Can followers of other religions who don’t follow the regulative principles go back to Krishna?
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Anwser Podcast


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Is Vedic philosophy confusing because it has so many holy books, unlike Christianity and Islam that have only one holy book?
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Anwser Podcast


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Changing the default settings of our mind
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[Talk for Intel employees at house program, Phoenix, USA]

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Back home, to our True Shelter
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Hare KrishnaBy Romapada Swami

We are very limited. We have tiny knowledge and tiny happiness and tiny free will. We don’t miss our free will, proof is, here we are the place people reside who misused their free will. Some few rathayatras ago I was introduced to a Chinese lady, married to an Indian man. That was a very interesting combination. An elderly, little older and when introduced to her she said I just have one question. What is that? Why creation? I said fantastic question. And the short answer is two parts. We wanted it, when we make a mistake isn’t there a good reason for wanting it? Try to come up with the good reason for wanting it, there isn’t any good reason. It was bad and its really dumb to make such a free will choice, as wanting a place of enjoyment separate from Krishna, such a place doesn’t exist there is no such thing, its illusion, its maya, that's what maya means, that which it is not. Ma Ya, not this. Doesn’t exist, we desired it, that’s one of the reasons. Opportunity for living to try to fulfill their desire and enjoy separately from Krishna, when here is no such thing. So, the creation comes. And the other is, for Mahavishnu to provide an opportunity for the living entities to come to the position where the fullness of their happiness can be experienced, that’s the hidden purpose of creation. The misery and disappointment, when we want happiness, we get something else, is to help us have the impetus to turn to Krishna again. And there is another reason giving maya something to do. It's compassion, compassion, and compassion. Continue reading "Back home, to our True Shelter
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Gaura Purnima in Bali – Vigraha Pratistha 2017 (Album with…
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Gaura Purnima in Bali - Vigraha Pratistha 2017 (Album with photos)
Celebrating the auspicious appearance day of Lord Caitanya, the devotees of the Sri Sri Jagannatha Gauranga Temple in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, held an elaborate installation ceremony of large Gaura-Nitai and Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra Deities. The festivities started on Friday, the 10th of March, with an “Adhivas” or opening ceremony. On Saturday, the ceremonial procedures were conducted by the Gurukula students from the Bhaktivedanta Academy in Mayapur, West Bengal, India. The “Sodhita Pancagavya Snanam”, “Netra Unmilanam”, and the “Vandapanam” ceremonies were conducted. These ceremonies include bathing the deity forms in healing and spiritually-charged substances such as milk, ghee, etc, and also physically waking Their Lordships from a bed of grains, and unveiling Their eyes for the very first time. H.H. Ramai Swami and H.H. Kavicandra Swami, GBCs for Indonesia, were present and attended the entire procession. On the full moon day of Gaura Purnima on Sunday, fire sacrifices were conducted, and a “Maha Abhishek” or a grand public bathing ceremony of the Deities enthused the hundreds of devotees. Kirtan led by the renowned H.G. Madhava prabhu and H.G. Radhika accompanied the ceremonies. His Grace Vishvambhara Dasa (Prof Drs I Ketut Widnya, MA.), the director of the Hindu Department of Indonesia’s Ministry of Religion took part in the festivities. The devotees staged performances such as a Balinese rendition of the pastime of Lord Caitanya with Chand Kazi. That same evening, a grand Gaura Arati brought the festivities to a close. We pray that the devotees of the Sri Sri Jagannatha Gauranga Temple will always be enthusiastic in their service to Their Lordships. Pictures taken by Aryo Agung.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ueIbCc

Thursday, March 9th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

What I Ask!


One mantrathat I use when greeting someone in the ashramis actually a question. “Did you get a good rest?” implying “was it deep, was it full and more-or-less uninterrupted?”

I don’t go so far as to probe into their dreams. “Did you dream of Krishna? About guru?” That is very personal and let’s keep it that way—not that it’s wrong to ask.

The answers will be diverse, depending on who you ask and on which day, because it is never an definite yes or no.  It’s usually within the range of ‘anywhere in-between’.

