These days, many people are looking for simple ways to boost our immune systems. Join chef Divya Alter for an online ayurvedic cooking demonstration. 

Watch for free for a limited time only! Available only 12 pm EST April 17th - 24th

By giving them exciting creative challenges, the purpose of this project is to help children and their families cope with the emotional toll the social isolation, the anxiety and the uncertainties create. “Most children express their thought and feelings better through different forms of arts, than words. Art has a healing power,” the project coordinator says. 

In these unprecedented times, we encourage devotees to share their thoughts, poems, and prayers via ISKCON News' special Covid-19 section.  The first offering comes from our GBC Minister of Communications, Anuttama dasa, who lives in Washington DC.

Hare Krishna 

I felt the need to share my continued personal thoughts as we here continue in lockdown and my continued underlying feelings that have received unprecedented hatred from different sections of the devotee community. 

Unlike many I’m considered a key worker and have returned to front line duties after working in the community with learning disabilities, I have been greatly supported and key skills relearned. This week I was transferred to a unit after members of staff walked off after confirmed covid-19 cases I have personal thoughts on this leveled with complete understanding, they have family and own medical problems. 

Working on units that have seen unprecedented death rates, some expected, some not, some suspected covid-19 with a few identified as the virus. The hardest part personally is they passed away without family or loved ones a point that has angered me on a deep emotional level as personally I feel at least one member of the family could have been with them (they can follow same guidance as given to care worker’s) 

In reality health care workers see death in its many from viruses to cancers, in the UK on average 450 people die of cancer each day. But we note there is no daily death count for cancer, pneumonia and seasonal flu and on a personal level I am disturbed by the obsession with giving a death count without a balance of survival rate, which looks much better (but I guess there worried it will lead to complacency) 

I am reminded of my first interaction with HH Devamrita Swami it convinced me of the merits not only of devotional life and the chanting of the holy names but of the need to use the opportunity to share with those I meet and care for. 

At the time HH Devamrita Swami asked several questions “after curing them does misery end?”, “after discharging them do they live forever or do they get sick?”, “have you nursed individuals who have the same diagnosis and did some live whilst some died?”; he ended with a statement “so what is the point of nursing someone, you don’t cure misery and ultimately they die!”. 

Brutal 

But the next question was crucial “what about the spirit soul, why not cure the spirit soul of the misery of material life?” ; there will always be misery difficulties and death’s of this there is no escape. Indeed pandemics is nothing new. 

Having real information on the way material nature works means that in adversity the devote should be fearless and not perplexed by this, indeed again my guru Maharaja pointed out at this time our chanting should be its best. After all in the age of Kali there is no other way than the chanting of the Holy name’s, always remember this. 

Also daily recite the Nrisinghadev Prays daily 

It also gives the opportunity to increase personal devotion if your not already doing it, learn how to do arati it’s fun and also helps you connect with Krishna. Don’t loose your head and live in fear live in devotion so no matter what happens as instructed by Srila Prabhupada we can go home this lifetime. 

You can do this

The covid-19 survival figures are in reality much better than the death rates, but with all the inflictions of material nature I wish no one to suffer and will do my best to give the best I can to save both the material body but more importantly the spirit soul. 

Remember to follow the advice given for each country your in, even if on a personal level you disagree. 

And take this opportunity to increase our loving devotion, and also please please stay in touch with everyone, encouraging each other and stay spiritually and physically safe. 

Gauranga 

Today is the appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit. “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the internal potencies of the Lord, of whom Sri Gadadhara Prabhu is the foremost.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.41) On this most auspicious appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita, we had abhisheka, arthi & pushpanjali to Sri Gadadhara. HG Jananivas Prabhu […]

The post Sri Gadadhar Pandit Appearance! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The irony doesn’t escape me
that I couldn’t leave Vrindavana
even if I wanted to. I ponder my life.

So many devotees want to visit
and here I’m on an extended stay
first for 11 months and now 5 more.

I know it is special mercy for me
yet, it is the toughest love ever
though I can still smile at my plight.

I am externally “in” Vrindavana
though far from eternal lila here
and the self-forgetfulness of love.

read more

The irony doesn’t escape me
that I couldn’t leave Vrindavana
even if I wanted to. I ponder my life.

So many devotees want to visit
and here I’m on an extended stay
first for 11 months and now 5 more.

I know it is special mercy for me
yet, it is the toughest love ever
though I can still smile at my plight.

I am externally “in” Vrindavana
though far from eternal lila here
and the self-forgetfulness of love.

read more

Answer Podcast

Transcription :

Transcriber: Sharan Shetty

Edited by: Keshavgopal Das

Question: Even when we know that worldly pleasures are temporary, why do we still crave for them?

