Thursday, October 20th, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Mumbai, India

Today I was asked to read before our global leaders the following excerpt from the preface of the book “Bhagavatam.”  It was how we began the day’s meetings.

“We must know the present need of human society.  And what is that need?  Human society is no longer bounded by geographical limits to particular countries or communities.  Human society is broader than in the Middle Ages, and the world tendency is toward one state or one human society.  The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, of the entire energy of living beings.  The need is felt by great thinkers to make this a successful ideology.  Srimad-Bhagavatamwill fill this need in human society.  It begins, therefore, with an aphorism of Vedanta philosophy, janmady asya yatah, to establish the ideal of a common cause.

Human society, at the present moment, is not in the darkness of oblivion.  It has made rapid progress in the fields of material comforts, education and economic development throughout the entire world.  But there is a pinprick somewhere in the social body at large, and therefore there are large-scale quarrels, even over less important issues.  There is need of a clue as to how humanity can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause.  Srimad-Bhagavatamwill fill this need, for it is a cultural presentation for the re-spiritualization of the entire human society.”

(There’s more!)

May the Source be with you!


4 km

​Initially, bhakti doesn’t give as much happiness as sensuality – how to persevere then?
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Answer Podcast


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Wednesday, October 19th, 2016
→ The Walking Monk

Mumbai, India

What Counts!
  
At 7:10 p.m. when I had the chance to see the honourable deities of Sita Rama at the temple (ISKCON) it was difficult to get around.  Many people were doing what I was—trying to receive some mercy from above.  The place was packed.  There were local attendees, and I also saw a dozen or more inquisitive tourists, most likely from Russia.  They observed the elaborate display of the deities.  They also couldn’t help but notice the monks-in-training who were enthusiastically singing and dancing as a way of trying to please the deities.

I made my way to the front of the temple room, close to the deities.  I also participated in the dance and took some lead on the dance steps.  This created a small sensation since the monks are accustomed to more-or-less a robotic type of repetitious movement.  They saw a chance to break out of it.  There was some apprehension initially and then liberation kicked in.

In the course of that, I saw someone approaching for darshan(viewing of the deity) and he was moving rather slowly with the assistance of crutches.  It was my friend from Ahmedabad, Yasomatinandan, who has aged considerably since last I saw him.  He broke into a smile after I tapped him on the shoulder, at which time he recognized me.

This is the same Yasomatinandan whom I see every day in the corridor in the form of a photo, enlarged and framed, on the wall.  He is walking with his guru, Srila Prabhupada, in the photo.  He looks handsome, energetic and young.

That dynamic has changed in Yaso, but I see his consciousness is good and that is what counts.

May the Source be with you!


4 km

​As the spiritual is not visible or quantifiable, how can we know that we are not pursuing something delusional?
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Answer Podcast


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​Why does Krishna in the hearts of terrorists allow them to murder people?
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​Was the Pandavas’ killing Bhishma and Drona according to dharma?
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Damodara 2016 Sastra Dana and Anna Dana in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
→ Dandavats

Hare KrishnaBy Simheswara Dasa

21OCT'16 Hare Krishna. Today we began the DAMODARA 2016 SASTRA DANA & ANNA DANA, one book & one meal program at "SJKT Bangsar" for the KL - KLANG VALLEY zone. We are to reach "20 schools and 15,000 students." A total of 120 students and 16 teachers received books and respected prasadam today. May Lord Sri Krishna bless Sriman Logenthiran and family for sponsoring prasadam meals and books for today's programme and may the Lord also bless today's volunteers for their dedicated services. Continue reading "Damodara 2016 Sastra Dana and Anna Dana in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Sri Harinam Sankirtan Nectar: Sydney 20/10/16 (Album with…
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Sri Harinam Sankirtan Nectar: Sydney 20/10/16 (Album with photos)
Twelve devotees are sharing the names of Radha and Krishna with the people of Sydney.
This month is the very special time of Kartik and very auspicious to distribute the holy names in streets during this period. Any spiritual activity undertaken attracts hundreds of times the normal benefit to everyone involved, the chanter and the hearers.
As the night are warmer more people fill the streets and show their appreciation for the Harinam Party as they pass by.
This week we went along George street to Park Street down to the Pitt Street Mall then back to the home base near Woolies.
Radha Vinoda was on book distribution.
Please accept our invitation to join us whenever you can as every Thursday we are chanting in the streets of Sydney. See you next Thursday.
Sri Harinam Sankirtan ki jaya.
Chant
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
And Be Happy …
Find them here: https://goo.gl/o9Igoi

