Pleading My Case
→ Seed of Devotion

Last year in Mayapur...

The cold seeped into my fingers. I stitched away at the delicate needlework on the piece of cloth I was embroidering with beads. Other Mayapur Academy students were bent over looms, huddled in their sweaters.

Keshavi Mataji came around to clusters of students. She gathered several of us and said, "So, you are now going to write. You are having a conversation with Lord Chaitanya. You want to go back to the spiritual world, but He is skeptical. So have a conversation where you convince Him that you want to go back." Keshavi Mataji handed us lined pieces of paper, then moved on to the next cluster of students.

I stared at the blank sheet of paper, then went back to my needlework. How would I ever convince someone that I wanted to go back to the spiritual world when really I didn't care about going back? What was the big deal, anyway? Why can't we just live and love here? The spiritual world doesn't only have to exist when I die.

Time was ticking. Finally, I set aside my needlework and picked up a pen. I wrote the following conversation:

Me: You came for me, Mahaprabhu!
Lord Chaitanya: Yes. I only want to know how and why you want to come with me.
Me: This world... this place is not my home.
Chaitanya: You often forget that.
Me: I am realizing that the only place I can give love with no fear, with all my heart, is with You.
Chaitanya: Nice words. How about showing them?
Me: I have been on this path to You my whole life, Mahaprabhu. Lifetimes, actually.
Chaitanya: This qualifies you to come back to the spiritual world?
Me: No. I have no qualification.
Chaitanya: Then tell me how you can come with Me.
Me: Because You love me unconditionally, especially because I have no qualification.
Chaitanya: You're tugging at my mercy, Bhakti lata.
Me: Exactly. I am an impudent beggar. I have no right to beg, to be hanging onto the hem of Your dhoti.
Chaitanya: Indeed.
Me: I am demanding the highest gift, even though I have no right to demand. But I am lost without You. I beg You take me home.
Chaitanya: You don't need to beg, my dear Bhakti lata dasi.
Me: Really?
Chaitanya: I have wanted you to come home with Me for thousands of lifetimes. I just wanted to hear from YOU.
      Come [holds out hand], let's go home.

***

When I recited this conversation out at the end of class to my fellow students, my voice broke at the end. A hush had fallen over everyone during these readings, and a hush fell over my own heart.

Take me home. Please. 
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Sri Krishna Janmastami 2014
→ The Hare Krishna Movement

Sri Krishna Janmastami 2014 Festival Sponsor a Kalash & Donations Please download the Janmastami Kalash sponsorship by clicking on the image/link below: Donations To make a Janmastami donation you can also see the donations page on our website here: Give a Donation » What is Janmashtami? Janmashtami commemorates the earthly appearance of Krishna, who is […]

Bhakta Vignesh Lal Left His Body
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SANTI VARDHANA CAITANYA DASA

JOHOR BHARU - After three days battle, Bhakta Vignesh Lal, 36 years old, succumbed to Denggi after multiple organ failure and internal bleeding. 

He was well trained by Adi Purusa Krishna Prabhu, together with many other youth boys of his age, and he was one of the most cheerful and humble amongst them.

He was always dedicated to serve Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON movement, Ratha Yatra festivals by helping in Ratha decorations etc. He also started the Sri Radhastami Festival in Teluk Intan and it has been going strong ever since. I was fortunate to have his association during the 2 or 3 years he lived with me in Penang Island more than 13 years ago.

He leaves behind his parents, brother and sisters. He was a bachelor.

Funeral prayers will be conducted by Narasimha Prabhu at his sister's house:(No 4, Jalan Cempaka 6, Taman Cempaka, 68000 Ampang, Kuala Lumpur) at 1.30 p.m.

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Hearse will leave the house at 2.30 p.m. and cremation will be at Loke Yew, Hindu Cremation ground at 3.30 p.m.(Most saddening, Para Brahma Prabhu was supposed to conduct the ceremony but his brother just left body in an accident at 12 a.m.

BY ADI PURUSA DASA

ADELAIDE - The passing away of Lal comes as a big shock to all of us. I still remember Lal as a young boy in school uniform marching into my clinic with his friend enquiring about Krishna Consciousness. I used to send them to the back room where I had books, magazines, posters etc which would interest them. Lal was so inquisitive about Krishna Consciousness that he had tons of questions which I patiently answered. He was bubbly in nature and was always eager to participate in devotional activities.

There was not much support from his family for his enthusiasm (except his mother) but we were always there for him. A large group of boys and girls had joined ISKCON then and being young were a boisterous lot. Like a responsible father I had been strict and was ever ready to discipline them much to their dislike.

