Planet ISKCON

Great and young kirtaniya Rasika Nam prabhu (Roman Shkirya) has left us.
See the gallery and amazing video here: http://goo.gl/sjkBb1

Parikrama Day 3 (Album 208 photos)
Today the Parikrama headed to Madhyadvipa, the island of Smaranam ( remembering). The fisrt Holy place visited was Hamsa Vahana, where the devotees prayied for eagerness toLord Shiva. Then the Parikrama reached Naimisaranya where Guru Puja was held followed by speeches by HGPankajanghri Prabhu, HH Vigna Vinas Narasimha Swami. The highest peak of the day was the Maha Harinam at Navadwipa town ( Koladvipa) led by HH Sacinandana Swami,followed by a wonderful visit to Dhameswara Mahaprabhu. There Agnidev Prabhu led the devotees in an ocean of sweet kirtans.
See them here: http://goo.gl/Ttgqp3

Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HH Sivarama Swami
“The conditioned soul has desires and the Supreme Soul fulfills them.” I have a desire to lift my arm and Supersoul fulfills that desire. But He is also the permitter. That means that He is not obliged to lift my arm. He is not obliged to move the senses so that my arms actually..…my muscles, so that my arms can lift up. And so what determines that someone can lift their arms and some else cant? And then that will be the karma. So you have your free will, oh yes, I want to do something. And then the Supersoul takes that into consideration, and says this person deserves to lift his arm.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15746

Hare Krishna! From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir: HH Candramauli Swami
It is explained that there are six enemies of the conditioned soul: lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride, and envy. Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that in anger, lust is there. In greed, lust and anger are there. In illusion, lust, anger, and greed are there. In pride, lust, anger, greed, and illusion are there. In envy, you get the whole package. So Daksa, also, was affected by envy. But at the same time, he was so proud. Because he had so many good qualifications. He did not understand the principle of how to honor a great personality. Because he got so much respect, honor, and attention, and had so many good qualities, he committed an offense to a great soul.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15742

Hare Krishna! Sita Devi’s Inner Harmony
Sita Devi’s example shows that one who acts according to God’s desire is peaceful and has harmonious relationships, regardless of circumstances. Sita Devi exhibits her inner harmony throughout her ordeal, whether she’s hearing of her husband’s fourteen-year banishment to the forest, being abducted and imprisoned by Ravana, or being reunited with Lord Rama.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15738

Mayapura Bhagavatam Class.

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Beautiful gallery about the shooting of the new “Acharya” film, Srila Prabhupada’s biogaphy. India Reenactment Shoot, Behind The Scenes and Archival Shots Of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
See them here: http://goo.gl/XJOvgQ

https://flic.kr/s/aHsk89GaVR

The post Scenes from Gurukula Parikrama to Godrumadvipa appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama Day 2 (Album 64 photos)
Gauranga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very Very special day. Agnidev prabhu sang Boro Sukhe Gabor gai at Surabhi Kunj leading amazing kirtan. The devotees stood up and danced in ecstasy! HH Jayapataka Maharaj delivered amazing talk full of ecstatic love for Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
See them here: http://goo.gl/KPhnGu

The post February 24th, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Mayapur, India


Firm Feet


My legs are well looked after.  A brahmacari (monk) from Ujain, gives daily massages before the night's rest.  Normally I get a decent reflexology session by walking the uneven terrain (not today unfortunately).  I keep ankles and feet covered with thick socks during sitting times.  Mosquitoes look at your ankles like succulent drum-sticks.  It is also doctor's recommendation to have my legs above the level of my head.  So I kick those lower limbs up to where two walls meet allowing my blood to flow down.  Apparently this is a way to treat varicose veins.  Tiny as they are, they are a part of my karmic reality. 

It is important to get a good footing in life.  To do so, you should identify with your natural dharma, your natural psycho-physical nature and engage yourself accordingly.

I was sitting with two people I much admire - Anuttama and Jayananda both from DC - and we were talking just briefly about two passions.  I mentioned about my love for walking and also my love for working with youth and engaging them in drama.

Anuttama is a good teacher.  He's in his element.  He delivers classes in spiritual leadership.  He does it well.  Jayananda is a teacher in the area of puja (rituals for the deities).  They are both very grounded - kind of people because they are engaged according to their own propensity.

Find a good footing in life and balance like two feet, your spiritual and material endeavours.

May the Source be with you!

