(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 December 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Lecture)
Lord Nrsimhadev is the personification of soft-heartedness. He is particularly the manifestation of the Lord of soft-heartedness. Why did he become roaring mad? Out of his deep affection for Prahlad… Out of deep affection for his devotee. So actually the external thing is his anger but the real thing is his deep love for his devotee. For me, this is an important point in my relationship with Nrsimhadev that he appeared due to soft-heartedness.
Hiranyakasipu and Prahlad.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: Lord Brahma pushed Prahlad forward and said, “Well, He appeared because of you, so you go and pacify Him!” Well, it does not look very heroic when you shove a five year-old boy forward like, “You go and deal with Him!” (Laughter)
No, we should not take it in that way, we should see that Lord Brahma is most intelligent and therefore very deeply analysed the situation and also realized that Prahlad is not just a five-year-old boy, he is extremely powerful – nothing could kill him, nothing could possibly kill Prahlad! So many attempts were made to kill him but nothing worked.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/8ZHWzK
What is the difference between mind and intelligence?
Let’s see how the mind and the intelligence fixed in knowledge respond when a beautiful object that is actually harmful appears in front. The mind says, “I want this, I want to enjoy this.” But the intelligence fixed in knowledge says, “No. This is illusion. Enjoying this is like licking the honey on the edge of a razor blade. You might enjoy little, but then you will suffer.” But the intelligence not fixed
Lalitanatha das “How I got into scientific preaching” (4 min video)
Lalitanatha das from Denmark speaks about how he got into scientific preaching in ISKCON.
Lalitanatha das joined the Hare Krishna movement in Denmark 1981. During many years he has studied ”intelligent design” and is the author of the best selling book ”Rethinking Darwin” which points out weaknesses and defects in Darwin’s theory.
Another mesmerizing event recently took place here at the TOVP – Raising of the flagpole and new flag on the main dome!
Previously, because of the crane we were unable to keep the flagpole to our desired height. Now that the crane is no longer present we have raised it to the proper height. From the Kalash to the top the flagpole now stands 20 meters/60 feet! The flag has also been replaced by a full size one 9 meters/30 feet in length.
In addition, we have been able to personally witness the strength of the flagpole as it withstood numerous powerful storms within the last week in Mayapur. The flagpole, being made of fiberglass, is very flexible and able to withstand intense weather conditions.
Sriman Jayananda Thakura left his body in full glory during the auspicious time of brahma-muhurta on May 1, 1977, listening to a tape of his beloved spiritual master chanting in his ear, and with a maha garland from Lord Jagannatha cradling his neck and resting on his chest. Srila Prabhupada remarked that “Jayananda’s death is glorious,” and instructed all the devotees from all over the world to commemorate the auspicious disappearance day of Jayananda Thakura as we do for the other great Vaishnava saints in our Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. He also instructed that Jayananda Thakura’s picture be placed in the Ratha-yatra cart of Lord Jagannatha, and to this day, a picture of this Vaishnava saint is always seen on Lord Jagannatha’s cart. Continue reading "Jayananda Thakura, ISKCON’s First Saint → Dandavats"
In this episode with Pierre Edel (Premamaya Vasudeva dasa)… Hear the story of how a young musician from Paris, covered in tattoos became a devotee in Moscow and went on to get 10 million+ views on his video Find out about the special deal he made with Krishna in Mayapur and how it played out […]
In this episode with Pierre Edel (Premamaya Vasudeva dasa)… Hear the story of how a young musician from Paris, covered in tattoos became a devotee in Moscow and went on to get 10 million+ views on his video Find out about the special deal he made with Krishna in Mayapur and how it played out […]
Lord Nrisihadeva is very merciful to His devotees, and his mercy can be experienced in Andhara Pradesh, at a village called Darpally near Niazamabad, where a couple lives with the bare necessities of life. This devotee was Lord Nrisimhadeva's Pujari and developed attachment to Lord Narasimha deva. After his marriage he came back to his village and started Lord Gauranitai's Vigraha seva at his home. But from the core of his heart he was prying to serve Lord Narasimhadeva's vigraha on the same alter. His wife helped him in various ways to have Lord Nrisimhadevas Vigraha but they failed and finally decided that if the Lord wants then He will come on His own. Continue reading "Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance to a sincere devotee → Dandavats"
In this narration about Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, various expansions or incarnations of the Lord have been described, and the killing of the two demons Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu has also been described. This narration describes the characteristics of the great and exalted devotee Prahlada Maharaja, his staunch devotional service, his perfect knowledge, and his perfect detachment from material contamination. Continue reading "Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance (Hiranyakashipu’s Disappearance) Day! → Dandavats"
Premier screening of Hare Krishna film in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Album of photos)
Simheswara Prabhu, 24 April 2018: Hare Krishna. For once it was not Rajni Kant, Sharup Khan, Bruce Wills or any of the superstars doing their heroic stuffs for the screens. At 8.30PM, the GSC Hall 3 theatre at NU Sentral packed hall screened His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, George Harrisson, the Hare Krishna devotees and many other realised souls for a good 1 hour 20 minutes of exciting life videos, interviews and thrilling encounters. The events were all REAL. In short the movie showed how 70 year old Srila Prabhupada started the movement, how he organised, kept it going and survived amidst tough times and how it exploded and reached the planet’s households. It is a movie that is not just especially for the Hare Krishna devotees but a movie that is thought provoking and which is sure to induce one heart to start taking to spirituality than to be just religious. Srila Prabhupada gave the world a SOLUTION and lived till 1977 to show the world by his personal example how all problems can be solved. You got to see the movie to know more. Also present to view the Premier show were ISKCON Malaysia President and caretaker Deputy Minister of Federal Territories HG Dato Dr Loga Bandu Gauranga dasa @ Loga Bala Mohan, Mr Nishit Kumar Ujjwal (Counsellor Community Affairs High Commission of India) and, HG Ajamila dasa , HG Bhagavatamrta dasa and HG Mayapur Sasi (disciples of Srila Prabhupada) Thanks to HG Yadubhara Prabhu for producing a such a nice movie. We will announce the next screening soon. Bring along your friends and we will provide the popcorn prasadam.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/dJKCKd
Krishna conscious novel (adult level reading), based on Bhagavatam (5th canto, chapters 13 and 14), Caitanya Caritamrita (Madhya lila, chapters 19 & 20), and Raghunatha dasa Goswami's Sri Manah Sika. Topics to enliven senior devotees; language and presentation for the general public.
Question: Can we choose whichever path we prefer – karma, jnana or bhakti?
Answer: We all are at different levels in our spiritual evolution. The soul is evolving over many lifetimes and because we are at different levels, there are multiplicities of paths available for us. In the Gita, there is a summary description of all the paths – karma yoga, jnana yoga and bhakti yoga but at the same time, there is a clear recommendation of which path to follow. At the end of the Bhagavad Gita in 18.66, Lord Krishna says,
sarva-dharman parityajya maam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma suchah
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”
Krishna says, sarva-dharman parityajya meaning give up all other varieties of religious paths and then maam ekam saranam – just follow the path of surrendering to me. Before this, Krishna talks something similar in 18.56, 18.57 and 18.58
Krishna speaks about the path of karma yoga in Gita 18.40 to 18.46 and then from 18.47 onwards to 18.53, he talks about jnana yoga. Then in 18.54 and 18.55, he talks about how from jnana yoga, one will rise higher and higher and will ultimately come to bhakti yoga. Therefore, Krishna talks about a progression – from karma yoga to jnana yoga and then bhakti yoga. But in Gita 18.56, he says,
sarva-karmany api sada kurvano mad-vyapasrayah
mat-prasadad avapnoti sasvatam padam avyayam
Krishna is saying this is a gradual way of attaining Me but there is another way. Whatever work you are doing, do it for Me because if you do it for Me, then by My Mercy, you will attain the supreme destination. Thus, Krishna recommends the path of bhakti yoga.
One misconception that we have is, if we are working in our job, we consider it karma yoga and if we are doing pooja in a temple, then it is bhakti yoga. This is a very simplistic understanding. Both karma yoga and bhakti yoga have one thing in common – both involve action. In karma yoga, the focus is primarily on detachment – one must not have selfish intentions, one must give up the fruits of action and cultivate selflessness. However, the important question is – what is the purpose of selflessness? That is to develop detachment from the world. Do not be entangled emotionally and do not be captivated. Bhakti yoga, however, focuses that the one work in this world not just with detachment (as in karma yoga) but with attachment to Krishna. This means that whatever work we are doing, we do it as an offering to Krishna as explained in Gita 9.27:
yat karosi yad asnasi yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.”
Generally, if we search for a particular path on our own then based on our dispositions, we will gravitate towards a particular path. But bhakti is so inclusive that people of all disposition can be included in the path of bhakti. That is why, if we can get the association of devotees then we can learn, how we can practice bhakti in our particular position and disposition.
To summarize, all paths (karma yoga or jnana yoga) will lead to spiritual growth, but Krishna especially recommends the path of bhakti because it can elevate us from wherever we are to the supreme destination. On how to connect with and practice bhakti at our level is something that we can learn in the association of devotees.
It was really pleasant having Nick over from St. John, New Brunswick. He and his wife, Sara, run a Krishna Centre there. People are responding really well in that small city, with a population of about 150,000 in the area.
Nick came over early for the morning sadhana, arriving at 5:00 o’clock for a purifier. At that time, I was reading from the Bhagavad-gita, a passage from Chapter One: Observing the Armies. Verse 15 goes like this, “Sri Krishna blew His conch shell, called Pancajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta, and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conch shell, called Paundra.”
The above verse addresses the goings-on on the field of battle, when action was about to begin. Conches were blown by warriors to indicate, “We are ready and able. We are about to start.”
Nick came over to start his day, not armed with conches but with beads and an open heart. The morning sadhana completed, after a bite to eat, we sat down to discuss how we can effectively approach the New Brunswick public and take charge. It doesn’t require the blowing of any horns, but some promotion through the internet. What is not tackled these days through cyberspace?
If we want to inform, alert or announce something of value, then we communicate with the use of current weaponry, but we can only be as effective in this communication as we are strong in our preparation. Through sadhana we can prepare. Through sadhana we can purge and show power.
Well it looked like a bright day. The sun was ever present. And in Toronto the public was excited about their team, the Maple Leafs hockey team, going for the play-offs. They just had to win the game against the Boston Bruins in order to remain in those play-offs. I know this because when Jai and I took our walk, on what appeared to be the best day of the year, a pedestrian, a woman, wore a Maple Leafs sweatshirt and she filled us in. Other residents also wore proudly the blue and white shirts. The team did win, 3 to 1.
Then the bright day went dark. I received calls from Vancouver, Calgary, Hawaii, Montreal and elsewhere. People were talking on the street saying, “Yonge and Finch.” That location became the scene of a cowardly crime, something that shook the earth, leaving people with disbelief. “What! In Canada? Toronto?”
A maniac got behind the wheel of a van, drove on pedestrian turf and mowed down innocent walkers, leaving ten dead and fifteen injured. It became dark for this reason. I called my sister, Pauline, who lives in that region.
“Are you okay, Pauline?”
“Yes, I was walking in that very area one hour before the incident.” She was grateful to be alive.
So now is prayer time for the innocent folks who left this world in an untimely manner. I call on all to pray/chant for these souls and for the suspect, now in police custody for this heinous act. We never thought it would happen in our backyard.
They were singing that song from Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons—“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” That was the other day. A group of adolescents went at it at the top of their lungs while walking down Walmer Street, perhaps in celebration that Spring had finally arrived. The sun had shone that day. The temperature was fine and perhaps love was in the air.
It did strike my curiosity how the group of millennials knew that sixties song. Anyway…
Excitement was in the air, today, again. I recruited, rather spontaneously, a group of congregants to take a trek down the ravine in passing by Evergreen Brickworks and beyond. https://instagram.com/p/Bh81i2WggkT/ Just about everyone was out to honour this most attractive of seasons—spring. Bursts of colour were to gaze at—everything from flowers to intense orange goldfish. People were attentive in three ways: to nature, to themselves in conversation, and finally to other pedestrians.
And I also burst out, saying to my companions, “Really, this is the way it should be—everyone going about in a leisurely way. And a personal desire, or dream, is if just one day out of the year, we could just mobilize ourselves through walking. NO CARS! Absolutely none! Wouldn’t that be Vaikuntha(heaven)?”
It was also a great day to launch the season for Ratha Yatra,the Chariot Fest. In our temple room, a yajna(sacrifice) was executed. It involved a fire display and feeding that fire with herbs and spices. It was very festive and engaging and… “it was too good to be true.”
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 06 April 2015, Durban, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Lecture: What is devotional service)
Having a spiritual master is not a casual thing! One should really dedicate himself to the spiritual master and to the desire of the spiritual master; that is very important. Sometimes, we may feel that our spiritual master is not really giving us a lot of instruction and he is not really telling us something special. That means, he just wants us to do the regular things like daily chanting sixteen rounds of japa and following four regulative principles – no meat, fish or eggs; no gambling; no intoxication; no illicit sex. It means that he wants us to learn the regular principles of prescribed practice for every devotee. It means that he wants us to rise early in the morning, preferably during Brahma-muhurta. It means that he wants us to study especially Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. It means that he wants us to be kind and merciful. It means that he wants us to become very respectful to the vaishnavas and to see that every vaishnava is worthy of my respect and to see that every vaishnava is my teacher!
Somebody asked me this question - What do you think of homosexuality?
Below was my answer
I am assuming you want to know the opinion from a Krishna conscious perspective.
Homosex is sex between the same gender. Nature has created beings to have sex with opposite gender for the sake of procreation. Laws of nature is universal and not sectarian and applies to all beings. So if the same gender engages in sexual relation, then that is unnatural. Thats all. Much like we have nine holes in our body. If we put food through any hole but the hole of the mouth, then that causes pain and perhaps even death - why? Because it is unnatural and the other holes are not meant for that purpose. If we remove the cultural, political, religious and personal biases and just look at homosex from the perspective of natural design, then certainly it is not natural.
Yet, as humans, we engage in sex with the same gender just to enhance pleasure of the body. Humans with a higher intelligence and ability to discriminate engage in sex (homosex or heterosex does not matter) just for the pleasure of the body. This is also unnatural. While sex is an important need, if we engage in it just for pleasure, such unnatural pleasure seeking will result in mental or physical shortcomings or disease. When the mind is crippled with attachment to sex thinking sex is the highest pleasure and that there is nothing wrong with it, then that is a disease of the mind? Why because according to Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, the living being is NOT this body but spirit soul encased inside this body (much like a driver inside this car). If the driver thinks he is the car, then instead of drinking water when thirsty, if he drinks gasoline, then he will die. Similarly, when the soul thinks it is the body and simply engages in bodily pleasures as the end all, then it is like the driver drinking gasoline. It is unnatural and death is inevitable.
Homosexuality is a political problem. But I am not instead in politics. Homosexuality is also a cultural question. But I am not interested in culture promoting bodily comforts. Homosexuality is a religious debate of sin or not sin. But I am not interested in mundane religiosity of sin vs not sin. I am interested in the natural condition of the self. This natural condition is an universal concept and not sectarian. From that point of view, to me, homosexuality is unnatural as it defies natural laws (this includes indiscriminate heterosex as well) and such unnatural behavior will cause pain in the future in the form of mental aberrations or physical disease.
If we touch fire, we will get burnt. No use blaming fire. If we counter a germ like cholera, we will get cholera disease. No use blaming the germ. Instead, we have to practice restraint and take preventive measures from the germ. Similarly if we do not practice restraint but behave unrestrictedly just because my mind is telling me, then just like cholera or getting burnt, we will have to face the consequences of such unnatural state of existence.
Personally, for me, I am not pure or clean in any sense of the word so gay or not I accept everyone on the same pedestal of my mind as I try to see everyone as part and parcel of Krishna.
Can Old Age Be Reversed? (5 min video)
The author of Caitanya Caritamrita, Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami, he writes, how even at this ripe old age of 95, he is struggling and striving to serve Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the devotees by writing the Caitanya Caritamrita, inspite of all kinds of difficulties and obstacles. Dear friends let’s try to realise that old age is a reality, it cannot be overcome, it cannot be counteracted but we can live life in a way that after leaving this body, we will not have to take another birth, another youth and another old age.
We are delighted to invite you to the ‘Srila Prabhupada Memorial Festival 2018 and 73rd Vyasa Puja of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja’ at ISKCON Ujjain from 12th to 18th September 2018. 17th September is the day when Srila Prabhupada arrived in America to spread Krishna...
