Meditating On Krishna In Athens.
A stay in the capital city bore numinous insights about Krishna’s creative potency.
Tad Brennan writes in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
“The idea that the soul is the true locus of personhood, that its welfare is vastly more important than the body’s welfare, that … it survives death, is judged for its actions and may be reincarnated, that the post-mortem fate of the soul provides reasons to embrace a life of earthly virtue—for all of these Socratic commitments there is Presocratic precedent.”
A Day in the Life of a “Hare Krishna” (6 min video)
Lavanya Keli dd and the devotees from New Zealand in a new time-lapse video sharing their joyful life as “Hare Krishnas” and inviting everyone to try it.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/9FEjYY
The Conch Blows its Horn! Is it time to party? The number five is flyin’ high in the sky over the Vaisnava world these days: Lord Krishna’s appearance (5000 years ago), Lord Caitanya’s ‘birth’ (500 years back) and ISKCON’s beginning (50 years ago). And lo and behold, October 2016 marks The Conch’s fifth birthday anniversary. The Conch newsletter (New Govardhana’s only) began in 2011 at the prompting of Karunika devi dasi. It was initially slated to be only four pages long, but the faction for a lengthier publication won the day, and hence an eight-page monthly newsletter was born. Replete with photographs and newsy articles, the glossy pages gave readers a glimpse into New Govardhana happenings. The Conch smelled good, felt good, could be read in a favourite chair away from computer screens and became instantly accepted as a welcome addition to the community. Monthly hand deliveries to New Govardhana and Murwillumbah resident devotees enhanced readability and endeared the project to many. Hi-5 to The Conch! Continue reading "The Conch Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary → Dandavats"
The Padayatra was arranged between ISKCON temple and the famous Jamalpur Jagannath Temple, which is about 10 km away. Sharp at 8.00 am, we started from our ISKCON temple with more than 150 devotees and many more joined on the way. The atmosphere was cloudy, but no rain, so we felt it’s Krsna's mercy; otherwise we generally have very hot days even during the rainy season. Eventually, it started raining very heavily in the evening, after the completion of the Padayatra. The yatra went on very smoothly and reached in time, as decided, and we served breakfast to the Padayatris in Parimal garden (a well-known public garden). Here at Parimal garden, hundreds of people come for jogging in the morning and this being a Sunday, the crowd was also more than the regular days. Here we had very ecstatic Kirtan all the way in the garden; some of them joined us in Kirtan too. After breakfast Prasadam we continued walking. We halted at every 4 roads for few minutes, with the Kirtan resounding all around. We distributed around 67 Bhagavad Gita and 45 small books for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. Continue reading "2nd One Day PADAYATRA at ISKCON Ahmedabad → Dandavats"
Last Saturday, on September 24, history was created when ISKCON of Suriname held its first Ratha-yatra festival in the capital City of Paramaribo, with the Lord Jagannath cart parading through one of the busiest streets in the city. The festival was organised as part of ISKCON Suriname’s main 50th anniversary initiative. The procession began at 5:00 pm sharp with the ribbon cutting done by the Raghoebier family, who, over a decade ago, had kindly provided the facility in Paramaribo that ISKCON utilises. The parade was consecrated by offering and breaking dried coconuts, then as the cart began to move there was uproarious cracking of fireworks. The cart started moving from Lallarookh Square and ended at the front lawn of the ISKCON Centre at 459 Kwattaweg. The arrival of the Ratha-yatra cart at the temple was followed by a grand religious and cultural program featuring a drama of Lord Jagannath’s appearance, devotional music, exhibitions and discussions on Vedic spirituality—and a free vegetarian feast. The stage program lasted for full three hours. Continue reading "ISKCON Suriname holds First Ratha-yatra → Dandavats"
Q: Why did Krishna create us in such a way that we could be attracted to the material world? What purpose does that fulfil?
It’s difficult for logical thinkers to grasp this, but not everything happens because of a logical “why.”
The ultimate origin of reality is not a logical machine, it is consciousness (jñānam-advayam, ŚB 1.2.11). Consciousness has freewill, and freewill doesn’t always have to behave logically. Sometimes consciousness just does thingsbecause it does.
Why does someone like purple, while another likes yellow? Is there a logical “why”? Or is this a pretty good example of how consciousness has freedom of choice which doesn’t always have to be logical?
There is a rational, logical motive to the manifestation of reality. The Upaniṣads explain it beautifully: the root of reality (Krishna) wants to enjoy (“so kāmayata, eko bahu syām prajāyeta”). That’s the ultimate logical motive: pleasure. The one manifests as many because that is more pleasurable.
The infinite entities manifest from the one original entity are amazing to him and provide him incredible joy, largely because they are as divine/conscious as he is, and therefore also possess independent will, etc. These entities have various fascinating, exciting dispositions and preferences. Some of them like “purple” and some like “yellow.” Some take an immediate liking to Krishna, and some take a liking instead to the objects of pleasure that Krishna has manifested. There is no “reason” for this. It is simply a byproduct of their having individuality and freedom.
Some of them like “purple” and some like “yellow.” Some take an immediate liking to Krishna, and some take a liking instead to the objects of pleasure that Krishna has manifested. There is no “reason” for this. It is simply a byproduct of their having individuality and freedom.
Krishna hasn’t arranged or chosen for it to happen that way. Nor does a living entity deliberately or rationally “choose” it. It just happens… because that’s how consciousness, individuality and freewill is… individual, unique, and free… unpredictable and not bound by logic.
Although there is no logical “reason” behind it – the existence of people disinterested in Krishna creates side effects that enhance Krishna’s bliss after all. Two I can understand are:
By providing for these beings without selfish reward, as paramātmā, he experiences the bliss of selflessness (śānta-rasa).
By trying to help these beings attain a higher pleasure than they can experience without him, he experiences the bliss of heroism (vīra-rasa,)
This doesn’t mean that Krishna created the material world just so he could play hero. The material world exists as a result of individuality and freedom. But as a side effect, he winds up experiencing a new type of śānta and vīra rasa, because all of his energy always inherently serves him somehow or other (kṛṣṇer nitya dāsa).
To sum it up, Krishna didn’t create our attraction to his separated energy. He created entities with freewill, and they created their own attraction to his separated energy. Furthermore, there is no logical reason they chose this way. It’s just the way they are.
It’s not often that I’m greeted by a party of people who beat the drum and chant at an airport. Here in Whitehorse, with a population of 25,000, a swami is a rarity. I must also mention that my host, Ananda, is an animated personality and very amicable. He led the chant and the drumming.
After a long flight from Toronto and a stop-over at Vancouver, I was glad to meet this crew of greeters and to have my feet on the ground. Furthermore, to take in great air. According to this group, Whitehorse is the most pollution-free city in the world, so Guinness says.
“I believe you,” I said to Ananda, to which he added, “And it has the best water.”
The Yukon River runs through the town. Ananda calls the river “Yamuna” after the sacred waters in India, the river which also is the place where Krishna enjoyed his childhood pastimes.
I was also greeted with a subji (veggies) mixed with golden Yukon potatoes known as world-renowned. Yes! Delicious!
It had been a long day, with no sleep the night before, and also included a visit to one of our Toronto congregants dying from breast cancer in the hospital. For Meena, whom I may not see again, I chanted by her bedside with her brother Mukesh and his wife Jayamala. That was before the flight. I was exhausted. Ananda addressed it with a massage. Thanks to him I’ll be in competent shape for the next day of devotional life, a life that is people-interactive and most rewarding.
Santosh, twenty-three, is a young student of history who just came to Canada. He’s here for a three month stay at the ashram while attending classes at York University. He is from Surinam and has never ever been in a metropolis before.
When someone new comes to the city, my way of giving them the keys to the city is by introducing him/her to the streets and trails.
Thus far he is liking the city and I wish him well in his studies. His stature is tall, but he carries a humble disposition. He has the facial, pious look of a demigod and is most helpful. I’ve engaged him in multiple tasks that are of a more physical nature. In fact, I would say he’s a rare kind who does everything with a healthy attitude.
I realize it’s important to not overlook him with everything that needs doing. That would be a burn-out program. A recipe for disaster. A new person can be very vulnerable, and when people who have services in the temple ashramrequire help, as in “Can you help me lift this, or carry that, fetch this, fetch that?” such assistance can really stack up.
I guess one of the reasons for my showing Santosh the better walkways is so that when he needs his time off and privacy, he can then know where to go. His taking a break will be legit.
If you are reading this entry Santosh, please keep in mind the importance of balanced out-put.
(Sent from Manhattan, New York, on October 1, 2016)
Where I Went and What I Did
Govardhan Dasi, a Prabhupada disciple who loves harinama, and her husband John joined me for harinama in Hull, a city none of us had chanted in before. Then I went to Sheffield for the last time this year, and did two evening programs with a harinama in between, which was attended by three other devotees, more than usual in Sheffield. Then I chanted with Govardhan and John in York and Govardhan’s place of residence, Scarborough. In York, we were joined by three devotees from the Preston area, a pleasant surprise. After the Scarborough harinama I returned to Newcastle to give the Sunday feast lecture, I went to Ireland the next day, and did harinama with Bhagavati Dasi and Ananta Nitai Prabhu in Belfast for five days and gave the evening Radhastami lecture. The next day we had six devotees on a six-hour harinama in Dublin. Instead of going to Govindadvipa for Radhastami, Ananta Nitai Prabhu stayed in Dublin and did three hours of harinama and made sure we had a Sunday feast program as usual. The next day, invited by Eleanora, Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I chanted in Kilkenny. The day after that, I flew to New York City, my base for the autumn season, where I joined the New York City Harinama party, doing harinama for the last three days of the first half of September.
I share a great quote from Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Caitanya-caritamrita. I include lots of nice realizations from Janananda Goswami. I have notes on aRadhastami lecture by Bhagavati Dasi, with some descriptions from Ananda Vrindavan Campu in it. I have notes from an amazing lecture on cooperation by Adi Purusha Prabhu, who does Food for Life in Manhattan.
Thanks to Angela for her kind donation to top up my British SIM card and other expenses. Thanks to the Newcastle and Dublin temples for supporting my harinama program. Thanks to Eleanora of Kilkenny for paying our bus fare to chant in her city and for giving us an additional donation. Thanks to Govardhan Dasi for paying for my unexpected harinama in Malton and allowing me to keep our harinama collections in Hull and Scarborough. Thanks to Krishna Katha Prabhu of Belfast for his kind donation. Thanks to Valeri of Latvia for his kind donation. Thanks to Ananta Nitai Prabhu for giving me half of our net harinama collection in Kilkenny and the U.S. currency he collected previously. Thanks to Dennis and the York nama-hatta for their donation toward the cost of my travel to York. Thanks to tall John of Leeds for his donation. Thanks to Madhavi Rani Dasi of Ukraine for her donation. Thanks to Anya, the daughter of two Polish Indradyumna Swami disciples in York, for her kind donation. Thanks also to the old lady who gave me a donation in Malton. Thanks to Govardhan Dasi for her photos of our harinamas in Hull and Scarborough. Thanks to Joe Kenny for his photos of our Sheffield harinama. Thanks to Narinder Singh for his photo of us chanting in Belfast. Thanks to Stella Montoya for her photos of New York City Harinam in Grand Central Station.
