Planet ISKCON

A video by I Love Mayapur. (In German language. For English please click on the 'Captions')

For the first time the “Graduate Course on Book Distribution” is available now as a free online course. Two hours of videos, a comprehensive student handbook and lots of resource materials bring this course to life on your home screen. In the current times online courses and online book distribution are especially relevant and this […]

The post New Free Online Course on Book Distribution appeared first on ISKCON News.

This online course is designed for all wishing to deepen their appreciation, skills and knowledge of sankirtan.  

A letter was recently sent to the president of Bhaktivedanta Manor, Visakha dasi, from Her Majesty the Queen of England, via her Private Secretary’s Office. The letter thanked Vishaka for her recent Back To Godhead article about the Queen, entitled, “Royal Duty – Divine Duty” that was published in the July/August edition of BTG.   “It was […]

The post British Queen Elizabeth Grateful for Back To Godhead Article appeared first on ISKCON News.

A letter was recently sent to the president of Bhaktivedanta Manor, Visakha dasi, from Her Majesty the Queen of England, via her Private Secretary's Office.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 1 August 2020, Radhadesh, Belgium, Initiation Ceremony Lecture)

It is the Holy Name of the Lord that awakens our natural love for Krsna. So by hearing and chanting the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, we will awaken our pure love for Krsna. We have faith, somehow or other, to make this our desire. We have the good fortune that by the association of devotees we got faith because faith is the key to everything.

One time, I was in Mayapur and there was one person that arrived who looked like the twin brother of Salvadore Dali. He had a little pointed beard and a moustache. As soon as I saw him, I thought, “A painter!”, and sure enough, he was a painter. But this painter was not your average painter. I can tell you that because whenever I am in Mayapur, I do a special program of rising very early and chanting a lot of rounds and so on. So I was in that program and sometimes I would be walking around and I would bump into the painter who was also chanting. And then I saw that the painter was chanting the whole day and he was also attending all the aartis, all seven of them. So, I was looking at him day after day. He was just chanting and chanting. I was wondering how many rounds was he was chanting? He was there at every aarti. A few of us would do that.  I was just thinking, “Who is this person? Where does he get the strength? No ordinary person can just do that. No ordinary person can just be there and chant so much.” One day, I walked up to him and asked “Who are you? Are you a demigod?” He said, “maybe.”  A few days later, he gave me a poem that I will repeat as good as I remember.

“I saw that old man in 1967. I saw him with his followers. I saw how much they loved him. I saw how amazingly effulgent he was. So I decided to keep a safe distance.”

Well, it was clear what had happened there. This man kept a distance but it was not safe enough. He was close enough for a spark of faith to awaken within his heart. That spark of faith is actually what carried him. That faith had now matured to a point that the painter was able to chant so many rounds with great determination. He would rise so early (others might say at night since that was not early morning) to attend all the aartis throughout the day, all on the strength of that spark of faith. Each of us have also developed faith. That faith is what has brought us to this point. May that faith grow deeper and deeper!

The article " A spark of faith " was published on KKSBlog.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 1 August 2020, Radhadesh, Belgium, Initiation Ceremony Lecture)

It is the Holy Name of the Lord that awakens our natural love for Krsna. So by hearing and chanting the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, we will awaken our pure love for Krsna. We have faith, somehow or other, to make this our desire. We have the good fortune that by the association of devotees we got faith because faith is the key to everything.

One time, I was in Mayapur and there was one person that arrived who looked like the twin brother of Salvadore Dali. He had a little pointed beard and a moustache. As soon as I saw him, I thought, “A painter!”, and sure enough, he was a painter. But this painter was not your average painter. I can tell you that because whenever I am in Mayapur, I do a special program of rising very early and chanting a lot of rounds and so on. So I was in that program and sometimes I would be walking around and I would bump into the painter who was also chanting. And then I saw that the painter was chanting the whole day and he was also attending all the aartis, all seven of them. So, I was looking at him day after day. He was just chanting and chanting. I was wondering how many rounds was he was chanting? He was there at every aarti. A few of us would do that.  I was just thinking, “Who is this person? Where does he get the strength? No ordinary person can just do that. No ordinary person can just be there and chant so much.” One day, I walked up to him and asked “Who are you? Are you a demigod?” He said, “maybe.”  A few days later, he gave me a poem that I will repeat as good as I remember.

“I saw that old man in 1967. I saw him with his followers. I saw how much they loved him. I saw how amazingly effulgent he was. So I decided to keep a safe distance.”

Well, it was clear what had happened there. This man kept a distance but it was not safe enough. He was close enough for a spark of faith to awaken within his heart. That spark of faith is actually what carried him. That faith had now matured to a point that the painter was able to chant so many rounds with great determination. He would rise so early (others might say at night since that was not early morning) to attend all the aartis throughout the day, all on the strength of that spark of faith. Each of us have also developed faith. That faith is what has brought us to this point. May that faith grow deeper and deeper!

The article " A spark of faith " was published on KKSBlog.

On September 17 we began the auspicious Purusottama-adhika-masa (extra month), which is considered three times more powerful than Kartik. One year, Srila Prabhupada was in Juhu during Purusottama-adhika-masa, and Dr. C. P. Patel, Srila Prabhupada’s regular companion on his morning walks on Juhu Beach, prevailed upon him to take bath in the sea. In an article published in Back to Godhead, Dr. Patel wrote:

“Every third year an extra month is inserted into the lunar calendar to bring it into line with the solar calendar. As per astronomical calculations, one year sacred Sravana was the month that came twice. The first month of the double month is called purusottama-masa, and devotees of Lord Krishna observe it by fasting, praying, and reading Srimad- Bhagavatam. The last day of this month was somavati-amavasya, a very auspicious occasion. On this day all religious people take a bath in the early morning in the sea, or in a river or sacred lake.

“I proposed that on that auspicious day Srila Prabhupada take a dip in the sea along with me and the others. He agreed at once. We all planned to go to the sea with extra clothes, take a bath, and change. He accompanied us, but just near the edge of the water someone suggested that he not take a bath in the sea, since he had had a coronary episode some time back. So he halted then and there and would not enter the water. He pondered for a while and then suddenly asked me to bring some water in my palm and pour it on his head. He said, ‘That is as good as a bath on this auspicious day.’ Very intelligently, he found the means, and I obliged him. He was pleased. I touched his feet and felt satisfaction at having taken a bath in the sea with him on a very auspicious day.”

By Srila Prabhupada’s grace, I may take a similar bath in the Pacific Ocean before the month’s end.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 75 with Shyamananda – How protests can point to a higher consciousness appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Toronto, Ontario

I Met Miles

I was at Queen’s Park, once again, sitting on a park bench facing a monumental statue of King Edward VII on horseback. I was chanting on my beads when a young man with a professional camera sat down on the same bench, which is beautifully curved and can accommodate 20 people or so.

At one point he came over to me.

“Do you mind if I take a few shots of you? I find this subject to be most interesting.” I agreed to his request. “Just pose as you were,” he requested. He went at clicking from so many angles.

“Where are you from?” I asked.

“North York.”

“Are you freelancing?”

“A student at Ryerson. I’m always looking for unique things to shoot. It’s an assignment.” He clarified.

After some moments he had me move off the bench. I sat under an oak tree, then maple. He kept taking pics like crazy. We kept talking over the course of the shoot. I mentioned something about our warm weather and my going to Cherry Beach on some days.

“For the summer I’ve been a lifeguard there,” he said. Small world. We’ve probably seen each other.

I spoke about my pilgrimages across the US and Canada. He was interested.

“And your name?” I asked.

“Miles.”

“Well, you better live up to your name and do some of that cross-country stuff yourself.” I joked.

“I never thought of my name in those terms. Usually people identified Miles Davis the jazz musician.”

“He’s good!” I remarked.

Miles said he would send me some of his photos.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Toronto, Ontario

Sunday, Sunday

For several hours during the week I am bound by Zoom-style classes on bhakti. Sunday is no exception. The interest and practice of devotion is up on Sunday’s; compared to other days of the week. At least it was what we were witnessing today. To honour government regulations a certain amount of people are permitted to enter the temple. That has been successful for a third Sunday now.

And “Govinda’s,” the eatery, is doing well. People don’t mind paying for a nice meal, which, by the way, has the status of being prasadam, blessed food.

Being that today was a day to fast from grains, occurring every fortnight, the menu was simplified and our primary cook, Dwarkanath, was turning out great preps.

The temperature and overall weather conditions were just right. Call it satvic if you will—very much in the mode of goodness. Sunny with a slight breeze, temperatures in the low to mid-twenties Celsius. Comfortable.

After our usual “staircase kirtan” I tried to go for a one-hour, serious walk. And while I attempted to do so my phone kept ringing. In one sense I don’t mind. If I don’t give attention to people reaching out on Sunday, then a tough backlog starts mounting on Monday.

When the phone rings, and I know it will be a conversation of minutes, I go to the nearest sitting bench, or simply plop myself onto a patch of grass, and do my service of listening.

May the source be with you!

2 km

Toronto, Oakville

At Play, No Walk

There is this sunken area full of trees, green and red, and has a flat surface with grass. Located right next to the Rosedale subway station, it is tucked away and a secret space, which makes for a perfect, private area. We found it ideal as an outdoor drama-practice venue.

This intensely maple-red trees defined our area of work. We scanned this park area and it was clear that here was where we should be. We carried with us no props. However, we found, conveniently, an antique wooden chair. “This is perfect for king Dhrtarastha’s throne,” I suggested. So we began to work, going over the actor’s lines. We auditioned Miles for a part. I also asked Dhruva to come to our practice as he’s great at making short videos for promos.

Each time our cast comes together improvements are made. “Once you get your lines memorized then you have so much more freedom,” expressed actor, Stephen.

Our rehearsal did attract the occasional pedestrian. An English couple, mother and son I presume, sat down to watch for a bit. Our crew remained oblivious to the attention. The story is too captivating.

“Envy is useless,” asserts the king (in the practice). He believed that to be true until his affection for his son, Duryodhana, eclipsed his moral and common sense.

“This story is about greed and ambition and how it eats you alive. In the last scene a sober resolve transpires,” I explained to our visitors.

Our practice then came to a closure in order for me to rush to Oakville for a house program, to chant, read and eat, in the reverse order, actually.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 74 with Gopal Hari Prabhu – Does karma address the problem of evil appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

https://us02web.zoom.us/…/ggV8mAIqA-7iUzae-JVsiw

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 73 with Shyamananda Prabhu – Does higher education make you atheistic appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Nitai Chaitanya Goswami of Ukraine, Lithuania and Russia is currently in the Intensive Care Unit with Coronavirus. According to reports he is in a serious condition and has lost 75% of his lung capacity. Doctors say the outcome is unpredictable. Nitai Chaitanya Goswami is one of ISKCON Russia’s first sannyasis and seniormost devotees. Devotees around […]

The post Senior Russian Sannyasi Nitai Chaitanya Goswami in ICU with COVID-19 appeared first on ISKCON News.

Nitai Chaitanya Goswami is one of ISKCON Russia’s first sannyasis and seniormost devotees.

It is a humbling experience to sit in a room (or a Zoom call) full of devout Christian scholar-practitioners who have studied and read Vaishnava texts with the same ferocity and sincere devotion as their own. This was my experience as a novice attendee at the annual Vaishnava-Christian Dialogue event held from September 25-26th. More […]

The post Vaishnava Christian Dialogue Annual Event: Unity and Separation with God appeared first on ISKCON News.

More than 30 Christians and Vaishnavas of different ages and backgrounds from across the USA joined an online dialogue to network and enjoy their faith in unity.

Video – Bhagavad Gita 3.35 Our Duties in Kali Yuga 2020-09-27 Ljubljana

The post Video - BG 3.35 Our Duties in Kali Yuga 9/27/2020 first appeared on Prahladananda Swami.

Stratford/Saint Mary’s

Shakespeare Asleep

Jay Gopal, a resident of Stratford in Canada, pointed to the new $100 million theatre that just recently had to close up without ever opening its doors, because Covid-19 muscled its way in. This edifice, along with other live theatre halls in town, have been vacant for months now. “The show must go on!” Doesn’t apply here, and in most other places were thespian talents of a world-class nature are staged. It’s a shame. Shakespeare has been put to sleep.

Jay Gopal drove Karuna and me to Wildwood Conservation Area, where we took advantage of the trails. Aspects of nature to admire at this time of year include blue jays, squirrels, mushrooms and plenty of varied trees. Humans on the trail were countable. It was mostly our group of three, each with meditation beads in our bags, wrapped loosely around our wrists.

We went into town, St. Mary’s, met Gabriel, an avid reader of the book Bhagavatam, and walked the trestle constructed over the Thames. The pathway was formally the Grand Trunk Railway. St. Mary’s is a new place for me.  I’ve never walked it and only know of one couple, Henry and Cindy, who hail from there.

The Quality Inn there is owned by Jay Gopal, who treated us to Indian-style pizza. We are grateful to Jay Gopal’s hospitality and who accompanied us to two families’ households, who are interested to learn of a higher consciousness. We offered a message to these families that, despite the monstrous moves by the virus that everyone has come to know, we must carefully and safely forge ahead with doses of bhakti(devotion).

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Toronto, Ontario

Guru

Here’s a poem about “guru” dedicated to Prabhupada written after a brief walk.

I was sitting in the room

Made a call by way of Zoom

Looked at verse 4:34

What a seeker’s looking for

Why is it so advised

To get vision beyond the eyes

While a passion hungry heart

Yearns for pleasure from the start?

