How do we deal with over-expecting parents who ask why we have got 95 marks out of 100, not 100
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post How do we deal with over-expecting parents who ask why we have got 95 marks out of 100, not 100 appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

How is the world meant to allow both theists and atheists to justify their beliefs
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post How is the world meant to allow both theists and atheists to justify their beliefs appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

4 lessons about our mind from our phone – Distortion, Discretion, Determination, Devotion
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Talk at auditorium, GIT College, Belgaum, India]

Podcast

Podcast Summary

The post 4 lessons about our mind from our phone – Distortion, Discretion, Determination, Devotion appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Downtown Miracle (1 min video)
→ Dandavats



Downtown Miracle (1 min video)
Standing on a corner surrounded by giant skyscrapers, men and women in business suits, cars honking their horns, and the scattered homeless people, we felt a bit peculiar handing out the Bhagavad Gita to all onlookers. In such a situation, the only thing we could do was simply pray for a miracle. I was accompanied by veteran book distributor Bhrgupati Prabhu, and although the environment was bitter and harsh, his association kept me clear headed and healthy. As we were showing this golden book to all the busy and fast walking pedestrians in search of monetary wealth, we were met with overwhelming rejection. It was at this time that our prayer got deeper, and Krishna began to unfold a wonderful event I will remember endlessly. What happened next was a clear example of the Supersoul intervening and leading a person to the right path.
Standing at our crosswalk, the light turned green, and on came a new flow of foot traffic towards our direction. Suddenly, one young male student began to slow and stop in the middle of the intersection in disbelief. As he moved closer, he began to jump up and down in great excitement! As he proceeded towards our book display, he grabbed the Bhagavad Gita from our hands, held it up triumphantly high, and began shouting, “Oh My God! This is It!” My partner and I looked at each other with great happiness to know something extraordinary was getting set to unfold. We proceeded to ask the male student, “I’m guessing you’ve heard of this book! Please tell us why you’re so excited, because it’s making us excited!” He then began to reveal his amazing story. To summarize, just two days ago, this young male student began to meditate, until he reached a state of what he called “trance”. In his tranquility, he suddenly heard two words which he has never heard before: “Bhagavad Gita”. This caused him to open his eyes immediately, search on Google for these same words, and he came to know of an ancient spiritual text written over 5,000 years ago. Now he was determined to find this divine literature, and through God’s arrangement, we happened to greet him with effulgent treasure less than 48 hours later.
Sometimes we may not feel like going out on book distribution, but just know Krishna can empower you in many special ways, and lead you to the most amazing experiences. I’ve attached a short video clip of the interaction. The male student was so shy and shocked that he could hardly speak, so his female friend, who also got The Bhagavad Gita, shared the story.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
YS,
- Jaya Chaitanya Dasa

Vyasa Puja Offering to HDG Srila Prabhupada
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Lokanath Swami

Srila Prabhupada, you mercifully employed me as one of your office boys in this mission to spread Krishna consciousness. It is for this reason that Bombay has special significance for me. It was my spiritual birthplace.I was conceived at your first Bombay festival at Cross Maidan in 1971 and I was born in 1972 at Hare Krsna Land. Srila Prabhupada, you always said, "If you want to remember something, write it down." In the introduction to "A Transcendental Diary", Hari-sauri Dasa recalls that within two days of his assigned association with you, he purchased a blank notebook to keep a diary. He had the foresight to update his diary daily, "thinking that ten or twenty years hence I would be able to read the notes and relish the brief time spent with Prabhupada." Sadly, I did not have his wisdom, and deeply regret not recording every encounter, because then there would be volumes to write about you. Continue reading "Vyasa Puja Offering to HDG Srila Prabhupada
→ Dandavats"

Successful Vyasa Puja Celebrations at 26 2nd Ave, NY
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Vaishnava das

It was a beautiful sunny New York afternoon, with a slight cooling breeze and the familiar scent of incense wafting out the front door of the 26 2nd Ave storefront, the birthplace of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness by the Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Amid the hustle and bustle of the city's rush hour, disciples and grand-disciples made their way to the tiny temple, nearly completely hidden by scaffolding of surrounding construction projects. The sounds outside were loud, obnoxious, intrusive; but once inside, one felt serenity, respectfulness and love. Continue reading "Successful Vyasa Puja Celebrations at 26 2nd Ave, NY
→ Dandavats"

Thursday, August 17th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Eureka, Nevada

Interactiveness

I found myself in the midst of three hundred or more motorcycles in Ely’s downtown in the morning.