As the day wears on, so do passions.  Speed and depth of involvement grow in intensity.  Do I then dare to ask, “How’s your day?” Those who immerse themselves in devotion have a soul-gratifying day, or should.  Physically, there will always be a challenge so that answer will have its range as well. In any event people feel good that you care.

This afternoon I did a trial-run walking in the park outside our ashram.  I couldn’t go too far with the gout-infected foot. I had to turn around after ten minutes and resume a gentler stroll inside the temple.

Woe is me! I’m anticipating this walk in May, beginning in Nebraska, with two good feet at the base of my legs. God, please help! The gout bulge is sizeable and any shoe placed around it puts on an uneasy squeeze.

“Patience!” reminds my doctor, Dr. Pandit.  “Just try to get a good rest.”

May the Source be with you!


2 km

Friday, March 10th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

The View

In our ashram,in what are called Prabhupada’s quarters, I sat and admired the view of the outside.  The window facing south is a cathedral-arched frame exposing the sky.  Cloudy and hazy with sunshine trying to pierce through is how I see the space above.  On one level slightly below, spring-budding branches dance on the chest of Vayu, the master of the wind.  Victorian house rooftops are also within my vision.

A leisurely park, recently renovated, is just south of the homes, adding green space to the neighbourhood.  May (I pray) it stay that way.

“We don’t need any more highrises around here,” I mentioned to Gaurachandra of Hungary. He had come to join and bring that view of optimism, a view which leads the eyes to contemplate the lake five kilometres further south—one of the Great Lakes.

People living in the city forget about this massive body of water, a body of beauty.  We need to revere such bodies and not lust in greed over how much profit can be made from building and blocking a God-given waterfront view.

Developers—I sometimes brood over their exploits, unless, of course, they are allowing trees and foliage to do their thing.

In 2015, I walked across the city of Detroit on a one-day pilgrimage.  Some of the neighbourhoods had been devastated by neglect.  Some homes had been broken into years before.  Some had been burned down, leaving empty lots.  These dynamics have somehow allowed nature to take its course.  That’s glorious!

May the Source be with you!


2 km

Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario 

New Findings 

Ekadasi is a day when followers of the Vaishnava tradition (Krishna tradition) honour a vow to abstain from eating grain, and increase their devotions.  It falls every fortnight.  It’s today we are so obliged.

What I wanted to highlight in this blog is an article forwarded to me (thanks Abhidheya) about archeological findings confirming the authenticity and antiquity of a Krishna culture.  According to the source of info— www.indiadivine.org —there is an ancient coin with Krishna on one side, and His brother, Balarama, on the other, dating back to 180 B.C.E.  Recently unearthed in Al Khanoun, Afghanistan, this discovery is the earliest proof that Krishna was revered as a god, “and that the worship had spread beyond the Mathura region,” states TKV Rajan, archaeologist, who was holding a five-day exhibition titled, “In Search of Lord Krishna.”

His studies and findings throw fresh light on the era of Krishna.  It has been over five years since discoveries were made at Tholavira, near Dwarka, which is according to Epic’s such as The Mahabharata, where Krishna ruled, approximately 5,000 years ago.  Apparently, a coin reveals that Krishna is devoid of his famed peacock feather, but then one follower suggested that in Dwarka, Krishna was not adorned with the peacock feather.

Rajan indicates there is an image of a wooden plough, which is mentioned in the book The Bhagavatam.  The image of the conch and the Sudarshan Chakra (wheel) are unmistakably obvious imprints on the square-shaped coins.

A grandiose discovery!

May the Source be with you! Happy Ekadasi!


0 km   

Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

Got Out

Well, I did it.  I got out for the first time in a few days.  Because of the gout, my movements have been slow, but I got the air I wanted and needed.

Air!  I’m a great fan of it.  It’s something taken for granted.  One of the prime elements. 

A friend called today.  He’s now 75.  Doesn’t look a day over 60. “I worked at a paint factory for thirty years.  You breathe in all these chemicals.  It’s surprising I’m still alive.  It must be Krishna keeping me going,” he admitted

“Yes!”

I enjoyed sitting on a park bench in what is warmer than usual temperatures. We’ve got spring.  Vancouver, a place with a more moderate climate, has been getting clobbered with snow.  This is a reversal of weather situations.

