Planet ISKCON

Lectures at yoga center in Istanbul evening of October 1st. (English/Turkish)

Ubud is a town on the Indonesian island of Bali in Ubud District, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. One of Bali's major arts and culture centres, it has developed a large tourism industry Read more ›

Hare Krsna, Here are some pictures from our celebration event where we are thnking the devotees for their wonderful service during the 1st annual Jagannath Cultural festival. Read more ›

The post October 3rd, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

19-09-2013 SB 1.3.42 The Need for Parampara, Durban, South Africa.mp3

JAX Krishnas is a community of people in the Jacksonville, Florida area who love coming together to grow in spiritual life and have FUN. This community is for EVERYONE, is not sectarian, and provides a forum to announce all our upcoming events, classes, parties, and festivals, and a space to share our experiences and pictures with one another Read more ›

Radhastami Abhishek 2013

“As Satya-yuga is the best of yugas (ages), as the Vedas are the best of scriptures, as Ganga is the best of rivers, so Kartik is the best of months, the most dear to Lord Sri Krishna.” Skanda Purana Read more ›

When I Walk…

Toronto, Ontario

When I walk a trail such as the one near Brick Works I naturally feel good.  Part of it, my feeling, has a shadow.  There is admittedly some guilt (I’ll explain), and part of it, some resentment (also to be explained).

Firstly, and happily, I’m taken by the diversity of vegetation and the incredible fall colours that throws you into a child’s wonderland.  That is 90% of the composition of my feeling.  Another 5% leaves me feeling ignorant as I hardly can identify a Norway maple to be distinct from other maples.  “Woe is me,” I thought.  I don’t know the names of my friends.  The flip side of this ignorance is that here is an opportunity to learn.  The 5% of my emotions strike the chord of a resentment.  Why wasn’t I educated on the subject matter on these ever existing companions?  Was learning algebra more important than getting acquainted with these guys that offer beauty, fragrance, oxygen, food, fuel, warmth?  Time could have been better spent I think.

I guess I will tread the path of the seniors, delight in birding and plants and feeling the elements like never before.  I have for some time dabbled in the exploration of these marvelous creatures.  When I was young I never thought I’d get there, to that age I meant.  It leads me to believe that the biggest illusion in life is that when you’re young you’ll retain youthfulness forever.  Youthful energy and youthful mindset can be so foolhardy.

Perhaps the invincibility syndrome of youthfulness is what went on in the tiny mind of this 3 inch baby snake as he slithered across the path today.  A barefoot woman stood by the little guy and warned me of his vulnerable presence.  I stopped, looked at him, but momentarily as it felt like the woman wanted and needed her solo experience with him.  I thought to honour her wish and I carried on with the trail and  continuing to be caught in awe and wonder at what was all around me.

I should note that I was not the only one enwrapped in the autumnal loveliness.  There were dozens and dozens of people each moving on their own stride in cooperation with nature.

Before the night’s rest, I read a passage from our guru, Srila Prabhupada as he defined the word, ‘cooperation’.  In simple logic and terms he said in a talk in Seattle in 1968, “When you do something in cooperation with the Lord, that is called bhakti, devotion.”

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The commentaries on SB 2.7.31 by Viśvanātha and Prabhupāda are very interesting to compare. The verse itself is

nandaḿ ca mokṣyati bhayād varuṇasya pāśād
gopān bileṣu pihitān maya-sūnunā ca
ahny āpṛtaḿ niśi śayānam atiśrameṇa
lokaḿ vikuṇṭham upaneṣyati gokulaḿ sma

He freed Nanda, his father, from the fearful noose of Varuṇa; and freed the cowherd boys from the caves that Maya’s son locked them in. When all of Gokula lay down at night, so exhausted from working hard throughout the day, he showed them Vaikuṇṭha.

It’s interesting that this verse, which starts by saying how Krishna freed his father from ropes, comes right after the previous verse, which was about how Krishna’s mother couldn’t bind him with ropes. It is impossible to overestimate how beautifully cinematic and artistically exquisite Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is. We who are born without knowledge of Sanskrit and its cultural context are really disadvantaged by birth – we should frankly admit. Those who have direct access to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam are potentially the most fortunate beings in existence.

Anyway, the part I intended to post about…

 ahny āpṛtaḿ niśi śayānam atiśrameṇa

This is the part that says “during the day, working, at night, sleeping, so exhausted” [literal translation]. Viśvanātha’s commentary is that this refers directly to what happened after Nanda was arrested by Varuṇa. Krsna entered the waters, and the rest of Gokula spent the whole day looking everywhere in extreme distress for Krishna and his father. After they were completely exhausted, they collapsed at night – then Krishna and Nanda emerged again from Varuṇa’s realm and came of from the waters. Krishna encouraged everyone by showing them Gokula’s Vaikuṇṭha majesties.

Following the previous verse, this verse keeps the same theme – how the sweet, intimate affection of the Vrajavāsīs is so powerful that it overwhelms and subsums the awareness of Krishna’s majesty, which they do certainly possess (previous verse showed Yaśoda Mātā fully aware that all of existence was within her child, this verse shows all of Gokula fully aware that all of Vaikuṇṭha is within Vṛndāvana).

