Planet ISKCON

35 HR photos: Jhulan Yatra 2013 and 70 HR photos: Radha-Gokulananda 40th Installation Anniversary Abhishek Read more ›

Hare Krishna

Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Here are a few photos from the 2 Krishna Conscious trips I was very very very fortunate to have been on this year:

Pandava Sena Trip Villa Vrindavana;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/100637659@N06/sets/72157635187037631/

croatia

http://www.flickr.com/photos/100637659@N06/sets/72157635178856005/

your servant
dipak

Each year there is a merry bunch of truly amazing devotee’s who make the festivals at our temples such a awesome time for everyone who comes; they are indeed the unsung hero’s of the day.

Many are truly inspirational having worked a full day then head off to the temple to help with all the logistics needed to make it happen; then on the day give even more time to help with each of the different departments from cleaning, catering, running the stalls, ushering, meeting and greeting.

Many of these same devotees come and serve at the temple each and every week, for some only during festival times; it’s all good, each with a smile on their face and a mood of loving devotion to serve others.

So I had to laugh when looking at the band of devotees who have inspired and encouraged me during my visits; and the hat, an odd hat that always amuses the band of marry workers for Krishna.

It is these devotees that make ISKCON the place it is; who inspire and encourage other to take up and do devotional service, who have picked me up when I am down who enthusiastically encourage my preaching work back home and charge up my spiritual batteries.

We forget these unsung hero’s but if we truly want to understand ISKCON, devotional service and full surrender to Krishna then these are the people who you want to be around; for as strange as it is as much as they inspire and encourage you, you also encourage and inspire them and you will also be mesmerized by the varied discussions about devotional life.

I’m looking forward to having all your fine association during this Janmashtami week and may we have fine association together for many many years to come.

Tulasi aur Namarasa ki shaadi hogayi :-) Read more ›

For centuries, many Hindu rituals have been performed by male priests. But now a few institutions in Pune have begun offering courses to female priests Read more ›

The General Manager will ensure that ISKCON Educational Services, Bhaktivedanta Manor is firmly established to flourish and expand as the most credible and authentic UK-based supplier of educational resources on Hinduism. Since 1990, IES has specialised in organising temple visits, providing guest speakers to schools, supplying high-quality teaching support and selling authentic educational materials. Read more ›

Lecture Podcast

Many People

Oxbow, Saskatchewan

There’s a remarkable migration of tiny frogs attempting the journey over the highway.  Many casualties occur I’m afraid.  They’ve got guts doing this, boy do they ever have guts.

It’s people that I meet like crazy.  The first person stops his vehicle, raises his iPhone for a picture and asks, “What’s up?”

“I’m on a walk across Canada.”  The fellow was impressed, he was very poetic.

“Holy _____ !  Good luck!”  At least the words rhymed.

The walk was news to this guy who works in the oil fields which are all around.  Many other folks were quite aware though – the oil riggers, farmers, students on holidays, seniors on chores.  It seems that even though I pulled of the road over a month ago to attend Canada and US spiritual fests, there was a buzz lingering about a roaming monk, and so the reception was phenomenal.

At one point a heavy rain came.  83 year old Mr. Swayze pulled over and let me into his passenger seat until rain let up.  Mr. Swayze, although retired, took up work again.  He was on his way to getting a bridge constructed.  He told me, “If you do nothing you start to deteriorate.  Since I took up this recent assignment, my brains got sharp again."

Words of wisdom.

I walked through several towns, Glen Ewen was the name of one.  People were sitting outside a pub.  The owner offered water (of course, I won’t take hard drinks).  I went inside, so did all who were sitting in the sun.  They were curious.  All the walls were adorned with large pictures of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.  The owner, a woman, asked what I thought of Marilyn from a monk’s perspective.

“Overrated.  Not my idea of the emblem of true womanhood.”  The folks there respected my opinion.  They had oodles of questions.

“So, you’ve been celibate all your life?” asked the owner.  People were sipping beer and were in rapt attention.

“Yes.  When I was in high school I had one or two girlfriends.  I came close once but God said, ‘No, not now,’ (laughter).”

One fellow asked if he could be a monk and drink.

“You’d be a drinking monk (laughter).  No, as a monk, you learn self discipline.”

Back on the road again.  Numerous people stopped to talk.  It got to the point where it was hard to make progress as far as distance was concerned.  It was a nice problem, I’ll admit.

By nightfall, I got nearer to our campsite spot, an ideal location by the serene Souris River.  Daruka was anxious about my being late, so he went out looking for me.  A local woman, big hearted as anything, came on the search as well.  She figured out what we needed for our outdoor cooking.  She had gone home, brought rye bread, fruits, and a camp lamp to contend with the darkness.  Archie was her name.  The people I met were in great numbers, quite overwhelming.  Archie came at the end and showed an incredible level of devotion.  Thank you, Archie.

