New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ June 10, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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Srimati Radharani’s maidservants are very beautiful. The vines of their arms and wrists are charmingly decorated with bracelets and armlets. The bells on their sashes and anklets tinkle melodiously. Their jewelled earrings are lovely. Their glistening braided hair is charming and splendid and the flower buds of their breasts are nicely decorated with necklaces of jewels. They have given all their love to their mistress, Sri Radha. In this way please meditate on the golden-complexioned maidservants of Srimati Radharani.

Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-59, Translation.]

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Roof Top Rounds
→ Japa Group

"When one is chanting loudly he may be "grinding out" the Holy names at a feverish pitch, but the mind and heart may be a million miles from Krsna.
Loud chanting can be very beneficial, especially when the mind slips into monotony or the ghosts of desire surface from the depths. At times like this a brisk walk in the fresh air, and a few loud "roof top rounds" will help revive one's interest and attention in japa."

From Art of Chanting Hare Krsna
by Mahanidhi Swami

Transcendental Vision
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 April 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Evening program lecture)

mayapur_gaurangaJagadananda was a great devotee and he had a very strong individualistic mind. He also had a temper and he had his own ideas of what service he wanted to render. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in this world, the Supreme Lord was playing the part of a devotee, now in the dress of a sannyasi, but he was the Supreme Lord without a doubt.

Jagadananda was not going to be bothered with this temporary external feature. He was more interested in the eternal, true nature of the Lord and not what he showed to people here on earth, who are all entangled in their own network of karmic activities.

Although externally Lord Caitanya was acting as a sannyasi, Jagadananda understood the real truth. Therefore he did not follow the principles of sannyasa but offered the Lord a big clay jar with scented oil. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu refused to accept it. He said, “You give this oil to the deities, not to me. What will I do with it?”

Jagadananda became so angry that he took the oil, went to the courtyard of the house and smashed the jar with great force on the ground. It made a loud crash and everyone exclaimed, “What happened? What happened?

Even Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to see what happened. Jagadananda said, “Nothing happened! Nothing!” and then he went home and started fasting.

He refused to eat, so after some days Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent his servant to Jagadananda and asked him to come and cook. That he did. He cooked and Caitanya Mahaprabhu took some of it and asked Jagadananda to take the remnants. That he did.

So in this way, the devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabhu had transcendental vision. They could see his transcendental nature. It is always like that – that there is a minority that can see. A few can recognize the Supreme Lord. Others do not.

 

The Dust Of Their Feet
→ travelingmonk.com

Tatarstan is a republic in Russia with a large ethnic Muslim population. Known for it’s religious tolerance it is home to many mosques and churches … and one Hare Krsna temple. Devotees have permission to distribute books but are only allowed one harinam a month in downtown Kazan, the capitol. The kirtan party is restricted [...]

Harinama Samkirtan
→ travelingmonk.com

“I surrender to merciful Śrī Caitanya, astonishing in His activities, who revived the world covered with ignorance and made it mad with the abundant nectar of His prema.” [ Govinda Lilamrta, Chapter One, Text Two ] [ Photo: Harinama samkirtan, Kazan, Tatarstan, June 15, 2014 ]

Snana Yatra
→ Mayapur.com

Please view the full gallery: Snana Yatra Pictures Devotees from all over the area came to participate in the annual abhishek our most beloved Lords in their forms as Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra. The festivities started early in the morning with a beautiful darshan of their lordships, and a grand ceremony of bringing Them to Their […]

The post Snana Yatra appeared first on Mayapur.com.

After Ganga, Indian govt to form committee for cleansing of Yamuna river
→ Dandavats.com

New Delhi: Close to the heels of a secretaries-level group to rejuvenate Ganga river, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday announced a separate committee for cleansing the polluted Yamuna river in Delhi. "We have already formed a group comprising secretaries from the ministries of environment, transport, tourism and water resources to clean up Ganga. Similarly, we would be constituting a committee of officials from the ministries of Urban Development, Rural Development and Central Water Commission to cleanse Yamuna," Bharti told reporters here. Read more ›

Brahmā’s Inexcusable Immorality
→ The Enquirer

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.12.28 ~

 
Maitreya said, “We’ve heard that self-born Brahmā created a daughter, Vāk (the power of speech), whose beauty captivated his mind. Although she had no desire for him, he greatly desired her.”