Prabhupāda’s translation and purport comes from a different angle, very interesting. He makes the point that the residents of Gokula were working hard day and night for Krishna – they were not practicing yoga or studying scriptures or even doing Bhakti-Sādhana. But because their activities were already at the highest level of Krishna consciousness (giving 200% of their energy constantly to pleasing Krishna), they attain the highest spiritual revelations.

ISKCON members would certainly be tempted to misuse this purport to justify the “Work now, samadhī later” abuse. Certainly it will appeal to the idea that, we just have to work hard for Srila Prabhupada there is no need to concentrate on bhajan, on sadhana. However, I have to point out my opinion that this is a ludicrous metaphor resulting from latent sahajiya outlooks. It is cheap (sahajiya) to equate ones own daily activities with the eternally liberated activities of the eternally liberated Vrajavāsīs. Our activities of managing affairs in ISKCON are heavily mixed with our own karmic propensities. Our activities of studying scripture are similarly heavily mixed with our own propensities to become wealthy in knowledge for the purpose of being promoted to positions of respect and command. We cannot say that our busy-ness is equal to the business of the Vraja Vasis. It is offensive. We need - urgently – to practice bhakti-sādhanas so that one day we can be fit to absorb the compassionate mercy of the Vrajavāsī nitya-siddhas. This must scrupulously be understood and no compromise should be allowed – in my opinion, for whatever it may be worth. 

Śrīla Prabhupada and Śrīla Viśvanātha say that the Vrajavāsīs worked all day trying to find Krishna. Let us follow that example.

Radha Rasesvara temple is located in a coconut tree and cocoa plant area in the hills outside Denpasar. The devotees were able to buy a good amount of land to build an asrama and temple. Since then more land has been acquired for a goshalla, vegetable garden, pond and shop.

"Just keep chanting Hare Krishna and moving the beads and focus on listening to the syllables of the Holy Names. As the mind wanders, we shouldn’t get agitated. Just keep chanting; don’t give up the process and eventually the mind cooperates."

Radhanatha Swami

Some people ask: “How can we find harmony among the many different spiritual paths?”

By looking beyond divergent ideas to convergent ideals, answers Gita wisdom.

The Bhagavad-gita (05.05) states that true seers see the same ultimate destination of the paths of sankhya (analytical contemplation) and yoga (detached action). Sankhya focuses on analyzing the material elements to progress towards the transcendental substance, spirit. In contrast, yoga focuses on action while fixing the mind on spirit and thereby cultivating inner detachment from matter.

People often talk of looking beyond externals to find commonalities. When we consider the paths of sankhya and yoga, not only are their externals different – one focuses on inaction; the other, on action. But even their internals are different: one stresses analysis; the other, meditation.

Gita wisdom helps us understand that there are levels in the internal too – there is the subtle material or mental level, where ideas reside; and beyond that is the spiritual level or the level of the heart, where ideals reside.  To find the ultimate common ground, we need to go beyond not just the physical but also the mental – and there find the spiritual. Though the ideas of sankhya and yoga are different, their ideals are the same: both seek the same Absolute Truth.

Of course, this search for common ground doesn’t license an uncritical acceptance of all spiritual paths as equally valid. The paths need to have convergent ideals; otherwise, the common ground may be more an imagination than an insight. The Gita’s (09.25) delineation of different destinations for those with different ideals reflects a spiritual rigor that refuses to apply a naïve whitewash on all paths.

Still, in a world torn by sectarianism, the Gita’s inclusive spirit of focusing on ultimate ideals is a beacon that promotes authentic harmony.

***

05.05 - One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.

Deena Bandhu Das: Today we went to Barsana on a beautiful cloudy day! This fortnight, called Pitri Paksa, they do colored rice flour paintings on the floor, a different lila depicted each day. Though pics are not allowed, Geet Govind managed to get some of this festival called Sanjhee! Don't miss this rare darshan in this collection! Read more ›

Titiksava Karunika Das AKA T.K. is the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the Namrock Band. Namrock plays rock music in the style of 60's and 70's rock and roll with uplifting lyrics and also employs the use of sacred mantras. Mantras are used to elevate the consciousness of the listener. Sacred sound vibration in a rock candy coated package. Read more ›

The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) is a university in the CBD of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was ranked in the 401st-500th bracket and 17th-19th in Australia in the 2013 Academic Ranking of World Universities.[1] The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. It is part of the Australian Technology Network of universities and has the fifth largest enrolment in Sydney Read more ›

Exploring the Roots of Spiritual Culture with Devaki devi dasi, Kharkov/Ukraine Read more ›

18-09-2013 Sacred Places and Deities, Durban, South Africa.mp3

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjK6cE7Y

Recent pictures capture the progress of construction on two important parts of the new temple.

They showcase the headway being made in the South West corner. The staircase tower is moving forward as the shuttering of form work is being done. The next layer is concrete with the following layer will being the blue tiles. The planetarium wing is also making great strides in it’s momentum. One final ring needs to be done at which point the construction of the dome will commence.

