Harinama in Tel-Aviv, Israel (Album with photos) Srila…
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Harinama in Tel-Aviv, Israel (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this age human beings only live for sixty or eighty years, and even this small life-span is gradually decreasing. Therefore it is even more imperative for human beings to take to the worship of the lotus feet of the Lord by constantly chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, as recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.24.67 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/68QINm

HH Bhakti Charu Swami retreat @ New Vrindaban (Album with…
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HH Bhakti Charu Swami retreat @ New Vrindaban (Album with photos)
It is our pleasure to share with you that ISKCON New Vrindaban, West Verginia organized a Srimad Bhagavatam retreat with a heading “Stories from Srimad Bhagavatam” which was held from July 1 to July 5. The very retreat imparted a rare opportunity to relish ambrosial narration of Srimad Bhagavatam from the lotus mouth of HH Bhakti Charu Swami in the serene atmosphere of New Vrindaban. The retreat began every morning at 8am with Srimad Bhagavatam class and went till 9am as it’s first session. Then in next session was offered from 11am to 1pm consisting of one hour discourse and one hour of question & answer which leaded in the the final session of the day from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The Jagannatha Snana Yatra festival on 4th July in the morning 10am to 11am, added another divine dimension to this wonderful retreat. To add more colour to this retreat, New Vrindaban temple organized a Swan- boat festival in the Kusuma Sarovara which was followed by a thrilling & spectacular fire work display at night. An Initiation ceremony presided by HH Bhakti Charu Swami on 5th of July morning from 10am to 11 am, complimented the retreat to embellish it further. Devotees from different parts of USA enjoyed this very retreat with their spontaneous participations in Managala-Arati, Go Puja, and Goverdhana Parikrama every day without fail. It is said in the Bhagavad Gita that every spiritual festival reaches it’s completion in prasadam (sanctified spiritual food). Following this instruction New Vrindavana Temple offered sumptuous prasadam three times a day to every one’s heart’s content. We thank every one, who took part in this magnificent retreat, from the core of our heart. We feel honoured to serve Srila Prabhupada’s family and look forward to have another opportunity to serve all of you in New Vrindaban Temple in coming future. Hare Krishna .
See them here: https://goo.gl/Kqiq09

Hare Krishna! Treating Women as Mothers In distributing love of…
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Hare Krishna! Treating Women as Mothers
In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. CC. Adi-lila 7.23 1. In essence, duality means that we forget that we are part and parcel of Krsna. We want to enjoy separately from Him, we want to play the controller. This controlling tendency culminates in sex desire. 2. Man/woman concept is synonymous with material consciousness. 3. Becoming Krsna conscious means rising above duality. We have to become fixed in the consciousness that all are part and parcel of Krsna and for His pleasure-not ours.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18412

Hare Krishna! TOVP Tour Daily Diary: Day 103-108, Four Days in…
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Hare Krishna! TOVP Tour Daily Diary: Day 103-108, Four Days in Houston, Texas and The Grand Finale – Seattle, Washington
July 4th and 5th, were the last two days of the North American TOVP Tour, 2015. They were, in fact, record days for our fundraising and visits to devotees homes. During these two days Jananivas prabhu alone visited over 25 devotees’ homes, going from one to the other with the Padukas and Sitari, bringing the blessings of Sri Mayapur Dhama. The crowd of 300+ devotees rose to the occasion, being encouraged to top the charts in pledges. By the end of the program more than $1.2 million was pledged and more expected to come from devotees not present. Even the children from the CHAD Group (Chapter A Day) came forward and combinedly pledged a Silver Gratitude Coin for $11,000. A fitting way to end the TOVP Tour in North America.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18409

Ratha yatra Stockholm 2015 (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada:…
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Ratha yatra Stockholm 2015 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sadhu-sanga, or association with a devotee, means always engaging in Krishna consciousness by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and by acting for Krishna. Specifically, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra purifies one, and this chanting is therefore recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.24.59 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/fmrLBc

ISKCON Auckland New Zealand: Festival of the Holy Name (Album…
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ISKCON Auckland New Zealand: Festival of the Holy Name (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna maha-mantra gives liberation and at the same time offers shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna. If one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna after liberation, he develops his dormant ecstatic love for Krishna. That is the highest perfection of life. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.257 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/O19Qct

Rathayatra de Montrèal Le Festival Hare Krishna 2015 (Album with…
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Rathayatra de Montrèal Le Festival Hare Krishna 2015 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this age of Kali, if a person does not take advantage of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, which is offered as a great concession to the fallen human beings of this age, it is to be understood that he is very much bewildered by the illusory energy of the Lord. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.24.14 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/nS6an2

