Planet ISKCON

Braja Badrinath Karttika 2016 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Come along with us through the pictures of Vittalrukmini P...

Sri Vrndavan 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: …if you cannot do anything, simply come and offer your obeisances: “My dear Lord Krsna, I am so poor, so unfortunate, I cannot do all these things, but I offer my humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet.” From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture, Sri Vyasa-puja – August 22, 1973, London
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Recently, there were incidents of anti-corruption protests started by some national leaders in India. They had started nation-wide awakenings to make the people alert and aware for corruption free India and curbing the use of black-money. Such efforts may be appreciable to some extent but they are not perfect as far as wiping out of corruption from a state is concerned. The people are in general attached to sense gratificatory propaganda, and such protests can’t withdraw sinful tendencies from the minds of the public. Consequently, people are again taken up by such tendencies and the nations can’t breathe relief. The recent incidents of mass killings, terrorism, and rape-incidents are a proof that any attempt to curb corruption by artificial means by above leaders may not be perfect as long as the society is not properly educated in bonafide religion. The Bhagavata vision of anticorruption campaign is in this way different, it is aimed at following four regulative principles and spreading of sankirtana religion. The four regulative principles are no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex. The history of this fact is corroborated in Srimad Bhagavatam in the event of Maharaj Pariksit curbing the personality of kali-yuga. Continue reading "“Bhagavata Vision” of Actual Anti-corruption Campaign
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The archives of famed Leicestershire architect Joseph Goddard were handed over to ISKCON in a ceremony on Monday 14th November. Tony and Joe Goddard, the great grandsons of Joseph Goddard, the architect of Leicester’s Clock Tower and the grade 2* listed former bank on Granby Street, signed over archives and their copyright to the care of ISKCON in the presence of members of Leicester City Council, representatives from The Victorian Society, historians and design students. The archives will be placed in a newly built Heritage Room at the Centre for the benefit of schools, colleges, universities, and the general public. Joseph Goddard designed and built the grade II* listed heritage property at the heart of Leicester City Centre in 1874 as the headquarters of the Leicestershire Banking Company. The spectacular gothic building which is now an ISKCON Centre has long been acknowledged as a landmark in Leicester’s Victorian architecture, and one of Goddard’s most important works. The building is set to contribute to regeneration, engagement and a place of a multi-variety of activities to suit the needs of all people. Continue reading "Family of famed architect Joseph Goddard present historic archives to ISKCON
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Discourse on last eve of Kartika.

Grihastha Training - The Language of Love and Appreciation.
Good relationships don’t just happen. They require knowledge and plenty of practice, practice, and more practice! In this three hour seminar, you will find out how we all have different ways we want to be appreciated and express appreciation. By filling out a simple questionnaire you will identify both of your primary and secondary love languages. This will help you understand why you may not always feel appreciation from those near and dear to you. It will also help you identify how other people in your life best understand your appreciation, i.e. what is their love language. This will allow you to express your heartfelt appreciation of your partner/ friend/ co-worker in a way they can understand and value, maybe for the first time!

ISKCON Youth Sankirtana Bus Tour Across Mexico
ISKCON Youth Ministry’s annual Mexico Bus Tour is coming up December 9, 2016 - January 3, 2017, taking youth and young adults ages 16 and older on an amazing adventure of a lifetime. Young people will be flying in from all over the USA and Canada, the UK to spend three weeks traveling across Mexico, presenting Krishna culture festivals in towns and villages, going on Harinama Sankirtana, and visiting Mayan pyramids, jungle waterfalls and beaches along the way.

