Planet ISKCON

Since it was established, the ISKCON Ministry of Education’s aim has been to provide Krishna conscious education of high quality to everyone through temples, educational institutions and various global initiatives. 

With the U.S. State of Florida, and within it Alachua County, in Phase One of Reopening from COVID-19 lockdown, ISKCON’s New Raman Reti temple in Alachua has also started phase one of a gradual reopening process with careful restrictions. To do so, Temple President Mukhya Dasi is consulting local government recommendations, as well as her […]

The post ISKCON Alachua Starts Gradual Reopening of Temple with Restrictions appeared first on ISKCON News.

Temple President Mukhya Dasi cautions that the gradual reopening at ISKCON Alachua is a trial run, and that the temple will continue to monitor Coronavirus cases in the Alachua area, where the rate of positive results from testing is currently low.

"Who is going to come looking for you when you get into a tough spot? Who has permission to ask you questions about your moral boundaries? Who in your life has permission to tell you that it’s time to take a break before you crash?"

Our hand has been reaching for the doorknob for the last few years. Covid-19 has kicked open the door.

The study tracked 370 Minneapolis-St. Paul residents’ emotional well-being through common activities like walking, bus riding, shopping, and eating out.

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 3 – Eco-Friendly and Anthropo-Friendly appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Amphan, which was the most powerful cyclone ever recorded in the Bay of Bengal before it weakened, destroyed homes, trees and bridges, and left rural areas without power or communications. 

During these trying times of the pandemic, for devotees who are not working and stuck at home, ISKCON Nashik, India, is offering a great opportunity to participate in an online Chaitanya Caritamrta contest.

Answer Podcast

The post Why did Krishna speak the Gita to Arjuna and not to the other Pandavas or to Bhishma? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

"Standing in queue / Desperately buying toilet paper to wipe away their anxiety  / The fear of the uncertain and the unknown / Sticks to them with industrial strength glue"

According to the New York Times, “National lockdowns and social distancing measures are drying up work and incomes and are likely to disrupt agricultural production and supply routes—leaving millions to worry how they will get enough to eat.”  

Is there a universal message in the bhakti tradition? / is there a message to share about how to see this crisis / advice for maintaining mental well being & relationships through the crisis / a message for the essential health care providers / how to avoid dogmatic exclusivism in spiritual circles? A video by Wisdom of the Sages.

A video by Bhaktivedanta Global Foundation.

Krsnanandini devi, who is now in the final stage of her life after a painful battle with cancer spoke powerfully, answered questions at ISKCON Towaco's Zoom sanga, including one on how to develop fearlessness and take shelter of Krishna now before death comes to us all.

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 2 – Karma-and-Corona appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

My dear Indradyumna Swami Maharaja,

Please accept my prostrated obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. And all glories to your service.

I could speak for many days about your service to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and for many hours about how you have helped me personally. But today I wish to focus on one area in particular in which you have helped me—my writing, which Srila Prabhupada said I should take up as my “first business” and which thus is my most important service.

Some years ago, you told me that I should bring out a book every year, and for three consecutive years I faithfully did that, publishing Watering the Seed (revised and expanded), Many Moons: Reflections on Departed Vaishnavas, and Life’s Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective. Then one year at the Sadhu Sanga Kirtan Retreat, in my talk I mentioned some things related to the Juhu saga. Afterward, when I came down and sat next to you, you took my hand in yours and said, “I never heard many of these details before—you must bring out your book about Srila Prabhupada and Juhu as soon as possible.”

I took your instruction to heart, and for the last several years I have focused on that project. When the book was almost ready, you wanted to know what the title would be, and you gave some advice to make it shorter, and in the end I accepted one of your suggestions for the title: I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story. Now, with your encouragement, the book is almost ready to be sent to the BBT for printing.

Related to my writing is my base in Carpinteria, and here too you have given me valuable advice. You said that I should not burden myself and my small staff by having many programs there; rather, I should go out for preaching programs.

My writing is also inspired by my Deities. You were instrumental in my getting Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari, you gave me Gopisvara Mahadeva, and you were involved in the establishment of the worship of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaura-nataraja and Sri Sri Radhika-Radhika-ramana.

There is no end to my debt to you, which will take me many lifetimes to even begin to repay—but that makes me very happy, because I want to serve Srila Prabhupada with you life after life. As Srila Prabhupada wrote to a disciple who asked about our relationships in ISKCON, “As to your question concerning whether relationships between devotees are eternal, the answer is ‘yes.’ This is confirmed by Sri Narottama dasa Thakura: cakhu-dana dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei: ‘he is my Lord birth after birth.’ ” We are eternally connected in Srila Prabhupada’s service.

Hare Krishna.

