Srila Prabhupada Tributes book: Deadline, April 15
→ Jayadvaita Swami

The deadline for Srila Prabhupada Tributes — the open Vyasa-puja book — is fast approaching.

    • All devotees initiated by Srila Prabhupada are welcome to write an offering. No exceptions.sp-vyasa-puja
    • Here are the submission guidelines.
    • Here’s where to send your offering: sptributes@gmail.com.
    • Here’s your deadline: April 15.

Everyone who sends an offering will receive a free copy of the book.

Our production manager says that this year he’s on top of his game and the book will come out on schedule, if not before.

Hare Krishna.

The post Srila Prabhupada Tributes book: Deadline, April 15 appeared first on Jayadvaita Swami.

New Hip-Hop Album to Promote Vedic Wisdom
→ ISKCON News

Young poet and hip-hop musician Mikey Jay describes himself as “a wandering soul learning the lessons of life” as he “traverses its diverse path.” For Rama Navami, April 8th,  2014, he came out with a new music album the “Sri Isopanisad”, consisting of 19 songs; an Invocation and 18 songs based on the 18 Mantras of the ancient scripture the Sri Isopanisad. 

Monday, April 7th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Owen Sound, Ontario

Just Before Ram

It was the eve before Ramnaumi, the birthday of Sri Ram, that I arrived at this small city of natural beauty all around.  Along with Rajneesh and family, we ventured to this Georgian Bay area to meet acquaintances, one of whom shared foot travel with me.

Garuda, is now 66, and was with me in British Columbia on walk number 3 when we encountered a grizzly bear and got close to being breakfast. That’s a story unto itself, and one I don’t personally mind reliving.  Anything that impels one to slide into a prayerful mood, isn’t necessarily a bad experience, however adventurous. 

There’s only a 5 year difference between Garuda and I (I’m the younger one).  He’s always been an active man, but is feeling the aches and pains of aging as of late.  Always enthusiastic for chanting, we found heand his clan, with two younger generations, were absorbed in doing just that.  His three sons are rock musicians.  In reality, for them, kirtan is where it’s at.  Another area where we share a passion is in trekking sections of the country’s oldest foot path, the Bruce Trail, which runs along Owen Sound’s escarpment. 

Our union with Garuda’s clan at the home of hosts Rajesh and Alka, was a warm up for the coming day’s Ramnaumi.  We did so through kirtan chanting, feasting, of course, and reading of memories of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.  We especially were hearing of his morning strolls by the Pacific.  He would go at a pace that was hard to keep up.  In this regard, he was always ahead of the game in comparison to his students, in practically every category of activity that you could imagine. 

It is a Vedic colloquial term to follow in the dust of a holy person’s lotus footsteps. 

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Sunday, April 6th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Towards Personalism

A college student came to see me for agreed upon meeting at venue, the streets.  It became a question and answer session on foot on this most sattvicday.  The sky was clear and bright, airwas fresh, there was hardly a breeze. 

I can say for myself, I felt the same forecast within.  I think my friend from Whitby, Ontario, the college student, was of a similar state.  I could tell by the questions and the way he was receiving and digesting my responses.  He was curious about the long walks I’ve done.  To that, I explained that light and long travel aid in the process of detachment. 

“Is that like nirvana?” he asked.  I was relieved to know that the phrase wasn’t just a name to him for a hot rock band, but that it means something quite different. 

“Nirvana is a word found in the Bhagavad Gita, and it’s a term very much clutched onto by the Buddhists.”  I explained that we are referring to a state of mind beyond the mundane, beyond the hankering and lamentation of this world.  Although nirvana may not be complete so far as total spiritual fulfillment is concerned, within popular Hinduism the equivalent tonirvana would be moksha.  For Krishna conscious pursuers, the state of completion anticipated is union with the Divine in personal service.  It is a highly personalistic approach to life. 

The student and I agreed to meet again and to have more parlance while walking. 

