Planet ISKCON

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.

The President of the Moscow Society for Krishna Consciousness and the head of public education project, "Vaishnava University" Sriman Radha-Damodar Prabhu donated to the famous All-Russian Library of Foreign Literature copy of the famous work outstanding Indian religious leader and educator Sri Jiva Goswami "Shatsandarbhi" in English. -- Read more ›

Krishna in the center! -- Read more ›

Congratulations to all the new graduates in Iskcon Alachua community: Congratulations to Jahnavi Harris who just graduated with honors from the University of Florida with a degree in Environmental Engineering. Congratulations to Rajasana Wilhoit who graduated with honors from the University of Florida with a degree in Computer Science and was just hired by Amazon.com. Congratulations to Naitaicharana Ely from the University of Florida with a degree in Psychology. Congratulations to Bhaktin Lacey from Krishna House Congratulations to Mukunda Rico, graduated from Evergreen College in natural healing We give these graduates all blessings to fulfill their goals and engage in devotional service with their many talents. -- Read more ›

1974 December 23: "As one of my elder disciples you must set a nice example. You must become ideal in all respects, rising early, chanting sixteen rounds, attending classes, eating only Krsna prasadam, etc. This is very much wanted. This will make everything perfect."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 December 23: "I was also grhastha now I am sannyasi. So I recommend you also take up this life. So many great kings and saintly persons all finished the last part of their lives living as mendicants, sannyasis."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

Vaishnavas of India (Bhubaneswar, Orissa), Russia, France and England this year also came to bring joy to Srila Prabhupada and Sripad Gour Govinda Swami chanting the holy names of the Lord together. -- Read more ›

Conversation with Manjari d.d.

The post On non-devotees worship of Gaura-Nitai and other topics appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

See lots more photos here

A diamond is nothing but an ordinary piece of coal, which with the help of nature’s wisdom, has transformed into a precious jewel under extreme pressure -- Read more ›

It was an incredibly beautiful Sunday Feast program tonight, with soft candlelight providing a beautiful backdrop for an evening that was highlighted by the presence of HG Vaiesesika prabhu! -- Read more ›

During July of 1971 Romapada Swami received first initiation from Srila Prabhupada at the temple located on Henry Street in Brooklyn, New York. One year later, during the summer of '72, Romapada Swami received second initiation. At the time he was fully engaged as the Sankirtana Leader and the Temple Commander in a temple of 150 devotees. During that same summer, Their Most Beautiful Lordships, Sri Sri Radha Govinda, arrived in New York -- Read more ›

Every mind has its own way of looking at things; so what one mind establishes, the other destroys, nay the same mind re­jects today what it accepted yesterday.

- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, Vaishnavism – Real and Apparent

The best way to address a marrying couple in the church! -- Read more ›

Centro Vaikuntha in Bologna headed by Trai das prabhu ACBSP -- Read more ›

• Damodarashtakam Verse 01 – How the Supreme Controller becomes fearful and controlled
• Damodarashtakam Verse 02 – The Lord can be bound by nothing but love
• Damodarashtakam Verse 03 – How Krishna reveals his sweetness to those who are absorbed in his greatness
• Damodarashtakam Verse 04 – Krishna is Krishna’s greatest blessing
• Damodarashtakam Verse 05 – The Lord reveals a form according to the devotee’s desire
• Damodarashtakam Verse 06 – To attract the Lord’s mercy, show not one’s qualifications; admit one’s disqualifications
• Damodarashtakam Verse 07 – Seek not to be liberated from misery but to be liberated into love
• Damodarashtakam Verse 08 – The Lord’s pastimes offer us the supreme spiritual opportunity

HG Chaturatma Prabhu’s class at Yavat Dham 21.10.2013

Saranagati, British Columbia

BEST TESTS

My host in Saranagati Village, Mahidhar, was half joking when he asked me to bless the van.  His Ford Escape was to be the means of transportation back to Vancouver.  So, to ensure a safe journey I did take his recommendations seriously.

