Planet ISKCON

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9th EU Farm Conference in Villa Vrindavana, Florence, Italy (Album with photos)
The farm conference brought together empowered citizens and communities to celebrate 50 years of spreading sustainable Krishna conscious community life. It was presented the knowledge acquired by many unseen heroes along these pioneering years and there was an effort to build a bridge with the vibrant youth which is so connected to sustainable solutions for the planet. There was offered a connection of friendship to enable sharing our experiences and solutions.
Together, we shared realistic glimpses of possibility and hope for a thriving future.
Villa Vrindavana, a big villa built in 1500, and it was bought by ISKCON in 1979. It is located on the sweet Tuscany hills in the Chianti area, in S.Casciano Val di Pesa, a few Kilometers away from Florence. The main building, from the renaissance period, is surrounded by a wide Italian garden with many colorful peacocks, fields and woods for about 90 hectares. The central rooms of the building are occupied by MOSA (Museum of Sacred Art), a unique artistic gallery displaying art works which show ancient sacred Indian themes. Inside the temple, restored in Vedic style by the devotees in 1983, there are the beautiful deities of Sri Sri Radha Vrajasundara, Sri Sri Gaura Nita and Sri Sri Jagannath Subhadra Baladeva.

There is also a nice Govinda’s restaurant, restored in Tuscan style. The guest house and various multifunctional rooms are ideal for meetings, spiritual retreats, cultural gatherings and yoga courses.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/TPQi8Q

Navina Nirada Syamam (Narada Pancaratra, Ratra 4 Chapter 6; Gopala Stotram) Author: Vyasadeva.
1) I offer respectful obeisances to Lord Krsna, the transcendental cowherd boy, who is the dear son of the gopi Yasoda. Krsna’s complexion is as dark as a fresh rain-cloud, and His eyes are as beautiful as blue lotus flowers.

Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami.
From Kasidhama, Raghunatha Bhatta traveled on foot to Puri-dhama. When he arrived in Puri, he went straight to the place of Sriman Mahaprabhu and offered his respects at the Lord’s lotus feet. At that time, the Lord embraced him, saying “Raghunatha!” Having been embraced by the Lord, Raghunatha Bhatta found that all his troubles went far away. Raghunatha Bhatta thought to himself, “I am coming to see the Lord after such a long time; He didn’t know that I was coming. How is it that he is showing me so much affection? He has many devotees who are very dear to Him. Why should he show such affection for one such as myself, the lowest of devotees?” And yet, although he considered himself very low and mean, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu with a laughing, smiling, face said “Raghunatha!” and embraced him, Raghunatha began crying tears of ecstasy. With tears in his eyes, he fell at the Lord’s feet and, holding them, said, “O most merciful Lord. In truth, tell me, why are you giving such great consideration to this humble one?” The Lord said, “Raghunaha! I cannot forget your parent’s affectionate consideration for me around the time of your birth. Every day, with great affection, they used to feed me.”

The Head and Heart.
Sri Hanumatpresaka Swami: Many writers on yoga, mysticism describe this non-striving state of consciousness as the highest level of experience, but from this Vedic model we can see that it is high, but realistically it is not even spiritual.

New Vrajadhama, Hungary, Rama Vijaya Festival (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Krishna. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant so that at the end of one’s life one can have the full benefit of Krishna consciousness. Bhagavad-Gita 8.5 Purport.
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Rama Vijaya Festival & Picnic 2016
Festival at Mission Bay, San Diego, CA October 8, 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The easiest way to control the mind, as suggested by Lord Caitanya, is chanting “Hare Krishna,” the great mantra for deliverance, in all humility. Bhagavad-Gita, 6.34 Purport.
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By Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami

Modernized material benefits are like the dust of material contamination. When this dust is agitated by the whirlwind of fruitive activity, it overcomes the heart. Thus the mirror of the heart is covered with dust. There are many desires to perform auspicious and inauspicious activities, but people do not know how life after life they are keeping their hearts unclean. One who cannot give up the desire for fruitive activity is understood to be covered by the dust of material contamination. Karmis generally think that the interaction of fruitive activities can be counteracted by another karma, or fruitive activity. This is certainly a mistaken conception. If one is deluded by such a conception, he is cheated by his own activity. Such activities have been compared to an elephant's bathing. An elephant may bathe very thoroughly, but as soon as it comes out of the river, it immediately takes some sand from the land and throws it all over its body. If one suffers due to his past fruitive activities, he cannot counteract his suffering by performing auspicious activities. The sufferings of human society cannot be counteracted by material plans. The only way suffering can be mitigated is by Krsna consciousness. When one takes to Krsna consciousness and engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord‑‑beginning with chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord‑‑the cleansing of the heart begins. Continue reading "Overcoming Material Desires
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By Krishna Ksetra Swami

