Planet ISKCON

How Srila Prabhapuda received that honorific and what it meant in the greater plan of Mahaprabhu.

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Why Worship Nitai-Gaura Deities at Home? Srila Prabhupada says: "Irregularity in worshipping Guru and Gauranga can be tolerated, as They are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshipping Lord Jagannath and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna is not good." Srila Prabhupada letter to Karandhara das, 19th September, 1970) "Lord Chaitanya is very kind and He accepts the simplest worship or sincere chanting of the holy name of Krishna." Srila Prabhupada letter to Sridhama das, 8th July, 1970) Read more ›

My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. SB 12.3.51 Read more ›

New Godruma Dham, Iskcon Lithuania Read more ›

Mangala Arati of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, ISKCON Temple,Chowpatty,Mumbai;25th May 2014

The body,  house  and  objects meant for worship can all be used  in yukta vairagya.   All  that  is  necessary is  the  internal steadiness of  the  devotee to  achieve success.     An  external show  of steadiness is only  for others  to see.   If there  is internal devotion and  steadiness, very quickly  the bondage of the material world will disappear.

Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakura

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This talk is a part of the "Fascinating Mahabharata Characters" series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Scandinavian Rathayatra tour schedule

Fri 4: Aarhus Rathayatra, Denmark

Sat 5: Copenhagen Rathayatra, Denmark

Sun 6: Malmo Rathayatra, Sweden

Mon 7: Gotenburg Rathayatra, Sweden

Wed 9: Oslo Harinam, Norway

Thur 10: Oslo Rathayatra, Norway

Sat 12: Stockholm Rathayatra, Sweden

Sun 13: Aalborg Rathayatra, Denmark

Here is the full schedule of upcoming tour’s hare krishna festivals full schedule

Yours Humbly
Ratnavali

On Saturday 5th July one of the UK’s biggest music festivals “British Summer Time” takes place in Hyde park.

Over 80,000 people are expected, the festival is nearly sold out. Pete Doherty whose band “The Libertines” headlines the event, but there will be another band on the stage that day, a Kirtan band called the “Food for All band”,and the aim is to bring true ecstasy to the event in the form of the Yuga dharma, the Holy Name.
We will also distribute Prasad at the event to make it complete. We are requesting the blessings of the Vaisnavas, to make the project a success.

Kirtan is by nature attractive , as all 80,000 souls by constitution belong to the spiritual energy, so success is guaranteed. Lately most of the Laxmi required to fund the 1,000 daily plates of Prasad have been coming from our rock star friends in the form of charity gigs, and we hope that this will be the first of many such events.

Your servant Parasuram Das

ya eko ‘varṇo bahudhā śaktiyogād varṇān anekān nihitārtho dadhāti 

“He is a single ‘color’ which manifests all the countless ‘colors’ through the power of his many energies, and for his own inner purposes.”

This last Memorial Day weekend my wife and I attended the 2014 Sadhu Sanga Retreat, located near Boone, NC. Conveniently located only 2 hours plus 15 minutes or so from our house in North Carolina, the retreat center, situated on a high ridge, featured a panoramic view of the surrounding area in a stunning secluded setting. The Vedic style architecture of the facility felt very friendly and appropriate. All the events were held in a spectacularly spacious hall that could comfortably accommodate thousands. While the four day kirtan event was itself enticing for us to attend, we came mainly to promote our Grihastha Vision Team’s [GVT’s] new book, “Heart and Soul Connection”, (which gives tools to improve marital and family relationships) and to invite couples to our September 12-14 couple’s retreat in at Gita Nagari, Pennsylvania.

I talked to many devotees throughout the retreat, selling about 70 books. I spoke to spouses having difficulties in their marriages, and to those devotees who were trying to help couples in their communities but didn’t have the training to really help counsel them. These conversations reminded me of the critical need in our devotional communities for mental health services, couples counseling, and the training of mentor couples. Temple leaders should have basic training as to when to refer devotees with mental health problems to appropriate professionals and have available trained mentors to help couples having marital difficulties.

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"....we should be certain that we will face a constant battle with many other thoughts that might pour in. However, we should chant and hear the name through all this noise and not break down thinking why am i not able to chant properly. Slowly but steadily and for sure the quality of your chanting will change for the better."

Lokanatha Swami

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2014, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Caitanya Caritamrta Adi Lila 8.27)

The Nectar of Devotion speaks about the person with a heart which is like a cotton swab – a tiny, little, fine thread of cotton that at the slightest breeze starts trembling; then it speaks about a person with a golden heart – these two prototypes are given. One is a person who is very easily emotionally moved; the slightest thing will bring out a lot of emotional reactions, “Krsna… Krsna… Krsna… Oh God!” (dramatic)

Then there is the other person who has the golden heart, who is very grave, and all these emotions are deep and internal. It says in the Nectar of Devotion that from both these platforms, the heart can melt – sneha takes place; where the heart actually melts. It is not that one is closer to melting than the other; whether you have a cotton swab heart or a golden heart. What kind of heart did Srila Prabhupada seem to have? You can think about it… Very grave! Remember how Jadurani was talking about that handbill that Prabhupada carried with him on the Jaladuta – it was a picture of himself with the corners of the mouth deep down and she was supposed to make a painting of that. She said, “Oh, I think you were not so happy when this picture was taken.”

Prabhupada said, “What do you mean, this was my moment of greatest ecstasy!” I kind of like that; it is a nice detail about Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada displayed this mood of the golden heart, not to speak out against the cotton swab, but Krsna chose Srila Prabhupada to be his representative…

 

With Radhanath Swami. Read more ›

20-04-2014 The Implications of Reincarnation, Durban, South Africa.mp3

Thousands of people get the mercy in a crowded Rome while the devotees of Krishna chant and dance happily with enthusiasm and bliss! Read more ›

Several local people came running towards our car. We saw the completely surprised looks on their faces. They inquired if we were all fine and went on to say, . “Your god is great, Oh my god! We cannot believe this. We saw how the car was spinning and landed crashing into the drain. We thought you guys are finished. But not even a scratch? Uhhhh!” In less than a minute, out of nowhere, a tow truck arrived at the scene! It was middle of the night, somewhere at the outskirts of the city, in Accra and a tow truck appearing in less than a minute? Yes, totally unbelievable! Read more ›

By displaying a great abundance of transcendental wealth, love for Vrndavana Forest laughs at millions of Kuveras. By displaying great power of intelligence, love for Vrndavana forest eclipses a great host of intelligent Brhaspatis. That love removes the lamentation of separation from wife, children and others. Because it is filled with the nectar of love for Lord Krsna, love for Vrndavana is the supreme object of worship for Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja and the great devotees.

Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-51, Translation.]

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O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge. SB 2.1.11 Read more ›

900 people got prasadam-cooked meal as well as sandwiches and apples, each day. Devotees come to a village, place their table on the street and invite everyone. Our devotees tirelessly serve from 5:30 am until 10pm every day for the last 15 days. Read more ›

There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship's holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless. SB 8.23.16 Read more ›

My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the sankirtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously. SB 6.3.31 Read more ›

How Srila Prabhupada made ISKCON the embodiment of the Visva Vaisnava-raja Sabha.

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1962 June 1: "Yesterday evening I have come to Vrindaban for a flying visit and shall return to Delhi on Monday to attend the Jayal meeting on Tuesday morning. I am glad to see that my Thursday lectures have brought some changes in the mind of the young offenders. If the lectures are continued I am sure to turn these offenders into saintly characters."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64

1966 June 1: "Trayodasi. Today Immigration and Naturalization Office gave me one extension up to 17th September 1966. In the evening there was meeting about 16 heads. Bob came with some flour. I required some flour and Krishna sent it.
N.B. Today's lecture was very interesting."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1967 June 1: "I came here with a great mission to execute my Spiritual Master's order. I'm not afraid of Maya, I know Maya cannot touch me, but still if I die in this condition, my mission will remain unfulfilled. Please pray to Prabhu Lord Caitanya and Vrindaban Bihar. I wish to live for a few days more."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1968 June 1: "Your humbleness is very much appreciated by me. A Krishna Conscious person is never puffed-up. A Krishna Consciousness person thinks always about himself as the lowest and the more one thinks like that the more one becomes elevated."
1968 June 1

1969 June 1: "This Krishna Consciousness Movement is actually an attempt to make all people happy and become liberated in this life from material contamination so they'll be eligible to enter into the Kingdom of God after quitting this body."
1969 June 1

1969 June 1: "As soon as one's service is recognized by Krishna, one is immediately called, 'Please come here.' So we should work in such a nice way that we can draw the attention of Krishna to call us. Live for hundred years and execute this Krishna consciousness Movement so that in this very life you shall enter into the abode of Krishna."
1969 June 1

1972 June 1: "Push on vigorously distributing our literatures widely and showing always a good example of real Krishna Consciousness way of life. I am making many Sannyasis here in America and I am convinced our movement must run on this extensive traveling and preaching system."
1972 June 1

1973 June 1: "The demolition of our temple by the municipality has strengthened our position. Immediately reconstruct the Deity shed and put up barbed wire fencing. And in front of the Deity shed, a temporary pandal should immediately be constructed. Then I can begin Bhagavata Parayana to continue until the court decision is there."
1973 June 1

This article was published on Sunday, 1-6-14, in the Speaking Tree weekly paper with the title "I promise to." It can also be read here:

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-articles/science-of-spirituality/i-promise-to/147682

 

Millions watched with eager expectation as the new Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Damodardas Modi, took the oath of service to the nation.