Hare Krishna! Contemporary Theological Trends In The Hare Krsna…
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Hare Krishna! Contemporary Theological Trends In The Hare Krsna Movement: A Theology of Religions
An examination of scholarly work by non-devotees on the Hare Krsna Movement reveals a tendency to engage in sociological and historical analysis rather than a discussion of the philosophy and theology of Krsna Consciousness (for example, Brooks, Bromley and Shinn, Shinn, Rochford, Knott). One explanation for this might be that devotees themselves, particularly the founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami, have provided their own theological accounts. In addition, non-devotee scholars, such as A. L. Basham, John Stratton Hawley and David Kinsley, in recorded conversations with members, have commented on their understanding of the Movement’s philosophy and its location in the Indian Vaishnava tradition (Gelberg, Rosen). These various types of writing constitute the body of scholarship on the Hare Krsna Movement (ISKCON). There is an absence of reflection by outsiders on its current theological interpretations.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18406

Hare Krishna! Sri Gundicha Marjana Many of the waterpots were…
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Hare Krishna! Sri Gundicha Marjana
Many of the waterpots were broken when people collided with one another, and hundreds of men had to bring new waterpots to fill. Some people were filling the pots, and others were washing the rooms, but everyone was engaged in chanting the holy name of Krishna and Hari. One person begged for a waterpot by chanting the holy names “Krishna, Krishna,” and another delivered a pot while chanting “Krishna, Krishna.” Whenever anyone had to speak, he did so by uttering the holy name of Krishna. Consequently, the holy name of Krishna became an indication for everyone who wanted something.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18401

Hare Krishna! A Prayer to Jagannath’s Cart Wheel The following…
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Hare Krishna! A Prayer to Jagannath’s Cart Wheel
The following verse is composed in the style known as citra-kavya, which literally means, “picture-poem”. In this gender of Sanskrit poetry, which goes back at least 2,000 years, the verses are designed to be read in the form of a picture. When the reader lays out the syllables or sometimes words, in the shape of the given picture, hidden meanings are found. Those who have some expertise in Sanskrit may find some surprises in the below contemporary verse, not all of which are to be found in the translation. Perhaps the most famous example of this style of poetry is Srila Rupa Goswamis Citra-kavitvani from his book Stava-mala.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18398

Taking Bath on an Auspicious Day
Giriraj Swami

ToSrila Prabhupada and Dr Patel on Juhu Beach in Bombayday, on the holy Parama Ekadasi day, in the sacred Purusottama month, I fulfilled the Vedic injunction to take bath by sprinkling water from the Pacific Ocean in Carpinteria on my head, remembering Srila Prabhupada at Juhu Beach during Purusottama-adhika-masa. As described by Dr. C. P. Patel in a Back to Godhead magazine article:

“I proposed that on that auspicious day Srila Prabhupada take a dip in the sea along with me and the others. He agreed at once. We all planned to go to the sea with extra clothes, take a bath, and change. He accompanied us, but just near the edge of the water someone suggested that he not take a bath in the sea, since he had had a coronary episode some time back. So he halted then and there and would not enter the water. He pondered for a while and then suddenly asked me to bring some water in my palm and pour it on his head. He said, ‘That is as good as a bath on this auspicious day.’ Very intelligently, he found the means, and I obliged him. He was pleased. I touched his feet and felt satisfaction at having taken a bath in the sea with him on a very auspicious day.”

—Giriraj Swami

I lost my marbles today.
→ The Enquirer

And of course, it happened on Facebook.

I posted:

“Less intelligent” is an easily misinterpreted phrase. If women are “less intelligent” then man in the way we usually think of the English word “intelligent” – why is Devahūti the 1st ācārya of the extremely philosophical saṁkhya darśan of Kapila? Why is the Vedic personification of intelligence a woman, Sarasvatī. She is the very form of the Veda itself (as Vāk, and also as Savitrī), and is the mantra-guru without whose help Brahmā’s attempt to meditate would not likely have succeeded.

In Sanskrit there is a word “Buddhi” and a word “Vivek” these are both considered essential components of Jñāna. Jñāna is a difficult word to translate, but it has to do with the fruit of intelligence: knowledge. Buddhi we could more easily translate as “intelligence” and Vivek we would translate as “discrimination.” Vivek produces detachment by the negative analytical process (neti neti – “This is not important, That’s not important”). As such it is essential to practice the yogas on the jñāna-mārg. Women have significantly less Vivek then men (speaking as a class, individuals, of course vary) because they are, by bio-emotional design, the mothering gender and are much more rich in positive intellectual and emotional functions which create an atmosphere of cohesion, family, unity, and love which is essential for human beings, especially when we are young.

