​Does our enthusiasm in bhakti come from our sincerity or from Krishna’s mercy?
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The Call of Dharma at EY Headquarters, London
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Hare KrishnaBy Sri Radharamana dasa

The ‘Call of Dharma’ marks the evening of a daylong celebration across the firm which included Diwali prashadam sweets distributed to all UK and Ireland EY offices along with festive cards and animated media wall messages. In the spirit of the festival, EY hosted a 'dress colourful' day across UK and a lunchtime Bharat Natyam performance at the UK Headquarters. With over 100 professionals in attendance at the evening event, His Holiness explained how one can take lessons from the story of Diwali and reflect them in our professional lives. Due to huge demands, the event was streamed live via the ‘Veda London’ page on Facebook where people in their thousands, from all over the world, tuned in to watch the keynote speech. His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami explained how the Ramayana literally documents the ‘Journey of Lord Rama’ to exemplify ideal character and virtues through the history of Lord Rama’s journey for global peace and prosperity despite life’s various challenges. Diwali appears as the summation of that journey. In explaining the Call of Dharma, His Holiness used various examples to describe the dormant nature of the living entity and subsequent Dharma, which when followed, grants permanent peace and prosperity. Continue reading "The Call of Dharma at EY Headquarters, London
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The Ramayana on the Need for a Proper Leader
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Hare KrishnaBy Sri Nandanandana dasa

Sometimes people think that the ancient Vedic literature no longer has any real usefulness in this day and age. That it is little better than an antique of foregone days. However, this article shows the universal and ever-relevant nature of the Ramayana, and how it explains the symptoms of society when there is no ruler, or when there is an unqualified leader. This is from the discussion between Markandeya and the great sages and Visishtha when they urge him to install a proper king onto the throne. When there is no such ruler of a country, they describe an assortment of symptoms and problems in society that become prominent, and thus spoil life for the citizens. The descriptions are of a society that is falling apart, wherein the citizens are troubled by the lawlessness and corruption that abounds. However, these symptoms are what we find so common in today’s world, which shows the timeless nature of the instructions given by these great sages. Nonetheless, in other situations in the Ramayana, we find remedies for these problems. Such as when Vibhishana instructs Ravana on some of the duties of a king, which we briefly look at. However, Ravana did not like being instructed in this way because he was not interested in acting like a good king anyway, similar in ways to some of the rulers we see today. Continue reading "The Ramayana on the Need for a Proper Leader
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​Appreciating Srila Prabhupada’s transcendence in sharing bhakti
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​Prabhupada disappearance day offering

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Appreciating Srila Prabhupada’s transcendence in sharing krishna-bhakti (Prabhupada disappearance day meditation)
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In acquiring knowledge, it is said that what we can know depends on what we know. On seeing pale fingernails, a layperson sees just the discoloration of the nails, but a doctor sees signs of anemia. As the doctor knows more about the body’s functioning than a layperson, the doctor can come to know more about its possible malfunctioning on seeing things that convey nothing significant to laypeople.

Similarly, the more we come to know about bhakti and especially about the challenges of sharing bhakti with others, the more we can appreciate the sacrifice of those who have dedicated their lives to sharing bhakti. And the greatest among the modern sharers of bhakti is our exalted founder-acharya, His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, whose thirty-ninth disappearance day we are observing today.

During the last few years, since I started traveling in various parts of the world for sharing bhakti, I have gained increased appreciation of two aspects of Srila Prabhupada’s outreach: his capacity to transcend jet-lag and his capacity to transcend his body’s need of sleep for writing.

 

Beyond jet-lag

I had heard from Srila Prabhupada’s close associates, especially his personal servants, how Srila Prabhupada was never affected by jet-lag. But the significance of this point didn’t register in me till I found myself afflicted by jet-lag . When we travel across time zones, the body’s biological clock remains in the time zone we were in earlier, even if the body is now in another time zone. Getting the body’s clock to adjust to the new time zone often takes several days. And during that interim period, our sleep cycles, digestion patterns and other bodily functions get disturbed, even disrupted, thereby adversely affecting our capacity to function effectively. That is the way with most normal human beings.

