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I used to go to LA’s FOLK (“Friends of Lord Krishna”) dinners on Wednesdays in the building right next to the temple. One night, a black devotee walked up the stairs to give the lecture while we ate, seated on the floor in front of our low tables. He looked incredibly cool with imposing muscles under his smooth and jet black skin contrasting so dramatically against saffron Krishna robes. I felt like I was going to hear someone from the Bad Brains talk to me about Krishna!

Sure enough he preached with charisma, confidence, and absolute conviction and I almost felt like I was at the Vedic equivalent of a Christian revival. At a certain point he turned the blast of his fire and brimstone upon the topic of abortion. In a booming, bass voice, he declared, “Anyone who aborts the unborn child in the womb will go to hell and never again see the light of day!”

Whoa, what? Yeah, OK, Abortion is nasty, but what’s this Christian shit about eternal hell doing in a Hare Krishna temple?

I raised my hand. He called on me.

“What about reincarnation?” I asked. “Won’t they eventually be reincarnated and leave hell?”

“In Bhagavad Gītā,” he rallied, “Krishna declares that he throws the demoniac into hellish births life after life. They will be reincarnated in hell, and never again see the light of day.”

I just wasn’t buying it. This guy was importing his biblical past and imposing it on Bhagavad Gītā. It wasn’t “Bhagavad Gītā, As It Is,” it was Bhagavad Gītā Through the Eyes of a Baptist.

“In Bhagavad Gītā, Chapter Eight,” I challenged, “Krishna says that heaven and hell are not permanent places. We go there temporarily and then get reborn again on earth after our rewards or punishments are done. So, how can you say that a person could go to hell and never get back out?”

This made him really mad. Here was a sassy little 19 year old kid, a guest at the Wednesday night FOLK dinner, trying to out-quote him and one-up his authority! I don’t remember what he said next, but it was loud, and I shut up.

– Excerpt from
Train-wrecks and Transcendence:
A Collision of Hardcore and Hare Krishna

by Vraja Kishor dās
VrajaKishor.com

Tagged: abortion, hell, ISKCON, Reincarnation

When we are sick and not getting better we may imagine going to some kind of medical professional who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and knows something about our medical history—even about us personally. Today this seems more of a fantasy we cling to, or hope to encounter if we have a lot of money to spend for the best care available.

Some months ago I visited a clinic in the next county, as this was recently given to me by my new medical insurance. During and after this experience, I had firsthand experience of is wrong with the American medical system. Let me recount:

Walking through the door to the desk, a sign informs me that I need to sign in. After doing so, I look up at the busy workers behind the counter, hoping someone will notice me. The minutes tic off and I wonder if I am invisible. Closest to me are two ladies busily engaged, one on the phone, and another on the computer. Behind them are 3 other women busy with conversation, and behind them are 2 other ladies with their back toward me, busy with data entry. No one notices me. After about 8 minutes I am checked in and told to take my seat and wait for my name to be called.

In the building directory two doctors and nine nurses are listed with various titles. In the front office I counted nine office staff and there must be more inside. I wonder what the payroll is for all these employees.

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"The Supreme Lord has infused His transcendental name with all of His potencies and offered it to humanity. One who has sufficient faith in Lord Krsna's name is eligible to chant, and only one who chants the name is properly executing the prescribed duties of the human being. He is called an adhikari or possessor of the holy name."

From Harinama-cintamani
by Bhaktivinoda Thakura

We pray to Lord Jagannatha,

hara tvam samsaram druta-taram asaram sura-pate
hara tvam papanam vitatim aparam yadava-pate
aho dine ‘nathe nihita-carano niscitam idam
jagannathah svami nayana-patha-gami bhavatu me

“O Lord of the demigods, please quickly remove this useless material existence I am undergoing. O Lord of the Yadus, please destroy this vast, shoreless ocean of sins. Ah, this is certain: Lord Jagannatha bestows His lotus feet upon those who feel themselves fallen and have no shelter in this world but Him. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.” (Sri Jagannathastaka, 8)

Jaya Jagannatha!

