Caring for Devotees
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SIMHESWARA DASA
LANCHANG - Twenty one youths who attended the 4 days Youth Retreat from 22nd to 25th May at New Godruma Dhama farm at Lanchang, Pahang did not just go back after taking part in the very informative and practical seminars, field events, workshops, chanting, dancing, sadhana programme but also made it a point to give their time to associate and hear from Siro Suka prabhu who is under the care of the farm devotees. About two years ago Siro Suka prabhu had a bad fall while repairing the roof of his house. After some treatment at the HUKM hospital he was discharged and was nursed in his house. In September 2013 he decided to take shelter of New Godruma Dhama farm. Siro Suka prabhu's legs are paralysed and so caring for him can also be challenging. Nevertheless the devotees at the farm are doing their best.
I take this opportunity to thank Sevananda, Muralidhar Sham, Gopesa Govinda and Babu prabhus who are overseeing this service at the farm while having to see the function of the 400 acre orchard, cow protection farm and devotee haven. 
The New Godruma Dhama farm is also looking towards setting up a devotee care complex in the beginning stage to accommodate 4 persons. Those wishing to help out in any way such as construction cost, materials, personal labour, monthly donations, etc are welcome. The devotee care complex will cost around RM30,000 ringgit since we already have some building materials at the farm. Currently we are spending about RM700 a month for Siro Suka prabhu's expenses for medicine, periodic check ups, room cleanliness and maintenance, allowance for part time caregiver, etc. 
I pray that you take this seriously and see how you can help. Many devotees have passed away in very undesirable circumstances, not having the opportunity such as Siro Suka prabhu to be in the midst of devotee community. 
 
 

Burleigh Harinama
→ Ramai Swami

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Burleigh Heads is a famous beach side suburb on the Gold Coast. We have our Govindas restaurant nearby that caters to thousands of people every week and the devotees do regular kirtan on the promenade that runs parallel to the beach. 

Once a month there is a market set up where people buy trinkets and different types of food. Isvara das, from the New Govardhana area, organises a kirtan party that goes around the market and also along the beach.
As well as their market experience people are able to enjoy melodious Hare Krsna chanting.
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Mouthwash, Oral Cancer, and Distilled Essence of Rotten
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas


Alcohol, or distilled essence of rotten (you must say it in an elegant and sophisticated accent), is known as a great sterilizer i.e. purifier, in our contemporary world.  In many places around the globe people do not feel the need to wash one’s hands with water after using the bathroom, when one can just squirt of foamy alcohol hand sanitizer.  However I always remember a class wherein Srila Prabhupada states that it does not purify but rather makes things impure.   Recent oral cancer studies had given some new insight.  But first here is an except by Srila Prabhupada. 
So the Vedic conception is completely different. The... According to modern science, they put things into alcohol to sterilize. Is it not?
Svarupa Damodara: Put alcohol in things.
Prabhupada: Yes. But it becomes more impure. Anything you put into alcohol, that becomes more impure, according to this.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.52 -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles
In the study done by Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology with assistance from Glasgow University's Dental School it is revealed that not only does poor hygiene contribute to cancer risk but also regular use of mouthwashes that contain alcohol.  
     The NPR article can be found here.
It is interesting to note that is found that other intoxicating substances such as tobacco and betel nut contribute to risk of oral cancer. 
Just as impure things cannot truly clean similarly it is stated that hearing kirtan of the Holy Names of Krishna or about Krishna from those who have no faith that Krishna is God cannot purify us in any way and can in fact sometimes be detrimental to our spiritual growth.  The old adage is that milk, although nutritious, when drunk by a serpent becomes poisonous.  

The Service Of Chanting
→ Japa Group



Devotee: Sometimes we are so enthusiastic in service that while chanting we are also thinking of service.

Radhanath Swami: It is better to think of service than of sense gratification, no doubt. But when you do service, you should be thinking of service. When you do chanting, you should be thinking of chanting. You should understand that our service during the chanting of the holy name is to completely engross our mind in the sound of the holy name. That is our service at that time.

