Planet ISKCON

From S Ramchandran

Based on  the Gita daily article Chapter 15, Text 19 
Knowledge of Krishna’s position stimulates submission and his disposition stimulates affection

Why do you say in your reply that "But can we love Krishna steadily throughout our life? Is this not a doubt. If your heart is full like Mirabai's, why resort to knowledge, gyan, or any holy scripture/book ? By the very act of thinking, will Krishna not sit into our minds and hearts ? Once Krishna sits inside us, the very moment no external worldy subject can affect ? because what is affected is our consciousness, our feelings, our inner soul, our thoughts, our mental processes...all these of course are taken over by Krishna when we utter his name in intoxicated bliss...

Why are you saying "..We may feel some devotion for him sometimes, but such sporadic feelings ..... Because when those devotional feelings weaken"

How can devotion be 'sometimes'/temporary or sporadic?  if we forget everything for a minute and think of Krishna and take his name, surely Krishna will come rushing in like a Tsunami and innundate our entire being inside out. In turn this will make us blind to worldly affairs. As I see it knowledge has no place in pure Bhakti. yes knowledge is required if Bhakti is diluted....

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

Vrnda Gleeson using her wonderful talents to beautify the ISKCON New Govardhana - Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari Parikrama Path Read more ›

Making Harinama takeaway bracelets from plastic bottles, step by step tutorial. Read more ›

The archbishop of Canterbury plans to force legislation through if the General Synod does not accept female bishops.

In Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krishna indicates one of the essential steps in the bhakti process is acceptance of the shelter of such a Postal Peon, a guru, who helps connect one with Krishna, as well as assists in progressively fully restoring one's relationship with Him.

With Bhakti Chaitanya Swami. Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia Read more ›

Ulan-Ude is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia. Read more ›

Before going into politics, Councilor Ajay Maru would regularly visit ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Manor just outside London as a congregation member. So when he was voted in as the new Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow on June 12th, it wasn’t a difficult choice for him to select Manor president Srutidharma Das as his chaplain.

Indradyumna Swami: So far the summer days on the Baltic Sea coast have been mostly bright and sunny. Taking advantage, our festival team can be seen everywhere; on the beaches, in the towns and villages and performing on stage each night. Read more ›

A recent news report from Vietnam features an exquisite and very ancient sculpture of Lord Vishnu. The significance of this discovery cannot be overestimated.

By Iskcon devotees. Read more ›

Popular throughout the world, Indian spices have a long history of providing a welcome burst of flavor. They also have very real benefits to the health.

Sivarama Swami Maharaja NVD Kirtan

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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

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction message and I will be happy to make you a member:

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Rasa Rasika dasa

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

Transcribed by Radhadyuti dd

One should not display anger in front of the deities; one should not cry in front of the deities or bring his mundane sorrow. When one cries tears of ecstasy – that is another matter. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to cry litres of tears in front of Lord Jagganath but we should not bring our mundane sorrows to Krsna; we should not do that; it is not our business to do that. That is according to pāñcarātrikī – rules which purify our behaviour. It means that one has to learn to act according to dharma.

This is a very big step; a big commitment. It is about commitment and it is about desire. It can be done, when we desire. It can be done when we say, “Let me just desire to change.” It is due to ignorance that we do not desire. It is due to ignorance that we still chase after foolish desires; that we still chase after material enjoyment and sense gratification. That is due to ignorance. Therefore we need to cultivate transcendental knowledge and thoroughly read. Everyone should read! Sometimes, someone comes to me and says, “Ah, I never used to read.”  It doesn’t matter, now read.

Remember, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu glorifying that brahmana who was illiterate and who could not read but he received the order of his spiritual master and he would sit there everyday, faithfully reading the book, although he couldn’t read a letter! People would laugh but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw that he was crying and he asked him, “Why you are crying?” He said, “I am crying because when I see this drawing, this painting of Krsna, being the chariot driver or Arjuna, his devotee, the Supreme Lord becoming the chariot driver of his devotee. The Lord as the servant of his devotee, that makes me cry!” Lord Caitanya said, “You are the greatest expert of the Gita.”  

