Planet ISKCON

One of the most famous characters of the Mahabharata is Arjuna, the best friend, and devotee to Lord Krishna. 

This year, ISKCON is celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of its Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, born in 1896 in Calcutta. Among his many contributions, Srila Prabhupada taught his disciples how to prepare food with love for Krishna, or God, and how to offer it to the Lord and accept the sanctified food […]

The post Honoring Prasadam: Four of Srila Prabhupada’s Favorite Recipes appeared first on ISKCON News.

Growing up as a little boy in Calcutta, Srila Prabhupada's nickname was Kachori-mukhi, because he loved kachoris and would keep many of the fried stuffed pastries in the pockets of his vest.

The Gita Nagari farm in Port Royal, Pennsylvania has launched the Bhakti Immersion Experience, a Krishna conscious residency for new and experienced bhakti practitioners aged 18 to 28 with three, six or nine-month options. The program is tailored towards both second generation devotees looking to get some formalized ashram training and experience in full-time temple/farm […]

The post Gita Nagari Farm Launches Bhakti Immersion Experience appeared first on ISKCON News.

The Gita Nagari farm in Port Royal, Pennsylvania has launched the Bhakti Immersion Experience, a Krishna conscious residency for new and experienced bhakti practitioners aged 18 to 28 with three, six or nine-month options.

The San Francisco Rathayatra, ISKCON’s first, returned on August 14^th after missing the year 2020 due to the pandemic, with a bright and colorful celebration for the Lord of the Universe at Golden Gate Park.

In February 1971, in Gorakhpur, India, Srila Prabhupada received the issue of Back to Godhead with my article “The Genuine Spiritual Master” and called for me. “I saw your article in Back to Godhead,” he said. “It was very nice. You should write. This is your first business. Go on writing. We require many, many articles about Krishna consciousness. So you should devote yourself to writing.” I have taken Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to me to heart. And that article, “The Genuine Spiritual Master,” follows.

The Genuine Spiritual Master

“Instant Problem Solving—Guru Inside.” We pass this sign every day as we Boston devotees chant the holy names in Harvard Square. The sign hangs on a local shop window, and it is sold in quantity inside. This week at the neighboring movie theatre a new movie is showing—The Guru. So, who is the guru?

The true guru is the person who says that Krishna, God, is our true friend. He does not pose himself as God or tell us that we can become God. The bona fide guru has various qualifications, and someone who is looking for a spiritual master must know the standards that the true guru must meet.

Today everyone is posing as a spiritual master, or guru, and so we have that facetious sign. One group of foolish persons thinks that they can become gurus by their own concoction, simply by proclaiming themselves spiritual masters. And a corresponding group of foolish persons accepts such phonies because the formula is so easy, offers so much sense gratification, and supposedly permits the practitioner to become God. They like to think that their problems will vanish in an instant, and thus they are cheated.

Despite such foolishness, there is such a thing as a bona fide guru, or spiritual master, and the sincere student of spiritual science should know how to recognize him. One should understand who the spiritual master is, what his position is, how he can be identified, and how we relate to him. And one should know the ultimate goal in accepting a spiritual master.

Simply stated, the ultimate goal of spiritual life is to develop love of God, and the duty of the spiritual master is to awaken this dormant love of God in the hearts of his students. The spiritual master is a servant of the Supreme Lord. Thus, the student becomes the indirect servant of God, and if a student serves God sincerely, God will ultimately reveal Himself to the student in a pure loving exchange. This process is described in the Bhagavad-gita and is recommended as the highest yoga by the Supreme Lord Himself, Sri Krishna, the original spiritual master.

So, in real spiritual life the spiritual master acts as the medium between us, so minute, and Krishna, so great. We are so limited that we cannot approach the unlimited God, but the spiritual master, out of his causeless mercy, makes himself available to help us approach the Supreme Lord.

 The spiritual master has completely surrendered to God, and God has revealed Himself fully to such a pure devotee. The spiritual master acts as a medium between ourselves, who are contaminated by our association with matter, and Krishna, God. In this sense the spiritual master is even more merciful than God, since he comes and reveals himself to the conditioned soul, who is still contaminated by material association. But since the spiritual master is pure in his surrender to God and the will of God, he is, in a sense, one with God. Thus, the student who comes to hear and love the spiritual master also comes to develop knowledge and love of God.

Of course, it is the mercy of God to send the spiritual master, and then it is the grace of the spiritual master to deliver God. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, the process for going back to Godhead is simply to engage in devotional service to God. But how can we, who are so minute and actually helpless, do anything for God, who controls and owns everything? The answer is to serve the spiritual master. It is like this: Suppose one knows a very rich man. What can one do to please him? Nothing. He has everything, and, in comparison, we have nothing. But suppose the man has a son. Then simply by giving a small piece of fruit to the son, one can please the son, and when the son is pleased, then automatically the father becomes pleased. So, in this way one can please a very rich man.

The spiritual master is very dear to Krishna, just as a son is dear to the loving father, and by pleasing the spiritual master, one can please God Himself. In the Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Lord states, “There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” (Gita 18.69) So, Krishna has feelings, and He dearly loves the spiritual master. In fact, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is thinking, “There is no way I can ever repay My pure devotees.” When a man walks barefoot in the blazing sun, his feet are scorched but his head feels no pain. Similarly, although He may tolerate offenses to Himself, Krishna tolerates no abuse to His pure devotee. As He states in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, “They captivate My heart who are gladdened in heart; they look upon the brahmanas [holy men] as My own Self and pacify them by praising them in loving words, even as a son would appease an angry father or as I am pacifying you.” So, by serving the spiritual master, we can please the Supreme Lord and thus go back to Him, by His divine grace.

 Another example may help. Suppose you know of a very rich, famous, or distinguished person and want to gain entrance into his house. You cannot go to his home and say, “I make $200 a week, so let me in.” No. $200 a week or $500 a week or $1000 a week is nothing to him. You have no qualification of your own. But if you have the favor of one of his associates or servants, then by that person’s desire you may enter the rich man’s home. Similarly, the intimate associate of the Lord is the spiritual master, and the Lord is anxious to please His pure devotees. The relationship between the Lord and His devotee is transcendentally beautiful. As a devotee is elevated in all good qualities due to his being a devotee of the Lord, so the transcendental glories of the Lord are increased due to His being devoted to His servitor. In other words, as the devotee is always anxious to render service to the Lord, similarly the Lord is very anxious to render service to the devotee, the bona fide spiritual master.

With confidence in this relationship, the student, out of love, agrees to serve the spiritual master. There is no question of force. Where there is force, there is no love. Our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, once said, “If a father calls his son, ‘Come here!’ and there is no love, the son will either refuse to come, or he will come reluctantly, thinking secretly, ‘How can I get back at my father?’ But if I say, ‘Satsvarupa [one of Srila Prabhupada’s students], come here!’ you will come immediately, out of excess of love. Is that not right?” Satsvarupa immediately nodded his head: “Yes!” Thus the service rendered by the student to the bona fide spiritual master is performed out of love. Anyone who sees His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada with his disciples is seeing the perfection of family life.

The mother, the Vedas, directs the child to the father, the bona fide spiritual master, as illustrated so personally in the Gita. Arjuna, who had very great spiritual as well as material qualifications, still confessed to Krishna, the supreme spiritual master, “Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” (Gita 2.7) By nature’s own way, the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. Vedic wisdom therefore advises us that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a spiritual master, for a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything.

