How the Gita’s ninth chapter reveals its bhakti essence
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Lecture Podcast

Lecture Highlights:

9.13-14: Inner disposition and outer action of devotees

Concept of bhakti developed in the Gita: 2.61, 3.30, 4.9, 5.25, 6.14-15, 6.30, 6.47, 7.1, 8.14

Varying initial focuses of concentration in ashtanga-yoga: 5.27 and 6.13

Unvarying eventual and final focuses: 6.14, 6.30, 6.47, 7.1

Four ways Gita's chp 9 glorifies bhakti:

1. Eternal result: 9.20-22

2. Simplicity of worship: 9.26-28

3. Overcomes incidental faults: 9.30-31

4. Overcomes innate faults: 9.33

9.13 - Empowerment is

 

 

 

 

April 24th Krsna Lounge Kirtan & Talk
→ Krishna Lounge

kid_microscope_0

 

Kirtan lead by Giriraj Gopal Dasa:

 

Talk by Nitya Gaura Dasa:

 

Installation of Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari, May 17, Houston
Giriraj Swami

05.17.14_01.Installation_Houston———————–
Romapada Swami and Giriraj Swami spoke during the ceremony.

“As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself described,

naham vipro na ca nara-patir napi vaisyo na sudro
naham varni na ca grha-patir no vana-stho yatir va
kintu prodyan nikhila-paramananda-purnamrtabdher
gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah

‘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.’ (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 13.80)

“That is the best position. Even serving the deity should be done in the mood of serving the devotees. Everything should be done in the mood of serving guru and the devotees. That will please the deities and the devotees—Sri Krishna and His servants. We are all mutually dependent. As Srila Prabhupada wrote in a letter to a disciple: ‘You are dependent on my mercy, and I am dependent on your mercy. It is reciprocal. This mutual dependence is based on love—Krishna consciousness.’ Even the Lord places Himself in our hands. He depends on us to wake Him, to feed Him, and to dress Him. It is such a sublime reciprocation.” — Giriraj Swami

05.17.14_04.Installation_Houston05.17.14_03.Installation_Houston05.17.14_02.Installation_Houston05.17.14_05.Installation_HoustonRomapada Swami
Giriraj Swami

37th Sannyāsa Anniversary Lecture Of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda The 37th Sannyāsa Anniversary Lecture Of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami was given at the house of Dvarakadish Prabhu on 13 June 2014, Yorba Linda, California, US. Announcer: You use this tumbler, offer little bit water, there is an instrument..Not too much… Devotees:(...)

Good luck, bad luck or tough luck!
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 19 January 2014, Durban, South Africa, Lecture)

kks and black catLord Krsna is our eternal companion. Anywhere and everywhere, Krsna is always with us! It is said that in many ways Krsna is with us. Krsna is present in the material world as the paramatma. Dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā, (Śvetāśvatara Upanishad 4.6). There are two birds seated on branches of a tree – one of those birds is the living being and the other bird is the Supreme Lord in the form of paramatma who is there along with the living being and never, ever leaves him for a moment.

In many ways Krsna is there, after all not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord:

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ
sūyate sa-carācaram
hetunānena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate (Bhagavad-gita 9.10)
 
For everything in this universe, know that I am the cause of this and that everything is going on by my will alone. So in this way, Krsna is also with us because no matter what happens to us, we can see that it is Krsna’s plan. Nothing is going on by chance or by good luck, by bad luck or tough luck, “Oh boy, why is this happening to me?” No, Krsna is there.

Then the next step may be to say, “Krsna, why are you doing this to me?” But that is not very humble. That is an attitude where we think, “I got it all figured out. I am supposed to be happy here (in this material world) and Krsna who is in control of everything, is not cooperating!” This attitude is not one of worshiping at all. It is an attitude where we are demanding – who is the Lord and who is whose servant? Then we treat Krsna as our order supplier and we are demanding from Krsna.

kks grey hairBut who said that the material world was meant for happiness anyway. The material world has only one purpose – for us to learn, for us to simply learn and grow. It has no other purpose at all and if you want another purpose out of it, it does not work. All that you get from life is that you learn a lesson and grow. That is what grey hairs are all about…

Krsna is making arrangements to elevate us; that is his purpose. His purpose is to lift up all living beings. Somehow or other, we have gone down in selfishness; we have gone down in a mood of exploitation. Oh yes, everyone is exploiting someone else – that is the name of the game. The living being is trying to exploit the entire universe; that is our preoccupation.

