Planet ISKCON

HG Pankajanghri Prabhu at ISKCON Mayapur on 2015-06-15, Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 06.09.46-47

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ।
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ।।

Most mantra have a sentence structure, making their meaning relatively specific and simple to express. The Hare Krishna mantra, however, is not a sentence at all. It has only nouns, no verbs, and these nouns have identical grammatical form  (all of them are in the “invocative” case), thus neither indicating nor implying any subject, object or action. This in itself is meaningful and reflects the underlying nature of spirit itself (brahman), but the more practical immediate ramification is that the Hare Krishna mantra will not submit to conventional translation.

Some of the mantra’s meaning comes from understanding the meanings of its three nouns; some comes from understanding the patterns formed by these nouns; some comes from comprehending the grammatical and symmetrical uniformity; and some comes not from the words but from the act of invoking the words.

The Pattern

The mantra is a beautiful symmetrical pattern created from three nouns coupled in two pairs. “Krishna” couples with “Hare” to form the first half of the mantra. “Rāma” couples with “Hare” to form the second half. In each half, first the nouns are repeated as a couple, then they are uncoupled and repeated separately. Thus, after repeating “Hare Krishna,” the couple is separated into “Krishna” and “Hare” and each is repeated on its own.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare.

The second half mirrors this pattern, using Rāma in place of Krishna:

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma,
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

A great deal of meaning exists in this pattern, but before exploring it we must acquaint ourselves with the primary meanings of the nouns it uses.

Krishna

Nāma Kaumudī’s fundamental definition of the word krishna is, “The supreme spiritual substance.” This harkens to Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad, which explains (in pūrva.1.1) that krish- means “existence.” and –ṇa means “carefree.” The word krishna therefore indicates an entity whose existence is effortless, self-establishing, causeless, without defects, and blissful. That entity is brahman, the supreme spiritual substance — consciousness itself in its pure, original, wholesome form.

But Nāma Kaumudī further specifies that krishna refers not merely to the latent potential state of brahman as a homogenous, effortless state of undifferentiated consciousness, it also and especially refers to the kinetic source of brahman: a specific carefree and effortlessly self-manifest, blissful and flawless person. “Krishna” the Nāma Kaumundī continues, “denotes the one whose complexion is as black as a tamāla tree.”

The word krishna indicates the color black because that color pulls in (krish-) all light (-na). Viṣṇu’s complexion is as black as a tamāla tree. Indeed, the Amara-kośa Sanskrit dictionary states, “Viṣṇu, Krishna, Vaikuṇṭha, and Nārāyaṇa are synonyms.” I will explain why.

Viṣṇu literally means “all-pervasive,” denoting the substance which is the essence of everything: consciousness itself. Viṣṇu and krishna are synonyms because they both indicate the effortlessly self-manifest all-pervading substance of reality, consciousness — especially in it’s kinetic, specific fountainhead as a blissful and flawless personality.

Vaikuṇṭha literally means “carefree,” again denoting consciousness, and especially the realm of unfettered consciousness and the fountainhead of consciousness. It is therefore synonymous with viṣṇu and krishna.

Nārāyaṇa literally means “the reservoir of personhood” and denotes the fountainhead of consciousness. Therefore it is another synonym.

Krishna denotes all manifestations of Bhagavān Viṣṇu — the carefree and effortlessly self-manifest personality who is the fountainhead of all-pervasive consciousness. But Nāma Kaumudī finishes its definition by stating that the word krishna specifically refers to someone who was “raised on Yaśodā’s breast.” So, although krishna refers to consciousness itself (brahman) and although it refers to Viṣṇu as the source of all consciousness (paramātmā) and the epitome of all personality (bhagavān), in the ultimate focus this word denotes a very specific form of Bhagavān: the one who is raised by the loving breast-milk of the queen of Vraja, Śrī Yaśodā Devī. Ultimately, the word krishna refers to the famous Gopa of Vṛndāvana whom the Bhāgavata Purāṇa lauds as the fountainhead of all Viṣṇus, who are themselves the fountainheads of all consciousness, which is the very substance of reality itself.

