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The post Will we ever come to a spiritual level when we understand Krishna’s plan perfectly? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

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The post How can some people remember their past lives? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Archives of historic Leicestershire architect Joseph Goddard to be gifted to ISKCON.
Goddard family to present archives of Leicestershire architect Joseph Goddard to ISKCON

The greatest challenge in performing Sadhana Bhakti is our attempt to serve the Lord with only the cognizance of Him being an almighty God. The immense distance between us and the Lord during the clearing process (Anartha Nivrtthi) is such that most Sadhakas face difficulty in maintaining steady service. This misfortune can solely be attributed to a lack of Sambandha Jnana or in other words due to forgetting who we are. Most of our energy during the clearing process goes into fighting our previously acquired Samskaras or subtle impressions and an insignificant proportion of our energy is offered to the Lord. However, the Lord has sent His dear most servants and He stands ready to rescue us from this predicament as Sri Aniruddha, the Controller of the uncontrollable mind (HrisikesaIndriyatmane). The focus of this write up is to share very potent prayers that can enhance our ability in meeting the number one challenge of fixing the Mind. Continue reading "Controller of the Uncontrollable
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One thousand Russian devotees gathered to celebrate Diwali in spectacular style in Moscow on Saturday October 29^th. The afternoon was a cultural event to commemorate welcoming Lord Rama and his wife Sita Devi back to their capital Ayodhya. Hanuman, played by Jagat-Pati Das, was a particular crowd favorite. In an incredibly realistic costume, he jumped into the crowd, involving the audience. He also invited all the children onto the stage to participate in fun games with him.

Lets face it: we are tiny tiny organisms on a speck of dust we call the Earth which floats in the unimaginatively vast realms of space. Can we really work it all out on our own? In cosmic terms, are we not like ants?...And, can an insignificant insect ever be able to comprehend human politics? So how can humankind be absolutely sure there is no cosmic hierarchy, beyond what our tiny brains are able to perceive, or our eyes, telescopes and microscopes can see? But to be fair science doesn’t claim it has Absolute Knowledge. Rather it is a process…BUT that process focuses largely on observable matter, detectable by our imperfect senses, or instruments we invent. I argue that spirituality is a type of science which has methods and results which go beyond matter and our traditional five sense experience. Continue reading "Synthesising Science and Religion
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Глава 12

Дорогой Пурначандра Госвами,

Пожалуйста, прими мои самые смиренные поклоны. Слава Шриле Прабхупаде!

С великой скорбью я узнал о твоем внезапном уходе из этого мира. И хотя мы, готовясь к этим неминуемым событиям, постоянно слушаем о них из шастр, все же, всякий раз, когда они случаются, мы оказываемся неподготовленными. Вот и сейчас я с трудом могу поверить, что тебя уже нет с нами.

Уход твой повергает мое сердце в глубокую печаль. Говорится, что время лечит все раны, но это утверждение неприложимо к уходу Вайшнавов. На самом деле рана становится глубже, когда мы вспоминаем о них и об их вкладе в развитие этого исторического движения, распространяющего по всему миру учение Шри Чайтаньи Махапрабху.

Нет сомнений, уход твой благоприятен, ведь ты отправился назад к Богу. Пусть это и так, но мы-то все – твои духовные братья, ученики, друзья – остались здесь и горюем по тебе. Твое возвращение в духовный мир – приобретение для преданных той трансцендентной обители и трагичная потеря для нас. Не только для нас, но и для всех обусловленных душ, что могли бы тебя встретить, останься ты чуть подольше.

Преданные твоего уровня всегда сосредоточены на миссии своего духовного учителя – проливать свет учения Господа во благо других. Когда такой проповедник уходит, свет этот тускнеет, и мир становится чуть темнее.

Мы были друзьями. Бывает, люди роняют небрежно: “О, это мой друг, и этот тоже” или “Да я его знаю. Он мой друг”. Но дружба в сознании Кришны – это не что-то легковесное. Только по особой милости Кришны можно стать кому-то дороже жизни. Такая дружба основывается не на общности материальных желаний, она формируется и развивается в служении гуру и Гауранге. И она углубляется и становится все более нектарной благодаря опыту счастливой совместной проповеди сознания Кришны.

Товарищеские отношения, которые сложились у нас во время проповеди в Англии, России и Индии, всегда вдохновляли меня. Казалось, что у нас была естественная тяга друг к другу, хотя мы и были очень разными. Ведь говорится, что противоположности притягиваются. Я по своей природе более открытый и общительный, а ты из-за своего смирения частенько был застенчивым и сдержанным. И все же нас, таких разных, объединяло много общего: киртаны, лекции и ежегодные поездки в Шри Вриндаван хаму.

