Planet ISKCON

While distributing the famous cookbook, The Higher Taste, book distributor devotees met many people who have become meat-free or seriously considering it. They were surprised to see some of the individuals who made the conscious choice, including a 4 year old girl who decided to be vegetarian on her own. Also a teacher now implements cruelty-free diets in her classroom. Other people included an ex-marine, nurse, musician, and college students. They all got a Higher Taste.  A video by WestCoastMonk.

Department Reports in New Vrindaban Show Continued Progress Towards Prabhupada’s Vision

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON New Vrindaban Communications

Kicking off ECO-Vrindaban and ISKCON New Vrindaban’s end-of-year Joint Board Meetings, their Department Head Reports on Saturday November 12th were uplifting to members of the community who attended the open event.

Showing steady progress towards Prabhupada’s vision, the reports also revealed that the past half a decade’s concerted efforts at rebuilding New Vrindaban are gradually beginning to move past upgrading existing facilities, and onto new and exciting ventures.

In his introduction, ISKCON New Vrindaban Temple President Jaya Krsna Das laid out a mission to attentively follow Prabhupada’s instructions for the community; to care deeply for visitors, cows, Sri Sri Radha Vrindabanchandra and one another; to cooperate with residents, management and ISKCON’s international leadership; and to one day see every devotee in North America and beyond proud of and honored to be associated with New Vrindaban.

Starting the reports, Brihat Kirtan Das, who became Devotee Kitchen manager in spring 2016, thanked ECO-V’s Nitaicandra Das for familiarizing him with the fresh produce available to use. He added that the kitchen has also been using ghee from protected cows and brown sugar instead of white sugar; and has purchased a commercial oven that can bake much larger batches at once.

The Guest Lodge, managed by Gaura Bhakta Das, has added nine new ground-floor rooms with attached bathrooms and handicapped access. These have dramatically improved the guest experience at New Vrindaban. The lodge has also introduced a new reservation system for online bookings, and furnished its welcome center with a new ATM, reception desk and sofa chairs.

Reporting on Prabhupada’s Palace Restoration, Gopisa Das said that the new rose and black granite front steps have been completed. The outer wall’s saffron topping and ornate black window frames are finished, and the wall itself is nearing completion. The Palace parking lot has been expanded and given clearly demarcated handicapped parking spaces. And Prabhupada’s kitchen is about to be fully updated, so that his resident pujari can cook daily offerings onsite. Gopisa also showed initial architectural plans for simple homes based on Prabhupada’s recommendations for an affordable small housing community within New Vrindaban.

Next, Prabhupada’s Palace manager Vrajadhama Das talked about how the Palace’s growing team has maintained monthly Prabhupada Sangams for devotees; introduced First Friday kirtans for the public; repainted gold-leafing; opened a new smoothie shack; and renovated a room in the Palace for resident pujari Srinama Das. They have also increased tourism and social media presence, and applied to register the Palace as a historic building. This will draw more interest and possibly make the Palace eligible for grants to help with renovations.

Meanwhile, at Govinda’s Restaurant, Vasudeva Das reported a 15% increase in patronage since last year. There’s a new kitchen manager, Dinamani Das, and floor manager, Bhaktin Mar, who have introduced new dishes like burritos, tacos, nachos and Philly sandwiches. There’s a new Point-of-Sale system, which has streamlined ordering for better service. And the outside snack bar, with an improved menu, was kept open throughout the season.

In Congregational Development, Gaurnatraj Das has built a strong team who serve pilgrims and guests. He reported an increase in pilgrims; upcoming yoga, astrology and meditation programs in the spring; and a successful Damodarastakam program in which devotees offered lamps on behalf of long-distance congregation members. He also reported that the team has raised almost a third of the funds needed for the new Yoga Sanctuary; and has traveled the country installing Deities in congregation members’ homes.

In Devotee Care, Sukhavaha Dasi has been facilitating coaching, yoga classes, massage, aromatherapy, and sessions with visiting doctors at the new Wellness Center. She has also researched all products being purchased by ISKCON New Vrindaban’s different departments and found the best locations and prices for them, thus consolidating purchasing and saving the temple thousands of dollars.

Next Vrindavan Das reported on two departments. The Communications team has reached more than a million people through social media; redesigned the New Vrindaban website; and published over 60 articles in the Brijabasi Spirit newsletter and in ISKCON-wide media. They’ve also appeared on TV and radio many times, and have seen many articles published about New Vrindaban in local and national newspapers. They are also maintaining strong ties with the regional tourism board, local media and public interest groups.

Meanwhile Vrindavan helped oversee many Festivals throughout the year including the tenth anniversary of Kulimela and 24 Hour Kirtan, the revival of the Prabhupada Festival, the first ever Rathayatra in local town Wheeling, and yet another successful Festival of Colors.

Bhagavan Das then presented the exciting developments in Construction. In addition to the nine new Palace Lodge ground floor rooms, the guest kitchen in the temple was completely remodeled; one exterior lodge wall got all new siding and landscaping; and the prasadam hall got a new wood floor, new cabinets and sinks, and new metal dishware and cutlery.

Meanwhile the ground was broken for the planned Yoga Sanctuary on the Kusum Sarovara lakeside; the original Vrindaban farmhouse where Srila Prabhupada stayed in 1969 had a wall replaced so that it will remain structurally sound; and the new Vishnu’s Maintenance Workshop is coming up fast and should be up and running within the next couple of months.

Last but not least was the heartwarming presentation on Gopal’s Garden Homeschool Co-Op, started by Ruci Dasi.

Teachers Sundari Dasi and Mercy began by reporting on its Preschool, which they launched in April 2015. With two successful years completed, the preschool currently has seven students aged three to five and has done many fun and bonding activities with them, including a summer camp, picnics and playdates, educational excursions, and a Krishna conscious Halloween party.

Some of the children will soon be ready to graduate to kindergarten, and then on to Gopal’s Garden Elementary and Middle School, which Ananga Manjari Dasi reported on. Ruci Dasi teaches nine children aged six to thirteen with help from many community members, who teach a variety of different subjects such as music and art. New classes introduced this year included interactive science, Waldorf math, Quigon, yoga, and crotcheting.

On behalf of ECO-Vrindaban, Board member Chaitanya Mangala Das then introduced its staff and reminded all of its mission statement. “The two buzzwords we want everybody to connect with ECO-V are cows and gardens,” he said.

First off in ECO-V’s presentations was the Cow Care program with Ananda Vidya Das andLalita Gopi Dasi, who are milking eight cows, caring for three new calves, and keeping the Deity kitchen stocked with butter and ghee. They’ve also taught hundreds of guests how to milk, engaged devotees in serving the cows, and maintained the grounds and planted flowers at the milking barn.

In the Deity Flower Gardens, Vidya Dasi grew marigolds, zinnias, snap dragons, and dahlias at her own home and at the Teaching Garden, to provide the Deities with organic flowers. After nearly forty years of service, Vidya is soon looking to retire, and during her presentation she passed the torch to Suchandra Dasi. Born and raised in New Vrindaban, Suchandra has already worked as a gardener, taken Lowe’s training program and developed good managerial skills. Vidya ended her report with a tribute to her late husband Madhava Gosh, saying that his vision and hard work made the program possible.

Next Ox and Garden Manager Nitaicandra Das, who previously ran a farm in California, said he had learned a lot during his first full growing season in West Virginia. He battled groundhogs, rabbits, and insects to grow a successful crop including tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, herbs and berries. He has also begun construction on an inground greenhouse which will keep temperatures warm and extend the growing season into the winter. Meanwhile several teams of oxen are being trained in using yokes, learning commands and pulling logs.

Finally, Project Manager Mukunda Das showed photos of the 400 feet of fencing he had rebuilt at the Community Garden, the flower garden shed, where he installed double doors and window trims, and the milking barn, where he replaced old doors, upgraded electrics and painted steel frames that hadn’t been maintained in twenty years with protective coating. He also participated in the first North American ISKCON Farm Conference in Gita Nagari, and was a member of the steering committee that helped elect New Vrindaban’s first Village Council.