Answer: There are two ways of looking at this. One is that this world is a place of illusion and like a trap. Gita 8.15 says, this world is dukhalayam, place of distress. Does that mean that there is no happiness in this world? Prahalada Maharaj answers this in SB 7.9.25 using the word madhu lavaih, i.e. the amount of happiness is similar to drops of honey. The illusion is not about the presence of pleasure, the illusion is about the quantity of pleasure. We think there is a lot of pleasure in this material world. Most of the times, we gravely dream about sense pleasure but afterwards it is just an anti-climax and in conclusion, we all feel, “I dreamed so much about it but got so little”.

Interestingly, there is enough pleasure in this world to keep us attached to all the troubles that come with them. If there is only trouble, we would just give it up and if there is only pleasure, we won’t think about anything else. However, there is enough pleasure in this world to make us believe that all the troubles are worthwhile. The worth of such pleasures is open to question but because we are pursuing those pleasures, we think them to be great. Therefore, our way is not just saying no to the pleasures of the world. In bhakti, we focus not so much on renunciation as on devotion. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 10.41,

yad yad vibhutimat sattvam shrimad urjitam eva va
tat tad evavagaccha tvam mama tejo-’msha-sambhavam

“Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendour.”

That means Krishna is saying that everything attractive in this world is not false. If we compare an ocean to a few drops of water, then Krishna is like the ocean and the pleasures of this world are like the drops of water. If Krishna is like the sun, then the pleasures of this world are like the sparks.

If we consider the ocean at a distance and drops of water near us, then some drops will lead us towards, and some will take us away from the ocean. We do not deny the presence of the drops, we focus on where those drops are taking us. For example, a brahmana is someone who is intellectually inclined. Therefore, varnashrama recommends a brahmana be intellectual in a way that is spiritually harmonious. A kshatriya is someone who likes to lead and control. Gita 18.43 describes ishvara bhava or the attitude of God for the kshatriya. This is not same as if one is the Supreme Lord i.e. parameshwar bhava but it is like the attitude of controllership i.e. ishvara bhava.

Varnashrama’s principle is that things which are materially pleasurable for us, they take us to the source of supreme spiritual pleasure. Not that we reject all material pleasure, rather we harmonize the material pleasures with our spiritual purpose. The drops are there, and they are real. We do not focus so much on denying the pleasure, rather we understand that this pleasure is a pointer to the ultimate pleasure. That is why bhakti is not about giving up but taking up.

We cannot drive out worldly pleasures from our heart, but we can crowd them out. We focus on what we can do for Krishna and what we are not able to give up, we don’t obsess over them. At the same time, we should “deal with the surges of the urges”. In the process of bhakti, what we are saved from is not as important as what we are saved for. We are saved, delivered, protected for a purpose and that purpose is to serve Krishna more and more. We can find out ways that are needed to serve. If we obsess too much on giving up, then we will be stuck between “I will not do it” and “I want to do it” and eventually we will end up regretting “why I did it”.

Material indulgences are not worth thinking about too much either in terms of how I will give them up or how I will get them. Instead we should focus on the spiritual connection.

End of transcription.

The post Even when we know that worldly pleasures are temporary, why do we still crave for it? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Gadadara Pandit was a childhood friend of Nimai and both were students in the same ‘Tol’ or school. Gadadhar’s parents Madhav Mishra and Ratnawati were natives of Chattagram district but later on moved to Navadwip. Gadadhara Pandit was born in Navadwip.

In the Gaura-ganodesa-dipika, verses 147 through 153, it is stated: “The pleasure potency of Sri Krishna formely known as Vrindavaneshvari Srimati Radharani is now personified in the form of Sri Gadadhara Pandit in the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

There is no difference between Sri Gadadhara Pandita and Srimati Radhika, but the activities are different in Krsna’s pastimes and Gaura’s pastimes. In Gaura-lila Sri Gadadhara Pandita is in the mood of a servant.

No gopi, including Candravali, Lalita, and Visakha, can experience Srimati Radhika’s madanakya-mahabhava. Krsna experiences the ecstatic loving moods of rudha and adirudha, but not madanakhya-bhava.

Sri Gadadhara Pandita, on the other hand has madanakya-mahabhava. In Gaura-lila, however, it is covered, so that he can help Krsna to play the part of Srimati Radhika. In the form of Sri Gadadhara Pandita, Srimati Radhika is looking and examining, and if there is something wrong in Krsna (as Mahaprabhu), She corrects it.

At the time of His disappearance, Mahaprabhu entered the Deity Tota-Gopinatha. Mahaprabhu left the world at 48 years, when Sri Gadadhara Pandita was 47. Out of great separation, Gadhadara Pandita quickly became like an old man, and he also very soon disappeared. 

Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Celebrate the occasion by watching 'The Stolen River' film about the plight to preserve and restore the holy river Yamuna -- streaming for free for 10 days.  

Recently we sent out the official announcement about the Second Annual #GivingTOVP 10 Day Matching Fundraiser which you can read here. This event starts on April 26 (Akshaya Tritiya) until May 6 (Nrsimha Caturdasi) and is poised to raise over $300,000 to help the completion of Lord Nrsimha’s entire East Wing and altar in the TOVP for the opening ceremony during Gaur Purnima 2021.

In this video Her Grace Malati mataji speaks about the importance of this fundraiser for completing Lord Nrsimha’s temple wing and altar by 2021.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to the disastrous effects of the Corona virus pandemic worldwide and the 21 day lock-down in India, ISKCON Mayapur is experiencing a serious financial crisis. On account of this emergency situation, Ambarisa and Braja Vilasa prabhus from the TOVP have decided to help ISKCON Mayapur by creating an extension campaign to the #GivingTOVP Fundraiser called the TOVP Care Emergency Matching Fund Campaign. Ambarisa will match 10 cents for every dollar raised for the #GivingTOVP Fundraiser (online only) and donate it to ISKCON Mayapur.

For more information go ​here​.

Please download and share the #GivingTOVP Fundraiser flyer below.

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
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The post H.G. Malati Mataji Speaks About the #GivingTOVP 10 Day Matching Fundraiser appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Mysuc by Jake Emlyn, dance and video by Harinamananda Das.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 24 September 2017, Phoenix, Mauritius, Sri Sri Golokananda Temple Lecture)

If you go to Mayapur and you go on the side of the Ganga to take a bath in it, you have the ground under your feet and you walk in the water moving forward on your own strength. But if you go deep into the water, then what will happen? The current of the Ganga will just drag you away. And there is nothing you can do, it will just take you. Bhakti is the same. In the beginning, you have to take different steps yourself – you have to follow this principle and you have to do this duty and so on. You have to take all these steps yourself until you go deep into bhakti and then the current of bhakti will just take you away. The current of ecstasy! The current of love!

The article " The current of bhakti " was published on KKSBlog.

Today is the most auspicious occasion of Sri Gadadhara Pandita’s appearance day. As many of you know, Lord Chaitanya is Krishna Himself in the role of His own devotee. He is Krishna, but with the complexion and mood of Srimati Radharani. There are different purposes for the Lord’s advent. The internal reason for Lord Chaitanya’s appearance is that He wanted to experience the glory of Srimati Radharani’s love for Him, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She experiences the sweetness of His love for Her—which only She can experience. The external reason (not that it is any less significant) was to propagate the yuga-dharma, the recommended method for God realization in each particular age (yuga).

To assist the Lord in His pastimes, four principal associates descended with Him—Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Srivasa Thakura, and Gadadhara Pandita. Together with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, they comprise the Pancha-tattva. In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 1.14) the author offers his respects to all five together:

panca-tattvatmakam krsnam
  bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
  namami bhakta-saktikam

“I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation, pure devotee, and devotional energy.”

Krishna appeared in the form of a devotee (bhakta-rupa), as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; as the expansion of a devotee (sva-rupakam), as Nityananda Prabhu; as an incarnation of a devotee (bhakta-avataram), as Advaita Prabhu; as a devotee (bhakta), as Srivasa Thakura; and as the devotional energy that inspires a devotee (bhakta-saktikam), as Gadadhara Pandita. Together they all came to propagate harinama-sankirtana as the yuga-dharma for the present age.

We are now in Kali-yuga, the worst age. But although Kali-yuga is the worst, it affords us the best opportunity to realize God, through the chanting of the holy names. At the end of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Sukadeva Gosvami says, kaler dosa-nidhe rajann: this Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults. An ocean—you cannot measure the length or breadth of an ocean. Asti hy eko mahan gunah: but within Kali-yuga there is one great opportunity. What is that? Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet: by chanting the holy names of Krishna, one becomes liberated from material association and attains the supreme goal of life.

Sanga—association. Sangat sanjayate kamah. Desire comes from association. Generally, people in the material world are associated with the three modes of material nature: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, and tamo-guna. Because of their association with the three modes, they develop material bodies made of the three modes, and mentalities influenced by the three modes. And it is very difficult to overcome the influence of maya, which consists of these three modes.

daivi hy esa guna-mayi
  mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
  mayam etam taranti te

 In the Bhagavad-gita (7.14) Lord Krishna says that this material nature, which consists of the three modes, is very difficult to overcome but that one who surrenders unto Him can easily overcome it and become free from the influence of these modes.

Lord Chaitanya and His associates in the Pancha-tattva came to taste love of Godhead and to distribute love of Godhead—to taste the holy names of Krishna and to distribute the holy names of Krishna. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta describes that the storehouse of love of Godhead had remained sealed but that the members of the Pancha-tattva broke open the seal, plundered the storehouse, ate the contents, and became intoxicated with love of God. But they didn’t want only to enjoy the contents themselves; they also wanted to share the contents with others. And that was their life—tasting ecstatic love of Godhead and distributing it.

The main method by which they distributed love of Godhead was through the chanting of the holy names of God, in particular the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The members of the Pancha-tattva would become so intoxicated chanting and dancing that they didn’t know whether it was day or night. They didn’t know where they were. Once, Nityananda Prabhu led a party of devotees from Puri, and they were chanting and dancing all the way. They were trying to make their way back to Bengal, but they were so intoxicated with love of God that they didn’t know which way they were going. They would start in one direction and days later would realize that they didn’t know in which direction they had gone. They would have to ask someone to set them in the right direction. Again, days would pass in chanting and dancing. They wouldn’t even eat or sleep. And after some time they would realize that again they didn’t know where they were. This was the high level of their kirtan in ecstatic love of God.

