Planet ISKCON

Ananta Vrindavan dasa from Australia arrived two days ago to spend a week with our festival tour here in Gujarat. His photography is a work of art. He perfectly captured the mood of our festival in Vadadora the other night.

Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brahmana. If the money is given in charity to a non-brahmana (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brahmana, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brahmana, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-paraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas), it is returned by unlimited multiplication.

- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17 purport

1968 February 4: "Lord Caitanya instructed us to be more humble than the grass on the street, and more tolerant than the trees, and to offer all respects to all, demanding no respect for ourselves. All these nice qualifications make one worthy to chant Hare Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 February 4: "Our movement is not for some theoretical teaching, it is for developing practical character. By their exemplary character our boys and girls have drawn the attention of many respectable persons and public papers. Our exemplary character will conquer the whole world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1972 February 4: "I am very much pleased that you want to remain there because the people are in desperate need of Krishna Consciousness. That is our policy, once we enter a place, to sit down, then to lay down and eventually occupy everything!"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 February 4: "Teaching Krishna consciousness in the schools, this is our best field. Simply demonstrate chanting and dancing, and induce them to participate, give them nice philosophy talk, distribute prasadam profusely, ask them to buy our books and study them closely - that's all."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 February 4: "We cannot become very good preachers in such difficult language but if we take a few weeks to train some local men in Krishna Consciousness philosophy, then they can preach like anything. In this way, we shall expand very rapidly."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 February 4: "We shall not expect that anywhere there is any Utopia, even in the Krishna Consciousness Society. Utopians cannot find anyone without faults, so they want to become void, merge, nothing - that is their Utopia."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

There are twelve vanas in the Vraja Mandal. Madhuvan, Talavan, Kumudvan, Bahulavan, Kamavan, Khadiravan, Vrindavan, Bhadravan, Bhandiravan, Belvan, Lohavan. -- Read more ›

1974 February 4: "Please see that accounts are kept carefully, not that money is taken for whimsical expenditure. This kind of thing should be carefully watched. Let us all work together for the glory of Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 February 4: "One copy of our book, Lord Caitanya in Five Features may be handed over to Svami Cinmayananda as our humble presentation. As far as possible, all big Mayavadis sannyasis should be presented with this book."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

Mangala Arati of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath ,ISKCON Temple,Chowpatty,Mumbai; on 4th February 2014

The post February 4th, 2014 – Vasanta Panchami Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The route of the Ratha Yatra: Manickpur Ground – Pandit Dindayal Nagar – Navyug Nagar – Sri Govardhannath Haveli -- Samta Nagar – 100 Feet Road – Vidhyamandir Marg -- Ambadi Road – Gurudhwara – Station Road – Manickpur Ground. Highlights of the Festival: 1. Special Darshan Lord Jagannath and Cow Protection Theme 2. Lunch and Dinner Prasadam for everyone 3. Maha aarti & 56 bhoga offering to Their Lordships 5. Distribution of Vedic literature 6. Anand Bazar (Food Mela) 7. Question and Answer booth 8. Spiritual fun & fair for children 9. Prasad distribution (Maha Prasadam) -- Read more ›

Hungarian Leadership-sanga Day 3.

The post Niranjana Maharaja’s study group continued. (English) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Happy Vasanta-pancami appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

By Vaishnava Italian artist Giampaolo Tomassetti -- Read more ›

Indradyumna Swami: Ananta Vrindavan dasa from Australia arrived two days ago to spend a week with our festival tour here in Gujarat. His photography is a work of art. He perfectly captured the mood of our festival in Vadadora the other night. -- Read more ›

Sri Raghunatha dasa was the only son in the family of Hiranya and Govardhana and there was no limit to the care and affection which was showered upon him. Though he was brought up just like the son of a king, by the powerful influence of saintly devotees, he realized at a very young age that material existence is temporary and a mood of detachment towards wealth, parents and relatives began to grow within him. Upon hearing the glories of Sri Gauranga and Nityananda, he became extremely eager to have darsana of Their lotus feet. When he heard that Sri Gaurasundara had taken sannyasa and was leaving Nadia forever, he rushed madly to the home of Advaita Acarya in Santipura to meet the Lord. -- Read more ›

Prabhupada’s five days on Russian soil in 1971, provided him ample opportunity to position himself well for the eventual checkmate his movement would play in Soviet Russia. -- Read more ›

Montreal, Quebec

Ride to Quebec

The ride to Montreal is a six hour chakra like line, eastbound from Toronto.  With driver, Vrindavan, a loyal bhakti practitioner for many years from Toronto, I could only dream of walking.  When getting closer to Montreal, a mere approximate 100 KM away, I could see some of the parallel roads that I traversed on foot in 2012. 

