Watch live-streaming of the North American GBC meetings in Chicago from Aug. 26-28
→ Dandavats.com

Monday August 25 6:30-8pm.....Badrinarayan Swami: "Harmonizing Lines of Authority; Some Questions and Some Practical Challenges" Tuesday August 26 7:30-9am....Vaisesika dasa and Nityananda Pran dasa: "Unity in Diversity" "Expansion Means Increased Diversity. How to Sustain Unity while disagreeing?" 6:30-8pm....Malati dd: "Srila Prabhupada Storie, Footprints in the sand - stories on Srila Prabhupada and his journey" Wednesday August 27 7:30-9am....Anuttama dasa and Tamohara dasa: "Evolution of ISKCON requires further evolution of education in diverse forms and venues for the future. The Role of Education in Bhagavat-Dharma 6:30-8pm....Vraja Vihari dasa and Tamohara dasa: "Conservative and liberal positions in and around ISKCON" Thursday August 28 7:30-9:00am....Anuttama dasa and Nityananda dasa: " A life of spiritual transition in ISKCON. Varnasrama, ISKCON, and the GBC" 6:30-8pm....Romapada Swami: "Who or what delivers the soul, from the position of conditioned to liberated?" Read more ›

Janasthami celebration in Vilnius, Lithuania (Album 52 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

The brahmanas recited auspicious Vedic hymns, which purified the environment by their vibration. The experts in reciting old histories like the Puranas, the experts in reciting the histories of royal families, and general reciters all chanted, while singers sang and many kinds of musical instruments, like bheris and dundubhis, played in accompaniment. Read more ›

New Vrindaban’s 44th Janmastami Festival- A Mood of Teamwork
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Team Work – Janmastami 2014

by Lilasuka dasi

The days leading up to a Janmastami festival are often exciting and energy-charged. This year, some specific pre-Janmastami preparations held a special fascination for many.

Doing service together in co-operation with other devotees and friends towards a common goal is truly the key to surcharging both the atmosphere and our own souls with spiritual bliss. That was the scene on the days before Janmastami 2014. As people worked together, the air was surcharged with inspiration and creativity for the Lord.

Krishna Janmastami New Vrindaban 2014 Goshalla

Some cows at the Goshalla listening to Krsna Book on Janmastami afternoon.

Several days before Janmastami, Vijaya Radha dasi personally approached every devotee woman who lived within a four mile radius of the temple, asking them, “Prabhu, please come to the prasadam room on Saturday morning at 9:30 AM. We’re going to make decorations out of greens and flowers so that Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s altar looks like Vrindavan forest for Janmastami! We can do it! But we need your help.”

And they did it! Picture a scene in the beautiful gopi, Vrindadevi’s grove in the original Vrindavan forest. She dreams of preparing a gorgeous seat for her dearest Lords, Radha and Krsna, in the middle of the woods where they can feel very comfortable speaking and eating and joking and dancing in Each Other’s company. Vrindadevi and her friends gather all sorts of forest greens and wild flowers, and spend the day laughing and making colorful flower arrangements for the pleasure of Their Lordships. Following this mood, the younger and older women of New Vrindaban came together, along with many Janmastami visitors and guests?man and woman alike?using the best flowers and greens that Kali Yuga could provide. Collectively, they created beautiful flower arrangements and long, festive garlands to decorate the altars of the Lord for Janmastami. Surely, Krsna and Srila Prabhupada were especially pleased by this co-operative endeavor.

flower arrangements Radha Vrindavan Chandra Krishna Janmastami New Vrindaban 2014

Matajis team together to create flower arrangements for Radha Vrindaban Chandra.

One long-time resident of New Vrindaban commented, “This is so uniting. We used to get together like this, years ago, for festivals, where many devotees used to join to work on a single project. I feel a real sense of community.”

Another devotee declared, “All of us working together?I don’t mind waking up early for this!”

A couple from Virginia visiting New Vrindaban for their first time exclaimed, “This is fantastic. We’ve found our peace.”

Vijaya Radha, organizer of flower team, and a hard worker pujari, Mangalacarana. Radha Vrindavan Chandra Krishna Janmastami New Vrindaban 2014

Vijaya Radha, organizer of flower team, and a hard worker pujari, Mangalacarana.

