Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja Celebration, August 29, ISKCON Silicon Valley, Mountain View, California
Giriraj Swami

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“I think of the many gifts Srila Prabhupada gave us: the holy name, the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other scriptures, the temples and deities — but I am also thinking now of the association of devotees, especially close friends. The association of peers is so important. One devotee commented that when you are in a position of a superior you have to be on good behavior, to set a proper example and do the right things. And when you are with superiors, you also have to be on good behavior, because you are with a superior — you have to be at your best. So with whom can you actually reveal your mind — your doubts, your questions, your confusion, your misgivings, your weaknesses? There can be an element of friendship with superiors, but it is mainly with peers. And that friendship is most precious.” — Giriraj Swami

Offerings by devotees:

Mahaguna dasi
Akruranatha dasa
Kanka dasi
Trai dasa
Nirakula dasi
Rtadhvaja Swami
Jagarini dasi
Satyadeva dasa
Kesava Bharati Dasa Goswami
Bhumi dasi
Srila dasa
Giriraj Swami
Malini dasi

asking the tough question
→ everyday gita

Verse 4.19: One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.

Why is it so difficult to put things into practice? We may theoretically understand so many things and accept them on an intellectual level, but when it comes to the practical application, many of us face a block.

For those who are trying to live a life of simultaneous gratitude and unattachment, this is often a conundrum. When we read bhakti texts like the Gita and hear from those who live such lives, we feel inspired and hopeful. We too can do it! But when it comes to actually putting in all our endeavours and efforts and offering it selflessly to the Divine as a token of our appreciation, something powerful interrupts us. These things can cause us to promptly fall back into our old way of thinking and doing things which is often that of - I perform x activity and expect y result.

One such challenge can come in the form of doubt. When doubt steps in, it can cause us to question what will happen if we let go of our attachment to the results of our endeavour. "Maybe I'll become too spiritual! What if I just stop caring about everything? I want to be normal and if I start actually becoming unattached, I might not be able to relate to others." Such types of conversations can start to take place in our mind.

When these doubts start to cloud our consciousness, it's very easy to become apprehensive. It causes us to become fearful of the unknown - in this case what will happen to us if we actually live a life of gratitude and detachment. Ultimately, it can be a vicious cycle that leads to more doubts and more apprehension.

Ultimately though, the root cause of all these misgivings is fear. The fear that our efforts to express gratitude and appreciation will go unrecognized. Although we may believe in a Divine power and personality who is giving us everything, do we really and truly believe?

The practice of performing akarmic work is more than just attitude. It prompts us to ask the tough questions and really look inside our hearts. Do we have unshakable faith that there is something greater than us and that the Divine is there ready and waiting to reciprocate with us? When we are able to answer that question honestly, irregardless of whether it is a no, yes or somewhere in between, then we can truly start to live a life of gratitude and selflessness.

The Krishna consciousness movement is meant for global peace and happiness
→ The Spiritual Scientist

At the present moment practically the entire world is afraid of rogues and nondevotees; therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started to save the world from irreligious principles. Everyone should cooperate with this movement in order to bring about actual peace and happiness in the world.

Letter Of Appreciation
→ Japa Group


From time to time I get messages and feedback about the Japa Group website. Today I received one of those messages from a 55yr old devotee - name truncated for privacy reasons.

"This website has inspired such an old (55) aspiring devotee! I live 2 hours from the nearest temple so this keeps me intouch with the "work" of Krishna around the world. Keep up the good work and chanting your rounds - it makes a difference."

I hope you had a good week of quality chanting of the Holy names.

New Gokula Janmastami
→ Ramai Swami

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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.

I had the good fortune of attending two Krsna Janamstami’s, one at the Bhakti Centre and one at New Gokula farm. Even though it was a week night with work the next day, still, over one hundred guests came to honour Sri Krsna in the evening of the anniversary of His divine appearance.
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05.11 – Purity transforms the roads to misery into the roads to ecstasy
→ The Spiritual Scientist

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.

***

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

Inspection
→ Seed of Devotion

My room here at the Bhakti Center was a tornado zone for quite a long time. So much moving had my life in a whirlwind. Boxes, luggage, piles of clothes and bags lay everywhere.

When I had a day off work, immediately I scheduled a trip out of town to buy organizational stuff at a Wal-Mart.

After many hours I came back, holding a long box and laden down with all of my organizational stuff in my suitcase. I stepped out of the elevator onto the sixth floor. In the hallway I encountered a huge crowd of residents.

"Hey guys, is there a party going down?" I called out, jolly.

Virabhadra grinned at me. "We're here to greet you, Bhakti lata!"

"Ha ha, nice. No seriously, what's up?"

Just then, all heads turned to the apartment door 6W and everyone fell a little quiet - Radhanath Swami emerged.

"Oh, haribol Maharaj," I said.

"Bhakti lata, where have you been?" he asked.

"I was at Wal-Mart. I bought a lot of organizational stuff for my room."

His eyes went wide. "Can I come see your room?"

"God no, Maharaj," I replied with a little laugh. "It's a tornado zone."

"No really, I'd like to come see your room,"

I laughed again, still thinking that he was joking. "Ah, sorry my dear gurumaharaj, but my room is a mess."

Radhanath Swami took up the handle of my rolling luggage. My eyes went wide.

"Let's go," he said.

