Planet ISKCON

Timesoar Bhagavatam class.

The post How service to devotees empowers Krsna appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Editor’s note: There are some points made in this below article that are not supported by our vaisnava siddhanta, so it is just as well that that was not the reason for us posting it!

Rather, our purpose was to show, not only division among the scientific / psychiatric world, but to show the strong challenge there is to the outright atheistic view as represented by the likes of Hawkins, Freud and Dawkins etc. It would have been truly remarkable if all points made in this article were in line with our siddhanta. So we request readers to focus on the positive in this piece, seeing the glass as half full as opposed to half empty.

The spiritual or eternal self is not the sensations which the soul experiences within and from the body. "yantra rudrani mayaya". What we directly experience is not actually the external hard physical material world, but a REPRESENTATION built by the mind, within the networks of the body's brain, nervous and glandular systems, life air, etc., but primarily the brain, of the occupied body, exactly like a person experiencing the holo-deck from Star Trek fame. Subject, also, to defects. When we meditate, if we are inclined to remember, we may wish to occasionally remember that we are the ability to sense, not exactly the sensations themselves, which are but the mere elements of the representative holodeck of the human brain. Continue reading "The Brain As Holodeck
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Sacinandana Swami’s Health Update.
By Krishna’s mercy I was discharged from hospital two days ago. This morning, I visited a local surgeon who changed my bandages and who checked if everything was alright. He had only good things to say about my condition and recommended that I take things easy and have ample rest. The body is still under shock, the cleansing organs need to eliminate all the toxins after the unusually long narcosis and many other medication. As expected I need to take pain-killers. Somehow I feel like an embryo who needs to build up all its organs. I am told that all this is perfectly normal and I am in good spirits. There is a little voice within me that even says: “Finally you have the time you always wanted for reading, reflecting and chanting.”
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/KZqCSu

By Urmila Devi Dasi

Our life depends on air, and when we recognize it as one of the energies of Krsna, it can remind us of Him.

Sweat gathers on my lower back, and my clothes stick to my skin. Then the leaves of nearby trees shiver to announce the coming relief of a breeze. I consider how the air I’m perceiving outside me also moves within me, and I think of how air carries smells, fills our lungs, nourishes our cells, flies our kites and airplanes, and presses with strong but unperceived force on our skin.
Thinking about air can easily remind us of Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Air is one of the Lord’s energies, as listed in scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gita and Brahma-samhita. When Arjuna sees Krsna’s universal form, he says, “You are air, fire, and water!” Krsna eternally exists as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, separate from His energies, but those energies, Vaisnava philosophers explain, should be considered identical with Krsna Himself. Any of His energies, therefore, can be an impetus for bhakti-yoga uniting with Him through devotional service.
The qualities of air can remind us of the Lord’s personal qualities. Some philosophers conclude that God is without qualities a formless, merely existent energy. Since God is complete, however, He must have a personality with qualities. Since He is the source of everything, everything must exist in Him in some way. Since we, God’s creation, have attributes, it is reasonable to conclude that our source also has qualities.

One of the most obvious qualities of the air is its subtlety. Although air is all around us, pushing on our body with a pressure of fifteen pounds per square inch (one kilogram per square centimeter), we are practically oblivious of it. We usually breathe unconsciously too, so subtle is the air moving in and out of our lungs. We see air only through its effects, such as when it moves branches and straw or carries smoke and water vapor.

Krsna too is almost imperceptible to a materially conditioned soul, visible only by His effects. We see His handiwork in a flower’s beauty or the predictability of the planets’ movements, but we do not see Him. The natural laws on which we base our math and science imply a lawmaker. But much of the nature of that lawmaker stays unknown.

Subtle air can move things that to our senses are far more substantial than air. Violent air in tornados and other storms can throw buildings afar and push wood splinters into metal. Similarly, with only the indiscernible movement of His will, Krsna can move, shape, change, and scatter everything we can perceive.

