The austerity of the mind
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, September 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.20.12)

Krishna Dancing and Playing the FluteIt is said that as long as Krsna was gracing the planet; everything was auspicious, opulent and widely available. But when Krsna left the planet then everything changed and not only did natural opulence disappear but dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.43).

Dharma-jñānā also went with him. When Krsna left then the world was deprived of religious principles, the world was deprived of knowledge, and people sunk down into ignorance.

The Bhagavad-gita is particularly that book which cuts through ignorance because Arjuna is in ignorance. He has the bow, the gandiva, and it is gliding from his hand,

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ, (Bhagavad-gita 2.11)

You are mourning for what is not worthy of grief, it is stated. Arjuna is in ignorance and therefore he is reminded of the position of the soul as being eternal. He gets an explanation of the three modes of material nature. He is explained on how lust is dealing,

āvṛtaṁ jñānam etena
jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya
duṣpūreṇānalena ca, (Bhagavad-gita 3.39)

That lust covers the consciousness and covers knowledge and that is,

indriyāṇi mano buddhir
asyādhiṣṭhānam ucyate, (Bhagavad-gita 3.40)

That it is situated within the senses, within the mind and in the intelligence. So little-by-little, the Bhagavad-gita is pointing out how we are in the grip of the material energy. One learns the austerities of the body and how one has to bow down before elders and respect them. One learns the austerity of the mind and when the conditions are right, one has to be satisfied. The mind is never satisfied and always finds something that is not satisfying. With the austerity of the mind, we have to immediately cut a thought that is not ānukūlya

Anukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ
prātikūlyasya varjanam, (Hari-bhakti-vilasa, quoted in CC. Madhya 22.100)

Where it is ānukūlya, unfavourable, let go, just let that thought go, do not dwell on the thought! When it is favourable for the service of Krsna, then accept it. That is the way to deal with the mind – the austerity of the mind.

 

 

Seek the Sky while Knowing The River
→ Karnamrita.das's blog

Author: 
Karnamrita Das

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so to not listen, mute your speakers)
photo How-Houses-of-Parliament-might-look_zps355477a4.jpg
I am returning here after some time, and I am sure I miss my writing more than you do, but that is OK, and just the way this blog space, and life, works. I share a free verse blog poem I began over a month ago. This poem is about being caught up in life, so much so that I couldn't write much during the last two months. From a writer's perspective, this is funny, because there was so much "grist for the mill" or interesting events for possible writing material. While I did begin a few other pieces, I wasn't able to finish them. I am not speaking of "writer's block," but of feeling caught up with circumstances and pushed in many directions. While these pushes were not bad in themselves, somehow they weren't conducive for my writing practice. As a result of what seemed to be impediments for creating blogs, I was reminded of how much time and energy it takes to regularly write and to publish it here.

According to the Bhagavad Gita we aren't the real doer, and our will is only one of five factors of action [Bg 18.14]. Thus we are never independent, even in the simple (not so simple) maintenance of our body, and what to speak of accomplishing anything of value. From a spiritual perspective, we have to be "empowered" just to live and breathe. And this is more obvious to me in any creative pursuit like art, drama, writing, or what have you. Personally, without making writing a priority I can't consistently write, or write well enough to connect with my audience.

While I admit to being a mediocre writer when compared to the masters, I love to do it, and generally feel what I say, which I pray will be communicated to you. If I am successful, then my words have power and utility. I have found that my free verse poems generally are read less than my regular blogs. I have developed a free verse style over the last 6 years on Krishna.com that works for me, and those I have heard from. Admittedly you may be required to read a line or series of lines a few times to have a sense of the flow--whether a line is a complete thought or goes on for several lines. However, I am not trying to confuse you or make you work too hard (which I think some poets do), but to be as clear and concise as possible. Call it shorthand, codes, word pictures, sutras (to be generous), etc., my endeavor is to share what moves me in various ways.

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ISKCON Brampton is moving to a new location on Nov 2nd 2013!‏
→ ISKCON Scarborough



Hare Krishna!


Please accept our humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!


ISKCON Brampton temple is moving from its current location to a new and bigger location on Saturday- Nov 2nd 2013.

Wonderful programs have been arranged by ISKCON Brampton Management to commemorate this event.

The grand opening ceremony will take place from 2 pm to 6 pm and will include Kirtan, drama, class and vegetarian feast.

