I learned how to offer at a young age. When I didn’t want to carry the freshly ironed clothes upstairs my mother would cheerfully say, “Offer it up!”. There was no choice about having to do it but she was suggesting where I put my mind in the process. She was teaching me to offer this small activity to God. Those three words stayed with me, and when I was later introduced to Krishna consciousness, the same concept from my childhood appeared to me in Krishna’s teachings. What does it mean to offer? With the clothing, it meant that I did something I didn’t want to do for someone else. I turned this unwelcome activity into a gesture of goodwill. I took the time that I’d rather be doing something else, and gave it away or offered it up. Continue reading "Offer it Up → Dandavats"
A visit to Yavat, Ter Kadamba, Asheshavan and Vrinda Kunda (Album of photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: On the 17th we went to Yavat, Ter Kadamba, Asheshavan and Vrinda Kunda. They are all in the vicinity of Nandagram. Yavat is the very mysterious place of Jatila, Kutila and Abhimanyu. Ter Kadamba is the place of Srila Rupa Goswami, and Asheshavan the place of Lord Siva in the mood of desiring Krishna’s mercy. Vrinda Kunda, of course, is the home of Vrinda devi, who is planning out so many aspects of the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.
Annual Procession for Mahaprabhu’s Arrival in Vrindavan (2019) (Album of photos)
Just over 500 years ago Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived in Vrindavan on Karttika Purnima. Every year from Amiya Nimai Mandir a grand procession is taken out with the picture of Sriman Mahaprabhu which goes around Vrindavan. Also please take Karttika Purnima darshan of Sri Radharaman and Sri Radha Gopinathji where the temples are decorated beyond words.
In this short video clip Savyasachi prabhu introduces and explains a cost effective and efficient method of creating molds by the use of a silicone spray gun. With this method thousands of molded ornamental pieces will be created for use on the TOVP.
Damodar Programmes (During Kartik): We hosted 20 house programs during the month of Kartik all over Worcestershire, had over 150 lamps offered with books and prasadam distributed. It was a great way to network with people and encourage them to attend future programs too.
This year during month of Kartika in Vrindavan, Braja Vilasa prabhu, TOVP Director of Development and Fundraising, spoke before 8,000+ devotees at the annual Kartik Mandal program, inspiring them with the importance of this historic and magnificent project.
We are pleased to announce the official release of the new and improved TOVP App on the Android and Apple platforms. While certain aspects are still being refined and new features added, this App far exceeds the capabilities and functions of the previous one.
The App was created by His Grace Sriman Aniruddha Chandra prabhu and the tech staff for his India based company, RadRap Enterprises. It is designed to serve as a TOVP news resource as well as an additional portal for donors to make donations to the TOVP.
A very special and unique feature of the App is the Share Your Bhakti program. Through this feature you can earn Bhakti Points in your App wallet by referring other devotees to make donations through the App. The first time they make a donation you receive points in your Bhakti Wallet which you can eventually redeem for various pujas done in your name to Lord Nrsimha, Pancha Tattva and Radha Madhava in Mayapur.
To download the App go to either Google Play or the Apple store and search for TOVP. Or you can use the following link:
When I first met Akincana Krishna dasa Babaji, I didn’t know what to say. I simply offered my respects and said, “Srila Akincana Krishna dasa Babaji Maharaja ki jaya!”
Maharaja saw that I had a tape recorder in my hands, and without my having to say anything, he closed his eyes and started tapping his hands together and sang his mangala-carana before singing Sri Krishna Chaitanya. When he started singing the Hare Krishna mantra, it was like going into another world. He was chanting so beautifully, and it was like each syllable was drenched in bhava and prema.
After about twenty minutes, he stopped. He looked at me and said, “I would like to tell you something.”
“What is that?” I said.
He said, “I am an old man, and I’ve had a lot of experience in this world. From my experience, I can honestly tell you that there has never been a greater acharya than your spiritual master [Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada].”
When he said that, I was stunned, because he was a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Then he looked up and he said, “There has never been an acharya in history who has performed miracles like your spiritual master.”
He paused and looked at me and asked, “Do you know why?”
I couldn’t speak.
“Because in history there was never a greater servant of Sri Krishna’s holy name than your spiritual master, because your spiritual master had so much absolute understanding of Sri Krishna’s holy name and so much absolute faith in Sri Krishna’s holy name that he personally carried Sri Krishna’s holy name through the length and the breadth of the world. Therefore, he is the greatest acharya who has ever existed.”
