Planet ISKCON

Question based on this Gita-daily article:

Cultivate humility not as the justification for shirking responsibility but as the inspiration for embracing responsibility 

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Holy Name Meditation Podcast

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Question based on this Gita-daily article

We don’t have any choice except to believe in our power of choice

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 June 2014, Stockholm, Sweden, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.75)

I will tell you the story of André. Some of you may have heard it… There was a devotee in Holland who was always very eager to preach. He was the kind of person who was very friendly to everyone and with strangers, he would always be friendly. So, he was quite a bold preacher but he had one problem: with principle number four! That principle was a little difficult for him sometimes.

Anyway, one day he went to the director of a big, big warehouse store. You know, a multi-multi-storey thing which has branches all over the country and he said, “In your book department, you are missing the books of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and you should take a full set of these books to make it complete.”

The director told him, “Young man, no one has ever walked to my office like that and sort of treated me the way you did. I must say, you have guts. I will do it.” So, he got (Prabhupada’s) books into all the stores, all over the country. That was very big! So like that, he was a powerful preacher.

Then due to the weakness he had with the principles, in a city like Amsterdam it can be dangerous. At one point, I was no longer in Holland but I heard about it, I heard that he had AIDS. You know, what to do? Anyway such is, such is life.

Then some time later, I was coming through the Netherlands for a few days and someone said, “Did you remember André?”
I said, “Yeah, sure.”
He said, “Well, he is really very close-by in some sort of hospital and he is in his final days. You want to go?”
I said, “Okay, let us go.”

So we went there and he was in this hospital bed and then he coughed. He started coughing and a ball of mucus as big as a tennis ball came out of his mouth and I was like, “Whoa! Some kind of pneumonia that only parrots get and AIDS patients.” It was intense.

So then we were speaking a bit and then he said, “Can you…” He said, “You know, could you do me a favour?”
I said, “Sure.” You know, dying man, right.
So he said, “I am just right now organizing my funeral and I like your singing. Could you sing at my funeral?”
So what can you say when somebody asks. So I said, “Yes.” Then I was thinking, “Gosh, I may have to come back for this…” You know what I mean! “Or should I stay here?” It is like what do I do it? I promised him now.

Anyway, he left his body within days after that and then it was the funeral. So, we went for the funeral. It was a cremation and they had like an amphitheater, and a stage and on the stage, the box was standing there.

So, first a letter was read out and the letter said, “I know that most of you think that I am dead and gone but I have news for you: I am still alive. I am still here but no longer in the same body in which you knew. I have moved on but certainly alive. All of you are my friends and all of you are from very different backgrounds but today, for my sake, I am asking that you appreciate each other. Within a few moments from now, a devotee of the Hare Krsna movement will come forward and he will start singing that Hare Krsna song and I want you all to sing along and not just a little bit but with full enthusiasm, for my sake, today. After that, you are invited to go to the temple and have some prasadam there.”

Then it was my turn and I chanted Hare Krsna and I chanted a basic tune, you know, “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare…” Prabhupada’s tune. Then the people got into because he told them to. There was this big lady (high pitched voice), “Hare Krsna!” You know, like the opera. Then at the very end they gave me a signal to stop and then they turned on the Govindam tape and then slowly the box was going down the stage. The people cracked. I mean, that music was very powerful. They cracked. They just fell in each other’s arms and were crying. Everyone said, “I have never seen a funeral like this.” Well, what can I say? I am sure he got some mercy for that. What do you think? If I could organize my funeral like that, it would be pretty good.

 

 

"The Gosvamis, especially Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, strictly followed all the regulative principles. The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 11.24

"One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God." To possess bhakti or love for God means to have come in contact with a vaisnava-- a lover of God. This comes about due to sukrti or past tendencies towards spiritual culture. If one holds ice near one's body, he becomes cold. If one holds a flame near one's body, he becomes hot. If one associates with a devotee-- a vaisnava-- he becomes devoted to God. Prahlada Maharaja was a great devotee who, when he was only a young boy, spoke of nine processes which, if executed with sincerity, are sure to reinstate one's original position as an eternal servitor of the Lord. Read more ›