Preaching program in an Iskcon Farm, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In material consciousness we are trying to love that which is not at all lovable. We give our love to dogs and cats, running the risk that at the time of death we may think of them and consequently take birth in a family of cats or dogs. Thus love that does not have Krsna as its object leads downward. It is not that Krsna or God is something obscure or something that only a few chosen people can attain. Caitanya Mahaprabhu informs us that in every country and in every scripture there is some hint of love of Godhead. Unfortunately no one knows what love of Godhead actually is. The Vedic scriptures, however, are different in that they can direct the individual in the proper way to love God. Other scriptures do not give information on how one can love God, nor do they actually define or describe what or who the Godhead actually is. Although they officially promote love of Godhead, they have no idea how to execute it. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives a practical demonstration of how to love God in a conjugal relationship. Taking the part of Radharani, Caitanya tries to love Krsna as Radharani loved Him. Krsna was always amazed by Radharani’s love. “How does Radharani give Me such pleasure?” He would ask. In order to study Radharani, Krsna lived in Her role and tried to understand Himself. This is the secret of Lord Caitanya’s incarnation. Caitanya is Krsna, but He has taken the mode or role of Radharani to show us how to love Krsna. Thus He is addressed: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord who is absorbed in Radharani’s thoughts.” From TLC intro
Find them here: https://goo.gl/958P7W
Iskcon Toronto March MSF - Breaking Language Barriers.
We would like to present a summary report of our last Monthly Sankirtan Festival (MSF). This article has been written by one of our younger members of the community, Krishna Rajesh. We will be featuring more of these reports so you can follow along with all of the exciting developments and learn how to get involved!
Iskcon Farmington Hills Grand Temple Opening Ceremony (2018) (Album of photos)
Farmington Hills is a very prominent city in the suburbs of metro Detroit, Michigan which has a very big devotee as well as Indian community. Iskcon Farmington Hills had their grand opening ceremony with the presence of HH Radhanath Swami, HH Chandrasekhar Swami, HG Malati Devi and other esteemed guests and people from many parts of the United States. During the weekend of the festival, more than 10,000 people came and were overjoyed to welcome Sri Sri Radha Gopijana Vallabha among them. People were mesmerized to see the beauty of Their Lordships. Even the large prasadam tent wasn’t enough to accommodate the huge crowd. Please relish the photographs of this historic event.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/FpQFLQ
Srila Prabhupada: That is the process of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's bhajana: feeling of separation, vipralambha, vipralambha-seva. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, feeling the separation of Krsna, He was falling down on the sea.
Behind the television project is hard work and united effort of 38 devotees working together full time in ISKCON Desire Tree. Since its launching in 2016 Janamasthami, Hare Krsna TV has grown rapidly. In India, it is roughly estimated that it is reaching more than 3 million televisions. Besides India, it has started to appear in following countries: Australia, Canada, Europe, Fiji, Guyana, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, UAE, UK & USA. Hare Krsna Television is now available in India on IN Cable #535, NXT Digital Channel #919, DIGI #519, ABS #521, 7 STAR #384, RVR #927, HATHWAY #845, UCN #616, WIN TV #600, TJ CABLE #303, HARIKA STAR #30. Continue reading "HARE KRSNA TELEVISION → Dandavats"
This miraculous visit to New Ekachakra Dhama on Wednesday, April 18th has become another history making event on the TOVP Euro Tour. So much so that we will also include some related lilas that led to the planning and arrival of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari in Slovakia. The story begins in 2015 with Mahasankarsana prabhu, one of the temple leaders from New Ekachakra Dhama, speaking with Tukarama prabhu in Mayapur. Continue reading "TOVP Euro Tour Day 6 – Slovakia, New Ekachakra Dhama → Dandavats"
March was another great month of book distribution, with almost 500,000 books and magazines distributed. Surely Srila Prabhupada is pleased with the steady distribution of his books more than forty years after his departure. It's still going strong. For many decades the European devotees have been having Nrsimhadeva marathons. Usually they last for a week, or in some places a few days. It would be very pleasing to Lord Nrsimhadeva if around the world devotees could increase their distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books by having these mini-marathons. Or at least try to arrange your day to go out before or on Nrsimha-caturdasi and distribute some books. Lord Nrsimhadeva and Srila Prabhupada will be pleased. Continue reading "WSN March 2018 – World Sankirtan Newsletter → Dandavats"
By Iskcon Mayapur
By Madhavendu das
From Srimad-Bhagavatam
Srila Prabhupada: That is the process of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's bhajana: feeling of separation, vipralambha, vipralambha-seva. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, feeling the separation of Krsna, He was falling down on the sea.
By Vaishnava seva dasa
By TOVP staff
By Vijaya Dasa