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In an inspiring show of cooperation, six ISKCON-affiliated organizations in the New York area collaborated to put on a hugely successful Rathayatra festival this summer – Brooklyn’s Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir, the Bhakti Center in Manhattan, 26 2^nd Avenue, ISKCON of Queens, New Yoga Pitha in the Bronx, and the Yuga Dharma Ashram.

It’s a mobile “studio” with the words “Ananta Mobile Wellness Solutions” inscribed on the side, next to a logo combining the heart and the brain. Inside is a surprising oasis of peace: bamboo floors and benches, green paint on the walls, plants, soft lighting and comfortable rugs.

A video by Hare Krishna TV.

Devotees of Yuga Dharma Sankirtana Ashram are found chanting and distributing books at New York’s Union Square almost every day. 

Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!

ISKCON Bosnia and Herzegovina is a small organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina that has produced many devotees who, due to post-war recovery of the country and economic challenges, have moved to other countries around the world.

TOVP: The tourist government department of Bengal releases a promo video for Iskcon Mayapur’s projects.
Sadbhuja Das: Hare Krishna everyone!
This is a very nice video which was shot for the tourist government department of Bengal. I believe is a great way of preaching and advertising our vast project. Please have a look and share with others!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 April 2019, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 9.15.31)

The German writer Goethe, who is like the German equivalent of Shakespeare, came up with an interesting point.

He said that a child is a realist because a child is trying to understand what are apples and what are pears; a child tries to figure out the difference. He tries to understand what is reality.

A youth is an idealist – a dreamer of what he is going to make of his life. He said that in mid-life, one becomes a bit of a cynic. The person goes, “But yeah, yeah, yeah. I have seen it. These dreams … I know very well what happens.”

Goethe then said that in old age, one becomes a mystic. This is because in old age, you can see that even the people that have all the qualifications, all of them that should logically become a success, they are not becoming a success. Meanwhile, the people that have no attributes at all for becoming a success, they became the successful. This is when you become a mystic and realize that there is a divine hand in the entire arrangement and if you do not have the divine blessings, no plan can be successful. It is not possible then; nothing will work without these divine blessings.

The article " Divine blessings " was published on KKSBlog.

The joy of Narada muni’s agitating Kamsa (video)
A lecture by HH Devamrita Swami Maharaj at Journey of Self Discovery (JOSD) Wellington, New Zealand.
An insightful, thought-provoking and humorous session by HH Devamrita Swami Maharaj given at Journey of Self Discovery (JOSD) Wellington New Zealand on 21 June 2019.
Maharaj also distributed 4 sets of Srimad Bhagavatam and 3 sets of Sri Chaitanya Charitamritam.

Madhusudan Memories of Brahmananda prabhu. At 18 years old, around the time I met Brahmananda, the first president of an ISKCON temple in early 1967, I was still suffering from the effects of delusion resulting from so-called “consciousness-expanding drugs.” Wandering the streets late one night I knocked on the door of the temple when everyone was sleeping. Brahmananda, in his sober wisdom and seeing my state, would not let me in. A month or so later, after recovering a bit, I stated going regularly to the temple.

In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā it is stated that Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was an incarnation of Aniruddha, one of the quadruple expansions of Viṣṇu (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha and Pradyumna). 

He could dance wonderfully for seventy-two continuous hours. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu played in dramatic performances in the house of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, Vakreśvara Paṇḍita was one of the chief dancers, and he danced continuously for that length of time. 

Śrī Govinda dāsa, an Oriyā devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, has described the life of Vakreśvara Paṇḍita in his book Gaura-kṛṣṇodaya. There are many disciples of Vakreśvara Paṇḍita in Orissa, and they are known as Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas although they are Oriyās. 

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Question: If someone hurts us repeatedly, is that because of our past karma?

Answer: A lot depends on specifics, but I will give some broad principles.
There is a love that guards and there is a love that guides. That means that love is the same, but if a small child, maybe two or three years old, goes and, while playing with a ball, breaks the neighbour’s window, the parents will say it’s okay, do not worry about it, we will pay for it. Now, if a child does something wrong, the parents stand next to the child and guard the child from the results. But if a teenager or adult child does something like that, then at that time, it is the love that has to guide. If the parents keep guarding the child from the consequences of their actions, then what happens? The child keeps doing the wrong thing. Guarding children from the consequences of their actions in the name of love is actually a disservice to them.

