Planet ISKCON

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

The mind is always controlled by something. There is no question of us being able to control the mind. Therefore when we are dealing with Krsna more and more, all the time, then the mind becomes controlled by Krsna and if we are dealing with material things then the mind gets controlled by material things because the mind is always controlled by external things.

Hare Krishna Israel ISKCON Harinam Sankirtan Tel Aviv (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This life of material existence is just like hard wood, and if we can carve Krishna out of it, that is the success of our life. Letter to KrishnaDevi, January 26, 1968
Find them here: https://goo.gl/7xQCjY

A Message from Krishnanandini Dasi (1 min video)
HG Krishnanandini Dasi is a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and one of the co founders of the ISKCON Grihastha Vision Team. She is a a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE),and Co-Director of the Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute. In her message for women , she inspires them to give their all in service to Krishna no matter what impediments there might be before them.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/l1tRaL

Subhadra Dasi: Last week, we were going store to store to distribute Bhagavad Gitas, and there was a bar along the way that we also went in to.
One of the patrons there raised his eyebrows and said “Hare Krishnas? Hare Krishnas? I used to always see you guys at the airports. Where’ve you been?”
Vaisesika prabhu, not missing a beat replied: “Oh, we only go to bars, now.”
Everyone laughed and the guy said, “That was a good one!”

How to make a Tulasi japa mala at home (5 min video)
Have you ever wanted to make your very own homemade authentic Tulasi japa mala? Watch this new video to learn how.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/q580Uq

New Goloka Community School Presents Parent/Student Open House with Special Guest HH Bir Krishna das Goswami.
Sunday, February 7th, 2016 2pm - 4pm.
Refreshment will be served. Please join us! All are welcome.
What: NGCS Open House
When: Sun, February 7th, 2016 2pm-4pm
Where: NGCS Little Red School House
1106 Dimmocks Mill Road,
Hillsborough, NC 28278
Right across from New Goloka Temple

Kavicandra Swami: With an effort to subdue my intensive fault finding nature I decided to write something glorifying various god-siblings.
Ladies first, (my mother taught me that, trying to make me into a “southern gentleman”)
First Urmila Devi Dasi (Edith Best) comes to mind.
In spite of a ”privileged” childhood and substantial achievements in academia, she remains a very humble Vaishnava. She has earned a PHD in education and is one of the most sought after speakers in ISKCON, yet she enjoys cooking with her grandchildren and sharing the pleasures of that. She is keeping a low profile and showing a good example for other Matajis.
She has the confidence of some of our most respected sannyasi preachers who allow her to edit their commentaries on the “Manah Shiksa”, That project is her initiative.
I have only met one of her many grandchildren, Jahnu Best. He is very humble devotee who leaves his luxury home in Hawaii to serve on the Polish tour, which is an austere lifestyle. That is following in he grand mother’s footsteps. She also leaves the comfortable life with her big family in Hawaii for intensive traveling and preaching.

Timesoar public program. September 20th, 2015.

The post Srila Prabhupada, ambassador of Vedic culture (Part 2) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Unparallel beauty…in Mayapur for Krishna Pushya Abhishek (Album with 40 photos)
Sri Sri Radha Madhav Asta Sakhis Flower Dress 2016.
Mind blowing flower set for Sri Sri Radha Madhava this morning.
HG Jananivas Prabhu, head pujari for Sri Sri Radha Madhava, told me that several hundred devotees stayed up all night getting everything prepared for this incredible set.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cnEQmB

British Museum: Krishna in the garden of Assam.
Meera Khurana, London: The Britsh Museum in London have a beautiful exhibition on called ‘Krishna in the garden of Assam’. It is a display of the ancient 'Vrindavan Vastra’ (Cloth of Vrindavan), made in Assam on tapestry in the late 17th century, depicting Lord Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan. The British Museum have owned this since 1905 (over 100 years) and it is finally on public display. It is thought to be the last surviving example of devotional Vaishnava textile art from Assam, made in the late 17th century. Made with woven silk, it is 30 feet long, displaying many of Lord Krishna’s pastimes from Vrindavan, including killing Bakasura, dancing on Kaliya, stealing of the Gopis clothes etc. The dasavatars (10 incarnations) and Garuda are also woven. Below sample shows Garuda. The exhibition is free and is open until 15 August 2016, in the British Museum, London. It is at the back of the Museum - go through the great courtyard, to the north staircase, climb up, past the Indian Gallery, climbing up to room 91. http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/krishna_in_the_garden_of_assam.aspx
The sample in the photo shows Garuda.

