Gita 18.38 The pleasure of titillation leads to the agony of tribulation
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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To think or not to think – 4 reflections for a happy mind
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Talk at Bhakti Lounge, Wellington New Zealand]

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Podcast Summary


 

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3 ways to look for blessings amidst problems
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[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Wellington, New Zealand]

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Podcast Summary


 

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3 roles of intelligence in bhakti
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[Bhagavad-gita class to Bhakti Shastri students at Wellington, New Zealand]

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Podcast Summary


 

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How Krishna can be seen – and how he can’t be seen
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[Congregation program at Wellington, New Zealand]

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Guru-purnima Evening Program, July 27 Carpinteria
Giriraj Swami

“The mind is the agent of the false ego and the false ego doesn’t want to surrender to Krishna. The false ego wants to be the controller, the enjoyer, the proprietor and the center of everything. The mind will always give us so many reasons why not to surrender or chant Hare Krishna. So, we should not be misled by the mind. With our intelligence or with our hearts we should surrender.”

Talk by Giriraj Swami (Right click to download)
Talks by other devotees (Right click to download)

Thursday, July 26th, 2018
→ The Walking Monk

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Report on Terrace Bay

Although the 4 kilometre walk with Ananda and Datta was memorable, with the flow of the Saskatchewan River next to us, I would like to highlight a response that was e-mailed to me, on the success of our Festival of India; an article by Gail Johnson, a freelance writer in Terrace Bay.  Thank you,, Gail.  In many ways, her writing sums up the show of our group, “Vedic Mace.”

Here it is:

On July 19thTerrace Bay was treated to a Festival of India. The amazing performances in this variety show took place in the evening at the Michael King Hall.  Tickets for adults were $10 each and young children got in for free.  It was a full house.  Director of the show, Bhaktimarga Swami, known as “The Walking Monk,” introduced all the acts, took part and recited a poem he wrote.  This amazing guy has walked across Canada four times, the United States once, and six other countries.

The first wonderful act introduced was Mukur De from Calcutta doing classical Indian dances.  Her movements were graceful and filled with beautiful rhythm.  The gestures and facial expressions conveyed the music in a special way.  When she returned later in the show the children joined in on it by dancing below the stage in time to the beat of the music.

Before the next act, everyone took part in warm-up exercises led by “The Walking Monk” which involved doing stretches with the arms and fingers.  An unbelievable magic show followed by a guy known as “Data” which means master of magic and magic tricks.  He used rope to do a few tricks and then made the knot disappear.  With an audience participant, he did a disappearing Kleenex trick, then ate one and amazingly pulled out a whole long strip of them from his mouth.  Then came a comedy skit, ‘Satire on Yoga’ about two first timers at a Yoga Studio.  One person kept doing silly antics that made the other person mad.  She was trying to remain calm and keep him under control but it wasn’t working.  He just kept doing silly, annoying stunts.  She showed compassion for him near the end when he got hurt and she called for help.  Turned out he was faking.  This skit was funny and the audience loved it.

The last performance was Raga instrumental music, using western and eastern instruments, by some incredible international musicians.  Then a few more instruments were added and the audience began clapping to the beat.  After that, anyone who wanted to was invited to take part in some dance steps.  The music rhythm picked up and more people joined in.  At that point, there were more people participating than there were in the audience. When the show ended, Dr. Jani, the main organizer of the event, thanked everyone for coming and those who took part in the evening festival.  He then invited everyone for Indian food snacks set up close to the book display in the room.

Dr. Jani is a pathologist at the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital.  When spoken with later, he said, “The festival of India has been going on in Thunder Bay at the Marina for nine years but what took place here tonight is only part of what will be presented in the city on July 21stand we also have a parade….”

Good luck to all of you and thank you for stopping in Terrace Bay to put on such an amazing festival.

May the Source be with you!
4 km


Wednesday, July 25th, 2018
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Winnipeg, Manitoba

On the Grass by the Sky

Here on the prairies, the bison used to graze in fields of unlimited tall grasses, but that has been replaced, both grass and animal, by homes and sod that parks are made of.  I walked along one of those parks in St. Vital, a type of rolling-hill park that seemed infinite, with a bench here and there and broken sidewalk.  I resorted mostly to the grass, devoid of morning dew.

