2018 Ratha Yatra, Prague (Album of photos and videos)
Srila Prabhupada: There is a constant struggle, and maya is very strong....

Sri Sri Rath Mahotsav 2018 by Iskcon Dhaka (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: O my Lord! Persons who chant the holy names of ...

The breakthrough for me came when I stoped thinking in terms of “origins” – “inceptions” and so on. Also, go back to the very basic beginnings and make sure you understand the ramifications of statements like “na jayate kadācit” or “na tvevāham jātu”

Another breakthough for me was carefully studying Tattva Sandarbha and hearing Śrī Jīva Goswāmī explain Vyāsa’s samādhī and explicitly use the phrase “anādi bhagavad ajñāna” – so then I knew I had to stop trying to figure out the situation as if it was a “choice” between two known options.

Once I had these two things – understanding that I didn’t have an origin point any different from my current origin/root, and understanding that I never know Bhagavān directly… then it is very simple.

Also another important breakthrough for me was to allow non-intellectual reasons to have their place. After all, reality is acintya. (supra-intellectual). Not everything has an intellectual rationale. In fact, all the really “original,” deep, primary stuff about existence is more based on “kāma” than buddhi (“so kāmayata, bahu syām prajāyata”). Desires are not rational but they do make sense.

Consciousness wants to enjoy what it can experience, so it always manifests things to experience. This is the basic prakṛti/puruṣa paradigm. There is never puruṣa without prakṛti and never prakṛti without puruṣa. You can’t even define one without the other. So Krishna and the individual conscious entities are always co-existant. It makes sense.

And what consciousness wants to experience is something “beautiful.” Which is why bhakti is fundamental to the essential nature of reality. It’s the relationship between the puruṣa (Krishna) and prakṛti (us). Beauty involves variety, and thats why there are so many varieties of prakṛti (us), and that’s why there are some unexpected varieties, such as prakṛti that wants to be puruṣa (us in the material world).

Another big breakthrough for me to understand this whole thing was to learn the different sanskrit terms for “eternal”. Especially when I learned the difference between anādi (beginningless) and ananta (endless) – and heard how Jīva Goswāmī explained their relevance to this topic – everything made sense. Our bhagavad-ajñāna (lack of experience of Bhagavān) is anādi (beginningless) but not ananta (endless) if we dont want it to be. And if we do want it to be, bhagavān’s māya provides us the opportunity to fulfill our desires so long as we cooperate with others who want to do the same.

To me it all makes sense, so maybe if you sit with these concepts for a few months it will also make sense to you.

Hey Dude, I am almost finished with the first Canto of Bhagavatam!
Hare Krishna, Dear devotees. This is a letter from someone I met at the Bonnaroo music festival. Whilst it’s not exactly Vaisnava jargon and etiquette [hopefully that will come later]; it proves the importance of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, and over and above that, of spending time cultivating people and giving them your own contact info. As individuals, we can distribute a limited number of books, but if we can convince others to do it too, obviously the numbers will increase.
Your servant
Adikarta das

Hey Dude! Have your made your way to Europe yet? I am almost finished with the first Canto of Bhagavatam. I am in process of ordering all the volumes as translated by Prabhupada. I wanted to say Hi and make sure you know how thankful I am you gave this great gift to me. To be honest, I’m so taken with it I would probably aim for reaching renunciation in this life to return to Godhead, but I am not able to do so my friend. I cant leave my soon to be wife as she very much helped save me from failing in the material world, so I cant leave her to save myself in terms of the spiritual world. I hope that I can at least work hard and earn a better position in a future life so that I soon will be able to renounce all sensory pleasure to return home. But I cant feel right about sacrificing the family I have around me who gave me so much to save myself. Perhaps I can sacrifice myself to help save them and open their eyes a bit to the point of this material life. I see in the book now why you insist I surround myself with pure devotees and follow a spiritual master, but not sure this is realistic for me…at least at this point in my life. So for now, you’ll have to be my Swami Aidi :-) haha I hope you are well my friend. Tell me about what stage you are in in the transcendental devotional work to Godhead ! I would like to hear where you are and what you have left to achieve in this life. I have grown a lot since we met Aidi and that is thanks to you. I have a clear picture of the impersonal Brahman and God’s cosmic form. I also feel his presence daily and he is always on my mind. One thing I would like to develop further is the correct meter to chant Hare Krsna to better communicate directly to Vishnu. Well, I am going to get back to my daily chores before work. Take care !
Hare Krsna.
Brett was in the marines with the colorful shirt who wrote the unusual letter.

In South Kolkata, a treasure trove of Vaishnava literature can be found in ISKCON Mayapur’s Bhaktivedanta Research Centre. This library is a gem hidden in a quiet Kolkata neighborhood, in which can be found copies of almost every book written by the previous acharyas going back to Srila Rupa Gosvami, and many rare and out […]

The post A Treasure Trove of Vaishnava Literature appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Michigan Rathayatra 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind, one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 17.31)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/accYFW

In South Kolkata, a treasure trove of Vaishnava literature can be found in ISKCON Mayapur’s Bhaktivedanta Research Centre. This library is a gem hidden in a quiet Kolkata neighborhood, in which can be found copies of almost every book written by the previous acharyas going back to Srila Rupa Gosvami, and many rare and out of print books, such as Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s compilation of commentaries on the Padma Purana and his commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita. The library also contains scans of many original, handwritten manuscripts, as well as many of the original manuscripts themselves, such as the only known copy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s personal diary, dating from 1904 -1906. Continue reading "A Treasure Trove of Vaishnava Literature
→ Dandavats"

Jagannath Rath Yatra at Sri Mayapur Dham (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” (Brhan-naradiya Purana)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/qMdkrF

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, March 2018, Durban, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Human Relationships Lecture)

You cannot become saintly by declaration, “From this day on, I will be saintly!”

Good luck, this sounds like a New Year resolution to me. Usually, such resolutions break down quite soon; if not on the first of January then definitely on the second. So ultimately, it is recommend that we try to cultivate good qualities; saintly qualities. This can be done by making a conscious effort while we are engaged in devotional service, so thereby we are purified by this process of devotional service and the combination of those two things will bear fruit in saintly qualities. This is how we can improve in our human relationships as well. And in this way, I feel that this movement in particular is challenged to live up to its philosophy.

We have such an exalted philosophy and we know the 26 qualities that a vaishnava should possess. Qualities like simplicity, non-violence, kindness, truthfulness, friendliness, humility, the ability to control anger, determination, cleanliness and so on are all mentioned here. So these are all transcendental qualities. Such saintly qualities are exactly what we need to really impact our relationships – to really make our movement what it should be – an amazing movement of amazing people! It is good if someone gives a nice lecture regarding this movement, but if we truly want this movement to be a success, it is ultimately about our qualities as vaishnavas that will make all the difference!

The article " An amazing movement of amazing people! " was published on KKSBlog.

Washington DC Rathyatra (2018) (Album of photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: We attended the Washington DC Rathyatra which was part of t...

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 18.25 To see our actions disconnected from the past and the future is to see in illusion appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post How can we explain UFOs? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post Should we not do good to others because to get the good reaction we will have to take birth again? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Podcast

The post Bhagavatam study 101 1.18.31-36 Presuming that we know God’s will and are doing his work is presumptuous and dangerous appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Festival of India in Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Israel (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Because we live in the temples of Radha-Krishna and continuously hold hari-nama-sankirtana – the chanting of Hare Krishna – we consequently live in Vrndavana and nowhere else. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 16.281 Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/rKKLkG

• Śrī Nanda-nandana quotes Ṛg-veda 10.37.17: „Milk forcibly derived from cows is poisonous and leads to many kinds of incurable diseases.”
• Aside from the offence one commits towards one’s mother karma also comes to the consumer of violently obtained milk
• By consuming hiṁsa milk we are putting ourselves and others at risk
• „Cows are recievers of all heavenly constallations. Thus she contains influences of all constallations. Wherever there is a cow there is influence of all heavenly constallations and so blessings of all the Gods. The cow is the only divine being that has sūrya-ketu-nāḍī or the vein connected to the sun passing through her back bone. Therefore the cow’s milk, butter and ghee has a golden hue. This is because sūrya-ketu-nāḍī on interaction with the solar rays produes gold salts in her blood. These slats are present in the cow’s milk and the cow’s other bodily fluids which miraculously cures many dideases. Ancient scriptures state that the sūrya-ketu nerve on a cow’s back absorbs harmful radiations and cleanses the atmosphere.”
• The physical condition of the cow is reflected in her psychological position and that passes on both benefits and demerits to the consumer.
• Non devotees are more supportive of Sīta Rāma prabhu’s ahiṁsa milk project than devotees
• Most of the food we buy today are poisoned
• Saving money on the short run may be expensive on the long run

Jagannath Rathayatra 2018 at Wheeling, West Virginia (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-ma...

Stockholm Ratha Yatra - 14 July 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is so p...

