Planet ISKCON

A video by ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.

A video by ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.

"This song is perhaps best described as a revolutionary bhakti journey on wings of orchestral and choral Hindustani and Reggae chanting with incredible world percussion and an occasional tip of the artistic hat to Bollywood," Vishvambhar explains.

In previous ages – or just in previous centuries – kingdoms were ruled by kings; kings with real executive power, not just ceremonial heads of state: “Formerly everywhere, all over the world, the monarchy was prevalent.” Srila Prabhupada says, “Even up to date some of the countries, they are maintaining monarchy, but only in name […]

The post Monarcophiles of the World, Unite! appeared first on ISKCON News.

 For many, these darkest days of the year have traditionally been celebrated as the Season of Light, or Advent, or Hanukah. Yet during this time of global pandemic, many of us are feeling and observing a collective unconsciousness in our world – a heavy or negative energy surrounding us.  Some are experiencing a paralyzing fear; […]

The post Darkness in the Season of Light appeared first on ISKCON News.

The chaos and crisis that exploded in America’s capital yesterday was not the result of one man, or a few thousand crazed vigilantes. It was the result of years of vitriol, of planting seeds of divisiveness and hate, of reveling in the unfair and unlawful treatment of others for selfish and materialistic gains.

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(CNN)India has introduced a nationwide "cow science" exam to "infuse curiosity" about the bovine, according to officials, in the latest promotional push by the country's Hindu-nationalist government that critics say politicizes the sacred animal.

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New Year Bhajans for 2021 (with Varuni)

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Dear follower of Srila Prabhupada, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! This is our final reminder to kindly submit your homage to Srila Prabhupada for his Vyasa-puja book by April 7. In addition, if you're a direct disciple of Srila Prabhupada, please check out www.sptributes.com to learn about a Vyasa-puja book open to all his disciples. The deadline for submission to this book is April 15. Continue reading "Final call for Homages for Srila Prabhupada’s 2021 Vyasa Puja Book
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Mahaprabhu’s mood in Jagannath Puri (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam class by HG Jananivasa ...Read More...

Mahaprabhu’s mood in Jagannath Puri (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam class by HG Jananivasa ...Read More...

Rosedale, Toronto

Destiny

These days I’m missing Argentina, Cuba, Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname, India, South Africa, Mauritius as well as parts of the US and Canada, which are all my regular places of visitation. Woe is me! Like so many people on this planet, Earth, we are bound.

My peers, some of which are sannyasis(full-fledged monks), gurus and sages, both men and women, are all in the same boat. Most of us have established a home-base.

But we have considered carefully what is our actual home, and are we moving in the direction of being "homeward bound," as Simon and Garfunkel might say. We have a word in Sanskrit which reflects that ultimate place, Vaikuntha. "Vai" means without and "kuntha"refers to misery. So we are looking at what is referred to as the ultimate abode; where there is no distress. Can you imagine such a place?

During a virtual memorial on behalf of Indira Nayee, that took place in our local area today, devotees from their individual living spaces 'Zoomed' in to express some words of glorification. Several of the speakers used the safe phrase, "a better place," not specifying Vaikuntha. It is really hard for anyone of us to judge a soul’s destination, even if she or he lead a life of piety. Who are we to judge a person’s destiny? That is not our job, however, we can make some wholesome generalizations based upon a person’s overall behavior while on this planet. The general rule of karma holds that where there are kind acts a good next life is determined, and if our actions are dubious and shady then some term in darkness is the outcome. Sounds fair, doesn’t it?

May the source be with you!

3 km

Brickworks, Toronto

Book Walk Celebration

We were outside and kept our distance. We walked the trails, or rather "crunched" along, over the surface of icy snow. We made our noise and made it clear, with the sound of our footsteps, that we were present. There could not be louder footsteps even if we tried.

The "we" referred to are the Patel clan, from Muskoka. A dozen of us had arranged for a purely outdoor event, in a separated formation, simply through walking and celebrating.

What was the celebration all about?

Well, in early December, I asked the group from what is known as "cottage country," if they could participate in the book marathon, more particularly in the distribution of Bhagavad-gitasin their community. The goal set was for three hundred Gitas to be sponsored and distributed during the month of December in 2020.

The happy group, that was so driven to get out the mercy of Krishna's divine words, reported to me that they reached the grand total of fifteen hundred. It was an occasion for cheers! Instead of popping bottles of champagne our approach to success of going over the goal was via a walking party.

Just imagine that, taking in a piece of nature and moving through it as a way of merry-making? Well, it was done and I admire them because they are a united group and they exude a strong sense of community. Wait till Covid is over and then there may be more intense celebration, such as soul-touching

kirtan—chanting sessions. For now it took the shape of walking and making the crunching sound under the feet.

May the source be with you!

4 km

Podcast:

<iframe width=”100%” height=”300″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” allow=”autoplay” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/959928253&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true”></iframe><div style=”font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;”><a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan” title=”Chaitanya Charan” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Chaitanya Charan</a> · <a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan/those-eighteen-days-day-8″ title=”Those eighteen days – Day 8″ target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Those eighteen days – Day 8</a></div>

Video:

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/XLaUbSrr4LY” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

The post Those eighteen days – Day 8 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Food for Life London marked a milestone this Christmas by introducing the UK’s first fully electric food distribution van to serve Londoners. The project has relentlessly continued to serve the needy during the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns, remaining to be one of the few charities still providing free food to the homeless in Central […]

The post London’s Food for Life & Govinda’s Restaurant Launches UK’s First 100% Electric Food Van appeared first on ISKCON News.

Lord Krishna explains in the sacred text, Bhagavad-Gita, “Whatever action a great man performs, others will follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.”  Yesterday in Washington, D.C., we saw the truth of this statement, and the terrible impact of the misguided thoughts, words, and actions of an influential and powerful man. 

ISKCON Juhu is proud to announce the inauguration of a new permanent store ‘Hare Krsna Books’ for distribution of spiritual books at Mumbai Central Railway Station on Platform No 1 & 2. The stall was inaugurated on 07/Jan/2021 at hands of Srimati Priyanka Caturvedi, MP Rajya Sabha. The events was also inaugurated and attended by Shri Alok Kansal, General Manager, Western Railway and Shri Satya Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager.

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Actual Perfection of the Living Being (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam class by HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami at ISKCON Durban

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Podcast:

<iframe width=”100%” height=”300″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” allow=”autoplay” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/959924584&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true”></iframe><div style=”font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;”><a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan” title=”Chaitanya Charan” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Chaitanya Charan</a> · <a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan/those-eighteen-days-day-7″ title=”Those eighteen days – Day 7″ target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Those eighteen days – Day 7</a></div>

Video:

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/4BgTRk_MDNg” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

The post Those eighteen days – Day 7 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Podcast:

<iframe width=”100%” height=”300″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” allow=”autoplay” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/960499510&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true”></iframe><div style=”font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;”><a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan” title=”Chaitanya Charan” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Chaitanya Charan</a> · <a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan/how-does-fatherlessness-in-america-affect-their-spiritual-receptivity” title=”How Does Fatherlessness In America Affect Their Spiritual Receptivity” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>How Does Fatherlessness In America Affect Their Spiritual Receptivity</a></div>

The post How does fatherlessness in America affect their spiritual receptivity? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Podcast:

<iframe width=”100%” height=”300″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” allow=”autoplay” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/960498553&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true”></iframe><div style=”font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;”><a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan” title=”Chaitanya Charan” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Chaitanya Charan</a> · <a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan/when-ethics-and-humanity-can-provide-us-direction-why-do-we-need-spirituality” title=”When Ethics And Humanity Can Provide Us Direction Why Do We Need Spirituality” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>When Ethics And Humanity Can Provide Us Direction Why Do We Need Spirituality</a></div>

The post When ethics and humanity can provide us direction why do we need spirituality? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By the divine mercy of Srila Prabhupada, on the most auspicious day of the disappearance of HDG Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (2/1/2021), ISKCON Kumasi was able to distribute 1000+ sets of Rice and juice prasadam to the inmates of Kumasi Central Prisons. We also loudly chanted the Maha mantra with them. And distributed 400 pamphlets of on chanting Hare Krsna, 6 journey of Self discovery, 2 coming back and 6 path of perfection.

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Dear Well-wisher, Hare Krishna! Greetings along with the blessings of Lord Kapil Muni and Ganga Mata! We pray this letter meets you and your family in good health during this challenging COVID-19 pandemic. With the New Year already here, we are looking forward to happiness, prosperity and success. Darkness is inauspicious and the light brings […]

The post Gangasagar Mela – 11th -17th January 2021 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) brings to you the nectar of Book Distribution from the stalwarts who are fearlessly distributing something special to the world. This week we invite you to hear from Drumila Das

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Rosedale, Toronto

The Good About Winter

I don’t do too well with complainers. Covid is fueling them big time these days. Another cause for the current griping is the weather. A lot of people just don’t like winter. Winter, with Covid slapped on top of it, makes it “the winter of our discontent.” That’s a quote from Richard the 3rd, by William Shakespeare. One of my very favourite literary geniuses is John Steinbeck who authored, “East of Eden,” “Grapes of Wrath” and “Of Mice and Men.” His last novel was titled after the famous line, “The Winter of Our Discontent.”

I delivered two classes today, by Zoom. One for Vancouver and another for Toronto, to counter the winter blues syndrome. We know the weather is frigid, the traffic is hazardous, the bills go high and income is lowest, but under the topic “The Good About Winter” we had a chance to have a second look at winter.

In India the four months of the rainy season is the time for inner reflection. Our winter, in the north, is introspective time. Travel is more restrictive. It really does draw a parallel, in a way. December to April Fools; it’s no joke.

Let’s take some quotes about winter:

“Winter is the season of recovery and preparation.” Paul Theroux

“The colour of springtime is the flowers. The colour of winter is in the imagination.” Terri Guillemets.

“In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.” William Blake

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire; it is the time for home.” Edith Sitwell

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”” Lewis Carrol

Be a winter optimist.

May the source be with you!

4 km

Podcast:

<iframe width=”100%” height=”300″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” allow=”autoplay” src=”https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/959923741&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true”></iframe><div style=”font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;”><a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan” title=”Chaitanya Charan” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Chaitanya Charan</a> · <a href=”https://soundcloud.com/chaitanya-charan/those-eighteen-days-day-6″ title=”Those Eighteen Days – Day 6″ target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Those Eighteen Days – Day 6</a></div>

Video:

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/aIY02C24ayo” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

The post Those eighteen days – Day 6 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Is the universe created by conscious control on the highest level and inhabited by hierarchical beings organized to act in concert with the Supreme? Or, is matter the ultimate basis of reality, which is then transformed automatically to produce life? Summarizing his recent lecture at Worchester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Sadaputa Dasa (Dr. Richard L. Thompson) reenacts Plato's battle between the gods and the earth giants in an updated version of mysticism vs. empiricism, and concludes that enlightened understanding of illusive truths demands the reconciliation of science and religion.

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For many phone users, WhatsApp has become the App of choice for free phone calling and Chat Groups. The TOVP also uses this medium for our Chat Group TOVP Now!. However, there are great limitations on the number of people who can join a WhatsApp Chat Group, 256 to be more specific. Thus, we currently have three TOVP Now! WhatsApp Chat Groups.

In steps Telegram, a newer but even more developed and versatile free communication App. Aside from a superb quality free phone calling service, their system can support up to 200,000 people in one chat group! This one is a no-brainer.

The TOVP Communication Department has now created a Telegram Chat Group, TOVPGRAM, which devotees worldwide can join to get regular updates and news about TOVP progress, as well as informative and educations articles on Vedic science. Just go to your phone App downloader and search for Telegram. After you download the App use the invite code below to join TOVPGRAM and stay tuned for our regular posts. You can also add members to the group yourself. Hare Krishna!

https://t.me/joinchat/UJXwbO81scT6gwID

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

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HH Kesava Bharati Dasa Goswami reads about how Pradyumna Misra received instructions from Ramananda Raya

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The company that we keep plays a significant role in our lives. Our desires, habits, and goals are often dependent on the association that we are in (saṅgāt sanjāyate kāmaḥ, BG 2.62). Associating with cultured people helps us develop good habits, and associating with corrupt people makes us corrupt generally. The holy scriptures therefore repeatedly recommend that we avoid bad association and keep good association. Here is Lord Kṛṣṇa’s direct description on the glory of saintly association, in the Uddhava-gīta, the philosophical song that He sang to enlighten His dear devotee Uddhava. Continue reading "Sadhu-Sanga: Power of Association
→ Dandavats"

OK, I admit it. I’m a junkie, a New Year’s resolutions junkie. Every year I make so many resolutions, and every year I fail to keep them. I know I am not alone in this. Is there a support group out there?! This pesky little urge to make a commitment to a project or to reforming a habit to mark the beginning of each New Year is not new and seems to be quite universal. Continue reading "New Year’s Resolutions, Samsara, and Srimad Bhagavatam
→ Dandavats"

Loyalty and acts of loving devotional service, are only possible in the Spiritual Worlds when the relationship with Krishna is expressed in a "two way" contributing exchange. "Loyalty" is a "two way" street that can ONLY exist when "two" are having loving respectful exchanges of feelings. Without this basic rule in the Spiritual Planets, there can NEVER be genuine love within one's relationship with Krishna. Emotions expressed in a "one way" mood without the contribution of loving exchanges only experienced in a "two way" relationship, is NOT love at all, it is selfishness, and is really impersonalism. Continue reading "Loyalty and acts of loving devotional service
→ Dandavats"

Although 2020 has been a tough year for us all, some have discovered silver linings amidst the challenges. When ISKCON New Vrindaban, West Virginia went into a two-week lockdown on Thanksgiving Day to keep the community safe, two women from opposite sides of the world found themselves in an unexpected quarantine. However the experience turned […]

The post Two Devotees Share Their Surprisingly Blissful Lockdown Experience appeared first on ISKCON News.

Although 2020 has been a tough year for us all, some have discovered silver linings amidst the challenges. When ISKCON New Vrindaban, West Virginia went into a two-week lockdown on Thanksgiving Day to keep the community safe, two women from opposite sides of the world found themselves in an unexpected quarantine. 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 August 2019, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Janmashtami Lecture)

The reason why we chant without taste or without being attentive is because we are chanting without remembrance of Krsna. The more we remember Krsna in our daily lives, the more naturally we will be inclined to chant with taste. For instance, while Srimati Radharani was churning yoghurt to make butter, she was remembering Krsna constantly. And as she was remembering Krsna, she was also chanting Krsna’s name. So it is this remembrance of Krsna that is really lacking in us. When we are not feeling inspired to chant the Holy Name, it is simply because we are not remembering Krsna enough.

In Nectar of Devotion, we find a description of the qualities of Krsna. These qualities of Krsna are very important. It says that He has very beautiful bodily features and the different parts of the Lord’s body are compared to the different material objects. Ordinary persons who cannot understand how exalted the bodily features of the Lord are, are hereby given the chance to understand the Lord with material comparisons. It is said that Krsna’s face is as beautiful as the moon. His thighs are just powerful like the trunks of elephants. His arms are like two pillars. His palms are extended like lotus flowers. His chest is like a doorway. His hips are like dens and the middle of the body is like a terrace. So in this way, we are trying to visualize Krsna to try and see how He actually looks.

One of the most important features of Krsna is His effulgence. In some scriptures, we find Krsna being described as white rather than blackish or shyama. Such a description is provided due to Krsna’s effulgence. His effulgence is so bright that sometimes one could even think that He is white even though He is of course of a blackish-bluish body. Prabhupada said that Krsna’s effulgence is so bright that it can light up the entire universe. The fact that the sky is blue is because of Krsna’s effulgence. The fact that the sun shines is because of Krsna’s effulgence. The fact that there are even electric bulbs is because they derive their power from Krsna’s effulgence. It is all part of Krsna.

But Krsna’s effulgence cannot only be seen in terms of light. Krsna’s effulgence is also to be seen in terms of His mercy, in terms of His transcendental potency. When that mercy touches the living entities, the living entities become transformed. By hearing about Krsna, by being touched by Krsna, somehow or other, we become transformed and immediately empowered. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that real empowerment is when one is empowered with knowledge and with happiness – cit and ananda. And later, also with eternity. So in this way, we are entering into Krsna’s pastimes as we develop our taste for chanting.

The article " Chanting through remembrance " was published on KKSBlog.