The park bench was actually a bench near a park, to the side of a plastic surgery clinic.  The establishment is called “Elements.”  Next to where I was sitting, is the statue of an earth goddess.

Poor Earth!  It’s going through so much.  South of the border appears to be in trouble on many social/political levels.  All nations, in fact, are going through changes.  It’s tense.

I got back to the ashram and received my second call for the day.

“Maharaja,” addressed the caller, “What is the actual position our culture takes on Islam, women, gay folks and people of various races?”

“These are multiple questions.  You are right though, let’s talk.”

So we did!

May the Source be with you!


4 km

Monday, March 6th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

I Like My Pilgrimages


I like my pilgrimages to India, but I’m happy to be home.  It’s more quiet here—less chaotic traffic.  Somehow India can likely boast more inner peace within people; it's a paradox of sorts.

Where is real peace to be found?  In the Bhagavad-gita, we are informed that from the highest planet down to the lowest—all pose misery.  That, of course, is the design of a world to accommodate our consciousness.

Desire ispowerful.  Whatever you dream of and fantasize about, will most likely manifest in some shape or form within your life.  Conceptbecomes construct—is what I see.

If that is the case, isn’t there someone out there, some super-brain who engineers things to happen?

In Sanskrit, we call such a person Jagannath, the universal Lord.

Today I was asked to send a message of goodwill to participants of this year’s Chariot Fest in Vancouver.  My few words of greeting will be covered in an opening page of what’s called ‘The Souvenir’.  I will inform through my words, that we will be celebrating this engineer of the universe, whom some call God.

I will include in the message that it was fifty years ago, in 1967—the summer of Love—when the first Chariot Fest in the West was staged at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  This anniversary all happened on the Pacific Coast.

I also hope to walk in that Park,this summer, after completing my U.S. trek, which started in New York City initially.

May the Source be with you!


2 km

Sunday, March 5th, 2017
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Toronto, Ontario

Ramesvara

Ravi Sharma is an angel.  He is mild, soft, gentle, helpful, and strong physically.  Everything is there; just the wings are missing.  Oh, and he doesn’t get angry.  I checked with his wife, Geeta.

“I’m the one who gets angry,” she said on this beautiful Sunday a.m., and at the time of Ravi’s diksha initiation.  It was during my delivery of words, in the course of the ceremony, while explaining the significance of diksha, that I asked her the question before all.  Her answer caused a buzz.

One additional aspect of Ravi is that he is an avid member of the sankirtanteam.  Locally, an active team of weekend warriors go out to public venues (excuse me, monthly for now) and meet the people of the world, give a smile, a word of greeting, show a book on transcendence and try to make the most valuable “connection” in a person’s life.  One that could be transformational.

Ravi is also a companion walker.  He and I have covered some neighbourhood streets together while doing japameditation.  It’s always a pleasure to be with him.  We don’t need to get into a huge conversation.  Our fixation at these times involves watching where you’re stepping and listening as best as can be to the mantras we chose as our subtle companions.

Our pujaris(priests) from Scarborough, presided over the yajna (sacrifice) using earth, twigs, seeds, herbs, ghee, fruit, veggies, flowers and fire.

Ravi’s dikshaname is Ramesvara.

May the Source be with you!


0 km (Gout is out and about)

Saturday, March 4th, 2017
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Delhi/Amsterdam/Toronto


On the Way


I went through the terrors of traffic in Delhi.  A sweet devotee of Krishna, Satya Narayan, who lives, works and prays, all within one block of the temple, was my driver to the airport.  I’m going back home.  He told me something a friend said, “In India the people are very loving but they are not human.  In many countries they are human but not necessarily loving.”

When I heard this statement regarding life in India and particularly how traffic and space is handled, I was quite inclined to agree with words of such profundity.  As we fought traffic, dodging and charging in mayhem, I looked out my window, peering at some of the drivers.  There’s a sweetness, an air of optimism on the faces that I could detect.  And I felt confused and ambivalent seeing cheerfulness in chaos.

