I loved sitting down and just soaking in the sounds from the temple. The people singing, the ringing of the bells, the blow of the conch shell were some of the sounds that I remember the most. I saw people from all over the world, Australia, Europe and different parts of the US coming to the Vrindavan temple. -- Read more ›

Due to unusually cold weather attendance was down at our first festival in Ahmedabad last night. But we made up for it with our preaching on a popular talk show the same evening. Several million people watched "G Television" as myself, Sri Prahlad das and Syama Premi dasi spoke for 40 minutes about Srila Prabhupada establishing Krsna consciousness in the west and how Lord Krsna's teachings in Bhagavad Gita can solve the problems of modern society. We also went into great detail about the glories of chanting Hare Krsna and ended with a sweet kirtan. What bliss! -- Read more ›

“This man continued giving us biscuits and bananas every day for close to two weeks. So it’s like he used that way to drag so many people. And we loved the man, so every day he [saw] us there singing and dancing, chanting “Hare Krishna” until he left my village and he told us he was going back to India.” -- Read more ›

Presentation to senior health workers at the amazing Peacock Clinic in Nottingham.

The post How knowledge of the soul is relevant to health (Part 1) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) India  invites ISKCON devotees to participate in a 2-day seminar on the “Merits of Organized Book Distribution.” It is scheduled to take place on Jan 31,2014 and Feb 1, 2014 at ISKCON Tirupati. It is being conducted under the expert guidance of Vaisesika Dasa Adhikari.

The post January 11th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Recently there was a picture of Samba on the Brijabasi Spirit Throwback Thursday.  Naturally it reminded me of him. What he will be best remembered for is that he was a trucker who hauled in much of the materials that manifest as what most devotees would now recognize as New Vrindaban.

He took initiation from Srila Prabhupada in 1972 and helped build the Palace. All that marble you see at the Palace was hauled in and Samba made frequent trips to New York and other places to pick it up.

He was especially active in the 1980s when the lodge, Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Candra  temple and all the associated building were constructed. We had our own cement mixer for the floors and curbs and  a paving brick factory where all the pavers used in the parking lot were made. All that material was hauled in as well as the gravel substrata under the roads.  Also a lot of the construction materials that were used to build the structures.

Samba was so dedicated he would be at the gravel place when it opened in the morning. He would haul gravel all day until it closed. He would dump the gravel on a lot we purchased at Rte 88 and 250.  Then when  the gravel place would close he would reload the materials onto his truck and haul it the rest of the way  into New Vrindaban because he could get more done in a day that way.

When the lake by the temple, then called Kaliya Ghat,  was being built he was involved.   A large hole was excavatedIn order for a lake to hold water it needs a clay liner and the clay on site wasn’t suitable so he was trucking it in. He would dump it and the man (or in this case,  kid, our current ECOV director Chaitanya “Chaits” Mangala then age 14 ) on a dozer would smooth it out to make the liner.

BTW other members of the crew were Varsana Maharajah overseeing, Pippalada,  grader operator,  Murti, truck driver, Kaliya Krishna, trucker,  Sarva Saksi back hoe  and Samba, son of Hayagriva,  also just  a kid at age 12, dozer.

They would run in shifts around the clock and  a leader at the time said he couldn’t fall asleep unless he heard the equipment running.

Some of Samba’s ashes were spread in the ghat so the next time you watch a Swan Boat Ceremony, remember Samba.

Samba was also a devotee of Tulasi and spent a lot of time caring for Her.

After Srila Prabhupada left the planet and Kirtanananda took over Samba left for a few years. He got cancer and moved back to New Vrindaban to leave his body. He was set up in a room in what is the guest quarters now of the temple.

While there he was chanting furiously, so intently that a prominent leader  told him that because he had done so much service and was rightly situated in the temple that he didn’t need to worry so much about chanting so hard. Samba waited until the leader left the room then went right back to chanting furiously.

At the end there was a sannyasi who was visiting and standing next to his bed holding his danda. With his last breath Samba reached out, grabbed the danda , and left his body.  Those of us at the time who were hard core householders appreciated that although it is proscribed that at some time we take up the sannyasa life of celibacy, traveling and preaching, Samba only had to endure that for the shortest possible time, one breath, as we figured grabbing the danda was taking sannyasa. It was another thing to admire him for.

