HH Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami at ISKCON Mayapur on 2014-11-30, Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 06 01 49

Devotees working oxen in New Vrindaban, 1975.

“You should also use the bulls by engaging them in tilling the ground. People may call this the primitive way but it is very practical for engaging the bulls – have them work in cart loading, transporting, etc.” – Srila Prabhupada, January 1974.

Click here to read the rest of the letter at the Brijabasi Spirit website.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 March 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Bhagavad-gita Lecture)

Question: How does one become steady in one’s Krsna consciousness?

By depending more and more on Krsna. In the beginning, we are not steady in our Krsna consciousness because we do not depend enough. We want to depend on ourselves. We think, ‘I want to be Krsna conscious and I am just going to make a mental adjustment in my mind – me, I – so that I can be Krsna conscious and I am just doing it now. I am Krsna conscious from now on. Actually I am quite Krsna conscious!’  No! The thing is that we have to depend on devotees, we have to depend on prasadam, on the temple, on the books. We have to depend on all the electronic stuff we can get about Krsna, we have to depend on the Deities’ mercy, and then we have to do something to score it. So, more and more we have become dependent, and over time more and more we are relying on that dependence. Total dependence on Krsna and in that way we become more and more steady – that is the secret.

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Amazing book distribution of Iskcon Maraimalai Nagar to millions! (Album with photos)
On the occasion of Karthigai Deepam, the town of Thiruvannamalai is overflowing with millions of people.
Most importantly, we, from Iskcon Maraimalai Nagar are in Thiruvannamalai to distribute Thousands of Srila Prabhupada books.
See them here: http://goo.gl/eqqlP8

1,500 devotees from all over the U.S., Canada, and South America attended the fifth annual Festival of the Holy Name in Alachua, Florida.
Srila Prabhupada: “Haraye namah krsna yadavaya namah, gopala govinda rama sri-mudhusudana. This is another way of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The meaning is as follows: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. He is the descendant of the Yadu family. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Gopala, Govinda, Rama and Sri Madhusudana.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 25.64 Purport)
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/VPpU4c

Positive interactions of Harinama devotees with the people in general at New York’s Union Square.
Srila Prabhupada: One may live in a cave, in a cottage beside a river, in a palace or in a big city like New York or London. In any case, a devotee can follow the instructions of his spiritual master and engage in devotional service by watering the tulasi plant and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 24.261)
http://goo.gl/UHTMps

While Thanksgiving meals typically feature a dead turkey as their central dish – something that makes ISKCON devotees’ hearts fill with sadness and compassion – the American holiday has other elements that fit with the Vaishnava mindset, such as the central theme of gratitude.

Just as Srila Prabhupada had folded his hands and thanked his disciples in Mayapur for helping build the Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir, Ambarish Das and his wife Swaha Dasi this kartik month toured Dubai, Bahrain and other Middle Eastern countries to raise awareness about the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur. Their sincere appeal to the devotee congregation raised over 3 million dollars in pledges.

Gita verse-by-verse study podcast:

Around 1,500 devotees from all over the U.S., Canada, and South America attended the fifth annual Festival of the Holy Name in Alachua, Florida this Thanksgiving Weekend from November 28^th to 30^th. The increase in popularity of the homegrown, gurukuli-organized festival each year despite a total absence of advertising shows the power of word-of-mouth from attendees who’ve had a truly lifechanging experience.

BY NITAI PRIYA DASA

KUALA LUMPUR - Had a very wonderful in Kirtan Mela Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Having the opportunity to sit in Kirtan for many hours with the Mayapur-Candras, Ojasvi Dasa, BB Govinda Swami, Surya Bimal Dasi and other other wonderful devotees was very uplifting.

Sitting up close to BB Govinda Swami when he led Kirtan was a dream come true. Having the super talented Surya Nandini Mataji sing and play her Clarinet/Saxophone when I was **leading the Kirtan was a DREAM COME TRUE.

