Planet ISKCON

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Bhagavatam class.

The post How the controlled sense gratification of grhasta life leads to liberation (Part 2) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Krishna's devotees are celebrating new year 2014 in London city center. -- Read more ›

Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday we traveled north through the jungle to the famous Adi-kesava temple which Lord Caitanya visited 500 years ago during His journey through South India. It was in the Adi-kesava temple that Mahaprabhu found a copy of the 5th chapter of the Brahma-samhita. The inner sanctum of the temple was constructed over 4,000 years ago. The deity of Lord Visnu is lying down and is 22 meters long. -- Read more ›

The post January 8th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

14 01 06 SB 06 02 44 By H G Lal Govinda Prabhu ISKCON Juhu

I’ll share a few more of my experiences on the subject of femininity.

Essentially female means “open” and it means “amplification of input.” The female opens herself up to “input” and then amplifies and expands that input.

One word for female in Sanskrit is strī - literally “expand” – which illustrates what I am talking about: receiving input and expanding upon it. Another word associated with “female” is prakṛti which also literally means something very close to “expand.” Prakṛti means expansion “pra-“ of deeds “krti” – or the entity that is able to expand and develop an effort.

So femininity also means openness, because she cannot receive input to amplify when she is closed. Procreation is a very concrete example of femininity. The female must open herself, receive input, and then she can amplify and expand that input into something amazing, a child. So the feminine nature is open to input and expansive upon the input.

 

I personally feel that chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra deeply is an extremely profound feminine experience.

My experience is that I must completely open my mind to receive the mantra. I must not close my mind off from the mantra by clinging tightly to other thoughts. As a female opens herself to her mate, the mind must be feminine and open herself to the mantra. “Hare Krishna, here is my mind, my self, my whole being. I reserve none of it from you. Take all of it. Fill all of it with you. Place your potency within it.”

When the mind becomes womanly open to being filled by the mantra, that mantra immediately responds (being so masculine) and becomes a very ecstatic and blissful entity due to being attracted to the availability of our mind. It then becomes extremely easy and enjoyable to chant and meditate upon the mantra without distraction.

Houston, Texas

At the US Customs

At the Toronto Airport, US Customs, station number 9, I was asked by an officer, a woman, “Where are you flying to?”

“To Houston.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a monk.”

“You don’t mind being asked questioned by a woman, because I had two monks here last week who refused to deal with me.” (She wasn’t defiant, just relaying her experience…)

“Well, ma’am, that must be a different order.  I’m a Hare Krishna monk, we love everyone.”

She smiled, which is a rarity, coming from a customs officer.  She had a few more brief questions and was content with my answers.

Yes, we do love everyone, at least, try to.  No one is your friend and no one is your enemy.  We are all spirits, but with different attitudes.  I have to be concerned with my own.

In the evening, it was preplanned that I meet with a cast of potentials, youth who would audition for parts for the weekend drama, “Little Big Ramayan”.  The volunteers that showed up were both young men and women, average age in their teens.  The story calls for male and female characters.  Sorry, Shakespeare, I usually don’t have an all male cast; I use both genders.  I try to love everyone.

As our guru, Srila Prabhupada, had done, he accepted all, and for those who consented to the Vaishnava principles, he turned them into ladies and gentlemen.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Toronto, Ontario

Warm Up When Cold

It is so very possible to work up a sweat while in the snow.   Myself, and so many other people took advantage of the tranquility in the ravine that runs near Bayview Avenue.  You walk at a good speed and beads of perspiration will form and get absorbed in the clothes you wear.  Sweat is a sign that the machinery is in motion.  Motion can make you wet.  Motion is also the best for toning down emotion.

Our Inuit people knew the art of keeping warm in the igloo.  For southerners who aren’t aware, snow is a remarkable insulator from chilly winds.  A small fire inside combined with body heat emits enough warmth to make life pleasant in the white domed home.  You keep bundled up and you are fine.  In our childhood, we constructed snow tunnels.  Inside you felt very protected.

I embarked on this trail, bidding all other walkers with a, “Have a good one!”  And, one by one, they, in good spirits, offered their brief greeting to one another and to me.  In one way life in terms of pleasure doesn’t get better than this meeting of people in a winter setting.

