Planet ISKCON

12-03-2015 The Important Role of Women in Society, Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa.mp3

Family Room/Nursery Opened at the Alachua Iskcon Temple
The new family room/nursery at the Temple (previously the old gift shop) opened on Gaura Purnima. This space is a much-needed heated and cooled space for parents to take care of their babies and young children and for mothers to nurse their babies in a safe contained space while listening to the Temple program via radio. Current opening hours are festival evening programs and Sunday feasts when the gift shop is open. Additionally, a coded lockbox with a key inside is now installed on the building so parents can access this space during the daily morning program and festival morning programs.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/RzKQKd

Harinama in Radhakunda (Album 13 photos)
We did Harinama Sankirtana at Radha kund and we where very lucky because HH Janananda Goswami joined us this day! (15.03.2015 ) Shri Harinama Sankirtana yajna ki Jai!
See them here: http://goo.gl/GMLkjj

Hare Krishna! In honor of the passing of our dear Godsister, Nandalal Dasi ACBSP
In honor of the passing of our dear Godsister, Nandalal Dasi, here is part of a manuscript she wrote about her dandauti parikrama of Govardhan. “I was initiated in 1970 in Los Angeles. Shortly after joining the temple I was told by temple authorities that because I was 28 and had been married as a karmi, I should not get married in the Movement. I became Karandhar Prabhu’s secretary and was also in charge of the Brahmacarinis for periods of time.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16233

Hare Krishna! Fundraising for H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami’s Tirobhava - 2015
Please, I am writing you on behalf of the Gita Nagari team organizers for the Tirobhava of H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami which is to tale place from June 25th to 29th of this year in Gita Nagari. There are about 300-500 devotees who are expected to attend from all over the world, and we are looking for donations to manage the festival in order for it to move on smoothly.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16230

The post Surf the wave. Its the last one coming in. appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Project of Burning Ghat in Mayapur (Album 5 photos)
Project for the departure of the devotees from the material world.
See them here: http://goo.gl/0N0ywR

Hare Krishna! Open positions in Mayapur
Landscape designer/architect: Mayapur Development Projects in cooperation working with Mayapur Master Plan development team looking for devotees, professionals in Landscape Area. Work would include designing Mayapur Master Plan green areas, advising on plans, design and oversee the development and construction of external land areas such as gardens, parks and recreational areas and residential, industrial and commercial sites. Preferable person should stay in Sri Mayapur Dham in order to work closes with dynamic team.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16224

The post March 17th, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Gaura Purnima Class – HG Jai Nitai Dasa – 05.03.2015

Lecture Podcast:

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Answer Podcast:

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An Acharya is teaching by example. If this is humility in Krishna consciousness, then I consider myself less than a neophyte.

Personally, I have no hope for any direct service for the coming crores of births of the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.

- Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja Offering, 1936

Hare Krishna

CC daily Podcast:

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Everything was supremely auspicious when they were born. In space, in the wind, in the waters, and on the land – everything became happy, carefree, and pleasant. Music vibrated through the heavens, and flowers fell like rain. Satisfied sages chanted auspicious mantras. Gandharvas and Kinnaras sang. Celestial women danced.

Brahmā and all the gods offered congratulations and prayers. They said, “Today the Supreme Person has appeared as a sage in the family of Dharma. He is the one who creates this world from the mystical power within his own self. The world is like a cloud, and he is like the sky.

“He is the ultimate object of all the hypotheses of we hosts of gods and spiritualists. He has come here to cure the ills which disturb this creation, by his abundantly merciful glance, which is more auspicious than even the spotless lotus in which the Goddess of Auspiciousness dwells.”

While worshipping and praising the All-Attractive, the gods obtained that merciful glance. Nara-Nārāyaṇa then departed for the intoxicatingly fragrant Mount Gandhamādana.

Those two sages, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, are certainly fragments of All-Attractive Hari. They have now appeared as the two Krishnas: Yadu-Krishna, and Kuru-Krishna (Arjuna), and continue to relieve the burdens of the world’s ills.

This is an English rendition of Bhāgavata 4.1.53-59. I am finally back on track, translating forward. This chapter was a challenge. It took a lot of time to discover the import in the genealogical tables, many of which involve very ancient and rare Sanskrit names, and then to figure out the best English edit to express the import without losing the genealogy and without sounding goofy.

Here is a very nice painting of Nara-Nārāyaṇa discussing tattva with Nārada.

Tagged: avatara, little-known avatara, nara-narayana, Srimad Bhagavatam

Guest: She is also doing that japa. And while this mālā, doing mālā, and doing the japa, the mind doesn't remain fixed in God. You know, it wanders about. So what is the way of fixing the mind?
Prabhupāda: To hear. "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Chant and hear.

Morning Walk
Los Angeles December 21, 1973

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 January 2015, Simhachalam, Germany, Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 7.16)

The process of Krsna consciousness works by the association of vaisnavas. We are simply the recipients of their mercy. So many vaisnavas have played a significant part in my life as well. In Vrindavan, the devotees were very kind and merciful to me and they wanted me to stay. They immediately put me in devotional dress, shaved my head and they said, ‘Dance!’ But I said, ‘I cannot just dance! I can only dance when I feel like dancing!’

