Planet ISKCON

The beautiful ISKCON Pune temple has parks, a big guest house, function halls, asrama and administration block in its compound. Underneath the guest house there are three types of prasadam restaurants.

One is a bakery where one can get all varieties of breads, pizzas and pastries, which are delicious. The next one over is a big canteen style general prasadam of various offerings like north and south Indian style. The third is a more upscale family orientated restaurant where one can sit and look through an a la carte menu. All are fantastic.

Kartik is very auspicious for spiritual advancement. Another name for Kartik is Urja-vrata. Urja means power. The supreme power, the original power, is Srimati Radharani. So, Urja-vrata, or Kartik-vrata, is for Srimati Radharani. Many important pastimes took place in the month of Kartik. On the full-moon night, Sri Krishna played His flute and enjoyed the rasa-lila, which is considered the best of His pastimes. Also during Kartik, Krishna saw that the residents of Vrindavan were preparing to worship Indradeva, and He convinced them not to worship Indra but to use the same paraphernalia to worship Govardhana Hill, the brahmans, and the cows. When Indra saw that his worship had been stopped, he became furious and wanted to take revenge against Krishna and the Vraja-vasis. He sent torrential rains and hail. And to give protection to the residents of Vrindavan, Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill and kept it on the little finger of His left hand for seven days. Thus Indra’s pride was shattered, and he came to beg forgiveness from Lord Krishna.

In the month of Kartik also, our beloved founder-acharya, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, left this world and entered the eternal pastimes of Krishna.

One other event that took place during Kartik was Lord Krishna’s killing of the demon Arista, who had assumed the form of a bull. Thereafter, Lord Krishna manifested Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda. Because today is celebrated as the appearance day of Radha-kunda, we shall read a relevant verse from The Nectar of Instruction, an authorized English presentation by Srila Prabhupada of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Sri Upadesamrta.

The Nectar of Instruction, Text Ten:

karmibhyah parito hareh priyataya vyaktim yayur jnaninas
   tebhyo jnana-vimukta-bhakti-paramah premaika-nisthas tatah
tebhyas tah pasu-pala-pankaja-drsas tabhyo ’pi sa radhika
   prestha tadvad iyam tadiya-sarasi tam nasrayet kah krti

TRANSLATION

In the sastra it is said that of all types of fruitive workers, he who is advanced in knowledge of the higher values of life is favored by the Supreme Lord Hari. Out of many such people who are advanced in knowledge [jnanis], one who is practically liberated by virtue of his knowledge may take to devotional service. He is superior to the others. However, one who has actually attained prema, pure love of Krsna, is superior to him. The gopis are exalted above all the advanced devotees because they are always totally dependent upon Sri Krsna, the transcendental cowherd boy. Among the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the most dear to Krsna. Her kunda [lake] is as profoundly dear to Lord Krsna as this most beloved of the gopis. Who, then, will not reside at Radha-kunda and, in a spiritual body surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings [aprakrta-bhava], render loving service to the divine couple Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, who perform Their astakaliya-lila, Their eternal eight-fold daily pastimes. Indeed, those who execute devotional service on the banks of Radha-kunda are the most fortunate people in the universe.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

At the present moment almost everyone is engaged in some kind of fruitive activity. Those who are desirous of gaining material profits by working are called karmis, or fruitive workers. All living entities within this material world have come under the spell of maya. This is described in the Visnu Purana (6.7.61):

visnu-saktih para prokta
   ksetrajnakhya tatha para
avidya-karma-samjnanya
   trtiya saktir isyate

 Sages have divided the energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead into three categories—namely, the spiritual energy, marginal energy, and material energy. The material energy is considered to be the third-class energy (trtiya saktih). Those living beings within the jurisdiction of the material energy sometimes engage themselves like dogs and hogs in working very hard simply for sense gratification. However, in this life, or, after executing pious activities, in the next life, some karmis become strongly attracted to performing various kinds of sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas. Thus on the strength of their pious merit, they are elevated to heavenly planets. Actually those who perform sacrifices strictly according to Vedic injunctions are elevated to the moon and planets above the moon. As mentioned in Bhagavad-gita (9.21), ksine punye martya-lokam visanti: After exhausting the results of their so-called pious activities, they again return to the earth, which is called martya-loka, the place of death. Although such persons may be elevated to the heavenly planets by their pious activities and although they may enjoy life there for many thousands of years, they nonetheless must return to this planet when the results of their pious activities are exhausted.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

The lowest category mentioned here is the karmi. The principle of the karmi is to work to get money for sense gratification. Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are karmis, and they fall into two categories: those who are regulated according to Vedic principles and those who are not. Those who are not regulated are like animals—cats and dogs and hogs. They just want to eat, drink, and enjoy. They engage in all sorts of sinful activities, and as a result they are pushed down into hellish conditions. Those in the other category, the regulated, follow the Vedic injunctions in order to enjoy a higher standard of material happiness. By performance of pious activities, such as Vedic sacrifices, such persons can be elevated to the heavenly planets, where they enjoy the results of their pious deeds. But after their pious credits are exhausted, they again fall down to earth.

