The rarity of a brahmana
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 February 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.12)

Austerity is the wealth of the brahmanas. Great sages like Bhrgu had attained higher planetary systems above the heavenly planets. They were very powerful by dint of their austerity and everyone within the universe was under the control of these great sages. So also a vaisnava, by his austerity in devotional service, is gaining in transcendental strength. Spiritual strength depends on many factors but austerity is an essential element of it. In this age, it is difficult to perform austerity because we are weak and not inclined to austerity. But we see that great personalities in the past were famous because of the austerities they had performed in their spiritual practices.

When Nanda Maharaja was celebrating the appearance of his new born son, at that time Gargamuni appeared. He was sent by Vasudev to perform the birth ceremony. It is said that Nanda Maharaja was highly pleased to receive that brahmana. He worshiped that brahmana because even at such a time, 5000 years ago, such a brahmana was very rare!

Friday June 23, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

West of Vernal, Utah

Flowers and Trucks

I broke my walk into three parts today—night-time, morning and a blazing afternoon for an hour. I met Steven, seventy-five, who was shocked to see a monk in town. He has all the books of the popular Indian gurus. His collection also includes Aurobindo and Srila Prabhupada. He said, “Prabhupada emphasizes devotion.”

“That’s right!”

On Monday, our team will visit Steven, who lives in a rather isolated place. I’m looking forward to it.

I also met another Steven, the library operator in one of the local towns. Like many folks who stop to talk, he offered a ride, but suspected I was on a mission.

“I’ll come to see you in the library,” I said, “when we get to your town.”

In reality, everyone is in a car or a truck. Vernal has Hwy 40 running through it. There’s a passion in this place. What tempers the passion is the petunias potted all along the street. The town seems to take them very seriously. I was leap-frogging with the fellow who goes around in a truck watering those flowers with a hose. It was almost like a game. I had to dodge the squirt-hose.

Flowers usually make you smile, laugh or offer some comfort. Usually the more flowers planted in a city, the less crime there is.. Sounds too simplistic? Apparently it’s true.

I want to thank Jaya Gopal for sponsoring our room in the Days Inn. That was very devotional of you.

May the Source be with you!
21 miles

Editor’s Note: The Walking Monk will be live on Facebook at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, aka 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Sunday June 26, 2017. Here’s the link. We hope you can join the event.

Thank you. https://www.facebook.com/events/1556739307691771/?ti=icl

Los Angeles Times Review ‘Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the…
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Los Angeles Times Review ‘Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All’ reveals an inner glow!
Michael Rechtshaffen: The documentary “Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All” essentially says it all as a fittingly devotional tribute to Srila Prabhupada, who traveled from Calcutta to New York at age 70 and spearheaded a revolution of self-realization.
As chronicled by director John Griesser, it wasn’t all rose petals and hand cymbals when the former pharmacist arrived in America by cargo ship in 1965 without sponsors or suitable winter clothing.

Eventually, hippies, in pursuit of an alternate reality that wasn’t drug-induced, began trickling into his East Village storefront, and, within a few years, Prabhupada’s movement would have high-profile outposts in San Francisco and then London, where it found a valuable ambassador in George Harrison.

With its rare archival footage featuring the quiet Beatle, as well as adherents Allen Ginsberg and, later, Boy George, the film effectively summons an evocative moment in time.

But, in the absence of on-screen detractors, save for brief mention of a backlash from alarmed parents who accused movements such as Hare Krishna of employing mind-control techniques to recruit their children, the film ultimately feels like a marketing tool for ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Still, and it may just be the lighting, there’s no denying that the swami’s original American disciples, shown a half-century later and 40 years after the death of their leader, all seem to possess a palpable inner glow.
Source: https://goo.gl/7JQGeR

During the evolution of life on the earth, when did the soul enter into the picture?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post During the evolution of life on the earth, when did the soul enter into the picture? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

New Updates from the Bhaktivedanta Archives. Published on the…
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New Updates from the Bhaktivedanta Archives.
Published on the Auspicious Disappearance Day
of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, June 23rd, 2017
The Bhaktivedanta Archives is pleased to offer two new releases:
1) The VedaBase™ 2017.1 update.
2) Original unedited audio for the year 1969.
The 2017 VedaBase™ Update Includes:
a) New Unicode w/Reference Icon!
Authored by Indupati Dāsa
Unicode is a modern typographic standard for processing text in multiple languages. This standard accommodates all the diacritic marks needed for rendering Sanskrit and Bengali in roman transliteration, etc.

The new Unicode icon converts selected diacritic text in the VedaBase to this universal standard which can be applied on the web, emails, Facebook, etc.

Mac: Preinstalled.

Windows: Refer to Unicode—README.
[Advanced Users Only—no tech support]

b) 1969 Reverified Against Original Audio

c) 1975 Room Conversation with Gurukula Teachers
Via Rūpa-vilāsa Dāsa

d) The Way of Kings
Drew Lawrence / Duryodhana-guru Dāsa

e) The Realization & Manifestation of Your Eternal Identity
Uttamaśloka Dāsa

f) Śrī Godruma Kalpāṭavī, The Desire-tree Grove of Godruma
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
with Translations and Commentary by Jayapatākā Swami

Download VedaBase™ 2017.1
[Both Windows & Mac]

Alternative Downloads:

Windows
Mac


Audio Publishing and Processing Update

Tape Ministry Compared to Original Audio

1977 (038 / 387 (audio files published)
1976 (244 / 703 (audio files published)
1975 (302 / 563 (audio files published)
1974 (309 / 439 (audio files published)
1973 (289 / 418 (audio files published)
1972 (160 / 413 (audio files published)
1971 (015 / 228 (audio files published)
1970 (017 / 084 (audio files published)
1969 (067 / 145 (audio files published)
———————————————————
1968 (052 / 150* (audio files)
1967 (011 / 048* (audio files)
1966 (101 / 118* (audio files)

* Anticipated 316 original audio files [pending]

1969 (102 hours, 145 audio files, 04 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1970 (043 hours, 084 audio files, 02 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1971 (136 hours, 228 audio files, 06 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1972 (258 hours, 413 audio files, 14 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1973 (252 hours, 418 audio files, 11 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1974 (250 hours, 439 audio files, 11 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1975 (315 hours, 563 audio files, 14 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1976 (340 hours, 703 audio files, 17 Gb)
Individual Downloads

1977 (237 hours, 387 audio files, 10 Gb)
Individual Downloads

Total: (1933 hours, 3380 audio files, 89 Gb)*

*[All audios are accompanied by matching PDF transcription files.]

Alternative downloads from Prabhupadavani.org

How to Acquire without downloading:

a) Receive all 145 ‘69 original audios for $50.- on an USB Drive, including shipping and handling worldwide. Includes the latest VedaBase 2017.1 NFO (Mac & PC).

b) Receive all 3380 [1969—1977] original audios for $75.- on an USB Drive, including shipping and handling worldwide. Includes the latest VedaBase 2017.1 NFO (Mac & PC).

Contact: info@prabhupada.com or go directly to our PayPal donation page: http://prabhupada.com/Donations/Donations.html

Tech Support


Technical assistance is provided via email only for bona fide VedaBase versions, phone support not available. When contacting us about a particular problem, try to be as specific as possible. For example: state your Operating System (version), computer type, VedaBase version, etc. If required include screenshots to help clarify your issue. We normally reply within 24 hours.

We do not provide help with your computer’s Operating System or how to operate your computer.

Questions for VedaBase (Windows): ekanatha@prabhupada.com
Questions for VedaBase (Mac): nitya@prabhupada.com

Thank you.

Your grateful servants,
The Bhaktivedanta Archives staff

Parama-rūpa Dāsa
Nitya-tṛptā Devī Dāsī
Kula-priya Devī Dāsī
Ekanātha Dāsa

To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/Ag3yWf

Boy goes into a “trance” by getting the…
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Boy goes into a “trance” by getting the Bhagavad-gita!
Mohanasini’s Sankirtan Pic/Pick of the Week: After his parents gave a generous donation for Food for Life, I offered them a Bhagavad Gita for being so kind. Well, this 5-year-old, Cayden from Arkansas, who will be going into 1st grade in the fall, spontaneously grabbed the book from his father and opened up to the picture of Krishna and His different incarnations. He got a big smile and was practically glowing. He tried to show the picture to his parents but they didn’t pay so much attention. I asked his mom if he can read and she said yes. They were waiting on the corner for some time and I looked over and saw this intelligent boy sitting like a yogi on the sidewalk perusing the Bhagavad Gita very intently. Looks like he’s picked up where he left off! :)

Yoga and Peace
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Hare KrishnaBy Satyaraja Dasa

Prabhupada quickly engaged his disciples in mimeographing thousands of pamphlets with his “peace formula” philosophy, and he distributed them worldwide. Here is what he had to say: “The great mistake of modern civilization is to encroach upon others’ property as though it were one’s own and to thereby create an unnecessary disturbance of the laws of nature. These laws are very strong. No living entity can violate them. Only one who is Krishna conscious can easily overcome the stringency of the laws of nature and thus become happy and peaceful in the world. “As a state is protected by the department of law and order, so the state of Universe, of which this earth is only an insignificant fragment, is protected by the laws of nature. This material nature is one of the different potencies of God, who is the ultimate proprietor of everything that be. This earth is, therefore, the property of God, but we, the living entities, especially the so-called civilized human beings, are claiming God’s property as our own, under both an individual and collective false conception. If you want peace, you have to remove this false conception from your mind and from the world. This false claim of proprietorship by the human race on earth is partly or wholly the cause of all disturbances of peace on earth. Continue reading "Yoga and Peace
→ Dandavats"

Demystifying Reincarnation 7 – Past life memories – Fraud by investigators?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post Demystifying Reincarnation 7 – Past life memories – Fraud by investigators? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Canada Day Harinama (Outdoor Chanting) – July 1st
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

What can be a better way for devotees to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday than going out on the Seventh Annual Canada Day Harinama (outdoor chanting and dancing)? It has been our Hare Krishna tradition to celebrate Canada Day by hitting the streets with chanting and dancing! Let's continue our annual tradition of celebrating Canada Day by showcasing Krishna Consciousness in the most fun and attractive way. We will be having a WHITE and RED theme, so please dress in your best red or white vaishnava attire.

The main goal of this event is to invite as many people as possible to the upcoming Ratha-Yatra (Festival of India) by distributing flyers and cards. It will be an opportunity for us to create a buzz for the upcoming festival!

Event Details:

Date: July 1st, 2017

Timings:

Leaving the temple at 3pm
**Gopi-dots (traditional face paint) artists will be available from 1pm - 3pm at the temple**

Location:

We will be leaving the temple by subway to College Station
Walking from College Station to Old City Hall (near Nathan Phillips Square)

Let's all head out to the streets of downtown and share the sweet sounds of kirtan with everyone as a perfect gift for Canada Day!

Two Million And Counting (Album with photos) Indradyumna Swami:…
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Two Million And Counting (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Today myself, Bada Haridas and several local devotees in Skopje, Macedonia were on two prime time television programs; one in the morning at… breakfast time and another at lunch time. Each program was watched by over one million people. When I inquired how it was possible so many people could be watching, one of the producers smiled and replied, “It’s a habit here in Macedonia to watch television while enjoying breakfast and lunch.” Srila Prabhupada, we offer the results to your lotus feet and pray that we may serve your samkirtan movement until all the 14 worlds are chanting the holy names!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Z5gTwh

Iskcon London Update: Temple Facade Refurbishment. Last year we…
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Iskcon London Update: Temple Facade Refurbishment.
Last year we undertook a major refurbishment of the temple from Govinda’s restaurant right up to the mens ashrama at the top. It took over three and a half months to complete. There has been consistently wonderful feedback from everyone about how the temple has never looked so beautiful and inspiring. But the plan was not to stop there. The outside of the temple was also in dire need of a ‘facelift’ to recover from damage done to it as a result of the construction in adjoining building and the rigors of time. Finally all the elements came into place to undertake this work. So from the week starting 12th June, scaffolding was erected to facilitate this work and the repair work commenced on Monday 19th June. This includes repairing the numerous major structural cracks throughout the facade, installing new windows and lighting and of course a beautiful new coat of paint. And upon further consideration now a complete retiling of a portion of the roof has been added to the works, as previous repairs have failed to stop leaks that are coming into the ladies ashrama. The proposed duration of work is up to four weeks. While the work is going on, there will be absolutely no impact on the restaurant or temple activities and everything is running as usual with no change to opening hours. We thank you for your patience during these essential works and request your support in well-wishes and prayers that everything proceeds nicely in continuing to ‘Beautify Krishna’s Temple’.

Gaura Sharanam – the new album of Badahari prabhu (Audio…
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Gaura Sharanam - the new album of Badahari prabhu (Audio tracks)
Whether you prefer your kirtan music for meditation, yoga, dancing, or singing, your desires will be satisfied with Bada Haridas’ new album, Gaura Sharanam.
Easy to sing-along melodies, original tunes and stunning arrangements, the tasteful fusion of musical accompaniment, and the beautiful voices of guest artists, combine to make Gaura Sharanam a new favorite kirtan album. From beginning to end, it’s uplifting and engaging. Truly, anandambudhi vardanam: an ocean of bliss!
Listen to them here: https://goo.gl/QctVPZ

Upcoming Ramayana Book Gives Sita a Voice
→ ISKCON News

Most editions of the epic devotional classic the Ramayana that you pick up will give a major focus only on the male characters, such as Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman. Author Vrinda Sheth, whose book Queen of the Elements – the second in her Sita’s Fire trilogy – is out on August 8th, wanted to give readers a female perspective too.

Thursday June 22, 2017
→ The Walking Monk

Vernal, Utah

Night/Day

Cheryl was a great host at the Yoga Center in Steamboat. She even cooked a fine kitchari for us. Remember—rice, dahl, vegetables and Indian spices? The program included “Tales From Trails”, kirtan, and dancing. Attendees purchased books and beads. We were invited back for the future.

Now, the challenge was on. We arrived via vehicle at 11:15 p.m. at the spot where I left off earlier in the day. My distance for trekking was to be a real push through the night. It was dark. Strong flashes of thunder were ahead. Rain came, but little. The wind pushed the clouds very rapidly. The temperature was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. No bugs were there to pester. Fatigue was evident. Near the end of the thirteen mile night-walk, I was staggering a bit, like a drunkard.

At the Motel 6, we slept—just a squeeze of four hours for me. Then a mere seven miles were left to complete. This time the sun was upon me, biting like fire on my neck.

But all was cool. I met two individual Samaritans who came to offer water. The second woman, an Hispanic lady, gave no explanation. “Here ya go,” was all she said as she presented a tumbler of ice-water. After she left, just a few yards into her journey, she shouted back, “You’re beautiful!”
“You are!” I replied.

I met a local fellow who had this new walking stick. I asked, “How far do you walk everyday?”
“About ten miles.”
“You’re a hero!”

Liberty Best came from the Vernal Express with questions. It was outside a bike store. The employees come out with cameras and handshakes.
“You’re the guy I’ve seen on the highway.”

Liberty took shots. She liked the fact that I’m seeing sacredness on the road.

May the Source be with you!

20 miles

Iskcon New Delhi, Gundicha Marjan: 23-06-2017 (Album with…
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Iskcon New Delhi, Gundicha Marjan: 23-06-2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “As a result of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead. The holy name of Krishna is so powerful that by chanting even one name, one very easily achieves these transcendental riches.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.28)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XrPEzR

Rath Yatra preparations in Sridam Mayapur
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Hare KrishnaBy Subroto Das

The preparations and planning for the festival began on the day of Akshay Trithia and since then more than 100 devotees have been toiling night and day. On 25th June morning the celebrations will begin from the wee hours of morning. The devotees will be decorating the cart with colourful flowers, garlands, flags, lamps. In the afternoon, amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras by the students of Gurukula, the deities will be carried into their respective carts- Taladwaja of Lord Baladev, Devadanala of Subhadra Devi and Nandighosa of Lord Jagannath. The procession will start from Rajapur at 2.00pm , pass through Chand Kazi Samadhi, Bamanpukur Bazar, Balaldighi on Bhakti Sidhhanta Saraswati Road, covering a distance of 6km. The procession will feature congregational chanting ( sankirtan) , dance, musical performances by the devotees. Further, accompanying the chariots devotees will play drums, tambourines, trumpets, cymbals. Continue reading "Rath Yatra preparations in Sridam Mayapur
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Lord Narayana speaking to Gopa Kumara / Господь Нараяна Гопа Кумару
→ Traveling Monk