Prassantama’s cooking class! (Album with photos) Srila…
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Prassantama’s cooking class! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Vedic conception of grihastha, householder, it is recommended that a householder shall see that even a lizard living in the room or even a snake living in that house should not starve. They should be also given food. And what to speak of others? Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky, June 22, 1971, Moscow.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/2hvHZw

Miracles by distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books! Vijaya…
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Miracles by distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books!
Vijaya das: While distributing on the mall in Moscow, Acala Dasa, the regional Sankirtan Minister for Russia, approached a woman and offered her a book. He explained some of the contents, and she enthusiastically took it. Seeing her enthusiasm he invited her to the temple, and a few weeks later she visited. By coincidence, she arrived on the day the devotees were holding a book distribution seminar. Seeing her come as a result of having received a book, Acala Dasa praised her sincerity: “Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, ‘Out of many thousands of people, one may inquire into the Absolute Truth.’ ” Speaking to the devotees he added, “Here we have this nice woman coming to inquire about the Absolute Truth. She is not ordinary.” The woman was touched by Acala’s kind words and stayed for the entire seminar.
A year later Acala was on a plane to India. He was seated next to a woman who, after a few moments, asked, “Do you remember me?” He looked at her and said, “No, I am sorry, I don’t.”
“You gave me a book in Moscow. I then visited your temple and you spoke some kind words about me. After reading that book and associating with devotees, I myself have become a devotee. I am on my way to the Mayapur festival.” Acala then remembered her and was pleased to know that she had become a devotee.
After the Mayapur festival this same woman was on a train to Vrindavan. There she met another Russian devotee, whose service it was to do book distribution in India. This devotee offered to teach the woman how to distribute books. Because she knew of the importance of book distribution from hearing about it on her first visit to the temple, she accepted some lessons from him. She had such a nice experience on the train distributing Prabhupada’s books that when she returned to Russia she continued to distribute them. She is now a full-time book distributor in Russia.

$3 Krishna lunches hit spot
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Hare KrishnaBy Ortago Daily Times

University of Otago - Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. After moving to Dunedin to retire, Jane Beecroft soon found herself with more on her plate than she first anticipated. "I came here hoping to take it easy. "Then I started teaching vegetarian cooking; soon enough word got out and it turned into the lunches." The numbers • 500,000 meals served since 1997 • 250 The approximate number of students fed daily • 150 samosas handed out daily • 20kg of rice dished out daily This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Hare Krishna vegetarian lunches on campus at the University of Otago, an initiative started by Ms Beecroft in 1997. On a busy day more than 300 students could arrive for a meal in the space of two hours. The $3 main courses are served four days a week, Monday to Thursday, with Wednesday’s fresh bread and soup a favourite. Continue reading "$3 Krishna lunches hit spot
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Recordings: October 2016 – Part 1
→ KKSBlog

Please find below recent recordings of lectures and kirtans by Kadamba Kanana Swami. 

Download ALL (zip file, 931 MB)

Johannesburg 

KKS_SA_13October2016_SowetoProgram_Lecture

KKS_SA_13October2016_SowetoProgram_Kirtan

KKS_SA_11October2016_PTA_TempleProgram_Lecture

KKS_SA_11October2016_PTA_TempleProgram_Kirtan

KKS_SA_08October2016_JHB_NamaHatta_Lecture

KKS_SA_08October2016_JHB_NamaHatta_Kirtan

 

 

Cape Town

KKS_CPT_06October2016_StellenboschUniversityProgram_Lecture

KKS_CPT_06October2016_StellenboschUniversityProgram_Kirtan

KKS_CPT_06October2016_Lecture_SB_1.9.44

KKS_CPT_05October2016_SpiritMattersProgram_ShortLecture

KKS_CPT_05October2016_SpiritMattersProgram_Kirtan

KKS_CPT_05October2016_Lecture_SB_1.9.43

KKS_CPT_04October2016_EveningProgram_Lecture_BG_9.9

KKS_CPT_04October2016_EveningProgram_Kirtan

KKS_CPT_03October2016_SundayFeast_Lecture_BG_7.7

KKS_CPT_03October2016_SundayFeast_Kirtan

Reconnecting outside of corporate ISKCON, but with ISKCON’s ever well-wisher’s
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Regaining joy and equilibrium in Krishna Consciousness

With each struggle comes an opportunity to learn not only about myself but also how ones own actions impacts on others and how a balance in both means that I can encourage others whilst encouraging self; Srila Prabhupada after all wrote about the Science of Self Realisation, not others realisations (although learning from others is always experiential in spiritual progress especially if they have gone through the same type of difficulty)

Firstly and most controversially I came out of the mentorship system and disassociated myself from any of the courses as prescribed which has impacted on the way some interact with me.

When I first came into contact with the devotees it was wonderful, yes they mentored me in the Science of Krishna Consciousness although you would never have noticed it was so subtle. Over time you just wanted to help out and the reciprocation increased.

And over the years I’ve had many wonderful devotees who have in their own way mentored and encouraged me, and I’ve enjoyed their association and in some way serving them.

Notably in all instances their was loving exchanges and true friendship, no pushing in a singular one size fits all system but one were encouragement and progression is individualised.

This is something that personally I’ve tried to continue to do, it means taking time for each person, listening carefully and then spending time reading before making the suggestion based on real Vedic knowledge.

So reconnecting with real mentor and just enjoying their association.

In my dealings with others following their fine example has really helped

Now to be controversial again, and this those who encourage this particular system will no doubt be angry with this statement; but it’s something I personally feel, paid for courses lack real substance compared to those who like Srila Prabhupada give freely.

Srila Prabhupada and many senior devotees warn of dire consequences of hearing from professional recitor or one who charges, but then disconnect when forcing courses that are mandatory and charge.

I’ve sat in many amazing classes, house programs and again in the early days evening programs each had one thing in common they were free and in most cases I’ve left feeling fulfilled.

I’ve also replicated this in my own dealings with others and programmes, based on the audience needs, prasadam and no charge.

Over the years I’ve been moved to either give a little laxmi or to help out in some practical way, it was indeed a loving exchange. And over the years I’ve experienced a similar exchange which has encouraged me to do more.

I’ve also noted that when monetary exchanges are made the whole atmosphere changes and for me it looses its transandental potency, it becomes dry and unpalatable and indeed for me personally their appears to be little benefit.

After all one notes that in all the pastimes of Srila Prabhupada disciples not one starts with, well I booked on a course it was £15 and Srila Prabhupada came and gave class took some questions and left, it was so inspirational. NO!

When we listen to the pastimes of Srila Prabhupada disciples we hear of the loving exchanges, the morning walks, classes, the prasadam distribution; how Srila Prabhupada gave all this for free and out of deep love one immediately reciprocated, one was convinced and inspired.

This was the ISKCON I once knew, and one I’ve reconnected with, leaving the corporate ISKCON behind the one with an artificial mentorship system designed to make sure you do the paid courses.

This corporate ISKCON with paid jobs, were the accumulation of laxmi is the aim rather than Srila Prabhupada ISKCON which didn’t have paid jobs just maintenance and based solely on loving exchanges.

