Planet ISKCON

"As I began to spend more time with the brahmacaris, I noticed an unusual trait. They seemed to be always joyful, beyond the moody ups and downs that had plagued my spiritual quest." "What would happen to me if I wanted to become a Hare Krsna devotee?" a young man recently asked me. The first step, I told him, would be to enter the brahmacari asrama, the status of life for single men serious about spiritual advancement. Though I am now happily married, the conversation reminded me of the years I spent as a brahmacari. Read more ›

Rangadevi -Sri Govindananda Gosh Rangadevi is the seventh of the varistha gopis. Her complexion is the color of a lotus filament and her garments are the color of a red rose. She is seven days younger than Srimati Radharani. Her personal qualities are much like those of Campakalata. Her parents are Karuna-devi and Rangasara. Ranga-devi is always like a […]

Everyone must accept the spirit of sannyasa to enter into the Sannyasa Dhama – Goloka.

New Raman Reti is an ocean of devotional service...Situated on a rural 127-acre property surrounding a tranquil, marble-floored temple, New Raman Reti is a devotional refuge from the material world.The temple deities are the most merciful Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara, Sri Sri Krishna Balarama, and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. Read more ›

G - What are your most important Goals? I - What best Ideas can help you achieve them? T - What are the hardest Tests you have to pass? A - What is the best course of Action right now?

 

 

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 9-07-2013

Mission Statement: ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Vrindaban Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Participating Members of the ECOV Board of Directors:  Chaitanya Mangala, Krpamaya, Madhava Gosh, Navin Shyam and Ranaka.

Advisors present: Jaya Krsna

1. Prototype house at G7G

The Cabin roof was insulated this past week.  It still needs flooring, a window, solar panels, a water catchment system, and potentially a composting toilet.  Though it will not likely be fully ready for the October 5^th opening, the ceremony will take place.

After hay harvesting is done, Tom and Ray will work on the cabin.

Although funding for the solar panels and floor pavers will come from other sources, more money is needed for labor and other aspects of the project.

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to complete the prototype cabin in the Garden of Seven Gates (“G7G”) as originally envisioned.

RESOLVED: The Board augments the project budget of the G7G prototype cabin by $3K.

2. Temple foundation plantings

Brikhasanga dug a trench, applied insulation and back filled on the temple building’s foundation.

3. Pine-tree trimming around Temple area

The project will begin after the foundation plantings are completed.

4.  Reduce/Reuse Initiative

Navin Shyam will resend the final version of the three posters to Krpamaya to print, laminate, and distribute to the various reusable metal water bottle vendors.

5. Gopal’s Garden School

As requested by ECOV, Ruci and Ranaka are developing a September issue of a school newsletter, focusing on Radhastami activities by the students.

6. Bahulaban barn demolition

This will begin in October after the combination barn closing ceremony and G7G Cabin opening celebration.

7. Bulk grain purchasing

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to help improve the self-sufficiency of the New Vrindaban community.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes a line of credit to INV of up to $20K to make bulk grain purchases, to be stored in the bins that ECOV has previously purchased and set up. Precise terms of the arrangement will be worked out in a separate written agreement between Ranaka and a representative of INV management.

8. Budget for Valley Barn maintenance

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to provide adequate shelter for its cows as well as maintaining buildings in its care.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes a budget of up to $10K  for repairing the roof of the valley barn.

Rama Raya Prabhu is hosting daily (EVERY SINGLE DAY) harinamas in Union Square/Washington Square Park just like the Golden days with His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! If you want to know more, please contact Rama Raya Prabhu @ 617 304 7061 Read more ›

After Srila Prabhupada left his body in 1977, many of the devotee members of the famous Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party came to stay in Dallas and Houston. Today, more than 15,000 followers now live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. There are presently 25 temple-owned homes in the immediate neighborhood which have became models of community redevelopment Read more ›

Kirtan At Villa Vrindavana, Italy, With Jahnavi Harrison 18th Aug 2013

This is a translation of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Seven, Śloka 22

Brahmā: When the hell bent government strayed from the moral path by controverting the philosophers who explained the spirit of the law, the Great Soul made them the oil in the sacrificial offering to fate. With his very sharp, terribly powerful axe, he uprooted those thorns from the earth, thrice seven times over.

Nārada: The Paraśurāma avatāra.

In his elucidation on this śloka, A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Prabhupāda comments that some of these governors/kings were able to flee from Paraśurāma to distant places, especially to Eqypt – where they founded the Egyptian civilization. He says this claim is supported by Mahābhārata. Elsewhere he has been quoted as including Greece and Rome among the civilizations begun by those who fled from Paraśurāma.

"Hurt feelings or discomfort of any kind cannot be caused by another person. No one outside me can hurt me. That's not a possibility. It's only when I BELIEVE A STRESSFUL THOUGHT that I get hurt. And I am the one hurting me when I am believing what I think. This is very good news because it means I don't have to get someone else to stop hurting me. I am the one who can stop hurting me. It's within my power." BK

As always I record the classes during my stay at Bhaktivadanta Manor, they have been converted to mp3 and put onto my file sharing network for easy access; please use and enjoy:

Hg Dayal Nitai Das

Hg Gaur Gopal Das

Hg Gaura Krishna Das

Hg Visvambhar Das

Patients admitted in a hospital know that the doctor’s counsel is essential for their recovery. If some patients were inhospitable to the doctor, we would be appalled by their irrationality: is this a mental hospital?

Yet, might we ourselves be acting like those patients?

Gita wisdom indicates that the disease of misdirected desires afflicts us. Though we are eternal and spiritual, we crave for the temporary and the material. Whenever we lose our desired objects, as we inevitably do in due course of time, we suffer. Terribly. Repeatedly.

To heal us, Krishna, the Supreme Doctor, provides the therapy of devotional service. This process efficiently and expeditiously reverts our desires back from the world to Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita (08.15) assures that those who learn to love Krishna become forever free from this miserable world.

Krishna offers his expert help freely and lovingly through his various manifestations like the scriptures and the holy names. But we are often inhospitable to him. We misperceive that his guidance will interfere with our enjoyment in this world. We give him as less time as possible – and even in that time, we give him as less thought as possible. Our inhospitality is evident in our half-heartedness and distractedness in devotional activities like mantra meditation. By being inhospitable to Krishna, we aggravate our misery and perpetuate our hospital sentence.

Gita wisdom gives us the intellectual impetus to become hospitable to Krishna. When we adopt his guidance, the practice of bhakti-yoga cures us quickly. It also makes our recovery a joyful journey, as the Gita (09.02) indicates. Using the things of this world in Krishna’s service grants us meaningful achievement and perennial fulfillment.

By regularly reinforcing our intelligence with Gita wisdom, we can become inhospitable towards our irrational inhospitability to Krishna and help him to help us.

***

08.15 - After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.

There is no difference between His [the Lord’s] mind and Himself (as there is a difference between ourselves and our present material mind) because He is absolute spirit. Simultaneously the Lord is present in everything; yet the common man cannot understand how He is also present personally. He is different from this material manifestation, yet everything is resting on Him. This is explained here as yogam aisvaram, the mystic power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 9.5 purport

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

 
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
 
I am writing this because I sincerely regret blaming you for ISKCON’s apparent faults, and because my public apology was recommended by one dedicated disciple of yours.  I’m sure you realize I was practically going crazy over my lack of Krishna consciousness, and I know you would forgive me, but I didn’t think enough of how my mad elephant behavior toward you would offend others to whom you are so dear.

I do not fully understand how the troublesome facts developed, how events happened in ISKCON that were so upsetting to me, but I remember now that I did not come to ISKCON to act as its police.  I came to find Krishna, but experience forces me to admit my commitment to that goal has been mixed at best. 

Yet I expected others to behave practically as perfect Vaisnavas.  I judged devotees according to a standard much higher than I could keep myself, the opposite of what is advised for spiritual progress.  Because of this, I became critical of devotees at every level, my faith was destroyed by it, and I decided Krishna or God must be imaginary and became an opponent of theism. I tested whether you would save me from such gross ignorance, and now I am ashamed.

So I have again become a mouse, trapped by maya. I doubt I’ve learned all that I should from this, but I’ve learned something. I need your mercy. Please save me from my foolishness and do something useful with me. Hare Krishna.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hare Krishna Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Please see below link which contains the photos I took over Janmasthami

http://www.flickr.com/photos/100637659@N06/sets/72157635635867413/

and at Brighton Ratha Yatra.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/100637659@N06/sets/72157635633944374/

Please accept my apologies for taking so long to upload them.

Your servant,
Dipak

It was nice to welcome HH Sankarshan Das Adikari to Bhaktivadanta Manor especially on the appearance day of HH Bhaktivinoda Thakura; be inspired.

