Planet ISKCON

HG Sridama Prabhu at ISKCON Mayapur on 2014-07-26, Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 05 19 24

Hinduism is the second-largest practiced religion in Arizona, according to the U.S. Religious Congregations & Membership Study from 2010. The study only took a count of people who are members of a church or organized body within a faith, so some people who might consider themselves to be of a certain religion were not counted if they do not attend services regularly. Read more ›

Lecture Podcast

The post To cast off the crippling nature of material conditioning one requires an unceasing desire for renunciation appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

On the 19th July 2014, more than 500 devotees took part in the Jaganatha Ratha Yatra festival organized by New Vrindaban, USA. The Narada Purana (uttara kanda 52.12) describes the conversation between Lord Narayana and Lakshmi devi about Purushottama kshetra (Jagannath Puri), pratimam tatra tam drstva svayam devena nirmitam anayasena vai yanti bhavanam me tato narau “A person who sees the Deities there built by the Lord Himself will easily find the path to reach My abode.” Anyone who sees the Deities of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra during their Ratha yatra procession will be quickly rid of his miseries and is bound to reach Vaikuntha-loka, the eternal, spiritual world where anxiety does not exist. Rathe ca vamanam drstva punar janma na vidyate. “Simply by seeing the Lord on the chariot, one makes advancement for stopping the repetition of birth and death.” “Similarly, Krishna and Balarama and Their sister Subhadra, They also came in royal fashion, with so many soldiers, and so many…, just like king. So these residents of Vrindavana, they met Krishna, and especially the gopis, they saw Krishna, and they lamented that “Krishna, You are here, we are also here, but the place is different. We are not in Vrindavana.” So there is a long story how they lamented and how Krishna pacified them. This is a feeling of separation, how the inhabitants of Vrindavana felt separation from Krishna. So this… When Krishna came on chariot, that is called Ratha-yatra. This is the history of Ratha-yatra. So any pastimes made by Krishna, that is observed in ceremonial form by the devotees. So that is Ratha-yatra.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Seattle, October 18th 1968) 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 Krishna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom. SB 12.3.51 krite yad dhyayato vishnum tretayam yajato makhaih dvapare paricaryayam kalau tad dhari-kirtanat Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Vishnu, in Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. SB 12.3.52 Read more ›

The post July 26th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required. SB 3.33.7 Read more ›

INTERVIEW ABOUT OX CULTURE WITH VARSANA SWAMI

Lilasuka dasi (L): Haribol Varsana Maharaj. Can you please give us some background information about why you would want to bring back ox power to New Vrindaban?

Varsana Maharaj (V) : First of all, I base my priorities on Srila Prabhupada’s most emphasized instructions for New Vrindaban, which come under two guidelines:

1. Agriculture and cow protection
2. A Place of Pilgrimage

Unfortunately, today, our concept of cow protection has become one-sided – matriarchal – because we’ve forgotten to recognize that cows come in two genders.

This can really be a dangerous platform because to see the cow simply as a provider of milk can lead to a hellish mentality. The cow is NOT primarily a milk machine, that is something just meant for our enjoyment and potentially our exploitation.

Instead, when we see her as mother, we want to protect her and then the nurturing aspect of the cow in the form of milk naturally flows as a healthy consequence.

Srila Prabhupada once asked the devotees on a walk ‘If I say ‘This is my cow, what does it mean? It means that she is my mother and I must protect her, and as a consequence I receive milk, but milk is not the sole purpose of the cow.”

L: I like your statement, “Cows come in two genders.” Such a simple truth.

V: Yes, and the bull is the father, “Dharma”, representing universal law and order.

That’s the other half of the reality. These archetypes of the bull and cow in society are so important. They represent a complete balance in society of the father and mother – bull and cow. These archetypes of bull and cow are crucial in terms of community, as well as cultural & traditional identity.

In traditional agrarian society, the bull provided power, without which the society was not able to function. So, if you use the bull (as the ox) for your source of power, then you will naturally get cows, and then milk will surely flow.

The spiritual analogy is that, just like the bull prepares the soil for seeds, chanting the Holy Name prepares our hearts for the seed of bhakti, of devotion – bhakti lata bija.

