Planet ISKCON

Lecture Podcast

On December 22nd, 2013, Radhanath Swami addressed a gathering of over three thousand guests at Pune’s New Vedic Cultural Centre (NVCC) including visitors from all over the State of Maharashtra. The NVCC is a project initiated and completed under the guidance of Radhanath Swami’s student and disciple Radheyshyam das. It was inaugurated in February’ 2013 with the President of India, Mr Pranab Muinkherjee attending as a guest of honor. -- Read more ›

19-12-2013 SB 1.9.13 Bhismadev on Time Providence and Suffering Part 2, Flacq, Mauritius.mp3

The post Makara-sankranti appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

1966 January 14: "I am requesting you to allow me the place for use of the International Institution For God consciousness at least for some time. If I can start the institution immediately certainly I shall be able to get sympathy locally and in that case I may not be required to get money from India."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1968 January 14: "My guidance means Krishna's guidance. The bona fide Spiritual Master is the transparent via media between Krishna and the devotee. The devotee has no access to Krishna without such a via media."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 January 14: "There are two gurus. The internal Guru is Krishna Himself seated in everyone's heart, and the external Guru is the bona fide Spiritual Master. The internal Guru Krishna dictates, but the thing has to be confirmed by the external Guru then it is all right."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 January 14: "Although I was not very enthusiastic to carry out my Spiritual Master's order He forced me circumstantially to accept. I always think about this exalted personality coming directly from Vaikuntha World and we had the great fortune to meet Him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 January 14: "The business we have taken on is neither your business nor my business but it is the business of Lord Caitanya and His bona fide servants like my Guru Maharaja. It is the duty of all of us to execute it as nicely as possible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1975 January 14: "Distribute millions and millions of books but at the same time be very careful in your dealings. You may refer to the letters I have written in regards to the recent controversies about book distribution methods."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 January 14: "Everyone must rise early, take bath, attend mangala arati, chant at least 16 good rounds, attend class, and follow the principles strictly. Anyone who does not accept the regulative principles staunchly will have to fall down."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 January 14: "Regarding your fasting, if you are sick, then fasting is the best medicine. For disease and unwanted guests, if you do not give them food, they will go away."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

The post January 14th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISCOWP recently rescued a beautiful Holstein Cow from going to the slaughterhouse. She is not even 4 years old and was going to be slaughtered because she could not get pregnant again.

She is settled in now and is giving about 3 gallons of milk daily, much more than the ISCOWP crew can use.

We would like to offer members of the community Cruelty Free Milk at $8.00 a gallon and also Panir (curd) at $8.00 as each bag of Panir will be made from a gallon of milk.

Please check out our Youtube video [link below], starting with Jeanne arriving at the ISCOWP Farm. Jeanne’s name has been changed to Vegan Indira by ISCOWP members.

Looking forward to being of service to you all.

My cell phone is 304-281-2689

Home 304-843-1658

ys, Balabhadra das

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

HG Bada Haridas Prabhu’s kirtan in Puskar 31.10.2013

Please click here for all photos

O friend, please control your mind and senses and go and live in Vrndavana, which is a mine of nectar, and which is so glorious that even millions of books by the greatest poets and philosophers cannot describe a single ray of light from the host of the jewels of its virtues.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-35 Translation]

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Please help our devotee friend, Jahnavi to complete her upcoming music album – an acoustic mix of devotional prayers and kirtan from the bhakti yoga tradition. Her indegogo page has full information on the project, donation amounts and what you will get in return.

 

http://igg.me/at/jahnavialbum

"I have to learn to give myself plenty of time to chant and then go within myself and chant Krishna’s names with awareness that I am with Krishna Himself in the sound vibration. It’s not just a counting time but a time to be with the most wonderful person in all the universes."

From Bhajan Kutir #432

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

In this world, we may think that some people are enjoying and that some people are suffering. We may think, “Some people in the world, they are the lucky people, they have everything. The other people in the world, they have to suffer.” We may think like that but I tell you, this is not true! Everybody suffers in this world because the world is a jail. We are locked in the jail and our body is the cell. We are locked in this body, we cannot get out, we cannot escape it! We may try to enjoy it; try… try… try!!

I like the example of The Rolling Stones, ”I cant’ get no satisfaction and I tried and I tried…”  They are still trying. Mick Jagger must be eighty by now or something like that and he is still trying, he never stopped. The Rolling Stones, they pumped so much drugs into their veins that every once in a while, they would go on a kidney machine (dialysis) to clean their blood so that they could do it again. All right but still not enough; still not satisfied!

You may have one woman, not satisfied; you may two women – not satisfied; three – not satisfied! Srila Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati Thakur, he lived one-hundred years ago, he said, “A man may have all the women in the world but still not satisfied.” What can be done!? The mind is not satisfied and this is why we are in jail because of our mind. We are in jail, wherever we are, it does not matter. No money in your pocket, still in jail. Lots of money in your pocket, still in jail, still not free. It is difficult! So this Hare Krsna movement, this chanting of Hare Krsna, is giving us a chance to get free!

Srila Prabhupada describes a story. He described that there is a bird which had lived his whole life in a cage. The one day, they took the cage, put it outside, in the field, and opened the door. The door was opened and out the bird went. The bird was flying around a little bit in the sky but then, he turned around and flew back into the cage. Who is the bird? Are we the bird? The door is open, we can fly out; we have been in the cage so long, ”Actually I like my cage. It is a nice cage. There are many good things. I have different levels where I can sit and tasty things which also I like. It is a comfortable cage, beautiful also. Got a good view from my cage. Ah yes! I like this cage, too much.” It is the body, that is the cage and we keep on trying to enjoy, this way and that way, ”Oh, it is so good!” But why are we not satisfied, if it is so good!? It brings you suffering. Not only we are not satisfied but it brings so many complications.

It is like a man wants a woman and the woman wants a man. The woman wants children and so many things. You have one and then you cannot go anywhere. The thing cries all the time. Get someone to take care of the kid, “Your turn. Who is going to change the nappy today?’” These kinds of scenarios… But what does it all lead to? Then we have a beautiful house, then we have so many bills and then we sit in that beautiful house and it feels just like a cage! Still nothing satisfies us. So the point is why waste our time?

 

18-12-2013 SB 1.9.12 Bhismadev on Time Providence and Suffering Part 1, Flacq, Mauritius.mp3

Nityananda Chandra: Every we are visited a blissful group of young students from the ages of 7-13 along with their supportive parents and youth leaders. The students and parents always ask very nice and intriguing questions following by a lovely kirtan. After the program we always get a lot of thanks about how they enjoyed the presentation and everything else. -- Read more ›

Houston, Texas

Bad News

It is an integral part of a Krishna monk’s daily life to do some listening to words of wisdom.  Then, he reciprocally relays what he heard to someone else after due process.  This method is called sravanam kirtanam (hearing and then repeating what’s worthwhile).

Great revelations came from today’s speaker in our class.  Anuttama, the speaker, was telling us about the downtime necessary for the intense devotional practitioner.  He compared it to slowing down when motorboat racing through shallow waters.  What really took away my breath was something not so analogous or philosophical, it was something else. 

As communications director for our worldwide community, Anuttama relayed a story of one of his trainees.  Aniruddha was a 28 year old bright, vivacious African man who’s life abruptly came to an end in an untimely death in an auto accident.  This is not the first time to hear of a personal friend who lost his life to our roads.  I recall having this Nigerian whose name is Aniruddha, act as the character Duryodhan from the Mahabharat in one of the dramas I directed.  It was a pleasure to work with such a talented and enthusiastic man whom I worked with on several occasions. 

Receiving the news of a good soul I’d known being sacrificed to road traffic once again, I liken to war time announcements of countrymen who died in action while in battle.  This recurring unfortunate way to exit (automobile accidents) is in my opinion, epidemic in our community.   And if you were to talk to practically just anyone, don’t be surprised to hear the same story – testimonies from people who have had dear ones gone to car casualties.  I wouldn’t be stunned if the average person could count up to a half a dozen to even a dozen departed souls who are family or acquaintances that died this way. 

We may pass it all off as karmic play, truth be told, yet we do have the power to choose for proactiveness for all we do.  My word of caution would be two fold, number one, avoid driving or passengering if possible, and number two, if you must drive, do so defensively.  I took a serious walk in dedication to Aniruddha’s soul and chanted maha mantras in his honour.  I hope to see you back, Aniruddha, and if providence wills, perhaps in the next life, we could delight in stage production again for the future.  So long, Aniruddha.

May the Source be with you!

6 KM

Once there was a young American martial arts student, who became fascinated by the discipline of Shaolin.  Shaolin temples are famous for the methods of teaching martial arts and it made it more intriguing because of its secrecy.  It was no surprise that he found himself in China, the home of ancient warriors. He arrived at the temple but there was no one to be found except an old sweeper

1968 January 13: "I thank you for your nice letter and your kind appreciation. I will always be so pleased with your sincere service as I am so much happy with you. Yes, the ecstasy of separation of Spiritual Master is even greater ecstasy than meeting with Him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 January 13: "The Serpent-like feature of the Lord is another expansion of the Lord, to provide His Place on the Ocean. So long we have got materialistic view the serpent is fierce. But He is not at all fierceful to the devotees."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 January 13: "You are so fortunate to be the servitors of Sri Sri Jagannatha Deva installed by your forefathers. To increase your affection for Them you should take only the prasadam of Jagannatha Deva. This facility you have got in this life and it should not be missed."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 January 13: "There is no need to explain your recent traveling; the reason is you are restless. Any place you want to live, that is all right - but just concentrate your mind on utilizing your talents for Krishna's service."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969