A few weeks ago, Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Satari, along with Their Graces Jananivas, Ambarisa, Svaha and Braja Vilasa prabhus paid an ecstatic visit to Hong Kong and Taiwan (Taipei) as part of the worldwide TOVP Tour that has been on the road since 2015.

However, we first would like to express our gratitude and thanks to TOVP Chairman Ambarisa prabhu and his wife Svaha mataji who, despite his busy personal schedule and pressing health issues, made the time to come to Hong Kong. Ambarisa and Svaha are the backbone behind the TOVP and are the ideal devoted couple. He sets the standard of service and she, imbibing his cherished seva attitude, follows suit with insightful and inspiring speeches revealing the depths of the TOVP’s importance and why each and every one of us must participate in its completion. Their support, encouragement, devotion to the project, and unshakable determination to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s deepest desire are the inspiration for the entire TOVP Team and anyone they come in contact with.

The Hong Kong visit consisted of three separate programs organized by the devotees of Hong Kong who went far above and beyond the call of duty to make the fundraising events successful and inspiring for all. We are very grateful for their support and enthusiasm, without which this visit would not have been as transcendentally fruitful as it was.

The first program was organized on Saturday, September 22nd specifically for Indian businessmen and their families. About 30 people attended and over $450,000 in pledges raised, with connections made to help organize similar programs in other parts of the world.

The second and third programs were held on Sunday, September 23rd at the Hong Kong temple on the auspicious appearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, whose blessings were certainly felt by all present. In the late morning and early afternoon a program was held with the Chinese community of devotees, approximately 60 devotees attended, with $250,000 being pledged. In the evening, a gathering with the Indian community of devotees was held, with a little more than $200,000 being pledged.

All three programs were very enlivening for all concerned, particularly due to the presence of Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s Padukas, Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Satari and the presence of their servants, the TOVP Team. An abhiseka and puspanjali was held for these two events in which everyone had the opportunity to participate in bathing Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s padukas.

Outside of these three main programs other smaller scale programs were held in the temple and in the homes of various devotees. In all of these programs the TOVP Team shared with all those present Srila Prabhupada’s vision for Mayapur and the TOVP, and the special nature of the mercy of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda in the form of the Sankirtan Movement.

The highlight during the more than one week visit was the opportunity to have Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Satari touch and thus bless everyone’s head.

The tour then made its way to Taipei, Taiwan for a program organized by the devotees of Taipei on Sunday, September 30th. An abhisheka, puspanjali and kirtan ensued with approximately 50 devotees attending the program and $100,000 being pledged. Jananivas prabhu noted that the kirtan at this program was one of the sweetest he has heard during his entire three years of touring for the TOVP.

Overall, this tour raised over $1 million in pledges. We are grateful to one and all who sacrificed their time and wealth in the Sankirtana yajna of the TOVP project for the MISSION 22 MARATHON to complete the TOVP by Gaur Purnima 2022.

Below are photos from both programs and videos from the Taiwan program.

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 The TOVP Tour Sets Foot in Hong Kong and Taiwan appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

In the year 1992, Chitra Devi was one of the last of the four Asta-sakhis, or principle associates of Srimati Radharani, to be installed in Mayapur. Chitra Devi stands third on Madhava’s right. Sri Chitra Devi’s father is Chatura, her mother is Charchika, and her husband is Pithara. She has the beautiful complexion of kasmira, […]

The post Appearance of Citra Devi appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by HG Pancharatna Prabhu - ISKCON Kanpur - Sri Sri Radha Madhav Mandir (video)

Project for ISKCON Temple in Gurabo, Puerto Rico (4 min video)
The devotees in Puerto Rico island try to re-build their Radha-Krishna temple after deadly Hurricane Maria last year demolished it.

Yoga instructors from 40 yoga studios visit ISKCON of Houston and attend a religious ceremony (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupa...