Equally enjoyable to walking and talking through the quiet residential Rosedale neighbourhood, was the evening kirtan which followed right after a successful run of the drama, “Little Big Ramayan”.  The incredibly hyped kirtan with pulsing drum beats and high strung voices took a strong personal involvement, and many people were there participating.  And it was my arm that reached out to bystanders of the kirtan, pulling the eager and shy ones into the dancing circle. 

One teenager that I pulled in stood there very flushed red, shrugged his shoulders up and down, as if declaring, “I don’t know how to dance!”

“Relax,” I said, “you’ve already got unique style.”

May the Source be with you!

6  KM

Śikṣāṣṭakam Will Become Revealed In Your Heart.
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda The following Radhadesh Retreat lecture on Śikṣāṣṭakam Lectures – Part 2 – Radhadesh Retreat Day 5 was given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami in Radhadesh, Belgium, July 2011. Hare Kṛṣṇa Kīrtana and Jaya Rādhā Mādhava kīrtana Gaur Premānande Hari Hari bol. namo(...)

We have Lost a Wonderful Devotee — Visvakarma Prabhu
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY GOLOKA CANDRA DASA

KUALA LUMPUR - Very sad to inform all of you that we have just lost a wonderful devotee. I received a call from Devananda Krishna Prabhu in Melaka that Visvakarma Prabhu has left his body today  09APR2014 at about12:30pm.
The man we used to call as the "Coach" is no longer with us.


Visvakarma Prabhu was a pillar of the Melaka temple congregation and regularly served as the  pujari and cooked up big feasts on festival days.

In his younger days, he was a champion 400m runner and hurdler and later went on to coach many youth athletes.
He regularly participated in the Ratha Yatras festivals all over Malaysia and many devotees around the country would have surely seen him enthusiastically participating in the kirtana. 


Visvakarma Prabhu received initiation from HH BVV Narasimha Swami last week.



358. Ram Navami Day
→ 9 Days, 8 Nights

Just remembering what is the most striking pastime sticking out for me from the Ramayana. Its mainly this one – How Lord Ram left behind everything opulent for a life of simplicity and austerity. Hope i can remember this atleast once a year on every occasion of Ram Navami.


10 Part Founder-Acarya Seminar
→ The Hare Krishna Movement

Join us for a special 10 part seminar on His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Founder Acharya of ISKCON. Presented by Srila Prabhupada’s dear disciple: H.G. Suresvara Prabhu Suresvara Prabhu has been presenting this in-depth seminar all over the world. He will be sharing his very thorough research and insightful realization on Srila […]

Renovations for Radha-Syama’s abode in Hungary (Album 36 photos)
→ Dandavats.com


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Sivarama Maharaja said that if we invite Radhe-Syama for ten thousand years then it means we accept the responsibility to maintain Them for ten thousand years. It is like a contract which is the prime responsibility of Radhe-Syama’s every devotee. Read more ›

Sri Ram Navami Maha Abhishek in ISKCON-Delhi: 08-04-2014 (Album 34 photos)
→ Dandavats.com


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Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir (Hindi: श्री श्री राधा पर्थसरथि मन्दिर ) or generally called as ISKCON Delhi temple is a famous Vaishnav temple of Lord Krishna and Radharani in the form of Radha Parthasarathi, Opened in 1998, it is located at Hare Krishna Hills, in the East of Kailash area of New Delhi, India. Read more ›

Are You Pretty Without Makeup and Nice Clothes?
→ The Enquirer

Chanting Hare Krishna is so utterly simple that it is difficult. How can something simple be difficult? Because there is no faking it. Not to be crass – but it is a lot like being naked after bathing. Then there is no makeup and no clothes – so you are either beautiful or you are not. You cannot fake it. There is nothing to hide behind, because nakedness is simplicity.

So it is difficult to be beautiful when absolutely naked. Only a truly beautiful person will be beautiful in that condition.

