Planet ISKCON

by Jai Sita Rani Devi Dasi Thaipusam - Penang

09-02-15 A Ray of Vishnu(with russian translation), ISKCON Mayapur, India.mp3

0 KM

Toronto, Ontario

Happiness and Its Shadow


I had the greatest time at the Bhakti Lounge.  I was given the topic, “Happiness and Its Shadow” to speak on.  From the angle of the Vedas which is the literal heartbeat of Indian culture, I spoke, as well as from some experience.  I guess you can say, “Happiness is a natural state which has spiritual origins.”  This was the beginning of our discussion with our group.  I have referenced a phrase, ananda mayo bhyasat, which means everyone is seeking joy.  I believe everyone realized at that point.  Another reality felt by the group is that each and every one of us know both joy and pain.  We have all visited both camps.  When I expressed that ultimate contentment comes out of enlightenment from being cognizant, they listened well.  When I mentioned that ignorance beckons pain, it resonated. 

The group was young, average age from 20 – 30.  When we spoke about social pressures along the lines of sex and substance use, everyone identified with the point of instant stimulation, but how on the course of impulsiveness the senses enjoy, but the intelligence was asleep.  When body, mind and brain are all alert, when thoughtfulness is introduced, then one stands a better chance of avoiding instant gratification for long term satisfaction. 

In the promiscuous world that we currently live in, little guidance is given to our young, and as a result, they become very vulnerable and end up being hurt.  Happiness really must have more depth than a cheap thrill arousal.  Our guard must be up.  “Let us first grab a hold of our true identity, I am a spirit, I am not the body.  This is a good start for understanding and to bathing in the pool of happiness. 

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

4 KM

Toronto, Ontario

Machinery at Work


One revelation that came to me, simple as it may be, during the course of today’s walk, was how alert and animated you come to be.  Just in dodging traffic, prudence in stepping over an icy patch, ducking when branches are low, catching the scent of a cedar tree, or car exhaust, makes it all a sensation.  Your senses and the big muscle the brain are all perked up.  The machinery is definitely at work. 

Here’s my favourite in regard to all of this – giving and receiving warmth from fellow pedestrians.  It’s in greeting that much comes alive.  For instance, the facial muscles that make the smile.

Through the careful stepping in the ravine today, I felt inner elation.  It was great to see that attention is given to the Mud Creek Trail by the city in addressing erosion issues.  Even on this wintry day, workmen are turning soil and setting rock pieces strategically for an enhanced landscaping. 

On the street level where commerce is alive, you get the chance to dance, or at least weave through people.  Here again, your attentiveness become sharpened.  These dynamics just don’t occur when you slouch on that couch.  Consider yourself privileged to be able to go for the adventure on foot.  Personally, I get a real charge each time from the daily trek, which above all brings me closer to the Divine.  It’s truly a blessing all around. 

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

It's the cornerstone and when the cornerstone is strong, then everything else is strong. The answer lies within our bead bag....our Japa is always going to be the answer.

1. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instructions in Sikastakam, “param vijayate Sri-Krishna -Sankirtanam” is the only motto of the Gaudiya math.
2. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is the only enjoyer. Everyone and everything else is the object of his enjoyment.
3. Anyone who does not serve Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is ignorant and a killer himself.
4. To learn to tolerate is one of the most important responsibilities of those living in the math.
5. Rupanuga devotees offer all glory to the original source instead of depending on their own strength.
6. Those who perform assorted religious activities can not serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
7. Become united with one purpose and serve Hari.
8. Where there is discussion about Hari, that is a place of pilgrimage.
9. We are not pious, sinful or learned or ignorant, we are the carriers of the dust of the feet of the Supreme Lord Sri Hari and we are initiated by the mantra “kirtaniyah sada harih.”
10. My advice is, do not criticize others. Try to rectify yourself.
11. Our supreme duty is to serve the residents of Vraja who are afflicated by Krishna ‘s departure to Mathura.
12. A pure devotee knows that everyone is the spiritual master. Therefore, a pure devotee can be jagad-guru.
13. If we want to follow the path of true auspiciousness, we should give up the countless opinions of people and only hear the words of the vedas.
14. Whatever is auspicious should be desired.
15. An intimate devotee does not have any other desire besides serving the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami.
16. There is no other way of associating with transcendence besides hearing.
17. As soon as we lose the shelter of a protector, everything around us will become our enemy and attack us. Topics about Krishna spoken by a genuine saint are our only protector.
18. A flatterer can never become a guru or a preacher.
19. It is better to remain in millions of species like birds, beasts, insects and worms than become deceitful. One who is free from deceit receives auspiciousness.
20. Vaisnavism is the other name of simplicity. The servants of the paramahamsa Vaishnavas are simple; therefore they are the best brahmanas.
21. The only duty of the most merciful persons is to transform the degraded taste of people. If you can save even one person from the great force of MahaMaya, then that will be a greater act of philanthropy than opening millions of hospitals.
22. Those who have not learned to develop their propensity to serve the Supreme Lord from self realized souls, no matter how pleasing their association may be, it should never be desired.
23. Preaching without practicing is nothing but a ritual of karma-kanda.
24. If one just serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead and his devotees, his attachment to his household will diminish.
25. Our main disease is to collect objects that are not related to Krishna.
26. We have not come to this world to become an artisan of wood or stone, we are only peons of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy.
27. We will not stay in this world for a long time. Only if this body falls singing of the glory of Lord Sri Hari will our birth in this body be successful.
28. The only desired object in our life is to collect the dust from the Lotus feet of Sri Rupa Goswami, who fulfilled the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
29. This material nature, which is averse to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is an examination hall. Tolerance, humbleness, appreciation of others, etc., are favorable to develop our devotion to Hari.
30. In every birth one gets a father and a mother. But one may not get instructions for his ultimate benefit.
31. Although the activities of a devotee and the misdemeanor of a pseudo-devotee appear to be alike, there is a heaven and hell difference – like milk and limewater.
32. Those who mistake dishonesty to be honesty (or a crook to be saint) will fall into great difficulty, as a person who tries to cheat an iron-smith by supplying him bad steel.
33. As soon as we get to know the absolute truth, we should become fixed in it. Instead of wasting a single moment of time left, we should be engaged in serving Sri Hari.
34. Many people mistake ‘imitation’ to be ‘following’. These two words are not the same. To play the role of Narada in a play is ‘imitation’ but to follow the path of devotion according to Narada Muni is ‘following’.
35. He who is constantly absorbed in discussing about Sri Hari is a saint. One who is constantly engaged in serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a saint. One who in all his endeavors tries to serve Krishna is a saint.
36. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana offers Himself, something remains unoffered, but a devotee can offer the Lord completely.
37. Do not try to become a guru to become envious. Do not try to become a guru in order to become absorbed in material attachments. But if you become my unalloyed servant, if you have acquired my potency, there is nothing to fear.
38. A bonafide spiritual master is non-different from Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one cannot say that the spiritual master is the personal manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will not be able to utter the holy name of the Lord.
39. In order to teach us how to serve Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself appears as the spiritual master.
40. A living entity can not derive real benefit by reading hundreds of books or pretending to render devotional service according to his own ideas.
41. Being cheated by those who mislead people in the name of hari-katha has become a sort of religion in this age.
