TEXAS FAITH 114: Did JFK have a greater impact on religion than any modern president?
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

The nation and certainly the city of Dallas are coming upon the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. There are many parts of his presidency and death that our paper and others are starting to examine, from the legacy of his foreign policy to his imprint on civil rights to his use of television to communicate.

One area that hasn’t gotten much coverage is John F. Kennedy’s impact on religion in America. Often, we read about how Jimmy Carter and then Ronald Reagan awakened evangelicals and changed the face of religion in America, particularly in politics.

But did JFK have a greater effect than perhaps any modern president on religion in America?

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas 

Yes he did, but how so? He was a young, attractive man with an attractive wife and nice children. He had wealth, fame, power, and presidency. He had many people protecting him and his wellbeing. He worked hard to achieve all this but lost it all in just a second.

This predicament affected the lives of many and some that I know began to inquire if life had more to offer than just wealth, fame, power, family, and comforts. Will these temporary things truly fulfill the heart of an eternal being?

Some wise souls began to ask, "Should I be investing in the temporary, am I am actually eternal?" Likewise, they asked, "If the President could lose all that he had worked for throughout his life in a second then what about me?"

For these rare souls his untimely departure was more profound than the works of his life. -Nityananda Chandra Das

 

To see all responses of the TEXAS Faith panel click here.

New Preaching Centre in Sri Lanka
→ Dandavats.com

Last week we had a grand opening of a new Hare Krishna Centre in Batticaloa, Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. With the blessings of the GBCs and support of ISKCON Colombo authorities we had a wonderful two days festival. The lightning board of "Hare Krishna Centre" on the main road has now become a new land mark of the City and a new bus stop's name. Read more ›

Service Opportunity for Festivals Preparation in New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

——Service Opportunity at ISKCON New Vrindaban——–

ISKCON New Vrindaban is looking for enthusiastic team members for our Festivals Dept.

We need friendly, co-operative, hard-working team players right away to come to New Vrindaban to help organize specifically for the well-known and inspiring Festival of Inspiration in May 2014 and the first of two fun Festival of Colors, in April 2014.

Great accommodations and sumptuous prasadam will, of course, be provided, along with honorarium.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Vrindavana Das at:

304 843 1600 ext 129  or  vrindavanadas@gmail.com

From

Vrindavana Das

ISKCON New Vrindaban, Home Of The Palace of Gold

3759 McCrearys Ridge Road, Moundsville, WV 26041

______________________________________________

Phone: 304-843-1600 Ext: 129

Mobile: 001 – 304 – 312 – 3665

vrindavana@newvrindaban.com

______________________________________________

www.festivalofcolors.us

www.palaceofgold.com

A unique live experience!
→ Dandavats.com

I went to a monthly event called Mantra Lounge in Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden. This event usually consists of Kirtan (congregational chanting of sacred mantras), Meditation & a Vegetarian Feast. Last Friday they had Chakrini as special guest, who happens to be my favourite Kirtaneer, and as a bonus they were offering a Vegan Feast (yes, I am a Vegan). To give you an idea about Chakrini, you have to imagine a celestial being having taken birth on this planet to bring joy and enlightment to us lost souls through the most powerful sound vibrations put into melodies for easier digestion Read more ›

All it takes is a cool head!
→ Servant of the Servant

The more I think about it, people are ok with old age and death as long as they have their way, that they can be the controllers and the lord of all they survey. The power of control and enjoyment in this world is so intoxicating that one is ready to wager with disease and death.

So today is Gita Jayanti - the day Krishna spoke this epic dialogue with His devotee and friend Arjuna. In the introduction to the Bhagavad Gita, Srila Prabhupada comments that students who question old age, disease and death are the likely candidates to read this sublime discussion. And because most of us are not serious about reading the Bhagavad Gita, we can imply that we are happy controlling and enjoying in this world that we do not care so much about old age, disease and death.