I walked forward towards my apartment, my feet becoming heavy with each step. Maharaj rolled my luggage behind me. My mind raced - my room, my room, God forbid was there anything embarrassing lying around, like underwear? Sure, I could've firmly said no, but this seemed to be very important to Maharaj. He had been inquiring about my living situation from the moment he had reached the Bhakti Center.

We entered apartment 6E and I walked towards my room. My friend Nanda joined us. "Maharaj, I just bought all this organizational stuff, I swear!"

He just smiled, maneuvering my luggage over some shoes on the floor. Then with a pounding heart, I slowly opened the door to my little room. He came over and peeked inside. Nanda also came and we exchanged nervous looks. My room was a madhouse. My stomach dropped.

Maharaj turned to me and lifted his brows, then stepped inside to turn on the lamp. He peered around and then stepped even deeper into my room, standing in the very center of the chaos. "Hm, no windows..."

I held bated breath. Then he came around and peered into other crevices of the tiny room, leaving no spot unobserved. I felt like I was getting X-rayed.

He emerged.

"Calling this room a mess is like calling the ocean a puddle," he remarked, then laughed, his eyes twinkling.

Only Radhanath Swami could make a poetic analogy out of this. I laughed too.

Maharaj then systematically went through the rest of the apartment, observing the piles of bags in the hallway, the unswept floors. He seemed to be catching us off-guard - who we were when no one was looking. There was something stinging and yet also relieving about him being there, like hydrogen peroxide cleaning a cut.

At the end of his inspection, he turned to me and said, "Bhakti lata, I would do anything for you,"

I fell silent, and my heart echoed with the unspoken words, Please just let me be near Radha Murlidhar. Please let me be here or nearby.

Then Maharaj turned around and said, "Well, we had our pastimes," then he chuckled and left apartment 6E.

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What to do when we feel attracted to holy names other than the mahamantra?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

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

Answer Podcast

 

Homage to Shrila Prabhupada, in the presence of his followers
→ Karnamrita.das's blog

Author: 
Karnamrita Das

Shrila Prabhupada's "crew" coming to America photo JaladhutapoweredbyGodinhismanydifferentforms_zpsd13e2c61.jpg

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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In the example of returning a lost dollar bill to the owner wouldn’t it be better to say a lost wallet as finding the owner of a dollar bill is impossible?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From

ppeace4peace

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.

Answer Podcast

BHADRA is back
→ The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland

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.

134 photos: ISKCON Bangkok Sunday program, Bangkok City Pillar
→ Dandavats.com

Lakshman Poddar: ISKCON Bangkok is managed by GBC (Governing Body Committee). H.H Jayapataka Swami is the GBC, H.H Kavicandra Swami is the co-GBC and H.H B.V.V Narasimha Swami is the regional secretary of Thailand. H.H Vedavyasa Priya Swami also visits and preaches in Thailand. They are all Srila Prabhupada sannayasi disciples and initiating Guru in ISKCON Read more ›

New Vrindaban’s Monthly Joint Boards’ Meeting Minutes – 08/15/13
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban Board Members with Srila Prabhupada at his Palace.

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.

How can we say that the Garuda Purana verse glorifying the Bhagavatam refers certainly to Bhagavatam as we have it (and not pre-edited version written by Vyasadeva)?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

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)?

Answer Podcast

 

 

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?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

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?

Answer Podcast

 

14.27 – To think outside the box, think about Krishna
→ The Spiritual Scientist

“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.

 

Saturday, August 31st, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

Strength

Assiniboia, Saskatchewan

I’m 60 but I feel like I’m 20 these days. I got through a strong headwind today on the road and then a downpour came. I feel just about ready for anything. I take on the sun almost every day, I feel a certain strength.

Just to test my physical prowess, I challenged one of those straw bales commonly found on the side of the highway. They are cylindrical in shape with about 5 foot length in size lying sideways. I attempted to roll one which I succeeded in doing in 2003. This time I could budge and even roll it back and forth a trite, but not actually push and roll it forward. Oh well, I never claimed to be Superman or Hanuman for that matter. I’m not invincible but feeling physically well.

Just to make Daruka and I feel even better in spirit and in body someone by the name of Joy from the Assiniboia Times, a weekly, came for a few photos to put in her upcoming article. For our physical wellbeing she handed us a bag of ripe tomatoes from her garden, now that’s love. We have yet to see just how much more nutritionally set we will be after consuming those nutritionally rich love balls we call tomatoes.

Joy was great, she remembers the Hare Krishnas from the Beatles and hippie days. She had seen the Fab Four live in Seattle and Portland in her teens. Yes, the places were packed with screaming girls, and she admitted being one of them. There’s incredible strength demonstrated in the sound of a screaming damsel, and I mean no disrespect here.

Strength has many sources. Like tomatoes, herbs and greens provide much. For dinner, Daruka and I were invited to the home of a family in Assiniboia where we also settled for the night. Before walking up the steps to their house, I noticed their garden replete with veggies and herbs, one of which was fresh coriander, also known as cilantro. The green is a powerful mouth stimulator. It garnishes many food items so well. It’s supposed to be good for the eyes. Mouth watering, yummy.

I took it upon myself to ask our host if I could gather some for the meal, and they were totally cool with it. This green-wonder, with its potencies got sprinkled on all our delicious food which happened to be a grainless meal.

That strong meal, strong sleep, then strong walk. Where does strength come from? From God.

37 KM