Creating friendships
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 April 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Lecture at House Program)

KKS_friendshipIn a small temple, with predominately congregational devotees – that means devotees who are maintaining a life outside the temple and who have limited time and energy – I think we should appreciate the time spent together and maintain relationships. Because especially in a congregational gathering, more than ever, we need friendship. You know, it is like if you have a little military army living in a temple and all are on a mission. Even if there is no such friendship, still all are together in the same mission. But when you do not have that kind of driving energy then the only reason to come together is for friendship. So that is a big challenge but I think that is the key.

Like, we are here tonight, at somebody’s house and that is very nice, that is how it should be. If devotees have not been in your house for a while then you must start thinking about it and arrange for them to come. Even if your house is small, it does not matter – squeeze in somehow or other – because bonding is important. So we need to stay close and in an congregational setting, friendship is a big element, if you want to be with people. If you do not really want to be with them then you are not going to be with them. In the temple, whether you want to be together or not, you have to be for mangala aarti. But in a congregation, if you do not want to be together then why would you be? You only go to programs that you want to.

In friendship, you have to conquer people, do something to win them over. You have to do something that touches their heart, and then we have real friendships. Friendship can never be taken for granted and it is not cheap, but that is what we need. I guess, you can say big things about friendship but you can also make it very simple. In one way, a very simple approach is to not give each other a hard time – sort of, make it easy for each other and it counts for everybody, even at home! You know, friendship begins at home, if we just sort of try and make it easy for each other, that would help.

Devotee: Maharaj, does that not defeat the high thinking society ideal?

It depends on what you call easy. I did not mean that we should lose the purity but we should accommodate each other a lot and be sensitive to each other’s needs, that is what I meant. Making it easy for each other means that we should think of everybody’s needs, and not just of our own, then that creates friendship. So we try to think of the needs of others.

 

The largest music festival in the world
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Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Last week the devotees gathered together at the biggest music festival in the world, in an attempt to please Srila Prabhupada.

Prasad was served free to the public from 10am till 10pm, a stage program went on all day and of course the Harinam track through the mud.

Enjoy the two movies,

all glories to the festival devotees,
your servant
Parasuram Das

My Children in Mayapur
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY JAI SITA RANI DEVI DASI

PHOTOS BY JOHN FAHY, JAGANNATH KIRTAN DASA AND OTHER MAYAPUR DEVOTEES

KUALA LUMPUR - June marks the arrivals of Ratha Yatras around the world making it very special, but even more dear to my heart was the return of both my children, Shevaanni Pillai and Gauravani Dasa to Kuala Lumpur after spending two years in Mayapur doing Cambridge A levels and IGCSE levels respectively. I get so many devotees asking me about them that I thought I might as well let you know the frequent questions asked. 

 
What would they do after studying in Mayapur?
Cambridge A and IGCSE levels are recognised worldwide and you can easily place your children in any private Universities. A degree program is available after A level holders, and there are 1 year Foundation courses for IGCSE holders, if you do not want to continue with A levels.
 
What was the cost there?
We spend around RM50K (USD16K) for both the children which include accommodation, flight fare, school and exam fees, clothings, visa etc. Was it too high? No, it was worth every sen. Read on...
 
What have they achieved there?
The Sri Mayapur International School offers an environment where you can have the best of both academic and spiritual studies. My children only took a minimum of 5 academic subjects and focussed the rest of the time on Bhakti Shastri, Mrdanga, Harmonium, Basketball, Pot painting, Drawing, Cooking, Drama, Dancing, Deity dress making, bouquet/garland making, Rangoli making.  They participated in so many festivals there including the ones that are not so famous there such as Panihati Cida where pot painting has been made popular by a school teacher (Amala Caitanya Prabhu), Hatti procession, Candan yatra, Spring festivals etc. My daughter had an award for "Most responsible" and my son got "Ramananda Roy" award for his directing and script writing for the school dramas.
 
I never expected my children to take up Krishna Consciousness so seriously. All I wanted was for them to get a holistic education both spiritually and academically. However, on their own they started chanting 16 rounds and aspiring for their guru. And as an icing on the cake, my 16 year old son got initiated there as well!! It was just amazing. When HH Janananda Maharaj asked me if I had any preference in his initiated name. I told him that it would be nice if he added on something to his existing name "Vinodh". But my son, had something else in mind, he wanted the name "Visvambhara" for some reason or another. Yet Maharaj had the name "Nimai Pandit" in his mind, since my son had a flair in writing scripts for dramas for school performances. So when the priest for the Pancatattva got the japa mala blessed and told Maharaj he prayed that the person who takes on the japa mala should become an ambassador for ISKCON and spread the glories of Krishna Consciousness around the world, Maharaj changed his mind about the name he had in mind and that's how "Gauravani Dasa" was born. 
 
Check this slide show out and you can see the number of activities they participated in during their stay in beautiful Mayapur...
And please do not think too hard, if you have children, pleeease send them to Mayapur to study for at least two years. Give them what you didn't get... something that will keep them deeply rooted in Krishna Consciousness for life, an experience and treasure that they can hold in their hearts forever....You will never regret it.. It will be the best investment you have made in your life.. and the only thing that matters in this lifetime and you are guaranteed a ticket back home, back to Godhead... at least I strongly feel so..
 

New Govardhana Begins Final Stage of Self-Sufficiency Plan
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In the picturesque Tweed Valley in New South Wales, Australia, ISKCON’s New Govardhana farm began work on the final stage of its five-part self-sufficiency plan in late May of this year. Once the plan is complete, it won’t immediately render the community fully self-sufficient; however it will set the farm on the path towards gradually reaching that goal.

