Bhaktivedanta Hospital opens in Mayapur
→ Mayapur.com

View the Gallery: Bhaktivedanta Hospital Opening Gallery We are happy to announce that By the causeless mercy of Sri Pancattava, Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Lord Nrisimhadev & Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladev and Srimati Subhadra Devi and by the blessings of all of you, Bhaktivedanta Hospital- Mayapur Health Care Centre, Mayapur will start it’s service from [...]

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Radhanath Swami Recalls Srila Prabhupada’s Visit to the Original New Vrindaban Farmhouse – June 1976
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Srila Prabhupada meets his old friend Kaliya (the cow) on the path to the New Vrindaban farmhouse.

Srila Prabhupada meets his old friend Kaliya (the cow) on the path to the New Vrindaban farmhouse, 1976

 

“That’s the First Cow of New Vrindaban, Srila Prabhupada.”

Radhanatha Swami recalls a 1976 visit Srila Prabhupada made to the old farm quarters in New Vrindaban. Prabhupada had lived in that primitive woodland setting for a month in 1969 when it was the entire New Vrindaban. Although he had frequently visited the growing New Vrindaban project, Prabhupada had never gone back to the old farmhouse.

“If you can clean this place up, I will bring him up,” said Kirtanananda Swami, but later he changed his mind. “We are not going to bring Prabhupada up here. He’ll say it looks like a jungle. It is not proper.” Radhanatha was disheartened to hear it, because he was the pujari of the Deity Radha-Vrndavananatha, who resided in the little temple farmhouse. He had been feeling it would be the perfection of his devotional service to Radha-Vrndavananatha if the pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada, would come to associate with Him. He decided to at least bring a picture of Radha-Vrndavananatha for Srila Prabhupada to see.

One day during Srila Prabhupada’s visit, Kirtanananda Swami introduced Radhanatha to Srila Prabhupada and told him he had been making Srila Prabhupada’s sandesa.

“Very nice,” Srila Prabhupada replied. Radhanatha then showed Prabhupada an eight-by-ten picture of Radha-Vrndavananatha. Srila Prabhupada looked at Them silently and meditatively for about a minute. Then he began glorifying Lord Krsna. He said Krsna in Vrndavana is the sweetest. When Krsna stays in Mathura, Dvaraka, that is city beauty, but when He is in the village of Vrndavana, His beauty is the sweetest. While saying this, Srila Prabhupada continued to glance at the picture of Radha-Vrndavananatha. He then spoke of how Krsna goes out to the pasturing ground with His buffalo horn and flute to herd the cows and play with His friends. Krsna and His friends would get so absorbed in their play that mother Yasoda would have to go out and get Krsna to bring Him home.

“Where are these Deities?” Srila Prabhupada asked Kirtanananda Swami.

“They are at the original farm,” said Kirtanananda Swami, “the place you stayed many years ago.”

“You can take me there to see Them?” asked Srila Prabhupada.

“It is very difficult to go there,” Kirtanananda Swami replied. “The road is very bad. It would be uncomfortable for you.”

“You have a jeep?” Srila Prabhupada suggested.

Seeing Srila Prabhupada’s persistence, Kirtanananda Swami said that they would make all arrangements for his going there.

When the brahmacaris from the old farm heard the news, they were ecstatic. They tried their best to clean and make ready their backwoods temple and planned how to greet Srila Prabhupada. Radhanatha emphasized that Kirtanananda Swami said it was important that the recording of the “Govindam” prayers begin as soon as Prabhupada walked through the doorway to the temple. Therefore, the tape recorder should be cued and placed strategically. A guard should stand down the road and another near the house to signal Prabhupada’s advance toward the temple. Radhanatha, the pujari, would stay poised by the recorder, ready to press the button at the right instant.