The second annual Diwali celebration at the Bhakti Center in New York City not only drew around 350 festivalgoers including 200 new guests, but was also covered by the CBS News New York television station.
Twenty-five devotees from all over the US and Canada began a Zonal Supervisor Training program, run by the GBC College for Leadership Development, to learn how to become top leaders in ISKCON recently.
The Governor personally helped carry the 50lb box of Srimad-Bhagavatams to be placed in his Mansion. His wife, First Lady of Florida Casey DeSantis, appreciated the gift of a garland offered to Srila Prabhupada on his Vyasa Puja Ceremony at the ISKCON Alachua temple.
Nimbakacharya was the principal teacher—acharya—in the Kumara sampradaya, one of the four main lines of Vaisnava teachers and disciples. He appeared in South India, in Mungera-patana.
His Vedanta-sutra commentary—Parijata-saurabha-bhasya—establishes the doctrine that the Absolute Truth includes both oneness and variety (known as Dwaitadwaita-vada). He preached Krsna Consciousness about 300 years before the advent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Before I took to my American Airlines flight to Los Angeles, and then on to Argentina, I just had to get some footsteps in at 3:00 a.m.I ventured off to the Chinese farm enclave near the ISKCON temple in Burnaby.It was quiet for sure, favourable for stepping out and mantra meditating.
I turned at Willard Street, and just about landed on some roadkill.It was an ‘oops moment’.Missed it.It was hard to determine what kind of species it was.A muskrat perhaps?In any case, it brought to mind death.
As all people in North America know, today is a day for reflecting on the theme of death—especially death occurring in war—as it is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran's Day in the U.S.
Smaranam is the Sanskrit word for remembrance or reflecting on what is of a grave nature.Although many of us prescribe to the concept of the soul's transmigration, and that, in many ways, death is superficial (our souls don't die), it becomes a natural obligation to reflect on or remember those who heroically sacrificed their everything to ensure a more free life for others.Yes, it is tragic to hear of the noble men and women who died in action or other ever-noble causes.Conflict and war appear to be strong components in life.
It is also important to remember those who through precept and behaviour, always endeavoured to avoid confrontation among humans, between men and animal, nature and so on.Non-violent activists who speak out for peace and closeness should also be honoured.They are also fighters for truth.It seems, as humans, we vacillate between pain and peace.Let us all, in some way, honour the principle of sacrifice on this day.
The final wrap-up to our weekend discussions came in the form of a walk through the valley with those who had not left for their respective homes. A couple from Athabasca, a mother and son from the village in Saranagati, devotees from major cities, and Ramnath from the end of the valley were with me. Off we strolled.
“Ramnath, can you tell us the types of trees we are seeing on both sides of the trail? Some of us know models of cars, but we don’t know our trees.”
Ramnath was happy to respond. “Well, here, it is mostly fir. The tall trees which are practically dead are the ones devastated by the pine beetle. Over there are a few juniper bushes.”
“Don’t you have some poplar trees?” I asked.
“Yes, where there’s more water, down lower in the valley.”
“Where do you see rattlesnakes?”
“We are walking in the area where they slither in the summer. This is the sunniest, most dry area in the valley.”
Hearing about snakes always raises eyebrows, and ‘rattlesnakes’ all the more.
Ramnath further explained that Chinese railway workers once lived there. He then pointed to an underground hole where some residents stay in the summer when it’s hot. There is a clear opening with a log-framed entrance.
My walking companions were also intrigued to hear about an abandoned gold mine in the valley. “If you go in, you might not come out,” I warned. Eyebrows, again.
There is a slippery dynamic to the roads which run through the village of Saranagati.Ride offers were given by motorists but I insisted on using my legs.The few destinations I reached were ridiculously short in distance, in any case.I do love this village of residents who are all bhakti yogis, but if I would offer one criticism, people here should do more trekking between their homes. These rural homes are not set particularly close to each other, yet they are close enough that walking between them could do a heckuva lot of good, health-wise.Let us become less car dependent is what I would suggest.
Soon we were off to the seminar room in what is called the “ISKCON temple".We discussed topics concerning the use of plastic in our centres and households.We dove deep into discussing violence, domestic or otherwise, and also sexual misconduct by leaders.
