Home Program with HH Janananda Goswami, Iskcon Australia (Album 19 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Sri-KRSNA nama is the sweetest among all things that are sweet, and it stands supreme amongst all that is auspicious.It is the eternal, fully ripened spiritual fruit of the wishfulfilling tree of the Vedas. O best of the Brighus, if anyone even once offenselessly chants Sri-KRSNA nama, either with faith or indifference, Sri-KRSNA nama immediately delivers that person from the ocean of material existence. Read more ›

Preaching programs in the Western Caucasus Mountains of Russia (Album 61 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Indradyumna Swami: One of the last stops on our Russia tour was Maykop, the capitol of the Republic of Adygea in the Western Caucasus Mountains. A number of Muslim families have become devotees and hold regular Nama Hatta programs in the region. As we enjoyed an evening of kirtan, class and prasadam with them I was again astounded how the holy names of Krsna are reaching every corner of the world. Of course, why should I be surprised? It was the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu himself. Read more ›

Jagannatha Swami by Gaurangi
→ ISKCON News

29th of June, 2014 is the day to celebrate the world-famous Jagannath Ratha Yatra in Puri, India. A slideshow featuring art and animated graphics of Lord Jagannatha situated at ancient Puri Temple in Orissa, In India, The video is set to the music "Lord of the Universe" by well known devotional and New Age artist Gaurangi Devi Dasi aka Pia. 

Devotees clean the temple and their hearts in Kuala Lumpur
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SRI JAGANNATH MANDIR, KL

KUALA LUMPUR - Tomorrow is Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannatha Mandir , Kuala Lumpur so today is Gundica Marjana – Devotees clean the temple and their hearts.

The observance of Gundica-marjana, the washing and cleansing of the Gundica temple, takes place on the day before Ratha-yatra, to welcome Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra .

Devotees and congregation members enthusiastically gathered in the temple hall at 8am today morning .Much of the action was in the temple hall, devotees were engaged in cleaning the temple altar, windows, lights, Srila Prabupada’s Vyasasana and the courtyards .


Cleaning process went on until evening 6 p.m. at various departments and kids had a great time wiping and playing with the water. Thus they all hoped to clean their hearts of the material desires, attachments and increase their love for Krishna .


Tomorrow is Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannatha Mandir , Kuala Lumpur so today is Gundica Marjana – Devotees clean the temple and their hearts .
The observance of Gundica-marjana, the washing and cleansing of the Gundica temple, takes place on the day before Ratha-yatra, to welcome Lord Jagannath , Baladeva and subhadra .

Devotees and congregation members enthusiastically gathered in the temple hall at 8am today morning .Much of the action was in the temple hall ,devotees were engaged in cleaning the temple altar, windows ,lights , Srila Prabupada’s Vyasasana and the courtyards .
Cleaning process went on till evening 6pm at various departments and kids had a great time wiping and playing with the water . Thus they all hoped to clean their hearts of the material desires , attachments and increase their love for krishna .

By Sri Jagannatha Mandir , Kuala Lumpur





































































The Swanlike Vaishnavas are Present in the Battlefield as Negotiators
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SRILA BHAKTI VINODA THAKURA

"The swanlike Vaishnavas are present in the battlefield as negotiators. They do not hate or reject various sinful persons. Swanlike Vaishnavas are always engaged in purifying the hearts of sinful persons by confidential instructions, public lectures, friendly advice, chastising, setting example, and sometimes punishing sinners."

"All glories, all glories to the holy name of the Lord, the abode of immortal transcendental bliss! The Supreme Absolute Truth, who possesses an eternal form of sacred syllables, has descended in the form of the holy name. Thereby He shows mercy to His own devotees while showering boundless compassion upon all fallen souls."

"But, O holy name, if You are manifest on the tongue of Your unalloyed devotee, then all of his sinful reactions of both past and present lives are completely destroyed. This truth is sung by the Vedas again and again."

"Bhaktivinoda raises his arms and says, "Take up the banner of the holy name and walk along sounding the drum of the holy name. In this way you will surely obtain the direct audience of Lord Muralidhara, the holder of the flute."

"O Harinam, thus according to Your own sweet will You are manifest in all these forms and in many others also. Please let my love and attachment for them increase more and more. Bhaktivinoda recognizes his own priceless treasure and clasps the lotus feet of Rupa Goswami and Swarupa Damodara Goswami while offering this prayer."

"The holy name of Sri Krsna has fulfilled all my desires by thus manifesting on everyone's tongue. Bhaktivinoda, the humble servant of the Lord, therefore prays at the feet of Sri Rupa Goswami that the chanting of Harinam may always continue in this way."

June 26th 2014 – Krishna Lounge Kirtans & Talk
→ Krishna Lounge

mind_control
 
Kirtan lead by Giriraj Gopal dasa:


 
Kirtan lead by Jaya Tulasi devi dasi:

 
Talk by Jacob:

Sincerity and surrender
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 09 May 2014, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.23.3-6)

Krsna-skyI always used to think of myself as a bit more spiritual than other people. What to do! I had a little more spiritual interest than the average person, in fact I thought I was very spiritual. But when I saw so many different groups practicing this yoga and that yoga, I saw that most were doing it for status.

I was in the Himalayas, in the place of the Tibetans. I met all the people at the Tibetan tea stall, where in the morning you were having tea and little hot breads with butter which in those days, I thought was not bad but then people were saying, “Are you going to the library, Tibetan library? Are you already studying the Tibetan? Are you doing the mediation courses? Which one are you doing the first grade or the second one?” (British accent) Then someone said the first grade. So someone else said, “Oh yeah, it is kind of difficult, isn’t it. I remember when I used to…” And I thought, “Oh my God, we are keeping up with the Joneses here.” I want to get out of here. “Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the most spiritual of all!” But was I any different?

Anyway, when I finally came to the devotees, they were too spiritual, too serious! I mean, it was just too much these Hare Krsnas; they were totally dedicated. Shocking! I really, I felt like exposed – exposed for a lack of surrender. I didn’t surrender when I saw that but I lived with that feeling of guilt. I lived with that feeling that I am not up to the mark. I could do better.

Srila_Prabhupada_prayingThen I picked up the Bhagavad-gita by Srila Prabhupada, while smoking my cigarettes and blowing smoke rings through smoke rings. What can you do, this is the sort of thing you do in the material world. I read the Bhagavad-gita and I thought, “Yes, yes, yes… I know all this,” in my arrogance but then, every time, the words of Srila Prabhupada were hammering my heart.

These words were hammering my heart because they were sort of calling for surrender and I used to think of myself as sincere. Then I thought that if I am not going to do it now then how can I call myself as sincere!? And still, I didn’t surrender. And it was difficult then to live with myself after that… trying to look on myself as sincere, because it is hard to when you are not being sincere. Everyone likes to think of themselves, “I am totally sincere.” So it was tough and eventually it ate at my heart. One day, I had to do it, at one point I was like, “Alright then, okay I WILL DO IT!”

 

These Sixteen Words
→ Japa Group

"These sixteen words - Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare - are especially meant for counteracting the ill effects of the present age of quarrel and anxiety."

From Kali-santarana Upanishad

Toronto Star Features One of Our Devotees – Bhakta Yura
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Today's Toronto Star (Saturday, June 28, 2014) featured a whole special section on Canadian citizenship.  As part of their feature, they featured 27 people from various parts of the world who had just become Canadian citizens.

Imagine the surprise when we saw that one of our very own young devotees, Bhakta Yura was featured as one of the 27 people profiled!  He even got a chance to plug his Hare Krishna faith by saying, "Being a practitioner of Hare Krishna culture, it gives me a freedom to practice and share it with others in Canada."





New Vrindaban’s 8th Annual 24 Hour Kirtan a Transcendental Success
→ New Vrindaban

New Vrindaban’s 8th Annual 24 Hour Kirtan a Transcendental Success

By Lilasuka dasi

It was only the third hour into the 8th annual summer 24 hour kirtan in N.V., on Saturday June 21, 2014, when the kid kirtaniyers jumped right in. Well “trained up” by their parents, each of the mostly third generation children took their turn expertly leading their few minutes of kirtan, and the crowd eagerly showed their appreciation and amazement with exuberant cheers.

Just a couple of hours after that, some of New Vrindaban’s own finest guitar and harmonium players lead their sweet kirtans, with soft flute accompaniment.

The participants had a lot to say about the different moods and tunes of the day and night:

A visitor remarked: “The energy from the different kirtan leaders really drives each special kirtan and makes it all very inspiring.”

With a faraway look in her eye, one young lady said, “Bhakti Caru Swami’s purity shines through in his slow and melodious kirtan, and uplifts me.”

One New Vrindaban resident surprised herself: “Although I absolutely love the 24 hour kirtans, I usually can’t stay up very late, but, for some reason, this time I was able to stay a lot longer. And then, even when I got home, I just turned the radio to 88.0, the local NV channel, and basically listened to the kirtan all night.”

