The Talavan Forest
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Talavan is one of the 12 sacred forests of Sri Vrindavan Dham in India. Even today, it retains much of the beauty it had 5,000 years ago during the appearance of Lord Sri Krsna. Indradyumna Swami and his parikrama party sat and discussed Krsna and Balarama's pastimes in that transcendental abode and relished the sweet chanting of Krsna's holy names for many hours. A video by Ananta Vrindavan.

Important for all kirtaniyas: Fake Paul & co Vs Real Paul…
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Important for all kirtaniyas: Fake Paul & co Vs Real Paul & co (4 min video)
It’s all in the details. So many times I’ve seen people buy the harmonium because the cover says Paul and Co on it and the shop guy said it was true. There is a classic design and a logo to look for. If the price is too good to be true, walk away lol.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/hlH8Md

The Hare Krishna’s and Their Books (2 min video) Srila…
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The Hare Krishna’s and Their Books (2 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna takes special appreciation for His devotees who are engaged in risking for His preaching work, and He will give you special care and guidance at all times because you are sincerely trying to serve Him in this way. Letter to Amogha, August 9, 1972.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/935L6A

Monday, October 17th, 2016
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Mumbai, India
  
High Point
  
A major high point for me at the Juhu Temple was the great moments of kirtan in the evening.  This, of course, involves dancing, and dancing is good.  It involves using leg muscles which don’t get used in the course of walking.

The ISKCON complex is somewhat that—complex.  For me, it’s like a maze when trying to get around from temple room, to meeting room, to accommodation room.  There’s quite a lot of transmigration of body and soul which goes on within the complex.

Yes, I’m intimidated by the outdoors.  Traffic is crazy.  Weather is hot.  Pollution is high.  I’m actually relishing the time with peers whom I don’t see for months at a time.  We all stay within the complex.

Spiritual advancement is largely dependent on good spiritual company.  In fact, it is the major factor behind growth.  Therefore, my stay here in Juhu, Mumbai is a true blessing because of all the great comrades I have here.

Mind you, most of them just can’t dance up a storm with the many young males present, who reside as monks in the confines of temple and ashram.  But the sit-down and break-out sessions we have together are precious.

One important topic for us is succession planning.  Hey, most of the old boys are in their mid to late 60’s.  It is time for more delegation and empowerment—time to transfer responsibilities to the ones who can dance.

May the Source be with you!


4 km

Tuesday, October 18th, 2016
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Mumbai, India
  
Lament Not
  
“One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again.  Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.”  Bhagavad-gita 2:27

We received the news today that a very prominent member of our community, known not just in Mumbai but globally, passed away in Bhutan.  Nataji, as everyone knows him, died from heart failure and he had the biggest heart.  He was a generous devotee and he was dear to his guru, Srila Prabhupada.

As the verse above from the Gita indicates “we will be back and so there is no need to lament.”  Over the course of four and a half decades, many senior men and women got to know Nataji.  He was very kind to all.  He had compiled reading material on bhakti-yoga in the business place.

Condolences to his family.  We may try to pay heed to the words above by Sri Krishna, “Do not lament,” in regard to his going.  Based on his magnanimous disposition, Nataji will march on to the subtle greener pasture of the spiritual world.  Therefore, why lament?  But, a notion of self-pity is natural, as he’ll be missed.

Funeral rites will be tomorrow in Mumbai, with a procession beginning at his home.

For my evening, I had every reason to rejoice.  I usually dream about giving presentations to young enthusiasts of the bhaktimovement.  One hall got filled up at 8 p.m. with fresh young monks in training.  They came to hear “Tales from Trails.”

May the Source be with you!


