Planet ISKCON

A night of enlightened entertainment in Stellenbosch, South Africa, on the full moon night of 5 March, celebrating the life and teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Indradyumna Swami expresses his appreciation for the progress of the TOVP and the hard work of the TOVP Team to fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire to establish the World Headquarters of ISKCON.

Five Religions, Five Minutes (5 min video)
Five children, five religions, (almost) five minutes. This short film takes us from the mundane to the sublime, from the chaotic to the peaceful, and for a moment we consider our beliefs about spirituality.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/hFYoez

Over 650 tribal people from six different states and twenty-seven tribes in India attended the second annual ISKCON Tribal Convention from March 26^th to 29^th in Mayapur, West Bengal this spring. The event was organized by ISKCON Tribal Care (ITC), which provides spiritual, educational, emotional, social and health care to tribal communities throughout India.

We continue with reporting on Kadamba Kanana Swami’s visit to South Africa. It has been a very busy tour for Maharaj as he travelled between provinces, participating in various programs. Yesterday, he left for a short visit to Mauritius, a small island that is about 2000 km away from the east coast of SA, where Kirtan Mela is taking place (10–12 April). A live-steam is promised to be available via Mayapur TV from 10 am–10 pm (GMT +4). Once the schedule is known, we will share it with you. After the Kirtan Mela, Maharaj will return to SA for another week and then he will travel to Europe!

Here are further details about his stay in SA. After landing in Johannesburg on 19 March and being part of some programs in the region and the Ratha Yatra in Newcastle, Maharaj travelled to Durban on Monday, 24 March. Maharaj has been visiting Durban for twenty years now so he is a well-known personality, especially for his insightful classes, energetic kirtans and caring nature. Devotees sought after his association at the many engagements he held i.e. morning lectures, university preaching, Sunday Feast and home programs. On Wednesday evening, a special lecture entitled “The Science of Knowledge” was presented by Maharaj at the temple. HH Indradyumna Swami, who is currently spending some time recovering in Durban, attended the program and shared his appreciation of Kadamba Kanana Swami.

For the auspicious occasion of Rama Naumi, Maharaj travelled back to Johannesburg for the celebration at the temple in Lenasia. In addition to the many activities in glorification of Lord Ramachandra, a big initiation ceremony took place. On Sunday morning (29 March), Maharaj flew back to Durban and was the guest-speaker at the Sunday Feast programs at the New Jagannatha Puri Temple at 11 am and at the Sri Sri Radhanath Temple at 3 pm! In the days leading up to the Ratha Yatra Festival, Maharaj took some time to “tank up”…

Rama Naumi and Durban Ratha Yatra will be elaborated on in subsequent posts. Maharaj’s tour has been so full of activity that just following him around for a couple of days has been tiring. It leaves us awestruck as to how he does it week-after-week, year-after-year… We are grateful to the Lord for empowering Maharaj and allowing him to give so much of himself wherever he is!

Photos

Courtesy of Merumala dd

Visit flickr to see all the pictures

Audio

Courtesy of Vibhu Caitanya Das

Lectures

KKS_DBN_24 March 2015_BYS_Lecture

KKS_DBN_25 March 2015_BYS_Lecture

KKS_DBN_25 March 2015_Lecture_Science_of_Knowledge

KKS_DBN_25 March 2015_SB_1.13.20

KKS_DBN_26 March 2015_Home Program_Ramayana_Lecture

KKS_DBN_27 March 2015_SB_1.13.22

KKS_NJP_29 March 2015_Sunday Feast_Lecture

KKS_DBN_29 March 2015_Sunday Feast_Lecture

KKS_DBN_31March2015_HomeProgram_Lecture

KKS_DBN_01 April 2015_SB_1.13.24

Kirtans

KKS_DBN_24 March 2015_BYS_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_25 March 2015_Evening_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_26 March 2015_Home Program_Kirtan

KKS_NJP_29 March 2015_Sunday Feast_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_29 March 2015_Sunday Feast_Kirtan_I

KKS_DBN_29 March 2015_Sunday Feast_Kirtan_II

Five children, five religions, (almost) five minutes. This short film takes us from the mundane to the sublime, from the chaotic to the peaceful, and for a moment we consider our beliefs about spirituality. Director - Katina Mercadante

How Do We Know Krishna Is God? - (video)
Why accept Krishna and not anyone else? Seminar with HH Kadamba Kanana Swami at Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/3rp8wz

Gramya-iha-uparamah – not taking part in so-called philanthropic activities.

The post Samadrk-seva – rendering service to saintly persons who make no distinctions between one living being and another and who see every living being as a spirit soul appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Hare Krishna! Review of “Muslim Devotees of Krsna” by HH Chandramauli Swami
This book is not about converting from one faith path to another, but understanding the universality of all religious seekers by showing examples of persons going beyond the all designations into the realm of universal love, Love of God. Therefore, far from what it may seem by its title, “Muslim Devotees of Krsna” is aimed at an audience which transcends the confines of gender, race, caste, ethnicity or religion.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16700

Hare Krishna! The Beauty of Harinama!
By Indradyumna Swami
The following morning we went on harinama in Trzebiatow. To the amazement of all the devotees, as we drove into town we passed under a bright orange and green banner proudly advertising the Festival of India. As we descended from the bus into the center of town, several office windows opened and we heard one lady call out to her fellow workers, “They’re here!” As we started chanting down the street, children suddenly began appearing from everywhere, running toward us from all directions and calling out, “Hare Krsna! Hare Krsna!”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16698

Bhagans at Niagara Falls coming this June. You are all invited!

Hare Krishna! The latest news from the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre’s work
At the end of 2014, the disciples of Lalita Prasad Thakura (Bhaktivinode Thakura’s son) and members of the Bhakti Binod Gosthi committee visited BRC to see how BRC’s restoration efforts were coming along. The committee was very pleased with our efforts to preserve the literature. Test strips are used to determine the level of acidity present in the paper. Manuscripts are treated to neutralize the acid.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16692

The post April 9th, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Humorous class by HG Gaur Gopal Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty (video)
Prerana Youth Festival - Playing Master Strokes of Life
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/DO3Ebw

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

Download by "right-click and save content"

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

Download by "right-click and save content"

CC daily Podcast:

Download by "right-click and save content"

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:

Download by "right-click and save content"

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 08 March 2015, Stockholm, Sweden, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.1.4)

After years of chanting, we may stop and say, “Why am I doing this? I do not feel like it anymore. I do not know. I cannot get myself to chant.” What happened? What happened to your knowledge? Is it all gone?

Don’t you know that there is no alternative? Don’t you know that the material world is hell?  Don’t you know that you are caught here? Don’t you know that it is all glossed over by the illusory energy with nice packing? Nice beautiful packing with ribbons and beautiful colours but what is inside? It is poison, it is suffering inside. This beautiful gift, packaged with glitter, beautiful ribbon and everything. And you want it but, oh God, it is Pandora’s Box.

In Greek Mythology, Pandora’s Box was given as a punishment to mankind and I will not get into the whole description of it, but basically, in Pandora’s Box all the suffering of the material world was kept and it was a beautiful box. Such an amazing box, a gift from Zeus himself, “Whoa, like a gift from the Gods! Oh, we are so lucky! Oh, what will be inside? I wonder, oh, let’s look, open it up.” And all the suffering came out.

So this principle of the beautiful packaging of the material energy is there – it looks good but inside is suffering. When you open up the package, “Do not open it. Watch out, do not do it!” The material energy is like that. So when one has knowledge in this way, he will not go for the material temptation, it is not worth it.

Sukadeva das and Radharani devi dasi were brahmacari and brahmacarini living in the temple ashrams for years. Around ten years ago they got married and now have two beautiful girls.

The director of Titanic and Avatar is establishing a new organic food store in New Zealand.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:

Download by "right-click and save content"

Morning puja at ISKCON Kanpur, India (Album with 37 photos)
See them here: http://tinyurl.com/kmnzk52

20150408 SB106031 Rasa analysis of Krishna’s teasing of Rukmini-Chaitanya Charan Prabhu ISKCON

Lecture Podcast:
Download by "right-click and save content"

Lecture Summary:
Radharani is Satyabhama - neither is afraid to neglect Krishna. Chandravali is Rukmini - both wait for Krishna and are afraid that he will leave them. Both the moods are meant for pleasing Krsna. Krsna likes variety.

Here goal of Krsna is to relish the beauty of Rukmini when she is angry - so he is trying to provoke here. At the end however she becomes angry when she refutes Krsna's arguments one by one.

In relationships there has to be a healthy blend of predictability & unpredictability. Too much predictability affects the excitement in the relationship. Too much unpredictability affects the stability of relationship.

Rukmini's reaction to Krsna's words revealed a new facet of her love for Krsna: Krishna expected humour, but got horror.

Rasa Theory - constituents of any rasa:
1. Karana: Stimulus - external condition that activates the emotion. 2 types of Karana: Uddipan - setting, alamban - people.
2. Karya: external actions & gestures that express the emotion. 2 types - conscious & unconscious (asta sattvik vikara).
3. Sahakari: assisting emotions & actions that flavours the main emotion.

When a pregnant woman screams due to labor pain, a child is born. But if a woman who isn't pregnant starts screaming, it is futile. Similarly when a devotee who has intense love for Krsna within his heart, manifests emotions & actions unconsciously (asta sattvik vikaras), Krsna is attracted. But when sahajiyas, who have no genuine love for Krsna, imitate pure devotees by consciously displaying emotions of love for Krsna, it is unfruitful.

Find what uddipana inspires you - place yourself in the current of emotion that takes you towards Krishna.

ICC - Indian Continental Committee meeting @ Kanpur (Album with photos)
Pictures taken at ISKCON Kanpur on April 6, 2015. The ICC is a meeting of the temple presidents and managers of ISKCON India
See them here: http://tinyurl.com/mjvxqhr

A 5,000-year-old underground city discovered in central Turkey in December 2014 is thought to be the largest in the world!

A video by Bhava Films. 

Unbelievable feat by Bhumi the calf…See it to believe it!!! (1 min video)
Govardhan Eco Village
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/ShKQMF

Glories of the Holy Dham Vrindavan by HH Kavicandra Swami (13 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/91q6d9

Hare Krishna! Elevation to Goodness
Teachers wishing success in their service must cultivate the mode of goodness. But wait a minute! Am I hearing protests from hard-pressed devotees sincerely striving to serve their Lord with a passion? Are they not crying out from the distance that there’s no need for goodness? Are they not emphatically stating that devotees are transcendental to the three modes of material nature? Srila Prabhupada once addressed this very question after a Sunday feast lecture at 26 Second Avenue. Prabhupada had finished speaking, and I raised my hand and spoke my first words to my spiritual master. They were not submissive.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=613

The post Simplicity and being satisfied appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Scenes from Mayapur dham (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada:
Narada Muni, citing a practical example from his own life, established that by associating with devotees and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, any man in any condition of life can achieve the highest perfection without a doubt. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.15.74 Purport)See them here: http://goo.gl/WlSpRH

Prasadam table (Album with photos)
Transforming an old table into a beautiful “prasadam table”
See them here: http://goo.gl/8BSxjP