On the brighter side, we found the presentations by the group “Krishna Vancouver” to be most inspiring.The group takes to heart that, as our guru, Prabhupada, expressed, we need not be stereotypical in the way we share Krishna Consciousness.He implied we must find innovative ways to do so, but at the same time not compromise our core values.We discussed tithing and came up with the terminology MMG, which stands for "My Monthly Gratitude".
At the end of the day of meetings, I walked to the home of Manu and Satarupa for evening kirtan.This was sweet.
It was a long day of inspirational presentations, and the first item on the agenda was a walk through a portion of the valley. I was not alone. Five other ISKCON leaders, all from the city, joined me in the tranquil experience.
Bears are now hibernating in their dens. They were very active during the late summer. Of course, this is their territory. Ravens are also not around. Rattlesnakes—they are asleep at this time of year. So, there is ultimate quiet.
The walk culminated in our arrival at the goshala, the place for cows. It became a petting and feeding session for most of us, followed by sadhana, prayer, and meditations at the Bhaktivedanta Academy. That was sweet!
Breakfast followed. In our Annual General Meeting, there was participation by around forty representatives from across Canada. The presentation by Partha and Uttama, a resilient couple and members of the Grhasta Vision Team, was a highlight for me. The group is all about marriage education and counselling. Marriages, good ones, are the foundation of a good society. Since we live in a time that proves to be not-so-friendly to family values, it becomes an issue.
Overall, the idea of enhancing marriage and family living was of great interest to all. It is so pertinent, relevant.
I saw much talent and experience in the room, and was proud to have these devoted people to work with.
My commitment is not just to Canada, the United States, or other countries that I visit. Rather, it is for all people who can see the benefit of assimilating an endeavour toward higher consciousness.
Today, I traveled with four other spiritual leaders by plane. We were enroute to our Canadian leaders’ meeting, to be held in Venables Valley, British Columbia. It was a prolonged travel, which included missing a connecting flight. It was too bad. However, we had each other, sparing the five of us from stress. I did take the time for a few minutes to read an article from the West Jet Flight magazine, about the topic of ‘loneliness’. I’ll share some of the info.
Dr. Ami Pokach, a clinical psychologist at York University in Toronto, shares his advice and tips on the factors behind the rise of loneliness.
“One is our culture. In Western culture, independence is the most important thing. And actually, as humans, we are wired to need other people. Two is technology. Facebook helps some people deal with loneliness, [but for] many, it intensifies loneliness because they see the beautiful pictures people post and they say, ‘Look at my life. I fall short.’”
“Loneliness is known to cause people to view themselves negatively. It affects our spirit and our health. Stress—and loneliness causes stress—is known to cause sleep disturbances and to elevate heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels creating a state of emergency in the body.”
“People who are lonely may look at [travelling] as an opportunity to change their behaviours. They may try things they [wouldn’t] try [at home], like seeking places where people congregate, smiling at people, engaging in a conversation with the people they meet and making new friends.”
His Holiness arrived at Florida USA at the end of July in time for his retreat in the US, held in Deland, Orlando, from 31st July to 5th August 2019. Devotees from all over USA came to participate in retreat. More than 200 devotees attended the retreat and made...
Several years ago whilst sat in class the mataji who was a Srila Prabhupada disciple stated class by saying how her own Guru Maharaja in his purport had got it wrong and then presented her reasons why.
Forward to today and on several occasions I’ve been asked if I could comment on if Srila Prabhupada is perfect which is always one question I try to avoid given the complexities of the answer. It’s one that is dependent on the individuals understanding and also the definition of perfection and how do you present this.
The last class I gave which was a while ago I mentioned how if we want to find faults in any devotee it is there, we are after all individuals in a material body which makes us all imperfect. so the notion of not finding fault is inaccurate and this is why over the years ISKCON and devotees have had pages and journals written on the imperfections and summary as to why both shouldn’t be followed.
Indeed Srila Prabhupada has many such controversies from family life and the age his wife was when they were married. The comments on women and rape to others that can be read as racist. So the definition of perfect could be seen as misplaced, as with all of us imperfections can be found.
So why follow?
At the end of the class the mataji presented I was left wondering if this small purport in her mind is inaccurate then how much more could be seen as accurate. After all if the writer is imperfect then surely the purports are imperfect this could be seen as a natural conclusion and tested could be seen as accurate.