It was nice to be back in that true association, with amazing devotees who never ask for anything other than your association. I was also asked by all but the most senior devotees if I was going to give class and it was humbling to hear how much they benefited, all I’ve tried to do is share the same enthusiastic love that those real devotee mentors gave me.

Money corrupts and asking for money upfront before imparting what one considers essential for spiritual progress is something I’ve haven’t heard Srila Prabhupada disciples say that was their experience.

My joy in Krishna Consciousness is slowly returning
The joy of association is slowly returning
The joy of sharing with others is slowly returning

It’s returning simply because I’ve disconnected with corporate ISKCON

And reconnected with my real mentors
Those who are and will always be my ever well-wisher
And so the real loving exchanges can take place

And for me it doesn’t start with exchanging laxmi
One may at times reciprocate with laxmi, but the biggest reciprocation is when one uses the knowledge and loving exchanges to help others in their own path of Self Realisation in finding their real constitutional position as spirit soul and love of Krishna.

So I apologies for those who are angry or frustrated at my actions, but best stay with what I know works and in guidance and experience of those loving devotees I’ve had the privilege of associating with which is always sweet.

And ending of my real appreciation of those early days, those amazing devotees and those who have followed who’s enthusiastic sharing of love of Krishna continues to inspire, these humble disciples are the real mentors

Seminar – Krishna Conscious Parenting – Nov 5-6, 2016
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple is excited to announce a special seminar being presented by Aruddha Devi Dasi along with her son, Radhika Ramana Dasa.  Information is as follows:

The Art of Krishna Conscious Parenting
A Seminar by Aruddha Devi Dasi and son, Radhika Ramana Dasa

Saturday, November 5, 2016
10:00am to 1:00pm
2:00pm to 4.30pm

Sunday, November 6, 2016
3:00pm to 5:00pm

Tips and Techniques for Successful Parenting

  • Creating a Krishna Conscious Home Environment
  • Studying Srimad Bhagavatam with Children
  • Pathways to Academic Success
  • Developing Social Skills
  • Sharing Krishna with Others
  • Discipline
  • Festivals with the Family
  • Are Restrictions Good for Our Children?
About Aruddha Devi Dasi
Aruddha Devi Dasi and her husband Anantarupa Dasa began practicing Krishna consciousness in Chicago in the early 1980’s, and started the ISKCON Temple in Boise, USA, in 1986 as a small weekly program in their home. Now thirty years later there is a beautiful Vedic temple for Sri Sri Radha Bankebihari. Aruddha and Anantarupa home‐schooled their two sons using a curriculum based on Srila Prabhupada’s books and ran the Govinda’s restaurant in Boise for six years.  Aruddha has been traveling around the world doing seminars on Krishna conscious parenting as well as workshops on how to teach Srimad Bhagavatam to children.  She is the author of Homeschooling Krishna’s Children, published by the BBT, and compiler of a children’s study guide for Srimad Bhagavatam, published by Torchlight.  

About Radhika Ramana Dasa
Radhika Ramana dasa and his brother Gopal Hari dasa, completed their bachelor’s degrees at an early age at Boise State University, and then received their PhDs from Oxford University in England. Radhika Ramana is now Charles Redd Chair of Religious Studies at Utah State University and the author/editor of four books. Gopal Hari is a professor of Religious Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University.

**To register, email shyamamohini.bcs@gmail.com or call 416‐844‐2937**
** Suggested donation $50 per person**


Invite and Honour Lord Damodara in Your Home
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

During this most auspicious month of Kartik (Oct 16 to Nov 14), you can invite Lord Krishna in the form of Bala Gopala (Damodara) to your home, offer beautiful lamps and hear about wonderful stories of baby Krishna.

You can book your 1-hour slot by contacting (647) 867-4727 or kartikbookings@gmail.com to reserve your spot during Kartik weekday evenings or weekends.  Please note, limited spots are available.  Please feel free to take this unique opportunity for your family.