The most literal, basic meaning of krish- is simply, “pull.” Earlier I quoted Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad stating that krish- means “existence.” It has this meaning because existence is the tangible coagulation of consciousness, a structure pulled into place by consciousness’ gravity. The primary trait of Krishna is that he “pulls,” like a magnet, like gravity.

What does he pull? He pulls upon -ṇa. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad said -ṇa means “carefree.” What is carefree? Pure consciousness. Therefore Monier’s Sanskrit dictionary states that native Sanskrit lexicographers also define -ṇa as knowledge, the power of knowledge, consciousness.

Krish-na: he who pulls on consciousness.

What does it mean to “pull on consciousness”? It means to attract, fascinate, delight, and enthrall. Krishna emits all consciousness, like a star emitting light, and then, like a black hole, he attracts, fascinates, and enthralls the emitted consciousness – forming a circuit, a loop.

Loops amplify. What does Krishna amplify? Carefree existence, bliss – which attains its thickest reality in the form of love, prema.

Krishna: the all-attractive amplifier of prema.

Rāma 

The word rama literally means “pleasure.” With a long initial “a,” rāma, it means “pleaser and enjoyer” – a “lover” in the romantic and erotic sense. It is a name for the god of eros, kāma-deva, and is used amongst commoners to denote any extremely seductive and attractive man or woman.

The words rāma and krishna form a natural pair, because krishna indicates the attraction of consciousness, and rāma indicates the thing consciousness is attracted to: pleasure! It also indicates the result of being attracted to krishna: pleasure.

If krishna refers to Brahman – the self-sustaining, effortlessly manifest effortless consciousness – then rāma refers to the bliss of that carefree existence: brahmānanda – nirvāṇa.

If krishna refers to Paramātmā – the effortless manifestor of all consciousness – then rāma refers to śānta-rasa the joyful experience of seeing all things as equally divine and thus feeling effortlessly peaceful and satisfied.

If krishna refers to Bhagavān – the epitome of effortlessly joyful personal consciousness –  then rāma refers to devotional sentiment, bhakti-rasa, the feeling of affection and admiration for that Supreme Person.

Some say that the entire mahāmantra is about Bhagavān and the word krishna refers to one manifestation of Bhagavān, the Gopa of Vṛndāvana, but Rāma refers to a different manifestation, either Paraśū-rāma, Rāma-chandra, or Bala-rāma. There is nothing incorrect in this view, but it does not allow the deepest understanding of the mahāmantra to unfold. It is not wrong, but it is not the best understanding either.

The best understanding is that the three nouns of the mantra name and describe the same entity – the being who is the origin of all manifestations of Bhagavān, Paramātmā, and Brahman. That entity is the primeval erotic principle in person – the transcendent, self-manifest Kāma-deva at the root of all existence. 

By the name krishna he “pulls” and “attracts” us. Then, by the name rāma he enjoys us… and thus delights us.

Hare

The word hare is the invocative form of both hari, and hara. The difference is simply of grammatical gender. Hari and hara are the same word, but hari is the grammatically masculine form, and hara is the grammatically feminine form.

The two forms have the same fundamental meaning. I’ll describe these fundamental meanings by considering hare with masculine grammar. Later, I’ll consider it with feminine grammar.

The word hari literally means: “take, carry, hold.” Things that are “ravishing, captivating, and enthralling” are called hari because they carry away and hold on to our hearts.

Brahman can be called hari because Brahman is consciousness, and consciousness carries and holds all of reality. Paramātmā can be called hari because all individual jīvātmā emanate from Paramātmā like rays emanating from the sun; thus Paramātmā carries all living entities into existence and holds us by maintaining our existence – like the sun carrying and holding its rays. Bhagavān Śiva can be called hari because he has the power to end the universe, taking away and carrying off everything. Bhagavān Viṣṇu can be called hari because he maintains the universe, carrying it by holding its substance together. These and other divinities can also be called hari because they wish to take away our suffering and impurity.

But the fullest meaning of the word hari — ravishing, captivating, and enthralling — shows itself most fully when we consider the word as a reference to the primeval Kāma-deva who is the source of Brahman, Paramātmā, and all divinity.

