Websites from the ISKCON Universe
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 19 January 2014, Durban, South Africa, Lecture)
There is the story of a wrestler in South India who was very much impressed by a beautiful girl and he served her so nicely. He was opening doors and holding parasols and was doing whatever he could to please her! So, one day, Ramanuja Acharya saw that wrestler and said to him, “Why are you serving her in this way?” The boy then said, “She… is… so… beautiful!”
Then Ramanuja Acharya said, “You call that beautiful?” Now, if it had been anyone else, they would have been in serious trouble but since it was a sadhu, the wrestler held himself back even though he felt the urge. Then Ramanuja Acharya said, “If you want to see what beautiful is all about, I will show you.”
So the next day, Ramanuja took that wrestler through many different corners, left, right and then suddenly, they stood in front of the deities. And because of the presence of the pure devotee, the wrestler had a special experience; something that you cannot just get without mercy. But because of the mercy of a vaisnava, suddenly for a moment, he saw the deity in all its transcendental beauty and for a moment, he realized that Ramanuja was right and that actually, the beauty of Krsna was greater…
So the wrestler saw the beauty of Krsna and that day he changed completely. From that day on, he became a devotee and he also made that lady a devotee. Then the roles reversed, instead of him always serving her, she was always serving him after that and they became initiated disciples of Ramanuja Acharya.
Then time went on and one day, the brahmacharis in the ashram were criticising those fallen householders who were so attached, so attached – just collecting all kinds of material things, “Just see how she is decked out with gold – gold everywhere like a Christmas tree!” Okay, maybe they didn’t say Christmas tree in South India at that time (laughter!) but anyway, something like that.
So then, that night when everyone was deeply asleep, Ramanuja Acharya went to the brahmachari ashram. All the dhotis of the brahmacharis were hanging over the washing line and drying, and Ramanuja went up to every dhoti and ripped a strip off every dhoti and he took the cloth and he left!
Then, he went to the house of his grhasta disciples and when he was inside, he sneaked up to the sleeping householders and started to take the earring out of the ear of the lady and he even slid-off her golden bangle. Then she woke up and realized, “It is Guru Maharaj! He is taking my earring. Oh, I should give him my other one as well but he can’t reach it because I am sleeping on it.” So she decided to turn over and then Ramanuja immediately left. She then he woke up her husband, and told him the whole story, who chastised her, “You nonsense! Why did you turn over and disturb him like that. Give me that earring!”
So, it was morning and just around mangal artik time and the grhastas were just on their way to the temple. The brahmacharis were just waking up and there was a major riot; they were accusing each other of ripping pieces of their cloth, “Who took a piece of my cloth? Was it you, was it you…” It was a big fight! Then Ramanuja Acharya asked, “What’s going on here?”
“He took a piece of my dhoti,” all were saying.
Ramanuja said, “Who took a piece of your dhoti…” and he pulled from behind his back, all the pieces of cloth and held up all the pieces of cloth! Just then, those householders arrived and said, “Guru Maharaj, you were taking the earrings but you forgot something, here take these also…” then Ramanuja Acharya said, “See, who is attached!”
So, ultimately it is about dedicating ourselves to Krsna. It doesn’t matter where we are; it doesn’t matter what our position is; it doesn’t matter if we are married and we have thirteen children; it is okay!
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Amidst thoughts about my past in my Fatal Attractions series (still in process) and how it relates to my present, I have thought, and felt, deeply about relationships I have had, and endeavored for. In response to my contemplation I wrote this free verse poem. It is full of angst and intense emotion for my failed relationships, disappointments in good ones, and my hopes and aspirations. While most of us value relationships highly, they are also the source of our greatest distress and sadness. Everyone wants to be loved and understood, but it is never quite to the degree we want. Even in what seem the best of relationships we may be separated from our beloved through death, debilitating disease, divorce, or mental imbalances, as in dementia.
Examining the depth of my capacity to love, I question who in this world can we love and understand that is capable of fully accepting our heart’s gifts? At least in my experience, no one can completely satisfy either our desire to love, or to be loved in return. This could be depressing or could point to our goal of loving and serving Radha-Krishna with our spiritual heart and soul. The negative impetus for such love and service is our bitter experience, or at least disappointments, in worldly relationships, while the positive impetus comes from our taste in spiritual practices and eventually our pure love for Krishna, or prema. All relationships with others and our dealings with the things of this world are meant to point us in the direction of Krishna, as the source of everything, and the complete object of our love. Our desire for unending and ever-increasing love can only be fulfilled by the One who can accept our love unlimitedly, and that is Krishna, the fountainhead of all relationships (rasas), the cynosure of our eyes, heart, and soul.
I
I’m a disabled person
climbing a mountain:
my words are my hammer,
feelings are my spikes, and rope,
I know not if they’ll hold or help me up,
in giving me a grip on my steady journey
to avoid be hurled down by trolls;
I only have my effort and a prayer
with the aspiration to reach the top
where I find the entrance to your self-universe:
Hundreds packed into the auditorium at Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi in Mayapur, West Bengal at 7pm on February 21st to watch Fabric of the Gods, a show depicting Vaishnava fashions throughout history.
The Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama is held every year in the Pahalguna month (middle of March). People from all over the world take part in the week long festival held at Navadvipa in West Bengal. Navadvipa Parikrama means visiting the holy places of Navadvipa in groups.
Navadvipa is where the Supreme Lord incarnated as Lord Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) in kali-yuga to teach the people the best way to attain Him. Navadvipa is one of the holiest places on earth and anyone visiting it will become His perfect devotee as Shrila Narottama Dasa Thakura states, shri-gauda mandala-bhumi yeba jane chintamani tara haya vraja-bhume vasa “One who knows the Gauda-mandala-bhumi, the abode of Lord Gauranga, is transcendental and qualified to live in Vraja-bhumi.” Read more › 
Invitation for Ramnavami Maha Kalash Abhishek
We cordially invite you and your family to come celebrate Ramnavami with us on Tuesday April 8th and Saturday April 12th. We will perform Maha-Abhishek, and Arti, followed by a special dinner, and then fireworks as Their Lordships Sita-Ram-Hanuman are taken for a boat ride on our famous swan lake.
The post Pictures from the night of day 5 of the sankirtana-mela appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
How are two items alike? How are they different? Being able to identify and communicate similar and different qualities of characters in Literature is one of the higher thinking levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy. In “Analyze”, students are expected to take a look at two situations or characters and explain in detail the differences and similarities.Students picked a partner. We went over Venn Diagrams, and started making our own. They started talking to their partners about all the similarities and differences.
“You like to eat broccoli? Wow!! So do I!” Differences were discussed as well. ”I have lost 10 teeth, but he hasn’t lost any yet!”
Such simple activities provide so much excitement for this age group. They’re expected to brainstorm, work together and write, write, write.. But because its a “project”, they do it all with so much excitement.From here, we’ll go to analyzing the characters in our Literature study.
An introduction was given for Kinder and 1st grade about the weight of items. First we compared the weight of common items to each other and then checked to see how many pennies they weighed. The 1st graders went on to record their findings by drawing the items they weighed and noting the number of pennies. Later we talked about different kinds of scales and what could be weighed with them. We ended up weighing ourselves and had fun trying to lift each other up.
We have been serving delicious vegetarian karma-free meals in Melbourne since the 1971. Over three decades we have grown to cater to the various needs of Melbournites and visitors. We have two restaurants down-town, we serve meals three times a day from our temple premises in Albert Park, and we have an outreach program for the homeless and needy. We also cater for private functions and for festivals and events in and around Victoria. Read more › The post Guests at the sannyasa ceremony speak of Badrinarayana Goswami appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Its only indistinct in the beginning.
The post Lecture for Badrinarayana Goswami’s sannyasa ceremony appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
So, on March 3rd about one hour before the Maha abhisekha of the Panca tattva I made my way to the temple and pushed through thousands of devotees making my way to the front where there was a spot for Srila Prabhupada disciples. As time went past I spoke to Nrsingha kavacha who was ‘in charge’ of the Abhisekha and asked him what was the chance of making getting on the altar to bathe the Deities. He said, ‘None!’ We had a conversation for about 10 minutes and despite me using all of my strategies he didn’t budge. I told him that if I got the dhoti from Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityananda I would be somewhat pacified. Read more › 
Vaishnava seva dasa prabhu from the most useful Iskcon website Iskcondesiretree.net just finished uploading them and they are ALL now available for watching and downloading (for free) Read more › Video of Varsana Swami leading New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan – June 15th, 2013.
Click here to view the video on YouTube.
Sivaram Swami at Kirtan Mela Mayapur 2014 Day 3
Dallas Morning News,Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.
When Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer announced she was vetoing a “religious freedom” bill that targeted gay men and lesbians, she said religious liberty remains a “core value” in Arizona. But, she added, “So is non-discrimination.”
The debate over the Arizona bill – and similar proposals under consideration elsewhere – highlights the tension between two competing and deeply held American values: the right of people to practice their religion vs. the right to be free from discrimination. It’s a balancing act, and not an easy one.
It is at the heart of the debate over the Obama administration policy requiring businesses to provide health insurance for their employees that includes forms of contraception. It’s central to the argument by supporters of the Arizona bill that a baker who opposes same-sex marriage shouldn’t be required to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. Both sides make a claim on liberty.
Clearly, nobody’s advocating that the government sanction, say, the right to deny service to black people at a lunch counter – regardless of whether the owner says it violates his religious beliefs. At the same time, nobody’s saying a Jewish caterer must work the Nazi rally, even if the Nazis claim they’re being discriminated against.
The question is, as a matter of public policy, how to reconcile competing rights? How do we protect both the religious rights of one person (which may involve discriminating against some people) and the deeply held right to be free from discrimination? What’s the balance and how best do we achieve it?
As expected, our Texas Faith panel of experts on faith and public policy – theologians, activists, clergy, scholars – don’t agree. And in so doing, they offer provocative, thoughtful reasons. If you think you know what side you’re on, read our Texas Faith panel and think again.
NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas
To be merited rights is a metaphysical concept. There is no scientific or secular logic that procures rights upon an individual. Therefore this subject must be approached metaphysically with logic and reason.
The first question is: what is it that is being granted rights? If there is no logical understanding of the self or individual, then we cannot progress further.
In an American history we had slavery because it was said that dark-skinned people did not have souls. But where is the logic in that? By simple analysis one can see that the symptom of the soul or self is consciousness. As soon as the soul leaves the body, that body no longer carries its beauty and luster. That same symptom of consciousness is equal whether one is a man or a woman, dark-skinned or light, or human or animal. All feel pain and pleasure. However, because our society’s understanding of the self and consciousness is lacking depth, a large foolish section of society makes claims that animals are without souls and therefore without inherent rights.
Another large and equally foolish section of society will make claims that the unborn individual is also without rights. This is all because there is no clear understanding of the self which is the foundation of the discussions of rights. But there are books, such as the Bhagavad Gītā As It Is, that deal with this subject with such clarity that it can shock most people. Such clarity is necessary to govern social structures in a progressive way.
To see all responses of the TEXAS Faith panel click here.
My Reply: Varnaśrama Dharma is not fully viable in this modern age, Kali-yuga. The only completely viable dharma in this yuga is hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. (“harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyataḥ”).
That said, Varnāśrama Dharma is still partially viable – and the general principles are still useful and valid. The Gita’s concept of Varnāśrama Dharma is not a janma (birthright) system at all, it is a guṇa-karma system (“catur-varnyam mayā śṛṣtāṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgasa”) – a system based on your actual character and deeds. You are born into a brahmin family, but that does not mean that you have brahmin dharma, it means that it might be relatively easier for you to adopt brahminical occupations and character traits. But until and unless you adopt the deeds and character of a brahmana you are not a brahmana, instead you are “brahma-bandhu” (the relative of a brahmana). Of course, the caste system has degraded so extensively that most likely a person born into a so-called brahmin family today could often be brahma-bandhu-bandhu-bandhu-bandhu (the relative of a relative of a relative of a relative of a brahmana).
In kali-yuga, Varṇāśrama Dharma is not primary, it is secondary. Hari Kīrtana is primary. As a secondary dharma, the specific exact details and strictures of Varṇāśrama are not important, it is mainly the essential concepts and fundamentals of the system that are still reasonably viable today. Perhaps in the future things could possibly change for a few centuries or so, enabling Varṇāśrama to be a little more viable than it currently is. Currently the only useful thing is to recognize ones character and deeds as being most akin to either intellectual, administrative, mercantile, or artisan. And based on that, cultivate a few essential qualities intrinsic to each category. For example one with a primary intellectual bent needs to cultivate simplicity and honesty. One with a primary administrative bent needs to cultivate political knowledge and respect for intellectuals. One with a primary mercantile bent needs to cultivate the knowledge related to their field and the giving of ample charity, and one with an artisan bent needs simply cultivate their art/technical field along with the quality of helpfulness when called upon.
Krishna’s advice here in the 3rd Chapter of Gītā is translated to modern terms with more integrity when we use the word “responsibilities” rather than “duties” especially if by duties we begin thinking of some particular social structure like the caste system or some semi-workable concept of Varṇāśrama Dharma. He is advising Arjuna, “you have your responsibilities. Stick to them. Sticking to your responsibilities is always noble and pure and will always uplift your character and your life. Even when your responsibilities seem to be hard, or seem to be debased and difficult – stick to them at all costs.”
– Vraja Kishor das
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrindavana, India, Srila Prabhupada Pastimes Lecture)
Question: What is the purpose of group chanting?
Obviously when we do things together, it gives us support in different ways – it gives support in a positive way and also in another way like when your mind thinks, ‘Oh, I am so ill today, I am not well, I need some rest! Oh, rest!!’
When you are alone, who will tell you not to do it but when you are with the vaisnavas, then it looks so bad. Therefore, it also keeps check and balance. In this way, the association of devotees gives us support and protection from our lower nature. In front of the vaisnavas, we will behave better than when we are alone. So, chant with the vaisnavas!
O friend, by great good-fortune you have attained this body where you have heard Vrndavana’s wonderful glories and learned that everything in this world is like a dream. Don’t, don’t, don’t put any faith in the mind and body. Run to Vrndavana.
[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-80 Translation.]
Please click here for more photos
Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way – namely, when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one’s own senses – then by the grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied.
- Srila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter One: Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra 1.32-35
May 9 - 11, 2014 (Mother’s day weekend)
Filled with inspiring lectures, seminars, workshops, entertainment, and dramas, the Festival of Inspiration has become the most spiritually inspirational and motivational event of the year. A uniquely wonderful opportunity to share chanting of the holy names in the association of vibrant and fascinating souls from all over the three worlds
Join in for three consecutive days of tumultuous world-class kirtans, bhajans, dancing and feasting in the Appalachian foothills during the delightful mid-spring season in West Virginia!
Devotees express their gratitude for the teachings and guidance that have received from Bhurijan prabhu who is acting as the representative of the Parampara for his disciples. Read more › 
