ISKCON Hungary Sends Aid to the Flood Affected Bosnia
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On May 23rd, ISKCON Hungary has sent a group of volunteers to the flood affected Bosnia. Having served in several flood and other natural disaster affected areas, these volunteers are experienced humanitarian workers. Primarily, they will help in the Sarajevo area by cooking, serving, driving and taking care of the victims in many other ways.

Finnish Devotee Scholar at University of Pune
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Finland is considered to be one of the top countries in the world what comes to education and one of the policies of Finnish government is to export education.Tattvavada das was invited to participate a group which consisted of well-respected Finnish professors  from Tampere, Turku and East-Finland (Joensuu) universities. Main lectures were held in Pune and Mumbai and they were arranged by the university of Pune.

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-05-23 12:30:00 →

1964 May 23: "I shall request you with all humility to cooperate with this mission and thus be benefited yourself. By the Grace of Lord Sri Krishna you are one of the very important business magnates and I may inform you on the authority of great Acaryas that it is our duty to make the best use of our money so long it is with us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-05-23 12:14:00 →

1972 May 23: "Unless there is connection with a bona fide Spiritual Master there is no possibility of making progress in spiritual life. So I have established ISKCON centers for the purpose of catching up the Lotus Feet of Krishna by intimate connection with the bona fide Spiritual Master. These are my authorized centers for that purpose."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

I like to chant and meditate on the Supersoul. As that is my nature, can I just do this and not do other devotional activities?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Vishal

I am by nature wanting to be quiet and only discuss with any one if the other one begins. I am attracted  by the parmatama form Lord Krishna. I like to chant Hare Krishna m.m. and just meditate on its vibrations within my heart. I am at present not ready to do other services out of the nine ways of Bhakti.
So is chanting and trying to meditate on parmatma Krishna ok...
I think that since every living being has come from the spiritual world, he has his own identity and since I feel that I am naturally attracted to parmatma photo I just tend to chant constantly within mouth and try to chant 16 rounds on beads. Is it Ok?

Answer Podcast

When religions like Buddhism are non-Vedic, how can Veda be the source of all knowledge?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From: Praveen Nayak

Prabhuji could you please explain what do we mean by Vedas mean All knowledge, while we say for example Buddhism, Jainism, Charvakism etc are considered atheistic from vedic perspective since they dont accept vedas. So if there is knowledge not part of Vedas then how does Vedas mean ALL knowledge.

Answer Podcast

Is God improbable because he has to be more complex than his creation and complex things have very low probability of emerging?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Paul:

Richard Dawkins argues that by proposing to explain the complexity of the world using a God, theist don't solve but end up doubling the problem of complexity because God has to be at least as complex as his creation. What is the answer to this argument?

Answer Podcast

Why Caitanya Caritamrita is the authoritative source of Lord Chaitanya’s teachings
→ The Spiritual Scientist

In  order   to  understand the  teachings of  Lord  Caitanya, we  must   refer  to  the  Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. Lord Caitanya himself  did   not leave any written works,  except the eight  verses  of the Siksastaka.  There  are few verses  attributed to him  in the Padyavali, but  from  those  verses  we cannot  take  any  systematic instructions.  There  is also  a few very  small  books  which   some  people claim  were  written by  Lord  Caitanya.   After examining everything, we must  conclude that  these  are all false claims.   From the many works   which   the  Goswamis  wrote   we  can  thoroughly understand  Lord   Caitanya's teachings, but  they  do  no  mention any  works  written by  Lord  Caitanya Himself.  Sri Caitanya Caritamrta is the authoritative work.   From  this  work  we can understand the Lord's  character and  teachings. These teachings are confirmed perfectly by the words of the  Goswamis.  For this  reason  Sri Caitanya Caritamrta is given  so much  respect.   Sri Krsna  Dasa  Kaviraja  appeared immediately after  Lord  Caitanya.   Mahaprabhu's direct disciples, Raghunatha Goswami, Rupa  Goswami and  many  others   assisted Krsna  Dasa in writing his work.        Before him  Kavi Karnapura had  written Sri Caitanya Candrodayanataka and  Vrndavana das  Thakura had  written Sri Caitanya Bhagavata. These works  were  a great  help  to Krsna  Dasa Kaviraja.

Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014
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Winnipeg, Manitoba

Day At Winnipeg

Newly arrived from India are Vishvambar and his wife, Mahasundari, a young couple.  It was Vishvambar whom I lead to a park near his home, hoping that I could convince him of the joys of early morning outside freshness.   I hope he makes it a routine to get out and walk.  Both he and his wife arrived in March of this year when they were met by a blast of cold at 40 below Celsius, and just after coming from India’s temperature at 40 above.  Successfully, they have weathered the weather after the most unforgiving winter of all time (in my humble opinion).  I see that the couple are a pair of optimists.

We do have the great wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita to console us over the extremities of life.  In chapter two, the speaker, Krishna, explains that dualities such as winter and summer, come and go, as do happiness and distress.  “One must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”

In the afternoon, I found myself for a time in Winnipeg’s major downtown library, where 18 years before I gave an address to the inquisitive about my then trek through the nation.  While sitting there in conversation with someone, I could witness a diverse group of people in the course of my chatting.  Judging by clothes wear and behaviour, I saw extremities in people’s life approaches.  It was interesting.  In this case, I took in the dualities as entertaining and not so threatening. 

The beautiful closure to the day had me conducting a Kirtan Standards Seminar at the ISKCON Centre on 108 Chestnut Street.  Our group was discussing standards for mantra meditation, and adherence to traditions established by sages from the ancient past.  It’s always cool to have blessings that come from those who have been here before us. 

May the Source be with you!

3 KM

Some good advice
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 08 April 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Rama Naumi Initiation Lecture)
kks_radhdesh_2013Initiation is not only about the ceremony but afterwards, success in spiritual life always depends on blessings. So, always look for blessings – blessings of the Supreme Lord and blessings of great devotees, either from the past or from the present. By always seeking blessings, we will make it and we will be successful!

My role is to give you good advice now and after the initiation to continue to guide you. Also, I am suppose to pray for you, for your benefit. On the strength of whatever service I have done, I pray that Krsna may accept your service! So my prayer is there, that Krsna will take you back to Godhead at the end of this life. All that is there but at the same time though, I cannot be there always.

In the Chandogya Upanishad, three types of spiritual masters are described. One is like the bird who feed their young constantly, endlessly. The other one is like the fish who supervises but lets its young go on its own but at the time of danger, the fish is there. The third type of spiritual master is like the tortoise who places the eggs in the sand on the beach and waits for the sun to create heat and then the eggs germinate – he meditates on them. So, this relationship is going to be a bit of all three.

Sometimes, I am really ready to come in and give lots of personal attention and at other times, it is going to be really as cold as a fish. Or even worse, the tortoise mediating at a distance for the well-being of the disciple. But do not forget that the spiritual master is our ever well-wisher and we should not think, ‘Oh, he has not answered my mail!’  We should not think, ‘I do not have a relationship with him.’

If we think that we do not have a relationship with our spiritual master then it means that the fault is placed with us – it means we are not coming forward in service; it means that something is lacking in our service attitude! Because when we think that the spiritual master is the one who has to do all these things, ‘He has to come and inspire me. He has to say deep things. He has to do psychoanalysis on me and fully understand me better than I understand myself, then he has to enlighten me in that. So, I have to be able to feel that. So, he says things that are deep and profound and go really deep like that.’ No, he may or he may not.

