Planet ISKCON

[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Chicago, USA]

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[Class on Bhagavad-gita 2.47 at ISKCON, Chicago, USA]

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Krishna’s house as a paradise on this planet - Narahari Das - Hawaii (24 min video)

Malati Dasi: Devotees in The Hague are working hard to premiere the movie in their prestiguous theatre. After being sold out for the smaller hall which we had booked first, the premiere will be now in the biggest hall on Sunday 22 April 5pm.

Devotees living at New Talavan Farm Community in Southern Mississippi have launched a dynamic new website called The Second Half (Second-Half.org). The name "Second Half” references Srila Prabhupada’s expressed desire for land-based preaching prototypes that make the philosophy and culture of Krishna consciousness approachable and understandable to Western people.

As a matter of fact, the event was scheduled for the eve of 7th of April 2018, but throughout the previous night tumultuous lightning and thunderstorm reigned. Thus, all the arrangements were shattered, materials tattered and broken, sound boxes and gadgets were destroyed, basically everything collapsed. Everybody was helpless, since the Lord and nature had different plans. As the sun shined upon Kanpur on the 7th of April, the temple authorities together decided to postpone the entire event to the 14th of April. Hence re-arranging the entire event with the same impact was the biggest challenge. However, the hard-working temple devotees lead by Radha Ranjan Das, Acyuta Mohan Das and Kurma Avatar Das brilliantly planned, managed and executed the gala event, with double enthusiasm and vigour.

Veda Course at the Manor, UK
This is a three month course, where participants have a comprehensive experience of living like monks. Doing the full morning program, taking active part in the services going on at the temple, adopting Vaishnava attire, appearance and lifestyle. The chanting process is also emphasised more, with the aim of bringing practitioners up to the standard of 16 rounds.

Video reviews from the screening of HK! movie in Canada (14 video clips)
Hare Krishna! The movie testimonials from Kamloops, B...

Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: We are now deep in Russia, in SIberia. On Monday we passed through Moscow and did a program in the main temp...

By Purushottam Nitai Das

Maya forces us to believe that happiness can be attained in this material world. Srila Prabhupada points out, “This place is miserable. But maya’s illusion, we are taking this miserable condition of life as happiness. This is called maya. There is no happiness in this material world. Everything miserable.” Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973. Continue reading "“Maya Times” – The fake news agency
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By TOVP staff

To everyone’s surprise, this became a miraculous visit with less than fifty devotees pledging over $150,000 U.S.! This precedent setting example shows that the hearts of the devotees and not the size of the temple is what really counts. When there is a will, there is a way. Make the commitment and the means will manifest. This was also Srila Prabhupada’s mood. Continue reading "TOVP Euro Tour Days 2 and 3: Koln, Germany – Gauradesh
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Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17.

“The appeal of  our eternal life with Krishna is like the carrot. We see that and we accelerate our spiritual endeavors. But, we also get little whips from the stick of old age and disease. Srila Prabhupada says that the old age and disease of a devotee are actually an impetus to his progressing in Krishna consciousness and achieving his eternal life with Krishna. In any case we are going to be subjected to old age and disease—janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam (Bg 13.9), but for a devotee they are not impediments but are impetuses to progress further in Krishna consciousness. In fact whatever a devotee experiences should be an impetus to progress further in spiritual values.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17 (Right-click to download)

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ajñaḥ sukham ārādhyaḥ
sukhataram ārādhyate viśeṣajñaḥ
jñāna-lava-durvidagdhaṁ
brahmāpi taṁ naraṁ na rañjayati

ajñaḥ — the ignorant; sukham — is easily; ārādhyaḥ — convincible; sukhataram — even easier; ārādhyate — is to convince; viśeṣajñaḥ — the expert; brahmāpi — but even Lord Brahma; na rañjayati — cannot convince; tam — that; naram — person who is; jñāna-lava-durvidagdham — puffed up in the pride of a mere fraction of knowledge.

“The ignorant can be easily convinced [by explaining the truth]. The intelligent can be even more easily convinced [for they have the capacity to recognize the truth]. However, even Lord Brahma cannot convince half-baked people puffed up with their little knowledge.” (Nīti-śatakam of Bhartṛhari, Verse 3)

 

We sometimes need to confront people who hold views different from ours. If their view is incorrect, we may need to correct them. Sometimes however, they stay stuck to their opinions.

