Gita 15.04 The Personal Absolute is not a way to transcendence – he is the summit of transcendence
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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The Truth is in Your Heart???
→ The Enquirer

Many people claim that the truth and God is in your heart, so you don’t need a guru or the vedas to find god and truth.

Sometimes they use Gītā 10.10 and 11 to substantiate this claim (which is ironic, since the claim itself would render Gītā no more important than a daydream your aunt had yesterday). However Gītā does not subscribe to this view, and this use of 10.10 and 11 is completely out-of-context and misleading.

To give the context, texts 10 and 11 do say that Krishna destroys our ignorance from the core of our hearts. But he has said many important things in the two texts before these statements. These four texts (8-11) are famous as a unit (“caturśloki gītā”) so they must be understood together.

Text 8 says we must first get the firm idea: “aham sarvasya prabhava” (consciousness is the source of everything and Krishna is the ultimate consciousness). Where will we get this idea? By a flash of insight? Maybe, but much more likely we will get it from the Vedas or something or someone influenced by the Veda.

Text 8 says this idea leads to “bhajan” (practice of devotion). How will we practice bhajan? We will figure it out on our own? OK, maybe, but much more likely we will be guided by someone who learned bhajan from the Goswāmī’s, who learned it from the Vedas.

Next, text 9 says: “kathā bodhaya paraspara” (they will comprehend my kathā amongst each other). Where does this kathā come from? Where do we get our information about Krishna? From our imagination? From our “heart”? Maybe to some extent, yes, but much more likely the vast majority of it comes, in seed form at least, from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, if not some other purāṇa or Vedic upaniṣad.

ONLY THEN comes texts 10 and 11!

Text 10 says “dadāmi buddhi-yoga” (I give them the ability to directly comprehend me), as a reciprocation with “prīti-pūrvaka bhajan” (their bhakti practice becoming mature).

Text 11 says “ātma-bhāva-stha” (situated in the heart). But this primarily refers to “ajñāna-jaṁ tamas” (the darkness of ignorance). In other words it says that what we have at the core of our hearts is darkness, not truth. Secondarily, it refers to “ami” / “aham” (“I” / Krishna). This shows that Krishna enters the heart after giving the capacity to host him within our consciousness (buddhi-yoga), which in turn was given in reciprocation  for our matured purification efforts (prīti-pūrva bhajan).

Once in the core of the heart, his presence immediately ignites the wick of consciousness with enlightenment (jñāna-dīpena-bhāsvata), which destroys the darkness that was previously occupying the core of the heart. So, our consciousness has the inherent capacity to be the container of truth and god, but it not initially so. Initially it is the container of darkness and a deluded self-concept.

This is why Gītā 15.15 says

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham

“I permeate the core of everyone, and there grant accurate or inaccurate comprehension. I have created the Vedas, which, taken as a whole, are the source of accurate comprehension of me.”

This verse comes in the context of explaining how Krishna is the essence of everything that we are and everything that we experience. It explains why we are ignorant of that fact, and how we can become more aware of it. In it, Krishna says that he grants both the ignorance and the awareness, but he specifically says that he grants the awareness by providing the Vedas.

So, the idea that Krishna will enlighten us from our heart without the need of guru or śāstra is misleading. This doesn’t at all mean that we have to idolize everyone who pretends to be a guru, or any quote that claims to represent Vedic siddhānta. But it does mean that we need a real guru, who really understands and deeply realizes śāstra.


Even if we can’t be on the same page as God, be at least in the same book
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[Reflection at Gainesville, USA]

Podcast

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Focus on Krishna’s glories while studying Bhagavatam – don’t be distracted
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[Bhagavatam class on 1.4.24 at Krishna House, Gainesville, USA]

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Vrindavan Parikrama’s 2017 – 25 Oct – 3 Nov
→ KKSBlog

If you are one of the lucky ones then you are in Vrindavan right now, ready to embark on the 2017 parikrama’s with Kadamba Kanana Swami! But for those who are not in Vrindavan they can emerge themselves in the stories, recordings, and, when technology is on our side, live streaming of the parikrama’s!!!

You read that correctly! We are going to live stream most if not all the tours around Vrindavan. So brace yourselves and get ready for a week of dust, dancing and devotion ?