 

According to a recent report by the Census, in the US, there is a rapid decline in marriage rates among first time young mothers less than age 23 indicating that more and more young women are delivering babies outside wedlock. The purple line represent married women - it has dramatically dropped from 63% prior to the 1990s to 24% in 2012. The blue line are young moms cohabitating. Cohabitation is a sociological phenomenon on the rise in the US where man and woman just live together as mates without any commitment. Another reason as to why divorce rates are reducing because more and more are cohabitating. The pink line is much more disturbing in that these women neither cohabitate nor marry but get pregnant nevertheless. They are most likely women with unplanned pregnancies. In other words, they have sex without any intention to get pregnant but get pregnant anyways. This group of women most likely perform abortion as they feel pregnancy is a burden on their life.

So why is this important, you ask? When we live our lives solely to satisfy our sensual organs, honestly, the line between man and beast disappears!!

Arjuna argued with Krishna that he will not fight the battle of Kurukshetra. One of the reason he gave was that by killing many men in battle the family tradition will be destroyed thus giving rise to unwanted children who then will destroy all community and social welfare projects. Arjuna gave such astute responses to Krishna that today after 5000 some years we can see the impact of unwanted pregnancies. The Govt ends up spending billions in social welfare and still most of these children are growing with mental and physical challenges. What to speak of spiritual acumen?

Krishna Consciousness is simply not a sectarian religion based on dogmatic beliefs. It is intended to respiritualize the entire human society providing solution to all problems of life. Sex no doubt is very enticing thus sex is a multi-billion dollar industry. Every aspect of our modern life is filled with sexual innuendos. This is not surprising. However, we can change this obsession with sex.

By simply chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, we can turn to our lighter side- our spiritual side. Life will be much more simpler, much more happier!

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!

Hare Krishna

"I am not in Vaikuntha nor in the hearts of the yogis. I remain where My devotees engage in glorifying My activities." It is to be understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not leave the company of His devotees. Padma Purana Read more ›

A short documentary about the famous chariot festival in Puri, India.

Laxmimoni devi dasi met the devotees in 1968, while attending college at University of New York at Buffalo. Exploring various religions, she found a Bhagavad Gita class being offered at the university. Her friends encouraged her to come along, but although she heard a lot about the classes, she never went to them. It was in Buffalo though that she met Rupanuga das, and was introduced to kirtan chanting. During “Spiritual Week” at SUNY Buffalo, Srila Prabhupada came. Laxmimoni prabhu noted he was different from all the other “spiritual leaders,” who were more or less hippies. She became very attracted to the chanting. Lokavarnottama das, of Alachua community now, suggested she come to the Temple. Being impressed with the devotees, who seemed to be fully engaged in what they were preaching and in contrast to the “weekend warriors” of other religions, Laxmimoni prabhu began attending daily. In 1969, she started coming regularly to the Temple and was initiated and married shortly thereafter. Read more ›

The post July 10th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Above: Wakey wakey campers! Reading Music Festival, 1976. After two years on tambourine, I had been promoted to chief drum-banger.

This year, on a sunny afternoon in August, I will be celebrating my 40th anniversary of kirtan. On the sunny afternoon of August 24th, 1974 I sat down with a group of Hare Krishna devotees and had my first ever kirtan experience. They’d camped up in a field and, like they do, let me sit with them and try to follow along with the words.There are only three words, so it wasn’t too hard to sing along, but you do have to remember to sing them in the right order.

At some point, just when I was becoming filled with all sorts of new feelings I couldn’t yet comprehend, someone handed me a tambourine.I’d been accepted, I felt, as part of the group and thought to myself: “I’m playing tambourine with the members of the Radha Krishna Temple – cool.” (Or whatever word like ‘cool’ was in vogue at the time)

So for the past 40 years I’ve been singing kirtan. I have to tell you something: it works. Yes, it doesn’t quite make sense, just repeating three words over and over again. And yes,it should have driven me to distraction by now. But it hasn’t. Quite the reverse.

