Planet ISKCON

International Shravanam Week

Devotees in Vrindavan narrate their memories from HH Gunagrahi Swami’s devotional life including his glorious departure from this world, occurred under the most auspicious circumstances! Devamrita Swami commented the event as “Iskcon’s finest hour!”

You have always been most kind and a dear friend to me and so many others. When we met in 1978 you had established the beautiful San Diego temple and were transitioning to being the bhakta leader so you could concentrate on recruiting and training new devotees there. As I had the same service in Los Angeles, we naturally began visiting and calling each other regularly to compare notes. During those turbulent days in ISKCON following Srila Prabhupada's departure you were a calming presence in my life, unwavering in your focus on spreading Krishna Consciousness in fresh and innovative ways. Continue reading "My dear Gunagrahi Maharaja
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Podcast

Video:

The post The Monk’s Podcast 66 with Devamrita Maharaja – Pandemic – Reimagining the human project appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Video – SB 3.4.28 Bringing In Material Conceptions Into The Spiritual Realm 2014-07-27 GBCSPT

The post Video - SB 3.4.28 Bringing In Material Conceptions Into The Spiritual Realm first appeared on Prahladananda Swami.

Concealing Their innately perfect knowledge by Their humanlike activities, Krsna and Balarama went to Avanti to reside at the school of the learned spiritual master Sandipani Muni.

Sunday Feast Lecture- August 16,2020 by His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami

In this vlog I show a snippet of my morning worship and dressing services of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai at ISKCON-London.

(Hope against Hope)- His Holiness Devamrita Swami - Sunday feast lecture- August 30,2020

We were allowed to visit our elephants in Mayapur. With lots of love and care Hrimati mataji takes care of them.

The state of Sikkim is remotely located in North-East India amidst the Kanchenjunga ranges of Himalayas. Far flung from mainland India, Sikkim is endowed with Lord Krishna’s amazing enchanting natural scenic beauty and spectacular views of formidable majestic mountain peaks of Kanchenjunga. It is 100% organic state of India and is bordered by China, Bhutan and Nepal. Continue reading "Sikkim Yatra – North-East India
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International Shravanam Week

He is under critical observation for 48 hours at Fortis Hospital, Vasnt Kunj, New Delhi

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Before the Fest

Jim is a First Nations person, who had cycled over the creek’s bridge when he stopped to ask, “Are you a monk? Have you been to Tibet?” So I answered. He knew I was about to cross the bridge myself and mentioned there are lots of spirits that go to this bridge. When I handed him my mantra card and the mantra’s translation, he liked the word, “Creator.”

“Do you believe in a creator?” I asked.

“Yes.”

A young man, about twenty-five, Ray, was my next encounter. There was no intro or protocol. He just opened up over the course of our walking. We communicated on the topic of spirituality, him being a Catholic in belief and perhaps practice. Mutual respect came out of that five minute interaction. It was great. I then gave him the mantra.

Further along I met Anshul, a student at Confederation College. He holds two jobs, apart from his studies, and it was his legitimate reason for passing on attending “The Festival of India,” which was my purpose in coming to town. I left him with the mantra, to which he was grateful.

Then Stephanie, who, on one of those electric bikes, made a U-turn to come over and check me out. She simply asked if there was anything she could do to make my stay more convenient. I took from that, and the spirit of all others I encountered on this walk, that greeting and gratitude is what makes a human.

By the way, The Festival of India was a success, despite Covid 19. Approximately 130 cars were parked in front of the outdoor stage to view and hear excellent dance and music presentations.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Before the Fest

Jim is a First Nations person, who had cycled over the creek’s bridge when he stopped to ask, “Are you a monk? Have you been to Tibet?” So I answered. He knew I was about to cross the bridge myself and mentioned there are lots of spirits that go to this bridge. When I handed him my mantra card and the mantra’s translation, he liked the word, “Creator.”

“Do you believe in a creator?” I asked.

“Yes.”

A young man, about twenty-five, Ray, was my next encounter. There was no intro or protocol. He just opened up over the course of our walking. We communicated on the topic of spirituality, him being a Catholic in belief and perhaps practice. Mutual respect came out of that five minute interaction. It was great. I then gave him the mantra.

