Planet ISKCON

Toronto, Ontario

Moving Bodies


Well, we had a bit of a problem this morning at the ashram.  It had something to do with bodily contortions, moans and groans and twitching eyes.  The woman, a visitor, who exhibited these unique features, was asked to be less distractive because she persisted and refused tone down advice we gave her. 

To her credit, she wore meditation beads and chanted on them.  Even some of her physical stretches demonstrated remarkable ability.  It’s just that the psychological diversions and the various moanings began to become non-condusive to our devotional atmosphere, and most unfortunately, the authorities had to be called in to deal with this incommunicable individual.  I was impressed by the cautious way and their handling of the situation.  From the depths of our hearts, we wish the lady well. 

The evening continued to be a time of bodily movement.  After the beautiful and tasty birthday cake that I received (and yes, the supportive community did sing “Hare Krishna to you…”  instead of the usual “Happy Birthday to you…”), an enthusiastic group headed to Queen Street for some stimulative dancing.  It was the annual Nuit Blance, an evening of artistic expression in the downtown.  Our kirtan with its drumming got people gyrating and coming up with all kinds of interesting and creative moves. 

Being a celebratory day in honour of this humble servant, I was pleased to receive words of gratitude at our temple ashram, but it was equally as exciting to co-lead the kirtan with Ajamil and watch the various happy contortions of people’s physical frames.  At some intervals of the chanting sessions, people came up one by one to the mic to recite the maha mantra. 

All this ecstasy took place in front of the stately Old City Hall.  When the tower’s massive clock struck midnight, from there I walked with friends from Michigan back to the ashram.  In the course of the walk as we trailed through, or struggled through crowds which numbered at 1 million strong, a meagre realization came about.  There has to be as many different ways of walking as there are people.  Body movement has no limit it seems.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

I have heard that all relationships other than our relationship with Krishna are Maya.

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 01 August 2014, Swiss Retreat, Switzerland, Candramrta and Candradoya Nataka Seminar)

Caitanya Candramrta, Chapter 10

( 111) Now that Lord Caitanya, His heart filled with mercy, has descended to this world, those living entities who had formerly never practised yoga, meditated, chanted mantras, performed austerities, followed various Vedic restrictions, studied the Vedas, performed spiritual activities, or refrained from sins, have become able to easily plunder the crest jewel of all goals of life.

(114) In every home there is a tumult of hari-sankirtana. On every body are tears, hairs standing erect, and other symptoms of ecstasy. In every heart is the most exalted and sweet spiritual path that leads far from the path of the four Vedas. All this has appeared now that Lord Gaura has descended to this world.

(115) The whole world is now suddenly flooded by the nectar waters of the ocean of pure love for Krsna. Now there is suddenly a great wonder of symptoms of ecstatic love never seen or heard of before. All this has suddenly appeared now that Lord Krsna has descended in a form as splendid as gold.

 

We may not see it as described in these verses. We may not see that the entire world is now flooded with love of God, but it is, because everyone has been touched by it. Who has not heard the Holy Name? Who has not been touched by this movement?

Every small service will lead to more service, which will lead to still greater service.  The influence of kali is gone. Material desires are meaningless. Don’t worry.

“How do I conquer my material desires?”

Don’t conquer them! You will never conquer them!

“Then what will we do?”

Chant, dance, take prasad, glorify Krsna and these material desires will drown. They will just be pushed to the background of our mind because in the foreground is sankirtan.

“Can we change our nature?”

This will be hard.

“Will we ever become completely saintly and never think of anything sinful?”

Who cares about such things? Chant! Glorify Krsna! Fill our life with devotional service – more and more – more service, more Krsna! Bring Krsna everywhere and then, all other things will go, and one day we will be singing in love.

It is already happening. It is already taking over. It has already begun – Krsna everywhere! The entire world is being flooded. We are very optimistic that success will be attained.

 

This is today’s piece for the holy month of Kartik: Planting and worshipping Tulasi.

Joined Parasuram prabhu and a wonderful group of devotees for this wonderful service. Pilrimage, Prasadam distribution and book distribution. We follow along with the large Parikrama group but venture off the beaten paths into the small villages. Parasuram has been doing this for 27 years and it's really amazing. The villagers are so happy to see us and become very enthusiastic, especially for the Krishna pastimes movies that we show at sundown. It's not for the faint of heart. Quite austere but very rewarding. Giving to the residents of the Holy Dhama is is truly heart warming... Read more ›

Lecture Podcast

06-10-2014 Krishna Balaram Katha Part 5, ISKCON Gaborone, Botswana.mp3

If we concede that scripture doesn’t contain literal report of conversations then where will the erosion of scriptural authority end?

