What is the use of writing insubstantial articles in newspapers that don’t even mention the name of Krishna once?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Amoghalila P

In a times of high talked personality and related events many will read this article (This comment refers to this article published in The Speaking Tree, Times of India.). Though well intended, looks shallow and poor in KC perspective. As there is not even once the name Krishna is used. You may say that you have emphasis on BG, but it ultimately misleads if not BG As It Is - pre1977.

Answer Podcast

Answer Highlights:

Prabhupada didn't use the word "Krishna" too often in Easy Journey to Other Planets and Ishopanishad as in his other books

Outreach in the public media is bridge outreach and one article is like one brick. A brick can't be expected to do the work of entire bridge.

The question about the editing of the Gita is answered here

Deity Worship at Home: Making Nitai drum from empty thread spools step by step (Album 29 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Why Worship Nitai-Gaura Deities at Home? Srila Prabhupada says: "Irregularity in worshipping Guru and Gauranga can be tolerated, as They are always kind and forgiving, but irregularity in worshipping Lord Jagannath and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna is not good." Srila Prabhupada letter to Karandhara das, 19th September, 1970) "Lord Chaitanya is very kind and He accepts the simplest worship or sincere chanting of the holy name of Krishna." Srila Prabhupada letter to Sridhama das, 8th July, 1970) Read more ›

Internal steadiness is more important than external show of steadiness
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The body,  house  and  objects meant for worship can all be used  in yukta vairagya.   All  that  is  necessary is  the  internal steadiness of  the  devotee to  achieve success.     An  external show  of steadiness is only  for others  to see.   If there  is internal devotion and  steadiness, very quickly  the bondage of the material world will disappear.

Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakura

This months Scandinavian Rathayatra Tour Schedule
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Scandinavian Rathayatra tour schedule

Fri 4: Aarhus Rathayatra, Denmark

Sat 5: Copenhagen Rathayatra, Denmark

Sun 6: Malmo Rathayatra, Sweden

Mon 7: Gotenburg Rathayatra, Sweden

Wed 9: Oslo Harinam, Norway

Thur 10: Oslo Rathayatra, Norway

Sat 12: Stockholm Rathayatra, Sweden

Sun 13: Aalborg Rathayatra, Denmark

Here is the full schedule of upcoming tour’s hare krishna festivals full schedule

Yours Humbly
Ratnavali

Food For All Band upcoming festival
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On Saturday 5th July one of the UK’s biggest music festivals “British Summer Time” takes place in Hyde park.

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Over 80,000 people are expected, the festival is nearly sold out. Pete Doherty whose band “The Libertines” headlines the event, but there will be another band on the stage that day, a Kirtan band called the “Food for All band”,and the aim is to bring true ecstasy to the event in the form of the Yuga dharma, the Holy Name.
We will also distribute Prasad at the event to make it complete. We are requesting the blessings of the Vaisnavas, to make the project a success.

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Kirtan is by nature attractive , as all 80,000 souls by constitution belong to the spiritual energy, so success is guaranteed. Lately most of the Laxmi required to fund the 1,000 daily plates of Prasad have been coming from our rock star friends in the form of charity gigs, and we hope that this will be the first of many such events.

Your servant Parasuram Das

The Importance of Trained Counselors and Mentors
→ Karnamrita.das's blog

Author: 
Karnamrita Das

 photo P1060376_zps42706420.jpg
This last Memorial Day weekend my wife and I attended the 2014 Sadhu Sanga Retreat, located near Boone, NC. Conveniently located only 2 hours plus 15 minutes or so from our house in North Carolina, the retreat center, situated on a high ridge, featured a panoramic view of the surrounding area in a stunning secluded setting. The Vedic style architecture of the facility felt very friendly and appropriate. All the events were held in a spectacularly spacious hall that could comfortably accommodate thousands. While the four day kirtan event was itself enticing for us to attend, we came mainly to promote our Grihastha Vision Team’s [GVT’s] new book, “Heart and Soul Connection”, (which gives tools to improve marital and family relationships) and to invite couples to our September 12-14 couple’s retreat in at Gita Nagari, Pennsylvania.

I talked to many devotees throughout the retreat, selling about 70 books. I spoke to spouses having difficulties in their marriages, and to those devotees who were trying to help couples in their communities but didn’t have the training to really help counsel them. These conversations reminded me of the critical need in our devotional communities for mental health services, couples counseling, and the training of mentor couples. Temple leaders should have basic training as to when to refer devotees with mental health problems to appropriate professionals and have available trained mentors to help couples having marital difficulties.

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Face A Constant Battle
→ Japa Group

"....we should be certain that we will face a constant battle with many other thoughts that might pour in. However, we should chant and hear the name through all this noise and not break down thinking why am i not able to chant properly. Slowly but steadily and for sure the quality of your chanting will change for the better."

Lokanatha Swami

One with a golden heart
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2014, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Caitanya Caritamrta Adi Lila 8.27)

Srila Prabhupada

The Nectar of Devotion speaks about the person with a heart which is like a cotton swab – a tiny, little, fine thread of cotton that at the slightest breeze starts trembling; then it speaks about a person with a golden heart – these two prototypes are given. One is a person who is very easily emotionally moved; the slightest thing will bring out a lot of emotional reactions, “Krsna… Krsna… Krsna… Oh God!” (dramatic)

Then there is the other person who has the golden heart, who is very grave, and all these emotions are deep and internal. It says in the Nectar of Devotion that from both these platforms, the heart can melt – sneha takes place; where the heart actually melts. It is not that one is closer to melting than the other; whether you have a cotton swab heart or a golden heart. What kind of heart did Srila Prabhupada seem to have? You can think about it… Very grave! Remember how Jadurani was talking about that handbill that Prabhupada carried with him on the Jaladuta – it was a picture of himself with the corners of the mouth deep down and she was supposed to make a painting of that. She said, “Oh, I think you were not so happy when this picture was taken.”

