Planet ISKCON

How important is it to follow social niceties? Isn’t a spiritualist automatically moral? Does following such ethics contribute anything to the divine journey?

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The post How to reconcile Krishna’s omniscience with our having free will? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Congregation Program at San Jose
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RASA acrony: Redirection, Adaptation, Spiritualization, Appreciation

The post RASA acronym for finding rasa in bhakti appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

An interfaith meeting in Mongolia (6 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Two days ago we visited a Buddhist monastery in Bayankhongor, Mongolia and sat with the monks during their prayers. Afterwards as they chanted “om mani padme hum” [ I worship He who sits on the whorl of the lotus flower ] on their beads, we chanted Hare Krsna softly on our japa mala. When there was a break, I took the opportunity to discuss philosophy with the senior monk and presented him a Bhagavad Gita, for which he was very grateful. Before leaving one of the oldest monks asked for my bead bag so he could protect his chanting beads. I immediately gave it to him, and he in turn, graciously gave me several sacred articles worshipped by his ancestors.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/UZlVGK

1. SATSANG - Association with a community of people, who actually inspire one another, is so very important. By associating with people who are striving for enlightenment or who are enlightened, the doors to our life of liberation and happiness open. 
2. SADHANA - The time we devote everyday to our spiritual cultivation, our daily spiritual practice, our sadhana. If you don’t eat for many days, how will you perform in your office? If you have not slept in many days, how are you going to act in office? Your body and mind need rest and food in order to have strength to do your work. Similarly, if you want spiritual strength, our spiritual practice (chanting, hearing etc) is our food that nourishes us spiritually. 
3. SADACHAR - We need to live with good character and values. In our office we may have to compete, we may have to challenge, but it should be with dignity, respect, integrity, and compassion. With a good spiritual foundation when we go into office, we are like Arjuna in Kurukshetra after he heard the Bhagavad Gita. Even if there are all kinds of things going on in our office – all kinds of arrows shooting in different directions – we are spiritually strong, we have integrity, we have bhakti. 

Celebrating 50 years of Prabhupada’s Arrival in the USA in Indonesia (Album with photos)
On the 4th of October 2015, devotees celebrated the 50th year anniversary of the arrival of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at Boston, the United States of America.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sU2LTy

Hare Krishna! Prasad Distribution in Paris
The French Revolution of 1798 is regarded by western historians as one of the most important events in human history. The revolution sparked off at the magnificent Place D’ La Republic, this is the location where another type of revolution was to happen, the Krishna Prasad “feeding of the 5,000”. A revolution of consciousness, the Hare Krishna revolution. Referred to as the “spotless” Purana, the Bhagavatam is “directed towards bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilisation” (SB 1.5.11). At this revolution almost 7,000 young people got a free plate of delicious subji, pakoras and a puri, and got to hear the Holy Name. The Revolution of 1798 came about due to the popular resentment of the privileges enjoyed by the clergy and the aristocracy and similarly Lord Caitanya’s movement is open to one and all, even a dog can take part. Lord Caitanya’s movement will always be street based, and centered on the free distribution of Bhakti.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20241

The post Reporting in from New Delhi appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

What is so special about prasadam? (4 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: No one can give rapt attention who is not pure in mind. No one can be pure in mind who is not pure in action. No one can be pure in action who is not pure in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/ZINJHy

