Planet ISKCON

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​What about the Buddhist concept of no-self, anattavada? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Where is the soul located in the body? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Are all types of meditation equally beneficial? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Talk at Denver University

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Spirituality in an age of science – Maximizing human potential appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir

Every guest coming to the temple is warmly welcomed with folded palms and cordially received. Since our movement is a preaching mission, in the International Society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON), the proper reception of guests is very important. As followers of Srila Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of ISKCON, we should consider any guest in the temple to be his guest. Proper reception of a guest can make a difference between a person coming once to the temple and never returning, or becoming a regular visitor & ultimately becoming a devotee of Krishna. Therefore each and every guest should be dealt with great care and hospitality. Their names and addresses should be collected. They should be sent some gift and relevant information about the temple. Continue reading "Dealing With Different Categories Of Visitors
→ Dandavats"

By Rasamandala dasa

However, right from the start, there were a couple of notable challenges. Firstly we were assumed, and required, to represent one of the principle world religions, namely Hinduism. This raised pertinent, and sometimes controversial, theological questions about the identity of ISKCON and its members (we’ll come back to this later). Secondly and subsequently, this also meant that ISKCON Educational Services staff were required to make presentations not just on ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnavism, nor on broader Vaishnavism, but on the whole spectrum of Hinduism itself. I began to question whether this supported our Society’s aims or was even consistent with them. As I pondered, and read more school textbooks on Hinduism, I considered and noted down some of the possible benefits of speaking and writing about the subject. However, I also noticed in many school textbooks room for considerable improvement. Continue reading "The Western Educationalists’ Perspective on the Vedic Tradition
→ Dandavats"

(excuse the pauses)

The post Evening bhajan – September 27th appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Conversation with Ramananda dasa on sadhu sanga appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

ISKCON NZ Padayatra Fiji (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: Today we chanted in the outer suburbs of Fiji and distributed hu...

Plastering on the TOVP (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: The beautification of the TOVP is set into full motion now. We are currently plastering all of the TOVP’s outer walls, including the walls under the Domes. Once this is completed we will then install the white marble.
The workers are using our wonderful new hoist to keep their work simple and safe. Using this hoist is a remarkable alternative for scaffolding and is making our construction smarter, more cost efficient, and is saving us time.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/oo3dcM

TOVP: Bronze Ornamentation Samples (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: Our very creative Manufacturing Process Engineer, Savyasa...

TOVP: Demigod Sculptors (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: After a year of dedicated work and co -creativity, we are reaching a great milestone in our Art department. The artists have been creating 8 sculptors of chosen demigods and associates of the Lord.
The demigods that we have sculpted are Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, Lord Indra, Sri Lakshmii Devi, Manu, and Garuda. Currently we are finishing the last two Vaikuntha associates, Nanda and Sunanda.
Once completed, the sculptors will be placed in Lord Nrsimha’s Dome. The 8 Demigods and the Lord’s associates will fill the circumference on the second gallery level of Lord Nrsimha’s Dome.
They are all in the mood of fear and submission because they have never seen Lord Nrsimha this ferocious. They will be facing Lord Nrsimha because they have come to witness His pastimes and offer their humble obeisances.
After this project is completed, the artists will then begin sculpting the Guru parampara that will go on the leftmost altar in the Main Dome.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/F5wqfl

Harinama in Tel Aviv, Israel, 24.09.2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Narada Muni, citing a practical example from his...

Harinamas in London “shake” the city! (6 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: If we simply place ourselves at the lotus feet of Krishna by taking to Krishna consciousness and keeping always in touch with Him by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, we need not take much trouble in arranging to return to the spiritual world. By the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this is very easy. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.15.53 Purport)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xucdEL

Scientists claim Saraswati did exist, debunk 5,000-year-old myth.
Prithviraj Singh, Hindustan Times, Dehradun: Scientists at the Dehradun-Based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) have debunked established belief that river Saraswati is just a 5,000-year-old myth.
They claimed to have found after extensive research that the river did exist during ancient times, but got buried because of tectonic changes in the Himalayas.
The mythical Saraswati forms the Hindu holy triumvirate along with the Ganga and Yamuna, and the hypothetical confluence of these three rivers in Allahabad is the source of humanity’s biggest gathering every 12 years during the Kumbh Mela.
Scientists said the Saraswati flowed from its origin at Adi Badri in the Shivalik range of Haryana’s Yamunanagar to its meeting point with Chautang river in the plains. This is the course the river followed when it flowed in the Vedic era.
They confirmed that tectonic activities along the Shivalik Himalayas separated the river course from Adi Badri and it was never recharged because of a series of climatic disasters.
The river died eventually. But rainwater collected at scattered hollow locations above the buried river gives proof of Saraswati’s existence and the course it took.
Physical and chemical analysis of nearly 22 samples from a 60-km buried water stream confirmed that of it was indeed the ancient Saraswati, now entombed by five feet of top soil, the scientists said.
Source: https://goo.gl/PpWEgW

One of the recent events celebrated for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary by the Brisbane devotees was a boat ride on the Brisbane River.

