Prasad Distribution in Nantes France
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Prasad Distribution In France
In the North of France there is a historical city called Nantes.
My friend Tristram decided to organise a campaign against food waste in this city so we packed up the van with the pots and burners and off we went for an adventure in France.
HG Dandakaranya prabhu joined ISKCON in France in the early seventies so he had a good grasp of the French language, whereas I studied Freach for 6 years and can hardly say hello.
HG Sanaka prabhu (gurukuli) and HG Achinta rupa prabhu made up the team. After a long drive we set up the kitchen and sorted the bhoga.
The plan was to distribute the prasad in a big warehouse place, I didn’t think anyone would show up for lunch so we sent a team to the local University.
But as if by magic 6,000 people showed up and we cooked 3 massive pots of subji and poperdoms.
The Franch people were super responsive to the prasad and we didn’t crack any jokes about frog’s legs or snails.
Enjoy the movie
Your Servant Parasuram Das

16.10 – When one makes lust a god, lust makes one a devil
→ The Spiritual Scientist

“No problem’s so big that sex can’t solve it.” So believe the materialists whose minds are filled with endless sexual fantasies.

The Bhagavad-gita (16.10) indicates that such people take shelter of lust (kamam ashritya). Whenever they need a break amidst life’s problems, instead of seeking refuge in Krishna, they seek refuge in lust. Thus they make lust into a god who, they faithfully believe, will solve their problems.

However, lust is a terrible god. Unidimensional obsession with lust makes it voracious, in fact insatiably voracious (dushpuram). The more they indulge in lust for getting some pleasure or at least some relief, the more lust tightens its stranglehold on their minds, goading them into increasingly immoral indulgences. Sexual pleasure being temporary never lives up to their fantasies of endless ecstasy. Groping feverishly for pleasure, they start exploring and enjoying sex in sickeningly distorted forms like pedophilia, incest and rape.

Lust gradually strips them of their entire conscience and makes them into devils who feel no hesitation in doing any misdeed, no matter how heinous. Quite to the contrary, they become sworn to unhealthy, unsavory actions (ashuci-vratah). They even proudly brag about such actions: “So many are my sexual conquests.” Little do they understand the reality: so many times has lust conquered them, making them perpetrate grievous wrongdoings and setting up their appointments with horrendous karmic consequences.

Unlike lust which out the worst in its worshipers, Krishna brings out the best in his worshipers. When amidst life’s problems we seek Krishna’s shelter, he helps us bring out the divinity latent within us as his parts. This unleashing of the divine within us helps us to not only face problems gracefully. It also helps us fight lust gallantly and march gloriously towards Krishna for life and love eternal.

***

16.10 - Taking shelter of insatiable lust and absorbed in the conceit of pride and false prestige, the demoniac, thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.

 

 

 

Home Again
→ travelingmonk.com

“Having retired from all my duties and being freed from all expectations, when will I enter the abode of Sri Vrindavan alone and pass my days discussing topics of Sri Krsna, the Lord of Vrindavan, and topics of Sri Radha, the goddess of Vrindavan?” [ Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati, Sri Vrindavan Mahimamrta, Sataka One, text 97 [...]

Gita Daily will be migrating to Gitadaily.com; please register for daily feed there.
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Gitadaily.com has now been active for nearly two months since its launch on Janmashtami 2013 and has already got nearly 2000 subscribers. We thank you for your enthusiastic response.

To ease the migration of Gita-daily from here to there, till now the articles were being posted on both sites. so you were getting them in your daily feed.

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Food for Life Wrocław, Poland: ”In The Cold Weather Only PRASADAM Can Save Your Life” (45 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Hare Krishna Food for Life is the world's largest vegan and vegetarian non-profit food relief organization with projects in over 60 countries. Volunteers serve more than 1,500,000 free meals daily in a variety of ways, including: food vans serving to the homeless within major cities around the world; lunch time meals for poor school children throughout India; and also in response to large natural disasters, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake Read more ›

Passing my days discussing topics of Sri Krsna, the Lord of Vrindavan, and topics of Sri Radha, the goddess of Vrindavan (120 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