Turning boys into men
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 April 2014, Radhadesh, Belgium, Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya Lila 22.142)

Srila prabhupada 2Deal with the challenges – don’t cry. Don’t cry about what happens – just make it better. When everything goes wrong, rise to the occasion and face it. When everything breaks down, start again and do it better this time. Understand that Krsna is there, all the time. Without Krsna, it is not possible. Have faith in Krsna that he is there and that through all these struggles and challenges, he will be there and you will meet him at the end. He is there! We don’t see him but as we go through all these struggles for him, and we do it right, at the end we will meet him, for sure.

We remember what the Lord said to Narada Muni when he was still young. He had appeared for a quick darshan only to disappear after saying, “You will not see me again in this lifetime. But now you go on, through all the tests and trials, knowing that I’m there and at the end, we will meet!”

 A man must act in philosophy. A man must act in knowledge, because he is not meant to be so emotional that sometimes he cannot think. He is meant to stay cool and balanced internally. He is meant to absorb the knowledge of Bhagavatam and then purposefully move up in life, saying, “I will live according to this transcendental knowledge, knowing that every step of my life is an offering to Krsna.” That turns boys into men.

 

Raja Vidya – The Bhagavad Gita
→ Servant of the Servant

There are two things (1) belief (2) laws of nature.

Bhagavad Gita deals with the "laws of nature". It is not a belief system like other religions. Therefore the Gita is different from mundane religion because it does not profess dogmatic beliefs. Anyone can believe in anything and have a gathering and call it religion. We don't care for such man-made belief systems.

Now, one may ask how do you know the tenets of Bhagavad Gita (upon which Krishna consciousness is founded) are actually laws of nature? To answer this question, below are the fundamental laws of nature as enunciated in the Gita.
  1. We are spiritual beings encased inside physical bodies made of flesh and blood.
  2. We are all individuals with certain character and personalities. Our identity remains and does not become zero, black or dissolve into oblivion after death.
  3. When the body stops working, the spirit soul transmigrates into another physical body at death.
  4. Every activity in this world has a consequence.
  5. The entire creation animate and inanimate is produced from a Supreme Living Being
  6. The minute spiritual beings come from the Supreme spiritual being whom we call Krishna
  7. Purpose of human life is to stop assuming physical bodies and return back to our original spiritual nature with Krishna
Testing above assumptions/hypothesis
  1. Physical body is born, grows old and deteriorates. However, the sense of "self" is constant. So despite the changing body from birth to death, we still "feel" the "sense of I" is the same. Hence we can conclude that there is something more than the physical constituting the "self". The mind and intelligence cannot be accounted as "self" because even the mind and intelligence changes as the body changes. The sense of "I", however, never changes from birth to death and we call that spirit soul. This is a simple thought exercise. There is growing evidence in the fields of neuro-biology and psychiatry that consciousness is completely separate from the body and mind. 
  2. Past life memory is a concrete testimony to bullets 1, 2 and 3 above. It clearly shows that the person is a spiritual conscious being who maintains his identity and reincarnates into another physical body. Ian Stevenson and Jim Tucker have collected much evidence on this subject for the past half century. Hence one cannot ignore this phenomenon as mere chance or an anomaly. It has to be reckoned as valid scientific phenomenon. 
  3. The legal and justice system of this world is based on bullet 4 above. Why would the cosmic order also not be of the same nature? In fact any sort of order can be established anywhere based on the chain of action-reaction. Besides how else can one explain such contradicting occurrences of bad things happening to good people and vice versa. 
  4. Life comes from life. Bullet 5 and 6 above enunciates this point. Our daily experience of ourselves, and nature is enough evidence to prove this. Children are not born from dead mothers. Plants do not grow from rocks but from other seeds potential of growth. In other words, one living being gives birth to another. There is abundant evidence to prove this and none to the contrary. So in that sense this gigantic creation within which we exist has to come from an equally if not greater gigantic living being who is all powerful. 
  5. In order to test bullets 6 and 7 which states that Krishna is our father/mother and that we have to return to Him can be tested by merely following the standard of simple living/high thinking and chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra everyday.
Krishna Consciousness is not dogma. There is so much evidence around us and within us to categorically verify the truths as enunciated in the Bhagavad Gita. Only a stubborn lazy and short sighted individual will deny these laws of nature. By studying the Gita and living it with determination and patience, there is no doubt that one can directly experience a higher spiritual platform of life and eventually come in contact with Krishna. 

