Planet ISKCON

On October 6^th, 1969, in London, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada gave a lecture about the Vedas. He began as follows: “Ladies and gentlemen, today’s subject matter is the teachings of the Vedas. What are the Vedas? The Sanskrit verbal root of veda can be interpreted variously, but the purport is finally one. Veda means knowledge. Any knowledge you accept is veda, for the teachings of the Vedas are the original knowledge…”

The Vedas, Vedangas, Upangas and Upavedas

The Vedas are one body of knowledge divided into four, the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Veda. Each of the four Vedas has several, slightly variant recensions known as sakhas. In each of those sakhas there are three portions: the Samhita, Brahmana, and the Aranyaka.

The Rig Veda contains many Sanskrit hymns of praise directed to many devas or gods, in truth many aspects of the one, single divine. What in later ages became known as slokas, or metrical verses, were originally known as rigs. Each rig is a mantra and a number of such rigs or mantras make up a poem known as a sukta. The Samhita portion of the Rig Veda contains more than ten thousand rigs (10,170 to be precise) grouped into 1028 poems or suktas.

The word Yajur is derived from the word Yaj or worship. The word Yajna, meaning sacrificial worship, is also derived from this stem. The Yajur Veda spells out the ritualistic procedural details of worship whereby all the rigs of the Rig Veda can be employed.

The word Sama means to ‘make peaceful’ and the Sama Veda contains music to make the gods peaceful and pleased with the worshipper. In order to attain the grace of the gods who are being propitiated, the priest sings the rig mantras to the seven notes of the musical scale rather than the strict upward and downward notes of the Rig Veda chanting.

The Atharva Veda draws its name from the rishi named Atharva who revealed it. The mantras in this Veda are for protection.

The Vedangas are the various ‘limbs’ of the Vedas and include texts on pronunciation of the mantras (Siksha) texts on grammar and poetic metre (Vyakaran and Chanda) as well as a dictionary (Nirukti). Since Vedic yajnas or rituals have to be performed in exactly constructed arenas and according to the phases of the moon and stars there are also handbooks for mathematics, astrology and ritual detail (Jyotish and Kalpa)

The Upangas are the ‘subsidiary limbs’ and consist of texts that support the performance of ritual and the comprehension of their importance and intrinsic philosophical basis. They include Mimamsa, the ‘deep analysis of a subject worthy of reverence,’ Nyaya, the system of logical deduction and analysis of evidence; histories or Purana, and the Dharma Shastras, codes of living for civilised people.

The Dharma Shastras describe household duties, personal work, cleanliness, eating, and ceremonies related to life-cycle events such as weddings and funerals. There are 18 such texts, known as smritis, written by 18 rishis such as Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara, and the smritis all bear their names.

The Upavedas are texts dealing with corollary subjects important for organizing the various features and essential elements of civilized human society. Ayur-veda explains an elaborate system of medicine; the Artha-shastra describes polity and economics; the Dhanur-veda focuses on ethical warfare and the Gandharva-veda teaches music.

The forest King Krsna became completely captivated by the sidelong glances of the forest-queen Srimati Radharani, who was also blossoming with happiness as He decorated Her with many flowers from the king of kadamba trees. I pray that supremely opulent King of kadamba trees may appear before me and grant transcendental happiness to my eyes. […]

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At the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness. The sun, the moon and the other planets were very peaceful. Beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. The rivers flowed with clear water and in the trees, birds like cuckoos and swarms of […]

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Dubai April 7th

While I was in Toronto, Anirudha P, one of my Canadian tour organizers, persuaded me to go to Niagara falls. Somehow , the idea of traveling to places just to see them doesn’t inspire me so much. But recently I have been meditating on the experiential genre of writing and speaking. So, I thought of going there not just to see the falls but also to speak and write on it. And just that thought put me in a much more spiritual frame of consciousness while traveling to and viewing the falls.