1) Within my heart I have always been anxious for the maintenance of my wife and children, my own body and relatives. 2) How will I earn money? How will I obtain fame? How will I arrange the marriages of my sons and daughter? 3) Now, through self-surrender, I have been purged of all anxiety. O Lord, surely You will provide for the maintenance of Your household. 4) Surely You will preserve me, knowing me to be Your own servant. O Lord, in Your devotional service I feel great happiness. 5) All events take place by Your will, O Lord. The deluded soul of this world declares, “I am the doer,” but this is pure folly. 6) If You do not act first, then what is a tiny soul actually able to do? By Your will he can only desire to act, and unless You fulfill his desire, he cannot do anything. 7) I will serve You free from all anxiety, and at home, if any good or evil should occur, it will not be my responsibility. 8) Bhaktivinoda thus gives up his independence and engages in the exclusive service of Your lotus feet with no other interest in life. Continue reading "Bhaktivinoda’s Thakur Saranagati – The Process of Surrender
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Maya is not the devil. She is not hunting you or persecuting you. You are not the victim, you are the perpetrator and you are the beneficiary. There is no “Satan vs. God” paradigm, please stop imposing Christian world-views on Bhāgavata Dharma. There is no evil super villain who is going to eat your soul if you don’t get protection from the great big superhero in the sky. No one is after you. No one is out to get you. Give up on these childish nightmares. Give up the teddy bears and security blankets. You are the ultimate cause of your predicament, and no one but you are the ultimate root of your enlightenment.

Maya is compassionate and kind, you are the one who refuses to even play by the one and only rule she enforces: “share” that’s why she spanks you and you are the child feeling anger over getting spanked for doing something very wrong.

This video is an excerpt of a class session from an online course called “God, Consciousness, & Reality” in which we are discussing Śrī Jīva Goswāmī’s analysis of Vyāsa’s samādhī. Because the topic is so important, and misunderstanding of Māyā is so widespread and deeply rooted today, I decided to make the video available on YouTube, etc.

Please watch it carefully and patiently. Jīva Goswāmī’s revelation of the Bhāgavatam will revolutionize your outlook on life.

Vraja Kishor das (www.vrajakishor.com)

By Saurabh Krishna Das

Maharaj started the class with differentiating the body and soul. He stated that the entire society is engaged for decorating and maintaining the body without considering the cause of the all things (the spirit soul). He said that any burning object burns till that time when it is in contact with the main fire source and loses its fieriness as gets separated from the fire and turns into ash. But again as it amalgamates with fire it gets its fieriness. After that He said, we all are conditioned soul and had lost our relation with the lord but as we will come in the association of the devotees we will be able to establish the same relation with the lord we had earlier. Maharaj concluded by saying that we should keep a watch on our activities and as we find that Krishna is not in the center, we should bring him in the center again. Also, as you will realize that we are not this body rather we are spirit soul that very moment we become immortal. Continue reading "“How To Become Immortal” – Preaching Program In Bhopal
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On the 6th day of the September month 2016, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj arrived in Bhopal. There was a program organized in the central hall of a reputed hotel of the city. Maharaj chose the topic “How to become immortal”, as the most of the listeners were students and few were congregational devotees. […]

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​Program at ISKCON, Toronto, Canada

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​Evening program at ISKCON, Scarborough, Canada

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​Seminar at ISKCON, Toronto, Canada

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​Congregation program at Toronto, Canada

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He Gave Us the Gayatri Mantra

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

The eight offense to the holy name is, “To consider the chanting of Hare Krsna to be one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities, karma-kanda.” We have said this many times but what does it mean. There are different meanings that we can draw from it but the main meaning that I draw from it is:  A karma-kanda ritual is a material activity, a Vedic ritual which fixes our material situation. So when you do a karma-kanda ritual then you expect auspiciousness, “Now all my problems are gone. The brahmana came to my house and he did this yagna so now all will be fine!”