Manu, one of the main organizers of the 24 hour kirtan schedule, commented, “24 hour kirtan - very engaging and inspiring. I’ve been doing administrative, organizational work most of the time this weekend. But at 2 a.m. Saturday morning, I was able to sit and just be in the kirtan. Just at the time when you think you have nothing left to give, the holy name engages you. It’s not about the musicality or the crowd, but the power of the holy name.”

Lakshman prabhu, a cook at the restaurant exclaimed: “The first meal on Saturday, we cooked for 250 but there were more than 500 people who came – quite a bit more than we thought. That’s a good challenge to face!”

One visitor, who sat mostly in one spot for much of the 24 hours, often chanting with closed eyes, and who had a hard time putting his intense kirtan experience into words, did finally comment, “What’s so special about this kirtan is the atmosphere of this big, beautiful Radha Vrindaban Chandra temple.”

Ganga das from Florida agreed with that and added, “Any association of devotees is amazing, and this is one of the best occasions for association available. It’s like charging your batteries, especially when you live outside a temple like I do. This association is so important. And everyone chanting together creates a very special energy.”

Gita dasi was there with her husband, Dhruva from Alachua. Gita’s favorite part of the kirtan was letting her baby dance in the kirtan. Also, her favorite singers were singing from midnite to 2 a.m., and although she was tired and couldn’t imagine staying up another minute, the enchanting, soft singing of the early morning kirtaniyers filled her soul with spiritual energy.

A couple from the city of Cincinnati, Ohio offered this comment: “When we come here from our small home town temple,  I love taking this wonderful energy home with me, and it stays with me for a long time.”

 

We Must Accept High Cost of Cow Protection, Says New Minister
→ New Vrindaban

We Must Accept High Cost of Cow Protection, Says New Minister

By: Madhava Smullen ISKCON News on May 15, 2014

We can have successful cow protection projects in ISKCON. But only if we’re willing to accept the high cost of violence-free milk, and of caring for cows and their handlers.

That’s the message that Shyamasundara Das, the recently appointed Global Minister for Cow Protection and Agriculture, is bringing to communities around the world.

In an age of convenience and cheap dairy products, he says, it all comes down to one thing: how important is cow protection to us?

Shyamasundara Das received his new title at the Annual General Meetings of ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission in Mayapur, West Bengal earlier this spring. He took on the service after former Global Minister Balabhadra Das resigned due to health issues.

Prior to that, Shyamasundara had overseen the Goshala (cow shelter) at Bhaktivedanta Manor near London in the UK since 1992, a position which he still holds. Under his leadership, the Manor’s herd  has grown to fifty-seven cows and bulls, and is producing 40,000 liters of milk and logging about 3,000 ox hours a year.

For the past six years, Shyamasundara has also served as European Minister for Cow Protection and Agriculture, and has toured ISKCON’s European farm communities, reminding them of the importance of cow protection and agriculture. His efforts have been set against a global decrease in energy and investment in such projects around ISKCON.

Through his tours, though, many European farms that were giving up cow protection have reactivated their projects and are now milking cows and working oxen. These include Radhadesh, Belgium; Simhachalam, Germany; Villa Vrindavana, Italy; Govindadvipa, Ireland; and New Mayapur, France.

Now, expanding his role as Minister for Cow Protection and Agriculture to a global one,  Shyamasundara will spend his first year surveying and understanding ISKCON cow protection projects around the world.

He will then will take one month off a year from his service at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Goshala to travel around the world with his message.

He will naturally continue to vist Europe, holding the seventh annual ISKCON European Farm Conference in Simhachalam, Germany from September 16th to 18th, and looking to inspire the 30 or so leaders from all over Europe expected to attend.

But he also plans to visit a different continent every year, to encourage struggling communities to reactivate their cow protection and agricultural projects, as well as to work with ISKCON’s larger cow protection projects and assist them in coming to exemplary standards.

Picture: Devotees milk cows at New Gokula

In Europe, Bhaktivedanta Manor’s New Gokula farm, and New Vraja Dhama in Hungary, which have similar-sized herds, are already extremely successful.

In the US, Shyamasundara also sees Gita Nagari in Pennsylvania and New Vrindaban in West Virginia as premier projects he wants to work with.