Srila Prabhupada said, ‘I am instructing my disciples intimately in public!’ I really like that – intimately in public, so much is said in public. We must keep that in mind that the onus is on us, as disciples, to dedicate ourselves. We should understand that the spiritual master is always dedicated even if he does not give much attention, still his well-wishes and his prayers for us are there and he is always thinking of us. He may have so many disciples and he may not have the time to speak to each one of them but still, for each of these disciples, his prayer to Krsna is there that the mercy may come and he is meditating like that. So, we should not under estimate what is really going on behind the scenes.

 

Tuesday, May 20th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Kenora, Ontario

Kenora the Good

Jen is a jem.  Her partner, Dan, and her, took us up in their home for the night.  Jen, good soul that she is, networked and organized a gathering in Kenora’s outdoor pavilion.  The event entailed a walk from this huge marquee, to the town’s icon, Huskie the Muskie, a massive steel and fiberglass image of a fish.  This stunning statue symbolizes the real attraction of the area – water, and a lake known as Lake of the Woods.  In a town that heralds a banner saying, “We love our lake”, you can also be assured that people love people. 

About 50 of them, some of them families, all newcomers to the bhakti yoga scene (and our first time to hold any event here), took to the walk, then my talk, and then to the drum and then to the chant.  Jen arranged for djembes and a drumming circle.  I projected mantras into that circle and the people responded so nicely.  Brad, the maintenance man to the pavilion, came to me tearfully.  He asked if I could offer a prayer for his boss.

Such gentle people. 

And for wildlife today – an eagle, a seagull, a crow and a pelican pair brought excitement to the eyes.  The Mink Bay Trail was our little escape from the world humans have made.  I won’t be sarcastic though when I say that I credit humans for the upkeep of this sweet trail. 

May the Source be with Kenora!

6 KM

Initiation Ceremony, May 19, Houston
Giriraj Swami

06.houston-initiation-2014051901.houston-initiation-2014051908.houston-initiation-2014051907.houston-initiation-2014051910.houston-initiation-2014051902.houston-initiation-2014051903.houston-initiation-2014051905.houston-initiation-2014051909.houston-initiation-20140519———————–
Rtadhvaja Swami, Gunagrahi das Goswami, Hanumat Presaka Swami, Radha Raman Swami, and Giriraj Swami spoke at the ceremony. Prabha Ajmani became Krishna Priya dasi, David Garvin became Dayal Nitai dasa, Ravi Jadhaw became Radha Vinod dasa, Ganesh Pillai became Gauranga Chandra dasa, Anish Pillai became Nilamadhava dasa, and Mohini Patel became Madhuri Radha dasi—and Kalpataru dasi received second initiation.

“Regarding being inattentive while chanting the holy name, Srila Prabhupada, in an initiation lecture in Los Angeles, said, ‘While you chant, you hear also. You don’t turn your attention to anything else—mechanically chanting and thinking of something. Thinking of Krishna is all right, but if I think something which is not in Krishna consciousness . . . Best thing is that I shall chant Hare Krishna and each word I shall hear; then it will be very much effective. Yes.’ These instructions are very simple. There is nothing that Srila Prabhupada said or that I have said that a child cannot understand. But the challenge is the application, and that requires good association. It is up to us to seek that association and place ourselves in such association that is favorable for always remembering Krishna and never forgetting Him—for speaking only about Krishna and nothing else, for tasting only Krishna prasada and nothing else.” —Giriraj Swami

Rtadhvaja Swami
Gunagrahi das Goswami
Hanumat Presaka Swami
Radha Raman Swami
Giriraj Swami

Shadow of Samadhi
→ Seed of Devotion

The teacher training weekend with Sondra and Raghunath began with us all sitting in a giant circle, knee-to-knee. Each of us were sharing how the past month had gone. For most of us, the month had been rough, even dire. But we were here.

When my turn came, I said, "I have been reflecting how progressing through the 8 limbs of yoga seems like so much work, it's all about my endeavor to work my way up to samadhi [complete absorption]. It seems so overwhelming, so exhausting.

