Planet ISKCON

Yatra to SVARNA VILLAGE.
Svarna is a big village away from cities and towns blessed with abundance of water due to big ponds and canals. Agriculture is main occupation in the village. There are hundreds of acres of arable lands around the village. It is a very ancient village dating back to 12th century. There is a huge Vishnu (Vallabhacharya) temple and a Shiva (Bhoga Lingeshwar) temple. The village has the highest literacy in the Prakasham district. But the younger generation is mostly settled in towns and cities due to which we find mostly old couple or single individuals in big houses leading a life of lonesliness. The main food crops cultivated here are paddy, peanuts, corn and vegetables and cash crops like cotton, chilli and tobacco. This village is considered one of the richest in the district. In spite of all favorable conditions for agriculture farmers are frustrated because of the modernized agriculture which demands investments in high usage of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and mechanization.
On January 11, 2016, the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra team arrived to the serene village in the afternoon. This was their 53rd village. A small team went to announce about the evening program while others were at the book table interacting with the villagers. The Yatra bus abuzz with activities as soon it was parked. In the evening devotees set out for the harinaam through almost all main streets of the village. The nagarsankirtan met with mixed response–some people received us with reverence while others were totally indifferent and some people followed us for some distance and a few made offerings in different forms to the Lordships. The program was planned in a well-furnished village function hall in the center of the village. Somehow until 7.30 pm no one arrived to the hall putting us in anxiety. A little later two young men enthusiastically arrived having heard the announcements. They told that the farmers usually return to their homes around 6.30 pm from their farms. Then they take their bath followed by dinner. It is after this that they come for such programs by around 8 pm and stay until midnight if required. As predicted, the village folks started arriving by 8 pm and in no time the hall was full. Everyone heard attentively and later appreciated the program, especially the solutions offered to the modern agricultural problems. Many took the copies of power point presentations and video presentations. We were told that there were some Ayyapa festivities on the same day and many farmers were involved in that program; otherwise there would have been better turnout. The young men requested us to visit their village more often. The proceedings gave immense satisfaction as we got opportunity to deal with young men genuinely interested in spirituality.

Yatra to SVARNA VILLAGE.
Svarna is a big village away from cities and towns blessed with abundance of water due to big ponds and canals. Agriculture is main occupation in the village. There are hundreds of acres of arable lands around the village. It is a very ancient village dating back to 12th century. There is a huge Vishnu (Vallabhacharya) temple and a Shiva (Bhoga Lingeshwar) temple. The village has the highest literacy in the Prakasham district. But the younger generation is mostly settled in towns and cities due to which we find mostly old couple or single individuals in big houses leading a life of lonesliness. The main food crops cultivated here are paddy, peanuts, corn and vegetables and cash crops like cotton, chilli and tobacco. This village is considered one of the richest in the district. In spite of all favorable conditions for agriculture farmers are frustrated because of the modernized agriculture which demands investments in high usage of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and mechanization.
On January 11, 2016, the Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra team arrived to the serene village in the afternoon. This was their 53rd village. A small team went to announce about the evening program while others were at the book table interacting with the villagers. The Yatra bus abuzz with activities as soon it was parked. In the evening devotees set out for the harinaam through almost all main streets of the village. The nagarsankirtan met with mixed response–some people received us with reverence while others were totally indifferent and some people followed us for some distance and a few made offerings in different forms to the Lordships. The program was planned in a well-furnished village function hall in the center of the village. Somehow until 7.30 pm no one arrived to the hall putting us in anxiety. A little later two young men enthusiastically arrived having heard the announcements. They told that the farmers usually return to their homes around 6.30 pm from their farms. Then they take their bath followed by dinner. It is after this that they come for such programs by around 8 pm and stay until midnight if required. As predicted, the village folks started arriving by 8 pm and in no time the hall was full. Everyone heard attentively and later appreciated the program, especially the solutions offered to the modern agricultural problems. Many took the copies of power point presentations and video presentations. We were told that there were some Ayyapa festivities on the same day and many farmers were involved in that program; otherwise there would have been better turnout. The young men requested us to visit their village more often. The proceedings gave immense satisfaction as we got opportunity to deal with young men genuinely interested in spirituality.

