Planet ISKCON

https://youtu.be/jaon0697HNA

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Hare Krishna! On the Bowery
One day in April, 1966, someone broke into Srila Prabhupada’s room on Seventy-second Street and stole his typewriter and tape recorder. As Prabhupada returned to the building, the janitor informed him of the theft. An unknown burglar had broken the transom glass above the door, climbed through, taken the valuables, and escaped. As Prabhupada heard the details of the crime, he became convinced that it was the janitor himself who had broken in and stolen his things, and that the man was now offering a fictitious account of a thief who had gone through the transom. Knowing there was no way he could prove this, Srila Prabhupada simply accepted his loss with disappointment. In a letter to India, he described the theft as a loss of more than one thousand rupees ($125.00). It is understood [he wrote] that such crime as has been committed in my room is very common in New York. This is the way of material nature. American people have everything in ample, and the worker gets about Rs. 100 as daily wages. And still there are thieves for want of character. The social condition is not very good.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20636

The post Daily Darshan – October 24th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

October 24. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Srila Prabhupada: So far as I have studied, the American people are very much eager to learn about the Indian way of spiritual realization, and there are so many so-called yoga ashrams in America. Unfortunately, they are not very much adored by the government, and it is learned that such yoga ashrams have exploited the innocent people, as has been the case in India also. The only hope is that they are spiritually inclined, and immediate benefit can be done to them if the cult of Srimad-Bhagavatam is preached here … He told Mrs. Morarji “that just to see the mode of reception,” he had attended the performance of a Madrasi dancer and the American public appreciated the dance. He explained that the Bhagavatam could also be preached through music and dance, but he had no means to introduce it.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490/#24

Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami S.B.6.16.20 – Oct 18th 2015

It was certainly true that Prabhupada’s real work was in the City, but what could he do there with no  money and no support?  He was thinking of staying only a few weeks and then going back to India.

From Bhajan Kutir #18
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2011, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture)

In Kartika, we will try for pure devotional service. In this month, one can take vows to perform some special service because this month is the month of Srimati Radharani who especially notices the service that we render. When she recommends us to Krsna, then Krsna will also be inclined towards us and she is very compassionate and soft-hearted. Therefore, this month is especially a very favourable time to try and attract mercy!

 

His Grace Narahari Dev Prabhu :


Our guest speaker is a disciple of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. This person along with his family has
been serving at ISKCON Brampton and ISKCON Toronto in various capacities. He has been preaching
through the Bhakti Vriksha Program in Etobicoke.

The Damodara Program (6 min video)
The auspicious month of Kartika is just around the corner. The Congregational Development Ministry is encouraging everyone to participate in the Damodara Program which brings auspiciousness to the homes of our friends, relatives, and neighbors. By offering lamps and singing the Damodarastakam prayers, this program is a way by which we can guide others towards taking their first step in Krishna consciousness.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/0tVOrx

Answer Podcast:

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A visit to Udupi (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday in my travels I had the good fortune to arrive in Udupi on the appearance day of Sri Madhavacarya. I took the opportunity to seek his blessings and those of his beloved deity, Udupi Krishna.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/dxB235

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Bhagavatam class at Radha Govinda temple, Kolkata
Lecture Podcast:

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Ter Kadamba, Nandagaon & Vrinda Kunda Parikrama (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/GJr4h3

Hare Krishna! Bhumi Puja at ISKCON Kondaveedu
It is significant that the New Capitol of the recently bifurcated State of Andhra Pradesh is going to be constructed at Amaravati, just 50 kilometers North of Kondaveedu. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new capitol of Andhra Pradesh yesterday. Presently one of the leaders of ISKCON in Andhra Pradesh, Sriman Satyagopinath Das, who is temple president of three temples, at Rajamundry, Anantapur, and Guntur, through his efforts has obtained eighty one acres land from the Andhra Pradesh State Government at Kondaveedu .
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20628

Hare Krishna! Saksi Gopala Temple
Saksi Gopala Temple is a very important temple located almost midway between Jagannatha Puri Dhama and Bhubaneswar, in a town called Saksi-gopala, about 20 km west of Jagannatha Puri Dhama. The Saksi-gopala Deity here, being 5000 years old, is an exceptionally special one. It is said that Vajranabha, Lord Sri Krishna’s great-grandson, installed two Gopala Deities in Vraja Mandala namely Saksi-gopala and Madana Gopala (Madana Mohana). The Saksi-gopala Deity is the life-size Gopala Deity who walked from Vrindavana to Vidyanagara, a town located 20 to 25 miles from Rajahmundry on the banks of Godavari River in South India. A great fair is annually held here on the Anla Nabami day in the month of Kartika. Saksi-gopala temple is easily reachable by taxi, bus or Puri-Bhubaneswar train.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20624

Srila Prabhupada went to the US - first to Boston and then to New York. From New York harbor, he went to Butler, Pennsylvania. From Butler, he went to Ananda ashram and stayed with a Dr. Mishra (a mayavadi guru). Ananda ashram is near New York. Then from there, with the help of Dr. Mishra, he moved to a small box room in uptown Manhattan and from there Prabhupada gradually manifested his magic.

I want to present a case study of sorts from which we can learn how Prabhupada first spoke about Krishna consciousness to a visitor to the Ananda ashram. Dr. Mishra was teaching Raja yoga and impersonal philosophy in the ashram. A visitor by name Harvey Cohen was present there. To my knowledge, I think this was the first preaching of any kind done by Prabhupada. By studying this first conversation, I thought we can learn how Prabhupada preached.