"Having retired from all my duties and being freed from all expectations, when will I enter the abode of Sri Vrindavan alone and pass my days discussing topics of Sri Krsna, the Lord of Vrindavan, and topics of Sri Radha, the goddess of Vrindavan?" [ Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati, Sri Vrindavan Mahimamrta, Sataka One, text 97 ] * All photos by Ananta Vrindavan das Read more ›

GBC Strategic Planning Meetings Taking Place in Juhu, Mumbai (October 14-19, 2013)
→ Dandavats.com

In order to come up with systems and processes that will actually impact and improve the day to day lives of devotees and ISKCON at large, the GBC has created committees to address each of these concerns. These committees are not formed solely of GBC members but also members of what has come to be called the Strategic Planning Network (SPN) Read more ›

Invite Devotees to your Home and offer a lamp to Lord Damodara
→ Welcome to the official site of ISKCON Perth

 

Dear Devotees and Friends,Damodara

The month of Damodara or Kartik (October/November) is an auspicious month within which Deepavali falls. Without fail, Deepavali is celebrated with
the lighting of lamps in every home and this year shall be no exception.

On behalf of ISKCON, we are pleased to invite you to be a part of this celebration.

“As Satya Yuga is the best of Yugas, As the Vedas are the best of scriptures, as the Ganges is the best of rivers, so Kartik is the best of months and
the most dear to lord Sri Krsna”.

Here in ISKCON Perth we are organizing a very special program of offering lamps to Sri Damodara ( the baby form of Lord Sri Krishna) while singing a
very special song . In this program the devotees can visit your home and organize to offer a lamp with you and your family and friends. This can
bring a lot of auspiciousness and good luck to the whole family who takes part.

The Kartik ( Damodara) month starts from Saturday 19 October till Sunday 17 November.

The devotees can bring all the paraphernalia and arrange for all the necessary items. This is absolutely FREE ( Donations are accepted)

If you like to hold a program by inviting devotees to your home please contact

Hema Krishna prabhu – Program co-ordinator

On 0411 018 849 or hemakrishna@hotmail.com

Download Damodara Story.

Benefits of offering a lamp in Kartik month

In the Skanda Purana, it says that a person who offers a ghee lamp to Lord Damodara or Lord Krsna during Kartik ,burns away a collection of sins as
big as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara and will not have take birth again in this world and and attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering.
Even if there are no mantras, no purity,no pious deeds, everything becomes perfect.

“O Narada, no sins exist anywhere in the three worlds that will not be purified by offering a ghee lampto lord Kesava during Kartik “.

 

 

The Holy Name Seaside Retreat – 24 – 27 January 2014
→ Welcome to the official site of ISKCON Perth

Dear Devotees and Well-Wishers,

It gives us great joy to invite you and your loved ones to the first Perth Hare Krishna spiritual event for 2014 THE HOLY NAME SEASIDE RETREAT.

Come and join with your friends, fellow devotees and special guests to get their sublime association in the tranquil settings of the Indian Ocean, whilst participating in a spiritual feast of activities ranging from transcendental kirtans, spiritually uplifting workshops on the Holy Name, international cuisine prasadamc cultural and beach activities, japa walks and more!

Everyone’s welcome and if you book and have paid in full by 31 October 2013, you will also get Early Bird Discount!

We request a donation of only $120 per adult and $70 per child (under 16) for the whole retreat including accommodation and prasadam. Early bird donations are only $108 per adult and $60 per child (under 16) for the whole retreat it includes accommodation and prasadam.

If you are unable to join us for all the days, you can also come on a daily basis on the days you can attend and the donation request for each day is only $60 per adult and $30 per child and it also includes prasadam for the day you are attending.