“Ignorance is bliss,” I moaned out to Satya as we continued on in the rat race.  Satya, himself, smiled.  Maybe I’m too much of a grump, but no, scripture tells the truth of Kali-yuga, the present age of darkness.  Should I pretend all is well?  I just feel right “calling a spade a spade.”  The honking, the aggression, the sudden shift of lanes, the regular bottle-necking of vehicles, and all in the areas of road construction brought to a halt during the night.

“Visions of hell,” I thought.  I chanted, but the madness did not go away.  I said to Satya, “This is now, but what about ten years from now?  Do you think auto-salespeople will stop selling their cars?  No!”

Satya kept smiling and truly shared with me the woes of what we were witnessing, only I was more depressed about it.

Eco-villages, let’s get going!

May the Source be with you!

0 km

Friday, March 3rd, 2017
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Noida, India


Good Behaviour


I gave two classes at this new centre, a gorgeous temple—really.  Both classes gave emphasis to good behaviour.  The boy saint, Prahlad, exemplified this as we explored a verse from Bhagavatam, Canto 7.  In the evening, we highlighted Chapter 3 of the Gita, text 12, which carries the message of Karma Yoga.

Just yesterday, Gopal, a master mrdunga drum player, showed me, on his phone, actor Vin Diesel in an excerpt from a recent film—name unknown to me (“Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk” by director Ang Lee).  He plays the role of a soldier who encourages another one.  To paraphrase, the lines read:

“You know the Hindus believe in their ancient text that you do Karma yoga—do your duty in the spirit of detachment.  This, Krishna tells His warrior friend Arjuna before a great battle.”

“Oh, yeah,” says the second soldier, “the blue dude?”

“That’s right, Krishna, the blue dude.”

It’s nice to know the message is getting out in the mainstream.  Karma means “action.”  Yogameans “a connection with the Divine.”  The action of detachment demonstrates good behaviour.

In the room I was given in the guest facility, I noticed I was not the only occupant.  Between the mosquito screens in the window frame, a couple of pigeons had taken up residence.  Three eggs lay in that space, along with what looked to me like a roosting mama. Papa was coming and going, checking on things.  It looked to me like they were doing some sharing together.  Perhaps even portraying good behaviour.

May the Source be with you!


2 km

Dear ISKCON Devotees.Recently, I had the good fortune of…
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Recently, I had the good fortune of staying in Mayapur Dham for a few weeks. It was the first time I had visited since I had served there as a Gurukula teacher at the Boys International Gurukula (1997-1999). Both of my sons, now adults with families of their own attended there between the 1980’s and 1990’s. It was wonderful to see the way Mayapur Dham has developed since that time into the incredible pilgrimage place it now is. I know Srila Prabhupada is pleased that so many thousands of pilgrims line up daily to take darshan of the beautiful Radha Madhava, Nrsinghadev and Pancha Tattva Deities, learn to chant the Holy Name, buy Srila Prabhupada’s books and share in Prabhupada’s dream of establishing Mayapur as an international headquarters of the Hare Krishna movement.

How a young Franciscan monk was conquered by Srila Prabhupada
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Hare KrishnaBy Dayanidhi Das

