Planet ISKCON

“That’s self-contradictory.” We may feel thus on reading some sections of the Bhagavad-gita. For example, the Gita (9.4) states, mat-sthani sarva bhutani “All of existence is situated in me.” And the next verse (9.5) states na ca mat sthani bhutani “Existence is not situated in me.”

Is the Gita self-contradictory?

No, it is self-revelatory.

Being the word of God, it is filled with his infinite wisdom. Just as Krishna can be understood only by his grace, so too the Gita. This doesn’t mean that while reading the Gita we send the intelligence on a vacation but that we complement it with devotion.

A defining devotional axiom is that Krishna being infinite is not limited to one manifestation. Though he remains essentially one, he has many manifestations who fulfill different purposes and accordingly manifest varying moods.

Krishna implicitly refers to his different manifestations while speaking different verses. In 9.4, he refers to the Supersoul who pervades and sustains the entire material existence. In 9.5, he refers to himself as Bhagavan, as the transcendental person who delights in loving reciprocations in the spiritual world and is not in the least burdened by the task of managing material existence.

That’s why we need to train ourselves to study the Gita with a devotional disposition, accepting that Krishna and his word are superior to our intelligence. The Gita points us in this direction when it caps the seeming self-contradiction in 9.5 with a celebratory proclamation: pashya me yogam aishvaram “Behold my mystical opulence.”

By the Gita’s gradual self-revelation, what had initially appeared exasperating for the head turns out to be stimulating for the heart. The more we let our head embrace the Gita’s profundity, the more we let our heart enter deeper into the loving embrace of Krishna for a life of endless love.

***

09.04-05: By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities and although I am everywhere, I am not a part of this cosmic manifestation, for My Self is the very source of creation.

 

Last Day On The Blitz

Calgary, Alberta

I went to bed by 10:30 PM the previous night. Before sleeping I offered a prayer to Krishna, “Please wake me up at 2 AM,” and that’s what happened.

I fit in a measly 3 km before we took to highways 7 and then 9 en route to Calgary. Our blitz through the prairies with our road show is on fire. We are moving. By 4 AM, we had, as planned, set the keys in the ignition for an 8 hour drive to Calgary’s Festival of Chariots. We made it just in the nick of time. The route was 8th Ave. This year’s procession was featured with a flat bed arrangement upon which sat our kirtan chanting group. This device worked wonders. It allowed our chanting group to conserve its energy instead of trying to play an instrument, sing and walk all at the same time, trying to keep at a steady clip.

Bhakti yogis love chanting. They’ll do it in a crowd or even when it’s relatively quiet like the downtown of Calgary today which has very little presence of pedestrians, at least on a weekend. All went well.

We put a tail end spin to the evening with more chanting at the house deck of host Radha Madhava. We also took some minutes with a talking stick method (a pink pen) to reveal our minds about the prairie blitz amongst our performers. One person, Philippe, expressed his realization that the culture our guru created is one that whoever we meet, that was devotional, open up their doors so graciously so that we could rest and eat. He mentioned that we were made to feel totally at home.

I think it’s a significant point. For many people their house is their home and it’s not really a home for others unless they invite you. As long as you see yourself as the steward to your place of residence then naturally you’ve captured the hospitality mood.

6 KM

Last Day On The Blitz

Calgary, Alberta

I went to bed by 10:30 PM the previous night. Before sleeping I offered a prayer to Krishna, “Please wake me up at 2 AM,” and that’s what happened.

I fit in a measly 3 km before we took to highways 7 and then 9 en route to Calgary. Our blitz through the prairies with our road show is on fire. We are moving. By 4 AM, we had, as planned, set the keys in the ignition for an 8 hour drive to Calgary’s Festival of Chariots. We made it just in the nick of time. The route was 8th Ave. This year’s procession was featured with a flat bed arrangement upon which sat our kirtan chanting group. This device worked wonders. It allowed our chanting group to conserve its energy instead of trying to play an instrument, sing and walk all at the same time, trying to keep at a steady clip.

Bhakti yogis love chanting. They’ll do it in a crowd or even when it’s relatively quiet like the downtown of Calgary today which has very little presence of pedestrians, at least on a weekend. All went well.

We put a tail end spin to the evening with more chanting at the house deck of host Radha Madhava. We also took some minutes with a talking stick method (a pink pen) to reveal our minds about the prairie blitz amongst our performers. One person, Philippe, expressed his realization that the culture our guru created is one that whoever we meet, that was devotional, open up their doors so graciously so that we could rest and eat. He mentioned that we were made to feel totally at home.

I think it’s a significant point. For many people their house is their home and it’s not really a home for others unless they invite you. As long as you see yourself as the steward to your place of residence then naturally you’ve captured the hospitality mood.

6 KM

Verse 4.3: That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

As with most things of value, there is a price to pay for getting the "real deal". For material things, that price is often money. However, to truly understand bhakti, the price is something a little different - it's the price of faith and relationship.

That's what we hear Krsna say to Arjuna today. Krsna is saying, "I am revealing this science of bhakti yoga to you because you are my friend."

That in essence sums up the secret to successfully practicing bhakti yoga - staying in the association of and developing real and genuine friendships with bhakti yogis.

Often we've described how bhakti yoga is not something that can be learned from books and texts alone. That's because....

Bhakti requires guidance because it is a transformation of heart and attitude.

Such a transformation occurs more quickly when one is in the company of those whose hearts and attitudes have changed. However, it requires that we make an investment of time and faith in developing relationships with such persons. The hearts of the great bhakti yogis are soft as butter since they are actively trying to live a life of compassion, gratitude and service. However, as with any treasure, they guard that bhakti with great attention and care.

For most of us, our best friends are those that we have spent a lot of time with since it is only then that both sides start trusting each other and start to speak from the heart. Similarly, the heart of the bhakti yogi is revealed when a relationship based on respect and affection is established.

For anyone who wants to get to the heart of bhakti, the best way to do so is by securing a place in the heart of a bhakti yogi.

Verse 4.3: That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

As with most things of value, there is a price to pay for getting the "real deal". For material things, that price is often money. However, to truly understand bhakti, the price is something a little different - it's the price of faith and relationship.

That's what we hear Krsna say to Arjuna today. Krsna is saying, "I am revealing this science of bhakti yoga to you because you are my friend."

That in essence sums up the secret to successfully practicing bhakti yoga - staying in the association of and developing real and genuine friendships with bhakti yogis.

Often we've described how bhakti yoga is not something that can be learned from books and texts alone. That's because....

Bhakti requires guidance because it is a transformation of heart and attitude.

Such a transformation occurs more quickly when one is in the company of those whose hearts and attitudes have changed. However, it requires that we make an investment of time and faith in developing relationships with such persons. The hearts of the great bhakti yogis are soft as butter since they are actively trying to live a life of compassion, gratitude and service. However, as with any treasure, they guard that bhakti with great attention and care.

For most of us, our best friends are those that we have spent a lot of time with since it is only then that both sides start trusting each other and start to speak from the heart. Similarly, the heart of the bhakti yogi is revealed when a relationship based on respect and affection is established.

For anyone who wants to get to the heart of bhakti, the best way to do so is by securing a place in the heart of a bhakti yogi.

We are here in Mayapura during the rainy season. As anyone who lives here knows, it is very hot and humid. Nevertheless, every day many devotees come to the temple for darshan, class and kirtan.

From: sourabh
i see devotees of iskcon chanting in whatever way the can.
i mean they chant while walking,talking,speaking to someone,working on mobile phone,looking out of the window of train nd chanting
how do u justify such inattentive chanting? wouldnt it be better to do 1 thing at a time?

To hear the answer podcast, please click here

From: Krishna Gaur Das
in some western  countries devotees use Holi as An event to Attract more souls indirectly towards krishna consciousness.Is celebration of Holi dependent on different situations?

To hear the answer podcast, please click here

 

From: Puri Ashishkumar
Many times we feel stuck and confused with the thin line of difference between showing "Humility" and getting "Humiliated".How do we reconcile the extent to which being humble wont get us humiliation.

To hear the answer podcast, please click here

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrndavana, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.34)

Krsna is not a passive entity - it is not just about conquering Krsna – Krsna is also active. In the Gayatri mantras, he is established as a transcendental cupid, as a kamadeva who is shooting flower arrows. So, Krsna is just like cupid who is also described as one to shoot flower arrows. So, Krsna is kamadeva pushpadhanva.

The essence of the Gayatri mantra – there are two Gayatri mantras that deal with Krsna in his Vrndavana pastimes. The first one describes how Krsna is very dear to the residents of Vrndavana ‘gopijana-vallabha’ and it describes how he is the beloved of the residents of Vrndavana.

So basically, it puts the emphasis on the devotees – the devotees who are loving Krsna and that is their absorption – loving Krsna, conquering Krsna, attracting Krsna. But the other verse, the next verse describes how Krsna himself makes arrangements and is trying to attract and conquer the devotees. Like the flute, when Krsna plays the transcendental flute, Krsna is reaching out and Krsna captures the hearts and minds of others. All the living beings are captured by the sound of Krsna’s flute.

 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrndavana, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.34)

Krsna is not a passive entity - it is not just about conquering Krsna – Krsna is also active. In the Gayatri mantras, he is established as a transcendental cupid, as a kamadeva who is shooting flower arrows. So, Krsna is just like cupid who is also described as one to shoot flower arrows. So, Krsna is kamadeva pushpadhanva.

The essence of the Gayatri mantra – there are two Gayatri mantras that deal with Krsna in his Vrndavana pastimes. The first one describes how Krsna is very dear to the residents of Vrndavana ‘gopijana-vallabha’ and it describes how he is the beloved of the residents of Vrndavana.

So basically, it puts the emphasis on the devotees – the devotees who are loving Krsna and that is their absorption – loving Krsna, conquering Krsna, attracting Krsna. But the other verse, the next verse describes how Krsna himself makes arrangements and is trying to attract and conquer the devotees. Like the flute, when Krsna plays the transcendental flute, Krsna is reaching out and Krsna captures the hearts and minds of others. All the living beings are captured by the sound of Krsna’s flute.

 

From Jacob P

To hear the answer podcast, please click here

The miseries of this material world serve to indirectly remind us of our incompatibility with dead matter. Intelligent living entities generally take note of these reminders and engage themselves in the culture of vidya, or transcendental knowledge.

