Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Around forty-five women from Sweden, Switzerland, Brazil, Chile, and across the U.S. and Canada attended the fourth annual Urban Devi Retreat on October 17th, entitled “Welcoming Transformation” and held virtually on Zoom.
“As the ignorant perform duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act but without attachment, for the sake of leading all the world on the right path.” (Bhagavad Gita 3.25) My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada (1896-1977), used the phrase “Krishna conscious” to describe the soul’s original state of love for God and all […]
The post Without Attachment appeared first on ISKCON News.
Beneath all apparent differences of race, nationality, sexual orientation or ethnic origin, everything that lives is a spark of that Supreme Being. Are we not, then, all family?
They say a little knowledge is dangerous. We can learn a philosophy, but if we haven’t understood it in a mature, balanced and well-rounded way, we can actually cause more harm to ourselves and others. Recently I was speaking to someone about friendship. They frankly told me that they found more integrity, sensitivity and […]
The post Down to Earth appeared first on ISKCON News.
The spiritual world is not an impersonal place – it’s a place of wonderful exchanges, deep friendships and loving interactions.
Video by ISCKON GBC SPT.
The post Know What You Can Do in Kartik by Vaisesika Das appeared first on ISKCON News.
Video by ISCKON GBC SPT.
In this unprecedented period in the world’s history where health has been come a constant source of concern, a pure devotee can give us some secrets of health. What is the most important secret of health? Srila Prabhupada reveals it in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.10: “In Kali-yuga, the duration of life is shortened […]
The post In a Pandemic Is There a Secret of Health? appeared first on ISKCON News.
In this unprecedented period in the world’s history where health has been come a constant source of concern, a pure devotee can give us some secrets of health.
– Over 6,500 Participated in ISKCON Malaysia’s Virtual Deepavali KUALA LUMPUR – In view of the upcoming Deepavali Festival of Lights, the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, Malaysia hosted a virtual Deepavali gathering on Sunday, November 1st, 2020. The event, which was attended by 6,538 participants from many locations including Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, UK, […]
The post Deepavali Virtual Celebration Achieves Malaysia Book of Records Feat appeared first on ISKCON News.
Over 6,500 participated in ISKCON Malaysia’s virtual deepavali.
Video by Hare Krishna TV.
The post Damodarashtakam with Lyrics and Meaning appeared first on ISKCON News.
Video by Hare Krishna TV.
Lila from the Little Krishna TV serie.
The post Damodara Lila appeared first on ISKCON News.
Lila from the Little Krishna TV serie.
In the opening session of Eco-Bhakti in Action, spiritual teacher Radhanath Swami and ecological activist Gopal D. Patel discuss how to translate eco-wisdom into tangible action. To watch the session organized by Yale University’s Ecology Forum in partnership with the Bhakti Center, NYC and Princeton University Hindu Life Program
The post Where Devotion Meets Sustainability – Discussions appeared first on ISKCON News.
In the opening session of Eco-Bhakti in Action, spiritual teacher Radhanath Swami and ecological activist Gopal D. Patel discuss how to translate eco-wisdom into tangible action. To watch the session organized by Yale University’s Ecology Forum in partnership with the Bhakti Center, NYC and Princeton University Hindu Life Program
Visakha Dasi, shares some beautiful meditations on Vrindavan, Lord Krishna’s childhood abode, during the holy month of Kartik. A video by the Bhaktivedanta Manor.
The post Kartik in Vrindavan by Visakha Dasi appeared first on ISKCON News.
Visakha Dasi, shares some beautiful meditations on Vrindavan, Lord Krishna's childhood abode, during the holy month of Kartik. A video by the Bhaktivedanta Manor.
Toronto, Ontario
From Wet Mop to Snow
Today I was not going to move my legs in the usual fashion as a walker. Deliberating on the situation, I noticed one of our floors in the building required some TLC, and that was Govinda’s floor. That floor I tackled with a broom, dustpan and wet mop. My legs received a different stretch by executing the process. I had one hour’s time.
Being that it was Sunday, people came by for a viewing the deities and also the local swami, who happens to be in the building. Exchanges with some of these pilgrims were brief. They wore masks and we kept apart a suitable distance.
