Planet ISKCON

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!

A video by ISKCON Desire Tree.

A video by Sivarama Swami.

A video by Vrsabhanu Das.

Giriraj like never seen before… (Album of amazing photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When the transcendental vibration of Hare Krishna is sounded, even the trees, animals and insects benefit. Thus when one chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra loudly, he actually shows mercy to all living entities. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.13.19 Purport)

Govardhan Puja Celebration in ISKCON Kolkata (2018) (Album of photos)
Arjun Bhattacharyya: Govardhan Puja and Annakuta festiv...

Jaganmohini dd: This instruction of yours which I heard several times from my spiritual master, founder director of BI and your beloved servant, H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami, has been largely echoing in our thoughts this year Continue reading "A Grand Disciple’s Heartfelt Offering To Srila Prabhupada On His Disappearance Day
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By Bhakti Caru Swami

That night, Srila Prabhupada called me. I was attending Srila Prabhupada – actually one of us used to always be with Srila Prabhupada for two hours. My shift was 12am-2am. So it must have been around 1am. Srila Prabhupada called me, and told me: “The time has come for me to leave this planet, therefore you should make arrangement to take me to Vrindavan immediately.” He wanted to leave his body in Vrindavan. I was completely shocked and immediately ran downstairs to wake up Tamal Krishna Maharaj. Continue reading "Bhakti Caru Swami on Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day (video)
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 01.32 Don’t let the means to an end become an end that diverts us from the actual ends appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Talk to World Philosophy students at Scottsdale Community College, Phoenix, USA]

Podcast

 

PPT:

The post God in the bhakti tradition – How can we infer his existence and communicate with him? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Who Are You? What Is Really Yours? What Do You Take With You When Your Body Dies?
Karnamrita Das ACBSP: One way I would answe...

Фотоальбом

In this album we see up close some of the famous ‘desire trees’ of Sri Vrindavan Dhama. These wish-fulfilling trees grant the desires of the residents of Vrindavan in their services to the Divine Couple. We spent a beautiful morning in such a forest of trees just at the foot of Varsana, the eternal residence of Srimati Radharani. While chanting and dancing there we were able to perceive the spiritual nature of that divine abode and the effect it had on purifying our hearts. The katha we had kept everyone spellbound for hours. We hanker to return there again and again!

About 350 people streamed in through the rustic cob entranceway of ISKCON Alachua’s Eco Teaching Farm on October 27^th, buzzing and excited to attend its third annual Fall Festival and learn more about simple living and higher thinking. 

Govardhana Puja Celebration in Moscow Iskcon Temple (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If we simply place ourselves at the lo...

The ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry has released two position papers on perennially debated issues: “Showing Radharani’s lotus feet;” and “Who can participate in public abhisekhas in ISKCON Centers?”

Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi Kalash in Mayapur gets renovated (Album of photos)
Sadbhuja Das: The Samadhi Kalash is been redone. It will look like the TOVP Kalashes made by titanium nitride. We can see the TOVP devotees working with our Russian team. They are measuring the Kalash for the installation.
This will happen very soon.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tCYhyn

Srila Prabhupada’s books in Mongolian (Album of photos)
Today, Srila Prabhupada got a parcel from Mongolia containing five copies of the newly published Mongolian “Science of Self-Realization”.
Designed in Sweden, and layed out and printed in Mongolia, this is by far the best-produced Mongolian BBT title ever. In Ulaanbataar, Ekala Isvara Prabhu, though very new at laying out books, perfectly executed each adjustment and fine-tuned the book to graphic and typographic perfection.
The printing and binding is so well done that the book is indistinguishable from any similar book printed in Europe.
It was such a pleasure to offer this amazing title to Srila Prabhupada.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/yRCJLe

The Vedic scriptures proclaim that the glories of Lord Krishna are unlimited and eternal and no one is able to reach the end of them. In the same way, who can fully describe the splendid glories of Sri Giriraja-Govardhana, the best servant of the Lord and at the same time non-different from the Lord Himself? […]

The post Govardhan Puja Festival Pictures appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Amazing is hardly the word to describe this truly inspiring 360° panoramic view of the interior of the temple room produced by Srisha prabhu and his team at the TOVP 3D Modeling and Visualization Department.

Once you have the photo on your screen you can simply allow it to automatically take you on a tour, or you can manually go from right to left, left to right or up and down by holding down the left clicker on your mouse and dragging the photo in the direction you want to go. Through the manual control you can view every angle of the room, including the very top of the dome looking straight up.

We all look forward to more wonderful photos like this from Srisha and his team.