February 12. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Manifestation of Steady Bhava.
The Vaisnava acharyas have minutely delineated all the various manifestations of ecstasy. In this regard, there are eight kinds of bodily symptoms which occur when a devotee feels love of Krishna, and Prabhupada mentioned them in one of his early essays:
In the beginning, there may not be the presence of all transcendental ecstasies, which are eight in number. These are: 1. being stopped as though dumb; 2. perspiration; 3. standing up of hairs on the body; 4. dislocation of voice; 5. trembling; 6. fading of the body; 7. crying in ecstasy; and 8. trance.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati comments that even if a pure devotee does not manifest these eight symptoms of ecstasy, he may still be fully qualified to chant the holy names. Sometimes pure devotees restrain their ecstatic symptoms because people who do not understand them may become afraid or blasphemous. Also, sometimes people who recognize these symptoms, but who have not attained bhava themselves, will imitate them in order to get a reputation as an ecstatic devotee. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati concludes that it is more important to demonstrate detachment. Furthermore, the steady symptoms of bhava as described in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (Nectar of Devotion), are important criteria for knowing if one is advancing in spiritual life.
Srila Prabhupada fully displayed these steady symptoms of bhava at all times, although he occasionally manifested the different bodily manifestations of the eight symptoms.
One symptom of steady bhava is proper utilization of time. Srila Prabhupada followed a daily schedule of his own making. He was always on time, although he was not fanatical about it. He was always using his time to serve Krishna no matter what he was doing. To this end, Prabhupada felt that his schedule enhanced his own meditation and practice.
Pure devotees of Krishna meditate on Krishna’s schedule. Krishna performs various pastimes with His eternal associates according to the time of day. Krishna’s day is divided into eight main periods, and within these eight periods there are more minute divisions. Pure devotees fill their minds with remembrance of Radha-Krishna by meditating in this way.
Similarly, Srila Prabhupada’s daily schedule is well known to his devotees. We can meditate on Prabhupada at different
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Question: How can we take prasādam without being totally hedonistic? Is it possible to deeply experience the prasādam without reinforcing the experience of sense gratification?

My Answer:

I think this subject is too advanced for most of us. Most of us are not tyāgīs (renunciates), and even those of us who are supposed to be renunciates live in air-conditioned buildings, sleep on beds, etc. etc, so let’s be real. It’s good enough to eat relatively simply without making every little body-function into a gigantic drama.

Better if we stop trying to mimic external things associated with spiritual advancement and start trying to really grasp the essence of spiritual advancement by ever-more frequently and deeply concentrating on Sri Hari Nama and Sri Hari Līlā.

Sri Rupa Goswami unequivocally states:

rucim udva hatas tatra janasya bhajane hareḥ |
viṣayeṣu gariṣṭho ‘pi rāgaḥ prāyo vilīyate || BRS 1.2.254 ||

“Affection for sense objects, however deep it may be, is gradually destroyed by developing taste for Hari-bhajan.“

He says this immediately after stating that pursuit of renunciation is unnecessary. It happens automatically and naturally for a bhakta.

So, in short, the right way to eat prasādam is to chant Hare Krishna and hear Srimad Bhagavatam often and deeply. Then you will naturally and sincerely be able to appreciate prasadam properly. Otherwise you will just be trying to mimic someone other people respect. 