Live streams

All live streams will be available on the KKSBlog facebook channel starting from Tue 25 Oct, 9:00 am Local indian time (UTC +5:30). Timing will differ for each parikrama.

 

Parikrama Schedule

Please find the parikrama schedule below but as always, dates are subject to change.

  • 25 Oct Raval and Brahmanda Ghata
  • 26 Oct Surabhi Kund
  • 27 Oct Santanukunda and Madhuvan
  • 28 Oct Day of rest – Initiations at Bhaktivedanta Swami Goshala
  • 29 Oct Sanketa and Anjanoka
  • 30 Oct Sudevi Mandir and Unchagaon
  • 31 Oct Prema Sarovara
    (Ekadasi, Srila Gaura Kisordasa Babaji disappearance day)
  • 1 Nov Rama Ghat and Chir Ghat
  • 2 Nov Harinama in Vrindavan
  • 3 Nov Boat trip to Mathura, Visrama Ghata. Return by bus

 

Maintenance on KKSBlog

KKSBlog will be offline from Fri 27 Oct – Tue 31 Oct. Please read this article for more info.

In Memory of His Grace Vasudeva Prabhu
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy The GBC Executive Committee

The GBC Executive Committee joins the devotees of ISKCON Fiji in honoring the life of His Grace Vasudeva Prabhu, a pioneer in establishing Krsna consciousness in Fiji. From the moment Vasudeva Prabhu first saw the devotees from the window of a Sydney office building, his immediate desire was to know Srila Prabhupada. He asked, "Who has tranformed these people?" He finally met Srila Prabhupada while His Divine Grace's flight from Australia to the United States stopped in Fiji for just two hours. At that very moment, Vasudeva Prabhu immediately offered his life, his family, and his abilities at the lotus feet of His Divine Grace. In their first meeting, Srila Prabhupada instructed Vasuadeva Prabhu, then Deoji Punja, to construct a magnificent temple in Fiji. As one of the country's most successful businessmen, he used all of his resources to find the perfect land upon which to manifest Srila Prabhupada's desire that Kaliya-Krsna be worshipped grandly in Fiji. Continue reading "In Memory of His Grace Vasudeva Prabhu
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40th Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Vrindavan

A 5 and a half hours video recording of the memories and narrations of many older devotees, disciples of His Divine Grace, during the big celebrations that took place in Iskcon's Krishna Balaram Mandir in Raman Reti, Vrindavana for the 40th Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. An infinite ocean of nectar from the heartfelt glorifications of these fortunate souls who got the direct association of Srila Prabhupada. Continue reading "40th Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
→ Dandavats"

The Rich Spiritual Atmosphere (Album with photos) Indradyumna…
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The Rich Spiritual Atmosphere (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Ter Kadamba is the sacred place where Krsna’s father, Nanda Maharaja, had a gosala of 900,000 cows. It is also where Srila Rupa Goswami wrote Upadesamrta - The Nectar Of Instruction. Our parikrama party spent a number of hours at Ter Kadamba hearing about Krsna’s pastimes, chanting the holy names, dancing in great happiness and basking in the rich spiritual atmosphere.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/joij8o

Saturday, October 21st, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Milton, Ontario

God’s Rope

Most shamefully, I did very little walking today. Cleaning–yes–lots, in fact. I trekked on the main street of Milton after participating in a Diwali program at Grace Anglican Church for a group of devotees of South East Asian origin. I gave the talk and shared in leading the kirtan.

It’s actually a new Krishna community shaping up. We are expanding. We are growing.

In the meantime, Kevala was conducting his monthly “Evening of Bhakti,” at our downtown ISKCON centre in Toronto, to a more Western crowd. Different audience. Same message.

The message for this month, known traditionally as Kartik, is the exciting time of reflecting on a rope, and not just any rope.

When I was a teen, a post-war baby-boomer, people of our generation were spooked by the work of Alfred Hitchcock, the film director. He was a master of suspense. I was a fan. One of his suspense movies was a 1949 film called, “Rope.”  I need not give an account of the murder story, but it involves a rope. You can guess how that rope was used.

I joined the Hare Krishna movement and became a monk and hadn’t seen a film in years. In the fall of 1973, six months after I joined, I heard about a rope—God’s rope. It is a pastime that involves Krishna as a young child. He would be a bit menacing at times. To exercise a touch of discipline, His Mother, Yasoda, bound her young child to a wooden, grinding mortar and the rest is to be read about. She made the use of a rope.

It’s a charmer of a story.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Friday, October 20th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Toronto, Ontario

The Hill and the Fest

We had a grand festival in honour of Govardhana Puja, which is a meditation on Sri Krishna’s strength in the lifting of a massive hill. It was this time last year, that along with a small group, I circumambulated the actual hill which is located a relatively short three hour drive from Delhi. It was a walk that surprised us. Anticipating few pilgrims would be trekking its length and breadth during the night, we discovered that the crowds, indeed, were out. We commenced at 9:30 p.m. in order to avoid a congestion of pedestrians, as well as the heat of the sun. It looks like others had the same idea in mind.

If I’m not mistaken, it was Purnima, the full moon, and that apparently attracts many.

In Toronto, we don’t get quite the same numbers, as in India, for an event like Govardhana, which is the name of the hill. Still the attendance was great, or at least good. I gave the talk and a chant. We had prasadam—quite delicious. A major feature was a hill constructed of halava, something young kids are more prone to relish because of its sweet content.

People were in an awesome mood at the temple, as were the walkers whom I met on the walking trail today. Perfect temperatures with the sun on my face made it what it was—a stroll to remember.  Optimism was totally in the air. https://instagram.com/p/BagZ_F_Fz11/

Now, the only thing about this evening’s event which hit a sour note was that one of our visitors had his good pair of shoes stolen. Ouch! That hurts to hear. Fortunately, we got the thief on camera. This will be pursued.

May the Source be with you!

10 km

If we resist a desire, it increases, and our mind goes crazy – what to do?
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Answer Podcast

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When we have to work so many hours in nondevotional jobs for our financial needs, how can we grow devotionally?
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Answer Podcast

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Govardhan and Go-puja
→ Ramai Swami

Govardhana Puja is celebrated in the month of Kartika (October – November) to commemorate the pastime of Lord Sri Krishna lifting the Govardhana Hill to protect the residents of Vrindavana from the wrath of Indra.

On coming to know of this, Indra became angry and sent a devastating rainfall over Vrindavana. Krishna picked up the Govardhana Hill with His little finger and it gave shelter to all the inhabitants of Vrindavana. Indra became conscious of his offense and begged for forgiveness from Krishna.

Devotees also worship the cows on the day of Govardhana Puja. Both these festivals were nicely observed at ISKCON’s New Gokula farm.

Disappearance Day Offering – 2017 – Подношение на день ухода Шрилы Прабхупады
→ Traveling Monk

Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you!
As always, this is a day of mixed emotions for me. On the one hand, there is the pain of separation. Although you departed from our material vision 40 years ago, it seems to me as if it was only yesterday. In material relationships, the grief one feels when a loved one leaves this world is often mitigated with the passing of time. But in transcendental relationships, the pain in one’s heart only increases with each day. The famous author George Eliot, wrote:
“Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.”
But as well as being a day of sadness, this day is also one of celebration because we know that you are with your beloved Lord, far from the miseries of this world of birth and death.
Or, are you? Knowing your deep compassion and love for the fallen conditioned souls I sometimes wonder. In 1975 in Paris, my godbrother Adi Shekar dasa asked you in an innocent way, “Srila Prabhupada, where will you go after you die?”
You closed your eyes for a moment and then replied softly, “I plan to go to the hellish planets to continue preaching the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
You spoke with such unparalleled conviction that for me you became the personification of the following verse:
narayaea-parau sarve
na kutaccana bibhyati
svargapavarga-narakenv
api tulyartha-darcinau
“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.”
[ SB. 6.17.28 ]
Srila Prabhupada, if Krsna fulfilled your desire to preach to the fallen souls of the hellish worlds, then please know that I am ready to join you at any time. My greatest and only pleasure in life is assisting you in your preaching mission in this world.
Sometimes people ask me, “Swami, where do you live? Where is your home?”
I always reply, “My home is wherever I am preaching on any given day, for home is where the heart is, and my heart is one with my master’s desire to spread the holy names far and wide.”
Srila Prabhupada, I am in the twilight of my life and thus my desire to rejoin you may come at any time. I am peaceful with this prospect and will leave this world with no regrets. Nevertheless, there remains a concern within my heart, and that is for the welfare of the younger generations of devotees that will be left behind to carry on your mission.
I have seen many a sincere soul in the ranks of the men and women who have taken shelter of your lotus feet either by birth or good fortune. Please bless them with your mercy so that they can continue to carry the torch of knowledge that illuminated the path of pure devotional service for my generation. Please give them a taste for the chanting of the holy names, the taste that carried many of my godbrothers and godsisters safely over the ocean of material existence to that place from which one never returns. Please grant them a sense of compassion for all the conditioned souls suffering in the ocean of material existence. May you grant them the wisdom to avoid the errors of my generation and the courage to face the fierce opposition that will most certainly come with the advancement of this age of Kali. And please give them the sense of loyalty to your movement which was the hallmark of many of the great souls of my generation, both those who were prominent within the movement and those who quietly dedicated their lives to Krsna consciousness.
I offer my respects to all of them and to all vaisnavas who are by nature the true well-wishers of all humanity.
sakala vaisnava-pade mora namaskara
ithe kichu aparadha nahuka amara
hoiyachen hoiben prabhur jato bhakta vrnda
vandana kori’ sabara charanaravinda
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of all vaisnavas, praying I will not commit offences in my attempts to please them. To all vaisnavas who have ever been, and to all vaisnavas who will ever be, I offer my obeisances to their lotus feet”
[The poet Devakinandana dasa].
All glories to you Srila Prabhupada, my eternal well wisher!
Your servant in heaven or hell,
Indradyumna Swami

 

 

 

 

Дорогой Шрила Прабхупада, пожалуйста, примите мои смиренные поклоны.
Вся слава вам!

Как всегда, у меня сегодня день смешанных чувств. С одной стороны, боль разлуки. Хотя вы ушли из поля нашего материального видения 40 лет тому назад, у меня ощущение, будто это случилось вчера. В мирских отношениях скорбь из-за ухода любимого человека из этого мира с течением времени зачатую стихает. Но в трансцендентных отношениях боль в сердце с каждым днем все растет. Один известный автор, Джордж Элиот, написал:

«Только в страданиях разлуки мы постигаем глубину любви».

Но будучи днем печали, это еще и день празднования – мы знаем, что вы с вашим возлюбленным Господом, далеко от невзгод этого мира рождений и смертей.

Или..? Зная ваше глубочайшее сострадание и любовь к падшим обусловленным душам, я иногда удивляюсь. В 1975 в Париже мой духовный брат Ади Шекхара даса невинно спросил у вас: «Шрила Прабхупада, а куда вы пойдете после смерти?»

Прикрыв глаза на мгновение, вы мягко ответили: «Я планирую отправиться на адские планеты, продолжать проповедовать послание Шри Чайтаньи Махапрабху».

Произнесли вы это с такой исключительной убежденностью, что стали для меня олицетворением стиха:

нарайана-парах сарве
на куташчана бибхйати
сваргапаварга-наракешв
апи тулйартха-даршинах

«Преданные, целиком посвятившие себя служению Верховной Личности Бога, Нарайане, не чувствуют страха, где бы они ни оказались. Для них нет разницы – рай, освобождение или ад – ибо таких преданных интересует только служение Господу».

[ ШБ 6.17.28 ]

Шрила Прабхупада, если Кришна исполнил ваше желание проповедовать падшим душам в адских мирах, пожалуйста, знайте: я в любое время готов присоединиться к вам. Единственное величайшее счастье моей жизни – это помогать вам в вашей проповеднической миссии в этом мире.

Иногда люди спрашивают меня: «Свами, где вы живете? Где ваш дом?»

Я всегда отвечаю: «Где я проповедую в каждый дарованный мне день, там и мой дом. Ведь дом там, где сердце, а мое сердце едино с желанием моего учителя повсюду распространять святые имена».

Шрила Прабхупада, жизнь моя клонится к закату, так что мое желание присоединиться к вам может исполниться в любой момент. Меня тешит эта надежда, и я бы без сожаления оставил этот мир.

