Planet ISKCON

Don’t confuse means and ends

Where marerial life and spiritual intersect

1.1-1.25 Introducing Mahabharat character

1.27-46 Giving up horizontal relationship for vertical relationship

2.1-16 Gita begins by refuting mayavada

2.17-25 Characteristics of the soul

2.39-45 How karma yoga is superior to karma kanda

2.26-38 Refuting materialism

2.46-47 Understanding 4 parts of karmanya va dhikaraste

2.48-54 Understanding and living the three definitions of yoga

2.55-61 Becoming a sthita prajna

2.62-66 Avoiding undesirable contemplation

2.67-72 Going beyond sense control to mind control

3.1-8 The principles and purposes underlying renunciation

3.9-13 Understanding the principles and mechanism of yajna

3.14-20 Playing our part in the cycle of sacrifice

3.21-24 Are Krishna’s action are immoral

03.25-30 Four differences between karma kandi and karma yogi

03.31-36 The middle way between total supression and unrestricated expression

03.37-43 Lust is not just dangerous but also treacherous

04.01-06 How the parampara is continued or lost

04.07-09 The three obstacles to knowing Krishna

04.10-17 Understanding Krishna’s nature

Different approaches for scriptural study

04.18-25 How the internal consciousness prevents bondage

04.26-33 Different kinds of yajnas and their underlying principles

04.34-42 Glories of transcendental knowledge

05.01-08: How Krishna subtly but surely changes Arjuna’s conceptions about the hierarchy of karma yoga and jnana yoga

05.09-16 Understanding who is the actual doer

05.17-23 The four investments for gaining knowledge of Krishna

05.24-29: How knowing Krishna brings peace

06.01-07 Understanding how the mind deludes

06.08-14 Going from knowledge to realization

06.15-21 Taking the mind through the five stages of mind control

06.22-28 Transforming emotions from obstacles to pathways towards samadhi

6.29-34 Krishna’s position in the path of dhyana-yoga

6.35-41: Understanding the Gita flow from dhyana-yoga to bhakti-yoga

06.42-47: The Glory of Bhakti

07.01-03 – Understanding phenomenon and noumenon

07.04-14: How Krishna pervades the material world as its essence

07.15-23: Those who don’t surrender, surrender, and surrender to Krishnetara

07.24-30: Are Mayavadi interpretations of Gita justified?

8.1-8.5 Understanding the link between objects words and concepts

8.5-8.9 How to think of Krishna constantly

8.10-8.13 Understanding yoga-mishra bhakti

8.23-8.28 Bhakti is superior to the paths of devayana and pitrayana

9.1-9.9 The glory of knowledge about Krishna

9.10-9.15 The four kinds of causes and the three kinds of jnana-yajna

9.16-9.25 The Krishna factor in worship of the Universal Form and demigods

10.1-10.11 Knowledge about Krishna – the rarity the speciality and the methodology

10.12-10.25 Understanding the concept of Vibhuti

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - The divine counterpart of Sri Krishna is known as Sri Radha. Together, according to the ancient Vaishnava tradition, this dual-gendered divinity is God-male and female dimensions of the Absolute Truth. Sri Radha is the complete energy, and Sri Krishna is the complete energetic source. They are nondifferent from each other, just as musk and its scent are forever merged, or as fire and heat are inseparable.

Radha and Krishna are one, yet They have assumed two separate forms to enjoy loving pastimes. Numerous theological texts explain how this is so, but most thorough are the writings of Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami, great masters in the Vaishnava tradition whose books have been translated and commented upon by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. To understand Sri Radha, then, English readers would do well to turn to Srila Prabhupada's books.

Sri Radha in Literature

Historically, the ancient Puranas reveal much about Sri Radha's manifest pastimes, even if the Srimad-Bhagavatam(10.30.28), the cream of all such Puranic literature, mentions Her name only once-with the indirect anayaradhitah,indicating that She is "the one who worships Krishna best." Both the Padma Purana and the Brahma-vaivarta Purana,on the other hand, elaborate on Her pastimes of love with Krishna and reveal how the divine couple is the source of all that is. The Brahma-vaivarta Purana, in fact, reveals an esoteric creation story in which Radha co-creates the material world with Krishna.