Govinda’s also had attendance, but for take-out only. And that’s why I wanted to get that floor done, along with the adjoining washroom, before the patrons came in.
I always feel better, tons better, when the place is hygiene-clean and tidy. I got peace of mind. I also know how our guru, Prabhupada, felt about our cleanliness. It’s next to Godliness. He actually made a point about it and that was before we secured this building, a former Christian church. That was in ‘75. His remark was that the space must be clean, once we got the building, otherwise rats will come.
I guess we must see the temple/ashram as a deity itself. Most certainly it is the house of Krishna and, therefore, deserves our love and attention.
I went to sleep, woke up early, and took a walk through our first snowfall.
May the Source be with you!
2 km
Brampton, Ontario
Moving and Clearing
Back at the temple ashram, downtown Toronto, movers came over to empty out the excess paraphernalia thus freeing up the building from potential danger, such as the fire hazard it had created. A kind member of our community, Mukesh Gelda, allowed space in his warehouse, the new home of this paraphernalia; materials that are used in North America‘s largest Ratha Yatra, the Chariot Fest. We are grateful for the service he is offering and I want to thank Rudradev for organizing the move, as well as the workload taken by Karuna Sindhu.
And thank you movers. I didn’t get a chance to know you well enough.
During the move I was occupied with the filming of our drama, “Rolling the Dice,” a story which clearly exhibits Krishna’s heroism. Just as the movers, all very respectful Jamaican guys, we’re about to leave I asked them if they would give 10 minutes to act as extras for our fight scene. I needed numbers. Well, they declined, feeling unprepared although one of them expressed he was an extra in a movie some time ago.
For me, I felt a sense of accomplishment because our filming session went well and all the clutter was removed from the temple. It seems like a burden was lifted. It was like a spring cleaning.
For the evening Nanda picked me up for a small gathering at Mita’s home in Brampton. No trick-or-treaters came to the home. Covid 19 is the new Hallowe’en.
May the source be with you!
2 km
St. Jamestown, Toronto
Easy Day
It was an easy stroll to Ajamil and Radha’s place. If you don’t know Ajamil, the Bengali singer, then there he is, I’ve introduced him. He’s a soulful singer, has his own style of voice and gets people dancing. I asked him what’s going on these days.
“Because of Covid I’m not doing much bhajans,” he remarked with some disappointment. The bhajans he was talking about are songs of devotion. He usually backs his voice with the harmonium and when he does so, sitting on the floor, he stomps that right foot.
Unfortunately, while I was there at their apartment, we didn’t sing at all, rather we indulged. Oh, Radha, she cooks well. Her guacamole was quite exquisite followed by pizza. The lockdown isn’t stopping me from social interaction, however, it is a very limited turnout. Even Radha remarked, “I’m ‘Zoomed’ out.”
Regardless, she was happy to have a monk at her home as well as a great couple from Danforth. Gopinatha and his wife, Yasomati, used to run a photo developing shop called “Bobby’s One Hour.” You can’t blame Covid for the dissolution of that line of work. The world of technology has changed the way we do things.
Tonight we anticipate a purnima, a full moon. We also will honour Rasayatra, that most dearest of dances, involving Krishna and his gopis, cowherd girls. This marks the beginning of the auspicious month of Kartik, a meditation on God’s youthfulness.
May the Source be with you!
3 km
Every year from 2016 to 2019, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Brahmanda-ghata, where Krsna showed Mother Yasoda the entire universe in His mouth. Maharaja says that he never skips this significant place during his parikrama because this deals with the foundation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s key teaching – acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Brahmanda-ghata during Parikramas 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
When Mother Yasoda thought that Krsna had eaten some clay, she asked Him to open His mouth see it for herself. But then what did she see? She saw all the planets in the universe. Is there any clay on these planets? Yes! So did she see any clay? A whole planet of it! And many other planets. She saw the entire universe. She saw herself in the mouth of Krsna, looking into the mouth of Krsna and in that mouth, she saw the whole universe again! It is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam that Krsna is janma-adi, the origin of everything. Everything comes from Him. Everything emanates from Krsna. Krsna knows everything about everything and yet He remains independent. He is in the universe, yet the universe is in Him. This is interesting.
