Planet ISKCON

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​If someone keeps misunderstanding us repeatedly, how to respond? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​When people think that we are wrong when we are not, how to respond? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Congregation program at San Jose, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Understand your machine to relish your self appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The bond of friendship.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: I think that the only thing that can really bond us together is friendship. Just common acceptance of Krsna as the Supreme Lord will bring us together from time to time – we will come together at the temple and festivals – but friendship will take us so much further. Because it is in friendship, in real friendship that we are going to stimulate each other so much more than by just being colleagues!
I have often given this example of how we can be together like colleagues. We are all devotees of Krsna and we are all colleagues. We are all devotees in the same temple and we are all colleagues. We are all chanting Hare Krsna and we are all colleagues. We are all dancing in the kirtan party as colleagues. But when there is no friendship, it is not enough.
If there is friendship, then friendship is different. Friendship is like a family spirit. When your colleague is not performing well and it disturbs your work, you can say, “Get it together! You know, they’ll throw you out of here one of these days if you don’t get it together.”
That is what you say to a colleague but to a family member, you say, “When in the world are you ever going to get it together? But we can’t throw you out because you’re part of the family.”
That is different. That is friendship and in that friendship there is trust. We know we are going to be accepted. We do not have to have a masquerade where everyone acts out to be a pure devotee in a Hare Krsna community. We can just be more honest. If there is friendship, we can just be who we are and still be accepted. In that way, we can get some real human support which is what we need!

The post Never trust the mind, no mater how advanced you have become appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Daily Darshan: Oct 5, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Donor Appreciation Day 2016 (Album with photos)
Govardhana Farms & Iskcon Govinda’s Herd: This past Saturday we organized a donor appreciation day for our special donors. It was a day especially for them to have fun with the cows and bulls. We arranged many different activities from feeding the cows and bulls treats, to lunch prasadam in the barn of course, a go-puja and kirtan. It was lots of fun. We really wanted to show our appreciation to our donors who support us and, in fact, keep our project “alive”. We wouldn’t be able to do what we are doing without them. We look forward to our next donor appreciation day sometime in 2017.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/TVudfu

Harinama in Gorky Central Park (Moscow, Russia) (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Age of Kali, there is no religious principle except chanting Krishna’s name. It has been ascertained from all the scriptures that Krishna’s holy name is the essence of all mantras. (Renunciation Through Wisdom, 5.1 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/aTYvUM

The conference was entitled “Fifty Years of the Krishna Consciousness Movement: Srila Prabhupada, Messenger of Peace and Spiritual Knowledge” and it was held at the Chamber of Deputies, one of two houses in the Italian Parliament’s bicameral legislature and a spot where all major political decisions are made. At least one hundred devotees of different ages and “ashramas” or stages of life represented ISKCON at the conference, and the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies introduced it. There were be speeches by Madhusevita Das, President of the ISKCON Italian Confederation, and Parabhakti dasa in the role of Italian Confederation Vice President and Communications Director. The event included also bhajans, a prasadam buffet, and a screening of the twenty-minute documentary film Hare Krishna: 50 Years of Service and Joy, which showcases ISKCON’s many impressive contributions to the world. All Members of Parliament received Italian language editions of the ISKCON 50 magazine “The Hare Krishnas: Celebrating 50 Years” in their mailboxes. The magazine is an easily accessible introduction to ISKCON and its founder, history, beliefs and works. Continue reading "Italian Parliament Hosts ISKCON 50 Conference
→ Dandavats"

TOVP: Side Dome Kalashes update,
Sadbhuja Das: We have successfully installed the Kalash Dome frames on both of the small side ...

The year 2016 is a special year for Hare Krishna communities around the world as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of ISKCON, which was incorporated by our beloved founder Srila Prabhupada in 1966. Celebrations are taking place in 600 cities across 75 countries from August 2015 till December 2016. Here in Canada, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau has shared a congratulatory message for our Canadian Hare Krishna communities! Special thank to one of our dynamic young devotees of our community, Preya Maulkhan for helping to coordinate the official congratulatory message from the Prime Minister's Office! Continue reading "Iskcon50 Congratulations From Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
→ Dandavats"

On the occasion of 50 years Golden Jubilee celebration this year we were blessed with our special guest for Janmastami, His Holiness Sivarama Swami Maharaj, from Hungary. The celebrations went on for 3 days from 24-08-2016 to 26-08-2016. People from all over Tirupati and Andhrapradesh attended to receive blessings of their Lord ships Sri Radha Govinda and Srila Prabhupada. Around three hundred thousand plates of prasadam were distributed and at Mid Night 12'o clock Maha Shanka Abisekha was performed for the deities. As Part of Janmasthami celebrations we erected a Huge (30 feet width and 40 feet height) Diorama of Srila Prabhupada and the countries he preached around the world for ISKCON 50 years Golden Jubilee Festival at TTD Grounds opposite to ISKCON, Tirupati temple. Continue reading "ISKCON-Tirupati’s celebrations
→ Dandavats"

Levels of Prabhupada Consciousness

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.51.

