Real nourishment
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 May 2018, Radhadesh, Belgium, College of Vedic Studies Retreat Lecture: ‘Krsna Consciousness in the Real World’)

The other day I was remembering Srila Prabhupada’s statement of how paintings of Krsna are like windows to the spiritual world; it means that through these paintings, we are looking into the ‘real world’, and when we are looking out of this window (of the building), we are simply looking at a picture. So Krsna consciousness must begin with that understanding, that the spiritual world is the real world. It is there where we find our nourishment because after all, in the material world, we will never be emotionally nourished. There will always be something lacking as this is the nature of the material world. It is usually when we talk to people behind closed doors where people reveal their heart and usually what comes out is that they are not feeling fulfilled, “I’m not happy with my life!”

It was recently in the news that some Russian lady who supposedly turned 119 years old said, “I have never had a happy day in my life!” Now, that is a bit depressing, isn’t it? I mean I don’t think this life is that bad (laughter). Everyone should at least remember some happy days, with the exception of that lady clearly (laughter). What to do? But the point of this is that we will never find fulfilment in this material world. Can we have everything that we have ever wanted here? Who has that?

So therefore, we always feel a little undernourished in this material world. Real nourishment comes in our relationship with Krsna and that is where we have to find it. Now, it is easy to say, “But Krsna is so far away. I need something here and now to nourish me.” Well, Krsna is far away but only if we put him far away. We should make an attempt to bring Krsna closer to us. So we must begin with our Krsna consciousness. By understanding that we have to invest in cultivating our relationship with Krsna, we bring him closer to us! That is what we are doing when we are having our morning sadhana – our regular reading, chanting and so on. We are coming closer to Krsna. In the Ādi Purāṇa, it is stated that when we chant the holy name, we are extremely close to Krsna. So this is what we are actually experiencing. It may take a little while to experience it in that way, but at least we can begin to reflect on it right now!

The article " Real nourishment " was published on KKSBlog.

Some Problems With “Bridge Preaching”
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Hare KrishnaBy Paramadayala Nityananda Dasa

ISKCON is a monotheistic movement, based on authoritative scriptures which provide an ontology and epistemology unparalleled in the history of mankind. Monotheism, and acceptance of sacred literature is pervasive throughout the western world: and there is high regard for critical/philosophical analysis, as a means for finding truth. As such, creating an accurate perception of ISKCON in the minds of people in general is the most powerful way to attract true spiritual seekers among the masses. However, we are utilizing our energy on “bridge preaching” programs which cloud this accurate perception. Continue reading "Some Problems With “Bridge Preaching”
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What does Prabhupada want to convey by talking about the conflict of communists and capitalists?
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Answer Podcast

The post What does Prabhupada want to convey by talking about the conflict of communists and capitalists? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Are Bhishma’s teachings of pure devotion at the end of his life contradicted by his life of service to the Kauravas?
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Answer Podcast

Video:

The post Are Bhishma’s teachings of pure devotion at the end of his life contradicted by his life of service to the Kauravas? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The Lord is untouched by his modes of nature
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Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.7.11, Budapest

  • The Lord is the source of the modes of nature and is above them
  • Kṛṣṇa gives empowerment to all
  • Karma and desires have to align
  • The Lord plans His pastimes and empowers the participants for the līlā to go on
  • Whether one desires to distribute books for respect or for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure Kṛṣna empowers one as it serves His purpose
  • The higher our goal is the more difficult it is to get empowerment for it

Telangana Padayatra Party: Reduced But Determined (1 min…
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Telangana Padayatra Party: Reduced But Determined (1 min video)
June 3, 2018, Visnuswami Dasa: Our team is now reduced to only two devotees but by Krishna’s arrangement every evening we are getting guests who participate in Nagar sankirtana. On May 19th ISKCON Hyderabad lead a huge party of nearly 200 congregation devotees at Hayath Nagar, outside of Hyderabad, with temple president Vedanta Caitanya Das leading the harinama. This was the biggest harinama we had in Hyderabad so far.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/zmBsyC