Krsna is able to exist within the universe and yet the universe exists within Him. This is something that one cannot figure out mathematically. Acintya-bhedabheda-tattva is difficult to understand – simultaneously one and many. This place is not only nice but it is also significant. Srila Prabhupada personally took his bath and deposited some extra mercy here after Mother Yasoda and Krsna already invested Their mercy. Brahmanda-ghata however, is especially significant because it deals with this very foundation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. The very foundation of our entire philosophy rests on the pastime that took place here at Brahmanda-ghata. And this is why Brahamanda-ghata is a must. It must never be skipped as it is a place where we can appreciate deeply how Krsna is simultaneously one and many!
The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 6 – Brahmanda-ghata " was published on KKSBlog.
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The post Journaling for Inner Growth appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Initiation of Narottama Vilasa dasa
11/05/20 Narottama Vilasa dasa Initiation (Right click to download)
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17.
“This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jiva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere.” —SB 2.3.17 purport.
Opening the Door to Perfection (Right click to download)
In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Manasi-Ganga, where Krsna performed his famous boat pastime with Srimati Radharani. It is also here that Caitanya Mahaprabhu took a bath and then visited the Harideva Mandir, before starting His Govardhana Parikrama. Check out a transcription of Maharaja’s lecture below, along with a few photos, at Harideva Mandir and Manasi-Ganga during Parikrama 2018.
Lord Caitanya danced before this Deity in the greatest ecstasy and everyone was amazed. Of course, this place looks very different now. Back then, it was an ancient temple with the Deity of Harideva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya came to Vrndavana and His experience was different from our experience. He was coming home. When Lord Caitanya was in the material world, He naturally and internally resided in Vrndavana, but when He came to the holy dhama, His ecstasies increased many-fold. It was sometimes beyond control. When Lord Caitanya came to Vrndavana, He embraced every tree like an old friend. When He saw the Yamuna, He just jumped in and He did not see any reason to get out. Why would you? It was the perfection of life. He just stayed underwater, and His servant had to pull Him out.
When they crossed the Yamuna, the boat rocked dangerously because Lord Caitanya was dancing on that boat. At that time, the Yamuna was much bigger than today because there was no dam. In those days, all the water flowed freely, so the Yamuna was a big river and ships would sail by. Crossing the river was a substantial trip and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu just could not contain His ecstasy. For that reason, His servants eventually decided, “Okay, let us take Him out of Vrndavana because His ecstasy is beyond control and something is going to get out of hand. Something will go wrong!”
In Harideva Mandir, the local people had just never seen anything like Him. They’d never seen anyone displaying such ecstasy of love of God. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu roamed around the holy dhama of Vrndavana and we are following in His footsteps. We do not experience the same ecstasy, but we follow in His footsteps and we remember His attitude towards Vrndavana. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw Govardhana, He embraced a large rock and cried tears of ecstasy. He went into the fields and found two ponds near Arista-grama, which He identified as Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda. So let us go in this temple right now and take whatever dust Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has left. Let us get the mercy of the Lord by collecting lots of dust. That dust is important. We might also get a little more taste in our devotional service. Collect that dust and put in on our head and we can also offer something as our seva.
This lake is Manasi-Ganga and everyone knows that Manasi-Ganga is about the boat pastime of Krsna. We all know that Krsna acted as the boatman and hid His flute while He carried gopis across it. On the way, the weather turned bad. He is the Supreme Lord and could easily change the weather. A storm came and the boat became really unstable. The gopis were afraid and Krsna said, “Oh, I am hungry now. I cannot go any further. I am weak and I must eat something.” Krsna got many many milk sweets but having eaten too much, He could not row now. Ultimately, He brought Srimati Radharani to a point of despair where She took shelter of Him personally. We have seen many paintings of this particular pastime.
It is said that one should begin the Govardhana parikrama from this temple because that is what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did. Nowadays, some start from Radha-kunda, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu started here. In addition to the Deity, this place is very important because it is connected to Mahaprabhu. That is why I said, “Collect the dust, collect the dust, collect the dust!”