—Giriraj Swami

Recording the “Govindam” Prayers In January, George Harrison arranged studio time to record the long-anticipated Govindam prayers. The recording was to take place at Trident Studios. During the same period, promotional events were still being conducted for the “Hare Krishna Mantra” single, and Yamuna was fully engaged in her Deity service and seeing to the spiritual and material needs of the resident devotees. Perhaps the episode of the “Govindam” recording reveals more than anything the level of commitment and Krishna Conscious dedication of Yamuna devi.
It is an extraordinary story—one which she eloquently expressed in an interview a few years before passing on:
Yamuna: As an aspiring devotee for almost forty years now, I have never identified with any occupation. Though I sang on three released records with Apple in the late 1960s—the “Hare Krishna Mantra” single, the “Govindam” single and the LP that came after it—and although I penned three cookbooks in the late 80’s and early 90’s, I feel I am neither a singer nor an author. These were merely activities I fell into in the course of exploring the culture and practice of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, which is what my life is really all about.
The devotees in London recognized her focus and dedication. She herself reflected on those days as ones in which her feet never touched the ground. She loved serving the gorgeous Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara Deities, and she loved her other variegated services in the temple. To her they were all equally important as long as they propelled her forward in her Krishna Consciousness—and especially in her service to Srila Prabhupada.
Yamuna Devi: A Life of Unalloyed Devotion: Part 1: Preparing an Offering of Love. Unalloyed Inc. Kindle Edition.

Saturday, July 4^th, 2015
Ashcroft, BC

Suddenly, Fire!

Of all days for this to happen.  More than the usual number of planes were in the air.  They were dropping water bombs and chemicals.  A forest fire had started on the north end entrance to Venables Valley, the location where I was staying and also the place where the annual countryside Chariot Festival was to take place at noon today.  This fire dynamic, sourced from Mother Nature (or Father Jagannatha), turned everything upside down.

It was 11:00 AM when my hosts Harold, his good wife and a friend, Vyasapad, were told by police that any non-residents in the valley must leave immediately.  This red alarm got us thinking, “Two out of the four of us are in that category.  We’ve got to evacuate.”  Furthermore, Harold raised a concern in his mind that this wasn’t the first time people have had to evacuate.  In 2004, residents, which were about 100, had to honor a one week mandatory absence from the valley by authorities.

We were also informed that the bus from Vancouver destined for the festival was not allowed to enter the valley due to the spreading flames, while winds were unfavourably headed in the direction of everyone’s homes.  This was getting exciting.   Harold started to secure his essentials, packing his Krishna deities.  I recommended, “Why not get your legal documents and money together?”  And Vyasapad added, “How about some basic food to take with you?”

Harold was totally on board.  We gathered what we could to get in his car, what the car could accommodate.  We arrived at the festival site, hoping that the fire was under control.  There were mixed reactions about the police order from the residents but it wasn’t safe to stay.  The police then rolled in at the site.  Officer Phillips persisted, “Guests must leave.”

I asked him to announce that at our pavilion, so he did.  Managers of the valley from the Saranagati Village arranged then to send all the prasadam, food, to Legacy Park in the nearby town, Ashcroft.  It was a very wise decision.  That did the trick.  Everyone, including residents, converged at the park where the bus passengers were waiting.  The party went on in full force while fire fighters did what they could to contain the flames.  Harold set up his Krishna deities on the grass.  I addressed the crowd, “What does Jagannatha (our Father of the Universe) want?  Does he want a festival in a town and not in a secluded Valley?  Let’s explore the idea for the future.”


May the Source be with you!

6 km





 

Saturday, July 4^th, 2015
Ashcroft, BC

Suddenly, Fire!

Of all days for this to happen.  More than the usual number of planes were in the air.  They were dropping water bombs and chemicals.  A forest fire had started on the north end entrance to Venables Valley, the location where I was staying and also the place where the annual countryside Chariot Festival was to take place at noon today.  This fire dynamic, sourced from Mother Nature (or Father Jagannatha), turned everything upside down.

