All of the followers of Srila Prabhupada for generations to come to adhere to the guidance, association and serve the mission of His Divine Grace, while deepening one’s individual connection and relationship with and recognizing him as the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON and our primary Siksha Guru for all time. Always celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja as a grand event is the essential way to assure that this Vision is the present and future reality of the movement of our beloved Srila Prabhupada. Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja 2018 posters for free download → Dandavats"
In 1976, on August 15, Indian Independence Day, some of the tenants assembled in the garden at noon, stood in silence for a minute before the small statue of Gandhi, and then proceeded with their annual celebration—hoisting an Indian flag, garlanding the statue, singing the national anthem, and distributing sweets.
“Where is the question of independence?” Prabhupada challenged as Hari-sauri gave him his massage on the balcony adjoining his bedroom. “We are all dependent at every step on Krishna’s mercy. The Indians struggled to become independent of the British, but who is independent of the laws of material nature?”
Prabhupada cited the ongoing drought in England, which was afflicting so many people: the vegetation was drying up, animals were being killed prematurely because there was no fodder, factories in Wales were closing, and there was talk of importing water. “No one can do anything about it, and they think it is all happening by chance,” Prabhupada said. “There is not a single person in the whole world who actually knows anything.”
“No one except you, Srila Prabhupada,” Hari-sauri commented.
“Is that just flattery, or do you actually acknowledge that?” Prabhupada asked, smiling.
Hari-sauri assured him that it was not just empty praise and, as he related in his diary, “Prabhupada accepted it with pleasure as a heartfelt submission.”
16th August, 2018: The International Sodety for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) joins the country in mourning and paying tribute to one of India's most iconic leaders, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We offer our condolences to his family members and to the entire nation. From a young age Mr. Vajpayee was drawn towards working for the betterment of others. Over the years, this led him to take on several different roles and strive for the welfare of others despite challenges and difficulties. Mr. Vajpayee, a recipient of the Bharat Ratna, was equally approachable to everyone regardless of their languages, cultures and spiritual beliefs for which he was respected by one and all. ISKCON was privileged to have a well-wisher and a friend in Mr. Vajpayee who inaugurated the ISKCON temples in New Delhi and Coimbatore in 1998. Continue reading "ISKCON Joins in Mourning the Death of Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee → Dandavats"
Bhaktivedanta Academy (Iskcon Alachua) Authorized by International Baccalaureate!
Dear Friends,
I am very happy to announce that Bhaktivedanta Academy is now an authorized International Baccalaureate World School for the Middle Years Programme!
This means that our Krishna Sharanam Middle Years Programme, serving 7th - 10th grades, is recognized as providing a holistic educational experience that emphasis connecting what a student learns with real-world experiences that emphasis being service-minded global citizens. We are now part of a select world-wide community of schools who have made a commitment to educational excellence.
I would like to finish the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium along with the devotees, see the Navadvīpa parikrama expand, see the unification of the Caitanya disciplic succession, and see the distribution of your transcendental literature increase exponentially.
ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada visited New Vrindaban four times, giving the devotees there his association and dispensing practical advice for simple living that remains invaluable not only to New Vrindaban, but to all ISKCON rural farm communities to this day. During his first visit, running for over a month from May 20th to June 23rd 1969, Srila Prabhupada encouraged the small group of devotees to embrace the austerity of New Vrindaban life. He praised their simple lodgings and savored their well water and fresh milk straight from ISKCON’s first cow, Kaliya. Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s New Vrindaban Visits → Dandavats"
KOLKATA: Want to watch little Krishna slay giant Kalia snake in the Yamuna? Want to steal butter or go cow grazing with him? If all goes well, visitors to Nadia’s Mayapur, will be able to do all this and much more in a Disneyland like massive park that’s being planned as the centre of a tourism hub of international standards just outside the Iskcon temple premises. The project will be done in collaboration with the state government, because none other than CM Mamata Banerjee had personally requested the religious order to do so during her visit to Mayapur in February. Continue reading "Rs 2,000 crore Ford fund for Disneyland-like tourism hub project at Mayapur → Dandavats"
Agnigarh, in the city of Tezpur, which lies north of Brahmaputra river, at a distance of 198 km (via Nagaon) and 181 km (via Mangaldoi) from Guwahati, is connected to Lord Krishna, Banasura and Lord Siva’s pastime. This is the place where Lord Krishna and Lord Siva had a great fight, and Lord Krishna cut off Banasura’s thousand arms. The name ‘Tezpur’ is derived from the Sanskrit words 'teza' (meaning blood) and 'pura' (meaning town or city). The original name of this place was 'Sonitapura' ("sonit" in Sanskrit also means blood). There was so much bloodshed that the place was stained red. This led to the name of the place becoming Tezpur. Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 10 chapters 62 & 63 mentions: The meeting of Aniruddha and Usa, which caused a great fight between Lord Krishna and Lord Siva, is very mysterious and interesting. Continue reading "Assam Yatra – Guwahati and Tezpur → Dandavats"
bQuestion: When Dhruva Maharaj started with a selfish motive, how did he attain Vaikuntha, the abode of selflessness?
Answer: There is some starting impetus and whatever it is, initially we start with, yena kena prakarena manah krishna niveshayat – “Somehow or other one must associate with Lord Krishna.”
Srimad Bhagavatam (2.3.10) says akamah sarva kamo va moksha kama udara dhih (A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.)
Thus, the initial starting purpose does not matter so much if we are ready to change the purpose afterwards. The most dramatic change that happened to Dhruva Maharaj was when he had the darshan of Lord Vishnu. He had come with a desire to attain a kingdom but after having darshan of Lord Vishnu he said, “I do not want a kingdom”.
A similar incident took place in Mumbai. There was a devotee (a disciple of Srila Prabhupada), who was a thief before he came to Krishna consciousness. One day he saw a picture of Srila Prabhupada wearing a Rolex watch. He thought of stealing that watch but when he came to the temple, Prabhupada was not there. He investigated and as devotees were doing some service, he also started doing some service waiting for Swami ji to come.
For days he kept thinking, “When will Swami ji come? When will Swami ji come?” and eventually as days passed, he stopped keeping time but continued his engagement in service. He started practicing bhakti and the day Prabhupada came, other devotees introduced this person to Prabhupada and praised his service. Prabhupada himself took out his watch and gave it to him but he smiled and said, “Prabhupada, I do not want this watch”.
Thus, we can see that a transition happened. But how did that transition happen? In the case of Dhruva Maharaj, it happened when he got the darshan of Lord Vishnu. He got a higher taste and that higher taste made him understand that this is better. This was a very conscious decision that Dhruva Maharaja made.
Selflessness and selfishness can both be dispositions and decisions. All of us at different levels are selfishly disposed where we think of ourselves first but when a conscious or an important juncture comes in our life, we may either simply act according to disposition or we may take a different decision, and so, Dhruva Maharaj took that decision to turn towards the Lord.
The Srimad Bhagavatam describes how King Pururava, when he lost Urvashi became so agitated that he performed a yajna to please Lord Vishnu and eventually Lord Vishnu appeared in front of him. Although Lord Vishnu was supremely attractive, Pururava’s mind was still filled with the attractiveness of Urvashi and so he desired for her. Finally, he got what he desired and after that, Lord Vishnu went away. In this case, even when Pururava saw Lord Vishnu, his attachment was so strong that it could not change him, however, the darshan of Lord Vishnu did not go waste. Later on, when again Urvashi left him and he was frustrated, that frustration inspired him to go towards devotion. Similarly, we have to make such decisions when we are practicing bhakti.
At present, we may have some selfish motive – I want to be famous, I want to be appreciated, I want people to follow me or want a certain position. But along with this, there is also the desire to serve Krishna. If somebody was hundred percent selfish; that person would not be in bhakti because while practicing bhakti, one has to obey rules and regulations which involves giving up of certain amount of selfishness. At the same time, to be hundred percent selfless, it takes a lot of efforts. We cannot artificially imagine that we are at a selfless level. We will do our services the way we do and at some point, eventually we will come across a crossroad where we have to make a choice – do we choose a selfish self-centred alternative or we choose a selfless alternative? These decisions will determine our further trajectory.
The change in consciousness happens gradually but sometimes it is manifested dramatically at particular moments. It Is like the rising of a sun in the morning. Although the rising of a sun is a gradual event, there is a particular moment when we notice it and suddenly say, “Oh, the sun has risen”. Our realisation that the sun has risen happens at a particular moment although the sun is rising constantly. Similarly, in practice of bhakti the journey from selfishness to selflessness is automatically happening but there are certain moments when we become aware of it and make a conscious choice, which we might not have made earlier.
Although Dhruva Maharaj’s motive was selfish but when he saw Lord Vishnu, he chose the selfless option rather than a selfish option. As far as his own endeavour was concerned, it was not an individual endeavour because he also received directions from sage Narada. As Narada Muni instructed him, he followed those instructions accordingly.
Therefore, endeavour is very important on the path of bhakti. Srila Prabhupada himself endeavoured so much. He travelled across the world in old age, translated hundreds of books, barely slept and woke up early in the morning, managed many different temple projects. He was tireless in his effort to share Krishna bhakti with the world.
An important point to note is that although our endeavour alone does not bring the results, we need to endeavour to show Krishna that we want to offer the results. Arjuna practiced tirelessly for becoming an expert archer and then offered it in Krishna’s service. Therefore, whichever service we are doing we need to endeavour whole heartedly. Only when we endeavour whole heartedly do we show Krishna our diligence. The endeavour itself will not produce the results but endeavour shows Krishna that we want the result.
Srila Prabhupada gave an example in this context. Once he was going with his disciples on a morning walk and there was a man who was feeding some ducks in a pond. The ducks were quacking, and this man kept throwing some food to them and there was one duck who was quacking very loudly, and the man was giving comparatively more food to that duck. Srila Prabhupada said we should be like that duck. Now, the duck’s quacking itself does not produce the food neither the ducks quacking necessarily compel the man to give that duck more food, but the duck’s quacking shows the eagerness and the man reciprocates. Similarly, our endeavour shows Krishna that we want His mercy.
If we think that our endeavour alone results in advancement, then it is a misunderstanding. Although we often make plans to study shastra, to chant attentively etc. still our mind wanders and we are just not able to do those things attentively. Even if we are able to do those activities externally, our consciousness does not remain focussed internally. But sometimes, even after having a stressful day, we are able to experience sweet absorption while chanting. Sometimes we study shastra and feel like doing something else. At times we study shastra and experience tremendous absorption. Why does this difference happen? Because in reality, our endeavour is not the only important factor, but Krishna’s mercy also comes into the picture.
It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam (1.2.18),
nashta prayeshv abhadreshu nityam bhagavata sevaya
bhagavaty uttama shloke bhaktir bhavati naishthiki
In purport, Srila Prabhupada explains that just the mechanical activity of hearing and chanting also wipes off some anarthas but interestingly not all anarthas (prayeshu — almost to nil). The full transformation happens when it is not mechanical but devotional. Therefore, we invest our consciousness in it and when we do that, Krishna reciprocates, and he reveals himself to us. For us our endeavour is to try to keep ourselves in Krishna consciousness. We should engage in devotional service, be in a devotional association and try as much possible to have a devotional disposition. However, ultimately it is Krishna who will attract us and when Krishna attracts us then the inner trouble ceases. Till the point Krishna uses his mercy, we show our endeavour by our struggle to focus. When Krishna shows his mercy the inner struggle ceases and we become spontaneously attracted to him.
A small group of us tread the narrow roads of the complex of The Art of Living. It is a time when healing plants are out in bloom—the burdock, jewel weed, willow, cattails, milkweed, and goldenrod. I see hemlock. Watch out for that one and don’t mistake it for wild carrot. Hemlock is poison. Wild carrot offers nutrition.
We also checked out Lac Gareau. No motorized devices are allowed on this placid lake. I had the greatest swim. Walking and swimming. What a combo! It’s the best with the best.
Overlooking the lake is the Meditation Hall. Looks exotic with an oriental touch. Inside I went, after the walk, to do a kid’s presentation for the 5-10 age bracket. Fun! Engaging!
I rushed to the main building for Part 2 of the Kirtan Standards Seminar. Here the adults received, or rather, created fun. I put out some dance steps, they followed.
I then visited Cid Hunter (Siddhanta) in Chalet #3 for a camera interview detailing my recollections of times and memories of Prabhupada, our guru. Cid was pleased.
The final event for the day was a second sit-down with Sruta Kirti, the personal assistant to Prabhupada. He was conveying to his seminar group some lessons he learned about guru with regard to humility, and also anger as a utility. Usually, but rarely, it was used to correct someone.
This last seminar was precious at the Vaishnava Sangha 2018.
“I sometimes fall into maya,” explained the speaker, Sruta Kirti, to his guru, Prabhupada, who responded with a, “No, you are usually in maya (illusion) and you fall into Krishna.”
This above reminiscence of Sruta, today, gave us a laugh as we heard his flow of pastimes with guru when he was his personal servant in the early ’70s. It was delightful hearing him speak. I took advantage of his presence to ask a number of questions regarding the fads or crazes that have arisen in our bhakti-yogacommunity world-wide, many of which have to do with what became norms usually warranted as “Prabhupada said” practices.
Apparently, our guru ate some fruit in the morning with yogurt. There was no ginger and raw chickpeas as was common. Ekadasi—the day that falls every two weeks by lunar calculation—is a day to abstain from grains, beans and peas. That’s it and not the common theories of no eggplant, no mustard oil or mustard seeds, no sesame seeds, no cumin seeds and so on. In fact, Prabhupada mentioned if you have to eat grains for energy in order to do outreach, such as distributing his books, then he would grant it.
So many rules came into play during his time, rules that were conjured up by his students. He then complained about his western students always making up so many rules and not following therules and the 16 rounds.
It was a full day of driving to the retreat established by the Art of Living folks. Karuna, Billy and I went through periods of torrential rain along the 401 and Highway 40, before reaching this great facility nestled in an area of lakes and hardwoods.
My lament is that it evolved into my second day of no trekking. Patience is what is needed to accept, and interruptions are to contend with.
I thought our talks on the way, east and north, were stimulating, and something which kept the two interchanging drivers awake—I wasn’t one of them. The main theme was one of heightening gentleness in our dealings with one another within our communities. So much more safety is then felt. So much more comfort and productivity is then experienced. We must taste the sweetness of Krishna Consciousness through building good relations.
A long ride, such as this, afforded us the opportunity to know each other more, and to see what’s going on in our minds, whether we are content in our lives, or what plans we hold for the future. Our arrival time was after 12:30 a.m. Sleep came, and then a wakeful preparation of a presentation on standards for kirtan, with host—myself.
The Walking Monk thinks about how to improve our output for chanting. It’s all so good.
Parasuram das: Everybody has heard how wonderful the New York Rathayatra Festival is, with the giant carts rolling down 5th Avenue, but what about the original York? Yesterday the ancient streets of York resounded with the transcendental vibrations of the Holy Name, the Maha Mantra.
Relating to Srimad-Bhagavatam as a Person.
“O Srimad-Bhagavatam, O my only friend, O my companion, O my teacher, O my great wealth, O my deliverer, O my good fortune, O my bliss, I offer respectful obeisances unto You. O Srimad-Bhagavatam, O giver of saintliness to the unsaintly, O uplifter of the very fallen, please do not ever leave me. Please become manifested upon my heart and my throat, accompanied by pure love of Krishna.” 1
Krishna Premarupa Dasa: This prayer written by Srila Sanatana Goswami reveals the relationship of an advanced Vaishnava with the Srimad Bhagavatam. He calls the holy book his friend, companion, and teacher! Reading these lines I ask myself, “what is my relationship to the Bhagavatam?” I feel ashamed. It’s just a book, a book that stands in the bookshelf and collects dust. Ok, I am also studying it from time to time. But do I really value my time with this book? And what does it mean to have a friendship with a book?
The Srimad Bhagavatam is not an ordinary book, it is actually no different from the Lord. This scripture named Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God. This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krishna. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. 2
Holy scriptures are meant to give guidance to the conditioned soul. It can be compared to a manual. If you buy a new computer or a washing machine, along with it there will be a manual that gives you guidance on how to use the machine properly. Similarly, when God creates this world, He gives guidance in the form of holy scriptures to the living entities on how to deal with the material nature. According to the consciousness and desires of people, there are different scriptures. If someone really wants to go back home back to Godhead, the Srimad Bhagavatam offers all support on how to do that by kicking out all kind of cheating religion and promoting only pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Understanding the significance of the Bhagavatam Srila Sanatana Goswami prays: please never leave me! But is it the Bhagavatam who leaves us? No, it’s us. I leave the Bhagavatam. The Bhagavatam, the Lord, is always with us. It is we who turn away from Him. While studying for four months I was so absorbed and took a vow to not let a single day pass without seriously studying the Bhagavatam. But back in the battlefield of my managerial responsibility here in Zurich I again fall into the trap of `I am too busy for studying`! Of course, we might be really busy, but at the end of the day, it is all about setting the right priorities! There are so many things we do every day without fail because they are just essential to us. Every day we find time to sleep several hours, to clean our teeth, to pass stool, to take a bath and to eat three times a day. We may argue that we need to do these things in order to maintain our body. Fine, but what about maintaining our spiritual life? Why do I not find time to read a few lines of the Srimad Bhagavatam, that literature that is non-different from the Lord and who is giving me true nourishment for my soul in the form of amazing philosophy and relishable Krishna Katha?
I am so grateful that the Bhakti Vaibhava Course has started again and that I am able to follow some of the material even when I am not physically present in Vrindavana. Now that I am receiving the recordings, submitting my weekly homework and learning Sanskrit Slokas, I am again back on track. Life is so much better with the companionship of the holy scripture, the Srimad Bhagavatam! Hopefully, I will someday realize how this scripture is actually my only true friend, my great wealth!
_____
1 - From Krishna-Lila-Stava by Srila Sanatana Goswami
2 - Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.40/43
Dancing Out Of Joy (Album of photos)
“In a variety of ways, the inauspiciousness of the earth is destroyed by the feet, the inauspiciousness of the directions is destroyed by the eye glances and the inauspiciousness of the heavens is destroyed by the arms of a Visnu-bhakta dancing out of joy.” [ Hari-bhakti-vilasa 8.288 ]
Find them here: https://goo.gl/v6sMcN
The gift of fearlessness.
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nrisimhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possesses nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demon-like desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.18.8)
The Basis of Civilisation, Vedic Culture is based on respect and this respect is expressed through specific codes of conduct or etiquette. In this section, we will go a little more in detail about the principles and practices of Vaisnava etiquette. …it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaisnava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaisnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee. …By observing the etiquette, you have satisfied My mind. Who else but you will show this example? Continue reading "Relating to Devotees with Due Respect → Dandavats"
Many people ask why would an enemy of God get such a reward? And this leads to the main point of this essay- hatred and deep love are rewarded by God because they are emotions that cause the brain to constantly think of Him. In the same way that we would rather have God show us either love or anger rather than have Him ignore us, He would like to see one or the other as well. Krishna does not want a stail, emotionless, lukewarm lover. This is why many of the demons that were attacked by Krishna were feeling so blessed and wondered what they did to deserve even His angry attention. Continue reading "Making Krishna’s Joy Our Joy → Dandavats"
My dear King, those who stay at home as householders must act to earn their livelihood, and instead of trying to enjoy the results of their work themselves, they should offer these results to Krishna, Vasudeva. How to satisfy Vasudeva in this life can be perfectly understood through the association of great devotees of the Lord. A grihastha must associate again and again with saintly persons, and with great respect he must hear the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Lord and His incarnations as these activities are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Puranas. Thus one should gradually become detached from affection for his wife and children, exactly like a man awakening from a dream. Continue reading "Ideal Family Life → Dandavats"
When I arrived at my chiropractor’s yesterday, all the tables were taken, so I took a copy of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is from his bookshelf, opened it, and received just the instruction I needed: yadrccha-labha-santustah—one who is satisfied with gain that comes of its own accord, dvandvatitah—who has surpassed duality, vimatsarah—who is free from envy, samah siddhav asiddhau—who is steady in both success and failure, krtvapi na nibadhyate—is never affected or entangled by performing actions. I then read the preceding verse (4.21) and the subsequent one (4.23), and they were also instructive. And I thought, I should really study the Bhagavad-gita and live my life accordingly.
Vamsidas Babaji was a Gaudiya Vaishnava sadhu who lived at Swarupa Gunj, Nabadwip during the time of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. He was respected by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and he used to see to it that Vamsidas Babaji was provided with grains and so on by Gaudiya Matha brahmacaris.
Srila Vamsidas Babaji appeared in the village of Majidpur in the Jamalpur district of Bangladesh and came to Nabadwip around 1906.
He lived as a total recluse, far away from the hubbub of the town in a solitary place on the bank of Ganga, as if he was a mad or crazy person. His only possessions were an old kaupina, karanga and kantha.
Vamsidas Babaji lived in a world of his own. His world centred around his deities-Gaura-Gadadhara, Nitai, Radha-Krishna and Gopala. For the service of his deities he had two brass pots, some earthen pots, one plate, one glass, some small cups, pancapatra, bell and conch-shell and nothing else.
There was a person from Navadvipa-dhama who used to come to Babaji Maharaja. One day, he thought, “I have the desire to obtain the Supreme Lord. How can I get Bhagavan?”
This person came back repeatedly to see Babaji Maharaja. Finally, he approached Maharaja directly.
“What do you want?” Babaji Maharaja asked him.
“I want to see Bhagavan,” the man said.
Babaji Maharaja replied: “Then weep for Him!”
Babaji Maharaj’s disappearance day is on the Shukla Caturthi of Shravan.
JPS Media: HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj will undergo a Kidney and liver transplant a few hours from now. Maharaj has been at Chennai for a while now and has been advised to go through the transplant surgery
50.000 attend the biggest ever Ratha-yatra in Russia.
Sri Jagannatha, Sri Subhadra and Sri Baladeva were wheeling yesterday in one of the largest and beautiful park of Moscow (Sokolniki).
About 50.000 people could listen to Hare Krishna Maha-mantra spreading all over the park.
The Ratha-yatra was very well organized by Sadhu Priya prabhu, Akinchana Krishna prabhu and a group of sincere devotees.
People could see a beautiful 3D film about Lord Jagannath in a cute inflatable hall with a picture of Lord Jagannath on it. Here and there you could see big statues of Balaji and different Demigods.
The Ratha-yatra was broadcasted to a central TV channel.
HH Gopal Krishna Goswami offered puja to their Lordships, then narrated a story about the Lord Jagannatha in brief, telling the purpose of this festival.
He also distributed prasadam from the chariot….
