Websites from the ISKCON Universe
For a devotee, death means leaving everything behind and continuing our wonderful spiritual journey of gradual progress back to Godhead. 
We invite worldwide devotees to take part in Asta Krosh Parikrama, from 16-19 November 2018. Following the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who used to perform Asta Krosh Parikrama on Ekadasi days, we shall be visiting five islands of Navadvipa dhama – Antardvipa, Simantadvipa, Godrumadvipa, Koladvipa & Rudradvipa. 
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, October 2011, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture)
During the month of Kartik, there is the chance to make special advancement. Especially whoever goes to Vrindavan is very fortunate because in Vrindavan, during Kartik, one can make many times more advancement under than under normal conditions!
Therefore, being in Vrindavan during Kartik is very, very special. But not all of us have the opportunity or the time to just leave everything and go to Vrindavan for Kartik but one can at least go in consciousness because the acaryas like Srila Jiva Gosvami have. mentioned, “Mathura is not a place. It is a state of consciousness.”
So the consciousness of Mathura or Vrindavan is what really transports us there! Therefore we can also invoke that atmosphere from wherever we are and in that way, one can reside in Vrindavan by remembering Vrindavan because remembrance on the spiritual platform is as good as being there, and we simply remember the spiritual world. So this is a month to meditate on Krsna!
The article " The spirit of Vrindavan " was published on KKSBlog.
In this video, the head pujari of ISKCON Mayapur, His Grace Jananivas Prabhu, and the temple president and manager of the Rajapur Jagannatha Mandir, His Grace Nirmala Caitanya Prabhu, speak in great detail about the history and glories of Lord Jagannatha, and how He came to reside in Sridham Mayapur. Please help spread the glories […]
The post History of Sri Jagannath Temple, Rajapur Video appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Kartik Parikrama 2018, Vrindavan Temples (Album of photos)
durlabho bhakti-yogo me mama vasya-vidhayakah
karttike mathurayam ca vratenanena labhyate
“Pure devotional service to Me which, because it places Me under My devotee’s dominion, is very difficult to attain, is easily attained by following this vow in Mathura during Karttika.”
“To they who worship Krishna in Vrindavan, the Lord gives them their original spiritual forms. The perfect atonement to purify the sins of a lifetime is to worship Lord Damodara in Vrindavan during Kartik. The month of Kartik spent in Vrindavan brings the supreme destination.” -Srila Rupa Goswami, Mathura Mahatyam!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/kzryKd
As part of our evening program in Carpinteria during Kartik, we are reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.9, “Mother Yasoda Binds Lord Krsna,” and tonight one verse and purport struck me as especially instructive:
TEXT 5
tam ankam arudham apayayat stanam
sneha-snutam sa-smitam iksati mukham
atrptam utsrjya javena sa yayav
utsicyamane payasi tv adhisrite
TRANSLATION
Mother Yasoda then embraced Krsna, allowed Him to sit down on her lap, and began to look upon the face of the Lord with great love and affection. Because of her intense affection, milk was flowing from her breast. But when she saw that the milk pan on the oven was boiling over, she immediately left her son to take care of the overflowing milk, although the child was not yet fully satisfied with drinking the milk of His mother’s breast.
PURPORT
Everything in the household affairs of Mother Yasoda was meant for Krsna. Although Krsna was drinking the breast milk of Mother Yasoda, when she saw that the milk pan in the kitchen was overflowing, she had to take care of it immediately, and thus she left her son, who then became very angry, not having been fully satisfied with drinking the milk of her breast. Sometimes one must take care of more than one item of important business for the same purpose. Therefore Mother Yasoda was not unjust when she left her son to take care of the overflowing milk. On the platform of love and affection, it is the duty of the devotee to do one thing first and other things later. The proper intuition by which to do this is given by Krsna.
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
(Gita 10.10)
In Krsna consciousness, everything is dynamic. Krsna guides the devotee in what to do first and what to do next on the platform of absolute truth.
After reading this purport, I prayed that I may always be situated on the platform of absolute truth and be guided in what to do and when—by Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna’s grace.
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami
Appearing as the son of a king, Shri Narottama Dasa Thakura (Shri Thakura Mahasaya) showed all the bodily symptoms of a mahapurusha (an exalted divine person). He had long arms, a deep navel, golden-complexion, beautiful eyes shaped like the lotus petals. In school, he was a sruti dhara (able to memorize whatever he hears) Although he quickly mastered Sanskrit and the Vedas, he hankered to serve Krishna. He was a lifelong brahmachari. By the mercy of the Holy Name Gaura-Nitai, Narottama became detached, left his opulent family, and ran to Vrindavana. He took diksha from Shri Lokanatha Goswami and siksha in Gaudiya philosophy from Shri Jiva Goswami.
