Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Coming to the U.S. for the first time, Indradyumna Swami’s ‘Discover India’ tour began with a resounding success, performing to a receptive audience of over 500 people at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center in New York on September 10th. The epic show of dance, theater, martial arts and live music has been touring Poland for 28 years under the name Festival of India, putting on forty events every summer and drawing audiences of three to five thousand people each night.
Meet Jonas.
Veera: During the Pandava Sena trip to America last month, SSP managed to spend a few hours with the New York Harinam team who go out to distribute the Holy Name and Srila Prabhupada’s books every day!
Whilst there, I met Jonas - a university student currently doing a course in Music Technology. He was drawn by the kirtan party and wanted to know more so I explained that this is a form of mantra meditation and they do this here in Union Square everyday. To my surprise he commented ‘I can’t think of anything better to do with my day!’
He explained that he has always been interested in non-conventional instruments and was intrigued by the harmonium, mridanga and karatals. I invited him to join the kirtan group for a little while and he happily did so. He got so absorbed in the Holy Name that time flew and before we knew it, more than an hour had passed!
Once he got up from the kirtan party, Jonas looked at the various books spread out on the table. In the end he took a copy of Bhagavad Gita, Science of Self-Realisation and Chant & Be Happy and exchanged contact details with one of the devotees in New York.
Even after acquiring the books Jonas remained with us, taking photos and videos and inquiring more about different aspects of Krishna Consciousness. He mentioned that he will definitely try to visit the Bhakti Centre soon and also wishes to do kirtan with his course mates in university. Soon we had to leave the harinam party in order to get back to the PS program but Jonas remained, even after we left!
It was so incredible to watch the Holy Name work its magic - just a moment’s interaction had such a deep impact on Jonas that he felt inspired to set aside his plans for the day and spend a few hours with the devotees doing kirtan!
Yuga dharma harinam sankirtan yajna ki jaya!!
ISKCON Czech Hare Krishna farm - The Harvest festival 2017 (4 min video)
ISKCON Czech Hare Krishna farm - Krishna’s yard.
We would like to evaluate today’s harvest festival on the farm Krishna’s yard. It was a beautiful event we organized 2nd year with an idea not only to entertain the visitors with the different attractions and the workshops, but also we wanted to evaluate the entire agricultural season. During whole day were prepared a different workshops - the hand milling of flour on a stone mill, a ceramics production on the pottery circle, a blacksmith workshop, a threading beads for children, a women could decorate themselves by a henna painting or they could try out to dress an indian sari, a face painting and many other activities. A few times during a day was organized a guided tour around the farm. The visitors could see our barn, to get acquainted with grinding flour on a stone mill and look around on our filelds. A big attraction was our newly born calf Uttara, which visitors, and especially the children, cuddled. Our small bull “Jay” on a leash walked through the farm, so anybody could approach him, caress him or feed him. It was possible to ride a horse or on a bullock cart. In a yoga and massage stall, Induprabha devi dasi massaged and advised about the healthy lifestyle. In the educational stall a visitors could get acquainted with various branches of Vedic knowledge in the form of educational banners and there was also an offer of books for sale. A delicious meal with lots of Indian specialties was available all day. There were stalls with farm flour, honey, biscuits and other farm products… The whole event was very nice in a very joyful mood. We consider it to be a very successfull. We would like to thank to all our visitors, as well as the organizers and all others, who helped us with this event. We hope, it was a nice experience for everybody and we hope, that it helps to make the general public more aware of these farms and about this lifestyle. It was a great desire of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-acharya od the Hare Krishna movement to start these farm projects around the world so that people can become more and more acquainted with an idea of “Simple living, high thinking”. So, we hope that today we fullfiled his desire at least a bit. We look forward to further events on the Krishna’s yard. Hare Krishna. Follow us on:
facebook.com/krisnuvdvur
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/pAZRJY
Black Sea festival #13
Black Sea festival #12
Answer Podcast
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[Congregation program at Pittsburg, USA]
Podcast
Podcast Summary
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse Podcast
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 March 2013, Vrindavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.27.10)
There are letters where Srila Prabhupada writes, “Krsna has sent me many spiritual masters in the form of my disciples.” Is this artificial? No, Srila Prabhupada was never artificial! Srila Prabhupada never said things just to impress people – this was his wonderful quality. He did not try to impress anybody; he was completely genuine therefore this statement must be genuine.