My visit to Montreal was an encouraging one.  We took a peak, well, a little more than a peak, at the soon to open Bhakti Centre at 3485 Saint Laurent.  Presentations will be done in the French medium.  It will be a learning and cultural centre, but the highlight will be the art of bhakti (devotion).  The location is ideal being that Saint Laurent is a hip street.  The one room and one storey building with toilet attached is set slightly off the street which creates a kind of more private situation.  The place is cozy; it will be facilitated by a recently retired school teacher, Nara Narayan.  May he succeed. 

I just have to mention the pretzels that I met with the people behind them.  They are these colossal swirly pieces that really taste more like bagels.  I just can’t resist describing them, soft, tasty portions of rusty looking goodness.  The baker is Radha Krishna, who always comes up with something creative. 

At the ISKCON Centre, I met with individuals, which involves some counseling and hearing reports of progress made on devotional frontiers.  I had the honour to lead kirtan, then deliver a message based on the Gita, chapter 3, which reads, “Whatever a great person does, the world is inclined to follow.”  I asked the community up front, “Who’s a leader in this room?”  And the answer came back as, “We all are.” 

“Correct,” I said. “As soon as you’ve reached adulthood, you have reached the realm of responsibility, and the impressionable young ones under you will mirror what you do.  Be the example.”

It was a brief visit to Montreal, and I was destined to depart early the next day.  When you are a senior visiting monk, you are in hot demand.  I managed to slip away and go for a two kilometre walk, only to return for a much wanted all around massage, compliments of Jambhavan, an expert gripping therapist who realigned my machinery.  Thanks, Jambhavan.

May the Source be with you!

2 KM

Kleinburg, Ontario

A Different Kleinburg

At age 18 I hitchhiked with a friend to this village/town from southwestern Ontario to see the McMichael collection of artwork from the Group of Seven.  Their rendition of impressionistic art defined the nature, and I mean nature, of the Canadian landscape experience.  There are some fine pieces.  My favourite artist, Lauren Harris, did these outstanding pieces illustrating “raw” nature.
Four decades plus and I find myself in Kleinburg again.  It’s not the quaint place of before although nestled in a rolling-hills and tree environment.  Through a snow storm (what else is new) myself and a few other lay members of our community entered into an abode of mansions and more particularly the home of an accountant by the name of Rakesh.
It was the second engagement with the Punjabi community which was all geared up for an electrifying evening of kirtan.  Dhira Grahi of the Gaura Shakti bhajan band led the chant shortly after Emcee, Lajput introduced your humble servant as “the Walking Monk”.  Before the chant I suggested to Dhira that the Punjabi folks like zippy kirtans.  With a smile he said, “I know!”  And so he let it rip!
We honoured the thirteenth birthday of Rakesh’s son, Vipul.  The massive eggless cake was done up well with an ornamented “Prince” in front of his name.  The surface of it was designed like a basketball court which I imagined is Vipul’s passion.  He and his older bro danced up a storm over the percussion of the mridungas. Everyone, family and friends, lept into action in the rhythm of movement.  I noticed some wall-flowers, stiff and shy, who actually wanted to be part of the action.  In time, even they broke out of their shell and got caught up in the spirit of the evening.
A good gauge for knowing that the program went devotionally well is when the participants go away with reading material.  Bhaktivedanta Book Trust material, like the Bhagavad-gita, went into eager hands as the finishing touches were put to an ecstatic night.
Into the slush storm we went back to the ashram.
 

0 KM

Scarborough, Ontario

Three Monks from Montreal

Three monks from Montreal came.  They did not trek all the way to Toronto, but embarked on the usual Mega Bus.  This is a double-decker conveyance that you can see from miles away with its loud volume yellow and blue colours.  But let’s not get carried away by the means of transport, it’s the cargo that’s important.

On board was Tirtha Pavana, a Siberian born tall, thin, intense looking monastic turned family, but still a brahmin all the same, despite the change of colour from saffron to white.  He explained to me that he decided to do less travel and to get situated in a more grounded way.  I didn’t ask him, for lack of time, about a chosen life partner, but what I can say about him is that he’s very effective with people and has this incredible bravado about meeting with pedestrians, stopping them with his intense stare and then convincing them that spiritual life is worth looking at.

The other two monks from Montreal are Hayagriva and Frederic.  Let’s begin with Hayagriva.  He was born in Quebec, has a social worker’s background, was once a monk with the Swami Narayan organization, and is now the bhakta program in-charge at ISKCON Montreal.  He is studious, he is outgoing, and has a bubbly personality.  He’s as warm as a fresh baked baguette and is a real people person. 

Frederic is a newcomer, also an enthusiastic Quebecois.  He’s here along with the other two to have a little break or change before the long stretch of commitment at ISKCON Montreal where they will be acting as priestly substitutes while regular pujaris (priests) make pilgrimage to India.  I don’t know Frederic so well, but it looks like he’s a good candidate for liberation. 

India is a great place for pilgrimage.  I dream that one day Canada will have a reputation as such.  Currently, the whole world sees Canada as a safe and fair land that offers opportunity.  The spiritual component is sorely missing, however. 