Meaning of the Mantra

The entire mahāmantra is an invocation – a call to manifest the divine. It invokes  the divine in a form that corresponds with the conception of the invoker. If chanted with the deepest conception, the mantra invokes the divine as the primeval Kāmadeva – the captivating, ravishingly attractive and delightful Supreme Person.  Such a conception might be expressed in words somewhat like these:

“Oh Hari – take me, carry me away and hold me captive!”

“What are you? What exactly should I take?” He may ask.

“Oh Krishna – take the deepest part, the very essence that is the source of everything I am, ever was, or ever will be: take my heart, my soul, my very consciousness itself!”

“How should I accomplish this?” He may ask.

“Oh Krishna, it will be effortless for you – you are all-attractive! You are my root, and you are my ultimate fruit, so it is effortless and proper for you to claim me!”

“Why should I take you? What for?” He may ask.

“Oh Rāma – because you are the ravisher, the enjoyer, the lover. You desire lovers to ravish and enjoy!”

“Selfishness is not enjoyable.
I won’t take you for my selfish pleasure.” He may protest.

“Oh Rāma, when you enjoy me, I enjoy!”

“All right,” He will finally say. “Come here!”

The Trans-meaningful Reality of the Mantra

The mahāmantra is not merely a set of words that point towards meanings. It also transcends “meaning” and becomes a direct manifestation of spiritual reality itself. The mantra’s words reveal themselves to the sincere chanter as a trans-meaningful experiential reality, in accord with the chanter’s conception of those words.

If we consider krishna as Brahman, rāma as brahmānanda and hari as the pure, effulgent consciousness itself, devoid of distinction between subject and object – then the mahāmantra reveals itself as brahmajyoti and dissolves the chanter into absolute, undifferentiated oneness with it.

If we consider krishna as Paramātma, rāma as the blissful vision of absolute equality, and hari as the removal of ignorant separatism and distinction – then the mahāmantra reveals itself as Paramātmā and removes our ignorance of the peaceful unified substrata pervading the diverse manifestations of existence.

If we consider krishna as Bhagavān, rāma as the bliss of divine love, and hari as the attractive power of that all-lovable Supreme Person – then the mahāmantra reveals itself as Bhagavān, attracts us, and manifests the bonds of love by establishing a direct personal relationship with the Supreme Person.

If we consider krishna as the primeval entity, the root of Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, the original erotic principle of bliss, Kāmadeva. Then the mantra cries to him, “Take my heart! Attract and enthrall me! Delight in me, love me!” and he manifests himself with all his playful beauty and charms, to do exactly what we have requested.

Certainly there could be no more amazing mantra than this! Therefore we rightly call it the “Greatest Mantra” – mahā-mantra. Yet there is treasure in this mantra still hidden from the above descriptions. Access to this treasure begins by considering hare with feminine grammar – as hara. This word denotes Kāmadeva’s śakti – the Supreme Energy of the Supreme Energetic.

Śakti, by definition, is “the agency through which one fulfills a desire.” The word hara denotes Kāmadeva’s śakti because hara means “to carry away, ravish, enthrall, and captivate,” and Kāmadeva-Krishna’s supreme desire is to be “ravished, captivated, enthralled, and carried away” (hara). His śakti, Rati-Rādhā, is the entity who fulfills this desire.

Energy disappears without an energetic source, and an energetic source is not really an “energetic source” unless it can emit energy. Therefore comprehension of the Supreme Energetic is incomplete if divorced from comprehension of the Supreme Energy. When we consider hare in feminine form, the mahāmantra reveals a perfect, complete conception of the ultimate reality as the Energy-Energetic Rati-Kāmadeva from whom (and for whom) Bhagavān, Paramātmā, and Brahman emanate.

The Supreme Energetic is an intrinsically masculine principle, and the Supreme Energy is intrinsically feminine. When we see hare as a feminine word, the mantra attains a wonderful balance of energy and energetic, feminine and masculine – with 8 repetitions of the feminine words, and 8 repetitions of the masculine words.