Effective ways to develop Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON (Album of photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: We are currently having Organizational Committee meetings in Kanpur, trying to plan out more effective ways to develop Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/JVT6Dm

We organized 4th annual Turkish Namahatta camp on the outskirts of Istanbul, Turkey. Our special guest was HH Sivarama Swami and also there were 7 devotees from Hungarian Yatra came along with him. It was the most crowded namahatta event for us and some days we reached 70 visitors in the place. Actually, it was the best retreat we have ever organized in terms of attendance, hotel itself, staff of the hotel, weather conditions, and many other aspects. Devotees had opportunity to get HH Sivaram Swami’s wonderful association. Everybody served in a very good mood and athmosphere was joyful. Along with Sivaram Swami we had HG Ananda Caitanya Prabhu, HG Shyam Bihari Prabhu, HG Manjari Mataji, HG Jitendriya Prabhu, HG Brijbasi Mataji, HG Sri Gokul Mataji and HG Pandita Mataji. Every day we started the day with Mangala Arati and after guru Puja HH Sivaram Swami lectured about “what is bhakti?” It was a wondeful serie based on Brihad Bhagavatamrita. Continue reading "Annual Turkish Namahatta Retreat
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Answer Podcast

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In the material world, a conditioned soul, due to his false ego, is generally not comfortable to think of oneself as a ‘subordinate’ to anyone including God. But it is in the best interest of a soul to accept subordination to God and His representatives at various levels. Submissiveness to the Supreme Lord, the bona fide spiritual master and their transparent representatives constitute one of the vital aspects of spiritual advancement. Srila Prabhupada writes, “A spiritual master knows very well how to engage each disciple in a particular duty, but if a disciple, thinking himself more advanced than his spiritual master, gives up his orders and acts independently, he checks his own spiritual progress.” (CC Adi 7.72 Purport). Continue reading "Anatomy Of Autonomy
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Dharmsala is a beautiful hill station in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh. Located at a height of 4800ft. from sea level, it is situated on the slopes of scenic dhauladhar mountain range. The view of these mountains from our host's roof in Dharmsala is really fascinating. Dhauladhar's snow covered peaks decorate this valley just like a mighty crown. It’s rich flora and fauna renders the landscape even more beautiful. Dhauladhar range is a paradise for worldwide mountain trekkers and Paragliders. Banana, Papaya trees, guavas, pumpkins, amala, various citrus fruits, pomegranates to name a few and also various aromatic flowers grow abound. Continue reading "Dharmsala Rath Yatra 2018 & Preaching to the Lamas
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«Нужно принять прибежище духовного учителя. Как пылающий лесной пожар ждет туч в небесах, надо ожидать милостивой тучи духовного учителя».

[Лекция Шрилы Прабхупады в Лос-Анджелесе 2 января 1969 г.]

Waiting patiently by your side ….

“One has to take shelter of spiritual means. Just like the blazing fire in the forest has to wait for the clouds in the sky, similarly, one has to wait for the merciful cloud of the spiritual master.”

[ Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles. January 2, 1969 ]

[Class at ISKCON, Seattle, USA]

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The post Demons in krishna-lila 3 – Trinavarta – Giving up useless argumentation appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A video by Vrisabhanu Das.

At MAN-tra, ISKCON’s first ever men’s retreat last weekend, devotee men bonded and dedicated themselves to self-improvement. They learned how to find themselves, become stronger, happier and more productive in society, balance Krishna consciousness and other duties, and how to become better husbands and fathers.

It is an odd development of the modern world that being excessively anxious about our children is considered a virtue. We consider ourselves good parents if we make life easy for them, reward them for the smallest achievement, and are anxious for their safety and well being at all times.

Seventy-two women, ranging in age all the way from 12 to 76, attended the Vaishnavi Retreat in Lake County, California from October 5^thto 7^th. Amongst them were 23 Srila Prabhupada disciples, and many second generation devotees and new bhaktins.

As long as we are living in this world we have to act, none of us can remain idle and not do anything.

