ISKCON Mira-road attracts 5,000 students
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Krishna Nandan Das & Bhagavati Kripa Devi Dasi

On the most auspicious occasion of ISKCON celebrating 50 years and ISKCON Mira-road celebrating first year after inauguration, which took place in September 2015, HG Kamalalochana Prabhu – President of ISKCON Mira-road, instructed his team of devotees to invite 10,000 school children for Brahmotsava. To fulfill this instruction Bhaktin Samhita came up with a very beautiful brochure to attract the Principals of different schools, so that they would agree to bring their students for field trip to ISKCON. Continue reading "ISKCON Mira-road attracts 5,000 students
→ Dandavats"

Satisfaction is one of the austerities of the mind.In…
→ Dandavats



Satisfaction is one of the austerities of the mind.
In Bhagavad-gita 17.16, Krsna says that satisfaction is one of the austerities of the mind.
There are plenty of circumstances while traveling to analyze the fluctuations of the mind. A friend of mine once said, “When you’re home, you get what you want. When traveling, you get what you get.”
Moving from place to place requires adjusting to new environments and situations and gives ample opportunity to practice satisfaction of the mind. Noteworthy is that satisfaction is not dependent on our external environment. Rather, it comes as a result of practice.

The word satisfy comes from the Latin words, “satis,” which means, “enough” + “facere,” which means, “make.” Satisfaction: “make enough.”

Centuries ago, Lao Tzu, the famous Chinese philosopher said: “He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”

Watching a little baby during one of our flights, I witnessed how her moods changed frequently, her peaceful smiling quickly changing to red-faced crying and then back to smiling a while later.
Seeing her, I imagined her to be a personification of my own mind, always oscillating, accepting one thing and a minute later rejecting the same thing.

In Bhagavad-gita 2.55 Krsna calls this tendency of the of the mind, manah-gatah, “mental concoction.” Or more literally, manah-gatah means, “the mind goes.”

Observe your mind for a while, watching where it goes and how it changes.

To “identify with something” means to take it on. But since you are not the mind, you are not obligated to identify yourself with the thoughts and moods that constantly float though it.
When thoughts of dissatisfaction float by observe them and let them go by like passing clouds.
Instead, attach yourself to Krsna’s words in Bhagavad-gita like these: “My devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and not striving for some result, is very dear to Me.” (Bg 12.16) “He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions. (Bg 4.22)
Hare Krishna!
Vaisesika das

A Venus flytrap and how to resist it. A Venus flytrap can digest…
→ Dandavats



A Venus flytrap and how to resist it.
A Venus flytrap can digest an insect in about 10 days . The unsuspecting bug smells nectar on the leaves that form the trap. When the insect investigates, it crawls into the jaws of the plant. Within half a second the jaws clamp shut and digestive juices dissolve the bug.
This meat-eating plant reminds me of the way our material mind can devour us if we are lured into thoughts of enjoying this material world for selfish purposes, tempting us with a new experience, convincing us that living right doesn’t matter, or appealing to our physical senses.
It is certainly worthwhile knowing how to control the Venus fly trap of a mind.
Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that the mind can be controlled by constant “practice and detachment.” (Bhagavad-gita, 6.35).
“He says that wherever and whenever the mind wanders, due to its flickering and unsteady nature, we must bring it back under the control of the Self” (Bhagavad-gita, 6.26)
Ultimately, we must develop a higher taste.
Lord Krishna says, “The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.” ( Bhagavad-gita 2:59).
That higher taste is engaging in devotional service, the easiest of which is chanting the Lord’s holy Names:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Dear Lord Krishna, at times I let down my guard and my mind takes over. Please help me to listen to Your warnings and follow Your instructions.
Bhakta Dasa …Communications minister ISKCON Australia

ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and ISKCON-London’s 47th Anniversary celebrated at a signature event in London
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON-London Communications

ISKCON-London celebrated the 47th Anniversary of the installation of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara on Sunday, 29th November. This special 50th Anniversary year of ISKCON, themed “The Joy of Devotion”, has been filled with many joyous celebrations both in London and worldwide. This particular event was one of the signature events this year. Held at a big theatre-style venue in central London, the cultural programme started with a sumptuous prasadam feast followed by a line-up of dance, drama, and speeches, ending with a lively kirtan that got everyone off their seats and dancing! Continue reading "ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and ISKCON-London’s 47th Anniversary celebrated at a signature event in London
→ Dandavats"

Who is a bonafide Guru? Srila Prabhupada: The qualification of a…
→ Dandavats



Who is a bonafide Guru?
Srila Prabhupada: The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters. — NOD Ch. 7
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/jqXYh1

Srimad Bhagavatam – The Perfect Gift
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Srimad Bhagavatam - Bring Auspiciousness Home & Help Preserve Vedic Wisdom

This holiday season, take the perfect gift for your family & friends - a set of Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana), also called ‘the ripened fruit of all Vedic literature’. The complete Srimad Bhagavatam set contains 12 cantos in a beautiful 18 volume hardbound set, and is available also in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, and many other languages. Click here to get a glimpse into the Srimad Bhagavatam!

