Planet ISKCON

1970 November 24: "We can use everything - television, radio, movies, or whatever it may be - to tell about Krishna. Outside of devotional service all these modern paraphernalia is just so much rubbish."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 November 24: "We are fighting impersonalism and voidism with pure devotional service. Therefore we are printing our KRSNA book so people may know the absolute truth is a person. So go on with your distribution of my books and Krishna will certainly be pleased upon you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 November 24: "We can challenge any nonsense philosophy. Now it is your task to find them out and expose them. Kindly assist me in this great work, and know it for certain, that you shall very soon go back to Home, back to Godhead."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1974 November 24: "Keep the old system strong, keep it always gorgeously alive, but do not change the principle. The principle should go on as usual. Don't change from this to that. You always want to change everything, that is your American disease."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 November 24: "It is said a husking machine will husk the rice whether in heaven or in hell. So wherever Krishna desires, we will preach this movement. We are Krishna's servants, this is Krishna's desire, and our only business is to satisfy Him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

The post November 24th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

When you chant, feel the holy name as a gift of love coming to you from Mahaprabhu, and just receive it. Don't try to manipulate it into a particular experience or taste, just graciously receive the gift as you chant, appreciate it and be happy with it.

Mahatma Dasa

895 2366 Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.32 by HH Prahladananda Swami (Croatia, Lika Summer Camp 7 August 2012). from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo. (Legal Incest in Denmark)

SB 01.05.32 Seven Million Gods Population 2012-08-07 Lika, Croatian

2359 Srimad Bhagavatam 1.4.30-33 by HH Prahladananda Swami in Sarajevo on August 5, 2012 from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

SB 01.04.30-33 Maya Protection Or Maya’s Protection 2012-08-05 Sarajevo, Bosnian

895 2360 Bhagavad-gita 6.25 by HH Prahladananda Swami in Sarajevo on August 5, 2012 from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

BG 06.25 Doggy Memory 2012-08-05 Sarajevo, Bosnian

895 2357 Srimad Bhagavatam 1.4.28 by HH Prahladananda Swami in Sarajevo on August 4, 2012 from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

SB 01.04.28-29 Vyasa’s Dissatisfation 2012-08-04 Sarajevo, Bosnian

2358 Bhagavad-gita 5.2 by HH Prahladananda Swami in Sarajevo on 4 August 2012. from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

BG 05.02 Not A Super James Bond 2012-08-04 Sarajevo, Bosnian

895 2354 Srimad Bhagavatam 1.4.27 by HH Prahladananda Swami in Sarajevo on the 3rd of August, 2012. from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

SB 01.04.27 The Power of Vidura’s Banana Peel 2012-08-03 Sarajevo, Bosnian

 

895 2356 Nectar of Instruction Text 4 by HH Prahladananda Swami in Sarajevo on 3 August 2012. from Lilasuka Das on Vimeo.

NOI 4 Steady, Peaceful, & Progressive 2012-08-03 Bosnian, Sarajevo

The baby in the lap of his mother is naturally attached to the mother, and the mother is attached to the child. But when the child grows up and becomes overwhelmed by circumstances, he gradually becomes detached from the mother, although the mother always expects some sort of service from the grown-up child and is equally affectionate toward her child, even though the child is forgetful. Similarly, because we are all part and parcel of the Lord, the Lord is always affectionate to us, and He always tries to get us back home, back to Godhead. But we, the conditioned souls, do not care for Him and run instead after the illusory bodily connections.

- Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.6 purport

Vedic Discourse by His Grace Mahabhagavat Das on Nov 24th 2013. Vedic Discourse by Her Grace Kamala Gopi Devi Davi on Nov 17th 2013.

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The post Caitanya Nitai passes away in the true spirit of the Mahabharata – humbly embracing Krsna’s will appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

After a series of successful communication conferences in the Northern, Western and Eastern parts of India, ISKCON Communications conducted its annual "All India conference", at one of the prominent temples in South India, at Sri Radha Govinda temple, Tirupathi. Read more ›

I am sure you were all missing this :-) Read more ›

The term is similar to a mid-life crisis, but it refers to the plight of students in school or right out of college trying to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. When I ask senior students if they know about their plans after they graduate, they give me a consistently similar response: "I have no idea." Read more ›

The battlefield setting of the Gita often prompts people to ask the question: “How can God instruct a peace-seeking person to fight a deadly war that caused so much suffering?”