So, how can he genuinely say, “Krsna sent me many spiritual masters.” Well think about it, every devotee is a unique individual and has some unique strength, some unique quality of surrender – they are really surrendering in a way that we would hesitate to. When we see others surrendering in areas and ways that we do not then we should consider them to be our spiritual masters and learn from them.
Srila Prabhupada’s Gift to the World – Sri Dham Mayapur Celebrates World Holy Name Week A Week of Bliss! This year, World Holy Name Week falls between the 9th and 17th of September. At a time when much of the world is experiencing great chaos and distress, what better way can ISKCON devotees help suffering […]
The post Sri Dham Mayapur Celebrates World Holy Name Week appeared first on Mayapur.com.
By His Divine Grace Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The proper method for receiving this transcendental message is to hear it submissively. A challenging attitude cannot help one realize this transcendental message This (Kapila's) instruction should be imparted by the spiritual master to persons who have taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be more dear than anything, who are not envious of anyone, who are perfectly cleansed & who have developed detachment Continue reading "When And How To Read, Recite, Chant And Hear Srimad Bhagavatam
→ Dandavats"
Book distribution “miracles”
I was distributing in Bethlehem, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. In the Countdown Supermarket parking lot I saw a young delivery guy heading toward his van. I approached him and put a Hiding in Unnatural Happiness in his hand. Eru is a nineteen-year-old New Zealander half Maori native.
Enthused about the book and our exchange, he wanted to donate but had no cash, so I pulled out the mobile eftpos PayClip machine. Eru trusted me but had doubts about this device. He expressed that he didn’t want to take the risk.
Just at that moment, a young lady came from behind us and asked what books I had. She saw the Hiding book in Eru’s hand, and glorified it with much enthusiasm and sincerity.
Sheata revealed that this book dramatically changed her life and that she had bought three copies from different devotees and given them to her friends in the last couple of months. Sheata first saw a HIUH in her local hair salon and started reading it each time she had an appointment. She would take photos of the pages so that she could continue reading it when not at the salon – until she met devotees in Auckland and in the Bay Area and bought a copy.
Eru was hearing this testimony and started looking through the copy he was holding.
Sheata asked about the Srimad Bhagavatam that I was holding. I handed it to her, and she took it in her hands as though it was the most precious gift ever given to her. I gave her a brief outline of the Bhagavatam, and she relished every word.
She shared how much impact this knowledge had on her and her friends’ lives. Sheata pulled out her card and wanted to give $10 using the portable eftpos machine. So after the transaction was complete and Sheata left I turned to Eru.
He was moved by what he just witnessed, and he said, “OK, here’s my eftpos card. Can I please purchase a copy? I saw what this book did for her. And your machine is legit, I hope.”
Joking that Sheata should step in on all of my exchanges and help clinch the deal, Eru and I pondered the greater powers at work that day.
Sankirtan yajna, ki jaya!
“Prabhupada’s a genuine holy man.”
[From the time she was 4, Urmila (Dr. Edith Best) was looking for God. If somebody said, “What do you want to do?” she’d say, “I want to be spiritually perfect. I want to find God.” They’d say, “Don’t you want to get married, have kids, have a career?” She’d say, “I just want to find God.”]
Urmila: My first contact with Prabhupada was in ’67 when I was 12 years old.
I would regularly listen to him chanting on the Happening album playing in Alan Kallman’s shop on the Lower East Side.
I’d ask, “What is this record? Who is this?”
My next contact was through the Radha Krishna Temple Album, which I heard on the radio.
Prabhupada’s picture was on the album and my initial response to it was skeptical.
I thought someone who takes the role of guru might think he’s better than others.
When I was 17, I got Prabhupada’s translation of Bhagavad-gita.
After reading it, I decided to move into the temple, but at first I didn’t want to get initiated.
Soon after I moved in I got married; my husband was already second initiated, and in his association I started thinking,
“How am I going to be able to find God and become spiritually perfect without a spiritual master?”
Gradually my relationship with Prabhupada developed and I became his initiated disciple, after he accepted me through the mail.
When I first met Prabhupada in Chicago in the summer of ’74, a little more than a year after I’d moved in.
I was expecting a mystical experience.
Prabhupada was sitting on the vyasasana giving class and I was fanning him.
I was standing very close, to his left, moving the peacock fan, absorbed in every word and gesture.
My experience was, indeed, mystical, but not in the way I expected.
I felt, “Prabhupada has always been here, because playing a recording of Prabhupada lecturing and listening to him lecture in person is exactly the same.”
I was hearing him directly but I felt the same as when I was listening to a recording.
It was satisfying and amazing–I realized that I could associate with Prabhupada even in his physical absence with potency equal to his presence.
Still, I felt incomplete in the experience.
Later that morning, my father, husband, and I met Srila Prabhupada in his room and I got to know him as a person–he was funny, laughing, casual, jovial, and exchanging affectionately with my father.
I understood he cared about me, as an individual, and I felt a loving relationship with him.
At that point there was full satisfaction.
My father asked why we give people prasada, and Prabhupada said,
“Just like if you eat the food of a sick person, you will get their disease. If you eat Krishna’s food, you will get Krishna’s disease.”
My father thought he was only supposed to come to the temple if he was a devotee, so he asked,
“Can I come to the temple just to see my daughter and son-in-law?”
Smiling, Prabhupada said,
“They are loving Krishna. Chanting and dancing are symptoms of loving Krishna. You are loving them and they are loving Krishna, so two things equal to the same thing are equal to each other.”
Prabhupada’s mood was light, but I thought,
“Prabhupada said I love Krishna, so it’s just a matter of time. Someday I’ll love Krishna.”
That meeting changed my life. And it moved my father.
He said, “Prabhupada’s a genuine holy man.”
He enjoyed Prabhupada’s company and became somewhat of a devotee.
—Urmila
In The Heart Of New York (Album with photos) Indradyumna Swami: Our 2nd performance in New York took place in the prestigious Kaufman Music Center in downtown Manhattan. The show sold out with all 486 seats taken. The resounding applause after each ac...
Four Kinds of Pious and Impious People from the Bhagavad-gita (video)
Class by HG Vaisesika Dasa, 2017-Sept.-06, Iskcon Silicon Valley.
Watch it... 
New USC ‘Music Meditation Club” A Huge Draw for Western Students.
The method involves three steps: to chant, focus and repeat. According to a mantra meditation guide Das passed out, the first step is to chant the three names of “Hare,” “Krishna” and “Rama” to create a spiritual sound vibration. Next, the key is to focus on the words of the chant to create a transcendental feeling and to revive one’s consciousness. Finally, students are encouraged to repeat the chant and to make it a regular daily practice to promote relaxation.
https://goo.gl/tCHXYE
800 devotees from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia got to immerse themselves in Krishna consciousness in one of the most gorgeous natural settings in the world this August. They were attending the 17th annual Vaishnava Summer Festival in Lithuania, which ran from August 4th to 11th.
Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!
A documentary by Vasudeva Das.
Within the last few days we have begun the preparation work for installing the remaining two Kalashes and Chakras onto both the Main and Nrsimhadeva domes. This consists of mounting the power frames which will hold the Kalashes and Chakras in place.
Nrsimhadeva’s dome is now ready for the Russian engineers to begin working.The stainless steel pipe frame (each has a diameter of 80-140mm/3-6”) has been mounted, along with all 16 GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) brackets that will hold the Kalash. The scaffolding has been raised to working level.
For the Main dome, preparation work is underway to mount the same steel pipe frame. All the preparatory work is planned to be completed by mid-October, which will be followed by the mounting of both Kalashes by the Russian engineers.
The post Preparation Work for Remaining Kalashes and Chakras Begins appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Answer Podcast
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Answer Podcast
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Answer Podcast
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[Reflection at Pittsburg, USA]
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast
Gita verse-by-verse podcast
The post Gita 14.02 Death can’t be avoided, but affliction due to death can be appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Bhakti-sastri report from Alachua.