“These are very important principles. We may have heard them before but as Srila Prabhupada said repetition is important for understanding because we are in the material atmosphere which is full of fog and clouds. Therefore even though something may be clear at a certain time and with the right association, the same things may become clouded over again and we may lapse into certain habitual ways of thinking which are not spiritual or Krishna consciousness. So we have to pray that the truth of Krishna consciousness always remains illuminated within our hearts so we don’t slide back into the fog and clouds of material consciousness.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.51, Dallas

Recently I heard someone say, “We [devotees] shouldn’t be too philosophical, because that would drive all the non-philosophical people away.”

This is like a mother saying to her daughter, “Don’t be so beautiful, it will drive away all the ugly men.”

First, who cares if she scares away the ugly men?

Second, what kind of girl thinks it is important to attract people other than her boyfriend? Or to attract friends that her boyfriend doesn’t like so much? In other words, what kind of devotee cares about attracting people besides Krishna, or attracting people Krishna finds unattractive?

In the seventh chapter of Gita, Krishna says that of all the people who come towards him, the philosophical are the “most dear to him.” (priyo hi jñānīno’tyartham). Krishna loves philosophical devotees, and that should be enough information for us!

Third, everyone is attracted to beauty, including the ugly. It makes no sense to say that people who are less philosophical are not attracted to people who are more philosophical.

Knowledge  is one of the six aspects of bhaga (the stuff that is attractive).

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaṇṇāṁ bhagam itīṅganā

“The six parts of attractivness are:
Superlative power, bravery, renown,
beauty, knowledge, and dispassion.”

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

Two types of people are not attracted to these qualities. (1) Those too blunt and dull to even comprehend the difference between attractive and unattractive, (2) Those who have  psychological complexes about their perceived lack of these qualities. These people have a negative attraction to the qualities – feeling threatened by those who possess them in greater abundance. A group of such people only attract more of the same.

Knowledge is attractive. Even All-Attractive Krishna finds it attractive.

However, putting lipstick over warts does not constitute beauty. Pride in academics and intellectual musculature is such “knowledge-lipstick.” Pride is the opposite of vairagya (“dispassion”) and is therefore ugly. Real philosophy has a shy, humble character to its strength. Real philosophy is essential for understanding Krishna, and also happens to be beautiful and immensely attractive to the sort of people that Krishna likes.

Vraja Kishor das (vrajakishor.com)

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, June 2011, Stockholm, Sweden, Lecture)

I think that the only thing that can really bond us together is friendship. Just common acceptance of Krsna as the Supreme Lord will bring us together from time to time – we will come together at the temple and festivals – but friendship will take us so much further. Because it is in friendship, in real friendship that we are going to stimulate each other so much more than by just being colleagues!

I have often given this example of how we can be together like colleagues. We are all devotees of Krsna and we are all colleagues. We are all devotees in the same temple and we are all colleagues. We are all chanting Hare Krsna and we are all colleagues. We are all dancing in the kirtan party as colleagues. But when there is no friendship, it is not enough.

If there is friendship, then friendship is different. Friendship is like a family spirit. When your colleague is not performing well and it disturbs your work, you can say, “Get it together! You know, they’ll throw you out of here one of these days if you don’t get it together.”

That is what you say to a colleague but to a family member, you say, “When in the world are you ever going to get it together? But we can’t throw you out because you’re part of the family.”

That is different. That is friendship and in that friendship there is trust. We know we are going to be accepted. We do not have to have a masquerade where everyone acts out to be a pure devotee in a Hare Krsna community. We can just be more honest. If there is friendship, we can just be who we are and still be accepted. In that way, we can get some real human support which is what we need!

We have all heard a great class or read something that really motivated us to change. But why do we often fall back to our old ways within a few days or weeks? It can be because we have not associated significant amounts of pain to holding on to some anartha(s). Unless something disgusts you, unless you feel you can’t take it anymore, it’s unlikely you will change. Think about something you have put off for a long time - years perhaps - that you could have easily done by now. Why haven’t you done it? It is because you feel it will be more painful to do it than to not do it? Fear is defined as an anticipation of future suffering. We are afraid to give up our anarthas because we think we’ll suffer. Continue reading "How Pain Can Motivate
→ Dandavats"

Most of the times, we are running after money (dhan). Money is what makes the world go round, or so it appears. Many a times, this appears to be true. Money enables us to buy goods and services, food, clothing and other basic necessities of life, possessions, home, car, luxuries, etc; Since Laxmi is the goddess of wealth, we worship her to bless us with her favour and benediction. As we are mostly obsessed with money and its acquisition, we do not realize that Laxmi also benedicts us with beauty (soundarya) , strength (bal), fame (kirti), knowledge (gyan), and renunciation (bairagya). Renunciation is also a sign of Laxmi’s opulence, but since many of us are so much blinded by gross materialism, we do not credit any importance to the spirit of renunciation and detachment, which is one of the opulences bestowed by goddess Laxmi. Continue reading "Running After Lakshmi
→ Dandavats"