Srila Prabhupada traveled extensively and tirelessly, his functioning never impeded by jet-lag. Such uninterrupted service is testimony to his absorption in Krishna and in his capacity to transcend a bodily limitation that affects most human beings.

 

Beyond sleep

Another way in which Srila Prabhupada transcended his body’s normal limitations has been far more consequential for all of us: by his writing books after just a few hours of sleep. How difficult such writing can be, I would like to share from an author’s perspective.

As I have many writing commitments – and keep getting many more – many times I have resolved to cut down on my night sleep so that I can wake early and write. Even if I do manage to wake early, I have found that my brain is in no condition to write. On most such occasions, I simply struggle against sleep without doing any constructive writing. And the experience of most authors is similar. Whatever books on writing I have read, therein I have found that writers are unanimous that one needs to sleep adequately to write effectively.

Of course, it could be said that any bodily activity requires that the body be sufficiently rested. That’s true, but that requirement of rest is all the more so for an activity like writing because writing is both sedentary and solitary. If while being inadequately rested, we have to do some activity that involves some moving about, that motion helps in fighting off sleep. Similarly, while insufficiently rested, if we need to do some work that involves talking with others, then that conversation too helps in warding off sleep. But when we are doing an activity such as writing that involves neither motion nor conversation, sleep attacks with full force – all the more so when we haven’t given the body its due quota of sleep.

That Srila Prabhupada could reduce his bodily quota of sleep to so little and still write his books – and write books that contained some of the most profound wisdom the world has ever seen – is simply astonishing. It demonstrates that he is in a class of his own, far above even the best of writers.

 

Beyond artistic expression to spiritual compassion

Another distinctive feature of Srila Prabhupada is his inspiration for writing. All creative artists, including writers, labor to bring their creations to fruition for many reasons. One reason that strongly drives many writers is the thought that that particular work of art will never be produced if they don’t produce it.

Srila Prabhupada’s motivation went far beyond artistic expression to spiritual compassion. He couldn’t tolerate living in a world where Krishna’s glories were not widely available for everyone in the world’s principal language of mainstream communication: English. And he couldn’t tolerate this absence because he could see, through the eyes of scriptural knowledge, that people, by the millions and billions, were suffering because of a lack of spiritual knowledge. So, he strove tirelessly to share spiritual knowledge, specifically the summit of spiritual knowledge in the form of the glories of the highest spiritual reality, Krishna.

Thus, it was Srila Prabhupada’s intolerance towards people’s suffering that enabled him to tolerate and transcend his own body’s needs.

Each day, when after getting adequate rest, I sit down to write, I hope and pray that remembrance of Srila Prabhupada’s sacrifice may fill me with gratitude. He gave me the content to write and he gave up his own comfort so as to lay the foundation of a global movement that provides me the facilities to write comfortably.

Offering my eternally prostrated obeisances to Srila Prabhupada, I beg for his mercy so that I can do my small part in practicing and sharing the bhakti wisdom with which he has enriched the world.

 

 

 

 

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Jiva the appreciator and Krsna the appreciable
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Hare KrishnaBy Vaisesika Das

The jiva is a an appreciator and Krishna is the Supreme appreciated and that's our job, that's all we have to do, to appreciate Krishna and all Krishna has to do is be Krishna because He's completely appreciable. Every living entity has an appreciating capacity. Some living entity's appreciating capacity is very small, but when we come to the human form of life we can expand our appreciating capacity unlimitedly. What blocks it? Matsarya, envy! Matsarya means the inability to tolerate the eminence of another. But devotees have freedom from matsarya and the ability to appreciate. And they expand their appreciating capacity, and as they do, they have so much overflow that they go out to distribute to others. This is the process of Krishna consciousness. Continue reading "Jiva the appreciator and Krsna the appreciable
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Honorable Lt Governer of NCT Delhi meets the…
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Honorable Lt Governer of NCT Delhi meets the devotees.
Vrajendranandan Das: Recently we met Shri Najeeb Jung, Honorable Lt Governer of NCT Delhi. H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja presented Bhagavad Gita As it Is in English language and briefed him about ISKCONs Golden Jubilee celebrations around the world. H.H. Gopal Krishna Maharaja appraised him about ISKCONs spreading Vedic culture for benefit of humanity, through ISKCONs 650 centers around the world. Maharaja invited Lt. Governor for Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Delhi on 05/Nov/2016. Honorable Lt Governor was very impressed after patiently listening about ISKCON. He is interested to visit our New Delhi Temple in December 2016.