36 KM

Tucked away in a narrow by lane of Moopanpara, Chirakkal in Kannur is ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), a cradle of calm and peace. Finding your way to the temple can be a tricky affair with absence of any signage that could lead you towards it: no devotees, no meditating bhaktas or no boards announcing, ‘Yes, this is the way to the ISKCON Temple’. Read more ›

Lecture Podcast

We all have so many desires for so many worldly things.

However, because we live in a world of finite resources and a body with limited capacities, we can’t fulfill most of our desires.  But our infatuation with such desires and our frustration at being unable to fulfill them that we become blind to a fundamental reality. The reality that fulfilling such desires doesn’t bring fulfillment.

Why? Because those desires are peripheral to our identity as immortal souls, who are eternal parts of Krishna, as the Bhagavad-gita (15.07) indicates. Parts who become whole only by connecting with him through spiritual love.

To translate fulfilled desires into fulfillment, Gita wisdom urges us to cultivate desires for Krishna. The desire to be solaced and strengthened by his healing grace. The desire to share his love with the world. The desire to do justice to the gifts he has given us. The desire to bring glory to him by our conduct and character. And, most of all, the desire to please him, just as a lover desires to please the beloved.

The wonderful thing about such devotional desires is that they don’t have to be fulfilled to grant us fulfillment. Just cultivating those desires and striving to fulfill them takes us closer to Krishna, helps us remember him more and serve him better. And that enriched Krishna consciousness in and of itself brings great fulfillment.

No doubt, the more we become truly conscious of Krishna, the more we do all our activities with greater conscientiousness, seeing them as services to him. And that increases our chances of succeeding in those activities.

Nonetheless, irrespective of whether we succeed in fulfilling specific desires or not, cultivating Krishna consciousness guarantees us success in the generic mission of our life: attaining fulfillment. Fulfillment that lasts forever.

***

The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.

Questions and answers.

I live in Latvia, in a town named Lielvarde. I am a student, studying translation. I am now working on my Bachelor’s paper. The topic is the translation of Manu Samhita. I have chosen to connect my interest, the Vedas, with education. I was introduced to the Krishna consciousness movement about four years ago and was captivated by its goals, philosophy, personalities, and the fact that I could find all the answers I wanted. Read more ›

70 photos: Balaram Jayanti celebrations 2013 in London Read more ›

48 photos: Balarama App. Day 2013 at Bhaktivedanta Manor, 20/08/2013 Read more ›

1968 August 23: "Pondicherry was made famous on account of press work. The sound of press goes long long distance, long distant places, so the organization of press and literature and public sales, should be our main business."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 August 23: "I have decided to publish Srimad-Bhagavatam in 12 volumes, naming them differently in this way; 1st vol., Creation; 2nd vol., Cosmic Manifestation; 3rd vol., Status Quo; 4th vol., Mercy of God; 5th vol., Creative Energy; 6th vol., The Rulers of the Universe; 7th vol., Activities of God; 8th vol., Dissolution; 9th vol., Liberation; 10th vol., Ultimate Goal; 11th vol., General History; 12th vol., The Age of Deterioration."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 August 23: "I came to your country at a very old age and within four or five years we have expanded beyond expectation. Now if all you work with the same zeal and establish another set of 30 to 40 branches with necessary influx of devotees, then I am sure our Krsna Consciousness Movement will prove a solid fact."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 August 23: "Regarding Indira Gandhi there is no hope. The high commissioner has informed. So it is Lord Caitanya's desire that a Vaisnava shall lay down the cornerstone instead."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1970 August 23: "I am the same Spiritual Father and Guide of you all. Without being empowered by Krishna nobody can preach the glories of His Holy Name, that is the verdict of all Scriptures. And the only means for acquiring this spiritual strength is to abide by the orders of the Spiritual Master."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 August 23: "Yes, President Giri can open the foundation ceremony. Let us invite many responsible persons - the Prime Minister, Governors. Let us place our philosophy before a very respectable assembly. People have not yet understood how glorious is our philosophy."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 Auugst 23: "Whoever joins us they are not under any obligation - our only tie is Love of Godhead. We recruit a person to join us after spending gallons of blood. It should be our definite policy that nobody is ill treated that he may go away."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

152 photos: Preaching program at the Bhakti Center of NYC with Radhanath Swami, August 23 2013 Read more ›

This temple will give all a chance to understand who we really are and what is our relationship to GOD and thus make our lives successful & attain to the real happiness that we all are seeking for. Please browse through our website and we hope to serve you in your journey of self-realisation Read more ›

The post August 23rd, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

HH Radhanath swami Kirtan @ jivamukti tribe

In 3rd Grade, we’ve begun a detailed study of English Grammar.  The focus this month has been Capitalization.  Do you know how many capitalization rules there are for the English language?  Proper nouns, uncles & aunts names, names of languages, streets, buildings, professions, parks, cities, states, and so much more!  Tons to remember!

