Planet ISKCON

Study shows red meat dwarfs others for environmental impact, using 28 times more land and 11 times water for pork or chicken.

MEET THE PUJARI: Syamamrita Vitarani devi dasi.
In the mid-nineties, Syamamrita Vitarani (Victoria Zinchenko) would sometimes run into devotees on the streets of her home city in Moscow. She never paid much attention until her father brought home a Bhagavad- gita.
Syama recalls that she and her mother were not too pleased when dad immersed himself in reading the sacred conversation. Aware of family disapproval and keen to avoid conflict, dad would hide in the bathroom to study the text.
At the age of 15, due to some health problems, Syama became a vegetarian and her mom and dad joined her in support of her alternative choice. Syama met her husband Vladimir Vodopyanov (Visnujana dasa) at her workplace in the sky, as they were both employed by Aeroflot International Airlines.
Vegetarian food was hard to come by at that time in Russia and she laughingly recalls an early date with her husband when they sat on a park bench and shared a whole jar of pickles.
Being keen to develop a spiritual lifestyle at this time, the couple were practising Tai Chi along with the parents and grandparents. They also embraced a mystic yogic path of deep meditation, which culminated in walking across shattered glass and glowing embers. No accidents were involved!
Eventually they met Krishna devotee Medini Pati dasa, who guided them in the practices of devotional life.
Syama assisted the pujaris at the local temple in Moscow and also took the Deity worship course, learned the art of Vedic cooking and Vedic psychology. Daughter Nika (16) and son Balarama (14) are now senior students at New Govardhana gurukula.
Syama, with assistance from the kids, took up garland-making, paraphernalia duties and cooking several times a week for her guru Mukunda Goswami.
She is presently appreciating performing the midday offering and arati twice a week at the New Govardhana community, Australia. Visnujana dasa is taking a Bachelor of Film Production course at the SAE Institute.
The couple are happy to serve at the temple and be near to their spiritual master, Mukunda Maharaja.

By Yasoda devi dasi

On the 12 September, New Govardhana had a visit from 44 Year 9 students from Kadina High School, Goonellabah. The students were accompanied by three of their teachers. They are studying Geography at school and as part of their curriculum are required to investigate a ‘Community’.

Upon arrival, we visited the fruit and flower gardens in the Krishna Village area. We looked at the type of shortterm accommodation available and the communal kitchen, pizza oven and so on. We wandered across to the yoga centre and they were very impressed with how the shed had been beautified and converted into a yoga centre. We also headed up to the vegetable gardens to look at the produce growing here and to view some of our cows lazing in the sunshine. This led us into a discussion about the concept of “Simple living and high thinking”.

The bus drove everyone to the temple area. The teachers had sent me a document of 18 questions prior to the day of the excursion. I answered these as a group, as it is a requirement that the students were to discuss and record the answers for an assignment that they will complete back at school after their visit to us. The questions are quite varied and some of the topics include Hare Krsna key beliefs, sense of identity, lifestyle features, history and the like.

It was now time for the midday arati. This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to experience first hand what they had come here to learn about. I had asked permission from the gurukula, if the secondary students would be present at the arati. Anjali led a very powerful kirtana, with most students assisting with playing instruments. The students from Kadina were dancing enthusiastically.

The gurukula students then sang the Shanti mantras for peace, which impressed everyone with their potency. We followed this with the gurukula students explaining a little about their lifestyle and answering questions from the Kadina students. It was a wonderful exchange for everyone involved.

The Kadina students enjoyed a succulent lunch of prasadam cooked by Jhulan dasi. Many thanks to the devotees who assisted on the day, especially Vasustrestha dasa and those who assisted. This contributed in making it a very special and memorable day for the students.

Finally, I was so impressed that one of the teachers from Kadina has brought many school excursions to our community from various schools that he has taught at over the years. He had first visited us when he was a student on the same type of bus tour with the school he attended as a teenager. This showed me how much of an impression that our community had upon him, so much so that he wishes to share the experience with his own students whom he now teaches.

I am reading this wonderful book, “Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya”, by Śrīla Sac-cid-ānanda Bhaktivinoda Thākura which is a conversation between Lord Nityānanda and the young Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī as they go on a tour (parikramā) of the holy dham. Once the parikrama is over and Srī Jīva is blessed to go to Sri Vrindhavan, he submits the following statements to the assembled Vaishnavas (devotees of Krishna) in the courtyard of Śrīvāsa’s home. Folding his hands, he said to all of them:

Please excuse all of my offenses. You are Sri Chaitanya’s servants, the gurus of the world. O desire trees, be merciful on this insignificant living entity. Let the attraction of my mind reside in Lord Chaitanya. And let Nityananda Prabhu be the goal birth after birth! Without understanding I have given up my home as a mere child, but you are my friends, taking care of my life. Without the mercy of the Vaishnavas one cannot attain Krishna. Therefore, brothers, give me the dust from your feet.”

By Madhavendra Puri dasa

Venture up the back hills of New Govardhana Farm, to Harrison House, or by chance be at the temple at an odd time of the day and you may get the privilege of bumping into the somewhat unassuming, gentle soul known as Mukunda Goswami. Despite his humility, Mukunda Goswami is a veteran of the Hare Krishna movement, who was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in the very first Western yajna in 1966. He located the first ISKCON temple (NY), went on to establish the second ISKCON temple in San Francisco and then with a few devotees travelled to London and spread Krishna consciousness all over Europe. The rest is history.

Recently, Maharaja has been living a rather recluse life, yet when difficulty struck, a worldwide community brought their hearts and minds together to offer loving prayers for his wellbeing. On 23 October Maharaja slipped in his bathroom, fractured a hip and was ambulanced to Murwillumbah Hospital. Later he was transferred to Tweed Hospital for optimal care and pre-operation tests. Tests showed irregularities in his heart and Maharaja suffered a heart attack in hospital. He was transferred to Gold Coast Hospital and underwent a triple bypass openheart operation on 27 October. Three days later Maharaja went in again for a critical hip operation.

