Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we understand that God is a person? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
How To Keep The Mind Steady
Question: I wanted to know how to keep the mind steady; usually we have contradictory ideas and thoughts going on in the mind.
Radhanath Swami: The nature of the mind is like that of a monkey, it jumps from branch to branch. It goes to one branch, then to the next branch, then to the branch next to that, then again to the first branch – 2nd, 4th, 10th, 1st, 9th, 3rd. It’s the way the mind works. But when you give the monkey a nice ripe banana, it’s happy. Similarly, Bhakti is about giving the mind a deep and fulfilling experience. Though we may not get that higher taste immediately, but since we know it’s there waiting for us, that helps us keep the mind steady. Coming back to the analogy of the monkey, if the monkey has the banana, it will stop jumping from branch to branch even before it has tasted the banana. It stops jumping in order to go through the process of pealing the banana. Our spiritual practice, our sadhana, is like pealing the banana. We know that the higher taste is there – inside – just as the monkey knows that the banana is there inside the peal. And just knowing that it is there, and keeping our mind focussed on the process, our mind can be kept steady. So when we are chanting the holy names the mind will go here and there; do not worry about it – just bring it back. Bring it back to the divine sound vibration, to that object of our meditation. Try to keep it there, and if it runs away – and it will surely run away – then bring it back as soon as we realize it has run away. While we do seva, if we realize our mind is wandering, we just bring it back. ‘I am doing this for Krishna; let me do it in the best possible way.’ The more we take responsibility to do something wonderful for God – sweeping the floor, cooking a meal or doing our business – if we are really doing it for Krishna, for God, we are going to be attentive to whatever details we can, and that keeps our mind focussed.
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we develop a taste for bhakti and chanting? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Does destiny determine how we respond to situations? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Hare Krishna! Preparing for ISKCON 50 @ Bhaktivedanta Manor
Hundreds of devotees gathered at Bhaktivedanta Manor to hear an insightful presentation by HH Radhanath Maharaj about preparing for ISKCON’s 50 anniversary. In describing Srila Prabhupada’s treacherous journey from India to America, Maharaj spoke of his experience at the recent ISKCON commemoration events in Kolkata and Boston. He spoke of visiting the King George Dock in Kolkata from which Prabhupada had departed. The audience were enthralled hearing about Prabhupada’s challenges and humility. In summing up Maharaj said: ‘In preparing for ISKCON 50 we must feel gratitude, true gratitude and not theoretical. With such gratitude we can embrace within our hearts our great fortune and reciprocate that with others as Srila Prabhupada did. Prabhupada was so grateful for what his guru gave to him, that he gave his heart and life to serve him. We must do the same. Live Srila Prabhupada’s message and share it”.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20326
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How is destiny related to karma? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Program at ISKCON, Portland
Lecture Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Life’s 4 defining D’s: Desire, Decision, Destiny and Dharma appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Why do people in goodness sometimes not take up bhakti? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How to spiritually reach people who aren’t receptive to hearing Krishna’s glories? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Why is Krishna selectively merciful in inspiring some people to take to bhakti and not others? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post How can we help reluctant people to become spiritually elevated? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Srimad Bhagavatam class at Corvallis, Oregon (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.11)
Lecture Podcast:
Download by “right-click and save content”
The post Tread the path of the ears to the eyes and the heart appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Hare Krishna! TOVP Campaign Making Wonderful Progress
Results are coming in from the TOVP tour that carried His Grace Jananivas Prabhu & Lord Nityananda’s holy paduka all over North America for four months earlier this year. In His manifest presence, Lord Nityananda walked over the Indian subcontinent, spreading the glories of Lord Caitanya, so in the form of His shoes. Thus he has continued His ‘walk’ to many cities and towns of the Western world, furthering the stated prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that ‘My name will be sung in every town and village.’ Devotees and well-wishers were enlivened to hear of the rising of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium on the Ganges plain. Everyone could feel that this project is destined to attract the people of the world to Sridham Mayapur and the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Hundreds of devotees from dozens of centers in the US and Canada came forward to greet the travelling party. They opened their homes and hearts to our illustrious guests.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20321
Results are coming in from the TOVP tour that carried His Grace Jananivas Prabhu & Lord Nityananda’s holy paduka all over North America for four months earlier this year. In His manifest presence, Lord Nityananda walked over the Indian subcontinent, spreading the glories of Lord Caitanya, so in the form of His shoes. Thus he has continued His ‘walk’ to many cities and towns of the Western world, furthering the stated prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that ‘My name will be sung in every town and village.’
