Planet ISKCON – Page 227 – Websites from the ISKCON Universe

Nanda Maharaja’s Maternal Home
→ Dandavats

Indradyumna Swami: The other day we went on pilgrimage to Batesvar, the maternal home of Nanda Maharaja, where he grew up before marrying Yasoda-mayi and moving to Gokul. It was far away, but worth every minute of the 3-hour drive. Batesvar is situated on the banks of Yamuna river. We saw the ruins of aRead More...

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Thoughts on April Fools’ Day
Giriraj Swami

April Fools’ Day is celebrated yearly on April 1, and today I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s instruction that we remain fools before the spiritual master, as stated in a room conversation in Bombay on August 16, 1976.

A devotee asked, “Even nitya-siddha has guru . . . Even the liberated soul, nitya-siddha?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Liberated soul never says that ‘I am liberated.’ As soon as he says ‘liberated,’ he’s a rascal. A liberated soul will never say that ‘I am liberated.’ That is liberation. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He is God—guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasan [Cc Adi 7.71]: ‘My Guru Maharaja saw Me fool number one, and he has chastised Me.’ He’s God. This is the example. If one remains always a servant, everlastingly, of guru, then he is liberated. And as soon as he thinks that he is liberated, he’s a rascal. That is the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Guru more murkha dekhi’. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is murkha? Why He is posing Himself that murkha, ‘I am fool number one’? That means that is liberation. You must be ready always to be chastised by guru. Then he’s liberated. And as soon as he thinks that ‘I am beyond this chastisement. I am liberated,’ he’s a rascal. Why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasan? This is sahajiya-vada, thinking, ‘Oh, I have become liberated. I don’t require any direction of my guru. I’m liberated.’ Then he’s rascal. . . . So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection.”

In a letter dated December 14, 1967, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “I may inform you that you cannot be fool as you have humbly expressed yourself. Better to remain ever a fool before the spiritual master. But if a disciple is actually fool, it reflects on the spiritual master. To think of becoming a fool is the real qualification for a bona fide disciple. As soon as one thinks that he has become a wiser man than the spiritual master, one is surely doomed. We should remain everlastingly a fool before the spiritual master—not artificially but feelingly—and then we can make real progress. Even my spiritual master, a great scholar, remained a so-called fool before his spiritual master, who was outwardly an illiterate village fellow. So, in the absolute world the fool is also the master and the master is also a fool in reciprocal exchange of dealings. Lord Chaitanya also accepted Himself a great fool before His spiritual master, and all of us must follow the transcendental process.”

I pray to be directed by Srila Prabhupada eternally as his humble servants’ servants’ servant.

Hare Krishna.

Your servant,
Giriraj Swami

Mother Yasoda’s Maternal Home (Album of photos)
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Yesterday we went to Mehrana, the maternal home of Mother Yasoda. It’s a very beautiful village, not far from Nandagram, where she spent her youth before marrying Nanda Maharaja. After a blissful kirtan, attended by many of the local villagers, we spoke for over an hour about Mother Yasoda’s personality and pastimes, relishing her specialRead More...

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Mother Yasoda’s Maternal Home (Album of photos)
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Krsna’s mercy — take advantage of it
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Devotee: Prabhupada, before this movement came here we were so caught up in sinful activities. How is it that we were so fortunate to be benedicted with this great Hare Krsna movement? Prabhupada: It is Krsna’s mercy. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give you. Now He has come here. You take advantage of it. Caitanya MahaprabhuRead More...

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How to properly equip a Buddhist altar?
→ ISKCON Bhakti Centre Gold Coast

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Architecture and sculpture in Buddhist temples
→ ISKCON Bhakti Centre Gold Coast

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Peter Jackson

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Why do Buddhists make flower garlands?
→ ISKCON Bhakti Centre Gold Coast

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Peter Jackson

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Why do Buddhists make flower garlands?
→ ISKCON Bhakti Centre Gold Coast

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Curabitur sed erat vel tellus hendrerit tincidunt. Sed arcu tortor, sollicitudin ac lectus sed, rhoncus iaculis lectus. Ut efficitur feugiat enim a euismod. Mauris suscipit vehicula imperdiet.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc porta fringilla ullamcorper. Morbi felis orci, lacinia a velit et, sodales condimentum metus.

Curabitur sed erat vel tellus hendrerit tincidunt. Sed arcu tortor, sollicitudin ac lectus sed, rhoncus iaculis lectus. Ut efficitur feugiat enim a euismod. Mauris suscipit vehicula imperdiet.