 

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
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities

The post Amazing TOVP Main Temple Interior 360° Panoramic Photo appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

We are getting close to the Disappearance Day of Srila Prabhupada, which is a pivot point of our Kartika Festival in Vrndavan. He has blessed us forever by personally sitting here in Vrndavana in his divine Samadhi. Please take the opportunity to give a generous donation towards the daily mainentance of and/or Fixed Deposits of Prabhupada's Samadhi. The interest accrued will serve Prabhupada eternally. We are all have been eternally benefited by His Divine Grace.

Marbling of the interior walls and columns of the main temple hall continues in full force and we have completed a full circle around the hall.

You can see the beauty and quality of the first class marble being used and the artistic designs being created.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

 

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
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities

The post Interior Marbling Progress appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Dr. Khalifa Yaseen Bin Aradi, Director of Arabic & Islamic Studies at the University of Bahrain (located just 24 km. from the border of Saudi Arabia) receives a personal copy of the Arabic Bhagavad Gita As It Is from Sridhari Madhava Prabhu of the local ISKCON branch. The professor was so thankful and impressed to receive the Gita As It Is in Arabic that he personally took our Prabhu across campus to see Mr. Hedi Talbi, Director Of Library & Information Services at the University. Dr. Khalifa Yaseen Bin Aradi was prepared to insist that the university library take a full set of the Arabic books... ... He didn't have to insist. As the royal succession of the Kingdom of Bahrain's monarchy appeared to look over the historical scene from their photos on the wall, the library director happily accepted the Arabic Gita and the three small Arabic books for immediate addition to the Library's general collection, for access by the entire student population... Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

The Desire Trees of Vrindavan (10 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Varsana is the sacred home of Srimati Radharani where she lived with her parents during the early years of Her life. Along with Her gopi maidservants, She would traverse the wooded forests of Varsana as they went to the market to sell their milk products - sometimes meeting Her beloved Krsna along the way. One of Her favorite forests still exists to this very day with ancient “desire trees” still dotting the landscape. Our parikrama party had the good fortune to visit Varsana along with the mystic forest, where we hugged the trees as per tradition and begged one day become. eternal servants of the divine couple.

By Bhakta Manfred

Srila Prabhupada created a home where everyone can live in, I have personally experienced this at the Hare Krishna Training centre( ISKCON NAIROBI). As early as 3:30 am you can hear distant chanting as the boys here prepare for morning program and meditation. The Hare Krishna Training Centre (HKTC), officially Opened by HH. Gopal Krishna Maharaja on 11th January 2017 with a population of fifty students then has now been running for seven years. Students here get a training for the real world; spiritual practice. From the program held on Wednesdays and Saturday they are taught why it is important to start their day early with meditation on the supreme personality of Godhead; Krishna. Continue reading "Iskcon Nairobi – Hare Krishna Training Center Graduation 2018
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By Gauranga Darshan Das

An ordinary person might break relationship with others just because they act against his will. But the Supreme Lord never breaks His relationship with the living entities although they act against His will millions of times. Even if the conditioned soul commits such abominable activities and becomes an insect, or a hot or a worm in the stool also, Krsna is willing to stay right in His heart as Paramatma or Supersoul. That is His unlimited kindness due to which He can never disown us. And that kindness of Krsna is our hope. However, one shouldn’t take undue advantage of Krsna’s kindness and purposefully perform wrong deeds. Continue reading "Disapproved but not Disowned
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The article " Eternal happiness " was published on KKSBlog.

In this week’s podcast episode we interview Akrura Prabhu, a Krishna conscious leadership and life coaching program based on Bhagavad-gita. Akrura Prabhu is the first return guest on the Successful Vaisnavas podcast. Now let’s hear…  What High Thinking Means Especially for Devotees  What a Coach Can Do for Devotees in the First Coaching Sessions  Where You […]

The post SV-22- Ten Principles of Thinking Partnerships with Akrura Prabhu appeared first on Successful Vaisnavas - Personal Development for Hare Krishnas.

Answer Podcast

The post Can a devotee scientist do animal testing for professional research? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus all over the world, generally over a five day period. Depending on where in India, Kali puja is the main day, or Laksmi puja etc.

Srila Prabhupada said that we as vaisnavas celebrate the festival of many lights (dipabali) in honour of Bharata welcoming Lord Rama back to Ayodhya after He killed the asura, Ravana. All the citizens lined their houses and streets with thousands of bright glowing lamps.

The Bhakti Centre on the Gold Coast celebrated the festival and invited me to give the lecture and lead the kirtan.

TOVP: Progress Report (Album of photos)
Sadbhuja Das: Continues progress report.
Here you can see the work going on outsi...

