Planet ISKCON

The TOVP domes are coming up very fast! On the main dome, the 9th and last ring is now 50% completed. The 3rd ring on the planetarium dome is almost finished and for Nrshimha Dev dome, the 3rd ring just commenced!

The post General update on the Domes appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Hare Krishna! Prayer for the Mayor – Dallas City Council Hare Krishna Invocation
Prayer for the Mayor – Dallas City Council Hare Krishna Invocation – by Nityananda Dasa Adhikari, temple president of Iskcon Dallas (video)
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17596

Hare Krishna! ISKCON UK’s First National Convention
Dear Devotees, Friends and Supporters,In celebration of the glorious 50th Anniversary of ISKCON, we are holding the first ever UK National Convention. This will be a free one day event on Saturday the 22nd August 2015 and the main theme will be glorification of Srila Prabhupada. The venue will be Granby Street ISKCON Leicester. We see this as a great opportunity to bring devotees together in a mood of unity, cooperation, trust and positive communication with each other. However we desperately need your help to pay for this event. We still need to raise £8000, in order to cover all the cost of this 1st ever ISKCON UK convention.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17593

The post Daily Darshan – May 27th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Shayan Darshan Of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath;11th May 2015

Sorry, the Loft will be closed on Sunday (31st May 2015) and Monday (1st June 2015) On behalf of the Loft staff, have a nice and safe Queen’s Birthday long weekend. THE LOFT

The post Closed coming Sunday & Monday appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

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Dhruva’s Life as a Prince

Everywhere the city was decorated to welcome Dhruva. The houses adorned their arches with glittering dolphin-shark Makaras, and pillars of banana trees bedecked with bunches of fruits and flowers, and fresh betel nuts – all collected from the nearby groves. Lamps were lit at each door, alongside fresh pots of water, and hanging strands of mango-leaves, flags, and pearls. Oleander flowers ornamented the city walls and gates, and the walls of the city’s houses. Their towering golden spires glittered.

Everything was clean: the parks as well as the roads. The benches alongside the lanes were coated in sandalwood and furnished with offerings of puffed rice, grains of rice and barley, and fruits and flowers.

When the women of the city saw Dhruva on the paths, they would throw mustard seeds and barley grains, sprinkle drops of yoghurt and water, shower flowers and auspicious soft grass, and offer him fruits. With motherly affection, those gentle ladies pronounced blessings and sang songs to Dhruva. Hearing their beautiful singing, Dhruva entered his father’s palace.

His father and he constantly relaxed together like celestial gods in that exquisite palace adorned with clusters of precious stones. His bed was like the soft white foam of milk, and was decorated with ivory and gold. His seat and furniture were made from very valuable woods and decorated with the finest gold. The marble walls were inlaid with great sapphires and adorned with iridescent jewel-lamps, held by beautiful jewel-maidens.

The delightful gardens of the palace had ever-flowering trees, couples of birds and peacocks, and honey-intoxicated humming bees. The palace lakes had stair-banks carved from cats-eye stone and were opulent with white and blue lotus, lilies, swans, ducks, geese and cranes.

The philosopher-king Uttānapāda himself was amazed to see all this opulence. When Nārada explained that it was due to the greatness of his son, he become extremely delighted and wonder-struck.

When Dhruva became fifteen the King took the approval of his beloved citizens and ministers and made Dhruva the ruler of the world. Recognizing himself as entering old-age, the protector of the world gave up all attachments and departed for the forests, intent on his spiritual destination.

Comments: Uttānapāda was amazed to see how opulent his capitol and palace had become since Dhruva’s return. He heard [from Nārada] that it was due to the prabhāva of Dhruva. Dhruva was dear to Viṣṇu, all opulence follows naturally. Then why don’t all mahā-bhāgavatas live in jeweled palaces? Dhruva specifically had a material desire for worldly opulence, therefore Viṣṇu blessed him to recieve it. Those exalted sādhus who live without such fanfare (for example the Six Goswāmīs of Vṛndāvana) should be understood to be even more enriched.

This, however, is an important lesson for religious institutions (ISKCON, et. al): money does not come by seeking money. Money comes when Viṣṇu actually wants us to have it. Thus the best fundraising is deep and sincere sādhana.

