Planet ISKCON

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The post The Blue Whale Challenge and the desperate human need for self-validation appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Lecture on Compassion at the Artha Forum, Silicon Valley, by Radhanath Swami (Album with photos)
Radhanath Swami spoke recently at the home of Damodar Reddy, an entrepreneur and Founder of Sutisoft Inc., on the topic “Conscious Entrepreneurship – Deepening the Human Connection” as part of an event organized by Artha Forum. Artha Forum is a platform dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs, professionals and business leaders and bringing to them the relevance of ” Earn with Integrity, Spend With Compassion”. The event was attended by approximately 80 guests, including executives from Apple, Google and other important Silicon Valley companies, including Sushant Patnaik and his wife, Namrata, and the CFO from Pulse Secure. Dr. James R. Doty (Stanford Neurosurgeon and Direction of Stanford CCARE) attending as a Special Guest of Honor.

Dr. Doty gave the introduction, expressing that his happiness and his adoration for Radhanath Swami who began his talk by sharing his experiences of joining the counter culture movement as a youth as a way of searching for meaning and purpose in life. He was witnessing so much hatred and discrimination in the name of God and religion, and was inspired by the words of Mahatma Gandhi to “Be the change you want to see in the world”. His experiences lead him to realize that although externally there may be different methods and approaches to different religions, the underlying essence of all true religion is compassion. “In Sanskrit, its called Karuna. This is the foundation for a happy and meaningful life.”

Speaking to the group of leaders Radhanath Swami shared the idea that, “People don’t love you for what you have, your material attachments or position. People really love you for what you are. People love you because of how you have loved them and others. What really is meaningful in life? When you live a life of value and compassion, then your life is meaningful. It’s the greatest need today.”

“The quality of a truly enlightened person is that he sees everyone with an equal vision irrespective of their color, creed, nationality, complexion etc. Actual knowledge is to see the sacredness of every living being. When we recognize the sacredness of our own life, who we really are, the divine child of God, then we can appreciate the sacredness of every other living being. When we harmonize of our mind and body with our own self, then we can see that everything is sacred. We understand that we are not proprietors, but simply caretakers. We are caretakers of each other and the environment. Environmentalism is an eternal sacred principle. Everything we have is nature’s gift and we are simply caretakers.”
“The body is always changing. Who are we really? The living force within our body known as atma, is our real self. When we connect to our true self, we realize that we all have the potential to love. When we water the root, it naturally extends to the branches etc. Similarly connecting to our inner self, naturally extends to all beings. The real key to inner fulfillment is to connect to our real self and to live with integrity. We need to put quality time aside to cultivate our own internal awareness and inspire transformation of heart. The universal principle of all religion – to love God with all your heart and soul.”

Radhanath Swami then shared his appreciation of the entrepreuner, Rajeev Srivatsava and the example of his life, business and the spirit of service and compassion. He concluded with the message, “Every living entity has a certain beautiful quality, and as we grow through our experiences we can appreciate the divinity within every living being. Every part of the body is assisting all other organs of the body. Similarly, for the body of humanity to be happy, we have to appreciate the value that we all have. Compassion is to bring the best out of people to whatever capacity we have, by our example. Compassion doesn’t make us lazy. Real compassion makes us truly active.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/twDHMv

Dear Sir, (Album with photos)
Yesterday my family and I attended your event, the Festival of India, in Mielno. It was a wonderful experience.
I read about Lord Krishna as a teenager when one day, by chance, I came across a book called, “The Science of Self Realization” in a local library. I was only 10 years old at the time and it wasn’t easy reading. Even today I am still trying to grasp the deep knowledge within that book. One thing I have understood from reading it is that my present life is not the only life I have lived. I have lived many lives. This I have realized by the grace of God.
Yesterday my 6-year-old daughter was invited onto the stage of your festival to take part in a singing prayer. It was a beautiful prayer repeated over and over. I was touched watching her so happy singing and dancing at the same time. It is something children rarely get to do these days. Her eyes were shining!
As I watched her I prayed she would remember those moments later in life and as a result, would be inspired to read “The Science of Self Realization” and understand the mysteries of life.
And O! How beautiful she looked in the sari which she received at the end of the prayer along with all the other girls on stage. What a wonderful gift. Thank you all so much.
I was so inspired by everything that at the end of the function I purchased a Bhagavad Gita As It Is, by your leader at a book stall. I feel strongly that this book will help me at this stage of life, wherein I am undergoing a number of difficulties. I pray it will take me from darkness to light, from despair to hope and ultimately to God. I desire that so much.
I am wishing you all the best in your upcoming festivals and I end this letter with deep gratitude!
With regards,
Jaroslaw
August 21, 2017
Find them here: https://goo.gl/wbt3xe

