Planet ISKCON

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental “Throwback Thursday” – 02/06/14.

Each week we highlight an earlier era of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

This week’s super challenge: We step outside the realm of our usual offerings and ask you to identify these two young boys.

Extra Credit: How many ways can you connect this photo to the one from last week?

Post your guesses on the “who, what, when & where” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.

Technical stuff: We share the photo Thursday and confirm known details Sunday. Let’s keep it light and have a bit of fun!

We Need Your Help! If you have a photo showing New Vrindaban devotees in action, share it with us and we’ll use it in a future posting.

Our last embrace. Hard to accept Bimal’s gone. I know Krsna’s instructions to Arjuna are not to grieve, but for the moment it’s all I can do. A friend like Bimal is hard to find. I miss you Mufasa.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, November 2011, Mayapur, India, Caitanya Caritamrta Seminar Part 11)

In the presence of guru, we can be focused a lot on what we are getting from guru. But in the absence of guru, we have to start focusing on what we can do for the guru, in the sense of what we have got from him and then apply that. So the focus changes – now it is clearly our turn to do something! Either by following what he gave or by preaching in his mission. We do something for him and then, as much as one tries, the connection will be deep and strong.

 

 

In December, 1970 Srila Prabhupada visited Surat, Gujarat for two weeks with 25 of his western disciples. Following in their illustrious footsteps we went on Ratha Yatra the very day we arrived in Surat. We could feel Srila Prabupada’s mercy as we chanted and danced through the streets. We will have 5 festival programs in [...]

1966 February 6
"Cohen with Salak and other two ladies attended today's meeting. I took meals at Dr. Mishra's apartment. President Case replied to his letter. There was no expenditure."
Journal :: 1966

Chanting Techniques

a) "Sit properly." Yoga sastras proclaim that sitting straight facilitates concentration: "Right posture makes the mind calm" Tantra-raja-tantra 27.59

b) Chant without interruption. Once in Los Angeles, disciples asked Srila Prabhupada what would please him most. "Chant sixteen rounds of japa at one sitting without interruption!" said Srila Prabhupada.

c) Be careful to clearly and distinctly pronounce the holy names.

From Art Of Chanting Hare Krsna
by Mahanidhi Swami

1969 February 6: "If we wish to present the real cultural ideas of India to the Western public, we have to present the teachings of Lord Krishna as it is. That is my mission, and I am pleased to inform you that I am getting good response everywhere."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 6: "For the last five months, our kirtana movement is going on in London. I sent there six boys and girls, married couples, and they are neither elderly nor very much conversant with Vedic philosophy. But still, by their character, behavior, and devotion, they are attracting many people in London."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

Source

Flatulent cows contributed to a fire at a German farm Monday, police said. The gas had built up inside a shed, causing an explosion.

BERLIN — Methane gas from 90 flatulent cows exploded in a German farm shed on Monday, damaging the roof and injuring one of the animals, police said.

High levels of the gas had built up in the structure in the central German town of Rasdorf, then “a static electric charge caused the gas to explode with flashes of flames,” the force said in a statement.

One cow was treated for burns, a police spokesman added.

Filed under: Cows and Environment

1973 February 6: "This taking of sannyasa should not be an excuse for becoming irresponsible. Sannyasis have great responsibility to become fearless preachers of our Krsna Consciousness movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1971 February 6 : "Buddhist philosophy is direct renunciation of material life but they have no information of spiritual reality. Now we are presenting complete spiritual information. So preach to them in that light and surely you will be successful."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1975 February 6: "Every volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam as well as Caitanya Caritamrta must be fully complete with an index, list of references, glossary, Sanskrit pronunciation guide, and index of Sanskrit verses. This will be best."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 February 6: "Thank you for distributing my books everyday. This is a nice program for the press workers to increase enthusiasm. I will be glad to see all 15 of you in Mayapur for our festival."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

All the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s happiness does not equal an atom of the gopis happiness when their eyes plunge in the ocean of Radha’s lover’s pastimes. If someone aspires to attain this incomparable good fortune, he should let his body perish in the spiritual realm named Vrndavana.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-54 Translation.]

Please click here for all photos

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 19 January 2014, Durban, South Africa, Lecture)

Devotional service is given to us by devotees. You cannot take devotional service. Devotional service is a gift and because that element comes in, that a superior vaisnava asks us to do a service and then we do that service. This is where the selfless element comes in. We just do what the superior vaisnava wants. Not that we think, ‘What will I offer to Krsna?’

No, what the vaisnava asks us to do, we will do! It is here that we can overcome selfish motivation. Of course, even if we do some service to Krsna and there is some personal motivation, it does not matter because the service is still absolute and it will purify our heart from personal desire. So over time, the personal desires will diminish but if we quickly want to rise above it, then we must serve the superior vaisnava and that is the trick!