Further along I met Anshul, a student at Confederation College. He holds two jobs, apart from his studies, and it was his legitimate reason for passing on attending “The Festival of India,” which was my purpose in coming to town. I left him with the mantra, to which he was grateful.

Then Stephanie, who, on one of those electric bikes, made a U-turn to come over and check me out. She simply asked if there was anything she could do to make my stay more convenient. I took from that, and the spirit of all others I encountered on this walk, that greeting and gratitude is what makes a human.

By the way, The Festival of India was a success, despite Covid 19. Approximately 130 cars were parked in front of the outdoor stage to view and hear excellent dance and music presentations.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Been Six Months

It’s been six months since my last plane ride. A West-Jet aircraft took tabla player, Ananda, and me to Thunder Bay. Before embarking on this two hour, seven minute flight, the attendant at the entrance offered each passenger a sanitized white cloth.

 “This is for your seat,” she said. However, the mask over her mouth muffled the sound that came out. I thought I heard her say, “This is for your feet.” I heard her say it to the passenger in front of me, to me and to Ananda just behind me. “For your feet,” is what I heard. That’s strange! It seems like the world is becoming more Vedic or Indian after all. My mental image painted a picture of people washing each other’s feet. How extraordinary! When I saw one chap giving a wipe to his seat my delusion was dispelled. I was just in a twilight zone for a few seconds, I guess.

Bearing a mask across the face while on the plane was not so easy. They are quite strict about paraphernalia blocking one’s mouth and nose. We should appreciate that, however, it is for everyone’s safety.

Prem Kishor, who manages the annual “Krishna Festival of India,” had come to pick up Ananda and me from the Thunder Bay Airport and then bring us directly to a newly purchased building, a Masonic Temple, built in 1972. It will be transformed into a Vedic Cultural Wellness Center and will include living facilities and a temple area for meditation and therapy. The project is most inspiring.

May the Source be with you!

0 km walking, however, effective physio-therapy was done before departing for Thunder Bay.

Christie Pits, Toronto

To Encourage the Practical Connections

The very good news we received is that Gopal Krishna Goswami, who was Covid 19 positive, is now safe, returned from the hospital, and is placed in a restful situation in Delhi. The collective prayers by devotees worldwide have had their effect. We are grateful to God!

Our staircase kirtan,over the past few days, have been dedicated to his recovery and today a few more participants came around, specifically for the experience of chanting; some of whom come for a meal at “Govinda's” as well as chances for chanting on the side. Pedestrians noticed. Neighbours are approving by their nods. Motorists who stop at the corner, where the kirtanis vibrantly alive next to them, become surprised that someone is out there singing. What for? That’s anyone’s guess.

Of those chanters, a third of them came to also accompany me on my japa walk to Christie Pits Park, including Chris from Hamilton. Rain descended, but in spurts. Actually the cool wetness was very much welcome and it was as if the gods from heaven were showering flowers upon us.

We met with Vishal at Christie Pits Park and we indulged in our usual topic of community development; especially in the rural areas. Being in the core of the big city, despite having green space, we are far removed from farmland. However, we concluded that it is a challenge for most people to take to the simple life, although it is possible to encourage practical connection between the urban and the rural. May divinity be at their centre.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

Yorkville, Toronto

Do Something That Excites

It happens infrequently but there are times when I feel trite and dried-up. This life of bhaktiis very exhilarating, but there are moments when the fuel seems to run out. Such slump periods are only beckoning for a slight change in the grasp for fresh air.

I have found over the years that I sometimes have to shift gears and do something that excites. For me that is drama. Steven, Balarama and Savyasacin came over last night, masked, and we began to go over our lines on the latest production, “Rolling the Dice.”

Essentially it is a story of greed. I am reminded of the play, “The Little Foxes” by playwright, Lilian Hellman. Whether it is Duryodhana in the Mahabharata or Regina in “The Little Foxes”, the lust for power or position are at the heart of this “want.”

Our endeavour, theatrically, is a service and an offering to Krishna. I recall how fond our guru, Prabhupada, was of dramatical presentations. That then became an impetus for me to give some attention to this very special service.

