION – Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja speaks about the importance of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. * THE ORNAMENT OF EQUIVOCAL PHRASES - PART 2 – A collection of first-time translations done especially for this issue of Bindu on the subject of vakrokti, or crooked talks that have indirect or unintended meanings. It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu369

Srila Prabhupada involved in a car accident.
Pusta Krishna das: This photograph was taken in Mauritius in 1975, just after Srila Prabhupada’s South African tour. The President of Mauritius sent a Citroen car and a driver to bring him to visit, but Srila Prabhupada, hearing about a recent decision by the government to support chicken slaughter houses, he decided to merely take a ride and then return to the place where we were all staying.
On getting into the auto, I requested Srila Prabhupad to sit on the left in the back seat because it was safer. He complied. We drove for about a half an hour and stopped at a site overlooking the ocean with an inscribed plaque about a historic event that took place there.
When we went back to the car, Srila Prabhupada said, “that side is safer”, the one which I suggested previously. I was sitting next to the government driver (British style, drives on the left side of the road), with the driver on the right, and me on the left, Srila Prabhupada directly behind me, and Brahmananda Maharaj beside Srila Prabhupada on the right back seat.
We were driving through the sugar cane fields on a two lane road, curving to the left. To my horror, a VW beetle car was coming directly at us head on. It was only visible for about two seconds since the sugar cane fields blocked the wider view. Neither car had any opportunity to slow down. I had been chanting Sri Krishna Chaitanya in my mind when this occurred, but I was horrified that this was taking place with Srila Prabhupada in the vehicle. The two cars came together at full speed, with combined speed about 80 miles per hour. I placed my hands before me to brace on the dashboard, and at impact my head went into the windshield on the forehead and my elbow struck the windshield as well. As I looked to my right I saw the government driver with blood coming from his head as his head went into the windshield leaving the impression of his head in the windshield. As I continued to look right and back over my shoulder, I saw Brahmananda with his left arm around Srila Prabhupada’s shoulder and the look of terror in Brahmananda’s face. Srila Prabhupada remained completely silent and grave. He had been sitting cross-legged in the back seat with his cane between his knees. At the time of the accident, his face, especially his lower lip struck the back of the seat I was sitting in. Fortunately, these are well-padded cars. He developed a blood blister in his thumb and as I recall, some swelling in his lip, with no other injuries amazingly. The female passenger of the VW went through the window and out of the car. The government driver of our car with bloodied head got out to attend to the injured in the VW.
I got out of the car and went to Srila Prabhupada seated behind me. He had multiple pieces of broken glass around his feet, which I removed so that he would not be cut. I asked him if he was alright. He remained completely silent, detached and very grave, as much as I had ever experienced of him.
Brahmananda got out to try to flag a car down to take us back to our bungalow. We remained at the accident site for about 15 minutes. A car stopped and took the three of us, but in the wrong direction. We drove for about 15 minutes and then they turned around and took us back past the accident site, and then back to the bungalow.
When we arrived, Harikesa was there. Srila Prabhupad made up a mixture or poultice to apply to any painful areas we might have. He personally applied it to my forehead and elbow (which I thought might be fractured, but it wasn’t). We had a kirtan at Srila Prabhupada’s request which I led, then Srila Prabhupada asked to hear something from the Chaitanya Charitamrita. Harikesa opened the book and it opened spontaneously to the Disappearance of Haridas Thakur, which he read for some time.
The next morning Srila Prabhupad, Brahmananda Maharaj and myself took a walk on the beach outside the bungalow. Srila Prabhupad never mentioned the accident. He did ask us where we thought he should go to next, since there was some program arranged for Nairobi, Kenya. I suggested that he might be shook up from the car accident and perhaps he might like to return to Bombay to rest. Srila Prabhupada said, “we shall go to preach in Nairobi. I knew at that time that I could not second guess His Divine Grace. This all took place before any temple had been established in Mauritius which came about later, and I believe that Srila Prabhupada made a second trip to Mauritius later. He had flown to Mauritius prior to entering South Africa, and again after leaving South Africa.
Apparently, because Brahmananda could not enter South Africa, I performed the duties of Srila Prabhupad’s secretary during his two-week tour. He liked me and he liked my style as his secretary. In February of 1976 when I arrived in Mayapur with a Mercedes we purchased him in Stuttgart, Germany (at his request), Srila Prabhupad personally asked me to be his permanent secretary. I, like some others before me, lasted until July 1976 throughout his last world tour. Indeed, I have many fond memories and also some regrets. All is in Krishna’s Hands. No further questions about that.
Hoping that you will forgive the detail of this true episode in our lives at that time. Hare Krishna. Pusta Krishna das

By Sri Gauranga Das

On Sunday 14th February 2016, ISKCON Nairobi held its first ever Gita Champions League prize giving ceremony. The Chairman of Hindu Council of Kenya Mr. Nitin Malde graced the occasion and enlivened the audience with his inspiring address. The National Secretary of Hindu Council of Kenya Mr. Kamal Gupta, His Holiness Bhakti Vasudeva Swami a travelling sannyasi, senior members of ISKCON Nairobi – Madhava Das and Rukma Das and Mrs. Mahida headmistress of Nairobi South Nursery, Primary and Seconday School also graced the occasion.

