Websites from the ISKCON Universe
By Radha Damodara dasa From its inception, Avanti’s ethos has been inspired by the Vaisnava teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, creating a 21st century ecosystem that sustains the highest quality of education possible, integrated with unique, holistic and spiritual practices to support the innermost needs of every child. Continue reading "Temple Youth qualify as co-principals at Avanti Schools Trust
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Liam's kind donation of £40,000 will cover the basic costs of 80,000 plates of Prasad going out to homeless and isolated people in London.
By Ambarisa Das 2021 celebrates the 125th Appearance Anniversary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our eternal master and savior. As mentioned above, in October we will be installing the new, worshiping-pose murti of Srila Prabhupada in the TOVP. His presence as our watchful guide will inspire our continued endeavors to open the new home of our beloved Mayapur Deities and the most important preaching project in ISKCON in 2023. We have planned an incredible abhisheka ceremony for this purpose and set a goal for a $1 million Guru Dakshina from sponsors of the abhishekas. Continue reading "TOVP Chairman 2020 Review and 2021 Message
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“All of the leaders should study my books very carefully, since now everyone will have to appear for the examination.”
Srila Prabhupada letter to Jayatirtha, Mayapur,22nd January, 1976
Podcast:
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Message from the Honorable Prime minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji for the Celebration of 43rd anniversary of Sri Sri Radha Rasbihariji Temple, Hare Krishna Land, ISKCON Juhu Mumbai.
Cherry Beach, Toronto
To Hear or Not to Hear
I called my sister, Rose Ann, whose husband passed away from cancer. “Jim was a fine man,” I told her, “therefore he is fine,” implying that his destination was a good one according to the laws of karma. I was impressed with the way my sister was listening. Words of comfort and assurance are what she really needed to hear.
Another sister, Pauline, had joined in on the call over speakerphone, as she had come to visit and spend some time with Rose Ann to console her. She was keen to listen, as well, to a message from her swami brother, of being aware of the greater dimension in life — God. I said it plainly. “God! Because family and friends will all be gone leaving us only with the Great Overseer. What is there without this great vision in life?”
They seemed pacified. I am also calmed to be able to contribute to someone I care for. In that regard I received an email message from a person who questioned my motive in visiting a criminal in prison, who was guilty of murdering his brother. He asked me why I don’t do something for a victim, himself.
My response to him is that in the role in society is to display empathy to as many as possible. “I will be glad to be your friend, as a listener, and to the difficulty you go through.” It is not my intention to rule out anyone unless they are just nonsense.
Just before taking that gorgeous walk with Billy, on his birthday, I received a call from a prankster who wanted some personal information. To such an individual I give no audience. I am curt. “Shame on you! You coward!” Some folks are simply not aware of karma. They deserve no empathy. I hung up.
May the source be with you!
3 km
Bloor St., Toronto
The World Is Looking
The whole world is looking, once again, at US internal strife. This time a group of protesters stormed the capital building in Washington DC. It was a mob scene and it was ugly. It was described to me when I was on the phone with a friend from Vancouver, during the time that I was polishing brass in our temple. My immediate response, as I listened, was that it is shameless behavior on the part of the former US president simply being a poor sport.
I later took to seeing some visual coverage of the rioting myself on my phone. The worst of this disaster is what some spokesmen say is “a sad moment in America’s history” while protesters go off saying there was no violence and that they are proud of their aggressive march. Lo and behold, people were hurt.
Up here in Canada we are very concerned. We love America but there has been a sick person in charge. Let us pray that things settle down and that the new President, Biden, can rule peacefully and with integrity.
As usual I took an evening walk, this time on Bloor Street, ambling along passing by Christmas trees laid out in front lawns for garbage pick up. That’s something I also don’t feel very good about — the killing of thousands of trees for what’s become a major commercial event.
Anyway, I made it to Bloor at a time when it’s supremely quiet; where shoppers are usually all around during pre-Covid times. I was walking and the mantra was moving through the street lights. We need more mantras and less insanity.
May the source be with you!
4 km
Dear TOVP Supporters,
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Hare Krishna!
The year 2020 has been one of the most unusual and difficult years in the history of modern civilization worldwide. No doubt, karma is taking its toll and we are seeing this firsthand. Unfortunately, there have also been setbacks to the sankirtan movement and the spreading of Krishna consciousness. And we also cannot bear the loss of one of our great sankirtan commanders, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaja.