Devotees and well-wishers were enlivened to hear of the rising of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium on the Ganges plain. Everyone could feel that this project is destined to attract the people of the world to Sridham Mayapur and the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Hundreds of devotees from dozens of centers in the US and Canada came forward to greet the travelling party. They opened their homes and hearts to our illustrious guests.
They also opened their pockets in order to get in ‘on the ground floor’ of the magnificent temple. Devotees sponsored golden bricks engraved with their names, or names of their family members, reserving a place under our Lordships’ altars. Many sponsored Gratitude Coins to express their thanks to Srila Prabhupada, this has given a real boost to the construction effort. Thanks go to all who have pledged, and those who have begun to fulfill their pledges. We would also like to extend a special thanks to those who have already completed their pledged donation.
To date, nearly 2,000 donors have pledged to give (over seven years’ time) $16 million, of which $1 million has been realized thus far. The TOVP staff would like to heartily thank, on behalf of the disciplic succession, all those who have come forward. Nearly 500 of the donors have pledged to give $11,000 or more, and of those roughly one-quarter have begun to make their contributions. With a monthly construction budget of $500,000, we are not shy in requesting every devotee and follower of Srila Prabhupada to come forward and contribute to this great cause.
Last month, we even received a generous donation from New Zealand to the amount of $250,000 for TOVP construction. The donor till date has remained anonymous, even though we have tried our level best to find out. The donation was anonymously transferred to the TOVP account in Mayapur from New Zealand. We take this opportunity to thank this anonymous devotee. If the devotee could discretely reveal himself to us, we would be very grateful, so that we can appropriately reciprocate and express our gratitude.
We are very inspired to see how devotees around the world are the backbone of the construction of this most ambitious project of Srila Prabhupada. They are constantly giving support to the ongoing progress of the TOVP temple.
The post TOVP Campaign Making Wonderful Progress appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Meet the devotees of Prabhupad Bhavan’s, Slovakia (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tJ3E26
Hare Krishna! Sacred Stones and Plants
The ancient story of the wedding of a sacred plant called Tulsi to Krishna in the form of a sacred stone. Please join us for a short lecture on the spiritual principles behind this story and how we can relate to them. “The word ‘vana’ means forest. Vrindavana is the name given to the forest where Srimati Vrinda-devi (Tulasi-devi), grows profusely.” (CC Madhya 17.l93p.) Another name of Tulasi is Vrinda-devi (one who awards residence in Vrindavana). Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: krpa kori koro tare vrindavana vasi, “Dear Tulasi, please bestow your mercy upon me, so that I may forever reside in Vrindavana.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20318
Harinama in Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one somehow or other chants the Hare Krishna mantra, he will immediately be purified, just as one who takes a potent medicine will feel its effects, regardless of whether he takes it knowingly or unknowingly. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.19 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/nbbgGw
Ethan Hawke Film Shot at Bhakti Center Released on Blu-Ray
The independent film 10,000 Saints, which includes scenes shot in the Manhattan Hare Krishna Temple “The Bhakti Center” and features ISKCON devotees, was released on Blu-Ray, DVD and streaming services on October 6th. Based on the novel by Eleanor Henderson, it is directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini of the Oscar-nominated American Splendor. It stars Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Training Day), Asa Butterfield and Hailee Steinfeld (co-stars of Ender’s Game), and Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Lone Survivor).
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/8tHs8T
Vlogging for Krishna.