This is the sense in which women are “less-intelligent.”

Someone’s replies made me lose my marbles…

Him: Let us practice Vedic Culture and not some speculation, let us accept Srila Prabhupada who is Jagat Guru or not. Please let us know. There is millons of ways for argument and counter argument. Sidhanta is what Srila Prabhupada had said ” Women are less inteligent” Not devotee women. There is great women saints, but regular women if you think that you are a women , than “women are less inteligent ” Why we want to change Srila Prabhupada’s conclusions. The vedas and shastras has to be giving to you by Guru and not just reading. Many people they read Shastra, millons by how many follow Srila Prabhupada’s conclusions. I had being to many Matajis classes, but I prefer the Sannyasis and Sadhus classes. Most of the Matajis classes are emotional and sentimentally charge and not like the Prabhu’s classes

Me: https://vicd108.wordpress.com/…/10/interpreting-the-guru/

Him:

Chapter 9: The Most Confidential Knowledge

TEXT 32
mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye ‘pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyo vaisyas tatha sudras
te ‘pi yanti param gatim
SYNONYMS
mām-unto Me; hi-certainly; pārtha-O son of Pṛthā; vyapāśrītya-particularly taking shelter; ye-anyone; api-also; syuḥ-becomes; pāpa-yonayaḥ—born of a lower family; striyaḥ—women; vaiśyāḥ—mercantile people; tathā—also; śūdrāḥ—lower class men; te api—even they; yānti—go; parām—supreme; gatim—destination.
TRANSLATION
O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]-can approach the supreme destination.

Krishna has discrimination why not us
Its not everything one this is Mayavadi

So is Vraja Kishor better than Krishna?

Srila Prabhupada has said what Krishna said, you can have millons of arguments but to be safe let us hear what Krishna has said

Me: 

This Gita verse is a perfect example of how your subjectivity prevents you from understanding in a non-mysogynistic way. You think that pāpa-yoni (sinful births) are strī, vaiṣya and śūdra (women, merchants, and laberors). But the actual Sanskrit doesn’t say this. Pāpa-yoni is a fourth class. “women, merchants, laberors, and the uncivilized (pāpa-yoni, “sinful” or “bad birth”) can attain the supreme goal if they take shelter of me.

Next you will say, “Vraja thinks he knows Gita better than Srila Prabhupada or better than Krishna. But the truth is that I just know bhagavad gita better than YOU.

have you stopped to consider how UNintelligent it is to use the verse you have quoted to support a claim that women are less intelligent than men? (1) Nowhere in the verse is there a mention of intelligence, (2) If it is about intelligence, there are FOUR people who lack it, three of them are men.

The real problem is that people like you, Jayadhvaja Dasa don’t have the capacity to study śāstra carefully and you become angry at people like me, who can.

Him:

pāpa-yonayaḥ—born of a lower family; striyaḥ—women; vaiśyāḥ—mercantile people; tathā—also; śūdrāḥ—lower class men; te api—even they; yānti—go; parām—supreme; gatim—destination.

Me: get off facebook. go to http://www.learnsanskrit.org instead

pāpa-yonayaḥ, striyaḥ, vaiśyāḥ, śūdrāḥ — see they all have the same declination…

You express your anger by demonizing me and painting me as a person who is either puffed up or deviant or unchaste or etc. etc. etc. I am so tired of it.

Him:

Mrs. Wax: Could a woman be a temple president?
Prabhupada: Yes, why not?
Mrs. Wax: Glad to hear it.
Prabhupada: But because women are less intelligent, they should remain dependent on first-class father, first-class husband, and first-class son. Then she is first-class. That is the injunction. Woman should remain dependent in childhood upon first-class father, in youthhood upon first-class husband, and in old age upon first-class son. Woman is never independent. If she becomes independent, her life is not very good. She must agree to remain dependent on first-class father, first-class husband, and first-class son-three stages. ============ REF. Room Conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Wax, Writer and Editing Manager of Playboy Magazine — July 5, 1975, Chicago

Let us hear from Srila Prabhupada directly

Me: I am so glad that you know Prabhupada well enough to make other people sick to their stomachs.

