Planet ISKCON

By TOVP staff

On February 13, 2020, the observance of the 146th Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, the entire completed Pujari Floor of the TOVP was opened in great pomp and grandeur. In preparation for the relocation of ISKCON’s beloved world Deities into Their long-awaited new home in 2022, and to instill confidence in ISKCON’s leadership and devotees that the construction is solidly moving in that direction, the opening was officially undertaken. Continue reading "The Most Auspicious Pujari Floor Grand Opening Ceremony – February 13, 2020
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Transcription :

Transcriber: Keshavgopal Das

Question: How can we overcome envy?

Answer: We become envious when we feel that we are in competition with others. If in a college only few seats are available for admission, but number of applications are much more, then if other person gets a seat, it will impact us. At material level sources of happiness are limited but people vying for such happiness are much more. When we have such material definition of happiness, to a large extent, envy is unavoidable. Hence, we need to redefine happiness.

When we define happiness in terms of our bhakti for Krishna, then we understand that Krishna as God is unlimited. He is omnipresent. He can be present in my heart and fully available to me, he can be in your heart as well and fully available to you. The more we realize that spiritual happiness is not of a competitive nature, then we can stabilize in the fight against envy. Once we redirect our heart and eyes towards Krishna, then envy goes away substantially.

When we are in material world, we see that different people have different things both in terms of possessions or talents and abilities. Here what we need to focus on what we have rather than what others have. If in a feast everyone has something different than the other, we start to focus on what is there in other’s plate rather than looking at what we have. If we appreciate what we have in our plate and use it for our satisfaction, we will be happy.

Similarly, we all have gifts in form of possessions and talents. Some gifts might be hidden so we need to watch out for them. We need to have faith that whatever gifts we have are enough for our pursuit of happiness. Even from an objective point of view, if somebody has more ability than the other, we should understand that it is not the ability that define our happiness rather what we do with our ability defines our happiness.

To summarize, by focussing on Krishna and having this faith that whatever gifts we have are enough for my happiness if we use them properly, we can counter envy.

End of transcription.

The post ​How can we overcome envy? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Thousands of devotees from around the world celebrated the opening of the pujari room floor at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur.

This area of the temple, which will be used for making jewellery, clothes and other paraphernalia for the deities, is an important step toward opening of the main temple.

Prior to go upstairs to the pujari floor, there was a grand ceremony outside with speeches, yajna and appreciation for the many devotees who have donated to this immense project.

The Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested five suspected members of the banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam alias Ansarullah Bangla Team from Dhaka last night. The militants were planning to carry out an act of sabotage at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple in the capital.

Today, February 14, Saint Valentine’s Day, I was struck when Srila Prabhupada, at the conclusion of his class on Sri Isopanisad, spoke about love—the love that Krishna wants and the love that will satisfy us:

“Any religion, it doesn’t matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion—if you are developing love of God, then you are perfect in your religion. . . .

And what kind of love? Ahaituki: without any cause. ‘O Lord, I love You, God, because You supply me so many nice things. You are order-supplier.’ No, not that sort of love. Without any exchange. That is taught by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, that ‘Whatever You do . . .’ Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam. ‘Either You trample me under Your feet or You embrace me—what You like. You make me brokenhearted by not seeing You—that doesn’t matter. Still You are my worshipable Lord.’ That is love. . . . That sort of love Krishna wants. Therefore He was so much fond of the gopis. In the gopis’ love there was no question of business propaganda: ‘Give me this, then I love You.’ No. That is pure love. . . . If you want to love God, there is nothing throughout the whole world which can check you. Simply you have to develop your eagerness: ‘Krishna, I want You.’ That’s all. Then there is no question of checking. In any condition you’ll increase your love, increase your love. . . . If you can develop your love for God, or Krishna, without being checked, without any cause, then you will feel fully satisfied.”

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Yudhistir Govinda Das informed that at the request of Gajapati Maharaja, the King of Puri, ISKCON had resolved to move the Rath Yatra festivals that it celebrates across the country to coincide with the 12-day Rath Yatra period in Asadha month.

