Almviks Gard (Jarna, Sweden): Every Monday all the children and…
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Almviks Gard (Jarna, Sweden): Every Monday all the children and some adults come together and do seva for the cows. We brush them, milk them, feed them and clean the barn. Afterwards, we take prasadam together at different devotees homes. Everyone becomes happy and enlivened by serving Krishna’s cows! (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Bo33ZH

HG Dharmadhyaksha Prabhu ACBSP left his body. Rasangi Devi Dasi:…
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HG Dharmadhyaksha Prabhu ACBSP left his body.
Rasangi Devi Dasi: My dear Godbrothers and Godsisters, I am sad to report that Dharmadhyaksha das left his body today at around 6:15 PM. As you may know he has had mini-strokes, high blood pressure and other issues and was in a skilled nursing facility receiving round the clock care. I saw him this week and read scripture to him while listening to chanting. His son Maitreya has been visiting him regularly which made him so very happy. Dharma has dome some amazing service for our Srila Prabhupada by preaching in the universities all over California during the mid 70’s. He was a brilliant man who used his intelligence to serve a higher cause and always wanted to help this planet heal from hypocrisy and violence.

Saturday, December 30th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Ajax, Ontario

Good Crew, Good Brew

I was quite amazed by the turn-out of family and supporters for Kiran, age twenty-four, who was recently deceased, the cause being car collision related.  Hundreds of people came, mostly from the Guyanese community, to attend the last rites ceremony, done Vedic style in a crematorium/funeral home in Ajax.

The love which emanated from parents, siblings and friends was quite powerful.  Upon hearing the eulogy, I could understand he was quite the kind-hearted type and you could see the reciprocation pouring out.  I wish I had known him better.

They are good souls who enter into the course of your day to make your day.  And so, after the funeral, my world, for the rest of the day, was filled with mostly the younger set, the cast and crew of our production of “Many Mothers, Many Fathers.”  A good crew.  A good brew.

What a co-operative group it is, an international one, consisting of Canadian born to Israeli, Ukrainian to Mexican and Indian.  The story, “Many Mothers, Many Fathers,” is centered around a king—Chitraketu—of the Surasena dynasty who lost his son to poisoning.  Out of the tragedy comes a reconciliation of jealous exchange and conflicting relations.

The young boy, Nimai, six, who plays the dead son, is stunningly good at doing just that—playing dead.

I guess we all do that—play dead—for the soul (the real me) does not perish.

May the Source be with you!

3 km



Friday, December 29th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

Cold

I spoke to someone from Florida today, Dattatreya, a magician, and he told me they have a cold snap like everywhere else in North America.  Temperatures there are at 3 or 4° Fahrenheit.

“Imagine then how we are doing up north?” I asked.

In speaking to others, Mother Nature appears to be showing an ugly, fierce side.  In Fort McMurray, the plummeting figure was -54° Celsius, outdoing the lowest temperatures of the furthest north.  Fort McMurray is the place in Alberta known for its oil enterprises, with its tar sands nearby.  That news came from Abhidheya in Vancouver.

Then Savyasacin of Brampton told me last night at our play practice that Toronto and other cities around are speaking about possibly cancelling the New Year’s celebrations due to such intense, frigid situations.

The conditions are such that I’ve not been bearing the extreme outdoors, but I’ve been taking those walks of mine inside our temple room.  It seems to work, although the air quality outside is probably better.  Probably sterilized.  It’s quite remarkable just how extreme it can get.

Mother Nature, you definitely have some might.  Thanks for teaching us tolerance.  It takes me to Verse 2:14 from the Gita.  “The dualities of the world need to be accepted.”  It’s a lesson in life.

May the Source be with you!

4 km


Thursday, December 28th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

A Loss, But Not Lost

A young man, Kiran, 24, a member of our community, suddenly lost his life in an auto accident while on his way to work.  While this may be just another one of those news items, one that we often become insensitive to because it is a story repeated over again and again, it really shakes the ground you stand on when it’s close to home.

“Kiran used to attend the temple when he was much younger,” said his distraught mum, Srimati, when I spoke to her over the phone.  “The car spun out of control when someone hit him.  It’s very hard.”

You could hear the pain in her voice as we conversed.  It’s understandable.  A soul comes into your life, is your dependant for a quarter of it, and so the attachment is very real.  Then if you have one of those families where the lifestyle is a wholesome one, your dependant starts doing things for you and eventually a beautiful reversal takes place.  In your senior years, he/she looks after you.  You have him/her and you have God.  You’re not lonely and you’re attached to the love given.

It then becomes difficult to have one such person suddenly drop out of the picture, although the Divine friend, God-in-the-heart, remains as a blesser and a guide.

