1972 October 23: "You are feeling some discomfort in your life in Krishna Consciousness, but I can assure you that this is only temporary condition of little importance, because main thing is that somehow or other you have got a little attraction for Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

“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

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

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.'

 

Answer Podcast

From Vijay Gopi K P

Answer Podcast

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

"Our strength is in following the regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds japa. Then Krsna will give you protection."

Letter to Visvadharini dasi
12th January, 1977

I can't think when I am with too many people. And I find public harinam kirtan distracting. But when I try to be alone, devotees say that I will go into Maya. But I feel more disoriented when I am with many people and more focused on Krishna when I am alone. How can I practice bhakti?

Answer Podcast

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

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

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

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

Early 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!

 

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.

Always remember that our first business is preaching and distributing literatures, never mind we have to live under a tree. Letter to Narottamananda, October 23, 1972. Read more ›

Wonderful addition to the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mayapur Read more ›

Nineteen ISKCON devotees were injured when a Vrindavan bound bus rammed against a tree after one of its tyres punctured near Maghera village falling under Vrindavan police station today  "While eleven devotees were rushed to district hospital, eight were taken to Paras Mani Hospital. Nobody is in critical position," Dy SP Anil Yadav said. 

SRS: The following is the GBC Executive’s Report on Vaisnavi diksa gurus. Official_Release_Oct_21_2014.pdf

The post GBC Special Session Report appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Do you know what incipient myelopathy is? appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday we visited Premavan, the forest of love. Within Premavan is Prema-sarovara, a lake of love made from the combined tears of Radha and Krsna when they experienced intense separation from each other. The scenery there is reminiscent of what Vrindavan must have been like when Krsna was present thousands of years ago. We spent longer at Prema-sarovara than other places we have visited this month, trying to fathom the deep emotions of pure devotional service to the Lord. Read more ›

Bhagavatam-daily is a daily talk of approximately 10 min on a verse of Srimad Bhagavatam. This feature is especially meant to serve those devotees who want to hear the Bhagavatam regularly and systematically in short segments that they can conveniently fit into their schedules. The talk will involve a quick explanation of the Sanskrit verse followed by a devotional analysis of how we can take shelter of Krishna based on the import of that verse. In fact, my attempt to start this feature is essentially my way of taking shelter of the Bhagavatam by meditating and speaking on and thus serving each of its verses. I hope and pray that these talks will help hearers to similarly find greater shelter in the Bhagavatam.

In Krishna lila stava, Sri Sanatana Goswami glorifies the Srimad Bhagavatam: “ O holy Bhagavata, you are my only company, my only friend, and my guru. You are my greatest treasure and my personal saviour. You are the emblem of my highest fortune and the very form of ecstasy. I offer my obeisances unto you.” Several of our worshipable previous acharyas have commented insightfully on the Bhagavatam and our beloved Srila Prabhupada has given us through his illuminating Bhaktivedanta purports given us access to the vast universe of devotion that is the Bhagavatam. I offer my prostrated obeisances to our acharyas and pray that they bless this endeavor. I have sought and got the blessings of my spiritual guides - and I also seek the prayers, good wishes and blessings of the hearers so that I can render this service properly.
Krishna willing, I will be taking various sections of the Bhagavatam verse-by-verse. To begin with, I have taken up the Uddhava Gita as it is one of the most important sections of the Bhagavatam, being its longest philosophical section, and is often quoted by our acharyas. It comprises the last words spoken by Krishna just before he departed from this mortal world and it was spoken to guide Uddhava to live with face the dark age of Kali.
The first four podcasts are available here:

Each day's podcast will be published early in the morning and will come in your daily feed.

HG Chaturatma Prabhu’s extra class about Srila Narottam Das Thakur

1967 October 22: "Forget this chapter, all Maya's play. We shall be sorry for his plight under Maya and may not waste our valuable time talking about him. The best thing you have done is that he no longer speaks in our temples."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 22: "If he really believes in his new doctrine, he should honestly return his Sannyas certificate which he very tactfully secured from me. He should not utilize this certificate without any allegiance."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 22: "Our responsiblity is to open branches outside India. As the Europeans were very enterprising for colonization, similarly we should be enthusiastic to open branches in different parts of the world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1971 October 22: "Devotional service can be advanced by six processes: enthusiasm, patience, conviction, following the regulative principles, being honest in one's profession, and being in the association of devotees. Devotee means who are following the regulative principles."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 22: "Just like the tracks of a railroad line, both must be there, Bhagavata marga and pancaratriki marga - one side Bhagavata book, the other side Deity worship. Unless you follow both lines simultaneously you cannot make any progress in devotional service."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 22: "Our Krsna consciousness movement preaching depends on our personal behavior.We cannot preach without being solid in our standing as devotee. One should preach by behaving himself exactly what he preaches."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 22: "First you have to decide yourself whether you are prepared to surrender to our principles, because if you keep your independence your position is the same. To associate with me you are always welcome but not with your independence. That will not help me or you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

Yesterday we visited Pavana-sarovara, a sacred lake near Nandagram. Our program was the same as everyday; hearing and chanting the glories of Lord. Such sravanam and kirtanam seems to be especially potent in the holy dhama. Local tradition says that the results of any spiritual practice done in Vrindavan dhama is magnified a thousand times. [...]