To have a better chance of changing their opinions, we need to understand how opinions are normally formed and reformed. Good opinions are usually formed based on information and reason. If we have the right information and follow the right reasoning, we have a high chance of coming to the right understanding.

Suppose we have formed an opinion in this way. If we encounter someone who has more information or better reasoning or both, then discussing with them may prompt us to change our understanding. Though we may initially feel bad that we were wrong, that feeling will soon be superseded by the joy of having gained a better understanding.

Conversely, if we hardly know anything about an issue, then we may either have no view or some casual view that we aren’t much attached to. If someone gives us a better understanding, we will happily accept it.

Some people, however, don’t form opinions based on proper information or proper reasoning – they have some partial information, do some half-baked reasoning and arrive at a stand that they then hold on to. In fact, they don’t hold opinions; their opinions hold them. Changing their understanding is well-neigh impossible. The Bhagavad-gita (18.22) indicates that such knowledge is knowledge in the mode of ignorance; it is fragmented knowledge that keeps one in ignorance, or even aggravates one’s ignorance. The philosopher-saint Srila Jiva Goswami, in his Bhakti-Sandarbha, uses the same word as in this Subhashita to refer to such people: jnava-lava durvidagdhah. It literally means those whose opinions are baked badly with a fraction of knowledge – their knowledge is minute; their obstinacy, mountainous.

Such opinionatedness doesn’t infect only some frustrating fanatics out there; it infects us too. We all have an ego that wants to prove that it is always right. Thankfully, we also have an intelligence. If we use our intelligence discerningly, we can detect when our ego is making us irrationally attached to our opinions.

Spiritual wisdom can sharpen our intelligence by changing our source of security. We are often attached to our opinions because our ego gets security in being right. But it is pseudo-security, coming as it does from the false notion that we are right when we aren’t. We can become free from the need for this pseudo-security when we get real security: security coming from love, especially spiritual love. The Gita explains that we are souls who are eternal parts of the whole, Krishna (15.07). He always loves us – his love won’t be lost to us even if we turn out to be wrong. When we are situated in the security of divine love, losing an argument no longer seems an unbearable loss.

Spiritual wisdom can do more than protect us from being irrationally attached to our own views; it can also equip us to better respond to people who are irrationally attached to theirs. Rather than futilely trying to make them see reason, we can turn prayerfully towards Krishna: “O Lord, what are you trying to teach me through this? How can I serve you now?” Such submissiveness makes us more receptive to his inner presence and voice. Connecting with him raises our intelligence above our ego – instead of trying to prove ourselves right, we try to seek the right way ahead. Our service attitude towards Krishna infuses humility into our interaction with them, thereby increasing the probability of their being more receptive. Amidst a confrontation, words coming from ego usually reach till the ego. In contrast, words coming from the heart frequently touch the heart.

What if we still don’t succeed in changing their opinion? We can let them be and move on with our life. Even through such an impasse, we can grow deeper in the most important right understanding that we are servants of Krishna, subordinate to his will. And growth in that understanding takes us closer to the only success that really matters – victory over the ignorance that keeps us bound in distressful material existence. When we appreciate that we are progressing towards that ultimate success, a stalemate in a confrontation in this temporary world pales into insignificance.

[I thank my friend and scholar, Hari Parshad Prabhu, for providing me with this verse]

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[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Chicago, USA]

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[Class at ISKCON, Naperville, USA]

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Mayapur, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.15.18-28, Class Speaker: HG Sikhi Mahiti Das on 17/04/2018 (video)

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 December 2017, Govinda Valley, Australia, Initiation Lecture)

We should understand that we are always accepted by Krsna through the prayer of our spiritual master. Therefore, we continue to remain indebted to our spiritual master. How often emails are exchanged between the Guru and the disciple does not define the relationship. We are living in a crazy world where the communication is bizarre – never have people tried to communicate through telecommunications as much as now – it is just insane! Sometimes I am asked, “Why did you not answer my email?” I could give different answers to that. An answer I sometimes give, “Well, I was chanting Hare Krsna!” If I don’t answer your email, at least know that I was chanting my rounds. The relationship between a Guru and his disciple is very different to all this constant communication!

