Planet ISKCON

TRANSLATION
Arjuna inquired: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship according to their own imagination? Are they in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?

PURPORT
In the Fourth Chapter, thirty-ninth verse, it is said that a person faithful to a particular type of worship gradually becomes elevated to the stage of knowledge and attains the highest perfectional stage of peace and prosperity. In the Sixteenth Chapter, it is concluded that one who does not follow the principles laid down in the scriptures is called an asura, demon, and one who follows the scriptural injunctions faithfully is called a deva, or demigod. Now, if one, with faith, follows some rules which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunctions, what is his position? This doubt of Arjuna's is to be cleared by Kṛṣṇa. Are those who create some sort of God by selecting a human being and placing their faith in him worshiping in goodness, passion or ignorance? Do such persons attain the perfectional stage of life? Is it possible for them to be situated in real knowledge and elevate themselves to the highest perfectional stage? Do those who do not follow the rules and regulations of the scriptures but who have faith in something and worship gods and demigods and men attain success in their effort? Arjuna is putting these questions to Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 17.1

"One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord."

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura says that this verse teaches one how to chant without offences by mentioning the four qualities necessary for non-stop chanting. In other words, by possessing these four devotional traits it will be much easier for one to always chant the holy name. The sastras prescribe constant chanting as the way to remove all offences.

From Illuminations on Nama Aparadha
by Mahanidhi Swami

BY SJMKL EDITORIAL TEAM

More photos here

 

KUALA LUMPUR - The Bhagavad Gita (BG) or The Song of Bhagavan, often referred to simply as the Gita, is a 700-verse scripture that is part of the ancient epic, Mahabharata. It is presented in 18 chapters and each chapter deals with a particular and separate form of yoga; where it serves to train the mind and body.

The setting of this majestic scripture in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, has been interpreted as an allegory or tale for the ethical and moral struggles within us and of the problems of human life. In essence, the applicability of the principles of The Bhagavad Gita to crisis management involving the mind, body and soul is clearly stated. Unlike others, The Bhagavad Gita is the only book that deals with all these three aspects and is a compilation of words as directly spoken (verbatim) by LORD KRISHNA Himself; others are credited as testimonies. The BG has been extensively translated and is available in more than 59 languages. The world’s first braille version of this scripture, with the original Sanskrit text and a Hindi commentary was published on 30 November 2007.

The Bhagavad Gita As It Is is accepted as the essence of all Vedic knowledge as quoted in the Gita-mahatmaya 7

 

In the present day, people are very much eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation.Therefore, let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world – Bhagavad-gita.Let there be one God for the whole world – Sri Krishna and one hymn, one mantra, one prayer – the chanting of His name:Hare Krishna, Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna, Hare HareHare Rama, Hare RamaRama Rama, Hare Hareand let there be one work only – the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

 

Ultimately, ISKCON Founder Acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada gives the conclusion that society should be “Krishna conscious” - enlightened by devotion (bhakti) to Lord Krishna (God). Suffice to say that HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabupada spread the essence of the Bhagavadgita to the four corners of the world. Lord Krishna demanded of it and Swami Prabupada and ISKCON have facilitated this. 

 

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. - BG 18.65

 

Many great souls have referred to The Bhagavad Gita as their source of inspiration. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi for example, took shelter in the Gita for its emphasis on selfless service and he said:-

 

When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of external tragedies and if they have not left any visible or invisible effect on me, I owe it to the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita

 

Devotees at Sri Jagannatha Mandir, ISKCON Malaysia Headquarters in Taman Yarl , Kuala Lumpur were fortunate to witness the symbolic yet modest Annual Celebration of the introduction of the Bhagavad Gita on Friday 13th December 2013. They were among the fortunate few to have had the privilege and good fortune to be part of this auspicious event.

To mark the occasion, Gokul Garden children recited verses from The Bhagavad Gita As It Is and were duly rewarded with medals for their effort by The Regional Secretary, Simheswara dasa.

To further encourage the distribution of BG, The Management offered The Bhagavad Gita As It Is at a subsidized price of RM25.00 (normal price – RM35.00). A total of thirty (30) books were sold.

