Planet ISKCON

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The post How can meat-eaters reincarnate in human bodies, as past life memories cases suggest? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

North America’s 21st annual Vaishnava-Christian Dialogue.
Twenty-five people attended the dialogue, with a theme this year of “Monasticism from the Vaishnava and Christian Perspectives.” Christian participants included the Abbot and several monks from a local Catholic monastery, a Protestant minister, a husband and wife team of Christian scholars, and several professors from the Washington D.C. area. A coroner and a sculptor rounded out the varied group. Among the Vaishnavas were ISKCON Communications Director Anuttama Das and his wife Rukmini Dasi, who founded the dialogue. Joining them were religious studies professor Garuda Das and his wife Krishna Kanta Dasi; Ravindra Svarupa Das, who holds a PhD from Temple University; and Sraddha Dasi, who has a Masters Degree in religious studies from Harvard.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/Ds9VeH

Vrsabhanu dasa: Inis Rath Island in Northern Ireland was purchased by the Hare Krishna devotees in the mid-eighties and Sri Sri Radha Govinda were installed in 1986 with a big ceremony.

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The post QA sesion in London 2018 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

We always hear how the body is like a car and the soul its driver. In fact,there is a verse in the Gita that reflects this idea

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy. – BG 18.61

I was reading a book on medical resuscitation and how they bring the dead back to life. The book, in one part, talks about the human body. Below is the excerpt;

The human body is an incredibly complex machine composed of different components, each with a specific role that enables this machine to function. Like all machines, the body needs fuel to produce energy, which it uses to sustain its biological activities, also known as metabolism. This fuel comes in the form of the foods we eat, but the food alone does not sustain us. Once consumed, these raw products must be burned and converted into energy. This combustion process requires a constant supply of oxygen, the same an engine needs a mixture of oxygen and fuel to combust. The fuel in the engine is supplied through a gas tank while the oxygen is injected through vents and in both cases, when they meet, combustion takes place. This creates the energy that enables the other components, such as the wheels, power steering, and lights, to function, but the combustion process also produces waste products. In a car, the waste products are pushed out the through the exhaust system; in the body the gastrointestinal track functions like the gas tank, taking in food that comes from the stomach, while oxygen is supplied through the lungs acting as massive vents. This entire process in both the car and our body is stimulated by the intake of oxygen. Thus, like a car,if our activity revs up as we run, we need far higher levels of oxygen in order to burn more fuel and keeps the cells and organs working .- By Dr. Sam Parnia, M.D. from the book Erasing Death, page 37-38

The author (lead of the AWARE study) categorically explains how the body is but a machine. The next natural question is - who drives the machine (the body), we get the answer in the Bhagavad Gita –the soul.

Hare Krishna

“Who is Pure Devotee?” by HG Mahatma Prabhu - May 16, 2018 (5 min video)
You speak of pure devotee, that he is saktyavesa avatara, that we should obey him only—these things are the wrong idea. If anyone thinks like that, that a pure devotee should be obeyed and no one else, that means he is a nonsense. We advise everyone to address one another as Prabhu. Prabhu means master, so how the master should be disobeyed? Others, they are also pure devotees. All of my disciples are pure devotees. Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee.

Tips for Moms (and Dads)
What are some of the qualities of a devotee of Krishna? The Caitanya Caritamrita gives a list of 26. As parents, it a great list to work with:

1 kind to everyone, 2 does not quarrel with anyone, 3 fixed in the Absolute Truth, 4 equal to everyone, 5 faultless, 6 charitable, 7 mild, 8 clean, 9 simple, without material possession, 10 benevolent, 11 peaceful, 12 completely attached to Krsna, 13 has no material hankering, 14 meek, 15 steady, 16 self-controlled, 17 does not eat more than required, 18 sane, 19 respectful, 20 humble, 21 grave, 22 compassionate, 23 friendly, 24 poetic, 25 silent, 26 expert

Art Of Tolerance - By HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami (28 min video)
In the Bhagavad-Gita, Shri Krishna Says - “Oh Arjuna! The temporary appearance and disappearance of happiness and distress, it happens just like the changing of the season. It arises due to contact of the senses with the sense objects. It is constantly changing, tolerate it and move on. Some problems need to be tackled immediately, some problems need to be ignored, some problems need to be tolerated and we cannot do anything about it. Therefore all of us have to realize that the forces that are evade against us are much more powerful than our ability to cope with them each and every time”

Harinama in Düsseldorf, a city in western Germany (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Take advantage of these books, this knowledge, this prasadam, and this chanting. Be happy, and go to Krsna. It is such a nice thing.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/vDAZt7

A few pics from “Soul Expressions” event last week in the Manor, UK. (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In a memo, Prabhupada said to one devotee: “Your material formulas will not help you. Krsna consciousness means to become mad after Krsna and to follow the order of the spiritual master. Quoted in BTG #29-05, 1995
Find them here: https://goo.gl/bd7wdt



