Planet ISKCON

​Seminar at College of Vedic Studies, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, UK

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Sunday feast class at ISKCON Leicester, UK

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BAHULASHTAMI RADHA KUNDA 23/10/2016 (Album with photos)
APPEARANCE OF RADHA KUNDA
Nectar of Instruction, Text 9
The holy place known as Mathura is spiritually superior to Vaikuntha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathura-Puri is the transcendental forest of Vrindavana because of Krishna’s rasa-lila pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vrindavana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Sri Krishna and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the superexcellent Sri Radha-kunda stands supreme, for it is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Sri Krishna. Where, then, is that intelligent person who is unwilling to serve this divine Radha-kunda, which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill?
Purport
The spiritual world is three fourths of the total creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it is the most exalted region. The spiritual world is naturally superior to the material world; however, Mathura and the adjoining areas, although appearing in the material world, are considered superior to the spiritual world because the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself appeared at Mathura. The interior forests of Vrndavana are considered superior to Mathura because of the presence of the twelve forests (dvadasa-vana), such as Talavana, Madhuvana and Bahulavana, which are famous for the various pastimes of the Lord. Thus the interior Vrndavana forest is considered superior to Mathura, but superior to these forests is the divine Govardhana Hill because Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill like an umbrella, raising it with His lotuslike beautiful hand to protect His associates, the denizens of Vraja, from the torrential rains sent by the angry Indra, King of the demigods. It is also at Govardhana Hill that Krishna tends the cows with His cowherd friends, and there also He had His rendezvous with His most beloved Sri Radha and engaged in loving pastimes with Her. Radha-kunda, at the foot of Govardhana, is superior to all because it is there that love of Krishna overflows. Advanced devotees prefer to reside at Radha-kunda because this place is the site of many memories of the eternal loving affairs between Krishna and Radharani (rati-vilasa).
In Caitanya-caritamrta (CC Madhya) it is stated that when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first visited the area of Vrajabhumi, He could not at first find the location of Radha-kunda. This means that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was actually searching for the exact location of Radha-kunda. Finally He found the holy spot, and there was a small pond there. He took His bath in that small pond and told His devotees that the actual Radha-kunda was situated there. Later the pond was excavated by Lord Caitanya’s devotees, headed first by the six Gosvamis, such as Rupa and Raghunatha dasa. Presently there is a large lake known as Radha-kunda there. Srila Rupa Gosvami has given much stress to Radha-kunda because of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire to find it. Who, then, would give up Radha-kunda and try to reside elsewhere? No person with transcendental intelligence would do so. The importance of Radha-kunda, however, cannot be realized by other Vaisnava sampradayas, nor can persons uninterested in the devotional service of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu understand the spiritual importance and divine nature of Radha-kunda. Thus Radha-kunda is mainly worshiped by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the followers of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by whose causeless mercy we have all come to know the glories of Sri Radha-Kunda!
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Govardhan Hill! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Parikrama around Govardhan Hill is always a favorite activity during the month of Kartika for devotees of Lord Krsna. Chanting softly on our japa beads our group of 400 devotees relished every step of the 24-kilometer walk. Ananta Vrindavan dasa kindly captured our experience through the eye of his camera for the benefit of those who weren’t there.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/G4qeiM

Offering to Srinathji Prabhu by HH Radhanath Swami and HH Niranjan Swami at Iskcon Chowpatty - Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple (Album with photos)
Chaitanya Charan Das: Remembering Srinathji Prabhu – an intellectual, non-patronizing patron of intellectuals
My first striking encounter with Srinathji Prabhu highlighted his extraordinary attention to specifics. About a decade ago, when I was a fledgling author, I would feel encouraged whenever anyone appreciated my writings. Once after a Pune yatra, while everyone was taking prasadam and preparing to depart, I happened to meet Srinatjji Prabhu. And he spontaneously started appreciating my writings; he mentioned several articles by their titles and went into specific details of an article that had described how I came to Krishna consciousness. I was doubly astounded firstly because I was a little-known brahmachari and secondly because that story had appeared in BTG at least two years ago. And yet here he was, immediately remembering its specifics in just a chance encounter with me.
Over the years and my several encounters with Srinathji Prabhu, one image of him that has crystalized within me is that of an intellectual patron of intellectuals. He supported several of our movement’s authors, enabling them to focus on research and writing without having to worry about pecuniary considerations.
But he was not just a patron of intellectuals – he was an intellectual himself; he read widely and took intellectual responsibility for the tradition he had chosen to practice. He noticed that the version of the Hare Krishna mahamantra we chanted was different from its version chanted in the broader Hindu culture, which began with Hare Rama, not Hare Krishna. So, he embarked on an extensive research into manuscripts to support our tradition’s rendition of the mahamantra. After much searching, he finally found in a remote, little-known library the manuscript of the Kali-Santarana Upanishad that contained the mahamantra starting with Hare Krishna – and he published a book with that manuscript. His meticulous attention to detail during this manuscript research paralleled, if not superseded, that of a careful scholar.
He was a patron for not just intellectuals but also for many of our movement’s most important projects. And yet he wasn’t patronizing towards anyone – he maintained a humility that was inspiring and disarming.
His significance extends far beyond life. Over the last decade, I have been studying and contemplating ISKCON history. And I feel that Srinathji Prabhu represented the rich flowering of the bhakti tradition in modern India and particularly in ISKCON, India.
He embodied the dream success chart for most Indians. He achieved extraordinary academic success, earning degrees from both England – which was the cherished educational destination for pre-Independence Indians – and from the USA, which is the cherished educational destination for post-Independence Indians. And he went on to achieve remarkable success not just as a white collar executive but also as a business magnate, pioneering several technological innovations in India in his companies.
Through all this dazzling success, he maintained his piety and bhakti, which he had acquired from his parents, both of whom were Vaishnavas – his mother from the Vallabha sampradaya and father from the Ramanuja sampradaya.
Even after having this combination of material prosperity and religious piety, it’s telling that he found spiritual fulfillment in the teachings of bhakti as expounded by Srila Prabhupada.
During Srila Prabhupada’s manifest presence, a remarkable number of wealthy and influential Indians were attracted by his purity and potency. And several of them became important supporters of our movement. But somehow after Srila Prabhupada’s departure, they couldn’t take the step forward from being patrons to becoming practitioners.
Srinathji Prabhu was prominent among the very few who took that step forward – and he could do so primarily because he was able to see Srila Prabhupada’s enduring presence in his dedicated disciples. He treasured the personal association of Srila Prabhupada that he had got. But he also saw that Srila Prabhupada lived on through his followers; and he committed himself to serving His Divine Grace through them and with them.
For most of us, second-generation devotees in ISKCON, who have never had the personal association of Srila Prabhupada, our ability to appreciate him depends largely on our ability to see him in his dedicated followers. In this, Srinathji Prabhu set an example for all of us.
Through him, the bhakti culture flourished within its Indian motherland. And through remembering him, I pray that bhakti may flourish in my heart.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mQsgb1

The post Daily Darshan: October23,2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

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 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.

Again, we are most thankful to the Canadian devotees for their service to the TOVP, and their example of combined and cooperative surrender is certainly most pleasing to Srila Prabhupada.

“The more you help develop Mayapur, the more Lord Chaitanya will bless your area of the world and it will flourish”.

Srila Prabhupada

The TOVP Team

The post Our Thanks To The Canadian Yatra Devotees appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Stanzas of 1966

Today’s program at Sri Vrinda-kunda, Vrindavana (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is the easiest process of meditation in this age. As soon as one chants the Hare Krishna mantra, he sees the forms of Krishna, Rama and Their energies, and that is the perfect stage of trance. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.53 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ppYU04

Shri Radhakund on Bahulashtami Night

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Radha Kunda in Navadvipa Dham.
Bahulastami or appearance day of Radha-kunda comes in the month of Kartik. In this month of Kartik the presiding deity of the month is Srimati Radhika and in the same month is also the appearance day of the lake which is the embodiment of the Love of Radharani. In Front of Radha Madhava Asta Sakhi altar a Radha kunda and Shyam Kunda was made for the pleasure of the divine couple. Following is the description of Radha Kunda in Navadvipa Dham by Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Bhakti vinoda thakura and Sri Chaitanya Mahabrabhu.

