Will Bring Us Closer To Krsna
→ Japa Group

Attentive chanting can be daunting at times....it's so very easy to let the mind go into other realms of thought. Something that happened yesterday that's stuck in our mind - something that's coming up in the future or something going on around us now.
The solution is here and it's easy....whatever your thinking about ignore it and just start to listen to what your chanting.
Listen very carefully to what your chanting and do that for the next round and then the next and keep going and don't stop.
Attentive chanting will bring us closer to Krsna - it will allow us to feel the Lord's spiritual energy once again.

Visit to Goswami Academy, October 1, Houston
Giriraj Swami

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Student: How was Krishna made? How did He come?
Giriraj Swami: Listen very carefully, because this is a very difficult subject. There are two kinds of realities: material and spiritual. Material things have a beginning and an end, and spiritual things have no beginning and no end. A very important book describes Krishna as anadir adir — He is the origin of everything, but He has no origin. This is hard for us to understand, because everything in the material world has a beginning and an end, so we think that Krishna must also have a beginning and an end. But He doesn’t. For example, your father was created by his father, and his father was created by his father. If you keep going back, eventually you will come to someone who is the original father but He has no father. That is Krishna

Talk with Students at the Goswami Academy

What it Means to be Self-Satisfied, September 28, Houston
Giriraj Swami

1538Lord Caitanya and Rupa GoswamiGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 9.151, during the Sunday program.

“Krishna is situated in everyone’s heart, and if one desires something, Krishna fulfills one’s desire. If the living entity by chance or fortune comes in contact with the Krishna consciousness movement and wishes to associate with that movement, Krishna, who is situated in everyone’s heart, gives him the chance to meet a bona fide spiritual master. This is called guru-krsna-prasada. Krishna is prepared to bestow His mercy upon all living entities, and as soon as a living entity desires the Lord’s mercy, the Lord immediately gives him an opportunity to meet a bona fide spiritual master. Such a fortunate person is fortified by both Krishna and the spiritual master. He is helped from within by Krishna and from without by the spiritual master. Both are prepared to help the sincere living being become free from material bondage.”

—Cc Madhya 19.151 purport

Sunday Talk

Mayapur Master-plan
→ Ramai Swami

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Omkara das, a town planner and Yadurani devi dasi, an architect, head up the Mayapur master-plan team. For the last two years they have been working on finishing documents that will outline the development of the town of Sridhama Mayapur.

The GBCs of Mayapur regularly meet with the leaders and managers to discuss issues and strategies that will help advance the vision Srila Prabhupada had for Mayapur. By his mercy and the mercy of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Panca Tattva, Lord Nrsimha, may it come to pass.
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New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ October 5, 2014
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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Beyond the material world dominated by the three modes of nature is the splendid divine ocean of bliss that is the bija syllable of the Kama-gayatri mantra. In that ocean is a wonderfully beautiful island. In that island is the realm of Vrndavana, and in a secluded place of Vrndavana is an enchantingly beautiful forest garden. In that garden are Sri Sri Radhika-Krsnacandra, the two great treasures of intense transcendental bliss. Please worship Them with great devotion.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-3, Text-11 Translation.]

Please click here for more photos ….

We are all Hare Krishnas now, meditation goes mainstream
→ KKSBlog

By: Brendan O’Connor

Article from the Sunday Independent

Gradually they are coming out the woodwork. And suddenly it seems that half the people I know are secretly meditating. They range from casual transcendental meditators to practically full-blown Buddhists or Hare Krishnas.

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(The Beatles were taught meditation by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1960s)

And the strange thing is that these are not hippies or crusties or drop-outs or people living alternative lifestyles on an ashram-inspired commune near Sligo. Just regular blokes, a few of them quite senior in what they do. There are thrusting business types and entrepreneurs and generally pretty serious people. These are not people who go for reiki or acupuncture or any of the other usual trappings of the “I’m not religious but I am a very spiritual person” lifestyle. They are fairly practical people. And meditation is just one of their tools, a technology for modern living.

