When the gopis were Dandakaranya sages, why does the Bhagavtam say that they had not gone on pilgrimage?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

image_pdfimage_print

From Anuj Agarwal:

NOD 19 give following reference.
 
SB 11.12.7: "The gopīs in Vṛndāvana did not study the Vedas to achieve Me. Nor had they ever been in holy places of pilgrimage. Nor did they devoutly execute any regulative principle. Nor did they undergo any kind of austerity. It is simply by My association that they have attained the highest perfection of devotional service."
 
But a question arises that since the gopis were previously sages in Dandakaranya they must have studied vedas, they must have been to places of pilgrimage (dandakarnya itself is one), they must have executed some regulative principles, they must have undergone austerities. So can you clarify above statement from SB?

What are the ten principles of godly life mentioned in Gita 16.1-3 purport?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

image_pdfimage_print

From Anuj Agarwal P

Answer Podcast

My thanks to Hari Parshad Prabhu for providing this list:

In the book named Saṁskāra-tattva by the famous smārta "Raghunandan Bhattacharya", the following ten saṁskāras have been counted:

1) vivāha

2) garbhādhāna

3) puṁsavana

4) sīmantonnayana

5) jāta-karma

6) nāma-karaṇa (also included with anna-prāśana)

7) cūḍā-karaṇa

8) vidyārambha

9) upanayana (beginning of learning)

10) dīkṣā (giving mantra at the end of learning and preparation for entering household life)

New Book “Swamiji” Fills in ISKCON’s Early History
→ ISKCON News

“Swamiji,” a new book that recounts Brahmananda Dasa’s memories of his guru Srila Prabhupada, has been called “a long overdue addition to the early history of ISKCON [that] fills in many details only an insider would know” by scholar Thomas J. Hopkins. Author Satyaraja Das (Steven Rosen), whose previous books include biographies of Bhakti Tirtha Swami and Sridhara Swami, interviewed Brahmananda for two weeks, yielding some twenty 90-minute tapes.

ISKCON GBC Meetings Conclude With Inspiring Reports
→ ISKCON News

ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) concluded its annual midterm meeting with a daylong plenary session October 19th in Tirupati, India. The plenary session which had in attendance the GBC members along with Ministers and other guests saw several encouraging reports from different parts of the world detailing the growth and development in outreach efforts of ISKCON.

Govindas Vegorama Surfers Paradise Australia moves to new location
→ Dandavats.com

After seven years in the Paradise Centre, Govindas Vegorama has moved to 3120 Surfers Paradise Blvd. Surfers Paradise. The new location is larger, more visible and right in the heart of the Surfers paradise eating and entertainment area. There is a new exciting self serve "eat till your hearts content" style hot food and Salad bar buffet. All the delicious sweet selections are back with a few new surprises. In the coming weeks live music in the evenings and a Big Aussie Veg Breakfast buffet menu will be introduced. Govindas is the major sponsor for Iskcon Bhakti Centre Gold Coast, the new location is only a short walk from the Bhakti Centre. Read more ›

A visit to the old temple of Radha Gokulananda in the center of Vrindavan (Album 197 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Indradyumna Swami: Usually when someone mentions the downtown area of a city it conjures up images of big buildings, traffic jams, bars and discos. But downtown Vrindavan is a different story. The center of Vrindavan is full of ancient temples, deities, sadhus, stores selling devotional paraphernalia and cows and monkeys meandering through the streets. The other day our parikrama party visited the old temple of Radha Gokulananda in the center of Vrindavan. In the temple compound Madhava das and Bada Haridas prabhu led kirtan and then Sitala dasi spoke on the glories to Srila Lokanath das Goswami, who's samadhi is situated just nearby. We left downtown Vrindavan later in the afternoon feeling purified and uplifted. Our photographer, Ananta Vrindavan das, caught the mood of the day. Read more ›

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 10/23/14
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban School Gurukula Sudar Ruci 1984

This week’s challenge: Who are the two devotees, what are they doing and when was this photo taken?

What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the Brijabasi Spirit website.

Follow Up

Here’s the info we have:Who (from let to right): Ruci & Sudarshan.

What: An academic teacher instructing her student.
Ruci said she had 21 boys in her class and there were about ten classes at the school. It was well organized, and even had a principal – Sukavak Das. She well remembers the walks to the school. Very austere in the winter. But sometimes the bus would bring them back up.

Lilasuka recalled: “As far as I can tell, this was from the times when we were teaching down at the Nandagram school building in Wilson Valley. My exact timeline for all my years teaching school is kind of fuzzy but I will never forget walking all the kids down from the temple to Nandagram all winter long, every day, rain, snow, or shine, hoping they wouldn’t slide over the humongous cliff along the ridge. Ruci would walk at the front of the lineup and I’d walk behind (or vice versa) and we’d all make it down there very invigorated!”

Viduttama (Sudar’s mother) commented: “Ruci, Lilasuka and Meghamala are the most compassionate, loving teachers. I can’t forget Mankumari either! They all get thumbs up from me.”
When: Circa 1984.
Where: Nandagram School, New Vrindaban, West Virginia.

Behind The Mask
→ Bhakti Lounge - The Heart Of Yoga in Wellington

behindthemask_web

Devamrita Swami is a world traveling monk, teacher and author who has been circling the globe for over 40 years sharing the timeless wisdom of Bhakti and it’s necessity for all individual and collective contemporary lifestyles of today. He has loads of potent filled realisations to share! speaking at various leading Universities, Yoga Centres and Temples all over the world and soon at Bhakti Lounge!

Sunday 2 November is a Masquerade Party! Fun times, don’t be shy, bring and wear your own mask! Includes presentation, Kirtan and amazing food… and lots of people wearing masks, including you ;)


More Questions Answered: The Nectar of Devotion, The Darshan Room, October 16, Dallas
Giriraj Swami

rADHAkRISHNA“Service to Krishna includes service to His Name, His form, His qualities, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, and His pure devotees. They are all contained within ‘Krishna.’ And Srila Rupa Gosvami says that any of the items of devotional service can be performed in relation to any of these categories. Krishna is never alone. The previous acaryas use the example of a king, but we will use President Obama, because he is more in our context. If I were to say that President Obama is coming, it wouldn’t mean that he alone is coming; it would be understood that he is coming with his secretaries, his advisors, his bodyguards—his whole entourage. We say ‘President Obama,’ but it doesn’t mean just President Obama—there is the presidential limousine and his entourage and paraphernalia. Those are all included when we say ‘President Obama.’ So, in the same way, when we say ‘Krishna,’ it includes His associates, His paraphernalia—everything that is with Krishna. And we serve all of them. That is bhakti-yoga.”

More Questions Answered: The Nectar of Devotion, The Darshan Room, Dallas

Which other Purana mentions that Bhagavatam is the commentary on the Vedanta Sutra?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

image_pdfimage_print

From Abhiram Gopal P

If it is mentioned in other puranas then how can SB be the last purana written by Ved vyas coz if it would be the last then it can't be mentioned in other writtings of vyas dev?

Answer Podcast

Reference from Garuda Purana quoted in CC Madhya 25.143-144

artho 'yaḿ brahma-sūtrāṇāḿ

bhāratārtha-vinirṇayaḥ

gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo 'sau

vedārtha-paribṛḿhitaḥ

purāṇānāḿ sāma-rūpaḥ

sākṣād-bhagavatoditaḥ

dvādaśa-skandha-yukto 'yaḿ

śata-viccheda-saḿyutaḥ

grantho 'ṣṭādaśa-sāhasraḥ

śrīmad-bhāgavatābhidhaḥ

"'The meaning of the Vedānta-sūtra is present in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The full purport of the Mahābhārata is also there. The commentary of the Brahma-gāyatrī is also there and fully expanded with all Vedic knowledge. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the supreme Purāṇa, and it was compiled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Vyāsadeva. There are twelve cantos, 335 chapters and eighteen thousand verses.'

 

Why does the list of eight siddhis not include garima?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

image_pdfimage_print

From Anuj Agarwal:

In NOD 1 Srila Prabhupada mention the names and description of mytic siddhis. He mentions Anima and becoming so light as one can fly (part of laghima) as achieved by scientist. Then he mentions 6 other siddhis that are not attained Laghima, prapti, isita, vasita, prakamya and kamyavasiyata. He doesn't mention mahima - becoming bigger than the universe which he does mentions in some other places in other books. Now if we search on internet (wikipedia and some other spiritual teachers) we find one more siddhi mentioned Garima - becoming heavier than the heaviest. Also kamyavasiyata is not mentioned in their list. So which is the correct list?

Answer Podcast

Aren’t Brahmavadis ultimately Mayavadis because they consider the Lord’s form to be temporary?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Keshava Kashmiri P

why there exist the two different class of impersonalist at all . since brahmavadis don’t condemn the personal form as krishna as material ,that means they accept the spiriual form of krishna as sac-cid ananda .so if they are in knowledge ,why they still hanker for merging into brahma- jyoti . the very fact that they still desire to merge into brahman indicates that they don’t accept krishna in its form as bhagavan .for brahmavadis ,often krishna’s form is transformation of brahman to make some lila in this world .for them brahman is eternal , and form of krishna is just a transformation of that eternal brahman( nirguna brahman) into human form (saguna brahman ) ,which they think to be temporary , which after the pastimes of lord is completed ,again becomes one with nirguna brahman ,becasue they don’t conceive brahman and bhagavan to exist simultaneously . i agree that they (brahmavadis) don’t consider krishna’s form to be material ,but they don’t consider krishna to be eternal either .they don’t conceive as if lord resides eternally in his spiritual world .this being the case.

Answer Podcast

Is the ability to remember past lives the mercy of the Lord?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Nimai Dasa:

If remembering out past lives can create the mental problem in this life like you said ,we may had came under truck ,or chopped off in our previous lives ,why then bhagavatam ( 5.9.3) describes that remembering our past lives to be the mercy of supreme lord .it says

" bhagavad-anugrahenanusmrta-sva-purva-janmavalir "

which says " Due to his being especially gifted with the Lord's mercy, Bharata Maharaja could remember the incidents of his past life " .

how maharaja bharata benefited from it ,why bhagavatam considers that to be mercy of supreme lord ? if it is mercy ,then why can't that apply to us too ?

Answer Podcast

GBC meeting Tirupati
→ Ramai Swami

IMG_0973IMG_0996

Devotees from all over the world were in attendance for the GBC midterm meeting at ISKCON Tirupati.

Time was spent discussing strategic planning initiatives but a few days were put aside to resolve the differences of opinion in the process of selecting Vaisnavi Diksa Gurus.
IMG_0976IMG_0972

Govardhana Parikrama
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 October 2010, Govardhana Parikrama)

kks govardhanEarly in the morning, we left for Govardhana through dark, bumpy back roads and started our parikrama of Giriraja at Radha-Kund. Govardhana parikrama is certainly a yajna, but an ecstatic one though!

We slotted into a steady pace and all along, we were chanting the Holy Name whilst walking sometimes through soft Vrndavana sands and at other times, the sharp rocks and thorns were blessing our feet!

Govardhana is Hari-dasa-varya, the greatest servant of the Lord and at the same time, He is Krsna Himself. In the Gopala-Champu, it says that Govardhana is made of jewels and that there are big jewelled slabs that function as transcendental seating places. Our vision was not so deep that we could perceive all of that but the brown, purple effulgent rocks were totally attractive.

We pray to Govardhana that we may become a servant who can please Krsna. I was also praying that my endeavours here, in going around Govardhana, that my disciples may be blessed with determination in their devotional service.

After the long, never ending trek, we finally reached Radha-Kund. Being in Vrndavana is such a blessing because it makes it so easy to remember Krsna. I had started chanting early in the morning and by the time we had finished our walk and reached Radha-Kund at 11.30 in the morning, I had completed sixty-six rounds; all by the mercy of the Dham.

Krsna makes it so easy to remember Him and chant His Holy Name here, in His transcendental abode. Now we are back in our room – happy, crippled and exhausted! We wish you could be here!

 

Diwali and Govardhana Puja Celebrations – All Weekend Long!
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

This next several days at Toronto's Hare Krishna Centre are incredibly busy with the festival season upon us! Festivities start off this Friday, October 24th with s HUGE Govardhana Puja and Diwali Celebration, starting at 6:00pm. 

Diwali is a grand festival celebrated across the world and stems back to ancient times when
inhabitants of Ayodhya celebrated the joyous return of Lord Ramachandra. Lord Rama was in exile, away from His kingdom, for many years. The joyful day on which He finally returned is observed as Diwali, or Dipavali (“dipa” means candles, and “vali” means numerous.)





Govardhana Puja is celebrated the day after and Diwali and on this day the inhabitants of Vrindavan (Lord Krishna’s abode on Earth) would hold a harvest festival in honour of King Indra, the demigod who provided the rains essential for the harvest. One day, however, Lord Krishna wanted to teach Indra a lesson. He convinced the inhabitants of Vrindavan to honor Govardhana Hill instead, whose fertile soil provided the grass upon which the cows and bulls grazed, and to honour the cows and bulls who provided milk and ploughed the lands.

Outraged, Indra retaliated with terrifying thunderstorms. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, calmly lifted Govardhana Hill with the little finger of his left hand. For seven days and seven nights the Lord held up Govardhana Hill, providing a giant umbrella to shelter the inhabitants of Vrindavan from the torrential rain.

Schedule for Govardhana Puja - Oct. 24 (subject to change):
6:00pm to 6:30pm - Arati
6:30pm to 6:50pm - Damodarastakam Prayers
6:50pm to 7:00pm - Welcome and Announcements
7:00pm to 7:30pm - Class on Govardhana Puja
7:30pm to 8:00pm - Special Presentation
8:00pm to 8:30pm - Arati
8:30pm - Prasadam


Stay tuned about more details over the weekend!