All weekend long, there were engaging activities and teamwork in so many areas. The kitchen devotees worked very hard, culminating in serving out 300 plates of vegetarian prasad on Saturday night, and another 500 plates for lunch on Sunday. There was a fire yajna, cow puja, a swan boat festival, Bharata Natyam dance, a drama towards midnight Sunday, and even some Hare Krsna rap singing! The Lodge was super busy with many satisfied visitors; tours at the Palace went on all weekend, and the restaurant was open through everything, serving extra hungry visitors.

One of the highlights of the weekend was Sunday morning, Janmastami day, as everyone was getting ready to greet the Deities in Their new Janmastami outfit. The excitement was building. The crowd of residents and visitors were gathered before the altar, eager to see Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra. As the kirtan built up, and the altar curtains finally opened, everyone had joyful darshan of the Deities in Their charming New Vrindavan forest scene, amidst the shouting of “Jaya Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra ki jaya!!”

Radha Vrindavan Chandra Krishna Janmastami New Vrindaban 2014

Radha Vrindavan Chandra in New Vrindaban forest

Coming up Fast
- TOVP.org

In the first two photos you can see the construction of the TOVP fundraising building. It will serve as headquarters for the TOVP project and will be situated in the far right corner of the site. The estimated completion date is October, 2014.

The next two photos record the construction progress of the utility building. You can see that it is almost complete. This building will serve as an electrical sub-station. It will also house all the generators and pumps. It was specially designed with arched windows to follow the architecture of the first Mayapur Lotus and Conch buildings which were made in the early ISKCON years in the presence of Srila Prabhupada.

The post Coming up Fast appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Altar for the Deities
- TOVP.org

This is the Grand Altar where Sri Sri Radha Madhava and Sri Panca-tattva will be moved, and the Sri Guru Parampara installed.

The construction of the altar is progressing rapidly. In the future, thousands of people from all over the world will stand here before the Deities to worship and chant Harinama sankirtan before Them.

The post Altar for the Deities appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Prabhupada’s bridge
- TOVP.org

Moving the Deities into the new temple will be a great step forward in the Deity worship.

The Mayapur Deity department is the largest in ISKCON and many pujaris will be serving the Deities of Sri Panca-tattva, Sri Sri Radha Madhava. Lord Narasimhadeva and the Guru Parampara. They will be housed in the Long Building across from the TOVP. Prabhupada’s Bridge will connect the Long Building with the main temple so they can have more convenient access to the pujari floor and to the main Deity altar.

The post Prabhupada’s bridge appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

ISKCON Scarborough – Wonderful programs on Friday and Saturday
→ ISKCON Scarborough

Hare Krishna!

Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

The devotees of ISKCON Scarborough will be celebrating two auspicious events in a grand manner tomorrow/Saturday.

Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja celebrations:
Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day was celebrated in a grand manner throughout the world on Monday – 18th Aug 2014

We at ISKCON Scarborough will be celebrating this glorious day tomorrow – 22nd Aug 2014(Friday).

Program for Friday – 22nd Aug 2014

6.45 pm- Tulasi Arti
7 pm- 8 pm- Srila Prabhupada nectar- class by HG Subhudi DD (ACBSP)
8 pm – 8.30 pm- Arti
8.30 – 8.45 pm – 1 round group chanting of Hare Krsna Maha Mantra
8.45 pm – Grand feast

Srila Prabhupad’s Appearance Day is a very special day for all ISKCON devotees as they joyfully glorify their eternal saviour Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada was sent by the Lord to fulfill Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s prediction:

Sri Caitanya-bhagavata by Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura

Antya-khanda 4.126

prthivi-paryanta yata ache desa-grama

sarvatra sancara haibeka mora nama

“In every town and village of the world, My name will be heard”.

Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura wrote in his Sajjona-tosani:

“Soon there will be a time when the chanting of Krishna’s name will be heard in England, France, Russia, Germany and America.”

Srila Prabhupada appeared on that most auspicious spiritual occasion of Nanadotsava. Nandotsava means: Nanda Maharaja’s huge festival celebrating Krishna’s birth.

Srila Prabhupada lives forever through his books. This legacy will always provide the devotees with Sri Caitanya katha and teach everyone to chant the Maha mantra.


Snan Yatra:

ISKCON Scarborough's 2nd Snan Yatra will take place on Saturday 23 Aug 2014.

This grand Snan yatra is a precursor to ISKCON Scarborough's 2nd Annual Jagannath Cultural program that will take place on Saturday- September 6th 2014 at Milliken Park.

