Talk Podcast

Science prides itself of objectivity and empiricism. When I was in school I always questioned how science made some base assumptions. However, at that time I could not quite articulate my doubts in words. I knew something did not sit very well with me whenever some ideas were taught in the name of science.

For example, when I was introduced to the concept of evolution in middle school, it stated that species evolved to complex organisms over time due to natural selection and only the fittest survive the onslaughts of nature. I thought that if we all evolved in that way, then how come our ancestors still exist in their primitive forms? Because if they survived the struggles of nature, then there is no need to evolve and i wont be sitting here typing on a computer? So did only few our ancestors struggle to evolve through natural selection while others remained without evolution? Perhaps there is an answer, i do not know?

Another glaring thought that bothered me in physics class in high school was the understanding of outer space? I wondered how light, sound etc behaved the same way across the entire cosmos? Scientists assumed that the red and violet frequencies in the light spectrum behaved the same way in outer space millions of light years away as it did on the earth paradigm. Something I could not easily accept from science!

Anyways, i am not a scientist but reading these ten dogmas written by a thoroughbred scientist helped me articulate my own doubts and also shed light onto other assumptions science makes.

Below are the ten core beliefs (or dogmas) that most scientists take for granted. Together, these beliefs make up the philosophy or ideology of scientific materialism.

1. Everything is essentially mechanical. Dogs, for example, are complex mechanisms, rather than living organisms with goals of their own. Even people are machines, ‘lumbering robots’, in Richard Dawkins’s vivid phrase, with brains that are like genetically programmed computers.
2. All matter is unconscious. It has no inner life or subjectivity or point of view. Even human consciousness is an illusion produced by the material activities of brains.
3. The total amount of matter and energy is always the same (with the exception of the Big Bang, when all the matter and energy of the universe suddenly appeared).
4. The laws of nature are fixed. They are the same today as they were at the beginning, and they will stay the same for ever.
5. Nature is purposeless, and evolution has no goal or direction.
6. All biological inheritance is material, carried in the genetic material, DNA, and in other material structures.
7. Minds are inside heads and are nothing but the activities of brains. When you look at a tree, the image of the tree you are seeing is not ‘out there’, where it seems to be, but inside your brain.
8. Memories are stored as material traces in brains and are wiped out at death.
9. Unexplained phenomena like telepathy are illusory.
10. Mechanistic medicine is the only kind that really works.

I write a journal daily (well, almost daily) and sometimes when I can’t think of anything to write, I just type “Thank you, Krishna …” and let my fingers move on the keyboard. I thank Krishna for whatever good things have happened in my life. I thank him for whatever good ideas I have got for my writing, because writing is my main service and I can’t write without ideas. And I thank him for whatever good service I was able to do, being grateful that whatever needed to go right for doing that service did in fact turn out right and the many things that could have gone wrong didn’t go wrong.

As my fingers move thus, I am often surprised at how easily I meet my daily journal quota (I try to write at least 500 words daily). More importantly, by writing about my thankfulness, I start feeling thankful. Even more importantly, I notice many things to be thankful for – things that I had overlooked while being caught in the rush of life. I find it revealing how just the attempt to thank, more specifically the attempt to express that thanks through verbalization, nourishes the attitude of gratitude. Such nourishment inspires me to cherish journaling as a daily devotional ritual.

Rituals provide a stimulus and structure for expressing and thereby experiencing refined emotions.

Nourishing our higher side is, in fact, the purpose of rituals. They provide a stimulus and structure for expressing and thereby experiencing refined emotions. Rituals may be private such as journaling or public such as the festival of Thanksgiving being celebrated in America and elsewhere this week.

From form to substance

Being born and brought up in India where Thanksgiving is hardly celebrated, I hadn’t even heard about it before I was introduced to bhakti-yoga. The Christian festivals I knew from my convent education were Christmas and Easter. After my initiation into the bhakti tradition, when I studied other traditions, I read about Thanksgiving for the first time. My initial impression was negative as the celebration included killing and eating of turkeys. Killing a creature to thank the Creator struck me as bizarre and counter-devotional.

Nonetheless, putting aside that initial impression, I read more about the festival. And I found that its essential spirit was good – the spirit of expressing gratitude. No doubt, Thanksgiving is often reduced to just an occasion for having a good time. But such degeneration of meaningful festivals to mere fun can happen to any festival, even widely celebrated ones such as Christmas and Diwali, whose celebrants hardly ponder its spiritual significance. Still, many people do celebrate Thanksgiving as a heartfelt expression of their gratitude to God, the ultimate giver of everything, for the many gifts they have been blessed with. Thankfully, we live in times of increasing awareness of animal rights. And we are also more scientifically aware of the feasibility, even the preferability, of vegetarianism as a dietary choice. So we can hope that progressive celebrants of Thanksgiving will find non-violent alternatives to turkeys for expressing their gratitude. Instead of eating the turkey, they need to talk turkey. That is, they need to discuss seriously the principle and the practice of Thanksgiving.

