The importance of the counsellor system.

The post Conversation with Marfina community appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

01-10-2014 Krishna Balaram Katha Part 2, ISKCON Gaborone, Botswana.mp3

From Subash

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

Why would he say, "I started serving Krishna with Rs 40 and now I have more than Rs 40 crore"

Answer Podcast

HH Radhanath Swami inaugurates the exquisite paintings adorning the roof of the Vedic Cultural & Educational Center. All these hand drawn gems-of-art have been made by the expert artists @ GEV! Read more ›

Radhanath Swami visited Bologna for 2 days and this was the first program at a large hotel very well known in Bologna, home of the oldest university in the western world. There were over 500 people attending on a Thursday night. At the end they gave a great applause and purchased over 200 books. For Maharajas visit next year we are already looking for halls with over a thousand seats!! Ys Trai das Read more ›

Devotees have begun construction on another temple in Rohini, near Punjabi Bagh, which will complete Srila Prabhupada’s wish for ten small temples and one big temple in Delhi. Read more ›

From Cape Town, Kadamba Kanana Swami travelled to Durban on Monday, 22 September. His stay was a week full of exciting programs and kirtans. It started-off on Tuesday with an evening program at the New Jagannatha Puri Temple in Phoenix; followed by a program in Scottburgh on Wednesday, 24 September, which was a public holiday in SA. This was an initiative by the Global Youth Yatra which brought together young people from the local community who got exposure to Krsna consciousness through song-and-dance, interesting discourses and prasadam!

On Thursday and Friday, Maharaj participated in Bhakti Yoga Society Student Retreat that took place at the temple. On Friday night, a program was held at the home of Candrasekhara. Apart from the devotees, many family members and friends also attended who got the opportunity to hear Maharaj render kirtan and speak about Krsna’s Vrindavan pastimes.

Amidst his stay in Durban, Maharaj went to Pretoria for a day to participate in a Saturday afternoon program. On Sunday, another busy day lay ahead with Maharaj attending the Love Feast in Pietermaritzburg at midday and in Durban in the afternoon.

On Monday, the final program of this SA visit took place at the house of Nicole and Kody in Pretoria. Apart all of these engagements, Maharaj also gave morning classes and spent time with the disciples. On Tuesday, he departed for Australia.

 

Photos

Please visit flickr to see the full slide-show.

 

 

Audio

Courtesy of Vibhu Caitanya Das

 

Lectures

KKS_DBN_23 September 2014_SB_1.10.4

KKS_NJP_23 September 2014_Evening Lecture

KKS_DBN_24 September 2014_Scottburgh_Lecture

KKS_DBN_26 September 2014_BYS_Lecture_The_path_of_saints

KKS_DBN_26 September 2014_House Program_Lecture

KKS_PTA_27 September 2014_Lecture

KKS_PMB_28 September 2014_Sunday Feast_Lecture

KKS_DBN_28 September 2014_Sunday Feast_Lecture

KKS_PTA_29 September2014_House Program_Lecture

 

 

Kirtans

KKS_NJP_23 September 2014_Kirtan I

KKS_NJP_23 September 2014_Kirtan II

KKS_DBN_25 September 2014_BYS_Evening Kirtan

KKS_DBN_26 September 2014_House Program_Kirtan I

KKS_DBN_26 September 2014_House Program_Kirtan II

KKS_PTA_27 September 2014_Kirtan I

KKS_PTA_27 September 2014_Kirtan II

KKS_PMB_28 September 2014_Sunday Feast_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_28 September 2014_Sunday Feast_Kirtan

KKS_PTA_29September2014_HouseProgram_Kirtan

 

 

Did past people believe in miracles like Govardhana lila because they were unscientific and gullible?

If Krishna is the cause of all causes, is he the cause of everything that we and others do?

When Ramanuja has refuted the design argument, why does Prabhupada use it so extensively?

Why has Ramanuja refuted the design argument in his Vedanta Sutra commentary?

How to control our jealousy and ego?

Isn’t doing our duties better than spending hours chanting?

Why are all forms of science not equally authoritative – why is evoluion less reliable than gravity when its all science?

When we don’t feel like asking for forgiveness what should we do?

Can devotees watch TV serials about Krishna’s pastimes?

What is the use of writing insubstantial articles in newspapers that don’t even mention the name of Krishna once?

How can we strengthen our resolve to correct our wrongs?

How can we forgive not just with lips but with the heart?

 

 

HG Sundar Nitai Dasa – SB 10.69.41 – 09.07.2014

This week’s challenge: Who is this Brijabasi, what is she doing & what year were these photos taken?

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

1966 October 9: "Sitting under a tree in a Lower East Side park, fifty followers of a Hindu swami repeated a sixteen-word chant for two hours yesterday afternoon to the accompaniment of cymbals, bells, and a small reed organ."
[From the New York Times, October 9, 1966]

1968 October 9: "We can take part in politics only which is sanctioned by Krishna. This political struggle by the students is different thing. I am prepared to go and lecture if somebody agrees to hear continually for some time. But not to take part in some political agitation."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1971 October 9: "It is not that everyone will be able to understand this philosophy. Still if some intelligent section of the human society understands it, there will be tremendous change in the atmosphere."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 9: "The important matter is that the children are taken care of nicely. That is the first duty. They must have sufficient quantity of milk and then dhal, capatis, vegetables, and fresh fruit will keep them always fit."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 9: "Recoup your health, Delhi climate is now very good. Soak sugar candy overnight in water and take early in the morning and that will help you. Also take green vegetables with lime juice. Green papaya boiled is also nice."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 9: "Yes, Visnujana Maharaja is personally a nice devotee so he has created nice devotees. Lord Caitanya also behaved personally and taught others. So every one of us should follow this principle of Caitanya Mahaprabhu."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 October 9: --STOP ALL NEGOTIATIONS. DO NOT PAY A FARTHING UNTIL CONVEYANCE EXECUTED. SENDING KARANDHARA FOR FILING SUIT FOR SPECIFIC EXECUTION OF SALE AGREEMENT
--A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 October 9: "Yes, it is understood that your paintings are offered to the Deities when they appear in my books or on our temple walls. Regarding asking me questions, yes you can ask, but unless it is sanctioned by me, you cannot act on it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