New Talavana’s Cow Festival.New Talavan’s tenth…
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New Talavana’s Cow Festival.
New Talavans tenth annual Cow Fest on Oct. 1 was definitely its most successful and exciting yet!!! Why? Because for once we werent preaching to the choir! All agreed that for the first time in years there were more festival new comers then devotees! Over 100 guests were greeted with the beauty of New Talavanits well-manicured grounds, lovely ponds, soaring hardwoods, varieties of flowers, and dozens of fruit bearing trees. Several guests, fantasizing aloud, were even inspired to ask, How can I live here too? One first time guest, a well-traveled missionary, proclaimed, In all my journeys, I have never witnessed a place quite as beautiful and peaceful! Here are a few more highlights of our visitors impressions:

Rare videos of Srila Prabhupada and the first days of iskcon
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Hare KrishnaBy non Iskcon media

These videos, most probably never seen before, are from the time when the media firstly became aware of the Hare Krishna movement and started covering several Krishna conscious events like the arrival of Srila Prabhupada in Geneva, Switzerland, the devotees in France and one of the first Harinamas in Tompkins Square Park, lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City. You may recognize many well known devotees in their youth and see how the movement was in its beginning. Don't mind about the language spoken, except for the devotees' interviews they mostly speak about new cults etc.. Continue reading "Rare videos of Srila Prabhupada and the first days of iskcon
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Arab Man Coming Back for Books Again and Again. Vijaya Dasa:…
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Arab Man Coming Back for Books Again and Again.
Vijaya Dasa: While distributing books at the West LA College in Los Angeles, I was speaking to a man from Saudi Arabia. He is upset that there is so much fighting in the Arab countries. I showed him the picture in the Gita of how a wise person sees within everyone both a soul and God and therefore respects all living entities.
Then I said, “If everyone saw like this, there’d no longer be wars around the world and there’d be no room for racism.”
He was so pleased to hear this that he gave a donation for a Gita, and I also gave him “Beyond Birth and Death” in Arabic. He was shocked that I had a book in Arabic, and that increased his happiness. Ten minutes later he came back and said that he had read some of the book and found it very interesting. He asked whether I had more books in Arabic. I said, “No, sorry.”
Then he said, “Do you have any more copies of the same book?”
I said, “Yes, I do.”
I gave him two more, and he made another nice donation.
Ten minutes later he came back again and asked whether he could give a donation for another Gita. This was turning into too much ecstasy.
I gave him my contact information, and he said that he’ll visit the temple this Sunday.
I was waiting for him to come back again, since it had become a regular thing, but he didn’t. I hope to see him again this Sunday.
Your servant,
Vijaya Dasa