On the spiritual plane, the gentle gust of a whisper of His name, heard or spoken with merely a shadow of affection for Him, can move Him to dismantle a steel-framed heart, turning anger and lust into spiritual love.

Krsna and Air Everywhere

In our experience, air is everywhere, as is Krsna. And just as air carries other substances without mixing with them, so Krsna stays aloof and unaffected even though He is in the heart of every living being and within every atom. Air carries heavenly fragrances from flower gardens and putrid smells from rubbish heaps, but the air is neutral. Similarly, Krsna responds to our desires and actions yet remains unattached. If we act in violent and rancid ways, He carries us to lower planets. If we act in pious and fragrant ways, He carries us to heaven.
Air is the element we can do without for the shortest period. Our other bodily needs water, food, shelter, warmth have no value if we have no air. We certainly cannot think of meeting our social, mental, emotional, and intellectual needs without a constant supply of air.

Similarly, our relationship with Krsna is our primary need. Without a conscious, deliberate, and loving relationship with the Lord, nothing else gives us full satisfaction. How can we enjoy a delicious meal in the company of loving friends if we’re suffocating? Persons who entirely neglect their relationship with God, or put that relationship as anything but a top priority, find that the good and pleasurable things in their lives fail to give them the satisfaction they expect. While such people often try to adjust what and how they enjoy, they rarely consider that the real solution is as basic as breathing.

Furthermore, because Krsna is complete, making one’s relationship with Him the top priority brings automatic satisfaction of all other needs. One can then deal with the world from a position of inner peace and joy. A person in such a position has complete freedom, not dependent on anyone or anything for satisfaction.

Air provides oxygen for our digestion, bringing nourishment and health to our cells. Krsna says in the Gita that He joins with the outgoing and incoming air of life to digest our food. For souls who have fully given themselves to Him with love, He delivers all they need while maintaining what they have. He supplies the necessities for all others too, giving food and shelter even to lowly and poisonous creatures.

The movement of air seems to make plants and trees dance and forms attractive patterns in water and sand. Blowing air sculpts rock into works of art. We are reminded that Krsna’s movements are as graceful as a dance and that He likes to dress as if He is a dancing actor about to go on stage. His dancing with His pure devotees in the spiritual world is perfectly choreographed more graceful, soothing, complex, exciting, and intricate than the swirling waves of a stream whipped by the wind.

Air in Krsna’s Activities

In His form as Visnu, Krsna rides through the air standing on the back of the giant eagle Garuda. From there, He sometimes fights battles with demons, such as those in the great cosmic fight for a jug of nectar.

To create the material world, Krsna expands Himself into the gigantic form of Maha-Visnu, resting on the causal ocean. As the Lord breathes out, universes come from Him and gradually expand. When He breathes in, the universes gradually reenter His transcendent form. We are presently living in one of those universes, riding on the Lord’s breath.

When increasing materialism periodically covers spiritual knowledge, Krsna comes in various incarnations to set things right. One incarnation, Hayagriva, is a golden humanlike form with the head of a horse. The air He breathes from His divine nostrils is the sweet sounds of Vedic wisdom, given to Brahma, the first created being in the universe. Because any of Krsna’s senses can perform the action of any other sense, He can sing sweetly with puffs of air from His nose.

At the beginning of the universe, Brahma searched for knowledge of himself, his duty, and the nature of the cosmos. After meditating for thousands of years, he heard Krsna breathe in his heart. Krsna’s breath had flowed through His flute and transformed into the Gayatri mantra, which then came out of Brahma’s mouth as Vedic knowledge.

Everything in the spiritual world is conscious, including Lord Krsna’s flute, His constant companion and intimate devotee. Krsna blows on His flute to herd His cows. The music bewilders even expert musicians on heavenly planets and induces a contrary nature rivers flow backward, rocks melt, while animals and people become stunned in ecstasy. The great devotee Bhaktivinoda Êhakura, the father of Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master, wrote in Gitavali that Krsna abducts the mind of His devotees with the enchanting songs of His flute as well by His sweet bodily fragrance, which are both blowing in relentless waves upon the wind.