Ishopanishad mantra 11 purport

When one has devel­oped a real taste for chant­ing, then a sin­gle utter­ance of the holy name can erad­i­cate all pre­vi­ous sins. Some ves­tiges of sin­ful reac­tion may still remain in a par­tic­u­lar individ­ual, but these also are grad­u­ally removed by the process of chant­ing.

From Harinama Cintamani
Hari­dasa Thakura to Lord Cai­tanya

When one has devel­oped a real taste for chant­ing, then a sin­gle utter­ance of the holy name can erad­i­cate all pre­vi­ous sins. Some ves­tiges of sin­ful reac­tion may still remain in a par­tic­u­lar individ­ual, but these also are grad­u­ally removed by the process of chant­ing.

From Harinama Cintamani
Hari­dasa Thakura to Lord Cai­tanya

From Pancha Pandava P

To hear the answer podcast, please click here

Today is Guru-purnima. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the system of honoring the spiritual master is current in all sections of Vedic followers. In the Mayavadi (impersonalist) sects, disciples offer respect to the spiritual master once in a year, on Guru-purnima. And in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, disciples also offer homage annually—on the appearance day of the spiritual master, an occasion called Vyasa-puja because the spiritual master, through disciplic succession, presents the same knowledge as Vedavyasa, the empowered incarnation of Krsna who compiled the Vedic literatures. We shall take this opportunity to discuss the principle of guru—and glorify the acarya-sampradaya.

Guru is a deep subject. We sing, vande ’ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca, offering respects to the individual spiritual master, to the predecessor acaryas, and to all Vaisnavas.

As Srila Prabhupada explains, “The offering of respect to the spiritual master means offering respect to all the previous acaryas. Gurun means plural number. All the acaryas, they are not different from one another, because they are coming in the disciplic succession from the original spiritual master and they have no different views.” Thus we offer respects to the predecessors.

Similarly, we offer respects to the followers. Srila Prabhupada explains further, “Spiritual master means they must have many followers, who are all Vaisnavas. They are called prabhus, and the spiritual master is called Prabhupada, because at his lotus feet there are many prabhus. Pada means ‘lotus foot.’ All these Vaisnavas are prabhus. So they are also offered respectful obeisances—not the spiritual master alone, but along with his associates. And these associates, his disciples, are all Vaisnavas. Therefore they should also be offered respectful obeisances.” (SP comment on Mangalacarana, January 8, 1969)

For us in ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is the main guru; he is the founder-acarya. But he also has his associates—Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja, Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, Srila Sridhar Swami, Srila Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Srila Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami—to name some prominent ones who have departed. And of course, Prabhupada is being served by so many others today, and we can serve and learn from all of them.

“One who teaches can be treated as spiritual master. . . . So if we take instruction from them, all senior godbrothers may be treated as guru. There is no harm. Actually, you have only one spiritual master, who initiates you, just as you have only one father. But every Vaisnava should be treated as prabhu, master, higher than me, and in this sense, if I learn from him, he may be regarded as guru.” (SP letter dated November 20, 1971)

The original guru is Krsna. He speaks the knowledge of Bhagavad-gita and enunciates the principles of religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the principles of dharma—bhagavata-dharma, prema-dharma—are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma means “the laws of God,” or “the orders of God.” We cannot manufacture it; dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the principles of religion are enacted by the Lord Himself. We cannot make religious principles any more than we can make our own laws. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that you can’t just get together with some friends and pass your own laws. Law means that it must be enacted by the government, by the parliament or legislature. Similarly, dharma is enacted by God.

dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam
na vai vidur rsayo napi devah
na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah
kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah

“Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great rsis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyadharas, and Caranas.” (SB 6.3.19)

The conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja—to give up all varieties of dharmas and just surrender to Krsna. And to understand the confidential truths about religious principles and the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, we need the help of mahajanas, authorities in Krsna consciousness—gurus.

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam

dvadasaite vijanimo
dharmam bhagavatam bhatah
guhyam visuddham durbodham
yam jnatvamrtam asnute

“Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami, and I myself [Yamaraja] know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.” (SB 6.3.20–21)

This confidential knowledge is given by God in scriptures and passed down through disciplic succession (evam parampara-praptam) to great souls who in turn impart the knowledge to their eager followers. And of all scriptures, Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered the most important, the ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic knowledge.

nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam
suka-mukhad amrta-drava-samyutam
pibata bhagavatam rasam alayam
muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukah

“O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad-Bhagavatam, the mature fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literatures. It emanated from the lips of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. Therefore this fruit has become even more tasteful, although its nectarean juice was already relishable for all, including liberated souls.” (SB 1.1.3)

This nectarean fruit is passed down to us through disciplic succession. In commenting on this verse, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives the example of a mango tree. To get a ripe mango from the top of a tree, different boys climb onto different branches. The boy at the top plucks the fruit and hands it to the boy on the next branch down, that boy hands it to the one on the next branch, and so on, until finally it reaches the boy on the ground—in the same perfect condition as it was when at the top of the tree. It hasn’t been bruised or broken but has been delivered intact, just as it was.

