Planet ISKCON

Where did we begin our karma and when and why?
Answer by Radhanath Swami: I will answer briefly because this is the very long explanation but i.e. certain point in our existence as part and parcel of Lord Krsna. We have given free choice to either serve Krsna and love Krsna or to exploit what is the property of Krsna. When you made that choice you have given entrance into the material creation. And in the very beginning at the don of our existence in material creation we began to perform activities in the realm of exploitation and then our karma begins. Sometimes we exploit in a pious way and we get good karma. Sometimes we exploit in an impious way and we create bad karma. But Srila Prabhupada rarely would become very specific in regard to this question of our origin in this material creation. In fact generally when devotees would ask him he would very purposely answered in an indirect way. Generally when people would ask him this question he would say the problem is you are in Maya. Now how you got here its not so important what’s important is to get out. The Scriptures explain in specific detail how we come here. But Srila Prabhupada he would say if you are drowning in an ocean and someone comes to throw you a life preserver while sitting on the boat and says- come, I will pull you up to the boat and you say- wait! first I want to know when I fell on the ocean and why I fell on the ocean. Mean while there is sharks surrounding you ready to eat you alive. In the same way the shark of death is ready to devour us. It is not so important to understand why and how we came but it’s essential to hold on to the life raft and to get out. How our karma began through perhaps millions and millions and millions of births it has developed but the point i.e. of concern now is you have the opportunity to be free from all karma now. Krsna says in Gita- Abandon all varieties of religion, abandon all varieties of speculation and just surrender to Me. I shall protect you from all sinful reactions of whatever you have done, whenever you have done.
Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. In this way you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this. So guru maharaj put all the emphasis on the here and now. Here is the life raft the association of devotees, the Holy Name, his transcendental books which teaches us how to live in such a way today by which can get out. And as far as he was concern the only real subject matter of any importance in regard to our origin in this material existence is that we misuse our independence exactly when, exactly how is not important. So what is important is we have misuse our independence? And why is it so important because we are still misusing our independence. So let us utilizes this independence for Krsna and become librated from the cycle of birth and death because you see theoretically we can explain these things but you will not understand it until you Back Home Back to Godhead. Ha… So therefore our concern is- you Back Home Back to Godhead and understand that realization and not put so much effort on trying to theoretically understand what we can’t understand. Is that answers question? So chant Hare Krsna Be Happy. Go Back Home Back to Godhead. You may have been worm, you may have been snake, you may have been reptile, a bird, a pig, a human being, a Mataji so many things. This is anything wrong with Mataji now you are brahmachari matajis are devotees you know all devotees we were so many things, we don’t care for any what we been we are concern with where we are going. Where been in this life. We are not concerned. Jagai and Madhai sinful didn’t matter when they took to Krishna Consciousness they became pure, pure than the pure. Doesn’t matter what we have done, where we come from all that matters is where we are going. So take Krsna. Lord Nityananda prayed in this way. Take Krsna. The only price is that you accepting with faith. Hare Krsna.

