Planet ISKCON

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Hare Krishna! 34th annual Baroda Jagannath Rathayatra festival 2015
The Jagannath Rathayatra festival was seen by approximately four lakhs (400,000) local residents. Many devotees commented that the size of the crowds right from the Railway Station were noticably more than in past years! Before the Rathayatra procession began in the afternoon, prominent elected leaders of society visited the Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar Mandir at ISKCON Baroda in the morning for darshan of the Deities. The dignitaries included the Honorable Mayor of Baroda, Sri Bharatbhai Shah, Deputy Mayor Smt. Sunita Shukla, Baroda City President of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Sri Bharat Dangar, Leader of the opposition Congress Party in the Baroda Municipal Corporation, Sri Chandrakant (Batu) Shrivastava, Vuda (Vadodara Urban Development Corporation) Chairman Sri Naranbhai Patel, and Municipal Commissioner, Sri H.S. Patel (IAS).
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18635

Written by Bhaktin Klara

Summer Camp

The camp took place from 01-06 July in the heart of the Czech Republic, near the town Kamenice nad Lipou. This was the second time that the Camp was hosted at this venue and the first time that Kadamba Kanana Swami graced the new place. Krsna again showed His mercy and we were blessed with wonderful weather and the devotees were satisfied. The Camp site had a nice pond, with rowing boat facilities and the unlimited current of warm water was a lure to both children and adults alike. If you attended the Camp before then you would know that almost every year there are some pastimes with water, so this new site was greatly appreciated.

Maharaj arrived on Thursday, 02 July and from that moment, he was besieged by devotees. On Friday morning, he gave a lecture where he highlighted the importance of regulated chanting, hearing and reading. He mentioned that we should chant whether we have taste for it or not, and if we are not chanting for the pleasure of Krsna, then we will not get the full benefit. Maharaj gave the afternoon seminar about appreciating vaisnavas and after lunch, he to the town Jindřichův Hradec where he led a wonderful harinama and was followed by many of our spiritual family.

Saturday, was the day of remembrance of Srila Prabhupada, so all lectures, thoughts and services were especially dedicated to Him. Maharaj mentioned that we should deepen our relationship with Srila Prabhupada and that we should find out what was important to Him. What was important to Srila Prabhupada is also important to Krsna and therefore it should be important for us also. Maharaj went on further to say that Srila Prabhupada manifests Himself to the extent how we; as His disciples, grand disciples and great-grand disciples; try to follow His instructions. And that we have to develop the mood of compassion and humility like Srila Prabhupada had. After this seminar, Maharaj led a roaring and very spontaneous kirtan so there was not enough time for another seminar that day!

During an initiation ceremony on Sunday, Maharaj mentioned that our chanting should be performed with great determination and that when we take up devotional service, all aspects of our lives will lead to devotional progress and all our activities will give benefit to all living beings. Bhaktin Veronika is now Vani devi dasi. Later in the afternoon, there was a Vedic wedding ceremony held and Maharaj led a very nice kirtan and his presence made this important event even more auspicious. His last and an unscheduled program at the Camp, was evening interview for a new documentary on the Czech Yatra.

Ratha Yatra

Lord Jagannatha with His siblings came to the streets of the Czech capital, Prague for the eighth time on 19 July. It was a really big party with so many devotees and visitors in attendance. Everyone was ecstatic in service to the Lord of the Universe.

This year, we were blessed by the association of many precious guests apart from Kadamba Kanana Swami, namely Janananda Swami, Danavir Goswami, Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, Parividha Prabhu and Jay Gurudev Prabhu.

The program after the procession was very busy. We had kirtans and bhajans, a speech by the Indian ambassador, Bharata Natyam dances, a musical show by Parividha Prabhu and Odissi dances. People could buy Indian and devotional goods in the Govinda shop, books, prasadam ice-cream, bakery products from the Czech farm and other kinds of delicious prasadam. Of course, there was also free prasadam for everyone who attended. Kadamba Kanana Swami led wonderful kirtan during the procession and then at the end of the day and in between, he talked to devotees.

The whole city was flooded by Krsna´s mercy and the mercy of all those vaisnavas. Now, we are looking forward to many future years of the festival.

Photos are courtesy of Martin Schubert, Višnujan das, Antardvip das, Lakšmí dd, Madhva Muni das, Indranudja das and Dayapara das.

