Ramacandra Kaviraja, the son of Sri Ciranjiva Sena (eternal associate of Lord Caitanya), appeared in Sri Khanda. “Ramacandra Kaviraja was especially earnest, beautiful, intelligent, energetic, and enthusiastic,” said one biographer. 

Although married, Ramacandra and his wife, Ratanala, had no material attachments. They stayed fully engaged in the loving service of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They had no children. 

With steadfast devotion he served his spiritual master, Srinivasa Acharya. In Vrindavan, Sri Jiva Goswami gave him the title, kaviraja, “king of poets.”

In the form of Karna manjari, he serves Srimati Radharani in Vraja lila. His samadhi is in Dhira Samira Kunja next to Srinivasa Acharya. 

Srimad Bhagavatam Verse: 9.11.18-19 Date: 23 Jan 2019 Speaker: HH Subhag Swami Text 18: After mother Sītā entered the earth, Lord Rāmacandra observed complete celibacy and performed an uninterrupted Agnihotra-yajña for thirteen thousand years. Translation 19: After completing the sacrifice, Lord Rāmacandra, whose lotus feet were sometimes pierced by thorns when He lived in Daṇḍakāraṇya, placed those […]

The post Srimad Bhagavatam :HH Subhag Swami appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Giriraj Swami gave the keynote presentation on his book Life’s Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective at the Bhaktivedanta Medical Retreat in Houston.

Death and Dying From the Vedic Perspective – Keynote Presentation

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2017/03/can-know-principle-detail//

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2018/05/tap-strengths-get-rid-weaknesses//

The post Uploaded transcriptions for two QAs. appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A new logo to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ISKCON UK has today been unveiled by the organisational team.Designed by Anantacarya Das, the striking logo encompasses the colours of the Union Jack and features a map of the UK in the background.Speaking today, Praghosa Dasa, UK GBC Chairman said:“The 50th anniversary is an historic milestone for ISKCON UK, where we lookback at the incredible story of how our first temple and deities were established in London, to today where the movement is thriving and going onto bigger and better things.“This logo is an important symbol for us as a UK yatra, bringing together all the wonderful work each of our centres do and will continue to do for the next fifty years and beyond.”. Continue reading "New logo to commemorate ISKCON UK’s 50th anniversary unveiled
→ Dandavats"

In recent months RVC has added many new preaching programs including "Bhakti Vriksha" - a weekly program for congregation and temple members, First Friday Art gallery event in downtown Kansas City, and monday evening drum circles at a local park. RVC has taken up as its top priority to upgrade and update: many of the temple and bhakta ashram facilities, kitchen, prasadam*dining* room, basement hall, and other needs and requirements of the devotees. During 2018 the temple installed a completely new roof, installed a new AC system, updated the restrooms, and fixed other maintenance issues. At RVC, we are making our best efforts to make the "bhakta program" more enlivening, comfortable, and fulfilling.” Continue reading "Reflections on the Bhakta Program for 2018 at Rupanuaga Vedic College, Kansas City, USA
→ Dandavats"

Sending and receiving a letter to an inmate is just as exhilarating and rewarding: connecting one-on-one with a receptive soul, even more so one who is suffering and conscious of his/her suffering and seeking help, is the most rewarding activity I have ever experienced. Given that I have in my possession the key that will unlock their prison, the knowledge that will end all their suffering, it follows naturally that it is my duty—and privilege—to make sure that as many inmates as possible get hold of it too. Continue reading "CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR LONG
→ Dandavats"

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2018/05/practicing-spirituality-inner-world-change//

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2018/06/can-avoid-karmic-entanglement-working-office//

The post Uploaded transcriptions for QA. appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

When we practice bhakti, we often expect to become freed from problems. And if that expectation is not met, we become disheartened.

When the category 4 Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico on September 20^th, 2017, the U.S. territory’s only ISKCON temple, in Gurabo, was almost completely destroyed. For nearly a year after, devotees did not have electricity or running water, and groceries and gas were hard to come by.

In 2016, ISKCON centers all around the world celebrated the 50^thanniversary of the society’s incorporation on July 13^th, 1966 by Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada. Now, ISKCON UK is set to celebrate the 50^thanniversary of its own incorporation, a story which has itself long been ISKCON legend.

Shyamasundar Das, one of ISKCON’s earliest pioneers, has released Volume Two in his two-part series “Chasing Rhinos,” which gives a personal, insider’s account of major events in ISKCON’s history and a sense of the “anything’s possible” excitement and drive of those early days.

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, 02 January 2015, Simhachalam, Germany, Caitanya Caritamrta Antya 7.16)

We must not blindly follow but always use our intelligence to deeply understand our philosophy and all the stories from the different ages. In previous ages, quite outstanding things were possible. In those times, sages had amazing powers and piety was a big thing.

But now, we live in a different age. The first principle of this age is forgiveness, ksama; that is the essence. If there is no forgiveness – forget it! If you cannot forgive then you cannot be a devotee, as it is not going to work that way. So many people do things to us and sooner or later, it is a devotee. Have you thought about the things that devotees have done to you? Devotees, you know, tilak and neckbeads, how they have treated us sometimes!? But forgiveness is required because how can we live amongst the vaisnavas without forgiveness? How can we preach without forgiveness? The fact is that everyone is so sinful, so fallen, so learning to forgive is a very deep thing.

In Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhismadev says that to conquer anger one must learn to forgive, as without forgiving, some anger remains. There are different types of anger –  first there is a hot anger, the fist on the table type, ‘And now, it is enough!!’  Then there is the other anger, the cold one, where the heart freezes and one says, ‘For that one, there is no mercy!’  Ice-cold anger in a frozen heart.

So we need to see others through our own example and ask ourselves who is actually perfect amongst us, who has never made a mistake? Who has not done anything wrong to anybody? If there is an angel amongst us, please show us your wings! So we can see it is not that feasible. Therefore, if we approach others through our own life and through how we have dealt with others, then it is easier to forgive.

We are filled with weaknesses, so to forgive means to accept weakness in others, that they make mistakes and that they are not perfect. It is actually to be expected in this age of kali because in this age, weakness of character is our biggest problem. We are weak – we have no determination, we have no piety, we are proud, we cannot tolerate very much, we are lazy and we do not want to work very hard, we are not very learned but at the same time, we think that we know everything.

These are all the typical things that everybody has – everybody! It is not that somebody is different, but everybody thinks, ‘I know very well! Why they are telling me this, when I already know it? What can I do, when Krsna gave it to me, to know things!’  The root cause of our material disease is manifested in thinking, ‘I know!’ Because we think that way, it becomes such a habit to just do our own thing and not accept a proper guidance.

The article " The age of forgiveness " was published on KKSBlog.

Generally the first major festival of the year in Sri Dham Mayapur is Sri Krishna Pusya abhishek. This is a festival of joy, as every year we get a chance to offer some personal service to our dearest Sri Sri Radha Madhava and it is truly a glimpse into what it may be like in […]

The post Sri Krishna Pushya Abhishek 2019 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Answer Podcast

The post If Jesus came today, he would not be a Christian – should we avoid organized religion? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Two months later, on Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-puja day - 9 September 1966 - Srila Prabhupada held the first initiations in ISKCON. Michael Grant became Mukunda Dasa and Jan became Janaki Dasi, Srila Prabhupada's first woman initiate and one of three ISKCON trustees. Three days later, Prabhupada performed a marriage ceremony for them. In those early years, Prabhupada established a personal, warm rapport with each of his disciples and nurtured them in spiritual life. This was true of both men and women. Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s Transcendental Sweetness and Beauty
→ Dandavats"

The transcendental land of Vrndavana is always spiritual. That spiritual land is populated by goddesses of fortune, who are known as gopis. These are all beloved of Krsna, and Krsna is the only lover of all those gopis. The trees of that land are kalpa-vrksa, wish-fulfilling trees, and one can have anything he wants from them. The land is made of touchstone and the water of nectar. In that supreme abode, all speech is song, all walking is dancing, and one's constant companion is the flute. Surabhi cows flood the land with milk, and everything is self-luminous, just like the sun in the material world. Since every moment there is spent in loving service to Krsna, there is no past, present or future. Continue reading "Vrndavana – Land of No Return
→ Dandavats"

Folding his hands, Sanatana Gosvami said, "My Lord, You ordered me to write a directory about the activities of Vaishnavas. I am a most lowborn person. I have no knowledge of good behavior. How is it possible for me to write authorized directions about Vaishnava activities?" Sanatana Gosvami then requested the Lord, "Please personally tell me how I can write this difficult book about Vaishnava behavior. Please manifest Yourself in my heart. If You would please manifest Yourself within my heart and personally direct me in writing this book, then, although I am lowborn, I may hope to be able to write it. Continue reading "Vaishnava Etiquette
→ Dandavats"

Answer Podcast

The post Is science entirely objective and value-free with no subjectivity in it? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

In spite of the fact that everything comes from the Supreme Being, He is still aloof from it all. He does not disengage Himself from His eternal pleasure pastimes with His devotees in the spiritual realm. So, in the process of creating the material worlds, the Supreme expands Himself into various forms, which are His plenary parts. Krishna is the primeval Lord, the original Personality of Godhead, so He can expand Himself into unlimited forms with all potencies. They are no different from Him, but may exhibit differences in form.

