Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016
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Toronto, Ontario
  
Seeing Those Before Me


In my humble opinion the following is worth repeating, an excerpt from our script, “Krishna Is” and it is a poeticized segment of the exchange between warrior, Arjuna, and wise Bhagavan (God). Author Bhaktimarga Swami.


ARJUNA:    Seeing those before me causes me to shiver.
  To lift my bow is as though I had never.

  Hairs stand on end, mind is reeling.
  I’m confused, it’s new, this kind of feeling.

 Sri Krishna, I just cannot fight.
 There’s something here that is not right.

KRISHNA:  Arjuna, you’ve lost your sense of duty.
                     A man of defense renounced a warrior’s beauty.

                     For the wise there’s a different point of view
                     Of eternity—no birth, no death—known by few.

                     Consider the world, which is full of duality.
                     Good and bad is its only reality.

                     The major point is to not lament.
                     The soul is forever, that is my comment.

                     Moving through bodies from young to old.
                     From old to young, the circle does unfold.

ARJUNA:    Krishna, what is the force that compels one to do wrong.
                     If you could please include this in your song.

KRISHNA:  It is desire, born of passion—then wrath
                    That keeps us covered and obscures the path.

                    Perform your yoga, and your sacrifice
                    For the creator and then all will be nice.

ARJUNA:   Krishna, yoga can be tried for controlling the mind.
                    But the mind is an instrument of a different kind.

                    I’m fine if asked to harness the wind.
                    But the mind cannot be anchored or pinned.

KRISHNA: Begin the process; take it easy and slow.
                    In the end, there’s freedom; the soul will then glow.

ARJUNA:   You are my teacher, mentor and guide.
                    It was no mistake to have you on my side.

                    I have come to consider about you there is more.
                    It’s your cosmic form I wish to explore.

KRISHNA: The form is manifest when we have the eyes.
                    Otherwise there’s the tendency to despise.

                    I reveal it to those whose devotion is clear.
                   When friendship is firm, I then come quite near.

                    It is surrender through service that is so sweet.
                    It is surrender that is illusion’s defeat.

ARJUNA:  Oh Krishna, my doubt is now gone.
                    I believe the fight should definitely go on.

KRISHNA: Arjuna, my song is old but alive.
                    You have your free will, but now let me drive.

May the Source be with you!

6 km 

Life is Short! Vaisesika Dasa: I met a pathologist recently who…
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Life is Short!
Vaisesika Dasa: I met a pathologist recently who works with cancer patients. She explained to me that there is a certain kind of pancreatic cancer that is most deadly and that one who contracts it can survive only a few months, at the most.
She said that because of the often-depressing nature of her job, she and her colleagues have a way of speaking among themselves to lighten the emotional impact when they receive bad news about a patient’s prognosis.
For example, when they read a patient’s lab results and find that the patient has developed the most deadly strain of pancreatic cancer, they speak about it to one another in a somewhat indirect way.
Among pathologists, a conversation might go like this:

“Did you read the lab report for your patient?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the result?”

“Well, I can tell my patient not to buy the big tube of toothpaste the next time she goes shopping.”

My first impression upon hearing this was that the pathologists’ conversation was almost too glib for the circumstances. After thinking about it a while, however, the phrase, “tell her not to buy the big tube …” stuck in my mind and their conversation began to seem more profound and it also made me question my own life and priorities:

What am I investing in and why? (Am I buying the “big tubes”?)

What people, things, and abilities that I already have, am I taking for granted?

I can also imagine a conversation among higher beings who, upon hearing about my very limited duration of life, might say among themselves: “Tell him not to buy the big tube of toothpaste.”