Once Yamuna was asked how she was able to leave Vrindavan, as it was originally her intention to stay there throughout her life. She answered that she came to realize that Vrindavan is in your heart, and quoted the following story:
Yamuna: Once Srila Prabhupada came for a short time to New Delhi, and afterwards Tejas, Guru das, Shyamasundara and I brought him to the Delhi airport. His plane was delayed, and we were sitting in a little group waiting when we heard this click-clack, click-clack, click-clack coming from a young girl with high-heeled shoes, black stockings and a mini-dress.
Shyamasundara said to Prabhupada, “We’re not in Vrindavan anymore, Srila Prabhupada.” Prabhupada looked at him and said, “Yes, we are in Vrindavan. This is not Vrindavan?”
That made me see things in a different light. I began to think, “Yes, I may physically leave Vrindavan, but Vrindavan is also in the heart.” We can take Vrindavan into the heart, and when we leave the dhama, we can bring its atmosphere with us wherever we go. It gave me a little hope.
So Vrindavan is also there within our hearts, within our consciousness, provided we make ourselves the receptacle. Everything is about making ourselves a fit receptacle. Srila Prabhupada is the representative of the mercy of Krishna and our entire disciplic succession. He is the cent percent emblem of religiosity.
He had a perfect understanding of how to distribute love of Godhead according to the mentality of the recipients Krishna sent to him. He once said, “I favor none of my disciples. Whoever makes himself a fit receptacle to hear the message receives that mercy.
Just like the rays of moonshine are very much beneficial, but if you hide behind the rocks and the caves, how do you expect to get the mercy rays of the moon?” I was reflecting after leaving Vrindavan how Srila Prabhupada revealed the holy dhama to us.
First, he revealed it by showing it to us personally—by being the pure living example of what the dhama is; secondly, he showed it to us by his inconceivable mercy through the Holy Names; and thirdly, by teaching us to appreciate the Vaishnavas and seeing Vrindavan in the hearts of the devotees.
That was three ways he allowed us to see and experience Vrindavan.

New Prayer Service at New Raman Reti, Alachua. There is a new service for devotees in our community in the form of a Prayer Circle. As devotees progress on their Krishna Conscious path, sometimes obstacles arise in the form of physical or mental distress. This prayer circle is designed to assist devotees overcome such obstacles by the power of prayer. Other efforts in our community may assist devotees by providing prasadam, transportation to doctor’s appointments, counseling, etc. However, the sole purpose of this service is to offer prayers on the devotee’s behalf. For devotee’s convenience, there is a web page on the NRR Website where devotees can request prayers. Click here to go: http://goo.gl/ALfZTC

Produced by Krsna-lila and the Hungarian Communications Team. https://youtu.be/VLreIpOjZNU

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The day after the Ratha Yatra in Soweto, despite aching feet and bones, festivities continued at the temple in Pretoria with the celebration of Radhastami (21 September). Due to it being a working day, the program began at 18:30 with a full-house in attendance! After a short rendition of Jaya-Radha-Madhava, Kadamba Kanana Swami began the lecture by saying what a special day it was, “Janmastami is for the public. Everyone knows about Janmastami but Radhastami is for the devotees. It is an in-house festival!”

He went on to mentioned that the themes for Radhastami are unalloyed devotional service as Srimati Radharani is the topmost devotee and compassion since there is so much mercy available on the day. He encouraged the audience to introspect as well as to recommit and increase our devotional service. Then he shared sweet pastimes of Krsna, Radharani, Abhimanyu, Mother Yashoda and the famous Jatila & Kutila.

As part of the Radhastami festival, an initiation ceremony took place and Kadamba Kanana Swami spent the last half-hour of his 90 minute lecture focusing on that. Amongst many inspiring words, Maharaj emphasized how our vows are eternal and that they are made to Krsna and not just to him, as the spiritual master.

Nicole from the KKSBlog team received the name Naimisaranya dd, her husband Kody is now Gopala Campu das, Akira was renamed Kisori Kunj dd, Sipho from Bloemfontein received the name Saunaka Muni das and Brhat Mrdanga das from the Sandton temple received second initiation. After the fire-sacrifice and final kirtan, devotees enjoyed a wonderful feast prepared by the Pretoria devotees which brought an end to the day.

On 22 September, Kadamba Kanana Swami travelled to Cape Town and stayed for a week. On his way out of South Africa, he spent the last night again in Johannesburg where he met with disciples for an evening program. On Tuesday, 20 September, he departed for Australia.

Photos

Visit Flickr to see the full slide-show of pictures from Radhastami and other programs around Johannesburg.