Фактически, это твое стремление к Враджа-бхакти, твой решительный настрой достичь ее, ради чего ты старался приезжать в Шри Вриндаван дхаму при любой возможности и оставаться там как можно дольше, совершая бхаджан, и покорили меня. Ты часто проводил карттику в дхаме, изучая шастры и повторяя святое имя с неустанным вниманием.

Благодаря своей начитанности ты глубоко понимал священные писания и обладал уникальной способностью делиться своим пониманием с другими. Это было видно во время твоих лекций и семинаров, – они всегда пользовались успехом у преданных. Ты проповедовал всего в нескольких странах и не был широко известен в ИСККОН, потому я был счастлив, когда в Джи-Би-Си по достоинству оценили твои способности и поручили создать и возглавить Комитет по соответствию шастрам.

Я никогда не забуду, как однажды твое знание писаний выручило меня, не обладающего такой глубокой эрудицией, в трудной ситуации. Как-то во время карттики я присоединился к большой парикраме, направлявшейся к Вишрама Гхату на границе Вриндавана и Матхуры. Возглавлял ее Радханатха Свами, и там были многие мои прославленные духовные братья: Дина Бандху Прабху, Бхакти Чайтанья Махараджа, Б.Б. Говинда Махараджа и другие.

Сотни преданных со всего мира заполнили множество автобусов, и мы отправились на парикраму. По милости Кришны я сидел рядом с тобой. Тут мы получили сообщение от Радханатхи Свами, что всех духовных братьев попросят сказать несколько слов. Я забеспокоился, потому что знал очень мало (если не сказать, ничего не знал) об играх, которые проходили в Вишрама Гхате.

Когда я сказал тебе об этом, ты улыбнулся.

– Я тебе расскажу, а ты запиши, – сказал ты, – а потом будешь опираться на свои записи во время рассказа.

Ты стал описывать игры, происходившие в Вишрама Гхате, в мельчайших деталях, вставляя забавные истории и откровения, так, как это сделал Вишванатха Чакраварти Тхакур и другие. Ты посоветовал мне перечитать записи, пока мы добираемся до этого святого места, чтобы, когда я начал говорить о том, чем ты со мной поделился, это выглядело естественно. Прямо перед нашим прибытием ты досконально проверил меня, чтобы убедиться, что я говорю от всего сердца.

Мы приехали в Вишрама Гхат. Около семисот преданных расселись в этом благодатном месте, а наши духовные братья сели лицом к ним. Меня попросили выступить первым. Я занял место у микрофона и взглянул на тебя, а ты подмигнул мне, давая понять, что все будет хорошо. Я начал говорить, и поскольку не раз перечитал свои записи, описания игр и развлечений просто полились у меня из уст. Это было удивительным, трансцендентно приятным переживанием.

После этого многие преданные подходили поблагодарить меня за речь, – даже Радханатха Свами.

– Я и не предполагал, – сказал он, – что ты такой расика-бхакта со столь глубокими реализациями и таким пониманием шастр.

Я не мог не признаться ему, что узнал все это от тебя всего час назад.

Так я был спасен, и никто не узнал о пробелах в моих познаниях, – благодарю тебя за это еще раз. Ты был моложе меня и в этой жизни занимался преданным служением меньше лет, чем я, но ты был более продвинут во всех отношениях.

Я так сожалею, что в этой жизни ты не получил того признания, которого заслуживал. Иногда такое признание предоставляет преданному лучшие условия, чтобы делиться своим пониманием и опытом с другими людьми, обретающими все блага от подобного общения.

На Земле так мало людей, подобных тебе, Махараджа, так мало тех, кто готов пожертвовать всем и вся ради проповеди миссии Господа Чайтаньи Махапрабху. Особенно после принятия санньясы, ты целые дни напролет был занят, делая столько всего, чтобы делиться своей удачей с другими.

Мне будет тебя не хватать. Твоим духовным братьям и сестрам будет не хватать тебя. Твоим ученикам будет не хватать тебя. И людям в Боснии, Хорватии и России будет не хватать тебя, хотя они этого могут и не знать. Воистину великое бедствие, катастрофа обрушилась на общество – ушел верный и талантливый Вайшнав, который занимался высшей формой благотворительности. Сотни миллиардов невежественных душ не могут сравниться с одним смиренным Вайшнавом, подобным тебе.

