WE CROSS Oxford Street with five mrdanga drums, two loud and deep African drums, karatala cymbals, an accordion, and an electric guitar. Back To Godhead - The Hare Krsna MantraOur chanting party consists of over a hundred members, from so many countries and ethnic backgrounds that the diversity is startling. There are men in dhotis, in suits, and in jeans, women in saris, colorful dresses, and subdued business clothes. We race or dance down the street, singing as fast as we run, churning up waves of spiritual joy. The lead singer wears a wireless microphone on his head, and one member of the group carries a loudspeaker in a backpack. The electric-guitar player has his own speaker. So many devotees respond to the lead singer's chanting that all the words of the great mantra for deliverance Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare distinctly echo through the London streets.
In 1965, Srila Prabhupada had no Movement to manage. He was relatively free to work on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but he had other things that took up his time.
A new pilgrim came on board today. Esa is a 24-year-old guy from Chile and is an employee of Govinda's veggie restaurant. Here we have another real trooper. He was the first one to rise and he also kept steady for the entire 24-mile trek on foot.
We all felt a rush of excitement as it is one of the last two days on this 950-mile journey of introspective walking. It’s almost too hard to believe that this project is coming to an end. The nature of trekking each day is that you just carry on without cessation. Fortunately or not, we have to turn our attention to other devotional commitments and issues before dreaming and planning for the next circle.
The four of us trekked through Morristown, Madison, Chatham, and a whole string of boroughs and towns. In Newark, our expectation to meet more pedestrians became a reality.
I met Miss Kat. “That is, with a K”, as she put it.
She is a very outgoing type of person.
“I’ve never met a monk before. I have only seen them in the movies”, she said.
I also met a large-framed man. When I asked him how he was doing, he expressed how he was happy to have a bed and home. This is taken for granted by most of us, to have a home, shelter, food, family, and safety.
The little miracle of the day came when our small group came to a junction on Road 16. We left the town of Madison going east-bound until we came to a complex roadway system. We were uncertain how to move forward. We sat against the ramp when suddenly I saw my dear friend, who I know from Canada, drive up.
He rolled down his car window, “What are you doing here Maharaj?”
Nilamani, who used to live in Toronto, was on his way back from work when he spotted us. The funny thing is that he was on my mind all morning. I knew that he lived somewhere in New Jersey now but I was uncertain where exactly. As I mentioned before, walking on the road attracts a lot of attention and causes surprising interactions.
“Come to our house and have a break”, Nilamani said.
And we obliged.
In the evening we went to chant at Union Square in Manhattan. It was outstanding to see how many people came forward to offer a small light to the image of Krishna and His mother, Yasoda, which was placed upon a small table,after being welcomed to do so as we chanted away.
We were going along the trail off Road 513 when Tre'von, Mandala and I saw a couple dozen folks coming our way in the opposite lane of the road. It was clear to us that they were one group. Were they protesting? As they came close to us, we could see that each of them, the participants, had some meditative beads in their hands. In many ways they resembled us.
It was my monk’s instinct to talk to a male person near the end. The female participants initially appeared a bit militant or at least reserved. I admit, it surprised me to see so many pedestrians at the same time.
The team that was sharing the road with us was a catholic group from a local parish. We started talking and exchanging our values. I was glad to hear one of the persons say, "We all believe in the same God".
The experience was so novel. Never in my years of marathon walking did I randomly encounter a group of people in prayer or meditation, walking! In India it is quite common to see folks on pilgrimage walking around Govardhan Hill or people on the route to famous Tirupati, and, of course, walkers on the famous Camino in Spain. You would expect pilgrims in these places but here in New Jersey? It was fascinating to see. I guess you could say that our two groups, the catholic group with the rosaries and we devotees of Lord Krishna with our japa beads, were inspiring each other.
After a sunny morning and an early afternoon of walking, which included trekking over brittle leaves through the woods, our crew drove to Philadelphia to the ISKCON center where I spoke about transcendence from the Bhagavad Gita, verse 14.26.