Audio – Radhastami

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KKS_PTA_21Sept2015_Radhastami_Lecture

Audio – Other recordings from Johannesburg 

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KKS_JHB_19Sept2015_Midrand_Evening_Lecture

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KKS_JHB_28Sept2015_DiscipleProgram_Lecture

Hare Krishna! World Holy Name Week 2015 celebrated in the national capital of India
The national capital of India witnessed a historic Maha-Harinaam Sankirtan on 27th September 2015 at Janakpuri, New Delhi, organized by ISKCON Shri Shri Rukmini Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka under the guidance of Shri Shri Radha Parthasarthi Temple, East of Kailash. The Maha-Harinaam Sankirtan was marked by Their Lordships Shri Shri Rukmini Dwarkadhish gracing the streets of Jankapuri on their palanquin amidst roaring kirtan. The Rockshow on a 40ft trailer stole the hearts of many bringing the young and old closer to the wheels dancing and singing the holy name of the Lord with elation. The residents of Janakpuri, New Delhi welcomed the lord and performed arati for the Deities while the devotees and onlookers offered flowers and danced in jubilation. Around 20 Stalls were put up by local residents to serve the yatra devotees with sumptuous snacks prasadam.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20236

Hare Krishna! Astounding World Holy Name Week In Vrindavan
Thousands of pilgrims, guests and visitors chanted and danced to the sweet Holy Names of Krishna at the Krishna Balaram Mandir for 10 days. The chanting goes on anyway with our 24 hour kirtan department, the ladies group chanting in Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi and the devotees from the Youth Forum engaging everyone in chanting one complete round on beads, in Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi upstairs, everyday. The festival expertly organized by the temple management had different groups participate in 3 shifts – 2 and 3 hour slots. On the first day, a beautiful and colorful pandal was set up at the main gate of our goshala and locals and pilgrims all happily chanted with our ISKCON Vrindavan Namahatta devotees. It was a wonderful sight.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20231

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Sridama das S.B.6.15.24 – Oct 5th 2015

Bhaktimarga Swami: Never Seen Such a Group before!
(Delaware State Park, Pennsylvania-Saturday, October 3rd, 2015)
A constant rain fell upon us for a four hour hike within hilly Pennsylvania before the drive to today’s destination at Old Forge. The occasion was the opening of a yoga studio situated in an old renovated railway station. A cargo train still goes by on a daily basis. The station’s interior itself is smartly done up to accommodate the spiritually enhanced. Father Bill, who frequented Iskcon’s Laguna Beach center years ago, is teaching yoga in the premises along with other persons who conduct presentations on meditation, yoga, and prayer. Father Bill embraces Christian liberalism. He asked that I speak on a topic that would cover the concept of bhakti, devotion, and how it is a form of yoga that entails a relationship with God. He also asked that I express the nature of God as Radha and Krishna, the Divine Female and Male. I did as he asked, along with expressing the superior or essential element of yoga and that it is not just a physical exercise - ultimately it involves a profound love for the Supreme.
Kirtan (chanting) was the most important component of the presentation and ended up being an inclusive exercise. For everyone, that experience probably topped the joy of eating prasadam which was so kindly provided by devotees who prepared and delivered the outstanding feast from Iskcon Philadelphia.
I can say with full honesty that I have never seen a group of such gracious, smiling, and appreciative people in an American setting. I felt, along with team players Vivasvan and Tre’von, that we were not in a physical place or even at a train station. We were transported to another realm primarily because everyone approached and engaged in kirtan in a surrendered mood. It was a thrill to see a nun in full regalia, that is, in the traditional nun’s habit chanting and dancing in our circle.

(A condensed version of this article was published earlier here. This article has been expanded at the request of readers who had wanted to read more on this theme.)

“Man proposes, God disposes” is a familiar wry comment. It is a saying by which we try to philosophize when factors beyond our control foil our best plans. Despite the adage, we do feel immensely frustrated when we have to watch helplessly as providence wrecks our cherished plans one after another. When we either can’t get what we want or must accept what we don’t want, we become miserable. And because such situations come quite frequently in our life, misery is our unavoidable companion.

Little Control Means No Control

Most people tackle this dilemma by trying to increase their ability to control things. They think that acquiring wealth, power, knowledge, fame, beauty, and even renunciation will help. But do these really solve the problem? They seem to give us control over our lives and surroundings, but they themselves are beyond our control. For example, a wealthy person imagines that his monetary power gives him control over his life and so wants to increase his wealth unlimitedly (Bhagavad-gita 16.13–15). But he can lose the wealth through events beyond his control, such as a stock market crash. Thus wealth creates an illusion of control. It only increases anxiety by making us more dependent on things beyond our control. And money can’t bribe death, which in a moment strips us of everything (10.34). Hence the Gita (2.8) asserts that material solutions offer no actual relief. Srila Prabhupada succinctly states the futility of mundane attempts to control our lives: “Little control means no control.”