Sri Radha's dominance in Vaishnava theology did not come to light until the twelfth century, when the saintly poet Jayadeva Gosvami wrote his famous Sanskrit work Gita Govinda. Krishna's spiritual love then became a celebrated theme throughout India, colorfully conveyed in festivals and the arts, with the personality of Radha sometimes eclipsing even Krishna.

It is important to point out that Jayadeva understood the spiritual nature of Radha and Krishna's love. He knew that people could easily misconstrue it as mundane, comparing his work to erotic love poetry (as many still do). Anticipating this misconception, he commenced his Gita Govinda with a section called Dasha-avatara, in which he clearly outlines Krishna's divine nature, listing and glorifying His transcendental descents as incarnations (avatara). With this as a preface, it becomes obvious that the loving affairs to follow-the affairs of this same divine Krishna, who incarnates as so many avataras-are not ordinary. Indeed, they represent the zenith of spiritual love.

This love was expressed more fully after Jayadeva's time. In the fifteenth century, two Bengali poets, Chandidasa and Vidyapati, wrote beautiful Bengali verse about the divine couple. In the sixteenth century, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu-the combined form of Radha and Krishna, in the guise of Their devotee-relished this poetry, along with Jayadeva's breakthrough Sanskrit work. He also enjoyed hearing the story of Radha and Krishna as expressed in the ancient work of Bilvamangala Thakura, Sri Krishna-karnamrita, and in a contemporary poem, Ramananda Raya's Jagannatha-vallabha-natakam.

Sri Chaitanya's followers were quick to add their own realizations and insights based squarely on the earlier literature. Two outstanding examples are the Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi-stotram, composed by Prabhodananda Sarasvati, and Radha-Krishna-ganoddesha-dipika, by Rupa Gosvami, the latter of which is easily the most detailed exposition of Sri Radha's divine personality ever published.

Her Divine Pastimes

How does Radha's story unfold in the world of three dimensions? Though there are many versions of this story, the most gripping is found in the Padma Purana (Patala-khanda, Chapter 71): Early one morning, in the country atmosphere of Vraja (ninety miles south of present-day Delhi) some fifty centuries ago, Vrishabhanu Maharaja was taking his morning bath in the holy Yamuna River. Just then, a beautiful baby girl floated by, lying on a radiant and fully blossomed lotus. With intense glee, he embraced the divine infant and carried Her off to his queen, Kirtida Devi.

When Kirtida saw her husband with this magnificent child, she ran over and showered little Radha with unrelenting affection.

But the king and queen quickly noticed that the baby's eyes did not open. This naturally broke their hearts, and they prayed that God might bless Her with the power of sight.

Soon, Nanda Maharaja's wife, Yashoda Devi, arrived from Gokula, holding young Sri Krishna in her arms. Vrishabhanu and Kirtida, now the parents of Sri Radha, greeted her with due honor, but Yashoda could not take her eyes off the newborn baby girl resting in Kirtida Devi's arms.

Yashoda drew closer with baby Krishna, and as soon as Krishna came face to face with the baby girl, She opened Her eyes for the first time. Appropriately, Her first sight was the moonlike face of Her beloved Sri Krishna, and She paused as She gazed upon His lovely form. Krishna too was overwhelmed with love as He saw before Him His eternal consort, in the guise of a baby.

In this way, the scriptures relate how the eternal divine couple go about "meeting" each other as They appear, time and again, in the material world. As They "grow in years," They play with loving friends, swim in the Yamuna, graze their cows, and relish each other's loving embrace. Sacred texts and the realizations of the sages elaborate on the details, establishing narratives that serve as virtual magnets, attracting all who hear them back to the spiritual realm.

The Circle Dance of Love

Of all such narratives, the rasa-lila, the circular dance of love described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, is in many ways the most important.

The divine dance takes place one moonlit autumn night when the cowherd maidens (gopis) of Vrindavana, upon hearing the sound of Krishna's flute, sneak away from their families to be with Him. The rasa-lila is considered one of the highest and most esoteric of Krishna's revealed pastimes, and it should never be confused with mundane pastimes of prurient interest. Accordingly, Vaishnava commentators make one thing perfectly clear: romantic love between human beings is a diminished, compromised reflection of the soul's original, ecstatic love for Krishna, God, in the spiritual world. Studying the rasa-lila under a bona fide spiritual master allows one to realize this as a tangible truth. It also allows one to develop love for God, just as the gopis do in their dance of love.

Radha's Mercy

In short, the theology of Sri Radha is deep. The scriptures describe that one must go through many lives of pious acts, religious rituals, and yogic perfection before attaining the mercy of Sri Radha. And when one does, Krishna is not far off. In fact, it is through Sri Radha's mercy that Krishna becomes attainable.

Radha is Krishna's mercy incarnation, and through Her one can attain the culmination of the spiritual pursuit. Srila Prabhupada sums this up as follows:

"Radharani, You are so dear to Krishna. So we offer our respectful obeisances unto You." Radharani is hari-priya:"very dear to Krishna." Through the mercy of Radharani we can easily approach Krishna. If Radharani recommends, "This devotee is very nice," then Krishna immediately accepts me, however great a fool I may be. Because I am recommended by Radharani, Krishna accepts me. Therefore in Vrindavana you'll find all the devotees chanting Radharani's name more than Krishna's. Wherever you'll go, you'll find the devotees greeting one another, "Jaya Radhe!" You'll find this still in Vrindavana. The devotees are glorifying Radharani.

If you go by the speculative process to understand Krishna, it will take many, many lives. But if you take to devotional service and just try to please Radharani, Krishna will be gotten very easily. Radharani can deliver Krishna. She is so great a devotee, the emblem of maha-bhagavata. Even Krishna cannot understand the quality of Radharani's devotion. Although Krishna says vedaham samatitani-"I know everything"-He fails to understand Radharani. She is so great.

It is in pursuit of these truths that Radha and Krishna descend as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, for in that form They taste the highest mercy and bestow it on others. The chief manifestation of that mercy is the holy name in the form of themaha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - Sri Radhastami is celebrated by Krishna devotees as the appearance anniversary of Srimati Radharani, who is Krishna's greatest devotee, the feminine aspect of the Absolute Truth, and Krishna's energy Personified.

Theory of Evolution – Part 1

Theory of Evolution – Part 2

Damodarashtakam - Sanatan Goswami Tikka

Damodarashtakam - Sanatan Goswami Tikka

New Vrindaban engaged some students and professors on the West Virgina University (Morgantown, WV) community design team for different projects during the master planning in 2012, one of which was this branding survey. Some pleasantly surprising results came out of their project. Read more ›

BALI Acronym of Bali Maharaj Glories - Part 01

BALI Acronym of Bali Maharaj Glories - Part 02

BALI Acronym of Bali Maharaj Glories - Part 03

Video of Kishori dasi leading New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan – June 15th, 2013.

Krishna is more than a desire tree

Comprehending the Mystery of Humility

Making Misery an incentive for bhakti

Steadying and purifying our bhakti

Post-Prabhupada ISKCON

Pre-Chaitanya Vaishnavism

Post Chaitanya Phase

The Beginnings of Modernity

Transcendence Amidst Independence

Prabhupada’s Unprecedented Success

madhava prabhu with bb govinda swami kirtan

It’s such an interesting Sanskrit word, ātmā, used in so many fascinating ways  and worked into so many amazing compound phrases. Here’s one in particular that inspired this post as a part of the process of unraveling it.

ātmātmany ātmanātmānam

- SB 2.6.39

This compound phrase uses the word ātmā four times, with four different endings.

(1) ātmā (2) ātmani (3) ātmanā (4) ātmānam

The basic word, ātmā (or ātman), means “the individually distinct entity,” aka, the self.

Ātmani means, to/into the self.

Ātmanā means by the self.

Ātmānam is possessive, it means one’s own.