 

 

 

Krishangi Radhe Dasi: As I look to the year ahead, I feel my daughter's excitement as she anticipates her entrance into 'big school'. On the other hand, as a parent I view the next twelve years as a daunting reality of mixed emotions as my little girl enters the reality of homework, long school hours, pressure of tests and exams, physical and emotional challenges and a host of other unexpected scenarios. -- Read more ›

1966 February 5: "Srila Prabhupada wanted such temples in foreign cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, etc and I had personal talks with him when I first met Him at Ultadingi in 1922. Now here is a chance for me to carry out His transcendental Order."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1968 February 5: "This was appearing in the very popular magazine New Yorker, and even they are chanting Hare Krishna in mockery, still, it doesn't matter. So long they are chanting Hare Krishna, that is the success of our mission."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 February 5: "In mockery the Kazi's men chanted Hare Krishna, and thereafter, their tongues could not stop. Our tongues should be like that, unable to ever stop chanting Hare Krishna. We practice, and someday it will be like that."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 February 5: "If we can appoint one sales agent in each city, selling an average of only 100 copies of Back to Godhead, the total comes to 30,000 copies. This is not an Utopian idea. It is completely practical. Simply we have to arrange and organize."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 5: "MacMillan will publish the first canto to see the result. If their experiment is not successful, then let us go on printing all other cantos as usual. This is my decision, and you can arrange accordingly."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1972 February 5: "Because we stand solidly on philosophy, and because we are strong in that way, no one can refute or defeat us, so we are wiping out sentimental religion wherever we penetrate."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 February 5: "Krsna is Bhavagrahi Janardana so your decision to improve the plan is certainly very much appreciated by Him. Krsna has many Temples big and small so all our plans are under the jurisdiction of Bhavagrahi. Let us fulfill the job as soon as possible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 February 5: "Now, you must become very serious to meet death without fear. Everyone has to die, but most men your age are thinking, 'I will live another fifty years.' Take advantage of this advance notice and prepare yourself to go back to Godhead."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.12 at the Juhu Beach temple.

Resting on the banks of the River Ganges is “Kanhapur”—the city of Lord Krishna—presently known as Kanpur. Before going to the West, Srila Prabhupada had preached actively in Kanpur. In 1970, when Srila Prabhupada came back to India along with his Western disciples, Kanpur was on his mind. He requested his disciples to establish an outstanding ISKCON temple here and hold massive festivals to benefit the people -- Read more ›

In order to guard against the invention of unauthorized incarnations of God by the fanciful, less intelligent persons, the name of the father of the bona fide incarnation is also mentioned in the authorized revealed scriptures. No one, therefore, can be accepted as an incarnation of the Lord if his father’s name, as well as the name of the village or place in which he appears, is not mentioned by the authorized scriptures. In the Bhagavata Purana the name of the Kalki incarnation, which is to take place in almost four hundred thousand years, is mentioned along with the name of His father and the name of the village in which He will appear. A sane man, therefore, does not accept any cheap edition of an incarnation without reference to the authorized scriptures.

- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.2 purport

It is with much sadness that The Cow Shed Crew informs our readers that Bruce the Goose left his body recently. The cause of his death is not clear. According to Brhat Mrdanga dasa who found him injured the day before he died, Bruce may have sustained injuries to his back and neck. -- Read more ›

The three-month long Bhakta Training Program at New Govardhana, concluded on 24 December with six graduating students receiving certificates. Course facilitator, Uddhava Priya dasa, held classes three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4.00 pm - 6.00 pm. A dozen participants attended, including new bhaktas, congregational members and WWOOFers. -- Read more ›

First held in 1966 at the request of Srila Prabhupada (founder of the Hare Krishna Movement), the Sunday Love Feast has evolved as an integrated celebration of Lord Krishna’s pastimes: chanting, hearing spiritual knowledge, dancing, eating, fellowship and generally sharing the bliss of God’s presence. A Sunday Love Feast is now held in hundrends if not thousands of Iskcon temples worldwide. Anyone can come regardless of beliefs as we welcome all into an experience of Love. -- Read more ›

The post February 5th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

(Automatically translated from Russian) Vasanta panchami often associated with the name Saraswati, patron of knowledge and arts. And by knowledge is meant not primarily "the granite of science", and highly moral and at the same time accessible to everyone, cultural attitudes to life in this world, which was now an acute shortage -- Read more ›

The post Wishing Govinda Maharaja a happy birthday from the Manor temple room appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Skype conference in Russian.

The post How devotee friends relate to each other and other questions appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Temple Department Head Meeting: At the beginning of each year the New Raman Reti Management Board has a strategic planning meeting to set priorities for the coming year. This year we decided to go in a different direction since our priorities seem to be set: building a new Goshala and Eco Farm, guest cottages, and making plans for a new temple and conference center complex. Instead, we invited each Temple department head to meet with us. They shared their achievements, challenges and ideas for succession with the Board members and with each other. It was so enlivening and eye opening for all of us that we decided to hold this as an open meeting at the beginning of each year from now on. -- Read more ›

Krishna Lunch has launched a feature on its Facebook page called Humans of Krishna Lunch as a part of its campaign to fund the Plaza of the Americas renovations. The posts include pictures of people eating with quotes about their experience. Photographer and Krishna Lunch employee Amy Hollis said the project aims to connect members. “We wanted to collect stories not just for the fundraising campaign but to help the Krishna Lunch community grow,” she said. “These Krishna Lunchers are all individuals all doing the same thing every day but don’t really know each other.” -- Read more ›

H.G. Bhurijana Prabhu (Caitanya Lila) Day 1