At the top of the tree is Krsna, and He passes down the knowledge to Brahma. Brahma passes it to Narada, and Narada passes it to Vyasa. (Today is also called Vyasa Purnima because Vyasadeva, who compiled the Vedic literature, appeared on this date.) Vyasa passes it to Madhvacarya, and so on—Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Six Gosvamis, and further down, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Prabhupada. And now the followers of Srila Prabhupada are presenting the same knowledge. They follow and present the same teachings—that is their qualification.

About Vedavyasa, Srila Prabhupada wrote: “Vyasadeva was a real person accepted by all authorities, and anyone can judge how wonderful he was to have compiled the Vedic literatures. He is therefore known as Mahamuni. Muni means ‘thoughtful’ or ‘great thinker’ or ‘great poet,’ and maha means still greater. There is no comparison of Vyasadeva with any other writer or thinker or philosopher. Nobody can estimate the scholarly importance of Srila Vyasadeva. He composed many millions of Sanskrit verses, and we try to receive just a fragment of the knowledge in them by our tiny efforts. Srila Vyasadeva therefore summarized the whole Vedic knowledge in Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is known as the ripened fruit of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge. The ripened fruit is received hand to hand through disciplic succession, and anyone who does this work in disciplic succession from Srila Vyasadeva is considered a representative of Vyasadeva, and as such the bona fide spiritual master’s appearance day is worshiped as Vyasa-puja.” (Srila Prabhupada letter dated August 25, 1970)

In addition to being Vyasa-purnima, the appearance day of Vedavyasa, today is also the disappearance day of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the seniormost of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana. His book Brhad-Bhagavatamrta was the first major work of the Six Gosvamis. Sanatana Gosvami also comes in the disciplic succession from Lord Krsna to Brahma, but he is especially significant because he is a direct follower of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krsna Himself. Because Lord Caitanya is Krsna, He is capable of beginning His own disciplic succession, but because He was acting as a devotee, He chose to take initiation in the disciplic succession from Krsna and Brahma. Still, He is God, and the process by which He imparted knowledge to His immediate followers—Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami—is comparable to the way Lord Krsna imparted knowledge to Brahma. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, in his Caitanya-caritamrta, writes of Sanatana’s younger brother Rupa:

vrndavaniyam rasa-keli-vartam
kalena luptam nija-saktim utkah
sancarya rupe vyatanot punah sa
prabhur vidhau prag iva loka-srstim

“Before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, the Lord enlightened the heart of Lord Brahma with the details of the creation and manifested the Vedic knowledge. In exactly the same way, the Lord, being anxious to revive the Vrndavana pastimes of Lord Krsna, impregnated the heart of Rupa Gosvami with spiritual potency. By this potency, Srila Rupa Gosvami could revive the activities of Krsna in Vrndavana, activities almost lost to memory. In this way, He spread Krsna consciousness throughout the world.” (Cc Madhya 19.1) Lord Caitanya also empowered him to write books on bhakti-yoga, and the same could be said about Sanatana Gosvami.

We are followers of the Six Gosvamis—followers of their followers. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura prays,

ei chaya gosai yara-mui tara dasa
tan’-sabara pada-renu mora panca-grasa

“I am the servant of that person who is a servant of the Six Gosvamis. The dust of their holy feet is my five kinds of foodstuffs.”

And:

tandera carana sevi-bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame hoy ei abhilasa

“This is my desire, that birth after birth I may live with those devotees who serve the lotus feet of the Six Gosvamis.”

A few weeks ago we were fortunate to receive four visitors from Dallas, disciples of Tamal Krishna Goswami—Dharma dasa and his wife Urjesvari, her sister Saibya, and Padma dasi. At the same time, Mayapur dasa, Sridhar Swami’s personal servant for many years, was also with us. So we thought it a good occasion to glorify these two stalwart servants of Srila Prabhupada, these two powerful preachers, Tamal Krishna Goswami and Sridhar Swami. And it was very enlivening and purifying. All of the devotees spoke so beautifully—each and every one—and one could really feel Tamal Krishna Goswami’s and Sridhar Swami’s presence and really feel united with Srila Prabhupada and his associates. His Holiness Niranjana Swami also spoke very beautifully and led kirtana.

Although all of Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciples are godbrothers and godsisters in that we were all initiated by His Divine Grace, still, among Srila Prabhupada’s followers there are some who were—and are—really leading the movement and showing the way for others to follow. Certainly His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami was a great pioneer, as were His Holiness Sridhar Swami and the others I mentioned. And even now devotees are following Srila Prabhupada and leading us and showing us the way. We also are trying to make our little contributions, but still, there are some who are ahead of us, showing the way and making it easier for us to follow.

At the same time, it is also very personal and individual—through whom Krsna speaks to whom. It is not that everyone has to follow only one particular person. Krsna can manifest Himself—and Srila Prabhupada can manifest himself—through different servants, different Vaisnavas, and we should be open to that flow of mercy however and through whomever it comes. It is not fixed or rigid. That mercy can come in different ways, and we should be open to it. That is really the principle of guru: Krsna’s instructions come to us through some servant of Krsna, some representative of Krsna—and it is not limited to only one. Krsna can speak to us through many mouths, through many personalities, and we should be open to that guidance. We should take His instructions on our head and follow them. That is how Krsna guides the conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead. He can engage any number of His servants to help us; God knows we need all the help we can get. So we shouldn’t be sectarian. We shouldn’t cut ourselves off from any flow of mercy that may come to us by the arrangement of the Lord, or of Srila Prabhupada, or of any of our spiritual masters.