The post Daily Darshan: August 23,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

https://youtu.be/-zjW9skRvns

By Balaram Nityananda Das

At the beginning of this year, I found out that one of my close friends, JD (a.k.a Janakinath) got diagnosed with cancer. When I spent time living as a monk, he gave me a lot of support and guidance, as he is and has been a monk for over 10 years! In such situations, one starts to lose faith, but I have not seen someone fight it with such spiritual drive and he still hasn't lost the smile from his face! Continue reading "Inspire Sundays with Monk: Janakinath Das
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Truth and Power.
Ananda Vrindavaneswari Dasi: There are big truths and small truths and truths that are true just for some and not for others.
There are also absolute truths - those that are for everyone. Dying is one of those. Old age another. No matter what we call them or how we try to avoid them, they come with the territory of the world.
These absolute truths, shared by all of us, are also powerful. Power, by this definition, is something that is stronger than us and can control us. Besides things like time and death, we also have mother nature that is super powerful, and even certain animals and people. A tiny mosquito has power that can kill us with a malaria-ridden bite!
To bring it closer to home, our own body has a certain amount of power. We recognize that our mind, senses and false ego, can madden, sadden, and bewilder us. They pull us here and there and everywhere in our search for happiness and yet at the end of the day often leave us feeling empty and alone.
For a better life, the practice of bhakti invites us to speak truth to power on a regular basis. Any material power, no matter how powerful, can be put into perspective by daily spiritual exercise.

The first truth is that we, as spirit souls, are something completely separate from our body and mind. We need not be defined by the experiences of our life. The soul cannot be burned by fire, withered by the wind, nor cut to pieces by any weapon. We are, happily, something untouched by this material body and the world around us.

We can speak that truth to any and all material power. Prabhupada said it many times and he would return to this truth again and again in his writings and lectures - “We don’t talk of any religion. The material consciousness should be changed into spiritual consciousness. That is our propaganda. It is meant for Hindu, Muslim, Christian, anyone. White, black, yellow, everything. Because it is the function of the soul. Soul is not black, white, yellow. Soul is spirit. So one has to realize that “I am spirit soul. I am not Indian nor American nor Englishman nor German nor white nor black. This is my bodily description. I am not this body.” This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.”

Life is messy and understanding it and all of its complexities can take a lifetime. With essential spiritual truths in our pocket, we can cut to the chase and stand tall against the weather patterns of our material karma. It is a truth that is both powerful and kind. It is the truth of the soul.

Book distribution by GBC members in Chicago (1 min video) Watch it here: https://goo.gl/ZbwvKX

The post Daily Darshan: August 22,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

TOVP: Srila Prabhupada’s murti (Album with photos)
Ambarisa Das: Locan das prabhu, famous Iskcon sculpture, has been engaged by the TOVP project to make the life size murti of Srila Prabhupada for the Vyasasana in the new temple. This is the work so far. We wanted to capture Srila Prabhupada’s love, compassion, and wisdom. I think it is awesome!!!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hDMGCT

Harinama in Barnaul, Russia (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: When there is large-scale congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mant...

Appreciate now!
Vaisesika Das: After someone dies, friends and loved ones suddenly remember the deceased person’s good qualities, how important the person actually was to them, and so on.
“You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.”
Because this world is unpredictable, one should personally appreciate people while one has the opportunity.
Don’t wait.
Appreciate now.
“Your appreciation of devotees like Upendra and Ananda is super excellent. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this lesson—one who appreciates a sincere devotee is eligible to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Srila Prabhupada letter to Mr. Windisch, 21st March 1969)

Istagosti report.

Hallowed Be Thy Name (audio interview)
BBC Radio: Musician Jahnavi Harrison explores why chanting the name of God can be such a powerful devotional practice.
Drawing on her own Hindu tradition, she recalls hearing her parents chanting and how important it became to her from an early age. “The name of God,” she explains, “is said to be the panacea for whatever ails the mind, body and soul. It was the ever present soundtrack to my life - night, day, birthdays, funerals, weddings and road trips.”
Her experience at a Christian school also showed her that other religious traditions say and sing the God’s name. She notes that she was “thrilled to discover this common thread, and the myriad ways that this praise was expressed.”
Using the words of the Psalms, the Sufi poets and a number of Hindu saints and mystics, Jahnavi celebrates the power of chanting in different ways and locations and, alongside the music of Vivaldi and Rachmaninov, she relishes in the most famous of all Hindu songs, My Sweet Lord by George Harrison, who is quoted in the programme:

“My idea was to sneak up on them a bit. The point was to have the people not offended by ‘Hallelujah’ and, by the time it gets to 'Hare Krishna’, they’re already hooked.”

Presenter: Jahnavi Harrison
Producer: Michael Wakelin
A TBI Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Edinburgh Rathayatra, UK - 21st August 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The words “Hare Krishna” should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 17.3 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XBLxsg

The Sparkle In Their Eyes (10 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Every samkirtan devotee knows the joy of sharing Krsna Consciousness with others. This video shows that joy first hand. All glories to the public chanting of Sri Krsna’s sweet holy names!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/53jsMU

Answer Podcast

The post When birth in a wealthy family can deviate one spiritually, how is it spiritually favorable – Hindi? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post If we like to dress the Deities but also want others to appreciate our dressing, is that self-centeredness? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post When bhakti culture is still there in Vraja, was all this destroyed 500 years ago when Lord Chaitanya restored it? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post When we don’t hear so much about Lord Balarama, how can we become more attracted to him? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post While practicing bhakti, should we be concerned about how the world perceives us? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post How can we become less self-centered? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

The post How can we overcome anger? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Talk to managers at GIT auditorium, Belgaum, India]

Podcast

Podcast Summary

The post LEAD acronym – 4 Leadership Sutras from Bhagavad-gita appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Chaitanya Charan Das

It was 3.45 am at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. I was at the guestroom of the ISKCON temple, waiting for the ride that would take me to the airport for my flight to Panama. Shanta Vigraha P, the devotee who had coordinated my visit there and who was to drive me to the airport, had been slightly delayed. Meanwhile, I had thought of using the restroom, which was in an adjacent room. Before going there, I had locked the door of the guestroom. But then I went back to open that door slightly, thinking that as the atmosphere outside was hot and mosquito-ridden, Shanta Vigraha P would be more comfortable inside the guestroom than outside. When I returned a few minutes later, he had still not reached, but apparently someone had come in and stolen my MacBook Air laptop. Continue reading "How my laptop was stolen and recovered – and what I recovered in between
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By ISKCON desire tree network

With growing Krishna consciousness all over the world ISKCON has been instrumental in bringing many souls under the shelter of Lord Sri Krishna with its Philosophy, Kirtans, Prasadam, etc., however the villages and tribes located in remote areas remain unaware of the good fortune in Kaliyuga. An initiative was taken by devotees from ISKCON Pune and with dedicated efforts and Krishna’s mercy a new preaching centre ”Bhagavad Darshan Prachar Kendra” was established in Bodhan village, Telangana. It was inaugurated with great pomp on 10th June 2017. Bhakta Manjunath accompanied by two grihastha devotees were invited for the inauguration. Inaugural activities included basic Krishna conscious introduction which further covered the concepts of 4 regulative principles as followed in ISKCON, importance of chanting holy name and community building. This continued for 9 days till 19th June 2017. Nagar Sankirtanas flooded the areas of Pegadapally, Yedapally, Hunsa, Achanpally and Pothangal with the nectarine holy name. Continue reading "Planting the Seed of Devotion
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By ISKCON Wellington

Bhakti is ahaituky apratihatā. It can neither be achieved through mundane efforts nor be terminated by any mundane cause (SB 1.2.6). But bhakti can be obtained and nurtured in the association of Lord’s devotees. It can be ignited and spread through the association of Vaishnavas. It was this knowledge, faith and desire to spread the love for Godhead that spurred the outreach Janmashtami program for the greater Wellington urban region. This year, devotees from Wellington’s Journey of Self Discovery (JOSD) group under the guidance of HG Ambarish Maharaj Das and HG Anang Manjari Devi Dasi, chose to celebrate the advent of Lord Sri Krishna with the community in Upper Hutt city.  Continue reading "Sri Krishna Reaches Out on Janmashtami
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Srila Prabhupada’s Shower of Mercy by HG Malati Devi Dasi and HG Vishaka Devi Dasi at ISKCON Silicon Valley (video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/n6DiUT

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 15 January 2013, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture)

As long as we are too preoccupied in dealing with what is happening to ourselves, “My situation, my desires, my problems, my issues, my experiences!” as long as that is in the foreground of our thinking, we are in trouble because by nature we will be disturbed. This is just the fundamental script; no matter what the play is, wherever the play is, whoever is in the play, the basic fundamental principle in any play – whether it is Mediterranean or in Helsinki – it does not matter; we will be upadruta, always disturbed. This is the situation; this agitating factor is just the nature of things.

Prabhupada emphasised this point in many situations. He used the Hindi proverb, “Delhi ka laddu khaya, ya nahi khaya,” meaning that whether you have eaten Delhi ka laddu (sweetballs from Delhi) or not eaten, the problem is still there. Some are thinking, “Oh, I never ate this laddu!” Whereas others are thinking, “I have eaten too many laddus!”

In other words, still agitated. Prabhupada used the example of in the case of marriage, “Unhappy when not married, unhappy when married!” So whatever the situation, make the best of it, make it work!

We all carry this agitation within us. It is a fundamental thing. Maya makes us think that the solution to deal with agitation is to find the situation where we are least agitated and that is called a ‘comfortable situation’ even though it is not the solution to deal with agitation.

However, the real solution is to not focus on ourselves but to focus on the well-being of others! This the change the we need to make. It takes a long time to successfully do that. Gradually in spiritual life, we have to embrace the well-being of others and make this our meditation, “How can I pass on mercy to others?” When this becomes our meditation, then spiritual life becomes susukham kartum avyayam (Bhagavad-gita 9.2), joyfully performed!

Rising and Shining with Hare Krishna Mahamantra in school morning assembly (1 min video)
Morning assembly in this school with the chanting of Mahamantra gives students a chance to connect with the Lord, and begin the day with a feeling of gratitude and spiritual rejuvenation. Through Kirtan, students learn the value of collective prayer and are exposed to the need to inculcate spiritual and ethical values.
The morning assembly is conducted in every school to help children showcase their talent and ensure a robust start of the day. They are also guided to the path of spiritualism through educational talks organized by school authorities.
Meditation and Kirtan form an integral feature of the morning assembly in this school in New Delhi.
Your Servant
Kanika Khanna
School Teacher
& Member, IGF
ISKCON Punjabi Bagh
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/UuhzKU

Newspaper clip from Jax Beach Festival of Chariots last Saturday!

Harinama in Moscow, Russia (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: Kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara (Cc. Adi 17.22): In this age, Krishna has appe...

By Chandan Yatra Das

Ujjain is an ancient holy city on the bank of the Kshipra River, today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Ujjain is the place where Lord Krishna, along with Balarama and Sudama, received education from Maharishi Sandipani. Ujjain is one of the four sites in India that host the Kumbh Mela (also called the Simhastha Mela), once in 12 years. On the occasion of Simhastha Kumbh Mela the divinity and spiritual aroma of Ujjain meets its highest peak when millions of pilgrims take dips and worship sacred River Kshipra. The Garuda Purana enumerates seven sacred cities (Sapta Moksha Puri) as giver of Moksha (Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi, Kanchi, Avantika, Dwarka); Ujjain or Avantika is one among these seven sacred cities. Lord Ramacandra along with Sita-devi and Laxmana also came to Ujjain. Lord Ramacandra performed the ‘Pind-dan’ ceremony for His father Dasaratha at the Ram Ghat on the bank of Kshipra river, which is the famous holy site of Kumbh Mela. Continue reading "Ujjain Yatra Sri Avantika Dhama
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The post Daily Darshan : August 21,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Hare Krishna

By Gour Govinda Swami

It is the causeless mercy of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga that I came here to meet you all, I am very happy at such causeless mercy of Guru and Gauranga. Unless one gets such mercy, how can one cross over this dreadful ocean of material existence and go deep into the other part, the other shore? That means beyond the material ocean, material world, there is the abode of Lord and that is our eternal home. Now the question is how can we go there? The only way to go there is to offer prayer at the lotus feet of that Guru who is an expert navigator, who can ferry us across this dreadful ocean and take us there. Continue reading "Gour Govinda Swami’s Vyasa-puja offering to Srila Prabhupada
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