Niranjana Swami – Kirtan at Gauranga festival, Ukraine –…
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Niranjana Swami – Kirtan at Gauranga festival, Ukraine – 9-Jun-2017 (video)
Srila Prabhupada: Worship of the Lord, whose name is like the sun, for just as a slight appearance of the sun dissipates the darkness of night, so a slight appearance of the holy name of Krishna can drive away all the darkness of ignorance that arises in the heart due to greatly sinful activities performed in previous lives. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.62)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/jrpLH7

Developing Bhava for Krishna
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Hare Krishna

So many times we hear the word ‘bhava’ among devotees that one should develop bhava for Krishna or so and so devotee has a very nice bhava. So what actually is this bhava? Is it emotions, is it feelings, is it love or is it a mixture of many things. Sometimes we use this term very casually or liberally in the devotee circles. Indeed, bhava, being the preliminary stage of elevation before the attainment of pure love of Krishna, is a very deep topic. It is meant to be discussed by paramahamsas or liberated devotees. However keeping the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada in our consciousness we can pray and try to taste a small drop from the unlimited ocean of nectar of devotion.


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New York Ratha-Yatra 2017 – Photos and Videos
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Hare KrishnaThe Chariot Festival of Lord Jagannatha (Ratha Yatra), the Lord of the Universe, has been performed at the spiritual seaside resort of Puri, India for more than two thousand years. Since 1976, this attractive, beautiful, and bliss inspiring annual Jagannatha Ratha Yatra festival has been celebrated by the Hare Krishna devotees on New York’s Fifth Avenue, the heart of New York City. This Jagannatha Ratha Yatra festival is performed in a mood of love and devotion and invokes auspiciousness for universal peace, harmony, and good will for all of God’s children.

Reincarnation and the human quest for self-understanding
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[Talk to IIT Kharagpur students at Kharagpur, India]

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How to see God in this world
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[Talk to IIT Kharagpur students at Kharagpur, India]

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The possibility for self-improvement is reduced by materialism and expanded by spirituality Gita 18.60
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Podcast

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Spiritualizing our relationships – Hindi
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[Congregation program at Kharagpur, India]

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How can we be Krishna conscious when we are not staying with devotees in a youth center – Hindi?
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Answer Podcast

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While doing our service, is seeing everything in connection with Krishna necessary?
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Answer Podcast

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Gita 13.20 Matter is eternal, but material forms are temporary
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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast


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The role of faith in devotional service
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The role of faith in devotional service.
Faith is the unflinching confidence that upon attaining one thing — Krsna-bhakti — one is provided with all other desirable achievements. Absolute faith, unflinching faith, rests in Krsna-bhakti only. Faith in any other result or any other process will be unavoidably transient and ultimately disappointing. Attaining this faith rests upon guru-kripa, which includes very careful guidance and training. Similarly, one cannot move forward on this path while holding tightly to a bodily or a material conception of life — and thus of guru, the process of bhakti, the goal of bhakti, the rewards of bhakti, the subjective experience of bhakti, etc. These misconceptions will result in offenses, which will obfuscate one’s vision and seriously inhibit progress on the path. Faith brings intelligence and realization, which fix the mind in undeviating determination. The medium of cultivation of faith is service – humble and devoted service. This is KC'ness!


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Friday June 9, 2017
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Rustic, Colorado
It Starts With The Moon

The moon, in almost complete fullness, was right before me on high; its image tucked between two mountain peaks. Rainbow colours circled around it.
Marshall, who was with me, also marvelled at the splendour of it, and remarked, “My dad used to say that those circles around the moon indicate there will be a storm.”
As the hours wore on, we did not encounter a weather storm, but the rage of the Cache la Poudre River, aka the Poudre (pronounced poo-der) River. I personally love the roar of a river in my ears, as opposed to the roar of trucks. It is real mercy (fortune) that very few trucks visit this road, Hwy 14. I am astounded that cars and recreational vehicles don’t tumble down into the river with this meandering road at its side. There are no barriers to keep traffic in. I am also surprised that the towering rocks, seemingly ready to give way, do not roll down to crush the traffic. This is a tight valley.
I do think of people, acquaintances, I know while walking. I think about and pray for those who struggle with cancer, alcohol and multiple other challenges. I knew them in a period of their life when they were vibrant and youthful. It’s changed now. Age is creeping up for all.
People are important to me. One fellow, in his middle-age, was working in his front yard. I asked, “How far is the town of Rustic?”
He told me, “Two miles.”
I told him of my walk and moved on. Later, he drove up to reach me and gave me a bag filled with half of his personal groceries, all veg-oriented, of course.
Now that’s kindness. He shone like the moon with rings of colour around him. He shone. Thank you!
May the Source be with you!
20 miles
Editor’s Note: 
Bhaktimarga Swami, The Walking Monk, will be interviewed livestream on Facebook on Saturday June 10, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Don't miss this opportunity to hear some “Tales from Trails!” and the main topic, Learning to Attain Freedom in the Modern World.
Should be very interesting! Please join us!

Here’s the link. https://www.facebook.com/events/303598276758783/?ti=icl



Thursday June 8, 2017
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Cache la Poudre River, Colorado
New Sphere

We entered a new sphere—the mountains.
Behind us are the farmers, frackers and oilers on those bustling roads. More quietly crawling along at our side are the vacationers on picnics, fishing, and white-water rafting. Some motorists have their mansions tucked into the Cache la Poudre River valley; they are the few and far between, with the exception of one enclave of home huts. A fun sign was posted in this one neighbourhood at the entrance.
It reads:                                                           
WARNING
You are entering a RED NECK AREA
You may encounter
American Flags,
Armed Citizens,
The Lord’s Prayer,
And Country Music.

According to Hayagriva, who is of French Canadian descent, Cache la Poudre translates as hidden powder. “Hidden treasure” is what we liked to call it, because in this very barren section of the Rockies, we enjoy the rushing, winding waters that nourish bush and trees by their side. If we weren’t walking, then we were eating cantaloupe as a refresher, studying the books of Srila Prabhupada and even looking at Chapter One, Verse One, of the great book of wisdom, the Bhagavad-Gita. Our new team-member, Aaron, is making strides at learning Vedic culture and tradition.
Is walking a component of Vedic Culture? Most definitely. Swamis, sages and even retired kings roamed about to enlighten and to be enlightened.
I’m grateful to the people who stopped today to offer water and help in other ways. Our team of Hayagriva, Marshall, Aaron and myself, did put some good mileage under our feet in the beauty of the valley.
http://www.pinebluffspost.com/story/2017/06/08/news/new-york-to-san-francisco-by-foot/5770.html
May the Source be with you!
19 miles



Earning or “L”earning? (5 min video) Is Earning Money…
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Earning or “L"earning? (5 min video)
Is Earning Money better than Learning? - Gaur Gopal Das - Motivational Video.
“The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.”
“It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy.”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/MpxPNI

Shri Jagannath Ratha Yatra “Festival of the chariots” parade in…
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Shri Jagannath Ratha Yatra “Festival of the chariots” parade in New York City on Saturday June 10th 2017. If you’re in the New York City area please join this wonderful event. Hare Krishna!
Starts: June 10 2017 @ 11:30am
Ends: June 10 2017 @ 7:00pm
Location: Fifth Avenue to Washingon Square Park
Starting at 5th Ave. & 45th St. Manhattan, New York City.
Please assemble by 11:30am, The parade proceeds down Fifth Ave to Washington Square Park at the Campus of New York University. The colorful Festival of India will be celebrated at Washington Square Park from 2pm – 7pm.
Festivities
Saturday June 3th – Snana yatra
Friday June 9th – Rath Yatra preparations: If you’d like to volunteer to help for this festival,
please contact 347-849-2485. Tasks includes cutting vegetables/general kitchen preparations,
cleaning various parts of the temple and stringing flower garlands. Your service is heavily appreciated! Time: 11AM-8PM @ 305 Scermerhorn St
Saturday June 10th – Rath Yatra 45th street and 5th Ave start time 11:30 am
Sunday June 11th – Maha Sunday feast and Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Lord Jagannath in a flower dress. Maha kirtan and bhajans will progress throughout the evening.

We are for Krsna
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 April 2013, Korsnas, Stockholm, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.17.1)

In one of the early Back to Godhead magazines, there was a cover with a butcher slaughtering an animal and Prabhupada asked, “Why did you put this? Why did you put this?”

The editor said, “Well, aren’t we against meat-eating?”

Prabhupada said, “We are not against anything. We are for Krsna!”

So our business is to be for Krsna, not just against this or against that. For Krsna, means to do what is pleasing to Krsna. In one lecture, Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes, Krsna said patraḿ puṣpaḿ phalaḿ toyaḿ, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (Bhagavad-gita 9.26). Krsna said just offer me a flower, a fruit, a leaf, some water. But if Krsna would have said offer me the flesh of animals then we would have killed ALL the animals!”

