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By Lokanath Swami

Srinathji: So I was thinking, ‘Why is Prabhupada talking so much? There must be some hidden agenda coming up soon.’ Prabhupada knew that my father was treasurer of the Congress party. And sure enough, Prabhupada said, ‘I need visas for all my disciples’. First thing, please realize they are not CIA. You must see that in parliament they stop the inquiry against my pupils and me. My father said that he had a friend who was the minister in charge and he would talk to him and definitely do something. The third bombshell wiped Mr Desai off his feet. Prabhupada wanted American born Jayapataka who was in his early twenties to be given Indian citizenship. Prabhupada: I want you to adopt him. There is a procedure for making a foreigner an Indian citizen. You have to stand guarantee. Continue reading "Lokanath Swami’s offering to Srinathji Prabhu
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Who would you vote for? How do you make your choice?

When it comes to political leaders, does it matter if their language is sometimes harsh if they get the job done? Must they always tell the whole truth and nothing but?

What about their ethical behaviour – how important is that?

Here’s Akhandadhi’s recent take on it on Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04bxgfp

Morning Program at Sri Madan Mohan Temple (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One is understood to be an eternal servant of t...

Sankirtan in London.
KavicandraSwami: I recentely spent a few blissful days at SRI SRI Radha London Isvara Mandira.
They were just starting a KRSNA BALARAM marathon. Many devotees, about half of them Bhaktas and Bhaktins, were going out with great enthusiasm and distributing many books while charming the people on Oxford street and other parts of London.
Bhakta Simon was leading in distribution when I left for Africa. Some of the Bhaktas had never distributed before but were telling me that they would probably continue after the marathon.
They even let me go with them a bit. It was interesting that I met one boy from Germany who had seen devotees in Japan (where I serve as GBC). He happily took a Srimad Bhagavatam. It is a small world and we never know were the results of our preaching will fructify.
It is nice to see that so many people in London are very appreciative of the “Hare Krsna”.
Letter to: Jagadisa Hyderabad 18 November, 1972
“The thing is, our main business is to distribute books, either here or there it doesn’t matter. So if there is transcendental competition for increasing sale of books, that is good. If he buys one book his life may be turned, that is best preaching work.”
letter to: Hrdayananda Maharaja Hyderabad, November 23, 1972
“And distribute books, as many as you can and I think you can distribute many millions of books alone, that Krishna will help you do.”
letter to: Rupanuga Sydney, Feb 14 1973
“If someone has desired to distribute books all day he may do this, but he must always follow the principles of rising early, chanting 16 rounds, etc. Just as some rich men have no inclination for studying, but still he opens many schools for others to study at. Like this, all of my students may not be inclined to study but they are very much eager to give others the opportunity to read my books and this should not be discouraged. All programs must go on but it is a fact that this book distribution program is very very important.”
letter to: Balavanta Vrndavana, Oct 4, 1976
“The main thing is to distribute books more and more. That remark by the man in Houston is to your credit, that this movement is becoming an epidemic. Actually, everywhere envious people are against this movement, especially communists, because this movement is a threat to them. The main thing is to distribute books the communist idea is spread practically all over the world on account of distributing huge amounts of literature, but they have no substance. Introduce Rathayatra very nicely and distribute books.”
In the photo: Book distribution in Bali.

By Sivarama Swami

On my request in the spring of 1999, Gopi-paranadhana prabhu translated all the Acharyas' Sanskrit commentaries to the verses relevant to the damodara-lila as an audio recording. Incorporating these recordings and scriptural references from Padma Purana, Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Brhad-bhagavatamrta, Ananda-vrndavana-champu, Sanatana Gosvami’s commentary on Sri Damodarashtakam, and Gopala-champu, I am retelling this special pastime as a wonderful narrative like the Krishna Book and it's a flood of sweet nectar. There is also a fresh rendering of the Damodarashtaka prayer. Continue reading "Damodara Janani – all the details of the Damodara lila as you have never heard them before!
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On behalf of Jananivas, Ambarisa, Svaha and Braja Vilas prabhus and the entire TOVP Team, it is with great sorrow and bereavement that we have learned of the passing of one of the TOVP’s first heroes, His Grace Sri Nathji prabhu (Dr. N.D. Desai) yesterday, October 17th. We are in shock at his sudden departure at the age of 76 due to heart failure during a visit to Bhutan. It is truly a dark day of loss for the TOVP and for his family. We offer our condolences to his wife, two sons and daughter during this challenging time. His cremation ceremony will be held on October 18th in India. He will be greatly missed by us all.

Yet we are also blissful and confident that he has been blessed by Srila Prabhupada in his forward journey to the Lord’s abode. As Srila Prabhupada told Mr. Sethi regarding his helping to build the temple at Juhu, Mumbai, “If you help build this temple, the Lord will build a great temple for you in Vaikuntha”, Sri Nathji prabhu will no doubt be similarly rewarded for his seva to the cause of Sridhama Mayapur. As Braja Vilas prabhu relates:

“In 2011 I was living in America and working when Ambarisa prabhu mercifully offered me this greatest seva opportunity to help with fundraising for the TOVP. I agreed even though I had absoulutely no experience doing anything like that before nor any connections in India, having left there years before. In the first month of my new service I somehow had the opportunity to meet Sri Nathji prabhu at Radha Krishna prabhu’s house in Chowpatty and we introduced ourselves. I explained to him about the TOVP project and how Ambarisa prabhu had given the seed funding of $22 million to start the project and that it was well underway. He was so inspired by the idea and to hear of Ambarisa prabhu’s dedication that, to my surprise and without me even asking, he immediately said he would give $1 million. Ambarisa prabhu and I later visited his home and he immediately gave the full amount. We later found out that this money was originally supposed to be for the Chowpatty temple, but Sri Nathji prabhu, with the permission of his guru, His Holiness Radhanath Swami, had decided to help the TOVP instead. Even at a recent program at his home he received Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari with great pomp and celebration and performed an abhisheka and arati for Their service. He became like a Grandfather to me, full of love and caring feelings, and always enthusiastic, energetic and entertaining. Our connection was such that I felt I knew him from a previous life. I am deeply aggrieved at this loss and am remorseful that he will not be with us at the Grand Opening of the TOVP in 2022. He was the first donor to the TOVP after Ambarisa prabhu’s initial seed funding and this literally kick-started the entire fundraising campaign, and for this service to Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada’s mission we are eternally indebted and grateful.”

Sri Nathji prabhu was born Narendra Dharmsind Desai on May 22, 1940 in Baroda, Gujarat in India. His mother, Shanta Ben, a Krishna bhakta, prayed that he would become a great devotee of Krishna, even while still in her womb. As explained by Satyaraja das (Steven J. Rosen) in his biographical book, Bhakti-Yoga in Business, The Spiritual Journey of Dr. N.D. Desai,

“When she was pregnant, she prayed several times each day before that picture (of Lord Krishna) for a son that would serve Lord Krishna with full enthusiasm. Years later, when he took initiation as a Vaishnava, she confessed that she was fully satisfied – Krishna had answered her prayers.”

Bhakti-Yoga in Business, The Spiritual Journey of Dr. N.D. Desai by Satyaraja das (Steven J. Rosen)

Even after earning his Ph.D. in engineering and eventually becoming a successful businessman, Sri Nathji prabhu incorporated his devotion to Lord Krishna on a practical level. As he explains in Satyaraja prabhu’s book, “Both my mother and father, of course, supported the idea that everything belongs to Krishna, and so we eventually incorporated the standard Vaishnava principle of giving fifty percent of our profits to devotional activities, which we did through ISKCON or through other charitable organizations.” Satyaraja prabhu adds, “In due course, he would give much, much more than fifty percent. He would give his all.”

He finally met Srila Prabhupada in 1971 and his life changed forever. “I first met Srila Prabhupada, my spiritual teacher, in March, 1971 and this changed my life. Meeting a pure devotee has that effect – it brings one to another stage of existence.”

With that devotional attitude and with inspiration from Ambarisa prabhu, Sri Nathji prabhu gave his full support to the TOVP. Ambarisa and Svaha prabhus are grateful and thankful for his endearing devotion and we at the TOVP are all eternally indebted to him for his service. Jananivas prabhu will be organizing a special Nrsimha puja in his honor, among other observances.

We wish to conclude with this statement from Srila Prabhupada:

“If you help build this temple in Sridhama Mayapur, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur will personally come and take you back to Godhead.”

We believe this is certainly the case with Sri Nathji prabhu. He was a living example of the ability to live a spiritual life while actively taking part in the workaday world, and is a shining example to all Vaishnavas in that regard. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is undoubtedly pouring his blessings upon him.

All glories to His Grace Sriman Sri Nathji prabhu.

For further biographical information and inspiration about the life of Sri Nathji prabhu, a copy of Satyaraja prabhu’s book, Bhakti-Yoga in Business, The Spiritual Journey of Dr. N.D. Desai, can be purchased here:
http://store.krishna.com/bhakti-yoga-in-business-the-spiritual-journey-of-dr-n-d-desai/

The post His Grace Sri Nathji Das – A Hero of the TOVP Departs appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

By the causeless mercy of Lord Gaura Nitai, Sri Jiva Goswami, Srila Prabhupada and Vaisnavas, the date of Asta Krosa Parikrama has been fixed fro 9th November to 12th November 2016. This is the second year this Parikrama is going to take place. Srila Nityananda Prabhu along with Jiva goswami used to perform this Parikrama. […]

The post Asta Krosa- Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Lalita Sakhi’s Village (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Lalita Sakhi is one of Srimati Radharani’s 8 principle girlfriends. Her home in Unchagaon is close to Radharani’s residence in Varsana. Our parikrama party visited Unchagaon on the 1st day of Kartika and enjoyed many wonderful hours of Krsna katha, kirtan and association with the villagers who live in that sacred abode.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/yQh17E

By the TOVP team

On behalf of Jananivas, Ambarisa, Svaha and Braja Vilas prabhus and the entire TOVP Team, it is with great sorrow and bereavement that we have learned of the passing of one of the TOVP’s first heroes, His Grace Sri Nathji prabhu (Dr. N.D. Desai) yesterday, October 17th. We are in shock at his sudden departure at the age of 76 due to heart failure during a visit to Bhutan. It is truly a dark day of loss for the TOVP and for his family. We offer our condolences to his wife, two sons and daughter during this challenging time. His cremation ceremony will be held on October 18th in India. He will be greatly missed by us all. Continue reading "His Grace Sri Nathji Das – A Hero of the TOVP Departs
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“He Saved Me”

Srila Prabhupada struggled in the early 1970s to acquire the ISKCON Juhu property. He promised Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari, who were then housed in small shack, a beautiful temple.

The complex opened in 1978 and now includes a spacious marble temple, an auditorium, restaurant, a twin towered seven-storey guest house, the Heaven on Earth conference guest house and a seven floor devotee accommodation.

The GBC body came here In the middle of October for the mid-term meeting.

The INV & ECO-V board members humbly invite you to a service appreciation ceremony.

Honorees: Pitambar & Amburish, Gopalasyapriya & Damodara, & Varsana Swami.

When: Sunday November 13th, 2016

Time:  3:30 PM, immediately following the Sunday Feast

Where: Community Hall, under the Palace Lodge

Please come and celebrate their many years of exceptional service in the development of New Vrindaban.

 

 

 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 July 2016, London, England, Initiation Lecture)

Endeavour is required to make progress in this material world and austerity is part of it but austerity is not the goal. In Krsna consciousness also, whatever austerities are connected to initiation is not the goal; that is not the meditation. When we speak about four regulative principles, they are actually four prohibitions. So prohibition, restriction and austerity seem to come in that line but the Bhagavad-gita speaks about the regulative principles of freedom which is a different interpretation, a different understanding. In the Bhagavad-gita the regulative principles are not looked upon as restrictive but rather as liberating. This is interesting because generally, we experience these things as restrictions. When we get involved with the Hare Krsna Movement, we cannot eat this and we cannot eat that… there are so many complications… men and women interactions, there are so rules governing the whole thing. So many restrictions that we also tend to perceive these regulative principles as restrictive, even when we take initiation… this is the price we have to pay so we can go back to godhead if all goes well.