The Yogi’s Wager.
A servant of a very rich man came before his master one day and told him of an interesting yogi he had seen in the river. The servant said that this yogi claimed he could stay in the water all night in the middle of the river without any outside heat. The yogi was willing t take a wager with anyone to prove that he could do it. When the rich man heard this, he decided to wager against the yogi. So the bet was made to see whether the yogi could stay in the water all night. The yogi went into the water, and the rich man and his servant went home. The next day word came that the yogi had successfully stayed in the water all night. The rich man went out to see the yogi, and indeed he was still standing in the water. Therefore by all rights the rich man had lost the wager. But then a friend of the rich man said, “Wait! See that light?” He pointed to a small flame far away in a temple. The rich man’s friend said, “By his mystic power, this yogi has been using the heat of that light to keep warm in the water. So he shouldn’t be paid, because the bet was that he would stay in the water without taking any heat.” Taking advantage of this word jugglery, the rich man said, “Yes I’m not going to pay you. You’ve tricked me.” Then the rich man and his servant went back to the house. The rich man asked his servant to quickly cook him a nice breakfast, but after waiting for some time, the servant had not produced anything. The rich man expressed his impatience, but the servant replied, “Please wait. I’m cooking.” The rich man waited, but it got later and later and no food was brought. When he demanded food from his servant, the servant only replied, “I’m cooking. It’s going to be ready soon.” Finally the rich man became angry and walked into the kitchen. “What is this cooking?” he demanded. And there he saw that the servant had a very strange arrangement for cooking. He had a very small fire on the ground an a tall bamboo tripod to hold the pot he was supposed to be heating high near the ceiling. Obviously, the small flame would never be able to reach the pot to heat it. “What do you think you’re doing?” demanded the rich man. “Well,” said the servant, if you claim that the yogi was keeping warm in
the water by that light, then I am also cooking.“ The man could understand that his servant was dissatisfied with the outcome of the wager with the yogi. And so he went and paid the yogi the wager.
MORAL: If you practice Krishna consciousness "part time” you can’t expect to be “completely cooked”. If the fire of purification you apply is too far and weak won’t be able to separate the impurities and create a nice ghee for Krishna :-)
To watch this parable in video: https://goo.gl/jzzZP3

Quack doctors flourish in places where people are mostly uneducated or do not have much exposer to scientific worldview. The quacks claim to have all the requisite skills to cure a patient. He dons the dress of a doctor; display medicinal books and also flaunt some fake degrees to convince people that he is indeed a qualified medicinal practitioner.
Just like quack doctors there are clan of quacks who masquerade as spiritual gurus. Such quack gurus too don the saffron robe of a sannyasi, memorize few verses and advertise themselves as God’s representative.
Just by buying a book of medicine and studying it on its own a person cannot become a medical doctor. Similarly just by reading books of Vedas and without being trained in any authorized sampradaya one cannot become a spiritual guru. There are four sampradayas or chain of disciplic succession descending from important acharyas or spiritual preceptors – Sri sampradaya (main exponent Ramanujacharya, it originated from Goddess Lakshmi), Brahma sampradaya (main exponent Madhvacharya, it originated from Lord Brahma), Rudra sampradaya (main exponent Vishnu Swami, it originated from Lord Shiva), Kumara sampradaya (main exponent Nimbarka, it originated from Kumaras, Lord Brahma’s sons)
To become a doctor one needs to join a government authorized institution and need to be trained by a qualified teacher, similarly to become a guru one needs to be part of these authorized institutions and be trained. It is mandatory for a guru to receive scriptural knowledge from a bonafide spiritual practitioner in a disciplic succession – srotriyam brahma – nistham.
A quack doctor is never able to diagnose the disease correctly and so his prescription fails to completely cure the patient. Many times because of wrong treatment patient even dies. An unauthorized spiritual guru too fails to provide correct solution to the diseased souls as he is unable to comprehend the true purpose of the Vedic literature. Vedas exhort all to inquire for the higher spiritual goals – athato brahma jijnasa – and not get bogged down by the flickering pleasures of this material world which is anyway temporary. However fake gurus dole out tons of misinformation claiming it to be the message of sacred books and engage the gullible people in mundane activities of amassing wealth and striving for position and power in this ephemeral world.
Before visiting a doctor we make sure that the doctor is genuine, his degrees are authentic and he has got it from a recognized university. So if we are serious about our spiritual life then before accepting anyone as our guru we have to make sure that the gentleman’s credential isn’t fake and he has been trained in an authorized spiritual university which is part of the 4 sampradayas.
And along with this we should be cautious about the gurus overall conduct. Whatever he speaks should be as per the scripture and should be in line with the teachings of the renowned spiritual seers. A genuine guru lives by the scripture and preaches by his own exemplary example.
Human life is utterly precious; it gives us an opportunity to get reunited with the Supreme Lord. So we should be extremely cautious in selecting a guru, a representative of God, because a guru unites us with the Supreme Lord. And he can do so only if he himself is having sublime relationship with the Lord.