Self-help goes so far

Alone—you’re in a jar

We have a certain limit

Think it over for a minute

To accept a real good guide

Who tells of the other side

You access essential wisdom

Taking you closer to the kingdom

All that you require

Is to approach him and inquire

Learn what it is to serve

It takes so little nerve

Be open to the truth

Hear from his tongue and tooth

Because he’s on the path

You’re in the purest bath

May the Source be with you!

2 km

York, Toronto

Not Alone

I sleep in a very special room, the place where our guru, Prabhupada, laid down his divine body for slumber in June of 1976. Where my head is positioned on a captain-style bed I can see perfectly, framed by the rooms only window, the celestial position of Mars, as I look towards the south-east sky.

I’m not alone. Mars is the one observing my existence in the reclining pose. We are never alone. Whether it is Mars’ influence, or something else, my sleep was not good. I warned Devananda, who was to do a shiatsu treatment on me at 10 am. I sent a text message, alerting him to the fact that the session may be an opportunity to truly relax, translating to a snooze. God knows we struggle. In the Gita it is said, “prakrtisthani karshati.” We struggle in this world with body, mind and senses. I figured that, while that’s true, I might be deserving of some downtime.

Devananda is located in the York section of Toronto. He is the first person to do a thorough anythingon my stiff body. It was a much, much needed massage—way overdue.

The walk back to the ashramon this perfect fall day was just stupendous, and the full body work done on me assisted in making a good stroll. Along the four kilometre stroll I came upon the occasional maple tree, intense in colour.

On such a perfect day I was wondering why I should endeavor to strive for heaven (Vaikuntha). And the answer is, “Don’t have your hopes too high. The weather will change.”

May the Source be with you!

5 km

Yet to register for Navadvipa Mandal parikrama, this Purusottama month! HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami’s invitation is for you! Register Now! Free Registration!    

The post Get ready for Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 72 with Krishna Kshetra Maharaj – Churning the Bhagavatam – Dashavatara 1 – Matsya appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2020, ISKCON Simhachalam, Jandelsbrunn, Germany, Table Talks 5 Lecture)

In material life, time is the big enemy. Time is the ultimate power and nothing escapes the all-destroying influence of time.

In spiritual life, time works completely in our favour. Through time, we automatically build up spiritual advancement.

Time is the big enemy. Time is the ultimate power and nothing escapes the all-destroying influence of time. But in spiritual life, time works completely in our favour. Through time, we automatically build up spiritual advancement. Just by our connection with the sankirtana movement, we are getting purified. Every time we do something for Krsna, every time we even think of Krsna or do anything favourable (related to Krsna), we are getting purified. Therefore, on one hand in Krsna consciousness, there is what we are doing and on the other hand, there is what is happening. And what is happening in Krsna’s movement is that Krsna is present and in so many ways we are connecting and getting purification. So, it is the time that works in our favour.

The anartha nivriti is carrying on just by associating with Lord Caitanya and Lord Caitanya’s movement. And like this, I have great faith that Krsna consciousness will prevail and that it will be successful in the life of a devotee. There is no need to be in anxiety. “How much advancement am I making?” We look at people who are struggling, who have not gone so deep in spiritual life, who seem to be maintaining material attachments and are practising devotional service. But material attachments can fall away very quickly in the end because faith is still there in Krsna. One may be hesitant to completely take shelter of Krsna but because a whole life is being spent in the service of Krsna, that faith has matured. As we are approaching death, one can still take that final step and let go off all these material things. Better now, not play so much with the material energy and try to squeeze some enjoyment out of this. Better now that we really put Krsna in the forefront of our life so that at the end of life, we are already prepared. “Yes Krsna, I am yours!”, “As You wish Krsna!”, “I have nothing other than You, my Krsna!”, “Nothing in this world is meaningful to me other than You!” – this is the mood we must develop.

bhumir apo ‘nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva cha
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakritir ashtadha
(Bhagavad-gita 7.4)
“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and false ego – all together, these eight, constitute My separated material energies.”

We can associate with these material energies and we can try to manipulate them, control them, make arrangements for our enjoyment and make arrangements to avoid sufferings and to an extent, we will also try to avoid sufferings in our spiritual life. But then comes the inevitable, when our allotted time is over. Then at the end, our meditation is, “Krsna, I have nothing but You! Please take me and give me Your shelter and that is all I desire.” So, why not pray this now?! That is the whole idea.

Watch the full video below or by checking out our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl91nFRQjXI&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR25cZH10HdP840c1vDhJr9Ov0u_ISag29xEfKdf1VResH91GsUGIummpgU

The article " Time of our lives! " was published on KKSBlog.