“Was that you walking last night in the dark?  What were you doing?” asked one of them, referring to the trekking I did out in the desert.

I told him about pilgrimage and the value of it.  Apparently thousands of bikers are involved in a “Legacy” ride for raising money for charity.    https://www.legion.org/riders/legacyrun  I have, in fact, seen plenty of Harley Davidsons making their way down Hwy 50, but it’s not all just bikers who I come across.

A trucker halted his huge semi right on the road.  “Haribol,” said the trucker. “I know Krishna.  I'm from Poland.  I’ll give you a ride.”

I had to refuse, but delightedly, he and I both parted on good terms.  Truly, he had to move his vehicle.  Then a ranger stopped.  “Mountain lions and elk—that’s what you find out here.”  Indeed, the boys and I did see a majestic elk standing motionless next to the road.

I met a couple from Georgia.  They read about this U.S. walk that I'm doing in the Delta paper.  A fellow from Colorado offered water, and a couple from Utah also came to the shoulder of the road to share what H­­2­O they had.  Sally from the Bay area stopped to take a photograph and presented a donation.

A lot of interaction.  We are also now booked on Tuesday to speak at the Seniors Centre in Eureka, and the Justice of the Peace, Judge Stephen Bishop, has us up for a talk at the Lion’s Club in Ely for Wednesday.

This is all mercy!

May the Source be with you!

24 mi



Wednesday, August 16th, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Little Antelope Summit, Nevada

I am sharing with you all, my offering of gratitude for this year to our guru, Srila Prabhupada.

Another year has passed,
A time that leapt so fast,
When services were covered,
When masters were smothered
With love and affection
For delivery of direction.
This thread of guidance
Holds and binds us
To the feet of the Lord,
Something no one can afford
For it is priceless
Being the ultimate kindness
For lifting the soul
From a deep dark hole.

Leaving the dham behind,
A new comfort to find
It was in 1965
The ocean you did survive.
On ship, with beads n’ books.
There were stares and looks
When you landed on the shore
And made that big score
In the city of fashion
Of darkness and passion.

There was snow and cold,
But you were so bold.
There was noise and heat.
You said “no” to defeat.
The place was confused,
People being used.
You offered them freedom,
A new kind of kingdom,
Where Prime Entity rules— 
Not taught in the schools.

You went from there
To destinations everywhere
Touching a morbid heart,
Giving a boost and a start
To anyone and everyone.
Some stay, some run.
Then going beyond borders
You intro’d the four orders.
You pulled in the shakers,
You drew in the makers,
And those on merchandise,
Plus those simple wise.

You tell of two Lords,
Who sing out their chords,
Who dance with such grace
Bringing awe to one’s face.
Draped in fine folds,
In blues and in golds.
They extend their arms—
A part of their charms.
Unknown by and large
The Lords make their charge
Dispatching the name
Telling us the game
To conquer the hate,
Which makes them so great.

There’s you and the two,
On the chain of but few.
You shine in an age
When rare there’s a sage.
In a world that’s so bleak,
You stand out unique.
Keep me in the crowd
Though my faults are so loud.
I beg for the chance
To make it in your dance.
“Make me dance, make me dance
Oh my Lord, make me dance.”
Giving out so much,
It’s the hearts that you touch.

Ó  Bhaktimarga Swami Aug. 16, 2017

May the Source be with you!
21 mi

People deserve our empathy, not our irritability
→ The Spiritual Scientist

 

Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.

– Thomas a Kempis

We all have expectations from others. And when they don’t live up to our expectations, we feel irritated.

We can decrease our irritability and increase our empathy if we contemplate the reality that we ourselves are not able to live up to our expectations. We can’t make ourselves the kind of person we want to be. Why not? Because we have our conditionings that fiercely resist change.

