(Kadamba Kanana Swami, September 2010, Durban South Africa, Lecture)
We must always take shelter of our spiritual master. This is very important. We must take shelter again and again otherwise we will have no strength. Without taking shelter, we will not be able to succeed in spiritual life, we will struggle. We will not be able to maintain our vows or we will not be able to even take vows in the first place. Taking shelter is crucial, it keeps us on the cutting edge of spiritual life otherwise Krsna consciousness cannot take us very far and then it becomes a social club, “… and it’s Sunday again and it’s so nice to be here! And we had such a nice birthday party last week and guess what… we’re going to do it today! (Singing) May you never take birth again!”
Okay and you can have your cake and eat it too and it is nice to sing, “May you never take birth again,” but how do you actually do it? It is not so easy to never take birth again – a slip in between the cup and the lip and before you know, another birth again! So to never take birth again is more than just about eating cake! It is really a matter of making a commitment, of being brave, being very brave and going before the spiritual master and saying, “I am yours!” It is a scary thing to do, very scary to become someone’s property completely. One must do whatever such a person says! This is the nature of the guru-disciple relationship.
Ananta Vrindavan’s das’ “best of the best” photos of Jeegnesh and Kaishori Sindhu dasi’s wedding in Brisbane, Australia yesterday. Jeegnesh and Kaishori Sindhu will be leaving soon to Crawley, England to assist with our movement there. I have no doubt their combined efforts will bring the preaching to new levels. Please everyone send them your blessings!
Лучшие из лучших фото Ананта Вриндавана даса свадьбы Джигнеша и Кайшори Синдху даси, из Брисбана (Австралия). Вскоре Джигнеш и Кайшори Синдху отбывают в Англию, чтобы помогать там нашему движению. Не сомневаюсь, что общими усилиями они выведут проповедь на новый уровень. Пошлите им свои благословения!
Meeting with Mr. Amit Shah, BJP National President.
We are happy to inform you about a very pleasant meeting that HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja had with Mr. Amit Shah in New Delhi. Mr. Amit Shah is the National President of the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). Mr. Shah was very respectful and appreciated the work of ISKCON after Maharaja explained our various activities. He particularly took a keen interest when presented with Srila Prabhupada’s books, spending nearly 10 minutes reading them and was delighted to be presented the Krishna Art Book whose paintings he said were “brilliant”. As he daily reads Srimad Bhagavatam, Maharaja offered to present him with the Gujarati BBT edition with Srila Prabhupada’s purports. Overall, the 25 minutes meeting was very fruitful.
More photos: https://goo.gl/Mrt7zE
Distributing SP’s books in Japanese (Album with photos)
From the famous Meiji Shrine… to their super-efficient train stations and busy streets… the Japanese “Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers”, “Perfection of Yoga” and “Beyond Birth and Death” are blissfully going out all over Tokyo and Osaka…!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/uvFznI
Tribal people from the states of Assam, Tripura and north eastern states of India have arrived at Mayapur to take part in the Annual Tribal Care Convention 2017, from 9th April to 11th April. The theme of the convention is “Go, Ganga and Gita”. A colorful inaugural function with tribal dance and recitation of Bhagavad Gita […]
Have you seen a cook’s heaven? Iskcon’s most professional kitchen. Melbourne, Australia (Album with photos)
Aniruddha Dasa: A few perspectives of kitchen readiness on Saturday. I took these for presentation at the thankyou dinner. We raised another $100,000 on the night. Thanks to all those who helped us raise $1,400,000 thus far on top of the $500,000 provided by the Victorian Government.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/BF9zo6
A devotee in the South Asian Dance Final.
A mighty congratulation to the BBC South Asian dance winner, Shyam Dattani. Shyam has spent much of his life at Iskcon’s Bhaktivedanta Manor in UK.
The finalists in this category showcase two of the most popular classical Indian dance styles - Kathak and Bhatanatyam. Judging them is a panel of three of the UK’s top dance experts: the choreographer, performer and academic, Chitra Sundaram; performer, teacher and leading exponent of Kathak dance, Kajal Sharma; and general adjudicator - judging across all four BBC Young Dancer categories - the critically acclaimed choreographer and dance producer, Shobana Jeyasingh. For one of the dancers a place in the Grand Final awaits, with the opportunity to dance on the main stage at Sadler’s Wells.
The finalists are: Akshay Prakash, Jaina Modasia, Anaya Bolar, Shyam Dattani and Anjelli Wignakumar. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l6sm0
Three months after establishing the GBC, Srila Prabhupada wrote: “Formerly I issued one circular letter requesting all GBC members who are zonal secretaries also, to give me a fortnightly report of the activities in his jurisdiction, but I am not receiving. I’ve received no letter since a very long time from Karandhara, and I’m very interested to know how things are going in L.A. We have a great responsibility to pay $2,000. monthly to the church trustees.” (Letter to Rupanuga, October 28, 1970) Srila Prabhupada acted as overseer of the (then) twelve GBC members and was expecting regular reports of their zonal work. In his physical absence, the GBC should ensure that its commissioners and Zonal Secretaries fulfill their obligations and appropriately supervise and develop their zones, that its Ministers fulfill their mandates, etc. Continue reading "GBC: Ensuring Accountability among Its Commissioners and throughout the Society → Dandavats"
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, June 2011, New Ekachakra, Slovakia, Lecture)
Growing old happens slowly! You don’t notice it until one day you look in the mirror and you think, “Oh my God! I have a lot of lines! I never had those before.” That is how growing old is, you grow old every day but you do not see it every day. In the same way, we make spiritual advancement every day but we do not see it. But sometimes we have a moment where we feel, “I’m actually getting somewhere!” We are making advancement all the time so we must continue to serve, to endeavour…
Radha Kunda Seva: March 2017 Photos and Updates (Album with photos)
7000 buildings around the parikrama path had been marked for demolition and demolished they were. March was a traumatic month for many Govardhan residents …and for us as well when we saw a giant red X painted on the pillar of our temple freshly built at the front end of our property. So far, by Radha and Krishna’s mercy, the government has spared our temple, instead only knocking down the front gate and some of the wall encircling our land. We will put up a temporary fence to replace the broken wall. And our construction managers are cautiously recommending that we delay the building of the kitchen and residence facilities a few months until after the mayhem has died down. And so we wait. With the help of a lawyer, we have now received official permission from the Radha Kunda district magistrate to reinstate feeding chenna prasada to parikrama pilgrims and to continue cleaning all around Radha Kunda. And so with a new sense of confidence and your steady support, we continue the daily service of cleaning and prasadam distribution in Radha Kunda. Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com. Your servants, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, Urmila Devi Dasi, and Mayapurcandra dasa.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sVoI49
Question: Why does the Gita consider karma-yoga better than jnana-yoga when jnana-yoga is higher in the yoga ladder?
Answer: As per popular conception, action (karma) in this world is a source of bondage and disconnection (sannyasa) from this world is a source of liberation. This was the same paradigm based on which Arjuna’s question begin in the Gita. He thinks that if he fights the war, he will be bound. On the contrary, if he does not fight the war, he will be liberated. Krishna in the Gita challenges these fundamental conceptions. He says, “Yes, action leads to bondage and renunciation leads to liberation. But things are not so simple. Action, if done with renounced spirit, can also lead to liberation. Also, renunciation, if done without purification, can also lead to bondage. Spiritual growth is a matter of changing our intention.”
The whole principal of the yoga-ladder is based on gradual elevation of our intention.
Initially, the intention is, “I want to enjoy the world”. This is basically karma-kanda mindset. This intention then elevates to “I want to live in this world so that I do not suffer.” This is karma-yoga mindset. Next, the intention elevates to, “This world is a place of trouble, I want to stay away from the trouble, so let me stay away from this world.” These are jnana-yoga and ashtanga-yoga intentions.
Largely, all these yoga processes (karma, jnana, ashtanga) are “I” centric – whether I am enjoying, or staying away from trouble. Bhakti-yoga focusses on Krishna – How can I best serve Krishna? The mindset of a bhakti-yogi is – “If I can serve Krishna by acting in this world, I will act. If I can serve Krishna by renouncing this world, I will renounce.”
In the bhakti perspective, it is possible to have a person connected in this world having a purer intention to serve Krishna than a person who has renounced the world. The person who has renounced the world from material perspective is less entangled in this world. However, the person is still entangled in self-obsession (I do not want to suffer in this world). Therefore, Bhagavad-gita gives a normal hierarchy – action (karma) > renunciation (jnana, dhyana, ashtanga) > devotion (bhakti).
The normal hierarchy that has been talked in Bhagavad-gita is described from 18.47-55. In 18.47-48, Krishna talks about daivi-varnashrama (svakarmana tam abhyarcha, by your work worship him). Then from 18.49-53 Krishna talks about jnana-yoga, renouncing the world (sannyasam upashritaha). Then in 18.54-55, Krishna talks about those who have attained brahman realization (brahma bhuta prasannatma) will attain my bhakti (mad bhaktim labhate param). Therefore, the hierarchy is – karma > jnana > bhakti.
Then in 18.56, Krishna says, “You do not have to go through all this.” (sarva-karmany api sada kurvano mad-vyapashrayah – whatever level you are located at, you start practicing bhakti you will be liberated).
Therefore, one hierarchy is action>renunciation>devotion, but if the action itself is done with devotional intention, then the person is higher than the person who has renounced the world.
So, when, Krishna says, that karma is higher than jnana or ashtanga yoga, he is not simply saying karma as action, but he is saying karma done with yogic (or devotional) intention. Action done with devotional intention is higher than renunciation of the world without devotional intention.
If we see devotion as the criteria for spiritual advancement, then the normal hierarchy can be suspended or rearranged.
Tom and I hit the trail. Down the ravines we went as the sun was also making a descent. That good hour permitted an immersion in conversation. We talked about the world.
Tom is a retired teacher and in the late ’80s taught students in Spence Bay or what is now known as Taloyoak in the northern Canadian territory of Nunavut.
“It was interesting up there.Lots of substance abuse up there.It’s definitely Kali Yuga (Age of Darkness).Things are also bad here—all around, everywhere.Maybe I’m getting old,” he said.
Tom is only sixty-two, but, like anyone at that ripeness of age, there’s a tendency to view the world negatively.I do the same.I tend to see flaws, but would subjectively say I also like to draw out what is not pejorative.Tom is lively, though, and chuckles enough at any discussion.For someone who has collected 5000 comics over the years, you’ve got to be an optimist.There’s always a happy ending.
To put in my two nickels worth (pennies make no sense [cents] these days), I must add that we cannot be naïve about the world’s current state of affairs.I reflect on the misdirection of today—the deception.The big lie. “I am this body,” is the huge fib.In truth, “I am spirit.”
In ’96, on my first marathon walk, many newspapers covered my story.It made the front page of Sudbury’s main paper.The article made reference to my statement about this “Big Lie.”
I came upon a statement by Mark Twain on the subject of lying.“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
Today is the birthday of Rama, known as RamNaumi or RamNavami. People come from the area to partake in the celebrations held in the evening. Where I live in the ashram, community members will come for events like this because attached to the ashram is a temple where Rama (who is an avatar of Krishna) is honoured.
Conveniently, my place of residence is also the place of meditation.Also located on the premises is our vegetarian restaurant, as well as rooms for workshops or seminars.It’s rather ideal if you can manage that kind of lifestyle.Your workplace, living quarters and recreational facility (we sing and dance here) are all under one roof.
Joyously people sang, danced and listened in the temple portion of the building.
The listening session was actually a class delivered by American-born Vasu Gosh, who now resides in India.His message on Rama was well received.I consider him a dear friend, although in some areas of discussion our opinions on the subject matter of the guru principle clashes.While I support the concept of female spiritual masters, he does not.
The argument I would take on the topic is that if one is qualified as a teacher and lives a saintly life, what does it matter the gender that one belongs to?In my heart I’m a supporter of the old school.I like the traditional approach and as a part of our tradition with roots from the Gaudiya Vaishnava background, women, in some cases, took on the portfolio of taking students/disciples.
A centipede was crawling across the floor. Rarely do I see one but when one does make an appearance, it’s special for me.