But chanting the holy name is a transcendental process and it has a different purpose. Its purpose is not to fix our material life! The purpose of chanting is to please Krsna and attract his mercy… and that mercy of Krsna may or may not fix our material life. You may say, “I am a devotee, how could this happen! How could this calamity happen to me?” and just give up chanting. This process is not meant to fix our material life; it is meant to take us back to Krsna and back to devotional service to him.

South Africa is a dangerous country because there is a lot of violence and there were some devotees who were murdered. I remember one program when someone asked, “How could this happen to a devotee? Isn’t Krsna protecting his devotee?” and one of the sannyasis present said, “No, Krsna is always protecting his devotee but Krsna may or may not protect the body but he will always protect the soul!”

In this way, Krsna consciousness is different from karma-kanda and is not going to fix our material problems, so we should not fall into that illusion.

Shri Madhvacharya appeared in 1238 A.D. near Udupi, Karnataka in South India. He was considered an incarnation of Vayu (wind god). He had an unusually strong physique and extraordinary intellectual power.

Madhvacharya took diksha at age five, sannyasa at twelve and left home. He appeared with a mission to fight and defeat Sankara’s Mayavada (impersonal) philosophy. By giving a pure interpretation of Vedanta-sutra he promoted pure theism. He named his innovative shastric explanation dvaita-dvaita-vada (pure dualism).

An interview with Candramauli Swami
How did you become a devotee?
I met devotees in place called Denver, Colorado in 1972 and I officially joined the temple in New Vrindavan in March of 1973, which was about 9 months later. Searching, looking for something spiritual. I had been involved in many social and political issues, prior to my joining the HK movement. I suppose? social and political interests or evangelistic spirit lead me to eastern religion and through yoga, reincarnation, vegetarianism I somehow came in contact with people who knew Hare Krishna people and I ended up on one SF in Denver. Somehow or other I came to the temple, liked it but wasn’t thinking of joining. I became interested in philosophy and asked questions. Then in the beginning of 1973 I went back to east coast of America and decide to visit the temple in New York City and then I started regularly go to the SF. And from there I really became attracted to the philosophy, life style, to the devotees. Two things really attracted me: devotees, philosophy and, especially devotees. I saw people were really genuinely happy. I was inspired to take that association and then found out what is their philosophy, their lifestyle. I had been practicing few things on my own, but nothing really serious. I asked questions, read the books, and finally I decided to give it a try. I met some devotees who were visiting New Vrindavan and they invited me to come to visit. I was inspired by the rural atmosphere so in March 1973 I decided to stay.

How long did you stay there? You were serving there as a cook and pujari?

My first service was to take the milk from the cows (I wasn’t milking them. They would give me the milk) and I would separate cream from the milk. And then from the butter I would make cream, like mother Yasodha. Gopi lila. My first service was to churn butter. I used a little milk can, stick, and round thick disc with holes … I would make butter for the Lord. And also distribute the milk to different places where they needed it. That went on for a few months. On Radhastami, September 1973 I got initiated.

Was Prabhupada present there?

Prabhupada came in April 1974 and he gave initiations but I didn’t see much of Srila Prabhupada that time. I attended one of his classes but that was it.

How was for you meeting Srila Prabhupada for the first time?

In New Vrindavan we have an area for sitting outside and he was there surrounded by devotees. He was looking and he looked at me for about … I guess it was like a long second … I was just picked up by enthusiasm. Of course we heard about Prabhupada, we were reading his books, so we were inspired. There was always news where was Prabhupada, what he was doing. That news would come as often a possible and everyone would listen. So we learn about Prabhupada mostly by hearing about him. When I first saw him it was a nice experience but it was really quick. And I sat at one class but I was always in the background, I was never up front.

Was it difficult for you to maintain the relationship with him although you didn’t have so much personal association?

Yes, it was but I was inspired to read his books and through his books and hearing about his activities. … The community leader Kirtananda was very close to Prabhupada, one of his first disciples. So he was all the time talking about Prabhupada, glorifying him. So we learnt a lot about Prabhupada through him. My relationship was mostly with Kirtananda Swami, he was SP’s representative. When you have personal contact you have a tendency to develop strong relationship with that person, so that was more strong even from my relationship with SP although SP was my spiritual master.

One time you said that those devotees who had personal association were attached to this physical association.