Krsna’s purpose is indeed to make us humble, to bring us to the point of man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yaji mam namaskuru (Bhagavad-gita 9.34), where we bow down. One has to bow down; bowing down means to give up our pride. It is said that a tree that is laden with fruits will naturally bow down, so in the same way, a person who has all good qualities will naturally bow down! But one who does not have good qualities stands erect in pride, “Don’t you know who I am!? Don’t you know my greatness and my glories? Just see all my good qualities!” But, in the material world everyone will encounter someone who is greater than himself and that is very frustrating for a proud man… shattered dreams and that dreaming is what material life is about!

Ratha Yatra in Novosibirsk, Russia (Album 37 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

"O Lord of lords! About Jagannath, Lord of the universe! Please destroy the suffering inflicted upon me. O lotus-eyed Lord! Please, deliver this soul from the ocean of material existence! " "I bow to Thee, O Almighty! You - the soul of the universe! You are beyond the material nature and the impersonal Brahman. However, You have the amazing transcendental qualities. I bow to thee! " "I offer my obeisances to Lord Balarama, the strongest of the strong! He sustains the universe! Obeisances unto You, O enemy Pralamba! On the elder brother of Krishna, please set me free! " Read more ›

Updated Report by ISKCON GBC Chairman on Tragic Death of Russian Devotees in India
→ ISKCON News

On Thursday, June 12th at 12.30 PM EST ISKCON Communications Minister and Governing Body Commission Chairman has released an updated report about the tragic bus accident that claimed at least two lives of Russian ISKCON devotees who were visiting holy places in Northern India. In the meantime, ISKCON Russia has confirmed the names of the deceased devotees. 

Divine Power
→ Tattva - See inside out

Ancient texts poetically describe the effects of divine empowerment. Through it, the lame can cross mountains, the dumb can speak eloquently and the blind can see stars in the sky. Observing my spiritual friends achieve amazing things is living testimony to this (not that any of them are lame, dumb or blind, nor that it makes them anything less if they were). Accessing divine empowerment, however, is open to everyone. The secret lies in developing the ‘selfless service attitude’ – it starts with the necessary, advances to the possible, and matures in the impossible.

Necessary – first, we should become established in doing the necessary: what should be done. This is the foundation. We rise beyond our personal emotions, learning to act with a sense of duty and responsibility. We serve with the knowledge that it’s the right thing to do.

Possible – as we evolve, the focus shifts towards doing the possible: what can be done. Here, we actively seek opportunities to serve. We don’t wait for a need to arise or a request to be issued, but eagerly search for the chance to contribute. We begin to taste the unique delight of spontaneous selfless service.

Impossible – in spiritual maturity, we approach the impossible: what can’t be done. When our hunger to serve takes us to full capacity, we are bolstered by a divine empowerment which transports us beyond our mundane limits. Here, we begin to function on the spiritual platform, transcending all material calculation. Unimaginable things transpire around us. Miracles can become daily affairs.

Let’s increase, expand and push the boundaries. This is where we experience the divine presence first-hand. After all, ‘impossible,’ the Swami said, is only found in a fool’s dictionary.

Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Fruitvale, British Columbia

For Personal Growth?


“Would you like a ride?”  asked the young guy with the pickup truck. 

“No, thanks, I’m walking.”

“Is it for personal growth?”  he asked. 

“You betcha!”  I said, and gave an abbreviated version of my usual spiel.  Then he went about his way.

I passed by a gas station, and the proprietor, a Punjabi man, saw me and asked that I come inside.  He was startled to see a man in Indian sadhu garb.  He brought me to his back room where he’s designed an altar of Guru Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, and other luminaries sacred to the Sikh tradition.  It was, and always is, a delight to meet someone from India.

Where time and space allowed for deeper penetration of discussion was, believe it or not, with students of the Salmo Secondary School.  We all entered the gymnasium – teachers, students and all, and began to speak.  They were very attentive.  I tried to convey the physical and spiritual benefits of walking.  It’s all adventure.  I even mentioned to them how on very rare occasions motorists attempt to seduce or proposition me.  That kind of surprised the students. 

From the high school, the plan was that all the students would go on foot several blocks for more presentation.  So young and older kids converged to hear about the value of pilgrimage.

Finally, our last stop was at a short drive to Ymir, a village of 350 population.  Where on short notice, to our astonishment, people did turn up at the community hall, particularly for our mantra meditation.  The voice projection from these people was phenomenal. 

From the dawn of the day, when I did marvel at the sight of two grizzly bears, to the confident singers at Ymir village, I would say that the day was super.

May the Source be with you!