About 140 devotees ( that’s all the boat could fit ) assembled at a Southbank jetty in central Brisbane to board the “Jaladuta 2”, which was a reenactment of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival into Boston on September 17th 1965.

On board we started with guru puja to Srila Prabhupada and for the next 4 hours there was kirtan, speeches, stories and wonderful prasadam.

Special guests were Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, HH Vedavyasapriya Maharaja, Gunarnava das, Vilasini dd and myself.

Written by Nimai

A visit to Johannesburg

Kadamba Kanana Swami spent the week after Radhastami in Durban and then decided to fly to Johannesburg for a short visit so we left Durban on Saturday morning (17 September). Upon arrival in Johannesburg, we were fetched by Maharaj’s disciple Hrdaya Caitanya and first we spent a few hours at the home of Sri Govinda and Jayalalita before setting off to Midrand, about midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, to the home of Girivaradhari Prabhu. The kirtan was especially sweet that evening and Maharaj enjoyed it a lot. Vibhu Caitanya’s mother, Aditi dd was there to prepare dinner for Maharaj and many other devotees had also come to the program which was so spontaneously arranged!

The next morning, Maharaj took some time to meet disciples who wanted to speak to him. It had cooled down quite a bit over the weekend so when we walked around the protected area where we stayed, we equipped ourselves with umbrellas, rain jackets and several sweaters.

The Sunday Love Feast program at the Midrand temple started at 4pm. We arrived in time and Maharaj got ready to lead the kirtan after he had greeted some old friends. In his lecture, Maharaj spoke about Krsna’s neutrality. He made the point that Krsna, because he is not interfering with our free will, lets us engage in whatever activities we want to. Krsna never wanted this material world to exist but created it because of our desire to be the controller. Maharaj elaborated on the point of neutrality; he gave the example of Narada Muni, who as a child went to the forest to meditate and eventually got darshan of the Lord but when the Lord disappeared, he got angry. Krsna then returned and told Narada that he would not see him again in this lifetime. So again Krsna took his neutral position and maintained it even though Narada was a great devotee. Maharaj explained that Krsna does this to test us – he wants us to come to the point of eagerness, eagerness to see him and to be with him!

At the same time though, his neutrality, in a way is also a facade. It is said that Krsna is more eager for us to return to Godhead than we are. He sees that we are suffering and wants us to return to the spiritual world.

After the class which for me was really eye-opening, Maharaj led Guru Puja as well. As he started to sing, one devotee picked up an accordion and started playing along and it turned into a wild kirtan in no time, with Maharaj dancing ecstatically in the middle of all the other devotees! On that high note, the program ended and early the next morning, we flew back to Durban.

Back to Durban

Over the next week, Maharaj had a very relaxed schedule with only a few engagements. On Tuesday night, the weekly book club gathered to talk about Caitanya Caritamrta, Chapter 8 and when asked, Maharaj was more than happy to facilitate the discussion. First, he gave us an overview of the CC before explaining the 8th chapter in detail.

Thereafter, Maharaj had another two full days of rest; he would sometimes work on his novel or speak to whoever would visit his room. However, we never failed to do our walk on the beach! Agnidev Prabhu had come to stay in Durban for a week and was doing a lot of evening programs. He had come to the Durban Ratha Yatra last year and said that he likes South Africa a lot and the devotees appreciate him a lot too. When he found out that we were going for walks on the beach, he decided to join us for his remaining days in Durban. He would go for a swim in the sea every day and I was fortunate enough to go with him one day!

On Friday night, Maharaj did another house program. It was a wonderful little program with a lovely atmosphere. Maharaj started giving turns to all the devotees to lead kirtan and thus involved everyone more actively. Earlier that day, I had heard Maharaj practice that night’s tune in his room and he said that he sang it for the first time.

On Saturday (25 September), it was Heritage Day in South Africa and a public holiday. Since Maharaj wasn’t scheduled for any program that day, he decided to organise a “Maha Harinama” and so he did. We went to Durban North Beach at around noontime and started walking up and down the beachfront with about 40 devotees. Maharaj led kirtan and rocked it for almost two hours. The kirtan was already quite ecstatic but when Maharaj led the party onto the beach, people came out of the water to join us. They formed a circle around the devotees and all started dancing. Maharaj let them sing too, reading the maha mantra from one of the flyers we were giving out. The harinama continued until late but Maharaj went back to the temple and was completely exhausted for the rest of the day. He was also saving energy for the next day’s program where he was participating in a six hour kirtan at the New Jagannatha Puri temple in Phoenix.

