Planet ISKCON

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 December 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 9.19.26) 

We are not being judged by material qualifications, let that be. Do not get worried about that. If you get worried about that then you get stressed out. We are here to do some service! And the more service you do, the more you become a nice devotee. So do not dwell on these material things, just dwell on service!

The spiritual master is simply aloof, does not look at where someone is coming from, although he can see. In terms of sinful activities, he can see the result of sin in a person. But anyway, he does not care about that. He cares about how much service you are going to do or how serious are you. And the more serious you are, then the more all that sin does not matter.

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Hare Krishna! Inauguration of Gaura Purnima festival
There was chanting of mantras by students of Bhaktivedanta academy. Next, there was a coconut breaking ceremony to invoke auspiciousness. Following that, some sanyasis spoke on the occasion. HH Gopal Krishna Goswami told devotees to take advantage of the sadhu sangha, get charged up and preach with enthusiasm on returning back. Compared to earlier situation of Mayapur, present Mayapur Gaur Purnima is surely a festival. Maharaj predicted that next year festival marking 50th anniversary of ISKCON’s incorporation would be ‘Super Grand’ event.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15583

Sadacar for Women 15 Feb 2015 at Sri Jagannatha Mandir, ISKCON Malaysia HQ (Album 48 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/gZh3zZ

International Sadhus have assembled in Mayapur to perform the Sakirtan Yajna (Album 26 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/hPFmRH

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Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HH Radhanath Swami
The Lord was in someone’s house. He heard literally millions of people crying out the holy names. Along with Lord Nityananda, He appeared before all of them. He raised His long, golden arms. In seeing these countless people all with such eager and humble hearts crying out Krishna’s names, He became so happy. Simultaneously there were thousands of kirtan parties. Lord Gauranga was going to different kirtan parties and dancing with the common people. By His all attractive, inconceivable potency, everyone could see Him dancing. Everyone could see tears of love and compassion like the Ganga flowing from His lotus-like eyes. In this way, the entire universe was trembling with the joy of nama sankirtana.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15580

Delivering Little Souls: A young devotee finds joy and spiritual realization as she pursues a career as a midwife.
Tulasi Harrison was only seven years old-still practically a baby herself-when she decided she wanted to become a midwife and help bring new life intothe world. Tulasi grew up in the ISKCON community at Bhaktivedanta Manor in England, daughter of priest and congregational preacher Kripamoya Dasa and gurukula teacher Guru Carana Padma Dasi. Her little brother Mali was fortunate enough to be delivered by a devotee midwife, her mother’s friend Ramadevi.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/qYJHby

Sravan utsav in Mayapur is a success!
Sravan Utsav ended on 15th Feb. There was 8 hour of daily katha from 12th to 15th February. Many sanyasis like HH Bhakti Charu Maharaj, HH Bhakti Vighna Vinasa Narasimha Swami, HH Jay Pataka Maharaj, HH Radhanath Maharaj and HH Sacinandana Maharaj gave lectures during the event. The lecture topics included pastimes of Lord Gauranga and Nityananda, Harinaam sankirtan and also topics that are normally not heard. For instance, HH Bhakti Charu Maharaj gave lectures on Brihat Bhagavatammritam. HG Radhika Ramana Prabhu came from USA especially for the event and gave lectures on Sad Sandharbhas (his PhD topic at Oxford University). Today, HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami thanked him during morning announcements for his visit.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/Qw6BgL

Jayapataka Swami surprises the leaders of Iskcon with selected gifts in Mayapur! (Album 58 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/17z9Yn

Festival Flag Hoisting Ceremony in Mayapur (Album 39 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/AmiJsm

Indian Youth Festival Named Mahaumang Where 2000 Youth From Various Reputed Institutes Participated (5 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/JtcB4w

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I’ve just published “Varāha, Vidura, & Kapila – Śrīmad Bhagavatam’s Third Canto.” Please visit vrajakishor.com to find out about it!

Please help me by letting your online and inlife friends know this new book has been released!

Tagged: Bhagavata Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam

Mangla Arati Of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath;9th Feb 2015

Ecstatic Kirtan Mela Adhivas Ceremony in Mayapur (Album 10 photos)
Photo Courtsey, Thakur Saranga Das
See them here: http://goo.gl/2N7TB6

This morning, just after mangala arotika in Sridham Mayapura, Mother Manorupa dasi left this world for the supreme abode. Her two sons, Sri Nama Vanamali das and Sri Paramahamsa Gaura das were by her side loudly chanting the holy names. Such an auspicious departure. Her husband, Prahlada Nrsimha das is now arranging for the funeral ceremony. Devotees knew her as the perfect disciple, the perfect wife and the perfect mother.

"When the mind wanders, bring it back in a mood of prayer and supplication, thinking, “O holy name, I want to chant, I want to hear, I want to be engaged in Your service by chanting and hearing.” Then simply practice the mantra-yoga of vibrating with the tongue and hearing with the ear."