I think of the example of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, because he had so many gurus. Of course, he was a direct associate of Lord Caitanya Himself, but even then, he was helped by so many well-wishers and guides. First, he was initiated by Yadunandana Acarya, Raghunatha’s family’s spiritual master. Yadunandana Acarya himself was a great Vaisnava, an initiated disciple of Advaita Acarya and an intimate student of Vasudeva Datta. And Balarama Acarya, a dear associate of Haridasa Thakura, was Raghunatha’s family’s priest. Raghunatha learned from him too. Balarama Acarya and Yadunandana Acarya were friends, and both used to host Haridasa Thakura at their homes. For some time, Balarama Acarya provided Haridasa with a thatched hut and prasada, and at that time, while still a student, Raghunatha visited Haridasa Thakura daily, and it is said that because of the mercy Haridasa showed him then, Raghunatha later attained the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Once, Balarama Acarya invited Haridasa Thakura to speak in the assembly of Raghunatha’s family, the Majumadaras, and thus Raghunatha heard from him again, about the glories of the holy name.

Eventually, Raghunatha dasa met Nityananda Prabhu at Panihati and got His benediction to become free from all obstacles and attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Soon, Raghunatha escaped from home, traveled by foot to Puri, and attained the merciful shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu—by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu. Then, Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted Raghunatha dasa to Svarupa Damodara Gosvami: “I entrust Raghunatha to you. Please accept him as your son or servant.” Raghunatha was still very young, only about twenty-two. The Lord took Raghunatha’s hand and personally placed him in the hands of Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. And so Raghunatha became Svarupa Damodara’s assistant. Svarupa Damodara was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s secretary, and Raghunatha dasa in effect became assistant secretary.

After Caitanya Mahaprabhu left this world, followed by Svarupa Damodara and almost all of His other intimate associates, Raghunatha dasa felt bereft: “I am all alone. There is no reason to live. How can I live without my prabhus, without all of my masters?”

Raghunatha dasa felt so much separation that he decided to go to Vrndavana to see the lotus feet of Rupa and Sanatana and then give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill. But the two brothers would not allow him to die. They prevailed upon him to stay with them and speak about Mahaprabhu’s later pastimes. “You should not give up your life,” they told him. “You were with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri and were witness to so many of His intimate pastimes. You should stay with us and tell us about your experiences with Him.” And they accepted him as their third brother.

Especially Sanatana Gosvami gave him shelter and took care of him. At first, when Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was doing bhajana at Radha-kunda, he didn’t have any residence. And while doing his bhajana, he was pretty much oblivious to everything else. He would chant, but he could hardly chant sometimes, because he would go into trance. Still, he chanted at least one lakh names every day. But it could happen that he would chant one name and then go into deep trance, and the pastimes of Krsna would play in his mind. Like that, he was chanting Krsna’s name and remembering Krsna’s pastimes one day, and the hot sun was beating down on his head. Srimati Radharani Herself then came and held a cloth over his head, but he didn’t know it, because he was in deep meditation. But Sanatana Gosvami understood, and he personally built a bhajana-kutira for Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. He took care of Raghunatha dasa in every respect.

In his book Vilapa-kusumanjali, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami begins by offering respects to his gurus, including Sanatana Gosvami:

vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair
apayayan mam anabhipsum andham
krpambudhir yah para-duhkha-duhkhi
sanatanas tam prabhum asrayami

“I was unwilling to drink the nectar of devotional service possessed of renunciation, but Sanatana Gosvami, out of his causeless mercy, made me drink it, even though I was otherwise unable to do so. Therefore he is an ocean of mercy. He is very compassionate to fallen souls like me, and thus it is my duty to offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.” (Vilapa-kusumanjali 6)

In this verse, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami describes Sanatana Gosvami with a phrase that Srila Prabhupada often quoted (for all compassionate Vaisnavas): para-duhkha-duhkhi—“he felt sorrow in the sorrow of others.” Raghunatha dasa says, vairagya-yug-bhakti-rasam prayatnair—he gave me the nectar of devotional service enriched with renunciation; anabhipsum andham—but I was unwilling (anabhipsum) to drink it, because I was blind (andham) to my spiritual well-being; so apayayan mam—he forced me to drink it. Sanatana Gosvami is an ocean of mercy (krpambudhi), and therefore I offer my respectful obeisances to him. I take shelter of him, my master (prabhum asrayami).

Srila Prabhupada paraphrased this verse in composing a verse to honor his sannyasa-guru, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. He used almost the same words. The idea is that it is very hard to become free from the shackles of family life. Of course, one can be a pure devotee in the grhastha-asrama—that is another thing—but to preach, sannyasa may be advised.

As Srila Prabhupada describes it, he was having recurring dreams that his guru maharaja was calling him to follow him and preach. And he would wake up horrified: “How can I take sannyasa and become a mendicant? How can I leave my wife and children? What will happen then?” Eventually Prabhupada accepted vanaprastha. He went to Jhansi and began the League of Devotees there. But there was some politics. The wife of the governor wanted the property that Srila Prabhupada had been using for the League. She made all efforts to get it for some ladies’ program, and because she was so influential, Prabhupada decided not to fight against her. So he left and went to Mathura, where he stayed in the matha of his godbrother Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. And Kesava Maharaja insisted, “You must take sannyasa.” To fully take up the order of the spiritual master and preach, one must accept the renounced order of life. And so Prabhupada did—he took sannyasa.

