" O venerable Vaisnava. O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet. "[ from Saranagati by Bhaktivinoda Thakura ] -- Read more ›
1972 January 29: "Externally we may behave like ordinary men but internally we remain fixed in the service of Radha Krishna. The mayavadi do not accept this and take Devotional service to be maya; therefore we call them mayavadi. Never, at any time, accept the mayavadi philosophy." Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
1972 January 29: "Hayagriva is unquestionably a very expert editor, so you please try to help him and encourage him. If he can remain happy in Krishna's service there is no measure to the value of his work." Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
1973 January 29: "There is no difference between brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. Simply grhastha means that he lives outside the temple with wife, that is the only difference. Otherwise, grhastha must follow the same regulative principles and remain fully engaged in the temple activities." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 January 29: "Your husband has now taken sannyasa order of life for preaching the message of Lord Caitanya. I know that you are very strong in Krsna Consciousness. Now very strictly maintain our principles, working in every second of your life for serving Krsna." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 January 29: "When given in its pure form, people are eager for Krsna consciousness. Each night 15,000 joined in kirtana and listened very attentively to my discourses. Afterwards seven young men joined us full time as brahmacaris." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
On the 10th of January’ 2014, Radhanath Swami addressed guests, doctors and the Directors of the Bhaktivedanta Hospital. He was attending the 16th Annual Day celebrations of the hospital, which was founded, and is presently managed, under his direct vision.
Radhanath Swami was accompanied by his dear friend Giriraj Swami, Dr. Ajay Sankhe, the Director of the hospital, and the Trustees Rishikesh Mafatlal, ND Desai, and Sanjeev Maheshwari.
Addressing over a fifteen hundred people, Radhanath Swami spoke of the need to constantly meditate on the purpose of the hospital; that is to offer compassion for the body, mind and souls of all human beings. -- Read more ›
(Automatically translated from Russian) Number of people apparently turned if not record, it is very impressive - at a rough estimate of about a thousand people. Among them were the ambassadors of Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries, as well as famous scientists, politicians and public figures, members of the government commissions on economic, trade and cultural cooperation, representatives of public organizations. Fully stocked huge reception hall guests luxury hotel was another sign of the strong interest of Russia to India, including its people, traditions, rich spiritual heritage. -- Read more ›
Pandharpur - the city of Lord Sri Vitthal. Village preaching, Nagar Sankirtan, Prabhupada's Book Distribution and distribution of large amount of Krishna Prasad to lacs of pilgrims in month of Ashadha are the major activities of ISKCON Pandharpur. Also festivals like Janmashtami, Gaur-Pornima, Ram Navami and Jagannatha Rathayatra are celebrated with great pomp and gaiety.
Devotees also celebrate Dindi – the walking festival, many times in the year. We invite you to give a visit to Holy Dham Pandharpur and be blessed by Lord Vitthal and Sri Sri Radha Pandharinath.
ISKCON Pandharpur has now a beautiful guest-house with all facilities to stay with your family and participate in daily spiritual programs in the temple....Hare Krishna! -- Read more ›
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram is a popular bhajan (Hindu devotional song) that was a favorite of Mahatma Gandhi. It is also a favorite amongst devotees in New Vrindaban.
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Patita Pavan Sitaram
Sitaram, Sitaram,
Bhaj Pyare Mana Sitaram
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Patita Pavan Sitaram
Ishwar Allah Tero Nam,
Sabako Sanmati De Bhagawan
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Patita Pavan Sitaram
Mukhmen Tulsi Ghatamen Ram,
Jab Bolo Tab Sitaram
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Patita Pavan Sitaram
Hathose Karo Gharka Kam,
Mukhase Bolo Sitaram
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Patita Pavan Sitaram
Bansivala Hay Ghanshyam,
Dhanushya Dhari Sitaram
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
Patita Pavan Sitaram
The song starts with the praise of Raja Ram (Lord Ram). Lord Ram is an incarnation of Vishnu (the preserving aspect of Brahman). Lord Ram is an embodiment of Dharma (Right duty, righteousness) and Virtue.
Raghupati Raghav mean one who has attained all spiritual knowledge, who is strong and firm in righteousness, who is radiant like the thousand suns and who has viveka (spiritual discrimination) and vairagya (dispassion for worldly thing). Such is Raja Ram.
Patit Pavan means the uplifter of those who have fallen from the path of righteousness and virtue. So, we call upon Mother Sita and Raja Ram who are the uplifters of the fallen. Mother Sita is the daughter of Earth. She signifies selfless Love and purity. Mother Earth gives us everything she has without asking anything in return. Mother earth is always pure and everything we get comes from that purity.
