Planet ISKCON

Talk Podcast

Talk Podcast

INDIA acronym:

I – Internationalization

N – Non-discrimination

D – Development

I – Infrastructure

A – Appreciation

Talk Podcast

The boat festival marks the symbolic event occurred between Radha and Krishna before 5000 years at Rajghat in River Yamuna. The Gopis often carried the milk products from Vrindavana and sold at Mathura to earn their living. Srinivasa Acharya says, “Krishna started the boat festival from this Raj Ghat with the beautiful Radha and Her associates to cross the River carrying pots of milk products. See the amazingly beautiful face of Krishna. On the riverside remained Krishna on a worn out boat. Radha and Her associates urged to Krishna, “Please take us to the other side of River Yamuna.” Krishna rowed them down to some distance with great pleasure. Let us describe Krishna’s playful pastimes with them.” When the old boat floated in violent waters, the Gopis said, “You are troubling we young girls. O Madhava, You reap the seed of all troubles and You alone can make us cross this River.” Krishna said, “All food you carry will be drowned. Please throw away all you carry in water including your unwanted clothing.” Even at this dreadful moment, Krishna was cutting jokes at the Gopis and clapped hands showing no worries. The Gopis said, “We desperately throw water from the sinking boat with our bare hands. Even if we escape from here, we will not surrender to You.” Read more ›

Beautiful video depicting the love of the Gopis for Lord Krishna with classical music as background. Read more ›

The post April 21st, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

samsara-vriksha agha-bijam ananta-karma

shakha-yutam karana-patram ananga-pushpam

aruhya dukha-phalinam patitam dayalo

lakshmi-nrisimha mama dehi karavalambam

The tree of samsara, or material existence, is sprouted from the seed of sinful desire. The unlimited reactions to fruitive activities are its branches, the senses are its leaves and its flowers is Cupid’s attraction of sex desire. O merciful one, I climbed up this tree but I have only obtained the fruit of misery and am now fallen. O Lakshmi-Nrisimha, please bless me with the touch of Your lotus hands.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Mangala Arati of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, ISKCON Temple,Chowpatty,Mumbai;14th April. 2014

I will not leave the company of the saintly devotees. I will not speak to my old friends and relatives. I will not even show my face to them. I am intent on residing in Vrinda?vana.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, Sataka-2, Text-18, Translation.]

Please click hare for more photos

Yesterday in the Japa Room we heard a summary of the Alachua Japa Workshop with Mahatma dasa. He also talks with Badaharidas dasa and answers questions on the Japa workshop.
Emails subscribers please click the big blue link above to see the video.

Durban, South Africa

From Tent to Tent

I had paid a visit to the unsung heroes who are doing all the cooking outdoors for the hungry festival goers.  It’s impressive!  Just shy of the golden number 100, are these sizeable pots under fire that are burning and crackling away.  Beryani, a South African favourite, is on the boil for this second day at the Chariot Festival which is held at the old Durban drive in theatre.

Food is one of the major features of festivals.  Apart from the stage where our group brought down the house for the standing ovation performance of Little Big Ramayan, my like at the event is a tent called the Bhakti Cloud.  Here the youth organize presentations of various sorts.  On the program schedule, I’ve been dubbed as The Dance Master, so the expectation is for me to pull off a dance to the sound of half a dozen djembes. 

So much for being The Walking Monk.  Now there’s the expectation that I’m Fred Astaire.  Anyways, our half hour stint went well.  We got everyone up to dancing out and enacting the ten Avatars. 

Another highlight for me was an hour session given to talking at Tent A, about walking experiences.  I wasn’t sure that my Tails on Trails would carry an appeal, yet the tent filled up and interest in pilgrimage was generated.  My final word was actually a question, “How many of you anticipate to do more walking now that you hear how fun and freeing it is?”  The response was, “Lakker”, which in Afrikaans means, “Good”.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Durban, South Africa

Round and Around and Round We Go

The smart path for walking on the Chatsworth temple grounds is essentially a concrete walkway running as a concentric formation around the building.  If you were to look from the bird’s eye view, you might see a spot on the rim of a wheel circling about over and over again.  That spot would be a group of chanters moving constantly for at least an hour or more. 

I am one of several in that group that makes the spot.  Unofficially we have become by chance a japa team.  Our group began as one.  One became two.  Two became three and so on. 

