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Yadubara Prabhu at Kirtan Mela Mayapur 2014 Day 1
New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 03/27/14.
Each week we highlight an earlier era of ISKCON New Vrindaban.
This week’s challenge: In addition to the processional forms of Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra, there are six devotees in this photo, five whose faces are recognizable. How many can you identify?
Extra Credit: Where are they and what is the occasion?
Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.
Technical stuff: We share a 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.
We are very excited to announce an upcoming seminar entitled, "Sraddha to Nistha and Beyond" with Her Grace Narayani devi dasi from Friday, April 4th - Sunday, April 6th at the Toronto Hare Krishna Temple.I shrug on my coat, strap on my tennis shoes, and fasten on a furry cap. I step out into the golden afternoon and the wind pinches my cheeks.
I wander out past the town streets towards the creek. Patchwork snow drapes the forest floor. My feet squish in the muddy path. The sun is melting the ice and snow as spring slowly creeps in on the land.
I walk past a tiny little pond. At the center floats a sheet of ice with lacy edges.
Why is it that we humans feel the need to pop bubble wrap, make sleeping animals move, or yes, crack ice? We can't just let it all BE?
I remember a story I recently heard about how the saint Srila Prabhupad used to smash icy puddles with his cane. Finally, someone asked him why he did this. "The hearts of people in the west are like ice," he replied, "and I have come to smash this ice."
I look around for a rock, a stick, something. With a little shout, I throw the stick at the delicate-looking sheet of ice. It makes a tiny hole and a little water seeps in around the edges.
Hmph. I scout for another stick and hurl it with all my might at the ice. It skitters across the surface and slides into the water on the other edge.
I set my mouth. This is ON. This big sheet of ice has become my heart. And the ice needs cracking. Sinking.
Stick after stick, each one flies away across the surface. Not such a lacy piece of ice after all. This thing is thick. Deep.
I pick up a branch and circle around to a piece of shore closest to the ice sheet. I kneel over and whack at the ice. Some breaks off. I lean over further, and with all my might I whack the surface.
Ice water splashes my entire face and glasses, my hands, my coat. My mouth drops open in shock. I begin to giggle, then laugh and laugh.
I'll leave the heart-ice breaking to Prabhupad.
I wipe off my glasses and toss the stick into the little pond.
Although I earnestly yearn to serve the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, the master of Vrinda?vana, although I am engaged in hearing and chanting His glories, and although I am completely aware of all obstacles which might obstruct my path, I still have not taken shelter of Vrinda?vana. vow lowly and unfortunate I am.
[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-99 Translation.]
Please click here for more photos
“This is another instruction for us: We should be immersed in krsna-katha. We should be so expert in krsna-katha that we can deliver just the katha that the audience needs to hear. And we should become so immersed in krsna-katha that we forget everything else; we loose track of time and are simply absorbed in chanting and hearing about Krishna. So we can pray to Srivasa Thakura to bless us that we have some taste for krsna-katha and can speak krsna-katha in the appropriate way—and that we become dear to him and his devotees. Because anyone who becomes dear to Srivasa Thakura—even a dog in his house—becomes dear to Lord Chaitanya.”
Appearance of Srivasa Pandita and Disappearance of Sridhar Swami, 2014
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2014, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.52)
Karma arranges amazing things – amazing, inconceivable things. How could it all come about? There is the karmic story about the man who went snorkeling in Spain, far into the ocean with his flippers. There was a forest fire and one of these big helicopters came with a water tank and they scooped him up and they threw him on the fire! Later, there was an article in the newspaper and I read it and they identified this man. It turned out he had a lobster restaurant. Just see, the workings of karma! Lobsters are also thrown alive into boiling water. He was also alive, thrown on the fire. Karma! Karma catches up in so many ways.
So yes, we see how that happens in the world but when it’s happening to us and then it’s more difficult. Then it’s much more difficult to accept. “How can, I mean, it’s too much! How can all this happen to me? And this is just…”
So, gradually, as we become situated in transcendental knowledge, we gain strength, strength to tolerate and deal with the material energy otherwise, “Phew…it’s too much!” and we get overwhelmed. But one who is well situated in transcendental knowledge is sort of bolstered by that and develops some detachment through that. We know that when things go wrong, “Ah well, that happens in the material energy. We can’t take it so serious”. When something comes to an end in this world, then that’s also life. So it all becomes much more relative actually, all the big things that happen in the world, also the big successes, they also become more relative. So gradually, one begins to see, it’s not so important. The real thing that is important is our spiritual progress.
With Sivarama Swami and BB Govinda Swami Read more › 
Kadamba Kanana Swami visited Melbourne from 13-22 March. Recordings of his classes are presented below, including a lecture given on Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Caitanya.
You may listen online by clicking the “play” button of the media player or download by right-clicking on the title and “save target as”.
KKS_AUS_Melbourne_14 March 2014_S B2.7.46
KKS_AUS_Melbourne_15 March 2014_SB 2.7.47
KKS_AUS_Melbourne_16 March 2014_CC Adi 13.80
KKS_AUS_Melbourne_18 March 2014_SB 2.7.50
KKS_AUS_Melbourne_20 March 2014_SB 2.7.52
Along with Radha Krishna, the murtis of Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra were also installed in the temple Read more › 
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) performed Sri Radha Krishna Chandra Srimandira Srivigraha Pratisthotsavam, and inaugurated the Vedic Cultural Centre in the city of Guntur from March 21 to 23 Read more › The post Last kirtan in Vrndavana appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram is one of the most prominent ashrams in Rishikesh, India, on the bank of the Ganges river, at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains. Yogirishi Vishvketu ji and Chetana Panwar, the founders of the ashram, invited Radhanath Swami for a satsang program on the evening of 5th March, 2014. More than two hundred spiritual seekers and yogis who had been visiting Rishikesh converged at the ashram to attend Radhanath Swami’s discourse and kirtans. Read more › The post Parikrama on our last day in Vrndavana appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Bhagavatam class.
The post Mahat sevam dvaram (Part 1) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Sri Sri Radha Giridhari temple was opened on 18th January 2004. The Deities (Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Giridhari, and Their Lordships Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra) had previously been installed by the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Read more › The post March 26th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Radhanath Swami at Kirtan Mela Mayapur 2014 Day 1
Video of Vishnujan dasa leading New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan - June 15th, 2013.
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
