Planet ISKCON

Podcast

The post Should we be detached from feeling happy when we chant well? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Krishna Katha for youth retreat at ISKCON, Juhu, Mumbai, India]

Podcast

Podcast Summary

The post Akrura Katha 3 – Understanding cultural bhakti, philosophical bhakti, spiritual bhakti and Vraja bhakti appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Audio Podcast :

 

Video :

The post Prabhupada life-story 1 – A devotionally vibrant childhood appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

On the auspicious occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s 121st Vyasapuja on 16th August, 2017, I am grateful to announce the beginning of a small offering: a series of over 50 video-audio talks on Srila Prabhupada’s life-story.
The first episode is published here and future episodes will be published every week in the playlist here:
Drawing from the Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami as well as from several other biographies, memoirs and treatises on Srila Prabhupada’s life, the series attempts to give glimpses His Divine Grace’s fearless devotion, tireless dedication and peerless contributions
I seek the blessings and good wishes of all the followers of Srila Prabhupada so that I can render this service effectively.

Audio Podcast :

 

Video :

The post Srila Prabhupada life-story – New video-audio series appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble, prostrated obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace, to your powerful love, mercy, and Krishna consciousness.

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.”

I was touched and moved by her beautiful letter—by her Krishna consciousness and her sublime realizations of your glorious, powerful mercy. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 19.132) states, “When the personal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would hear of the activities of Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis, they would say, ‘What is wonderful for a person who has been granted the Lord’s mercy?’ ” And that is how I feel about her: What is beyond a person who has been given so much mercy from you?

Smriti was born on December 28, 1965, and thus she experienced your personal presence from around the age of six to the age of twelve. What happened during those years—how did you enter so deeply into her heart that even now, forty years later, she is totally absorbed in you, your love and mercy and Krishna consciousness?

Smriti’s parents, Shankar and Jayalakshmi Warrier, were tenants on Hare Krishna Land. “I grew up on Hare Krishna Land,” she recalls. “I was there before Srila Prabhupada and the devotees came. I was one of the fortunate ones who got a lot of mercy from Prabhupada and the devotees, because my mother and father did a lot of service. For some time the devotees had only a hut to live in, or were living on the rooftops, and many came to our house for prasada or for our fan. On school days they would come in and lie down and have the whole house to themselves. And when the devotees came when there was no school, it was like a big festival in our house.

“My mother was a good cook, and Prabhupada would have her make South Indian dishes; he liked idlis, dosas, vadas, and sambar. So every morning I would get a message to take the prasada over to him. And rascal as I am, I used to wait for something in return. I had given idlis, but I wanted a sweet back. And he would tease me. He would give me back idlis, and I would say, ‘No, I get lots of that at home; I want a sweet.’ So very early in life I started grabbing all the mercy I could. He would tease me and offer me a piece of idli or vada, and I would say, ‘No, I want the sweet on your plate,’ and wait there until he gave it to me. Still, he would pick up the idli and offer it to me with an amused look in his eye, like ‘Are you going to take it?’ But I was stubborn; I wanted that sweet, and that was it. Sometimes he would tease me to the extent that he would eat all his prasada while I was still waiting for my sweet—I would wait twenty minutes or more and never leave without it—and begin to put the last sweet in his mouth, and only then would he would hand it to me and let me go. And he would laugh.

“Every evening my mother would make a garland for him for the lecture, and I used to feel embarrassed because the devotees would come with beautiful thick garlands. They would buy flowers and make these beautiful garlands, and I would offer him this thin little thing that my mom had made with fragrant champak or mogra flowers from the garden. But eventually I saw that Prabhupada would take the big, heavy ones off and leave the thin ones on, and he’d smell them from time to time.

“There were times when his servants weren’t around and I would get to pick up his shoes and help him slip his feet into them.

“In the temporary temple, Prabhupada would distribute prasada after his lectures, but after he gave me some, I would remain standing there. He would say, ‘Go away,’ but I would still stand there with my hands out, wanting more. My dad would go for mangala-arati and evening arati and definitely for Prabhupada’s evening lecture. I used to tag along, but only for the sweet. Sometimes I would have to sit through the whole program to get my sweet. But sometimes Prabhupada would tell a devotee, ‘Give her the sweet so she can go home and play.’

“Malati Devi’s daughter Sarasvati and I used to play all day, and we would give Prabhupada a lot of trouble. Because Malati was cooking, she would basically dump Sarasvati at our house and we were supposed to babysit her. But she and I would take off and do all kinds of nonsense and get into trouble. We used to play upstairs. Prabhupada might have been resting, writing, or talking, but we were always up there doing something, and Prabhupada never took offense. He would always say, ‘Come sit down.’ And Sarasvati would sit on one side of his lap and I would sit on the other side.

“One time we were up in Prabhupada’s quarters running around and playing tag or somehow just making a lot of noise. He called both of us and said, ‘Sit down.’ And he kind of hit us lightly on our heads, to chastise us a bit, and then he told us to go downstairs and stop disturbing him. Sarasvati was much bolder than I was, because she was traveling with him, and she was allowed to get away with all kinds of things.

“Sometimes when I took his breakfast up to his room, there were no servants around—everybody would be gone. I would look at his plate, and he would give me my sweet. But I would linger, just in case something would be left over—maybe some more sweets—and so I would be there. Then if Prabhupada called for his servants and no one came, he’d say, “Get me my shoes.” So I would get the opportunity to help him with his shoes, and he would pat me with his cane. I was six or seven years old—a little rascal.

“Prabhupada’s arrival in Bombay was a most beautiful time. Well before his arrival, the devotees would go to the airport and have a fantastic kirtan. It would be very loud and ecstatic, and we would be jumping and dancing, waiting for Prabhupada to come. I was so small I couldn’t see Prabhupada when he walked into the terminal. I only knew he was there because all the devotees went down to offer obeisances, and I went down too.

“One Diwali, Mother Kanta was in the women’s ashram above our flat and we were outside setting off fireworks. It was around 9:00, and I guess she wanted to take rest, but we weren’t finished playing. So she started throwing buckets of water down on us. My brothers and I marched up to Srila Prabhupada’s room. Caitya-guru caught us and said, ‘You can’t go in there—he’s resting.’ We must have made a lot of noise, because Prabhupada called, ‘Let them in.’ My brothers went in and pleaded that we wanted to do fireworks, but Prabhupada said, ‘No, it’s too noisy.’ So my brothers gave up and walked out. But I, the youngest, stood there and said, ‘But it’s Diwali—we’ve got to break some firecrackers.’ Then Prabhupada said, ‘All right, until 10:00—but after that, no more.’ So we got permission and broke firecrackers. The next day, Mother Kanta came with a plate of maha-prasada and apologized for throwing water on us.

“Being so close to Srila Prabhupada, at Hare Krishna Land, we got to associate with him in a different light.

“Sometimes in the afternoon we children would go up to the terrace when Srila Prabhupada was giving darsana and give him garlands we had made and perform for him, doing some devotional dance. Our parents would dress us up, and my mom would put together some dance for us to perform. It was like a festival, and we were all very excited, but we were anxious too, because we wanted to please Srila Prabhupada.

“My father did a lot of service, and seeing him do all that also inspired me to be a devotee and take shelter of Prabhupada’s lotus feet. In 1975, he passed away from cancer. Six months before, the doctor said that he didn’t have much time to live. So he gave up going to work. He said, ‘There’s no use working for another six months.’ He just stayed home and chanted. During the last four months of his life he chanted sixty-four rounds a day.

“He would wait every evening for Giriraj Prabhu to return from preaching. No matter how late it was, Giriraj never missed coming to see him. He would bring a garland from the Deities and a plate of maha-prasada (which the devotees must have kept for him, knowing he would be out late). His generosity and inspiration made Daddy chant more rounds, so he could tell Giriraj how many he had chanted that day, and when Giriraj expressed his pleasure, Daddy’s enthusiasm to chant more increased. In his last month he sometimes chanted eighty rounds or more.

“When he passed away, the devotees came and did kirtan. I think it was all Prabhupada’s mercy that my father took the essence of what Prabhupada had come for, to take us back to Godhead. He took that essence and realized that material things were not worth living for, so he just gave up everything and changed.

“Before he got sick, Daddy was at the temple like clockwork. He used to go to mangala-arati and guru-puja, and then he’d go to work. And he would go for the evening arati too. First we had pictures on our altar, and then Navayogendra Prabhu gave us Chaturbhuj Krishna. So we used to have aratis, and every day the evening arati was my job. I was the pujari at home. That was one thing Daddy had started at home, to have the evening arati. By six o’clock I had to be home and take a shower, and at seven I had to do the arati.

“The night before my father passed away, he was really sick and had to go to the hospital. But he said, ‘No, until Baby finishes the arati I’m not going.’ So I came and did the arati, and he was breathing heavily; he was really sick. After the arati, he left for the hospital, and the next morning, at ten o’clock, he passed away. That was the last time I saw my dad. After I did the arati, he gave me a big hug, and then he went, and that was it. If it weren’t for Prabhupada, we wouldn’t have been doing that arati. He taught us everything we knew.

“After my father passed away, Srila Prabhupada told my mother to surrender everything and join the temple, but she didn’t do it. She said, ‘No, let my children decide what they want to do, what their careers will be, and if they grow up and carry on, then I’ll come.’ But she never did.

“That year the devotees booked a whole train bogey to Vrindavan for the grand opening, and we were invited to come. The trip was wonderful, and when we got there Prabhupada personally took my mom and our family around the whole temple, which was so beautiful. It was wonderful walking with him as he told us what was in there and what was going on. He was so merciful towards my mom and all of us; I can only be thankful for all the time and all the wonderful mercy he gave us. At that time I didn’t know it was mercy—I was just having a good time—but now I can realize I must have done something in my past life to have been so close to Prabhupada and to receive the nectar of his mercy.

“When I looked at Prabhupada, I didn’t see him as a guru or sannyasi or swami. I didn’t understand that aspect of Prabhupada. All I knew was that he was very kind. I looked at him as a father, because I wasn’t afraid of him, to go and ask him something or do something. Because I would take him his breakfast every morning, I’d see him every day. Sometimes he would take a stick and tap me on the head with it, blessing me. If I helped him with his shoes, he would pat me on the head or do something like that.

“He was always very kind, especially with the children, and he always had a smile, no matter whom he was talking to. If he’d see you coming, he would smile and acknowledge you. Although you were a child, you were also a person. He would see you as a person, even though you were tiny—not that you didn’t exist. At the airport, everyone was there, but he would notice you. He might not say anything, but he would be with you. He would look at you and smile at you.