ISKCON will throw open on Thursday the world’s largest pujari seva on a single-floor facility spread over 2.5 acres at the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium at Mayapur in Nadia.

In the U.K., devotees from ISKCON Leicester’s congregation joined a total of nearly twenty families for a groundbreaking scheme called ‘Come Dine Together,’ designed to build friendships and understanding between Hindus and Muslims.

The Yaksha inquired, ‘What is it that makes one a true brahmana: birth, behaviour or learning?’
Maharaj Yudhisthir replied, 'It is behaviour alone that qualifies one as a true brahman. Thus, brahmanas must be very careful to exhibit exemplary behaviour. One whose behaviour is faultless will never meet with obstructions on the path of life. Teachers and students alike, who are addicted to sinful habits, should be considered illiterate, even though they may be very leaned in the shastra. Only one who strictly observes religious principles should actually be considered learned. One who is expert in the knowledge of the four Vedas but whose conduct is not proper, is to be considered no better than a sudra.’
The Yaksha asked, 'Who is pleasing?’

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This is the full 5 hour video of the entire proceedings of the TOVP Pujari Floor Grand Opening ceremony on February, 13 2020.

Video courtesy of mayapur.tv

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
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App at: https://m.tovp.org/app
News & Texts at: https://m.tovp.org/newstexts
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Buy from us at: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Support us at: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

The post Grand Opening of the TOVP Pujari Floor, Feb. 13, 2020 – Full Video appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Time: Brahma Muhurta – Morning Hours of Goodness (8 min. musical video)
A melodic rendition of the Hare Krishna mantra professionally recorded by HH kadamba Kanana Swami.

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On February 13, 2020, just prior to the Grand Opening celebration of the TOVP Pujari Floor, H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami, H.H. Radhanath Swami, and H.H. Jayapataka Maharaj spoke about the importance of the TOVP project.

Video courtesy of mayapur.tv

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
View us 360° at: www.tovp360.org
App at: https://m.tovp.org/app
News & Texts at: https://m.tovp.org/newstexts
RSS News Feed at: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Buy from us at: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Support us at: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

The post Their Holinesses Gopal Krishna Goswami, Radhanatha Swami and Jayapataka Maharaj Speak About the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

On February 13, 2020, the observance of the 146th Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, the entire completed Pujari Floor of the TOVP was opened in great pomp and grandeur. In preparation for the relocation of ISKCON’s beloved world Deities into Their long-awaited new home in 2022, and to instill confidence in ISKCON’s leadership and devotees that the construction is solidly moving in that direction, the opening was officially undertaken.

The five-hour event commenced at 9:00am and included:

Svagata: Carrying Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Nityananda’s Padukas, and Srila Prabhupada on procession to the TOVP office for a special Victory Flag raising ceremony with His Holiness Jayapataka Swami and Ambarisa prabhu, and welcoming them to the TOVP for the inauguration event.

Invocation prayers to Srila Prabhupada, our acharyas and the Lord.

A welcome message from Braja Vilasa prabhu, TOVP Director of Development.

Speeches by senior Vaishnavas including H.H. Jayapataka Maharaja, H.G. Ambarisa prabhu, H.G. Svaha mataji, H.H. Radhanath Maharaja, H.H. Gopal Krishna Maharaja, H.H. Lokanath Maharaja, H.H. Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja, H.H. Sivaram Maharaja, and H.G. Jananivas prabhu.

A special TOVP model gift ceremony for ISKCON leaders and major TOVP donors.

An elaborate Vastu puja and Homa yajna.

Bhakti Caru Maharaja leading the pushpanjali ceremony for His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, present in his murti form.

Pujari Kaksha Udghatana: The offering and opening of all the Pujari Floor rooms to Srila Prabhupada, Nityananda’s Padukas and Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

The 2.5 acre Pujari Floor consists of over twenty specially designed seva rooms equipped with the best facilities for the Lord’s service, and the entire floor is built of the finest materials and fitted with state-of-the-art maintenance and service systems, including air conditioning, fire prevention and an elaborate intercom/communication arrangement. Built to last for hundreds of years, this is the largest Deity Department space in the world and will set an example of the highest standards of Deity seva excellence.

