Planet ISKCON

Ratha-yatra Rijeka, Croatia 2019 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This Krishna consciousness movement insists that everyone...

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 24 February 2019, New York, United States of America, Bhagavad-gita 7.7)

We are experiencing how everything in this world goes through six transformations. Everything comes into being, it grows, it flourishes, it gives some by-products, then it begins to dwindle and eventually it ceases to exist. Such are the dynamics of this world. This shows us that whatever we have, is not ours. Whatever we have, is actually a gift which we get for a while over time and then Krsna takes it back. Sometimes gradually over time and sometimes very quickly. Suddenly, everything gets taken away.

But one who sees Krsna behind it all can see that ultimately everything must be good because Krsna is benevolent. Krsna is suhrdam sarva bhutanam (Bhagavad-gita 5.29); He is the well-wisher of all living beings. So when we have that firm conviction that Krsna is our well-wisher, then we start to observe that whatever happens to us is all good, even if we may not always see it that way. Then we know that this is going to be good for a long-term purpose; something that we cannot see now, but later turns out to be good.

We can see this when we go through struggle, pain and hardships in the material world. This will force us to become more dependent on Krsna, surrender unto Him and lead us to seek deeper into the causes and purpose of life. And in that way we can see that the moment of great difficulty in our life later on turns out to be the source of our strength. We begin to see that those hardships actually made us stronger and that was Krsna’s kindness all along.

The article " Surviving hardships " was published on KKSBlog.

Podcast

The post Bhagavatam tenth canto study 58 – 10.10.28-35 Though God has a body, he is not limited by or to his body appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Harinama and book distribution in Mayapur (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: A devotee always thinks of the Lord continuously. While chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, the words Krishna and Hare immediately remind him of all the Lord’s activities. Since his entire life is engaged n the service of the Lord, a devotee cannot forget the Lord at any time. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.1.6 Purport)

New ‘Krishna - Your Eternal Friend’ album containing beautiful drawings by Anjali Bhattacharjee based on HG Vaisesika Dasa’s quotes. (Album of photos)

Good karma veg. restaurant in Gulfport, Mississippi (Album of photos)
Kaivalya Sundari: I was in Gulfport today and was able to go visit Maharani’s Maharani Berg (Good Karma Medley) vegetarian restaurant today. I hadn’t been to this location before and I was happy to see lots of nice people getting prasadam! I am so proud of my God sister, Maharani! She is pleasing her Guru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada in her endeavors. Many people who eat at Good Karma learn about our temple because Maharani is giving them a nice, personal, and satisfying experience. The restaurant plays soothing bhajans of Hare Krsna music, and there are beautiful signs and loving mottos and festive decorations all around. Cookbooks and devotional reading literature is also for sale.

Vivid Sydney light festival 2019. Transcendental party time with the devotees doing Harinama (several brief videos)
The Govind...

HH Giriraj Swami spoke and read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila chapter 6

Dhruva Laddhu and his friend Kalyan Tamal were a few months old living in little hutches separate from their mothers and each other and fed by a mechanical milk drip before they were brought home to ISCOWP from the dairy.

Ganga Puja is usually celebrated a day before Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi. 

It is dedicated to Gangadevi, who descended to Earth on this day. Ganga descended to purge the cursed souls of King Bhagiratha’s ancestors. 

Devotees gather at the banks of the Ganges to perform aratis. It is said that by taking a dip in the river on this day one will be purified and many lifetimes of sins are eradicated.

[Talk at Wellington, New Zealand]

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The post Why spiritual life matters – Talk to teenagers appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Talk to devotee community leaders at Wellington, New Zealand]

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The post Head in the sky, feet on the ground – balancing our aspirations with our actions appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post How do we realize that Krishna consciousness is like 5 million dollars and worldly things are like 5 dollars appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Giriraj Swami spoke and read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila chapter 6

“Raghunatha dasa offered his obeisances by falling prostrate at a distant place, and the servant of Nityananda Prabhu pointed out, “There is Raghunatha dasa, offering You obeisances.”

Hearing this, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, “You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today I shall punish you!”

The Lord called him, but Raghunatha dasa did not go near the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon Raghunatha dasa’s head.

Comment by Giriraj Swami: “Raghnatha dasa was very humble. In fact, later on when by the mercy of Nityananda prabhu he joined Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Puri, although he was in the inner circle of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he would almost never submit a question or plea directly to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He would always go through Swarup Damodar. He was very humble.”

Lord Nityananda was by nature very merciful and funny. Being merciful, He spoke to Raghunatha dasa as follows:

“You are just like a thief, for instead of coming near, you stay away at a distant place. Now that I have captured you, I shall punish you.

“Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice.” Hearing this, Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased.”

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Panihati Festival Talk (Right-click to download)

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The post From individualism to individuality – Are people innately good or innately bad? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Srimati Gangamata Gosvamini - Appearance.
She was the only daughter of King Naresanarayana of Puntiya in the district of Rajsahi (now in Bangladesh).