Entering the New Year 2016!

By Bhakti-lata Dasi

A month ago, I was in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner—in the Prabhupada House where we stayed at the time—when there was a knock on the door. My husband answered the door and I heard,

“Is Bhakti-lata there?”

A polite young man entered and he told me,

“I know someone you know”

“Who?”

“Yogi.”

I thought for a second.

“Richard C.?”

“Yes!”

Yogi is the prison name of bhakta Richard (whom we now call Krishna Kirtan). The young man had been in prison with him for a short while. Now that

he was free, he wanted to meet me in person. We talked for a while. It was a very sweet encounter.

Each and every time I feel a little overwhelmed by my IPM service, Krsna arranges something like this to re-kindle my enthusiasm and let me know He wants me to keep going.

This meeting reinforced the fact that all the letters I receive are from real, live, breathing human beings, who need our support, guidance, and kindness. Each book we send often touches more than just one life, as books and magazines get passed around a great deal.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur said that the little mrdanga may be heard for one block, but the big mrdanga can be heard around the world.

The great resounding sound of the brhad mrdanga is indeed heard in many cells, cell dorms, hallways, chow halls” (cafeterias) and yards across United States and around the world.

The preaching activities of the prison ministry give an extraordinary opportunity to the inmates.

“Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17

Life is prison can be very dangerous. Not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well. It is said that environment is stronger than will, and in prison, good qualities are neither valued nor encouraged. It’s easy to lose hope in that setting. Days merge together into an eternity and years of incarceration can feel like kalpas, stretching endlessly into a night of hopelessness and boredom.

Krishna consciousness is the light that drives away the darkness, bringing knowledge, understanding, and freedom to whoever is open to receive them. And many inmates are. The sincere souls are waiting for this light and are overjoyed and grateful to receive it.

In the year 2015, some inmates were released, while some were imprisoned for the first time; some “old timers”, bhaktas for many years, have steadily progressed in their spiritual lives; newcomers have seen their life changed; inmates have given books and the holy name to their fellow prisoners; chapel programs have developed or grown…Krishna consciousness is alive and well in prisons all over.

I am deeply grateful for all the players involved in IPM; inmates, volunteers, chaplains, donors and well-wishers, and all who have and continue to support this leg of Lord Caitanya’s preaching movement.

As we enter 2016, I can only pray that more and more souls will come back to Prabhupada’s and Krishna’s lotus feet. Thank you with all my heart!

We are a good team and I am sure that Prabhupada is very pleased by our cooperation in Krishna’s service!

*****

Books distributed in 2015

Prabhupada’s Books total: 3,375

Breakdown:

Magazines (10 to 50 pages): 553

Small: 774

Medium: 254

Big: 139

Maha-Big: 1,655

BTGs: 1,874

Books by other devotee authors: 212

Tapes: 16

CDs: 564

DVDs: 31

MP3s: 30

Japa Mala Sets: 198

Neck Beads: 228

Incense packs: 30

GRAND TOTAL of all Books and BTGs in 2016: 5,461

Srila Prabhupada, ke! Jaya!!!

*****

The above is just a small part of the bi-monthly IPM NEWS, an electronic newsletter. To read the whole Jan/Feb 2016 issue, please go to:

http://www.iskconprisonministry.org/node/474

If you wish to receive it in your mailbox, simply email me at iskconprisonministry@gmail.com with “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.

More excerpts of inmate letters and also their artwork are available on our website at: www.iskconprisonministry.org

Would you like to help?

OUR PRESSING NEED OF THE MOMENT: we are looking for mini japa malas (the kind with 27 beads on it) for those prisons who won’t accept our normal size japa malas.