Curiously, although India is often associated with ideas of peace and tolerance, no Indian has ever been awarded the Peace Prize.

The newly launched website DevoteeClassifieds.com - is a place where devotees (and their friends) can buy and sell items amongst themselves, whether it be a house, a car, furniture or children’s books.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Orthodox Christians and all citizens of Russia who celebrate Christmas.

2014 01 04 Prerna Festival The Power To Change Radhanath Swami ISKCON Chowpatty

The tragic events in Volgograd makes us wonder about the nature of terrorism. The saddest thing is that people explain or justify terrorism with God, and with the name of God.

In each stage of the TOVP’s construction, only the top quality materials are selected. The goal of which is to ensure the sturdiness of the temple for years to come.

The project has entered a new phase of construction beginning the new contract for laying the brick on the walls and on the floors. Maintaining the TOVP standards, only India’s finest brick was chosen. This layer will form a solid base upon which the marble and decorative cladding works will be added. Furthermore, the walls will serve as weather protection for all of the structural elements.

The brickwork reveals a new dimension of progress as the sterile construction site becomes gradually transformed into a recognizable temple. If looking closely, one could perhaps already see hundreds of devotees dancing in ecstasy as the sounds of mridangas echo triumphantly throughout the ether.

Houston, Texas

Strong Points

Billy Graham, a popular American evangelist, had never taken up the status as a monk, yet he is commendable as an influential spiritualist. 

His name came up in one of our meetings, when the topic arose about being proactive in the matter of maintaining integrity on the spiritual platform.  Billy Graham was once asked how he keeps going on as a successful inspiration and his response was capsulated in two points.  Number one, he would never find himself in a man and woman in a room alone situation.  And with number two, he remarked that he doesn’t handle money. 

This information is pertinent for those particularly in the renounced order of life. 

At our meetings I took note of other remarks of inspiration quoted from different sources:

“Any course is better than no course.”
 
“Show them a ladder and people will climb.”
 
“The rising tide raises all boats.”
 
“For succession, get the best people, give clear goals, and get out of the way.”
 
“Where attention goes, energy flows.”
 
“Better a good plan today than a better plan tomorrow.”
 
“Be tolerant and continue progress with determination.” (Srila Prabhupada). 
 
“Humility.  Yes, but be aggressive, be a lion on the chase and a lamb at home.” (Srila Prabhupada).
 
May the Source be with you!

4 KM

Houston, Texas

The Train and a Time

The timing couldn’t be more precise.  Running alongside our meeting room is this railway line; a train goes by periodically with a routine whistle blowing off.  It seems to strike at a critical moment, just when something profound is being said or a major item is being voted on, there blows the whistle.

I got somewhat familiar with those tracks of the train at predawn when I was ambling on the trail right next to it.

I’ve always liked trains.  Since knowing that our guru, Srila Prabhupada, spent ample time on this mode of transportation in his years as a family man (prior to being a monk), the locomotive reminds me of him.  India, where he did his travels, mainly to earn his family’s keep, have the most complex and active passenger train system in the world.

For me the sound of a train represents optimism in a certain way.  They are ancient relics of the past.  They are powerful.  Of course, there is a dark side – products of a residual industrial revolution.   They made a major change in the culture of our indigenous people.  Their construction killed many labourers .  In Hope, British Columbia, I recalled through my travels through there, a plaque reads that for every mile of constructed track, three Chinese labourers fell to their death.

When my colleagues and I have our meetings in India, a small lizard, what they call a tik-tik, crawls along the walls and often makes a sound at a point of affirmation.  Here, in Houston, we hear the toot of a choo-choo, at a moment when it’s so on queue.  It just appears to be such perfect timing.  It is beyond declaring that it’s a coincidence.

May the Source be with you!

3 KM

Giriraj Swami spoke to the assembled parents, students, teachers, and other staff at the Bhaktivedanta Swami Mission School in Lokhandwala, Andheri West, Mumbai.
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Bhaktivedanta Swami Mission School Talk

"Therefore chanting the holy name is the prime religious activity of a Vaisnava. From the holy name gradually blossom the Lord’s form, qualities and pastimes. The entire panorama of Lord Krishna’s pastimes is present in the holy name."
From Sri Harinama Cintamani
Haridasa Thakura to Lord Caitanya

Please click here for all photos

Don’t do anything! Don’t say anything! Forget everything you’ve seen! Remember the fair and dark divine couple that pains Kamadeva, flee the common people and go to transcendental Vrindavana!