The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 5 – Manasi-Ganga " was published on KKSBlog.
The following incident, described in Watering the Seed, took place exactly forty-five years ago.
Almost every morning in Bombay Srila Prabhupada used to walk on Juhu Beach. One morning I was feeling especially wretched and miserable. Although so many other devotees were present, Srila Prabhupada began to speak as if he were addressing me personally.
He quoted a Sanskrit verse and said there are two words—a-natha and sa-natha. Natha means “master,” so a-natha means “without master” and sa-natha means “with master.” The whole goal of life is to become sa-natha, “with master.”
In the morning on Juhu Beach many gentlemen used to walk their dogs. Srila Prabhupada pointed to a fat and fit gentleman walking with an equally fat and fit dog. The man was walking briskly and confidently with his dog on his leash, and the dog was walking equally briskly and confidently with his master by his side. Srila Prabhupada commented that every dog wants a good master. If the dog has a good master he is happy. He holds his head high; he wags his tail. He knows that his master will maintain and protect him, so he has no anxiety.
But the street dog—“The poor fellow has no master. Therefore he is always suffering.” Srila Prabhupada then pointed to some stray dogs. “They have no master. They do not know where they will sleep, how they will get food. Other dogs bark at them; children throw stones at them. They are always in anxiety.”
Srila Prabhupada stopped walking. He planted his cane firmly in the sand of Juhu Beach. Although I stood behind many of the devotees who moved close around him, with his eyes laden with love and compassion he looked in my eyes. “So we should be sanatha, protected, not anatha—orphan. We should have our master and be exclusively devoted to him. Then we will feel confident in his protection and always be happy.”
Quoting the verse again, Srila Prabhupada explained each Sanskrit word. Mano-ratha: the chariot of the mind. Mental concoction is driving us here, there, here, there. We have no peace. But when we have our perfect master to serve, we become peaceful, prasanta, and jubilant: “I have got my master. I have no cares and anxiety.” This is the ideal of life, to become sanatha-jivitam, living with hope that “I have got my master who will give me protection.”
I knew that Srila Prabhupada was speaking directly to me, addressing my present need in Krishna consciousness. Without my even asking or saying anything, he knew my heart and gave the perfect solution through his instructions. Thus he exemplified the verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.7.36):
anuvratanam sisyanam
putranam ca dvijottama
anaprsrstam api bruyur
guravo dina-vatsalah
“Those who are spiritual masters are very kind to the needy. They are always kind to their followers, disciples, and sons, and without being asked by them, the spiritual master describes all that is knowledge.”
Thereafter, I always tried to remember and follow the instructions Srila Prabhupada gave me on Juhu Beach.
Although I had caught some of the words from the verse and Srila Prabhupada’s explanation, I very much wanted to find the verse—but could not. Then several years later I came across the same verse quoted in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta:
bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah
prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantarah
kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah
praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam
“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as Your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?” (Cc Madhya 1.206)
Reading the purport, I found the same instructions Srila Prabhupada had given on Juhu Beach: “Just as a dog or servant is very satisfied to get a competent, perfect master, or as a child is completely satisfied to possess a competent father, so the living entity is satisfied by completely engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord. He thereby knows that he has a competent master to save him from all kinds of danger.”
I realized that Srila Prabhupada is so perfect that he always spoke on the basis of scripture. At the same time, because of his tremendous compassion and humanity, he could say just the right thing in the right way to deeply touch the heart of the listener.
Now whenever I walk on Juhu Beach and see the different types of dogs—those with masters and those without—I remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog.
—Giriraj Swami
Appearing as the son of a king, Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura (Shri Thakura Mahasaya) showed all the bodily symptoms of a mahapurusha (an exalted divine person). He had long arms, a deep navel, golden-complexioh, beautiful eyes shaped like the lotus petals.
In school, he was a sruti dhara (able to memorise whatever he hears). Although he quickly mastered Sanskrit and the Vedas, he hankered to serve Krishna. He was a lifelong brahmachari. By the mercy of the Holy Name Gaura-Nitai, Narottama became detached, left his opulent family, and ran to Vrindavana. He took diksha from Shri Lokanatha Goswami and siksha in Gaudiya philosophy from Shri Jiva Goswami.
