Planet ISKCON

Social Studies TEKS require students to be able to understand and explain the different variety of land formations, and how they are formed.  Older students are required to give a historical background of famous landforms around America and locate them on a map.

This last project of the year was one of our most exciting!  We watched the Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan, and his Giant Family trekking through America, creating mountain ranges, canyons, rivers, and more!  We read books from the Library on canyons, valleys, mesas, peninsulas and more!

Yes, there were FOURTEEN different types of landforms that were studied, with a Landform Scavenger Hunt and an illustration book on all the Landforms.  Yellow Cards were placed all around the building, hidden behind doors and taped onto counters.  Students raced to find them, looking for answers to questions on the Landform sheets.

For the Landform end of Unit Project, they used silly string, construction paper, play dough, and clay to create a world of their own, complete with all the different types of Landforms and labeled.

Learning becomes concrete when they’re having fun!  All students aced the Landforms Test on 14 different types of Landforms at the end of the Unit.  Ask one of them the difference between a plain and a plateau is the next time you see them!

1964 May: "On the conclusion of the All Religious Conference held recently, nothing practical has come out of it for uniting the different faiths of the world. The practical solution is lying in the transcendental message of Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead as given by Him lately in the Bhagavad-gita."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64

1966 May 2:
"Trayodasi. Today I did not go out the whole day I was engaged with my typewriter. In the evening there was meeting only five gentlemen attended. Mr. Carl brought his Tape recorder the appearance gorgeous but action is very poor."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

"A cowboy, cooking beans somewhere in the desert at sunset, is remembering a mantra he received from his guru. He starts to sing it, and experiences pleasure, a spiritual bliss that gets him higher and higher, beyond time and space." http://redrockrishis.com.

Graham Hancock's "Quest For The Lost Civilization" (1998)

“Aha! I’ve got a name for our festival!” Citralekha Dasi called to ISKCON Communications Director Anuttama Das from her office across the hall. And she told him what it was. He grinned. “It’s perfect." The first annual Festival of Inspiration, held in 2001, quickly lived up to its name. It put New Vrindaban, which had recently rejoined ISKCON, back on the map as an important place of pilgrimage for North American devotees.

Many communities around the world celebrated Earth Day this April 22^nd. But on Saturday April 19^th, several days early, They Call Us Friends -- a non-profit organization run by ISKCON devotees -- staged its own Earth Day event at Atlanta’s Historic Fourth Ward Park for the first time.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjXRr15h

The post Pictures of Kecskemet harinama and Szeged town fair appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

On the day of Aksaya Tritiya in Vrindavan, all large Goswami Temple Deities are covered with chandan Paste and not a bit of cloth used to cover the deities in the afternoon. The festival is also celebrated in our ISKCON Vrindavan temple and it usually continues for 21 days with the Utsava Vigrahas covered in chandan. The Deities are covered completely with chandan (sandalwood paste), which provides the Lord relief from the scorching heat of summer in the month of Vaisakha/Jyestha (May/June). [ Photo courtesy : iskconvrindavan.com] Read more ›

The UK Hare Krishna Festival team coordinated a hugely successful event at the University of Essex in Colchester. With the support of a devotee run local Student Society, Bhaktivedanta Manor and Food for All, over 180 people had an evening to remember. From the widely diverse audience of students and public - young and old, from English Buddhists to Lebanese Muslims - everyone deeply appreciated the music, dance, philosophy and Prasad. The local Mayor and other dignitaries also attended and spoke very favourably of the devotees' contribution to the community. Read more ›

"He who thinks that the living entity is the slayer or that he is slain does not understand. One who is in knowledge knows that the self slays not nor is slain."  [Bg. 2.19]

“For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.”  [Bg. 2.20]

So, in different ways, Krsna is trying to convince us how the soul is immortal. Different ways. Ya enam vetti hantaram [Bg. 2.19]. When there is fight, so if one is killed or... So Krsna says that if one thinks that "This man has killed this man," so, or "This man can kill this man," this kind of knowledge is not perfect. Nobody kills nobody. Then the butchers, they may say that "Then why do you complain that we are killing?" They're killing the body, but you cannot kill when there is injunction "Thou shall not kill." That means you cannot kill the body even without sanction. You cannot kill. Although the soul is not killed, the body is killed, still you cannot kill the body without sanction. That is sinful. For example, that a man is living in some apartment. So some way or other you drive him away from that, illegally, you drive him away. So the man will go out and will take shelter somewhere. That's a fact. But because you have driven him away from his bona fide position, you are criminal. You cannot say, "Although I have driven away, he'll get some place." No. That's all right, but you have no power to drive him away. He was in his legal position to live in that apartment, and because you have forcibly driven him away you are criminal, you should be punished.