Ratha Yatra Mayapur 2014 (18 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

Bhakta Jeff (Jeff Wilson): This is the Ratha Yatra Festival in Mayapur 2014. There are many at ISKCON centers around the world every year. A lot of work and planning go into making a major festival like this happen and this years festival in Sri Mayapur Dham was attended by tens of thousands. This video is narated by His Grace Jananivasa das. He tells the story of how the appearance of these Jaganath deities came about and the eternal link they have to the Holy Dham. Read more ›

Ratha Yatra Mayapur 2014
→ ISKCON News

This is the Ratha Yatra Festival in Mayapur 2014. This video is narated by Jananivasa das. He tells the story of how the appearance of these Jaganath deities came about and the eternal link they have to the Holy Dham. A video by bh. Jeff Wilson.

Huge Iskcon Kolkata Ratha Yatra, probably the 2nd largest Rathayatra festival of the world (Album 41 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Iskcon Kolkata Rathayātrā is the 2nd largest Rathayātrā festival of the world. Lord Jagannāth, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra would enthrone three beautifully decorated huge chariots. Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and from different parts of the world flock in the city of Kolkata, the birth city of Srila Prabhupada to participate in this wonderful festival and immerse themselves in the ocean of love, joy and devotion. It is a blessing to get the chance to pull ropes of the divine chariots. The Lord’s journey would be from the Iskcon temple to Guṇḍicā Temple where the Lord would stay for 9 days. When the chariots pass through the streets of Kolkata throngs of people make a beeline to receive the divine blessings. The Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannāth being very merciful bestows his mercy upon each and everyone without any discrimination. The cymbals, the mridangas, the trumpets and other musicals instruments would be played out to welcome the Lord. The ever enchanting melody of ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahamantra’ would inundate the atmosphere and the people would joyfully dance to its tune. The grand procession would culminate at the Guṇḍicā Temple where the Lord would stay for 9 days. Read more ›

Sri Jagannatha Ratha Yatra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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BY SRI JAGANNATH MANDIR, KL

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is popular as the land of Ratha Yatras. And it is remarkable that even being a Muslim country Malaysia has the most number of Ratha Yatras in a year. 

Every year on the same day as Jagannatha Puri Ratha Yatra, Sri Jagannatha Mandir in Kuala Lumpur has its second Ratha Yatra for the year.On 29 June 2014, devotees were eagerly waiting to have the darshan of Their Lordships as they had been serving in separation ever since Snana Yatra which was on 13 June. On the eve of Ratha Yatra devotees came together performing Gundica Marjana, trying to clean the temple as well as their hearts. Ratha Yatra preparations started in the morning itself with many devotees helping in various services. And at 4:00pm Lord Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra and Sudarshan were on the chariot all set to bestow mercy to one and all.

There was a beautiful Odissi dance performance by a group of Jagannatha devotees who did it for the pleasure of Lord Jagannatha. Usually we notice the performance facing the audience but here this group did their performance right in front of the chariot facing Their Lordships. As soon as the chariot started moving Lord Indra’s blessings also came along with. Nevertheless it did not hamper the enthusiasm of the devotees. All were in ecstasy pulling Their Lordships, pulling Them to their hearts. Many houses welcomed Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra and did offering. Devotees distributed books and prasdam to the public. Ratha Yatra ended at MCA hall at around 9:00pm and as soon as the chariot reached the place there was a heavy down pour.

HH BHakti Vrajendra Nandana Swami graced the festival and Kurma Rupa Prabhu ACBSP addressed the audience. This was followed by maha arati and kirtan. Sumptuous prasadam was served to all. Tables were also set up for Janmastami festival, books, prasadam, goseva etc. The festival came to an end around 11 p.m. with ecstatic kirtan. Once again it was a blissful and memorable Ratha Yatra ; a real feast to the eyes and ears.



















































Obscurity
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Obscurity

While we are alive we struggle not to be obscure. Is there a point to banging ones head against a stone wall to knock it down? We will be obscure forever, no matter how much attention however many people pay to us in this milli-nano-second of infinite time. All things end, are forgotten, and recycle. Why not be content with obscurity and put our heart into other efforts?


No reason to feel alone!
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 May 2014, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-Lila 8.31)

Lord caitanyaOur position is that we cannot see Krsna; we forget him all the time and don’t see him, and then we think, ‘Oh, Krsna, why have you left me alone?!’ Come on! The day you came to the material world, Krsna came with you in the heart as paramatma. He never left us alone, not for a moment; he is always with us, seated on the lotus in the heart.

In the concluding words of the Caitanya Caritamrta –  I like those concluding words – you can read them in the last book of Antya-lila, Srila Prabhupada describes that Krsna is actually personally seated in the heart of his devotee – and he is not alone! Krsna is there in all his various forms and expansions, so it is getting pretty crowded there!

Imagine all the Deities are packed together in the heart. And Prabhupada says, ‘That is not all: Krsna is even present there in the form of the spiritual master and in that way,’ he said, ‘my spiritual master is always present, is always with me.’ Isn’t that nice? I find that so powerful, that final statement in the end.  In that way, we can see that we are never alone as Lord Caitanya is with us every moment.

 

Like A Lion
→ travelingmonk.com

On our last day in Russia we participated in Ratha Yatra in Krasnodar. Bada Haridas prabhu, who led kirtan most of the way, was roaring like a lion as he sang the holy names and while dancing in ecstasy gave delight to all the devotees present.