Planet ISKCON

A short film about brahmachari life at Moscow's Jagannath Mandir. Directed and produced by Shaktyavesha Avatar Das.

As jack-o-lanterns, comedy gravestones, and zombies crop up on our neighbor’s lawns, and every kid in town shakes with excitement about their candy haul, ISKCON devotees may be wondering whether or not to take their own children out trick-or-treating. Some devotees have expressed concerns about celebrating non-Gaudiya Vaishnava holidays. Others are Krishna-izing Halloween in creative ways. 

Srila Prabhupada’s Attractive Beauty

Satsvarupa das Goswami: Sri Krishna is “handsomeness and waves of nectar of handsomeness.” (Brhad-Bhagavatamrta). But Srila Prabhupada was seventy or eighty years old. We were all young men, so why were we attracted to this “old man”? (Srila Prabhupada used to say, “I’m an old man, I may die at any moment.” And, “I am a poor foreigner. Why are they after me?”) He had the attractive features of a sage. The way he sat, the shape of his head, the gestures of his hands. He was from the East, like Gautama Buddha. He sat on the floor or on the ground, and whatever furniture he had was at a low center of gravity, no chairs. The aura and look in his eyes was from another world. You can’t describe it, his shining eyes. His eyes signaled, “You can look in my eyes but you will not be able to understand my love of Krishna, but that’s what’s there.” He was childlike also, very sweet but very strong. You couldn’t come before him like a rogue and a rascal and still approach him. You had to accept that he was an elderly person, a guru, and you must be respectful to him, and then things could happen. Then you could begin to perceive his actual beauty; he would relax and allow himself to be taken care of by you and exchange with you.

We were certainly not turned off by the fact that he was an elderly person. We weren’t looking for youth. We knew where our youthful smart-aleckness had gotten us—into trouble and suffering. There was no question of sexual attraction, or as men sometimes do, squaring off with aggressiveness: “Can you beat me up? Can I beat him up?” With Srila Prabhupada, it was freedom from all that because he was the guru, he was old, and he knew so many things that you didn’t know.

Srila Prabhupada kept spelling everything out: He was a representative of Krishna, and Krishna is there in His name, Krishna is there in so many ways, and we can serve Krishna and go to Krishna. Aside from Srila Prabhupada, nobody was going to tell you about Krishna —that Krishna is God and that Krishna is a cowherd boy. Krishna was so “far out” we couldn’t believe it, but every time we went in front of Srila Prabhupada, we had to believe it. He kept up the reality of Krishna. And in the books that he gave out—there was Krishna. He made such a powerful presentation that you said, “Let’s go up and hear the Swami talk about Krishna.” You would come to him with your concoctions, “What about this? And what about that?” But Srila Prabhupada would bring it right back to Krishna and you would accept it. And so, gradually in his presence, hearing about Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and devotional service to Krishna, you started becoming Krishna-ized and you realized that Srila Prabhupada had knowledge and influence to do this to people—to create faith in them, for Krishna. But you had to go back regularly to him and get it charged up.

He had unshakeable faith in Krishna, and he could see Krishna. We sometimes imagined how he saw Krishna. We couldn’t quite understand it. When did he talk with Him, in sleep? Srila Prabhupada would say, “Yes, you can talk with Krishna, but He only talks with intimate persons.” We may not have known exactly how, but we did know that we were attracted to him because he had such conviction about Krishna. I remember once in that room he said, “People can talk philosophy about Krishna, but what is their realization?” Then I realized that’s what he’s got—full realization of Krishna. Exactly how he realized, we didn’t know, but we had faith that he was experiencing a huge amount that we were not.

Those who were not his disciples thought he was pretty much like everybody else: an old man with Hindu knowledge, probably the same motives and drives as everybody else. But we disciples believed in him and sensed that his perception of everything was very different from ours. He was in touch with Krishna, and fascinating, attractive and lovable. We could sense his mystic potency. Even Allen Ginsberg saw it: “I would disagree with him and even suspect ego exchanges, but no matter how much I disagreed, I was always glad to be with him because of the aura of sweetness due to his complete dedication.” Nicely put. Even he, although not a disciple, when coming into Srila Prabhupada’s presence, was able to see, “Here is a man who is totally dedicated and in love with Krishna.” That made Srila Prabhupada beautiful; although he appeared to be an old man, he was beautiful because of his love for Krishna.