Since Mukunda is concluding his service at New Vrindaban and returning to Alachua, this was the last manager presentation he made. Thus the ISKCON New Vrindaban and ECO-Vrindaban Boards of Directors presented him and his wife Bhakti-lata Dasi with a plaque in appreciation of the two years they dedicated to helping develop New Vrindaban village.

“This year, we’ve started to turn the corner beyond long-needed upkeep, and see new construction come into the mix – like the yoga sanctuary, the Vishnu maintenance workshop, new apartments and the inground greenhouse,” says joint-board member Chaitanya Mangala Das. “And as we move forward, we’ll start seeing more and more of that. In the future, I think we’ll reflect back on 2016 as the year we turned that corner.”

Examining my life and studying the endeavors of the young and old, I find this energy or push to find one’s calling, one’s “authentic” or real self, one of primary motivators in life. If we are thoughtful and blessed this should tell us something, as does the fact that our life goes through stages, is of short duration, and seems to be always threatened by non-existence. Behind everything is a message and lesson to learn. We can learn to listen or dull this urge through the endless distractions that are offered by modern society.

If we were a body we would be happy just to exist and live, yet we find that no one can just live without this search for identity, or someway to designate themselves. We can't just be zero. If we are simple minded we won’t spend too much time or energy on this. We’ll just identify with our body, village, culture, religion, and follow our parents’ or peer’s ideas. If we more sophisticated or have some spiritual bend of mind, we’ll make the time to stop and contemplate the existential questions of the ages and sages.

We may search out guidance from the world’s religious or spiritual literature and those who live it by them. Then we may discover that our search for worldly identity hints at the true quest of life, self-realization to uncover our soul, or animating principle of life, the real “I” or “me,” spiritual identity, who is part of something much greater, our Source. This could be seen as the all-pervading undifferentiated “Brahman” or “Clear (or White) Light,” or as the Supreme Being, God, the originator of all energies and spiritual aspects and conceptions, who we are part of and meant to serve. For some, matter seems all there is, and birth and death ends in nothingness.

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By Rukmini Devi Dasi

“Shoot him,” said the man with the crowbar. Kshudhi felt the cold metal against his skull and chanted Hare Krishna like never before. His nimble nineteenyear old body was tucked under the bed. The other four men with guns hesitated. They attacked the house knowing that a Johannesburg vegetable merchant had kept cash there, but were they ready to kill for it? Less than two years before, Kshudhi had purchased a copy of Teachings of Lord Chaitanya from a book store in Los Angeles. The book introduced him to bhakti, the means of approaching God selflessly. One day, he sat on his favourite ‘meditation rock’ and called out to God, asking Him to please show him how he could serve Him. He opened his eyes and in front of him stood a Hare Krishna devotee. Kshudhi had never seen one before. The devotee had instinctively wandered off from his harinam group to Kshudhi. That was how Kshudhi’s bhakti journey began. Continue reading "Living Heroes
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By Vibhu Chaitanya Das

Before formally meeting Hare Krishna devotees, I was one of those who ran in the opposite direction when I saw them coming. I used to think they were from another planet. Who are these guys with their chants and dancing in the street? Or are they going to hit me up for a donation? But one day I had no choice, I was forced into a corner. The front door was open and a devotee knocked on the door. I had to let him in. I thought, since no one was home I will make this quick, a quick donation and get rid of him. But he was different. I offered him some fruit juice and two hours later all my conspiracies and curiosities were defeated. He answered all my questions and left me with a book. That book opened the door to my spiritual journey - everything became so much clearer. I was in high school at the time. Some time after, the devotees invited me to accompany them to the annual Durban Festival of Chariots. I had seen newspaper clippings and had even caught a glimpse of the festival on television, but now I had the chance to experience the festival first-hand. Continue reading "How Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Captured Me
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What we are is God’s gift to us; what we become is our gift to God

– Eleanor Powell

 

I first came across this quote many years ago and found it intuitively, inspiringly insightful. Over the years, I have contemplated it in the light of the Bhagavad-gita’s bhakti wisdom, wisdom that was probably unknown to Powell.