We, the friends of the family, are compelled to be totally behind you and support you through prayer and mantra.  There are many folks in this world who lose family through mishaps of a shocking kind and we give our hearts out to you.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

2017 – In Appreciation. Ananda Vrindavaneshwari Devi Dasi: As…
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2017 - In Appreciation. Ananda Vrindavaneshwari Devi Dasi: As the new year just started I am appreciating many things gained in 2017, especially all the different devotees who brought joy and inspiration to my life. I was therefore delighted when I came across a verse from the Caitanya Caritamrita (a biography on Lord Caitanya, the great revolutionary teacher of Bhakti in the 15th Century). “Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Out of all auspicious and beneficial activities, which is best for the living entity?” Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The only auspicious activity is association with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.” Madhya 8.251. Auspicious and beneficial - words that are not used a lot these days. Friendship with devotees, opportunities to sing and dance together, to study together, and to serve together brings good fortune and great benefit to our lives. It’s considered the best of activities for us, and the only auspicious one! So thank you, dear devotees, for creating many opportunities for sanga (association) all around the DC metro area. Thank you for gathering at the Temple on Sundays and Festivals, and weekdays for service, for meeting in Silver Spring and Georgetown for Harinam (outdoor kirtan), for the sweet Saturday program at the Institute, for Bhakti Yoga DC in the heart of the capital, for Bhakti Clubs and Krishna House at UMD and George Mason, for satsang in yoga studios, for seminars and japa retreats, for the Baltimore Temple and Radha Madhava, for Jiva Daya and their love of books, for Nama Hatta’s (small home groups) that meet weekly, for home programs that happen here and there, for Sunday School and Krishna Kids, summer camps and kirtan trips, for the Bhakti Lounge on Sundays, for Gita and Bhagavatam study groups, for Soundcloud and Sages, for Instagram darshan, for growing FFL, for celebrations and pujas - in times of joy and sadness, for Sunday Serve, for book tables and bakeries where we gather and talk and laugh, for our two cows, Gita and Vani, who love us all and for our neighbors in Richmond and the wonderful ahimsa milk farm at Gita Nagari. Thank you Srila Prabhupada for starting all of this. You have given us the gift of friends, mentors, teachers and gurus on this kevala ananda kanda, this path of spiritual joy. May we always appreciate that - and them.

Money and an Illusory Sense of Security. Dhirasanta Das Goswami:…
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Money and an Illusory Sense of Security.
Dhirasanta Das Goswami: Money gives us a sense of freedom and ownership. We feel that with money, we can own anything or put a price tag on anybody’s services.
Ownership of something means total control of its existence from beginning to end. When we pay for a piece of land, we feel that we own it, although the land continues to exist even after the owner is long gone. How can you own something that outlives you?
Money also gives the idea that you are powerful and independent, blinding you to the fact that we live in a world of interdependence. We depend on farmers, cooks, drivers and the services of so many other people around us. Even an expert surgeon cannot operate on himself; he depends on others.
Why are most rich people arrogant? Because of the feeling of independence that money brings. The awareness of dependence, on the other hand, makes one humble. The basic human tenet of humility is taken away by this false feeling of independence.
Today, we have gone to the extent of measuring people in terms of their net worth on the money scale — “so-and-so is worth five hundred million” etc. Can money reflect the worth of a person? Calling someone a millionaire or a billionaire is not a compliment. You cannot assign a monetary value to human life.
When people lack faith in divinity, in their own abilities and in the goodness of society, they suffer from a deep sense of insecurity. Then, all that appears to provide security is money. Some among the wealthy feel insecure in relationships — they don’t know whether their friends are truly their friends or are just interested in their fortune. Money can only provide a temporary, illusory sense of security.
Wealth is attained through one’s skills and abilities, inheritance or through corrupt means. Each means of attaining wealth brings with it its own consequences. The very motive for corruption is peace and happiness. Yet peace and happiness remain elusive when the means are corrupt.
Due to the illusory notions of independence, ownership and security that it brings, money is considered a part of maya: ‘miyate anaya iti maya’ means 'that which can be measured is maya’. Hence everything in the world that can be measured is considered maya, money being one such thing. Human values are eroded when you try to put a price tag on all that cannot be measured, like love, truth, wisdom and life itself.
On the other hand, there are those who criticize money and blame it for all the ills of society. There are some others who even consider it as evil. Not only does possessing money bring arrogance, rejecting it does too. Some people who renounce money take pride in their poverty, just to draw attention and sympathy.
However, the ancient sages never denigrated money nor maya. In fact, they honored it as a part of the divine and thereby transcended the grip of its illusion. They knew the secret that when you reject or hate something, you can never transcend it.
They honoured wealth as Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Narayana. She is born out of Yoga (yogaje yoga sambhute). It is Yoga that transforms bad karma and brings out latent skills and talents. It also brings up ashtasiddhis — the eight perfections, and nava nidhis — the nine wealth’s.
It is this wisdom of Yoga that transforms one from arrogance to self-confidence, from meekness to humility, from the burden of dependence to the realization of interdependence, from craving for freedom to the recognition of unbounded-ness, from a limited ownership to a transcendental relationship with the whole who is Krishna.