New Raman Reti Second Generation Initiative.
Going strong since its launch one year ago the New Raman Reti 2nd Generation Initiative - dedicated to the 25 to 45-year-olds in our community - is going strong since its launch one year ago. Its three main programs are as follows

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“Man proposes, God disposes” has been the cause of immense frustration for humanity since time immemorial. The best plans are often foiled forever in a single moment by factors beyond human control. Misery can be said to be the condition in which we are unable to get what we want and / or are forced to accept that which we don’t want. A thoughtful person can perceive that misery is an unavoidable, inescapable companion during the sojourn through this world (Bhagavad Gita 8.15). Everyone is put repeatedly in the unenviable position of watching helplessly all of one’s cherished plans wrecked one after another, by the inexplicable and seemingly cruel will of providence. Continue reading "God Proposes, Man Accepts
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Installation of Sriman Mahaprabhu at the Govardhan Eco Village. (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krsna says in the fourteenth verse, Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita: “It is very difficult to surmount the problems offered by the laws of material nature, but one who surrenders unto Me, he overcomes.” Therefore we are teaching this Krsna consciousness to solve the problems of life. It is not sentiment or fanaticism or any sectarian religion. It is a fact that if you want to solve the problems of life, you have to become Krsna conscious. There is no other alternative. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.14 – September 8, 1969, Hamburg
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“Atiya”. From the Harinama group of New York.
She was staring at the Harinam. I said, “Salaam alaikum.” She replied, and I began to speak to her about love of God. She asked about the goal of life and how to obtain it. I answered that we need to learn about the name, form, qualities and pastimes of Allah, and develop love for Him and that this Krishna book was about the pastimes of the Lord since He was a boy until He wrapped up his pastimes. By reading this, I told her, you can develop attachment for God and obtain His eternal abode and associate with Him. She was interested and satisfied and took both the books by Radharani’s mercy. Later she sent an email expressing her appreciation of the Hare Krishna chanting and teachings.

It was Hard to Keep Up with Prabhupada

On the evening of the 27th of Oct 2016, Bollywood fashion designer Rohit Verma invited Jayapataka Swami to have a Damodar program at his fashion studio in Mumbai. It was a short and well-organized program for which Rohit Verma had invited about fifty of his close friends including Poonam Dhillon Bollywood actress, Aditi Govitrikar, Bollywood actress, Vindu Darasingh Bollywood actor, Nisha Rawal Bollywood actress, Ashish Bollywood actor, and Kanwaljit veteran designer.  

Many people had been angry by the failures or inaction of one side or other; angry with a do-nothing government which doesn't consider their needs; angry with the moral failures of leadership. And rightly so. But anger and frustration don’t provide a platform from which to make a sound decision. 

An Infallible Justice!
Chaitanya Caran das: Why me! What did I do to deserve this?“ The outraged cry that comes from a person who feels he has been unfairly singled out for suffering by cruel providence.
"Why do bad things happen to good people?” The perplexing question that haunts the minds of many when they see pious people victimized by painful reverses in life.
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
“The problem of evil” has been the bane of Western theologians and thinkers for centuries together. In simple terms, the problem is: Why does evil exist in the world despite the presence of an almighty God?
The Vedic scriptures give a clear understanding of the problem of evil. They explain that evil is not God’s creation; evil comes upon us due to our own bad karma. When we succumb to our lower nature, we exploit the resources of mother nature in an unlawful way and / or cause suffering to other living beings just for the fulfillment of our base desires. By such actions, we fix up appointments with suffering in the future. (And all living beings share a remarkable memory quirk - they forget their own wrongdoings very quickly) So when our due suffering reaches us, we have conveniently forgotten the wrongs that we did in the past. And so the indignant outburst, “Why me?”

As ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary draws to a close, Bhaktivedanta Manor would like to make an epic final offering. Every December the entire ISKCON world focuses all attention on distribution of transcendental literature, something we all know was so close to Srila Prabhupada’s heart. Indeed, he said it gave him life. When a new book was printed, Prabhupada felt as though he had conquered an empire. He told one disciple - "the best of me is in my books." Last year’s historic “100k Effort” at the Manor was a resounding success, with a record number of devotees participating. This year the team is aiming to distribute 200,000 books for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada! Continue reading "200k Book Marathon: The Final Offering [26th Nov-24th Dec 2016]
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His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami shares Vedic wisdom to Accenture management consultants at their headquarters in London, UK.