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The post Bhagavatam tenth canto study 57 – 10.10.23-27 Krishna honors the promise of his devotees appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Seminar at Bhakti Lounge, Wellington, New Zealand]

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[slideshare id=149197819&doc=understandingthesixstagesofinnerpurificationoranarthanivrutti-190611040312]

The post Understanding the six stages of anartha nivrutti or inner purification – 2 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Seminar at Bhakti Lounge, Wellington, New Zealand]

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[slideshare id=149197819&doc=understandingthesixstagesofinnerpurificationoranarthanivrutti-190611040312]

The post Understanding the six stages of anartha nivrutti or inner purification – 1 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Vrndavana Vinodini Devi Dasi

Hearing good news about others affects people in different ways. Personally, the feelings it evokes within me serves as a barometer of how emotionally healthy I am and my relationship with the individual. Feelings of joy and "they totally deserve it" are what I aim for. However, in instances where it dredges up not so pleasant emotions, I realize I have internal work to do. As an aspiring practitioner of bhakti this is what I too long to be: the happy well-wisher to others, especially in their time of success and joy. I have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by practitioners of bhakti yoga my entire life. Continue reading "The effect of good news
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[Bhagavatam class at Bhakti Lounge, Wellington, New Zealand]

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The post Perfectionism is a serial killer in high heels appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Jaya Vijaya Dasa

Sri Ganga-puja, also known as Sri Ganga-dushara (she who removes inauspiciousness), appears in the month of Jyestha (May/June) on the 10th day of Sukla-paksa, or the waxing fortnight of the full moon. Continue reading "Sri Ganga Puja
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By Jaya Vijaya Dasa

Due to uncontrolled love for Visvambhara, the Ganga rushed rapidly, spilling over her banks in order to gently touch the body of the Lord. People wondered why the Ganga seemed much more beautiful today. Continue reading "Ganga-devi’s Love for Lord Gauranga
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“There are many vegan and vegetarian places on the Gold Coast – but the most successful ones are the Hare Krishnas,” says Nitai Chandra.

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The post How can we work with difficult people? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

I’m getting old. I admit it – the hair is disappearing, the back is failing and the glasses are coming. Materially speaking, it’s a downhill story. Spiritually, however, the passing of time should deliver a range of invaluable gifts.

Congresswomen Tulsi Gabard & Ms.Jenifer Rajkumar, representative Governor New York state & Director Immigration New York attends ISKCON at New York Rath Yatra 2019. 8th June.

"Opinions are evenly split between the east and west, with disciples in India representing the conservative arm of ISKCON and those in the western temples having a liberal bent."

The 8th annual Sadhu Sanga Retreat in Boone, North Carolina, USA attracted over 2,000 devotees from all over America and beyond. The main focus was, as always, kirtan. With some of ISKCON’s best chanters it was a most relishable experience. The lectures, kirtans and prasadam were all of the highest standard and the famous Blue Ridge Mountains provided the perfect backdrop. A video by Ananta Vrindavan.

Presenters at the conference were devotees who are developing Vaishnava community welfare services including mentoring, counseling, mental health support, youth support, widows support, palliative care and caring for the sick, women’s support, social justice and more. The conference was attended by just under 100 devotees.

As ISKCON UK anniversaries come thick and fast, Govinda’s Pure Vegetarian Restaurant in London is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year, snapping up a steady flow of awards and celebrity endorsements and changing more than a few lives along the way.

“We’d like devotees in all the city temples in North America and beyond to consider New Vrindaban their country home, a place where they can recuperate and regenerate physically and spiritually,” says ISKCON New Vrindaban communications director Anuradha Dasi.

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!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 31 December 2018, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.21)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is mahā-vadānyāya – He is most magnanimous. Devotees are also magnanimous where they will give gifts and receive gifts – dadāti pratigṛhṇāti (Nectar of Instruction, Text 4). This is an important point of the loving exchange of generosity and it is such generosity which is our trademark. 

In the cause of working on the master plan for Mayapur, we came across a man called Charles Eisenstein, not Einstein (laughter). And Charles Eisenstein came up with this idea called ‘Sacred Economics’. It was an economic model based on giving instead of charging for everything. And if one person gives to another, the other person becomes indebted and feels like doing something in exchange. So Eisenstein was an economist who drew a whole model on how an economy can work in this way, instead of paying our way where everyone is in competition with one another.

When I saw this, I thought, “This is our model! He somehow or other came across something that belongs to Lord Caitanya. This is the economics of Mayapur.” I saw that when we were making our master plan, and that is how it is meant to be. Mayapur should be a place of such generosity that everyone who visits there, should be so overwhelmed and should feel so indebted, that they feel like doing some service, something in exchange. That is the principle.  

The article " Economics of Mayapur " was published on KKSBlog.

By Bhaktivedanta Manor

HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami gave an enlivening and enlightening 4 part seminar on “The Sacred Rivers of India” at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK. Maharaj spoke about the importance of rivers in general. He recounted how rivers are India’s lifeline and how they enjoy a special place in prayers and its traditional practices. Most of the pilgrimages in India like Varanasi, Haridwar, Talakaveri, Nasik, Ujjain and Patna are situated along the banks of these seven rivers. The Triveni Sangam at Allahabad is a confluence of 3 rivers - the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati. Maharaja described the religious significance of the each of the 7 rivers by citing references from scriptures. He also narrated the various pastimes that took place on the banks of these rivers and the important pilgrimages. Continue reading "Sacred rivers of India – 4 part seminar
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Podcast

The post Bhagavatam tenth canto study 56 – 10.10.15-22 Narada curses to cure the cause of the misbehavior, not just to punish the misbehavior appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Scenes from New York Rathayatra 2019 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna chant is called the maha-mantra, the...

[Talk to Bhakti Shastri students at Wellington, New Zealand]

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The post Bhagavad Gita Chapters 15-18 Overview appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Divine Foods service started by Veda Foundation under the direction of HH Bhakti Charu Swami (Album of photos)
A new food truc...

By Satyaraja Dasa

People have assumed that intelligence is linked to the ability to suffer and that because animals have smaller brains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic, sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivated to seek it, you only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English summer’s day. Just like humans. Continue reading "Labeling Body Parts
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