In this article, I will share this wisdom by breaking the quote into four parts:

• What we are
• God’s gift to us
• What we become
• Our gift to God

 

What we are

In our life-journey, we all are at different points based on our starting point at birth and our present status. At birth were determined our genes, our congenital endowments and our families. Presently, we all are characterized by various designations such as age groups, educational levels, economic brackets, religions and nationalities. We often identify with these things, thinking that their combination is what we are. But we are much more.

The Bhagavad-gita explains that we are souls, spiritual beings distinct from our bodies. We stay in one body for one lifetime and then move on to another body (02.13), just as people give up worn-out clothes and put on new ones (02.23).

While in a particular body, we have our distinctive blend of strengths and weaknesses. But these don’t define us so much when we appreciate that our core is spiritual. We understand that these weaknesses stem from the material part of us that is not actually us. The body is an essential interface for the non-material soul to function in this material world. Still, it is an impure instrument that can sully the pure soul’s actions.

Of course, we can’t blame the body for our limitations because it is a fruit of our own past karma. Nonetheless, we are not our karma – we are spiritual beings distinct from our past actions and their consequences, even consequences that manifest consequentially as our material vehicles.

By knowing ourselves as essentially spiritual, we can avoid lamenting about our deficiencies and focus on our abilities. Thus discovering and developing our talents, we can become the best that we can be. We need to be aware of our limitations, but that awareness needn’t be at the center of our consciousness. Unfortunately, thoughts of our limitations often dominate our consciousness when we see ourselves materialistically, because materialism holds that matter is all that exists. In contrast, bhakti wisdom helps us place our material side at the periphery of our identity and focus on our spiritual potential, thereby freeing us to bring out our best.

 

God’s gift to us

Our very existence expresses God’s love for us: we are meant for a life of eternal love with him. Bhakti wisdom reveals God to be not just supreme, but also supremely lovable – he is the all-attractive Supreme Person, Krishna.

Eternal love for Krishna is best reciprocated in the spiritual realm, in his personal abode. And our life in this world can prepare us for that life of love. Thus, our existence, with our innate longing to love and be loved, and with the opportunity to fulfill that longing perennially – all this is God’s gift to us.

Moreover, what we presently are is not just the random result of our karma. The Bhagavad-gita (09.10, 13.23) states that material nature works under Krishna’s supervision. He orchestrates material things in a way that is best for our learning and growth. When seen from the perspective of the past, what we are is a result of our karma. But when seen from the perspective of the future, what we are is a divine gift, a customized takeoff point for our spiritual evolution. Expressing a similar positive view of our abilities, the Gita (07.08) states that human abilities are manifestations of the divine in this world.

This devotional vision can help us counter one of our biggest enthusiasm-eroders: unhealthy comparison. When we see those more talented than us, we may feel sorry for ourselves. Such self-pity can dishearten us and sentence us to a lifelong struggle for becoming like them. But they are who they are, and we can never become them; we can only become second-class imitations of them.

Bhakti wisdom protects us from such unworthy labor by giving a healthy boost to our self-esteem. If God had wanted us to be someone else, he would have made someone else. But he chose to make us, us – that means he wants us to be us. Of course, he wants us to be the best us, not the worst us, which is what we may become if we act imprudently.

For helping us bring out our best, the Bhagavad-gita recommends a social division of labor that engages people according to their natural endowments (04.13). While this system has, over the centuries, degenerated into the discriminatory caste system, its original purpose was inclusive. The Gita (18.45) assures that we all can, by working according to our own nature, attain perfection. This implies that whatever we are is suitable for our growth.

Given that we all are differently endowed, comparison is unavoidable – all the more because we live in a competitive world. But we can avoid unhealthy comparison. How? By taking inspiration from others’ talents and using that inspiration to tap our talents and enhance our contributions in a mood of devotion.

Of course, we can take inspiration from exemplars, especially exemplars on the spiritual path, and follow in their footsteps with whatever capacities we have.

The healthiest comparison is comparison with oneself. If we can strive, on a daily basis, to become a better version of what we were the previous day, we will be on the sure path to growth.

 

What we become

We all have an innate drive to change ourselves for the better and to change things around us for the better. This is a characteristically human drive. Birds live in the samenests and eat the same foods, year after year, generation after generation. They change only when forced to adapt by environmental changes. We humans, however, have the drive to improve things, as seen from our hundreds of architectural styles and cuisines. Indeed, all art, literature and science stems from this human drive to make things better.