Translated by Dravida Das. Oh! Supreme Lord Visvambhara, You are the husband of the goddess of fortune, and my eternal friend. Only You are capable of distributing the wealth of love of Godhead. You are known as kindhearted to those who depend upon You, therefore, oh Lord, please shower You kindness upon me.
Giriraj Swami: How Narottama dasa’s conch came to Carpinteria Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
The post Gita 01.25 What catches ouar attention is determined by what is prominent in our external situation and in our internal disposition appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Answer Podcast
The post Is our real problem the original sin in the heart – not the mind – and is believing in Jesus the only solution? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Initiation – Rasala D -The Ease of Mickey Mouse Smaranam 2013-06-09
Lecture – Initiation – Rasala D -The Ease of Mickey Mouse Smaranam 2013-06-09 #spiritualmaster
Appearing as the son of a king, Narottama Dasa Thakura showed all the bodily symptoms of a mahapurusa.
In school, he was a sruti dhara, able to memorise whatever he heard. Although he quickly mastered Sanskrit and the Vedas, he hankered to serve Krishna. He was a lifelong brahmacari.
By the mercy of the holy name of Gaura-Nitai, Narottama became detached, left his opulent family, and ran to Vrndavana. He took diksa from Lokanatha Goswami and siksa in Gaudiya philosophy from Jiva Goswami.
The Disappearance of Sri Narottama Das Thakura
Srila Narottama Thakura was constantly absorbed in singing the glories of Gauranga and Nityananda. Taking the blessings of Narottama, Ramacandra Kaviraja went to Vrndavana Dhama. After a few months there, he entered into the eternal lila of Sri Radha and Govinda.
This extremely terrible and unbearable news came to Srinivas Acharya, and, unable to bear the separation from his dear disciple, he too passed away from this earth and entered into the eternal pastimes of Radha and Govinda.
Hearing all this terrible news, Srila Narottama plunged into the ocean of separation where he began to drown. In the great and unbearable agony of separation he wrote the song, “ye anilo premadhana.”
Barely able to keep afloat in the ocean of separation, Srila Narottama Thakura went near the banks of the Ganges in a village called Gambhilaya and entered a temple of Mahaprabhu. Narottama ordered the devotees to perform kirtan.
The devotees began performing Samkirtan. After Samkirtan, Narottama Thakura went to the river’s edge, and with tears in his eyes took darshana of the Ganges, offering his obeisances again and again.
At that time, he entered the waters of the Ganges. After entering a short distance into the water he requested all the devotees to fill the four directions with loud chanting of the holy name. At that time, Ramakrishna Acharya and Ganganarayana Cakravarti began two kirtans in two different places.
In the midst of all this, the Thakura told them, “Pour the water of the Ganges over my body.” Saying this, everyone was immersed in the waves of kirtan. When they were ready to pour Ganges water over his body, Narottama Das Thakura, who was absorbed in chanting the holy name, merged into the water of the Ganges and vanished from worldly view.
Kartika Parikrama in Bharatpur (14 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Our Kartika parikrama took us to Bharatpur, a town within the...
Gurus Everywhere - A Sunday lecture by Vraj Vihari Das at Iskcon of DC (audio)
There is so much to learn from the world around us… if we just learn to listen.
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Real Protection (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HH Prahladanandana Swami at ISKCON Kanpur - Sri Sri Radha Madhav Mandir.
In an effort to increase awareness of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) within the ISKCON devotee community and the importance of completing the project by 2022, the TOVP management wants to create an online gift and paraphernalia store through the Zazzle.com website platform.
The TOVP store will provide devotees with beautiful memorabilia that they can gift to others or use themselves as reminders of this wonderful project, and will include popular products like shirts, jackets, hats, buttons, watches, clocks, phone covers, keychains, posters, canvas art, and many more items with artwork depicting the TOVP and other designs related to the project. Products ordered from the store can be shipped to any part of the world as gifts for personal use, as prizes for book distribution leaders, or many other uses. The ‘store’ has no stock. Each item is created ‘on-demand’ and shipped accordingly as ordered.
To accomplish this service we are seeking talented and experienced graphic artists who would like this opportunity to offer their time to create artwork for this purpose and serve the TOVP, Srila Prabhupada and Mahaprabhu in this unique way.
Please contact Sunanda das at tovp2016@gmail.com for more information and to offer your help. Kindly provide some samples of your artwork with your submission. All responses will be seriously considered. Please note this is a voluntary service and not a paid position.
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 Attention all Devotee Graphic Artists – Artists Needed for TOVP Online Gift Store appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
How I came to Krishna Consciousness - Panchagauda Das (10 min video)
The amazing ways Lord Chaitanya’s movement changed the lives of so many souls!
