Planet ISKCON

By Zayani Bhatt

Devotees from temples across the UK congregated at Bhaktivedanta Manor on Saturday 9th January to celebrate the success of the Srila Prabhupada Book Distribution Marathon, which ran for a month from 21st November to 25th December 2015.

Known as the Sankirtan festival, the event was the culmination of the hard work put in by the UK temples, in sharing Krishna Consciousness in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books with new audiences.

Led by Visvambhara Prabhu, a long term advocate of book distribution, devotees celebrated the numbers of books that various individuals, groups and whole temples had distributed and the donations that had been collected. Those who were within the top 50 for distributing most books were given a small token of appreciation from senior devotees HH Dayanand Maharaj, Kripamoya Prabhu, Dhananjaya Prabhu and Praghosa Prabhu to celebrate their success and hard work, as well as to encourage others to partake in the next marathon at the end of this year.

Despite being one of the eldest devotees present, HH Dayanand Maharaj continues to distribute books today, having started in 1984. As he explained; “Book distribution is the best service. It is most enlivening.”

This was a sentiment echoed by Guru Shakti Devi Dasi, who was the highest book distributor amongst the ladies: “It is the most beautiful, amazing life experience. People were so respectful, accepting and receptive” she said. She also thanked Visvambhara Prabhu for his support and for inspiring her in this service.

Amongst the men and overall, Gopal Raya Prabhu from ISKCON Wales distributed the most books, achieving the total of 3,234 books. Bhaktivedanta Manor had distributed the highest number of books: a grand total of 131,226 books and 67 sets of books, surpassing their target of 100,000. Led by Sutapa Prabhu, this doubled the previous years book distribution effort.

Sutapa Prabhu said, “The year was a success because of how unique it was. We’ve had 300-350 devotees going out to distribute – double the number we had last year. A tremendous buzz and inspiration was created.”

As Sruti Dharma Prabhu explained, “The leadership provided by Sutapa Prabhu and team was outstanding this year. They inspired the hearts, minds and confidence of an entire community and thus we managed to achieve our highest score since 1990.”

Visvambhara Prabhu and Titiksu Prabhu also took the opportunity to officially launch the 50/50 campaign, an initiative launched as part of ISKCON’s 50th anniversary celebrations this year. The campaign encourages devotees to distribute one book a week, thereby distributing over 50 books over the course of the year.

For more information about the 50/50 campaign. please visit: http://iskconbookdistribution.com/the-5050-campaign-for-iskcons-fiftieth-year/

January 16. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Immortal Prabhupada! We should not think that we are better than Prabhupada because he has passed on and we are still living in this “wonderful” world. It is not that Prabhupada is now among the unfortunate dead and we are living. The whole basis of connection with Prabhupada is that we are all eternal. Socrates said that the soul is immortal, and he chided his disciples for thinking otherwise about him. If we want to be with Prabhupada, we must have faith that he is not dead. He is eternal. He is preaching somewhere, and we will also always be preaching somewhere. Otherwise, what is the meaning of being his follower? Prabhupada has gone ahead of us, and we are following. In the old days, people would go ahead of their families and leave Europe for America. Their families would join them later after everything had been prepared. So Srila Prabhupada has gone ahead, leaving us memories and solid teachings for our lives. If we cannot complete our progress in one lifetime, we will continue in the next. Wherever we go, we want to make further progress with Srila Prabhupada.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

The correct way to chant a mantra, traditionally, is to receive it from a person who understands it deeply and is willing to guide you through its use and practices, and to then chant the mantra under that guidance. This is called diksha and shiksha. Diksha refers to getting the mantra and shiksha refers to getting the guidance on what it means and how to use it. 
Mantras are composed of words, that is why we have to pay attention to the words. That’s what it means to “hear”, “hear the sound”, or “hear the sound vibration.” “Vibration” doesn’t mean that some zig zag wavelength is reorganizing your wavelengths and bio rhythms. That is new age mumbo jumbo, I think. “Vibration” simply describes what a word is. It is a sound, thus it is a vibration. Sound vibrations in the form of words carry meaning. It is the meaning which the crucially important essence of a word, the sound alone is merely the outer shell, and the wavelengths are simply threads forming that shell. 
Mantras are made of words, not tones. They are words, not abstract sine wave frequencies and tones. The most important thing for using a mantra effectively is to understand those words, their meaning and meaning formed by the placement of the words together, the grammar. That is what shiksha is all about! After receiving a mantra we must get shiksha about that mantra, otherwise the diksha is incomplete and thus not very effective. 
If we chant a mantra without understanding much about it, the best effect we can expect is that it will eventually cause us to seek shiksha so we can comprehend the meaning. When the words are understood and the meanings are deeply contemplated, visualized and explored while chanting it, then a mantrap gives its full effect.

