Planet ISKCON

From Vidya Kotwani M

Answer Podcast

This album includes the initiation of Visnujana Maharaja and Tamal Krsna Goswami in April of 1968. Many old, familiar faces such as Jayananda dasa, Yamuna devi dasi and a host of others. Read more ›

William Wallace gave his entire life in pursuit of freedom. At the end of the movie Braveheart, William was being tied to the stake and about to die, I was anticipating with eagerness William's next move? Is he going to seek forgiveness from the British Rule and be released from death or continue his defiance towards the King? I was surprised - William does not relent but shouts out "freedom" as he lay his life for his motherland Scotland. The feeling is still fresh, I was drenched with feelings of awe towards William Wallace's chivalry and his pursuit of freedom.

I had the same if not even intense feelings of awe and reverence towards Krishna when I first read the Bhagavad Gita As it is. It also was a scene set in a battlefield in pursuit of freedom. Krishna urges Arjuna to fight to annihilate adharma and reinstate dharma. But the freedom of Bhagavad Gita and the movie is not the same. Although William's cause was noble as he sacrificed his life for his countrymen, still he and his countrymen were bound to the identity of being a Scotsman. After we die we are neither British nor Scot nor Indian etc. We are spiritual beings encased within a physical body. So when the identity of the physical body is enhanced then our cause will be bound to this material world of birth and death - a temporary world. We will believe that pursing freedom for sensual enjoyment is the highest and ultimate purpose of life. We will not cultivate a desire to practice austerity to give up the physical identity. In that sense William's pursuit of freedom was binding.

Today this is also our thinking. Practicing rules of spiritual purity such as chanting God's names, refraining from eating meat, intoxication, illicit sex and gambling in a regulated manner is seen as a restriction. We think these rules restrict us from enjoying this world. This idea of binding restriction is there within us because we are intensely attached to this body and mind. We think it is unnatural to practice such rules which brings pleasure to the body & mind. In the ultimate sense, we think such rules bind us against living our life freely - the opposite of freedom!

Krishna, however, says that these very same regulative principles that we think is the opposite of freedom actually give us freedom. It gives us freedom by reinstating us back to our spiritual world free from the bondage of this physical world of birth and death. We no longer have to be subjected to state, physical, material and karmic laws. We no longer are forced to suffer old age, disease and death or miseries caused due to the body/mind, or natural disturbances or other living beings. According to Krishna, this is real freedom.

William Wallace gave freedom from the rule of British and Krishna is giving us freedom from the rule of this entire material creation (not just the British). So it is in our benefit that by practicing the regulative principles as enunciated in the Gita, we can achieve eternal freedom from the clutches of cruel death.

But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.- BG 2.64

Hare Krishna

The post September 30th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Krsna consciousness has spread successfully in the country through the years and like everywhere Bulgarian devotees are very sweet and eager for Krsna-katha, kirtan and prasadam Read more ›

Bada Hari Prabhu – Day 3 of Polish Woodstock 2013

Have you ever wanted to bring Family or Friends to visit Sree Dham Mayapur and felt you needed a bit of inside help? The "Friends and Family" service is inspired by the experiences of devotees' relatives visiting the holy dham, and possibly India, for the first time Read more ›

At Philly

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It was near the commuter train that I entered a winding trail near these black walnut trees, a peaceful path it is.  I came upon a seniors couple on the whole hour there.  The rest of the time I was to myself.  It seems to be an unofficial trail which is the best kind.  For the most part, it’s a neat trail, a clear trail.  However, in certain sections, but rarely, you could find broken glass, a result of outdoor partying by youth most likely.

Ravindra had earlier on told me of these entangling trails.  While dark, we tread one on the course of our japa walk which didn’t end up being a mantra meditation walk at all.  He is full of talk with the rich history of the area of German town and Chestnut Hill.  He let me in on all that he wanted to say.  We also touched on some details of his half Christian half Jewish heritage.  I did feel like I achieved a lesson in history of a portion of this city of brotherly love, Philadelphia.

If you go to a place like Europe, you’ll hear about Philadelphia for its cream cheese.  According to Ravindra’s wife, when Europeans speak of the renowned cheese, they only use the word Philadelphia as the spread you put over sandwiches, bagels and other foods.  No mention of cheese in the conversation.  Philadelphia is synonymous to cream cheese.  In fact, this is the common food product that I use in applying to tortillas to make wraps with veggies when I trek across Canada, it nourishes me.

The only other thing that makes me think of this city is Shyamalan, the director of the film The Sixth Sense, whom I met when before he became a noted master in film.

I had delivered a class at the Radha Krishna temple on Allens Road this morning.  It turned out as much of a discussion as it did a discourse or talk.  The verse from which I spoke mentioned the Kumaras who were lifelong monks.  That then lead to the topic of the marital status of people, in many cases people do stay single, but what makes life a fulfillment is through a spiritual channel where a relationship has a solid base only.

7 KM

A True Friend

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A true friend is someone who leads you on to a trail.

The small group of us from Canada had made the trip to Philly.  I met with Ravindra Svarup and his wife who told me of trails in the Mount Ary district.  Mount Ary is a place where there’s old growth trees.  It’s also the area of the first integrated neighbourhood in America where people of black and white origin found comfort in coexistence.  Though the trails are here, it wouldn’t be until tomorrow morning that I would do some exploration in the vegetation.

Back to Ravindra and wife, Saudamini – I admire them so much.  Here are a couple who have remained as such for decades.  You can say they survived the test of time as a couple.  At a time when the family unit faces challenges in this age of modernity there are some shining representatives of loyalty that exist.  We don’t talk about them because on the very personal note, they have not produced sensational news.

Ravindra in particular, has practically document research history of the Hare Krishna society likely more that anyone.  If not documented, he has that retaining brain of accounts in its development, challenges and triumphs of what seemed like an idealistic group from the 60’s.  He and I, and for some minutes, Saudamini, sat for quite a while looking at an interesting path of a culture that soon turns 50 in the year 2016.  To say that Krishna Consciousness is new would be fallacious.  It’s an old culture.  Krishna devotionalism has existed for thousands of years with roots in India.

It is my wish and deep desire to trek the US in 3 years from now and follow the trail of how the Krishna Culture spread from Boston, to New York to San Francisco to Los Angeles.  In fact, today marks the anniversary that our guru, the founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada anchored ship in America in September 1965.  The society became official in ’66 in New York.  I became a monk with the group in the spring of ’73 in Toronto, Canada.

No regrets from my side, especially when I have friendship from Ravindra and Saudamini.  By the way, Ravindra legal academic name is Dr. William Deadwyler III.  He is one of my favourite authors of theological essays.

For today – no walking, a long time was spent on wheels to get to Philly.  It’s a kind of a curse.

0 KM/0 miles

"Many great saints descended on the earth to teach us this higher principle of developing love for God by sincerely chanting the Holy names of the God. However, we cannot really chant the names of God from our hearts unless we have humility and genuine desire for a service attitude towards others."

Radhanatha Swami

People ask: “If God, the creator of the world, is good, why is there so much evil in the world?”

The question reveals a fundamental confusion in attribution – they are placing the blame on the wrong doorstep.

The sun gives only light, no darkness. Those who turn away from the sun see darkness. They can see light if they just turn towards the sun. But if instead they blame the sun for giving darkness, then they deprive themselves of the chance to see the sun as the source of light.

Gita wisdom reveals God, Krishna, to be all-good, the source and shelter of all goodness. Those who turn away from him expose themselves to evil. This turning is a turning away from the spiritual to the material. Krishna and we belong to the spiritual level of reality where all delight in eternal light and love. The material level of reality is dark – it impels us to dark actions that cause the various evils here. When we stay attached to the material and demand Krishna to illumine it with unmitigated goodness, we are like those staying turned away from the sun and demanding to see its light. The Bhagavad-gita (03.32) indicates that this misdirection of consciousness (acetasah) causes the bafflement of all our knowledge (sarva-jnana vimudhams). If we blame Krishna for not being good, then we end up decreasing further our chance to return to goodness. Thus, turning away from him is the evil that subjects us to all the evils of the world.

Thankfully, Krishna, unlike the sun, is no passive observer; he is an active redeemer. He descends to the material level to share the path of devotion, the easiest path for returning to the spiritual level.  For those who accept his gift, perennial goodness awaits.

**

03.32 - But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them regularly are to be considered bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and ruined in their endeavors for perfection.

 

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

We should not simply publish these books for reading by outsiders, but our students must be well-versed in all of our books so that we can be prepared to defeat all opposing parties in the matter of self-realization." (Letter to Hamsaduta, 3rd December, 1968)

“If we couldn’t go to the temple, if we couldn’t have darshan of the deities, if you couldn’t hear from qualified teachers, if you couldn’t chant in kirtan together—that would be pretty difficult, would it not? Sometimes we take these things for granted. I think the only way to not fall into that trap is to stay in the fire of preaching work. Everyone in their own way can do something. And the whole basis, as Srila Prabhupada said—’Books are the basis.’ So, somehow or other if you just give one book to a person who doesn’t have one, it will make a huge difference. What to speak of if you can give a few books or many books. Many devotees, wherever they go, they always carry some books, just in case. And what happens if you have that mentality of wanting to give a book to someone? Krishna starts making these amazing arrangements, you don’t even know how it works.” —Giridhari Swami

Gunagrahi das Goswami
Giriraj Swami
Giridhari Swami

Srila Sanatana Goswami's shortest and simplest work - an offering of praise in 432 verses, punctuated by 108 acts of respectfully bowing down. Spend Kartika with Srila Sanatana Goswami's personal meditation on Lord Krishna's Vrndavana pastimes as he summarized them from Srimad-Bhagavatam Read more ›

How many devotees will answer the question of how Mother Sita was banished by Sri Rama to Valmiki’s hermitage? “Rama was righteous… He set an example for all…?” Or is there a deeper reason? Such an answer can take the ‘controversy’ out of it Read more ›

Goloka Chart- a depiction of the spiritual world, based on Brahma samhita, Laghu Bhagavatamrta, Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta has been printed Read more ›

The place where the station is situated was formerly a large goods yard. The present car and bus parking areas, as well as the path to the station, formed part of a coal loading yard. The present-day platforms were once used as goods lines and formed part of the large Chitpur Rail Yard. Read more ›

Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – June 23rd, 1976.

Excerpt from Hari Sauri’s Trancendental Diary.

Ekadasi. Prabhupada said very little on his walk and the class was short. He is experiencing disturbing heart palpitations and his uremia has caused his legs and feet to swell again. It was a strain for him to even be out. Thankfully, his toothache seems to have disappeared and his face is no longer swollen. During the day he rested a lot and did not see anyone.

However, by evening he seemed stronger and so went out into the garden to grace the eager devotees with another darsana. Sitting in the shade of the trees, he chanted on his large tulasi-mala. He had Pradyumna prabhu read from the Bhagavad-gita Chapter Six, stopping occasionally to ask if there were any questions, and then supplying his transcendental insights, both practical and philosophical.

Kuladri prabhu wanted to solve a quandary that comes up occasionally in the course of preaching. “Srila Prabhupada, when we explain that our activities are spiritual, what we are doing is spiritual … Just like we say the quality of the tape recorder becomes spiritualized when it’s used in Krsna’s service. So the materialists, they don’t understand. They say, ‘Well, the tape recorder will also break, the tapes will also be burned up.’”

Prabhupada saw nothing contradictory in that. “That’s all right. It will go to Krsna. Breaking, where it will go? Hmm?”

Kuladri replied, “They say the chemicals again become …”

“That chemical, where it will go?” Prabhupada asked, immediately giving the answer. “Yato va imani bhutani jayante … abhisamvisanti. Everything is created from Krsna, again it returns to Krsna.”

“Then they say then we needn’t play Krsna conscious music. We might as well play rock and roll if it is going back to Krsna.”

Prabhupada shook his head. “That is maya. This is meant for Krsna’s service. As soon as you do anything else, then it is maya. Maya is also Krsna’s maya, but under maya we suffer; under Krsna we enjoy.”

Kuladri understood, realizing the implications of their daily labors in devotional service. “So if we engage everything here in Krsna’s service, then the atmosphere will change. They can notice the change in the atmosphere.”

“Yes,” Prabhupada said. “That is real atmosphere. Sva-rupena vyavasthitih. Mukti means to stay in the original form.”

The mention of “original form” prompted one devotee to ask just what the spiritual form of the soul might be. He had heard Srila Prabhupada’s example that a glove has its form because of the shape of the hand, but he wasn’t sure exactly what this meant. He wanted to know if it meant the soul within the tree’s body is shaped like a tree.

Prabhupada explained that in the material world form is fixed, but in the spiritual world it is not. Krsna has many forms because everything is spiritual in that world.

Another devotee asked, “So the form in the spiritual sky is not absolute either? We can take different forms in the spiritual sky?”