So, that is what they were tasting, and that is what they wanted to distribute. And reciprocally, that is what they wanted us to accept: the great gift of the holy name, the great treasure of love of God. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana: the great treasure of love of God has descended from Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual world, as the congregational chanting of the holy name. The holy name is not a material sound vibration. Krishna’s name is Krishna Himself. It is completely spiritual.

nama cintamanih krsna
  caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah suddho nitya-mukto
  ’bhinnatvan nama-naminoh

Nama cintamanih krsnas: the holy name of Krishna is a transcendental touchstone that bestows all spiritual benedictions. Caitanya-rasa-vigrahah: it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is complete (purnah), pure (suddha), and eternally liberated (nitya-muktah) from the influence of maya, the modes of material nature. ’Bhinnatvan nama-naminoh: the holy name of Krishna is in all respects the same as Krishna Himself.

When we chant Hare Krishna, we are associating with Krishna. Srila Prabhupada has explained that in the material world the name of a thing and the thing itself are different. If you are thirsty and you chant “water, water, water, water,” just chanting “water, water” will not quench your thirst, because the word water and the substance water are different. But in the spiritual world, the absolute world, the name of the thing and the thing itself are the same. So when you chant “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,” Krishna is personally present, dancing on your tongue. And great devotees who realize Krishna through the process of chanting want to do nothing but chant. Srila Rupa Gosvami prayed, “With one tongue and two ears what can I chant, what can I relish? If I had millions of tongues and billions of ears then I could begin to chant.” That is the stage of relishing the holy name, when one is able to chant purely.

We, unfortunately, have no such attraction. In the second verse of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Siksastaka we find the word durdaivam, which means “misfortune.” We are unfortunate. Of course, we are also fortunate, because we have come in touch with Srila Prabhupada, who served the Pancha-tattva by executing their mission, traveling all over the world and distributing the holy name of Krishna. We are fortunate, but at the same time we are unfortunate because we do not experience ecstatic love when we chant—because we commit offenses. The great value of the holy name can be realized only when we chant without offense.

But here too, the Pancha-tattva help us, because they do not consider offenses. They are so liberal and magnanimous that they do not take any offense. Thus, if one chants the holy names of the Pancha-tattva with enthusiasm, with complete absorption, one will feel ecstatic, and when one feels ecstatic one can chant the holy names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offense.

But we have to work. We have to practice. As Srila Prabhupada said, “Chanting is easy, but the determination to chant is not so easy.” We have to be determined to chant with attention, without offense. And if we can chant without offense, we will obtain the great treasure of love of God. Chanting is so important, as Lord Chaitanya instructed.

tara madhye sarva-srestha nama-sankirtana
niraparadhe nama laile paya prema-dhana

“Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.” (Cc Antya 4.71)

There are ten offenses mentioned in the Padma Purana. Srila Jiva Gosvami has discussed them in detail in his Bhakti-sandarbha, and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has also discussed them, in Sri Harinama-cintamani. In Srila Prabhupada’s books we find lists and explanations of the ten offenses in different places. The list in The Nectar of Devotion is often read in temples as part of the morning program after mangala-arati, as devotees prepare to chant their rounds, for just reading or reciting the list, hearing it and praying, will help us to avoid the offenses. The last offense in this list is “to not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter.” Devotees often then add, “It is also an offense to be inattentive while chanting.” Actually, at the end of the Sanskrit for the eighth offense we find the words api pramada. Pramada means “inattention.” In the Hari-nama-cintamani, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has taken pramada as a separate item, as the ninth offense—inattentive chanting. He states that by attentive chanting one can destroy all other offenses and that inattentive chanting allows the other offenses to grow and flourish.

So we have to make a concentrated effort to overcome this offense (pramada) and chant and hear with attention. As the Bhagavad-gita (6.26) says,

yato yato niscalati
  manas cancalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
  atmany eva vasam nayet

“From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self.” So, that is our work.

When we observe the activities of the mind while we are chanting and really consider what is happening—“Why is my mind always wandering? What is it thinking about?” (There is a whole list of things we think about, which we can’t even begin to discuss.)—if we consider, “What is going on? Why am I having all these other thoughts when I should be hearing the holy name?” we will find (at least in my experience) that it basically comes down to thinking we are the doers, the controllers, the proprietors, the enjoyers. Actually, the holy name is Krishna, and He is the controller, He is the proprietor, He is the enjoyer. So let us surrender to Him. Let us surrender to the holy name, surrender to Krishna in the form of transcendental sound, and let Him take over.