42. Someone will be able to understand the profound meaning of the impartial truth that is being spoken fearlessly after hundreds of lives or hundreds of yugas. Unless hundreds of gallons of hard-earned blood is spent, we will not be able to make people understand the truth.
43. The Lord does not accept anything offered by those who do not chant one hundred thousand names of the Lord each day.
44. Association is the principle impetus in human life to serve Sri Hari. Due to association of non-devotees, one gets material prosperity. Due to the association of devotees, the spirit soul gradually becomes absorbed in serving Sri Hari. This is the greatest shelter for a human being. Never become averse to that.
45. Whenever there are material difficulties, the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes the shelter and allows one to serve him.
46. As long as one has anarthas, one does not receive the good fortune of becoming a servant of Srimati Radharani. Those who discuss the transcendental pastimes of Srimati Radharani, the dearmost servitor of Sri Krishna, are sense gratifiers, covered enjoyers and prakrta-sahajiyas.
47. When anarthas will be removed due to chanting the Holy Name, then Krishna ‘s form, qualities and pastimes will automatically manifest from the name. There is no need to make an endeavor to artificially remember His form, qualities and pastimes.
48. All of you preach the message of Rupa Goswami and Raghunatha Dasa Goswami with great enthusiasm. Our supreme desire is to become the dust at the lotus feet of the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami.
49. Do not give up devotional service even if there are innumerable dangers, countless insults and endless harassment. Do not become disheartened that most people in this world do not accept the message of unalloyed devotional service. Never give up your devotional service and hearing and chanting about Krishna which is your everything. Always chant the Holy Name becoming more humble than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree.
50. We do not want to become great fruitive workers or religious leaders; all we want is to become the dust at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa Prabhu. That is our original identity.
51. We should never display any kind of aversion towards sankirtana-yajna which is perfect sacrifice, complete with the seven forms of sacrifice. If we have gradually increasing love for that, then everything will be accomplished and we will attain ultimate perfection. Just preach the words of Rupa and Raghunatha with enthusiasm and courage, with complete dedication to the followers of Sri Rupa.
52. If I stop preaching the unbiased truth due to fear that people will not like it, I am accepting the non-vedic way, rejecting the vedic way. Then I become an atheist and I lose my faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the personification of truth.
53. In this material world there are only two representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the transcendental sound vibration of the Holy Name, and his eternally transcendental deity incarnation.
54. The deity is worshipped by the Holy Name – sentient is served through sentient.
55. For the pleasure of the Lord, His devotees call Him by His Holy Name to render service unto Him, not to fulfill their own desires.
56. The deity is the merciful incarnation of the eternal form of the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead of the spiritual sky (Vaikuntha). It is direct proof of the personal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaishnavas do not imagine whether God is a person or impersonal. They are not idol worshippers.
57. Just as the purports of the vedas have been briefly described in the Brahma-sutra and the vedanta-bhasya, the conclusion and purport of the Srimad-Bhagavatam has been similarly described in a brief and accurate way.
58. Unless one studies Srimad-Bhagavatam under the guidance if a bonafide Vaishnava acharya, he will not be able to understand the real purport of the Brahma-sutra. Srimad Bhagavatamis the original commentary of Vedanta-sutra.
59. Sri Jiva Goswami specifically explained that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original commentary of Vedantasutra.
60. The word “devotion” can not be applied to anything besides ‘Krishna ‘. ‘Krishna ‘ is the only subject of devotion. Brahman is the object of knowledge, Paramatma is the object of nearness, but Krishna is the only object of service.
61. Every word has a two-fold aspect; conveying a meaning based on knowledge and a meaning based on ignorance. The aspects of words that indicate something other than Krishna, Visnu or Sri Caitanya, conveys the mearning based on ignorance. In knowledge everything indicates Krishna and signifies Krishna.
62. What the ignorant masses understand about the ‘Krishna ‘ is not the real object of the word Krishna. In other words, ‘God’, ‘Allah’ and even the Sanskrit words ‘Isvara”, ‘Paramatma’ etc. only indicate a great energy coming out of Krishna. They do not indicate the total aspect of the word ‘Krishna ‘.
63. There is no work as auspicious as serving the spiritual master. Of all worship, the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the greatest. But the worship of the lotus feet of the spiritual master is even greater than the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless this is firmly realized we can not understand what saintly association means; we cannot understand what the shelter of a spiritual master means; we cannot understand that we are dependent and he is our maintainer.
64. If we take shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master, we can become free from illusion, fear and distress. If we wholeheartedly beg for his mercy without any deceit then the spiritual master bestows all auspiciousness upon us.