At 5:30 AM I was out the door, ready for a walk towards the city in anticipation to be picked up by Mahidhar and Peter.  I stood in front of the vehicle, chanted some mantras, and even circumambulated the van before heading off down the quiet snow packed country road.  The two valley dogs, Ganga and Narasingha, accompanied me until we reached the cattle barrier called a cattle guard.  Cattle dare not cross the ground level metal frame at the end of the road that junctures at Highway 1, the Trans Canada Highway.  My two canine comrades also could not cross this barrier.  A human with careful footing can succeed, however.  I crossed over it and then went directions west with the Hare Krishna mantra and snowflakes to keep me from being lonely.

Six O’Clock passed, the projected time for Mahidhar and Peter to pick me up.  No sign of them.  7 o’clock passed and again no sign of them.  8 o’clock passed by and still no one showed up.  8:30 rolled along, no Mahidhar and no Peter.  “Something happened, I’m sure.  My blessing the vehicle didn’t work.  I hope they are alright,” I thought.

Ten minutes later, and with 12 KMs under my feet, finally a van pulled over.  It was Peter and Kulashekhar in another vehicle that had come to pick me up with the news that there was an accident.  Apparently the Ford Escape slid off the icy road, went over the edge, and into a gully, and finally being wedged in place by a stump and a log.  No one was hurt and the vehicle appeared to be miraculously operable.  After some endeavor one helper, Stanur, got behind the steering wheel and successfully freed the van from being stuck.  He drove it forward into a field, but then hit a rock that destroyed the oil pan.

Meanwhile a nasty snow storm blasted through the whole south of BC.  By the forces of nature, we were not going to go anywhere.  Unfortunately, we had to cancel out on a major satsang (spiritual gathering) held in Vancouver.

One thing that I pondered, before embarking on the journey back to Vancouver, I had recited protective mantras as an offering to our dear Sri Krishna.  Obviously not all occurrences pan out so smoothly, even when asking for a blessing.  The blessing, nevertheless, does come to the recipient, but not always in the format as anticipated.  In such circumstances, patience and tolerance have the chance to play out within one’s self.  The best tests in life do come unsought.

May the Source be with you!

12 KM

The post December 23rd, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

“Srila Haridasa Thakur advised that we concentrate deeply on the holy names of Krishna. Lord Caitanya’s teachings on this matter are found in the Caitanya Bhagavata, Madhya 23.650 where it is stated: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. The Lord said: ‘This is the maha-mantra. [...]

“Every day one must complete his prescribed number of rounds, according to his vow. One should chant sincerely being careful not to sacrifice his quality of chanting in his eagerness to complete his vow. One should strive to improve the quality of chanting, rather than increase his number of rounds for show. The name of [...]

“Inattention arising from laziness prevents a person from relishing the nectar of the holy names while chanting japa. He is slow to chant and remember the holy names. Even after trying, he soon finds the effort unendurable and wants to sleep or otherwise engage himself in frivolity. “Advanced devotees are cautious against such an offense. [...]

In logic’s flashier moments, it tries to play with ideas like, ‘if God is all-powerful, can he make a rock too heavy for him to lift?’ A similar topic came up in a discussion between Nārada and Brahmā, recorded in Bhāgavata Purāṇa, 2.6.36. Here is a draft of an English rendition, from my soon-forthcoming Volume 2 of Beautiful Tales of the All-Attractive.

“Do you perfectly understand Hari?” Nārada probed.

“Who can perfectly understand him?” Brahmā exclaimed. “Despite my efforts, my unique qualification as the original being and the source of all other sources in this universe, and despite the exalted goal I achieved, I still cannot perfectly understand Hari. That is the nature of Hari. Even he does not perfectly understand himself!”

“But the he is omniscient,” Nārada inquired, “How can he not fully know himself?”

“Because he is unlimited!” Brahmā said.

“It seems like a contradiction,” Nārada said: “he is unlimited, but he cannot fully know himself.”

“Consider space,” Brahmā suggested. “Space is an unlimited substance – all other substances exist within it. Can we say space is not unlimited because it does not contain its own limit?”

It is meaningless to say something is not unlimited just because it lacks a limit. Hari lacks limitation – that is the very nature of being unlimited. A lack of limitation is not a “lack” in the common sense. The inability to exhaustively comprehend an unlimited topic is therefore not a flaw in the comprehension, it is the very nature of the comprehension. Perfection is a dynamic thing.