Those bison of the past were kings of the prairies until the antagonists came.  I recall a song by Buffy Saint-Marie, “Now That The Buffalo’s Gone,” and how a whole culture was altered and devastated.  I would rather see those massive beasts of freedom than the trucks of today, that stir up the dust.  https://youtu.be/BCWJYTCfjSg

The skies were also without limit, as they carry, even today, a mystique of clouds.  Thank God, I can see them and they are not obscured by tall highrises.  Most homes here are bungalows, and the trees, some Manitoba Maple, are not too gigantic.

I was content to be here, almost solitary.  Only one man trekked on the grass while I took to a bench for a bit while chanting on my beads.  I sat there anticipating to meet Daruka, my walking support person, along with his parrot, Billie, who is thirty-two.  His pet will likely outlive him.

Daruka had just come back from physiotherapy.  He had been involved in three accidents since our last great walk together in 2014.  It’s safer to be on the grass.

May the Source be with you!
4 km

Tuesday, July 24th, 2018
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Winnipeg, Manitoba

Vibes of Joy

Five of us took to a trail in St. Vital, a suburb of Winnipeg.  I had requested a treed area, shaded from the sun.  It wasn’t a park, but for the most part, trees were doing us a favour in this one particular residential space.

Anand got interested in the cattails after our lunch of my harvested lambs quarters. He showed me chamomile which grows in Yellowknife where he lived for some time.

“Oh yes, we steeped and served some just yesterday in Thunder Bay.  It made a great tea,” I told Anand, as we continued our stroll.

We all agreed about the weather—breezy, overcast.  Just perfect.  A blessing.

The five of us, and a few more, converged on a yoga studio with Canadian-born Jitender. They have a group that meets for kirtan.  They call themselves the “Happy Hippy Fam Jam” community.  Today was different because the crowd became bedazzled by Dattatreya’s magic show, and Ananda’s drumming demo—he has various types.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BlpcP79Hkih/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=7f2zis85ulr9

We also completed the session with chanting and dancing to some standard but simple moves. For keeping to rhythm, I engaged everyone in the use of hands by clapping, then striking the lap and finally the floor, thus combining it all.

The three portions of cultural interactiveness seemed to please.

May the Source be with you!
3 km

Monday, July 23rd, 2018
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Thunder Bay / Winnipeg

Walking and Busing

I had a great trek from Dr. Jani’s house to the temple on Victoria, in Thunder Bay, after I discovered pathways through parks; they were somewhat of a short-cut. From there, Dr. Jani drove myself and the magician, Dattatreya, as well as wife, Radha, to the Greyhound Bus Station, for one of the last bus rides before the  closing of Greyhound operations in Western Canada.  I was surprised to hear the news about them closing down.

While at the depot, I was also surprised to see on the screen, news of a mass shooting in Toronto’s Greektown.  I’ve walked the area plenty of times.  It was a case of a twenty-nine-year-old man with psychiatric problems, letting loose bullets on an innocent public; once again, injuring over a dozen and leaving two young females dead.  Police stepped up fast to deal with the incident.

As we drove through a long boreal and lake expanse for eight hours, I dwelt on this green world in contrast to the world of concrete madness.  After all, Greektown is a nice place—very vibrant, a family-friendly scene—however, it is the material world.

When we drove through Kenora, I fell back in memory to my third walk across Canada, and how I met a young woman from Shaw TV who interviewed me regarding a recent attack of wolves upon deer.  Conflict! Is there any difference between the struggle of animals and the struggle of humans?  There is and isn’t, I think.  Humans get very nasty with each other.

We reached Winnipeg.  I harvested some lambs quarters (weeds) to put in the meal.

May the Source be with you!
8 km

Sunday, July 22nd, 2018
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Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bust the Bubble

Five members of our little travelling roadshow, the Vedic Mace, came by my accommodations to say farewell, before their eighteen-hour drive back home.  They had happy and grateful faces.  Their ten-day excursion was about to come to an end.