ISKCON Brampton has cordially invited all the devotees to be part of this wonderful event on Nov 2nd 2013



New address:

6 George Street, South Brampton

Free underground parking available



Website of ISKCON Brampton:

iskconbrampton.blogspot.com

416-840-6587



With best wishes from,

ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough,Ontario,
Canada,M1V4C7


Email Address:

iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

website:

www.iskconscarborough.com

BECOME A TRUSTED AUTHORITY
→ Gita Coaching

By Akrura dasa "Thank you for your excellent e-book. I found many jewels inside." - Sacinandana Swami TABLE OF CONTENTS A New Role How To Become A Trusted Authority For Life? What Do You Want To Show To People? What Should People Feel About You? It's Our Original Nature – That's Why We Want It How Can People Get Confidence That They Can Be Successful? * "Becoming A Trusted Authority"

Krishna’s Birth Chart, According to Viśvanātha Ṭhākur
→ The Enquirer

Reblogged from Vic DiCara's Astrology:

Click to visit the original post

The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the Purāṇa most completely dedicated to Krishna. It doesn't give a modern-style definition of the astrological conditions under which Śrī Krishna was born. It gives a more ancient description:

The timing was auspicious. Beauty, peace and goodness was experienced everywhere. The constellation belonging to the one born without birth came into view. The Sun, Moon and stars were very peaceful.

Read more… 326 more words

Leave Everything Aside
→ Japa Group

"The chanting and hearing is essence. Even when dealing with a practical problem, Srila Prabhupada was seeing it and soon speaking of it in absolute terms. Chanting especially promotes this: leave everything aside and chant the holy name. Then we can take up even our most demanding preaching duties in this world with vigor and endurance."

From Japa Reform Notebook
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

The cow
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 7 November 2010, Vrndavana, India, Govardhan Puja Lecture)

Namo brahmanya devaya go brahmana hitaya ca. Srila Prabhupada explained ‘go brahmana’, first the cows and then the brahmanas. So much importance is given to the cows by Krsna that even before worshipping the brahmanas, we worship the cows.

kks vrndavan 2013In the Brahma Samhita, it is mentioned that in the spiritual world, the cows are wish-fulfilling – they are known as Surabhi cows. They are producing oceans of milk, ksirabdhi. Krsna is residing in his transcendental abode where there are unlimited cows. It is described that when Krsna was here in Vrndavana, Krsna would have unlimited cowherd boy associates and each of these associates would have a huge number of cows and calves. If we think about the numbers of cows in these pastimes, we sometimes wonder how they all fitted on the narrow pathways of Vrndavana – there must have been enormous traffic jams! But somehow or other, by Krsna’s arrangement everything is going on very smoothly.

The world where cows are protected is indeed Krsna’s arrangement; it is the natural way to exist. We are now living so far from that. We are here for a day to worship the cows so naturally we are having very warm feelings for the cows but our everyday way of life, is a life with machines – the result is that our lives are painful. It is difficult and in our lives, it is a struggle to do just about anything.

Here in Vrndavana, we can see how India is playing with modern technology and they don’t always understand it. Today, we saw some flames coming out of an electric box and it didn’t look good but everyone was like, “It is ok! It is ok!” Well, it didn’t look ok!

I remember how in India, you learn to pray in traffic. Two vehicles were approaching each other in the darkness of night and one of the drivers was nodding, was he asleep – it looked serious. The vehicles were coming closer and closer and a head on collision seemed unavoidable… if it would have been machines but because they were bullock carts, nothing happened!

Even when the driver falls asleep, the bullocks stay awake! In this way, the bullocks move around and I saw many times here in Vrndavana, in the night, the bullocks walking to the market and the owner sleeps in the back and when they get to the market, the bullocks sleep and the owner works! So, they work in shifts!

In another words, it is a very practical culture. A culture that is not inimical to being natural.

 

 

Subtleties of religion
→ Servant of the Servant

The scriptures such as the Puranas and Itihasas were written for mankind to follow the righteous path of Dharma free from vice thus gradually purifying one's heart of material desires. Even in the Judeo-Christian traditions, there are codes of morality given for mankind.