It was 11:00 AM when my hosts Harold, his good wife and a friend, Vyasapad, were told by police that any non-residents in the valley must leave immediately.  This red alarm got us thinking, “Two out of the four of us are in that category.  We’ve got to evacuate.”  Furthermore, Harold raised a concern in his mind that this wasn’t the first time people have had to evacuate.  In 2004, residents, which were about 100, had to honor a one week mandatory absence from the valley by authorities.  


We were also informed that the bus from Vancouver destined for the festival was not allowed to enter the valley due to the spreading flames, while winds were unfavourably headed in the direction of everyone’s homes.  This was getting exciting.   Harold started to secure his essentials, packing his Krishna deities.  I recommended, “Why not get your legal documents and money together?”  And Vyasapad added, “How about some basic food to take with you?”

Harold was totally on board.  We gathered what we could to get in his car, what the car could accommodate.  We arrived at the festival site, hoping that the fire was under control.  There were mixed reactions about the police order from the residents but it wasn’t safe to stay.  The police then rolled in at the site.  Officer Phillips persisted, “Guests must leave.” 

I asked him to announce that at our pavilion, so he did.  Managers of the valley from the Saranagati Village arranged then to send all the prasadam, food, to Legacy Park in the nearby town, Ashcroft.  It was a very wise decision.  That did the trick.  Everyone, including residents, converged at the park where the bus passengers were waiting.  The party went on in full force while fire fighters did what they could to contain the flames.  Harold set up his Krishna deities on the grass.  I addressed the crowd, “What does Jagannatha (our Father of the Universe) want?  Does he want a festival in a town and not in a secluded Valley?  Let’s explore the idea for the future.”


May the Source be with you!

6 km





 

“O Lord of the demigods, please quickly remove this useless material existence I am undergoing. O Lord of the Yadus, please destroy this vast, shoreless ocean of sins. Ah, this is certain: Lord Jagannatha bestows His lotus feet upon those who feel themselves fallen and have no shelter in this world but Him. May that [...]

“In this dark age of Kali-yuga, sincere devotees of the Supreme Lord should leave aside all other means for liberation and take full shelter of the Holy Names. This is their real responsibility and duty. There is unlimited bliss in chanting the different names of Krishna: Hari, Kesava, Govinda, Vasudeva and Jaganmaya. For one who [...]

From London, Kadamba Kanana Swami travelled to Czech to participate in the Summer Camp (01-06 July). Thereafter, he travelled to Serbia to attend the Fruska Goranga Camp. Here are details of his visit. 

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Written by Dahani dd

The Fruska Goranga Summer Camp started on 03 July, with devotees and Gurus arriving from different places. This year, an extremely large number of bees, bumblebees, dragonflies, mosquitos and horseflies appeared – it seemed like they all knew that an unlimited pot of nectar was hidden there. And so it was!

Kadamba Kanana Swami arrived at the camp on 06 July at around 7 pm. Devotees warmly greeted him and Danavir Swami, who came in just minutes before him. As he got out of the car, Kadamba Kanana Swami heard that there was a special reunion going on in the Temple room, and he decided go straight there, without taking any rest or break!

That evening, devotees were celebrating the twenty-five year reunion of the Gauranga Bhajan Band. So Kadamba Kanana Swami joined Sacinandana Swami, Krishna Ksetra Swami and Bhaktivaibhava Swami for a special concert. They spoke about preaching in the East-European countries in those days, especially in Russia, and performed wonderful full-on mantra rock dance. A video of it will be posted soon.

The next morning (07 July), Kadamba Kanana Swami gave the Bhagavatam class and spent the day talking with many devotees at the camp. In the evening, he took part in five hours of bhajan.

The following day was marked by the Ratha Yatra festival which started at 7 pm, in the city-centre of Novi Sad. Due to the extreme heat, around forty-two degrees Celsius, devotees decided to start the procession a bit later. Thanks to the more than two-hundred devotees who attended, the festival went on until 10 pm. Before the Ratha Yatra, at around noon, Kadamba Kanana Swami gave a special lecture on Caitanya Caritamrta.