As all this was unfolding, prayers were flooding in from all corners of the world.

“I have been thinking of Mukunda Goswami constantly and praying for him intensely” said Giriraja Swami.

Mukunda Goswami’s brother, Tom Grant (an established jazz musician), also asked for prayers on the night of Maharaja’s first surgery, pulling together thousands of correspondents in prayerful thoughts.

Niranjana Swami posted: “Please continue with prayers for Mukunda Goswami and as much as possible have kirtanas for him.”

Devotees organised kirtanas in New Govardhana, and Krsna Ksetra Swami organised kirtanas in Radhadesh, Belgium, and there were many more around the globe dedicated to Maharaja.

“We pray to Radha Madhava that your operation is successful and you give your association again” said Jayapataka Swami, and Lokanatha Swami organised 1,500 devotees on Vraja-mandala parikrama to pray for Mukunda Goswami’s protection and recovery.

Many devotees sent prayers and praise including some very senior leaders. Bhakti Caitanya Swami, Bhakti Caru Swami, Bhaktivaibhava Swami, Laksmimoni Mataji, Malati Mataji, Radhanath Swami, Ramai Swami, Ravindra Swarupa Prabhu, Sivaram Swami, and many other godbrothers, godsisters and wellwishers all sent heartfelt messages.

Maharaja is spending some weeks in Murwillumbah Rehabilitation Ward before being discharged.

In the meantime his residence is being analysed by an occupational therapist and will have necessary modifications prior to his return. We all continue to pray for Maharaja’s full recovery.

As Kavicandra Swami aptly put it: “We all owe Mukunda Goswami a great debt for his going out to preach with nothing but his love for Srila Prabhupada.”

The post Turning our faces towards Krsna appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Chennai’s Iskcon Temple gets inundated by flood waters.
Note from the local devotees: Chennai is suffering from continous rain. Most areas flooded.
Our temple is surrounded by water. We are moving our devotees to a safer place.
Videos and photos: https://goo.gl/d2xprv
https://goo.gl/N0CSGK
https://goo.gl/ZPeygw

The Sacred Path To Ter Kadamba (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: From Yavat, where Radharani lived with Her in-laws, to Ter Kadamba, where Srila Rupa Goswami did bhajan, is one of the most sacred and beautiful walks in Vrindavan. It was our final parikrama in Kartika and we relished every step.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tcDYQH

By Basu Ghosh Das

Pictures of the bhumi puja can be seen on the internet here:

http://tinyurl.com/nm53ko4

Jagannath Puri is one of the four holy “dhamas”, sacred places of pilgrimage, described in the Puranas and is visited by thousands of Hindus on a daily basis. The Brahma and Skanda Puranas mention that city of Puri itself was built in ancient times by Raja Indradyumna. It is most famous today for the ancient temple of Lord Jagannath, His elder brother Baladev, and His sister Subhadra. This temple was built by the Rajas of Kalinga and Utkala (ancient names of present day Odisha), situated in East India on the bank of the Ganga Sagara (literally “Ocean of Ganges water”).

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, after accepting the order of sannyas, made his headquarters at Puri upon the request of his mother, Sachi Mata. After traveling throughout much of India for six years, he resided continually at Puri for the last twelve years of his manifest presence. Namacharya Haridas Thakur also resided at Puri during the presence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and left his body before Mahaprabhu’s disappearance. One of Mahaprabhu’s prominent pastimes at Puri was to personally place the body of Haridas into a samadhi on the ocean shore. For these reasons, Puri holds special importance for his followers, the Gaudiya Vaishanvas.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was posted as a Government Officer at Puri around 1870. It was here that his son, Vimala Prasad, who was to become Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was born. And his disciple, ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada expressed the desire that a grand center of ISKCON be established at Puri.

The annual Jagannath Rathayatra festival (chariot festival), observed on the aashaadh shukla dvitiya (second day of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of aashadh) draws more than a million (ten lakhs) pilgrims to Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu attended the annual festival during his presence five hundred years ago. Srila Prabhupada instituted this festival around the world. Nowadays this festival has become synonymous with ISKCON, almost everywhere!

Srila Prabhupada wrote to his godbrother, Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Maharaj on April 8, 1972:

“You have requested me in your letter to consider for purchasing another house. But there is one difficulty, because the present administration of Jagannath Puri sometimes do not allow us to enter the temple. Of course, for our vaishnavas this discrimination is spiritually illegal: Arche siladhi gurusu navamati vaisnave janavate: if one is dressed in vaishnava dress, according to vaishnava law, if he is considered not a vaishnava, then that is a hellish condition. You know this also. So I think so long Vishwanath Das, Chief Minister of Orissa, is there, he should pass some law to help us. Vishwanath Das knows everything, he can pass an act to allow foreign disciples into Jagannath Puri. Many hundreds of foreign disciples will be coming to India in the near future, and already we have got nearly 100 men there, so it is a great opportunity for the administrative officials of Puri to increase the fame and prosperity of Jagannath Puri all over the world, and it will be their misfortune if so many qualified devotees of the Lord are not allowed into the temple, simply because they have taken their birth in a faraway place. So if you are able to do something, and approach the right persons like Mr. Vishwanath then we shall be free to have our center in Puri.”

While the struggle for foreign devotees to enter the temple of Jagannath continues, it is a fact that despite the continued ban on entrance, thousands of foreign ISKCON devotees visit Jagannath Puri regularly. To date ISKCON does not have a proper center to facilitate these devotees visits to holy Jagannath Puri dham.

However, that is about to change.