Bhaj Pyare Tu Sita Ram means — O beloved Lord Ram and Mother Sita we praise you for what you are and what you signify.
Ishvar Allah Tero naam means — People call you by many names, some call you God “Ishvar” while some call you Allah, but you are the one and only Holy Spirit that is within us all and we are all within you.
Sabko Sanmati De Bhagvan means — Bless everyone with this very wisdom that we are all the product of the same Holy Spirit and that all of us strive towards the path of righteousness and virtue.
Hope that you will find peace and joy in singing this bhajan. We will get utmost spiritual benefit of this devotional song if we can remember its meaning and significance while singing.
Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram
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. The basic premise of this series is to posit that our greatest challenges, problems, reverses, difficulties, hurts, or pain, have the power to crush us (if we let them), or offer the greatest opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. Specifically here, I am speaking of our childhood, and how huge a shadow it casts on our life—which could be good or bad, or likely, a mixture. Our parents are instruments of our karma and are meant teach us valuable lessons for living our lives. Many people don’t really worry about this and simply live without a lot of deep introspection about how their past has shaped them, which isn’t a bad fact if one is happy and fulfilled.
Author:
Karnamrita Das
(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.)
(Fast forward sixteen years from the marriage spoken about in part 1.) This seemed like any typical San Francisco summer morning, foggy and cool, but it was anything but normal to Chris, who was going to do something he didn’t want to do, while his Dad, Johnny, was happy. They were driving to the courthouse for a divorce settlement. Parking, they walked up the stairs and into the building. John found the appropriate courtroom and they took their seats to wait their turn. Chris felt sick to his stomach and wished he could just run away, but knew he couldn’t, so instead, he retreated deeper into himself. It was like he wasn’t even there. Disassociation was how he survived childhood and it had served him well. While a good temporary protection strategy, it was a poor way to live at all times. Later in life, Chris would find his biggest challenge was learning to be present, and to feel, whether sadness or love, but depression became a way to be numb, though it gradually became his clue that something was wrong, very wrong.
For all practical purposes, the memory of this courtroom experience was gone, buried under the debris of pain and disappointment. He only knew it happened on the rare occasions his dad recounted how proud he was hearing that Chris, when asked by the judge, wanted to live with his father—which was totally untrue. Even though Chris couldn’t remember the last time his dad beat him, he still was afraid of him and on guard in case his father would become angry and hit him, so he didn’t speak his mind at court, or for that matter, much at all.
Sometimes some people report incidents when they were taken while in sleep or unconsciousness to Yamaraja, who says, "This was not the Amit you were supposed to bring - that was another Amit. Take this person back."
How then is God's system of justice perfect? Do the Yamadutas identify souls' by their this lifetime's names?
Is this the wonder of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s opulence? Is this the wonderful sweetness of the shoreless nectar ocean of transcendental bliss? Is this the seed of many splendid kalpa-vrksa forests? Is this Vrndavana, the glorious and wonderful transformation of pure love for Krsna?
[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-46 Translation.]
It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the Holy name. In other words, the chanting of the Holy name makes one offenseless.
In the book Nāma-kaumudī it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, he should submit to that Vaiṣṇava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 April 2010, Durban, South Africa, Lecture)
In Germany, in the area where I’m preaching in, there was an archaeological statue or a finding. The statue was the body of a man and a head of a lion. What do you think of that!? What would you make out of that!?
It is like that all over the world, we find remnants of Vedic culture. Long ago, Vedic culture spread all over the world and now India is getting smaller and smaller. In 1947, there was a petition and Pakistan was separated.
But, if we travel around Asia – we see Angkor Wat, the biggest Vishnu temple in Asia. The biggest Vishnu temple in the world is in Cambodia – what do you think of that!?
Then you go to Thailand and it is all ‘Rama Rama’ where ever you go!
Dear devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
HG Adi Karta Prabhu, leads the Kirtan on the streets of London.
The Sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya started in the house of Srivas thakur, them the chanting party left the house, went on to
the streets and they never went back.
This movement will always be street based.
Quotes in the movie are from the Kali Santarana Upanisad.
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta,Adi-lila, 7.166-168 on Sunday morning.
“We should not be swayed by romantic tales of instant enlightenment. It is stated by the previous acaryas—and here in the purport by Srila Prabhupada—that chanting the full Pancha-tattva mantra will free us from offenses and bless us to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offenses. And if we do that, all our spiritual desires and aspirations will be fulfilled—because everything is in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. By offenseless chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra everything is revealed. One gets that mercy, that blessing, by serving the Pancha-tattva, which includes their devotees—gaura-bhakta vrinda. And in that effort we should not compromise.”
