Harinam In Dakor, Home To The Famous Deity Of Ranchor (Album 137 photos)
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Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday we went on harinam in Dakor, home to the famous deity of Ranchor. In sanskrit Ranchor signifies a coward or, "one who leaves the battlefield." Krsna, however, is glorified and is famous amongst His devotees as Ranchor because He left the battlefield to rescue Rukmini, His first queen in Dwarka. People were stunned seeing so many western devotees singing Lord Krsna's holy names and many joined in the kirtan, chanting and dancing alongside us. -- Read more ›

The First Lesson – Not This Body
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That is the first lesson. You do not understand? You are a child, now you're a grown up boy. Where is your childhood? Where is that body? Ha? The dead body does not exist but you are existing. That means you're eternal. Body has changed, but you have not changed. Circumstances have changed, but you have not changed. This is the proof.

- Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles

Ajāmila Got A Second Chance / Appearance Day Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda The following lecture on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Canto 6, Chapter 2, Verse 17, was given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami on 22 January 2014 in Iskcon Juhu – Mumbai, India. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Today was Śrīla Prabhupāda’s class. We just listened to the Śrīla […]

Saturday, January 18th, 2014
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Unity, Guyana
 
The K&K

The K & K Service Station off of the Coastal Road is the slickest gas station in the country. It's a landmark and also the weekend beer drinking and chicken finger - licking, cool place to be. It's right in the center of Guyana. Owned and managed by the Nauth family, they have everything to do with the fifth and final day of padayatra because today the family facility with a huge parking area became the sight for devotion.
     
We did the usual - kirtan on the setup stage, a truck that convert into a fold - out stage. Special guest speakers conveyed their message from there. Our drama "Little Big Ramayan" also made its appearance for a second night in a row. In attendance was (in my, estimation) six to seven hundred people who also partook in a free feast.
    
I met with the Nauth family. Nice folks. They were relaying what usually goes on. It's the big hang out place where music booms out from some of the fanciest cars around; where people make their connection with one another. They admit it was different this evening. By night's end, 11 pm when I chatted with them, they were impressed with our cleaning up the sight.
      
I was reminded of one thing our guru, Srila Prabhupada said, "First you be conscious, then you be Krishna conscious ." There is so much profundity in this statement. How can you be a saint if you are not at least pious and a good steward of the Earth?
     
The finale of the program was wild kirtan, dancing and additional djembe drumming, to provide a special flavour . The moon, almost full, shone on the sight with swift-moving clouds making it disappear at times.
      
The carpets were rolled up, so to speak. The sight will likely go back to the norm but weekenders will see the location as the spot where the monks took over for a day.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
2 KM

Friday, January 17th, 2014
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Mahaica,Guyana
  
The Scientists Mistake

While the procession of padayarta carried on successfully in the village of Mahaica, some trekking naturally takes place. And while there are details to report regarding the stage events, I chose to present here an excerpt from a conversation from which our guru, Srila Prabhupada speaks.
      
From a tenth morning walk at Cheviot Hills Park in Los Angeles, May 14th,1973, we have the following:
 
"The scientists mistake is that they are ignorant of the two energies - material and spiritual. They say that everything emanates from matter. The defect in their theories is that they began from matter instead of spirit. Since matter comes from spirit, in a sense everything is spiritual. Spiritual energy is the source and can exist without the material energy. But the material energy has no existence without the spiritual energy. It is correct to say darkness begins from light, not light begins from darkness. Scientists think that consciousness comes from matter. Actually, consciousness always exists, but when it is covered or degraded by ignorance, it is a form of consciousness.”
 
May the Source be with you!
 
6 KM

Thursday, January 16th, 2014
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Guyana
 
Down With The Sin!

At the location of a weekend marketplace Day Three of padayatra was held. I share the stage with two senior members of the Krishna community, Paramatma and Haridas, both of Guyana. The theme of our discussion basically defined what is padayatra. One way to describe it is "a journey with feet and heart".

I am so impressed with the receptivity of people as we go on proceeding through the villages, and also of their innocence and simplicity. It is something to be admired. The dichotomy is the trash found in the canals and beaches, otherwise I love the place.
      