When he arrived in Navadwipa-dhama all the devotees asked him about the health and activities of the Goswamis in Vrindavana. Then he went to see the devotees and Shri Chaitanya’s pastime spots in Shantipura, Shri Khanda, Kanthak Nagar, Ekachakra, and Kheturi Gram.
In Kheturi, Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura arranged the famous Kheturi Mahotsava. This was the first “Gaura-Purnima” festival to honor the divine appearance day of Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. During the festival six Deities were installed: Shri Gauranga Deva, Shri Vallabhi Kanta, Shri Vraja Mohana, Shri Krishna, Shri Radha Kanta, Shri Radha Ramana.
Narottama Dasa Thakura wrote many devotional songs about the spiritual master, the devotees, devotional service, the six Goswamis, Gaura-Nityananda and Radha-Krishna. Although composed with sweet melodies in simple Bengali language, Narottama Dasa’s songs give shastric siddhanta and devotional inspiration.
Srila Prabhupada often sang these bhajans, considering them non-different from Vedic sastra and quoted them in his Bhagavatam lectures. Prarthana and Prema-bhakti-chandrika are Narottama’s most famous works.
Narottama Dasa serves Shrimati Radhika as Chamaka-manjari. His samadhi is in Radha Gokulananda’s Temple courtyard.
Last several months we have made great headway into the drawings and details of the Ceiling Designs – the unifying factor of that huge volume of space. With its intricately carved details in a marriage of varied materials, it creates an interesting artistic narrative. Inside this aesthetic shelter are nestled innumerable services. Blending the art and technicalities together has been the mantra.
Click here to see it in your browser or download a copy to your desktop for offline reading.
In 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Moti-kunda in Nandagaon, where Krsna performed his pastime of planting pearls in the ground and watering them with cow milk to sprout vines of pearls. Check out Maharaja’s full lecture below, along with a few photos, at Moti-kunda during Parikrama 2018.
In Moti-kunda, there is mercy. Without mercy, how can we chant? We have to look for mercy so that we can chant. It is the only way. We have to beg for mercy wherever we can! We have this metaphor of growing pearls and using it in relation to initiation. At the time of initiation, we receive pearls from our spiritual master. We should plant these pearls and water them with devotional service. Then these pearls will sprout, produce bushes, and many more pearls will come from them. That is the way it works. It is very important that initiation is taken in that spirit; initiation means that one must make offerings. It does not mean that we just take. It means that we must give! Yes, treasures were received; pearls were received but bring the milk of devotional service. Bring the milk of all your pranair arthair dhiya vaca; your hard labour, your intelligence, your words, your wealth. Bring it all in service because that is how we are watering the pearls of initiation – by devotional service. And then it will become wonderful!
However, if we take the pearls and plant them but do not water them, our initiation vows will become dry. We will be initiated but we will still struggle with our mind, struggle with our senses, because we are not fulfilled. When the heart is not fulfilled by devotional service, then we try to fill the emptiness with temporary enjoyment. It is only when the heart is filled with deep absorption in service and where there is so much service, that there is no room for anything else. As we grow the pearls we received, we will get more pearls, and as we keep making offerings in devotional service, our spiritual wealth will increase to the point where there is no room for material desires. Then we can actually attain fulfilment. So this is the purpose of initiation.
The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 4 – Moti-kunda " was published on KKSBlog.
For those who may not be familiar, here is a link to Dhanurdhara’s 2006 ISKCON resignation letter. (I also included it as a photo at the bottom of this post.)
I share this to remind devotees what Dhanurdhara claimed he intended to do.
We can compare his public statement with what he’s actually been doing since 2006.
Here are two key sentences from Dhanurdhara’s 2006 letter:
Sounds honorable. Right?
Is that what he did? In a word: NO.
What then, we may ask, has he been up to instead?
In 2020, here is how Dhanurdhara described his activities on his Facebook page:
“Dhanurdhara Swami spends half of the year in India where he focuses on bhajana, studying, writing and taking people on pilgrimage of holy places. The other half of the year Maharaja is in the West where he spends his time traveling and speaking about bhakti-yoga.”
