Planet ISKCON

Expand the Vision

Toronto, Ontario

One of my ashram chums, I guess you could say, Harakumar, conveyed that the series of islands where our Festival of India is held was a space for healing for the Huron Tribe (Nation) long ago. I can see that. With all that the organizers do to erect a weekend sacredness I’m willing to say that it is imperative to maintain the integrity and initial intent of the place. You have this karma free food, you have mantras, teaching circles, yoga, activities for engaging the kids, there is “wellness” all around you.

One attractive feature on Centre Island, the actual location of the Festival of India is a Sunday morning yagya (sacrifice). Two of our awesome monks, Hayagriva and Maha Mantra, received their 2nd initiations before the sacred fire that represents the tongue of Vishnu. They became awarded with brahmin duties. Before they received their sacred threads, I spoke from the view of chapter 8 from Bhagavad Gita. I want them to become brahmins who would embrace a very inclusive perception of what is Divine. In other words, I emphasize the point that as a brahmin priest, you do not see God only in a temple as verse 22 indicates, “Although He is present in His own abode, He is all pervading and everything is situated within Him.” Quoting our guru, Srila Prabhupada, he had this to say, “By His spiritual and material energies, He is present everywhere, both in the material and the spiritual universes.”

If we attempt to limit our vision on the Absolute and place Him in a box, then we check our spiritual progress. We want to expand our vision, if anything.

14 KM

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The students of Mother Rasakeli and Mother Savitri’s classes, Pre-k through 2nd grades, learned how to plant marigolds this week. Instructed by Shalagram Prabhu, Kalachandji Community Garden organizer, the students learned how to make a string grid to allow proper spacing for the plants. They also learned how separate the plants and how deep they should go into the soil.

The best part of the instruction for the kids? Discovering the large, wriggling worms in the earth and how beneficial they are to plant and soil health.

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder-Ācārya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda  Breakfast Dialogue Between His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami & Arun In Arusha, Tanzania His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami: Kṛṣṇa comes in Dvāpara Yuga, not in every Dvāpara Yuga. Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. You see Kṛṣṇa is not an avatāra, […]

Drumming It Up

Toronto, Ontario

When it’s humid and hot out the mrdanga drums don’t always play so well, especially the large side of the drum. It could end up being very slack. The djembe are, however, more hail and hardy, so I asked one of our resident monks to fetch my own, just in case the Bengali mrdanga drums are not up to snuff and are too few and far between.

My concern for music was to provide for the Festival of Chariots, this is kirtan, totally outdoors. And sound did bounce off the high rise walls quite successfully as the temple domed chariots rolled down Yonge Street. My voice was microphoned, drums played in perfect time. I couldn’t resist using an old tune from the 70’s sung by an African American, Dinanath.

In their royal ride, the deities of Krishna, his brother Balarama, and sister, Subadra, as usual, made a strong presence, each lavishly adorned on their respective chariot. Unique about this day is the walking that all the comers are obliged to take on Yonge Street as they yank simultaneously on thick ropes attached to one chariot.

Once reaching Queen’s Quay, the waterfront street, the procession culminates to merge with Festival of India held on Centre Island which is just a piece of heaven. Wish you were all here.

13 KM

Drumming It Up

Toronto, Ontario

When it’s humid and hot out the mrdanga drums don’t always play so well, especially the large side of the drum. It could end up being very slack. The djembe are, however, more hail and hardy, so I asked one of our resident monks to fetch my own, just in case the Bengali mrdanga drums are not up to snuff and are too few and far between.

My concern for music was to provide for the Festival of Chariots, this is kirtan, totally outdoors. And sound did bounce off the high rise walls quite successfully as the temple domed chariots rolled down Yonge Street. My voice was microphoned, drums played in perfect time. I couldn’t resist using an old tune from the 70’s sung by an African American, Dinanath.

In their royal ride, the deities of Krishna, his brother Balarama, and sister, Subadra, as usual, made a strong presence, each lavishly adorned on their respective chariot. Unique about this day is the walking that all the comers are obliged to take on Yonge Street as they yank simultaneously on thick ropes attached to one chariot.

Once reaching Queen’s Quay, the waterfront street, the procession culminates to merge with Festival of India held on Centre Island which is just a piece of heaven. Wish you were all here.

13 KM

Good Sweet

Toronto, Ontario

The Saskatoon berries in the neighbourhood have begun to dry up but the mulberries are just in full swing as far as ripeness is concerned. Apurva has discovered this most amazing organic dish that grows on trees of which there are many in a 1 km radius of our temple ashram. I was also surprised by the find of the plentiful number of them.

In this same early day trek I also lead Apurva to a patch of lamb’s quarters, a really delicious wild leafy green vegetable. It took little effort to harvest these guys to be used in a preparation, most likely, something called kitchory, as an offering to Krishna.