After years of struggles of various types, including having to overcome a number of legal hurdles, ISKCON has inaugurated the beginning of a grand project at Jagannath Puri by performing the bhumi puja and installation of Ananta Shesha on the 18 acre ISKCON project land in a grand ceremony that was attended by thousands of devotees who participate in an annual three day Puri Parikrama (circumambulation of Jagannath Puri) organized by Bhakti Purushottam Swami, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commissioner for much of Eastern India, including his native Odhisha (formerly “Orissa”).

Seven to eight thousand devotees, mainly from Bengal and Orissa, but also from other parts of India and abroad attended this years Puri Parikrama. Teachers and students of the Bhaktivedanta Academy at Sridham Mayapur performed the bhumi puja rituals. Headed by the Academy Dean Pritivardhana Das, the boys performed homas to satisfy Lord Jagannath. Later on Krishna Chaitanya Das assisted Lokanath Swami in the installation of the Deity of Ananta Shesha, the expansion of Lord Vishnu who is the supporting power holding up the universe, in the ground where the foundation of the Radha Krishna temple will be constructed.

Twelve ISKCON sannyasis attend the bhumi puja, i.e. Jayapataka Swami, Lokanath Swami, Subhag Swami, Bhakti Purushottam Swami, Bhakti Vishrambha Madhava Swami, Bhakti Gaur Narayan Swami. Gauranga Prem Swami, Bhakti Nityananda Swami, Rama Govinda Swami
Prabodhananda Saraswati Swami, Bhakti Ashray Vaishnav Swami, and Bhakti Priyam Gadadhar Swami.

Several senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada attended the program, i.e. Turiya Das, Pankajanghri Das, Mayapur Chandra Das, Bhaktarupa Das, Basu Ghosh Das, Shakitmati Devi Dasi, Kusha Devi Dasi and Shubhangi Devi Dasi. Senior ISKCON devotees Braja Hari Das, Bhadra Charu Das, Aravindaksha Govinda Das Madhavananda Das, and Vanamali Das were in attendance.

Bhakti Purushottam Swami spoke and described to the assembled devotees about the glories of Lord Jagannath’s Mahaprasadam. He explained in great detail why the Lord’s prasadam is offered to the Deity of Vimala (Durgadevi) after being offered to Lord Jagannath.

Devakinandan Das, the Chairman of the Puri Project Committee, which has been mandated by the ISKCON Governing Body Commission as the zonal authority for the Puri Project, addressed the crowd in both Hindi and English and encouraged them to support the project. Bhadra Charu Das translated his speech into Bengali and Oriya.

Jayapataka Swami and other senior devotees on the stage released the large verison of the Project brochure – a separate pamphlet was also released – detailing the various aspects of the proposed project. Jayapataka Maharaj himself told the crowd that Srila Prabhupada had a desire to construct a large temple and project at Puri and now that desire of his will be fulfilled. And guests pledged almost a million rupees (Rupees ten lakhs) towards the project on the spot.

The Puri project itself is situated on 18 acres of land at Sipasirubuli, on the Southwestern side of the town. Some of the features of the ISKCON Puri Project, the estimated cost of which will be approximately Rupees one hundred crore (fifteen million US dollars) are:

Grand Radha Krishna Temple
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum
Lord Jagannath Lila Museum
Library
Amphitheater and auditorium
Amusement park for chidren
Govinda’s restaurant
International Guest house
Ayurvedic Clinic and Yoga center
Inmate ashram & prasadam hall
Convention hall
Bhakta nivas (residence for devotees) – 500 units
Vedic school
Dharmashal (low cost residence for pilgrims)
Vaishnav market area

Detalied project plans can been seen on the internet at the Project website: www. puriiskcon.com.

Those who are interested to donate for the project or donate for a residence in the bhakti nivas, where one, two, and three bedroom/hall/kitchen facilites are to be constructed may contact Puri Project Director and Temple President Vanamali Das via e-mail at , or , or contact him over the phone: +91-94370-65008.

Additionally, the ISKCON Puri Project is already operating a guest house to facilitate ISKCON devotees and life patrons.

The ISKCON Puri Project guest house is situated in a new building located just off the main Chakratirtha Road, behind the Purushottam Vatika on road near the Urban Hatt to Railway station road. Nearby the Puri Railway station, which is only half a kilometer from the guest house.

Eighteen rooms are available, and all rooms have split air conditioners, and wifi internet. All the rooms have attached bath rooms with hot water.

The project has already begun a Govinda’s Restaurant. This fully air conditioined restaurant, is situated on the main Chakratirtha Road at Banki Mohan, not far from the Mayfair Hotel, and the Subhash Bose Statue. Govinda’s runs on “alacarte” system. Life Patrons can avail 20% discount at Govinda’s.

On November 21st, 2015 about 200 people braved the winter conditions to come to an interfaith meeting organized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam'at Canada. The theme was God: Fact or Fiction? There were four speakers: a Baptist minister, an atheist, an Ahmadiyya Muslim representative, and ISKCON member Krsnadasa Kaviraja dasa.

After years of struggles of various types, including having to overcome a number of legal hurdles, ISKCON has inaugurated the beginning of a grand project at Jagannath Puri by performing the bhumi puja and installation of Ananta Shesha on the 18 acre ISKCON project land in a grand ceremony.

December 2. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada, you had so little money: Camping in an office lent by a yogi; barely having enough for eatables to pay the high prices, to survive the Manhattan cold – but you are not afraid.
We want to follow you, Srila Prabhupada, although we fight so much. We pray to receive you in the standard ways. Please deliver us from the wrongs of ordinary life in which we tend to get stuck. Please deliver us from forgetfulness of you, forgetfulness of your mission.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Kartik Yatra 2015 Day 02 (Part 04) by HH Radhanath Swami at Vrindavan

Listening to Prabhupada Sing Alone in His Room, 1965

Q: How is it possible that all the sins and so on from a deciple go to the guru, and the guru becomes sick? Is this true?

