Planet ISKCON

Col_Bk_Krishna_02_P_iskcondesiretree

With thanks to Dhamananda mataji  for her lovely service finding this pic on Desire Tree.

 

If you happen to be passing through or staying in Norwich, or visiting the North Norfolk coast, you may be interested to know that there is a lovely devotee cafe right in town.

I stumbled upon Lili Cafe one day when I walked by and noticed Srila Prabhupada’s books in the window.  I walked in and received a warm welcome from Vijay prabhu and Urmila mataji , had a lovely chat and delicious prasadam and they gave me information of Sunday evening meetings.  I was staying at the coast in late October and trains, one an hour, would have left me walking in the pitch dark alone when I returned.  But hopefully next time…

Do give the cafe a visit – it’s on Upper Goat Lane, just past the Queen of Hearts if you are walking from town.

Radhanath Swami Speaks at the London School of Economics
The talk had a visible impact on a large portion of the audience, many of which stayed behind after for book signing or a quick conversation. Moreover, with the amount of effort and people involved, it would seem that it was a sign of more initiatives to come here at the LSE, especially from students and students’ union societies. A quote from the night that was continually repeated by attendants afterwards acts as an ideal summary of the event; “’you can count how rich you are by the number of things you have that money can’t buy.”
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/INmHC9

Friday Harinama in Tel-Aviv, Israel (Album 111 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us a nice weapon for this age. The narayanastra, or weapon to drive away maya, is the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra in pursuance of the associates of Lord Caitanya, such as Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda, Gadadhara and Srivasa. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.11.1 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/UthGO4

Albert Einstein once said, “Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.” Today when the world is increasingly apprehensive of barbaric tyrants acquiring weapons of mass destruction, his statement seems more than prophetic. Unlike an axe that can maim a few, such weapons can massacre millions in moments.

Actually, Einstein’s bleak diagnosis came true in his own lifetime – and with his unintentional participation. He, due to fears that Hitler might develop atomic weapons first, wrote to the US President the letter that kick-started the Manhattan Project and led to the atomic devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is a tragic testimony to the hazardous nature of technological progress that the greatest insight of one of the greatest modern minds (Einstein’s discovery of the inter-convertibility of matter and energy) paved the way to one of the worst man-made modern disasters.

It is a tragic testimony to the hazardous nature of technological progress that the greatest insight of one of the greatest modern minds (Einstein’s discovery of the inter-convertibility of matter and energy) paved the way to one of the worst man-made modern disasters (Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

My point is certainly not to blame scientists or science or technological progress. My point is the same as was Einstein’s in his above quote – to highlight the danger of lopsided human progress, of sharpening the axe without reforming the criminal, of gaining increased outer control without gaining commensurate inner control. Martin Luther King Jr echoed, “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.”

“Spiritual power” refers here to the power that brings out humanity’s higher side and curbs and cures its lower side. Metaphorically speaking, spiritual power disarms and heals the axe-holder. The Bhagavad-gita (16.21) indicates that lust, anger and greed are three anti-spiritual inner forces that bring out the worst within people. That is, they make the axe-holder criminal and pathological. Under their spell, people abuse technology. For example, greed for absolute power made Hitler’s Nazis abuse technology to murder millions in the Holocaust.

Authentic spirituality counters the inner enemies by connecting us with our noble core, the soul, and also with the noblest being, God. Such spiritual connection centers on tangible inner transformation, not nominal religious affiliation. Nominal religionists are as vulnerable as everyone else to the inner enemies.

Transformational spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation enable us to realize the spiritual connectedness of all living beings and to relish higher fulfillment – fulfillment that empowers us to resist the lures of power and pleasure dangled by lust, anger and greed.

In recent times, humanity has invested enormous intellectual energy in developing technologically, but hardly any energy in developing spiritually. If we take up spiritual practices diligently and set positive examples of all-round human progress, we can stimulate a healthy chain reaction of similar holistic progress in society. Such balanced all-round progress alone can empower people to use technology for human well-being.