08.01.2016 H.G.Abhaya Prabhu SB-06.04.15-17

https://flic.kr/s/aHsksYetN4

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Immortal Prabhupada

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

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

Bhismadeva, lying on the bed of arrows after being shot by Arjuna, was very peaceful and was saying that one can conquer anger by learning to forgive. So this the problem – that one cannot forgive! But why is it that we cannot forgive!? It is very hard to forgive others but it is very easy to forgive ourselves! When we do something wrong, we can give a hundred reasons to justify it – we say that we were forced to do it, that it was not actually wrong… but when someone else does a little thing, we get angry and we cannot forgive. So look at ourselves and where we forgive ourselves, we must also forgive others. One can conquer anger by learning to forgive, as Bhismadeva has spoken.

Today is Makara-sankranti, the date of the opening of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari’s temple and cultural complex at Hare Krishna Land, Juhu, Mumbai. The following is adapted from a talk by Radhanath
Swami.

I am grateful and honored and happy to be with all of you this evening. This event is traditionally held on Republic Day, and one of the reasons Republic Day is remembered and celebrated is the challenges, the sacrifices, even the sufferings that people had to endure for India’s independence.

As much as anywhere in the world, the place where Srila Prabhupada was challenged and had to make tremendous sacrifices was in Juhu, to build a home for Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari. In those days the site was kind of a swamp that was so far from the city that devotees couldn’t understand why Srila Prabhupada had chosen it for a temple. In New York the temple was in the Lower East Side, in the middle of the city, and the second temple, in San Francisco, was right in the middle of Haight Ashbury. In London the temple was just a few blocks from the British Museum. A temple was usually in the middle of a city, and then, if there was going to be something a distance from there, a satellite project would be established in the countryside. But in Bombay Srila Prabhupada wanted to build the temple in a place that seemed far away, and most of his followers couldn’t understand.

But the types of faith that Srila Prabhupada demonstrated and the struggles he endured over many years were extraordinary. He was in his mid-seventies. He didn’t have money, he had only a few followers from the West, who really didn’t know that much about dealing with situations in India, and the odds against him were insurmountable—powerful parties trying to cheat him, exploit him, and stop the progress. But Srila Prabhupada promised Radha-Rasabihari that he would build them a temple in Juhu. They were in a crude hut on this swampy land, with mosquitoes and rats and snakes and many antagonistic neighbors, but even when everything seemed hopeless, Srila Prabhupada had total faith: “I made this promise to Krishna, and it will be fulfilled.”

It was impossible by all material calculation, but when someone tried to tell Prabhupada that something was impossible, he would say, “Impossible is a word in a fool’s dictionary.” He wasn’t seeing it from the perspective of material ability, and by the grace of Krishna everything was possible.

The opening of the temple and the installation of the deities also happened in January, Makara-sankranti time. So this is like Republic Day for Radha-Rasabihari. And it’s a special day for us to remember Srila Prabhupada’s sacrifice, faith, and compassion, and all those who were at his side, helping.

The person who was at Srila Prabhupada’s side more than anyone else throughout those years—from the beginning till the glorious conclusion—was His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja. He is now in the process of writing a book about that era of Srila Prabhupada’s devotional service and the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari. He not only witnessed what took place; he was a crucial part of it. So of all the people living in the world today, there is no one more suitable and more empowered to share the story of the Juhu temple, which is truly an important story.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of Krishna. But up until the tenth canto, most of its stories focus on the devotees and culminate in their relationship with Krishna. Ambarisa Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja, Prahlada Maharaja, Pariksit Maharaja, Rantideva, the Pracetas, the Vrajavasis. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cited this verse from sastra, that the goal and essence of all the scriptures of the world cannot be understood through study alone. Neither can it be understood and realized by our sacrifices, our tapasya, or our charities. The true path is mahajano yena gatah sa panthah, to follow in the footsteps of great souls, through their prayers, through their teachings, and through how they applied them to their lives, in both sunny and stormy weather.

This book that His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja is writing is going to tell about our beloved paramahamsa acarya Srila Prabhupada—about his personal, intimate, loving relationship with Radha-Rasabihari and how in service to Them through all the challenges he was courageous, he was fearless, even when he was going against governments. His success wasn’t due to his physical strength or mental intellectual abilities; it was because he surrendered completely to the grace of Krishna—everything comes from that. It is an important story for the world, for all time. My humble request is that we all do everything we can to help Giriraj Maharaja complete this book. Hare Krishna.

[Adapted from a talk by Radhanath Swami, January 31, 2015, Juhu, Mumbai]

Happiness that is unending, increasing, interesting, and pure: Is it possible?

By HG Urmila Devi Dasi

Can one find happiness in this world? For most of us what we call “happiness” is the temporary mitigation of distress, or sadness. Without sadness, there is practically no meaning to happiness in a material conception of life.

First, all that we term “happiness” depends on some sort of prior suffering. We enjoy eating because we feel the pain of hunger; without any hunger or appetite, eating will bring us no pleasure, no matter how tasty and well prepared the food. We find pleasure in sleep due to the distress of fatigue; a child who isn’t tired will be told to “go to bed” as a punishment–not a reward. Sex is pleasurable because of the urgency of lust. Those who wish to increase their sexual pleasure therefore also desire to increase their lust. On the emotional level as well, company is meaningful when we have experienced loneliness. If we examine any type of material pleasure, we will find that the experience is enjoyable only in proportion to the amount of pain it alleviates. If there is no prior pain, the so-called pleasure will be meaningless or even perceived as distress also. On a full stomach, more food is painful, and to a well-rested person time in bed is an irritation. “Happiness” can therefore be defined as the temporary absence or mitigation of pain.

