Planet ISKCON

Anwser Podcast

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The post Won’t neglecting our attachments and focusing on bhakti lead to rationalizing our wrong actions? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post To get stimulated out of sleep, can I visit Facebook first thing after waking up? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post If we are following the principles to be initiated but have to wait for long in queue, does Krishna see us as initiated or uninitiated? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Krishna Kshetra Swami

The number of sannyasis grows from year to year in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, to well over 100; and those who take the vows of this final ashram of renunciation are, since recently, receiving formal training over and above what they receive individually in the course of their devotional lives and through the guidance of their sannyasa mentors. In pursuit of this aim of formal training, on February 18 – 22 we held a Sannyasa Candidate Training Seminar in Sridham Mayapur, with some 30 sannyasa candidates—all senior brahmacaris or vanaprasthas—attending. This was the second time such a program has taken place. Continue reading "2nd Sannyasa Candidate Training Seminar Held in Mayapur
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Anwser Podcast

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The post If senior devotees behave unethically, how can we maintain our inspiration? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Evening program at Atlanta, USA]

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The post Understanding attachment, detachment, commitment 2 – Detachment is not hardheartedness – it is levelheadedness appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

30 Years Ago Series: #1

TOVP: THE KALASHES ARE ARRIVING! (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: This first container from Moscow had come to Kolkata Port ju...

The rise of Hinduism in Australia, will it continue?
Hinduism emerged in the 2011 Census as the fastest-growing religion in Australia, largely brought about by migration. But what will the new Census reveal? Reverend Albert Lange was disillusioned by Christianity before he converted to Hinduism. In 1979 he became Bhakta Dasa. I was an atheist before I found my truth in the Hare Krishna movement, he said. Mr Dasa is now the national communications director for International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON Australia. Hes one of the many Australians who find themselves drawn to the 5000-year old religion of Hinduism. Hinduism emerged in the 2011 Census as the fastest-growing religion in Australia - and is expected to have continued in the years since, according to both the Australian Multicultural Foundation and the Hindu Council of Australia. Census watchers, meanwhile, predict that despite the growth in the number of Australians nominating Islam as their religion (from 2.2 per cent to 2.6 per cent of the population), Hinduism will overtake it (2.7 per cent). The trend is largely explained by migration, with increasing numbers of Indians settling in Australia, particularly in Melbourne. There has been a the four-fold increase in the number of Indian-born residents in the nearly two decades to June 2014. But locally-born Australians, too, are gravitating towards the worlds third-largest religion, says Mr Dasa. The Hindu way of life, with vegetarianism, karma and spirituality as its tenets, has never been more popular in the western world, he said.

Gita verse-by-verse Podcast

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The post Gita 13.18 All objects of knowledge are meant to direct us to the objective of knowledge appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The Grand Installation of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurachandra at Christchurch Hare Krishna Centre, New Zealand, 3rd Mar 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Radha-Krsna. So Radha’s name is first. Why? Nobody can be better devotee than Radharani. So as soon as Radha’s name is there, Krsna is more pleased. So that is the way. So if we glorify the devotees, the character of the devotees, before the Lord, He’s more pleased than to glorify Himself, He directly. From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.11-13 – Hawaii, March 24, 1969
Find them here: https://goo.gl/uaElOM

Miracle in Mayapur! A devotee manifests a six arms form and plays 2 mridangas and a pair of kartals simultaneously while chanting Ha...

By Krati Garg

Garlands have been pinned to the wheels of the chariot and curries seasoned to perfection for prasadam (a religious offering), while Krishna’s idol is adorned with jewels for public viewing. The occasion is Rath Yatra, or Chariot Festival, organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Held annually to emulate a similar large-scale Rath Yatra at Puri, in India, the festival attracts thousands of Australians to see the Hindu God Krishna — or Jaggannath (Lord of the Universe) — step out of the sanctum of his temple in Albert Park onto the streets of Melbourne for his darshan (viewing). This year, a record 25,000 people took part in the yatra at St Kilda’s Catani Gardens, reflecting Hinduism’s rising popularity in Australia, which is expected to be confirmed in the latest Census as the nation’s fastest growing religion. Continue reading "More Australians putting their faith in Hinduism
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By Tate Blanchard