Visit flickr to see all the photos

Hare Krishna! Sumati Morarjee and Prabhupada’s Journey West
Satyaraja Dasa: Sumati Morarjee first saw Srila Prabhupada in the 1950s at Kurukshetra, where Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita. She later told an audience of his followers that he was sitting under a tree, chanting on beads. Sensing that he was a distinguished sadhu, she approached him, hoping to receive his blessings. At the time he hadn’t yet taken sannyasa, the renounced order of life, and was thus still a married man. Nonetheless, she was impressed with his humility and devotion, and she mentioned this to him when they met again in Bombay. By that time Prabhupada was a swami asking her for help in getting to America. He had met a gentleman named Mr. Agarwal, a Mathura businessman, and had mentioned that he wanted to go to the West to fulfill the order of his spiritual master to preach the message of Lord Chaitanya in English.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18632

Hare Krishna! Rameswaram Yatra
Rameswaram is situated at the extreme south end of India on the Gulf of Mannar. The island is in the shape of a conch shell, 55 km by 12 km. It is one of the most prominent holiest pilgrimage places in India. Srimad-Bhagavatam (canto 10 chapter 79 verses 16-17) states that Lord Balarama visited “Setubandha [Rameswaram]” in the course of His pilgrimage. Lord Caitanya also visited Rameswaram during His South India tour as mentioned in Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila Chapter 9 verses 199-209. Rameswaram is tropical island surrounded by coral reefs and sandy beaches with coconut palms and tamarind trees. It is a major centre of pilgrimage. The Sri Ramanathaswamy temple is one of the most important in India. It is a massive complex with a number of shrines, holy wells, gopurams, and several long hallways, one reaching 4000 feet in length, the longest in the world.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18620

Hare Krishna! Time and Again
Creation, maintenance, and destruction in the course of time are not features of the spiritual nature. The Upanishads say that before the creation there was no Brahma and no Siva, no sun, stars, or sky. There was only Vishnu, His expansions, and the pure souls who have no desire for a life separate from Him. With only Vishnu, and no Siva or Brahma, there is only maintenance, with no creation or destruction. Time exists in the spiritual nature without its destructive side, and without the type of creative side that is merely destruction’s necessary counterpart. And yet the spiritual nature is said to be full of activity, more so than its material reflection. Lord Vishnu and His devotee servants expand spiritually there to enrich, vary, and perpetually increase the pastimes of blissful loving devotion.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18617

Conversation with Manjari dd.

The post On some current thoughts questioning ISKCON’s cultural norms and dress appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

TOVP - Sadbhuja Das: The inside of the inner domes, main dome and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s, will have a coffered ceiling. Here we can see a full size prototype of the ceiling segment.
See the photos here: https://goo.gl/dc65Nm

TOVP: New Materials – Burmese Teak Wood for Windows and Doors
(Album with photos)
Teak wood is a naturally grown wood from Myanmar (previously Burma). This wood is known for its superb stability, good strength, easy workability, bug proof- and most of all, its outstanding resistance to decay. It basically last for ever.
Burmese teak wood is exported all over the world for its quality.
Sadbhuja Prabhu personally travelled to Myanmar to negotiate the best price and pick the best quality of wood.
This wood will be used for all windows and doors in the Temple.
This is the 2,600 years old Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (Myanmar capital) where it is believed to hold eight hairs of Bhudda.
See them here: https://goo.gl/GlZ0aT

Berkeley’s 49th Ratha Yatra Festival 2015
The “Festival of the Chariots,” known throughout India as the “Ratha Yatra” festival, has been performed for thousands of years in Puri, India, and today it is celebrated in all major cities through out the world. More than 3,000 people attend each year in San Francisco alone.
Typically at this annual interactive parade, people pull three large chariots by ropes throughout Golden Gate Park, ending at Sharon Meadow on the corner of JFK Dr. and Stanyan Street around 1 pm for the Festival of India.
Look forward to a free vegetarian meal, live music, ancient Indian dances, exhibits, books, and more.
49th Annual Festival of the Chariots
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
– Parade Begins: 11 am (JFK & Transverse, GG Park)
– Festival: 1 pm (Sharon Meadow)
Read the entire article here: https://goo.gl/APzsA9

Hare Krishna! Iskcon 50th year anniversary – kindly help!
The Hon”ble Chief Minister of West Bengal (Ms. Mamata Banerjee) & UP (Mr. Akhilesh yadav), Governor of West Bengal, Ms. Kiran Bedi , the Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Ban Ki Moon and host of other VVIP’s will be present for the occasion. We have ordered to make a sculptor of Srila Prabhupada boarding Jaladuta and alighting from Jaladuta for Kolkata and Boston by famous sculptor from Kiev, Ukrain. We are expecting that the Mayor of Boston to be present, and Mayor of Kolkata has confirmed his presence at the program. So the plan is that Mayor of Kiev will hand over the sculpture to Mayor of Boston (Hopefully he will confirm his participation) and Kolkata respectively. We are also working on to ship the Boston sculpture to be shipped to boston taking same route Srila Prabhupada took 50 years ago.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18612

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6 Hours Kirtan by HG Agnidev Das on 12th July 2015 on Param Ekadasi at ISKCON Durban

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“You mentioned that Pṛthu would ‘milk the earth,’” Vidura asked Maitreya. “The earth has so many forms, why would she chose to appear to Pṛthu as a cow? What sort of ‘milk’ did she give? Who was her calf? What did Pṛthu use as a milking pot?”