Мир не знает, кого он потерял. Однако мы знаем, и потому помним о тебе, сохраняя в своих сердцах. И думаю, что мы не одиноки. Служение, совершенное тобой и преданными, подобными тебе, будет признано обитателями высших планет. Почему бы и нет? Можно не сомневаться, твой духовный учитель, Шрила Прабхупада, оценил тебя по достоинству, а он – это все полубоги, вместе взятые.

В день церемонии самадхи, я, как и многие другие, с почтением предлагаю тебе мои последние, самые смиренные поклоны. Я буду считать великой удачей, если в следующей жизни мне вновь посчастливится заниматься служением рядом с тобой.

Твой слуга, друг, почитатель и духовный брат
Индрадьюмна Свами

Kamyavan Karttika 2016 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: On the 29th, we visited the western petal of Braja, Kamyavan, where all our spiritual desires are fulfilled! We first saw Phisilini Shila, Krishna and Balaram’s slide. Then we visited Vyomasura’s Gupha, Cave, where Vyomasura hid all the cowherd boys! Paying our respects to Lord Balaram’s Footprint, we walked to Bhojan Sthali, where Krishna and the cowherd boys took their lunch and the rocks made thalis and katoras for them to eat. After visiting Vimal Kunda, we completed our journey at Kamesvara Mahadeva Mandir! Pics thanks to Vittalrukmini Das!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/3BmBPV

BBT Far East / Middle East (Album with photos)
Latest blissful photos of Arabic book distribution to university students from Saudi Arabia. Two of them insisted on also getting the English Gita – to learn English from something they suddenly find captivating – after being amazed to receive books in their own language!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/V3uIoV

Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books (Album with photos)
Mohanasini Devi Dasi (ACBSP): Ok, I admit it…. I’m hooked! Nothing gives me more pleasure, more satisfaction, more happiness, etc. than distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books! I meet fortunate souls every day who are eager to learn about this transcendental knowledge and I am so grateful to be an instrument in their spiritual journey! For a real treat….click on the pics to see what they think!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/eynweN

Rod Smith’s visit to New Raman Reti (Album with photos)
Krsna Katha Dasi: Rod Smith, running for State Senate here in Florida, came to the New Raman Reti temple yesterday for the first time. These photos are of a discussion with concerned parents and teachers regarding continuation of Step Up scholarships for the families whose children attend the Bhaktivedanta Academy.

Gopastami celebration at ISKCON Ujjain (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
Find them here: https://goo.gl/5In1CJ

Initiation of new disciples in Vrindavana (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In order to change this materialistic society and prevent them from gliding to hell, first thing is to educate them. All decent men want to give service to humanity, only thing is they do not have information really what is that service. Hospitals, feeding the poor, Red Cross, these are service to the bodies only, not to the man. Service to humanity means jnana. By giving people knowledge, jnana, that is the highest service to humanity. So we are performing the actual welfare work of society by informing everyone through our literatures who is God, who they are, and what is the relationship. In this way everyone who hears our message gets the opportunity to fulfill his actual position as human entity and become delivered from the clutches of maya. So you may understand it that by disseminating our Krsna consciousness propaganda anywhere and everywhere, by selling books, by making publicity, newspapers, television, so many ways there are to spread Krsna consciousness information, you may know it that by utilizing our energy in this way to give everyone access to the Absolute Truth, that is the real understanding of desire to serve humanity. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Ramesvara – India 9 January, 1973
Find them here: https://goo.gl/3KkvRJ

Election Day Blues and the Leadership Vacuum by Sankirtana Das

“Just as the Ganges is the greatest of all rivers, Lord Acyuta the supreme among deities and Lord Shambhu (Siva) the greatest of Vaisnavas, so Srimad-Bhagavatam is the greatest of all Puranas.” [ Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.16 ] Mount Kailash, 22,000 feet (6,705 meters) above sea level, is a special and sacred dhama because it is there that Siva meditates deeply on Lord Krishna and meets with great sages like Narada. It was at Mount Kailash that the Ganges descended with great force from the spiritual world to the material world and was caught by Lord Siva in his matted locks. “The demigods observed Lord S'iva sitting on the summit of Kaila-sa Hill with his wife, Bhava-ni-, for the auspicious development of the three worlds. He was being worshiped by great saintly persons desiring liberation. The demigods offered him their obeisances and prayers with great respect.” [ Srimad Bhagavatam 8.7.20 ] Kailash is also known as Mount Meru, the center of the universe. Throughout the ages it has been called by various names including Jewel Peak, Lotus Mountain, and Silver Mountain. The city of Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods, is said to be near Mount Kailash. Continue reading "O Resident of Kailash!
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Shri Richard Verma, Hon'ble US Ambassador to India visited the ISKCON Glory of India Cultural Center yesterday, 7th October. Time and tide wait for no one. There is danger at every step. You can see how the calamities in the world can come anytime and strike anyone in this world. One who is spiritually alert has no fear in life. Just like when the wings of a bird develop, the bird flies out of the nest. If you have proper knowledge of the philosophy, your mind will be peaceful and you will be free from anxieties and you will be able to achieve the goal of life with self confidence. Continue reading "US Ambassador marks 50th Anniversary at ISKCON Delhi
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Grateful

