Srila Prabhupada Art Gallery – Donation Schemes
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY RUPAVATI SUNDARI DEVI DASI

SEBERANG JAYA - The event is getting closer, so let us pray for ever - deepening appreciating and glorification of Srila Prabhupada. Let us strive to increase our ability to relish his grace in new and fresh ways (Prabhupada Gallery). Lets pray to understand more and more about the how, what, when, where and why of Srila Prabhupada 's mission. All are welcome to participate and attend this wonderful event of the temple opening and opening of Srila Prabhupada Art Gallery.

Hare Krishna! Camp organized by Mayapur Local Preaching For the…
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Hare Krishna! Camp organized by Mayapur Local Preaching
For the pleasure of their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancatattva, Nrisimha Dev and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur Local Preaching (MLP) held a ‘Summer camp’ on 13-14th June. More than 200 Bhakti Vriksha devotees participated in this program. On 13th morning, devotees arrived from different places like Krishnanagar, Dhubulia, Bhaluka, Srirampur etc. at ‘Gita Bhavan’. They stayed for 13th & 14th and on 15th morning they returned home after having breakfast Prasadam.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18319

Hare Krishna! Srila Prabhupada’s Success Story – ISKCON Malaysia…
→ Dandavats.com



Hare Krishna! Srila Prabhupada’s Success Story – ISKCON Malaysia Celebrates 50th Anniversary of HDG’s Arrival in America
When Srila Prabhupada arrived at the Commenwealth Pier in Boston fifty years ago in 1965, he did not know if he should turn left or right. With only forty Rupees and a trunk containing Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam,Srila Prabhupada carried the instructions of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur close to his heart. In a poem that he penned upon his arrival in America he said,”O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like.” That, ladies and gentlemen,was only the beginning…

Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18316

Camp organized by Mayapur Local Preaching
→ Mayapur.com

For the pleasure of their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Pancatattva, Nrisimha Dev and His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur Local Preaching (MLP) held a ‘Summer camp’ on 13-14th June. More than 200 Bhakti Vriksha devotees participated in this program. On 13th morning, devotees arrived from different places like Krishnanagar, Dhubulia, Bhaluka, Srirampur etc. at […]

The post Camp organized by Mayapur Local Preaching appeared first on Mayapur.com.

MEET THE PUJARI – Bhusaya dasa Bhusaya dasa was 19 years of age…
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MEET THE PUJARI - Bhusaya dasa
Bhusaya dasa was 19 years of age when he joined ISKCON in 1982 at Colo River. He has served as a pujari for more than three decades. Beginning in Sydney’s Darlinghurst temple, he was occupied seven days a week performing arati, dressing small Gaura Nitai and cooking offerings. Bhusaya remembers being so busy that he would sometimes be chanting his rounds at 11.00 pm.
Read the entire article here: https://goo.gl/OAZWHV

Harinama in Moscow, Russia (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada:…
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Harinama in Moscow, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This Krishna consciousness movement insists that everyone take to this path by adopting the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The preachers of Krishna consciousness go from door to door to inform people how they can be relieved from the miserable conditions of material life. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.14.39 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/5q6Abf

Hare Krishna! How do we balance the spiritual and material…
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Hare Krishna! How do we balance the spiritual and material aspects of education in the gurukula?
In a lecture by His Grace Nityananda Prabhu, the following question was posed: “How do we balance the spiritual and material aspects of education in the gurukula?” His response was insightful and thought-provoking. It is not a question of balance, he replied, but a question of integration. Krsna consciousness can be integrated into any subject being learned, because Krsna is everywhere. In other words, the two aspects of education are not mutually exclusive.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18310

Memory Lane: The Gauranga Bhajan Band
→ KKSBlog

GaurangaBhajanBandThe whole world is full of festivals dedicated to Krsna and miracles happened; we have seen it with our own eyes.