In order to share this gift widely, it is being offered at a discounted price of $299, or only $29/month on a payment plan (offer ends Dec 31st). Please reserve your copy now before we are sold out! If you already have the Srimad Bhagavatam, we are making the entire nine volume Caitanya Caritamrita available for just $99!

Please help us preserve these priceless gems of Vedic wisdom for the generations to come!

We’re Looking for Website Contributors
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

As our temple website continues to grow, we are looking for enthusiastic members of our community to contribute regularly! If you are interested in being part of our team, we'd love to hear from you!

Maybe you have some neat recipes to share, or want to share Krsna conscious videos, or even have some wonderfully crazy idea that we just haven't thought of. Now's your chance to contribute!

If you have some neat idea to bring to the table, or if you just want to join the team, please feel free to fill out the form below!  Hare Krsna!


Bull Calves Rescued by ISKCOWP
→ ISKCON News

These two bull calves were rescued from a dairy recently by the activists of ISKCOWP (International Society of Cow Protection.) These calves will be protected for life and trained as an ox team to show their usefulness as an argument against their slaughter. In the dairy they are considered useless because they do not produce milk. Unless rescued they will be sold as meat. More information about the project: http://iscowp.org. A video by Chayadevi Dasi.

Be brave in Krsna consciousness
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 06 May 2002, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.11)

KKS_harinam.1JPGResistance to surrender comes from maintaining material attachments even after receiving so many instructions on this subject matter. This is what holds us back! But how do we overcome this obstacle? We do so by being brave in Krsna consciousness, by being brave to choose for Krsna. We cannot just be ordinary devotees and just let our spiritual life go along. No, we have to be brave to do something special for Krsna. This is what is required! Let us try to be the exception. Let us not be of average standard and say, “Well, everybody is doing it like this so you cannot expect anything more from me.”

No, let us do something brave for Krsna and Prabhupada and then we will conquer our obstacles. We see in the scriptures the descriptions of those who conquered, they all made special endeavour. So let us try doing something extraordinary in our own way, according to our own inspiration. It is between us and Krsna.

We see in the Bhagavatam, in these pastimes, these personalities all did something special and they got special mercy and it is by mercy that we are going to be purified. We cannot purify ourselves, it is by mercy. We must attract mercy; we need mercy of the devotees, of the sadhus, of real saintly people and we the need mercy of Krsna.

Saintly people are merciful but they do not get too involved with people who are too materially entangled, they give a bit of mercy but then they withdraw from that association. So the more one is endeavouring to be Krsna conscious, the saintly people will notice that and will want to give their mercy. We all can equally attract the mercy of Krsna by special endeavour. This is the only way, there is no other way, be brave and trust Krsna.

Monday, December 5th, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Moundsville, West Virginia
  
Birds and Dudes


I was walking around the pond and happily met Malati, a dear god-sister, who was feeding the peacocks.  They became the subject of our discussion.  You know they are beautiful conversation pieces.  Malati had tossed out an assortment of seeds and corn, and those birds, about ten in all, were relishing lunch like anything.

In the course of our chat, we both observed an interesting dynamic.  The crows quietly made flight to nearby trees.  They helped themselves to branches for perching.  When the peacocks had their fill, the chickadees bobbed around and took to the remnants.  Bon Appetite!  The crows still waited.

The next installment was two blue jays.  Aggressive or what?  They  zoomed in with their larger wing-span and threw off the tiny feathered-friends, the chickadees.  For the final swoop, the crows came down and finished off what was left.

Here we saw a genuine display of ‘pecking’ order.  Most interesting!  Maybe a form of caste system?

I left the quiet of the country, New Vrindavana, for the airport at Pittsburgh; then to Toronto, and then Union Station.  I was searching for the subway transit system when I met a flock of birds.  Dudes rather.  One particular young Afro-Canadian fella asked, “You’re a monk?”  I told him I was.  “Holy F***! Oh! I’m not supposed to swear?”

His friend said, “You can swear but he (meaning me) can’t.”

“Oh!”  He was stunned, but shook hands and promised to visit me, and he won’t swear if he comes.

May the Source be with you!


4 km

Sunday, December 4th, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Moundsville, West Virginia
  
Another Day


Another day with glorious purpose
Feeding the soul, doing all to uplift us
I spoke from a verse of the Bhagavatam
Of symptoms of Kali where you find little calm.

A Cleveland clan came then to visit
A break, a change, a bhakti deposit.
I spoke from the Gita: 9, text 2,
Of what’s confidential to me and to you.

Pilgrims did come to make an invest
To advance their soul and doing what’s best
The chanters did dance and dancers did chant
Missing the presence of those who just can’t.

Vraja and I took to the palace road,
Walking and talking with no heavy load.
We sighted an albino, a pure white deer
Smartly he dashed, for it’s humans to fear.

At Lila and Jesse’s we drank ginger light
We chatted, ate wraps—was joy at each bite
He pulled out guitar and she the flute
The songs they sang were beyond what’s cute.

The day was of glory, full and complete
I walked back on my little ol’ feet
Reviewing my input for these past hours
“Gave only half of my heart” and then there were showers.

May the Source be with you!


6 km

Saturday, December 3rd, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Moundsville, West Virginia
  
Wedding Bells


Few people get married in December, but bridegroom, Vrndavan Das, had adjusted from an earlier date to today, since that was when I was available.  Bless him!  The couple, Vrndavan and bride, Neetika, both were recipients of blessings from friends who came from Europe, India, various locations in the U.S. and Canada (me).

The ceremony was of good cheer, although not perfect in its execution.  The pundit/pujari or priest, Krpamoya, had to work his way through a muffled sounding microphone, while a second mic became the instrumental tool for the chanters who came off as competitive in volume.  All that aside, you had a gorgeous celebration.  Some newcomer Caucasian folks (friends of Neetika) were highly impressed with the richness of display—not necessarily in monetary pomp but in feel.

The ring was given, so also garlands were exchanged, and the knot was tied, her saree to his shawl.  For the tongue, a phenomenal cake was devoured and for me, the salty stuff was a delight—veggie preps and paneer kofta, a non-violent dairy savory.

After the satisfying meal, a walk, up and down the sloping McCreary’s Road, was justified, and there I met devotees, attendees to the wedding from Atlanta.  They were curious about the location of the goshala, the cow sanctuary.  So off we went in their rented SUV and made it to the herd; bulls and cows, happy to be given some attention.

When I think about it, every day of our life is complete when we give attention to humans, animals, the trees and the earth.

May the Source be with you!


5 km

Science of Ayurveda and its growth in the west
→ Dandavats

One of the annual events at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, in the UK, is the Ayurvedic retreat, conducted by Dr Vasant Lad. Hailing from Maharashtra in India, Dr Lad is one of the foremost authorities in Ayurveda and comes from a long line of practitioners. Ayurveda is the Vedic science of healing that incorporates medicine, diet and herbology. Ayurvedic practices even featured in the Ancient epic Ramayana, specifically when Sushena ordered Hanuman to retrieve the Sanjivani herb to revive Laxman from his injury.

Norwich restaurants in the UK distribute 10,000 books!
→ Dandavats

The Namas Te India restaurant chain in Norwich has distributed no less than 10,000 copies of The Higher Taste. Restaurant manager Mr Vijay Jatani and his family became devotees through the local Nama Hatta (meeting) group. They have two vegetarian restaurants in the city and over the last five years they have distributed the books as complimentary gifts to their customers.

A New App to Take Spirituality to Every Phone and Tablet
→ Dandavats

Rise brings you short bursts of wake-up wisdom from the comfort of your phone. It has simple, uncomplicated spiritual tools specific for your needs. If you’re stressed, search through our videos on stress. If you’re looking for advice on relationships, search through our videos on relationships. And if you’re looking to realise your inner self, we may even have something for that too. It’s a practical, accessible approach to spirituality created for the modern world, which is why it all fits into your mobile.

HOLY JAIL (6 min video)
→ Dandavats

HOLY JAIL (6 min video) In this video HH Candramauli Swami speaks about Prison Preaching and his book Holy Jail. Srila Prabhupada: The Lord’s activities in association with His different energies should be described, appreciated and heard in accordance with the teachings of the Supreme Lord. If this is done regularly with devotion and respect, one is sure to get out of the illusory energy of the Lord. SB 2.7.53 text Watch it here: https://goo.gl/a5Lmem

Bhakti Charu Swami’s Visit To ISKCON Vadodara
Bhakti Charu Swami

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj visited ISKCON Vadodara on 6th Decemeber 2016 and delivered the following lectures : 1. Srimad Bhagavatam 5.6.15 – Krishna always gives credit to His devotees 2. Address to the Bhakti Vriksa Students – How to receive Vedic knowledge 3....