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Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk
Kalakantha Prabhu: I have heard thousands of Prabhupada lectures, and still every once in a while I hear something I have not heard before.
Prabhupada said Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.8 should be the motto for every devotee: “My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.” It is not that the devotee is exempt from suffering, but his suffering is for a purpose while the suffering of a materialistic is simply a distraction from his enjoyment.
Read more: http://goo.gl/VoshQe

Funny devotee theater in Hungary (Album 13 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/GvFbry

Prasad distribution to thousands in Thaipusam-2015! (Album 47 photos)
Hare Krsna, Thanks to all the sponsers, well wishers and more importatantly devotees who worked tirelessly round the clock from ISKCON GELUGOR and ISKCON NIBONG TEBAL to help to serve ~ 15-17k plates of prasadam to piligrims during thaipusam day..
See them here: http://goo.gl/cxT3z7

Hare Krishna! Even when Krishna is in the universe, the universe is still in Him
To comprehend the reality underlying this appearance, we need to understand Krishna’s transcendental position and disposition. The world’s theistic traditions proclaim God’s transcendence, underscoring his self-existence in a realm that transcends time and space. Being the source of everything, including the fabric of time and space, he is never limited by his emanations.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15443

After the long waiting of 13 months and 22 days, finally the time came when Guru Maharaja was arriving in Pune to give us his association for 2 days. Devotees started preparations days before on all levels of gross arrangements and subtle spiritual consciousness. As usual, it was decided that Guru Maharaja will stay at […]

"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. In the not-so-distant future the spectre of global warming threatens to cause the melting of the polar icecaps and submerge many flourishing coastal cities under tsunami-like waves. And this is just one among many apocalyptic predictions - coming from, not religion, but science. A World Watch Institute report put it poignantly, "Environmental super-disasters are no longer a doomsday prophecy; they are an imminent reality."

Is there anything we can do to avoid these calamities? Some ecologists have proposed a 3 R formula: reduce, reuse and recycle. If we reduce our consumption, especially of non-biodegradable products, reuse the commodities we have instead of repeatedly purchasing newer ones and recycle the items we discard, we can avert the impending disaster or at least decrease its magnitude. Unfortunately most people are unable to muster the will to implement these measures because they find the temptations for instant gratification irresistible. Moreover, many people presume that as lone individuals they are too small to make any substantial difference in a global crisis; so they numb themselves to the imminent danger by losing themselves in diversions such as spectator sports, television and social media.

To make the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recyle) realizable, we need another R (Raise). 

But we can all make a difference. To make the 3 R’s realizable, we need another R. That R is for raise; we need to raise our consciousness from the material arena to the spiritual realm. Those who see the whole socio-historical picture know that the current crisis originated from a lowering of human consciousness several centuries ago. For millennia before the Renaissance, most people worldwide saw nature as a sacred Mother acting in tandem with the Divine Father to provide us our earthly home and bodily necessities. Indeed this worldview is stated explicitly in the Bhagavad-gita (14.4) and echoed in many other wisdom-traditions. Consequently people in the past reverentially took their necessities from nature and scrupulously avoided tampering with her balances, knowing those to be of an intricacy and delicacy beyond human comprehension.

However a mistaken extrapolation of science beyond its realm led to an indiscriminate reductionism that depersonalized nature. People began to see it as an inanimate, even inimical, object to be harnessed for human profit, and started plundering natural resources indiscriminately. Thus began an unfortunate history of what has been euphemistically called "unintended consequences" – the boomeranging of myopic attempts to exploit nature that have precipitated the present crisis. Getting to the root of the problem, Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, stated, "The sufferings of humanity are due to a polluted aim of life." The polluted aim, of course, is the aim of dominating nature instead of harmonizing with it.

Thankfully, this pollution can be countered. By raising our consciousness from the material level to the spiritual level, we can regain our holistic vision of ourselves as spiritual beings, beloved children in the lap of our divine parents, nature and God. We will experience the non-material enrichment that comes by harmonizing with our deepest nature. The concomitant warming of the heart with divine love will nourish our willpower and enable us to eschew the indulgences that are ecologically harmful. Fortunately for us, the will to raise our consciousness is an individual and renewable resource. ­Through time-tested spiritual practices like meditation, prayer, yoga and chanting of holy names, every one of us can raise our consciousness and thus make a small but significant difference. Will that be enough to save our planet? Why not?