Your eternal, grateful servant,
Giriraj Swami

Answer Podcast

<a href=”http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2020%20QA/01-20%20QA/Was%20India%20better%20under%20British%20rule%20than%20after%20independence.mp3″ download=”download”><img class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-42879″ src=”https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Download.png” alt=”” width=”150″ /></a>

The post Was India better under British rule than after independence? How do we understand Prabhupada’s statement appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

We are pleased to present a 3D image renderings collection of some of the upcoming work at the TOVP, and what you can expect to see as we move closer and closer to the Grand Opening in 2022.

What you will see below are 3D image renderings of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasasana, the Grand Deity altar and temple room, and various walkways and halls on the main temple floor. We hope these will inspire and enthuse you with a vision of what’s to come when this magnificent project is completed.

The post Upcoming Work at the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Even when there is duty, we have to see what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. This is devotee. Devotee means he’s not blind. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. (SB 5.18.12) [“All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge, and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva.”] Bhagavad-bhakta means he will act in such a way that all qualified, nobody can criticize him. That is bhagavad-bhakta. Sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah.

We have many instances. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was a very rich zamindar’s son, and there was trouble between the minister of the state and his father and uncle. They were zamindars, raising revenues to the extent of twelve lakhs, and only four lakhs was going to the Nawab. So, this was the business. The minister came to arrest Raghunatha’s father and uncle, and they fled away from home. So the minister arrested Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. At that time he was not Gosvami; he was a grihastha, young man, Raghunatha. So, he handled the matter in such a nice way that the matter was settled between the minister and his father. The idea is although he was Vaishnava, he was not a fool how to manage an estate. It does not mean that a Vaishnava will be fool because he’s Vaishnava. No. Vaishnava has twenty-six qualifications. One of the qualifications is daksa: he must be very expert in doing things very nicely. Not that because one is Vaishnava he’ll be callous in worldly things. No. Therefore I repeatedly request the management that you must be very expert in managing these temple affairs. Everything should be to the right point. Not a single farthing should be wasted. A Vaishnava must be daksa, expert in everything. This is no excuse, that “I have become a devotee; therefore I am callous to all material things.” What material things? Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.255) [“When one is not attached to anything but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his renunciation.”] Anything in relationship with Krishna is not material; it is spiritual. Don’t think this temple is an ordinary building. It is Vaikuntha. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. Krishna has His house, prakara-sadmasu. Sadma means house. So we should take very, very careful attention that this temple is kept very nicely, managed very nicely. Not that “I have become Vaishnava. Let everything be stolen or spoiled or broken. I have become Vaishnava. I cannot take care. That is not my consideration.”

Everything in relationship with Krishna is Krishna. Krishna is the advaya-jnana, Absolute Truth. Krishna and His name, His house, His devotees, His everything—nama rupa guna lila parikara vaisistya, everything.

—Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.40, October 1, 1976, Vrindavan

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The post The Monk’s Podcast 1 – Corona crisis and unnatural living appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post Gita key verses course 22 What happens if I am not spiritual enough at the time of death Gita 06.40 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post QA with youth – Coping with corona crisis appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

In New Vrindaban, West Virginia, ISKCON’s first rural community which Srila Prabhupada earmarked as an example of sustainability to the world, resident devotees are using the pandemic to push themselves closer to their goal of self-sufficiency.

When Ghanashyam Das first began his chaplaincy service in New York City, little did he know that he would end up on the frontlines of a global pandemic, risking his own health every day to provide spiritual and emotional support for patients dying of Coronavirus.

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The post Gita key verses course 21 Why are relationships so difficult – how can we improve them Gita 06.32 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post Remembrance and guidance – the essence of devotion appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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Want to Chant? (Right click to download)

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The post Rama Navmi class – Glory Revealed Amid Adversity appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura’s mother’s name was Sri Narayani Devi. Narayani Devi was the daughter of Srivas Thakura’s brother. When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed his divinity in the house of Srivasa, showing his true self to the assembled devotees there, Narayani devi was only a four year old girl.

Gaura Ganodesa Dipika describes that Narayani was previously Kilimbika, the younger sister of Lord Sri Krishna’s nursemaid Ambika. It is also explained that Ambika became Malini Devi, the wife of Srivasa Pandita. Therefore, Ambika and Kilimbika reappeared in Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s pastimes as Malini Devi and Narayani Devi, in their same roles as maidservants.

Gaurahari always gave Narayani special attention whenever He saw her, and personally gave her betel nut remnants from His mouth. Sometime after Mahaprabhu left Mayapur, Narayani married and moved to another village. She was pregnant when her husband suddenly died and this is when Malini Devi brought her to Mamgachhi to live.

Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura is an incarnation of Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa. Vedavyasa wrote the Vedas. He then wrote Srimad Bhagavatam the mature fruit of the Vedas that describes Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Then, as Vrindavan Das Thakura, Vyasdeva wrote Sri Caitanya Bhagavata (previously known as Caitanya Mangala); it describes Krishna’s pastimes as Gaurahari in Navadvipa-Mayapur. This most enchanting rendition of Gauranga Mahaprabhu’s pastimes gives the conclusion of Srimad Bhagavatam – Bhakti, the devotional service to Lord Sri Krishna.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wrote in his commentary to Caitanya Bhagavata, “At the ancestral home of Malini Devi, Vrindavan Das played as a small boy growing up. There he was nourished and cared for just like a valuable gem.” Vrindavan Das Thakura took initiation from Lord Nityananda at 16 years of age and went travelling and preaching with Him. When they were in Denur, in the district of Burdwan, Lord Nityananda told him to stay and preach there and so he never personally saw Lord Caitanya. He went to the first Gaura-Purnima festival at Kheturi-grama, accompanying Sri Jahnava Devi, the eternal consort of Lord Nityananda.

Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami shows his supreme homage and gratitude by honoring Vrndavana Dasa Thakura with the appellation “Vyasa” in the Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya 20.82: “Vrndavana Dasa Thakura is Lord Nityananda’s favourite devotee. And therefore he is the original Vyasadeva in describing the pas­times of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” As Srila Vyasadeva told Sri Krishna’s pastimes in Bhagavatam and other Puranas,Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura described Caitanya lila in Caitanya Bhagavata.

Answer Podcast

Transcription by: Dr Suresh Gupta (Muzaffarnagar)

Question: When scriptures depict animals speaking human languages, how is that to be understood?

Answer: The question will be answered in three parts.

Firstly, the Srimad Bhagavatam, Ramayana and Mahabharata describe not just a life as we know right now, but also an expanse of life which is much broader. For example, the vanaras described in the Ramayana are not simply monkeys, the word “vanara” etymologically means “va” (or) and “nara” (human). That means when people see them, they appear so similar to humans that people have a question in mind – is this a monkey or a human.

Thus, the vanaras are considered not just monkeys but celestial apes. They have quite an evolved consciousness and are not like the present-day monkeys. Similarly, the birds like Jatayu are not ordinary birds. We see even in the epics that not all birds and animals speak and communicate. For example, when Sita was abducted and Ram was searching for Sita, Ram actually turns and asks the trees, the birds and animals, but none of them reply. This shows that these epics are not mythology where one imagines animals to be talking. There are certain variations of those species which were almost evolved to the level of human conscious and thus they could communicate, they could talk, not everyone but some of them. So, that’s one understanding.

The other understanding is that these are great souls who were already spiritually evolved but temporarily born in particular species. In the animal body, they might exhibit certain attributes which are not compatible with that species but that is because they already have an evolved consciousness from their previous life. One such example is Gajendra. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, we see that Gajendra, although an elephant, but offers great prayers. Gajendra was already an evolved soul in a previous life but somehow, got cursed and given an elephant body. We have heard in scriptures that if somebody grows spiritually then such advancement is never lost. If spiritual advancement is never lost, then why is it that sometimes such souls get a lower species? This may be as a result of the reaction to certain actions they may have done. Although they get a lower body, they do not get a lower consciousness. Gajendra was King Indradyumna in his previous life. He got an animal body but did not get an elephant consciousness. His consciousness remained more than an evolved soul. Although temporarily his consciousness was covered but still that consciousness was there at a dormant level. Thus, the second possibility is that not all members of the species are talking but some are as they are already evolved, souls.

The third possibility of animals talking in the scriptures is because it could be a miraculous intervention. Just like in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, it is described that animals started chanting Hare Krishna in the forests of Jharkhand. They were ordinary animals living in the forest and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu demonstrated miraculous potency by making them sing and chant Hare Krishna. This was possible because the Supreme Lord is present in the hearts of all the living beings and the Supreme Lord has all knowledge. The soul has a particular level of knowledge based on the kind of body it has but the Supreme Lord has all knowledge; and the Supreme Lord can use the soul to exhibit a level of knowledge in consciousness that is beyond the soul’s capacity in that particular body.
Thus, the three possibilities are that
(i) these are referred to different species,
(ii) these are referring to specially evolved souls within the lower specie and
(iii) these demonstrate miraculous intervention of the Lord.

End of transcription.

Interior Artwork

This is the April Architecture Department Report which focuses on various areas of artwork throughout the project. We have classified the art into 24 modules for the interior and exterior and are sharing the updates of each module in this report.

Click here to see it in your browser or download a copy to your desktop for offline reading.

The post TOVP Architecture Department Report – Interior Artwork, April 2020 appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.