There is still much to be done to complete the super-structure, but the on-going development is both exciting and encouraging.

Harinama is the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord as shown to us by Srila Prabhupada. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the sankirtan movement 500 years ago and it is the spiritual process recommended in the Vedas for the age of Kali, the age we now find ourselves in. From the beginning of the Krishna consciousness movement in the West, Srila Prabhupada directed the devotees to chant congregationally in the temple as well as in the parks and streets of the towns and cities. Read more ›

The post October 2nd, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

"You are the shelter of the shelterless. Your great glory is sung by all the Vedas. O Vrndavana you are my shelter. I have no other shelter than you." [ from Sri Vrndavana Mahimamrta, Sataka Eleven ] Read more ›

In terms of land area, Bogotá is the largest city in Colombia, and one of the biggest in Latin America. It figures among the 30 largest cities of the world and it is the third-highest capital city in South America Read more ›

My ambition is to spread these books far and wide all over the world so that everyone shall read at least one of our books and that will change his life. If only 1 % become devotees, that will change the world. (SPL to Karandhara, 2nd May, 1972) Read more ›

SB 2.7.27: It’s impossible for anyone else to take the life of a huge demon, while just an infant; to kick over a big cart, while just three months old; or to uproot two huge arjuna trees just by crawling in between them.

There’s an obvious meaning here, and another, not-so-obvious one. The obvious one is that no ordinary human being can do these things. No ordinary infant can even protect itself, what to speak of kill a giant demon who attacks it. The cart was not a hand cart, it was like a child today kicking over a car. Not that dramatic, but similar – carts in those days were like cars. And Arjuna trees (Terminalia Arjuna) are notoriously tall (20-25 meters) and have very strong bases and roots.

The not-so-obvious meaning is that Brahmājī is not simply saying “no mortal can do this” – this śloka comes in the middle of a summary of avatāra - So, Brahmā is also saying, “no other avātar displays deeds as amazing as Krishna does.”

Viśvanātha Cakravartī elaborates: Vāmana was also a small child who defeated a huge, powerful demon – but he transformed into a huge, powerful form to do so. Krishna did not kill the giant Pūtana in this manner, he remained as a vulnerable infant. Why? It is more sweet. There is less awe and reverence. If Krishna transformed into a huge superhero to kill Pūtana, that would have intruded into the loving mood of his parents. He valued their love more than the killing of the demon, so he remained in the shape they adored, and coincidentally got the work done of getting rid of Pūtana in a beautiful way.

Nṛsiṁha kicked open a huge pillar – and Krishna kicked over a big cart. But Nṛsiṁha did so using huge, fearsome feet. Krishna kicked over the cart with the tiny foot of a three-month old child. Why? Same reason as explained above.

Varāha picked up the huge earth from the depths, but Krishna knocked down the huge trees and uprooted them from their depths. Varāha had to become a gigantic boar with huge, powerful tusks to accomplish his task, but Krishna didn’t have to become a gigantic boar, or even a huge super-baby to knock over these ultra-formidable trees. He just crawled in between them.

So, no other avatāra can match Krishna in sweetness.

Two ślokas later [2.7.29] Brahmā will mention how Krishna saved the Vrajavāsīs from a forest fire. To do this he had to do “godlike deeds” (divya karma), so he first instructed all the Vrajavāsīs to close their eyes, so as not to disturb the sweetness of their affection for him.

Govinda Prabhu (24hours kirtan iskcon vrindavan)

Driving At Night…

Toronto, Ontario

Driving at night is not the best situation.  Your vision is obscured.  It’s a risky way to go, yet sometimes you have no choice.

Our group of 5 took to interstate highways through Pennsylvania and New York states before reaching Ontario.  It was an all-nighter, it was impossible in a van to sleep as a passenger.  Pulling over the highway and having a break was like a glimpse of moksha, or as Buddhists call it, nirvana (a term that came from Hindus).  Basically you’re looking at having some relief from all the sitting.  Oh how I hanker to be on that road again, walking at my leisure.

A final relief came from the subtle agony of being motionless when at arrival time we finally reached or got home, and also much later on when Philippe and I made our way walking up Yonge Street.  Our destination was to Blu God tattoo shop.

During the nocturnal drive I had been thinking about the upcoming weekend in Toronto and how about a big outdoor art expression night called “Nuit Blanche” was to take place.  Two years ago we spontaneously went on Yonge Street for a chanting session.  We pulled large brass deities of Radha Krishna out of the tattoo shop at the courtesy of owner, Jamuna Jivan, and lovingly, respectfully, placed them on a blanket before setting them right on the street.  We then performed a ritual of love called arati with those deities, followed by chanting.  It was a crowd pleaser and a heart teaser.

Why not duplicate the process again?

It’s all a matter of laying out your creativity, being a little innovative and trying to instill in others a kindling of devotion, something that’s deep inside of everyone.

The one thing about walking (and I’ll also give some credit to driving a long distance) is there is some time for brain storms.  It’s a beautiful dream time while on journey, of course you have to watch where you’re going.

Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam is one of my favourite phrases, which means, “Every step (or in the case of a vehicle, every turn of the wheel) you take could spell danger.”

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