Many people ask how they can absorb their minds and hearts in the Supreme Lord, Krsna, while being busy in the world. Family, work, studies all seem to distract from the spiritual. But spiritual life can be as close as our every breath of air.

Harinama in Auckland, New Zealand (6 min video)
May Lord Chaitanya, the moon of Navadvipa, who is the king of dancers, appear splendidly in your heart. He appears like a sandalwood tree from the Malayan Hills. His smile is pure, and the edge of His garment is decorated in red. He is the full incarnation of Godhead, and He has descended to this world to perform jubilant transcendental pastimes as the greatest of devotees.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/N33AOX

Invitation for Bhumi Puja and Anana Sesa Installation.
For thousands of years sadhus have enriched the atmosphere surrounding sacred Govardhan Hill with their spiritual practices and realizations. We desire to offer the devotee community a retreat center on land we’ve acquired only 250 meters from Govardhan Hill. In Giriraja Govardhan’s sacred association, hearts can be soothed and spiritual desires fulfilled. Come and let Giriraja Govardhan work his wonders.
Read more: http://www.govardhancenter.com/

Caring For Cow Services At Iskcon Malaysia Farms.
Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the prime protector of brahminical culture and the cow. Without knowing and respecting these, one cannot realize the science of God, and without this knowledge, any welfare activities or humanitarian propaganda cannot be successful. (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4: Chapter 21, Text 38: PURPORT) The Vedic literatures repeatedly proclaim that for human beings to be happy the must care for animals, especially mother cows. ISKCON Malaysia has two farms. The first is a 20 acres’ farm specially to care for Dairy Cows and second, a 400 acres’ farm to care for retired cows and to cultivate orchards, vegetable farming with a simple facility to care for retired senior members. At both these farms cows and bulls are living a protected life until their natural death. Now you have the opportunity to help care for Sri Krishna’s most beloved animals – cows and bulls, the mother and father of humanity. To maintain our growing herd, we need your help. Adopt a cow and help make a difference.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/264Prw

