Websites from the ISKCON Universe
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:
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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:
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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.
Seekers of the truth would be wise to look beneath the surface of the social diseases to the spiritual amnesia that gives rise to the affliction of misidentification; the illusory perception of the eternal spirit soul as the temporary material body.
purāṇānām artha-vettā śrī devānanda-paṇḍitaḥ
purāsīn nanda-pariṣat-paṇḍito bhāgurir muniḥ
The scholar Devananda Pandit knew the meaning of all the Puranas. Previously, he was Bhaguri Muni, the scholar in Nanda Mahārāja’s court.
(Gaura gaṇoddeśa dīpikā 106)
Devananda Pandit was a scholar and an ascetic who had been indifferent to the world from an early age. Although he had won a reputation for his erudition, he nevertheless had no feeling of devotion to Kṛṣṇa and so failed to understand that bhakti is the ultimate purport of the Śrīmad Bhagavatam. Being a mumukṣu, or one who seeks impersonal liberation, mokṣa, Devananda Pandit praised dry austerities and renunciation, and did not speak devotional purports to Śrīmad Bhagavatam.
One day, Srivas Pandit came to hear a Bhagavatam recital at Devananda Pandit’s house. As he listened to the text of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Srivas Pandit became absorbed in a mood of loving devotion and started to cry. Devananda Pandit’s faithless disciples threw him out of the assembly for causing a disturbance. Since Devananda Pandit did not object to the action of his students, he was responsible for their offense to a devotee. For this reason, Mahāprabhu was thus angry with him.
The Lord said: “Whoever recites Śrīmad Bhāgavatam without glorifying devotional service is an ignorant fool who knows nothing. This rascal recites Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and never mentions bhakti. I will go and tear up his manuscript, just watch Me.
(Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.21.20-21)
Some time after Devananda Pandit committed this offense to Srivas Pandit, Mahāprabhu passed nearby his house and saw that he was engaged in giving a discourse on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. He became angry and rebuked him severely for his lack of faith in the Vaiṣṇavas. Just as blasphemy of the devotees makes one deprived of the Lord’s mercy and destined for downfall, glorifying them and engaging in their service is the best way to find the mercy of the Lord and become freed from all sinful and offensive activity.
“Listen, Brahmin, if you want to be cured after consuming poison, you must ingest ambrosia through the very same mouth you took the poison. In this way, not only will the poison be digested, but your body will become immortal through the ambrosia’s divine power.”
(Chaitanya Bhagavata 3.3.449-50)
Through great good fortune, Mahāprabhu’s dear associate Vakresvara Pandit came to stay at Devananda Pandit’s house. Because Devananda took excellent care of Vakresvara Pandit, Mahāprabhu softened towards him. Previously, Devananda Pandit had been completely without any faith in the Lord, but when he heard of Mahāprabhu’s glories from Vakresvara Pandit, his attitude changed. Through the association of the Lord’s devotee, he began to develop a taste for pure devotional service.
Mahāprabhu told Devananda to explain Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in terms of devotional service. It was Devananda Pandit’s great fortune that he was able to receive the mercy of the Lord in the form of a chastisement.
Devananda Pandit was a great pious soul, for Mahāprabhu verbally punished him. The chastisement of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu is the greatest pious act. Even if one should die as a result of the Lord’s punishment, he still goes to Vaikuntha.
(Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.21.77-8)
Devananda Pandit received this mercy due to living in Kuliya or Koladvipa, the place where offenses are forgiven. Gopal Chapala was also forgiven his offenses in Kuliya.
Devananda Pandit’s disappearance day is celebrated on the Kṛṣṇā ekādaśi of the month of Paush.
Yamuna Devi, an ISKCON pioneer, one of the first disciples of Srila Prabhupada, and a much loved and deeply inspiring figure for devotees all over the world, passed away on December 20th, 2011. Now, as a tribute to her on this ninth year of her passing, Dinatarini Devi, Yamuna’s companion in devotional life for 37 […]
The post Yamuna Devi’s Original Deity Book “Yamuna Devi: A Study of Seva Puja” to be Published appeared first on ISKCON News.
Coming this Spring, the historical gem details Yamuna Devi’s studies in Deity worship from the early 1970s, including her extensive India studies with temple sevaites and her later years of worship of Sri Sri Radha-Banabehari.
A Hare Krishna Community Radio station based in Alachua, Florida had a soft launch on Christmas Day, broadcasting a series of devotional programs on the holiday as well as over four days at New Year’s. The project, run by Sudharma Dasi, aims to grow into a full-time digital radio station and eventually to reach out […]
The post Alachua’s Hare Krishna Community Radio Soft Launches on Christmas Day appeared first on ISKCON News.
A Hare Krishna Community Radio station based in Alachua, Florida had a soft launch on Christmas Day, broadcasting a series of devotional programs on the holiday as well as over four days at New Year’s.
At the start of the Bhagavad-gita, Duryodhana assesses the strengths of the two armies assembled on the Kurukshetra batl (01.02-01.10). Therein, he mentions the principal warriors on both sides, but forgets to mention Krishna. His neglecting Krishna is understandable because Krishna had declared he would be a non-combatant. So, Duryodhana thought that Krishna’s presence wouldn’t […]
The post Avoiding the Duryodhana Delusion appeared first on ISKCON News.
A video by Sivarama Swami.
The post The Money Stays at Home | Sivarama Swami appeared first on ISKCON News.
A video by Sivarama Swami.
A video by ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.
The post COVID-19, Past, Present and Future with Nandapriya Das appeared first on ISKCON News.
A video by ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.
A video by ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.
The post A Krishna-conscious Approach to Changing Habits with Vraj Vihari Das appeared first on ISKCON News.
A video by ISKCON GBC Strategic Planning Team.