We need to have the lack of pleasure to experience pleasure for yet another reason than definition. Pleasure in this world diminishes with experience. If we eat our favorite food–say pizza–for breakfast, lunch, and dinner–in a few days, or certainly weeks, we will not only cease to gain happiness from it but will, in fact, abhor it. One who is constantly surrounded by even good friends will gradually cease to enjoy their company and will desire some time alone. All material pleasures, therefore, demand a “break” from them in order to experience their absence. This cycle is termed in Sanskrit as “bhoga-tyaga” or enjoyment and then renunciation of that enjoyment.

The cycle of enjoyment and renunciation of that enjoyment is seen in our patterns of work and vacation, eating and not eating, and so forth. There is simply not one type of pleasurable activity that will continue to give the same kind and degree of happiness continuously–there must be times of abstention in order to revive the original thrill. Even with breaks, the pleasure tends to diminish unless there is some time of prolonged or intense depravation of the happiness.

However, the type of happiness described above is not the only type in existence. Evidence for the fact that another type of happiness exists is there in the fact that we humans desire happiness that doesn’t require distance from it and is not based on suffering. We write and sing and dream of a happiness that will go on forever, increasing in intensity and pleasure with no concomitant suffering at all. Our love songs are full of promises of eternal bliss that grows by the hour, and we imagine that as we progress through life, gathering education, family, money, and various items and accomplishments, that our sense of satisfaction and happiness will grow.

Why do we desire a never-ending, ever-increasing happiness, a happiness not dependent on any experience of sadness, in a world that doesn’t seem to afford such a phenomenon? In other words, if such happiness doesn’t exist, why would anyone look for it?

The answer is that we are not of this world, but rather, are eternal spiritual beings unnaturally encased in a body of matter in a world of matter. We have as our spiritual heritage varieties of loving exchange with the Lord, exchanges that are, indeed, full of ever-expanding ecstasy which continues forever without a tinge of suffering. We search for and glorify such a state because it is our nature, although not visible here. Just as a forest dwelling animal in a desert will crave shade and water, though some desert animals can do without either (some animals get all their water from the plants they eat) so we spiritual beings crave the happiness that is our birthright in this land that conspicuously lacks it.

Of course, with our experience of happiness that is fleeting and dependent on sadness, some have concluded that all types of happiness will be boring and dull without periods of either lack or distress. They cannot imagine, however much they may want it on some level, that a world which is perpetually happy would be able to exist or be interesting. They consider the talk of spiritual happiness either a myth or to imply something insipid.

Actually, however, there are many saintly persons who describe spiritual happiness as dynamic and variegated. This happiness is based on an individual loving relationship with a personal yet unlimited Lord, Sri Krishna, who reciprocates with each devotee in an inexhaustible array of ways, in an endless variety of transcendent activities. In fact, there are many types of spiritual bliss, some of which appear externally to be what we would consider suffering–fear, grief, anxiety, and so on. Because of the similarity in superficial appearance between these advanced stages of ecstasy and material suffering, many of the most elevated activities of the Lord and His devotees are subject to misunderstanding because of our projection of material experience.

But don’t we have experience of different varieties of the same material happiness? For example, one can eat many flavors of ice cream. Pistachio ice cream is quite different from butter pecan, which is radically different from strawberry. And when one combines the various flavors with toppings, there are so many ways to enjoy ice cream. The variety of spiritual pleasure is something like those ice cream flavors and toppings.

Types of pleasure in love of God can also be somewhat understood if we examine ways that people try to be happy within material life. It is not at all unusual for people to pay for movies and books which they know will make them frightened or sad or even horrified. Somehow, in those emotions we generally associate with a lack of happiness, they find some sense of pleasure. Truly, their pleasure is not in those “negative” emotions themselves but simply in a forgetting of their own life’s difficulties or in the sense of a great rush of feeling, no matter what the type.

Yet, however misguided and unfortunate the search for happiness that drives one to see, for example, a gristly horror movie, the point is that there are a great diversity of ways in which even materialistic people seek happiness. Why should spiritual happiness be devoid of such variation? In fact, because the material is a reflection or shadow of the spiritual, spiritual happiness has far more permutations and nuances, all of which dynamically increase the thrill of those who love the Lord. Indeed, love of Krishna, even in this world, can bring us to a life that is a thrill at every moment, and where sadness has no definition or trace.