One time on a morning walk in the middle of New York City, Srila Prabhupada pointed to some blades of grass growing up between the cracks of the concrete pavement. “What is this?” he asked. “It’s grass, Srila Prabhupada,” a devotee replied. “Yes, I know it is grass,” Prabhupada said. “But how did it come up here between the cracks?” Nobody could answer. Then Srila Prabhupada explained that after the fruitive workers exhaust their pious credits on the higher planets, they fall down to earth. And how do the spirit souls get here from the higher planets? They come in the rain. The rain falls on the earth, between the cracks of the sidewalk, and the living entities who were enjoying life in the heavenly planets take birth as blades of grass or sprouts of grain on earth. This is because their pious credits have been exhausted.

From the point of view of one in Krishna consciousness, that happiness of sense gratification is not real happiness. But even if someone is on a lower level and thinks that material enjoyment is happiness, still he cannot enjoy for long. As soon as his pious credits are finished, he will have to suffer. Therefore, intelligent persons do not try to enjoy the material world.

PURPORT (continued)

This is the position of all karmis, including those who act piously and those who act impiously. On this planet we find many businessmen, politicians, and others who are simply interested in material happiness. They attempt to earn money by all means, not considering whether such means are pious or impious. Such people are called karmis, or gross materialists. Among the karmis are some vikarmis, people who act without the guidance of Vedic knowledge. Those who act on the basis of Vedic knowledge perform sacrifices for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu and to receive benedictions from Him. In this way they are elevated to higher planetary systems. Such karmis are superior to the vikarmis, for they are faithful to the directions of the Vedas and are certainly dear to Krsna. In Bhagavad-gita (4.11), Krsna says: ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham. “In whatever way one surrenders unto Me, I reward him accordingly.”

COMMENT

In shastra Lord Krishna states that “the injunctions of the Vedas are My orders, and one who goes against the injunctions of the Vedas goes against Me.” So, one who follows the Vedic injunctions follows the orders of Krishna, and he tends to be dearer to Krishna than one who goes against them.

PURPORT (continued)

Krsna is so kind that He fulfills the desires of the karmis and jnanis, what to speak of the bhaktas. Although the karmis are sometimes elevated to higher planetary systems, as long as they remain attached to fruitive activities they must accept new material bodies after death.

COMMENT

In the Bhagavad-gita (8.16) Lord Krishna says, a-brahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna: from the highest planet in the material world, Brahmaloka, down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. Even if one is elevated to a heavenly planet, he still has to die and take birth again. As stated in the Gita (2.27), “For one who has taken birth, death is certain. And for one who has died, birth is certain.” He remains caught in the repetition of birth and death.

PURPORT (continued)

If one acts piously, he can attain a new body among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, or he may attain some other position in which he can enjoy a higher standard of material happiness. On the other hand, those who are engaged in impious activities are degraded and take birth as animals, trees, and plants. Thus those fruitive actors who do not care for the Vedic directions (vikarmis) are not appreciated by learned saintly persons. . . .

One should therefore be eager to understand the science of the soul (atma-tattva). Unless one comes to the platform of atma-tattva, by which one understands that the soul and not the body is oneself, one remains on the platform of ignorance. Out of thousands and even millions of ignorant people who are wasting their time simply gratifying their senses, one may come to the platform of knowledge and understand higher values of life. Such a person is called a jnani.

COMMENT

Higher than the karmis are the jnanis. The karmis are bound to remain in the material world to enjoy and suffer the fruits of their work. They may enjoy for a while, but mainly they suffer. The jnanis are more intelligent, because they see that fruitive work leads to suffering, but they don’t know about devotional service. They know only material activity, and that material activity brings material misery. So, to become free from material misery, they resolve to refrain from all activity. But the soul is active by nature. The soul cannot remain inactive for long. So, the jnani too must engage in activity, and, having no knowledge of spiritual activity, he will again engage in material activity and thus fall down. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam says that although jnanis imagine that they are liberated, actually they are not, because they neglect the service of the lotus feet of the Lord.

ye ’nye ’ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
  tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
   patanty adho ’nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

“O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.” (SB 10.2.32)

Because such impersonalists neglect the Lord’s service, they fall down. After renouncing material activities, they become restless; they want some activity. And because they are unaware of the spiritual activities of bhakti-yoga, devotional service, they fall into material activities and become karmis again. There are many examples of impersonal jnanis and yogis who go to the Himalayas to become one with Brahman, declaring, brahma satya jagan mithya: Brahman is truth, and the world is false. They leave the world to engage in impersonal meditation, but they cannot maintain it; they fall down. They come back to the world they have declared to be false, back to the cities, and engage in material welfare activities such as opening schools and hospitals, and sometimes they fall so low that they become involved in politics. So, patyanti adah: they fall down.

The impersonal philosophers don’t have real knowledge. If someone actually has knowledge, he surrenders to Krishna and engages in devotional service.

bahunam janmanam ante
   jnanavan mam prapadyante
vasudevah sarvam iti
   sa mahatma sudurlabhah

 “After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Gita 7.19) After being a jnani for many lifetimes, when the jnani actually becomes wise, he surrenders to Krishna and becomes a bhakta, a rare great soul.

The bhakta is superior to the karmi and the jnani. The bhakta begins with the process of sadhana-bhakti, but even the sadhaka is considered higher than the best of the karmis and jnanis. And when the sadhaka becomes more advanced, he attains krsna-prema. Among the devotees, he who has prema is the best. And among the devotees who have prema, the active servants are better than those who have neutral appreciation; the friends are higher than the servants; the fathers and mothers are higher than the friends; and the lovers, or the young gopis, are the best of all. And among the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the best—She is the best of all.

PURPORT (continued)

Of all these devotees, the gopis are recognized as superior because they do not know anything other than satisfying Krsna. Nor do the gopis expect any return from Krsna.

COMMENT

The gopis are the best because they have no personal desire for enjoyment. They want only Krishna’s happiness. Srila Prabhupada told the story of the time Krishna declared that He had a headache and that only the dust of the feet of His devotee could cure Him. He sent His messenger to so many devotees, but they all said, “If the dust of our feet goes on the Lord’s head, we will commit a great offense and have to go to hell.” So they all refused. The messenger became discouraged. He went back to Lord Krishna, and the Lord said, “You should go to the gopis of Vrindavan and ask them.” So he went, and immediately all the gopis gathered around him and inquired, “How is Krishna?” The messenger replied, “Krishna is not well. He has a headache.” The gopis immediately became disturbed. “Krishna has a headache! What can we do? What can we do?” The messenger said, “The only thing that will cure Krishna’s headache is the dust of the feet of His devotee.” “Oh, then take as much dust as you like, take it all!” “But if the dust from your feet goes on Krishna’s head, you will be committing a great offense and could go to hell,” the messenger said. And the gopis replied, “As long as Krishna’s headache is cured, we don’t care if we go to hell.”

This is the standard of the gopis’ love. They have no desire for personal happiness. They want only Krishna’s happiness, and if their unhappiness gives Krishna happiness, they consider their unhappiness to be the greatest happiness. We cannot experience such feelings in the material world. Only someone who has come to the stage of bhava- or prema-bhakti can know such selfless love. “Of all these devotees, the gopis are recognized as superior because they do not know anything other than satisfying Krishna.”

 Srila Prabhupada often gave the example that Krishna would go into the pasturing grounds and the gopis would be at home, crying. Why were they crying? Because they were thinking that the paths of Vrindavan were filled with so many thorns and stones and that if the soft lotus feet of Krishna were pricked by some pebble or thorn, He would feel pain. And thinking of Krishna’s pain, they would cry.

 “Nor do the gopis expect any return from Krsna.” Srila Prabhupada used to say that when Krishna returned from the pasturing grounds in the afternoon, the gopis would not approach Him and say, “Krishna, You have been working all day. What have You brought for me? Let me look into Your pocket and see if You brought something for me.” They were not like that.

PURPORT (continued)

Nor do the gopis expect any return from Krsna. Indeed, sometimes Krsna puts them into extreme suffering by separating Himself from them. Nonetheless, they cannot forget Krsna.

COMMENT

In the material world we may think that we love someone, but after some time we may forget. Somebody will die, and we will cry for some days, but gradually we may forget. But the gopis never forget Krishna.

PURPORT (continued)

When Krsna left Vrndavana for Mathura, the gopis became most dejected and spent the rest of their lives simply crying in separation from Krsna. This means that in one sense they were never actually separated from Krsna. There is no difference between thinking of Krsna and associating with Him.

COMMENT

Krishna is absolute. Therefore Krishna’s name, Krishna’s form, Krishna’s qualities, and Krishna’s pastimes are all the same as Krishna. So, when one remembers Krishna’s name, form, qualities, or pastimes, one is in Krishna’s association. In the extreme mood of separation from Krishna, the gopis actually experience Krishna’s presence. And they feel great ecstasy. The bodies of the gopis are ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabis (Bs 5.37). They’re made of ananda cinmaya-rasa, or mahabhava. Their constitution is ananda-maya, full of bliss. It cannot be anything but bliss—and not only bliss, but the highest ecstasy of mahabhava. Their feeling of separation appears externally to be misery, but actually it is not misery; it is ecstasy. Srila Sanatana Gosvami gives an analogy for extreme separation—that ice acts like fire. For example, dry ice is so cold that if you touch it, you get burned. It’s freezing cold, but it produces the opposite effect. The mood of the gopis’ separation is so extreme and intense that in separation they experience meeting Krishna, and they experience ecstasy in Krishna’s association.

PURPORT (continued)

There is no difference between thinking of Krsna and associating with Him. Rather, vipralambha-seva, thinking of Krsna in separation, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did, is far better than serving Krsna directly.

COMMENT

We should try to develop Krishna consciousness in the mood of separation. We are not liberated now, not now in Krishna’s pastimes. And if we imagine that we are meeting Krishna and serving Krishna and not factually realizing it, we can become sahajiyas. Srila Prabhupada didn’t want us to become sahajiyas. He wanted us to worship in the mood of separation, like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the Six Gosvamis.

PURPORT (concluded)

Thus of all the devotees who have developed unalloyed devotional love for Krsna, the gopis are most exalted, and out of all these exalted gopis, Srimati Radharani is the highest. No one can excel the devotional service of Srimati Radharani. Indeed, even Krsna cannot understand the attitude of Srimati Radharani; therefore He took Her position and appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, just to understand Her transcendental feelings.

In this way Srila Rupa Gosvami gradually concludes that Srimati Radharani is the most exalted devotee of Krsna and that Her kunda is the most exalted place. . . .

yatha radha priya visnos
   tasyah kundam priyam tatha
sarva-gopisu saivaika
   visnor atyanta-vallabha

 “Just as Srimati Radharani is dear to the Supreme Lord Krsna, so Her bathing place is equally dear to Krsna. Among all the gopis, She alone stands supreme as the Lord’s most beloved.”

Therefore everyone interested in Krsna consciousness should ultimately take shelter of Radha-kunda and execute devotional service there throughout one’s life. This is the conclusion of Rupa Gosvami in the tenth verse of Upadesamrta.

COMMENT

We’re not really qualified to discuss Radha-kunda, but because today is Radha-kunda’s appearance day, we may say something about the appearance of Sri Radha-kunda, which we can respect and appreciate from a distance.

As I mentioned earlier, Krishna killed the bull demon, the aristasura, and after killing him He approached the gopis for pastimes, but they refused. “You have killed a bull,” they said, “so You are contaminated. We do not want to associate with You.” Krishna asked, “What do I have to do to become purified from the sin?” The gopis replied, “You must take bath in all the sacred rivers in all the sacred places in all the three worlds.” Then Krishna thought, “Better I call all the holy places here.” He pushed His heel in the ground, and immediately all the personified holy places came before Him and started offering prayers and obeisances. Srimati Radharani said, “I don’t see any holy places.” So, Lord Krishna told the holy places personified to identify themselves, and they said, “I am Yamuna, I am Ganga, I am Sarasvati, I am Sindhu, I am Prayag, I am Puskhara,” and so on. And then, on Krishna’s indication, they became liquid and flowed into the kunda created by the impression of Krishna’s foot, and they filled up the kunda with water. Thus Krishna-kunda, or Syama-kunda, came into existence. Krishna took His bath and then announced to the gopis, “Now I am completely pure. I have taken bath in all the sacred places in all the three worlds. But you are not pure. You are contaminated, because although Aristasura was in the form of a bull, still he was a demon. You took the side of a demon, so you are contaminated. So you also have to take bath and become purified. Take bath in My kunda, and you will be free.”

Srimati Radharani said, “No, no. Your kunda is contaminated by the terrible sin of killing the bull. I am not going to take bath in Your kunda. I am going to make My own.”

Aristasura’s hooves had made a shallow ditch just west of Sri Krishna’s pond. So, the gopis began digging up lumps of soft mud with their bangles, and very quickly they manifested a beautiful kunda. Srimati Radharani had said from the beginning, “I will make My kunda more beautiful than Krishna’s.” Now Krishna said, “Well, Your kunda is very beautiful, but it has one defect: it has no water in it. So why don’t You take some water from My kunda?” “No, no, no, no. Your water is contaminated by Your sin. We will bring our own water.”

There are thousands and millions of gopis. On Srimati Radharani’s indication, they filled pots with water and passed the pots from one gopi to the next to the next in a long chain, all the way from Manasi-ganga to Radha-kunda. But Lord Krishna, seeing the labor of the gopis, was not happy, because He cannot bear to see even one drop of perspiration on the face of Srimati Radharani. He appealed to Her, “Please take water from My kunda.” But She refused—“No!” Then Lord Krishna called the representative of all the holy places, who began to offer prayers to Srimati Radharani: “Even Krishna likes to serve Your lotus feet, and He rejoices and feels most fortunate simply by satisfying the tips of the toes of Your lotus feet. So we also want to serve Your lotus feet. If You fulfill our desire, our lives will be successful.”

Srimati Radharani was pleased, and, glancing at Krishna from the corners of Her eyes, She smiled and replied, “Please come.” And the holy waters in Syama-kunda broke through its boundary walls and quickly filled Radha-kunda. Then Sri Radha and the gopis took bath, and in the end, Krishna was so pleased that He told Her, “Your kunda will become even more famous than Mine. I will always come here to bathe and enjoy My water pastimes. Your kunda is as dear to Me as You are.” Srimati Radharani was pleased, and She said to Lord Krishna, “I will also come and take bath in Your pond, even if You kill hundreds and thousands of Aristasuras. Anyone who has devotion for Your lake and bathes or resides there will become very dear to Me.” Both Sri Radha and Krishna became so pleased after the formation of Syama-kunda and Radha-kunda that They inaugurated a great festival of the rasa dance.

I’ll mention just one more point from the verse. The Sanskrit concludes, prestha tadvad iyam tadiya-sarasi tam nasrayet kah krti: “What fortunate person will not take shelter of Radha-kunda?” This is what the Sanskrit says. But what does Srila Prabhupada say? “Who, then, will not reside at Radha-kunda and, in a spiritual body surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings, render service to the divine couple who perform Their eternal eight-fold daily pastimes?” In other words, this is what it really means to take shelter of Radha-kunda—not to go there and live like a monkey. When a disciple once told Srila Prabhupada that he wanted to go and stay in Radha-kunda, Srila Prabhupada replied that there were already enough monkeys there; they didn’t need another.

Taking shelter of Radha-kunda doesn’t mean going there and living like a monkey, thinking of the demands of the body. Monkeys appear to be very renounced: they don’t wear clothes, they eat only fruits and berries, and they live in the jungle in trees. But Srila Prabhupada said that each monkey has two dozen girlfriends. So, actually, they are not renounced. If someone goes to Radha-kunda without being able to take shelter of the holy name as described by Srila Prabhupada in the translation, he may become just like a monkey—outwardly appearing renounced but internally full of desires for sense gratification.

So, we go step by step. Srila Rupa Gosvami describes the exalted position of Srimati Radharani and Radha-kunda and asks, “What fortunate person will not take shelter of Radha-kunda?” But here we are at the end of Rupa Gosvami’s instructions. There are so many instructions earlier in the book, and to take shelter of Radha-kunda properly, we have to follow all the other instructions, from text one to text nine—not jump like monkeys to texts nine, ten, and eleven.

What is the first instruction? Vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam/ jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam—we have to control the urges. First is the urge to speak. We speak so much nonsense. Whenever we get the chance, we discuss politics, we discuss boy-girl affairs, or still worse, we criticize devotees. So, vaco vegam, and then manasa krodha-vegam: we have to control the mind. Anyway, I need not elaborate. We all can assess our present positions. And we should proceed step by step from the first verse up to the last ones, nine, ten, and eleven.

Still, by the mercy of Srimati Radharani, Srila Rupa Gosvami, and Srila Prabhupada, we have had the opportunity to remember Sri Radha-kunda and discuss the conclusions of Srila Rupa Gosvami given here in Sri Upadesamrta, so kindly explained by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna!

[A talk by Giriraj Swami Radha-kunda’s appearance day, November 7, 1993, Bombay]

The 11th day of Krishna Paksha (Moon’s waning phase) in the month of Kartik (October – November) is celebrated as Rama Ekadasi, named after Lord Vishnu’s consort, Goddess Rama. The day is also known as Rambha Ekadasi or Kartik Krishna Ekadasi.

It’s recommended to chant extra rounds and stay up all night chanting and hearing the Lord’s glories. It is also auspicious to donate to Vaishnavas and Lord Krishna’s service on Ekadasi and we invite our readers to consider this Rama Ekadasi to donate towards the Give To Nrsimha Fundraiser. We are focusing on the completion and opening of the entire Nrsimhadeva hall during the 2024 Gaura Purnima Festival from February 29 – March 2. Please go to the Give To Give To Nrsimha Fundraiser page TODAY and help complete this offering to the Lord.

  NOTE: Rama Ekadasi is observed on Nov. 8th in the U.S. and Canada and Nov. 9th in India. Please refer to your local calendar through www.gopal.home.sk/gcal.

  View, download and share the TOVP 2023 Calendar​.

 

The Glories of Rama Ekadasi

From Brahma-vaivarta Purana

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “O Janardana, O protector of all beings, what is the name of the Ekadasi that comes during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of the month of Karttika (October – November)? Please impart this sacred knowledge to me.

The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna then spoke as follows, “O lion among kings, please listen as I narrate to you. The Ekadasi that occurs during the dark part of the month of Karttika is called Rama Ekadasi. It is most auspicious, for it at once eradicates the greatest sins and awards one the passage to the spiritual abode. I shall now narrate to you its history and glories.

“There once lived a famous king of the name Muchukunda, who was friendly to Lord Indra, the king of the heavenly planets, as well as with Yamaraj, Varuna, and Vibhishana, the pious brother of the demon Ravana. Muchukunda always spoke the truth and constantly rendered devotional service to Me. Because he ruled according to religious principles, there were no disturbances in his kingdom.

“Muchukunda’s daughter was named Chandrabhaga, after a sacred river, and the king gave her in marriage to Shobhana, the son of Chandrasena. One day, Shobhana visited his father-in-law’s palace on the auspicious Ekadasi day. This visit made Shobhana’s wife Chandrabhaga quite anxious, for she knew that her husband was physically very weak and unable to bear the austerity of a day-long fast. She said to him, `My father is very strict about following Ekadasi. On Dasami, the day before Ekadasi, he strikes a large kettledrum and announces, “Nobody should eat on Ekadasi, the sacred day of Sri Hari!

“When Shobhana heard the sound of the kettledrum, he said to his wife, `O beautiful one, what am I to do now? Please tell me how I can save my life and obey your father’s strictness and at the same time satisfy our guests!

“Chandrabhaga then spoke, `My dear husband, in my father’s house nobody – not even the elephants or horses, what to speak of consenting human beings – eats on Ekadasi. Indeed, none of the animals are given their ration of grains, leaves, or straw – or even water – on Ekadasi, the sacred day of Sri Hari. So how can you escape fasting? My beloved husband, if you must eat something, then you should leave here at once. Now, with firm conviction decide on what you have to do.’

“Prince Shobhana then said, `I have decided to fast on the sacred Ekadasi day. Whatever my fate is, it will surely come to pass.’ “Deciding thus, Shobhana attempted to fast on this Ekadasi, but he became unbearably disturbed with excessive hunger and thirst.

“Eventually the sun set in the west, and the arrival of the auspicious night made all the Vaishnavas very happy. O Yudhisthira, all the devotees enjoyed worshipping Me (Sri Hari) and remaining awake all through the night, but Prince Shobhana that night became absolutely disturbed.

“Indeed, when the Sun rose on the Dwadasi, that Prince Shobhana was dead. King Muchukunda observed his son-in-law’s funeral, ordering a large stack of wood be assembled for the fire, but he instructed his daughter Chandrabhaga not to join her husband on the funeral pyre.

“Thus Chandrabhaga, after performing all the purificatory processes and procedures for honoring her deceased husband, continued to live in her father’s house.” Lord Sri Krishna continued, “O best of the kings, Yudhisthira, even though Shobhana died because of observing Rama Ekadasi, the merit that he accrued enabled him, after his death, to become the ruler of a kingdom high on the peak of Mandarachala Mountain.

“This kingdom was like a city of the demigods; very lustrous, with unlimited jewels set in the walls of its buildings that gave off light. The pillars were made of rubies, and gold inlaid with diamonds shone everywhere. As King Shobhana sat upon a throne beneath a pure white canopy, servants fanned him with yak-tail whisks.