Furthermore, the Vedas set forth the qualifications of the bona fide spiritual master. The first requirement for the bona fide spiritual master is that he be in the line of disciplic succession from the Supreme Lord Himself. Not just anyone can qualify as a spiritual master, nor should the student accept anyone to be a spiritual master simply on sentiment. Sri Krishna is the original spiritual master, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: “The path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord.” The bona fide spiritual master teaches the transcendental science, as first enunciated by the Lord, as it is, without concoction or alteration. He is able to do so because he understands the purport of the Lord’s teaching from the disciplic succession descending directly from the Lord.

The knowledge mercifully given by the Lord is like a perfect fruit passed down from the top of a tree. The fruit must be passed delicately. If someone drops the fruit, or lets it fall, or in any way mishandles it, then the whole fruit is spoiled. If the bona fide spiritual master is in the line of disciplic succession from the Supreme Lord, he is careful to pass the fruit of Vedic wisdom to us without personally motivated interpretation. The conclusion of all Vedic knowledge is that Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the goal of all yoga, knowledge, and sacrifice. All the great saints and sages in our line of disciplic succession—the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, beginning with Sri Krishna and including Brahma, Narada, Vyasa, Lord Chaitanya, Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, Srila Bhaktivinoda, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada, and finally His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada—have personally realized and taught Krishna consciousness. If the result of a process is good, then the process itself must be good. These great saints and acharyas are unmatched in spiritual realization, so the process of God realization first spoken by Krishna and passed on through the disciplic succession is also matchless.

The second requirement for the bona fide spiritual master is that he speak only on the authority of the Vedas or his spiritual master, so that the disciplic succession may be kept rigidly in line with the original teachings. The spiritual master never invents ideas or processes for self-realization; he always goes to the higher authorities. He is aware of the limitations of the minute living entity and his small mind and imperfect senses, so he similarly teaches his students to speak only from the higher authority.

Even the Supreme Lord Himself does this. In the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter Thirteen, Verse 4, Krishna states, “That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings, especially in the Vedanta-sutra.” Of course, Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate source of all the Vedas, and the supreme authority on all matters, but still He cites the accepted spiritual literature. Lord Krishna teaches by example how the bona fide spiritual master always gives evidence from previous authorities. That is the process. Similarly, Lord Chaitanya, who was also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accepted a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession, and He always quoted His spiritual master.

The spiritual master and student alike strictly follow the line of disciplic succession and the Vedic authorities, so others who are interested in spiritual life should follow this process, too. People are prone to indulge in transitory speculation, even when they are to educate themselves on areas beyond their empiric jurisdiction. They often mistake these illusory experiences, especially when influenced by a drug or a “meditative” process, for genuine spiritual realization, and often have “inspirations,” “visions,” “experiences,” and “revelations,” which are merely the concoctions of a limited and deluded mind. A person interested in spiritual life should therefore be wary of his own personal messages. God, Krishna, is in our hearts as Paramatma, Supersoul, and thus He can speak to us. But there are parallel tracks—God on the inside and the spiritual master on the outside—so a religious seeker must confirm his inner realizations by the authority of the spiritual master. This dual confirmation is very important; one must go to the spiritual master.

The third requirement of a bona fide spiritual master is that his knowledge must be realized. He must be a pure devotee of God, teaching by example, practicing what he is preaching—not that he teaches dry theory or philosophy. In the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krishna describes the characteristics of His pure devotees, and by these characteristics one can recognize a bona fide spiritual master: “He who knows in truth this glory and power of Mine engages in unalloyed devotional service; of this there is no doubt. I am the source of everything; from Me the entire creation flows. Knowing this, the wise worship Me with all their hearts. Their thoughts dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered unto Me, and they receive great satisfaction and bliss, enlightening one another and conversing about Me.” (Gita 10.7–9) “They are always engaged in chanting My glories. Endeavoring with great determination, offering homage unto Me, they worship Me with devotion.” (Gita 9.14) These are the characteristics of pure devotees.

A bona fide spiritual master is always in ecstasy of love of God, having realized who God is, who the self is, and what is actually the relation between the Lord and the living entity. He is in a direct relationship of loving reciprocation with the Lord, and he fully accepts the Lord in His personal form. As stated above, the mahatma, or great soul, is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, with no other engagement. That means he must glorify the Supreme Lord, praising His holy name, His eternal form, His transcendental qualities, and His uncommon pastimes, and he must pass on such information to his students. A bona fide spiritual master does not dwell on the impersonal Brahman feature of the Supreme Lord, in which the ananda, or blissful aspect of loving exchange, with the Supreme Person is missing.

A spiritual master, being completely attached to the Supreme Person, is not attracted to material or bodily affairs. He understands that he is not this body but is a pure spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Person Krishna, and that his position is of loving service to Krishna. Therefore he is always joyful and free of anxieties, neither hankering nor lamenting about material affairs. He is self-satisfied, atmarama, and transcendental to the dualities of material life. His eyes are always wet with tears of love for Krishna, in fully realized knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita. And, as stated in the Gita itself, such a great soul is very rare.

A student of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada once said to Srila Prabhupada, “Prabhupada, you look so sad in this picture.” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “No, that was a moment of ecstasy.” Who can imagine the ecstasy of one who is in direct contact with Sri Krishna? His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has all the qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master, and he is always in contact with Krishna, the all-attractive person, the supreme friend. His Divine Grace needs nothing but engagement in transcendental loving service to Lord Krishna, and that he has all the time. So, what need has he of us? He has no desire to accumulate wealth, nor any desire to enjoy beautiful women, nor does he want any number of followers. He wants only the Lord’s causeless devotional service. He has come to the West to spread this divine message only out of his causeless mercy upon us, in service to Krishna and to his guru maharaja, pouring the shower of his mercy on all the dried-up souls of the universe.

The fourth requirement of a bona fide spiritual master is that, realizing Krishna to be everything, he never poses himself as God, nor does he ever promise his students that they can become God. God is God, and we are His servants eternally. God is infinite, and we are infinitesimal parts of God, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different from God, but we are never God Himself. Actually, a spiritual master, having approached God and having realized how inconceivably great He is, always feels meek and lowly, completely dependent on the Lord for protection. Thus the sage is humble; he is ready to pay his respects even to the ant, and he considers himself the most fallen. This is humility. When the Lord was on earth five hundred years ago, He was known as Patita Pavana, the deliverer of the most fallen. When the great saint Narottama Dasa Thakura approached Him, the Thakura said, “You are the deliverer of the most fallen, so kindly save me first.”

Once Srila Prabhupada was in his room in Los Angeles with a few devotees surrounding him, and at one point in the discussions he began to cry, saying, “All I ask of you is to be humble. All we can do is be humble toward everyone and in everything that we do. That is all I ask.” Another time Srila Prabhupada went to the temple, and, seeing the throne that the devotees had just made for him, said, “Oh, I cannot accept this. I am the most fallen, and you have made this for me.” He was crying. A devotee replied, “Oh, please, Srila Prabhupada, please accept this as our offering to you.” And His Divine Grace said, “I have no qualification of my own, but I shall accept it for Krishna.”