In the island of Rtudvipa, in the village known as Ratupura, Lord Nityananda along with Dvija Vaninatha and many devotees arrived. Lord Nityananda became entranced and called out, “Bring My sringa (horn) immediately! All the calves have gone far away from here. Kanai is still sleeping in the house. He is so childish that He has not come here yet. Where are Subala and Sridama? I, Balarama, am alone here. I cannot go alone to fetch the cows.” The most powerful Lord Nityananda shouted, “Kanai! Kanai!” and started leaping in the air. By seeing Lord Nityananda in this mood, the devotees immediately approached Him and said, “O, Lord Nityananda! Your brother is Gauracandra. Now He is not here. Gaurahari has taken sannyasa and gone to Nilacala, leaving us beggars behind.” When Lord Nityananda heard that Gaurahari was not there, He felt great distress and started crying and rolling on the ground, feeling separation from His Gaura. Lord Nityananda addressed Gauranga as Kanai, “O, My brother Kanai! For what reason have You taken sannyasa and left us behind here to go to Nilacala? I will not maintain this life anymore. I will jump into the water of the River Yamuna!” Having spoken these words, Lord Nityananda fainted. The devotees started harinama- sankirtana realizing that Lord Nityananda had developed mahabhava. Four dandas (one danda equals twenty four minutes) of the day had passed, but Lord Nityananda had not come back to His external senses. Then the devotees started to chant gaura-gita (songs about Gaura). When Lord Nityananda heard the name of Gauranga He immediately got up and said, “This place is Radhakunda. Here Lord Gaurahari along with His devotees would perform Nama Sankirtana every afternoon. Just see the beauty of Syama-kunda, attracting the minds of the whole universe. Just see the kunjas of the different sakhis. Here Gauracandra would come with his sankirtana party and please everyone by distributing love of Godhead.

O My brothers, there is no place equal to this in the three worlds. This is the best spot for devotees to perform bhajana. Whoever resides here will get love of Godhead and his heart will be pacified.” That day all the devotees along with Lord Nityananda stayed there chanting the holy name of Gauranga, immersed in love. The next day they proceeded to Vidyanagara.

Radha Kunda in Ratupura
In the Navadvipa Bhava Taranga Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura writes the mood and activities of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as he came to Rtudvipa.

Ritudvipam tato gatva
drishtva sobham vanasya ca
radha-kundadikam smritva
ruroda saci-nandanah

“Arriving at Ritudvipa and seeing the beauty of the forest, Saci-nandana started crying while remembering Radha-kunda and other sacred places.” right Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Pramana-khanda 4.44)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s meditation – When will I wander about the island of Ritu-dvipa, seeing the beauty of the forest and remembering these pastimes of the Lord? Suddenly I will catch a glimpse of the pastimes being performed at Radha Kunda and become completely stunned by such a wonderful vision. Here on the bank of the Manasa Ganga river, Balarama and Krsna along with Their cowherd boyfriends named Dama, Bala, and Mahabala head countless calves to secluded forests. While sporting numerous pastimes and playing tricks, all the boys sing the glories of Krsna.

The cowherd boys then sit down and engage in various types of funny conversations. Meanwhile, the calves keep grazing and grazing until they wander off to distant woods. Losing sight of them, all the boys become alarmed, but at the sound of Krsna’s flute the calves immediately come running back. While I am watching and watching this pastime with full attention, suddenly the scene vanishes and I will fall to the ground unconscious…

Radha Kunda in Chaitanya Math
Chaitanya Math is the house of Chandrashekhar Acharya, the maternal uncle of Mahaprabhu and also the headquarters of Gaudiya Maths established by Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. In this temple Sri Radha Kunda, Shyama Kunda and Giri Govardhan, Keli Kadamba and Tamal Vriksha are present. Sri Navadvip Dhama is non-different from Vrindavana and called as Gupta Vrindavana or hidden Vrindavana. These Kundas and Govardhana were made by Bhakti Siddhanta Sarawsati Thakur in memory of these holy places in Vrindavan. They are also known as Smriti Radha Kunda and Smriti Shyama Kunda.

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Written by Sesa Das 

I arrived in South Africa on Monday, 26 September, taking a break from the Bhaktivedanta Manor where I am a resident, and will travel with Kadamba Kanana Swami until the end of October. Here is an account of our travels…

On Tuesday evening (27^th September), Maharaj had another session with the Caitanya Caritamrta Book Club in Durban. Maharaj began a mellow kirtan in Srila Prabhupada’s room as the devotees began to come in. As the clock struck 7pm, we saw Maharaj was serious about being on time and having no interruptions as we pulled a key out and signalled for the door not to be just closed but locked! Phew, I just made it on time! And I would have really regretted not being there as it was enlivening class with Maharaj speaking about the levels of intimacy in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes between individuals.