“When Prabhupada came to Juhu, I would always spend time in his quarters. Sometimes he would tell me to go and get Tamal, or he’d tell me, Okay, go and do this, or go do that. So many times he made me run here and there to do things. I would hang out there, because when Prabhupada came, that was the place to be, that’s where all the action was. So I would always be there. Something or the other was going on at all times. His cooks or other devotees would always be around. And all the devotees were also very kind and merciful. ‘Go do this for Prabhupada,’ they would tell me. ‘Go to this place, go give this to Prabhupada.’ A lady devotee would give me a rose to run up to him, so I would run up, and so I’d be there. And then the prasada distribution would come. Prabhupada would give out a big plate of prasada. Often it was fruit. I would get in line to get my fruit. The devotees would let me be at the front of the line, but I’d go back and back and back.

“I never really got chastised or reprimanded for anything—Prabhupada was always very kind to me. I think that’s what helped me love him more and do more.

“When Prabhupada was sick and came back to Bombay in 1977, the devotees would hardly let anyone into his quarters; he was really ill. But I was not used to that; I was used to walking in at any time. So, I came one evening, and they would not let me in. I had been bringing Prabhupada his breakfast, and he had been there for many days, but I still hadn’t been allowed in to see him. So I just stood there crying. When Tamal Krishna came in and saw me, he understood the situation and said, ‘Okay, go ahead.’ He let me in and said, ‘Be very quiet; he’s taking rest. Just go in and come out.’ So I went in, and Prabhupada was sleeping, and I stood there for a few moments. I was just standing there and looking at him. He was just lying there, and I didn’t see him feeling the pain. He had been saying that he was very sick and his stomach hurt, but I didn’t see that. I saw him very calm and peaceful. So, I grasped his feet and then ran. I don’t know if I woke him up or not, but I just grasped his feet and ran out; I just grabbed the mercy. And that was the last time I saw Prabhupada.”

Srila Prabhupada, you entered a child’s heart, took up residence there, and never left. Even today you sit there, causing her to think, feel, act, and speak in many wonderful ways. “What is wonderful for a person who has been granted the Lord’s mercy?” And what is beyond a person who has been given so much mercy from you?

Your wonderstruck aspiring servant,
Giriraj Swami

[reprinted from August 8th, 2009] JANMASTAMI OBSERVANCE BY HEARING KRISHNA LILA: AKRURA'S ARRIVAL IN VRINDAVANA:

Bhakti-yoga, or Krishna consciousness, means quite simply being conscious of Krishna. When we love someone we naturally think of them, so when we love Krishna it is natural to think of him and want to hear or read about his lila or divine activities. Those of us who want to love Krishna—or even believe in him if we are new—will make progress in knowing and loving Krishna by reading about his pastimes in the Shrimad Bhagavatam or in Shrila Prabhupada’s Krishna book which is the summary of the 10th Canto.

We are advised to read with the desire to understand and in the mood of service, humility and reverence--at least with that ideal in mind. Just like in Shrila Prabhupada's introduction to the Gita he recommends a new person to at least theoretically accept Krishna as the Supreme Lord, because that will help create the right mood to enter into the book. Though we want to use our intellect to understand as far as we can, our spiritual heart needs to come out, since that is the real way to understand the inconceivable Lord.

In Prabhupada’s translations of Vedic literature, we have the scripture with a commentary by a pure devotee. Many people have become devotees by reading these books. As wonderful and powerful as these books are they don’t ask us if we have understood, nor do they personally interact with us to show us how to be Krishna conscious. For that we need advanced devotees we can observe and serve with.

read more

[reprinted from August 8th, 2009] JANMASTAMI OBSERVANCE BY HEARING KRISHNA LILA: AKRURA'S ARRIVAL IN VRINDAVANA:

Bhakti-yoga, or Krishna consciousness, means quite simply being conscious of Krishna. When we love someone we naturally think of them, so when we love Krishna it is natural to think of him and want to hear or read about his lila or divine activities. Those of us who want to love Krishna—or even believe in him if we are new—will make progress in knowing and loving Krishna by reading about his pastimes in the Shrimad Bhagavatam or in Shrila Prabhupada’s Krishna book which is the summary of the 10th Canto.

We are advised to read with the desire to understand and in the mood of service, humility and reverence--at least with that ideal in mind. Just like in Shrila Prabhupada's introduction to the Gita he recommends a new person to at least theoretically accept Krishna as the Supreme Lord, because that will help create the right mood to enter into the book. Though we want to use our intellect to understand as far as we can, our spiritual heart needs to come out, since that is the real way to understand the inconceivable Lord.

In Prabhupada’s translations of Vedic literature, we have the scripture with a commentary by a pure devotee. Many people have become devotees by reading these books. As wonderful and powerful as these books are they don’t ask us if we have understood, nor do they personally interact with us to show us how to be Krishna conscious. For that we need advanced devotees we can observe and serve with.

read more

After more than ten years of planning, fundraising and execution, a major milestone has now been achieved for the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The first Chakra has been installed on the West wing Planetarium dome!!!

On August 10th, 2017, in the presence of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas, Lord Nrsimha’s Sitari and Srila Prabhupada, the first Sudarshana Chakra was mounted on top of the TOVP West wing Planetarium dome along with a special TOVP Victory Flag hoisted personally by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami. The event is monumental and historically significant as it heralds the glory of the TOVP and the Holy Dhama of Mayapur, the most powerful Dhama for Kali-yuga, and the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the form of the Holy Names and Krishna prema that will flood the world.

The three hour event was MC’d by Global Fundraising Director, Vraja Vilas das who began with the reading of an inspiring letter from TOVP Chairman, Ambarisa das. The ceremony included continuous kirtan, short speeches by key devotees like Jayapataka Swami, Jananivas prabhu, Sankarsana Nitai prabhu, and Sadbhuja prabhu, an agnihotra, abhisheka and Maha arati of the Chakra and flag, the mounting of the Chakra and hoisting of the TOVP Victory Flag by His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja, and a wonderful prasadam feast, all done in the presence of Lord Nityananda’s Padukas, Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari and Srila Prabhupada. The Mayapur leaders participated enthusiastically along with 2500 local devotees and all felt the program was a spectacular event that united the devotees in a mood of cooperation, and everyone was thankful to be present. There was no doubt that a very important stage has been achieved in the ongoing progress of the TOVP towards its scheduled completion in 2022 and that the Lord’s blessings and protection are now in full force.

Along with the above described program and appreciation by devotees, auspicious natural phenomena confirmed the Lord’s blessings. This is monsoon season and Sadbhuja and the TOVP Team had been praying for relief from the rains during the days preceding the installation. For ten days prior to the ceremony the rain held up. On the day of the function it was also very hot and the sky was cloudless, offering a perfect opportunity for the installation to proceed. Miraculously, immediately after the installation ceremony when the two devotees on top of the dome descended, huge rain clouds appeared and a heavy downpour of rain as has never been witnessed before proceeded to fall upon Mayapur for two solid hours. Sadbhuja and all the Mayapur devotees felt the demigods had come to offer their blessings and that the Lord had directly shown His approval and satisfaction.

Additionally, two eagles also appeared in the sky after the rainfall out of nowhere. Eagles are never seen in Mayapur, so this was another auspicious sign to all that some special entities had come to watch over the program.

According to Jananivas prabhu, there was a definite elevation in the atmosphere of the Dhama and in everyone’s consciousness at the time of the installation. Every devotee could feel a very powerful spiritual force pervading the function, no doubt the blessings and power of the Sudarshana Chakra.

Scheduled for pre-Gaur Purnima 2018 during the GBC meetings is the installation of the second Chakra on Lord Nrsimhadeva’s dome. This historic and important installation of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Chakra will be witnessed by the entire GBC and attended by thousands of devotees from all corners of the planet. Ambarisa and Vraja Vilas prabhus will shortly be announcing a very unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for devotees to participate in the Maha-abhisheka of this very special Chakra of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Who is so dear to all devotees.

Included below is the letter from Ambarisa prabhu, Chairman of the TOVP project, read by Vraja Vilas prabhu, and a general announcement from His Holiness Jayapataka Swami about the importance of this event.

Installation of the Gold Sudarsana Cakra

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami

Today the gold Sudarsana Cakra weighing 1,400 kilograms was installed on the West Wing dome of the TOVP. This is a monumental step towards the completion of this adbhuta mandira predicted by Lord Nityananda. Ambarisa Prabhu and his wife, Svaha Dasi, addressed the audience through their letter which was read out by Vraja Vilasa who acted as Master of Ceremonies. Jananivasa Prabhu, Sadbhuja Prabhu, acting Chairman of the Mayapur Administrative Council, Sankarsana Nitai Prabhu, and myself, addressed the assembled devotees. I thank all those who made this possible. I mentioned how the GBC had been supporting the TOVP in various ways. Sadbhuja mentioned that the Sudarsana Cakra which is 3.5 meters in diameter was made in Russia of pure stainless steel with a significant liquid gold coating. There was a fire yajna after the short speeches. Then there was drsti, raising of the victory flag, puspavrsti, abhiseka of Sudarsana Cakra, aarati of Sudarsana Cakra and then the cakra was taken to the top of the West dome and properly attached. Then prasada was given to the participants.

Yours in service, 
Jayapataka Swami

Letter from Ambarisa das, Chairman of the TOVP project

Dear Maharaj and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I regret not being able to be there personally for this auspicious event. The initial installation of the Chakra for the planetarium dome is a monumental event, capping years of work and support from devotees like you. The TOVP team has worked tirelessly for years to raise funds and bring the building to the point you see it at today.

It has been a little over 10 years since construction started on Srila Prabhupada’s long cherished dream of Sri Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir, Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The progress has been amazing thanks to the devotees and disciples of Srila Prabhupada from around the world. On this day I want to especially express the gratitude of the entire TOVP team to Jayapataka Maharaj for his stalwart support which has been there from the beginning. Maharaj has organized and enthused his disciples from all around the world to rise up in support of this project, and we are eternally grateful.

This event will be broadcast around the world to further encourage devotees and glorify Srila Prabhupada. The TOVP is the international home for all devotees of ISKCON, and the principle root of preaching for the next 10,000 years.

Please, all of you do what you can to support and pray for the deities to have a new home in Sridham Mayapur.

Your servant,
Ambarisa Das

The post TOVP Chakra Installation a Milestone Event appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

“That is the specific reason why Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears. Any incarnation of Vishnu could kill the demons, deliver the devotees, and re-establish the principles of dharma, but only Krishna can show us the beautiful life that awaits us if we join Him in intimate love in Vrindavan. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.33.36) says:

anugrahaya bhaktanam
manusam deham asthitah
bhajate tadrsih krida
yah srutva tat-paro bhavet

‘Krishna manifests His eternal humanlike form and performs His pastimes to show mercy to the devotees. Having heard such pastimes, one should engage in service to Him.’ ”

Janmastami Evening Talk

On Monday 14 August at 6.45pm, on the eve of Sri Krishna Janmastami, Mother Kulangana passed away surrounded by devotees chanting the names of Krishna. Mother Kulangana’s life will remain an inspiration for generations to come.  Her dedication to Srila Prabhupada set the highest example.

Celebrations and festivities in Russia (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described as maha-vadanya, the most munif...

Today's Paramahamaster is a special Janmastami comic! "Paramahamster" follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami gave a wonderful message on “Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja” Srila Prabhupada appeared on very special day. Nandotsava on the day Krishna‘s appearance day was celebrated. The meaning of Vyasa Puja. Why ISKCON is so important. For listening please play the...

The post Srila Prabhupada’s 121th Vyasa puja appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

By Radha Mohan Das

Mother Kulangana was always known as a kind and gentle soul with a nature as sweet as her service. She will be missed by so many - the majority of the community cannot even recall a time when she was not present in their lives. Although she leaves this world behind, her legacy lives on. And in every soft mangal arati sweet the devotees of Bhaktivedanta Manor offer to Sri Sri Radha Gokulanada, there will reside the memory of Mother Kulangana’s soft and sweet devotion. Mother Kulangana’s life will remain an inspiration for generations to come. Her dedication to Srila Prabhupada set the highest example. Day and night she read Srila Prabhupada’s books and listened to his lectures. In her departure she only wanted to listen to his chanting. She taught us how to overcome adversity, how to become absorbed in devotional service, how to maintain complete chastity and enthusiasm in our spirituality, and most of all, how to dedicate one’s mind, body and words in the service of the Lord. Continue reading "Mother Kulangana: a Life and Legacy of Devotion
→ Dandavats"

On the auspicious appearance day of Sri Krishna, Janmastami Mahotsava, we wish all our viewers a very Happy Janmastami. Janmastami message by HH Jayapataka Swami from ISKCON Mayapur: “Brahma’s one day is 1000 Yugas and there have been 28Yugas already completed .After 28 Yugas , Krishna comes. We are very fortunate that we are here […]

The post Happy Janmastami! appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The post Daily Darshan: August15,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISKCON Auckland NZ: Sri Janmastami 2017 (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, we gradually develop our eter...

Dear devotees and respected organizers of Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja celebrations, you might find helpful materials, booklets and posters for do...

Bhadra Campaign (A Part of the GoMatsya Project)
brought to you by The North American Sankirtan Leaders Team
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated “If on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra one places Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne and gives it as a gift, he will attain the supreme transcendental destination.” The purport further elaborates that “One should place Srimad-Bhagavatam on a golden throne because it is the king of all literature.”
This year Bhadra Purnima arrives on September 5th in North
America, and we are very happy to announce the launch of the
Bhadra Campaign - an opportunity for mass distribution of the most revered Srimad-Bhagavatam. Anyone who participates in this campaign will receive:
1. The great gift of going Back to Godhead
2. Special prayers on their behalf on Bhadra Purnima
3. A golden throne on which to keep the Srimad-Bhagavatam
4. A subscription to Bhakti Pulse (a regular 3-minute audio about SB)
5. Their name inscribed on the Global Preservation Wall
There are three ways in which one can become a part of the
campaign – as an:
1. Advocate - Serve the Srimad-Bhagavatam by purchasing at least one set
2. Distributor - Get a set and refer at least one advocate
3. Organizer – Get a set and enroll at least three advocates
Our goal this Bhadra is to enroll at least 108 advocates in North
America. Please join today. Serve the Srimad-Bhagavatam and share the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Give it to your friends, and encourage them to distribute and enroll others. Give the ultimate gift this Bhadra Purnima!
This campaign is a part of the global GoMatsya initiative:
“Preservation through Mass Distribution and
Education.” www.GoMatsya.com
For More information please contact:
North American Sankirtan

Answer Podcast

The post If while chanting some bad thoughts come in our mind, is that a sin? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post In our offices, how can we be socially involved in contemporary discussions without getting spiritually distracted? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post Does humility mean feeling that we are fallen or does it mean not letting our ego come int the way of our service? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Dear friends and devotees,

Please accept my best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Sri Krishna Janmastami. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and to Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

Krishna Janmastami is a special opportunity for us to hear about, meditate on, and appreciate the transcendental nature of Lord Krishna’s appearance and activities.

Two days before Janmastami in 1976, at Hare Krishna Land Juhu, Bombay, the devotees were preparing a performance of a drama: The Appearance of Lord Krishna. We had made a stage in the area of the darsana mandapa in the new temple and set out rows of chairs amid the construction work and scaffolding. Srila Prabhupada had heard that the devotees were rehearsing, and he wanted to see the play before departing for Hyderabad. Jagat Purusa was the organizer and was playing Kamsa; Ananga-manjari was playing Devaki; Bhaya Hari was playing Vasudeva; and Achyutananda, plucking the strings of a tambura (representing a vina), was playing Narada Muni. The first act ended with King Kamsa rolling on the floor in madness at the impending appearance of the Lord.

Prabhupada enjoyed the performance and applauded enthusiastically, and as was common at the end of ISKCON dramas, the performance concluded with the devotees and the audience chanting Hare Krishna together in kirtan. At that point Prabhupada left for the airport. Seeing him go, devotees jumped down from the stage and began to chase after him.

Although Prabhupada’s car had left first, some devotees managed to arrive at the airport before him. When he stepped out onto the curb, he found Ananga-manjari and Aditya dasi there, shouting “Jaya Prabhupada! Jaya Prabhupada!” Ananga-manjari was still in costume as Devaki, in an ornate wedding sari, her makeup now smeared by tears shed at the thought that this might be the last time she would see Prabhupada. Prabhupada smiled broadly as the women offered their obeisances, and, as they jumped up and down in bliss, he proceeded into the airport.

“Prabhupada stood there for the longest time,” Ananga Manjari later recalled, “leaning on his cane and smiling at me, practically laughing. When he had moved on, Aditya said, ‘Did you see how he looked at you and smiled at you?’ And I thought, ‘This is the perfection of my life: I entertained him!’ ”

Two days later, in Hyderabad, Prabhupada asked Saurabha, “What news from Bombay?”

“The festival was a great success.” Saurabha replied. “For the last two days, approximately twenty thousand people must have come. The place was packed. People were everywhere. They were sitting everywhere, even on the balconies and in the scaffolding. It was so crowded.”

“The press and the television people came?” Gopal Krishna asked. “Every year the television comes. They televised this?”

“The film news,” Saurabha answered, “for the abhiseka ceremony, which lasted about an hour, up till one o’clock. And everyone remained. There were thousands of people. They were just everywhere.”

Ten days thereafter, I was with Prabhupada for a morning walk in Delhi, and I informed him that there was a lot of enthusiasm for Krishna consciousness in Bombay. “Just due to this Janmastami,” I said, “we made about fifteen or twenty life patron members. They just keep coming, saying, ‘I visited your festival.’ Then they arrange other programs for us and become patron members. And newspaper people also are starting . . .”

“Giving some coverage,” Prabhupada said.

“Good coverage,” I confirmed. “The Free Press Journal wants to make a two-page feature with pictures all about our activities.”

So Krishna Janmastami is an occasion for us not only to deepen our own appreciation of Krishna consciousness but also to share the benefits of Krishna consciousness with others—by Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna’s grace.

We wish you all success.

Hare Krishna.

 

Your aspiring servant,
Giriraj Swami

The post Janmastami Night outfit Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Mother Kulangana has passed from this world.
From Polish origin, Kulangana devi dasi spent her childhood in Warsaw and along with her family, she escaped of being arrested by the Nazis during World War II.
“We were arrested by the Gestapo and we had to leave our house with our luggage. There were so many of us all walking in a long line. So many children too. There was a train nearby and people were getting on. They said that the train was going to a big prison camp. My father had brought one cow with him, and when the leader of the Gestapo saw that my father was a farmer he told him: “Oh, you are a farmer you are already producting something valuable for the soldiers you can go and so we were not put on the train.

When she came to Krishna consciousness she said that she had seen the real face of the material world and another type of life. Her service for Krishna still revolved around cows and milk. She was well known for making the most delicious – and probably the biggest – milk sweets in the Hare Krishna movement. She used the fresh milk from the manor’s cows and lovingly cooked it for several hours to make sandesh, burfi, rubric and pera of all different kinds. She headed a team of ladies that decorated them with delicate paintings and messages to Krishna, and offer them every morning to the Deities and she liked nothing better than distribute them to devotees afterwards.

Today, on the eve of Janmastami, Mother Kulangana, Srila Prabhupada’s great devotee, passed away at 6:45 in her room at Bhaktivedanta Manor, surrounded by loving devotees chanting the holy names of Krishna. My letter to her:

My dear Mother Kulangana,

Srila Prabhupada said that when a Vaishnava departs, we feel simultaneously happy and sad—happy because the Vaishnava has gone to serve Krishna, and sad because we will miss the Vaishnava’s association—and that is how I feel now.

Mother Kulangana, you were so many things to so many people: You were a mother, friend, support, mentor, guide, coach, cheerleader—a servant. We will miss your personal presence in our lives here.

But we are happy that you will be serving Srila Prabhupada and his masters in an even better way and in an even better place. Tamal Krishna Goswami used to say, “Krishna will bring Mother Kulangana back to Godhead just so He can have her sweets.” And there you will be again, boiling milk and preparing delicacies to offer to Their Lordships.

Wherever you are, please think of us, who are serving here in your separation. Please cast your merciful glance upon us, and please appeal to Srila Prabhupada and his lords to mold us and bring us to them—and to you—so that again we can all engage happily in their service together.

Hare Krishna.

Your eternal aspiring servant,
Giriraj Swami

Podcast:

Download by “right-click and save”

The post Meditation on Kaliya lila – Devotion grants access to a rich panorama of divine emotions appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Jacksonville Beach Festival of Chariots and Ratha Yatra Parade 2017. 2017 Jacksonville Beach Festival of Chariots to be held Saturday, August 19...

Ninth Annual Ratha Yatra At Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Devotees of the Hare Krishna temple, Harrisburg, PA (AKA Institute of Higher Unders...

Moments of the Vaishnava Summer Festival 2017 (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: By the grace of the Lord, if a devotee, at the time of death...

Sri Mayapur Dham Celebrates the Appearance of Lord Krishna!
Tens of thousands of devotees and pilgrims gather in Sri Mayapur Dham every year to celebrate the auspicious appearance day of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, who is worshipped in ISKCON Mayapur as Sri Madhava. Between fifty and sixty thousand pilgrims come from all over India to participate in the grand Janmastami festival, and as a result, the Mayapur guesthouses are usually fully booked two months in advance. Many pilgrims end up setting up camp outside, not to be deterred from attending this festival and taking the darshan of Sri Madhava on His appearance day.
To prepare the minds and hearts of the devotees of Mayapur for Janmastami day, the devotees are absorbed in Krishna-katha every morning during Srimad Bhagavatam class for the week leading up to Janmastami. The day before Janmastami, an auspicious Adhivas ceremony takes place in order to invoke auspiciousness for the festival to follow.

On Janmastami day, Sri Sri Radha Madhava and all the deities of Mayapur are offered a new dress, and Their altars and the temple are elaborately decorated. Many of the devotees of Mayapur write sweet ‘birthday cards’ for Sri Madhava, and present thoughtful gifts to Him, which are placed at His lotus feet and remain there until the end of the day.

Lord Krishna, during His manifest pastimes, set the example for everyone by perfectly performing the duties of an ordinary human being. Thus, Sri Krishna received all the requisite samskaras of Vedic society, and in Mayapur, all these samskara ceremonies are performed for Sri Madhava on Janmastami day. A young child is selected to represent Madhava, and a qualified husband and wife to represent Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yasoda, who perform the samskaras for Sri Madhava according to Srila Rupa Goswami’s Sri Krishna Janma Tithi Vidhi, a book that describes in intricate detail how to perform the proper worship of Sri Madhava on His appearance day.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Sri Madhava is brought down from the altar and seated on a beautifully decorated throne, and is given a wonderful reception. Priests then start a yajna and perform all of Krishna’s samskaras. They begin with the Jata Karma ceremony, in which Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yasoda perform a fire yajna for their newly born son and pray for His protection. After that, they perform the Niskramanam ceremony, which is performed when Sri Madhava is taken out of the house for the first time, followed by the name giving ceremony, the hair cutting ceremony, and the piercing of Lord Krishna’s ears. Sri Nanda Maharaja goes for a pilgrimage, and upon his return, out of affection he smells his son’s head, which is called Putra Murdhabhighranam. Thereafter, the Vidyarambha ceremony is performed to inaugurate the starting of Sri Madhava’s education. His Grace Jananivasa Prabhu represents Garga Muni, who teaches Sri Madhava to write His first words, and then grants Sri Madhava Vedic initiation and gives Him the sacred thread in the Upanayanam ceremony. Once Sri Madhava receives His sacred thread, He goes out to beg dakshina for His guru, and all the assembled devotees gather around Him and give donations.

Throughout the day, ecstatic kirtan is performed for Sri Madhava, leading up to His grand Maha Abhisek ceremony, which takes place at 10 pm and continues until midnight.

For His abhisek, Sri Madhava along with Srimati Radhika comes down from the altar, and They are opulently welcomed and are then bathed with numerous items. They are bathed with Panca-gavya – the five sacred items from a cow – and are then bathed with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and sugar water, which are known as the five nectars. They are also bathed with seasonal and colourful juices, from fruits such as mangoes, grapes, pomegranates, oranges, watermelons, and papayas. Water scented with saffron, rose, aguru, musk and kusha grass is also used to bathe Their Lordships, and fragrant flower waters made with flowers such as rose, bakul, lotus, jasmine, and gandharaj. Radha Madhava are also bathed in coconut water and are given two kinds of showers: Sarva Aushadi and Maha Aushadi, which use natural medicinal and herbal substances to bathe the Lord. After being bathed in these various substances, sandalwood paste is applied and then washed off of Radha Madhava’s forms with a steady shower of pure Ganga water.

Once the Lord’s elaborate abhisek is completed, Their Lordships are dried, and They are then showered in flower petals before They return to the altar to be dressed in fresh clothes.

The devotees of the community, with much love and devotion, cook over 400 preparations to offer to Sri Sri Radha Madhava for Their grand bhoga offering. Once Their Lordships have honoured the preparations offered to Them, the altar opens and Sri Sri Radha Madhava give a breathtaking darshan in Their new night outfit, and at midnight a Maha Arati is performed while all of the assembled devotees engage in an ecstatic kirtan.

Once the deities retire for the night, an anukalpa feast is served to everyone, and the blissful day of festivities comes to an end.

All glories to Sri Krishna Janmastami!