Here's another plus: like Cuba, fruit and vegetables are organic and are not genetically modified. Fresh food is in abundance. Eating becomes a big attraction. Delivered from the home of Paramatma are, papaya, guava, black spice bottle mangoes. There's Suriname cherries and new to me are these small tasty dunks and karambola. Mostly eatables are served on lotus leaves. It's Paradise!

When all  is good and flavourful, why must we cater to the forces of artificial foods? I don't care to use the word "demons" on people, but in the case of those companies that have tampered with earth's food sources, I believe that the word is most appropriately used. Down with the sin!
 
May Guyana stay clear of their nonsense!
 
And may the Source be with you!
 
3 KM

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014
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Strath Haven, Guyana
 
Water Form Above And Within

Clouds and sun have a field day with each other. Expect a downpour at anytime. It keeps temperature from rocketing. I don't mind that at all.
     
At the temple of the Nimai Pandit Study Center a few of us were poised for the opening of the curtain for viewing the two erect-standing beautiful deities of Gaura and Nitai but before they were revealed a large black moth invited himself into our space. He got very close to the curtain. For viewing? I doubt it.
     
A donkey was braying. He didn't seem to stop. Meanwhile the curtain opened. It was 6:08 am and a formal arati (offering of items to the deities) began. We started chanting for guru and Krishna. All was good except I asked one young monk to clap softly as he was obscuring the mantras.
    
I gave class and proceed on with my assistant, Dronacharya, to our accommodation where a second rehearsal was held for "Little Big Ramayan". Boy, do people sweat here! It is near enough to the equator and any minor movement invites perspiration. That's supposed to be good for you.
   
Day two of padayatra went on. Two young brothers, 8 and 3, tagged along. The three year old one held onto my hand the whole time. No one seemed to know who their parents were. I concluded that love and trust prevails in Guyana. It was only at the end of the program, 9 pm, that their dad showed up.The atmosphere is strong with family values, I would say, and where you have that, it's a safer  environment.
 
Personally I crave for a more wholesome world - with family - you know the type of family I am talking about: Mum, Dad, God, cat, dog, brother, sister, donkey or ass. Not necessarily in that order. They are creatures who sweat together.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
4 KM

It comes with age
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 December 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.8.34)

twin-pujari-jananivasa-pankajangriElderly men are supposed to be wise because they have been faced with life. An elderly person in spiritual life has become familiar with the process of devotional service therefore knows what to do and what not to do. He has tried to do the right thing and has encountered human limitations and has found that it is not just a matter of decision. We know that it is a culture. The essence of our culture is that we are chanting Hare Krsna and trying to develop good qualities and trying to control the lower qualities.

We try to commit more to qualities like tolerance, humility, gratitude and service attitude. Humility is related to gratitude and service attitude. So we try to cultivate these good qualities and understand them better, while fighting with the lower nature. Sometimes, the lower nature comes out and we are confronted with our own envy. We are envious of others… we are unduly acting negative towards a person. We have to actively control it by not acting in an envious way and act in the opposite way. This is all part of the culture of overcoming the lower qualities and we chant Hare Krsna. Through that culture we hope to bring about a change and one day become pure devotees.

 

 

Reciprocating with the Origin of Everything, January 19, Hare Krishna Land, Juhu, Mumbai
Giriraj Swami

01.19.14_02.JuhuGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.12 at the Juhu Beach temple.

“Krishna consciousness is the life of the living entity. It is the life of varnasrama-dharma. And without Krishna consciousness everything is dead: you are dead, Vedic culture is dead—everything. Srila Prabhupada said that life comes from life. The theory that life comes from death—from dead material things—leads people to be absorbed in dead material things and become dead spiritually. It has very deep implications. And the other conception—the fact that life comes from life—causes people to think about life and the Supreme Life, Sri Krishna. By the individual soul’s engaging in service to the Supreme Soul, we get life.”

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SB.6.3.12 ISKCON Juhu 

Bliss In Bliss
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Yesterday we held a festival program in the center of Anand, Gujarat. Over 4,000 people attended. Anand translates as ‘bliss’ in sanskrit. It was certainly blissful reminding the local people of their original culture of Krsna consciousness.Today we will have harinam in Dakor and visit the famous deity of Ranchor-raya.