3 KM

Mayapur, India

Holy Holy Holy is His Name


A sincere friend from London, Canada forwarded an excerpt from John Michael Talbot, founder of a monastic religious community.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
And my spirit exalts in God my Saviour
For He has looked with mercy on my lowliness
And my name will be forever exalted
For the mighty God has done great things for me
And His mercy will reach from age to age

And holy, holy, holy is His name."

Here resonates a massage that transcends the borders of religious denomination.  This is an across-the-board reality expressed by one evolved soul.

Along these lines, chanting sacred sound did take the prominent seat on Mayapur grounds.  In what is called "The Panca Tattva Hall" the final day of a five-day sacred sound extravaganza played itself out.  Personally I found myself caught up in the kirtan frenzy and so did others.  We were chanting and dancing almost as if intoxicated.  At one point I was hoisted and put to crowd-surfing.  When it was time for what I considered was my expiry I tried to make an exit, but a group of these young men formed a fun-loving human barricade.  Then to make matters more challenging the act of shutting the doors to block me demonstrated their determination.  The compromise was that they take up again the swami in the air and bring him to his room!  The frivolity took no less than forty men to go three blocks and up three levels of stairs where to come to my doorstep at 504 Gada Building just minutes before midnight.

All done in good fun!

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Mayapur, India

Just That Place


Mayapur is just that place where you meet old acquaintances and anticipating that even new ones to become lasting friendship connections.  Everyone here is a pilgrim in residence or have come from afar.  You meet Aussies, Indians, Yankees, Canucks (Canadians), Ruskies, Euros, Africans, Spaniards, Chinese, everything that represents the globe.

After all, it is an international centre which draws people of the bhakti line.  I wouldn't exactly call it the place for spiritual seekers because those who are visitors have actually found what they are looking for.  It's Krishna!

When pacing up and down along the veranda, I pass by a room of brahmacharis (monks) who were listening to a recording of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.  The message was, "Sri Chaitanya is teaching you how to love Krishna!"

That message just about sums up the reason for Mayapur existing.  It is in this place that Sri Chaitanya began His mission.  He was born just down the road, was raised here, and roamed the pathways in the area.  How sacred are these grounds that benedicts the earth!  And as there are many such tirthas (sacred spaces) that are identified by people of distinctive spiritual traditions around the world, we the Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu) hold sacred to our hearts this vicinity of Gaudadesh and Mayapur as the domain where one becomes purged.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Mayapur, India
Be Smart About Your Spiritual Fervour

It is quite astonishing to hear of another death today.  However you measure this one, auspicious or not for a relatively small town the frequency seems high.
This time it was a young man from the famed Krishna place called Vrindavan.  He and colleagues went for a sacred bath in the Ganges.  He stepped into an area which was not an official safe bathing location, slipped into a truly slippery slope, vanished into the water and was not seen from there on.  

It was around 7 pm when I heard of the loss of life from one of the swamis from India.  Nava Yogendra Swami informed me that one of his students standing next to him was there at the scene of the incident.  He tried to dive and swim for the victim's whereabouts, for a rescue but his efforts went in vain.
The young man who attempted the heroic feat and who was rather athletic-looking gave a look of regret, pain, and helplessness.
No one actually gave a name to the drowned victim.  I made some inquiry but only found out that the boy didn't know how to swim.  On the one hand you have someone who left his body to the holy liberating waters of Mother Ganga.  On the other hand it would seem quite unfortunate to have lived a short life.  Bless the young man who's death wasn't even mentioned by name at morning announcements in the large temple although notification was given at the kirtan wrap-up messages in the evening.
What to learn from this?  Perhaps, one should not get carried away in one's spiritual fervour to the point where your smarts have gone for a nap.  That's hard to make such a remark but these things are going on.
May the Source be with you!
5 KM

Mayapur, India

Lesson On Life


Phil's dad came from Canada to see his son.  Also from Quebec, to be more specific, is Michelle.  Both Luke and Michelle happened to visit India for their first time.

Their arrival was timely for more than one reason.  Yesterday was day one of the Kirtan Mela, the chanting fest.  Pilgrims from around the world, have come to indulge in what is usually an unforgettable event.  The couple had come to peak, out of interest, the portion where I took the lead in singing but also in dancing.  The half-hour slot I was given, turned out to be a dance lesson in as much as singing (it had been a year's wait for this opportunity).

For Luke and Michelle it had also become their first exposure to a cremation.  Just as one of the very saintly women from Mayapur, Manarupa, had passed away yesterday and was cremated, a second person, Gnanagamya, a friend of mine from the USA, also departed today.  That came as a surprise to the community.  Cancer had taken his life, and now residents took full advantage of sending him off.

