Gita 14.05 – The modes comprise objective reality and color subjective perception
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[Talk in Toronto, Canada]

Podcast

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Chandan Yatra begins- Day1!
→ Mayapur.com

Akshaya Tritiya also marks the beginning of Chandan Yatra festival. At Mayapur, for 21 days, 21 different veshas depicting pastimes of the Lord Krishna are offered to Sri Radha-Madhava. Big deities of Sri Madhava and Sri Narasimhadeva are anointed fully with sandal wood paste whereas all the members of Panca-tattva, Srimati Radharani and Astasakhis were […]

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Sri Gadadhara Pandit Appearance
→ Ramai Swami

Sri Gadadhar was the constant companion of Mahaprabhu from the time of their childhood. His father’s name was Sri Madhva Misra and his mother’s name Sri Ratnavati devi. They lived very near the house of Sri Jagannatha Misra in Mayapura. Ratnavati-devi thought of Saci-devi as her own sister, and always used to visit her.

During their childhood, Sri Gaura Hari and Gadadhara would play together, sometimes at Mahaprabhu’s house and sometimes at Gadadhara’s house. They both studied together at the same school. Gadadhara was a few years younger then Nimai. Nimai couldn’t remain without Gadadhara even for a moment and Gadadhara likewise couldn’t stand to be separated from Nimai.

In the Gaur-ganoddesa-dipika, it is described that that person who in Vraja was the daughter of Sri Vrsabhanu Raja, namely Srimati Radharani, is now celebrated as Sri Gadadhara Pandita.

Wednesday, April 26th, 2017
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Dubai / Toronto 

Give me Walking Songs

Emirates play flying songs or tunes that carry that theme.  Frank Sinatra sings, “Come Fly With Me,” over the speakers as you enter the aircraft in Dubai.  I don’t care to hear that message after a four hour stay in the airport in Mauritius, then a six hour flight, followed by a five hour stopover in Dubai before embarking on a thirteen hour flight to Toronto.

Give me some “walking” songs, please!

To kill time I watch Richard Attenborough’s “Chaplin” film.  Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, liked Charlie and enjoyed watching him on the screen on the plane.  Charlie does make you laugh.  He produced films for five decades.

Personally, I like the people who break what could be routine.  They give sparkle to your day although they themselves don’t often share a happy life.  Look at Robin Williams.

The persons who make me laugh amongst my colleagues are Achyutananda from New York (now Florida), Badrinarayana Swami (when giving a class, but not at meetings), Brahma Tirtha and Pushkar, both from North Florida, and also Ekendra from Philly.  Ekendra does this comedic routine on a right-wing fanatical Krishna monk from the Black Sea.  He’s a favourite.

I also like to call Murari Gupta, a doctor in the States who exudes this optimism.  His laugh gets me going.

I have come to appreciate that every town has a clown.  God, also has a sense of humour.

It’s important to laugh even when you live in the spirit.

May the Source be with you!


0 km

Tuesday, April 25th, 2017
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Blue Bay, Mauritius 

Mauritian Wrap Up 

Highlights of Mauritian stay:

1)    A mongoose crosses in front of us as we walk.
2)    A swim to the coral reef at Belle Mare.
3)    A trail of sand and snails became our walking zone.
4)    A swim at 11 p.m. amidst flying fish.
5)    Making friends with a 150 year old tortoise.
6)    Drama practices under a grass-roof veranda.
7)    Knowing the enemy is not the huge cockroach, but the mind.
8)    Presenting the drama “Mr. Puri” to a full house (750).
9)    A magician pulling a rabbit out of the box at my request.
10)The walk through the botanical gardens with friends.
11)A chat with godbrothers, Sri Nekatan and Arjuna.
12)The meals of a low purine nature at Amar’s.
13)The meeting with the youth, discussing their issues.
14)Giving classes from the book Bhagavatam.
15)Playing charades using chapters from the book, Krishna.
16)Having the company of Kala, Balarama and Bishma.
17)Honouring first and second initiations to followers.
18)Hearing a good, professionally played-out, tabla recital.
19)Ball tossing in the water with community members.
20)Writing these blogs on a daily basis, thanks to Dhruva and Abhidheya Prabhus—bless you honey childs!
21)Receiving successful reports from our travelling monks.
22)Bonding with the local Krishna devotees.
23)Meeting and making new friends.
24)Viewing the Bon Accueil and Phoenix deities of Krishna.
25)Enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of Mauritius.
26)Keeping busy writing, and reading, but with some recreation.
27)Sweating, which is good for the health, cause it’s humid.
28)The visit to Le Morne and the cliffs of suicide.
29)Feeling the love of the people—lots of Hindus!

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Give her a garland!
→ Servant of the Servant

One time Jadurani painted a picture of Krishna/ Radha Krishna, and Radharani is holding a garland for Krishna and Krishna is playing his flute, but when Prabhupada saw the picture, he saw that Radharani is not looking towards Krishna. So Prabhupada said what is this? he said, 'it looks like Radharani is looking for another boyfriend?.

But seriously you know, Prabhupada was like criticizing this picture, that, this is not correct. And of course she worked hard on this picture and she was crushed, you know, I did all this to please Prabhupada and Prabhupada is rejecting it. When Prabhupada would say something like that, looking for another lover, that means like biting sarcasm. Not like that, you know, funny joke. It means that you know you are nonsense, you painted Radharani like she is looking for another lover or something. He rejected the picture. So, not so quite harshly but then he said this is not good. So Jadurani was very naturally unhappy.

Then the next day Prabhupada called her and said actually the picture is alright. Krishna told Radharani that that girl Jadurani is a nice girl; you should give her a garland!!

- From "Lecture on pastimes of Srila Prabhupada" By HH Jayadvaita Swami

Even for Cutting a Mango, One Requires a Guru
Giriraj Swami

Prabhupada smiling on Juhu terraceIn Juhu Srila Prabhupada would go on the roof in the evening and give darshan. One evening there were five or ten devotees around him, and a few Indian guests, including a famous movie star and his wife. Somebody had brought mangoes for Prabhupada, and at one point he called for a knife and told a devotee to cut a mango and distribute it as prasada. So a brahmacari got a knife and sliced the mango, but it was dripping juice all over—it was a mess.

“You cannot cut it?” Prabhupada asked.

“The knife is not very sharp,” the brahmacari replied.

“That is not the way to cut it,” the movie star’s wife interjected. “Give it to me.”

“Yes,” Prabhupada agreed. “You do not know how to cut. One who knows, let him cut.”

So, the woman took the mango, cut it into two neat halves and scored the flesh into crisscrossed cubes. Then she popped the insides out, and it was a simple matter to pick the cubes off the peel.

Prabhupada laughed at how expertly and neatly she had done it. “Just see,” he said, “even for cutting a mango, one requires a guru. ” Then he quoted from the Mundaka Upanisad (1.2.12): “Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet”—“To learn the science one must certainly approach a spiritual master.” The guests and devotees all laughed, and Prabhupada told the brahmacari to distribute the prasada, one piece to everyone.

“Everything requires a guru,” Prabhupada repeated. “Otherwise one remains a fool, rascal—that’s all. In every item you require a guru. And to understand Krishna, or God, everyone thinks they are independent. Just see the foolishness. Yata mata tata patha. ‘Ah, you consider about God in your own way. It doesn’t require any guru.’ This foolishness is going on. For cutting a mango one requires a guru, and to understand Krishna, he doesn’t require a guru. This foolishness is going on. And Krishna says,

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti tad jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsina
           [Bg 4.34]

[“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.”] Krishna says you have to understand like this. But everyone is thinking, ‘Why shall I go to guru?’ ”

Prabhupada saw everything in the light of Krishna consciousness, and he shared his vision with others—to their great delight.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Understanding how Krishna is everything and controls everything even amidst worldly sufferings
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[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Montreal, Canada]

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Podcast Summary

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If Prabhupada knew that certain projects weren’t going to succeed, why did he encourage devotees to do those projects?
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Answer Podcast

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If karmic reactions come on earth itself, what is the need for sufferings in hell?
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Answer Podcast

The post If karmic reactions come on earth itself, what is the need for sufferings in hell? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A vaisnava
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 September 2010, Newcastle, South Africa, Lecture)

A vaisnava has to be someone with a heart. A vaisnava is not just someone who chants many rounds of japa or someone who knows many slokas (sastric verses) or someone who always gets up really early when the whole world is still asleep. This is all wonderful but if that person, in spite of all these wonderful qualities, does not show a heart and does not have a heart, then he is not a complete vaisnava!

Soft Love
→ ISKCON News

Don’t be surprised to catch yourself playing ‘God’ even when you know better. The scientist wants the credit of universal explanation. The philosopher bathes in the credit of insight, originality and wisdom. The celebrity enjoys the credit of fame, fortune and adoration. The politician wants the credit of power and control. Even an ‘average Joe’ will clutch onto something unique which, at least he thinks, makes him stand out from the crowd.