The TOVP also suffered great losses both in income from regular donations, as well as over eight months of a complete construction standstill. As a result, we had to reschedule the Grand Opening to 2023 and postpone the installation of the new Prabhupada murti to October, 2021. We pray there will no further delays, and leave everything in the hands of Lord Sri Krishna.
2021 celebrates the 125th Appearance Anniversary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our eternal master and savior. As mentioned above, in October we will be installing the new, worshiping-pose murti of Srila Prabhupada in the TOVP. His presence as our watchful guide will inspire our continued endeavors to open the new home of our beloved Mayapur Deities and the most important preaching project in ISKCON in 2023. We have planned an incredible abhisheka ceremony for this purpose and set a goal for a $1 million Guru Dakshina from sponsors of the abhishekas.
Also of significance will be the offering of the one-of-a-kind TOVP Book of Devotion to Srila Prabhupada at his installation ceremony. This magnificent publication is being produced by the makers of the world’s largest Bhagavad Gita at ISKCON New Delhi, and contains the names of over 6,000 donors who have completed their pledges by Gaura Purnima, March 28. The deadline was officially extended recently.
While construction is not at the same pace as before, we are gradually getting back on track since resuming work in September, 2020. We encourage one and all to try and make your pledge payments this year, or give again according to your means. And I want to thank those of you who have continued to make their pledge payments and give donations through these challenging times. You can’t imagine how much this has helped us. This kind of sacrifice is most pleasing to the Lord.
Once again, I want to thank all our supporters ranging from ISKCON leadership to congregational members who have encouraged and inspired us in so many ways to continue over the last ten years. It’s been an ecstatic journey together as we work to make this combined offering to Srila Prabhupada. And the culmination in 2023 will be a most historic event, for ISKCON as well as humanity in general. The sankirtan movement will expand by leaps and bounds from that point forward and flood the world with Krishna prema. Hare Krishna!
Your humble servant,
Ambarisa das
Hare Krishna,
We are happy to inform you of the first ever visit of the Public Accounts Committee of the Indian Parliament to Sridham Mayapur on January 10.
The Public Accounts Committee is the oldest among all committees and is considered the most influential since they are tasked with auditing the public spending of the Government of India.
The multi-party delegation of nearly 60 people comprising Members of Parliament included Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdary (Leadership of Opposition), Shri Jagadambika Pal (Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh), Shri Satya Pal Singh (Former Deputy HRD Minister), Shri Ram Kripal Yadav (Former Deputy HRD Minister) along with other MPs, officials from various central government ministries, Lok Sabha officials and Comptroller & Auditor General.
The delegates were received by Dayaram Prabhu, Subheksana Prabhu, Madhava Gauranga Prabhu and the undersigned. They offered flowers to Srila Prabhupada and received the darshan of Their Lordships in the temple hall before proceeding to the TOVP for a tour lead by Vraja Vilas Prabhu. They were very impressed by the concept and sheer size of the project and appreciated the efforts of Ambarish Prabhu and his team.
The delegates also visited the Gurukul which they seemed to like a lot and spent close to an hour there touring the facility and meeting the students.
In the words of one of the delegates “this place is truly out of this world and I can’t believe that I hadn’t come here till now”. Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdary highly praised Srila Prabhupada and stated, “Now, the organization is going to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of that great personality, Srila Prabhupada, who was born in this world only to propagate love and devotion.”
To appreciate and express their gratitude to Srila Prabhupada they have agreed to give a proposal to the Indian Government to make coins in the name of Prabhupada on the occasion of his 125th Appearance Anniversary falling this year, 2021.
We are grateful to Madhava Guaranga Prabhu and his team for the wonderful arrangements, and to Vraja Vilas Prabhu for all the help with the TOVP.
Your servant,
Yudhistir Govinda Das
India ISKCON Communications Director
Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
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Hare Krishna! In this week's temple newsletter, Akuti Devi Dasi writes about progress at the Eco Teaching Farm. We share documents listing the Pfizer vaccine ingredients, how it works, the latest guidelines to keep our families safe, and remind devotees not to linger on temple property outside of arati times, unless they are doing specific service. We thank those who helped paint the temple room ceiling last Saturday, as well as the many devotees who have contributed towards new ceiling fans and light fixtures. Read More...