Anyway, let’s see if the three monks from Montreal can change that.

For an evening engagement I slipped away about 20 KM via car (as passenger) towards Montreal to our Scarborough ISKCON Centre.  I was the teacher this evening on the topic of God’s impartiality, with source 9.29 from the Bhagavad Gita.  God’s disposition is like this:  equal, open to everyone, and offers a fair opportunity, and He responds more to those who respond to Him.  An apparent contradiction?  I don’t think so. 

May the Source be with you!

9 KM

"You require the water as it is. Then your thirst will be satisfied. But in the transcendental, absolute world, there is no such difference. Krsna and Krsna’s name, Krsna’s words and Krsna’s qualities, Krsna’s pastimes- everything is Krsna."

Srimad Bhagavatam 1:2:17 lecture

Don’t be afraid, thinking it disobedient to the Vedas! Don’t consider the arguments of your elders! Don’t enter the realm of ordinary duties! Don’t run about to maintain your poor family! Don’t become bound by love and compassion! O friend, run to Vrndavana!

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-52 Translation.]

Please click here for more photos

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 15 December, 2013, Soweto, South Africa, lecture)

If you commit vaiṣṇava-aparādha then you do not lose your pious credits from your devotional service. It still stays in your spiritual bank account but what happens is that your bank account gets frozen. Just like when you have a bank account and the government freezes your bank account and you cannot get the money. So when you commit vaiṣṇava-aparādha, your bank account of the spiritual credit gets frozen. Then you have to suffer for sometime and then when you get purified by the suffering then again you can get access to your spiritual bank account.

So, if you commit vaiṣṇava-aparādha, you suffer the reactions for sometime and then you carry on with all the benefit from all the chanting. So nothing can destroy the effect of chanting, not even vaiṣṇava-aparādha but it can freeze your bank account!

 

 

Just as a child is fully dependent on his mother whether he knows it or not, we are fully dependent on the Lord whether we accept it or not.

Kalindi felt sad when she overheard her parents discussing the recent catastrophe in the Philippines. She pondered deeply on the intense suffering of the families and wondered what she could possibly do to help. Hitting on the idea of organizing a maha kirtana at the temple, she hastily phoned school friends Tulasi and Karuna, and a transcendental plan was hatched. -- Read more ›

Mind is the instrument for feeling different material experiences, but intelligence is deliberative and can change everything for the better. The intelligent person, therefore, can attain salvation from the illusion of material existence by proper use of intelligence. An intelligent person can detect the awkward position of material existence and thus begin to inquire as to what he is, why he is subjected to different kinds of miseries, and how to get rid of all miseries, and thus, by good association, an advanced intelligent person can turn towards the better life of self-realization.

- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.10.32 purport

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so to not listen, mute your speakers.)

[I am continuing the reposting of this 5 part series as a way to commemorate this month which marks my 45th year of coming to Krishna.] An unusual cold, rainy day in Berkeley, California, but for a particular person, it was a fitting, useful, backdrop for an epiphany, or deep “aha moment.” Chris Cox, in a contemplative mood that was becoming almost normal, was sitting on the floor in his minimally furnished room. A single light bulb hung down from the ceiling by a cord speckled with white paint from an ancient paint job. Warming himself in front of the gas heater, he would occasionally look around the room or out the window at the gray day, as if looking for special meaning, or some clue about what was missing from his life. In fact he felt like he, himself, was an existential question waiting to be answered, and for the first time in his life.

Chris had lost his job and was getting food stamps. His hippie house was on “rent strike,” having banded together with other renters to withhold paying rent until the “pig landlords” lowered the cost, so he hadn’t paid his rent in months. Still, the electricity and water were on, and he had food and shelter. How was this possible that he could live here with no effort? He could just sit here and live, having time to read religious and mystical texts and think about the purpose of life. It all seemed magical, yet purposeful.

He didn’t know it yet, but he was experiencing how simple living can foster deep thought about life. As it turned out, this was a rare time when life conspired to make certain results more likely by arranging the environment like a perfect supporting cast.

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Two-year-old Nandulal Robson began displaying spiritual inclinations at the tender age of 12 months. In the family household, personal bead bags were mysteriously disappearing, only to be found in the toddler's tiny hand as he paced back and forth chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra. With the family's recent visit to India, Nandulal now boasts his very own miniature-sized japabag. He is insistent that it always accompanies him to the temple. -- Read more ›

(Automatically translated from Russian)Anantashanti Prabhu (Anatoly Pinyaev) was the first who got Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in the days of his stay in Moscow in the summer of 1971 Tradition puspa-samadhi (flower tombstones) exists in the Vedic culture for centuries. Flower (puspa) it is called, because in this place put flower garland that adorned the body of the departed Vaishnava. The body is usually burnt, with the exception of a sannyasi, ie Vaishnavas who have taken a vow of life in renunciation. Their bodies are considered to be sanctified and do not require a purifying fire. -- Read more ›