Maharaj told us that we see Garuda offers his pranams to Lord Narayana from a distance, which we still see in many temples having the Garuda stambha. However, in Mahaprabhu’s movement it’s not like that and rather it is a movement which includes and uplifts all to an equal platform. The mercy of Mahaprabhu can empower even a dog (not the best of swimmer) to easily cross over an ocean! We see the disciples of Madhavendra Puri extremely fixed and focused on how to serve their spiritual master’s lotus feet and this is a very important lesson for all of us. Towards the end, Maharaj began speaking on the importance of preaching and for this to be effective we have to develop real compassion, otherwise it’s not possible. Vasudeva-datta being the embodiment of compassion, desired Lord Caitanya to liberate every soul in the universe being overwhelmed thinking of their state of suffering. And so preaching is like becoming a doctor who to deal with someone’s suffering and one must get personally involved to truly make great things happen; we need great compassion. We must preach and never give up – continuously rising to the challenge, never lowering the ideal and always striving to aim for it! In this way more and more we realize and feel the whole sampradaya is behind us in force and then we begin seeing the small steps others take in spiritual life and develop faith and appreciation in them.

A few days later, disciples gathered at a house program. Maharaj began with a rocking kirtan and then began reading from chapter 17 of Madhya Kandhara, Caitanya Bhagavata.

Maharaj elaborated on our inability to really understand the relationships between high individual like Lord Caitanya & Advaita Acharya, for example. So we don’t always see the spiritual links. The spiritual reality is that material enjoyment doesn’t satisfy the soul and is therefore temporary. But eternal life also includes this life, not that only after life is the eternal life, but we look at how to make this one auspicious too by serving Krsna. So we often think how can be enjoy now? We see Advaita Acharya felt a little like that whilst absorbed in love of Lord Caitanya and so Mahaprabhu punished him by disappearing so then Advaita Acharya became depressed and saw he was proud and now realized his dependency on Mahaprabhu. 

So we see the depth needed for real surrender in our Krsna Consciousness. Then the whole sangha took a turn as we felt an extra boost coming out of Maharaj as he began speaking about and glorifying the Mahajanas and went onto to explain…

When we depend on Krsna, we depend on purity. Otherwise we can look pure but much else in actually going on inside. We see that yes Bali Maharaja gave everything to Krsna but maybe due to a moment of sentiment, out of ksatriya dharma and so we see that the Lord tested to see if he is really sincere & therefore the snake was wrapped around Bali and he didn’t care and was still cent percent surrendered and that is why he became a Mahajana & we likewise have many different snakes in our lives to deal with, things which squeeze us but how to we react? We know Bhisma had been shot so many but he didn’t care he was always thinking of Krsna. Vaiyasaki, the son of Vyasa is Sukadeva Goswami was always just concerned with being absorbed in Krsna Consciousness. So these Mahajanas remind us that Krsna can do anything and how to properly react. So yes we think we are impure, but must continue trying for purity & constantly striving for improvements. What an ecstatic class it was. Everyone going away deeply inspired and contemplating the glories of the Mahajanas & their faith.

 Friday, 30 September was the last day that Maharaj would be in Durban for a while. On Friday evening, Maharaj addressed the youth of Durban at their monthly kirtan gathering at the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath temple. 

Maharaj began with a few simple words about how the youth have automatically inherited the world with all its perks and the mess up from previous generations. So now it is really up to the youth to make something of it and deliver a brighter tomorrow.

Then Maharaj began leading an intoxicating kirtan and the Holy name was vibrating through the whole temple room and within no time everyone forgot where they were and many jumped up to begin dancing whilst others played instruments and sang with all their enthusiasm. After around an hour of leading kirtans there was a Q&A session, everyone was handed slips of paper and were able to ask any questions they wanted anonymously. The stack of questions looked small to start off with, however within a short period of time the whole harmonium in front of Maharaj was packed out and overflowing with slips containing multiple questions at a time! The Q&A went on for another hour with Maharaj giving tips on how to practically apply or relate to the principles of Krsna Consciousness whilst being realistic as students and young professionals. A very practical Q&A for all.

One person asked Maharaj, “What is your secret to getting everyone so entranced in kirtan?” and Maharaj replied, “Well, I don’t know, it’s Krsna’s mercy, but one thing I can say is that, I’m not playing the harmonium, I’m not singing for the sake of singing, for the echo of my voice. What I’m trying to do is playing the people. I’m looking at people and I’m trying to drive them mad!” 

The next morning, we set off for Cape Town…

 

​Bhagavatam class at Bhaktivedanta Manor, London, UK

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