The Art of Dying – Varnashrama Dharma
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The Art of Dying - Varnashrama Dharma.
Dhirasanta Das Goswami: In the eternal Vedic social system, a man’s life is divided into four stages:
1) Brahmacharya: This stage extends from the birth of a child to his marriage, after the completion of his studies. Brahmacharya means complete celibacy, meaning that till one’s education is complete, one has to remain celibate.
2) Grihastha: Entering into the life of a householder. After completing one’s education one has to get married and enjoy the material things in life such as begetting children, so that the system of life as handed down to us by our forefathers continues unbroken.
3) Vanaprastha: As soon as some young fellow from the family is ready to take on the household affairs, one should at once retire from family life to prepare oneself for spiritual upliftment. One is not supposed to stumble in the dark alleys of household life till one is forcefully dragged out by the will of death.
4) Sannyasa: Indeed, everyone’s life must be so arranged that in the last stage of life, at least fifteen to twenty years prior to death, one can be completely devoted to contemplation of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. The first part of these last years is formed by the Vanaprastha ashrama. The last part is known as Sannyasa, where one has to give up absolutely everything, except a small cloth to cover one’s private parts. The final stage of Sannyasa is for exclusive and concentrated meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lessons Learned On Padayatra By Devotees Of The Noida Personal Development Course
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Hare KrishnaBy Acarya Dasa

When these 8 boys joined us they became part of our padayatra party, in fact we felt like they were also padayatris. Their sadhana was very strong- they used to get up at 3 am and chant their rounds before mangala arati. Not only did they attend all the programs with us but they also lead some harinamas and other programs and sang the prayers of mangala arati and Gaura arati with so much enthusiasm. They walked with us all day, tolerating the scorching sun. Sometimes we did not have much water to drink, but they never complained. Almost all of them caught a common cold due to the weather change, but they happily accepted it as part of their padayatra experience. They were all very fervent to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. One of them exclaimed, “We have never seen such book distribution anywhere! Even Muslims are taking books and participating in sankirtana. It’s a miracle they do it, it’s all mercy. Their hearts are getting transformed by the darsana of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara.” Continue reading "Lessons Learned On Padayatra By Devotees Of The Noida Personal Development Course
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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 05/20/2018
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ECO-Vrindaban New Vrindaban ISKCON cows gardens Prabhupada

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 05/20/2018

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes cow protection, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Founder-Acharya.

Participating Directors: Anuttama (partial attendance), Chaitanya Mangala (chair), Jamuna Jivani (board secretary), Ranaka, and Vraja.

Participating Advisors: Jaya Krsna, Kalakantha and Kripamaya.

1. Ranaka reported on the previous month’s activities:

– Ananda Vidya and Lalita Gopi are currently milking seven cows: Jamuna, Surabhi, Laxmi, Sita, Anjali, Sriya, and Malati – approximately 34 gal. of milk per day

– Malati, who suffered a rather serious illness this winter, has been able to regain her health and nurse her four-months-old calf, Gopi Katyayani, as well as give milk.

– Ananda Vidya continues to transform the extra milk into 15 lbs. of butter, 15 gal. of yogurt, and ½ gal. of ghee on a weekly basis, as well as two (8” diameter x 3.5 inch high) wheels of Colby cheese.

– Lalita Gopi and Ananda Vidya rented a machine to rough up the surface of the cement in the calf pen which was slick and therefore dangerous to the calves.

– Usha is pregnant and due in late August.

– Ray is working on a cattle crossing to replace the entrance gate to the Garden House at Nandagram. The form has been built and cement was poured in it. The pipe frame still needs to be constructed. Once the frame is complete, Ray will take the backhoe to dig a pit to set it in.

– Ray has spent much time this month working on the bullpen and fencing at Nandagram. Madhu the bull is now free to graze in his area.

– Vidya’s greenhouse repairs have been finished.

– Ray replaced the drive belt on cub cadet lawn mower

– The hay equipment is ready for the beginning of this season’s harvest at the end of the month as the weather permits

– Caitanya Bhagavat continues the usual daily activities on the farm, such as general cow care; ensuring the cows are healthy, fed and have water; counting them twice a day; checking the fences; mowing and weed whacking; and general maintenance of the barns.

– Caitanya Bhagavat has brought the bullpen to a functional state. It still needs a little more work, but Madhu is now able to be outside on pasture. Jaya Radhe is still residing with him.

– Dr. Moors visited. He check Jaya Radhe and Usha for pregnancy, and drained the abscesses on Priya’s hoof. Priya got an antibiotic shot the next day.

