Planet ISKCON

By Iskcon Nepal

ISKCON Founder Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada says, "Bhagavad Gita is the essence of Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upanisads in the Vedic literature whose purpose is to deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence and is devoid of any religion." (25 March, 2017) Saturday festival in ISKCON Temple, Budanilkantha, Kathmandu with social activist, CNN-hero and the founder of Maiti Nepal, Anuradha Koirala and Actress Rekha Thapa. Actress Rekha Thapa sponsored 45 Srimad Bhagavad Gitas for the students of Maiti Nepal. The students were very delighted receiving Bhagavad Gita as gifts. Rekha Thapa expressed the remarkable contribution of ISKCON, Nepal for such Krishna Conscious Movement among the youths in present world. Anuradha Koirala expressed that she had established a trend of daily bhajans among girls in her hostel but now onwards she would start a trend of Bhagavad Gita class of reciting at least a single stanza (sloka) every morning. She expressed her sincere thanks to actress Rekha Thapa and ISKCON, Nepal for arranging such spiritually uplifting environment for her students. Continue reading "Srimad Bhagavad Gita Distribution to the Students of Maiti Nepal
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Lord Krishna everywhere!
Bhakta Dasa: Our team just completed our display at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden show.
First time entry and they expect about 200,000 people to visit over the next 5 days.
We presented Radha and Krishna in the forest of Vrindavan.
The title of our entry is “ SPIRITUAL VISION”.
THANKS to all that helped with this preaching adventure.

Environmentalist seeks FIR for ‘attempt to murder’ Yamuna river, now a living entity.
Motivated by Uttarakhand high court orders declaring rivers Ganga and Yamuna living entities, environmentalists in Agra has asked the Agra police to register a case against those “guilty of attempt to murder” the Yamuna.
The rivers Ganga and Yamuna are losing their very existence. This situation requires extraordinary measures to be taken to preserve and conserve [the rivers]. They are worshiped by Hindus. These rivers are very sacred and revered. The Hindus have a deep spiritual connection with them … They support and assist both the life and natural resources and health and well-being of the entire community. The rivers are breathing, living and sustaining the communities from mountains to sea.
The unfiltered water of dirty drains, besides the sewer, continues to flow into Yamuna despite crores received for sewage treatment from state and central governments.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/onfids

How to connect to the Divine.
Question: It is said that God is present everywhere. But I don’t perceive his presence anywhere. Can you explain?
Radhanath Swami: To connect to the Divine presence of God within ourselves and within everything that exists cannot be done with our senses, no matter what microscopes or telescopes we use, no matter how many degrees we have or how many books we memorize. Our sciences may be very helpful in dealing with the temporary problems of this material world, but to actually connect to the Divine—according to all of the great saints throughout the ages—the bridge is faith; not blind faith but real substantial faith. Through this faith we can see, we can hear, and we can feel the Divine within ourselves, in every other living being, and in everything that exists. But where does that faith come from? It is within our hearts, and it is awakened when we associate with saintly people who have that faith.

Krishna explains that He manifests within this world especially through the hearts and the lives of those who love Him. Therefore it is said that even a moment’s association with a person who really loves the Divine is more precious than anything else in creation. That association awakens that hope, hope in the infinite love of God. It can awaken that faith which is preliminary to actually follow the path that God has given us for enlightenment.

Do you want to know your future? (4 min video)
Gaura Gopal prabhu, in this short clip, explains everything :-)
Srila Prabhupada: “Regarding astrology, you should not listen to any of these so-called astrologers – strictly avoid. Don’t even see them. What is the use of seeing them? Astrology is meant for the materialist, but a spiritualist does not care for the future. Everything is dependent upon Krishna. So where is the necessity of astrology? The devotees’ principle is, let there happen anything as Krishna desires. Let me remain sincere devotee, that’s all. Pure devotee is never interested in this astrology.
So, continue nicely with your deity worship there and read my books very carefully, and without fail chant 16 rounds on your beads daily. I hope this meets you in good health.”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/dOdqML

The post Daily Darshan: Mar 28,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in Arabic language (Album with photos)
Satyanarayana das: More Arabic and Farsi books going out on the streets and in the subways of New York City!
And it’s remarkably easy to do, because these people really want the books (and there’s a good reason for that)!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/940n3O

Presentation by Vaisesika Dasa (Right click – Save as)