Now, one may argue that I don't read the Gita because I don't believe in reincarnation or that the consciousness is independent of the body etc So if i don't believe in reincarnation then i don't have to worry about old age, disease and death as a problem because it happens only once in this life and i don't have to worry after that. This sort of childishness is a subtle way of saying I like to be in control, and that I am in control and that I want to enjoy. In other words, in order to enjoy and control, we believe what we want to believe versus the truth. But if we are sober, detached from worldly enjoyment, we will realize by mere observation of nature around us that consciousness is separate from the body and that consciousness is bound to be reborn in another body. All it takes is a cool head!

Hare Krishna



If Vrajavasis love each other doesn’t that mean Krishna is not all-attractive for he can’t exclusively attract their love?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From: Keshav
If everyone loves Krishna in Vrindavan,then does it mean people do not love anyother thing ? Do the parents of Gopas love Krishna or their son ? If it is different then comparision will be made as their can not be two love in absolute world. How can a girl who is married ,love his husband and Krsna in same way when everyone in Goloka Vrindavan is a soul.If she loves both husband and Krsna ,then will it not mean Krsna is not totally attractive ? Also a variety of relationship exists between individual souls and between god and individual soul in spiritual planet.So how come two love thoery exist there? Isn't Love is love , or its real meaning is yet to be discovered?

Answer Podcast

How do we understand our love for our relatives from the soul point of view?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From: Keshav
Is the love of Soul toward God and love of Soul toward other soul different ?
A Question which Bhagavat Gita does not answers is, It is said that there is a relationship between God and Soul ,
but what is the inter-relationship between two Souls ? When we meet our dear ones after a long time,
we embrace them very tightly;so tighly that we feel if we can pass the ultimate love we have for them,but suddenly we realise that we can not pass that love because we are limited by our body,more embrace can damage our body . If one living entity feels love toward other living entity in such a strong way, then what is their relationship from soul point of view.

Answer Podcast

Winter Bus Tour Photo Essay
→ Seed of Devotion


A big silver bus outfitted with bunkbeds and filled with youth will head out to Mexico tomorrow for the 2013 Winter Bus Tour. Two years ago I had the honor of going on the Tour to perform bharatanatyam dance, sing kirtan with Madhava Prabhu, and connect with the amazing people on and off the bus.

In tribute of the Bus Tour, here's a photo essay of some of the pictures I took two years ago. 


waiting for prasadam




I often escaped to visit cathedrals

The Gita play

kirtan programs almost every evening






Agua Azul



kirtan with Madhava Prabhu





the ruins of Palenque


panoramic shot of a city wall 



Our Bus Tour Gaura Nitai and Haridas Thakur deities. They're the ultimate adventurers.   

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Exploding Fuel Tankers Driving U.S. Army to Solar Power
→ View From a New Vrindaban Ridge

From Bloomberg

By Ehren Goossens

The U.S. Army is spending billions of dollars shifting toward solar energy, recycled water and better-insulated tents. The effort isn’t about saving the Earth.

Instead, commanders have found they can save lives through energy conservation. It’s especially true in Afghanistan, where protecting fuel convoys is one of the most dangerous jobs, with one casualty for every 24 missions in some years.

With renewable energy, “there is no supply chain vulnerability, there are no commodity costs and there’s a lower chance of disruption,” Richard Kidd, the deputy assistant secretary of the Army in charge of energy security, said in an interview. “A fuel tanker can be shot at and blown up. The sun’s rays will still be there.”

While President Barack Obama called on the U.S. government to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 28 percent by 2020, the Army is embracing renewables to make the business of war safer for soldiers. In May, it announced plans to spend $7 billion buying electricity generated by solar, wind, geothermal and biomass projects over the next three decades.

The transition is a sales opportunity for companies including Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT), which is installing small-scale power systems at U.S. bases, along with Alta Devices Inc. and Sundial Capital Partners, which make sun-powered systems. The moves threaten U.S. utilities, which stand to lose revenue when the Army shifts to photovoltaic panels from traditional power sources.

Read full article here


Filed under: Cows and Environment

Choose your suffering
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 October 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.2-7)

Through celibacy, can we get love of God? You can be celibate for a hundred lifetimes, do you think that will give you love of God? No, it is devotional service that will give us love of God!