At the lounge on Oct 13
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​How can we prevent our faith from going down with the passage of time?
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​We know our likes and dislikes, but how can we know ourselves?
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When religious conflicts cause violence, how can religious practice bring peace?
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When mantra meditation involves actions and changes, how does it take us from the unchanging to the changing?
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Where is the svabhava stored – is svabhava always unfavourable to bhakti?
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​How can we avoid getting sucked into local temple politics while practicing bhakti?
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Four Sets, One Person. I had a late start on Friday, July 1,…
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Four Sets, One Person.
I had a late start on Friday, July 1, 2016 (because of other services at the temple), but it was an excellent start. The first person I met took a Gita even though he could not even speak much English. This made me think it’s going to be a fantastic day. It proved to be so after meeting George. This was at Chinatown in Sydney,Australia.
George was born and brought up in Australia. He had not visited the temple, but was aware of it and appreciated the work done by the Hare Krsnas. He likes reading books and is reading one on the Upanisads. Hearing this, I showed him a Srimad Bhagavatam.
Seeing his interest, I read to him the text 1.1.3 and told him that this book is the ripened fruit of all the Vedic knowledge. He liked it. I had listened to a lecture on this verse earlier in the day, and I heard that it will satisfy all of the heart’s desires.
I showed him a BBT brochure and said that the Bhagavatam is a set of twelve volumes. He expressed interest to get a set the next day. Straight away, I connected to the verse even more, as I also pray to meet people who’d like a full set of Srila Prabupada’s books.
The next day happened to be Ekadasi, so I had some hope for George. In the morning he called, and to my surprise he also requested a Sri Caitanya-caritamrita set, which he could not even pronounce properly.
On meeting him. I offered him a full plate of Sri Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha maha-prasada, and he relished it.
On receiving the two sets, he said, “I have heard there are three sets.”
I told him not three; there are four, including the Prabupada-lilamrita and Brhad Bhagavatamrita. I invited him to a program at the temple. Devamrita Swami was in Sydney to give a class on Sunday. George did not make it for that class, but we got copies of the Lilamrita and Brhad Bhagavatamrita signed by Maharaja for him.
He is so appreciative of the devotees that it’s no wonder he has the inspiration to receive these transcendental books. I am writing this to express my gratitude to all the devotees he saw or met before, who helped him develop the desire to accept all these books.
Lord Caitanya’s causeless mercy is available for all. I feel grateful to be an instrument in some service to please Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his beloved devotees. I pray to all the Vaisnavas for mercy to increase set distribution. I also beg that you all bless George to study these books now and perfect his life.
His picture is attached.
Your servant,
Dhira-Lalita Dasa

ISKCON’s Congregational Development Ministry (CDM) Delivers First Counseling Training Course in Mayapur
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Hare KrishnaBy the cdm office

For 10 days devotees from different parts of the world attended the pilot course on "Vaisnava Life Counseling: A practical framework to support individuals and communities in ISKCON". An assorted group of devotees, interested in developing further their counseling skills and gaining a deeper understanding on how to help devotees, gathered in Sridhama Mayapur for a "hands-on" training in counseling. For over a year the CDM, in partnership with the Mayapur Institute (Atul Krsna Prabhu), has been working in the development of this course seeing the need for providing informed support to devotees experiencing difficulties of different kind. Iksvaku das, an Australian Social Worker and Counseling trainer -who facilitated the course- commented, "I am impressed by the great response we got from different temples and leaders about this course. This shows that this kind of training was long overdue in ISKCON. We hope Srila Prabhupada is pleased with this endeavour to attend to the devotees' well-being." Continue reading "ISKCON’s Congregational Development Ministry (CDM) Delivers First Counseling Training Course in Mayapur
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Lord Jagannatha lights up light festival of Banding, Indonesia
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Hare KrishnaBy Hari Narayana Das

The annual Bandung Light festival to commemorate the anniversary of Bandung city this year was celebrated on October 09, 2016. The grand festival was attended by most people in Bandung. This public festival was a chance for the devotees to introduce the Hare Krishna movement in Bandung. As Srila Prabhupada mention in his letter that “The time is fast approaching when we will have to perform such public kirtana in all the important cities of the world. Here also, in the Expo, they have performed kirtana for two days, and it is wonderfully successful." (SPL to Yamunä, July, 1968). The devotees did ratha yatra on the festival and this was the third Jagannath Ratha-yatra held in Bandung. Continue reading "Lord Jagannatha lights up light festival of Banding, Indonesia
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Recognizing the BBT/BBTI for Their Service to the TOVP
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Hare KrishnaBy the TOVP team