Meanwhile, Srila Prabhupada traveled three-quarters of the way to the farm by pickup truck but then decided to walk the last part as his daily morning walk. As he walked, all the “guards” went to join him. Passing a black cow, one of the devotees said, “That’s the first cow of New Vrindaban, Srila Prabhupada.”

“Yes, I know Kaliya,” Srila Prabhupada replied. Finally he walked up to the temple and entered. Somehow, the other devotees were all detained outside and Srila Prabhupada entered the temple room alone. He stood with palms folded, looking at the surprised Radhanatha. A bit belatedly, Radhanatha pushed the button, and “Govindam” began. They then opened the curtains, and Srila Prabhupada stood to one side, looking at Radha-Vrndavananatha. He nodded his head approvingly to the Deities and then to the pujari. After a few moments, Prabhupada went to the rear of the room and sat on the rustic-looking vyasasana. Sublimely and naturally, he began to give the morning Srimad-Bhagavatam class.

Srila Prabhupada takes darshan of Sri Vrindaban Nath at the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, 1976.

Srila Prabhupada takes darshan of Sri Radha Vrindabanatha at the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, 1976.

Radhanatha Swami, interview. Prabhupada showed more than once how he immediately felt quite at home in New Vrindaban, and the Prabhupada-lilamrta describes this in telling of Prabhupada’s first visit there. Although he was accustomed to big cities, as soon as he came to a place like New Vrindaban or to the farm in Hyderabad, he was at ease and quite happy with such primitive living conditions. In India, Prabhupada had also spent most of his early years in the cities: he grew up in Calcutta, had his business in Allahabad, and he traveled as a businessman. But his attraction to such simple forest settings is transcendental. He also told us that Krsna is attracted to such a setting in the original Vrndavana. Prabhupada always became enlivened at the prospects of varnasrama-dharma, village life and cow protection when he came into these settings. It enlivened him to see the Krsna conscious farm developed in a simple setting.

Radhanatha Swami tells that on one occasion in New Vrindaban, Prabhupada said the devotees should stay in New Vrindaban and be satisfied. It was the same thing Kirtanananda had been repeatedly telling the devotees. Now that Prabhupada said it, it became a great confirmation for the devotees there. Prabhupada was satisfied to stay at their farm community and they should follow that example.

- From Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

08.15 – We can’t change the nature of nature, but we can change the nature of desire
→ The Spiritual Scientist

“And they lived happily ever after.” This is the common end of most novels and movies. That is the dream of all of us, isn’t it?

Puzzlingly, the Bhagavad-gita seems to puncture our dreams. It declares (08.15: duhkhalayam ashasvatam) the world has two essential characteristics that are the polar opposites of the “happily ever after” dream: it is miserable (the opposite of “happily”) and it is ephemeral (the opposite of “ever after”).

Why does the Gita paint such a pessimistic picture of our prospects of happiness? Actually, it doesn’t.

It echoes our heart’s innate conviction: we are meant to be happy – and be happy forever.

But it cautions us against seeking happiness in the world of matter because material nature by its very nature is destructible. And nothing can ever change this nature. We can dream through literatures, movies and technologies, but we just can’t change the nature of nature.

So it is not that the Gita is puncturing our dreams; it is reality that is going to puncture our dreams. The Gita wants to protect us from the agony and the trauma of that puncture.

And that protection comes in the form of its unequivocal assurance that we don’t have to renounce our dreams; we just have to redirect them. We can change the nature of our desires from material to spiritual and live to honor our spiritual nature as beloved parts of Krishna. By so doing, we will live as happily as is possible in this world. And we will eventually attain eternal ecstatic life with Krishna, thereby fulfilling the “happily ever after” dream.

So rather than struggling to change the unchangeable nature of nature, Gita wisdom urges us to strive to change the changeable nature of our desire.