Parikrama at Vrinda Kunda (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Vrinda Devi helps Purnamasi plan and orchestrates 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 place.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/MQhGIs

By Kiranbala Lakhmania

H. G. Brindaban Chandra De, the youngest son of Srila Prabhupada, had a blockage in the Left Coronary Artery of his heart which resulted in chest pain. After undergoing Angiography in Kolkata he entrusted Bhaktivedanta Hospital & Research Institute with the responsibility of caring for his heart and restoring him to health. Accompanied by his wife H. G. Chhobi De and their son H. G. Shashank De, he travelled all the way from Kolkata to Mumbai to undergo treatment by our team of expert medical professionals. On 1st October 2016 the De family arrived at the Hospital and were welcomed with garlands by Dr. V. G. Shanbhag, Deputy Director – Spiritual Care Training & Education. Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s blessing to Bhaktivedanta Hospital & Research Institute
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Month of Damodara in Iskcon Mumbai (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: Every night at our ISKCON Juhu temple during Karttika month, thousands of people offer lamps to Their Lordships. It is said in the Hari Bhakti Vilasa: O tiger of sages, a person who during the month of Karttika eagerly hears the topics of Lord Krishna delivers a hundred generations of his family. Lord Krishna explains to Satyabhama: They who during the month of Karttika bathe, keep an all-night vigil, offer lamps, and protect a tulasi forest, attain spiritual forms like Lord Vishnus. Lord Krishna is pleased by the offering of a single lamp during the month of Karttika. Lord Krishna glorifies anyone who lights a lamp for someone else to offer. Find them here: https://goo.gl/jMfM9b

Govinda’s Vegetarian and Vegan Taco Truck.
Devotee artist: After Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate Mike Pence said in a speech that we had to stop illegal entry into the country otherwise ‘we’ll have taco trucks on every corner’, a Los Angeles curator invited me to participate in a new art exhibit called 'A Taco Truck on Every Corner’, the theme being, of course, taco trucks.
Remembering Srila Prabhupada’s directions, I dovetailed my abilities with the show’s theme and created a piece called 'Govinda’s Vegetarian and Vegan Taco Truck’.
It turned out to be a popular art piece in both the show and on social media.

Beautiful morning program in Jaipur’s famous Govinda dev temple (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We can begin to experience this bliss by following the prescribed methods of devotional service. When we see the deity we can gradually realize how Krsna is smiling, playing on His flute, and enjoying the company of Srimati Radharani. Then we also have to hear about Krsna. These two processes will increase in such a way that we will automatically become great devotees, anicchato me gatim anvim prayunkte. This is actually a scientific method. It is not imagination.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/TAe3gg

Successful preaching program in Bologna, Italy (Album with photos)
The event took place recently at Bologna’s Hotel Tower with the participation of more than 450 persons. They remained so pleased by the presentation of HH Radhanath Swami that, in the end, they offered a standing ovation, applauding for an incredibly long time!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ezSeGh

‘What to Pray for at Govardhana’

Tamal Krishna Goswami: “This Braj is in prakad and aprakad, prakad means manifest and aprakad unmanifest. So, we cannot see the Braj without getting the eyes to see Braj, and Giriraj Govardhana has the power to bless us to be able to see. We can pray that 'You have seen everything, you have arranged everything, all of the pastimes happened on your own slope, on your lap.’ Just like if a child is sitting on the lap, you can see very nicely that child. So Krishna and Krishna’s associates, they’re performing their activities right on the lap of Giriraj Govardhana, he has seen everything. So we ask him to bless us with the vision to be able to see in the same way.
At the same time we also want another blessing, and that is the blessing which actually preceeds…comes first. 'Please give us the blessing to somehow be pleasing to our spiritual master,’ because without pleasing the devotee guru, how can one expect to please Krishna. So what is that service or activity which gives pleasure to guru? It is to help the guru in his service to his guru. And what is the guru’s or the guru parampara’s service? To reclaim the fallen conditioned souls. So the first prayer we can also make here is 'Give me some compassion my dear Giriraj Govardhana, give me some determination, give me the qualities by which I can assist my spiritual master and the other devotees of the Lord in the mission of spreading Krishna conciousness. At the same time give me that purity of heart by which one day I will qualify to be able to absorb myself in constantly remembering Your transcendental pastimes.’
This is the goal of our Krishna conciousness movement, to always remember Krishna, never forgetting Krishna.”

​Brahmachari class at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, UK

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Every night at our ISKCON Juhu temple during Karttika month, thousands of people offer lamps to Their Lordships.

It is said in the Hari Bhakti Vilasa:

“O tiger of sages, a person who during the month of Karttika eagerly hears the topics of Lord Krishna delivers a hundred generations of his family.”

Lord Krishna explains to Satyabhama: “They who during the month of Karttika bathe, keep an all-night vigil, offer lamps, and protect a tulasi forest, attain spiritual forms like Lord Vishnu’s.”

“Lord Krishna is pleased by the offering of a single lamp during the month of Karttika. Lord Krishna glorifies anyone who lights a lamp for someone else to offer.”

By the TOVP team

Dear Devotees, Donors, and Well-wishers, Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I want to share with you the latest news from the TOVP project in Sridham Mayapur. Construction continues to move forward with emphasis on the completion of the kalash and finishing work on the domes by the end of the year. The design and execution continue to be refined, and pink sandstone and sky blue tiles enhance their beauty as work progresses daily. Once finished and the domes are capped we will begin the interior finishing work . Fundraising continues unabated worldwide and the new office in the United States is now fully operational and meeting with enthusiastic response. Continue reading "New TOVP Newsletter October – December, 2016
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By Mayapur Sasi dasa

Among the large temples, Durban had a 148% increase in book distribution in September, with 2,070 book points. I have distributed books in Durban. It's very difficult. You have to be resolute in purpose - vyavasayatmika buddhir. The medium temple Simhachalam (Germany) had an increase of 119%, with 5,387 book points. Earlier this year I was at Simhachalam to give a book distribution seminar, and I was impressed by how enthusiastic the devotees were to just hear about book distribution. It was inspiring. Now we see how enthusiastic they are to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. The medium temple Bhopal (India) had its biggest increase ever: 46%, with 2,423 book points. In 1984, an industrial accident that leaked a gas killed 3,787 people. Devotees are giving the people there spiritual life through the message of Krishna in the form of Srila Prabhupada's books. The very small temple in Sofia (Bulgaria) had the biggest increase (185%, with 3,380 book points). A very nice couple there asked me about ten years ago to help them get a motorhome for book distribution. With the help of some of you, we purchased a nice one, and they are still using it to distribute books all over the country. Continue reading "WSN September 2016 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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Reviving a “Canned” Swamiji Memory

The post Daily Darshan: October 26th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

TOVP: Our Thanks To The Canadian Yatra Devotees (Album with photos)
Jananivas, Ambarisa, Svaha and Braja Vilas prabhus, along with the entire TOVP Team would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to His Holiness Bhaktimarg Swami, the Canadian TOVP Team, and all the Canadian Yatra devotees who have to date sent over $1 million to the TOVP. Back in June, 2014 we published an article about the formation of the Canadian TOVP Team. Since then, and specifically during our TOVP Canadian Tour in 2015, $3 million has been pledged of which over $1 million has gone to specific projects at the TOVP. These include the Lightning Arresters which will go in various places atop the temple and the waterproofing of specific areas of the temple. The Lightning Arresters have been received and the work of installation has begun. There are 3 main Arresters, one for each Dome (blue space-like ones), and 40 conventional copper ones for other places. The different phases of waterproofing continue on an ongoing basis.

Fall is the perfect time to look at one of those areas – fashion – where ISKCON is seeing a second-generation-led explosion lately. That explosion is being embraced by the ISKCON devotee congregation, as well as reaching the yoga community and beyond, into the mainstream. Should Hare Krishnas care about fashion? The success of many Kuli-led fashion companies suggests that they already do. And designers say that’s a good thing, boosting self-esteem, inspiring enthusiasm to attend temple festivals, and allowing us to visually communicate who we are.

