Did the Pancha Tattva Deities shed tears of ecstasy due to the ecstatic kirtan mela?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

On whatsapp, photos of Pancha Tattva Deities with some moisture are being circulated. How do we know whether this is an authentic miracle?

CC-daily Podcast:


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HG Bhaktisiddhanta Das: his involvement with the conceptual…
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HG Bhaktisiddhanta Das: his involvement with the conceptual designs of the TOVP (10 min video)
Bhaktisiddhanta prabhu (ACBSP) explains his personal journey to becoming a devotee and eventually ending up in India for 37 years as a diorama and murti-maker, manager of Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi, to his involvement with the conceptual designs of the TOVP. He deeply believes that the building of the TOVP is under the direct guidance of Srila Prabhupada. We are just his instruments and he is with us at every moment.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/Yx9Eu9

Hare Krishna! Huge Mayapur Sankirtan award ceremony for Mayapur…
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Hare Krishna! Huge Mayapur Sankirtan award ceremony for Mayapur book distributers
A Sankirtan award distribution ceremony took place in Temple on 19th February morning. This year Mayapur Temple enjoyed a special success by securing the first position worldwide for annual distribution in 2014. The ceremony took place to honor top book distributors connected to Mayapur.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15705

Why do ISKCON devotees pronounce Sanskrit words differently from traditional pronunciations?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Anuj A P:
For example, why is the nasal Nrsimha pronounced as Narasimha?

Answer Podcast:

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Lecture on disappearance day of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami
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On 18th February, HH Bhakti Charu Swami gave a lecture on disappearance day of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami. Below is transcript of the lecture. Hare Krishna. When Srila Prabhupada went to the West, Krishna actually created the perfect arrangement for Srila Prabhupada. The United States of America, at that time, was in a perfect situation […]

The post Lecture on disappearance day of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami appeared first on Mayapur.com.

A Most Sacred Place (Album 99 photos) Indradyumna Swami: The…
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A Most Sacred Place (Album 99 photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The famous temple of Trimbakeshwar is situated 25 kilometers from the city of Nashik, in the state Maharashtra. Inside the ancient temple is one of the 12 famous Jyotirlingas, self manifested deities of Lord Siva, found in India. It has been a place of pilgrimage since time immemorial. The Pandavas stayed there for sometime during their exile and Lord Caitanya visited the temple during His tour of South India. While there He bathed in Kusa-varta, a small kunda which is formed from the waters of the Godavari, considered one of India’s most sacred rivers. By the causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupada we were also able to visit this holy place. While in the temple I prayed to Lord Siva to be kind and grant me eternal residence in Sri Vrindavan Dhama.
See them here: http://goo.gl/08rw28

Prabhupada’s Vision for New Vrindaban: Spiritual Education
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban Prabhupada Bhagavat Dharma Discourses 1972 ISKCON

Srila Prabhupada delivering his Bhagavatam Dharma discourse at Bahulaban in New Vrindaban, 1972.

“To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.” Srila Prabhupada, Seven Purposes of ISKCON, 1966.

Click here to read the other purposes at the ISKCON.org website.

It saves lives
→ KKSBlog

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

pani-puriPrescribed duty does not exactly sounds like following the path of ecstasy. It sounds like, “Oh, I do not know if I can do this, if I want to do this?” But we rely on something else. Definitely, we rely on ecstasy! When devotees come back from harinama and say, “The harinama was so ecstatic!” That is good and encouraging. Or when someone with big round eyes says, “Listen to what I have just read,” and reads a passage of Srimad Bhagavatam. Then it is all operating on taste… on ecstasy… on how inspiring it is… on how wonderful it is… So that is what we require – we require the ecstasy of the sankirtan movement. When it is not there, we struggle, but at least the memory of this ecstasy keeps us going. That is why we sometimes say, “In the beginning, we live from Sunday Feast to Sunday Feast.”

It used to be that Sunday Feasts were really big. When I joined, the Sunday Feast was like fifteen preps and all of them were good; there were lots of offerings. So, during the Sunday Feast, one would eat to a stage of approaching unconsciousness and then, the next thing was stashing as much as possible that could easily go till Thursday.