Here again I was to lead the chant, and in the procession.  The couple from Canada, and even I - had come to witness the cremation.  It was a first for me as well, seeing it all in the raw format as opposed to the sophisticated arrangement of the West.  It was quite the eye-opener as the sun began to decline behind the horizon at the Ganges.  As Phil said, "A lesson on life" was observed.

Can one be consoled from the experience such as this?  We just need to recall the Gita’s message that we are not these bodies.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

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Nashik was the abode of Lord Rama during His 14 years in exile and one of the most popular places of pilgrimage in present day India. The beautiful Pancavati forest once covered the entire area. Nashik is located on the banks of the sacred Godavari river and is one of 4 cities where the famous [...]

On the surface, the First Chapter of Canto Four of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam reads something like one of those books of the Old Testament, “Ruth begot So and So… So and So begot So and So.” But if we translate the names of the “So and Sos” in this chapter, amazing things happen.

I’ll show you one example in the first seven ślokas of the Chapter.

Hundred-beauty’d Śatarūpā gave Manu three daughters, who are famous by the names Desire (Ākūti), Invoker of Divinity (Devahūti) and Procreator (Prasūti). With his wife’s approval Manu wed his daughter, Desire (Ākūti), to the sage named Wish (Ruci) on the condition that Manu and his wife would raise the boy as their own son.

Ruci was a blessed progenitor with great spiritual realization. In an exalted trance, he produced twins with Ākūti: a boy named Effort (Yajña) who was Viṣṇu himself taking his own form, and a girl named Gift (Dakṣiṇā), an expansion of Goddess Bhū, Viṣṇu’s inseparable consort. [Thus wishes and desires can be fulfilled by ones efforts and by the kind gifts of others.]

Our wishes and desires are fulfilled by a combination of sādhana and kṛpā, effort and mercy. That is shown by Desire (Ākūti) and Wish (Ruci) producing Efforts (Yajña) and Gifts (Dakṣiṇā).

[A typical translation of Yajña is “sacrifice” but sacrifice is an effort to fulfill a wish (“I want a son or whatever, so I perform this or that Yajña”). Therefore I’m going straight to the bottom line and translating it as “effort.”]

Manu was delighted to bring his daughter’s extremely brilliant son into his own home. Ruci was delighted to keep the girl. Raised separately and bearing immutable, eternal love for each other, All-Attractive Yajña later married Dakṣiṇā. The two of them, Efforts and Gifts, were delighted to produce twelve children, collectively known as the Children of Delight, embodying the twelve effects of fulfilling ones desires and wishes through efforts and gifts: Satisfaction (Toṣa), Delight, (Pratoṣa), Content (Santoṣa), Generousity (Bhadra), Calm (Śānti), Refreshment (Iḍaspati), Inspiration (Idhma), Experience (Kavi), Mastery (Vibhu), Paradise (Svahna), Enlightening (Sudeva), and Luminous (Rocana).

We have desires and wishes, we fulfill them through effort and gifts, then what happens? Then we experience 12 states. Each state is successively more elevated, and comes by fulfilling ones desires and wishes with successively more exalted efforts and gifts.

The simplest result of fulfilling desire is (1) Satisfaction – its like scratching an itch, it stops bothering us for the time being.

A more exalted result is (2) Delight – its more than just filling a need or addressing a problem (scratching an itch), its a positive experience of pleasure. When this occurs, we may be able to rise to a higher level and become (3) Content. This means that the pleasure will be significant enough to eclipse the distractions we normally experience from the other competing desires and wishes in our minds. We experience Content when the pleasure is significant enough to absorb our whole concentration.

Then we can come to a still more exalted platform called (4) Generous (Bhadra). When we experience pleasure and cease to experience want, we attain this stage, where we feel generous. We experience a surplus of pleasure, so we attain the level of wanting to share it.

Directing our attention towards sharing pleasure, our own desires and wishes subside more permanently. This is called (5) Calm (Śānti). When we become truly Calm, then we begin to feel (6) Refreshed (Iḍaspati). We get energy naturally because we are not wasting it. By giving energy / happiness to others we are investing it into loops which cycle back to us. So we feel very easily refreshed.

After Refreshment comes (7) Inspiration (Idhma). We will want to continue to make the efforts and receive the gifts that lead us through Satisfaction, Delight, Contentment, Generosity Calm, and Refreshment.