Jabs from Pretoria joined us.  He is a relative new comer to Krishna Consciousness and bhakti yoga.  There are several paths leading to the temple which cross our walking path.  Jabs happened to be walking on one of those paths, he spotted our group and I nodded that he should join our japa walking team.  So I suggested to Jabs, which is short for Jambavan, “If you join us you just concentrate on the mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare .  You’ll be happy to know that while chanting at this time, and you keep with our pace, you’ll be going at 5 kilometres an hour.”  I implied to him that with chanting and walking simultaneously you get double mercy.  Jabs was sold on the idea and he joined our group as it grew and grew.  Everyone on board seemed to enjoy the power of joint chanting and joint walking.  In addition to there being a moat around the temple with a constant flow of H2O that hugs the edifice, it creates a very pleasant atmosphere.  It just so happens that Nelson Mandela had stepped and walked on our circular path more than once, giving our trail an extra significance. 

Congratulations to Jabs and other members of our South African based drama troupe who pulled off a great rendition of Big Fish Little Fish on the first day of the great festival.

May the Source be with you!

8 KM

Durban, South Africa

On Anger

SB 1.7.34

I was asked to give the class from Bhagavatam, SB 1.7.34.  This I did after a brisk walk.  Here are points we came up with on this interesting subject.

ANGER

1)      A product of passion
2)      It breeds bewilderment and blocks the brain
3)      It’s a beast that can be tamed
4)      An explosive that blows up in your face
5)      It’s what’s behind 4
6)      It means you’re not appreciating
7)      It could mean you didn’t get enough sleep
8)      A temper tantrum triggered by the tempter/temptress
9)      It becomes a great opportunity for picking up a drum and creating nice music (kirtan)
10)   Controlling it is a great victory
11)   It’s a big expenditure to check, and for clean up after damage is done
12)   When you keep a lid on it, it turns into a nice prep
13)   It does have its place (as in anger over abuse issues).  Know when to use it.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Durban, South Africa

Couldn’t Be Sweeter

The pathway has puddles.  The ground under the parking lot has waves.  The sky is wet and air is still.  Not exactly the best conditions.  I am moved to an amphitheatre where I can chant and walk simultaneously.  But, the narrow shelter above the amphitheatre does little to block out the drizzle.  Normally, I’d be trekking round and round the mandir (temple).  It’s safe staying on temple grounds.  You can’t risk meandering through the streets nearby.  Crime is really high.  In the past though, I ventured around.  You are at some advantage if you are male, and being a monk helps, I imagine.  It’s unfortunate that in the past people within the community have been murdered under circumstances.  The cause?  Myriad reasons. 

But life in South Africa is not always great.  It has it’s bubbly moments.  A monkey perched on a branch near my window was looking for opportunity.  I threw him an orange, boy did he get excited.  He left me his peels. 

Our rehearsals for the weekend entertainment have been exhilarating.  Cast members have got all this rhythm, they can dance and they can act.  A good chunk of the troupe are from the Zulu community.  Performance is up their alley. 

The chariot festival always brings out the best in people.  Bhakti practitioners come from other parts of South Africa to join in for a mixed reverence and fun.  Guests are arriving from other continents.  I’m one of them.  This is my 14^th year.  I’m always given warm and great food – avocados and sandwiches especially.

The day couldn’t be sweeter really. 

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Special Day Meditation Podcast

..altruism, socialism, communism, nationalism and humanitarianism. These "isms" are certainly very attractive forms of karma-bandhana (karmic bondage), but the Vedic instruction of Sri Isopanisad is that if one actually wants to live for any of the above "isms," he should make them God-centered. There is no harm in becoming a family man, or an altruist, a socialist, a communist, a nationalist or a humanitarian, provided that one executes his activities in relation with isavasya, the God-centered conception.

- Srila Prabhupada, Sri Isopanishad Mantra 2

Hare Krsna Parade of the Chariots By Gary LeVeille posted by the newspaper on the StAugustine.com website. Read more ›

Answer Podcast

Hare Krishna everyone,

This short film has just been released of the festival in Maidenhead which took place on 10th April.
The event was very well attended and went smoothly.
Thanks to everyone involved.
It was a great example of enthusiastic cooperation between Local devotees, The Manor Sankirtan team, Food for All and the Festival group.

see Maidenhead HKF short film made by Sandi Hume..:

Remember the next Hare Krishna Festival is in Reading Irish Centre on Thur 8th May.
There will be Harinams and flyer distribution to promote this on Sat 26th April and Sat 3rd May. plus on the festival day Thur 8th May.

