What your phone can teach you about your mind
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Talk at DICE (Detroit Indian Center), Detroit, USA

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Harinama Tel Aviv, Israel, 07.10.2016 (Album with photos) Srila…
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Harinama Tel Aviv, Israel, 07.10.2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna is within your heart. If you kindly continue to hear about Him, as you are doing then Krishna will be very much pleased, “Oh, this person is now interested in me.” Because nobody’s interested in Krishna, so Krishna is also silent to them. But as soon as you become interested, oh, Krishna becomes very active, “Oh, he’s trying to do something. I shall help him.” Los Angeles May 19, 1972.
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The October issue of Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Newsletter
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Hare KrishnaBy Bhaktivedanta Manor

Evening honours Patrons’ £2million Haveli building pledge. Record volunteer count makes Janmashtami huge success. 20th Anniversary of “Save the Manor” campaign. Manor school children’s interfaith presentation at Hertsmere Council. Film group explores Hinduism at the Manor. Manor College provides training for Avanti staff. Manor Monks attend Jain Parliament event. Indian High Commissioner lauds ISKCON’s contribution. European award for Excellence. Youth alumni reunite at Krishna Avanti School. Europe-wide youth event hosted at ISKCON Leicester. Mayor celebrates new deities at ISKCON Leicester. Culture Night feeds 5,000 in Belfast’s biggest lunch. ISKCON monk invited by Ernst and Young. ISKCON Leicester temple open after renovations Continue reading "The October issue of Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Newsletter
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Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami
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Hare KrishnaBy Sri Nandanandana Dasa

(In the photo remnants of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj’s sandals). Krishna Dasa Kaviraja was a living example of "humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree." A devotee will ad­vance spiritually and understand Sri Caitanya's teachings on Radha-Krishna bhakti by reading Caitanya-caritamrta. By associating with Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, an eternally liberated associate of Lord Caitanya, one will develop the Vais­nava qualities of humility, innocence, integrity, equanimity, gentleness, purity, selflessness, patience, kindness, gravity, freedom from material desires, mild temperament, control over the six passions, friendliness, honoring all beings, being silent, expert, poetic, and absolute surrender to Sri Krishna. In Vraja lila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja is Kasturi-manjari, one of the eight most intimate maidservants of Srimati Radharani. His samadhi is at Radha-kunda, and at the Radha-Damodara temple according to some. Continue reading "Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami
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Neophyte, but Pure! His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta…
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Neophyte, but Pure!
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: When one is situated on the neophyte platform, one cannot understand the devotional ingredients of a pure, unalloyed devotee. However, when the novice engages in devotional service — especially in deity worship — and follows the order of a bona fide spiritual master, he is a pure devotee. Anyone can take advantage of hearing about Krishna consciousness from such a devotee and thus gradually become purified. In other words, any devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in the neophyte stage. By his association, others may also become Vaishnavas.
KK Bindu #385: With first time translation of a little known song glorifying Srila Raghunath Bhatta Goswami. CONTENTS INCLUDE:
* NEOPHYTE BUT PURE – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks about the power of someone following the process of bhakti.
* ALL GLORIES TO RAGHUNATH BHATTA GOSWAMI – A first time translation done especially for this issue of Bindu of a Bengali song by the medieval poet Radha Vallabha Das.
* VRINDAVAN SADHUS AND BHAGAVAD-GITA – Another first time translation done for this issue of of an excerpt from a little known book by a disciple of Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
* IDEAL RESIDENCE IN VRINDAVAN – Another fresh translation from Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati’s Vrindavan-mahimamrtam. This issue can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu385

A visit to New Vrindaban Dham, USA (Album with photos) Srila…
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A visit to New Vrindaban Dham, USA (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna’s Lila in Vrndavana is prakata or manifest Lila, and the same is going on eternally in the spiritual realm, which is known as aprakata or nonmanifest. Krishna’s planet and Krishna’s pastimes are going on eternally, and the same is manifested before the conditioned souls at certain intervals, once in one day of Brahma, exactly as the sun is visible for 12 hours once a 24 hour cycle of and night. When the sun is visible it is called prakata, and when the sun is not visible that is called aprakata or unmanifested. Non-manifested therefore does not mean there is no existence, but the terms are used in relation to the visibility or non-visibility to the limited conditioned souls. Letter to Shyamasundara, May 14, 1970.
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Keeping it simple
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 09 October 2011, Melbourne, Australia, Lecture)

SP_prasadamWe simplify our life just for the sake of chanting Hare Krsna. There is no other reason. We can have everything – we can have the biggest house in the street, we can have five cars if we want to – one for every family member – no problem! It is not forbidden for a devotee to have that. The only problem is when you have all that, where is the time to chant Hare Krsna!

​What is the difference between being selfish and thinking of oneself first?
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​What to do when people exclude us from some social circles because of our bhakti practices?
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​How can we make right decisions when what is right is not clear and the decisions have serious consequences?
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​Should we share bhakti wisdom only after we have understood it thoroughly?
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How can we be detached without becoming uncaring?
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​Why does the Gita say that sva-dharma shouldn’t be given up whereas Bhagavatam says sea-dharma should be given up for bhakti?
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9th EU Farm Conference in Villa Vrindavana, Florence, Italy…
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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.
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Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami
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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.”

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New Vrajadhama, Hungary, Rama Vijaya Festival (Album with…
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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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Overcoming Material Desires
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Hare KrishnaBy 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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Bhaktivinoda’s Thakur Saranagati – The Process of Surrender
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Hare KrishnaBy 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 Evil
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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)


“How To Become Immortal” – Preaching Program In Bhopal
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Hare KrishnaBy 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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“How To Become Immortal” – Preaching Program In Bhopal By Bhakti Charu Swami
Bhakti Charu Swami

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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​Is service the foundation of relationship – can’t we have relationships without any common service?
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​If some devotees keep rejecting us despite our best efforts to please them, what should we do?
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Are bhakti activities transcendental to the modes or are we to engage activities in the modes in bhakti?
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​​In guna-karma mentioned in Gita 4.13, can karma be developed but not guna?
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