He first expands Himself into Baladeva, or Balarama, who is considered Krishna’s second body and brother. Balarama assists in Lord Krishna’s innumerable spiritual pastimes in both the spiritual and material realms.

Lord Balarama is also Lord Sankarshana, the predominator of the creative energy. He creates and is the shelter of the material and spiritual worlds. By the will of Krishna and the power of the spiritual energy, Lord Balarama creates the spiritual world, which consists of the planet Goloka Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets. 1

Lord Balarama especially assists Lord Krishna in the creation of the material worlds. After Balarama has expanded Himself into Lord Maha-Sankarshana, He expands Himself into four different forms, including: 1) Karanadakashayi Vishnu [Maha-Vishnu], 2) Garbhodakashayi Vishnu [the expansion in each universe], 3) Ksirodakashayi Vishnu [the Supersoul in each individual], and 4) Sesha, also called Seshanaga. These first four plenary portions assist in the material cosmic manifestation. Sesha is Balarama’s form who assists in the Lord’s personal service. He is also called Ananta, meaning unlimited, because He assists the Lord in His unlimited variety of pastimes. 2

* * *

To explain more clearly, all expansions of the Lord begin with Sri Krishna. For His pastimes in one of the highest levels of the spiritual realm, called Dvaraka, Sri Krishna expands Himself into Balarama, who then expands Himself into Pradyumna and Aniruddha. These four expand into a second quadruple which is present in the unlimited Vaikuntha planets of the spiritual sky. The second quadruple is known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. They are changeless, transcendental expansions of the Supreme Lord, Krishna. In this second quadruple, Vasudeva is an expansion of Krishna, and Sankarshana is a representation of Balarama.

In the Vaikuntha sky there is the pure, spiritual creative energy called Shuddha-sattva that sustains all of the spiritual planets with the full opulences of knowledge, wealth, power, beauty, etc., all of which pervade the entire spiritual kingdom and are fully enjoyed by the residents there. This energy is but a display of the creative potencies of Balarama, Maha-Sankarshana. It is also this Sankarshana who is the original cause of the Causal Ocean where Karanodakashayi Vishnu (Maha-Vishnu) sleeps, while breathing out the seeds of innumerable universes. When the cosmic creation is annihilated, all of the materially conditioned, although indestructible, living entities merge back into the body of Maha-Vishnu where they rest until the time of the next creation. So, Balarama as Sankarshana is the origin of Maha-Vishnu, from whom originates all of the potencies of the material manifestation. 3

So, to summarize, for His spiritual pastimes in the Vaikuntha realm, Lord Krishna has four original expansions, namely Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Maha-Vishnu is an expansion of Sankarshana; Garbhodakashayi Vishnu is an expansion of Pradyumna; and Ksirodakashayi Vishnu is an expansion of Aniruddha. 4

* * *

To begin explaining the purpose and function of these expansions, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.6.42) describes that, “Maha-Vishnu (Karanadakashayi Vishnu) is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the process of creating the material worlds. He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, elements, material ego, the modes of nature, senses, the universal form of the Lord (Garbhodakashayi Vishnu) and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.”

Then Maha-Vishnu lies down in the Viraja River, which is the border between the spiritual and material worlds. 5

Lord Maha-Vishnu is the source of thousands of avataras in His thousands and thousands of subjective portions. He is the creator of countless individual souls. He is also known by the name of Narayana, meaning the shelter of all the individual jiva souls. From Him springs forth the vast expanse of water known as the spiritual Causal Ocean. Maha-Vishnu then reclines in the waters of the Causal Ocean in a state of divine sleep, called yoga-nidra. Thus, it is said that the universal creation is but the dream of Maha-Vishnu. 6

Since the waters of the Causal Ocean, known as the Karana Ocean, come from the body of Maha-Vishnu, it is completely spiritual. The sacred Ganges is but a drop from that ocean, which can purify the fallen souls. 7