Protests took place Thursday and may have paid for those wanting to protect sacred grounds. The case had just wrapped up before 5 P.M. involving the Rover Pipeline in Federal Court according to an attorney for Rover Pipeline, LLC, William Wilmoth with Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. There were a number of parties in attendance in Federal Court with concerns about where the Pipeline would be located as it makes its way through the Ohio Valley. Wilmoth said, the last group to be addressed in the last minutes was the Hare Krishna group and Rover had agreed to re-engineer and re-located their plans for the pipeline in a way that will not interfere with the Krishna sacred grounds. That is something Wilmoth said his clients take very seriously and they never want to disrupt any grounds that are sacred to anyone. Continue reading "Rover Pipeline, LLC Reaches Agreement with Hare Krishna Community
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By Bhakti Vijnana Goswami

Bondage of karma. Karma bandana. Karma bandana is the problematic reactions in our lives. Unless we drastically change these reactions, by the means of hearing and chanting, unless we change this, we cannot claim that we are free and safe and that our salvation is guaranteed. If our reaction is the same for good or bad, if I'm really late and in a bad mood or really put down by certain circumstances or even the slightest provocations from material nature, then it basically means that there is something wrong in my practice of Krishna Consciousness. In other words, I am not really chanting and hearing offenselessly. Therefore, the promised effects of sravanam kirtana do not take place. That is the only explanation. Continue reading "From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 24, 2017
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By Navadwip Mandal Parikrama devotees

Today Parikrama had one very special program: Harinam sankirtan through the streets of Navadviapa town. This Nagar sankirtan was led by HG Agnideva Prabhu, who made the sound of mridangas, kartalas, and gongs accompany the vibration of the Maha mantra throughout Navadvipa. The Dham vasis became so joyful that their glory was partially revealed to us pilgrims. The glory that they are not ordiinary sales men or house wives but very dear devotees of Lord Caitanya. After Harinam Agnideva Prabhu led us on what Srila Prabhupada said was his favorite bhajan :" Hari Hari biphale". As he started this bhajan everyone and everything seemed to stop. Either manager, sannyasi or child, every single member left aside all anxieties and dovetailed their full attention to that Bhajan. We were very fortunate to have the association of such an empowered kirtanya. Continue reading "Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama- day 3
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Devotees travelled from all over New Zealand and some from Australia for the reopening of the Christchurch temple, which previously had to be pulled down because of the earthquake six years ago.

The morning was celebrated with the installation of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai with abhiseka, kirtan, fire yajna and aroti. The devotees were then served a grand feast and in the evening there was discourse, aroti and more prasadam.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.4)

We are all in a material situation and I sum it up as, “Sometimes you are on top of the elephant and at other times, the elephant is on top of you!” That is material life, it is not going to always be easy but we must protect our spiritual life and try to do something to stand up for Krsna consciousness.

Nothing is easy; therefore first we have to work on our own conviction. We have to understand why we are doing this. The better you understand this, the more convinced you are.

I like the story of Karna. He was accepted as a disciple by Parasurama who had asked him before if he was a ksatriya. Everyone had told Karna that he was not a ksatriya so he said, “No, I am not a ksatriya.” So he was accepted by Parasurama and served him very nicely and he learnt all the astras and celestial weapons. Then, one day, Parmasurama was so pleased and was resting with his head on the lap of his disciple when an insect stung Karna in the leg. He did not want to disturb his spiritual master so with great determination, he managed to stay calm. Even though the pain was excruciating, he tolerated it and did not move. The spiritual master slept nicely but when he woke up, he saw the blood and asked what had happened. Then Karna explained that the insect had stung him in the leg. Then Parasurama smelt a ksatriya, he said, “How could you tolerate… How could you tolerate such pain? No one can tolerate such pain, except for a ksatriya!”

So, I like that point because it shows that in a moment, the tolerance of a ksatriya is stronger than a brahmana but in the long-term, the tolerance of a brahmana is stronger! But why? Because the tolerance of a ksatriya is based on determination, “I shall do it…” but how long can you say that… one day, one week, one month, one year, ten years, twenty years? It is difficult. But the brahmana, his tolerance is based on knowledge and because it is based on knowledge, therefore his conviction is stronger because he sees that he has no other alternative, “What else can I do? I know it is hard to be a devotee; I know it is a struggle but what else is there to do? There is nothing else; there is no alternative!”