The Gita Champions League (GCL) is a competition based on the teachings of the ancient book of knowledge, the Bhagavad Gita. This contest was a fun, inspiring and motivating way to help everyone to absorb themselves in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, enrich and refocus their life in the right manner.

GCL was a written test primarily targeting students from Class 5 to 8. The test was limited to the first three chapters of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is written by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of ISKCON.

GCL was first organized by ISKCON in India and it was run in Nairobi on a pilot basis. It attracted registrations from over 6 prominent schools in Nairobi without much publicity. There were a total of 14 overall prize winners and the winners expressed their appreciation and joy for having access to this universal knowledge which will help them improve their lives as well as society. Organizers were pleasantly surprised to find that apart from the students their whole families were involved in studying the Gita. Twenty two other participants received prizes for their excellent performance. In addition all participants received a certificate of participation and T-shirts.

Photos can be found here: http://1drv.ms/1R6lhlr

Sunanda das: In November, 2015 the Sadaputa Digital Channel was launched on Youtube to provide the insightful and inspirational lectures of Sadaputa Dasa, Srila Prabhupada’s scientist disciple often dubbed as ‘the transcendental genius’. Within one year the number of subscribers reached 1,000 with several hundred thousand views and minutes of watching time.

As of the second week of February, 2016 the channel has reached some remarkable figures showing a great interest in the subjects and content of his lectures.

Views – Over 100,000
Minutes Watched – Over 200 million
Subscribers – Over 1200

The Sadaputa Archives is now in the process of transcribing its collection of over 100 lectures in order to produce a multi-volume publication with accompanying CD’s. Currently unavailable books by Sadaputa are also planned for reprinting and distribution.

To listen to Sadaputa’s lectures go to:

www.youtube.com/user/SadaputaChannel
www.facebook.com/sadaputachannel

To assist with transcribing services contact Sunanda das at: spchannel108@gmail.com

March Sundays 5pm will be about Mindfulness. See the poster for more information.

The post Mindful March 2016! appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

By Anya Kultyshkina

Kerala is the most materially educated state in India. Almost all local people know English. That is why even those devotees who do not know the local languages of India can go there and preach Krsna consciousness.

There is a need to bring Krsna consciousness to this area, because although the people are materially educated, spiritual knowledge is lacking. Because of contact with Europeans, first with Vasco Da Gama in the 15thcentury and later with the British dominion, many Christian churches were established there and I met Christians at every step.

It was almost impossible to make them aware of what kind of heavy sin they were committing by killing animals for their food. They consider that God created animals for their enjoyment and their churches fully endorse such philosophy. But even among the Christian people, I met some who were quite intelligent and open to dialogue. They were interested in Bhagavad Gita As It Is and they even were taking the books. There were also artists–young creative people such as musicians, architects, painters–kind of seekers interested in spiritual life.

With great joy I shared Krsna consciousness with them. Because they were attracted, I invited them to the Sunday program the devotees were organizing in a house nearby. Joshi, a musician I had met in the street, came to the Sunday program with his friend Abhilash. Abhilash is also a musician and has his own recording studio. He began to come regularly to the devotees’ house and started to chant the holy name. Nobody saw Joshi again. Many times I knocked on the doors of Hindu families and I was always warmly welcomed with kind gestures and friendly glances. First, according to their tradition, they would offer a seat, and then water, sometimes light food such as fruit, and then they were ready to hear about Krsna consciousness.

Once I came into the house of one family and found the family members fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness. I stayed about two hours with them, talking about the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. It was a nice spiritual reciprocation. They had their own sadhana: waking up before sunrise, taking bath, and then going to the Bala-Krsna temple located nearby. One week after our first meeting, I again met the head of the family, Venu Gopal prabhu, in the downtown market. The first thing he told me was, “Krsna wanted us to meet again.” I invited him and his wonderful family for the Sunday program. Once I came into a jewelry shop with the intention of offering the books.

The owner of the shop was there. He told me he already had the Bhagavad-gita and the book Krsna and that he liked ISKCON. I gave him two Back to Godhead magazines and one small book. He was very inspired and decided to give me one beautiful necklace for Srinathji Krsna, the deity worshiped by devotees in whose house I was staying. The last day, right before my departure from Kerala, I was walking in the area where I had been living for one month and found that every person I was passing by was loudly saying “Hare Krsna!” upon seeing me. I could hear only the name of Krsna everywhere. Such is the mercy of Lord Chaitanya!