Below is a list of the twenty-one main rooms offered to Srila Prabhupada, Nityananda’s Padukas and Sri Sri Radha Madhava during Their procession throughout the entire Pujari Floor.

Pujari Floor Room Descriptions for Pujari Kaksha Udghatana

Radharani Pakshala

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the most important room on the pujari floor, Radharani’s Pakshala (kitchen), where Srimate Radharani will personally oversee the preparation of the most delectable dishes for all the main meals to offer throughout the day to Her Lord, Sri Madhava, and the other Deities present on the altar.

Utsava Pakshala

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Utsava Pakshala, the overflow kitchen where Srimate Radharani will personally oversee the making of the most special food preparations to offer Her Lord, Sri Madhava, and all the Deities on the altar on festival days and other important occasions.

Madhuram Pakshala

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Madhuram Pakshala, a very special kitchen dedicated only to sweet-making, where Srimate Radharani will personally oversee the preparation of the most wonderful and tasty sweetmeats for the pleasure of Her Lord, Sri Madhava, and all the Deities on the altar.

Bhoga Bhandar

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Bhoga Bhandar, where all the dry ingredients to be used by the cooks for all the hundreds of varieties of daily preparations for the Deities will be stored and nicely organized.

Radha Madhava Sringara Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Radha Madhava Sringara Nilayam, the storage room for all the beautifully designed outfits and crowns worn by Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava and the Ashta Sakhis at different appropriate times for the fulfillment of Their pleasure and ashta-kaliya-nitya-lila throughout the day and night.

Pancha Tattva Sringara Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Pancha Tattva Sringara Nilayam, the storage room for all the samkirtan outfits and crowns of the Pancha Tattva which They will wear while dancing and chanting in ecstasy and bestowing the full blessings of Their mercy to all conditioned souls in the universe.

Nrsimhadeva Sringara Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Nrsimhadeva Sringara Nilayam, where all the outfits, crowns and helmets for Lord Ugra Nrsimha in His angry mood as Supreme Protector against the offenders of His devotees, and the outfits and crowns of His most beloved devotee Prahlad Maharaja, will be carefully and worshipfully stored.

Guru Parampara Sringara Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Guru Parampara Sringara Nilayam, the storage room for all the outfits of Srila Prabhupada and our most beloved and revered acharyas, where they will be most respectfully maintained and kept.

Radha Madhava Bhushana Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Radha Madhava Bhushana Nilayam, the most special room where all the beautiful and magnificent ornaments and jewelry that will adorn the Divine Couple, Sri Sri Radha Madhava throughout Their daily pastimes will be hand-crafted, organized and safely stored.

Pancha Tattva Bhushana Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Pancha Tattva Bhushana Nilayam, the preparation and storage room for the Pancha Tattva’s simple and decorative ornaments which They will wear while performing Their remarkable samkirtan pastimes.

Nrsimhadeva Bhushana Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Nrsimhadeva Bhushana Nilayam, where Lord Nrsimha’s and Prahlad Maharaja’s decorative jewelry and ornaments will be hand-made and carefully stored for Their daily service.

Radha Madhava Vastra Nirman Karyalaya

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Radha Madhava Vastra Nirman Karyalaya, the seva room where the numerous, gorgeous outfits for Radha Madhava’s and the Ashta Sakhi’s daily pastimes will be hand-made from the very finest fabrics, cloth, silk and jari, and carefully organized and stored.

Pancha Tattva Vastra Nirman Karyalaya

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Pancha Tattva Vastra Nirman Karyalaya, the room where the Pancha Tattva’s selected preaching outfits and garb will be hand-made from the finest materials and carefully stored.

Nrsimhadeva Vastra Nirman Karyalaya

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Nrsimhadeva Vastra Nirman Karyalaya, the room where all the outfits for Lord Nrsimha and Prahlad Maharaja will be carefully hand-made from the best available materials and carefully stored.

