Answer Podcast:
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Websites from the ISKCON Universe
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Evening program at ISKCON, Farmington Hill, Michigan
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How to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s full set of Srimad Bhagavatam (5 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/o2mVqL
The post Daily Darshan – October 16th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Hare Krishna! Bhaktivedanta Manor eNewsletter, Sep 2015 edition
Please find below the September 2015 edition of the Bhaktivedanta Manor Newsletter, available for download. Main stories in this edition include: *Janmashtami Celebrations *Open Day *50 years on: Honouring our Founder Acarya *First ISKCON UK National Convention *ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations *The Mahabharart Tour (with the Bhaktivedanta Players)
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20476
Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati: “The human soul is a tiny part of the Divine spiritual essence functioning in the realm of the Absolute which is free from limitations but liable to be expelled from the spiritual world if it ever forgets its own littleness and abjures the guidance of Krishna. So long as it chooses to be guided by Krishna it is free from limitations or ignorance.” (Harmonist November 1928, The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya)
“The soul functions freely in the realm of the Absolute where it is conscious of its real relationship with Krishna. Its function is crippled, thwarted and distorted the moment it chooses to set up as master on its own account, that is to say wants to play the role of a male….This perverted activity is stopped on all sides by the resistance of the Absolute Truth. It falls out with everything as soon as it falls out with Krishna. In its attempt to enjoy everything it is punished by those very things which serve to lure them to deeper depths of ignorance by a delusive response to their frantic attempts after sensuous gratification. In the normal state those very objects help them in serving Sri Krishna. To sum up: the soul retains its natural condition as long as it serves the Absolute with all the resources of the principle of self-consciousness. But its will is free. It may not like to serve the Absolute. This is the abuse of its free choice in as much as it is an offense against the principle of pure reason which also is part and parcel of its eternal nature. In consequence of its choosing deliberately to act in opposition to the dictates of reason the delusion that it is an entity existing independently of Krishna takes firm possession of it. It now finds itself exiled from the realm of the Absolute and functioning in strict subordination to the delusive or material power of Sri Krishna. In this new world the fallen soul tries to please itself with the help of its reason on which it has deliberately put various limitations. Thus is evolved the principle of the false ego (Ahankara).” (The Harmonist vol. 26)
Hare Krishna! Sprouting Bhakti on Campus
“Life doesn’t really make sense, does it?” I ask. “The equation doesn’t balance. We are born. Soon it’s all about getting an education. We hunt for a job, create a family, and die. What is the point of it all? Shouldn’t we ask why?” Looking straight at me, Dreadlocks doesn’t flinch. “We are driven by the taste of happiness. It is what we want most, right? Yet even those who have all the things we want can’t shrug off the feeling of being unsatisfied. Is it surprising that happiness slips through our fingers? How can we be happy if we are not even sure who we are? It seems like you’re an African man and I’m and Indian woman. Yet don’t we feel the same pain?” He nods. His eyes show he has seen suffering.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20472
Hare Krishna! Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Rational Faith and Sustainable Happiness (Class in audio)
Kalakantha Das: Faith in Krishna leads to a blissful life, yet no intelligent person will find peace with blind faith and dogma. What is the rational basis for understanding and accepting the teachings of Krishna conscious texts?
Listen to it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20469
Mississippi Kirtan Mela Promotes Cow Protection
This year’s Save the Cow Kirtan Mela at ISKCON’s New Talavana farm in Mississippi drew around one thousand locals and devotees over the weekend of October 9th to 11th for a family-oriented festival centered around cow care. The event raised awareness of the cow’s plight in modern society, promoted cow protection, and raised funds for New Talavana’s own cow care program, which has protected cows throughout their natural life since 1976. It currently has a herd of sixty.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/qNSksY
12 things you didn’t know about Krishna Lunch
Halava, the semolina and fruit dessert served with Krishna Lunch, comes in an array of flavors limited only by the chefs’ imaginations. Past flavors have included pineapple upside-down cake, pumpkin pie and banana split. Krishna Lunch volunteers have served up to 1,200 people in a single day. That’s a lot of halava — 35 gallons, to be exact. Preparation of the meal begins at 5 a.m. Krishna Lunch has been served at UF continuously since 1971. For those who can’t make it to the Plaza, Krishna Lunch is now available by delivery in the Gainesville area.