Ambika devi dasi: The name 'Govardhana' has two meanings: 'Go' means 'cows' and 'vardhana' means 'nourishment'. 'Go' also means 'the senses' and 'vardhana' is 'to increase'. So Govardhana nourishes the cows and increases the senses in attraction to Krishna.

Read More...

Spending the day at our camp at Sri Varshana Dham, Celebrating Govardhan Puja, and in the afternoon will go for Varshana Parikrama. Today is also the beginning of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Kartik Month and also the appearance day of Sri Rasikanand Prabhu, the foremost disciple of Shyamanand Prabhu a stalwart preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Tomorrow many devotees from various ISKCON temples will join us for the Govardhan Puja.

By Giriraj Swami

Sometimes people are suspicious if spiritual performances are too simple. They want to see something elaborate, something gorgeous, something complicated, and then they have faith that it is proper. Srila Prabhupada used the same approach as mentioned here when he installed the Deities of Krishna-Balarama in Vrindavan. He invited the local brahmans to chant mantras and light sacrificial fires. He did so to satisfy them and to inspire faith in the community that the installation was being done properly. Later, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “We would simply have performed sankirtana, but then the inhabitants of Vrindavan would not have taken the installation ceremony seriously.” So, to satisfy the local residents and instill faith that the installation was done properly with local brahmans, he observed the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. But Srila Prabhupada’s disciples still performed loud sankirtana, and Srila Prabhupada “considered the sankirtana more important than the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.” (SB 6.3.25 purport) Continue reading "Govardhana-puja
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We are gathered on the auspicious occasion of Sri Govardhana-puja at the feet of Sri Giriraja Govardhana. Many of you may know the history, related in Srimad-Bhagavatam: One day Sri Krishna noticed that the cowherd men were collecting paraphernalia for worship. As the omniscient Supersoul, the Lord already understood the whole situation. Still, as a matter of etiquette, He humbly inquired from His elders, headed by Nanda Maharaja, what their purpose was. He said that no secrets should be kept by saintly persons, and certainly not from friends and relatives. Nanda Maharaja answered that the paraphernalia was being gathered for the worship of King Indra, because King Indra sends rains that sustain all creatures.

Krishna proceeded to give many arguments against the Indra-yajna, and although many of the arguments came in the category of Karma-mimamsa, which is not really the philosophy of Srimad-Bhagavatam or Krishna consciousness, Krishna put them forward just to stop the impending sacrifice and curb Indra’s false pride. Then Lord Krishna proposed that the paraphernalia for the worship of Indra be used for the worship of the cows, the brahmans, and Govardhana Hill. And as will be revealed later in the pastime, Krishna demonstrated that Govardhana Hill was actually Krishna Himself.

Now I shall read a few verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam in which Lord Krishna explains the worship of Govardhana Hill that He wanted the Vraja-vasis to perform.

Canto 10, Chapter 24, “Worshiping Govardhana Hill”:

TEXT 24

na nah puro janapada
  na grama na grha vayam
vanaukasas tata nityam
  vana-saila-nivasinah

TRANSLATION

My dear father, our home is not in the cities or towns or villages. Being forest dwellers, we always live in the forest and on the hills.

PURPORT

Lord Krsna here points out that the residents of Vrndavana should recognize their relationship with Govardhana Hill and with the forests of Vrndavana, and not worry about a distant demigod like Indra. Having concluded His argument, Lord Krsna makes a radical proposal in the following verse.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

Indra is one of the powerful demigods. The Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and other scriptures explain that there is one Supreme Lord, Krishna (isvarah paramah krsnah), but that He has many powerful servants whom He entrusts with the management of different universal affairs. Thus, Krishna is like the king and the demigods are like His ministers. As in the ordinary world there is a minister or secretary in charge of energy, so there are demigods in charge of various necessities of life. For example, Indra is in charge of the rain, Vayu is in charge of the air, and Varuna is in charge of the waters. The goddess Sarasvati is in charge of knowledge and culture and music. And on another level, Brahma is in charge of creation, and Shiva is in charge of destruction. These different demigods are servants of Krishna, just as ministers are servants of the king.

If we pray to a demigod or worship a demigod, he may give us some material boon, but in the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says that such worship is avidhi-purvakam, not proper, and that such worship is actually meant for Him. Because Krishna is in the heart of every living entity, He is also in the hearts of all the demigods. So even if we pray to a demigod, the demigod has no power to grant the prayer without the sanction of Krishna within the heart. In other words, the demigods are not independent.

