Do Yamadutas commit mistakes by taking some person other than the intended?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

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?

Answer Podcast

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ January 28, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

IMG_8615

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.]

Please click here for more photos

Should We Quit Chanting?
→ Japa Group

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.

SB 7.5.23-24 purport

Remnants of Vedic culture
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 April 2010, Durban, South Africa, Lecture)

Angkor_WatIn 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!

New Harinam movie
→ simple thoughts

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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.

Your servant
Parasuram Das

Srila Prabhupada Has Given Us Everything We Need, January 26, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, England
Giriraj Swami

prabdskGiriraj 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.”

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 7.166-168

God’s Water Supply System – Mind boggling design
→ The Spiritual Scientist

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.

- Srila Prabhupada, Light of the Bhagavata 3, Purport

Cold weather awareness
→ View From a New Vrindaban Ridge

(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.

cow on car

This is how our cat James came into our family — Madhu found him curled up as a kitten in his engine compartment.


Filed under: Cows and Environment, Jokes

Entering Dwarka
→ travelingmonk.com

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 [...]

The Power of Story (1)
→ NY Times & Bhagavad Gita Sanga/ Sankirtana Das



Srila Prabhupada explains in the Krsna Book: “The conditioned soul has a natural aptitude to hear about other conditioned souls in the form of fiction, drama and novel. That inclination to hear something about others may be utilized  in hearing the pastimes of the Lord.”  Storytelling is an age old tool in all cultures around the world.  Actually it is both a technology and art form in itself.  Through the stories people learn about the history of their culture. Stories are the perfect way to understand what is right and wrong, what it means to be good or bad, how to approach life’s obstacles,  and what are the consequences of our actions. Stories are for the young and old, the rich and the poor, the learned and unlearned. Everyone will delight a story well told. Especially in our Vedic tradition we are so close to stories that we take them for granted. Sukadev Goswami shares stories of Krishna’s incarnations with Maharaja Pariksit. Valmiki shares the stories of Lord Rama. Vyasadev shares the stories of Mahabharata. And Srila Prabhupada shares many stories both scriptural and non-scriptural in offering a variety of lessons and insights. 

To spread Krishna Consciousness in todays’ climate, it is imperative for each of us to understand the power of story. In Srimad Bhagavatam 3:13:48 Prabhupada writes, “Every one of us is fond of hearing some wonderful narration, but most stories are neither auspicious nor worth hearing because they are of the inferior quality of material nature. Every living entity is of superior quality, spirit soul, and nothing material can be auspicious for him. Intelligent persons should therefore hear personally and cause others to hear the descriptive narrations of the Lord's activities, for that will destroy the pangs of material existence. Out of His causeless mercy only, the Lord comes to this earth and leaves behind His merciful activities so that the devotees may derive transcendental benefit.”

Look for more about the power of story later.

And please visit www.Mahabharata-Project.com  about Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest, my cinematic rendition of India’s ancient history. Thanks.


Institute for Spiritual Culture
→ Mayapur.com

With excitement and joy we are announcing the newly established Institute for Spiritual Culture. The inauguration program will be held on the 5th of March 2014 at the Goshala in Mayapur. The Board Members HH Sivarama Swami, HH Niranjana Swami, HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami, HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami and HG Badrinarayan Prabhu will grace the […]

The post Institute for Spiritual Culture appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISCOWP January 2014 E-newsletter
→ Life With the Cows and Land

Balabhadra receiving a lick from Vegan Indira, the source of
so much milk and milk products
Curd made from Vegan Indira's milk after adding lemon juice.

















Soup made from whey left over from making curd. Other ingredients
are sweet peppers, broccoli and greens frozen and canned from
 last year's garden and beets, carrots and Brussel sprouts from
our January garden (before the temperatures reached below 0.


Read more at ISCOWP January 2014 E-newsletter  

Some Articles:
Milking a Cow Realizations
Winter Arthik and Treats Offered to the Cows (video)
How to Make Curd and Whey From Milk
ISCOWP in The Huffington Post





Gaura Purnima Seminars
→ Mayapur.com

HG Devakimataji will be offering a seminar on “The False Ego- our Constant Companion and Trouble Maker” during the Gaura Purnima festival. Mother Devaki has served in various capacities for over 20 years and has in later years engaged in creating festivals and various meetings for devotees to listen about and glorify Krsna. She started […]

The post Gaura Purnima Seminars appeared first on Mayapur.com.

New Open Positions Available in New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

NEW OPEN POSITIONS IN NEW VRINDABAN – Jan. 26, 2014

ISKCON New Vrindaban is looking for devotees to serve and help fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s instructions in the following positions:

Main Cook Restaurant

Assistant Cook Devotee Kitchen

Assistant Cook Restaurant

Cleaning Personnel for Restaurant

Cleaning Personnel for Lodge

Cleaning Supervisor

Lodge Receptionists

These are all paid positions and some are seasonal. Please send your applications to vasudeva108@gmail.com

For additional information about the New Vrindaban community and the lodge, please visit newvrindaban.com and palacelodge.com.

Your servant,

Vasudeva dasa

(Oscar Maduri)
Lodge & Restaurant Manager
ISKCON New Vrindaban
3759 McCrearys Ridge Road
Moundsville, WV, 26041
Phone: 304 843 1600 Ext133

www.palacelodge.com

www.newvrindaban.com
http://www.festivalofcolors.us/

 

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ January 27, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

01

O, look at Vrindavana, so beautiful with many blissful, splendid groves of kalpa-vriksha trees, with many parrots and other birds intoxicated by singing Vedic hymns glorifying Krishna, with many deers so pleasing to Krishna, with splendid transcendental lakes, ponds and streams, all filled with water sweet as nectar, and with mountains of valuable jewels.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-45 Translation.]

Please click here for all photos

Sunday, January 26th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Acceptance of the Storms

Nature can be very punishable, so it seems at times, with such severe weather being what it is.  Have we done anything wrong? 

An emphatic “yes” would be the appropriate answer.  Let’s be honest.

Someone or something is a witness to our actions, making a subliminal registry.  Karma is then released in time, good or bad, positive or negative.  It can come charging like some lanced gladiator, or softly land like a gentle angel floating in.

During the freeze dynamic of the outdoors, the morning at the ashram had begun.  Two of our monks were comfortably nestled next to the old timed radiator.  They were in the lotus position.  A third one was on a chair nearby, being that he suffered from a stroke years ago.  His mantra chanting doesn’t sound so articulate while he fingers through his meditative beads.  For the other two, their sound is clear in the delivery of the mantra meditation.  I can see that out of respect for the more senior and disabled monk, that they accept his awkward but sincere verbal output. 

Sitting cross the cozy meditative zone we’ve created for ourselves was me, and like the other three, we are all dealing with our stormy minds.  In this regard the outdoor winter madness, and the mental barrage within, are one.  Only the mantra, once concentrated upon, will permit a sense of aloofness from any mental blizzard. 

Snowflakes galore descended for the bulk of the day in winters persistence.  Fortunately, it did not deter people from coming to our Sunday Open House.  Then I personally enjoyed the slide presentation by my spiritual sister, Praharana, it was most enlivening seeing from the presentation that some of our monks in Burma are receiving as donations, neglected temples.  These older structures are now being adopted.

The feast was amazing at the Open House, and we had a rousing kirtan to follow, which lasted until 9 PM. 

New laden snow made a walk attractive, and so Durjoy, a young Bangladesh devotee who comes around, joined me in this last activity of the day.  We both vowed that it would be a japa (chanting) walk.  With our winter parka pockets as beadbags, we clutched our right hands tightly onto our beads while addressing the stormy minds within.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM