Planet ISKCON

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, November 2011, Mayapur, India, Lecture: Caitanya Caritamrta Part 3)

A puzzling topic is that vaisnavas consider themselves as most fallen. They spend time in presenting themselves as having no qualifications and so on. But Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s song Bhakti-kalpataru basically clarifies the matter,

‘I have received this wish-fulfilling desire tree from my spiritual master but by my harsh behaviour, I’ve covered it’s potency and therefore, the full power is not manifested now from the tree. But the tree itself can be restored in the association of the devotees.’

This is a very important concept of seeing how on the one hand, we have received the mercy, how we have something to give, how a vaisnava has a valuable contribution to make to the world; and at the same time can see himself as being totally unqualified, as the most fallen, as a fool, as an ignorant child, as having no intelligence and all these things…

It all makes sense if you think, ‘Yes, I am absolutely not qualified but it is from the mercy of the Lord and my guru that gives me the most valuable jewel!’

This is a very important point about humility, about how vaisnava humility works. How one can see himself as the most fallen but still living in great happiness because of the great and unlimited mercy!

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

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

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.

The 43rd Kolkata Ratha Yatra will take place on 29th June 2014.

A new ebook has just been released by Torchlight Publishing. Cosmology on Trial: Cracking the Cosmic Code by Pierre St. Clair takes on the speculative arguments of modern science and its Big Bang Theory with intelligence and logic.

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.

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

The 14th Anniversary of the Birmingham Rathayatra Festival 2014 promises to be a spectacular event with a City Centre procession and festival, incorporating all the exoticness, vitality and colour that is India. 

Special Day Meditation Podcast

"When the stream of reason joins the river of ancient faiths, the stagnant mosses of illusion are swept away. And with the gradual flow of time when this unwanted stench will disappear, the knowledge of the Indians will blossom again."

- Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Krishna Samhita

Report by Harivilasa das*

In Sweden, the 20^th 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

Answering an anonymous devotee on whether householders can agree not to have children or to adopt children and other similar questions.

The post Why I may have erased your questions of 2012/13 appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

One of the essential steps in the bhakti process is acceptance of the shelter of a guru, who helps connect one with Krishna, as well as assisting in progressively fully restoring one's relationship with Him.

 It was part of a document published on June 9th that stated that "creationism is rejected by most mainstream churches and religious traditions, including the major providers of state funded schools."

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.

HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami SB 2.9.23

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.

Listen audio...

This talk is a part of the "Fascinating Mahabharata Characters" series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast