Planet ISKCON

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The post How do we balance hunting for the rhino in our services with being realistic? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Chandan Yatra Das

When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Mayapur, Chand Kazi was the Chief Magistrate of Navadvipa. It is described in Sri Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, when Lord Nityananda Prabhu while taking Jiva Gosvami on Navadvipa-Mandala Parikrama, entered Chand Kazi’s Village, Lord said, "O Jiva, hear My words. The Chand Kazi's village is none other than Mathura. After performing kirtana, Gauranga gave love of God to the Kazi and liberated him. Mathura's King Kamsa of Krishna-lila became Chand Kazi in Gaura-lila. For that reason Gauranga addressed the Kazi as His maternal uncle, and out of fear the Kazi took shelter of Gauranga's lotus feet. Under orders from Hussain Shah, who was the king of the Bengal empire, the Kazi caused disturbance during kirtana performance by breaking the mrdangas. The Lord, appearing in the form of Nrsimhadeva put fear in the Kazi's heart. Like Kamsa, the Kazi cowered in fear. Sri Caitanya, however, gave him prema and thus made the Kazi a great devotee. The very fortunate hear this story of the Kazi's liberation.” Continue reading "Lord Caitanya and the Muslim Chand Kazi
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[Talk at Bhakti house to University of North Florida students, Jacksonville, USA]

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[Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Alachua, USA]

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The post Go beyond the painkiller of karma-kanda or modern science to the curative medicine of bhakti appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

4th generation devotee, 6 years old Madhurika Dasi chants during the Kirtan Mela in Mayapur (17 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaja explained that you haven’t got to learn anything extra for Krsna’s service. Whatever you know, you just apply it. Then you become successful. Because our time is very short. We do not know when I am going to die. (Srila Prabhupada, Conversation - July 16, 1968 - Montreal)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/B2O2lu

Man Sarovar (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Last week we went to Maan Sarovar, the Lake of Radharani’s Tears. The pujari let us get rare pictures of the Radharani Shila there. Then we went to Bhandirvan, where Lord Brahma did the marriage of Radha and Krishna. Finally we came to Baelvan, where Laksmiji is engaged in penances to be able to enter the Rasa Lila. We returned by boats floating down the Yamuna. Come along with us through the pics of Vittalrukmini Das!
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Madhuvan Talavan 17-02 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: We came to Vrindavan expecting to see forest. In Madhuvan we can ...

King Of The Zulu Nation (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Today, myself and several devotees met with His Majesty King Go...

By Navadwip Mandal Parikrama devotees

There are about 1.400 devotees in the International party this year. Out of them 800 devotees are camping. Parikrama is the time when you can be fully engaged in hearing, chanting and remember Lord Caitanya's holy names and pastimes. Following will be the highlights of the day: The Parikrama first crossed the Jalangi by boat heading towards Am Ghat- famous for its amazing mangoes planted by Lord Caitanya Himself. Then we reached Suvarna Vihara where the golden Lord appeared to King Suvarna Sena. "Suvarna" means "gold" and "vlihar" means "moving." The devotees were overjoyed to watch the drama on this Lila, directed by HG Pancharatna Prabhu (ACBSP). There we had katha by different senior devotees such as HH Bhakti VV Narasimha Maharaja, HH Bhakti Dhira Swami and HG Rajendra Nandana Prabhu (ACBSP). We heard about the importance of chanting since we are in GODRUMA DVIPA wherein the process is kirtanam! Continue reading "Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama- Day 1
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By Dhaniya devi dasi

The Dominican Republic proved itself to be not only a hotbed of enthusiastic, powerful local devotees, but also a wonderful place for preaching. The people are inquisitive, receptive and looking for an opportunity to learn more about God consciousness. Latin America is brimming with chances to spread the Holy Names and any and all services are welcome from any devotees looking to participate in next year’s festival. Continue reading "Rathyatra in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic
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1. One should never kick cows, for one who does so will have to suffer in hell for a hundred lives. Cows are the abode of all auspiciousness. For this reason, they always deserve worship.

2. Bullocks should never be struck harshly with a goad or whip.

3. One should not proceed through the midst of cows.

4. When cows are grazing or lying down, one should not disturb them in any way.

5. When cows are thirsty and are refused water [ because a person is obstructing their access to a water tank or river ] merely by glancing at such a person a cow will create great difficulties for him along with all his relatives and friends. What creatures can be more sacred than cows, whose very dung is purifying?

6. That man who, before eating himself, gives everyday for a year a handful of grass to a cow belonging to another person, is regarded as undergoing a vow or observance which bestows the fruition of his every wish. Such a person acquires children, fame, wealth and prosperity and dispels all evils.