The other day i sat and watched a small unassuming game of rugby RCG and Merthyr it wasn’t​ a high profile Welsh regions game or international, indeed it was a small crowd in a small club rugby pitch.
So why mention it, especially here in my blog?
It reminded me of old school rugby before the pursuit of money in my humble opinion ruined it, the rugby was indeed its purest but for me it was the crowd especially the RCG supporters with the beautiful Welsh hymns ringing out, and even when it looked like they had lost the songs continued (RGC won in a last gasp few seconds on the clock try).
Over the past few weeks I’ve been pondering and reminiscing about those early sweet few years when first meeting the devotees and what it taught me compared to what I’ve seen over the past few years
Money and the pursuit of money corrupts
The other day someone said a small sentence that rang more than a few Bell’s with me and clarity came in it went like this: how come we come and are told we have to do devotional service, but when we want to make progress and move to initiation you charge, where is the loving reciprocation?
And that was it LOVING RECIPROCATION
Over them early years their was never ever a request for laxmi, the devotees had time to answer any questions and initiation didn’t involve paid for course’s; indeed the devotees made sure you felt special and because of this you simply wanted to reciprocate.
The most shocking and hurtful thing happened when this pursuit of laxmi meant i was charged to see my own Guru Maharaja, and i was trying to work out what was more hurtful charging me as a disciple to see him or charging others to see him.
Why charge?
There is NO excuse or Need to Charge
To share love of Krishna and especially if you have a facility to do it is service, if your charging then service attitude is lost
Again in those early days the devotees had very little but they simply wanted everyone to come here their Guru Maharaja no charging but if you wanted to make a donation to help towards costs then this was seen as beautiful devotional seva.
Seva is king
Reciprocation between devotees is king
Making business and charging pollutes both of these
And so this is why i use the term ISKCON, it’s the original ISKCON i was first introduced to, no charging but simple beautiful reciprocation
And Corporate ISKCON, the one that has stripped out beautiful reciprocation and says well if you want initiation you pay for these courses, fill out these forms and our committee will decide your eligibility
Money and it’s pursuit corrupts
It has ruined the​ game of rugby, and for me it has ruined the purity of Srila Prabhupada ISKCON and loving exchanges
But I’m guessing most who will read this will miss the simple point I’m trying to make and continue to claim I’m anti ISKCON
Hare Krishna

Srila Prabhupada’s mission was to write and distribute transcendental books far and wide so that it can change people’s lives. He has quoted that even 1% become devotees, it will change the entire world. As we are continuing to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON, here is an opportunity to learn the art of distributing his books through a dynamic and hands on seminar. After a successful and inspiring seminar last year, on the request of devotees, we present the Sankirtan Orientation Seminar 101 (SOS 101) once again for your pleasure. We are also adding a new location in the east coast (Toronto) this time.

Stay High Forever! (Album with photos)
To chant the holy name and dance in ecstasy is so easy and sublime that...

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2015, Cape Town, South Africa, Lecture)

You cannot just love like that. At first, love is in practice. We can say, love-under-construction just as in work-in-progress. So called love-at-first-sight does not go so deep. Love at first sight may be the initial attraction but how deep does it go?

Love for Krsna develops by finding out more and more about Krsna: who he is, what he does, what he says, what he likes… and then, if we begin to act in such a way that is pleasing to Krsna, then gradually everything becomes favourable.

Then we begin to slowly develop our love for Krsna because Krsna is wonderful and by acting in a way that is pleasing to him, we too will become pleased, because Krsna’s directions are perfect, full of depth and wisdom, and whoever dedicates his life to that, will see that his life will become perfect…

