Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Bhakti Yoga and Vegetarian Cooking Retreat at Hare Krishna Valley, Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a town in Victoria, Australia.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/KMaEgk
How to maintain appreciation for devotional gifts and what does it mean that the practice of bhakti manifests all good qualities.
The post Conversation appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
The TOVP World Tour 2015-2016
A special TOVP World Tour is now being organized, carrying with it Lord Nityananda Prabhu from The Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir in the form of His divine shoes, accompanied by His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Swami, His Grace Jananivas prabhu, His Grace Radha Jivan prabhu, and His Grace Vraja Vilas prabhu.
TOVP Chairman Ambarisa prabhu will also be present at some of the programs.
The Tour will begin Spring 2015 in North America from April through July.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/N14iMK
Bhagavad Gita – Karma Yoga (Chapters 1-6)
Bhagavad Gita – Karma Yoga (Chapters 1-6). The time is 5000 years ago; the place: Kuruksetra; the circumstance: the biggest battle the world has ever known. So the stage is set, and Lord Krishna has arranged a most dramatic build-up so everyone’s attention is on what happens next. And when all eyes and ears are ready, Lord Krishna arranges that an intimate friend falls under the influence of His internal energy to act as a conditioned soul, bewildered by the most basic questions: ‘Who am I?’ ‘What am I meant to do?’ Lord Krishna , in response, explains to Arjuna the process of yoga and the basic transcendental knowledge needed to act in spiritual consciousness.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/SbJw6n
ISKCON-guru Giriraja Swami speaks about the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium and the astounding thing Srila Prabhupada said to him about what would happen if we build this temple.
The post The TOVP World Tour 2015-2016 appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
His Holiness Giriraja Swami speaks about the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium and the astounding thing Srila Prabhupada said to him about what would happen if we build this temple.
The post “If you build this temple in Mayapur….” appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Sunday Feast One Spark of Krishna’s Opulence – Jayadvaita Swami Maharaj BG10.42
Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:
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Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:
Who can understand Krsna? Who can understand that there is a personality behind all these unlimited energies? Who can understand that there is not only one universe, but that there are many universes and that all these universes are emanating from the Supreme Lord? Who can understand that Krsna has unlimited qualities? Although he is a person, he is by no means limited, but rather his qualities have no end. The devotee spends eternity in exploring these qualities of Krsna, discovering them and becoming enlivened by them. All Krsna’s qualities are wonderful and bring so much insiration! Wonderful Krsna!Krsna is not dry, not boring. He is not working. There are unlimited energies emanating from Krsna, but Krsna has no work to perform. Krsna is the Supreme Controller, but Krsna does not need to push buttons or pull strings to control things. Things are simply going on by his desire and he himself is engaged in unlimited blissful pleasure pastimes. That is Krsna!
The devotees are seeing and appreciating all these unlimited qualities of Krsna. Therefore, the devotees glorify Krsna. That is their business.
Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:
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The film about Krishna consciousness was the winner of the Moscow Film Festival
At the prestigious Moscow Film Festival took third place film about Krishna consciousness . “Long-lost” - twenty-five minute short about a young man in search of Truth meets Krishna consciousness.
The film became popular in the Russian Film Festival and other international festivals. The Russian Film Festival in Moscow “I see God”, the audience gave the film “long lost” the third place of the 65-year-submitted pictures. In all the movies of their authors have tried to convey his understanding of God.
“Long-lost” was also approved by the London Film Academy. October 31 he demonstrated at the British Film Institute, along with other short films. The film is dedicated to the proposed for display at the prestigious American Film Festival in Utah. And if it approves of the jury, then from January 22 to February 1, 2015 the film will be shown at the festival.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/MWUQG5
Wanted Dancers, Actors, Singers!
For the Spectacular 40th Anniversary of the Krishna Balarama Mandir Grand Opening
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/YZIEuL
The latest collections by award-winning fashion designer and Krishna devotee Mandali Mendrilla, inspired by her path of devotion, have been featured in the February issue of British Vogue magazine. The magazine’s staff told Mandali that they felt her beautiful contemporary designs would be a perfect fit for their customers.
A study reveals that curcumi may provide what the authors describe as an "effective therapeutic strategy to reverse age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction."
Neuroscientist Sara Lazar's amazing brain scans show meditation can actually change the size of key regions of our brain, improving our memory and making us more empathetic, compassionate, and resilient under stress.
The world believes that Newton was the first to discover the law of gravity. You will be surprised to known that the theory of gravitation was created 1,200 years before Newton by an Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya.
Pierre Edel - vocals, guitars, bass
Daria Fisher - vocals, violin
Dmitry Zelensky - drums
The post January 22nd, 2015 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.
The post Without surrendering to Krsna our chances of liberation are those of a snowball’s chances in hell appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Darshan Guru Puja Radha London-isvara
Our final week’s challenge (at least for a now): Who is this Brijabasi?
Bonus challenge: What’s the occasion connected with this photo?
What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook page.
One of the sweetest festivals of the year Nityananda Trayodasi (appearance day) will fall on Sunday, February 1st! A warm invitation goes out to you and your family to join us as we celebrate the advent (appearance) of Lord Nityananda.
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17 during a program at the home of Gopal Acharya dasa.