To help student remember the long list of rules for Capitalization, we took the list from the Easy Grammar Workbook and built sentences using Grammar Cards.   Wacky and weird sentences.  With a whole variety of common and proper nouns, students had to decide which words would be capitalized and which lowercase.  They paired these nouns with exciting action verbs.  They partnered up, wrote the sentences and shared them with the class.

Some examples:
“The gorilla in the Empire State Building tumbled down the stairs.”  (I smile just thinking of their gleeful laughs as we all pictured a gorilla tumbling.)

“The owl and the polar bear got lost in Detroit.”

When their sentences were built, we shared them!  We made long imaginative stories with each one!  What fun it was!  Take a look above!

 

 

 

The countdown begins for what is the BIGGEST festival we celebrate every year - Sri Krishna Janmastami! On Wednesday, August 28, 2013, the Hare Krishna Centre will be celebrating Janmastami in a grand fashion. There is so much activity packed in one night and it requires a lot of planning beforehand. It's not an easy task trying to pull off such a huge festival and that is why we need YOUR help!

Every year, we rely on the generous time many give up to be part of the celebrations. We need help in various areas like maintaining the crowds, organizing the shoe area and prasadam (vegetarian feast) distribution.

If you have some time to help, please fill out the form below.





We hope you can join us for this most auspicious occasion!

n SB 10.12.11- ittham satam brahmasukhanubhutya.., there is the word krita punya punjah- which means those who have accumulated pious deeds- the verse is saying that such persons can play with the Supreme Lord. I have heard you explain that bhakti only comes from bhakti, not from punya? Does the word 'punya' here mean 'bhakti'?  BG 7.28 and its purport also seem to suggest that one's sins need to end first through pious activities before bhakti can begin.In general, there seems to be some confusion on this point. Some devotees talk about 'sukriti' in the context of bhakti, others say that sukriti is irrelevant, that it is the *causeless* mercy of the Vaisnavas and point to Srila Prabhupada's disciples who were hippies and led sinful lives before becoming Vaisnavas. It would really help to get a clear discussion of this point.

Answer Podcast

As students of the Gita, we may face this question. “How can we live according to the Gita’s ancient tradition in today’s world?”

By being flexible but not fickle.

Being fickle means changing our actions based on the moods of the mind, doing whatever recommendation of the Gita feels good and avoiding whatever doesn’t feel good. By being fickle, we stay stuck on the mental level without rising to the spiritual level.

Being flexible, on the other hand, means adjusting our behavior according to time-place-circumstance by clearly understanding what is essential and what is peripheral in the tradition.

The Bhagavad-gita points to such focusing on the essential when it urges Arjuna (02.45) to rise beyond the Vedic rituals that are material, being within the three modes. This verse concludes with a call to become atmavan – the possessor of the soul.

When we are ourselves the soul, what does being a possessor of the soul mean?

It means staying conscious of our spiritual identity and choosing our actions so that our spiritual consciousness becomes strengthened, not weakened. We don’t change the essential spiritual practices such as mantra meditation and scriptural study, because such monkeying with the tradition will injure our spiritual health. But that which is peripheral – certain cultural specifics, for example – can be adjusted so that we don’t exhaust our limited energy in fighting over externals, and so are left with no energy for the internals.

Being a possessor of the soul doesn’t imply mere abstract theoretical mentation about the soul. It implies concrete practical action in devotional service to Krishna, for such service is the real life of the soul. The more we internalize this attitude of service, praying, “Krishna, how can I serve you best?” the more we will gradually gain, by Krishna’s grace, the insight to focus on the essential.

**

The Vedas deal mainly with the subject of the three modes of material nature. O Arjuna, become transcendental to these three modes. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self.

We are sorry to announce that the Loft will be closed on Thursday 29th August for a festival Event. We are sorry for any inconvenience and we will be open again from Sunday 1st Sept, starting with our huge COMEDY FESTIVAL. The Loft

The post Closed Thursday 29th Aug appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

The kings of all planets are especially meant for the protection of the inhabitants, and therefore the royal order should understand the science of Bhagavad-gita in order to be able to rule the citizens and protect them from material bondage to lust.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 4.1 purport

“We are going door to door: ‘Please chant Hare Krsna.” This is our only propaganda. But it is very difficult. Yet innocent children, they take part. Just now we went to some gentleman’s house. We began kirtan and small children immediately began responding. Children are not yet polluted. Krsna consciousness doesn’t require much education, intelligence [...]

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction message and I will be happy to make you a member:

rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot com

ys

Rasa Rasika dasa

Hare Krishna

As mentioned in a previous blog I’m putting together the second Diwali festival for the local community were I live; this year we will also advertise so this is my second attempt:

Thank you to the very eagle eyed devotee who spotted my mistake on the first flier, Yes the year does make a big difference it’s not quiet 2014 yet.

I will be at Bhaktivadanta Manor on the day of Diwali and so it is planned during the month of Kartika but when the community hall and groups I’ve been working with are available just incase anyone’s wondering about the dates on it

As always any humble corrections thought’s suggestions on how I can make it attractive to as many people as possible would be fabulous