A brahman (priest) had just finished dealing with the call of nature, and took a quick look at what had come out of his system, remarking, “You are so disgusting!” His output responded back saying, “I was a sweet ladhoountil I entered your company for a few hours.”
That was, perhaps, a lesson in gross humility.
I was chatting today with the foreman overseeing the renovations going on in our ashram. He was speaking about the sewage pipeline in our building. “This building, which is well over 100 years old, has its pipes very deep in the ground. We have had to dig real deep to get to the bottom of it in order to have washroom facilities for a guestroom.”
Acharya, one of our Ukrainian devotees, is the foreman, and he deals with practical matters such as this. “Dig deep!” He said, in relation to the reno’s. This concept of going deep needs to be applied to our spiritual self. We have to be gutsy in order to progress in all projects, whether physical or anti-physical.
Today was such a good day, from the introspective side, and also on pragmatic levels. Steps were thought out and taken to aim at solutions. It wasn’t just a day for putting out fires.
At the same time I was hearing that there’s a surge of Covid victims in Ontario again and there’s a concern about the children going back to school. How to honour social distancing for these young ones?
The sun-god felt great affection for his devotee Satrajit, and as a token of his satisfaction the demigod gave him the Syamantaka jewel. Each day the gem would produce about 170 pounds of gold, and the place where it was kept and properly worshiped would be free of calamities such as famine or untimely death, and also of evils like snakebites, mental and physical disorders, and the presence of deceitful persons
After over six months of halted construction on account of the India lock-down, work on the TOVP has successfully resumed.
Under the direction of Ambarisa prabhu, a special yajna was performed on August 29, the appearance day of Lord Vamanadeva, to bring auspiciousness to the planned restart of TOVP construction. As Vamanadeva took three steps which covered the entire universe, we pray that this yajna, our endeavors and the prayers and blessings of all the Vaishnavas will bear spiritual fruit allowing us to complete the TOVP within the next three years and relocate our beloved Mayapur Deities into Their new home.
The next milestone in our efforts will be the grand and historic installation of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP during a three-day celebration of his 125th Appearance Anniversary Year in February, 2021.
February 25 – Nityananda Trayodasi / Worldwide Prabhupada Abhisheka
February 26 – Bhakti Charu Maharaja Samadhi Opening
February 27 – New Prabhupada Murti Installation
We request the participation of every devotee in this installation ceremony by sponsoring an abhisheka as our combined guru dakshina on this most auspicious occasion. Please go HERE to find out more. PRABHUPADA IS COMING!
We want to take this opportunity to thank all our donors and supporters with whose help we have achieved this incredible accomplishment thus far. We are grateful and pray for your continued support over the coming years as we enter the final stages of construction.
Each devotee should receive care and individual guidance • Create groups of devotees at similar levels of advancement/commitment, and assign them for care and guidance to a more advanced and committed devotee.
Understanding the importance of bullocks, their role in cow protection and how we can be engaged in this service.
Karunamayi devi dasi interviews Krishna Kirtan das, succesfull bullock trainer from New Govardhan, Australia.
The 2020 worldwide Bhadra Campaign saw devotees triple the Srimad-Bhagavatam set distribution of previous years, obliterating their initial goal of 10,000 sets. All told, over 22 countries and 150 cities participated to distribute more than 23,000 sets despite the challenges of COVID-19. Continue reading "Bhadra Campaign Distributes 23,000 Bhagavatam Sets Worldwide → Dandavats"
Under the direction of Ambarisa prabhu, a special yajna was performed on August 29, the appearance day of Lord Vamanadeva, to bring auspiciousness to the planned restart of TOVP construction. As Vamanadeva took three steps which covered the entire universe, we pray that this yajna, our endeavors and the prayers and blessings of all the Vaishnavas will bear spiritual fruit allowing us to complete the TOVP within the next three years and relocate our beloved Mayapur Deities into Their new home. Continue reading "TOVP Construction Resumes! → Dandavats"
The 2020 worldwide Bhadra Campaign saw devotees triple the Srimad-Bhagavatam set distribution of previous years, obliterating their initial goal of 10,000 sets. All told, over 22 countries and 150 cities participated to distribute more than 23,000 sets despite the challenges of COVID-19. The Bhadra Campaign was launched in 2017, inspired by the Srimad-Bhagavatam verse 12.13.13, […]
The Bhadra Campaign was launched in 2017, inspired by the Srimad-Bhagavatam verse 12.13.13, which states, “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.”
Hearing that a total eclipse of the sun was soon to occur, people from all over India, including the Yadus and the residents of Vrndavana, converged at Kuruksetra to earn special pious credit. When Krsna and Balarama saw Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda, both the Lords and Their foster parents were overcome with emotion. Raising their two sons onto their laps and holding Them in their arms, Nanda and saintly mother Yasoda forgot their sorrow.
“For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.”