New book: Krishna - Proofs Of Gods existence.
Foreword by Lokanatha Swami: Proof of God’s existence? Do we really need it? Do we require any proof for the existence of the Sun for example? However, a blind person may well question its existence. He may state, “I don’t believe in the existence of the Sun”. What is the value of such a statement by someone who is visibly challenged? There are so many others who are effectively seeing the Sun face to face in their existence and daily basking in its splendour. Similarly, the empiricists often demand “proof” of the existence of God, with questions such as, “Can you show me God?’. They also question the existence of God. Unfortunately, such questions seem to emerge with ever increasing frequency today by a growing number of people demanding convincing responses. There is therefore a compelling need for the presentation of authentic and authorised theistic concepts and ideologies in today’s scenario of growing atheism, as well as of unauthorised, misleading “scriptural ideas” that actually trace their genesis in the fertile minds and imaginations of many “religionists” and “philosophers”. The following anecdote illustrates how interpretations of truths and untruths can be experienced. Uncle Joe, a respectable middle-aged gentleman visits his friend John, who he has not met for some time now. Upon reaching his friend’s house, he presses the doorbell. He hears a patter of small feet running towards the door, and soon, finds himself face to face with John’s 5 year old son, Mark. “Yes? How can I help you uncle?”, asks Mark. Uncle Joe explains that he is a friend of his father, and would like to see him. Mark immediately runs inside and explains the situation to his father. However, John, in the midst of something, is not inclined to meet anyone, and so tells Mark to inform Uncle Joe that he is not at home. So, the innocent little Mark promptly returns and informs Uncle Joe, “My father said that ‘he is not at home’!” “Who told you?”, asks an incredulous Uncle Joe. “Yes, yes! My father himself told me”, repeats Mark. In much the same way, the atheists are deluded by God Himself, and this delusion leads to their lack of faith in His existence. All such instructions about remembrance, forgetfulness and the like emanate directly from God. As He Himself states, “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” (Bhagavad Gita (15.15) So, here, Krsna (or God) directly states that all knowledge and remembrance as well as all ignorance and forgetfulness are His creations. In Bhagavad Gita, (16.8), He further states, “They (the atheists) say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in control. They say it is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.” No one is an eternal non-believer. Today’s cynical non-believer is tomorrow’s ardent believer and faithful follower. The world may be full of these non-believers today, but there are also many firm believers who have complete faith in and varying degrees of realisations of God’s existence. Such believers, or devotees of the Lord, rejoice in their experiences and naturally seek to share this wisdom with others. In this book, Proofs of God’s existence, co-authors Gauranga Premananda Dasa and Avadhuta Raya Dasa use indisputable and primordial texts to exemplify the existence of God. This endeavor is especially pleasing to the Lord, as it enables the reformation of the misguided and misdirected souls – His parts and parcels - to revive their original, pure and blissful relationship with the Lord, and thus achieve the perfection of human life. Gauranga Premananda Dasa and Avadhuta Raya Dasa were inspired by their personal experiences while preaching the glories of God and distributing authoritative literature. While preaching, they often came across questions relating to the very existence of God, and where there was an idea of God, these ideas were generally vague and nebulous, and at times, completely flawed. They therefore felt the need to address, in simple terms, the gaps in theistic understanding which are so rampant these days. This is but the first volume of an intended series of publications that they have planned. Their target is to present at least 1008 citations which they purport as Proof of God’s Existence. Writings on such sober and intense subject matter are encouraged as this enables the reader to open up his heart and mind to meaningful contemplation of the Supreme Lord. As is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.5.11), “That literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization.” The arguments presented in Proof of God’s Existence by the co-authors, are convincing and in line with the teachings and philosophy of the Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON), His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Proof of God’s existence is a timely contribution for both the believer and the non- believer. It includes elements of personal memoirs, spiritual vision, theology and faith building through insightful engagement with authentic Vedic literature. The chapters convey a practical commitment designed to compel believers to enhance their faith and to entice non believers into meaningful contemplation of God’s existence. My congratulations and best wishes on this publication and I pray that Srila Prabhupada may bless the authors and am certain that the Lord is pleased with their heartfelt effort.
HH Lokanath Swami Pandharpur,24 July, 2015
You can order at avadhutaraya@gmail.com

krsna’s Mathura & Dwaraka Pastimes Session 2( Ujjain @29.12.2015 )

January 39. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: The East Snowstorm. January 30, 1966. The East Coast was hit by severe blizzards, seven inches of snow fell on the City, with winds up to fifty miles an hour. The City of New York offered warm rooms and meals for people living in tenements without heat. JFK Airport was closed, as were train lines and roadways into the City. For the second time within eight days, a state of emergency was declared because of snow. As a lone individual, Srila Prabhupada could not do anything about the snow emergency, or the international warfare – he saw these as more symptoms of the age of Kali. Always there would be misery in the material world. But if he could bring Radha and Krishna to a building in New York … nothing was impossible for the Supreme Lord. Even in the midst of Kali-yuga, a golden age could appear, and people could get relief. If Americans could take to Krishna consciousness, the whole world would follow. Seeing through the eyes of the scriptures, Srila Prabhupada pushed on through the blizzard and pursued the thin trail for support for his Krishna conscious mission.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

The East Snowstorm

Yes, The Loft is still open for Yoga and Meditation on Auckland Anniversary (Monday 1 February 2016) & Waitangi Day (Monday 8 February 2016)! Also we have the Spirit Festival on Sundays from 5pm ($5 or $8 after 5.30pm) including dinner!