The post Bhakti Charu Swami Visits Accenture PLC. appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

ISKCON Australia – Communications Report:
Going forward with correct policies in place, ISKCON Australia, like other religious institutions, have had to re-evaluate and clarify their policies and procedures in line with expectations of today’s society.
Child Protection:
After the last ISKCON Australia National Council AGM, a proposal was presented and passed that ISKCON Australia strikes up an engagement with the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF).
The Australian Childhood Foundation has extensive experience in undertaking collaborative consultancy projects and/or tailored training for organisations that work with children, young people and families.
These include activities which meet the needs of a broad range of individual professionals and agencies, including:
• Clinical Supervision for practitioners about trauma informed practice.
• Secondary Consultation for individuals, care teams and organisations about understanding and responding to the specific needs of traumatised children and young people, often engaged in challenging and harmful behaviour.
• Workforce development packages that include training, reflective practice forums, action based research activities, and safeguarding children policy development and implementation.
All projects are implemented by senior members of the Foundation’s Management Team with broad range experience in therapeutic approaches, child protection, family support, out of home care and mental health.
As well, each Temple will have a Child Care Officer /s working under the direction of a National Child Care Officer who will be in close liaison with ACF.
Domestic violence:
ISKCON’s National Council has moved that: ISKCON Australia develops a Domestic Violence Unit to offer community support and help to individuals who are experiencing any form of domestic violence and provide access to professional help.
Policies in regard to domestic violence are currently being worked out with the assistance of the Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health (ACHRH).
ACHRH’s vision is happy homes and a strong community. Healthy, vibrant women and children are the key. Creative dialogue between the Australasian community, the professionals, the policy planners and the academics is their chosen method.
ACHRH’s objectives: (Quoted from their website)
A) To inform the development of policies and programmes around gender and gender-based violence by combining community based initiatives with scientific knowledge and professional expertise.
We aim to use qualitative aspects of the broader social and cultural context of gender inequities in gender-based violence in migrant and ethnic Australasian communities.
We aim to make the community aware of gender dimensions of practices related to sexual and reproductive health & experiences of violence within marriage and outside.
We partner with the community and educate and describe the health impact of gender inequities and gender-based violence.
B) To evaluate interventions that empower women and men to improve their family life, enhance family harmony through building gender respect, gender equality and preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
C) To provide scientific evidence for defining a public health response to gender-based violence.
D) To improve education, awareness and the health of women, through a focus on sexual and reproductive issues within families ; undertake research to gender issues within sexual and reproductive health.
ACHRH is founded on the concept that gender inequity is a substantial violation of human rights and undermines women’s dignity, health and access to health care.
The main interest of the unit lies in the notion that Women form the basis of a strong family unit and a positive gender based relations in a family are the basis of a strong community. We intend to explore and share the knowledge in areas of gender-based violence and its impact on women’s lives and health with the community.
ACHRH is initiating a number of projects - Community Participatory research, also called action research, where the partnership of individuals and organisations working together promotes education, awareness, intervention, data collection and an appropriate health sector response to gender-based violence through research, training and advocacy in Australasian migrant Indian and Ethnic communities.
We are a dynamic team and we use a variety of methods, including community based ethnographic intervention, individual intervention, and address questions of substantial importance for health policy, health promotion and health services for women and families of Indian, migrant and Australasian Communities. We emphasise working in partnership with other organisations in research, training and advocacy activities.
The knowledge we generate helps members of the public and policy makers alike in understanding the magnitude of the problems studied, as well as their risk factors.
Our work is designed to enhance understanding of the quality of health and domestic violence related services provided in Australasia. We describe problems in these services, barriers to their use and the aspects of services that users really value. We also develop training materials for people in the community and health workers, and implement a considerable amount of training on HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health promotion.
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Women’s Issues:
In regard to women’s issues, at the same ISKCON Australia’s National Council AGM, Krishnarupa devi dasi, a senior Srila Prabhupada disciple from New Govardhana, was appointed as the national women’s representative on the Council with full voting rights.
A local women’s representative from each temple will be appointed by the temple president with the approval of the Executive Committee to liaise with Krishnarupa on a regular basis.
Sexual harassment and misconduct …in religious organisations:
In accordance with policies that are in place in other ISKCON Centres and Temples around the world, ISKCON Australia is now also working on putting into place procedures and policies that will make reasonable efforts to prevent sexual abuse and harassment, and encourage prompt response to all allegations of abuse where there is a reasonable belief that abuse has occurred.
Each Temple will comply with all obligations of both civil and ecclesiastical law. It will endeavour to prevent sexual abuse and harassment to the extent possible, provide education and guidance as appropriate, and promote healing and empowerment when needed.
No person, whether in leadership or clergy, who has been determined to have engaged in sexual abuse, will be allowed to remain active in a position of trust.
Such actions may violate civil and criminal laws, as well as Vaisnava spiritual principles, and are outside the scope of the duties, employment and engagement of all personnel. ISKCON Australia will not tolerate any such behaviour in any of the Australian Temples and Centres.
LGBTIQ issues (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning):
The Scriptures that the devotees of ISKCON follow state that every being is an eternal soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Krishna, and that the ultimate goal of life is full blissful Krishna Consciousness which frees one from the cycle of birth and death.
Krishna Consciousness is attained by one’s real self, or atma, which is distinct from one’s physical body and personality (false ego) as well as outer attributes such as race, caste, gender, and sexual orientation.
Progress towards Krishna Consciousness comes through Bhakti yoga spiritual practices, and the attainment of Krishna Consciousness implies transcending material desires and impulses, including sexual ones.
To put it provocatively, an LGBTIQ person who has mastered his or her impulses (sexual or otherwise) is actually closer to Krishna Consciousness than a non-LGBTIQ person who is a slave to desires.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness encourages all people to take to the path of Bhakti and supports and welcomes all those who strive for Krishna Consciousness irrespective of their sexual orientation.
Your servant,
Bhakta dasa,
National Communications Director, ISKCON Australia.