The Bhagavad-gita offers a dramatically different remedy: God proposes, man accepts. All attempts to become happy in the material world are ultimately misdirected. They keep us out of harmony with God. The perfection of our intelligence is to harmonize our will with the divine will (7.19).

All the major religions teach us to faithfully and gracefully accept reversals as the unknowable will of the Lord. The prayer of Jesus the night before he was crucified—“Let Thy will be done, not mine”—is a well-known example. In times of pain and grief, prayerful surrender to the will of the Lord can bring relief. But most people cannot muster the faith needed for offering such a bold prayer.

The Bhagavad-gita holds a unique position among the world’s scriptures in that it offers a solid intellectual springboard and a well-defined spiritual trajectory for this leap of faith. The philosophy of the Gita is so cogent, coherent, and complete that after understanding it Arjuna accepted the Lord’s desire that his relatives be killed. And he went even further. He agreed to help bring about the execution of Krishna’s desire. Karisye vacanam tava: “I will do whatever You say.” (18.73)

Insights from the GIta

Here’s a summary of the Gita’s extraordinarily empowering perspective on the reversals of life:

• We are not gross bodies or subtle minds, but are eternal souls (7.4–5). Therefore the sufferings caused by the mind, the body, and their extensions—relatives, friends, possessions, positions—no matter how devastating, do not deprive us of our essential spiritual identity and purpose in life: to revive our loving relationship with God. We have a changeless, blissful core that no reverses can take away. Knowing that is a source of tremendous solace and strength when everything around us seems to be falling apart (2.13–16).

• Krishna is our Supreme Father (14.4). He loves all of us, even when we spurn His love or deny His existence. The practical sign of His selfless, causeless love is that He creates and maintains everything we wayward children need to enjoy material happiness. He provides all the universal necessities, such as heat and light (15.12–13). He keeps all our bodily functions, such as digestion, in proper order (15.14). He gives us the inspiration and intelligence to enjoy life according to our desires (15.15). Thus the Lord is our supreme well-wisher and supporter (5.29).

• The universal laws of action and reaction govern all events in the material world. Reversals come upon us not by cruel chance but by our own past misdeeds, in either this or earlier lives. To accept the law of karma is not fatalistic, creating feelings of helplessness and impotence, as some people say. Nor is it psychologically damaging, creating haunting feelings of guilt, as others allege. Rather, a mature understanding of the impartial law of karma is empowering. It confirms that we do have some control over our lives. By harmonizing with the universal laws of action, as explained in the God-given scriptures, we have the power to create a bright future for ourselves, no matter how bleak the present may seem (3.9).

• For those steadfastly devoted to the Lord, karmic laws aren’t all that’s involved. The Lord Himself orchestrates the events in the lives of His devotees so that they are most expeditiously elevated to the platform of unlimited, eternal, spiritual happiness (12.6–7). Indeed for the faithful the Lord transforms material adversity into spiritual prosperity. An intelligent transcendentalist is therefore able to see a painful reversal as a spiritual catharsis, as a surgery for the materially infected soul. A surgery, though painful, frees the body from dangerous infection and promotes recovery. Similarly, material adversity, though painful, frees the soul from the shackles of matter and promotes the realization of his blissful spiritual identity.

Wisdom in Action

After hearing Krishna’s message, Arjuna realized that Krishna was not urging him to fight the war for petty personal gains. Rather, Krishna was giving him the privileged opportunity to play a crucial role in a divine plan. He could help reestablish order and harmony in human society. He could destroy the anti-social elements who had grabbed power. Hence his fighting was necessary and beneficial service to God and to all living beings as the children of God. He realized that all the assembled warriors, including his loved ones, were eternal souls. They would continue to live after their bodily death. And by dying in the presence of the supremely pure Lord Krishna, they would be purified of their sinful mentality and would attain spiritual freedom.