Vraja Kishor das

www.vrajakishor.com

Tagged: maha prasada, prasadam, renunciation, Sense Gratification

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, November 2015, Vrindavan, India, Video Interview)

Good and bad things happen to everyone in this world – no one is exempt. This is the nature of a world where everything has two sides – everything can be used for pleasure and everything can be used for pain. We should see this dual nature of the world and understand that we are not in the right place. And for this reason, we should get out of here and go back to the spiritual world where there is no pain but only pleasure! The best way to go back to the spiritual world is by the process of serving the vaisnavas. Because through devotional service we will engage in the chanting of the holy name of Krsna. Then we can go back to Godhead. Then, no more bad things will happen to good people there!

Raghunatha Dasa couldn’t live after Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left this world. So, he came to Vrndavana to end his life by jumping off Govardhana Hill. Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis affectionately received him. They convinced him to live on and enlighten all the Vrajavasi Vaishnavas with Shriman Mahaprabhu’s Puri pastimes. For three hours a day on the banks of Radha-kunda he spoke about Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami’s daily bhajana included: chanting 64 rounds japa; doing manasi-seva in his spiritual body; worshiping Govardhana Shila; bathing thrice in Radha-kunda; offering one-thousand obeisances to Krishna; offering two-thousand to Vaisnavas and embracing them; resting ninety minutes, and some days not at all. He ate only one leaf cup of buttermilk daily.

Atheists argue that God cannot exist because there is so much tragedy and evil around us. If God is all good, evil cannot exist and because evil exists, God cannot exist. If we look at this world objectively, the atheists are indeed correct. There are tragedies taking place every instant and with social media, it is more glaring now than ever. People more and more are losing faith in a higher power as a result of difficulties around the world.

In my opinion, losing faith in God is a bigger tragedy than all other tragedies put together. But we have to keep reminding ourselves, this world was created by God not as a place of permanent happiness but a transient place of correction. Of course, this has to be accepted as an axiomatic truth (that cannot be fully tested) - much like when we assume the laws of the physical and natural world around us are constant at all places and times. There is no way to test if light behaves the same way it did at the time of Big Bang versus today or that light on the earthly domain is the same as the light in distant galaxies. Yet practically every leading physicist from renowned universities such as Harvard, Oxford etc accepts the constant nature of light. Otherwise, no theories can be formed or explained.

Similarly, in order to understand God’s creation, the axiomatic truth is that this place was created as a place of “corrective behavior” and not “paradise”. People who believe or want to create “paradise” in a “correctional facility” will not be able to accept “non-paradise” ways of this world. In a correction facility, there will be punishments to correct and rewards for corrective behavior. There can be times of distress and times of relief from distress. Similarly in our world both global and personal, we can experience distress and relief from distress and both are meant to correct us.

So what are we correcting? – this very attitude of rebelliousness towards God’s supreme dominion. We don’t like His supreme dominion and we don’t want to hear about it or do anything with it. we (the individual) like to be independent and be the supreme dominion of our piece of land, property or people. This very attitude has landed us in this correctional facility.

A true hero will willingly submit to a superior hero with pride and dignity. Accepting defeat to a superior warrior is not a sign of defeat or shame but true chivalry. Similarly, it is only noble for a lesser person to submit his greatness to God’s Almighty greatness. If we can work in this mood of humility in front of God and all of His creation, then, as a true hero we will be released from this correctional facility.

So instead of trying to correct the correctional facility or find fault with the creator of the facility, it is in our best interest to correct our attitude and if possible teach others to correct theirs.

Hare Krishna

A simple Hare Krishna family (5 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: One who has got a helpful wife at home does not require to accept sannyasa. Letter to Krishnadevi, October 29, 1967.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/5GMfOI

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Belong addresses our heart’s longing to belong to something bigger than ourselves – a longing that is nourished and fulfilled by the Bhagavad-gita’s transformational message of spiritual love. While presenting that message in accessible 300-word nuggets, Belong shines the light of the Gita on many themes important for our inner growth:

Optimism: Our willingness is more important than our willpower
Resentment: Possibilities expand when we begin from where we are instead of where we should be
Happiness: Temporary relief from self-inflicted torture is not pleasure
Association: Our desires are not just linear, but also triangular
Temptation: We don’t have to defeat our lower desires – we can just let them lose
Discipline: Rules free you to be you
Devotion: Krishna is the master before whom we stand truly erect

These 121 reflections prompt the head and the heart to move closer towards belonging to the one in whom our potentials attain the fullest development and we find the deepest fulfillment.