The more we make such inspired efforts and receive such gifts, the more (8) Expert and Experienced we become in the arts of fulfilling Desires and Wishes. This expertise is the stage called Kavi. When this expertise advances still further it becomes (9) Mastery (Vibhu). Vibhu also means “pervasive” so the implication is that we learn to satisfy our desires more pervasively by finding their roots. When we are childish about it we simply try to fulfill whatever desire catches our attention, but as expertise becomes mastery we learn that there is a hierarchy of desire – some desires are built on others, leading down towards a single root desire, fulfilling which fulfills all those which stem from it.

When Mastery becomes significantly exalted it attains the state of (10) Paradise (Svahna) – it becomes like living in Paradise. Then, if we become still more expert, deep and pervasive in our efforts to recieve the gifts of fulfilled desires, we can finally come to understand the ultimate root of all desire: which is Sudeva,  the “happiness of consciousness” – directly implying bhakti/love (su-) for Bhagavān/ The divine beloved (deva). Realizing this we attain the stage of (11) Englightenment (Sudeva)

Attaining this stage, we become self-luminous and self-satisfying, for love itself becomes one with us. This is the ultimate stage, (12) Luminousity (Rocana).

Its very interesting that this sequence of 12 stages shows a Tantric path, in the sense that it demonstrates that enlightenment and self-realization is possible through fulfilling desires and wishes with efforts and gifts. The Veda does not at all propose renunciation as the only path to enlightenment, but the end results of all paths to enlightenment cause renunciation as a natural side effect (in other words one experiences satisfaction so deep that one stops looking for other sources of satisfaction). Thus renunciation is an effect of all spiritual paths, but not at all a requisite for most of them.

Tagged: Bhāgavatam, Desires, Pleasure, Satisfaction, Veda

—————————————————-
First Initiation

Mauritius
Rajeev Envadoo – Arjuna Sakha dasa
Amita Putoo – Ananda Gopika dasi
Gaitree Seemungtoo – Gokulesvari dasi
Meera Lokonoparano – Mukhara dasi
Sunitha Caussey – Malini dasi

Durban
Amit Ramjee – Acarya Srinivasa dasa
Carmin Ramjee – Govinda-mohini dasi
Chandrika Kassie – Candramukhi dasi
Reshina Sheodass – Rasika dasi

Vrindavan
Suhas Rawale – Subala dasa

Second Initiation

Durban
Sudama dasa

Mauritius
Arjuna Sakha dasa (Rajeev)
Vaisnava dasa
Gokulesvari dasi (Gaitree)
Kamala dasi
Lalita Sakhi dasi
Sundari dasi

“Ultimately Krishna wants to hear some love within our chanting. He wants to hear our heart. He is not really interested to hear some material mumbling. Krishna wants to hear the call of our heart. Therefore the definition of this last offense is that somebody who is chanting without priti—without paying attention, without giving importance to chanting, without understanding that this is the most important thing I can do—he is adharma, the lowest of mankind. And, if you give importance to the chanting it is not difficult to chant all the time. If something is really important to you you will do it all the time without any trouble. If the child is important to the mother she will take care of it twenty four hours a day. It is not that she will just take care for one and a half hours while looking at her watch and then think. ‘That is it, now the rest of the day is mine to enjoy.’ The point is not sixteen rounds, the point is to give importance to this process. The point is to put your heart into this process. Then the offences will not be there. Unless we really put our heart into this process and do it in the proper mood, then our chanting will be offensive and will not bring satisfaction then we will have to look for satisfaction somewhere else.”

—Bhakti Vijana Goswami Maharaja

———————————————–
Bhakti Vijana Goswami
Giriraj Swami
Name Giving Ceremony

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 October 2014, Sydney, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.43)

It is a blessing to have some good karma. It is a blessing to be detached. It saves you a lot of trouble. It is a shortcut. Such piety is valuable but then we come to the blessings of bhakti – bhakty-unmukhī sukṛti (Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.45 Purport). The blessings of bhakti are amazing! They are amazing because the blessings of bhakti may naturally make us take to Krsna so easily!

I was in Germany, sharing a room with Bhakti Bhusana Swami. Bhakti Bhusana Swami is a devotee who joined this movement in its very early stages in Germany, at the very beginning. Basically what happened was that Krsna Consciousness started in America and then it came to Europe…

First, there was one devotee named Sivananda. First, he went to Amsterdam but he could not find a place to stay. He should have asked me. I would have let him stay (laughter). Anyway, could not find a place to stay so he went to Germany. Then in Germany he started it all by himself. Kirtan on the street with some kartals, that was all. He had some kartals and he had a few Back to Godhead magazines that he had brought from America. So this boy came up to him and he was interested and he took a magazine. He read the magazine and the next day, he came back and he joined and he later became Bhakti Bhusana Swami!