It is just a principle of karma that everyone involved in an activity gets some portion of the results.

This principle is even reflected in our conception of law. If several people conspired in different roles to execute a crime, for example, they are all punished for it – proportionate to the nature of their involvement.

Our parents, teachers, rulers, and even older friends and siblings strongly our decisions and actions. Therefore they also deserve some percentage of the punishment or reward we get for those decisions and actions. That is why the parents, gurus, kings, leaders and so on get some portion of the karma of the people who are in their care.

The guru doesn’t “take all the karma of a disciple.” If that were so, the disciple would disappear immediately from the karmic world! It is just that the guru accepts the responsibility of guiding the disciple’s actions. Whatever good or bad the disciple does has something (not everything, but something) to do with the quality of the guru’s guidance, and that is why the guru receives some (not all, but some) good or bad karma as a result of the disciples good or bad karmic actions.

It also works in bhakti. Krishna feels grateful to the guru for whatever sincere bhakti a disciple performs, because the guru is partially responsible for it. Conversely Krishna is personally displeased with a guru whose disciples perform aparādhā and otherwise work against the principles of pure devotion.

I hope this clarifies.

– Vraja Kishor das
www.vrajakishor.com

Tagged: Guru, karma, reactions

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 April 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.34)

It is interesting that in the purports of the Bhagavad-gita when Srila Prabhuapda describes the mode of goodness then Srila Prabhupada does not say that you have to be in the mode of goodness, which is impossible. How can we be in the mode of goodness? He says that you have to associate with the mode of goodness! So, that we can do!

And by associating in the mode of goodness, we cultivate the mode of goodness. Of course, there are so many rules – sit properly, eat properly, chant properly… everything properly, properly, properly – but this willingness to change must be there. The sense of rebelliousness, “I want to do it my way,” is a sign of passion and ignorance.

We see that the demigods are situated in the mode of goodness; they are always trying to do things properly. We read in scriptures that the willingness to change must be there:

tad viddhi pranipatena

pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah (Bhagavad-gita 4.34)

We must approach a bonafide spiritual master in a humble and submissive mood. A mood willing to hear and willing to change!

During the month of Margasirsha, every day early in the morning the young daughters of the cowherds would take one another’s hands and, singing of Krishna’s transcendental qualities, go to the Yamuna to bathe.

Desiring to obtain Krishna as their husband, they would then worship the goddess Katyayani , or Yogamaya Devi, the spiritual energy of Lord Krsna, with incense, flowers and other items.

Srila Prabhupada’s personal japa mala!

Festival of the Holy Name in Alachua, USA (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Those who are advanced and highly qualified and are interested in the essence of life know the good qualities of Kali-yuga. Such people worship the age of Kali because in this age, simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can advance in spiritual knowledge and thus attain life’s goal. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.5.36)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HflNkK

ISKCON Calgary 25th Anniversary Celebration.
ISKCON Calgary is very happy to announce the Celebration of 25th Anniversary of our Beloved Sri Sri Radha Madhava & Srinathji Deities. MAHA ABHISHEK of the Big Deities will be performed with 12 Hour Kirtan throughout the Program…
10:00 AM TO 10:00PM - 12 HOUR KIRTAN
4:00PM - 5:30PM MAHA ABHISHEK
5:30PM - 6:00PM BHOGA OFFERING
6:00PM - 6:30PM SANDHYA AARTI
6:30PM - 7:30PM DRAMA & PLAY
7:30PM - 8:30PM LECTURE
8:30PM - 10:00PM PRASHADAM WILL BE SERVED WITH ESTATIC KIRTAN GOING ON…
We would be very happy to have you all come with all the Friends and Family members to Celebrate with us the big momentum on the Christmas Day December 25th 2015 Friday.
We hope to see you all @ ISKCON Calgary
Radha Madhava Cultural Association (RMCA)
313 4th ST, NE
T2E 3S3 AL - CAN
For further details please contact +1(403) 265 3302

By Romapada Swami

Keeping Krishna in the center doesn’t mean we have no relationships with others; rather, we then have the proper perspective of our spiritual relationship with all beings. In the last several decades, after having made the state secular, carefully keeping any mention of God out of educational institutions and relegating religion to a sort of personal hobby or an unofficial non-governmental Social Welfare agency, there has been no dearth of researches and reform movements and humanitarian efforts targeting the upliftment of others, seeking in various ways to help people. Thousands of good-willed social scientists, educators & psychologists are all trying their very best to come up with improved methods for character education for children, and so on. For all that effort, the world should be becoming increasingly more peaceful, people becoming increasingly courteous and loving and accommodating of each other etc - but any objective and discerning onlooker can see that the trend is in the reverse, with crime, fraud and social unrest on the rise every day; even neighbors think twice to trust each other and so on. Continue reading "Doing good out of “humanity” independent of relationship to God
→ Dandavats"

2015 Krsna Kidz Camp & Youth Retreat (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: All glories to the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra or Krishna sankirtana movement. All glories. All victory. How it is victory, all victory? If you chant this Hare Krishna mantra, then the dirty things which have accumulated in your heart due to material contamination will be cleared off. (Purport to Siksastakam)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EWgpEk

Varnasrama series.

The post Noting the difference between qualification and ability appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

UK devotees try to double their book distribution results during the December “Marathon”. Last year the British yatra distributed a little more than 50.000 pieces of Krishna conscious literature. This year they try to reach 100.000! As Sankirtan leader Sutapa Prabhu writes: “Sharing Krishna Consciousness and pushing beyond the comfort zone to reach out to others, qualifies one to see the miracles of Mahaprabhu.”
Read more: https://goo.gl/BG2FbG

“Krishna is your best friend. He knows what’s best for you.”