“A stunning crown rested upon his head, beautiful earrings adorned his ears, a necklace graced his throat, and bejeweled armlets and bracelets encircled his arms. He was served by Gandharvas (the best of heavenly singers) and Apsaras (celestial dancers). Verily, he resembled a second Indra.

“One day, a brahmin named Somasharma, who lived in Muchukunda’s kingdom, happened upon Shobhana’s kingdom while travelling to various places of pilgrimage. The brahmin saw Shobhana in all his resplendent glory and thought he might be the son-in-law of his own King Muchukunda. When Shobhana saw the brahmin approaching, he immediately rose up from his seat and welcomed him. After Shobhana had paid his respectful obeisances he asked the brahmin about his well-being and about the health and welfare of his (Shobhana’s) father-in-law, his wife and all the residents of the city. Somasharma then said, `O king, all the residents and subjects are well in your father-in-law’s kingdom, and Chandrabhaga and your other family members are also quite well. Peace and prosperity reign throughout the kingdom.

‘But there is one thing, I’m quite astonished to find you here! Please tell me about yourself. Nobody has ever seen such a beautiful city as this! Kindly tell me how you obtained it.’

“King Shobhana then began to tell his story, `Because I observed the Rama Ekadasi, I was given this splendid city to rule over. But for all of its grandeur, it is only temporary. I beg you to do something to correct this deficiency. You see, this is only an ephemeral city, a place of this material world. How may I make its beauties and glories permanent? Kindly reveal this to me by your instructions.

“The brahmin then asked, `Why is this kingdom unstable and how will it become stable? Please fully explain this to me, and I shall try to help you.’

“Shobhana then answered, `Because I fasted on the Rama Ekadasi without any faith, this kingdom is impermanent. Now hear how it can become permanent. Please return to Chandrabhaga, the beautiful daughter of king Muchukunda, and tell her what you have seen and understood about this place and about me.

‘Surely, if you, a pure hearted brahmin, tell her this, my city will soon become permanent. “Thus, the brahmin returned to his city and related the entire episode to Chandrabhaga, who was both surprised and overjoyed to hear this news of her husband. She said, `O brahmana, is this a dream you have seen, or is it actually a factual thing?’

“Somasharma the brahmin replied, `O Princess, I have seen your late husband face to face in that wonderful kingdom, which resembles a realm of the denizens of heavens’ playgrounds.

‘But your former husband has asked me to relate to you that he says that his kingdom is unstable and could vanish into thin air at any moment. Therefore, he hopes you can find a way to make it permanent.’

“Chandrabhaga then said, `O sage among the brahmins, please take me to that place where my husband resides at once, for I greatly desire to see him again! Surely, I shall make his kingdom permanent with the merit that I have acquired by fasting on every Ekadasi throughout my life. Please reunite us at once, again. It is said that one who reunites separated persons also obtains very great merit.’

“The humble brahmin Somasharma then led Chandrabhaga to Shobhana’s effulgent kingdom. Before reaching it, however, they stopped at the foot of Mount Mandarachala, at the sacred ashrama of Vamadeva. Upon hearing their story, Vamadeva chanted hymns from the Vedas and sprinkled holy water from his samanya arghya upon Chandrabhaga.

“By the influence of that great Rishi’s rites, the merit she had accrued by fasting for so many Ekadasis made her body transcendental. Ecstatic, her eyes beaming in wonder, Chandrabhaga continued on her journey.

“When Shobhana saw his wife approaching him high on Mount Mandarachala, he was overwhelmed with joy and called out to her in great happiness and jubilation.

“After she arrived, he seated her on his left side and she said to him, `O dearest Patiguru, please listen as I tell you something that will benefit you greatly. Since I was eight years old I have fasted regularly and with full faith on every Ekadasi. If I transfer to you all the merit I have accumulated, your kingdom will surely become permanent, and its prosperity will grow and grow until the coming of the great inundation!’

Lord Sri Krishna then continued to address Yudhisthira as follows, “O Yudhisthira, in this way Chandrabhaga, who was beautifully decorated with the finest ornaments and had an exquisitely transcendental body, at last enjoyed peace and happiness with her husband.

“By the potency of Rama Ekadasi, Shobhana found his kingdom on the peaks of Mount Mandarachala able to fulfill all his desires and bestow upon him everlasting happiness, like that achieved from the transcendental Kama-dhenu milk cow.

“O greatest of kings, I have thus narrated to you the glories of Rama Ekadasi that falls in the dark fortnight of the month of Kartika.

“Anyone who observes sacred Ekadasi during both the light and the dark fortnight of each month is undoubtedly freed from the reactions to the sin of killing a brahmin. One should not differentiate between the Ekadasis of the light and dark parts of the month.”

As we have seen, both can award pleasure in this world and liberate even the most sinful and fallen souls. Just as black cows and white cows give equally good quality milk, so the Ekadasis of the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) and the light fortnight (shukla or Gaura paksha) award the same high degree of merit and eventually liberate one from the repeated cycle of birth and death.

Anyone who simply hears this narration of the glories of the sacred day of Rama Ekadasi is freed from all kinds of sin and attains the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu.

Thus ends the narration for the glories of the sacred Karttika-krishna Ekadasi, or Rama Ekadasi, from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana of Srila Krishna Dwaipayana Veda Vyasa.