Hare Krishna

Remembering Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology (IFAST), Silver Springs, Maryland, May 31
Giriraj Swami

BTS“I asked Purusa-sukta Prabhu whether he had ever discussed with Bhakti Tirtha Swami what his mood was while chanting japa. Bhakti Tirtha Swami had told him, ‘I always like to chant near Srila Prabhupada’s vyasasana, and my prayer is that he will kick me in the head with his lotus feet.’ That was Bhakti Tirtha Swami’s mood: ‘My dear spiritual master, whatever it takes to make me a better instrument of your will, whatever it takes to make me a better servant of the devotees and the public, please do it. If you have to kick me in the head to wake me up, do whatever it takes.’ That was his mood. So I think I am going to go upstairs to Maharaja’s room and pray for two kicks: one from Srila Prabhupada and one from Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaja.” — Giriraj Swami

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Giriraj Swami
Rtadhvaja Swami

We Have A Super-Excellent Process
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda The Following Lecture On Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.14 Was Given By His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami In Iskcon Ujjain, India. tam imaṁ te pravakṣyāmi yam avocaṁ purānaghe ṛṣīṇāṁ śrotu-kāmānāṁ yogaṁ sarvāṅga-naipuṇam  Word for word: tam imam — that very; te — to you; pravakṣyāmi —(...)

Ravi Gupta On Bhaktivedanta College
→ ISKCON News

Radhika Ramana Dasa (Ravi M. Gupta) is an internationally known Vaishnava scholar who has been on the faculty of Bhaktivedanta College since it opened, in 2002. He teaches Sanskrit and a module on Jiva Goswami's Sad-sandharbhas. He holds the Charles Redd Chair of Religious Studies at Utah State University.

Isn’t violence against women in India, as in the Badaun rape case, caused more by the casteist society and not by the obscenity in the culture?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Paul John:

I read your article on the Delhi gang-rape and though well-written, I found it somewhat simplistic in its analysis of the cause of rape. In the UP rape case, the cause is clearly discriminatory Indian caste system that commodifies women who are meant to be honored or dishonored.

Answer Podcast

Sunday, June 1st, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Fernie, British Columbia

35 Krishna Marks

It was our second night for outdoor camping, courtesy of Theresa.  Her front yard made a perfect base for the afternoon and evening.  She shared with us the various visitors at her property.  They include, deer, elk, cougar, and grizzly bears, just to name the big ones.  One night, she found that her chicken pen was almost completely cleared out by a couple of hungry grizzlies.  I guess you could say that certain types of drop in entities are not always welcome.  For our comfort, opening up her home to four grown men, is nothing short of kind, and it’s this kindness that always makes a long travel most pleasant.

Michael has been taking a lot of footage on his camera for an upcoming documentary he plans which is meant for promoting walking as meditation.  A lot of the shooting is taking place along the Elk River.  Having a river by your side as a walker is like having a cheerleader to prod you on.  And when you have a camera man along with you, it’s double cheers.  We may not have the Ganges here, but in Canada we have plenty of clean streams that energize all that are in close proximity to it.  I happen to be the blessed recipient who’s trailing along the Elk River. 

And being exposed to the road, whether on or off camera, brings the attention of many weekenders who are returning home for a new week’s routine.  One couple I know from Calgary, Aurelius and Callie, spotted me and pulled over to join in the last phase of the trek today.  It’s great to have companions like the river and people.  This couple is excellent at preparing tinctures, but the one Aurelius gave me, all packaged perfectly, good for hair, skin and teeth, is a tincture made from the plant horsetail.  Here again is a gesture of kindness, or if we could use the term, good social intercourse.  

May the Source be with you!