The Gita (05.29) unequivocally declares that Krishna is the greatest well-wisher of all living beings. He never wants to cause anyone any suffering; in fact, he wants to end all sufferings of everyone. And his instructions are meant to promote that benevolent purpose.

Let us understand this by looking at a paradoxical instruction of Krishna. In the Gita (11.55), he asks Arjuna to work for him (mat-karma krn) and to never bear malice towards anyone (nirvairah sarva-bhuteshu). For Arjuna to do Krishna’s work meant fighting the war against the Kauravas headed by Duryodhana. How could he fight without malice? In other words, how could he be nonviolently violent?

The fact is that neither Krishna nor Arjuna desired to harm Duryodhana – the war was their last recourse to protect Duryodhana from his selfish lower nature that was harming himself and everyone else, including the Pandavas.

Gita wisdom explains that all of us have a selfless higher nature, our spiritual side, and a selfish lower nature, our material side. Krishna wants us to triumph over our lower nature, as the Gita (03.43) urges, and thereby do good to ourselves as well as everyone else. To help us win our inner war, he shares spiritual knowledge (Gita 04.01). And he also personally descends (04.09) to protect dharma which is essentially the means to apply that spiritual knowledge and thereby win the inner war. An integral part of dharma is to act as the well-wisher of all living beings, as the Gita (12.13) exhorts, and help them win their individual inner wars. Thus, from the enlightened spiritual perspective, everyone is our on our side – everyone is like us, pure souls pitted against their lower natures.

Unfortunately, in this war, the lower nature so seduces some people that they fight for it instead of against it. Such misled people rebuff all counsel intended to help them see how they are ruining themselves by their defection. Duryodhana was a tragic example of such an individual whose greed so dominated and perverted him that he shamelessly perpetrated grievous injustices against the Pandavas. Not only that, he scornfully rejected the counsel affectionate elders like Vidura and Bhishma, venerable sages like Vyasa and Maitreya, and even the Supreme Lord, Krishna, who accepted the menial post of a peace messenger in a last-ditch effort to avoid bloodshed.

In fact, the Mahabharata describes in an entire section, the Udyoga Parva [The Book of Effort], the vigorous efforts of the Pandavas to avoid war. And after the war, the longest section of the Mahabharata entitled Shanti Parva describes elaborate guidelines for the king to rule justly and thereby do everything possible to maintain peace.

But despite the best efforts, some people like Duryodhana are so bent on gratifying their lower nature that only the surgical treatment of capital punishment can redeem their lost souls. For such extreme situations, the Gita does not fight shy of recommending physical warfare. But even while fighting such an unavoidable war, it urges us to not let animosity blind us to spiritual reality, as is demonstrated in the Gita’s call (11.55) to Arjuna to do his prescribed duty of fighting and yet not give in to animosity. The Pandavas honored the Gita’s call for nonviolent violence, as is evident in their arranging after the war for a respectable funeral of the Kauravas for their spiritual welfare.

For most of us, this nonviolent violence doesn’t have to ever express itself as physical violence. Our relationship conflicts hardly ever warrant drastic actions like violence. For resolving such conflicts, Gita wisdom urges us to remember that we are not fighting against people, but are fighting against their lower nature. This insight can deter us from malevolent responses that will involve our succumbing to our lower nature and making a bad situation worse. By remembering that others are like us in that they are also battling their lower nature, we can direct our nonviolent violence against our lower nature. We can choose mature responses that express our higher nature, thereby doing our best to improve the situation. And we may well be surprised how often our choosing to honor our higher nature will inspire others to similarly act according to their higher nature, thereby dramatically improving the prospects of a win-win resolution.

Thus the Gita’s insight that we are all on the same side in the inner war and the Gita’s call for nonviolent violence in this war is the strongest foundation for sustainable peace.

Last Day of Kartik – ISKCON Chowpatty

Srila Prabhupada wanted to distribute prasadam (spiritual food) along with spiritual education. He wrote:

“If we open a branch in Madras, actually there are so many poor children there. Spiritual education and food, that is proper. Simply supplying food is nonsense.” (letter to Gurudasa, 13 May 1972)

Hare Krishna.

The post “Simply supplying food is nonsense” appeared first on Jayadvaita Swami.

Srila Prabhupada wanted to distribute prasadam (spiritual food) along with spiritual education. He wrote:

“If we open a branch in Madras, actually there are so many poor children there. Spiritual education and food, that is proper. Simply supplying food is nonsense.” (letter to Gurudasa, 13 May 1972)

Hare Krishna.