I was in Connecticut, I had gone to a seminar on spirituality and mental health and addictions. A whole group of addicts and their family members were there. There was one man who was a little older, 65 to 70 years, and there was a girl with him who was five years old. After the class, I was talking with them. They were both Americans. He told me that she is his granddaughter. He said that his daughter had become a drug addict and she was taking more and more drugs. She would borrow money from me and never return. Then I retired and one day she broke into my house and stole all of my life savings. Not only that, while she went to get a big haul of drugs, she left her daughter in her home alone and there’s some kind of electrical wiring which went off, and there was a fire. I had to run and save her at that time. When both of these incidents happened in quick succession, till then I was trying to help her. But then I did a court case against her due to which she had to go to a de-addiction center. Then I filed for custody of my granddaughter. At that time my daughter was very angry with me. She said what kind of father are you? You are taking my own daughter away from me and sending me to jail. She is still in the addiction centre getting treatment. She is gradually becoming a little sober. She is understanding that what I did for her was good. Even after she comes out, she’s not going to get her daughter back. My granddaughter is going to be with me.

That is an extreme example. But in general, if somebody is an addict, bot only they are to be counselled, but often their family members also have to be counselled. There is a concept called codependency. Codependency means that the addict’s care providers unwittingly start facilitating the addict’s addiction. So the addict may get drunk or go high. And after every episode, their significant other picks up all the pieces. If they keep doing that, that person is not hit by the consequences of their actions, then they keep doing it more and more and more.

Sometimes letting people suffer the consequences of their actions is love. It’s painful because there is no easy way. We don’t want them to hurt, but we don’t want us to also get hurt. These are decisions that have to be taken very carefully. As I said, a lot will depend on the specifics. But the principle is that if that particular suffering which we are getting is because of that person’s misuse of free will, then at the very least we should stop giving them power over us. If an addict is squandering all the money of a family member and this family member calls this to be due to his karma. Well, it’s not karma, that’s irresponsibility. It requires courage to take a stand.

Everybody commits mistakes and we cannot come thundering down on people for one or two mistakes. However, if something is being done repeatedly to worse and worse degrees, then at the very least we have to create some distance. Specifically how we do that will vary.

Sometimes the situation might be different. If somebody is autistic or has some other mental developmental issues because of which they are aggressive and hurt others, we understand they are not consciously doing it, then it’s a different dynamic. Therefore, we should check the specifics.

Broadly speaking, we have to look at things from the perspective of what is the best for that person, but what is also the best for us. If we are drowning ourselves in trying to help them, then they will drown and we will also drown. It is not selfish to think of our basic survival needs. That is intelligence.

Beyond that, if you are thinking only of ourselves, then that is a problem. It is like say in aeroplanes it is said that whenever there is an emergency, first put the mask on yourself, then put it on your children. Why? Because if we try to put it on the children first, we might not be able to reach them. Before that, we might succumb and they may not be able to put it on their own. So, there are times when our very life is itself becoming unbearable due to other’s repeated misdoings, then some appropriate action is required.

End of transcription.

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We will be having kirtan at my ashram in Carpinteria with Madhava, Radhika, Vrindavan Kirtan, and others on Sunday, June 23, at 5 p.m., followed by prasada. Please join us in person—otherwise the kirtan will be live streamed on Madhava Naidoo’s and my Facebook pages.

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

The temple of New Mayapur is situated near the Loire Valley in Central France. Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, visited the castle several times in the mid-seventies and installed the deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Sri Sri Krishna Balarama. In this video local devotees speak about the history of the community and its various departments. A video by Vrishabhanu Das.

Priyavrata Das' mother was the mother of three devotees. She always supported their children on their paths. She passed away on June 19th, 2019.  

Not only was Vakreśvara a very dear servant of Mahāprabhu but he also accompanied Him [Mahāprabhu] all the way to Jagannātha Purīafter He took sannyāsa to better serve him more faithfully.

Harinama in Aachen (2 brief videos)
At the junction of three borders (Germany, Belgium and Holland) is located the city of Aachen. There were wonderful devotees here who have been invited to participate in the city’s multicult celebration, a celebration that represents the different cultures of the city. The tent of the devotees was one of the most popular. Continuous prasadam distribution and kirtan chanting all the time. Thank you, devotees, for the invitation and inspiration. Haribol!