Bioethicists often refer to the four basic principles of health care ethics when evaluating the merits and difficulties of medical procedures. Ideally, for a medical practice to be considered “ethical”, it must respect all four of these principles: autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence. (Beauchamp and Childress, The Principles of Biomedical Ethics, 1979)
We are happy to inform you of the first ever visit of the Public Accounts Committee of the Indian Parliament to Sridham Mayapur on January 10.
The Public Accounts Committee is the oldest among all committees and is considered the most influential since they are tasked with auditing the public spending of the Government of India
The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, currently under construction in Mayapur, West Bengal, India by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), will be the world’s first Vedic Temple/Planetarium combination and the largest modern temple in India. The mobile cosmic chandelier, depicted in the computer model you are about to see, will hang from the ceiling of the main dome about 200’ down. It will exhibit the authentic Vedic conception of the universe according to the ancient and sacred writings of India’s Vedas.
By Nanda Kishor das In August 1965, a few weeks before Srila Prabhupada left for America, on his way to see Srimati Sumati Morarji, the shipping magnate who secured him passage to the US, he passed a neglected four-acre plot of land near her residence on Juhu Beach, outside Bombay, and thought it would be a nice location for a Radha-Krishna temple. Continue reading "I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story
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Srila Prabhupada writes, “The village of Mahesa Pandita, which is known as Palapada, is situated in the district of Nadia within a forest about one mile south of the Cakadaha railway station.”
Mahesa Pandita used to dance in the ecstasy of krsna-prema just like a madman. In the Gaura-ganodesa-dipika it is written that in vraja-lila he was the cowherd boy named Sriman Mahabahu.
He was an especially close friend of Nityananda Prabhu, and was present at the festival of yogurt and chipped rice in Panihati that was held by Nityananda Prabhu. His birthplaced was in what is now called Cakadaha.
The eight wave of the Bhakti-ratnakara observes that when Sri Narottama dasa Thakura visited Khadadaha he visited Sri Mahesa Pandita and took darsana of his lotus feet. There the Bhakti-ratnakara points out that Mahesa Pandita was an extremely exalted soul, a great mahanta.
In Caitanya-Bhagavata, Vrndavana dasa Thakura also refers to him as a great mahanta, and says that Mahesa Pandita was especially dear to Nityananda Prabhu. Mahesa Pandita passed away on the 13th day of the dark moon in the month Pausa, which corresponds to December-January.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 August 2019, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Janmashtami Lecture)
It is said that the spiritual world is the tripad vibhuti (three-quarters of the manifestation) and the material world is ekepad vibhuti (one-quarter of the manifestation). And it is said that only one-tenth of the living entities are living in the material world whereas nine-tenths are in the spiritual world. So there are many more devotees who are eternally engaged in loving exchanges with Krsna. In the spiritual world, Krsna is playing His flute and causing the peacocks to dance as a result. The peacock offers Krsna a peacock feather, which is the most valuable thing he has, and that is why Krsna always wears a peacock feather. So all of this is going on in the spiritual world.
But we are here in the material world in separation from Krsna. We have developed desires to be separated from Him and that is difficult, because Krsna is actually everywhere and everything is Krsna. All the energies that exist are Krsna, so really how can we be separated from Him? It is simply not possible to be separated from Krsna. The item we are sitting on right now is Krsna, we are breathing Krsna, everything is Krsna. Even the fasting from prasadam we do is Krsna! (laughing) So there is not even a moment that we can be separated from Krsna. Therefore, Krsna says, sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham (Bhagavad-gita 15.15). He is saying that He is seated in everyone’s heart and from Him comes remembrance and from Him comes forgetfulness also. So Krsna arranges this forgetfulness of Him also.
When Srila Prabhupada was asked why he came to America, he said that it was to teach us what we have forgotten. This consciousness of ours is covered by the illusory energy, which is also Krsna’s energy and therefore now we are in a state where we do not know Krsna. We only know maya! What to do? And Krsna is atmarama, what does He need? Nothing! The atmaramas are self-satisfied and all the atmaramas are attracted to Krsna. But Krsna is the original self-satisfied person! He is fully self-satisfied, yet He is lacking something. What is it? The living entities which remain in the material world. Krsna is thinking, “How can I carry on with My pastimes without those living entities? Of course, I cannot stop my eternal pastimes. That is not possible and I will never do that. These eternal ecstasies are continuing but how can I do it without them?” So Krsna decides that He will appear so that we can get a taste. He gave us this incredible taste by performing His extraordinary pastimes!
The article " Forgetfulness & Remembrance " was published on KKSBlog.
