Websites from the ISKCON Universe
The Grihastha Vision Team surveyed couples and individuals in ISKCON to ascertain some of the greatest challenges in their marriages. Two top challenges emerged: 1. Lack of emotional and/or physical intimacy;
A 10-minute video has been released about the prestigious ISKCON50 Gala event that took place in September 2016 at the Hilton Presidential Ballroom, in Washington, D.C. Over 300 people attended the event, seventy-five of them special invitees including religious leaders, religious liberty experts, members of the media, and political leaders. The video presents the highlights of the Gala, including some of the speeches and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard's leading kirtan.
“When we come into the material world and want to compete with Krishna, the first thing we need is another identity — not ‘servant of Krishna’. That is the false ego. Then the mind is the agent of the false ego. That is why the mind is so difficult to control — because it is the false ego’s agent to make sure we don’t surrender. So, we really need mercy. We need the association of each other — we really need association.”
—————-
“You may not keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”
– Martin Luther
We live amidst a culture of violence and indifference. Some people resort to violence at even the slightest provocation and others often just stand by, watching indifferently, as if they were seeing a movie spectacle rather than seeing the victimization of a living human being, who is essentially just like them. This prevailing culture of violence and indifference can make us apathetic, unless we ourselves are targeted.
Yes, in the world there’s much wrong that we can’t change. But still there are things we can change. At the very least, we can change our defeatist attitude that we can’t change anything. Actually, nothing will change if we don’t change our notion that nothing will change.
It is easy to blame others for the state of the world. But the easy way is hardly ever transforming or fulfilling.
We often stand passively when things go wrong in the world. And when things go wrong in our own life, we stand passively in another way – we, in the sense of our intelligent side, stands passive and paralyzed while our emotions take over and make us act in ways that simply worsen the situation.
Consider a situation when we find ourselves in a conflict with someone. Whenever any conflict involving us escalates, we are responsible, even if we are not the cause. We are responsible for how we conduct ourselves in that conflict, whether we arouse the fire or whether we douse it. If we let our situations determine our emotions and thereafter our actions, then we become reactive, thereby arousing the fire of conflict further. If we decide in advance the principles we wish to live by, and then let our emotions and actions be determined primarily by those principles and secondarily by the circumstances we find ourselves in, then we can ensure that we do our part in dousing the fire of conflicts.
We could label the other person as irrational, sentimental, delusional. And, sadly, those labels do apply to some people. Yet labeling anyone thus does little to resolve conflicts. People may be what they are, but we don’t have to give them the power to make us what they are. And unwittingly that’s what we do when we let our responses be determined by anger or other such emotions.
We are not here to see through each other – we are here to see each other through. This becomes our guiding principle when we internalize spiritual wisdom. The Bhagavad-gita (06.32) states that the topmost yogis exhibit empathy, seeing others’ joys and sorrows similar to their own joys and sorrows. Gita wisdom explains that we all are interconnected, being parts of the Whole, the supreme spiritual reality that is the source of everything. The more we become spiritually conscious, the more we become sensitized to see how others are ultimately like us, how we too might be acting the way they are acting now if we had been in their circumstances.
Gita wisdom helps us sharpen our spiritual intelligence. This intelligence helps us to cut through the fog of emotion that clouds our inner world whenever we are confronted with unreasonable, aggressive people. We learn to go beyond the emotions to the actual issues and respond appropriately.
Grounded in spiritual wisdom, we get the strength to take a stand. Firstly, we take a stand in our own inner world, refusing to be swept away by the stormy emotions that impel us to kneejerk reactions. We stand firm in our knowledge of our core identity as parts of God and in his love and guidance. With our mind thus calmed and clarified, we can take a worthy stand externally too – we can do our part in solving the problem, and in going through and growing through the situation.
The post Don’t just stand – take a stand appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Sri-Sri Radha Kunjavihari Chandan-Yatra Mahotsava 2017 (Album with photos)
A boat festival of Sri-Sri Radha Kunjavihari in Klu...
The oldest existing copy of Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta 350 years old. Found in a temple near Loi Bazar Vrindavan. (Album with photos)...
Srila Prabhupada: "But one thing is, you were spending $900 monthly for deity expenses, and still you are spending $900, so if total income is increasing more than double, why not increase also expense for the deity? We may spend anything and everything for the deity, as long as there is no scarcity, and by that lavish spending to glorify Radha and Krsna, they will become very much pleased upon you and bless you more and more." Letter 31 December 1972 
By Kesava Krsna dasa If there is a method for advancing quickly, what is it? The beauty of it is, anyone can do it - married or unmarried, in or out of the temple, renounced or steeped in bhoga-tyaga. But one has to be prepared, because the weapon of detachment – asanga-sastrena BG.15.3, will develop as a natural consequence of sincere chanting. Continue reading "HELPLESS IN GOOD TIMES
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By Bhuvana Pavani Devi DasiLord Caitanya then inquired: What is the most profitable thing in the world, the essence of all auspicious events? Ramananda Raya replied that there is nothing as profitable as the association of pure devotees.” (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Page 341) When did I meet Srila Prabhupada? The year Srila Prabhupada arrived in Butler, Pa. (Sept. 1965). Is it possible I was visiting my Grandparents in Butler? Did I happen to catch a glimpse of Srila Prabhupada? Or the following summer, at the age of 13, did I happen to walk downtown Butler where His Divine Grace had previously walked? There is no question that Srila Prabhupada’s very presence, his kirtan and bhajan, his transcendental preaching, purified the material atmosphere of the Butler area like nothing ever before… at least in THIS age! Continue reading "Meeting Srila Prabhupada
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Narasimha Chaturdasi Germany 2017 (Album with photos)
The most amazing festival in Simhachalam at the Lion Temple near Jandels...
By the GBC Brooklyn Temple Sale Committee The pending sale of the ISKCON Brooklyn Temple (Radha Govinda Mandir) has generated interest, concern and even controversy in ISKCON, not just in the New York Metropolitan Area but also around the world, especially in light of the GBC Body’s stated opposition to the sale (see attached GBC Resolution no. 314). In order to foster openness, inclusivity and awareness of the current state of affairs as well as to dispel confusion and misconceptions, the GBC Brooklyn Temple Sale Committee is hosting an ISKCON Informational Town Hall Meeting at the Brooklyn Public Library on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 7:00 PM sharp. The evening’s program and ground rules are set forth below. Continue reading "Iskcon Informational Town Hall Meeting At The Brooklyn Public Library
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Life’s unfairness does not give you license to walk the wrong path of dharma!
Karna asked Krishna - “My mother left me the moment I was born.
Is it my fault I was born an illegitimate child?
I did not get education from Dhronacharya because I was considered a non Kshatriya.
Parshu-Raam taught me but then gave me the curse to forget everything since I was a kshatriya.
A cow was accidentally hit by my arrow & its owner cursed me for no fault of mine.
I was disgraced in Draupadi’s swayamvar.
Even Kunti finally told me the truth only to save her other sons.
Whatever I received was through Dhuryodhana’s charity. So how am I wrong in taking his side?”
Krishna replies, “Karna, I was born in a jail.
Death was waiting for me even before my birth.
The night I was born I was separated from my birth parents.
Spring Bliss In Moscow (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Late spring snow did not damper our visit with the blissful devotees in Moscow, Russia. Kirtan went on as usual, with the extra added touch of Bada Haridas prabhu’s nectarian voice and Chaturatma prabhu’s ecstatic dancing.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/GfzHqZ
On Nrsimha-caturdasi in Bombay in May 1974, the devotees performed a drama of the story of Prahlada, Hiranyakasipu, and Nrsimhadeva, and afterward, the actors, still in their costumes, sat down for Prabhupada’s lecture. “Today is the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva,” he began. “I am so pleased that within such a short time these boys have nicely learned how to play, and especially I have to thank Mr. Hiranyakasipu,” at which everyone laughed and applauded. “Mr. Hiranyakasipu has played his part very nicely.”
And Prabhupada concluded his talk, “So the atheist and the theist will never agree. But the theist will never submit to the atheist. This is the principle. Prahlada Maharaja was put into so many troubles by his father, but he never forgot chanting . . .
“So we should take lessons from this story, that even in a dangerous position, we should not be forgetful of Krishna. Krishna will save us. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita,
yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthite gurunapi
duhkhena na vicalyate
[Bg 6.22]
‘Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of the greatest difficulty.’ Krishna consciousness is so nice that if one gets Krishna consciousness, yam labdhva caparam labham, aparam labham, any other benefit or gain is never considered. We are hankering after getting this, that, this, that, so many things. Dehi, dehi, dehi, dehi. But as soon as you get Krishna consciousness, you will be satisfied. As Dhruva Maharaja said, svamin krtartho ’smi varam na yace. Just like Prahlada Maharaja—he was offered all benediction: ‘My dear Prahlada, whatever you like, you can ask.’ He never asked anything. But he was so kind. That is the example of a Vaishnava son in the family. Despite so much troubles given by his father, still, he begged from Narasimhadeva, ‘My Lord, my father has committed so many offenses. Kindly give him liberation.’ He did not ask anything for himself. So Nrsimhadeva immediately said, ‘Why do you speak of your father? Your father’s father, his father, fourteen generations—all are liberated because a son like you is in this family.’ This is the benefit. If a son becomes a pure Vaishnava, devotee, he can deliver fourteen generations. That is a special prerogative because he is born in a certain family. So, what we can give service to the family, nation, materially? If we become devotee, we can give best service to the nation, to the family, to the humanity. That is the philosophy.
“So our Krishna consciousness movement is preaching this philosophy, that ‘You take to Krishna consciousness; your life will be perfect.’ And the method is very simple.
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
Three times. Three times means yajna-dana-tapah-kriya. There are many other things: meditation, sacrifices, worship in the temple. In this age all these things are impossible to be performed, but even a child can chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra. That is proved here. Whenever there is Hare Krishna maha-mantra, even a child can take part, and old man can take part. That was the teaching of Sri Prahlada Maharaja, and we are following his footsteps. Let us stick to his principle, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah, and thus become more and more advanced in Krishna consciousness.”
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami
The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) team has announced the launch of a new website, tovp360.org, which offers a virtual tour through the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, in Mayapur, India, one of the largest temples in the world. The virtual-reality panoramas in this site will show every nook and corner of the magnificent temple. From 24 different places, people can see all around and look both above and below to get a feel of this sacred space.
The memoir, Five Years, Eleven Months and a Lifetime of Unexpected Love by Visakha Dasi about Srila Prabhupada is a finalist in the ...
ISKCON Communications Conference to Discuss Politics, Gaudiya Math, and Religious Freedom.
Forty communications staff will meet in Villa Vrindavana, Italy from May 13th to 16th for the European ISKCON Communications Conference. The conference will tackle several issues that are very relevant to ISKCON today.
ISKCON Communications is an organization that builds relationships with groups outside of ISKCON – such as politicians and world leaders, leaders of other religious groups, and the media. It also reflects to ISKCON leadership how our society is perceived in the world and how we can improve, remedy shortcomings and connect more with people.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/ILxjk5
“I think people naturally understand that big smokestacks have pollution in them and they understand air pollution, so they can easily make the connection between energy production and the idea of greenhouse gases,” Obama said.
"I remember at the Ardha Kumbha Mela in Allahabad, when some of your disciples felt it was too difficult to rise early, take bath and attend the morning program with you. Seeing this, you encouraged us by personally going outside in the dark of night, at 3 A.M., to bathe in unheated water and in near freezing weather, despite your age and dwindling health. Then, wrapped head to toe in wool, you sat with us outside in the wet predawn cold for a full three-hour morning program—without fail. In this connection, I pray that this vision of you always remain framed in my heart to give me strength against austerities." 