With 28 milking cows, 19 retired cows and oxen and 14 calves, Gita Nagari produces around 600 gallons of milk a week, has its own creamery and sells much of its yield to neighboring city temples. New Vrindaban, meanwhile, has 47 cows and oxen including six milking cows, and is attempting to use only protected cow milk in meals served at its temple.

Then, of course, there’s India. Shyamasundara plans to spend some time every year visiting the country, as ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada hoped goshalas there would set an example for others around the world.

While a lot of work is yet to be done to achieve this goal, Shyamasundara hopes that the goshalas in two of the most sacred places in India – Mayapur in West Bengal and Vrindavana in Uttar Pradesh – will develop to the point where they do set examples that ISKCON communities everywhere will follow. Mayapur in particular, with its plans to build a city for 50,000 people, will be a major focus.

To all these projects, Shyamasundara is delivering his own “inconvenient truth”: if we want cow protection, we must accept the cost.

“Homegrown, Hare Krishna milk is six times the conventional price,” he says, explaining that this cost includes building and maintenance of a goshala, personal care to the cows, milking cows by hand rather than machine, and supporting people to care for the cows.

“Volunteers play a significant role in our cow protection projects, but the heart of them are people we maintain,” Shyamasundara says. “If you want stable cow protection, you have to have stable people. And stable people come if you meet their five needs: they need housing, work that’s satisfying for them, some social life, they need to be able to fulfill their children’s needs, and they need to be able to accumulate assets of some sort.”

Accepting all these costs will guarantee a successful cow protection program, Shyamasundara explains. And that’s important, even if it means reducing (but not stopping) milk use to be able to afford it. As Srila Prabhupada advised, “take as much milk as possible.”

Shyamasundara compares it to when gasoline prices skyrocket. People don’t stop driving, but they accept the situation, and adapt to it by cutting back on their gas consumption.

“It’s going to take a gradual negotiation and weaning process to get people to accept these higher economics,” he says. “It’s a slow process. But I think gradually, the message is being accepted.”

Just as important as accepting the price of protected cow milk is ISKCON’s responsibility to work oxen, according to Shyamasundara, even if it’s a major inconvenience for those of us used to the ease of the modern world.

“If we don’t make arrangements for oxen to work, we’ll be inadvertently making arrangements for tractors and other transport means to replace them,” he says. “So it’s going to require very bold, brave leadership.”

To keep local leaders focused and inspired to do something about cow protection, Shyamasundara plans to continue former Global Minister Balabhadra Dasa’s work in establishing regional representatives for cow protection and agriculture around the world, who will visit and encourage communities in their continents more regularly than he is able to.

Shyamasundara’s long term plan is to have all local leaders in ISKCON ask their communities for a plan on what to do about cow protection and agriculture, and how to do it. He would also like to see all major temples – especially in India – use their resources to work out an economic plan to ensure that every drop of milk they use comes from their own cows.

“I find it daunting, but very exciting to be part of the incredible dilemmas that Srila Prabhupada left us,” says Shyamasundara. “We have a mammoth task to establish cow protection and agriculture in a vastly declining society. Prabhupada was such a brave man and said such far reaching things. And it’s a challenge. But I like working with bulls, and I like cows. It suits my nature. So I’m happy to play this role, and I’m excited to be part of this element of his mission.”

 

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s 100th Disappearance Anniversary, June 26, Santa Barbara, California
Giriraj Swami

06.26.14_05.SBT_SB“Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote something like one hundred and four books. Anyone who has tried will know that it is difficult to publish even a small pamphlet perfectly. And Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote more than one hundred books—some of them very long. You can understand from these descriptions how elevated some of the subjects were and how intricate the expositions were, with correspondences between the times of the day and the eight verses of the Siksataka and the eight stages of spiritual development in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. By reading his books one’s mind will definitely become absorbed in Krishna consciousness and one will try to apply them in one’s life.”
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06.26.14_04.SBT_SB06.26.14_01.SBT_SB06.26.14_02.SBT_SB06.26.14_03.SBT_SB———————————

Kirtan by Sarvatma das
Talk by Giriraj Swami
Ohe! Vaisnava Thakura by Sarvatma das
Kabe Ha’be Bolo by Radhika
Nrsimha prayers and Kirtan by Giriraj Swami