It is an eternal relationship that can never be broken. Nothing can break it, not even us. One can walk away from it but still we cannot break it. The relationship will always stay! It is a lasting bond that is created between the Guru and disciple where the Guru is the representative of Krsna. When we take the vows to the Guru, remember that we are actually making the vows to Lord Krsna. The spiritual master accepts the vows on behalf of Krsna and supervises them on behalf of Krsna. One might be able to run away from the Guru in keeping these vows but one cannot run away from Krsna!

Krsna once wanted to plant pearls. His parents told him, “What are you doing Krsna? You cannot plant pearls. They do not sprout or produce plants.” But Krsna convinced them that they do! He planted the pearls, watered them with milk and sure enough, these pearls sprouted and produced many bushes that produced many more pearls. Therefore, the vows of initiation are like such pearls. We are getting a great gift. The vows are very valuable and one must do something with them. One cannot just keep the gift, “Yep, got that, initiation done! Now I will just do my rounds and fulfill the daily quota.” No! We must take the vows, take the pearls, plant them and water them with hearing, chanting, devotional service and making sacrifices for Krsna – doing something extraordinary with the vows! If we do, then the vows will produce amazing results – that is the idea! It is a great treasure that we must take advantage of. The job is not done. We got the pearls, now we must plant and water them!

The article " Planting pearls " was published on KKSBlog.

Preaching event in Budapest, Hungary (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the beginning, a conditioned soul is bereft of Krsna consciousness and is always morose in his material activities. Later, by associating with a pure devotee, one becomes inquisitive to know the Absolute Truth. In this way one begins to engage in the transcendental service of the Lord. Next, by the Lord’s grace all misconceptions are vanquished and the heart is cleansed of all material dirt. It is only then that the pleasure of transcendental bliss is awakened. By the Lord’s mercy one is completely convinced of the value of devotional service. When one can see the pastimes of the Lord everywhere, he is firmly situated in transcendental bliss. Such a devotee is relieved of all kinds of material desires, and he preaches the glories of the Lord all over the world. These Krsna conscious activities separate him from material activities and the desire for liberation, for at every step the devotee feels himself connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although such a devotee may sometimes be involved in household life, he is untouched by material existence due to his constant engagement in devotional service. Thus everyone is advised to take shelter of devotional service to become happy and liberated. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 10.119
Find them here: http://tinyurl.com/ycel3xe3

HH Radhanath Swami speaks at the inauguration of new Kitchen and Ganesh Temple in Govardhana Eco Village honoring Srinathji Prabhu and family and drawing parallels from Madhavendra Puri’s pastime

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Super Ecstatic Ratha Yatra parade in Ipswich town in Queensland, Australia (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Maya is very strong. In the name of philanthropy, altruism and communism, people are feeling compassion for suffering humanity throughout the world. Philanthropists and altruists do not realize that it is impossible to improve people’s material conditions… The only benefit we can render to suffering beings is to try to raise them to spiritual consciousness… If one is at all sympathetic or able to do good to others, he should endeavor to raise people to Krsna consciousness. In this way everyone advances spiritually by the grace of the Lord… We should be very careful not to be misled by so-called welfare activities conducted in bodily terms. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 5.8.10
Find them here: http://tinyurl.com/yaaojm59

Establishing cow protection is essential to bringing about a more peaceful, compassionate and spiritual world. Considering the chaotic and materialistic state of the world today, any attempt to bring about a more humane and friendly society is a battle or declaration of war. In any fight, some allies join for various reasons of their own. This video is a short discussion about the war to establish cow protection and its allies, like vegans.

All the Upanisads are like a cow, and the milker of the cow is Lord Shri Krishna, the son of Nanda. Arjuna is the calf, the beautiful nectar of the Gita is the milk, and the fortunate devotees of fine theistic intellect are the drinkers and enjoyers of that milk.

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By Romapada Swami

Srila Prabhupada told us later that he received some direct instruction from Rupa Goswami. Rupa Goswami came and said to him: Take courage, I will be with you, your mission will be successful! Go forward, complete the instruction given to you by your spiritual master and I will help you! Because the quarters where Srila Prabhupada stayed is, just outside the window, is the bhajan-kutir and samadhi of Srila Rupa Goswami, the principle Acharya following Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Continue reading "Gratitude rooted in Srimad Bhagavatam and Nama Prabhu
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By Subhangi Devi Dasi