How does karma yoga mature into ashtanga yoga?

Does ashtanga yoga always start from jnana yoga?

How does the nishkama karma yogi attain knowledge and liberation? Through the same path or by adopting another yoga?

Why are Einstein’s and Prabhupada’s metaphors about blind man-lame man contradictory?

Is science based on rational faith and religion on irrational faith?

How can we overcome the tendency to take the association of devotees for granted?

Does religion require faith from start to end whereas science requires faith only occasionally?

 

 

Yesterday we took 21 boats down the Yamuna river to the asrama of Durvasa Muni. Under a gigantic banyan tree that gives shade to that great sage’s dwelling we discussed his pastimes and had bhajan for many hours. Our parikrama seems to get sweeter day by day.

Those who are advanced and highly qualified and are interested in the essence of life know the good qualities of Kali-yuga. Such people worship the age of Kali because in this age, simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can advance in spiritual knowledge and thus attain life's goal. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.5.36) Read more ›

The post Prahladananda Maharaja’s Bhagavatam class in Tirupati appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post I can’t help but express my admiration for Tamal Krishna Goswami’s confidential service to Srila Prabhupada in 1977 – simply wonderful appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Sometimes we are asked where the Golden Bricks come from; who makes them? Well, they are made right here in Sridhama Mayapur at the Vishwakarma Workshop run by His Grace Sriman Dina Chaitanya prabhu. Each brick goes through a time-consuming and painstaking process to make it suitable for use on the new Pancha Tattva altar, undergoing various stages of production including sandblasting the names of donors onto them. Watch this short video for a step-by-step explanation of how this is all done and, like everything else being built in Mayapur, watch the devotion behind each and every brick that will create the top layer underneath the marble of the Pancha Tattva’s new altar. Read more ›

In this age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting in order to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although his complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and His confidential companions. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.5.32) Read more ›

Hare Krishna Kirtan by Hari Das in 12 hour Kirtan Mela at ISKCON Juhu on 14 September 2014

Volume 14, Chapter 4 Oct 12, 2014   Our team of 300 devotees was exhausted. We had already done 24 festivals along the Baltic Sea coast plus a “Krsna’s Village of Peace” festival at Woodstock, and now we were faced with the blissful but daunting prospect of doing 24 more over the second half of [...]

Madhuvan, Vrindavan’s forest of sweetness, is the place of many of Radha and Krsna’s most nectarian pastimes. It is also famous for the place where Druva Maharaja performed penance and austerities to achieve his desire for a kingdom greater than his father’s. After having direct darsan of the Lord, however, he realised his greatest fortune [...]

Lecture Podcast

1967 October 13: "When it acts for Krishna Consciousness, the material body becomes spiritualized. Material energy can be transformed to spiritual energy by the grace of Krishna & spiritual energy is never deteriorated. To be in Krishna Consciousness means to be in Spiritual energy. More in my next."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 13: "I always think of you because you are so nice in Krishna Consciousness. Krishna Consciousness can be awakened simply by service attitude and you are already allotted a nice service. Continue this service anywhere you live & chant at least 16 rounds a day, and you will do all right in any circumstances."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 13: "It is necessary for me to play the part of a thunderbolt for his nonsense activities. He is dictating something which is not sanctioned by me therefore all his instructions should be neglected. Please inform this to all centers."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 13: "A devotee can do anything for Lord Krishna provided such action is sanctioned directly by Krishna or sanctioned directly by his Bonafide representative. This movement will come to nothing if I am not satisfied with your actions."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1968 October 13: "We require hundreds of pairs of Deities so there will be tremendous possibility of working for our society. After all you have to work with confidence and faith in Krishna, under my direction, and therefore I am sure you will come out successful."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1971 October 13: "We have all taken on a great responsibility for spreading Krishna Consciousness all over the world. People are suffering and Krishna wants to deliver them. He comes personally and He sends His authorized devotee. I am so much obliged to you for your helping."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 October 13: "Of all the churches I saw, I found the old Paddington church very nice. Why not negotiate for this property? What is the difficulty? It is quite suitable for our London temple and I think there will be no difficulty in raising the necessary funds. Krishna will help you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1973 October 13: "Regarding reading other books, I request you to stop this practice. Our students have no time to read our own books, but they have time to read other's books? You have correctly found the defect in these books. We don't want babaji class. We want active preachers."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

