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 Ananta Vrindavan.

The fifth day of the GBC Meeting was evoked with the auspicious spiritual initiation ceremony by Bhakti Charu Swami and it marked the fourth installation ceremony of the ISKCON Kanpur temple.

Srila Prabhupada once said, “Unless in the human society the Varnasrama system is introduced, no scheme or social order, health order or any order, political order, will be successful.”

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), celebrated an annual Mega Youth Fest UDGAAR – “An Expression of Goodness and Joy’’, on October 14^th, 2018, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi. It marked the initiation of their  “Value Awareness Campaign”.

Coffered Ceiling Research (6 min video)
Sadbhuja Das: We have completed the research of the structure for the coffered ceiling...

Every devotee should have the TOVP App on their phone. With over 2,000 users to date receiving regular news and updates through Push Notifications, access to the TOVP website, Facebook Page and Youtube Channel, everyone can stay in touch with this most important ISKCON project on a daily basis.

The MISSION 22 MARATHON is full steam ahead to complete the TOVP by 2022 and we need to all work and pray together for the fulfillment of this combined offering to Srila Prabhupada of his dearmost desire to manifest the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. Become a TOVP Ambassador and tell all your devotee friends and relatives to get the TOVP App also.

Simply go to Google Play on your phone, type in TOVP and download the App. At this time the App is only available for Android and iPhone.

Reviews

“It’s amazing to get up to date developments, shows great efforts made for service and enthusiasm.”

“It gives real life experience. Wonderful. Thanks Srila Prabhupada & his dedicated servants.”

“This app is very convenient to stay updated with the temple project.”

“One stop application for devotees like us. Haribol, Hare Krishna!”

“Extremely nice & helpful….may Lord Gaur Nitai bestow all their mercy upon the devotees.”

“Jai..Thanks for current and live updates!”

“One of the best apps to get connected to Srila Prabhupada’s dream home and family.”

“TOVP I’m keeping this app.”

“Loved it Jay Gaura Nitai.”

“Totally awesome.”

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 Get the TOVP App and Stay in Touch appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Preparing for Kartik (10 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: For the past few days I have been going around Vraja-mandala with a small group of devotees scouting out places to take our larger parikrama party of 350 devotees during the month of Kartika. As always, we’ve met with so many wonderful transcendental adventures. The people and places of Sri Vrindavan Dhama are superior to any other holy places in the universe. All holy places find their origin in Vrindavan. In fact, Srila Rupa Goswami writes that anyone who leaves Vrindavan to go to other holy places achieves nothing but the trouble it takes to get there. All glories to Sri Vrindavan Dhama!

Фотоальбом с FB – Great Expectations!

For the past fews days I have been going around Vraja-mandala with a small group of devotees scouting out places to take our larger parikrama party of 350 devotees during the month of Kartika. As always, we’ve met with so many wonderful transcendental adventures. The people and places of Sri Vrindavan Dhama are superior to any other holy places in the universe. All holy places find their origin in Vrindavan. In fact, Srila Rupa Goswami writes that anyone who leaves Vrindavan to go to other holy places achieves nothing but the trouble it takes to get there. All glories to Sri Vrindavan Dhama!

A short look into life in Vrindavan as we make final preparations for our upcoming Kartika parikrama. Yesterday in the morning we visited Radha Vallabha and Gopiswara Mahadeva temples. Then we offered prayers at the samadhi’s of Srinivasa Acaraya, Ramchandra Kaviraja and Hemlata Goswami, asking for their blessings as we traverse the land of Krsna.

There are several existing Hare Krishna communities around the world that have established “Vedic villages” in their own way. Although we may aspire to live in an ideal Vedic village, I don’t believe there is any one model that can be copied everywhere because the local conditions and culture in each country will present its own set of challenges and will require specific solutions. Continue reading "How to Live on a Farm in the 21st Century
→ Dandavats"

Kanpur GBC meeting (Album of photos)
Ramai Swami: The GBC has a meeting midyear and for the last 10 years it has been at one ...

Awaken The True Essence Of Your Being By Chanting The Maha-mantra!
Learn to nurture your higher nature and discover harmony, ...