When we are chanting, at least our sixteen rounds, those two hours—or however long it takes—are our time with Krishna. At least in those two hours we should have no other thought but to be with Krishna, to associate with Krishna. Srila Prabhupada has explained that the chanting is a prayer to Radha and Krishna. The name “Krishna” refers, of course, to Krishna, and “Hare” is a way of addressing Radha. Thus Hare Krishna means “O Radha, O Krishna.” When we call people’s names, we want to get their attention, and when we get their attention they may respond, “Yes, what do you want? What can I do for you?” So when we get Radha and Krishna’s attention by chanting Their holy names, Hare Krishna, what are we going to ask? A pure devotee will ask for only one thing: service—“I want to serve You. Please engage me in Your service.” That is our prayer when we chant.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written much about the Siksastaka and the holy name, and in Sri Bhajana-rahasya he has explained that the eight prayers of the Siksastaka correspond with the eight pairs of names in the maha-mantra. So when we are chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—the verses of the Siksastaka are included. And if we are really concentrating, we can focus on each pair of names and know that the corresponding prayer of the Siksataka is included. We should not be racing through our rounds, just to finish them—“Oh, God, okay, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna . . . Okay, one down, fifteen to go.” Not racing through. This is our time with Krishna. In one sense, it is the most important time of the day. And we should give ourselves to Krishna. Of course, we serve Him throughout the day—in principle, twenty-four hours a day—but this is our special time to associate with Him, with hari-nama, directly.

Our godbrother Gopala Bhatta Prabhu owns a large business and has many responsibilities and projects, but he told me that when he chants his rounds he takes off his eyeglasses and his wristwatch. This is his time with Krishna, and he will not think about anything else. Of course, he is very organized. He makes long lists of what he has to do, so when he is chanting he doesn’t have to worry about remembering or forgetting things. That is a common fault, a common form of inattention—while we are chanting, within our minds we are making our to-do lists. If what we have to do is important enough, we will remember it later. But we have to hear; we have to let go of all other thoughts when we chant, and just hear. Sometimes it may be that in that purifying process of chanting, Krishna is trying to tell us something, trying to remind us of something. And it really builds up. Even though we try, we just can’t let it go. Then it might be better to make a note of it, and then our mind might settle down. Otherwise, in principle, whatever it is, just let it go and hear—tac chrnu—hear the holy name of Krishna.

This is the great mission of the Pancha-tattva—to propagate pure chanting of the holy name, and through it, ecstatic love of Godhead.

Gadadhara Pandita appeared one year after Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And in their childhoods, the two were inseparable; they were so attached to each other. Together, they attended Gangadasa Pandita’s tola, or school, and as classmates they enjoyed many pastimes with each other. In His childhood, Lord Chaitanya was called Nimai, because He was born under a nima tree. So, Nimai and Gadadhara would go to Ganganagara and attend class together. They would walk home together. They would study together. They would take bath in the Ganga together. They could not bear to be separated from each other for even a moment.

Later, when Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa and went to reside in Jagannatha Puri, Gadadhara Pandita followed Him. Most of Mahaprabhu’s other associates in Navadvipa remained in Bengal; they came to Puri only once in a year, for the four months of the rainy season, to attend the Ratha-yatra and to see Mahaprabhu. But Gadadhara Pandita couldn’t bear to be separated from the Lord, and the Lord couldn’t bear to be separated from him. So he was permitted to stay with Mahaprabhu in Puri, and there they engaged in pastimes. Gadadhara Pandita accepted ksetra-sannyasa, which means he took a vow never to spend a night outside the dhama, Jagannatha Puri. And he engaged in the service of the Deity called Tota-gopinatha. The first time Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left Puri to travel to Vrndavana, Gadadhara Pandita followed Him—even at the cost of his ksetra-sannyasa and his service to Gopinatha. And when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu finally compelled him to return to Puri, Gadadhara fainted. He could not bear the separation. And for Mahaprabhu too, the separation was difficult. But Mahaprabhu tolerated it because He wanted to keep Gadadhara’s vow and service intact. Gadadhara Pandita and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had many intimate, loving pastimes together in Puri, which are described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would come regularly to relish Gadadhara Pandita’s reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam. And it is said that in the end Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu entered the Tota-gopinatha temple and never came out, that He entered into the Deity of Gopinatha to return to His eternal pastimes.

After Mahaprabhu left, Gadadhara Pandita felt such intense separation that his body began to age very quickly—although he was only forty-eight years old. In time, he was unable to stretch out his arms even to offer a garland to the Deity. So the Deity, to facilitate Gadadhara’s loving service, sat down (one can still visit Tota-gopinatha and see the sitting Deity), and soon Gadadhara himself entered into the Deity to join Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in His eternal pastimes.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta states that Gadadhara Pandita was an incarnation of the pleasure potency of Sri Krishna. And Sri Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika confirms that Srimati Radharani appeared in gaura-lila as Gadadhara Pandita. When the Lord descends, He doesn’t come alone. He comes with His eternal associates. Thus, when Lord Krishna came as Sri Krishna Chaitanya, in the role of a devotee, His eternal associates accompanied Him, also as devotees, to assist Him in His pastimes. And the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, written by Kavi-karnapura, another associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, explains what roles the associates of Krishna in krsna-lila played in gaura-lila. Sri Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (147–149) states, “Srimati Radharani, who is the personification of pure love for Krsna and who is the queen of Vrndavana, appeared as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who was very dear to Lord Chaitanya. Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has also confirmed that the goddess of fortune, who appeared in Vrndavana and was very dear to Lord Krsna, appeared as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who was filled with love for Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.”