ys Ratnavali

1961 April 20: "As you have developed a deep love for me, I dare to ask you to send me financial help. Instruct your Embassy in Delhi and dispatch me to Japan on your behalf. I am feeling too much to meet you and the Congress so that we can build up a solid institute for spiritual cultivation. I shall await your instruction by cable."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64

1966 April 20: "Pratipada. Today I took my meals at Dr. Mishra's place. I took back the tape recorder and tried for its repair without any success. Evening meeting at 7 to 9 p.m. four persons attended. The collection $4.00. Expenditure for Bus fare .45."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1970 April 20: "All our girl devotees should be expert in Arcana and cooking. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. We shall touch the altar and Deity in very clean condition, so this point should be very carefully observed, then you will advance very quickly to the perfectional stage of Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 April 20: "There are editorial mistakes in the blueprint. I am giving herewith a note. But I am very much satisfied. This book will be sold by hundreds of thousands. Now you overflood the market with big and small books as many as possible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 April 20: "I require the helping hand of these foreigners very much and I have guaranteed their staying in India yet still they are being asked to leave. I cannot understand what are the legal intricacies. If you will kindly give me direction how they can stay, it will be very kind of you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1973 April 20: "What is this meditation of wine, women and fish? He does not like us because we reject all bogus philosophy. For that people criticize me, but why should we accept nonsense? We accept Bhagavad-gita as it is, as Krishna spoke it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1974 April 20: "I have no business to criticize you but as your Spiritual Master, it is my duty. Don't be sorry. To remain faulty before the Spiritual Master is good. If one thinks he is all-perfect then there is no scope for rectification."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 April 20: "To sell tickets and make profit you think it best that I appear with a popular music group. These arrangements make us too dependent on other parties. We should just present our own program. Better you spread Krsna Consciousness there by distribution of literature, kirtana and prasadam - that will be as effective as my personally coming."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

The post Questions by Manjari dd on the worship of Lord Caitanya and the role of Nrsimhadeva in Gaudiya Vaisnavism appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Ramanavami Class – 08.04.2014

A brief quote from a Srimad Bhagavatam lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on June 26th, 1976.

“So here in New Vrindaban we are trying to establish an ideal life—plain living and advanced in Krishna consciousness. That is [our] real business.”

Click HERE for the full audio and transcript posted on the Vanipedia website.

To grow individually means to become a better person, a human being with greater character, competence and confidence.

To grow socially means to become better recognized and respected by others, to be valued for one’s opinions and contributions.

We all wish to grow both individually and socially. Unfortunately, we sometimes adopt unwittingly an approach that backfires on both fronts: we tend to look at the good in ourselves and the bad in others.

Our ego often makes us believe that we are the best thing waiting to happen to the world – if only it would take notice and take heed. Blinding us to our defects and deficiencies, the ego binds us to an imaginary and self-congratulatory self-conception that chokes our personal growth. Worse still, it keeps us self-righteously insulated from outer help, for we believe: “People don’t even understand who I am and what I can do – how can they help me?”

Humility allows us to break free from the clutches of such megalomania and to recognize our true self-worth, with both our strengths and our weaknesses. With the honest self-appraisal founded in humility, we can take tangible steps to overcome our weaknesses and grow individually.

The ego sabotages our prospects for social growth too by making us believe that we become better than others by being able to see their faults. Our ego gets a perverse tickle when we broadcast the weaknesses of others – and the tickle feels even better if we can make those broadcasts sarcastic. While such taunts may earn us some laughs among other small-minded people, it eventually erodes the trust that the people who matter have in us, for they think: “If this guy can speak thus about that person behind the back, what will stop him from doing the same to me later?” Due to the resulting trust bankruptcy, we can’t develop deep meaningful relationships and are never considered leadership material by others. Consequently, our attempts for social growth are repeatedly thwarted, even among the society of people who seem to like us.

The Bhagavad-gita (16.02-03) pertinently declares modesty and aversion to faultfinding as the integral characteristics of the godly, people who are on the path of inner and outer growth. Modesty or humility frees us from the constant craving for self-glorification and enables us to introspect, thereby identifying and rectifying our weaknesses. And aversion to fault-finding enables us to focus on the good in others, thereby not only encouraging them to become better, but also to develop deeper rapports with us, thus laying the foundations for our social growth.