A video by Anton Aleksandrov.

There are going to be a lot of tears and smiles in Christchurch, New Zealand from March 3^rd to 5^th. During what’s set to be an emotional three-day festival, devotees will see their brand new temple open after their old one was destroyed in a devastating 2011 earthquake. And they’ll see their beloved deities, Nitai Gaurachandra, reappear after being smashed to pieces in the disaster. Devotees first purchased Bealy Manor in 1983, and opened it as a temple in January 1986.

Christchurch Hare Krishna Centre, New Zealand opening 2nd March, almost ready (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one is in full Krsna consciousness and his life is devoted to the Lord’s transcendental service, he is perfect. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 11.33
Find them here: https://goo.gl/dTnJsT

By SRR Sacred India

A Sacred Exchange. The Sacred India Gallery is an ISKCON-affiliated community arts space in the scenic Swan Valley region of Western Australia. In a beautiful cross-cultural exchange, the gallery recently hosted Dr Anne Aly MP for a guided gallery tour. Dr Aly is the first Muslim woman elected to the Australian Federal Parliament. Fascinated by the artistic installations on display, Dr Aly asked many insightful questions about spiritual India and the Hare Krishna tradition. Dr Aly was accompanied on her tour by Jagattarini dasi (Sacred India Artistic Director), and Sri Radha Raman das (Tours and Events). Continue reading "Australian MP Dr Anne Aly Visits The Sacred India Gallery
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On our 2nd day of Parikrama we further explored the land of Godrumadvipa visiting the Holy places such as Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s house and Naimisharanya. First of all we came to Gaura daha which is nondifferent from Kaliya Daha in Vrindavan. For the surprise of the devotees HH Bhakti Purushottama Swami related two wonderful lilas of Kaliya’s […]

The post Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama-Day2 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

After a long year we are again able to walk through the holy landscape of Navadvipa Dhama while singing, dancing and feasting in the company of a variety of exalted vaishnavas. Gaura Bhakta vrinda ki jay!There are about 1400 devotees in the International party this year. Out of them 800 devotees are camping. Parikrama is […]

The post Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama – Day 1 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Anwser Podcast

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The post How to deal with the emotions and inclinations that take us away from Krishna? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post If we have a vision to do something but the authorities are not supportive, what to do? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post Shouldn’t we expect to grow to the higher stages of bhakti? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post Shouldn’t we take up challenging services to become humble & dependent on Krishna? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post How can we find the service by which we can best contribute? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post Why were the Pandavas treated so badly by their elders – in similar circumstances, are we meant to be submissive? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post Suppose a talented, dedicated devotee encounters failure repeatedly – how to respond? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Anwser Podcast

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The post How can we counter the mind’s tendency to see the negative even in devotee association? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Congregation program at Atlanta, USA]

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The post Understanding attachment, detachment, commitment 1 – Frustration is not renunciation appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Mayapur Kirtan Mela 2017 (Album with photos)
Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: one should go on chanting the glories of the Lord twenty-four hours a day. SB 7.9.46, Translation and Purport
Find them here: https://goo.gl/T1HR25

A Little Sunshine!
All it takes is a shaft of sunshine to flood our room and voila! we feel better already. Here’s a great quote that speaks to that:
“If the sun can penetrate within your room, cannot Krishna penetrate within your heart and room and every corner? He is so useless? He’s everywhere, but you have to realize, how He is everywhere.” - Srila Prabhupada
When we look at our growing relationship with Krishna so much of it is linked to the ‘sunshine’ experiences of personal spiritual disciplines. These happen in scheduled and unscheduled ways. The scheduled ones are those daily/ weekly practices that we put on our calendar which are recommended in sastra (Vedic scriptures) - a commitment to a number of mantras chanted, books read, or services offered. It also includes prayers, financial contributions, good conversations with friends and mentors, and quiet reflection.

While such personal discipline is one of the five key ways we grow towards trust in Krishna, they can sometimes be challenging. Life can be full, busy, interrupted, and feel like a never ending list of ‘to-do’s’. If our sadhana (spiritual practices) becomes another to-do, we have a problem. If our chanting stresses us out, our time with Krishna is forced, or giving money creates fear or even bitterness - we really have a problem. We lock down the very thing that can lift us up.