Duryodhana has a blind father, who happens to be the king. Being blind, physically and spiritually, can be most overbearing. As the story goes, the whole population of the kingdom suffers for this. Whatever the leader does, in their behavior and decisions, impacts all the citizens. When Krishna reigned as king of the district of Dwarka the people were very content. They loved him.

May the Source be with you!

3 km

Podcast

Video:

Transcription :

Centralization, Decentralization and Dharma – The Monk’s Podcast with Govinda Prabhu

Summary from 2.00.08:
We were talking about how democracy represents humanity in the system of governance. And then you as you said that that’s what we had in India because there was knowledge at the top and at the bottom. Whether it is like epics like Rama being rendered in vernacular languages, or even knowledge base, working knowledge of astronomy, and other meteorology and other things, it was there with the experts and the common people. So, this democratization of knowledge which can say which one said represents power, this was there in various fields systems of governance, but also they were distributed. So, every village was self-sufficient, and every village had its even within the village, each community, they had their own hierarchy. They had their own hierarchy, and people could rise and succeed and get their own sense of identity there. So, the king there was capitalism in the sense that the Kings had power, but the King’s power was not making laws which apply for everyone but preserving laws which were defined by different people according to their particular local systems or local customs. So, we had, we could say almost the left values at the bottom level and right values at the top level.

And the idea of taking individual responsibility. The beautiful point, you said that our limitations are temporary, but our potentials are our own, they’re lasting, because at the core, we are souls. So, with this understanding, there is the assertion of the individual. the dignity of the individual was also part of not just something that came with Judeo Christian tradition, but it was there in our tradition also and that’s how we have been great saintly people were targeted, victimized, and they didn’t expect some rescuer to come but they withstood it and they themselves rose to glory. And whenever there was because power was decentralized, whenever there was a winner, there was abuse of power. Also, it was more of an individual abusing power, rather than a whole system, exploiting someone. And that’s why we have the works of the persecuted saints also available as a legacy today, it’s not wiped out.

We discuss elaborately about the caste system. So, the caste system is perceived as discriminatory, but within each caste also people had their dignity. And like you said that Guha was a king, although he was in one sense an outcast, and Nand Maharaj was a King. So, Manu says that everyone should be independent, and people had their respect. So, to some extent, the imposition of an external definition of success leads to the perception the caste system was very discriminatory, but the caste system gave autonomy for people to succeed along different channels. And to the extent there is discrimination we discussed especially against those who are handling, say human excreta. So that was unfortunate. But even that was not to that great extent, because the systems of sanitation were different in the past. And that is also exaggerated as far as then whatever his condition is there, that’s a universal human evil that every country and every civilization is prone to. So, we can’t label a civilization as bad, we can look at the bad in the civilization and see how it can be rectified. And there was a tradition of reform quite actively in India also whenever customs discrimination came up.

And then we compare, say with respect to the left and the right, so the left has become very influential. You said the left can be more violent than even terrorists because it’s very subtle and sophisticated. So they put family members against family members. The family in the system of tyranny or nation as a state system of tyranny, religion as a system of tyranny in replacing that they themselves centralize power. So quite often, the left starts with love for the poor, but it ends up with hatred for the wealthy. And something that is driven by hatred, that cannot really solve any problems that will only aggravate problems. Even if some people are virtuous within that, and they really redistribute wealth and redistribute things well, they’ll be replaced by someone else who will be tyrannical. So in that sense, distributing is evoking individuals to grow by taking responsibility. That’s the way forward.

We discuss why the left becomes so powerful. One major reason is they had a long term vision by which they penetrated the centres of influence, the universities, the media, and we as a dharmic traditions, we could say the right focused more on the visible centres of piety like temples. And there was also the separation of the priesthood from scholarship. And so that’s why when now the younger generation as they go into the education system, they may have some faith which they got from there, as you said, right wing, they are right to right wing faith, but they have left wing values or psychologically, they are like that. And that becomes very disruptive. So, the way ahead will be that we see that our internet Hindus who are coming up and there are people from the STEM fields, who are now awakening and trying to understand and share dharma. And, we as individuals, we understand that the battle between good and evil is eternal. And we must play our part in that. And if we keep playing our part, not with the goal of eliminating evil, we don’t we don’t know. It’s not like violence to destroy, but we want to have justice so that there is a fair representation of things. So, if we do our part, then Krishna has a plan and additional users in his plan the way that he sees fit.