There is a common proverb that a confectioner is never attracted by sweetmeats. The confectioner, who is always manufacturing sweetmeats, has very little desire to eat them; similarly, the Lord, by His pleasure potential powers, can produce innumerable spiritual beauties and not be the least attracted by the false beauties of material creation. One who does not know alleges foolishly that Lord Krishna enjoyed women in His rasa-lila in Vrindavana, or with His sixteen thousand married wives at Dvaraka.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.6 purport 

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.1.19.

“Kabhu na badhibe tomara visaya-taranga. Kabhu means ‘at any time’; visaya-taranga—’the waves of sense gratification.’ ‘You will not at any time be affected by the waves of sense gratification.’ Punarapi ei thani pabe mora sange—’rather, you will have My association again, or, you will never lose My association.’ So this is the process. By instructing the brahman Kurma, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu instructed all of us. We can stay wherever we are and always engage in chanting the holy name of Krishna (krsna-nama nirantara laiba) and repeat the message of Krishna (yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’ upadesa, amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa). And in the end we will have the eternal association of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It is so clear. All we have to do is do it. But, as Srila Prabhupada said in a lecture in Boston, ‘Krishna consciousness is simple for the simple, but difficult for the crooked.’ ”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.1.19

New Govardhana is host to Wwoofers, (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) from all over the world. At any given time there are 35-45 who stay there from one week to two months.

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Nullam quis ante. Etiam sit amet orci eget eros faucibus tincidunt. Duis leo.

ISKCON BRAMPTON will be hosting it's annual Christmas Day Celebration on DECEMBER 25, 2013. We would like to invite you and your friends and family for this fun occassion. BHAKTA SANTA will be bringing gifts for all the children. CONGRATULATIONS to all the Sunday School students that have completed 1 year of studies as per the Bhaktivedanta College of Eduation and Culture's curriculum. You will be graduating and receiving your certificate during the Christmas Day Celebration.

May the land of Srila Vrindavana where Subala and the other wonderful cowherd boys, who are all dear friends of Sri Krishna, play, where Lalita and the other splendidly beautiful young gopis, who are all filled with love for Srimati Radharani, enjoy transcendental bliss, and where Sri Sri Radha-Krishna thirst to enjoy wonderful transcendental amorous pastimes day and night, become manifest in my heart.

Burnaby, British Columbia

Forgive and Forget

To the gathering at the ISKCON Centre I read from the Bhagavad Gita and then spoke on the topic of forgiveness based on Chapter 11, verse 41 and 42:

“Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed you ‘Oh Krishna’, ‘Oh Yadhava’, ‘Oh my friend’, not knowing Your glories, please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love.  I have dishonoured you  many times, jesting as we relax, lay on the same bed, or sat or ate together, sometimes alone and sometimes in front of many friends.  Oh infallible one, please excuse me for all those offenses.”  - Spoken by Arjun to Krishna.

Some Points Covered on “Forgiveness”

Definitions:

Apology:  acknowledgement of offense and expression of regret.
Regret:  feel sorry
Forgive:  pardon

Quotes:

“The beauty of a brahmin is his ability to forgive.” Chanakya Pandit

“One should be tolerant and excuse the minor offenses of others.” Srila Prabhupada.

“Ksama (forgiveness) is a quality of the Divine Nature.”  Bhagavad Gita 16.1

Additional Points:

Don’t take things so personally.  You are not this body. 
If you are offended consider yourself an offender. 
“I am sorry”:  the three most difficult words to say.  Once said, a great burden is lifted.
Use your hatchet to bury itself.
It is the greatest shame to always hold a blame.
“Give” is the bigger part of the word, “forgive”.
Forgiveness:  the thaw after a hard freeze.

May the Source be with you!

3 KM

Dear Devotees & Friends,
We would like to invite you all for the Sunday Feast Program on 29th December 2013.

SUNDAY FEAST PROGRAM
4.00 pm   Kirtan
4.30 pm   Japa
4.45 pm   Tulasi Arati
5.00 pm   Special Class On Bhagavad Gita and its application in daily life by H. G Mani Bandha Prabhu.
5.45 pm   Japa
5.50 pm   Announcements
6.00 pm   Arati
6.30 pm   Prasadam feast
7.00 pm   Clean up

You can sponsor a Bhagavad Gita on this special occasion of Gita Jayanti
A humble request:
“Drivers, please be aware of children and drive safely on temple grounds.
Parents, please ensure children are supervised at all times. ”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR A FEAST OR HELP IN ANY SERVICE,  PLEASE CONTACT:
Syama Sarana das(0439 969 002) or
Sitaram Lakshmana das(0422 045 525)
Attend such a wonderful feast and receive the Lord’s mercy of full spiritual benefits with Kirtan, Aarti and Spiritual Discourse.