The other half of the analogy is that the cow is mother, and Bhumi represents the earth.

L: What about tractors? Do they have any place in this culture?

V: It’s fine to use tractors where animal power is not enough, but we need to be sure that the use of the tractor, called the “killer of the bull” by Srila Prabhupada, doesn’t replace the bull or kill our bhakti culture.

When the bull and the cow have their proper roles, THEY protect US, although we call it “cow protection”. It’s reciprocal protection.

We’ve lost sight of the importance of our roots, so we’re implementing the ox program to put things back in order, as dharma, which represents universal order.

It is necessary in society to have healthy relationships complete with father and mother figures, where we are nourished by the male and nurtured by the female.

When there is respect for the father and for the mother, then the children develop into healthy adults to raise healthy children of their own. Then there can be prosperity in terms of Krsna consciousness.

L: You used to work with animal teams here in New Vrindaban, correct, Maharaj?

V: Yes. In the past, everything was done with animal power – oxen, mules, and draft horses. When I was a child, the tractor hadn’t yet completely replaced animal power. We worked mostly with horses back then. When I was only small, about eight years old, tractors were beginning to become popular. At that time, I went door to door on a campaign to warn all the neighboring farmers against the use of tractors.

Eventually, when tractors became very popular, the farmers with their tractors began producing more than ever before. So then the Dept of Agriculture, for certain economic reasons, paid the farmers more money NOT to grow their crops than they would have earned from their harvest, so they stopped growing. This disrupted the economics and eventually the farms went out of production.

This is how the tractor ended small farm agriculture.

Big agri business took over with its use of pesticides, and basically put the small farmer out of business.

L: I’ve heard that Srila Prabhupada said that farm machinery will create unemployment. Can you explain that?

V: Yes. When Srila Prabhupada objected to machines, saying “this will create unemployment” he didn’t mean it in the usual terms of society, where people are out of jobs and can’t make money. However, he meant it more in terms of people coming together for the healthy social dynamics of agriculture. Planting and harvest time are festivities where families and neighbors work together!!!

They used to celebrate because, after harvest, there is a natural impulse to take the new bounty to the altar and offer it to God.

Or even in terms of economics, when your wealth is grains and land, the natural impulse is to take it to the altar in gratitude.

With paper currency and credit cards, the impulse is not always to take it to the altar!

L: Maharaj can you please speak a bit about what else Srila Prabhupada taught regarding a society based on agriculture and the cow and bull?

V: I was amazed from the start that, although Srila Prabhupada didn’t grow up on a farm, he still had such a deep grasp and respect for how that kind of natural society works and how it facilitates spiritual life.

Srila Prabhupada always had a deep concern for how New Vrindaban would utilize the bulls and oxen. He used to acknowledge that if you can’t keep up the production of food with only the animals, then it’s fine to use tractors to make up the difference, but never to replace the oxen.

Further, if society has proper relationship with the bull and the cow, it means we’re in resonance with dharma (universal law and order) and bhumi (earth culture) and that facilitates the message and mercy of Godhead to resonate within us in the form of the Holy Name.

Thus, the ox program is essential to the survival of our spiritual culture. Srila Prabhupada said, “Brahminical culture is impossible without cow protection.”

Working with animals, one has to exhibit some humility, or they generally won’t co-operate! The tractor, on the other hand, can be an extension of the operator’s ego!

L: Do you have enough manpower to do this?

V: Daivata, one of the original pioneers of New Vrindaban, is back!!! He was a teamster in the days. He drove a team and can now be part of the training team.

I would truly like to see the remnants of agriculture as it was before tractors took over rekindled before our generation is gone at least in a small way. No-one may “get it” after that with this modern society so removed from nature.

It takes someone with experience to pull this off. And I’ve received all green lights so far from the management.

L: I noticed some old equipment outside. What is all that?

V: That’s the old bobsled. We’re gathering up any pieces of old equipment and refurbishing them. I have 3 different sizes of ox yokes to accommodate the growing teams.

We’ve put a new deck on the old covered wagon. We also have a bobsled we’re refurbishing with hardened steel runners for longevity.

We used to cut the timber, load it on the bobsled, bind it down with chains in big high stacks, then roll it on the flatbed truck, take it to the mill, bring it back and build the barn!