And then the last one more important than charismatic gurus are, say, rational presentation of spirituality, from the top to the bottom systematically that rationality can be taught and that can lead to some overall change in society. Anything you’d like to add or conclude?

End of transcription.

The post The Monk’s Podcast 65 with Govinda Prabhu – Centralization, Decentralization and Dharma appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

With a smile on His lotus face, Lord Krsna suddenly appeared before the gopis. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He looked as if He could bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.

Today His Holiness Radhanath Swami shares his thoughts with Rich Roll on compassion, unity, and the importance of having a spiritual practice.

Gauranga Dasa - The Benchmark of Pure Love - ISKCON of Towaco NJ Sept 6th 2020

How to make responsible decisions with Braja Bihari Prabhu

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. Continue reading "Hare Krishna Melbourne Australia provides Food relief during the COVID-19 pandemic
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To glorify the reading of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada's transcendental books during the International Shravanam Week, we present the following. Please help spread the message and celebrate by organizing this festival in your zones. On how to celebrate it in Six simple steps and with just 15 minutes, everyone can participate. Continue reading "Day Four: International Shravanam Week
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My plan for the day was sweet and simple. But a phone call at 8.30am froze me in my tracks – Mataji, it looks like your neighbor has COVID-19. You’ll be in quarantine for some time – leaving your apartment right now is not an option. My mind’s response was…KRISHNAAA! GIVE ME A BREAK! Then I heard a loud and persistent buzz. It was my phone. A very dear friend had sent me a message... Continue reading "Krsnaaaa Give Me a Break!!!
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Arjuna was a warrior, a ksatriya. A warrior is so by intrinsic quality, not by external denomination. For him, to desert an important battle and take the path of a hermit in the forest would have been artificial. Artificial things don't match one's internal quality or genuine predisposition. So, they deprive one from the strength coming from within. Without this internal force, any goal, material or spiritual, would be hard to pursue in the long run. Continue reading "Choosing the real
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Jagannatha Kirtanananda Das is speaking to HG Acyutananda Das on the ‘Life with Srila Prabhupada’. Don’t miss the chance to hear from one of Srila Prabhupada’s early disciples!

Podcast

Video:

The post The Monk’s Podcast 64 with Krishna Abhishek Prabhu – How Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s political positioning maximized his outreach appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

During the day, when Krsna goes to the forest to herd the cows with His friends, the gopis in Vrndavana village sing of Him as follows: “Krsna moves about the forest in the company of His friends, who vividly chant the glories of His magnificent deeds.

One of the lady devotees, Balai Dasi, had recently gotten married and wasn't sure what her relationship with her husband should be Continue reading "The Purpose of Grhashta-Ashrama
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During the recent GBC Annual General Meeting 2020 at Sridham Mayapur, the GBC considered a proposal from ISKCON’s Ministry of Education to include a week in ISKCON’s calendar, dedicated to promoting the regular reading of Srila Prabhupada books. GBC body resolved to celebrate this festival during the week leading up to Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in America, i.e. 3rd to 9th September 2020.

Jagattarini Mataji, Artistic Director at The Sacred India Gallery in Australia, joins us with an important message on gumnut puppets and the greatness of a simple mood of service!

Answer Podcast

Transcription in Hindi

प्रश्न: जब हम कुछ गलत होता देखते हैं तो क्या हमें विनम्रतापूर्वक सहन करना चाहिए या न्याय के लिए लड़ना चाहिए?

उत्तर: सामान्यतः हमारे जीवन में कोई भी निर्णय तीन बातों पर निर्भर करता है – पद, प्रकृति और परिस्थिति। अर्थात, हमें लड़ना चाहिए या नहीं यह इन तीनों बातों पर निर्भर करेगा (i) परिस्थिति में हमारी भूमिका क्या है (ii) हमारी प्रकृति अथवा हमारा स्वभाव कैसा है, और (iii) वह परिस्थिति क्या है।