From what we’ve observed, that description is pretty accurate. In India he leads groups on parikramas around Vrindavan and in the US he recruits new followers. Which, up until January 2019, was done mostly through the Bhakti Center in NYC.
Under most circumstances that would sound like a fantastic program.
Except, when you consider it in context of three relevant things:
Bottom line: If, over the years since he formally left ISKCON in 2006, Dhanurdhara had actually carried out those self-proclaimed noble intentions, we might very well have a different outcome from what’s been outlined above.
In 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Raval, the birthplace of Srimati Radharani. Here, Maharaja delves deep into the mood, features and qualities of Radharani for us to meditate upon. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Raval during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.
If one asks about the origin of love of Krsna, the answer is that the origin is in Srimati Radharani alone. Who is the most dear friend of Krsna? The answer again is Srimati Radharani alone. No one else. Since all the transcendental qualities are manifested in Srimati Radharani, She alone is able to fulfill all the desires of Krsna. No one else. Even Satyabhama, one of the queens of Sri Krsna, desires the fortunate position and excellent qualities of Srimati Radharani. All the gopis learn the art of dressing from Srimati Radharani, and even the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, and the wife of Lord Siva, Parvati, desire Her beauty and qualities. Indeed, Arundhati, the celebrated chaste wife of Vasistha, also wants to imitate the chastity and religious principles of Srimati Radharani. Even Lord Krsna Himself cannot reach the limit of the transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani. How then can an insignificant living entity count them?
In ornamenting Radharani’s body are the twenty kinds of ecstatic symptoms beginning with kila-kincita. Her transcendental qualities constitute the flower garland hanging in fullness over Her body. Srila Prabhupada explains that it is not possible to explain properly in English what kila-kincita actually means. He says, “First, in connection with the body, there are bhava (ecstasy), hava (gestures) and hela (negligence). Then, in relation to the self, there are sobha (beauty), kanti (lustre), dipti (brilliance), madhurya (sweetness), pragalbhata (impudence), audarya (magnanimity) and dhairya (patience). Finally, in relation to nature, there are lila (pastimes), vilasa (enjoyment), vicchitti (breaking off) and vibhrama (puzzlement). Srimati Radharani’s flower garland consists of Her qualities and is divided into mental, verbal and bodily parts. Her attitude of forgiveness and mercy is all mental. Her talks, which are very pleasing to the ear, are verbal. The bodily qualities are age, beauty, lustre and grace.”
As you can see, we are sitting under two trees grown together – not just one tree. These trees represent Radha and Krsna – one is dark and one is white. Such trees are quite common in Vrndavana. So here, we see Radha and Krsna represented by these trees. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, we can approach all these places. Whatever we are lacking, He will make up. Whatever is difficult becomes easy by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and whatever is easy, becomes difficult without the mercy of Mahaprabhu. It is by His mercy that we are doing whatever we are doing. We can approach such exalted pastime places by the mercy of Mahaprabhu, sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya, who is none other than Radha and Krsna combined.
The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 3 – Raval " was published on KKSBlog.
In 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Madhuvana, specifically at Dhruva-tila, where a young Dhruva Maharaja endured great austerities in his quest to find the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Dhruva-tila in Madhuvana during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.
When Dhruva Maharaja desired to sit on his father’s lap, where his step-brother Uttama was already seated, his step-mother held him back and said, “No! You cannot sit on the lap of the king. You should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be able to take birth from my womb in your next life, then you can sit on your father’s lap.” Dhruva Maharaja’s birth-mother, Suniti Devi, then says to Dhruva, “Your step-mother gave you a very good instruction because she told you to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Follow that instruction!” When Dhruva Maharaja asks where the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be found, his mother says, “I have heard from the sages that the Supreme Lord can be found in the forest.” Dhruva Maharaja then encounters Narada Muni, and Narada Muni gives Dhruva transcendental instructions, “My dear Dhruva, all these things are taking place in the temporary world. Whatever happens in this material world is not really important because it relates to the body and to temporary conditions. One should just detach oneself and not worry!” Dhruva Maharaja responded, “Your instructions are absolutely true, but they do not resonate in my heart.” Narada Muni then advises Dhruva Maharaja to make a clay deity of the Supreme Lord and worship Him. He continues that in this way, Dhruva Maharaja should control his mind and senses through the astanga yoga process and chant the mantra om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Narada Muni then instructed Dhruva Maharaja to go to the forest called Madhuvana, where we are now.