When we chant the holy name, we’re advised to avoid certain offenses (nama-aparadhas). The first is to blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name. And another offense is to consider the names of demigods, even the most powerful ones such as Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, to be equal to or independent of the names of Lord Vishnu. So, the demigods are not equal to Krishna, or Vishnu, and they’re not independent of Him. If we think that they are on the same level, we are involved in committing an offense. And if we commit offenses when we chant the holy name, we don’t get the result that we’re meant to get from chanting.

Generally, impersonalists think that the demigods are equal to Krishna; they think that the Supreme ultimately is impersonal and that the same impersonal One comes in various forms—as Vishnu, Shiva, Surya, Durga, or Ganesh. And they say that ultimately one has to go beyond these different forms to merge and become one with the impersonal God, or Brahman. But devotees find such a proposal to be repugnant, because the life and bliss of a devotee come in serving the Lord. If the devotee were to merge and become one with the effulgence of God, then where would be the chance for service? Therefore, great devotees pray that they would rather live in hell than merge into the brahmajyoti, because at least in hell they can serve and glorify Krishna, which is their real happiness and life.

So, whether one is an impersonalist who thinks that we are actually meant to go beyond the different forms and merge into and become one with the impersonal effulgence of God, or whether one is just an ordinary materialist who thinks that there are many equal gods who bestow different benedictions and that according to the particular benediction one wants, one can choose a particular god to worship and get the result, the fact remains the same: Krishna is the Supreme Godhead, and all others are His servants (ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya [Cc Adi 5.142]). Pure devotees have no desire to gain any material reward for their worship. They just want to serve Krishna in love, for His pleasure. And the happiness they get from such pure devotional service far exceeds—by millions and trillions of times—even the happiness that one can get from impersonal liberation, what to speak of the insignificant happiness one can get from material facilities in this world of death.

So, devotees simply want to serve Krishna in love, and the residents of Vrindavan agreed to worship Govardhana Hill not because of all the arguments that Krishna gave, but because of their love for Him. As mentioned, Krishna’s arguments were really meant to provoke Indra and ultimately to curb his false pride. Otherwise, the devotees of Vrindavan were so in love with Krishna that they would do whatever He wanted just to please Him, out of love. No other reason was required. And that is the specific qualification of the devotees of Vrindavan: they love Krishna naturally and spontaneously, not because He is God. They do not place any condition, that if Krishna is God we will love Him but if He is not God we will not love Him. They don’t even bother about whether He’s God or not. They just love Him as the beautiful son of Nanda and Yasoda, and just to please Him they are ready to do whatever He wants.

TEXT 25

 tasmad gavam brahmananam
  adres carabhyatam makhah
 ya indra-yaga-sambharas
  tair ayam sadhyatam makhah

 TRANSLATION

Therefore may a sacrifice for the pleasure of the cows, the brahmanas, and Govardhana Hill begin! With all the paraphernalia collected for worshiping Indra, let this sacrifice be performed instead.

PURPORT

Lord Krsna is famous as go-brahmana-hita, the well-wishing friend of the cows and the brahmanas. Lord Krsna specifically included the local brahmanas in His proposal because He is always devoted to those who are devoted to the godly Vedic culture.

COMMENT

You may know the prayers:

namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krsnaya govindaya namo namah

“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krishna, who is the worshipable Deity for all brahminical men, who is the well-wisher of cows and brahmans, and who is always benefiting the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krishna and Govinda.”

And:

he krsna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate
gopesa gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo ‘stu te

“O my dear Krishna, O ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopis, especially Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.”

The latter verse describes Krishna as the master of the cowherd men (gopas) and the lover of the cowherd girls (gopis), especially Srimati Radharani. That is our goal—to serve Krishna, the lover of Srimati Radharani and the gopis and lord of all the residents of Vrindavan. But how do we achieve such pure devotional service? In Vedic society the brahminical culture serves to gradually elevate the conditioned souls to that stage of perfect God consciousness. Thus, the worship of the brahmans is important, because the brahmans teach us Vedic knowledge for God realization. They study and teach shastra. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreyah uttamam: when one is actually interested in one’s ultimate benefit, one should approach a spiritual master, the best of the brahmans. He teaches the Vedic literatures, he lives by the Vedic literatures, and he instructs his students to do the same.

In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna specifically instructs us to protect the cows (go-raksya). The cows are important because they give milk, and from the milk we make ghee and with the ghee we can perform Vedic sacrifices. But even more important than Vedic sacrifices, with the ghee and other milk products we can make offerings to Giriraja and Giridhari and thus advance in Krishna consciousness directly. So, the cows and brahmans are important in Krishna consciousness.