How to develop Krishna consciousness (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HH Badrinarayan Swami in Iskcon Kanpur, Oct 16, 2018

Answer Podcast

The post Are negative emotions due to a lack of compassion towards oneself? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 01.18 The Pandavas lost Pandu but gained Drupada as a father figure appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The GBC has a meeting midyear and for the last 10 years it has been at one of temples in India. Devotees come from all of the world to participate in either the general meeting or subcommittee meetings.

Our hosts, Devakinandana prabhu and the management of ISKCON Kanpur, provided fantastic facilities and looked after everyone wonderfully. The schedule was full with subjects concerning ISKCON around the world, present and future.

There are many transcendental ways of interpreting the Lord’s most special lila as Damodar, the child Krishna Who is bound by the belly to a wooden grinding mortar with rope by Mother Yasoda. This article focuses on the significance of Mother Yasodas’ rope always being two inches too short, no matter how much rope she kept adding. And how the TOVP, like Lord Damodara’s own body will only be bound and finally completed by great endeavor, devotion and love on our part, and the final mercy of the Lord. Continue reading "Kartik and the TOVP
→ Dandavats"

Lord Krishna: “I am too hungry! Just give Me anything to eat”.
“Durvasa arrived at the Pandavas’ cottage hungry with his ten thousand disciples just after Draupadi had finished her meal. King Yudhisthira greeted him respectfully and offered obeisances to the exalted sage. He then invited him and his disciples to lunch. When the sage accepted the invitation, King Yudhisthira asked Durvasa to go and bathe at the nearby Devanadi (Vimala Kunda, at Kamyavana). But when King Yudhisthira learned that Draupadi had already eaten from her magical pot, he became worried. If Draupadi had eaten, her mystical pot, a gift from the sun god, would produce no more that day. If the Pandavas were unable to feed their ten thousand guests after they had been invited, the wrathful Durvasa would certainly curse them. A distressed Draupadi prayed to Lord Krishna to save them. At the time, Krishna was lying on Rukminidevi’s bed, and she was fanning Him with a camara. Although for His pastimes it seemed that Krishna was present only in Dvaraka, as the Supreme Lord He is always present everywhere, so He heard Draupadi, whose heart was full of devotion, and appeared before her immediately.

What Now? is a New Zealand institution. The children’s television program has been running for nearly forty years and is one of the top ten most popular shows in the country.

For the first time, the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) meeting is being held in ISKCON Kanpur, India. Spiritual leaders from all over the world, from America to Europe, China, Africa, Asia, Australia, Russia, have come together to transform this small temple of Kanpur into a true spiritual United Nations.

A video by Barnaby Booth.

The Jaguar’s Story, a children’s book written by Kosa Ely (Kosarupa Dasi) and beautifully illustrated by Radhe Gendron, has received two prestigious awards this week. 

Rucira Devi Dasi: Himavati told me a story from the first trip with Srila Prabhupada to India. The devotees were living in tents and Hansadutta refused to sleep with her in their tent. All the other couples were sleeping together in their own tents. So she snuck into Srila Prabhupada’s room and slept in his closet.

Read More...

Explore Gita - Autumn 2018 (Album of photos)
ISKCON Birmingham: Last Sunday, we started our Explore Gita course with over 80 new students in Walsall who all received a Bhagavad Gita each. Here is some feedback from our students:
‘My friend and I came to class today and wanted to give our feedback; we really enjoyed and cannot wait to get to it. I was in a class with P and she had one of the other teachers. We wanted to let you all know we’re grateful you put on such a course and look forward to the upcoming weeks!’ - A & D

'Excellent delivery and amazing jewels of knowledge from Bhagavad Gita. Can’t wait for next week!’ - G

'This is what I just needed, life is hard at the moment and just being in contact with you and Gita all has helped me so much. Bless you all.’ - N
Find them here: https://goo.gl/xGnp3f

Iskcon Kanpur (Album of photos)
Aniruddha Dasa: ISKCON Kanpur is a big temple. The guest house, from which I took the first shot last night, is very comfortable. We are being looked after better than I deserve. I am again stunned by our Founder Acarya’s vision. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desires are being fulfilled all over the world. Very much so here in Kanpur.
Smara Hari: This temple was fully constructed…..from foundations to first Aarti in only 18 months.
60 brahmacharis were brought in from other temples simply to perform street harinam. This daily activity enabled the collectors to successfully solicit donations from businesses and individuals.
Devakinandan from Mumbai coordinated the entire effort. The extremely fast construction is none-the-less excellent in finish and aesthetic yet practical in layout and design.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/PCZ2Ez

Kartik mood in Vrindavana (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If we become pure devotee of Krsna, then my love will be extended to everyone. Not only my society, but to everyone. It is not that “This is my children; that is other’s children.” All children. All human being. Not my countrymen – all other countrymen. Not only human being, but even animals also. That is sneha. It is not that “I am safe, and let the animals be killed in the slaughterhouse.” No, that is not love. Love means for everyone. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Equality to all living entities. That is real love. That is real concern, Krsna consciousness. A lover of Krsna will hesitate to kill even one ant. You know the story, Mrgari. That is love.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/A5nZZh

Appreciating other people’s contributions (video)
Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Anuttama Prabhu at Iskcon Kanpur

Local media in past few weeks, has been mostly reporting news about political, sports and social events with paprazzi, but this time while covering the GBC Meeting, they were not just amazed and awestruck but they were deeply touched. Kurma Avatar Das has been in touch with the local media for quite some time now, and an event of this stature being hosted in Iskcon Kanpur obviously attracted a lot of media attention. He is mediating and coordinating the media coverage of the event. While interacting with a journalist, at one point he exclaimed, ‘Where are these swamis from? They are such unique people with such varied ethnicity. Each of their lives are so different yet they have Lord Krishna, their devotion, their struggles and Srila Prabhupada in common. Whether it is the travelling swami (Bhakti Marg Swami) who travelled all over Canada or the Kirtan Maharaja (Lokanath Swami), they are all amazing personalities’. Continue reading "Media filled with wonder in ISKCON Kanpur
→ Dandavats"

The Braja & Vrindavan parikrama’s are the perfect opportunity to delve deeply into the pastimes of Krishna, Radharani, the cowherd boys and the gopi’s. And again, in 2018, you can join the transcendental tours of Braja with Kadamba Kanana Swami. Find the schedule below for an overview. Registration is required to join as it helps us organizing it smoothly.

In less then a month the Braja parikrama’s will commence but you can already relive the experiences; 2017 and 2016.

Register

The costs of a parikrama is 130 Rupees per day. Kamyavan and Badrinath will be 220 Rupees per day.

* Limited seats available!!! Be sure to register quickly.

Vrindavana Pairikrama Schedule 2018

• 12 Nov Madhuvan & Talavan
• 13 Nov Varsana Parikrama
• 14 Nov Puncari,Nrsimha Temple, Raghava Pandita’s Cave
• 15 Nov. Radhakunda, Mukherai
• 16 Nov Vrindakunda, Pavana Sarovara, Moti Kund
• 17 Nov Prema Sarovara, Sanket, Anjanokha.
• 18 Nov Kamyavan, Vrindadevi, Dharmakund, Lanka, Chaurasi Kambha, Vyomasura’s Cave
• 19 Nov Ekadasi – by bus to Dauji, Raval
• 20 Nov Manasi Ganga – Tribhuvanatha’s Samadhis, (Kusum Sarovara) Uddhava Kund, Narada Kund
• 21 Nov Break (initiations)
• 22 Nov Vrindavana
• 23 Nov Ghantoli , Badrinatha

Practical notes

Some parikrama’s will start very early and end late. Make sure you dress appropriately for the weather, take enough water with you and make sure you have a breakfast and/or lunch pack with you! Be mindful of your luggage and valuables during the trips. The management is not responsible for lost luggage, theft and other misplaced items.

Contact info

Your contact person for the Braja parikrama’s in 2018 is Charu vinda prabhu. You can find his details below.

Email: kksparikrama@gmail.com
Cel. number +919082271007
WhatsApp +971555435545

Registration form

The article " Braja Parikrama 2018 " was published on KKSBlog.