The whole day was laden with sweetness even after the discovery walk at 10 AM, a 12 hour kirtan chanting session commenced with mantra expert Dravida inaugurating it. It was total mercy that I was scheduled to begin the event. Throughout the coming hours many honey combed voices sounded out the name Krishna. Leading singers came from all over the place, including the US, Africa and Europe. The kirtan is an actual warm up for the next day, the annual Ratha Yatra. This time it’s the 41st in Toronto. It seems to grow in numbers each year, let’s see what happens tomorrow.

When I was a kid, I remember watching Jackie Gleason on TV and using his signature line, “How sweet it is” as the kirtan came to a close at 10 PM with a full house of arms in a surrendered pose. For those who were there, it was indeed, sweet – sweet like thick maple syrup.

9 KM

Good Sweet

Toronto, Ontario

The Saskatoon berries in the neighbourhood have begun to dry up but the mulberries are just in full swing as far as ripeness is concerned. Apurva has discovered this most amazing organic dish that grows on trees of which there are many in a 1 km radius of our temple ashram. I was also surprised by the find of the plentiful number of them.

In this same early day trek I also lead Apurva to a patch of lamb’s quarters, a really delicious wild leafy green vegetable. It took little effort to harvest these guys to be used in a preparation, most likely, something called kitchory, as an offering to Krishna.

The whole day was laden with sweetness even after the discovery walk at 10 AM, a 12 hour kirtan chanting session commenced with mantra expert Dravida inaugurating it. It was total mercy that I was scheduled to begin the event. Throughout the coming hours many honey combed voices sounded out the name Krishna. Leading singers came from all over the place, including the US, Africa and Europe. The kirtan is an actual warm up for the next day, the annual Ratha Yatra. This time it’s the 41st in Toronto. It seems to grow in numbers each year, let’s see what happens tomorrow.

When I was a kid, I remember watching Jackie Gleason on TV and using his signature line, “How sweet it is” as the kirtan came to a close at 10 PM with a full house of arms in a surrendered pose. For those who were there, it was indeed, sweet – sweet like thick maple syrup.

9 KM

http://www.coachingacademyblog.com/should-coaches-give-advice/#.UeQWio1kP9c

http://www.coachingacademyblog.com/should-coaches-give-advice/#.UeQWio1kP9c

1968 July 15: "My special instruction to you all is that you practice Sankirtana very rhythmically and in a responsive way. That means one should chant first, and others should follow him. That is a very nice system."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 July 15: "This program of offering grand scale quantities of prasadam amongst the general people was encouraged by Lord Caitanya, because if someone partakes of the remnants of offerings to Lord Krishna, then he is sure to come back to Krishna Consciousness again at one time or another."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 July 15: "Regarding Festivals, you may hold as many as possible. If you can hold such festivals daily, that is also nice. Our movement is for ananda, simply bliss, and the method of pushing this movement is chanting, dancing, feasting and philosophizing."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 July 15: "As I have taken this work as my life and soul on the order of my Spiritual Master, similarly if you take my desires as your life and soul, then the whole thing is immediately connected with Krsna. That is the meaning of Parampara system."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 July 15: "None of these activities are our personal affairs. Each and every activity is directly connected with Krsna because they come through the proper channel. They can only be received through the Spiritual Master."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 July 15: "Regarding the songs by Jayadeva, Srita Kamala is not approved. Sometimes our Krsnadasa Babaji sings, but it is not approved by Prabhupada. Those songs are for siddha bhaktas, not for us who are learning bhaktas."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 July 15: "The philosophy discourses we had years ago is now lying without any utility, so all devotees are very much anxious to publish it. Why it should be delayed unnecessarily?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 July 15: "We wish to hold a grand festival of the opening of Krishna Balarama temple at Raman Reti. There will be seven days function, and the arrangement has been made that anyone who visits our temple may be supplied with sumptuous prasadam both kachi and pakki."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

Harinam on the Baltic Sea coast takes on a special flavor as people love to sing and dance along with us. Nothing pleases the heart of a Vaisnava more than to see people enthusiactically embracing the samkirtan movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

BG.4.8 Krishna’s Appearance and Disappearance, Port Shepstone, Durban, South Africa.mp3

The post July 15th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

 

 

Down With Affluenza? ECOV’s Got the Cure.

by Madhava Smullen

Contrary to what advertisers would have us believe, stuff doesn’t make us happy. In fact, it could be just the opposite.

According to a study of Commerce Department data cited in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. consumers are set to spend $1.2 trillion in 2011 on non-essential goods including pleasure boats, jewelry, booze, gambling and candy. Yet 121 million people around the world, and 18 million in the U.S., suffer from depression, and suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide in the last forty-five years.

Meanwhile, we are polluting the planet, causing climate change and loss of biodiversity, and leaving our children a toxic legacy. And despite our addiction to spending, even the economy is collapsing.

So what’s the alternative? Members of ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunity, and Villages), a cow protection organization set in the ISKCON Community of New Vrindaban, West Virginia, believe they have an effective one. It’s an agrarian lifestyle in harmony with nature, animals and the earth, that focuses on simple living and high thinking.