“We’ve heard” indicates two things. (1) “It has to be said, for the sake of instruction, but I don’t want to say it myself, so I will just tell you what others have said.” (2) We haven’t seen, we’ve only heard, because it occurred in a previous kalpa.
 
There are two improprieties here: (1) The girl is his daughter. (2) She does not consent to the relationship.
 
Brahmā is the father of Veda, and the daughter is the power of speech so naturally he would be infatuated with her. Also, it is not possible for him to be attracted to any woman who is not his daughter, because he is the forefather of all beings.
When Brahmā’s sons noticed that their father’s heart had developed this immoral inclination, Sage Marīci spoke for them, very respectfully restoring Brahmā’s intelligence.

This is an important lesson. When a person in a position of leadership has a problem, we who are junior, inferior, etc. are not to ignore it and pretend that we are not qualified to judge. We must correct even our superiors when they err. But the manner we should use in doing so is also illustrated here — with sufficient respect.
“Powerful Lord,” Marīci submitted, “Never before have you been pushed by uncontrolled sexual desire towards your own daughter. And never again should you, or anyone else, behave in this way. 
 
Now the point that no one is not Brahmā’s daughter would become an issue, so Marīci will admit that Brahmā is in a unique position, but has to set the proper example. Although marriage with his daughter is exemptible for the forefather of all beings, union with an unconsenting partner is not excusable for anyone, therefore Marīci insists that Brahmā must stop and never again behave in this way.
 
“Certainly you are in a unique position. As the forefather of everyone, no woman is not your ‘daughter.’ But still, it is your duty as the guru of the world to set the example of good behavior, for your behavior sets the example that all others will embrace and consider proper and correct. Thus you must not push yourself sexually upon an unconsenting partner. 
 
Now, Marīci will invoke a blessing of the Supreme to help his father correct himself.
 
“Let us offer our respects to the All-Attractive, who is self-causing and whose beautiful luster reflects in all attractive entities. May he kindly protect the morality of our father.”
 
Marīci excellently reminded Brahmā to direct his desire for happiness towards the All-Attractive, for the origin of all attraction, including the attractiveness of Vāk, is in All-Attractive Bhagavān.
 
Hearing his sons speaking like this, the Forefather Brahmā regained his former clear sight. Out of embarrassment and shame, he cast off the body which had fathered all these children. The directions of space took it, and it became known as the terrifying fog of darkness.
 
According to this, the “reason” why space is dark is that it has accepted the blame for Brahmā’s immoral conduct. The dark fog that envelops the directions of space is the remnant of the body of Brahmā which he gave up.
 
This demonstrates that, as in Japanese culture, suicide is a proper atonement for some types of crimes. Brahmā could not fully commit suicide, for the universe would collapse, but he gave up the body that had fathered the children so far, and then manifest a new body.
 
This may be why Vāk later could tolerate the affections of Brahmā enough to accept a distant marriage with him. (He is no longer the same body that fathered her, so her disgust may have been somewhat mitigated).
 
The important lesson from this section is that even great people have problems, and the lesser people are supposed to help correct them, although they should do so respectfully.

 – Vraja Kishor das

www.vrajakishor.com


The Latest Additions to the New Vrindaban Herd
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Throughout the winter in New Vrindaban, four new bull calves have joined the herd.

Priya Darshana, chief in soliciting neck scratches

Priya Darshana, chief in soliciting head scratches

 

On Christmas Eve Priya Darshana aka “Priya D”was born to Asha & Dharma. Priya D is a sweet, innocent & goofy calf. He LOVES to have his head scratched endlessly & is known to lick faces & chew on arms.  He’s a gentle, obedient fellow (unless he is drinking milk!) & always goes straight to his mom, Asha when milking time approaches.

All in all Priya D is a big baby that the cowherds think might have part pig or goat in him due to his voracious & indiscriminate appetite. Priya D. has recently graduated & been sent down to Bilvavan (aka the big barn) with his older oxen friend, Pundarik (aka Rico).