How can you join by reading a magazine!? How can you do it? I mean, I could never do that. I did not get involved in that way. I went, “Hmmm…”

I read the books, “Well, that makes sense.”

Then I looked at the Hare Krishnas, “Those guys… oh my God. They look too far out. I mean, I do not want my name connected to them.”

I did not even want to show people that I was interested in the Bhagavad-gita because in case they might think I am connected with those extra-terrestrials (laughter). I really did not want to be seen with anybody that was connected to them, what to speak of being seen with them directly. I was careful. But anyway, gradually, it happened. But here is a person (Bhakti Bhusana Swami), on the first day he got a magazine, he read it and he just joined!

I asked him, “Maharaj, tell me, how could you do that? How could you just join?”
He said, “I have always been like that. When I was convinced that something was true, I just did it!”

This is bhakty-unmukhī sukṛti. This is piety from devotional service in the last life. Therefore, immediately he knew it. This is it. There was no doubt, he just did it. But we are impious, like in my case, you think like, “Well, um… I do not know. I am not sure.” Then we first have to dice and slice and mentally analyse things and weigh all the consequences, “But if I do this, what will happen to my life?” In this way, it can take a long time. “I am comfortable where I am and do I really want to give that up? Not so sure about that…” Such thoughts kept me back. But then, we see how previous devotional service can give us conviction.

Therefore, the power of bhakti is that we recognize the truth in our next life. We recognize the truth immediately! We get lifted above our small mindedness – durātmā. It is mentioned here that Prahlad was very broad-minded. A devotee becomes very broad-minded. Srila Prabhupada explains in the introduction to the Caitanya Caritamrta that spiritual life is like taking off in a plane and as you go up, all the things that you are leaving behind, they become small. So it is like that, all the material things we leave behind, they become small as we go up in devotional service. So like this, all those things that were so important, lose their importance.

 

 

 

Srila Haridasa clasped his hands together. Eyes brimming with tears and voice choked in spiritual love, he began his reply in soft, gentle tones.

"Lord Krsna's name is cintamani, formed of eternal and transcendental touchstone. Just as a touchstone yields all desirable objects, so the touchstone of Krsna's holy name gives religiosity, wealth, sense pleasure and liberation to a materialistic person. To a surrendered devotee, it offers pure love of Krsna."

Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast

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Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

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Acharya - Official Trailer 2015 (3 min video)
ACHARYA, The Life and Legacy of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Directed by Yadubara Das,
Due for release September 17th, 2015
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/4TGtxk

Lecture Podcast:

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Lecture Podcast:

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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 [...]

Holy Name Meditation Podcast:

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Death is painful...no doubt. It is more painful for the loved one's to see the person depart. The pain a loved one feels just at the time of death which is incalculable is the same amount if not bigger pain pure devotees and Krishna feels all the time for the conditioned souls when they are alive. This is the difference between ordinary man and an enlightened soul.  An enlightened soul sees that death is happening all around us and yet common man is not realizing this all important aspect of nature?

Why must we feel pain only during death or just before death? Why do we have to feel pain only if my loved ones die? When we see others depart, is it not a lesson God is teaching us to prepare for our own ultimate and untimely death? If we prepare nicely, there may be physical pain but not emotional and mental pain when our time comes. But despite so many fore warnings we hear all around us through media, scriptures and Guru...still practically everyone is thinking I will deal with it when my turn comes and in their free time desperately try to squeeze happiness either through family, friends, community, entertainment etc

So only when we feel the pain for beings around us when they are dying will we snap out of our illusion of enjoyment. Of course I am not suggesting going to depression as there is misery practically everywhere, however, this sort of mature empathy towards the suffering of other beings will make us sober, will make us realize how insignificant our attempts to enjoy are and that our only purpose, hope and optimism out of this misery is to take shelter of the Supreme Being Krishna.

As long as we continue to deny this truth omnipresent death, be blind to this truth, divert away from this truth by engaging in other activities, we cannot be happy in this world. Sobering up and finding a way to take shelter of Krishna is the only way we can be truly happy in this world!

Hare Krishna

Mayapur Kirtan Mela 2015 (Album 101 photos)
Here are some shots of the devotees chanting for Sri Panca Tattva’s pleasure. Nitai Gaura Premanande!
See them here: http://goo.gl/G2Btaq