Gita wisdom explains that our present actions are shaped by our conditionings, which are determined by our past actions. As we all have done different actions in the past, we have different conditionings, thereby making different things seem difficult for us to change. Thankfully, our present is only shaped by our past, not determined by it. We can reshape our present by using our free will to choose wisely. Still, our capacity to choose well is severely obstructed by our conditionings. That’s why we all struggle in self-improvement.

We may object, “Yes, there are some ways in which I fail to live up to my expectations. But I am not expecting those things from them – what I expect is simple and easy.” However, what is easy and what is difficult for each one of us is determined by our particular conditionings. So, the thing that seems easy for us may be very difficult for them. To appreciate how it may be difficult for them, we need to compare it not with how easy it is for us, but with some other thing that is difficult for us.

To better understand this variety in what causes difficulty to different people, consider a cricket batting metaphor. Suppose two batsmen are playing against the same team. One batsman drives off-side balls effortlessly, but succumbs to short-pitched deliveries, being foxed by their variable pace or bounce. The other batsman hooks short-pitched deliveries effortlessly, but succumbs to off-side deliveries, being deceived by their variable movement off the turf. If the player expert at playing off-side deliveries is the captain, he may become infuriated with the other player’s inability to play what he considers juicy deliveries. To better appreciate the difficulty of that player, he needs to compare it with his own difficulty in dealing with short-pitched deliveries.

This variety in difficulty applies to all aspects of life. One person may be good at remembering things to be done, but poor at remembering the names of people. Another person may remember people’s names easily, but forget their to-do list. They may label each other as irresponsible or uncaring, if they don’t see each other empathically. Similarly, one person may be good at controlling their eating, but may be prone to speaking rashly. Another person may be sensitive in speaking, but uncontrolled in their eating. If they are to better understand each other, they need to compare the other’s weakness not with their own strength, but with their own weakness.

Does this mean that we shouldn’t desire or strive to help others improve? No, it just means that we need to be understanding and realistic: understanding about their struggles and realistic in our expectation of improvement. If we become understanding and realistic, the strain in our interactions will go down substantially, and amity will return to the relationship.

If we recognize that others are essentially like us, both in their pure core spirituality and in their frail, fallible humanity, we will be better positioned to respond appropriately when others disappoint us. The Bhagavad-gita (06.32) states that seeing the essential similarity of everyone is an elevated spiritual vision.

If we look at our own efforts at self-improvement in our area of weakness, we will observe that we need to try repeatedly, and even then, we fail frequently and improve occasionally. Whatever improvements we do make, they are usually marginal, not monumental. And our journey towards improvements doesn’t always progress in a straight line; it moves in twisted trajectories that sometimes even go in the reverse. As is commonly said, we take two steps forward and one step backward. What applies to our struggle for improvement in our area of weakness applies to others’ struggle in their area of weakness.

By thus cultivating spiritual empathy for others, we can become more patient and helpful towards them, just as we would want them to be patient and helpful whenever we stumble and fall in our struggles.

To remind ourselves of the need to be empathic, we can contemplate an adapted version of the golden rule: Be understanding about others’ struggles with their conditionings as we would want them to be understanding about our struggles with our conditionings.

 

 

 

 

The post People deserve our empathy, not our irritability appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Janmastami celebrated at ISKCON Gaya. On 15th August, Janmastami…
→ Dandavats



Janmastami celebrated at ISKCON Gaya.
On 15th August, Janmastami was celebrated at ISKCON Gaya (Bihar) campus very gorgeously. More than 10,000 people attended and enjoyed bliss in whole day program. Special cultural program at evening started with Aarti at 7 pm followed by a drama entitled ‘Advent of Krishna’. A lecture was delivered by Jagdish Shyam Das (Manager, ISKCON Gaya). He said if we celebrate this type of festival for the pleasure of Krishna, people will remember Krishna more, which is solution to all permanent problems. He also said if Krishna is satisfied then whole universe will be satisfied. Musical kirtan and Krishna bhajan was performed by a devotee team from Vrindavan in which some Russian devotees were present. MLA Rajiv Ranjan, DPS chairman Sanjeev Kumar, some big business personnel like Mr Shiv Kailash Dalmiya, Usha Dalmiyan, Sushila Dalmiyan, senior physician Dr SK Panda and many other respected personalities were the guests of honor in the program. More than 56 ekadasi bhoga items offered followed by abhishek. At 12 midnight Krishna Janma muhurt was celebrated with crackers and cake cutting. The inhabitants of Gaya said this kind of festival is first time in Gaya history as there was not even a moment when they could forget Krishna. Prasadam was distributed whole day.
More than 10k worth Srila Prabhupada books distributed.

On 16th August Srila Prabhupad appearance day was celebrated. Devotees started Vaisnav bhajan at 10 AM followed by pushpanjali, bhoga offering and aarti. Feast prasadam was distributed. At evening temple devotees along with outside devotees glorified Srila Prabhupada. DPS principal Mr Abhishek Kumar and DAV vice principal Dr Anita Sinha were the guests of honor. A play on ‘Contribution of Srila Prabhupada’ was performed….Jai Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada Vyasapuja
→ Ramai Swami

Srila Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan De on September 1st 1896 in Calcutta, India. His father was Gour Mohan De, a cloth merchant, and his mother was Rajani.

His parents employed an astrologer to calculate the child’s horoscope, and they were made jubilant by the auspicious reading.

The astrologer made a specific prediction: When this child reaches the age of seventy, he would cross the ocean, become a great exponent of religion, and open 108 temples.

Srila Prabhupada fulfilled that prediction and did much more with so many disciples, books and preaching. I attended the anniversary of his auspicious appearance at New Gokula where devotees gathered to offer homages, abhiseka, puspanjali, arati, and wonderful feast.

Mother Kulangana
→ simple thoughts

Share

It was with sadness and also joy hearing of the passing away of Mother Kulangara:
Sadness because she touched so many people’s hearts and inspired us all and the Manor will not be the same; and how by her actions alone taught us the meaning of pure devotional service.

But joy as she returned home; her Guru Maharaja Srila Prabhupada greeting and showing her the spiritual world the real perfection of life.
I wish to share some of my own personal memories of how Mother Kulangana inspired cared with just a few recollections
One remembers clearly our first meeting, I had been helping the food for all team and had cut myself and was sat outside the kitchen putting pressure on the wound; Mother Kulangana came with great concern seeing the cut she insisted on helping returning promptly with plasters & dressing. The following day she came to check everything was alright and handed me a lovely mangala arati sweets, her concern and sincerity shone she cared for each individual wanting nothing in return.
Each day I would be in the temple early and I was always humbled and amazed Mother Kulangana was always their doing her japa; I was determined one day I will arrive before her but no matter how early I arrived Mother Kulangana was their it inspired me and reminded me of the great importance of japa.
The opportunity to assist in the sweet mangala arati transfers at the Manor showed me Mother Kulangana devotion to her Guru Maharaja Srila Prabhupada and to Sri Sri RadhaGokulananda; she would not only make the sweets but would come just after arati to collect and pay for some of them. It was never for her own personal use but for visitors and friends; I remember her telling someone who told her to just take what she wanted, No I can never steal from my beloved Krishna I must pay for them this is devotional service.
So attentive was Mother Kulangana that on occasions in the morning as I was putting the sweets on the offering plate she would check, make sure Sri Krishna can see the picture I made them especially don’t put one on top of the other the colours will run. It reminded me and showed me the importance of the service and her loving advice making sure at each step one served Sri Krishna with the highest standards we were doing the service for Krishna.
It reminded me one day as we were in the temple room doing our japa their was a call from the pujari “where’s krishnas Sweet’s, Krishna needs his sweets”; Mother Kulangana was immediately rushing to the kitchen; I was unsure about helping as I wasn’t pujari clean she smiled “don’t worry Sri Krishna won’t” we sorted out the offering plates no time to make hot milk and Mother Kulangana dispatched myself and the pujari plates in hand running from the kitchen to the alter. I stayed on to set up all what was needed to clean and wash the deities, but even now I don’t know how Mother Kulangana got to the kitchen before me as we both set out at the same time, but in each interaction I learnt more about loving devotion and the joy of service just simply by her perfect example, greatness does not come from one telling you how great they are greatness comes from example, her love for her Guru Maharaja Srila Prabhupada and her love for Sri Krishna being her only motivation and one knew you were in the presence of greatness the humble servant of the servant of the servant who’s serving Sri Krishna.
This was her greatest beauty humble servant and ability to inspire everyone she met to also simply enjoy the joy of service
And this ability to inspire all to serve will be my lasting memory of the Manors greatest mother to all that came Mother Kulangana
And so now she is dancing and serving in the spiritual world simply because she humbly served here in the material world, the perfection of life.