The day after the Ratha Yatra, Maharaj again gave Bhagavatam class in the morning and later on, a disciple meeting. During the day, he was still in a very merciful mood, spontaneously talking with devotees. They would sometimes gather around him and make a small group on the grass, listening to his preaching stories, memories and realizations. While we were listening to bhajans flowing from the temple room, Maharaj was getting ready to perform his own tune and he did later that day. Devotees danced and sang with him wholeheartedly.

The following morning (10 July), about 5.30 am, Maharaj ended his visit to the camp. We said goodbye to him as he had to leave early in order to catch a flight to Italy and travel to Villa Vrindavan for the kirtan festival.

This summer camp was so full of nectar that these days, we still buzz about it just like bees, wondering if it all really happened. Thank you, Maharaj!

Visit flickr to see more photos. Recordings will be posted shortly.

 

Hare Krishna! Muslim farmer builds Krishna temple
In contrast with communal flare-ups in several towns in western UP, a 45-year-old Muslim farmer in Kanpur Dehat’s Murra village has come out as a perfect example of communal harmony. Observing Ramzan religiously, the man has constructed a temple dedicated to Radha-Krishna which is attracting people in droves. The villagers said that the construction of the temple by Raees Mohammad was an example of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. Raees has also arranged a priest and personally participates in the prayers at the temple.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18542

Scandinavia Rathayatra Tour (Album with photos)
Hare Krishna Festivals UK: We put on hall programme festivals and rathayatras around the UK. We just did a Rathayatra tour in Scandinavia; Denmark, Norway and Sweden. We travelled for two weeks, putting on nine Rathayatra festivals.
See the photos here: https://goo.gl/2WEiSQ

Hare Krishna! Sri Jagannatha Ratha Yatra @ISKCON Netrakona, Bangladesh
At around 4pm the Lord officially mounted his chariot and the festival was on its way. Decorated with an abundance of flowers and its effulgent golden yellow dome shining brightly all devotees were in great ecstasy upon seeing the Lord. Vedic hymns were chanted, conchshells blown, camphor lamps on coconuts were offered and were smashed on the ground, all these just to create an auspicious atmosphere. Maharaj also in great enthusiasm climbed up onto the chariot to overlook the festivities. Two kirtan parties sang for the pleasure of the Lord constantly for the entire four hours. Locals belonging to other faiths looked upon the Lord with great awe and reverence and were delighted when the Lords mercy in the form of sweet Bangladeshi bananas was distributed to them.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18539

The post The preaching revolution that TOVP will inaugurate appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Ratha Yatra Festival in Prague, Czech Republic (Album with photos)
Lord Jagannatha is an ocean of mercy and as beautifull as a row of blackish rain clouds. He is the storehouse of bliss for laksmi and Sarsavati, and his face resemble a spotless full-blow lotus the best of demigods and sages worship him and Upanisad sing his glories. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision.
See them here: https://goo.gl/XzY1mW

Vaishnava Wedding at Radhadesh Castle (Belgium) (4 min HD video)
Lalita Sakhi Devi dasi & Krsna Lila das
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/UnT29g

The post Daily Darshan – July 20th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

30 beautiful photos of Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental cooking session.
See them here: https://goo.gl/12jn55

Snana Yatra 2015 at New Dwaraka, Los Angeles (Album with photos)
See them here: https://goo.gl/Nzzybz

Hare Krishna! Jagannath Ratha Yatra, 18th July 2015, ISKCON NEPAL
Annual Jagannath Ratha Yatra was Celebrated on 18th July 2015, here in Kathmandu organized by ISKCON NEPAL. There were about 1500+ devotees for the Festival of the Chariot of the Lord Of The Universe who were constantly pulling the Chariot, Singing Kirtan and dancing even though it was very hot and sunny. The Proccession started from Kamaladi, Kathmandu which routed to Ghantaghar – SahidGate – Sundhara – Tripureswor – Thapathali – Kupondole – Pulchok – Jaulakhel – Patan – Lagankhel and ended at Satdobato. This is the 1st history of the Long Routed Jagannath Ratha Yatra of about 9km route which took about 6hrs to complete.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18536

