Planet ISKCON

https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9eNHjc

The post Pictures of Radha-Syama’s alter as of April 2nd – but we are still short to pay some bills appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Bhagavatam class in Delhi – understanding the inconceivable nature of the Lord appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsk6jxJcd

The post Govinda Maharaja’s pictures of our last parikrama in Vraja – Javata to Ter-kadamba appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Archaeological excavations in this region conducted by Sir Estine led to the recovery of uncountable shrines and inscriptions.

"My parents too supported my idea of participating in the contest," said Maryam, who received the prize from ISKCON on March 15.

Hare Krishna! A visit to Gokul Dhama, Belgaum
Growth of technology is like growth of cancer cells. These cells destroy the body on which they themselves are feeding, leading to their own destruction ultimately. Technology is growing, trying to exploit and destroy mother earth but that would ultimately lead to destruction of the technology users themselves. Technology can be utilized but as moderately as possible. Prabhupada says that just like the human body temperature is 98 degree Fahrenheit normally. If it shoots too high or too low it may be fatal. It should be maintained moderately.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16611

Navadwipa Mandala (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one chants the holy name of God-Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-eventually he will see Krishna’s form, realize Krishna’s qualities, and remember Krishna’s pastimes. That is the effect of the pure chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. (A Second Chance, 16)
See them here: http://goo.gl/lL1ejp

Hare Krishna! Kirtan Mela Mauritius
You are all invited to attend the first ISKCON Kirtan Mela to be held in Mauritius from Friday the 10th to Sunday the 12th of April. An adhivas ceremony will be performed on Thursday the 9th of April from 7pm to 9pm. If you cannot join us in Mauritius please do log on to mayapur.tv for the live stream. The kirtan mela will begin each day at 10 am and end at 10 pm local Mauritius time. Mauritius time is 3 hours ahead of London.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16604

Hare Krishna! Governor Padmanabha Acharya visits the TOVP
Padmanabha Balakrsna Acharya is the governor of Assam, Nagalnd and Tripura. He has come to Mayapur during his visit to West Bengal. Padmanabha Acharya has been very fortunate to be able to serve Prabhupada by welcoming Him in is his house for 40 days, during the opening of the Iskcon temple in Mumbai. He is very please with the service put into the Temple of the Vedic planetarium and by seeing Prabhupada’s vision manifesting.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16607

Hare Krishna! A Special Recipient of Srila Prabhupada’s Mercy
Mr. Sethi replied, “No. Why should we stop?” Mr. Mhatre threatened, “Well, you can build it up, but I will come in the night with fifty gundas [hooligans] and break it down.” And Mr. Sethi turned to his son, who was by his side, and said, “Brij Mohan, bring my revolver and my rifle.” Then Mr. Sethi said to Mhatre, “Don’t bring fifty gundas. Bring a hundred. Bring two hundred. I have two hundred and fifty cartridges.” He was that staunch. Then he and his son—he with rifle in hand, his son with revolver—stayed up all night, in the pouring rain, to complete and protect the project. And no one came to disturb the work.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=9828

by Mitra Dasa :-)

World Biggest HOLI in USA by ISKCON UTAH (3 min video).100,000 people celebrated HOLI @ Radhe Krishna Temple, Spanish Fork, UTAH, USA
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/wRvwF9

The post April 3rd, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

31 March ’15 Mangal Darshan at ISKCON Juhu

Hare Krishna! The Religion Beyond All Religions
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
As far as Vedic religion is concerned, it is not for the Hindus; it is for all living entities. That is the first thing to be understood. Vedic religion is called sanatana-dharma, “the eternal occupation of the living entity.” The living entity is sanatana [eternal]. God is sanatana, and there is sanatana-dharma. sanatana-dharma is meant for all living entities, not just the so- called Hindus. Hinduism, this ‘ism’, that ‘ism’—these are all misconceptions.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16599