Bhagavad Gita 18.68/69
The worldwide success of Radhanath Swami’s preaching efforts, whether through temples, farms, books, speaking to elite members of society, or enlivening devotees, is well-known in ISKCON. In this TOVP TALKS webinar Maharaja reveals his thoughts about the importance of preaching, and his methods for successfully implementing them, as well as why the TOVP will have such a strong impact on the world.
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.
It’s easy to take mothers for granted. Some researchers recently followed around one such mother for a week in an attempt to estimate the monetary value of her ‘motherly love’. She took the kids to school, so they calculated how much a taxi driver would cost. She cooked the breakfast, lunch and dinner so they approximated the wage bill of a chef. The mother also played the role of a cleaner, psychologist, accountant and nurse to name but a few. They calculated the overtime the mother put in, and how she would often go on for years without any time off (every family holiday she was fully on-call). After crunching the numbers, they concluded that to employ such a mother would set you back in the region of £150,000 a year!
"Taking care of the children is just as important as doing Deity worship. One service is not more important than another. These children aren't ordinary children. They are Vaikuntha children. They have been sent by Krishna Himself."
A preacher's task is to care for those in his charge, whatever stage of life they are in. The time of death is yet one more stage calling for brahminical expertise. Here we bring you instructions how to perform a simple ceremony for this occasion.
Steps for practical application. 1. Arrange seminars on devotee care regularly - preferably having the seminars delivered by those who have actually implemented devotee care. 2. Increase awareness of devotee care by wider circulation of the devotee care newsletter. 3. Display quotes about devotee care on temple notice boards just as quotes about book distribution are prominently displayed. 4. Set up a dedicated team for devotee care with a caring and competent devotee at the helm. 5. Send team members to centers where devotee care is being implemented so that they can learn not only through theory but also through practice, by observing and experiencing how devotee care is actually being implemented. 6. Share inspiring instances of devotee care, in whichever parts of the world, during classes and ishtagoshti. 7. Conduct informal inquiries and formal surveys as required, to find out front the devotee community areas in which devotee care seems CO be lacking, and direct the focus of the devotee care team to those areas. 8. Keep track of the activities of the devotee care team, take inventory periodically and publish the report regularly, at least among the concerned authorities, so that devotee care doesn't remain a talked-about ethereal subject, but becomes an acted-upon tangible reality. Continue reading "Implementing Devotee Care – A Pragmatic Vision → Dandavats"
Vaisnavism has been manifested in its purest and most wonderful form through the love and teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. The most beautiful aspect of Lord Caitanya's pastimes is the loving interaction between Him and His devotees, and among the devotees themselves. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya played the role of the devotee just to teach us how to conduct our lives as devotees. In Navadvipa sometimes Lord Caitanya would bow down to His devotees and take the dust from their lotus feet. Sometimes He would wash their clothes with His own hands. Sometimes, on the bank of the Ganges, He would fold their clothes. Sometimes He would bring them clay from the Ganges to use as tilaka. Sometimes He would see devotees carrying loads and He would take the load upon Himself and would carry it. In these and many other ways, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught by His own example that the highest of all religious principles is the service to the Vaisnavas.
Continue reading "Counselor System – Caring for Every Devotee → Dandavats"
Sri Mayapur Community Hospital Team is happy to bring one more milestone facility for your Health and safety. Our RT-PCR technology based viral diseases testing facility is operational from yesterday. We had performed mandatory safety screening of TOVP work force using this facility. We would like to thank everyone who donated for this facility and made it possible […]
Question: How can we serve cooperatively with devotees without aggravating mutual conflicts?
Answer: Basically, if we remind ourselves the purpose for which we are practicing bhakti and help each other remember the same then whatever conflicts happen, we can see them in perspective. Conflicts can have various results; it can cause some people to leave bhakti or it can aggravate the internal tensions so much that we do not feel inspired to share bhakti with others at all. Or because of it, people serving together may try to undermine each other’s efforts and pull each other down. All this can happen because we are all sadhakas and human beings with conditionings. That is why, we should periodically remind ourselves about our purpose and ask ourselves, why have I come here?
In my understanding, the Krishna consciousness movement is also like Krishna, in the sense, it is like kalpataru (desire fulfilling tree) which means whatever we want from it, we will get it. If we come here for power, we will get power; if we want prestige, we can get a lot of prestige; if we want conflict, we can get more conflict then we can in material world and if we want controversies, we can get that as well but most importantly, if we want Krishna, then we can get Krishna also.
Srila Prabhupada often said, “ISKCON is my body” but Prabhupada also taught us that we are not our body. It means that there is an institution and there is also the purpose of the institution. Just as soul is different from the body, similarly along with the institution, there is also the essence of the institution, which is the spiritual purposefulness of the devotees. Conflicts maybe unavoidable but that is just because we all are different human beings due to which differences may pop up, but if we keep reminding ourselves of our purpose then before the conflicts become too much, we will look for course correction. This can be done in various ways. Broadly, when we face with problems, we can do three things:
(i) change the situation or try to solve the problem by changing the consensus which can also involve getting people to change.