Sukhada devi dasi: His Holiness Guru Prasad Swami launched Krishna Institute’s Bhakti-sastri Course on Labor Day weekend by offering the first 3 Lessons of Nectar of Instruction with separate classes in Spanish and English. Eager devotees filled the Alachua Learning Academy’s cafeteria and heightened their appreciation of Srila Rupa Goswami’s and Srila Prabhupāda teachings. Maharaja made PowerPoint presentations during the first half of each lesson with ample time for lively discussions. He organized interactive exercises during the second half, enabling us to delve deeper into the devotional principles being unpacked and to get to know each other better.
In Lesson 3 devotees paired up to share a time when they felt nourished in spiritual life and a time they felt starved. Some devotees then presented to the whole class what they shared with their partners. (these devotees gave permission to use their names.) For example Jishnu prabhu related his experience of arriving in India 20 years ago as a new devotee with almost no money! In fact, with less than $10! Bhadra Prabhu, who’s also in the course, however, compassionately made arrangements for him in Vrindavana and cared for him when he got sick. This loving support greatly encouraged Jishnu Prabhu in his spiritual life. With these kinds of exchanges we grasped much more than ever the significance of Srila Rupa Goswami‘s 6 loving exchanges.
By the end of the seminar we felt indebted to those who arranged this amazing devotional experience. We walked away feeling more determined than ever to follow the principles Srila Rupa Goswami established and Srila Prabhupada lovingly bestowed upon us.
Black Sea festival #11
The life of a traveling sannyasi. Resting before the show tonight in our limited facilities 
ISKCON Lagos devotees celebrating holy name week (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: It is essential that one constantly associate with pure d... 
More Arabic and Farsi books going out on the streets and in the subways of New York City! (Album with photos)
And it’s remarkably easy to do, because these people really want the books (and there’s a special reason for that)! To find out how you can taste this unprecedented bliss yourselves, in your own city, please contact us today: https://goo.gl/940n3O
Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in Lyon, France (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Adi Purana Krishna tells Arjuna: “Anyone who is engaged in chanting My transcendental name must be considered to be always associating with Me. And I may tell you frankly that for such a devotee I become easily purchased.” (Nectar of Devotion, 12)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tqC7w1
We see Srila Prabhupada would end his letters to disciples with “Your ever well-wisher” at the bottom. Many say that when they read or heard this line from Srila Prabhupada it touched them deeply & changed their life!
Kadamba Kanana Swami returned to Radhadesh from his Slovakia tour after a busy week of preaching. Unfortunately, the news came to us that Manisha devi dasi, one of Maharaj’s disciples, was in a very critical condition and close to leaving her body. Some months ago, Bhagavati Mataji (from Radhadesh) approached Maharaj telling him of this lady, who had been recently diagnosed as terminally ill, who for many years had done a lot of service in Radhadesh – from serving in the Boutique to cleaning – & she was very well known for assisting the Food for Life project in Liege. Her merciful spirit was ever present as she would always bring prasadam or request the devotees to bring it so she could distribute it to the staff members and nurses in the hospital. Amazing to hear her eagerness to preach & share the mercy.
The first day that Maharaj went to see her she didn’t look so well but still was very grateful to see Maharaj again. Maharaj & Mother Manisha spoke for 20 minutes or so and then Maharaj began to lead a mellow kirtan. After an hour of singing, Maharaj was saying a few final words before leaving her apartment. Suddenly Manisha grabbed the pull up bar above her head & raised herself. She was extremely grateful that Maharaj had come to see her & spend time with her. Although she wasn’t active and was forgetting many things, her desire was to see him before she departed. Maharaj told me he has no doubt that Lord Caitanya will accept & take her back to Godhead!
The following day after lunch, Bhagavati told Maharaj that Manisha was really bad and this looked like it would be her last day. Shocking news, to us it didn’t seem real or likely as the evening before we saw her pull herself up with so much eagerness & enthusiastic energy. We thought she had a week or more to go at the least.