The Gaia hypothesis, an emerging paradigm within modern science, posits that the earth is a conscious organism. In that light, the current ecological problems can be seen as her defensive responses to our excesses and abuses of her resources. Nonetheless she has a mother's heart; when she sees us reforming, she can save us in ways that we may not yet foresee. The earth, like all organisms, has a healing mechanism, which will promote recovery once the hostile stimuli are removed. So let us do our part by cleansing the ecologically hostile germs of godless materialism from our consciousness and nature will do her part.

 

Jagannath Ratha Yatra parade and on stage performances in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Album 19 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/EozO53

Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HH Giriraja Swami
At one stage a small group of devotees went to Madras. We were the first devotees from ISKCON to go. And we were staying with a gentleman, sort of orthodox in his own way, also speculative, who was saying that we are Vaisnavas and Vaisnavas are greater than brahmans but we are not brahmans. In order to become brahmans we have to take birth in brahmana families in our next life. So there were four of us in that small party and Acyutananda Swami said to our host - what is more powerful, sinful reactions or Krishna’s holy names? And the host had to admit - Krishna’s holy name. Then Acyutananda Swami said, well someone is born in a brahmana family or a lower family according to his past pious and sinful activities but you just admitted that Krishna’s holy name is more powerful than any sinful activities. And so those sinful reactions that caused our so called lower birth have been eradicated.There is a verse in the Third canto that those who chant the holy name are immediately eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices. In other words they are immediately accepted to be brahmans.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15437

Walking around Mayapur (Album 66 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krishna, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.25.33 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/OqVKMp

Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion and Understanding,Seberang Jaya,Penang. (Album 12 photos)
Grand Opening Ceremony on 29 August 2015.
See them here: http://goo.gl/0g3yPg

Harinama in Melbourne (Album 31 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krishna, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacaris and grhastas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.21.45-47 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/NlvF5f

New Book - Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami’s Chaitanya-Charitamrita Compact
Throughout cosmic history, Krishna periodically descends to Earth and reveals knowledge of the eternal reality. He re-establishes genuine spirituality and teaches the practical means to develop God consciousness. In 1486, Krishna appeared as Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. While a renaissance of philosophical and theological thought was going on in the world, Shri Chaitanya ushered in a spiritual revolution through His personal interactions, philosophical discourses and most importantly His joyous public chanting and dancing. He established a process of God consciousness that was open to everyone regardless of caste, colour or creed. He went beyond ritualistic worship, dry philosophising, and materialistic piety, instead emphasising the very essence of religion – unmotivated and unconditional love of God.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/PUwEru

ISKCON Delhi all set to add two new exhibits to its Vedic Museum
The Vedic Museum at ISKCON Delhi is all set to add several different sections, each with their own absorbing journeys into the stories and philosophy of the ancient Vedic literature. Digital surround sound, lighting effects, fog machines and a triple-screen video complete the experience. Today, 2,000 to 2,500 people, mostly tourists from all over India, visit the Expo daily during the peak months of May and June. Young people who are usually more interested in their smartphones and iPads than in Vedic knowledge are very impressed when they see it depicted using modern technology.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/rPYaDA

The post February 8th, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Lord Ramchandra Illustrious Pastimes Day 3 Sundar Kanda II

Salagram-Sila appears at New Vrindaban

by Henry Doktorski (Hrishikesh dasa)

During May 1977, the first Salagram-Sila appeared at New Vrindaban. Salagram-Sila is a Vaisnava murti in the form of a spherical, usually black-colored stone found in the sacred river Gandaki, a tributary of the Ganges and one of the major rivers of Nepal and India. Geologists believe the river is older than the Himalayas; as tectonic activity forced the mountains higher, the river has cut through the uplift to maintain its course.

