Planet ISKCON

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The Time of The Sages Documentary-Trailer (5 min video)
The Oxford Center for Hindu Studies is host to the Bhagavata Purana Research Project. As key step in this project, we have organized an international conference in Chennai, in early 2017, with some 30 specialists from around the world presenting papers and discussing different aspects of the Bhagavata Purana. This is a perfect opportunity for us to interview and film these scholars for this documentary film. We are living in a world full of anxiety, fear and uncertainty. Bhagavata Purana can act as an antidote for these diseases of the heart. It offers a broader vision which can change ourselves individually and collectively by showing ways of seeing and living based in our fundamentally joyful nature. Krishna Ksetra Swami: I am a research fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Since more than 40 years I study, teach, and research on the Bhagavata Purana, the crown jewel of Indias wisdom literature. I would like to make a documentary on this great literature to make it more widely known in the West. The Bhagavata Purana invites us to participate in a nontemporal, ever-expanding reality. Its an engaging nourishment for the soul. I hope well treasure with others through this film. Dr Kenneth Valpey Watch it here: https://goo.gl/fFSGuR

“Raghunatha dasa Goswami went to everyone there. he bowed down to them. he took dust from their feet with genuine feelings of humility and gratitude and reverence. And, he offered prayers to everyone. Seeing that this came from his heart. Lord Nityananda said that because you have served the devotees — his service so humble — because you have served them so nicely and pleased them so much in their hearts, Lord Caitanaya Himself came to this festival. And, soon you will attain freedom from all entanglements of this world. You will become one of the most intimate associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu under the guidance of Swarupa Damodara Goswami.” — Radhanatha Swami

Giriraj Swami, Panihati
Radhanatha Swami, Panihati
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Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi. “Pandava” refers to the Pandavas, the sons of Emperor Pandu. One son of Pandu was Bhima, a most powerful warrior and a most voracious eater. He was not one who welcomed fasting and admitted to not being able to follow Ekadasi.

However, he was told that if he observed complete fasting on one particular Ekadasi day annually, he would get all the spiritual benefits of having followed every Ekadasi fast of the year.

He and his brothers thus all agreed to fast on that day. “Nirjala” means “no water.” Strict followers of Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi observe a total fast, even from water.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 June 2014, Stockholm, Sweden, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.75)

Sometimes small things can make such a big difference. When it does not happen, that can also make a difference. I was about fourteen years old, I was on a bus and there was one empty seat next to mine. Then this Hare Krsna came onto the bus and I thought, “Oh no…” knowing that the only empty seat in the bus was next to me. I thought, “Oh God! Oh no! I hope it is not going to happen!” I almost crawled into the wall of the bus! Sure enough, he sat next to me.

I looked at him thinking, “Oh my God. Oh no! A Hare Krsna!”
He looked at me like, “Oh! A hippie! Oh God! A hippie! Oh no!”
And, I was thinking, “Oh no! A Hare Krsna!”

That is about as far as it ever got. After some stops, he got down and that was it. But, what if he would have given me an invitation card to the Sunday feast!?

What if, he would have said, “Hey. Pssst. This is for you.”
I would have said, “Uh… okay… thanks.” I would have been shocked but I might have just checked it out because I was interested in spiritual things but then he did not give me the card so nothing happened.

Somehow or other, I was getting involved in some sort of Youth Centre which had a vegetarian restaurant and different yoga courses and meditation. Then one day, there was a swami from India visiting so they asked if I could put him up for the night. I said, “No problem. Sure.”

I took the swami home but the swami was not interested in me. He was saying, “Well, tomorrow I am going to visit a Christian monastery and it will be very nice to be with some people with spiritual interests.”
I was thinking, “But I have spiritual interests.” However, he did not see it like that.

Anyway, the next morning, he left and I do not know where he went but he forgot a set of clothes on the line so I tried them on, in front of the mirror (laughter). He thought I had no spiritual interest… Anyway, I was saved from mayavada but I did get the saffron clothes and to just put them on in front of the mirror, that had an effect. That had an effect! You know, all that played its part.

So just see, we think that people are not interested but that is not a fact. Everyone, everyone is walking around thinking, “What am I doing? What am I doing actually? What am I doing?” Sometimes, only sometimes, you meet a demon who says (booming voice), “I know what I am doing! I know exactly what I am doing! I am a self-made man!” But that is rare. Most people, actually deep down in their heart are walking around and they do not know what they are doing and they know it. They know it and they wonder, “What am I doing?” Are we not like that? Were we not like that? Walking around thinking, “What am I doing?” Working at some job thinking, “What am I doing?” So many of us…

Croatia Harinama Tour (Album with photos)
By congregationally chanting the holy names you achieve everything, including the goal of life and the process for attaining it. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada: …Love of Krishna is the sadhya, and congregational chanting the names of Krishna is the sadhana. Any questions that may arise in this regard can be resolved only by chanting the names of Krishna.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/X066ax

Srila Prabhupada’s book distribution (Album with photos)
At the Sadhu Sanga Kirtan Retreat we had a very successful BBT promo. Many devotees got their BBT pen and special bookmarks.
In addition we also distributed 76 sets of Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta: 20 sets of Sri Chaitanya Caritamrta: 15 sets of Srimad Bhagavatam and 36 copies of Our Family Business
Find them here: https://goo.gl/RINjQp

By Rupeshgauranga Dasa

However fast world may progress towards automation and robotics, every individual will still require an another human to love him because machines can not fulfil the most basic urge of the heart, that is 'to love and to be loved'. Relationships are the most important but simultaneously difficult to cultivate if not cared properly. “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.” “We can improve our relationships with others by leaps and bounds if we become encouragers instead of critics.” “When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” Continue reading "Protecting the relationSHIP from sinking
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Simple living and high thinking at Prabhupad Bhavan, Czech Republic (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: Keep your health in good condition and ...

Pure gold! (1 min video)
On this auspicious day of Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi, one Chakra for the small domes and all of the remaining pieces for the 2 small Kalashes have fully arrived.
You can see in this video how they will look and their size for the small domes.
The Chakras are made of solid stainless steel coated with pure gold. This gold will remain for many years and the chakras won’t need to be recoated for the next 100 years!
This Chakra will be placed very shortly on the domes, once the Kalash will be completed then the Chakra will be installed while we have the cranes.
It will be fully installed by HG Jananivas and HG Pangajangri Prabhus.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/uVJLLx

Wonderful and ecstatic Rath Yatra 2017 (Album with photos) Iskcon Kampala, Uganda, East Africa. Find them here: https://goo.gl/8r13RJ

TOVP: Kalash Work Progress (Album with photos) Sadbhuja Das: Pictured here is the team of Russian technicians at work inside the TOVP putting to...

By Padmapani Das

On July 29, 1971, Srila Prabhupada was interviewed on television at the University of Gainesville in Florida (which His Divine Grace described as "a remote corner of the world, thousands of miles from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya"). At one point, Srila Prabhupada was asked the following question: Interviewer: How would I recognize a true follower of the Krishna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be? Srila Prabhupada: He'd be a very perfect gentleman, that's all. You could not find any fault in him. What's particularly striking about his reply is that Srila Prabhupada never mentioned any external symptoms such as dress, title, social position, or even what religious or spiritual practices one followed. His evidence was the result -- or fruit -- of spiritual advancement. As Prabhupada often said, "You can judge a thing by its result." Continue reading "Seeing the Prime Cause
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By The "Hare Krishna!" team

Exciting news!! Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami who started it all has won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture at Illuminate Film Festival, the top prize of the festival! Lead Juror Michael Kiehnert said that they awarded it to the film which the jury felt had the potential "to reach their widest possible audience and have the greatest impact." Illuminate is the largest Conscious Film Festival in the world and Hare Krishna! The film was one of 10 films competing for this year's top prize. Continue reading "Hare Krishna! The film wins Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture at Illuminate Film Festival
→ Dandavats"

On the occasion of Ganga Devi’s merciful descent to earth, grand puja was offered on 4th June to Mother Ganga at Prabhupada Ghat, Mayapur. Highlight being the spectacular Ganga Arthi with big, bright lamps. Srimati Ganga Devi, seated on her carrier crocodile, decorated in a new Sari and many flower garlands, accepted the puja and […]

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Sanskrit for Scriptural Study (video)
ISKCON of New Jersey hosted His Grace Radhika Ramana Dasa for a wonderful seminar on Sanskrit for Scriptural Study. Please hear and share. This seminar will give students an appreciation for the beauty and utility of the Sanskrit language. The course will focus on those aspects of the language which are practically useful for the study of Srila Prabhupadas books. These include a basic familiarity with: The purpose of Sanskrit study The structure and scope of the language Proper pronunciation and recitation of verses Frequently used verse meters Rules of euphonic combination (sandhi) Watch it here: https://goo.gl/m9DmmC

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[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Chowpatty, India]
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News story and audio interview about devotee musician from New Zealand.
Despite the high acclaim Denver received for his work as Micronism, Mechanism, and the music he released under his own name, he stopped producing a year later, pursuing a newfound interest in the Hare Krishna faith. Since then he’s spent time as a Krishna Devotee in Ashrams in NZ, Peru, and is now based in Brisbane with his wife and son.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/QGS2NC