A wonderful year has come to an end…

Early on Sunday morning (25 September), I made my way to the airport to travel back to Germany. My year of serving and travelling with Maharaj had come to an end and I had to say goodbye to him and all the devotees until we meet again. Even though I was naturally sad to leave, I focus on the positive. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that I got! It was wonderful travelling with Maharaj and I feel like I have learned much, much more than I could have anywhere else. I have great respect for Maharaj, for all the service that he is doing and the fact that he never stops. When he speaks about the eagerness for serving Krsna that we should develop, I can see so much of that in him. Thank you to all the devotees that I’ve met throughout the time I have been with Maharaj for always taking such wonderful care of me; I won’t forget you either!

Visit Flickr to see more photos.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​If intention is more important than action, why was Nriga punished despite his charitable intention? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Does Draupadi not know that Krishna protected her from disrobing? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Spirituality in an age of science – Managing the messy mind appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Why is spiritual reality not easily accessible? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Why are we not born with spiritual consciousness? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post We are what we eat – how to understand this in terms of the three-level model of the self? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post When cows are being brutally slaughtered why does Krishna not intervene? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Can inattentive chanting cause mental problems? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post How to respond when problems overwhelm us? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

5 Things to do Everyday for Happiness.
Ananda Vrindavanesvari Divi Dasi: The ancient teachings of the Vedas say there are 5 things humans can do everyday to be happy. We would say that these are directly connected to an effective spiritual practice. If we understand that life is meant for self-realization then the following 5 support and help us achieve that goal, while being happy along the way.
Here they are:
Get up before the sun
Get clean
Worship the Lord
Give in charity
Receive guests
Get up before the sun – this sounds easy but we all know it can be oh so difficult to pull ourselves from the comfort of the comforter. Planning ahead is the key – this means early to bed, which means turning off screens, which means being determined to value the early morning hours. What’s so good about the time before sunrise? Rise early and you will see!
Get clean – this is not just about teeth and body. This is also about our space. A clean body and a clean space really help control the mind. This is a good thing as the mind, according to the bhakti teachings, is the source of all misery. If cleaning is not your thing, try setting your phone timer for 15mins and do a blitz. You will be amazed how much can be achieved and how good you will feel.
Worship the Lord – whether it’s for 5 minutes or 15 or for a few hours, the absolute best thing to do before anything else is to connect with Krishna. Of course we can do this at anytime during the day, but the tendency is to get busy and forget. Get up, get clean and get absorbed in some worship – in our practice it can be mantra meditation, or offering flowers or incense at an altar, or reading something wonderful about Krishna and His associates.
Give in charity – this is such a nice reminder. It is described that there is a difference in giving to those in need and giving to God, who is not in need. Giving donations to those in need shares our wealth; giving to Krishna acknowledges the source of our wealth and the importance of deepening our relationship with Krishna through our giving. Giving is such a core component of self-realization – giving up, giving away, giving back, but it’s also a complex and nuanced activity. We should reflect on the spiritual call to give and do so in small and big ways every day.
Receive guests – in the traditions of the Vedas, guests are to be treated as good as God. Especially unexpected guests – they are signs of good fortune. No matter if we are at home or at work, we can try to interact with others as if they are guests in our space. Treat them as guests for that moment and be happy in their company. Offer water or some refreshment and kind words. Receive at least one guest into your life every day and be blessed.

The Light of Bhakti.
Varsana Swami: Deeply cherished amongst devotional practices which Kartik inspires, it is essential to sing the beautiful Damodarastakam prayers while offering small individual candles or lamps to the Lord.
Lighting the candle depicts igniting the spirit, the inner flame, to consume the outer wax, or flesh, integrating body and soul as they unite in the luminous and purifying nature of fire.
As Kartik is a time for reaffirming our vows and increasing our service, this offering of fire kindles a spirit of dedication and inspires the heart to burn with a desire for seva. In the luster cast by hearts ablaze, we perceive life in a more wholesome perspective, being reminded again of our true spiritual nature.
In the light of eternity, our daily struggles become increasingly consumed in the burning heart of a greater love. This love never dies but forever shines forth as the light of the world, the effulgence of bhakti, which the rays of the sun represent.
We place our little candles in the sand at Damodara’s lotus feet, and as they flicker and fade, we witness how the luster of His toenails shines on like an endless series of moons glittering in the light of the countless devotees. The endless reflections symbolize the eternal nature of this simple ceremony of offering a small flame to our dear most Lord.