Thus the Lord has preserved water on three fourths of the globe and has made it salty to preserve it. Salty water does not decompose, and that is the arrangement of providence. The Lord has engaged the powerful sun to evaporate the water of planets like earth and distill it into clear water in the clouds and then stock it on the peaks of mountains, as we stock water in overhead tanks for later distribution. part of the stock of water is refrigerated into ice, so that it will not flood the earth for no good purpose. The ice melts gradually throughout the year, flows down through the great rivers, and glides down to the sea again for preservation.
(this is funnier in an email with large text size and you have to scroll down to see the picture)
Please remember, now that it’s winter, animals seek out the heat of vehicles to stay warm. Before starting your car, please check around the wheels and engine for these cold animals. You may not even notice they are there.
This is how our cat James came into our family — Madhu found him curled up as a kitten in his engine compartment.
As soon as our bus arrived in the sacred abode of Dwarka we all jumped out and began harinam through the town. Chanting and dancing for hours we finally ended up in front of the 2,500 year-old Rukmini Dwarkadish Temple. As we continued kirtan many of the brahman priests came outside to watch. At one [...]
1969 January 28: "Soon we shall have our own press. Our life and soul is kirtana and presenting literature to the public at large, and I can understand that Krishna is dictating to you from within how to carry this out successfully." Prabhupada Letters :: 1969
1970 January 28: "We shall take forty of our select devotees to India and travel all over with Sankirtana Party and recruit many sympathizers for this movement. I am very much anxious for this." Prabhupada Letters :: 1970
1970 January 28: "Unless there is great fall-down, any transcendentalist, either personalist or impersonalist, if he makes regular progress in the regulative principles, even though he does not finish, he is sure to get his next birth in a good family." Prabhupada Letters :: 1970
1973 January 28: "I am very pleased that you have acquired some more cows. You are the manager, it is up to you to see that everything is developed very very nicely. Once you are utilizing everything very nicely, then you may increase more and more." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 January 28: "This modern civilization is always artificial. You are actually learning the self-sufficient mode of living, simple living, high thinking, that is our policy. As long as Krsna remains in the center of all these activities, then you are actually in Vrindaban." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 January 28: "Continue executing this process of devotional service enthusiastically. As your service becomes mature you shall see Krsna more and more - and more and more you shall realize the qualities of the holy land of Vraja." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 January 28: "It is very nice that Vaikuntha Players are only taking information from our Srimad-Bhagavatam and Krsna Book for presenting drama without any deviation from sastra. In this way we can present the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness very nicely for everyone to relish." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
" O venerable Vaisnava. O ocean of mercy, be merciful unto your servant. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify me. I hold on to your lotus feet. "[ from Saranagati by Bhaktivinoda Thakura ] -- Read more › 
On the 10th of January’ 2014, Radhanath Swami addressed guests, doctors and the Directors of the Bhaktivedanta Hospital. He was attending the 16th Annual Day celebrations of the hospital, which was founded, and is presently managed, under his direct vision.
Radhanath Swami was accompanied by his dear friend Giriraj Swami, Dr. Ajay Sankhe, the Director of the hospital, and the Trustees Rishikesh Mafatlal, ND Desai, and Sanjeev Maheshwari.
Addressing over a fifteen hundred people, Radhanath Swami spoke of the need to constantly meditate on the purpose of the hospital; that is to offer compassion for the body, mind and souls of all human beings. 
(Automatically translated from Russian) Number of people apparently turned if not record, it is very impressive - at a rough estimate of about a thousand people. Among them were the ambassadors of Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries, as well as famous scientists, politicians and public figures, members of the government commissions on economic, trade and cultural cooperation, representatives of public organizations. Fully stocked huge reception hall guests luxury hotel was another sign of the strong interest of Russia to India, including its people, traditions, rich spiritual heritage. 
Deena Bandhu Das: Come with us on virtual winter parikramas of Braja! :-) 
Pandharpur - the city of Lord Sri Vitthal. Village preaching, Nagar Sankirtan, Prabhupada's Book Distribution and distribution of large amount of Krishna Prasad to lacs of pilgrims in month of Ashadha are the major activities of ISKCON Pandharpur. Also festivals like Janmashtami, Gaur-Pornima, Ram Navami and Jagannatha Rathayatra are celebrated with great pomp and gaiety.
Devotees also celebrate Dindi – the walking festival, many times in the year. We invite you to give a visit to Holy Dham Pandharpur and be blessed by Lord Vitthal and Sri Sri Radha Pandharinath.
ISKCON Pandharpur has now a beautiful guest-house with all facilities to stay with your family and participate in daily spiritual programs in the temple....Hare Krishna! 
In 1963, Pete Seeger visited Kolkata and sang this beautiful version of Lord Rama's song