Principles for Effective Chanting, Putrada Ekadasi, January 11, Andheri, Mumbai
Giriraj Swami

01.11.14_MumbaiGiriraj Swami and Bhurijana dasa spoke at a program at the home of Vrindavan Bihari dasa and Prema Manjari dasi.

“Whether we are just beginning chanters or the most expert chanters chanting on the platform of prema-nama, we still should chant Krishna’s names. And we should chant the best we can, on the highest level we are able to.  So, the first principle is to chant Krishna’s names. The second principle is that when it is time to chant japa we have to make a determination—a sankalpa—‘At this particular time while I am chanting my japa, I have nothing else to do.’ We have to make that decision: ‘I have nothing else to do now’. Because, if we don’t make that decision, when our mind starts accepting and rejecting so many things, we will fall into thinking that ‘This—whatever my mind tells me—is what I have to do right now. But now we have to make the determination—the sankalpa, decision—that I have nothing else to do right now but chant japa.”—Bhurijana dasa

Talk by Bhurijana dasa and Giriraj Swami
Kirtan by Giriraj Swami

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ January 12, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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If you desire to easily get vast wealth, a beautiful wife, good children, a palatial home and the other opulences that don’t come in this world without a struggle, and if you desire krishna-bhakti, which carries liberation in the palm of her hand, then simply reside in the spiritual realm named Vrindavana.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-34 Translation ]

The Method Of Chanting
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"The method of chanting refers to physical considerations such as sitting straight on an asana, chanting during the peaceful predawn hours, and associating with lovers of nama. It also includes using tulasi beads; clear pronunciation; concentrating on the meaning of the mantra; reviewing and avoiding the ten offenses and repentance for transgressions."

From Art Of Chanting Hare Krsna
by Mahanidhi Swami

The thrills in Krsna consciousness
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Leicester, UK, Pandava Sena Program)

IDS_tourThere are thrills in the material world and there are many thrills in Krsna consciousness but the difference is that thrills in material life are all about the thing itself. Let’s say – a party, “Hey, hey, party, party! Ok! Ready! Gonna have a good party now!”

We are going to this wonderful, really good party where we will have a really good time. So we’re at the party and we’re having a good time and then the party is over – and that’s it. Finished! That is a material party.

But with a spiritual party, you have a good time and simultaneously there is another dimension to the party – a spiritual dimension of eternal benefit because all the spiritual things you do, get you eternal benefit. So, that’s a good party! Therefore, Krsna conscious parties beat all the others – they are the best! So yes, we have our thrills.

Over the years, I have spoken to many audiences and maybe the toughest audience that I ever had to speak to was a school class that was sent to the Hare Krsna temple – they didn’t really want to but they were sent to our temple. It was a school class of thirteen-year old girls. So, they were there at the temple, looking as though they did not really want to be there but they had to listen to my talk. That was tough!

kks_kirtan mela 2012So I spoke very short because I could see that they could not take much. Then immediately the first question came, “Are you ever going to a discotheque?” I knew it was a burning question because if I would have said “no”, then I was a square and that was it. At the same time, I did not go to the discotheque, so what to say?

So my brain worked at lightning speed and finally I said, “No, we don’t go to discotheques because we have a party here every day! We’re dancing everyday here so why would we go to a discotheque when we have it at home?” I said, “Would you also like to get into it?” And they said, “Yeah, why not!”

Then we had a big kirtan and they danced around and liked it a lot. So in this way, we saved the day but if I would have just somehow or other said (in disgusting voice), “Discotheque?? That’s maya!”, then I would have been finished.

So, we see that Krsna consciousness is not dry. Sometimes people ask me, “What is it like to live in a monastery?” My answer is, “No idea! I don’t know! The Hare Krsna temple is not a monastery!”

 

 

Radhanath Swami Meets Legendary Social Activist Sindhutai Sapkal
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On the evening of 22nd of December’ 2013, at Gangadham ground chowk, Pune, both Radhanath Swami and Sindhutai Sapkal were honored as the chief guests at the performance of ‘Jaoo Devayacha gava’, a Marathi rendition of a drama on the life of Saint Tukaram (1577-1650), one of the most important and popular saints of bhakti tradition. Over five thousand people viewed the show directed by Sanjay Bhosle. -- Read more ›

TEXAS FAITH 118: Aren’t we all searching for community and wonder? How would you describe your search for meaning?
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

This Sally Quinn essay from The Washington Post struck me as a provocative piece. In writing about the search for meaning in our lives, she describes an anti-pastor, an anti-gay atheist and Billy Graham at the end of his career.

The piece is worth the read if only for the part about the “tattooed Lutheran pastor, weight lifter, stand-up comic, former alcoholic and drug addict and hard-swearing Nadia Bolz-Weber.”

At the end, Quinn, in talking about the search for meaning, asks: Aren’t we all searching for community and wonder?

How would you answer that question?

How would you describe your search for meaning?