Years later the whole gang would descend into our house yearly for Deepavali reminiscing old times. Often re-enacting past episodes they would imitate and ridicule my chastisements. There will be thunderous laughter all around going late into the night. All of them are doing fairly well in their own fields though not involved directly in ISKCON activities. They have the highest respect for ISKCON and thankful to it for having guided them in the formative years. Most importantly they have genuine love for HH Jayapataka Swami ever ready to serve him when summoned.

Lal, my dear son, you are now safely in the arms of Lord Krishna and may the Lord protect you always. We will always remember the good times we had with you and consider it our great fortune to have associated with you.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt condolences to his family members, mentors and friends.

Extinguish the fire inside
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 April 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.34)

Transcribed by Radhadyuti dd

kks 2006 yajnaThe first and foremost quality of the brahminical order is kṣamā or forgiveness. This is the beginning of tolerance. See, external tolerance will not do.  One can act very tolerant but if internally one cannot forgive then internally one is burning with fire and burning with anger. So forgiveness is the foundation of tolerance, like the tolerance of a brahmana.

A sincere desire
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, April 2010, Radhadesh, Belgium, Lecture)

KKS_vp_2014The spiritual master is the representative of Krsna. As a representative, what power do you really have? Krsna has the real power. He is omniscient. He is omnipotent. He is all knowing. He is all powerful. He can do anything! But his representative, what can his representative do? Only so much or so little…

The representative, in a way, can only desire. The one thing the spiritual master cannot do is force! But, if only he could, he would for sure! (laughter)

If it was possible to force people in to Krsna consciousness, oh boy, we will have a field day, but it is not like that! It is a voluntary process. The spiritual master really can only desire, desire that his disciples somehow or other take advantage of this very rare opportunity! It is what Srila Prabhupad used to say, “You had so many lifetimes and in so many lifetimes, you did what you want! Now, please give this one  to me! Just give me one lifetime! Just one!”

 

ISKCON Radhadesh Lecture on Śrīla Prabhupāda ‘The Founder-Ācārya of ISKCON’
Bhakti Charu Swami

namo om vishnu padaya kṛṣṇa presthaya bhutale śrīmate bhaktivedanta swami iti namine namaste sarasvati deve gaura vani pracarine nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya desa tarine śrī kṛṣṇa chaitanya prabhu Nityānanda Śrī advaita gadadhara Śrīvasadi gaura bhakta vrinda hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare jaya jaya prabhupāda ! gaura(...)

Transitioning Prabhupada’s Palace Rose Garden in New Vrindaban to Sustainability
→ New Vrindaban

Paul Zimmerman, an expert rosarian who has been hired by the ECOV Board of New Vrindaban to help switch the Prabhupada's Palace Rose Garden to an organic, sustainable garden, is keeping a blog on this project.  We published an initial article on the topic right on this website in June of this year, entitled "Prabhupada’s Palace Rose Garden at New Vrindaban Making the Switch to Sustainability".
Paul Zimmerman's article is copied below, and the link is:http://www.finegardening.com/transitioning-public-rose-garden-sustainability
This is an exciting task, and we really appreciate Paul's guidance on this.
He is working with Gopalasyapriya dasi, who is heading up the project.

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Roses are plants, too!

Transitioning a Public Rose Garden To Sustainability

Transitioning a garden viewed by thousands of visitors to sustainability.

It’s one thing to talk about growing roses sustainably in our own personal gardens. There, we only have our own expectations to meet. Most of us who grow roses without chemicals have learned to live with some damage from insects and the occasional smudge of blackspot. We’ve realized roses were held to a standard higher than other plants and by simply viewing our roses the same way we do all our other plants a little damage is no big deal.

But what if it’s a garden open to the public? A well known garden receiving thousands of visitors each season who, because is what they’ve mistakingly been taught, expect perfection from roses. People who will likely spy blackspot from across the garden despite the sea of blooms and mutter “tsk, tsk, they should really take better care of this garden”.

The answer to can you transition a public garden to sustainability is yes, indeed you can. However, it can’t be done in the way I usually tell folks to do it with their home garden, which is to do it cold turkey.

As I’ve always said during the first year of taking a garden off chemicals it will look worse before it looks better. In our own gardens that’s no big deal because we can explain to visitors what’s going on. Plus, if anyone even utters a “tsk, tsk" we can throw them off the property!

Not so with a public garden. It’s under pressure to look good during the transition, there is no way to fully explain what’s going on and throwing people off the property is not good for building up the visitor count! With all that pressure how do you do it?