The post The Loft is open on Auckland Annv. & Waitangi Day appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

The post Daily Darshan : January 30th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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The post Gita 09.07 – Repetition of discussion is meant for elevation of vision appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Celebrating ISKCON’s 50 Years (6 min video)
“The 50th Anniversary offers a once-in-a-life time opportunity that provides us a unique chance to get the public of every country in the world to recognise Prabhupada’s achievements and the growth and contribution of his society that changed the face of the planet,” said Anuttama Das, GBC Minister for Communications who is part of the International Executive Committee for the 50th Anniversary. “While celebrating this important milestone, we can also educate people about ISKCON and appreciate the contribution of devotees who have worked hard in the last 50 years to spread the Sankirtana movement.”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/q3Dvmg

This phenomenal world or material world in which we are placed is complete in itself because the twenty-four elements of which this material universe is a temporary manifestation, according to Sankhya philosophy, are completely adjusted to produce complete resources which are necessary for the maintenance and subsistence of this universe. There is nothing extraneous, nor is there anything needed. (A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) An understanding of God’s relationship with the world is essential for an informed response to contemporary scientific worldviews. Although there is copious literature dealing with this subject by Christian theologians, very little has been done from a Hindu perspective, with its different metaphysics. We will look at how Christian thinkers have dealt with the subject of non-physical influence and intervention in the world, and then what Hinduism has to offer the discussion. I hope to show that the theistic Sankhya of the Bhagavata Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam) offers a rich metaphysics and conception of the self to enhance two divergent Christian theologies of nature. Continue reading "God and Science: Christian and Vaisnava Perspectives
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Vedic village in the mountains of the Caucasus. Reconstruction of the Temple (31 min video)
Amazing result of the loving cooperation of bhaktas, bhaktins and children who join their forces, skills and talents and offer a beautiful temple to Sri Sri Gaura-Ntai.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/QkM2MO

The names of Krishna are the repository of all happiness and the greatest wealth. If we chant properly, we will not experience material miseries, but we may experience what the materialist might mistake as misery: the spiritual joy of intense separation from Krishna. Since that joy comes from proper chanting, we might wonder how we can chant with attention and concentration, even if we are not yet pure devotees of Krishna. How can we control the mind? How can we keep ourselves from thinking of a million and one other things besides Krishna’s names? Chanting properly takes practice, and the first point is to approach the practice positively. When we approach the holy names negatively, we often think more about what we should not be doing rather than what we should be doing. It is said, “You can’t do a don’t.” So, instead of thinking: “Now I have to control my mind and not think of other things,” we can think, “Now I will concentrate on Krishna’s names, which are identical to Krishna. By concentrating on Krishna’s names, Krishna will give me full intelligence, and I will love Him more and more.” Continue reading "Finding the Nectar in Krishna’s Names
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Today we’re marking the life of a great saint in our tradition who lived 500 years ago. He was the son of a Sri Vaishnava brahmana, Venkata Bhatta, and was born in a village near the famous temple town of Sri Rangam.

It may be safe to say that deterioration of the global natural environment is today no longer a contested issue. All nations acknowledge pollution, salination, deforestation, desertification, depletion of the ozone layer, the prevalence of toxic waste dumps, and more, as tangible, problematic issues. What remains a contested issue, however, is the exact factors that underpin this ruining of the Earth’s splendor. Factors labeled as root causes include meat-eating, industrialization, economic instability, and ignorance of sustainable and energy-efficient agricultural practices. With such an array of opinions as to why the Earth’s good health has waned, it is easy to see why society struggles to pinpoint the best approaches to environmental care. As a Hare Krishna devotee, and as an environmentalist since my childhood, I decided to investigate the underlying causes of such degradation from the perspective of the Vedas. When the opportunity to do a research Ph.D. through the University of Tasmania in Australia became available, I decided to employ the concept of the three modes of material nature to investigate the quality of consciousness of environmental scientists. Continue reading "Global Environmental Management and the Vedic Triguna
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The post Preparing our hearts for the Hungarian book-distributors’ Mayapura-Vraja parikrama appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

