Planet ISKCON

By Anand Caitanya das​​

On behalf of Govardhan Eco Village, Vrajendra Nandan Prabhu, ISKCON India Communications Head went to receive the Water Digest Award. The Awards were graced by several prestigious personalities such as Shri Vipul Goel, Cabinet Minister for Ministry of Industries and Commerce, Ministry of Environment & Ministry of Industrial Training, Government of Haryana; Ms. Dana Kursh, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel; Mr Mitrasen Bhikajee, Senior Programme Specialist, Natural Sciences, UNESCO; Hon’ble Justice Dr. Mukundakam Sharma, (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India); Mr. D.S. Rawat, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM & Shri. K. B. Biswas, Chairman, Central Ground Water Board Continue reading "ISKCON’s Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) wins Water Digest Water Award 2017
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Sri Govinda Ghosh – Disappearance.
Sri Govinda Ghosh, an intimate associate of Lord Caitanya, was known for his sweet kirtans at the annual Jagannatha Puri Ratha- yatra festival. Lord Caitanya would at once begin to dance whenever Govinda Ghosh would sing. Govinda Ghosh and his brothers Vasudeva and Madhava are eternal associates of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

TOVP Tour - March 25, 2017, Sridham Mayapur (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: …always trying to render some service to the Lord. How? Priti-purvakam: “with love and faith.” Not that “Oh, I have to do it? All right, let me do.” No. “Oh, I have to do it? Let me do it nicely.” Unless there is love, you cannot do it nicely, any matter. In the material world also, unless you have got some attachment for something, you cannot act it very nicely. Just like a musician. Because one has got a good attachment for music, he tries to perform it very perfectly. So love is the basis. Similarly, when you serve Krsna, if you have no love for Krsna, you cannot serve Him very nicely. And Krsna also does not accept your service if it is not done in great love and affection. That is the basic principle. Krsna does not require your service. He is self-sufficient. He has got many servants anywhere and everywhere. So Krsna does not require our service. It is our interest. If we render service to Krsna, then we become happy. That is the profit. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.39 – London, September 12, 1973
Find them here: https://goo.gl/gesqVl

By Iskcon vrindavan

Born and brought up in the countryside in America, in a very liberal household, Sripad Aindra Prabhu was from his very childhood an expert musician and was inclined towards spiritual realization. Although in his childhood he was exposed to various influences of this age of kali, as soon as he came into the association of devotees, within a very short span of time he gave up all his relations in this material world and took the process of Krishna consciousness to heart. In the year 1973, Aindra Prabhu joined the International society for Krishna consciousness and dedicated his entire life to the movement for the pleasure of his spiritual master Srila Prabhupad. In the beginning years he was engaged in distributing books, performing sankirtan and also helping with deity worship, till the year 1986, when he visited Mayapur for the festival marking the 500 hundred years of Mahaprabhu’s birth. In Mayapur he had a desire to start a travelling Sankirtan party but for various reasons this idea of his did not manifest and he came to Sri Vrindavan dham, where he was to spend the rest of his life in the service to the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar. Continue reading "Sripad Aindra Prabhu Appearance Day
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“This is the nicest thing I ever saw in my whole life.”
Rose Forkash: My daughter, Lilashakti, (at that time Linda) came home to Santa Barbara, locked herself in the bedroom and for two days she did nothing but read Back to Godhead magazines.
When she came out we were sure that there was something that needed investigating but came Saturday she said she was leaving for Los Angeles to go to the temple.
Of course we trusted that whatever she was reading and pertained to this temple was something that we should be satisfied was innocent enough.
But a week later my husband and I came to visit and it so happens that day Prabhupada arrived.
I remember Prabhupada sat on the upper level in the temple while the chairs and seats for everybody else was just a little bit down below.
Questions were asked of him and of course I raised my hand because I didn’t know what this was all about.
I asked, “If this is such a good thing for all people to become involved in why did it take so long to come to us?”
Prabhupada replied, “You were late.”
Suddenly all the devotees to my right let up a howl of joy and he turned to them and said,
“And you were all late.”
It wasn’t until about a year or two later when Prabhupada came back to Los Angeles that I spoke with him at length.
That afternoon Prabhupada gave me his lunch and told my husband and me how glad he was that we were taking an interest.
He asked us a little bit about ourselves and I remember he asked my husband, Sam, what kind of business he was in.
Sam said he was in the used furniture business.
Prabhupada said, “Used? Used, like people like me?” (Laughs)
A year later my parents, who were elderly, came to visit from Florida and Lilashakti told them about her experience on sankirtan.
My mother said, “I’d like to do that,” and my father said, “I would too.”
So the devotees there gave my parents some Back to Godheads, and there they were, walking up and down the street offering Back to Godhead magazines.
Every time someone would accept one, my father would clap.
He was so happy that people were showing an interest.
Both of them were even happier when I brought them to the temple.
As we entered, my father in his enthusiasm was so happy that I remember he bent down and kissed the door.
He walked in, looked at the deities and said,
“This is the nicest thing I ever saw in my whole life.”
That’s something to remember.
We felt very comfortable with the fact that our daughter was involved in something that was so beneficial for her.
In addition I was amazed that what we needed for ourselves was coming from our own child.
Up until then we had very little religious feelings.
When my parents were young, they had no opportunity financially or otherwise to get involved in a religion that would have suited them.
It wasn’t until they met the devotees, heard about the temple and came to the temple that they wanted to join.
As a matter of fact, my father had signed up for he and my mother to move into the temple in South Florida where they lived.
On one walk I took with my father I said,
“You know Pop, that’s fine. But you know you can’t smoke any cigars?”
He said, “I only smoke one.” I said, “Not even one, Pop.”
He took the cigar out of his pocket, broke it in half and said,
“Okay I’m done.”
On Sundays Sam and I used to go down to the beach in Santa Barbara.
There was always a gathering of artists and we got to meet many people from the movie industry.
It was Meryl Streep I remember who bought some cookies from us and as she picked up the package she looked at it and said,
“Oh, this is the Hare Krishna. How do you say it?”
We chanted the mantra and she chanted with us which was very nice.
I felt comfortable with him.
Sometimes if people see a movie star, they would be in awe.
But Prabhupada didn’t make you feel that way.
He never acted as if he felt, “I’m so important.”
He didn’t give that impression.
He was a bearer of information.
He was delivering information and he did it in such a calm way that wasn’t frightening.
It was informational like, “I have something to tell you and I think you will be interested in hearing this.”
I do remember when he walked out of the temple after a lecture one day and the devotees were eager to pay their obeisances to him.
They all scrambled to get down and he motioned with his hands,
“Get up, get up, get up,” as if to say, “That’s not necessary.”
—Rose Forkash
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Excerpt from “Memories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint”
by Siddhanta das

By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of February 2017. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN February 2017 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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Feedback is now flooding in from audiences around the world who have watched the first comprehensive documentary film made about ISKCON in 30 years – “The Joy of Devotion,” released on December 10^th for Gita Jayanti. In the 86-minute feature, the people of the Hare Krishna Movement share how Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON and devotion to Lord Krishna changed their lives, and how in turn they’re trying to make a difference in the world. Viewing it has made a deep impression on many. So far it has been screened in twelve countries.

Many of the wrongs done to women for so many years have now been corrected and ISKCON women have recovered some of their rights. Unfortunately, they have been rehabilitated only to higher or lesser degrees according to the different leaders in different places. Much is still to be done for men to fully recognize women’s dignity.

The film HARE KRISHNA! — formerly titled ACHARYA—the 90 minute feature length documentary on the life of Srila Prabhupada is nearly finished. Post-production in Los Angeles is winding down and the film should be finished by the end of this month, thus coming to a close 3 years of production work. The film’s official world theatrical has been locked in for mid June 2017 in New York City.

Kadamba Kanana Swami is in the Ayurvedic Hospital receiving treatment to build up his immune system. It is not anything more sinister than that. As we mentioned before, while in the hospital which he often calls a prison, he is not allowed to use his electronic devices to communicate so PLEASE do not send him any correspondence! Allow him to recuperate and get stronger so he can resume travelling next month. There are no other activities to mention as Maharaj is solely focussed on this treatment.

We always wish to work with people who think like us, behave like us, speak like us, and who help us, understand us and most importantly appreciate us. However, to find such like-minded people in this material world is like finding a needle in a haystack.

By Kalakantha Dasa

Srila Prabhupada’s purports (commentaries) illuminate for us the verses spoken by Krishna and Arjuna. The following condensed version of their historic conversation combines key points from the verses and purports in the same sequence as the original. These are not direct quotes and thus cannot replace the complete Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Instead, this version provides an overview of the philosophical thread of the Gita. It is consistent with Srila Prabhupada’s comprehensive edition and can be used for introduction or review. Continue reading "The Gita Condensed
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By Burijana dasa

Teachers wishing success in their service must cultivate the mode of goodness. But wait a minute! Am I hearing protests from hard-pressed devotees sincerely striving to serve their Lord with a passion? Are they not crying out from the distance that there’s no need for goodness? Are they not emphatically stating that devotees are transcendental to the three modes of material nature? Srila Prabhupada once addressed this very question after a Sunday feast lecture at 26 Second Avenue. Prabhupada had finished speaking, and I raised my hand and spoke my first words to my spiritual master. They were not submissive. Continue reading "Elevation to Goodness
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Stories from the Road.
Mfundo Nkosi: My first experience in book distribution left an indelible mark on my consciousness. I was afraid to approach anyone and couldn’t even summon the courage to speak, muted as though gagged by fear. I then noticed a lady sweeping the sidewalk nearby. Her broom dragged across the dirt with great effort. It looked like she was writing a sad poem in the dust with the broom as her pen and her tears provided the ink. Drawn by her silent anguish I approached her and asked, “Are you okay?” She looked up and stared at me with eyes glistening from the tears she failed to hold back. I stood there stunned, thinking what an awkward situation I had plunged myself into and my heart sank at her falling tears. The lady then spoke in a somber voice, “Does God exist?” After a moment I said, “I have this book [Chant and Be Happy]. It speaks about establishing a relationship with God by calling His names.” “I don’t have any money”, she responded digging into her pockets to show only a single Rand. Knowing one Rand may not be enough she ran to one of her colleagues and stopped a few people in the street imploring them to spare a little change so she could purchase the book. I couldn’t move, startled by this lady’s desperation. She hurried back to me and said, “This is all I can get,” stretching out her arms to me as she cupped the coins in her hands. She amassed all of five rands. I took the donation but what really purchased the book was her desperation to find God. That was the only book I distributed that day. I know not what became of that lady; however, she made a deep impression in my heart that I hope to carry with me always.

Passing of a wonderful devotee.
Ramai Swami:
Yamuna-lila devi dasi, a grandmother with a large devotee family, passed aw...

KK Bindu #396: The importance of Gaura with Govinda.
CONTENTS INCLUDE:
* THE DUTIES OF A BRAHMIN – His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada describes the six activities of a twice-born person.
* RADHA-GOVINDA WITHOUT GAURA-GOVINDA – Sri Srimad Gour Govinda
Swami Maharaja explains how even if Radha and Krishna are present, if Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not there, then the mellow is not complete.
* BHAKTI PERVADES EVERYTHING PART 1 – A fresh translation done
especially for this issue of Bindu from Srila Jiva Goswami’s
Bhakti-sandarbha regarding the supreme nature of devotion to Krishna.
* NARADA TAKES A SEVERE VOW – Another fresh translation of a
verse from the Padma Purana.
This issue can be downloaded at the following link:
https://archive.org/details/bindu396

Celebrating 20 Years Of Success In Bhakti-vriksha (Album with photos)
This year, we at the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry, celebrated 20 years of Bhakti-vriksha in Mayapur, during the Gaura Purnima Festival. We hosted a CDM night in the Samadhi auditorium which included:
Kirtan
Movie
Awards
H.H. Jayapataka Swami (Co Minister) Address
Preachers’ realizations- China, US, Russia and India
Snack Prasadam
A big thank you to everyone who came and showed their support to the speakers, award winners and CDM Team.
Your Servant,
Manjulali M.S. dd
Communications Office
Find them here: https://goo.gl/iEVmcm

By Purushottam Nitai Das

We live in a fool’s paradise when we think that money is the ambrosia for all our material sufferings. Rarely we are content with our accumulated wealth. “I want more is the common call”. Money is considered to be the gateway to name and fame, power and position. And in the quest to accumulate paper currency we compromise with our health and do not feel necessary to nurture relationships with our near and dear ones. Yes, money can empower us to buy material things of this mortal world. But money has severe limitations. Money can never satiate our heart, calm our troubled mind and give us lasting happiness. Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.22.33) tells us, "For human society, constantly thinking of how to earn money and apply it for sense gratification brings about the destruction of everyone's interests." We always plan, "So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more." (Bhagavad-gita 16.13) Continue reading "Do we Overearn?
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Today being Ekadasi, I was considering whether or not to go out on an errand, and I recalled an incident that took place on Ekadasi in Madras in 1971. Achyutananda, Bhavananda, and I were based in a supporter’s house, and Bhavananda and I were in the mood to go out and preach. Acyutananda, however, said, “No, it’s Ekadasi. We shouldn’t go out. It’s inauspicious. And besides, it looks like rain.” But we thought, “Oh boy, he is so attached to external rules and regulations. We have the real spirit of preaching. We are not going to worry about Ekadasi or some rain.” When we went out, there was only a light drizzle, but within minutes the sky poured down rain. And the rain didn’t stop; it came down heavier and heavier. In Madras then, at least where we were walking, there was not much of a drainage system—just an open ditch two or three feet deep, lined with concrete. And as the storm continued, the channel filled with water, and soon we couldn’t distinguish between the water on the street, the water in the ditch, and the water in the fields beyond.

ALL INDIA Padayatra. The great devotee bullock Narasimha carrying the Lord since 10 years continuously. Completed One round ie 15/16...

Nothing
It has been a sobering few weeks as i finally started to sort through and clear out my basement from the things a devotee stored many years ago and sadly passed away.
Out of respect I’ve gone through every box and it gave me an opportunity to also sort out the recycling a requirement before the many trips to the skip, with each trip the basement returned to an empty state and all that is left is a few boxes and a couple of photo albums.
Réalisation
As i entered my home after a number of trips to the skip i compared the emptiness of the basement to the fullness of my home, slowly over the years I’ve accumulated so much and get somehow I’ve not noticed time for my own clear out of things no longer needed.
It also occurred to me one day i don’t know when someone will be going through my home or if I’ve moved on my belongings and like me off it goes to the skip.
Deep down I knew that somehow what the devotee stood for in the material body he had for such a short time had disappeared hopefully to be periodically remembered but as i leave my own material body not even a footnote of his existence will remain
And this will be the case for me also in what will be a short period of time
Thoughts
Best make sure that the short time of life is productive in as much as one gets to escape the material world and in this lifetime return to the spiritual world, at least it means this life has had real meaning
Yes
Simple living high thinking
The only way

Today being Ekadasi, I was considering whether or not to go out on an errand, and I recalled an incident that took place on Ekadasi in Madras in 1971. Achyutananda, Bhavananda, and I were based in a supporter’s house, and Bhavananda and I were in the mood to go out and preach. Achyutananda, however, said, “No, it’s Ekadasi. We shouldn’t go out. It’s inauspicious. And besides, it looks like rain.” But we thought, “Oh boy, he is so attached to external rules and regulations. We have the real spirit of preaching. We are not going to worry about Ekadasi or some rain.”

When we went out, there was only a light drizzle, but within minutes the sky poured down rain. And the rain didn’t stop; it came down heavier and heavier. In Madras then, at least where we were walking, there was not much of a drainage system—just an open ditch two or three feet deep, lined with concrete. And as the storm continued, the channel filled with water, and soon we couldn’t distinguish between the water on the street, the water in the ditch, and the water in the fields beyond.

So, we were walking along blissfully, drenched in water but inspired in our mission, in our service to our guru maharaja, and then Bhavananda fell into the ditch. He was in water up to his waist. So, I gave him a hand, and he climbed out of the ditch, soaked with sewage water.

Later, I related the incident to Srila Prabhupada, declaring that Bhavananda Prabhu had equal vision: he didn’t distinguish between high and low. And I quoted the verse from the Bhagavad-gita (5.18),

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah

“The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater [outcaste].”

“Yes,” Prabhupada replied. “You have theoretical knowledge. But Bhavananda has realized knowledge, practical realization, so he is more advanced.”

Hare Krishna.

—Giriraj Swami

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. “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.”

Devaki Dasi in conjunction with the Institute for Spiritual Culture organized an International Girls' Mela at the Jagannath Temple in Rajapur, just outside of Mayapur, at the end of February. The event was for girls between 13 and 20 years of age, coming from different parts of the world, many of them living permanently in Sri Dham Mayapur. Devaki conducted a seminar entitled "Fascinating Womanhood In Spiritual Culture".

Learning to live with chaos is more realistic, progressive and pragmatic. Like running water effortlessly flows around the obstructing rocks, moving steadily to its destination, so in the face of inevitable challenges and unexpected reversals, we must march on.

Iskcon Chosica devotees, Lima, Peru, distribute prasadam after the disaster which hit their city and country (Album with photos)

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 July 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 15.14)

The pious activities of one soul do not just benefit that soul but they benefit others also. It’s like when your son becomes a pious person, you are fortunate because the parents get the benefit from that piety and their destination changes. In the same way, they also get one-sixth the karma of their children. So when your children become criminals and so on, then you get one-sixth of that karma. That is quite a bit – sixteen percent! Think about it… it’s a lot… the little darlings! If you suddenly get one-sixth of the karma of all the nonsense they do, then they are not as nice as you always thought. Suddenly you start to care a little more for everything they do.

But when they take up spiritual life then we all share in the benefit. So, this is the idea that the home becomes a very pious place where our children, from day one, are just engaged in glorification of the Lord. Then, by the time they grow up, it’s too late.

We have children that grew up in this movement and one day a son said to his father, “You know, there is a difference between us. Your generation is always trying to remember Krsna but my generation, we’re always struggling trying to forget Krsna.”

That is nice, if you grow up with Krsna as a child, you can’t get rid of him. He going to be there, even if you try, he is going to be there forever.

Personal wealth
It’s an interesting concept that value of individuals is sometimes based on bank balances the size of the wallet
We judge depending on our own view of wealth, however it is easy to become envious of another’s personal wealth when it outstrips our own especially if that individual is in the renounced order of life, after all why should they have any personal wealth?
The reality is living in a society where money is king it’s impossible to survive without any financial income, the difficulty is how much does one actually need?
No matter what ashram one finds themselves in their is no getting away with it a certain amount of finance is needed, the question is when does the gaining of personal wealth becomes of concern
Sadly I’m hearing more and more saying they want paid devotee job, or opening centres based on the vast income it provides, and when those we see as leaders appear to have a personal wealth which matches that of big business men one could say “who can blame them”
There’s a difference
Understanding
A devotee understand that there​ is no such thing as personal wealth no matter what ashram
And that personal wealth is like our intelligence and material body only temporary, effort based on its accumulation including admiration and status is a futile effort.
The reality is the intelligence and personal wealth is temporary
How it is used makes a difference
Srila Prabhupada wanted books published, when we have books we need a place for those who read them to go, we then need self realised individuals to manage them and to help the individual’s progress and in time open their own centre’s
It’s impossible to have a saying in every city, town, village if their is no master plan and to make it happen the use of personal wealth is needed, even those with little personal wealth can do simple small prasadam distribution and kirtan; remember Srila Prabhupada started with a few rupees and as the movement increased he used the laxmi not to make personal wealth but to make facilities to make devotees and warned us not to be sidetracked by things, rooms, temples, position and wealth
Personal wealth is only personal wealth if we see it as mine
Personal wealth isn’t if we see it as a gift from Krishna so it is being used​ it to make devotees
Ultimately we remain accountable for our own actions and motivations
If we go to Sri Krishna with business plan to make personal wealth there may be success indeed millions could be made however Srila Prabhupada points out that being business Sri Krishna owes you nothing and one will not return home, if however one’s only motivation is not self gain but to make devotees then Sri Krishna remains in debt to his devotee and going home is assured
It’s a thought to ponder
And the motivation in gaining any personal wealth is one only each individual can answer and be accountable for, so use it wisely

On March 21^st, while on a pilgrimage with a group of devotees in Gokul, Vrindavan, India, Indradyumna Swami passed by Karshni Ashram run by Sharanananda Ji Maharaja. They noticed a small crowd gathering outside and stopped to inquire what was happening. Much to their amazement they were told that the Dalai Lama was visiting. The leaders of the asrama invited them to meet with him. Indradyumna Swami and his group spent part of the morning discussing spiritual topics.