“You mentioned that Pṛthu would level the mountains to create smooth roads,” Vidura continued. “The very nature of the earth is to become mountainous, so how did Pṛthu manage to level her?

“You said that Indra stole the horse meant for Pṛthu’s hundredth and final horse-sacrifice. Why did Indra do this?

“You mentioned that Pṛthu gained transcendental knowledge from the blessed Sanat Kumāra, the greatest knower of spirituality. What knowledge did the philosopher-king gain? How did he realize it? What result did he achieve?”

In case Maitreya might wonder why he was so curious to learn more about Pṛthu, Vidura concluded by saying, “I am very eager to hear all these wonderful things, and more, because Pṛthu is a previous birth of my Prabhu, All-Attractive Krishna. So please tell me all about Transcendent Krishna who took the form of Vena’s son and milked the earth. I will listen attentively and with devotion.”

– Translated from
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.17.3-7
An initial draft for part 4 of Beautiful Tales of the All-Attractive
by Vraja Kishor
VrajaKishor.com

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• Vice President of ISKCON Toronto in the 70's;
•  President of ISKCON Chicago in the early 80's;
•  Zonal Secretary for USA mid-west in the 80's; and 
•  GBC(Governing Body Commission) appointed him as Global  Coordinator for Community Relations in the 90's 

Sunday School

To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him.
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).

Gift Shop

Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your visit. It offers textiles, jewellery, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.

Please note that ISKCON Brampton is a peanut free environment in order to support those with allergies. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant and Be happy

Rupa Vilasa das, a doctor and Priya devi dasi, a pharmacist, are both from Fiji and have been living with their children in Australia for over ten years.

In his new book Vanity Karma: Ecclesiastes, the Bhagavad-gita, and the Search for the Meaning of Life, ISKCON guru and BBT trustee Jayadvaita Swami explores the works that set him on his spiritual path in the hopes that they may help others on theirs. “Both books deal with questions crucial to the life of an intelligent human being,” he says.

The Lake shore city of Kenya – Kisumu, celebrated its annual Rath Yatra on the 18^th of July, coinciding with the Puri Rath Yatra, and "Idd-Ul-Ftr" (a local holiday). Taking advantage of the auspicious date, the Kisumu devotees organized the festival in less than a week.

North Sentinel Island, located in the Bay of Bengal, is home to an isolated tribe that has never been colonized or even made contact with.

Having found ourselves in the abyss of an ecological tragedy, the current inheritors of the earth are entitled to a moment of solemn reflection in which we wonder, “Am I really responsible?”

The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is named as such because within its main dome it will house a 3-dimensional, moving model of the universe according to the Vedic scriptures. This explanation describes the planetary systems and all the universal contents to be in the shape of an incredible chandelier.

The walls of the temple in Durban, South Africa vibrated to the sounds of the holy name through a six-hour Kirtan Festival.

A permanent art gallery entitled “Walking with Srila Prabhupada – The Path of Perfection” is set to open on August 30^th in Malaysia in honor of the 50^th anniversary of the ISKCON Founder’s  arrival in the U.S. The gallery will open the day after the long-awaited second and third phases of Penang State’s Temple of Devotion and Understanding, which was first envisioned by Srila Prabhupada himself during a 1971 visit.

Hare Krishna! Rathayatra: When the Lord Comes Out, Let’s Invite Him In
While in Dwarka, Krishna heard about their love-afflicted plight. In amazement, His mouth fell open, His eyes became large, and His limbs became motionless and withdrew into themselves just as His consciousness withdrew from everything else to focus on His devotees. And Krishna became Jagannatha. The celestial sage Narada blissfully beheld this extraordinary form and begged the Lord to bless everyone with its divine darshana. His desire was fulfilled through a later king, named Indradyumna, whose haste-induced error turned out to be part of a divine plan, as narrated in the Skanda Purana and the Brahma Purana.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18609

Hare Krishna! Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra – A manifestation of the spirit of Vasudhaivam Kutumbakam
Jagannath Puri is one of the most important holy places of this planet. It was here where this Rath yatra originated and the date of origin goes back to Satya-yuga (beginning of cosmological era) as the temple was inaugurated around that time as per the scripture Skanda Purana. There is also information in other scriptures that mentions about Rath yatra being celebrated in 3rd century BC and credits it to King Pandyavijaya, a devotee of Lord from south India. But with reference to present age, one can say the Rath yatra of Lord Jagannath is going on since time immemorial and there is not much information available regarding the nature of celebrations during yore days.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18606