Websites from the ISKCON Universe
The spring season is considered to be the best of all seasons, for its attractive qualities are especially pleasing to Lord Krishna. Krishna Himself states in the Bhagavad-gita: “Of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.” (10.35). Srila Prabhupada comments in his purport to this verse, “Of course spring is a season universally liked because it is […]
The post Remembering Krishna as Spring Begins! appeared first on Mayapur.com.
HH Bhakti Dhir Damodar Swami’s Lecture on Controlling Mind Is Superior To Controlling The Senses at ISKCON Chowpatty.
Conscious Parenting (Album of photos)
On 19th January, Sivarama Swami was invited by the Avanti Schools Trust in the UK, to speak on ‘Conscious Parenting’. Addressing over 300 parents and teachers, Sivarama Swami raised awareness about the spiritual and emotional needs of a child as well as the responsibility of a parent in today’s technological society.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pmbwnP
Answer Podcast
The post How can we know when we are renouncing because of spiritual attraction and when because of material aversion? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
As I am traveling this time, I have been getting a fair few invitations to outside programs, either Nama Hatta style or Bhakti Vrksa.
It’s always a pleasure being in the association of devotees who are sincere to advance in their Krsna Consciousness. In Auckland, I was invited to the home Suryacandra Krsna das and family.
Thirty-five devotees participated, including communications directors from various states and cities, temple presidents, and volunteers from the “Midday Meal” school food relief program.
A video by the Madhavas Rock Band.
Debroy is the Chairman of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, and is one of India’s most famous Indologists. He previously translated the Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana, and Harivamsa Purana to wide acclaim.
Around 550 devotees from all over Eastern Europe and beyond gathered for the Vaishnava Winter Festival in Lithuania this year, warming their hearts with a steady diet of nectarean seminars, ecstatic kirtans and delicious prasadam.
Musician Jahnavi Harrison enters a world of sacred plants revealing that, in many religious traditions, plants are seen as spiritually symbolic – sometimes acting as intermediaries with the divine world.
Navin Krishna Das (Nitesh Gor) a trustee of Bhaktivedanta Manor and CEO of Avanti Trust was awarded an OBE by Prince William in Buc...
Shree Krishna Haveli project at Bhaktivedanta Manor update.
Construction of the Shree Krishna Haveli is progressing steadily, and though the project is slightly behind schedule, the construction company, Vascroft, have re-assured us that the handover of the building will take place in August this year, just in time for the Janmashtami festival. To complete the Shree Krishna Haveli, we have secured a £5 million loan to cover the cost of construction. We have collected £4.2 million in donations with a further £3.7 million pledged, leaving a shortfall of £1.6 million. This will be the largest project in the history of Bhaktivedanta Manor. We need everyone’s support to repay this loan for establishing the Shree Krishna Haveli at Bhaktivedanta Manor.
Preaching program in Tolyatti, Russia (Album of photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: We spent some wonderful days with our ISKCON d...
How to Get Through Tests.
All of us will encounter tests on our way. Once Indradyumna Maharaja told me a pertinent story: many years ago Maharaja was on sankirtana with a group of brahmacaris. They were planning to sing in the streets of Paris. It was a particularly difficult day: first the petrol in the car ran out in the middle of the highway. After they solved this problem by walking to the nearest gas station to bring more fuel, they continued to drive until one of the tires punctured. Finally, after a mechanic repaired the tire, they arrived in Paris – much later than planned – and it started raining! They found a sheltered area and started to sing, but immediately a lady came by, stopped, walked right up to Indradyumna Maharaja and put her fingers into her ears and stuck her tongue out at him. Indradyumna Maharaja tried to step away from her but she followed him! It was quite discouraging - because how could others be inspired with such a person present? When they came back to the temple in the evening, Srila Prabhupada called Indradyumna Maharaja into his room, as if he knew. Prabhupada said, “So, how was sankirtana?”
Indradyumna Maharaja first hesitated to narrate the details but Prabhupada wanted to know – you must know Prabhupada was extremely personal and looked into the smallest details of things. So Indradyumna Maharaja told him his story of frustration. When he came to the part about the lady and wanted to explain what she did, Prabhupada knocked on the table with his fist, making his glasses jump and said “When did I ever say preaching is easy?” So my dear devotees, when you face a test, don’t despair! As you go through it, you will feel Krishna’s presence; you will feel him helping you and when you emerge on the other side you will notice that you have advanced significantly in your Krishna consciousness. Tests are meant to make you strong; furthermore, Krishna will never give you a test that is overwhelming in its difficulty. He will give you tests that are specifically tailored to your level of determination and steadiness.
From a lecture by Sacinandana Swami in Almviks Gard, Sweden.
More Srila Prabhupada’s books in Arabic are distributed in NY (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting in order to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although his complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and His confidential companions. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.5.32)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/KoFapZ
TOVP: The launch of our newest fundraising campaign, the Pillars of Devotion Campaign, coinciding with the 1st anniversary of the Chakra Installation ceremony today Answer Podcast
The post If my family strongly opposes some devotional principles such as eating onion-garlic, what should I do? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
November 11th 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the 1918 armistice of World War I. On this occasion, France was very busy receiving 72 heads of state and hundreds of diplomatic missions who had come for a collective rememberance of the terrible war during a grand celebration inmemory of the millions of soldiers who gave their life.
Avanti Nights.
Monthly events at Avanti House Secondary School, Stanmore hosted by the PS Alumni with the aim to connect the ...
Consciousness in Science 2019 conference.
The weekend of 18th-20th January marked the first Consciousness in Science 2019 (CS19) conference in Gainesville, Florida, hosted by the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies (BIHS). The opening ceremony at the University of Florida’s Harn Museum saw a total of 400 consciousness and science enthusiasts enjoying an inauguration by the Mayor of Gainesville, followed by keynote talks from eminent scientists, Professor Stuart Hameroff and Brenda Dunne.