When we understand the mantra as an invocation of Kāmadeva-Krishna, we see hara as Rati-Rādhā. When we hear “Hare Krishna” we experience Śrī Rādhā’s captivation of all-attractive Śrī Krishna. When we hear “Hare Rāma” we experience Śrī Krishna’s delightful ardor to love and be loved by Śrī Rādhā. In “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna” and “Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma” we hear Rādhā and Krishna’s embrace of one another. In “Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare” and “Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare” we hear their longing to embrace one another.

As the mantra dances, we experience Rādhā and Krishna dancing delightfully. Sometimes arm in arm (“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna”), sometimes at a short distance (“Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare”).

“Oh Hare – Captivate and enthrall all-attractive Krishna, and thus captivate and enthrall my consciousness. Delight and thrill your lover, Rāma, and thus delight and thrill my consciousness.”

Closing

To think deeply about the mahāmantra is certainly a step in the right direction. If we take that step with humility and affection, under the guidance of someone who realizes in the mantra what we aspire to realize in it, then certainly our steps will fast become strides.

If this article is of service to souls, especially those who aspire to serve the delight of Rādhā and Krishna’s rāsa-līlā festival, then I can hold on to some confidence that Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Krishna are happy with it, and might bless me with a slight realization of what I have written, though I have done nothing to merit it.

– Vraja Kishor dās

Tagged: Divine Love, hare krishna mantra, hare krsna mantra, kamadeva, Krishna, Mahamantra, Radha, rati

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Tuesdays  July 7th A Machine of Matter
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July 21 A Spirit Soul

Yesterday Bhurijana Prabhu sent me an audio message about Brahmananda Prabhu, which acted as a balm for my heart:

“Gargamuni told Dharmatma—and I heard from Dharmatma—that when Brahmananda and he took Srila Prabhupada out of the hospital in 1967, Prabhupada told them, ‘Because you have rescued me from the hospital, you won’t have to be in the hospital at the time of your death.’

“So, the week before Brahmananda Prabhu left his body, he couldn’t breathe, and Dharmatma was bringing him oxygen. Finally it was decided that he should go to the Apollo hospital in Delhi. It’s quite hot in Vrindavan in June, so Brahmananda insisted that he be brought in an ambulance and that the ambulance be air-conditioned.

“As it turned out, before the ambulance arrived, Brahmananda Prabhu passed away, in Vrindavan, as he had desired. How merciful is Prabhupada! How merciful is the dust of Vrindavan!

“Gargamuni also related to Dharmatma that Prabhupada had told him, ‘Brahmananda is saintly. He doesn’t know how to do business. He is a saintly person. You know how to do business, so you take care of him.’ So Gargamuni said that for the last fifteen or twenty years, he’s been taking care of Brahmananda, and now he has set up Brahmananda’s room and his desk and his chair and his shoes and everything, and it’s like a bhajana-kutira. And I believe they are planning a samadhi for him at the gosala.”

"Everyone can benefit spiritually by the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. When the transcendental vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa is sounded, even the trees, animals and insects benefit. Thus when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra loudly, he actually shows mercy to all living entities."

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.19 Purport

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 April 2015, Radhadesh, Belgium, Lecture at Cultural Festival)

What does it mean to follow the mood of the spiritual master? I think, it means that whatever is really important and essential to the spiritual master, that should also be essential to the disciple. Not that we become cat copies of our spiritual master – that is the last thing you want to see.

It is not about becoming exactly the same. It is about being different but appreciating that the spiritual master is highlighting certain things on the way back to the spiritual world which are important to us. Not that we want everyone to approach these things in the same way because we have different natures but still, whatever is important to the spiritual master must be noted.

We all are eternally unique personalities, with our own unique natures and our own unique relationships with Krsna. Everyone has his own unique feature in serving Krsna.

Just like when I went out with Vaisesika, the super book distributor, he noted my techniques of focusing on people who were already stationary rather than standing in the middle of the street and flagging people down which is so passionate that I don’t like it.

So everyone has a different approach but in the bigger picture, we do the same thing. We are serving within Lord Caitanya’s mission because it is the yuga dharma, and somehow or the other, we are part of that. We are serving Prabhupada’s movement and trying to fulfill his desire because he is the founder acharya and these things are important to all of us.