A video by Jay Ghanashyam Shetty.
Forty communications staff will meet in Villa Vrindavana, Italy from May 13th to 16th for the European ISKCON Communications Conference. The conference will tackle several issues that are very relevant to ISKCON today. These include ISKCON and Politics, ISKCON and the Gaudiya Math, and Media and Religious Freedom.
Simhachalam Festival, Germany (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: So this is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that you go and preach and make propaganda about krsna-upadesa. This is Krsna consciousness movement. We are teaching all our men how to spread krsna-upadesa, how to spread Krsna consciousness. Then anartha upasamam saksat. Then all the unwanted things he has contaminated will be finished. Then pure consciousness… Pure consciousness is Krsna consciousness. (From Srila Prabhupada’s class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.7 – Vrndavana, April 24, 1975)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/moFN15
Revati Ramana Bhagavatam Class.
Following the tradition of Jagannath’s boat festival at Narendra SFollowing the tradition of Jagannath’s boat festival at Narendra Sarovar at Puri, where Lord Jagannath enjoys water pastimes for 21 days of Chandan yatra, at Rajapur, which is non-different from Puri dhama, Jagannath Boat festival shall be celebrated for 2 days. It was a bonus for […]
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By Romapada Swami The process of retraction of bad habits can be summed up as follows: Recognition, Regret, Rectification, and Reinstatement - aided by saintly association and devotional practices. Retraction of bad habits was compared by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura as being synonymous to the jiva’s returning back to the spiritual world, because in effect these bad habits are nothing but the binding effects of our long material association and past activities. The first step in overcoming this material conditioning is of course to recognize the bad habits themselves. This recognition should be accompanied by sincere regret followed by firm resolve to give up the habit. But often we find that despite being aware and regretful for their habits, many people are unable to avoid their sinful tendencies, because of the lack of proper effort. It takes great commitment sustained over time to accomplish the result. Continue reading "How to break habits
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By Gargamuni das The man said thanks and walked away towards his next car. Little did he or I know how much that two minute exchange would alter my life forever. To this day, wherever he is, I thank him, for the bomb he dropped on my life that afternoon.
Continue reading "The “bomb” he dropped on my life
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Nrsimha Caturdasi – New Govardhana (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: I was fortunate enough to attend two Nrsimha Caturdasi celebrations, one at Southport and the other at New Govardhan. Although the New Govardhan festival was on a Tuesday evening, there were around 150-200 devotees who participated. I led kirtan and gave a lecture and that was followed by a beautiful dance. Of course, there was also the wonderful Lord Nrsimhadeva feast.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Esos7c
Shri Radharaman Temple, Vrindavan (6 min video)
Today is the divine appearance day of Sri Radha Raman Ji. He manifested into a ...
A few years ago Guru Mahārāj insisted, “For Vyāsa-pūjā, I don’t care about balloons – I want meaningful decoration, full of quotes.” Though I wasn’t involved in décor, his words remained in my mind as unfulfilled instruction. For the 2017 Vyāsa-pūjā, the décor team began the transformation of the hall by placing Caitanya-caritāmṛta quotes on the walls and creating a beautiful Desire Tree of Devotion, as described in Caitanya Caritamrita.
Guru Mahārāj appreciated our endeavours. “Thank you for the decorations,” he said, “It is meaningful. But you could have added more explanation to it – some devotees have not read Caitanya-caritāmṛta and therefore didn’t fully understand the tree. I gave some explanation during the Vyāsa-pūjā lecture, but maybe you could write an article explaining the tree?” So here goes – my first article ever!
This tree, dear readers, is extremely magical. The roots grow deep, the branches expand unlimitedly, and the entire tree even moves! Every one of its parts can perform the action of all the others, and it bestows wondrous fruits which satisfy the hearts of every living entity. Most thrilling of all – we are a part of this tree! One branch sprouts from Rūpa Goswami, the subsequent Gaudiya ācāryas, to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, to Jayādvaita Swami, then to Guru Mahārāja and then to us! Thus, we legitimately attached photos of his dīkṣā and śikṣā disciples onto the Caitanya tree.
We can learn a lot about the Caitanya tree, or the desire tree of devotional service, in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Adi-lila Chapter Nine, Ten and Eleven. If we carefully read the Ninth chapter we’ll find that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself is the tree of transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa, its gardener and also the bestower and enjoyer of its fruits. He sowed the seed and sprinkled upon it the water of His will. In Śrī Mādhavendra Purī the seed of devotional service first fructified. The seed of devotional service next fructified in the form of Śrī Īśvara Purī, and then the gardener Himself, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, became the main trunk of the tree of devotional service. By His inconceivable powers, the Lord became the gardener, the trunk and the branches simultaneously. Paramānanda Purī, Keśava Bhāratī, Brahmānanda Purī and Brahmānanda Bhāratī, Śrī Viṣṇu Purī, Keśava Purī, Kṛṣṇānanda Purī, Śrī Nṛsiṁha Tīrtha and Sukhānanda Purī — these nine sannyāsī roots all sprouted from the trunk of the tree. Thus the tree stood steadfastly on the strength of these nine roots. From the trunk grew many branches and above them innumerable others. Thus, the branches of the Caitanya tree formed a cluster or society, with great branches covering all the universe. From each branch grew many hundreds of sub-branches. No one can count how many branches thus grew. At the top of the tree, the trunk branched into two. One trunk was named Śrī Advaita Prabhu and the other Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. From these two trunks grew many branches and sub-branches that covered the entire world. These branches and sub-branches and their sub-branches became so numerous that no one can actually write about them. Thus the disciples and the grand-disciples and their admirers spread throughout the entire world, and it is not possible to enumerate them all.
As a big fig tree bears fruits all over its body, each part of the tree of devotional service bore fruit. Since Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the original trunk, the taste of the fruits that grew on the branches and sub-branches surpassed the taste of nectar. The fruits ripened and became sweet and nectarean. The gardener, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, distributed them without asking any price. All the wealth in the three worlds cannot equal the value of one such nectarean fruit of devotional service. Not considering who asked for it and who did not, nor who was fit and who unfit to receive it, Caitanya Mahāprabhu distributed the fruit of devotional service. The transcendental gardener, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, distributed handful after handful of fruit in all directions, and when the poor, hungry people ate the fruit, the gardener smiled with great pleasure.
If these nectarean descriptions captured your mind, then I have good news for you – there is so much more to relish. Pick up your Caitanya-caritāmṛta, turn to the Ninth chapter, and dive into the ocean of blissful descriptions. There you will read how Caitanya Mahāprabhu distributed the fruits and instructed each and every one of us to do the same. In those passages, all the branches and sub-branches of the Desire Tree are also described.
The sweet fruit of love of Godhead distributed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so intoxicating that anyone who eats it, filling his belly, immediately becomes maddened by it, and automatically chants, dances, laughs and feels transcendental ecstasy. By engaging in this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, we advance step by step, and eventually experience these ecstatic symptoms in our own lives.
So that was the purpose of creating these decorations – to please Guru Maharaj and remind devotees that we are part of this magical process and society established by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I would like to thank the many devotees who spent hours and days preparing our Vyāsa-pūjā decorations. There were so many that I cannot name them all, but at least I’d like to give my sincere thanks to Āniyora, Gaur Mohan, Jalāśaya, Kālindī Nivasinī, Lucka, Mālinī, Manbiharinī, Naimiṣāraṇya, Navadvīp, Sandhinī, Tattvavatī, Tejo-gaura and Yogeśvar.
We plan to produce the same tree again next year, but with more details, more śāstric depth, more acaryas, more pictures, and more photos of disciples. If you would like to help us with artwork or collecting photos, please let me know – the more the merrier! Next year we will be planting pearls…
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