There are many transcendental ways of interpreting the Lord’s most special lila as Damodar, the child Krishna Who is bound by the belly to a wooden grinding mortar with rope by Mother Yasoda. This article focuses on the significance of Mother Yasodas’ rope always being two inches too short, no matter how much rope she kept adding. And how the TOVP, like Lord Damodara’s own body will only be bound and finally completed by great endeavor, devotion and love on our part, and the final mercy of the Lord.

The comparison is not hard to understand; even material things require much endeavor and the permission of the Paramatma for their success. There are five factors in all action according to the Lord in Bhagavad Gita and the fifth and most important is the Supersoul. And in the case of devotional service and the Lord’s lila, He is certainly the main contributing factor, utilizing His yoga-maya to bring about His pleasure pastimes. But endeavor, emotion, and devotion on the part of the devotee are an intrinsic part of that lila to increase the Lord’s pleasure. The Lord must taste the struggle of the devotee to achieve his service objective, to make His pleasure complete.

The construction of the magnificent, immense, historic and expensive Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is the epitome of devotional endeavor for ISKCON as an Institution. It is the fulfillment of a long-standing order coming through the disciplic succession of Gaudiya acharyas and the deepest desire of our Founder-Acharya, Srila Prabhupada to “make it (the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir) rise, bigger and bigger until it becomes the full moon. And this moonshine will be spread all over the world.” Once satisfied by our hard endeavor, the Lord will be pleased by our mutual endeavors, complete the temple, and bless us with complete satisfaction and His unlimited mercy.

This 2018 Kartik is a month to make a vow of charity and sacrifice to help the MISSION 22 MARATHON to complete the TOVP. It is a month to remember Sridhama Mayapur with every lamp offered. The TOVP Team have rolled out yet another donation option that is ideal for all devotees during this month, whether they have already given to the TOVP or not: The Daily Victory Flag Seva Opportunity. Our goal is to stretch our limits and raise $500,000 during this Kartik.

Please go to the link below and offer a Victory Flag with your Kartik lamp and give the Lord your whole heart of love and devotion. In the end you will experience the greatest satisfaction and bliss of assisting His lila in the final manifestation of the TOVP.

https://tovp.org/fundraising/tovp-daily-victory-flag-sponsorship-an-ideal-kartik-seva/

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 Kartik and the TOVP appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Balancing material and spiritual life - B.B Govinda Swami (3 min video)
King Pariksit continued: “The ability to talk can be perfected only by describing the transcendental qualities of the Lord. The ability to work with one’s hands can be successful only when one engages himself in the service of the Lord with those hands. Similarly, one’s mind can be peaceful only when one simply thinks of Krsna in full Krsna consciousness. This does not mean that one has to have very great thinking power: one has to understand simply that Krsna, the Absolute Truth, is all-pervasive by His localized aspect of Paramatma. If one can simply think that Krsna, as Paramatma, is everywhere, even within the atom, then one can perfect the thinking, feeling and willing functions of his mind. The perfect devotee does not see the material world as it appears to material eyes, for he sees everywhere the presence of his worshipable Lord in His Paramatma feature.”

Read More...

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 01.17 Don’t let minor grammatical disputes overshadow major narrational and philosophical thrust appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post What is the significance of Duryodhana’s use of the past tense in Gita 01.09? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Talk at ISKCON Silicon Valley, San Jose, USA]

Podcast

Podcast Summary

Video:

The post When life hurts 1 – when a small mistake causes huge problems – Parikshit M pastime analysis appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Seminar at Salesforce, San Francisco, USA]

Podcast

Podcast Summary

Video:

The post Finding security in insecurity appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Many people think of a villain as a person who enjoys by exploiting and harming others. Though not wrong, this conception of evil is incomplete and naïve as it ignores a fundamental reality: our supremely responsible and loving father, God. Probably most of us never got spiritual education to realize that it is God who selflessly provides us our daily food. It is true that we have to work hard to earn our living, but our effort is secondary; its like the hard work of the birds searching for grains. Without God pre-providing the grains through nature, their search, no matter how painstaking, would be fruitless. Continue reading "Have You Burnt The Ravana Within?
→ Dandavats"