It is equal to performing 16 Kartik Vratas and therefore it is a very good time to engage in full devotional service.

We would like to recognize the ISKCON NYC team, lead by Temple President Hansarupa Das, for providing food (prasadam) relief to the city during the Covid-19 crisis! The Brooklyn Borough Office of the President has honored ISKCON NYC along with 80 others with a ceremony on September 22nd at the Brooklyn Borough Hall.

“All students should be encouraged to write some article after reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. They should realize the information, and they must present their assimilation in their own words. Otherwise, how they can become preachers?” Srila Prabhupada Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles, 1 July 1969

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 71 with Radha Gopinath Prabhu – Devotee care – Becoming materially well-situated and spiritually happy appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Please accept our humble obeisances!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Date: 27th Sep 2020

Day: Sunday

Time: 11 am to 12 noon

Topic: "Siksastaka and Other Nectar Poems"

Speaker: H.G. Dravida das

Link to join the class from your desktop or laptop:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9150790510?pwd=Wk5GYXVRMkJmdk84MzZJRXBKYUgwUT09

If you click the above link from your desktop or laptop, you will be able to join directly

If you click this link from your cell phone or IPAD etc, you will have to download the Zoom application (less than a minute to download)

H.G. Dravida das

A disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Dravida dasa joined ISKCON in 1973 and has served as an editor and proofreader for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust for over 45 years. From 1983 to 1989 he was part of the team that completed Srila Prabhupada’s magnum opus: a commentated English translation of India's jewel of Vedic wisdom, the 18,000-verse Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also helped produce the revised editions of Srila Prabhupada’s Isopanisad, Krsna Book, Caitanya-Caritamrta, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and he is part of the team that produces Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja book every year. In addition to his editing work, he teaches Bhakti Yoga classes at ISKCON’s San Diego temple and other centres in North America.

Throughout all this immersion in transcendental literature, Dravida Dasa developed a love of the Sanskrit language, and especially the elaborate verses of the Bhagavatam and other works of bhakti literature.

His devotion and expertise in chanting form a marvellous combination. He has a been Brahmacari throughout his devotional career.

ISKCON Scarborough

3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,

Scarborough, Ontario,

Canada, M1V4C7

Website: www.iskconscarborough.org

Email:

iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

scarboroughiskcon@gmail.com

Once one of Krsna’s friends informed Him, “My dear Krsna, if you will open Your mouth I shall give You a nice sugar candy mixed with yogurt.” Krsna immediately opened His mouth, but instead of giving Him sugar candy with yogurt, the friend dropped a flower into His mouth. Then Krsna twisted His mouth in distaste, and upon seeing this, all His friends began to laugh very loudly.

Brahmatirtha Das: Readers are also invited to explore the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies new website for its January 2019, to be held in Gainesville, Florida

We need to remember that the essence of our relationship with Krishna is service; and that service requires us to be less conscious of ourselves and be more conscious of Krishna. When we think we are qualified to serve Krishna, the ‘I’ becomes more prominent than Krishna, which is unhealthy.

HG Sruta Kirti Prabhu - Srila Prabhupada’s Pastimes

Srila Prabhupada had a godbrother named Akinchana Krishnadasa Babaji, whom Prabhupada said was a paramahamsa, a liberated soul. Babaji Maharaja approached another godbrother of Prabhupada’s, who had been sent by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to England to preach but who didn’t really have much effect and then came back to India, and said to him, “You went to the West, and Swami Maharaja [Srila Prabhupada] went to the West. You presented the teachings of Lord Chaitanya, and Swami Maharaja presented the teachings of Lord Chaitanya. You introduced the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and Swami Maharaja introduced the maha-mantra. But Swami Maharaja was tremendously successful, and you hardly achieved anything. What is the reason?” Then Babaji Maharaja himself gave the answer: “Because Swami Maharaja had full faith in the holy name of Krishna, and you didn’t.” Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s Faith in the Holy Name
→ Dandavats"

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 70 with Krishna Dharma – Contemporary retellings of Ramayana-Mahabharata-Bhagavatam appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A new 10-session course on Bengali Learning – Beginner Level will be offered online on Zoom or Google classroom by the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC); the course will run Monday to Friday for two weeks from September 28th to October 9th 2020.  About fifty participants are expected to attend from around the world, primarily practicing […]

The post Bhaktivedanta Research Centre’s Bengali Course Will Allow Devotees to Read Gaudiya Vaishnava Texts in Original Language appeared first on ISKCON News.