Read the entire article here: https://goo.gl/7WYJkt
Bhagavatam class 3.19.36
The post The ungrateful can never achieve success in worshiping Krsna appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Hare Krishna! Remembering Tribhuvanatha Prabhu (1952-2001)
Tribhuvanatha Prabhu passed away on October 16, 2001, at the age of 49. He was an important and beloved disciple of Srila Prabhupada who led by example. An important feature of Srila Prabhupada’s mercy is the association of devotees which he has so kindly provided for our spiritual advancement and friendship. One such notable devotee and servant of His Divine Grace is our dear godbrother, Sriman Tribhuvanatha Prabhu. A sankirtana leader extraordinaire, Tribhuvanatha was always focused on preaching the holy names of the Lord. He had strong faith in the potency of chanting Hare Krishna — especially in congregation. His enthusiastic kirtanas and harinama parties were legendary throughout the world.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20462
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Kadamba Kanana Swami has been touring Australia since 29 September. Here is the first batch of recordings courtesy of Nimai. Photos and more details of his activities will follow.
To download, right-click on a title and “save-link-as” or listen online by hitting the “play” button.
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12.10.2015 H.G.Mukunda Datta Prabhu (acbsp) SB-06.01.68
Vraja narrates and explains Chapter Ten of Canto One, Bhāgavatam’s first extensive exposition of mādhurya-rasa, and a beautifully vivid explanation of Vedānta delivered through the excited, love-charged chatter of the capitol city’s young maidens.
Draws from Vraja’s narrative translation of Canto One, Beautiful Tales of the All-Attractive.
Starts at 5:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Is freewill at odds with fate, or are they two sides of the same karmic equation? Vraja will explain the cause of fate and the central spiritual importance of freewill.
Draws from Vraja’s book, The Beautifully Rational Philosophy of Astrology.
Starts at 6:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Celebrating the Autumn Rāsa Līlā and the first day of Kārtika, Vraja will explain the beauty and profound philosophical relevance of Krishna’s midnight dances with the gopīs.
Draws from all of Vraja’s studies, especially Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.
Starts at 6:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Since it’s the day before Halloween, Vraja will explain the Bhāgavatam’s conception of monsters and their place in Brahmā’s creation, and will tell the monstrous tale of Rudra’s attack on Dakṣa.
Draws from Vraja’s narrative translations of the Second, Third and Fourth Canto’s. The Fourth Canto is not yet published, but the Second and Third – entitled Creating the Creator and Varāha, Vidura & Kapila – will be given to all attendees.
Starts at 7:30pm (www.PaloSantoWellnessBoutique.com)
Fee: $25
Vraja narrates and explains the key sections of chapters 25 ~ 33 from Canto Three, in which Kapila Deva enlightens his exalted mother Devahūti by clearly describing the origin, evolution, and composition of the universe and explaining the most effective means to attain liberation and enlightenment.
Draws from Vraja’s narrative translation of Canto Three, Varāha, Vidura, & Kapila.
Starts at 5:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Vraja narrates and explains Chapter Ten of Canto One, Bhāgavatam’s first extensive exposition of mādhurya-rasa, and a beautifully vivid explanation of Vedānta delivered through the excited, love-charged chatter of the capitol city’s young maidens.
Draws from Vraja’s narrative translation of Canto One, Beautiful Tales of the All-Attractive.
Starts at 5:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Is freewill at odds with fate, or are they two sides of the same karmic equation? Vraja will explain the cause of fate and the central spiritual importance of freewill.
Draws from Vraja’s book, The Beautifully Rational Philosophy of Astrology.
Starts at 6:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Celebrating the Autumn Rāsa Līlā and the first day of Kārtika, Vraja will explain the beauty and profound philosophical relevance of Krishna’s midnight dances with the gopīs.
Draws from all of Vraja’s studies, especially Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.
Starts at 6:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Since it’s the day before Halloween, Vraja will explain the Bhāgavatam’s conception of monsters and their place in Brahmā’s creation, and will tell the monstrous tale of Rudra’s attack on Dakṣa.
Draws from Vraja’s narrative translations of the Second, Third and Fourth Canto’s. The Fourth Canto is not yet published, but the Second and Third – entitled Creating the Creator and Varāha, Vidura & Kapila – will be given to all attendees.
Starts at 7:30pm (www.PaloSantoWellnessBoutique.com)
Fee: $25
Vraja narrates and explains the key sections of chapters 25 ~ 33 from Canto Three, in which Kapila Deva enlightens his exalted mother Devahūti by clearly describing the origin, evolution, and composition of the universe and explaining the most effective means to attain liberation and enlightenment.
Draws from Vraja’s narrative translation of Canto Three, Varāha, Vidura, & Kapila.
Starts at 5:30pm with Kīrtan & festivities
Throughout this year and the next, ISKCON devotees all over the world are celebrating a golden milestone of achievement of their spiritual master and Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada. On October 24th, devotees from all over North America will gather to glorify Srila Prabhupada's activities in Butler, PA.
