Planet ISKCON

By Sri Ubhaya Vedantha Anbil Ramaswamy

Sri Ramanujacarya was born in South India. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada took many teachings from him, such as the duties of the sannyasi, the duties of the disciple, and the etiquette of the Vaisnava. He utilized one-hundred eight teachings. His date of birth is placed differently by different authorities.As per PPM, he was born in Kaliyuga year 4119 which corresponds to 1017 AD. PPM fixes even the exact date as 13th April 1017 AD, in terms of English Calendar. Continue reading "Sri Ramanujacarya Appearance
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Her Grace Krishna Vilasini Devi Dasi, a disciple of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left her body yesterday in Vrindavana.
Locana Das (her husband): I am sure that her lifelong dedication to the service of Krishna will reap many transcendental benefits as she passes on her way toward the Object of her devotion.
We started a temple together in Portland in 1971 and then moved to San Francisco where we had our first child. Krishna Vilasini walked during the Rathayatra festival in Golden Gate Park and gave birth to our baby girl at 2:00 am the next morning. Srila Prabhupada called it “natural childbirth” and named her Ratha.
Krishna Vilasini was a very special devotee. She joined the movement in Berkeley in 1969 and served under Hansadutta Prabhu who was the TP there at that time. She was immediately attracted to Harinam and there are pictures from that period showing her blissful absorption in the Holy Name. There is a video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs3axWCHquo that shows the early days in Berkeley which shows a young Hrdayananda Mj. preaching at the university along with brief passages showing Krishna Vilasini chanting (scroll video to 2:33) and serving prasadam in the temple (3:10) on Durant St. She was a sold out enthusiastic bhaktin whose only ambition was Harinam and preaching. We got married in the spring of 1970, but her heart was in the chanting and I was the attached grihastha.

India state greenlights life sentences for cow slaughter.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat on Friday increased the punishment for cow slaughter from seven years to life imprisonment as Hindu hardliners push for tougher protections for the holy animal.
Under the stiffened penalties passed by Gujarat’s state assembly, anyone caught transporting cows for slaughter could also face up to 10 years in jail.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/V96Bnf

By the GBC

In Los Angeles on June 4, 1976, a reporter asked Srila Prabhupada: “Is there anyone who is designated to succeed you as the primary teacher of the movement?” Srila Prabhupada replied: “I am training some, I mean to say, advanced students so that they may be very easily take up the charge. I have made them GBC. They are under my direct training, and I think they will be able to conduct this movement.” Six days later, on June 10, 1976, also in Los Angeles, another reporter asked about succession of spiritual leadership: once Srila Prabhupada departed “Will there be one spiritual leader”? Srila Prabhupada answered: “No, I am training GBC, eighteen all over the world.” Continue reading "GBC: Guarding & Representing Srila Prabhupada’s Teachings – Preserving Srila Prabhupada’s Position as the Founder – Acarya
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Tomorrow is the 1,000^th anniversary of the appearance of Sripada Ramanujacarya, the principal acarya in the Sri, or Lakshmi, sampradaya. Srila Prabhupada wrote that “We find great shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Ramanujacarya because his lotus feet are the strongest fort to combat the Mayavadi philosophy.” (letter 22.11.1974) And in the early days of ISKCON in India, before we had Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is translated into Hindi, he would refer people to read the Hindi edition of the Gita with Sri Ramanujacarya’s commentary.

Prabhupada often told a story about Sri Ramanujacarya’s merciful, compassionate nature. As he related it in Ahmedabad in 1972, “The servants of Krishna take all risk for Krishna’s sake. Just like Ramanujacarya. Sri Ramanujacarya’s spiritual master said, ‘My dear son, the mantra which I am giving, you chant silently and you will be delivered. It is so powerful. Don’t chant this mantra loudly so others can hear.’

“Ramanujacarya thought, ‘If this mantra is so powerful that if others hear it they’ll also be delivered, then why not?’ He immediately went to the market and began to chant the mantra. So his spiritual master became very angry, that ‘I told you not to chant loudly, so others may not hear.’ And Ramanujacarya replied, ‘My Lordship, I have done offense unto you. That’s all right. For this I am prepared to go to hell. But if this mantra is so powerful, I must speak it to everyone.’ ”

In this mood, following in the footsteps of Sripada Ramanujacarya, Srila Prabhupada broadcast the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita everywhere, to everyone.

We pray and aspire to follow in their footsteps.

Hare Krishna.

—Giriraj Swami

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The devotees from Melbourne regularly go out on harinama samkirtan in the city and surrounding suburbs.

The Tuesday evening kirtan party is a little smaller than the rest of the week but nevertheless the devotees are enthusiastic.

I was invited to go out and on arriving saw that my god-sister, Surabhi devi dasi, was leading and also playing the mrdanga drum. This was enlivening to the devotees and after a while I also led.

I am a proponent of planning. I plan my day if it is outside my routine, plan my trips if I am taking any, plan my domestic priorities, plan my work duties daily etc. In other words, all of us practice the art of planning our duties and based on the plan we prioritize our daily activities.

Similarly, we have to plan our journey back to Krishna. Not that just chant some rounds, read some books, listen some stories, do some puja in temple and magically we land up with Krishna. Unless we plan our spiritual life, determination will not come. Because we have so many other things to do, it is best to have a clear and simple plan (for spiritual priorities) to execute at every phase or stage of our life. Then once we create a plan based on our strength and or weakness, we can gradually implement them with determination. If we cannot implement our plan, then we revisit them and tweek the plan.

Personally, I think this is important and helps me keep track of my spiritual progress both externally and internally. Please sit down and meditate where you would like to be in 6 months, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years and end of life. This is important!

Hare Krishna

On Tuesday, March 28th, the day one of our construction of the earthbag dome, we cleared the site, marked the ground where the dome is going to be constructed, leveled the ground, and dug the perimeter trench. On Monday, April 3rd, we are going to lay the foundation and make door threshold etc.

Those of you have donate $30 or more towards this project, please note that you can come out to the site any time and learn the process hands-on.

If you would like to make a donation towards this project, please go to www.krishnalounge.com/earthbag/. Thank you.

Radha Shyamsunder’s Boat Festival 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Each and every word of Srimad-Bhagavatam, full of volumes of explanation, each and every word. This is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vidya-bhagavatavadhi. One’s learning will be understood when he’s able to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vidya. Vidya means learning, not this science, that science. When one can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam in true perspective, then he’s to be understood that he has finished his all educational advancement. Avadhi. Avadhi means “this is the limit of education.” Vidya-bhagavatavadhi. From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.13 – New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969
Find them here: https://goo.gl/NpRfNx

On the auspicious day of Lord Nityananda's appearance the ISCOWP crew based in Alachua, Florida, offered arati to the cows. Instead of offering treats also, they let the rescued calves out of their barn for the first time. They also opened the gates for the rest of the herd to let them onto another pasture so they would be getting new grass to eat. A video by Chaya Devi of ISCOWP.

The post Daily Darshan: Mar 31,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

ISKCON Rohini - Vrindavan Yatra for 2016 Batch on 25 & 26 March 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: You mention you like to speak now very often, but the first business should be to preach to the devotees. It is better to maintain a devotee than to try to convince others to become devotees. It is the duty of the GBC to maintain the devotees, keep them in the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness, and give them all good instruction, and let them go out and preach for making more devotees. Your first job should be to make sure that every one of the devotees in your zone of management is reading regularly our literatures and discussing the subject matter seriously from different angles of seeing, and that they are somehow or other absorbing the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness philosophy. If they are fully educated in our philosophy and if they can get all of the knowledge and study it from every viewpoint, then very easily they will perform tapasya or renunciation and that will be their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. So first thing is to instruct all of your temple presidents and the other devotees to read daily, just as we have done in our morning class in Los Angeles. You may remember that we were reading one sloka each morning in Sanskrit and reciting it altogether and then discussing it thoroughly by seeing different new things. So you introduce this system and train the devotees first. Don’t be too much concerned for the time being with nondevotees, now we must fix-up what devotees we have got in the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness, then we will succeed. What good are many, many devotees if none of them are knowledgeable?
Find them here: https://goo.gl/4ZPnDm

MotelGita distribution (Album with photos)
MotelGita delivered hundreds of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita’s to several hotels/motels in the State of Tennessee
Find them here: https://goo.gl/r6Zp32

Chanting is sacred communication!
(Transcribed by Madhumati Priyasaki Devi Dasi)
Mahatma Prabhu: Chanting is very important, if you strive to upgrade your chanting it will make such a huge difference in your Krishna Consciousness.

Escaping a Dark Future …
Giriraj Swami: On Srila Prabhupada’s morning walk on November 16, 1975, I told him about a recent interview with a scientist who had said, “We don’t know where the ingredients came from, but we’re sure that there’s …”
“Then why do you talk nonsense?” Prabhupada challenged the scientist. “You do not know. Then what is the use of talking nonsense? You do not know from where these ingredients have come. Our answer is—Krishna reveals—aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: ‘The ingredients come from Me.’”

By Spencer Dew

Last year, for the twentieth anniversary of the festival, 80,000 people were reportedly in attendance, with that crowd estimated to be about 90% Mormon. The festival in Spanish Fork has spawned a series of smaller events in other cities run by a travelling team from the Utah temple and has also given birth to the popular “Color Run” phenomenon, employing the same kind of powdered, cornstarch-based colors, and the same spirit of carnivalesque engagement in “sharing love.” Mormon festival-goers are led in chanting Sanskrit mantras and instructed in the metaphysical ramifications of such chanting. They are lectured on vegetarianism, on the true nature of knowledge and reality and the self, and invited to participate in the burning in effigy of a demonic “witch.” They will throw “colors” made from biodegradable powder that billows out as great plumes, and they will smear and smack and rub such colors on fellow festival-goers, with whom they will dance and whom they will frequently be enjoined to hug—all expressions of love, explicitly interpreted by the organizers as manifestations of the ultimate model of love, Krishna. Continue reading "How A Mormon Spring Break Ritual Came To Include A Whole Lot Of “Hare Krishna, Hare Rama”
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By the GBC

This document describes the collective service of the Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The listed functions derive primarily from Srila Prabhupada’s direct instructions. Some details have been shaped, however, by insights gained over decades of observation and experience. The GBC members collaborate to fulfill their various global responsibilities and individually contribute according to their capacity, area of expertise, personal inclination, and specific requirements. It is not expected that every member will display excellence in every aspect; at the same time, absorption in and loyalty to the core elements of Srila Prabhupada’s mood and mission are expected from every GBC member. In fulfilling its mandate, the Body shall involve as many qualified assistants as necessary to accomplish its duties, organizing them in as many offices, ministries, and departments as required. Continue reading "Global Duties & Responsibilities of the GBC – Executing Srila Prabhupada’s Will
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(Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Boston, USA)

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[Talk at North Easy University, USA]

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 June 2009, Japa Talks)

In spiritual life there is always the transcendental dimension – the dimension of auspiciousness, of purification, of eternal benefit and of getting more and more mercy of Krsna. Sometimes we like the material side in spiritual life more – the temple, a festival, the cheese in the subji or devotees who are our friends and at other times we may find spiritual life to be a big austerity. Sometimes we may like to chant and at other times, it is a struggle but whatever it may be, the spiritual dimension is always there in spiritual life and that makes it all worthwhile!

So I was asked a very interesting question the other day, it had a recurring theme that I’ve heard put in many different ways and also one that for me has the basic answer of reciprocation

The question is:

Why do we keep going back to iskcon events. Even though we know there is deep rooted sexism abuse and cover up?

Yes sadly not an uncommon experience the combination of corporate ISKCON and a few individuals who take advantage of a spiritual movement and abuse positions of power, some also question the whole paid courses stating mission drift.

So when such feelings are their and justified individually leaving a bitter taste their remains a need of association or just a need to feel a part of a significant event celebration (although the last event i personally attended was somewhat ruined by the constant bombardment for laxmi, it is not attractive); wholesome reciprocation is all that is needed.

For me it is time to enjoy talking to very sincere devotees about the particular pastime and exchange ideas and thoughts on reaching out to those we meet, simple discrimination means we choose those who enliven us and inspire us in increasing our love of devotion.

But their is something more significant, the presiding deities the special connection we make and actually how Sri Krishna demonstrates the most perfect form of reciprocation, he heard us chant Hare Krishna and that simply reignited our love; no matter what happens because of this purity of love we return simple to take darshan and by doing so this purity of love is simply increased no matter what else we experience.

And I’ve met over the years individuals and families who only come once or twice a year just to see the deities and in a loving exchange give a little something just because of the purity of love felt.

So that for me is the reason why we keep on coming back, it’s not ISKCON but the deities and a simple need of the soul to see them.

Who you whilst their choose to associate with well that comes down to discrimination, choose wisely

Hare Krishna

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON New Vrindaban Communications

One of the first of the retreat-style festivals currently so popular in ISKCON, Festival of Inspiration, launched in New Vrindaban in 2000, has always offered something a little unique.

Now, in its 17th year, with the tagline “Rethink. Refresh. Renew,” FOI is again taking a fresh approach, offering an exciting new inspirational experience based on feedback from devotees about what they like.

“Whereas previous Festival of Inspirations were a high-speed puzzle of eighteen different short presentations you could choose from, we now plan to offer people an immersive experience that they can dive into and experience together,” says ISKCON New Vrindaban temple president Jaya Krsna Das. “We also want to provide them with practical tips they can implement in their day-to-day lives.”

So in this year’s FOI, running from May 12th to 14th, devotees will get to choose the seminar that interests them most out of three in-depth offerings, each lasting ten hours over three days.

In “Dig In!” members of ECO-Vrindaban, New Vrindaban’s simple-living branch, will guide attendees on an interactive journey from Lord Krishna’s garden and goshala to His plate. Devotees will learn how to grow, cook, and preserve food. They’ll take a tour of ECO-Vrindaban’s gardens, study seasonal foods and how to cook them; learn strategies for building soil, increasing plant fertility, and weed control; and construct a simple compost pile.

In the milking barn, they’ll get to brush and milk the cows, make yogurt, and churn butter. They’ll also get a practical lesson in how to make ghee the original, medicinal way.

“Dig In! will be an experience unique to New Vrindaban, but will also give you knowledge you’ll be able to take home and actually utilize, for instance in creating an urban garden for yourself or your temple,” says Jaya Krsna.

For those more interested in personal development, there’s “The Inner View” with Srila Prabhupada disciple Urmila Devi Dasi, which will take an honest look at real life challenges in parenting, marriage and more from a Krishna conscious perspective. Urmila will also explore questions like, “Always thinking of Krishna? Is it possible amidst the realities of my life?” “How can all the aspects of my life energize me spiritually?” And “Can there be quality sadhana, worship, and quality time with Krishna in a distracted life filled with so much to do?”

With hands-on small group work like journaling and discussion, the seminar aims to see participants leave with solutions and strategies for their individual situations.

Finally, for those who are eager to dive into the scriptures, there’s “The Ten Subject Matters of Srimad-Bhagavatam” with Bhakti Charu Swami. In this seminar, Maharaja will explore the ten principal topics of the Bhagavatam, which cover all aspects of knowledge important to human beings. He’ll also look at how these topics are not dealt with one after another in the great work but can be found throughout all twelve cantos.

Besides the in-depth seminars, there will be five plenary sessions that will not be held alongside anything else, so that all festivalgoers will get to participate in them together.

Legendary kirtaniya Agnideva Das will discuss the mood and inner meaning of Srila Prabhupada’s Prayers to the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna, written aboard the Jaladuta. Along with all the devotees, Agnideva will also sing the bhajan, which is the title track on his new album.

In “Preaching in Everyday Life, Our Real Business” inspirational book distributor Vaisesika Das will talk about how the sankirtana movement was Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada’s entire focus, and how important it is that we continue to carry it out. He’ll also share practical advice about how to distribute books and how we can all find space to preach in our busy regular lives.

In “Mahabharata & Our Life’s Journey: A Storytelling Workshop,” award-winning storyteller Sankirtana Das will talk about the importance of oral tradition in society, explore the heroes of the Mahabharata and and discuss how we can all find the inner hero within us.

As New Vrindaban is the only temple in North America with a full-size Lord Nrsimhadeva Deity, devotees will rush to Bhaktimarga Swami’s plenary, where they’ll get the rare chance to experience a dramatic recitation of the Nrsimha Kavacha along with a Nrsimha yajna, in front of the ferocious Lord Himself.

Last but certainly not least, one of Srila Prabhupada’s seniormost disciples, Malati Devi Dasi, will lead a sanga in which dozens of Prabhupada disciples will share their heartfelt memories of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya, and how he inspired them.

For every hour that their parents are attending these uplifting and edifying seminars, children aged 5 to 13 will also get a complete program, included free with festival registration. Led by teachers Sri Tulasi-Manjari and Olivia Browning Snider, this hands-on-learning adventure will be the first ever FOI Kids’ Camp with a New Vrindaban farm life theme. Activities will include art, cooking, gardening, building, games, sports and, of course, caring for the cows.

Missing off the schedule for the past few years, Festival of Inspiration’s famous entertainment will be back too. The family friendly show, which will accommodate and involve children, will feature energetic dance troups, musical performances by Mangalananda (Michael Cassidy) and Yamini, The Juggernauts with Gaura Vani and Visvambhar, and Kirtan Premi; the drama Puri by Bhaktimarga Swami; and storytelling by Sankirtan.

Throughout the whole festival, there will also be regular kirtan under the yajnashala, and more time for devotees to simply hang out, chat, and enjoy each other’s association.

And of course, there will be three meals a day of Festival of Inspiration’s famously delicious prasadam. Embracing the simple lifestyle Srila Prabhupada’s envisioned for New Vrindaban, only dairy from New Vrindaban’s own protected cows will be used, and locally-grown produce will be used as much as possible. There will also be lots of vegan options.

“We’d like devotees to feel like New Vrindaban is their home away from home, a farm retreat from their city temples,” says Jaya Krsna. “And we hope they’ll leave Festival of Inspiration feeling completely refreshed and renewed.”

REGISTRATION

Website: http://www.festivalofinspiration.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nvfestivalofinspiration/

Phone: 304 843 1600 Extension 111

Email: Palacelodge108@gmail.com

Cost: $200 per person

This includes accommodation for 3 nights(Thursday through Saturday), 9 sumptuous prasadam meals, kirtans, plenaries, and seminars and free parking! Kids age 5 or under can attend free of charge provided they share a bed with a parent. New adVentures Camp is free for all children, however pre-registration is mandatory.

The post Daily Darshan: Mar 30,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The spiritual potency of Prabhupada’s books!
Mohanasini Devi Dasi: This beautiful lady gets the award for most inspirational! Last week she emailed me, “I met you today on a street in New Orleans and you gave me a book that is verifying so many of my beliefs that no one around me understands. I just felt the need to tell you to keep up your work. God speaks through your actions and you are so needed for the work that you are doing. Thank you for reaching out to me today, I am already marking pages in the book while I am at the airport to fly home.” A little later she added, “I am in the process of publishing a second book with information that reflects what is said in the book you gave me. It amazes me to see how the God of Gods uses us all to educate on this planet. I will send a picture for your site and I am honored to be a part of your mission.” Then today I got this picture from her, “Keep up the good work and know the universe is watching with light, love and healing for all on this planet through you.” This totally inspired me to keep distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, knowing there are so many out there just waiting for this mercy!

Environmental Award Given To Toronto Iskcon Temple! (Album with photos)
On Saturday, March 11, 2017, Faith and the Common Good hosted their Annual Forum at the University of Toronto’s Multi-Faith Centre. The theme of the Annual Forum was, “Exploring the Future of Sacred Space: The Practical and Spiritual”. Various informative presentations were given and our temple also had a chance to present a recent Farmer’s Market project that we undertook.
Later during the event, our temple was announced as the winner of the 2016 Greening Sacred Spaces Award. We were selected as winners for: (1) re insulating and installing a new roof on our building, (2) changing the majority of the light bulbs in our building to LED lights, and (3) hosting a mini-farmer’s market for the neighbours.
Our Krsna Fun School (Sunday School) also hosted a member of Faith and the Common Good who taught our children about the importance of living in a way that respects Mother Earth!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/DZhrud

ISKCON Sri Lanka.
The World Travelling Sankirtan Party came to Sri Lanka recently and traveled to many places and performed sa...

