Planet ISKCON

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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The post What the Bhagavatam conveys by narrating Krishna’s agonizing departure appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[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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Auckland NZ: Gaura Purnima 2018 the perfect day of celebration (Album with photos)
Beautiful Deities worship, Harinam sankirtan...

By Madhava Smullen

The Go Matsya project aims to save and preserve Vedic culture through distribution of full Srimad-Bhagavatam sets, as the Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature. Now the project has spread from the US to the UK, where it is taking off in new and exciting ways. Launched in ISKCON Silicon Valley, California in January 2017 by BBT Trustee Vaisesika Das, Go Matsya is a kind of spiritual multi-level marketing effort. Continue reading "The Go Matsya Project to Preserve Vedic Culture Takes Off in the UK
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Extraordinary Devotee (Album of photos)
Giridhari Swami: Feb. 16 marked the 16th disappearance day anniversary of His Holiness Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja. Many of Goswami Maharaja’s godbrothers, friends and disciples gathered for this event, held just beside his samadhi mandir. Radhacaran Prabhu served as the MC and called devotees to speak one after another. If there was one cohesive theme of the heartfelt talks, it was that Goswami Maharaja, perhaps more than any other devotee in the history of ISKCON, touched the devotional lives of a countless number of devotees. Some speakers described how he had made them devotees, others spoke of him being their sankirtan leader, temple commander or GBC. And in many cases, Goswami Maharaja had managed to stay in touch with these devotees through the years and continued to guide and inspire them. After the talks I was speaking with Jayadvaita Maharaja and we both concurred that Goswami Maharaja was a very extraordinary devotee and selfless servant of Srila Prabhupada. We just kept repeating the word “extraordinary” again and again and again. For me personally, Goswami Maharaja’s disappearance day anniversary is a painful reminder of that shocking event that took place in 2002. It was the longest, incredibly intense and most heart-wrenching day of my life. I can only take solace from the notion that Srila Prabhupada called his dear servant back to him and together with the Lord arranged that he should depart on the disappearance of Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja, during the auspicious brahma-muhurta and at the sacred pilgrimage site of Phuliya, where Srila Haridas Thakur chanted 300,000 names of the Lord daily. Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja ki-jaya! Srila Prabhupada ki-jaya! Sama-veda-bhakta-vrinda ki-jaya!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EvDiHp

Gaura Purnima celebration in Kiev, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One is understood to be an eternal servant of ...

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Transcribed by: Rakesh Garg Prabhu

प्रश्न: जब हम जप करते हैं, तो हमारा मन क्यों भटकता है? इसे भटकने से रोकने के लिए हमें क्या करना चाहिए?

उत्तर: सामान्यतया देखने में आता है कि जब हम जप करने के लिए बैठते हैं तो हमारा मन सांसारिक विषयों में विचरण करने लगता है। यह सही मायने में जप नहीं कहलाएगा। इस अवस्था में हम नहीं, मात्र हमारी जिह्वा जप कर रही होती है।

वास्तव में मन को जप में लगाना बहुत कठिन है। किसी भी कार्य को सुचारू रूप से करने के लिए आत्मा,मन और इन्द्रियों का एक साथ होना आवश्यक है। उदाहरणार्थ, यदि हम किसी प्रवचन में बैठे हैं, पर हमारा मन कहीं और है तो हम प्रवचन न ठीक प्रकार सुन पायेंगे और न ही समझ पायेंगे। इसी तरह, जप करने का लाभ भी हमें तभी होता है, जब ये तीनों – हम, हमारा मन और जिह्वा – साथ-साथ हों। जपते समय, हमारा मन हमें तरह-तरह से भटकाता है। कई बार मन कहता है – “जप बहुत उबाऊ है, इसे मत करो”। पर यदि कभी हम दृढ़संकल्प कर लेते हैं कि हम एक निश्चित संख्या में माला अवश्य करेंगे, तो मन दूसरा पैंतरा अपनाता है। वह कहता है “अच्छा, यह जिह्वा जप करती रहेगी किन्तु मैं विचरण करता रहूँगा!” अतः मन को वश में रखने और जप में लगाने के लिए हमें तीन बातों पर विचार करना है: (i) मन को क्या विचलित करता है (ii) इसे क्या आकर्षित करता है और (iii) हम ऐसा क्या करें जो हमारे विचलित मन को वापस साथ ला सके।

मन को विचलित करने के हज़ारों कारण हो सकते हैं, पर यदि हम जप के बाद कुछ देर बैठ कर ध्यानपूर्वक सोचें तो पायेंगे कि कुछ विचार हमारे मन में रोज़ आते हैं। जैसे- अमुक व्यक्ति ने मेरे साथ ऐसा व्यवहार किया, या मेरी नौकरी या व्यापार का क्या होगा, या मेरे पास धन नहीं है इत्यादि। यदि जप के समय हमारे मन में इस प्रकार के विचार आते हों तो हमें बुद्धिमानी से इन सब बातों का विश्लेषण करना चाहिए और इन सब विचारों को लिख लेना चाहिए। इसके बाद हमें इन सब विचारों के निवारण के विषय में सोचना चाहिए और उन्हें भी कागज पर लिख लेना चाहिए। अगले दिन जप करने से पहले हमें एक बार कागज पर लिखे अपने विचारों और उनके निवारणों को पढ़ लेना चाहिए। अब यदि जप करते समय हमारा मन फिर से उन विचारों के कारण भटकने लगे, तो हमें सोचना चाहिए कि इन सब बातों का निवारण मैंने ढूँढ लिया है और मन को इन बातों के कारण विचलित होने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। इस प्रकार मन के विचलित होने के कारणों को ढूंढ कर और उनका विश्लेषण करने से मन का भटकना कम हो सकता है।

दूसरा, हमें यह सोचना चाहिए कि जप करते समय हम मन को कृष्ण की ओर कैसे आकर्षित कर सकते हैं। इसके लिए हम भगवान का कोई चित्र या हरे कृष्ण महामन्त्र का पोस्टर अपने सामने रख सकते हैं। यदि हम किसी गुरु से दीक्षा प्राप्त हैं, तो हम अपने गुरुदेव का चित्र अपने सामने रख सकते हैं। इसके अलावा भगवान की किसी प्रिय लीला का चित्र अपने सामने रख सकते हैं। इस तरह, जैसे भी हो, जिस प्रकार भी हो, मन को भगवान की ओर आकर्षित करने का प्रयास करना चाहिए। मन में यह भाव रखना चाहिए कि इन्हीं भगवान को तो मैं पुकार रहा हूँ, इन्हीं के नामों का तो जप मैं कर रहा हूँ।

और तीसरा यह कि हम अपने मन को वापस कैसे ला सकते हैं। कई बार जब मन विचरण करता है, हम भी उसके साथ-साथ विचरण करने लगते हैं। इसलिये जप करते समय हम कुछ ऐसा कर सकते हैं, जिससे हमारा मन एक बार फिर हमारे साथ आ जाए। उदाहरणार्थ – कुछ माला करने के बाद थोड़ा रुक कर गहरी सांस लें। सोचें कि मेरा मन भटक रहा है, नहीं भटकना चाहिये। या फिर हम शिक्षाष्टकम प्रार्थनाओं के कुछ श्लोक बोल सकते हैं। कभी-कभी लगातार एक स्थान पर बैठ कर जप करते रहने से मन भटकने लगता है। इसके लिए हम उठ कर थोड़ा चल सकते हैं। हालाँकि चलने में भी ध्यान पूरी तरह नहीं लगता है, पर शारीरिक स्तर पर कुछ कार्य करने से मन का भटकना कुछ कम हो जाता है। इसके विपरीत, कभी-कभी यदि चलते रहने के कारण मन इधर-उधर भटकता हो, तो फिर हमें शांति से बैठ कर जप करना चाहिये।

End of transcription.

Answer by: His Grace Chaitanya Charan Prabhu
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This year, I was fortunate to be at our Sydney Temple for Gaura Purnima.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayapur in the town of Nadia just after sunset on the evening of the 18th of February 1486.

The moon was eclipsed at the time of His birth, and the people of Nadia were then engaged, as was usual on such occasions, in bathing in the Bhagirathi with loud cheers of Haribol.

His father, Jagannatha Misra, a poor brahmana of the Vedic order, and His mother, Saci-devi, a model good woman, both descended from ‘brahmana’ stock originally residing in Sylhet.

Mahaprabhu was a beautiful child, and the ladies of the town came to see Him with presents. His mother’s father, Pandit Nilambara Cakravarti, a renowned astrologer, foretold that the child would be a great personage in time; and he, therefore, gave him the name Visvambhara.

The ladies of the neighbourhood styled him Gaurahari on account of His golden complexion, and His mother called Him Nimai on account of the ‘nimba’ tree near which He was born.

One of the reasons for the Lord’s descent was to personally inaugurate the religion of the age; nama-sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord.

By accepting the role of a devotee, He made the whole world dance in ecstasy and thus realise the four mellows of loving devotional service. In this way, He taught devotional service to others by personally practicing it, for whatever a great personality does, common people will follow.

 

Iskcon devotee visits Indian Prime Minister Modi.
On Friday February16th Mahaprabhu Das, Director of Belgium’s Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA), met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Residence in New Delhi.
Mahaprabhu spoke with Prime Minister Modi about the possibility of presenting the Exhibit in a European City to coincide with one of his future visits to the continent. The meeting lasted about eight minutes.
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By Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey

The biggest festival in the Gaudiya Vaishnav Sampradaya- Gaur Purnima, the appearance day of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was celebrated with fervour and gaiety at the global spiritual headquarters of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Mayapur, birth place of Mahaprabhu. The month long celebrations that began on 8th February included Sravan Utsav, Kirtan Mela, a weeklong Nabadwip Mandal Parikrama and many cultural programmes by western devotees touched its zenith on Friday evening at the ISKCON Chandradaya Temple , which witnessed a confluence of more than a lakh and half devotees and pilgrims across the world dressed in traditional colourful dhoti- kurta and ghagra - choli singing , dancing, chanting ecstatically to celebrate the 532st birth Anniversary of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Continue reading "Times of India: Gour Purnima celebrations – The world comes together at ISKCON Mayapur
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By Parasuram das

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted His followers to move all over the world to preach in every town and village. In the Caitanya-sampradaya those who strictly follow the principles of Lord Caitanya must travel all over the world to preach the message of Lord Caitanya, which is the same as preaching the words of Krsna--Bhagavad-gita--and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The more the devotees preach the principles of krsna-katha, the more people throughout the world will benefit. Devotees like the great sage Narada, who travel all over to preach, are called gosthanandi. Narada Muni is always wandering throughout the universe just to create different types of devotees. Continue reading "Every Town and Village, Gaura Purnima Harinam in Snowy London March 1st 2018
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