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For a devotee, death means leaving everything behind and continuing our wonderful spiritual journey of gradual progress back to Godhead. Although during our life we know everything really belongs to the Lord and we use it in His service, when leaving our body this fact becomes even more clear. It therefore behooves those of us who have significant assets to decide how they will continue to be used in His service in a responsible way when we leave this world for the next.
Donating to charities, non-profits and religious/spiritual organizations in one’s Last Will and Testament is a common and respectable act. Within ISKCON this has also become a regular affair and the results can make a very significant difference to a temple in need. We hope those with the means will consider the TOVP in their thoughts when creating their final distribution of wealth.
Click to read a short and simple explanation of three different types of contributions you can make in your Last Will: Fixed Sum, Specific Legacy and Residuary Legacy.
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 The TOVP and Your Last Will appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
The effect of chanting the names of Radha and Krishna is beyond material conception. We cannot describe it satisfactorily. Krishna is so compassionate that if anyone calls His name even once, He destroys innumerable sinful reactions in their heart. So kind is He that even if someone speaks his name accidentally, or even unwillingly, Krishna purifies them from millions of years of conditioning. 
The beautiful Srimad Bhagavatam (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam Class by H.G.Hari Sauri Prabhu at ISKCON Vrindavan, Oct 27, 2018.
The post From sentimentalism to sentiment – FEEL acronym (2) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Seminar at ISKCON, Hillsborough, North Carolina, USA]
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The post From sentimentalism to sentiment 2 – FEEL acronym – Expression and Learning appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Seminar at ISKCON, Hillsborough, North Carolina, USA]
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The post From sentimentalism to sentiment 1 – FEEL acronym – Firmness and Education appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Congregation program at Cary, North Carolina, USA]
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Every evening there was a programme in the villages that included sandhya-arati and darsana, kirtana, lectures by senior devotees, a Hare Krishna movie, classical dance, drama, and at the end sumptuous prasadam – a blissful experience for guests and devotees alike. We distributed a total of 1041 copies of Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental books and prasadam to everyone on the roads and in the villages. Vrindavana dasa was so pleased he instructed us to hold at least two padayatras a year, and Murtiman prabhu invited us to arrange a padayatra for ISKCON Varachha. Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
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Answer Podcast
Transcription :
Transcriber: Bhakta Sharan
Question: When facing serious problems, should we first focus on solving problems and then practice bhakti?
Answer: Each problem is different. To have a heavy workload is one kind of problem and going through a major health crisis is another. Similarly, having a traumatic relationship conflict is a problem of its own kind. Each of these problems pose different obstacles on our bhakti path.
If we have a sore throat or our leg is fractured and the doctor has advised us to not exert pressure, and still we continue to sing loudly in kirtan or climb a mountain to go to a temple, then such action is foolhardy. We might have to stop a particular devotional service until our physical capacity is restored. We have to follow all the prescribed exercises and medications till we are physically fit.
In case of excessive workload where we have to meet deadlines, postponing our devotional engagements for some time is understandable. Simultaneously we need to check whether working more hours really translates in progressing towards meeting our deadline. Sometimes more hours at work does not necessarily mean more productivity at work. Being alert and taking breaks could actually help us to be more productive. What one does in those breaks could vary from person to person.
Doing activities like hearing kirtan, studying philosophy, listening devotional lectures etc. could actually help sharpen our mental faculty and reduce stress which helps in boosting productivity. One should not think that because I am so busy therefore, I cannot do my devotional activities. Rather, one should be open towards the perspective that my devotional activities could in fact help me do my work better.
In a relationship conflict, emotional pain experienced is much more than the physical pain. Amidst such trauma, one can think that after this gets over, I will practice bhakti. It is understandable that in such situation one should stay focused and purposeful without which it will be very difficult to remain in an emotionally well-balanced situation.
Problem solving is not like weight lifting where the more pressure we exert the more weights we can lift. Problem solving is like applying the right kind of voltage for the right device. If a device receives less power than what it needs, then it cannot function properly. However, at the same time if the device gets more power than what it needs, that will also be a problem. Similarly, we need to find out what amount of thinking help us solve the problem and what amount of thinking starts affecting us negatively. Unless we recognize this dynamic difference, we will continue to think about the problem understanding that the more we think about the problem, the more we will be able to deal with it. At one level this may be true because we need to think to solve the problem. However, we need to understand that thinking endlessly about the problem will also not help. Our thoughts need to be sharp and alert so that our thinking is effective to find constructive paths for dealing with the problem. That is why for emotional problems, it is vital that we create the necessary distance and detachment by directing our thoughts elsewhere so that we can get positive energy to help us deal with the negative energy.