The new Mayor of Harrow officially opened the Summer Fayre at the Krishna Avanti School on Camrose Avenue. The fair was all about raising funds for a new minibus for the school and a great time was had by all. (pictured) The children of Krishna Avanti school along with the Head of the Parents Association, Mr Shah, the Headteacher of the School, Usha Sahani and the Harrow Mayor's chaplain, Srutidharma das of the Hare Krishna temple. Read more ›

1967 July 22: "It is the Grace of Lord Krishna that He has put me in contact with so many rare souls who are taking Krishna Consciousness in all seriousness. Now I am going to India; and even if I cannot come back, I will work so all you transcendental children can be strong enough to preach this cult for the benefit of all human society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 July 22: "After finishing your M.A. exams I wish that you become fixed up and come for some time to Vrindaban in my personal touch. When I come back, I shall install Radha-Krishna Murti in the temple, and I hope it will be a great center for the society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1972 July 22: "I am especially pleased that your travelling party is having good success. Strengthen whatever devotees we have got in spiritual life, fix them beyond any doubts. Then our potency will increase so that we may recruit dozens of new devotees very easily."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 22: "Regarding Lalita Prasad Thakura, unless he keeps his promise than we are not interested to publish any of Bhaktivinode Thakura's books. That animosity against Guru Maharaja is going on, so we shall have nothing to do with it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 22: "The reading of Krsna Book and chanting at his bedside must go on. I am offering prayers to Krsna that He may protect Jaya Gopala, who is such sincere devotee. Now you godbrothers and godsisters also continue to offer prayers and chant always the Hare Krsna Mantra for him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 22: "Avoid publishing my writings in hodge-podge journals. These so-called Hindus are generally impersonalists, and we do not want to have anything to do with them. Better we stick to our own standard, and eventually they will all come to us for learning what is God."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 July 22: "The translating of my books is of the utmost importance and I am very thankful that you are seriously taking on this practical work for spreading Krsna Consciousness in your zone."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 July 22: "You have done a nice job with the French edition of Back to Godhead, and I am especially looking forward to the next issue which will be color 32 pages. You should more and more improve this magazine until it becomes superior to all other magazines in the French language."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

When we come to festivals and give our heart to the festival, listen with a desire to advance, apply the knowledge the speaker has spoken in our lives, chant from the heart and dance in kirtan we make a quantum leap in our devotional lives.

The post July 22nd, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

And Manjari asks about the connection between devotees’ lifestyle and ability to follow vows.

The post Rajen ask of the relevance of the caste system in this age of equal opportunity appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Evening kirtan in NVD on July 21nd appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

I’d like to inform you that our family (_______ prabhu, myself and our daughter ______) had to to move to Krasnodar (Russia). Before the war started we had lived in the downtown of Lugansk and planned to stay at the downtown and perform service in the yatra of Alchevsk. When the military operations intensified, our home turned out to be on the front line but till the last moment I had hoped that the war would be over soon. With great disappointment I can tell you that I am still quite strongly attached to everyday material conditions of life. It was difficult for me to leave everything: my friends, yatra, job, career, relatives - and go to some unknown situation. We left the very day when Lugansk was attacked by mortars and the next street became the battlefield. My brother followed me and found himself under air bombardment. We failed to evacuate my father. By Krishna’s mercy all of us survived. I was really scared to cross the border, which was fired on by snipers. _______ turned on the Narasimha kirtan in the car and we thought that if we are shot we might hear the Holy Name at the last moment. For the month we had lived in the area of military operations we had prayed to the Lord for help many times but perhaps our material attachments were stronger than intelligence, which insisted on moving to some safe place. Read more ›