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Peter Jackson

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Mediation is the conscious creation of reality
→ ISKCON Bhakti Centre Gold Coast

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation.
Peter Jackson

Curabitur sed erat vel tellus hendrerit tincidunt. Sed arcu tortor, sollicitudin ac lectus sed, rhoncus iaculis lectus. Ut efficitur feugiat enim a euismod. Mauris suscipit vehicula imperdiet.

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Monday, March 28, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

22 College St., Toronto

Our Chant, Our Chat, Our Walk

For Ukraine, our residents had a chant.

From our west coast Gita Chat group, we discussed a host of things, some of which are as follows:

1) We are all in a conditioned state; meaning we are contaminated.

2) Getting free from this contamination is called mukti.

3) Consciousness can be described with the term “I am.”

4) When consciousness is contaminated, one declares, “I am Lord.”

5) When consciousness is purified it means, “I am servant.”

6) Purification comes in the form of co-operation with the Lord.

7) Prabhupada equated co-operation to love.

8) The Absolute Truth is referred to as the complete whole.

9) The complete whole is comprised of God, the soul, the material energy, time, and activity.

10) There are three levels of God realization – Brahman or spiritual energy, Paramatma or God in the heart, and Bhagavan or the loving source.

11) If God is whole and complete then God is also a person.

12) Many potencies emanate from God.

13) We are not whole, like God, due to our human defects, of which there are four.

14) The four human defects or frailties are: a) we are prone to make mistakes, b) we are prone to cheat, c) we are prone to be in illusion, and d) our senses are imperfect.

We did, indeed, cover a lot of territory.

After our hour-long read and discussion, I went for my walk, which was to the police station on College St. and back. It is 2.5 km from the temple ashram to the station and the same distance back with a total of 5 km. This is not triumphant, but a goal reached nonetheless.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Sunday, March 27, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Niagara Falls, Ontario

To Near the Water

Able driver, Gabriel, took us from Montreal to Niagara in just under 700 kilometers. It was a pleasant drive, though at spots wind came on strong as we were reminded that winter is not totally over.

Our destination is the town where water from an entire massive lake, Erie, descends 170 feet to create the Falls. In 1969, crews shut down the falls. Two bodies were found and millions of coins, which were removed (along with the remains of two corpses).

The Lions’ Club was kind to have us use their premises on Drummond Road. This was the second week for a physical gathering of devotees in this tourist town. We briefly touched on the topic of a desire to have a gorgeous temple there one day. It would be a mater of building up a community first before erecting a place for Sri Krishna. We also want to include a restaurant and beautiful landscape surroundings.

Our presentation included a viewing of the documentary, Play, Pray, Walk, Laugh – from Karuna Productions – as well as a talk based on the introduction of Bhagavad-gita, highlighting the five main topics of the great classic itself: God, the soul, nature, time, and action.

Speaking of action, I engaged the crowd in a circle-dance to the beat of the drum and mantra. A good feeling came out of the whole event, as usual when conducting anything devotional. We are happy about our new admin structure. Young families and mature congregants are coming.

May the Source be with you!

Saturday, March 26, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Rue Sainte-Catherine, Montreal

Something to Say

To say that there is unrest in the world is certainly an understatement. Right at the location where our chanting party was to set camp for two hours was a demonstration by people of Tunisia. The nation’s flag of a red background, bearing in its centre a white disk with a red star, was waving in the air. Here in Montreal, Tunisians are expressing their dissatisfaction with their political leader, so you can imagine how much greater disturbance exists in the homeland.

Our chanting party decided to relocate to the La Baie department store, where devotees have been for years, dispersing mantra vibration. Five minutes into our kirtan and another protest group appeared, holding multiple flags from Ukraine, the simple but bold yellow and blue bars. Like the Tunisian protest, megaphones and speakers were utilized in outcry over the way. Theirs was a procession, moving along Rue Sainte-Catherine, where we were situated in a fairly lively kirtan.

Our chanting was sandwiched between an amplified jazz musician group to our left and to our right, Evangelical messages were projected from their speakers, spreading the Good Word of Jesus. The merging of all these sights and sounds made for a barrage of communication, mostly of dismay.

What to do?

People will always have something to say, either of a disgruntled nature or of optimistic solutions. We will always be noise-makers. One thing is for certain, our chanting of mantrasdrew the most smiles.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

How to train yourself to meditate regularly?
→ ISKCON Bhakti Centre Gold Coast

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc porta fringilla ullamcorper. Morbi felis orci, lacinia a velit et, sodales condimentum metus.

Curabitur sed erat vel tellus hendrerit tincidunt. Sed arcu tortor, sollicitudin ac lectus sed, rhoncus iaculis lectus. Ut efficitur feugiat enim a euismod. Mauris suscipit vehicula imperdiet.

