Planet ISKCON

Kirtan Mela Germany 2012 HG Radha Londonisvara Prabhu Day 2

You can catch Janmastami FOLK news online here. The printed magazine should arrive in your mailboxes this week.

In this issue we feature the major festivals of August and September and stories that expand their glories: Mahanidhi Swami describes the elixir of Srimati Radharani’s name and qualities. Our Founder-Acharya shares his appreciation of what Sri Krishna’s Appearance can mean for you and me today. And we hear how Srila Prabhupada’s desire to conserve, research and reveal the treasures of our historic Gaudiya texts is being expressed in the work of the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre.

In a few weeks we will celebrate Jhulana Yatra (Saturday August the 17th till Wednesday August the 21st), Balarama Purnima (August the 21st), then Janmastami (Thursday August the 29th), Srila Prabhupada's Appearance (Friday August the 30th) and finally Radhastami (Friday September the 13th).

Don't forget to mark these dates in your diary. See you then.

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.33 - The Lord's devotee's purify our hearts in a moment.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 24 June 2013, Czech Summer Camp, Slovakia, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.2.33)

We have to look at our life from a perspective as a whole and not just become lost in the moment, “Oh, romantic springtime. Oh, beautiful daffodils and sweet fragrant flowers. Oh, wonderful valleys. Oh, enjoyment in the material world.”

For a while, even when we are enjoying in the material world, it is still not fulfilling. There is enjoyment but it is not enough to fill the emptiness in our heart. But, if we want some, then that is authorized in the Srimad Bhagavatam but within the boundaries of pious life. Not that we enjoy in a sinful way because if we enjoy in a sinful way then we become very much tied up in sinful reactions!

So, those who wish to enjoy the senses are allowed to but within the boundaries of what is authorized. If we desire sexual activities then we must express it in a responsible way. If we want to express our sex desire then marriage is the option. “What do you do? What do you do when you suddenly get attacked by a strong sex desire? What do you do?”

Best is (to do) nothing - that is the best option! But if we feel that we have to do something then it must be done in an authorized way because if we are doing it in an unauthorized, sinful way then we are bound to material existence, and bound to suffering conditions. So, anyone who is somehow or other breaking the rules of scriptures, is binding himself in the future sufferings of the material world. This is foolishness.

So therefore, we must take shelter, as it is mentioned here, we must take shelter of the principles of dharma. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, it is indicated that a man, if he so desires, may get married. Then it is described that the wife is like a fort and that he just focuses himself on this one wife and no other one – only this one, with all the good and bad! And then, there (within marriage) he may satisfy his material desires according to the direction of the scriptures. Then this relationship will actually protect him from lust otherwise lust can drop us in all kinds of directions where we should not really go. So in this way, whatever we do in life, we must always be on the path of progress.

etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ
dehinām iha dehiṣu
prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā
śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā, (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.22.35; CC Adi-Lila 9.42)

We should always act according to śreya. So śreya means the long-term benefit, the path of progress. Somehow or other, this path of progress must be on our mind.

 

“At the present moment there is nothing but calamity, but by injecting Krsna consciousness into the masses we can change the situation greatly.” [Srila Prabhupada, letter to Rupanuga dasa, December 18, 1974]

Despite bad weather our street samkirtan and evening festivals go on. Nothing can stop the rain of mercy coming from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

Yesterday we ventured down to the Houston Ratha Yatra Festival.   About 50 devotees went down from Dallas in a tour bus and several others drove as well.  The festival was held at Discovery Green, an attractive and very popular park in downtown Houston.  This park draws big crowds and many of the general public happily dove into the singing and dancing .

At the Houston temple we got to have darshan on the beautiful forms of Sri Sri Radha Nila Madhava and see Their magnificent upcoming temple.   We also got to play at the Krishna playground. 

Yesterday we ventured down to the Houston Ratha Yatra Festival.   About 50 devotees went down from Dallas in a tour bus and several others drove as well.  The festival was held at Discovery Green, an attractive and very popular park in downtown Houston.  This park draws big crowds and many of the general public happily dove into the singing and dancing .

At the Houston temple we got to have darshan on the beautiful forms of Sri Sri Radha Nila Madhava and see Their magnificent upcoming temple.   We also got to play at the Krishna playground. 