The post Daily Darshan: May17,2018 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Kirtan-fest in Riga, Latvia’s capital, filled the city and our hearts sweet taste of holy name (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If a living entity is developed in Krsna consciousness and is merciful to others, and if his spiritual knowledge of self-realization is perfect, he will immediately attain liberation from the bondage of material existence. PURPORT In this verse the words daya jivesu, meaning “mercy to other living entities,” indicate that a living entity must be merciful to other living entities if he wishes to make progress in self-realization. This means he must preach this knowledge after perfecting himself and understanding his own position as an eternal servant of Krsna. Preaching this is showing real mercy to living entities. Other types of humanitarian work may be temporarily beneficial for the body, but because a living entity is spirit soul, ultimately one can show him real mercy only by revealing knowledge of his spiritual existence. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa’: [Cc. Madhya 20.108] “Every living entity is constitutionally a servant of Krsna.” One should know this fact perfectly and should preach it to the mass of people. If one realizes that he is an eternal servant of Krsna but does not preach it, his realization is imperfect. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.29.1b
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hy981i

The goshala of New Govardhana farm just got some help (Album with photos)
New Govardhana’s goshala fundraising dinner. A night full of entertainment and extreme generosity to help protect Krishna’s cows and build them a new home.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/z63BME

[Seminar at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, UK]

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The post If someone’s religion allows meat-eating, then is their eating meat a sin? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Every year, devotee leaders from around New Zealand meet at New Varshana, Auckland, for the AGM. This is held near the library at the school.

Many devotees who live in the area, taking advantage of the leaders presence, come to the temple to hear the classes and kirtans and get their association. The leaders also enjoy taking their association. Sumptuous prasadam is provided for all.

 

 

Simhachalam Brahmachari Ashram, Germany (Album of photos)
Ripping out the remainder, replacing the rotten beams and insulatin...

MotelGita reaches out to Community Colleges in Florida.
MotelGita recently put Bhagavad Gitas across 3 campuses of Columbia County Public Library & 4 campuses of Eastern Florida State College Library.
Students who are tomorrow’s leaders, scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs and engineers will be now really inspired by these books!

Srimad Bhagavatam Class by H.G. Mukunda Datta Prabhu in Iskcon Vrindavana on 15.05.2018 (video)

Krishna Consciousness is a simple method. All you have to do is bow down before Krishna with faith and say, ‘My Lord Krishna, I was forgetful of You for so long, for so many lives. Now I have come to my consciousness; please accept me.’ That’s all. If one simply learns this technique and sincerely surrenders himself to the Lord, his path is immediately open.

- Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 7

Hare Krishna

The spiritual world is here!
Kadamba Kanana Swami: There is another world than the one we live in. It is transcendental and is not subjected to the material influences of our world. There, Lord Brahma operates on a different time scale to ours where one of his days includes thousands of cycles of the four yugas – even one cycle of which in our world is considered to be a very long period of time. In fact, kali yuga does not even manifest in such higher regions of the universe. It is said that in the heavenly planets, there is always an atmosphere of treta yuga, however Lord Brahma’s abode is called satyaloka where there is a fully transcendental atmosphere. It is so transcendental that there is no varnashrama and all its citizens are of one caste – transcendentalists.

Born in 2015, Vedic Roots Montessori Academy (VRMA) has grown into a fully-licensed preschool that integrates the world-recognized Montessori Curriculum with the timeless wisdom of Vedic Culture.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 December 2017, Gold Coast, Australia, Bhagavad-gita 8.20)

There is another world than the one we live in. It is transcendental and is not subjected to the material influences of our world. There, Lord Brahma operates on a different time scale to ours where one of his days includes thousands of cycles of the four yugas – even one cycle of which in our world is considered to be a very long period of time. In fact, kali yuga does not even manifest in such higher regions of the universe. It is said that in the heavenly planets, there is always an atmosphere of treta yuga, however Lord Brahma’s abode is called satyaloka where there is a fully transcendental atmosphere. It is so transcendental that there is no varnashrama and all its citizens are of one caste – transcendentalists.

So how insignificant are all the events that are taking place in our world!? How minute are they compared to the events of the spiritual world. Back when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura was publishing newspapers, magazines and periodicals about the spiritual reality, he was asked by someone, “How can you publish papers about such a world all the time?” He responded that if newspapers can report about what is happening in one town or city, then why would we not report on the entire spiritual world! This is because the material world is only ekapadvibhuti (one quarter of the entire realm), whereas the spiritual world is tripatbhutam (three quarters of the total manifestation). So the spiritual world is by far much greater in every way!

In that world, more than half of the entire spiritual sky is taken up by Goloka Vrndavana and is therefore much larger than the heavenly planets of Vaikuntha which themselves happen to be much greater than the universes we know here. Yet somehow, the Lord makes the tripatbhutam (three quarters) appear in the ekapadvibhuti (one quarter), something which cannot be understood by our knowledge of physics or mathematics. So how is this possible?

There is the story that Narada told about the cobbler and the Brahmana. The cobbler was telling the Brahmana how his Lord could pull an elephant through the eye of a needle. The Brahmana refuted that this was not possible. But the cobbler was persistent and held that his Lord was amazing where he could do such things. He pointed to a banyan tree and to all the seeds that were scattered near the tree and said, “The Lord is so amazing that he can fit a whole banyan tree inside each one of these little seeds. If he can do that, then why can’t he pull an elephant through a needle?” So in this way the cobbler was not blindly believing in the Lord, but had a transcendental vision through which he could witness the Lord’s miracles around him in the material world. Such is a man of great faith. So Krsna has indeed manifested the spiritual world, a much larger dimension, within this material world, a much smaller dimension. The Lord is constantly manifesting his transcendental potency around us, through his holy name, through Govardhana and so on, and that is amazing! 

The article " The spiritual world is here! " was published on KKSBlog.

As devotees of Krishna, have you aspired to transform your home into a small temple for God? Have you ever desired to perform personal service to Deities? Are you not sure how to do so authentically? The Hare Krishna Temple is organizing an all-day seminar on Deity Worship with Bhakti Yoga Dasa.

An article by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura from the Harmonist (published by Gaudiya math 2001). It is is superb and right to the point on explaining this month of Purusottama by the holy writings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

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Kirtan-mela and preaching program in Moscow, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Love of God is not an ordinary commo...

Ratha Yatra Festival in Minneapolis, USA (Album with photos)
Balaram Das: We had excellent Ratha Yatra on May 6th here in Minn...

This year in Sridhama Mayapur between the 16th of May and the 13th of June, the resident devotees will make their way to the temple each evening through the summer heat for an opportunity that only comes once every three years.  At the temple, the twilight will be illuminated by hundreds of handheld lamps moving […]

The post The Monarch of the Months appeared first on Mayapur.com.

By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of April 2018. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN April 2018 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats"

By ISKCON Mayapur

My bhaktas sometimes commit offenses, but in this Purusottama month, they will be protected from committing any offense. In this adhimasa, those greatly foolish persons who neglect to perform auspicious activities, such as japa, giving in charity, visiting and bathing at the holy places, and who are envious of the dvijas (brahmanas) are deemed wicked, unfortunate and living at the cost of others. Thus, they will not attain a scent of happiness, even in their dreams. Conversely, those who are filled with bhakti will take advantage of this Purusottama month to perform arcana to Me. After enjoying worldly happiness, such as wealth, sons and so on, they will eventually attain residence in Goloka.” Continue reading "The Monarch of the Months
→ Dandavats"

Sri Sri Radha Madhava enjoy various wonderful water pastimes in Mayapur, such as the boating pastimes They enjoy during the Candan-yatra season. Following the Candana-yatra festival another festival of water pastimes, known as Salila Vihar, is celebrated. The Salila Vihar festival is meant for the pleasure of the Divine Couple to keep Them cool during […]

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At one stage on my evening japa walk today, the first day of Purusottama, my mind became restless, which disturbed me a lot, and I didn’t know what to do. Then suddenly within me I heard my disciple Damodar’s ringtone of Sripada Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja preaching forcefully: “Why are you unhappy? Because you are not surrendered. Surrender just now! Just now surrender and become happy, and there will be no more anxieties.” And I began to earnestly pray to Maharaja to help me. And I felt immediate relief. All the agitation was gone, and my mind was peaceful. Thereafter, sitting down, I chanted some of my best japa ever.

I pray that Srila Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja’s mercy will be with me for the rest of the month—and for all eternity.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

HG Caitanya Avartar prabhu joins ISKCON with experiences on many years of core-preaching and adminstration. He had joined ISKCON movement for more than 20 years. Prabhu is a founding members of the Preaching Team in the Middle East.

Under the guidance of his spiritual teacher, (HH Jayapataka Swami), with great enthusiasm he began working in the core-preaching service. As we know, that Team was a great success which producing a huge devotee community, and always in continuing the developing and the growing of the Organization. This module of preaching structure in other parts of the world has also been successfully copied and are successfully expanding.

Over the last 15 years, Chaitanya Avatar prabhu and his wife (Rasamayi mataji) actively fostering missionary leaders around the world. In this work, prabhu has been pioneering in using the modern technologies.

His innovative use of Network links to the devotional service for the Servant-leaders, directing the pioneering personal self-help guide, and link in contacting Krishna devotees all over the world reaching to all the different time zones, maintaining the cares and providing advice and guidance to the devotees.

Answer Podcast

The post If someone is practicing bhakti but not chanting 16 rounds, what is their destination? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.