Planet ISKCON

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The material world is like a jail; here we eternal joyful souls are sentenced to life in temporary miserable bodies. This jail becomes especially wretched in the present dark age of Kali because people live disharmoniously and incur grievous karmic reactions. The Puranas are replete with grim references to the miseries of Kali-yuga.

Yet Srimad Bhagavatam (11.5.36) sounds a dramatically different note, declaring this abominable age to be worshipable:

kalim sabhaajayanty aaryaa guna-jnah saara-bhaaginah

yatra sankirtanenaiva sarva svaartho 'bhilabhyate

“Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana.”

What matters most in a prison is not how miserable it is, but how accessible the way out of it is.

To understand how sankirtana makes this inauspicious age auspicious, let’s consider the prison metaphor. What matters most in a prison is not how miserable it is, but how accessible the way out of it is. In Kali-yuga, the way out of the prison of material existence becomes eminently accessible: no strenuous yogic austerities, no expensive fire-sacrifices, no complicated deity worship, as was required in the previous ages; just the chanting of the names and glories of Krishna.

Though this special privilege of Kali-yuga was revealed in scripture, it was best broadcast by Lord Chaitanya. No doubt, many bhakti saints have glorified sankirtana. But Lord Chaitanya alone expounded a systematic theology explaining its progression, profundity and potency. He alone propagated it extensively by dancing and singing across the length and breadth of the country, thus earning the epithet “the Dancing God.” And he alone infused sankirtana with the mood of topmost devotion of the gopis, especially Radharani, thus making available spiritual sweetness of an unprecedented intensity.

By accepting the gift of Lord Chaitanya and engaging in sankirtana, we can easily gain higher taste and break free from the lower taste that shackles us to matter and material existence. However, such an appealing process seems unappealing because this age’s illusion makes us believe that the prison will transform into paradise if we just improve things materially. Bewitched by this illusion, we become eager to labor unendingly for the material improvement promised by the world and become averse to endeavor even modestly for the devotional enrichment promised by the Lord.

To protect ourselves from this treacherous illusion, we urgently need shastra-chakshu, the vision offered by scripture. No wonder the Chaitanya Charitamrita (Adi 2.117) warns us to avoid laziness (aalasa) in understanding philosophy:

siddhaanta baliyaa citte naa kare aalasa

iha haite krishna laage sudrudha maanasa

“A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions, considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one’s mind becomes attached to Sri Krishna.”

Aptly, Srila Prabhupada, the greatest modern propagator of Lord Chaitanya’s mission, didn’t stress chanting alone – he also strived tirelessly to make shastra accessible to us. In fact, he expanded the ambit of sankirtana to include even the distribution of shastra to others, what to speak of its assimilation ourselves.

The more we absorb our head in shastra, the more we will become convinced to absorb our heart in sankirtana. With both our head and heart thus focused on transcendence, we will relish Lord Chaitanya’s mercy and march out of the material prison on the path of sankirtana – a path that will take us to the highest spiritual abode, the personal abode of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

 

 

Inside Hare Krishna (Album 6 photos)
This project was completed during the 2014 Summer Course on Documentary Photography at the LCC in London organised in collaboration with Magnum Photos. The pictures were taken over a period of one week.
It was a wonderful experience that gave me a first unique insight into the Hare Krishna’s way of life different from the well known chant and dancing performances in the streets of Soho. In addition to the colourful temple life with its worship sessions and festivals, I was given access to the men’s as well as the women’s ashram in order to acquire a sense of place that is very much interwoven with the basic principle of devotional service or Bahkti. To serve another is to serve the devine and therefore spiritual in nature and the way to transcendence.
See them here: http://goo.gl/dUT3VM

New kind of kirtan found! “Horizontal Harinama” :-)

The post March 5th, 2014 – Gaura Purnima Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Shunned women attend festivities in Vrindavan, one of two north Indian cities known as the 'cities of widows'.

A new official Youtube channel, dubbed “The Sadaputa Digital Channel,” is offering the most complete and organized collection of the late ISKCON scientist Sadaputa Das’ lectures, seminars, interviews and videos in one place. Sadaputa Das (Dr. Richard L. Thompson) received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Cornell University, where he specialized in probability theory and statistical mechanics. 