Guru Gauranga das: Srila Prabhupada cares for all his disciples, man and women (2 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/9Dc8oI

Harinam Sankirtan in Israel (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Age of Kali, there is no religious principle except chanting Krishna’s name. It has been ascertained from all the scriptures that Krishna’s holy name is the essence of all mantras. (Renunciation Through Wisdom, 5.1 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/ef4i7h

Why is Bhagavad Gita the most secret by HH Devamrita Swami, 04-01-15 (video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/9SfAZj

Mountain-dwelling Śiva looked kindly upon his beloved, whose friends and family were so beloved to her. In reply, he tried to remind her of the heart-breaking, cruel insults her father had delivered at the assembly of the cosmic creators.

“My dear beauty,” said the beautifully blessed god, “you have spoken beautifully: Friends and relatives do not require invitations. Yet, this is true only when there is no schism created by strong criticism and anger.”

“I don’t think my father really hates you,” Satī would say, “he has so many good qualities.”

So Śiva explained, “Your father does have many remarkable qualities, but this is a problem for him, not a virtue. Learning, discipline, wealth, beauty, power, and heritage… these six good qualities have negative effects when they appear in people whose hearts are not good. In such people, these good qualities only increase pride – and pride makes one blind and forgetful of the greatness of others.”

“Alright,” Satī would think, “I can’t deny that he is mad at you. But we should go there in hopes of remedying the situation.”

So Śiva explained, “Even if they are family, one should not unexpectedly visit anyone whose mind is not peaceful. Such uninvited guests are a nuisance, and the host will look upon them with shocked eyebrows and irritated eyes.”

“Let us tolerate that,” Satī would suggest, “to end this enmity with my father.”

Śiva explained that it would not be tolerable for her. “If an enemy hurts you with a weapon there is pain, but still you can rest at night. If a loved one hurts you with coldness and insults, your broken heart will grieve and suffer day and night.”

“But my father loves me…” Satī would say.

“My dear, your eyebrows are never angry, they are always so kind and beautiful,” Śiva said. “You don’t understand how anger works. Let me explain: You are clearly the best and most beloved of all the Prajāpati’s children, I know that. Nonetheless, you will not be met with honor by your father, because you have taken shelter of me, and I trouble and anger him.”

“Could you just apologize to him?” Satī might suggest.

So Śiva explained that he had not failed to respect Dakṣa, and should not confuse the world by apologizing for proper behavior. “Beautiful-Waist’d Woman,” he said, “You father is mad because I did not rise from my seat to respect him. It is definitely correct that friends should welcome one another respectfully by standing up, but those who are full of wisdom do this out of respect for the Supreme Person who lies secretly within everyone’s consciousness. They do not direct that respect towards the body and the fool who is proud of having it. When your father entered the assembly, I respectfully worshipped the transcendental, All-Attractive Son of Vasudeva, seeing him clearly and directly in the pure core of your father’s consciousness, which, incidentally, is known by the term vasudeva.

“Your father could not see that, because he cannot see deeply. Instead he scolded me intensely in front of all the cosmic creators who had assembled at the ceremony, because I did not externally respect him in his moment of vanity and pride. This is why he is angry with me. O Wondrously Hip’d Woman, that anger will prevent him from seeing you as his daughter, despite the fact that he is your father. Do not go see him.”

Satī mournfully looked off into the distance, towards the last traces of divine ships headed towards the grand ceremony.

“If you don’t heed my advice,” Śiva said, “your future will not be bright. You are the most respectable person. When you experience insult from your own family, you will want to die immediately.”