Preparing Ourselves Spiritually.
Question: How can an aspiring spiritual practitioner prepare for something disastrous that can happen at any moment, and how can he or she tackle the situation of uncertainty?
Radhanath Swami: Our whole life should be prepared for each moment. If we have a strong foundation, when a storm comes you will have strength. If we have the wisdom and intelligence that is coming from hearing the great scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Chaitanya Charitamrita, if we are properly nourished with philosophy and if we are chanting the holy names properly and not committing offense to others, we get spiritual strength and intelligence, and then when these moments come we will be prepared.
If we are not prepared when the moment comes it is just like….when I was in Vrindavan, India, in 1971, there was a war between Pakistan and India. At night everyone was told to stay inside; they would cut out all electricity for the whole of Vrindavan, and if you had a candle or something you had to put a black covering over your window. The idea is that when the enemy planes come over and when they see light they will bomb. There was preparation. If you know that you are going to be attacked then you have to prepare yourself to be safe. It is not that just do anything you want and it does not matter.
So we know that maya (illusion) is going to attack. Definitely, she will attack you every day in so many ways from within and without. So we should prepare ourselves. We prepare ourselves by chanting attentively, hearing Srimad Bhagavatam, avoiding offenses to others, sincerity of our prayers of feeling helpless and crying out for Krishna’s mercy. Then when the storms come and the attacks come, we have some preparation.

Life In Full Color.
Ananda: When I took up Krishna bhakti many years ago it was like my life moved from black and white to color. Before then, I had a very limited understanding of, and interaction with, the world in general and spirituality in particular. I was smitten by an existential boredom and saw little adventure in the everyday grind of eating, sleeping, and working. And then I met Krishna. My life was splashed with color and depth like never before. There were new angles of vision, invitations to broader thought, experiences of spiritual energies on many levels, reasons to make me sing again, and new roads to dance upon. In a word, the practice of Krishna consciousness brought me to a whole new level of vibrant and colorful existence. And continues to do so 33 years later.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/VuhY2u

New Raman Reti: Vegetable Gardens in the Winter.
Dvarkadisa das: For those of us from up north growing vegetables in the winter takes some mental adjustment. For Janamejaya das and Sanka das it’s part of the program. The produce they produce on the farm throughout the year is all for the Deities’ pleasure. It is used for Deity offerings, the devotee lunch at the temple, Sunday Feasts, and occasionally for the Santa Fe College Krishna Lunch program. It is never for sale.
Of course, the winter rotation calls for different crops. Right now various kinds of lettuce lead the way—Iceberg, Romaine, Bib and a Spring Mix. Kale, collards and cabbage are also being harvested. Broccoli and more cabbage are being put into trays for the spring planting, and tomatoes and flowers will follow around the first of February. According to Janamejaya das, the deer have been more curious and less of a nuisance during the fall than they were in the summer. Still, part of the plans for the gardens is to raise the fences from a height of six feet to eight.
The gardens at the temple are an easy place to see devotional service in action. The service is done directly for the pleasure of our Deities and the devotees. It takes patience, perseverance, detachment, humility and dependence on Krishna. Devotees who have some interest in gardening and might want some advice, can feel free to ask Janamejaya das (if he doesn’t have some chores to do). If anyone wants to help directly a large bag of Cottonseed Meal would be appreciated, (available at Alachua Farm & Lumber), which will be mixed with various crushed rocks to amend the soil and support healthier plants.

Becoming One!
“Friday, 7 April 1972 - Melbourne Temple, 14 Burnett Street, St. Kilda
Although Prabhupada took it as his primary business to work solidly on his writing, he was generally always available to talk to guests. But whenever someone would come to see him, he wouldn’t waste time - he talked philosophy and logic. He constantly argued against atheism and impersonalism and, to prove the existence of God and the universality of Krsna consciousness, he often spoke strongly.
Later in the morning, he was visited by a group of followers of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The spokesperson of the group, the manager of a well-known Melbourne vegetarian restaurant, seemed preoccupied with the concept of merging into the Absolute.
With impeccable logic, Srila Prabhupada patiently explained that the concept of merging was not only unappealing, but also particularly impractical.
"You are all individuals. Every one of us is individual. So how [can] you conceive of merging? Suppose, just like we are here - one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. How we can merge? You just study philosophy. We are here, eight persons. How we can merge into one? Have you got any idea how we can merge? These eight persons, how we can merge into one?”
“To realise ourselves.”
“Well, if suppose you have realised, now, how to merge?”
“In realisation, there is that. In realisation there is merging.”
Prabhupada shook his head. He held up his right hand, his fingers extended. “Now, there are five fingers, one, two, three, four, five. How they can merge into one?”
“By realising this.”
Prabhupada patiently repeated his example. “No. These are five fingers - one, two, three, four, five. So these … there are different, five fingers. How they can merge into one? What is the process?”
“The name of the process?”
“No. Name or not name, how these five fingers can become merged into one? Tell me.”
Prabhupada answered his own question. He reached down and touched the microphone that was sitting on his desk. “Just like here is a thing. All the five fingers capture it.” He picked up the microphone with his fingers. “It becomes one. Although they are five - one, two, three, four, five - they are one.”
“Becomes one?”
“Yes. If the interest is one - to capture this - then it is one.”
Srila Prabhupada replaced the microphone on the table. “That means you cannot lose your individuality. But if your interest is one, then you merge into. Do you understand? Just like you are all Australian. How do you merge into the Australian conception? Because as Australian, you have one interest. So individuality cannot be killed. That is not possible. You are all individual. But when you make your interest one, then you merge into that thing.
"Your personality is different from his. His personality is different from him. He is different from you. But because you have got one interest, therefore you [are] one. Just like us. We are so many individuals. But our interest is Krsna. Therefore we are one.” “
From "The Great Transcendental Adventure” by Kurma dasa