Seeing the falls triggered several thoughts such as:

1. The beauty and power of natural phenomena point to the beauty and power of their trans-natural source. (Ref Gita 10.41)

2. The flow of water produces spectacular sights sometimes, but the water keeps flowing towards ocean. So too can we aspire for our consciousness to keep flowing towards Krishna even when we are able to do something special. (Ref Bhagavatam 1.8.42)

3. Physical divisions can be transcended by higher common purpose, just as the American and Canadian falls join together after falling. (Ref Gita 18.20)

I spoke these points in the below audio/video.

https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2017/05/meditation-niagara-falls/

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[Congregation program at Oakville, Toronto, Canada]

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THE CONCH NEWSLETTER, May Issue.
LORD NARASIMHA - Protector of the Devotees
JAHNAVA MATA THAKURANI - The Great Vaishnavi ...

Requests for prayers.
Ambarisa Das: my old friend Badrinarayan Swami is very sick. Please, all vaishnavas, pray for him. His en...

Heroes of the Flood.
Krishnarupa devi dasi: It was bigger than the 1954 and 1988 floods as Cyclone Debbie cut a devastating swathe throughout the Tweed Shire, with much of the area (including Murwillumbah) under heavy water. Lives were tragically lost and valuable property ruined. Devotees lost businesses and some had their homes and belongings seriously water damaged. New Govardhana also endured serious flooding, with Krishna Village inundated, fencing wrecked and the animals in danger. As we often see when tragedy strikes, heroes emerge. New Govardhana devotees went into action and provided delicious hot prasadam all over town for some days. Being a recipient of this prasadam, when you are struggling trying to do flood clean-ups, it was a blessing. My neighbors were delighted to receive a home delivery, thanks to Lokesvari devi dasi.
There were many members of our devotee community who went out of their way to help people, such as Shyama McCrae, who kindly offered to help me if I needed some assistance; to Rupa Charana dasa and the four Mayapur Gurukula graduates who lugged an enormously heavy log back to its rightful place in my backyard and who had also been distributing prasadam with Krishna Gana dasa and others like Yasoda devi dasi, to Sridasa Johnson from DAS Construction, who helped many with his pressure cleaner. I was also told he drove around South Murwillumbah collecting floating gas bottles and also Photography: Trevor Gore helped people in Railway Street who were hit badly by the flood. On the farm, Mal Knights and his colleagues demonstrated great leadership qualities when Krishna Village was completely flooded out, and of course Ajita dasa, who was leading with his usual gusto. Other devotees in town shared their evening meals, washing machines – and consoling hugs. For those not mentioned specifically here, on behalf of other flood victims, I extend a heartfelt thank you!

Meet Bhakta Owen.
Mandakini devi dasi: New Govardhana resident Bhakta Owen Maher recalls having an unusual dream in 2015. In this dream, a disembodied hand was extended towards him offering a Bhagavadgita. He had not previously seen any devotees or any devotional literature. When he woke up, he googled ‘Bhagavad-gita’ and was delighted to find out the spiritual significance. Weeks later, while holidaying in Byron Bay, Caranaravinda dasa approached him and handed Owen a Bhagavadgita! After praying to Krishna for another sign, he returned to his hometown of Umina, NSW, and was thrilled to then meet devotees on the street. He invited them to his home after purchasing a Srimad-Bhagavatam. It wasn’t long before Owen was chanting japa every day.
Owen is also a practical man, with years of experience in his father’s painting and decorating business. He has also been a personal fitness trainer, keen rugby player and spent seven years practicing Vipassana yoga. Now living in New Govardhana, he is managing the paraphernalia and bhoga rooms and has proved himself to be a good handyman and gardener. Owen’s very supportive parents appreciate his chosen lifestyle and thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere when he and his Gaura Nitai Deities come to visit. With the aroma and taste of prasadam, the maha flowers placed on his parent’s bed each evening and the soothing sprinkles of offered water, Owen has transformed the family home into a spiritual haven.
His mother is reading Bhagavad-gita and his sister, who is the mother of two young children, has received his gift of chanting beads and bead bag. “All my energy is here at the farm at the moment and I am fully focused on Krishna consciousness,” says Owen. “But I am looking forward to going to India early next year.”

