Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s contributions 4 – The Eastern Savior offers the zenith of religious experience among all the world’s religions
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Special Day Meditation Podcast

"People from Europe and the Americas have not been satisfied with beauty of the rasa of parental affection (vātsalya) that Jesus propagated. By God’s grace, the hope is that they get addicted to the mature wine of the rasa of sweetness in the near future. It is observed that the rasas that appear in India first gradually spread to the West . . . just as the sun first rises in India and then gradually lights up the countries of the West. Similarly the incomparable rays of spiritual principles spread across in Western lands, after first manifesting in India."

- Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Krishna Samhita

Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s contributions 3 – The sara-grahi redefinition of Panchopasana as progressive modes of comprehending the divine
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Special Day Meditation Podcast

5 levels outlined in Bhaktivinoda Thakura's essay "On the Pure Religion of the Bhagavata":

1. Shaktism - Worship of nature

2. Sauryaism - Worship of sun

3. Ganapatyaism - Worship of consciousness manifested in animals

4. Shaivism - Worship of consciousness manifested in humans

6. Vaishnavism - Worship of the Supreme Person

Rising Moon
- TOVP.org

On the glorious and auspicious hundredth anniversary of the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, this brand new video about the TOVP project, which was so dear to Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has been released. Many of our prominent leaders in ISKCON have spoken very well to encourage participation from all members of ISKCON society.

This video was produced by a young devotee, resident of Sridham Mayapur, as a seva for the new Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir. Congratulations to all the devotees who have dedicated themselves to this glorious project, that will for sure establish Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the Yuga Avatar for delivering people in Kali Yuga.

Please take time to watch this video and circulate it amongst your friends: https://vimeo.com/99032748

In rural West Bengal, in the tiny village of Mayapur, a monumental temple is rising—monumental both in scope, and significance. According to preceptors of the Gaudiya Vaishnava lineage, the erection of this Mayapur-candradoya Mandir marks the onset of a golden age of light and wisdom. Nityananda Prabhu, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, they saw it coming—a confluence of factors, a spiritual trifecta to inundate the world in ecstatic devotion. The person: Srila Prabhupada. The phenomenon: the global sankirtan movement. The place: the adbhuta-mandir of Sridham Mayapur, Sri Caitanya’s birthplace.

In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Fight or don’t fight—it matters little. Your foes are already slain by me, the battle is won. You, however, can take the credit.” In similar fashion, by the desire of Sri Caitanya, Krishna’s most munificent Kali-yuga avatara, this Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is already done. Contribute or don’t contribute, give or don’t give, it’s going to happen. Will you take credit?

To donate, visit: tovp.org/news/fundraising/donate-a-golden-brick-campaign/

Film by: Kriyate
Aerial Shots by: Prananatha Dasa
Music by: Zero Bedroom Apartment, The American Dollar, Talvin Singh

Ys

Radha Jivan

Vraja Vilasa das

The post Rising Moon appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Ratha Yatra in Jakarta, Indonesia
→ ISKCON News

Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia celebrated its 487th anniversary on Sunday, 22 June 2014. On this occasion, the city hosted the Jakarnaval, a cultural parade from the National Monument to the Central Business District of Jakarta. Hare Krishna devotees took this opportunity to organize their third annual Ratha-Yatra festival.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s contributions 2 – See the unity of purpose underlying the diversity of religions
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Special Day Meditation Podcast

“When we have occasion to be present at the place of worship of other religionists at the time of their worship, we should stay there in a respectful mood, contemplating thus: 'Here is being worshiped my adorable highest entity God, in a different form than that of mine. Due to a different practice of a different kind, I cannot thoroughly comprehend this system of theirs. But seeing it, I am feeling a greater attachment for my own system. God is one. I bow down before His emblem as I see here and offer my prayer to my Lord who has adopted this different emblem so that He may increase my love toward Him in the form that is acceptable for me.”

- Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Chaitanya Shikshamrita

6-Hour Kirtan for Bhaktivinoda Thakur! – Saturday, Jun 28, 2014 **UPDATED**
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

This Saturday, June 28, 2014, the Hare Krishna temple welcomes you to join us for a special 6-Hour Kirtan honouring Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and his divine legacy as we commemorate 100 years from his disappearance. 

This non-stop six hour kirtan, starting at 3:00 pm, will mark the culmination of various events that are happening throughout this month! 