People like you make me want to forget about Prabhupada. But then I remember that this would be the stupidest thing in the world. The person I really need to forget about is you and your kind. Those who represent Prabhupada in such a reprehensibly poor manner.

Him: Are you ready to accept Prabhupada if is not let us know. Simple let us not hide under Srila Prbhupada’s umbrela and use his teaching to project your teachings. Is nothing wrong with you. I just wanted to know if you accept Srila Prabhupada 100%

Me: https://vicd108.wordpress.com/…/im-arguing-with-you…/ I’m arguing with YOU, not Prabhupāda.

I accept Prabhupāda, I don’t accept YOUR version of Prabhupāda.


From the Archives: Remain Eternally Dependent on the Mercy of the Spiritual Master, January 29, 2003
Giriraj Swami

SPandGRSGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.14.

“Even after liberation the disciple depends on the instructions of the spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada gives the example of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who said to His spiritual master, Srila Isvara Puri. ‘I have been following your instruction to chant the holy names but I have become overwhelmed by different emotional transformations. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry, sometimes I dance like a madman without any care for others opinions. I fear that I have become mad from this chanting. What is my position?’ Srila Prabhupada comments in the purport that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was liberated but still he consulted with His spiritual master.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.14

Sweet Revenge
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The storm in Pobierowo the day before had stolen our usual crowd. Only a few hundred people had showed up for the festival. But yesterday the prayers of the devotees kept the dark clouds above from unleashing their torrents of rain and thousands of people came to our event. Sweet revenge from the fury of [...]

Raincoats And Umbrellas
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One hundred kilometers from our festival in Pobierowo a storm had torn roofs off of houses, knocked down trees and utility poles and left a trail of destruction. Somewhat weakened by the time it reached us, it nevertheless caused serious problems. Two of our tents were severally damaged by wind and a deluge of water [...]

Hare Krishna! Just-Installed New Vrindaban Playground “An…
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Hare Krishna! Just-Installed New Vrindaban Playground “An Investment In Our Families”
The new playground includes a rock climbing wall with a rope, two standard swings, two baby swings, a tire swing, trapeze bars, a slide, and a bridge that connects two towers. It also includes items donated by Malati – a seesaw, and three benches so that parents can sit comfortably right in the playground to watch their children. “We’re trying to cultivate a culture of parents and caregivers staying with their children at all times,” says Ananga Manjari. All pieces of the play set are made of wood that is vinyl-coated to keep out carpenter bees and eliminate the possibility of splinters. Safety is also ensured by the railings throughout and the eighteen-inch faux rock wall surrounding the playground.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18395

TOVP Daily Tour Diary Days 107-108: The Grand Finale – Seattle, Washington
- TOVP.org

Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th, were the last two days of the North American TOVP Tour, 2015. They were, in fact, record days for our fundraising and visits to devotees homes. During these two days Jananivas prabhu alone visited over 25 devotees’ homes, going from one to the other with the Padukas and Sitari, bringing the blessings of Sri Mayapur Dhama.

Wherever he went, devotees felt as if Mayapur had come with him. We also visited the new Balaji temple (a second temple in the Seattle area) Hari Vilas, Temple President, is developing, as well as the recent farm project and school. His motto is to spread Krishna consciousness through culture and education, and the growing, dedicated congregation of devotees is testimony to this fact.

On Sunday, the TOVP presentation began with a full abhisheka of the Padukas and Sitari during kirtan and arati. Then Hari Vilas spoke for some time about the TOVP project and introduced Radha Jivana and Jananivas prabhus. Their last presentations were the culmination of visits to 45 temples and communities and visits to almost 400 homes and programs in four months. Tonight was the last in North America. The crowd of 300+ devotees rose to the occasion, being encouraged to top the charts in pledges. By the end of the program more than $1.2 million was pledged and more expected to come from devotees not present. Even the children from the CHAD Group (Chapter A Day) came forward and combinedly pledged a Silver Gratitude Coin for $11,000. A fitting way to end the TOVP Tour in North America.

May all the devotees who have participated in this glorious attempt to serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada and the acaryas be blessed with Krishna prema.

All Glories to Lord Nityananda Rama. All glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The post TOVP Daily Tour Diary Days 107-108: The Grand Finale – Seattle, Washington appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

TOVP Daily Tour Diary Day 103-106: Four Days in Houston, Texas
- TOVP.org

The next four days, from June 29th – July 2nd were spent in Houston catching up on office related work and visiting local devotees. Below is a list of devotees we visited during that time. We also paid a visit to the NASA Space Center to get an idea of what the Vedic planetarium in the TOVP was really up against.

Rasikendra das and Padaduli devi dasi
Kamal Mukha Krishna das and Bhadra Bharati devi dasi
Kamala Gopika and Bipin Gupta
Sonali Mohanti and Krutibas Panda
Sundar Gopal Das and Yugal Priti Devi Dasi
Dr. Dey and Krishna Bhakti Devi Dasi
Arun Parihar and Kusum Parihar

All Glories to Lord Nityananda Rama. All glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The post TOVP Daily Tour Diary Day 103-106: Four Days in Houston, Texas appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Just-Installed New Vrindaban Playground “An Investment In Our Families”
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

IMG_2341

By Madhava Smullen

On Monday June 29th, New Vrindaban children waited excitedly while an inaugural puja was offered to open their brand new fully-equipped playground next to the Palace Lodge, before running into it to play with blissful abandon.

The playground is an endeavor by ISKCON New Vrindaban to serve and accommodate both the children who live in the village and the thousands who visit for festivals throughout the year with their families.

Ananga Manjari Dasi, mother to five-year old Chintamani and a member of the ISKCON New Vrindaban Board since early this year, brought the suggestion to the board when she saw the dilapidated condition of the old playground.

“It had been there for over twenty years, since the early 1990s,” she says. “It was a wooden play set, and carpenter bees had bored into the wood until it looked like Swiss cheese. The metal parts were all rusty. It was rickety and falling apart. And it didn’t have proper drainage, so there would often be standing water and it would get muddy. As a parent, I was concerned for my kids’ safety.”

While participating in the Farmers’ Market in Wheeling, Ananga Manjari would regularly see the stellar children’s facilities at other local churches. And with ISKCON New Vrindaban repairing a lot of its long-neglected infrastructure, she wanted to do something for the children too.

“As a new board member, I want to bring something to the table that shows that we put our kids first,” she says.

The ISKCON New Vrindaban Board agreed unanimously to fund the project. So Ananga Manjari partnered with Malati Dasi, whose previous research on play sets led them to a Mennonite family-run business in the Pennsylvanian countryside.

“My daughter Chintamani played with everything, and we asked her what she liked,” says Ananga. “We also customized our purchase according to our community’s needs. For example, they had play sets with closed-in playhouses and tube slides. But we didn’t get them because we wanted to make sure that parents never lost sight of their kids on the playground. We wanted everything to be visible and open.”

IMG_2333

Back at New Vrindaban, facilities manager Gopisa Das oversaw the installation of new French drains at the playground site to eliminate the previous problems with mud and standing water. Over these, gravel was laid, and then several inches of shredded recyclable rubber mulch, which is shock absorbent and doesn’t rot.

Meanwhile the playground itself was installed by the Mennonite family who handmade it. “It felt really good to support not only local business, but also God-loving, gentle people from another religious community,” says Ananga.

The new playground includes a rock climbing wall with a rope, two standard swings, two baby swings, a tire swing, trapeze bars, a slide, and a bridge that connects two towers. It also includes items donated by Malati – a seesaw, and three benches so that parents can sit comfortably right in the playground to watch their children.

“We’re trying to cultivate a culture of parents and caregivers staying with their children at all times,” says Ananga Manjari.

All pieces of the play set are made of wood that is vinyl-coated to keep out carpenter bees and eliminate the possibility of splinters. Safety is also ensured by the railings throughout and the eighteen-inch faux rock wall surrounding the playground. Looking down over the whole scene is a picture of Lord Nrsimhadeva, who fiercely protected His five-year-old devotee Prahlad, and lovingly watches over all His devotees.

Ananga Manjari smiles, remembering how, during her most recent visit to the temple, she saw kids of all ages having a great time on the new playground.

“I see this as an investment in our families,” she says. “And I see it as just the beginning of making New Vrindaban so family-friendly that families will want to come here and stay – not just for one or two years, but for good, because it’s such a great place to raise children.”