 

Amani

Amani hanging out in the calves’ pasture

 

On March 7th, Amani was born to Anjali & Dharma. Amani is quite a character! Unlike Priya D, Amani is a trickster — he’ll do the opposite of what you like him to do on most occasions. He’s learned to relish the nectar of head-scratching from Priya D. Amani will follow you around the pasture, rubbing his head up against your leg until you to surrender to give him the scratching that he’s after. When it’s milking time, he’s always quick to find his mother. He’s a very outgoing calf & from day one has been running & jumping around like a bull. He’s a very sweet, loving & outgoing fellow.

 

Hari Chand & Amani, brothers from another Mother

Hari Chand & Amani, brothers from another Mother

On March 10th, Nandi was born to Laxmi & Hari Chand was born to Anjani.  Laxmi & Anjani came to New Vrindaban on November 11, 2013. That being the case Nandi & Hari Chand’s father are unknown to the Brijabasis as their mothers were pregnant upon them taking shelter at New Vrindaban Dham.

 

Nandi licking his lips in the pasture

Nandi licking his lips in the pasture

Nandi much like his mother is shy & silent. He’s got long, lanky legs & is a little awkward as he’s still growing into his body & figuring out how to use it gracefully. Nonetheless, he’s strong as an ox already! He doesn’t discriminate when drinking milk & will go to whichever cow he can get to first.

Hari Chand, the gentle sage

Hari Chand, the gentle sage

Hari Chand was slow to get started with drinking his mom’s milk. It took him a few days to get the hang of it, but now he’s a pro. Hari Chand is the sage of the group. The cowherds described Hari Chand as the perfect calf as he’s very, well behaved & mellow. Despite he’s sagelike persona, he’s quite strong & will hopefully get the proper training to become a good working ox when he grows up.

 

The four oxen calves hanging out in the pasture

The four oxen calves hanging out in the pasture

As of right now these 3 out of the 4 new Brijabasis are residing at Radha-Vrindaban Chandra’s Goshalla across the street from the temple. Priya D. has been transferred down to Bilvavan & is currently hanging out with Pundarika. We encourage all pilgrims & Brijabasis to come visit these beautiful boys during morning (7am) or evening (6pm) milking times. Please consult the cowherds present before feeding them anything.  Kindly bestow your blessings & prayers upon these fellows that they may be engaged nicely in Krishna’s service throughout their lives.

 

 

 

 

A Reunion of The UK Hare Krishna A-Team From The 1970′s (14 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

14th of June is the Saturday before Sunday's London Rathayatra. Letchmore Heath is a very small village which lies between Radlett and Watford. There is a small village hall situated there which today hosted a get-together with many of the older Hare Krishna devotees who joined and were active in the 1970's. This is the kirtan that took place later in the day. If you are familiar with ISKCON and the Hare Krishna devotees you should recognise some of these famous devotees. It was a very nice afternoon and if you would like to see more I'm uploading photos every day onto FaceBook. So I'll repeat my usual mantra here, if you are sad, bad or just plain mad, chant Hare Krishna and be happy :-) PS. It might take a little time for some of you but don't despair, you'll get there soon. Read more ›

Devotees allowed only one Harinama each month in Tatarstan, Russia (Album 149 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Indradyumna Swami: Tatarstan is a republic in Russia with a large ethnic Muslim population. Known for it’s religious tolerance it is home to many mosques and churches … and one Hare Krsna temple. Devotees have permission to distribute books but are only allowed one harinam a month in downtown Kazan, the capitol. The kirtan party is restricted to a small area and must not come within 50 meters of a mosque or a church. It was our good fortune to be present for June’s harinam. The devotees were given 3 hours to chant and they gave it everything they had. I take the dust of each and every devotee preaching Krsna consciousness in the lands of Islam upon my head. Read more ›

Jagannath Snan Yatra 2014, ISKCON Kolkata (Album 208 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Snan Yatra Maha Mahotsav of Iskcon Kolkata. Like every year this festival was celebrated with huge glory. This festival marks the countdown for Rathyatra. 43rd Kolkata Rathyatra is on 29th June, 2014. Srimati Moon Moon Sen and Srimati Shashi Panja were amongst the honourable eminent guests to the grand festival of Snan Yatra. Photography Courtesy: Souvic Das, Avanish Krsna Das Read more ›