“Those Two Hare Krishnas” channel was developed, to try and create a series of regular videos positively presenting the Hare Krishna lifestyle and philosophy.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20266
The post Daily Darshan – October 8th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Teaching the chanting of Hare Krishna in Mongolia (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Five hundred years ago Lord Nityananda opened a market place of the holy names. Two days ago we took that sublime commodity of chanting Hare Krsna to the market places of Uliastal here in Mongolia. First we were invited to chant inside a large modern supermarket. Afterwards, with a police escort, we chanted outdoors in what the local people called the infamous, “Black Market.” Whatever danger there may have been was immediately neutralized by the loud chanting of the holy names. So powerful and so pure are the holy names of Krsna that soon we had many people in the market chanting and dancing alongside us. The miraculous effect of kirtan never ceases to amaze me. All glories to Sri Krsna Samkirtan!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/T1ojyw
Hare Krishna! ISKCON 50th Anniversary Celebrations – ISKCON Sri Lanka
The 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s visit to Sri Lanka was celebrated by the devotees and congregation of ISKCON Sri Lanka on the 19th of August 2015. On this day, the program commenced with Nagar Sankirtan and following that Special Darshan, Special Kirtan & Bhajans were conducted. To mark the 50th anniversary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada’s visit to Sri Lanka, ISKCON Sri Lanka organized to release the commemorative stamp and commemorative cover on the 04th of October 2015 and for this event there were VIPs present too, like ministers and industrialists. This function was held at Ramakrishna Mission Hall, Wellawatta, Colombo – 06. There were cultural dances performed by the student of Hare Krishna Music & Dance school and also by the students of the University of Visual and Performing Arts.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20296
Hare Krishna! ISKCON Sandton Celebrates Srila Prabhupada’s 40th Anniversary Arrival to South Africa
“The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud”. The arrival of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada materialized the above praxis when he arrived in South Africa in October 1975 during the height of the apartheid regime. The juxtaposition of apartheid, its racial and ethnic segregationist policies and the restlessness of a suppressed people caused the message and teachings of Srila Prabhupada to resonate widely and be felt deeply. He came to spread the universal message of peace, love, harmony and the tangible means of achieving such a state of existence. During His tour of South Africa, His Divine Grace spoke at the famous Great Hall at the University of Witwatersrand on the 23 October 1975.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20275
4.10.2015 H.H.Kavi Chandra Swami_SB-06.01.55
Bhaktimarga Swami has become famous as “The Walking Monk” from his treks on foot four times across his native Canada, as well as across Ireland, Israel, Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana and Trinidad. The Swami’s current walk, however, may mean the most to him on a personal level.
The independent film 10,000 Saints, which includes scenes shot in the Manhattan Hare Krishna Temple “The Bhakti Center” and features ISKCON devotees, was released on Blu-Ray, DVD and streaming services on October 6th. Based on the novel by Eleanor Henderson, it is directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini of the Oscar-nominated American Splendor.
Hare Krishna! The virtues of demon’ crazy
Srila Prabhupada’s keen observation picked out the demon word in pan’demon’ium and demon’strate. He likewise slotted in words befitting his siddhantic stance. Democracy did not escape his scathing, if not light-hearted censure. What could be said about it? Democracy as we know it is a free for all conciliatory tool to suit the wishes of disparate views within the precincts of law and order. To date, no two nations who espouse and have fully-fledged democratic institutions have gone to war with each other. That it enables the most deadly and despicable foes to talk rapprochement and co-operate for the good of peace and stability, seems a tangible way of curbing bloodthirsty enmity. It seeks to channel the murderous tendency via the political route, where weapons be replaced by oral deliberations, and consensus be put into law.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=2333
When I lay down in my comfortable apartment in Budapest, all I could see are images of little children lying on the dirty floor of Budapest’s railway stations waiting for their transfer to a new, safer and better life.
NY Union Square Harinama (Album with photos)
The “most happening place” in the city. Dedicated devotees engaged in following Srila Prabhupada’s simple process of Harinama, Book distribution and Prasadam distribution. So inspiring to be in the company of such focused and serious devotees, especially the youngsters, who amazed us by their sincerity, determination, humility and sweetness. Rama Raya prabhu is managing wondefully in Aindra prabhu’s footsteps. If you’re in the city please do join them, you will be very nicely welcomed and thoroughly enlivened. Photos by Dvijapriya dasi.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/E28WmU
Written by Vasanti dd
As the transcendental dust-storms (caused by the lotus feet of the devotees jumping in ecstasy for Lord Jagannatha) were beginning to settle down in Soweto and the glowing embers of the initiation yajna were simmering down in Pretoria, the devotees of the Cape Town yatra were preparing to finally get the answer to the question that had been buzzing in the air for weeks, “When is Kadamba Kanana Swami arriving?”
In the late afternoon of Tuesday, 22 September 2015, Maharaj gracefully arrived in the Mother City of South Africa and was warmly welcomed by a calm reception of disciples. Things, however, were not to stay that calm for very long at all…
After a short time to settle-in and catch his breath, Maharaj made an appearance and initiated (through a full-swing one hour kirtan and an hour’s lecture from Bhagavad-gita 7.17), the first of the many jam‑packed morning and evening programs that were to follow for the rest of the week.
