Heart Attack
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People have heart attacks in Vrindavana – not just physical, but spiritual ones too. Holy places ooze with a divine influence that overthrows material consciousness and inexplicably ushers one towards transcendence.

Gurukula Boys at Ganga Sagar Mela 2019 (8 min. video)
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Gurukula Boys at Ganga Sagar Mela 2019 (8 min. video)
Every January, pilgrims come from around India to bathe at Ganga Sagar, the confluence of the Ganges and the ocean, on the day the sun enters Capricorn. The students and teachers from Bhaktivedanta Academy’s gurukula in Mayapur go there to sing harināma, to distribute the writings of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and to serve thousands of plates of prasāda (sacred food) to the pilgrims who come there for the Mela.

His Holiness Lokanath Maharaja Speaks About the #Giving TOVP Worldwide Fundraiser
- TOVP.org

This week as we head to the start of the #Giving TOVP 10 Day Worldwide Matching Fundraiser from May 7th (Akshaya Tritiya) until May 17th (Nrsimha Caturdasi), His Holiness Lokanath Maharaja speaks briefly about the importance of the TOVP and participating in this brief 10 day opportunity to make a donation to the project.

The #Giving TOVP 10 Day Worldwide Matching Fundraiser will be an incredible, never before done online event to raise funds, large or small, from every devotee, whether they have already given to the TOVP or not. Ambarisa prabhu will match all donations up to $125,000, thus doubling the income to the TOVP during this fundraising event to help complete the TOVP by 2022.

For more information, go to the TOVP #Giving TOVP Fundraiser page. You can also become a TOVP Ambassador by downloading the flyer from the website page and posting it on the internet, emailing it to your devotee friends and relatives, and posting at your local temple. We want the participation of every ISKCON devotee and congregation member worldwide.

MISSION 22 MARATHON KI JAYA! THINK 22 -> TOVP NOW!

 

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
Phone App at: http://tovp.org/news/announcements/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/
Mailing List at: https://goo.gl/forms/ojJ2WcUUuqWh8bXt1
RSS News Feed at: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Buy from us at: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities

The post His Holiness Lokanath Maharaja Speaks About the #Giving TOVP Worldwide Fundraiser appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

The karma confusion – are our problems due to our present actions or past actions?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Talk at hall program, Sydney, Australia]

Podcast


 

Video:

The post The karma confusion – are our problems due to our present actions or past actions? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Gita applied – Chapter 14 – The knowledge of the modes to balance self-discipline and self-discovery [Bhagavad-gita]
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Scripture study class at ISKCON, Sydney, Australia]

Podcast


 

Video:

The post Gita applied – Chapter 14 – The knowledge of the modes to balance self-discipline and self-discovery [Bhagavad-gita] appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

How to have loving exchanges 2 – Cultivating non-judgmentality
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[Retreat at Sydney, Australia]

Podcast


 

Video:

The post How to have loving exchanges 2 – Cultivating non-judgmentality appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

How to have loving exchanges 1 – Understanding frame of reference
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Retreat at Sydney, Australia]

Podcast


 

Video:

The post How to have loving exchanges 1 – Understanding frame of reference appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Some thoughts on guru tattva and discipleship
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Talk to god family meeting of Radhanath Maharaj disciples at Sydney, Australia]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

Video:

The post Some thoughts on guru tattva and discipleship appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

From Nomad to Pilgrim – Infusing our life with purpose and meaning
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Talk at Bhakti Tree, Newcastle, Australia]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

Video:

The post From Nomad to Pilgrim – Infusing our life with purpose and meaning appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhakti Center Launches New Kirtan School
→ ISKCON News

“Kirtan is very popular in the culture right now and is continuing to grow, but a lot of people aren’t clear on the history,” Doyal Gauranga says. “We also want to let people know that there are a lot of different ways to do kirtan, and explain to them how we specifically do kirtan as Gaudiya Vaishnavas, why we do it in that way, and what mantras and bhajans we chant.”

The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali
→ Dandavats

“The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?”

Sacred Music and Hindu Religious Experience: From Ancient Roots to the Modern Classical Tradition
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By Santosh Das

"Sanskrit words were not just arbitrary labels assigned to phenomena; they were the sound forms of objects, actions, and attributes, related to the corresponding reality in the same way as visual forms, and different only in being perceived by the ear and not by the eye.” True meditation on an icon thus involves both sound and image, leading us to the important role of music in Hindu religious experience. Moreover, the name of a deity was understood to contain all the spiritual potencies of the deity. Hence the well-known axiom, “Mantra (name) and Devatā (deity) are the same,” that is affirmed throughout the Hindu tradition, lending credence to Nām-Kīrtan, the chanting of divine names. Continue reading "Sacred Music and Hindu Religious Experience: From Ancient Roots to the Modern Classical Tradition
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Distribution update for HARE KRISHNA! – The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all
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By Visakha Dasi

We have personally seen Srila Prabhupada's eagerness to preach to even one person. It is our honor, privilege and great happiness to continue to serve his desire in distributing HARE KRISHNA! to all parts of the world thus giving access to thousands to view his amazing life story and thus begin their journey on the path of lasting freedom. To date, HARE KRISHNA! has been screened in public movie theaters in 39 countries and has been viewed online in more than 100 countries. All in all, over 14,000 DVDs in the four languages have been distributed since January. Continue reading "Distribution update for HARE KRISHNA! – The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all
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WSN February 2019 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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By Vijaya das