On 20 th July few days ago ISKCON in Jogjakarta held Ratha Yatra for the 1st time in Jogjakarta. It was in Bantul one of Jogjakarta's region. Actually we got invitation for 183 Anniversary of Bantul City. After we attained the Anniversary ceremony than we did the Ratha Yatra parade. The Ratha Yatra end in Mayor's office of Bantul city. At the Anniversary ceremony of Bantul city, Sultan of Jogjakarta Sultanate and also a governor of Jogjakarta was there to lead the ceremony. And HH Subhaga Swami Maharaj had chance to gave one copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Bahasa) to the Sultan. Not only that Maharaj also gave the Bhagavad-gita to the Mayor of Bantul City, Hj. Sri Surya Widati. Ratha Yatra started late so we can distribute the prasadam in the time of the people break their Ramadhan's fast. Many people took our cookies with simle in their face. They also took picture especially our Krishna. Janaspriya prabhu colored his body with Blue paint and dance as Krishna with the gopis. Many devotees come from many part of Indonesia to join the festival Ratha Yatra in Jogjakarta. More than 200 devotees chanting and dancing ecstatically in the street of Bantul. Local people also dance with them. Srila Prabhupada and Lord Jagannath so mercyful that the Ratha yatra came to Jogjakarta. Next Ratha Yatra will be in Binjai, North of Sumatra (August 10th, 2014) than Prabhupada Festival and Ratha Yatra in Denpasar, Bali (23-24 August 2014). Read more ›

"In this age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress other than the Holy Name, the Holy Name, the Holy Name of the Lord." The usage of repetition in the above verse as a means of emphasis is rare in Vedic literature, and should be taken to indicate, without a doubt, the paramount position of importance this method of attaining self-realization holds in this era, the Kali-yuga ("the age of quarrel"). The Holy Name of Sri Krishna and Sri Krishna Himself are inseparable, and therefore wherever the Holy Name is, so is Krishna. Read more ›

ISKCON (Hong Kong) participates in the HK International Book Fair, as usual, we have 2 booths selling books. over 1.200,000 visits were recorded last year, and this year the organizer is expecting another record. Read more ›

This week was spent with HH Kadamba Kanana Swami. The students learnt all about the history and tradition of kirtan and how music is an integral part of the spiritual world. The students also learnt about the prominent/pioneer kirtaniyas in ISKCON from Yamuna devi and Acyutananda to Vishnujana Swami and Govinda Maharaja to Aindra prabhu and Madhava Maharaja also shared with the students his realisations from being an expert kirtaniya. The importance of listening and being attentive to the mood of the congregation is paramount. The essence is to include everyone, bring people in; there must be not only the communication and relationship with Krishna but also with the devotees present Then the students got a unique opportunity to compose their own melody to the maha mantra with Maharaja which they then sang in the temple room for Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha the following evening. Read more ›

Remembrance of the Lord is the most effective penance; the Vedas always recommend imperiled brahmanas to meditate upon the lotus feet of Lord Visnu for protection. Remembering the Lord's name is the same as meditating upon His lotus feet. The holy name can disperse all previous offenses, for it acts as the devotee's best friend. The Lord is an ocean of mercy and forgiveness. Like a dear friend, he forgives one for previous mistakes. Read more ›

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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

“If they are not spoiled by an artificial standard of sense gratification at an early age, children will turn out very nicely as sober citizens, because they will have learned the real meaning of life…So organize everything in such a way that we can deliver these souls back to Krishna.”

- Letter to Satsvarupa das, November 25, 1971

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The 2014 Srila Prabhupada Tributes book–“the open Vyasa-puja book”– is now available as a pdf file from www.sptributes.com. The book should be available later this week in epub format. Physical books are on schedule for delivery soon, well in advance of Vyasa-puja.

Why so far in advance? So that devotees can start reading the offerings in the book before the day of Vyasa-puja.

Each year, all initiated disciples of Srila Prabhupada are welcome to write offerings for the book. And any disciple who sends an offering will receive a physical copy of the book.

If you were initiated by Srila Prabhupada but didn’t receive an invitation to contribute, please write to sptributes (at) gmail.com in order to be added to the mailing list.

The post 2014 Open Vyasa-puja book: pdf now online appeared first on Jayadvaita Swami.

"One who con­stantly says he is a poor soul sur­ren­dered to Lord Krishna and who constantly chants Krishna’s name is a real sadhu. He con­sid­er­ing him­self lower than a blade of grass and more tol­er­ant than a tree offers all respects to oth­ers with­out expect­ing any­thing for him­self. The holy name of Krishna grants such a sadhu divine love of God­head."

Sri Hari­nama Cin­ta­mani
Hari­dasa Thakura to Lord Cai­tanya