By Sundar Nitai das, Nityananda das and Bhakta Rohit (Fiji Islands)

Activity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or acting for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa without expectation of sense gratification, is the highest transcendental quality of work. Even a small beginning of such activity finds neither impediment, nor can that small beginning be lost at any stage.

Meet Associate Professor of Linguistics, Dr Paul Alban Geraghty of the University of the South Pacific, who has recently translated HARE KRISHNA Maha mantra and its explanation in the native Fijian language.

With a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Hawaii, Paul is fluent in Fijian, both standard and many non-standard varieties, French and German and has working knowledge of Fiji Hindi, Spanish, Russian, Irish, Samoan, Rotuman, and Tongan.

Originally from Rugby, England, Paul has been in Fiji for 40 years and for his services to the Fiji Islands he has been a recipient of national honours that include the Fiji Civil Service Medal, Fiji Independence Commemoration Medal, and Officer of the Order of Fiji for services to the Fijian language, for which Paul was the youngest person ever to receive this honour.

Amongst other honours Paul has been Listed in “20th Century Fiji: people who shaped the nation.” Paul is one of only twenty living persons so honoured, the criteria being “a leader who has had a long term impact within his field of endeavour, embodied an ideal that has been important to the nation, left a legacy for future generations, and shaped the consciousness of the nation in significant ways.”

Having innumerable Fijian publications behind him, Paul has held various high level consultancy and senior management roles in Fijian language and culture institutes. Currently he teaches linguistics and advanced level Fijian language in the University.

When we approached Paul in his office two weeks earlier to present our humble request for translation of one of Srila Prabhupada’s books, we were anxious and excited, but Paul’s genuine warm personality drove the anxiety away. Our excitement remained. Paul advised us to send our work to him and we sent him the Maha mantra and its explanation.

Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound incarnation of the Lord and that since the Lord is the absolute whole, there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental form. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. The Lord further predicted that the chanting of His names will spread in all towns and villages of world.

Paul, voluntarily, has greatly assisted in bringing the mercy of the holy name to the native Fijians. The Maha mantra with its explanation will now be printed as stickers for public distribution.

Anything done on account of the Lord is a permanent asset and accumulates in the form of unseen piety for gradual promotion to the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. These undetected pious activities will one day result in full-fledged devotional service by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, any pious act done on account of the Supreme Lord is also recommended for those who are not pure devotees.

Although adorned with innumerable credentials in the academic world and in the field of research and publications and with prestigious recognitions from the governments and numerous institutions, Paul maintains valuable assets of austerity, piety, devotion and celibacy. Paul is a non-smoker and non-drinker. Although unmarried, he raised a deaf Fijian boy and that as a consequence led to his interest in the problems of deaf Fijian children. Paul’s main interest otherwise is in music and he has composed many devotional hymns and co-authored the standard Fijian Catholic hymn-book. At 65, he is in excellent health and absence from work through ill-health throughout his working life has been less than one day a year. Paul has not missed a day at work, or failed to deliver a scheduled class or lecture since arriving at the University in 2001.

For his devotional service in translating the Maha-mantra and its explanation, we presented Paul a ‘Hare Krishna – Vinaka Vaka Levu (Thank you very much)’ cake, some samosas, Sri Sri Radha Golokabihari diety garlands and Srila Prabhupada’s books namely Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Science of Self Realization and Dharma – The Transcendence, as prasadam (Lord’s mercy), which he joyfully accepted.

We are hopeful that Paul will accept our friendship and relish Srila Prabhupada’s books from an independent perspective as he professes Catholicism, and if Lord Krishna desires, may become compassionate to our desires of having books of Srila Prabhupada’s translated in the Fijian language.

For this, we seek the causeless mercy of Vaishavas’ (devotees) worldwide to keep Paul, who is a highly learned good-hearted gentleman, in their prayers to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

All glories to Paul

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Photo one has Bhurijana Prabhu (founder of the VIHE) and Deena Bandhu Prabhu doing abhiseka of a Govardhana Sila at the Bhumi Puja. Second shows Raghava Pandit dasa (in saffron—in charge of construction), Krishna Ksetra Maharaja, and Prasanta Dasi (VIHE Director)

Bhumi Puja for the VIHE Govardhana Retreat Centre – and Construction Begins

The Govardhana Retreat has been going on since 2000 – the first with only thirty students under the trees surrounding Giriraja (we still remember having to crawl under a barbed wire fence to get to our spot!), the most recent with almost a thousand students, now at a rented ashram.

As the number of students has grown, so too has our desire to serve this ever-expanding community of devotees by building our own centre at Govardhana, along with our awareness that we needed our own place to house and host the devotees, and to give them a quiet place to actually retreat from the busy-ness of their lives.

