FEAR acronym – Learning to deal with our fears
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[Congregation program at Columbus, USA]

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Friday, September 15th, 2017
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San Francisco, California

The Last Steps, But Not

Well, it is done!

After a sensational trek over the Golden Gate Bridge, (and I love moving over bridges with a water flow underneath) with a mere 1.7 mile expanse, the last few steps on Irving Street to the Pacific were accomplished.  Dear friends, Vaisesika and Nirakula from San Jose, also came to join us for the last four miles from Masonic and Page to Irving and the Lower Great Highway, the path of the original Jagannatha Fest a half century ago.  https://youtu.be/pjn7c1uqhkU

When finally we pressed footprints in the sand to beeline our way to the ocean’s waters and offer our obeisances to that beautiful body of salt water, we took the opportunity to reflect on all the highlights of a collective six month trek.  I asked both Hayagriva and Marshall to add to the memories of our recent past as the small group of us stood with sand under our feet and an unusual sun above our heads.  It was a total of 3,550 miles or 5,713 kilometres.

The U.S. walk entailed spanning—and in some cases edging a corner of a state such as Michigan and Wyoming—the balance of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California and Hawaii.  It also included a walk-through, at the pivotal juncture, Butler, Pennsylvania, where our guru, Prabhupada, spent an entire month in the city of his sponsors, Gopal and Sally Agarwal, before registering his cherished ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in 1966.

We hope that Prabhupada is pleased with the walking endeavour—a pilgrimage, a padayatra.  I hope Krishna’s smile is broad.  Maybe Uncle Sam is also delighted that some seeds of bhakti (devotion) have been planted along the way.

May the Source be with you!

6 miles

Thursday, September 14th, 2017
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San Francisco, California

1 Day 2 Go

We slept overnight in Richmond and woke up to a neighbourhood which didn’t look so appealing for walking in.  I’m sure there are good sections of the town.  Where to go then, to kill a little time, before hitting our official chalked-out trail?  I only have four miles to do today.

Spontaneously, we thought to go to the Berkley temple.  It wasn’t far for us to drive.  After all, these were the first Jagannatha deities of Krishna to grace America.  And it was these beautiful images that sit on the shrine inside the temple and were the main feature of a parade, primarily of hippies, that made the journey through the Haight/Ashbury district of San Francisco fifty years ago.  It’s an anniversary for sure.

While Hayagriva went to another area of the city to pick up a second Guru Das from Hawai to join us, Marshall and I participated in the temple sadhana.  I delivered a class based on the sankhya philosophy of Kapila and then we enjoyed a great kicharee—rice, dahl and veggies.

For some reason or other, I was hit by dizzy spells, broke into a sweat and turned pale.  This has nothing to do with nervousness in dealing with the soon coming finish line.  I’ve done touchdowns before.  When Hayagriva wanted to show me some Sufi, Whirling Dervish online, as a possible future approach to kirtan dancing, I suggested not to.  “I’ll get dizzy again.”

Dilip Patel graciously opened his doors, two rooms, for our accommodation—now with Mandala from Canada also joining us.  We were grateful.  The waves coming in strong at Dilip’s “Seabreeze Motel” served to ground us.  After weeks of desert dynamics, it’s great to see serious water again.

May the Source be with you!

4 miles

Color Galore (Album with photos) Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday,…
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Color Galore (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday, before leaving New Vrindavan, all the members of our Discover India tour participated in a Festival of Colors near the famous Palace of Gold. Thousands of young people came throughout the day from all over the region to throw colored dyes and chant and dance in ecstasy as our bhajan band performed live on stage. Titiksava Karunika’s band also gave an amazing performance. A memorable experience on our tour through the United States of America.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/fujQdk

Harinama in Barnaul, Russia (Album with photos) Srila…
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Harinama in Barnaul, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “As a result of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead. The holy name of Krishna is so powerful that by chanting even one name, one very easily achieves these transcendental riches.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.28)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/L9fp2R