The post Bhakti Charu Swami’s Visit To ISKCON Vadodara appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

Delivering the Antidote to Today’s Ills
→ Dandavats

Delivering the Antidote to Today’s Ills. Giriraj Swami: Srimad-Bhagavatam contains a discussion between Dharma, in the form of a bull, and the Earth, in the form of a cow. Eventually he asks her, “The so-called administrators are now bewildered by the influence of this age of Kali, and thus they have put all state affairs into disorder. Are you now lamenting this disorder? Now the general populace does not follow the rules and regulations for eating, sleeping, drinking, mating, etc., and they are inclined to perform such anywhere and everywhere. Are you unhappy because of this?” (SB 1.16.22)

There’s not a more charming or mysterious place in the universe than Govardhana Hill in Vraja Mandala
→ Dandavats



There’s not a more charming or mysterious place in the universe than Govardhana Hill in Vraja Mandala. Apparently, the word is spreading because nowadays, during Karttika season, millions of pilgrims come here to perform parikrama.* [*Literally, “parikrama” means “walking around.”] Only by the mercy of the Vaisnavas have I been allowed to stay for a while here in this magical place under the shelter of the Bhaktivedanta Ashrama, nestled at the base of Govardhana Hill, presided over by HH Keshava Bharati Das Goswami. For my own purification, I’ve been making some notes. Today’s are as follows: The precious powder clinging to the feet of the pilgrims who walk around Govardhana Hill is Cintamani dust. One particle of this dust is more valuable than all the wealth in the material world.

Unflinching Book Distribution
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Sankirtana Leaders Team - India

This December, devotees in India face a unique challenge in distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. Due to recent actions taken by the Government of India viz., the demonetization of large currency notes, everyone here is literally in a cash crunch, whether or not one is a millionaire as per the bank accounts. And distributing books in such a scenario could be tough if we follow the usual techniques of hand to hand distribution on streets, or at doors, which depend on collecting cash. This could potentially have a large impact on the annual scores for India in 2016 (the 50th anniversary of ISKCON!), because it is an open secret that MOST of the book distribution in India happens during the December marathon! Continue reading "Unflinching Book Distribution
→ Dandavats"

ISKCON Wales’s new Headquarters
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Praghosa dasa

Congratulations to Tarakanatha Prabhu and all his team for securing this wonderful new property in the heart of Cardiff which will serve as the main ISKCON temple in Wales as well as ISKCON's headquarters there. Wales has produced many wonderful devotees over the years, so it is very encouraging to now see the yatra itself develop and expand in the way that it is. Continue reading "ISKCON Wales’s new Headquarters
→ Dandavats"

A visit to ISKCON Kurukshetra
→ Dandavats



A visit to ISKCON Kurukshetra - 30th Nov, 2016 (Album with photos) Srila Prabhupada: During correspondence I read a letter from Bhagavata dasa about Bhuvanesvara. Money was scarce. Prabhupada gave the same recommendation he had given in so many letters. Building was not as important as prasadam distribution and kirtana. If there was money, we could build later. From TKG's Diary Find them here: https://goo.gl/wYDbc3

Does expertise in shabda make one expert in fields in which one may have no practical experience?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast


Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Does expertise in shabda make one expert in fields in which one may have no practical experience? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

When Krishna disapproves renunciation as it will disturb people’s minds, how can we understand Prabhupada’s giving sannyasa to young disciples?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast


Download by “right-click and save content”

The post When Krishna disapproves renunciation as it will disturb people’s minds, how can we understand Prabhupada’s giving sannyasa to young disciples? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Is dandiya rasa considered imitation of Krishna’s rasa-lila — is it allowed in ISKCON?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast


Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Is dandiya rasa considered imitation of Krishna’s rasa-lila — is it allowed in ISKCON? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

If the Gita is a recorded conversation reported by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, how does it contain Sanjaya’s speech?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast


Download by “right-click and save content”

The post If the Gita is a recorded conversation reported by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, how does it contain Sanjaya’s speech? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Did Sanjaya report the Kurukshetra war from Kurukshetra or from Hastinapura?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast


Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Did Sanjaya report the Kurukshetra war from Kurukshetra or from Hastinapura? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

If the soul gets a body through the semen what happens to it when conception doesn’t occur?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Answer Podcast


Download by “right-click and save content”

The post If the soul gets a body through the semen what happens to it when conception doesn’t occur? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A Vaishnava is kind to every living entity
→ Dandavats



Prabhupada said, "This is Vaishnava. A Vaishnava is kind to every living entity. Not this squishing business." Sukadeva: Prabhupada said that you have to become like the bumblebee and not like the fly and Prabhupada proved it by his own example. Once Nara-Narayan—who does not sing like a nightingale—was in the temple room singing and Prabhupada said, "Who is that singing?" Karandhar said, "It's Nara-Narayan, Srila Prabhupada." Prabhupada said, "Hmm, he keeps very good time." Once Hari Sauri's alarm clock went off and Prabhupada said, "What is that sound?" Hari Sauri said, "That's the alarm clock, Srila Prabhupada." Prabhupada said, "Oh? Who is in danger?" I looked at Hari Sauri and thought, "Wow! My spiritual master has a sense of humor!"