LIVE ON www.Mayapur.TV.  His Holiness Prahladananda Swami speaking on Bhagavad Gita 5.18

1968 July 14: "Any process that helps us to increase our love of Krishna, that is the best system of religiosity. This chanting of Hare Krishna will make everything clear, even there is some impediment. Chanting of Hare Krishna is not meant for achieving any other better thing than Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1971 July 14: "The process should be that you let each of them hear the tape individually through earphones. Show them how to chant on the fingers. Let them read the mantra and listen to the tape. Then, on my behalf present the sacred thread. Then hold fire Yajna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 July 14: "Yes, we should stand in our position and defy all nonsense propositions. Our math in Mayapur is not for Bengalis, the math is for you foreigners, to give you facility for offering respects to Lord Caitanya."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 14: "The tourists may concentrate in Vrindaban with us, live with us, and learn from us the spiritual life. What is the use of wandering here and there, simply seeing this and that and going home? Our only business is to teach them Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 July 14: "I am holding morning class. There are about 40 devotees living with me, similarly there are 30 devotees in Bury Place. So I shall be glad to hear about Bombay affairs and as you send me every month statements of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, kindly send me that also."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1974 July 14: "The festival must be gorgeously done. It should not be poor. If there is a scarcity of money, it will be supplied. There must be full prasadam for all the guests. You plan for that, and I will supply the funds. Complete prasada distribution must go on."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 July 14: "Krishna and Krishna's representative are not different. The Spiritual Master is accepted by all advanced devotees as Hari. Therefore it is said sakshad-dharitvena."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 July 14: "I received report that he was talking privately in his room with a woman. What is this? Private talks with woman are immediately condemned. He is a good preacher, but it is very dangerous to close the door with woman."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

The Intricacies of Action, Mangosuthu Technikon, Durban, South Africa.mp3

Bhakti Bringa Govinda Swami Mantra Dubai 2010 English version

Indian Festival Menu This Friday 19th July, is the next vegan/vegetarian cooking class with Acyuta bhava and Kasi priya and here is the delicious mouthing watering menu: Lemon Basmati Rice Rajma Curry Aloo Patra (spiced potato swirls) with fresh raisin chutney Vadai (savory lentil donuts) with coconut & coriander chutney North Indian Salad Chai Spiced [...]

The post Cooking classes appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

"First we should spend one week observing our japa. Because the idea of reform, it is called ‘Japa Reform’, reform means to improve. So you can’t improve something unless you recognize the need for improvement right? If you think everything is fine, then you won't try to reform or improve. So for the first week… because we want to change our habits, our chanting maybe isn’t very good. We want to improve the quality of our chanting, the quantity and the quality."

From Process Of Improving Habits
By Mahanidhi Swami

"First we should spend one week observing our japa. Because the idea of reform, it is called ‘Japa Reform’, reform means to improve. So you can’t improve something unless you recognize the need for improvement right? If you think everything is fine, then you won't try to reform or improve. So for the first week… because we want to change our habits, our chanting maybe isn’t very good. We want to improve the quality of our chanting, the quantity and the quality."

From Process Of Improving Habits
By Mahanidhi Swami

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.32 - The real fortune of a living entity is to get Krishna bhakti.

“Mukunda and his wife, Janaki, were actually planning to go to India. It occurred to Mukunda that maybe he should ask the Swami whether or not there was something he could do for him before he went. The answer was, ‘Since you are going to the West coast, why don’t you see if you can open another center.’ That wasn’t exactly what Mukunda had in mind, but he accepted the desire and instructions of Srila Prabhupada. So, he came to collect my husband and me, who at that time, as members of the hippy tradition, were not married but were living together on the top of a mountain in Oregon. We were employed by the federal government to look out for fires. The only fire we were not thinking of was the fire of devotional service. So, they stopped and asked if we would like to join them to open a temple. And I, in my infinite wisdom, asked him, ‘What is a temple?’ And he truthfully answered, ‘It is a storefront painted white.’ “ — Malati dasi
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Malati dasi
Devamrita Swami
Vaisesika dasa
Rtadhvaja Swami

1947 July 13: "Religion of love is the true religious idea but if the approach is made through the service of mankind only, then the process is made imperfect, partial and unscientific. The true religion of love is perfectly inculcated in Bhagavad-gita."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64

Jhulan Yatra- the Swing Festival of Sri Radha-Krishna - begins in a few weeks.

In Vrindavana during the springtime Holi festival Krishna performed this festival. It is the perfect object of meditation for those desiring a taste of devotion.

You can personally swing the Lords from Saturday August the 17th till Wednesday August the 21st at 7pm. nightly.

We hope you will join us.