However this doesn’t take into account that actually each one of us are indeed imperfect and also impose our own understanding and perceptions, indeed I felt that the mataji did what many of us do when giving class present our own version of what we feel is being said. Analogy if words and sentences is indeed subjective to the reader and we are all products of upbringing and the environment and society we are raised in.
Srila Prabhupada was a product of being raised in India in a particular generation and this can be seen in some of the purports and life choices. But we miss the real understanding of perfection; Sri Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada was absorbed in love of Krishna and took the words of his own Guru Maharaja seriously, but took this in my opinion one stage further. Instead of writing and presenting love of Krishna in English but then came to the west to give this directly to those who were open to listen. Many themselves despite their own imperfections took this seriously and have gone about carrying on the mission Srila Prabhupada stated in giving love of Krishna, and yes it is easy to find fault this I can 100% guarantee.
But reflect on the undertaking Srila Prabhupada wrote, instructed and guided he gave all he could to spread the love he had for Krishna to each and every individual he met, and we can absorb ourselves constantly in this not only in written format but by the fact many classes were recorded on either tape or super8.
Perfection in Imperfection
We are like Srila Prabhupada in a material body and under the influence one way or another by material nature, the more we become absorbed in love of Krishna the less material nature influences us but it will never be 0% until one returns to the spiritual world.
So we become full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls
Understanding that faults will be there, we are products of so many influences that can bring us into conflict of misunderstanding. But each is perfect in as much as the devotee’s are trying their best to become absorbed in love of krishna, each at various levels from full absorbed to well maybe a few minutes each day.
All is good.
And few will be as absorbed in love of Krishna and love of the fallen conditioned souls as Srila Prabhupada so in conclusion our founder acharia in this definition is perfect if we accept love of Krishna is the perfection of life.
And this is indeed one of the higher thoughts Srila Prabhupada spoke about seeing each devotee as perfect, for each individual is as we are trying to love Sri Krishna whilst dealing with our mind and imperfections brought about by being in a material body.
“Śrī Śrīla Gopīnātha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rāsa dance, stands on the shore in Vaṁśīvaṭa and attracts the attention of the cowherd damsels with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer upon us their benediction.” (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 1.17)
“The reason we have come here is not for a far-out experience but we are at the very core of the teachings of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta which is the essence of our spiritual life. You can understand that I have planned this parikramā this year with these three Deities (Madana-mohana, Govindajī and Gopīnātha) at the centre. Lord Caitanya has arranged for these three Deities to appear in this world in order to flood it with mercy… In the Rādhā Gopīnātha temple, that flood of love has been stored.”
On our last night in Jaipur we found ourselves at the lotus feet of Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnātha. His round cheeks looks like they’re each hiding a large Jaipur laḍḍu. His skirt flares out as if in mid-twirl. He is the Lord of Dance and He knows it. How to speak to the Lord of Dance other than through song? The vibey kīrtana lasted almost two hours and flowed into Dāmodarāṣṭaka. We got the unique opportunity to offer our Kārttika lamp to Gopīnātha and stayed till the last darśana.
“O Gopīnātha, Lord of the gopīs, please hear my request. I am a wicked materialist, always addicted to worldly desires, and no good qualities do I possess. O Gopīnātha, You are my only hope, and therefore I have taken shelter at Your lotus feet. I am now Your eternal servant.” (Song of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura)
Radha-gopinatha in Jaipur
Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnātha are the Deities of Madhu Paṇḍita. To one side of the temple room, encased in glass, is a jacket and hat made of tulasī beads that belongs to Madhu Paṇḍita. He was definitely an individual with style and devotion. Rādhā Gopīnātha represent prayojana-tattva, or pure love of God, of which Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī is the ācārya. “One of the things I want to achieve in this parikramā is to deepen our relationship with the Gosvāmīs. The Gosvāmīs have prayed for the Lord to appear in these Deities and asked Them to shower Their mercy on the world.”
It also happened to be Gopāṣṭamī, so we braved the smoky streets, found some cows and bulls in a gośālā in the middle of the city, and tried to feed them gur (jaggery). A cow tried to swallow Mahārāja’s whole hand, evidently finding him sweeter. Within our stay, we also managed to sneak in darśanas of Jīva Gosvāmī’s Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara and Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Vinoda.