Temple Profile: ISKCON Netrakona, Bangladesh
By Nila Kamal das
Name: Sri Sri Jagannath Vallabha Mandir
Address: Netrakona, Bangladesh. 20.8823147
Website: www.iskconnetrakona.org
Presiding Deities: Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, Gour Nitai and Radha Govinda.
Temple Management: Jay Ram das, Anantadev das and Tulsi das.
When did it open? The official opening of the temple was on the 2nd of January 2016.
Location: Netrakona is located in the Northern part of Bangladesh near the Meghalaya border. The population here is around 70% Hindu whilst the rest are Muslim.
Known for: It’s hard working brahmacari ashram. There is also a wonderful training system in the brahmacari ashram in which the senior devotees mentor the other devotees with their spiritual insights and exemplary behaviour and etiquette.
Number of residents: 26 full time saffron brahmacaris.
Number of visitors: 10 to 15 on weekdays. 100 on Fridays and Sundays and up to 4000 on festival days.
Best time to visit: Ratha Yatra (July), it attracts near to 4000 individuals from all around Bangladesh.
HH Subhag Swami sent three of his brahmacari disciples in 2010 to go to Netrakona. From there they rented a small place and started preaching. They organised the first Ratha Yatra in 2011 and it turned out to be a huge success. As the number of congregation devotees increased, the need for a permanent residence for Jagannath was clearly evident. The devotees began looking for land nearby and when Subhag Swami visited Netrakona in 2012, he suggested that the land opposite the preaching centre was suitable.
Local devotees headed by Jay Ram das, Anantadev das and Tulsi das worked extremely hard day and night collecting funds for the land. At times they would eat very meagrely and that too only after returning from completing their daily quota. (It should be noted that these three brahmacaris were based in India for a number of years prior to coming to Bangladesh. They came to a foreign land and that too without a single penny in their pocket.) By Krishna’s mercy, they were able to purchase that land in 2013. After a lot of planning, finally in August 2015 construction started. Resident devotees worked round the clock, with each and every brahmacari helping in the construction work. The grand opening of the temple was set for the 2nd of January 2016, where Netrakona devotees celebrated the 50th anniversary of ISKCON and the 75th Vyasa Puja of Subhag Swami. The opening of the temple attracted near to 3000 devotees from all over Bangladesh.
Now Sri Sri Jagannath Vallabha Mandir is a fully fledged ISKCON temple with devotees from across India and Bangladesh visiting regularly. The brahmacaris are actively preaching in college and universities and they visit on a weekly basis several Nama Hattas locally.

Iskcon Nepal devotees happy with their new Sankirtan Bus (Album with photos)
ISKCON Nepal New Sankirtan Bus left from ISKCON Ne...

By Hemanga Gopal Dasa

18 April 2016 ISKCON50 Presentation at the Interreligious Forum (IFH) ISKCON Hamburg Bhakti Yoga Zentrum 2 17-22 May 2016 Narasimha Caturdasi Festival ISKCON Jandelsbrunn Simhachalam 3 25 June 2016 Participation at Parade of Cultures Downtown Frankfurt 4 01 July 2016 Prabhupada Tirtha Schloss Rettershof - Memories and Activities Romantikhotel Schloss Rettershof 5 17 July 2016 Srila Prabhupada’s Tirthas in Hamburg ISKCON Hamburg Bhakti Yoga Zentrum 6 17 July 2016 Special ISKCON50 Celebration ISKCON Vienna 7 30 July 2016 Ratha Yatra Berlin ISKCON Berlin Jagannatha Tempel 8 20 +21 August 2016 Ratha Yatra Cologne ISKCON Köln Gauradesh 9 29 October 2016 Interreligious Conference ISKCON Wiesbaden Hari Continue reading "A year full of celebrations for ISKCON50 in Germany
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By Vijaya Das

Good news in Vrindavan: Rohininandana Balarama Prabhu distributes books in Srila Prabhupada's Samadhi almost daily, and he recently told me that in the past two years he's collected the contact information of about three hundred people interested in staying in touch with him to learn about Krishna consciousness. So every week he gives two classes to them. Some chant japa. One lady is a pilot flying the Airbus 880 planes. She said, "I was so unhappy before coming in contact with you people and reading these wonderful books, but now I'm so happy." Rohininandana Balarama used to successfully do business in Melbourne. In 2009 he heard about an event that sounded like Bollywood, and being Indian, he checked it out. It was a Hare Krsna program -- Indradyumna Swami's traveling festival. He listened to Indradyumna Swami's lecture, which answered questions that were recently on his mind, and left with a Gita. Up to that point at his job, everyone was working hard, but then his boss told him he could work from home. And to his surprise, the company didn't give him work for three months, but still paid him. He took it as an opportunity to read the Gita. Now he's distributing books in Vrindavan, preaching at colleges in that area, and focusing on his contacts. Continue reading "WSN February 2017 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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