Planet ISKCON

As we do twice a year, the board members of ISKCON New Vrindaban and ECO-Vrindaban will gather to meet with managers and community members.

1967 October 26: "In spiritual life there is no allowance of association of man and woman without being married. In your country such association is without restriction; thus the result is known to you better than I am able to explain."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 26: "Yesterday we have all come to Navadvipa, a place of one of my Godbrothers. We shall observe his birthday ceremony tomorrow and the brahmacaris shall learn how to celebrate the Spiritual Master's birthday."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1968 October 26: "I don't wish to keep you in that blazing fire. If your parents don't receive you as their beloved son then you shall live with me. At least I shall not make your life miserable even though I am not as rich as your parents."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 October 26: "I am very pleased with your sincere service attitude in pushing on our preaching work in these parts of the world and yes, Krsna will give you strength because the more you serve Him, the more intelligence He will give you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 October 26: "They are frustrated in so many ways and looking for something new kind of happiness. So it is most important to arrange lectures and kirtanas at the schools and colleges. The intelligent boys and girls are very much eager to understand this Krishna consciousness Movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 October 26: "Anyone who tries to understand impersonalist philosophy is doomed, their devotion becomes dried up. Don't try to mix with any Swami who has no knowledge of Krsna Consciousness. Their speaking is simply maya, therefore they are called Mayavadis."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 October 26: "Preach steadily our Krishna Conscious philosophy in defiance of all atheistic propaganda so much current. The whole Hindu society is absorbed in this demigod business, so unless our preaching work is vigorous it will be very difficult to stop them."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 October 26: "I am very pleased how our children are making nice advancement. Children have to be to trained how to obey, otherwise they will be simply spoiled. But the art is how to apply authority and discipline so they will enjoy it and not reject it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

The Tirumala Hill is 853m above sea level. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha, thus earning the name Seshachalam.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2009, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Lecture)

So mercy is a major factor and thus we must look for that mercy. Therefore, we must always turn to our spiritual master. It’s not that the spiritual master should turn to us, we should turn to him for shelter!

If we chant with devotion....giving our attention to the sound and with great concentration, diving deeply into the Holy names, then we will feel the Lord's transcendental spiritual energy and our faith and determination will increase.

Here is a quote from Srila Prabhupada that illustrates this point:

"....Practically we see that as we sincerely try to improve our chanting for the pleasure of Krishna, Krishna reciprocates and we feel our greatest pleasure which is devotional service to the Lord."

Letter to Syamasundara
November 24, 1968

1967 October 25: "Sometimes in spite of our full Krishna Consciousness we fall a victim to maya but that is temporary just as seasonal changes such calamities do come & pass away & we have to endure them."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1970 October 25: "I am very pleased with your sincere service attitude in pushing on our preaching work in these parts of the world and yes, Krsna will give you strength because He is sitting in your heart and the more you try to serve Him, He will give you more intelligence."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 October 25: "I know how well this program is received by the students because they are very intelligent. You are also very intelligent boy and devotee of Krsna and Krsna will give you even more intelligence in proportion to your endeavor to serve Him faithfully."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

'Yamuna Devi - The Life of Unalloyed Devotion' book Launch in Vrindavan (25-Oct-2014) Read more ›

It is not that one must chant at a certain time. No. At any time one may chant. Furthermore, Krishna's name is identical with Krishna Himself. Therefore the holy name of Krishna is Krishna. (Teachings of Queen Kunti, 8, Purport). Read more ›

One who is interested in chanting the holy name of Krishna or who by practice likes to chant Krishna's names should be accepted as a Vaisnava and offered respects as such, at least within one's mind. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 15, 111) Read more ›

If one hears a person say even once the word "Krishna" that person should be accepted as the best man out of the common group. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 15, 106) Read more ›

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By chanting Hare Krishna one fixes his mind always on the Supreme Lord. One example often given is that of the caterpillar that thinks of becoming a butterfly and so is transformed into a butterfly in the same life. Similarly, if we constantly think of Krishna, it is certain that at the end of our lives we shall have the same bodily constitution as Krishna. (Bhagavad-gita, 8.8 Purport) Read more ›

Gokul (Ukhal bandhan) oct 14 HH Srila Indradyumna Swami’s class

Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. Anything grown in the garden, that is hundred times [more] valuable than [if] it is purchased from the market.”

Click here to read and/or listen to the rest of the conversation at the Vanipedia website.

From Dharmaveer

He translates karma-yoga as bhakti-yoga, inserts Krishan where there is no Krishna and makes so many changes in his English Gita. How then can he claim his Gita to be as it is?

Answer Podcast

From Pancha Pandava P

Answer Podcast

From Peter:

God is so great that he can't conceived, so past people have imagined him to be a human-like person with supernatural powers. And how can people believe such unscientific, irrational myths in the name of God's pastimes?

Answer Podcast

Special Day Meditation Podcast

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

1970 October 25 : "I was thinking of going to Delhi and Vrndavana but my presence in Bombay will be more beneficial. Therefore we have all reserved our seats. On this basis you can make arrangements for meeting the respectful gentlemen and ladies mentioned by you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

"Kartik is particularly meant for mantra siddhi, perfection in chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, mantra siddhi.
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra - siddhi means chanting and chanting....some perfection, as perfection in yoga. Siddhi, perfection of chanting is attained in this month or this month is favorable for attainment of that mantra siddhi."

Lokanatha Swami
Meditation on Damodarastakam
Lecture from Vrindavan 2014

“Sarva loka mahesvaram—Krishna is the supreme proprietor of all the planetary systems. That means this planet, our home, all our paraphernalia, our family members, our wealth, and our very selves. Nothing belongs to us—everything belongs to Krishna and therefore should be engaged in His service. But although we know this philosophically, we conditioned souls tend to harbor within us a desire to have at least a little part of Krishna’s creation that we can call our own. Although we hear and can repeat the theory, we do have that little desire within us that, ‘Yes, everything belongs to Krishna. I don’t want much. He has all of creation. All I want is one wife, one house, a few children, a few hundred thousand or million dollars. What is that for Krishna? He has everything; I just want a little for myself.’ We have that within us, and that has to be purified by hearing the narrations of Krishna with faith. By hearing the narrations of Krishna, while suffering the reactions of material nature, we come to loosen our grip on Krishna’s property—which is very good for us to do.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.70.38

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 September 2014, Durban, South Africa, House Program)
There are many thieves in the world but who is the greatest thief? In Vrindavan, everyone knows Krsna is a thief – even as a child, Krsna was a thief; he would steal butter. Even his own mother, Yasoda, caught him one day right there, red handed, with the golden pots of butter on the floor and he was feeding the monkeys! She said, ‘So, you little thief. Now I caught you!’  Krsna said, ‘Mother, mother! I just came in here. The monkeys have broken all the pots and I am trying to chase them away!’  But she did not buy it.

In this way, even as a child Krsna was a chora, a thief. You know, you start as a little thief, first stealing little things and then when you grow up, you steal big things. Yes, as a child, Krsna was stealing butter but then already, he was stealing more – he was stealing hearts! Even then, the butter would melt and the people would melt seeing Krsna stealing butter.  Even a thief would be stolen away by the greater thief, Krsna – he is a thief!

Therefore, Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur says, ‘Don’t look at Krsna because when you look at Krsna, he will steal everything you have! Everything! Don’t look at him! I have told you, I have warned you! He will steal your eyesight, he will make you blind and he will make you deaf & dumb.’ Because when you see Krsna, you do not want to see anything else anymore. When you hear about Krsna, where else do you find such taste? And when we speak about Krsna, we forget about time and gradually lose interest for all other things. That is the unique nature of Krsna.

Therefore, only a very fortunate person comes into contact with devotees of the Lord and develops the desire for Krsna.

 

Tomorrow, October 25, ISKCON devotees in Vrindavan will officially launch a new book entitled, “Yamuna Devi – A Life of Unalloyed Devotion.” The two-volume set, authored by Yamuna devi’s dearmost friend Dinatarini dasi, describes Yamuna’s devi’s life as a devotee of Krsna and most notably as a disciple of her spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. This [...]