Get Clean

Toronto, Ontario

After a long day at a desk and a phone (for one hour with students) I took an evening trek west on Bloor Street.  I unwound, I reflected.

There’s a neighbourliness to this segment of the street right up to include Little Korea and the Christie Pitts Park where a magnificent large image of a tiger is lit up in the dark.  On my return I popped into a place of shop owners, one of those east Indian trinket and clothing shops.  I’ve known the family for years.  I stepped in.  They looked a little morose, I wondered why.

“Lots of merchandise, no customers,” complained Mrs. Agarwal.  I could not verbally be critical of their place, only in the mind, I am their priest after all.  They demonstrated their natural reverential side, however.  I couldn’t help noticing that if there was a little more effort towards a smart displaying of the goods, there might be some customers.  It’s Christmas time, presentation is practically everything if you want to sell something.

Again, I didn’t feel it was my place to say anything.  I wanted to help in some way.  Even though they seemed to be struggling with their sales, their natural piety came through.   Mrs. Agarwal handed me an envelope which had a donation as the content inside.  It came from the heart.  It’s in the Indian culture to give to a sahdu (monk) when they see one.  The mentality is, “A holy man came into my shop, how auspicious.”  Of course, I don’t feel that way about myself, I have a lot of karma that I’m carrying.  I’m not particularly clean, but I can say that I’m strict with principles, no intoxications touch my lips or enter my blood stream.  No meat meets my belly.  No gambling engages my hands, and no sex.  These principals keep me protected.  In that way, there’s less contamination in my being, I guess you could say.  Thank Krishna.

I thank the Agarwals for their time, their kind words and gift.  I was left to trek back and in that time of contemplation, remembered what one personal friend from the States today said on the phone, “When my wife and I did our marriage vows 30 years ago, we promised we would never raise our voice at each other.”

Well, they’ve been doing it.  Sounds like a pretty clean program they’ve got going on.  That’s exactly what I told the students that came from Kingston today.  Our purpose in this world is to get clean.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

1965 November 23: "Now we have got our English Srimad-Bhagavatam and any intelligent man impressed with our Siddhantas will certainly change his life's mode of action. And above all this is to satisfy the transcendental desire of Srila Prabhupada who desired very enthusiastically to start centres like this in the foreign countries."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1965

1967 November 23: "The disciple may misunderstand a bonafide Spiritual Master under pressure of Maya's influence. But a bonafide Spiritual Master never lets go a devotee once accepted. When a disciple misunderstands, the Master regrets his inability to protect the disciple and sometimes cries with tears in the eyes."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1969 November 23: "Our Movement is very genuine, scientific and benedictory. Only the first class intelligent class of men can understand the value of this movement. But Lord Caitanya has given us the Hare Krishna Mantra which makes things very easy. So go on chanting."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1972 November 23: "Develop your program to perfection so simply by hearing and seeing you, students will want to come forward to join. And distribute many millions of books, that Krishna will help you do."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 November 23: "So long you remain active only satisfying Krishna's senses, then this movement will be successful without any doubt. As soon as someone wants to satisfy his own senses, then everything fails."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 November 23: "The independent cooking done in the temple kitchen is not good. Any paid cook is not desirable. The right thing is that only twice initiated brahmana disciples may cook in the temple."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 November 23: "Why a servant? Godbrothers are not meant for being servants. Without the spiritual master's order, nobody can utilize the service of a godbrother as one's personal servant. We address each-other as prabhu, so how can we engage our godbrother as servant?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 November 23: "Traveling and preaching, this is the business of a sannyasi. Please follow my order in this regard. So far your becoming GBC, yes I wanted that, but there are so many complaints. This is not good. GBC must mean that by his managing, there is not any complaints."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

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

Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami accepted disciples and he and Giriraj Swami and others spoke at the ceremony.

“Srila Prabhupada would say that initiation means that we really come to understand that ‘I am hopelessly and helplessly lost in the ocean of material existence; I am completely bewildered and I don’t know how to get out on my own — therefore please help me.’ Srila Prabhupada said when a person has that type of consciousness, that warrants the person’s receiving initiation. Since Srila Prabhupada based everything he established and did on the principles of Bhagavad-gita, he always used the example of Arjuna surrendering to Krishna as a prime example to illustrate this point. Arjuna was totally bewildered and expressed his frustration by saying:

karpanya-doshopahata-svabhavah
pricchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
sishyas te ‘ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

‘Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.’ (Bg 2.7) “ — Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami
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Bhakti Bringa Govinda Swami
Giriraj Swami