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Written by Bhakta Nandan

Morning Class – Srimad Bhagavatam 9.19.11

Following on from the last Bhagavatam class Maharaj gave at the Manor, in this verse King Yayati gives an allegorical story of a male goat and female goat which is based on the King’s own history. Certainly there was some pathos in King Yayati’s story in being able to exchange his old age for youth again and still not being satisfied. Of course, there is light at the end of King Yayati’s dark tunnel, due to the intense spiritual realizations he subsequently gets from his experience. Maharaj explained that no matter how much one engages in sexual activity, one still will not be satisfied. Even when one is situated in a spiritual movement, still one has the tendency to want to enjoy subtly or grossly.

So this verse says that at age fifty, one should go out and take vanaprastha but how relevant is this for us? In Gaura lila, Advaita Acharya was a grhastha till he was eighty and Srivas Thakur stayed on being a grhastha. Of course, Advaita Acharya and Srivas Thakur were transcendental, but how transcendental are we?

Maharaj qualified this point by saying that ultimately it is for us to decide if we renounce or not. The main thing is samsiddhir hari tosanam (SB 1.2.13), as long it is conducive for performing devotional service to Lord Hari. Maharaj focused on the need for the ashrams in our society today…

Being in an ashram means one strictly follows the codes of that ashram. It is a fact that the lower nature is very strong and powerful so an ashram protects us against our lower nature. One of the main points of the movement must be to establish the brahminical order. Maharaj then stated that whenever he mentions varnashrama, devotees automatically think of cow protection but there is more to it.

In Iskcon, vanaprastha is not so developed. From an individual perspective, it may work for some and it may be not needed for others. But from a collective perspective, we are missing an essential ingredient in the social fabric of our organization. Vanaprasthas are needed to inspire and create a more renouncing influence.

Maharaj declared that the brahmachari ashram is also very valuable and urged that everyone should do it and try to stay a brahmachari. Only when it is not possible for one to stay as a brahmachari should one look at other options. In other words, choosing an ashram is not like choosing from a menu card where you decide you want brahmacharya for starters, maybe grhastha for the main course, skip the side dish of vanaprashta and go straight to the dessert of sannyasa! (Resounding laughter)

After making a few more pertinent points about varnashrama, Maharaj opened the floor for questions. One question that particularly stuck out was by Vishvambhara Prabhu, one of the stalwart devotees of the Manor, who asked what should be the stance on someone who was a sannyasi, then fell down to become a grhastha and then decides to become a sannyasi again. Maharaj firstly clarified something very deep; a sannyasi who becomes a grhastha never really ceases to be a sannyasi. He may be on a hiatus but he is still a sannyasi in his heart. And any other sannyasi who meets that individual, will look into his eye and realize that he is still a sannyasi in the garb of a grhastha. Maharaj then mentioned how he recently spoke to Srutakirti Prabhu who said that Srila Prabhupada condoned the prospect of a sannyasi who had fallen down, becoming a sannyasi again, as long as he is ready to be a sannyasi again. As far as Maharaj is concerned, the only reason for an individual to do such a thing is if it helps to propagate the movement, not for any other reason such as personal benefit or something. The spreading of Mahaprabhu’s mercy should be the only criteria in this regard….

All in all, it was an incredibly captivating class, so much so that almost every devotee in the temple room had stayed right till the end of the class even though it had gone way overtime and breakfast was already well under way. To keep a devotee absorbed in a morning class well into their precious breakfast time is truly an amazing feat! The class was also captivating not just for the spiritual realizations Maharaj gave on the verse but also on the fascinating insights he gave on the social evolution of Iskcon as a burgeoning spiritual movement for the modern age.