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“It is a new year ahead with renewed opportunities for service! The annual occasion of celebrating the Vyasa-puja of HH Kadamba Kanana Swami is approaching. The Vyasa-puja book, containing offerings from friends and disciples of Kadamba Kanana Swami, is a wonderful way in which we as a spiritual family can come together in glorification of the spiritual master. Now, you have the opportunity to put down in written form some of that mercy which has been collected over the past year. Now is your chance to share it with others by being included in our book of offerings.”

The deadline is Sunday, 22 February 2015. Don’t hesitate, start writing now.

Send your offering

 

Go here for all the Vyasa-puja downloads from previous years.

Christmas Kirtan & Prasadam Festival 2014 in Iskcon San Diego (Album 53 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual enlightenment is possible by the mercy of the spiritual energy of the Lord. The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is first addressed to the spiritual energy of the Lord, Hare. This spiritual energy acts when a living entity fully surrenders and accepts his position as an eternal servitor. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.9.6 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/h0b25B

Yesterday’s cold and foggy morning in Vrindavana, by Indradyumna Swami (Album 94 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When the chanting is performed offenselessly the Lord will automatically reveal Himself to the view of the chanter. The chanter, therefore, has to concentrate on hearing the vibration, and without extra endeavor on his part, the Lord will automatically appear. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.53 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/htfjlY

Christmas harinam in Byron ISKCON New Govardhana - Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari (Album 21 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is the easiest process of meditation in this age. As soon as one chants the Hare Krishna mantra, he sees the forms of Krishna, Rama and Their energies, and that is the perfect stage of trance. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.53 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/PaM0Ox

Harinama near Novokuznetskaya (a Moscow Metro station) (Album 42 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra one immediately concentrates on the sound vibration and thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord, and very quickly one is elevated to the position of samadhi, or trance.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.44 Purport)
See them here: http://goo.gl/YL6dBy

HG Ram Charan Dasa – CCM 19.145-146 23.12.2014

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A while back I sent out a survey. If you were one of the people who filled it out… Thanks! The response has been fantastic and the results have been really interesting (and  a little surprising also!) The survey revealed four main challenges that devotees are facing right now. Can you guess what they are? Comment […]

The post What are the Main Challenges Devotees Face Today? appeared first on Successful Vaisnavas - Personal Development for Hare Krishnas.

A while back I sent out a survey. If you were one of the people who filled it out… Thanks! The response has been fantastic and the results have been...

The post What are the Main Challenges Devotees Face Today? appeared first on Successful Vaisnavas.

"The sruti proclaims that by chanting the holy name of Hari, one experiences ecstatic bliss. Further, it is declared that the eternally liberated residents of the spiritual sky are always engaged in chanting the pure name."

Harinama Cintamani

A vacancy now exists for an editor for Vaisnava Connection Online: London temples.  I’ve been doing it since April 2012 and have very much enjoyed the service but am now getting a bit stale.

There is never any pressure and I have brought out issues as and when I had time.  However, I now have regular service locally which is enough for me.

You can read past issues at:

http://iskconlondon.mayapur.tv although of course you may prefer to do it differently  (I gathered the articles from online devotees mostly and wrote a few articles myself.)

If you would like further information about what is involved, please contact Antardwip Prabhu at Mayapur TV.  He has been very helpful and supportive when there was anything I was uncertain of and always given me encouragement that has helped me forward in my devotional life.

your servant

marion

Mark and Nikki’s initiation

On Sunday 7^th December 2014, Mark and Nikki, regular online devotees of London temples and who also run a devotee shop in Rochester, were initiated at Bhaktivedanta Manor by Radhanath Swami.  Their new names are Mukunda Kishore das and Nandini Rasika devi dasi.  Congratulations to you both!!

Hope you enjoy these photos, courtesy of Cit Shakti devi dasi:

Mukunda prabhu (with glasses) is just behind Manor devotee Jurgita in pink. Nandini mataji to his left, and then Cit Shakti mataji.

My God consciousness began in childhood; my first Guru, my mother, taught me to pray, my grandmother gave me the Holy Bible and I was confirmed Christian, then I trailed off and later became a hippie.