Another important lesson for religious institutions is that the King himself seeks blessings from his subjects. This is far different from the dynamic in most hierarchical institutions where the individual subjects are silenced and the king/s says and does whatever he/they want, ordering the subjects to accept it or accept exile.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.9.54 ~ 67 [end of chapter]

Translated by Vraja Kishor dās

see: VrajaKishor.com

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 19 March 2015, Pretoria, South Africa, Evening Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 1.1)

Up to the sixth chapter of Bhagavad-gita, we get a description of different types of yoga – karma yoga, jnana yoga and so on.

Karma yoga means to work, karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te sańgo ‘stv akarmaṇi (Bhagavad-gita 2.47), that we have a right to work but we do not have a right to the fruits of our work. The fruits of the work belong to Krsna. They must be offered to Krsna. So whatever we do, work from morning to night if you wish to, but offer it to Krsna. The fruits of our labour are for Krsna as Krsna explains.

So this is something that sounds so alien, so awkward to this time. I mean, in this day and age, that does not make sense. But if you think about it, all the selfishness in the world does not make sense.

The other day I was making a presentation about a ‘gift economy’ instead of an economy which is based on each man for himself, or you can say a dog-eats-dog economy – pushing others out of the way, a heavy competition type of economy. A kind of economy where each man is for himself, is what the world has and that kind of economy creates bad relationships. The economy of each man for himself creates a kind of distrust in all relationships. Then even marriage becomes a business agreement. Even there, better to make a contract!

So the other approach is very different. It is known sometimes as an economy based on generosity. An economy based on giving. It is not based on profit. It is based on goodwill. You give and by giving to others, you create goodwill and then when you need, it also comes back! The more you give, the more others will also give and the more everything will go on. It is not going on in this day and age so much but that is the traditional culture, Vedic culture, which was once very prominent in the world. That was the culture. Even outside of India, the influence of that Vedic culture was strong. So this culture of just giving is a big thing and there are still many traditions in the world where hospitality is like a sacred thing. When someone comes to your house, you have to feed them. You know, it is like that even in Muslim countries, you have to feed a visitor, same in traditional India. You could go anywhere as a stranger.

Like in Bangladesh – Bangladesh is known as a very poor country, one of the poorest countries in the world. We went to Bangladesh. So when you think of Bangladesh, you think people are starving, that there is nothing to eat.

But was there nothing to eat? It started with a big feast. From the airport, we went to the first town and there was a band playing in the town and I thought maybe it was a marriage because that is what they have usually at weddings. But it was not, it was for us! Then it carried on and carried on. We had this incredible feast and then an incredible kirtan. It is just, whew!

It is funny because in terms of money, Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world but if you look in terms of natural opulence – we saw mango trees everywhere, we saw so many coconuts, we saw so much natural opulence – so we realized it is not all about money there. People live straight from the land, actually they live in opulence, in natural opulence.

Anyway this principle of giving and creating goodwill, that is karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana, that you are not in the spirit of taking the fruits of your work, but that you say, “No, these fruits, I am going to use for the glorification of Krsna, so I will sponsor all the prasadam for all the devotees.” I have many times, proposed and I will say it again today, that thirty families invite each other one day a month to their house and they cook a feast. In that way, you have to cook only once a month. You cook only once a month and you get a feast every day! It is such a simple solution and every day you are with the devotees and there is a program every night. It is like, it takes only thirty families and you have got the month covered. Is it a good proposal?

Audience: Yes!

Then if you do it, and you invite me and you really do it, then I will stay for a whole month and come to every house! (laughing) You can consider it…

Ratha Yatra Parramatta, Sydney (Album with many photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the material world, if one engages in chanting a material name, he will feel tired after chanting a few times. However, one can chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra all day and night and never feel tired. As chanting is increased, it will come out new and fresh. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.30.20 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/rH7pk6

Hare Krishna! TOVP Tour Daily Diary: Day 60-61, San Diego Temple TOVP Program and visit to Shree Temple
On Monday, May 11th we caught up with office related work and visited two devotee families for prasadam. For breakfast we went to the home of Phanesvari devi dasi and her husband, and in the evening to the home of Bipin Chaturvedi and his family. In the evening we paid a visit to the Shree Temple where the temple had arranged a kirtan program and Radha Jivana made a TOVP presentation, receiving a Silver Gratitude pledge along with other pledges. The temple provided prasadam after the program.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17589