From Japa Reform Notebook
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

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**Please take note. On Day 4, 19 February, Kadamba Kanana Swami will lead kirtan at 21:00 IST**

Kirtan Mela in Mayapur takes place from 16-20 February. Below is the schedule for Days 1-5 according to Indian standard time (i.e. GMT +5.5). A live stream will be available on www.mayapur.tv

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During this morning’s lecture I shared with the audience a few verses from the Paduka Sahasram of Sri Vedanta Deshika. Its a mammoth poem of 1,000 verses glorifying the footwear of God.

The work is not something the Gaudiya Vaishnavas recite regularly; Vedanta Deshika is in the line of teachers coming from Sri Ramanujacarya, but his poetry is so inspired and imbued with devotion, the listener cannot help but rise up in consciousness of God by hearing it.

That morning’s Srimad Bhagavatam class described how the devotees of Ramachandra were concerned that His soft feet might be hurt by the thorns of the forest, and our discussion covered the reason why the feet of God are even more important than His face. So I thought some verses would add to our meditation. Deshika was also a great devotee of Ramachandra, so here are a few thoughts of Deshika – in English – from the verses I read.

He says: “I salute my guru and the sandals, both of which are attached to the feet of the Lord.”

“Bharata, the brother of the Lord, was the first to take the Lord’s sandals upon his head. In this way he is the leader of all those who worship the sandals of the Lord.”

Above: Bharata takes the sandals of Rama before his brother leaves for a 14-year forest exile

“When you place the sandals of the Lord upon your head, you also have the foot-dust of the Lord on your head. This means you can distribute this dust to all your disciples.”

“Without any partiality, the sandals are on my head, as well as the Upanishads. There is discrimination.”

“One who remains standing after seeing the Lord’s sandals (one who does not bow down) will be lowered anyway (by misfortune or death), and one who lowers himself to bow down will be raised up. Why, even the Lord Himself is raised up by His sandals!”

“If the entire sky became writing paper, and the seven oceans became ink, and even if Adisesha with his thousands of heads was the reciter of the poetry, only then would the glories of the Lord’s sandals be recounted.”

“The sandals smell of the Komai flowers adorning the head of Lord Shiva. Why is this? Because Shiva always has his head at your feet.”

“My dear Lord, your feet:
– removed the curse of Ahalya, turning a stone into a beautiful woman;
– destroyed chakatasura;
– measured the universe as you took three steps in your Vamana incarnation;
– brought forth the Ganga river.

“My dear friends, if you wear the sandals of the Lord on your head, you too can wear the crescent moon on your head (like Lord Shiva) and you too can sit on a lotus flower seat (like Lord Brahma) for you will be numbered among the gods.”

“If you have taken the Lord’s shoes just once upon your head, Yamaraja’s servants will have nothing to do with you, for the Lord of Death will keep them under restraint. The lines on your hands will become rearranged so that you have a golden future.”

“When you devotees bow their heads with you upon them, they merely have to reach out their fingers and they’ll be able to touch Vaikuntha.”

“The mercy of the Lord takes the form of these sandals!”

“These sandals serve as the chains to bind the ten maddened elephants of the senses; they are the bolt-rod of the door of Hell itself, keeping it firmly closed; they are the champion of all the surrendered souls.”

Above: Lord Rama’s shoes are placed upon a shatari which the devotees place upon their heads.

Harinama in the city of Bath, UK (Album 39 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51] Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one becomes free from the bondage of material existence and thus becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 9.14.48 Purport)
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His Holiness Giriraj Swami recalls the TOVP project during Srila Prabhupda’s time and relates many pastimes with him in this regard. He believes that ISKCON is now ready for this project and encourages all devotees to take it seriously. It will be one of the great wonders of the world and people from all over the world will come to see it.

The post His Holiness Giriraj Swami Speaks About the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami urges devotees all over the world to help the TOVP project, ISKCON’s most important project which will help validate to the world in general the significance of the Hare Krishna Movement.

The post His Holiness Bhakti Anugraha Janardana Swami Speaks About the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja implores us, just as Ambarisa prabhu has taken so seriously his instruction from Srila Prabhupada to build the TOVP, so all devotees in ISKCON should come together and take this instruction to heart. And if you want your own temple to flourish, give to the TOVP and your temple will benefit also.

The post His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Swami Speaks About the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Atmanivedana Maharaja stresses that the TOVP is not just another ISKCON temple or Hindu temple, but is meant to establish the actual fact of the entire creation as expressed in the Srimad Bhagavatam. This will give the world the true understanding of what the creation is all about. The TOVP is a prophecy in the making and we have the unique opportunity to be a part of that.

The post His Holiness Atmanivedana Swami Speaks About the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.