Food Workshops
→ Bhakti Lounge - The Heart Of Yoga in Wellington

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June 3rd – Whole-foods for Health
You’ll gain confidence and knowledge how you can optimise your health and vitality through a plant-based diet. At this workshop we will look into:
- Where we can get the essential nutrients we all need – without taking pills!
- Common myths about plant-based diets lacking in nutrition and therefore causing fatigue and bad health.
- How to identify the unnecessary and harmful ‘non-food ingredients’ in many foods today.
- Tips how to prepare wholesome meals amidst a busy lifestyle!

June 10th – Plate Power!
We are exposing the secrets of Krishna food!!! In this workshop we will allow the yoga knowledge to reveal how our food choices, the way we prepare and the way we eat all have an impact on other living beings, on the planet and mostly our own consciousness and therefore our experience of life. It’s scientific and amazingly tangibly true!

June 17th – Positivity from Within
How much does modern society affect our lifestyle choices, our conceptions of diet and our body image? This workshop will highlight this and then we will explore knowledge of our blissful true-self identity. We’ll find ways to practically apply this new found positivity in our personal lives and actualize freedom from any negative and limiting conceptions of ourselves.

June 24th – Practice the Magic 6pm-7:15pm
A much desired and asked for cooking class! All this talk is now going to end up on your plate :D as they say the proof is in the pudding! Learn some basic skills to prepare divinely delicious meals, that are totally affordable and easy to make in this hands on workshop!


Our Cancún Trip–Part 1
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Last Friday, the family and I took a nice trip to Cancún, Mexico.   A sweet Gujarati family had asked me if I could officiate their destination wedding in Cancún.  We arrived on Friday night with all the Vedic equipment in our suitcases ready to perform the wedding fire ceremony on Saturday.   We were to take care of all the wedding ceremony which included purchasing flowers for the wedding garlands.  

Uddhava kindly picked us up from the Cancún airport to take us to Gopal’s Vegetarian Restaurant. We were treated to a delicious meal of Mexican prasadam, and then we were off to the late hour flower shops to get ready for our Vedic Oceanside Weddings, or what Mother Kunti likes to call V.O.W. After a swim in the pool the next morning, we went to an organic restaurant seeking something suitable for Vaisnavas to eat.  There were no real supermarkets in the hotel zone so finding food was a little difficult.  Devotees working at the 5 star hotels said that even the more wealthy hotels did not have much to offer for the vegetarian and Hindu community.   After a short trip to Restaurante Natura, we got busy with all the wedding preparations.

The wedding turned out very nicely, and neat things happened during it.  During the wedding, I was playing a bhajan by Krishna Kisor that he performed at the Festival of the Holy Name in Alachua.  The bhajan was playing from a bluetooth speaker, and I would turn it up and down from my iPad while I was doing the arati to the fire.  Then something really cool happened. During the pronouncement of husband and wife, I turned up the kirtan and there was an ecstatic “Nitai Gaura Premanande Hari Hari BOOOOLLLL!! Nitai Gaurapremanande Hari Hariboolll!” Everyone in the audience followed in response.  The surprising thing was that it happened in the bhajan at the perfect time to complement the wedding.

In addition to the wedding, we were also asked by the local devotees of Cancún to do the foundation laying ceremony for the new upcoming temple at their farm community.   After getting all the details from Dallas temple President Nityananda Prabhu, the devotees decided to postpone the ceremony until they had the proper items for the ceremony.  However, they did invite us on a trip to visit the farm for kirtan and prasadam.   They are in the process of building a grand temple there. The farm has peacocks, and they grow okra as well. The prasadam was wonderful. They even had a swimming pool!  During the ride back, we were pleasantly surprised to see the well-attended open air churches from which we could hear devotional songs wafting into the air through the traffic of the night.

 

to be continued….

