Follow the great – don’t imitate them
→ The Spiritual Scientist

There are many pseudo devotees of Lord Śiva who want to indulge in smoking gañjā(marijuana) and similar intoxicating drugs, forgetting that by so imitating the acts of Lord Śiva they are calling death very near. Similarly, there are some pseudo devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa who prefer to imitate the Lord in His rāsa-līlā, or dance of love, forgetting their inability to lift Govardhana Hill. It is best, therefore, that one not try to imitate the powerful, but simply follow their instructions; nor should one try to occupy their posts without qualification.

(Srila Prabhupada, Bhagvad Gita-As It Is, 3.24 Purport)

That Is Quality
→ Japa Group


"That is quality. When you will feel so much ecstasy in chanting Hare Krsna, that is quality. Not artificially "Chant. Chant. Otherwise get out." This is not quality. This is in expectation that someday you may come to quality. That requires time. That requires sincerity. But quality is there."

Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk
November 2 1975, Nairobi

Just one little life?
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 07 July 2014, Serbia, Summer Camp, Caitanya Candramrta Seminar Part 1)

Sri Caitanya-candramrta by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati

Chapter 1, Verse 5:

“For those who have attained the merciful sidelong glance of Lord Gaura, impersonal liberation becomes as palatable as going to hell, the heavenly cities of the demigods become as real as flowers imagined to float in the sky, the poisonous fangs of the untameable black snakes of the senses become broken, the whole world becomes full of joy, and Brahma, Indra, and all the great demigods become like tiny insects. Let us glorify that Lord Gaura.”

Caitanya_painting_mayapurThis verse was quoted many times by Srila Prabhupada, who pointed out that the poisonous fangs of snakes are no longer of any danger when they are broken. The senses are compared to such teeth. The senses are constantly biting us and the poison of the senses is injected into our consciousness. When we see something… we want it. When we smell, we want. We want to touch and so on, constantly, the whole day, again and again.

But now this poison cannot really affect us very much. Even if a devotee gives up devotional service, even if a devotee is again embracing material life, how long can he continue like this? It is said that a devotee is rasagraha: he is one who has tasted nectar. So once you’ve tasted, how can you go back to ordinary life?

Can you again believe in one life, just one little life? Prabhupada used to speak about Professor Kotovsky from Moscow. “He believes that there’s one life? Just one little life is everything? That’s all?

So once the bigger concept is here, the concept of eternal, ever-growing love, the concept of loving exchange between Krsna and his devotees (even if we’re not there yet), can we again strive for something ordinary and mundane?

 

GVT Presents Second Annual Couples Retreat in Gita Nagari
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

The Grihasta Vision Team, a dynamic and progressive group of senior devotees in ISKCON are excited to present their annual Couples Retreat!

2014 Couples Retreat
Sept 12-14, 2014
Gita-Nagari Yoga Farm
Port Royal, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.

Themes:
Friday:   Friendship
Saturday:  Humility
Sunday:  Compassion

This retreat is designed to help you take your relationship to a higher level. Whether that’s from ‘Wish it was better’ or from ‘Pretty good to great’.  Two and a half days of:

  • Filling your emotional bank accounts,
  • developing connection,
  • respectful speaking, trust,
  • finding out what men and women want,
  • respect, appreciation, dealing with core hurts
  • and much more.  

 In an uplifting atmosphere of potent association and hearing and chanting. For more information, call Krsna Nandini devi dasi at (216) 321-0930.


Bhakti-yoga — Sure, Simple, and Sublime, June 19, Goleta, California
Giriraj Swami

07.19.14_SBSarvatma das lead sweet kirtan and Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Bhagavad-gita 12.5.

“A person in Krishna consciousness, engaged in devotional service, simply by the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, simply by offering regulative obeisances unto the Deity, simply by hearing the glories of the Lord, and simply by eating the remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily. There is no doubt that the impersonalists are unnecessarily taking a troublesome path with the risk of not realizing the Absolute Truth at the ultimate end. But the personalist, without any risk, trouble, or difficulty, approaches the Supreme Personality directly. A similar passage appears in Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is stated there that if one ultimately has to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead (this surrendering process is called bhakti), but instead takes the trouble to understand what is Brahman and what is not Brahman and spends his whole life in that way, the result is simply troublesome. Therefore it is advised here that one should not take up this troublesome path of self-realization, because there is uncertainty in the ultimate result.”

—Bhagavad-gita 12.5 purport

First kirtan by Sarvatma das
Second kirtan by Sarvatma das
Bhagavad-gita 12.5 talk by Giriraj Swami

Iskcon Munich, Germany: Harinam for World Peace! (2 videos and 12 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Iskcon Munich, Germany organised a four days Maha Harinam for World Peace in cooperation with a group of 28 Russian devotees. The program inculded ecstatic Sankirtan in different parts of Munich City with transcendental singing & dancing, sweets distribution, stage singing, book distribution & so on. These Russian devotees are a part of Youth Bus Tour who already performed several Kirtans in different parts of Europe & now they bring the Hari Nama to different cities of Germany. Read more ›

Ladies Sanga Program in Soho Street, London: “An Informal Presentation of Krishna Consciousness”
→ Dandavats.com

Narada Cotarelo: The Ladies Sanga program, which has been going on for 4 years, is held in the Radha Krishna Temple in London, Soho Street. It is advertised as "An Informal Presentation of Krishna Consciousness" and so attracts newcomers and curious ladies. Because of this wonderful preaching program, some ladies have even become devotees. The program consists of kirtan, japa, Bhagavad-gita reading and discussion, and ending with prasadam. Read more ›

SJMKL’s Harinama Sankirtana At Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Album 157 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

One glance at the palanquin of Their Lordships Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda induces the immediate desire to all hearts to bow down to the lowest ground possible with full love and surrender to the sweet Lordships. Unimaginably beautiful, alive and mesmerizing, this time around in Kuala Lumpur, the Lordships graced the land of Kampung Tasik Permai in city of Ampang on 19th July 2014, through Harinama Sankirtana organized by Sri Jagannatha Mandir Kuala Lumpur (SJMKL). This would be the 7th Harinam the temple has organized this year successfully, bringing joy to many many people and touching their lives in special ways. Read more ›

Srila Prabhupada Shares How He is Always “Thinking of” and “Anxious to See” New Vrindaban – November 1968
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban ISKCON Prabhupada 1969

Srila Prabhupada with his followers at the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, 1969.

Srila Prabhupada Shares How He is Always “Thinking of” and “Anxious to See” New Vrindaban – November 1968.

From a series of letters written by Srila Prabhupada outlining his vision for New Vrindaban.

Thanks to Vanipedia for the source material.

—————————————————————————–

November 18, 1968

My Dear Kirtanananda,

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your short note along with Hayagriva’s letter. I am so glad to receive your note because I was a little restless for not receiving your letters since a few days. I have written already to Hayagriva about New Vrndaban how I am thinking of this place. And let us jointly endeavor for fulfilling this purpose. Yes, this climate of California, especially Los Angeles is very nice. I am always anxious to go and see the Govardhan hills in New Vrindaban and I hope Krishna will fulfill my desire as soon as possible.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami