Wednesday, February 19th, 2014
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Two Gals!

Mayapura, India
 
Lakshmipriya ! and Vishnupriya !  These are two names of two elephants that have their own campus complete with several acres of space which include a variety of trees.  They have their own tank for a bath and lots of dust from the ground for relieving themselves from heat.  Dust is something they generously help themselves with by the use of their trunks.
 
A small contingent of us Canadians, on foot, went to check them out.  It was dawn and they were nurturing each other (with their trunks once again).  Keshava who was with us from Toronto expressed his love for the mammals.  "Since I was a kid they were my favourite animal".  He also went onto to say that they were a matriarchal dominant species.  They lead the herd while the bulls are out doing other things.  "I guess he meant mating."
 
One thing I had picked up sometime in the past is that the male's reproductive organ can weight put to 50 pounds, so I have heard about the herd.  Perhaps its in reference to African Elephants, I'm no Elephant guru, I admit.  In Vedic context the famous elephant Airavata who carries the demigod Indra.  Gajendra is another hero, a bull who enjoyed in the water with his lady Elephant friends when a crocodile came to attack him. He struggled in that water trying to free his leg from the clamped down jaws of the reptile.
 
They say Elephants are smart.  This one - Gejendra was moved to prayer and eventually got liberated with Vishnu's help.  Vishnupriya, the name of the one of the Elephants we were looking at means "the one who's dear to Vishnu."
 
Of course, there is Ganesh, adorably known throughout the world as the remover of obstacles on the path of devotion.  In other words he's good luck!
 
It was a terrific walk seeing the two lovely ladies in their big, big bodies - worth the walk.
 
May the Source be with your!
 
6 KM

Tuesday, February 18th, 2014
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Packed

Mayapura, India
 
I share a small room with two other people 20 and 35 years my junior. We get along.  We are working together on the drama project, so there some commonality there.  One of the follows is married.  The other is hoping to be.  We even tolerate each others snoring.
 
Mayapura is full with pilgrims.  We share a room not necessarily out of choice.  Its OK! As I said, I get along with my company, at least during our sleeping and shower time.
 
When its breakfast and lunch I meet with the other pilgrims who come from all over the world: China, South America, UK, Germany, USA, Canada, Austrailia, Bali, Thailand, etc.  I minimize time on eating and go from table to table to meet everyone, in fact I can't get around to everyone.  There are eight hundred people sitting and enjoying the meal.  The luncheon room at the ISKCON Leaders Sanga, ILS, is just huge.  My reason average one minute of time per table is greeting.
 
This 'greeting' is a segue into the seminar I attended on the world famous Krishna Love Feast.  The reason for this seminar was to step-up the quality presentation at these feast that have attracted people for decades.
 
One of the main thrusts towards improving the Sunday Krishna Love Feast is in the warm greetings.  In some places the program tends to be lagging behind, to that we might celebrate the phrase, "if you are looking for a breakthrough, try breaking your routine!"
 
Its all about people, isn't it?  And India if full of them, one billion.  Things can be tight in a country full of people.  Its a great place to learn tolerance.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
5 KM

Monday, February 17th, 2014
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Where It Started              

Mayapura, India
 
Srivas Angan is the birth place of kirtan in the modern age. The home of someone by the name of Srivas Thakur is the location where just over five hundred years ago ecstatic chanting occurred. But it was not until four and a half centuries later that kirtan made significant inroads to the world outside south-east-Asia.
 
This afternoon a group of perhaps just over 150 people processioned to this place. The people- where did they come from? They hail from all over the world just as one of the saints Bhaktivinode predicted that Americans, Russians, Germans and more would converge at this sacred place and give glory to the one responsible for birthing the sankirtan chanting movement. That person was Sri Chaitanya.
 
It was an uplifting rhythm trek with kirtan that brought us to the Angan. This is the real way to execute pilgrimage, with song. I had the honor to lead the chanting on the way over but had to leave at some point, only to be somewhat annoyed. The traffic is aggressive here. Trucks, cars, scooters and bicycles rule the Bhaktisiddhanta Marg, the road with a width of an average North American driveway.
 
What will this mean ten years from now, in terms of traffic congestion?
 
I met my dear spiritual sister, Sishaka, on my return walk. She is an avid walker and cyclist. She expressed some concern about the energy of traffic on this pilgrimage trail.
 
As India gets more and more modernized and her national pride continues to surge while trying to catch up with the rest of the world, it might be smart to look at safe traveling trails.
 
What made the procession different  was the police escorts. In their presence there was traffic control. I love the police for this reason. They were backing the Pilgrimage and that's commendable.
 
May The Source Be With You!
 
5 KM

BECOME A TRUSTED GUIDE
→ Gita Coaching

BECOME A TRUSTED GUIDE By Akrura dasa "Thank you for your excellent e-book. I found many jewels inside." - Sacinandana Swami TABLE OF CONTENTS YOUR NEW ROLE HOW TO BECOME A TRUSTED GUIDE FOR LIFE? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SHOW TO PEOPLE? WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT YOU? IT'S OUR ORIGINAL NATURE – THAT'S WHY WE WANT IT HOW CAN PEOPLE GET CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL? CONTACT Becoming

How do I get to Mayapur?!
→ Mayapur.com

Hope you are getting ready for your visit to Mayapur for the Gaura Purnima 2014 festival. Gauranga Travels, ISKCON Mayapur’s travel department is happy to welcome all the devotees worldwide to Sri Mayapur dhama for Gaura Purnima festival in Sri Mayapur dhama. Gauranga Travels is ISKCON Mayapur temple owned cab services. For your safety and […]

The post How do I get to Mayapur?! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISKCON Leadership Sanga
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Around 800 devotees gathered in Mayapur to attaned the annual ISKCON Leadership Sanga The 2014 ISKCON Leadership Sanga (ILS) was inaugurated on Sunday, February 16, 2014 in Sridham Mayapur.  During and after the morning program, crowds of devotees could be seen registering for the event whereupon each attendee was given a reusable jute bag packed […]

The post ISKCON Leadership Sanga appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Giriraj Swami’s dream about the recently departed Ram Prasad Dasa (ACBSP)
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Giriraj Swami: The night Ram Prasad (ACBSP) left this world, he appeared in my dream. Entering his room and seeing him so ill on his bed, I embraced him, and he embraced me back, and we both shed tears of love. Then he suddenly jumped out of bed and said, “I want to go for a ride – with you.” We got into a big vehicle, him in the driver’s seat and me in the passenger’s seat, and he drove us in the early hours of the morning, until the sun was bright in the clear sky. Read more ›

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental “Throwback Thursday” – 02/20/14.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

NV TBT 02-06-14

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental “Throwback Thursday” – 02/20/14.

Each week we highlight an earlier era of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

This week’s challenge: There are nine devotees in the photo. Who can correctly identify them all?

Post your guesses on the “who, what, when & where” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.

Technical stuff: We share the 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.

Yukta Vairgya and the Gas Drilling Contract
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

varsanaswami

Yukta Vairgya and the Gas Drilling Contract

By Varsana Swami

BACKGROUND

When New Vrindaban was founded in 1968, Srila Prabhupada intended that the devotees would live off the land.  My suggestion for the proper spiritual dynamic is that some of the funds obtained from the land should be re-invested back into the land in order to maintain, protect, and revive her.  This includes roads, dams, firewood, water, food production, soil conservation, forest management, and watershed management.  It also includes making restitution for neglect that has occurred.

The dynamic in New Vrindaban since the mid-1970’s is that we are not putting financial funds and other resources back into the land, at least from a conservation point of view.  The justification is that there is not enough money.

An industrial enterprise is exploitive if it takes more from the earth than it gives back.  The gas drilling industry is an exploitive industrial enterprise.