– Śrī Bhāgavat Purāṇa 4.3.15 ~ 25 [end]

Vraja Kishor dās

www.VrajaKishor.com

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

If we become purified, we can see Krsna otherwise, naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah (Bhagavad-gita 7.25), for the conditioned soul, Krsna remains avrtah, he remains covered. We cannot see him. Even those who are trying to become free from the influence of material nature, even they cannot see him. Even devotees who chant Hare Krsna, sometimes cannot see him. Sometimes we do and sometimes we do not. There are moments when we cannot see him and that is the difficulty, then doubt sets in.

avrtam jnanam etena
jnanino nitya-vairina
kama-rupena kaunteya
duspurenanalena ca (Bhagavad-gita 3.39)

It is explained that the influence of lust causes this covering. It is due to lust, due to the desire to exploit the material energy, atmendriya-priti-vancha — tare bali ‘kama’ (Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 4.165). When we think, ME and MY senses and everything is meant to serve ME and I am meant to be king!

There was an old film which I still remember. It was called Midnight Cowboy and in that film, there is this man who was living in an old squat house somewhere behind a construction site, in an empty building and he is cripple. In the middle of film, his name is Ratso. In the middle of the film, Ratso has a dream. In this dream, he is in the middle of a five star hotel, he was smoking, lying on some sort of fancy cushioned bed next to the swimming pool while five girls are attending to him. One is filing his nails, another one massaging his shoulders, other one pouring drinks and so on, in Ratso’s dream. So he is dreaming, dreaming so much enjoyment. So many varieties of dreaming are there and of course, his dream never comes true. (laughter)

So many dreams in the material world may not come true – atmendriya-priti-vancha – because we are interested in putting ourselves in the centre. As a result, we are covered. Then when we are covered, we come into a difficult situation.

As ISKCON approaches its 50th anniversary in 2016, ISKCON News is increasing its coverage of both the latest plans for the 2016 celebrations, as well as looking back on the early years of ISKCON and how Srila Prabhupada’s worldwide society developed. This article is part of a series connecting New Vrindaban, established in 1968 as ISKCON’s first farm community, to the grand visions, specific instructions and four visits by Srila Prabhupada. Today, New Vrindaban community members and well-wishers are revitalizing his vision, as expressed in these articles.

The Bhagavat Dharma Experience:

Prabhupada’s Second Visit to New Vrindaban

Written by Madhava Smullen. Archival Research by Chaitanya Mangala.

Srila Prabhupada giving the Bhagavat Dharma Discourses at Bahulaban up on the hill.

New Vrindaban, August 31^st, 1972 – Just as he had three years prior in 1969, Srila Prabhupada arrived at New Vrindaban in a black Lincoln Continental, winding down the country road towards the excited group of waiting devotees.

But this time, the group was much larger, belting out a joyous kirtan, and standing in front of a new converted farmhouse temple. During Prabhupada’s last visit, there had only been the original Vrindaban farm and a few dozen close followers. Now, New Vrindaban had expanded to several farms including this main one, Bahulaban, presided over by Sri-Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra.

As Srila Prabhupada stepped out of his car, the devotees hit the ground in exhuberant prostration. They pressed around him as he walked in his regal manner across the lawn and sat on a red-velvet vyasasana strewn with garlands and surrounded by a forest of Tulasi plants.

Thanking the devotees for all the hard work they had done to organize the upcoming festival, Prabhupada introduced the concept of the Bhagavat Dharma Discourses he was to hold at New Vrindaban. The event, where he would speak for over a week on the Bhagavatam, was to be one in a series that was already attracting thousands in cities throughout India.

“Just try to hear about Krishna,” he said. “Your life will be successful…. This is called bhagavat-dharma.”

After his talk, Prabhupada rode to an old farmhouse at Madhuban two miles away, where he would stay during his visit. He was clearly pleased to be back at New Vrindaban. “This Vrindaban, that Vrindavan, no difference,” he said.

The festival began the next morning. Over 500 devotees, guests and reporters had flooded in from all over the US for the biggest public event ISKCON had seen so far.