Gadadhara Pandita is an incarnation of Srimati Radharani, the internal potency of Lord Krishna. But because Lord Chaitanya is Krishna acting in the mood of Srimati Radharani, Gadadhara Pandita did not act in the mood of Radharani—because there can be only one Radharani. He understood, “This is Krishna’s time. This is Krishna’s opportunity to relish the loving ecstasy of Srimati Radharani, so I will keep my mood of Radha in the background and just support Him in His experience of radha-bhava.” It is also said that if Gadadhara Pandita had manifested the nature or feature of Srimati Radharani, then Krishna, who was trying to absorb Himself in the mood of Radharani, would have become attracted to the Radha outside of Him and wouldn’t have been able to maintain His inner mood as Radha. So Gadadhara Pandita, to facilitate Lord Chaitanya in His pastimes, played the perfect role to complement and support the Lord—that of a perfect brahman, very gentle, very submissive, very scholarly, very sober.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 167, 163–164) concludes,

panditera saujanya, brahmanyata-guna
drdha prema-mudra loke karila khyapana

“Gadadhara Pandita is celebrated all over the world for his gentle behavior, his brahminical attributes, and his steady love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

panditera bhava-mudra kahana na yaya
‘gadadhara-prana-natha’ nama haila yaya

“No one can describe the characteristics and ecstatic love of Gadadhara Pandita. Therefore another name for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara-prananatha, ‘the life and soul of Gadadhara Pandita.’

pandite prabhura prasada kahana na yaya
‘gadaira gauranga’ bali’ yanre loke gaya

“No one can say how merciful the Lord is to Gadadhara Pandita, but people know the Lord as Gadaira Gauranga, ‘the Lord Gauranga of Gadadhara Pandita.’ ”

On this auspicious occasion we can pray to Gadadhara Pandita, a most intimate associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and a member of the Pancha-tattva, to be merciful to us and help us to taste and distribute the nectar of the holy name, the nectar of Krishna consciousness, as humble servants of his devoted servants.

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

Sri Gadadhara Pandita ki jaya!
Sri Sri Pancha-tattva ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Gadadhara Pandita’s appearance day, April 17, 2007, Dallas]

Answer Podcast

Transcription :

Transcriber: Sharan Shetty

Question: When we are far away from the standards needed to attain the spiritual world, what is our hope?

Answer: There is a digital and an analogue conception of bhakti. Digital concept is zero or one. This means either we are a devotee or a non-devotee, either we are meeting the standard or not meeting the standard. Whereas analogue conception is that of a progression.

Bhagavad Gita is largely an analogue conception where Krishna gives multiple alternatives. If you cannot practice bhakti, then practice yoga. If you cannot practice yoga, then practice jnana. If you cannot practice jnana, then practice karma. And if you cannot worship Me then worship devatas (demigods).

Even within bhakti, from BG 12.08 to BG 12.12, Krishna gives a progression. At first, he says, spontaneously fix your mind on Me. If you cannot do that, then conscientiously strive to fix your mind on Me. If you cannot do that, then work for Me. If you cannot do that then work for a selfless cause. Thus, Krishna is giving us multiple levels to connect with him. We do not have to necessarily think that just because we are not at a particular standard of bhakti then we are not practicing bhakti. If we just keep doing what we can, Krishna promises in the Bhagavad Gita 09.22 – yogakshemam vahamyaham (I carry what you lack, and I preserve what you have). This applies not just to our material assets but also to our spiritual assets. Krishna says, if you strive to be devoted to me then I will protect whatever spiritual advancement you have made, and I will provide whatever spiritual advancement you are lacking.

We do not have to bother for coming up to a particular standard. We just dedicate ourselves doing the best we can right now. Either Krishna will make up for all that we are lacking and take us directly to him or will take us to some place where we are closer to him.

It is true that we all want to grow spiritually but it is important to note that wherever there are standards, the mind will try to rebel because the mind has tremendous potential in making even the most positive things negative. The purpose of standards is to inspire us, not to discourage us. If we hear how ecstatic the saints, Lord Chaitanya, the Six Goswamis were in their absorption and in their love for Krishna, then we may either become discouraged thinking that we are nowhere near them or we may feel inspired that such an advanced stage can be attained by following the process I am practicing right now. That is why, depending on our consciousness, we need to adjust our vision.