आइए इन तीनों बातों पर एक-एक करके चर्चा करते हैं।

(i) परिस्थिति में हमारी भूमिका क्या है: कई बार फिल्मों में हम देखते हैं कि समाज में उपजी किसी बुराई से लड़ने के लिए समाज का एक व्यक्ति हथियार उठा लेता है और गलत काम करने वालों को न्याय करने के नाम पर मार देता है। किन्तु यह दुनिया ऐसे नहीं चल सकती। किसी विकसित संवेदनशील समाज में फैले अन्याय को ठीक करना ऐसे लोगों द्वारा होना चाहिए जिनके पास ऐसा करने का अधिकार हो, उदाहरणार्थ – सरकार अथवा पुलिस। यदि कोई व्यक्ति उपद्रव फैला रहा है, तो सामान्य नागरिक ऐसे ही किसी उपद्रवी को गोली नहीं मार सकता। हमें ऐसी घटनाओं की सूचना पुलिस को देनी चाहिए। यदि कोई उपद्रवी हमें मारने का प्रयास कर रहा हो और हम अपना बचाव करते हुए उसे मार देते हैं, तो यह एक पूर्णतया अलग स्थिति है।

सामान्यतः, व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर, सहन करना और क्षमा करना ही सर्वोत्तम है। भक्तों के समुदायों सहित इस जगत में हम बहुत कुछ गलत होता देखते रहते हैं, और यदि हर कोई हर किसी को उचित-अनुचित का पाठ पढ़ाना आरम्भ कर दे, तो इससे चारों ओर नकारात्मकता, क्रोध और असुरक्षा की भावना ही फैलेगी। कुल मिलाकर, हमें सम्मान की और एक दूसरे के दोषों को अनदेखा करने की संस्कृति को बढावा देना चाहिए। गीता १६.२ में, भगवान श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं कि अपैशुनम् (दोषदर्शन अथवा छिद्रान्वेषण में अरुचि) दैवी स्वभाव वालों की विशेषता है।

किन्तु, यदि कोई गंभीर रूप से गलत कार्य कर रहा है, जैसे धन की हेराफेरी, तो अधिकारियों को सूचित करना सबसे उचित निर्णय होगा। यदि हम ही उस परिस्थिति में अधिकारी के पद पर हैं, तो हमें उचित कार्यवाही करनी चाहिए। यहाँ हमें सहनशीलता या अनदेखी नहीं करनी चाहिए। साथ ही, हमें यह समझने की आवश्यकता है कि किसी भी सुधार को क्रियान्वित करने के लिए आपस में स्नेह और विश्वास का सम्बन्ध होना चाहिए। कोई भी कार्यवाही इस प्रकार करना चाहिए कि दूसरा व्यक्ति अपमानित न अनुभव करे। हमें उनके सम्मान का ध्यान रखना चाहिए ताकि वे समुदाय एवं भक्ति में बने रहें।

हमें यह ध्यान रखना होगा कि आलोचना करने का अधिकार ऐसे ही नहीं मिलता, उसे अर्जित किया जाता है। यह अधिकार बहुत प्रयास के बाद ही प्राप्त होता है किन्तु मात्र छोटी सी भूल से खो दिया जाता है। कई बार समस्याएँ जब पैदा होती हैं जब हम यह मान बैठते हैं कि हमें वास्तव में आलोचना करने का अधिकार है, भले ही हम वह आलोचना रचनात्मक दृष्टिकोण से ही क्यों न कर रहे हों।

यदि कहीं अन्याय हो रहा है और हम कार्यवाही करने की शक्ति और अधिकार होने के बाद भी उसे अनदेखा कर देते हैं, तो यह कर्तव्य की अवहेलना होगी। द्रौपदी का अपमान होने पर भीष्म का चुप रहना एक ऐसा ही उदाहरण है। भीष्म को अपना कर्तव्य न निभाने के कारण मरना पड़ा। अतः, यदि हमारे पास अधिकार हैं, तो निश्चित रूप से हमें अन्याय को दूर करने के लिए कदम उठाने की आवश्यकता है।