I reflected on the day prior on a visit to a young couple, Yogendra and Rasa and their newborn daughter, Audharya.  Warmth was demonstrated, particularly by daddy to daughter, during my short visit there.  Not so long ago, Yogendra was a cheerful young monastic living the life of learning, simplicity and devotion.  Those three items are dream catchers in a monk’s life.  They are just precious and they set the stage for the challenging life of parenting, home making and community contributing.

I’ve watched Yogendra personally grow, and I can see life for him is becoming fulfilled.

My last touch of warmth for the day came during the famous open house at the Hare Krishna Centre, what in hippie days was called The Love Feast.   The temple managers arranged a gorgeous lit flower petaled staged for the local bhajan band, Gaura Shakti.  A seat with similar décor was set for me to use before the Sunday crowd to explain the power of hearing mantra and a further enhanced power from reciting it.  The mantra presentation by Gaura Shakti warmed so many hearts that night.

I think that if hearts can sweat in devotion, that happened tonight.

May the Source be with you!

7 KM

At the end of this week, Americans will pause to observe the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s death. We in Dallas particularly will be in the middle of the observation. The assassination, of course, happened here. And Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has put together a gathering at Dealey Plaza to commemorate the anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination.

Earlier, this panel discussed the impact John Kennedy had on Catholicism. Let’s now look at the Kennedy impact in another way.

Why is it that the nation still pauses 50 years after his death?

The country has never really looked back on the assassination of any our other leaders, except perhaps that of Abraham Lincoln. So, is this just part of the Kennedy mystique?

Or does this national moment of reflection say something about an innate human need to have princes we look up to, even if the scriptures warn against putting one’s faith in princes?

Or are we pausing because we still wonder what might have happened if an assassin’s bullet had not put the country on a different course?

Or was it only one assassin? I think so, but the open question for some creates a giant sense of mystery around his death. Is that why we keep focusing on November 22? Does the mystery draw us in?

Or do we stop to reflect because he was having an impact on the country that was suddenly aborted?

Or here’s one more thought: Is November 22 now mostly a media creation?

Obviously, there are many different angles here. And there are many more. But from your perspective:Why does the nation still pause 50 years after John Kennedy’s assassination?

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas 

We are surprised that the thief known as Death does not discriminate. One may have the best medicine and doctor but that does not guarantee safety. Nor is there such a guarantee for a child of loving, protective parents. Nor can the man on the sturdiest boat be assured of his safety.

When death comes, the Secret Service will not be able to shoot him, nor will one's guard dogs bark him away. It doesn't matter how much organic food or vitamins you take. Nor does it matter how much you jog. Whether you are the president or the Pope, Death is still an equal opportunity employer. Those with spiritual wisdom do not fear death. They understand it as simply a change of dress.

This weekend I performed the funeral of a 19 year-old girl. This was a strong reminder of the most surprising thing in this world. We have seen others before us pass away but none of us really think death will happen to us.
Rejection of death actually hints to the nature of the self. We do not want to die because the very notion of it is unnatural. Why? Because the self is eternal, so the notion of death goes against our very nature.

To see all responses of the TEXAS Faith panel click here.

As we usher in 2014, ISKCON News takes a look back at 15 stories that helped to shape the last 12 months. In 2013, ISKCON made important steps in child protection; cared for victims of natural disasters; re-focused on preserving Srila Prabhupada’s pre-eminent position; continued construction work on its monumental Temple of the Vedic Planetarium; opened a brand new art gallery; and began plans for its fiftieth anniversary.

"One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself. During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work; the tongue is sevonmukha-jihva - it is controlled by service."

Caitanya-caritamrita
Madhya Lila Ch. 15 Verse 108

Please click here for all photos

My body may be decorated with beautiful garments and ornaments, or it may burn with terrible disease. I may be praised, or defamed with millions of words. I may become the master of all wealth, or I may be reduced to abject poverty. I may be free from all suffering, or I may be a living corpse. Whatever my condition is, I shall always take shelter of the transcendental land of Sri Vrindavana, the source of all bliss.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-29 Translation ]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 January 2013, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 12.8.46)

It is an art to have to deal with others. For me too! I could be very peacefully chanting Hare Krsna, doing a little worship, lots of nice kirtans and leave it at that. But then, there are these people that have marriage problems or devotees that fall down or devotees that want to have a sex change, and you think, ‘But wasn’t the philosophy that we are not the body!?’