“KKS_CZ_2004I am married to a devotee!” Do you think that will give you love of God? No, you yourself will have to be a devotee as well. You will have to do devotional service. It is not automatic. Even a lion has to go out and chase for breakfast. It’s not that the deer runs into the mouth of the lion… So, we have to do something in devotional service and that is what counts. Ashram issues are not so important, it’s only external. In one or the another, you are going to have to take some tapasya (austerity),

tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma saukhyam tv anantam (SB 5.5.1)

That is life in the material world, no matter what you do, there is tapasya. You decide which tapasya you like better; that’s what it is all about – the tapasya of being married or the tapasya of being alone. You decide as both have tapasya. Material life has that element of tapasya, of some austerity. Inevitably so, no one can avoid it – it is basically the design of the material world therefore Lord Rshabdev pointed this out to his one hundred sons – this human form of life is not meant for sense gratification; it is not going to work. Therefore we shouldn’t be too particular about how we live but some things have to be a little suitable.

Krsna consciousness, bhakti, is not denying us this basic comforts. That is for the impersonalists. For them, everything in this material world is only maya. There is only maya in all directions therefore whatever they use has to be minimized… but we just use it for sustaining our Krsna consciousness, so sleep well – nice and warm and cosy, so that we can do devotional service – there is nothing wrong with that. Therefore we do not have to sleep on the hardest bed that we can find and use only a bed-sheet in the winter, no blanket!

I knew a devotee who never wore a kurta in winter, in Vrindavan. It was very cold and he was only wearing a lungi. You know, he lasted for fifteen years and then he got sick. What is the benefit of these things!? Great austerities – fasting, fasting, fasting… “I fast every ekadasi and dvadasi as well, for the last twenty-four years!”

Lord CaitanyaFine, you can do it for twenty-four lifetimes more and do you think you will make any more progress towards going back to the spiritual world with all your fasting!? Not really. In the Caitanya Bhagavat, there is the example of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who was having kirtans in the house of Srivas Thakur and the doors were closed, only devotees were allowed inside. The one day, Lord Caitanya couldn’t get into the mood and he felt that there was some intruder in the house. It turned out that Srivas had let in this brahmana who had been living only on milk for one year. Lord Caitanya had the brahmana thrown out, “Do you think that just by drinking milk for a year, you can attain me!” But later that brahmana was so excited that he had seen Caitanya Mahaprabhu and he was just praying to get a chance again, then Lord Caitanya let him back in.

So, it is not by austerity that we will attain Krsna! Although, austerity is highlighted by Lord Rshabdev in the fifth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, austerity in itself is not one of the limbs of bhakti. Renunciation and austerity are not limbs of bhakti. They don’t give you devotional service.

 

 

My formal resignation of ISKCON (a thought)
→ simple thoughts

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After much soul searching I’ve decided to resign indisputably from ISKCON and all of it’s affiliated segment’s.
It’s word’s I’ve sadly heard once to often, the reasons are always complex, the reasons always thought out and rationalised; indeed their has been times I have also thought of leaving and too have figured out that my logic is sound and my reasoning perfect in every way.
So why have I not left?
It’s an interesting question, given that their has been many reason’s to leave including broken promises, threats, and inter-personality difficulties.
Consider though this, how much do we actually love Srila Prabhupada?
Srila Prabhupada showed the greatest compassion and also tolerated so much including ridicule but was determined to do one thing, fulfil his spiritual master’s wishes to spread Krishna Consciousness to the whole world.
How much have we become attached to Srila Prabhupada’s mission?
How attached have we become to our Guru Maharajah’s request for us to serve?
Indeed how attached are we to the temple/preaching centre’s deities?
And finally how much effort have we put in to our personal relationships with devotees, no matter how difficult that may be?
Emotion’s are a hard thing to deal with, especially if we feel we have been wronged, the hurt goes beep, much deeper than some may feel able to admit. And in this age of quarrel and being under the influence of material nature, even in any spiritual movement we are going to find quarrel; despite our belief that were in a utopia.
Even if we leave, resign, turn our back’s on ISKCON one thing remains true, Srila Prabhupada’s word’s will in one way or another pierce even the frostiest of heart’s; it will remain their festering.
For some it will be the festering of hatred, not a good thing but sadly pride causes this. Or festering of the desire to fulfil Srila Prabhupada’s mission or refer to Srila Prabhupada’s works in a positive manor.
How much do we love, I mean really love Srila Prabhupada?
For if we say we love him, no matter what the difficulty we would never desire or want to leave what he set up; even if that means we continue following from a distance. Our meditation being that one day the way will open up for us to become an integral part of the movement, Srila Prabhupada nurtured and set up for everyone.
Yes Everyone even complete numptys like me.
So Please Please Don’t leave
Hare Krishna