“We heard the wonderful descriptions of Mukhara mataji, how she had awakened to her eternal identity and her eternal service to Radha and Krishna. We all can experience the same result if we follow the same method with the same spirit. Even though our forms will be different in the spiritual world, Srila Prabhupada said we will recognize the people we knew in the material world. So, this is also very encouraging We will be reunited in kirtan and seva. That is achieved primarily through the chanting of the Holy Names —Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”
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Home Program in Nigdi, Pune
Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:
Download by "right-click and save content"
Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:
Download by "right-click and save content"
Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:
Download by "right-click and save content"
Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:
Download by "right-click and save content"
Gita Verse-by-verse Study Podcast:
Download by "right-click and save content"
Śrī Kapila Deva gives a wonderful summary of the most important rules (yama) and regulations (niyama) in Śrī Bhāgavata Mahā-purāṇa (3.28.2~5). These are exactly compatible, by the way, with Patāñjalī’s presentation of the same.
Everyone in the world seems to have something we don’t, some opportunity we wish we had, some asset we can only dream of. Learn to say, “So what? They deserve it. Let them have it. I have what I deserve, and I have what I need.” If we can’t learn to feel this way, we will (a) never be satisfied with anything we have, any situation, and (b) we will neglect to tend to the things, people, and situations we are responsible for tending to. “A” causes material desires to multiple, and “B” does the same by nourishing self-centeredness and ignorance of our duties.
This principle supports the previous. It is by destiny that we have what we have and don’t have the opportunities that we don’t have. Be satisfied with it, tolerate your dissatisfaction with it. If you don’t you will get sucked into never-ending work trying to adjust and readjust your situation, and sucked into the hopeless, resource devouring war against the universe (destiny).
This describes the proper attitude towards living beings. We have to be respectful, all the time. If we are not, we nourish our self-absorption. We express the respect differently towards different people. We can express it most fully towards beings who are the least selfish. So towards those who have realized their true selves, and who are therefore humble and spiritually aware, we can fully express our respect. We can express respect in different ways to other people, being helpful. At the very least, even towards poisonous snakes and insects, we should make all efforts not to harm them. (Though if such creatures attack those it is our responsibility to protect, that principle takes precedence).
This could mean many things. In essence it means not “hanging out” with people who are totally into mundane sense-gratification. Hanging out (means “recreation”) with them will only cause us to also begin to value mundane sense-gratification. That’s the niyama. The yama is to try to hang out with spiritually minded people. This sort of recreation means enjoying the glorification of Krishna, and discussion of spiritual philosophy and the service of saintly people.
Vegetarianism is implied, and healthy, simple food is implied.
Hardly needs a comment.
This goes along the lines of “eat pure, and not too much.” Minimizing our needs and simplifying our life, and getting rid of unnecessary things gets tons and tons of mental and emotional baggage out of our minds, make it much, much easier to meditate effectively.
Sorry folks, this is important. Hate to say it since I am blogging right now, but the internet is not a “secluded, peaceful place.” We could move to the top of a mountain, but with the internet on our iPhone it would still not be a secluded, peaceful place. In contrast living in Manhattan without the internet, television, radio, or newspaper would be far, far, far more secluded and peaceful.
It’s not just “service, service, service.” Service is one of the important principles. Another important principle is to study. Aid the study by being clean and organized, especially when and where you study. Aid the study also by keeping your mind sharp. Celibacy sharpens the mind when done intelligently. “Unintelligent celibacy” means trying to stretch it longer than is reasonable for you as an individual. Bhāgavatam is clear (3.12.42-43) that each of the four personality types takes to each of the four spiritual lifestyles in their own capacity. For most people vows of celibacy should be quite short and reasonable, otherwise it becomes more of a distraction than an aid to ones focus on study. Short periods of celibacy can be repeated, this is more effective for the common man in kali-yuga. Those who are actually qualified self-motivated entrepreneurs (vaiṣya) can take this principle for a longer period (like a year). Those who are qualified leaders (kṣatriya) can take it for as long as it takes to finish the study. Those who are qualified intellectuals (brahmana) can take it forever.
This reveals something important. If the brahmana takes brahmacarya (celibacy) forever, how would there ever be any brahmana children? Therefore it is obvious that the brahmacarya principle does not need to mean absolute celibacy. Procreation certainly does not violate brahmacarya. It can be argued that sex as a part of fulfilling ones responsibilities as a partner, husband, or wife also does not violate brahmacarya. But sex which is initiated by ones own desire, for the sake of ones own pleasure certainly violates any concept of brahmacarya. The brahmana should never participate in such. The kṣatriya should not participate in such while he or she is in the course of study (this means during the few years one is studying something to master it). The vaiṣya should discipline himself/herself so that at least it is limited within a year. The śudra should also disciple as far as possible, though even to go as long as a year is an unrealistic expectation. These principles do not refer to birth caste, but primarily to the emotional nature.
This means doing daily rituals that involve one in worshipping god. It doesn’t mean śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa bhakti. That is part of a higer principle, here we are simply discussing yama, niyama. Bhakti sādhana proper begins with dhyāna (focusing on Hari’s līlā by hearing, chanting and remembering)… see 3.28.11
Again, its a little embarrassing to write about this on an internet blog.
Especially after just having written something that is sure to make waves (among ISKCON readers who stumble on this page without the context of brahmacarya as a niyama of aṣṭāṅga-yoga.)
But this illustrates why its good to be silent. If you’re not, you get pulled into arguments, debates and discussions that only fill your mind will emotional and intellectual refuse which make it hard to cultivate any real meditations.