"Dogs And Cats Don't Need Freud"

73/08/25 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.19-20

Chanting Hare Krishna with the musical arrangement of a symphonic orchestration. Read more ›

With Vaisesika Prabhu. Read more ›

Material affairs have been compared to an ocean of poison. They have been described in a similar way by Srila Narottama dasa thakura in one of his songs: samsara-visanale, diva-niSi hiya jvale, judaite na kainu upaya "My heart is always burning in the fire of material existence. and I have made no provisions for getting out of it." golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmila kene taya "The only remedy is hari-nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, which is imported from the spiritual world, Goloka Vrndavana. How unfortunate I am that I have no attraction for this." (Srimad Bhagavatam——5:1:22——-purport). Read more ›

With Romapada Swami Read more ›

Srila Prabhupada’s most cherished dream for Sridham Mayapur was his bold vision for the Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. He envisioned a beautiful temple, which would bring people from all over the world to the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He also wanted the temple to be a Vedic Planetarium, which would present the universe according to the Srimad Bhagavatam, the essence of all Vedic literature and Vedantic philosophy. The Vedic Planetarium would directly challenge the accepted modern version of the universe, and establish the legitimacy of the Vedic version, as well as using science to counteract the prevalence of modern atheism. Srila Prabhupada proposed to exhibit the universe in an exposition, which would take the viewer on a journey through the material cosmos to the spiritual world; all according to the descriptions found in Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada wanted these exhibits as well as a beautiful temple housed in a specially built domed building. The temple would also house the Institute of Vedic Cosmology which would continue research into, and discussion of the Vedic account of the universe. Read more ›

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Radhadesh Mellows 2014. Morninglecture by Kadamba Kanana Swami

It is said, ‘tada rajas­tamo­ bhavah kama­lobhadayas ca ye.’ When one is afflicted with the base material modes of nature, namely rajo­guna and tamo­guna, then he becomes greedy and lusty. So ethics require to get out of the clutches of greediness and lusty desires. Then he comes to the platform of goodness, which will help him to go to the platform of spiritual life.

Dialectic Spiritualism: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy(Prabhupada Books, 1985), conversation about Socrates

Lacrosse, Florida

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction message and I will be happy to make you a member:

rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot com

ys

Rasa Rasika dasa

The Melbourne temple devotees go out on regular harinama downtown and to various suburbs.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 October 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.14)

It is said that when the yugas are changing, that first there is a sandhya or a joint period. So the first part of the Kali yuga is also the sandhya – the joint period – and it is within that sandhya that the Golden Age of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will begin. It is within that sandhya that there will be a ten thousand year period where the Golden Age would be manifested, as described in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana.  It is said that in this age, all the people would be purified by the harinam sankirtan and there will be no longer different varnas, different classes of men, as there will be eka varna hari bhakta – there will be only one class of men, devotees of the Lord.

So basically, sometimes we think when the Golden Age comes, then (speaking in a formal voice) Krsna consciousness will become the predominant world religion. In every country, people will be wearing tilak and on every corner, instead of churches and mosques, there will be temples and everyone will pray in Krsna temples. I don’t know… is it going to be like that or is it going to be even more transcendental, is it going to be eka varna hari bhakta – is it going to be totally ecstatic!

Is it just like when someone in the morning walks out of the house with the mrdanga, and someone else sees that, ‘Hey, what’s that?’ and he grabs the karatals and suddenly spontaneously harinam begins. Others see the harinam and think, ‘Wait a minute, we have a ratha cart!’ and they bring a ratha cart out. Then someone else sees that, ‘Look at that, a ratha yatra! Ok! Let’s start cooking!’ And before you know it, pakoras are coming! Like that, the whole thing is just happening and the whole town of Melbourne is just getting into it. The demigods are adjusting the weather and everything is perfect and so beautiful and then you see children rolling in Melbourne Park in ecstasy, with hairs standing on end!