Stay high forever! (Album with photos)
Harinama in Auckland, New Zealand. For the next 10 thousand years, chant, chant, chant!
Srila Prabhupada: “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” If one practices chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, he is naturally expected to chant Hare Krishna when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Krishna) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.15 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/v3qd3b

Diary of a Traveling Preacher

Volume 8, Chapter 4

March 16 – April 16, 2007

By Indradyumna Swami

As a devotee grows older, he becomes more and more aware, by the grace of the Lord, that his life is coming to a close and his time to achieve perfection in Krsna consciousness is running out.

Sometimes the signs come in disconcerting ways. A few months ago several of my disciples approached me and asked if I would tell the history of each of the salagram silas on my altar.

“Perhaps another day,” I replied.

“But Guru Maharaja,” said a woman disciple, “you’re the only one who knows the unique story behind each sila. And you’re getting older … ”

She didn’t finish the sentence. There was no need. Old age implies that things are winding down and coming to an end.

Another sign is the gradual departure of friends and loved ones as we cross the threshold of 50 years, the beginning of old age according to Vedic culture. With the passage of time their departures are more frequent and less surprising. Jayadvaita Maharaja has written:

“That’s how it is. You watch your friends go, one by one. Then those who are left watch you go.”

Of course, as devotees we have been studying and discussing these facts of life since the day we joined the movement. But somehow, they take on a different perspective as our own bodies age.

If we are prepared to leave, as we should be, we have nothing to fear. Krsna assures us in Bhagavad-gita:

dehi nityam avadhyo yam dehe sarvasya bharata tasmat sarvani bhutani na tvam socitum arhasi

“O descendent of Bharata, he who dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any living being.”

But the difference between theoretical knowledge and realization is vast. In order to bridge that gap the Lord sometimes accelerates a devotee’s progress by putting him through an ordeal, causing the devotee to become more serious in his spiritual life. By the Lord’s grace, I had such an experience upon my return to Durban, South Africa, at the beginning of April.

I had been complaining of pains in my upper back for some time, so a doctor and devotee friend of mine, Sunil Mohan das, had arranged an appointment for me with an osteopath. As I sat patiently on the examination table, the doctor ran his hand down my spine from behind. Suddenly, he stopped and gasped.

“Sunil,” he said, trying to mask his concern with a calm voice, “please come here.”

Sunil went around the table, and the two of them spoke quietly, but their hushed conversation let me know that there was a problem.

“Did you find something?” I finally said.

“Maybe,” Sunil replied. They then stepped into the next room.

As I strained to hear their conversation, I suddenly heard the word “melanoma.”

I broke into a cold sweat. I knew that melanoma is one of the most dangerous and aggressive forms of skin cancer. Last year my Godbrother, HH Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja, passed away from it. If caught in the initial stages it can be cured, but if left undetected it leaves little chance for survival.

“Excuse me doctors,” I said loudly, “did I hear you say melanoma?”

There was silence for a moment, and then Sunil came back into the room. “Yes, Maharaja,” he said. “There’s a dark, raised mole on your back with irregular borders. It’s not a good sign. But don’t worry. We can’t conclude anything until we send it in for a lab test.”

In the next room I could hear the osteopath talking on the phone to a dermatologist. “Come quickly,” he said. “It looks serious.”

In five minutes the specialist arrived. “It’s here,” said the osteopath as he showed the dermatologist the mole.

“Yes, I see,” said the dermatologist in a grave voice. He then injected me with a local anesthetic and removed the mole. He finished the job with four stitches and then held up the mole for the others to see.

All three remained silent. My apprehension increased.

“Let’s not come to any conclusions until we have the lab results,” Sunil said. “It may well turn out to be benign.”

“And if not?” I asked.

He paused. “In that case we’d have to begin chemotherapy or radiation immediately,” he said soberly. “But we’ll have to wait a couple days for the result. The lab is closed now and won’t open until Monday.”

On the way back to the temple I was immersed in thought. Suddenly everything in my life paled in comparison with the stark reality in front of me.

“Could this be the beginning of the end?” I thought. I was momentarily stunned.

Then I caught myself. “This is what all the training’s for,” I told myself. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

But it was indeed a surprise, despite all the classes I’d heard on leaving this world and the many that I had given as well.

I continued reflecting for a long time. “Of course, we have to wait for the lab results as Sunil said,” I thought, “but because they all showed so much concern, I’d better prepare myself for the worst.”

When I arrived at the temple, some devotees were waiting to see me outside my room. I didn’t feel like meeting with anyone, so I excused myself, went into the room, and locked the door.