35 KM

Colorful presentations of Harinama in Russian cities (Album 137 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Lord Kåñëa said to Arjuna, 'O Arjuna! Listen attentively. When the living entity chants My name, whether out of devotion or indifference, I never forget this act. It remains always close to My heart. There is now vow like chanting the holy name, no knowledge superior to It, no meditation which comes anywhere near it, and it gives the highest result. No penance is equal to it, and nothing is as potent or powerful as the holy name. Read more ›

Six Students Graduate from Sri Mayapur International School
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY PRABHUPADA PRIYA DEVI DASI

MAYAPUR - On Monday, June 6th, a wonderful ceremony was held to celebrate the graduation of six students from Sri Mayapur International School. Gourangi Gandharvika dd, Ananga Gopi dd, Shevaanni Pillai, Vrinda Carol, Bhavatarini Moreira and Nandarani Dasi have all successfully completed their Advanced level education (A-levels) in accordance with Cambridge International Examinations.

The program commenced with a fire yajna performed by Krishna Svarupa prabhu, to invoke the blessings of the Lord for auspiciousness for each of the girls as they pass into the next stage of life.

Each student then gave an eloquent speech, thanking their teachers and expressing their deep realizations they’ve gained from their spiritual education.

The ceremony was enhanced by a few stunning presentations including a slide show of their high school years in pictures; an amazing debut solo performance by Nandarani Dasi on the sitar; and a multi-media presentation consisting of a song composed and sung by Gourangi Gandharvika, Ananga Gopi and Shevaanni, accompanied by Shevaanni on guitar. All this was perfectly synchronised with their own custom-made video which left everyone with tears in their eyes.

The graduates’ form teacher, Prabhupada Priya dd, spoke in glorification of each girl and presented them with gift certificates on behalf of the school.

The program finally concluded with hot samosas and gulab jamuns as everyone went home feeling exhilarated and inspired by the devotional qualities of our graduating class. As Gunacuda Mataji succinctly stated in her opening address to the ceremony, “These students are not the future devotees of ISKCON. They are the present devotees of ISKCON.”

May all those who read this article unreservedly shower their blessings on these six extraordinary girls that they may always remain with their minds absorbed in Srila Prabhupada’s mood and their lives dedicated to his divine mission.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!




























Lord Krishna: “If you cannot practice the regulations of bhakti-yoga, then just try to work for Me…”
→ Dandavats.com

Why do I give on a regular basis? It is something within my reach. You know that section in Bhagavad-gita where Krishna is instructing Arjuna, and He basically says, “If you can’t do that, do this...”? Top on the list would be to be a lover of God, and act always being inspired by that love. When I first took up the process of Krishna consciousness (true to the description of a neophyte), I thought I had attained that lofty state. But gradually, as the covering gets removed from my eyes, I see that I’m actually quite far from the ultimate goal. So if you can’t do that, then what? Then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. . . sounds good. I do my best to keep the promises I made at initiation. But if that includes rising early and coming to mangala-arati, chanting with rapt attention and hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam class faithfully every day, well, let’s just say I could improve in many areas. At this point, I’m in the wannabe category for perfect following. Read more ›

Fundraising dinner at the Hindu Cultural Association of Ocala Center to benefit the Goshala at New Raman Reti, Alachua
→ Dandavats.com

Mukhya devi dasi: Last Saturday evening the Hindu Cultural Association of Ocala put on a fundraising dinner at their Cultural Center to benefit the Goshala at New Raman Reti. The evening was completely planned, marketed and produced by the management team of this association. It included entertainment, dinner, and a few introductions to the importance of cow protection. Sakshigopal das, Akuti devi dasi, Sukhada devi dasi and Mukhya devi dasi represented the Temple's cow protection program during the event. Every penny collected on the $20 ticket price, plus extra donations, went to help build the new Goshala. We were able to connect with many people who have never even been to our temple but feel deeply about the importance of cow protection and appreciated that we were attempting to do something in a place that is wholly oblivious to the disastrous effects on every level of cow slaughter. I was very moved and impressed by their natural cultural understanding that everything comes to us from Krishna, it is all His, actually, and giving back is a part of life that is as important as anything else one holds dear. Most of the group understand from birth that cow protection is their duty and their dharma. They thanked us for giving them the chance to fulfill this duty by having a program that nurtures and honors the sacred cow. Read more ›

Rare Old Photographs of Tirupati and Tirumala (Album 27 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

The following rare old photographs show how Tirupati and Tirumala looked before the temple became famous. You can see that in those days it was a peaceful place without huge queues and crowds. Today over 40 million people visit the temple each year, and you can expect to wait up to 5 hours in the queue before having darshana of the main Balaji deity for a few moments.

In ancient literature, Tirupati is mentioned as Aadhi Varaha Kshetra. The Puranas associate the area with Lord Varaha, one of the Dashavataras of Lord Vishnu. Venkatadri is believed to be a part of Mount Meru, which was brought to the earth from Vishnu's abode of Vaikunta by his mount Garuda. The seven peaks represent the seven heads of Adisesha. Tirumala is also one of the 108 divya desams. Read more ›