Dance and chant. This is best exercise. We allow them to dance very… Yes. High jump. Actually that is exercise, and at the same time ecstasy. If they dance and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is automatically a very big exercise and spiritual advancement. (Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lecture given on Oct. 2, 1968 in Seattle) The hall […]

The post Srila Vakresvara Pandita – Mahaprabhu’s Dancer-in-cheif appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Vraja-Katha program at the new up and coming Iskcon Cultural Centre in South Bangalore (Album of photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: We had a wonderful Vraja-Katha program at the new up and coming Iskcon Cultural Centre in South Bangalore. A huge gathering turned out to enthusiastically hear harikatha and sing kirtan and Vaishnava bhajan. The center has beautiful Radha Krishna, Gaura Nitai & Nrisimhadeva Deities. Come join us through the colorful pics of my dear friend Arjun Bhattacharyya

Dance and chant. This is the best exercise. We allow them to dance very... Yes. High jump. Actually, that is exercise and at the same time ecstasy. If they dance and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is automatically a very big exercise and spiritual advancement. (Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lecture given on Oct. 2, 1968 in Seattle)

“Vyasa was the spiritual master of Sanjaya, and Sanjaya admits that it was by Vyasa’s mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Krsna not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium, although it is true that the experience is still direct. This is the mystery of the disciplic succession.

“Actually there is no difference between hearing directly from Krsna and hearing directly from Krsna via a bona fide spiritual master like Vyasa. The spiritual master is the representative of Vyasadeva also. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, on the birthday of the spiritual master the disciples conduct the ceremony called Vyasa-puja.”

—Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 18.75 purport

In the Adi Purana Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, “Those who claim to be My devotees are not My devotees, but those who are devotees of My devotees are actually My devotees.” His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja was a most staunch devotee and disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada entrusted so much of his work to Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. Seeing a picture of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara before coming here, I recalled how Goswami Maharaja had assisted Srila Prabhupada in his pastime of practically stealing Radha-Londonisvara from one Hindu gentleman’s home and bringing Them to be the first large marble deities of Radha-Krishna in ISKCON. And as I began to think of Srila Prabhupada’s mission and how Goswami Maharaja had assisted him, I found that most of the history of ISKCON is filled with Tamal Krishna Goswami’s service to His Divine Grace.

But just as Krishna is more pleased when a devotee serves His other devotees than when he serves Krishna directly, sometimes I feel Srila Prabhupada also is more pleased when a disciple takes care of Srila Prabhupada’s other disciples and servants. And today I especially think of Goswami Maharaja’s most wonderful quality of taking care of Srila Prabhupada’s devotees.

Srila Prabhupada once told Tamal Krishna Goswami, “Do not let one inch of my property deteriorate.” He has explained that every endeavor requires land, capital, organization, and manpower, and they are all Krishna’s property—or Prabhupada’s property. And Srila Prabhupada said that we shouldn’t waste or spoil any of Krishna’s property. But of all the four items, Prabhupada said that the one we absolutely cannot afford to waste or misuse is the human resource. And although Goswami Maharaja was expert in looking after all of Srila Prabhupada’s mission and property, the most important part was the devotees.

I can speak of my own experience, how Goswami Maharaja has looked after me and taken care of me. Once, Tamal Krishna Goswami said that ISKCON is a family and that none of its members are more important than any others. And in one sense what he said is true. Still, the father’s elder sons have, in one sense, a more important position. Even the Bhagavatam explains that the eldest son can be regarded like the father.

tasmad bhavanto hrdayena jatah
sarve mahiyamsam amum sanabham
aklista-buddhya bharatam bhajadhvam
susrusanam tad bharanam prajanam

[Lord Rsabhadeva told His sons:] “My dear boys, you are all born of My heart, which is the seat of all spiritual qualities. Therefore you should not be like materialistic and envious men. You should accept your eldest brother, Bharata, who is exalted in devotional service. If you engage yourselves in Bharata’s service, your service to him will include My service, and you will rule the citizens automatically.” (SB 5.5.20)