Another time, a boy made some prasadam (spiritual food) for Srila Prabhupada and was waiting at Srila Prabhupada’s door to give it to him. When His Divine Grace appeared, he looked at the prasadam and opened his eyes wide and said, “For me?” After that, the boy smiled so hard that he got a headache, and he danced down the street all the way home. Later he said, “Up until that moment I had only theoretically known what humility meant. Now I have practical experience; now I understand humility.”

Even Lord Chaitanya, although He was actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never claimed to be God, because He wanted to demonstrate the proper behavior for a bona fide spiritual master. When people said that they recognized Him as God, He would cover His ears with His hands and say, “No, don’t say that!” He further said that one should chant the holy name of the Lord constantly “in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respects to others.” A true spiritual master is always humble. He sees on an equal level a learned and gentle brahman, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater, and he offers his services to all. He always points to Krishna, saying, “God is great, and we are very small. Therefore, we are not God, so we should surrender to God.”

Fake spiritualists are puffed up with notions of their own power, and they often think that they are God. “I am God, a dog is God, everyone is God.” Or they say, “All is one. We are actually God, but we are now under illusion.” If God is under illusion, then illusion is greater than God. And if everything is God, then our everyday meditation on dog—or anyone in our life—should be sufficient to give us liberation. Clearly, these pretenders are not God, and His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada urges everyone not to accept cheap gods and fake spiritual masters.

The story is told of one so-called spiritual master who was on the stage in an auditorium, sitting in so-called yoga and saying, “I am moving the sun, I am moving the moon.” But he had to leave the stage because he got a toothache. So was he God? He claimed to be moving the sun and the moon, but he could not stop a toothache. Another charlatan spiritual master was once going to give a lecture on the secret of eternal youth, but on the way to deliver the lecture he died. Still another yoga instructor, after giving a lecture, met with one of Srila Prabhupada’s students. The so-called yogi was sitting on a chair smoking a cigarette, and he said, “You know, I have been having a terrible problem. I just can’t give up smoking. Do you have any suggestions?” He was teaching yoga, but he could not give up smoking. Yoga means to control the senses, to renounce sense gratification, but although this rascal could not even control his tongue, he claimed to teach yoga. Is yoga such nonsense? “Surrender to Krishna. That is yoga. That is all,” says His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

He who teaches surrender to Krishna is a bona fide spiritual master, and such a spiritual master is the only refuge for one who wishes to end his material bondage and live in spiritual ecstasy. Lord Sri Krishna Himself states this in the Bhagavad-gita: “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Gita 4.34) In other words, only someone whose hands are free can free someone whose hands are tied. The parampara purport to this verse is as follows: “One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a teacher should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must pass the test of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should not only hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. The spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple, and therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.”

For Krishna consciousness to act, therefore, there must be a bona fide source of information and a sincere soul desiring to know, just as in order for there to be conception, there must be a potent male and a fertile female. If a man is potent and a woman is fertile, then by their combination there can be conception. Otherwise, if there is no reciprocation, conception is impossible. One should ask questions and learn from a person to whom one can surrender. If one has any doubts about the person, then one should not waste one’s time, since one will not accept his instructions anyway. At the same time, a person who approaches a bona fide spiritual master with a challenging attitude will never understand the transcendental message. One who is fortunate enough to have found a bona fide spiritual master must hear submissively in order to understand and benefit.

In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Three, verses 40–41, Krishna describes the qualifications for hearing in relation to a spiritual master: “This instruction should be imparted by the spiritual master to persons who have taken Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as more dear than anything, and who are not envious of anyone, are perfectly cleansed and have developed detachment from everything outside the purview of Krishna consciousness. Instruction in Krishna consciousness should be given to the faithful devotee who is respectful to the spiritual master, non-envious, friendly to all kinds of living entities, and ready to render service with faith and sincerity.” This attitude is demonstrated by Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra in the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. He understands that he has no facility to know the Truth by his own endeavors, and that he must surrender at the lotus feet of the authority, in this case the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna. Therefore he says, “Now I am Your disciple and a soul surrendered to You. Please instruct me.”

Bhagavad-gita demonstrates the transcendental relationship between Krishna, the supreme authority, and Arjuna, the ideal listener. This relationship is established out of respect and love, and only from this personal relationship is God realization possible. The student takes the spiritual master as his spiritual father and follows the teachings of the spiritual master to his full capacity. Lord Jesus Christ said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Only to one who has full faith in the spiritual master will all knowledge be revealed. The word of the spiritual master is the life of the student, and everything else is secondary. Then there is contact. If one touches electricity, even if the source is thousands of miles away, the current is there, and one who touches it can always feel the blissful association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Everyone now has all facility to become happy by the mercy of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our spiritual master. He wants everyone to be happy in Krishna consciousness, and he is offering all transcendental opportunities. He gives us Back to Godhead magazine, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Srimad-Bhagavatam, the many temples of Krishna consciousness, and himself wherever he appears. Greatest of all, he is offering Krishna Himself directly, in His holy name: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. These names form the maha-mantra, the great chanting for deliverance and the greatest benediction for the conditioned living entities. Finally, His Divine Grace is giving everyone the opportunity to become a spiritual master. The greatest spiritual master, Lord Chaitanya, the Supreme Personality Himself, said, “Whoever tells people, ‘Chant Hare Krishna,’ he is My spiritual master.”

Where I Went and What I Did

Though the middle of August, I continued living at ISKCON Paris in Sarcelles, chanting Hare Krishna for three hours each day, mostly in Paris. Tuesdays I would chant at a local train station, Garges Sarcelles, for part of the time. I would also cook breakfast one day a week, do the 4 p.m. fruit offering and arati two days a week, and spend a day helping clean up the temple. I would also attend the Sunday morning class and Wednesday evening kirtan programs at Yoga Lyrique in downtown Paris. August was special in that we chanted along a canal across from a yoga center for the first time, and two yoga teachers came by who were friends of the devotees, and they became regular attenders on harinama, coming out once a week after that. Thus we found for Lord Caitanya a new spot to sing His divine names and some new singers to join His sankirtana.

I share notes on Srila Prabhupada’s lectures on Srimad-Bhagavatam and quote from his books, primarily The Nectar of Devotion. I share excerpts from the writing of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I share quotes from Vrindavan Das Thakura’s Caitanya-Bhagavata and from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s commentary on it. I share notes on classes in Sarcelles by Gaudamandala Prabhu and Sita Thakurani and Manisirani Devi Dasis. I also share notes on classes in Paris by Aksayananda and Rohininandana Prabhus.

Itinerary

July 12–August 18: Paris harinamas
August 18–22: Balarama festival at New Mayapur, France
August 24–September ?: Tallahassee harinamas and college outreach
September ?–December 31: NYC Harinam

Chanting Hare Krishna in Paris

Because Janananda Goswami and Chandra both considered the Canal Saint-Martin to be a place frequented by alternative people, I decided to chant across the canal from Jivan Mukti yoga studio, and Ian, who remembered me from Union Square, stopped by on his way to teach yoga, praising our choice of sankirtana spots.

Ian, who lived in New York City for sixteen years and taught yoga at the Bhakti Center, said he was hoping that sometime there would be sankirtana there along the canal by the yoga studio, and he was happy to see me and Chandra, who he also knew, chanting there.