Arabic Gitas distributed profusely (Album of photos)
Satyanarayana das: Ten (10) more euphoric Arabic Gita photos from Prema Sankirtana Prabhu distributing to universities and tourist places in the Los Angeles area. Through his wonderful service, these transcendental books have been obtained by, among others: a pensive neuroscientist from Egypt; the follower of an old Muslim sect super-enthusiastic to obtain the book; a young Mexican lady excited to purchase it as a wedding present for her Arabian fiance; a tourist from Tunisia; an American girl who was learning Arabic plus two more who purchased them for Arabian friends; a Muslim gentleman from Lebanon teaching physics at an LA middle school; a cheerful family from Oman…more to come..
Find them here: https://goo.gl/2jnA6L

Iskcon Kolkata Rathayatra 2018 (video)
A huge festival of the chariots is yearly celebrated at the city of Kolkata with millio...

The padayatri near me mumbled, “He is a Muslim. Let’s leave, he will fight with us.” Then, very softly, I explained to the man the objective of our padayatra, which quieted him a little. Then I asked him, “Can we have prasad here after our team reaches?” He said, “Ok, sit under the tree; but you have to pay for water”. I agreed with this condition. After a while all the padayatris arrived on the spot where we were waiting. We parked our cart and trolleys in the shade. As we were all set to start honoring our prasadam, this man came again. I assumed that he was going to create some nuisance, but the Lord showered His causeless mercy upon him. As he took darsana of Their Lordships, his heart melted. He just kept looking at them while I was waiting for his reaction. The Lord took away the envy in his heart and filled it with love. With folded palms he came to us and requested, “Please sit inside my house while honoring your food.” Generally ladies in the Muslim community don’t come out of house but he called all of them outside for darsana, and they took photos of Their Lordships and the oxen. We offered them carnamrita, which they readily accepted, and I also explained to them the importance of honoring this carnamrita. The man took prasadam with us and also bought some of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Then, as we were about to depart, he came to me and said, “I am sorry for the offence I committed. Please forgive me. I was very rude to you. I am very fortunate that in this month of Eid (a big Muslim festival) and roza (fasting in Islam) the Lord has come to my house and His cart is standing right outside my house. I am very obliged to all of you.” Continue reading "ISKCON’s Padayatra Worldwide: Last Memorable Days In Karnataka, India
→ Dandavats"

Answer Podcast

The post With our current knowledge of the material world, what can we understand about the spiritual world? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 18.24 Disconnection from our Lord leads to the consumption of our consciousness by passion appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post If a couple has to divorce, do they keep getting the other’s karma even after divorce? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Podcast

The post Bhagavatam study 100 1.18.24-30 An annoyed response to annoying non-responsiveness is not malevolent appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Vaishnava summer camp at Fruska Gora mountain (Album of photos)
It takes place every year since 2004. The Serbian Summer Camp ...

Festival of India: Two Day Celebration in Montreal.
Bhaktimarga Swami: Montreal puts on a good show of the Festival of India. It starts off with a procession, very religious in spirit and also exotic to some, hip even. To others, I imagine it may come off as appearing a bit strange. The image of Jagannath—translated as ‘Lord of the Universe’—is mystical and captivating. The beat of the drums is what stirs up excitement. The procession draws the very faithful. At Jeanne Mance Park, we have a good crowd—second year in a row—of people culturally oriented to Eastern ways. “The food is great,” said Ajamila, a popular Bengali singer.The administration rented a large marquis to house hundreds in shade and provide protection from rain, should it come. The key to good attendance is largely due to effective marketing. Nrsimha Chaitanya, a Russian-born devotee of Krishna, has got it down. “I’m happy with this first of a two-day event,” he said.I mingled with a few from the crowd. The stage items were attractive. Professional and devotional performers brought the stage to life.I came up from Toronto with the group “Vedic More” to present Indian classical-style sound along with a bass guitar to add some spice. The only major complaint I would have with the festival is a failure to provide a station for hand cleaning after using the portapotty.I should not forget to let all know that we also presented a ten-minute skit of slap-stick called, “First Timers,” as a satire of yoga membership and routine. Of course yoga hails from India and that was our link to Indian exhibition today.
May the Source be with you!4 km
-

Jay Jagannatha (6 min music video)
The parade of the chariots is yearly celebrated at the home of Lord Jagannatha in India cal...

• Based on the discussion of Dharma and Parīkṣit the cause of everything is Kṛṣna’s will
• Kṛṣna wanted the unfolding of the Kurukṣetra war
• Bhīṣma explains that the son of dharma could be placed in such suffering only by the will of Kṛṣṇa
• „O King, no one can know the plan of the Lord…” (Bhāg. 1.9.16)
• Being Kṛṣna conscious means to accpet our limitations and bow to the supreme will of the Lord
• Kṛṣna becomes a pupet in the hands of His devotees
• Either we accept Kṛṣṇa’s plans voluntarily or they will be imposed upon us