Thursday would be a miserable day because on Thursday, the last leftovers would run out. Finally, Friday was the day of like absolutely nothing and that was when the thought of leaving Krsna consciousness would reach its peak, “I am not going to make it, I am going to break.” Then Saturday was the day before the Sunday Feast, so that is sort of like, “How could I leave the day before the Sunday Feast?”  That was basically how this movement survived.

gulab-jamun-with-honey-saffronSrila Prabhupada, in the Matchless Gift storefront, immediately started a program which has since been abandoned and I think it is not a good thing. In the Matchless Gift storefront, there was a pot in a corner which always had gulab jamuns and anybody could at any time take one. Somehow or other, that pot was kept full. I think that is an element which has sort of disappeared from our Iskcon temples and that was a mistake. I think at the next management meeting, it should be put on the agenda, “Where is the gulab jamun pot?” I am sure that many members will vote to bring back this essential part of our tradition. Taste is the one little thing that saves lives, it saves lives! So this is our process.

 

Siva Ratri – Celebrations this Sunday, February 22, 2015!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

This Sunday, February 22, 2015, Toronto's Hare Krishna Temple will be celebrating Siva Ratri.*
Siva Ratri literally translates as “the Night of Lord Siva.” Lord Siva is described as “the greatest Vaishnava (devotee of Lord Krishna)"; as such, this week's Sunday  Feast will be dedicated to honouring Lord Siva.

The tentative schedule is as follows:

6:00pm to 6:30pm - Arati
6:30pm to 6:35pm - Welcome and Announcements
6:35pm to 7:15pm - Class by HG Bhakti Yoga Prabhu
7:15pm to 7:30pm - Abhisheka (bathing ceremony) for Lord Siva
7:30pm to 8:00pm - Vegetarian Feast (Prasadam)
8:00pm to 8:30pm - Arati


*Please note that the actual day of Siva Ratri was on Tuesday, February 17, but the festival will be celebrated at the temple on Sunday, February 22.  

I Pray For That Success
→ Japa Group

"I have been chanting with steady attention to the syllables and though I have not realized my direct relationship with the Lord as indicated in the Namamrta, I am striving for that goal. By vaidhi-bhakti the raganuga stage will evolve. I pray for that success in chanting."

From Bhajan Kutir #77
by Satsvarupa das Goswami

Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami’s Disappearance Anniversary Festival, February 19, Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Govardhana
Giriraj Swami

02.18.15_09.TKG_Dis_VdvnGiriraj Swami: The palace at Govardhana was owned by the Maharaja of Chatarpura and after discussing with Tamal Krishna Goswami we decided to try and get the property. Tamal Krishna Goswami suggested that I go and see the king with a local lawyer. We didn’t know what to expect but we went to Chatarpura and the king was there at his palace. He was a little older — in his seventies. So, we brought up that we would like to acquire the palace at Govardhana. He was aware of ISKCON — he had been to the Krishna Balarama temple and had been very impressed with the temple and with ISKCON’s management. So, he was quite confident that we would do a good job with the palace.

Keshava Bharati dasa Goswami: He also fell in love with Giriraj Maharaja (laughter).

Giriraj Swami: So, in Srila Prabhupada’s style, I asked him to donate it to us. He said. “You know, if you had approached me a few years ago I would have done it. But, times are not good for kings these days (laughter) and I am just not in a position to give it to you.” I asked how much he wanted and he named a figure that was a fraction of what he could have got for it. It seemed within our budget and I didn’t want to argue so I agreed. The lawyer was maybe more practical or experienced so he whispered to me that I should have the king show me his deity and then when we were in front of the deity have him repeat his offer so he wouldn’t go back on it.