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

The nature of the self is sat-cit-ānanda, eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Our present body is not sat-cit-ānanda. It is called asat for it is perishable. It is acit, full of ignorance, for we have very meager knowledge of this world and practically no knowledge of the spiritual world. And nirānanda, for instead of being full of bliss it is full of misery. All miseries of this world arise from this temporary body and mind but one who remembers Krishna, God, at the time of death, attains a sat-cit-ananda body.


It is our very nature to be full of bliss. Because the highest bliss to be known is from loving relationships, we seek community and love. However, because the body is temporary the relationships remain temporary and thus they cannot satisfy the self and also they create anxiety. In addition to that, the love found in this world is not pure and most often it is tainted with selfishness.

Because our nature is to be fully conscious, we are not only bliss-seeking but also knowledge-seeking. But our instruments of information are dependent on so many factors. Our eyes only see when there is light. Our ears and nose function when there is air. We are so ignorant that we are not even consciously aware as to how we are digesting food or whether there is cancer somewhere in our body.
Meaningful life is found when we act according to our nature. When we, the eternal, lovingly connect to the Supreme Eternal, Krishna.

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

Kirtan with First United Methodist Church’s Confirmation Students
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

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.

Prasadam distribution in Mayapur 10/01/2014 (Album 66 photos)
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“No one within ten miles radius of ISKCON Mayapur temple should go hungry”. “Our temple should be the via media for feeding the poor with food and spiritual knowledge” - Srila Prabhupada. To fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire, ISKCON Mayapur has formed a non profit, nonsectarian charitable food distribution program named FOOD FOR LIFE ISKCON MAYAPUR. Food For Life Iskcon Mayapur is working to conquer hunger in neighbouring villages throughout the holy dhama by engaging volunteers and qualified cooks to prepare and distribute sumptuous, nutritious, freshly-prepared vegetarian meals to all, regardless of cast, creed or religion. -- Read more ›

Srila Prabhupada on New Vrindaban: Seven Temples on Seven Hills – July 1968
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Hare Krishna Explosion Book Cover

Hare Krishna Explosion Cover

Srila Prabhupada on New Vrindaban: Seven Temples on Seven Hills – July 1968.

An Excerpt from The Hare Krishna Explosion.

By Hayagriva dasa

The Montreal temple is located in a large, grey Gothic building near McGill University. The ground floor is occupied by a commercial printing company. The upstairs bowling alley has been converted into a kirtan hall and living area for new devotees—Shivananda, Jayapataka, Hansadutta, Vaikunthanath. Now it is crowded. There has been a flurry of activity since Prabhupada’s arrival.

Kirtanananda and I visit Prabhupada in his nearby apartment. As always, it seems, Prabhupada is seated behind his footlocker, the familiar aromas of gardenias, incense and sandalwood about him. Goursundar and Govinda dasi scurry about, fretting that too many people are disturbing him. We pay our obeisances, and I offer Prabhupada yellow roses, which Govinda dasi arranges in vases.

“So how have you come?” Prabhupada asks.

“By plane from New York,” I say.

“Ah, very good. And in New York they are doing nicely?”

“Yes, Srila Prabhupada. Very nicely.”

“And what about New Vrindaban? That is doing nicely?”

“The owner has finally agreed on a long term lease,” I say, “but he wants the timber.”

“Oh, that cannot be. We must have all rights.”

“The coal rights were sold sixty-five years ago,” Kirtanananda says. “This is the case with all the properties in that area.”

“This means that if the government develops the coal industry, we may be asked to vacate,” Prabhupada says, concerned. “And no law can stop it.”

We admit that this is a point to consider.

“Yes,” he continues, “even if the government does not interfere, if some big industry moves into our vicinity, our New Vrindaban will fade away.”

I suddenly envision the little farmhouse and willow tree enveloped in a haze of smoke, the pastures invaded by steel drills abusing Mother Earth, giant smokestacks….

“New Vrindaban must be free from industrial contamination,” he says. “Industries like mining will ruin everything. Consider well the land’s future.”

“Most of the coal has already been mined through underground tunnels,” Kirtanananda says.

“Another important point,” Prabhupada goes on. “What happens to the property after ninety-nine years?”

I don’t know,” I say, not having really thought of this. “We won’t be around then.”

“But the Society will,” he says. “There must be an agreement that at the end of the lease, the property will go to us.”

This had been our oversight. Of course it must go to the Society! Great temples will be rising from the blackberries and pokeweed!

“We’ll try to get Foster to agree,” I say.

We then describe the property. As soon as Prabhupada understands where the main road is, he asks, “How do you get up to the farmhouse?”

“Well, that’s the big problem,” I admit. “It’s not really what you’d call easily accessible. But you could drive a jeep or horse and wagon up it. Otherwise, it’s a two mile walk.”

Prabhupada reflects on this a moment.

“Hm. Horse and buggy would be better,” he says at length. “You should avoid machines and become as self-sufficient as possible. And horses are pleasing to look at. They are the most beautiful of animals.”