Hare Krishna.

Saranagati, British Columbia

More Tests

More tests.  Mahidhar’s 93 year old dad passed away last night.  We had dedicated some mantras on his behalf.  Bless him.  Mahidhar felt relieved.

While Mahidhar’s vehicle was in for repairs, Peter and I had a contingent plan for getting back to Vancouver to meet appointments there.  At the town Cache Creek, our anticipated bus trip floundered.  It arrived one and a half hours late.  We then found out that no seats were available.  Next plan – Gosh Thakur agreed to drive us to Vancouver, but before we could make it to Highway One, the fan belt to his vehicle came undone.  We had no recourse but to wait to see if the Ford Escape would become road worthy.

So wait we did.  But in the nicest way.  Our community in the valley was honouring the passing of one of the great saints of his time.  It happened to be the anniversary of the passing of Bhaktisiddhanta, the guru of our guru.  Many achievements go to his credit, including the promotion of parikrama (pilgrimage).  He would organize and partake in pilgrimages in India in around the turn of the last century.  He did substantial walking, leading his followers to sacred places, to birth sites of saints and avatars and places of significant spiritual events.

At the Saranagati ISKCON Centre, I was requested to read to the group of Bhaktisiddhanta’s great accomplishments.  It then donned on me that I could add him to my mental list of walking heroes.  Already there are such personalities or sages such as Narada, who as a young boy trekked in many different directions, and then finally achieved the ability towards interplanetary travel; Vamana, the avatar who became famous for taking three steps; Balaram, Krishna’s brother, who averted the Kurukshetra war in favour of pilgrimage; Vidhura, who reacted justifiably to the insult of his nephew, taking to the wandering monk’s lifestyle.  There’s more.

Now I can add to the list of monastic travellers, this great personality, and I’ll spell out his name with honourific titles.  His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada.

Back to my own travels.  Well, we made it to Vancouver, Mahidhara’s oil pan got replaced.  Finally.  And as far as walking goes, I’m sad to say I didn’t do any.

Life is full of tests.  How are you taking them?

May the Source be with you!

0 KM

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so to not listen, mute your speakers.)

Family blood ties are impelling
we give them energy and attention—
whether they’re compatible or caustic
blissful or fairytale sounding to others—
we can’t change, or bring back, our history
or modify time we’ve spent together
so we tolerate or emphasis the best
though we may try to forget
or laugh at the pain of our shared issues
our experiences together still shape us
as our basic foundation in this life;
our past lives have created our present
which can soften bad feelings, or victimhood
since everything happens for a reason
and no one is completely innocent
in family dynamics and interactions.

For the purpose of a family reunion
we drive 12 hours to South Florida

read more

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

 

In the varanashram system, the grihastha ashram is the stomach of the social body in that it nourishes all others. Naturally, maximum devotees choose this ashram. Srila Prabhupada taught that the grihasta ashram was meant to create a happy situation to practice bhakti. With proper understanding and interdependence between the husband and wife, such householders can prove to be great examples to the society, which is ridden with conflicts especially with regard to family life. -- Read more ›

“Fie upon this wretched life which affords one only misery. To live is to experience nothing but disease and pain. Pursuing in turn religion, wealth and pleasure, one endeavors much but receives little happiness. While everything leads to salvation, that is an impossible goal to achieve.”

Ekachakra brahmin at whose house the Pandavas were residing, Mahabharata translated by Krishna Dharma Das

The post The pope wisely said that a shepherd will be known by his carrying the smell of his flock appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Vibhishana Das - preaching Krishna consciousness in Israel. In the video he is is being interviewed in Hebrew by Peleg Hai Levanony, who produced this video. English subtitles have been provided -- Read more ›

ISKCON New Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes – 12/11/13.