If you can help, please contact Mukunda Dasa or Bhakti-lata Dasi at:

iskconprisonministry@gmail.com

ISKCON Prison Ministry

3759 McCreary’s Ridge Road

NBU #46

Moundsville, WV 26041

January 24. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Expressions. It is possible to simultaneously cherish Prabhupada idioms while avoiding some of them in our lecturing and speaking. Some expressions were used by Prabhupada in a particular way, but are grammatically incorrect or archaic. Yet some devotees may see any criticism of ISKCON jargon as insulting to Srila Prabhupada when it is done in a cold-hearted way, without understanding the attachment we have for His Divine Grace and the way he speaks.
The solution to such perceived language misuse is not to eliminate strong teachings of surrender; neither will eliminating the strong preaching spirit help. We have to be sensitive and non-hypocritical. We should be “context sensitive,” speaking with awareness of time, place and persons. On the other hand, if we use ISKCON-speak in a way that is insensitive or unthinking, we may become offensive to our fellow devotees. Hackneyed speech can become a hackneyed way of thinking. We then fall into a habit of speaking without expressing our feelings or realization. We speak “the party line.” If I try to manipulate a fellow devotee by speaking officialese, it is offensive to the devotee and to the philosophy which I claim to represent. Devotees are repelled when they hear another devotee rattle off words which demand obedience and surrender to the highest ideal, although the speaker of those words is himself not following them. “Don’t be on the mental plain, prabhu. Prabhupada wants us to cooperate. Therefore, you should do what I say.”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

The post Daily Darshan: January 24th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

12.01.2016 H.G.Rohini Suta Prabhu_Disappr: of Jiva Goswami & jagadish Pandit

Prabhupada’s Expressions

Krsna Pusya abhiseka is a not very well known ceremony but wonderful nonetheless.

During the morning puja, or worship, the Deity or a salagrama is bathed in pure ghee. Srila Prabhupada once explained the festival this way: “Krishna was just a toy in the hands of the Gopis, so one day the Gopis decided that we shall decorate Him.

Pusyabhisheka means a ceremony to decorate the deity profusely with flowers, ornaments, cloths. After there should be lavish feasting and a procession through the streets, so that all the citizens should see how beautiful Krishna appears.

In this section of Gita, Krishna establishes reincarnation by way of logic alone, without reference to scripture. Vraja Kishor explains it by reading from his book, A Simple Gita – which is available at www.vrajakishor.com

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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The post Gita 09.02 – Knowledge that gives the greatest power is the greatest knowledge appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Even a child can manifest symptoms of sincere devotion. About fourteen miles from Jagannatha’s temple stands the temple of a deity named Ålarnatha. Lord Brahma installed this four-armed deity in Satya-yuga, millions of years ago, and since then the worship has been the responsibility of certain brahmana families. Once, it was the responsibility of Sri Ketana, who had a son named Madhu. When Sri Ketana had to go out for several days to beg alms for the temple, he gave his son the service of offering meals to Ålarnatha. After the boy’s mother finished cooking, she gave the plate to Madhu and told him to offer it to Lord Ålarnatha. He did not know the proper offering procedure, but his father had instructed him to simply ask the Lord to take what was placed before Him. Madhu sat in front of the Lord, told Him that he didn’t know how to offer anything properly, and requested that He take the offering. Then Madhu went outside to play, so that the Lord could eat. Krishna is transcendental, and each of His senses can do the work of the others. He can eat with His eyes and leave His remnants behind as prasada, His mercy for the devotees. Madhu did not realize this, and thought that the Lord was supposed to eat everything on the plate. When he returned to the temple, he was surprised that the Lord’s meal seemed untouched. Afraid that his mother would be angry that the Lord did not accept the offering, Madhu offered the meal again. Continue reading "Offerings with Love
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On Friday, January the 4th in 1891, Hindus who were bathing in the sacred river Yamuna witnessed an amazing scene. A ship with the name of an unknown language approached. In the morning mist, surrounded by armed soldiers, a young light-skinned man in an officer’s jacket, looking, however, not belligerent came ashore. The stranger was the crown prince Nicholas, soon to be the future last Russian emperor. The small town of Vrindavan, 80 miles to the south of Delhi, was part of the journey of the crown prince, along with Mumbai, Delhi, Gwalior, Agra, Ellora, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kolkata and ?adras and Sri Rangam, up to the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent, from where he viewed the outline of Ceylon. The heir to the Russian throne liked Vrindavan. Nicholas found the town very similar to… Venice. From the travel notes made by Nicholas, one can assume that his familiarity with Vrindavan occurred in the place of Kesi Ghat, on the banks of river Yamuna. The royal guest was shown the temple of Madana Mohana. And one of the “interesting” churches, which he visited, might have been the Jugal Kishore temple. According to some assumptions, while visiting one of the temples, the crown prince received blessings from local elders to rule his kingdom. It rather might be a beautiful legend, though. Anyway, 125 years ago Nicholas II was the first Russian “discoverer” of Vrindavan. Continue reading "A Russian expedition to Vrindavana
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About Varnashrama College (8 min video)
Bhakti Raghava Swami: In the Ninth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.10.51), commenting on the varnashrama structure in Lord Ramacandra’s ideal kingdom, Srila Prabhupada writes: “Among the four yugas [ages]—Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali—Kali-yuga is the worst, but if the process of varnashrama-dharma is introduced, even in this age of Kali, the situation of Satya- yuga can be invoked. The Hare Krishna movement, or Krishna consciousness movement, is meant for this purpose.” Srila Prabhupada means the original varnashrama, the social organization that can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, because it provides for the spiritual advancement of all types of people.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/BjWjmn