Next Amanda, another yogi, who Chandra and Marat both knew and who sings kirtan at yoga studios, sang the response nicely (https://youtu.be/r9MNfiZVloE) as Chandra led the chanting of Hare Krishna:

Then she led kirtan for her first time ever on a harinama (https://youtu.be/1jiiZdxpwfs):

Later a local musician jammed with us on the karatalas (https://youtu.be/KUzahZiWbDY):

After his yoga class, Ian returned and sang with me and Marat for ten minutes until our three-hour session was complete. I was inspired and decided to chant there by the canal at least once a week. 

Ten days later while we were chanting by the canal, in the course of the three hours four people sat down nearby to listen to us, some playing the shakers and even trying the mantra, and Ian and Larissa, who is a devotee from Munich, came by as well.

Here Marat chants Hare Krishna, and a passersby plays the shakers as his female companion films this kirtan along Canal Saint-Martin in Paris (https://youtu.be/P3qtAhHxm3k):

Chandrashekhara Acharya Prabhu chants Hare Krishna along the canal (https://youtu.be/5_m2bM3RwzA and https://youtu.be/8ThjJY_pNtU):

Ian chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/DdVxeAOBaaA):

One time while chanting at the canal, I met a young man who was attracted by our chanting presentation and who liked to make videos about ‘original people’, and he wondered if I or one of my friends would like to be interviewed. I said I was going out of town soon, but that I would mention it to a friend. I told Chandra, but perhaps you would be interested as well. His web site is: http://videaste.eu/.

Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in the Indian Quarter of Paris (https://youtu.be/d8wzWTuSVdI):

Rohininandana Prabhu also chants Hare Krishna there (https://youtu.be/OjY9sbKIilo):

Patita Pavana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Anvers in Paris, below the famous cathedral Sacré-Cœur (https://youtu.be/OmcKSAdVsRA):

Rohininandana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there also (https://youtu.be/3wK2_Ct6s9E):

Another day during the end of July, we chanted at the base of the funicular at Sacré-Cœur. Janananda Goswami’s assistant, João, who plays the drum and sings nicely, assisted me. Many people, especially kids, played the shakers and danced with us. One lady was attracted, and I encouraged João to give her a Yoga Lyrique card. She actually came to Yoga Lyrique that very night, and she enjoyed the kirtan program. It turns out she was visiting Paris from Salzburg, Austria. 

We are pleased to announce the completion of the painting of the Vijaya murti. This 17′ murti, along with the now completed Jaya murti, will stand at the main entrance of the TOVP.

We hope this video inspires you, and we are grateful to the dedicated team of artists who have performed this wonderful service.

 

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Hare Krishna!
Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!


Date: 22nd Aug 2021
Day: Sunday
Time: 11 am to 12 noon EST
Topic: Glories of Balaramji
Speaker: Dr. Nitaisevini Mataji


Link to join the class
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09



Dr. Nitaisevini Mataji
Dr. Nitaisevini Mataji was born in Mumbai in a Gujarati Business family, conventional followers of the Pushtimarg. Later she with her family shifted to Hyderabad in 1984, since then she was closely connected to ISKCON Secunderbad. Inspired by Visits of many senior devotees, she later joined as a Full time devotee in 1997 and took initiation in the year 1998 in Atlanta,USA from H.H.Jayapataka Swami. She has completed her Graduation in Commerce, Masters in Education with a PG diploma in Management of Voluntary Organization. She completed her PhD in Education from Andhra University. Presently she is the Principal of Divine Touch School, actively involved in Collection, Festival Coordination, Congregation preaching, College Preaching, and shouldering management responsibility with her husband H.G. Samba Das ,President ISKCON Visakhapatnam. She initiated Bhakti Yoga Residential Summer camp at Visakhapatnam where by school Children stay as a devotee for one week in the temple, which has been very successful program.


ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough, Ontario,
Canada, M1V4C7
Website: www.iskconscarborough.org
Email:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com
scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com

Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell

By Thomas Y. Lo, Paul K. Chien, Eric H. Anderson, Robert A. Alston, Robert P. Waltzer

Are life and the universe a mindless accident—the blind outworking of laws governing cosmic, chemical, and biological evolution?

That’s the official story many of us were taught somewhere along the way. But what does the science actually say? Drawing on recent discoveries in astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, and paleontology, Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell shows how the latest scientific evidence suggests a very different story.

 
Author: Thomas Y. Lo, Paul K. Chien, Eric H. Anderson, Robert A. Alston, Robert P. Waltzer
Published: May 20, 2020
Book/File size: 168 pages
Formats: Kindle, Paperback

 
BUY ON AMAZON  

  Residents of India will have to search for this book on www.amazon.in

 

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𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 Just one day to go before Balaram Jayanti festival, we beseech you to take full advantage of these opportunities to render service at the Lotus feet of Balaramji! In Mayapur, Balaram Purnima is celebrated in a grand way. Also, the culmination of the Jhulan festival adds grandeur to the festival. […]

The post Balaram Purnima August 22nd 2021 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

We are pleased to announce the TOVP Artwork Collection on the TOVP website. Currently, the collection consists of amazing digital imagery reproduced from actual photos by Sriman Kaliya Krishna das.

These images can be viewed as is on the website or ‘saved as’ to your computer to view at your convenience and pleasure.

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By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of July 2021. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN July 2021 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats"

We read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter 19:

TEXT 1

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

TRANSLATION

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.

TEXT 2

jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

TRANSLATION

All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of the Lord!

TEXT 114

loka-bhida-bhaye prabhu ‘dasasvamedhe’ yana
rupa-gosanire siksa kara’na sakti sancariya

TRANSLATION

Due to the great crowds in Prayaga, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to a place called Dasasvamedha-ghata. It was there that the Lord instructed Sri Rupa Gosvami and empowered him in the philosophy of devotional service.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. The Supreme Lord has multipotencies, which the Lord bestows on His fortunate devotees. The Lord has a special potency by which He spreads the Krsna consciousness movement. This is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 7.11): kali-kalera dharma-krsna-nama-sankirtana/ krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana. “One. cannot spread the holy name of Krsna without being specifically empowered by Lord Krsna.” A devotee who receives this power from the Lord must be considered very fortunate. The Krsna consciousness movement is spreading to enlighten people about their real position, their original relationship with Krsna. One requires Krsna’s special power in order to be able to do this. People forget their relationship with Krsna and work under the spell of maya life after life, transmigrating from one body to another. This is the process of material existence. The Supreme Lord Sri Krsna personally descends to teach people that their position in the material world is a mistaken one. The Lord again comes as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to induce people to take to Krsna consciousness. The Lord also empowers a special devotee to teach people their constitutional position.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

Lord Chaitanya met Srila Rupa Gosvami at Prayaga. Because of the great crowds that surrounded Lord Chaitanya, He took Rupa Gosvami to a secluded place called Dasasvamedha-ghata. In 1971, when Srila Prabhupada traveled to Allahabad for the Ardha-kumbha-mela, he also visited Dasasvamedha-ghata with his disciples. Lord Chaitanya empowered Srila Rupa Gosvami with His potency to revive Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan and thus spread Krishna consciousness. Only one who is empowered with the potency of the Lord, by the mercy of the Lord, can actually spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. Although Rupa Gosvami lived simply in Vrindavan, wearing a loincloth and sleeping one night under one tree and the next night under another, he wrote books that for generations have served to enlighten devotees all over the world. Even now we are reading The Nectar of Devotion, which is a summary study of his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, and The Nectar of Instruction, which is his Upadesamrta. And we are benefiting both from the example Srila Rupa Gosvami set when he lived in Vrindavan and from the books he wrote.