There are ten effects of Cupid mentioned by Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur: first comes attraction expressed through the eyes, then the intense attachment in the mind and heart, followed by determination and loss of sleep! Next, one becomes emaciated, then disinterested in external things – one cannot do anything else anymore as one is becoming totally obsessed. Then comes shamelessness and finally when Cupid really hits, one becomes stunned and then totally mad. And when Cupid hits very, very hard then even death is possible.
However, in relationship with Krsna, it is said, that death does not happen but all these other symptoms do. Krsnadas Kaviraj Gosvami says that among the ten states of Cupid, death is inauspicious in relation with Krsna and it does not usually manifest in Krsna’s premi bhaktas, however they do manifest the other nine symptoms, culminating in becoming stunned in ecstasy. It is said when Kubja saw Krsna in the city of Mathura, she became totally overwhelmed by Cupid – for her it was love at first sight!
In the description of the appearance of Cupid it is explained that suddenly Brahma found that a form had expanded from himself. Brahma looked at the form and he had no idea who the form was, so he asked the form, ‘Who are you?’ and the form replied, ‘I am Kamadev, Cupid, and I am shooting arrows in the hearts of all living beings!’ Brahma said, ‘Really?!’ Then Cupid began to shoot his arrows in all directions and all the demigods became totally overwhelmed and started developing all the various symptoms we just mentioned – they began to perspire and they became beyond themselves. Brahma also became affected and in this way once Cupid manifested in the universe, he turned out to be the most powerful in the entire creation. Brahma could not resist him and even Siva was getting agitated by the effect of Cupid. There was no living entity who was not affected by the arrows of Cupid and who did show symptoms in the body and in the mind. Therefore it is said that the Cupid is the most powerful of all.
But of course, we know that Krsna is Madan-Mohan, the one who can bewilder even Cupid and still greater than Krsna is that devotee of Krsna who can capture Krsna and that is Srimati Radharani, known as Madan-Mohan-Mohini. Madan-Mohan can steal away our mind from the affliction of Cupid which is very strong and we know that even devotees can be affected by his arrows to go astray. But it is Madan-Mohan that can take away the influence of Cupid which the demigods and even Lord Brahma, have not escaped. No living entity has ever escaped it, definitely not us! We know it, we know what it is like to be hit by the Cupid, we know the symptoms that are described but Madan-Mohan can save us!
We celebrate Govardhana-puja. “When the cowherd men of Vrndavana, under instruction of Krsna, stopped offering sacrifice to the heavenly king, Indra, the whole tract of land known as Vraja was threatened with being washed away by constant heavy rains for seven days. Lord Krsna, out of His
causeless mercy upon the inhabitants of Vraja, held up the hill known as Govardhana with one hand only, although He was only seven years old. He did this to protect the animals from the onslaught of water.” (SB 2.7.32)
And Srila Rupa Gosvami kindly blesses us: “May the left arm of Sri Krsna, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, always protect you. With His left arm He raised Govardhana Hill as if it were a toy.” (Brs 2.1.62, Cc M 18.38)
Hare Krsna.
The following is an archival recording from a Govardhana Retreat in 2013 entitled ‘Learning form Govardhana Hill’
On the eleventh of July, 1966, in New York, Srila Prabhupada incorporated the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. By then, Prabhupada had already discovered an audience for his exposition of Srimad Bhagavatam, an expositon he characterised as 'a cultural presentation for the respiritualisation of the entire human society' (Bhag. Canto 1, Preface). In a further step toward the culture of 'respiritualisation', he established ISKCON. ISKCON was to be an exemplary society, within which the culture of Srimad-Bhagavatam would be realised and by which it would be spread to the rest of the world. One needs to become acquainted with two contrasting social ideals, or models, transmitted to us by Srila Prabhupada. The first is that of a society of Vaisnavas, of transcendental, liberated devotees who conduct themselves spontaneously in accord with the principles called sanatana-dharma. The second is that of a society of materially conditioned human beings who strictly conduct themselves in obedience to the injunctions of the Vedas under the system called varnasrama-dharma.