Nagar-Sankirtana Mayapur Dham (Mayapur Daily Harinama) Read more ›

Prasad was prepared by our kitchen staff for distribution at the Gotri Talao (lake) on the occasion of Ganapati visarjan (immersion of the idols of Ganesh) yesterday, September 18, 2013. ISKCON Baroda is grateful to Sri Shivlal and Smt. Kantadevi Goyal for supporting this program, and for their personal participation in the program as well Read more ›

A Picture Story of the Radhastami Festival in New Vrindaban Sept. 12:

Vaiyasaki Das: This morning we were featured at the program "Elementos" at Channel 7 Jalisco, in Guadalajara Mexico. I spoke about Srila Prabhupada, Lord Chaitanya and how the Maha-mantra gives peace to the mind and brings love to the heart Read more ›

08-09-2013 BG 15.1-4 The Reflected Tree, Gaurasundar Prabhu’s Home, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.mp3

Various Guadiya Math’s gathered at the house of Bhaktivinoda Thakur to glorify the acharya. Bhaktivinoda was an exemplary personality in our disciplic succession. Decotees in the grihasta ashram especially can take example from him and strive to follow in his footsteps Read more ›

In Vrindavan, on the holy Krishna Janmabhoomi, lies the temple that is a “must visit” destination for devotees completing the 84 kosh Vraj Parikrama Yatra. The temple is centuries old and is the first Indian temple that is dedicated to the divine couple and their Ashta Sakhi’s - the eight “friends” of Radha who were intimately involved in her love play with the Lord Krishna. Mention of the Ashta Sakhis are found in the ancient texts of Ramayan and the Srimad Bhagvat. Read more ›

Jahnavi and Friends at The Chaitanya College Festival

From Milind Sonawane

The most common reason to hold ones possessions and strive for more is to address eventualities which money can resolve, such as disease, hospitalization, accidents or incidences leading to physical or mental dis-ability or any such life’s situation which money can ease out. All of this applicable to one self or his loved ones. If this uncertainty is addressed, many might exit the material aspirations and take the path of spirituality.

Please advice…….

Answer Podcast

From Dilip Singh

Answer Podcast

What about when the spiritual master or a dear devotee departs, when a trusted devotee falls or when a loved one dies or betrays us?

Answer Podcast

Fresh Feel

Dunmore, Alberta

I had started with a fresh feel back on the Number 1 Highway, the Trans Canada, referred to in Newfoundland as TCH and sometimes called the main drag of Canada. It’s 4:30 AM, prairie dogs (gophers) are sleeping at this time.

I ventured through Urvine, population 300+. If memory tells me right the last time I came through here there was one of those old grain elevators years ago. Not anymore. I also remember meeting and speaking with a woman by the name of Natasha. I also recall meeting a fellow in a pickup truck who stopped and said he had seen me walking in Ontario; that’s three provinces over.

The sun eventually became strong. With no shade or spring water sources for thirst, I decided to check out the weigh scale station. A real nice elderly officer supplied me with plenty of cool water and even some to go.

It’s funny how now I’m on a major highway and no one stops to talk. I have to detour slightly in order to make human contact. I liked Highway 13 for the slower pace and the increased interactive opportunities.

Daruka and I did leave the area for a visit to Swift Current and a visit to Satya Yoga Studio on Central Avenue. Sasha is the facilitator to this marvellous space. As you enter near the lobby, decorative framed messages adorn the wall – Love Deeply, Laugh Often, Live Simply.

Sasha’s students had come to listen to some of my tails from the road. We also got to chanting and discussing. One message that I try to convey is to always tread the middle path and to avoid extremism. Some of the students really delighted in a brief lesson on a Sanskrit verse,’ aham brahmasmi’, which means, ‘I am spirit’.

‘Twas good.

36 KM

Try To Keep Plugging

Calgary, Alberta

I consider today chill day number two. A meagre trek it was, 4 KMs at the most, in the north east of Calgary. My companion for the trek on trails was Gaurachandra, born as Gigi Festa in southern Italy. His Orissan wife has a good handle on prepping Italian food which is perhaps second to an Indian kitchery for being the ideal hot meal for a walker. When the plate of steamy hot pasta drenched in the red of tomato was presented to me, I boldly requested their garden basil as topping.

“No problem,” was the host’s remark, who speedily and eagerly wished to be guest friendly, and went on her feet to harvest the delectable greens. My intent at the request was to share this wealth, and so Gigi, Bindu who is from Costa Rica, and Vani Priya, the cook, went green on the tongue with this additional appetizer. Artichokes, avocado and asparagus were side dishes.

I mention about food, and especially prasadam, food that our friends consecrate before consuming or serving. A marathon walker can easily crave food for our burning cells and after hours on the road the only minor sensual outlet will be to please the palate.