GM Seeds Ruin Sambandha with the two Mothers (Gomata and Bhudevi)
Vrndavanlila Devi Dasi: Then Jananivas prabhu took over beginning with interesting stories from Mahabharat related to the conversation between Yudhistra and his brother Bheem, just when Kali has made his entry. In the course of narrating, prabhu told them about strange phenomenon that Kali purusa had seen and asked its explanation: Fencing is eating the crops- what does it mean and why? — leaders Cow has been seen eating her own calf. Its meaning and why? — abortion Whole elephant being able to pass through the eye of the needle but his tail getting stuck — Kaliyuga who do big scams will not be caught, but those who pay one small EMI are caught Pilgrims travelling. One big rock blocking the path. All healthy looking strong looking men are unable to remove it. But one thin man removes it with the help of one thin string. That rock turns to powder whenthrown.— its meaning. This thread is of Harinam in Kali. A man puts a few glasses of water but when he putsthe same water back it is much lesser instead of being equal – one father will take care of so many children but all the sons will not be able to take care of one father.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/dNm6WB

Growing trend in farming.
The video and the article came on the news on our New Godruma Dhama Farm, Lanchang, Malaysia, and importance on our farming (Kenko Real Organic farm in Lanchang, Pahang )
To read the entire article and watch the video click here: http://goo.gl/y4Njiz

Some interesting facts about cows!
At first glance, cows might seem to be simple animals, but they’re not! Cows are fascinating animals. For instance did you know that cows can smell something up to 6 miles away, or that cows can produce 125 lbs. of saliva in one day.
Here’s a list of interesting facts:
1 Cows are social animals, and they naturally form large herds. And like people, they will make friends and bond to some herd members, while avoiding others.
2 Cows are red-green colorblind. In a bullfight, its the waving of the cape that attracts the bull not the red color
3 A cow’s heart beats between 60 and 70 beats per minute.
4 Cows can hear lower and higher frequencies better than humans.
5 An average dairy cow weighs about 1,200 pounds.
6 A cow’s normal body temperature is 101.5°F.
7 The average cow chews at least 50 times per minute.
8 The typical cow stands up and sits down about 14 times a day. 9 An average cow has more than 40,000 jaw movements in a day.
10 Cows actually do not bite grass; instead they curl their tongue around it.
11 Cows have almost total 360-degree panoramic vision.
12 Cows have a single stomach, but four different digestive compartments.
13 Cows are pregnant for 9 months just like people
14 A dairy cow can produce 125 lbs. of saliva a day
15 Cows spend 8 hours per day eating, 8 hours chewing her cud (regurgitated, partially digested food), and 8 hours sleeping
16 You can lead a cow upstairs, but not downstairs. Cows knees can’t bend properly to walk downstairs.
17 Cows can’t vomit
18 The average cow drinks 30 to 50 gallons of water each day 19 Cows only have teeth on the bottom.
20 Cows have a great sense of smell. They can smell something up to 6 miles away.
21 A Holstein’s spots are like a fingerprint. No two cows have exactly the same pattern of black and white spots. They are all different
22 The average cow will eat about 100 lbs. of feed per day.