Mukhya Pujari Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Mukhya Pujari Nilayam, a room specially designed for the Head Pujaris of Their Lordships, Their Graces Jananivas and Pankajanghri prabhus, to facilitate their eternal service of planning and arranging for all the Deities’ varieties of seva every day throughout each year.

Pujari Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Pujari Nilayam, the general pujari room where the many pujaris may prepare for executing their loving services to their respective worshipable Deities during the course of the day.

Nityananda Upakarana Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Nityananda Upakarana Nilayam, the highly important room where all the Deities’ arati, puja and yajna paraphernalia will be stored, and named as such because Nityananda Prabhu, Himself Lord Baladeva, directly expands as all the paraphernalia for the Lord’s service in His mood of ecstatic service to His Lord, Sri Krishna.

Vrindadevi Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Vrindadevi Nilayam, Vrindadevi’s own personal room where She will organize the preparation, assembling and storage of every garland for all the Deities within this holy sanctuary.

Keshava Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Keshava Nilayam, a room named after Lord Keshava Who has beautiful long blackish hair, solely dedicated to the careful storage and maintenance of all the Deities’ hair pieces and related items.

Ananda Utsava Nilayam

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Ananda Utsava Nilayam, a very special room for storing all the festival paraphernalia related to the Deities’ service such as swings, palanquins, umbrellas, etc.

Abhisheka Niyojana-sala

Dear Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nityananda and Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
With utmost love and devotion we humbly offer you here the Abhiseka Niyojana-sala, an entire room dedicated to storing all the Deities’ abhishek paraphernalia and related items for Their blissful bathing pastimes.

 
[See image gallery at tovp.org]

The post The Most Auspicious Pujari Floor Grand Opening Ceremony – February 13, 2020 appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

This is Tulsi Vagjiani, and this day, 14 02 2020, marks the 30th anniversary of the day she was pulled out alive by a fellow passenger from the wreckage of an airplane crash in Bangalore.

Beautiful photos from the TOVP Pujari Floor Opening.

TODAY’S GRAND OPENING OF WORLD’S BIGGEST TOVP PUJARI FLOOR - MAYAPUR ISKCON (6 min. video)

TOVP Pujari Room Grand Opening & Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Appearance Day Celebration (Album of photos). This will be the largest pujari space of its kind in the world at a size of 2.5 acres, with over 20 dedicated rooms for Deity Seva designed under the scrutiny and guidance of Their Graces Jananivas and Pankajanghri Prabhu’s, ISKCON Mayapur’s Head Pujaris.

A moment of happiness, bliss, gratitude, appreciation, wonder – no words to describe the emotions and sentiments that everyone experienced, walking through the most grand, largest in the world, Pujari floor at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. Graced by several stalwarts who are the pillars of ISKCON movement, whose life & soul is to live […]

The post ToVP Pujari Floor Grand Inauguration -Video appeared first on Mayapur.com.

No time to be personal? Then no time to spread the movement! (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam class by HG Vaisesika Das in Mayapur.
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>HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami, will not be going to Mayapur this year for the annual GBC meetings. He is facing some health challenges and must therefore stay in Durban for further tests and treatment

To avoid the bumpy, risky roads and pollution when traveling to the Mayapur Gaura Purnima festival this year, travelers can instead book the Jaladuta boat service organized by the Mayapur Tourism department and enjoy a relaxing cruise down the river Ganga.

We are pleased to announce that we have almost reached our goal for the Phase 2 – Security & Playground Expansion!  Less than $7,000 left […]

TOVP Pujari Room Opening (Album of photos). Gopi Gita: The streets are lined with rangoli and marigold petals. Verandas and archways are decorated. Radhanath Maharaj, Gopal Krishna Maharaj and others speak about Srila Prabhupada’s dear desire 50 years ago to have this temple built.. how it will magnify Lord Caitanya’s blessings all around the world. Wealthy families set up their inner dressing rooms before they move into a house. Similarly, the personal dressing rooms and kitchen of the Deities is getting set up before They move in 2022 - TOVP opening date.

Ambarisa Das: Today is the appearance day of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, also the opening of the pujari floor of the TOVP to further his mission and that of his beloved disciple Srila Prabhupada. This murti was made by local artists in Sridham Mayapur.