The history of the beginning of the Hare Krishna movement in Italy. Srila Prabhupada's visit in Rome and how he changed the lives of many fortunate souls. Among them a young Franciscan monk who found in the teachings and the person of His Divine Grace the perfection of his spiritual research. The struggle with his relatives who tried to persuade him to change his mind and the unexpected help which came from a catholic priest. His interactions with the "Italian Jayananda" Somaka prabhu, his initiation in France and his deep impressions from the meeting with his spiritual master and his disciples. Dayanidhi prabhu is presently temple president of the Iskcon temple of Genova, Italy. Continue reading "How a young Franciscan monk was conquered by Srila Prabhupada
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Jubilant Celebrations at Rasamrita Kunja, Mayapur. Geetavali…
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Jubilant Celebrations at Rasamrita Kunja, Mayapur.
Geetavali Devi Dasi: On the most auspicious occasion of the holy appearance of the chhana avatar Sri Sri Sacigaurasundar there was held a simple but sweet celebration at rasamrita kunja, mayapur on12 march 2017.
At the first there held a drama which was performed by small kids on lord Caitanya’s pastimes which was followed by an ecstatic kirtan by ananta pandit prabhu from bali.
After the ecstatic kirtan there was a short talk given by H.H.Subhaga Swami Maharaja in which firstly Maharaja melodiously chanted the following verse
sabe mile krpa kari
karaha karuna
adhama patita jane
na kariha ghrna
Emphasising the sweetness of the syllable ‘Krishna’ maharaja mentioned that Srila Rupa goswami states that it tastes so much that you should have millions of mouths for tasting it ,when it enters into your ears you feel like nectar and that you should have millions of ears, when it enters into the mind it becomes unconscious and when it goes to the heart it becomes the place of the lord.
Still pointing that even if we chant the holy names of Krishna because of offensive tendency we can’t achieve love of godhead. So the only way is to take shelter of the holyname of māhāvadanyay Sacigaurasundar .
ki sayāne kiba jāgarane
whatever you are doing every moment discuss about Krishna’s and gauranga’s name, form, beauty, pastimes.
Maharaja also explained that how Srila Prabhupada told that every six to seven years there’s a flood in mayapur which indicates that this waves of love of godhead will spread all over the world every town every village.
mayapur sama dham
tribhūvane nay. Anybody living in dhām is most fortunate.
Maharaja further explained that being most compassionate lord Nityananda pr begs the fallen condition souls to meditate, chant, and preach the holy names of lord gauranga and thus assures by doing so they will become His very life and soul.They are the essence of all incarnations, most munificent.
saba avatāra sāra siromani
kevala ānanda kanda
And thus maharaja ended by performing a short kirtan of
bhaja gaurānga kaha gaurānga
leha gaurāngera nāma re ,thus conforming ,“ If you follow this process you will find everything joyful ”.

After the enthusiastic talk there was a drama and abhishek performed to their lordships nitai gaurasundar firstly by Srila Prabhupada desciples like H.H.Subhaga Swami, H.G. Prabha Vishnu pr followed by others and concluded by nice prasad.
All glories to the most merciful lords nitai gaurasundar!

Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat 2017 in Northern Australia
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Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat 2017
Over the past several years, New Govardhana farming community in Northern Australia, has hosted several Holy Name Retreats, featuring great souls such as His Holiness Sacinandana Swami, HG Bhurijana dasa & HG Jagattarini Devi Dasi and renowned kirtaneer Madhava. These retreats brought the community and Australian ISKCON centres together in the chanting of the Holy Names.
In 2016, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami developed the Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat in collaboration with the New Govardhana community. The event was their combined offering to kirtana lovers around the globe. It included devotees such as Indradyumna Swami, Bada Hari dasa, Sri Prahlada dasa, Madhava and many other international musicians in a weekend of kirtana, sanga and festivities.

Due to the outstanding success of this first Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat, Indradyumna Swami suggested we make it an annual event at New Govardhana. The second Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat was born.

This brings us to the present, where a team of dedicated devotees are working hard to create another spiritually charged festival, this time to be held adjacent to Manasi Ganga lake, where a brand-new venue is currently being built. The event will bring together bhakti-yogis and kirtaneers from across the nation and around the world.

Again, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami, along with Bada Hari dasa, Sri Prahlada dasa, and Madhava will make the journey “Down Under” to lead us in tasting the nectar of the Holy Name. We are pleased to announce that well-known kirtaneer Jahnavi will also be joining them this year.

This year there will be market stalls featuring international cuisine, as well as special facilities for the children whom we suspect will never want to go home after they have experienced the many fun-filled activities planned for them.

The energy and excitement involved in preparing for this inspiring event is hard to describe. However, we need your involvement to make the festival as wonderful as we anticipate it will be. Please bless us with your presence at the Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat 2017, Easter Long Weekend 14-17 April and register as soon as possible. There will also be numerous service opportunities, so please contact us beforehand to reserve your seva contribution.

Head to the website (www.sacredsoundkirtanretreat.com.au) for full information about registration and other details. If you cannot find answers to your questions on the website, please email (info@sacredsoundkirtanretreat.com.au).

So, don’t miss out, as we will be closing registration as soon as we reach full capacity. This is an experience you will relish for years to come!