Writer-director Shaktyavesha Avatar Das is planning a sequel to his award-winning short film, “Long Lost.” The original 25-minute short, which tells the story of a young London man searching for answers in life and discovering Krishna consciousness, came in at third place in Russian film festival “I See God.” 

"We have borrowed the future from our children instead of inheriting it from our ancestors." This African proverb vividly describes the contemporary use of natural resources.

New Hare Krishna Vegetarian Restaurant in Broadbeach “Rocks”!
Broadbeach is a suburb on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia.
“Cardamom Pod” owners, Phalguna dasa, Subhadra dasa, Manjumedha devi dasi and Gaura Shakti devi dasi relocated to new premises at 1/2685, Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach in November last year. The new location is prime, as it fronts on to a park. With head chef Kesava Reciuga at the helm, The Pod is open for business seven days a week.
Gaura and Manju combined their creative talents to set about refurbishing the interior with innovative design. A striking feature wall displays a massive picture of Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/G9BwNl

For material success one needs to put in hard labour. However the process of devotion taught to us by Lord Caitanya is so simple, so sublime, so sweet and so joyful that while treading the path of devotion there is no negative emotion.

As part of its ongoing efforts for child safety, ISKCON’s North American Child Protection Office will kick off 2016, the year of the society’s 50^th anniversary, by holding its first annual “Safe Temple” awards. The awards will be held at the annual Governing Body Commission and Temple Presidents’ meetings in Houston, Texas during the second weekend of January 2016.

$10,000 cash prize! Essay Competition prize Winner Announced! Gambhir Watts, the judge of the “Bhagavad Gita as it is” Essay competition, announced the prize winner on 27 February 2015 at the prize giving ceremony. The prize winner is: Helena Widolf Congratulations! Well done!
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/vMgylZ

Auckland, New Zealand: Gaura Purnima celebrations 2015 (Album 63 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/O4fJFS

A new Krishna Conscious application
Vaishnava Reader 108 is a feed reader application that lets you
access vaishnava digital content from hundreds of vaishnava feed
channels. From Temples to Bhajan mandalis, from ISKCON News to
ISKCON Desire Tree, from Dandavats to various Maharaja feeds, get the latest from upto 500+ vaishnava feed channels from around the
world.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15929

North American Education Conference
Dear Devotees, Parents, Educators and Students,
Please accept our sincere obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
It gives us immense and profound pleasure to invite you to the
North American Education Conference
ISKCON Houston, July 30th through August 2nd, 2015
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15923

Hare Krishna! The Prabhupada Global Kirtan Revolution website has been launched!
Our initial offering is to invite temples to submit kirtan recordings from past and present kirtan chanters. We aim to have every temple featured by ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. Please visit the site to hear and be a part of creating this offering for Srila Prabhupada! Sincerely, your servants The Prabhupada Global Kirtan Revolution team.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12210

Hare Krishna! Sannyasa Waiting List
As on 1 March, 2015, the following are the candidates for sannyasa along with their respective waiting periods: Adi Purusa Das (GGS) (Bhubaneswar) 1 year Adwaitacharya Das (GGS) (Bhubaneswar) 2 years Agnideva Das (ACBSP) (Caribbean) 2 years with conditions Akincana Das (BSDS) (Odisha) 2 years Amala Bhakta Das (ACBSP) (Los Angeles) this year with conditions Ambarish Das (GKG) (Russian Federation) 1 year Ananda Caitanya Das (BCAIS) (Baltics/Russia/US) this year Ananda Vardhana Das (BVG) (Baltics/Finland/Europe) 3 years Asit Krsna Das (GGS) (India/Hong Kong/China/Taiwan) 2 years Bhaktipada Das (SRS) (Hungary/Romania/Turkey) 3 years
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15917

May by your service Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes think of you.