I have a theory on one thing that does bind them together. They are fathers of young children. And I have a theory that fathers of young children will do anything for a few minutes of peace and quiet. For some of us, it’s the warm embrace of the Sunday papers enveloping you, for others it’s a run, for some it is sitting in a shed tinkering with something. But seemingly for more and more guys, it’s meditation.

And you can see why. Because it’s not really acceptable in these days of superdadism to blithely announce that you are heading out for a game of golf. If you are not working, you are supposed to be ministering to your kids, or smothering them, as said children probably experience it.

But heading off to meditate is completely acceptable, because it’s like maintenance. It’s like pulling into the garage to fill your tank. It’s like eating, almost. Eating chicken soup for the soul. It has to be done. And you can hint darkly that it is to everyone’s benefit that you get to do your daily meditation – or sitting and doing nothing, as it’s also known.

Sitting down to empty the mind may have been construed in the past as having a little rest. But not any more. This is because we live in an age of mindfulness, when it is recognised as everyone’s God-given right, in the First World, to tune in, turn on and drop out for a while. Or sit there breathing as you might call it.

I was reading somewhere recently that while we might think of Hare Krishnas as a marginal cult, their influence on the world we live in now is enormous. The view seems to be that while the religion has not succeeded in the mainstream as such, the ideas have. Everywhere you look there is watered down Hare Krishna-ism, from the kinds of foods we eat, to the notion of sustainable, community-based living, to the whole mindfulness thing.

It seems we are all a little bit Hare Krishna now. Do you practise yoga? Are you a vegetarian? Do you believe in karma? Do you believe in positive vibes through social media? Then, my friend, you might just be a little bit Krishna-conscious.

Even the Hare Krishnas themselves are living regular lives these days. After the usual sex scandals and so on that plague most cults and religions, many modern Hare Krishnas live what they call “householder lives”, meaning they don’t chant in airports anymore, instead leading lives of devotion and spirituality while holding down jobs, wearing regular clothes and raising children.

I am toying with the whole meditation idea as a way of dealing with stress and getting a bit of a guaranteed sit-down, but it kind of bothers me that it would be the equivalent of someone who doesn’t believe in God praying to him just for a bit of quiet time. Or going to Mass to get a break from all the noise.

Is it really right? Is it OK that we take the trappings of spiritual techniques, just to use them as accoutrements of the modern world? Or is it actually no harm to use these ancient techniques purely as technology, without actually buying into the whole thing?

Or worse, do the Hare Krishnas and the rest of them know something we don’t? Do they know that the more people they can get to chant or meditate or not eat meat or do the yoga, even if those people just do it for well-being and buns of steel, the more people they bring a little closer to Krishna.

Will we all end up in saffron robes some day?

Read the original article on the Sunday Independent website.

Robber’s Market
→ travelingmonk.com

Mumbai’s “Thieves Market,” deep in the heart of the city, gets it’s name from notorious robbers of yore who would peddle their stolen goods throughout the market. More tame in modern times, the bazzar teems with items of antiquity like furniture, paintings, lamps, old photos, silverware and more — attracting collectors, tourists, locals and the [...]

The following transcriptions have been uploaded.
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Do the Anthropic Principle and the multiverse theory make the design argument redundant?

Is it right for devotees to use kirtan singing for earning their living?

If we shouldn’t be disturbed by the mind’s impurities, then how can we beat the mind?

Why do dharma-shastras say that aggressors should be forgiven?

What are dharma-shastra and artha-shastra? How are they different?

How do we respond when prominent scientists like Stephen Hawking write books propounding atheism?

Do the dharma-shastras say aggressors shouldn’t be killed and artha-shastras that they should be killed?

Do cultural practices change as per age as does the yuga-dharma?

Why was Arjuna so dear to Krishna?

When the Pandavas were so virtuous why did Krisha let them suffer so much?

When hearing about Krishna from nondevotees can create interest in people and act as a stepping stone to devotional service, why is such hearing considered like milk touched by a snake?