TEXT 115

krsnatattva-bhaktitattva-rasatattva-pranta
saba sikhaila prabhu bhagavata-siddhanta

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught Srila Rupa Gosvami the ultimate limit of the truth about Lord Krsna, the truth about devotional service, and the truth about transcendental mellows, culminating in conjugal love between Radha and Krsna. Finally He told Rupa Gosvami about the ultimate conclusions of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

COMMENT

In His talks with Rupa Gosvami, Lord Chaitanya began with the most basic knowledge and proceeded gradually to the highest. Rupa Gosvami begins Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu a little after where Lord Chaitanya began, with pure devotional service, and he ends with the highest perfection of pure devotional service, madhurya-rasa. Although in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu he mentions madhurya-rasa as one of the five principal mellows, he describes it elaborately in another book, Ujjvala-nilamani.

TEXT 116

ramananda-pase yata siddhanta sunila
rupe krpa kari’ taha saba sancarila

 TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught Rupa Gosvami all the conclusions He had heard from Ramananda Raya and duly empowered him so that he could understand them.

TEXT 117

sri-rupa-hrdaye prabhu sakti sancarila
sarva-tattva-nirupane ‘pravina’ karila

 TRANSLATION

By entering the heart of Rupa Gosvami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu empowered him to ascertain properly the conclusions of all truths. He made him an experienced devotee whose decisions correctly agreed with the verdicts of the disciplic succession. Thus Sri Rupa Gosvami was personally empowered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

PURPORT

The principles of devotional service are only apparently under the jurisdiction of material activity. To be rightly guided, one must be personally guided by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This was the case with Srila Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and other acaryas.

COMMENT

At the beginning of the chapter Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compares Lord Chaitanya’s empowering Rupa Gosvami to Lord Krishna’s empowering Lord Brahma with the Vedic knowledge. Because Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He could start the disciplic succession, and He chose Lord Brahma, the first living entity in the universe, to be His first disciple. Similarly, Lord Chaitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with the authority to begin a disciplic succession, and He chose various disciples, such as Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, to receive knowledge directly from Him. He entered their hearts and empowered them to understand His words and thoughts and to communicate them to others. Even Lord Krishna, to establish the principle of disciplic succession, accepted a spiritual master, Sandipani Muni, and Lord Chaitanya also accepted a spiritual master in the Madhva-sampradaya, Isvara Puri. But Lord Chaitanya’s teaching, acintya-bheda-bheda tattva, “inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference,” is unique. His philosophy goes beyond the other disciplic successions and, as our acharyas explain, includes significant elements from all four disciplic successions.

TEXT 118

sivananda-senera putra ‘kavi-karnapura’
‘rupera milana’ sva-granthe likhiyachena pracura

 TRANSLATION

In his book Caitanya-candrodaya, Kavi-karnapura, the son of Sivananda Sena, has elaborately described the meeting between Sri Rupa Gosvami and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXT 119

kalena vrndavana-keli-varta
  lupteti tam khyapayitum visisya
krpamrtenabhisiseca devas
  tatraiva rupam ca sanatanam ca

TRANSLATION

“In the course of time, the transcendental news of Krsna’s pastimes in Vrndavana was almost lost. To enunciate explicitly those transcendental pastimes, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu empowered Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami with the nectar of His mercy to carry out this work in Vrndavana.”

PURPORT

This verse and the following two verses are from Act Nine (38, 29, 30) of the Caitanya-candrodaya, by Sri Kavi-karnapura.

COMMENT

Srila Prabhupada says that the transcendental “news” of Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan was almost lost. Once, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura decided to publish a daily newspaper in Bengal, and the printer questioned whether he had enough news to publish every day. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura replied that he had enough news from the spiritual world to publish a newspaper every second but that unfortunately there were no customers.

TEXT 120

 yah prag eva priya-guna-ganair gadha-baddho ’pi mukto
  gehadhyasad rasa iva paro murta evapy amurtah
premalapair drdhatara-parisvanga-rangaih prayage
  tam sri-rupam samam anupamenanujagraha devah

 TRANSLATION

“From the very beginning, Srila Rupa Gosvami was deeply attracted by the transcendental qualities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus he was permanently relieved from family life. Srila Rupa Gosvami and his younger brother, Vallabha, were blessed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Although the Lord was transcendentally situated in His transcendental eternal form, at Prayaga He told Rupa Gosvami about transcendental ecstatic love of Krsna. The Lord then embraced him very fondly and bestowed all His mercy upon him.”

TEXT 121

priya-svarupe dayita-svarupe
  prema-svarupe sahajabhirupe
nijanurupe prabhur eka-rupe
  tatana rupe sva-vilasa-rupe

 TRANSLATION

“Indeed, Srila Rupa Gosvami, whose dear friend was Svarupa Damodara, was the exact replica of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he was very, very dear to the Lord. Being the embodiment of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s ecstatic love, Rupa Gosvami was naturally very beautiful. He very carefully followed the principles enunciated by the Lord, and he was a competent person to explain properly the pastimes of Lord Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu expanded His mercy to Srila Rupa Gosvami just so he could render service by writing transcendental literatures.”

TEXT 122–131

The characteristics of Srila Rupa Gosvami have thus been described in various places by the poet Kavi-karnapura. An account has also been given of how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed His causeless mercy upon Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami.

Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami were the objects of love and honor for all the great stalwart devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

If someone returned to his country after seeing Vrndavana, the associates of the Lord would ask him questions.

They would ask those returning from Vrndavana, “How are Rupa and Sanatana doing in Vrndavana? What are their activities in the renounced order? How do they manage to eat?” These were the questions asked.

The Lord’s associates would also ask, “How is it that Rupa and Sanatana are engaging in devotional service twenty-four hours daily?” At that time the person who had returned from Vrndavana would praise Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis.

“The brothers actually have no fixed residence. They reside beneath trees—one night under one tree and the next night under another.

“Srila Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami beg a little food from the houses of brahmanas. Giving up all kinds of material enjoyment, they take only some dry bread and fried chickpeas.

“They carry only waterpots, and they wear torn quilts. They always chant the holy names of Krsna and discuss His pastimes. In great jubilation, they also dance.

“They engage almost twenty-four hours daily in rendering service to the Lord. They usually sleep only an hour and a half, and some days, when they continuously chant the Lord’s holy name, they do not sleep at all.

“Sometimes they write transcendental literatures about devotional service, and sometimes they hear about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and spend their time thinking about the Lord.”

TEXT 132

ei-katha suni’ mahantera maha-sukha haya
caitanyera krpa yanhe, tanhe ki vismaya?

TRANSLATION

When the personal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would hear of the activities of Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, they would say, “What is wonderful for a person who has been granted the Lord’s mercy?’

PURPORT

 

Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami had no fixed residence. They stayed beneath a tree for one day only and wrote huge volumes of transcendental literature. They not only wrote books but chanted, danced, discussed Krsna, and remembered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Thus they executed devotional service.