Venue:             Alfred Hines Seaside Camp, Hymus Street, Point Peron, Rockingham
Dates:             24 -27 January 2014
Arrival Time:    Friday from 5pm

Register now, by simply completing the attached registration form and returning with full payment into the following bank account:

Account Name:      ISKCON Inc
BSB Number:         036041
Account Number:   120564
Bank:                    Westpac
Reference:             HNSR Don (insert your name as stated on registration form)

Hand in Registration Form duly filled to Jane or scan and email to iskconperth1@gmail.com

For more information or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jane on 0430810 800 or email iskconperth1@gmail.com

Your Servants,
The Holy Name Seaside Team

Parikrama and Krishna Katha in Radhakunda 16/10/2013 (81 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

"Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the lovable damsels of Vrajabhumi, Srimati Radharani is certainly the most treasured object of Krishna's love. And, in every respect, Her divine kunda is described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Radha-kunda is rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one's pure love of Krishna is fully aroused." (Srila Rupa Goswami's "The Nectar of Instruction," by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, verses 9-11) Read more ›

Devotee Youth
→ Ramai Swami

IMG_0354IMG_0344

Maharati das, Govinda devi Dasi and Ravinjaya are all second generation devotees who live in Bali. Maharati is studying for his masters in pharmacy, Govinda works in management with a local company and Ravinjaya is finishing off his studies at school.

There are many devotee youths in Indonesia who are following in the footsteps of their parents and helping to spread Krsna Consciousness in their local area. They recently participated in the National SAKKHI meeting of management leaders and gave a presentation to the assembled devotees about their ideas and activities for the future.
IMG_0332

(ISCOWP): Three Baby Calves rescued from going to the slaughterhouse (9 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

International Society for Cow Protection (ISCOWP): It is always so wonderful to rescue cows/oxen/calves from the horrible meat/dairy industry. Our current herd of 18 animals needed to be increased so we decided to go to the Sale Barn Auction and rescue another cow. We had our planes and Lord Krsna had His plans as we came home with two little bull calves and one little heifer(girl) calf. We wish we could have bought them all. So many innocent souls in cows bodies suffering so much and being treated so badly Read more ›

Should we avoid debates with argumentative people who believe that technology is beneficial?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From: Nikhil Kulkarni

Prabhuji, I had a discussion today with my colleagues, I was trying to say that all so ca lled scientific advancement, scientist has made is all bogus and has created more problems than solutions, they were quoting examples like many ppl used to die out of plague before, now they are saved and made many more facilities, so we have progressed and they quoted many examples like irrigation, as we have dams built, we can have better water supply for irrigation. What should be our stand on that?
It's clear to me that all so called scientific advancement has created more problems, but I was not able to convince to them.
Should a devotee avoid this kind of debate completely as other person is in mood of just argument? Or should we try to answer them? Please guide me.

Answer Podcast

Is our capacity to practice devotional service limited by our prarabhda karma and the resulting guna configuration?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

What is the role of Prarabdha karma in devotion? The configuration of our three modes is in coherence with our prarabhda karma, so how does one conquer their prarabdha so that he or she can at least begin to think about Krishna? Is not our ability to pray determined by the configuration of the modes? Similar, is not the purity of our devotion and our devotional progress linked to our prarabhda and therefore to the guna configuration?

If this is not so, why is devotion interrupted by distractions? If we say it’s our freewill, then even the freewill is not free. The freewill is also under the influence of our gunas if we end up taking a wrong turn. And if it’s guru’s and krishna’s mercy, then that mercy shouldn’t let us fall down or fall away.

Sorry, i am a bit lost. Please do shed light on these questions and doubts.

Answer Podcast

Who has the proof or knowledge that incredibly well-designed natural crystals, the natural arches, or even complicated biological things were designed by someone ‘intelligent’?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Vinayak

A comment of yours from the article 'atheism refuted': "All of us have the knowledge that well-designed things have a designer. ". That is absurd when read in isolation. We know that the airplane is designed by an intelligent man. But we do not have any proof or knowledge that incredibly well-designed natural crystals, the natural arches, or even complicated biological things were designed by someone 'intelligent'.

Answer Podcast

If the mechanisms of evolution are just imagination, then isn’t religion also just the imagination of some sages?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Vinayak

A comment of yours from the article 'atheism refuted': "And even if somebody could imagine some mechanism involving natural selection by which certain complex features in some organisms came up, that doesn’t at all prove that it happened that day. That is imagination at work, not science at work." - Well said, then pray tell, why don't you say that the Bhagvada Gita and the entire Hindu philosophy was the combined imaginations of a group of really clever and intelligent sages? Maybe all the Hindu, Christian, Islamic Gods are nothing more than the imagination of clever humans!

Answer Podcast