Similarly chanting Hare Krishna is so simple, it is naked spirituality. There is no makeup and no clothing on it. Makeup is like jñāna and philosophy and clothing is like rules and relugations and rituals. These are things we can hide behind to make it seem like we are spiritually advanced, when, in fact we are not. We can follow a bunch a rules and behave just the right way, and then it looks like we are good devotees. Or we can learn a lot of words and phrases and ideas, and become good at explaining them – and then people can think we are good devotees. In this way by jñāna and karma (makeup and clothes) we can fool ourselves and others into thinking we have bhakti (beauty).

But none of these things help us chant Hare Krishna, honestly.

When it is time to chant Hare Krishna, the mind will completely lose interest in all other thoughts and feelings and completely embrace Krishna like a lover embracing her long-absent beloved at a rare opportunity of privacy. Is that what happens when you chant Hare Krishna?

Not for me, at least, not very often at all.

But this is the TRUE MEASURE of our bhakti – how passionately our heart and mind runs to embrace Krishna and drop everything else. And this is truly measured when we sit and chant Krishna names.

It is so SIMPLE – you just have to hear Krishna’s name and naturally think of Krishna as a result of hearing his name. By hearing the name your mind will flood with the image of him, the sound of him, etc, and his associates, and their activities together. Just by hearing the name, such a simple thing – just like if you hear “President Obama” you immediately get a mental image of him, etc. Similarly hearing any name (what to speak of a non-dual name) you will think of the person named. It is a very simple thing.

But our practice is so poor.

Our mind insists on thinking of other things, and makes up excuses that “this distraction is related to Krishna so its OK to think of it while I bounce around, pace around, and mouth some words with some rhythmic pacing to make sure I keep going with the mantra even though I’m paying zero attention to it.”

So, we are very useless sadhakas. Therefore we should try harder, because you should know that kripa-siddhi is EXTREMELY rare. Sādhana siddha is the standard path. In other words we will not get anywhere until we finally become less useless sadhakas. So its time to practice more seriously.

That doesn’t mean getting new clothes and makeup. It means simply forgetting everything else for a few minutes at a time, and just paying attention to the plain and simple names of Krishna for a few minutes at a time, at least.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare


Are You Pretty Without Makeup and Nice Clothes?
→ The Enquirer

Chanting Hare Krishna is so utterly simple that it is difficult. How can something simple be difficult? Because there is no faking it. Not to be crass – but it is a lot like being naked after bathing. Then there is no makeup and no clothes – so you are either beautiful or you are not. You cannot fake it. There is nothing to hide behind, because nakedness is simplicity.

So it is difficult to be beautiful when absolutely naked. Only a truly beautiful person will be beautiful in that condition.

Similarly chanting Hare Krishna is so simple, it is naked spirituality. There is no makeup and no clothing on it. Makeup is like jñāna and philosophy and clothing is like rules and relugations and rituals. These are things we can hide behind to make it seem like we are spiritually advanced, when, in fact we are not. We can follow a bunch a rules and behave just the right way, and then it looks like we are good devotees. Or we can learn a lot of words and phrases and ideas, and become good at explaining them – and then people can think we are good devotees. In this way by jñāna and karma (makeup and clothes) we can fool ourselves and others into thinking we have bhakti (beauty).

But none of these things help us chant Hare Krishna, honestly.

When it is time to chant Hare Krishna, the mind will completely lose interest in all other thoughts and feelings and completely embrace Krishna like a lover embracing her long-absent beloved at a rare opportunity of privacy. Is that what happens when you chant Hare Krishna?

Not for me, at least, not very often at all.

But this is the TRUE MEASURE of our bhakti – how passionately our heart and mind runs to embrace Krishna and drop everything else. And this is truly measured when we sit and chant Krishna names.

It is so SIMPLE – you just have to hear Krishna’s name and naturally think of Krishna as a result of hearing his name. By hearing the name your mind will flood with the image of him, the sound of him, etc, and his associates, and their activities together. Just by hearing the name, such a simple thing – just like if you hear “President Obama” you immediately get a mental image of him, etc. Similarly hearing any name (what to speak of a non-dual name) you will think of the person named. It is a very simple thing.

But our practice is so poor.