Life is Short Indeed, the bhakti scriptures clearly and repeatedly tell us that our human lives are shorter than we think! They say, therefore, that we should take excessive care to use every moment for advancing toward the highest goal – going back to Godhead:

“After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Krishna consciousness is possible only for a human being.” Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.9.29

Bhakti Tree (Album with photos) Ramai Swami: Krsna Kirtan das…
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Bhakti Tree (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: Krsna Kirtan das is from Croatia and his wife Amala Prema devi dasi from Turkey. They came to Australia about a year ago and served at New Gokula farm.
They have now transferred to the Bhakti Tree in Newcastle and both serve in the restaurant – he cooks and she takes care of the customers.
They also lead and participate in nice kirtan on the preaching nights.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/4lD7UK

The marathon of distributing 200.000 in UK Srila…
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The marathon of distributing 200.000 in UK Srila Prabhupada’s books during the Christmas holidays of 2016 just begun!
Sutapada das: Last of the first deliveries are in. We just offloaded an artic lorry fully loaded with 30,000 books! Seeing all these books piled up is a nerve racking sight. But I’m quietly confident.
Despite our inherent limitations, we gain firm conviction from knowing that the all-powerful will of providence is on our side. With such transcendental back-up, anything is possible. One who is ‘quietly confident’, their surety grounded in humility and dependence, can achieve unimaginable things in this world. Pride, complacency and hopelessness are not found in their dictionary. Seeing themselves as merely instruments, their job is to just “get out of the way” and let the divine magic manifest. Let’s see how the transcendental drama unfolds.
Watch a video about this here: https://goo.gl/hOsZZX

Please Don’t Be a Burden to the Earth
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Hare KrishnaBy Paramadayala Nityananda Dasa

Use of fossil fuel can be described by the Vedic term “ughra karma” or greatly destructive work; but changing to other forms of energy does not address the real problem. Human beings will continue to be a major burden to the Earth until we acknowledge that we are not the owners of the Sun, wind, water or atoms; these are produced and owned by God, and any energy we derive from them must be used for His pleasure. However great the population may be, we are not a burden to the Earth when we use energy in Krishna’s service. But we cannot avoid adverse reactions when we misuse energy for our sense gratification. As a society of Brahmana’s, it is the duty of ISKCON members to inform those who place their faith the Paris Agreement that it does not identify the real problem or give the real solution. This may make us unpopular, but people are suffering due to ignorance, so how can we not tell them the truth? Continue reading "Please Don’t Be a Burden to the Earth
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If someone says the sparks of Krishna’s splendor are enough for me, how can we connect them with Krishna?
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Answer Podcast


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The post If someone says the sparks of Krishna’s splendor are enough for me, how can we connect them with Krishna? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

WSN October 2016 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy Mayapur Sasi dasa

You may have heard that the Russian government is trying to stop book distribution. It passed a law that does not allow anyone from any religion to promote his beliefs, and if anyone gets caught, he invites a big fine. When the devotees in Russia heard this, it caused them transcendental anxiety. Devotees are known to be quite fearless, however, so they continued distributing anyway. One devotee was caught and went to court. Fortunately, he had a good lawyer. So the judge did not rule that the devotee had done something wrong. Rather, he threw out the case. That was the protection of Lord Caitanya, and it set a precedent. Continue reading "WSN October 2016 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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​How do prioritize between our duty to our parents and to our wife and children?
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Answer Podcast


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The post ​How do prioritize between our duty to our parents and to our wife and children? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

What You Live You Give
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Hare KrishnaBy Mahatma das

I once attended a workshop facilitation training in which we were taught that many people will come to our trainings with the mindset of “I already know that.” They explained that they might know of it, about it, or are familiar with it, but they don’t know it unless they live it. So if our audience thinks they already know what we will be teaching, the learning process shuts down for them. So we were taught to joke with the audience by saying, “The three worse words in the English language for learning are, “I know that.” The point of this article is to see how this relates to us I am not the body. I’ve heard it 4000 times. I know this. Or do I? Continue reading "What You Live You Give
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Counter the inner negative conversation of doubt and desire
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Youth meeting at Dubai, UAE

Podcast


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Bhakti Tree
→ Ramai Swami

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Krsna Kirtan das is from Croatia and his wife Amala Prema devi dasi from Turkey. They came to Australia about a year ago and served at New Gokula farm.

They have now transferred to the Bhakti Tree in Newcastle and both serve in the restaurant – he cooks and she takes care of the customers.

They also lead and participate in nice kirtan on the preaching nights.