Krishna Lounge at the temple
→ Krishna Lounge

These photographs were taken a few months ago when the lounge was being renovated and the gatherings were taking place at the temple.

Bhadranga – a lover of kirtan
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Ananta Purushottam Das

He was always known for being jovial and bubbly. Many used to find having conversations with him very entertaining. He was very friendly and got along with any stranger he came across. He was very fond of Aindra Prabhu's kirtans and used to run the 10hr kirtan programme with Nrsingha Tirtha Prabhu at Bhaktivedanta Manor. He was good to talk with about the philosophy and used to share his realisations. After he moved to the Netherlands to pursue his PhD in religious studies. Unfortunately, we lost contact in the last couple of years, but devotees often remembered him and would ask about his wellbeing. Continue reading "Bhadranga – a lover of kirtan
→ Dandavats"

Abramorama Acquires ‘Hare Krishna!’ Documentary & Releases Trailer
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Hare KrishnaBy Amanda N'Duka

The pic, which was directed by John Griesser and co-directed by Jean Griesser and Lauren Ross, will world premiere on June 3 at Illuminate Film Festival in Sedona, AZ, followed by a nationwide theatrical rollout starting June 16 in New York City. “The perfection of this life is to understand oneself”: Words from the film, which combines Prabhupada’s own recorded words, archival verite and interviews with scholars and his early followers to offer insight to the cultural movement, now known as the Hare Krishna movement. Continue reading "Abramorama Acquires ‘Hare Krishna!’ Documentary & Releases Trailer
→ Dandavats"

Back In The Motherland
→ Traveling Monk

Фотоальбом на Facebook

Yesterday I arrived back in Moscow. Srila Prabhupada was the first to come against all odds. He had the vision to see the great potential in this country for Krsna consciousness.

Вчера вернулся в Москву. Шрила Прабхупада был первым, кто приехал сюда, несмотря на все трудности. У него было видение огромного потенциала для осознания Кришны в этой стране.

Harinam, book and prasadam distribution @ Sanur beach, 27.4.2017…
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Harinam, book and prasadam distribution @ Sanur beach, 27.4.2017 (Album with photos)
Sanur is a seaside town in the southeast of the island of Bali, in Indonesia.
Srila Prabhupada: This sankirtana or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program. Lord Caitanya’s movement means the sankirtana movement. You may simply take two hours for chanting sixteen rounds daily, two hours for reading congregationally, and balance of time go out for sankirtana. We must do both, reading books and distributing books, but distributing books is the main propaganda. Reading in class for two hours is sufficient and other reading can be done in spare time if one has got it, it is not that one has to be always reading. One hour a morning for Bhagavata class and one hour evening, either Bhagavad-gita or Nectar of Devotion, that is sufficient. —From a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Bali Mardan, Pusta Krishna; 18 September, 1972.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/uxyNnG

Kings day Amsterdam, Netherlands – Full kirtan blast with 250…
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Kings day Amsterdam, Netherlands - Full kirtan blast with 250 kirtaniyas (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: For one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, or glorification of the name, fame, and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely. (From Srila Prabhupada’s translation of SB 6.2.12)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/2tGnem

Monday, April 24th, 2017
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Le Morne, Mauritius

What Brahmanas Can Do!

I had recommended, the afternoon before, to some new second initiates that what our mission needs is some brahmanas who will take up the role of counsellors and mentors.  Congratulations to Mahesvaree, who took the name of Maha Laksmi.  In addition to her, three formerly initiated devotees became brahminical priests.

“Consider certain scenarios that happen in our communities, such as a man who is abusive to his wife, a daughter is young, unmarried and pregnant, or a young teenage son is getting into drugs.  These are the realities of today.  Both pre-marital and post-marital issues need some help and brahmanas can assist in these areas of social need.”

In brief, my message came like that to the Sunday crowd and it appears some of those sitting at the havan fire, including recent 2nd initiates of Bhakti Brngha Govinda Swami, felt some new opportunities of service were up for their consideration, over and above the rituals they are now proviledged to get involved in.

Today, however, was a significant day with an outing to the ocean and viewing the monument of human tragedy at Le Morne.  My evening was well spent at the Phoenix temple, when I spoke from Chapter 2 of the Gita. “The soul cannot be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor drowned in water, nor dried by the wind.  It is indestructible.”

This is powerfully expressed by Sri Krishna.

May the Source be with you!


3 km