Therefore, this phrase, “ātmātmany ātmanātmānam” – spoken by Brahmā when describing the transcendental position of the Incarnations of the Supreme Being – means:

“His self is within himself, created by and composed of only himself”

This statement is raised in reference to the doubt that an incarnation of the Supreme might be a conditioned projection of the true identity of the supreme being. This establishes that the Supreme is never conditioned – wherever and whenever he manifests himself, he does so fully, purely, and without finitude or dichotomy to his original nature.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

"Chanting attentive japa opens one's heart to higher and higher stages of loving God, just as natural forces make a lotus unfold or the moon seem to wax.
We japa chanters often begin a japa session dull, anxious, or bewildered. We leave it strong and focused. Why? Not because our breath becomes regulated or our minds numb; we change during japa because, however awkwardly, we are associating with Krsna by chanting His name."

From Japa And The Opening Heart
by Kalakantha dasa
BTG Magazine #42 2008

During a war, a wily enemy often induces in a well-equipped opponent a false sense of victory – and then fells the unprepared opponent with a fast and furious blow. That’s why, in a war forgetting the danger can be the greatest danger.

When we practice spiritual life, we declare war against the immoral and anti-devotional desires that have held us hostage for many lifetimes. These desires have kept us deprived of the everlasting devotional joy that is our spiritual birthright as the beloved parts of the all-blissful Supreme Being, Krishna. Only by combating and conquering such hostile desires can we reclaim our right to real happiness.

In this inner war, the process of devotional service to Krishna provides us the firepower necessary for victory – it bestows a higher happiness that makes lower pleasures unappealing.

To counter our devotional advantage, the wily forces of illusion often deceive us into believing that we have already conquered our lower desires – and so we don’t need to remember Krishna carefully. And when we are off guard, those forces allure and ensnare us.

To protect us from this deception, the Bhagavad-gita (05.24) urges us to tolerate the urges of desire and anger till the moment we become liberated from the body (prak sharira vimokshanat), that is, lifelong for as many lifetimes as need to attain liberation. Lest this seem too demanding and discouraging a prospect, the Gita assures two verses later (05.26) that conscientious practitioners (vidita-atmanam) will attain final liberation in the very near future (abhito brahma-nirvanam).

The best way to be vigilant is not by focusing on the desires to be avoided but on the devotion to be cultivated. As devotional remembrance of Krishna brings the ultimate fulfillment, the mandate for vigilance makes us not paranoid, but satisfied – supremely satisfied.

**

05.24 - Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

Results of the WVU “Branding” Survey for New Vrindaban   Aug. 2013

or What exactly is New Vrindaban’s image?

In many conversations and letters, Srila Prabhupada lovingly explained the different aspects of his dream for New Vrindaban.  He told us that his vision was, of course, based first and foremost on developing our love for Krsna. Fixed on this solid foundation, he spoke of four other categories, one of which is New Vrindaban as a holy place of pilgrimage.

Following Prabhupada’s lead, we wanted to find the most efficient ways to present the community as a holy place of pilgrimage.  New Vrindaban engaged some students and professors on the West Virgina University  (Morgantown, WV) community design team for different projects during the master planning in 2012, one of which was this branding survey.  Some pleasantly surprising results came out of their project.

The survey covered two main topics in detail, namely how the members of New Vrindaban see themselves, and how pilgrims and visitors see New Vrindaban.

The goal of the survey was to identify the main elements of the community brand and then to verify if the brand was consistent with both the community’s internal identity and the image from outsiders.  It turned out that the three main structures in New Vrindaban found to be most important to both residents and guests are: Palace of Gold,   the Temple, and the Deities (statues) in the temple.

The things that people valued most about New Vrindaban was that it was a very spiritual place, with a peaceful atmosphere amidst scenic beauty.  Curiosity was another thing that makes people visit.

It was happily noted overall that the survey-takers found the devotees to be hospitable and that the devotion and the spiritual atmosphere are priorities in people’s eyes.

A vast majority of people heard about the community through word of mouth. It was very favorable to note that more than 80% of the pilgrims want to visit again, plus they want to recommend New Vrindaban to their friends.

There are certain challenges that the community could improve on, such as the sanitation of the facilities, road signage and directions.