In the former Yugoslavia, in the 80s, there was the Gauranga Bhajan Band. It was Hare Krsna rock with Harikesa, Sacinandana Swami, Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, Krsna Ksetra and Krsna Prema, the guitar player. It went all over the Eastern Bloc and the biggest concert in Moscow had 46 000 people. Last night, after 25 years, in Serbia we had a revival of the band going down memory lane – balloons, stage diving, swinging on a rope over the crowd. The trains were filled with young people who had been in the concert, all chanting Hare Krsna. They made many devotees.

Last night we had a three of the original band members: Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, Sacinandana Swami and Krsna Ksetra Maharaj. I did a guest performance with a few hundred devotees. Many had been there for the original performances.

The Krishna Mystery
→ The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland

On Friday 7 August 2015 at 6pm Join us for an exciting evening with Devamrita Swami as he talks about The Krishna Mystery – Why Infinitely Attractive? Devamrita Swami is a world famous monk, Yale University graduate, founder of the Institute of Sustainability and a world traveling monk of over 40 years. He graduated from […]

The post The Krishna Mystery appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

True Independence Comes from Dependence on Krishna Part 2–False and Real Independence Taught by Ajamila
→ Karnamrita.das's blog

Author: 
Karnamrita Das

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed)
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[Originally published on July 14th, 2012]After setting the mood with six verses and excerpts from Shrila Prabhupada’s purports in part one, in the next two blogs, I will do my best to unpack some of those ideas through appropriate stories from the Shrimad Bhagavatam. The foundational understanding to gain the most from this, or any Krishna centered talk or writing, is that our lasting identity is spiritual—we are eternal awareness, or a particle of consciousness imbued with the serving tendency. Presently, by identifying ourselves with the material body and mind and their attachments, we are forced to serve the needs of physical survival, and are also led to fulfill our desires for enjoyment and accomplishment. By conditioning, we think fulfilling our personal desires is freedom, yet our proclivity to be attracted to specific material tastes is relative to the type of body and mind we have—not to our spiritual selves, or who we truly are. We are the perceiver or animator of the body, but have a different nature than we are currently identifying with.

read more

Krishna Food open 5 days! Two locations!
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We’re now open every day 11:30 – 2:30 on
Kelburn Campus
In the courtyard between Kirk and Hunter buildings
Pipitea Campus
Law School Common Room at the corner of Whitmore and Stout St.

It’s the best food on campus. Taste sensation and bang for your buck – for just $5 you get a fully satisfying hot lunch to fuel your brain and your body. Like ourKrishna Food facebook page for deals, recipes, and interesting information!

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His Chanting Was Quite Distinct
→ Japa Group

As he chanted - Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare - his tongue rolled in his mouth and his lips moved in a circle. He seemed to be tasting something delicious,chewing it with care to savor every bit. His chanting was quite distinct; the words were clear and articulate, and he pressed down on each syllable.

Memories of Srila Prabhupada
Tejiyas dasa (ACBSP)

We must care for one another
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 April 2015, Radhadesh, Belgium, Lecture at Cultural Festival)
KKS_CZ_July2015The material world is the world where you have a facade. The material world is the place where you have a hidden agenda. The material world is the place where you want something from someone without really telling them. In the material world, you can never have a totally selfless relationship.

But we have a philosophy that offers a path for developing selfless relationships. So if we have that, then it should be possible amongst us to have real, genuine relationships based on mutually giving to each other. Serving the vaisnavas means that one must give to the vaisnavas. One must give the vaisnavas facility, one must give the vaisnavas space to do what they need to, one must appreciate the vaisnavas and so on.

Sometimes, in friendship one must also walk up to someone and say, “What are you doing?” That helps sometimes even when a stranger does that!

I had a period in my life when I did not do well. Just then, a stranger came out of nowhere, and said, “What are you doing with your life?” I was so shocked because he was a stranger! And I said, “But you do not even know me!” He ignored that and he said, “What are you doing with your life!?”

That really woke me up. It shocked me that a stranger said such a thing to me. Then I made a big change. It had an impact. So yes, we must care for one another.

