BY JAI SITA RANI DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - This Damodara month saw three lucky couples tying the knot in Malaysia. May they also be able to tie Lord Damodara with their ropes of love.

(Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand) He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conch shell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

 Wedding of Vinod Kesavan and Pravina Raja Gopal

Engagement of Dharmeswar Chaitanya Das and Swarna Vathy

Registration of Sacisuta Das and Vishaka Susevini Devi Dasi

The post November 5th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

AP Article features photo gallery of voters casting their ballots at the Krishna temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
http://goo.gl/RXwBms

The pristine beauty of Saubhari Muni’s ashram (Album 136 photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The pristine beauty of Saubhari Muni’s ashram in the countryside, just on the banks of the Yamuna river, is a perfect replica of what all of Vrindavan must have looked like hundreds, or even thousands, of years ago. We relished hearing and chanting in the sanctified atmosphere of that holy place realizing that our Kartika parikrama is almost over. We are all wondering how we will ever leave Vrindavan! But we know must, if only to share our good fortune with others.
http://goo.gl/v9okkM

Annakut at Govardhan Hill (Album 49 photos)
Today we had an amazing Annakut offering to Govardhan just nearby. A large group of devotees from Tirupati cooked so many preparations at the ISKCON Palace and brought them to the place, on the eastern side of Govardhan on about 10 flat bed rickshaws. One by one the devotees took their offerings, all nicely covered in new cloth, and placed them on an altar of new cloth on the ground. More new cloth was held above the offerings to protect them from sun and dust. While a large kirtan party sang, the offerings were all prepared, then HH Bir Krishna Maharaja did the offering to Giriraja. Then all the preparations were loaded back onto the rickshaws and taken back to the Palace for a huge feast. I sat in the Temple in an area reserved for sannyasis etc. HH Dhanurdhara Swami was there as well as another famous ISKCON Maharaja. They started serving the feast. So many preparations were coming. One after another, more and more. It was incredible. I kept thinking that I can’t possibly allow them to put any more prasadam on my plate, because it would be an offence not to eat it all. But the devotees would come around with new preps, and just put it on the plate anyway. Finally I felt I was making some headway, and I did manage to clear my savouries plate. But the three sweet bowls I decided to keep for later. I distributed a few fried preparations to the beggars outside. What struck me as most amazing is that I ate so much, yet I didn’t feel any indigestion at all, nor did I feel sleepy or tired all afternoon. It’s now after 9pm and I still feel wide awake! Anyway, it was a very sweet festival. Will post some pics tomorrow. Giriraja Maharaja Ki Jai!
http://goo.gl/KHpUeh

Durvasamuni’s asram HG Bada Haridas prabhu’s kirtan part 2

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Lecture Podcast

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Bleach the “Indian” out of “Krishna”?

There is a trend these days to westernize Krishna consciousness. I disagree 100% with the idea that Indian culture is a detriment to “preaching sales” (so-to-speak), a detriment to the allure of Krishna consciousness. In my opinion it is ISKCON-culture, which has so far been only a fanatical-neophyte-oddity-version of bits and pieces of Indian culture, which is off-putting to the general population. I think Indian culture is quite attractive and alluring, especially to those with interest in spirituality, meditation, yoga, etc. (who, according the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, should be the “prime target market” for Krishna consciousness).

I am all about making things accessible and relevant by highlighting the essentials and downplaying peripherals, but we Gauḍiya’s hail from the Theistic Vedānta of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam which is a treatise produced on Indian soil, the comprehension of which was cultivated by Indians through Indian culture. Therefore I am proactively against trying to remove the Indian elements from our presentation of Gauḍiya Vedānta to Westerners. Rather, I am in favor of so deeply and thoroughly understanding those elements that we can present them without the fanatic neophicity that makes any culture look culty, weird, and unrelatable.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.4)

The message of this purport is a very clear one and it is a message which we should not fail to present to the world, again and again. We must thoroughly understand it. We must understand that due to the fact that society is organized in a totally wrong way, therefore there are all kinds of misconceptions such as the idea that the world is overpopulated! Are we ready to say that it is not and are we ready to defend that!?

Many say that the world is overburdened now with seven billion people. How can the planet possibly sustain seven billion people? That is the question. Many say it is impossible and that there is a major problem on the planet due to overpopulation – except Srila Prabhupada. He said something else. Are we ready to repeat it, logically understand it and defend it?

It is simple: Because people eat so many animals, therefore they breed so many animals and all those animals need so much grain. Cattle eat thirty times more grain than human beings, so it is said. Think of how many animals are being produced for food.

If human beings would simply eat the grains then there would not be a need to breed so many animals. Then, the animals that are alive would be protected and live peaceful lives. Then, everything would work. Prabhupada said that he travelled the world many times over and in so many parts of the world, he saw so much vacant land. If the land is simply used by different farmers to produce food grains for their own sustenance, then everything would work fine and the world can still carry many more people and therefore, there is no question of overpopulation! We must be able to stand up for this and project this message into the world.

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 7.

Antya 7
161 — “I wanted to agitate you,” the Lord said, “but you did not become agitated. Indeed, you could not say anything in anger. Instead, you tolerated everything.
162 — “Your mind was not disturbed by My tricks. Rather, you stayed fixed in your simplicity. In this way you have purchased Me.”
163 — No one can describe the characteristics and ecstatic love of Gadadhara Pandita. Therefore another name for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara-prananatha, “the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandita.”
164 — No one can say how merciful the Lord is to Gadadhara Pandita, but people know the Lord as Gadaira Gauranga, “the Lord Gauranga of Gadadhara Pandita.”
165 — No one can understand the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They are like the Ganges, for hundreds and thousands of branches flow from even one of His activities.
166 — Gadadhara Pandita is celebrated all over the world for his gentle behavior, his brahminical attributes and his steady love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
167 — The Lord purified Vallabha Bhatta by cleansing him of the mud of false pride. By such activities the Lord also instructed others.
168 — Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was actually always merciful within His heart, but He was sometimes externally negligent of His devotees. We should not be preoccupied with His external feature, however, for if we do so we shall be vanquished.

Giriraj Swami — “This is a very important point about judging devotees. Externally the Lord may appear to be neglecting a devotee but we shouldn’t jump to any conclusions about the devotee because internally the Lord is always affectionate toward his devotees. He may be dealing with the devotee in a particular way for the benefit of that devotee. He could be purifying the devotee or showing the devotees wonderful qualities. If we judge externally we can misjudge the devotee and misjudge the Lords attitude towards the devotee and fall down.”

Disappearance of Gadhadhara Pandit, Cc Antya 7

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 16.137
Translation:
No one can understand the loving intimacy between Gadadhara Pandita and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita gave up his vow and service to Gopinatha just as one gives up a piece of straw.
Purport:
Just to get Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s association, Gadadhara Pandita gave up his life’s vow to engage in Gopinatha’s service. This kind of loving affection can be understood only by very confidential devotees. Ordinarily, no one can understand its purport.

Giriraj Swami — “This pastime took place on the level of pure love. On the level of pure love one has no material desires. Ordinary devotees may give up their service or be negligent in their vows because of spiritual weakness—they have other priorities. But Gadahardhara Pandit had no other interest then pure devotional service. Within the realm of pure devotional service he could not give up his association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Even his lifelong vow of ksetra sanyassa was nothing to him. He gave it up like a piece of straw because his attachment to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was unlimited.”

Disappearance of Gadhadhara Pandit, Cc Madhya 16

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

IDVM Logo lunch on Gopastami at ISKCON Vrindavan
(Album 88 photos)
The devotee can constantly think of the object of worship, the Supreme Lord, in any of His features-Narayana, Krishna, Rama, etc. - by chanting Hare Krishna. This practice will purify him, and at the end of his life, due to his constant chanting, he will be transferred to the kingdom of God. Bhagavad-Gita 8.8 Purport.
http://goo.gl/nfjfUP

Eat What You Grow -Stay Healthy In Krishna consciousness (Album 11 photos)
Some delightful veggies and greens from the village. Offer Krishna only the best, create your own backyard garden and offer Krishna the best fruit and vegetables, straight from your garden to Krishna’s plate!
http://goo.gl/P6zB39

Vraja 2014 (Album 32 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/IIxyTn

What is a good bhajan, does the mood of the kirtana leader influence the kirtaners, when should the kirtana leader direct other musicians, are western tunes ok to sing?

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Harinama in Gorky Park, Moscow, Russia (Album 14 photos)
There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Krishna. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant so that at the end of one’s life one can have the full benefit of Krishna consciousness. Bhagavad-Gita 8.5 Purport.
http://goo.gl/y8QRwH