7. The cow should never be given away for slaughter.

8. A bull or bullock can be used for ploughing, but a cow should never be used to till the soil.

9. A cow should not be given to an atheist.

10. One should not, even in thought, injure a cow. One should always show compassion towards cows.

11. One should never show disregard for cows in any way.

12. One should never cast one’s urine, excreta and other secretions on cow dung.

13. One should never obstruct cows in any way.

14. One should not disrespect cow dung. The circular marks in the cow dung represent Lord Visnu’s chakra.

15. He who, without being checked by the restraints of the scriptures, sells a cow for slaughter, kills a cow, or eats the flesh of a cow, or for the sake of money causes a person to kill cows, rots in hell for as many years as there are hairs on the body of the slain cow.

[ Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva ]

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Gita verse-by-verse Podcast

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 October 2014, Sydney, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.43)

It is a blessing to have some good karma. It is a blessing to be detached. It saves one a lot of trouble. It is a shortcut. Such piety is valuable. The blessings of bhakti are amazing, bhakty-unmukhī sukṛti (Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.45 Purport). They are amazing because the blessings of bhakti may naturally make us take to Krsna so easily!

In Germany, once I was sharing a room with Bhakti Bhusana Swami. Bhakti Bhusana Swami is a devotee who joined this Movement in its very early stages in Germany, at the very beginning. Basically what happened was that Krsna consciousness started in America and then it came to Europe…

First, there was one devotee named Sivananda. First, he went to Amsterdam but he could not find a place to stay so he went to Germany. Then in Germany, he started it all by himself. Kirtan on the street with some kartals and a few Back to Godhead magazines that he had brought from America. So this boy went up to him and he was interested and he took a magazine. He read the magazine and the next day, he came back and he joined the Movement and he later became Bhakti Bhusana Swami!

How can you join by reading a magazine!? How can you do it? I mean, I could never do that. I did not get involved in that way.

I asked him, “Maharaj, tell me, how could you do that? How could you just join?”
He said, “I have always been like that. When I was convinced that something was true, I just did it!”

This is bhakty-unmukhī sukṛti. This is piety from devotional service in the last life. Therefore, immediately he knew it. This is it. There was no doubt, he just did it. But we are impious, like in my case, you think like, “Well, um… I do not know. I am not sure.” Such thoughts kept me back. But then, we see how previous devotional service can give us conviction in the case of Bhakti Bhusana Swami..

Therefore, the power of bhakti is that we recognise the truth in our next life. We recognise the truth immediately! We get lifted above our small mindedness – durātmā. A devotee becomes very broad-minded. Srila Prabhupada explains in the introduction to the Caitanya Caritamrta that spiritual life is like taking off in a plane and as you go up, all the things that you are leaving behind become small. So it is like that, all the material things we leave behind, they become small as we go up in devotional service. So like this, all those things that were so important, lose their importance.

Once, I met Reverend Ridley De. After he quietly listened to my lecture for two or three hours, he said, “Since you are saying things that are so similar to Christianity, why don’t you declare yourself a Christian?” To this I said, “Christianity is only a partial representation of – or a step on the ladder of – Vaiṣṇava dharma. Apart from that, we have more, which supplements what Christianity teaches. Things that have not been said in Christianity because qualification is there in a fuller extent in Vaiṣṇavism. Vaiṣṇava dharma is the only supreme religion for all living entities. The other religious systems are either stages of Vaiṣṇavism or perversions of it. To the degree that they are stages, they can be accepted for particular classes of people; if they are perversions, they should be rejected.

- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada, Uncommon Dialogues,pg 83

Sri Mayapur Dham Harinam Sankirtan (Album with photos)
Srila Thakura Bhaktivinoda, standing on the balcony of his house in God...

The post Daily Darshan:Feb28,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

HH Tamal Krishna Goswami Disappearance ceremony in Sydney 27/02/17 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Only an animal is not pessimistic about life in this material world. A man is capable of knowing the threefold sufferings of material life. There are sufferings of the mind and body, sufferings offered by other living entities, and sufferings forced upon us by natural catastrophes and the laws of nature. The world is full of suffering, but under the spell of maya, illusion, we think we are progressing. Ultimately, whatever we do, death is there to annihilate the results. Under these circumstances, there is no happiness within this material world. We may make all arrangements for happiness, but at any moment, death may capture us. So what happiness can we have here? Therefore an intelligent man is always pessimistic about material life. He knows that he will not be allowed to be happy here. As we further advance, we understand the orders of Krsna: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. “Abandon all religions and just surrender unto Me.” [Bg. 18.66] We must surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and after surrendering and understanding Him fully, we can go to the world that is full of bliss, knowledge, and eternal life. Unless we take a pessimistic view of this material world, we will remain attached to it, and the repetition of birth and death will ensue. >>> Ref. VedaBase => William James [1842-1910]
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Mahadyuti Swami Sannyasa Ceremony (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: You have to accept anything from the authorized source. So according to Vedic civilization, all knowledge is received from the Vedas, perfect authorized source. Sruti-pramana, evidence from the sruti, from the Vedas, that is perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you want to establish something you have to quote the section or the injunction from the Vedas. Then it is perfect. In learned circle you cannot say anything hodgepodge. That will not be accepted. If you support your statement from the evidence of the Vedas, then you are accepted as authority. Therefore our principle is… Not only our; this is the Vedic principle. You’ll find Caitanya Mahaprabhu giving instruction to Sanatana Gosvami, to Rupa Gosvami, or He was talking with Ramananda Raya – in Caitanya-caritamrta you’ll find – and quoting support from the Vedas. Although Caitanya Mahaprabhu is God Himself, Krsna, Krsna-Caitanya, but He is not, what is called, autocratic or, what is called, dictator. No. You’ll never find Him. Whatever He’ll say, immediately He is supported by Vedic evidence. He can say anything. He can manufacture anything. No, that He does not do. He does not violate the principle. In the Bhagavad-gita also… Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He’s also quoting from Vedas. He does not say, “I say.” He says, but He says on the Vedic authority. He doesn’t say anything superfluous. ——From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 16.9 – February 5, 1975, Honolulu
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Remembering the ‘Quiet Beatle’
February 25 is the birth anniversary of George Harrison, the popular British songwriter and musician known best as a member of the famous Beatles Group.
Harrison , known as the “Quiet Beatle”, passed away at the age of 58 on November 29 ,2001 .He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Ganga , according to his wishes. Harrison had embraced the Hare Krishna tradition and remained a devotee till his death. In the summer of 1969, he produced the single “Hare Krishna Mantra”, performed by the devotees of the London Radha Krishna Temple. That same year, he and fellow Beatle ,John Lennon, met A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder - acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Soon after, Harrison embraced the Hare Krishna tradition and became a lifelong devotee.

Anwser Podcast

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Anwser Podcast

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Anwser Podcast

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The post Should we make major life decisions based on bhakti considerations alone or also based on our material nature and situation? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post When the Gita insists that we work according to our nature, why do ISKCON authorities tell us to do the needful, without considering our nature? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post If the material and the spiritual are separate, how can chanting attentively lead to good book distribution? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

[Bhagavatam class at Krishna House, Gainesville, USA]

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Kirtan Mela Mayapur 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krsna consciousness means, “I am Krsna’s,” that’s all. Krsna says, mamaivamsah: “All these living entities, they are My part and parcel.” So you have to understand this relationship with Krsna, that you are Krsna’s. And Krsna, what is Krsna? Bhagavan. -From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Bhagavad-gita 16.1-3 – January 29, 1975, Honolulu
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The post Overcoming Obstacles appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Romapada Swami

Tamala Krsna : What is the way to draw the line between the following three things: blasphemy, fault-finding, and calling a spade a spade? Prabhupada: A spade a spade... Just like I am saying that "What you are? You are small fig only." That is reality. And what is the other? Tamala Krsna : The other is fault-finding and... Prabhupada: Fault-finding, that is another fault, that... vranam icchanti, maksika vranam icchanti, madhum icchanti(?) Just like the flies, they are finding out where is sore, and the bees, they are finding out where there is honey. So two animals, they have got two business: fault-finding and collecting the good things. These are two... Just like creature. They are two classes. Similarly, there are many rascals who are simply fault-finding. Tamala Krsna : And blasphemy? Prabhupada: Blasphemy means you have good qualities, but still, I am defaming you. Continue reading "Vaishnava: Devoid of fault finding, enviousness, pride, and blasphemy
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By Giriraj Swami

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji lived to a very old age. In fact, some Vaishnavas say he was just waiting for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to come—someone to whom he could impart his special knowledge and realization, for the benefit of humanity. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had requested to be transferred from his post in Orissa to Bengal so he could be near Navadvipa-dhama. And eventually, he was posted at Krishnanagar, near Navadvipa. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura did extensive research to determine the actual birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He studied various old maps, consulted the local people, and visited the different places. Eventually he found a mound where many tulasi trees were growing. He got the intuition that this was the actual birthplace of Lord Chaitanya, but still he wanted his intuition to be confirmed. At the time, Jagannatha dasa Babaji was the most renowned Vaishnava, and he was Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s siksa-guru. Continue reading "Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja’s disappearance day
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Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama 2017 already started! (Album with photos)
Nitya Kishora Dasi: After the most wonderful kirtan ...