Gundica Marjana – Devotees clean the temple and their hearts in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Album 69 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Tomorrow is Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannatha Mandir , Kuala Lumpur so today is Gundica Marjana - Devotees clean the temple and their hearts . The observance of Gundica-marjana, the washing and cleansing of the Gundica temple, takes place on the day before Ratha-yatra, to welcome Lord Jagannath , Baladeva and subhadra . Devotees and congregation members enthusiastically gathered in the temple hall at 8am today morning .Much of the action was in the temple hall ,devotees were engaged in cleaning the temple altar, windows ,lights , Srila Prabupada's Vyasasana and the courtyards . Cleaning process went on till evening 6pm at various departments and kids had a great time wiping and playing with the water . Thus they all hoped to clean their hearts of the material desires , attachments and increase their love for krishna . By Sri Jagannatha Mandir , Kuala Lumpur Read more ›

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-06-28 13:11:00 →

1972 June 28: "I have entrusted you as the leader of this project to see that it is always going on at full capacity, that the men are working, that the money shall be collected and spent wisely and timely, and in all respects take full responsibility. But I do not find even any mention how the work is going in your letters. Neither I find any photos. Why you are not mentioning?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

A Special Exit from the World in New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Last Flight

By Lilasuka dasi

 A little brownish baby sparrow slowly hopped into the middle of the lobby of the Radha Vrindaban Candra temple, and just stood there, looking a bit lost.

baby-house-sparrow

It turns out she wasn’t lost at all, as Lord Krsna was apparently very much guiding her from within.

As it happened, Dasi, who was passing through the lobby during her busy day of serving the Lord, stopped short.  She couldn’t help but notice the little bird.  Dasi thought, “I wonder if this tiny sparrow is a friendly animal, or maybe she just needs help.”

She slowly kneeled down a few steps away, so as not to startle the little one, and gently held out her scarf for the bird to hop on.

Our feathered friend did just that!  The little sparrow walked right up onto her scarf as if she’d been waiting for the invitation!

Then the baby appeared to just fall asleep on the scarf.  After a few minutes she woke up again, and became alert, but didn’t try to fly away.

By this time, Dasi had taken the little sparrow to her office and set her in a basket lined with flower petals that had been offered to Srila Prabhupada that morning, next to her laptop, where she played some soft bhajans of her guru maharaj soothingly chanting Hare Krsna.

Fearing the worst, she sprinkled the resting bird with the Lord’s own caranamrita (bathing water).

After only a few short minutes, the sparrow quietly left her body, listening to the chanting of the Lord’s Holy Name!

Such is the mercy of the Lord, which often comes at unexpected times and in wonderful ways.

20140624_122057

Gundica Marjana
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SRILA PRABHUPADA
 