Putting the Deities to rest (Album of photos)
A demonstration on waking up and putting the Deities to rest by HG Jananivas, and HG Pankajanghri Prabhu.

Street Harinama in Srirangam (Album of photos) Srirangam is the foremost of the eight self-m...

Mayapur GBC Org/Dev meeting (Album of photos)
Ramai Swami: The organization development committee is a sub-committee of the GBC, which made a presentation on the first day of the GBC meeting in Mayapur.

Today is World Translation Day, celebrated on the feast of St. Jerome, who is best known for...

Grand Opening of the TOVP Pujari Floor (live video)
ISKCON is celebrating today another milestone event at the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium in preparation for the opening in 2022: The Grand Opening of the fully completed Pujari Floor. On February 13, 2020, in observance of the 146th anniversary of the appearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and in preparation for the relocation of our beloved world Deities into Their new home, the Pujari Floor is being inaugurated with great pomp and celebration.

Today is the auspicious appearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. When our Srila Prabhupada first came to America, we had no idea of Vaishnava etiquette or culture; we had no idea how to honor the appearance day of the spiritual master. In 1970, soon after I had joined the Boston temple, Srila Prabhupada explained that the appearance day of the spiritual master is honored as Vyasa-puja, the worship of Vyasa. Srila Vyasadeva compiled the Vedic scriptures, and according to shastra, one cannot understand transcendental knowledge by independent study of books; one must study the Vedic literature under the guidance of a spiritual master. The Mundaka Upanishad (1.2.12) instructs, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: in order to understand the transcendental science, one must—it is emphatic (eva)—one must approach a spiritual master. And Lord Krishna Himself, in the Bhagavad-gita (4.34), states,

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” First is pranipat: surrender. Then pariprasna: submissive inquiry. And seva: service.

Srila Vyasadeva compiled the Vedic literature to give knowledge to the conditioned souls so they can be liberated from the miseries of material existence, and the spiritual master repeats the same message. He speaks from the Vedic scriptures; he explains them so the disciples can understand them; and he engages the disciples in service to Krishna. Just like we sing: saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair, the disciples worship the spiritual master on the same level as God; they honor him as much as the Supreme Lord. But the spiritual master never thinks that he is God. Rather, he considers himself to be the most humble servant of the servants of the servants of the servants of the servants of God, Krishna. So he doesn’t ask them to engage in his service, but he asks them to engage in Krishna’s service. But, out of respect for the spiritual master, out of appreciation and gratitude for what he has taught them and done for them, the disciples honor him, especially on his appearance day.

So, when I was in Boston in 1970, Srila Prabhupada explained to the devotees that his spiritual master’s appearance day was about to take place and that the disciples should write homages, or offerings, to him. I was a new devotee and didn’t know much about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, but I considered the subject very seriously as far as I could, and my first thought was how great Srila Bhaktisiddhanta must have been be for such a great personality as His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to have surrendered to him. How great he must have been that Srila Prabhupada found him worthy of his own surrender. And then I thought of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s instruction to Srila Prabhupada to come to the West and preach the message of Krishna consciousness in English, and I thought it was really by the mercy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja that Srila Prabhupada came to us and gave us the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita, gave us the holy name of Krishna, gave us the beautiful life of Krishna consciousness, and engaged us in loving service to Krishna. I felt it was really due to his mercy that Srila Prabhupada came and that we were being delivered by Srila Prabhupada.

So we all wrote little offerings to Srila Prabhupada’s guru maharaja. They were collected, and then Srila Prabhupada explained how we observe Vyasa-puja. We fast in the morning and come together and glorify the spiritual master, perhaps read the homages that we have written in his honor, offer puspanjali, offer bhoga, offer arati, and then honor prasada.