Here logic begins to fear that it will melt. But if we approach the topic humbly, respectfully, and carefully – the logic of it will shine with an unparalleled molten brightness and clarity.

A grain of devotion is more valuable than tons of faithlessness.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 2.6.34 purport

Simply our prayer should be:

My dear Krishna, please remind me to always chant Your Holy Name;
please do not put me into forgetfulness.
You are sitting within me as Super soul,
so you can put me into forgetfulness or into remembering You.
So please do not put me into forgetfulness.

Please always remind me to chant, even You send me into the hell, it doesn't matter,
just so long as I can always chant Hare Krishna.

Letter to Devananda
Los Angeles 1968

I meditate on Vrndavana, where the cuckoos sing the fifth note, the flute plays splendid melodies, peacocks sing and dance, vines and trees bloom, splendid and charming forests are wonderful with many birds and deer, and there are many splendid lakes, streams and hills.

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srila Prabhupada’s “Concluding Words” in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.

“I think that His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is always seeing my activities and guiding me within my heart by his words. As it is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam, tene brahma hrida ya adi-kavaye. Spiritual inspiration comes from within the heart, wherein the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramatma feature, is always sitting with all His devotees and associates.” —”Concluding Words”

“There are two points here, how Srila Prabhupada was receiving instruction from his spiritual master within the heart. Often we hear that the Lord is within the heart, and certainly as the Paramatma He is. But here Srila Prabhupada says that the Lord is not in the heart alone: He is accompanied by His associates and servants—which includes the spiritual master. So when Srila Prabhupada says that he was guided by his spiritual master within his heart by his words—of course, he kept within his heart the words he received from his spiritual master when he was physically present—but he also received further instruction from his spiritual master seated within his heart. And how we can be eligible to receive instruction from within the heart is very important.”

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s Disappearance Anniversary

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

A letter from the production manager

Deadline: April 15, 2014

Dear Srila Prabhupada disciple,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On behalf of the Tributes team, I’d like to invite you to submit your offering for Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja Tributes book 2014.

The book accepts offerings from everyone directly initiated by Srila Prabhupada, regardless of their personal history, present circumstances, personal views, or institutional affiliation.

Last year we received 280 offerings and our hope this year is that we can increase that number. Every disciple who submits an offering will receive a free copy of the book courtesy of the sponsorships the book receives. Last year we received an anonymous contribution from Africa. For this years sponsorship opportunities, please visit our website www.sptributes.com for details.

The deadline for submitting an offering is 15th April 2014. To find out more  — and, especially, for details on submitting your offering — please see www.sptributes.com.

We look forward to receiving your offering! And please spread the word!

Thank you.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Your servant,
Pradyumna Dasa
Production Manager
www.sptributes.com

The post For disciples of Srila Prabhupada: Invitation to the Open Vyasa-puja book, 2014 appeared first on Jayadvaita Swami.

A letter from the production manager 

Deadline: April 15, 2014

Dear Srila Prabhupada disciple,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On behalf of the Tributes team, I’d like to invite you to submit your offering for Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja Tributes book 2014.

The book accepts offerings from everyone directly initiated by Srila Prabhupada, regardless of their personal history, present circumstances, personal views, or institutional affiliation.

Last year we received 280 offerings and our hope this year is that we can increase that number. Every disciple who submits an offering will receive a free copy of the book courtesy of the sponsorships the book receives. Last year we received an anonymous contribution from Africa. For this years sponsorship opportunities, please visit our website www.sptributes.com for details.

The deadline for submitting an offering is 15th April 2014. To find out more  — and, especially, for details on submitting your offering — please see www.sptributes.com.

We look forward to receiving your offering! And please spread the word!

Thank you.

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

Your servant,
Pradyumna Dasa
Production Manager
www.sptributes.com

 

 

read more

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Upon the disappearance day celebration of my spiritual grandfather, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, I revisited the last instructions he imparted to his disciples, December 23, 1936, a week before departing this world -- Read more ›