(Purushottam Nitai Das is a member of congregation at Iskcon Kolkata. He blogs at http://krishnamagic.blogspot.co.uk/)

Krishna Conscious HIP HOP ALBUM.
Milan Parmar is an individual who is part of the youth group ISKCON Pandava Sena. He has been practising Krishna Consciousness for over 5 years by reading and studying the Bhagavad Gita where he finds, what he likes to call - “every moment”, inspiration and in depth meaning to life. Milan became more involved with Pandava Sena late 2014 and found himself engaging in different services instantly such as, the Pandava Sena Janmashtami play and Something Spiritual (A creative arts group that aims to spread Krishna Consciousness in fun and dynamic ways). For over 10 years, he has been writing poetry and music lyrics where he finds he can express his inner thoughts and realisations to a wider crowd. He has released 3 Hip-Hop mixtapes over a 3 year period which were his experimental points to find himself within his musical field. On January 29th 2016, he released his first album called “When A Soul Acknowledges” through PandavaSena and aims to connect the World to Krsna Consciousness through Hip-Hop & music. When A Soul Acknowledges is a Hip-Hop album that portrays a story of an individual soul within a material lifetime. A journey that starts from birth into the material world, to growth of this body, experiencing the ‘pleasures’ of material life and finding no real essence in them, to becoming realised of the true self and finding a Guru who has shown this individual the truths of life, then taking on a spiritual life and finding the greatest love towards the Supreme and finally, the soul leaving the body and returning to the spiritual realm where the Supreme resides. This album is compiled of 10 tracks that allow you to immerse yourself in different stages of this individual’s lifetime and finding a deeper meaning through each chapter of their story. A symphonic book which many, if not all, can relate to and take on lessons that lie within each lyric, verse, song and the album as a whole. All proceeds for the album go to Pandava Sena. You can also view a video on the PandavaSena YouTube of the album highlights here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2co-8jHUllQ When A Soul Acknowledges is available to download/stream from all digital media formats iTunes: https://itun.es/gb/TIvuab Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album?id=Btlr3pwzqkq7lav2x3q4tyz25li Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7o3bYfrTHk3BPn6Czp1GGC Amazon Music: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01B6YOE7S?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Why Biology is Beyond Physical Sciences?
Abstract: In the framework of materialism, the major attention is to find general organizational laws stimulated by physical sciences, ignoring the uniqueness of Life. The main goal of materialism is to reduce consciousness to natural processes, which in turn can be translated into the language of math, physics and chemistry. Following this approach, scientists have made several attempts to deny the living organism of its veracity as an immortal soul, in favor of genes, molecules, atoms and so on. However, advancement in various fields of biology has repeatedly given rise to questions against such a denial and has supplied more and more evidence against the completely misleading ideological imposition that living entities are particular states of matter. In the recent past, however, the realization has arisen that cognitive nature of life at all levels has begun presenting significant challenges to the views of materialism in biology and has created a more receptive environment for the soul hypothesis. Therefore, instead of adjudicating different aprioristic claims, the development of an authentic theory of biology needs both proper scientific knowledge and the appropriate tools of philosophical analysis of life. In a recently published paper the first author of present essay made an attempt to highlight a few relevant developments supporting a sentient view of life in scientific research, which has caused a paradigm shift in our understanding of life and its origin [1]. The present essay highlights the uniqueness of biological systems that offers a considerable challenge to the mainstream materialism in biology and proposes the Vedāntic philosophical view as a viable alternative for development of a biological theory worthy of life.
Recently our Institute scientists published a paper entitled Why Biology is Beyond Physical Sciences? in the Journal Advances in Life Sciences. This paper discusses some of the points that are under discussion in this group. Details of this paper are given below.
Cite: Bhakti Niskama Shanta and Bhakti Vijnana Muni (2016) Why Biology is Beyond Physical Sciences?, Advances in Life Sciences, Vol. 6(1), pp. 13-30. doi: 10.5923/j.als.20160601.03
Full-text HTML: http://dx.doi.org/10.5923/j.als.20160601.03
Full-Text PDF: http://www.sapub.org/global/showpaperpdf.aspx?doi=10.5923/j.als.20160601.03