We need to look out for that. We need to create times and environments that really work for us on an individual basis. This may change as our life changes, but the commitment to sadhana should not. A nice definition of spiritual discipline or austerity is finding our best time of the day or week and giving that time to Krishna. We’ll be at our best and what we give will be our best.

A personal discipline means something you commit to again and again to gain a result. The result we are looking for is our faith growing to be ‘unflinching trust in something sublime’. We are building our spiritual muscles so we become strong enough to trust, and thus to love Krishna. That’s the sunshine we want to be shining through the windows of our heart and enlightening our soul, our very self. That’s the place we want to be.

Devotee means...
Vaiṣṇava devotee means give me simply a place to lay down, little prasādam, whatever little service you have got please give me, that's all. -Śrīla Prabhupāda's Letter to: Gurudāsa, Yamunā — Bombay 19 December, 1972 Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the material nature, and because he is so much absorbed in serving Kṛṣṇa, he takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some fault. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Letter to: Haṁsadūta — Ahmedabad 10 December, 1972 Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under all kinds of conditions of life. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Letter to: Haṁsadūta — Ahmedabad 10 December, 1972 Devotee means one should be firmly convinced of his being the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Letter to: Mr. Kair — Los Angeles 8 July, 1969 So to become devotee means to do the best service to the family. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay A devotee means he knows everything. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm) Devotee means the first sign will be happy, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54]. If he's not prasannātmā, he's a rascal. He has not entered even devotional life. He's outside. That is the test.-Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk -- April 24, 1976, Melbourne Devotee means tattva-darśī. He has seen the real truth. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi Devotee means who follows Kṛṣṇa. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi Devotee means sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. He is above these material laws. That is devotee. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi Devotee means brahmacārī. Pure devotee means brahmacārī. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. He has no other desire. That is brahmacārī. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk -- November 3, 1975, Bombay Devotee means serious devotee. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia Devotee means he has no sense gratification. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Room Conversation with Tripurāri -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta Devotee means one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris Devotee means he does not know anything better than Kṛṣṇa, that's all. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Room Conversation -- November 4, 1973, Delhi The devotee means who is always pleasing Kṛṣṇa. He has no other business. That is devotee. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Māyāpura Devotee means to hear about Kṛṣṇa, to chant the glories of Kṛṣṇa, to think of Kṛṣṇa, to offer fruits and flowers to Kṛṣṇa. -Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Departure Address -- Los Angeles, July 15, 1974 Devotee means to become fully qualified with all the noble qualities. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966 Devotee means he must be sinless.-Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976 Devotee, means he is prepared to do anything for God. That is pure devotee. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971 Devotee means not with four hands or four legs, no. The hands, legs are the same. But his mode of thinking different. That's all. That is devotee. Devotee does not depend on the country, color or religion or circumstance. Devotee means the mind. Anyone who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, he is devotee. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976 Devotee means he's not blind.-Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam1.7.40 -- Vṛndāvana, October 1, 1976 Devotee means he does not ask anything from God.-Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam1.3.7 -- Los Angeles, September 13, 1972 A devotee means who is abiding by the laws given by God. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971 Devotee means complete spiritual. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhagavad-gītā 4.2, Bombay, March 22, 1974 Devotee means he is firmly convinced about his relationship with God.-Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhagavad-gītā 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969 Devotee means servant—not paid servant—but servant by affection. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971 Devotee means he can act anything and everything for the Lord. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968 Devotee means one who has engaged his senses cent percent for the service of the Lord, he is devotee, pure devotee. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhagavad-gītā 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968 Devotee means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful." -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhagavad-gītā 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973 Devotee means to finish all miserable conditions of materialistic life. -Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.12.46

The post Daily Darshan: March 01,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

By Giriraj dasa

There are three things that are inconceivable: the position of Lord Siva, hladini sakti, and, yes, guru-tattva. Among all the spiritual personalities the position of Lord Siva is unique. I used to worship lord Shiva. After coming into Krishna consciousness I still retain a special corner in my heart for lord Shiva and now when I read and hear more lectures from senior devotees about him, the fog of ignorance over his exact position unfolds layer by layer, year by year. Continue reading "Unique position of Lord Siva
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