More than 20000 people lined the streets of Ipswich in Queensland Australia as Jaganath, Subhadra and Baladev distributed Their mercy freely. Crowds were dancing, chanting and clapping as Their Lordships and the harinam party went by. A kirtan party lead by visiting kirtanyas 'Harinam Ruchi' also known as 'The worldwide harinam sankirtan party' along with many devotees from Iskcon Brisbane yatra, Bhakti Centre Gold Coast and New Govardhan farming community participated in pulling the cart the 3 kilometers of the parade route chanting and dancing all the way. At the end of the parade everyone enjoyed sumptuous Prasadam. Continue reading "Rathyatra at Festival of Lights Parade Ipswich QLD Australia
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​Inviting all!
WINDOWS TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD - PRABHUPADA’S PAINTERS​
2018 Prabhupada Festival - New Dwarka (LA) May 26-27
http://prabhupadafestival.com
​ and​ https://www.facebook.com/prabhupadafestival
Theme: Windows to the Spiritual World- Prabhupada’s Painters
Artists attending: Baradraja, Rukmini dd, Shyamarani dd, Puskar, Dhirlalita dd, Ramdas, Dhriti dd, Jahnava dd
Special guests: Srimati dd and Nanda Kishore
​Kirtan, Harinam, Prasadam, Katha, Sanga, - FREE!​
Rukmini dd: I remember the first thing I did after receiving my first book written by Srila Prabhupada was to look at the pictures. I would sit in my room and just stare at these amazingly beautiful pictures. I had no clue really what they were about but I could not take my eyes away from them. I would get lost in their beauty and wonder.
“Windows to the Spiritual World” and “Filled with bhakti” is what Srila Prabhupada said about these beautiful paintings. The paintings have had and continue to have a profound effect on people when they see them in the books. These paintings were done by devotee artists and depict the scenes from Lord Krishna’s pastimes when He appeared on this planet 5000 years ago.

Srila Prabhupada knew the paintings held great importance in attracting people to Krishna Consciousness and so he oversaw every aspect in the creation of the early paintings to ensure that all were correct in every way. He told the artists what needed to be painted and told them exactly how to paint the scenes and personalities. The descriptions of the Lord’s pastimes and the form of the Lord have been passed down through the disciplic succession since the time of Krishna’s appearance on this earth and must be painted just as described.

“Their paintings are not imaginary. The description is given through disciplic succession, just like that given by Narada Muni, who sees the Lord and describes His bodily features. Therefore, such descriptions should be accepted and if they are painted, that is not imaginative painting.” (Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam purport 4.8.46)

If a painting did not show the Lord and/or His associates and pastimes correctly or if the artist painted for his own sense gratification then Prabhupada would not accept the painting and it had to be redone.

“This is not a good style of painting. It is an artistic style for sense gratification only. I can not encourage this style - it should be stopped immediately. Paintings should be like deities, formal and worshipable. This type of painting is not authorized.” (letter to Madhudvisa, 12/8/73)

Boy & Ox Friends for Life (4 min video)
Chayadevi: Balaji and Devakinandana, a rescued ox, have been friends since 2014 when Balaji was five years old, and Devaki was a few days old. Devaki was one of eight calves who was rescued at the auction barn from slaughter. Devaki and the other calves had to be fed with milk bottles for six months since they did not have enough time with their mothers and did not get enough nutrients. Now four years later Balaji and Devaki are still buddies. Balaji is lucky that Devaki has developed into a friendly, careful ox. With Balaji and the rest of the ISCOWP staff, he never butts or swings his horn or pushes. Devaki is living the good life far from the slaughterhouse.
Watch it here: https://youtu.be/DA2eWeFwJas

In the Skanda Purana (Utkala-khanda, Chapter 29) it is described that Lord Jagannatha instructed King Indradyumna to keep His transcendental body cool by applying sandalwood paste all over His divine form: vaisakhasya site pakse tritiyaksaya samjnikatatra mam lepayed gandha lepanair ati sobhanam “Smear fragrant sandalwood paste on My body on the day of Aksaya-trtiya during […]

The post Chandana Yatra & Akshaya Tritiya appeared first on Mayapur.com.