Some words that people used to describe New Vrindaban are  “spiritual”,” simple living”, “hospitable”, “peaceful”, and “beautiful”.

The survey was headed by Professor Kudzayi Maumbe, Ph.D.,  of the dept. of  Recreation, Parks & Tourism Resources , WVU.

We learned from this branding survey that a popular opinion is that New Vrindaban is a peaceful and spiritual place of pilgrimage where plain living and high thinking are emphasized.  The community will strive to strengthen the areas that need improvement.

Verse 4.20: Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.

As someone who spent numerous years studying Science, the scientific method is ingrained in my head. You start off with an objective, follow it up with a hypothesis, design the tests and run the experiment, collect and analyze your observations and draw a conclusion.

You can imagine my surprise when I realized that the process of bhakti yoga is actually very scientific! Specifically, the teachings of the Gita. What may throw readers off, as I personally discovered, is the fact that sometimes the expected results are given before the objective is presented in said text. It's important to remember at such times, that this is due to the fact that Arjuna was already following the path of bhakti and that's why Krsna didn't need to get into all the details.

It's kind of like coming into a conversation when you haven't heard the beginning. You can get an idea and start to surmise what the gist of it is, but if you don't have someone walk you through the background, you'll never get the full picture. For anyone who has read the Gita on their own and tried to make sense of it, perhaps you are nodding your head in agreement.

Again, this only serves to reiterate the need for a teacher who has themselves been taught the Gita and is practically applying it in their own lives. In fact, as we will hear shortly, the need to evaluate a genuine bhakti teacher is done by observing their behavior and noting the results.

Here the conclusion obtained from performing the bhakti experiment of "working without being attached to the results" is given: one feels ever satisfied and independent. Independent from what? From the rolling waves of happiness and distress. One instead feels peaceful and calm.

Now for anyone who has worked in or run labs, you'll remember that you need to perform the experiment a minimum of three times and get the same result three times for it to be valid. From personal experience, I'll tell you - it's very rare to get the same result three times in a row! That's because the procedure needs to be followed exactly and the conditions have to be replicated perfectly. The same holds true for the bhakti experiment of working without attachment to the results.

If one doesn't follow the methods and conditions outlined in the Gita, then it is only natural that the result will not be the same. Practically this translates to: don't give up! If the experiment doesn't work for you, it could mean that something is off. Don't blame the method (as any lab researcher/scientist will tell you!), but go back and analyze what you did.

The outcomes from this bhakti experiment vary depending on what you put into it. So if you sincerely want to get the results outlined in the Gita, such as those of peace, satisfaction and happiness, you have to follow the method given accurately. Good luck and feel free to share what you come out with in the comments below!

Garuda das: This absolutely beautiful large solid gold statue of the cosmic Vishnu was discovered in a temple in South India. Its sheer weight in gold is worth over a billion dollars, and furthermore, it is one of the most exquisite works of sculpture in the history of Indian art. Note the deity of creation, Brahmā, rising out of the navel of Vishnu on the blossom of a lotus flower! Read more ›

Please view the following galleries: Abhishek Samskaras Darshan Night Darshan Our temple room was packed with devotees that were anxious to see the abhishek of the Lord, and perform abhishek of there own. The day was filled with programs to engage the devotees in keeping their minds fixed upon the activities of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava. [...]

The post Janmastami Photos! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

60 High Resolution photos from beautiful Mayapur: Morning Samskaras Read more ›

The post Jamnastami Morning Samskaras appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The post Janmastami Abhishek Gallery appeared first on Mayapur.com.

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Beauty Part 02

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Strength Wealth Fame Part 1

Strength Wealth Fame Part 2

The difference between an uttama-bhagavata and an uttama-adhikari and the sign of success in preaching.

7 min vid: Iskcon Brisbane Janmastami 2013 by Vraja Dhama Das Read more ›

350 photos: Festival Nama-hatta 29.08.-1.09.2013 at New Santipur - Czarnów near Stone Mountain Read more ›

HH Radhanath Swami Dancing at Maha Kirtan Mela at Gita Nagari Retreat Aug 2013