L: Maharaj is there anything else you’d like to say?

V: Dharma has only one leg left – truthfulness – it’s a shaky leg at best, and our campaign is meant to put him back in the field with all four legs firmly on the ground.

I’m not ambitious about anything big. Just something simple, manageable, sustainable, and effective that will rekindle the sense of this lifestyle before it dies with those who lived it.

 

Indradyumna Swami: Krsna's devotees are preparing for one of ISKCON's biggest yajna's in it's history: Krsna's Village of Peace at the 20th annual Woodstock Festival in Poland. Over 700,000 people are expected. 700 devotees from 14 different countries are arriving and helping to set up Krsna's Village. We plan endless kirtans, spiritual discourses, daily Ratha Yatras through the masses and a goal to distribute 130,000 full plates of prasadam. Big preaching at it's best just days away! Read more ›

Krsna’s devotees are preparing for one of ISKCON’s biggest yajna’s in it’s history: Krsna’s Village of Peace at the 20th annual Woodstock Festival in Poland. Over 700,000 people are expected. 700 devotees from 14 different countries are arriving and helping to set up Krsna’s Village. We plan endless kirtans, spiritual discourses, daily Ratha Yatras through [...]

People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. Lord Caitanya said that a teacher should behave properly before he begins teaching. One who teaches in that way is called acarya, or the ideal teacher. Therefore, a teacher must follow the principles of sastra (scripture) to teach the common man.

(Srila Prabhupada, Bhagvad Gita-As It Is, 3.21 Purport)

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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

It's the only way we can go back home to Godhead....as much as we don't want to chant and on occasion loathe this essential practise.
Srila Prabhupada has told us to chant 16 attentive rounds and follow the 4 regulative principles and guaranteed this is enough for us to join Krsna in the spiritual world.

SELF CARE Save yourself, save others. This is our Krsna consciousness movement. First of all save yourself; then try to save others. Or both things can go on simultaneously. The same example. If you want to save somebody who's drowning you must know that I may not be washed away. I have to remain strong; then I can save him. Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura The secondary

Well, as they say, a picture paints a thousand words! A photograph can convey thoughts and ideas which words alone sometimes, cannot do justice to. Images can thrill us and inspire us; they can be heart-breaking and incite outrage; they can bring tears to our eyes and can also lift our spirits. Images are powerful as they allow us to see the world rather than just look at it. They remind us of what we forget – like the good times and I guess the bad too, but they help keep alive our precious memories. With that said, we present to you the latest of Kadamba Kanana Swami’s tour of Europe in just pictures!

After participating in the Summer Camp in Serbia, Kadamba Kanana Swami travelled to Villa Vrindavan in Italy (10 July) to participate in a Kirtan Festival. Thereafter, Maharaj visited Radhadesh (14 July) to teach part of the Kirtan Course that is currently running. Last weekend, Maharaj travelled to Prague to be part of the Ratha Yatra celebration (20 July)! And, on Wednesday (23 July), Maharaj did a program at the Harinam Mandir in Prague. A few pictures are presented in the gallery below but for the full illustrated story, kindly visit flickr.

Links to more photos:

Kirtan Festival in Italy

Kirtan Course in Radhadesh

Ratha Yatra in Prague, 2014 – Part 1

Ratha Yatra in Prague, 2014 – Part 2

Program at Harinam Mandir, CZ

If you cannot view these links due to not having Facebook, the pictures are on flickr as well!

A rare colered film from 1971: ISKCON-founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada takes a ritual bath in the holy river Yamuna at Vrindavana's Keshi Ghat.

“One does not have to undergo initiation or execute the activities required before initiation. One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips. Thus even a man in the lowest class [candala] can be delivered. atah sri-krishna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah “With the material senses one cannot understand the transcendental holy name of the Lord or His form, activities and pastimes. But when one actually engages in devotional service, utilizing the tongue, the Lord is revealed.” Read more ›

A prayer for ISKCON’s devotees in the troubled region of eastern Ukraine: “O Lord Nrsimha, who are omnipresent, may your nails protect me and others at all times. Just as a lion attacks powerful elephant groups and splits apart their heads with it’s nails and the Vajrayudha (Indra’s defense weapon) splits the highest mountains, in [...]