In fact, kirtan has been the solace of my life, the undisputed mood-lifter, the peaceful sound and the sonic energizer – all at the same time. I have been in kirtans in fields and forests, up mountains, down streets on foot and up rivers in boats. I’ve sung kirtan on the telly, in the homes and halls of the great and good of the land, and ‘performed’ it at pop festivals. I’ve sung in the pouring rain and the scorching sun. Its been the soundtrack of my life and of many thousands who I’ve known.

 

Krishna Valley is a peaceful island in a sea of busy weekdays, the lake is only thirty kilometers from Kaposvar direction. Two hundred and sixty acres lying areas were - which is also the cultural center and organic farm as well - really nice to see and promises new experiences for visitors. Dísztavaink, parkland and arboretum of hundreds of plant and animal species are home. Farms, Biokertészetünk, and also visited our school building; these sites have lots of interesting things are available here. The reception guests can view these specialties in the temple leading to a pleasant walk. Read more ›

1968 July 10: "Our mission is to reach the Abode of Krishna. We cannot compromise that one may follow any path yet reach the same destination like the Rama-Krishna mission. There is no Vedic evidence, neither any proof based on the Acharya principles."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 July 10: "I know you are a very sincere devotee girl. Maya is sometimes strong enough to put impediments on our progressive march. But if you stick to the rules and regulations, keeping faith in Krishna and Spiritual Master, then Maya cannot touch you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 July 10: "Krishna is never a mendicant. Our Krishna is a great family Personality and our ambition is to enter into Krishna's family and to associate with Him personally."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 July 10: "I am very glad to learn that you went to Babu Ghat for chanting Hare Krsna. The same process I adopted when I started my Sankirtana in Tompkins Square. Krsna was so kind to send to me all these boys and girls who are helping me now."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 July 10: "After all it is not a question of place but it is the person who chants which is important. A sincere soul like you, so much devoted to Spiritual Master and Krsna is sure to be successful anywhere. So you adopt the same principle as we are doing here."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1973 July 10: "The Rathayatra in London was very successful. The Guardian had a front page picture of our cart and how we are competition to the Lord Nelson monument in Trafalgar Square."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

The post Conversation with Saumya d.d. about why and how ISKCON leaders or pujaris watching of movies influences the greater devotee community appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

1973 July 10: "I talked with a very famous sculptor and today George Harrison is going to visit. They are arranging for visits by other famous men. This policy of important men being invited to talk with me should be implemented wherever I go."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so if you don't want to listen, mute your speakers.)

Although we may die at any time in youth or old age, the older one is the more possibility exists that this day will be our last in our current body. Many accounts have been written about the regrets of those on their death beds. Most people don’t bemoan their lack of social standing, accumulated money, or accomplishments, but are focused on feelings of regret about how they used their time, or their unresolved conflicts in close relationships. Such unsettled emotions are centered on actions they did, or should have done, words they said, or should have said, etc. Our sense of regret or incompleteness partially makes up our desires which combine with our good and bad deeds to fuel our future births.

In my training in hospice work one service we learned to offer to the dying was to help them make peace with their past, or we could say, to have a life review before death. Eastern religious traditions speak about how at the time of death one experiences a panoramic life review from the soul perspective. This perspective has been strengthened for some people by the convincing testimony of those having near-death experiences. At such a time one can experience what is truly important (according to the level of one’s wisdom and guidance), and are reminded that whatever we do comes back to us in kind, and that there is a higher purpose to life than one’s personal selfish agenda. Therefore, the time we have in our life is a very valuable asset and needs to be used in the best possible way for the advantage of all. Hierarchies of benefits exist, from levels of material blessings to planes of spiritual obtainment, culminating in prema, or pure love for God.

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1975 July 10: "Enclosed are some photographs of a lake here where I take morning walk. Now I want that our lake in Mayapur should be like this. You can make the stone stairway on four sides, one at each end and one at the middle of each side."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

SB 10.45.39-44 Lord Krishna Goes to the Abode of Yamaraja, Durban, South Africa.mp3