Websites from the ISKCON Universe
At its November 2, 2022 meeting, the Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON resolved to again put a moratorium on women devotees accepting disciples in ISKCON. (The resolution can be found at the end of this article.) The topic has been debated and discussed in various forums in ISKCON for twenty years and has evoked […]
The post GBC Pauses Vaishnavi Diksa Gurus, Again appeared first on ISKCON News.
Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya.
Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote Chaitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Chaitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna Dasa Kaviraja. He mentions an especially touching conversation Shri Gaurasundara had with Vishnupriya Devi the night before He took sannyasa.
Being a talented musician, Lochana Dasa told Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in beautiful poetry filled with fire and rhythm. Common people could easily understand the divine character of Shri Chaitanya and awaken their religious feelings. As Devotees regularly chant the Vedic epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, Gaudiya Vaishnava’s still wander through Bengal reciting the Chaitanya Mangala.
Lochana Dasa Thakura also wrote many songs praising Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Nityananda Prabhu, and Gauridasa Pandit. Lochana Dasa stresses that raganuga bhaktas must take shelter of Gadadhara Vrindavanishvari to attain Radha-Govinda prema bhakti.
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura used to print and distribute Lochana Dasa Thakura’s Shri Chaitanya Mangala. Shrila Prabhupada was very fond of his bhajans. While singing Parama Karuna Shrila Prabhupada would plunge into the ocean of Gauranga prema.
Prabhupada wrote an extensive commentary on this bhajana: Bhajo bhajo bhai, Caitanya Nitai, sudrdha visvasa kori … “Lochana Dasa asks everyone, ‘My dear brother, just worship Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda with firm faith and conviction.’ Don’t think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal; it will. It is the assurance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore, one must chant with firm faith and conviction.”
His samadhi is in 64 Samadhis Area.
Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya.
Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote Chaitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Chaitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna Dasa Kaviraja. He mentions an especially touching conversation Shri Gaurasundara had with Vishnupriya Devi the night before He took sannyasa.
Being a talented musician, Lochana Dasa told Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in beautiful poetry filled with fire and rhythm. Common people could easily understand the divine character of Shri Chaitanya and awaken their religious feelings. As Devotees regularly chant the Vedic epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, Gaudiya Vaishnava’s still wander through Bengal reciting the Chaitanya Mangala.
Lochana Dasa Thakura also wrote many songs praising Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Nityananda Prabhu, and Gauridasa Pandit. Lochana Dasa stresses that raganuga bhaktas must take shelter of Gadadhara Vrindavanishvari to attain Radha-Govinda prema bhakti.
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura used to print and distribute Lochana Dasa Thakura’s Shri Chaitanya Mangala. Shrila Prabhupada was very fond of his bhajans. While singing Parama Karuna Shrila Prabhupada would plunge into the ocean of Gauranga prema.
Prabhupada wrote an extensive commentary on this bhajana: Bhajo bhajo bhai, Caitanya Nitai, sudrdha visvasa kori … “Lochana Dasa asks everyone, ‘My dear brother, just worship Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda with firm faith and conviction.’ Don’t think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal; it will. It is the assurance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore, one must chant with firm faith and conviction.”
His samadhi is in 64 Samadhis Area.
By Jiva Tattva das Like an expert doctor who seeing a patient with metastases know that he will soon die, Srila Prabhupada by seeing how the modern society have created so many slaughterhouses, so many cars and industries spoiling the atmosphere, paper money as an economic base, drugs, abortion... he knew the consequences of these activities, that by laws of nature there will be war, pestilence, famine and many other unwanted calamities. He also knew... that the devotees always have problems to live a rural life, far from the commodities of the cities, the jobs, the supermarkets... we are used to it. But he insisted and made his motto “simple living high thinking”. He said that finally many, many people would come to our farms. We appreciate so much the broad vision of these projects boost by Srila Prabhupada. So, many of his words were predictions of the future. Prabhu Gokularajana count: Continue reading "Our Farms, Now More Necessary than Ever
→ Dandavats"
Podcast:
We are heading towards the final months to sponsor a Nrsimha Brick. Sponsors will have their names inscribed on the Brick which will be placed under Lord Nrsimhadeva’s altar to remain for hundreds of years. With the opening of the completed Nrsimha Wing and altar in October, 2023, there is limited time to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Mayapur Nrsimhadeva is one of the most beloved Deities in ISKCON. Books have been written about Him with stories of His lilas with devotees, and all who see His divine forms are imbued with awe and amazement at His powerful gaze and presence.
Take your devotion to the next level by sponsoring a Nrsimha Brick to help complete His new home in the TOVP. Your brick will remain under His altar for hundreds of years to come as a testament to your participation in this historic project.
