World Holy Name Week: Day 9
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY HH RADHANATH SWAMI

KUALA LUMPUR - When we are chanting the holy names in congregation, if the leader of the kirtan sings one melody and everybody in the group decides to sing in whatever melody they like best, the resulting sound won’t be so melodious. Therefore, whether we like the melody or don’t like the melody, everybody surrenders to sing the same. So in this way, for a kirtan to sound beautiful and sweet it needs cooperation. Cooperation means the higher principle. We may have preference for a melody and preference for a speed or a style, but we all accept in unity to follow the leader. When is the kirtan harmonious? When there are so many people. It’s tumultuous sound, it’s a beautiful sound. We can’t hear just one voice during the chorus; yes, we hear one voice, but that one voice is actually the sound of everyone’s voice. That’s our offering to God. And why is it so pleasing to the Lord? Because we are all cooperating for higher purpose; we are all united for the pleasure of the centre or Krishna in spite of all our differences.

Some may have very melodious and sweet voices trained in classical singing; others may crock like frogs by material standards. Some may be children with high shrilled voices; others may be very old people with chocked up voices; and still others may be very young screaming out. There are men, women, old and young. There are people from different nationalities, different races, but the voice becomes one—the voice of our common unity for a higher purpose than ourselves. So God hears that, but he is also hearing each and every individual’s voice according to what they sound like.

We may be just moving our lips so that other people think that we are chanting, but God sees that we are not chanting. Not only does he see, but he hears. He hears what we sound like, our volume, our melody, and our rhythm. Simultaneously, God hears intention of every single person. What do we want? Why are we chanting? Are we chanting just because everybody else is chanting? Are we chanting because we want good grades in exams? Or are we chanting because we want unalloyed pure devotional service? God hears one voice of our unity while simultaneously he hears every single devotee’s voice. He is feeling, seeing, and hearing our desire, our intention, our motives. This is actually what is happening during congregational chanting. God is going to reciprocate and manifest himself to each and every individual, and collectively to everyone, and to the world, according to all of these different considerations and many more.

Join us for Sunday Feast from 11.00am-2.00pm — Hear and associate with His Grace Vaisnava Dasa for this Sunday’s Vedic Discourse**Srila Prabhupada’s Journey to USA**
→ ISKCON Brampton


Sunday Love Feast

When?
Sunday,Sep 14th,2014
Program starts at 11 am

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
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.20
bile batorukrama-vikramān ye
na śṛṇvataḥ karṇa-puṭe narasya
jihvāsatī dārdurikeva sūta
na copagāyaty urugāya-gāthāḥ
TRANSLATION
"One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvelous acts of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy songs about the Lord is to be considered to possess earholes like that of the snakes and a tongue like that of the frogs."


Program Schedule
11.00- 11.15      Tulsi Puja                                           
11.15 - 11.30     Guru Puja                                            
11:30 –11:55     Aarti & Kirtan                                      
11.55 - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers                  
12.00 – 1:00     Vedic discourse
  1:00 –  1:30      Closing Kirtan
 
COMING UP AHEAD
Indira Ekadasi
Fasting.....................on Sep 19th,2014
Breakfast................. on Sep 20th,2014 b/w 7.02am-11.07am

Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.


ON GOING EVERY SATURDAY
Bhagavad Gita Classes(New Session)
Started on Sep 6th,2014

Course fees: $125.00 per Student and  $75.00 for family members of Student(Prasadam and study material included).Mone is payable to ISKCON Brampton....tax receipts will be provided.
Join our new session of  Bhagavad Gita Course with His Grace Vaisnava Dasa from 8.45am-12.00pm and get certified from Bhaktivedanta College at the completion of this course towards Bhakti Sastri Degree.The course duration is approximately 10 weeks.To register please contact Vaisnava Dasa Prabhu in person or via email[vaishnavadas@icloud.com]