‘They talk about death being a final exam. So at 65, I have to be studying for my final exam.’

Before he adopted the name Ambarish Das, he was known as Alfred Brush Ford. His mother is the daughter of Edsel Ford, Henry Ford’s son. That makes him a fourth-generation Ford from his mother’s side and a part of one of America’s most iconic families.

In the second part of his interview to Manu Shah for Rediff.com, Ambarish Das speaks about his stint at the Ford Motor Company, his wife Dr Sharmila Bhattacharya, the love that the two share, the Bhagwad Gita, among other things.

What was your involvement with the Ford Motor Company?

I never really was too involved with the Ford Motor Company. I have been involved with the charities and the hospital in Michigan.

You had built a reputation as one of the foremost art dealers in Indian art.

Back in 1985, Sharmila and I were named the top collectors in Indian art by Arts and Antiques Magazine. I had a team of devotee friends who went to India and they would scour different galleries and palaces. We collected paintings, sculpture and art objects for the home and things like that.

Did you find a good market here?

It was an okay market. We sold a lot of things to my family members actually. My mother was the best customer. She loved the art and bought a lot of it for her houses. Detroit is not a hotbed for Oriental art.

How did you meet your wife, Dr Sharmila Bhattacharya?

I met her through a mutual friend of ours in Australia, who happened to be her initiation guru.

I was very impressed with her. I knew her parents were looking for someone to get her married to, as she was just finishing her PhD from the University of New South Wales. So I proposed that maybe I would marry her.

We were married in 1984. It was a Hare Krishna wedding with the fire sacrifice in front of the deities in a Hare Krishna temple in rural New South Wales, Australia. Many people came, there was a lot of press coverage.

Are your daughters Hare Krishna devotees?

They are because they were brought up in our house where we have always had the temple room and deities. My older daughter Amrita is married now. She lives in Washington, DC. She has her own temple and she carries on the tradition. The younger one, Anisha, is still in college.

How does one balance the material world with the spiritual world?

I can only speak for myself. I have to put my spiritual life first. In order for me to do that I have to put in the time, early in the day. I’m always up by 3 or 4 in the morning doing my meditation. My wife and I are up early and we do our japa, our offerings. We try to get centred early in the morning and then everything else comes after that.

If I can’t go to the temple, then I watch the arati on the Internet. I take care of the deities in the house, make an offering to the guru, read the scriptures. If I put all those activities in the beginning of the day, then the rest of the day kind of just flows.

Tell me about the Vedic temple, currently being built in Mayapur, West Bengal, the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

I am focused these days on getting the Vedic temple built in Mayapur. I did give the seed money for the temple, about $25 million. I was nervous as that was the time the Ford company was about to go bankrupt because of the economic downturn.

I’m glad that the transcendental project worked out beautifully and will help Westerners, Europeans and Americans come to Mayapur and chant Hare Krishna.

The opening date for the Vedic temple has been pushed back and hopefully we’ll be able to do the opening in 2022.

It is a very complicated building. It has a huge 350-feet high dome and we are putting up a big chandelier inside the dome of the universe according to the Vedas — so it’s a lot of work that needs to be done.

What about the international Himalayan ski village project you had proposed near Manali?

As far as I know, the whole venture is dead. It was a wonderful concept and the government of Himachal Pradesh was totally in favour of it. But then they had an election, a new government came and, more or less, they closed it down.

Do you speak any Indian languages?

No, not really.

Any experiences in India that you would like to share?

India has gotten much more user friendly, as they say.

When I first went in 1975, it was very difficult to negotiate (your way) around the country and I was very sick.

Back in those days really the only airline in and out of India was Air-India. You had to go down in person to confirm your ticket out of the country. So it was kind of very archaic in those days.

Now everything is very modern, very streamlined. My wife and I go a couple of times a year. It is very easy to get around and we love it.

Where do you stay when you are in India?

I am in Mayapur most of the time. I stay in the guest house there. I would like to build a small residence there. Sometimes I go to Mumbai too.

What are your other interests apart from the Hare Krishna movement?

I am 65 years old. I used to have a lot of other interests. As you get older you tend to focus more on what you are really trying to accomplish in life.

The reason I joined the Hare Krishna movement was to make some spiritual advancement.

The whole point of becoming Krishna conscious is when you give up this body, you evolve into a spiritual body, hopefully. Or at least another birth that may be more advanced than the one we are in now.

They talk about death being a final exam. So at 65, I have to be studying for my final exam.

What is the message from the Bhagwad Gita you would like to see spread in the world today?

There are so many. I’d like to say Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto which means surrender to Krishna. He’s your best friend. He knows what’s best for you. There’s no reason to be fearful of him.

Yours is a fascinating story. I’m surprised there is no book or movie on you.

I am glad. I’m a very private person. My wife and I don’t seek publicity.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/business/interview/the-ford-who-loves-lord-krishna/20151201.htm

By Urmila Devi Dasi

National holidays, and even religious festivals such as Christmas, are often occasions for diving into intoxication, illicit sex, and materialistic life in general. If we wish to raise our children to be absorbed only in thoughts of Lord Krishna, how should we treat these secular holidays? One approach is, as far as possible, to ignore them. We can tell our children that although the preparations they see around them—sometimes for weeks before the holiday—are certainly attractive, we are interested only in celebrating the Lord’s glories. Children can be satisfied and happy without getting into mundane festivities, especially if their year is full with one exciting devotional festival after another. Adults often think, however, that because their children will hanker for what glitters all around them, the children must have at least a little of the outside celebration in order not to feel resentful or deprived. Our children should grow up convinced that the happiness of Krishna’s devotees surpasses all the happiness of the material world—even a party. Continue reading "Observing Secular Holidays
→ Dandavats"

TKG Academy: Wish Fulfilling.
In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Goswami describes the six loving exchanges between devotees, two of which are offering and accepting gifts. As the holiday season is coming upon us, when we exchange gifts with our loved ones, we ask that you consider extending your gifts to our students as well.
“Kalpavrksa” is a wish-fulfilling tree, and the devotees are also known to be fulfilling desires. We are hoping for our wishes to come true, with your help. Big or small, every gift counts.
Thank you very much!
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/IOj34n

Participate in the Gita Jayanti Book Sponsoring Marathon

We plan to distribute 5000 Bhagavad-gitas with the help of book sponsors.