An Eternal Relationship: Prabhupada’s Fourth Visit to New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

 

Prabhupada New Vrindaban June 1976

Written by Madhava Smullen. Archival Research by Chaitanya Mangala.

June 21st, 1976 was a normal day at the Pittsburgh International airport until a group of Krishna devotees from New Vrindaban, dressed in an odd combination of dhotis or saris with large rubber farm boots, appeared. Commuters stared open-mouthed as the fifty-strong crew exploded into a cacophonous burst of chanting, mridanga drums, and gongs in front of the arrival gate.

They were there, of course, to greet their beloved guru Srila Prabhupada, who appeared presently, effulgent and regal with his silver-topped cane and bright orange sweater. Diving to the floor to offer their respects, the devotees piled flower garlands about his neck and fanned him vigorously with peacock feathers.

Some ninety minutes later, Prabhupada’s car entered the New Vrindaban community limits. He was deeply attached to his first farm project — in late 1975, he had written to disciples: “I am always praying to Krishna that the New Vrindaban attempt will be more and more successful and ideal for your country. That is my only prayer.”

Now, he could see progress being made. The devotees riding with him pointed out new buildings, including one under construction next to the existing temple that would house workshops and a large capacity hall for festivals. There was also a new barn, and a silo for grain storage. Prabhupada smiled. “Oh, much improvement,” he said.

As he entered Sri Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra’s temple at Bahulaban, Prabhupada was welcomed by over a hundred devotees, many of them families with children. After folding his hands before the Deities, he led a lively kirtan from his vyasasana. As it ended, he looked fondly over his disciples.

“So after two years I think, I have got the opportunity of seeing you and your Radha-Vrindabanchandra Who is so kind upon you,” he said. “So real happiness is here. Radha-Vrindabanchandra is staying here, and He’s pleased with your service. This is the perfection of life.”

Then, as kirtan rang out once more, he departed for the house of Vahna Das and Hladini Dasi in Madhuban, where he would reside throughout his eleven-day stay until July 2nd.

Prabhupada’s health proved troublesome during his visit — he suffered from heart palpitations and often had to miss morning walks. But his leadership was as strong as ever, as he emphasized the five primary things he wanted New Vrindaban to be known for: cow protection, simple-living, holy pilgrimage, spiritual education, and above all, loving Krishna.

Prabhupada Reunited With ISKCON's Original Cow Kaliya - New Vrindaban 1976

To highlight the importance of cow protection during his stay, Prabhupada visited the cows and calves at the Bahulaban barn, which had been completed a year earlier. Four new calves had just been born, and he let one lick his hand as devotees told him how they were turning the cows’ milk into ghee, cheese and buttermilk. Prabhupada enjoyed the visit, and gave his solution for a better life: “Simply expand this idea: krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [protect the cows].”

Prabhupada’s care for cows wasn’t just theoretical. Once during his stay, he was walking with disciples when he passed a herd grazing on a hill. Among them was New Vrindaban’s first cow, a black Jersey named Kaliya whom he had met back in May 1969. To the devotees’ amazement, she broke away from the other cows as soon as she saw him and made her way down the steep bank to him. “Ah,” Prabhupada said. “My dear old friend Kaliya.”

Close to cow protection, of course, is simple living. Prabhupada often extolled the virtues of New Vrindaban’s simple living and high thinking in contrast to all the endeavor modern man puts into gaining sense gratification, thus forgetting the real purpose of life. He visited the community’s different gardens, appreciated how Sri Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra were bedecked with fresh wild flowers, and was delighted to receive wildflower garlands himself.

While taking his morning walk with disciples in the “forest” of Talaban, Prabhupada encouraged devotees to buy as many of the neighboring parcels of land as possible to cultivate. And he appreciated when they showed him that they were growing their own hay for the cows, cutting their own lumber, and growing some of their own vegetables.

Prabhupada further encouraged devotees by enjoying “The Spiritual Frontier,” a film about New Vrindaban, so much that he watched it twice. Produced by Yadubara and Visakha, it was vividly colorful and beautifully shot. It showed the “Brijabasis” living a Krishna conscious life while harvesting crops, picking fruit from the trees, and preparing natural milk products.