In the 70s a friend brought posters of Hanuman and Ghanesh from India, then another gave me a copy of Easy Journey to other Planets.  I read it, but found it hard to get my head around it.  I had done some Hatha Yoga and had a few lessons in Hindi, but had never heard of Bhakti Yoga.

Then in late 1986, I met a devotee at work, Radha dasi who I then knew as Rita.  She immediately befriended me and soon she invited me to her house.  Seeing a poster on the kitchen wall, I asked, ‘Which God is that?’  Her mother said that there was only one God, Krishna, and the rest were demigods.

I kept asking questions, asked what temple programmes were like and in Spring 1987 the family invited me to Gaudiya Math in Cricklewood, North London. I felt shy, but followed what everyone else was doing.  After prasadum, I was introduced to Paribrajak Maharaj.  Although I couldn’t understand every word of his English, I easily understood his meaning; he was putting into words what I had always, somewhere inside of me, known.  I had come home.

On the Guru’s Appearance day in June 1987  I remember smelling a fat pink rose – my first blunder as it hadn’t yet been offered to Krishna.  I was almost vegetarian already and stopped eating meat two months later – fish and eggs took a little longer.  I would go to various temples and festivals with my new second family, read the books, fast for Janmashtami, and slowly, slowly started to realise how much there was to learn.

When I moved to Nottingham I still went to festivals, but with less regular association it seemed so hard.  Surrounded by non-devotees and only occasionally going to a temple, I felt torn two ways. Eventually I told my friends and then, when I had been in KC 20 years, my family, that I was a Hare Krishna.  Responses varied, ‘Have you gone stark raving bonkers?’ silence, and ‘Oh well, Happy Hare Krishna’.  One friend fasted with me for Janmashtami, two came to Ratha Yatra, some asked questions and one made donations to ISKCON Leicester.

Sometimes over the years I found it so hard to follow Krishna Consciousness without enough association that I would cry out to Krishna, ‘How do you expect me to keep this up?  For God’s sake, I’m a human being!’  Well, EXACTLY!!  But once Krishna finds you, he never lets you go.

I didn’t discover Nottingham Nama Hatta for quite a while and when I did,  they met in areas dangerous for a lady alone at night on public transport.  I started going to Leicester occasionally but would rush off to catch my bus, missing prasadam, not having time to get to know devotees and stressing out about getting home.  When Antardwip and Krupesh prabhus (now Karunamoy Krsna das) told me about Mayapur TV’s Morning Programme it was literally a Godsend.  Association is paramount, and while my dear friend Radha is still very much there for me, patiently answering my questions, I now also wake up in the morning, switch on the computer and associate with others online.  It’s the best way I know to start the day!

Thanks to the increased online association I now go to programmes in Leicester, Harinam in Nottingham, London and other places, stay at the Manor quite often and go to devotional retreats and festivals whenever I can.  I serve at Govinda’s Notts and have done a little online service, veg prep, garland making, cleaning and a short spell at the Ahimsa Farm in Groby, Leics, mostly pulling up weeds and also getting to know the cows.  In July 2013 I was introduced to my spiritual master and started aspiring to him.  I don’t feel that this would have been possible without Mayapur TV – Mayapur TV ki jai!

A beautiful rendition of Jaya Radha Madhava / Hare Krishna by
Henry Doktorski III / Hrishikesh Dasa (10 min mp3 file)
Classical music arrangements and good sound quality.
Listen to it here: http://goo.gl/pdtx36

Brampton, Ontario

Cycles


What doesn’t go in cycles? 

Through the unusual weather that we’re having for the day before Christmas with its light drizzle and fog, I did loop my walking directions.  From the home of Rajneesh, where I stayed overnight on Meridian Drive, I did turn a right, then a right, then a right again, and another right, and just one more right, to be right back from where I started from.

I noticed on each loop that there was someone pulling out of the driveway in this residential neighbourhood.  People generally follow a daily pattern driving to work.  This assumption is a normal pattern.  Go to work!  Come back home.  Go to work.  Come back home.  It’s a cyclic performance.  On the weekend the destination could be the mall.  But you still wind up at the same place – home. 