One reason for that being so is if ever anyone questions the extra arms some Vedic deities display, like Vishnu, Durga or the multi-armed, half-man half-lion avatar, then I can point out we have examples in nature which demonstrate multiple arms or legs.Extra limbs are not limited to God.Another reason why I consider the centipede to be auspicious is I feel that here, in fact, is a display of nature, which is alive and well.We humans haven’t succeeded at killing everything—yet.I know centipedes are in the category of creepy-crawlies which do cause some people to cringe or flee.They are harmless as far as I can understand.
I’ve heard they can bite, but it’s not fatal.I definitely wouldn’t want one crawling up my leg while in bed.That would be irritating or disturbing.
I was watching the fellow trying to make his way around.Like practically every creature on the planet, there is a search for food.They go after bugs, worms and spiders, even cockroaches.I think that’s what he was up to.
One line from the book Bhagavatam states, “Jivo jivasya jivanam,” which means “One living being is food for another.”The food chain is at work here.
My newly-made friend wasn’t exactly bee-lining his way along.He looked a little confused.
“Shall I go here, or there?”
I did chant before him, hoping the sound would be of some purification for him.
Everyone was out, meaning in the out-of-doors, wrapped in mild weather. Wherever there was a trail, families explored with their toddlers and dogs. The young, the elderly and every age bracket in between came out as nature beckoned.
“Spring is now in the air,” is what Mother Nature seemed to say.
The only thing is you cannot trust this Mama.She is brown today and will be green next week, then greener, and still greener, in fact so intensely green she will change colours.She’ll pick a new tone of yellow, orange, and red to deep brown.Then she’ll become white and silver.Her texture changes beautifully over the seasons.She appears to go through emotions and is the ultimate Drama Queen.
But we like the changes.Variety is the masala—the spice of life.
I had two companions with me as we took to one of those Discovery Walks in the city.And while we put our hour in for chanting, we also put our legs to work in the ravine for that cherishable escape from indoors.
Praharana, my dear godsister, came in the evening for the Sunday Open House at the ISKCON Centre.She told me she did the same as we did—strolled and chanted.
Now that would be a perfect world: people going out to touch nature to say to that Queen, “Hello!” and then to “Hello!” everyone else.If you say the Sanskrit word “Haribol!” then you address the Father (Krishna) and people think you said the more familiar “Hello!”
Ecstatic Harinama at Leicester Square, UK (4 min. video)
Srila Prabhupada: That there have been no newly initiated devotees from Japan is all right. It doesn’t matter whether they are initiated or not. If they are coming in large number, that is the success of our mission. We are not after making initiated members very many but our concern is that people understand this philosophy in wider circles. Initiated members are for managing the temples and preaching work, but our program is to invite people to our feasts, let them hear our philosophy and dance and chant. That is the basic principle of our philosophy in preaching work. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Sudama – Bombay 11 April, 1971
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/hBGPRg
The passing of Joan Fielder, also known as Yamuna.
Ramai Swami:
Joan Fielder, also known as “Jamuna” by the devotees, had been visiting New Gokula farm on and off for around twenty years.
In the last few years she was a regular at the Bhakti tree in Newcastle where she loved to talk to the devotees, listen to kirtan and have nice prasadam.
At a recent Friday evening program, after listening to the kirtan and sitting to take her meal, she had an attack and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Unfortunately, Jamuna, who was 87, passed away while in the ambulance. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends and devotees. Her last moments were in the Bhakti Tree after kirtan and prasadam.
May Lord Krishna bless her soul to continue the journey back home, back to Godhead.
The first residential session of the 2017-2018 academic year of the GBC College was held at Govardhan Ecovillage (GEV), a farm community and retreat center located in Wada, two hours north of Mumbai at the foothills of the Sahyadri mountains. The residential involved 12 days of training in the fields of leadership development. The GBC College is focusing on imparting training to leaders to establish Zonal Supervisors across the globe. Twenty-five devotee participants attended the residential program, the curriculum for which included lessons in the areas of leadership and management. Participants enrolled in this program came from eleven countries- India, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Kenya, Nigeria, Hungary, Russia and Italy. Rasika Raman Prabhu from GEV was the organizer of this residential program and arranged for the various speakers and instructors to participate in it. Continue reading "Govardhan Ecovillage Hosts the 2017 GBC College Residential Program → Dandavats"
By The GBC
By GBC College Staff