But the truth is that these regulative principles are restricting nothing but our maya, our illusion! And actually all these things that we are giving up were the cause of our pain, they were a thorn in our side. They were actually all along the sources of our suffering – eating inedible things is the source of so much suffering, gambling is insanity as it just destroys one’s life, illicit sex and intoxication just bind us in suffering so naturally as we give it up, it is very nice as we become free. We are giving up nothing but suffering!

I learnt this from my spiritual master who summed it up very simple. When he was in New York, a policeman saw him in his robes and asked, “What is it that you guys have to give up??” and his answer was, “SUFFERING!”

We should always remember that we are just getting liberated from all this suffering. We are very fortunate actually… it is very wonderful to live by these principles even if our stubborn, obstinate minds are sometimes rebelling!

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32, verses 16 to 22.

” ‘But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopis, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else’ (SB 10.32.20). It happens: We get something with great difficulty and then we lose it and become obsessed with the loss. Or we may take something for granted, and when we lose it we appreciate what we had.

“Then Krishna says, ‘My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas, and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopis, please do not harbor any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved’ (SB 10.32.21). Here Krishna is saying that it is not true that He did not reciprocate their love. He did, in such a way as to increase their attachment for Him. He was reciprocating—because the gopis‘, or any pure devotee’s, only desire is to love and serve Krishna and to increase their love for Him and their service to Him. And so by removing Himself from them He was reciprocating with their hearts’ deepest, innermost desire—to increase their love for Him.”

To download, right click and choose ‘Save As’.
Sarat Purnima and the First Night of Karttika

Hare Krishna

Iskcon’s growth (Yesterday’s audio lecture in Iskcon of DC, Washington)
Anuttama das: The other day I was downtown and meeting with the US ambassador and International Religious freedom representative and it was about 15 people there from different religious traditions talking about what’s going on in Russia and they asked me to speak because they know the Hare Krishna devotees were the first ones to get arrested under this new law and people that are in the know are very much concerned, very frightened about these new laws in Russia that rolling back what was for a while very reasonably liberal laws about religious communities, and they are overturning those only going back to like communist era. So they want us there because they know we are Cutting Edge on religious freedom issues. They want to know what’s happening to us what is our experience.

A beautiful video is coming, hopefully will be released during Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day. It talks about Eco communities and focuses on Hungary and this community of Iskcon in Brazil.
The video mentions about our farm in Hungary being the largest conscious living Green community in all of Europe and people come there to study in to see what we’re doing.

To listen to the whole audio lecture: https://soundcloud.com/iskconofdc/sb-1181-anuttama-dasa

By Deena Bandhu Das

Just received the very sad news that Sriman Srinathji prabhu, who was very dear to Srila Prabhupada, left this world in Bhutan apparently from a heart attack! Please join us in prayers for this wonderful soul! He was the main pillar of the Radha Gopinath mandir, Iskcon temple of Mumbai. He had personally served Shrila Prabhupada. He was the one who drove Shrila Prabhupada from Juhu to Mumbai central in His final journey to Vrindavana. Continue reading "HG Shrinathji prabhu, left his body today in Bhutan
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Receiving God’s blessings on the street.
Hare Krishna devotees have their day filled with bliss when they join the procession at the annual Chariot Festival (Ratha Yathra). The main purpose behind this initiative is to take the murts of three deities, Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subadhra, to the devotees who are unable to visit the temple regularly. By the time this article is read by Nation readers, the chariot, carrying images of deities, would have been pulled along the streets of Colombo and made participants experience a spiritual bliss.