Despite abundant instructions on truth, justice and spiritual values in the scriptures, still, more than any sphere of existence today - the religious sphere encompasses violence and hatred. Why? The conclusion we can come to is in the interpretation of religion and not with religion itself. When a man with imperfections study and speak from scriptures it will only manifest in imperfections. Imperfections in the extreme sense can result in fanaticism. Therefore it is imperative that we seek guidance from a perfect person who is free from doubt. illusion and envy.

During the Kurukshetra war, there was an incident where Karna completely vanquished King Yudhistira in battle.  Karna did not kill King Yudhistira because of his promise to Queen Kunti. Retreating to his tent, Yudhistira was given medical treatment. At this time, Arjuna and Krishna entered the tent to check for Yudhistira's safety. Seeing Arjuna in the tent not avenging Karna made Yudhistira angry. He criticized Arjuna to give up his Gandiva and insulted him. As a kshatriya, insult is worse than death. Arjuna famous for keeping his vows had a vow that whoever tells him to give up his Gandiva will be killed. Seeing his predicament between fulfilling his vow and killing his brother, he turned to Krishna.

Krishna, in his response was shocked that Arjuna even considered killing his brother. Finally, Krishna had this to say to Arjuna about upholding religious vows "O Pārtha, your vow was made out of childishness. Now hear from me about the higher principles of religion....morality cannot be ascertained by logic, nor even in every case by a study of the scripture. One must seek the guidance of experienced and wise elders to learn its subtleties. All this I have heard from the ṛṣis, O Pārtha"

His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada is one such rsi or saintly person- If we submissively study his books, listen to his lectures and practice his instructions,  then we also will understand the subtleties of religion beyond logic and study of scripture.

Hare Krishna

The Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda, October 26, Goleta, California
Giriraj Swami

10.26.13bGiriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.36.11 – 16.

“After purifying Himself by bathing, Lord Hari became quite arrogant and said, ‘I have produced a pond containing all the various holy places, whereas you gopis must never have executed any religious duties on this earth for the pleasure of Lord Brahma.’ Then Srimati Radharani addressed Her girlfriends as follows.”

” ‘I must create an even more beautiful pond. So go to work!’ Having heard these words, the gopis saw that Arishtasura’s hooves had dug a shallow ditch just west of Sri Krishna’s pond.”

“At that nearby spot, all the gopis began digging up lumps of soft mud with their hands, and in this way a divine pond manifested in the short span of an hour. Krishna was astonished to see the lake they produced.”

“He said, ‘Go ahead, lotus-eyed one. You and Your companions should fill this pond with water from Mine.’

“But Radha replied, ‘No, no, no, no! This is impossible, since the water of Your pond is contaminated by Your terrible sin of killing a cow.’ ”

” ‘I will have My countless gopi companions bring the pure water of the Manasa-ganga here in billions of pots. In this way I will fill this lake with My own water and thus make its renown unequaled in the entire world.’ ”

“Lord Krishna then gestured to a heavenly personality who was an intimate associate of all the holy places. Suddenly that person rose up out of Krishna’s pond and bowed down to the daughter of Sri Vrishabhanu [Radharani]. Then, with palms joined and tears pouring from his eyes, he began praying to Her in devotion.”

” ‘O goddess, even Lord Brahma himself, the knower of all scriptures, cannot understand Your glories, nor can Lord Siva or Lakshmi. Only Krishna, the supreme goal of all human endeavor, can understand them, and thus He feels obliged to personally make sure that You can wash away Your perspiration when You are fatigued.’ ”

” ‘He is always anointing Your lotus feet with nectarean caru and yavaka and decorating them with ankle bells, and He rejoices and feels most fortunate simply by satisfying the tips of the toes of Your lotus feet. On His order we have immediately come here to live in this most excellent pond, which He created by one stroke of His heel. But only if You now feel satisfied with us and bestow upon us Your merciful glance will the tree of our desire bear fruit.’ ”

“Hearing this prayer spoken by the representative of the full assembly of holy places, Sri Radha was pleased and said, ‘So, kindly tell Me your desire.’

“They then told Her plainly, ‘Our lives would be successful if we could come to Your pond. That is the benediction we desire.’ ”

“Glancing at Her beloved from the corners of Her eyes, the daughter of Vrishabhanu replied with a smile, ‘Please come.’ Her gopi companions all agreed with Her decision and became immersed in the ocean of happiness. Indeed, the beauty of all creatures, both mobile and stationary, was enhanced.”