Kirtanananda presents a quart of blackberry chutney and one of raspberry jam.

“Ah, very fresh,” Prabhupada says, sampling them. Then, serious, thinking again of New Vrindaban: “Yes, in New Vrindaban everything will be Krishna conscious because everything will be for Krishna. So building houses, tending cows, and working fields will also be bhakti-yoga. People mustn’t go there just to retire. They must be engaged. In your country, old people like to keep dogs and smoke pipes when they retire. Or they play… what do you call—?”

“Shuffleboard,” I say, thinking of the old men in Golden Gate Park. “And checkers.”

“Yes. That is what we want to avoid. We must always engage in Krishna’s service so maya cannot enter.”

“There’s no end to engagement, Prabhupada,” Kirtanananda assures him.
I think of breaking my back removing rocks from beneath the waterfalls. I think of all the wildflowers left unpicked.

“The hills and temples must all be named,” Prabhupada says. “On seven hills we will build seven main temples, as in the original Vrindaban—Govindaji, Gopinatha, Madana-Mohana, Shyamasundara, Radha-Ramana, Radha-Damodar, Gokulananda….

Sitting before him, we begin to see spiraling gold-domed temples in the West Virginia hills. Vaporous fantasies, perhaps, but so strong is Prabhupada’s confidence that for us his New Vrindaban temples seem as tangible as his tin footlocker.

“Of course, Kirtanananda, you have seen Vrindaban,” Prabhupada continues. “Remember the atmosphere? There are temples everywhere, some five thousand, it is said. That is a far distant scheme.”

A far distant scheme. I wonder if we can repair the farmhouse roof before the autumn rains.

“But now let us build at least seven temples,” he says, his eyes wide with anticipation. “The hills you can name Govardhan. There must be pastures for the cows, and ghats for bathing, like Kesi-ghat. Oh, I will give you so many names! And Kirtanananda, you can attract the neighbors with your delicious prasadam.”

Talking leisurely in the cool Montreal afternoon, Prabhupada describes New Vrindaban so graphically that we envision great lines of tourists waiting for guides to lead them through marble temples and palaces.

Every moment, Prabhupada builds and tosses out schemes to occupy thousands of devotees. On his footlocker is a lamp, some papers, and a few books. Bhagavad-gita is always within reach. I see him sitting thus eternally, looking up from the holy scriptures through his spectacles, creating whole cultures and civilizations centered about Krishna.

In the evening, Govinda dasi serves spiced puffed rice.

Prabhupada garlands us. We drink sweet yogurt, and he comments on Janardhan’s plans for a Back To Godhead in French for Canada. He is jolly, and when we pay obeisances before leaving, he says, “Yes, try for this New Vrindaban with heart and soul. And rest assured it will develop.”

For four days, Prabhupada waters the New Vrindaban devotional creeper. It is indeed a young, tender plant requiring special treatment.

On the fifth day, carrying plans, schemes, visions, and lofty aspirations, we fly back to New York, accompanied by universal royalty, the Jagannatha Deities, purchased from a Montreal import house.

Speaking To The Masses
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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 [...]

Chant While You Can
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"There is no "secret" to Japa; it is a struggle. There is no easy shortcut. The secret is to surrender to the struggle. The secret is to be afraid of death and to take it as very urgent that you must chant Hare Krsna. We used to have a slogan, "Chant while you can," on some posters and show a scary picture of a graveyard. So we have to think like that: "Chant while you can." That is the secret."

From Japa Reform Notebook
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ January 11, 2014
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

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He who gives up the company of ordinary people, keeps no servants or followers, agitated with a desire to serve Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, constantly sheds tears, his hands placed on his cheeks and lives in Vrindavana, is the most fortunate of all persons.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-33 Translation ]

Exploitation of women
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2010, Mumbai, India, Lecture)

Transcribed by Madhumati Devi Dasi

SwansWhen you  see women as lust objects then how can you look after them!? You will not protect them; you will use them as though they are not human beings; as if they don’t deserve a man to support and protect them throughout their life…

You don’t care! You just care to get them in bed and when they are pregnant, you line-up an abortion and go for the next and another one and then another one. In this way, you become more and more selfish and you become less interested in the well-being of all those women with whom you are having sex with. Maybe, you will get bored with women and try men for a while or maybe you will try something else!

 

 

 

Bhaktivedanta Hospital Annual Day, January 10, Mira Road, Mumbai
Giriraj Swami


Giriraj Swami and Radhanath Swami spoke at the Bhaktivedanta Hospital Annual Day.

“A devotee is concerned for people’s suffering. Srila Prabhupada showed his concern by giving us the message of the Bhagavatam and giving us the holy name, but he was also concerned for our health. He would sometimes nurse his disciples—such as His Holiness Giriraj Maharaja—when they were physically sick. He signed his letters, ‘I hope this letter finds you in good health’. But his approach was holistic: body, mind, and soul.” —Radhanath Swami

Giriraj Swami
Radhanath Swami