Some people fear that this human drive will be choked in a life of devotion. However, devotion doesn’t stifle our initiative, but sublimates it.

Bhakti wisdom urges us to direct our drive to improve upwards in the realm of consciousness, for actualizing our spiritual potential and sharing it with others. Significantly, bhakti doesn’t divorce the material from the spiritual; it harmonizes the material with the pursuit of the spiritual. Some spiritual paths reject the material as profane. In positive contrast, bhakti acknowledges that even the material emanates from the supreme spiritual reality, as the Gita (10.08) indicates when stating that everything comes from Krishna.

Undoubtedly, bhakti focuses on direct devotional activities such as chanting, studying scripture and worshiping the deities. These activities purify our consciousness and infuse it with an attitude of devotional service towards Krishna. Additionally, bhakti urges us to carry this service attitudeto the whole of our life and to redefine our work as a form of worship.

The Gita (18.46) states that God is the source of everything and that he pervades everything – being thus immanent, he can be worshiped through our vocations. Being thus energized by a mood of service and contribution, we get a purpose for our hard work that is both lofty and steady.

Within a materialistic worldview, we work hard for gaining recognition in the world’s eyes. But the world usually recognizes only the top performers. If we don’t become one, we remain unrecognized and feel unworthy. Further, today’s money-centered culture often makes us reduce, consciously or subconsciously, our self-worth to our net worth. Such equalization, which can wreck our self-confidence, can be prevented by internalizing the lofty vision of contribution provided by bhakti wisdom.

This vision is evident in a sweet story associated with the Ramayana. When Rama’s monkey-assistants were working energetically to build a bridge across the ocean, a small squirrel felt inspired to pitch in. She carried a few lumps of earth on her back and placed them on the bridge. Some monkeys wanted to tell her to get out of their way. They felt that her contribution was too tiny to be worthwhile. She would just come in their way as they raced about carrying huge boulders that contributed tangibly to the bridge.

Rama stopped the monkeys from shooing away the squirrel. He told themhe valued her contribution as much as he valued theirs, for he saw the quality of the contribution more than the quantity. Qualitatively, they both were working with the same desire to serve. Quantitatively, the squirrel’s capacity was much smaller than that of the monkeys. But Rama appreciated both because they were doing their best according to their capacities.

This story demonstrates that the Lord acknowledges and appreciates our contributions, even if they don’t seem noteworthy or even noticeable in the world’s eyes. By fixing our vision on him instead of on the world, we can base our self-esteem on a foundation steadier than recognition by a fickle world. Being thus freed from the insecurity and negativity that chokes our contributions, we can strive enthusiastically to become our best.

 

Our gift to God

Actually, we can’t give any gift to God because he is the proprietor of everything, as the Gita (05.29) reminds. Whatever we may give him belongs to him; it is only temporarily in our possession.

Still, the bhakti tradition recommends that we express our devotion to God by offering him the things we have received from him. This spirit is seen in the widespread cultural practice of the devout prayerfully offering the Ganges handfuls of water taken from the Ganges itself. In such offering, the content of the gift is not as important as the intent: the humble desire to express our reverence, gratitude and devotion.

Krishna highlights this primacy of intent in the Gita (09.26). He declares that he is satisfied with simple offerings – just a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even a little water – when these are offered with devotion. In keeping with this devotional mood, we can reinvent our work as our gift to God and offer its fruits to him. Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.36) urges us to offer for the Lord’s pleasure all our faculties – body, speech, mind, senses, intelligence, whatever we have according to our nature.

How our vocation can become a gift to God is seen through the example of the Gita’s original student, Arjuna. He was the best archer of his times. And he became the best not just by his innate talent, prodigious as it was, but also by his unparalleled commitment. While he was studying at his martial teacher’s academy, whatever he was taught during the day, he would practice that late into the night. By such diligence, he became proficient in various extraordinary archery skills such as hitting invisible targets just by hearing their sounds. Thus, he became an eminently competent instrument in Krishna’s hands. When Krishna wanted to establish dharma, a cause that required fighting an epic war, Arjuna was competent to serve as Krishna’s foremost agent.