Visit the Give To Nrsimha 2023 Campaign page and make your sankalpa with the Lord today!
Watch this Nrsimha Wing Update video by Braja Vilasa.
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Podcast:
Today I met with the President of the Republic of Mauritius, His Excellency Sri Prithvirajsing Roopun, G.C.S.K, at the State House, Le Reduit. He was pleased to accept from me Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is and my I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story and Life’s Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective. He is a pious man, is very encouraging and supportive of ISKCON, and has taken darshan of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihari in Juhu and Sri Sri Radha-Radhanath in Durban. He wished me well in my stay in Mauritius and hoped that I would visit again soon.
Hare Krishna.
In the sixth episode of Vartalap, we were blessed with the opportunity to interview one of the very first disciples of Srila Prabhupada, HG Rukmini mataji. She has been practicing Krishna Consciousness for more than half a century and is an activist in women’s spiritual empowerment and interfaith dialogue. She leads workshops and retreats internationally.
HDG Srila Prabhupada: “ I WENT TO YOUR COUNTRY [USA] NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL ’‘and ’'I CROSSED MANY OCEANS”–
So you should always remember that you have taken on a very, very difficult task. Not very easy task. But one thing is sure, that if you be successful or not successful, it is your victory. Because you tried for this, Kåñëa will be very much pleased. That is your victory. Not that in every day you will be successful. That is not. I went to your country not to become successful. I knew, “Who will accept? Just let me try.” My Guru Maharaja said. I thought that “I shall loiter in the streets for few days more,” that’s all. Actually I did that. No friend, no shelter, no nothing; everyone is loitering, here and there. And finally, so disappointed, I went to the ticket office, and then I was speaking about to go back to India[laughs]
HDG Srila Prabhupada: “ I WENT TO YOUR COUNTRY [USA] NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL ’‘and ’'I CROSSED MANY OCEANS”–
So you should always remember that you have taken on a very, very difficult task. Not very easy task. But one thing is sure, that if you be successful or not successful, it is your victory. Because you tried for this, Kåñëa will be very much pleased. That is your victory. Not that in every day you will be successful. That is not. I went to your country not to become successful. I knew, “Who will accept? Just let me try.” My Guru Maharaja said. I thought that “I shall loiter in the streets for few days more,” that’s all. Actually I did that. No friend, no shelter, no nothing; everyone is loitering, here and there. And finally, so disappointed, I went to the ticket office, and then I was speaking about to go back to India[laughs]
Podcast:
“He who was previously a very munificent cowherd boy has now appeared as Mahesa Pandita. In ecstatic love, he dances like a madman as though intoxicated to the beat of a kettle drum. [C.C. Adi 11.32]
According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Mahesa Pandita was formerly Maha-Bahusakha in Krsna-lila. He was a companion of Nityananda Prabhu, and was present at the Danda Mahotsava held at Paninati.
In Bhakti-Ratnakara, Taranga Nine, it is stated that when Narottama dasa Thakura came to visit Khardaha, he had darshana of the lotus feet of Mahesa Pandita.
Vrindavana dasa Thakura has described him as a ‘param mahanta’ due to the fact that he was very dear to Nityananda Prabhu. [C.B. Antya 5.744]
Mahesa Pandita’s original Sripat at Sukh Sagor merged into the bed of the Ganges, but his worshippable deities of Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga as well as his samadhi were moved to Palpara. There is a railway station there, between Simrali and Cakdaha stations, on the Sealdah-Krsnanagar line.
His disappearance day is on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Pausa.
“He who was previously a very munificent cowherd boy has now appeared as Mahesa Pandita. In ecstatic love, he dances like a madman as though intoxicated to the beat of a kettle drum. [C.C. Adi 11.32]
According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, Mahesa Pandita was formerly Maha-Bahusakha in Krsna-lila. He was a companion of Nityananda Prabhu, and was present at the Danda Mahotsava held at Paninati.
In Bhakti-Ratnakara, Taranga Nine, it is stated that when Narottama dasa Thakura came to visit Khardaha, he had darshana of the lotus feet of Mahesa Pandita.
Vrindavana dasa Thakura has described him as a ‘param mahanta’ due to the fact that he was very dear to Nityananda Prabhu. [C.B. Antya 5.744]
Mahesa Pandita’s original Sripat at Sukh Sagor merged into the bed of the Ganges, but his worshippable deities of Sri Sri Nitai-Gauranga as well as his samadhi were moved to Palpara. There is a railway station there, between Simrali and Cakdaha stations, on the Sealdah-Krsnanagar line.
His disappearance day is on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Pausa.