TEXT 26

pacyantam vividhah pakah
  supantah payasadayah
samyavapupa-saskulyah
  sarva-dohas ca grhyatam

TRANSLATION

Let many different kinds of food be cooked, from sweet rice to vegetable soups! Many kinds of fancy cakes, both baked and fried, should be prepared. And all the available milk products should be taken for this sacrifice.

PURPORT

The word supa indicates bean broth and also liquid vegetables. Thus to celebrate the Govardhana-puja Lord Krsna called for hot preparations such as soup, cold preparations like sweet rice, and all types of milk products.

COMMENT

Many of the cooks in the audience may have found that the preparations they made today for offering to Giri Govardhana are included in Lord Krishna’s list. Actually, the Vraja-vasis brought huge quantities of food to offer to Govardhana Hill, and Govardhana ate all of them.

TEXT 27

huyantam agnayah samyag
  brahmanair brahma-vadibhih
annam bahu-gunam tebhyo
  deyam vo dhenu-daksinah

TRANSLATION

The brahmanas who are learned in the Vedic mantras must properly invoke the sacrificial fires. Then you should feed the priests with nicely prepared food and reward them with cows and other gifts.

PURPORT

According to Srila Sridhara Svami, Lord Sri Krsna instructed His father and other residents of Vrndavana in the technical details of this Vedic sacrifice to assure the quality of the sacrifice and also to inspire Nanda and the others with faith in the concept of such a sacrifice. Thus the Lord mentioned that there must be orthodox brahmanas, regular sacrificial fires, and proper distribution of charity. And things were to be done in the order given by the Lord.

COMMENT

Sometimes people are suspicious if spiritual performances are too simple. They want to see something elaborate, something gorgeous, something complicated, and then they have faith that it is proper. Srila Prabhupada used the same approach as mentioned here when he installed the Deities of Krishna-Balarama in Vrindavan. He invited the local brahmans to chant mantras and light sacrificial fires. He did so to satisfy them and to inspire faith in the community that the installation was being done properly. Later, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “We would simply have performed sankirtana, but then the inhabitants of Vrindavan would not have taken the installation ceremony seriously.” So, to satisfy the local residents and instill faith that the installation was done properly with local brahmans, he observed the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. But Srila Prabhupada’s disciples still performed loud sankirtana, and Srila Prabhupada “considered the sankirtana more important than the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.” (SB 6.3.25 purport)

TEXTS 28

anyebhyas casva-candala-
  patitebhyo yatharhatah
yavasam ca gavam dattva
 giraye diyatam balih

 TRANSLATION

After giving the appropriate food to everyone else, including such fallen souls as dogs and dog-eaters, you should give grass to the cows and then present your respectful offerings to Govardhana Hill.

TEXT 29

sv-alankrta bhuktavantah
  sv-anuliptah su-vasasah
pradaksinam ca kuruta
  go-vipranala-parvatan

TRANSLATION

After everyone has eaten to his satisfaction, you should all dress and decorate yourselves handsomely, smear your bodies with sandalwood paste, and then circumambulate the cows, the brahmanas, the sacrificial fires, and Govardhana Hill.

PURPORT

Lord Krsna wanted all the human beings and even the animals to eat nice bhagavat-prasada, sanctified foods offered to the Lord. To enthuse His relatives with a festive mood, He requested them to dress beautifully with fine clothes and ornaments and to refresh their bodies with luxurious sandalwood paste. The essential activity, however, was the circumambulation of the holy brahmanas, cows, sacrificial fires, and especially Govardhana Hill.

TEXT 30

etan mama matam tata
  kriyatam yadi rocate
ayam go-brahmanadrinam
  mahyam ca dayito makhah

TRANSLATION

This is My idea, O father, and you may carry it out if it appeals to you. Such a sacrifice will be very dear to the cows, the brahmanas, and Govardhana Hill, and also to Me.

COMMENT

In accordance with the request of Sri Krishna, the Vraja-vasis prepared varieties of foodstuffs and brought them to offer to Govardhana Hill. It is described that lakes—literally lakes—were filled with sweet rice, rabri, and other nectarean liquid preparations, and that the Vraja-vasis offered literally mountains of rice, pakoras, puris, halava, laddus, and other preparations that, from the smiles on your faces, you seem to know about already!

Then Krishna assumed an unprecedented, gigantic form, and He stood atop Govardhana Hill and declared, “I am Govardhana Mountain!”, showing the superiority of His Govardhana-puja over the Indra-yajna. For so many years, the Vraja-vasis had performed the Indra-yajna, but had Indra ever appeared personally to bless them? Now they had performed the Govardhana-puja only once, and Giri Govardhana had manifested Himself in person to fulfill their desires.

Then that huge form extended thousand and millions of arms in all directions and ate all the Vraja-vasis’ offerings. Still, He was not satisfied. He cried, “Aniyora! Aniyora! Aniyora! Bring more, bring more, bring more!” So the Vraja-vasis went back to their homes, cooked whatever ingredients were left, and returned to offer the preparations. Again the gigantic Krishna ate them all, and again He cried, Aniyora! Aniyora! “Bring more, bring more!” So again they returned home. They exhausted every particle of food in their stocks, they bought all the food they could find in the market, and they cooked everything. They brought it and offered it, and Giri Govardhana devoured it all and again began to cry, “Aniyora! Aniyora! Bring more, bring more! I’m not satisfied.”

The Vraja-vasis were completely bewildered. They didn’t know what to do. There was not a single grain left in Vraja that they could offer. Finally, someone had the idea to offer Krishna tulasi leaves—the one thing they hadn’t offered—so the brahmans offered Govardhana tulasi leaves. Then, to the relief of all the Vraja-vasis, He said, “Trpto ’smi! I am satisfied! Trpto ’smi! I am satisfied!” Thus the Vraja-vasis were pleased and relieved that they had satisfied the Lord.

The only problem was that there was not a grain left to eat in all of Vraja. There was not a drop of milk that they or their elders or children could drink. Then the merciful Lord returned all the food He had eaten. Miraculously, all the empty lakes filled up with sweet rice and various nectars and all the mountains of samosas and sandesa reappeared, and the Vraja-vasis had a huge feast of krsna-prasada.

Today we are trying to re-create the same festive mood and the same type of worship of Govardhana Hill, who is Krishna Himself, by circumambulating Him, singing His glories (always the most important item), bathing Him, offering Him various kinds of food preparations, and in the end, honoring His remnants.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam tells us that the original, small Krishna, along with the other Vraja-vasis, bowed down to the unprecedented, huge form of Krishna, who stood atop Govardhana Hill, and thus, in effect, Krishna offered obeisances to Himself.

In his Krsna book, the summary study of the Tenth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada writes, “The identity of Krsna and Govardhana Hill is still honored, and great devotees take rocks from Govardhana Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krsna in the temples.” And that we have here. That very principle is being followed in this temple, and so we worship the large rock from Govardhana Hill just as we worship the other Deities of Lord Krishna here—as Krishna Himself.

We should not take such worship cheaply. I have heard of life members and friends who have gone to India, to Govardhana Hill, and filled up their purses and shopping bags with stones (silas). But actually, govardhana-silas are not so cheap. First of all, the shastras say that whatever the weight of the stone that you take from Govardhana Hill, you should leave the equal weight in gold. (From the audience’s reaction, we need not go beyond even this first condition.) Even then, there are other procedures: one must receive the sila from a Vraja-vasi, and so on. But here we are fortunate to have a large govardhana-sila to worship and serve.

So, the festival was conducted very nicely, and everyone was happy, because when Krishna is satisfied everyone is satisfied. But one person wasn’t satisfied, because his Krishna consciousness had been covered by his false pride, and that was King Indra. He felt offended that his worship had been stopped and the paraphernalia for his worship used for the Govardhana-puja. So he became angry and sent devastating rainfall upon Vrindavan. He summoned his special clouds of destruction, known as Samvartaka, who flood the universe in the end, and ordered them to attack Vrindavan. And he followed them with swift and powerful wind-gods to decimate the cowherd village of Nanda.

The Vraja-vasis approached Lord Krishna:

krsna krsna maha-bhaga
  tvan-natham gokulam prabho
tratum arhasi devan nah
  kupitad bhakta-vatsala

“Krsna, Krsna, O most fortunate one, please deliver the cows from the wrath of Indra! O Lord, You are so affectionate to Your devotees. Please save us also.” (SB 10.25.13)

Lord Krishna could understand that the onslaught was caused by the proud and angry Indra, and so He responded:

tatra pratividhim samyag
  atma-yogena sadhaye
lokesa-maninam maudhyad
  dhanisye sri-madam tamah

“By My mystic power I will completely counteract this disturbance caused by Indra. Demigods like Indra are proud of their opulence, and out of foolishness they falsely consider themselves the Lord of the universe. I will now destroy such ignorance.” (SB 10.25.16)

na hi sad-bhava-yuktanam
  suranam isa-vismayah
matto ‘satam mana-bhangah
  prasamayopakalpate

“Since the demigods are endowed with the mode of goodness, the false pride of considering oneself the Lord should certainly not affect them. When I break the false prestige of those bereft of goodness, My purpose is to bring them relief.” (SB 10.25.17)

tasman mac-charanam gostham
  man-natham mat-parigraham
gopaye svatma-yogena
  so ‘yam me vrata ahitah