गीता में हम देखते हैं कि अर्जुन एक क्षत्रिय है किन्तु वह एक ब्राह्मण की भाँति आचरण कर रहा है। एक ब्राह्मण की भाँति, वह उन लोगों को क्षमा करना चाहता है जो उसे ही चोट पहुँचा रहे हैं, यह जानते हुए भी कि एक क्षत्रिय होने के नाते, दुर्बलों की रक्षा करना उसका कर्तव्य है। इस कर्तव्य को निभाने में विफल होने पर उसके विरोधी न केवल अर्जुन को अपितु समाज के अन्य लोगों को भी हानि पहुँचाऐंगे।

गीता के पहले अध्याय में, श्रील प्रभुपाद कहते हैं – क्षमा एक व्यक्तिगत गुण है, यह किसी सरकार अथवा राज्य की नीति नहीं हो सकती। कोई व्यक्ति किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति को क्षमा कर सकता है जिसने उसे चोट पहुँचाई हो, किन्तु अदालतें सभी अपराधियों को क्षमा नहीं कर सकतीं। यदि चीन भारत पर हमला करे और भारत कहे कि हम आपको क्षमा करते हैं, तो चीन हमारे सारे क्षेत्र पर कब्जा कर लेगा। व्यक्तिगत स्तर पर सद्गुणों को विकसित करना अच्छा है किन्तु सभी सद्गुणों को कानूनी अथवा सरकारी नीति के रूप में नहीं अपनाया जा सकता।

(ii) हमारा स्वभाव कैसा है: हमारी भूमिका के अतिरिक्त, बहुत कुछ व्यक्तिगत स्वभाव पर भी निर्भर करता है। सभी पाँचों पाण्डव क्षत्रिय थे लेकिन उनमें से युधिष्ठिर के स्वभाव में ब्राह्मण के गुण अधिक थे जबकि भीम शुद्ध क्षत्रिय स्वभाव का था। छोटे से उकसावे पर भी, भीम लड़ने के लिए उतावला हो जाता, जबकि युधिष्ठिर शान्ति से समस्या का हल करने का प्रयास करते। कभी-कभी तो वे कुछ अधिक ही सहन करने का सुझाव दे देते थे। जब विराट के राज्य में, कीचक ने द्रौपदी से छेड़छाड़ करने का प्रयास किया, तो युधिष्ठिर ने द्रौपदी को इस दुर्व्यवहार को सहने का सुझाव दिया। द्रौपदी ने यह सुझाव नहीं माना, क्योंकि वह जानती थी कि कीचक सुधरने वाला नहीं। वह भीम के पास गई और भीम ने कीचक को उचित सबक सिखाया। यहाँ यह बात समझने वाली है कि हालाँकि धर्म के सिद्धांत सार्वभौमिक हैं, किन्तु धर्म का आचरण व्यक्तिगत है। ऐसा सम्भव है कि दो लोग धर्म का पालन कर रहे हों किन्तु उनका पालन करने की विधि भिन्न हो सकती है।

(iii) वह परिस्थिति क्या है: जब श्रील प्रभुपाद ने देखा कि गौड़ीय मठ (श्रील प्रभुपाद के गुरु द्वारा स्थापित संस्था) कृष्णभक्ति का प्रचार में अधिक प्रयास नहीं कर रहा है, तो उन्होंने अपने गुरु भाइयों को उकसाया कि वे प्रचार पर ध्यान दें। एक प्रकार से यह धृष्टता थी क्योंकि श्रील प्रभुपाद एक गृहस्थ थे और मठ के बाहरी व्यक्ति थे और उनके गुरुभाई सन्यासी थे और मठ में कार्यरत थे। श्रील प्रभुपाद उनकी आलोचना करते कि उनके गुरुभाई मात्र खा-पीकर संतुष्ट हैं, अपने-अपने मठों में चैन से जीवन बिता रहे हैं और मात्र गुरुदेव को व्यास-पूजा पर पुष्प चढ़ाकर अपने कर्तव्य की भरपाई कर रहे हैं, जबकि गुरुदेव का मिशन दम तोड़ रहा है। जब उन्होंने देखा कि इतना कहने पर भी उनके गुरु-भाइयों के कानों पर कोई जूँ नहीं रेंगी, तो उन्होंने अनुभव किया कि इस परिस्थिति को बदलना व्यर्थ होगा। अतः उन्होंने इस्कॉन संस्था आरम्भ की। एक अनुभवी व्यापारी होने के नाते वे अपनी एक स्वतंत्र संस्था आरम्भ कर सके। श्रील प्रभुपाद ने इस्कॉन की स्थापना स्वयं को सर्वेसर्वा स्थापित करने के लिए नहीं किन्तु कृष्णभक्ति के प्रचार के उद्देश्य को पूरा करने के लिए की थी। उन्होंने पूरी निष्ठा के साथ इस्कॉन की स्थापना की और हम सभी इस उत्कृष्ट संस्था के लाभार्थी हैं!