Another vehicle of five left at 4:00 a.m. this morning, for a long jaunt through some of the prettiest scenery in Canada—along Lake Superior.  For them it was pleasant good-byes as well.  However, for myself, I was to stay on for more nectaras we say.  The nectar or juice is not over.  It will be onward to Winnipeg by Greyhound bus, along with magician Dattatreya and wife, Radha.  For now, I decided to walk the eight kilometres to the Sanskriti India Bazaar to have darshanof the deities of Krishna, and then to follow up with a talk from the Gita, 2.67, to what could be a small turn-out. Yesterday’s “Festival of India,” took a lot of energy out of volunteers, and if anyone shows up for the usual Sunday program at 4:30 p.m. that would surprise Prem Kishor and I.

I trekked my way through and discovered “Recreational Trail.” I like those pathways that have  informative plaques along the way, telling of what particular wildlife, flora and fauna live there, and what is their typical behavior or characteristics—the raven, the skunk, the beaver, the cattail, the raccoon, etc.  Of course, human behavior is automatically evident when you come upon a pedestrian.  Some are very much in the present, and some are enveloped in thoughts that are very private.  I do find it’s best to burst the bubble and see as well as feel what’s actually going on around you.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Blf4YSPgjNB/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=102n2mo817n0t

May the Source be with you!
8 km

Saturday, July 21st, 2018
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Thunder Bay, Ontario

The Water and the Fest

Not much occurred today regarding walking.  Six of us out of our Vedic Mace group drove to Kakabeka Falls for a gawk and a walk in the area.  First of all, the falls are quite stunning.  You have to get over the tone of the water which is tea-like in colour. It’s not pollution.

The way the water falls and slides, in a type of cascade, is very dreamy.  The view impressed the boys with me.  Many tourists also came for a glimpse of nature at its best.  Thank you Krishna!

At today’s Krishna Culture Festival of India, I sat down with Linda Rydholm, acting mayor of Thunder Bay.  We spoke about the decline of respect and morals being pervasive, currently.  Confessing that she personally has deep religious convictions, she feels strongly that if you don’t believe in something there is a great void.   https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/festival-of-india-a-huge-cultural-draw-992078   https://www.facebook.com/Festivalofindia.Thunderbay/videos/2190355871010174/

That certainly resonates with us.

I also met Tedray Kirton for a third time.  He’s fifty-eight, and he’s shaved off his dreads, which hung down to his behind.  He’s got plans for them.  He still plays great on the djembe, and joined Dhir and the Vedic Mace group, on the stage, as we belted out the maha mantraduring the last act.

The weather co-operated so well—overcast, with temperatures in the lower 20’s Celsius.  Karuna Sindhu remarked that he was in a happy consciousness seeing the crowds (maybe 9,000, maybe more) and all very regular local folks.  People love the vibes.  Also, a big part of the success—credit goes to Prem and Suniti—as I mentioned to Linda, acting mayor, “There is no liquor here but good clean fun.”

May the Source be with you!
2 km








Friday, July 20th, 2018
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Thunder Bay, Ontario

By the Old Chief

Dhruva, who’s 19, accompanied me from the Sanskriti Centre, on foot to the Marina Park. He is a resident of Toronto and walks about daily.

“It’s about 1.5 kilometres I do, every day,” he said.

I suggested that at his age he would do well to add on a few extra kilometres; that it’s a good habit to practise.  He was agreeable.

We met people along the way, on Memorial, and to our surprise, a number of them knew about the festival tomorrow.  10,000 people attended last year.  That makes it close to 10% of the population who came to engage in hearing, chanting, dancing and eating, all on the basis of tasting higher consciousness.  That’s good reporting.  Let’s see how things unfold tomorrow.

Once Dhruva and I reached Marina Park, we met with the major balance of our crew. A pleasant kirtanensued.  https://www.instagram.com/p/Blfk2EeF7L7/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=vhapukfzxhey    It was a promotion for tomorrow, in as much as it was done for our own purification.  We were in view of the Sleeping Giant rock formation.  Anyone new to the area, when it’s pointed out, can see the legendary chief lying down in his restful pose.  Even young Saihaj, age nine, could make out the image.  By the way, he’s not a bad singer. Accompanying his mum, our dancer, he’s really thriving on this trip.  He’s made many friends—us, all adults.  It’s an adventure for all of us, being in a new venue each day with logistics being what they are, and being in some kind of divine flux.

May the Source be with you!
7 km


ISKCON Scarborough’s 6th Snan Yatra will take place on Friday – August 3rd, 2018
→ ISKCON Scarborough

Hare Krishna!

Please accept our humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

ISKCON Scarborough's 6th Snan Yatra will take place on Friday - August 3rd, 2018 from 7 pm onwards.

This grand Snan Yatra is a precursor to ISKCON Scarborough's 6th Annual Jagannath Festival that will take place on Saturday - August 18th, 2018 at the Milliken Park in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

The Snan Yatra - bathing ceremony has been going on since the time of the carving of the 'Dharu-brahman' Deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi in Sri Purushottam Kshetra (Jagannath Puri) thousands of years ago, commemorating Their sacred appearance for the devotees.


Program Schedule - 3rd August 2018:

6.45 pm - Tulasi Arti
7 pm - 8 pm - Grand Abhishek on the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Subhadra Devi
8 pm - 8.30 pm - Arti
8.30 pm - 8.45 pm - Announcements & updates on the upcoming Jagannath festival
8.45 pm - 9 pm - 1 round group chanting of Hare Krsna Maha Mantra
9 pm - Free Vegetarian Prasadam


We welcome you and your family to ISKCON Scarborough coming Friday to take part in the festivities.


ISKCON Scarborough
3500 McNicoll Avenue, Unit #3,
Scarborough, Ontario,
Canada, M1V4C7

Email Address:
iskconscarborough@hotmail.com

website:
www.iskconscarborough.org

Religion and Hinduism
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Dayananda Das

The words “religion” and “Hindu” are problematic. Both are confusing, inaccurate, and not useful words. Religion: Depending on the context, the use of the word religion can be ill-defined and even offensive—for example, when someone says that religions cause all wars or when someone says, “Science is logic; religion is belief.” These two statements are ignorant because the person using the word religion has defined it in an arbitrary manner when in fact the word religion defies definition and thus should not be seriously used. Continue reading "Religion and Hinduism
→ Dandavats"

Eviction of the Samadhi of Gour Govinda Swami and Bhajan Kutir of Srila Prabhupada
→ Dandavats

Hare Krishna Today, all on a sudden, they demolished the Samadhi Mandir & Bhajan Kutir of Srila Prabhupada. Even the eviction squad of BDA and BMC did not give time for sparing the Samadhi. At last, they evicted the altars. Of course, we have shifted the Sri Vigrahas of Srila Gurudev & Srila Prabhupada. The devotees are mourning for such eviction. This is for your kind information. Kindly give us courage and solace to bear the present crisis facing ISKCON Bhubaneswar.

How To Satisfy Krishna
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Mahavishnu Goswami

Our house must be converted into a temple. We may not be able to go temple daily. But our house must be a temple. Otherwise as human being we are missing the point. We have regulated our food habits by Srila Prabhupada's mercy. Never touch eggs, fish, meat. When the animal is dead - how can it give any strength or energy for you ? Dead body is dead body - rotten and full of poisons. How can it nourish us? Our grains are alive. Rice, wheat grains have millions of living cells squeezed in them by Krishna. It has nourishing effect. So children should be taught to be merciful to animals also, other living entities also. We should be merciful to everybody except ourselves. Else we will get up at 10 am. We should get up at 3:30 am. We should not eat anything that is not cooked in our house. This is the best way to save ourselves from violence and disease. As soon as you become non-violent you don't trouble anybody, then your house becomes like Vaikuntha - otherwise you yell like anything at each other even for a little misunderstanding. Shouting and screaming is there - That is not the house. Please.. our whole life should stand on this principle if we really want to satisfy Krishna. Krishna is really satisfied if you are merciful to others, merciful to the cows. Continue reading "How To Satisfy Krishna
→ Dandavats"

