Planet ISKCON

For the month of july, in the Large Temple category, the temple that had the biggest increase, percentage wise, over last year was Ujjain, with 2,740 book points. Krsna and Balarama attended gurukula not far from there. But the highest score was Mayapur's, with 37,387 book points. Jayapataka Swami has the devotees very fired up. In the Medium Temple category, the highest percentage and highest score was from Curitiba, Brazil: a 349 % increase and 7,447 book points. Nice seva from the devotees in Curitiba. Keep up the good work! In the Small category, as usual RVC was No. 1. I say "as usual," because July is when they do an annual concert tour, "The Warp Tour". The constantly travel around the USA and distribute many thousands of books. They did 21,775 book points. But in percentage increase, Toronto took the lead, with a 837% increase and 6,127 book points. In the Maha Small category (five devotees or less), Florianopolis in Brazil had a 999% increase, with 1449 book points. The No. 1 temple in this category, also in Brazil -- Nitai Gauranga TSKP -- did 8144 book points. Continue reading "WSN July 2017 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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Our congratulations to you for the extraordinary work you are doing to inundate the world with Srila Prabhupada's transcendental literatures. Lord Krishna's topmost devotees, the Gopis, glorify your service: The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.31.9) Continue reading "WSN Special Announcement: Massive increase in Arabic book points!
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On Sunday, August 27th, a beautiful sunny day in New York City, congregation members of the ISKCON Brooklyn Hare Krishna temple and other sangas gathered in Tompkins Square Park for a Community Picnic. The day started off with HH Chandrasekhar Swami leading an upbeat kirtan in the north end of the park. The mrdanga, karatalas and chanting could be heard from outside the park, even from the south side- even though a large Jazz festival was getting ready for their afternoon program, and we had no amplification! A large group of devotees had already gathered and were chanting when HH Bhakti Charu Swami and HG Hansarupa das arrived, and the kirtan’s momentum picked up. Continue reading "Becoming Instruments for Mahaprabhu’s Mercy; A Blissful and Productive Weekend for ISKCON Brooklyn
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For Radhastami, the devotees decorated our altars in Carpinteria beautifully.

One of the Six Gosvamis of Vrindavan, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, prayed to Srimati Radharani:

tavaivasmi tavaivasmi
na jivami tvaya vina
iti vijnaya devi tvam
naya mam caranantikam

“I am Yours. I am Yours. I cannot live without You. Understanding this, please bring me to Your lotus feet.” (Stavavali)

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service, Giriraj Swami

Srila Prabhupada said of Srimati Radharani:

tapta-kāñcana-gauraṅgī rādhe vṛndāvaneśvarī vṛṣabhānu-sute devī pranamāmi hari-priye

Rādhārāṇī is hari-priyā, very dear to Kṛṣṇa. So if we approach Kṛṣṇa through Rādhārāṇī, through the mercy of Rādhārāṇī, then it becomes very easy. If Rādhārāṇī recommends that “This devotee is very nice,” then Kṛṣṇa immediately accepts, however fool I may be. Because it is recommended by Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa accepts. Therefore in Vṛndāvana you’ll find all the devotees, they’re chanting more Rādhārāṇī’s name than Kṛṣṇa’s. Wherever you’ll go, you’ll find the devotees are addressing, “Jaya Rādhe.”

If you go by the speculative process to understand Kṛṣṇa, it will take many, many lives. But if you take devotional service, just try to please Rādhārāṇī, and Kṛṣṇa will be gotten very easily. Because Rādhārāṇī can deliver Kṛṣṇa. She is so great devotee, the emblem of mahā-bhāgavata.

I was fortunate to to be able to celebrate Radhastami at a program in the home of Cairns devotees Adi Kesava and Syamarupa.

[Bhakti Shastri class at ISKCON, Denver, USA]

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[Chaitanya Charitamrita class on Madhya 8.76 at ISKCON, Denver, USA]

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Transription in Hindi
प्रश्न: सहनशीलता की हद कैसे तय करें?