Find them here: https://goo.gl/NYzbmQ
“First impressions are the most important.” (5 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The title of this short video is, “First Impressions.” There is a saying that “first impressions are the most important.” A well organized, colorful, musical, devotional and blissful harinam is a great way to introduce people to Krsna consciousness for the first time. It creates a very favorable impact that encourages people to inquire further. It is said that Lord Caitanya’s samkirtan movement will continue to grow for 10,000 years. No doubt, much of that will be due to the original formula of taking the chanting of the holy names to the streets.
The Objects of Krishna’s Enjoyment.
Radhanath Swami: As long as we put Krsna in the center there cannot be envy. Envy only happens when we put our self in the center. Otherwise if we see someone else prospering better than us, we are happy. We are in ecstasy.
Because we are thinking Krsna must very much enjoy seeing this person being empowered in the spiritual setting. This person is doing such wonderful service. Krsna is enjoying seeing this person’s service. Why should I compare myself to that person? Garland maker, someone makes better garland than us. A cook, someone makes better preparation than us. Kirtan, someone sings better. Someone gives better lecture. Someone manages better. Someone builds bigger and better temple. Someone has more people honoring them. Someone has a better son and well behaved. Whatever may be in Krsna Consciousness, if we see somebody is doing well, we think Krsna is getting enjoyment from seeing what this person is doing. That makes me happy. But if I am the center, then we are thinking - why I am not getting that recognition? Why I am not getting that empowerment? Why I am not getting those benefits? Why I am not enjoying the way the person is enjoying? It is because we are seeing in the world - the objects of our enjoyment - instead of the objects of the Krsna’s enjoyment. It is very simple. But the foundation of pure bhakti is - Krsna is the enjoyer, Krsna is the proprietor and the controller. Krsna is the seer and I am the seeing and everything else that exists and everyone else that exists is the seeing by Krsna.
I felt disillusioned by the whole show of this world. Nothing seemed attractive. I didn’t care much for anything anymore. I started reading some semi-spiritual books that served to tantalize me but were not nearly potent enough to satisfy my inner hunger for the Absolute Truth. I felt myself waiting for something to happen. One fine afternoon Marc stumbled upon an old friend of his he had been searching for ever since we had met. As it turned out, this friend had become a Hare Krishna devotee the year before. Marc stayed at the temple for two days and came back to tell me all about it. Continue reading "Remember God? Coming Back to My Eternal Friend → Dandavats"
Time does not have characteristics the way earth and the other elements do and is not interdependent as the other elements are. Many commentators hold forth on this point of properties, or propertylessness. Gosvami Giridhara-lala writes that time “is not characterized by any peculiarity, and hence it is beginningless and endless.” How being without peculiarity leads to endlessness is not explained, but another commentator echoes the same idea, saying that time “is not dependent on another cause; he exists of his own accord. Hence, he is endless.” The Bhagavatam itself says that time “is endless but puts and end to all. ” Continue reading "Time, the Winkless God → Dandavats"
By Kamala Sundari devi dasi
By Anuttama Dasa
By Iskcon Ministry of Communications
I would like to finish the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium along with the devotees, see the Navadvīpa parikrama expand, see the unification of the Caitanya disciplic succession, and see the distribution of your transcendental literature increase exponentially. 
By Madhava Smullen
By Times of India
By Chandan Yatra Das
Parasuram das: Everybody has heard how wonderful the New York Rathayatra Festival is, with the giant carts rolling down 5th Avenue, but what about the original York? Yesterday the ancient streets of York resounded with the transcendental vibrations of the Holy Name, the Maha Mantra. 
We have just been informed by Dr. Rela that the liver transplant has been successful and is working well. The Kidney transplant is about to start.
By Rathish das
By Shauna
By Narada Muni
JPS Media: HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj will undergo a Kidney and liver transplant a few hours from now. Maharaj has been at Chennai for a while now and has been advised to go through the transplant surgery
By Bhakti-lata Devi Dasi
By Mathuresha Dasa