Ancient Buddhist, Vedic and Jain traditional cosmologies state that at the North Pole magnetic center of the Earth is a mountain of magnetite called Mount Meru. The Puranic and Sumerian traditions also spoke of this “Mount Sumeru.

Over the five days of the fifth annual Holy Name Festival in Ljubljana, from May 28^th to June 1^st, approximately 600 devotees from all over Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and other Eastern European countries chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The festival also brought the joy and color of chanting to the general public.

Harinama in Tel Aviv, Israel (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one repeats monotonous material words, he will feel exhausted, but if he chants Hare Krishna twenty-four hours a day, he will never feel exhausted; rather, he will feel encouraged to continue chanting more and more. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.21.22 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/SAeTF1

Melanie Joy, Ph.D., Ed.M. is a Harvard-educated psychologist, professor of psychology and sociology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, a celebrated speaker, and the author of the award-winning book Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper, one of the top papers in London, covered the event the day after; putting a ½ page photo of the famous dressed up sister couple of Radha-Krishna for its audience of more than 500,000 people. The MP of Hendon Matthew Offord was in attendance, arriving back from Paris just before, but making it in time for viewing Lords on Their cart at Trafalgar Square.

Like many people my age I live in front of books and computer screens. However, my religion has instilled in me important values regarding the earth.

ISKCON devotee-run company Radha-Krishna Records made Krishna consciousness accessible to a wider audience with its professionally-produced “Contemporary Krishna Culture Showcase” at the Camden Centre in Central London on May 28^th. Around 400 people poured in to see the show, which ran from 7:00 to 10:00pm with an intermission at 8:30.

The memorial program for Brahmananda Prabhu in Los Angeles was wonderful. For almost six hours, devotee after devotee shared their experiences and realizations of how Brahmananda had touched their hearts and changed their lives with his care for them and his love for Srila Prabhupada—and how he had now gone to rejoin Srila Prabhupada.

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 3.485–487) confirms the efficacy of serving pure devotees and the results one attain from it: “The service of Vaisnavas is superior to the service of Krsna. All scriptures headed by the Srimad-Bhagavatam confirm this. There may be a doubt whether the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will attain perfection, but there is absolutely no doubt that those who are attached to serving the Lord’s devotees will attain perfection. Therefore service to the Vaisnavas is the best means of deliverance.”

May Brahmananda Prabhu’s example of dedication to his spiritual master and kindness to others inspire us in our service to Srila Prabhupada and his devotees.

—Giriraj Swami

Krishna Sambandha and Ustad Murli Manohar made a concert in Chile for HH Jayapataka Swami´s fast recovering. (5 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/tJEVQZ

Hare Krishna! Pingala, The Prostitute : From Bottomless Loneliness to Absolute Happiness
I am such a fool that I have given up the service of that person who, being eternally situated within my heart, is actually most dear to me. That most dear one is the Lord of the universe, who is the bestower of real love and happiness and the source of all prosperity. Although He is in my own heart, I have completely neglected Him. Instead I have ignorantly served insignificant men who can never satisfy my real desires and who have simply brought me unhappiness, fear, anxiety, lamentation and illusion.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17936

Hare Krishna! The Government’s Duty: To Teach Krishna Consciousness
Krishna conscious government leaders and educators should be tolerant and compassionate. For example, a Krishna conscious leader should encourage the Muslims to become better Muslims and the Christians to become better Christians, all the while understanding that different spirit souls influenced by various combinations of the modes of nature may need more time to come to the platform of pure devotional service, the true religion of the soul. As Srila Prabhupada explains, we should encourage everyone in their particular faith, making sure that they are at least following the tenets laid down by their particular prophets. This would undoubtedly lead to a peaceful situation in the world.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17939

Sometimes, actually many times we may witness that a devotee does nice service and feels proud that he or she is close to his/her spiritual master - that he/she is special in the eyes of the spiritual master. Such thinking is not compatible with suddha bhakti.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Takur Prabhupada had this to say regarding a disciple feeling puffed up and favored by the guru.

"If a student feels favored, he is like a mosquito perched on the lap of a king, thinking 'All these people are my subjects,' but all he can really do is bite the king" - by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Takur

A lesson duly to be noted if we are sincere!