Some of them. There is philosophical precept that is explained in Srimad Bhagavatam that real attachment to the spiritual master is through the instructions. Personal association brings about attachment but unless one thought that association goes with the instructions, then if association is not there then what is the association. Instructions remain prominent as our association. Those who were attached to his body then when SP’s body was gone they also were gone. Prabhupada’s presence was very powerful impact to people’s lives. You can see that even today. When spiritual master leaves, others leave or they become more serious because they are attached to the personal form. Spiritual master many times leaves in order to get rid off the nonsense people and to inspire those who are serious to go on a higher level. Because those who are serious once when spiritual master leaves they go deeper to relationship. For the other ones they haven’t really imbibed the instructions into the heart therefore they have a hard time and many they just go. It is a phenomenon of that relationship, it’s historical, not only with Srila Prabhupada but with any spiritual master. There are always those who are attached to the form and those who are attached to instructions.

How did your spiritual life changed since you officially became initiating spiritual master?

It has become a bigger headache. (Laugh) It is like having children. I was always doing it in unofficial way but now it is like there is more of a requirement to do it. I like to do it. I always have done it as a service anyway. When formalization came it was nothing different but now it’s like you have to really become more determined to help that person. Even if they don’t want help. When it is unofficially if they don’t want help you can also back off and there is nothing lost. But if people are falling away you have to go after and try to bring them back. It becomes more active on the part of the guru.

You have deity of Laksmi Narasimha and Jagantaha, also Gaura Nitai …

I have them in Chicago. I also have Prahlada Nrsimhadev.

Who is taking care for them?

One devotee in Chicago, Murari Caitanya Prabhu. He has many deities himself.

How did Lord Nrsimhadeva come to you?

I remember I had another Lord Narasimhadev. I gave it to someone to take care because I was traveling a lot. I don’t remember how this deity came. It’s a mystery. Well it’s not a mystery I just don’t remember. (Laugh) Somehow my memory is blocked on that area. I remember for other deities but for this deity I don’t.

How did you get Prahlada Nrsimhadev?

That is a nice story. When I first saw that deity in German farm I was really attracted to that deity. And then in Croatia, at the camp I saw a deity. I really wanted to have my own. I heard that there was one devotee who was actually making that deity. I made some inquiry to try to get it. That was the first time that I was on this camp, it was in 2002. I couldn’t at all somehow or rather reach him. Some devotees tried for me because I wanted to have this deity but nothing happened. Then one day when I was in Spain I was invited to someone’s house. Over lunch we were talking and I told a story how I wanted to have a deity like that. One man who was there came to me the next day with a box. With a big smile on his face he said: I have a gift for you. And I though what is this I have a lot of stuff to carry. When I opened it up it was Prahlada Nrsimhadev. It was his deity which he put to rest.

Are you maybe attached to some particular form of the Lord?

I like all the forms. I like Balarama. One day devotees from Chicago congregation asked me to give a talk to the kids (ranging from 6 to 14). They said you speak on Krishna forms. I spoke a little bit and asked all the kids what are their favorite forms and at the end they also asked me. And I said Balarama. He is the original spiritual master; he serves the Lord in different ways, he is the actual God who gives service and accepts service. He gives service in the form of expanding himself in the form of the spiritual world. Spiritual world is Balarama, all the planets of the spiritual world are Balarama, Balarama expands and finally becomes Maha Visnu, who expands in ultimately material manifestation of the creation. Maha Visnu, Garbodaksayi Visnu, Balarama is very interesting person. Lord Nityananda and Lord Balarama is the same person. Same person, two different forms. If we want mercy we have to approach him. Gaura Nitai. Krisna Balarama.

You were also actively involved in the preaching program Prison Ministry. Can you say something about that?