Govardhana Farms Featured in "Ontario Farmer"
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Earlier this month, the newspaper, "Ontario Farmer" featured both Govardhana Farms and Bhaktimarga Swami.  Ontario Farmer is a newspaper which is delivered weekly to subscribing farmers in Ontario.

Their October 6th issue had a very nice article that featured the Govardhan Farms project, Bhaktimarga Swami and the Hare Krishna philosophy.  Check it out below:





Honouring Srila Prabhupada – November 3, 2016
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

The Hare Krishna Temple warmly invites one and all to join us for a reflective evening as we observe Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day on Thursday, November 3, 2016 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. On this day, we reflect on the remarkable life of Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on the anniversary of his passing (known as the Disappearance Day).

ISKCON is now a worldwide movement and is comprised of more than 450 centres, 60 rural communities, 50 schools and 60 restaurants around the globe. This day will provide a great chance to meditate on what Srila Prabhupada means to us.

Please join us for the festivities that will start at 6:00pm with arati and will continue until approximately 9:00pm. Please join us as we glorify Srila Prabhupada on this very important day.

Radha Kunda’s Appearance Day – Oct 22, 2016
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

This Saturday, October 22, 2016 marks a special festival, Radha-Kunda's Appearance Day.  Radha-Kunda is a pond near Govardhan Hill in Vrindavan, India, which was originally created by Krishna's cowherd girlfriends, the gopis, during Krishna's boyhood pastimes in Vrindavan.

In the sixteenth century, it was rediscovered by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and renovated by Mahaprabhu's disciples, the Six Goswamis. Many sacred texts, including the Puranas, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Upadeshamrita, and Chaitanya-charitamrita say that Radha-kunda is one of the most significant places of pilgrimage on earth.

Celebrations will be taking place at the Hare Krishna Temple on Saturday, October 22, 2016 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.  The festival will be a small and intimate gathering and everyone is welcome to join!

Below is a modern retelling of Krishna's pastime which resulted in the creation of one of the holiest places on earth by Amala Bhakta das:

On a field near Govardhana Hill, in the twilight, the demon Arishtasura had assumed the form of a bull and, at King Kamsa’s order, had tried to kill Lord Krishna. Instead, the Lord had slain him. Just prior to his attack, Krishna had been chatting with His girlfriends, the gopis of Vrindavana, who had become quite frightened by the demon’s angry bellowing.

Krishna strolled over to them, expecting to engage in their usual rasa dance. In this, the girls would form a circle, Krishna would miraculously reproduce His body between each two girls, and the party would ecstatically dance round and round. But the gopis, now relieved of their fear of Arishtasura, were in a playful, joking mood.

As Krishna tried to place His arm around the shoulder of one of them, she flinched and stepped back, saying, “I don’t think You should touch any of us now.”

Krishna smiled.

“Oh? And why not?”

“Well, You’ve just killed a bull. And the scriptures consider a bull to be as sacred as a cow.”

“True, but that bull was really a demon.”

“Doesn’t matter,” a second girl said. “He still had a bull’s body. So by killing him, You’ve committed a terrible sin.”

“I have?” Krishna beamed, playing along with their joke.

“Absolutely. You’re very contaminated now.”

“How terrible!” Krishna said with mock seriousness. “Then what should I do?”

“You should atone for Your sin,” a third gopi said.

“Atone?” He asked, eyebrows raised.

They all nodded firmly, wanting to laugh but restraining themselves.

“But how?”

The first gopi said, “I think You should bathe in every holy river in the world.”

The other gopis nodded.

“All the rivers?” Krishna asked.

“Yes,” the girls giggled. “All.”

“But that’ll take too long. I have a better idea.”

“Oh?” they inquired.

“Instead, I’ll bring the rivers here.”

“How can You do that?” asked the second gopi skeptically.

“Just watch.”

Krishna turned away from them and kicked His heel into the ground, making a hole.