After one of my talks in an American university, a student who had heard attentively and asked good questions approached me and enquired, “What is your name? I couldn’t get it when you were introduced.” When I answered, she shook her head regretfully and said, “I will never get that.” Even just Chaitanya was difficult for her to repeat. One of her friends, who had tagged along with her and had been not so interested in the talk, just rolled her eyes and muttered something about unpronounceable names.

Later, when I shared this incident with some devotees, I came to know that many of them had faced similar problems. I heard several humorous narratives of how Indian names had been mangled by Westerners.

A devotee named Dr Ghosh told me that one of his acquaintances wrote a letter addressing him as Dr Ghost. Another devotee suggested cheekily that he could have signed off his reply with, “Always ready to haunt you, Dr Ghost,” thus repaying the sender in kind by misspelling help as haunt.
In my teenage years, I had noticed that many of my relatives who had emigrated to the West had adopted shorter, westernized versions of their names: Vivek became Vic, for example. When I had cracked GRE about two decades ago, several of my friends, who like me were set to go to the US for higher studies, had started calling me with a shortened and westernized version of my legal name: Chandrahas became Chandu (pronounced as Chaandu). At that time, I had thought such change of names was just a fashion, but now I realized it was often a functional necessity.

Driven by such necessity, devotees who have two-word or three-word names often shorten it to the first word. Thus, Jaya Jagannatha becomes Jaya or even more accessible as Jay. However, some names can’t be easily shortened. For example, Sita-Rama-Lakshmana das when shortened gives the feminine Sita, which becomes problematic when addressing a male.

Later, when I was in Toronto, Canada, and was talking with Bhakti Marga Maharaj about the challenges of outreach to Westerners, he said that the challenge begins with our name itself. He stressed that many people can’t get his name. I realized that shortening his name was not an option for him – the shortened name Bhakti is feminine. When I asked how he introduces himself, he laughed and replied “The Walking Monk.” Of course, that fits his profile perfectly because he has carved out a distinctive, even unique, identity for himself by his celebrated walks across all of Canada from one coast to another. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a distinct identity and an apt identifier to go with it.

Subsequently, one devotee suggested that I could introduce myself as “The Spiritual Scientist.” I was hesitant, feeling that the name was presumptuous, both spiritually and scientifically. From the spiritual perspective, I see the great sages of the past as spiritual scientists and myself as their aspiring servant – my website is simply meant to be a channel for their wisdom. From the scientific perspective, I am not exactly a scientist – I graduated in engineering, not science.

But on later thought, I felt that that is the best among the choices I have, and I may use it next year. Of course, despite that student finding Chaitanya difficult to pronounce, it is not all that difficult – the only thing is that it is not further condensable. I will use it as my first preference.

More importantly, Vishnu is glorified as sarva-naamavaan (the possessor of all names). So, the name spiritual scientist can apply to him too – he is the ultimate spiritual scientist. I will try to see the connection with Krishna of whatever name I have to use functionally, while cherishing the fact that I have been gifted a name that can much more directly remind me of Krishna.

The post What’s in a name? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Lord Krishna detected some pride in Lord Indra and wanted to teach him a lesson. Instead of worshipping Indra, He convinced the inhabitants of Vrindavan to honour Govardhan Hill instead.

Outraged, Indra retaliated with terrifying thunderstorms. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, calmly lifted Govardhan Hill with the little finger of His left hand. For seven days and seven nights the Lord held up Govardhan Hill, providing a giant umbrella to shelter the inhabitants of Vrindavan from the torrential rain.

Realising the futility of his actions, King Indra bowed down before the Lord with folded hands and offered prayers of supplication.

Govardhana Puja and Go-Puja were nicely celebrated at New Gokula farm in Millfield NSW.

After one of my talks in an American university, a student who had heard attentively and asked good questions approached me and enquired, “What is your name? I couldn’t get it when you were introduced.” When I answered, she shook her head regretfully and said, “I will never get that.” Even just Chaitanya was difficult for her to repeat. One of her friends, who had tagged along with her and had been not so interested in the talk, just rolled her eyes and muttered something about unpronounceable names.