Chapter 18: Conclusion-The Perfection of Renunciation - TEXT 67. This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me
Colbert poses that question to the best, brightest, and most beloved stars on the planet, (George Clooney, Tom Hanks, & Meryl Streep), who really don't know, and proceed to just joke or speculate about it. Then, in a separate clip, Srila Prabhupada weighs in with some authoritative answers.
Lecture – Bhagavad Gita 5.21 Unlimited Happiness From Within 1/3/2021
Update by NYC Temple President HG Hansarupa Das. All glories to Radha Govinda and Srila Prabhupada!
A number of Signor devotees talk about HG Yamuna Mataji’s Disappearance Day - 09.01.2021. ISKCON Vrindavan
By Yogendra dasa Maybe you are one of the millions of people who question whether education should be student-centered or teacher-centered. Perhaps, you have gone a step further, and are among the thousands who promote the idea that education should be knowledge-centered. If you are really rare, perhaps you sense that education is perfected when it becomes relationship-centered. Even if you find yourself among this particular crowd, to say you know the actual central purpose of education would still be a hard case to make. Continue reading "Krsna-centered Education is Graceful
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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/959930740&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-10″ title=”Those eighteen days – Day 10″ target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Those eighteen days – Day 10</a></div>
Video:
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/BBS0kI5Z-ts” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>
The post Those eighteen days – Day 10 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/962345977&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/the-monks-podcast-88-with-kaustubha-prabhu-sharing-bhakti-in-contemporary-america” title=”The Monk's Podcast 88 with Kaustubha Prabhu – Sharing bhakti in contemporary America” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>The Monk's Podcast 88 with Kaustubha Prabhu – Sharing bhakti in contemporary America</a></div>
Summary 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/962347942&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/kaustubha-p-sharing-bhakti-in-contemporary-america-the-monks-podcast-with-kaustubha-p-summary” title=”The Monk's Podcast 88 with Kaustubha Prabhu Summary – Sharing bhakti in contemporary America” target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>The Monk's Podcast 88 with Kaustubha Prabhu Summary – Sharing bhakti in contemporary America</a></div>
Video:
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Qr2wQoKUtc” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>
The post The Monk’s Podcast 88 with Kaustubha Prabhu Summary – Kaustubha P Sharing bhakti in contemporary America appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
One afternoon, Srivasa Pandita came to hear Devananda Pandit’s recitation of the Bhagavatam. Hundreds of students were seated nicely around the Pandit. Srivasa Pandita was a very advanced Devotee and thus, when the sweet nectar of the Bhagavatam entered his ears, his heart became softened in love of God. He started to cry and roll […]
The post Remembering-Devananda Pandita 9th Jan 2021 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
“If one protects the tender creeper of devotional service nicely, then gradually it will produce the fruit of unalloyed love for God. Unalloyed love for God means love that is not tinged by desire for material benefit, for mere philosophical understanding, nor for fruitive results. Unalloyed love is to know, ‘God is great, I am His part and parcel, and therefore He is my supreme lovable object.’
The beginning of the New Year was indeed a blessed one, starting from 31st night, devotees took to different platforms in glorifying the names of the Lord. In Mayapur we had the opportunity of participating in all night Kirtan. Several devotee chanters took turns in glorifying the names of the Lord immensely, while others dance […]
The post New Year’s Shubharambha Festivities! appeared first on Mayapur.com.
A film depicting the pastime of King Yudhisthira's gambling mishap from the Mahabharata, set in the present day. Lessons that are still relevant
“Please always follow the four regulative principles and chant minimum sixteen rounds per day. Study my books very carefully and prepare yourself fully for going back to home, back to Godhead.” Srila Prabhupada Letter to Arjuna - Dallas, 20 May 1973Read More...
As we wrap up Live to Give 2020 here is a quick look back at the incredible campaign we have journeyed on together as One World Team!
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/959929624&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-9″ title=”Those eighteen days – Day 9″ target=”_blank” style=”color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;”>Those eighteen days – Day 9</a></div>
Video:
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJtLl6oJVnI” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>
The post Those eighteen days – Day 9 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
It’s said that we live in an unfortunate season of time; a time when simple living and elevated thinking give way to complicated entanglements and diminished reasoning, when purity gives way to pollution, mercy gives way to malevolence, and truthfulness gives way to falsehood. It’s a time when people are needlessly quarrelsome, consistently misguided, unlucky, […]
The post The Power of Truthfulness appeared first on ISKCON News.