We can hope that progressive celebrants of Thanksgiving will find non-violent alternatives to turkeys for expressing their gratitude. Instead of eating the turkey, they need to talk turkey.

Nothing to thank for?

The principle of gratitude to God is a universally enshrined in the world’s religious traditions. Sadly however, the gratitude that is universally endorsed is becoming universally elusive, thanks to today’s materialistic culture.

Materialism makes us believe we can find happiness only in material things – the more things we have, the happier we will be. So, we become obsessed with getting more and more things. What aggravates our obsession is the aggressive advertising industry, which parades before us the many things we don’t have, thereby inflaming our desires for them. When we are thus obsessed with what we don’t have, we often don’t even notice what we have, leave alone feel grateful for it.

Gratitude is much easier to cultivate with a more spiritual vision of life, wherein we recognize that real happiness comes not through outer acquisition but through inner realization. The Bhagavad-gita is an ancient yoga text that shares such a spiritual vision. Its central message is that we are at our core souls, who can find supreme fulfillment in spiritual love for God, Krishna.

The most thankworthy blessing

With such a spiritual vision of life, what all can we be thankful for?

Amidst the death and disaster and destruction prevalent in the world today, that we are alive is itself thankworthy. Beyond that we can be thankful for having life’s necessities, which so many people don’t have. The most important thing to be thankful for, however, is having a purpose for living. I refer not to the material purpose that we may adopt but to the spiritual purpose of living – the reason we exist.

Gita wisdom reveals that purpose to be love – love for God and for all living beings in relationship with him. Such spiritual love brings the supreme value to our life. It provides not just real meaning and deep fulfillment in this life but also makes this life into a launching pad to immorality. How? By raising our consciousness from the material level, where we suffer death due to the mortality of our bodily shell, to the spiritual level, where we realize the indestructibility of our spiritual core.

The opportunity to perceive and pursue this paramount purpose of life is supremely thankworthy. God offers us this opportunity through scripture and through the living traditions that strive to live according to scripture. The Bhagavad-gita (07.03) indicates that those who grab this opportunity for spiritual enlightenment are special souls, being one among thousands.

Being thankful amidst adversity

Those who embrace life’s spiritual purpose are thankful to God not just for good things, but also for bad things. A prominent bhakti text, Srimad Bhagavatam (10.14.08), features a celebrated prayer that responds to adversity by thanking God with folded hands and bowed head. Significantly, the prayer concludes with the bold, confident declaration that those who can be thus thankful become rightful inheritors of life eternal. The rationale for this declaration is understandable – to be grateful amidst material losses, we need to fix our heart on our spiritual gifts. And such spiritual redirection of the heart is the pathway for attaining a life of eternal love with our eternal Lord.

Amidst the complexity of life and even of religion in a multi-cultural world, Thanksgiving can remind us of the striking simplicity with which we can go closer to God: by saying a heartfelt “Thank you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

College of Vedic Studies, Bhaktivedanta Manor
The College of Vedic Studies got off to a flying start last September with more courses and more attendees than ever before. The array and quality of the sessions have attracted hundreds to cram into rooms on Sunday mornings to learn about life’s important questions in the ‘Explore’ course and a summary of the Bhagavad-gita in the ‘Gita Life’ course. For those a little more experienced, the ‘Bhakti Shastri’ course (lasting 1 year) proves more of a challenge, taking students through a more in-depth study of the Bhagavad-gita and other related texts.
http://goo.gl/Hw3GRt

German Mayor joins ISKCON farmers
The last ISKCON European Farm Conference took place in Simhacalam, an ISKCON temple and farm project in Germany. It was organised by Syamasundara das, who is now the ISKCON Global Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture. During the Conference the local Mayor made a special visit and after explained that farms were close to his heart and he felt part of the ISKCON community there.
He particularly appreciated the participation from devotees from across Europe. The Conference is open to those who have an interest in or are actually practiced in rural development, agriculture, handicrafts, horticulture, protected dairying, ox draft and other similar topics.
The European Conferences are open to those who have in interest in or are actually practicing in rural development, agriculture, handicrafts, horticulture, dairy and ox-power

Bhagavatam for Toddlers
You can never be too young to get a taste of Krishna consciousness! Groups of mothers and their children aged from anything from 4 months to 4 years are gathering on a weekly basis at the Manor for story-telling, fun activities, creativity, music and song workshops.
Devyani dasi from UK has been developing the project over the last few years, has invited special guests along and brought the age groups together for festival events. Sucirani dasi and Vrnda Kishori dasi have also been running groups which have grown very popular!
Basic Session Format:
http://goo.gl/AYa3gn

Many Faiths, One Family!
An interfaith presentation evening was held at Watford’s Church, UK, of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the topic of “ways to strengthen families.” Speakers participated from a number of local faiths, including Bhagavati dasi and Radha Mohan das from the Manor. Bhagavati spoke of how faith strengthens and unites families, and Radha Mohan das added that faith communities themselves are also our families.
http://goo.gl/gACZTv

The post November 24th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The post All blessings to the book distributors appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Krishna conscious program in Lenin’s birth place,
Ulyanvsk, Russia (Album 62 photos)
Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krishna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. Papa-ksayas ca bhavati smaratam tam ahar-nisam: one becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.3.24 Purport)
http://goo.gl/mKSfs0

Preaching Program in Samara, Russia, 23 Nov. 2014 (Album 40 photos)
By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Krishna. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, preme pum-artho mahan: one’s main concern should be to increase one’s attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one’s love for Him.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.3.24 Purport)
http://goo.gl/dZ0fc9

Preaching program and Harinama in Banyuwangi East Java, November 2014 (Album 50 photos)
In the sastras it is said that if a person only once chants the holy name and completely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, the Lord immediately considers him His ward and is always inclined to give him protection. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.49 Purport)
http://goo.gl/Ximq8T

Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita workshop by Cyril Wohrer (video)
Cyril Wohrer, aka Chandrasekhara Acharya dasa gives a very concise presentation about Yoga & Bhagavad Gita
http://goo.gl/8A6T3O

Pictures from a Bhagavad-gita reading event held in Bali, Indonesia on Sunday, the 23rd of November 2014. Hindu religious organisations, such as ISKCON, participated in the reading of all 700 slokas of the Gita with another 8,000 people, breaking a national record. The event was organised by the Tabanan Regency government, the Bhagavad-Gita Movement of Indonesia and the Hindu Youth Association of Bali. (Pictures by Guru Gauranga dasa)
http://goo.gl/GW781O

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

One must be ready to think only of Krsna’s pleasure and nothing else, without desiring any pleasure for oneself. That is love. Love means that the pleasure of the other person is first. So that is a very exalted state.

Bhakti Retreat: New Year’s in New Vrindaban Dham

January 1^st  – 4^th 2015

Spend this New Year’s Eve in the scenic, rolling hills of West Virginia, getting spiritually re-charged.  Listen to enlivening Krsna Katha and Prabhupada Katha.   Attend enlightening devotional workshops/seminars, soothing bhajans, ecstatic kirtans, and enjoy sumptuous, healthy prasad.  Does life get any better than this?

Special guest speakers include:

-Malati Prabhu

– Havi Prabhu

– Gopal Hari prabhu

-Yugal Kisore prabhu

- Many of the older Brijabasis                                     

Festival registration is free, but donations to help cover costs are, of course, welcome during the retreat.

We have limited rooms available- please book your room today!  To book your room, please either call or email the Palace Lodge directly at palacelodge108@gmail.com or 304-843-1600 ext.111

We look forward to seeing and serving you. Hare Krishna.

The Tabanan Regency, Tabanan Youth Association and the Indonesian Bhagavad-gita Movement arranged a recital of all the verses of Bhagavad-gita by 6,000 high school students.

Embrace the sound of the Maha mantra and be saturated in divine vibration and purification. The Holy names and Krsna are one and the same - when we chant with attention the Lord gives us His spiritual energy which is divine bliss.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Tribhuvanatha Prabhu Appearance Program in UK (Album 36 photos)
Tribhuvanatha Prabhu’s last two wishes were that the festivals would continue and that devotees would care for one another. Right up to the last he was meditating on the orders of his spiritual master and the welfare of others.
http://goo.gl/HZC8Yy

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Escondido Hare Krishna Farm in San Diego, California, Nov 22 2014 (Album 36 photos)
The Lord does not say that one should give up his prescribed duties or engagements. One can continue them and at the same time think of Krishna by chanting Hare Krishna. Bhagavad-Gita 8.7 Purport.
http://goo.gl/52BxAV

Why We Tithe.
Yamaraja das and Raga devi dasi are long time devotees and disciples of His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja. Their gurudev always emphasized that his disciples should be loyal to their local temples by giving service and/or donations. He also advised that they should take the sadhu sanga of local devotees and befriend them.
http://goo.gl/7RPGyt

Indian festival in Prague, Czech Republic (Album 23 photos)
21 November 2014 - Visit rate: 150 people.
The special guest: HH Danavir Goswami
http://goo.gl/xK11ZJ

BY SJMKL YOUTH

KUALA LUMPUR - The Youth of Sri Jagannath Mandir Kuala Lumpur are organizing the maiden debut kirtan mela in Malaysia. Sweet nectarean voices of HH BB Govinda, Mayapur Chandras, Ojasvi Prabhu are all lined up for this exciting event that will take place on the 29/Nov/2014 to 30/Nov/2014 from 10am to 10pm at Sri Jagannatha Mandir, Kuala Lumpur. Join us to drown yourself in the ecstasy of the magic from the spiritual world.