WSN June 2018 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy Vijaya Dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following results of book distribution for the month of June 2018 from the whole planet. World Totals, Monthly Congregation and Weekend Warriors, Monthly Continents, Monthly Top Ten Temples by Size, Monthly Top Ten Temples by Continent, Monthly Top Teams and Individuals, Monthly All Countries, Monthly All Temples, Monthly All Prabhupada Disciples, Cumulative Top Ten Countries, Cumulative Top Ten Temples, Cumulative Top 50 Individuals Worldwide Continue reading "WSN June 2018 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats"

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 15 – 10.3.11-19 Krishna’s appearance dissipates the darkness without and within
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Podcast


 

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Skype Talk with Durban Devotees on Guru-purnima, July 27, Carpinteria
Giriraj Swami

One must conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by developing the mode of goodness, and then one must become detached from the mode of goodness by promoting oneself to the platform of suddha-sattva. All this can be automatically done if one engages in the service of the spiritual master with faith and devotion. In this way one can conquer the influence of the modes of nature.
Purport:
Just by treating the root cause of an ailment, one can conquer all bodily pains and sufferings. Similarly, if one is devoted and faithful to the spiritual master, he can conquer the influence of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna very easily. Yogis and jnanis practice in many ways to conquer the senses, but the bhakta immediately attains the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the mercy of the spiritual master. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. If the spiritual master is favorably inclined, one naturally receives the mercy of the Supreme Lord, and by the mercy of the Supreme Lord one immediately becomes transcendental, conquering all the influences of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna within this material world. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate). If one is a pure devotee acting under the directions of the guru, one easily gets the mercy of the Supreme Lord and thus becomes immediately situated on the transcendental platform. This is explained in the next verse. (SB 7.15.25)

Guru-purnima talk (Right click to download)

New Books, CD’s and a Digital Album
→ KKSBlog

The Vyasa-puja came and went and the sounds of the holy name still vaguely resound from the Kingsday. Time moves pretty fast. If you don’t look back once in a while you might miss it. But we are here to make sure you don’t miss these wonderful new items that were released in April 2018. We have 3 new books, a new CD and we have added another digital album to the “Album collection”. So lets get to it!

A Prayer for Deep Absorption

Rupa Gosvami, one of the principal theologians of the Caitanya Vaisnava movement wrote the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, translated as Nectar of Devotion, presented by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. This book is a companion to Rupa Gosvami’s book and provides more insight to the unique devotional experience of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his followers, also known as the Hare Krsna movement.

Available as a book, for Kindle and e-book readers and as a free digital download (pdf)

Guru & Disciple

Guru & Disciple – Awakening Spiritual Vision

This journey with the spiritual master is spiritually enlivening and transformational for the faithful disciple. By following his instructions, the disciple’s spiritual vision is awakened and a world of possibilities that he had never previously envisioned, opens up before him.

Available for Kindle & ebook readers as well as a free digital download (pdf).

 

Diving Deep

From Surface to Substance – The 3 Layers of Spiritual Institutions packed together into this small & concise booklet. Kadamba Kanana Swami offers you an insight that has helped him stay inspired in his spiritual life and committed to Srila Prabhupada’s service – despite the wide variety of challenges he have encountered in the last 40 years.

Available for Kindle & ebook readers as well as a free digital download (pdf).

 

Living with the Mantra

Familiar tunes with a new twist! Living with the Mantra.

Breathe in… Exhale… Let the mantra flow naturally and spiritually uplift us. These tunes will slowly and steadily make you want to sing and dance. Before you can fully grasp the effects it has become your new routine. You have to admit that, without a doubt, you are living with the mantra!

Available as a CD (only a few copies left) and as a digital album.

 

And last but not least

The Simple Living – High Thinking album is now available as a digital album. Plus it is now included in the “Complete Digital Album Collection” and the “Complete Album collection on usb flash drive“.

iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and some more…

You can find the albums by Kadamba Kanana Swami on various platforms. Here are the links:

 

 

The article " New Books, CD’s and a Digital Album " was published on KKSBlog.

У фестиваля «Великолепие в траве» и ХВП есть что-то общее
- TOVP.org

Что общего между ХВП и австралийским музыкальным фестивалем «Великолепие в траве»? А то, что преданные с фермы Нью Говардхан возвели на фестивале палатку «Govinda’s» для распространения прасада, которая по своей форме и дизайну выглядит точь-в-точь как ХВП.

Фестиваль «Великолепие в траве» – трехдневный музыкальный фестиваль, который проводится рядом с городом Байрон-Бей в штате Новый Южный Уэльс с 2001 года. Все 25 тысяч билетов на фестиваль раскупают в первые 45 минут после открытия продаж, таким образом за три дня его посещают 75 тысяч человек.

Ферма Нью Говардхан принимает участие в фестивале с 2006 года, и 12 преданных составляют команду палатки «Govinda’s», которая готовит и распространяет прасад. В последние два года для оформления палатки преданные решили использовать тематику ХВП и получили множество позитивных откликов и вопросов относительно дизайна. Это также повысило продажи прасада и количество распространённых книг. Палатка была спроектирована и сооружена Кришной Ганой дасом.

Существует много способов рассказать окружающим о ХВП. Постройте свою собственную палатку в стиле ХВП для распространения прасада и станьте частью марафона по завершению ХВП к 2022 году.

НОВОСТИ ХВП – БУДЬТЕ В КУРСЕ

Посетите ХВП: www.tovp.org
Читайте о ХВП: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Смотрите о ХВП: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
Поддержите ХВП: www.tovp.org/ru/donate/seva-opportunities/
Загрузите приложение ХВП для мобильного телефона: www.tovp.org/ru/announcements-ru/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/

The post У фестиваля «Великолепие в траве» и ХВП есть что-то общее appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Splendour in the Grass Festival and TOVP Share Something in Common
- TOVP.org

What do the Splendour in the Grass Music Festival in Australia and TOVP have in common? Remarkably, devotees from New Govardhana Farm have set up a Govinda’s prasadam stall there with a theme representing the TOVP itself as the shape of the stall.

The Splendour in the Grass Festival is a three day music festival held near Byron Bay, New South Wales since 2001. Ticket sales reach the maximum 25,000 and sell out within 45 minutes, making the attendance a total of 75,000 during the three days.

New Govardhana has been attending the festival since 2006 and twelve devotees are part of the Govinda’s prasadam stall crew which cooks and serves the prasadam. For the last two years the devotees decided to use the TOVP theme and have gotten many positive comments and questions about the design. This has also increased prasadam sales and book distribution. The stall was designed and engineered by Krishna Gana das.

There’s more than one way to spread the word about the TOVP. Build your own TOVP prasadam stall and get on the TOVP Marathon 22 to build 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/
Mailing List at: https://goo.gl/forms/ojJ2WcUUuqWh8bXt1
Support us at: www.tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

The post Splendour in the Grass Festival and TOVP Share Something in Common appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Gita 18.37 Spiritual knowledge gives us the purpose to persevere through the poison till the nectar
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 18.37 Spiritual knowledge gives us the purpose to persevere through the poison till the nectar appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavatam tenth canto study 14 – 10.3.1-10 The celestial, terrestrial and psychological characteristics that celebrate the Lord’s appearance
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Podcast


 

The post Bhagavatam tenth canto study 14 – 10.3.1-10 The celestial, terrestrial and psychological characteristics that celebrate the Lord’s appearance appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Don’t let your expectations of life come in the way of life
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Hall program at Wellington, New Zealand]