Then, in 1968—in the early days of the Krsna consciousness movement in the West—in Seattle, Srila Prabhupada got news that His Holiness Kesava Maharaja had passed away. So he held a meeting with his disciples there and spoke about the history, how his guru maharaja and his godbrother had “forced” him to take sannyasa: “My godbrother insisted. Not he insisted—practically my spiritual master insisted through him, that ‘You accept.’ He wanted me to become a preacher, so he forced me through this godbrother: ‘You accept.’ So, unwillingly I accepted.”

Srila Prabhupada saw that his guru maharaja was working through his godbrother, speaking through his godbrother—another Vaisnava—and he composed this verse, very similar to the one Raghunatha dasa composed for Sanatana Gosvami—but for Kesava Maharaja. Apayayan mam anabhipsum andham. “I was unwilling to take the medicine of bhakti with detachment because I was blind. I could not see my future, that spiritual life is the brightest future. So the Vaisnavas, the spiritual master, they force: ‘You must drink.’” Sri-kesava-bhakti-prajnana-nama krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye: “Sri Bhaktiprajnana Kesava is an ocean of mercy, and I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.”

So, Sanatana Gosvami was a great shelter to Vaisnavas in Vrndavana. He was not only intelligent—all the Gosvamis were most intelligent—he was also very shrewd, very clever; he understood politics and diplomacy. It is said that Rupa Gosvami was very simple but that Sanatana Gosvami was very astute; he could understand people’s motives and intentions. So he was able to protect devotees in the most practical ways, because he had that type of intelligence. And he protected Raghunatha dasa Gosvami on every level.

Then, on the day of Guru-purnima, because Sanatana Gosvami was the seniormost of the Gosvamis and the siksa-guru of almost everyone in Vrndavana, the Vaisnavas went to Govardhana to offer him respects. Upon their arrival at his bhajana-kutira at Manasi-ganga, they saw that he was in trance. He didn’t move at all. So they waited. They didn’t want to disturb him.

Eventually they understood that he had left, and they all were overwhelmed with separation. They took him on parikrama of Govardhana Hill, as he had faithfully done parikrama of Govardhana Hill every day. But they weren’t sure where to place his body. Jiva Gosvami, who was the leader after Sanatana, decided that they should bring him back to Vrndavana, close to the temple of the Deity of Madana-mohana, who was so dear to him. So, that took place on Guru-purnima.

We can see how the devotees helped each other. Everyone helped everyone. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, we find that the Vaisnavas were always helping each other. And we should learn from their example. We should develop that mood. Of course, help can come in different ways. Sometimes it comes in terms of instruction, and sometimes it comes in practical ways, like Sanatana Gosvami’s building Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s bhajana-kutira. These exalted devotees were always serving each other—serving Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and serving each other. And that should be our mood: to serve each other, actually help each other—and to learn from each other.

In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, we learn how an avadhuta brahmana took lessons from others, from twenty-four siksa-gurus: the material elements, natural phenomena, plants, animals—even from a prostitute. By his intelligence, he learned from all of them, and he accepted them all as his gurus. For example, he learned from the mountain that a saintly person should devote all his efforts to the service of others and make their welfare the sole reason for his existence (as we learn from Govardhana Hill). From the python he learned that one should give up material endeavor and accept what comes of its own accord—one should remain peaceful and steady, indifferent to material gain but always alert to self-realization. Even from Pingala, a prostitute, he learned. Because she had no other source of income, she was very anxious for customers. One night she was waiting, waiting, waiting, and still no customer came. Finally, at the end of the night, she felt disgusted with her situation and thus became detached. From Pingala he learned detachment—and attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom she accepted as her ultimate shelter and object of love.

So we can learn from anyone and anything. If we are sincerely trying to serve Krsna and to understand how best to serve Him, the Lord in the heart will give us the intelligence how to learn from others—even from trees and grass. Caitanya Mahaprabhu glorified the trees and grass, for from them we learn how to be tolerant and humble. So we can learn from anyone and everyone, and everything.

We can learn even from demons—and we are surrounded by them. Big business people, with their advertising and other strategies, are so clever. We should be that shrewd, that clever, for Krsna. Materialistic leaders figure out how to trap people in their nets and pull them in and keep them. We can learn from such powerful materialists how to attract people and keep them, for Krsna—how to be organized and intelligent, for Krsna. If we are in the proper mood, anything can remind us of devotional service and be used for Krsna’s benefit. Anyone can be a siksa-guru for us if we are absorbed in the mood of serving Krsna, fixed in Krsna consciousness.

But in particular, and especially on occasions like today, we are enjoined to offer respectful obeisances unto our diksa- and siksa-gurus in the disciplic succession, from Krsna to Brahma to Narada to Vyasa, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu to Sanatana Gosvami, from Srila Prabhupada to his followers, which include all of you.

Hare Krsna.
—Giriraj Swami, July 29, 2007, Dallas

To hear the holy name meditation podcast, please click here

The devotees of Lord Caitanya are very kind, especially our Swami, traveling all night through North Germany and ready to liberate any number of poor chickens who are on their horrific way to another birth.