Best part of the whole experience was BB Govinda Swami's personal instructions to me after dancing like a madman in Maharaj's and Ojasvi Prabhu's last Kirtans. 

"You should CHANT when you dance. Dancing without singing the Holy Names is more or less like a disco or some hard-core physical exercise. Whether playing instruments, dancing or sitting during Kirtans, one MUST CHANT otherwise, our so-called expertise in dancing or playing instruments is irrelevant and unattractive in Krsna's eyes."

Padayatra and Harinama in the rain (Album 39 photos)
In any condition, a man can live in a small cottage, plant a tulasi tree, water it in the morning, offer it prayers, and continuously chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Thus one can make vigorous spiritual advancement. This is not at all difficult. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 24.261)
See them here: http://goo.gl/r671vQ

Dear Kirtan Londoners, We wish you a very merry December! We come bearing gifts of upcoming kirtan gatherings!
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/FQbc7t

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BY SIMHESWARA DASA

KUALA LUMPUR - The Bhaktivedanta Books Trading Malaysia Sdn Bhd [BBT (M) Sdn Bhd] is an arm for the managing of book distribution of the ISKCON Malaysia society. Programme starts with arrival of books in 40 feet containers.

Books are stored and organised in categories.

All ISKCON centres in Malaysia are clients of the BBT (M) Sdn Bhd and purchase books from the BBT (M) Sdn Bhd and distribute in their local zones.

Other forms of distibution include:-

1. Sastra Dana (individuals, householders,societies, politicians, businessmen and organisations sponsor whatever the number of books which will be distributed to schools, colleges or to wherever the sponsor wants the books he sponsored to be distributed )
2. BBT (M) Sdn Bhd works together with Food For Life Malaysia (FFLM) Society and organises 1 free meal + 1 free book programme at schools. FFLM sponsors such programmes.
3. Children & Youth groups visits to Hare Krishna farm in Lanchag, Pahang where all of them will receive a book as part of the farm-ily day programme.
4. Individuals purchase books and distribute to their friends as part of their service to propogate the message of Lord Sri Krishna and as their dedicate and gratitude to ISKCON founder-acharya Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
5. Travelling Sankirtan Parties as it is called. Monks travel around the country in vans and meet members of the public by door to door, office to office and street book distribution.
6. Books stalls are set up during public and religious festivals such as Thaipusam, Global Indian Festival, etc.
7. Books sold through the internet.
8. Book distribution marathons are held at different times to help boost book distribution. Members work hard day and night to distribute books and achieve quotas.

India now has a minister of yoga — and he and his government want their cultural bliss back.

Power point presentation at yesterday’s Divali-gala dinner.

The post Is the Bhagavad-gita relevant today? appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

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

Gita Jayanti in Mayapur (Album 42 photos)
In Mayapur, over 1000 students of Gita Study Course, a distance education course conducted by Mayapur preaching department convened for three day seminar culminating on Gita Jayanthi. Bhagavad Gitas adorned the altars of Sri Radha-Madhava, Sri Panca tattva, Sri Narasimhadeva and Srila Prabhupada. Gita chanting or reciting of 700 verses of Bhagavad Gita started at 8.30 a.m. Each chapter was recited in various meters. Gita Yajna was also performed by offering oblations after each sloka of 18th chapter. Devotees did harinama circumambulating the temple. It was an out of world experience to hear devotees worldwide with different background with such an intense prayerful mood absorbed in chanting the Slokas. I offer my millions of obeisances to Srila Prabhupada who delivered this message as it is.
See them here in a beautiful arrangement of orizontal navigation, like a story layout: http://goo.gl/kVfkN9

Gita Jayanti celebrated in Sri Mayapur International School (Album 102 photos)
At Sri Mayapur International School we had a celebration. The whole school gathered with parents and teachers and recited the 9th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita together and had a yajna afterwards.
See them here: http://goo.gl/F21EHH