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Nityam Bhagavata-sevaya e-magazine#30 Lord Kapila’s Teachings.
This issue brings to light the teachings of Lord Kapila Muni, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Glories of Devotional service, which is the basis of bhakti yoga, is explained by Lord Kapila to His mother, Devahuti. Along with that, a fresh translation for Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s song from the book Saranagati has been included. We pray this issue brings some pleasure to the devotees of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. NBS # 30 Features: 1) Lord Kapila Intructs Devahuti Sri Maitreya Rishi 2) Bhakti-Pratikula-Bhava Varjanangikara A promise to give up attachments which are unfavourable to Devotional Service Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur 3) Unauthorized Sampradayas Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur 4) The Process Of Advancing In Krishna Consciousness His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 5) How To Attain Devotional Service Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami This issue can be viewed through these links: ISSUU: http://issuu.com/nbsmag/docs/nbs_30 Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/doc/297875116/NBS-30

KK Bindu #368, “The Ornament of Equivocal Phrase”, plus more. The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released. This issue includes: * PREACHING IN INDIA – In this letter from 1968, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks about the only solution for the problems of India. * THE ORNAMENT OF EQUIVOCAL PHRASES – 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. An excerpt: Radha: Who are you, dark fellow? Krishna: I am Hari! Radha (interpreting “hari” as “lion”): But this Vrindavan forest has become devoid of such ferocious animals. How can a lion be present here? Krishna: O Radhika! I am Madhava! Radha (interpreting “madhava” as the month of Madhava, also known as Vaishakh): How has the Vaishakh month arrived untimely? Krishna: O charming lady! I am Janardan! Radha (interpreting “janardana” as “he who gives all people trouble”): Oh! It’s nice that a troublesome person like you is staying here in the forest, away from the city and people in general. It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu368

February 4. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Letter to Tirtha Maharaja. February 4, 1966. He wrote again to Tirtha Maharaja, who had agreed to try for the government sanction if he first received written confirmation from a responsible donor pledging the funds for a temple. Prabhupada informed him that the donor would be Sri Badampat Singhania, and he enclosed Mr. Singhania’s favorable letter of the fourteenth. Prabhupada reminded his godbrother: “Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta wanted such temples in foreign countries such as New York, London, Tokyo, etc., and I had personal talks with him when I first met him at Ulta Danga in 1922. Now here is a chance for me to carry out his personal order…. I am just seeking your favor and mercy in making this attempt successful.”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Mangal Arati Of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath;1st February 2016

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja

The Vedic Encyclopedia, Srimad Bhagavatam, like an ocean, is expansive with its nominal and phenomenal subject matters and deep in its spiritual and philosophical insights, making it a text for both research and relish by many. On 21st September 2015, Radhastami, Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha at Govardhan Ecovillage, launched the first volume of the Bhagavata Subodhini, an inspirational study guide to the Srimad Bhagavatam. This book published by the Tulsi books featured verse-by-verse overviews of Cantos One and Two. It also contained a variety of thematic compilations and resource material suited for educator. For ordering a copy, please visit www.tulsibooks.com

Observing my own life, it seems there are key enemies which stagnate our growth and development. We slide into mediocrity and averageness when we are too busy, too arrogant or too comfortable to really invest in our life.

Can you imagine one city holding 500 Harinamas or distributing 500,000 of Srila Prabhupada’s books in one year? That’s exactly what ISKCON of Pune in Maharashtra, India is doing as they ambitiously set out to 50^th-ize the year 2016. And much, much more besides: the plan is to set higher-than-usual goals for all of Pune’s outreach efforts in multiples of five or fifty.

A video by Blaiseus. Music by Gunagrahi Das and the Kirtan for the Soul group (Hungary).