Please view the following gallery: Ratha Yatra Procession ne of the major festivals in Sri Mayapur’s busy calendar is surely Jagannath Ratha Yatra – A “Festival of the Heart”. The Lord of the Universe comes out of His temple to give His audience to one and all. The possibility of rain didn’t prove to be [...]

The post The Lord pulled along by his devotees appeared first on Mayapur.com.

CC Adi 13.63 The Advent of Lord Caitanya, Durban, South Africa.mp3

The post Ratha Yatra Gallery appeared first on Mayapur.com.

 

Click here to read the July 4th, 2013 newsletter from our sister community, the Gita Nagari Farm, in Port Royal PA.

Please visit and “like” the Gita Nagari Farm Facebook Page!

2013 07 04 Srimad Bhagavatam 10 22 01 Krishna tricks you to Surrender to him Candramauli Swami

The post July 13th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Comparing Notes

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami and I trekked along the Great Gorge. He liked it, it’s quite impressive. We even took to the aero car, a moving suspension unit that ski lifts you over a whirlpool of water. Who says that a monk can’t be a tourist and have some fun?

In all frankness we are far from being hermits. Our time together provided the opportunity to gain each other’s association. The exposure to the public is also good. Bhakti Chaitanya and I are both world travelers, although we travel in different directions and end up in different places. Generally we are always with people, formally, for meetings, and less so at festivals. Downtime is necessary, he just came from Siberia.

We compared notes. He said ticks are a big problem over there in Siberia. Many people die contracting fever from them. Also, Russian mosquitoes are huge and aggressive he said. He never heard of our vicious black flies that we have in Canada. The main principle is that there are many little vampires about in both lands in the raw of Siberia and Canada.

What about comparing the people? It seems that wherever there has been a communist regime, people are left with a curious mind, whereas capitalistic folks have become over stimulated. I leave it to you, the readers, to figure out who is who in this regards.

6 KM

Comparing Notes

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami and I trekked along the Great Gorge. He liked it, it’s quite impressive. We even took to the aero car, a moving suspension unit that ski lifts you over a whirlpool of water. Who says that a monk can’t be a tourist and have some fun?

In all frankness we are far from being hermits. Our time together provided the opportunity to gain each other’s association. The exposure to the public is also good. Bhakti Chaitanya and I are both world travelers, although we travel in different directions and end up in different places. Generally we are always with people, formally, for meetings, and less so at festivals. Downtime is necessary, he just came from Siberia.

We compared notes. He said ticks are a big problem over there in Siberia. Many people die contracting fever from them. Also, Russian mosquitoes are huge and aggressive he said. He never heard of our vicious black flies that we have in Canada. The main principle is that there are many little vampires about in both lands in the raw of Siberia and Canada.

What about comparing the people? It seems that wherever there has been a communist regime, people are left with a curious mind, whereas capitalistic folks have become over stimulated. I leave it to you, the readers, to figure out who is who in this regards.

6 KM

Hare Krsna my dear devotees, I hope your chanting is blessed and you are being able to chant with your heart.

Today I was listening to a class of a devotee from Vrindavan and he said some stories of how some devotees are so attached to the Holy names that they can't stop chanting for a minute - I thought it was a very good feeling to have because when we feel attached there is no need to think of anything else - our mind won't wander anymore and we will be able to give 100% to the Lord through chanting.

This is an amazing goal to achieve and it can happen to anyone, even the ones that are in the beginning of devotional service. The main thing is to hear the mantra and  the Lord Himself who is the His holy names come and join us & enter in our hearts and we can feel the eternal relationship of service with Him.

I pray so I can reach this level of service and I can chant with my whole heart absorbed in  the process.

Hoping you all have a nice weekend of chanting and service.

your servant,

Aruna devi

Hare Krsna my dear devotees, I hope your chanting is blessed and you are being able to chant with your heart.

Today I was listening to a class of a devotee from Vrindavan and he said some stories of how some devotees are so attached to the Holy names that they can't stop chanting for a minute - I thought it was a very good feeling to have because when we feel attached there is no need to think of anything else - our mind won't wander anymore and we will be able to give 100% to the Lord through chanting.

This is an amazing goal to achieve and it can happen to anyone, even the ones that are in the beginning of devotional service. The main thing is to hear the mantra and  the Lord Himself who is the His holy names come and join us & enter in our hearts and we can feel the eternal relationship of service with Him.

I pray so I can reach this level of service and I can chant with my whole heart absorbed in  the process.

Hoping you all have a nice weekend of chanting and service.

your servant,

Aruna devi