On our last day, just as we were about to board, the bus demon struck again and we were delayed at the hotel for another five hours. The delay afforded us more kīrtana and kathā in the palace courtyard with special “balcony seats” on the upper levels and near the fountain. The exchange was both deep and casual with devotees free to ask questions. One phrase that comes to mind which is helpful to remember… “Even if I don’t answer your emails, I’ll still take you back to Godhead, by Prabhupāda’s mercy.”
Mahārāja waited until the last bus boarded before He got on, ensuring that no one was left behind. It would still be a long drive to Vṛndāvana in which he would happily absorb himself in The Nectar of Devotion. And as for Gopīnātha, it is a chapter to be continued. Possibly at Vaṁśīvaṭa? Or maybe a thread to be picked up on all the parikramās to follow.
May Śrī Śrī Madana-mohana, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda and Śrī Śrī Rādhā Gopīnātha bless the teams of devotees that helped plan and execute the Jaipur parikramā, opening the flood gates to this special mercy.
Utpanna Ekadasi Fasting.....................on Fri Nov 22nd, 2019 Breakfast................ on Sat Nov 23rd, 2019 b/w 7:21am – 10:29am
Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we follow a complete fast from eating and drinking. We spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra. By constantly ‘exercising’ our minds through regular japa we can train our senses to push the threshold of contentment.
ONGOING PROGRAMS
Vedic Education & Learning For Grownups
ISKCON Brampton offers various courses and Seminars for adults. The courses take a personal approach to learning. It encourages the student not only to study thoroughly the contents of Srila Prabhupada’s books but also to clearly understand the philosophy and practically apply it. The course focuses on behaviour and character, nurturing students in appropriate Vaishnava values. Professionally designed and presented, it draws on the principles of Krishna consciousness and the best of progressive education. In this way, it is true to ISKCON’s heritage and at the same time relevant to its mission in contemporary society.
The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).
Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
“One who has life can preach, and one who preaches gets life.”(Previous Acaryas)
Every member of ISKCON should have the opportunity to make advancement in Krishna consciousness by preaching.We encourage everyone to come out and participate and make Srila Prabhupada happy.
Please note that registration in the Mentorship System is now a mandatory requirement for all initiation requests at ISKCON Brampton.It
1.Facilitates and nurtures devotees aspiring for first and second Initiation. 2.One-on-One personal follow up on a regular basis. 3.Systematic training to devotees in matters of Philosophy, Sadhna, Vaishnava behavior, etiquette, Lifestyle and attitudes.
Are you looking for some amazing gift items which are less expensive and more beautiful for your loved ones for festivals or many other occasions?? Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your visit. It offers textiles, jewelry, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.
This morning I watched the sunrise and marveled. What a blessing to see it and experience awe. It should be a daily tonic - to stand and soak it in, this moment of majestic movement. One could call it living yoga, feeling deeply connected to the source of light, and life, for this small world.
The more we help others overcome worldly illusions by equipping them with spiritual insights and practices, the more we become spiritually absorbed ourselves and go beyond worldly illusions.
Rasa Purnima marks the first of Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s weekly elephant processions in Mayapur. During this festival, Their Lordships come out of the temple and go on a procession around the Mayapur campus on the back of an elephant.
A special message from Vrindavan Dham (9 min. video)
“Vrindavan Dham calls us to give up our false world which is based on the ego, and it invites us to enter the world where Krishna is the center.”
“In a temple of jewels in Vṛndāvana, underneath a desire tree, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them.” (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 1.16)
The delayed darśana of Madana-mohana combined with more encounters with the ‘bus demon’ resulted in us entering Jaipur close to midnight. Our hosts were far from asleep. Mahārāja and the devotees arrived to a shower of rose petals from a spiralling staircase as they entered the Rawla Mrignayani Hotel. It was previously a palace of a minor kṣatriya ruler. In the morning light it revealed itself to be a most charming location, with intricately designed low arches, lavish courtyards, stained glass windows, lampshades and water fountains. It oozed with Jaipur’s rich traditional art, nothing monotone. The lower floors were in full vision of the upper ones making it very homey and you could step out of your room to find Mahārāja and the devotees peacefully chanting in the courtyards in the morning sun. It was a shade heavenly.