In Vrndavana there are prakrta-sahajiyas who say that writing books or even touching books is taboo. For them, devotional service means being relieved from these activities. Whenever they are asked to hear a recitation of Vedic literature, they refuse, saying, “What business do we have reading or hearing transcendental literatures? They are meant for neophytes.”

COMMENT

When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura went to Radha-kunda, the babajis were expecting that he would speak on rasa-tattva. Instead, he spoke on the Upanishads, because he knew that so many were prematurely imitating advanced devotees or pretending to be advanced devotees. And Srila Prabhupada said that in order of advancement, Sri Isopanisad comes first, then Bhagavad-gita, then The Nectar of Devotion, then Srimad-Bhagavatam, and then Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.

PURPORT (concluded)

They pose themselves as too elevated to exert energy for reading, writing, and hearing. However, pure devotees under the guidance of Srila Rupa Gosvami reject this sahajiya philosophy. It is certainly not good to write literature for money or reputation, but to write books and publish them for the enlightenment of the general populace is real service to the Lord. That was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s opinion, and he specifically told his disciples to write books. He actually preferred to publish books rather than establish temples. Temple construction is meant for the general populace and neophyte devotees, but the business of advanced and empowered devotees is to write books, publish them, and distribute them widely. According to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, distributing literature is like playing on a great mrdanga. Consequently we always request members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to publish as many books as possible and distribute them widely throughout the world. By thus following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami, one can become a rupanuga devotee.

COMMENT

It is the goal of devotees in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami to be rupanuga devotees, followers of Rupa Gosvami. In his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Rupa Gosvami has described all categories of devotional service: sadhana-bhakti, bhava-bhakti, and prema-bhakti. And within each category, there are two divisions: vaidhi and raganuga. Srila Rupa Gosvami has composed three very important verses about the practice of raganuga-bhakti, which are also quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. One reads,

seva sadhaka-rupena
  siddha-rupena catra hi
tad-bhava-lipsuna karya
  vraja-lokanusaratah

“The advanced devotee who is inclined to spontaneous loving service should follow the activities of a particular associate of Krsna’s in Vrndavana. He should execute service externally as a regulative devotee as well as internally from his self-realized position. Thus he should perform devotional service both externally and internally.” (Brs 1.2.295, quoted as Cc Madhya 22.258)

Externally one engages in devotional service as a sadhaka, a practicing devotee, and internally one engages in service in his perfected spiritual body. Followers of Rupa Gosvami, such as Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, have explained that externally we follow Rupa Gosvami and our spiritual master as they were and that internally we follow Sri Rupa in his eternal spiritual form as Rupa-manjari.

But it is easy to misunderstand and misrepresent the instructions of Srila Rupa Gosvami, and in Vrindavan there are many sahajiyas who do that, though they claim to be Sri Rupa’s followers. They try to follow Rupa-manjari and other associates of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna with their physical bodies. They do not follow the external behavior of Rupa Gosvami and the Gaudiya Vaishnava acharyas, but they imitate Rupa-manjari and other internal associates of Radha and Krishna. For example, in krsna-lila the residents of Vrindavan do not observe Ekadasi. But Rupa Gosvami, with reference to authoritative scriptures, has instructed in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that we must observe Ekadasi, and Lord Chaitanya Himself personally observed Ekadasi. But sahajiyas consider themselves to be Vraja-vasis like Krishna’s associates in krsna-lila—or they want to imitate the Vraja-vasi associates of Krishna—so they do not observe Ekadasi. But, following the verses of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Prabhupada explains very clearly in The Nectar of Devotion that externally one continues to follow the regulative principles just like a neophyte devotee—or any devotee who adheres to the standard Srila Prabhupada gave for ISKCON.

When we were in Allahabad for the Kumbha-mela in 1977, His Holiness Lokanath Swami came to meet Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada lived in a tent, like all of us, and although his tent was a little bigger and had a heater, still it was cold and austere, and he became sick. Sometimes in the afternoon there was sun, and he used to come outside into a courtyard constructed with colorful shamiana cloth, and I would often sit there with him.

Srila Prabhupada had been encouraging Lokanath Swami to travel by bullock cart throughout India and preach. But Gopal Krishna Maharaja had instructed Lokanath Swami to stay in Bombay to take care of the new bhaktas. Lokanath Swami repeated Gopal Krishna’s arguments to Srila Prabhupada, including Gopal’s description of Lokanath Swami as a “key devotee.” “What is this ‘key devotee’?” Lokanath wondered. Prabhupada replied, “No, you should travel with bullock cart and preach.” Then Lokanath Swami asked, “What about the program for the new devotees?” Srila Prabhupada answered, “Our regular program is for new devotees. Our program is the same for all devotees; we don’t have any different program for new devotees.” Then Lokanath Swami explained that some of the devotees had joined because he had preached to them and they were attached to him personally and might not be able to continue without him. Srila Prabhupada replied, “Those who are very much attached to you personally may accompany you in the bullock cart, and you can have the same program in the bullock cart as you travel.”

So, when we quote Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar of Devotion that externally one continues to act as a neophyte, we mean that one continues to follow the regular program Srila Prabhupada gave for all devotees, beginning with the new ones. And as one adheres to the morning program and other principles, one can feel the results—favorable results. But if a devotee is fortunate enough to have some specific taste for some specific service, he is also encouraged to serve according to his taste, while continuing to observe the regulative principles.

Srila Prabhupada concludes the purport by saying that if a devotee writes and publishes and distributes books, he is actually following Rupa Gosvami, and thus one can become a rupanuga devotee. So Srila Prabhupada’s blessing is upon us if we write, publish, and distribute transcendental literature.

TEXT 133

caitanyera krpa rupa likhiyachena apane
rasamrta-sindhu-granthera mangalacarane

TRANSLATION

Srila Rupa Gosvami has personally spoken about the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in his auspicious introduction to his book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu [1.1.2].

TEXT 134

hrdi yasya preranaya
  pravartito ’ham varaka-rupo ’pi
tasya hareh pada-kamalam
  vande caitanya-devasya

 TRANSLATION

“Although I am the lowest of men and have no knowledge, the inspiration to write transcendental literatures about devotional service has been mercifully bestowed upon me. Therefore I am offering my obeisances at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has given me the chance to write these books.”

Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhu ki jaya!
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Srila Rupa Gosvami’s disappearance day, August 23, 1999, Carpinteria, California]

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By Aditya Varna Devi Dasi

What I have found to be truly valuable to me was sitting and listening to my senior godsisters tell me of their personal history and past times with Srila Prabhupada. Their stories always revealed his kind and fatherly demenor. His light hearted humor, his endearing personal guidance, how he motivated them to fully utilize and develop their natural talents and abilities in service to Krishna. Continue reading "A Bond of Love; Srila Prabhupada and his Daughters
→ Dandavats"

Today we are celebrating the beginning of Jhulana-yatra, which is steeped in the moods of Vrindavan. When I first began reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, I was struck by the following description in the introduction to Teachings of Lord Chaitanya: “Actually, Vrindaban is as good as the Spiritual Vrindaban, and therefore Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami says that underneath one of the desire trees of Vrindaban there is a nice throne decorated with valuable jewels on which Radharani and Krishna are seated. And His dear friends and the gopis are all serving Them: somebody is singing, somebody is dancing, somebody is offering betel nuts and refreshment, somebody is decorating with flowers.

