April 2015 Photos and Updates from the Radhakunda Seva Team…
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April 2015 Photos and Updates from the Radhakunda Seva Team (Album with photos)
Cleaning is continuing steadily in Radha Kunda and Govardhana. And prasadam distribution is increasing steadily particularly in Govardhana. While our prasadam distribution in Radha Kunda has focused entirely on the many widows there, prasadam distribution at Sakhi Kunda in Govardhana has found a diverse group of recipients, from old babas (sadhu men) to mothers and children.
Negotiations are ongoing to fix the leaky pipe at Sakhi Kunda. And we are still navigating the process of getting the land that was donated for the kitchen transferred to our Trust’s name.
The garden in Sakhi Kunda is now waiting for the acquisition of latex style paint for the walls and flower beds, though we are happy to report that when the plants are placed, they will be safe from marauding monkeys thanks to the recent installation of razor wire.
Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com. Your servants, Mayapurcandra dasa, Campakalata Devi dasi, and Padma Gopi Devi dasi.
See them here: https://goo.gl/166OL9

ISKCON Online Launched
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In 1970, Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter: "So go on with your organization for distribution of my books through press and other modern media and Krishna will certainly be pleased upon you. We can use everything—television, radio, movies, or whatever there may be—to tell about Krishna…." In this spirit, on April 21st, a group of dedicated devotees led by Gopal Bhatta das, Pancharatna dasa launched the ISKCONOnline.com project.

A big thanks to our Nrsimha Caturdasi sponsors
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Hare Krsna devotees!! This year we had a large number of devotees who came forward and donated generously for Nrsimha Caturdasi celebrations. We thank them all on behalf of ISKCON Mayapur. May Lord Nrsimhadev keep showering His mercy on all of you. Below is the list of sponsors along with sevas sponsored.   Festival preparations […]

The post A big thanks to our Nrsimha Caturdasi sponsors appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Hare Krishna! The Oldest Existing Copy of Sri Caitanya…
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Hare Krishna! The Oldest Existing Copy of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta
Indradyumna Swami: In an old temple tucked away in a street near Loi Bazar in Vrindavan is the oldest existing copy of Srila Krsna das Kaviraja Goswami’s epic Caitanya Caritamrta. Over 350 years old, it sits in a cabinet in a room near the alter. In 1982, Sri Harishan-kara dasa, the head priest, donated 475 precious manuscripts that had been with the temple for 400 years to the Vrindavan Research Institute. But he kept the Madhya-lila portion of the Caitanya Caritamrta. His son, Govinda Sankar Sharma kindly invited us to take darshan of the presiding deities, Sri Radha Nanda-kumara, as well as the old copy of Caitanya caritamrta. Visiting the ancient temple, seeing the old deities and touching the historic book made for yet another amazing day in Vrindavan. But mercy is meant to be shared – so here are our photos of the visit.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17219

Hare Krishna! The Oldest Existing Copy of Sri Caitanya…
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Hare Krishna! The Oldest Existing Copy of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta
Indradyumna Swami: In an old temple tucked away in a street near Loi Bazar in Vrindavan is the oldest existing copy of Srila Krsna das Kaviraja Goswami’s epic Caitanya Caritamrta. Over 350 years old, it sits in a cabinet in a room near the alter. In 1982, Sri Harishan-kara dasa, the head priest, donated 475 precious manuscripts that had been with the temple for 400 years to the Vrindavan Research Institute. But he kept the Madhya-lila portion of the Caitanya Caritamrta. His son, Govinda Sankar Sharma kindly invited us to take darshan of the presiding deities, Sri Radha Nanda-kumara, as well as the old copy of Caitanya caritamrta. Visiting the ancient temple, seeing the old deities and touching the historic book made for yet another amazing day in Vrindavan. But mercy is meant to be shared – so here are our photos of the visit.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17219

Hare Krishna! The 400th Anniversary of Sri…
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Hare Krishna! The 400th Anniversary of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
In the Caitanya-caritamrta Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has quoted more than 90 different sources (among them he quoted Srimad-Bhagavatam the most – 404 times). The book consists of 62 chapters (“paricchedas”) divided into three parts (“lilas”) and 11.555 verses, out of which 97 Sanskrit slokas were composed by the author himself, 933 Sanskrit verses were quoted by him from many different sources and the remaining 10.525 bengali verses (“payaras”) were, of course, composed by Srila Kaviraja Gosvami.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17215

What Really Happens to the Plastic You Throw Away
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We’ve all been told that we should recycle plastic bottles and containers. But what actually happens to the plastic if we just throw it away? Emma Bryce traces the life cycles of three different plastic bottles, shedding light on the dangers these disposables present to our world. (A TedEx video.)

Colorful and blissful Harinama in Yekaterinburg, Russia (5 min…
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Colorful and blissful Harinama in Yekaterinburg, Russia (5 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Harinam samkirtan in the city of Catherine I, wife of Peter the Great. Three hundred devotees descended on Yekaterinburg with loud voices, musical instruments and synchronized dancing. The effect of such mercy is difficult to explain in words. Hopefully this short video can begin to explain the joy and happiness felt by both devotees and onlookers alike. All glories to the chanting of Sri Krsna’s holy names!
Watch it here (Choose HD): https://goo.gl/h5IKW6

A Dynasty of Destruction
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Śrī Bhāgavata 4.8.1 ~ 5:

Having finished his explanation of why Satī bore Śiva no children, Maitreya continued to describe the decedents of Brahmā.

Several did not develop families, because they preferred to direct their energies to higher things. These were the Sanaka quadruplets, Nārada, Ṛbhu, Haṁsa, Aruṇi, and Yati.