ON GOING EVERY SUNDAY
ISKCON Brampton Yoga and Wellness

Empower your mind and strengthen your body as you move through a series of meaningful poses.Mother Rashmi Ahuja will be conducting Yoga Classes every Sunday from 10am-11am before our Sunday Feast Program at ISKCON Brampton.These classes will be focussed on promoting our physical and mental well being.(Please bring your yoga mat)
Please Register here:
Email:rashmis.yoga@facebook.com 
Facebook page:Yoga and Satvic Nutrition with Rashmi
Contacts:416.569.6373 or 905.488.7272
Nutrition Help & Diet Tips

Mother Rashmi Ahuja is offering free one to one consultations and development of Individualized Nutrition Plans on Sundays between 1:30 - 3pm. Please contact (416)569-6373 or (905)488-7272 to book an appointment.

Sunday School

To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him.
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).
 
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!

An incredible 10,000 devotees from all over the world are expected to attend the annual Sri Ksetra Parikrama
→ Dandavats.com

We are happy to invite devotees from around the world to perform the most auspicious Sri Ksetra Parikrama. This year the parikrama day falls on 11th November. On this day, devotees will circumambulate the entire Sri Ksetra dhama, a distance of around 21 Km. This parikrama has been performed since the time Vidyapati visited Sri Ksetra. ISKCON has been organizing this parikrama for the last nine years, on the specific day prescribed for parikrama as per the scriptures. Last year we had nine thousand devotees participating in this parikrama. This year we are expecting many international devotees. Read more ›

Hundrends of singers will harmonize through their webcams on a mantra in praise of Govardhana leaded by renowned UK musician
→ Dandavats.com

A unique offering may be presented to the sacred hill Giri Govardhana upon the October 24th festival of Govardhana Puja this year. Renowned UK musician and singer Jayadeva Das (John Richardson) will put together a virtual version of his Mantra Choir project in which over 108 – and possibly as many as 300 or 400 – singers will harmonize through their webcams on a mantra in praise of Govardhana. The resulting track will then be posted to Youtube on Govardhana Puja with an accompanying video featuring all the singers. Read more ›

Sri Mayapur International School students join in World Holy Name Week 2014 (2 short videos)
→ Dandavats.com

The middle and high school students of Sri Mayapur International School participated in World Holy Name week on the sacred disappearance day of Srila Haridas Thakur. The Primary students went on Harinama the next morning, accompanied by family members ,including baby brothers and sisters. At the beginning of the Harinama, the children were briefly joined by H.H Kadamba Kanana Maharaja and by the end had many visiting pilgrims chanting and dancing with them. Read more ›

Vedic Tour of our Universe and Beyond (20 min animated video)
→ Dandavats.com

Come on a 20 minute animated guided tour of our Universe, according to the ancient Vedic text “Srimad Bhagavatam”. Splendid computer generated visuals and narration describe how the ancient mystics perceive our poly-dimensional Universe. The concepts presented here are found in many ancient traditions, yet the Vedic tradition remains consistent with modern astronomy and cosmology. Explore what lies beyond the boundaries of our limited vision; the heavenly planets, where angels and demigods reside, the subterranean heavens of sense enjoyment, the different hellish regions, and what lies beyond the universal boundaries of time, space and karma; the kingdom of God and Divine Love. Read more ›

Initiations ceremony during the Sadhu-sanga festival in Russia, 11.09.2014 (Album 50 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

In the Padyavali there is a statement by some devotees: "We shall not care for any outsiders. If they should deride us, we shall still not care for them. We shall simply enjoy the transcendental mellow of chanting Hare Krishna, and thus we shall roll on the ground and dance ecstatically. In this way we shall eternally enjoy transcendental bliss." (Nectar of Devotion, 27) Read more ›