Surrendering our False Ego.
Question: Our BG discussion group has been rambling for lack of our ability to grapple with the meaning of ‘ego’. All of us generally agree that spirituality is about surrendering the ego or getting rid of 'I-consciousness’. But understanding it conceptually itself seems a challenge. We discussed 'I am not the body, I am the soul’, and 'I am the eternal servant of the lord’ aspects. We also cited the example of sage Valmiki - he must have lost consciousness of body altogether. We would appreciate hearing from you about this topic.
Romapada Swami: There is a distinction between `ego’ and `false-ego’ which I would like to point out — perhaps that would help understand the concept of ego better. Ego is the conception that one has of oneself, a conscious awareness of one’s identity, or as you put it, “I-consciousness”.
The soul cannot get rid of ego, or the conscious awareness of oneself, even with one’s greatest effort. The soul *IS* conscious, and being conscious of one’s spiritual identity is experienced in the liberated state. However, by uncovering our real-ego, or the true and eternal sense of self, we can discard the false-ego or the false identification of the soul with external objects, such as the bodily coverings of the soul, both gross and subtle, and things related to the body.
Getting rid of false-ego does not necessarily mean to `lose awareness of the body or mind’, as was the case of Valmiki during his deepest meditation on Ram’s name. Rather, ridding oneself of false-ego means to change one’s perception of one’s self — to see oneself not as the enjoyer and controller of the material energy, but as a part and parcel
of Krishna and an instrument in Krishna’s hands.
To repeat, a self-realized soul is not necessarily disconnected from sensory perception of the external world; but a self-realized soul *is* disconnected from any mis-identification with matter, as much as the driver of a car is fully conscious of the movements of his vehicle but doesn’t identify himself to be the car. As one’s real-ego or awareness of one’s eternal identity awakens, one becomes transcendental to the pains and pleasures and changes of the body although fully connected to the body, seeing it as a mere instrument.
Here is one final thought on this topic.
Real ego is the consciousness that one is the eternal servant of the Lord, while false-ego is characterized by the mentality of being the doer and mover of material energy (Bg 3.27). Very often, beginners in spiritual life, trying to overcome false ego and the doer-ship mentality, mistakenly suppose that abandonment of false ego means giving up action
or taking initiative. Karma-tyaga is their objective, not just karma-phala tyaga. They think that surrendering or acting as an instrument of God, moreover, is akin to becoming something like a mindless programmed robot. This is not correct. Rather, giving up false ego is to give up whimsical actions and the mentality that one can achieve something
independent of Krishna, replacing this false-ego with the consciousness that one’s actions are to be placed subordinate to and suject to God’s will.
I hope this sheds some light on this topic.

The post Daily Darshan: Mar 27,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Turn down your world’s lights and enter Krishna’s world!
Mahatma das: Chanting means to enter Krishna’s world and put your world on hold.
It’s so ironic sometimes, when we’re chanting instead of being absorbed in Krishna or krishna leela or something about Krishna we are absorbed about what am I going to do later today, the problems I have to solve, the appointments I have to meet etc. So we’re actually absorbed in our world rather than Krishna’s world and to me that’s quite ironic because we are chanting Krishna’s Holy Names. In the more advanced stages of japa a devotee can see krishna leela and more advanced stages a devotee enters krishna leela, he’s not just seeing it he’s part of it. So of course that’s a high stage nama, Rupa guna Leela it’s the last stage but obviously when we’re chanting the Holy Name we should be absorbed in Krishna, if not in His leela just feeling His presence, as we said yesterday, aware of the relationship, the qualities, the form it may come it may enter, that’s desirable. But we really have to be conscious that when we’re chanting to leave our world, to leave our life and put it on hold while we’re chanting. Sometimes I like to tell devotees think of your life as a number of various light switches; work as a light switch, family as a light switch, this as a light switch that as a light switch, so when you sit down to chant japa internally just turn off all the lights switches of your life. And by turning down the light switches of your life then you can be absorbed in Krishna rather than your life. I know this may sound simple and maybe you think it’s not so effective but the idea is that the mind usually has free range, is thinking about so many things - what do I have to do now what I’ll have to do later what didn’t I finish yesterday, what about this problem I’m having with this person, how will we resolve is what this problem I’m having, with my health or my finances or my other relationships are always thinking how to deal with them, aren’t we? So when we chant japa if we don’t do something to control the mind or put it in another mode the tendency for the mind to continue thinking as it always does continues, it’s natural, because we haven’t really consciously made an effort to say: now during these next two hours we don’t think of these things, these things are off limits. By going internally in thinking of your life like light switches and internally turning one switch off once it’s on you’ve made an internal shift that could make it much easier to be absorbed in your japa because internally you’ve turned your life off. Another thing I tell devotees, similar to this is that let’s say your day begins at seven and you get up at five, so internally you can tell yourself let’s say today is Tuesday, so it’s Tuesday I’ve woken up at five but internally Tuesday hasn’t begun because my day begins at seven, that’s when I get ready for work or school or whatever it is I do my service let’s say. This is more for people who live outside the temple but let’s say your day starts at seven you have to start getting ready so internally your day hasn’t started. Today is not Tuesday what is today it’s nothing it’s japa time it’s going into Krishna’s world we don’t have to worry about Tuesday, Tuesday has not yet begun. So if you can internally make this adjustment just sit down and think I’m going to chant my rounds, Tuesday starts at seven o'clock now it’s five a.m. I have two hours of free time so I can go into Krishna’s world, I can enter into the transcendental world. I don’t have to remain in this world because today hasn’t started yet. So sadhana, the early morning sadhana is all about today hasn’t started and it’s just about you and Krishna and going into His world. I often say sadhana is a means of transcending your world and going into Krishna’s world. Now it’s interesting because some self-development coaches they say you should get up early and you should go into a kind of a meditative state and part of that meditation is how to achieve more during the day, so you’re actually thinking about your day and how you’re going to do more, which is not bad advice but I think as the first thing you’re going to do in the morning it’s not good advice. So I like to say when you go into chanting you go into Krishna’s world and you transcend your world, so you leave your world on hold you go into Krishna’s world. This way you can get more easily absorbed in japa and it actually works because as I said before a lot of times all we really need to do is just have a little conversation with the mind basically saying now these next two hours this is what we’re doing so just take it easy and you know don’t worry about anything else, will come back in two hours and deal with it. As simple as that sounds it can make a huge difference. So why don’t you try it see how you like it and if you benefit from it, it helps your japa that’s fantastic and it will if you actually do it right!
To watch the video: https://goo.gl/brgzsH