By definition, any exploitive enterprise is unsustainable and contributes to the culture of death and toxicity.  The consequences of exploitive industrial enterprises are the deterioration of the social and domestic order, quality of relationships, and state of our individual and collective consciousness.

We create our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.  The gas contracts are just the most recent and dramatic example of taking from the land for financial purposes.

At this point, our individual and collective dependence on fossil fuel and technology is so entrenched into our daily lives that most of us could not live without them.  Still, there is denial about this addiction.

This history of exploiting the land without restitution has made most of us so addicted to and dependent upon fossil fuels, that it could be viewed as hypocritical to now refuse on philosophical and moral grounds to derive some benefit from the drilling.

QUESTION PRESENTED

Srila Prabhupada was against mining and drilling for fossil fuels in or around the dham.  The issue is whether ISKCON New Vindaban can justify signing a gas drilling contract by setting aside a pre-determined percentage or amount of the proceeds to maintain, protect, and revive the land?

SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE: YUKTA VAIRAGYA

I am not for or against signing the gas drilling contract.  My opinion would be based on the understanding, intent and plan regarding what to do with the proceeds.  Specifically, my opinion would be based on what ISKCON New Vrindaban will do in order to merit Lord Krsna’s qualification for yukta vairagya.

Yukta vairagya means that assets that can be utilized in Krsna’s service should not be rejected or neglected by considering them to be mundane.  Yukta vairagya is one of the most frequently misapplied principles of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.  Yukta vairagya is misapplied because we have a conditioned propensity to mistake what is necessary for Krsna’s service with services we are inclined to offer with mixed motives, including our own comfort and convenience.

Proper application of yukta vairagya has three elements: (1) detachment from the asset, (2) realization regarding the tainted nature of the asset, and (3) a strategy to become free from the asset.  Each of these three elements will be discussed below:

1. Detachment from the asset

Due to our conditioning, we have the propensity to mistake what is necessary for Krsna’s service with that which is simply for our own comfort and convenience.  In order to determine whether the services rendered by use of a tainted asset will be pleasing enough to Krsna to justify its use, a person either must be sufficiently free from personal motives or else must accept guidance from someone who has sufficient detachment.

2. Realization regarding the tainted nature of the asset

When an asset is accepted from a non-devotee or a mixed devotee, the asset is infected with the modes of material nature.  Contact with the infected object creates the tendency to use the object for name and fame, which clouds the user’s discrimination between Krsna’s pleasure and our own pleasure.

3. Strategy to become free from the asset

Laxmi is wealth in land, cows, oxen, grains, and other sattvic assets.  It is real opulence.  It is wealth in the mode of goodness, which has duration and an uplifting influence.  Laxmi’s influence is to draw us to the altar of sacrifice with a clear vision of Krsna’s pleasure.

Chanchala means wealth tainted with passion and ignorance.  It is fleeting and cheap, it doesn’t stay with you.  The influence of chanchala is to draw us towards investment in our own pleasure and into a realm where our offerings to Krsna are tainted with our own personal interest.

If you use chanchala, you must have a strategy to become free from it. Otherwise, you will become more entangled by it.  The strategy is to invest chanchala in something that will stay with you – land, grains, and cows.

Proper application of the yukta vairagya principle is demonstrated in CC Antya-lila chapter 6 in Lord Caitanya’s dealings with Raghunath das Goswami.  Raghunath das Goswami’s parents sent him a fortune for maintaining himself.  Initially, Raghunath das Goswami used this asset to prepare opulent meals for Lord Caitanya, which He accepted.

Raghunath das Goswami was detached enough to realize, however, that the income was infected with the mode of passion due to the donor’s consciousness. This infection leads to the misconception that devotees are dependent on materialists for the resources to perform their service.

Understanding that Lord Caitanya would not be pleased by a dependence on an infected source of income, Raghunath das Goswami weaned himself from that that infected source.  Lord Caitanya was pleased with that decision because when an offering is tainted with the donor’s consciousness, the recipient becomes infected by that same consciousness which clouds the perception about what is actually pleasing to Krsna.

Lord Caitanya demonstrated His pleasure with Raghunath das Goswami’s approach by gifting him with His two most treasured possessions, His Govardhan sila and His gunja mala.  These gifts represent shelter in the shade of Govardhan Hill, which is the essence and source of Vraja’s bounty; and refuge at the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, representing pure devotional service; and indicate that he would become the steward of Radha kunda in the region of Govardhan.

YUKTA VAIRAGYA AND THE GAS DRILLING CONTRACT

The gas drilling industry is an exploitive industrial enterprise.  It is unsustainable and contributes to the culture of death and toxicity.  All proceeds derived from gas drilling are chanchala, infected with the modes of passion and ignorance.  Anyone who accepts proceeds from gas drilling will be infected and his or her spiritual perception will be compromised unless and until the proceeds are purified.

Wealth, like everything else in this material world, is in need of purification.  The process for purification of wealth is giving a portion away in charity.  “Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness.”  Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 17.20.

Additional purification is offered by converting chanchala into laxmi.  Thus, one process for purifying the gas proceeds is to convert a portion of the proceeds into laxmi – land, cows, oxen, grains, and other sattvic assets.

Because Srila Prabhupada was against mining and drilling for fossil fuels in or around the dham, accepting proceeds from a gas drilling contract would be especially entangling.  All things can be used in Krsna’s service, but the service must be sufficiently pleasing to Him (as revealed through Srila Prabhupada’s instructions) to warrant the risk.

For our individual and collective protection, ISKCON New Vrindaban must have a strong case for yukta vairagya in the matter of the gas contract.  In order to qualify for yukta vairagya under my interpretation of the doctrine, three elements must exist: (1) detachment from the gas drilling proceeds, (2) realization regarding the tainted nature of the gas drilling proceeds, and (3) a strategy to become free from fossil fuels.  Each of these three elements will be discussed below:

1. Detachment from the gas drilling proceeds

Someone in a decision-making position must have sufficient detachment from the gas proceedings or accept guidance from someone who does have sufficient detachment.  This requires personal confession that we are individually and collectively helpless to overcome our addiction to the toxic effects of a plundering society in a world gone mad.

2. Realization regarding the tainted nature of the gas drilling proceeds

We must have realization regarding the current level of New Vrindaban’s dependence on fossil fuels.  With humility, we must demonstrate that we are sincerely endeavoring to empty ourselves of attitudes and actions which support the culture of death and obstruct the emergence of the culture of life and loving relationships.

3. A strategy to become free from fossil fuels

The first step to becoming individually and collectively free from fossil fuels is (a) sufficient investment of money and other resources in order to perform restitution to the land, and (b) to return at least one portion of New Vrindaban’s residents and land back to a healthy interdependence with nature’s resources in line with Srila Prabhupada’s vision and instructions.  Point (b) be discussed in the next section.

RETURNING AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF NEW VRINDABAN’S LAND BACK TO A HEALHTY INTERDEPENDENCE WITH NATURE’S RESOURCES IN LINE WITH SRILA PRABHUPADA’S VISION ND INSTRUCTIONS

Srila Prabhupada’s instructions for New Vrindaban clearly indicate his will for us to strive for independence from bondage to modern industry and technology.  At this stage, preliminary step towards that freedom might be returning at least one portion of New Vrindaban land to the basics of Srila Prabhupada’s vision of human society living in harmony with the eco-system.  This means returning to reliance on animal power and other renewable resources, i.e., wind mills.  This can be summed up in four words:  Plain living and high thinking.

In my opinion, in order to qualify for yukta vairagya, ISKCON New Vrindaban must commit a specific percentage or amount of the gas drilling proceeds along with at least one specific region of the dham, to a practical plan to return to the roots from which this community was inspired by the vision and instructions of Srila Prabhupada.

This plan must be developed before the contract is signed.  This plan must be clear, specific, aligned with Srila Prabhupada’s intent, have a timeline, and be properly funded.

In determining which portions of New Vrindaban land would be best suited for this service, there are eight factors to consider.  Each of those factors will be discussed below.

  1. Agricultural potential
    1. Fertility of the earth
    2. Irrigation
    3. Availability of manure
    4. Protection from wildlife – deer, birds, ground hogs, rabbits, raccoons
    5. Drainage
    6. Topography – size of the field, slope of the land
    7. Natural condition of the soil
  2. Srila Prabhupada’s personal investment: how much time Srila Prabhupada stayed at the site, his specific instructions for the site
  3. Historic significance – significance in New Vrindaban history and/or ISKCON history.
  4. Historic use  – agriculture, industry, education, temple worship, residential
  5. Social integration vs isolation – There are certain social fields within the dham within which devotees feel connected to the rest of the community.  Such fields exist primarily around the temple and Palace.  The further away from those fields, the less social energy is available.
  6. Current encroachment of technology:  Any region that is already free from technology has a better chance of staying free.  At the same time, any region that is already dependent on technology is going to have challenges in becoming free from it.
  7. Existing infrastructure for prospective residents
    1. Housing
    2. Barns
    3. Roads
    4. Sewage
    5. Water
    6. Electricity
  8. Other resources committed to the site.

There are five regions of New Vrindaban that could potentially return to a healthy interdependence with nature’s resources in line with Srila Prabhupada’s vision and instructions.  The five regions are Old Vrindavan, Madhuvan, Garden of Seven Gates, Bahulavan, and the bottom land adjacent to the Big Barn.  Each of the eight factors will be applied to these five regions:

  1. Old Vrindavan

a. Agricultural potential

  • Fertility of the earth – There is one three-acre field that was rejuvenated in the late 1980’s.  The soil was adequately built up with top soil and manure.  The soil could resume production with minimal preparation
  • Irrigation – A drip irrigation system was installed in the late 1980’s.  The irrigation pipe lines are still intact and connected to the Rainey well.  The logging company did some damage to the drip irrigation system but I am uncertain how much.
  • Availability of manure – Long haul from either barn
  • Protection from wildlife – A deer fence was installed in the late 1980’s.  The deer fence has suffered damage both from the logging company and the time factor   Either the fence must be re-built or a dog must take up residence along with the people.
  • Drainage – The entire area, including the agricultural field, drains well.
  • Topography – good
  • Natural condition of the soil – good

b. Srila Prabhupada’s personal investment

  • Srila Prabhupada spent more time in Old Vrindaban than in all the other sites in the community combined.
  • The residence in which he stayed is still there.
  • He planted the seed for entire New Vrindaban concept there.
  • He stated that even if no additional land could be acquired, Old Vrindavan would be adequate for his vision of agriculture and seven temples.

c. Historic significance

  • Srila Prabhupada planted the seed for his entire farm movement in Old Vrindavan.
  • This is the original ISKCON farm – the original temple, as well as residence for SP and the devotees.
  • Original residence of Radha Vrindavannath.

d. Historic use – agriculture and temple worship

e. Social integration vs isolation:  Old Vrindavan is isolated from the existing social networks.  The connection could be re-established in one of two ways.  First, devotees could take up residence there, which would be preferable.  Second, devotees could work there and have connections with the existing social networks.

f. Current encroachment of technology:  There is no current encroachment.  This is, however, a site for a future gas well.  The time spent fracking would not pose considerable detriment.  I am unclear, however, regarding the amount of surface activity after the fracking, so it might be a factor.

g. Existing infrastructure for prospective residents

  • Housing – The original farmhouse and temple is still in good condition.
  • Barns – The barn is in excellent condition
  • Roads – The majority of the work on the road is already done; it requires some maintenance and some gravel. The gas company would finish the road.
  • Sewage – none
  • Water – There is a pipe line to the Rainey well.  There are local springs and ponds. There is  one well dug by hand that could be cleaned and revitalized.
  • Electricity – The poles are in but the electric is down.

h. Other resources committed to the site – none

2. Madhuvan

a. Agricultural potential

  • Fertility of the earth – poor
  • Irrigation – none
  • Availability of manure – reasonable haul from either barn
  • Drainage – good
  • Topography – fair
  • Natural condition of the soil – poor

b. Srila Prabhupada’s personal investment:  Srila Prabhupada lived there for some days but his actual residence has been removed from the site.

c. Historic significance:  The first Prabhupada houses were there and Prabhupada expressed his pleasure at them.

d. Historic use – agriculture and temple worship

e. Social integration vs isolation:  It is on the outskirts of the social field, but connected.

f. Current encroachment of technology:  none

g. Existing infrastructure for prospective residents

  •  Housing – none
  • Barns – none
  • Roads – I renovated the old road last year.
  • Sewage – none
  • Water – one near-by spring and city water
  • Electricity – nearby on the road

h. Other resources committed to the site – There is an intention to create an eco-village at the site.  Fruit and nut trees have already been planted.

3. Garden of Seven Gates

a. Agricultural potential

  • Fertility of the earth – good
  • Irrigation – currently available
  • Availability of manure – reasonable haul from either barn
  • Drainage – fair
  • Topography – good
  • Natural condition of the soil – acceptable

b. Srila Prabhupada’s personal investment:  none

c. Historic significance:  none

d. Historic use – agriculture

e. Social integration vs isolation – integrated

f. Current encroachment of technology:  complete encroachment

g. Existing infrastructure for prospective residents

  • Housing – one earth-sheltered cabin under construction
  • Barns – none
  • Roads – good
  • Sewage – in place
  • Water – Rainey well and city water in place
  • Electricity – in place

h. Other resources committed to the site – I have heard that a new building will replace the current crumbling shed.

4. Bahulavan

a. Agricultural potential

  • Fertility of the earth – poor
  • Irrigation – none
  • Availability of manure – moderate haul from either barn
  • Drainage – acceptable
  • Topography – acceptable
  • Natural condition of the soil – poor

b. Srila Prabhupada’s personal investment:  This is the site of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavat Dharma discurses, and the 1972 Janmastami and Vyasa Puja celebrations when devotees came from all over to see Srila Prabhupada.

c. Historic significance

  • Many devotees took initiation there.
  • Original temple of Radha Vrindaban Chandra
  • One of the three original villages in New Vrindaban
  • Industrial hub for the development of New Vrindaban

d. Historic use – integration of agriculture, industrial, worship and residential

e. Social integration vs isolation – isolated

f. Current encroachment of technology:  high

g. Existing infrastructure for prospective residents

  • Housing – none
  • Barns – one rehabitable barn
  • Roads – good
  • Sewage – none
  • Water – city water in place; one near-by spring; and one well dug by hand that could be cleaned and revitalized
  • Electricity – in place

h. Other resources committed to the site – residence of heavy equipment; warehouse, mechanic/fabricating shop in operation; utility building

5. Bottom land adjacent to the Big Barn

a. Agricultural potential

  • Fertility of the earth – good
  • Irrigation – not in place, but absolutely required
  • Availability of manure – ideal location
  • Drainage – considerable sub-surface drainage is already installed
  • Topography – excellent
  • Natural condition of the soil – excellent

b. Srila Prabhupada’s personal investment:  none

c. Historic significance:  none

d. Historic use – major residence for the cows and for growing their feed

e. Social integration vs isolation – fairly integrated

f. Current encroachment of technology:  high

g. Existing infrastructure for prospective residents

  • Housing – no unoccupied housing
  • Barns – excellent
  • Roads – good
  • Sewage – minimal
  • Water – machine-drilled wells
  • Electricity – available

h. Other resources committed to the site – I am unaware of other resources

CONCLUSION

The gas drilling industry is an exploitive industrial enterprise.  Anyone who accepts proceeds from gas drilling will be infected with the modes of passion and ignorance unless he or she qualifies for yukta vairagya.