“In India it is still a fashion of recreation to sit on a swinging throne, and, if it is moving, it is very refreshing. In each and every home they have a hanging throne, and when a man comes home from the office, if it is practical, it is moved from time to time and he becomes refreshed. So, similarly, the same system prevails, especially in the month of Sravana, July, when there is the function called Jhulana. During Jhulana, in all the houses—not only of Vrindaban but all over India—the people hang thrones. In every house and village they place Radha and Krishna and decorate Them with flowers and move the throne and offer dancing and kirtan. . . . The temples are decorated, and thousands of people come as spectators. Generally, people go to Vrindaban at that time. Krishna and Radha are seated on the throne, surrounded by His friends.”

Leading into these two paragraphs, he wrote, “There is an acharya who describes Vrindaban: When my mind becomes cleansed of all dirty hankering for material enjoyment, then I shall be able to see Vrindaban! So Vrindaban is actually experienced by persons who have finished with material enjoyment. Everything is spiritual. This becomes revealed. . . . As you become more Krishna conscious, as you become more advanced, everything is revealed to you.”

Although I am still waiting for that qualification and that revelation, even in my present state I can, by divine mercy, relish some of the flavors of Vrindavan during Jhulan-yatra.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

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• 

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Sri Sanatana Gosvami appeared in 1488, five years before Sri Rupa Gosvami, in a Sarasvata brahmana family in Bengal. Sanatana and his two brothers, Rupa and Anupama, were always absorbed in bhava bhakti from early childhood. Remembering Vrndavana, they named the forests in which they played after Vraja’s twelve forests (Talavana, Madhuvana, Kamyavana, Mahavana). They called their favorite bathing ponds Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda.

In his youth, Sri Sanatana dreamt that a beautiful brahmana boy gave him a Srimad Bhagavatam. Feeling ecstatic he awoke. But seeing neither the boy nor the Bhagavatam he felt sad. When Sanatana began his puja that morning, however, Krishna Himself, disguised as a beautiful brahmana boy, came and said, “Take this Srimad Bhagavatam from Me, always study it, and you will attain perfection.”

Forced to submit to the ruling Muslim government, Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana became ministers and lived at Ramakeli. But their real engagement was teaching sastras which they learned from Vidyavacaspati, brother of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Pan­dits and brahmanas from all over India came to study under the two brothers.

Sri Rupa and Sanatana were acclaimed as the “crest jewels of the Gaudiya Vaisnava scholars.” After the Lord visited Ramakeli and freed them, they renounced everything for Lord Gauranga’s service.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis to move to Vrndavana and perform four services: (1) Uncover Sri Krishna’s pastime places. (2) Install Deities, arrange for Their puja. (3) Compile bhakti scriptures. (4) Propagate the rules of devotional life. “Entering Lord Caitanya’s service, they resolutely gave up power, riches, and position to live in Vrndavana as humble beggars absorbed in bhajana. One cannot properly perform Krishna bhajana until one renounces all attach­ments both internally and externally, and adopts a life of simplicity and humility.”

They traveled extensively through Vraja mandala discovering many lila sthanas [pastime places] of Radha-Madhava. Having no fixed residence, they would catch a few winks of sleep (no more than one and a-half hours per day) under a tree or bush. Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana Gosvamis spent all their time writing, discussing Krishna’s pastimes, and chanting Krishna’s holy names.

To maintain himself Sanatana would beg some wheat flour, roll it into a ball by adding a touch of Yamuna water, and drop it in smoldering coals to cook. He would offer this bati(salt-free, baked bread ball) to his Deity of Madana Mohana. Giving up all kinds of material enjoyment, the Gosvamis accepted the poorest way of life as mendicants. They ate just enough to maintain their bodies.

The Radha-Madana Mohana mandir established by Sanatana Gosvami was the first one opened in Vrndavana by the six Gos-vamis. Described as “the personal extension of the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,” Sri Sanatana is the ideal spiritual master because he gives one shelter at the lotus feet of Madana Mohana.

The three Vrndavana Deities (Madana Mohana, Govindaji and Gopinatha) are the life and soul of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The Deity of Madana Mohana has the specific quality of helping the neophyte devotees understand their eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

Sri Sanatana Gosvami spent forty-three years wandering from village to village in Vrndavana. The Vrajavasis would affectionate­ly care for him treating him like their father. With patience and concern he listened to their problems. Then he would please all the villagers by his preaching and practical advice on everything from increasing crop yields to solving family quarrels.

“Renouncing all worldly pleasures, Sanatana Gosvami was humble, detached, always absorbed in study. Mahaprabhu often said that Sanatana Gosvami was His favorite devotee. As an ocean of love and mercy, Sanatana excelled all other devotees in his compassion toward the suffering souls.” (Bhakti-ratnakar)

In his last years, he left his beloved Deity of Madana Mohana with Krishna Dasa brahmacari, his disciple. He did bhajana on the banks of Manasi Ganga next to Cakalesvara Mahadeva at Govardhana.

Daily he walked the twenty-four mile parikrama (original longer route) of Govardhana Hill. Although he was sixty-five years old, he kept his daily vow of offering 1,008 obeisances to Govardhana Hill and to any Vaisnava whom he met.

Understanding the difficulty of His pure devotee, Sri Madana Mohana appeared one day and said, “Baba! you are too old. Don’t take so much trouble to walk around Govardhana Hill everyday.”

Sanatana replied, “This is one of the daily activities of my bhajana: I must maintain it.”

“Since you are old,” said Madana Mohana, “you may now give up this vow.”

Starting to walk again, Sanatana replied, “I will never give up my religious principles.”

Sanatana Gosvami’s firm determination to complete his daily devotional vow pleased Sri Madana Mohana (Krishna). But in the loving dealings between the Lord and His pure devotee, Krishna’s desire to please His devotee often defeats the devotee’s desire to please Him. So out of loving compassion for His devotee, Sri Krishna stood on a large flat stone (Govardhana sila) taken from Giriraja. He played His irresistable flute. The Govardhana sila melted in ecstasy, capturing the impression of Krishna’s lotus feet.

Presenting this to Sanatana, Krishna said, “If you circumambu­late this sila everyday it will be the same as going around Govardhana Hill everyday. You will keep your vow intact and not compromise your religious principles.” Seeing that Giriraja Him­self (Sri Krishna) had given the sila, Sanatana Gosvami gratefully accepted. One can still see that Govardhana sila in the Radha Damodara temple.

Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura said in Jaiva Dharma: “Sanatana Gosvami was empowered to explain the esoteric aspects of Krishna’s manifest and unimanifest Vraja lilas.” Sanatana Gos­vami made a significant literary contribution to the Gauidya sampradaya with his Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Brhad-Bhagavatamrta, and Brhad- Vaisnava-tosani.

In the form of Labanga manjari Sanatana Gosvami serves Srimati Visakha sakhi in Radha-Madhava’s nitya nikunja-lila. Sanatana Gosvami’s samadhi is behind Radha Madana Mohana’s temple.

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Toronto West General

 

Third Visit

 

My third visit for Physio on my left knee went well. Adam, the trainer for today was pleased. According to him there’s still work to be done even though I walked in crutch free. After the visit I walked towards home and was feeling so much appreciation for a medical system that really does care for the individual. That’s how I feel about Adam and Kathy from the week before and also Kevin on the first visit.

 

And, I guess, I’ll give all the thank-you’s I can when the physician confronts my right knee. Thanks to Dr. Bakstein and the whole team at Mount Sinai Hospital. If all goes well, I’ll be back in action. We’ll see if anything turns into another marathon. For now, it’s baby steps.

 

Now, as the evening got serious with the darkness setting in, I had a good offer from Victor to take me to a reservoir where a running track exists. This is near Casa Loma, the famous castle, and I was equipped with two walking poles. The two of us moved into a well-maintained track. No, we didn’t run; just walked carefully and put a balanced pressure on both feet. It’s very liberating.

 

I want to thank Victor, and also Nanda for delivering prasad at noon. Karuna brought me to Physio and Rasesvara scooped me up part of the way over, back to the ashram. The heat is really something today.

 

May the Source be with you!

1 km

 

Please watch: https://youtu.be/CoU0vlIy0b8

 

243 Avenue Rd., Toronto

 

The Real Formula

 

British Columbia is on fire, so is Greece. I have a formula for decent weather — three consecutive days of sunshine and then the fourth, a good rain shower. The wish is fairly futile because nature in the end does what it wants. Weather is the turbulent, unsteady thrill of nature where elements unite and collide. If you walk vast tracts of land you’ll certainly experience these freaks of nature. There is adventure in it.

 

In any event, three days of brightness did come our way in central Canada and by no coincidence, I’m sure, the perfect pattern I came up with actually transpired. Day number four and we got rained upon. It was not torrential but it was enough to leave a pool at the stair-landing where we sit and chant for the public and for ourselves.

 

Our regular crew of chanters demonstrated some apprehension about perhaps getting the buttocks soggy. But Vallabha and I were not so easily disturbed. “Let’s get a broom and sweep off the puddle, then lay out one of those Sri Lanka plastic decor mats that resemble grass mats, as ornate as they come.”

 

This technique worked and we were on our regimen. It was great. It’s a feel-good program — a delivery of the Name. The spirits weren’t dampened. No regrets.

 

It’s so easy to take a rain check on chanting but rainfall was minimal and there’s a need to share joy. Frankly there’s not too many places of worship that have people singing or reciting outside their door. We were unique. More song, more music, more dance!

 

May the Source be with you!

0 km

 

Please watch: https://youtu.be/CoU0vlIy0b8

 

243 Avenue Rd., Toronto

 

Getting Help From People and Sastra

 

Chris from Hamilton had come. “I’m dropping off some kids, including my son, at Wonderland and that gives me some time at the temple. I’m up for service.”

 

Such a wholesome attitude, is what I thought as I expressed the nature of helpfulness to our maintenance guy from Croatia, Vallabha Hari. Help is always needed around the ashram and the temple. So, Chris came to pitch in, with cleaning mostly. We appreciate his spirit.

 

The mind is at ease when all is clean and orderly and the spirit is right.

 

One thing I found to be very interesting in our study of sastra, The Bhagavatam, Canto 11, where the commentator delineates on concessions that were allowed within the Vedic lifestyle. For instance, those who were addicted to the habit of meat eating. Apparently, there is a bit of wiggle room for those attached to the flesh on the tongue. Here is the list of mammals, amphibians and reptiles that are permissible:

 

1) Rhinoceros, which are tough as hell to capture and his skin is hard and thick.

2) Rabbits, which multiple like crazy.

3) Turtles, which are not easy to penetrate.

4) Porcupine, an intimidating creature; with all its pins

5) The lizard, someone fearsome.

 

So, you can see sanctions are given but, in general, meat eating is discouraged. Thank God! That puts some clarity to the topic of meat eating. That was helpful.

 

May the Source be with you!

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243 Avenue Rd., Toronto

 

A Day of New Guys

 

I’ve really relished watching Indrayumna Swami talk about the transformation of one chap that was unkept, hygienically-alien and rather drugged/high on something in Paris. He lived in the bushes with some newspaper foundation. He was nicknamed “Pig Pen” and was practically untouchable. However, by some kind of merciful act of Prabhupada, who was with us at the time, Pig Pen became transformed. He credits the ISKCON founder for changing directions for him. With a madman’s tone, “Prabhupada saved me!” is what he kept saying.

 

In time, Pig Pen grew devotionally and became initiated, sticking by the path of bhakti for years, so Indrayumna Swami tells. So, every Sunday morning we listen to and watch “Memories” on film, compiled by Siddhanta.

 

Our guest, Ralph, who stayed overnight, also enjoyed the “memories,” which bring everyone close to the Founder-Acharya.

 

I delivered two classes today, by Zoom, for Cleveland and Toronto, on chapters 8 and 1, of The Bhagavad Gita, respectively.

 

Ralph had lots of questions as Krishna Consciousness is relatively new for him. Jason, from Barrie, Ontario, also had tons of queries, which arose from his studying The Gita and chanting on beads. Ryan also came by, from Newcastle, Ontario, and is most eager to absorb himself in bhaktias a result of hearing from Prabhupada’s lectures as well as reading and following some episodes of “Wisdom of the Sages.”

 

May the Source be with you!

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By Karuna Dharini Devi Dasi

The place Srila Prabhupada called his "Western world headquarters" remains a vital oasis of Krishna consciousness. Part One: Some History Starting off in Midcity LA, 1968. ISKCON’s new center in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, was getting a good turnout. It was “the summer of love,” 1967, when idealistic youth gathering in the Haight to seek peace, justice, and alternative lifestyles often became overwhelmed by the area's crime, pimps, and drug dealers. Srila Prabhupada’s disciples offered hot prasadam meals at the ISKCON storefront every day, and their center became a drop-in for wayward souls of the freewheeling lifestyle that had become an epidemic. That summer, the San Francisco devotees staged the western world’s first Festival of the Chariots, or Rathayatra, attended by thousands. Continue reading "The Fiftieth Anniversary of New Dwaraka Dhama
→ Dandavats"

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Temples in many parts of the world are gearing up their safety and visiting policies in response to the widespread growth and upsurge of covid-19 variants.  On Wednesday, August 18th, New Vrindavana, ISKCON’s Temple and pilgrimage site in West Virginia, USA, has reopened after shutting its doors out of concern to maintain Covid-safety. A campus-wide mask […]

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Temples in many parts of the world are gearing up their safety and visiting policies in response to the widespread growth and upsurge of covid-19 variants. 

His Grace Nrsingha Chaitanya Das(ACBSP) has passed away in Vrindavan, where he lived for many years at the MVT. He was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1971 at New Dwarka, Los Angeles. On the auspicious occasion of Hariyali Teej, on August 11th, he departed from this world due to cardiac arrest. Devotees found him his bed around 10:30 A.M. IST and he looked peaceful as always.

On August 10, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Kloeckner chose the ISKCON Bhakti Retreat Center Goloka Dhama in southern Germany as the start of a tour with e-bikes in her ongoing election campaign. The minister is running for the federal elections on September 26, 2021, and Goloka Dhama in the small village of […]

The post Federal Minister Julia Kloeckner visits Goloka Dhama, Germany appeared first on ISKCON News.