Is ISKCON an American organization that sends temple donations from India to America?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Summary:

  1. ISKCON is not an American organization, but an international organization.
  2. ISKCON has a standard policy of each center being financially self-sustaining. So normally donations from one temple are not sent to another temple even in the same country, what to speak of outside the country.
  3. As special holy places in India like Vrindavan and Mayapur are sacred for ISKCON devotees from all over the world, they give donations for temples there. So there is indeed a flow of donations, but it is into India, not out of India.
  4. ISKCON follows the vision of Srila Prabhupada, its founder, who envisioned a global East-West partnership with India contributing spiritual wisdom and the West contributing material resources, so ISKCON uses the latest technology that might make it seem foreign to some people.
  5. Those who target ISKCON for its foreign connections are misinformed because, though ISKCON started in America, ISKCON India is run almost entirely by Indians for offering cultural and spiritual services to Indians.
  6. ISKCON’s contributions in sharing India’s spiritual culture all over the world have been appreciated by eminent statesmen, thinkers and scholars of religion.

Answer:

A video that has gone viral on youtube makes this bizarre claim. The claim is bizarre because nothing about it is true – in fact, the truth is entirely opposite to the claim. Let’s deconstruct the claim point-by-point:

1.    ISKCON is not an American organization, but an international organization.

ISKCON by its very name The International Society for Krishna consciousness points to its global mission. It was established in America in 1966 by Srila Prabhupada, but the krishna-bhakti that it intends to share with the world has been practiced in Indian for millennia. And now ISKCON has over 600 centers, spread across nearly all the countries of the world, thus fulfilling the vision implied in its name. After Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’s leadership is now shared by a Governing Body Commission, which comprises of spiritual leaders from various parts of the world, with no nation’s leaders having any exclusive or excessive privileges. So from both its membership and leadership point of view, ISKCON is not an American organization, but an international organization.

2.    ISKCON has a standard policy that each center is financially self-sustaining. So donations from one temple are not sent to another temple even in the same country, what to speak of outside the country.

According to the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, the sacred text that is the scriptural basis for ISKCON, every person is a soul with the spiritual potential for devotion to God, Krishna. With this principle, Srila Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to universalize krishna-bhakti by inspiring people all over the world to practice it and further share it with others. That’s why whenever he established centers anywhere in the world, he intended the local devotees there to take up the initiative for maintaining and expanding it. Accordingly, ISKCON has a standard policy of financial independence and self-sustainability for each of its center. So, there’s no transfer of donations from even one center to another even within the same country, what to speak of from one country to another. What to speak of sending donations from country to country or city to city, donations are normally not sent even within the same city from one temple to another. That’s why for example in metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai where ISKCON has many temples, some are huge, some are modest and some are small, depending on the capacity of the local patrons to support the temple.

3.    As special holy places in India like Vrindavan and Mayapur are sacred for ISKCON devotees from all over the world, they give donations for temples there. So if there is any flow of donations, it is into India, not out of India.

The only exception to this principle of self-sustenance is with regards to temples in pilgrimage places that are sacred for ISKCON devotees all over the world. Srila Prabhupada wanted at these places magnificent cultural centers built around majestic temples – devotional retreats that would attract, shelter and inspire seekers from the world over. So, he encouraged temples and devotees everywhere to contribute for the devotional projects at these places. Thus, for example, for the temple in Sridhama Mayapur, near Kolkata, one of ISKCON’s prominent patrons, Alfred Ford (Ambarisha Dasa), the great-grandson of the famous American industrialist, Henry Ford, has personally contributed as well as solicited with his global contacts donations to the tune of Rs 250 crores. The Mayapur Temple is going to be the biggest Vedic temple in the world and will significantly enhance the cultural glory of India.

So, on the exceptional occasions when donations do move from one place to another, that movement is from is not from India to elsewhere, but from the rest of the world to India, to enhance India’s cultural glory by making those holy places more attractive for visitors.

4.    ISKCON follows the vision of Srila Prabhupada, its founder, who envisioned a global East-West partnership with India contributing spiritual wisdom and the West contributing material resources, so ISKCON uses the latest technology that might make it seem foreign to some people.