As Maharaj entered the room, we saw many devotees gathered in the room singing the holy names. Manisha clearly was immobile and had much less energy that what we saw the day before. She couldn’t move or speak like the day before. Maharaj began singing a mellow kirtan which penetrated the core of everyone’s heart. You could feel the prayerful mood within the room. Around 4:45 pm as we all sat around Mother Manisha’s bed, suddenly she slightly rose up, her eyes opened very wide, she chanted with Maharaj and all the devotees and then departed…
A difficult sight for anyone to see, especially her daughter, grand-daughter and their husbands who were by her bedside during the departure. However, what a success story also as her dear Guru Maharaj was singing for her as she chanted until her last breath!
Later on Maharaj went up to her body, paid respects & stood in a deep praying stance. We then left the apartment as they had to attend to her body & Maharaj spent some time consoling the family members who all really appreciated him coming and singing for her at this time.
As we walked down, everyone was amazed at the surreal experience and I had some element of curiosity as to what Maharaj may have prayed for, however I thought it was too personal and not proper etiquette to ask so I left it. Then as we entered Maharaj’s room, he was telling me about her & how she really liked Nityananda Prabhu, how for years she had done so many services in Radhadesh and he was happy to accept her as a disciple & this was a wonderful way to leave with so many devotees around her chanting.
Then as we stood Maharaj turned and began telling me his thoughts and prayers as he went up to her body. He later said it in a few classes, so I felt it fit to share. He turned to me and very gravely & humbly said, “So I was praying to Krsna that I am no way qualified to request this but somehow I have masters who are the most qualified and I am trying to represent them so please, please accept her and give her Your association.”
At this point, I had nothing to say – just shocked & taken away by Maharaj’s humility. The only thought I had was that he is our ever well-wisher!
The following days, there were some gatherings and memories shared about Manisha Mataji & Maharaj sang ‘Je Anilo’ for her. Please check out the upcoming recordings for these & stay in tune for the blog entries about Maharaj on the build up to Janmastami! What fantastic classes he gave! Once you hear them your future Janmastamis will never be the same again!
A dancing rendition of HH Jayapataka Swami’s song “Yadi Prabhupada Na Hoito” (9 min video)
If Srila Prabhupada had not come, what would have happened? How could we have passed our lives?
Who else would have distributed the unlimited mercy of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga all over the world?
Which other compassionate person would have endeavored to deliver the miscreants, sinful, impersonalistic and voidistic people in the West?
Who else would have come to distribute Harinama to them? Who else would have come forward to transform them into civilized beings?
For the rest of the lyrics: https://goo.gl/m5wxeq
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/uSQGbk
Florida Devotees Escape Hurricane Irma With Minimal Damage.
Just two weeks after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, Irma made landfall at the Florida Keys on September 10th as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing 130 mph winds and a storm surge of 10 feet.
Predicted to tear its way through the entire state, the hurricane cast a cloak of fear over many residents in advance of its arrival.
In Alachua, North Central Florida, devotees of New Raman Reti – the largest ISKCON community in the Western World – braced themselves for a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, rarely seen so far inland.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/2n4McZ
The anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA is very significant. It is celebrated by devotees all over the world because shortly after ISKCON was born.
From the Prabhupada Lilamrta:
“The ocean voyage of 1965 was a calm one for the Jaladuta. The captain said that never in his entire career had he seen such a calm Atlantic crossing. Prabhupada replied that the calmness was Lord Krishna’s mercy, and Mrs. Pandia asked Prabhupada to come back with them so that they might have another such crossing. Srila Prabhupada wrote in his diary, “If the Atlantic would have shown its usual face, perhaps I would have died. But Lord Krishna has taken charge of the ship.”
After a thirty-five-day journey from Calcutta, the Jaladuta reached Boston’s Commonwealth Pier at 5:30 A.M. on September 17, 1965. The ship was to stop briefly in Boston before proceeding to New York City.”
In Alachua, North Central Florida, devotees of New Raman Reti – the largest ISKCON community in the Western World – braced themselves for a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, rarely seen so far inland.