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Peter Jackson

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The Wonders Of Lord Caitanya
→ Dandavats

by Amala Bhakta Swami During His presence on earth about five hundred years ago, Lord Krsna’s most recent incarnation often displayed His divine powers. This is the second of three articles describing the mirac-ulous events in the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The information herein comes from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta and Sri Caitanya-Bhagavata. Soon after Lord Caitanya began HisRead More...

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Books bide their time before helping
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I am reading sankirtan stories regularly. They are always inspiring. One day I received an email containing a link to “Vijay Prabhu’s Special Class on Book Distribution.” Before going out to distribute books, I listened to the lecture. A great lecture. I heard this new anecdote about how books are patient and help in time:Read More...

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From student to mayor
→ Dandavats

In 1989, I had just returned to Canada from a six-year term in New Delhi, serving there as the temple president. I would walk the halls of McGill University and distribute books to students. One Indian student named Arjun Singh was quite intrigued by my activities and eventually got a book from me. Fast forwardRead More...

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A prayer in Istanbul’s Blue Mosque leads a young Christian to Lord Krishna
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Jananivas Dasa Please Give Me A Sign A prayer in Istanbul’s Blue Mosque leads a young Christian to Lord Krishna. by Visakha Devi Dasi John, a slight, fair-complexioned traveler who’d left home to broaden his perspective on life, found himself stranded in Istanbul. With nothing to do until money arrived from a friend, he’d gone toRead More...

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Finding the Silver Lining
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By Rashi Singh Nurturing our faith helps ease the inevitable suffering of life in the material world. I’m groggy. It’s early. I’m way too tired to go to work today. After nearly shattering my alarm clock, I slowly drag myself out of bed. I shower, worship my deities, chant my rounds, and head downstairs forRead More...

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Mayapur Gurukula (Album of photos)
→ Dandavats

Deena Bandhu Das: One day, Nitai Madhav Prabhu invited me to give class at HH Pritivardhana Maharaja’s Gurukula in Mayapur. We were awestruck at the lush beauty and traditional engineering marvel of that place. We saw that students from all over the world come there to study Vedic culture. It is a perfect example ofRead More...

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Ukraine: Deities and pujaris were moved to safer places
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ISKCON has temples, either rented or under construction, in 32 cities throughout Ukraine. There are eight cities where ISKCON is located that have seen significant military activity. These include Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Mariupol, Zhytomyr, and Chernigiv. In the cities where Deities were regularly worshipped, those Deities have either been secured safely, relocated to aRead More...

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BBT and Book Distribution in Ukraine
→ Dandavats

There are four BBT titles that are soon going to print in Lutsk, where there is a printing press and a devotee printer authorized by the BBT. He is printing 10,000 copies of Beyond Birth and Death in Ukrainian, and Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita Volumes 1, 2, and 3 in Russian. Even amidst the conflict, bookRead More...

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Kripamoya Das: Chapter 44 of the Krishna Book
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Ananda Groove @ Spanish Fork Holi 2022
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The TOVP Presents: Prabhupada Mayapur Quotes
- TOVP.org

The TOVP Communications Department has collected a large number of Srila Prabhupada’s known quotes relating to the Mayapur project and the TOVP taken from lectures, conversations, morning walks, his books and other books. It covers a wide range of topics and illustrates how important and dear ISKCON Mayapur, the World Headquarters of the Hare Krishna Movement was to him. He personally said of Sridham Mayapur, “Mayapur is my place of worship.”

There are over sixty quotes in the current collection and they are inspiring to read and instructive for our further understanding of the practical application of Krishna consciousness and the establishment of Prabhupada’s mission. We hope devotees will read them with great eagerness and joy. And if they inspire you to help the TOVP project and support the TOVP 2024 Marathon to open the temple and relocate our beloved Mayapur Deities into Their new home by 2024, please go to the Seva Opportunities Page to find out how.

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
Follow: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch: www.youtube.com/c/TOVPinfoTube
View at 360°: www.tovp360.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOVP2022
Telegram: https://t.me/TOVP_GRAM
WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/IPYA7YWCeOb5l3QDGyUXi7
Instagram: https://m.tovp.org/tovpinstagram
App: https://m.tovp.org/app
News & Texts: https://m.tovp.org/newstexts
RSS News Feed: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Store: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/

Dandavats.com
→ Dandavats

I am very glad to learn also that you are feeling joy while chanting the mantra Hare Krishna. Yes, it is exactly like this. If anyone chants this mantra in good faith and in simple understanding, then surely this transcendental vibration will act immediately in spiritual bliss. Please therefore continue to chant this mantra asRead More...