So, the amount of complications that we to get into by social involvement is overwhelming. It is an art that one has to learn to use anger in a very controlled way; a cool anger not hot anger. When you are a teacher, there is always the issue that the students don’t want to be controlled; I was one of those rebellious students. But the fact of the matter is that you have the control but you don’t have to assert your authority and if people don’t co-operate, then okay. So if anyone doesn’t co-operate then it is very simple, ‘I’ll give you a few chances and then you’re out. Go speak to the director and good luck!’

Simple as that. There is no discussion about it. Just a few chances and then out. I’m not going to get upset with you… I just lay down the line… very simple… this is it!

I see it with temple presidents who are trying to assert their authority. There’s no need, you already got it. You’re the temple president, you’re the boss, you have the authority! The problem is that people, out of fear, get out of control and start to try to assert their authority. That is when they get under the modes - dealing with such aggression. So, with the mode of goodness you just realize, ‘No, I have the authority, I will just stay calm and I’ll establish clearly how it is and if they are not co-operating then they are out, after a few warnings.’

So, in the mode of goodness, one is the tortoise who stays in his own goodness and then puts out the legs but not too much, not where you completely and emotionally throw yourself in a material situation!

 

 

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17.

“So if you spend your life in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord in the association of devotees, your eternal life in the spiritual world is guaranteed—just like if you give money in charity, its return is guaranteed in the next life. As a legitimate son has simply to remain alive to gain an inheritance from his father, so one who simply remains alive alive in Krishna consciousness, following this process of bhakti-yoga, becomes eligible to receive the mercy of the Lord: the devotee will ‘inherit’ the kingdom of God—enter the Lord’s divine abode. So, everything is explained very clearly; all we have to do is do it. What we are being asked to do is very easy—we are all doing it right now. It is very easy and enjoyable. We just have to continue doing it. We shouldn’t waste time.”

-————————————————-
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17, Noida

1974 January 7: "You write that things are in crisis. Therefore, we have to take shelter of Krsna. If Krsna wants to kill us that is not wrong, if it is His desire. Our business is to follow the regulative schedule and never mind the material danger."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 January 7: "We have so much work to do, we cannot lose our solidarity. Do not cause a crack with fighting spirit or competition. Please spare me such disturbance."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 January 7: "I was very pleased by your report of our cow protection program. Engage the bulls in tilling the ground. People may call this the primitive way but it is very practical for engaging the bulls in loading carts, transporting, etc."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 January 7: "See what is the actual situation there. Study it very carefully and let me know how things are going. This incident has caused havoc all over the world. It is hampering our reputation everywhere. It must be stopped immediately."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

Mayapur Dhama ki Jaya! -- Read more ›

1975 January 7: "Has anyone ever become convinced in Krishna Consciousness by listening to this record? No. But, if he reads one book, he will be convinced about spiritual life. That is our success. I do not want this record distribution to continue."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 January 7: "You should remain with us for some time, otherwise how will we know what work you are fit to do? You should understand of course, that we do not pay anyone in our society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

New Year Vaishnava "party". Many guests, musicians from other countries, mainly - the founder of the festival "Golok Fest" from Moscow, theatrical performance, various master classes, etc. -- Read more ›

Let me take the opportunity of the upcoming calendar year to first thank you for reading this New Year’s message. You and I are together here connecting through these words, and it’s my great honor to meet such sincere spiritual aspirants. I hope in the future we will have many more opportunities to meet and share realizations – and not only in cyberspace. -- Read more ›

Pictures taken during recent visit of Bhakti Charu Swami to Iskcon Baroda Pictures taken by Vaman Das -- Read more ›

By Giriraja Swami -- Read more ›

Goloka Dhama- Germany -- Read more ›

Bhagavatam class.

The post How the controlled sense gratification of grhasta life leads to liberation (Part 1) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.