How much different was the faith of millions of Jews or Gypsies in this same country, at the hands of ignorant people who had no understanding of the soul or karma. Are we allowed to say this? ooops too late.
Srila Prabhupada saw the urgency to spread this knowledge and I am preaching to myself when I say it is our duty to take this mission to every town and village while we still have some life in our bone’s.

Your servant Parasuram Das

We are pleased to announce that ISKCON Brampton will be having the first children's festival of chariots (Ratha Yatra) in August 2013.  Join us along with your family and friends for this special occasion. Gage Park is located at the intersection of Main St. S. and Wellington St. West in the historic downtown of Brampton. Free underground parking is available beneath City Hall.There would be lots of fun activities for everyone:

• Kirtan, Dance
• Face painting
• Yoga Meltdown
• Games
• Crafts.... and much more.

In The Nectar of Devotion it is stated that if anyone just sees the Rathayatra cart passing and stands up to receive the Lord, he can purge all sinful results from his body. And if anyone follows the Rathayatra cart when the Deities pass in front or from behind, even if he is born of a lowly family, he can achieve opulence equal to that of Vishnu (God). Although one may think such statements to be exaggerations, expert devotees who know the intricacies of transcendental science do not doubt them.

For more information on how you can serve, please contact Aindra Dasa by emailvdussoye@gmail.com or call 905-636-9466.

We are pleased to announce that ISKCON Brampton will be having the first children's festival of chariots (Ratha Yatra) in August 2013.  Join us along with your family and friends for this special occasion. Gage Park is located at the intersection of Main St. S. and Wellington St. West in the historic downtown of Brampton. Free underground parking is available beneath City Hall.There would be lots of fun activities for everyone:

• Kirtan, Dance
• Face painting
• Yoga Meltdown
• Games
• Crafts.... and much more.

In The Nectar of Devotion it is stated that if anyone just sees the Rathayatra cart passing and stands up to receive the Lord, he can purge all sinful results from his body. And if anyone follows the Rathayatra cart when the Deities pass in front or from behind, even if he is born of a lowly family, he can achieve opulence equal to that of Vishnu (God). Although one may think such statements to be exaggerations, expert devotees who know the intricacies of transcendental science do not doubt them.

For more information on how you can serve, please contact Aindra Dasa by emailvdussoye@gmail.com or call 905-636-9466.

New Vrindaban will be celebrating its third annual “PUSHPA ABHISHEK” where we bathe their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra with rainbow showers of flowers petals.

Sat. July 27, 2013Schedule:

7:00 PM    Arotika

7:30 PM    Pushpa Abhishek

8:15 PM    Feast

9:15 PM    Swan Boat Festival

If you have any flowers or petals you would like to offer to the Lorde for the Abhishek, please bring them to the temple at 8:00 AM Sat. morning, or any time before 6 PM.

On our final day of the 2012/13 school year, teachers, parents, and students got together to celebrate the students’ achievements, friendships, and the beginning of summer adventures. Every family brought a food preparation that was thoroughly enjoyed as the children chattered over their summer hopes and plans.

Mother Savitri and Hamsaduta prabhu painted the children’s faces (and some parents!) and made magic with their balloon character creations. Mother Rasakeli gave her usual words of encouragement to her youngest students, and Mother Vrnda Priya gave her biggest smile while Mother Gopi Gita shed a tear or two. Mother Jayanti was there to see the kids off like she has done every year as principal since 1985.

After lots of play, lots of hugs,  and lots of pictures each family told their children it was time to say “goodbye”. As each reluctant student gave their best friend one last hug and “Haribol” of the school year with the promise of play dates, TKG Academy staff gathered around each other for their own reluctance to say goodbye to their coworkers for the summer break.

Great memories were added to the long history of the first US Gurukula established so many years ago by His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada. Can’t wait to see what unfolds in the next school year.

It’s an open secret that public chanting of the holy names brings all auspiciousness to the conditioned souls of this world. But the secret is now fully revealed as daily we loudly broadcast the Maha-Mantra in the many towns and villages along the Baltic Sea coast in Poland. So relishable is this service that we [...]

The post July 22nd, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

1967 July 22: "It is the Grace of Lord Krishna that He has put me in contact with so many rare souls who are taking Krishna Consciousness in all seriousness. Now I am going to India; and even if I cannot come back, I will work so all you transcendental children can be strong enough to preach this cult for the benefit of all human society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 July 22: "After finishing your M.A. exams I wish that you become fixed up and come for some time to Vrindaban in my personal touch. When I come back, I shall install Radha-Krishna Murti in the temple, and I hope it will be a great center for the society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1972 July 22: "I am especially pleased that your travelling party is having good success. Strengthen whatever devotees we have got in spiritual life, fix them beyond any doubts. Then our potency will increase so that we may recruit dozens of new devotees very easily."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 22: "Regarding Lalita Prasad Thakura, unless he keeps his promise than we are not interested to publish any of Bhaktivinode Thakura's books. That animosity against Guru Maharaja is going on, so we shall have nothing to do with it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 22: "The reading of Krsna Book and chanting at his bedside must go on. I am offering prayers to Krsna that He may protect Jaya Gopala, who is such sincere devotee. Now you godbrothers and godsisters also continue to offer prayers and chant always the Hare Krsna Mantra for him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 July 22: "Avoid publishing my writings in hodge-podge journals. These so-called Hindus are generally impersonalists, and we do not want to have anything to do with them. Better we stick to our own standard, and eventually they will all come to us for learning what is God."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 July 22: "The translating of my books is of the utmost importance and I am very thankful that you are seriously taking on this practical work for spreading Krsna Consciousness in your zone."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 July 22: "You have done a nice job with the French edition of Back to Godhead, and I am especially looking forward to the next issue which will be color 32 pages. You should more and more improve this magazine until it becomes superior to all other magazines in the French language."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