One day Murari Gupta began to reflect, "If I can leave my body in the Lord's presence then that will be very good." For this purpose he fashioned a large dagger and hid it in his house. But the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya, who is totally omniscient immediately came to his house and called, "Murari!, I have so many pastimes to complete in your company. If you go away then how will I go on? I know everything." Murari caught hold of the Lord's feet and began to cry. Thereafter Mahaprabhu consoled him and after explaining to him many things He returned to His own house. Murari Gupta was present with the Lord during all of his pastimes in Nadiya Nagar. Every year when the devotees would go to Puri, Murari Gupta would go along with his wife and they would take many preparations of foodstuffs to offer to the Lord. Continue reading "Selfless Devotion Of Murari Gupta
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For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of October 2016. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN October 2016 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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Kirtan Mela, Kiev, Ukraine [2016] (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Actually, the modern government, democracy… We are experiencing, especially the great democratic country, America. So the democracy, the president elected by popular vote, is now being condemned. So what is the value of this democracy? You elect somebody by your vote, again condemn. That means the electors, the voters, have also no experience, and neither the man who is voted, he is also very good man. Otherwise, why you should change your opinion once you have elected a person to act as your head executive? So the democracy has proved a farce. It has no meaning, because people are not educated. People are mostly sudras. There must be four classes of men. So brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, first class, second class, third class, fourth class. So at the present moment there is no first-class men, neither second-class men. All third class, fourth class. All of them. So on the votes of third-class and fourth-class men, how you can expect good government? That is not possible. ——————————–Srila Prabhupada; lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 – Rome, May 24, 1974
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In this lifetime, I have never met with death face to face. Finally that opportunity came to me recently, when my father got really ill and weak and finally left his body in our hands. As an aspiring devotee (who is trying to become a devotee of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa) and after much deliberation upon the recent events, I want to share my story in case of my father’s death with hope to inspire other devotees to consciously try to save their parents and relatives no matter what their current positions is. By the way, it is said in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.21.46 that the duty of the son (putra) is to deliver his father from hellish life if he falls into it.

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Is today the end or beginning of Kartika?
Today is the last day of Kartika. Different devotees would have had different experiences and realizations in this Kartika. But for some fortunate devotees it will be the beginning of a full year of Kartika! Yes, it is indeed very rare and only some fortunate souls receive the mercy and inspiration to observe it properly for one full year (or a life time).