A visit to the wonderful Iskcon community of Alachua (Album with photos)
On the way to the Sadhu Sanga Retreat we spent 3 blissful days at New Raman Reti in Alachua, Florida. We also visited the Krsna House in Gainsville. [ All photos by Damodar-rati dasa ]
See them here: https://goo.gl/1go1T2

Hare Krishna! ISKCON Sydney Ratha Yatra Festival Praised at Australian Parlament
On 16th May, we had Ratha Yatra Festival at Parramatta, Sydney Which was attended by Julie Owens, Member of Parliament. She gave a very nice speech about the festival at Parliament yesterday. This is a very significant milestone for ISKCON Sydney. You can see the video from her speach at the parliament as also the photo gallery from the event.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17584

Hare Krishna! Surabhi prabhu: …and your name is Zorro!
During this year’s Prabhupada Festival in New Dwarka, Los Angeles, Surabhi prabhu narrates his meeting with Srila Prabhupada and how he builded the Krishna Balarama mandir in Vrindavana and the Juhu Beach temple in Mumbai under his direction. (45 min vido)
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17573

The post Back in London for another procedure – but the weather is fine this time appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Sadhu Sanga Retreat, the 3rd and final day (8 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The last day of the Sadhu Sanga Retreat was pure nectar because of endless kirtan and the association of so many wonderful devotees of the Lord. We can only pray that we’ll have the same opportunities again next year, as well as birth after birth.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/MM0ECS

Vraja Kathamrita in Detroit, Michigan (Album with photos)
Many devotees take part in nectarean Krishna katha with Deena Bandhu prabhu in the beautiful temple of Iskcon, Detroit.
See them here: https://goo.gl/1Z0CfO

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Hare Krishna! Hope: The Bedrock of Spiritual Progress
Rupa Goswami describes this type of hope as asha-bandha (“bound by hope”): One thinks, “Because I’m trying my best to follow the routine principles of devotional service, some way or other I will be able to approach the Lord and will certainly receive His favor. Surely I will go back to Godhead, back home.” In the mood of asha-bandha a devotee feels, “I wasn’t born in a good family, I haven’t done good works, I have no knowledge of the Lord or love for Him, and no attraction for the processes of hearing about, chanting about, and remembering Him, which will develop that love. Yet still, I want to approach Him. And that very want upsets me because I am completely unfit to do so. In terms of justice, my case is hopeless; all I have are demerits. So, I seek my fortune in the Lord’s mercy.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17569

Harinama in Austria (Album with photos)
The chanting of the holy name of Krishna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.
See them here: https://goo.gl/Jg8JL3

I was asked why I’m not writing as much and the output on my blog is no were near what it used to be, had my enthusiasm and love of Krishna Consciousness diminished? Or had I finally been completely fried out by ISKCON and ready to admit defeat jump ship to another more open and relaxed group of devotees?

An interesting set of questions don’t you think?

In reality I’ve had a lot of blog postings formed in my head indeed at the moment I’m reading a fantastic book on the Sri Siksastaka prays by HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami; it’s opening up a lot of realisations; that along with observing my clients and how material energy leads us to suffering and defeat and ultimate frustration.

However at times I’ve had very negative responses especially from a few prominent long term practitioner’s of bhakti, some of whom I respect deeply. But their was for me personal frustration as on occasions they felt I was attacking Iskcon rather than making comments on observations, conversations and feelings of isolation and at worst rejection.

Responding to critical analysis of personal writings can be hard especially when you wonder why your thoughts have been misinterpreted or misunderstood; thoughts being clear and outcome of writing to question or open up a discussion or to highlight here is how some feel how do we deal with this group who feel this way.

It reminded me of a conversation with a university lecturer, they were trying to understand why I could verbalise things but when it came to written work this knowledge appeared to be missing. Why was I struggling with the basics of academia?

Trying to explain proved difficult, personally I disliked the whole academic set up for me nursing is more practical understanding of disease process and rational for treatment is needed; but deep down I couldn’t see how this would achieve my being the person they needed me to be at the side of the bed.

My enthusiasm for study was and remains distinctly lacking.

Plus I’ve struggled and continue to struggle with dislexia, b looks like d some words just don’t look right the page often merges into a big splodge and questions on exam questions just appear like what? I don’t understand.

So your simply labeled a bit thick, stupid, uninterested.