Gaurpurnima at ISKCON Gaya (Album with photos) Gaurpurnima…
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Gaurpurnima at ISKCON Gaya (Album with photos)
Gaurpurnima festival (Appearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) was celebrated amongst hundreds of devotees at ISKCON Gaya. Kirtan and lecture on Lord Chaitanya was given by Jagdish Shyam Das (Manager, ISKCON Gaya). He said Lord Chaitanya is the most merciful incarnation who profusely distributed love of godhead. Congregation devotees performed a dance show on musical kirtan. Dr Prem Kumar (Leader of opposition Bihar) was the chief guest. He highlighted about ISKCON achievement. Aarti and abhishek was performed. People enjoyed flower holi and prasadam also. So many Srila Prabhupad books are distributed…….
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lFWGSb

Encouragement in spiritual life
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Hare KrishnaBy Kripamoya Das

Fifty years on and the movement has grown and changed. The philosophy and practises remain the same, but most of the members do not live in small communal clusters. There is still communal living – in around 600 locations internationally – but the majority of ISKCON’s members now live in their own homes, visiting a nearby temple or group if there is one. Preserving Srila Prabhupada’s request for his responsible senior disciples to provide spiritual leadership and to ‘teach by example’ has needed some careful re-designing for a new and vastly expanded situation. The rapid growth in the movement’s membership is proof of the success of Srila Prabhupada’s messages, but with size often comes greater complexity, and so it has with the challenge of helping others on the spiritual path. Because helping others to grow in spiritual life is as important as initiating them into it, for ISKCON simply to hang on to its membership required a slightly more developed approach. Continue reading "Encouragement in spiritual life
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From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 28, 2017
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhrgupati Das

So Prabhupada had taken great risk and voluntary accepted tremendous inconvenience in coming to the west to preach Krishna Consciousness to people who really, if you stop and think about it, were not qualified to receive it and didn't really appreciate it. Nothing discouraged Prabhupada. He didn't get discouraged by that. An ordinary person wouldn't have even started the whole thing in the first place. An ordinary person, after coming over on a boat, having two heart attacks on the way over, would have thought you know what, maybe I'm biting off a little more than I can chew. Maybe I should rethink this. I've got to be realistic. I just had two heart attacks, I'm 70 years old, I don't know a soul in this country, and I don't have any money. Maybe I should just regain my strength and head back. I've got to be practical, I've got to be realistic. An ordinary person would have thought like that. But Prabhupada didn't think like that. He thought, no way, I've got to do this. And he just did it. It's incredible. Continue reading "From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 28, 2017
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To Make People Happy
Giriraj Swami

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta states, “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most benevolent personality in human society because His only desire is to make people happy. His sankirtana movement is especially meant for the purpose of making people happy.” (Adi 9.45 p)

And Srila Prabhupada said of himself, “I have started this Krishna consciousness movement in this country, America, to make people happy: happy in this life, happy in next life.” And, “So we are making little our teeny effort, how to make people happy. Our only business is to make people happy. We have no other desire.”

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu mercy—and mission—have come to us through Srila Prabhupada, through parampara. So we should be happy—and make others happy—following in their line, by their grace.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

Mahaprabhu's SankirtanaPrabhupada's Sankirtana

Krishna’s gifts. Mahatma Das: Today’s quote is…
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Krishna’s gifts.
Mahatma Das: Today’s quote is entitled Krishna’s gifts. Krishna’s gifts may come through suffering. They can reform us in a way that we further advance in devotional service.
It is just sometimes that Krishna’s gift wrapping can fool us.
So the idea is that if everything in the world was perfect because we have such strong desire to enjoy we may never come to the spiritual life.
But is the suffering that pushes us. And we all know this, this is why we have become devotees or those of you who are becoming devotees have looked at the world and asked the question: why the world is imperfect. Why am I not always happy? Why is there suffering in the world?
And we also know that through suffering we often learn our greater lessons, through suffering we become stronger and suffering reminds us of Krishna’s teachings.