Circles are an inevitable part of life, like the seasons.  Time brings us to a full 360 degrees through 365 days, full circle from December the 21^st of the last year, we have done one complete round.  Life is all about wheels in motions.  Wheels are all around us and in us as well. 

The Bhagavad Gita makes the case of rebirth: “From childhood to youth and to old age, and then back to childhood again.  (2.13)  Sri Krishna, the Gita speaker, asserts that the soul is persistent in returning.  Here’s the transliteration to the Sanskrit of one of the verses that verifies this:  (8.19)

 bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
 
While life is like a ferris wheel, the Gita suggests that we pull away and seek liberation from all of this. 

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Toronto, Ontario

Essence of Life


I took a trek with Cameron, who hails from Australia, to our local hardware store.  You can’t be more Canadian then when you zip over to a shop for merchandise, and when it’s called Canadian Tire.  My intent in the visit falls under the realm of maintenance, perhaps, not exactly.  It was for the purchase of mirrors, a prop I anticipate to use in the Lord’s service for a new drama production, Blue Mystic.  I obtained my four identical mirrors, and with the help of Cameron, we trekked back to the ashram.

My second journey on foot today was to the home of Subuddhi for a feasting type of satsang.  Here, perhaps more directly, you can call the ‘intent’ devotional, for even the exceptional food she cooked was blessed as prasadam and prepared with heart.  Absolutely!  It was a divine devour. 

Other ashram dwellers had also come, in fact, we trekked to Subuddhi’s as a group, no use of automobile today, that’s the way I like it.  Instead of horse power, we used human power to transport ourselves.  And what qualifies the program at this kind hearted lady’s home as strictly devotional, is that as a group we all enjoyed a session of kirtan.  It was to the beat of a symbol dhol drum. 

Anytime, anywhere, anything, when your purpose or usage is of devotional content, it’s orientation is a step towards transcendence.  You become an automatic yogi of sorts.  In Bhakti Yoga, the essence of life is to utilize everything in every moment for the service of the Supreme.

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

Calgary, Alberta

Prairie Hopes


You can see the sliver of the moon, it was sky suspended as usual, hanging particularly low.  Gaura Chandra and I were trekking on the Greenway Trail when we spotted it this early morn.  From our view, our imperfect sense projection, that one thousand miles could get you there, to the point where you could stand under.  A good leap or thrust upward might allow you to grasp the sliver.  There you might dangle for a few seconds before hoisting yourself up to sit upon it.  That would be the coolest thing. 

Of course, we’re just dreaming.  In all reality, our age restricts such frivolity.  And, as usual, my dhoti, lower monk robe, wouldn’t measure up to the task, but may fantasy continue to take its course. 

Speaking of courses, my afternoon was occupied with feet firmly on the ground as I was facilitating a Kirtan Standard Workshop.  To accompany me in this endeavour was Dhruva Das from Montreal.  Together we presented the disciplines and joys applied to the ancient practice of sacred sound output.  The 50 plus people there were intrigued.  In fact, the response was such that you could see the craving for more guidance on this and other topics which deal with bhakti, devotion to Krishna.  In the evening, such eagerness for more fullness in devotion came through at a satsang, the home of a Bangledeshi family was the hosted space for Dhruva and I.  There, a flow of questions came, primarily from university students.  It was so sweet. 

I picked up on a phrase of goodwill from one of the attendees.  I really like it, though it may not top, “Hare Krishna” ever. 

“Merry Everything!  And a Happy Always!”

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Ohio State Outreach (3 min video)
This video is about Hare Krishna devotees and how they attempt to connect with Ohio State students in Columbus
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/gB1x4Y

What is the better way to welcome the New Year than to immerse oneself in the nectar of Srimad Bhagavat Katha in the banks of river Ganga in the holy dham Mayapur? From today, i.e., 25th December till 3rd Jan, HG Gaur Krishna das Brahmacari from Vrindavan, a renowned speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam will be […]

The post Bhagavat Katha in Mayapur appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The devotee (2 min video)
Jagannatha Dasa was recruited by a Hare Krishna devotee when he was in art college in Columbus. For several years he has been living in the Columbus Krishna house and spreading Krishna consciousness.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/5OShCk