This can be done by thinking about Krishna and practicing bhakti activities. Not ritualistically, but in a way that we can absorb ourselves in it. Doing that activity could help us in a significant way in moving towards Krishna and growing internally by calling out to him in a mood of dependence. Consequently, getting the required clarity that could help us solve the problem more effectively.
End of transcription.
The post When facing serious problems, should we first focus on solving problems and then practice bhakti? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
“Don’t Think God Has No Feeling” by Srila Prabhupada (SB 7.9.5) 24 min. class recorded in Mayapur, February 25, 1977.
Proud of your new “supercar”? (2 min video)
Sivarama Swami: A new Mercedes, BMW, Tesla or Porsche … will make us Happy? It’s a myth - let me explain.
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Vaman Kshetra Hall Programme, Glenfield, New South Wales, Australia (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: There is no limit to perfection—we may go on improving more and more, and still there is no limit to how much we may please Krishna, just like for the materialist there is no limit to how much Maya can kick us! Letter to Balavanta, December 22, 1971.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/GaXDAU
Kartik in Vrindavana (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This Krishna consciousness movement is for approaching Radha-Krishna,...
Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami Festival (Album of photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Last Dvadasi we celebrated the Disappearance Day of S...
Damodarastakam (video)
Ecstatic bhajan glorifying Lord Damodara by HH Lokanatha Swami in Iskcon Vrindavana, 24.10.2018.
Rathayatra in Curitiba, a city in Brazil (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The secret of surrendering to Krishna is that such surrendered devotee sees that everything is part of Krishna’s plan. Whatever is meant to be I am doing. Let me do it with my full attention to every detail. Let me become absorbed in such service, never mind what it is. Let all other considerations be forgotten and only my desire to do the thing best for Krishna’s alone pleasure is my motive. Letter to Jayapataka, December 19, 1972.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/99SnGJ
Answer Podcast
Transcription :
Transcriber: Bhakta Sharan
Question: Should a devotee profession try to become a CEO to demonstrate how devotees can be materially successful too?
Answer: All of us have certain capacities of stretching ourselves in carrying out various tasks. If we are in a zone below that capacity, it is called comfort zone (the name maybe comfort zone but staying there for too long makes us uncomfortable). Above the comfort zone is stretch zone and beyond it is the panic zone. Lifting a weight is either within our capacity or way above our capacity. Stretch zone varies from person to person. Ideally, it would be great that devotees have the best profession, or they are the best in their profession. However, we should remember that not every student in the class can be first.
Devotional sincerity is good but in the material world the translation of devotional intention into successful action also requires material competence. Different people will have different competence. For example, there might be a student who comes first in his class and also practices high standards of sadhana in devotional life. Other devotee students would surely want to emulate him. If the students out of peer pressure desire to be first in the class but neglect the fact that they take 14-15 hours to study compared to the topper who takes only 5-6 hours, then this might not be the best way that they can contribute.
We have to find out for ourselves what level of success or what level of progressing towards success is sustainable and holistic for us. Striving to be the best in our field is good but striving to be connected with Krishna and pursuing our profession in the context of our connection with Krishna is even more important.
For someone, the pursuit of becoming the best may take them away from Krishna. For some, the pursuit to be devoted to Krishna may inspire and equip them to become the best and for others, the pursuit of becoming the best and the pursuit to be devoted to Krishna may go parallel. We can understand this with three scenarios as follows:
A. In a class, there might be students who are average or above average and the pursuit to be the topper may take them away from Krishna (I have to study so much, I have no time for bhakti)
B. Some students may have a lot of potential but are unable to cope up due to their own negativity. However, when they feel positive after practising bhakti, it inspires them to become the best.
C. And then, there are toppers who are also devotees and they may continue practising bhakti and remain on top.
All these three possibilities are there, and which possibility applies to us that we have to see.
To conclude, there are central and peripheral activities of devotion. More broadly, there are primary, secondary and tertiary activities of devotion. Primary activities are our direct devotional expressions and responsibilities, secondary activities of devotion could be our family responsibility, professional ambition etc. and tertiary activities are pursuing excellence in a particular field as a mode of devotional expression. Some people may spend lifetime trying to achieve excellence in kirtan (which is great) but if that is done at the expense of not following the prescribed sadhana (not chanting their daily rounds, not attending important programs in temple etc.) because now they do not have time then they are giving up the primary for the tertiary. How much effort will be required in the tertiary will vary from person to person depending on how much talent they have and what situation they are in.
End of transcription.
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
The post Gita 01.23 Virtue doesn’t count when determining the military count in a fight appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
[Bhagavatam class at Raleigh, North Carolina, USA]
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[Talk at North Carolina State University, USA]
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The post Focus on potentials, not on problems appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
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Adult Education At The Temple