Parikrama at Radha Kunda - Kusum Sarovara, Karttika 2016 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Come on our parikrama of all the...

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj arrived at London today. There are some EXCITING events in London, UK with Maharaj this week, and as much as possible we’d like you to participate via social media (facebook, whatsapp, twitter) EVENTS SUMMARY Maharaj will be speaking at some of the most...

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By Vaisesika Das

Why do i need all these things. I mean if you listen to any of the airwaves now days they will introduce you to unlimited ideas and worries that you never need and knew you needed to have and that you get to carry around. It's clutter you don't have to have it. You're human being just soul in a human body just passing through this world and the shastras already given their complete permission to not concentrate on all the chatter. You have full permission not to tune into cnn, specially on fox or any of the other frequencies in this world that simply give you anxiety. You have permission you're liberated. Don't collect this clutter don't collect it externally don't collect it internally, this is a practice that anyone can take up in their life and feel satisfied. It's a rage right now in japan somebody wrote a book about living a zen-like existence get rid of all your stuff that you don't need and see how you feel. See if you're not more focused when you get rid of all this stuff - maybe i'll use this in a year, it's a broken blender, my brother-in-law said he has a cousin who has a friend who lives in new york that he knows somebody in philadelphia who can fix it and therefore i'm holding on to it because it may have some value. If your are being chased by a tiger you have to go across the river you drop everything so you can swim faster. So think like that and also realize the fact that as you shed a lot of the extra things that you have in your life, you'll see actually that krishna is supplying everything anyway. Continue reading "Say ‘no’ to Junk!
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Here’s some old recordings of kirtans from thirty years ago. Although 1985 was a great year for cassette tapes, time had taken its toll on them and they were sounding pretty rough. Now they’ve been given new life by Jaggi of Radha Krishna Records.

Jaggi has done a great job in restoring them. Using a Bang & Olufsen tape machine, he cleaned the tape heads, played it back through a BBC analogue desk, and enhanced the recording. Hopefully you will find a use for them.

They arrived just in time for my 60th birthday. If you enjoy them please say a prayer for my continued good health and spiritual progress. Hare Krishna.

 

Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC 10/08/2016.

Conversation with devotees.

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Written by Sesa Das

Early on Friday morning (07 October), Kadamba Kanana Swami flew from Cape Town to Lanseria, Johannesburg. There were no programs scheduled that day so Maharaj got some well-deserved rest.

On Saturday evening, Maharaj was invited to give class at the Benoni Hindu temple at their namahatta program. After forty minutes of kirtan, Maharaj recited Bhagavad-gita 9.10 and began talking about how nothing in this world can satisfy, attract or intimidate Krsna…

He is transcendental! He does not depend on the offering made to him but accepts the bhakti. It was a very enlivening class for everyone as Maharaj asked a crucial question, “How do you know Krsna is real? Where is the proof?” Then he explained that the pure devotee is living proof and gave many stories and examples from Srila Prabhupada’s life. Highly applicable because the life of the devotee is also Bhagavatam, the person Bhagavatam, so Lilamrta is also Bhagavatam! We preach to hippies and then we can leave and go home to a sane environment. However, Srila Prabhupada went to live with them, in the madness, he had no support and wasn’t even disturbed about it! He had such inner strength and this convinces us and makes it easier for us! In this way Maharaj explained and gave us a clearer understanding on this question and how it helps deepen our conviction to keep to Vedic culture, rather than modern day science which is constantly changing.

Sunday 9^th October 2016 marked the 9^th anniversary of the Soweto Ratha Yatra festival. Devotees assembled early outside the Soweto temple to build the cart and Harinamananda Prabhu began the kirtan. Shortly thereafter, Maharaj and Agnideva Prabhu arrived. With many devotees on mrdangas, whompers, kartals and dancers all around, the procession was about to begin and Maharaj sang for around two minutes and then shifted the intensity of the kirtan up by four gears! It was amazing! Maharaj sang until mid-way of the procession and then Agnideva Prabhu took over and sang for the remainder. The kirtan was incredible! The dance moves executed by the devotees words can’t even attempt to describe! The pujaris were showering the streets with prasada! The locals were all running out of their houses, jumping for the prasada and dancing along in appreciation of the procession! Soweto is historically well known for having revolutionary roots for many events which benefited South Africa, and no doubt the Ratha Yatra is also an enlivening revolutionary procession for all in the country!

On Tuesday evening, Maharaj went to the Pretoria temple and the progam began with a rocking kirtan which lifted off the roof! During the class Maharaj touched upon his personal experiences with several senior devotees such as Yasodanandana Swami, Mahavirya Prabhu and Tamal Krsna Goswami stating that we get so much personal-ism and shelter from their personalities and relationships. We see they all did something for Srila Prabhupada. What will we do? They all told Srila Prabhupada, “Don’t worry, I’ll do it!” and they did! They all sacrificed so much and are sold out to Prabhupada. This is a lecture not to be missed! Listen to it ASAP!

On Maharaj’s last evening in Jo’burg he went back to Soweto for a house program. For the first few hours Maharaj sang kirtans with a few melodies! The room of people were going mad dancing! What an atmosphere! During the class Maharaj spoke how anything is possible when Krsna is on our side; like the story of the sparrow’s eggs taken by the ocean and Garuda aiding to bring them back. So with our small attempts what can really happen but when Krsna sees that we are really trying, he can change the whole world very quickly. For example, in the early days no-one could imagine Russia becoming Krsna Conscious! Now if we don’t know a Russian devotee we may be in the minority of Iskcon and it is spreading massively there. So a sales pitch may convince a few, however the impossible becoming possible is only with Krsna’s help, because only with purity does the movement become a success! Then miracles happen when we somehow purchase Krsna!

The following morning (14 October), Maharaj left for Mauritius. It may sound overly hectic and busy, however please be rest assured that Maharaj does get sufficient rest, exercise and healthy prasada to keep nourished and balance things out.

Visit Flickr to see more photos. 

By Ananda Vrindavanesvari Devi Dasi

There comes a time, sometimes regularly, where we may feel, Oh, Krishna. I can’t do this anymore. This ‘this’ will be different for everyone. It happened to Arjuna in the Gita – he wanted to give up, not to fight, and go off to the forest to be alone. He did not want to deal with people and life’s problems. He told Krishna: I’m not fighting, I can’t do it, I can’t see the point, better if I don’t act and move to the side. If it can happen to Arjuna, who had everything going for him, including talent, skill, health, family, and especially friendship with Krishna, it can certainly happen to all of us. The struggle for existence, as daily life is described in our teachings, can sometimes just be too much. We will feel like Arjuna and have a desire to give up and go away. Arjuna was a good person. He did nothing wrong and still he felt despondent. Of course that was connected to him not wanting to do anything wrong; the impending war and killing was something he was having grave doubts about. And he was a warrior! In his blood was the natural desire to protect the innocent and ensure good leadership in the world. Still he was overwhelmed, doubtful, and unsure of his next steps. Continue reading "My Arjuna Moment
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Talk show at Queens College, Cambridge University, UK

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The Book Might make him a Celibate Monk…
Today I was in Sydney central I stopped this young Chinese couple saying, “We’re stopping all the good looking couples today and showing these books on meditation,” They laughed and stopped happily. The guy said, “Oh meditation? My golf teacher said that he plays good golf because he meditates daily and he highly recommends it.”
The boy was into it right away. The girl wasn’t into it but ended up she was the one who had the money so I was praying to Krishna to help. The guy asked her if she could give me a donation. She looked at me and said, “I will pay for the book if you promise me that this book will change him.” I said, “It will surely change him,’ and asked, what’s wrong with him anyways?” She said, “Oh he looks at too many girls, I want him to become loyal to me.” and she gave the donation. As I put the donation in my pocket I said, “I don’t know about the book making him loyal to you, but it might make him a celibate monk.” They both laughed and she said, “That’s even better.” And they walked away happily with Srila Prabhupada’s book “THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION”.
Your Servant
Shastra krit Das.

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