Transcendental invitation! Indradyumna Swami: Recently Pundrik…
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Transcendental invitation!
Indradyumna Swami: Recently Pundrik Goswami of the Radha Raman temple in Vrindavan contacted Ananta Vrindavan das, one of ISKCON’s most well-known photographers and videographers and requested him to film a documentary on the worship of the famous Radha Raman deity. Pundrik Goswami will have the service of worshipping Radha Raman from January 2 – 9. Ananta Vrindavan will accompany him everywhere except the altar and the kitchen. Pundrik Goswami is also inviting myself and many other ISKCON devotees to be present for morning and evening programs. In fact, he has asked me to speak and lead kirtan in the temple on the evening of January 5. This is all an unprecedented opportunity to observe the high standard of deity worship in the temple.
Radha Raman is one of the most beloved forms of Lord Krsna. Radha Raman means ‘one who gives pleasure to Radha.’ The distinctive feature of Radha Raman is that He is a self-manifested form of the Lord who revealed Himself in His threefold-bending form to Gopala Bhatta Goswami, one of the famous Six Goswamis of Vrindavan.
While living in Vrindavan before coming to the west, Srila Prabhupada would often visit the Radha Raman temple. For many years he was a close friend of Vishwambar Goswami, an acharya in the line of Gopala Bhatta Goswami. On a number of occasions, Srila Prabhupada requested his disciples to learn the high standard of deity worship and vaishnava etiquette from the Radha Raman temple. We will be sharing photos of all the festivities.

New year’s eve harinam in New York – welcoming 2018!…
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New year’s eve harinam in New York - welcoming 2018! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “What to speak of others, even Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, personally descends to taste the nectar of love of Godhead in the form of the chanting of Hare Krishna.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.265 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ERb2cL

New Year’s Eve Maha Harinama – West End, London (Album of…
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New Year’s Eve Maha Harinama - West End, London (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Pure devotees chant the Hare Krishna mantra, and simply by hearing this chanting from a purified transcendental person, one is purified of all sinful activities, no matter how lowborn or fallen one may be. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.126 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EgZa5s

Welcome 2018 with Lord Jagannatha Chariot Festival – 6 January
→ ISKCON Malaysia

SRI JAGANNATHA RATHA YATRA: SATURDAY 6 JANUARY 2018

Hare Krishna. Please accept my respectful greetings and best wishes.

Sri Jagannatha Mandir Kuala Lumpur invites you to the Annual Jagannatha Ratha Yatra on Saturday, 6 January 2018.
Their Lordships Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva, Subhadra Devi and Sudarshan will go on a chariot procession beginning at 5.00PM from Elephant Fountain,Little India Brickfields,
Kuala Lumpur. Procession will end at Little India, Brickfields at 7.10PM where devotees will
be treated with sumptuous vegetarian prasadam, spiritual discourse and stage concert.

It is explained in the Brahmanda Purana that those who watch the Ratha Yatra procession, those who stand up to welcome the chariot with reverence and those who pull the Lord’s Ratha are
freed from all sinful reactions and they attain the kingdom of God.

To give benefit to the people of the world, The Founder Acarya of ISKCON, His Divine Grace, A.C
Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, started Ratha Yatra festival in 1967, Following that of
the Grand Festival Celebrated in Jagannath Puri (Orissa), since time immemorial. This has
become a Major Festival celebrated in many parts of the world.

So please participate and experience a festival of spiritual joy and happiness with your family members and friends.

Programme details:
5:00pm: Chariot precession starts
7:10pm: Welcome address by Temple President
7:15pm: Address by His Grace Simheswara Prabhu, Regional Secretary, ISKCON Malaysia
7:30pm: Spiritual discourse by His Holiness Bhakti Mukunda swami, ISKCON Malaysia
Vice President
8:00pm: Address by Guest of Honour YB Senator Dato Dr.Loga Bala Mohan Jagannathan,
Deputy Minister of Federal Territories and ISKCON Malaysia President
8:15pm: Stage concert and Feast

Below is the list of sponsorships available for Ratha Yatra Festival: You may choose to sponsor any item Below is the list of sponsorships available for Ratha Yatra Festival: You may choose to sponsor any item (either fully or partially) that Lord Jagannatha inspires you. 