Management is a headache. It can be a very big headache. But I’ll tell you why I’ve taken up such a responsibility for so many years. It’s because I see it in relationship to serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission; because, I’m one hundred percent convinced that Srila Prabhupada wanted an institution. Institution means headaches. There’s just no way around it. I saw Prabhupada take those headaches. And I saw many other leaders, under Srila Prabhupada, taking those headaches. And, although it’s more than twenty-five years after Srila Prabhupada’s departure, I still see many of my godbrothers who take those headaches for one reason only—it’s a burden of love. That’s the only thing. It’s a burden of love for the spiritual master. Managers have to deal with some unpleasant things like problems and financial crisis or whatever, and then if they get more in to spiritual life, they are generally losing inspiration for dealing with these things. Why is it happening? Continue reading "Why is it so difficult to find people who will take responsibility? → Dandavats"
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s Diwali Message 2015 (2 min video)
As we light our lamps on Diwali, may we meditate upon its deeper meaning, and choose light over darkness every day!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/f7kO12
Vatican Emissary Sends Divali Message of Goodwill.
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, drafted a message to Hindu communities world-wide on the occasion of Diwali, or Deepavali, the Hindu or Vedic New Year. Cardinal Tauran led the Catholic delegation to the first Hindu-Catholic Dialogue in the United States. Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON’s Minister of Communications represented ISKCON at that historic event.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/7o42Dh
Govardhana Puja to Uplift Devotees with a Mountain of Sweetness.
It’s not something you see every day. A group of young girls and boys are huddled in the middle of the temple hall, some shocked and some cheering. They’re looking unbelievingly at the particularly effulgent boy at their center as he lifts an impossibly heavy burden. The young boys and girls might be made of cardboard, but their emotion and the divine pastime they’re portraying shines through as if it’s really there. The hill Lord Krishna’s lifting, fashioned out of cloth by artist Laksmana Dasi, looks like it weighs a ton. And above it, hanging high above the the temple hall, the demigod Indra grips a dark cloud and peers over the edge as shimmering icicle lights make it look as if it’s really raining through flashes of lightning.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/OjwNOK
The GBC is pleased to invite you to the ISKCON Leadership Sanga (ILS) 2016 in Sridham Mayapur, India, on February 24 – March 2. If you already attended a previous ILS you already know what an amazing event it was, with over five hundred ISKCON leaders in 2102 and more than a thousand in 2014; Consider some of the past successes of the ISKCON Leadership Sanga: We spent 8 days participating in over 85 seminars and workshops presenting valuable ideas on how to spread Krsna Consciousness and care for devotees. We learned about the GBC’s strategic plan and the work being done to implement it. We listened to Srimad-Bhagavatam classes given by our most senior leaders. We took part in unforgettable parikramas and kirtanas. We relished the association of so many devotees that are performing similar services.
(1) O Govardhana, O king of all incomparable great mountains, O hill that became an umbrella with the arm of your own Lord as the handle and then destroyed the pride of thedeva king madly attacking with raised weapons, please grant the residence near you that is so dear to me.
(2) O Govardhana, please grant to me the residence near you that will guarantee the sight of the youthful divine couple as they enjoy passionate amorous pastimes in your caves.
(3) O Govardhana, O hill where Lord Krsna happily plays with Balarama and His friends in the incomparable jeweled courtyards, jeweled lion-thrones, trees, waterfalls, mountain-brooks, caves, peaks, and valleys, please grant the residence near you that is so dear to me.
(4) O Govardhana, O hill that provides the dark courtyard that witnesses the dana-keli pastime of the nectar-treasure youthful divine couple, O hill that brings great bliss to the best of they who relish transcendental nectar, please grant to me residence near you.