Dhruva Maharaja performed his sadhana and through his astanya yoga, he endured great austerities and controlled his breathing. At one point, Dhruva Maharaja stopped breathing altogether and the whole universe started to choke. Indra then approached the Supreme Lord and it was then that the Supreme Lord appeared to Dhruva Maharaja. Here, in the central altar at Dhruva-tila, we see the deity of Lord Narayana, Lord Visnu, who appeared before Dhruva Maharaja.
It is interesting that Dhruva Maharaja has an anger issue. Despite Narada Muni’s advice, he could not give it up in his youth. Later, Dhruva Maharaja got the darsana of the Supreme Lord, who told him that all his desires would be fulfilled. Dhruva said, “No, my Lord, my desires are already fulfilled because I have the darsana of You! What more could I desire? Your darsana is the most desirable boon. All my desires are now fulfilled! I wanted a kingdom greater than my family lineage. I wanted broken pieces of glass but now I got a jewel.” So as soon as Dhruva Maharaja got the darsana of the Lord, everything he had been desiring from the Lord previously, transformed at that point. It all looked insignificant.
We should also understand that we are going to spend a whole life and maybe more than one life, doing devotional service. In that devotional service, we struggle. In that struggle, we are trying to get benefit, sukrti, which goes into our eternal spiritual bank balance. At the end of our life, what do we have to show? Only the credit in our spiritual bank balance. We come to the gates of the spiritual world and say, “Look at this!” And they go, “That is not enough. It is not going to do it.” But then when we say, “I have something else. I have the blessings of my spiritual master”, that is a much greater wealth. All the wealth we can accrue from a whole lifetime of service is insignificant compared to the blessings of our spiritual master. It is the blessings that are the principal factor and not only from our spiritual master but from the entire sampradaya. One should approach through the lineage and through the Vaisnavas and therefore one has to become soft. We have to admit at one point that all the Vaisnavas become good, except for one, ourself.
So here in Dhruva-tila, our meditation is to try to come to that transcendental platform of simply being a servant and appreciating and glorifying all the Vaisnavas. In that way, we go forward as Dhruva Maharaja did, faithfully following the process. In this age of Kali, everyone is extremely independent and no wants to align himself. We all have a spiritual master but to fully embrace his spirit is extremely difficult. It is difficult in this age to have that humility. In Srila Prabhupada, we see this incredible humility where he does not put himself but his spiritual master in the foreground. So, looking at Dhruva Maharaja and seeing his lack of alignment, we see our own lack of alignment. We pray that we can embrace the desires of our spiritual master, not only externally but wholeheartedly, and make the spiritual master’s desires our own.
The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 2 – Madhuvana " was published on KKSBlog.
“All my desires to work as an engineer seem to have dwindled by seeing your lotus face in New Vrindavan. I am enjoying the nectar of devotion more and more every day. I have been going on sankirtan every day for an average of six to eight hours, sometimes even fifteen ever since I have been in this temple. I love to go out on sankirtan and distribute your books and Krishna is rewarding me with unexpected pleasure.” (Letter from Yasomatinandana das to Srila Prabhupada, 1973)
Remembering Yasomatinandana prabhu (Right click to download)
October 31st, 2020 This is an emergency health update of HH Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami Maharaja. Maharaja was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital, New Delhi for a critical surgery recently. Dr. HG Krishna Priya Pr who has been constantly coordinating with the Doctors has sent in this update. The nerve blockage near the spine […]
The post Emergency health update of HH Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami Maharaja appeared first on ISKCON News.
This is an emergency health update of HH Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami Maharaja. Maharaja was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital, New Delhi for a critical surgery recently. Dr. HG Krishna Priya Pr who has been constantly coordinating with the Doctors has sent in this update.