Why would one want to know: How many devotees in ISKCON are practicing Raganuga Bhakti? How many have genuine greed? How many are cultivating Gaur Lila smaranam? How many are at Nishta or Ruci stages?

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[Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Portland, USA]

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Artistic guidelines from Srila Prabhupada.
On one occasion, when Srila Prabhupada, and Goursundar and I, arrived in San Francisco, there was a new painting of Narada Muni hanging on the temple wall. I was impressed. It was one of Jadurani’s latest works. Jadurani’s technique had improved immeasurably, and her proportions were also much better. Her colors were more subtle, so the painting showed great technical improvement over her past works. Looking at it from a purely technical point of view, as a trained artist, it was indeed much better than her work in past. So I mentioned it to Srila Prabhupada, commenting that “Jadurani has improved her oil painting technique so much!” Srila Prabhupada glowered and winced. He said, “I do not very much like this new style painting!” I was shocked. This painting was obviously adapted from some Renaissance work of the old masters; it looked a bit like a figure from a Renaissance painting, that was then modified with an orangey saffron dhoti and a vina placed in Narada Muni’s hand. Technically, it was good.

“Why?” I exclaimed. “What is it that you don’t like, that you find so distasteful?” I was truly concerned. “Narada Muni is an eternal brahmachari!” Srila Prabhupada exclaimed. “She has made him look like a meat-eater and a woman hunter!” I was stunned. Later, Srila Prabhupada explained this in more detail. He said, “Cheeks gone down. ‘Galtobra.’ This is the face of a meat eater, and a womanizer. And a wine drinker!” I noted that the figure did indeed have a lustful and wanton look about the face. It was not a face full of spiritual luster and innocent beauty. While sitting in front of his desk, taking dictation for a letter to Jadurani, he explained further. I asked, “So, how should this be corrected? What should his face look like? What needs to be done?” Srila Prabhupada pointed to a Brijbasi print hanging on the wall near his desk. “Like this,” he said. “These are the faces of milk-drinkers, rounded and beautiful. They have moon-like faces!” He explained that Krishna has the “moon-like” face of a milk-drinker, and so do His servants like Narada. No “nonsense muscles,” or “squared jaw,” as is shown in Western art, especially in Renaissance art. Renaissance artists, such as Michelangelo, were famed for their elaborate portrayal of the musculature of the human body. Even in art school, I recalled, the female face was said to be rounded, like an egg, and the male face was said to be squared off, like a flower pot. This was indeed what the old masters taught. But Srila Prabhupada wanted all the faces to be round and full. My husband did not particularly like my drawings of moonlike round faces; he sometimes teased me, calling them “balloon faces,” and “balloon figures.” But this is what Srila Prabhupada liked, this is what he wanted, and he clearly did not like the figures from the Western schools of art! He wanted us to use for reference the Indian styles of art, showing the beauty of the “transcendental form.” And, it suddenly dawned on me, the people of that era, the European Renaissance, were indeed meat-eaters, wine drinkers, and womanizers!

I quickly contacted Jadurani, and she created her future paintings based on Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on this, and his explanation of “galtobra.” Perhaps it was safe to assume that we could draw upon European art for some things, but not for all. And certainly not for figures or for faces! Nor for the dark and foreboding colors often found in the backgrounds of old masters’ paintings. Dark surroundings were not to be a prominent feature in our transcendental art style. Transcendental art, Swamiji explained, was meant to depict the spiritual world. That means it has to be bright, shimmering, colorful, and effulgent. The faces and figures should be soft and supple, rounded and child-like, full of innocence and sweetness. The backgrounds should be bright and full of colorful beauty, with birds and flowers gracing every part of the landscape. Since Swamiji had the vision and experience of the spiritual world, and how it was to be depicted - and I certainly did not - I tried to model my artistic style after what he wanted. That should be the goal of any artist who is attempting to paint transcendental art…