Unlike Arjuna, we may not have avenues for directly serving Krishna through our vocations or avocations. Still, we can hone our abilities and make positive contributions in our sphere of influence, knowing that Krishna can open opportunities for service anytime, anywhere, anyway. After all, Arjuna too did not know in advance that his archery skills would enable him to play such a crucial role in Krishna’s plan. He honed his martial skills tirelessly because that was his nature and his duty. And, in due course, Krishna arranged for those skills to be used gloriously in his service.

Ultimately, the gift that Krishna wants most from us is not what we do, but what we become – how we evolve spiritually. Whatever we do in this temporary world will be temporary. But in striving to do it in a devotional mood, we can purify our heart, making it a suitable place for him to manifest his all-pure, all-attractive presence. When we become attracted to him, we attain his abode, never to return to this mortal world, as the Gita assures repeatedly (04.09, 08.15, 08.21, 15.06).

 

All-round growth

When we strive to serve in this world,various challenges will obstruct us. Still, just as gold shines brighter when passed through fire, so too does our spirituality shine brighter when we persevere devotionally through challenges (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.25).

When we persevere thus, we progress both materially and spiritually. Materially, we do greater justice to our God-given talents and make tangible contributions in this world. And spiritually, we rise in our consciousness and come closer to Krishna and the unending happiness thereof.

Ultimately, this life of love helps us attain the world of eternal love, where we can delight forever with our Lord.

 

 

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Sadhu Sanga event in County Wicklow (a region south of Dublin in the east of Ireland.)
Kurma Dasa: Some of my friends at our fi...

By Kusakratha dasa

Eight Verses Glorifying Srila Prabhupada by Sriman Kusakratha dasa, inspired by a Sanskrit poem, with versification by Dravida dasa. An ocean of compassion, he has taken shelter of Sri Nanda's Son with all his being in everlasting love. He lives on by his words, with him his followers remain The vast renown of Srila Prabhupada I now proclaim. I pray that those who hear this hymn, which shines the brilliant light Of Srila Prabhupada's renown in Kali-yuga's night, Will soon attain firm faith in his instructions so that they May one day join him in Golok, and there with Krsna stay. Continue reading "Sri Prabhupadastakam
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“Krishna’s Cuisine” (Album with photos)
The Festival of Colors USA 2017 Tour will offer sumptuous prasadam dishes prepared in our own State of the Art 29 foot “Krishna’s Cuisine”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HmOTUa

Bhumi Pujan Ceremony at Iskcon Cultural Centre Bangalore (Album with photos)
Premadata Gaur Das: “Temple means a shelter for spiritual education. People should come, they should learn what is spiritual life, what is God, what is my relationship with God.. That is a temple.”– Srila Prahhupada
As an offering for ISKCON 50 Years, for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, Guru & Gauranga, Srila Prabhupada and for the entire devotee community "BHUMI POOJA” at ISKCON Cultural Centre, Kumaraswamy Layout, South Bangalore there was performed on Sunday, 1st January 2017.
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Cultural program in Iskcon Moscow, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: … you see so many pictures of Krsna. Krsna is playing with His cowherd boys; Krsna dancing with His girlfriends, gopis; Krsna is stealing butter; Krsna is doing so many – simply happiness, simply happiness. You won’t find Krsna is morose and sitting or crying. (laughter) Even if He is killing some demon, very laughingly, as easy job. You see? So either He is killing or dancing, He is happy. So we are giving this information of happiness, the topmost happiness >>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.23 – Los Angeles, September 28,
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A Year In Review (10 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada we present a review of our service for ...

Harinama in Christchurch, New Zealand (Album with photos)
We visited a village market in Ohoka, and upmarket shopping area in ...

QUESTION: I’ve heard that the cannabis plant is offered to Shiva in certain rituals, and I’ve also heard it is offered to Kali. They say cannabis is the healing of the nations. In a few words, what is your take on that?