Then He ordered, “O holy rivers, please come here at once!”

In a few seconds, the personified forms of every sacred river appeared there, standing with their palms folded and heads bowed. The men were bare-chested but decked in rich dhotis, whereas the women were wearing luxurious saris.

Krishna turned to the gopis.

“See? They’re all here.”

Although the girls were astonished, they scoffed, “We don’t see anybody.”

Krishna said to the rivers, “Would you please announce yourselves?”

Each river spoke his or her name, such as Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sarayu, Sona, and Sindhu.

The gopis looked at each other doubtfully. Were those persons really those rivers?

Then the hole that Krishna had made with His heel suddenly expanded into a vast hollow, and all the personified rivers gladly entered it, each manifesting his or her own water form. It was now a beautiful, inviting, holy pond.

Krishna descended and splashed into it up to His neck, dunked His head several times, and climbed out, drying His dark glistening body with His hands.

“Well, now I’m completely pure.” He smiled. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”

The girls tittered, knowing they never had to anyway.

“But look at you,” Krishna said with mock condescension, pointing at them.

“What about us?” a few asked.

“You’re all impure.”

“Us?” several answered, incredulously.

“Yes, you!”

“No, we didn’t touch the bull,” the second girl said. “You did.”

“True, but you’ve never performed any religious activities for Lord Brahma’s pleasure. That makes you impure.”

Then Krishna’s favorite, Srimati Radharani, turned to Her girlfriends and said, “All right, if we’re impure, then we’ll become pure.”

“How?” the third gopi asked.

“I’ll make an even better pond than Krishna’s, and we’ll all bathe in it.”

“But where?” asked the second gopi.

“Just follow Me.”

With Krishna in tow, Radharani confidently led Her friends a short distance away. They noticed that Arishtasura’s hooves had dug a shallow ditch just west of Krishna’s pond, and Radharani decided to make Her pond there.

“Let’s start digging,” She said to Her friends.

They bent over, began clutching clumps of soft clay, and discarded them. After only an hour, they created a large hollow.

Krishna was astonished by how rapidly they had dug it.

When the gopis came out, the Lord munificently said to them, “You can fill it up with the holy water from My pond.”

“Your pond?” Radharani asked, patronizingly.

“Yes, why not?”

“Because Your pond is contaminated. When You bathed in it, You left Your bull-killing sin there. I don’t want that in My pond!”

Krishna laughed loudly.

“Then where will You get the holy water?”

“From the nearby Manasi Ganga lake. We’ll bring many pots of it here.”

Krishna recalled that some time ago He had meditated on the holy Ganges River, which was a considerable distance from Vrindavana, and had miraculously made it appear here as a lake. It was thus named Manasi Ganga (“the Ganges created by Krishna’s mind”). But now Krishna wanted to spare Radharani and Her friends the heavy labor of lugging thousands of jugs of water from there to here. So He gestured to His pond, and suddenly a male representative of all the holy rivers emerged from it. With tears in his eyes, he folded his palms, bowed his head to the ground before Radharani, and devotedly prayed to Her.

Radharani’s mood changed from playful to serious. She could see that he was approaching Her for some sacred purpose.

Rising to his knees, the representative said, “O Goddess, even those who know the scriptures well, such as Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, cannot understand Your glories. Only Krishna, the highest goal of all human effort, can. Therefore, He wishes to make sure that, when You’re fatigued, You can wash away Your perspiration. That would make Him very happy.”

Radharani gratefully glanced at Krishna, and then returned Her attention to the rivers’ representative.

“As soon as Krishna ordered us, we came here to live in His excellent pond. But we all have a desire, and only if You are pleased with us can it be fulfilled.”

Radharani pleasantly asked, “Oh? And what is it?”

“We desire to come to Your pond, for only then will our lives be successful.”

With a gentle smile, Radharani replied, “All right. Please do.”

Her friends nodded in agreement, feeling immensely happy.