A Rabbi was once asked to describe the difference between heaven and hell. By a wave of the hand he manifested a vision of hell; a group of hungry, emaciated men sitting at the dining table eagerly awaiting their lunch. The bowls of soup appeared. Problem was, their hands were shaped like unusually long spoons – as they attempted to eat they just couldn’t get the food into their mouth. It was agony! Nobody could eat. The rabbi then waved his other arm and manifested a vision of heaven. Interestingly, it was the same dinner table, the same cuisine and the same long spoon-shaped arms. In heaven, however, everyone seemed happy and healthy. As they began their meal, the secret was revealed. In heaven, everyone utilised their long spoons to feed the person opposite, and they were being fed in return. Perfect cooperation! He had graphically revealed the lesson: selflessness versus selfishness – that’s the difference between heaven and hell. In the urban jungle, survival of the fittest is the name of the game. Our happiness is often founded upon the exploitation, mistreatment and detriment of others. If we are winning, it usually means someone else is losing. Spiritual communities of bygone ages, however, were based upon diametrically opposed ideals. Cooperation, respect and genuine concern for others were the cardinal principles underpinning social intercourse. Sharing, after all, is caring. Wisdom teachers explain how one can decipher the degradation of such community: first you will have to buy food, then you will have to buy water, then you will have to buy air! Previously, these commodities were freely exchanged amongst everyone. Nowadays people make a small fortune from them. Selflessness even makes sense on a practical level. If every person in a community of 50 people is thinking about themselves, then everyone has one person looking after them. If we selflessly focus on others, however, then everyone has 49 caretakers! It may sound idealistic and utopian, but it really does work – for individual relationships, families, organisations and entire communities. The depth and quality of any interaction is based on the degree of selflessness employed. Until we change the ‘me’ to the ‘we,’ genuine relationships, inner fulfilment and deep spiritual experience will remain elusive. At every moment we are challenged to chip away at miserly selfishness, and become kind, open-hearted and generous souls.
Watch the video here: https://goo.gl/kw3m57

Who are these Hare Krishna anyway? (3 min video)
Public sharing their feelings about the most remarkable people of the 21st century :)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/kvAhfc

Occupations For Women – Krishna’s Society and Current Culture
(video) Presented by Navakishori Dasi
Historical Changes in Society that changed how men and women work. Conditioning and Mindsets. Solutions- What’s a woman to do?
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/chtt5P

Fifteen teenaged youth, aged 13 to 18 and hailing from Australia, New Zealand and Bali, were inspired in Krishna consciousness as they traveled across Australia during their summer holidays this January. But they also deeply moved and inspired other devotees with their devotion everywhere they went. The tour, which ran from January 9^th to 27^th – summer in Australia – was chaperoned by second generation devotees. 

Reaching Out to Perlavaripalem Village.
On January 8, 2016, the Yatra bus reached the lively village around 4.30 pm, welcomed by excited children. They had been waiting for our arrival because they had been hearing announcements about the program from last two days and were thus aware of some program that was to take place there. Madhava and Gopi, two young men, had helped us meticulously organize the program in their village. A small team of devotees left for gram sankirtan through dusty streets while other devotees got involved in setting up the stage for the upcoming program at the village sarpanch office.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/CEpMBY

In this video Iksvaku das explains the purpose of :The Gita Program" and how it can benefit every ISKCON center and devotees engaged in presenting Krishna-consciousness to facilitate and encourage newcomers in their understanding of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is. 