Mayapur Academy’s 2017-18 semester
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Mayapur Academy’s 2017-18 semester.
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The international diploma in arcana course at the Mayapur Academy begins on October 6th in Sridham Mayapur!
Each year, Mayapur Academy trains pujaris from all over the world in the various arts and aspects of deity worship. From dressing and cooking for the deity, to the daily services of worship in the temple, to a deep study in the culture and lifestyle of brahmana, the Mayapur Academy covers the whole spectrum of what it means to be a pujari.
The Mayapur Academy facilitates pujaris to get a deep understanding of their service and offers systematic training that can be used in all ISKCON temples around the world. The school focuses on a training program that equips pujaris with the knowledge, skills, and values which are integral for pujari service. Students get the amazing opportunity to learn first hand from the ISKCON Deity Worship Minister and two of ISKCON longest serving and most dedicated pujaris Jananivas Prabhu and Pankajanghri prabhu, as well as learn from many other senior devotees who have all mastered the field in which they teach. The experience is really like nothing else in ISKCON and truly has a life changing effect for those who participate.
There is still available space in the Academy for the 2017-18 semester. Interested students should visit the Mayapur Academy website at www.mayapuracademy.org and fill out an online application. The course runs from October 6, 2017 - January 29, 2018.
Space is filling up, so please send in your application soon and take advantage of this special opportunity of learning how to serve Krishna in his deity form in the spiritual abode of Sri Mayapur dham!
If you have further inquiries about the Mayapur Academy, please write to Acarya-nistha dasa at acarya.nistha@mayapuracademy.org
Hare Krishna!
Your servants,
The Mayapur Academy staff
More photos here: https://goo.gl/GzUw3N

Gold Coast, Australia, Bhakti Centre Rathayatra (Album with…
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Gold Coast, Australia, Bhakti Centre Rathayatra (Album with photos)
Srimati Devi Dasi: Yesterday we went to the Toowoomba Flower festival parade in which the Gold Coast Bhakti Centre Rathayatra cart was part of. It was wonderful sharing the Holy Name with over 50,000 people and the mood was really nice and happy. Lots of lovely devotees and kirtan and lots of beautifully decorated other carts around. Lord Jagannatha’s cart won first prize for the third year running for the best visiting float!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/LYcwkH

Giriraj Swami’s Vyasa-puja, September 12, Pakistan, via Skype
Giriraj Swami

1“The Padma Purana and our acharyas, especially Jiva Goswami, have explained that there are ten offenses in the chanting of the holy names. And, to get the proper benefit, one should chant without offense. One of the ten offenses is pramadah which means inattention. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura  says that if we avoid the offense of inattention – or in other words if we chant with attention by pronouncing and hearing every syllable – chanting with attention will destroy all the other offenses. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says if we don’t try to hear the holy name but allow our minds to wander here and there, then inattentive chanting will allow the other offenses to flourish.”
Vyasa_puja, Pakistan

If someone chants a lot of rounds, but doesn’t behave properly with their spouse, how do we understand?
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Answer Podcast

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Wednesday, September 13th, 2017
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Oakland, California

2 Days 2 Go

Our day began on top of the hill, or mountain, just as we had left it the day before.  The weather, however, posed a new front.  Yesterday it was sunny and fine, but this morning at 4:45 it was drizzly and breezy.  Anuttama, Hayagriva and I spiralled down by way of streets until we reached the lowest level of traffic.  No forests met us today, nor desert or countryside.  No hawk flew over our heads, which has been  a daily occurrence.  But homes and traces of the concrete jungle were now in our midst with the cloud cover persisting.

And that’s how it was all the way to the Oakland ferry dock.  It was but a quick seven mile trek before the barrier of the bay met with us.  Walking is not permitted on the Oakland Bridge over the bay but that was okay.  It was time to see Anibal, coordinator of the Antioch Senior Center.  There I gave a message, over the microphone, extolling the glories of pilgrimage to the 60 year olds and above.

Anuttama left for D.C. and the three of us were off to see Guru Das, student of Prabhupada and someone who had been in San Francisco during the “Summer of Love” and when Hare Krishna had its beginnings on the west coast.  At Stow Lake, the founder of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada, used to go for his morning walks.  Guru Das told us that when Prabhupada made his visit here and an entourage would follow, he would speak about nature, as this area is like a piece of Vaikuntha—heaven.  “When he would get his massage, he would speak about history…  He also let me know that anyone can ‘rub oil’.  You go out and preach.”

May the Source be with you!

7 miles


The Greatest Acharya Who Has Ever Existed
- TOVP.org

The following is a 2017 Vyasa Puja offering to Srila Prabhupada by His Holiness B.B. Govinda Maharaja. It is highly inspiring and relevant to all ISKCON devotees because it further reveals to us who Srila Prabhupada is and the purpose of his mission in which we all are serving. It will also increase our understanding of the importance of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium and the long-lasting and important effect it will have on the people of the world for generations to come.