Lord Caitanya's Pastimes in Jagannatha Puri
"Now please hear about Lord Jagannatha's going to the Gundica temple while Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced before the Ratha car. The Lord performed kirtana for some time and, through His own endeavor, inspired all the devotees to dance. When the Lord Himself wanted to dance, all seven groups combined together.
The Lord's devotees--including Srivasa, Ramai, Raghu, Govinda, Mukunda, Haridasa, Govindananda, Madhava and Govinda--all combined together. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired to jump high while dancing, He placed these nine people in the charge of Svarupa Damodara. These devotees [Svarupa Damodara and the devotees in his charge] sang along with the Lord, and they also ran beside Him. All the other groups of men also sang.
"Now please hear about Lord Jagannatha's going to the Gundica temple while Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced before the Ratha car. The Lord performed kirtana for some time and, through His own endeavor, inspired all the devotees to dance. When the Lord Himself wanted to dance, all seven groups combined together. The Lord's devotees--including Srivasa, Ramai, Raghu, Govinda, Mukunda, Haridasa, Govindananda, Madhava and Govinda--all combined together. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired to jump high while dancing, He placed these nine people in the charge of Svarupa Damodara. These devotees [Svarupa Damodara and the devotees in his charge] sang along with the Lord, and they also ran beside Him. All the other groups of men also sang.
Offering obeisances to the Lord with folded hands, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu raised His face toward Jagannatha and prayed as follows. 'Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krsna, who is the worshipable Deity for all brahminical men, who is the well-wisher of cows and brahmanas, and who is always benefiting the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krsna and Govinda.'
'All glories unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is known as the son of Devaki. All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is known as the light of the dynasty of Vrsni. All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead whose bodily luster is like that of a new cloud and whose body is as soft as a lotus flower. All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared on this planet to deliver the world from the burden of demons and who can offer liberation to everyone.'
'Lord Sri Krsna is He who is known as jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is also known as Devaki-nandana or Yasoda-nandana, the son of Devaki and Yasoda. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopis of Vrndavana. May He be all glorious and happy!'
'I am not a brahmana, I am not a ksatriya, I am not a vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmacari, a householder, a vanaprastha or a sannyasi. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.' "
Having recited all these verses from scripture, the Lord again offered His obeisances, and all the devotees, with folded hands, also offered prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced and jumped high, roaring like thunder and moving in a circle like a wheel, He appeared like a circling firebrand. Wherever Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stepped while dancing, the whole earth, with its hills and seas, appeared to tilt.
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced, He displayed various blissful transcendental changes in His body. Sometimes He appeared as though stunned. Sometimes the hairs of His body stood on end. Sometimes He perspired, cried, trembled and changed color, and sometimes He exhibited symptoms of helplessness, pride, exuberance and humility.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell down with a crash while dancing, He would roll on the ground. At such times it appeared that a golden mountain was rolling on the ground. Nityananda Prabhu would stretch out His two hands and try to catch the Lord when He was running here and there. Advaita Acarya would walk behind the Lord and loudly chant "Hari bol! Hari bol!" again and again.
Just to check the crowds from coming too near the Lord, they formed three circles. The first circle was guided by Nityananda Prabhu, who is Balarama Himself, the possessor of great strength. All the devotees headed by Kasisvara and Govinda linked hands and formed a second circle around the Lord. Maharaja Prataparudra and his personal assistants formed a third circle around the two inner circles just to check the crowd from coming too near. With his hands on the shoulders of Haricandana, King Prataparudra could see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu dancing, and the King felt great ecstasy. While the King beheld the dancing, Srivasa Thakura, standing in front of him, became ecstatic as he saw the dancing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Seeing Srivasa Thakura standing before the King, Haricandana touched Srivasa with his hand and requested him to step aside. Absorbed in watching Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu dance, Srivasa Thakura could not understand why he was being touched and pushed. After he was pushed again and again, he became angry. Srivasa Thakura slapped Haricandana to stop him from pushing him. In turn, this made Haricandana angry. As the angered Haricandana was about to speak to Srivasa Thakura, Prataparudra Maharaja personally stopped him. King Prataparudra said, "You are very fortunate, for you have been graced by the touch of Srivasa Thakura. I am not so fortunate. You should feel obliged to him."
Everyone was astonished by the dancing of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and even Lord Jagannatha became extremely happy to see Him. The car came to a complete standstill and remained immobile while Lord Jagannatha, with unblinking eyes, watched the dancing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The goddess of fortune, Subhadra, and Lord Balarama both felt great happiness and ecstasy within Their hearts. Indeed, They were seen smiling at the dancing.
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced and jumped high, eight wonderful transformations indicative of divine ecstasy were seen in His body. All these symptoms were visible simultaneously. His skin erupted with goose pimples, and the hairs of His body stood on end. His body resembled the simuli [silk cotton tree], all covered with thorns. Indeed, the people became afraid just to see His teeth chatter, and they even thought that His teeth would fall out.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's whole body flowed with perspiration and at the same time oozed blood. He made the sounds "jaja gaga, jaja gaga" in a voice choked with ecstasy. Tears came forcefully from the eyes of the Lord, as if from a syringe, and all the people surrounding Him became wet. Everyone saw the complexion of His body change from white to pink, so that His luster resembled that of the mallika flower.
Sometimes He appeared stunned, and sometimes He rolled on the ground. Indeed, sometimes His legs and hands became as hard as dry wood, and He did not move. When the Lord fell on the ground, sometimes His breathing almost stopped. When the devotees saw this, their lives also became very feeble. Water flowed from His eyes and sometimes through His nostrils, and foam fell from His mouth. These flowings appeared to be torrents of nectar descending from the moon.
The foam which fell from the mouth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was taken and drunk by Subhananda because he was very fortunate and expert in relishing the mellow of ecstatic love of Krsna. After performing His devastating dance for some time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mind entered into a mood of ecstatic love.
After abandoning the dancing, the Lord ordered Svarupa Damodara to sing. Understanding His mind, Svarupa Damodara began to sing as follows. "Now I have gained the Lord of My life, in the absence of whom I was being burned by Cupid and was withering away." When this refrain was loudly sung by Svarupa Damodara, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu again began rhythmically dancing in transcendental bliss.
The car of Lord Jagannatha began to move slowly while the son of mother Saci went ahead and danced in front. While dancing and singing, all the devotees in front of Lord Jagannatha kept their eyes on Him. Caitanya Mahaprabhu then went to the end of the procession with the sankirtana performers.
His eyes and mind fully absorbed in Lord Jagannatha, Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to play the drama of the song with His two arms. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was dramatically enacting the song, He would sometimes fall behind in the procession. At such times, Lord Jagannatha would come to a standstill. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu again went forward, Lord Jagannatha's car would slowly start again.
Thus there was a sort of competition between Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Jagannatha in seeing who would lead, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so strong that He made Lord Jagannatha wait in His car.
 