The GBC meeting at the Govardhana Eco Village outside Mumbai today (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/VOGxhj
By Madhava Smullen
The 45th annual Janmastami festival at New Vrindaban in the USA this Labor Day Weekend saw more exciting progress made in revealing Lord Krishna’s holy dhama (abode) of Vrindavan there.
The West Virginia village was established in 1968 by ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada, who described it as “non-different from the original Vrindavan” and directed disciples that “the hilly portions may be named as Govardhana” and “If there are lakes, they can be renamed as Shyamakunda and Radhakunda.” He also requested the seven main temples of Vrindavan, India to be constructed in New Vrindaban.
Over the past four years the infrastructure of ISKCON New Vrindaban has seen tremendous improvements. Its Palace Lodge guesthouse, temple residential rooms and office wing have received full upgrades; the temple roof has been replaced; the snack bar has been transformed into a gorgeous full service Govinda’s restaurant; there’s a brand new children’s playground; and Prabhupada’s Palace is also undergoing major restoration work.
Now, a new phase has begun wherein even more of the ‘Vrindavan atmosphere’ Prabhupada envisioned is gradually being revealed. “I always had great hopes for New Vrindaban,” he wrote in 1972. “You may gradually bring that New Vrindaban property to its full potential by stages, and that will please me very much.”
On Friday September 4th, the day before Janmastami, the newly restored bas-relief forms of Jaya and Vijaya, the four-armed gatekeepers of the Lord’s Vaikuntha home, were re-installed on either side of the Sri Sri Radha Vrindabanchandra’s temple entrance with arati and joyous kirtan.
Sculpted by Prabhupada disciples Bhagavatananda and Soma and first unveiled in 1984, their original golden color had faded to such a dull gray that they were rarely noticed. But with the support of a kind donor and the efforts of Rupanuga and Lakshman Ishvara, their skin is now the rich dark blue of Vaikuntha residents, and their clubs, discs, conchshells and crowns are shining gold.
According to community president Jaya Krsna Das, they draw visitors’ attention to the temple, and their divine presence can be clearly felt.
On Janmastami day at 10:00am, 150 devotees and pilgrims gathered next to Jaya and Vijaya to head off on a guided Govardhana Parikrama tour – which is held every Saturday and Sunday at New Vrindaban.
On the way they passed an elephant prostrated in obeisance, made in 1986 by Soma and Devaprastha, and repainted last year with pure white tusks and golden tilak.
They stopped at at Kusum Sarovara, a peaceful sacred lake surrounded by ornate domed chattras which devotees also plan to restore.
Next, they paid their respects to the giant 40-foot tall Gaura Nitai originally sculpted by Soma Das and his crew in 1985. In the days leading up to Janmastami, Damodara Das had repainted Lord Chaitanya’s lotus flower base yellow and Nityananda Prabhu’s blue, and had also freshly repainted the bridge leading up to Them and the fencing around Them.
“We have future plans to completely repaint Gaura Nitai, and possibly erect a cover to protect Them from sun, rain and snow,” says Jaya Krsna.
Singing the Holy Name, the pilgrims then continued up the hill to Lalita Kund, Gopisvara Mahadeva – the protector of the dhama – and Radha Kund and Shyama Kund, where they sprinkled their heads with the sacred water. At each spot, longtime New Vrindaban resident Varsana Swami narrated the Lord’s divine pastimes enacted there.
Finally, the tour reached Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, the first of the seven temples Srila Prabhupada requested to be built at New Vrindaban. Currently under construction, its unique domed shape truly makes you feel you are in Vrindavan.
Over the course of the next year, a series of six new dioramas by artist Lakshmana Dasi depicting Lord Krishna’s pastimes will be installed along the parikrama path. Three of these, all ten feet wide and six feet high and containing both painted and 3D elements, were revealed in the temple on Janmastami day.
The first shows Krishna’s close associate Uddhava speaking about the Srimad-Bhagavatam to the Lord’s 16,108 queens at Kusum Sarovara, to console them after the Lord’s departure from this world. In the second, Lord Krishna appears to Madhavendra Puri in a dream the saint had while at Govardhan, directing him where to excavate a long abandoned Deity of Gopalnathji. Finally, the third diorama shows a sweet pastime in which Lord Krishna helps His divine consort Srimati Radharani down from a tree, with the transcendental ulterior motive of taking the dust from Her lotus feet.
“At 7:45 in the evening on Janmastami, we had all of them set up outside and illuminated, while Varsana Swami gave a wonderful talk on all the different lilas,” says Jaya Krsna.