02.18.15_01.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_02.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_03.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_04.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_05.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_07.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_08.TKG_Dis_Vdvn02.18.15_10.TKG_Dis_Vdvn———————————————————————————————–
Keshava Bharati dasa Goswami
Vrindavanbihari dasi
Nanda Kumar dasa
Giriraj Swami

Gaura Purnima Festival – Thursday, March 5, 2015
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

The Toronto Hare Krishna Centre would like to warmly invite you to join us for grand Gaura Purnima Celebrations on Thursday, March 5, 2015!

Gaura Purnima, one of the largest festivals at Toronto's Hare Krishna temple, is the celebration of the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is none other than Lord Krishna Himself. Over 500 years ago, in a special appearance, Lord Krishna personally came as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and acted as His own devotee by propagating the chanting of the Holy names of the Lord in every town and village!

There will be festivities throughout the day, starting early in the morning at 4:30am! We encourage everyone to start this auspicious day on the right note. We will continue with bhajans (singing) at 3:00pm dedicated to the glories of Lord Chaitanya, which will flow right into the rest of the evening program.

The tentative schedule is as follows (subject to change):

4:30 am to 8:00 am - Mangala Arati and Morning Program
8:00 am to 10:00 am - Special Caitanya Caritamrta Class 
3:00 pm to 6:00 pm - Nectarean Bhajans for Lord Caitanya 
6:00 pm to 6:30 pm - Arati
6:30 pm to 7:20 pm - Class - Ananda Gauranga das
7:20 pm to 8:00 pm - Abhisheka (Bathing of Deities)
8:00 pm to 8:30 pm - Kirtan (Arati)
8:30 pm - Vegetarian Feast (Prasadam)

**Please note that the vegetarian feast will be following ekadasi guidelines (made without grains)**

A warm invitation goes out to you and your family for this larger-than-life festival as we celebrate the auspicious advent of the appearance of Lord Caitanya!



Register Now for ISKCON Disciples Course – August 1 – August 4
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Please mark your dates for the second ISKCON Disciples Course in Toronto from Saturday, August 1st - Tuesday, August 4th. This course has been developed by the GBC (Governing Body Commission) and shall be a mandatory pre-requisite for all devotees accepting first OR second initiation by an ISKCON guru, effective Janmastami 2015. We encourage all devotees to try their best to attend and also request your help in spreading the word for the course.

This course will cover several important aspects, including:

- The importance of accepting initiation in disciplic succcession
- Srila Prabhupada's special position
- How to select a spiritual master
- Relationships in a multi-guru environment
- Parallel lines of authority and much more...

The course will be facilitated by HG Laxmimoni devi dasi, who is a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada. She has been involved in ISKCON educational projects since 1974. Now, she is a member of the GBC Ministry of Educational Development and a GBC Deputy.

We kindly ask anyone who is interested in attending to please fill out a preliminary registration form by clicking here.


Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HH…
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Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HH Sacinandana Swami
Narada Muni, knowing well that the Lord would not appear again to him, made a conclusion. “Thus, I began chanting the holy name form of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all of the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are blessing one and all. In doing so, I travel all over the world, fully satisfied, humble, and unenvious.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15701

Hare Krishna! HH Bhakti Charu Swami on HH Tamal Krishna…
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Hare Krishna! HH Bhakti Charu Swami on HH Tamal Krishna Goswami
Tamal Krishna Maharaj joined Srila Prabhupada in 1968. Srila Prabhupada went to a place where the young Americans were living in the redwood forest near San Francisco. He was so aloof from the materialistic culture that he was living in the forest. But Srila Prabhupada went to that place and it was just love at first sight. He left everything. Even that commune that he was living in.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15698

Hare Krishna! “Plain Living and High Thinking”: An English…
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Hare Krishna! “Plain Living and High Thinking”: An English Lesson with Srila Prabhupada
Ravindra Svarupa Dasa: Any student of Srila Prabhupada will at once recognize the phrase “plain living and high thinking.” It occurred frequently and memorably in his discourse. It functioned as kind of motto or slogan to epitomize Prabhupada’s vision of a natural spiritual culture, an alternative to our modern, “soul-killing” industrial civilization. Prabhupada had made use of the phrase even before he journeyed to America in 1965.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15695