Another incident took place while we were staying in Los Angeles. Srila Prabhupada wanted Goursundar and I to make Deities of Gour-Nitai, dancing with upraised arms. To do this, we first had to perfect a drawing that was approved by His Divine Grace. Because my husband Goursundar was more expert with male figures, this drawing was first done by him. Goursundar had studied male body structure, and had also been a weight trainer, so he knew the exact muscles that would show in upraised arms. He carefully drew the upraised arms of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda having some very gentle hint of muscles, both in the upraised arms and in the upper chest. The muscles were not very pronounced at all; they were quite subtle, only hinted at. But Srila Prabhupada immediately nixed it. “No! No muscles showing!” he said. “This is not transcendental form - this muscles, this is human form. Human bodies have muscular forms, but not transcendental bodies. They are smooth and beautiful.”

Srila Prabhupada explained that transcendental form is always smooth and graceful. “Arms like the trunk of the elephant,” he described. Muscles and veins should never be shown in pictures of Krishna or any transcendental beings. “This fleshy muscle and vein form is the body of human beings. Not transcendental beings!” Srila Prabhupada taught that we could not simply take a photo of a human being, and paint it blue for Krishna, or golden for Lord Chaitanya! Rather, he explained, the transcendental form has long sloping arms, like the elephant’s trunk, delicate hands, graceful feet, large head, high forehead, arching brows, waving hair, lotus eyes, and curved, sweet smiling lips. The transcendental form does not look at all like the mundane beauty of human beings. There are many examples of this in Indian art. South Indian sculptures show the graceful beauty of transcendental form…

(from “Srila Prabhupada the Transcendental Art Master” by Govinda dasi)

By Chaitanya Charana Dasa

"It's an astonishing story. If someone told you a story like this, you wouldn't believe it. Here's this person, he's seventy years old, he's going to a country where he's never been before, he doesn't know anybody there, he has no money, has no contacts. He has none of the things, you would say, that make for success. He's going to recruit people not on any systematic basis, but just picking up whomever he comes across and he's going to give them responsibility for organizing a worldwide movement. You'd say, 'What kind of program is that?' There are precedents perhaps. Jesus of Nazareth went around saying, 'Come follow me. Drop your nets, or leave your tax collecting, and come with me and be my disciple.' But in his case, he wasn't an old man in a strange society dealing with people whose backgrounds were totally different from his own. He was dealing with his own community. Bhaktivedanta Swami's achievement, then, must be seen as unique." – History of religion professor Thomas Hopkins in Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna: Five Distinguished Scholars on the Krishna Movement in the West. Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s Legacy Lives On
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Bhale Bharath Award of Excellence conferred to Bhaktivedanta Research Centre.
Bhale Bharath, a non-religious socio-cultural mission based in Bangalore, recently conferred the Bhale Bharath Award of Excellence to Bhaktivedanta Research Centre on 15th March 2017 at Seshadripuram College, Bangalore.
BRC was honored for its outstanding contribution in the preservation and dissemination of ancient Indian Cosmology, Vedic Wisdom and Vaishnavism. Sriman Gangadas Prabhu received the award behalf of BRC.
During the interactive session, Sriman Gangadas Prabhu explained the mission of BRC and its activities and he has invited the students and researchers to visit BRC.
We’re grateful for the nomination from the Indian Science Monitor team led by Dr. T.K. Rajan.

[Talk at ISKCON, Seattle, USA]

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[Talk at ISKCON, Seattle, USA]

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Natesvara Govinda and Vasundara Devi Dasi came from India to Adelaide, Australia in 1978. He was busy in his work as a surgeon and only came in contact with ISKCON devotees many years later.

They come to the temple regularly and have a nice temple in their home as well. Their son, Ananda Laksman, is also a devotee and runs a webpage that sells ISKCON books, music, lectures, beads and incense.

Guns or no Guns? (2 min video)
H.H. Sivarama Swami addresses the recent debate that has divided the USA. Sivarama Swami, throug...

I want a new drug .
In the 1960s and 70s, young people all over America experimented with various drugs – LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, Marijuana, and others – hoping to taste something sublime.
Many of the popular songs of that era reflect the culture’s fascination with drugs and the possibilities they seemed to present. For instance, in 1967, the band, Jefferson Airplane, released the song, White Rabbit , and songwriter, Jimi Hendrix, sang, Purple Haze . These thematic songs, and many others of the time, inspired the young generation to experiment with psychosomatic drugs in search of a transcendent experience.
This trend rolled on into the 1980’s with cocaine and heroine also becoming increasingly popular.
But, as with all things material, the promise of happiness or enlightenment from drugs, fell short.