Meanwhile Lakshmana Dasi is also working on dioramas of the cowherd boy Lauta Baba waiting on the Govardhan Parikrama path for Krishna’s return; Radharani and the gopis singing Haridev’s name to invoke Their Lord; and Lord Indra coronating Krishna as Govinda. Each diorama will include a signboard briefly explaining it, with future plans to also include an audio track that visitors will be able to listen to by pushing a button.
Next year there are plans for restoration work on the boat house that’s home to New Vrindaban’s famous Swan Boat. Every weekend in the summer, the Deities are carried in it across the lake, just as in the boat festival at Vrindavan Dhama’s Krishna Balarama Mandir.
And in 2018 – New Vrindaban’s 50th anniversary – devotees have plans to restore the original New Vrindaban farmhouse to reflect how it was while Prabhupada was present, including its temple and a small museum for Srila Prabhupada with pictures taken from his two visits to the house in 1969 and 1976.
After all, it’s his vision that the residents of New Vrindaban are always trying to serve. “We have started New Vrindaban in America and it must be finished in the American way,” he wrote in a letter in August 1970, the year of New Vrindaban’s first Janmastami festival. “In Vrindavan there are so many temples, they say 5,000, or in Vrindavan every home, every cottage, is a temple. As far as possible try to develop New Vrindaban on this standard.”
Gradually, the residents of New Vrindaban are striving towards this lofty goal, slowly excavating the dhama. And pilgrims are showing their appreciation. This year, 3,000 people visited New Vrindaban throughout Janmastami day, with 350 gathering for the midnight arati – twice the usual number.
“One devotee visiting from Mumbai told me ‘On Janmastami evening, the Vrindavan mood was really appearing in New Vrindaban,’” Jaya Krsna recalls. “That was the best feedback for me. It’s clear that the dhama is slowly revealing itself more and more, and I am very happy to see that.”
He concludes: “In 1975 Prabhupada wrote ‘I am always praying to Krishna that the New Vrindaban attempt will be more and more successful and ideal for your country.’ So Prabhupada, the pure devotee, prays to Krishna that New Vrindaban develops, and Krishna reciprocates. We are fortunate servants, trying to support Srila Prabhupada’s sincere desire.”
Hare Krishna! Peace, Love and Hare Krishna
Beatle drummer Ringo Starr, age 75, is on tour in North America this month with his All-Starr Band. He recently played in Victoria, Canada (October 8, 2015), spreading his now familiar message of “peace and love” along with “Hare Krishna.” During his second song, “It Don’t Come Easy,” co-written with George Harrison and a big hit for Ringo in 1971, local concert goers confirm that Ringo enthusiastically shouted, “Hare Krishna” to his adoring audience. So wherever he goes on tour, Ringo is spreading the holy name of Krishna for the spiritual benefit of his many fans both young and old. “One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.14)
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20459
Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati: “We are expelled Adams and Eves from paradise…. Dislocated stars like us shooting from the ever-glowing infinite fountainhead of the Transcendence. The shooting stars are again retracted by the same fountainhead through the power of instructions and bliss…. this will carry them back to their original position to be dovetailed with the Absolute.” “Question: I cannot understand this world.
Answer: It is camp life. This world is not our original abode. It is meant for certain purposes. After that we are to proceed to our original home. This world is not a desirable place. It is not good to be enticed to stay here for a long time, forgetting our original abode. We stay there with Godhead. We are the eternal servants of Godhead. When we decide to lord it over the universe we are allowed these facilities for temporary purposes. They do not serve our eternal purposes. It would be better to seek for a place where we can find the real peace. Here we are always liable to be disturbed. By these disturbances Providence wants to teach us that world is not our eternal habitation, but that all real peace is to be found in Him. Being thus troubled we would naturally like to go back to the original place….. But the real truth is that we are to serve Godhead in the five different capacities. It is only when we deem it fit to come down to this world to lord it over other finite entities for our enjoyment that our real position happens to be forgot to some extent. This contingency arises when we want to deprive our Lord. That tendency was innate with us. It led us to prefer this temporal region by our own desire.”
(The Harmonist (Vol. XXXI, No.21) on the 27th of June, 1935.)
More info about “The Harmonist” here: http://goo.gl/G00PCK
Can parrots participate in the Harinama? This video proves they can! :-) (4 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/5ySXAE
1) Why would self-sufficiency want to develop assets for Radha-Syama 2) Is accepting people’s 1% tax-deductible donations not wrong 3) Can any sinner donate to Radha-Syama?
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