“I must therefore protect the cowherd community by My transcendental potency, for I am their shelter, I am their master, and indeed they are My own family. After all, I have taken a vow to protect My devotees.” (SB 10.25.18)

Thus Lord Krishna, to give protection to the residents of Vrindavan, lifted Govardhana Hill and held it over His head like an umbrella. And He invited His mother and father and all the Vraja-vasis, along with their cows, calves, and bulls, to come under the shelter of Govardhana Hill.

na trasa iha vah karyo
  mad-dhastadri-nipatanat
vata-varsa-bhayenalam
  tat-tranam vihitam hi vah

“You should have no fear that this mountain will fall from My hand. And don’t be afraid of the wind and rain, for your deliverance from these afflictions has already been arranged.” (SB 10.25.21)

tatha nirvivisur gartam
  krsnasvasita-manasah
yathavakasam sa-dhanah
  sa-vrajah sopajivinah

“Their minds thus pacified by Lord Krsna, they all entered beneath the hill, where they found ample room for themselves and all their cows, wagons, servants, and priests, and for all other members of the community as well.” (SB 10.25.22)

ksut-trd-vyatham sukhapeksam
  hitva tair vraja-vasibhih
viksyamano dadharadrim
  saptaham nacalat padat

“Lord Krsna, forgetting hunger and thirst and putting aside all considerations of personal pleasure, stood there holding up the hill for seven days as the people of Vraja gazed upon Him.” (SB 10.25.23)

COMMENT

Although He was only seven years of age by material calculation, Lord Krishna held up Govardhana Hill for seven days—with the little finger of His left hand. And the residents of Vrindavan found complete satisfaction under Govardhana’s shelter. They experienced no hunger, thirst, or fatigue. In fact, they were rapt in ecstasy, being able to see the beautiful form of Krishna twenty-four hours a day continuously for seven days. And so we learn that one who surrenders to Krishna is not the loser but is the gainer by many times.

Now, if some of us have learned to worship demigods, either from our elders or from other association, we need not feel obliged to continue such worship. Here Lord Krishna has shown the example that even if one’s family has worshiped a demigod for many generations, one can stop such worship, because the worship is actually meant for Krishna, and when it is offered to the demigods it is improper.

ye ’py anya-devata-bhakta
  yajante sraddhayanvitah
te ’pi mam eva kaunteya
  yajanty avidhi-purvakam

“Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way.” (Gita 9.23)

We want to please Krishna and ultimately develop love for Him (prema pumartho mahan). Therefore, as Lord Krishna says, sarva-dharmam parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja—we should give up all other varieties of worship and religious performances and just surrender unto Him. When we come to the shelter of Lord Krishna, to the shelter of Giri Govardhana, we are protected from the onslaughts of material nature and at the same time completely satisfied and happy in Krishna’s association—in Krishna consciousness.

By the grace of Krishna, Indra realized his mistake. He realized that Krishna was actually his eternal lord and master and that he had committed a grave offense. So he came to Vrindavan with Surabhi, the mother of the cows, to worship Krishna and beg for His forgiveness. Lord Krishna then explained to Indra that He had purposely crushed his false pride so that he would come back to his proper consciousness, Krishna consciousness. And He ordered Indra to return to his position as the king of heaven, but to be humble and sober.

King Indra approached Krishna for forgiveness:

mayedam bhagavan gostha-
  nasayasara-vayubhih
cestitam vihate yajne
  manina tivra-manyuna

“My dear Lord, when my sacrifice was disrupted I became fiercely angry because of false pride. Thus I tried to destroy Your cowherd community with severe rain and wind.” (SB 10.27.12)

tvayesanugrhito ‘smi
  dhvasta-stambho vrthodyamah
isvaram gurum atmanam
  tvam aham saranam gatah

“O Lord, You have shown mercy to me by shattering my false pride and defeating my attempt [to punish Vrndavana]. To You, the Supreme Lord, spiritual master, and Supreme Soul, I have now come for shelter.” (SB 10.27.13)

  sri-suka uvaca
evam sankirtitah krsno
  maghona bhagavan amum
megha-gambhiraya vaca
  prahasann idam abravit

 “Sukadeva Gosvami said: Thus glorified by Indra, Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, smiled and then spoke to him as follows in a voice resonant like the clouds.” (SB 10.27.14)

   sri-bhagavan uvaca
maya te ’kari maghavan
  makha-bhango ’nugrhnata
mad-anusmrtaye nityam
  mattasyendra-sriya bhrsam