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-32 Translation ]

For over 10 years the devotees from New Govardhana have been catering at the Woodford Folk festival. It is said that a few hundred thousand people attend this festival over a 6 day period.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 September 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.36)

Real security is with Krsna – that is all that remains. The more one places his faith in Krsna, the more everything becomes successful. This is what we see in Srila Prabhupada who came to the Western world with forty rupees and then had so many assets at the end of his life.

Some journalists would inquire about Prabhupada’s wealth. They were seeing him as one of those gurus who were exploiting and living-off the wealth of their disciples. So at one point Prabhupada volunteered, he said, “Yes, I have many cars. Yes, I have cars all over the world.” 

“Oh, the Swami has cars all over the world!” You can see the headlines, it is going to be good! But then he said, “Yes, my disciples are driving these cars everywhere to spread the message of the Bhagavad-gita.”  They ripped up their notes and said, “This one will not make any article, useless!”

They tried to portray him as selfish, like an exploiter but instead, Prabhupada turned it around and just showed selflessness. He was simply maintaining all possessions in a selfless way – so many temples, so many buildings, so many cars and so many things but all in a selfless way. Yes rooms, large rooms but Prabhupada filled them up with devotees who would meet him there for darshan. So, no selfish use of any of the facilities – no such thing. Just all for Krsna, as much as possible!

Join us this Sunday for a special discourse by His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari Please join us this Saturday from 11am to 1pm for a special Kirtan session in honor of a devotee who is battling for life at the moment.

Sunday Love Feast When? Sunday, January 12th Program starts at 11 am Where? 6 George Street South Brampton, Ontario L6Y 1P3, Canada New! Listen Click here to listen to previous class recordings on our blog Make a Donation Bhagavad Gita - 17.1   The Divisions of Faith arjuna uvaca ye sastra-vidhim utsrjya yajante sraddhayanvitah tesam nistha tu ka krsna sattvam aho rajas tamah TRANSLATION Arjuna said, O Krsna, what is the situation of one who does not follow the principles of scripture but who worships according to his own imagination? Is he in goodness, in passion or in ignorance? (To expand on this or get an understanding of the answer, please visit Iskcon Brampton this Sunday) The Sunday Feast program consists of arati, kirtan (devotional chanting), philosophical discussion and prasadam.  Please come, get inspired and inspire others through your desire to share Krsna Consciousness! Program Schedule: 11.00 – 11.15                Tulsi Puja                                            11.15 - 11.30                  Guru Puja                                             11:30 – 11:55                Aarti & Kirtan                                       11.55 - 12.00                Sri Nrsingadev Prayers                         12.00 – 1:00                 Vedic Discourse by His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhika 1:00 – 1:30                    Closing Kirtan evaḿ pravartitaḿ cakraḿ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ aghāyur indriyārāmo moghaḿ pārtha sa jīvati Bhagavad-gita 3.16 My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain.   Once again we have the opportunity to get the association of His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari at ISKCON Brampton. His Grace Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari appeared in this world in November 1947, the tenth day (Dasami) of the most holy month of Kartik according to the Vaisnava calendar. He first met his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in 1971 and was initiated by him the same year. Srila Prabhupada personally told this new young disciple that he was pleased with his sincerity and enthusiasm for spreading the Krishna consciousness movement. Sankarshan Das fully dedicated his life for serving the order of his spiritual master to become a guru and deliver the world. For the last 40+ years he has uninterruptedly served his spiritual master’s movement, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), in various capacities. In the year 2000, in recognition for his full dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s mission, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC) gave him their blessings to initiate disciples. Since that time he has been regularly traveling and lecturing extensively all over the world for reviving the dormant Krishna consciousness in the hearts of all living beings. Well known for his Internet based training program, the Ultimate Self Realization Course, he has attracted over 14,000 subscribers from over 100 different countries who receive a daily inspirational message and personal answers to their questions regarding how to become perfect in Krishna consciousness. Those who are interested can join his course at: www.backtohome.com The program consists of arati, kirtan (devotional chanting), philosophical discussion and prasadam.  Please come, get inspired and inspire others through your desire to share Krsna Consciousness!   This Saturday January 11th from 11am to 1pm A dear member of our ISKCON congregation within the GTA,  Atal Pandey Prabhu, is currently in a critical situation in the hospital after a serious surgery. He is still in the ICU department. It is very important at this time to pray to Lord Krishna for Prabhu's health and quick recovery. This is the best thing we can do as devotees and Prabhu's friends and well wishers.   The ISKCON Brampton Centre will hold a small kirtan & prayers program in the Temple this Saturday, Jan 11 on the auspicious day of Ekadashi. The program will start at 11 am. Please come and chant with us for Prabhus quick recovery.   Atal Prabhu and his wife are very active devotees and doing many important services in the Brampton area, like their weekly home programs and regular services at the various ISKCON centres in the GTA.

Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to preach Krishna Consciousness in India.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Produced by Karuna Productions with the sponsorship of ISKCON Communications and Odyssey Networks. -- Read more ›

Today is my close friend Shyamlal prabhu’s funeral. I wrote this letter to him to be read at the ceremony: My dear friend Shyamlal, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I was happy to hear of your departure the other day. It was very difficult seeing you in a painful condition [...]

Yesterday evening we took darsan of Lord Padmanabha. Like many other temples in this region of India the Lord is lying down in a mystic slumber. Western, non-Hindu people are forbidden to enter the temple, but ISKCON devotees ( from anywhere in the world ) may enter with the express written permission of the King. [...]

Ten thousand devotees, from all over the world, are expected to attend the special 25th anniversary Silver Jubilee Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama from March 5th to 11th this spring. The Navadvipa area of West Bengal is considered sacred as it is the place where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu -- believed to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna, or God Himself -- lived and taught his message of chanting God’s Holy Names. -- Read more ›

Evening talk at Karuna Bhavan.

The post The sweetest of all sweet things – the name of Krsna appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

We’re ringing in the new year by welcoming Baby Gopal to Save the Cow. Born in 2003 on Deer Run Farm in nearby Columbia County, he was rejected by his mother for some unknown reason. His owners, Al and Barbara Bluhm, called him “Baby” and lovingly raised him as their pet. Now, a decade later and retired from farming, they needed to find a new home for their 10-year-old, 1800-pound Baby. They contacted Save the Cow, an interview was conducted, and everyone agreed that Baby was a good candidate to join the herd. He arrived just before Christmas and, as you can see, Baby, now “Baby Gopal,” is fitting right in. -- Read more ›

Produced by Karuna Productions with the sponsorship of ISKCON Communications and Odyssey Networks.

If we want to make significant steps towards sustainability, we need to appeal to the real motives behind choices. 

Ten thousand devotees are expected to attend the special 25th anniversary Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama from March 5th to 11th this spring.The Navadvipa area of West Bengal is considered sacred as it is the place where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu -- believed to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna, or God Himself -- lived and taught his message of chanting God’s Holy Names.

Last month BBT editor and scholar Dravida das gave a three-hour informative seminar in Alachua, on why and how the original printings of Srila Prabhupada's books have been edited to more closely fit Srila Prabhupada's intentions. There was time for questions and answers and logical explanations. There was a question raised asking why would the unedited books of Srila Prabhupada's not be allowed to be distributed here at ISKCON Alachua. -- Read more ›

Engaging the body in graceful dance for the pleasure of the Lord, and the mind in prayerful contemplation on the sound of His holy names quickly transports our consciousness to the joyful realm of divine love.

The post January 10th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Coimbatore, is a city in India. It is the second largest city and urban agglomeration in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, after Chennai and the sixteenth largest urban agglomeration of India. -- Read more ›

Parasuram das: His Divine Grace wanted us to be happy. Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra brings one to the platform of the soul. Happiness is one of the symptoms of devotional service, check out the smiling face on this movie. On New Year's Eve central London becomes one big party, millions of people take to the streets, no cars are allowed and the ground is ready for the biggest Harinam ever. Enjoy the movie -- Read more ›