Planet ISKCON

New Gokula is a very beautiful farm situated two hours north of Sydney and one hour west of Newcastle. The deities of Radha Gokulananda are wonderful and They looked even more so on the occasion of Krsna Janmastami, which was celebrated this year on Thursday August 29th.

When we travel along a road, we usually ask ourselves: Where will this road take me?

Just as we travel physically along various roads, we, or more precisely, our consciousness, travels along the roads of our senses. Whatever our senses focus on, we start thinking, feeling and willing in relation with that thing, eventually transferring our whole being into acquiring and enjoying it. Yet we rarely ask ourselves the sober question: “where will this road take me?”

We are lethargic because our culture aggressively advertises the answer: “It will take you to destination enjoyment” and we unquestioningly believe its answer.

Gita wisdom frees us from this blind faith by activating our intellectual faculty. By pondering its message, we understand that as eternal souls we want everlasting happiness, whereas the senses can offer at best fleeting titillation. Moreover, the senses also entangle us in bodily consciousness and karmic consequences. Thus the senses stand exposed as roads to misery.

Thankfully, Gita wisdom doesn’t stop with this gloomy view of the senses. It offers positive engagement for our senses in devotional service of Krishna. We can use our tongue to connect with Krishna’s holy names and sanctified prasad; our eyes, with his gorgeous Deities; our ears, with the sound vibrations glorifying him and so forth. As our devotion to Krishna increases, these sensory engagements yield supreme satisfaction. Thus the roads to misery become transformed into the roads to ecstasy.

We may not relish this devotional joy right now because our impure desires obstruct us from connecting with Krishna and distract us towards sensual pleasures. That’s why at our level, we need to engage our senses in spiritual activities for the purpose of purification, as the Bhagavad-gita (05.11) indicates. When purity arises in our heart, ecstasy will soon follow.

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05.11 - The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.

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From: Latha
Hare Krishna prabhu , before coming to ISKCON I was reciting many slogas. But after understanding the philosophy, now I am able to accept that Lord sri Krishna is supreme personality of godhead and need to worship Him by chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra. but when chanting the mantra so many doubts arise in the mind like Is this holy name only powerful..... why cant we chant just ram or Krishna,, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, sita ram, etc... I feel I understand that this mahamantra is the only hope for this kali yuga.... but still mind is wandering. how to get the firm faith that hare Krishna mahamantra is everything

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Someone asked me to share my Vyasa-puja (as the appearance day of one's guru is called in Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition) offering. While I didn't write a formal one this year, and mainly recalled the times I spent with him, I looked up an old offering I wrote on behalf of the Baltimore temple in 1998, and found it still expressing my deep feelings, though today, with even more urgency, not only for ISKCON devotees, but for all those who follow the teachings of Shri Chaitanya. Like my last "blog" on the modes of nature, this entry is rather long, but I hope you will keep with it, and that you will find it relevant. It expresses my hopes and prayers for deep and meaningful devotee relationships and the spirit of cooperation and understanding based on the teachings of our guru(s), saintly person's input (sadhu), while confirmed by Vedic scriptures (shastas) and one's purified heart.

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet, O great savior of the fallen souls. All glories to you and your divine mission, which we have been entrusted to carry out!

Though there are many holy days to inspire us, today is a day like no other. This anniversary day of your appearance in this world also reminds us of your appearance into our lives, as well as who we have become because of you. Though we follow the bhakti path imperfectly, somehow we are in Krsna's loving network. How amazing! Amazing grace! If you had not compassionately, valiantly, and determinedly come to the West, where would we be today? Upon what would the foundation of our lives rest? What standard would we use to evaluate the value or use of anything? Where would our consciousness be and in what direction would we be going? After our body's demise, what would be our ultimate destination -- the sum total of our life's endeavor and thought? We can only shudder to think!

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From Vinayak Deshpande

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In your last topic which states: If a man finds a hundred dollar bill

on the street that it states if the man finds the person and gives it
back then he is honest and wise" However that makes NO sense
whatsoever as it sounds ridiculous. I think your writer could have
worded it as a Wallet with money in it, INSTEAD of a bill on the
street. My question is: HOW CAN ANYONE KNOW WHO THE MONEY CAME FROM AS
EVERYONE WILL SAY ITS THERES AND HOW CAN A PERSON LIKE YOU STATED FIND
THE PERSON WHO OWNS IT........THIS MAKE RIDICULOUS
SENSE.................I know what your trying to point out, however
not using that kind of a sentence that makes no sense. Hope you know
what I mean.
That sentence used should NEVER be used as there is NO common sense in
it whatsoever.  Namaste.

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Holy Name Meditation Podcast

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

How exactly is it wrong? If it is wrong, then why does Krishna speak it?

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On asking questions for which we have qualification and the risks of not doing so.

There is a short talk and some sound check, but its kirtan in the Janmastami main tent.

URBAN MEDITATIONS Bhadra has returned from traveling and now is ready to deliver another of his dynamic and insightful workshops. He guarantees wisdom, realisation and laughter all rolled into one. All topped with a wonderful dinner. $8 incl dinner. This Wed 6th Nov. ” Take time-out, to find out more, about you.” Check our facebook [...]

The post BHADRA is back appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

New Vrindaban Board Members with Srila Prabhupada at his Palace, April 2013.

Monthly Meeting Minutes of the Boards of Directors for ISKCON New Vrindaban & ECOV - 8/15/13.

ISKCON New Vrindaban (INV) Vision Statement: Founded in 1968, Srila Prabhupada boldly envisions New Vrindaban as a sacred place known worldwide for Cow Protection, Self-Sufficiency, Holy Pilgrimage, Spiritual Education, and, above all, Loving Krishna.