The whole town of Jaipur flows to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govindajī. They are the hub of all activity and after breakfast we joined the flow. Mahārāja reminded us in Vṛndāvana that Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govindajī are the original Deities of Rūpa Gosvāmī and as rūpānugas (followers of Rūpa Gosvāmī) Jaipur is our city! The temple is located on grounds belonging to royalty, with lush sprawling gardens just behind. We enter just a couple of hours before the midday darśana, when the Jaipur bazaars close, not for a siesta, but to devotedly set eyes on Rādhā-Govindajī once more. At the temple there is an outer current of people flowing around the Deities in parikramā with an inner space teeming with those eager for darśana. Govindajī is large with intricate designs on His cheeks in orangy-yellow sandalwood and red-rimmed eyes. A golden Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī stands next to Him with a silver cow behind Them. In brilliant orange and gold, They have definite royal presence. Avoiding the crowds, we settle comfortably in the gardens, our aching bodies (remnants from combat with the bus demon) sinking into the soft, damp grass. “These journeys are lots of ecstasy,” said Mahārāja, “but not much rest.”
He began with a description by Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī of the worship of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govindajī when They were in Vṛndāvana. It was the main temple, with thousands of Lord Caitanya’s followers residing nearby. On the highest tower, a lamp was lit every night. In Agra, 60 km away, a notorious mogul ruler, Aurangzeb, saw the glow of Rādhā-Govinda’s supremacy. Burning with envy, he launched an attack on the temple. The Vṛndāvana Vaiṣṇavas, however, had already devised an undercover mission to send Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda to Jaipur for Their protection. Ever since, Vṛndāvana has been trying to get Them back and Jaipur will not give Them. Such is the transcendental Deity wars that exist even today. Rādhā-Govindajī did not come alone; the spirit of Lord Caitanya’s mercy, His teachings and Vaiṣṇava pūjārīs all came with. While Mahārāja spoke, a kind gentlemen approached with a gift of mahā-prasādam laḍḍus in that same spirit of mercy. Laḍḍus are a huge part of Rādhā-Govinda’s mercy. Mahārāja had us buy as much as possible and save some for ‘Ron (‘later on’ in colloquial Australian).
Radha-Govindaji
Mahārāja mentioned that Deities are especially powerful when they are installed by one with pure devotion. How can we understand this? Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (our handbook) explains that devotional service is ‘śrī-kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī’, it attracts Kṛṣṇa, therefore the purity and potency of Rūpa Gosvāmī’s devotional service makes Rādhā-Govinda so supremely captivating.
Rūpa Gosvāmī provides us with abhidheya-tattva, or ‘the path to follow’ in devotional service. He teaches us how to simply serve without material desire. Although Sanātana Gosvāmī is elder, Rūpa Gosvāmī is considered senior because he is the rasācārya. At Karauli, Kadamba Kanana Swami mentioned that in sambandha-jñāna (represented by Madana-mohana) we adjust our external behaviour but it is with Rādhā-Govinda that the heart actually changes. Govinda is the instructor (as with Bhagavad-gītā) and He teaches us how to develop our devotional service. When our heart changes, then we may ask, “Material world? I heard it stopped existing. What is there besides our relationship with Govinda?”
The next morning, steady streams of japa filled the quiet Jaipur streets, as a group of eager beavers trekked to the Govindajī temple for maṅgala-ārati. The temple was alive, brimming with locals who stop by before work, and yet it was peaceful in its fullness. It felt otherworldly. Gentle but potent chants of “Rādhe Govinda, Rādhe Govinda” saturate the atmosphere and role off our tongues effortlessly. A whole city of voices united in devotion. Seeing Govindajī standing in the sweet simplicity of His night dress is mind-blowing. His cheeks, now smooth and bare, give emphasis to His eyes. They penetrate into our souls, pulling us closer and mystically we find ourselves right in front of Him.
Oh Govindajī, we offer our words, our possessions, our energy and our intelligence. Please accept us and flood our lives with Your service. We, Kali-yuga pilgrims, place our faulty hearts at your feet; may you edit as needed and infuse within them the spirit of devotion.
Prayers request for HG Virabahu Das.
Hare Krishna. We are requesting your prayers and well-wishes for a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, His Grace Virabahu Das, an initiating ISKCON Guru and member of the Governing Body of Commissioners (GBC). Virabahu Prabhu recently had an elective surgery at the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai, India. Kindly keep him in your prayers to the Lord so he can have a speedy recovery and can return to his devotional service very soon. Thank you very much.