(5) O Govardhana, O hill that, hiding as you playfully embrace the neck of your dear friend, Lord Hari’s dear, unprecedented Radha-kunda, secretly gazes at the pastimes of the youthful divine couple, please grant to me residence near you.
(6) O Govardhana, O hill that by nourishing the cows with its water, grass, and the shade of its trees declares to the three worlds the appropriateness of its own name, please grant to me residence near you. (Govardhana means “that which nourishes (vardhana) the cows (go).”)
(7) O Govardhana, O hill that the enemy of Agha and Baka honored by transforming into a new house to give Vraja protection from the sustained fury of the sura king please grant to me residence near you.
(8) O Govardhana, O king of mountains, O hill whose nectar name “the best of Lord Hari’s servants” flows from the moon of Sri Radha’s mouth, O hill that the Vedas declare to be the tilaka marking of Vraja, please grant to me residence near you.
(9) O Govardhana, O philanthropist that gives transcendental happiness to Vraja’s people, animals, and birds, all anointed with the nectar of friendship for Sri Sri Radha-Krsnasurrounded by Their friends, out of Your immeasurable mercy, please accept unhappy me and please grant me residence near you.
(10) Although I am a cheater and a criminal, unlimitedly merciful Lord Sacinandana, who is very dear to you, has given me to you. O Govardhana, please do not consider whether I am acceptable or not, but simply grant me residence near you.
(11) One who carefully reads these ten nectar verses describing Srila Govardhana, the king of mountains, will very soon reside near that blissful hill and quickly attain the precious jewel of the service to the handsome divine couple.
November 12. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Today’s meditation is a general reflection on Prabhupada’s books. Prabhupada always did the needful – whatever was best for spreading Krishna consciousness. His own Krishna consciousness was mature; therefore, he wanted to give Krishna consciousness to others. As he preached, his own enthusiasm and attachment to Krishna increased more and more. Although he was perfect, the ocean of Krishna consciousness is always increasing. The BBT publishers list many of Prabhupada’s accomplishments in the “About the Author” section at the end of Prabhupada’s books. Finally they state, “Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contribution, however, is his books.” Thus we think of Prabhupada as a writer of transcendental literature. He was a translator and a commentator on sastra. He was a philosophical writer who carefully represented the parampara in modern English. His writing contained his personal experiences and realizations.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490
The seminars will cover a wide variety of topics such as book distribution, devotee care, communications, team-building, fundraising, temple administration, using social media and the internet in our outreach, inspiring talks on how to be a better leader, the importance of ISKCON, education, strategic planning, rural development and sustainable communities, Srila Prabhupada’s position as the Founder-Acarya, and much more.
Harinama in Podolsk (Album with photos)
Podolsk is an industrial city of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Pakhra River.
Srila Prabhupada: Kirtan means sometimes chanting with music, and sometimes speaking. Both of them are kirtan. Kirtayati iti ...
For the past seven years, Sri Sri Radha-Kalachandji Mandir in Dallas has rung in the new year with an epic multi-hour community kirtan organized by second-generation devotees. This New Year’s Eve, the community is organizing a fifty hours of kirtan in celebration of both the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the US in 2015, and the 50th anniversary of ISKCON’s incorporation in 2016.
New York City’s East Village got a lot tastier when Superiority Burger moved in. Its famous vegan sandwich is so mind-blowing that it challenges the very definition of the word “burger.”
Prayer is the universal language by which the human heart communes with the divine heart. Poetry is an artistic method for verbalizing the heart’s deep emotions. Singing is a popular method to express one’s emotions.
With his new book “Chasing Rhinos with the Swami, legendary ISKCON pioneer Shyamasundara Das stopped by to talk to ISKCON News. At 73, he still has his thick shock of wild hair, and the wide grin, easy sense of humor and friendly nature that ingratiated him to major figures like the Beatles all those years ago, as he carried out Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to spread Krishna consciousness.
Recently I read an article written by Satsvarupa Maharaja - he was asking himself the following questions.