“Not too much, please,” I must remind another host, “please understand, I am a swami ji, I must live a simple life. Too much rich food is not good for me.” Sometimes I have to check their generous offer of seconds and thirds. Even the firsts were big in quantity. “Have mercy,” I plead.

It sometimes becomes a playful thing. What appears as a shovel load of tasty edibles comes at you with speed, and you might have to place the head, torso and arms over the plate that is struggling to reach vacancy. If the host has his or her way, wheelbarrow loads would tip over as loads of delicious prasadam. All is done in good spirit.

I must remind myself, however good it all smells and tastes, that it was Sri Chaitanya who was a sanyassi (monk) who set up the standard for the renounced, “No fancy attire and no opulent food,” so I will try to follow in His footsteps and keep plugging away.

4 KM

I got tired of swiping a metallic looking thing to the right to open up my personal-universe-slash-smartphone. It got boring. But today, there is a new iOS! iOS7! Seven!!! Now I don’t have to swipe that same old boring metallic looking thing to the right. Now I have… well, I don’t really even know how to describe it, it’s so light and airy and freeform. It’s so fun. It’s like right-swiping cotton candy.

My personal-universe-slash-smartphone is fun again! Yippie!

And other neat things abound. I can have an “active background.” That means little bubbles can blurb around animated in the background. That’s a relief. I was bored solid of those static, standing-still photo-images I had to use for the last 12 years as the backdrop to my personal universe.

And there’s other neat things. Well, there’s other things that look neater, and theres a few things that even work better. Actually, everything looks neater. Kinda more like, you know… one of those other smartphones – like the Galaxy or whatever else is out there.

So, that’s what you do. You repackage.

Here is a bit of meal that’s already been chewed. That’s alright, we can serve it again, just put it on a new plate. The customer will love it, because the plate is more modern. So I get my new iOS and feel like a kid again, for 15 minutes, or maybe 15 days. Then I’ll want a new plate again, a new package, a new update, some new way to swipe, some new two-finger screen-gesture to flick… and they’ll give it to me. iOS7.0.0.0.0.1. They’ll keep giving it to me because they like my money.

And it seems like I like giving them my money.

It’s nothing “evil” about apple, or smartphones, or technology, or the modern world. It’s just the way things are. Everything has always been this way.

A zillion aeons ago, a brilliant young boy named Prahlād ingeniously expressed what it’s like to live in this world:

पुनः पुनश्चर्वित-चर्वणानाम्

In case you can’t read those pretty letters:

punaḥ punaścarvita-carvaṇānām

And in case you don’t know Sanskrit:

“Again and again, chewing the chewed…”

We’re chewing something that doesn’t have flavor. But it’s so nicely packaged! The plate is so well presented, and so nicely decorated! The user interface is so simple, clear, minimal and effective!!! So, let’s try it!

OK, once the packaging is opened, the content is… well, the same… basically, something without much flavor.

“Waiter! This is tasteless. Send it back to the chef!”

OK, the chef will try again… a new platter, new decorations, a new interface – same food.

Oooo, so attractive. Let’s try it again. Chew it again.

Why doesn’t the content have any flavor? We should ask! Our smart-phones are fun to use, but what do we use them for? Talking to friends? It can be fun to swipe, pinch and point to call and text our friends, but do our friends really even like us? If we stopped driving them here or there, or flattering their ego – would they keep speed-dialing and SMS / Line / Skyping us? And how delicious is that reality?

The real operating system is the mind. And the real content is the heart.

Our content is stale. Only love is fresh.

Instead of love we all are saturated with various permutation of selfishness – the anti-love. That’s why life tastes bitter. Even if you taste a bitter thing from a penthouse on the top of the Empire State Building, it’s still bitter. Even if you read it on your amazing iOS79c transported by Mr. Spock to you from the future – it’s still bitter.

As long as we are charmed by the allure of repackaging a selfish, bitter outlook on life – every revision is going to be disappointing. As soon as we forget the fluff and get to the real stuff – right down into our heart and work on finding the infinite pool of rāsa (FLAVOR) that ripples like nectar in the goblet of our spiritual being – then we really won’t give a damn for any OS updates. We’ll be too busy dancing, singing, celebrating and shedding tears of loving joy.

This is the most powerful mantra that will update the kernel of your soul’s inner heart. Download it now:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Chant this mantra constantly and you will discover the fountainhead of all delightful flavor, the handsome hero of Vraja.

Actually chanting is always good, but chanting with inattention or with offenses will not give us the taste of nectar that we are hankering for - we will not feel the Lord's spiritual energies.