Srila Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to serve as a vibrant vehicle for the spiritual rejuvenation of the entire world. To this end, he applied the traditional metaphor of the blind man-lame man joining forces to progress along the way. The West having to a large extent lost its spiritual moorings due to excessive materialism is like the proverbial blind man and the East, especially India, due to its financial weakness caused largely by nearly a millennia of foreign domination and exploitation, is like the lame man. ISKCON works to integrate the strengths of both – the spiritual wisdom of India and the material expertise of the West – for offering world-class facilities for the progressive respiritualization of the whole world. ISKCON has been a pioneer in using the latest technology and other such material resources in its temples. Such things that are not seen in other traditional temples (though many other temples have also started integrating such things too) may give some undiscerning Indian nationalists the mistaken impression that ISKCON is a foreign organization. But it isn’t – it's firmly rooted in the krishna-bhakti tradition coming from India and simply uses global resources for sharing that tradition with the world.

5.    Those who target ISKCON for its foreign connections are misinformed because, though ISKCON started in America, ISKCON India is run almost entirely by Indians for offering cultural and spiritual services to Indians.

In ISKCON’s Indian temples, non-Indian devotees are often seen, usually while they are on a pilgrimage to India. The presence of such foreigners attracts a lot of attention and may give the impression to some people that these foreigners run ISKCON. But that’s far from the truth. ISKCON was started in America in 1966 and for the first one-two decades of its history, its global leaders were primarily Americans, because they happened to be its initial members. But since the 1980s, hundreds and thousands of Indians have started practicing Krishna consciousness and they are now the prominent members and leaders of ISKCON, who actively share its cultural and spiritual gifts with fellow Indians. ISKCON India has books, courses and cultural centers customized to serve the needs, interest and concerns of Indians.

Moreover, today, ISKCON India is the leader for the rest of ISKCON with respect to number of practitioners, number of temples and number of spiritual books distributed.

So not only is ISKCON India essentially Indian, even ISKCON international has a prominent Indian presence. Hence, allegations about ISKCON’s foreign roots or connections are totally baseless.

6.    ISKCON’s contributions in sharing India’s spiritual culture all over the world have been appreciated by eminent statesmen, thinkers and scholars of religion.

Here are a few examples:

"The ISKCON movement has few parallels in the world in terms of its rapid global spread, its trans-national, trans-ethnic, and trans-professional appeal, its outward simplicity, and the devotional energy of its followers. In the less than three and a half decades since its inception it has established temples in practically all parts of the world, and many of them are marvels of beauty, such as the one that is being opened in New Delhi today. The maha-mantra of Hare Krishna Hare Rama reverberates to the dancing feet of ISKCON devotees each morning and evening in temples from Stockholm to Sao Paulo and from Miami to Mäyäpur. What ISKCON has achieved is indeed globalization of the Gita appeal."

- Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Former Prime Minister of India

"Guess again if you think Bollywood, or Indian writing in English, is the country's biggest cultural export. You may not come across any of these if you visit Cochabamba in Bolivia or Gaborone in Botswana, what you will find instead is a centre of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) ... It is easy to see where the Krishna movement's global appeal lies. In the midst of today's impersonal institutions and vast bureaucratic collectivities, it promises an intimate relationship with a personal god."

-       Times of India editorial, Jan 6, 2006

"The Hare Krishna movement arose out of next to nothing in less than twenty years and has become known all over the West. This is an important fact in the history of the Western world ... for the first time since the days of the Roman Empire, an Asian religion is being openly practiced by people of western origin in the streets of western cities."

- Dr. A.L. Basham; Eminent scholar of Hinduism, Author of A Cultural History of India

When ISKCON is striving tirelessly and selflessly for preserving and sharing India’s spiritual culture in India as well as over the world, as has been recognized by unbiased and eminent authorities, it’s unfortunate that some people with mistaken notions are making baseless allegations against it. We hope that this document clarifies the misconceptions and helps us all focus unitedly on the important work of raising global human consciousness by sharing spiritual wisdom and devotional culture.

To know more about ISKCON's contributions to India, please see these series of talks centered on the acronym India:

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2014/04/iskcons-contributions-to-india-1-overview-acronym-india/

INDIA acronym:

I – Internationalization

N – Non-discrimination

D – Development

I – Infrastructure

A – Appreciation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Vrindavan Daily darsan @ June 16, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

01

They have given Their lives to each other. During bathing, sleeping, eating, and all other activities, Their intense, ever-new love does not allow Them to remain separated. They eternally enjoy transcendental pastimes together in the newly blossoming groves of Vrndavana forest. Let me worship that supremely sweet, splendid divine couple.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-63, Translation.]

Please click here for more photos

Stockholm, June 2014 – Part 2
→ KKSBlog

Report by Hari Vilasa das*

DSC_0429Since his arrival at New Radhakunda, outside of Stockholm (2 June), Kadamba Kanana Swami has spent the most part of every day in his room, or what he calls “the cave” (picture attached)! He emerges at breakfast and lunch time, and then re-enters the cave where he types away on his MacBook. He is finishing a book that he has been working on for the last five years. Trying to write while travelling around the world is a difficult business and this month of dedicated writing time is needed to bring everything together…

The rooms here are equipped with huge soundproof double-doors but it is rarely necessary to use them as New Radhakunda is very peaceful and quiet – the perfect place for writing! However, even peaceful and quiet has to be balanced out by some action and loud transcendental noises, so on Sundays, Maharaj puts down his pen (or closes his laptop) and gives the morning Srimad Bhagavatam class at New Radhakunda and the Sunday feast class at the Hare Krsna Centre in Stockholm. On Sunday (15 June), the class focused on the Panihati Festival which was celebrated.

*Hari Vilasa Das is from Stellenbosch, South Africa. He is currently assisting Kadamba Kanana Swami with various services.

Photos

Please click here to view the latest pictures.

Audio

KKS_Stockholm_15 June 2014_SB 2.5.22

KKS_Stockholm_15 June 2014_Sunday Feast: Panihati Festival

KKS_Stockholm_15 June 2014_Bhajan

 

The Advantage of the Present Age of Kali, June 15, Los Angeles
Giriraj Swami

Chaitanya-Mahaprabhu-as-Radha-Krishna1Giriraj Swami and Bhakti Charu Swami spoke on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.4.18 during the Sunday festival in New Dvaraka.

“Krishna considers who is qualified and who is not, and accordingly He gives His mercy. But Srimati Radharani did not consider the qualification of a person to receive mercy or not. She gives without consideration of qualification. Therefore Krishna decided to come as Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, assuming the mood of Srimati Radharani. And what is He doing? He is distributing without any consideration of qualification. One’s birth and other things like that are considered external considerations for qualification. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to distribute His mercy without any consideration of qualification. And that is what has been explained in this verse.”

—Bhakti Charu Swami

Giriraj Swami
Bhakti Charu Swami

New Vrindaban 24 Hour Kirtan Set to “Tattoo Hearts with the Holy Name”
→ New Vrindaban

By Madhava Smullen

Today, 24 and 12 hour kirtan festivals seem to be spreading all over the world like wildfire. Devotees are gathering to immerse themselves in the Holy Name every year with events like Kirtan Mela in Mayapur, Germany and Australia; 24 Hour Kirtan Birmingham in the UK; Sravanam Kirtanam in Italy, Radhadesh Mellows in Belgium, and Festival of the Holy Name in Alachua, USA. The globe is reverberating with the sound of Krishna’s name.

But back when the New Vrindaban 24 Hour Kirtan began in the hills of West Virginia, it was one of only a small handful of early trendsetters.

The event began life in the Bhajan Kutir that was introduced at the first Kulimela at New Vrindaban in 2006, a gathering of the second-generation Hare Krishna community. There, “Kulis” chanted kirtan in the yajnashala, an outdoor covered space outside the temple, every day.

Inspired by the endless 24 Hour Kirtan in Vrindavana, India, led by the late Aindra Das, the kirtan went on for 24 hours straight on the last two days of the Mela. Excited by the possibilities, organizers inaugurated the New Vrindaban 24 Hour Kirtan the very next year on the same June weekend.