The book is available on kindle here:

Belong

It can be ordered in hard copy by emailing voicebooks@voicepune.com
The earlier two books in the series are “The Gita for Daily Enrichment” and “The Eye to See the I.”

The post New book release: Belong – Gita daily series book 3 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

2016 Parikrama. https://flic.kr/s/aHskuaXvir

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ISKCON 50 celebrations 2016 in Mumbai.
Devotees, congregation, wellwishers, and the general public filled Mumbai’s Jamnabai Narsee Ground to its 4,000-person capacity for a colorful glorification of Srila Prabhupada’s historic achievements this February 5th to 7th. “Srila Prabhupada famously stated, ‘Bombay is my office,’” says Western India Communications Coordinator Parijata Dasi. “So we were happy to host one of the first major ISKCON 50 celebrations in 2016, our Golden Jubilee year.” The event was organized by Sura Das, convenor of ISKCON 50 Mumbai, as well as all of ISKCON’s four temples in the city – Juhu, Chowpatty, Mira Road, and Kharghar.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/1IsiYl

In front of an ocean we realise how tiny we are! In the same way, as one advances in their relationship with God, their genuine appreciation and admiration of His character and qualities grows exponentially.

An app for Android smartphones, entitled “Krsna – The Sweet Lord,” is now available on the Google Play Store for free and promises to place the best of what ISKCON has to offer in the palm of your hand. The app, developed by ISKCON Juhu of Mumbai, received a soft launch for an internal devotee audience on December 14^th, when it was unveiled by Radhanath Swami at Mumbai’s Chowpatty temple.

Devotees, congregation, wellwishers, and the general public filled Mumbai’s Jamnabai Narsee Ground to its 4,000-person capacity for a colorful glorification of Srila Prabhupada’s historic achievements this February 5^th to 7^th. “Srila Prabhupada famously stated, ‘Bombay is my office,’” says Western India Communications Coordinator Parijata Dasi. “So we were happy to host one of the first major ISKCON 50 celebrations in 2016, our Golden Jubilee year.”

Harinam Sankirtan @ Brickfields, on the streets of Little India, Malaysia (Album with photos)
Shevaanni Pillai: Harinam Sankirtan @ Brickfields on 10/2/16. We had a very blissful time during Hari Nam today on the streets of Little India at Brickfields. We were joined by our special guest from Europe, Gaura Sundar prabhu. People were very charmed and attracted by the ecstatic melodies of the Holy Name. Most of them were very receptive and happily gave donations and accepted Srila Prabhupada’s books. There were some sporting people who also chanted on our microphone. One particular Chinese family loved the sankirtan so much, they even danced with us so spontaneously and enthusiastically! It was truly inspiring to see how Krishna’s mercy affected even the most unexpected people . This made us even more fired up to spread His glories. In total, we managed to distribute about 50 small books. Harinam Sankirtan Ji Jai! Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mXZIXy

"The Flame of Eternal Love" a documentary about Shrila Prabhupada and the development of the Society for Krishna Consciousness in the USSR. Anchor: Sofia Ignatova. Actors: Alexey Sviridov, Acyuta Priya, Nimai, Vrinda. English Anchor voice: Jaya Madhava Das. English voice: Alisa Tchebotareva. Music: Yury Dimentyev. Sound: Vibhavari das. Written and directed by: Arjuna das. Русская версия фильма: "Зажигающий сердца".