At that moment, all the holy rivers in Krishna’s pond broke through its blackish clay boundary and quickly flowed into and filled Radharani’s pond. This movement sounded like a surging river during a heavy rainstorm.

As Radharani was enjoying this sight, Krishna seriously said, “My dear Radharani, may Your pond become even more famous than Mine. I will always come here to bathe in it and to enjoy water sports. Indeed, this pond is as dear to Me as You.”

Radharani was touched deeply and replied, “And I, with My girlfriends, will also bathe in Your pond, even if You kill hundreds of Arishtasuras here. And anyone who, with intense devotion, bathes in My pond or resides on its bank will surely become very dear to Me.”

“And dear to Me also,” Krishna added. “I will certainly bless such persons well!”

As the darkness enfolded them, Krishna and the gopis formed a circle and began their rasa dance. He resembled a rain cloud, and Radharani a flash of lightning. As They danced, They generated a torrential downpour of brilliant, transcendental joy. From that night on, Radharani’s pond (kunda) would be called Radha Kunda, and Krishna’s, Shyama Kunda. And anyone who would bathe even once in Her pond, or perform devotional service on its banks, would, by Her mercy, develop pure love for Krishna. Such love would of course culminate in continuous divine ecstasy. Thus, Radha Kunda would become known as the most exalted pilgrimage spot in the world.

For this reason, countless pilgrims travel many miles just to bathe in its spiritually exalting waters.

The Thinking Gym
→ ISKCON News

While the unhealthy world loses its physical edge, we may also consider how we’re losing our mental edge. Just as we exercise the body and keep it tuned, we also need to exercise our mental capacity.

The power of your mind” talk at Hotel El Panama
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The highlight of my Panama visit was a program on Sunday, 16-10-16, at one of Panama’s biggest hotels, Hotel El Panama.

Nearly 300 people, most of them Panamanian, attended the talk on “The power of your mind” and asked many earnest questions. My host and trip coordinator, Shyamachandra P, the vice-president of ISKCON, Panama, did the sentence-by-sentence translation of my class into Spanish.
This was the biggest program of my trip to the West wherein I spoke directly to Western audiences – several temple Sunday feasts had bigger audiences, but those comprised mostly of Indians and mostly of devotees. The audience in Panama was ninety percent Panamanians and non-devotees.
Several in the audience like a point that I have been making repeatedly during this trip: “Anxiety is the interest we pay on loans we haven’t yet taken.” During the post-class QA, when a person asked what role acceptance plays in spirituality, I explained that bhakti-yoga helps us to accept the unchangeable as the will of God for our ultimate well-being and thereby focus our energy on the changeable – and when we do what we can, God helps us to do what we can’t.

The audio is available here: http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2016/10/tap-power-mind/

The post The power of your mind” talk at Hotel El Panama appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Joy of Devotion in Montreal
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During this unique showcasing of India's deep spiritual culture, the over 15,000 people who attended were treated to an in-depth presentation of Srila Prabhupada's amazing contributions, richly illustrated within 20 professional displays: Sacred Literature, Bhagavad-gita, Hommage to Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON Celebrates 50 Years, Spiritual Solutions, Eco-Village, Harmony with the Earth, Higher Taste, and Ayurveda.

How can we balance our material commitments and spiritual aspirations?
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Tuscon’s (Arizona) ISKCON 50 Gala
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On Saturday, October 15th, under a brilliant Karttika moon, sixty-plus devotees and VIP guests celebrated ISKCON’s 50th anniversary in the courtyard of Govinda’s Natural Foods Buffet. As a harpist stroked heavenly notes, devotees and guests feasted on Govinda’s prasadam, forging new friendships and renewing old ones, for one thing was clear: practically everyone had been here before, setting the stage for the tributes.

Did Krishna feel confused about which pure devotee to support – Arjuna or Bhishma?
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​​​​Which aspect of the universal form did Duryodhana see?
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