Hare Krishna

Preaching program at Matchless Gifts, NY (Album with photos)
Packed house on Friday Night. Wonderful program!
See them here: https://goo.gl/s0QIAe

“SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT” London Rathayatra 2015 (Album with photos)
After 43 years finally blessed to be in attendance at this amazing event. London Rathayatra meant so much to Srila Prabhupada and is still being carried on in such a wonderful manner. This year over 10,700 On Chanting brochures were distributed thanks to Bhajahari prabhu and his team and all the devotees who helped.
Cooking for 16,000 began two days before by a dedicated team headed by Parasuram, Arjuna, Achintya, Krishna Mayi dasi, Patanjali, Taruna, Nayan and many others, and continued all Saturday night. The procession and festival were organized perfectly in a joint effort by Soho and Bhaktivedanta Manor Temples. Kirtans led by Kadamba Kanana maharaja, Govinda, Kripamoya, Harinamananda and Parividha prabhus and more Kirtaneers, were exceptionaly ecstatic. Prasadam was delicious and everyone experienced transcendental bliss. Thank you Lord Krishna and Srila Prabhupada for your mercy. And thanks to my good wife Dvija Priya dasi for the photos…..
See them here: https://goo.gl/pLAF0b

BY MATHURALILESVARI DEVI DASI 

KUALA LUMPUR - The Panihatti Cidadahi festival is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. This astonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges at Panihatti Dham, which is just north of Calcutta. The festival remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with His devotees by arranging, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunatha dasa, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice, along with various other nectar foodstuffs. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada instructed his disciples to organize this cida dahi festival at Panihatti and other places in the world. Sri Jagannatha Mandir, ISKCON Malaysia Head Quarters celebrated the most auspicious Panihatti Cida Dahi festival on 31 May 2015. More than 200 devotees graced the festival.

Devotees were put into various teams and they were supposed to prepare their version of the cida dahi that would later be put into decorated pots and then auctioned. All funds raised for the action was offered to the medical service of His Holiness Srila Jayapataka Swami, ISKCON Malaysia Co Zonal Secretary.

As early as 8 a.m., the tables were setup at the foyer of the temple and participating team diligently spread their raw ingredients to begin the ‘ transcendental competition’. Recipes were given to all teams by the organizers. Team work was evident as we saw devotees divide the chores to finally come up with a delicious and beautiful offering to Their Lordships. It was informed to the participants well in advance to paint the pots with different pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So various pastimes were displayed as drawings on the pots.

 

At sharp 9 am, all team of devotees were requested to stop decorating their pots of cida dahi. Some exquisite work was on display and the pots of cida dahi was transferred to the temple altar for offering. It was indeed a feast for the eyes to see the beautifully decorated pot in the altar for the pleasure of Their Lordships. The congregation gathered inside the temple hall to hear the sweet pastime of Raghunath Das Goswami and Sri Nityananda Prabhu in Panihatti Dham. The descriptive lecture was given by HG Tyaga Caitanya Prabhu. Details of the pastimes were very well articulated and explained to the congregation. To further enhance the understanding of the pastime and to absorb in the mood of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, a drama was performed depicting the pastime. 

Soon after, the pots on cida dahi was removed from the altar and placed at the table in the foyer of the temple for judges to taste and evaluate. HG Tyaga Caitanya prabhu, HG Shanti Rupa mataji and HG Siddhi Sadhana Prabhu were aptly chosen as the judges. It was a wonderful experience to hear devotees explain the rationale behind the decoration of the pot. It must have been difficult to judge as all the preparations tasted heavenly and the pots were beautifully decorated.

But, in every competition there must be a winner. Everyone who participated has already won but just to increase the sweet interaction amongst devotees, three teams were chosen as the winner. The third place went to the Bhakti Vriksa team. They prepared two beautiful pots which had the pastimes of Panihatti festival and preaching. Second price went to the over enthusiastic, SJMKL Youth team, headed by HG Gadadhara Pandit Prabhu. They prepared two pots that was exceptionally decorated .The first price went to the Brahmacharis team who was headed by HG Siva Caitanya prabhu. Siva Caitanya prabhu has been single handedly preparing cida dahi for Their Lordships every Panihatti festival all these years. It was a sweet victory and even sweeter was the exchanges between the devotees. it was a very light moment and to see devotees encourage and cheer for each other, was soothing for the heart. It was truly a family like atmosphere.