***

After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Disappearance Day, July 7, San Jose
Giriraj Swami

bhaktivinoda_thakura_saranagati“Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura shows us extraordinary determination. We see that even in the life of such a great devotee, empowered with Gaura shakti, still the material world is no rose garden — although we long for it to be so. We hope, in our neophyte mentality, that by our performing bhakti Krishna will make the material world nice. It seems an appropriate trade, yes? As Srila Prabhupada explains in the seventh canto in relation to when Lord Nrsimhadeva offered Prahlada Maharaja benedictions, the desire for the fulfillment of one’s lusty desires in exchange for one’s devotional service is quite common. So, we can take that to heart. What would we have done facing the obstacles that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura faced? We might have just accused Krishna, ‘Why have You let this happen to me? What is this? I have taken up the process of bhakti, and now look.’” — Devamrita Swami

Vaisesika Dasa
Devamrita Swami
Giriraj Swami

If devotees don’t help the needy because of fear of being bound by good karma, aren’t they sacrificing basic humanity for spirituality?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Sushant:

    Today, in my college, a handicapped child came in search of help with his father.He sits in a wheel chair and he said that he needed an amount of 2 lakh rupees to continue his medical treatment which his father could not afford himself alone.He expressed that he wants to go to school,play and do all activities like we do but cannot due to his helpless condition.So,students as well as the staff started contributing some amount of money that they could to help this child.I too wanted to contribute some money but then I was reminded about your answer podcast that even this good karma will bind me and make me suffer.So I did not make any contribution.
            After coming home,I was feeling so much guilty.I could have extended my little help to that poor child but I didn't.

Isn't it unfair?Aren't we neglecting the basics of humanity for the sake of our spiritual advancement?

To hear the answer podcast, please click here

 

Spiritual irresponsibility plunges us into an ocean of reproachment
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The father, spiritual master or husband must be able to release the dependent from repeated birth and death. If he cannot do this, he plunges himself into the ocean of reproachment for his unlawful activities. Everyone should be very responsible and take charge of his dependents just as a spiritual master takes charge of his disciple or a father takes charge of his son. All these responsibilities cannot be discharged honestly unless one can save the dependent from repeated birth and death.

Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.18 purport

Visiting Sri Vrndavana Dham
→ KKS Blog

DSCN6589After the Czech summer camp, Kadamba Kanana Swami paid a visit to the holy land of India, more precisely to the topmost of holy places, Sri Vrndavana Dham. It was for just under a week, so the stay was short but still fully transcendental. On almost a daily basis, Maharaja participated in the 24 hour kirtan. Enthusiastic young devotees, whose only service is to be present in the kirtan for at least six hours a day in order to keep the continuous chanting alive, anticipated in the five o’clock slots, hoping for Maharaja to show up and to share in his ecstatic kirtans. And he did! For your pleasure, recordings of all these kirtans are available below for download.

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part I – 27 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part II – 27 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part III – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part IV – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part V – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part VI – 30 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part VII – 30 june 2013 in Vrndavana

 

Apart from leading kirtan, Maharaja presented several lectures: a Bhagavatam class, a talk based on the Bhagavad-gita that was given in Prabhupada’s quarters and a lecture to the resident brahmacaries to inspire their path in spiritual life and to fix them in strictly following the principles of brahmacarya. To the 24 hour kirtan party, Maharaja gave a talk in Aindra Prabhu’s quarters in the brahmacari ashram, stressing the importance of deep absorption in chanting and serving the holy name of the Lord. Since a group of young students from Delhi were visiting the Krsna-Balarama mandir, Maharaja took the opportunity to address them and help them understand the importance of following the path back to Godhead. All these classes can also be found and downloaded below by right-clicking on the title and “save target as”.

KKS – Brahmacari Class – 28 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – S.B. 4.29.51 – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – Talk in Aindra’s room – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – Student Talk – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – B.G. 14.22-25 – 02 July 2013 in Vrndavana

 

Further to his preaching efforts, Maharaja took many walks in the area around the temple and paid visits to devotee friends. The whole stay is captured in a slide-show below. In case you cannot view it then just visit flickr.