The post Happy Gaura-purnima appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

THE LIFE OF A DEVOTEE Krishna Kirtana dasa
In 1998, KK was diagnosed with renal failure. He was eventually put on dialysis and underwent a kidney transplant in 2004 with a kidney donated by Malini. Unfortunately the kidney was gradually rejected and he returned to dialysis. He then opted for home dialysis four or five days a week. The six hours connected to the machine is not wasted, as he constantly reads, hears and chants. All these setbacks have not deterred KK. He regularly attends the temple and gives some Srimad Bhagavatam classes. He is also a member of the New Govardhana Advisory Board and the Financial Committee. He has recently been requested to co-ordinate the men’s mentorship programme. Krishna Kirtana, Malini and Family - Ki Jaya!
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/xzcDY0

Interview with Madhava Prabhu
Q. How did you end up becoming a kirtaneer?
M. When I was 18, I asked my parents to send me to Vrindavan. I wanted to join the 24-hour kirtana. It was the early 90’s and its director Aindra dasa, trained me. He forcibly gave me the understanding to chant and follow sadhana, as I was a rebellious teenager at the time, only interested in the musical aspect of our culture. Every day he pounded hard on my ego till a year later I submitted. He literally made me. Yet, in the year 2000 I lived in the UK where I started to do kirtana with Sivarama Swami. He would invite me to Hungary, England and Ireland several times a year. I worked as a carpenter during those years, and I would travel the weekends.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/1hwgbD

HEALTHY MOO!
15-month-old Moo, affectionate pet of Sue Fulton and family from Fernvale, suddenly became very ill recently and could no longer eat or walk. When the vet suggested contacting the devotees for a sling to lift him, they did this. (Without getting a sick calf up, they usually die.) Gita Govinda devi dasi gave Sue the sling, and maintained contact throughout Moo’s ordeal. Though the vet gave him antibiotics, as the days went by, he was not improving and she thought he would depart.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/BiUJsz

Hare Krishna! ISKCON 50th Anniversary
Mukunda Goswami: The government of the city of New York has a good memory. It installed a metal sign glorifying the incident of what was probably the first outdoor mahamantra chant in the West. The plaque is located in Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan, New York City on a cyclone fence that surrounds the elm tree, under which Srila Prabhupada stood, conducting the kirtana. The metal sign mentions that date of the event, and goes on to read that the poet Allen Ginsberg was present. Signed by the Mayor of New York City, the metal plaque includes the logo of New York’s Park and Recreation Commission. The visitor also reads that Hare Krishna people still visit the location, thus acknowledging the site’s significance.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15914

Hare Krishna! More donations for the TOVP
Rajan Jani prabhu, an ISKCON devotee from Kenya Africa, donates for a Golden Gratitude Coin ($108,000 U.S.) and promises another $400,000 before the finish of the project. He has been a great supporter of many ISKCON projects and now feels the ISKCON Mayapur temple is a crown that will decorate the body of ISKCON for the coming years. His message to the world is everyone should feel blessed to participate in building this temple. He has also encouraged his son to donate a large amount of money to the project.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15911

Hare Krishna! Sannyasa Initiation of His Holiness Bhakti Prema Swami
His Grace Ganga Narayan Prabhu received initiation in the family of His Divine Grace Srila ACBS Prabhupada from His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami. He came in Krishna Consciousness in 1994. Since then, when he was 27, he is serving in the mission of His Divine Grace. He sings Vaishnava bhajans melodiously and beautifully explains their purports. He focuses on establishing loving relationships with devotees and everyone else. He preaches in English, Hindi and Bengali in Ujjain and many other places of Madhya Pradesh especially to college students.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15908

Rajan Jani prabhu, an ISKCON devotee from Kenya Africa, donates for a Golden Gratitude Coin ($108,000 U.S.) and promises another $400,000 before the finish of the project. He has been a great supporter of many ISKCON projects and now feels the ISKCON Mayapur temple is a crown that will decorate the body of ISKCON for the coming years. His message to the world is everyone should feel blessed to participate in building this temple. He has also encouraged his son to donate a large amount of money to the project.

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The post Rajan Jani Prabhu Donates for a Golden Gratitude Coin appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Special Day Meditation Podcast

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SB 06.17.22 by Indradyumna Swami at ISKCON Juhu on 2015-02-09

Special Day Meditation Podcast

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05-03-2015 Lord Chaitanya’s 529th Appearance Anniversary Part 1, ISKCON Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.mp3

Answer Podcast

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Answer Podcast

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Answer Podcast

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Once a disciple told Srila Prabhupada that it is very difficult to control the wandering mind during japa. In reply, Prabhupada said:

What is the use of controlling the mind? You have to chant and hear, that's all. You have to chant with your tongue, and the sound you hear, that's all. What is the question of mind?

Happy Gaurapurnima! Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu ki jaya! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

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Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

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CC-daily Podcast

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