​What near death experiences mean for all of us
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​Sunday feast lecture at ISKCON, Brampton, Toronto, Canada

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Vraja-prema only increased by knowledge of Krsna’s position
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By Bhurijan Das

Seeing the intense absorption of Nanda and Yasoda, Uddhava thinks, “This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. This is THE perfection. I have never seen anything higher than this”. He is looking somewhat from the point of view of Krsna’s aisvarya, being the Absolute Truth. But the power of their sweetness like a hurricane moves aside everything, tivrena. In the same way if one performs bhakti with tivra, obstacles are removed. Continue reading "Vraja-prema only increased by knowledge of Krsna’s position
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Harinama in Hollywood, Los Angeles (7 min video) Srila…
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Harinama in Hollywood, Los Angeles (7 min video)
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.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/DaPURv

The Glories Of Lord Ramachandra
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Hare KrishnaBy Radhanath Swami

Ahankara keeps us in this world Ravana was terrorizing this world. And he stole the consort of Lord Rama, Sita. But how Rama performed this wonderful act of liberating Ravana was a very very instructive, instructive in the sense that it really revealed the heart of the Lord, intimately. The Lord’s love for His devotees. Because at every step, Lord Sri Rama is giving credit to His devotees more than Himself; and even when He did something, He staged in such a way that it was due to the blessings of His devotees. This is a very important lesson, because what keeps us in this world is our very deep rooted tendency to take credit for what we do, to take credit for what we don’t do, to give blame for what we do – this is ahankar. Continue reading "The Glories Of Lord Ramachandra
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Sripad Madhvacarya
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Hare KrishnaBy Jaya Tirtha Caran Dasa

In his childhood Madhvacarya was known as Vasudeva, and there are some wonderful stories surrounding him. It is said that once when his father had piled up many debts, Madhvacarya converted tamarind seeds into actual coins to pay them off. When he was five years old, he was offered the sacred thread. A demon named Maniman lived near his abode in the form of a snake, and at the age of five Madhvacarya killed that snake with the toe of his left foot. When his mother was very much disturbed, he would appear before her in one jump. He was a great scholar even in childhood, and although his father did not agree, he accepted sannyasa at the age of twelve. Upon receiving sannyasa from Acyuta Preksa, he received the name Purnaprajna Tirtha. After traveling all over India, he finally discussed scriptures with Vidyasankara, the exalted leader of Srngeri-matha. Vidyasankara was actually diminished in the presence of Madhvacarya. Accompanied by Satya Tirtha, Madhvacarya went to Badarikasrama. It was there that he met Vyasadeva and explained his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita before him. Thus he became a great scholar by studying before Vyasadeva. Continue reading "Sripad Madhvacarya
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Sinking ship
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 July 2016, London, England, Initiation Lecture)

12June2016


When one is chanting and purposefully commits sinful activities, what happens is that Krsna withdraws himself from the holy name. One may still chant but all that is there is an empty shell; one may chant for many, many births and still not get the benefit from such chanting. So one should try to avoid sinful activity. There may be accidental fall-down and Krsna may let you off on an accident, but we must be very careful to remain pure.

As of late, many devotees have confided in me that they sometimes drink coffee. They say, “I got to drive and need to keep awake so it is a matter of life and death. It is an emergency!” Others say, “It helps me digest,” or, “I have to work on the computer for a long time and I get tired so I just need something to keep me going.” This is outrageous! What has become of this Hare Krsna Movement that now gradually this is slipping in and this is looked upon as acceptable, do not make a big deal about it.

But I am making a big deal about it! It is total nonsense. I am from the Netherlands and it is a country of boats. If in a boat, there is a hole and water comes in through that hole then what happens is that the hole gets bigger due to the force of the water. So, if you make a hole in your spiritual life and let in some maya, then more maya will come in! Letting in a little maya is opening the door for more, I guarantee you that!

Srila Prabhupada’s Program with Allen Ginsberg
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By Chintamani dasi

What is this? Oh my, Srila Prabhupada appearing with Allen Ginsberg? On the same stage? How is it possible? It was true. We put these posters all over the Ohio State University campus. I was in the room when Srila Prabhupada was talking to Sriman Allen Ginsberg before the event. I was shocked, quite honestly, at how humble Srila Prabhupada was, how he was asking Ginsberg’s opinion on the venue. It was amazing. Anyway, about 2,000 midwest teenagers from the “All American City” of Columbus, Ohio showed up, mostly to hear from the bohemian Allen. At this time he was a famous poet. At the event he gave a talk, and I only remember one thing he said. It certainly wasn’t exactly parampara. Then Srila Prabhupada talked, and then the most amazing thing happened that I can never forget. We had the most amazing kirtan I have ever experienced. As the audience gradually started to catch on to the magical maha mantra, they began to chant. Not only chant, they all chanted like enthusiastic devotees. As the devotees stood up on the stage around Srila Prabhupada and started to dance, after having been seated around His Divine Grace, some of the audience also started dancing. Some came up by the stage, some stood up in their seats. Then Srila Prabhupada stood up on his box-like Vyasasana and was dancing and throwing some of his garland flowers to the crowd who was catching them. It was so wild, so blissful. I felt like Srila Prabhupada “opened the storehouse of love of God” and was just passing it out! Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada’s Program with Allen Ginsberg
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One of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ISKCON,…
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One of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ISKCON, Bangladesh.
Bhaktivedanta National Competition, 2016
By Krishna Gopal Dasa

As a part of celebrations going throughout the whole world to glorify the Golden Jubilee of the foundation of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), ISKCON Bangladesh has recently organized “Bhaktivedanta National Students Competition- 2016” . More than 10,000 students from different parts of the whole country took part in this competition. This competition took nearly five months for its completion and was held in four levels – zonal level, district level, divisional level and finally national level. All the participants were divided into two classes – students from standard two to standard five were in the junior class and students from standard six to standard ten were in the senior class. Subjects of competition were Verse recitation from Gita, coloring & drawing transcendental picture, vedic story telling, bhajan, speech in selected topic & acting in Vedic dress. All participating students received different devotional gifts. In the final round, the winners (1 st , 2 nd & 3 rd position holders) of all subjects were rewarded with special crests & Bhaktivedanta Scholarships. One student from each class was announced as “All-rounder” for their extraordinary performances and were rewarded Champion crests and Bhaktivedanta Scholarships. The final round was organized by Jagrata Chatra Samaj (School Preaching Department) on 23 rd September in which more than 500 students participated from different districts of the country. The prize giving ceremony was held on 24 th September at Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. ISKCON GBC and director of this whole competition HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami along with many members of the national management committee of ISKCON Bangladesh were present at the ceremony. The presence of honorable minister Mr. Narayan Chandra Chanda and several famous
cultural personalities added a different dimension in the ceremony. Valuable speeches from the guests and spectacular cultural functions made the whole program more enjoyable. The successful completion of this whole competition would not be possible without the hearty participation, cooperation and help of students, guardians, volunteers and other devotees.

​If I can invest one hour daily for bhakti, which bhakti practices should I do?
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​How has the momentum of bhakti helped you to face problems in your own life?
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What are the characteristics of those who are spiritually healed?
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​Is the Gita’s statement that all endeavors are covered by faults applicable to a butcher’s profession?
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In bhakti, how do we decide which aspects are matters of principle and which, matters of preference?
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​How do we explain the concept of achintya to scientific people?
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Mahabharata 2 – Draupadi – Dishonored yet honorable
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​Seminar at ISKCON, Toronto, Canada

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​Learning to change our rasa from the world to Krishna
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​Bhagavatam class at ISKCON, Scarborough, Toronto, Canada

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First Arkansas Rathayatra
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Hare KrishnaBy Sri Rangavati devi dasi

Little Rock is the state capital of Arkansas so it was appropriate that the first Rathayatra should take place there. Alongside the Arkansas River is a very cosmopolitan area called River Market. Families enjoy walking and cycling along the river, the Clinton Presidential Library is located there and there are restaurants, bars, museums. It is popular with locals and tourists. In Little Rock is an international manufacturing company from India called Welspun. The company has a Radha Krsna Temple on their property. The pujaris and the senior vice president were very excited at having a Rathayatra in the city. They immediately mobilized their employees and we had the help we needed to put on the festival and parade. One employee came from Jagannath Puri and he had his father arrange for carving of the deities. He then had Them flown over. Continue reading "First Arkansas Rathayatra
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Future saints (Every saint has a past and every sinner has a…
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Future saints (Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future)
Srila Prabhupada: Whenever there is unwanted population these three things will naturally, by nature’s course, appear- famine, pestilence, and war- and the population will be finished. There was some unwanted population at that time also for which Krishna arranged the war. If we want very good population, very good generation, then we have to follow the principles of Bhagavad-gita. New York, May 30, 1966.

When does “food” become…
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When does “food” become “prasadam?”
Sivarama Swami: The phenomenon of something changing from material to spiritual is an extraordinary one, but it is something we as devotees are involved in daily—often several times a day. It happens when prasadam (unoffered food) becoming prasadam, or food sanctified by the Lord.

Prasada: The Power of Sacred Food
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Prasada: The Power of Sacred Food.
On the spiritual path those that are most inclined to lead a peaceful existence that respects the value of all life often adopts the vegetarian lifestyle. It is in accordance with the yogic principle of ahimsa, which is to observe nonviolence and abstain from injuring any being in any way. However, in the process of bhakti-yoga, devotion goes beyond simple vegetarianism, and food becomes a method of spiritual progress. In the Krishna temples, food is offered to the Deities in a special sacrament, after which it becomes prasada or prasadam. This means the mercy of the Lord. Thus, the food we eat after it is offered to the Lord becomes a means for our purification and spiritual development.

Early Miracles Of Caitanya Mahaprabhu
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Hare KrishnaBy Amala Bhakta Dasa

When Sarvabauma denounced himself as an offender and took shelter of Lord Caitanya, the Lord wanted to show him His mercy, so He manifested His four armed Visnu form. Then, just after this, He manifested His original two-armed Krsna form, with a blackish complexion and a flute near His lips. When Sarvabauma Bhattacarya saw this, he prostrated himself before the Lord. Then he arose and with folded palms offered Lord Caitanya prayers of glorification. By the Lord's mercy, all truths were revealed to him, and he could understand the importance of chanting God's holy names and distributing love of God everywhere. Continue reading "Early Miracles Of Caitanya Mahaprabhu
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