Our mind insists on thinking of other things, and makes up excuses that “this distraction is related to Krishna so its OK to think of it while I bounce around, pace around, and mouth some words with some rhythmic pacing to make sure I keep going with the mantra even though I’m paying zero attention to it.”

So, we are very useless sadhakas. Therefore we should try harder, because you should know that kripa-siddhi is EXTREMELY rare. Sādhana siddha is the standard path. In other words we will not get anywhere until we finally become less useless sadhakas. So its time to practice more seriously.

That doesn’t mean getting new clothes and makeup. It means simply forgetting everything else for a few minutes at a time, and just paying attention to the plain and simple names of Krishna for a few minutes at a time, at least.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare


Just now coming…
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 October 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.8)

KKS_walkingSrila Prabhupada stated that spiritual life means surrender – there is no question of spiritual life without surrendering. He said, “Just like in the darkness you cannot find the sun. You can go looking in the darkness… Where is the sun? It must be somewhere? But in the darkness, you cannot find the sun. In the same way, in a conditioned state, one cannot find Krsna.” It is not possible. One may look here and there and everywhere but impurity is the condition. Therefore we must just take our shelter in service to Krsna and nothing else.

In all others things, it is so difficult to surrender. This can be translated as: it is so difficult to stop being rebellious, basically. It is so difficult to just stop being rebellious against Krsna, “Why do I have to accept his supremacy? I feel forced. Why is it Krsna? Why is there suffering in the material world – I think he is trying to forcing us into serving him. Is it?”

Why? Because Krsna is impatient. He does it out of love. How long does he have to wait for us to say, “Yes, yes, just now coming.” And then not coming at all. Not coming to serve him at all.

 

 

Bow Down Mister, April 6, Houston
Giriraj Swami

04.06.14_01————————
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.21 during the Sunday program in Houston.

“The common man who is puffed up with his material position and does not bow down before the Deity of the Lord in the temple, or who defies temple worship without any knowledge of the science, must know that his so-called turban or crown will only succeed in further drowning him in the water of the ocean of material existence. A drowning man with a heavy weight on his head is sure to go down more swiftly than those who have no heavy weight. A foolish, puffed-up man defies the science of God and says that God has no meaning for him, but when he is in the grip of God’s law and is caught by some disease like cerebral thrombosis, that godless man sinks into the ocean of nescience by the weight of his material acquisition. Advancement of material science without God consciousness is a heavy load on the head of human society, and so one must take heed of this great warning.” (SB 2.3.21 purport)

04.06.14_0204.06.14_0404.06.14_0304.06.14_05—————————————
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.21

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-04-08 18:25:00 →

1972 April 8: "This discrimination is spiritually illegal. Many hundreds of my foreign disciples will be coming to India in the near future and it will be the misfortune of the administrative officials of Puri if so many qualified devotees of the Lord are not allowed into the temple, simply because they have taken their birth in a faraway place."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-04-08 18:18:00 →

1973 April 8: "Your program for traveling and holding festivals at schools is approved by me. Especially you must try to convince these students to join us. There is nothing else that will save the world from destruction and it is our responsibility to recruit these young educated boys and girls before they become spoiled by the degraded conditions of this society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

New Vrindaban Grows Through Care and Communication
→ New Vrindaban

New Vrindaban Grows Through Care and Communication

by Madhava Smullen

Since moving back to New Vrindaban three years ago, Lilasuka Dasi has used her people skills to inspire residents to care for each other and communicate positively with one another. This, she feels, is the key to the community’s recent attempt at rebuilding and growth.

Originally from Toronto, Lilasuka first lived in the rural West Virginia community between 1980 and 2000, teaching at the day school there.

She then relocated to Pittsburgh until New Vrindaban president Jaya Krishna Das, who calls her “the mother of New Vrindaban,” invited her back to head up the communications department.

From the way she talks about the community, it’s clear that Lilasuka loves New Vrindaban deeply. And that makes her ideal for the job.