Indicative of this, in 1984, American rock musician Huey Lewis wrote what became a hit song, called: I want a new drug .

Although tongue-in-cheek, the following excerpt taken from the lyrics of his song says much about the retrograde effects of intoxication:

I want a new drug
One that won’t make me sick
One that won’t make me crash my car
Or make me feel three feet thick

I want a new drug
One that won’t hurt my head
One that won’t make my mouth too dry
Or make my eyes too red

I want a new drug
One that won’t go away
One that won’t keep me up all night
One that won’t make me sleep all day

According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, every conditioned soul is attracted by intoxication of one kind or another: loke vyavayamisa-madya-seva

nitya hi jantor: “In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating and intoxication.” (SB 11.5.11)

Without the trouble of self-discipline, people look for euphoria, self-confidence, and increased sociability by taking intoxication.

But the effects of inebriation never permanently satisfy one or bring one to an exalted position. Rather, they degrade one, the body develops tolerance and one then needs stronger doses to get the same experience, and there are inevitable side effects, and unsavory physical and psychological addictions. (What to speak of those who just suddenly drop dead.)

In the early 1980s, many people, including famous American actor-comedian, John Belushi, lost their lives by injecting a combination of two hard drugs, heroin and cocaine. (Apparently one kind of drug wasn’t enough!) Because intoxication – or any kind of material sense gratification – leaves one unsatisfied, an intoxicator often innovates to find newer kinds of stimulation, mixing drugs to get a unique kind of high.

Srila Prabhupada: “One who drinks wine will become intoxicated and may think that he is flying in the sky or that he has gone to heaven. These are effects of intoxication. But an intoxicated person does not know that all these dreams are within the limits of time and will therefore come to an end.”

One who seriously practices bhakti yoga, however, gradually develops the strength to set aside substandard forms of material happiness, including intoxication.

Shunning all kinds of intoxication a bhakti yogi instead ingests spiritual knowledge, and gains insight into the source of real happiness within.

Clearing one’s life of apparent happiness from intoxication gives one a legitimate chance to see for oneself how factual happiness flows from within one’s own heart.

Lord Caitanya never advised anyone to take drugs. However, he did suggest that one take regular doses of humility. One drop of true humility allows one to see the entire world as an opportunity for service. And service to God is happiness for the soul. The saint, Prabhodananda Sarasvati, because he saw the world as an opportunity to serve Krishna, described the entire universe as “an abode of joy.”

The ultimate high that everyone is searching for through self-medication is truly available only to one who follows the regulative principles of the scriptures, controls his or her senses, and cultivates a higher taste by practicing bhakti yoga – beginning with chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.

“But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.” (Bg. 2.64)

“In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one’s ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.” (Bg. 6.20-23)
Vaisesika Das

When Ajamila chanted with the wrong conception, why did Vishnudutas come?
Chaitanya Charan Das: Question – When Ajamila chanted the names of Lord Hari with the wrong conception (i.e. with the conception of his son), then why did Vishnudutas appear over there?
Answer– Acharyas have explained that initially Ajamila chanted the names of Narayana with the thoughts of his son in his mind but as he called out his son, ‘Narayana’, the Lord’s name invoked the true knowledge in his mind. At that time when he saw Yamadutas coming towards him, he immediately realized, based on the brahminical training he had received in the past, that his son will not be able to help him at this particular time. He recalled, at this moment of death only the supreme Lord Narayana can save him, thus his conception shifted.
Initially he called ‘Narayana’ thinking of his son but as soon as he pronounced the name, the sound entered his ears and when he saw the imminent danger, his thoughts shifted to supreme Lord. Although his sentiments were not pure but he had knowledge of the pure conception so his thoughts shifted towards the proper conception.
In reciprocation to his present state of mind and with whatever bhakti he had performed prior to his fall, Lord Vishnu send His dutas to ascend him and rescue him.
Therefore, although he chanted the Lord’s name with the wrong conception but he was not ignorant of right conception; only forgetful of the right conception. The utterance of the Holy Names reminded him of the right conception and he was saved. Still because his heart was not purified, the result that he got was limited to the interruption in his downwards spiral towards hell where he was supposed to go if yamadutas had taken him.
After this incident, he continued to stay in the material world but then he purified himself by rigorous practice of austerity and then eventually he went back home, back to Godhead. He had to purify himself to stabilize in the right conception and then he was able to go back to Godhead.