A video by Ulises Guerrero and "The Vedic Way". (www.thevedicway.org)

The Radhadesh Mellows Kirtan Festival takes place from 29-31 January. Amongst many other well-known kirtan leaders, Kadamba Kanana Swami will also be participating. His time slot on Friday is at 4pm and on Saturday at 3:45pm; GMT +1. Watch live on www.mayapur.tv

krsna’s Mathura & Dwaraka Pastimes Session 1( Ujjain@29.12.2015 )

January 29. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Krishna’s Great Orator. Srila Prabhupada was a dramatic orator, a real communicator. He communicated on Krishna’s behalf as the medium for Krishna’s love to the conditioned souls who had not yet developed their desire to go back to Krishna. His voice was tempered and his points balanced, yet his lectures were powerful. They were quite different from his ordinary speech. His lectures were full of feeling – strong, loud reprimands of the non devotee, and soft, loving expressions of bhakti. His voice rose and fell in sonorous tones. “You cannot understand Krishna with these blunt senses,” he said, and his voice keyed, both to his audience and to his own sense of delivering the message. He spoke from the heart. He spoke to wake us up. Prabhupada lectured mainly from the Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita. He didn’t title his lectures, and they didn’t have a specific subject, other than a commentary on a particular verse he was speaking on. He took advantage of the wealth of material in the Vedic scriptures and taught us to lecture. Prabhupada had to lecture frequently, but he had such a great command of the Vedic scriptures that he was free to speak on a wide variety of topics within the realm of Krishna consciousness. We should try to follow his example.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Krishna’s Great Orator

The post Daily Darshan : January 29th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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The post Gita 09.06 – Krishna limits not our freedom but the scope of our freedom appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Over the last month I’ve been busy on community group visits as always I allow the group’s to decide what subject they would like me to cover; this time around most wanted me to explain what the understanding of Jesus Christ is.

Thankfully there is many quotes from Srila Prabhupada and it also gave me the opportunity to speak about the importance of Guru, and how we celebrate the appearance day of our own spiritual masters.

As always a small powerpoint presentation although it takes some time to develop the question that really gets the discussion and thought’s of those listening challenged. During school visits I normally get them to talk about their pets before introducing cow protection; it is effective and from what the teachers tell me gets the discussion and debate going long after I have left.

This time my thought’s was to get them talking about their own birthday’s and what they like about them, the discussion is soon flowing; them I ask them about how they would feel if you found out that people were celebrating their birthday but they we not invited or visited.

It’s a sad growing fact that Christmas has become overly commercialized and the celebration of a great saintly life is sidelined for over indulgence in food and expensive presents whilst failing to acknowledge of visiting the church to pay homage to Lord Jesus Christ.

It is sad that when asking how many visited church, sang Christmas Carols and gave charity to the needy most just looked puzzled. Some said how they used to go. It’s odd that so much effort is made to celebrate one day with little realization or understanding of the amazing life and sacrifice of such a great soul.

However it did make me appreciate more the vaysa puja offering we make on the appearance day of our wonderful Guru Maharaja, writing a wonderful homage, offering arati, making and sharing prasadam.

Then we have Krishna Janmashtami; the temple becomes a hive of activity for many this will be the only time they visit, but still they come. Charity is given to the temple and so much chanting, dancing, sharing prasadam; the association is much like Sri Krishna unlimited.

On one occasion a young lady who was attending sat and I could see a tear in her eye, being a little concerned I took the opportunity to talk to her over the prasadam cake I had taken. She explained how during my presentation he realised she had neglected her own baptism, not even visiting Lord Jesus Christ home on his main day of celebration. What impressed her more was the wonderful quotes from our own founder Acharia Srila Prabhupada, she realized that he and those who were his followers had a greater understanding of her own spiritual teacher Jesus Christ.

What was so nice, she took a book and is looking at learning much more.

However it did give me one great realization, that unless we have a true understanding of the position of our own spiritual masters and that of God, Sri Krishna then no matter how powerful the message is it will be lost in translation, and what should be a wonderful celebration becomes an opportunity to become more ingrained in materialistic life in a frenzy of uncontrolled gluttony.