ECOV 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.

Present from INV: Jaya Krsna, Dayavira, Chaitanya Mangala, Gopisa, Ranaka & Jamuna.

Present from ECOV: Madhava Gosh, Kripamaya, Navin Shyam, Chaitanya Mangala & Ranaka.

Recording Secretary: Laxmi Honest

The first item of discussion was the Palace restoration.  The sub-committee met on 8/9/13 and they decided to send out an international call for a project manager.  Kripamaya suggested that we also contact senior devotees and sanyasis such as Radhanatha Swami for people they may know who are engineers and so forth.  Gopisa mentioned that the Palace front steps renovation project is very hard, heavy work and we really need younger people to do it.  Gopisa has estimates from private contractors ranging from $65,000 to $115,000, not including materials, which would be an additional $25,000.   He expects a response by 8/16 from a company in Pittsburgh and will email the joint boards with updates.

Jaya Krsna then began a discussion regarding the desire of HH Bhakti Raghava Swami to create a Varnashrama Eco-Village at the Old Vrindaban farm.   The proposed community would strive to be self-sufficient. Bhakti Raghava Swami reports that he has already set up such a village in Indonesia which has been very successful. Jaya Krsna will email for review some possible steps toward accomplishing this goal. Madhava Gosh mentioned that ECOV would be willing to offer food bearing trees to the project.  Overall, board members expressed enthusiasm for the project and ideas were exchanged regarding how it might manifest.  It was decided that a “straw vote” would be taken to determine potential future acceptance of the proposal by the two boards.  Both boards voted in favor of the concept.

The next agenda item was the funding of Gopal’s Garden School.  Ranaka reported that the school will need about $24,000 to cover expenses for the 2013-2014 school year. Both boards reconfirmed their commitment to the school and acknowledged its importance in our continued efforts towards developing a more vibrant community.  In previous years, this funding has been split between INV and ECOV.  At their last meeting ECOV approved $12,000.  Ranaka explained that the funds will not be needed within the next 30 days. Dayavira suggested that INV table the item until the next meeting so that they could discuss how best to fund their portion of the budget.

Next, Gopisa gave an update on the Bahulaban projects. Madhava Gosh asked about the repairs to the roof of the utility building.  Gopisa said that he talked to some workers in regards to patching holes and generally repairing the roof.  He will give a full report at the next meeting.  The demolition of the pink building is complete and the question was raised of whether or not to bury the remaining wood scrap, which still has a small amount of foam adhering to it.  Jamuna had researched the environmental impact of this and reported that the impact would be negligible.  It was proposed that the balance of the wood be buried at a spot in lower Bahulaban.  Both Boards voted in favor of the motion.

Lastly, in a discussion of improving community spirit, Madhava Gosh reiterated the need for additional transparency in management. Board members agreed on the importance of continuing to improve communications.

Sri Krishna Janmastami Celebrations Recorded on Aug 28 2013

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From Kamlesh Khurana P

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From Kanai Krishna P

I heard your answer to a question about Bhagavatam being natural commentary on Vedanta Sutra. There's a famous reference from Garuda Purana which says 'arthoyam brahmasutranam...'(quoted in CC Madhya 25.143-144)This reference speaks of number of verses in Bhagavatam as 18000. Can we say that this reference is certainly speaking of Bhagavatam as we have it(and not pre-edited version written by Vyasadeva)?

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From Kanai Krishna P

In introduction to first canto of SB, Srila Prabhupada speaks of difference between God and Absolute Truth. Can we conclude that 'God' refers to Lord's role in material world and 'Absolute Truth' conveys the idea of Lord in touch with spiritual energy?

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From Kanai Krishna P

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From Parampara Vani P

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“Think outside the box.” That’s a common saying among those who want us to break free from stereotyped thinking.

However, such people don’t know the big box that confines everyone’s thinking. So, even if they think outside some small boxes, their meta-thinking, or the basic framework that undergirds their thinking, remains largely within the big box.

That big box is matter. People’s ambitions and accomplishments are largely confined to the arena of matter. Gita wisdom empowers us to think outside this big box. Its fourteenth chapter delineates three boxes that typically condition people’s thinking. These three boxes are the three modes of material nature that pave the roadways for people’s thinking, feeling, willing, seeing and acting.

What most people call as thinking outside the box simply means moving from thinking within one mode to thinking from within another mode. But overall their thinking remains trapped within the impregnable mega-box of matter. Even when they somehow sometimes think of spirit, they see it as deriving from or depending on matter.

However, Gita wisdom underscores that spiritual reality is an independent glorious reality. And spirit is the arena of the most fulfilling thinking, as the Gita (14.27: sukhasya aikantikasya) indicates. This concluding verse of the Gita’s fourteenth chapter also stresses that Krishna, the all-attractive personal divinity, is the foundation of this spiritual reality (brahmano hi pratistha ‘ham).

When we contemplate on Krishna as the Supreme Absolute Truth, as completely transcendental to matter, that contemplation becomes the gateway for our thinking to break free from the big box of matter. The more we habituate ourselves to thinking about Krishna thus, the more we relish a non-material fulfillment whose variety and intensity far exceeds the boxes of material enjoyment.

Thus does thinking about Krishna comprise the ultimate out-of-the-box thinking.

***

14.27 - And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness.

This year the gurukula has started a school lunch program under direction from Mother Padma of Kalachandji’s Restaurant. Working closely with a dietitian and a cook, M. Padma created a menu that the children thought was super tasty, while the parents were very pleased with the nutrition that their sometimes picky eaters were receiving. The students are receiving a hot, tasty plate of prasadam and learning new food tastes, while still enjoying classics.  The menu even has a vegan version for our vegan students!