IMG_2339

Hare Krishna! Conversation Between Krsna-ksetra Swami and Mr…
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Hare Krishna! Conversation Between Krsna-ksetra Swami and Mr Vineet Narain
I told my reporter to go and pretend to be part of them, get as much information as he can. Part of it could be in the favour and if there is anything negative, please bring that because that`s how the news is made! So he went and brought back a lot of literature to read and he also brought back two video tapes; that is, Your Ever Well-Wisher and World of Hare Krsna. The same night I saw both the video tapes; the film Your Ever Well-Wisher especially influenced me a lot. I saw it two times the same night. I was absolutely touched by Prabhupada`s life. Then for thirty days I spent almost all my time discussing with senior devotees of the ISKCON temple about the sastric philosophy.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18392

Transcendental Treasures Srutakirti dasa: Paramahamsa, Nitai…
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Transcendental Treasures
Srutakirti dasa: Paramahamsa, Nitai and I received unique, transcendental treasures during our stay in Atlanta. When Srila Prabhupada arrived the weather was rather cold. The devotees presented Srila Prabhupada with warm socks and a pair of canvas walking shoes. The next morning before the walk I assisted Srila Prabhupada by sliding his transcendental toes into his new pair of shoes with his blessed shoe horn. After his walk and morning program, Srila Prabhupada rang his bell. I found my way to his new quarters and offered my obeisances. I sat up and looked at Srila Prabhupada. “These shoes do not fit me,” he said. “If they fit, you can use them.” “I can’t wear your shoes, Srila Prabhupada,” I immediately answered. “That would be offensive.” “If I say you can do it, then it is all right,” he gently replied.
Read the entire article here: https://goo.gl/Z2E23U

Gita Contest Winner Donates Cash Prize to Educate Needy! Of…
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Gita Contest Winner Donates Cash Prize to Educate Needy!
Of course, as well as commending Maryam for her her charitable work, and being glad for the many who will be benefitted by her efforts, it’s important to congratulate all the other winners in the Gita Champions’ League, and to note the benefits of the contest itself. Over 4,800 students from fifth to tenth standard (aged 10 to 16), from more than 100 schools in Maharastra, participated. And at a March 15th ceremony in a hall near ISKCON Chowpatty, first, second, and third place awards were given to students from each standard (Maryam was awarded first place for sixth standard). Each student received a cash prize, a certificate, and a set of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Teachers who helped run the contest also received gifts.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/HiLp3r

Hare Krishna! I think I have acquired a spiritual…
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Hare Krishna! I think I have acquired a spiritual guru…
Actually, I think it might be more accurate to say that he has acquired me. I’m a scientist (astrophysicist to be precise) and I’ve been agnostic for as long as I can remember, so I’ve always struggled with the idea of God and the purpose of religion. But a few months ago, I had a spiritual experience, and since then, I’ve been on a quest to understand the being known as God. To learn more, I’ve studied and participated in various religious systems, and for the past month I’ve been exploring the group commonly known as Hare Krishnas.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18383

Sweet revenge from the fury of Indra :-) (Album with…
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Sweet revenge from the fury of Indra :-) (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The storm in Pobierowo the day before had stolen our usual crowd. Only a few hundred people had showed up for the festival. But yesterday the prayers of the devotees kept the dark clouds above from unleashing their torrents of rain and thousands of people came to our event. Sweet revenge from the fury of Indra.
See them here: https://goo.gl/HgkRz8

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015
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Tuesday,  June 23rd, 2015
St. John's, Newfoundland

By the Lake! By the Temple!

The previous night's successful event at Memorial U. was such that you wonder if anything gets better than this.
The agreement for the morning was a walk around Quidi Vidi Lake and so some of the listeners of last night came, like troopers, to join in that event.  Even a rep from "The Telegram" newspaper showed up to take photos of some of us doing the most simple thing - walking.

What great views...and then my favourite...the cove at Quidi Vidi Village itself with the picturesque charm of an old fishing enclave.  It was something to melt your heart.

Weather was "the pitts" as they say, rainy, cold.  It's hard to tell its summer.  Again, the warm hearts of the Newfoundlanders make up for the elemental conditions.

There was a fine follow-up by attendees at the Hindu Temple.  As we pulled in that evening for what I thought might be a weak turn-out, I became pleasantly surprised to see a good many vehicles in the parking lot.  Once inside, I was happy to see a circle of sitting people already in the thrust of kirtan.

Once settling down I opened up by speaking about what someone might call the universal truths.  Listed as "divine" attributes in chapter 16 of the Gita, I relayed the twenty six qualities mentioned.  They go as follows:  Fearlessness, purification of being, cultivation of knowledge, generosity, self-controlled, sacrificial, Vedic study, austerity, simplicity, non-violence, truthfulness, free from anger, renounced, tranquility, aversion to fault-finding, compassion for all, free from greed, gentleness, modesty, determination, vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy, and not expecting honour.

Explanations were well received.   What I have to say about the rest of the program is, "Wow, how they danced, how they chanted!!!"

May the Source be with you!

4 km