Gundica Temple, Puri
Purport
After giving up the company of the gopis in Vrndavana, Sri Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda, engaged in His pastimes at Dvaraka. When Krsna went to Kuruksetra with His brother and sister and others from Dvaraka, He again met the inhabitants of Vrndavana. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalita, that is, Krsna Himself assuming the part of Srimati Radharani in order to understand Krsna. Lord Jagannatha-deva is Krsna, and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Srimati Radharani.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu's leading Lord Jagannatha toward Gundica temple corresponded to Srimati Radharani's leading Krsna toward Vrndavana. Sri Ksetra, Jagannatha Puri, was taken as the kingdom of Dvaraka, the place where Krsna enjoys supreme opulence. However, He was being led by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Vrndavana, the simple village where all the inhabitants are filled with ecstatic love for Krsna.
Sri Ksetra is a place of aisvarya-lila, just as Vrndavana is the place of madhurya-lila. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's following at the rear of the ratha indicated that Lord Jagannatha, Krsna, was forgetting the inhabitants of Vrndavana. Although Krsna neglected the inhabitants of Vrndavana, He could not forget them. Thus in His opulent Ratha-yatra, He was returning to Vrndavana.
In the role of Srimati Radharani, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was examining whether the Lord still remembered the inhabitants of Vrndavana. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell behind the Ratha car, Jagannatha-deva, Krsna Himself, understood the mind of Srimati Radharani. Therefore, Jagannatha sometimes fell behind the dancing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to indicate to Srimati Radharani that He had not forgotten. Thus Lord Jagannatha would wait on the ratha for their forward march. In this way Lord Jagannatha agreed that without the ecstasy of Srimati Radharani He could not feel satisfied. While Jagannatha was thus waiting, Gaurasundara, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in His ecstasy of Srimati Radharani, immediately came forward to Krsna. At such times, Lord Jagannatha would proceed ahead very slowly. These competitive exchanges were all part of the love affair between Krsna and Srimati Radharani. In that competition between Lord Caitanya's ecstasy for Jagannatha and Jagannatha's ecstasy for Srimati Radharani, Caitanya Mahaprabhu emerged successful.
Caitanya-caritamrta, Madyam lila 13:70-119 
Top picture and text, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

 

Celebrating 100 Years Disappearance of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SRI JAGANNATH MANDIR, KL

KUALA LUMPUR - Sri Jagannatha Mandir ,Kuala Lumpur held a programme in honour of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura’s disappearance anniversary. Programme started with singing of  "Je anilo Premadhana" followed by reading from “The seventh Goswami”.

Soon after that Bhoga offering, pushpanjali and Maha arati was performed. A delicious feast was served to all at the end. It was a day to meditate on the development of congregational preaching since it was Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura who revived Lord Nityananda’s Nama Hatta preaching programme and later on developed Lord Chaitanya’s tree of devotion. It is mentioned that Bhakti Vinode Thakura established at least five hundred namahattas and was actively preaching amongst grihasta devotees.

It is amazing to see that the preaching techniques that Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura used 100 years ago are relevant even till today. On this day ISKCON Malaysia Regional Secretary, Simhesvara Prabhu wrote a wonderful message with regards to congregational preaching by developing Shraddha kutirs . He is presently engaged in developing a first ever farm community in Malaysia. “Here at the New Godruma Dhama farm I take care of about 150 trees in my free time. Means I water them, fertilize them with cow dung and also at times dig into the earth around the plants and build up the soil. All this I do in my free time other than having to manage other things. It is a daily affair of my free time. So a Sraddha Kutir is something like that, in your free time, off your office hours you need to just invite some people to your homes. Make friends. In Kali Yuga it is very easy to make enemies or opponents. Even as devotees sometimes we find it difficult with each other. But this Sraddha Kutir will bring in so many friends. And friends are what we need. And more the friends more the merrier and happy you can be in your Krishna consciousness. I cannot imagine me staying around as a devotee without my friends. So please expand as much this Sraddha Kutir and cultivate friendship amongst all people and bring as many to your homes. Talk to them, hear them, cook for them, feed them and chant with them. And then, they will not want to go back to where they were. They will be dreaming whole week for the Sraddha Kutir programme.So the programme may be a once in a month or weekly but in the other days both the host and the guests will be meditating when they will meet again for the programme. A perfect way to manage our time and energy.”