Sukracarya was rejected by Bali maharaja, as he did not give him the highest teachings of Full Surrender to Lord. At the same time Sukracarya has merits of his own:

a.   Lord Vamana respects Sukracarya and asks him ‘What was the fault in Bali in his sacrifice?’ Lord is giving darshan to him and asking him is not ordinary… (SB-8.23.14)

b.   Sukracarya seems to be aware about the glory of the lord. As he says – “if your holy name is chanted then all deficiences are made complete”. (SB-8.23.16)

c.   He obeys the order of the Lord and makes for the deficiency in the sacrifice of Bali. (SB-8.23.16-17)

d.   It seems that the wrong advise and the curse which Sukracarya gave to Bali was personally inspired by the lord and it was the plan of the lord to show the glory of Bali’s surrender and to show on him his special mercy. (SB-8.20.14) (SP also says in purport that Sukracarya was not inspired by the lord for devotional service…)

Answer Podcast

In the pastime of Bali mahraja, it is very clearly visible how he is showing full surrender to Krishna, how he is feeling lowly, how he is glorifying the lord for his mercy etc. One thing however seems to be quite strange… In SB-8.22.2 and 3 when Bali maharaja is asking Lord to place his lotus feet on his head, he is giving reason that Bali is ‘fearful of defamation’ or ‘he can not allow his promise to go false’. According to the teachings of our acaryas a vaisnava simply acts as a puppet in the hands of the lord; he does not fear his own defamation (ex. Bhisma, Gopis, brahmana patnis).

Answer Podcast

Part 1 of a fascinating and interesting lecture by Kadamba Kanana Swami on the spiritual taste we can attain through chanting the Holy names.
Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to listen to the audio.

“There were two factors that combined to allow Mother Yasoda to bind Lord Krishna: one was her hard labor, and the other was Krishna’s mercy. The acharyas explain that when these two elements combine — the devotee’s hard labor and Krishna’s mercy — Krishna allows Himself to be bound by His devotee.”

Binding Lord Damodara

In Dallas devotees are distributing full sets of Srila Prabhupada’s books and installing them in people’s homes with a ceremony that includes chanting mantras and offering flowers (puspanjali). On October 10, I was fortunate to participate in the installation in the new house of Sarvajaya Madhava dasa and his family, and I spoke on the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.40):

idam bhagavatam nama
puranam brahma-sammitam
uttama-sloka-caritam
cakara bhagavan rsih
nihsreyasaya lokasya
dhanyam svasty-ayanam mahat

“This scripture named Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful, and all-perfect.”

In his purport, Srila Prabhupada explains, “Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of Lord Sri Krsna and is therefore nondifferent from Him. Srimad-Bhagavatam should be worshiped as respectfully as we worship the Lord. Thereby we can derive the ultimate blessings of the Lord through its careful and patient study. As God is all light, all bliss, and all perfection, so also is Srimad-Bhagavatam. We can have all the transcendental light of the Supreme Brahman, Sri Krsna, from the recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, provided it is received through the medium of the transparent spiritual master. Lord Caitanya’s private secretary Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami advised all intending visitors who came to see the Lord at Puri to make a study of the Bhagavatam from the person Bhagavatam. Person Bhagavatam is the self-realized bona fide spiritual master, and through him only can one understand the lessons of Bhagavatam in order to receive the desired result. One can derive from the study of the Bhagavatam all benefits that are possible to be derived from the personal presence of the Lord. It carries with it all the transcendental blessings of Lord Sri Krsna that we can expect from His personal contact.”

The blessings that one gets from the book Bhagavatam when received through the person Bhagavatam — Srila Prabhupada — can be compared only with Bhagavan Sri Krishna Himself. And so we worship the complete set of Srila Prabhupada’s books as we worship the Supreme Lord and His bona fide pure devotees.

Hare Krishna.

Your servant,

Giriraj Swami

Installing the Book Incarnation of God

Here is the fifth in the series of Kartik pieces. This one is about Vraja Mandala Parikrama, a barefoot, 128-mile pilgrimage walk around the sacred sites of Lord Krishna’s activities in northern India.