Today, we celebrate the appearance of Sri Jahnava devi, the wife of Lord Nityananda. Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, in his Kalyana Kalpataru has prayed as follows at the lotus feet of Shri Jahnava Mata: "Having fallen into this ocean of misery, my life is a bewilderment, and I do not know how to reach its shore, nor even where to search for it. All my efforts (karma) are useless, all my knowledge (jnana) is useless, as are mysticism (yoga), austerity, religious penance, and mundane piety. None of these processes have any power to rescue me. I am weak, helpless. I don't know how to swim across this ocean of ignorance. Who will deliver me from this dangerous predicament? Within this dangerous ocean of material existence I see the crocodiles of sense gratification—what a terrible sight! Within this ocean, I am tossed about by the turbulent waves which constantly boil and churn like a ship without a rudder. The impulses and urges that I have acquired from my previous births are like a wind that blows the ship in all directions. My mind is unsteady. This ship has no captain, no direction. I weep in despair, seeing that I cannot cross this ocean of misery. O Jahnava Devi! Today, by the power of your divine qualities, be merciful to this servant of yours. Dispell this illusion which torments me, and relieve me of the anguish of material existence. Let me take shelter at your lotus feet, for in this way I shall certainly cross over the ocean of birth and death. You are Nityananda-shakti—the divine energy of Nityananda Himself. You are the guru of Krishna-bhakti. Be merciful to me and grant me the shade of your holy lotus feet, which are like a wish-fulfilling tree. You have delivered countless abominable sinners. Please deliver me in the same way. Today, this lowly sinner falls at your holy feet, praying for your mercy." Continue reading "Jahnava Mata
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Ramanujacarya meets Iskcon’s Founder-Acarya!
Aniruddha Dasa: Hare Krishna Melbourne - We helped members of the local followers of Ramanujacarya celebrate the 1000th anniversary of his appearance last night. A special occasion no doubt and this meeting struck me with its significance. Srila Prabhupada being the modern day representative of the Vaisnava sampradayas.

In 1992 and 1993, paleontologists of the San Diego Natural History Museum were monitoring the construction on State Highway 54 in San Diego County. In the road excavations they found some interesting fossils that raise the possibility that humans have existed in North America for far longer than most archeologists now think possible. Continue reading "California Dreaming: The State Highway 54 Mastodon Blues
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We are all looking for inspiration. Without it our life becomes dull and our spiritual practice stagnates. Attending a retreat is a great way to find inspiration and get a new perspective. The VIHE International Vaisnavi Retreat 2017 gave inspiration to more than seventy vaisnavis from all around the world and left a deep impression on me personally. I can still feel the warmth of holding hands and the sweetness of smiles on many faces. The sound of the tambura is still playing in my mind and Giriraja is still right there within a few steps. This was my first vaisnavi retreat and I didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be much more than I could imagine. Just having an opportunity to see Giriraja every day felt surreal. Being engaged in service to all the devotees was a special blessing. Sharing responsibility with the wonderful team of staff created a bond which will stay no matter if we ever meet again. Continue reading "Vaisnavi Retreat in Govardhana
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From real life to reel life!

Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of the Hare Krishna movement, his contributions, his spiritual outlook and the experiences of his disciples & grand disciples will be available on the big screen in a month’s time!

Through the wonderful efforts of Yadubara prabhu (John Griesser) and his wife Vishaka mataji (Jean Griesser), this documentary will give people an idea on what the Hare Krishna solution to the suffering world is all about. I am hoping that someone will get inspired to make a full length hollywood movie on Srila Prabhupad.