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Niranjana Swami’s Ukrainian Report to the GBC
→ ISKCON News

March 29–As the conflict in Ukraine enters its second month, Niranjana Swami, GBC representative for Ukraine, addressed the Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON with a report on Ukraine, the devotees affected, and future planning. The following information is drawn from that report. For the purpose of this report, Niranjana Swami explained that due to […]

The post Niranjana Swami’s Ukrainian Report to the GBC appeared first on ISKCON News.

Prabhupada Ghat Approved for Mayapur
→ ISKCON News

ISKCON Mayapur is happy to inform you that the Government of India, through its National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) program, has approved the construction of Prabhupada Bathing Ghat in Mayapur, for which they have sanctioned nearly Rs 15.5 crores (USD 2 million). The project would be built by Engineering Projects India Limited, one of […]

The post Prabhupada Ghat Approved for Mayapur appeared first on ISKCON News.

TOVP Prabhupada Murti Nitya Seva Campaign Launched
- TOVP.org

The presence of Srila Prabhupada in the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium in his murti form offers another wonderful opportunity to serve His Divine Grace and simultaneously help finance TOVP construction. The TOVP Fundraising Team is very pleased to announce the new Prabhupada Murti Nitya Seva campaign to our ever-growing list of Seva Opportunities.

Through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you can sponsor either a monthly or one-time puja, garland and prasadam offering to Srila Prabhupada. You can select the specific day of your sponsorship and the name in which you would like it offered. A second seva option is to sponsor a full silk outfit to be worn by Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada is now sitting in the TOVP waiting for us to complete his most cherished project for world preaching and dissemination of Krishna consciousness. Serve him in his murti form and support the construction of the TOVP by going to the Prabhupada Murti Nitya Seva page TODAY!

Hare Krishna!

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

How to Best Utilize Our Time and Energy, Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.42, Hosted by Nitai-Gaurasundara Dasa, Murfreesboro, TN
Giriraj Swami

Live Happily in this World and Then Go Back to Godhead, Bhagavad-gita 3.10, ISKCON Dallas
Giriraj Swami

Sri Govinda Ghosh Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

Govinda Ghosh was one of the three brothers Govinda, Vasudev and Madhav, who were all dear associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. According to Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (188), Sri Govinda Ghosh is a sakhi named Kalavati in Goloka Vrindavan, who beautifully sings songs composed by Srimati Vishakha Sakhi.

Govinda Ghosh, in Mahaprabhu’s lila as well, was a celebrated singer with melodious voice. He, along with his brothers, was present in the kirtans at Srivas Angan, in the kirtan party which went to the Kazi’s house, in the kirtan’s at Raghav Pandit’s house and in the 4th sankirtan party during Rathayatra, the main dancer of which was Vakreshwar pandit.

He was also present in the party which accompanied Mahaprabhu on his journey to Vrindavan. Once, during the travel, Mahaprabhu wanted some Haritaki, a mouthfreshner, after his lunch. Govinda immediately gave one Haritaki to Mahaprabhu.

Knowing that he sometimes saved some Haritaki for later, Mahaprabhu got upset and said that he should remain at that place and establish a deity and worship Him. This was done by the Lord just to instruct the sadhakas that one should not hoard anything, having faith that Krishna will provide for all our necessities.

Although greatly distressed, Govinda followed the instructions of the Lord and stayed at Agradwip. There he established the deity of Gopinath in accordance with Mahaprabhu’s directions. He then got married and also had a son. He, along with his family always engaged in affectionately serving Gopinath.

Friday, March 25, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

Rue Sainte-Catherine, Montreal

Where We Started

It was back in 1968 that Hare Krishna devotees first appeared on Canadian soil, at Phillips Square. The popular world Expo, which began the year before at Canada’s 100 year celebration, was extended over from ’67. Well, faithfully you will still see the Krishnas at that corner, the juncture of Sainte-Catherine and Union. Due to renovations, the Square is blocked off, hence our lively chanting troupe of today went kitty-corner in front of a heritage church.

What is really appealing about recent renos on the street is that pedestrians now enjoy a beautifully widened street. Formerly, there were four lanes on this one-way thoroughfare. Now, you have three. It means that the sidewalk is broadened, making way for a city that has a vision for pedestrian-friendliness.

This latest change also makes it easier for any chanting that we stage. Traffic also moves slower. Indeed, we could see motorists roll down windows just to hear our tap on the drum and the voices projecting. The public received us well. We had all the right ingredients. Spring is in the air. The sidewalk interlocking looks classy. It’s Friday afternoon. Covid restrictions are being relieved in this province.