Visiting Sri Vrndavana Dham
→ KKS Blog

DSCN6589After the Czech summer camp, Kadamba Kanana Swami paid a visit to the holy land of India, more precisely to the topmost of holy places, Sri Vrndavana Dham. It was for just under a week, so the stay was short but still fully transcendental. On almost a daily basis, Maharaja participated in the 24 hour kirtan. Enthusiastic young devotees, whose only service is to be present in the kirtan for at least six hours a day in order to keep the continuous chanting alive, anticipated in the five o’clock slots, hoping for Maharaja to show up and to share in his ecstatic kirtans. And he did! For your pleasure, recordings of all these kirtans are available below for download.

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part I – 27 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part II – 27 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part III – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part IV – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part V – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part VI – 30 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part VII – 30 june 2013 in Vrndavana

 

Apart from leading kirtan, Maharaja presented several lectures: a Bhagavatam class, a talk based on the Bhagavad-gita that was given in Prabhupada’s quarters and a lecture to the resident brahmacaries to inspire their path in spiritual life and to fix them in strictly following the principles of brahmacarya. To the 24 hour kirtan party, Maharaja gave a talk in Aindra Prabhu’s quarters in the brahmacari ashram, stressing the importance of deep absorption in chanting and serving the holy name of the Lord. Since a group of young students from Delhi were visiting the Krsna-Balarama mandir, Maharaja took the opportunity to address them and help them understand the importance of following the path back to Godhead. All these classes can also be found and downloaded below by right-clicking on the title and “save target as”.

KKS – Brahmacari Class – 28 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – S.B. 4.29.51 – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – Talk in Aindra’s room – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – Student Talk – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – B.G. 14.22-25 – 02 July 2013 in Vrndavana

 

Further to his preaching efforts, Maharaja took many walks in the area around the temple and paid visits to devotee friends. The whole stay is captured in a slide-show below. In case you cannot view it then just visit flickr.

Visiting Sri Vrindavan Dham
→ KKS Blog

DSCN6589After the Czech summer camp, Kadamba Kanana Swami paid a visit to the holy land of India, more precisely to the topmost of holy places, Sri Vrndavana Dham. It was for just under a week, so the stay was short but still fully transcendental. On almost a daily basis, Maharaja participated in the 24 hour kirtan. Enthusiastic young devotees, whose only service is to be present in the kirtan for at least six hours a day in order to keep the continuous chanting alive, anticipated in the five o’clock slots, hoping for Maharaja to show up and to share in his ecstatic kirtans. And he did! For your pleasure, recordings of all these kirtans are available below for download.

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part I – 27 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part II – 27 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part III – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part IV – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part V – 29 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part VI – 30 june 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – 24-h kirtana Part VII – 30 june 2013 in Vrndavana

 

Apart from leading kirtan, Maharaja presented several lectures: a Bhagavatam class, a talk based on the Bhagavad-gita that was given in Prabhupada’s quarters and a lecture to the resident brahmacaries to inspire their path in spiritual life and to fix them in strictly following the principles of brahmacarya. To the 24 hour kirtan party, Maharaja gave a talk in Aindra Prabhu’s quarters in the brahmacari ashram, stressing the importance of deep absorption in chanting and serving the holy name of the Lord. Since a group of young students from Delhi were visiting the Krsna-Balarama mandir, Maharaja took the opportunity to address them and help them understand the importance of following the path back to Godhead. All these classes can also be found and downloaded below by right-clicking on the title and “save target as”.

KKS – Brahmacari Class – 28 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – S.B. 4.29.51 – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – Talk in Aindra’s room – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – Student Talk – 30 June 2013 in Vrndavana

KKS – B.G. 14.22-25 – 02 July 2013 in Vrndavana

 

Further to his preaching efforts, Maharaja took many walks in the area around the temple and paid visits to devotee friends. The whole stay is captured in a slide-show below. In case you cannot view it then just visit flickr.