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Today we remember Sripada Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja on his birth anniversary–in New York City, his birthplace. I plan to speak about him at The Bhakti Center in Manhattan tomorrow morning, and the next day to visit the place where he grew up. His life was completely devoted to service to Srila Prabhupada–and through Srila Prabhupada, to all of us.

Hare Krishna.

His eternal servant,

Giriraj Swami

Krishna consciousness is spreading in New York through Harinama and book distribution (Album with photos)
New York Union Square Harinama.
See them here: https://goo.gl/eviJCL

SB 04.28.27 Nice grades, nice job, nice house, nice grave 2013-03-20

Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.27 Nice grades, nice job, nice house, nice grave 2013-03-20 Vrindavan

Tamal Krishna Goswami: “For China, Srila Prabhupada’s first instruction to me was to see that his books were translated into Chinese and distributed widely. He stressed that only after doing this would the field gradually become favorable for preaching. I proceeded, therefore, with blind faith in these words, and allready I am seeing within a short span of two years an increased interest in Krsna consciousness. Lately, some intelligent Chinese man and woman have even come forward and are now serving Lord Caitanya with great conviction.”
Read more: https://goo.gl/xFqRyI

Hare Krishna! HH Bhakti Charu Swami on HH Tamal Krishna Goswami
Tamal Krishna Maharaj joined Srila Prabhupada in 1968. Srila Prabhupada went to a place where the young Americans were living in the redwood forest near San Francisco. He was so aloof from the materialistic culture that he was living in the forest. But Srila Prabhupada went to that place and it was just love at first sight. He left everything. Even that commune that he was living in. He came with Srila Prabhupada to San Francisco after one meeting, maybe even just one sight of Srila Prabhupada, attracted him to his lotus feet. Then we see what an important role that he played in the Krishna Consciousness movement.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15698

Jayapataka Swami’s Health Update 05/06/15
We were at the hospital checking on Jayapataka Maharaja until now. Tonight he is breathing without the ventilator. His condition is stable and he continues to be in the ICU. Although he feels quite strong physically, his breathing progress is still going on slowly.
However, the doctors are currently once again trying to see if he recuperates his breathing capacity fully. This was Maharaja’s choice so we are attentive to his progress. This is in a way, a positive symptom but it is a matter of time to assess his overall situation and the pace in which he improves.
Read more: http://goo.gl/iWyYbJ

London Rathayatra INVITATION
On the auspicious occasion of ISKCON London’s Rathayatra festival, the team at both the Bhaktivedanta Manor and Radha Krishna Temple’s would like to invite you to join in the festivities this Sunday, June 14th, 2015. This year we will again have a VIP tent for our special guests and we would be very honoured if you would join us. This tent will have a meal, a personal guide to the festivities and a gift pack available to you. The VIP guest list will be by prior registration only. Rathayatra is a time for self-reflection and prosperity as Lord Jagganath, Lady Subahdra and Lord Baladeva are pulled by their devotees through the busy streets of London, blessing everyone who passes with their large gazing stare. Attendance of the festival is estimated at 5,000 people on the procession, and about 30,000-40,000 people pass through the square through the afternoon with more than 20,000 free plates of vegetarian food distributed to passer-byers.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17767

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed)

[Republished from December 14th, 2012]
I began this blog with the first part of the title before I contacted an “industrial strength” flu, which then gave me illness eyes to emote through. Practically our entire community received this illness gift from a visiting sadhu, and many of us have been under the weather for 12 days or more. In any case, I have combined the two blog ideas since they are related. In other blogs (included in my book Give to Live) I have spoken about the positive and negative impetus for practicing bhakti. While today’s title emphasizes the negative, it is within the context of a positive, spiritual, worldview and an understanding of the blissful nature of the soul engaged in loving service to Krishna. Until we are self-realized devotees of Krishna, we have to continually be reminded about the shortcomings of the material world and the fallacy of trying to enjoy our senses. Why? Since we are all addicted to pleasuring our senses and material conceptions, we often have a difficult time breaking these bad habits. However, we can apply the adage, “Repetition is the mother of skill,” and gradually find our spiritual footing.

In this spirit, the statement, “and then you die,” can be added to any ordinary material activity or accomplishment in order to put life into a spiritual context. In other words, from the perspective of the eternality of the soul, how much value does a particular action or achievement have? Reading the obituary column is interesting from this perspective, since often the authors of the “accomplishments” of the so-called deceased, make quite a stretch in their praise, like looking for straws--at least it seems this way to me. If we were merely a temporary conglomeration of chemicals, then yeah, such narratives would be important, since that would be all there was to a person’s existence. One life and then you die—end of story! And even if, from a worldly or religious perspective, they are significant milestones, or extraordinary achievements, how much difference do they make spiritually? To me, that is the fundamental question to be asked in thinking of a person's, or our own, life. We all have things we feel compelled to do, and yet, as aspiring devotees, the art is to connect them to Krishna. As souls with a spiritual purpose to wake up from our conditioned dream, the only thing that truly matters is our real lasting enlightened self in a relationship of loving service to our Source, God, or Krishna.

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Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s signature in His Autobiography Svalikhita Jivani

Sunday lecture.

