Planet ISKCON

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami shares Vedic wisdom to Accenture management consultants at their headquarters in London, UK.

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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.
(End of Quote)
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.

By Radhanath Swami

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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https://flic.kr/s/aHskveXhDV

By Mayapur Sasi dasa

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
Find them here: https://goo.gl/chKl6X

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!

By Guru Prasad Swami

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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https://flic.kr/s/aHskLQbhdf

Ratha Yatra In Santiago De Chile (Album with photos)
By the causeless mercy of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai all devotees can have stre...

Take the high road!
Sometimes we find things when we least expect them, and it can remind us of the way to find the “ultimate” good things.

Meeting with Dubai devotees.

News from the San Diego Hare Krishna Temple.
Kirtan, Dancing and Vegetarian/Vegan Feasting around San Diego County.
Upcomi...

By Ananda Tirtha Das

The Annual General Meeting of the ISKCON GBC Society will begin on February 9, 2017. Following the ISKCON GBC Society's Rules of Order, the GBC Secretariat requests proposals, duly sponsored by TWO GBC members, to be submitted by December 31, 2016. This will allow adequate time for the GBC Deputies to prepare the proposals for presentation at the meeting. Continue reading "GBC Proposals AGM 2017
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By WIDC Staff

ISKCON Western India Division Council (WIDC) Brahmachari Sanga was conducted recently at Govardha Ecovillage, Mumbai. It was a 2 day event in the serene and natural setting of GEV located near the Kohoj mountain ranges. The venue provided a naturally refreshing and spiritually enlivening experience to devotees participating from various cosmopolitan cities and rural centers in different parts of Maharashtra. The event was attended by 350 plus devotees from over 43 ISKCON centers. Explaining the vision for this sanga, HG Gauranga Das, Chairman, WIDC, said, “The inspiration for this brahmacari sanga came from the EIDC brahmacari sanga which happens in Mayapur every year. We were inspired to follow in their footsteps last year and this is the second WIDC brahmacari sanga we organized at ISKCON Govardhan Eco Village (GEV). The gathering of hundreds of sincere, dedicated devotees in the renounced order giving shelter and hope to each other and hearing from experienced sannyasis and brahmacaris is a powerful element of Devotee Care. We hope that one day we can have a pan India and a global gathering of devotees in the renounced order spreading Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission.” Continue reading "Western India Division council Meet
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By Mahatma Das

I’d like you to take a minute and envision the kind of devotee you would like to be if anything were possible. What qualities would you like to possess? How would you like to act? What kind of mentality and attitude would you like to have? Continue reading "What You See Is What You Get
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Hindus in the USA are the most educated group: Report.
Hindus in the USA have again found themselves at the top!

In th...

Diwali celebration at the European Parliament (Album with photos)
9th November 2016 we celebrated Diwali at the European Parlia...

Harinam en Málaga, Spain (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: …the hundreds and thousands of stars and the great planets such as the sun, the moon, Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter are not clustered together because of the law of gravity or any similar idea of the modern scientists. These planets and stars are all servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda or Krsna, and according to His order they sit in their chariots and travel in their respective orbits. The orbits in which they move are compared to machines given by material nature to the operating deities of the stars and planets, who carry out the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by revolving around Dhruvaloka, which is occupied by the great devotee Maharaja Dhruva. This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.52) as follows: yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami “I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, under whose control even the sun, which is considered to be the eye of the Lord, rotates within the fixed orbit of eternal time. The sun is the king of all planetary systems and has unlimited potency in heat and light.” This verse from Brahma-samhita confirms that even the largest and most powerful planet, the sun, rotates within a fixed orbit, or kala-cakra, in obedience to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This has nothing to do with gravity or any other imaginary laws created by the material scientists. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 5.23.3
Find them here: https://goo.gl/OAjrkp

The Lake Of Love (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The lake Prema-sarovara consists of the tears of Radha and Krsna, form...

https://flic.kr/s/aHskLhWm2U

Nostalgia Craze?

It’s been a few months since my last visit to New Govardhana and in that time many new projects are starting and others have come to completion.

There are about 10 new cabins for guests – the last recently finished and landscaped.

The first stage of a new road to the temple has been laid, new single lady quarters are halfway complete and land cleared for a new festival area.

These are just some of the latest developments at New Govardhana.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskLLSmzA

Prabhupada said: “You failed to present me with a superior description of God. I have His picture right here. You have not even a word to say. So you please accept Him as God right now.” Caru das: In a letter to all temple presidents Karandhar wrote, “The etiquette is to invite the guru to your temple. It’s not likely that he’ll come, but invite him.”

By Drutakarma Dasa

Providing a strong challenge to established academic perception and methodology, Drutakarma Dasa presents the Vaisnava Hindu worldview on the fundamental concepts to the approach to and interpretation of the archaeological record. His presentation is articulate and thorough and the extensive research he has undertaken to support his thesis is very impressive. He contrasts the currently accepted time concept, which closely resembles the Judaeo-Christian model, with the ancient Puranic model and shows us how each tends to supports its own world view. But Drutakarma argues that the evidence offered by the archaeological record does not actually support the presently accepted model and thus questions its value in accurate historical analysis. Continue reading "Puranic Time and the Archaeological Record
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Answer Podcast

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Answer Podcast

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The post Some devotees take a vow to chant lots of rounds and keep chanting all day – is that ok? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.