Do you pay attention to Hare Krishna mantra when you chant? Do you have love for it?
This got me thinking about my own chanting and how much I have love for chanting - the answer was yes and no. Yes I like to chant, I wouldn't say I love to chant but I like it and I love it when I feel the Lord's spiritual energy.
It's an important point....we need to feel the spiritual energy of the Lord when we chant and then we will love chanting our Japa - and how do we get this reciprocation from the Lord? We need to give attention and give respect to Krsna (who is present in the Holy names) - then Krsna has something to reciprocate with.
Virtual Mantra Choir video, Giri Govardhan (11 min video)
A unique offering was presented to the sacred hill Giri Govardhana. Renowned UK musician and singer Jayadeva Das (John Richardson) has put together a virtual version of his Mantra Choir project ...
The first thing to be recognized in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy is that Krsna is Reality. Srimad Bhagavatam states that there is a reality which is also the Absolute Truth. That reality is, however, understood in many different ways. Indeed, Srila Prabhupada writes at the beginning of Srimad Bhagavatam that the concept of Absolute Truth and the concept of God are not on the same level. The concept of God is like the driver of a car who controls the car, but this concept does not explain how the car came into existence. The concept of Absolute Truth, on the other hand, is like the concept of car from which the car is created. The car is therefore “controlled” by the underlying abstract idea, and also produced from it. They key point is that it is not enough to know that God is the controller, but also to know how God created the world, and then to know the manner in which He exercises His control.
When a devotee is close to Krsna then Krsna is also close to the devotee. But if we think, “Yes, I know I’m serving Krsna but at the same time sometimes I really wonder, is Krsna really protecting me or is he only protecting his pure devotees? It says that Krsna protects his devotees but I’m not really a devotee. Who is in the category of a devotee? What criteria does Krsna apply when he says that he protects his devotees? Maybe I’m not a devotee yet… I’m trying to be but I’m having a hard time. So now what? Will he still protect me? Is Krsna really protecting me? I really feel left alone in this struggle here and I don’t know if I can take this?”
But Krsna is very close. He is here so just turn to Krsna and when we turn to Krsna, things become bearable. It does not mean that everything just dissolves and goes away but it becomes bearable; things suddenly become possible. Suddenly, we can survive it somehow, deal with it, carry on and that is the best! So this is the our process viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.62) to havefirm faith that Krsna will protect us. He surely will protect us! He is protecting us all the time but we just cannot see it!
Smriti and other children with Srila Prabhupada in Juhu.
Srila Prabhupada Smiling on Juhu Terrace.
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On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I share with you a description by Smriti “Baby” Warrier (later initiated as Sravana dasi), whose family were tenants at Hare Krishna Land in Juhu, of how when she was a child she and her brothers wanted to set off fireworks, and how Srila Prabhupada responded.
One Diwali, in the evening, Mother Kanta was in the women’s ashram above our flat and we were outside setting off fireworks. It was around 9:00, and I guess she wanted to take rest, but we weren’t finished playing. So she started throwing buckets of water down on us. My brothers and I marched up to Srila Prabhupada’s room. Caitya-guru caught us and said, “You can’t go in there—he’s resting.” We must have made a lot of noise, because Prabhupada called, “Let them in.” My brothers went in and pleaded that we wanted to do fireworks, but Prabhupada said, “No, it’s too noisy.” So my brothers gave up and walked out. But I, the youngest, stood there and said, “But it’s Diwali—we’ve got to break some firecrackers.” Then Prabhupada said, “All right, until 10:00—but after that, no more.” So we got permission and broke firecrackers. The next day, Mother Kanta came with a plate of maha-prasada and apologized for throwing water on us.
Being so close to Srila Prabhupada, at Hare Krishna Land, you got to associate with him in a different light.
By Urmila Devi Dasi
By Ravindra Svarupa dasa
By Niranjana Swami
By the GBC Strategic Planning Team
By Rsiraja Das