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An Account of the Last Journey of Jagajivan Das (ACBSP)
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On Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. during the holy month of Kartik, GBC member Jagajivan Das (ACBSP) left this world at Bhaktivedanta Hospital & Research Institute, Mira Road, Thane, Maharashtra, India. Jagajivan Das was on a visit to India for the recently concluded GBC meeting. For over a decade Jagajivan Das was suffering from cardiomyopathy resulting in the weakening of his heart and leading to breathlessness on exertion.

Four Excerpts from my Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest
→ NY Times & Bhagavad Gita Sanga/ Sankirtana Das


Bhima Fights Baka:
Bhima, however, grabbed the Rakshasa’s throat with one hand and held him at bay while he reached for yet another tasty item. Baka was incensed. With his face contorted and his red eyes bulging and his black, matted hair flying and showing his four rows of teeth, he raised a blood-curdling scream. Bhima threw him to the ground.  Baka quickly rebounded and uprooted a nearby tree and hurled it at Bhima. Bhima dodged it, and in an instant, they both ripped trees out of the ground and charged at each other, smashing one another relentlessly.  After those trees were shredded, they uprooted more trees, hurling them at one another.  The forest around them became decimated and the Rakshasa turned to find another tree. But he did not get far. Bhima jumped and rammed his knee into Baka’s back and broke his spine. Baka fell flat on his face. As he tried to get up, Bhima quickly twisted his neck. The Rakshasa’s eyes bulged out. He vomited blood and fell dead.


The Pandavas Enter The Himalayas
The way was steep and treacherous. All around them the skies darkened. Fierce winds were suddenly upon them and enveloped them in a dust storm. They lost sight of one another.  The winds howled so fiercely that the Pandavas were nearly swept off the mountainside. The group held on tightly to boulders and scraggly trees as the winds ripped at their faces and took their breath away.  Angry winds lashed at them from one direction and then another. But soon the winds ceased as suddenly as they had come.
The Pandavas felt relief only momentarily.  Pounding rains came fast upon them as thunder flashed against distant clouds. The group scurried higher, frustrated and in tears and not knowing where to turn.  Out of nowhere, or perhaps as if the Celestials had placed it right in their path, they came upon a cave. There they took shelter from the storm, which continued to rage throughout the night. 

From Gita
Arjuna asked, “What are the qualities of one who is in divine consciousness? How does he act?”
 Krishna spoke, his voice serene and majestic. “Such a person is not disturbed by the constant changes of this world. He is beyond the dualities of success and failure. Beyond profits and losses. Beyond pleasures and pains. Beyond the constant flow of desires which come and go like the waves of an ocean.  He is forever free from fear and anger.  His senses are restrained.  He eats, speaks, sleeps and works in moderation. He is not attached to the results of his work, but neither does he try to avoid work. He sees that all worldly pleasures, which first appear sweet and alluring, ultimately sour. They have a beginning and an end, and he does not strive for such things.
“Rather, he is situated in the pursuit of transcendence. He is happy from within. He rejoices and is illumined from within. Gradually his heart opens.  He sees all beings with equal vision and acts for their welfare. And he sees Me dwelling patiently in the hearts of all as the Companion. He is centered in knowledge, peace  and compassion. A person in this consciousness remains fixed, even at the moment of death. Such a rare soul readily attains Vaikuntha, My supreme spiritual abode, free from fears and anxieties, and above heaven itself.

The Battle Begins
In the heavens, Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Charanas gathered to watch the battle below. A moment of silent anticipation descended upon Kurukshetra, a moment which hung heavy, a moment of waiting, of postponing death a little while longer, and then drums and bugles sounded and warriors blew their conch shells, and Time once again ground forward as battle cries arose from the ranks of the armies and rolled across the valley, and like a great beast stirring from its slumber, the warriors shook their weapons and rushed at one another and collided together with a thunderous force. 

Copyright, 2013, Andy Fraenkel 


To see acclaim by scholars, another excerpt and to order go to www.Mahabharata-Project.com

Special Offer
→ NY Times & Bhagavad Gita Sanga/ Sankirtana Das

I hope all is well. This holiday season I am offering a special discount to devotees looking for gifts for friends, family and especially for people you’re cultivating. My book Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest has received a 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award - awards for independent publishers and authors.