By Braja Vilasa das

This Wednesday, April 18, is Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most important days in the Vedic calendar. Akshaya means “imperishable” or “that which never diminishes”. Traditionally, this is the best day for starting important endeavors or projects. For example, Vyasadeva and Ganesa chose this day to start writing the Mahabharata, and every year construction of the huge Ratha carts in Puri also starts on this day. Srila Prabhupada chose this day in 1953 to start the “League of Devotees” in Jhansi. Continue reading "Akshaya Tritiya 2018 Message from TOVP
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This Wednesday, April 18, is Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most important days in the Vedic calendar. Akshaya means “imperishable” or “that which never diminishes”. Traditionally, this is the best day for starting important endeavors or projects. For example, Vyasadeva and Ganesa chose this day to start writing the Mahabharata, and every year construction of the huge Ratha carts in Puri also starts on this day. Srila Prabhupada chose this day in 1953 to start the “League of Devotees” in Jhansi.

Akshaya Tritiya is the appearance day of Lord Parasurama, and it is also the day that the Ganges descended to the earth. Most devotees know it as the beginning of Candana-yatra, but actually many of Lord Krishna’s other pastimes also took place on this day, specifically those which demonstrate Krishna’s extremely generous and intimate reciprocation with His devotees.

On this day, Sudama gave the Lord a tiny portion of chipped rice and was rewarded with unimaginable opulence. Draupadi was protected by Lord Krishna twice on this day, once when He provided her an unlimited sari at the dice game in return for a tiny piece of cloth, and later, when she needed to provide food for Durvasa muni, the Lord took a single grain of rice from her pot and satisfied the hunger of all the sages.

ISKCON’s most important project at the present time is the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. There are only four years remaining till the Grand Opening in 2022 and there is still much work to do. This four year marathon has been appropriately named MISSION 22, and the next two years are the most crucial to achieve our final goal. We require $10 million annually during these two years to close previous contracts, purchase materials, etc.

Please take advantage of this auspicious occasion by making a contribution on this day. If you have already made a pledge but have not yet started making payments or need to restart your payments, this would be an ideal day to do so. If you are able to give a larger portion of your pledge, increase the monthly payment amount to pay it off quicker or pay it off completely on this day, please consider that as well. As Srila Prabhupada assures, you will be rewarded millions of times over.

“If the devotee offers something to the Lord, it acts for his own interest because whatever a devotee offers the Lord comes back in a quantity a million times greater than what was offered. One does not become a loser by giving to the Lord; one becomes a gainer by millions of times.”

Krsna Book Ch. 81, The Brahmana Sudama Blessed by Lord Krishna

You can find all the information you need to donate on our website: http://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

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The post TOVP – Akshaya Trtiya: A Special Time for Seva appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

On Friday, April 13th we arrived in Koln, Germany and made our way to Gauradesh, home of the Deities Sri Sri Vijay Gauranga Doyal Nitai. Two programs were scheduled here for Saturday and Sunday to accommodate guests who could not come on Saturday.

As usual, the programs included arati, a pushpa abhishek, kirtan and talks by Their Graces Jananivas and Braja Vilas prabhus. His Holiness Bhakti Bhusana Maharaja was also present and spoke very enthusiastically to all the devotees and congregation members present both days.

From the photos you can see that this is a small community of devotees led by temple president, Keshava das. Based on his expectations we were not anticipating any huge financial collections, but were satisfied to bring Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari to bless the devotees there and receive Their mercy in whatever way They desired. However, to everyone’s surprise, this became a miraculous visit with less than fifty devotees pledging over $150,000 U.S.! This precedent setting example shows that the hearts of the devotees and not the size of the temple is what really counts. When there is a will, there is a way. Make the commitment and the means will manifest. This was also Srila Prabhupada’s mood.

We wish to thank His Holiness Bhakti Bhusana Maharaja for his inspiring presence, Keshava das for his support, Vidyanath das for organizing the program and Dina Sharana devi dasi (GBC) for her facilitating our visit.

The next stop on the tour is Poland where we will remain for two days. The complete Euro Tour schedule is below.

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Balaji and Devakinandana, a rescued ox,  have been friends since 2014 when Balaji was five years old, and Devaki was a few days old. Devaki was one of eight calves who was rescued at the auction barn from slaughter. Devaki and the other calves had to be fed with milk bottles for six months since they did not have enough time with their mothers and did not get enough nutrients. Now four years later Balaji and Devaki are still buddies. Balaji is lucky that Devaki has developed into a friendly, careful ox.  With Balaji and the rest of the ISCOWP staff, he never butts or swings his horn or pushes. Devaki is living the good life far from the slaughterhouse.

[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Central New Jersey, USA]

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