Energized by the film, Prabhupada used it as an opportunity to talk more about simple living. “Make this ideal life here,’ he said. “America has got good potency. We have got so much land here. We can have hundreds of New Vrindabans or farms like that. And people will be happy. And invite all the world, ‘Please come and live with us. Why you are suffering congestion, overpopulation? Welcome here. Chant Hare Krsna.’ Make that.”

Prabhupada Sharing Cookies With Gurukula Boys - New Vrindaban 1976

It was clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted others to visit New Vrindaban as a holy pilgrimage site, and he treated it as such himself. During his stay he visited not only the main Deities of Radha Vrindabanchandra in their temple, but also the other Deities worshipped in different parts of the community, just as one would during a pilgrimage of the original Vrindavana in India.

He was most eager to see Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Nath, the Deities at the original farmhouse where he had stayed during his first visit in 1969. The farmhouse was now a brahmachari ashram, and when they heard Prabhupada was coming, the men there burst into a frenzy of activity, trying their best to clean it up for him. As he walked up to the house, the atmosphere was electric, with many devotees including gurukula children lining the pathway to greet him.

Prabhupada was happy to be back. With folded hands, he took darshan of the small but beautiful Radha Vrindaban Nath while the Govindam prayers played, then gave the morning Bhagavatam class from a rustic-looking vyasasana.

He also visited the site of a future place of pilgrimage – the Palace his disciples were building for him. It was his second visit (his first had been in 1974), and now most of the concrete work was done, and the finishing work started.

The devotees showed him the central hall, Deity room, beautiful marble inlay work, decorative arches and ornate furniture. He particularly liked his hand-carved desk topped with a solid slab of onyx, commenting, “Nowhere else in the world do I have such a desk.”

He was very appreciative and impressed that the devotees had done all the work themselves, especially since most were not professionals but had learned on the job. Prabhupada remarked that they were working with the special inspiration of God.

Prabhupada Visiting Radha Vrindaban Nath at the Original Farmhouse - New Vrindaban 1976

“If one is sincere to serve the Lord, [who is] situated in everyone’s heart, He’ll give him, ‘Do like this,’” he said. To the devotees’ delight, he compared their efforts to his own. “I came to your country for preaching this, I had no idea how to do it.” He laughed. “But people are surprised how within so many short years this world movement has sprung.”

Prabhupada added that the Palace, a combination of Eastern and Western architectural ideas, was unique in North America and that people would therefore come from all over to see it.

Another thing Prabhupada focused on while in New Vrindaban, as he did everywhere, was imparting spiritual education to his young students. He did it all the time, whether he was giving the morning Bhagavatam class or receiving a massage outside in the noonday sun. His disciples’ most cherished times with him, however, were his intimate evening darshans in the garden at the back of his house, during which his congenial mood deepend their love and affection for him.

On those idyllic summer evenings, the devotees gathered in a semicircle on the grass before Prabhupada, the sun’s golden rays filtering through the trees and casting a dappled pattern on his yellow satin vyasasana with its lion armrests.

Prabhupada would be reluctant to take his own seat until he saw that all the devotees also had mats to sit on. Once he did, he would instigate debate on challenging issues, with them taking on the role of materialists and Prabhupada arguing from the Krishna conscious point of view.

At other times, he had Sanskrit scholar Pradyumna read from the Bhagavad-gita, stopping occasionally to ask if there were any questions and then supplying his insights. One topic that often came up was how modern developments had spoiled the world. “What is this nonsense, all skyscraper building, no air, no light,” Prabhupada said. “The mind becomes crippled, the health becomes deteriorated, children cannot see even the sky, everything is spoiled.”

Prabhupada's Evening Darshan With Devotees On Yellow Satin Vyasasan at Madhuban Farm - New Vrindaban 1976

Then, looking around at the beautiful garden he was sitting in, he cited New Vrindaban as an alternative. “Now we see the sky, the sun, how nice it is. Green, down and up, clear sky, sun. This is life.”