‘No, you have to dance because it says in the “Nectar of Devotion” that you have to dance.’

So this is interesting, as I could not dance if it did not come from the heart because at that time, I did not understand the power of dancing itself. I thought dancing is an expression of happiness but I did not know that dancing is the way to get to the happiness! So, it made me think – it broadened my horizons.

There was one sannyasi, Yasodanandana Swami, who was worshiping his Silas.  In those days, I did not know anything about Silas – I just saw that he had those unusual forms of the Lord and others did not. But I could see that it was something mystical, something powerful! That sannyasi was very expert in chanting verses, he knew many verses from scriptures and he was nicely quoting and explaining them. I could see that he had made a sacrifice, that learning was not just coming automatically, but that he had made a sacrifice and I realized that I would also have to make the sacrifice to learn.

Later, I had to leave Vrindavan and I returned to the temple in Amsterdam. There were different personalities living there. One devotee was an accomplished writer and he had written many books. He said that he had three levels of books – under books, middle books and upper books. Upper books were shastra, under books were about material life and all its entanglements, and the middle books were about getting out of material life onto the spiritual path. In his upper books, he had put tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. He did the Dutch translation of the Uddhava-gita; he was a translator of Srila Prabhupada’s books and also much more, but I did not immediately realize it at the time, although he always seemed like a deep thinker. Many people in the world had faith in him as the books he published have reached so many souls. He was an influential person whose thoughtfulness was outstanding!

One of his middle books was Drunken Elephants and in that book, he describes the ISKCON of the eighties. There, he also describes a guru named Aisvarya Maharaj who was living in great opulence and how in the midst of all that, Krsna was simply forgotten. He described that in a very deep and sharp way, because what is the use of a writer if he does not write about the truth? Such a person is just a magician, as a real writer must write about the truth. I could see in him that he was a true writer and that, although he had joined the Hare Krsna movement, he kept his own integrity. His personal conscience – that inner voice, that inner compass in all of us that tells us what is right and what is wrong – remained intact. I appreciated that in him and that enforced my own conviction that I still had to carry on being a thinker, and not just switch off my brain upon joining the Hare Krsna movement.

 

The Brisbane Sunday program at Govindas downtown mainly attracts young western people.

Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast

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Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

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Preaching program in Prague, Nitai Navadvípacandra Mandir (Album 92 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/CHg2CX

Story by Jananavisa das

A musical adventure in Berlin….. With Kadamba Kanana Swami.

My purpose of visiting Berlin, besides meeting friends and having a good time, was to finalise the latest music CD for my very good friend and spiritual teacher Kadamba Kanana Swami. Luckily some friendships are beyond time and space so good fortune allowed that two of my old band members also happen to live and work in Berlin. My friends Pete & Simon are professional musicians and expert in recording and producing music. So this was a excellent opportunity to finish the CD with their musical experience.

Pete and Simon have their own band project called “Potwhale“. They compose music within their self defined genre that they call “Transcendental Space Metal” and they were kind enough to invite us to their studio.

Kadamba Kanana Swami and me set foot in their studio to refine his upcoming CD. The CD needed a good intro, interludes and a good exit track. Kadamba Kanana Swami provides vocals and Pete played the Zen Tambour. Additionally i was dubbing in some piano tracks that Simon arranged into a master session during recording.

Both Pete and Simon expressed that they were honoured by Kadamba Kanana Swami’s visit, and it certainly was an honour for me as well. I was astounded by Pete and Simon’s service mood and how they are able to remain aloof from material circumstances, even when they have to work with dissident musician’s all the time. Please like their facebook page if you are interested in their music.

We all had a great time, it all came out pretty good, and we very much thank Potwhale for their support, making all this happen….

Elevated and dear to all, surrendered devotee of Lord Krishna, Ananda Vrindavana devi dasi, mother of Matsyavatara prabhu from Italy left her body to enter the eternal realm of Goloka Vrindavana.

Hare Krishna! NASN February 2015 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of February. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16115

NBS # 8 - *Rama Navami* special edition - Part one
Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! For the upcoming appearance day of Lord Ramachandra, we are pleased to present the Part one of this special edition.
NBS # 8 Features: - The Form Of The Lord With Six Arms His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada - Appearance Of Sri Ramayana - Sri Ramachandra and Lord Parashurama - Meeting of Bharata and Lord Ramachandra Sri Valmiki Ramayana - Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the mood of Lord Ramachandra Sri Lochan Das Thakur
You can view and download it here: http://goo.gl/vc4M12

KK Bindu #346: Glories of Lord Ramachandra, Continuation of Gopal Campu and More
Issue 346 of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu was just released. This issue focuses on Lord Ramachandra in honor of the upcoming festival of Rama-navami. Topics include: * ANYONE WHO CHANTS — Comments from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada * THE MAINTAINER OF VEDIC ETIQUETTE — Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja speaks about the special ontological positions of Lord Ramachandra, Krishna, and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. * Nama-tattva: OTHER NAMES BECOME EMBARRASSED — An amazing verse from Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa. * THE FIRST ATTRACTION - PART 12 — Continuation of a fresh translation done especially for Bindu from Srila Jiva Goswami’s Gopala Campuh, speaking about how Radha and Krishna first met. * PRAYERS TO SRI RAMACHANDRA — A rare stotra composed by Srila Murari Gupta.
It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu346