“I wish I’d done more for my spiritual master,” I blurted out as I sat on my bed. “There were days I wasted so much time. And why didn’t I ever go deep into my sadhana, like many of my Godbrothers?”

I picked up my beads and started chanting with determination. Then I paused. “Well,” I said to myself, “are you finally going to start chanting with resolve?”

I looked down. “And?” I said softly. “And where will I go if I die? Back to Godhead?”

I glanced at my Radha-Krsna Deities on the altar. I got off the bed and sat in front of them.

“My Lord,” I prayed, “if it turns out I have a terminal disease and I have to take birth again, please let it be in the home of your devotee. And bless me that I can continue on the path of strict renunciation while always engaged in your loving service.”

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. It was Swarup Damodar, president of the Durban temple. He asked me if I wanted something to eat, but I had no appetite.

That night I tossed and turned. At one point I woke up thinking I had dreamed the events of the previous day. Then I realized it wasn’t a dream. I could not go back to sleep, so I got up and decided I would begin preparing a letter for my disciples and friends.

But first I wanted to write a letter to the GBC asking permission to accept initiation as a babaji and retire to Vrindavan to leave my body. It was not unprecedented. In 1975, Srila Prabhupada gave babaji initiation to my Godbrother, Audolomi das, who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

I also wanted to leave this world with no material possessions or designations. In this age the order of sannyasa involves dovetailing much of the material energy in preaching. It also carries with it prestige and honor. Although these assets are useful for service, they always pose a danger for a transcendentalist. When I die, I want to live out the last few months with nothing but the holy name. A babaji owns only the bare necessities of life, and his final service is chanting the holy names.

As Srila Prabhupada said at Audolomi’s babaji initiation:

“Sannyasa has got four stages: kuticaka, bahudaka, parivrajakacarya and paramahamsa. Parivrajakacarya, he travels all over the world. And after that, when he is fully mature, he can chant in one place Hare Krsna. He has no more business. So this is the last stage of mature sannyasa. But because you are thinking that you may not live many years, so you simply sit down, go to Mayapur. You have no other business. Simply go on chanting Hare Krsna mantra, and whatever little prasadam available, you take. And the rest of your life, simply engage in chanting. [Your name is] Audolomi das Babaji … so this is the first time in our institution: a babaji.”

After a few paragraphs, I decided to stop writing until Monday, when it would be confirmed whether I had melanoma or not. To continue with the letters would seem like a confirmation of the disease.

The next day I kept myself busy. I found that if I was idle even for a moment, my mind became disturbed speculating on the laboratory results.

That night, I again tossed and turned in my sleep. At 1:00 AM I got up and started chanting japa.

“This is what brought me to Krsna consciousness,” I thought. “This is what has maintained me all these years, and this is what will deliver me.”

I thought about my instructions to my disciple Vraja Lila dasi in Vrindavan as she gradually succumbed to leukemia. “Get into the fast lane,” I told her. Those words now echoed in my mind.

Sunday morning I kept busy again, but towards midday I called Sunil Mohan.

“Sunil,” I said, “I know the lab doesn’t open until tomorrow, but is there any way we can get the test done earlier? It’s very difficult waiting like this.”

He paused for a moment. “Let me see, Maharaja,” he said. “I’ll get right back to you.”

Ten minutes later he called back. “Okay, Maharaja,” he said. “I’ve asked one of the girls from the lab to go in and work on it. We’ll have the results by this afternoon.”

“Thank you,” I said.

In the afternoon I went for a walk in a local park, once again pondering the prospect of death.

“But what if the results show I don’t have the disease?” I suddenly thought, allowing a glimmer of hope I hadn’t considered. I stopped walking.

“If that were the case,” I said to myself, “I would wake up every day grateful for another chance to serve my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. And I’d redouble my efforts to assist him in spreading the glories of the holy names all over the world.

“And I’d take advantage of every spare moment to go deeper into chanting the holy names myself. And I’d read more. Every day, I’d drink the nectar of the Bhagavatam, and all the books left by our previous acaryas.”

I paused. “And I’d also try to become a lover of Krsna before I die,” I said.

Then I remembered the doctors’ reaction upon discovering the mole. “Better not get my hopes too high,” I concluded with a touch of hopelessness.

I continued walking. Fifteen minutes later my cell phone rang. From the number on the screen I could see it was Sunil Mohan. I hesitated to answer. Whatever was the report, I knew my life would never be the same again.

I let the phone ring a few more times, and then I answered.

“Hello, Maharaja, this is Sunil Mohan.”

“Hare Krsna, Sunil.”

“Maharaja, I have results of the lab test on that mole,” he said.

Then there was a long pause. Resigning myself to the worst, I took a deep breath and waited.

“Excuse me,” he said, “I just dropped the paper and had to pick it up. Maharaja, it’s okay. There’s no melanoma. It was just an ordinary mole that somehow became agitated. There’s no problem whatsoever.”

I was speechless.

“Hello?” Sunil said. “Maharaja, did you hear what I said?”

“Yes, I did,” I said. “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry if we caused you any worry,” he continued, “but we couldn’t take any chances.”

“Yes,” I said, “I understand. You did the right thing.”