– A considerable amount of fence repair has been happening at Bahulaban and Nandagram over the past two months. This is due to a number of trees that have fallen from storms, and also in order to separate the oxen from the cows, who will go to Bahulaban for summer pasturing. This project should be completed soon.

– There was maha barn clean up where lots of cow dung was moved out of the barn to be used as fertilizer.

– Suchandra reported planting 200 hundred big marigolds, 100 tomato plants, bitter melon, peas, green beans, lettuce (some of which was eaten), and green peppers at Vidya’s garden, which completes the planting there. Monique, Radhanatha, and Govinda helped with this and have been picking the asparagus. Four bunches have been delivered to the Deity kitchen.

– Ryan and Suchandra tilled, covered, and weeded the Teaching Garden, and started transplanting vegetables for the Community Garden into bigger six-packs. Also, Suchandra planted most of the bulbs at the Teaching Garden – dahlias, lilies, and gladiolas. She delivered some of the ground cover rolls to the gardens. Currently, they are planting flowers at the Teaching Garden.

– At the Nandagram garden, Mukunda and Lila have removed the ground cover and replaced it with hay mulch.

– Mukunda and Lila transplanted the following plants: 144 marigolds, 128 roma tomato, 12 grape tomato, 40 rutgers tomato, 12 bell pepper, and 12 hot pepper. Also, they seeded kale, bitter melon, cucumbers, green beans, zucchini, and summer squash.

– Ranaka researched, inspected, and purchased a 2006 F-150 Ford pickup with 73,392 miles in very good condition for $8,495. The vehicle is being used by the garden and farm departments.

– Ray and Ranaka planted 1,900 lbs. of potato seed this month in two different areas: 1,300 lbs. at the Valley Barn, and 600 lbs. at the Community Garden.

– Ranaka has been developing plans with Tejo to upgrade the water systems for the Field and Garden houses at Nandagram.

2. ECO-V Mission Statement Update

WHEREAS: The ECO­V board wishes to continue condensing and refining its mission statement for clarity and brevity.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V board adopts the following as our updated mission statement:

“ECO-Vrindaban promotes cow protection, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Founder-Acharya.”

Point of clarification: Our mission statement comes directly via a 1973 quote from Srila Prabhupada: “Agriculture and protecting the cow, this is the main business of the residents of Vrindaban, and above all simply loving Krishna.”

3. INV Funding Request for NV50 Events

WHEREAS: 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of New Vrindaban (1968 – 2018), an important milestone in the village’s gradual development, and the ECO-V Board wishes to support the NV50 celebrations planned throughout the year.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V Board approves a budget of up to $45K towards the NV50 celebrations throughout 2018.

4. INV Funding Request for Truth & Reconciliation Facilitation

WHEREAS: The ECO­V board wishes to support ongoing open communication and conflict resolution within the Village of New Vrindaban.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V board approves a matching grant of up to $5K toward the costs of three sessions of Truth and Reconciliation facilitation.

5. Update on the IMCPA Meetings

Kalakantha and Jamuna Jivani reported on the plans for the upcoming ISKCON Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture meetings June 25-26 in DeLand, FL. The Board was asked for ideas regarding its future goals. Some of the objectives shared included building a greenhouse for year-round growing, involving more devotees in cow protection and gardening, celebrating the 50th anniversary of cow protection in ISKCON in 2019, as well as networking with – and learning from – other groups with similar interests.

Here’s a link to the ECO-Vrindaban website.

For regular updates, please visit, like and follow the ECO-V Facebook page.

Understanding tradition and its conformers, deformers, reformers – and presenters
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[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Kolkata, India]

Podcast


 

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Why the Yadu Dynasty was destroyed as per Lord Krsna’s…
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Why the Yadu Dynasty was destroyed as per Lord Krsna’s plan.
Srila Prabhupada: Yadu-kula-ksayam. The Yadu dynasty… When Krsna was present, the family members were about ten million. This is Krsna. Everything is wonderful. He married 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten children, and each child begot another ten children. In this way, the Yadu-kula was a very big family. So they were destroyed.