As far as I know, it’s Rastafarians who say cannabis is “the healing of the nations.” Actually, the parallels between the Rasta and Shaiva sādhu are amazing: dreadlocks and herb… 

Anyway, I believe the root of cannabis use in India’s lore and culture goes back to Soma. Soma (also called Amṛta) is a very essential component of Vedic culture. I say a bit about Soma in my book, 27 Stars, 27 Gods and reference it in my video on Mṛgaśīrṣā Nakṣatra (Search for Happiness, meaning, and purpose: Mṛgaśīrṣā – The Vedic Stars). 

Essentially, Soma (Amṛta) is the supreme form of food. It brings super nourishment as well as super delight. All other varieties of food and drink are derivations or approximations of it. The key ingredient in Soma is an milk-sap herb that grew in the Himalaya but is now extinct. Many consider cannabis a close approximation, or simply just use cannabis in some very lose approximation of how Soma can be used. 

Some laypeople and some sādhu’s in India use cannabis. But, in the linage of spirituality I myself am involved in, we do not use it (or any other substance). Our soma and amṛta is hari-kathā and hari-nāma-saṁkīrtan. This is our noursihment and intoxication.

Vraja Kishor das

www.vrajakishor.com

Tagged: cannabis, marijuana, pot

Saturday Maha Harinama Sankirtan in London dedicated to a local ailing disciple of Srila Prabhupada (Album with photos)
Bhakta ...

Gita verse-by-verse Podcast

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 04 December 2016, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 3.26.41)

One may want family life but how can you have a good family life without Krsna. Family life without Krsna will not be satisfactory; it will become very frustrating. It is only when we add Krsna that family life can actually start to work.

What is a job if it is not related to Krsna!? Money, money, money just for eating, sleeping and these other things. You are going to get frustrated, I guarantee you! But if you use that money for Krsna then it is okay.

In every situation, we have to make an effort to do something for Krsna!

I was in the household ashram but we did not have any children, by destiny it didn’t happen. I married young also so after 24 years and no children, do we just grow old together – was that going to be the destiny of my life!? Sounded a bit dry so I took sannyasa and then you have these strict vows to follow. Basically, the essence of a sannyasa vow is that everything is for Krsna and nothing for one’s own sense enjoyment. So I received the danda and everything and then I thought, “What do I do now…” because it is nice to take the vows but then you have to follow it!

See, before sannyasa I always had the perfect excuse, “I have no time!” It was a great excuse. I have no time to chant, I have no time to read, I have to time for devotional service… I have no time, I have no time, I have no time! Then I took sannyasa and suddenly, I had all the time for Krsna, “Oh no, what do I do now!”

So, you see, every ashram is intense! In every ashram, we have to make a conscious endeavour. In the sannyasa ashram, we have to fill all that time with Krsna. In the grhasta ashram, you must make time!

By Janananda Gosvami

Chanting Hare Krishna with a completely fixed goal. No consideration of who’s who – off the bodily platform. One goal – Save Kalindi! No material thoughts or motives. It felt like Samadhi - deep Krishna consciousness. A memorable event – an eternal lesson. If only we could feel like this at every moment. Prabhupada did. When we realize it’s an emergency then we may feel the urgency. Spending our lives quibbling over bodies and things is not gonna help us in the long run.. We have got the greatest service in the world, all of us – to get the temperature back to normal. We have the medicine, take it give it to others and work together despite all the differences. While massaging the body of the spiritual master let us not fight over it. Let’s do things the way Prabhupada would be happy. He is standing next to us at every moment. If only we could realize it. Continue reading "Unity In Diversity – Thanks To Kalindi The Cow
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Manor sankirtan festival.

Jan 7th evening.

From Mukunda-mala Stotra. The desert of material existence has exhausted me. But today I will cast aside all troubles by diving into the lake of Lord Hari and drinking freely of the abundant water of His splendor.

Sacinandana Swami: What actually was the matter is called "Paralysis through analysis"-being paralyzed by thinking too much. One who is continuously absorbed in various thoughts, always living with the fear to commit offenses, will not be able to chant properly.

Radhanath Swami: Our temples, it is so very important that we learn the science of properly giving and receiving the association of devotees. Actually every guest that comes is Krishna’s specially invited guest. And it is our duty to give them every possible opportunity to make spiritual advancement. It is the first priority.