You may sponsor the following book-packets with Bhagavad-gitas and other
Srila Prabhupada books:
1. 17 books 12.000 HUF / 40 EUR
2. 26 books 20.000 HUF / 65 EUR
3. 23 books 30.000 HUF / 100 EUR
4. 50 books 50.000 HUF / 165 EUR
5. 108 Hungarian soft bound Gitas 108.000 HUF / 345 EUR
6. 108 Hungarian pocket edition Gitas 162.000 HUF / 515 EUR

Budapest Temple: 5 Dec, Saturday from 10.30am and 5pm Live webcasts!

You are welcome to participate in the reading, the blessings that go with it
and the feast after the yajna. If you wish to attend any of the above
programs or would like to just sponsor books for free distribution or for
any further information please contact Asta Sakhi devi dasi:
tel.: +36 30 600 1459,
e-mail: Asta.Sakhi.SRS@pamho.net

The post Gita Jayanti 2015 appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

December 1. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Srila Prabhupada taught of the importance of the spiritual master. No one can understand Krishna except through the spiritual master. However, he never said, “I am that pure devotee. I am the spiritual master.” If somebody asked him bluntly, he replied, “That you can judge for yourself.” Yet he preached that we must surrender to the spiritual master. When some met Prabhupada, they resisted, suspecting that he was just an exchange of material false egos. They thought, “Oh, he’s trying to sell himself as the guru. He wants me to submit to him,” so they resisted. However, some who wanted a guru did not resist and accepted him. We wanted a loving exchange with Krishna. “Why are they after me?” Prabhupada asked later, “I am just an Indian, I have no money. I never bribed them.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=3

Kartik Yatra 2015 Day 02 (Part 03) by HH Radhanath Swami at Vrindavan

The Question of Surrender

What qualifications should a disciple possess before accepting a guru? 

Śraddha – sincere, strong appreciation for what the guru possesses and sincere, strong desire to attain the same.

What are the primary qualifications of the guru?

1. Clear knowledge and realized faith in…

…the philosophy, practice, and ultimate result of Krishna-bhakti.

2. The ability to explain it thoroughly and answer all questions on that subject.

Should I prefer a guru who answers questions but doesn’t seem very transcendental – or a guru who seems very transcendental but doesn’t answer questions very well?

Neither.

Find a guru with transcendental realization and the ability to explain it clearly by answering all questions.

[But… How do you evaluate transcendence? The ability to answer transcendental questions very clearly is a reliable hint that the person deeply understands transcendence.]

What is the Qualification of a Dīkṣa-guru?

1. Dīkṣa guru grants official acceptance into the linage, so s/he must embody what the lineage values.

2. Conventionally, the dīkṣā guru is the most culturally senior person in the lineage or branch.

What is more important, finding a dīkṣā guru or finding a śikṣā guru?

Finding good instructors is more important because by finding instructors, the initiator soon emerges.

Śikṣā-gurus lead to Dīkṣā-gurus, so they are more primary and important.

The function of instruction (śikṣā) remains more important than the function of initiation (dīkṣā). To make it clear, getting accepted into a university is important, but going to classes and learning is even more important.

The two are related and inseparable, but of the two śikṣā is primary.

The Guru must enlighten the disciple. Does that mean he must already be enlightened?

The guru must have some significant realization of Krishna bhakti – at least a lot more than the new disciple.

Obviously, the more advanced, the better.

Practically, a reliable guru should at least be well situated in niṣṭhā-bhajan (past  anartha-nivṛtti). This may not sound glamorously advanced, but in truth it is a lot more advanced that 90% of the devotees you meet anywhere.

Can the guru take a disciple to a realization higher than what he himself has?

If the disciple is extraordinary.

Usually, however, a guru would place the disciple in the care of a more advanced guru when the disciple requires it.

Is it possible that a disciple would  have more knowledge of the shastra or more devotion than the spiritual master? How? Isn’t it the spiritual master who gives knowledge of shastra and plants the seed of devotion?

The guru-parampara hopes for this. The guru hopes for disciples who can eventually take what they have been given and develop it even further. Otherwise the paramparā only degrades over time.

But the enlightened disciple never makes the mistake of thinking he or she is better than guru. Even if our accomplishments blossom more remarkably than our gurus’, it is only because of guru’s grace. A flower cannot grow without seed, sun, water, and earth.

Mahaprabhu, Viśvanātha and Bhaktivinode are three examples of disciples whose accomplishments far outshone those of their gurus.

What if the guru has relative flaws or makes simple mistakes?

The flaws and mistakes of a guru that are not directly related to his or her practice and realization of bhakti are irrelevant.

Ex: spelling errors, inability to speak Swahili, no knowledge of advanced calculus, etc.

How can a prospective disciple test a prospective guru, since the prospective disciple has little  knowledge of śāstra?

It is by Krishna’s mercy, not by our examinations, that we encounter our first genuine guru.

That first pradārśaka guru gives us some genuine initial education that points us towards a source of valid śikṣā. From this source, śikṣā guru develop our knowledge of śāstra much further. Then we become capable of identifing qualified gurus and distinguishing siddhānta from apasiddhānta.

What is the “mercy” of Guru? 

The mercy of guru is his or her kīrtan and kathā, for that is the vehicle that plants and waters the seed of bhakti in the soil of our hearts.