Lord Narayana speaking to Gopa Kumara:
“Welcome, welcome, my dear boy! I am fortunate – most fortunate – to meet you here. For so long I have been eager to see you! My dear friend, you have passed many lifetimes without paying any attention to me at all. For so long hope had me dancing like a fool thinking, ‘Perhaps in this lifetime, or this, or this, or this, he will finally turn his face toward me.’ But I could find no pretext on which to bring you to my abode, dear brother, and still follow the timeless laws that I myself have created. You showed me no mercy and as I considered this I grew impatient, full of anxiety to receive your favor. So I transgressed my eternal code of conduct and arranged for you to take your current birth. Dear boy, in that divine district of Govardhana, my most beloved abode, I myself became your guru, known by the name Jayanta. Today you have at last fulfilled the desire I have harbored for so long. Please nourish your happiness and mine by staying here forever.”
[ Sri Brhad-Bhagavatamrta 2.4 Texts 81-87.
Translated by Gopiparanadhana Dasa (BBT) ]

 

Господь Нараяна Гопа Кумару:

«Добро пожаловать, добро пожаловать, мой дорогой мальчик! Как Я счастлив встретиться с тобой! Как давно Я хотел тебя увидеть! Мой дорогой друг, ты прожил столько жизней, не обращая на Меня никакого внимания. Я как глупец, все пританцовывал в надежде, думая: «Вот-вот, в этой жизни, в этой, или этой он, наконец-то, повернется ко Мне». Но Я не мог найти ни единого повода, чтобы привести тебя в Мою обитель, дорогой брат, и лишь следовал вечному закону, который Сам и создал. Ты не проявлял ко Мне милости, и чем больше Я размышлял над этим, тем больше беспокоился о том, чтобы вернуть твое расположение. Так что Я преступил Свой вечный свод порядков и устроил для тебя нынешнее рождение. Дорогой мальчик, в этой божественной, самой Моей любимой обители, на Говардхане, Я Сам стал твоим гуру под именем Джаянта. Сегодня исполни наконец-то желание, которое Я таил так долго. Пожалуйста, напитай и свое, и Мое счастье – останься здесь навсегда».

[ «Шри Брихад-Бхагаватамрита» 2.4 .81-87
Перевод с санскрита на английский: Gopiparanadhana Dasa (BBT) ]

Notice Of Approaching Death
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Bhakti Prabhava Swami

I made a seminar presentation, in which I shared my experience of attempting to help terminally ill devotees to prepare for death, I asked the seminar attendants the question: “What would you do if you were told you have terminal cancer and you have two or three months to live?” Some devotees replied that they would go to Vrindavan or Mayapur to prepare for leaving their body. Others said that they would chant constantly and hear Krishna Katha without interruption. Bhakta Pol was able to visit the holy dhamas and intensify his sadhana and association with devotees because, until his sudden heart failure, he was in reasonably good health. But a person suffering with advanced cancer is generally not able to perform these activities. Therefore, Hamsagati Krishna Das, who left us at the age of sixty-one, reacted differently to the news of his imminent death. Continue reading "Notice Of Approaching Death
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Stonehenge 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Dharmatma Das

For close to 30 years Parasuram prabhu has spearheaded the preaching at this famous event. The devotees are appreciated by the organizers and all those attending. Thousands of plates of Prasadam were distributed and scores of Srila Prabhupada's books went out. The Kirtan was amazing! Dayal Mora and Harinam Ruci had them rocking and when the illuminated Nrsimha and Hunuman entered everyone went crazy. Didn't make the sunrise though due to senior limitations. Thanks to my good wife for the photos! Continue reading "Stonehenge 2017
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What Kirtan means to me (3 min video)His Holiness Kadamba…
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What Kirtan means to me (3 min video)
His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami is a spiritual leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, an author of several books such as, “Nothing but the Holy Name” and “Words of a Public Hermit”. He has also recorded over ten albums to fund the various projects that he supports. Being widely recognized for his melodic voice and up-tempo rhythm, Kadamba Kanana Swami is frequently invited to perform at various singing festivals. In this video, he shares what Kirtan means to him.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/miDPB9

Demystifying Reincarnation 6 – Past-life memories – Frauds by parents?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

The post Demystifying Reincarnation 6 – Past-life memories – Frauds by parents? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.