Why not? All these things are possible; we have no idea what this Golden Age will be like, that’s really my point – I am just thinking of how it could be! And probably, most likely, it is going to be something even more extraordinary than all of us can think of together. That Golden Age will be something and it has already started, it is already happening, the mercy is already penetrating everywhere! Now, we laugh at Kali yuga, as it is already defeated!

 

Often times, when things go sour in a relationship or if a loved one dies suddenly, we need what is called closure. Closure is sort of a mental appeasement where the aggrieved has some final goodbyes before the curtain is drawn. In tragic deaths such as the Malaysian airline crash recently, friends and relatives did not have that final goodbyes or the knowledge about the final times of the deceased. This lack of closure can cause intense pain and agony. When we lose someone in a tragic death in an untimely manner, it is very hard to move forward.

In Krishna consciousness, we are trained to practice closure at all times. In other words, we are mentally exposed to the idea of the temporary nature of this world. The fact that something will close at any moment (padam padam yad vipadam na tesham) is a fact of life and not a surprise. Closure is simply a matter of "when" and not "if". One may argue this is a morbid or pessimistic approach to life but actually this is reality or truth. In fact the insurance companies and other emergency service industries work on this model - to always be alert for the inevitable.

Similarly, Krishna urges all of us to be alert to this danger of transience. In this transitory mood, we will naturally cultivate inner detachment and equanimity of mind and when disaster thus presents itself, we are mentally equipped to do the needful and move on!

Hare Krishna

Our students became Book Detectives, with briefcases, detective glasses and paperwork in hand to investigate the books they were studying.

Turning a generic “Book Report” into an “Investigative Report” did miracles to their motivation in writing about what they read!  When the clock hit 2 PM, they would automatically pull out their ‘briefcases’, put on their glasses, grab their books and pencils and begin filling out their Reports!

The Line Up card asked for identifying the main characters in the story.    They fill out the “Line-Up Card” – describing the characters in the story.  The “Evidence” and “Witness Report” asked for students to identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story.  Other reports required students to compare and contrast two or more characters, as well as acknowledge differing points of view of the characters.

Motivating a young child to write is a big challenge any teacher.  Using this package gave such purpose to my little writers.  I recommend them for every class.  You can find it here.

Pure love for Krishna is devoid of  knowledge (gnana) and austerity (vairagya). Residents of Vrindavan do not possess vedantic knowledge and or practice austerities. Pure love for God transcends all that. It is the final destination. It is compared to a boatman who uses his boat and oar to cross the river to get to land on the other side. But once he reaches land, he abandons the boat and oar for there is no need for them. However, if he chooses to carry, then the boat and oar becomes a burden.

Similarly in the realm of pure love of God, knowledge and austerity is like the boat and oar, it is used to cross the river (Viraja) from material shores to spiritual (Vaikunta). Once we reach Vaikunta shore, we give up the boat of knowledge and oar of austerity and simply engage in loving devotional service to the Lord. Otherwise knowledge and austerity will become a burden and drag us back to the material shores. This burden is felt as pride and anxiety especially when our knowledge is questioned and austerity tested. Sometimes i feel the burden!

Hare Krishna

Amazing results were achieved in many preaching projects and activities of Iskcon around the world! Read more ›

Last month after being asked to give class I spent time studying at the time I was asked if it was possible to comment on the words of Srila Rupa Gosvami regarding dhakti, sadly before giving class my glasses broke and I was unable to read my notes and didn’t cover it. One of the notation’s from Srila Prabhupada was as follows:

The exclusive nature of devotional service has also been described by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11):

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

“When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Krishna favorably, as Krishna desires.”

Pure devotees are so exclusive in their intent to serve the Supreme Lord without any reward that they do not accept any kind of liberation, even though it may be offered by the Supreme Lord. This is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.29.13).

There is also something called “mixed bhakti,” which occurs before the stage of pure devotional service. It is sometimes called prākṛta-bhakti, or devotional service mixed with material desires. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “When one has even a tinge of personal interest, his devotion is mixed with the three modes of material nature” (Bhāg. 3.29.9, purport). Thus mixed devotion can occur in various combinations within the modes of ignorance, passion, and goodness. Śrīla Prabhupāda elaborately explains mixed devotion as follows:

Devotional service in the modes of ignorance, passion, and goodness can be divided into eighty-one categories. There are different devotional activities, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, offering prayers, rendering service, and surrendering everything, and each of them can be divided into three categories. There is hearing in the mode of passion, in the mode of ignorance, and in the mode of goodness. Similarly, there is chanting in the mode of ignorance, passion, and goodness, etc…. One has to transcend all such mixed materialistic devotional service in order to reach the standard of pure devotional service. [Bhāg. 3.29.10, purport]

One kind of mixed devotional service is known as jñāna-miśra-bhakti, or devotional service mixed with empiric knowledge. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “People in general, who are under the influence of avidyā-śakti, or māyā, have neither knowledge nor devotion. But when a person who is a little advanced and is therefore called a jñānī advances even more, he is in the category of a jñāna-miśra-bhakta, or a devotee whose love is mixed with empiric knowledge” (Bhāg. 4.9.16, purport).

Narada Bhakta Sutra 1.9

Over the time I’ve heard of individuals who have left the movement because of problems with devotee’s or quote some incident regarding a devotee or group of devotee’s as a reason to ridicule the movement.

I’ve been pondering this term prak ta-bhakti or service mixed with material desire and how Srila Prabhupada notes how this is devotion mixed by one of the three modes of material nature, my thought is what we see and note is the symptoms of our material conditioning.

We try our best but as we chose this material body we remain under the influence of material nature and thus this influence manifests itself when it comes to our seva. But we are trying to break free from Maya’s clutches and so the greatest privilege is being engaged in devotional seva.

Krishna and the devotee’s are so kind that they engage us nicely and accept what little we have to offer eventually down to this steady engagement we become less influenced by material nature.

In the mean time because of the conditioning our seva may not always be what it should be but I’m sure like me you hope those who see your efforts appreciate this and overlook our weaknesses and failings whilst forgiving any offences.

It occurred to me how kind Krishna and the devotee’s are not expecting us to be pure before doing seva.

It also reminded me that if we want others to show and appreciate our efforts we also have to change our mentality or should I say I have to change, rather than seeing faults seeing the beauty in the seva being done.

It reminded me of the fly and bee analogues and how we need to develop this bee mentality, for in a rubbish dump the bee would only see the one small flower and ignore the rest, whilst the fly even in a beautiful garden will only see the small stool in the garden.

Yes at times we see or hear of event’s when devotees have not quite conducted themselves correctly I know I’m guilty of this but then I’m trying to break free from my material conditioning. As so are many who come into the devotee society so there will at times be difficulty

And this is were we get to develop our compassion for the fallen conditioned soul, we can learn forgiveness and learn to appreciate the beauty of each small act of devotional service.

This was my thoughts whilst reading on this subject but as always what’s your thought’s?
1 May 2014 17:40:44

English/Turkish.

The post Lord Caitanya, the One who revealed relationships with Krsna beyond that of servitude (Part 1) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Special Day Meditation Podcast

Special Day Meditation Podcast

Special Day Meditation Podcast

The recent video we published showed artk and treats being offered to the cows. After the ceremony, Gourangi and the rest of the cows were let out on pasture. As you know, Gourangi has been having trouble with arthritis in her legs. She kept up with the herd as they went out on pasture although she was moving very slowly. The video even shows her receiving a treat while on pasture.

A few days ago, we found her sitting in the lower pasture unable to get up. We knew we had to move her as there are coyotes in the woods. This slideshow shows how we moved her and how she is now staying in  the old cow shelter that was built last year. Indraneela and Anasuya (the two calves rescued from the auction barn last fall) are keeping her company. They can be seen snuggling with her. Since Indraneela and Anasuya were taken from their mothers at an early age, we think they perceive Gourangi as a mother figure.  

Gourangi is 19 years old which would make her 95 years old in human years.She has not been able to get up and is becoming weaker.She is listening to Srila Prabhupada chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and singing bhajans. She has received dust from Govardhan Hill in Vrindavan, India. If you could please join us in praying for her. Thank you.

From Gopi Vallabhi Devi Dasi

Answer Podcast

We are glad to present this old footage of HH Mahavishnu Swami, preaching at the university of Swansea in 1997. This was at one of the festivals of Tribhuvanatha Prabhu, one of Mahaivshnu Swami's close friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBktsg9SCbw


Mahavishnu Swami Lecture+Kirtan | University, Swansea, October 1997

Mahavishnu Swami giving a Lecture and chanting Hare Krishna Kirtan at a University Hall Programme in Swansea, Wales, around Mid-October 1997 Continue reading →