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Jagannath Ratha Yatra Kathmandu 2018 (Album of photos) ISKCON…
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Jagannath Ratha Yatra Kathmandu 2018 (Album of photos)
ISKCON Nepal organized The Festival of Chariot “Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra 2018” at Kathmandu on 14th July 2018. A huge number of devotees attended this annual Ratha Yatra festival from various parts of Nepal. Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra themselves come out of the temple to the street so that people can take the holy view (darshan) of their Lordships. Ratha Yatra used to be celebrated only at Jagannath Puri, Orissa. But Srila Prabhupada (Founder Acharya of International Society for Krishna Consciousness) started this Ratha Yatra Festival worldwide. In different cities of each and every country, Jagannath Ratha Yatra takes place. Total attendees in Kathmandu Jagannath Ratha Yatra was about 2500+ of devotees.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mqKZtQ

“Move in the direction of perfection” Bhakti Bhringa Govinda…
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“Move in the direction of perfection”
Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami: People come to ISKCON and everybody is enthusiastic. Something that attracts them to Krishna Consciousness causes an awakening of their faith. And all of us have had different experiences of what impelled us to take up the process of surrender to Krishna. And many people they start by reading the literature [Srila Prabhupada’s books in this context], but after sometime, they just don’t read any longer. And then the problem start to come, and we know that there are many different types of problems that devotees experience. Sometimes devotees lose taste, sometimes devotees just retire from doing devotional service because they need to get their taste elsewhere.
But the idea of coming to Krishna Consciousness is to undertake these activities which will bring us to the stage of perfection. We are idealists, because we have heard that this is the process we can follow to become free from defects and become perfect. And the essential part of that process is to know Krishna.
And to know Krishna we have to read about Krishna. Krishna says: if you want to do that you always have to hear from Me.
Lately a lot of times devotees listen lectures of good devotees. But how many of you devotees listen to Prabhupada’s lectures on a regular basis? [devotees raising hands] Well, that’s good cause then you can hear from Srila Prabhupada. A lot of people [raised their hands], it’s good that you can listen to Srila Prabhupada because then you can understand the real command of the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness that Prabhupada has.
Often times when you hear his lectures - every sentence that he tells will be substantiated by a quote from shastra. When you hear that you become… at least when I hear those lectures I become so overwhelmed. You know, I will never possess the understating of my spiritual master nor will I be able to speak like my spiritual master, often I pray “Prabhupada, let me speak like you in a very clear, very shastric, very understandable way.”
That, my dear devotees, means you have to read the books. Sometimes I ask devotees who’s been devotees for 20-25 years :
- How many times have you read Bhagavad Gita in 25 years?
- One time. Or two times…
- Have you read Srimad Bhagavatam?
- No…
So what to speak of Nectar of Devotion, Ishopanishad and Upadeshmrita and many other books. This is a real point that has me worried. Because when devotees, when they don’t absorb themselves in advancing in Krishna Consciousness - often times they just go in the opposite direction.
Even though one may be doing a lot of service. But if their consciousness is not vibrating with the knowledge, with the learning for Krishna Consciousness - they are not really advancing so nicely in devotional service. […]
We have seen examples of perfect people. Now it’s time that we actually start thinking that we are in Krishna consciousness because we want(!) to become perfect.
Of course we love the sankirtan mission. You can’t become perfect unless you do sankirtan, because Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestows great mercy upon the people who engage in sankirtan. But at the same time that mercy will help us to have the realizations when we study the books, chanting the Holy Name, so its real serious.
I’ve had too many people fall away, and generally I don’t say this and I don’t preach this so much, but it’s a reality. That when disciples behave sinfully I receive the karma. We have heard that and it’s a shastric fact. And I can honestly say that I experience that. So that’s why I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty or to make people cry or something like that. But it’s a reality. And therefore that’s why I’m requesting everybody to move in the direction of perfection.

Preparing for Pol’and’Rock festival in Poland (Album of…
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Preparing for Pol'and'Rock festival in Poland (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Polish Woodstock 2018 [ Now Pol'and'Rock ] is still one week away. But our boys are already on the field setting up ‘Krsna’s Village of Peace.’ Over 1 million people are expected at the event. We plan to distribute over 150,000 full plates of prasadam [ 40 tons of foodstuffs ] and have Ratha Yatra 4 days in a row through the masses of people. Srila Prabhupada, please shower your mercy upon us that we may successfully achieve our goals to please you! We live only to serve you.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/PiJ3QF