Later, when I shared this incident with some devotees, I came to know that many of them had faced similar problems. I heard several humorous narratives of how Indian names had been mangled by Westerners.

A devotee named Dr Ghosh told me that one of his acquaintances wrote a letter addressing him as Dr Ghost. Another devotee suggested cheekily that he could have signed off his reply with, “Always ready to haunt you, Dr Ghost.” He could have repaid the sender in kind by misspelling help as haunt.

In my teenage years, I had noticed that many of my relatives who had emigrated to the West had adopted shorter, Westernized versions of their names: Vivek became Vic, for example. When I had cracked GRE about two decades ago, several of my friends, who like me were set to go to the US for higher studies, had started calling me with a shortened and westernized version of my legal name: Chandrahas became Chandu (pronounced as Chaandu). At that time, I had thought such change of names was just a fashion, but now I realized it was often a functional necessity.

Driven by such necessity, devotees who have two-word or three-word names often shorten it to the first word. Thus, Jaya Jagannatha becomes Jaya or even more accessible as Jay. However, some names can’t be easily shortened. For example, Sita-Rama-Lakshmana das when shortened gives the feminine Sita, which becomes problematic when addressing a male.

Later, when I was in Toronto, Canada, and I was talking with Bhakti Marga Maharaj about the challenges of outreach to Westerners, he said that the challenge begins with our names itself. He stressed that no one gets his name. I realized that shortening his name was not an option – the shortened name Bhakti is feminine. When I asked how he introduces himself, he laughed and replied “The Walking Monk.” Of course, that fits his profile perfectly because he has carved out a distinctive, even unique, identity for himself by his celebrated walks across all of Canada from one coast to another. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a distinct identity and an apt identifier to go with it.

Later, one devotee suggested that I could introduce myself as “The Spiritual Scientist.” I was hesitant, feeling that the name was presumptuous, both spiritually and scientifically. From the spiritual perspective, I see the great sages of the past as spiritual scientists and myself as their aspiring servant – my website is simply meant to be a channel for their wisdom. From the scientific perspective, I am not exactly a scientist – I graduated in engineering, not science.

But on later thought, I felt that that is the best among the choices I have, and I may use it next year. Also, Vishnu is glorified as sarva-naamavaan (the possessor of all names). He is the ultimate spiritual scientist. So, I will try to see the connection with Krishna of whatever name I have to use functionally, while cherishing the fact that I have been gifted a name that can much more directly remind me of Krishna.

The post “What’s your name?” & “What’s in a name?” appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

All leaders, political or otherwise, should try their best to “lead by example.” There should be an awareness that not only the people of the nation, but the entire world is listening to their messages and watching their behavior.

Saranagati is the chief symptom of a devotee. Saranagati should be complete. The symptoms of it are there. One should have firm faith, drdah visvas, that “avasya raksibe krsna”, Krishna will protect me. If you have no faith, you cannot achieve the goal; asraddhadanah purusah… says the Gita: You’ll have to come back in this mortal world. The Vedic siddhanta is that everything is based on firm faith, sastriya sraddha. Saranagati, unconditional surrender, is the life of the devotee, through which the most difficult to achieve krsna-prema is obtained, by the mercy of the magnanimous Gauranga. To be akincana, to have nothing in this world that you call yours, is one symptom of saranagati. Atma-samarpana is the same as saranagati… Only a fully surrendered devotee sees Krishna; otherwise, He’s covered by yoga-maya. Those who are fully surrendered are very dear to Krishna. Krishna has not given prema in His Vraja descent, but as Gauranga he gives it freely. He teaches saranagati: Take full shelter of the holy name, then you’ll get prema, through offenseless chanting… 4 things develop pride and prevent from surrender: janma, aisvarya, sruta, sri. So one must become akincana. Continue reading "Unconditional Surrender
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Pontifical Council For Interreligious Dialogue.
Message To Hindus For The Feast Of Deepavali 2016
On behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, we offer our best wishes as you celebrate Deepavali on 30 October 2016. May your celebrations around the world deepen your familial bonds, and bring joy and peace to your homes and communities.

Govardhan puja festival just for children in Iskcon Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia 11/06/16 (Album with photos)

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His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj recently gave seminar on “Saranagati – The six limbs of Surrender” in Sridham Vrindavan from 5th November to 7th November 2016. Please find audio and video recordings of the seminar here: Day 1 Session 1 – Introduction (Song –...

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