How pleased Srila Prabhupada must be! (Album 74 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Indradyumna Swami: Srila Prabhupada once told Govinda dasi that formerly in Vedic times the land of Russia was known as 'Rishiya' - the land of the rishis. The area of Russia was populated by many yogis and sadhus who went to the mountains of the Himalayas and beyond to perform penances and austerities in the frozen terrain, far from the hubbub of worldly life. Srila Prabhupada told Govinda dasi that the descendants of those rishis who live in Russia now have the sukriti to easily take to Krishna consciousness. Such an amazing statement was never more evident than at the recent Russian Yatra festival where over 5000 Russian devotees come together for a week of chanting, dancing, Krsna katha and prasadam. How pleased Srila Prabhupada must be! Read more ›

Rishiya!
→ travelingmonk.com

Srila Prabhupada once told Govinda dasi that formerly in Vedic times the land of Russia was known as ‘Rishiya’ – the land of the rishis. The area of Russia was populated by many yogis and sadhus who went to the mountains of the Himalayas and beyond to perform penances and austerities in the frozen terrain, [...]

Wednesday, September 10th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Walking In the Rain

It dripped and it dropped
I stepped and I stopped,

For the rain had come
In a hiss and a hum.

The slope had a slip.
I thought, “Oh!  What a trip!

Don’t be uptight! 
Slide not, stay upright!”

Somehow I succeeded
Prayers were all I needed

On the slimy raw trail
With no rope and no rail.

Rain drove all away
But I was fixed to stay.

Before I took to trek
“Clouds,” but what the heck! 

I’ll just have some fun
Should I walk or should I run

I’m a monk on the move
Conviction I must prove.

May the Source be with you!

9 KM

Tuesday, September 9th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

I Turned a Corner 

As I turned a corner at Roxborough and Yonge, a middle-aged woman was standing there, waiting for, my guess was a cab.  You could tell she was curious as hell. 

In order not to appear like I had my hand in a sling (on my actual pouch for holding my meditation beads), I held my beads free in my hand.

“Are you praying?” she asked.

“Yes, it is actually for meditation.”

“Are you a priest?” 

“A monk.”

“I’ve never seen before, your clothes,” she persisted in inquisitiveness.  “I’m Catholic and from Portugal.  Are you from Canada?”

“Oh yes!  I’m a Krishna monk and I adapted to this ancient culture from India.”

“Do you get married?”

“In our tradition most priests do but I stayed single.”

She went on with her curiosity.

“Our priests don’t get married.  Sometimes they make a mistake,” she said as she swayed her head. 

I concurred and we both broke into a smile. 

“Yes, sometimes they make a mistake!”

I walked on, on that note, thinking that I do not believe I errored on my celibate life.  I had put a little walking in before speaking at a group on “The Glories of Sannyasa” which means the life of renunciation.  I asked the group to consider 18.2 from the Gita:

“The giving up of activities that are based on material desire is what great learned people call the renounced order of life (sannyasa). And giving up the results of all activities is what the wise call renunciation (tyaga).”

My message was, “At the maturing of your life when passions have been subsided to a good degree, consider renunciation.”

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

TOVP Exhibits
- TOVP.org

In the mid-1990’s ISKCON scientist Sadaputa das (now deceased) of the Bhaktivedanta Institute was instrumental in designing the planetarium as well as various scientific exhibits for the TOVP project.

In this Srimad Bhagavatam lecture/video (3.29.6) from 1997 his genius and intelligence stand out as he explains the nature and purpose of some of the exhibits, as well as other scientific, archeological and historical facts. Please note that not all of the exhibit plans in this lecture may be in the current scheme.

The post TOVP Exhibits appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

World Holy Name Week: Day 8
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY GAURAVANI DASA 

KUALA LUMPUR - "I offer my obeisances unto the shoes of those devotees who are expert in extricating those sunk in the rotten muck in the bottom of the ocean of material existence, and who become blissful by hearing the pair of syllables, 'Krsna', impelled to dance with all their hairs bristling." [A verse by an Utkala Poet from Srila Rupa Goswami's 'Padyavali']