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“Actually these books are the foundation stone of our movement. Whatever we are is resting on these books, so far reading them and distributing them. This should be our only motto”
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Hrdayananda -- Bombay, 31 October 1974
By Govindanandini dasi In this training there is no memorization of theory or examination. Rather it is called an “action-reflection” model, which means, first I visit patients and then I reflect on those experiences with a group of peers and supervisor to discuss and learn why I did what I did and what I missed. Before hastily offering any spiritual or religious resources to the patient, we chaplains are trained to be present with, listen to and accompany the patient in their grief or distress, relate and build trust. Continue reading "Chaplain: My Calling for a unique profession.
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Question: How can humility go along with self-respect?
Answer: Let’s look at it this way. Is there a difference between humility and humiliation? Yes, there is, definitely.
We say we should cultivate humility, but none of us want to be humiliated. Let’s put it another way, we all want to cultivate humility. So, should we start insulting and humiliating each other in our community? Then we will all become humble. You are proud and I will insult you, I will humiliate you and you humiliate me and in this way by exchanging humiliation we will all get humility. No!
Does humiliation make one humble? Not necessarily. Humiliation can make one feel offended, it can make one feel enraged. Sometimes it may make one humble, but not necessarily. So, clearly, there is a difference between humiliation and humility, and certainly although we talk about, say, we should be humble, but we also say respect each other. That’s the injunction in our devotee community and that’s normal human conduct also. So, we could put it that humiliation is false ego frustrated. Humility is false ego rejected.
Humiliation is false ego frustrated. I want to be respected, but instead of being respected, I was disrespected, I was mocked, I was derided, I can’t bear this. So, humiliation is false ego frustrated. I want to be respected, but I was not.
But humility is false ego rejected. That means I don’t crave for respect from others. I don’t depend on respect from others. That doesn’t mean that I don’t care at all. I mean it’s not so easily possible. We are human beings and we will notice how people are dealing with us. We can’t artificially become stone-like and that’s not exactly humility. But humility and humiliation are… Humiliation is I want something and I don’t get that respect, that’s humiliation. But humility is I don’t want it that much.
So, we could look at humility from the perspective of what we expect, what we demand from the world, what we need from the world. So that’s one aspect of humility.
Another aspect is, if I’m not demanding, how am I looking at myself? So now we have great saintly people saying that, Bhaktivinoda Thakura says “Amara Jeevana Sada Pape Rata,” that my life is full of sin and there is no good that is seen in me. Now, he has songs like that, but then he is writing books, he is sharing Bhakti wisdom confidently, countering misconceptions. So, when he is saying there are no good qualities in me, I am sinful, he is looking at it from a very elevated perspective. So, he is thinking of how pure Krishna’s devotees are, how pure Krishna is. As compared to them, what am I? Krishna loves me so much, what am I doing to reciprocate with him? I am doing nothing.
So, when we are at a different level of consciousness, we are not really perceiving how much Krishna loves us. Often, we may actually be feeling the opposite. Why doesn’t Krishna care for me? There are so many things wrong in my life, why is Krishna not helping me? Does Krishna even care for me? So, when we are not at that level, we can’t artificially imitate that.
Our frame of reference presently is mostly our human society and how people are interacting with each other and people are interacting with us in human society. But for great souls like Bhaktivinoda Thakura or Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, their frame of reference is not human society. Their frame of reference is Krishna and community of exalted devotees of Krishna. As compared to that, they feel, what about me, I am nobody. But in human society, they are functioning assertively, they are functioning very purposefully and even strongly when necessary for Krishna’s service. So, how do we look at ourselves? One aspect of humility is that it’s not that we look down at ourselves, we think I am worthless, I am useless. Well, we see that I am a part of Krishna and in that sense there is intrinsic worth for me. I have a whole seminar on “can we love ourselves”. Self-love can seem very self-indulgent, but actually it’s not.
If we understand we are parts of Krishna, how can we love Krishna without loving his parts? The part over which we have most control, the part for which we are most responsible is we ourselves. Now we don’t love Krishna in the sense of becoming self-indulgent and I am great. No, but love in the sense of that we respect, we care for ourselves, we respect ourselves, we want the best for ourselves. So, that is definitely there. Humility doesn’t mean we look down at ourselves, rather we are not looking at ourselves constantly and not looking at how people are looking at us. We are thinking of Krishna and we are thinking of how we can serve Krishna.
We are thinking of what is my service, what is my responsibility, how can I do it the best. In that sense, self-respect and humility go together because we don’t need other people’s respect because we have that intrinsic self-respect.
End of transcription.
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Whilst growing up and into adulthood, I was extremely curious and interested to learn about Ayurveda, yoga and the philosophies of various religions. In my head, it was a big mess of different philosophies and teachings, but I was leaning more towards the learnings of various yoga systems from Indian gurus. A bit later, I stumbled upon the definition of bhakti yoga (devotional service). In the beginning, I felt like it wasn’t for me but my feelings started to change upon meeting ISKCON devotees.
Sri Dham Mayapur is home to an international community. Some people come for a short time, some stay for decades. We asked Mayapur residents: “What is your reason nr.1, why you love to be in Mayapur?”
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The Mantra Lounge in Philadelphia, known for its book distribution, has been reaching out to people during the COVID-19 pandemic by feeding the homeless and others in need. “When the pandemic began in Spring last year, we saw people start to lose their jobs pretty quickly, and remembered Srila Prabhupada’s instruction that no one within […]
The post Philadelphia’s Mantra Lounge Feeds The Needy During Pandemic appeared first on ISKCON News.
The Mantra Lounge in Philadelphia, known for its book distribution, has been reaching out to people during the COVID-19 pandemic by feeding the homeless and others in need.
TKG Academy, a PK – 12 independent private school in Dallas TX, the first school established in ISKCON by Srila Prabhupada, is holding a virtual Open House on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. Join the presentation at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 4PM PT online at www.tinyurl.com/tkgopenhouse. (password tkg108) During the last school year, and despite the […]
The post TKG Academy in Dallas Announces Virtual Open House appeared first on ISKCON News.
TKG Academy, a PK - 12 independent private school in Dallas TX, the first school established in ISKCON by Srila Prabhupada, is holding a virtual Open House on Wednesday, February 3, 2021.
TKG Academy, a PK - 12 independent private school in Dallas TX, the first school established in ISKCON by Srila Prabhupada, is holding a virtual Open House on Wednesday, February 3, 2021.
Krishna Chandra Das of the ISKCON Daiva Varnashrama Ministry (IDVM) has been included in the World Book of Records for reciting all 700 verses of the sacred text Bhagavad-gita from memory in the minimum time of 73 minutes. The record was originally achieved on January 27th 2020, from 5:12pm to 6:25pm in Bellary, Karnataka, South […]
The post ISKCON Devotee Achieves World Record by Reciting all 700 Verses of Bhagavad-gita From Memory in 73 Minutes appeared first on ISKCON News.
Krishna Chandra Das of the ISKCON Daiva Varnashrama Ministry (IDVM) has been included in the World Book of Records for reciting all 700 verses of the sacred text Bhagavad-gita from memory in the minimum time of 73 minutes.
On December 27th, 2020, around twenty New Vrindaban devotees celebrated 52 years of worshipping the beautiful Little Radha Vrindaban Chandra with an abhisekha bathing ceremony, chanting, feasting and retelling of the Deities’ illustrious history. While some longtime residents of the rural West Virginia community – ISKCON’s first farm – were present, hearing the history was […]
The post New Vrindaban Celebrates 52 Years of Worshipping Little Radha Vrindaban Chandra appeared first on ISKCON News.
Their Lordships arrived weeks after the inception of New Vrindaban in 1968 and were being worshipped in the original New Vrindaban farmhouse during Srila Prabhupada's first visit in 1969.
Devotees in Mayapur having good time chanting Hare Krishna together with the cows
One of the greatest teachers of the past that continues to inform the teachings and spiritual practices of ISKCON today, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, envisioned inclusivity not alienation based on bodily identification.
I worship that transcendental seat, known as Śvetadvīpa whereas loving consorts the Lakṣmīs in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, […]
The post A Divine Experience In Full Manifestation – Sri Krishna Pushya Abhishek! appeared first on Mayapur.com.
In the material world, the living entity must accept different types of bodies. But the living entities who are promoted to the spiritual world do not return to the prison-house of a material body.
Tulasi is a plant most sacred to Krishna. Tulasi, also known as ‘holy basil’ is auspicious in all respects. She is a pure and great devotee of the Lord, and most dear to Lord Krishna. It is stated in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana that Tulasi, in her last birth was Vrinda devi married to an asura (a person with demonic qualities) named Jalandhar. To gain victory over Jalandhar, Lord Vishnu had persuaded Vrinda devi to give up devotion towards her husband. After being pleased with her, Lord Vishnu blessed her as Tulasi; one who can be worshipped by people all over the universe.
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Generally, in speech, writing, and thought, devotees of Krishna do not place much emphasis on bodily identification. The rationale is that avoidance of seeing ourselves and others in terms of the body helps to free our true self, the spirit soul currently encaged within the temporary body, from the constraints and miseries associated with the […]
The post Inclusivity, My Story appeared first on ISKCON News.
It is said of Srila Prabhupada that "He Built a House in Which the Whole World Can Live." My story is just one of the many stories of inclusivity told by the residents of that house.
Before coming across Srila Prabhupada’s books, I was living in amnesia. Wasn’t sure of my real identity nor what the purpose to my existence was. Spending years in frustration, reading several books, listening to lectures after lectures and up all night wondering what was I to do? I came to a period in my life, […]
The post Developing Spiritual Vision Through Books appeared first on ISKCON News.
Srila Prabhupada’s book gave me access to saints and sages, who at every step in my life ever since I’ve felt their presence and guidance through the instruction they’ve laid in these book for humanity.
Srila Prabhupada’s book gave me access to saints and sages, who at every step in my life ever since I’ve felt their presence and guidance through the instruction they’ve laid in these book for humanity.
This Mahamantra tune was inspired by the song ‘Vrikshavalli Amha’ by the medieval saint-poet Tukaram as popularly sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
The post Vrikshavalli Hare Krishna — Jahnavi Harrison — LIVE at The Shaw Theatre, London appeared first on ISKCON News.
This Mahamantra tune was inspired by the song 'Vrikshavalli Amha' by the medieval saint-poet Tukaram as popularly sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
This Mahamantra tune was inspired by the song 'Vrikshavalli Amha' by the medieval saint-poet Tukaram as popularly sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
A video by the ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.
The post Devotee Care Implementation – ISKCON Ukraine with Niranjana Swami appeared first on ISKCON News.
A video by the ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.
Sri Dham Mayapur is home to an international community. Some people come for a short time, some stay for decades. We asked Mayapur residents: “What is your reason nr.1, why you love to be in Mayapur?” A video by I love Mayapur.
The post Why They Love Mayapur? appeared first on ISKCON News.
Sri Dham Mayapur is home to an international community. Some people come for a short time, some stay for decades. We asked Mayapur residents: "What is your reason nr.1, why you love to be in Mayapur?" A video by I love Mayapur.
A video by Indradyumna Swami Official.
The post Indradyumna Swami: Floating On The Waves Of Prema appeared first on ISKCON News.
A video by Indradyumna Swami Official.
“There is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it. If only we are brave enough to be it.”–Amanda Gorman Personally, I was in awe hearing the 22 year old Amanda Gorman read her poem last week at the US Presidential Inauguration. A slight African American woman, the Youth Poet Laureate of […]
The post Rising Up and Sinking Down appeared first on ISKCON News.