Itinerary
October 1–November 7: New York City Harinam
November 8: Philadelphia Harinama and Bhakti Garden Tuesday Program
November 9–11: Washington, D.C., Harinama
November 12–27: North Florida
November 28–January 2, 2017: New York City Harinam
January 3, 2017: Atlanta Harinama
January 4, 2017–April 2017: Krishna House (Gainesville) and Florida colleges
Unexpected Harinama in Malton
I took a train from Newcastle to York, which arrived at 8:40 a.m. The train to Scarborough left at 8:40 a.m., so I did not book a ticket for it, but for the 9:40 a.m. train instead. Turns out the 8:40 left at 8:45, so I was able to catch it. I thought if they did not want to honor my ticket, I would just get off at the next stop and wait for the next train, and thus I had nothing to lose. It turned out that they did not honor my ticket because the time was wrong, and they forced me to buy a ticket to Malton, the next stop, which cost £10 (about $13), which is something I never expected and made me really angry. I decided as long as I wasted £10 going to Malton, I might as well chant there, and then I could consider the £10 a preaching expense and feel better about it, and so I chanted for about an hour in Malton.
I walked to the main street, and I set up outside a vacant shop and chanted the Hare Krishna mantra with my harmonium and an amplifier. After perhaps 20 minutes, an older lady threw 47 pence in my basket, saying that would start me off. Then a older man came out of an adjacent eating establishment and complained about my chanting, saying I was following a false religion, and it was cruel to amplify the chanting and force people to listen to it. I said I was just there for 10 more minutes, between trains, and went back to my chanting. Then a lady from the same place complained to me on her way out, and said that no one liked my singing. I pointed to my donation box, and said some people must have liked it, or they would not have given me any money. She said that they probably just felt sorry for me. I continued chanting until it was time to go back to the train station, chanting through the streets of the town, and I continued chanting softly at the train station platform without amplification, waiting for the delayed train to Scarborough. When I told Govardhan Dasi my story, she was happy that I tried to share the holy name in Malton, she told me the poor response simply meant we had not chanted there enough and that we should go back in the future, and she gave me £10 to cover the cost of the train, all of which made me feel a lot better about the whole thing.
Harinama in Hull
Janananda Goswami once remarked that there are many cities in the UK that have a significant population, but which we never go to for harinama, like Hull, for instance. Thus I suggested to Govardhan Dasi that we might do harinama in Hull sometime. She liked the idea, and she, John, and I drove to Hull on September 1, and chanted for three hours. The whole downtown was under construction for a celebration of Hull as a city of culture the following year, and it was hard to find a quiet place. We encountered people who were curious, people who danced to our music, and people who gave donations. There really was no negativity at all. We decided to return again next year.
As we got back to the car, a young man from a tattoo shop said “Hare Krishna” to us. As we do no regular programs in Hull, I asked him how he knew about Hare Krishna. He said they had one employee who was into Krishna consciousness, and so they were aware of it. They invited us into their shop, and happily participated in our harinama, chanting and dancing in the shop along with us. That was one of the high points of our visit to Hull.
Last Visit to Sheffield for 2016
I took an evening train from Hull to Sheffield, and then traveled to Barnsley, by car with three devotees who had been distributing books in Sheffield. Those devotees try one day each week to distribute books in Sheffield, an increase over past years. At the home of a Latvian couple, Valeri and Alexandria, who are enthusiastic about Krishna consciousness, we had kirtana and wonderful prasadam. I was grateful to Joe for arranging the program and the couple for providing the place and the prasadam.
The next day we did harinama in Sheffield, and Madhavi Rani Devi Dasi, recently initiated by Indradyumna Swami joined us for the first time. Indradyumna Swami is such a supporter of harinama it was beautiful to see his new disciple embracing it. Alex (right) was there most of the time, and Joe came by and tried distributing a few books. Actually I think it was the best-attended harinama I went on in Sheffield this year.
An Indian saxophonist even played with us at one point.
That evening we had a program. Some devotees were at a seminar with Bhakti Vikasa Swami in Manchester and one was sick, so it was just Joe, Alex, and Geoffrey, who came after work, just in time for prasadam as usual.
I made strawberry sweet rice for prasadam.
York Harinama and Program
It was raining lightly for practically the entire three hours on our York harinama. As we looked for an area protected from the rain to chant in, we passed an abandoned shop with an overhang. One apparently homeless man was sitting there with a cup in front of him for donations. Using gestures I asked if we could chant there, and he said he was working there. I had to smile. For me, sitting in front of a bowl and collecting money does not constitute working. You have to be offering a service for the benefit of society.
We continued and finally found a place where we chanted for two hours, until a nearby vendor complained.
Then we walked around in the rain again following our usual route. It brought back memories of other rainy harinamas in York. Here is a little video of the part of it before we started walking (https://youtu.be/PTJSqpPXorM):
The most striking thing for me was that Rasesvari Dasi, a Prabhupada disciple from Accrington in Lancashire, on the other side of England, came with two others, an older lady, who is a close friend of hers, and Doug, who has been involved in the Preston nama-hatta for years. Even more amazing than their coming so far to do harinama on a rainy day, was that Rasesvari was very happy she had come and found the harinama to be very ecstatic. She must be a very elevated soul!
A nice feature of the evening program was that several devotees came up from Leeds. The monthly Leeds program the previous week was canceled, and I was thinking I would not see my Leeds friends till next year, but Krishna kindly arranged to bring a bunch of them to York.
Also one devotee was visiting from Glasgow. Thus we had a wonderful program attended by devotees from all over the North UK, my base in the summer.