Radha Krishna-Records.

Mayapur is a land of treasure, and the gem-like devotees make it shine. A video by West Coast Monk.

The Ill Effects of Pride.
Question: Because of pride somebody assumed himself as great devotee. He regarded himself as an advanced devotee and cultivated enviousness. He couldn’t recognize his deviations in consciousness. Because of restlessness in mind later he offended an associate, a friend. Earlier he had a taste for hearing and chanting because of his genuine humility and sincerity.
Now he lost the taste; instead he became like a hard-hearted and uncontrollable animal. He asked forgiveness from his friend.
In any life will he receive love of Godhead?
Romapada Swami: The symptoms and effects that you have described in your note are elaborately explained by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakura (a great Vaishnava Acarya in the disciplic succession) in his book Bhaktyaloka, a portion of which reads as follows.
“Each and every gradual step has different prescriptions and prohibitions.
Whenever a living entity steps to one level and stays there, he is obliged to follow the prescriptions and prohibitions of that step. By following those enjoined prescriptions and prohibitions, one becomes eligible to attain the next step. If one is unable to attain the next step, he falls down to a lower step. This is called degradation.”
Universally, when one acts beyond one’s level of advancement (or adhikara) the result is degradation. This degradation commonly manifests as two formidable enemies – pride and envy.
Pride manfests as an inflated overly-exalted conception of oneself. Envy, pride’s companion, directs negative thoughts and criticism toward others who are factually exhaulted. Both will result in offenses to other devotees.
As you have noted, one who commits Vaishnava aparadha quickly loses taste for chanting or any other form of devotional service.
The natural question which follows is “What is the cure?”
Recognizing that there is a problem is the first big step in the right direction. This can be done only by the mercy of other devotees and by strong introspection.
Analyzing the cause of the problem is the second step in determining the solution. In this case the root cause is that one is acting beyond one’s adhikara.
Only then one can move forward to effectively pursue the solution!
First to extricate oneself from the terrible quicksand of Vaishnava aparadha, one must beg forgiveness from the devotees he has offended, in a genuine mood of repentance. Devotees are magnanimous and generally will quickly forgive. If for some reason a devotee is unable to forgive one should simply serve him as the opportunities present.
In order to protect oneself from a repetition of this, one must carefully execute one’s devotional service in accordance to one’s level of realizations – that, too, carried out in a humble mood of service.
To thoroughly and deeply understand this one must take shelter of a more advanced devotee and understand from him the injunctions and instructions suitable for one’s own level of advancement. Keeping these instructions always in mind, he should strive to continuously engage in chanting and remembering Lord Krishna and thus continue advancing to higher levels.

 On Tuesday, March 14, 2017, the Department of Sport, Recreation and Culture of the city of Durban, South Africa, hosted a panel discussion at the prestigious Durban International Convention Centre entitled, "Healing Historic Divisions - towards racial harmony". Over 150 delegates, including city officials, political councillors and religious leaders accepted the Head's invitation to attend this important and ground-breaking event. 