It’s all good. All favourable for some spirituality on the street. Sweet it is when the externals and internals are synchronized. 54 years later.

May the Source be with you!

Thursday, March 24, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

ISKCON Montreal, Quebec

To Montreal

It used to take a clear six hours drive to Montreal from Toronto, then add a half-hour for a refreshment/bio break. These days you can knock off one hour because the standard motorist moves at 110 to 120 km per hour up the Highway, known by commuters as the 401.

Gabriel was kind to use his fire-engine red car to take me to Pie IX Boulevard and the temple for ISKCON Montreal. It was a real pleasant cruise, so time flew by. We even managed to get a full hour Gita Chat in with host Vaishnavi from Gainesville, Florida; our weekly discussion coordinated by yours truly. Just that lively hour alone sped up time like anything.

The verse with purport was 11.54, and it addresses how Krishna becomes the swift deliverer for those who give undivided attention to His love. I found it interesting that He is understood through service, which allows the participant to enter into the mysteries of Krishna Himself. At this point in the Gita’s conversation, the Lord revealed His extraordinary Cosmic Self, then His Vishnu form, and then finally His human-like self – all adjustments within a matter of minutes. That in itself is mystical.

One who is devotional is content to dwell on Krishna’s original form and does not need to dwell on alternative forms. That was one of the take-aways from our Chat session. Try to put yourself into Arjuna’s shoes and see the firm stance of Krishna before him as He offers His love.

May the Source be with you!

Wednesday, March 23, 2022
→ The Walking Monk

243 Ave. Rd., Toronto

The Things I read Today

What did I learn today from sastra(scripture) or from the words of the guru?

In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna asks Krishna appropriate questions, with all of them being answered, of course.

Another item that I read from the book Chasing Rhinos, by Shyamasundar, left me satisfied:

“Sometimes, just like the wild tiger, you have got to control by repression. But when the tiger is under control, there is no question of repression. You can play with the tiger; he becomes your friend. So, repression is not always bad.”

I also found it interesting, in reading one of Prabhupada’s letters where he gives guidance to artist, Ekayani, in 1970. “Regarding the colour of Balaramji, He is coloured like milk; white with little bluish tint and rosy lustre. Our idea of whiteness is of the milk foam.”

I also opened the book Bhagavatam(which we do every morning for a class) and browsed through several purports, one of which (11.9.19) expresses, “the King need not worry because, as a staunch devotee of the Lord, he is able to subdue the real enemies of life, namely lust, anger and greed, which make one a prisoner in maya’skingdom.”

Taking a few minutes to peruse through the first and second chapters of the Gita outline it lists some names of God, such as: Vibhu-atma (the super soul), Yajna-purusa(the beneficiary of all sacrifices), and Govinda (the giver of pleasure to the cows and senses).

May the Source be with you!

3 km

“Everyone Should Be Friendly for the Service of the Lord,” Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.12, Hosted by ISKCON Dallas
Giriraj Swami

Honesty & Humility
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 December 2021, Radhadesh, Belgium, Zoom Disciple Meeting)

If we are honest, then we must admit that we are not perfect.

If we are honest, then we must admit that we are not perfect. And if we are not perfect, then we must admit that we have some faults. Maybe we can write down some of our faults. Three days later, we are still not finished writing! So, the more honest we become about our own limitations and shortcomings, the more humility sets within us naturally.

Watch the full lecture below or on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BU0qH0qoEY

The article " Honesty & Humility " was published on KKSBlog.

The Art of Dying (video)
→ Dandavats

Srimad Bhagavatam class given by HH Ramai Swami at ISKCON New Govardhana Temple.

Holi & Mini Ratha Yatra Festival in Melbourne, Australia
→ ISKCON News

The Melbourne ISKCON devotees living in the western suburbs of Melbourne Australia have for years participated in the annual local Hindu Holi festival in which they have incorporated a mini Ratha Yatra parade. Many hundreds of people from the culturally diverse community attended the festival and the devotees engaged them all in the festivities. […]

The post Holi & Mini Ratha Yatra Festival in Melbourne, Australia appeared first on ISKCON News.

In One Month: Ukraine Ranked One of the World’s Worst Refugee Crises
→ ISKCON News

Ukrainian Refugees in Tiszabecs-Tas Balogh, Hungary Russia’s invasion of Ukraine produced one of the world’s largest refugee crises in history. We are now one month into the conflict and more than 3.7 million Ukrainians have had to leave their home country. There are now almost as many Ukrainian refugees as there were Afghan refugees […]

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