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Will Krishna be more pleased if we feed the hungry than offer opulent bhoga to the Deities? 6 min. audio podcast by Chaitanya Chara...

Shastrakrit Das: It was a hot and quiet evening and we were just sitting there praying for some mercy. Out of nowhere, this really pious lady approaches the book table with her family. She points to Srimad Bhagavatam first canto and Krishna book asking, ‘how much?’
I said, “for Krishna book, you can give some donation, but the Bhagavatam is $200.”
She was surprised, ‘why this one book Bhagavatam costs so much?’
I told her, ‘Because it’s not just one book it’s an 18 volume set.’
She insisted that she just wants that one book that’s on display. I explained to her how Bhagavatam is non-different from Krishna so we cannot break the Bhagavatam set just like we don’t want to break the deity, and whoever keeps a full set of Bhagavatam in their home even the demigods worship that home. She goes, “ok ok ok I surrender. Put all the books in my car.“

Harinama in Vladivostok, Russia (Album with photos)
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Bliss in Trafalgar Square, London (4 min video)
Jayadev Prabhu has different parts of a London Ratha-yatra audience chant diff...

Harinama in Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Kali-yuga continues for 432,000 years, of which only 5,000 years hav...

Harinama at Surfers Paradise, Australia - 24 June 2018 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Narada Muni, citing a practical e...

Scientists and politicians will certainly grapple to put forth a positive solution for the problem of climate change. Meanwhile devotees need only try to make this earth as nice as possible in the form of Krishna conscious environments such as nice temples, big kirtans, eco-friendly farms, prasadam restaurants, etc., in order to encourage others and our own selves in self-realization. At the same time we keep in mind that Krsna has meant this planet for our rectification, not for permanent residence. The ecology of the heart is the beginning of any hope for external change. Ecology devoid of the study of humanity’s relationship with the Supreme Living Being will always be the study of living beings in a crisis. Continue reading "Climate Change and the Ecology of our Hearts
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Through study of the benefits and nature of the Brahma gayatri, those of us who already have received this mantra from a bona fide guru can deepen our meditation when we chant daily at sunrise, noon, and sunset. Those of us who haven’t received the gayatri mantra can meditate thrice daily on the light of the sun as Krsna, the eye of the Lord that is actually sustaining everything. To qualify ourselves for initiation into chanting the gayatri mantra, we can have a life filled with light, with goodness. As the Vedas say: Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, which means “Do not remain in darkness, come to the light.” (lecture Bhagavad-gita 2.16 — Mexico City, February 16, 1975). Krsna in the Gita describes goodness as being symptomized by all the gates (senses) of the body are illumined by knowledge. In a practical sense, such a life means we only allow illuminating, enlightening, uplifting things to enter our senses. For example, one eats only vegetarian food offered to Krsna.Then one has a life that is filled with light. Continue reading "Enlightenment: Brahma gayatri mantra
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If one wants standard transcendental knowledge, not upstart knowledge, one must receive it from the parampara system, the disciplic succession. Another meaning of the word srotriyam mentioned above is "one who has heard from a guru in the disciplic succession." And the result of this hearing will be brahma-nistham, "He is firmly fixed in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He has no other business. These are the two main qualifications of a bona fide guru. He does not need to be a very learned scholar with an M.A., B.A., or Ph.D. No. He simply needs to have heard from the authority in disciplic succession and be fixed in devotional service. This is our system. Continue reading "Who Is a Guru
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On the full-moon day, sixteen days before Rathayatra, Lord Jagannatha is bathed. He becomes sick and is confined to rest for fourteen days. He is then offered special care until He comes out for Rathayatra.

A special bath of Jagannatha takes place on the Purnima of Jyestha month, to commemorate the appearance day of Lord Jagannatha. According to Skanda Purana when Indradyumna Maharaja installed the wooden deities he arranged this bathing ceremony. This day considered to be the appearance day of Lord Jagannatha. 

When Jagannatha was absent from the temple, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who could not see Him, felt separation and left Jagannatha Puri to go to a place known as Alalanatha. 

Answer Podcast

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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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The post Why does the Bhagavatam say that literature glorifying Krishna is imperfectly composed when such literature is meant to attract people to Krishna? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Vrindavana is like a hall of fame. Everywhere you turn there are stories, landmarks and temples commemorating the saintly people who lived here. Ironically, they never wanted any fame.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?" The perplexing question that haunts the minds of many when they see good people victimized by painful reverses in life. A video by ISKCON Desire Tree.

The Palace of Gold is set in the hills of West Virginia. It was built for Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement. A video by Vrisabhanu Das.

On a Sunday near to her Appearance Day devotees gathered at Bhakti Centre in Harrow, UK, to share their remembrances of Mother Kulangana.This video by Rishi Chavda includes a special showing of previously unreleased footage of
Mother Kulangana making Gokula Sweets.  

Cape Town, known as the beautiful ‘Mother City’ at the tip of South Africa, saw a weekend mesmerized with the holy names and laughter-filled devotee associationwhich wasgraced by the presence of BB Govinda Swami and Akincana Krishna Das. 

A video produced by Sadaputa Dasa (Dr. Richard L. Thompson) based on the book of the same title.

On June 16, organized by the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, Murali Gopal Das presented a lively seminar at New York City’s Bhakti Center. Murali Gopal holds a Ph.D. in physics from Ohio University, has served an internship at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

He was 69 years old, and was BTG’s longest-running servant, having worked with Srila Prabhupada’s beloved magazine for 42 years. Yamaraja spent his final days meeting with devotees, hearing how they came to Krishna consciousness and speaking about service to the Lord. He also shared his own heartfelt realizations about how Srila Prabhupada “gave us the real deal.”

The founder and director of Care for Cows expired due to cancer in 2015 at the age of 67. But the organization he started continues to support and care for destitute and abandoned cows in Lord Krishna’s holy land of Vrindavana, India.

Does God laugh at our plans? - Seminar by Chaitanya Charan das at ISKCON Brampton (video)

Video of Mother Kulangana 2018 Appearance Day Remembrances.
On a Sunday near to her Appearance Day devotees gathered at Bhakti...

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The post Snana-Yatra Meditation – Understanding how God can fall sick – Hindi appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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“My devotee is so dear to Me. He is My devotee because He always takes Me into the core of his heart, and he is always praying to Me, "Please let me engage in Your service." My devotee doesn’t want anything else. He is always thinking how he can serve Me. So therefore, I approach My devotee and I say, "Please let Me give you something." But My devotee says, "I don’t want anything." And the Lord says, "I want to give you something. Anything!" Continue reading "How to Achieve the Ultimate Goal of Chanting
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Neither Krishna likes to be worshipped as God and nor his pure devotees want to worship him as the Supreme Lord. Krishna prefers an informal relationship with his very close devotees as friend, as son and as a paramour. He enjoys joking, laughing, playing and eating with his friends at the bank of Yamuna. He rejoices teasing and dancing with the girls of Gokula. And at home he is a naughty little child of Mother Yashoda and Nanda Maharaj. In Vrindavan Krishna is the centre of attraction of all, he is their life and soul, Vrajbasis (residents of Vrindavan) just want to do what pleases Krishna and Krishna reciprocates with them. When Krishna is in front of them they relish each and every activity of him and when he is not in front of their eyes then they remember, sing and discuss Krishna’s various heart touching pastimes. Continue reading "Pure love binds Krishna, and nothing else
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