On the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja, 2017

An offering by His Holiness B.B. Govinda Swami

Note: Akinchana Krishna das Babaji Maharaja was a dear Godbrother and admirer of Srila Prabhupada who inspired many ISKCON devotees with his wonderful kirtans, humility and pure devotional mood.

When I first met him, I looked at him and I didn’t know what to say and I said, “Srila Akincana Krishna das Babaji Maharaj.” And then he saw that I had a tape player in my hands, and so without my having to say anything he just closed his eyes and he started tapping his hands together and he sang his Mangala Caranam before singing Sri Krishna Chaitanya. And then he started singing Hare Krishna mantra, and it was like going into another world. He was chanting so beautifully, and it was like each syllable was drenched in bhava and prema.

After about 20 minutes he stopped, and then he looked at me and he said, “I would like to tell you something.” I said, “What is that?” And he said, “I am an old man, and I’ve had a lot of experience in this world. From my experience, I can honestly tell you that there has never been a greater acharya than your spiritual master.”

And when he said that, I became stunned because he was a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Then he looked up and he said, “There has never been an acharya in history who has performed miracles like your spiritual master, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Prabhupada.”

And then he paused and he looked at me, he said, “Do you know why?” I was so stunned, I couldn’t say anything. And he said, “Because in history there was never a greater servant of Sri Krishna’s Holy Name than your spiritual master, because your spiritual master had so much absolute understanding of Sri Krishna’s Holy Name and so much absolute faith in Sri Krishna’s Holy Name that he personally carried Sri Krishna’s Holy Name through the length and the breadth of the world. Therefore, he is the greatest acharya who has ever existed.”

Srila Prabhupada ki jai…….!!!

The post The Greatest Acharya Who Has Ever Existed appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

West Liberty University discovers the spiritual tradition of…
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West Liberty University discovers the spiritual tradition of India (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday evening we performed at West Liberty University, one of West Virginia’s most well-known universities. Three hundred students, as well as the dean of the university, several professors, the local chief of police and numerous other dignitaries enjoyed the program. In fact, we received a standing ovation twice during the show.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/g3c1Ea

Deal with desire not by indulgence or resistance but by intelligence and transcendence
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[Reflection at NewYork, USA]

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Cultivate not just factual memories but also emotional memories
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[Reflection at Denver, USA]

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Gopi Gita 3 – “We cannot tolerate your feet being hurt by thorns – please return”
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[Congregation program on Bhagavatam 10.31.14-19 at Pittsburgh, USA]

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TOVP: A paint which will last forever! (Album with…
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TOVP: A paint which will last forever! (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: Please have a look at the wonderful mineral paint from Germany.
This facade paint which is very resistant to sunburn and exposure to the atmosphere will be coated on the GRC ribs on all three domes and on the decorative elements of the GRC under three Kalashes.
It’s fabulous, isn’t it?
Find them here: https://goo.gl/wZqnsA

Canadian Premiere of “Hare Krishna!” the movie…
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Canadian Premiere of “Hare Krishna!” the movie (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna chant is called the maha-mantra, the great, exalted mantra above all other Vedic mantras, because simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra brings so many beneficial effects. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 9.1.17 Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XY6vvF

ISKCON’s Govardhan Ecovillage adjudged National winner among NGOs
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Hare KrishnaBy Anand Caitanya das

ISKCON’s Govardhan Eco Village won the Spirit of Humanity Award in the Livelihood category. The 8th edition of the Spirit of Humanity awards was held on 14th Sept 2017, in a gala event at J W Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai. The event was organized by AmeriCares, a non-profit disaster relief and global health organization providing immediate response to emergency medical needs and supporting long-term health care initiatives for people around the world. The Spirit of Humanity awards recognize and reward exemplary contributions made towards the society in the fields of Child Care, Education, Health, Disability, Livelihood and Women’s Empowerment. Following a stringent 3-step evaluation process, spread over 6 months, the best-in-class NGOs were identified from each zone. Continue reading "ISKCON’s Govardhan Ecovillage adjudged National winner among NGOs
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Gita 14.05 Modes are a combination of matter that trigger emotion which matter in isolation doesnt
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Bhagavad-gita verse-by-verse podcast

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