Crowd at the Discourses

They all had to brave the austere weather and conditions of West Virginia mountain country. With no guesthouse, vans and tents dotted the hillside. During the festival heavy rain fell, chilling campers to the bone and turning Bahulaban into a sea of mud. In the mornings, devotees found their way through the dark to “the Ghat,” a cold, muddy pool next to the cowshed to bathe. Drinking water was hauled from a well. And cooking was done outside on makeshift stoves.

But devotees faced the hardships with good humor and comraderie, nicknaming Bahulaban “Mudsville” after the local town of Moundsville, and enjoying working with godbrothers and godsisters from all over the country. They were prepared to encounter any austerity for Prabhupada’s association. And Prabhupada himself didn’t mind the lack of facilities (his quarters had no running water). He was just happy to absorb the simple mood of New Vrindaban.

At 7:00am on September 1^st – Janmastami Day – he walked the dirt road up “Govardhana Hill” with his entourage to give his first Discourse. The hill overlooked Bahulaban and provided views of densely wooded mountains fading off into the mists at every turn. At the top was the large open-air pavilion devotees had built themselves to accommodate all the visitors.

As a crowd of devotees and guests greeted him with loud kirtan, Prabhupada ascended a stage that stretched across one entire end of the pavilion and sat on his vyasasana. To his right, against a dramatic red backdrop, was a lifesize painting of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. To his left were Deities of Sri Sri Radha Damodara and Lord Jagannath. Flags and streamers hung everywhere.

Arti to Prabhupada at the Discourses

Prabhupada spoke powerfully about the purifying nature of Krishna conscious sound vibration, the always blissful nature of God, or Bhagavan, and our relationship to Him – Bhagavat-Dharma.

Later, he inaugurated the beautiful new marble-floored temple room at Bahulaban, and presided over a large initiation ceremony at which many candidates from across the country received new names.

In the evening, after arati, came an experience many would still remember decades later. As devotees packed tightly into the temple room, Prabhupada had some of the sannyasis read aloud from Krishna book. After the entire introduction and first chapter on Lord Krishna’s advent, they thought it might be time to stop. But Prabhupada indicated that they should continue.

As they read on for hours, the exhausted devotees, famished from fasting all day and crammed into the sauna-like temple room, struggled to stay attentive to the weighty philosophy of “Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krishna in the Womb.” Gradually, everyone began nodding off. A comical scene ensued as the dandas of sleepy sannyasis fell, crossing like swords across the aisle and then bobbing up as their owners jerked themselves awake.

Only Srila Prabhupada listened attentively, relishing Krishna’s pastimes. At last, well after midnight, he smiled. “I think you have had enough. Take prasadam. You are a little tired.”

Srila Prabhupada Greets Radha Vrindaban Chandra 1972

Despite their exhaustion, after arati and the feast at 1:00am, many devotees stayed up through the night to chant their rounds and make sure they didn’t miss mangala arati the next day. For it was a most auspicious event — Srila Prabhupada’s seventy-sixth appearance day.

The next morning was beautiful and sunny as Prabhupada emerged from his car in front of the pavilion in his saffron robes and fresh, perfectly applied tilak. A sense of purity emanated from him, an otherworldly quality that stood out against the old car, as if he were from another age.

“When Prabhupada looked out of the Volkswagen, which was being driven by Hayagriva, he smiled like I’ve never seen him smile — except in that picture in the Lilamrita when Brij stood up for the first time and he was just beaming,” recalls Varshana Swami. “As Sally Agarwal described it, that oceanic smile.”

Showers of flowers rained on Prabhupada as he entered the pavilion. Devotees chanted his pranam mantra at the tops of their lungs and hit the ground before him. Some smiled fondly at him; some seemed awestruck. All adored him. But Prabhupada didn’t play to the crowd as he made his way through it. He simply walked quietly to the stage, folded his palms before the Deites, and offered his obesiances to Them.

As he ascended his vyasasana to address the packed audience of devotees, guests, scholars, local politicians and reporters, he expressed that he didn’t want them to think he was receving all this adoration for himself. “It may be misunderstood,” he said. “An outsider may see that “Why a person is being worshipped like God?’ There may be some doubt.”

