Websites from the ISKCON Universe
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.
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
(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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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...
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.
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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The perfection of life: Jagannatha maha-prasadam!
Srila Prabhupada: The yogis are trying to control the senses by force. “I shall go to the Himalayas. I shall not see any more beautiful woman. I shall close down my eyes.” These are forceful. You cannot control your senses. There are many instances. You don’t require to go to Himalaya. You just remain in Los Angeles city and engage your eyes to see Krsna, you are more than a person who has gone to Himalayas. You’ll forget all other thing. This is our process. You don’t require to change your position. You engage your ears for hearing Bhagavad-gita As It Is, you’ll forget all nonsense. You engage your eyes to see the beauty of the Deity, Krsna. You engage your tongue for tasting Krsna prasadam. You engage your legs to come to this temple. You engage your hands to work for Krsna. You engage your nose to smell the flowers offered to Krsna. Then where your senses will go? He’s captivated all round. The perfection is sure. You don’t require to control your senses forcibly, don’t see, don’t do it, don’t do it. No. You have to change the engagement, the status. That will help you. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.62-72 – Los Angeles, December 19, 1968
Meet Norman. He met Prabhupada shortly after arrival in NYC September 1965. (3 min video)
A devotee who is a taxi driver in New York recently picked a person who after seeing Srila Prabhupada’s photo in the car he recalled his meeting with him 50 years back!
“Very providentially he and wife were going to get a rental car, passed by the taxi and decided to take it. I had been sent to a different taxi stand but it was full, so I met them there…. my good fortune!”
This is the video recording of what he said.
Devotees to Hold First Kirtan in Antarctica. Two intrepid devotee explorers are set to travel to the last frontier, and bring kirtan and Srila Prabhupadas books to Antarctica the southernmost and coldest continent in the world. The continent is largely uninhabited and 98 per cent of it is covered by ice, but it does have a tourist season and many international research stations to reach out to. One things for sure venturing there is a unique offering to Prabhupada for ISKCONs 50th anniversary. To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/zWjLdJ