Days before the festival (Scheduled for October 15), the priest of Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Kotahena, Maha Kartha Das, said in an interview with this scribe that events like this also help create awareness about Krishna Consciousness. “However, we are careful about the rate at which our religious movement grows. Spreading of a religion must be done in a careful and systematic manner. We don’t want religion to spread arbitrarily,” explained Kartha Das.

As in the past, temple authorities expect about 1000 devotees to return to the temple once the chariot completes its scheduled course in Colombo. The procession generally begins at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple with devotees walking the streets singing songs in praise of the Lord. “When you hear the chanting you are cleansed within and obtain the Lord’s blessings,” said Kartha Das.

The chariot festival has a long history and is celebrated in over 100 cities around the world. This tradition of taking the chariot, along with statues of deities, on the streets originated in Puri, Odisha back in 1968. That was the time when the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) fast gained in popularity. The religious movement experienced a rapid growth globally, thanks to the presence and efforts of its founder A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Kartha Das acknowledged that people are at present driven more towards material possessions, rather than spirituality. He said that those interested in Krishna Consciousness can follow a devotee, take part in rituals or listen to lectures on the Baghavad Gita. He added that spiritual progress can be slow, but what really matters is whether the effort put in by a practitioner is sincere.

This priest is making a sincere effort to complete a temple project (in Kotahena) he initiated many years ago. There is more work needed to complete the first phase of this project. “When the temple is complete, it will help build a larger congregation,” Kartha Das said.

He said that he wishes to conduct a course titled ‘Gita Life’ which will be aimed at catering to the spiritual needs of the busy people engaged in the corporate world. The six-day course makes it compulsory for participants to attend all sessions. The course will be conducted by Bhakti Vinoda Swami. Participants will be charged a course fee and given a copy of the Baghavad Gita free.

Events like the chariot festival help spread the message that seeking spirituality must be done under the guidance of an experienced devotee or an authorized guru. When the chariot passes on the streets, it gives that little mental nudge to the materialistic person that he is missing something in life. Sometimes that nudge sparks off a search for the truths in life.

The traditional chariot festival concludes at the temple. Here, devotees are served food (prasadam). There is something special in going this full round on the streets and winding up at the temple. If you are a serious devotee, it would feel ‘just like coming home’.
(Pics by Ravi Nagahawatte)
Source: https://goo.gl/mdUfu4

As a part of celebrations going throughout the whole world to glorify the Golden Jubilee of the foundation of ISKCON, ISKCON Bangladesh has recently organized “Bhaktivedanta National Students’ Competition - 2016”. More than 10,000 students from different parts of the country took part in the program. The competition took nearly five months to complete, and it was held on four levels – zonal, district, divisional and finally on national level.

On October 16th, the ashes of leading Russian devotee Radha Damodara Das were placed in the holy river Yamuna.  

Bhaktivedanta Mission School (Album with photos)
Kavicandra Swami: This school is attached to SRI SRI Radha Rasa Bihari Mandir, Juhu, Mumbai.. The pictures are from their ISKCON 50th anniversary festival.. All the displays were made by the students and they stand by to enthusiastically describe things in detail..
This is a great credit to the teachers. The covered every detail of Srila Prabhupada’s life and his accomplishments. They are themselves proof of the potency of the society that Srila Prabhupada has established. Many of the students and teachers are children of devotee parents..
The school has five floors and each was dedicated to a different phase of Srila Prabhupada’s life.
The school day starts with Hare Krsna kirtan in the large temple of Lord Jaganatha, Subhadra and Baladeva.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/4gwTRu

Welcome to the material world, I thought! Without alarming anyone, be prepared that life has its way of rudely ejecting us from our comforts at any moment. Change is unstoppable, uncontrollable and unpredictable.

Probably, most of us say things in private we wouldn't dare utter in public. But, is that acceptable or morally healthy? Hindu texts indicate that all speech reveals who we are. The Upanishads say our actual character is made up of our deepest desires; those desires manifest as our words and actions, which, in turn, create our destiny. 

Today’s Rathayatra in Mathura by Iskcon devotees (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself a servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.16 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/p61k4k

​Congregation program at Panama City, Panama

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