Wednesday was filled to the brim with ecstasy with three (almost) back-to-back programs. We started-off with a morning class from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.42 followed by a fun-filled afternoon program in the Bhakti Yoga Society hall at the University of Cape Town where Maharaj gave a wonderful talk on Stress Management and Vedic Lifestyle and also spent a lot of time afterwards engaging in questions-and-answers with the eager and inquisitive students who stayed behind to cash in on the nectar.
The last stop for the day took us all the way out to the beautiful Stellenbosch yatra where the devotees had some nice downtime to chat with Maharaj before the students arrived for a kirtan straight from the spiritual world, a charismatic talk in true KKS style and a feast of ecstatic prasad. Meanwhile, back at the temple, excitement was starting to build up about the next day’s scheduled program which was, by far, one of the highlights of Maharaj’s visit …
Thursday morning started-off with a lecture on verse 1.3.43 of Srimad Bhagavatam. The weather was absolutely perfect and the hustle and bustle was building up as devotees started streaming in from all over Cape Town in anticipation of the blissful day that lay ahead.
The sankritan warriors then began their preparations: sun block and tilaka boldly painted on; mrdangas, djembes and harmonium straps fastened tight around the shoulders; kartalas and whompers, ready for action with books/flyers locked and loaded into book bags, ready for launch …
Maharaj hopped into the passenger seat of a bright, cherry-red Toyota Etios and zoomed-off around the mountain leading the devotees, in a convoy of cars, towards the tropically majestic, crystal-blue oceans and pearly-white sands of the Camps Bay suburb of Cape Town.
The devotees exploded into Camps bay, instruments blaring, colorful garments swaying to and fro with smiles as wide a Cheshire cats as they sang the Holy Names from the heart. Maharaj led the devotees all around Camps Bay as the ecstasy grew from strength-to-strength.
Some book distributors broke off to meet the curious and jolly crowd of onlookers who had started gathering… some people even came running out of restaurants asking for books!
It seemed as though the bliss would never end…
After what felt like (and probably was) hours we eventually settled down on the grass, overlooking the ocean, for a delicious ekadasi feast. We then ended the day off with a little more kirtan. What a day indeed!
The week ended-off just as fully and busily as it started with sweet talks and dramatic narrations from Maharaj in appreciation of the Lord and his amazing devotees, starting with the appearance day of Lord Vamanadev on Friday, 25 September (morning class at temple and evening at HG Medhavi prabhu’s home), followed by the appearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur on Saturday, 26 September where Maharaj spent the day aptly doing justice to the glories of the great acarya and last, but certainly not least, the disappearance day of Srila Haridas Thakur on Sunday the 27th where Maharaj spent a lot of time glorifying Haridas Thakur and emphasizing the importance of properly and sincerely chanting the Holy Names.
As things started to wind down on Sunday, evening Maharaj went to a nearby old-age home to visit Mrs. Retrout, a beloved elderly lady who used to frequent the temple when she was in better health. Since she has been struggling with her health the devotees have been visiting her at the retirement village to try and lift her spirits and Maharaj’s visit most certainly brought a lot of life back to her eyes.
The Sunday Love Feast Prasad was finished and packed away and the party was officially coming to an end. At the request of bhakta Rama, Maharaj sat down at the harmonium once more and gladly showed Rama a tune or two attracting a small group of devotees who sat and reveled in the last few moments of Maharaj’s precious association before he left to get ready for the next long haul to Australia…
It was visit filled to the brim with nectar, mercy, bliss, ecstasy and all the good things the association of a pure devotee brings.
Recordings to follow shortly…
KK Bindu #360: Can an ant touch the Moon? The answer in this issue of Bindu is yes!
The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released. Topics include:
* IMPORTANCE OF HIGHER ASSOCIATION – Instructions from the writings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
* NOTES ON THE BHAGAVATA – Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode speaks about the mentality necessary for understanding Srimad Bhagavatam: “most readers are mere repositories of facts and statements made by other people. But this is not study. The student is to read the facts with a view to create, and not with the object of fruitless retention.”
* FIRE OF SEPARATION – A verse composed by Srila Rupa Goswami describing a prayer to Krishna from his cowherd boyfriends of Vraja.
* RESPECT TO ALL – Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja comments that a sincere devotee will see everyone except himself as a devotee.
* WHEN WILL I GO TO VRINDAVAN? – A fresh translation done for this issue of Bindu from a song by the Gaudiya poet Radhamohan Das.
* THE ANT AND THE MOON – Is it possible for an ant to touch the Moon? A first time translation done for this issue of Bindu from a little known Sanskrit book called, “Subhasita-ratna-bhandagara”.
It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu360