Back In The USSR – “Destination St. Petersburg” (7…
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Back In The USSR - “Destination St. Petersburg” (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The artistic grandeur of St. Petersburg, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world, formed an appropriate backdrop for the blissful chanting, dancing and Krsna katha that took place during our visit with devotees there. Our programs, blended with impressions of Russia’s “Venice of the North” will long be ingrained in our memories.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/ZzJPBk

Digvijay Gunjaria: Mr C K Shah, father of Vaishnava Seva dasa…
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Digvijay Gunjaria: Mr C K Shah, father of Vaishnava Seva dasa (Iskcon Desire Tree) is in his last phase of his life. Requesting devotees to pray to Lord Krishna to shower His mercy on his soul.
Mr C K Shah had attended Srila Prabhupada’s Cross maidan pandal program for three days, the same program that Radhanth Swami attended.
Although coming from a jain family background, he was inspired by the foreigners joining sanatana dharma. He became a life member and made 33 friends and his contacts life members in those early days to support ISKCON.

He had a daily habit if going on morning walk on Juhu beach and had from distance seen Srila Prabhupada many times.

However when his son joined ISKCON, his attitude changed. He is one of the few parents who have fought with Radhanath swami on this issue.

When he underwent his first cardiac bypass surgery in 1996, devotees donated blood. He was very moved by this. When prominent senior devotees came to see him while he was in hospital, he was touched. His heart transformed. He gave up his anti ISKCON attitude. He started hearing Hare Krishna kirtans all the time during his recovery in the hospital. Soon he arranged a big program for Radhanath Swami on his building’s terrace and called hundreds of people from the society building and his friends.

He helped Bhaktivedanta hospital. He convinced his friend Mr Damji Anchorwala to donate the entire ICU of the hospital. Since he was from pharmaceutical background, he use to visit the hospital in initial days to help them develop policies at pharmacy.

At times when he would go abroad, he would try to visit nearby ISKCON temples. Once he went to New Vrindavan to meet Radhanath Swami and had a memorable interactions with him.

Last two years he gradually developed dementia and moved from his Andheri residence to his son’s house in Mira road which also happens to be office of ISKCON desire tree. The devotee staff interacted with him mercifully and nicely and he enjoyed their company. At times he use to listen to Srila Prabhupada’s and other lectures and enjoy kirtans which use to play on the speaker system. Devotee staff would serve him nicely and he treated them as their friends.

Two months back he developed left side paralysis.

Radhanath Swami visited him last year and again visited him after he developed paralysis.

He completed 83 years on 27 th April. He is now in his last few hours of his life in this body.

His son, Vaishnava seva dasa requests devotees to kindly pray for his soul.

Vaishnava seva dasa feels that if it was not for the mercy of Guru and devotees and also his father who pushed him to study and become a doctor and earn, he would not have been able to run ISKCONdesiretree.

Resources for Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance Day
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Hare KrishnaBy Iskcon Desire Tree

A collection of videos, lectures, photos, stories, prayers, posters, coloring books and more. In the purport of 7.8.51 of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada writes, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His transcendental form of Lord Narsimhadev is always ready to kill the demons who always create disturbances in the minds of honest devotees. To spread the Krishna consciousness movement, devotees have to face many dangers and impediments all over the world, but a faithful servant who preaches with great devotion to the Lord must know that Lord Narsimhadev is always his protector”. Lord Narsimhadev is therefore worshiped by the devotees as their Supreme Protector and they also pray that He vanquishes all obstacles they may face on the path of devotional service. So it is with much enthusiasm that the devotees come to together to worship the Lord on this day of His appearance in the material world. Continue reading "Resources for Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance Day
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Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance Day
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Hare KrishnaBy His Divine Grace A.C.B. Swami Prabhupada

So today, appearance day of Lord Nrisimhadeva. Lord Nrisimhadeva appeared on this Nrisimha Caturdasi on account of His devotee, Prahlada. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, abhyutthanam adharmasya [Bg. 4.7]. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca dushkritam, sambhavami yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8]. The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritranaya sadhunam: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vinasaya ca dushkritam. So Prahlada Maharaja, five-years-old boy, his only fault was that he was Krishna conscious. He was devotee of Krishna. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child, even five years old. He could not excuse, “Oh, let this boy do whatever, chanting Hare Krishna.” No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili... So you’ll find many critics, many enemies, because you are making progress in Krishna consciousness. So the demons are always against this Krishna consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness, that’s all. This society is so cruel. So Prahlada Maharaja was tortured in so many ways. The torturing methods, I think you will find as you will see in today’s picture, how Prahlada Maharaja was tortured. Continue reading "Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Appearance Day
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Sunday Love Feast – May 7th,2017 – Vedic Discourse by HG Bhagavat Das prabhu
→ ISKCON Brampton

Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare And Be Happy!!

When?

Sunday,May 7,2017
Program starts at 11.00am

Where?

6 George Street South
Brampton, Ontario
L6Y 1P3, Canada
Park underground(free) @ City Hall
Phone:416-648-3312

New! Listen

Click here to listen to previous class recordings on our blog
Make a Donation
Bhagavad Gita As It Is (18.66)
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
Translation
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.




11.00- 11.15      Tulsi Puja
11.15 - 11.30     Guru Puja                                        
11:30 –11:55     Aarti & Kirtan                                      
11.55 - 12.00    Sri Nrsingadeva Prayers                 
12.00 -  1: 00   Vedic discourse
  1.00 -  1.30    Closing Kirtan
  1.30 -  2.00    Sanctified Free Vegetarian Feast


 
COMING UP AHEAD

Mohini Ekadasi
Fasting.....................on Sat May 6,2017
Breakfast................. on Sun May 7 ,2017 b/w 6.42am-10.33am


Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.By constantly ‘exercising’ our minds through regular japa we can train our senses to push the threshold of contentment.
 
English audio glorification of all Ekadasis is available here 
 
Appearance Of  Narasimhadev(Fasting till Dusk)
Celebration on May 9(7pm-9.30pm)

Sri Narasimha Jayanti is the appearance day of Lord Narasimha, the half-lion half-man incarnation of Supreme Lord Krishna, who appeared to protect Prahlada from his demoniac father Hiranyakashipu.
We're looking for the sponsors for the program,if you're interested please contact Front Desk at the temple or donate online

**Detailed Program will posted shortly**
 
ONGOING PROGRAMS
Japathon-Congregational Mantra Meditation

Next program TBC

The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His Energy to give protection to the conditioned soul.japa, when performed with focus and attention, can subdue the agitating effects of one’s mind and senses. The senses, of which the mind is also one, are constantly being stimulated by the external world  - by gross and subtle matter.
If you have not chanted before, and would like to participate in this program, we will be very happy to show how you can do this.
All welcome. We’ll loan you a set of Beads!


Upcoming Educational Course
An eight Week course will be starting at ISKCON Brampton on Nectar Of Devotion from May 6 to June 24,2017(9am-12pm).
HG Vaishnava Das will be facilitating the course.Registration is a must for this course.For registration and more details ,please contact mother Prema Gaurangi Devi Dasi by Apr 16.
Lunch will be included!!
 
Sunday School
To register,contact us
Email:sundayschool108@gmail.com
Call:647.893.9363

The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. School
The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).

Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
“One who has life can preach, and one who preaches gets life.”(Previous Acaryas)
Every member of ISKCON should have the opportunity to make advancement in Krishna consciousness by preaching.We encourage everyone to come out and participate and make Srila Prabhupada happy.

Please contact:
Dharma Dasa- dharandev58@gmail.com-647.892.0739(Mississauga and Brampton regions)

The Mentorship Program

Please note that registration in the Mentorship System is now a mandatory requirement for all initiation requests at ISKCON Brampton.It

1.Facilitates  and nurtures devotees aspiring for first and second Initiation.    
2.One-on-One personal follow up on a regular basis.
3.Systematic training to devotees in matters of Philosophy, Sadhna, Vaishnava behavior, etiquette, Lifestyle and attitudes.

To find details please click here

Gift Shop

Are you looking for some amazing gift items which are less expensive and more beautiful for your loved ones for festivals or many other occasions??
Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your visit. It offers textiles, jewellery, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.

ISKCON Town Hall Meeting at Brooklyn Public Library
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The pending sale of ISKCON’s Radha Govinda Mandir has been a matter of interest, concern and even controversy among temple board members, congregational members, devotees and interested persons in the New York metropolitan area and elsewhere, especially in light of the GBC Body’s stated opposition to this sale transaction. In order to foster openness, inclusivity and greater awareness of the current state of affairs as well as to dispel confusion and misconceptions, last year’s GBC Executive Committee will host an ISKCON Informational Town Hall Meeting.

Narsingha Chaturdashi Address 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhakti Charu Swami

Millions of years ago to please his dear devotee Prahlada and to kill the wicked demon Hiranyakashipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared from a pillar. The great protector appeared with lions face and claws and the human torso. He is ferocious and terrifying for those who do not believe in Him but fiercely protects His devotees from any obstacles and harm that come their way. Unmatched and supreme He is present on earth and heaven and everywhere in between. Continue reading "Narsingha Chaturdashi Address 2017
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Amidst today’s financial insecurity, how can we decide how much accumulation is enough?
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Answer Podcast

The post Amidst today’s financial insecurity, how can we decide how much accumulation is enough? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

When bhakti practice hasn’t yet changed our disposition, how can we take sound decisions?
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Answer Podcast

The post When bhakti practice hasn’t yet changed our disposition, how can we take sound decisions? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

If someone puts in the same efforts as me but gets better results, how to avoid envy?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast

 

Transcription :

Transcriber: Suresh Gupta

Question: If someone puts in the same efforts as me but gets better results, how to avoid envy?

Answer: All of us are on a multi life-time journey where actions and results are not simply a linear connection. We see that a particular action done by us leads to a particular result and when someone else does the same action, it produces different result. Although causes and effects are connected, the connection between cause and effects is not simply linear or a one-to-one correspondence. For example, two farmers living in different part of the country may individually do the same action of sowing seeds, ploughing their land but if it rains only in one part of the country and not in the other part then the place where it rained, the farmer will get lots of harvest and the other place where it did not rain, the farmer may not get any harvest.
In Sanskrit, all these factors are described as karma (action), daiva (destiny), kaala (time) and phalah (fruit). We perform karma (action) to produce phalah (fruit) but actually there are two more factors involved: daiva and kaala. So, the entire equation is karma + daiva + kaala together lead to phalah. In this case, the karma is the farmer ploughing the land, sowing the seeds; daiva is the rains coming; kaala is the passage of time until the harvesting season and finally it leads to phalah.

Whenever we do any action, we need to understand that they alone do not determine the results. Our actions do play an important role – the farmer has to plough the land, sow the seeds but that alone does not bring the result. Sometimes, we may go through a phase when the daiva or the destiny is not favourable and because of that, even after doing the work, result does not come. If we look back at our life, we will remember situations where although we had put in small efforts, still we got a good result. Along with our hard work, many things would have fell right in place (e.g. we might have found the right contact, a particular thing happened on time etc.). The results achieved require not just our good performance but also other things. Thus, daiva is an accumulated sum total of the karma that we have done in the past.

When we do not get the results, it means that karma is not leading to phalah because daiva is not favourable. Daiva is like weather – sometimes cold, sometimes hot. It is not that daiva will always be unfavourable. One must learn to tolerate such events and be patient. There is no need to be envious of others because everybody has done a mix of good and bad karmas. With this understanding, we would not deem ourselves as failure for not producing a result.

Ultimately, nothing is gained by envy. Therefore, we should instead focus on doing our best then even when the results do not come, we are at least becoming better at what we are doing. We are growing internally. Einstein said, ‘’Strive to become a man of values, not a man of wealth”. Values are enduring and wealth is fleeting but if we develop the culture of discipline, dedication and values, then that will bring results in due course of time.

End of transcription.

The post If someone puts in the same efforts as me but gets better results, how to avoid envy? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Do we need to sometimes prioritize the spiritual over the material or the material over the spiritual?
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Answer Podcast

The post Do we need to sometimes prioritize the spiritual over the material or the material over the spiritual? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Philosophy makes sense intellectually, but doesn’t sink emotionally – what to do?
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Answer Podcast

The post Philosophy makes sense intellectually, but doesn’t sink emotionally – what to do? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk. Garuda Prabhu: Often when…
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Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk.
Garuda Prabhu: Often when yoga is there in the verse, Srila Prabhupada puts devotional service in the translation. Some object to this. As far as I am concerned he has every right to. This is because Srila Prabhupada knows goal of yoga is bhakti. As I scholar, I cannot do that.
Houston Smith, who liked many of my books, said the mystics are the impatient ones. They do not want to wait until the end of life.
Union implies two. That means uniting the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are the Bible of yoga. In them, there are innumerable references to bhakti, more than I imagined.
In four or five places Patanjali speaks of isvara-pranidhana.
That word has three parts:
pra - moving
ni - deeply
dhana - into the core of our being

Isvara to be means the divine center of all reality. It is Bhagavan and Brahman with us in between.

Yama – ethical disciplines
Niyama – essential practices

Isvara-pranidhana is an essential practice.

Patanjali says samadhi siddhi isvara-pranidhanat. Isvara-pranidhana is the perfection of the perfection. Thus isvara-pranidhana is the beginning and the end.

In the Gita Krishna teaches self-realization and then self-abandonment. We nourish ourselves so we can get ourselves out of the way.

At raganuga every act is part of your service.

Patanjali does not identify isvara but advises one must seek out isvara. The word ista-devata comes from the Yoga Sutras.

Krishna is beautiful, delightful, and playful.

Nirvikalpa samadhi is complete absorption in Krishna.

Bhakti yoga is entering Krishna’s world, the big picture. Our little pictures are sometimes distressing but not the big picture.

Srila Prabhupada calls yoga “devotional service” because it is the union of the individual self and the Supreme Self.

Bhagavan-kripa, the mercy of the Lord, is there in the Yoga Sutras, but people do not know it.

In my book, my thesis is that the Yoga Sutras do not make any sense if we do not understand Krishna bhakti.

Yale was started by disgrunted Harvard professors.

Krishna embraces us as much as we want to be embraced.

Krishna does not force, coerce, and manipulate souls to love Him. He waits for an eternity for souls.

We have one great kirtaniya here. Not you, Gauravani, Srila Prabhupada!

The more love we have for Krishna the more desperate we are when we are separated from Him.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/YjMTmL

Cultivating the strength to let go
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Home program at Colon, Panama]

Podcast

Podcast Summary

The post Cultivating the strength to let go appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Brisbane Rathayatra (Album with photos) Ramai Swami: Lord…
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Brisbane Rathayatra (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: Lord Jagannatha’s Brisbane Rathayatra took place with around one thousand devotees attending. Their Lordships rode majestically through the streets of Brisbane with kirtan led by his grace Sri Prahlada.
At the end, the Ratha Cart was pulled into St George Square and placed in front of the Town Hall. There were performances on the main stage and thousands of plates of prasadam distributed. Lord Jagannatha ki jaya!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/zeSW98

Five Prayers to Lord Narasimha
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written five beautiful prayers in “Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga” for receiving the mercy of Lord Narasimha. These prayers are certainly assurance to all sincere devotees that the worship of Lord Narasimha is purely in the line of aspiring love and devotion to Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Continue reading "Five Prayers to Lord Narasimha
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Brisbane Rathayatra
→ Ramai Swami

Lord Jagannatha’s Brisbane Rathayatra took place with around one thousand devotees attending. Their Lordships rode majestically through the streets of Brisbane with kirtan led by his grace Sri Prahlada.

At the end, the Ratha Cart was pulled into St George Square and placed in front of the Town Hall. There were performances on the main stage and thousands of plates of prasadam distributed. Lord Jagannatha ki jaya!

CHASING RHINOS WITH THE SWAMI HAS ARRIVED!
Giriraj Swami

BOOK-CoverFINALwebjpgVolume One of Shyamasundar’s long-awaited memoir is now available. This is a most intimate, detailed, and exciting account of Bhaktivedanta Swami’s amazing adventures in the dawn of the Hare Krishna movement. Volume One describes the Swami’s halcyon days in San Francisco and London, 1967–1970, and describes the real story of Lord Jagannath’s advent in the Western world, meeting the Beatles and, with them, broadcasting the Mahamantra around the globe. These, and a hundred more never-heard-before stories, along with 128 rare photos, will transport you into those magic days: Chasing “rhinos” with the Swami.
“There have been other memoirs involving His Divine Grace, to be sure, but the attention to detail and visceral manifestation of time and place found in Shyamasundar’s book is something new. It has never before been accomplished in quite this way. His street savvy, intelligence, common sense, and love for Prabhupada all come through with a tangible freshness, allowing readers entrance into the narrative in a very real way. . . . A must-read for all students of philosophy, the ’60s counterculture, cosmic consciousness, Eastern thought, and life itself.”

—Steven J. Rosen (Satyaraja Dasa), author of 30 books on Eastern spirituality

With its fast pace and novelistic style, Volume One of Chasing Rhinos With The Swami has become a runaway best-seller for all audiences and, with only a limited number of books remaining in this first edition, NOW is the time to enjoy this book while it’s still available from the <chasingrhinos.com> website.

Better yet, take advantage of special BULK ORDER prices and stock enough books for your boutiques, sankirtan parties, extended congregations—for everyone you know or meet. Chasing Rhinos is a book to delight the whole world!
“This book is masterfully written and is truly unique—a must-read for devotees, their families, and friends.”
—Radhanath Swami

“I just received a copy of Chasing Rhinos with the Swami Volume 1, and I am ecstatic. Just looking at the photos, and glancing at the text, filled me with such great joy that I couldn’t contain myself and had to write you immediately. Thank you for taking up this tremendous service!”
—Giriraj Swami

Joy of Devotion Film, Hare Krishnas Celebrating 50 Years Magazine Win Prestigious Religion Communications Awards
→ ISKCON News

At the 2017 Religion Communicators Council (RCC) annual DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards ceremony in Chicago, Illinois on March 30th, ISKCON Communications won several awards for excellence in religion communications, including a Best of Class award for “The Joy of Devotion” film. “The Hare Krishnas: Celebrating 50 Years” magazine also won an award for excellence in overall design and a merit award for single-issue periodicals.

“Hare Krishna!” Film to Start US Nationwide Release This June
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“Hare Krishna! The Mantra, The Movement and the Swami Who Started It All,” a ninety-minute documentary film about the life and achievements of ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada, will start its nationwide roll-out in the U.S. this June. The ambitious film, originally titled “Acharya” and directed by John Griesser (Yadubara Das), has been much-awaited by ISKCON devotees and congregation everywhere.

BGIS Newsletter 2017. Bhaktivedanta Gurukul & International…
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BGIS Newsletter 2017.
Bhaktivedanta Gurukul & International School Vrindavan.
Dear Well Wishers,
Thank you for your support towards the BGIS Projects. Year after Year we strive to be more efficient at building a “Better World with Better People”. In this newsletter, we are sharing with you the recent happenings and activities at our school. We hope that you enjoy reading and share it with your friends and family.
Read more: https://goo.gl/9mYDEr

Vedas #3: The ‘Smriti’ – Puranas and Itihasas
→ The Vaishnava Voice

narada vyasa

Narada Muni, son of Brahma, instructs his disciple Srila Vyasa, and requests him to write the Bhagavata Purana

It is said that Vedic injunctions are made large by the Puranas, or histories, since within these texts we can learn of how the Vedas have been implemented historically in the lives of humans, gods, sages and kings. By reading of the interplay of Vedic lore in the lives of real people we can be inspired to follow their example, and be warned of the consequences of acting in a manner contrary to Vedic dharma. Also written in the Puranas are descriptions of the compassionate, knowledge-giving actions of the many avatars of Sri Vishnu and the appearance of the Supreme Godhead, Sri Krishna.