Listening to Srila Prabhupada’s talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.35, given in Bombay on December 4, 1974, I felt chastened and humbled by his description of surrender and pure devotion, as exemplified by Sri Prahlada:
“Krishna says (Gita 18.66),
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.] The qualification is: unless one is sinless, he cannot understand Krishna. He cannot understand what is krsna-bhajana. But if one is eager—actually very eager—he can do it immediately. What is that? Surrender to Krishna. Sarva-dharman parityajya: give up all these nonsense so-called religious principles. Simply surrender to Krishna: ‘Krishna, I had forgotten about You. Now I surrender unto You fully. If You like, You can kill me; if You like, You can give me protection.’ This is surrender—not business: ‘Krishna, if You give me this nice thing, then I will surrender.’ That is not surrender. That is business.
“When Prahlada Maharaja was offered the benediction that ‘My dear Prahlada, you have suffered so much for Me, even from your father. Now your enemies are all off. You can ask any benediction you like,’ Prahlada Maharaja said, ‘What is this, my dear Lord? Am I a baniya, vanik, that because I have suffered for You, I shall ask some benediction? No, no, don’t offer me like that. Because You are the supreme powerful, whatever I want, I can get from You. I am born in an asura family; I am inclined to material enjoyment. So don’t delude me, my dear Sir. And why shall I ask You? I have seen my father, so powerful that even the demigods were afraid of him, and You finished all his power within a second. So why shall I ask for these things? Kindly engage me in the service of Your servant. This much I want. I don’t want anything else.’
“Therefore a devotee never asks anything material from the Supreme Personality. As Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye (Siksastaka 4). [O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.] They are simply satisfied by glorifying the Lord. That is their only satisfaction. If they get the opportunity of glorifying the Lord, as it is said in the previous verse, sabhajayante mama paurusani. Mama paurusani—the glorious activities of the Lord. This is the way of bhajana. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah (Gita 9.14). [Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.]
“This is the way of bhakti-yoga. Simply glorify . . . Krishna therefore comes to give advantage to the devotees for glorifying Him—because He acts. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam (Gita 4.8). [In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.] To kill the demons and to give protection to the sadhus, He has to work.”
Srila Prabhupada has kindly taught us the standard of surrender, of pure devotional service. I simply pray to come to that standard, by his grace, as he wanted—unqualified as I am.
A Spiritual Interview with His Grace Kripamoya Das (video)
A very insightful interview into Krishna Consciousness, graciously given to us by Kripamoya Das. We explore many things in this interview (which had to be broken into two videos). Including; gaining His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s association, what his journey was like, how chanting is a form of yoga, the controversiality of religion in general. And many other interesting things! So stay till the end to get a new view on what religion entails :)
“Ajamila never meant to chant the name of Narayana actually, but he was calling his son, whose name was Narayana. That means it was almost neglectfully done. So, even when neglectfully chanted, the holy name has got so much power, and what to speak of when those who are very faithfully chanting, observing the rules and regulations without any offense—what to speak of them? That is the thing.
jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gatī mat-sarvasva-padāmbhojau rādhā-madana-mohanau
“Glory to the all-merciful Rādhā and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.” (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 1.15) “The reason why we have come here,” said Mahārāja at the Madana-mohana temple in Vṛndāvana,” is to evoke a desire to go to Karauli. Madana-mohana is the attractor of Cupid and He can take away our material attraction. They say the roads are better these days. They used to look like the ocean (hills like waves). Madana-mohana is on one such hill; pay the price and get the mercy or stay at home safe in bed!” It was early morning, just after maṅgala-ārati, when the roll of suitcases echoed in the Vṛndāvana streets. All the parikramās thus far were layered with meditations preparing us for the Jaipur trip and the air was abuzz. Passport and visa check? We are ready for the mercy. Or so we thought we were. “Everyone is equal,” to quote Orwell, “but some have better bus karma than others,” said Mahārāja.