What is a vow? And the difference between inspiration and commitment.
Mahatma Das: Just as one can offer Krishna an existing thing or a present action one can also offer him a future action along with the perseverance to fulfill it. That offering of perseverance is characteristic of a vow.
This is actually a definition or close to a definition of a vow that I found online given by the Catholic Church, so let’s analyze it a little bit.
The idea is that I agree to offer something to you, but a vow is I agree to offer you that forever and I also agree or I commit internally with perseverance to maintain that.
So I’m offering this particular object or service and I’m also offering the perseverance. It’s a promise to continue a future action. So the nature of a vow is that it requires a tremendous amount of commitment. And it requires a focus which states that once I make this vow all options to do anything to break this vow they’re now closed. So we often make vows but we don’t make that perseverance to the degree that we close off all options and when we don’t close off all options to do anything else other than follow this style there’s a good chance at some point we won’t follow it. So if you make a vow you cannot allow yourself to do anything or live a lifestyle which would cause you to do anything other than follow that vow. That’s the important key and a lot of us don’t do this. Devotees often write me I broke this principle I broke that principle it may be something simple, smoking a cigarette having a little drink of wine something simple as drinking some coffee with caffeine. After they promise not to do it, and so one of the things to look at is: did I remove all options, in my life. Did I, in my consciousness, remove all options of doing anything else but keeping those out. And I think if we’ve broken a vow in most cases the answer is probably I didn’t. I may have thought I have had but I didn’t, and what I think the problem is for many is they were inspired but they weren’t committed and there’s a difference between inspiration and commitment and we really need to know the difference. I’m inspired to do this so I’m no longer going do this or no longer I’m going to do that or I’m going to do this I’m going to do that, that’s my inspiration, but if the inspiration isn’t backed by commitment then what do you do when you’re not inspired? But if you’re committed, even though you’re not inspired you continue to do it because you’ve decided there is no other option than doing what I’ve said. If you simply work on inspiration then you’re in danger when you’re not inspired, so the commitment is the perseverance, the word we used here is “with perseverance”. When you make a commitment or a vow you also commit to persevere. So it is very important if we understand the difference between inspiration and commitment. I think a lot of devotees take initiation who are inspired but they’re not actually committed, they haven’t removed all options. Okay 16 rounds there’s no option in my life there’s no option of my consciousness to do anything with chant 16 rounds. There’s no option in my life to do anything but follow the four regulative principles. That’s what it means to take a vow. Same thing, I’m getting married, there’s no option for separation or divorce, we’re committed we don’t look at these other options. They only look at one option: follow this vow! Very very important principle! Hare Krishna.
Watch the video here: https://goo.gl/ox9Lsm

This video by Radha Mohan Das focuses on the ancient Indian treatise the Surya Siddhanta and its similarities with modern astronomy. As well as drawing upon remarkable consistent data between the Surya Siddhanta and modern calculations, it also touches on the various connections with the Bhagavat Purana, a devotional literature.

Guns or no Guns - Sivarama Swami addresses the recent debate that has divided the USA. Sivarama Swami, through his spiritual insight, reveals the actual depth of the problem which most people are missing.

Srimad Bhagavatam: Krishna’s Sound Incarnation!
Over the last weekend my wife, Nirakula Dasi, and I, had the great pleasure of visiting the devotees in New Remuna Dhama, (ISKCON, Toronto, Canada).
Over three days, the theme of our discussions together during the morning Srimad-Bhagavatam class at the temple was: Miseries in the life of a devotee: karma or Krishna’s mercy?
One of the Toronto devotees, Srimati Arusha, was out of town in South Africa during the classes, but she listened to them over the Internet. Today, upon returning to California, I received a message from Arusha with five lessons she distilled from these morning sessions. I share them with you here as I find them to be both profound as well as practical: 1. Misery is our friend and those willing to entertain this can advance in devotional service.
2. When I turn away from acknowledging that Krishna has set my quota, it is painful for me, and it is painful for Him.
3. Along with our birth we have a debt to others. One who realizes they cannot repay all this karma surrenders to Krishna.
4. Once you realize you’re not staying here, but will be going back to Godhead, you can endure anything.
5. Without resistance you don’t grow. Krishna gives us challenges that allow us to grow.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught his followers to hear and discuss the Srimad-Bhagavatam in the association of like-minded devotees.

In the following excerpt from a Caitanya Caritamrta purport, Srila Prabhupada describes the mood and effect of such interchange:

“Such pure devotees, always merged in knowledge of Krishna and absorbed in Krishna consciousness, exchange thoughts and realizations as great scientists exchange their views and discuss the results of their research in scientific academies. Such exchanges of thoughts in regard to Krishna give pleasure to the Lord, who therefore favors such devotees with all enlightenment. ” (Cc Adi 1.49)

In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Pariksit Maharaja also tells how hearing this great literature clarifies the aim of life and palpably invokes the presence of Lord Krishna within one’s heart:

“The sound incarnation of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Soul [i.e. Srimad-Bhagavatam], enters into the heart of a self-realized devotee, sits on the lotus flower of his loving relationship, and thus cleanses the dust of material association, such as lust, anger and hankering. Thus it acts like autumnal rains upon pools of muddy water.” (SB 2.8.5)

Make plans to sit with sincere devotees to hear and discuss the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Simply by doing this on a regular basis, you will feel cleansed and edified. And one who faithfully continues this practice will, in due course of time, see the Lord sitting upon the altar of his purified heart.
Hare Krishna!
Vaisesika Dasa