anniversary special
→ everyday gita

Today marks the celebration of the day the Bhagavad-gita was spoken. It's a day when lovers of the Gita will sing its 700+ verses, reflect on the impact this great bhakti text has had on their lives and even give it as a gift to those who may not have a copy.

On a personal note, this day marks a year since I started this blog. :) I'll be honest - when I first began, I was writing primarily for myself. It was a therapeutic medium by which I could chronicle my thoughts and feelings and view it through the lens of the Gita. Never did I expect that this blog would create opportunities to meet people and develop friendships with individuals from all over the world whose curiosity, comments and encouragement have inspired me so much. To all those who have followed the journey so far (and will hopefully continue to do so!) - you have my deepest gratitude.

Writing on the Gita has brought it to life for me. It's taught that me that it's not just enough to read it as an observer but to experience it. And know what? It's amazing how easy it is to do so. After all, haven't we all felt some degree of despair and hopelessness, what to speak of struggled with discriminating between right and wrong, at some point in our lives? That's exactly what Arjuna goes through at the beginning of the Gita.

Arjuna's internal crisis reveals to us to that happiness and peace of mind is not attained through the externals. It can only be attained when we actually realize that we are spiritual beings having a material experience. Knowledge is not enough, as Arjuna finds out. To theoretically accept "I am the soul" is one thing, but to live our lives in that space is very different.

That is where the practicality of the Gita's guidance becomes strikingly apparent. It not only provides insightful knowledge but explains how to live our lives as spiritual beings at every moment.

On this special anniversary, I'd like to close by leaving you with one of my favorite verses of the Gita which serves to always put things in perspective for me and would like to invite you to leave yours in the comments below!

"O son of Kuntī, the non-permanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." Bhagavad-gita 2.14

Govardhana Retreat, Learning from Govardhana Hill, December 3, Govardhana
Giriraj Swami

12.05.13_04.GovardhanaGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 18.34.

“Govardhana Hill is Krishna, but He is in the mood of a devotee. In that respect he is like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also Krishna in the mood of a devotee. In the mood of a devotee He is more magnanimous than in His original mood. The same applies to Govardhana Hill. That original idea of the gopis which they heard from Gargi—that one’s desires can only be fulfilled by great souls—that theme has been taken up by so many of our acharyas in their prayers to Govardhana Hill. In fact, Govardhana Hill is known to fulfill all desires. So whatever desires we have can be fulfilled by the grace of Govardhana Hill.”
———————————————————————-
12.05.13_01.Govardhana12.05.13_02.Govardhana12.05.13_03.Govardhana12.05.13_05.Govardhana—————————————————————–
Learning from Govardhana Hill

Gita Nagari – US Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecture December 2013
Bhakti Charu Swami

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami : oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya SB 1.3.40 This chapter is entitled as Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma purāṇaṁ brahma-sammitam uttama-śloka-caritaṁ cakāra bhagavānṛṣiḥ niḥśreyasāyalokasya dhanyaṁ svasty-ayanaṁmahat […]

Prasadam Brings Smiles to Thousands in Philippines
→ Dandavats.com

ISKCON’s Food For Life continues to feed victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines on November 7th with winds of 195 mph. One of the strongest tropical cyclones in recorded history, Haiyan has claimed nearly 6,000 lives in the Philippines, and thousands more are missing. Around 4 million have been displaced from their homes. ISKCON’s Food For Life is one of the many aid organizations doing what it can to help in the wake of the disaster. Between November 15th and 20th, the Nagar Sankirtan Party from Manila, headed by Balarama Das distributed 8,200 plates of hot sanctified vegetarian food in barangays or villages in Tacloban, the capital of Leyte Province. Read more ›

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

Triangle of Us

Burnaby, British Columbia

Manu and I got into a more than warm discussion.  We were sitting in the corner of the senior’s dining room with our dear spiritual sister, Padyavali, when an intense conversation ensued.