In order to qualify for yukta vairagya, ISKCON New Vrindaban must commit a specific percentage of the gas drilling proceeds along with at least one specific region of the dham, to a practical plan for living independently from fossil fuel.  This plan must be developed before the contract is signed.  This plan must be clear, specific, aligned with Srila Prabhupada’s intent, have a timeline, and be properly funded.

Regarding which regions of the dham could perform this service – My first choice is the Garden of Seven Gates because it lends itself highly to integration of the spiritual and agricultural.  My second choice is Old Vrindavan because of its historical and spiritual significance, and because of its simplicity.  My third choice is Madhuvan because resources are already committed to that location.

Free Speech
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We live in an overcommunicated world. Good etiquette insists we reply to all text messages within 10 minutes, be mindful of the mountain of emails building up in our inbox, and unfailingly return all ‘missed calls’ on our phones.

ISKCON Leadership Sanga
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The 2014 ISKCON Leadership Sanga was attended by around 1000 devotees from all the world.

This was the second time this event was organised and almost double the amount of devotees came from the first one. Also, whereas in the first Sanga there were 44 seminars, this time there were 88 presented.

The morning started with Kadamba Kanana Maharaja leading guru-puja to Srila Prabhupada on stage. That was followed by the GBC Chairman, Tamohara Prabhu, welcoming all the devotees to this year’s function. Gopal Bhatta, the Chairman of the strategic planning team, rounded out the morning with an outline of the events for the next 8 days.
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New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ February 19, 2014.
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01

If you leave Vrndavana, if you leave this forest of kalpa-vrksa trees and go to another forest, if you stop talking about the nectar of Vrndavana and take pleasure in other talks, then, knowingly throwing away the sweetest nectar, you desire to eat dog-stool.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-67 Translation.]

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Vedic Planetarium or …?
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 April 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture)

Question: Maharaj, can you say a few words on Prabhupada’s mission for the Vedic Planetarium?

vedic planetariumWell, Srila Prabhupada wanted to construct in Mayapur the temple that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur had predicted – a huge, large temple. In that temple, he wanted to make a model of the Vedic Planetarium according to Srimad Bhagavatam and he called it a Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

So what do we understand by that? Did Prabhupada particularly think that cosmology is very important for us? No, that is not the point. The point is that through this model of the universe which is so important to people, so intriguing to the world of science, something to explore – through that Vedic model, Prabhupada wanted to actually give Bhagavatam. Therefore, it is actually not the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, it is the Temple of the Bhagavatam.

It is the Bhagavatam that Prabhupada wanted to give to the people! What do we care about the moon? Whether the moon is made out of rocks like in Arizona or whether the moon is made out of green cheese, who cares? I don’t care! Couldn’t care less whether they went to the moon or not. Wish them well but why do we care about the moon! It is said:

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ
punar āvartino ‘rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate (Bhagavad-gita 8.16)

 

It means that all the planets within the universe are places of misery where repeated birth and death takes place. Thank you! Can we write-off the universe please, can we move to the next topic? Not interested in your universe, you can have it, the whole thing, please take it. I want the spiritual world! That was Prabhupada, that was Prabhupada… So, if you thought he was so interested in a planetarium – no!

His goal was that people who have interest in planetariums and the universe, would come to study it, look at it and be impressed; and with this trick, they would be pulled into the Bhagavatam. Then once they would read the facts about the universe from the Bhagavatam, then the rest of the Bhagavatam would follow and it would end with Krsna in the tenth canto, tasting his sweetness!

 

God is simultaneously identical with His creation and yet exists in His completeness
→ The Spiritual Scientist

We often say that God created this material world, and this means that God existed before the world. Since the Lord was existing before this material manifestation, He is not subject to this creation. If He were subject to the laws of the material world, how could He have created it? That the Lord is simultaneously identical with His creation and yet exists in His completeness apart from it is stated in Bhagavad-gita.

- Srila Prabhupada, Elevation to Krishna Consciousness : 1 - Choosing Human and Animal lives

Elevation to Krishna Consciousness