There was one devotee, SP’s disciple named Candrashekara. He was requested by SP to preach to people in (…….) and he didn’t do until 1989. He begun 12 years after SP left, by correspondence. He was writing to so many people. He was also putting out some newsletter by ISKCON Prison Ministry so I became inspired. And also before I met Candrasekara there was one devotee who was put into jail (1986/7) and I started to visit him and send him books. He was preaching there and distributing books and I was sending him all kinds of books. Finally I would visit him with other devotees. He was in prison just outside of New Vrindavan, West Virginia prison. After some time I got inspired by that and one thing led to another – I started writning to some prisoners. And when I came in contact with Candrasekara it really started off. In the early days 1986-91 I was actually visiting people in prisons, in 1996/7 I started to write letters more. Now I do both. We also have a newsletter coming out from Chicago written by one ex-inmate. I am involved with that. Prabhupada wanted this kind of preaching, in 1952 he did program in one prison, place called Tihar jail. That was the place where Gandhi was put into prison. Prabhupada was doing this preaching and he also requested from us. It didn’t really get off the ground until lately. Now we have newsletter, devotees in different places of America who are writing to prisoners and sending books. Syama dasi, she does so much, sends tapes, books, videos … she lives out side. Candrasekara write at least 20 handwritten letters a day. I was doing that for years and I still do. Majority of my postal correspondence is at least 95 % with inmate. We also have a program from New Vrindavana where …….. kesh Prabhu and he also sends tests to inmate to learn. I also do Bhagavad Gita test. As far as making devotees is very difficult because when they get out they go to their material life again. But we have good success. One person just came out last year that time and he joined Chicago temple – he is doing newsletter. But when they are in prison they chant and read SP books. In 2002 we did Vyasa puja book for SP – offering from prisoners. You wouldn’t believe their writings. They never met Prabhupada except maybe one or two who were devotees when they were put into jail. 99 % of them never met Prabhupada and they became devotees in jail. Bir Krishna Maharaja has got the most disciples that are inmate – at least 3.

How can we maintain good sadhana and quality sadhu-sanga?

They go together. Sadhu sanga is done in relationship to sadhana. Real sadhu sanga comes by way of sadhana, not separate. When we perform hearing and chanting together with devotees, attend the morning program we attend the real sadhu sanga. Whatever else is necessary becomes easier when we have this hearing and chanting together. Hearing and chanting, sadhana is the basis of all out spiritual advancement. Prabhupada has written: Attend mangala arotik, chant 16 rounds, and hear Srimad Bhagavatm class. If we don’t do this we will become lack, we will fall down. In many letters he states like this. For those who live outside they also have to have some type of sadhana: they must chant, worship their deities and also associate with devotees. It’s a fact when you go for the morning program your Krishna Consciousness becomes strong, if you don’t go it becomes weak. We need that. It’s our life, our spiritual nourishment.

If you live in temple …. There is no quality sadhu sanga…

We should find other times to associate. We associate through service – that is there. We associate at festivals and preaching programs. We can get so much wrapped up in service that it seems that we are not associating. But actually if you are absorbed in service you are actually associating with everybody because that is the real association. But we must also have sadhana type of service (?), just being there and discussing. Prabhupada talks about devotees should get together and discuss the philosophy. You can also do that separately, you can have classes during the day.,.. bodya…….. (Sanskrit) to discuss the different angles of philosophical teachings in my books. That way we become more fixed and more inspired to continue in our devotional life. Association is not simply coming together and maintaining the building.

Tomorrow Radhanath Maharaja is coming. As far as I know you are friends since small …

Well he joined New Vrindavan 1972 , I joined 1973. At that time we had bramacari asram. So we started KC at the same time. Our services were connected. In bramacari asrama he was pujari and I was the cook for a few years. That meant when other devotees were gone, in the building Prabhupada’s palace there was just myself, Maharaja and one other person. We were taking lunch together. But we hardly saw each other – he was fully engaged in deity worship and me also.

I heard that even before as children you actually lived in the same street?

No, I was born on the east coast, he was born in Chicago. That is nice but it is not true. What rumors get around? (laugh) Somehow or other things always get changed. Even Prabhupada said: ‘’Some say Prabhupada said but Prabhupada didn’t say.’’ There are a lot of Prabhupada things that Prabhupada didin’t say. It is just the way the mind is, it likes to recreate into a new way.

What would be your most important message for Slovenia devotees? And also how do you feel here?

Try to develop real, genuine vaishnava relationships, see each other more important than yourself and serve the other devotees in that mood and Krishna will take care of you. If we develop real friendships with devotees that mean that our KC is nice. Friendship means we have to give up our false ego which is hard. We should be concerned about other devotees and not only about our spiritual development. It’s not that temple president is the only one who is concerned about everyone and everyone else are concerned about themselves. That is not the idea. Devotees are concerned about each other because we are all for the same thing, we all try to develop our relationship with Krishna. When we help each other we help ourselves. There must be genuine vaishnava relationships based on spiritual principles not anything different. Devotee relationships go very deep because Krishna consciousness is deep. There should be genuine concern and care for each devotee. If some devotees have trouble it’s not that he/she is in maya. Why not help them to get out of maya?