Hare Krishna

Spiritual planning is a key to success
→ Servant of the Servant

"One should know that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, and when the goal is assigned, then the path is slowly but progressively traversed, and the ultimate goal is achieved." - BG 10.10 Purport by Srila Prabhupada

The quote above by Srila Prabhupada is interesting I thought. Clearly, to me when reading this statement, it seems that we have to plan our spiritual life much like we plan anything in life from educational priorities to job to retirement.

Proper spiritual planning is important in healthy growth of devotional creeper within our heart. Planning involves a healthy balance hence it is slow and progressive. The pace of our spiritual life depends on our nature, desires,circumstances and ability. Sometimes, speaking for myself, I have desire and ignore other factors such as circumstances, my nature and hence put others around me in stress and myself in stress. I say stress because sometimes there can be incompatibility with others and my own material nature. So it is important to know how to pace our self in spiritual life or Krishna consciousness.

Regulation and balance therefore is part of planning and is key to our success. We have to practice our spiritual practice daily in particular times (regulated) and balance our time for material and spiritual activities. To artificially give up sense gratification can back fire. Perhaps few advanced souls can successfully do it without relapse but (again speaking for myself) I need time to do it slowly.

Therefore, in ISKCON we have so many projects, activities, festivals, worships and as a practitioner of bhakti and adherents to ISKCON, we may be obliged to do everything perhaps sometimes due to peer pressure. Once in a while perhaps it is ok, but certainly stretching our self always is not good for our long term Krishna consciousness. So as Prabhupada is saying slowly but progressively this path of bhakti towards Krishna needs to be traversed and for that we have to plan our spiritual life nicely just as we would do with our material priorities.

Hare Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada’s granddaughter Smriti “Baby” Warrier
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Giriraj Swami

My Vyasa-puja Offering to Srila Prabhupada. Last month your spiritual granddaughter Smriti “Baby” Warrier (now Sravana Dasi) lost her son in a tragic accident at the railroad. When I wrote to offer my condolences, I was wonderstruck by her reply: “Thank you for your kind blessings and prayers for our son Nrsimha Guru. Due to the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we are all blessed with our journey in Krishna consciousness. In such a situation all we can see is Krishna’s hand and how He orchestrated the whole incident. Though it is the most horrific thing I have experienced, I am at peace, as I see the Lord in it. “Twenty-two years ago Srimati Radharani put two beautiful Vaishnavas in my lap, and now She has asked for one back. I can only be thankful for those twenty-two years with him. I am proud that he was strong on his devotional path. He had just finished his Disciples Course and gotten his recommendation letter and was chanting a chapter of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The morning of the accident he had been chanting his japa, so by Srila Prabhupada’s grace he was in good consciousness. I am proud of all his accomplishments, and now that his karma here is over, he has progressed to serving Srila Prabhupada elsewhere.” Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s granddaughter Smriti “Baby” Warrier
→ Dandavats"

The roles of samskaras in the devotees life
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry

The Vaisnava sampradayas mark significant samskaras with various functions and strive to establish in the minds and hearts of all involved the nature of the living entity as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. In ISKCON there are many rites of passage that are celebrated to mark the development of a child through different stages of life, to adulthood and beyond. These rites of passage are called samskaras and the goal of the samskara is to make a lasting impression on the consciousness of all involved. Continue reading "The roles of samskaras in the devotees life
→ Dandavats"

Lord Krishna’s Appearance Day at Golokadham Germany 2017…
→ Dandavats



Lord Krishna’s Appearance Day at Golokadham Germany 2017 (Album with 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/yrVCGL