FESTIVAL OF COLORS 2013

Saturday, September 14th, 2013 (11am – 7pm)

The world’s happiest event is just around the corner!  On Sat. Sept. 14 2013, the Palace of Gold will host its 2^nd annual Festival of Colors.  Come and join the fun with hundreds of other lively color-throwing participants. The festival is an exuberant gathering of people united in the desire to celebrate life, where everyone is invited to join in!

Festivities include eight hours of continuous music and jamming, with hourly color throwings. Last year one guest appreciated that “those people at the Festival of Colors sure know how to throw a party!”

The event is perfect for all ages, as witnessed by one father, who confirmed, “My family and I had a great time, and look forward to coming back year after year to ‘celebrate life’ in this special way.”

So mark the date – Saturday, September 14^th, 2013 – and invite your friends to come ‘Color your life and throw your worries to the wind!’

More info @ www.festivalofcolors.us

Consciousness: The Missing Link by Radhanath Swami, Talks at Google

The Appearance Anniversary of Lord Balarama falls on Wednesday August the 21st.

Lord Balarama is the adi-guru, the original spiritual master.Therefore His appearance as the son of Rohini and Vasudeva is celebrated by devotees with great jubilation.

In Chaitanya-lila, Lord Balarama appears as Lord Nityananda, the bestower of mercy to even the most fallen conditioned soul.

Our schedule will be:
4.30pm Arati & Kirtan
5.00pm Class
6.00pm Feast
7.00pm Gaura Arati

Please join us.

Heart attack. Recession. Earthquake. All of us have our fears. Fears that check even choke our energy, making things far more difficult than they need to be.

How do we deal with fear?

Some people increase their wealth or power, hoping that one day they will become so big that no fear will intimidate them. Sadly however, that day never comes. No matter how big they become, their bigness is derived from, even dependent upon, external possessions and positions that they can never fully control. So in a tragic paradox, the bigger they become, the bigger their anxieties become.

To become fear-free, Gita wisdom urges us to become aware of a presence that dwarfs fear – the supreme presence of Krishna.

The Bhagavad-gita (16.01) states that fearlessness is the first characteristic of the godly. This fearlessness is a direct result of their godliness or God consciousness. Krishna presides as the supreme reality in a blissful arena beyond the fear-filled arena of matter. He is bigger than everything – even the biggest problem that life presents. And he makes available his supreme intelligence and grace to all those who seek it by becoming conscious of their eternal loving relationship with him.

By prayerful daily meditation and regular scriptural study, we too can tune our consciousness to become aware of the divine presence of Krishna within and without. This doesn't cause problems to disappear, but it takes away the power of problems send us on flights of nightmarish fantasy. Our emotions instead of being agitated by the problem’s presence become reassured by awareness of Krishna’s presence. Thus we become free to tackle the situation intelligently and productively.

Thus, even while living in a fearful world with a fear-prone, we can live fearlessly.

***

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.

 

 

On Broadway?

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

I took to walking the scenic route near the university grounds in Regina around Lake Wascana before the ride to Saskatoon to Regina. Quite pleasant.

What is even more pleasant is spending the time with our travelling team, what a great bunch of guys. Here we are, an actual travelling road show, going from city to city doing our gigs. Each member is self driven. The mood is “We are part of a mission. We like that our guru, Srila Prabhupada, is pleased with our efforts.” Time is tight. Distances of travel are lengthy. Each new venue has its own glory and challenges. We do foul up sometimes. A mrdanga drum got lost in the previous place, oops! The person playing Krishna’s role has no pants to wear, they also got left behind. These are minor screw ups, believe it or not, they will be rectified. Upon hitting such surprises we are a group that becomes concerned and then innovates a change and solution. Our technical sound guy at Broadway Theatre is Jack, a lovely fellow, an old hippie with beard and all (that’s Broadway in Saskatoon by the way).

It’s day number 2 with my emcee duty. I’m rather liking it. It was a proud moment for me to introduce Chief of Police for Saskatoon, Clive Weighill, to the stage for a message. That took care of our ksatriya (warrior) guest. Then I called on Father David from the Holy Family Church to represent the local brahmin sector, a loveable person he is.

I hope they don’t mind me saying this but, by the ending of the show at kirtan time, officer Weighill along with his wife danced up something wonderful along with the rest of the audience. Father David also took in the dance moves in the narrow space between the stage and the seating. Jack also swirled around on his feet joining the crowd. The event could not have been much better participatory wise. I thank the Great Power under the prairie sky for the occasion of a topmost celebration.

7 KM