"But bhakti yoga is the path of grace. Bhakti turns the entire system of yoga on its head, because it's not about my endeavor any more. The endeavor is mainly there to show that hey, I care." I looked around the giant circle of aspiring yogis. The words just came out of my mouth: "So really, I could experience samadhi right here, right now."

"Okay, do it, right now," Raghunath challenged almost playfully. Everyone laughed.

My heart pounded. I raised my arms, closed my eyes, and called out the holy name:

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare."

While I had been chanting, the laughter had died down. In those moments, I felt the Lord's presence in my heart.

I opened my eyes. I folded my palms to my two teachers.

Thank you, Raghunath, for opening the path of grace, even if for only several moments.


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Dropout prevention
→ Servant of the Servant


Every year, over 1.2 million high school students drop out of high school in the United States. This is a significant number especially considering the advanced educational system in the US. Without a high school diploma, it is practically impossible to be economically self-sufficient. It is in this situation, these desperate young adults engage in social ill activities such as substance abuse, illicit sex (leading to abortion), crime etc. It does not stop there; these activities have a chain effect impacting other people, families and the bigger community.  They become unproductive citizens spiraling down more and more into poor decision making to the point where they destroy their lives. Because we live in such a competitive society, students who stay behind due to various reasons end behind and just cannot catch up with rest of society. 

Poverty, broken homes, and abuse are seen as strong predictors of high school dropouts. However, the number one reason kids’ dropout is because they become disconnected with their peers, teachers and counselors. Disconnected youth is the singular immediate cause for students to not return to school. With poor attendance against them, they eventually stop going to school. This disconnection exists because they feel that nobody cares about them. They feel parents don’t care or their friends don’t care or their teachers don’t care etc. This makes sense because as young adults, we all need social and emotional support. We need mentors and care-takers that we know we can turn to at the time of need. Rarely will we find a young student motivated from within. Although it sounds simplistic, this is a complex social problem. 

More and more the culture becomes materialistic, more and more people go inward to just operate on the platform of use, abuse and neglect. Gone are the days where the individual is appreciated for his natural qualities (the Varnashrama system was designed to appreciate every individual for their natural self and not based on some artificial economic monetary system).  The psyche is wired spontaneously (in subtle ways) to use and abuse things, money and people for promoting selfish interests. Such tendencies manifest in an individual right from puberty or perhaps even earlier. As the material culture advances, we will find our civilization becoming more and more impersonalistic. Video games, computer technology, political correctness, box stores like Walmart, cookie cutter city planning strategies, Government secularism etc are subtle manifestations of impersonal material culture. In these environments, you will find minimal human interaction and even if there is it is not intended for personal engagement of the individual. It is intended for fulfilling some other cause or purpose more important than the individual. Disconnected youth dropping out of school is but a natural product of this sort of impersonal culture. 

If we want to reverse this trend, we need to reverse our impersonal tendencies and connect more with the people at a personal level. We need to build families, communities and societies based on human interaction and scale. Bigger the city, scarier and lonelier it feels. So we need to reverse this trend of bigger is better and bring it back to a human scale where every individual matters no matter how big or small the individual may seem. This sort of reversal is possible only if we understand that each individual is as valuable as the other and not meant to be used for our personal motives. 

This can happen only if we see the deeper picture that every individual, animal and plant is part and parcel of God. When we appreciate everyone is part of God, then neglect and abuse can never be common place in our society. Therefore what is missing for these dropout kids is that they need to be appreciated because they are children of God and that they are as important as anybody else. When we have such sanctity of vision, our disposition toward other people, animals and plants will be of personal care, respect and love. 

This is the ultimate message of Bhagavad Gita – to see all beings as part of Krishna and Krishna as part of all beings - thus - we will always be connected to everyone and Krishna at a personal level. We will no more have spiraling social problems instead everyone will be happy – sarve sukhinah bhavantu!

Hare Krishna