The setting
Prabhupada, at this time, around 1965 is perhaps just one month or thereabouts in the USA. He barely knew the culture, and the people. He is in an ashram where he is not allowed to speak about Bhaki Yoga to Krishna. Then, by the arrangement of Krishna, Prabhupada is with Harvey Cohen in a room, just the two of them. When Prabhupada asked Harvey about the reason for the visit to the ashram, Harvey responded nonchalantly displaying his lack of interest in Raja yoga. Prabhupada saw an opportunity to preach and he directly went to the point.

Points to consider while this conversation is taking place

Prabhupada and Harvey are total strangers.

Prabhupada is new to the US and does not fully understand US customs.

Prabhupada was not allowed to speak about Krishna at the ashram as an official policy laid down by Dr. Mishra.

Prabhupada sensed Harvey’s lack of interest in Raja yoga.

Harvey was favorable towards some form of yoga system thus prompting Prabhupada to speak more on the subject.

The message delivered

The post On Rama-vijaya Mahotsava appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Hare Krishna! Muslim family orders cake for cow’s birthday
(From timesofindia) MEERUT: In times of rising intolerance over cow-related issues, here is a heart-warming story from Hapur. A Muslim family in city’s Sikander Gate colony celebrated the first birthday of their cow, Julie. A 10kg specially-designed eggless cake was ordered and she was also made to wear a birthday cap as guests who came over to attend her birthday relished on pakodas, fruits and sweets. “Julie and her mother Bholi are just like family members to us. We take care of them like we take care of other kids in the family. So, when time came for Julie’s first birthday, we had to make it big. We started planning it well in advance and invited over 100 people to the birthday bash,” said 29-year-old Mohd Irshaad who works for a Noida-based chemical waste management firm. “We ordered an eggless vanilla cake, which had miniature cow candies on its top. The guests also brought gifts for Julie; fruits are its favourite, so my friends got watermelon, bananas and pomegranates gift-wrapped for the occasion,” Irshaad said.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20617

Hare Krishna! How I Met Swami Bhaktivedanta
Haridas Das: In September 1965 I went up to Ananda Ashram, an hour and a half out of New York City. I went there mostly to get out of the city. The Indian guru who presided at the Ashram I had met before in New York at a Yoga Society. Many of my friends were involved with him studying Raja Yoga, a form of meditation. They were very enthusiastic and tried to persuade me to come uptown with them to their meetings. There was a lecture by the guru of the Ashram and a girl read from book. Then another meditation, this time with everyone concentrating on a circle drawn on the wall. I couldn’t do it. The circle kept changing it’s size and shape, and after a while began to fill with strange forms. My attention drifted to the faces around the room and all of them seemed involved with the circle. I looked out the window through the lacy curtains to the lake. It was green and misty and beautiful, and even if I couldn’t get interested in Raja Yoga I felt happy to be out of New York City and into the country.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20619

October 23. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
At Ananda Ashram, Prabhupada met an important contact in a young man named Harvey Cohen. In the future weeks, we will tell how Harvey played a crucial role in increasing Prabhupada’s followers and influencing his move downtown. Harvey was a newcomer to Ananda Ashram and he had difficulty in beginning to practice hatha-yoga. When he arrived at the morning meditation all the mats were taken up, so he picked a spot at the back of the room where he could lean against the wall. He noticed seated at one side was an older Indian gentleman in saffron cloth and wrapped in a pinkish wool blanket. He seemed to be muttering to himself and later Harvey discovered that he was praying. It was Swami Bhaktivedanta. His forehead was painted with a white V-shaped sign and his eyes were half shut. He seemed very serene.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490/#23

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18.10.2015 H.G.Bhurijana Prabhu_SB-06.02.9-10

Although the words “second generation” often refer to those born into the Hare Krishna Movement, the new initiative aims to help all 25 to 45-year-olds  who attend Alachua’s New Raman Reti temple, regardless of how they came to Krishna consciousness, to find balance and inspiration in their lives. It also aims to facilitate succession.

Today marks Sri Rama-vijaya-dasami (Dasara), the day on which Lord Ramachandra vanquished the powerful tyrant Ravana. As described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.7.25):

vaksah-sthala-sparsa-rugna-mahendra-vaha-
dantair vidambita-kakubjusa udha-hasam
sadyo ’subhih saha vinesyati dara-hartur
visphurjitair dhanusa uccarato ’dhisainye

 “When Ravana was engaged in the battle, the trunk of the elephant which carried the king of heaven, Indra, broke in pieces, having collided with the chest of Ravana, and the scattered broken parts illuminated all directions. Ravana therefore felt proud of his prowess and began to loiter in the midst of the fighting soldiers, thinking himself the conqueror of all directions. But his laughter, overtaken by joy, along with his very air of life, suddenly ceased with the tingling sound of the bow of Ramacandra, the Personality of Godhead.”

Srila Prabhupada comments, “However powerful a living being may be, when he is condemned by God no one can save him, and, similarly, however weak one may be, if he is protected by the Lord no one can annihilate him.”

Ravana is the personification of lust—and envy—which can disturb the execution of pure devotional service.

May Lord Sri Ramachandra protect us all.

—Giriraj Swami

ISKCON's flagship project the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium's International team will be touring the UK ‪from the 18th to the 30th‬ of November 2015. Jananivasa Das, Ambarisa Das and other senior devotees are touring the world sharing the opportunity to support this signature building of ISKCON.