Some years later, after having served in India for about three years, I became very sick with jaundice and Srila Prabhupada said that as long as I remained in Bombay I would not be able to recover. So eventually I came to Los Angeles, and I happened to be present for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s appearance day, celebrated in Srila Prabhupada’s presence. Srila Prabhupada had a very high seat made for his guru maharaja. He had his own vyasasana in the temple room, but he arranged for a bigger and higher seat for his guru maharaja, for the picture of his guru maharaja. He led the disciples through puspanjali and arati, and he had all the food preparations that his disciples had made offered to his guru maharaja’s picture on his guru’s vyasasana. He said this was the one day when we offer food directly to his guru maharaja. And so we observed his Guru Maharaja’s Vyasa-puja in his personal presence in Los Angeles.

We are indebted to His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura for sending Srila Prabhupada to us, for it is by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada that we have been elevated from the material condition and engaged in the loving service of the Lord.

Jaya om visnu-pada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya astottara-sata sri srimad bhaktisiddhanta saravati thakura prabhupada ki jaya!
Jaya om visnu-pada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya astottara-sata sri srimad bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada ki jaya!

Hare Krishna.

[From a talk by Giriraj Swami by telephone to Mauritius, February 14, 2009]

"The King said: O you, who are in the form of a bull! You know the truth of religion, and you are speaking according to the principle that the destination intended for the perpetrator of irreligious acts is also intended for one who identifies the perpetrator. You are no other than the personality of religion." (SB 1.17.22)

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​The TOVP Pujari Floor Grand Opening is taking place right now!

Here are some pre-ceremony photos to illustrate the beauty and ornateness of this immense 2.5 acre Deity seva facility, the largest in the world. Watch the entire ceremony live or recorded at www.mayapur.tv.

All photos below are courtesy of H.G. Kalasamvara das.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

The post Sneak Peak of TOVP Pujari Floor appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

This is a video in preparation for the Grand Opening of the TOVP Pujari Floor on February 13, 2020.

Watch live on www.mayapur.tv. For more information go to: https://m.tovp.org/pfvideo

The post Vasant Pancami – The First Day of Spring. A video in Preparation for the Grand Opening of the TOVP Pujari Floor appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

From: TUSHAR VORA

I read in BG. 5.29, that one who understands that Krishna is the Supreme and beneficiary of all activities is relieved from all miseries and attains peace. What is the import of this statement? How is it practically possible simply by knowing this fact that one attains to peace?

To hear the answer, please click here
 

Transcription :

Transcribed by: Keshavgopal Das

Question: How can knowing Krishna as the proprietor, enjoyer and benefactor bring us peace?

Answer: It is not simply knowing the fact that Krishna is the Supreme enjoyer and proprietor of all that one will attain peace. It is by accepting and living this fact one would attain peace.

If we look at our lives, we are motivated by two primary desires: we want to be possessors and we want to be enjoyers. We try to possess by gaining property, money, post etc. and then enjoy what we possess. Ultimate hope is that the possession and enjoyment will be good for us. It will lead to happiness and long-term benefit.

From BG 5.29, accepting the fact that Krishna is the enjoyer and possessor of everything frees us from the endless craving and doomed struggle of becoming possessors and enjoyers. Why is this struggle on our part doomed? Because everyone wants to become possessor and enjoyer, but the sources of this world are limited. So, it is practically impossible to become possessor and enjoyer of everything. Without knowledge of 5.29, people will always be competing for the resources of this world and there can never be peace.

When we understand that it is only Krishna who is the possessor of everything and He will provide whatever we need as part of our quota, we will be happy and peaceful. If we try to enjoy ourselves, it will simply create trouble for ourselves. Same as when we give water to the root of the tree the leaves and twigs are also nourished. If we water the root of this Universe, Krishna, we will also be peaceful and happy.

Having faith in God, that He is our well-wisher is same as having faith in a doctor that he is our well-wisher. However, the doctor will not be able to cure us just by having the faith that he is our well-wisher. We have to cooperate with his treatment. Similarly, Krishna is a doctor, and we simply need faith that He is suhridam (well-wishing dear friend) and we need to cooperate with His treatment.

If we understand that the mansion is owned by its master and we are simply supposed to cooperate the master by serving him nicely, then the master will also take good care of us because the master is a dear well-wisher of us.

End of transcription.

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