निश्चित रूप से, यदि कुछ गलत है, तो हमें इसे ठीक करने का दायित्व लेना चाहिए, किन्तु हमें देखना होगा कि क्या वास्तव में यह सीधे-सीधे हमारे अधिकार क्षेत्र में है। ऐसी परिस्थिति में हम वरिष्ठ भक्तों से अथवा अपने हृदय में स्थित परमात्मा से परामर्श कर सकते हैं, और फिर अपना निर्णय लें। यदि हम ऐसा करते हैं, तो हम श्रीकृष्ण की सेवा के भाव से कार्य कर रहे हैं और सुधार का हमारा प्रयास वास्तव में कुछ रचनात्मक परिणाम दे पाएगा। किन्तु यदि हम श्रीकृष्ण से नहीं जुड़े हुए हैं, पर अपनी अलगाववादी मानसिकता के कारण एक सुधारक के रूप में कार्य करते हैं, तो भले ही हम विशुद्ध रूप से प्रेरित क्यों न हों, हम परिस्थिति को मात्र अस्थायी रूप से ही ठीक कर पाऐंगे।

श्रील प्रभुपाद के गुरु, श्रील भक्तिसिद्धांत सरस्वती ठाकुर का एक उकसाने वाला उद्धरण है, जिसमें वे कहते हैं कि जगत को किसी सुधारक की आवश्यकता नहीं है और जो ऐसा सोचता है, यह उनकी अपनी मानसिकता है जिसे सुधार की आवश्यकता है। यहाँ उनका अर्थ यह नहीं है कि स्थिति को सुधारने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। उनका आशय यह है कि जगत पहले से ही एक सर्वश्रेष्ठ विशेषज्ञ के नियंत्रण में है; जगत को हमारे नियंत्रण की आवश्यकता नहीं है। हमें स्व-नियुक्त सुधारक नहीं बनना चाहिए। सर्वप्रथम, हमें सर्वोच्च सुधारक अर्थात भगवान का सेवक बनने का प्रयास करना चाहिए।

अंत में, परिस्थितियों को सुधारने की आवश्यकता है किन्तु सबसे पहले इस मानसिकता को सुधारना होगा कि “मैं परिस्थिति को सुधारूंगा”। हमें सबसे पहले श्रीकृष्ण से जुड़ना होगा और श्रीकृष्ण के एक सेवक के रूप में कार्य करना होगा। तभी हम परिस्थिति को इस प्रकार सुधार सकेंगे जो चिरस्थायी होगा।

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The wonderful and enchanting history of the month of Purushottama is a long one that takes the personified adhik maas to the highest spiritual realm of Goloka Vrindaban, where she is blessed by Lord Krishna to have 1000 times more benefits to the observer of devotional vows than the month of Damodar.

Purushottama Maas comes every three years and is an extra month in the Vedic calendar that is inserted to keep the lunar and solar calendars aligned. It is during this time that devotional practices and vows are highly beneficial.

Lord Sri Krishna said (Padma Purana):

“All human beings should perform some devotional service in this Purushottama month by:

1. Worshipping Me, Sri Krishna, by chanting My holy name
2. Study of Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, particularly Chapter 15, Purushottama Yoga
3. Giving in charity
4. Offering ghee diya (lamp) daily

We encourage all devotees to consider using this auspicious time from September 18 – October 16 to make a donation towards the grand installation of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP or complete your pledge. Completing your pledge by December, 2020 will simultaneously also include your name in the TOVP Book of Devotion offering to Srila Prabhupada on his 125th Vyasa Puja Anniversary in August, 2021.

To sponsor an abhisheka for the historic grand installation of the new Prabhupada murti in the TOVP in February, 2021 go HERE.

Read the complete history of Purushottama Maas.