1972 October 22: "The pleasure of spending some days in Vrindaban is only exceeded by the pleasure of hearing the good news of our activities in Mayapur. Do not be anxious, I am coming there soon to live with you. And I shall speak thrice times what I am speaking here."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

Special Giriraj Diwali Grand Feast

When? Friday,Oct 25th,2014 Program starts at 7pm 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

Program Schedule 7.00PM   GURU PUJA 7.20PM   GAURA AARTI 7.45PM   NRSINGADEV PRAYERS 7:50PM   WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 8.00PM   GLORIES OF GIRIRAJ GOVARDHAN 8.30PM   DAMODAR AARTI AND KIRTAN 8.50PM   SUNDAY SCHOOL DRESS UP 9.05PM   GOVARDHAN MAHA AARTI AND PARIKARMA Followed by GIRIRAJ DIWALI MAHA FEAST OF THE NIGHT Offerings for Giriraj Govardhan "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it."(BG-9.26) Let’s aim to offer at least 56 items You are invited to bring vegetarian offerings (no onion, garlic, eggs, vinegar) of food for Krishna.[In brand new aluminium one or two serving sized container] *Nothing store-bought. Must be fresh and home-made. *No tasting or sampling. Krishna must be the first to taste your offering. Please do contact mother Alka(alka74salwan@gmail.com) VOLUNTEERING: If you're looking for service opportunity for this event please do contact Radha Gopinatha Dasa(radhagopinathdas@hotmail.com) SPONSORSHIPS: If you are looking for an opportunity to finance the event please do contact Krishna Smaran Devi Dasi( kavitabalram@yahoo.com). Details: Giriraj Grand Feast-                      $251 Giriraj Maha Aarati-                      $151 Giriraj Govardhan-                        $101+101+101 Florals and Garlands-                   $151 Exquisite shringar for deities-   $301 About Govardhan Puja & Annakut The day after Diwali is referred to as Annakuta, or Govardhana Puja.On this day the inhabitants of Vrindavan (Lord Krishna’s abode on Earth) traditionally held a harvest festival in honor of the demigod King Indra who provided the rains essential for the harvest. Lord Krishna by defeating Indra's pride demonstrated that he is Deva Deva, Lord of the demigods, and that the purposes for which demigods might be worshiped could easily be served simply by worshiping Him, the cause of all causes. This day is also significant as the day on which, several thousand years later, Srila Madhavendra Puri established a temple for the self-manifest Gopala Deity on top of Govardhana Hill. To celebrate this festival, devotees build a replica of Govardhana Hill made of various opulent foods, worship Lord Krishna as the lifter of Govardhana Hill, worship the hill as His incarnation, and worship the cows and bulls which are dear to the Lord. Srila Prabhupada's Disapperance Day Fasting till Noon on Oct 27th 2014 **The festivities will be observed during our Sunday Love Feast Oct 26th 2014...Details will posted shortly**   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!

There is a general criticism on Srila Prabhupada that he only talks about Krishna and hence sectarian. This criticism is very common among mainstream "hindus" and Indians. This criticism also reveals the lack of proper philosophical understanding of the concept of Godhead and His concomitant material creation.

There are two ways to arrange things. One way is horizontal and the other vertical. When we arrange things linearly in horizontal fashion, then it seems all of things arranged have equal weights thus demanding equal attention from the viewer. If however, we adjust the heights in the vertical direction, then the top aligned items are given more importance. The same can also be applied with size. Two identical objects can be sorted if one is bigger in size than the other.

The misunderstanding about Krishna is that the general "hindu" population assumes Krishna to be on equal footing with other Gods like the horizontal arrangement of things as mentioned above. But actually Krishna should be seen vertical in that He is on the top and the others below Him. If we see Krishna with this arrangement, then by simply worshipping Krishna, all other subservient entities are included. One need not worship other celestial entities separately.

So when Srila Prabhupada focuses purely on Krishna as the object of worship, he does so because all other 330 million gods including Lord Siva and Lord Brahma are included in Krishna worship. One need not separately go to a Siva temple and worship Him. Of course to understand the super-inclusive  nature of Krishna requires purification from mundane desires and certain amount of faith.

Srila Prabhupada therefore is not preaching sectarian dharma but a super-dharma which includes all other subservient forms of dharma.

Hare Krishna