How do we attain this mercy?

By earnestly requesting it, evoking it, and then absorbing it.

Humility is the first symptom of knowledge, so if a guru really has knowledge why would he ever accept a superior post, like being a guru?

We serve according to the needs of the people we are serving.

Service is not always executed from an inferior position. I am the servant of my children, for example.

To those with more śraddha, we serve by hearing
To those with less, we serve by speaking
To those with similar, we serve by discussing.

Sometimes guru is considered a confidential associate of Srimati Radharani. Sometimes he is considered a representation of Nityānada, Balarama, or Krishna himself. How can we understand this?

Guru is the channel for the flow of Krishna’ kṛpā-śakti and kṛpā-śakti flows from different sources, for different purposes.

– Sandhini-śakti flows from Balaram and helps the jīva get an accurate conception of reality (sambandha) 

– Samvit-śakti flows from Krishna and helps the jīva interact with transcendental reality (abhidheya)

– Hlādinī-śakti flows from Rādhārānī and allows the jīva to be an instrument for spiritual bliss (prayojana).

All three entities function through the guru-channel.

Sometimes they are described as their manifestations in Gaura-līlā: Nitai, Mahaprabhu, and Gadādhara.

CC 1.1.47 purport says dīkṣā-guru gives sambandha, and that sikṣa-guru gives abhideya. What does this mean? 

Dīkṣa establishes the relationship to a family of practitioners. (sambandha)

Sikṣa is guidance on the actual practice. (abhidheya)

Which guru gives prayojana?

The original guru, Rādhā-Krishna.

How should we glorify guru? Unreservedly, or realistically?

The most realistic way is unreservedly – but correctly. “You are Krishna’s channel for kṛpā-śakti.”

Do we declare / request discipleship of a śikṣa guru?

It’s a very good idea to disclose and request confirmation from the guru, but it’s not an absolute requirement.

Guru is not for answering mundane questions, but ISKCON culture is such that if I don’t take my mundane concerns to guru I am denounced as being “unauthorized.” 

Who cares. Bhakti yoga not a popularity contest.

What do you think about gurus having large numbers of disciples?

Some of the great ṛṣīs and muṇīs like Atreya and Vyāsa have hundreds and thousands of disciples and millions of grand-disciples.

Some Gauḍīya gurus also had thousands of disciples (Narottama dT, BSST, SP)

But, it is a practice of Sādhana listed in BRS to avoid trying to become a “big guru” with lots of disciples, tons of buildings and resources, and impressive arrays of knowledge. This is because having lots of disciples easily makes one proud, and has difficult practical ramifications: taking up too much time and thus limiting the growth rate.

So – it’s generally better to have only a few (active) disciples.

Should there be more dīkṣā gurus in ISKCON?

Probably not. In most institutions and saṅgas there is only one dīkṣā guru at a time.

Instead of than increasing the number of dīkṣā gurus, better to recognize the greater importance of śikṣā gurus.

What if one’s appreciation for the guru wanes?

Discuss it openly with the guru.

When is “re-initiation” necessary?

1. If you wish to officially leave the community you were accepted into and be officially accepted into another.

2. If the person who gave initiation develops a real, spiritual flow, and thus ceases to be acceptable as an authority.

In ISKCON, gurus play a managerial role. This seems based on Śrīla Prabhupada’s personal example. Is it wrong?

Śrīla Prabhupāda was a guru and a founder of a completely new institution. Therefore he had two roles: one as a guru, the other as an overseer of management.

A guru is a guru, and a manager is a manager. In unusual circumstances it is possible for one person to be both, as in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s case. But it is not the norm in Vedic culture, which separates managerial and philosophical roles to kṣatrīya and brāhmaṇa, respectively.

Should the GBC be a collective guru?

No. They should manage the practical affairs of the society.

The Guru’s should govern themselves, and enlighten the society.

Is it true that service to guru is everything, and there is little need to hear about Krishna?

This is Kartabhājā-apasiddhānta. Unfortunately it is very pervasive and common. It is the idea that guru is everything and there is little or no need for Krishna. The truth is that guru is the transparent via-media to Krishna, therefore Krishna is everything and the guru makes that plain and accessible.

What does loyalty to guru mean? 

Dedication to comprehending what s/he teaches.

How should I approach other gurus & previous gurus? 

Seeking harmony.

If there is a serious difference between your guru and his gurus, there is something wrong. Either something is wrong with your guru, or something is wrong with your ability to comprehend.

Similarly, there is something wrong if there is a serious difference between one of your gurus and another.

If something is wrong, like if diska and siksa guru seem to have contradicting instructions, how do I resolve it? 

Discuss it openly with your gurus.

Should the disciple consider every siska guru in his life as a manifestation of his diksa guru?

He should consider every guru as a manifestation of Krishna-kṛpā.

Must the dīkṣā guru recommend the śikṣā guru?

It is the other way around…

…But eventually goes both ways.

The dīkṣā guru emerges naturally from the śikṣā guru, or by their recommendation. Later the dīkṣā guru may also recommend specific śikṣā gurus.

If the siksha guru won’t give diksa, what should we do?

Ask the sikhsa guru what to do.

Is it OK to feel that ones śikṣā guru is more important than one’s dīkṣā-guru?

It is natural that, as time goes on, different subjects become relevant, and thus different teachers become more or less important. Naturally, Krishna’s kṛpā śakti sometimes flows more strongly through one channel, and sometimes through another.

But, always remember that all the gurus are different outlets for the same flow of electricity (krishna-kṛpā-śakti).

If I have many gurus, who do I pray to during guru-pūjā, for example?

When worshipping guru, we should be worshipping Krishna.  “This is Krishna’s kṛpā-śakti coming to me through this person / these people.”

How does one awaken bhava and prema for their Guru? 