Caitanya Caritamrta Picnic

Later on in the day, around 2pm, it was time for the Caitanya Caritamrta picnic. To be fair, very few devotees were sure what that actually meant but it sounded rather quaint. When the devotees started pouring into Krishna Kirtan Prabhu’s house, Maharaj just looked at us and said in an Aussie accent, ‘Gosh, the place is getting swamped!’ Everyone was congregating in the living room, sitting on the floor facing Maharaj, whilst he was seated on one of the summer lounge chairs in a relaxed posture.

The distinguished kirtaneer from the Manor, Ravi Pattni Prabhu had also come and Maharaj swiftly told him to start up a kirtan. But unfortunately the instruments hadn’t arrived yet as they were still being used for a program for the kids at the local Krishna Avanti School. Anyhow it seemed fine for Maharaj, he was happily engaging the devotees in some loving banter. Needless to say, I was busy scribbling down what Maharaj was talking about, at which point he just looked at me saying, ‘You might as well write a book!’ Ravi Pattni Prabhu then mentioned how he had just read my Matchless Gifts report from when Maharaj was there. But Maharaj just exclaimed that I wasn’t there!? But he thought of the American one. This led onto a wonderful reflection of the Matchless Gifts program, how pivotal it was for the movement and the contrast between the American and British one, not just in terms of the physical layout but also the mood. It seemed the kirtans and the whole mood in the American one was more mellow and softer, whilst the British Matchless Gifts was more riotous and had more of a rough edge about it.

I was still scrawling away, and Maharaj just said that since I’ve got a bit of a writer in me, he guessed that doing lines in school after getting punished would not have been a problem for me! All the devotees cracked up at this remark. Maharaj then humorously inquired, whether I was writing down everything he said, I reassured him that I would not be putting down anything that will get him into trouble. He then let out a big laugh and said, “You’d be surprised at what I could get into trouble for!”

Maharaj told me to sit next to him, so he can keep an eye on me, just in case I write something incriminating… more inevitable laughter from the devotees!! Anyhow, the ribbing from Maharaj is definitely worth it for the pleasure of the service.

Thereafter, lunch was basically a composition of different snacks and so Maharaj ended up talking about how he sometimes prefers snacks to full on meals and remembered that he once mentioned to an Indian family to not give him a proper meal but just give him snacks. Of course, with Indian families, nothing is ever that simple so they ended up preparing more than twenty snacks for him, so much for avoiding the slap up meal!

Staying within the realms of delicious prasadam, soon the talk went onto veggies, vegans and Maharaj revealed that in his discussion with Srutakirti Prabhu recently, Prabhu said that Srila Prabhupada went to a temple one day where they were making these sugarless sweets and Prabhupada incredulously exclaimed, “What is this concoction you are making?” The point being that Srila Prabhupada had already given them plenty of delicious sweets to make so there was no need for all these random changes, etc…

After a while, Mother Kalangana and Radha Shakti Mataji, two of the most senior and distinguished devotees from the Manor had arrived at the house, then Maharaj said, “Now it’s time for the real katha to start!” Everyone got up from the dining room to go to the living room and settled in front of the beautiful, sparkling Gaura Nitai deities.

Maharaj decided to speak from the Madhya Lila 9.81. Maharaj said that there are two kinds of chanting, japa and kirtan. Kirtan is more fashionable and often it is easier. After all, it is collective and you are taking the holy name out to people. Like the day before, when Maharaj was doing some soft bhajans in Soho Square Park next to the temple, it was non-threatening due to its warmth and he noticed the people were subtly trying to come closer and closer to it. But japa is often like a cold shower, it is more internal. Ultimately, the movement is there to reach out to people.

Maharaj then went onto the illiterate brahmana, who experienced ecstatic symptoms from reading the Bhagavad-gita, even though he was improperly pronouncing the Sanskrit, unlike one of the devotees in the morning class who recited the verse after Maharaj. He pronounced the Sanskrit with such precision and flair that Maharaj just got lost in the ‘dhas’ he was uttering. On the flip side Maharaj remembered a French devotee who would pronounce Krishna as ‘Hrishna’!