Prabhupada said, “What do you mean, this was my moment of greatest ecstasy!” I kind of like that; it is a nice detail about Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada displayed this mood of the golden heart, not to speak out against the cotton swab, but Krsna chose Srila Prabhupada to be his representative…

 

Sri Govinda-Deva Astakam
→ Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir, Hare Krishna Temple. ISKCON New York

 Eight Verses in Glorification of Sri Govindadeva
by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

jambunadosnisa-viraji-mukta-
mala-mani-dyoti-sikhandakasya
bhangya nrnam lolupayan drsah sri-
govindadevah saranam mamastu

May Lord Govindadeva, who charms the eyes of all living beings with the graceful movement of the peacock feather in His golden crown shining with pearls and gems, be my shelter. (1)

kapolayoh kundala-lasya-hasya
cchavi-cchata-cumbitayor yugena
sammohayan sambhajatam dhiyah sri-
govindadevah saranam mamastu

May Lord Govindadeva, who charms the hearts of the devotees’ with His cheeks which are kissed by the splendour of His smile and the dancing of His earrings, be my shelter. (2)

sva-preyasi-locana-kona-sidhu-
praptyai puro-varti-janeksanena
bhavam kam api udgamayan budhanam
govindadevah saranam mamastu

May Lord Govindadeva who, by glimpsing at His beloved to attain Her nectarean sidelong glance, provokes the love of all the demigoddesses, be my shelter. (3)

vama-pragandarpita-ganda-bhasvat-
tatanka-lolalaka-kanti-siktaih
bhru-valganair unmadaya kula-strir
govindadevah saranam mamastu

May Lord Govindadeva, who entices the pious cowherd girls with the charming movements of His eyebrows, which are enhanced by the beauty of His moving locks of hair, lustrous earrings, and His cheek placed upon His left shoulder, be my shelter. (4)

dure sthitas ta murali-ninadaih
sva-saurabhair mudrita-karna-palih
nasarudho hrd-gata eva karsan
govindadevah saranam mamastu

He enters into the hearts of the cowherd damsels and draws the to him, though they stand afar, blocking their ears from the sound of His flute and their noses from the wonderful scent of His body. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter. (5)

navina-lavanya-bharaih ksitau sri-
rupanuragambunidhi-prakasaih
satas camatkara-vatah prakurvan
govindadevah saranam mamastu

He fills the devotees on earth with astonishment by the weight of His youthful beauty and the unlimited ocean of His love. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter. (6)

kalpa-drumadho-mani-mandirantah
sri-yoga-pithamburu hasyaya svam
upasayams tantra-vido pi mantrair
govindadevah saranam mamastu

Those learned in the scriptures worship Him with mantras as He sits in the lotus-like yoga-pitha in a gem-studded palace beneath a grove of wish-fulfilling trees. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter. (7)

mahabhiseka-ksana-sarva-vaso
‘lankrty-anangi-karanocchalantya
sarvanga-bhasakulayams tri-lokim
govindadevah saranam mamastu

He is as handsome as the god of love (Ananga) and is dressed and decorated as if for a royal coronation. He enthralls all the residents of the three worlds with His beautiful form. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter. (8)

govindadevastakam etad uccaih
pathet tadiyanghri-nivista-dhir yah
tam majjayann eva krpa-pravahair
govindadevah saranam mamastu

One who reads aloud this Govindadevastakam and meditates upon the Lord’s lotus feet, is thrown into a river of mercy by the Lord Himself. May Lord Govindadeva be my shelter. (9)

Car accident with Jayapataka Swami
→ Dandavats.com

Several local people came running towards our car. We saw the completely surprised looks on their faces. They inquired if we were all fine and went on to say, . “Your god is great, Oh my god! We cannot believe this. We saw how the car was spinning and landed crashing into the drain. We thought you guys are finished. But not even a scratch? Uhhhh!” In less than a minute, out of nowhere, a tow truck arrived at the scene! It was middle of the night, somewhere at the outskirts of the city, in Accra and a tow truck appearing in less than a minute? Yes, totally unbelievable! Read more ›

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ June 01, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

01

By displaying a great abundance of transcendental wealth, love for Vrndavana Forest laughs at millions of Kuveras. By displaying great power of intelligence, love for Vrndavana forest eclipses a great host of intelligent Brhaspatis. That love removes the lamentation of separation from wife, children and others. Because it is filled with the nectar of love for Lord Krsna, love for Vrndavana is the supreme object of worship for Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja and the great devotees.

Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-51, Translation.]

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Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-06-01 09:55:00 →

1962 June 1: "Yesterday evening I have come to Vrindaban for a flying visit and shall return to Delhi on Monday to attend the Jayal meeting on Tuesday morning. I am glad to see that my Thursday lectures have brought some changes in the mind of the young offenders. If the lectures are continued I am sure to turn these offenders into saintly characters."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64