“Okay, Maharaja. See you tomorrow.”

“Hare Krsna,” I said.

I put my cell phone in my pocket and went to sit under a tree. I joined my palms and began to pray. “Thank you, Lord,” I said. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”

I shook my head. “It’s amazing,” I continued. “There was never any real danger at all. Yet somehow I feel that You’ve given me another chance.”

I looked up. “Sometimes it’s hard to understand Your plan,” I said.

I reflected for a moment. “My Lord,” I said, “I know that one day a lab report will come back with news of my demise or that one day a fatal accident will befall me. Therefore, I beg You, help me remember all the valuable lessons I’ve learned during the past two days.”

When I arrived back at the temple, the devotees were lined up waiting to see me.

“It’s nice to see you happy, Maharaja,” a devotee remarked. “You looked a little down the past couple of days.”

“Did I?” I said. “Well I’m all right now.”

“How’s that?” he asked.

“I got a second chance,” I replied with a smile.

Srila Prabhupada said:

“So those who have taken to Krsna consciousness, it is a chance. You had previously some advantage of executing this Krsna consciousness. Somehow or other, you could not. So Krsna has given another chance. Don’t miss this chance. Make it complete. Make it complete and go to Vaikuntha or Krsnaloka. We should always pray to Krsna that, ‘Krsna, You have given this chance. Please have your grace upon me [so] I may not miss it. By maya’s influence I may not miss it. You have given me so great chance.’ This should be our business.”

indradyumna.swami@pamho.net www.traveling-preacher.com Official website for Diary of a Traveling Preacher

Courtesy of Nimai

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Preaching Program In Coanil Hospital Santiago De Chile (5 min video)
Sri Bhakti Das: Krishna Sambandha and devotees from India performed kirtan, gave prasad and books for everyone at the hospital.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/A1nvfC

The post Daily Darshan : January 15th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Varnasrama series, Scotland.

The post The qualities of all human beings appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Conversation in Scotland.

The post Doing the needful appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

“He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die,When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living tryTo spread the holy name around!”

By Sutapa Das,
Communication Incharge
ISKCON Mangalore
Karnataka.

Hare Krishna

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupäda’s vision for spreading the Sankirtana Mission of Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu encompassed four principles, or four waves, which he coined as the four-fold Gandhi movements in his 1949 letter to the Honorable Sardar Dr. Vallavbhajee Patel, the Deputy Prime Minister to the Government of India in New Delhi. If one closely looks at how Srila Prabhupäda developed his International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) established ten years later in 1966, these same four principles were introduced during the following eleven years of Srila Prabhupäda’s physical presence. (excerpts from Make Vrindavan villages). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJjIQb5jrtk

1. Sankirtana Movement : Introduced by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu In the form of Congregational chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra and distribution of spiritual literature.

2. Temple Worship Movement: By making temples all around the world and worshipping Lord Krishna with transcendental love and devotion in deity form.

3. Spiritual Initiation Movement: This includes formal initiation of devotees in the chain of disciplic succession.

4. Classless Society Movement: The fourth item is to organize the much discussed caste system as a solution of natural division of the human beings all over the world.

To commemorate this great event and following on the lines of Sankirtana movement, ISKCON Mangalore celebrated ISKCON’S Golden Jubilee festival in 2 broad realms:

• Kirtan festival : At Panambur beach, Mangalore on January 3^rd, 2016 in midst of mother nature and blessings of many senior Vaishnavas. The program was graced by His Holiness Indradyumna Swami(USA), HG Haripada Prabhuji and his good wife HG Phalini mataji(USA), HG Ekalavya prabhu, HG Patri prabhu(Russia) and many other devotees. Hundreds of devotees and thousands of visitors relished the mesmerizing and sublime chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

• Distribution of Spiritual literature: More than 1500 Bhagavad Gita and many other small books were distributed in various schools of Mangalore in the month of December.

Finally the president of ISKCON Mangalore, HG Sriram prabhu gave vote of thanks to all the devotee for their incredible service in making this program a great success. Jai Srila Prabhupada

Your servant

Sutapa Das

IYF Coordinator and communication incharge

ISKCON Mangalore, Jagannath Mandir, KUDUPU

For more photos, visit: https://www.facebook.com/iyf.jagannathmandirmangalore/media_set?set=a.542674815889508.1073741859.100004409826785&type=3

With the blessings of Prahladananda Swami, ISKCON’s Minister of Health, at the end of January a new website will be launched, consisting of personal testimonials from devotees who have been successful in treating their illnesses or others’ effectively with natural remedies.

James Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy, found more than 20 anti-inflammatory compounds in celery and celery seeds.