And my CD Hanuman's Quest received a 2016 Storytelling World Resource Award - in the category 'Good Resource For Any Age- kids, teens, adults.' Also have two other CDs - Sacred Voices – stories and poems from the world’s sacred traditions (great for interfaith contacts), and Brahma’s Song (stories of Brahma & Krishna). 
All prices below include shipping expenses in USA to one address.
Mahabharata: 6 copies for $72 (that's $12 each) and 10 copies for $100.
Any assortment of my three CDs: 6 for $42 (that's $7 each) and 10 for $65 ($6.50 each).
There is more information on the book and CDs, including my standard prices, at https://mahabharata-project.com/order/
My background is in theater and I have tried to use my dramatic skills to create these resources to both inspire folks and serve as a bridge to help people appreciate the Vedic/Bhakti tradition. My book is being used in several college courses. My CDs include music along with the stories for a great listening experience. Your purchase will support my work to prepare more books and Cds of this nature.
Take care, your servant, Sankirtan das (ACBSP) 

Street Spirituality
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High streets are intriguing places; a microcosm of modern life. It’s where people descend in their thousands, searching for something extra to enrich their existence. Enter the monks. This is where we spend many days and weeks; standing on street corners, speaking to random people, and showing them spiritual books.

Agnideva Offers Heartfelt New Album for ISKCON 50
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Legendary kirtaniya Agnideva Dasa’s first new album in many years, to be released in January 2017, will be entitled “Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna.” It will sound like “an intimate kirtan with friends,” producers say. Named after one of its tracks – a bhajan Srila Prabhupada wrote aboard the Jaladuta on his way to America – it will be a heartfelt offering to the ISKCON Founder at the end of ISKCON’s 50th anniversary year.

Sri Varsana Dham
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Sri Varsana Dham is the place where Srimati Radharani displayed Her childhood pastimes. This video depicts various places around Varsana. Music by Tarana & friends - Love In Action.

Krishna, please don’t let any of those Bhagavad-gita copies come back home with us!
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Hare KrishnaBy Promila Chitkara

It was December – the month of Srila Prabhupäda’s book marathon! We were quite excited when we began book distribution. We remained excited throughout. The thought of reaching out to unlimited number of souls thrilled me. The results we achieved were seemingly in proportion to our efforts. Actually, the mercy we received during this time was much beyond the external effort or internal state. There were times when nothing seemed to work out, but then everything worked out at once. The first time when we got zero response I had this feeling Krishna would do something just before we decided to give up. He did! He always does! (I recalled the past incidents when He intervened just when I was about to give up.) Continue reading "Krishna, please don’t let any of those Bhagavad-gita copies come back home with us!
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Good Intentions
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Hare KrishnaBy Sarvatma Dasa

Having had some mystical experiences as a teenager that convinced me of the existence of God, I left my native country, Argentina, for Salvador, capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia, famous for its mysticism and magic. I arrived in the area without plans, money, or acquaintances and moved into a straw hut by the beach a couple of miles from the nearest fishing village and fifty miles from civilization. It was an ideal setting of palm trees, a small lake, a river of crystalline water, and the turquoise Atlantic Ocean, in year-round eighty-degree weather. I made a new friend there. He was reading the Bible and other books about God, playing music for God, and smoking marijuana to keep in touch with "the subtle world of God consciousness." While I played saxophone and recorder, he would play guitar. We intended to satisfy God with our musical spontaneity. Continue reading "Good Intentions
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Attachment to the Holy Names
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Hare KrishnaBy Subhag Swami