Vrindavan’s Sacred Parikrama (6 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The famous 3-hour parikrama around Vrindavan encompasses walking around thousands of temples, as many samadhis and a multitude of cows, brahmanas, sadhus and sacred places of all kinds. Some Vraja-vasis do it once or even twice a day. By the grace of the Srila Prabhupada, who introduced the world to Sri Vrindavan dhama, our Kartika parikrama group walked that sacred path twice during the month of Kartika.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/TF8JoZ

Diwali Celebrations at Hindu Council of Australia (Album with photos)
Bhakta Dasa: Last week Bhakti and I had the opportunity t...

Srila Prabhupada’s Gift of Vaisnava Compassion

Ātmā is jñāna-mātra / cin-mātrā (which means that the most essential quality of the “soul” is that it is the “substance of congition” – consciousness).

Ātmā is consciousness, but what is consciousness (cit)? It is inseparably related to reality (sat) and bliss (ānanda), for it is the ultimate substrate of reality (aka. “sat” – it is the condition in which reality exists), and is the “wick” on which the flame of ānanda shines (bliss is a state experienced by consciousness – so consciousness is the substrate for bliss, too).

So, the ātmā (aka jīva) has, as its inherent potential (dharma) the capacity to experience,participate in, and amplify reality (sat) and bliss (ānanda). This is it’s potential. It is not svatantra (independently capable) in fulfilling that potential. It has to cooperate with another śakti to realize its potential.

Some conscious individuals are not naturally oriented towards the true source of bliss, Bhagavān. (They are “bahir-mukha”, “looking away”). Because I am counted amongst them, I have not yet experienced what reality (sat) truly is, but I do experience a reflection of it, due to my cooperation with Bhagavān’s māyā-śakti. Similarly, I have not yet experienced what happiness (ānanda) truly is, but I experience a reflection of it via māyā-śakti.

Because I experience reflections of sat and ānanda, I know that such things exist. And because my dharma is to be in contact with sat and ānanda my whole existence hungers for them and is nothing but a quest for them. But because I am cooperating only with māyā-śakti, not bhakti-śakti I cannot really find the full, original versions of sat (reality) and ānanda (happiness). But as I gradually might transfer the focus of my consciousness from māyā to bhakti, I may gradually come to experience the infinite, true, absolutely substantial forms of divine sat and ānanda.

It has been said by those who exist in bhakti that the sat and ānanda experienced there makes the reflections seem non-exitent.

Vraja Kishor

www.vrajakishor.com

Tagged: ananda, bliss, Happiness, jiva, jivatma, Soul

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 06 August 2012, Ljubljana, The Balkans, Lecture: The pastimes of Krsna)

When Krsna walks in Vrindavan as Madhava, carrying his flute tucked in his belt, then the trees which have branches laden with fruits and flowers, are trying to touch Krsna’s feet. The bees are just singing the glories of Krsna. Bhagavatam says that these bees must have been great devotee sages in their last life.

The trees are thinking, ‘We are so unfortunate. It is due to our sinful activities that we have taken birth as trees and therefore we cannot follow Krsna on his pastimes in the forest.’

Of course, Bhagavatam points out that Lord Brahma is praying to become a tree in Vrindavan so how can it be that they have committed sinful activities and offenses rather, these trees are the most fortunate because, after all, one moment of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one moment of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, is such great fortune!

Even if Krsna walks past these trees only sometimes still they are in the forest of Vrindavan! They may not be able to walk behind him but they can hear him. It is stated in the Mahabharat that trees have eyes and ears. It is said that trees can see and hear. So these trees are hearing and seeing Krsna! Quite auspicious, actually!

Jagajivan Prabhu was the main person instrumental in opening Peru and Chile. He was a pioneer in some of, especially at that time, the most difficult countries in Latin America; extreme poverty and lack of education amongst the population in general. Even to travel around those areas is a great austerity. In the early and mid-seventies, he would travel by Morales Moralitos; buses full of people who bathed maybe once a month or less, packed in with some animals, sometimes hot, sometimes freezing cold in the passes that reach up to 15,000 feet altitude, with broken windows, winding through endless mountain curves. This was the norm for those who preached in those counties at that time. I first met Jagajivan Prabhu in New York, and then throughout Latin America, athough we usually saw each other in passing. He was always jovial, and took the hardships with pleasure. He helped and served in practically every South American country at some point in time. Continue reading "Remembering Jagajivan Prabhu
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