The post Summary of Sadhavo-hrdayam-mahyam (Part 1) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

We departed from Boone, North Carolina where the Sadhu Sanga Retreat took place for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Monday, May 25th, arriving at the home of Gopal Gauranga das and Anandini Radha devi dasi for evening prasadam. From there we went to the home of Shyamsundar das and Radhika Sundari devi dasi who were our hosts for the next few days. He coordinates the devotional programs in the Pittsburgh area from a rented room in a nearby Unitarian Church.

On Tuesday, May 26th we had lunch at Shyamsundar’s home and made preparations for the TOVP program that evening. Arriving at the program location, we set up our displays and enthusiastic devotees started arriving and filling the room. The program began with puspa abhisheka for the Lord’s Padukas and Sitari along with arati, after which Radha Jivan and Jananivas prabhus spoke to everyone about the TOVP project. The heartfelt presentation touched the hearts of all the devotees, and from this small but dedicated community we received $155,000 in pledges. The program ended with kirtan and prasadam.

The post TOVP Daily Tour Diary Days 75-76 – Arrival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and TOVP Program appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Hare Krishna! The Most Intelligent Woman
Srila Prabhupada: Women in general are unable to speculate like philosophers, but they are blessed by the Lord because they believe at once in the superiority and almightiness of the Lord, and thus they offer obeisances without reservation. The Lord is so kind that He does not show special favor only to one who is a great philosopher. He knows the sincerity of purpose. For this reason only, women generally assemble in great number in any sort of religious function. In every country and in every sect of religion it appears that the women are more interested than the men.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17762

The Sadhu Sanga Retreat in Boone, North Carolina is North America’s largest devotee gathering attracting almost 2,000 devotees each year from all across America and Canada for kirtans and lectures by some of ISKCON’s favorite kirtan leaders and senior devotees. We departed from Charlotte, North Carolina by car on Friday, May 22nd for three days at the weekend retreat.

On Saturday, May 23rd we set up our elaborate TOVP table for the weekend to talk to devotees. Radha Jivan and Jananivas prabhus spoke around 1pm and the pledges started coming in all weekend. Many devotees had already seen us at other temples and made pledges. Others were waiting for us to arrive at their temples to make their pledges. Despite that, after two days (Saturday and Sunday) we received almost $225,000 in pledges.

The post TOVP Daily Tour Diary Day 72-74 – The Sadhu Sanga Retreat appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Rathayatra Cart at Cooly Rocks On - 06 June 2015
ISKCON New Govardhana - Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari
Great fun for all at Cooly Rocks On, Coolangatta. 110 Photos.
See them here: https://goo.gl/5KDFUc

Radhanath Swami: Remembering Tamal Krishna Goswami (video)
His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1968 and served for many years as a GBC member. He preached Krishna Consciousness and established temples in many places around the world. He also served Srila Prabhupada as a personal servant and was with Srila Prabhupada during Srila Prabhupada’s last lila in this world. Tamal Krishna Goswami was also the author of several books including Servant of the Servant and TKG’s Diary.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/LgA8yJ

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Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/m4n25q

Hare Krishna! A Historic One Day Long Kirtan in the Campus of Sri Badarinath Temple
By the blessings of H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupad and seek blessings of Lord Badarinath to extend the preaching of message of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the Uttarakhand, a Sankirtan Programme was organised by the Uttarakhand Namahatt of ISKCON DELHI. The Badari-Kedar Temples Committee Chairman & CEO was approached for permission through correspondence and they gladly honoured us with permission and other facilities.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17754

The post Daily Darshan – June 6th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

31.05.2015 H.H.Prabhodananda Sarasvati Swami_Panihati Mahotsav part 1

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Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.6 and Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta.

“This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the nonbelievers. But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied. Prahlada Maharaja suffered greatly, but still he never forgot the lotus feet of the Lord. This is because a pure devotee of the Lord is so purified in his heart that he cannot leave the shelter of Lord Krishna in any circumstances. There is no self-interest in such service. The progress of culturing knowledge by the jnanis or the bodily gymnastics by the yogis are ultimately given up by the respective performers, but a devotee of the Lord cannot give up the service of the Lord, for he is ordered by his spiritual master. Pure devotees like Narada and Nityananda Prabhu take up the order of the spiritual master as the sustenance of life. They do not mind what becomes of the future of their lives.”

— SB 2.8.6 purport

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.8.6, Potomac

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How can we know there is life before death?
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 July 2012, Modra, Slovakia, Lecture)

In so many ways, maya (the illusory energy) is infiltrating our lives. Maya is everywhere. They say maya is a witch. For the male, maya takes a female form and for the female, maya takes a male form. In this way, maya has only one purpose which is to bind the living beings. Different chains are being used; chains of greed, chains of anger but the strongest chain of all is known as mayy āyuṅktām anugraham (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.14.11), the chain of sex! That is maya’s most powerful weapon because that makes us think that the material world is a place to enjoy.

Kirtan At The House Of Venkata Bhatta (10 min video)
We reached the place where Lord Chaitanya stayed for four months when He was hosted by Venkata bhatta at Srirangam.
Had a sweet kirtan there. Watch it here: https://goo.gl/2AaELg