How to build character in children? (2 min video) The activities…
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How to build character in children? (2 min video)
The activities which we do with the children will help them becoming fixed in the virtue and It is very direct, it’s just hearing the past times of the personality of Godhead, it cleanses the heart and it lifts the character just by hearing, they may not understand the stories in the way just I described they are doing something else right now but that’s the effect of hearing Srimad Bhagavatam, hearing of Ramayana and hearing of Mahabharata.
Hearing these essential teachings gives us knowledge and it gives purification of heart, builds the character. Essential part of education is character development, or in other words, without character development education is a dangerous thing, to put something powerful in the hands of fool is dangerous, as the newspapers today are showing us very dangerous, very dangerous, increasingly dangerous. The solution is to encourage by every possible means that people should read, hear from the right sources not just google or some other internet source. To hear from the right sources the name, fame, qualities etc, this is Bhagavad dharma, that’s the panacea, that’s the medicine.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/B9duaT

Wednesday, May 30th, 2018
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Toronto, Ontario 

The Dusk Walk

My walk today began at dusk.  It was at a time when things begin to settle.  Birds quieten down.  People have dispersed from the ravine.  Temperatures are more favourable for a stroll or a strut.  Perhaps trust is also more on the wane at this hour, as the sun disappears.  

Who knows why?  There is the odd murder that takes place in this secluded bush.  Those whom I did see in the ravine or at street level, were mostly couples—some gay—except for the sole, piercing light coming from the deep end of the ravine just before Mount Pleasant Cemetery.  From there, that single night-eye came toward me, and as it moved closer, it revealed itself to be a runner with a head lamp.  I couldn’t see a form, just the light, but then a sound presented, “Hello!”

“Good evening!” I responded to the formless fellow. 

He may have been the last one down in the long ravine, as all life wound down their functions for the day.  

“Haribol!” I said, this time speaking to a rabbit, a nocturnally more active fellow. It looked like this one wasn’t winding down.  

I chanted on my beads the whole hour and forty minutes.  And I hope that one day, as time rolls on in years, and with a change of consciousness in the world, I hope that I’ll not be the only one wrapping up light hours with the Name.  I wish to see others participate in this game of exploration and love. 

May the Source be with you!
7 km


Tuesday, May 29, 2018
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Maple, Ontario

Those Who Are Great

After some hours of spending time with some of our best advisors in leadership, at the meeting place of Subha Vilas, our host, I wrote a poem.

Those who are great to my mind
Are the hard-working peers-pioneers
Of Prabhupada, doing for God
Sowing the seeds of bhakti deeds.  

Those who are great to my vision
Are the ones who I sat with, yes kith
A family extraordinaire, who came from everywhere 
We ate sumptuously in the shaded pleasantry.

Those who are great to my ears
Are the ones who speak wise, beyond disguise 
Open and frank, they are a think tank 
Exploring society anew, for me and for you.

Those who I know are great.
Have no agenda, no motive, just give.
There’s something selfless there, boy do they care
For a world that’s bleeding, there’s need for leading.

May the Source be with you!
4 km



Monday, May 28th, 2018
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Toronto, Ontario

100 Autumns

At the wedding yesterday, the brahman (priest) recited several times from a book expressing “one hundred autumns,” referring to the longevity of the marriage of the two people partnering together.  That many autumns is a long time by today’s standards.  May it come to pass for our two young newlyweds.  

“Why autumn?” I questioned.  My speculation leads me to believe that autumn is what ends a full cycle.  It’s harvest time, and all the best things in life are reaped then.  

I got off the train from Windsor and summer suddenly hit.  Spring has been cut short.  Heat and humidity pervade throughout the day.  It is a condition rather cherished by some.  It was in the heat of the day, at high noon, that I was out making observation of the scurrying of lunch hour people.

I sat at a food court waiting for a final adjustment on my phone which is in for repair. I looked out the window from a third storey, at that food area, and viewed the pedestrians from above.  At least there are pedestrians—many of them. The movement is rather robotic, not an aimless approach.  The average person makes a focused march to midday destinations, with the exception of teenage boys, who start-stop-start their journey.  They seem to be the only ones exploring or enjoying.  

My enjoyment was one more afternoon at Ramsden Park, engaged in chanting with sitar this time, plus  other instruments and the good devotees behind them. 