Program for Saturday – 23rd Aug 2014

7 pm - 8 pm - Grand Abhishek on the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev and Subhadra Devi
8 pm – 8.30 pm- Arti
8.30 – 8.45 pm – 1 round group chanting of Hare Krsna Maha Mantra
8.45 pm – Grand feast

The Snan yatra bathing ceremony has been going on since the time of the carving of the 'Dharu-brahman' Deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev, and Subhadra Devi in Sri Purushottam Kshetra (Jagannath Puri) thousands of years ago, commemorating Their sacred appearance for the devotees

We warmly welcome you, your family and friends to join us for the auspicious programs this Friday/Sunday

ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough,Ontario,
Canada,M1V4C7

Email Address:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

website:
www.iskconscarborough.com

Weight, Mass, Volume
→ TKG Academy

Learning through experimentation is important for students to master Science objectives.  Here Upper Elementary students learn about mass, weight, and volume using a scale, spring scale, and graduated cylinder.  They learn how to calculate the volume of an irregular shaped object by use of water displacement.

 

Losing glory
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 07 July 2014, Serbia, Summer Camp, Caitanya Candramrta Seminar Part 1)

Sri Caitanya-candramrta by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati

Chapter 1, Verse 6

“When Lord Gauracandra’s devotees, who are worshiped even by the demigods, drink the wonderfully sweet nectar of bliss of pure love of God that flows from the lotus flower of Lord Gauracandra’s feet, they become completely intoxicated. In that condition they laugh at Lord Brahma and the other demigods, condemn the impersonalists and yogis, and do not consider the great devotees of Lord Visnu who do not worship Lord Gauracandra to be very important. Let us glorify that Lord Gauracandra!”

mayapur_gaurangaIn India, so many people bow down every day to the demigods. If you go to the city of Benares, the presiding deity of the city is Lord Shiva and on the banks of the Ganga, there are thousands of brahmanas performing different pujas very piously, every day. Many people also join in that worship – practically to worship the devatas, demigods, but such worship will give only temporary benefits. So why would we bother for temporary benefits? What is the point? It will only make it worse.

After the Russian revolution in 1918, so many Russian aristocracies went as refugees to Western Europe. Many of them used to be prominent personalities in the government and used to appear at royal gatherings, wearing opulent uniforms. When they went to Western Europe, somehow or other, most of them got jobs as porters or door-keepers of hotels. All big hotels had Russian refugees who were there, dressed in their uniforms as before. But this time – a lost glory! So, when one has material success, it is worse than not having any success because one will lose it again and then the pain is much greater. Once you have been rich, how can you be happy with ordinary things? Therefore, praying for material benefits is never beneficial.

 

Srila Prabhupada’s and Lord Krishna’s Mercy, August 18, New Dvaraka, Los Angeles
Giriraj Swami


PrabhupadaPreachingInIndia
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagvatam 10.2.31 for the morning class on Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja day.

“In Srila Prabhupada’s initiation letter to me he wrote, ‘I marked it in your person when I was in Boston, and I prayed to Krishna that this good soul may be aware of the importance of Krishna consciousness.’

“The pure devotee prays to Krishna to give mercy to the fortunate conditioned soul. And because Krishna is bhakta-vatsala—affectionate and favorably inclined to His devotees—He fulfills their desires. Within the heart He encourages the candidate—the object of the devotee’s mercy—to appreciate the value of Krishna consciousness and accept the process of devotional service.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.31

ISKCON SALEM (Tamilnadau, India) Celebrated Sri Krishna Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada Vyasa puja (Album 204 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

ISKCON SALEM (Tamilnadau, India) Celebrated Sri Krishna Janmastami in very very grand level. Arati & Kirtans, Lectures, Bhajans, Sloka recitation by Gurukula Students, Drama, Abhisekam, Book Distribution and Lot's of Prasadam Distribution, These where the Programs from 4.30am - Midnight, and 60 thousand people attended. Read more ›

ISKCON NEPAL: Day 1 Sri Krishna Janmastami Celebration (Local Day) (Album 167 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

By the Mercy of Srila Prabhupada & Grace of HH Mahavishnu Swami, ISKCON NEPAL Celebrates 1st Day of Sri Krishna Janmastami as Local Calendar on 17th August 2014, Sunday here in Nepal.... More Than 150,000 People visited our Temple on this Day. Devotees distributed Free Prasadam to all the visitors. On this day there was Avisheka of Sri Sri Radha Govinda Hari and Book Distribution.. There was huge line to take darshan of the deity as well as for prasadam. It was a grand successful program. Read more ›