The Puranas present selected events rather than a strict chronology. There are eighteen Puranas, notionally divided into three sections according to the predominating influence in the mind of the reader. The Puranas for those largely predominated by the influence of sattvika guna, or the ‘mode of goodness,’ for instance, will focus on Vishnu (Narayana), his incarnations and devotees. Other Puranas may focus on god Shiva or goddess Shakti.

Traditionally, there are five subjects of a Purana:

  1. Sarga or ‘Creation’
  2. Prati-Sarga or ‘Secondary Creation,’
  3. Vamsa or ‘Family Trees,’
  4. Manvantara or the ‘History of the Manus’ the creative gods, and finally
  5. Vamsa-anu-caritra, the details of the dynasties of kings and saints.

The Bhagavata Purana or Srimad Bhagavatam contains ten topics explained in 18,000 verses, a third of which describe the activities and speeches of Krishna. The verses are divided into 335 chapters, 90 of which are the tenth canto, the narrations of Krishna. According to a verse in the second canto of the book, the contents are as follows:

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there are ten divisions of statements regarding the following: the creation of the universe, subcreation, planetary systems, protection by the Lord, the creative impetus, the change of Manus, the science of God, returning home, back to Godhead, liberation, and the summum bonum. (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.10.1)

In his commentaries to the Chaitanya Caritamrita, the extensive biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada writes:

These verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam list the ten subject matters dealt with in the text of the Bhāgavatam. Of these, the tenth is the substance, and the other nine are categories derived from the substance. These ten subjects are listed as follows:

(1) Sarga: the first creation by Viṣṇu, the bringing forth of the five gross material elements, the five objects of sense perception, the ten senses, the mind, the intelligence, the false ego and the total material energy, or universal form.

(2) Visarga: the secondary creation, or the work of Brahmā in producing the moving and unmoving bodies in the universe (brahmāṇḍa).

(3) Sthāna: the maintenance of the universe by the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu’s function is more important and His glory greater than Brahmā’s and Lord Śiva’s, for although Brahmā is the creator and Lord Śiva the destroyer, Viṣṇu is the maintainer.

(4) Poṣaṇa: special care and protection for devotees by the Lord. As a king maintains his kingdom and subjects but nevertheless gives special attention to the members of his family, so the Personality of Godhead gives special care to His devotees who are souls completely surrendered to Him.

(5) Ūti: the urge for creation, or initiative power, that is the cause of all inventions, according to the necessities of time, space and objects.

(6) Manv-antara: the periods controlled by the Manus, who teach regulative principles for living beings who desire to achieve perfection in human life. The rules of Manu, as described in the Manu-saṁhitā, guide the way to such perfection.

(7) Īśānukathā: scriptural information regarding the Personality of Godhead, His incarnations on earth and the activities of His devotees. Scriptures dealing with these subjects are essential for progressive human life.

(8) Nirodha: the winding up of all energies employed in creation. Such potencies are emanations from the Personality of Godhead who eternally lies in the Kāraṇa Ocean. The cosmic creations, manifested with His breath, are again dissolved in due course.

(9) Mukti: liberation of the conditioned souls encaged by the gross and subtle coverings of body and mind. When freed from all material affection, the soul, giving up the gross and subtle material bodies, can attain the spiritual sky in his original spiritual body and engage in transcendental loving service to the Lord in Vaikuṇṭhaloka or Kṛṣṇaloka. When the soul is situated in his original constitutional position of existence, he is said to be liberated. It is possible to engage in transcendental loving service to the Lord and become jīvan-mukta, a liberated soul, even while in the material body.