3 km

Gurudev – An Offering To Srila Prabhupada | By the Madhavas | (9…
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Gurudev - An Offering To Srila Prabhupada | By the Madhavas | (9 min musical video)
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
The lyrics: gurudev!
kṛpā-bindu diyā, koro’ ei dāse,
tṛṇāpekhā ati hīna
sakala sahane, bala diyā koro’,
nija-māne spṛhā-hīna

(2)
sakale sammāna korite śakati,
deho’ nātha! jathājatha
tabe to’ gāibo, hari-nāma-sukhe,
aparādha ha ‘be hata

(3)
kabe heno kṛpā, labhiyā e jana,
kṛtārtha hoibe, nātha!
śakti-buddhi-hīna, āmi ati dīna,
koro’ more ātma-sātha

(4)
jogyatā-vicāre, kichu nāhi pāi,
tomāra karuṇā-sāra
karuṇā nā hoile, kāndiyā kāndiyā,
prāṇa nā rākhibo āra

WORD FOR WORD TRANSLATION: Gurudeva! Krpa Bindu Diya

TRANSLATION
1) Gurudeva, O spiritual master! Give to this servant just one drop of mercy. I am lower than a blade of grass. Give me all help. Give me strength. Let me be as you are, without desires or aspirations.

2) I offer you all respects, for thus I may have the energy to know you correctly. Then, by chanting the holy name in great ecstasy, all my offenses will cease.

3) When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Allow me to be with you.

4) If you examine me, you will find no qualities. Your mercy is all that I am made of. If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep, and I will not be able to maintain my life.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/TW84ue

Sunday, October 16th, 2016
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Mumbai, India
  
A Lesson From the Python
  
Yesterday, Bhanu Swami spoke about the python man—the sadhu, or holy man who becomes popular by merely lying there in the field and accepting whatever may come of its own accord as food.  His disposition is one of detachment.  Such was the topic during the Bhagavatam lesson.

Today, we were honoured to hear from Kavi-chandra Swami who spoke further on the nature of a python, who hypnotizes his prey causing it to come closer.

The parallels, between the python and the certain type of monk who doesn’t walk about, are very interesting.  The main theme I picked up on was instructive.  As Rupa Goswami, another celebrated monk of the 16th century, expressed it, “Do not endeavour for mundane things.”

In a conversation I had at lunch with Tejiyas, a true blue researcher on rural community development, he said the greatest challenge in implementing the simpler life for even the welcoming city slicker is to resign oneself to the principle that we be content with what we have.  It appears greed is an element which really needs to be tackled if one wants to be more frugal in the way one does things.  I think most of us will admit we waste like crazy and we work way too hard to accumulate what we don’t need.

My walking, by the way, hasn’t totally diminished.  I’m not excited about walking at nearby Juhu Beach.  In the day, it’s extremely hot.  In the night, the dogs attack.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

Your enemy is inside you – and so is your friend – with Spanish translation
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Talk at University of Panama, Panama

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Kartik Month
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Whatever your situation—even if you live far from a Temple–try to be Krishna conscious as best you can, and pray for the mercy of Krishna and his devotees. There will be special benefit during this month. That can be an impetus for us for this month, but the idea is to make our entire life, day after day, month after month, and year after year centered around devotional service so we can offer our whole life to Krishna. Then we will go to a plain where the only activity is Krishna bhakti, performed with love and devotion.


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The Talavan Forest (6 min video) Indradyumna Swami: Talavan is…
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The Talavan Forest (6 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Talavan is one of the 12 sacred forests of Sri Vrindavan Dham in India. Even today, it retains much of the beauty it had 5,000 years ago during the appearance of Lord Sri Krsna. Our parikrama party sat and discussed Krsna and Balarama’s pastimes in that transcendental abode and relished the sweet chanting of Krsna’s holy names for many hours.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/mNiUJx

In humility, appreciation and awe for Sri Nathji…
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In humility, appreciation and awe for Sri Nathji Prabhu.
Rasaraja dasa: I am truly saddened to hear of the sudden departure of Sri Nathji Prabhu. He was a stalwart devotee and an example for all devotees on many fronts. A most respectable grihastha Vaishnava, a tireless preacher, not only in the temple but even in his own professional circles, where he made many working persons coming in touch with him for business reasons into devotees.