1 Garlands: RM 600.00

2 Bhoga offering for Jagannatha: RM 400.00

3 Chariot Decoration: RM 2000.00

4 Jagannatha, Baladev Subhadra Car decoration: RM 300.00

5 Rela services: RM 800.00

6 Tenting,Tables,chairs: RM 5000.00

7 Banana trees and thoranam: RM 200.00

8 Flyers and Banners: RM 300.00

9 Prasadam feast (Annadanam): RM 10000.00

Bank Account details if you would like to do online  transfer of your kind donation:

Bank: Hong Leong BankAccount

Number: 00300093243

Account name:  THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS MALAYSIA SECTION ( ISKCON)


For further information please contact temple office 03 7980 7355/ 7971 7729 .

Thank you again and see you at the festival.


Yours in service of Sri Guru and Lord Jagannatha,
Kripa Sindhu Krishna Dasa
Temple President
Sri Jagannath Mandir, ISKCON Malaysia National HQ

Happy New Year 2018
→ ISKCON Malaysia

Seeing others happy on 1 Jan 2018 is what made me happy

Hare Krishna. Received lots of New Year Greetings yesterday and this morning. I then thought how I can really be happy on the 1st day of 2018. Just then I heard devotees from our temple were heading for a program to give out free books, school bags and shoes. I joined the team of devotees of Sri Jagannatha Mandir Kuala Lumpur headed by Krishna Chandra Prabhu and the Temple President Kripa Sindhu Krishna Prabhu starting the new year with a drop in at Pangsapuri Enggang Kinrara, gathering flat residents especially children for a Hare Krishna Maha Mantra morning chanting session.

Immediately checking out their gift packages


The children about 50 of them were each given a school bag, a pair of shoes and a Srila Prabhupada small book and of course prasadam. We even celebrated the birthday of a kid. So there was cutting of cake.
As you can see from their faces, I am now happy to have started my HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018 by seeing others happy.

Chanting Mantras
→ The Enquirer

QUESTION: So often we are taught to chant more and more. I’ve been advised to chant fast, with pronunciation almost an afterthought; but then I’ve also been instructed to chant with clear pronunciation, which slows it down. I’ve been told we can’t even be considered truly “human” unless we chant 108 mantras 16 times a day; but now I’ve been hearing from you that one should put the effort into wholeheartedly chanting one mantra. So, why have we been instructed to chant so many rounds if it’s not so beneficial?  

My reply:

I am not saying that we don’t need to chant as much as possible. I am saying the quantity is not the goal. To learn how to play a violin sweetly, for example, we have to practice a lot. The hours of practice isn’t the goal. The one sweet, heart-moving, tear-jerking note at the apex of a performance is the goal. Similar with chanting, to truly connect heart-to-heart with Krishna is the goal. It takes high-quality and significant-quantity practice and effort to get there.

We have to be aware of the words we are chanting. If we are chanting too quickly this may not be happening. For some people  sometimes, however, trying to chant as quickly as possible helps them concentrate – because it becomes impossible to do anything else without totally screwing up the mantra at that speed. The technique can vary from individual to individual and from day to day – the goal is the same: to truly focus on a clear, true experience of Krishna-nāma so that we develop a direct relationship to Krishna.

QUESTION: You have mentioned that only those who understand Krishna somewhat can actually chant his names. So why have we been taught that anyone who utters Krishna’s names will be liberated? 

You do not need to ask this question. You already know the answer. You have uttered Krishna’s name many times. Are you liberated yet?

A person will be liberated at some point due to even casually or indirectly contacting Krishna’s name, but it may not be very soon, and is not likely even going to happen in the next few hundred lifetimes unless and until that person stops causally and indirectly contacting that name and starts systematically, and deliberately contacting it, with devotional intent.

This is why you get some statements that, “anyone who utters Krishna’s name will be liberated” (viz. Caitanya Maṅgala) but you get other statements that, “even after chanting Krishna’s name for a million lifetimes, you will not get liberated” (viz. Caitanya Caritāmṛta). The explanation above reconciles the two: Anyone will be liberated (Caitanya Maṅgala) but it will not be a very long time, unless the do it without aparādhā, by the grace of Sri Caitanya’s teachings (Caitanya Caritāmṛta).


Getting our emotions to work for, us, not against us
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Youth meeting at Bahrain]

Podcast

 
Podcast Summary

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From Fear to Surrender 4 – FEAR acronym – 4 steps for overcoming fear
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[Seminar at ISKCON, Bahrain]

Podcast

 

Podcast Summary

Video:

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If we can do a service well and see others doing that service poorly, should we stay uninvolved to avoid becoming proud or critical?
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Answer Podcast

The post If we can do a service well and see others doing that service poorly, should we stay uninvolved to avoid becoming proud or critical? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.