Before hearing the Gita, Arjuna had felt hopeless (2.6). If he killed his relatives, he reasoned, he would be committing a heinous sin (1.36). If he chose not to fight, he would have no way to live and would be disgraced for having abandoned the battle like a coward (2.33–36). After hearing the Gita, he recognized that he had no need to fear sin. Krishna taught him that action in line with His will brings purification and elevation, not sin and suffering (18.65–66). Arjuna’s fighting would benefit not only himself but the whole world, including his slain relatives.

Because Krishna’s will always triumphs, Arjuna would not die while fighting. But even if he did, he would attain the highest spiritual realm of everlasting happiness by laying down his perishable body in a holy war. Therefore after hearing the Gita, Arjuna confidently picked up his famed Ga∫∂iva bow, which he had dejectedly cast aside. He emphatically declared his willingness to execute the all-beneficial will of the Lord (18.73). Thus the Gita is a graphic illustration of how action in accordance with spiritual wisdom transforms a disastrous reversal into a glorious triumph.

The Gita’s comprehensive philosophical explanations serve as a map for the aspiring transcendentalist on the spiritual odyssey back to harmony with the Lord (16.24). Yoga, linking one’s consciousness with the Lord, is the means to return to harmony. The Gita states that meditation (dhyana-yoga), speculation (jñana-yoga), detached action (karma-yoga), and devotional service (bhakti-yoga) are means by which a soul can advance on the path back to harmony. Ultimate success, however, comes only by devotional service (11.54–55). Other paths are only steppingstones to the attainment of that devotion (6.47, 7.19, 3.9). The best method of devotional meditation for the current period in the cosmic cycle (Kali-yuga) is mantra meditation (10.25), especially the chanting of the maha-mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—which awakens the soul to his eternal identity.

Abstaining from self-destructive activities of meat-eating, gambling, intoxication, and illicit sex accelerates the return to harmony. Bhakti-yoga progressively leads to the full blossoming of our higher nature and culminates in prema, selfless love for the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. This love includes unconditional surrender to the will of the Lord. The resulting harmony of divine love makes life a joy at every moment even in this life. This divine love is the ultimate achievement of life. It conquers even death, for it continues eternally in the highest abode, the spiritual world, the realm of pure consciousness.

In Gita-mahatmya, Sripad Sankaracarya explains the unique position of the Bhagavad-gita within the vast Vedic library. He compares the Vedic scriptures to a cow, Krishna to a cowherd boy milking the cow, Arjuna to a calf, and the Gita to the milk of the cow. Thus he considers the Gita the essence of all the Vedic literature.

Appreciation for the Gita is not limited to Vedic circles. Many Western scholars, including Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, have found the Gita to be amazingly lucid and relevant. Mahatma Gandhi comments about the transforming potency of the Gita’s wisdom: “When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and meanings from it every day.”

Despite significant scholarly appreciation, the message of the Gita became a beacon light guiding the lives of millions worldwide only through the tireless efforts of Srila Prabhu-pada, the greatest exponent of Vedic wisdom in modern times. Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is continues to be the world’s most widely read version of the Gita, with millions of copies in print in dozens of languages. In his Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srila Prabhupada succinctly states the pragmatic and profound value of its wisdom: “The purpose of the Gita is to deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence. . . . If one adopts the principles enunciated in Bhagavad-gita, he can make his life perfect and make a permanent solution to all the problems of life.”

Let us therefore equip ourselves with the wisdom of the Gita and confidently traverse the unpredictable journey of life to successfully achieve our eternal home in the kingdom of God.

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Sunday Feast Class at Rukmini Dwarkadhish Temple, Los Angeles, on the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America
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By trusting someone, aren’t we give the key to our happiness to that person?

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Puerto Rico Bhakti Discovery (Album with photos)
Puerto Rico Caribbean island is another place on this planet which has big potential to be Krishna consciousness.People here are very open, easily joining Harinam party and taking Srila Prabhupada’s books.
All glories to Sri Caitanya sankirtan movement.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/8ltt1q

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Talk to students of California State University, Channel Islands
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I have been sharing bhakti wisdom for many years and have many ideas that I wish to put together as a book. How can I go about doing this?

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