Somehow during the last ten days I was in the UK I saw friends from Chester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Preston, Leeds, and York, and it was all Krishna’s mercy I was able see them again before returning to America for the winter.
One young lady who called herself Anya, was fascinated by the harinama. Her parents were both disciples of Indradyumna Swami, and she was born in Kolobrzeg, the city nearest our base of the Festival of India in Poland tour. It was coincidental that both Rasesvari Dasi and I had just been in Kolobrzeg a month ago. Anya’s mom makes prasadam to sell in York on the weekends, and she is one of the salespersons. She had a friend, also a daughter of a devotee parent, and both the young ladies came to the program, along with one mom and one dog, and they had a good time, especially participating in the kirtana and relishing the prasadam. Anya even gave me a donation, which is rare for devotee kids and rare in general. I told her about our Newcastle eight-hour kirtanas, which are organized by some young and enthusiastic devotees and which she and her friend would definitely like.
Harinama in Scarborough
I had hoped to chant in Scarborough for a full three hours, but it took us longer to recover from the trip to York than planned. Still we chanted over an hour before I had to leave to Newcastle for the Sunday feast. The sky was threatening to rain, and there were a few sprinkles from time to time. One lady felt happier about life from hearing us and expressed her gratitude, and that alone made the harinama feel worth it. In reality, just our going out on harinama gives great pleasure to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus harinama is always a success, whether we perceive it or not.
Harinamas in Belfast
Thanks to Bhagavati Dasi, who is always ready to go on harinama for three hours every day when I visit Belfast, and thus makes going to Belfast a pleasant experience.
Janananda Goswami came out with us one day in Belfast, and as always, more devotees came out and more people interacted with our party than usual, as you can see in this video (https://youtu.be/M4xXdR8pMmg):
One little girl danced to our music.
Then forgetting her mom for a moment, she followed our party.
Thursday is one of two weekly harinama days in Belfast, and we had seven devotees in our party that day.
Narinder Singh, a devotee of Krishna who passed by and was happy to see us, took a photo of his son with our party, and sent it to us.
We chanted in Belfast on a rainy Radhastami. Four devotees chanted three hours in a sheltered place, distributing eight books to those who helped donate a total of £9.20 and €2.00.
Harinamas in Dublin
We planned a six-hour harinama in Dublin on Saturday. Bhagavati Dasi, Ananta Nitai Prabhu, Bhakta Alec, and I, who had been doing harinama in Belfast during the week, all took the coach to Dublin, where we were joined by Pat of Wexford, for the entire time, and Dina Dayal Prabhu, who came for the end, after his day of book distribution. Dina Dayal Prabhu greatly pleased me by fixing the straps on my harmonium, increasing its utility.
Dublin is my favorite place to do harinama. I always have one or two core people I can count on to chant with me the whole time, and our venue is on one of the busiest streets, just a block from our temple and restaurant. There are people from all over the world, but they are less rushed than in London or New York. They take pictures, chant, dance, buy books, and give donations.
Finishing her ice cream cone, a young lady danced.
One young man played a box drum, a cubical box on which the drummer sits and plays.
People were so generous we covered the cost of our coach to Dublin, paid for the books we distributed, and gave a donation to the temple as well.
Harinama in Kilkenny
Eleanora externally appears to be a retired lady with a heart condition, but she is incredibly enthusiastic to share the Hare Krishna mantra with the residents of the nearest city to her, Kilkenny. She paid the coach tickets for Ananta Nitai Prabhu and I to come down from Dublin and chant for three hours in Kilkenny, and then she cooked a wonderful Ekadasi meal for us to have afterward. Her health permitted her to join us for just an hour, but she was very happy to participate. It was a little awkward to do a day trip from Dublin the day before my transatlantic flight to New York, and Kilkenny pales when compared to Dublin as a harinama spot, but it was worth it to please a devotee and to do outreach in a neglected area. We were happy to see that we were more favorably received than during our first visit to Kilkennylast year, and we distributed more books and collected more donations as well.
New York City Harinam
I was very happy to rejoin Rama Raya Prabhu’s amazing six-hour a day harinama program in New York City.
The very day I arrived from Dublin, I was able to participate for the last three hours of the harinama, and it was wonderful to see Rama Raya Prabhu’s wonderful enthusiasm for chanting Hare Krishna, and the inspirational effect it had the devotees, and on the onlookers. You can get a glimpse of it from this video (https://youtu.be/BQU7gk8typ8):
The next day the weather was not so nice, so we had to chant in Grand Central station. The intelligence, technology and human expertise you need to find trusted answers all comes from chanting Hare Krishna. When the heart is purified by chanting, you can hear the Lord speak from within:
Stella (right), of Montreal, a regular member of our party, took some pictures there, and engaged a friend in taking others.
One day Binky, who originally became interested in Hare Krishna from encountering the New York City Harinam party, sang my favorite tune, while Yasoda Dulal Prabhu, accompanied her on the harmonium (https://youtu.be/zq88lhAQ3To):
While Kaliya Krishna Prabhu was singing and I was dancing off to the side, I saw one blond lady who seemed ever so happy to see the chanting and dancing, so I approached her and gave her a pamphlet. Because of her joyful demeanor, I told her that she should not be shy but should also dance if she felt like it. She did not immediately take me up on that proposal, but that did not surprise me, and I just went back to dancing to the side. Later, however, I noticed she and one guy had begun to dance. I assumed it was the person she was planning to meet at Union Square, but I later learned it was just another guy who had come by, and who wanted to dance. You can see their enthusiasm for dancing to the Hare Krishna chant in this video (https://youtu.be/HEae1bbVOoM):
I am happy to be back on the New York City Harinam party again.
To see other photos I took but did not include, click on the link below:
“The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Krishna and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Krishna and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love.”
Janananda Goswami:
The wreath that garlands the world has flowers of Krishna prema intertwined with the holy name.
Lord Caitanya appeared to Narada and declared, “With the chopper of nama-sankirtana I will deliver people from the sinful activities of this age, and for those who flee to distant corners of the world I will send my senapati bhakta [commander-in-chief devotee] to deliver them.” This refers to our Srila Prabhupada.
In 1886, Bhaktivinoda Thakura made this prediction: "Oh for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners, mridangas, and karatalas and raise kirtanathrough their streets and towns. When will that day come? Oh for the day when the fair skinned men from their side will raise up the chanting of ‘Jaya Sacinandana, Jaya Sacinandana, ki jaya’ and join with the Bengali devotees. When will that day be? On such a day they will say, “Our dear Brothers, we have taken shelter of the ocean of Lord Caitanya’s Love; kindly embrace us" that day will witness the holy transcendental ecstasy of the Vaishnava dharma to be the only dharma, and all sects and religions will flow like rivers into the ocean of Vaishnava dharma. Oh when will that day come?”
Between 1886 and 1896 Bhaktivinoda Thakura predicted very soon someone will appear who will move unrestrictedly throughout the world with Lord Caitanya’s message.
In the history of the Irish yatra about 10% of the people driving the vehicles had licenses. Whenever they got into accident, they would just say that the driver was the one devotee who had a license.
Srila Prabhupada’s song “Krishna Taba Punya Habe Bhai” reveals his mood.
I am sure there is a Jaladuta in the spiritual world going down the river Yamuna.
The mission of Srila Prabhupada was not to tear down physically the Western civilization but to destroy the consciousness that produced it.
Most of the acaryas in our line are followers of Radharani and followers of Lalita Devi because Rupa Goswami is a follower of Lalita Devi.
“Markine Bhagavata-dharma” is very much a mission statement for Srila Prabhupada and us, his followers.
Srila Prabhupada was not a philosophical machine, but rather he had great affection for people.
Srila Prabhupada, when he was in India before coming to America, had plans to send thousands of Back to Godheads to different countries in different continents.
When he was developing the League of Devotees in India, he was planning to have a Sanskrit college as an important part of it.
Old people, who have not lost their youthful desires, suffer greatly.
Old age is created as a warning to all human beings that death is near and to prepare ourselves for it.
When people become old they tend to become fearful and less happy, but Srila Prabhupada said a devotee becomes fearless and happier with age.
Our arguments, our attachments, and our quarrels seem insignificant at the time of death.
Sincerity of purpose is a key factor in our going back to Godhead. Srila Prabhupada would stress that sincerity is all that is necessary. Sincere means without material motives.
Surrendering to the lotus feet of the Lord means surrendering to His instructions.
Srila Prabhupada that his success was due to his faithful following of his guru’s instructions.
Srila Prabhupada said that no one can follow properly, neither the brahmacaris, nor the grhasthas, the vanaprasthas, or the sannyasis. If I criticize you and you criticize me, we will all go away and no one will go back to Godhead.
Surrender to Krishna is the only way of escaping bondage to sex life and the conception of ourselves as the enjoyer.
By engaging in the service of the Lord one’s consciousness is purified.
St. Francis was traveling with another brother, and they arrived at a monastery too late. The abbot spoke sharply, accused him of being an imposter, hit him with a stick, and knocked him into a ditch. St. Francis took it happily with a smile, seeing it as destroying his material illusions and leaving him to depend on God alone. This was amazing to the brother traveling with him.
People are trying to use Krishna’s property for their own enjoyment, and thus they are subject to punishment, which is meant to rectify their consciousness.
Q (Bhagavati dd) The Bhagavatam speaks even of respectable family life as being a dark well, but in this age people cannot even act properly in their family relationships so I am doubtful about the relevance of those instructions to renounce family life.
A: This age is an ocean of faults. We should give instructions according to peoples’ ability to benefit by them. In the age of Kali, people as described as sudras, and sudras are not allowed to take sannyasa. Those instructions to renounce family life were given to mature people who could understand their purpose. We just encourage people to chant Hare Krishna, which is recommended in this age, to take prasadam, and to do some service and gradually they can understand other things. The program for sudras is to get married and stick with one person. If people can do that in this age, they are doing well.
Bhagavati Dasi:
Srila Prabhupada said that Radharani is the best servant of Krishna.
When you cook in the Deity kitchen, you are acting as the servant of Radharani.
When you become conditioned by the material energy, you forget there is a spiritual energy, and you imagine that you are nicely situated in the material energy.
You can have some realization there is a spiritual energy that is superior to the material energy, but to actual realize Srimati Radharani is more difficult.
To have any potency in convince people to get out of the material energy we must be enthusiastic to do so ourselves.
From Ananta Vrindavana Campu:
The night of the rasa dance surpassed the best of the nights of the spring, summer, and autumn seasons combined, having flowers of all the seasons.
If you chant the gayatri mantra perfectly it is said you can hear Krishna’s flute.
The flute of Krishna had an intoxicating effect on Sri Radha.
Krishna’s flute’s sound is the joy of all joys, the sweetest of all sweet things.
The instrumentalists played according to the rhythm of the dancing of the gopis.
The other gopis could not keep up with Radha’s singing and dancing. And other beings, like the Gandharvas and Apsaras, of course, could not compare in the least.
Adi Purusa Prabhu [who does Food For Life in NYC]:
Before class, let us all pray that we will only speak what we have heard from guru, sadhu, and sastra [the revealed scriptures].
The pastimes of the Lord are decorated with the sweet dealings between the Lord and His devotees.
Our own pride and ambition, our desires for profit, love, and distinction, all distort our ability to have loving dealings with others.
There is a story in the Hassidic tradition about a great doubter named Simon. He attended a festival at which they reserve a seat for Elijah, a great prophet of the past. Simon wondered if Elijah actually could come there. Then he saw a hand reach down from the ceiling. He had doubts about grabbing it, but he decided to. Elijah brought him up to the kingdom of God. He saw how everyone was living in harmony. Then Elijah brought him back. He saw the trivial quarrels and bickering between nations and families due to selfishness.
Srila Prabhupada said to the GBC at their first meeting, “When you all agree, I will be there in the decision.”
The Native Americans have games in which everyone wins or no one wins. Such games teach that you have to work together.
The Quakers make decisions by consensus. If 299 agree, but one doesn’t, the 299 think, “What does he see that we do not see?”
We think democracy is really great, but in reality, it generates power politics where people form alliances to exclude others.
Krishna expertly and mercifully gives us situations where we cannot proceed until we consider everyone in our decision.
If the brahmacaris form their own clique and are unconcerned with everyone else that is not good.
The brahmanas must go out and encourage others to take part Lord Caitanya’s mission.
When met with a challenge, some people leave the movement, some people go to another temple, etc., but the actual solution is to turn to Krishna. Until we learn to turn to Krishna, we will meet with the same challenges wherever we go.
If we have attachment and aversion, even if Krishna speaks to us, we cannot hear Him.
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This verse is another reminder about the amazing potency of chanting the holy name of Krishna. How auspicious is this chanting!
apannah samsritim ghoram
yan-nama vivaso grinan
tatah sadyo vimucyeta
yad bibheti svayam
“Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krishna, which is feared by fear personified.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.14)
When devotees look at their obstacles to advancement in Krsna consciousness, they sometimes doubt whether they will ever be able to overcome all of them. It is easy to become discouraged and thus feel it may not even be worth praying to overcome obstacles. What is another impetus for change? Prabhupada said that when one has great love for his spiritual master, he will follow all of his instructions. The greater the love, the greater the impetus to follow. The proper attitude is that, “I may not want to do something, but I will do it because my guru asked me.” And we can pray to our guru to give us strength to follow his instructions. Continue reading "Change → Dandavats"
The Gita & Change.
The Gita is a book about change. It’s protagonist, Arjuna, is changing his mind about leading the fight. He is having a ‘reality’ check as he faces his opponents, many of whom he knows. He is also facing the consequences of this war – no matter how important or needed, there will be much loss and disruption.
As Arjuna moves through his crisis, asking questions and seeking guidance, we learn so many things about change – both change that happens to us and change we can make happen. It’s a book to help us navigate life as it presents itself before us. We are not Arjuna, but certainly do have our own battles, and face the challenge of change in many similar ways.
Below are some excerpts from the the translations and purports to Bhagavad-gita As It Is that explore the topic of change. While some of us might be experiencing a boring, soul-killing unchanging life, and others struggling with too much change and complexities, either way the Gita can help us respond to questions or situations we may face, and support us in the decisions and choices we have to make.
May the following excerpts inspire you to dig deeper into this great book of knowledge and access its potential to bring deep and lasting change to your life.
On changing our karma:
“The effects of karma may be very old indeed. We are suffering or enjoying the results of our activities from time immemorial, but we can change the results of our karma, or our activity, and this change depends on the perfection of our knowledge. We are engaged in various activities. Undoubtedly we do not know what sort of activities we should adopt to gain relief from the actions and reactions of all these activities, but this is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita.”
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/xbfCgU
How to receive guests on Sunday: After the announcements are made it very important to focus on newcomers and later one can deal with regular visitors and congregational devotees. Following points should be considered while dealing with newcomers. 1. TEMPLE – PAMPHLET Giving daily pamphlets while giving Welcome pamphlets, explain about Temple timings, Sunday program timings Invite them graciously to attend our programs. Do not insist them if they are not interested. Just encourage them While dealing with them, one should try to fan the spark of interest within them. Daily temple schedule. Sunday festival (GAUR-ARATI, KIRTAN, PRAVACHAN, PRASADAM.) Deities. Festivals (Vaishnav Calendar.) Various Congregational Programs. Gurukul/Orphanage Audio CDs, VCDs, MP3 CDs, Audio tapes/books library. (Refer the topic ‘important documents’ at the end of this manual for ‘Temple pamphlet’.) Continue reading "Receiving Guests/visitors On Regular Basis → Dandavats"
Prabhupada, “Give me your son. I will make him an acharya.”
Atma Tattva: I had a Krishna book and on the back cover was a picture of Prabhupada looking at a champak flower he was holding. I showed the man this picture and said, “This is our Guru Maharaj, he has translated these books.”
TOVP: The Chatri Peacock Work Continues (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: The TOVP has 8 roof top Chatris. Each Chatri will be beautifully ornamented with pillars, cornices, and peacocks. The peacocks have been handcrafted in the Glass fiber Reinforced Concrete (GRC) Factory. Each Chatri will have 12 peacocks installed above the pillars.
The peacock is a symbol of beauty, prosperity, royalty, love, compassion, soul and peace. It is a magnificent bird that displays it’s beautiful plumage for all to see. Its iridescent plumage is remarkable and stunning. Peacocks are pure of heart. They pair with one mate and are loyal and faithful to their partners. To many, they also symbolise eternal love.
Currently, we are decorating our first Chatri with peacocks. This Chatri is located close to Lord Nrsimha’s Dome.
After we finish nicely decorating this Chatri, we will then do the electrical work. All of the pillars will have lights installed, and thus the peacocks will be illuminated to allow their glorious beauty to shine.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/5vjrgc
Program consisted of an elephant procession, “Reliving Prabhupada at Boston(Performance by Gauranga Band)” , “Bigwig in conversation with Srila Prabhupada(Puppet Show)”, Govindam Prayers(Yoga Acrobatics by students from blind school) and Prabhupada Katha by his three senior disciples: HG Pancagauda Pr, HG Hamsrupa Pr & HG RadhaKunda Mj. The program began by carrying the deity of Srila Prabhupada on a decorated elephant accompanied by hundreds of devotees who were joyfully chanting and dancing in a procession from temple to the nearby venue. The stage program was initiated by suitable invocation, lamp lighting and a short address by HG Rukmini Krishna Das(Temple Co-President). Many devotees were mesmerized when students from a blind school put up a Yoga Acrobatics show on different pastimes of Lord Krishna. Gauranaga Rock Band sang the poem composed by Srila Prabhupada on Jalduta a day before arriving at Boston. Continue reading "ISKCON 50: Festival @ ISKCON Punjabi Bagh to mark anniversary of Srila Prabhupada arriving at Boston → Dandavats"
The TOVP’s New Hoist (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: Recently we have integrated another new Jaypee Hoist into our construction work. This new hoist can very sufficiently lift workers and an abundance of materials together.
It is assisting us and making our construction quicker and easier. It is creating an easy flow for us to lift up an abundance of materials at anytime constantly, without any stoppages. This new hoist has upgraded our construction logistics, and thus has made TOVP high tech.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/vS0nZ8
Fasting For Pasankusha Ekadasi Fasting.....................on Wed Oct 12,2016 Breakfast................. on Thu Oct 13 ,2016 b/w 7.30am-9.46am
Every fortnight, we observe Ekadasi, a day of prayer and meditation. On this day we fast (or simplify our meals and abstain from grains and beans), and spend extra time reading the scriptures and chanting the auspicious Hare Krishna mantra.By constantly ‘exercising’ our minds through regular japa we can train our senses to push the threshold of contentment.
English audio glorification of all Ekadasis is availablehere
ONGOING Programs At The Temple
Japathon-Congregational Mantra Meditation
Next meeting on Oct 22 ,2016(5.30am-9.30am) at ISKCON Brampton
The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His Energy to give protection to the conditioned soul.japa, when performed with focus and attention, can subdue the agitating effects of one’s mind and senses. The senses, of which the mind is also one, are constantly being stimulated by the external world - by gross and subtle matter. If you have not chanted before, and would like to participate in this program, we will be very happy to show how you can do this. All welcome. We’ll loan you a set of Beads!
Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
“One who has life can preach, and one who preaches gets life.”(Previous Acaryas)
Every member of ISKCON should have the opportunity to make advancement in Krishna consciousness by preaching.We encourage everyone to come out and participate and make Srila Prabhupada happy.
The Vaisnavi Sanga hosted by ISKCON Brampton is a special opportunity for ladies to come together for a spiritual getaway in peaceful, intimate surroundings. It is the perfect occasion for an evening filled with amazing association, spiritually surcharged program, and Krishna conscious discussions. It is a place where we will be able to learn from each other and have a safe forum to express our doubts and open our hearts.
The Sunday School provides fun filled strategies through the medium of music, drama, debates, quizzes and games that present Vedic Culture to children. However the syllabus is also designed to simultaneously teach them to always remember Krishna and never forget Him. School The Sunday School follows the curriculum provided by the Bhaktivedanta College of Education and Culture (BCEC).
The Mentorship Program
Please note that registration in the Mentorship System is now a mandatory requirement for all initiation requests at ISKCON Brampton.It
1.Facilitates and nurtures devotees aspiring for first and second Initiation. 2.One-on-One personal follow up on a regular basis. 3.Systematic training to devotees in matters of Philosophy, Sadhna, Vaishnava behavior, etiquette, Lifestyle and attitudes.
Our boutique is stocked with an excellent range of products, perfect for gifts or as souvenirs of your visit. It offers textiles, jewellery, incense, devotional articles, musical instruments, books, and CDs inspired by Indian culture.We're open on all Sundays and celebrations marked in our annual calendar.
Here is a really good question someone kindly sent me recently:
Why should we have to work sohard to get love / bhakti ? So much service and so many rules and still Krishna prema doesn’t come!
I feel at odds with the entire concept that love should require work / sādhana. Love cannot be earned, or purchased by any amount of work. In this world nobody does sādhana to fall in love, it just happens naturally. Why should we have to work and “earn credits” to be able to fall in love with supreme lover?
The reason I like this question so much is that its so sincere and its also so accurate and realized. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī himself states in Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu that love cannot be created by sādhana / work. It is not created or purchased by anything – it simply “manifests.”
nitya-siddhasya-bhāvasya prākaṭyam hṛdi sādhyatā
“Love is eternally perfect. It manifests in the heart. That is the goal.”
(1.2.2)
In the opening chapter of Mādhurya Kādambinī, Śrī Viśvanātha elaborates on the same point, quoting Bhāgavatam extensively to demonstrate that love cannot be created, it manifests by free will, its own free will – yadṛcchayā. Nothing causes love except love: bhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktyā (11.3.31).
Then what is the point of sādhana???
Think about how love works. You meet someone, or see their picture, or hear about them and then all the sudden, bazoom, you are in it… you’re in love. More precicely, love descends upon you like a wave and completely drowns your existence in it.
Why shouldn’t Krishna prema come in the same manner?
It will.
But think about it again, there are at least two very important difference between falling in love with Pamela Anderson and falling in love with Sri Krishna.