If we feel very proud thinking that we have advanced so much spiritually then we should look how far we have to go. When we become disheartened, we should see how far we have come. All of us have come a significant way in our spiritual journey. If we look at the many years that have past, we have made significant progress where our values have changed positively. If we are honest with ourselves, we will see, that we have progressed not because of us but in-spite of us. We are so distracted, so impure, so conditioned and in-spite of ourselves, we have made so much progress. Before leaving for India, a devotee friend wished me a safe trip. I replied that as long as I am with me, no trip is safe because we are often our worst enemies. Still we have covered significant distance and that too in-spite of us. This means despite of our half-hearted, distracted efforts, Krishna has got us this far. Therefore, if Krishna has got us this far, Krishna will take us all the way also.

End of transcription.

The post When we are far away from the standards needed to attain the spiritual world, what is our hope? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The time is very dangerous. And still, in this dangerous time . . . Just like in epidemic conditions where people are being contaminated and dying, still, the doctors appointed by the government have to go into the epidemic area and try to treat the persons and save them. Our duty is like that. The whole atmosphere is epidemic—whole atmosphere, this Kali-yuga. And still, by the superior orders, we have to preach this Krishna consciousness movement.

Therefore our only shelter is Krishna. Krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, krsna, raksa mam. [“O Lord Krishna, please protect me.” (Cc Madhya 7.96)] Very dangerous position. . . . Nobody is safe. So we have to deal with persons very carefully, and at the same time, we have to push our missionary activities.

—Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.1–5, January 6, 1971, Calcutta

In a few days, from April 26 (Akshaya Tritiya) until May 6 (Nrsimha Caturdasi), we will begin the Second Annual #GivingTOVP 10 Day Matching Fundraiser to raise funds for the completion of Lord Nrsimha’s temple wing and altar in 2021, now combined with the TOVP Care Emergency Fundraising Campaign for ISKCON Mayapur. Ambarisa prabhu will match the total collection up to $150,000 for the TOVP, and additionally match 10% of the collection for the Deities, devotees and cows of ISKCON Mayapur. We hope every devotee worldwide will contribute their might, large or small, even during these challenging times caused by the Corona virus pandemic.

We especially feel that giving during the 10 days from Akshaya Tritiya till Nrsimha Caturdasi is particularly auspicious, and will be favorable for receiving the Lord’s blessings and protection. During this time Gangamata descended from the heavenly regions to purify the earthly realm, Vyasa began writing Mahabharata for the benefit of the human race, Sudama was blessed by Lord Krishna, Draupadi was provided with unlimited sari cloth, and her Akshaya patra satisfied Durvasa Muni and his 10,000 disciples with a morsel of food.

We are confident this time will bring us all auspiciousness, and giving to the TOVP will be a conduit for that mercy. This temple will not only stand out within the Gaudiya Vaishnava community, but will be a beacon of hope and spiritual enlightenment for humanity for thousands of years into the future. We cannot allow a small glitch in human history to slow our progress.

Additionally, we will shortly be announcing the Nrsimha Caturdasi Maha Yaja and Japa Yajna on May 6 for the benefit and protection of all devotees. You will be able to provide your name and the names of your immediate family members to be read to Lord Nrsimha during the Maha Yajna, and will receive a special Nrsimha prasadam thread as a gift for each person you have named.

Here’s the website link for more information and to make your offering to Lord Nrsimha during the #GivingTOVP & TOVP Care Fundraiser for the completion of His temple wing and altar, and the support of ISKCON Mayapur, the World Headquarters of ISKCON.

The post #GivingTOVP & TOVP Care 10 Day Matching Fundraiser – A Final Appeal appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Recently we sent out the official announcement about the Second Annual #GivingTOVP 10 Day Matching Fundraiser which you can read here. This event starts on April 26 (Akshaya Tritiya) until May 6 (Nrsimha Caturdasi) and is poised to raise over $300,000 to help the completion of Lord Nrsimha’s entire East Wing and altar in the TOVP for the opening ceremony during Gaur Purnima 2021.

In this video His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Swami speaks about the importance of this fundraiser for completing Lord Nrsimha’s temple wing and altar by 2021.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to the disastrous effects of the Corona virus pandemic worldwide and the 21 day lock-down in India, ISKCON Mayapur is experiencing a serious financial crisis. On account of this emergency situation, Ambarisa and Braja Vilasa prabhus from the TOVP have decided to help ISKCON Mayapur by creating an extension campaign to the #GivingTOVP Fundraiser called the TOVP Care Emergency Matching Fund Campaign. Ambarisa will match 10 cents for every dollar raised for the #GivingTOVP Fundraiser (online only) and donate it to ISKCON Mayapur.

For more information go ​here​.

Please download and share the #GivingTOVP Fundraiser flyer below.

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

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The post H.H. Bhakti Purushottama Swami Speaks About the #GivingTOVP 10 Day Matching Fundraiser appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

A devotee men’s group started in Alachua, Florida in 1992 has offered both spiritual and practical support, as well as close friendships, for members over the past 28 years. 