The university was very understanding I got extra time in exam’s, extra time for submitting assignments; but this did not go down well with my cohort who felt this extra time allowed me to cheat after all I had extra thinking or research time. Little realising that most of this was spent writing and rewriting and slumping in bed almost in tears at my inability to do this simple assignment.

Those who had worked with me for years on the ward, understood that this indeed effected my enthusiasm for nursing, nurses now needed degree’s otherwise we were simply unprofessional and no one in society would accept anyone unless they had a degree.

Why am I mentioning this?

Some time ago I sat with a beautiful devotee, their love of krishna always makes me feel inadequate if only I could feel this way?, they are extremely conscientious in their seva making sure it is done as perfectly as they can. I enjoy their company each time we speak I learn more about being humble and service.

For the first time they appeared a little despondent the sparkle was lost in their eye what had happened?

They explained simply this I couldn’t manage the course I was doing my mark is poor and I’m failing I’ve let everyone down especially krishna. The reality was for me this devotee purely by example made me enthusiastic in taking up more fully the process of bhakti, example being more than empirical knowledge.

For me to know a little but to act on this with full heart and soul is better than having great knowledge and doing little little with it or worse just discussing and not acting on it.

I’ve seen since the introduction of degrees in nursing that some individuals would have been the most ideal nurse, through compassion and practical understanding are able to convey and convert this to a bed side manor that benefits the patient intensely. But they leave due to the burden of academia and I sigh seeing another fantastic bedside nurse leave.

I myself am now struggling under the pressure of spiritual academia, my worthiness as a devotee hangs on form’s, and exams and later on soon course’s; the worst thing that could happen for individuals like me. My perception of self as a devotee now appears to be one of big failure my mind says give up they don’t want you only those who can do courses and exam’s.

I sit here wondering how do I personally remain enthusiastic as doors appears to be being slammed in my face? How do I remain enthusiastic about reading despite its difficulty because I just want to learn more in my own time slowly steadily without external time pressures and anxieties? How do I impart this enthusiasm to others and encourage them to do more no matter how much knowledge or how little knowledge?

Now I feel incomplete incompetent simply because I know my weakness will mean courses with exams will mean deep failure my dislexia will trip me up and become my undoing.

But the mind always wants us to feel a failure irrelevant especially in spiritual life our biggest battle in bhakti is not with others but the mind.

And I’m reminded of the wonderful devotee conclusion as they lamented their own sense of failure whilst doing the course, I guess its not meant to be so best just do what I’m good at for Krishna.

And maybe that’s what’s it all about we may not succeed in different area’s but if we do our best with what we have we should be satisfied with that, even of others may see us a failures. Just continue in service and growing in bhakti.

So doors have closed, opportunities lost, committees will assign me as a failure and reject my request which will allow me to fulfil my desire but if I love my Guru Maharaja the devotee’s and Sri Krishna I shall continue regardless.

And maybe by example rather than words will inspire other’s.

Hare Krishna! Manchester (UK) Ratha Yatra Festival
Following the return of the Chariot to Cathedral Gardens a wonderful stage show commenced where the attendees had the opportunity to experience a live Kirtan and stage show full of sound and dance. There were stalls providing face painting and henna. Stalls selling books and all forms of spiritual paraphernalia. Unique hot food stalls offering tasty samosa’s and other traditional delicacies and of course a wonderful free Prasadam feast for all.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17566

Someone sent me this question:  I just finished the 3rd canto of the bhagavatam. Why does it say women/family life are maya? I want to find the girl who is right for me, as you did. But I also want to avoid maya. I don’t understand. If you could answer that’d be awesome.

My reply:

I think you’re talking about this section of Bhāgavatam (3.31.33~42), where Kapila informs his mother that husbands are like hunters setting traps, and so on.

When I was studying that section of Bhāgavatam my Sanskrit and Philosophy teacher reviewed my notes on it and said something like, “Yes, but if someone reads only this they will think that the solution is to give everything up – but this is not the solution Kapila will present.”

If you just focus on the section you are probably focusing on, you will get the wrong idea about how to get out of māyā. Kapila’s solution to getting out of māyā is just after this section, at the end of chapter 31. Here it is. Please read it carefully, slowly, a few times. It is subtle, and it is different than what a lot of people out there will tell you, so read it patiently and with faith that it is Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and the words of Kapila Deva.

To help a little, I’ll try to explain a little. Kapila says that we cannot run away from māyā, but we can learn to interact with māyā in a way that promotes enlightenment rather than illusion.