 “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Indra, it was out of mercy that I stopped the sacrifice meant for you. You were greatly intoxicated by your opulence as king of heaven, and I wanted you to always remember Me.” (SB 10.27.15)

mam aisvarya-sri-madandho
  danda panim na pasyati
tam bhramsayami sampadbhyo
  yasya cecchamy anugraham

“A man blinded by intoxication with his power and opulence cannot see Me nearby with the rod of punishment in My hand. If I desire his real welfare, I drag him down from his materially fortunate position.” (SB 10.27.16)

gamyatam sakra bhadram vah
  kriyatam me ‘nusasanam
sthiyatam svadhikaresu
  yuktair vah stambha-varjitaih

“Indra, you may now go. Execute My order and remain in your appointed position as king of heaven. But be sober, without false pride.” (SB 10.27.17)

So, this is a lesson to all of us: We should be humble. We should know that whatever position or opulence we have achieved has come to us by the grace of the Lord, Krishna, and should be used for His service and pleasure. And if we are sincere but at the same time happen to have become a little proud and covered by illusion, Krishna will be merciful and humble us. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.88.8) He personally states, yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih: “If I especially favor someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth.” Of course, we can always remain humble and save Krishna and ourselves the trouble of getting Krishna’s special mercy.

In conclusion, I will share with you one thought about leaving the equal weight in gold. Now, here we have quite a large govardhana-sila, and although Tamal Krishna Goswami may not have thought of it at the time, in the end he and I did leave a lot of gold at Govardhana. We bought a property with a palace that belonged to a king, and we have refurbished that facility in order to serve the devotees, serve the brahmans, and feed the Vraja-vasis, especially on occasions such as Govardhana-puja. And that is also the beauty of Krishna consciousness: no one loses. Although we ended up giving more to Govardhana Hill than we had expected at the time we brought the sila here, we don’t feel that we are the losers. Rather, we feel that we have gained hundreds and thousands of times over. And I believe that even now His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, whose puspa-samadhi is at our ashram there, resides at Govardhana Hill.

Sri Giri Govardhana ki jaya!
Sri Govardhana-puja ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami ki jaya!
Nitai-gaura-premanande hari-haribol!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Govardhana-puja, October 26, 2003, Houston]

Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk.
Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka.
Krishna-kripa das: I share excerpts from my favorites among the many devotional poems extracted from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami’s series “Every Day, Just Write”
From “After Japa” from Every Day, Just Write, Volume 12:
“You did your japa in two hours
for that you don’t get flowers bowers.
But yes, it’s most important.
Sailing from one to sixteen and thinking,
‘One day I won’t be able to
do this, it’ll be over.’

“O Lord, such little
feeling from me to You.
Please be kind and grant me
ability to love.

“It starts with attention,
but even that I lack
so I have to offer you my thoughts
to You, but maybe they’re not suitable –

“My plans to read and write
and paint,
whatever I do,
remember You…
and then back to hear the Mantra.”
To read the entire article please click here: https://goo.gl/npTq3a

Happy Diwali! Life lessons we can learn from this ancient Indian festival! (1 min video)
Happy Diwali. Is Diwali still relevan...

Damodarastakam, verse 7 (video)
Class by H.H.Badrinarayana Swami in ISKCON Vrindavan, 06.11.2018.

By Giriraj Swami

“Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, quoting from the Vaisnava-tosani of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, says that the incident of Krsna’s breaking the pot of yogurt and being bound by mother Yasoda took place on the Dipavali Day, or Dipa-malika. Even today in India, this festival is generally celebrated very gorgeously in the month of Kartika.” (SB 10.9.1–2 purport). We are now in the month of Damodara. It began on the full-moon night and will continue until the next full moon. Damodara is a name for Krishna. Dama means “rope,” and udara means “belly.” So Damodara means, “one who is bound around the belly with ropes.” And you can see in the picture of Lord Damodara with Mother Yasoda that she was binding His belly with ropes. The history behind the incident is that Mother Yasoda was feeding baby Krishna with her breast milk when suddenly some milk on the fire began to boil over. So, she set aside Krishna to attend to the milk on the fire. But baby Krishna had not yet been satisfied with His mother’s milk, and when she left Him He felt frustrated and angry. So, to vent His anger and to satisfy His desire, He broke a pot of butter that was hanging from a rafter on the ceiling. When Mother Yasoda returned from attending to the milk on the fire, she saw that the butter pot had been broken and she saw little footprints smeared with butter on the floor. And she understood that the mischief was the work of her son, Krishna. Continue reading "Damodara-lila: Works and Grace
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