This article has been used courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree

 

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Stepping into an ISKCON center during Kartik, where vibrant celebrations and spiritual experiences await, one might encounter an unexpected challenge—keeping hold of your shoes. The lively and crowded ambiance of these festivals often leads to unintentional shoe separations. Here’s a lighthearted guide to help you navigate the festivity without losing your beloved footwear. 1. The […]

The post A Light-Hearted Top-Ten Guide to Keeping Your Shoes During Kartik appeared first on ISKCON News.

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The main purpose for my visit to Pune Temple, India, was to attend the midterm GBC and Indian leader’s meeting. Devotees came from around the world to discuss various topics about how to best spread the samkirtan movement of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

It was nice to have the transcendental association of so many senior devotees in one place and the kirtana in the temple was ecstatic. The Pune devotees organized wonderful prasadam for all, much to everyone’s appreciation.

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! September was a fantastic month. Nearly every temple increased its book distribution, and so many had a 999% increase. Lord Krsna used His devotees as His instruments and showered the world with His teachings. Dhaka-Swamibag in Bangladesh stands out the most, because it had a
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At a side part of the Radha Vrndavancandra Pune temple property is a temple of Sri Balaji, where you need to climb quite a few steps to get to.

Normally, ISKCON temples don’t worship this specific form of the Lord, but a friend of ISKCON who was a Sri Vaisnava donated a substantial amount so the property could be bought. He begged the devotees for an exception to be made so the Lord could be installed before he passed away.

The temple is very beautifully constructed in South Indian style and worship is performed daily according to ISKCON standards. At the front there is a deity of Garuda who faces the Lord as one enters the temple.

Everywhere in the material creation, there is duality. Light and dark. Hot and cold. Wet and dry. Happiness and suffering. And much, much more. The external person we present to others through our behavior also contains duality. Our positive side is how we want to behave and be viewed. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung used the term […]

The post COMING OF AGE #9 – Shadows that Go Bump in the Night! appeared first on ISKCON News.

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Question: During online outreach if we rely on say YouTube guidelines or analytics or view counts then does that take away from our dependence on Krishna?And Krishnas arrangement whatever he makes for our outreach.

Answer:Yes, that’s certainly a possibility which we need to be cautious about guard against.

But it doesn’t have to be that.

Using our intelligence.Using contemporary strategic planning methods.And retaining our dependence on Krishna.Sentillions and dependence don’t have to be mutually exclusive.If you consider right going back to the time of the Mahabharata.

Arjuna.Did land strategy.Before especially the.Kurupshit raw and every morning.They would have a.Planning meeting and every evening after the war got over.For that day, they would have the review meeting.And the planned who would be confronting which enemy.

So war is extremely serious business and without strategy it’s unlikely that one can be effective leave alone successful.

So.Physically also.

His whole vision of going to the west.When things are not working out in India.Was strategic planning.And it did work, of course, it’s not that in the west, he got success immediately.I was in a certainly not that.In the profit not Arjuna were not dependent on Krishna.

Profile would often tell devotees, double it.With respect to book distribution, he said that I will come to the temples where there is maximum solution being done.And that way.

He felt that he would be able to.Encourage devotees to distribute more and more books.

Now, it is true that.Somebody would have got so consumed by Buddha distribution that they forgot other things. Sometimes they would try to.Sabotage other people devotees book distribution, so that they could be the ones who distribute the maximum number of books.

That certainly was.Counterproductive and anti-spiritual.

What to speak of entity devotional.

Krishna is pleased by the offering of our heart and Krishna provides us facilities.For us to make that offering.At the same time is a matter of the heart.It’s not just a matter of the heart.Because that heart is to be expressed in this world.And while expressing in this world.

A certain level of competence in certain level of success are essential.If we want.Our service to benefit the world.So if we consider.

Sharing spiritual wisdom to be like.Sharing a spiritual therapy or treatment to people who are sick with everybody in the material world being sick with materialism though, they may not be sick of materialism.That means they don’t think that materialism is the cause of the problem, they don’t want to give it up but still materialism is a part of their problem.

Then we should then we are meant to be like the medical support staff.With surgeons doctors nurses whatever who are meant to heal people.Now.The more people are healed.The more it is fulfilling for us but then healing has to be a holistic parameters not just that we give some pain medication cover up the pain and people say that I feel good and now we are successful.

So,If medical research shows that particular ways of treating people.Particular methods and modalities.Are more effective than others then.Using those nothing wrong at all.If you maintain our service attitude, and if we try to.Consider that various strategies are simply aids for us in serving Krishna.

Then we can move forward in that direction.With studyers.If.Statistics and numbers become the soul definer of our success, then definitely we could.We couldn’t we will get distracted from Krishna that will be entirely a material conception of service. But just as in the book the philosophy matter is not intrinsically Maya.

Matter is also energy of Krishna.And depends on our vision whether we see matter as connected to Krishna or separated from Krishna.Similarly.

Material success.Can also be a parameter of.For measuring our devotional success, but it should be the sole parameter.You destroy Maharaj became an emperor of a performing large and performed yeah as a means of glorifying Krishna his material success was also in that at that context a part of a spiritual success later on when he lost his entire kingdom and the entire welfare had got to go to the forest at that time also he was spiritual successful because you still connected with Krishna and depending on Krishna and absorbing Krishna.