First placing went to the brahmacari team

The Youth team grabbed the second placing

Third placing went to the Bhakti Vriksa team

The pots were then auctioned to the congregation. Many devotees expressed that it was a very blissful festival and they were meditating on Lord Nityananda prabhu as they were preparing the pots and hence it has helped them to increase their attachment to Lord Nityananda.

We pray to Lord Nityananda Prabhu to place His lotus feet upon our heads just as he did upon Raghunatha dasa’s head. We pray that all our impediments are removed and we can blissfully serve Sri Nityananda Ram always.

tomāra kṛpā vinā keha ‘caitanya’ nā pāya
tumi kṛpā kaile tāṅre adhameha pāya

“No one can attain the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without Your mercy, but if You are merciful, even the lowest of men can attain shelter at His lotus feet.

ayogya mui nivedana karite kari bhaya
more ‘caitanya’ deha’ gosāñi hañā sadaya

“Although I am unfit and greatly afraid to submit this plea, I nevertheless request You, Sir, to be especially merciful toward me by granting me shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Antya 6.131/132

Muted tones of sandstone will be used at the foot of the temple as a symbol of strength, shouldering the weight of the temple. The subtle beauty of the Sandstone will wrap the base of the temple all around, inspiring a contemplative mood in the pilgrims as they view the beautiful carvings along the parikrama. The intricate jali will serve as lungs breathing air for the ground floor.

Currently, work is ongoing at a manufacturing unit in Jaipur, aiming to begin installation on site by August. Buddharam Stone Industries in Jaipur, Rajasthan is one of the foremost carvers available in India, following traditional methodologies, and very meticulous work practices. Vilasini devi dasi (Head Architect) and Anupama Shah (Team Lead – Architects) visited their factory to review the work in progress on Sunday, 14 June 2015 and were very much satisfied with their remarkable work.

The post Inspection of Sandstone Work in Jaipur appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

We are now at the final stage of the main dome construction. Preparation works has began for the Kalash and the Chakra!

Looking at this image, you can really see how big is the Kalash by comparing the proportions of the people and the Kalash. Standing at 277 feet (84.4 meters) from the ground, it gazes upon us in great splendor.

The post Kalash – Preparation Works has Begun! appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Hare Krishna! Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s Mercy in Malaysia
The 13th Global Indian Festival was held from 3rd - 7th June at one of Malaysia’s biggest malls, the Mid Valley Megamall. The Indian population in Malaysia is a small fraction of 7% and during this festival it seems like the entire Indian population has descended here. The atmosphere is completely chaotic and the only intention in people’s minds is to either sell something for a profit or buy something with a good deal. Dare I say though, the only good deal in the festival is the presence of sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17930

The post Discussing with Ananda Caitanya after arriving in London appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

“As an actor I pretend for a living,” starts his speech DeCaprio. “I pretend fictitious characters usually solving fictitious problems. I believe that mankind has looked at climate change in the same way. As if it were a fiction. As if pretending that climate change wasn’t real would somehow make it go away.”

Harinama in Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure (a central park in Moscow, named after Maxim Gorky)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended five items of devotional service, namely to serve the devotees of the Lord, to chant Hare Krishna, to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, to worship the Deity of the Lord and to live in a place of pilgramage. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.19.38 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/Nl33Hu

Avanti Schools Trust are recruiting for very exciting role
Avanti Schools Trust are recruiting for very exciting role. This person will become the head of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics at our secondary school. This is a newly developed curriculum which incorporates the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This individual will also have a key role in contributing to developing religious studies across the Avanti Schools Trust and associated GCSE and A-level examinations.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17926

The post Daily Darshan – June 17th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Animation created in Flash and After Effects looking at mans relationship with the natural world.

http://bit.ly/1JXhxQE

The post More scenes of Little Lake Joe appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015

by Assit Administrator 2 SJMKL - Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur Disappearance Day 2015