The entire TOVP Team wishes to publicly take this opportunity to recognize and thank the managers and devotees of the worldwide BBT/BBTI for their cooperation and service to the TOVP project since its beginnings in 2009. To date over $1.7 million has been given by the BBT/BBTI to the project, a most significant amount. Many devotees are unaware of the financial commitment made by the BBT/BBTI to fund the construction of the TOVP. This is in accordance with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions that the BBT utilize the profits from the sales of his books to fund temple construction and other projects throughout the world. It is most laudable that this directive of Srila Prabhupada has been maintained and such a large financial commitment has been directed to the TOVP year after year. We could not have come to the point of our current construction without these funds. And based on future financial projections we feel we will realize our common goal to together celebrate the Grand Opening of the TOVP during Gaur Purnima 2022. Continue reading "Recognizing the BBT/BBTI for Their Service to the TOVP
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Beautiful Vrinda Kunda (6 min video) Indradyumna Swami: Vrinda…
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Beautiful Vrinda Kunda (6 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Vrinda Devi helps Purnamasi plan and orchestrate Radha and Krsna’s daily pastimes in Vrindavan. Our parikrama party had the good fortune to visit her kunda ( pond ) and discuss her glories and chant her holy names in that beautiful and sanctified abode.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/cpeMdb

King of the Mountains
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Parikrama around Govardhan Hill during the month of Kartika in Vrindavan, India is a favorite devotional activity for devotees of Lord Krsna. Chanting softly on their prayer beads a group of 400 devotees relished every step of the 24 kilometer walk. Ananta Vrindavan dasa’s outstanding footage captured the bliss of the pilgrimage.

Open Invitation Reminder: November 11, 12 & 13, 2016
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cropped-NV_ISKCON_Logo_black_large.jpg     ECO-Vrindaban New Vrindaban ISKCON cows gardens Prabhupada

OPEN INVITATION: The board members of ISKCON New Vrindaban & ECO-Vrindaban humbly invite all New Vrindaban residents, neighbors and well-wishers to participate in the upcoming weekend activities.

NOVEMBER 11th, 12th & 13th WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

Friday, November 11th

7:30 pm to 8:30 pm: Dinner Prasad with member of the Village Council, Steering Committee, INV & ECO-V Boards & GBCs (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)

Saturday, November 12th

9:00 am to 10:00 am: Breakfast Prasad (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)

9:45 am to 1:30 pm: INV & ECO-V Department Head Presentations (under Lodge)

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm: Lunch Prasad (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)

2:30 pm to 5:00 pm: Community Dialog (Topics: Village Council & Moving Jagannath, under Lodge)

7:30 pm to 8:30 pm: Dinner Prasad with member of the Village Council, Steering Committee, INV & ECO-V Boards & GBCs (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)

Sunday, November 13th

9:00 am to 10:00 am: Breakfast Prasad (at Radha Vrindaban Chandra’s Temple)

10:00 am to 1:00 pm: Parikrama Tour (Prabhupada’s Palace, Spirit Garden, Temple Barn & RVC’s Workshop Building, weather permitting)

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Sunday Program & Feast (at RVC’s Temple)

3:30 pm to 5:30 pm: Service Appreciations (under Lodge, Pitambar & Amburish, Gopa & Damodara, & HH Varsana Swami)

Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 November 2013, Vrindavan, India, Lecture: Damodar Lila)

Prabhupada morning walk chadarThis is the month of Kartik and I was asked to speak on the month of Damodar but although Damodar is so much on my mind, even more than that is the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada actually.

We will have arati in Srila Prabhupada’s room, by his bed. At the end of the arati, Srila Prabhupada’s chadar goes around, the big grey woollen chadar and it is heavy. When I felt that heavy chadar, I felt the weight of responsibility – now we have to do something; we have to do something to take up this mission!

It is up to us now. See, we have inherited it. Now what are we going to do for Srila Prabhupada’s mission to make the whole world Krsna conscious. I feel that weight on my head with that chadar. So, we do not need to look at our hearts and do deep psycho-analysis to see whether we can find a trace of the six enemies: lust, anger and greed, madness and envy – don’t worry, it is there! But somehow or other, embrace the service of Srila Prabhupada – if you do that and if we do something to make others Krsna conscious, he will surely look in our direction. He will shower us with mercy and that will save us!