Salagram-Sila stones are naturally formed, with circular or spiral markings and are found in particular kinds of ocean sediments, which have been uplifted to the top of the Himalayas. The word Sila translates simply to “stone” and Salagram is a name of Visnu. The origin of the name is traced to a remote village in Nepal where Visnu is known by the name of Salagraman.

The Silas are worshipped as manifestations of Visnu Himself, identifiable from other stones by special markings believed to resemble Visnu’s paraphernalia such as mace, conch, lotus and disc. Nrsimhadeva, Varahadeva and Vamanadeva are popular forms of worship. They are either black, red, or mixed in color and are usually kept closed in a box and are only brought out for daily worship (puja). Traditionally Silas are acquired by heredity and are passed down through many generations, never being purchased or sold.

According to Vaisnava belief, the worshipper of a Salagram-Sila must adhere to strict rules, such as not touching the Salagram without bathing, never placing the Salagram on the ground, eating only prasadam, and not indulging in bad practices.

The [June 1977 issue of the] Brijabasi Spirit reported about the acquisition of the silas for New Vrindaban:

More than a year ago, we read in Caitanya-Caritamrita that Srila Prabhupada desired to introduce Salagram-Sila worship in the West. He said at the time this worship of Salagram was not going on, but that soon it would be established as a regular function of every ISKCON temple. Last month in New Vrindaban, Prabhupada’s desire became manifest as Salagram-Sila appeared on the altar of Sri Sri Radha-Vrindaban Candra.

All the members of the community were very much excited about the Lord’s arrival. When He appeared on the altar for the first time, His smiling face bestowing benedictions upon all His devotees, everyone’s expectations were more than satisfied. The Lord’s beauty is without comparison to anything in the material world. Simply by seeing His transcendental form one loses all desire to see anything else. As stated in the second chapter of Bhagavad-Gita, param drstva nirvartate: by experiencing a higher taste one gives up his attraction for sense objects. . . .

Kirtanananda Maharaja placed Kuladri dasa in charge of serving Salagram, and this has turned out to be a full-time engagement for Kuladri. . . . We have two Salagrams residing on Radha-Vrindaban Candra’s altar, each seated on His own throne. Their characteristics have been identified as being those of Sri Hiranyagarbha and Sri Sudarsana. Unlike the Deity form, in which Krishna enters upon the request of the Acarya, Salagram-Sila is and always was Krishna, with or without installation.

There is a special river high in the Himalayas from which Salagrams appear. One must enter the water and after chanting special mantras one calls loudly the name of the particular Salagram-Sila he desires to worship. Each Salagram-Sila has distinct characteristics identifiable by brahmanas expert in the science. This is the method of acquisition as related to us by one of our senior godbrothers presently residing in India.

The author was a resident of New Vrindaban from 1978 until 1994.

Kayla Mueller, the american woman held by ISIS, had worked for two weeks for the Sandipani Muni School in Vrindavana.
Kayla Mueller: “I find God in the suffering eyes reflected in mine. If this is how you are revealed to me, this is how I will forever seek you.”

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 March 2013, Mayapur, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.30.17)

The other day, I was reading some quotes of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and they are still fresh in my mind so they are coming out on this day. He was describing how one of his disciples had spent his life savings to built this beautiful temple in Calcutta. Then Srila Bhaktisiddhanta continued and said, “Yes, this temple, made of cement and bricks is not the real temple. The real temple must be made in the heart.”

The heart must be made into the real temple and then he said that in order to achieve this, many books will have to be written. So Prabhupada did that!  Many books were written and now, of course, many books must be distributed because this knowledge of the Bhagavata; this knowledge of Bhagavan, how to serve the Supreme Lord, that must be spread all over the world.

"All the other impu­ri­ties of the Vais­nava are con­sid­ered nul­li­fied if he takes to chant­ing Hare Krishna mantra in earnest. So the glo­ries of the holy name free one from all the short­com­ings remain­ing or still present offenses are con­sid­ered nul­li­fied for the per­son who holds them. Finding fault with the chanter of the holy name is the great­est of all the offenses."

From Viraha Bhavan #156
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

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