Planet ISKCON

[Seminar at Alachua, Florida, USA]

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Transcription Seva by: Her Grace Manju Agrawal Mataji (Muzaffarnagar)

प्रश्न– क्या मन हमारा शत्रु है? हम उसे अपना मित्र कैसे बना सकते हैं?

उत्तर– मन स्थाई रूप से हमारा शत्रु नहीं है किन्तु परिस्थितिवश वह हमारा शत्रु बन गया है। मन वास्तव में एक उपकरण की भाँति है जिसकी आवश्यकता हमें भौतिक जगत के कार्यों के लिए पड़ती है। भौतिक जगत के प्रभाव के कारण अनेक प्रकार के संस्कार और छवियाँ मन पर अंकित हो जाते हैं। ये विभिन्न संस्कार हमें प्रेरित करते हैं कि क्या करें या न करें।

दो व्यक्तियों की कल्पना कीजिए जिनके घर और दफ्तर आस-पास हैं। वे दोनो जब घर से दफ्तर जाते हैं तो उनके मार्ग में एक शराब की दुकान पड़ती है। उनमें से एक प्रतिदिन जब भी शराब की दुकान से होकर गुजरता है तो वहाँ पर रुक कर शराब का सेवन करता है, किन्तु दूसरे व्यक्ति को ध्यान भी नहीं आता कि मार्ग में शराब की दुकान भी है।

दोनों व्यक्तियों में क्या अंतर है? पहले व्यक्ति के मन पर बार-बार शराब पीने से शराब की छवि अंकित हो गई है इसलिए उसका मन बार-बार उसे शराब पीने के लिए प्रेरित करता है। यदि वह शराब न पिए तो उसका मन उद्विग्न हो उठता है। उस व्यक्ति ने अपने मन को अपना शत्रु बना लिया है।

वर्तमान समाज भौतिकतावादी है। ऐसे समाज में रहते-रहते हमारे मन पर भौतिकतावाद की छाप पड़ गई है। परिणामस्वरूप, हम कुविचारों को अपना लेते हैं एवं कुमार्ग पर प्रवृत्त हो जाते हैं।

मन को मित्र बनाने और नियंत्रित करने के लिए हमें मन पर सकारात्मक संस्कार एवं छवियाँ डालनी होंगी। ऐसा तभी होगा जब हम स्वयं को भक्ति के कार्यों – जैसे मंदिर जाना, भगवान के विग्रहों के दर्शन करना, जप करना, हरिकथा श्रवण करना इत्यादि – में प्रवृत्त करेंगे। इन कार्यों के द्वारा मन पर सकारात्मक छवियाँ अंकित होंगी जो हमें सकारात्मक कार्यों की ओर प्रवृत्त करेंगी।

मन पर पड़े कुसंस्कारों एवं नकारात्मक छवियों को परिवर्तित करना अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण है। अतः हम यह जानने का प्रयास करें कि वो कौनसे कारण हैं जो हमारे मन को पतन की ओर ले जा रहे हैं। हमें ऐसे कारणों से दूरी बनाने का प्रयास करना चाहिए।
मन नियंत्रण के लिए इन तीन शब्दों को सदैव ध्यान रखें – मनोस्थिति, परिस्थिति, संस्कृति।

मनोस्थिति अर्थात हमारे मन के भीतर क्या चल रहा है। परिस्थिति अर्थात हमारे चारों ओर कैसा वातावरण है। संस्कृति अर्थात हमारे संस्कार कैसे हैं।

हमारी मनोस्थिति हमारी परिस्थितियों से निर्धारित होती है। परिस्थितियों को बदलने पर मनोस्थिति को बदला जा सकता है। उदाहरणार्थ – यदि कोई व्यक्ति शराब छोड़ने का निर्णय करे किन्तु उसका घर शराब की दुकान के बहुते निकट है तो परिस्थितिवश उसके लिए शराब छोड़ना बहुत कठिन होगा। जब भी वह शराब की दुकान को देखेगा तो उसका मन उसे पीने के लिए बाध्य करेगा। उसे अपनी परिस्थिति को बदलने के लिए अपना घर बदल लेना चाहिए। किन्तु क्या परिस्थितियों को हमेशा बदला जा सकता है?

सम्भव है कि हम अपनी परिस्थितियों को हमेशा न बदल पाऐं किन्तु उनमें कुछ परिवर्तन अवश्य ला सकते हैं। जैसे हम अपनी बुद्धि के स्तर पर बदलाव लाने का प्रयास करें। हम अपनी बुद्धि को सशक्त बनाऐं जो शास्त्रों के अध्ययन एवं मनन द्वारा किया जा सकता है। शास्त्रों के ज्ञान से सशक्त हुई बुद्धि एक चंचल मन को विवेक द्वारा सरलता से वश में कर पाएगी एवं उसे उचित मार्ग पर ले आएगी।

हम अपनी संस्कृति बदल कर भी अपने मन पर प्रभाव डाल सकते हैं। यदि हमारी संस्कृति भौतिकतावादी है तो हमारे संस्कार भी भौतिकतावादी हो जाएंगे। भक्तों का संग करके हम अपने भौतिकतावादी संस्कारों को आध्यात्मिक संस्कारों में परिवर्तित कर सकते हैं। कहा भी गया है – जैसा संग वैसा रंग।

इस तरह हम देखते हैं कि व्यवहारिक स्तर पर परिस्थितियों को बदलकर, बौद्धिक स्तर पर बुद्धि को सशक्त बनाकर, एवं आध्यात्मिक स्तर पर भक्ति के कार्यों द्वारा हम अपने मन पर शुद्ध छवियाँ डालकर अपने मन को नियंत्रित कर सकते हैं। जब तक हमारा मन इंद्रियविषयों की तरफ दौड़ता है तब तक वह शत्रु है, और जब यही मन ईश्वर की ओर लग जाए तब वही हमारा मित्र हो जाता है।

End of transcription.

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The art of Kartal making. (Album of photos)
I always wondered how Kartals are made, to me it’s such a beautiful instrument that shouldn’t be taken for granted. While in Mayapur i decided to go deeper and find out about the process, i asked different people until I found this person who took me to a village in Navadwip were they make them.

On 3rd March 2018, Gaur Gopal Das addressed the IT Industry market leaders who had gathered for Accion Labs GLOBAL INNOVATION Confer...

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 January 2018, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.17-21)

It is not so easy to say no to sinful things consistently; not so easy. It is not so easy to never have a moment of weakness; not so easy to never slip; not so easy to remain faithful; not so easy to take vows and then follow them for a lifetime. Not so easy! Still, the vows are so powerful that even if not perfectly performed, as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta says, still, generally they will be successful. That is amazing!

Mayapur Rathayatra (23 min video)
Mayesvara das: After Jayananda was sent to LA to improve his health at the end of the 1976 Historic NY Rathayatra, I coordinated the followup 1977 parade which was also successful, but not as well attended as the one where Srila Prabhupada personally road on Subhadra’s cart! Shortly after that, I went to build the 1978 Kolkata Rath cart envisioning it would be like the parade we had in NY. (Big Mistake!)

By Sikhi Mahiti Das

Millions visited and watched the celebrations in Mayapur this year. Just see the images and watch the videos of the ceremonies (included in the post) that took place outside the temple room to see the crowds gathered! This morning, the 2018 Mayapur Gaura Purnima festival officially ended after Srila Prabhupada's guru puja. Srila Prabhupada was taken on a palanquin for the ceremonial lowering of the festival flag, and then returned to altar. Continue reading "Most successful 2018 Mayapur Gaura Purnima festival officially ended
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ISKCON Kathwada: Here in ISKCON Kathwada it's about to complete one year of temple opening and this was our first Gaura Purnima, more than 500 people visited temple on the occasion of 'Festival of Holi'.

Hare Krishna! the movie in Mauritius.
Yadubara das: The former president of Mauritius in the center. Aiming for a screening with the Prime Minister. On the invitation of the former Prime Minister, Prabhupada visited Mauritius in 1975.
Interviews post-screening. All overwhelmingly positive. Prabhupada’s story goes straight to the heart, stirring the viewer’s emotions.
More photos: https://goo.gl/Rvt6Lk

Terrible snowstorm outside, Gaura Purnima Celebration inside Iskcon Detroit (2018) (Album of photos)
There was a terrible snow...

Video Sri Caitanya Katha.
Sri Caitanya Katha: Storytelling presentation at New Vrindaban by award-winning author and longtime ...

By Mayesvara das

I had watched the destruction done in less than two minutes with astonishment and disbelief and I simply had no idea what to do next. I felt like a complete failure and was so traumatized with what had just occurred, I started telling all those who were asking me what to do: “Tell everyone to go home. There isn’t going to be a parade!” I began to work my way through the crowd and eventually got back into the temple and headed straight back to the roof, which was the only place where I knew I could get some privacy and cry. I had let everyone down. Lord Jagannatha wasn’t going anywhere, and it seemed quite obvious that I was worse than a useless disciple to Srila Prabhupada because I really messed things up this time. I also felt like I had personally let down Jayananda prabhu, as well as Jayapataka Maharaja, all the currently assembled devotees as well as all three million native residents to the city of Calcutta. I mechanically put my hand in my bead bag hoping for relieve and then laid back down on the roof of the temple to try and get the world to stop spinning, but I already knew it would be an impossible task. Continue reading "Lord Jagannatha’s 1978 Calcutta Pastimes
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By Taru dasa

The Laddu Sadhu. Who is there who can sufficiently describe the wondrous attributes of this illustrious sweet ball? This must surely be Madhumangala, who is mentioned in many Vaisnava books and songs as a great lover of laddus. Being a brahmana boy, he used to promise to give Krishna benedictions in exchange for laddus. So if a laddu is so potent as to be able to distract the attention of one of Krishna’s most intimate friends, who can calculate its effect upon an ordinary conditioned soul in the material world? Also: Sweet Rice Glories. Srila Prabhupada tasted the sweet rice here in 1974 and said, “I haven’t had anything like I his in sixty years” Continue reading "The Prasadam Addict: The infamous “barn crew” and the Laddu Sadhu
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In this 2018 progress report video by TOVP Managing Director, Sadbhuja das you will see the work achieved in 2017, our plans for 2018, and preparations for the Grand Opening in 2022.

Part of the presentation is a beautiful 3D visualization of the entire TOVP Master Plan that includes the temple, Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi and all the surrounding areas indicating how gorgeous and majestic ISKCON Mayapur will look in the future.

We hope all the devotees will enjoy the video on this most auspicious day of Gaura Purnima.

The post TOVP 2018 Progress Report appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Giriraj Swami read and spoke on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 15.103-107 at the home of Krishna Kirtan das and Kandarpa Manjari dasi.

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that if one chants the holy name even once he is considered a vasinava and the best of human beings. He is worshipable and worthy of service. But Srila Prabhupada clarifies that that chanting of one name should be done with faith. Srila Prabhupada makes the interesting point that even if one is a neophyte, if he has faith that the holy name of Krishna is Krishna Himself he is a pure devotee and by his association others can become devotees. So, he is considered a pure devotee based on his faith that the holy name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical. He may be new and not very knowledgeable in the scripture — which is what distinguishes a neophyte devotee from an advanced devotee. But, because he has that faith, and chants the holy name of Krishna without offence, he is considered a pure devotee. And, by chanting just one name of Krishna without offence he becomes free from all sinful reactions. So, faith is a most important factor in Krishna consciousness.”

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Gaura Purnima Kirtan (Right click to download)
Gaura Purnima Talk (Right click to download)

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Dear friends. Please send prayers and support to our BrajaVilasa Prabhu. He was coming from Mayapur to Kolkata today and his taxi was involved in a crash. He went to Apollo Hospital for checking, and has been discharged, but he's in a lot of pain. He's a driving force behind the TOVP.

[Talk at Krishna House, Gainesville, USA]

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Gaura Purnima Mayapur 2018 (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one somehow or other come in contact with the Hare Krishna m...

[Talk at Krishna House, Gainesville, USA]

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[Festival class at ISKCON, Tampa, USA]

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The post Gaur Purnima class – How Lord Chaitanya defeated the attacks of Kali and how he empowers us to defeat those attacks appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Festival class at ISKCON, Alachua, USA]

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The post Gaur Purnima class – How Ratha Yatra fulfilled external and internal reasons for Lord Chaitanya’s appearance appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Janakinatha Dasa

I started chanting the holy names of Krishna, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and began to follow the four regulative principles. It was amazing to see how I could easily give up my nasty habits. My family members were initially skeptical, unable to understand the change in me. Earlier all my actions were under the influence of alcohol, but seeing this miraculous transformation in my life, they were wondering if I was acting under the influence of something more dangerous. Every morning I started reading the Bhagavad-gita, and I introduced everyone in my home to the devotional way of life. After a few years, Lokanatha Swami Maharaja offered me spiritual initiation, giving me the name Caitanya Carana Dasa. Continue reading "Final Words of a Dying Father
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Srimad Bhagavatam Class by H.H. Romapada-Swami (video) ISKCON Vrindavan, 26.02.2018, about the qualities of a Brahmana. Are there re...

20 Years On, Bhaktivedanta Hospital is Still Changing Lives With Spiritual Care.
“It is truly an honor to be here this evening,” says spiritual leader Radhanath Swami, his voice echoing out over the Mumbai crowd. “Twenty years ago today, we came together to inaugurate Bhaktivedanta Hospital, not knowing where this journey would lead us.”
That answer is self-evident now, during the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the unique hospital inspired by Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Held on January 11th, the celebrations have drawn a massive attendance of three thousand hospital staff, doctors, managers and their families. And they are being held on land where a major extension is set to be built.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/3A8sVB

New Dvaraka, Los Angeles, Gaura Purnima - 01 March 2018, Abhisheka (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One must engage his ton...

By the Secretary of Sannyasa Ministry

Although in Kali-yuga the injunction is that no one should accept sannyasa. Of course, those who actually follow the rules and regulations must take sannyasa. Generally, however, people are unable to accept sannyasa life, and therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu stressed, kalau nasty eva nasty eva na-sty eva gatir anyatha. In this age there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative than to chant the holy name of the Lord: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. The main purpose of sannyasa life is to be in constant companionship with the Supreme Lord, either by thinking of Him within the heart or hearing of Him through aural reception. In this age, hearing is more important than thinking because one's thinking may be disturbed by mental agitation, but if one concentrates on hearing, he will be forced to associate with the sound vibration of Krsna. Krsna and the sound vibration "Krsna" are nondifferent, so if one loudly vibrates Hare Krsna, he will be able to think of Krsna immediately. This process of chanting is the best process of self-realization in this age; therefore Lord Caitanya preached it so nicely for the benefit of all humanity. Continue reading "Sannyasa Candidates 2018
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