An enlightening discourse by Giriraj Swami on the disappearance day celebration of Srila Jagannatha dasa babaji:

“Today is Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja’s disappearance day. He comes in the Gaudiya Vaishnava disciplic succession after Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. He was a renounced ascetic, fully engaged in chanting the holy names of Krishna and meditating on His pastimes. For some time, he made his residence at Surya-kunda in Vraja-dhama, near the temple of Suryadeva, where Srimati Radharani used to come and worship the sun-god—or, I should say, where She used to come to meet Krishna on the pretext of coming to worship the sun-god.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who comes in the disciplic succession after Jagannatha dasa Babaji, accepted Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja as his main guru, his siksa-guru. Once, some of Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s disciples in Vraja approached the Thakura. They complained that although they had come to Vraja to live like Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, fully absorbed in chanting the holy names and meditating on Sri Sri Radha-Krishna’s astakaliya-lila, Babaji Maharaja had refused to instruct them in such esoteric topics and had instead engaged them in cultivating tulasi plants, flowers, and vegetables to offer to the Lord. So these disciples requested Bhaktivinoda Thakura to appeal to their guru maharaja to instruct them in the esoteric practices of Krishna consciousness.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura told them, “Actually, your gurudeva’s instructions are right for you. Because you still have anarthas, for you to try to sit and do nirjana-bhajana [solitary worship] and practice asta-kaliya-lila-smarana [meditation on the Lord’s eightfold daily pastimes] would be artificial, and you would just become degraded. So you should follow your gurudeva’s instructions with full faith and work hard in Krishna’s service. Then, in time, you may be able to chant the holy names purely.”

Eventually, Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja moved to Mayapur, where he lived by the banks of the Ganges, fully absorbed in chanting the holy names. He had the greatest reverence for the holy land of Navadvipa. Although he was so renounced and so absorbed in Krishna consciousness, as his reputation spread, gentlemen would come to him and give him donations. Once, Babaji Maharaja asked one of his servants to take the donations he had received, which he kept in an old burlap bag, and purchase a large pot of rasagullas. All the devotees were surprised, because Jagannatha dasa Babaji was so renounced and lived so simply. He would eat just the most simple rice and dal. Anyway, the servant brought the sweets, and Jagannatha dasa Babaji offered them to his Deities and then distributed them to the cows and dogs in the dhama. He said the creatures of the dhama were elevated souls and worthy of service.

Later, Babaji Maharaja would not accept prasada until he had shared his food with ten newborn puppies. He would wait until they came, and he would count them with his hands. (In his old age, Babaji Maharaja’s eyelids drooped over his eyes and prevented him from seeing.) So, he would count them with his hands, and only after they had begun to eat would he also partake. He would say, “They are puppies of the dhama. They are not ordinary living entities.” He had so much faith in and affection for the dhama.

He had less affection for Mayavadi impersonalists. He used to say, “Let the dogs come in for darsana, but the impersonalists—kick them out!”

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji lived to a very old age. In fact, some Vaishnavas say he was just waiting for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to come—someone to whom he could impart his special knowledge and realization, for the benefit of humanity. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had requested to be transferred from his post in Orissa to Bengal so he could be near Navadvipa-dhama. And eventually, he was posted at Krishnanagar, near Navadvipa.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura did extensive research to determine the actual birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He studied various old maps, consulted the local people, and visited the different places. Eventually he found a mound where many tulasi trees were growing. He got the intuition that this was the actual birthplace of Lord Chaitanya, but still he wanted his intuition to be confirmed. At the time, Jagannatha dasa Babaji was the most renowned Vaishnava, and he was Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s siksa-guru. Thus, Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s disciples carried him to the place with the mound and tulasi plants. He was so old (over a hundred and forty years old, some say) that his disciples had to carry him in a basket. And his eyelids were so heavy that he had to open them with his hands to be able to see. So, the disciples brought him, but they didn’t tell him that it was the site Bhaktivinoda Thakura had determined to be the birthplace. Still, when Babaji Maharaja arrived there, he spontaneously jumped out of his basket and began to dance in ecstasy, singing the holy names. Thus he confirmed the location of Mahaprabhu’s birthplace.

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s bhajana-kutira and samadhi are there in Navadvipa-dhama, in Koladvipa. Devotees who perform Navadvipa-parikrama visit there and get his mercy. We also pray to him for his mercy, that we may be instrumental in fulfilling the desires of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and the other acaryas in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu coming to us through Srila Prabhupada and his disciples.

Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja ki jaya!
Srila Prabhpada ki jaya!”

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Jagannatha dasa Babaji’s disappearance day, February 20, 2004, Carpinteria, California]

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