Famous heart stealer Sri Krishna Bhagavan.
Srila Prabhupada: Decorate the Deity as nicely as possible with nice flowers and dress. You will forget all other false beauty. Letter to Kirtanananda, October 22, 1968.

By Mathura Lilesvari Devi Dasi

Thaipusam is a festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). It is mainly observed in countries where there is a significant presence of Tamil community such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. The festival commemorates the occasion when Mother Parvati gave Lord Skanda a Vel “spear” so he could vanquish the daityasura Soorapadman. Thaipusam is a public holiday in Malaysia.

Thousands of Hindus gather every year at various temples nationwide to celebrate Thaipusam. ISKCON Malaysia has stamped our presence at these temples every year since the late 80s. In Kuala Lumpur the festival is celebrated in a grand manner at Batu Caves which is likened to Palani Malai in Tamil Nadu.

The Skanda Temple committee invite vendors to set up booths selling various things ranging from Indian sweets to Indian attire. Close to 150 business take the opportunity to earn some profit in a place where a large gathering of their target audience is gathered.

ISKCON Malaysia National Headquarters – Sri Jagannath Mandir Kuala Lumpur (SJMKL) too rented a booth selling Srila Prabupada’s books and devotional paraphernalia. We are the only booth which was there to spread the message of love of Godhead.
Temple President, HG Kripa Sindhu Krishna das said, “Malaysia is a great place as we have the opportunity to participate in various festivals like this that enables us to share Krishna Consciousness with the masses in one place. This also provides a platform for members of our temple who are mostly working grhastas to get the taste of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s book. This year we saw a very encouraging turn out by the devotees who were inspired to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of ISKCON. I wish to thank all of them for their sincere efforts” he added.

It is the hope of the devotees that more and more souls are benefited from reading Srila Prabhupada’s book and that their small endeavor brings people closer to self-realization.

The booth successfully distributed more than 1000 books including 3 Srimad Bhagavatam sets and 230 Bhagavad Gitas.

Click below to see the complete gallery
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Yatra to Paparajutotha.
Though the name of the village is totha (garden or orchard in Telugu language), it is presently bustling with concrete jungle which merged into the main Chirala town. Except for a big goshala and small piece of land where fodder for cows is grown and some old temples built with stone and lime, everything else is concrete. We were actually supposed to visit Tothavaripalem village but due to death of some prominent person in that village we changed the venue to Paparajutotha. History reveals that this place was once a very green village especially known for taking care of cows in large numbers. Thus, old Chirala was actually known as Kshirapuri due to abundance of cow milk from such adjoining villages. On January 10, 2016, the program started with Harinam sankirtan to create auspiciousness in Paparajutotha; surprisingly, the Sankirtan team was followed by some group of street cows. The go puja was performed in the goshala housing 36 cows and one breeding bull. The venue was a huge basement of a group of apartments, nicely arranged by the hosts. It did not seem like a cellar, rather it looked like a decorated function hall. Eager residents of the apartments assembled in good numbers which was outnumbered by women and children. Discussions on the glories of the process of congregational chanting was well received as many of them took samskara patras (vow to chant at least one round japa) at the end of the program. In the interactive session discussing about cow care, the participants expressed their inability to directly involve in cow protection. But when they were told about using cow products and the program of adopting a cow in villages, many confirmed their participation in such programs. There was a good quarter hour soul-stirring kirtan and dancing involving one and all. As we were leaving after prasadam distribution we got offers to do such program in other three apartments also.
Sri Govind Gau Gram Prachar Yatra ki Jai!
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!!

Harinama in Melbourne Australia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One should never consider the chanting of the holy name of Godhead equal to pious activities like giving in charity to brahmanas or saintly persons, opening charitable educational institutions, distributing free food and so on. The results of pious activities do not equal the results of chanting the holy name of Krishna. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 3.79 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/a8tGNi

ISKCON Cow Science meeting.
AURANGABAD: To help coordinate cow-protection initiative the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in association with SARA Group has organised a unique Gau-Vigyan Parishad - the Council for Cow Science.
ISKCON has organised the day-long seminar to mark it Golden Jubiliee celebration on Saturday, at Bhanudas Chavan Sabhagraha, Station Road Osmanpura, Aurangabad.
MLA Atul Save will inaugurate the seminar, while chairman Sara Builder Sitaram Agrawal and president ISKCON Aurangabad Rohinipriya Prabhu will attend the programme.
Meanwhile, Uttam Maheshwari from Mumbai will explain the medicinal value of products obtained from panch-gavya and their immense health benefits.
“The conference is arranged without any charges and about 300 participants on first come first basis can be accommodated,” said the organiser Shrikant Jogdand.
Similarly, on Friday from 11 am to 4 pm for 50 participants there will be free training on preparation of cow products and is arranged at SARA Gowshala , Juna Jakat Naka, Chikalthana.

February 11. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: A Combination of Friendliness and Heaviness.
Was Srila Prabhupada friendly? Yes, of course. No one could say he was unfriendly or unconcerned. But Prabhupada was friendly even to those he never met. He was friendly to all living entities because he distributed Krishna consciousness. He gave his life to distribute Krishna consciousness to others. Prabhupada was friendly in the deepest sense. He came to the world a true friend of everyone because he had something which would be of great benefit to whoever accepted it. He didn’t have the kind of friendliness that we associate with “service with a smile,” commercialized cheater – the kind of friendliness you get on the airlines from the stewardesses who help you “fly the friendly skies.” Prabhupada was sometimes very heavy. It is incomprehensible, his friendliness. He worked for everyone’s benefit and that often meant knocking down their illusions and shaking them out of their foolishness. Yes, Prabhupada was friendly.
Yet, Prabhupada was often heavy, and for a good reason. He understood devotion to Krishna and wanted to expose the many nonsense frauds, incarnations, scholars and prakrta-sahajiyas, and any other pretentious people. He was a great devotee of Krishna who wholeheartedly embraced love of God. We should never allow ourselves to be disturbed by his heaviness. Prabhupada had to be that way. He’s entitled to be as soft as a rose or as hard as a thunderbolt. Prabhupada had Krishna in his fist, and he can Him to us. He is teaching us love of God. It is up to us to develop that simple devotion that develops with devotion to guru. We want to be sheltered by Prabhupada, our Nrsimha-guru.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Bhakti Caru Swami S.B.7.1.20 – Feb 5th 2016

A Combination of Friendliness and Heaviness

Thursday, February 4^th, 2016                          
Toronto, Ontario

Wednesday, February 3^rd, 2016                                   
Toronto, Ontario




We weren’t sure if the accident occurred from this building or another one.  She went on though.



 
 

Tuesday, February 2^nd, 2016                                                                   
Brampton, Ontario


Walking in the burbs with little surprise
I thought, “If blind, but somehow wise
I could see with such special eyes.”
 
Happy and quacking from their own beak
Having each other in their own clique
On one’s own one is very weak.

By the reeds and that odd log
Now less grey, absolutely no fog
Our pace is a walk, no chance it’s a jog.

The pic on the plague shows “this is a newt
Swamp sparrow”, oh so cute
If not for birds the world is mute
Until the world can hear that flute.
 
The icy pond, not safe to tread
It would be safer to stay in bed
The first step taken could be “your dead!”
That’s what nature has always said.

The trek was too short to really enjoy
For Nanda, the dog and this old boy
But at least we engaged the legs to employ
They are our tools, they are our toys.

 

Monday, Febuary 1^st, 2016                                                                           
Georgetown/Port of Spain

Sunday, January 31^st, 2016                                 
Georgetown, Guyana

Saturday, January 30^th, 2016                           
Berbice, Guyana





 

Friday, January 29^th, 2016                          
Crane, Guyana



 

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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