ISKCON New Vrindaban (INV) Vision Statement: Founded in 1968, Srila Prabhupada boldly envisions New Vrindaban as a sacred place known worldwide for Cow Protection, Self-Sufficiency, Holy Pilgrimage, Spiritual Education, and, above all, Loving Krishna.

Participating Board Members:  Jaya Krsna, Jamuna, Gopisa, Ranaka, Chaitanya Mangala & Dayavira.

Recording Secretary: Laxmi Honest

1. Financial report

Jaya Krsna explained that the accounting work is not yet ready for presentation.  He needs approximately two weeks to finish and will send out financials at that time. A special meeting was suggested when the report is ready. This was approved by consensus.

2. INV appointee for ECOV board

The INV board is tasked with appointing a member to the ECOV board as per the IRS Integrated Auxiliary requirement. After some discussion, Ranaka was designated as the INV representative on the ECOV board.

3. New board candidates

This discussion focused on Keval Patel and Bhima Walker who had been invited to attend the Semi Annual Joint Board Meeting in consideration of membership on either board.  Chaitanya Mangala reported that both remain interested and enthusiastic to participate.  There is one open seat on the ECOV board and 2 on the INV board.  It was suggested that Keval Patel could be inducted into the INV board and Bhima Walker could be considered by ECOV for membership on their board. Voting will take place in January 2014, at the annual meeting that specifically addresses board membership.

4. Healthcare

A representative from the Marshall County Health Department visited New Vrindaban recently to inform the devotees of requirements under the Affordable Care Act.  Jaya Krsna pointed out that this is now the law, and while most devotees will qualify for Medicaid, others will need to purchase health insurance.

5. Advisory group

The proposed New Vrindaban Advisory Group has had two meetings.  They are working on getting set up and establishing their goals and structures.

6. Clean up at Bahulaban

Clean-up at Bahulaban, especially around the heavy equipment area, is needed.  The board agreed that this is a management issue, and Jaya Krsna suggested that spring would be the best time to approach this project.

7. Bulk food storage

Gopisa gave a report on the progress of the bulk food storage. Rice has been ordered through Dina Graves at Otis McAllister Inc. in California.

The Auckland metropolitan area, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country -- Read more ›

Keshava was the warmest of friends and with her sharp intellect it is no platitude to say that she was one of the forces behind the founding of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, of which Shaunaka is the Director -- Read more ›

HG Jahnavi Devi Dasi – Hare Krisna (Budapest 2012)

The post December 24th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Answer Podcast

Answer Podcast

The scriptures mention that no one except Nara-Narayana rishi is free from lust. So is the expectation that our spiritual guides be free from sex desire a projection of our desire to be God, that is, are we expecting our spiritual guides to be God? How do we understand Prabhupada's statement that he had no lust.

Answer Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

This was recently shared with me via email.

Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life. As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the Nova Scotia back country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn’t stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.

I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played “Amazing Grace”, the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head was hung low, my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen nothing like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”

Apparently I’m still lost….it’s a man thing.

Filed under: Jokes

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

"I would also like to know if the initiated devotees are chanting regularly sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles rigidly. This is very essential."

Letter to Harer Nama
February 11, 1970

The antiseptic potency of devotional service to the Lord is so great that it can neutralize the material infection even in the present life of a devotee. A devotee does not need to wait for his next birth for complete liberation.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.3 purport

Flickr Album

The post Distributing books appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

We are not these bodies - reincarnation is a law of nature. We are spiritual beings encased within these bodies. When we die, depending on our consciousness, we acquire another body.

Dr. Jim Tucker is a medical doctor & scientist studying past life memories of children using genuine scientific methods. He has written books on this subject matter clearly documenting the memories of children of their previous lives. From a spiritual perspective, it is a clear evidence to show that the consciousness survives the death of the body and moves on to other realities. Why then are we obsessed with our body? All social, economic, religious and political problems stem from a bodily concept of life.

For more information on Dr. Jim Tucker and reincarnation, please visit his site - Dr. Jim Tucker

Hare Krishna

May my eyes become overwhelmed with ecstasy by seeing the nectar waves of Vrindavana’s beauty. May my intelligence drown in the nectar ocean of Vrindavana’s glories. May my body become agitated by the swiftly moving currents of ecstatic bliss and thus roll about on the ground of Vrindavana. Falling down like a stick, may I offer my respectful obeisances to all the residents of Vrindavana.