"With the river rising, the water level of Yamuna at waterworks rose to 486.6 feet, which is around six feet higher than last week. The rise in the water level has provided us with ample stock of raw water needed to be supplied across the city for the whole of August," said, Rajendra Kumar Arya, executive engineer water works, Agra. However, the rise in the river level has alarmed people living in various localities in Trans-Yamuna region, which might get flooded if the water flow increases. A population of about 5,000 is living in fear of their homes getting submerged if heavy rains occur. Read more ›

1968 July 25: "How to do it, that I shall give you. You have simply to carry out my instructions. But you are not prepared to follow. You are simply visiting different places, for sight seeing recreation. This sort of service is not accepted by Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 July 25: "Unless you fix up your mind to serve the Spiritual Master Who is direct representative of Krishna, it is not possible to approach Krishna. Krishna is only approached through the transparent via media of bona fide Spiritual Master."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 July 25: "The activities of these elevated souls are not to be questioned by us. They have a higher purpose which we cannot determine; therefore do not try to imitate the actions of the very powerful, but one should simply follow their instructions."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 July 25 : "From India I went to Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit and then Boston. Now I am in New York and from here I shall go to Gainesville University and then London. You may write to me in London."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 July 25 : "I suggest when you return to India that you take sannyasa in your ripe old age without any family responsibility and let us together do something tangible in India. I shall request you to think this over very seriously."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 25 : "As long as the classes are going on well, the rules and regulations are being observed sincerely, the sankirtana party is going out with enthusiastic mood - if these things are going on, then everything is first-class."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 25: "That is not a very good proposal. We are always thinking these kind of changes, why is that? I simply want things to be developed which we have got, not to make so many big big plans and changing all the time."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 July 25 : "All respectable gentlemen will come. That quarter is aristocratic and our temple is unique. It is the only Krsna Balarama temple in Vrindaban and so attractive people will automatically come and see."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

How many of you would say that you think deeply about life? So there are many people who are like that but have no forums, or means to share their thoughts in real life. For instance, we may think about life from different perspectives, but we don’t always think others are also thinking like that, so we may not bring anything up in conversation. This society is about you as an individual, your own answers and feelings, there’s no uniform. We’re giving you spiritual wisdom from an ancient body of literatures called the Vedas, though they were compiled some time ago, they still provide cutting-edge tools for modern day life. We know this because we know bankers, doctors, lawyers and social leaders from different backgrounds and all walks of life using these techniques to make their life successful and more importantly happy. Our main events include: PSummer, Jammins, KCSocs, Festivals, Mentorship, Sangas and Courses. We also do a lot of other activities like, creative media, all of which can be found at www.psena.com Read more ›

1975 July 25: "I am accepting the following as my initiated disciples and the others as twice-born initiated brahmanas. Please see they are chanting 16 rounds and following the four regulative principles - this is your responsibity."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

The post July 25th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

It is our great pleasure to announce ISKCON MAYAPUR’s 2nd annual six day Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama during the most auspicious month of Kartik (organized by the Mayapur Chadnra’s). The Parikram begins on October 22nd and will end on October 29th, 2014. There will be a two day break, one for Govardhan puja (24th October) […]

The post Kartik Navadwip Parikrama appeared first on Mayapur.com.

“Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.” CC Antya 4.71 Read more ›

‘The holy name of Krishna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krishna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krishna’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krishna Himself. Since Krishna’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krishna’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical.’ Padma Purana Read more ›

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjZWrzyh

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The post Rupamati dd asks about mixed devotion and how it works and how it is purified appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Haribol! In case you didn't notice! Google Earth put brand new pictures from the space about Navadvip area. Last satellite pictures where made in 2010 and 2006, you can see the difference in development of TOVP and Mayapur area! your servant Abhinandana Nitai das Read more ›

On July 24^th, Abhinanda dasa reported that Alchevsk, a city between Donetsk and Lugansk in Eastern Ukraine, which had been relatively peaceful until now, looked like it would become the next battleground. “There is a large devotee population in Alchevsk”, he says. “If the conflict moves into Alchevsk, there may be many more devotees looking for refuge.”