This approach is based on the Vedic culture of ancient India—in which the cow and bull were the very backbone of society, and treated as part of the family. In fact, the cow was deeply respected as the mother of mankind, and the bull as its father. For just as a child is fed with its mother’s milk, the cow feeds human society her milk; and just as the father earns for his children, the bull tills the ground to produce food grains.

These ideas were exemplified in India, yet practiced all over the world to some degree until modern times. Even in the U.S., as recently as the 1950s, a person’s flock and grains was his life.

ECOV Adviser Varshana Swami, who has dedicated much of his life to the pursuit of simple living and high thinking, recalls the exact time in his childhood when it all went wrong.

“As a kid in the late 1950s, I used to visit my grandfather’s farm in New York State regularly,” he says. “It was in such a backwoods town that the tractor hadn’t completely taken over yet, and they were still using animal power for agriculture. Then the tractor came to the village. First, it killed the social life by replacing all the villagers who would come together for the planting and the harvest. Then, its presence caused overproduction to the point that the government stepped in and started paying the farmers to stop growing crops. It literally put an end to agriculture.”

Of course, the tractor can have its uses and Varshana Swami doesn’t think it needs to be completely prohibited—as long as it doesn’t replace the ox. However for him, the tractor’s arrival is a symbol for modern humanity’s consumer addiction, which destroys the natural prosperity and spiritual advancement that past generations enjoyed.

Searching for a word to describe this affliction, he came across the term ‘affluenza’ in the dictionary. Its definition? “Extreme materialism which is the impetus for accumulating wealth and for over consumption of goods; also, feelings of guilt and isolation from the dysfunctional pursuit of wealth and goods.” The dictionary even adds that “its antidote is simple living.”

“Affluenza creates an unsustainable addiction to economic growth and plundering, which upsets the natural order of things,” explains Varshana Swami. “Let’s continue to use the tractor as an example. It’s born by plundering economies for iron ore, which is smelted in factories that pollute the environment. Then forests of sandalwood trees, which are traditionally used for sacrifices, are annihilated to plant rubber trees for the tires. Next, you need petroleum, the life blood of the earth, which spews polluting hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. Finally, the tractor is used to spread chemical fertilizers, which are made from the same ingredients as explosives, and which kill the soil.”

These fertilizers create vegetables and fruit that look big and lush, but lack taste and nutritional value. What to speak of so-called ‘organic fertilizer’—blood meal and bone meal made of crushed bones and blood from cow slaughterhouses that render even our ‘certified organic’ foods non-vegetarian.

Thus under the influence of affluenza and petroleum dependency, we kill our mother the cow and eliminate our father the ox from his place in the field. “If the father of society is unemployed, how can there be any question of prosperity in the family?” says Varshana Swami. “And so our modern disease of affluenza promises wealth but brings scarcity, exploitation, and plundering of the earth’s very life support systems.”

This is in stark contrast to the ancient system of agriculture—working with the cow, the ox, and the land in a simple way that fosters community, loving relationships, learning skills, and spiritual introspection. This natural order is a synergistic system of bounty, prosperity, and devotion.

“My guru, Srila Prabhupada, who encouraged his followers to establish farm communities based on these principles, defined true wealth as cows, land and grains,” Varshana Swami says. “And in ancient Vedic culture, the cow represents the earth, who in turn is also considered our revered mother. In fact, the ancient text Srimad-Bhagavatam explains that the earth is God’s consort, and an expansion of Radharani, the female aspect of Divinity.” On a practical level, the cow produces milk, the miracle substance which, the Srimad-Bhagavatam explains, is not only vastly versatile and nutritious but also the only food which develops the finer tissues of the human brain, enabling one to understand the subtleties of spiritual dynamics, relationships and truth.

Meanwhile the ox is an even more valuable creature. In Vedic culture, he represents Dharma, or the natural order of things, and since he pulls the plow, he is also the symbol for agriculture. Both his and the cow’s urine has medicinal and insecticidal properties, while their dung is the only way Varshana Swami knows of to revive soils which have been killed by chemical fertilizers.

Yet the prime reason why protecting the ox is more relevant now than ever before, is that as the tiller of the soil he’s our alternative to chemical and petroleum dependency—the lubricant that oils the consumer machine, and facilitates our addiction to non-essential stuff and our aversion to the simple life that will actually make us happy and content.

“The fragile industrial systems we’ve created for ourselves are going to fail,” concludes Varshana Swami. “We don’t know if it’s going to be sooner or later, sudden or gradual—but they are unsustainable, unnatural, and they will fail. That’s why I see reinstating the ox in his rightful position in our society as an extremely urgent mission.”

ECOV invites all to help it with this mission, either by supporting it financially or by lending help in working the land and taking care of its herd of cows and oxen. Experiencing this simple life is the only way to cure ourselves of affluenza and find true happiness—despite what advertisers would prefer us to believe.

Mission Statement: ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

For more info, visit ECOV’s website.

For regular updates, we also invite you to “like” ECOV’s Facebook page.

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