But ultimately Krishna looks at the intentions, like the famous Bhagavatam verse tad vag visargo, (SB 1.5.11). Maharaj did add however that in the olden days, pronunciation was very important as demonstrated by the case of the demon Vrtrasura being destined to be killed by Lord Indra instead of killing Indra due to a mispronunciation on his father’s part in the yajna. Or the case of Kumbakarna bungling up his boon from Lord Brahma due to a mispronunciation caused by the Goddess Saraswati.

After this lovely little aside Maharaj got back to the Gaura lila pastime. Later, Adi Karta Prabhu, a Srila Prabhupada disciple and avid kirtaneer came in, and Maharaj asked him if he would like to comment on the text etc.

Mother Kulangana ended the class by saying that we are all servants and will always be servants, and Maharaj was in complete agreement. Then everybody went into the garden and Maharaj started singing a slow, Aindra style classic…

Srila Prabhupada ki Jai! Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaj ki Jai!

Hare Krishna! There is no other way, no other way, no other way!
Devotees around the world took to various austerities in last month as an offering of love to our beloved Lord on the most auspicious Purusottama month.I must say that the power of social media surfaced in a positive way as more and more devotees share realisations and the many devotional services they performed in this month. It worked as a motivational tool. Meanwhile, some even vowed to stay away from facebook and other social media platforms for a month. At Sri Jagannatha Mandir Kuala Lumpur, the temple president, HG Kripa Sindhu Krishna Prabhu encouraged the congregation members to increase their preaching activities during this auspicious month.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18532

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.10.27-29 – HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu

Jagannatha’s Ratha yatra in SALEM (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The letters of the holy name have so much spiritual potency that they act even when uttered improperly. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.59)
See them here: https://goo.gl/KibHHH

Michigan Rathyatra (19th July, 2015) (Album with 84 photos)
Photography Courtesy: Arjun Bhattacharyya
Srila Prabhupada: Even a faint light from the holy name of the Lord can eradicate all the reactions of sinful life. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.63)
See them here: https://goo.gl/8QfmPJ

CC daily Podcast:
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What is the “superior nature” inherent in the jīva?

Pure sentience. This nature is described as “superior” because sentience is superior to the insentient objects of external reality.

Why would a jīva forfeit her superior nature?

She is mesmerized.

By what?

She is mesmerized by the desire to enjoy the fascinating qualities of the inferior, external world.

Why would the jīva be attracted to an inferior world?

She has not made herself aware that there is anything better. She has beginningless ignorance of the beauty of the Supreme Person.

What is the result? Why is it described as a “forfeit”?

The result is that the jīva, “falsely identifies herself as a part of the insentient external world.” Charmed by the fascinating qualities of māyā, she imagines the inferior to be superior, and the unnecessary to be necessary. Thus she becomes bound and contained within insentient external objects and takes superfluous material incarnations confined to temporary cycles of existence.

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Śrī Jīva writes the above in Śrī Tattva-Sandarbha, while explaining one of the Bhāgavatam’s verses describing Vyāsa’s realization (1.7.5):

“He also saw jīvas [living entities] forfeiting their superior nature to falsely identify themselves as a part of the inferior external reality, due to their desire to enjoy her three mesmerizing qualities.”

—  Excerpt from
This is Gauḍīya Philosophy:
Tattva Sandarbha of Śrī Jīva Goswāmī

Rendered in English
by Vraja Kishor dās
VrajaKishor.com

Tagged: jiva, Jiva Goswami, origin of jiva, Tattva Sandarbha

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam recounts how King Pṛthu was glorified during his coronation ceremony. In Canto Four, Chapter 16, Text 17, we hear this:

मातृभक्तिः परस्त्रीषु पत्न्यामर्ध इवात्मनः

mātṛ-bhaktiḥ para-strīṣu, patnyām ardha ivātmanaḥ

He will treat his wife
as if she were half of his own self,
and treat all other women
with the same devotion he shows his mother.