Playfully, I charged Manu with being an ox, a mule, I even said ‘ass’ as in donkey.  Why such colourful names?  Well, I found him to be stubborn.  I was encouraging him to take up an administrative role as a council member of our sizeable community in Vancouver.  He has lots of qualifications, but he refuses to submit.  In the heat of our discussion, Padyavali, who sat in a wheelchair and is suffering from a number of aging challenges, extended her arm interrupting our dialogue.  We stopped talking.  She protested our talk, saying, “This conversation doesn’t involve me, you’re ignoring me.”  She had a dead serious look on her face.

I then protested her protesting, “My dear Padyavali, this conversation involves our community, which is very close to your heart, and since you are part and parcel of this community, you are definitely involved.

At this, she broke out in her first smile of the day.  I reminded her that being a Newfie with Irish blood, she should be liking our spicy session, “You used to like these things, you are a fighter.”  Her smile broadened.  I was happy for her because her gloominess broke.  She’s struggling and can’t remember things too well.  I reminded her that she was married in ’63 and on the day after John F. Kennedy’s assassination.  She can’t remember that she told me that once, nor can she remember that date of matrimony.  So, at least she got a bit excited in a good way.

I felt that my pastoral duty was done for today.  Being a monk within a community, it obliges you towards such responsibilities.  I hope that Manu didn’t get too offended with the style of pressure that I put on him.  He’s a good guy with a big heart and regularly pays a visit to our friend, Padyavali, who has given many years of service as a spunky nun.  If Manu didn’t drive me to this senior’s home for the visit, it would take me 2 hours of walking, which I don’t mind, of course.  Sometimes you have to take a spin in a car for a visit and then value the few moments with the driver who affectionately, I say, is still an ox.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Iskcon Malaysia celebrates Deepavali Damodara festival amidst pomp and glamour
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY SJMKL EDITORIAL BOARD

More photos here

Kuala Lumpur - ISKCON Malaysia celebrated the 1Malaysia Deepavali Damodara festival at Panggung Anniversary, Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur on 26th Oct 2013.

This auspicious event which celebrates Lord Krishna’s pastimes in His childhood form was launched by the guest of honour the Right Honorable Deputy Minister of Federal Territories YB Senator Datuk Dr. J. Loga Bala Mohan (HG Loka Bandhu Gauranga Prabhu).

The stage was beautifully decorated and transformed into the likes of a palace courtyard in Vrndavan. The colorful yet subdued lights, customized backdrops and opulent dais added much glamour, beauty and ambience to the whole event.

The event consisted of the launch, cultural programs, Bhagavad Gita books distribution to school children and mass offering of ghee lamps by all devotees and guests. Around 1,000 people took part in the event.

The cultural skit performed by Krishna children, painstakingly trained by SJMKL’s Gokul Garden teachers depicted the childhood mischiefs of Lord Krishna. The children did justice to their training and performed with great enthusiasm and childish aplomb.
The arrival of devotees dressed as Lord Rama, Sita Devi, Laksmana, Hanuman and palace officials as part of the entourage was a fitting finale of the cultural program. The Patabishegam (coronation of Lord Rama) that was staged on the main dais was as beautifully enacted as it was symbolic … the return of Lord Rama to the throne of Ayodhya on Amavasya (on a moonless Deepavali night) that coincides with the symbolic lighting of the ghee lamps to welcome Their Lordships to the palace after 14 years of exile in the forest.
A unique feature of the evening was the serving of prasadam to guests at the very places that they were all seated in the amphitheater. The idea was novel and very effective as it kept guests at their seats all evening. It provided for the guests to enjoy the program uninterrupted and to fully absorb the story lines as they were played out and enjoy the live music that was performed.
The special guest of honour, Dato Geethanjali G, the President of Malaysian Association of Women Empowerment and Malaysian Association of Indian Film and Entertainment Industry, Actress and Social Activist, gave a donation of RM 10,000.