Srila Prabhupada discusses the early days of Back to Godhead Magazine in the US
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Hare KrishnaBy Ranjita Dasa

Prabhupada: There was advertisement. So I went to Long Island. That two machines... I asked, "What is the price?" "$150 each." Then he wanted to take away the machines. Machine was all right. And then I told him that "I have got $150 only. If you want to give us, give those two machines." So "All right, you take these all." (laughter) So I gave him $150, whatever I had, and I took the machine. In that machine was printed Back to Godhead. So five hundred copies... How many copies you were selling? Tamala Krsna: Well, by the time we were selling, you were printing about three thousand, and we were selling twenty-five hundred. Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Then I asked Brahmananda that "Why not print it nicely?" So he said that "Unless we print twenty thousand, nobody will take this work." And "All right, order twenty thousand." Now, from twenty thousand or five hundred, what is the quantity now we are printing? Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada discusses the early days of Back to Godhead Magazine in the US
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Writing for Krishna: The Price and the Prize
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Hare KrishnaBy Chaitanya Charana Dasa

Srila Prabhupada has expressed his fond dream for BTG: “As I have told you several times, I am awaiting for the day when this paper will take the shape of Life magazine or similar other magazines in the matter of its popularity.” (Letter dated June 1968) The popularity of BTG depends on many factors: for example, the reach and appeal of our movement; the magnitude of the efforts to distribute BTG; the format, feel, and cost of the issues. But the most important factor, the factor I can influence, is its core content—the quality of its articles. The only way I can improve the quality of my articles is by improving the quality of my writing. Continue reading "Writing for Krishna: The Price and the Prize
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Back to Godhead 1966: Gargamuni Dasa Remembers
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Hare KrishnaBy Gargamuni Dasa

In a Back to Godhead we’d have twenty to thirty pages in those days, which means if we printed 500 copies, which was the normal run, we’d print 500 copies, I’d have to spread out twenty to thirty pages of 500 copies. When it was all printed, then I would have to collate them by hand and then stack them up and then put on the cover, which was a color offset. We’d use every month or every two weeks, every month, a different color – yellow, green, blue, like that – to show that it was a different issue. Then we’d have the cover offsetted, and then Rayarama would make a special stencil to print on top of that. And then we would print something special on the mimeograph…on the stencil, what articles were inside and what the date was, the date of the magazine. So, therefore, we could keep using the… We only had four colors – yellow, green, and blue, and used them every other…so we’d have different color issues. I can remember the first one was blue, the second was yellow, and the third was green. Then we went back again to blue, yellow, and green. Continue reading "Back to Godhead 1966: Gargamuni Dasa Remembers
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Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First Publication of Back to Godhead Magazine in the West
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Hare KrishnaBy Ranjita Dasa

On this day in 1966, Srila Prabhupada's Diary records: "Back to Godhead published again today." On the same day, it records that Gargamuni Dasa was initiated. Gargamuni Prabhu's account of the beginning of the magazine at 26 Second Avenue is presented in this week's keynote article. His story is a unique personal glimpse into the mood and happenings of the time. For an insight into writing for Back to Godhead, we are presenting an article by Chaitanya Carana Prabhu entitled "Writing for Krishna," which first appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Back to Godhead. Continue reading "Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First Publication of Back to Godhead Magazine in the West
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Recordings: September 2016
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Please find below recordings of lectures and kirtans by Kadamba Kanana Swami captured during September. 