उत्तर: जो गीता अर्जुन को सहन करने की शिक्षा देती है (गीता २.१४ – ताम् तितिक्षस्व भारत), वही गीता अर्जुन को युद्ध के लिए भी प्रेरित करती है (गीता ११.३३ – तस्मात त्वम उत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व)। श्रीकृष्ण ने कौरवों के अत्याचारों को सहने के लिए अर्जुन को गीता नहीं सुनाई। सहिष्णुता एक गुण है, किन्तु सर्वोच्च गुण नहीं है। सर्वोच्च गुण है धर्म का पालन करना और धर्म की परिणति अंततः भक्ति में होती है। भक्ति का अभ्यास करने के लिए, सहनशीलता का गुण होना आवश्यक है, किन्तु यदि परिस्थितियाँ हमारी भक्ति में बाधा बनें, तो ऐसी परिस्थितियों को सहन करने का अर्थ होगा अपनी सेवा को बंद करना। हमें यह समझना आवश्यक है कि सहिष्णुता का उद्देश्य है सेवा। सहिष्णुता का अर्थ है छोटी-छोटी बातों को छोटा ही रखना ताकि हम अपने मुख्य उद्देश्य पर ध्यान केंद्रित कर सकें। यदि सहिष्णुता के कारण मुख्य उद्देश्य की प्राप्ति में बाधा पड़ने लगे तो यह सहिष्णुता नहीं नपुंसकता कही जाएगी। और भगवद्गीता नपुंसकता की सिफारिश नहीं करती।

उदाहरणार्थ, श्रील भक्तिसिद्धान्त सरस्वती ठाकुर (श्रील प्रभुपाद के आध्यात्मिक गुरु) कहा करते थे कि यदि हम कृष्ण-कथा के लिए लोगों को आमंत्रित करते हैं और कोई नहीं आए, तो हमें दीवारों को कथा सुनानी चाहिए। आरम्भ में जब श्रील प्रभुपाद भारत में कृष्णभक्ति का प्रसार करने का प्रयास कर रहे थे, तब लोगों ने दिलचस्पी नहीं दिखाई, किन्तु श्रील प्रभुपाद ने दीवारों को कथा नहीं सुनाई। उन्होंने अथक प्रयास किए। वे अमरिका आए और अमरिका में ऐसे लोगों से सम्पर्क किया जो आध्यात्म के प्रति गंभीर थे। वे ऐसे लोगों को भारत लाए और अंततः भारत में लोगों ने प्रभुपाद को गंभीरता से लिया। प्रभुपाद कह सकते थे, “अरे, मैं चालीस साल से भक्ति के प्रचार का प्रयास कर रहा हूँ, कोई मुझे गंभीरता से नहीं ले रहा है, मुझे सहन करना चाहिए”। उन्होंने ऐसा नहीं कहा। उनका उद्देश्य श्रीकृष्ण की सेवा करना था और इसके लिए उन्हें अनेक कठिनाइयों का सामना करना पड़ा। उदाहरणार्थ, आरम्भिक दिनों में जब वे कक्षाऐं प्रस्तुत कर रहे थे, तो लोग कभी-कभी अजीब व्यवहार करते थे। अचानक ही प्रश्न पूछ बैठते। नशे की हालत में उल्टा-सीधा बोलने लगते। किन्तु श्रील प्रभुपाद ने वह सब सहन किया। जब प्रभुपाद, बटलर, पैनसिल्वेनिया में गोपाल और सैली अग्रवाल के साथ रह रहे थे, उस समय उनका भोजन उसी फ्रिज में रखा था, जहाँ अग्रवाल दम्पत्ति माँस रखते थे। अग्रवाल दम्पत्ति समझते थे कि ऐसा करना उचित नहीं है, किन्तु उनके पास कोई अन्य फ्रिज नहीं था। इसके लिए उन्होंने श्रील प्रभुपाद से क्षमा भी माँगी। श्रील प्रभुपाद ने स्थिति को समझा और हँसते-हँसते इसे सहन किया।

अतः सहिष्णुता का अर्थ है कि हम छोटी-छोटी बातों के कारण अपने मुख्य उद्देश्य अर्थात श्रीकृष्ण की सेवा से विचलित न हों। इसके विपरीत यदि सहिष्णुता हमारे मुख्य उद्देश्य के मार्ग में बाधा बनने लगे तो हमें बदलाव का प्रयास करना चाहिए।