Kardama’s daughter Kalā (The Refiner) and her husband Marīci (The Lightray) had a boy named Kaśyapa (The Sunray) and a girl named Pūrṇimā (The Moonlight). Kaśyapa had many children; we will discuss this later. Pūrṇimā had two sons, named after two important qualities of light: Viraja (The Illuminator – primarily a quality of sunlight) and Viśvaga (Ever-present – primarily a quality of moonlight, for moonlight brings illumination everywhere, even into the night). Pūrṇimā also had a daughter named Devakūlya (The Divine River) who would become a divine river and wash Hari’s feet.

Tagged: moonlight, Srimad Bhagavatam, sunlight

Hare Krishna! Iskcon Mumbai Celebrates Rath Yatra in more than 25 places each year!
This is only possible due to causless mercy of Srila Prabhupada and all Guru Maharaj. Thank to devotees from Mumbai ISKCON temples and Mumbai preaching centers. This Rath Yatra festival is celebrated in more than 25 places in Mumbai City. These Places include Juhu, Mira Road, Kharghar, Dadar, Colaba, Nagpada, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Thane, Charkop, Kandivali, Borivali, Malad, Goregaon, Bandra, Bhayander, Vasai, Nalasopara, Kalyan, Mahalaxmi, Worli, Andheri, Dahisar, Dombivali, Palghar, Wada, Vashi etc
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16112

Hare Krishna! Letter from an Indian Clerk
The great sage Narada Muni while advising his disciple, the great Vyasa Maharaja says, “Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns and charity, culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry.” This means even a field like pure mathematics should be used to make others aware about the greatness of God.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16109

Hare Krishna! Spiritual Unworthiness
Yes, Krishna does miss us. Let’s stop putzing around. Krishna is waiting for us! Depression and feelings of unworthiness are usually associated with failures and setbacks in life. An unsuccessful person, struggling to survive in a competitive world, feels doubtful about his or her competence and may feel depressed and unworthy. In fast-paced cities like Mumbai, work pressure and the race to the top are making people a clinically depressed lot, say psychiatrists. The increase of mental disorders and suicide is testimony to this phenomena.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16104

Hare Krishna! Winning Life’s Battles
Perhaps we should begin by defining religion. Dictionaries usually describe it as a system of belief in some supernatural power. That is where the conflicts tend to arise. My beliefs may well be different to yours, and human nature is such that we identify with these to the point where we create divisions based upon them. Hence we have many religious communities going under different names Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc. In most people’s minds this is what is meant by religion, all these various designations. The Gita however gives a broader definition.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16101

Harinama during the St Patrick’s Day Parade, UK (Album 37 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself a servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world.
(Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.16 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/8d3JMT

The post Questions from Jayanatha, Bharata and Mate on subjects from our first birth as Brahma to associating with more advanced Vaisnavas appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Vrindavana to become more clean and secure.
Vrindavan, March 14, 2015: The District administration of Mathura has become sensitive towards the tourists after the Chief Minister’s visit. It is working on a plan to make Vrindavan clean, beautiful and a secure destination. The town will be transformed into international standard as the international tourists and the devotees from different parts of the country come here for spiritual tourism. The roads leading to the famous temples will be improved and will be given an international look. The CC TV will also be installed near the temples and on the junctions of the main roads.
According to the wishes expressed by the Chief Minister during his visit to Vrindavan, the District Administration has begun the exercise on the cleanliness of the town, security and availing other necessary facilities to the visitors. In the follow up action of the Chief Minister’s visit, the Divisional Commissioner Shri Pradeep Bhatnagar visited Vrindavan on Friday. He presided a meeting with the district authorities organized in the Iskcon Guest House. The Iskcon Temple Authorities were also present in the meeting.
Talking to the media after the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner said, “Keeping in view of the large number of domestic and international pilgrims, the CCTV cameras will be put in the temples and the junctions of the main roads for their safety. The tourism police will be deputed to help the tourists.” “Both the approach roads to Vrindavan will be broadened and beautified. The drain near the Prem Mandir will be repaired to deal with the water logging in the area, said Shri Pradeep Bhatnagar.
He said that a proposal was being prepared by the District Authorities. The Chief Minister desired that the roads of Vrindavan should be maintained like the temples. The District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar, SSP Manzil Saini, MVDA Vice chairman Nagendra Pratap, MVDA secretary S.B. Singh, U.P. Jal Nigam’s engineer Nizamuddin Siddiqui was present in the meeting.

TOVP: Alachua Iskcon devotees pledge more than 1 million dollars (Album 30 photos)
But the devotees in Dallas pledge even more!
See them here: http://goo.gl/AhWDEH