Snippets of wisdom by Kalakantha Prabhu
For many people, religion means being in constant fear of a dictator-like God, and therefore they reject it.
When there is no love, how can you think about another person all the time?
In the four key verses of Bhagavad-gita 10.8–11, just half of the first verse deals with Krishna alone, and in the rest the Lord talks about His devotees and their relationship with Him.
If we do not have the knowledge of how to connect with God, we are like an orphaned child.
If we show Krishna just a little bit of desire to connect with Him, He will reciprocate in a dramatic way.
Why do we not reach out to Krishna? Because are afraid Krishna will take something away that we do not want to give up.
When we tell Krishna in all sincerity that He is the most important person in our life and we act like that, Krishna will provide whatever we need.
By understanding how we are incapable of dealing with the challenges in our lives, and how Krishna is willing and capable to help, we can let go of our material attachments.
Srila Prabhupada once said, “All we are asking you to give up is your miseries.”
Hearing from devotees who have experience of Krishna’s reciprocation to their surrender can give us the conviction we need to surrender ourselves.
Srila Prabhupada said that Krishna consciousness is all about training others.
Bhakti Tirtha Swami said to be careful about you how you deal with devotees for they may be the people you die with.
We do not have to try to be humble. We just have to try to please Krishna.
The origin of the word “relationship” is a Latin word meaning “carry back,” implying give and take. We see this give and take in Bhagavad-gita verses 10.8–11.
The devotees worship Him with all their hearts, and He gives them knowledge.
Remember: The relationships between devotees are always more important than points of philosophy or the task at hand.
Words are hard to retract. They are like arrows.
Four stages of learning:
unconscious incompetence
conscious incompetence
conscious competence
unconscious competence
Srila Prabhupada said, “Are you here to serve or disturb?”
Intimacy grows in time.
When Srila Prabhupada left this world, I was just a devotee for a few years, and I did not cry. But when Tamal Krishna Goswami, who was a friend for many years, left suddenly, I cried for many days.
If you criticize someone, the laws of nature will not allow you to stay with that person. Pick who you want to criticize, and you will not hang out with him.
Peter Burwash as a young tennis professional, gave $1000 to a temple president who took it and left. When he met Srila Prabhupada and asked him about it, Srila Prabhupada said, “Do not blame the agent of your karma.” Peter Burwash made that understanding a pillar of his life.
“Nobody should criticize anyone. Because everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord, according to one’s capacity, and the thing is, Krishna wants to see how much one is sincere in rendering Him service.” (Srila Prabhupada, from a letter to Tamala Krishna written on August 19, 1968)
comment by Tulasirani Devi: Sivarama Swami said being bitten by a poisonous snake can end our body but offending a Vaishnava can harm our spiritual life for many births.
If we are offended, it is good to resolve it.
When you hear a devotee criticized… . Say something positive about the person being criticized or leave. Don’t gang up on the person being criticized and especially do not repeat what you heard (except in extreme cases, and then only to appropriate persons). Three ways to appreciate Vaishnava: Talk about Krishna’s names, pastimes, service, etc., with them. Serve them. Find the good in them.
The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
Show respect for others’ opinions.
Never tell someone they’re wrong. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Begin in a friendly way, and admit it quickly.
Do not condemn, criticize, or complain. If we are thinking that we want to have better relationships with devotees, Krishna will see that and reciprocate.
It never good to be angry at a devotee. Only if it is controlled and one is an acknowledged trainer, can one use anger with a devotee.
I once addressed my godsister, “Mother Yamuna.” Yamuna replied, “Yes, Father Kalakantha.”
When we start revealing our minds to persons of another gender, we cross the line of appropriate behavior, except in the case of a guru-disciple relationship.
We can respect all Vaishnavas, but we must choose who to reveal our mind to and who to respect from a distance.
If a grhastha asrama is not financially independent then it is not a grhastha asrama.
It takes a lot of endeavor to find the right partner for a Krishna conscious marriage.
If you enter into a marriage thinking I am going to serve this person in this way, this way, and this way, then it works. In the grhastha asrama, one advantage is that you naturally develop a service attitude for others.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/O38VHr

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