Children and Pets
Urmila Devi Dasi: A BOY AND HIS DOG, at least in America, is a symbol of friendship and of healthy psychological development. Srila Prabhupada, however, said that keeping pet dogs is a symptom of how the world has lost Vedic culture. People sometimes say that giving children pets to love helps children develop universal love. But we can easily see that it doesn’t work. Children love their dogs, cats, hamsters, and lizards, yes, but they eat cows, fish, sheep, and chickens. Some children on farms even learn to arrange for the slaughter of animals they pampered as pets. Both pampering and slaughtering stem from a desire to please oneself, or, more accurately, from a desire to please the senses and mind with which one falsely identifies. So teaching a child to love a pet because the pet is cute or loyal or cuddly simply binds the child to valuing bodily pleasure instead of spiritual pleasure. Couldn’t a child being trained in Krsna consciousness keep a pet without becoming materially entangled?

By Bhanu Swami

Some Conclusions based on Vedic Descriptions Subtle body has a subtle form with subtle senses to perceive . Subtle body not subject to gross physical laws of space and time Subtle body changes according to present experiences and thoughts Thought forms become more permanent if desires and thoughts are strong. Attachment to the subtle body of another person can lead to attachments in future bodies Sinful, selfish or violent acts create disruption in the subtle body. This determines the gross form in the next birth along with suffering Acts of punya or generosity maximize the health of the subtle body. This determines the extent of enjoyment in the gross body in next life. Subtle body is an intermediary between the soul and the gross body, but still material. The relation between the soul and body is established via false identification, false ego. The Super Soul guides the consciousness of the soul to fulfil his desires and enjoy in the gross world. The Super Soul guides the soul to get out of ignorance. Continue reading "What Is Mind? A Bhagavatam Conception of Mind
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By Srivas Nimai Dasa

We all know about the Yearly Lord Jagannatha Ratha Yatra at Puri Dham. Then again, by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we have had many Ratha Yatras over the years in ISKCON. At the same time, we are also aware that there is Lord Narasimha Palanquin (Ratha Yatra) Yatra in Lord Narasimha Sri Vaishnava Kshetras. Then, what is this first ever Lord Narasimha Jagannatha Ratha Yatra?!!! ISKCON Vijayawada has been conducting many Ratha Yatras to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Years in addition to special events like the release of a Special Postal envelope to honour Srila Prabhupada. Mangalagiri (auspicious Hill when translated) is a town 15 Kms (9 miles) from Vijayawada in the State of Andhra Pradesh in India. This town got its name as Lord Panakala (sweet drunkard) Narasimha Swami resides on top of the hill. The Lord here accepts half the quantity of the sweet drink that a devotee offers. If one offers 1 glass, he drinks ½ a glass. On the other hand, if we offer 2 glasses he accepts one glass only!!! Continue reading "First Ever Lord Narasimha Jagannatha Ratha Yatra
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Soweto Ratha Yatra, Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One should invite people, chant...

Giving Up Ravan Mentality (Audio-lecture)
On the occasion of Vijay Dasmi, HH Bhakti Charu Swami gave a wonderful class on Givin...

Sri Madhvacharya Appearance Day.
Today is the appearance day of Sri Madhvacharya. Madhvacharya (acarya means “one who teaches by his life”) lived in thirteenth-century India and appeared in the Brahma-Madhva – Gaudiya-Vaisnava-Sampradaya—the disciplic chain now represented by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In this long disciplic chain of pure teachers, Madhvacharya is a most important link. The Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya originates with the Madhvas. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers thoroughly studied Madhva’s works before compiling their philosophy. For the Sat Sandarbhas Shri Jiva Goswami drew heavily from Madhva’s writings. Jiva Goswami found ‘the Gaudiya philosophy of acintya-bheda-abheda tattva in Madhva’s Bhagavat-parya. Shri Chaitanya Himself visited Udupi, the seat of Madhva’s sect. The Lord introduced Hari Nama sankirtana into their sect.
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Lord Vishnu imparted the knowledge of reaching Him to four great personalities – Lakshmi Devi, Lord Shiva, Sri Brahma, and the four kumara. These four personalities imparted the knowledge to four great devotees who started the four Sampradayas. Lakshmi to Ramanujacharya – Sri Sampradaya, Shiva to Vishnuswami – Rudra Sampradaya, Brahma to Madhvacharya – Brahma […]

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