“Thus gaining the grace of Srimati Radharani, the holy rivers and lakes in Sri Krishna-kunda forcibly broke through its boundary walls and swiftly filled Radha-kunda with their waters.” – From the Puranas, quoted in SB 10.36.16

The Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda

2013-10-28 Sunday night at the Coimbatore temple with Sivarama Swami (Album 34 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

The ISKCON Temple in Coimbatore is a well known pilgrimage centre located in the heart of the city. The ISKCON temple aims at spreading the science of Krishna consciousness with the help of Bhagavad Gita. Spread across an area of 20,000 sq ft, the temple has an array of beautiful deities belonging to Sri Radha Krishna, Sri Jagannath, Sri Baladev, Subhadra Devi and Sri Prabhupada Read more ›

The Real Success.
→ Matsya Avatar das adhikari


The  experiences of accomplishment that one can reach in her or his lifespan, sometimes can be conflicting with the self-image, possibly being the one of an unconfident person, a weak individual, too reliant on someone else’s opinions. If this self-image will not change, the outer accomplishment will be followed by inner troubles and unsteadiness. This is because the new higher equilibrium is such only when it is achieved with harmony and stability. To avoid this kind of situation one should conceive and support a self-image corresponding to what one would like to be and should be. If one will shape her or his personality in depth, then this person will be psychologically ready when an accomplishment or a better position will be achieved. Conversely, some individuals are afraid of their own success because they have not built yet an objective and positive self-image.
Powerful desires move things and alter reality. A person becomes what she or he craves to be. Egoistical ambitions do not lead to real accomplishment: the apparent success sooner or later will turn into calamity.
The immature management of resources and of desire's energy produces derangement and deep emotional troubles. Any waste and any improper use of the above is the cause of personal failure.
Anything we have: objects, affections, talents, must be employed to reconnect ourselves to the deep divine matrix, the raison d'être and foundation of our existence. If we do not do this, as explained by Shrila Rupa Gosvami, one of the greatest Vedic Tradition Master, anything gets contaminated and turns into poison. 
The perfection of existence (yukta vairagya) can be archived if we are closely connected to the Istha Devata and place all our resources to its service. Ambarisha Maharaja was the sovereign of the world, in spite of this he was not ruling it for his own egoistic enjoyment, but as a tool to serve God.  In order to run suitably that function maturity and awareness were needed, because who has so much energy can do great good things, but, if one is not cautious and do not have uncontaminated motivation in the way this energy is used, can cause great damages and bring harm to himself and everybody nearby. 
The most valuable resources, never to be neglected and never to be abused, are our fellow human beings, with their desires for advancement, their wishes for good, their projects, with their search for self-realization. We should not dare to waste even the smallest bit of their energy, we have to support instead their convergence, channeling, and sublimation toward elevated motivations of real good and real success. Sublimation will be possible if we encourage for taking a solid commitment for spiritual activities, with an active and energetic service offered with awareness and dedication to our spiritual Master and the Istha Devata. According to one of the most important and recurrent Shrila Prabhupada’s statements: "Bhakti Yoga is not just an idle meditation". Nor meditation means escaping from the world.
 Authentic meditation inspires and motivates actions in the world, and it is able to solve real problems, to disentangle knots that grew in the mind. Authentic meditation does not evade or remove practical problems: it resolves them. It is based on the consciousness of spiritual matrix of all things, and the understanding of the subtlest psychological phenomena: how minds get entangled or stuck, and how it is possible to jump-start them, reactivate them, and purify them.

HG Bhaktisuhrid Das Brahmacari
→ Mayapur.com

Disappearance Celebration of His Grace Bhaktisuhrid Das Brahmacari in Sridham Mayapur on 13 oct 2013 The appearance of a Vaishnava is auspicious and even his disappearance is also auspicious. The Vaisnavas are happy on the disappearance of a Vaishnava knowing that the departed Vaishnava soul is going back to Godhead and is happily engaged in […]

The post HG Bhaktisuhrid Das Brahmacari appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISKCON Scarborough devotees go to 40 homes in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario to celebrate Kartik (Album 127 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

ISKCON Scarborough devotees go to different homes to narrate the Damodar Lila, Recite the Damodarastakam and perform arti for Lord Damodar during the Holy month of Kartik. Every year during the 30 days of Kartik, over 40 homes in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada are visited by ISKCON Scarborough devotees. Read more ›