And I think at that moment, all the animals felt a little shiver or something because for a moment, Prabhupada was like, “Yes! We will kill them all if Krsna so desired.” But Krsna said patraḿ puṣpaḿ phalaḿ toyaḿ; a fruit, a flower, a leaf, some water. So in this way, Krsna’s desire is fulfilled.

Scripture is a torch to see the world a mirror to see the self and a window to see God
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[Talk to IIT Kharagpur students at Kharagpur, India]

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World Religions – From Bhakti Universal to Bhakti Confidential
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[Talk to IIT Kharagpur students at Kharagpur, India]

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Understanding who is the doer – Analyzing instincts, impulses and intelligence
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[Talk to IIT Kharagpur students at Kharagpur, India]

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Once we slip down a slope, we can’t control how far we slip down Gita 03.36
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The mind can make a soldier into a deserter or even a betrayer Gita 05.22
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Why do Hindus leave shoes outside their place of worship but Christians don’t?
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Answer Podcast

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New Preaching Center Inauguration in Negara, Bali
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Hare KrishnaBy Hari Narayana Das

The picturesque view of Negara results from a combination of the mountains, the sea with its black sands beaches lined with coconut trees and vast expanses of rice fields in between the two. The landscape is dotted with Balinese Hindu temples as well as mosques and people generally tend to carry a warm attitude. It was in 2011, during a visit to Negara, Srimat Subhag Swami expressed his feelings that a preaching centre there would be very beneficial for the devotees. Gadadhar pabhu and his family members, all initiated disciples of Srimat Subhag Swami, took it a bit seriously and immediately Mother Sureshwari came forward and offered her family land for the new ashram and dedicate it to Srila Prabhupada. Although in her late sixties and struggling with failing eyesight, Mother Sureshwari is more active than most of the younger devotees in Negara. She looks after melon farms which are spread out for hectares upon hectares and the harvested ripe melons gets transported to many parts of Indonesia. Then there are rice fields, banana plantations, tulasi and flower gardens which she looks after and above all she cooks the best prasadam for Gaura Nitai and of course, for the devotees. Almost two years back she completely lost her eyesight and doctors expressed her inability to cure her, she kept crying and when Gadadhar Prabhu went to console her, she revealed a nice prayer. She was praying to her family deities, Gaura Nitai, that … ‘my dear lord, my only means to render some service to the devotees is by cooking some prasadam for them and now that I am unable see I will no longer be able to serve your devotees anymore.’ Within a short time, to the utter amazement of the doctors, she could see again and ever since she hasn’t slowed down in her service for her deities and the devotees. Continue reading "New Preaching Center Inauguration in Negara, Bali
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When scripture says our parents are God, why do some young devotees renounce their parents?
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Answer Podcast

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“Wound-ology” syndrome? Take Practical Actions To Change!
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Hare KrishnaBy Karnamrita Das

Many people know what their problems are, but are unwilling, or don’t believe it is possible for them, to do the difficult work of change and transformation. Or there may be too much secondary gain for staying the same, regardless of their unhappiness or dissatisfaction. We may wear our past wounds like a badge of honor, hoping to get sympathy strokes from other, as in "woe, is me.” Some call this "wound-ology." Being creatures of habit the thought of change, even positive, beneficial change, is challenging for most people, even if they are currently miserable, and think they “should” change—maybe tomorrow, or that faraway place in the ocean, “Someday Isle.” Continue reading "“Wound-ology” syndrome? Take Practical Actions To Change!
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ISKCON Panihati serves Mahaprasadam to more than 17,000 pilgrims
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Hare KrishnaBy Radhapad Das

Wednesday, 7th June this year marked the 501th anniversary of this festival. The Panihati branch, next to ferryghat boasts to be one the rare ISKCON centers on the bank of Ganges with a well maintained bathing ghat. Strategically located next to Mahotsavatala on the one hand, Raghava Bhawan on the other, with deities of Sri Sri Gaur Nitai, Srila Prabhupada, Goddess Jagadhatri, and Lord Shiva in His two forms as Tarakeshwar and Gangadhar this center has a lot to promise. On this occasion the devotees of the ISKCON center Sri Sri Gaur Nitai Mandir at 37, Gauranga Ghat Road at Panihati were all fired up and distributed free Chida Dahi prasadam to 17,000 visiting pilgrims. Continue reading "ISKCON Panihati serves Mahaprasadam to more than 17,000 pilgrims
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