35 KM

Bulgarian Tour 2014 with Vaiyasaki Das & the Kirtan Explosion Band (Album 140 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Vaiyasaki Das & the Kirtan Explosion Band: We didn't have time to catch our breath during a blissful kirtan-packed tour throughout beautiful Bulgaria. Our tour took us to Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Blagoevrad, and Pernik, for 15 kirtans in two weeks. We were also interviewed in a radio station, and made beautiful friends all over the country. "The holy name of Krishna is a transcendental wish-fulfilling gem. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krishna Himself. It is the personification of divine mellow and the fountainhead of all pleasure. The holy name of Krishna is eternally liberated and spiritual. This is because the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are non-different." -Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.223 Read more ›

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ June 2, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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He who renounces all the opulences of his household life, who leaves his wife, children and other relatives and friends decorated with good qualities, who ignores the great respect everyone offers to him, who renounces the duties of ordinary piety, who does not become even slightly softened at heart by the repeated protests of mother, father, and other superiors, and who goes to Vrndavana, is proclaimed by all to be the most fortunate of all fortunate persons.

Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-52, Translation.]

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Bhaktivedanta Academy Father’s Day 2014, Alachua, USA (Album 100 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Bhaktivedanta Academy is a Montessori school rooted in the rich spiritual traditions and culture of ancient India. Our founder and namesake, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, believed that children who are given a well-rounded education that includes a foundation in the practices of bhakti, or devotion to God, will be fully prepared to make lasting and meaningful contributions to our world. He had a vision for a truly twenty-first century education, which we offer. Read more ›

New Vrindaban Hosts a Staged Reading of the Ramayana Musical
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

The Ramayana –A Staged Reading of the Musical by Krpamaya das (John Sherwood)

written by Lilasuka dasi

The Ramayana –

A Staged Reading of the Musical by Krpamaya (John Sherwood)

By Lilasuka dasi

What is a “staged reading”, you may ask? On Sat. Apr. 26, many of us witnessed a staged reading and learned that it is a play or musical which is read, spoken and sung by the cast, with the purpose of getting valuable feedback from the audience to help in the ultimate production of the play.

Jaya Rama Sri Rama Bhajan

Jaya Rama Sri Rama Bhajan

The staged reading was orchestrated by Krpamaya das (John Sherwood), a long-time resident Vaisnava at New Vrindaban, who has had this grand musical performance of the “Ramayana – Past in Present” inside his mind for many years, and it is finally well on its way to becoming a dream come true. Krpamaya das is an excellent guitarist and pianist, as well as a singer and all-round musician.   He is a father and grandfather, who recently went back to school at West Liberty University, majoring in music and theater. Some of his fellow students agreed to participate in the staged reading, skillfully reading the parts of the characters Rama, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman, Ravana, his queen, Jatayu, Kaikeyi, King Dasarath and Vibhishan, and doing a lot of expert singing.

Ramayana Staged Reading Cast

Ramayana Staged Reading Cast

Krpamaya has said, “I hope to integrate my skills in presenting Krsna Consciousness through the performing arts.”

Michael Aulick, a theater director at West Liberty University, and one of Krpamaya’s professors, collaborated very strongly with him through the whole process and was present at the staged reading, directing and encouraging the cast. “I couldn’t have done this without Mike,” declared Krpamaya.

The Audience is Impressed

The Audience is Impressed

The feedback seemed to be genuinely appreciated by the devotees and guests in the audience, as well as the cast members from West Liberty University. They were all very pleased with the results. “The Ramayana-Past in Present” had taken on a life of its own.

The Happy Producer and Composer, Krpamaya

The Happy Producer and Composer, Krpamaya

Devotion is deepened, not depleted, by distribution!
→ Dandavats.com

When donors give money to someone, their own reserve of money decreases. If they are religious, the knowledge that they have gained pious credits solaces them. Still, the sense of loss at the immediate, practical level may nag. Such nags are much lesser in charity of knowledge. Those who teach something to others often find their own understanding of that subject enhanced by teaching it. Still, if the possession of that knowledge is the qualification for some material position, then the transmission of that knowledge to another person may bring some insecurity: “What if this person usurps me?” Read more ›