(ii) change ourselves
(iii) walk away from there. Walking away is not necessarily running away.
The above three options may not be necessarily right or wrong but once we come to the ground level and recognise what our options are in dealing with people who may exasperate us or irritates us, then we may try to change them or change ourselves. Trying to change a person is not something where we should be investing our energy since people can be rigid and are ultimately what they are. Although bhakti process can cause people to change but sometimes, some changes manifest quickly, and some changes take a lot of time.
Broadly speaking, in an institution, we will have relationship with different people who will be at different levels of proximity. As human nature goes, some people will get along and some will not. If some people are important in a project but it is difficult to get along with them then it is best to have clearly defined boundaries. There is a saying, “good fences make good neighbours”. Similarly, if we have well defined boundaries, then the responsibilities can be executed much more smoothly. When people feel that their area of influence is being encroached, then they become hypersensitive especially if there is a situation where no clear senior authority is present, and individuals are more or less at same levels. At that time, having well defined policies is important. Policies are not substitute for human relationships, but policies can minimise the friction which are there in human relationships.
When the five Pandavas got married to Draupadi, Narada Muni came and instructed them on how they should be associating with her. Narada Muni is a sannyasi but he plans for Pandavas who are grihasthas that when one brother is associating with Draupadi, no one else should come in at that time. We may say, why is Narada Muni doing all this, but he tells the story of how there were two undefeatable demons – Sunda and Upasunda and they were both attracted to the same woman Tilottama. Before meeting her, they were undefeatable, but after they met her, they both became attracted to her and fought with each other. The Pandavas were exalted devotees and they were dharmic souls yet Narada Muni gives them this warning and creates the system for them.
Similarly, if we are working with people together on a project then many things have to be shared and it is vital that we have some system by which different people have different responsibilities which have been clearly defined. That way, even if we notice something wrong in someone else’s area of responsibility, we don’t have to necessarily go and correct that. If we have a good rapport and if the problem is big, we can go and give some feedback, but basically, we stay off each other’s turf. That way everybody gets room to grow and people actually feel satisfied. We might say it is the ego that is satisfied, but ultimately, we cannot wish away our ego right now. When people are satisfied then actually relationships can work out much better.
In summary, there are three things. First, everybody should remind themselves repeatedly about their purpose in practising bhakti and even if some complication comes up, then course correction will help us come back on track. Second, ISKCON is like a kalpataru, and it will give us what we are looking for. Hence, even in situations which are filled with conflicts, if we are looking for Krishna in that situation and the other person may be seeing conflict then keeping ourselves purposefully fixed in Krishna, will help us grow in that situation. Third, for dealing with specific issues of conflict basically there are three ways – changing the situation, changing ourselves, walking out of the situation. The way we adopt will differ according to the situation. If there are number of equals working together then we remember that “good fences make good neighbours”. We need to have well defined areas of jurisdictions as per the policies and that can give everyone space for making their contributions which will ultimately help the project to move on.
Scriptures are often replete with long lists of names, exalted personalities who most have never heard of, but who are nevertheless immortalised in the pages of history. In the material world people are remembered for what they do – their ground-breaking achievements, their high ranking positions of responsibility, and their impactful influence on others. In spiritual circles, […]
Staying true to ISKCON’s Founder Acharya, AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s, vision that peace and prosperity be brought to the world through the distribution of sanctified vegetarian meals prepared with love and devotion, ISKCON Melbourne has continued to reach wide and far taking part in the distribution of nutritious free vegetarian meals. Maintaining the goal, […]
Melbourne Food for Life distributes meals with contactless delivery to elders, children, students, the unemployed, as well as people who are isolated or in quarantine, and anyone in need.
Humility differs from low self-esteem because the two lead us to value different, even opposite, things. When we suffer from low self-esteem, we start thinking that our emotions, our endeavors and even our existence have no value — such thinking is psychologically damaging and practically disempowering. For us to persevere through life’s various challenges, we […]
~from an online lecture on May 3, 2020 Similar to what we are experiencing today with the internet, everything you do in this world is being ‘recorded’ and it stays there for as long as this manifestation of the world exists. It creates an impression, a samskara, which then informs your future actions and reactions. […]
Lord Krsna said to Arjuna, “In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me. If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.
But American adolescents often participate at parents’ behest, and tend to be less religious in more personal, private ways WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 10, 2020) – When it comes to religion, American teenagers and their parents tend to have a lot in common – though not quite as much as the parents may think, according to […]
The New Govardhana farm community has opened its third Govinda’s restaurant, located in Kingscliff, New South Wales in Australia, to a very warm welcome. New Govardhana launched two previous Govinda’s in Burleigh Heads in 2009 and Coolangatta in 2019, which provide the bulk of the farm’s income. Altogether, the Kingscliff location is the eighth Hare […]
By NYC Harinam
By Madhava Smullen
By the TOVP
By Gauranga Das
By 1SKCON Chowpatty 