The Sydney temple has struggled in its book distribution for a few years because the government cracked down on people with religious visas, so many temple members had to leave the county, and some were book distributors. Now Sydney has made a comeback. It is the No. 1 temple among the Medium Temples, with almost 6,000 book points. Welcome back to the transcendental competition! Baltimore had a good month, too, placing No. 1 among the Small Temples. It did 5,336 book points, an increase of 317% over the previous year in February. Moscow now has three temples reporting, and they are in first, second, and third place in Russia. Moscow is fired up, probably because Srila Prabhupada visited Moscow. Continue reading "WSN February 2019 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
→ The Walking Monk

Tottenham, Ontario

K is Boss, I am Das

The above phrase is something I expressed several times today, in a morning class, at an evening class—Tuesday sangha—and in the afternoon on a trail.

K refers to Krishna.  Dasin Sanskrit, means servant. Put it all together and you have words of truth.  "Krishna is boss and I am das."

Jay, Connor and I drove up to Tottenham to visit a family of farmers.  We drove north to offer some encouragement to Vishal and Yasomati who have started an agro/eco initiative involving gir and guernsey cows/bulls, and horses, as well. Together we sat down to discuss this spring's farmers conference which will be held in Quebec, just outside of Montreal, and is scheduled for Saturday May 18th, 2019.  We pulled ideas together with action plans.  It will be our third year doing a spring gathering.  It will be inspirational.

After our sit-down planning, we braved “The Great Trail,” (formerly called the "Trans Canada Trail") from Tottenham, north to the farm in Caledon.  I used the word "braved" because on the seven kilometre stretch which we trekked, where there were cedar trees, the sun was restricted, leaving lengthy ice patches.  Once we came to the areas of hardwoods, rays of warmth melted the snow.

The very good thing about taking to patches of ice is that it reminds us we are very vulnerable.  We are not in charge.  We are not the controller.  There are greater things than ourselves.  We are small—small but significant; that is when we admit to having a great boss and we are His servant.  We are Das. I am Das.

May the Source be with you!
7 km



Monday, March 25th, 2019
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

We All Touched Air...

Tom, Billy, Connor and I took to the ravine. It did not come as a surprise to us, that we would be dealing with several-months-old snow that’s on its way out. I personally deliberated on the curious stages of snow, from the freshly fallen, to the layers that pack down, to periods of melting and then freezing.  Now in the final stages of a winter season's duration, it is soaking the trail, and some of it has merged into the creek, to be later precipitating,  and then falling as rain, hail or snow.  It is quite the cycle.

Tom and I were chatting about local history, economics, people, Krishna and Tom's favourite, Vishnu.  Walking behind us, Billy and Connor immersed themselves in The Secret, to the laws of attraction, and also the all-attractive One, Krishna.

On our decline into the ravine, we baby-stepped our way down, if not slid down, ‘rolling with the punches’ of nature's way as the sun shine down upon us, and even laughing at our cumbersome slipping.  A convenient side-rail was there for holding onto for dear life.  All in al, it was a real good stroll and slide.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BvfE5o8g6mp/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=6lyt8k0aozf8

Tom downed some Kombucha, once we left the ravine, at the Natural Health Food Store.  Billy delighted in spring water while I chanced some root beer with plenty of ginger in it, and much too much brown sugar.

It was all good because we all touched air, sun, wind, earth and water and their diverse manifestations.

May the Source be with you!
5 km



“The Queen’s Secret” Moves Audience to Tears and Laughter in Mayapur
→ Dandavats

ISKCON Mayapur: One of the highlights of the Mayapur Gaura-purnima festival every year is, for some, the theatrical drama directed by His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami. Every year, Bhaktimarga Swami works with a diverse cast and crew, many of them second or third generation ISKCON members, to create a dramatic performance for all of Mayapur’s visitors from around the world.

The Queen’s Secret” Moves Audience to Tears and Laughter in Mayapur!
→ Mayapur.com

One of the highlights of the Mayapur Gaura-purnima festival every year is, for some, the theatrical drama directed by His Holiness Bhaktimarga Swami. Every year, Bhaktimarga Swami works with a diverse cast and crew, many of them second or third generation ISKCON members, to create a dramatic performance for all of Mayapur’s visitors from around […]

The post The Queen’s Secret” Moves Audience to Tears and Laughter in Mayapur! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Srivasa Pandita Appearance
→ Ramai Swami

Srivasa Pandit represents the marginal living entity (tatastha shakti ). The devotees headed by Srivasa are described as Lord Chaitanya’s smaller limbs (His face, eyes, hands, disc, other weapons) 

They all took part in Sri Gaurasundara’s pastimes. With them, Lord Gauranga spread the sankirtana movement. Srivasa Pandit is the incarnation of Narada Muni.

Within Srivasa’s home, Lord Gauranga showed His divine form to all His eternal associates. The house of Srivasa Pandit served as the headquarters of Gauranga’s Sankirtana Movement. The daily Bhagavatam classes, nightly kirtans, and many confidential Vraja  pastimes of Lord Gaura Raya occurred here.