By Jada Bharata Dasa

In the afternoon he came and woke me up and I went out on one of the famous New York Temple Harinams. We came back to the temple and I took some milk Prasadam with Jayananda. That night I stayed with another Bhakta and was woke up the next morning. Jayananda Prabhu personally took care of me that morning explaining to me everything that I should do. He told me that I should sit with him and chart japa. He noticed that I was chanting very quickly and he told me to take the beads out of the japa bag. He noticed that I was moving the bead forward unconsciously while I was chanting moving two or three beads forward during each mantra. He told me I should firmly hold onto each bead as I chanted each mantra and should clearly chant each mantra so I could hear it within my heart. I then did service with him all day. We cleaned and polished the Deity paraphernalia and did other things that day. During the entire day he gave me instruction in practical Krishna consciousness. During the entire day he preached to me how a devotee should act and as it was my first few days in the temple I felt I was shown by Krishna how a true devotee should really act, but practical example. He only spoke about Krishna, did service and never criticized anyone. He was the most respected devotee in the temple. Continue reading "How I Became a Devotee – Jayananda, The Perfect Leader
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Harinama at Surfers Paradise (Queensland’s Gold Coast in eastern Australia) - 08 January 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: …not everyone wants to serve Him. Everyone wants to become God, imitator. Imitation. Therefore they say, “Why Krsna shall be alone God? I am God.” You are God. That’s all right. But you are not the Supreme God. Why you forget that? You may be a God at home of your wife, but when you go to your office, you are not god; your master is god. He directs you to do something; you have to do it. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.15 – London, July 15, 1973
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZfHsVZ

Srutakirti dasa: Often times I would bring them to his bedroom just before his evening massage. Throughout his massage he would smell them off and on. He would then keep them on His pillow (close to His nose) all night. The following morning, I would find the flowers gently laying on the pillow exactly where they had been the night before. The flowers looked as fresh and fragrant as ever, looking as if they had just been picked.

By Indradyumna Swami

The captain eventually announced that we were approaching Irkutsk but would have to circle the airport until some fog had dispersed. Some time later the two stewardesses approached me. "The captain is asking you to pray to God for all of us," one of them said. "We are running out of fuel," said the other, "and we can't circle the airport much longer." They stood waiting. "Well," said one of them, "are you going to pray?" I hesitated. Then I joined my palms, closed my eyes, and said a short prayer. When I finished, they left to tell the captain. Suddenly the plane veered left and headed in another direction. There was no announcement. The plane continued for about half an hour and then began to descend. I called one of the stewardesses over and asked what was happening. "We're landing in Ulan Ude to wait until the fog clears in Irkutsk," she said nervously, smelling of liquor. "We had just enough fuel." We left our bags on the plane and walked down the steps to the terminal. As I took in the surroundings, I almost thought we'd landed on another planet. The vast Siberian steppe stretched endlessly in all directions, and although it was the end of summer, the temperature was only six degrees centigrade. When we reached Moscow, one of the devotees meeting us rushed up to me in the parking lot. "Guru Maharaja," he said, "after your flight took off from Irkutsk, there was an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. There are reports of 900 people injured, some dead as well. Continue reading "Good and Faithful
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Krishna-kumara Dasa: To my surprise, the girl was spontaneously drawn in, like iron to a magnet, and grabbed a book. The boy followed suit and grabbed the other book. I briefly explained who I was and what the books were all about. They both took a book, and she gave an exceptionally large donation. She eagerly asked, "You said 'Krishna Krishna!' right? I've been learning about Krishna in my 'Hindu Gods & Goddesses' class, and I LOVE Him! He's my favorite."

One time an Iskcon devotee met an older guru of the Sankaracarya sampradaya (impersonalists).
Being respectful the devotee offered his pranams, as the etiquette is. The guru started giving him advice and initially said that he should read the Bhagavad-gita as this would certainly strengthen him.
The devotee respectfully brought the point about the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. After thinking for some time the guru said: “yes, this chanting would make you physically healthy”
The devotee again indicated the great expansion of the Hare Krishna movement all over the world based on the strength of the maha-mantra. And would this be due just to health benefits.

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