Planet ISKCON

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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. 

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.

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.

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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Radhanath Swami: “I was in Vrindavan in 1971, and I was among five or six other people sitting around Srila Prabhupada. He wasn’t my guru then; he was just one of the saints I was coming to visit. And Srila Prabhupada was in Vrindavan for a few days. Somebody asked him, ‘Are you the guru for the whole world?’ He didn’t say anything. I was really very excited with anticipation—what is he going to say? Most people would say, ‘Yes.’ And after he paused for a few minutes, he looked down to the ground. With tears of humility in his eyes, he said, ‘No, I am the servant of everyone. That’s all.’ And I was thinking, ‘He is really the guru of the whole world!’

“A true guru is not one who claims to be God. A true guru is one who claims to be a humble messenger of God.”

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

 

 

 

Source: Krishna Bhakti

Song Link: here

Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness,  A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada shall be honored by the Government of India through a special issue of a 125 Indian Rupees commemorative coin on the grand occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada. 

After Śrīla Bhakti Charu Mahārāja departed there was an unimaginable outpouring of intense despair and grief by the worldwide devotee community. Later, when Mahārāja’s vapu was placed in samādhi in Māyāpura, his dear godbrother Ambarīṣa Prabhu along with his good wife Mother Svāhā Devī offered to build the samādhi temple.

Question from: Debendra

Answer Podcast

Transcribed by: Anupama Kulkarni (Pune)

Question: Why does Krishna talk about controlling the senses to Arjuna when the purpose of the conversation seems to be to incite Arjuna to fight?

Answer: The mention of fighting in the Gita is only contextual. Essentially, Gita’s purpose is to elevate Arjuna to understand the fundamental truths of life, purpose of life and harmonize with that purpose. Krishna does not simply want the destruction of the Kauravas. If that were the case, he could have done it himself with his own supreme power. In fact, Krishna shows in his universal form that all the Kauravas are destroyed by him in the form of time (kala).

In the Gita, Krishna wants elevation of Arjuna to a higher consciousness and through Arjuna Krishna wants to elevate all of us. Krishna wants that Arjuna understands that he is a soul and as a soul his duty is to harmonize with God in loving devotion. Five-thousand years ago when the Gita was spoken, the way for Arjuna to harmonize was by fighting the war because it was Krishna’s will. Contextually, Arjuna’s duty was to fight the war but essentially, Arjuna’s duty (and for us) is to love and serve Krishna.

To elevate our consciousness and relish ultimate happiness, we need to control our senses because if the senses are not controlled, they keep us trapped in material things e.g. enjoying the material forms, touches, tastes, sounds etc. Krishna talks about the necessity of sense control so that a person can practice the path of yoga (ultimately bhakti yoga) and rise to that spiritual level where he can experience loving harmony and happiness.

To summarize, Gita is not a book of violence or silence but a book of transcendence. For attaining transcendence, one has to practice sense control. In Arjuna’s specific case, for acting at the transcendental level, he needs to fight. That is why Kr

End of transcription.

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North York/Brampton

 

Day 2

 

I began today publicly, with a Zoom class to Mauritius on the topic of “Gossip — Me and My Big Mouth.” People find it an interesting conversation piece. The practice of gossip is subtle but very toxic. As pointed out by one of my sisters, Pauline, “It does show that people are socially interacting.” Pauline clarified that she doesn’t believe the exercise of gossip is healthy and wholesome, just that it shows a sign of life.

 

Pauline, by the way, attended our first session of part two of Ratha Yatra. Held at Earl Bales Park, this marvelous green space is located just around the corner of her home so her visit was convenient. I had the chance to introduce her to our crowd and reluctantly, out of shyness, said a few things on the microphone.

 

“This is my little sister (I believe she’s 61) and she does hair, but she has found me to be a useless client.” (Laughs). I show off my shaven head. Pauline is such a sweet person. Incidentally this festival, the Ratha Yatra, is a reflection of an actual family reunion. Yes indeed, Krishna’s actual family — Balarama, his brother, and Subhadra, his sister, take a journey to the north, to Kuruksetra, during a solar eclipse where friends and more relatives have this extraordinary reunion.

 

To the best of their ability organizers pulled off the event once again in a powerful devotional way.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

South, East and North, Toronto

 

The 49th

 

This year’s 49th annual Ratha festival, like 2020, was a modified version; all because of Covid. We are still not allowed to have major gatherings where participants can be close and, besides that, our people are loyal to mask wearing. Despite obstacles, after a year or more of keeping away from each other, we did come together on some meaningful level.

 

Instead of our usual chariot-pull on Yonge St. (and there are usually three chariots) we comfortably seated our three prime deities of Krishna, His brother and sister in a rented red convertible and went for a spin to three locations — an urban parking lot near the lake and two Hindu temple parking facilities. It was good to connect with the pandits and administrators of those temples. Most of all we all connected with friends of the pre-Covid times. It was like a family reunion, meeting again with congregates from different directions.

 

One notable moment for me was when a young high-school student asked a few questions. We went to the side when he wanted to understand what the Vedas say about atheism. It seemed he was inclined towards this particular philosophical leaning. In response, I expressed there is a level of realization in the line of brahmavad where energy of an immense power can satisfy those certain people of an impersonal approach. Three levels I spoke about. Something called bhagavan realization is the ultimate approach, where there is a recognition of superior intelligence connected to that divine personality.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

The GBC Executive Committee released a statement regarding a recent GBC decision on how to proceed with the controversy regarding Lokanath Swami. 

By Yudhistir Govinda Das

ISKCON Communications & SP125 Committee are happy to inform you all that the Government of India has issued the rules and a notification to legally recognize the Rs 125 commemorative coin being minted by the Government on the historic occasion of Srila Prabhupada's 125th Vyasa Puja (birth anniversary). The Indian government's official Gazette Notification is attached herein for your kind information. Continue reading "Govt of India Notifies Srila Prabhupada Coin
→ Dandavats"

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Excerpt from the video: Is Bhagvad Gita Hindu ? Ft. Chaitanya Charan Prabhu | DigiKarma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5K-UZZwXAg

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In this interview with Bhadrasena Prabhu we discuss The Loft approach to sharing Krishna consciousness in the West. We also discuss how the Vedic Contemporary Ashrama fits into that strategy. Some of the topics we cover.. Challenges typically faced by men today as they become devotees How to help devotees deal with different issues as […]

The post SV34-Bring People to Krishna consciousness in the West – Bhadrasena Prabhu appeared first on Successful Vaisnavas - Personal Development for Hare Krishnas.

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Excerpt from the video: Is Bhagvad Gita Hindu ? Ft. Chaitanya Charan Prabhu | DigiKarma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5K-UZZwXAg

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The Beaches, Toronto

 

Turned Red

 

Recently a couple and their mother moved to Toronto, settling in the east and in Pickering. Anuttama and Sveta purchased a house there and are now settled in the area and ready for service. Anuttama’s specific portfolio is to function as the book distribution coordinator for our north zone, which is several northern states and also includes Canada.

 

Anuttama has this passion for making the books of Prabhupada available. They have changed him and made him a better person so he strongly believes in sharing the wisdom.

 

This afternoon, on the eve, so to speak, of Toronto’s Chariot Festival, the family came to whisk me away to a special place. I promised them I would show them the boardwalk in the beaches area; the trail taken by Prabhupada himself in 1976, along Lake Ontario. It goes for over a two kilometre stretch and is very popular for pedestrians.

 

We merely stepped over it but mentally, or meditatively, acknowledged its significance. We had our first prasadam picnic and took a dip in the lake for a quick refresher. It was a trite frigid for Anuttama and when we came out his natural tanned body turned red before our very eyes. Something wasn’t right. He got nauseous and dizzy, causing him to lie down in the sand. Lack of sleep, having just landed from a job assignment by plane, and little to eat over the past few days, he determined, contributed to the sudden attack. Life is fragile. Anyway, he’s doing fine now. Just seeing Anuttama’s behavior normalize was a great relief. Jagannath (Krishna) has protected him.

 

May the Source be with you!

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University Ave., Toronto

 

Touching On Gossip

 

To be more accurate I spent three and a half hours at Mount Sinai hospital, located on University Ave. That was done to meet various medical and social workers to prepare me for the coming left knee surgery. The date is set for July 20 and I feel, after having met the professionals, that I can go back to Mount Sinai with confidence of step and depart there with crutches. The healing begins from there.

 

On the topic of healing, well, it’s something I feel we all need to undergo. First let’s address the bigger and deeper problems of lust, anger, greed and jealousy. Let’s hit these characters face-on, change them if possible, and look not necessarily too the knee but to a newer me.

 

I had the good fortune to take the lead on discussions on the topic of gossip. I was on Zoom with devotees from Trinidad today and we talked about confronting gossip, rumor mongering and faultfinding. It was great. One quote that was really loved was, “if gossip was food there would be a lot of overweight people.”

 

Here’s my little contribution or my definition of gossip: Gossip: that most evil of weapons and, although it can be polished, it will act like a boomerang and come to haunt you! (Something to think about).

 

May the Source be with you!

5 km

 

Christie Pits, Toronto

 

Some Bad News

 

It’s a bit of bad news coming from South Africa. As I understand it, some action, based in racism, is going on; a lot of looting and more. Sad really. At our Durban temple most of the residents there have vacated and fled for safety. Our deities of Krishna have been taken away, under protection. I’m even receiving email, personally, since I know the people there, asking about refugee applications for Canada. The country is going through lots of fear.

 

It’s somewhat hard to comprehend when we experience a relative peace here. I have had a fairly full day of devotional activities, some of it related to the upcoming weekend festival of Ratha Yatra. After that, I asked Karuna Sindhu to drive me to Christie Pits in order to walk a self-forced three kilometres back to the ashram. I walked along Bloor in a part-meditative way; for South Africa.

 

At one point I took to a bench for a break. A young Sikh gentleman on his Uber run stopped his vehicle and parked it after seeing me there. He came over and asked if I was in meditation.

 

“Yes, of sorts, chanting the powerful mantra on my beads.”

 

“When did you start this?”

 

“In 1973.” He was blown away.

 

“Do you go to India?”

 

“Yes, every year but not now due to Covid.”

 

The fellow’s surname is Singh and is generally interested in the path of devotion, the path of peace. My prayers and thoughts go to his well-being and that of South Africa.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

Woodbine Beach, Toronto

It’s All About the Service

 

From the Introduction of Bhagavad-Gita:

 

We can easily see that every living being is constantly engaged in rendering service to another living being. A living being serves other living beings in various capacities. By doing so, the living entity enjoys life. The lower animals serve human beings as servants serve their master. A serves B master, B serves C master, and C serves D master and so on. Under these circumstances, we can see that one friend serves another friend, the mother serves the son, the wife serves the husband, the husband serves the wife and so on. If we go on searching in this spirit, it will be seen that there is no exception in the society of living beings to the activity of service. The politician presents his manifesto for the public to convince them of his capacity for service. The voters therefore give the politician their valuable votes, thinking that he will render valuable service to society. The shopkeeper serves the customer, and the artisan serves the capitalist. The capitalist serves the family, and the family serves the state in the terms of the eternal capacity of the eternal living being. In this way we can see that no living being is exempt from rendering service to other living beings, and therefore we can safely conclude that service is the constant companion of the living being and that the rendering of service is the eternal religion of the living being.

-        By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

May the Source be with you!

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Over the years, devotees have expressed interest in knowing more about The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust’s book editing policies and practices, especially in making corrections to Srila Prabhupada’s books after his physical departure.

This year, we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the appearance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, born in 1896 in Calcutta. Leading up to his Appearance Day or Vyasa-Puja on August 31st, ISKCON News is commemorating the occasion with a series of articles glorifying his achievements, contributions, and qualities.   Srila […]

The post Srila Prabhupada: The Greatest Communicator appeared first on ISKCON News.

Not only did Prabhupada directly focus on winning people’s hearts and bringing as many to the process of bhakti as possible; but he was also an expert in creating and sustaining, as the Communications Ministry puts it, “favorable environments for advancing the goals of the Krishna consciousness movement.”

Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru Maharaja. As we close in on a year of the painful disappearance of our dearest spiritual master, Srila Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja, we humbly invite you to join us for the first Tirobhava Mahotsava on the 24th of July, […]