This verse illustrates the ideal behavior of men towards women.

The most important important woman is one’s own wife. How should she be treated? As if she were one’s own self. Whatever the husband enjoys, the wife must enjoy. He may not enjoy anything separate from her or displeasing to her. Whatever the wife suffers, the husband takes as his own suffering, and dedicates himself to relieving that suffering.

He should have no concept of a life separate from her, for she is ardha-ātma – half of his very self. He should make no plans that do not benefit her. He should strive for nothing that is not in her interest.

How should a man treat women other than his wife?

“Matṛ-bhakti“ – He should have bhakti for them – he should be devoted to them.

In what manner? What type of devotion?

“Matṛ-bhakti” – He should show them the respect, courtesy, deference and service that he would show his own mother.

– Vraja Kishor dās

VrajaKishor.com

Tagged: chauvanism, prithu, prthu, sexism, Women

Friday, July 3^rd, 2015
Kamloops, British Columbia

Back In B.C.

Sitting next to me on the flight from Vancouver to Kamloops was Shane from a northern city, Fort St. John. Shane, I learned, works in the oil fields.  I assume he was on a business trip. From thousands of feet up in the air we conversed while looking down out the window.  Basically we fell into a joyful speculation as to the names of the towns below us, “Was that the town, Hope?”  “Oh, could that be the Thompson River?” 

The vistas were stunning.  In elevation, we were above the bird’s eye view.  Even cranes and storks don’t fly this high.   

Then we got to talking about us, in other words, what is going on in each other’s life – beyond the oil fields, etc. We hit on the topic of walking.  Shane admitted to doing more walking lately.  Perhaps he felt he wasn’t doing enough before.  “It gives you time to think,” he said, “then you notice trees, the other creatures, nature, and you mix it all together.”  He was talking like a real advocate of pilgrimage now. 

Shane and I, along with the plane load of people, landed at quaint Kamloops Airport.  Shane and I parted and Harold picked me up and brought me to Saranagati Village where we took to trekking along a trail called the “Ratha Yatra Way”.   

On that trail, Saskatoon berries are abound – and mosquitoes in even greater numerical figures.  Our destination was a farm, owned and run by Bala Krishna, and a gathering of devotee villagers.  The meal that drew everyone was of local harvest and organic quality.  Thekirtan that followed was home performed, but the sound, the mantra, originated from the spiritual world.   


May the Source be with you!

6 km


 

Thursday, July 2nd, 2015
Peterborough, Ontario

Observations

It wasn’t really planned, but in an impromptu way our van-load of Krishna devotees decided to break up the five-hour drive to Toronto with a stop.  The city of Peterborough boasts having Trent University and Fleming College.  It’s a rather handsome downtown that we did stride through with our voices, drum and cymbals.  In my opinion, we were not in full gear and perhaps that’s one of the reasons for a more indifferent reception from the streets.

When we moved to a green strip along the Trent River system, the niceness of the town seemed to show itself.  Sometimes the soft approach gets more attention. We were sitting on the grass looking perhaps less intimidating.  It’s just an observation.

We also came upon Toby Tyler, who was originally from the US and who had met our guru, Srila Prabhupada, in New York in those very early days in the sixties. Toby runs a restaurant in the downtown and was so happy to see us at his eating place, the Electric City Gardens.

Life as a monk has its ups and downs like it is for anyone.  In my case, I worry for people’s lives.  As a mentor for some, I hear sometimes of the personal struggles. If it had not been for their adherence to Krishna Consciousness they naturally would be in a worse spot.  There is a lot of encouragement that goes along with the job.  Outside of the “worry” there is a pattern in this lifestyle of travel, fun, interaction, learning and realizations as we encountered in Peterborough.

May the Source be with you.

6 km

The Rathayatra parade and festival at New Govardhana started a little earlier this year at 10am. This was because the afternoon was filled with various functions in the main tent outside the temple room.