Madhu means sweet. It means honey. Krishna is also called Madhu. In this material world there is one type of honey and in the spiritual world there is also a type of honey. The sweet honey in the spiritual realm is the real honey which we should hanker for. In this material world there is Kandarpa (Cupid) but in the eternal world, Madan (Cupid) is Krishna and everyone is attracted by Him. The holy name and Krishna are non different. Even great personalities such as Brahma chant the holy name in ecstasy with his four mouths. Narada Muni joyfully plays his vina melodiously accompanying the chanting of Krishna’s name. Mahadev too, blissfully calls out the Lord’s names with his five mouths. In this regard Rupa Goswami desires to have millions of tongues to taste Krishna’s nectarine names. He hankers for millions of ears to relish a tinge of the sweet holy name. Still with this I won’t be satisfied. Can we even estimate what we are missing out? Within the name is everything. Due to the diseased condition of our tongue we cannot delight in this sublime mantra. Still however we are tasting and delighting in prasad but there is a long way to go. Continue reading "Attachment to the Holy Names
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Srila Prabhupada – Disappearance Day (6th November 2016) (Album…
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Srila Prabhupada - Disappearance Day (6th November 2016) (Album with photos)
ISKCON Pakistan devotees were overjoyed by the visit of PhD Scholar HG Dr. Shyama Anand Krishna Prabhu from Australia on this special occasion.
Srila Prabhupada said: A devotee who confidently states his position and forcefully refutes others may be misunderstood to be arrogant, especially by those brought up in the pseudo-liberal belief that every opinion is as good as any other. But a devotee’s confidence comes, not from pride or dogmatism, but because he is actually right and everyone else is wrong. Devotees know the Absolute Truth and thus know everything best. (Bhagavad Gita: 15:19)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/LaTM8B

Ground Breaking Ceremony for a new multi-specialty hospital at…
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Ground Breaking Ceremony for a new multi-specialty hospital at Sri Dham Mayapur happened recently during Ras Purnima festival.
The city of Sri Mayapur is expanding, with its number of visitors and its residents increasing every passing year. Kirtan priya das , Nanda Suta das and Prana Gauranga Das inspired and motivated by HH. Jayapataka Swami have stepped forward to build the hospital, for the benefit of growing number of Mayapur Community devotees.
“As a part of the development of a spiritual township , its important to have a hospital and health facility.”, HH Jayapataka Swami said. He also explained that Srila Prabhupada ,after a Govardhan puja in Mayapur saw some poor children eat scraps of left over Prasad. At that time Srila Prabhupada expressed his desire that he never wanted any one to go hungry within a ten mile radius of the ISKCON Campus. It was then that we started the Food For Life at Mayapur”. Maharaj further said that the Hospital was an extension of this instruction.

ISKCON Auckland NZ: Harinam in the rain (Album with…
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ISKCON Auckland NZ: Harinam in the rain (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our philosophy is “Come. Come here, play with Krsna as cowherd boy. Come here, dance with Krsna as gopi. Come here, accept Krsna as your son, Krsna will accept you as His mother.” There will be always two, and enjoy, any way. Even as enemy, demon displaying part of enemy, Krsna killing, that is also pastime too. That is also enjoyment. Just like sometimes we fight, friend to friend, to enjoy life, because fighting is enjoyment. You become enemy of Krsna purposefully, and to fight with Him, that is giving pleasure to Krsna. Krsna is enjoying, and He also becomes so staunch enemy. So this is also transcendental pleasure. Just like Bhisma. He is piercing the body of Krsna, and He is coming with cakra. That is a pleasure. Krsna is enjoying being pierced by His devotee. And devotee is enjoying, “Now Krsna is coming to kill me.” So any way you can deal with Krsna and enjoy transcendental pleasure, either as enemy or as friend or as son or as lover, as master, as a servant – any way. Krsna is prepared to deal with you any way, in twelve rasas, akhila-rasamrta-sindhu. Raso vai sah, in the Vedas, He is the reservoir of all pleasure, transcendental. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversations – September 11, 1974, Vrndavana
Find them here: https://goo.gl/prJTqy

Mantra Meditation Guide
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Mantra Meditation Guide.
Recently, I had the great opportunity to help design and edit (with HH Giriraja Swami) a 4"x10" mini tri-fold brochure entitled the “MANTRA MEDITATION GUIDE.” With over 20,000 currently in print in North America, supplying LA, SD, Dallas, RVC and Tucson, I am feeling very encouraged to share the design with other yatras.
The printing cost is extremely affordable, at roughly 2.5 cents per guide, ~$160 for 5,000 copies and the design/content customization I am offering free of charge.
Additionally, I have an account with a wholesale printing company (USA) and would be happy to get a quote to place an order on your behalf.
If you are interested, feel free to contact me for more details.
All glories to your service! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
your servant,
Bhismadeva Dasa