One line of Brahmā’s decedents was destructive. Deceit, the wife of Immorality had a boy named Hypocrisy and a girl named Fraud. These two children were kidnapped by Lawlessness (Nirṛti), who has no children of her own.

Hypocrisy and Fraud gave birth to a boy named Greed and a girl named Shameless. Greed and Shameless gave birth to a boy named Anger and a girl named Hostility. Anger and Hostility gave birth to a boy named War and a girl named Slander. Slander and War produced Fear and Death, who produced Retaliation and Annihilation.

It is important to know the basics about this dynasty of destruction. By hearing three times about this dynasty, we purify ourselves of these bad qualities.

Comment: The root of destruction is Immorality, who expands via Deceit. Therefore if we can simply be honest we can avoid proliferation of immorality and the destruction it brings.  Honesty (satyam) is therefore a primary religious principle, included by Patāñjalī (in the Yoga-Sūtra) among the five essential self-disciplines.

Deceit has two manifestations: Hypocrisy and Fraud. Hypocrisy is a type of deceit because we say one thing but do another, we do not live up to our claims, and we do not fulfill our promises. Breaking a promise is included as hypocrisy. Fraud is outright, intentional deceit – misrepresentation.

Hypocrisy and Fraud are dear to Lawlessness, so dear that she kidnaps them from Immorality and raises them as her own children. Lawlessness has no children of her own because there is absolutely no fruit from lawlessness, only chaos and destruction. But she adopts Hypocrisy and Fraud as her own and expands her destruction through them.

Hypocrisy gives rise to Greed, because hypocrisy is leniency towards oneself, while trying to discipline others. This leads to the attitude, “I deserve forgiveness, but no one else does.” This leads to, “I deserve to be happy, others do not.” This leads to Greed.

Fraud produces Shamelessness. Indeed it is impossible to successfully tell boldface lies (Fraud) if one is modest and has shame. So, to support itself, fraud leads to shamelessness. The more shameless we are the better fraud we can commit.

Greed and Shamelessness lead to anger and hostility. “I deserve things, others do not” (Greed) leads to anger at the fact that often others get things and we do not. This anger would remain simply as anger were it not for shamelessness. With the help of shamelessness Anger can be accompanied by Hostility. Hostility means “Oh, you got something I want? Now I will ruin you, so that you drop it, and I can pick it up.”

Anger and Hostility lead to War and Slander. Slander is the subtle form of war. Both Slander and War are the attacks, the way we try to ruin others so that we can take what they have.

Slander and War produce Fear and Death, not just for the victim of the slander and war, but also for the perpetrator. In war everyone dies and everyone becomes afraid, the party who started the war as well as the party initially attacked. Why? Because Fear and Death give rise to Retaliation and Annihilation.

Annihilation is the end result.

So, we must by a reign, a muzzle on our Deceit, for without being Deceitful our immorality cannot grow stronger. Honesty will make immorality weaker. Therefore the greatest sin is to lie and deceive.

*

The Sanskrit:

Irreligion – Adharma

Deceit – Mṛṣā

Hypocrisy – Dambha

Fraud – Māyā

Lawlessness – Nirṛti

Greed – Lobha

Shamelessness – Nikṛti

Anger – Krodha

Hostility – Hiṁsā

War / Quarrel – Kali

Slander – Durukti

Retaliation – Yātanā

Annihilation – Niraya

Vraja Kishor dāsa

VrajaKishor.com


Tagged: Anger, Deceit, Destruction, Fraud, Hypocrisy, Lying, War

How Shankaradeva spread bhakti in Assam
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assam

People in traditional attires play their drums during an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Record at a field in Titabar town in the northeastern Indian state of Assam January 6, 2013. A total of 14,833 Assamese people attempted to enter the Guinness Book of World Record by playing the drums for 15 minutes non stop, organizers said. (Photo by Utpal Baruah/Reuters)

Assam is a state in the far east of India which has an interesting history of Vaishnavism. Practically every village in the state has a small, covered arena for the performance of daily nama-sankirtan. Hardly a day goes by without the residents coming together for singing the names of Krishna.

Probably the most famous expounder of bhakti was Shankaradeva, born in 1449. In 1481 he went on pilgrimage and visited Vrindavan and many other places. He spent some years in Jagannath Puri then returned to the far east of India in 1493.

Almost as soon as he returned, a teacher named Jagadisha Mishra visited him from a distance and gave him a copy of the Bhagavata Purana with a commentary by the 13th century scholar Sridhara Swami. He also stayed long enough to teach him.

Shankaradeva became inspired to teach devotion to Krishna, kirtan of Krishna’s names, and a path of initiation known as ekasharan. His teachings, plays and songs became very popular and remain so until today. The story of Shankaradeva and the results of the proliferation of his teaching over several hundred years are a remarkable example of how one person can spread bhakti to thousands. There is a well-known story about his abilities:

The story of the Elephant in the Lime-pot: The King held many debates in his court between the Pandits and Shankaradeva. King Naranarayan once asked the court poets to give him, in one day, a condensed version of the entire ten cantos of the Bhagawat Purana. When all Pundits said it was not possible to do so in such a short time, Sankara took up the challenge and accomplished the feat in one night.

After he had condensed the substance of the ten chapters of the Bhagawat Purana into a small booklet, he put it into a small wooden box. Then over this, he painted with hengul-haital (yellow and red) an elephant squeezed inside a circle. He called it Bhurukaat Haathi- meaning an elephant squeezed into a lime-pot! This scripture was Gunamala. The pleased King Naranarayana honoured Shankaradeva.

Below: The state of Assam in modern India

514px-India-ASSAM.svg