Planet ISKCON

Answer Podcast

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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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Today we are celebrating the beginning of Jhulana-yatra, which is steeped in the moods of Vrindavan. When I first began reading Srila Prabhupadas books I was struck by the following description in the introduction to Teachings of Lord Chaitanya: “Actually, Vrindaban is as good as the Spiritual Vrindaban, and therefore Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami says that underneath one of the desire trees of Vrindaban there is a nice throne decorated with valuable jewels on which Radharani and Krishna are seated. And His dear friends and the gopis are all serving Them: somebody is singing, somebody is dancing, somebody is offering betel nuts and refreshment, somebody is decorating with flowers.

“In India it is still a fashion of recreation to sit on a swinging throne, and, if it is moving, it is very refreshing. In each and every home they have a hanging throne, and when a man comes home from the office, if it is practical, it is moved from time to time and he becomes refreshed. So, similarly, the same system prevails, especially in the month of Sravana, July, when there is the function called Jhulana. During Jhulana, in all the houses—not only of Vrindaban but all over India—the people hang thrones. In every house and village they place Radha and Krishna and decorate Them with flowers and move the throne and offer dancing and kirtan. . . . The temples are decorated, and thousands of people come as spectators. Generally, people go to Vrindaban at that time. Krishna and Radha are seated on the throne, surrounded by His friends.”

And leading into these two paragraphs: “There is an acharya who describes Vrindaban: When my mind becomes cleansed of all dirty hankering for material enjoyment, then I shall be able to see Vrindaban! So Vrindaban is actually experienced by persons who have finished with material enjoyment. Everything is spiritual. This becomes revealed. . . . As you become more Krishna conscious, as you become more advanced, everything is revealed to you.”

Although I am still waiting for that qualification and that revelation, even in my present state I can, by divine mercy, relish some of the flavors of Vrindavan during Jhulan-yatra.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Padayatra: Day three of the six-day walk, which will make its way to Canterbury (southeast England), will feature a temple on wheel...

[Congregation program at Perth, Australia]

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The post Faith in Krishna’s existence, relevance, benevolence, intelligence and remembrance appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Perth, Australia]

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The post Don’t take others’ actions personally – they are dealing more with their mind than with you appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Harinama Sankirtana in Union Square Park Tuesday, August 21st (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “My heart is always burning in the fire of material existence, and I have made no provisions for getting out of it. The only remedy is Hari-nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which is imported from the spiritual world, Goloka-Vrndavana. How unfortunate I am that I have no attraction for this. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.1.22 Purport)
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Jhulan Yatra in Iskcon Kiev, Ukraine (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: A devotee always thinks of the Lord continuously. While chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, the words Krishna and Hare immediately remind him of all the Lord’s activities. Since his entire life is engaged n the service of the Lord, a devotee cannot forget the Lord at any time. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.1.6 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/VKJozU

Sixty book distributors in a mission to Brighton, UK (Album of photos)
On Saturday we made an exciting trip to the seaside town of Brighton! Fifty five of us boarded a coach, which left Bhaktivedanta Manor at 10.30am. Five more devotees came in their car.
What was really exciting and special about this trip was that we were all planning to set upon Brighton, armed with Srila Prabhupada’s books; the time bombs!
Eager to get there, we spent time singing bhajans, chanting and hearing realisations from our two special VIPs - HG Sutapa das and HG Visvambhara das. Both are very experienced book distributors and had many insightful and entertaining stories to share with us.
Soon after lunch, each and everyone of us armed ourselves with books and set off in all directions to find ripe souls and change lives forever while the harinaam team kept the energy high with melodious tunes of the maha mantra.
Many people from all walks of life were happy to stop and chat with us to find out more about what we were doing. They enthusiastically took books and wished us well. Many stood and smilingly gazed at the harinaam team, probably thinking that this trip to the beach was definitely unique!
After sometime, the sankirtan party and the book distributors moved on towards Brighton pier. This was a perfect opportunity to meet more people along the way and spread the mercy. Many onlookers danced to the kirtan.
As with all the MSFs, the children were encouraged to distribute books and many of them managed to do so successfully. They had a really fun time distributing books, playing on the beach and enjoying the coach ride. 245 books were distributed in less than 3 hours!
On the way back, we shared realisations and experiences. We all agreed what a fun day it had been, albeit short, and the highlight was that we had all been an instrument in helping many souls begin their journey towards Krishna. No doubt more trips like this will be planned in the future, so watch this space and it’ll be great to have you on board next time!

In praise of our dearest God-brother!
Bhakti Charu Swami: At a time like this we can’t help but recognize the extremely exalted spiritual position of our very dear godbrother, His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja.
When the whole world was in total anxiety about the outcome of the very critical operation to transplant his liver and kidney, he seemed to be totally unperturbed and confident. He was waiting in Chennai for months for those organs to be available from a suitable living source. Therefore when they became available he seemed to be excited, rather than becoming worried, and when he was being taken to the operation theatre, his mood was of total confidence as if he knew without a shadow of doubt that the operation would be successful. The first operation, the liver transplant, was successful. We felt somewhat hopeful, then we started to get one after another good news: His kidney transplant also was successful, and after about 10 hours of surgery he was taken to the ICU. He was supposed to be under total sedation for two days. However, the next day they took him out of it and we got the good news that the transplanted organs were functioning effectively and the ventilator had been taken out and he was breathing on his own. We felt thankful to Krishna for listening to our prayers and became confident about his situation. When he came out of his sedation and regained his consciousness, the first words that came from his mouth were “Jai Jagannath”. The doctors began to wonder whether this was a miracle. Yes, it was indeed a most wonderful miracle - an inconceivable display of Krishna’s mercy upon His very dear devotee. The latest news is that the transplanted kidney has been functioning so well that he passed 1.2 liters of urine. Whereas before the operation he was having dialysis thrice a week. The operation had been totally successful. Today, he came out of his bed and sat down on a chair for 20 minutes in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. These are all a very sure sign of remarkable recovery. When you look back, we can see that Jayapataka Maharaja always had been an amazingly outstanding devotee. When Srila Prabhupada decided to take our movement to Mayapur, Jayapataka Maharaja fully committed himself to that project recognizing that it was the most important mission of our movement. He not only committed to that mission but dedicated his whole life to it. Life was not easy in Mayapur those days. Not only did they not have proper living facility but there was no resources to even take care of their day to day needs. However, that difficult situation did not discourage him, rather inspired him to continue to serve Srila Prabhupada with full conviction. Since then what he had done in Mayapur is known to everyone. After Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, he started to give imitation as one of the first eleven initiating spiritual masters. When most of the devotees who assumed that responsibility became victims of Maya’s allurements and fell down from the spiritual path, he carried on without slightest deviation. When he had the stroke in Mumbai in 2008, the possibility of his survival was practically nil. That evening Mr. Ashok Hinduja, the owner of the Hinduja hospital where he was being treated, came along with the chief medical officer of the hospital and the head of the neurosurgery department, to meet us at the Juhu temple and informed us that we should prepare ourselves for Jayapataka Maharaj’s departure from this planet that night. However, we saw how inconceivably his recovered. His body may have been affected by that stroke but his mind, intelligence and spirt was not at all affected. Rather his memory and intelligence became even sharper and his determination to serve became even more stronger. He started to travel around the world, preaching and making disciples and now through this operation in Chennai we can see how wonderfully Krishna is protecting him. All these wonderful happenings are definite indicators of an extremely exhaled devotee who has dedicated himself completely in the service of Krishna and is being taken care of by Him in the most wonderful way. Although we long to see Jayapataka Maharaj in his vibrant youthful form - shooting arrows to hit the bull’s eye, stick in his hand marching forward with a group of devotees following him to face the dacoits, swim across the Ganges like a champion swimmer, broadcasting the glories of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in front of thousands of spellbound audience, but still we consider it to be our great good fortune that he is still with us to push Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission fulfilling the dreams of Srila Prabhupada. Just his presence gives us so much confidence and brings so much joy to our hearts. We are so thankful to Krishna for listening to our prayers and letting him be with us.

Iskcon Trivandrum, Kerala Floods: Third stage (Album of photos)
MEDICAL CAMP
Iskcon jointly with BHAKTIVEDANTA HOSPITAL M...

For the last 33 years, an enthusiastic group of ISKCON Youth has worked together each year for an entire month before the annual Jhulan Yatra festival in Mayapur. In order to prepare for the festivities, these dedicated servants of Sri Sri Radha Madhava work day and night to ensure that the Divine Couple and Their associates will be well served during the 5 day festival. The Jhulan Yatra team turn a dense forest of weeds and overgrown trees and plants into a magnificent flower grove decorated with winding pathways lit by lamps and fairy lights, colourfully lit waterfalls and ponds with fountains, blossoming flowers, trimmed bushes and multi-coloured lights. Continue reading "Jhulan Yatra – A Festival of Sweetness
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“Regarding Jhulan Yatra Ceremony, during these five days the Deities’ clothing should be changed every day, and there should be nice prasadam distribution and sankirtana as far as possible. If you are able to do it, a nice throne may be constructed on which the Deities can be placed. This throne may be swung gently […]

The post Jhulan Yatra- Festival of Sweetness! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The Indian State of Haryana witnessed the grand opening of it’s first Iskcon temple. Fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire of twelve Temples in Delhi NCR His Holiness Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaja ji has taken the target exceedingly beyond that. Under his guidance has come up a Majestic, Regal, Grand Palace Temple in Bahadhurgarh; a busy town of Haryana. Continue reading "ISKCON Bahadhurgarh: A Palace for Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madan Gopal and Nitai Gaur Chandra
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During the stage program of the inauguration, Smt Usha Bhardwaj w/o Late Sri Gopal Bhardwaja revealed that they met Srila Prabhupada for the first time in 1972 in Australia and their faith grew in spiritual life upon receiving personal care and affection from him. They became the first life members in Australia and felt inspired to contribute in building a temple at Bahadurgarh, their homeland(on the borders of Delhi and Hariyana, India). To them, however, Srila Prabhupada did not seem to be very interested at first. Continue reading "First life members of Australia felt inspired by Srila Prabhupada to open up a temple at their homeland- Bahadurgarh
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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Answer Podcast

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[Congregation program at Perth, Australia]

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The post Understanding Krishna’s love 2 – Experience appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Congregation program at Perth, Australia]

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The post Understanding Krishna’s love 1 – Knowledge appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Prabhupada was at that time alone, so I did not recognize that he is Prabhupada. "Where is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami?" I asked Prabhupada. So he asked me, "Why you want to meet with him?" I replied, "Because he is my guru. I like him very much." Then he asked: "Why you accept him as your guru?" I said, "Because he is the servant of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu." "Who is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?" asked. So I said, "He is Krishna Himself." "Why you accept Lord Chaitanya as Krishna?" asked again. "Because I read Chaitanya-caritamrta, Krishna Himself came as a devotee to preach." Then Prabhupada said, "No, no, no, He's not Krishna, He is devotee of Krishna." I said, "No, He is Krishna Himself." Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada: You chastised me, I like that. I am very happy with your words!
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Gunagrahi das Maharaja Health Update.
** Important health report of ss Gunagrahi Maharaja *** Hare Krishna devotees please accept my obeisances, all the glories to Srila Prabhupada I hope you are very well. As everyone knows Maharaja was doing during these last 8 months, a very austere Ayurvedic treatment which consisted mainly in the taking of liquid mercury and 10 liters of water per day and in which, every 15 days, we would check with the doctor the Maharaja’s health and to renew his medicine.

Huge success for the Summer Polish Tour as it reaches its end. (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: A few shots of our last f...

Policeman join in Auckland NZ ’s Holi 2018 Celebration (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In old age, at the time of death, the throat sometimes becomes choked with mucus or blocked by air. At such a time the sound vibration of Hare Krishna may not come out. Thus one may forget Krishna. Of course, those who are strong in Krishna Consciousness cannot possibly forget Krishna at any stage because they are accustomed to chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, especially when there is a signal from death. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.28.15 Purport)
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New temple opening at Bahadurgarh, India (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Sadhu-sanga, or association with a devotee, means...

Iskcon brings help to Kerala after catastrophic floods devastate the state (Album of photos)
Kerala flood - ISKCON Trivandrum....

Srila Prabhupada and Jaladuta Sculpture Installed Outside ISKCON Boston.
On Sunday August 5th, the 52ndanniversary of ISKCON’s incorporation according to the Vaishnava calendar, around 200 devotees gathered outside the ISKCON Boston temple to install a historic sculpture of Srila Prabhupada.

San Francisco Ratha Yatra 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna maha-mantra gives liberation and at the sa...

"What's it like to go back home to Krishna?" wondered ten-year-old Kiran at the weekly gathering for children from our congregation. I responded by speaking about Goloka Vrindavana, our real home, where we aspire to go after our tenure in this world. "The spiritual world of Goloka is free from all school exams and home assignments," I told the kids. "It's all fun, day and night—no interruption in play!" "Wow!" Kiran replied. "But," he probed, "since we've been away for so long, will Krishna recognize us when we get back?" Continue reading "Returning Home to Freedom
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Death is a 100% certainty. How are we going to face it? If it comes when we least expect it, this is what makes death so mystifying, yet it is often kept away at a distance within the mind. People know they will die, but how they die is the unknown fascination. Will it hurt? Some people wish to die in their sleep. Whichever way it comes, death is the life stalker, a phenomenon no genius can stop. News stories are abuzz with incidents of death. It is not a coincidence that death happens everywhere and at all times – even now, at this very moment. Some deaths are more newsworthy than others are. Continue reading "Death – The Life Stalker
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śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma kevala-bhakati-sadma
bandon mui sāvadhāna mate
jāhāra prasāde bhāi e bhava toriyā jāi
kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha’te

“The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna.”

To celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s 2018 Vyasa Puja, the TOVP Fundraising Team is pleased to offer yet another sponsorship seva opportunity: the Guru Parampara Brick. We feel this is the most important of the brick sponsorships that we have offered to date, which is why we have left it for last. The guru and unmotivated service to his lotus feet are the most important elements of spiritual life for the disciple, without which he cannot please Krishna and progress on the path back to Godhead. Thus, the Parampara altar is, in effect, the most important of all the altars.

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi
dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaḿ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

“By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.”

This very special donation option is dedicated not only to our previous acharyas, but to all the gurus of ISKCON. It has a special feature that allows you to sponsor a brick on behalf of your guru and in his name, but with your name also inscribed underneath it, to be placed under the Guru Parampara altar. Although the Guru Parampara altar consists of our previous acharyas, sponsoring a brick with your guru’s name will be a fitting way to simultaneously honor both your guru and the purva acharyas of our disciplic succession. 1008 bricks are available for this seva opportunity.

guru-mukha-padma-vākya cittete koribo aikya
ār nā koriho mane āśā
śrī-guru-caraṇe rati ei se uttama-gati
je prasāde pūre sarva āśā

“My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires.”

The purpose of this sponsorship is to specifically help fund the production of all the acharya murtis and their altar. The sponsorship cost for one Guru Parampara brick is USD 1600 / INR 1 lakh and it can be paid in monthly installments over the next 3 1/2 years and completed by 2022, the year of the Grand Opening, or sooner, or paid in full at the time of making your pledge. The name of your choice will be inscribed on the brick along with your guru’s name and it will be placed under the Guru Parampara altar to remain for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

For those who wish to offer this special service to the TOVP Parampara altar this is also a wonderful opportunity to simultaneously participate in the MISSION 22 MARATHON to complete the TOVP by 2022. Together we can all cooperate together to make Srila Prabhupada’s dream a reality.

Please go to the Seva Opportunities link at the TOVP website and make your pledge today: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

Become a TOVP Ambassador and ask all your devotee friends and relatives to also participate in this historic project by donating to help complete the TOVP by 2022.

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/mayapur.tovp
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
Phone App at: http://tovp.org/news/announcements/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

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Answer Podcast

The post When our environment is filled with sexual temptations, how can we stay unaffected? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 18.59 Ego means to think that we know better than God appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.