By Daamodara Dhananjaya Das

Today, one of the best avenues to reach out, not just to the masses, but also to the upper most class of people, is through the Press or the Print Media (Newspapers) and the Electronic Media (TV News & Entertainment Channels and Radio Channels). Reading newspapers and watching TV News Channels, is now one of the preeminent necessities of life. These days apparently oxygen seems to be of the secondary importance, as compared to the need of the Media. So much so that the preachers too, in order to keep up with the pace, sometimes are forced to surrender to this bewitching incarnation of Mayadevi. Hence, at ISKCON Ahmedabad, somewhere around 2007, we too decided to cultivate our relationship with the Media, so as to spread the Holy Name to each and every dwelling, where Mayadevi has her encroachment through them. Continue reading "How to enhance our Outreach through the Press-Media and the Luminaries
→ Dandavats"

By ISKCON Perth

This year marks the 50 th anniversary of the incorporation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York by our dear Srila Prabhupada. As a special offering to His Divine Grace, the ISKCON Perth Temple with the help of the congregational devotees had planned to hold one program every day on the Holy Name during the 18 day span of the celebration Continue reading "WORLD HOLY NAME WEEK 2016 – ISKCON Perth – Western Australia
→ Dandavats"

Radhanath Swami and Marci Shimoff on Finding Everlasting Happiness (Album with photos)
Silicon Valley which is a hotbed for innovation for technology, scientific developments, and entrepreneurship, hacked into spirituality for a mindset shift on July 16, 2016, with Bhakti-yoga leader Radhanath Swami and Marci Shimoff, bestselling author of several self-help books including Love for No Reason and Happy for No Reason. Marci Shimoff is also the woman’s face of Chicken Soup for the Soul and is a featured teacher in the international film and book sensation, The Secret.
Held at the Jain Center, the program was cohosted by Bay Area entrepreneurs N. Prameela, Damodar Reddy, Sushant and Namrata Patnaik as well as by Artha Forum, a community dedicated to providing healthy work/life balance and business ethics based on spiritual principles. Around 300 entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and thought leaders attended the event.
During his introduction N.Damodar Reddy, Founder, Chairman and CEO, SutiSoft Inc., shared about Radhanath Swami, “One thing that stands out with all my conversations with Swamii is that it’s all about finding love within your own heart. And that is the essence of Bhakti-yoga.”
The event began with a mesmerizing flute recital by the Director of Digital Commerce at Adobe Prasad Bhandarkar and his son Kunal. This created a mood of tranquility for the evening.
Marci Shimoff spoke briefly about finding happiness in a world plagued by sorrow and gloom. Sharing her personal story about finding happiness she said, “Since childhood, I had existential angst. In June 1998, I had three books on NYT bestseller list. I felt like an author rock star. But I burst into tears. I couldn’t convince myself to believe to be happy. After a lot of interviews with people who practice spirituality and happiness, I realized being joyful is not dependent on external circumstances.”
Radhanath Swami began his talk by explaining the aphorism “annada mayo ‘bhyasat”. “We are all seeking happiness. From the cockroach on the kitchen counter to a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Everyone is trying to avoid what interferes with their happiness. This question leads to the very basis of spirituality – Who Am I?” said Swami.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/fWsjqU

The post NVD evening bhajan September 26th appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Thank you!!! appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

TOVP: The First Cornice is Installed (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: We have reached a new level of work in our external ornamentation of the TOVP. On Saturday September 24, 2016 we installed our first decorative cornice. The cornice was installed above a pillar’s capitol.
We are decorating the outside of the temple in a systematic order. We work on one section at a time on one level that goes around the whole temple. Once the pattern is completed, we then move up vertically to the next section. We will do this until the whole outside of the temple is decorated from the top to the bottom.
Thus, the entire outer circumference of the TOVP will be decorated with cornices in a linear fashion. Once this is complete, we will then go up above the cornice to the next level of white marble and sandstone work. On that new level, then the same white marble and sandstone pattern that was applied before will be repeated in the new location.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/p3XebP

https://flic.kr/s/aHskEkvAT9

The post Srila Prabhupada completed vyasasana – THANK YOU TO ALL DONORS! appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

By Chaitanya Charan das

During my visit to Central New Jersey, Govinda Prabhu and I spoke at Princeton University on the topic of “Tragic Hero? Lessons from the life of the Mahabharata character Karna.” Addressing the Karna-Duryodhana friendship, I spoke on how a low self-esteem makes us emotionally vulnerable to be manipulated by whoever seems to offer us respect. After the talk, on seeing the intense interest throughout of a pan-Indian and a non-Indian audience, I felt reinforced in my conviction realized that sharing life lessons through epics comprises an appealing and powerful way of connecting scriptural wisdom with people’s practical concerns – a way that we bhakti teachers need to tap much more effectively. Continue reading "Setting the record straight about Mahabharata’s Karna
→ Dandavats"

Preaching program in Kiev, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma (Supersoul) in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.17)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tZb80P