Planet ISKCON

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

 
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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.

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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
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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
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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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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!

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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 […]

The post Breaking News: Temples Gear Up for Covid-19 Delta Safety appeared first on ISKCON News.

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.

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 Abentheuer is part of her election district. 

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. 

Source: Krishna Tube 

The entire 1975 Philadelphia Ratha-Yatra festival from beginning to end. A unique combination of color film and videotape is now for the first time in HD 1080p. Stunningly restored with state-of-the-art AI technology.

Philadelphia Ratha Yatra festival with Srila Prabhupada. Video shows the whole festival including Srila Prabhupada’s arrival at the airport, then at the festival, and Prabhupada chanting and playing kartals and the gong on Lady Subhadra’s cart all the way through the processing in downtownPhiladelphia. Then we see Srila Prabhupada delivering a very inspiring address in the park at the conclusion of the parade.

A program on the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada (August 31-September 1) commemorating the place and new temple will be broadcasted directly from his birthplace from 3 PM IST on the official YouTube channel of ISKCON Kolkata.

“For most of us, the idea of winter means cozy nights, warm blankets & a cup of hot chocolate near the fire, but for those on the streets the drop in temperature becomes a fight for survival,” said Svetadvip Das, the main representative of ISKCON Port Elizabeth’s Food for Life project.  The ISKCON Port Elizabeth, South Africa, […]

The post ISKCON SA Blanket Drive Initiative: Warming Hearts to ISKCON, One Blanket at a Time appeared first on ISKCON News.

The Blanket Drive initiative has been going on for some years now, and this year the campaign was held in July 2021. To help Blanket Drive and Food for Life initiatives at ISKCON Port Elizabeth, contact the team or Svetadvip Das at https://iskconza.com/iskcon-temples/iskcon-port-elizabeth/

Raksha Bandhan is on August 21st, which is also the full moon day, known as Raakhi Purnima.

All of us must have come across this dialogue box if we wanted to continue writing, or filling in a form, from you left off before. This made me think about how it aligns with the teachings from the Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita tells us, whatever state of being one remembers while leaving the body, […]

The post Just Pick Up Where You Leave Off appeared first on ISKCON News.