That first year saw a simple, grassroots event, with little promotion, basic kichari meals, and just 100 people coming together to chant. But more were attracted by the purity of the event, and it continued to grow every year.

Currently it draws crowds of six to eight hundred, and while these are primarily ISKCON devotees, a growing percentage of attendees are newcomers introduced through New Vrindaban’s Festival of Colors and kirtan performances at yoga studios and the like.

“I think they find it accessible because it’s so simple and stripped down – just 24 hours of non-stop maha-mantra,” says kirtan artist Gaura Vani, who is also one of the event’s organizers.

This year, the 24 Hour Kirtan will run from 11am on June 21st to 11am on June 22nd. Lead chanters and musicians will gather with their harmoniums, mridanga drums, cymbals and bass guitars in the center of the temple room, beneath the intricate moldings and curved stained glass ceiling.

Surrounding them will be waves upon waves of chanters, and beyond them Sri-Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra, Sri Sri Gaura Nita, Sri Gopal Nathji, Lord Nrsimhadeva and the rest of New Vrindaban’s no less than 24 merciful presiding Deities.

In addition, many chanters will bring their own home Deities, while banners inscribed with the Hare Krishna Mantra and pictures of Lord Krishna’s pastimes will fly everywhere, creating an inspirational, uplifting atmosphere.

Devotees will begin by setting an intention to immerse themselves in the Holy Name with a Sankalpa Ceremony, before easing into the maha-mantra, the culmination of all ceremonies.

A host of experienced chanters known for their heartfelt devotion will lead, including Bhakti Charu Swami, Agnideva Das, Acyuta Dasi, Ananta Das, and Gaura Vani.

But many of these well-known chanters will take late-night slots in order to facilitate younger chanters and the less renowned at more peak hours, to emphasize the Holy Names over “big names.” “At the 24 Hour Kirtan, the Holy Name is the star,” says Gaura Vani.

And boy, is it. While other kirtan festivals are split into two days of 12 hours each with a full night’s sleep in between, New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan is one of the few with 24 nonstop hours of maha-mantra.

“The kirtan leads itself,” says Gaura Vani, describing a tidal flow of quiet meditation and rip-roaring rock-out. One moment, devotees are sitting cross-legged with their eyes closed, swaying gently like a field of wheat in the breeze and calling out to the Lord with feeling; the next, they’re exploding into a raucous dance party, roaring, pounding drums, jumping and pinwheeling across the temple room floor.

While there are breaks for prasadam – three meals are served every day – and sleep, devotees are there for one thing. Many log 18 to 20 hours, some even going nonstop for the full 24, and some  can be seen taking 20 minutes of shut-eye against the temple room wall, still letting the Holy Name sift into their subconscious.

“It’s punk rock, man!” Gaura Vani says gleefully. “And we’ve worked hard to keep it that way. This is a trial-by-fire, intense, tattoo your heart with the Holy Name kind of event.”

And the effects are undeniable. “From the beginning of the festival to the end, you can feel a tangible shift in your consciousness,” says Gaura Vani, adding that the 24 Hour Kirtan brings a sense of community to devotees usually spread out across the nation.

Meanwhile newcomers also experience the same transformational energy, feeling their hearts become more and more attracted to the devotee lifestyle and association with every 24 Hour Kirtan they attend.

To provide even more chances to associate with the Holy Name, New Vrindaban is adding a Kartik 24 Hour Kirtan to be held from October 11th to 12th, which will bring an extra dimension of atmosphere and devotion as attendees offer candles to Lord Damodara during the chanting.

In the future, Gaura Vani hopes to see the event continue to “franchise” out to other locations. Beyond that, he hopes the 24 Hour Kirtan experience will inspire people to take kirtan to the next level by bringing it out onto the streets in multi-hour public Harinama festivals.

“We can’t over-emphasize the importance of chanting God’s names – in any tradition – for the wellbeing of mankind,” he says. “And the 24 Hour Kirtan is one of the major ways to contribute to that.”

ISKCON New Vrindaban extends a warm invitation to all to bring their contribution by attending this year’s summer 24 Hour Kirtan, from June 21st to 22nd, 2014, and Kartik 24 Hour Kirtan, from October 11th to 12th.