January 15. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Please forgive me for not speaking more directly of Prabhupada. This is all I have. It may be like reading a menu rather than giving you the feast. However, I am trying, and only by this way can I get closer. When I walk and talk with Srila Prabhupada, I feel that I am with him. It is real, this presence. It is not tangible in the sense that you can touch it or say, “There, I just saw a vision of Prabhupada. He was standing in the forest wearing a saffron coat.” Or, “I suddenly heard his voice saying, ‘Go on, you are doing very nicely.‘” Or, “He just said, ‘You rascal!” Or, “I suddenly smelled the aroma of his body—sandalwood, mustard oil and roses.” Or, “I suddenly felt something within myself and tears flowed and I cried out, ‘Prabhupada!'” I am not deriding such intense encounters, but I am saying the subtle, intangible presence is also worthwhile. When I come back from a walk I do not ask, “Was Prabhupada here? Did I meet him?” I am sure I did. We can talk to him. “Prabhupada, do you hear those birds? I do not know their names, but it is so nice to hear the birds sing in the morning. It is so nice to be in the country where practically the only sounds are those of nature. I know, Prabhupada, that you deplore the industry in the city, although we should be there for preaching. Prabhupada, is it like this in Vrndavana?”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4

Mangal Arati Of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath;10th January 2016

Walking and Talking with Prabhupada

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 08.21 – Our longing for home is our longing for the spiritual world appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Jiva Goswami was one of the most prolific and important acharyas in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. He was the nephew of Rupa Goswami and Sanatan Goswami.

Jiva Goswami left this world in 1596 (or 1618 according to some biographies). His samadhi is located in the precincts of the Radha-Damodara temple in Vrndavan.

Jiva Goswami is considered to be the incarnation of Vilasa Manjari, an eternal maidservant of Radharani.

Chant and be happy! (7 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: All glories to the all-blissful holy name of Sri Krishna, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Krishna is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 4.71 purport).
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/L57odf

I will tell you how I found out about it, and this story is a classic example of the dreadful reality faced by all the suffering souls of this material world. It also shows clearly what Srila Prabhupad has saved us from and why we should feel eternally indebted to him. It all started when I received a phone call from my parents saying that Dad was sick with cancer. I believe in omens, and my right eye started twitching profusely, so I knew that the outcome wouldn't be good. That was in the beginning of November. But Dad was optimistic. He was sure he could overcome everything, as he had always been the controller in every situation and had faced many trials in life and overcome them all. Until now he seemed to be a lucky guy, enjoying good facilities and good karma in every respect. Little did he know that his good karma had come to a grinding halt. If Krsna wants to save you no one can kill you, but if Krsna wants to kill you no one can save you. Dad had prostate cancer, and it had spread into his bones. He was having chemotherapy, but it failed twice. I rang one day, and he literally wept. "I'm dying," he said. I felt compassion for him. He was helpless in the hands of cruel fate. I tried to help. "Well don't worry," I said. "There is reincarnation. You will be okay. Just pray. God is kind." Continue reading "The Yamadutas at the Time of Death (Terminal Restlessness)
→ Dandavats"

In his upcoming new book “Our Family Business: The Great Art of Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s Books” – out February 24^th -- veteran distributor Vaisesika Das shares the history, key principles and techniques of book distribution, drawing from a lifetime of experience. Vaisesika, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, is known for strategizing innovative ways to distribute his spiritual master’s books on spiritual knowledge. 

Since we don’t hear of a demon named Madhu in Krishna’s pastimes, why does Arjuna address Krishna as “the killer of Madhu”?Madhusudana. The name always seemed curious to me. Where did it come from? In the Bhagavad-gita, one of our most sacred texts, Krishna is referred to as Madhusudana, or “the killer of the Madhu demon,” no less than five times. And yet, Krishna didn’t kill a demon named Madhu. I looked through the vast storehouse of Krishna’s pastimes over and over again. No Madhu, at least not in the form of a demon. Most commentators, including Srila Prabhupada, tell us that by referring to Krishna in this way, Arjuna, the hero of the Gita, is poetically indicating that Krishna should now slay Arjuna’s doubts, just as He had slain the three-dimensional foe of His past. But, again, where did that slaying take place? When did Krishna kill a demon named Madhu? Continue reading "The Madhusudana Mystery
→ Dandavats"

Popular wisdom, from doctors and moms alike, is that yoga and happiness go hand in hand. But are "real" yogis immune to despair? Is despondency somehow antithetical to yoga?

Please find below recordings of lectures and kirtans by Kadamba Kanana Swami taken during various programs while he was in Mayapur.

Update

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The end of Kartik 

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Parikrama on 29 November 

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Programs on Sunday, 06 December 

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KKS_Mayapur_06Dec2015_Initiation_Lecture

KKS_Mayapur_06Dec2015_Russian_Sunday_Program_Jaya_Radha_Madhava

KKS_Mayapur_06Dec2015_Russian_Sunday_Program_Kirtan

KKS_Mayapur_06Dec2015_Russian_Sunday_Program_Lecture

Other Programs

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KKS_Mayapur_12Dec2015_House_Program_Kirtan

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Parikrama on 13 December 

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Iskcon Alachua: Community Unity Food Pantry Up and Running!
Every Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. you can stop by and pick up foods to supplement your own family’s pantry. And if you can’t drive for any reason, they can deliver to you. The pantry is housed in a brand new shed, and an AC was just donated to keep items fresh. Go to http://communityunity.me/current-events/ to find out more.