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, May 2010, Simhachalam, Germany, Nrshima Caturdasi)

Our movement did well in the beginning with strictness but sometimes lacked in human kindness. Now, in the Iskcon of the new millennium, we have more kindness but have lost our strictness. Before, because of a lack of kindness there was fanaticism but now, we are missing the strictness that will keep us away from maya and keep us making progress. So we need to come to a situation of strictness with kindness.

Why is Lord Shiva considered the greatest Vaishnava? Because he is always absorbed in thought of Vasudeva (Krishna). The state in which one can always be absorbed in Krishna consciousness, in thought of Vasudeva, is called vasudeva, or suddha-sattva, a state transcendental to the material modes of nature. When one is completely freed from the influence of material nature, he comes to the stage of suddha-sattva, or vasudeva, in which Vasudeva, or Krishna, is revealed. Vasudeva is also the name of Krishna’s father, and in a very literal, transcendental way Krishna (Vasudeva) appears from His father (Vasudeva). This fact is explained, and elaborated on, in a profound purport by Srila Prabhupada, in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chapter Two: “Prayers by the Demigods to Krsna in the Womb.” Continue reading "Siva, Krsna, Guru, and Sisya
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Harinamas in Allahabad, India (33 min video)
Sri Sacitanayastakam: I salute the Son of Mother Saci, Whose heart is in a state of rapture, transformed by feelings of intense love. In His pastime of loud roaring, before the mischievous and malicious rascals, He removes all fear of the vast ocean of material existence, by the effect of His unlimited compassion.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/19isOf

Preaching program in Zurich (Album with photos)
Kurma Dasa: A Night at Radha Kripa’s
Last night we were invited to her lovely apartment just outside Zurich (transformed from a barn) for a program of kirtan, Prabhupada katha and delightful prasadam. Radha Kripa and her husband Jaya Gopal are kind and thoughtful hosts. Jaya Gopal attended my first cookery courses here almost 20 years ago, and drove me to Germany for a huge catering program.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/skUDvc

What is the practical value of these Nama Stotras? Why and when should they be chanted and in what mood?

The post In our Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition we have many Astakas, Stutis and different Stotras like Visnu Sahasra Nama appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

An exceptional presence today in the subway :-)
Srila Prabhupada story: Srila Narada Muni came!!!
One night an extraordinary thing happened. Prabhupada led the first kirtan and then gave a lecture. I sat on the floor just to his right with the harmonium, and after the lecture, I began leading the second Hare Krishna kirtan. All of a sudden, Srila Prabhupada’s voice cut through the auditorium with the potency of Lord Nrisimha, right in the middle of my chanting. I had never heard Prabhupada do that, nor had I heard the words he chanted. ‘Narada Muni bhajaya vina radhika ramana namne,’ he sang. And then again he repeated it. I looked up, and he looked down at me, signaling me to carry on. So I continued chanting Hare Krishna, and he continued singing his prayer to Narada Muni into his microphone. I closed my eyes and carried on, not knowing what was happening. Then he started leading with me. We could all understand that something inexplicable but amazing was happening. Everyone was literally jumping off the ground, leaping in the air; even little baby Saraswati was two feet off the ground, and the audience was leaping into the air. We jumped off the stage and all of us began running around the perimeter of the auditorium with the audience. It was one of those Krishna magic moments. Just amazing! The next morning I asked what had happened the previous night. “Didn’t you see?” Srila Prabhupada said. “Narada Muni came to our kirtan.” “No, I didn’t see him,” I answered. “Yes, Narada Muni came.” ( Yamuna devi dasi – London 1969 )

TOVP: A few updates of the floor screenings at the Nrsimhadeva wing and the iron grill work. (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/xoZ6zg

Radhadesh Mellows 2016 at ISKCON Radhadesh, Belgium (Album with photos)
Sri Sacitanayastakam: I prostrate myself before the Son of Mother Saci, Whose radiant lotus face and body shine with the splendour of molten gold. This transcendental body is the playground for the continuous expression of variegated moods and ecstatic symptoms, that carry His consciousness to the realm where He is no longer aware of that transcendental body. By only a particle of His mercy He has delivered the three worlds.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/kmY2TD