Enter the Palace of Gold Rose Garden located in the New Vrindaban community located in Moundsville, West Virginia. Founded in 1968 by Krishna devotees, the Palace itself was started and built by those same devotees starting in 1972. Remarkably they had little to no training in the skills it takes to build something like this. The results are striking and a testament to perseverance.

The Rose Garden is part of the original design and over the years became an AARS garden. That is All American Rose Selections, which was a testing/marketing program the rose industry used for decades. At present the garden is collection of mostly AARS winners planted in groups of 3 or more.

Over the years the garden was taken care of using traditional chemical rose care methods. Recently, however, those in charge of the garden wish to transition the rose garden to sustainable care - something they feel is more in line with their beliefs. Also, the garden needed a bit of upgrading including adding some new plants, moving around some of what is there and other normal garden chores for a garden every now and then.

Earlier this year they hired me to oversee this work and help the great group of folks who work in the garden daily. It will take several years because it must be done slowly, methodically and with sensitivity towards the gardens purpose, which is to be a beautiful public display garden.

I’ll be blogging about this project from time to time in this space. I hope as you embark on this journey with me and see it can be done, it will give you confidence to do the same in your own garden!

Happy Roseing

Paul

Summer Harvest from the New Vrindaban Gardens
→ Dandavats.com

The last few weeks have been VERY busy in the gardens. We have had many new volunteers. A family from Maryland came to work and camp in the garden. Currently we have two volunteers from WWOOF (world wide opportunities on organic farms) that have been helping with our abundant harvest of green beans. The Roots & Shoots 4-H Cloverbud Club came and spent a day touring the gardens and picking flowers. The kids had a wonderful time and learned all about farming and flowers. Read more ›

A devotee gets a letter from his younger sister and sheds tears of joy
→ Dandavats.com

Susan: When I was in my late teens he joined the religion Krishna Consciousness. I was horrified and upset when he did as I thought it a foreign strange group and for many years rejected him from my life. As I grew in maturity and he grew in his religion I realized I was wrong and felt ashamed of my behavior. In a world where we all struggle for inner peace, spirituality, and centeredness I saw a lot of that in him as well as a beautiful loving human being who I have come to admire and love even more. Thank you Donn (Deena Bandhu Das) for teaching me. Travel safely. Love you always. Your little sister Read more ›

Kadamba Kanana Swami: Taking real shelter of the vaisnavas
→ Dandavats.com

Duplicity is something required in the material world but from the spiritual plane duplicity is a real problem. It is actually one of the activities that can really block our spiritual advancement and it’s important that a vaisnava is not only truthful in what he says and that he doesn’t speak any lies, but that he’s just truthful about what he is experiencing, because then one can actually take shelter of the vaisnavas. If we are on the platform of pretending, always playing a part for everyone, then we are very alone because we never share our real self with anybody else. So we have to come to the point where we just share wherever we are, whatever we are going through with other vaisnavas, because then we get the shelter of the vaisnavas. Read more ›

Malaga Retreat 2014 – Day 1 – Prayers Of Queen Kuntī
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda The following lecture is the morning lecture of the second day of the Malaga Retreat by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, given on Thursday 17 July 2014 in Malaga,Spain. His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami: (sings Jaya Rādhā Madhava, Hare Kṛṣṇa kirtan.) nama oḿ(...)

Facebook, I Want My Friends Back!
→ ISKCON News

Facebook isn’t like marmite – I hate it and love it. I can’t stand it, but I can’t get off it. How many of you feel the same? It’s the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I check at night. It seems to be devouring my entire life.

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 07/17/14
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban Throwback Thursday

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 07/17/14.

Each week we highlight an earlier era of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

This week’s challenge: There are at least nine recognizable faces in this photo. How many can you identify?

Extra credit: What are they doing and when were they doing it?

What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.

Technical stuff: We share a photo Thursday and confirm known details Sunday. Let’s keep it light and have a bit of fun!

Special request: If you have a photo showing New Vrindaban devotees in action, share it with us and we’ll use it in a future posting.

ISKCON Calls for Respect and Cooperation Among Hindu Communities
→ ISKCON News

Lately, in India there has been an ongoing war of words between the Shankaracharya and the followers of Sai Baba. Now there is a threat that the conflict will escalate and apart from the court cases, it will spill over into a physical fights. ISKCON Communications Minister Anuttama Dasa and Communications Delhi representative Yudhisthir Govinda Dasa have released an official statement addressing the situation.