The official Facebook page is here. Please LIKE them!
https://www.facebook.com/harekrishnathefilm/

Here is the official website of the movie:
http://harekrishnathefilm.com

Here is the trailer video if you want to watch it quickly:

If you want to help, here is the director team’s request for financial assistance:
https://www.generosity.com/fundraising/hare-krishna-the-film

The movie will premiere at the Illuminate Film Festival. Here is the website for more info: http://illuminatefilmfestival.com/films2017.php

If you want to read through a quick bio of the directors, here it is:
> Yadubara Dasa: http://howicame.com/yadubara-dasa/
> Vishaka Devi Dasi: http://btg.krishna.com/vishakha-devi-dasi

Vishaka mataji has also written a wonderful book, “Five Years, Eleven Months and a lifetime of unexpected love“, which you can buy at Amazon. Here is the link.

Hoping all that links above will help you link with the Hare Krishna! movement Please let me know of your thoughts of the movie after you have watched it in the comments below. In the meantime, let’s wish the entire team with our best wishes, blessings and hopes! Good luck Hare Krishna team!

Preaching program in Krishna Tempel Leipzig, Germany (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: It is essential for persons who are ...

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A Far Distant Corner Of The World (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The ISKCON devotees of Omsk, in southwest Siberia, Ru...

How much weight do we put on our intelligence?

The other day I read about a young lady who was killed on the M4 a motorway I use regularly, why was she killed? Simply by exiting her car to chase a dog that was loose running across the lanes.
I’m sure normally speaking she wouldn’t entertain or think of leaving the safety of her car due to dangers involved; but her love of dogs made her intelligence temporarily disappear in regards to the real danger.

Then the sad news of a wonderful devotee who was killed upon his return to New Zealand at a local road junction, it’s unclear what happened or who is at fault; but as we know their is always need to be cautious before entering any junction. Again the intelligence is temporarily lost in regards the danger.

Material life is like this, we put lots of emphasis on our intelligence indeed each and everyone​ of us are a slave to our mind which leads us in so many directions, convincing us that our thoughts and our way is constantly right, indeed we then surround ourselves with like minded individuals who will validate our thought processes.

But disaster is always one step away, most of the time we can simply dust ourselves down say how much we’ve learned from the experience and carry on; sometimes sadly actions mean loss of life were upon the onlookers state how their superior intelligence means they wouldn’t make such mistakes.

It reminded me of the simple fact that devotional life isn’t always easy, for we actually if practicing correctly have to deal with the real self and our not so intelligent intelligence. Even the Guru’s mission is to help us overcome this faulty material intelligence and replace with spiritual intelligence.

Srila Prabhupada translated so much and took the time to explain the real meaning each verse and sentence designed to enhance our intelligence and explain how material nature works and how best to overcome it. Every situation is covered there is not one problem or circumstance that isn’t covered and in each turn a positive outcome can be seen, no matter what our own personal situation we can return home this lifetime.

Time and time again Srila Prabhupada reminds and requests we simply chant the holy name’s for in this age of Kali there is no other way, simple reading and chanting, offer our food to the lord.

But best of all we can share this amazing inspirational intelligence with everyone we meet freely and unconditionally just as Srila Prabhupada showed us, and make sure they leave with a book

Hare Krishna

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Jayananda Thakur’s Own Words (Album with photos)
Jayananda made his own notes in the jacket of his Krishna book in a list in point form. He wrote: ;As your begin to apply the book’s clearly described principles to your life you will quickly experience a new realm of mental poise and experience an inner happiness even in the midst of the most trying circumstances...

[Youth meeting at Toronto Public Library, Canada]

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From the very beginning of our association I sensed something special about Jayananda, and always felt extremely happy and contented in his company. I certainly considered him to be my spiritual superior, but never felt uncomfortable or intimidated in his presence. He was like a kind elder brother. I could sense that his heart was filled with genuine humility and spiritual affection, and this instantly endeared him to me. Never one to condescend, Jayananda would always take the humble position and solicit my advice on matters which he was obviously competent to deal with himself. That was his considerate nature, always depreciating his own importance, while offering all respect to others. Continue reading "Remembering HG Jayananda Prabhu
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[Sunday feast lecture at ISKCON, Brampton, Canada]

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