ISKCON Strategic Planning Support Team, which is a unit of the GBC Strategic Planning Team is extending their support to help devotee communities worldwide to survive, maintain and grow

What’s Love Got To Do With It ?

Enjoy the movie , filmed in the back of the Prasad Van in Lock Down London: –

Most Yogis translate Bhakti Yoga as “Divine Love” and then Srila Prabhupada translated it as ‘ Devotional Service’.Here is why, real love means there must be action. A mother can only claim she loves her children when she feeds them and takes care of them .

The phrase “Divine Love” sounds cool, and you can imagine a guru sitting twiddling a flower in his hand and dishing out blessings with his other hand. 

Guru Kripa Prabhu went to Japan under difficult circumstance and paid for the 3 main Temples in India , out of love for Srila Prabhupada.

So many devotees have made serious sacrifices for Srila Prabhupada and in this way spiritual advancement was guaranteed.

Srila Prabhupada had great love and compassion for the poor jivas suffering in Kaliyuga. Below is an example of real compassion and love:
Ramesvara: I remember another thing that Srila Prabhupada told me during that time that is very important. He talked about the coming of unemployment in the Kali-yuga. We’re seeing this now and this is 2009, almost 2010. It’s a bad economic time. But Prabhupada was talking that as the Kali-yuga progresses, more and more there will be unemployment.

Prabhupada said we must be ready to take these unemployed people into our movement on our farms. Prabhupada said that we need farm communities that can grow food. He predicted that, “One day millions of people would be coming to our Hare Krishna farms because they are unemployed. And we must accept them. We must feed them. We must let them live there and they will gradually become spiritualized. We will put them to work, they will get their food and there will be prasadam. They will hear something about Krishna and they will gradually by the millions become devotees.”

Your Servant

Parsharam Das

He never found a conspiracy theory he didn't like.  Valisudana - not his real name - craves hearing how malevolent groups hatch secret, unlawful, harmful plans for evil, destructive purposes.

Srila Prabhupada: Infected or disinfected. In the material world we are all infected. This is the disinfecting process: simply remembering Krishna—yah smaret pundarikaksam. This initiation is to teach how to always remember Vishnu and Krishna. As soon as we hear this Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, we immediately remember Krishna, His speech in the Bhagavad-gita, His form, His name, His qualities, His pastimes. Everything comes. So we have to practice that. Then we remain always uncontaminated.

And if you forget Krishna, then there is chance of . . . Just like in the medical science, if there is some epidemic disease, they give some vaccination. I think in Los Angeles you gave me some vaccination? What is that, fluss?

Hayagriva: Hong Kong flu.

Srila Prabhupada: Ah. Hong Kong flu. Yes. So, everyone took that vaccination. Our Hayagriva Prabhu took me also. “All right, let us have.” So there was no attack. Fortunately, there was no attack. Similarly, this world is Hong Kong flu. Maya is always ready to attack. Always. So we have to take this injection, this anti-vaccine, Hare Krishna. Enechi ausadhi maya nasibaro lagi’. [“I have brought the medicine to eradicate the disease of illusion. Now pray for this Hare Krishna maha-mantra and take it.” (Bhaktivinoda Thakura)] That song, Jiv Jago, Jiv Jago. “I have brought this medicine for killing this Hong Kong flu of maya.” Enechi ausadhi maya nasibaro lagi’, hari-nama maha-mantra lao. Now you take. This is the greatest contribution of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, to fight against this attack of material influence. Everyone is subjected. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya (Gita 7.14). [“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.”] Under the three modes of material nature people are entangled. So, to get out of this entanglement of constant transmigrating from one body to another, this is the mantra, simply . . . Yah smaret pundarikaksam. Pundarikaksam means Krishna. So if you chant Hare Krishna, you’ll be forced to remember Him. As soon as the word Krishna is there, and the more you are practiced to this habit, then simply we’ll see Krishna, Krishna, Krishna—nothing else. Sarvatra sphurti tara ista-deva murti (Cc Madhya 8.274). [“The maha-bhagavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord.”] As you make advancement, you’ll see a tree, but you’ll see Krishna; you’ll not see the form of the tree. Because one who is conversant with the science of Krishna will know how His energies are working in so many ways; therefore he’ll be sympathetic. That is universal vision. That is universal love. If you love Krishna, then there will be universal love. Otherwise it will be simply talk.

So, yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantara. He is always in the uncontaminated stage, noninfected stage. So this is very nice. One should take it seriously. One should try to understand it seriously. Your life will be sublime. The meaning of this om apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham—any condition. We don’t make any condition. There is no condition. Why shall we . . . ? Anyone can accept. Sarvavastham: any position. There are only two positions: contaminated or uncontaminated. That’s all. So, supposing everyone is contaminated. The medicine is there. You make immediately uncontaminated. Sarvavastham gato ’pi va. It doesn’t matter what is your position. You take simply to this Krishna consciousness, and your life will be sublime. That is the initiation.

Now chant.

—Initiation Lecture, June 4, 1969, New Vrindaban