Goswami Maharaja expertly trained the people around him. One time, he really broke through some layers of false ego in me. Goswami Maharaja had come to India as the GBC, and at a certain stage we were going out together and collecting funds for the Vrindavan project, as the Juhu project was delayed because of legal complications. So the two of us used to work as a team, and I was the one to make the appointments. And he was very insistent that I make a lot of phone calls. The best time to phone was early in the morning before people went to the office, but sometimes I wanted to chant more and would go to phone later. And Goswami Maharaja would always ask how many phone calls and appointments I had made. One day I had hardly made any phone calls, and when he asked what had happened I was afraid to tell him, so I told a few little lies, that I tried some people but couldn’t get through. Somehow, by Krishna’s arrangement—or my good or bad luck—Goswami Maharaja spoke to one of the gentlemen I had falsely said I had tried to reach, and Goswami concluded that I had lied to him. So he was very angry—transcendentally angry—and he really helped me. He said, “You pretend to be very pure and innocent, but you are not innocent at all,” which was and is true. He exposed the truth that I was a liar, and the experience was actually very purifying—although it took me a few days to fully appreciate the value of what he had said. But eventually I did, and it helped me in my service.

Another incident I remember, which shows Goswami Maharaja’s deep love for

Srila Prabhupada and his great care for us, as well as his noble character, took place after Srila Prabhupada left. Actually, Goswami Maharaja is a very noble person. Anyway, after Srila Prabhupada left, Tamal Krishna Goswami and I were serving together in Juhu, and we had some disagreement over how best to serve Prabhupada. Then Goswami Maharaja withdrew from his involvement with Juhu. One or two years later, he returned to India, and one of his disciples in Juhu, Veda Vyasa dasa, met him in Mayapur. Only later did Veda Vyasa tell me what had happened. He had met Goswami Maharaja in Mayapur and proposed, “Now you are back in India, so why don’t you come back to Bombay?” And Goswami Maharaja had replied—and this is his greatness, because he thought if he came back to Bombay I would be disturbed—“Giriraj is very dear to Srila Prabhupada. Anyone who causes pain to Giriraj is causing pain to Prabhupada. So I don’t want to come back to Bombay now.” (Later, Goswami Maharaja became the GBC for Bombay, and I was delighted to work with him again.)

I really cannot express how much Goswami Maharaja’s caring for me, as an expression of his love for Srila Prabhupada, has meant to me. And so many other disciples of Srila Prabhupada’s, all of whom are dear to Srila Prabhupada, have experienced Goswami Maharaja’s love and affection and care and assistance.

In my relationship with Goswami Maharaja I have the added fortune of having accepted the renounced order of life from him. Although the initial instruction to take sannyasa came from Srila Prabhupada, it was actually fulfilled after Srila Prabhupada’s departure through His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. And I am glad Srila Prabhupada arranged for my relationship with Goswami Maharaja to be enhanced by Goswami Maharaja acting as my sannyasa-guru.

I feel very strongly that my relationship with Goswami Maharaja is eternal, that we are eternally servants of Srila Prabhupada together; he is like the older brother and I am the younger. But we are meant to serve Srila Prabhupada together, and actually Srila Prabhupada saw us together—though I am sure it is not unique to the two of us that Srila Prabhupada saw us together.

It was like the mystery of disciplic succession Srila Prabhupada explains at the end of the Bhagavad-gita, that one approaches Krishna through the spiritual master, although the experience is still direct. In a similar way, Goswami Maharaja would help me in my relationship with Srila Prabhupada, but at the same time my relationship with Prabhupada was direct. So receiving first and second initiation from Srila Prabhupada indicates the direct relationship, and then accepting sannyasa, in one sense also from Srila Prabhupada but through Tamal Krishna Goswami, indicates the other aspect—how I was approaching Srila Prabhupada through Tamal Krishna Goswami and how Srila Prabhupada was giving mercy and caring for me through Tamal Krishna Goswami. So I feel confident that our relationship is eternal and will continue.

I feel blessed because so many fortunate souls have also been connected with Goswami Maharaja—godbrothers and godsisters, diksa and siksa disciples—and because of my connection with Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, I will also be connected with them. Although I am not very qualified, I pray to remain in his service and association and in the association and service of those connected with him. I hope you will accept me.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

[Adapted from a talk by Giriraj Swami on Tamal Krishna Goswami’s Vyasa-puja, July 3, 1999, Houston, Texas]

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