The name “Vyasa Puja,” he explained, comes from Vyasadeva, the incarnation of Lord Narayan and original author of all Vedic literature. Because the spiritual master passes this knowledge originating from the Lord through disciplic succession without change, he is offered respect once a year on his birthday.

Prabhupada emphasized that just as the viceroy of the king may accept valuable jewels and gifts on behalf of the king, similarly the spiritual master “receives all honor… on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not for his person.”

After Prabhupada’s talk, devotees ascended the stage one by one to offer flowers and obeisances and read out literary offerings. With such a crowd, not many got the chance – Silavati Dasi, an authority on Deity worship, was notably the only woman to make an individual offering, personally invited by Srila Prabhupada.

Bharadraja Das then began the Gurvastakam prayers. Hundreds rose to chant and dance, as Prabhupada looked on from his vyasasana and played kartalas.

As the kirtan began to get more lively, Vishnujana Swami took over the lead, playing mridanga right in front of Prabhupada. He sang with feeling, building the kirtan in intensity. In response, Prabhupada closed his eyes and began first to rock his head from side to side, then his whole body, his eyes tightly closed as he crashed his kartals together with more and more force.

Vishnujana’s kirtan reached a crescendo, and at last, as Radhanath Swami recalls, “It appeared that Prabhupada could not contain himself.” Overwhelmed with love for Krishna and the devotees, he took over the lead, calling out the Lord’s names in a strong voice.

The crowd went mad. Devotees rushed the stage, and a thousand arms reached out towards Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada began to cry, chanting through his tears. The devotees were swept up in his rare exhibition of spiritual emotion. A wave of love of Godhead hit them and they cried openly too, crushing the stage with total abandon and roaring out the Holy Names.

“Srila Prabhupada’s chanting was so beautiful, it was almost like the sky opened up, love of God came down and it poured over all of us,” recalls Satyanarayan Das. “I’ve never been to a kirtan like that before in my life and never since… It was a divine experience.”

After the kirtan, as everyone sat stunned, a group of devotees staggered up the hill carrying an enormous birthday cake baked by Gayatri Dasi. Srila Prabhupada took a tiny morsel and nodded his approval, then left to go back to his quarters at Madhuban. The devotees, wide-eyed, looked at each other. It was maha-prasada!

In one surging mass, everyone dove at the cake, all wanting a piece of Prabhupada’s mercy. Some playfully attacked each other for a piece. Others rolled the cake through the crowd as devotees grabbed huge handfuls and stuffed it into their mouths. Some, in bliss, ran down the hill offering cake to astonished guests. “Here, this is Prabhupada’s cake!”

“The cake was completely demolished, within minutes, in a frenzy,” Gokularanjana Das recalls. “In retrospect, it was offensive, but at the time it was like spontaneous devotion.”

Later that evening, Vishnujana performed several selections from the Radha-Damodara Traveling Sankirtan Party’s Transcendental Rock Opera, then launched into another ecstatic kirtan. As darkness fell, the local devotees built a bonfire, and everyone sat around it, watching the flickering flames as they took turns reading about Lord Chaitanya’s pastimes.

The Bhagavat Dharma discourses continued for another week, with Srila Prabhupada carried royally by palanquin to the pavilion and back to the temple every evening, surrounded by an ocean of devotees carrying torches, lanterns, and flashlights and chanting uproariously.

“In each successive Discourse, Prabhupada took the devotees deeper and deeper into the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam,” recalls Suhotra Swami. “It was a perfect outline… Every devotee should study these lectures to study the logic of the Bhagavat philosophy, to see how every element of the philosophy is fundamentally connected to all other elements.”