One year ago today, on February 7th, 2018, the ISKCON world celebrated the installation of the final two Chakras onto the TOVP Main and Nrsimhadeva Domes. This was a landmark moment that cemented into history the permanency of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium and the victory of Srila Prabhupada’s mission on the face of the Earth. Only time will reveal the importance and world-changing power behind this monument to the Gaudiya Vaisnava parampara as millions of pilgrims path through its entranceway over the next one thousand + years.
To coincide with this one year anniversary the TOVP Fundraising Team is launching it’s newest and most ambitious fundraising Seva Opportunity, the Pillars of Devotion Campaign wherein donors can sponsor the 108 pillars inside the temple and have their names permanently inscribed on them.
With only three years left to the Grand Opening of Srila Prabhupada’s dearmost project, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, the TOVP Fundraising Department is launching its newest and most unique fundraiser, the Pillars of Devotion Campaign, for the MISSION 22 MARATHON to complete the TOVP by 2022.
108 immense pillars in the TOVP, clad with the best marble and sandstone sourced throughout the world, represent the well-known principles of devotion to Krishna, sravanam (hearing), kirtanam (chanting), smaranam (remembering), and atma nivedanam (self-surrender). Along with 2 fourfold, elephant adorned Pillars of Dharma at the main entrance of the temple, they support the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. These foundational pillars are the cornerstone of the process of devotion and of the very physical structure of the temple. We invite you to participate in their completion and installation and make your sankalpa today. Your name will be inscribed on the pillar in perpetuity for as long as the temple stands.
Remember, the Grand Opening of the TOVP in 2022, the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON Mayapur, will establish the Hare Krishna Movement on the world stage for the next 10,000 years of the Golden Age. It will also reaffirm the World Headquarters of ISKCON in the Lord’s sacred birthplace, Sridhama Mayapur. Additionally, this will be the opening of the long-awaited new home of our beloved Mayapur Deities, Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Pancha Tattva, and Sri Nrsimhadeva. And most importantly, this will be the further fulfillment and solidifying of Lord Caitanya’s prediction that His name will be heard in every town and village, and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s deep desire:
“Very soon the chanting of Harinama sankirtana will be spread all over the world. Alas! When will that day come when all greatly fortunate souls in countries such as England, France, Russia, Prussia and America will take up banners, kettle drums, mrdangas and karatalas and thus cause the ecstatic waves of Hari Nama Kirtan and the singing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s holy name to rise in the streets of their towns and cities? O when will that day come, when pure and transcendental Krishna prema (love of God) will be the only religion of all souls and all tiny sectarian religions will meet in the unlimited and universal religion of devotional service to Krishna, as rivers merge into the great ocean? O when will that day come?”
From the Sajjana-tosani of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, late 1800s.
For more information and to sponsor a Pillar of Devotion today go to: Seva Opportunities page
To view the Chakra Installation ceremonies from 2018, click on the links below: Part 1 and Part 2
MISSION 22 MARATHON KI JAYA!!! THINK 22 –> TOVP NOW!
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
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities
The post Chakra Installation One Year Anniversary and Launch of the New Pillars of Devotion Campaign appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Iskcon Kumbha Mela Animated Dioramas (2 min. video)
Very nice, real size, moving dioramas depicting famous pastimes of the Lor...
Srimad Bhagavatam - 4.25.26, ISKCON NVCC Pune (video)
His Holiness Bhakti Rasamrita Swami provided an insight on intelligence ...
Book distribution marathon photos from Paris, France (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our centers are like the oasis in a v...
By Jaya Gaursundar Dasa Just as Ganga is the greatest of all rivers, Srimad Bhagavata Purana is greatest among all Puranas. When we worship Mother Ganga the reservoir of holy water, we take palm full water from the river and with devotion we put it back into the river. Similarly this humble attempt of writing on the topic of Bhagavata Purana is done even though this Purana is the reservoir of everything. It is like taking any paraphernalia for worshiping the supreme Lord which originates and belongs to Him and offering back to Him with love and devotion. From this reservoir I am taking bits and peace and repeating here for my own purification and spiritual satisfaction similar to the feeling of satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food he eats. The more one eats while hungry, the more one feels satisfaction and strength. Continue reading "Srimad Bhagavata Purana
→ Dandavats"
By Madhava Gopal Das All the conditioned souls of this world tacitly harbor a utopian desire of obtaining perfect happiness. But this world is full of mixed happiness and misery. So the long cherished and long sought after perfect happiness is simply mirage or dream, reality of which can be experienced only in the spiritual world. Here we see that although the king had great opulence, beautiful queens, vast military power, several ministers and soldiers and so on, he was still hopeless and sorrowful. Continue reading "Light Of Hope In The Darkness Of Sorrow
→ Dandavats"
The mercy of Srila Prabhupada`s transcendental books!
We were in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria together with bhakta Vesko and went to visit a factory, producing wooden triple-glazing windows for our housing project, and to organize a theater play, advertising in several schools, big local companies, and manufacturing offices. We stopped in front of one such factory when we saw the high fences of the nearby prison. Vesko said enthusiastically:
[Prerana youth meeting at Nigdi, India]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
Video:
The post The mind is a monkey, don’t let it make you a donkey – Hindi appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Youth meeting address, Udupi, India]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
Video:
The post How to increase faith appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Congregation program in the Middle East]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
Video:
The post History of bhakti tradition over 5000 years appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Talk at Singapore]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
Video:
The post How to channel the energy of anger – Hindi appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Consciousness is our most immediate experience. Yet, when it comes to studying consciousness beyond one’s own conscious experience, we can only study circumstantial evidence.
