Planet ISKCON

Just got informed that Nandanandana Das Acbsp left the body on April 3, 2021

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By Jaya Gaursundar Dasa

Look brothers! What can this plague do to you? What real harm can the plague do by ending this useless life? If you desire some benefit, learn a lesson from the plague. If you are caught by the plague, then your life is over. Imagine where your wealth and happiness will go! Therefore, without wasting your time uselessly, constantly and sincerely chant hari-nāma with devotion. Then billions of plagues cannot do anything to you. Continue reading "Share and care among Krishna Devotees
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By Lavanga Lata Devi Dasi

Two days ago there was a raid in Moscow and 3 harinama parties were arrested at the same time and were charged with illegal rallies and obstructing pedestrian movement. Last summer in the same way the harinama party was arrested in my hometown, but we have won all 18 cases in court with the help of Maha Balram prabhu. We have the right to practice freedom of religion in gatherings, and it has been recognized by the courts in many cities. But if we lose the 48 cases now being tried in Moscow, not only will the devotees face heavy fines, but the precedent of loss of the suit in the capital will put our movement under threat of a ban on public chanting throughout Russia. Please in the next 2 weeks, pray to dear Lord Narasimhadev for the protection of the Harinama devotees, especially in Moscow, and for special strength for Maha Balaram prabhu, our glorious lawyer, that we will win and no one can ban Lord Chaitanya's movement in Russia. Continue reading "A new threat in Russia
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Braja Vilasa prabhu takes the I Love Mayapur YT Channel video crew and family on a wonderful tour of the TOVP

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Prayers needed for Our Dear Godbrother and Goddister Pancharatna Das who has Covid and Attitaguna Devi who has Covid and typhoid, Mayapur Dham is in need of Prayers for all its residents at this fragile time. May Lord Nrsringhadeva protect everyone. As also Krpanidhi Prabhu's wife Karunamayi Dasi.

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An event, which took place in Mayapur that made bhakta Bob cry and changed his life

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Room at 243, Toronto

 

Can and Cannot View

 

Calls continued to come from well-wishers. Thank you!

 

I spent a good chunk of the day reviewing the draft manuscript for “The Saffron Road,” which details my walking experiences throughout the US and Canada, as well as a host of other countries; mostly more tropical. Then there’s Ireland – very moist.

 

So, we are moving along and getting closer to the book’s release and I’m hoping you will all be looking forward to it’s reading. Frankly I feel that it was almost a previous life that I am looking at, since being, on lockdown and isolated. There’s little scope for walking right now. Stretches will suffice. My legs are feeling quite good and perhaps are getting rejuvenated from the break – the relaxation.

 

You cannot imagine how many doctors are out there. I mean to say every person I talk to has a formula and a subscription. Unofficial guidance. All done with love, of course.

 

Now while I’m in this isolation I’m deprived of dharsan(viewing) of the local deities of Krishna who go by the name, “Radha Ksirachora Gopinatha”. They are lovely. Fortunately, I am able to see them through the webcam. It’s interesting. Those lovely deities are merely 2 metres away from that perfect view but it is a line that, at the moment, I can’t cross.

 

May the Source be with you!

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Room at 243, Toronto

 

RAM

 

On the 21st of this month we will celebrate the birthday of Ram. This is my latest poetical rendering. It is in his honour.

 

RAM

 

Ram possesses all the qualities of a superhero

Royal traits of ultimate prince, monarch or pharaoh

Reverent to all, eager to help and listen

With a service attitude acting on what’s given

His build is admirable, countenance grave

A task he’ll tackle meant only for the brave

He never moves suddenly at a reckless whim

No wonder his father, the emperor, adores him

Ram is a heartthrob for many a woman

He also has a striking brother with name Laksman

Of all the ladies, lovely Sita won Ram in a tournament

These three leave an indelible mark, a footprint

Literally so, on a forest floor at Chitrakoot

In a fateful exile they meet an ogress — not cute

Smitten with desire the ogress solicits Ram

He declares loyalty, not yielding to this love bomb

This invokes a fury in the lustful jungle lady

Who attacks Sita, for all she does is shady

Lakshman draws his dagger making a clean cut

Off comes nose and ears disfiguring her somewhat

The wounded ogress flees to gain retaliation

Fourteen thousand aggressive ogres assail, adding aggravation

Ram single-handedly put their lives to completion

The ogress reaches her cannibal king, Ravan, to petition

In revenge, this ten-headed villain uses trickery and hoax

A mystic becomes a golden deer who goes to coax                                                                                                 

Fair Sita away from the guard of her husband

Ravan’s plot triumphs, stealing Sita, Ram’s diamond

To Isle Lanka he flies with captive Sita by his side

Devastated is Ram with his love companion denied

A vulture, a bear, a monkey offer solace

As allies they pledge to regain the goddess

Battles are conflicts to avoid if possible

When negotiations fail with bridges not crossable

Speaking of bridges, monkey Hanuman cleared the ocean

With one leap to Lanka on the strength of devotion

Crossing a new causeway, now the means to go

Is a simian army wielding weapons, for Ram it’s a bow

A clash between mean man and monkey is a fierce fight

Casualties are plenty as all exhibit such might

The turning point — a fatal arrow hits Ravan’s navel

The only bodily location Ram finds unstable

The ten-headed fiend’s legion is completely defeated

But what now of Sita, has her life been depleted?

All this while it appears Sita’s in captivity

In a grove of ashaka trees devoid of festivity

Surprisingly the goddess in despair is a mere phantom

Putting a twist to the story, interesting to fathom

When Sita was abducted she prayed to the fire god

He gave her protection, for this we must applaud

Then and illusory Sita was suddenly manifest

The joke was on Ravan who thought he had the best

But then we wonder, did Ram too get tricked?

The drama plays out so emotions can be gripped

Ram, Sita, Laksman end a fourteen-year ordeal

Hanuman joins, they return to Ayodhya to reveal

More divine and sweet pastimes of a mystical kind

Tales of Ram are for a happy heart and happy mind

            -Composed by Bhaktimarga Swami, The Walking Monk©

 

May the Source be with you!

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Room at 243, Toronto

 

Sunny Spots

 

I’m receiving a lot of sympathy calls and mail. How sweet it is! Thank you all!

 

My peers do the same! Some of it’s fun, like the message I received from Devamrita Swami, regarding recovery:

 

“Some have written praying that you walk over the Covid. Other say no, “trample it.” I pray, Dance out of it, in your signature Vaishnava-Motown style!”

 

Thank you, dear Devamrita Swami. You lift my spirits.

 

Two more sunny spots of the day I’ll describe and brief. For a Halifax group I Zoomed in to deliver a summary on the second chapter of Bhagavad-Gita. A briefing of the summary went something like this:

 

“Arjuna, the warrior, is a broken-down-man; a nervous break-down really. He admits to his wise friend, Krishna, “I can’t do it!” Krishna won’t take that for an answer and retorts, “You have to, I’m afraid.” Let’s put aside frailties and tears. Gain your identity. Gain steadiness of mind. Ignore the senses. Follow those who are great. Here’s what you look for to detect the great.”

 

The second Zoom was to a Calgary group on the topic of Jesus & Haridas. Being that it’s Easter, Jesus comes into the picture. I drew some parallels to one of our saints, Haridas. Both were fearless during their arrests. Despite being tortured, they behaved like martyrs and also saved a prostitute in danger. Both were saints.

 

May the Source be with you!

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As per a health update dated 11 April, the CT Scan conducted on Pankajanghri Prabhu confirmed that the coronavirus has reached his lungs. His coughing is worst than before and he is having high fever and breathing problem. He is taking IV medicines and oxygen with the help nebulizer. He has been advised diet and rest by doctors.

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Braja Vilasa prabhu, TOVP Vice Chairman and Director of Development takes the I Love Mayapur YouTube Channel video crew and family on a wonderful tour of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, the largest modern Vedic Temple in the world located in Mayapur, West Bengal, India.

The temple is a project of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and has been under construction since 2009, and is scheduled to open in 2023.

 

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By HG Drutakarma Prabhu - Vedic Friends Association

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For the past decade I've had the fortune of facilitating japa retreats and workshops and I can honestly say that I have never seen anything quite like this in Iskcon. I witnessed over and over devotees having intense experiences with Krsna’s holy names – and those experiences having a powerful impact on their spiritual lives.

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By Sankirtana Das

So, those in a position of authority have a grave responsibility. There has been so much criticism of police behavior lately. Angry complaints of injustice. With all the demonstrations and unrest, the leadership is trembling, trying to figure out what is the best course of action to take. No one wants to handicap or penalize the police force. Yet, how can we prevent racism from filtering into their ranks? Basically, this has to be addressed in the training and education the police receive. For the police to do their job properly, they need the holistic education that Lord Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedic paradigm provide. Continue reading "The Bhagavad Gita and the Path to Justice
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The Maha Mantra is composed of Divine names: 'Hare' - the divine feminine; 'Krishna' - the all-attractive; 'Rama' - the reservoir of all pleasure. These divine names clean the mirror of the heart, removing the dust and grime of misconception and false identity; allowing us to see our true reflection. The divine names are compared to a monsoon cloud, deep, beautiful and heavily laden with cooling rain, able to fully extinguish the ‘maha-davagni’ the blazing forest fire of material suffering. In the same way that monsoon rains quench the parched earth and bring verdant life back to the forests and plains, the sacred names revive the heart that has been thirsty for time immemorial. The saint and divine avatar, Shri Chaitanya, compares the heart to a Kairava flower: a night blooming lily that opens as the moon rises. As the beautiful moon of the divine names arise within the inner sky, the heart naturally opens, revealing its natural beauty and releasing its beautiful fragrance. The vibration of the sacred names awakens the innate beauty of the soul and uncovers our deepest potential.

Welcome to Episode Two of Off The Alter Podcast, with our very special guest Dhanya Rico. Dhanya Rico is a 2nd generation practitioner of Krsna Consciousness. She was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Dhanya holds a Master’s degree in Counselor Education and holds a Specialist’s degree in Couples and Family therapy. She is passionate about developing therapeutic tools that incorporate Bhakti principles and practices as means of reconnecting with our essential nature. Dhanya is also a singer/songwriter and kirtan artist who has traveled the world sharing the message of Krsna Consciousness, performing her original musical compositions as well as collaborating with the renowned Kirtan group, Mayapuris. She currently lives in Alachua, Florida, as part of the ISKCON New Raman Reti community, where she serves as a member of the local Child Protection Team.

Bhagavat Seva, an ISKCON Silicon Valley project with the motto “Distributing Ancient Wisdom Through Education” is offering online Sunday School, and using the course fees to distribute full Srimad-Bhagavatam sets. Coordinators also hope that the program can be replicated by devotees in their local areas first nationwide, and eventually internationally.

Bhakti Sastri – the systematic in-depth study of Srila Prabhupada’s books Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Devotion and Nectar of Instruction – is designed for serious practitioners of Krishna consciousness. The program is intended to help students not only to understand the contents of Prabhupada’s books, but also to digest the philosophy […]

The post Largest Group Yet Passes Bhakti Sastri Online Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns appeared first on ISKCON News.

For many years, Bhakti Sastri has been offered in person by organizations such as the Mayapur Institute for Higher Eductation (MIHE). Amid COVID-19 lockdowns around the world, however, a team led by GBC and ISKCON guru Bhakti Chaitanya Swami taught the course online, resulting in the largest number of graduates from one cycle of Bhakti Sastri yet.

On the morning of 9th April, Buckingham Palace in London announced that Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband, has died aged 99. The community of ISKCON in the UK and around the world are saddened by the loss, and deeply admired his remarkable life of dedicated service.  

On March 7th, 2021 a puja was held at the site of the new Krishna’s Home, a devotee-centered Adult Care / Assisted Living Haven for ISKCON Devotees. Krishna’s Home ACT is being constructed into a ten-bed assisted living facility. It was designed with Vastu Vedic alignment in mind, with one area of the large house […]

The post Krishna’s Home – A New Adult Care Center in Tucson appeared first on ISKCON News.

On March 7th, 2021 a puja was held at the site of the new Krishna's Home, a devotee-centered Adult Care / Assisted Living Haven for ISKCON Devotees. Krishna's Home ACT is being constructed into a ten-bed assisted living facility. It was designed with Vastu Vedic alignment in mind, with one area of the large house designated for men and another for women's personal space,  bedrooms, and bathrooms. People will gather in the spacious living room and dining room, which also has a separate space for worship. Construction on the project is set to begin immediately.

Jahnavi Harrison released her latest single, “Divine Maha-mantra” on March 28th (Gaura Purnima). This latest offering will be the artist’s 4th single release since her 2015 album Like a River to the Sea.

Renowned ISKCON author, Hridayananda Das Goswami, aka Howard Resnick, presents a spellbinding novel that scales literary heights while delivering a powerful Krishna conscious message. What if an ancient Sanskrit text holds the answers to today’s deepest problems? What if the past—the ancient past—can help us unlock both our present and our future?  That’s the dilemma facing Justin Davis, […]

The post Justin Davis – The First Novel By H.D. Goswami appeared first on ISKCON News.

Renowned ISKCON author, Hridayananda Das Goswami, aka Howard Resnick, presents a spellbinding novel that scales literary heights while delivering a powerful Krishna conscious message. What if an ancient Sanskrit text holds the answers to today’s deepest problems? What if the past—the ancient past—can help us unlock both our present and our future? 

Gardening has always been an important part of my family, especially for my father who took great pride in our well-maintained garden. As a child, and to a large extent, even as an adult, I have enjoyed the benefits of having a beautiful garden without having to put in any effort. In more recent years […]

The post Musings of an Amateur Gardener appeared first on ISKCON News.

Gardening has always been an important part of my family, especially for my father who took great pride in our well-maintained garden. As a child, and to a large extent, even as an adult, I have enjoyed the benefits of having a beautiful garden without having to put in any effort. In more recent years I have gradually taken on more responsibility in caring for the garden. In doing this I have realized how much work it actually takes to maintain it, and how much my father was doing. Similarly, in my Krishna Consciousness, for many years I have been enjoying so much facility in Krishna consciousness, benefiting from the mercy of guru, Prabhupada, and Krishna without having to endeavor for it. However, at some point, I have to take responsibility for my Krishna consciousness and maintaining my bhakti-lata-kripa.

Many devotees who are very dear to me have physically departed from this world due to the Covid-19 virus. This breaks my heart. Srila Prabhupada desired that we do the needful to take care of our health. Our health belongs to Srila Prabhupada. Sincere devotees who are specialist doctors of Allopathy, Ayurveda, and Homeopathy have […]

The post Why I Decided that Getting Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Was the Right Choice for Me appeared first on ISKCON News.

Many devotees who are very dear to me have physically departed from this world due to the Covid-19 virus. This breaks my heart.

In Gujrat, India ISKCON Vadodara aka Baroda has hosted the first ISKCON organized COVID-19 vaccine clinic on April 6th, 2021. The clinic was hosted at the temple’s basement hall, with the first dose of vaccination completed for 160 people during the clinic’s 11 am-5 pm hours. Another clinic is planned for the 11th.  The clinic […]

The post News Brief: ISKCON Baroda Vaccine Clinic appeared first on ISKCON News.

In Gujrat, India ISKCON Vadodara aka Baroda has hosted the first ISKCON organized COVID-19 vaccine clinic on April 6^th, 2021. The clinic was hosted at the temple’s basement hall, with the first dose of vaccination completed for 160 people during the clinic’s 11am-5 pm hours.