But.That didn’t lead that time doesn’t the opposite of material success.So.We couldn’t conclude talking about a pendulum where one extreme is to equate devotional success with some material success, even that some even more narrowly some numerical success or.Equate spiritual effectiveness of our service with with to reduce spiritual effectiveness of our service to somebody else strategies.

The other extreme the pendulum is to.Oh consider that spiritual service has nothing to do with material strategies at all.But at the balance of the pendulum would be if we understand that Krishna.Is.

A part of who that Krishna the material world is also included in in Krishna and with and within our domain of service to Krishna and material strategies and material statistics.Are one parameter of success not the sole parameter of success and the intelligence to utilize the statistics also comes from Krishna.

But we are not just our intelligence we are souls and these are hard that is to be offered to Christiana if you keep that in mind.And.Make sure that strategies and statistics and material successes total consumer consciousness.But are just one part of our consciousness then.We can perform bhakti.

In a way that is both going to connect our heart with Krishna and also.Connect us with the world so that we can take Krishna’s message.And mission.From our heart to their heart.

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• Damodarashtakam verse 1 line 2_ Prayer for better chanting
• Damodarashtakam verse 1 line 1_ Prayer for better chanting

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Lasat-kuṇḍalaṁ, gokule bhrājamanam
My dear Lord Krsna, as I try to remember You, You are not just a generic reality; You are a specific person with specific attributes. Just as Your beautiful earrings, kuṇḍala, have charmed the heart of Satyavrat muni, my dear Lord, may Your specific attributes charm my heart. With those specific attributes—Your bluish-black complexion, Your flute, Your threefold bending form—some or the other, may my heart be captivated towards You. Gokule bhrājamanam, my dear Lord, beyond this world of constant agitation is your eternal abode of unending love. May I be able to turn away from this world and immerse myself in You, knowing that Your world is the Supreme shelter.

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Hare Krsna
Meditating on the Damodarastakam as a prayer for improving our remembrance of Krsna and our chanting. So, in this meditation, we can take one line from each verse and meditate on that.
namāmīśvaraṁ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ
īśvara refers to the controller. Oh Krsna, You who are the Supreme controller, please help me to control my uncontrollable mind. Alone I cannot do it, but You can control my mind, for You and how do You control the mind, oh Lord sac-cid-ānanda-rūpam,̇ You are all attractive. You can attract my heart and thus control the mind, not by force, but by beauty, by the attractiveness of Your divine form.

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Chaitanya Charan Das, “The Spiritual Scientist,” is one of ISKCON’s premiere teachers and prolific authors. He graciously agreed to share his two-part reflections on the Damodarashtakam with ISKCON News to help devotees enter this month of spiritual auspiciousness more fully.  Here is Part II: Verse 5: Devotion catapults us to the summit of yogic meditation […]

The post Meditating on the Damodarashtakam with Chaitanya Charan Das (Part 2 – Verses 5 to 8) appeared first on ISKCON News.

We invite you to observe the Sri Damodar Month, a time of heightened devotion and spirituality, from October 30th to November 27th, 2023. This auspicious month is dedicated to deepening your spiritual connection and offering heartfelt prayers to Lord Krishna.

During this special month we invite you and your family to visit Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Temple an offer a lamp (diya) to Their Lordships.

🌟 Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day 🌟

Join us on Friday, November 17th, 2023, as we honor the life and teachings of Srila Prabhupada on his Disappearance Day. This special festival is dedicated to remembering and celebrating the legacy of our beloved Founder-Acharya.

🐄 Sri Govardhan & Go Puja Festival 🌿

Immerse yourself in the sacred festivities of Sri Govardhan & Go Puja. Join us for this spiritually enriching event on Sunday, November 19th, 2023, starting at 11:00 AM.

📅 Date: Sunday, November 19th, 2023
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM Onwards

Here are the highlights of the event:

🐄 Go Puja: Experience the deep reverence for the sacred cow, symbolising nourishment, protection, and motherly love. You're invited to actively take part in the Go Puja with your friends and family.

🎶 Kirtan: Immerse yourself in the captivating melodies of kirtan, the heart-soothing devotional songs that connect us with the divine.

🪔 Maha Arati: Witness the grand arati, creating an atmosphere of purity and spiritual awakening.

🍛 Bhoga Offerings to Govardhan Hill: Participate in the offering of sumptuous bhoga (food) to our own Govardhan Hill !

🍽️ Maha Prasadam: Indulge in a delectable feast of Maha-Prasadam, a sanctified meal that nourishes the body and soul.

This event is a unique opportunity to deepen your spiritual connection, learn more about the profound significance of Go Puja and Govardhan Hill. Bring your family and friends to share in the blessings and joy of this auspicious occasion.

The first full moon of the autumn season marks the celebration of Krsna’s dancing with the gopis.

On this day the deities of Vrndavana are nicely decorated in white. Krsna lila dramas are enacted. Because the moon is very auspicious, the vraja vasis leave pots of sweet rice exposed to the full moon for the whole night, to turn the sweet rice into ambrosial amrta.

The Pune temple devotees decorated the area just in front of the altar with a beautiful depiction of Vrndavan forest with the small Radha Krsna deities and the gopis.

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I was distributing books in Balboa Park (in San Diego) and met a guy named Matthew. He was waiting for me while I spoke to a Mexican couple for five minutes. Then he came to the table and said that he’s very interested in meditation. He’s been practicing it for the past nine months. He
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