For one thing – The nature of the “love” we fall in with Pam isn’t very special. It’s very common, basic – essentially just an intensified form of “liking” something, as in feeling great pleasure from something. But Krishna prema isn’t the same type of love at all. It’s very uncommon because it has absolutely no laxity. It absolutely devours the consciousness, leaving no room at all for anything else to even exist (sandrānanda viśeśātmā, BRS 1.1.38~40). It absolutely incinerates all self-centered concerns and separatist selfishness. So its not the same as the love we fall in everyday. Its like the difference between a penny and a hundred dollar bill. Yes, they are both money, but not quite the same amount of it.
The second difference is the beloved. Pam Anderson exists as an object of the five senses in the external world of bhinna-prakṛti which our mind and senses can easily grasp. However, the subject of Krishna prema, Krishna – although permeating Pam Anderson and every other object and subject in the external field – is not wholly contained in any of those objects that we can readily experience. (See Gita 7.12, for example, “matta eveti tan viddhi, na tv aham tesu te mayi.”). We can hang out on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and maybe run into Ms. Anderson, or at least we can watch a Baywatch episode or whatever – but how will we experience the beauty of Krishna directly? He is the root of the very consciousness which is attempting to find him. His is behind the eyes that are looking outward. Our eyes don’t point in the direction where he exists (we are bahir-mukha, not antar-mukha). How then will we see his beauty, hear the actual sound of his name, smell his fragrance, etc? And if that is not possible, how will we fall in love with him? We cannot fall in love with a person we do not know!
Sādhana, then, doesn’t create prema at all (practice/work doesn’t create love) but it makes the hearta place (a) capable of experiencing the most mysterious entity in existence, the supreme root of it all, Śrī Krishna, and (b) capable of hosting and expressing the most intense, all consuming, sublimely intense and incalculably delightful pure love – which is the soma rasa that Sri Krishna drinks incessantly.
The “work” of sādhana is (a) the effort to make our eyes capable of looking inward, away from exploitable objects and into the realm of pure consciousness (advaya jñāna) where we encounter first brahman, then paramātmā,then bhagavān, and only at the utmost end root, having absorbed the munificent abundance of karuṇa-kṛpā as saṁvit-śakti, can finally directly discover the Absolute Enchanter (“Krishna”) and Enjoyer (“Rāma”), Sri Bhagavān Hari, Krishna.
The “work” of sādhana is (b) to make the rock-hard separatist selfishness that constitutes our current concept of “I” into something meltable, disintegratable, so that the rays of dawning love (bhāva) can melt it and get rid of it, and make the heart capable of experiencing and thus amplifying trueprema.
In short, although love happens spontaneously and of its own accord – we have to work to be able to even perceive the viṣaya we want to fall in love with (Krishna, the Supreme Root of Reality, paramāśraya), and we have to work to make our externalized, exploitive, separatist “I”-ness into something that can be blown away and replaced by a type of love whose intensity we cannot even estimate.
Sādhana doesn’t create love, it creates our capacity for love. The rest happens by magic. Love’s magic.
But What IS “Sādhana“?
What is sādhana anyway? It itself is love!
It is the seed form of love, śraddhā (an inclination of the heart, śrad) Therefore, the effort to make our senses capable of internal perception into consciousness itself, where Krishna resides, is itself an act of love. The effort to chip away the hardened shell of separatist, irrelevant, anartha-“I” is an act of love in itself, just as the clearing of a field is also an act of farming. So, it is certainly only love which generates love, bhaktyā sanjātayā bhaktyā.
So, sādhana really shouldn’t feel like “work.”
It is love. If it feels too much like work, we aren’t doing it right.
Sādhana should consist of inquiring from Śrī Guru about Krishna-tattva revealed in the Vedas through Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, and consequently hearing directly about the nāma, rūpa, guṇa, parikār, and līlā of Krishna, again revealed through Bhāgavatam; then subsequently remembering all of this by meditation upon the mantra of Krishna (kṛṣṇāya govindāya, etc.) and the mantra containing the sacred rāsa-līlā of his names:
hare krishna hare krishna
krishna krishna hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma
rāma rāma hare hare
And, very importantly, augmenting this meditation by emotive saṁkīrtan of that nāma-mantra.
This process should feel joyful the majority of the time ( susukhaṁ kartum – Gita 9.2), because it is itself the seed form of the supreme joy, krishna-premānanda.
If we don’t do the process correctly, it is very difficult and results to not come, and we ask, “why all this work?” But when we fortunately do the process correctly, we progress quickly and Krishna becomes surprisingly more tangible to us, and our hearts feel tangibly more attraction to further sādhana. Then we feel plagued not by the question, “Why do I have to work so hard for Krishna?” Rather the question that consumes us is, “Why can’t I work any harder for him?”
Done right, the sādhana itself also has a magical attraction. It quickly becomes addictive, and doesn’t feel much like “work.”
On September 24, 2016, history was created when ISKCON of Suriname held its first Ratha-yatra festival in the capital City of Paramaribo, with the Lord Jagannath cart parading through one of the busiest streets in the city. The festival was organiszd as part of ISKCON Suriname’s main 50th anniversary initiative.
Last Saturday, on September 24, history was created when ISKCON of Suriname held its first Ratha-yatra festival in the capital City of Paramaribo, with the Lord Jagannath cart parading through one of the busiest streets in the city. The festival was organized as part of ISKCON Suriname’s main 50th anniversary initiative. The procession began at 5:00 pm sharp with the ribbon cutting done by the Raghoebier family, who, over a decade ago, had kindly provided the facility in Paramaribo that ISKCON utilizes.
By Mukunda Goswami
By Muralimohan Das
By Paramatma dasa
By Mahatma Das
By Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir
By Premanjana Das
Fasting For Pasankusha Ekadasi
Japathon-Congregational Mantra Meditation
Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
IB Vaishnavi Sanga
The Mentorship Program