“I know the ins and outs of New Vrindaban, and am friends with just about everyone, because I lived here for so long,” she says. “It’s ideal for a deep spiritual life, and is full of interesting people. I just like people, so I like studying them and figuring out how to work with them.”

Initially, the goal of Lilasuka’s department was to establish communications amongst a variety of external groups like the media, the local municipal departments, and the academic community.

And she does nurture a relationship with some, like the Marshall County Tourist Board, whose website advertises New Vrindaban’s festivals and lists Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold as one of the top six tourist attractions in the county.

But her first priority, she felt, was to focus on internal communications amongst New Vrindaban devotees and nearby ISKCON communities.

“A lot of people didn’t know what was going on in New Vrindaban -- even those who lived here!” she says. “Now many devotees tell me that they are glad to see the regular updates about what’s happening.”

Hanuman’s Success by Radhanath Swami (8 min video)
→ Dandavats.com


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"Yes, the nine devotional process and how, by each process, one becomes perfect, just like Pariksit Maharaja, simply hearing, and Sukadeva Gosvami, simply chanting, reciting Bhagavatam. So both of them got salvation. Laksmi, she is simply pada-sevanam, giving massage to the lotus feet of the Lord. Arjuna simply made friendship with Krsna. Hanuman simply worked as a hard servant. He doesn't know what He is... "Lord Ramacandra wants it." Then it is done. Jump over. He does not know any philosophy. He has got bodily strength, so whatever Ramacandra says, he'll do. He was asked to bring that medicine for Laksmana. He did not know where to find it. "Take this whole mountain." (laughter) He was not intelligent. "Fight! We have to fight with Ravana. Then block his whole city by throwing stones and trees and dirt." Everything became blocked. They could not move. So in one side he is born of animal life, he had no higher intelligence, but his staunch desire, that "I shall serve Lord Ramacandra..." By that... Only this desire made him perfect." Read more ›

Rama Navami Festival Lecture – Mumbai April 2014.
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda The following lecture on the Pastimes of Sri Ramacandra was given by His Hosliness Bhakti Charu Swami in ISKCON Chowpatty on 08 April 2014. Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, Raghupati Rāghava Rājā Rāma kīrtana. His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami: Gaur Premānande Hari Hari bol. namo(...)

The benefits of reading Ramayana
Krishna Dharma

He who listens every day to this oldest epic, composed by the sage Vālmīki, which is calculated to bestow religious merit, renown and longevity, and which lends support to the Vedas, is completely freed of sin. Kings will overcome their enemies and conquer the earth, men will overcome all difficulties and women will be blessed with excellent sons and grandsons. Those listening to this epic will receive from Śrī Rāma all the boons they desire. Through a hearing of this work all the gods are satisfied. One who keeps a copy in his house will find all his obstacles coming to an end. A man offering worship to and reading this historical work is completely rid of all sins and attains a long life; all the gods are thus pleased and one’s ancestors are gratified forever. Those transcribing this work with devotion are guaranteed residence in heaven, while those hearing it will secure the growth of their family and wealth, supreme happiness and the accomplishment of all their objects on earth.

Yuddha Kanda

The gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas and ṛṣis always listen with great pleasure to the Rāmayana in heaven. This legend is the bestower of longevity, the enhancer of fortune and the dispeller of sins. It is the equal of the Vedas. A man reading even a quarter of it is freed from all sins; indeed, even if one sins daily he is released from the reactions if he recites just one verse of the Rāmayana. A man gets the results of one thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices and ten thousand Vajpeya sacrifices merely by hearing this great work. He has visited all the holy shrines and bathed in all the sacred rivers. One who listens to the story of Śrī Rāma with full reverence roots out all sins and goes to the world of Viṣṇu. The Rāmayana is the unsurpassed form of Gayatri. By hearing it with devotion one will undoubtedly achieve liberation, along with many generations of ancestors. The exploits of Śrī Rāma are the bestower of all four of life’s objects—dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Hearing even one line of this work with full devotion guarantees one’s attainment of the world of Brahmā.

Uttarā Kanda

Find the Ramayana here