Lord Balarama also expands into the great serpent known as Ananta, or Seshanaga. He reposes on the Causal Ocean and serves as the couch upon whom Lord Maha-Vishnu reclines. 8

That Ananta-Sesha is the devotee incarnation of God who knows nothing but service to Lord Krishna. With His thousands of mouths He always sings the endless glories of Lord Krishna. He also expands Himself to serve as Lord Krishna’s paraphernalia, including such items as the umbrella, slippers, bedding, pillow, garments, resting chair, residence, sacred gayatri thread, and throne in the pastimes of Lord Krishna. Thus, He has attained and exhibits the ultimate end of servitude to Lord Krishna. 9
At the time of creation, after the Supreme has been sleeping for some time, the first emanation from the breathing of Lord Maha-Vishnu are the personified Vedas who serve Him by waking Him from His mystic sleep. They begin to enthusiastically sing His glories, pastimes, and praises, just as a King is awaken in the morning by poets who recite his heroic deeds. 10 This shows the eternal nature of the Vedic literature. They are not merely the writings of men, but they are spiritual vibrations that exist before and after the material creation, and which emanate from the Supreme Lord.

Once the Lord is awoken, He casts His glance upon the material energy of maya. Then she becomes agitated. At that time the Lord injects the original seeds of all living entities. This glance is how the Supreme impregnates material nature with all the living entities. Thus, the Lord does not personally touch the material energy, but by His functional expansion He places the living entities into the material nature by His glance. 11 This functional expansion of the Lord takes the form as Shiva, which will be explained later.

After agitating material nature into three qualities, which are the modes of nature in the form of passion, goodness, and ignorance, they become active and material nature begins to give birth to the total material energy known as the hiranya-mahat-tattva. This is the sum total of cosmic intelligence. Thus, material nature becomes agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls as determined by the influence of the modes of nature. 12

Simply by the glance of Maha-Vishnu consciousness is created, which is known as the mahat-tattva. The predominating Deity of the mahat-tattva is Lord Vasudeva, another expansion of Lord Krishna. This explains how the material energy is like the mother of the living beings while the Lord is the Supreme Father of everyone. Just as a woman cannot give birth without the contact of a man, or at least his seed, so material nature cannot create without the contact of the Supreme Being.

So, first the total material energy is manifest, and from this arise the three types of egotism, which are the original sources of all the demigods [the minor controlling deities], the senses, and material elements. By combining the different elements, the Supreme Lord creates all of the unlimited universes. Once the material elements have been manifested, and the full potential for creating the universes has been established, the innumerable universes begin to emanate from the pores of the body of Maha-Vishnu, and from His exhalations. They appear just like atomic particles that float in sunshine and pass through a screen. When Maha-Vishnu inhales at the time of the universal annihilation, they return to His body. In this way, Maha-Vishnu is the Supersoul of all the universes. 13

Brahma, the demigods, and each universe remain alive for the duration of one of His exhalations. 14 However, there is no limit to the exhalations of Maha-Vishnu. 15

Once all of the universes are created, which are unlimited, Maha-Vishnu expands Himself into unlimited forms and enters each universe as Garbhodakashayi Vishnu. Once He is in each universe, He sees that there is no place to reside. Then, after some consideration, He fills half of the universe with water from His own perspiration. He then lays down on the water, again supported by the bed of Seshanaga. 16

Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, who is known within the universe as Hiranyagarbha and Antaryami, the Supersoul, is glorified in the Vedic hymns. He is the master of each and every universe and shelter of the external or material energy. However, being transcendental, He is completely beyond the touch of the external energy.

Next is the third expansion of Vishnu, called Ksirodakashayi Vishnu, who is the incarnation of the quality of goodness. He is the universal form of the Lord and expands Himself as the Supersol within every living entity. He is known as Ksirodakashayi Vishnu because He lies on the ocean of milk on the island of Svetadvipa. These are the three expansions of Lord Vishnu who oversee and make the creation of the material world possible. 17

In this way, we can see how all of the expansions of the Lord, and also all of His energies that are manifested to bring forth the cosmic creation, all originate from Lord Krishna. Therefore, the reason why Lord Krishna is considered the ninth incarnation is only because this is the order in which He displays His avatars before He displays His own pastimes. Basically, if we can further understand this description, everything is but a pastime of the Lord.