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The midterm GBC meetings about to begin at the beautiful Iskcon temple in Kanpur, UP, India (Album of photos)
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: We are now at the fabulous ISKCON Kanpur temple in UP, India, at the GBC meetings. It’s an amazing temple, that has only be open about a year, being run by His Grace Devakinandana prabhu.
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Awakening the Soul was founded in 2014 in Dubai, and has since evolved into a committed community, of those seeking mutual learning, and exchange on spirituality.

The Odyssey of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine: The most beautiful collection of rejection letters!
“Looking back, I don’t know what it was—youthful folly, divine inspiration, some chromosomal glitch in the DNA sequence—I don’t know what it was that prompted us to take this on…. We just felt compelled….We had faith in Yamuna.
We had faith in the fact that prasadam was so central to Prabhupada’s mission—that if we could do this, then we could die peacefully. I am not saying that in any kind of metaphorical way. I truly think that it was a service that we could look back on and say, ‘You know what? If nothing else happened, I helped to get that done.’
So we got somebody to pay for copies of the manuscript and sent them out [to publishers]. To this day I have at home the most beautiful collection of rejection letters from every publisher in America. They are the most heartfelt, 'This is incredible research’; 'It’s extraordinary’; 'Good luck to you’; 'I have no idea what to do with it’; 'I don’t have any ideas for you’; 'It’s fantastic.’
But who wanted to publish it? Who wanted to read 1,000 pages on Indian vegetarian food with all of these descriptions of Lord Krishna and this guru [Srila Prabhupada]?”
- Yogesvara das, from “Yamuna Devi: A Life of Unalloyed Devotion”

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[Bhagavatam study program at Seattle, USA]

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Taking shelter through chanting.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: The purpose of chanting is about taking shelter. Everyone needs shelter in this world; we know that very well. But where is our shelter other than at Krsna’s lotus feet? That is our situation, there is no other shelter! Everything else is illusory shelter. Real security and shelter is found in Krsna and that is the essence of spiritual life.

When Mother Lorrie visited her son, Jayapataka Swami in Mayapur
Haridhvani Devi Dasi: In 1995 I went to India and that year was the 25th anniversary of HH Jayapataka Swami taking sannyasa, so his mother actually came to Mayapur at festival time. I and a few other ladies got the chance to take care of her while she was there. We would try to see to her comforts- is she hot, is she thirsty, is she hungry, would she like to go shopping? It was nice because we figured that Maharaja would be pleased if she was happy and cared for so we did our best.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, December 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Morning Lecture)

The purpose of chanting is about taking shelter. Everyone needs shelter in this world; we know that very well. But where is our shelter other than at Krsna’s lotus feet? That is our situation, there is no other shelter! Everything else is illusory shelter. Real security and shelter is found in Krsna and that is the essence of spiritual life.

When we are new in spiritual life then we think we are advancing – we feel we are advancing, we feel things are changing, we feel our life is changing, we feel we are getting serious… but after we are involved for a longer period of time, we feel that we are not making any progress at all. Why is that!?

In the beginning, our progress is very measurable. It is about how many principles we are following – three, four, two? Or how many rounds we are chanting? It can be measured. But later, it is different because later, it is about the state of purity of the heart which is more difficult to measure.

Throughout the centuries, the culture of worship of Krsna has been existing in India. The worship of the Krsna was preserved within the culture. But what about the state of the heart? That is another matter. That you will not get from culture alone. Culture does contribute because within culture, respect and worship of Krsna is there and even the name of Krsna is there. But the state of one’s heart is what Krsna is asking for. At the end of Bhagavad-gita (18.66), Krsna says to surrender unto him, sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja.

This topic of surrender is very big. It is a very big challenge to rise to that occasion. To really say, ‘Now it’s only Krsna!’ Otherwise, the danger is there that we think of other ways to take shelter. Therefore the more we take shelter of the holy name, the less we need to take shelter in other things.

The article " Where is our shelter other than at Krsna’s lotus feet? " was published on KKSBlog.