For example, we know, in Bhagavad-gita, Krishna has described this world as a temporary place, where pleasures begin and end. Where life begins and ends. And that we should be aware of birth, old age, disease, and death. So sometimes we forget, so what Krishna do? When we forget He reminds us. How does He remind us? He creates a situation where there is some pain either physical or emotional, or a pain in a relationship, or pain due to attachment to something that we can not give up. Or pain due to not having something or hankering for. And when we are experiencing the pain then we are actually receiving Krishna’s instructions but in a real life experience.

So sometimes we read Bhagavad-gita and Krishna will say: From the highest planet down to the lowest is a place of suffering where repeated birth and death take place. So we read that, we understand it and say yes, this is my impetus to go back to Godhead, or one of them by understanding the temporary nature of the world and the nature of suffering that exists in this world. But then when the actual suffering comes to us we don’t like it. Specially sometimes someone brings it to us and we don’t like that person.

But let’s look at it this way, that person is bringing the same teaching of Krishna that you appreciate. They are just bringing it as a lesson of life not as an instruction, not as a written text on paper but the text in paper becoming alive. You could call it a life-lesson as opposed to a word lesson.

So they ar bringing the same word lesson that Krishna is given but they are giving it now in a form of life. And so when that person brings that lesson sometimes we have very nasty things to say about them. So we bow down to Krishna, we bow down to Bhagavad-gita and then when somebody brings us the same lesson we don’t bow down to them we call them some nasty names. That’s actually hypocrisy. And if we understand that everything is a karmic reaction and all karmic reactions are ultimately meant to edify us, to enliven us, to instruct us and bring us closer to Krishna then there can be no enemy, there can be no one to hate because all that’s happening and everyone is just bringing us closer to Krishna because whenever we go through difficulty, whenever we suffer it brings us closer to Krishna, we think of Krishna: why am I suffering why is this happening and it is nullifying that tendency to enjoy. So every time we suffer we are chipping away a little bit more of that tendency to enjoy this world.

So that person who brought us the suffering is actually pushing us closer to Krishna and Krishna is using that person to push us closer to Him. So in that way, everything is working to bring us closer to Krishna. If we can just see it that way then everything can be a positive experience. So it’s very important point and very necessary point to understand otherwise when difficulties come will start to blame Krishna, we won’t understand why a loving God can allow this to happen. But really we should hear Krishna saying whatever I’m doing everything I’m doing is just to help you come closer to Me. Hare Krishna!

Japa Retreat 2017 at ISKCON Houston
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Last weekend (March 3-5), 150 devotees from Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Oklahoma City and New Orleans had a joyful and spiritual Japa Retreat (Chanting of Holy Names) with Romapada Swami and Bada Hari Das at Greater Houston area, ISKCON Houston. This Japa Retreat is an annual event and for this year the theme of the Japa Retreat was "Taking Shelter of Holy Name – Saranagati."

Gaura Purnima Abhishek at klang Iskcon ( 12 Feb 17) (Album with…
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Gaura Purnima Abhishek at klang Iskcon ( 12 Feb 17) (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: For one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, or glorification of the name, fame and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely. (From Srila Prabhupada’s translation of SB 6.2.12)
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Iskcon Vrindavana – Gaura Purnima 2017 (Album with photos) Srila…
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Iskcon Vrindavana - Gaura Purnima 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Everyone should be dedicated, I or you. That is the success of life. Dedicate your life for Krsna. That is the perfection. Even there are some faults, dedicated life is noble life. Maybe, due to our past habits, we may commit some faulty action, but that dedicated life is sublime. – March 4, 1974, Mayapur
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Loving relationships
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Hare KrishnaBy Romapada Swami

The relationship gets closer, and when the relationship gets closer you find out all the good, the bad and mixed about the person. Those of you that are married know that what I am talking about. You find all about the weaknesses and the strengths and the idiosyncrasies of the person you are now living with. And with that can come familiarity. And with familiarity it breeds, it doesn't have to, but it commonly breeds contempt I know your ugly stuff, you know all my ugly stuff and one points to the other and respect disappears becomes something else, besides relationship. Becomes very dysfunctional. So if you have a close relationship a loving relationship it's essential that there is respect. Even even if you know all the shortcomings of the other person. Just still respect the other person. Because this is how to have a loving relationship. Continue reading "Loving relationships
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