“O friend, by great good fortune you have attained this body where you have heard Vrndavana’s wonderful glories and learned that everything in this world is like a dream. Don’t, don’t, don’t put any faith in the mind and body. Run to Vrndavana!” [ Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati, Sataka One, Text 80 ]

By seriously chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and avoiding offenses, especially inattention, our faith in the Holy names will increase.
If we chant to our best ability, Krsna will reciprocate with us and gives us purification...we get a taste and we can perceive that chanting the Hare Krsna mantra does actually work.

The Key Difference Between Modern and Ancient Science

In the Bhāgavata (3.24.18) we hear Brahmā tell this to Princess Devahūti:

My dear daughter of Manu, the destroyer of deceptions has come forth from your own womb! His teachings will traverse the globe, setting it free from the knotted ropes of ignorance and confusion. He will become the leader of hosts of people attaining perfection. He will become the exemplar of the sciences, and will speak with excellent and full deliberation upon authority. With the name ‘Kapila’ he will be celebrated throughout the world, thus increasing your fame

Kapila’s science was explained with excellent and full deliberation upon authority. This means that Kapila’s epistemology begins with śabda-pramāṇa and descends into anumāna and pratyākṣa-pramāṇa. (he begins with statements from primeval authority and carries those statements into logical rationale [anumāna] and then into practical observation [pratyākṣa].

Later on, science changed. Even in India, the saṁkhya-darśan later changed. Another person came forward calling himself Kapila and gave new conclusions to the science. His version influenced the Greeks, which has created the modern science that now dominates the world. This form of science differs from the sciences explained by Devahūti’s beautiful son in that her son established science “with excellent and full deliberation upon authority” where as the later ‘Kapila’ (and the modern science stemming from his root) take an opposite approach.

Devahūti’s Kapila’s approach is avaroha — it comes from “top-down.” It begins with authoritative knowledge (śabda) and this informs and guides the rationale and logic (anumāna) which then educates and informs the perception (pratyākṣa).

The other Kapila’s approach is varoha — it goes from “bottom-up.” It begins with perception (pratyākṣa) from which one constructs logical rationale (anumāna) and finally arrives at authoritative knowledge (śabda). This approach is insufficient compared to the approach of the original Kapila because perception is subjective and incredibly subject to flaw and limitation.

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.2 during the morning class.

“Our acharyas say, krsnaika-sarana—one should take exclusive shelter of Krishna. If one has that one qualification, even if he is lacking in the other twenty-five, he is to be considered a devotee, or sadhu. And to criticize such a devotee is an offense: sadhu-ninda. Conversely, if one has all the other twenty-five qualifications but is lacking the one qualification of krsnaika-sarana, then he is not considered a devotee. Here again we see the same principle. If one is coming from a low family but is a devotee, he is worshipable and is entitled to perform worship. But if one is born in a brahman family but is not a devotee, he cannot purify even himself, what to speak of others. So, we are blessed with a wonderful opportunity to associate with devotees, who are so rare. But it is also a challenge to live in the association of devotees and appreciate them as devotees and not be overwhelmed by the perception of their apparent—or real—defects.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.2

If by the tongue you chant Hare Krishna mantra, and by the tongue you taste prasadam, you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things. London, July 12, 1973. Read more ›

Said to be an incarnation of Krishna’s brother Lord Balarama Himself, the Mridanga is a powerful instrument, which helps to carry devotees into blissful ecstasy while they chant the holy names of Krishna. In Kirtan, with thousands of people or just one or two, the Mridanga raises the consciousness and allows one and all to focus more fully on Krishna. Read more ›

As stated in the Padma Purana: "One cannot understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Sri Krishna through one's materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." Read more ›

"O Lord, Your transcendental name and form are not ascertained by those who merely speculate on the path of imagination. Your name, form and attributes can be ascertained only through devotional service." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.2.36) Read more ›

30-09-2014 Krishna Balaram Katha Part 1, ISKCON Gaborone, Botswana.mp3

Damodarastaka, is a beautiful prayer that is sung everyday during the month of Karthika (Oct-Nov). It is accompanied by lighting and offering lamps to the Lord. These 8 verses describe the unique pastimes of Lord Damodara.

The post October 8th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara (Cc. Adi 17.22): In this age, Krishna has appeared in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The Krishna Consciousness movement is spreading like wildfire all over the world, and it will go on doing so. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.2.20 Purport) Read more ›

1967 October 8: "The movement which I have started will fulfill the desires of those who are actually anxious to have bona fide spiritual guidance. There are other swamis & yogis in your country who can simply exploit the sentiment but they can not deliver the real thing."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 8: "I am very glad that your service attitude is progressively increasing. Krishna Consciousness is such a nice thing that the more you work for the cause, the more you become enthusiastic to execute the purpose. Follow my instructions and you shall never be unhappy."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 8: "My mind is always with you. India is foreign country for me now. Practically your country is my home now. Where my spiritual family exists, there is my home."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967