Here is the really relevant section:

Warmly, Kapila explained, “Mother, if you keep your inner thought focused on your true destination as a living being, then you will be able to move about this world of hunter’s songs and death traps without becoming allured and ensnared by the negativity of it all.”

Taking hope, she would ask, “How should I do that? How should I keep my inner thought focused on my true destination as a spirit soul?”

“By seeing the world in the right way!” Kapila said. “Not by running away from the world, but by seeing it correctly. Not by running away from a beautiful wife, handsome husband or loving child, but by seeing them all correctly.”

“What is the ‘correct’ way to see them?” She would ask.

“Look upon the world, but look upon it through the eyes of wisdom,” he explained. “Put your wisdom into practice! That is the proper way to deal with this potentially horrible world, and transform it into a truly positive experience. If you put your wisdom into practice you will become empowered with natural and effortless detachment from the world. This will enable you to interact with the physical, sensual realm in a disciplined, controlled way.”

Love and relationships in this world are not the source of bondage. Selfish desire is the source of bondage, and selfish desire hijacks our love and relationships. We are not supposed to discard love and relationships we are supposed to discard selfish desires, and gradually learn how to relate with our friends, spouse, family, etc. in a way that is service-oriented, generous, unselfish, giving, LOVING in the real sense of the word.

All religious strictures, disciplines, etc. are meant to facilitate this way of interacting with the world, and it is the subject of the first six chapters of Bhagavad Gītā, and is known as karma-yoga.

If you have very, very strong bhakti-realization as a result of extensive bhakti-yoga in previous lifetimes, you will not need karma-yoga. Even still you may adopt it out of convenience or convention, or to set a good example for the rest of us, who do need karma-yoga as a stepping stone to jñāna-yoga, both of which support and are subsumed within real and sincere practice of bhakti-yoga. Even if you practice karma-yoga, you will practice karma-miśra-bhakti-yoga, not karma-yoga literally. Karma-miśra-bhakti is bhakti in which karma-yoga forms an initial support. So you will advance by cultivating strong bhakti. This will enable your selflessness in worldly relationships. In all cases, the most important practice is to read Bhāgavatam carefully under realized guidance, and to chant nāma-japa with significant effort on true focus, and to take shelter of nāma-kīrtan.

Destiny will send you a good romantic companion. Learn how to relate to her without selfishness, for her service. As you get the hang of that, it will be very easy to sincerely and deeply inter-relate in the service of the divine. Thus hearing Bhāgavatam, and doing nāma-japa/kīrtan will be the way forward as well as the goal. Do not worry too much about anything else, “should I this? Should I not that? Should I feel X or Y?” These are distractions from the main practice, the essence. Nām and Bhāgavatam.

That’s my practical advice, as a result of what I’ve learned and experienced. I hope it serves you well.

The post Daily Darshan – May 26th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Love or lust by Shyam Gopal Das, February 13th 2015

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From Promila Mataji:

I've understood the following points about KY and JnY. However, i am still not clear why Jnana Yoga is considered superior to Karma Yoga in hierarchy (Yoga ladder) when Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga are actually complementary?

1. Karma Yoga (action in devotion) is superior to Jnana Yoga (renunciation of action due to adaption of knowledge) because KY is easier compared to JnY.

2. In the yoga ladder or hierarchy, JnY is superior and yet in practice KY is superior.

3. Karmas performed without transcendental knowledge are materialistic in nature. So it's transcendental knowledge that imparts the spiritual qualities to Karmas.

4. Without the application of knowledge (TK, not dry philosophical knowledge), knowledge makes one Mithyacharana, as Krishna warns Arjuna.

Considering these points, it seems more appropriate to call them complementary yogas rather than one being superior in hierarchy and the other though superior in hierarchy, is inferior in practice.

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From Promila Mataji:
It's said in Srimad Bhagavatam that those who take to bhakti in their current lives have already performed karma, jnana, dhayana etc in their past lives. In this case, our concentration levels should be really high. However, we find ourselves roaming around during japa not only physically but mentally too. We can neither sit at one place for the entire japa cycle, nor can we concentrate on each syllable which Srila Prabhupada has recommended.
Please could you enlighten us to resolve the apparent contradiction between what is said in the scripture and how we are in this "reality"?

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Just letting you know we’ll be closed Sunday 31st and Monday 1st June, we hope you enjoy the long weekend!

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