Devotee’s factory grows beyond expectations! Ramai Swami:…
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Devotee’s factory grows beyond expectations!
Ramai Swami: Nimananda Prabhu came with his family from Fiji to New Zealand some twenty years ago. He and his wife performed services in our temples like cooking, deity worship and HK Food for Life.
After a time he started selling bhuja and yogurt to Indian stores in Wellington and Auckland. His business went so well that he thought to supply the Supermarkets.
He found that the demand was so great he needed to rent a factory in Auckland. Everything grew to the point where last year he bought a bigger factory and now will supply milk and ghee as well.
I went with Kalasamvara to visit Nimananda and his son Kanai at their new factory.
More photos: https://goo.gl/TSQHck

Is satisfaction a brahminical virtue that is impractical for kshastriyas and other varnas?
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Answer Podcast

The post Is satisfaction a brahminical virtue that is impractical for kshastriyas and other varnas? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Gita 15.15 The purpose of perceiving the spiritual through the material is to perceive the spiritual in its own right
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

The post Gita 15.15 The purpose of perceiving the spiritual through the material is to perceive the spiritual in its own right appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The Lotus Feet of Lord Nityananda, January 13, Houston
Giriraj Swami

Giriraj Swami read Srila Prabhupada’s purport and discussed the song Nitai Pada Kamala by Narottama Dasa Thakura during an evening program.

“We talk about association but what does that mean? In the Nectar of Instruction verse 4, Rupa Goswami discusses:

dadati pratigrhnati
guhyam akhyati prcchati
bhunkte bhojayate caiva
sad-vidham priti-laksanam

So, guhyam akhyati prcchati means revealing ones mind in confidence. It is very important that devotees are able to do that. Otherwise they keep things inside and they fester and grow bigger than what they really are. We need that type of association where we can reveal our minds in confidence. And we also have to be confidential. Otherwise we reveal our minds in confidence and the next thing it’s all over Facebook and all over the town and then we wont be able to reveal our mind in confidence again because we don’t have faith that the confidence will be maintained. So, coming back to Nitai Pada Kamala — the idea is that we realize the truth of this song in the association of devotees. And even if we are together now and we have a sense of the import of this song, we may forget it and be carried away once we leave the association of devotees. So, sticking to the lotus feet of Lord Nitayanada means sticking to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada’s devotees.”

Nitai Pada Kamala purport (Right-click to download)

TOVP Chakra Installation Ceremony Approaching – Sponsor a Chakra Today
- TOVP.org

In less than a month the Grand Installation Ceremony of the remaining two Chakras onto Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s domes will take place. This historic occasion will be ISKCON’s most important event to date and represents almost a decade of effort on the part of all devotees to fulfill the vision of Srila Prabhupada to manifest the adbhuta mandir predicted by Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

Sponsoring one or both Chakras is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve the most auspicious Sri Sudarshana who is dear to the Lord:

“What is this Sudarśana cakra? The Sudarśanacakra is the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by which He creates the entire material world. Sa aikṣata, sa asṛjata. This is the Vedic version. The Sudarśana cakra, which is the origin of creation and is most dear to the Lord, has thousands of spokes. This Sudarśana cakra is the killer of the prowess of all other weapons, the killer of darkness, and the manifester of the prowess of devotional service; it is the means of establishing religious principles, and it is the killer of all irreligious activities. Without his mercy, the universe cannot be maintained, and therefore the Sudarśana cakra is employed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Srila Prabhupada Summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Nine, Chapter 5

All sponsors will have their names read during the Maha Sudarshana abhisheka and also placed at the base of the Chakra(s) they sponsor. Special imprinted coins will also be awarded to all sponsors as a transcendental souvenir.

Current abhisheka sponsorships

Radha Madhava Chakra – 629 sponsors
Lord Nrsimhadeva Chakra – 722 sponsors

To become a sponsor, go to this link at the TOVP website:
https://tovp.org/donate/once-in-a-lifetime-chakra-abhisheka-seva-opportunity/

The post TOVP Chakra Installation Ceremony Approaching – Sponsor a Chakra Today appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Sri Nrsimhadeva Dome Chakra Ready To Go
- TOVP.org

The Chakra for Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome is completely finished and ready for installation. Preparation of the main Chakra for Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s Dome is on target for completion soon. Both will be installed at the Grand Installation Ceremony on February 7th.

To sponsor an abhisheka for Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and/or Lord Nrsimhadeva’s domes please go to:
https://tovp.org/donate/once-in-a-lifetime-chakra-abhisheka-seva-opportunity/

The post Sri Nrsimhadeva Dome Chakra Ready To Go appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Gaur Nitai Canvas Posters for Staircase Walls
- TOVP.org

In the temple design, one of the highlights will be the images of Gaur Nitai on the front staircase walls of the temple made out of mosaic tiles. We have created a mock-up of those images to scale on canvas that will be placed on the walls. This gives us an indication of the huge size of each mosaic and what it will look like.

To sponsor an abhisheka for Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and/or Lord Nrsimhadeva’s domes please go to:
https://tovp.org/donate/once-in-a-lifetime-chakra-abhisheka-seva-opportunity/

The post Gaur Nitai Canvas Posters for Staircase Walls appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Stars and Ribbons Being Mounted on the West Wing Dome
- TOVP.org

We have commenced the mounting of the titanium nitrite Stars and Ribbons onto the tiles and ribs of the West Wing Dome. This process is ongoing and we will hopefully be able to complete much of the mounting by the time of the Chakra installation ceremony on February 7th.

To sponsor an abhisheka for Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and/or Lord Nrsimhadeva’s domes please go to:
https://tovp.org/donate/once-in-a-lifetime-chakra-abhisheka-seva-opportunity/

The post Stars and Ribbons Being Mounted on the West Wing Dome appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Nimananda das and family
→ Ramai Swami

Nimananda Prabhu came with his family from Fiji to New Zealand some twenty years ago. He and his wife performed services in our temples like cooking, deity worship and HK Food for Life.

After a time he started selling bhuja and yoghurt to Indian stores in Wellington and Auckland. His business went so well that he thought to supply the Supermarkets.

He found that the demand was so great he needed to rent a factory in Auckland. Everything grew to the point where last year he bought a bigger factory and now will supply milk and ghee as well.

I went with Kalasamvara to visit Nimananda and his son Kanai at their new factory.

First Ever One Day Padayatra Organized By Iskcon…
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First Ever One Day Padayatra Organized By Iskcon Jalgaon.
January 18, 2018
By Paramatma Dasa and Saranga Thakur Dasa.
The devotees of Jalgaon, under the guidance of Caitanya Jivan Dasa, organized a first ever one day padayatra on December 16th, 2017. Jalgaon is a major city in western India, located in the northern part of the state of Maharashtra within the region of Khandesh. We have a small ISKCON center there, of which, I, Paramatma Dasa is the president.

Kirtan and preaching program at Krishna Village, Australia – 17…
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Kirtan and preaching program at Krishna Village, Australia - 17 January 2018 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When one is free from offenses in chanting Hare Krishna, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakasru. Pulaka means “symptoms of happiness,” and asru means “tears in the eyes.” The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.15.25 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/iUXpyF

The new KKSBlog page on Facebook
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At some point, you become too famous, even for Facebook! Our Facebook account has grown steadily and reached the limit of 5000 friends over a year ago. For some reason, only known to Mark Zuckerberg, we cannot accept more friends. And after reaching this limit, Facebook starts “suggesting” that you create a page. After months of getting those “suggestions”, we decided to breathe life into an official KKSBlog Facebook Page.

Visit the KKSBlog Page

Like. Follow.. No escape…

We already published the latest articles from KKSBlog to our spanking new page. And, if everything went according to plan, you should see the new articles appearing on your wall.

Didn’t get any news?
No worries. Visit the new page and hit that “Like” button and you are all set. And if you don’t want to miss anything click the “Follow” button and check the “See First”. Now you can’t escape us anymore!

 

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Who is KKSBlog?

Although things might seem to go on automatically, it actually is a big operation done by our team. Daily and weekly newsletters, new articles on KKSBlog, Facebook, Twitter and on top of that (live) videos. Without the continuous (almost daily) input of our editor, our in-house technician, our transcribers and our various other contributors (who help with recordings, taking photos and supplying other media), this would not be possible. You can see who is and who was on the team, on our About page. And of course, a big thank you to Kadamba Kanana Swami for being the source of all our material ?

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Closet Catholic
→ Seed of Devotion

I entered the church and the vaulted ceilings lifted my breath and my gaze and my mind.

Inhale. 

Exhale. 

The morning light filtered through the high windows and stained glass. Warm pools of light illuminated wooden pews, cream-colored pillars, and the massive murals of Saint Brigid and Saint Emeric. The cloth of their painted robes billowed in an unseen breeze, their faces gentle.   

That day was our School Mass for the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which takes places several weeks before Christmas.

Although filling with children from ages seven to fourteen, the Church echoed with only quiet shuffles and murmurs. I paced down the center aisle then directed my eighth grade class to file down the wooden pews. When everyone had settled, I took a seat and gazed up at the giant effigy of Christ on the cross.

The service for this special day was filled with devotions for Mother Mary, songs and prayers in her honor. Towards the end of the service, I rose to direct my students to file out of their pew to receive the Eucharist, the sacred wafer that represents the body of Christ. I approached the priest and folded my arms across my chest, which is a sign that I won't receive the Eucharist itself as I am not Catholic, but I would like to receive a blessing. (As a note, one may receive the Eucharist even if one is not Catholic but for now this is my preference.) With a soft smile, the priest put down the wafer and placed his hand on my head in blessing. I felt warm all over. 

I walked back to my pew and took a seat. I could see many students had taken to kneeling again. Their elbows were placed on the pew in front of them, their palms folded, heads bowed in silence.

I swung down my kneeler with a soft clunk and knelt on the padded bar. I followed the lead of my students and also placed my elbows on the pew in front of me and clasped my hands together. I bowed my head. Sudden tears came to my eyes.

Thank you, Mother Mary.

Thank you for bringing me to this school to serve and to learn about you and your son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for always protecting me with your loving arms. 

I cannot escape You. You will always come for me, even if I do not ask you to come. You have come for me in the form of this position as the English Language Arts and Religion teacher. Every day I get to talk about you and learn about you and share your love. I didn't ask for this, but you guided me here.

That is grace. 

What an unexpected, undeserved gift. 

Thank you Lord, for showing up in my life, unconditionally. No matter the form you may take, you are here, you are here. 
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Monday, January 15th, 2018
→ The Walking Monk

Montreal, Quebec

Some People

I spent some time conversing with my Quebec friends, including Gokul, Bhakti Lata from Jamaica, Gord from northern Ontario and a few more.  Anubhava is one of my favourite Canadian leaders.  He administrates, but maximizes more on ‘doing’.  Currently, he’s doing carpentry and making extra space above the auditorium stage.

Madri came to Krishna Consciousness about four years ago.  She arrived with plenty of insecurities in life but much of that is now behind her.  She has built up so much confidence.  She keeps herself occupied.  She’s blossoming.  I'm happy for her.

Gokul and I lunched together.  They make good prasadam here in Montreal—although eggplant curried veggie preps don’t always hit the mark for me. It was something I consumed in the evening.

I was satisfied to deliver two talks today here in the ISKCON temple/ashram, the second one concentrating on one of those beautiful flowing verses from the Bhagavad-gita.  From Chapter 2, verse 20—I will avoid the Sanskrit or Roman transliteration for brevity’s sake and in English, not French. Sorry.

“For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time.  He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being.  He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval.  He is not slain when the body is slain.”

The verse was discussed.  We had our eggplant and we went to rest.

A thought came to mind, as crazy as it was.  I had the image of Napoleon; his right hand concealed in his waistcoat.  Was he secretly chanting on japa meditation beads?

May the Source be with you!

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Sunday, January 14th, 2018
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Montreal, Quebec

Transit to the East

I had booked a train because experience tells that in the days of extreme winter weather, a train has no delays.  The ‘iron horse’ (the train) plows through it all.  However, my trip to Montreal saw something different.  There were delays. https://instagram.com/p/Bd9-0O7FEtG/

During those delays, and otherwise, I peered out the window from seat 15A, Car 6 of Via Rail, quite often.  For anyone who knows this route, you get some pretty good views of massive Lake Ontario.  There’s abundant trees and fields, and I could see cleared walking trails alongside bush and creek areas.  It was enticing.  The sun shone and all of nature looked clean.  I even viewed young boys on a natural ice rink where they were skating and carrying hockey sticks.  How endearing!  How Canadian!

I saw, through my window frames of peace, 19thcentury buildings—at least the backs of them—and to a past with the vision of towns of long before. Very Victorian! I appreciated the train stations themselves. Before the automobile, they meant everything to people. It was nostalgic to see it all.  A former life—or lives, and there perhaps—made me fall in love with those former hubs of activity.

I arrived in Montreal to be greeted by Dhruva.  I took a shower, ate some wraps and was rushed to the main temple hall at Pie IX Blvd., a snow-occupied world.  By morning, the snow will be removed for ample parking.  Each and every one of us are required to remove the snow from our hearts, as well as the street.

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Study scripture as an existential seeker, not as a historical…
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Study scripture as an existential seeker, not as a historical investigator!
Chaitanya Charan Das: Some people study scripture largely, if not entirely, from a historical perspective – they focus on when it was written, what was the general culture then, and what were the specific contexts for its statements.
Such a history-centered approach, though useful in understanding some aspects of scripture, misses its essence. Scripture essentially is divinity’s guiding revelation to humanity, offering wisdom on life and living whose relevance extends throughout history. The Bhagavad-gita (03.31) declares that its insights are eternal (avyayam) – they can offer liberation and life eternal to one and all at all times.
A trans-historical disposition is evident in the Gita itself – in the words of both the seeker Arjuna and the seer Krishna. Arjuna is confronted by a confounding historical context: indecision at the start of a fratricidal world war. Yet despite the pressures of the situation, his merely question to Krishna (02.07) is not contextual but existential: not “What should I do now?” but “What is my dharma now?” Dharma, as we know, refers to time-independent principles and practices of living.
Krishna responds to Arjuna in not historical but existential terms. He doesn’t analyze the historical context to drive home the socio-political necessity of the war. In fact, a direct call to fight occurs in the whole Gita less than half a dozen times, with no reference at all in its last six chapters. It focuses unrelentingly on perennial existential questions of identity, activity and destiny. The dharmic worldview delineated in the Gita answers the deepest questions that underlie our very existence: “Who am I? What is life? What am I meant to live for?”
If we approach the Gita in the mood of an existential seeker, not a historical investigator, we will discover it to be an unending mine of jewels of ever-fresh wisdom.

Goodbye My Friend (Album of photos) Indradyumna Swami: Three…
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Goodbye My Friend (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Three days ago I flew to Australia to pay my final respects and say goodbye to my godbrother, Venu Gopal dasa, who is dying of cancer. A senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Venu Gopal prabhu has been instrumental in pioneering the Krsna conscious movement in Australia since the early 1970’s. Each day a steady stream of devotees visit his home, situated near the beautiful New Govardhana farming community, to show their love and appreciation for this most wonderful devotee. Everyone remarks how fearless he is in the face of death and how jovial he remains despite the fact that he has only a couple of weeks to live. He is setting such a wonderful example for all of us. I brought him a very special gift from Vrindavan; a beautifully carved Tulasi necklace with numerous transcendental items contained in a box attached to it, including: the 700 verses of Bhagavad Gita, water from 1,108 kunds in Vrindavan, dust from many holy places in Vrindavan, the names of many great devotees of the Lord, remnants of clothes from the dresses of Radharani from all the prominent temples in Vrindavan, maha prasadam from Lord Jagannatha in Puri, clothes from Lord Jagannatha in Puri, the Chatur-slokas of Srimad Bhagavatam, dust from the forest of Naimisaranya and prayers in glorification of Srimati Radharani. The necklace was made by a famous devotee of the Lord who lives at Varsana. Venu Gopal prabhu was so happy to receive the gift. Venu, we’ll all miss you more than you’ll ever know ….

Find them here: https://goo.gl/xJwScF

Vaikunthanath: The Montreal temple was going very well, but we…
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Vaikunthanath: The Montreal temple was going very well, but we always had a difficult time paying the monthly rent, and there was some danger that they would lose the temple at one point because they just didn’t have the rent money.
Prabhupada actually proposed the idea to me and Pradyumna that we should go out and meet people in the Indian community and explain to them that we are trying to establish this Radha-Krishna temple here and maintain this temple and that we would like their support and help.