On a gentle incline bus two stalled. We were out on the smoky streets. There were two options: wait for another bus that would come in the proverbial “half hour” and potentially miss the darśana of Madana-mohana or… We piled into the three, already full, buses behind us. Some stood in the aisles freezing under the AC. Some sat on the engine next to driver, roasting from the feet up. Others sat behind the driver and in brace position, should the bus brake quickly and send them careening through the windscreen. And still others squeezed too many into seats too few. Whatever the case, we were not giving up on Karauli. In the meantime, Mahārāja’s bus arrived on schedule; fortune favours the holy. They lined the streets of Karauli with harināma and sat in patient kīrtana in front of Śrī Śrī Madana-mohana, the original Deities of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Five hours after originally embarking, the remaining buses arrived. Joyous to finally reach Karauli soil, we spilled into the temple room at the peak of the kīrtana…
“Śrī Govinda, Gopīnātha, Madana-mohana” Twirling across the marble floor, and bouncing off the quaint, artistically designed walls, we called from our depths… “Madana-mohana, Madana-mohana.” …And the kīrtana raged on for a glorious hour. “Welcome to Karauli, said Mahārāja, “Welcome to the lotus feet of Madana-mohana” But we had missed the darśana. “Darśana is more than seeing Kṛṣṇa,” he later mentioned, “because Kṛṣṇa sees us.” With His super-vision, would Śrī Śrī Madana-mohana see us from behind the large steely doors? The Karauli Vaiṣṇavas served us a lunch topped with piping hot purīs and mahā-prasādam. We rolled back into the temple room to hear Mahārāja’s final decision: we would all wait for 2.5 hours to allow everyone the sacred and rare darśana of Madana-mohana, potentially a once-in- a-lifetime event. By the mercy of the Vaiṣṇava a blind man is allowed to see.
Madan mohan
Promptly, Mahārāja whisked us away on the magic carpet of the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta to all corners of the universe in search of the most glorious devotee – not with Aladdin, but Nārada Muni. Nārada approached a brāhmaṇa in Prayāga who sent him to a King in South India, who sent him to Lord Śiva… Although all were exalted Vaiṣṇavas, each expressed an increasing degree of intimacy so the search continued. When meeting Śrī Prahlāda, upon whose head Nṛsiṁhadeva placed His lotus hand and licked his entire body, Nārada did not want to leave. He had been cursed by Dakṣa, however, to never be able to stay in one place. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that through the parents of his disciples, he inherited Nārada’s curse and he passed it on to his sannyāsīs. “I too cannot stay in one place,” said Mahārāja “but I came up with a plan. I want to take you all with me, so that we can go from place to place together.” Later in Jaipur, Mahārāja described how with the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta, Sanātana Gosvāmī puts a lens on Kṛṣṇa and adjusts the focus such that we ask, “What is the goal?” This is the essence of sambandha-tattva (making a connection with Kṛṣṇa) established by Sanātana Gosvāmī in his books as well as by his Deity. Madana-mohana attracts people away from Māyā. Often spiritual life feels like we have to keep pushing ourselves to keep up principles and practices but we can approach Madana-mohana so we can be pulled ahead instead.
How to approach Madana-mohana? We can only do so by the mercy of Sanātana Gosvāmī. We took shelter of the Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭakam, meditating on the qualities of the Gosvāmīs through each curvy meter. As oceans of Kṛṣṇa-prema and being non-envious by nature, they were loved by all. They chanted and danced in ecstasy, studied śāstra scrutinizingly, lived simply and have the ability to purify all conditioned souls. Upon Mahārāja’s instruction we stood pressed against the gates for 45 minutes awaiting darśana, unwilling to be pushed away by any of the locals. Conches blew, curtains swished open to reveal the glossy black marble form of Śrī Śrī Madana-mohana with kind eyes and a welcoming, playful smile. With proportionately the largest lotus feet I’ve ever seen, surely there was shelter enough for us all in its reddish tinge. Oh Madana-mohana, may your flower arrows of divine attraction pierce our hearts and pull us to Your lotus feet. May they attract us with such force that our eyes and minds never shift to the temporary. May we in turn become attractive, assisting the mission of the Gosvāmīs to attract others to You.
By Ananda Vrindavana Devi Dasi
A classe on Sri Visnu-sahasranama, highlighting the qualities and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Damodar Programmes (During Kartik): We hosted 20 house programs during the month of Kartik all over Worcestershire, had over 150 lamps offered with books and prasadam distributed. It was a great way to network with people and encourage them to attend future programs too.
Utpanna Ekadasi