(10) Āśraya: the Transcendence, the summum bonum, from whom everything emanates, upon whom everything rests, and in whom everything merges after annihilation. He is the source and support of all. The āśraya is also called the Supreme Brahman, as in the Vedānta-sūtra (athāto brahma jijñāsā, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1)). Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam especially describes this Supreme Brahman as the āśraya. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is this āśraya, and therefore the greatest necessity of life is to study the science of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam accepts Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the shelter of all manifestations because Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate source of everything, the supreme goal of all.

Two different principles are to be considered herein—namely āśraya, the object providing shelter, and āśrita, the dependents requiring shelter. The āśrita exist under the original principle, the āśraya. The first nine categories, described in the first nine cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from creation to liberation—including the puruṣa-avatāras, the incarnations, the marginal energy, or living entities, and the external energy, or material world—are all āśrita. The prayers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, however, aim for the āśraya-tattva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The great souls expert in describing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam have very diligently delineated the other nine categories, sometimes by direct narrations and sometimes by indirect narrations such as stories. The real purpose of doing this is to know perfectly the Absolute Transcendence, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, for the entire creation, both material and spiritual, rests on the body of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Itihasas

The Sanskrit word Itihasa means ‘It happened thus’ and the texts are histories, normally written by an author who was contemporary with the events. The Mahabharata was written by Srila Vysadeva who witnessed many of the events described therein; and the Ramayana was composed by Sri Valmiki who was a contemporary of Sri Ramachandra. The Itihasas do not have to follow the structure of the Puranas, but they may also contain elements of the five subjects nonetheless. The Chandogya Upanisad (7.1.4) mentions the Puranas and Itihasas as the fifth Veda. The Bhagavata-Purana (1.4.20) also states, “The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge [the Vedas] were made separately. But the historical facts and authentic stories mentioned in the Puranas are called the fifth Veda.” Madhvacarya, commenting on the Vedanta-sutras (2.1.6), quotes the Bhavisya Purana, which states, “The Rig-veda, Yajur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharva-veda, Mahabharata, Pancharatra, and the original Ramayana are all considered Vedic literature. The Vaishnava supplements, the Puranas, are also Vedic literature.”

Bhagavad-gita

The Bhagavad-gita is a dialogue contained in the Shanti-Parva section of the Mahabharata, but the nature of the conversation ranges from Upanishadic verses through to the highest devotional theology. For this reason it is much loved and commonly known as Gita-Upanishad or Gitopanishad.

Since the times of Adi Sankaracarya in the early mediaeval period, it has been common for all schools of thought to establish their systems of philosophy on three texts, the Upanishads, the Vedanta Sutra and the Bhagavad-gita, collectively known as prasthana-trayi or the ‘three foundations’.


Vraja-mandala Parikrama 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Lokanath Swami

The holy and auspicious month of Kartik means that it is also the time for ISKCON's Padayatra Ministry's Vraja-mandala Parikrama. This year the Parikrama commences on 5 October 2017. If you ever questioned as to why we would just like to wander around the forests of Vrndavana during Parikrama. Well, it is in our line, following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. " The Lord's ecstatic love increased a thousand times when He visited Mathura, but it increased a hundred thousand times when He wandered in the forests of Vrndavana. (Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila 17.227)" Continue reading "Vraja-mandala Parikrama 2017
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Lord Nrisimha: Protector of Devotees
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Hare KrishnaBy Aja Govinda Dasa

Hiranyakashipu, the universal tyrant, wished to reverse the system of piety. He wanted the impious to be rewarded and the pious to be punished. Thus upon the death of Hiranyakashipu, all the demigods and inhabitants of various planets offered their prayers to Lord Nrisimha, expressing their gratitude for the Lord’s slaying the daitya, who had usurped all their riches, wives, and shares of sacrificial offerings. Only Prahlada Maharaja, however, could pacify with loving prayers the transcendental wrath of Lord Nrisimha, who is prepared to even appear as half-man, half-lion for the sake of His pure devotees. Continue reading "Lord Nrisimha: Protector of Devotees
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