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Are people around us benefited by our being Krishna conscious even when we can’t share our devotion with them? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​What differentiates bhakti-yoga from other forms of yoga? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​How to respond when our becoming spiritual is deemed socially unacceptable? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​How can we keep our mind clear between meditation sessions? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​What is the best way for a beginner to start with mantra meditation? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​How can we keep our heart open when the mind is hostile? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post If our mind’s software is very corrupted, how can we handle it? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

​Congregation program at Sacramento, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Consciousness, the subconscious and conscience – understanding and transforming our inner world appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

​Bhagavam class at ISKCON, Los Angeles, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Analyzing Nanda-Vasudeva conversation – Destiny is never an excuse for neglecting duty appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

​Bhagavam class at ISKCON, Laguna Beach, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Understanding the Bhagavatam’s chronological and conceptual flow appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Spiritual Gardener is someone who first of all cultivates the garden of his own heart. He plants the right seeds, waters them nicely, and also takes out all the unwanted weeds. He also helps others to do the same. The creeper of devotional service, so nourished, gradually grows, and the devotee, acting as a gardener, goes on pouring the water of constant hearing and chanting. The creeper of devotional service gradually grows so high that it passes through the entire material universe and enters into the spiritual sky, growing still higher and higher until it reaches the planet Goloka Vrndavana. The devotee-gardener is in touch with the abode of the Lord even from the material plane by dint of performing devotional service to the Lord simply by hearing and chanting. Continue reading "Secrets of Spiritual Gardeners
→ Dandavats"

Bhagavad-gita’s commentary about contemporary issues
Urmila Devi Dasi: So, yeah, I’m a US citizen, so, yeah, I watched some highlights of the presidential debate and read/watched some commentary. Here’s Krishna’s commentary, from Bhagavad-gita:
Bg 16.4; 7-18 - “Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance-these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature. Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them. They say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in control. They say it is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust. Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world. Taking shelter of insatiable lust and absorbed in the conceit of pride and false prestige, the demoniac, thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent. They believe that to gratify the senses is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus until the end of life their anxiety is immeasurable. Bound by a network of hundreds of thousands of desires and absorbed in lust and anger, they secure money by illegal means for sense gratification. The demoniac person thinks: "So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance. Thus perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, they become too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and fall down into hell. Self-complacent and always impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige, they sometimes proudly perform sacrifices in name only, without following any rules or regulations. Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demons become envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of others, and blaspheme against the real religion.“

Saturday Harinama Sankirtan Nectar in Cabramatta City, Sydney, Australia (Album with photos)

После путешествия к Кайласу мы отправились на проповеднический тур в Монголию. В Монголии было чрезвычайно холодно, так что мне стало нездоровиться. Наша команда посоветовала мне вернуться во Вриндаван – отдохнуть и поправиться к Карттике, которая начнется через две недели. Вчера приехал во Вриндаван и чувствую себя намного лучше, здесь необычайно теплая погода для этого времени года. Как восстановлюсь – начну готовиться к своим лекциям на нашу Карттика-парикраму. Ожидается 300 преданных. Также работаю над главой дневника о нашей поездке на Кайлас. Ананта Вриндаван дас сейчас в Москве и готовит несколько видео об этом нашем путешествии. В самое скорое время они будут готовы. Множество благодарностей моему дорогому другу Бада Харидасу прабху, который взялся возглавить и очень успешно продолжает проповеднический тур по Монголии. На сегодня это все новости. Джая Шри Радхе!

After our trek to Mount Kailash in Tibet we journeyed to Mongolia for a preaching tour. It was very cold in Mongolia and as a result I fell ill. Our team recommended I return to Vrindavan to rest up and get better before Kartika starts in two weeks. I arrived in Vrindavan yesterday and am feeling much better in the unusually warm weather for Vrindavan at this time of year. As I recover I will begin preparing my lectures for our Kartika parikrama. 300 devotees are expected. I am also working on a diary chapter of our Kailash trip. Ananta Vrindavan das ( in Moscow now ) is preparing several videos of the Kailash journey. They should be ready shortly. Many thanks to my dear friend Bada Hari prabhu who has taken the lead and is continuing very successfully with the preaching tour around Mongolia. That’s all the news for now. Jaya Sri Radhe!

Yama Niyama das Brahmacari weights on the presidential elections (1 min video)
One of the deepest anarthas (dirty things in the heart) is to think that we can make this material world a better place by rearranging matter, whether by voting for a certain politician, political activism (as opposed to spiritual activism), arranging committees, commission, and councils, or taking some kind of self-help seminar. This is a clip from Yama Niyama das brahmacari (Ekendra das’s character) in a comedy bit performed at the Festival of Inspiration 2016.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/aEXoTL

George Harrison on Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra (1 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: It is the special mercy of the Supreme Lord that as soon as He knows that one is glorifying His name, fame and attributes, He personally helps cleanse the dirt from one’s heart. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.12 Purport).
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/PhBHJG