“Yes,” Srila Prabhupada assured him. “There are also many forms, but all of them are spiritual. The Vrndavana, there is tree, there is Yamuna water, there is land, there is cow, there is calf, there is gopas, gopis — they are all spiritual. Just like from earth you make many forms. You make pots, you make dolls, but they are all earth. Similarly, spiritual world, there are many forms, they are all spiritual. What is the difficulty?”

Pradyumna asked whether that form ever changed.

Prabhupada said yes, but added, “Generally, it does not change, if one likes this type of form — santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, madhurya.” He also added that such a change is not material. “The spiritual bliss is there, either in this form or that form.”

Pradyumna prabhu continued with his recitation of Bhagavad-gita, and everybody listened attentively as he read out verse 6.24. “One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with undeviating determination and faith. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of false ego and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.”

After the purport Prabhupada called for questions. A devotee asked, “For someone whose determination wavers and slackens here and there, is there ever a point where the neophyte devotee is in danger of just forgetting everything and falling, tumbling completely back?”

Prabhupada wasn’t strident in his reply but he made it clear that he did not expect such weakness in his disciples. He repeated more or less what he had told us in Hawaii. “Everyone is neophyte. He should practice with determination, that’s all. If he cannot practice, then why should he enter into this association? Let him remain aloof. One who has entered with the determination that ‘I must practice,’ so if he cannot practice, then why this make-show that ‘I belong to Krsna consciousness movement. I am initiated.’ Why this farce? He must practice with determination that ‘By practicing I’ll be success.’ That is wanted. He has no determination, why should he make a show? Drdha-vrata, that is wanted, determination. Hmm? Go on. When one is determined, his success is assured. If he’s not determined, then success or failure.”

“Can one develop determination gradually?” someone asked.

“Why gradually?” Prabhupada replied. “When you promise before your spiritual master that no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, why should you fall down? If you have no determination, why should you promise in presence of the Deity, fire, spiritual master, Vaisnava? Why do you make this farce, if you have no determination? If you want to make it a farce, that depends on you. But you should not fall down, that is determination. That is gentleman’s determination, that ‘I have given my promise. Why shall I fall down?’ That is determination. ‘I must respect promise.’ That is called drdha-vrata.

“So he’ll success. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. But if we want to cheat, that is another thing. If we have no determination, we should not take up this life. Therefore, chance is given that ‘Stay with us for six months or one year; be determined, then be initiated.’ If you are not determined, what is the use of false initiation?”

By his response, the devotee seemed to imply that one does not always have control. “Sometimes this weakness seems to be …”

Prabhupada cut him off. He was unsympathetic to excuses. “Weakness there, you should rectify weakness. Why you should give any importance to weakness? Weakness is weakness. Rectify it.”

Kuladri observed that our promise to follow four regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds daily is the minimum level of determination. We must increase from there.

Prabhupada agreed. “Initiation means ‘minimum, just beginning.’ That is the dictionary meaning, initiation.” He elaborated on the progressive stages of devotional service as enunciated by Srila Rupa Gosvami, emphasizing the stage of anartha-nivrtti, the giving up of unwanted activities. He especially focused on the need to avoid meat-eating and illicit sex. In Vaikunthaloka he said, there is so much transcendental pleasure that the inhabitants are astonished that one might find pleasure in sex. “That stage is possible,” he assured us. “Everything depends on practice. That requires determination.”

After all the talk of the potential difficulty in just following the basic practices, it probably wasn’t so wise for one of the devotees to then ask what happens when one returns to his svarupa, his natural form. After the recent episode in Los Angeles he was clearly alert to the dangers of devotees leaping ahead of themselves. He didn’t even let the boy finish. “First of all, anartha-nivrtti. You are accustomed to so many bad habits. First of all try to rectify it, then talk of svarupa. Where is your svarupa? Simply wasting time. A man is diseased, he’s thinking, ‘When I shall be cured I shall go to this hotel, I shall eat like this.’ First of all cure, then talk of eating this and that. Svarupa, when you are cured, that is svarupa. So long you are not cured, what is the use of talking svarupa? First business is cure yourself. Anartha-nivrtti, then svarupa will come.”

Prabhupada spoke firmly. “That is the babajis. In Vrndavana, you have seen? Siddha-pranali. They are smoking and having illicit sex with one dozen women — svarupa. Rascal! This is called sahajiya, a rascal. Condemned. Where is your svarupa? Don’t talk unnecessarily. First of all come to svarupa, then talk of svarupa.”