For us, the bhumi-puja was a monumental event, like a first mango flower finally blossoming on a tree planted twelve long years earlier. We have been patient. We originally procured land near Govardhana Hill in 2004, and added three more small pieces over the next eight years. Finally, two years ago, we added a large two-and-a-half-bigha plot, making the final size of the plot for the Centre five acres. Finally, we had enough land to allow our centre to be uncramped, unbuilt-up, and to possess the natural and simple ambiance we desired.

Then, after another year spent acquiring legal approval from the local council (MVDA), we were ready to build. Interestingly and perhaps even mystically, that approval arrived suddenly while three hundred devotees were chanting Krishna’s holy names in a colorful pandal at Govardhana during an unseasonal rainstorm during the 2015 Holy Name Retreat. And now, on February 3, 2016, at an auspicious moment, two hundred meters from Govardhana Hill, we performed the bhumi-puja and the initial construction of the VIHE Govardhana Retreat Centre officially started.

Sweet that moment was. It reminded me of the sweetness that descends during the Govardhana retreats when all the devotees present are absorbed in hearing and chanting about Krsna. That sweetness, I take it, results from Giriraja Govardhana’s pleasure, for Krsna is being glorified in the association of devotees in Vrndavana.

And that is the essence of our endeavour to construct a retreat centre in this holy land. We wish to make this offering to Srila Prabhupada: May his followers, both individually and in groups, retreat at least for some time from the lands where maya’s influence dominates, and approach the shelter of Giriraja Govardhana to gain deep nourishment by practicing absorbed hearing and chanting about Krsna in Vraja.

As Çréla Prabhupäda said in his purport to Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.21.17: “Only by drinking the nectar of chanting and hearing the pastimes of the Lord can one forget the intoxication of material existence.” And in a 1972 lecture in Vrindavana: “So we must be inquisitive. We must be very eager. That eagerness should be aroused: ““Where kåñëa-kathä is being taught, let me go there, let me hear.””

We pray that within the protected and serene atmosphere of the Govardhana Retreat Centre, devotees will experience Krsna’s potent presence through hearing and chanting His glories amplified by Giriraja Govardhana’s soothing shelter.

The bhumi-puja was highlighted by the presence of many kind-hearted sannyasis and other senior disciples and followers of Srila Prabhupada. (We also received the distant, recorded well-wishes from a number of others.) Their words highlighted their own hopes for the quick and successful completion of the Centre. We pray that you add your prayers to theirs.

For further information about the VIHE Govardhana Retreat Centre, the Govardhana Retreats, and to see photos of the bhumi-puja, please visit our website: http://www.govardhancenter.com

Your servants,

Sacinandana Swami

Bhurijana dasa

February 17. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: “Those Were Happy Days”
Srila Prabhupada would often be silent for long periods and then suddenly ask something that was on his mind. I remember once he suddenly asked, “Where in the world can I go where there will be no visitors and I can simply be alone to write my books?” Of all these exchanges, which I witnessed, this one reminds me of the times when our spiritual master was all alone in New York. He has said that those were happy days. One reason was because Prabhupada depended on Krishna entirely without having to depend on many disciples. In the later years, until he came to Second Avenue and saved us, it was not certain whether many Westerners could actually become practicing devotees. Srila Prabhupada’s discovery of this, on behalf of Lord Caitanya, produced happiness for him and for us. He was such a realistic missionary though, he never basked in that happiness or exaggerated it with praises of his own accomplishment. As soon as he knew that Westerners could take to Krishna consciousness, Prabhupada immediately took that good news and went further and further with it, all around the world. In his persistent desire to have time alone to write, we get an indication of what Prabhupada meant when he said, “Those were happy days.”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srila Rupa Goswami’s Nectar of Instruction.

“Like Srila Prabhupada said, ‘We have to become conscious before we become Krishna conscious.’ We should not talk about others without reason. In other words there should be some sort of filtering process between what goes on in our mind and what comes out of our mouth—at least in the beginning. After Krishna had gone to Mathura, Uddhava went to meet the Gopis in Vrindavan and the Gopis had so many complaints about Krishna—of course it was on the platform of highest love. But they had so many complaints. Not only about this incarnation but about other incarnations as well. When Uddhava asked, ‘If He is so bad, why do you talk about Him? ‘The Gopis answered, ‘If Krishna can live without us, we can live without Him. But, we cannot live without talking about Him. So, when our minds are so filled with Krishna that the only thing that can come out of our mouth is Krishna, then we don’t need to worry about filtering. But, when we have different things in our mind we should be conscious before wen speak.”

How to Succeed, and Fail, in Krishna Consciousness, Alachua

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 09.12.01-06 – Every Name Of Bhagavatam Is Significant by Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami on 2011-02-01 at ISKCON Chowpatty

Focus on Prabhupada the Individual

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