Join us for Sunday Feast from 11.00am-2.00pm and experience happiness & bliss
→ ISKCON BRAMPTON











Sunday Love Feast

When?
Sunday,June 29th
Program starts at 11 am

Where?
6 George Street South
Brampton, Ontario
L6Y 1P3, Canada
Park underground(free) @ City Hall
Phone:416-648-3312

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Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.38
iti mūrty-abhidhānena
mantra-mūrtim amūrtikam
yajate yajña-puruṣaṁ
sa samyag darśanaḥ pumān
TRANSLATION
Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who has no material form.
Program Schedule
11.00- 11.15      Tulsi Puja                                          
11.15 - 11.30     Guru Puja                                           
11:30 –11:55     Aarti & Kirtan                                      
11.55 - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers                 
12.00 – 1:00     Vedic Discourse 
  1:00 –  1:30      Closing Kirtan

COMING UP AHEAD
Sayana Ekadasi
Fasting..................... on July 8th
                              Breakfast................. on July 9th b/w 5.44am-10.50am
Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.

Temple Closure Notice

Temple will be kept closed on Sun,July 13th on account of  the Festival of India-Toronto so that our congregation may attend and participate in the festivities at Centre Island.Tickets will be available for purchase at ISKCON Brampton on Sun,July 6th.If you'd like to do some service on the Centre Island,contact Bhagavat Dasa or Krsna smaran Devi Dasi for details.

Kirtan Etiquette Workshop

will be conducted at ISKCON Brampton on Saturday August 16th by His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami. This workshop is open to everyone. We encourage all of those who are engaged in kirtan seva at ISKCON Brampton -Kirtanyas, kartal players, Mrdanga players and othermusical instruments to attend this workshop. This is one of the GBC's resolutions to follow proper kirtan etiquette in all ISKCON centres. Please contact Aindra Dasa for more details.

IB's 2ND Festival of Chariots

will be held on Sat,Aug 23rd,2014.....We are pleased to announce that His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami will be present at IB Ratha Yatra.For Festival updates,please check out click here.For more details and service opportunity contact Aindra Dasa,Nimai Nitai Dasa or Prema Gaurangi Devi Dasi.

ON GOING EVERY SUNDAY
ISKCON Brampton Yoga and Wellness

Empower your mind and strengthen your body as you move through a series of meaningful poses.Mother Rashmi Ahuja will be conducting Yoga Classes every Sunday from 10am-11am before our Sunday Feast Program at ISKCON Brampton.These classes will be focussed on promoting our physical and mental well being.(Please bring your yoga mat)
To Register
Email:rashmis.yoga@facebook.com 
Facebook page:Yoga and Satvic Nutrition with Rashmi
Contacts:416.569.6373 or 905.488.7272
Nutrition Help & Diet Tips

Mother Rashmi Ahuja is offering free one to one consultations and development of Individualized Nutrition Plans on Sundays between 1:30 - 3pm. Please contact (416)569-6373 or (905)488-7272 to book an appointment.
Sunday School

New Curriculum has started on June 8th,2014.
To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him.
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).
 
Please note that ISKCON Brampton is a nut free environment in order to support those with allergies. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant and Be happy!

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura’s 100th disappearance day anniversary programme at Kuala Lumpur (Album 15 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Sri Jagannatha Mandir ,Kuala Lumpur held a programme in honour of Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura’s disappearance anniversary. Programme started with singing of Je anilo Premadhana followed by reading from “The seventh Goswami”. Soon after that Bhoga offering , pushpanjali and Maha arati was performed. A delicious feast was served to all at the end. It was a day to meditate on the development of congregational preaching since it was Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura who revived Lord Nityananda’s Nama Hatta preaching programme and later on developed Lord Chaitanya’s tree of devotion. It is mentioned that Bhakti Vinode Thakura established at least five hundred namahattas and was actively preaching amongst grihasta devotees. It is amazing to see that the preaching techniques that Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakura used 100 years ago are relevant even till today. On this day ISKCON Malaysia Regional Secretary, His Grace Simhesvara Prabhu wrote a wonderful message with regards to congregational preaching by developing Shraddha kutirs . His Grace is presently engaged in developing a first ever farm community in Malaysia. Read more ›