Reading Festival - 23rd March 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In material consciousness we are trying to love that which is not at all lovable. We give our love to dogs and cats, running the risk that at the time of death we may think of them and consequently take birth in a family of cats or dogs. Thus love that does not have Krsna as its object leads downward. It is not that Krsna or God is something obscure or something that only a few chosen people can attain. Caitanya Mahaprabhu informs us that in every country and in every scripture there is some hint of love of Godhead. Unfortunately no one knows what love of Godhead actually is. The Vedic scriptures, however, are different in that they can direct the individual in the proper way to love God. Other scriptures do not give information on how one can love God, nor do they actually define or describe what or who the Godhead actually is. Although they officially promote love of Godhead, they have no idea how to execute it. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives a practical demonstration of how to love God in a conjugal relationship. Taking the part of Radharani, Caitanya tries to love Krsna as Radharani loved Him. Krsna was always amazed by Radharani’s love. “How does Radharani give Me such pleasure?” He would ask. In order to study Radharani, Krsna lived in Her role and tried to understand Himself. This is the secret of Lord Caitanya’s incarnation. Caitanya is Krsna, but He has taken the mode or role of Radharani to show us how to love Krsna. Thus He is addressed: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord who is absorbed in Radharani’s thoughts.” From TLC intro
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Checkmate!
Smara Hari: My first personal contact with Srila Prabhupada was when I went on a morning walk with him. I was just a young boy about seventeen or eighteen.
I hadn’t even joined the temple but I had heard that Srila Prabhupada was coming and the devotees had encouraged me to stay overnight to see Prabhupada.
He came and he went on a morning walk before class as he does and we went to a small park, Russell Square.
There were about ten devotees with Srila Prabhupada and I was the new boy. I was the bhakta.
As such I was behind the others and I had difficulty understanding Srila Prabhupada.
He had an unusual Bengali accent and as I never had a lot of exposure to Indian people, I was straining to hear what he said.
I moved closer to Prabhupada to catch his words and in so doing I clipped Prabhupada’s heel.
Srila Prabhupada walked about two or three paces without one shoe on and then he stopped. Everyone stopped.
Prabhupada turned and he looked at me since he knew I had clipped his heel.
He said, “You must always walk three feet behind the spiritual master.”
I was completely mortified.
There was one devotee who said to me, “This is a grave offense. You should immediately kill yourself.” (laughs)
He said, “You should jump in the Thames River immediately for purification.”
I thought, “Oh no, what have I done? I haven’t even started and I’ve set off on a bad foot.” No pun intended.
It was much later when I was recounting this to one of my sannyasi God-brothers and he said, “That is the moment when Srila Prabhupada accepted you as his disciple.”
He said, “That was his first instruction to you, that you must always walk three paces behind the spiritual master.”
Srila Prabhupada would give the most wonderful, practical examples to explain the most difficult philosophical concepts for his aspiring disciples.
One time in Vrindavan Srila Prabhupada was struggling to present to us in terms that we could understand the fact that everything is absolutely conscious and sentient in the spiritual world.
He paused for a short time and then he said, “Just like when Radharani is cooking for Krishna, she will ask the rice in the pot, ‘Are you ready yet?’ and the rice will say, 'No, not yet. Give me a few more minutes.’”
Srila Prabhupada was very tricky. He knew the mentality of different people and how exactly to deal with them.
In Vrindavan Prabhupada was exasperated because none of his disciples were willing to stay in Vrindavan and were unqualified to deal with the goings on in India.
One time he thought that the solution was to get some local trusted people involved so that they would be our trustees to take care of things nicely.
There was one brahmachari gentleman, Bhagaji, who lived right around the corner and the devotees brought him to Prabhupada.
He had retired early and he just wanted to be involved in his bhajan.
He knew the entire Bhagavad-gita by heart and he would take a rickshaw from Raman Reti into town in which he would recite half of the Bhagavad-gita and then on the way back he would recite the other half.
Srila Prabhupada definitely wanted him to get involved in helping with the temple.
Prabhupada would ask him and Bhagaji would find ways to avoid doing anything.
There was a chess match going on between them and each was resistant.
He was very respectful to Srila Prabhupada and he recognized Srila Prabhupada’s superior position.
Srila Prabhupada would explain to him that preaching was a higher calling and was more important than bhajan.
One day Prabhupada called for him and Bhagaji came in and sat down.
Prabhupada was sitting at his desk at the Krishna-Balaram temple and he said to him,
“It is the duty of every Indian gentleman to teach the teaching of Lord Krishna. Do you agree?”
Bhagaji said, “Yes”. Prabhupada said, “It is also the duty of every Indian gentleman to set aside some time in his life to prorogate these teachings. Do you agree?”
Bhagaji said. “Yes. Yes, I agree.”
Prabhupada said, “If there was a need where western people were eager for Krishna and would come to a person, this gentleman he would help.”
Bhagaji said, “Yes.” So Bhagaji was agreeing to every point Srila Prabhupada presented.
Then Prabhupada said, “Brahmananda, bring the paper.” Brahmananada brought a document and he gave it to Prabhupada.
Prabhupada handed it to Bhagaji and Bhagaji looked alarmed.
Later I learned it was a legal document in which Bhagaji had to sign to say that he was the new trustee of the Krishna-Balaram temple.
He was shocked that as he was just trying to do his bhajan, now he was the manager of the temple, the trustee in charge of everything.
He was looking at the document and Prabhupada went over all the points again and Bhagaji just started laughing.
He realized he’d been outplayed. It was checkmate.
Bhagaji just laughed, took the pen, signed the document and thus surrendered to Prabhupada.
—Smara Hari
.
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Excerpt from “Memories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint”
by Siddhanta das