Download ALL (zip file, 1.3 GB)

Durban 

KKS_DBN_30September2016_YouthProgram_Short_Lecture

KKS_DBN_30September2016_YouthProgram_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_29September2016_HouseProgram_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_27September2016_Lecture_SB_2.4.19

KKS_DBN_27September2016_CC_BookClub

KKS_DBN_25September2016_NJP_KirtanFestival

KKS_DBN_25September2016_SundayFeast_PMB_Lecture

KKS_DBN_25September2016_SundayFeast_PMB_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_20September2016_CC_BookClub

KKS_DBN_16September2016_Kendra_NamaHatta_Lecture

KKS_DBN_16September2016_Kendra_NamaHatta_Kirtan

KKS_DBN_11September2016_SundayFeast_Lecture

KKS_DBN_11September2016_SundayFeast_JayaRadhaMadhava

KKS_DBN_09September2016_Radhastami_Lecture_Evening

KKS_DBN_09September2016_Radhastami_Lecture_Midday

 

Cape Town 

KKS_CPT_07September2016_Lecture_SB_1.9.26

KKS_CPT_06September2016_HouseProgram_Lecture

KKS_CPT_06September2016_HouseProgram_Kirtan

KKS_CPT_06September2016_Lecture_SB_1.9.26

KKS_CPT_04September2016_SundayFeast_Lecture

KKS_CPT_04September2016_SundayFeast_Kirtan

KKS_CPT_04September2016_StudentRetreat_Morning_Lecture

KKS_CPT_03September2016_StudentRetreat_Lecture

KKS_CPT_03September2016_StudentRetreat_Kirtan

KKS_CPT_03September2016_Lecture_SB_1.9.25

Glorification of Sri Nathji Prabhu From the GBC Executive Committee
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Hare KrishnaBy the GBC Executive Committee

His Grace Sri Nathji Prabhu was a Vaisnava of rare caliber indeed, teaching by example the true meaning of selfless devotional service. From his youth, he was in search of a genuine guru. His mother encouraged his interest by bringing him to the feet of the perfect spiritual teacher: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Although, as Sri Nathji Prabhu himself described, he would utilize his time with Srila Prabhupada to argue in favor of Mayavada philosophy, eventually, he was convinced by Srila Prabhupada's infallible logic that the highest path of worship is to engage in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. From that day forward, Sri Nathji Prabhu dedicated mind, body, words, family, wealth, intelligence--everything in his possession--to the service of the Lord and his devotees. It is practically impossible to list the many contributions he has made to ISKCON. Certainly one of his most wonderful contributions is the creation of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath temple in Mumbai, which has become a beacon of bhakti for tens of thousands of souls. Sri Nathji Prabhu not only gave the land upon which the temple was started, but served as a founding member and provided spiritual, managerial, and financial support throughout the decades. Continue reading "Glorification of Sri Nathji Prabhu From the GBC Executive Committee
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In Glory of Sri Nathji Das
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Hare KrishnaBy Ranjit das

Due to his exemplary example, Back to Godhead magazine published an article on him in the May 1981 issue. With his strong business mind and very gentle Vaisnava heart, he never missed an opportunity to help any individual soul or project that needed his expert guidance and financial support. He strongly believed in helping anyone who sincerely expressed a desire to serve Krishna and fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s mission. In that mood he stepped forward to help and ensure financial stability when Back to Godhead in Mumbai began printing in 1995. Continue reading "In Glory of Sri Nathji Das
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​When we all lose everything at death, how does making better choices matter at death?
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​If spirituality helps us make better choices, who decides which choices are better?
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How has your spirituality helped you to practically solve the world’s problems?
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Tap the power of your mind​ – with Spanish translation
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​Talk at Hotel El Panama, Panama

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Proactive Leadership – with Spanish translation
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​Talk at UDELAS university, Panama

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​Discover your inner power – with Spanish translation
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​Talk at Ganexa University, Panama

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​What dogs, birds and elephants teach us about our habits – with Spanish translation
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​Talk at San Miguel Arcangel School, Panama

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Beautiful Madan Mohan Temple (Album with photos) Indradyumna…
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Beautiful Madan Mohan Temple (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: On the 3rd day of our Kartika parikrama in Vrindavan we visited the famous Madan Mohan Temple, established by Srila Sanatana Goswami on the bank of the sacred Yamuna river. Madhava and Bada Haridas’ rousing kirtans and Chaturatma prabhu’s enlightening discussions satisfied the hearts of all present!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cxeSoT