Your servants,
Mayapur Communication

Tulsi Gabbard: Janmashtami Message 2017 (3 min video)
When someone has a birthday we try to please the person whose birthday we’re celebrating. Maybe we buy them some presents or bake them a cake, we try to do something for them that will make them happy. Likewise, on this very wonderful day of celebrating Lord Shri Krishna’s appearance, we should consider what we can do that would be most pleasing to Him.
The Supreme Lord is the owner and controller of everything, there’s nothing that He is lacking. He doesn’t need anything from us but there’s one thing that He wants from us: our love! This is the one thing that we have to offer that makes Krishna very happy! Our love can only be offered as an expression of free will. Love can’t be taken or forced, that’s not the nature of love. Five thousand years ago Lord Krishna appeared on this planet in His original form. He came for many reasons. He came so that we could come to know of the absolute reality of His existence, He came to display His wonderful pastimes and loving exchanges with His devotees.
He came to speak the Bhagavad-gita which is His personal and direct instructions to each of us and as we hear about Shri Krishna and His wonderful pastimes and become more attracted to Him something wonderful happens. The love that we begin to experience for the Supreme Lord attracts Him to us and He begins to reveal Himself to us more and more! This is the ultimate truth that Shri Krishna reveals to us in the Bhagavad Gita.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Fdee6T

Krishna Kanta: We are excited to present the book trailer for a new anthology: "Bhakti Blossoms: A Collection of Contemporary Vaishnavi Poetry"

---

Here is a BIG catch up on recordings of kirtans and classes by Kadamba Kanana Swami from July, thanks to Sesa Das.

Download ALL (2.9 GB) Very BIG file!! It will take the time to download – please be patient.

To download the individual classes, right-click on the link and “save target as”.

 

Radhadesh

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_02August2017_SB_8.4.5-6

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_01August2017_SB_8.4.2-4

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_31July2017_SB_8.3.33-8.4.1

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_20July2017_SB_8.3.25

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_19July2017_SB_8.3.22-24

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_09July2017_CC_Adi_1.1

KKS_BEL_Radhadesh_07July2017_SB_8.3.12

 

Swiss Summer Camp

KKS_SwissCamp_26July2017_Kirtan

KKS_SwissCamp_25July2017_Kirtan

KKS_SwissCamp_25July2017_Lecture_SB_25.7.17

KKS_SwissCamp_25July2017_JayaRadhaMadhava

KKS_SwissCamp_24July2017_Seminar2_Mahaprabhu_comes_to_deliver_us

KKS_SwissCamp_23July2017_Seminar1_Mahaprabhus_mercy

KKS_SwissCamp_23July2017_Lecture_SB_1.3.28

KKS_SwissCamp_23July2017_Kirtan

Bonus_SwissCamp_26July2017_Kirtan-by-MadhavaPrabhu

Bonus_SwissCamp_26July2017_Kirtan-by-NiranjanaSwami

 

New York City

KKS_USA_17July2017_NYC_NewJerseyTemple_Kirtan

KKS_USA_14July2017_NYC_BhaktiCentre_SB_ 5.19.28

KKS_USA_13July2017_NYC_BhaktiCentre_Kirtan

KKS_USA_13July2017_NYC_BhaktiCentre_SB_ 5.19.27

KKS_USA_12July2017_NYC_BhaktiCentre_Kirtan

KKS_USA_12July2017_NYC_BhaktiCentre_CC_Madhya_7.95

KKS_USA_12July2017_NYC_BhaktiCentre_SB_ 5.19.26

 

Czech Summer Camp

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_03July2017_Lecture_CC

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_03July2017_Kirtan

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_03July2017_Initiation_Lecture

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_03July2017_Initiation_Kirtan

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_03July2017_EveningLecture_BG_10.11

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_02July2017_Lecture_SB_10.13.61

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_01July2017_Kirtan

KKS_CZ_SummerCamp_01July2017_EveningLecture_BG_10.10

 

The post Daily Darshan: August 14,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

By Krishna das

Where Vaishnava temples exist, festivities begin before dawn and extend all day until midnight, the exact moment of the anniversary of Krishna’s appearance. Events include kirtan, singing the Lord’s name along with other devotees; and japa, private, more intimate prayer. Some devotees cook a feast of over one hundred dishes, while others perform drama and dance. Some clothe and decorate the deity of Krishna while others string enormous flower garlands and other decorations for the temple. Incense burns, scriptures are read, and all but the young and the infirm fast all day. The deities are also bathed with a variety of auspicious liquids in a kind of ablution ceremony called abhisheka. Sometimes taking over two hours, this is performed with great pomp. Continue reading "How to Celebrate Janmashtami
→ Dandavats"

41st Los Angeles Ratha-yatra Slideshow.
On August 6th, 2017, the 41st Los Angeles Ratha-Yatra, with Their Lordships Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi, each on their own chariot, came out from the Temple to spread Their Mercy to thousands of conditioned souls.
This year, led by an elephant, the parade kicked off the transcendental activities for a most ecstatic day of chanting, dancing, feasting and distributing thousands of books and thousands of plates of prasadam.
This slideshow shares a glimpse of the devotees loving devotional service to the Lord. Please turn up the volume and relish the transcendental sounds of the Jagannathastakam as the Festival of the Chariots shines its light on the beach cities of Santa Monica and Venice.
Jai Jagannatha! Jai Srila Prabhupada! http://cindikphotography.zenfolio.com/p619752361/slideshow Your servant, Dvarakarani Devi dasi
(Note: It was an inflatable elephant in case you’re wondering. It was on a cart with a sound system playing the roaring of an elephant.)