Meanwhile, Prabhupada wrote to his disciples elsewhere in the world expressing his appreciation of the festival. “The Bhagavata Dharma discourses here in New Vrindaban are going on very nicely, and daily several hundred devotees and guests are coming to hear, and it is truly a wonderful time,” he wrote to Radha Damodar Das. And to Brahmananda, he wrote, “Now go on holding [these] Bhagavata Dharma discourses in every city of the world.”

At last, on September 10^th, the festival came to an end, and on September 11^th, Srila Prabhupada departed, leaving the New Vrindaban devotees feeling satisfied and energized.

“[At the festival we had] the feeling that we were a family and there was Srila Prabhupada, he was our father,” recalls Krishna Kumari Dasi. “We all felt sheltered, we all felt protected. It was like a resurgence of energy and rededication. We all went back to our temples completely refreshed and rejuvenated and ready for whatever austerities we had to perform.”

Gita daily Podcast

Download by "right-click and save content"

Hare Krishna in the Movies (5 min video) MadTV, 1995
Parody of the devotee’s chanting in the airport :-)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/aw5DgT

Harinama with a rad dance-off to trumpet @Union Square, NYC (5 min video)
Hapy dancing in… special style :-)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/muXGdV

Hare Krishna! Diksha Without Tapa: Initiation in Name Only
Did you hear the story of the man who rode up to the gates of our Mayapur, West Bengal, temple to sell ice cream? He had one of those tricycles you see a lot in India—the ones with a refrigerated box on the back. Nothing sells quite like ice cream on a hot day. Only he wasn’t selling ice cream at all. He opened the lid of the icebox, pulled out a hand bell and a bunch of papers, then began ringing the bell and calling out, “Diksha! Diksha!” [“Initiation! Initiation!”] He was selling diksha and, as it happens, was selling it very cheaply: “Diksha doh rupya!” or: “ Diksha, two rupees!”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16593

Hare Krishna! The Glory of Gita Wisdom
Einstein, Emerson, Thoreau, Huxley, Hesse … I was amazed that this list an intellectual who’s who from recent world history was actually a list of thinkers who had appreciated the Gita. As I had been born and brought up in India, the place where the Gita was spoken millennia ago, I was familiar with it as an ancient Hindu text. I had even memorized some of it for verse recitation contests. But I had no idea that its contents were of interest to the modern mind, much less praised by some of the greatest modern minds. Reading such appreciations of the Gita motivated me to study the text seriously.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16590

100,000 Attend 40th Anniversary of Krishna Balarama Temple
An incredible 100,000 visitors and devotees from all over the world took part in Krishna Balarama Mandir’s week-long 40th anniversary celebrations from March 23rd to 29th this spring in Vrindavana, India. They included 125 disciples of ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada, some of whom helped build the temple back in the 1970s. The mood of the festival was both epic and sweet, recalling Srila Prabhupada’s ten-year struggle to establish a temple in the sacred village where Lord Krishna grew up, and his victory upon Krishna Balarama Mandir’s grand opening festival in April 1975.
Read more: http://goo.gl/ZJYpwB

France mandates that all new buildings that are built in commercial zones in France must be partially covered in either plants or solar panels.

The New Krishna Temple in Ipoh (3 min video)
Join Peter and the Iskcon Ipoh Temple President to take a look around the new Krishna Temple in Ipoh which opens on 31 August.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/zrb687

The Use and Misuse of Religion
Question: Religion is the source of so much strife in our world, perhaps because of the fact that it is misused. I would like to get your perspective on that. Radhanath Swami: My guru Srila Prabhupada said, “Philosophy without good character is practically useless.” The whole purpose of religion is to help us in transcending the arrogant ego.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/AUN6nN

Inaugaration of Sri Sri Krishna Balrama Kutir at Delhi: 02-04-2015 (Album with photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/6sLDX9

The human heart is very sensitive to words. Few things can dishearten an inspired heart as much as callous or critical words. And conversely, few things can enliven a depressed heart as much as comforting or compassionate words.