Why do we have to give up material pleasures to experience spiritual pleasures?

 

Saved From Death Sentence By Prayers from HH Jayapataka Swami
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY MAHAVARAHA DASA
Diary 18th August 2014
Being  Janmasthami today, HH Jayapataka Swami (JPS), started off his day by giving Bhagavatam class in the temple hall here in Mayapur Dham. Since he is on Ayurvedic treatment for the last three weeks, the doctor advised him not to physically strain himself much. So he was scheduled to give only one class today. After the class he had wonderful darshana of Their Lordship Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Panca Tattva and Lord Nrshimadeva. 
Then he came up to his room and had little fruits before ready to take a nap. Though it is a fasting day, he was advised by the doctors to take fruits along with the Ayurvedic medicines they prescribed. He slept for 30 mins then called Shyam Rasika Das to connect the Vonage phone. This is a special internet phone which has facility to call most of the countries in the world for almost free of cost. For some countries even calling their mobile phone line was free of cost. 
Malaysia and India were among those. JPS called the temple presidents and leading disciples around his zones in India and Malaysia and wished them Happy Janmasthami and Happy Srila Prabhupada Appearance Day. 
Among them was one of the temple president from a town call Taiping, Malaysia. Yaduraja Krishna Prabhu, the Temple President, became overwhelmed with joy and tears when he received the call from JPS. Towards the end of their conversation, Yaduraj prabhu briefed JPS about one of JPS's disciple Kripa Murti Krsna dasa (KMKD) who is in the local prison. 
A brief history about Kripa Murti Prabhu. Due to bad association he was prisoned about 15 years ago. He was sentenced to death for the type of crime he has committed according to the local act. While he was serving his death sentence in the prison he came in contact with devotees and started reading Srila Prabhupada's book. In few years he started chanting 21 rounds everyday. He has finished reading most of Srila Prabhupada's books in the prison.  He also made couple of  his inmates to take up KC by his regular preaching, classes and his personal behavior. He gives SB class to inmates. He observes ekadasi and other fasting without fail. 
Many of his Muslim wardens were very impressed seeing the transformation in him, how KC has changed him completely. He then developed a very strong desire to get initiated by JPS. About four years ago JPS initiated him by sending him spiritual name and beads. Before initiation JPS advised him that he should make a written plea to the King to be pardon. Each time JPS receives some report about him from the local president he also inquires if he has tried for pardon? 
Once when Yaduraj Krsna Prabhu visited KMKD in the prison, he asked him how is he doing? For that, KMKD replied,"Everyday I am eating at the door of death. Everyday I am sleeping at the door of death and everyday I am living at door of death. But, I am not fear of death because Krishna Consciousness keeping me happy all the time."  
Now back to their telephone conversation. After giving a wonderful report about KMKD, Yaduraj Prabhu then requested JPS to give him his blessings. JPS said, "I pray to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada to give KMKD Their unlimited blessings."
Interested to know how the blessing worked? Continue reading......
Diary 19th August 2014
Srila Prabhupada Appearance day. I received a call from Sarva Radhika Mataji, the wife of Yaduraj Krishna Prabhu. She said, "The Prison Director called KMKD to meet him in his office this morning and told him that he will be hanged tomorrow." The officer was expecting a hysterical response but KMKD remained composed and calm. 

KMKD told the officer that he has been waiting for this for a long time. His family has been very stressful all this years and he is ready for the death sentence. The dumbfounded officer was paused for a while. He then told KMKD with smiling face, "Actually it is the other way around, you been pardoned from your death sentence. You are an extremely exceptional case who got this special pardon." 
Sarva Radhika Mataji continued with more excitement,"Prabhu, can you believe it? Yesterday GM blessed KMKD that he may receive unlimited blessings of Krishna and SP. Today being the  Appearance day of Srila Prabhupada, KMKD got His Divine Grace's unlimited blessings. We are waiting for further news and we will update you later. Please inform JPS about this wonderful news."