Parividha das performance in Vrindavan (12 min video)
A compilation of some of the songs that Parividha das sang in Vrindavan, where he was invited to perform at the 40th anniversary festival of the Krishna Balarama Mandir.. The video was edited by Achintya Rupa das.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/WVwE84

The post How to bring further auspiciousness into our lives appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

As the Greek oracle proclaimed, ‘know thyself’, and this is the first instruction in the Gita. It tells us we are parts of the Supreme Spirit and therefore we have the same nature—not only of eternality, but also pure knowledge and bliss. There is evidence for this as well in that we can see how we are always aspiring to attain those three states. Take the first, eternality. We constantly strive to secure our ongoing existence, seeking good health, longevity and whatever security we can in what is, let’s face it, a rather insecure world. Knowledge is also constantly sought in so many ways, we want to know what is happening (such as all those desperately important FB updates), we want the news and don’t like to be in the dark. And of course everything we do is aimed at somehow increasing our happiness or decreasing our discomfort and suffering. Continue reading "An Interview with Krishna Dharma: Science And Religion
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13th Annual Sir J.C.Bose Memorial Award, 2015.
Indian Science Monitor, a non-profit organization has been working relentlessly for more than two decades in identifying and promoting great achievers. Sir J.C.Bose Memorial Award (previously as ISM Achievement Award) has been constituted 10 years ago and till now more than 40 eminent luminaries have been awarded and their contribution in the field of Science & Technology, Education, Environment Science, Agriculture, Social Sciences have been highlighted to the concerned public and to the Government.
This year award function is being held on 19th January at Bose Institute Main Complex, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata.
January 19, 2016, was a red-letter day for Bhaktivedanta National School The School, which is affiliated to the CBSE, was selected for an Institutional Award by Indian Science Monitor (ISM) for promoting education in the rural areas of Sridham Mayapur.
HG Radhakanta Gopala Das (A. S. Rajagopalan), the Principal received this award for his contribution in bringing up such a school that offers quality education in a spiritual atmosphere, where the students learn the principles of life and the Absolute Truth.
Two children from the School (1) Monidipa Ghosh of class X and (2) Sunay Kumar Panda of class VI received Talent Certificate.
Hon’ble Minister for Science and Technology, Government of West Bengal Dr Rabiranjan Chattopadhyay, graced the occasion and honored all the recipients of the Award.

January 23. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavatam purports sometimes shift from one topic to another. For example, in his purport to Bhagavatam 10.1.17, we read that at one time the world was overburdened with demoniac kings who were harassing the people. The verse and purport are relevant to modern politics, where every nation is trying to build up its military power. Then in the next verse, we hear that Lord Brahma went with the demigods to the shore of the milk ocean and recited the Purusa-sukta prayers. Brahma received a direct message back from Lord Visnu. In that purport, Prabhupada writes mystically that you may get a direct message from Krishna when you meditate on Him. He says that this can be done even today, and he gives the example of how subtle communications go by television and other methods. When reading Prabhupada purports, we should be patient and happy to follow Prabhupada as he goes from one topic to another. Gradually, we may begin to understand, that for Prabhupada, Krishna is present everywhere, and the jurisdiction of Krishna consciousness is everywhere. If Prabhupada turns his attention to the world’s political situation with thoughts of lamentation or anger, that is Krishna consciousness. When he turns directly to Krishna and forgets this world, that is also Krishna consciousness. As Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, “For one who sees Me everywhere, I am never lost and he is never lost to Me.” We should move with Prabhupada in his Bhaktivedanta purports from one topic to another. With each purport, he gives all that the previous acaryas have said, and he reflects on it based on his own experience. If we read Prabhupada with at least a little understanding of how he composed his purports, one after another, then we, too, will begin to see Krishna everywhere.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

New Year Drama – Mrigari

From Purport to Purport

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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The post Gita 09.01 – Krishna’s glory can be appreciated by the devoted, not the envious appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Work to Live – Avoid Work That Eats You Alive!
Chaitanya Charan Das: Work is essential for survival, as the Bhagavad-gita (03.08) acknowledges. Yet the same work that is vital can become vitality-sapping if done excessively. When work becomes the sole definer of our self-identity and self-worth, it degenerates to an indulgence, even an addictive indulgence.
Just as alcohol can become an obsession that devours everything else in an alcoholic’s life, so too can work become an obsession that devours everything else in a workaholic’s life. Whereas alcoholism’s harms – physical deterioration, financial drain and behavioral lapses – are usually hard to hide, workaholism’s harms are often hard to notice. It inebriates us with a heady sense of success while silently sidelining things that make life worth living.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/IGgrjj