A few additional verses that clarify this topic include the 3rd chapter of the 1st Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam which describes the principle incarnations of the Supreme Lord. Having done that, verse 28 says:

ete camsha-kalah pumsah
krsnas tu bhagavan svayam
indrari-vyakulam lokam
mridayanti yuge yuge

“All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.”
Also in Brahma Samhita (5.1) Lord Brahma says:

isvarah paramah krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam

“Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.”
In this way, the Vedic literature agrees that Krishna is the source of Brahma, Shiva and all other demigods. In the Atharva Veda (Gopala-tapani Upanishad 1.24) it is said, yo brahmanam vidadhati purvam yo vai vedamsh cha gapayati sma krishnah: “It was Krishna who in the beginning instructed Brahma in Vedic knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past.”
Then the Narayana Upanishad (1) says, atha purusho ha vai narayano kamayata prajah srijeyeti: “Then the Supreme Personality Narayana desired to create living entities.” The Upanishad continues, narayanad brahma jayate, narayanad prajapatih prajayate, narayanad indro jayate, narayanad ashtau vasavo jayante, narayanad ekadasha rudra jayante, narayanad dvadashadityah: “From Narayana, Brahma is born, and from Narayana the patriarchs are also born. From Narayana, Indra is born, from Narayana the eight Vasus are born, from Narayana the eleven Rudras are born, from Narayana the twelve Adityas are born.”
This Narayana is an expansion of Krishna as previously explained.
It is further said in the Narayana Upanishad 4, brahmanyo devaki-putrah: “The son of Devaki, Krishna, is the Supreme Personality.”
In the Moksha-dharma Sri Krishna Himself says,

prajapatim cha rudram chapy aham eva srijami vai
tau hi mam na vijanito mama maya-vimohitau

“The patriarchs, Shiva and others are created by Me, though they do not know that they are created by Me because they are deluded by My illusory energy.”
Lord Brahma continues to pray and explains in his Brahma Samhita (5.46) how the potency in Krishna’s expansions spreads from one form to another:

diparchir eva hi dashantaram abhyupetya
dipayate vivrita-hetu-samana-dharma
yas tadrig eva hi cha vishnutaya vibhati
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami

“The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations.”
Thus, the Vedic knowledge clearly accepts Sri Krishna (Govinda) as the original independent causeless fountainhead of all of His various personality manifestations known as the various Vishnu avataras (forms/personalities).

CHAPTER NOTES
1. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.255-6
2. Ibid., Adi-lila, 5.4-6, 8-11
3. Ibid., Adi-lila, 5.41 & purport
4. Ibid., Adi-lila, 2.56, purport
5. Ibid., Madhya-lila, 20.268-271
6. Brahma-samhita, 5.11-12
7. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 5.54
8. Brahma-samhita, 5.47
9. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 5.120-124
10. Srimad-Bhagavatam, 10.87.12-13
11. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.272
12. Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.26.19
13. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.275-282
14. Brahma-samhita, 5.48
15. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.324
16. Ibid., Madhya-lila, 20.284-6
17. Ibid., Madhya-lila, 20.292, 294-5

[More information found at: http://www.stephen-knapp.com]

The word kirtana means "praise" or "glory" and is the name given to glorification of God in song, especially in call-and-response style. There are different categories of kirtana. For example, nama-kirtana refers to singing God's sacred names, lila-kirtana celebrates the transcendental activities of God and His associates, sankirtana is group singing, and nagara-sankirtana is public chanting in the streets. There are numerous variations of these. Closely related is bhajana, or prayerful song. Devotees generally stand or dance while performing kirtana, and they sit to conduct bhajana. In addition, bhajana is generally more subdued than kirtana. Continue reading "Kirtana-Yoga and the Maha-mantra
→ Dandavats"

"Do we have to give up technology and return to village life?" We don't have to give up technology, but we do have to give up the illusion that technology can make us happy. If we are diseased, we don't have to give up the painkiller, only the illusion that the painkiller can cure our disease. We have to adopt the cure of spirituality for attaining real happiness. And since technology pervades our modern world, we can use the Vedic principle of yukta-vairagya, devotional renunciation: Without being attached to material things for personal enjoyment, use them for the service of God. Continue reading "Where Technology Falls Short
→ Dandavats"

Women in general are unable to speculate like philosophers, but they are blessed by the Lord because they believe at once in the superiority and almightiness of the Lord, and thus they offer obeisances without reservation. The Lord is so kind that He does not show special favor only to one who is a great philosopher. He knows the sincerity of purpose. For this reason only, women generally assemble in great number in any sort of religious function. In every country and in every sect of religion it appears that the women are more interested than the men. Continue reading "The Most Intelligent Woman
→ Dandavats"