The grand ceremony centered on the grave words of commitment such as “I will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.” The script of the oath is so robust and potent that if the cabinet lives by it, India can become a superpower in no time.

The elections have led us to expect a lot from our leaders, but how much can they do without our support? Just as in cricket, a captain can be only as good as the team, so in a country, the head of state can be only as good as the citizens. The Father of our nation, Gandhiji, put it well: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” We need to complement the top-down change with bottom-up change – a quiet commitment to honor our words as citizens.

The formalization of trust

 We all know that it is not easy to trust the words of others. What to speak of trusting others’ words, we know for ourselves that keeping our word is no small challenge.

When words need to be specially infused with trust, oaths come into play. The public, often ceremonial, declaration of one’s intent brings gravity, legality and even sanctity to the words of commitment. That’s why taking oaths is an activity that cuts across races, cultures and nations. In our times, it manifests in the oath before the magistrate in a courtroom, the vow before the priest during weddings or the declaration of commitment before the employer. It also appears in the reimbursement claims we submit, the tax returns we file and the deeds we sign. In fact, Ram Rajya was glorious because one of its defining features was the principle of honoring of one’s word, come what may. This is enshrined in the famous verse: raghukul riti sadaa chali aayi, pran jaaye par vachan naa jaaye. That motif continues till date with Bollywood featuring Salman proclaiming in Dabaang: Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di, fir main apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta.

But our times are so shallow that even words under oath tend to be without substance. When a suspect solemnly swears to speak the truth, people still tend to be skeptical. Turning the lens on ourselves: do we even remember all the promises we have taken, leave alone keep them?

The Spiritual Foundation of Integrity

Most of us usually want to honor our words. Yet that intent is often sabotaged by, among other things, weakness of character.

How can character be strengthened?

In a culture that provides fixes through pills, pastes and potions, we find no quick-fix for character weaknesses. Perhaps the answer lies in another, subtler p: purification. Purification of our intention from accumulation to contribution, from grabbing to sharing, from me to we.

For such purification, India’s timeless philosophical classic, the Bhagavad-gita, offers a strong intellectual boost. At one level, the Gita’s approach is top-down, for it is spoken to a state ruler, Arjuna, to remind him of his responsibilities. In fact, the Gita (03.21) explicitly emphasizes the role of leaders as social torchbearers.

And yet at another level, the Gita’s approach is bottom-up, because despite its intent to reorient a leader, it doesn’t get into the intricacies of politics and statecraft. Instead it goes straight the to universal heart of all issues: the spiritual substance of our character. The Gita indicates that harmonization with our spiritual side comprises the strongest character-builder. By such harmony, we relish a profound non-material fulfillment that makes us resistant to the pressures and lures that jeopardize our integrity.

Given the Gita’s integrated top-down and bottom-up approach, it’s no surprise that its words resonate with the words of the oath of the nation’s office-bearers. The Gita (02.38) enjoins: “Work without considerations of pleasure-pain, gain-loss and victory-defeat.” Such work, that would be “without fear or favour, affection or ill-will”, is declared later in the Gita (02.50) to be “the art of work.” In fact, such selfless work, the Gita (18.46) indicates, can even become a form of worship.

Two meanings of integrity – and their link

Integrity refers to “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles,” as in “a man of high integrity.” And it can refer to “the state of being whole and undivided,” as in “the territorial integrity of the country.”

Gita wisdom links these two meanings. It declares that we are parts of the Whole, the Absolute Truth. When we play the part of the part and contribute to the Whole, then the Whole fills the hole in our heart, granting supreme fulfillment. We see that our interest runs not contrary to, but in harmony with the interests of others, for we are all members of one cosmic family centered on the Supreme Spirit. With this inner enrichment coming from spiritual integration, moral integrity naturally develops.

How can we get such spiritual enrichment?

Some prominent ways are yoga, prayer and meditation. Interestingly, in meditational traditions of sonic spirituality, words play a central role. Sacred words embodied in timeless mantras purify us from self-centeredness to selflessness.

Significantly, spiritual fulfillment doesn’t come only from meditational activities that draw us away from the world. It can come even from practical activities that engage us with the world, provided we do those activities in a mood of selfless spiritual service.

Gita wisdom assures that each of us has the power to be an agent of positive change. By going to our spiritual roots and by taking ownership of our words and actions, we all can find the inner strength necessary for change – individually and socially.

 

 

 

 

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