May the Source be with you! 
5 km


Sunday, May 27th, 2018
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New Boston, Michigan

The Wedding

The wedding was late but nevertheless wonderful.  Jahnu, the groom, and Rasa, the bride, tied the knot in a green location—Willow Park. Relatives and friends attended, as did I.  Leading kirtanand filling in space was my job; I volunteered with words and mantras, until the younger men, very expert, took to song.

Kulavir conducted the marriage rites.  He is one of the fellows whom I had in a drama years ago, in Detroit.  It seems that I’ve combed, theatrically, through most of the Vaishnava youth of ISKCON at one time or another.  With them, I see before me a transformation of flesh. Kulavir is one of many now approaching middle-age.  A new generation steps up for matrimony, children are born, and the young whipper-snappers of the time when I became a monk, forty-five years ago, are cracking their whips less and snapping to a slower rhythm.  When I see my peers I don’t often see their age.  I go back in time to when we were running things, hurriedly.

We were, and some are still, leaders.  Slowly a new crop takes over, just like the way of waves on the lake.  If you go to Lake St. Clair, which is not far from the park, you see that one wave succeeds the next at the shore.  It is a continuous movement of souls hitting dry ground, and then starting again to move as moisture.  We become matter: water, fire, air and ether.

Somewhere along the journey, we become human, and that can change everything so far as free destiny is concerned.  When one marries, one is meant to be a life-partner who assists another in real progressiveness.

Congratulations, Jahnu and Rasa.

May the Source be with you!
4 km

Conference with Russian speaking devotees (English/Russian)
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  • Russian vlog posts should be subtitled rather than voice over
  • People are very distracted so they also need to read what they hear and subtitles can be read in a work place
  • Promotion of Dāmodara-jananī in Russian
  • Aruddhā mātājī educated his sons via the Bhāgavatam
  • One gets the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa by following their instructions and thus pleasing them – their well-wishes help us advance
  • The mark of an attentive devotee is that he is not selective in accepting instructions
  • Giving one’s heart to the guru means following instructions
  • Those who strictly follow Śrīla Prabhupāda are the greatest inspiration
  • The most practical way of beginning the varṇāśrama mission is by having a systematic approach to cultivating the mode of goodness
  • SRS Book Club Newsletter is for Lal readers, not meant for general devotees

A historic first internet conference with English speaking devotees
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  • The quality of devotion is determined by the quality of faith and knowledge
  • Demigods aren’t visible to ordinary people and when a devotee is passing away not everything is visible to all – it depends on the consciousness of the observors
  • With exclusive devotion to Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya one will go to one of Them, but with inclusive relationship one can go to both of Their pastime places
  • When one leaves the material world one always leaves a material body behind
  • Friendship and conjugal are the relationships Lord Caitanya’s followers practice
  • Devotees go through phases in their attraction and gradually their inclination matures
  • We should encourage anyone’s worship and devotion
  • There is more than meets the eye to protect the confidential nature of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and bhakti, and to give materialistic people arguments to strengthen their position
  • In philosophy Bhāgavatam dominates over any other scripture but does not focus on chronological details
  • Universal form helps people with materialistic outlook
  • Our future reltionships in Gaura’s and Kṛṣṇa’s eternal pastimes
  • What we desire as sādhakas is what we will achieve as siddhas
  • Following Puruṣottama month
  • Non-Gaudiya pactices may be encouraged if they increase faith

The Future of Indonesia get a taste of the Bhagavad Gita
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Hare KrishnaBy Gadadhar Das

Bali has a Hindu population of around 85%. Most of the Hindus in Bali practice the orthodox religion which has been dated back for centuries. The ‘Student Community of Hindu Dharma, Indonesia’ is the largest Hindu youth organization in the island. The mission of this organization is to spread the fundamental teachings of Hinduism to others. In every province in Indonesia there is a branch but the headquarters are in Jakarta. Although Hindus and Muslims live peacefully together in Indonesia there is a vast increase in the conversion rate of Hindus. To strengthen the faith of the Hindu community, especially the youth, the Student Community of Hindu Dharma started to actively preach about Hinduism to try and preserve this age long culture. Continue reading "The Future of Indonesia get a taste of the Bhagavad Gita
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The power of gratitude 2 – How to cultivate gratitude
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Seminar at ISKCON. London, UK]

Podcast


 

Podcast Summary


 

Video:

The post The power of gratitude 2 – How to cultivate gratitude appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.