मोटे तौर पर कहें तो जब भी हमारे जीवन में कोई कठिन परिस्थिति आती है तो हमारे पास तीन विकल्प होते हैं: (क) हम स्वयं को बदलें (ख) हम परिस्थिति को बदलें (ग) हम स्वयं को परिस्थिति से अलग कर लें। महाभारत में हम देख सकते हैं कि पाण्डवों ने अपने जीवन में इन सभी विकल्पों को अलग-अलग समय पर क्रियान्वित किया। जब कौरवों ने भीम को विष देने का प्रयास किया, उन्हें जीवित जलाने का प्रयास किया, तो युधिष्ठिर ने अपने भाइयों से कहा कि यह हमारे पारिवार का अंदरूनी मसला है, हम इसे सार्वजनिक नहीं करेंगे और इसे सहन करेंगे। जब कौरवों ने द्रौपदी को सार्वजनिक रूप से निर्वस्त्र कर उसका अपमान का प्रयास किया और कोई भी पछतावा नहीं दिखाया, न ही सुलह की कोई इच्छा दिखाई, तो पाण्डवों ने स्थिति बदलने का निर्णय किया। इसी उद्देश्य के लिए उन्होंने युद्ध लड़ा। अंततः पांडवों ने राज्य प्राप्त किया, किन्तु जब उन्हें पता चला कि श्रीकृष्ण जगत से पलायन कर गए हैं तो उन्होंने स्वयं को परिस्थिति से अलग कर लिया। उन्होंने भी जगत को त्याग दिया। ये तीनों परिस्थितियाँ – स्वयं को बदलना, परिस्थिति को बदलना और परिस्थिति से अलग हो जाना – ये तीनों ही धर्म के अनुसार हो सकती हैं। हमें उस विकल्प का चुनाव करना है जिसमें श्रीकृष्ण की सबसे उत्तम सेवा की जा सके।

यदि हम किसी छोटी बात के कारण उद्विग्न हैं, तो हम इसे सहन कर सकते हैं। कुछ मामलों में जब यही छोटी बात गंभीर रूप ले ले, तो हमें इसे ठीक करने के लिए कदम उठाना चाहिए। हम ये कदम सेवा के भाव में उठा सकते हैं। हम स्वयं को परिस्थित से अलग करने का निर्णय लें तो हम ऐसा इस समझ के साथ करें कि हमारे पास जीवन में सेवा के लिए अन्य बेहतर विकल्प हैं, अतः हम उस परिस्थिति में लिप्त नहीं होते हैं और स्वयं को अलग कर लेते हैं।

सहिष्णुता मूल रूप से यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए है कि हमारा ध्यान श्रीकृष्ण की सेवा पर केंद्रित रहे। यदि सेवा करते हुए कुछ आकस्मिक समस्याऐं आती हैं, तो हमें उन्हें सहन करना चाहिए।

End of transcription.

Message from Houston Iskcon devotees in regards with the floods.
“Dear Friends, We at the Hare Krishna Temple & Govinda’s Restaurant would like to reach out to area residents to offer anyone who needs food to come to our restaurant at 1320 W 34th St, Houston, 77018 starting tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for take out lunches.
We are not prepared with take out containers since we didn’t envision the degree of damage, so we request people to PLEASE bring their containers for a fresh hot meal. We’re planning on serving 200 people and can expand our services as the need arises.
We pray you & your loved ones are safely protected. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help.
- In gratitude, Hansa Medley M.D.
Director of Outreach, Hare Krishna Temple
Govinda’s Restaurant, 713 979 769

“I went to your country with a mission and you all good souls were sent by Krishna to me.” – Srila Prabhupada One of the great souls sent by Krishna to Srila Prabhupada is His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja, who has been serving Srila Prabhupada as a selfless worker for almost five decades. In 1968, […]

The post 47th Sannyasa Anniversary of HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Ratha Yatra in Budapest, Hungary’s capital (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Others, who are not devotees, may think, “How can people devote so much time simply to talks of God?” The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is simply the repetition of three words, Hare, Krishna, Rama, but still, devotees can go on chanting this Hare Krishna mantra twenty-four hours a day without feeling fatigued. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.13.1Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/vUV6N7

Please find below the beautiful tribute by HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja to Her Grace Mother Kulangana during her memorial service last Saturday, 19th August 2017, at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Mother Kulangana was a very senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and had spent the last 27 years of her life serving Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Please find the transcription of the lecture below: Srila Prabhupada was a very special personality, who was sent by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to fulfill His prediction. We can see from Srila Prabhupada’s life and…

The post Tribute to Mother Kulangana appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

(Adapted from Srila Prabhupada’s talk on Radhastami, 1971.)

We pray to Radharani because She is the pleasure potency of Krishna. Krishna means “all-attractive,” but Radharani is so great that She attracts Krishna.

So we should try to understand what is Srimati Radharani’s position and offer our obeisances to Her.

tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari
vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye

Our business is “Radharani, You are so dear to Krishna. You are the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, and You are so dear to Krishna. So we offer our respectful obeisances unto You.”

Radharani is hari-priya, very dear to Krishna. So if we approach Krishna through Radharani, through the mercy of Radharani, then it becomes very easy. If Radharani recommends that “This devotee is very nice,” then Krishna immediately accepts, however fool I may be.

Therefore in Vrindavan you’ll find all the devotees chanting Radharani’s name more than Krishna’s. Wherever you go, you’ll find the devotees addressing, “Jaya Radhe.” You’ll find, still, in Vrindavan. They are glorifying Radharani. They’re more interested in worshiping Radharani. Because however fallen I may be, if some way or other I can please Radharani, then it is very easy for me to understand Krishna.

If you go by the speculative process to understand Krishna, it will take many, many lives. But if you take to devotional service and just try to please Radharani, Krishna will be gotten very easily. Because Radharani can deliver Krishna. She is such a great devotee, the emblem of maha-bhagavata. Even Krishna cannot understand what is Radharani’s quality. Even Krishna, although He says vedaham samatitani, “I know everything,” still, He fails to understand Radharani. Radharani is so great.

In order to understand Radharani, Krishna accepted the position of Radharani. Krishna wanted to understand the potency of Radharani. Krishna thought, “I am full—I am complete in every respect—but still, I want to understand Radharani.” This propensity obliged Krishna to accept the propensities of Radharani, to understand Krishna, Himself. . . . When Krishna wanted to understand Himself, He took the tendency of Srimati Radharani—and that is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

There was a time in 1976 when you were being driven from Heathrow airport to Bhaktivedanta Manor. The M25 did not exist at that time, so you were moving along the road towards the village of Denham. We young men were excitedly following you in our yellow Ford parcel van. The windows were open and we were singing kirtan at the tops of our youthful voices. Guru and happy disciples on the A 412.

Then we realised that there should be a kirtan for you as you entered the Manor gates. That meant that we should arrive before you and assemble there to welcome you. But we couldn’t do that without overtaking. And how could we overtake our spiritual master? That didn’t seem right.

There then followed, as was common in those days, a small doubt about the details of guru-disciple etiquette. Could we jump over our spiritual master, albeit in a post office van?

Well, although the Chaitanya Caritamrita had been published the year before, none of us had read the one set we had at the temple, so we were not yet conversant with the incident of Govinda Das and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Govinda would massage the legs of Lord Chaitanya after lunch every day, but on this one occasion he would have to step over his Lord to do so. He was in a quandary. How could he possibly do that? Vaishnava etiquette dictates that one should always adopt a position of deference with one’s seniors, and one should never step over the body of another devotee, and especially a senior one, and what to speak of a sannyasi, and particularly the Lord Himself when He appears as one. And yet Govinda wanted to offer his service.

So he spread a cloth and stepped. Afterwards he simply remained in the room. Later, when he awoke, the Lord asked him why he had not gone to take his meal, Govinda Das explained that it would have meant stepping over Him. Asked how then, had he entered the room, he responded that he had stepped over his Lord for service, but could not do so for his own stomach.

Well, these fine points of Vaishnava etiquette, these niceties of theological discussion, were way beyond us at that moment, but we just felt uncomfortable about ‘overtaking Srila Prabhupada.’ But we did want to reach the Manor before he did. So we compromised. Being on a dual carriageway we drew up alongside our spiritual master, singing and stabbing the air like orange-clad lunatics, glorifying our eternal spiritual master whom we had taken as our life and soul, and travelling with him, through time and space, for a few precious seconds, at sixty miles an hour.

Seated in the back of the car, Srila Prabhupada turned to look at us, heard our noisy kirtan and saw the looks on our faces. He smiled and lifted his arm in greeting. We all manically waved. It was a precious moment of exchange, captured forever in our minds.

And so we then overtook our spiritual master on the A 412, just outside Denham, and talked about it all the way back. I’m still talking about it now. May we always travel with you, Srila Prabhupada. May we always walk behind you, faithfully listening to your voice, yet may we sometimes, but only ever for service, overtake you in order to glorify you more.

Your grateful servant on the road, Kripamoya Das

After removing the scaffolding from the West Wing Planetarium Dome these photos reveal the amazing golden beauty of the titanium nitrate Kalash and the solid stainless steel, gold-plated Chakra recently installed. One can only imagine what will be the effect of seeing the huge Kalash and Chakra when mounted upon the Main Dome of the TOVP.

The second Chakra is scheduled for installation for February 7th onto Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome. Keep your eyes and ears open for a special once-in-a-lifetime seva opportunity in this regard which we will be unfolding within a short time.

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