Однако в сердце моем остается одно беспокойство – о благополучии более молодых поколений преданных, которые остаются нести вашу миссию.

Я видел много искренних душ и среди мужчин, и среди женщин, укрывшихся у ваших лотосных стоп – либо от рождения, либо по своей удаче. Пожалуйста, благословите их вашей милостью, чтобы они могли продолжить нести факел знания, освещавший путь чистого преданного служения моему поколению. Пожалуйста, даруйте им вкус к воспеванию святых имен, вкус, который благополучно перенес многих моих духовных братьев и сестер через океан материального существования – к тому месту, откуда не возвращаются. Пожалуйста, одарите их состраданием ко всем обусловленным душам, страдающим в этом океане материального существования. Даруйте им мудрость, чтобы они избежали ошибок моего поколения, и мужество противостоять той жесткой оппозиции, которая, несомненно, придет с продвижением этого века Кали. И, пожалуйста, даруйте им ту же верность вашему движению, которой были отмечены многие великие души моего поколения, как выдающиеся, так и просто тихо посвятившие свои жизни сознанию Кришны.

Предлагаю почтение всем им и всем вайшнавам, кто по природе своей – истинные благожелатели всего человечества.

шакала вайшнава-паде мора намашкара
итхе кичу апарадха нахука амара
хоийачен хойбен прабхур джато бхакта вринда
вандана кори‘ шабара чаранаравинда

«Предлагая почтительные поклоны лотосным стопам всех вайшнавов, молюсь, чтобы мне не насовершать оскорблений в своих попытках послужить им. Всем тем вайшнавам, что только были, есть сейчас и всем, кто только будут – всем им мои поклоны у их лотосных стоп».

[ Девакинандана даса, поэт ]

Вся слава вам, Шрила Прабхупада, мой вечный благожелатель!

Ваш слуга и на небесах и в аду,
Индрадьюмна Свами

Spiritual Lessons from Car Driving 4 – The destination is also our companion
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[Seminar at Fort Lauderdale, USA]

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Spiritual Lessons from Car Driving 3 – Our attitude is our steering wheel
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[Seminar at Fort Lauderdale, USA]

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Spiritual Lessons from Car Driving 2 – What we are driving matters, but where we are driving matters more
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[Seminar at Fort Lauderdale, USA]

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Spiritual Lessons from Car Driving 1 – The mind is the passenger, don’t let it become the driver
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[Seminar at Fort Lauderdale, USA]

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DISAPPEARANCE DAY OF SHRILA PRABHUPADA
→ Karnamrita's blog

Author: 
Karnamrita Das

DISAPPEARANCE DAY OF SHRILA PRABHUPADA (adapted from my book, "Give to Live," which also appears many years ago in my blog here ) :
The disappearance or appearance (birth) day of great souls are equally honored. The pure devotees live for Krishna or God, and die for him. The famous prayer by Saint Francis, states that by dying we are born into eternal life. Although we lament that we will not have the physically manifest presence of our guru or a certain saint in this lifetime, we also feel happy that they are with Krishna. Prabhupada “left his body” (as we refer to death) in perfect Krishna consciousness and lived his life like that as well. We have no uncertainty about his auspicious destination, and we pray to for that same perfection by following his example!

"He reasons ill who says that Vaishnavas die,
When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the holy name around."
[Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur]

Today is Shrila Prabhupada's disappearance day from this mortal world and his return to the nitya-lila (Krishna's eternal pastimes). It is the fortieth anniversary. Wow—that is over half my life! How things have changed for me, for so many devotees present then, and for the movement.

On that day, forty years ago, I was a young man of twenty-seven years old. I became a devotee when I was nearly twenty, so really I had seven years of his presence. During those years, most of us never considered that he could leave us at any time, though he did remind us of the possibility. Somehow we just expected him to always be present with us. If only I would have known!

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Srila Prabhupada’s Procession to Goswami Temples…

Srila Prabhupada’s Procession to Goswami Temples 23/10/2017 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Every year on the day before Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, we take Srila Prabhupada on Sankirtan Procession to the Saptadevalaya, Seven Goswami Mandirs. Join us thru the pics of Vittalrukmini Das!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/STkxfG