Prabhupada also supported New Vrindaban’s own efforts at spiritual education by visiting its gurukula. There he received guru-puja in a packed temple room, with the young saffron-clad boys crowding in front of him. It was another incredibly sweet experience, with Prabhupada playing his gong and throwing flowers over the devotees as they jumped and shouted excitedly.
Throughout his entire visit, Prabhupada showed his disciples how to love Krishna – the connecting thread of his five-part vision for New Vrindaban — by everything he did and said.

It was in the way he looked at and spoke about Radha Vrindabanchandra, completely convinced that full happiness would come through serving Them. It was in the way he cared for Krishna’s devotees, making sure they were comfortable and warm during his evening meetings. And it was in the way he saw Krishna everywhere – once he compared young “Brijabasi” boys running alongside his car to Krishna and Balarama racing with the birds in the fields.

Love of Krishna was even the last message he gave New Vrindaban devotees face to face, imploring them during his final class on July 2nd to become servants of Krishna instead of servants of their senses. By doing that, he said, their lives would be successful.

After his class, the devotees held one last rousing kirtan. The little gurukula boys danced enthusiastically, then clamored about his vyasasana, shyly holding out their hands as Prabhupada passed out cookies to them.

That afternoon, everyone gathered outside the temple to bid farewell, presenting him with a cake and a donation. Then, as his car pulled out onto the road, they showered it with flowers, calling out “Jaya Srila Prabhupada!” at the top of their lungs as it faded away into the distance.
It would be the last time New Vrindaban devotees saw Prabhupada physically present in their community. But they had implicit faith he would be with them forever through his instructions, firmly imprinted in their hearts, as they continued working together cooperatively to realize his grand vision for ISKCON’s first farm community and holy place of pilgrimage.

Courage to Change
→ Seed of Devotion

[The Serentiy Series is based upon this prayer: God grant me the courage to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I can't, and the wisdom to know the difference.] 

Ghanashyam and I bought tickets back in March to visit Alachua, Florida for three whole weeks. Alachua is the community I call home, and I wanted for us to spend quality time there. I reached out to one friend for a place to stay, but as the weeks went by and there was no response, I began to worry. I reached out to one other friend, but that was a no go.

Time began to spin by and my anxiety picked up speed. I began to fret. How could I have lived in Alachua for seven years and feel so hesitant to reach out to anyone there? Was I a stranger? How could no one be willing to help? This was horrible, heartbreaking. 

By the time June came around, I was considering canceling the trip and I had cried numerous times. 

What woe!! 

One night, I was reading the book Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman. I decided to consciously change my thought from: I've always been alone in this world, no one loves me, why would Radhe Shyam do this to me -

to

This is a temporary setback because DUDE I've barely reached out to anyone. Radhe Shyam love me. God loves me. 

Bam. Peace settled in my heart. The next morning I wrote five emails to various friends and mentors who live Alachua, asking for a place for both Ghanashyam and I to stay. I asked with affection, vulnerability, and detachment. 

Within three days almost everyone had responded, most saying that they were busy, but one mentor did say with much kindness that we could stay in his home. 

Now Ghanashyam and I are visiting Alachua and our situation is perfect for our service and for experiencing the overwhelming love of this community. 

Martin Seligman? Thank you, man. God spoke through you to me to help me experience the truth and make a change not only in the situation but within my heart. 
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All that I know…
→ Servant of the Servant

Before accepting the Bhagavad Gita, I wasn't very inclined to understand God or anything like that. So today after few years, honestly, nothing has changed except all that I know is...

  1. I am not this body, 
  2. Krishna is God
  3. Chant Hare Krishna and
  4. Prabhupada rocks! 
So somehow, with these four things, I share, speak and write. Some like it, many don't and call me out on my shallow understanding of the truth. It hurts for sometime but I convince myself to continue and do the show all over again. No one listens, no one cares but still I repeat the four things I know.

With only these four things not sure when the show will end though!

Hare Krishna