“So our motivation should be to get free from birth, disease, old age and death,” the devotee said.

“That is already explained.” Prabhupada repeated the stages of advancement he outlined previously and told him, “But you must be determined how to execute devotional service. Without determined devotional service, how we can attain that position? So what is the use of talking utopian? First business is you adopt this means that you have got full faith that ‘Krsna consciousness will save me.’ Then you live with devotees who are similarly determined. Then you execute devotional service. Then anartha-nivrttih syat, you’ll be free from all these. These are the stages. Up to anartha-nivrtti, you have to struggle very hard with determination, and then automatically everything will come — tato nistha tato rucis tatah saktis tato bhavah. So before svarupa, anartha-nivrtti, don’t expect all these.”

During the whole period of the darsana some local youths, who live just down the road, roared back and forth on motorcycles, even stopping on occasion at our driveway entrance to turn and go back. The howl and whine of their engines, though an intrusion on our peaceful gathering, was nothing more than a mild annoyance and Prabhupada didn’t allow it to disturb his preaching. He wondered with a chuckle whether they were doing it on purpose. Kuladri said they were, although he said they are better behaved now than before.

“Demons,” Prabhupada declared. “Everywhere in this world is like that. Even the father will give trouble-Prahlada Maharaja-what to speak of others. Demon father is giving trouble to a Vaisnava son. And not grown-up son, five years old, innocent, but he’s giving trouble.”

Still, the concensus is that local relationships are definitely improving. One devotee said that today a state policeman stopped him to inquire whether Srila Prabhupada was here yet.

Prabhupada smiled. “However demon he may be, they can appreciate that these are ideal characters.”

The Bhaktivedanta Cultural Center features an extraordinary exhibit of India's timeless heritage with a magnificient traditional Vedic Temple and an elaborate multimedia presentation combining exquisite sculptures with state of the art audio visual technology Read more ›

A millionaire young lady who became vegetarian introduced the reporter to the Krishna Valley Iskcon ecological farm as "The Best Eco-community in Europe" Read more ›

Indradyumna Swami – Day 3 of Polish Woodstock 2013

ISKCON of Houston, Texas has faced major challenges recently in its efforts to introduce a huge new Vedic-style temple to the local community and to the world. An estimated 20,000 devotees, congregational members, and well-wishers including local politicians and celebrities were expected for the temple’s grand opening Read more ›

This year World Holy Name week was celebrated between September 19th and September 26th. In Bali, the devotees decided to extend it an extra week up until October 2nd. The Balinese devotees are very attached to kirtan and there’s a Hari Nama samkirtan party that goes out every day of the week to different locales around Bali.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu could have liberated all the three worlds in an instant, if He had desired to do so. But He wanted His pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada, to do it because He takes pleasure in making His devotees famous.

People often ask: “What is the use of remembering Krishna?”

It acts as a shelter and as armor.

As a shelter, it helps us rest and recover after life’s exhausting battles. By remembering Krishna, we get spiritual energy to recoup and regroup, thereby preparing us for future battles.

As armor, it provides inner stability and clarity amidst life’s battles. When we pray or chant and seek Krishna’s help amidst moments of pressure, we feel an inner presence that steadies and illumines.

Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (18.57) urges us to do all our activities for him and also cultivate his remembrance. These two gifts of remembrance of Krishna – shelter and armor – are symbiotic; each depends on the other and also enhances the other.

So, we need to seek shelter to wear the armor. That is, only when we practice remembering Krishna exclusively on a regular basis will we have the strong spiritual reflexes to connect with Krishna substantially amidst the world’s passions. Otherwise, amidst danger we won’t call Krishna or we will call superficially and nominally. Either way, we won’t be able to access the protective effect of remembering Krishna.

Conversely, we need to use the armor to feel the shelter. That is, only when we earnestly and intensely remember Krishna will we feel his reciprocation as inner peace, warmth and strength. If when faced with problems we tackle things only at the material level, then we will be like warriors who don’t use the armor and so get wounded – needlessly.

The more we practice remembering Krishna, the shelter and armor will overlap till we relish his rejuvenating, protecting presence everywhere. That constant Krishna consciousness is life’s supreme security and success. It is as good as Krishna’s eternal abode and it will eventually take us there.

**

18.57 - In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.

 

Holy Name Meditation Podcast