Here is the schedule *subject to change*:

3:00pm - 3:30pm: Chaitanya Nimai das
3:30pm - 4:00pm: Bhakta Sahil
4:00pm - 4:30pm: Nandini Radha devi dasi
4:30pm - 5:00pm: Sukhavak das
5:00pm - 5:30pm: Bhakta Nipun
5:30pm - 6:00pm: Bhaktin Shastyna
6:00pm - 6:30pm: Bhakta Keshav
6:30pm - 7:15pm: Rukmini devi dasi
7:15pm - 8:00pm: Bhaktin Tara
8:00pm - 9:00pm: Dhira Grahi das
 



Please mark the date in your calendars, and we hope to see you this Saturday!


Stockholm, June 2014 – Part 3
→ KKSBlog

Report by Harivilasa das*

FU3_6627In Sweden, the 20th of June was a big day, as the country celebrated Midsummers Eve. For Maharaj, it was also a special day, as he took a break from writing and dedicated the day to devotee association. First on the agenda was a disciple meeting. About eight disciples gathered at the home of Ananta Prabhu in Stockholm, where they spent a few hours with Maharaj just speaking informally and doing a little kirtan. It was a very personal gathering, without the cameras and recorders of more official programs. After a light lunch, everyone headed off toward New Brahmakund, an apartment building where only devotees reside. Many devotees assembled in the basement temple for a pumping kirtan and a wonderful class on the importance of sharing Krsna consciousness, especially if our own sadhana ever gets dry.

Maharaj’s sojourn in Sweden also came to an unexpected end on Saturday (21 June), when Maharaj left for England to attend to some urgent issues. He will be in England until Thursday 26 June, when he will depart for Amsterdam.

*Harivilasa is editing Maharaj’s first draft of the book before it is sent to the reference group for reading and then for final editing

 

Photos

Please click here to view photos taken by Uffe and Raya.

Audio

KKS_Stockholm_20 June 2014_Bhajan_Maha manta

KKS_Stockholm_20 June 2014_Lecture_CC Madhya 22.75

 

 

 

Harinama in Tel Aviv, Israel (Album 18 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparä system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self? SB 10.1.4 Read more ›

Kitchen Religion Cookbooks Reveal Secrets of Quantity Cooking
→ ISKCON News

The first in the new “Kitchen Religion Series” of cookbooks, Rice: 65 Recipes From Around the World doesn’t just offer an astonishing amount of sumptuous ways to prepare that simplest of staple foods. It’s also the first ever ISKCON cookbook to focus on how to cook in large quantities, an extremely valuable resource for its target audience of ISKCON devotees.

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 06/26/14
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban Horses Farm

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 06/26/14.

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

This week’s challenge: Can you identify the cart driver and two horses in this photo?

Extra credit: What year and where do you think it was taken?

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.

Gift
→ Seed of Devotion

February 2013

I rarely sing kirtan nowadays. You know, with instruments, call and response, people. For some reason I'm avoiding kirtan situations where I could be asked to sing. I guess I feel this fear of failure - that I'll sing and feel incomplete at the end. Like I didn't connect, others didn't connect, I looked like a fool.

This morning, though, before class Adi Purusha Prabhu just walked right up to me with a pair of kartals in each hand.

"Yes?" I said.

"You can choose your pair to lead the morning kirtan," he said.

"Oh!" I said. I slowly reached for the pair in his left hand. "Okay..."

So I sang. My voice was low from being sick, and I ended up dropping into a tune that I had never sung before and had had no plan of even singing. It just came out.

Everyone was singing, I felt all of us in class calibrating on the holy name. I felt a lightness and peace in my body. I felt grateful to be surrendering to the random flow of the kirtan.

When the kirtan ended, Srimati Mataji came up to me and gave me a big bear hug, just enfolding me in her love. She murmured, still embracing me, "Never stop singing. Always sing, Bhakti lata,"

"Oh thank you, mata, thank you, I feel so blessed," I said. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and I gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Srimati Mataji sat  back down in front of me and I felt so moved. So moved. I feel moved right now. Krishna has given me a gift, and giving that gift as a service to others is the perfection of that gift. I've been selfish with this gift that Krishna has given me, avoiding kirtan because I'M scared of failure and not being seen as an expert musician and kirtaniya. But maybe that gift can become perfect if I'm willing to just let go. 
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