The post Haladhara asks what actually it means to go back to Godhead by chanting 16 rounds and following the 4 principles appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Chant,chant,chant: Harinama in Queen st Auckland NZ.
The easiest way to control the mind, as suggested by Lord Caitanya, is chanting “Hare Krishna,” the great mantra for deliverance, in all humility. Bhagavad-Gita, 6.34 Purport.
http://goo.gl/TGIJ0r

UK Sankirtan Tour 2014 (13 min video)
Footage from the Summer Sankirtan Tour conducted by Manor Brahmacari ashram, teaming up with UK temples, Hare Krishna Festival Team and Food For All.
http://goo.gl/pb2nKJ

Sunday Love Feast

When? Sunday,Nov 23rd,2014 Program starts at 11 am Where? 6 George Street South Brampton, Ontario L6Y 1P3, Canada Park underground(free) @ City Hall Phone:416-648-3312 New! Listen Click here to listen to previous class recordings on our blog Make a Donation

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 9.2 raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam pratyaksavagamam dharmyam su-sukham kartum avyayam TRANSLATION This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed. Program Schedule 11.00- 11.15      Tulsi Puja                                           11.15 - 11.30     Guru Puja                                            11:30 –11:55     Aarti & Kirtan                                       11.55 - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers                  12.00 – 1:00     Vedic discourse   1:00 –  1:30      Closing Kirtan About His Grace Kratu Prabhu Kratu Prabhu was born in aristocratic Gujarati Gaudiya Vasihnava family on July 5, 1944. His first exposure to ISKCON happened in 1970, at St. Louis. He later joined full-time in 1974, in Toronto. He met his Guru, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in 1976, from whom he received a direct order for preaching Krishna consciousness. He and his wife were initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1977 in Toronto, Canada. While in West, he worked as professional engineer for five years in Toronto In Chicago he worked for Chicago temple as director of congregational preaching. He then became temple President of Vancouver temple in 1987. In 1993, he moved to Baroda, Gujarat and conducted college and school preaching. He also started a book distribution program by Bullock Cart for every town and village. In 1997, he became temple President of ISKCON, Delhi and continued house and pandal preaching programs. In 2002, he became an initiating spiritual master in ISKCON and is ever since vigorously traveling and preaching all over the world and regularly visiting USA, Canada, UK, Europe and continuously preaching in India, conducting pandal programs, educational programs and devotional tours. COMING UP AHEAD Moksada Fasting.....................onDec 2nd,2014 Breakfast................. on Dec 3rd,2014 b/w 7.33am-9.39am Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra. Advent of Bhagavad Gita Celebration on Dec 7th (Please note: we do not have a separate program on Dec 2nd,2014) His Grace Uttama Sloka Dasa will be our special guest. Sponsor/Purchase a box of Gita Charity of  knowledge is the best charity "Print books, distribute profusely, and that will be the best preaching work. What will your three minutes preaching work—But if they buy one book, it may turn their life. " (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Bhagavan, 5th November, 1972). If you would like to purchase/sponsor a box/boxes of Bhagavad Gita,please do contact at the front desk or call 416.648.3312. **More details of the program will be posted shortly**   ON GOING EVERY SUNDAY Indian Classical Dance Classes For more info please do contact Syamesvari Devi Dasi at the temple or write to syamesvaridasi@yahoo.com. The dance is performed mainly with the theme of Infinite love of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. Sunday School To register,contact us Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com Call:647.893.9363 The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC). Please note that ISKCON Brampton is a nut free environment in order to support those with allergies. Your cooperation is appreciated. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Chant and Be happy!

Nama-Yajna, 22.11.2014, Krasnodar Yatra, Russia (Album 40 photos)
Others, who are not devotees, may think, “How can people devote so much time simply to talks of God?” The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is simply the repetition of three words, Hare, Krishna, Rama, but still devotees can go on chanting this Hare Krishna mantra twenty-four hours a day without feeling fatigued. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.13.1Purport)
http://goo.gl/DbtV53

SB 01.15.45 Glorious Pastime or Horrible Nightmare 2013-02-08

Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 1.15.45 Glorious Pastime or Horrible Nightmare

AKA Serving Krsna brings all kinds of pleasure