We don’t. Bhāva and prema-bhakti are solely for Śrī Krishna. This is the verdict of Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī.

The relationship to the guru is seva-bhāva, a relationship of joint service to  Krishna, initially with the disciple in an apprentice role.

There is a verse in BRS describing how we are related to other devotees at the stage of prema. Śrī Rūpa calls it bhāva-ullasa-rati – we have affection for other devotees who inspire our own bhāva of Krishna prema.

Who will eventually give me prema? 

The hlādinī/saṁvit functions of Krishna’s kṛpā-śakti. (i.e. Krishna and Rādhā)

They give the final infusion of “sunlight” that causes the full blossoming of the seed given by the sandinī function of Krishna’s kṛpā-śakti (i.e. Balarama)

All three function through the guru-pranālī (chanel).

Am I necessarily going to be in the same rasa as my guru?

Gauḍīya gurus realize the highest conception of Vraja-rasa… adi-rasa.

Adi-rasa contains all five sthayi-bhavas.

Thus any fully realized gauḍīya guru can nourish any disciple with any rasa aspiration.

Often a guru will manifest a clear preference for a specific sthayi-bhava, and this will naturally attract disciples desiring the same sthayi-bhava. It is a natural dynamic, not the outcome of a xerox effect.

The xerox effect idea – that guru creates and bestows your relationship with Krishna – is popular in sahajīya apasiddhānta.

It is an incomplete version of the gauḍīya siddhānta.

The complete gauḍīya concept is in harmony with the common knowledge that all relationships are “two-way streets.”

Guru gives seed and guides the cultivation.
Disciple is the field/soil and performs the cultivation.

In the end, Rādhā-Krishna (original form of guru) give a final infusion of “sunlight” by situating the jīva completely in the internal energy.

In conclusion, the relationship with Krishna the result of a combination of efforts from both parties – it’s not a carbon copy handed out by a guru.

Is my guru also my guru in the spiritual world? 

Guru is Krishna’s shakti

Krishna’s shakti is the entire spiritual world.

In this sense the spiritual world is entirely guru.

In Krishna-līlā you may recognize one specific shakti as the same exact shakti that came through your guru, and much of the role you play in Rādhā Krishna līlā may be conducted with or through that śakti.

Tagged: Guru, guru-disciple, guru-disciple relationship, guru-tattva, Gurudev

We don’t have chance to do public sankirtan here in Turkey yet, however we use every chance to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Our Srila Prabhupada Marathon started with an exhibition called Natura Festiva. We attended this prestigious Exhibition from 26 to 29 Nov which was held in Istanbul. We had a stand there for 4 days. I must admit that it was the best preaching activity for us in public. The exhibition was opening from 11:00 and lasting till 19:00 every day. We had a 4,50 sqm stand which we decorated with our books and other preaching materials. The best part of this event for our small yatra to see many of our devotees getting different services and involving in direct preaching with Turkish public. In 4 days we sold 63 Srila Prabhupada books, distributed prasadam, got almost 200 e-mails from visitors and thousands of people got darshan of Srila Prabhupada and Hare Krsna Maha Mantra. There was a lot of interest to our stand. Devotees were shining in the exhibition area. Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya!

Your servant, Nrsimha Krsna das

ISKCON 50 Plans Ramp Up in the UK, Worldwide.
In the UK, an avalanche of major, inspirational events for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary are being planned throughout the year 2016, including some that will be tied into international efforts by all ISKCON temples. ISKCON 50 reps at the 13 temples across the UK and Ireland have already held several events in 2015 in honor of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the US on the steamship Jaladuta. They included a “Departing India” festival in which a book of Srila Prabhupada’s Markine Bhagavata Dharma poem written abord the Jaladuta was released; a Bhaktivedanta Players production about Prabhupada’s journey; and a kirtan tour of London’s most famous landmarks on open air double-decker buses with hundreds of devotees.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/eegAcC

By Samapriya devi dasi

Small children are completely dependent upon their mother’s care, who is always attentive to their every need, in every way, all the time. Many children of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were obliged to make a great sacrifice when they were very young.

These children were asked to give up there mother’s constant loving care, for the benefit of the suffering conditioned souls in the world. Their mother’s were soldiers in Lord Caitanya’s army. Some were book distributors on the front lines of a great war against the material energy. Others were part of the intricate network that fueled, supported, and maintained the desire of Srila Prabhupada, to flood the earth with transcendental knowledge in the form of his books. Srila Prabhpada was the orchestrator of the greatest Brihat Mrdanga ever sounded. It’s tumultuous calls awakened the fortunate, to the opportunity of perfecting their lives.

These blessed children have now grown up, passing through severe battles of Maya’s attacks. Many of them have been wounded or permanently scarred. But most of them now walk through life with a treasure rarely possessed by anyone else in this world. Through all their years of painfully growing and trying to understand the unique circumstances their births, a deep love and faith in Srila Prabhupada has blossomed.

In Alachua Florida, a remote place far away from the Sri dhama Mayapur, these beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Srila Prabhupada, performed a yajna for the pleasure of the Lord and the welfare of all living entities. Through the strength of Srila Prabhupada’s love, they bonded together to execute a great sacrifice, “The Festival of the Holy Name’’. As the names of Krsna burst forth into song from the enraptured hearts of the devotees the transcendental sound vibration could be heard up to the heavens.

Thank-you to all who conceived of, organized and participated in this great yajna. You demonstrated to the world the glories of the Sankirtan Movement, by absorbing yourselves fully and using the precious gift you were given. You have made you lives successful by taking full shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s love. Thus, you have made our lives successful. Thank-you our darling children. May you continue to perform the Yuga Dharma with determination, taking nourishment from Srila Prahbupada’s transcendental love, of which you are the rightful heirs. For you have made it clear to the world that Srila Prabhupada is always with you.