Initiation ceremony this morning in Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: I wish that every one of you should be Lion’s descendant. Our Lord Krishna assumed the form of Lion & killed the atheist, Hiranyakasipu, & by disciplic succession we shall also kill all impersonalist atheist. Absolutely there is no Krishna Consciousness for the impersonalist. From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to: Madhusudana – Navadvipa 2 November, 1967
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Several days ago we visited the ancestral home of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in Choti, Orissa. We are continuing the efforts of Fakir Mohan prabhu, a friend of ISKCON, to acquire the original land that Bhaktivinode Thakur resided on there for many years. We hope to build a small temple on the property to accommodate his deities, Sri Sri Radha Madhava. We met with the mayor of the village and a number of landholders in the area. They were very favorable to the project. In his book, Maths of Orissa, Bhaktivinode Thakur writes: “I have a small village, , in the country of Cuttack, of which I am the proprietor.” In his autobiography, Sva-likhita Jivani, he writes, “In Choti we have six or seven big thatched houses. Radha Madhava and Jagannath are being worshipped in one of these houses. Behind these houses is a pond named Uasa Pokhari. There is a fence of kanta ( bamboo ) around the palace.” Though Bhaktivinode Thakur took birth in his maternal uncle’s house in Ula, West Bengal, his native place is the village of Choti in Orissa. Srila Bhaktisiddhata Sarasvati would sometimes visit this place. While there he would stay in the compound of a local Durga temple because being a sannyasi he would not stay in the hereditary property. Choti is also know as Tulasi-Ksetra, because of the many Tulasi plants nicely worshipped by the inhabitants of the village. I have added comments to a number of photos so devotees can appreciate them. Jaya Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur! Jaya Sri Sri Radha Madhava! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Несколько дней тому назад посетили фамильный дом Шрилы Бхактивиноды Тхакура в Чоти (Орисса). Мы продолжаем усилия доброжелателя ИСККОН Факира Мохана прабху приобрести здесь землю, на которой многие годы жил Бхактивинода Тхакур. Надеемся построить на этом участке небольшой храм для его божеств, Шри Шри Радхи-Мадхавы. Мы встретились с главой деревни и несколькими землевладельцами этого района, и они очень благосклонно отнеслись к проекту.

В своей книге «Матхи Ориссы» Бхактивинод Тхакур пишет: «У меня есть маленькая деревня, Choti Mangalpur в округе Cuttack – я ее владелец». В своей автобиографии «Sva-likhita Jivani» он пишет: «В Choti шесть или семь больших крытых соломой домов. В одном из них поклоняются Радхе-Мадхаве и Джаганнаттхе. За этими домами – пруд Уаса Покхари. Вокруг ограда из канта (бамбука)».

Хотя родился Бхактивинода Тхакур в Уле (Западная Бенгалия) в доме дяди по матери, его родина – эта орисская деревня Чоти. Иногда здесь бывал Шрила Бхактисиддхата Сарасвати. Приезжая, он останавливался во владениях местного храма Дурги, так как, будучи санньяси, не мог жить в фамильной собственности. Из-за множества растений Туласи, которым поклоняются жители Чоти, деревня также известна как Туласи-кшетра. Я добавил комментарии к ряду фотографий, чтобы преданные могли их оценить.

Джая Шрила Бхактивинода Тхакур! Джая Шри Шри Радха-Мадхава! Джая Шрила Прабхупада!