Planet ISKCON

Glastonbury Rathayatra, UK - 25th September 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The tapasya of chanting and glorifying t...

Sri Jagannatha Mandir, ISKCON Malaysia - Harinam Sankirtan @ China town (Petaling street) on 24/09/16 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “For one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, or glorification of the name, fame and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.12).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/CcbEyk

Why Announce It?

Why not? This is an immensely significant part of my life, which I would certainly want my friends and the people I interact with to know about.

“But announcing your departure from a guru and institution insinuates insult towards that guru and institution.”

Announcement or not, I am a public person, and people would soon learn of it anyway. Would it have been better if I was secretive about it? Then I would have to answer a different complaint, “Why are you so devious and deceptive?” So I thought it would be better to openly tell everyone, but do it in a way that does not disclose too many personal details and tries to avoid insult by expressing my appreciation and respect for ISKCON and my previous guru there.

It turns out the announcement was poorly timed, being made on the day my former guru held his yearly Vyāsa Pūjā celebration. Since my relationship with him had been dissolved for at least a month prior to this announcement, no one had sent me any information about Vyāsa Pūjā, and I wrongly assumed it had already passed a few weeks ago – or just didn’t have it on my mind. I apologize for this strange coincidence.

Another lack was that my original announcement wasn’t sufficiently clear about how things happened. It may have seemed that I was rejecting my former guru without his permission, or on the other extreme it may have seemed that he was handing me over directly to Satyanārāyana dās Bābājī. The fact is that he had agreed to release me from the relationship, and a few weeks after that, being without a dīkṣā guru, I requested dīkṣā from Satyanārāyana dās Bābājī of the JĪVA Institute in Vṛndāvana.

I understand that many of you may want more details than I am giving. I’m sorry, THAT is the private part. Out of respect for my former guru I am not going to publicly discuss details of what created the conditions that caused me to request him to end the relationship. If it was something urgent and unknown, which I thought would make him unfit to be a guru for others, then I would definitely share it with you loud and clear.

Vraja Kishor das

www.vrajakishor.com

During my visit to Central New Jersey, on 18th September, 2016, Govinda Prabhu and I spoke at Princeton University on the topic of “Tragic Hero? Lessons from the life of the Mahabharata character Karna.”

Vineet Chander (Venkat Bhatta Prabhu) serves as the Director of Hindu Affairs at Pinceton University; and he had invited me to speak on this topic. Later, it turned out that Govinda P was also there in Central New Jersey at the time of my program. So, both of us were asked to speak together.

I found it striking that while I have spoken at many colleges in India, I have never spoken on a directly scriptural topic in an Indian college. And yet here I was in an American college – and one of the world’s top colleges at that – speaking on an openly scriptural topic. What was even more intriguing was that nearly 50% of the audience was non-Indians – professors and students of South Asian religions.

Addressing the negativities that befell Karna, Govinda P spoke on how we all need to look for opportunity more than for sympathy. 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. I largely spoke on the points I have written in

my question-answers on Karna available here:

The audio-video of the talk is available here.

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.

The post Speaking on the Mahabharata outside Bharata – at Princeton appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Prabhupada’s Emphasis on Guru

Наша команда из 13 преданных успешно завершила 53-километровое паломничество вокруг священного Кайласа в западном Тибете. Из-за экстремальной высоты и сурового климата мы столкнулись с многочисленными препятствиями и помехами, но желание благословений лучшего преданного Господа Кришны, Господа Шивы, не оставило никого.

“О страж Вриндавана, о Сома – слава Тебе! Твою главу венчает месяц, возглавляемые Санакой, Сананданой, Санатаной и Нарадой риши поклоняются Тебе. О, Гопишвара! Жажду дарования любви к лотосным стопам Радхи-Мадхавы, счастливо играющим во Вриндаване – и потому мое почтение Тебе, и вновь, и вновь”.

[ Санкалпа Калпадрума, текст 103, Вишванатх Чакраварти Тхакур ]

Фотоальбом на FB

Our team of 13 devotees has successfully completed the 53 kilometer pilgrimage around sacred Mount Kailash in western Tibet. We encountered numerous obstacles and setbacks due to the extreme high altitude and harsh climate, but all of us persevered desiring the blessings of Lord Krsna’s best devotee, Lord Siva.

“O gatekeeper of Vrindavan! O soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon and who is worshipable for the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopiswara! Desiring that you bestow upon me love for the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, who perform joyous pastimes in Vrindavan, I offer my respects unto you again and again!”

[ Sankalpa Kalpadruma, text 103, by Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur ]

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Sri Caitanya caritamrta Madhya-lila 14.228 in Dallas.

“Although superficially Vrindavan is just a cowherd village, the opulence of Vrindavan far exceeds the opulence of Vaikuntha. But, because the mood of sweeteness (madhurya) prevails, it covers the mood of opulence (aisvarya) even though the opulence of Vrindavan is greater than that of Dwaraka or Vaikuntha. For example, say there is a mixture of 100 gallons of lime juice and 100 pounds of sugar. Then there is another container with 10 gallons of lime juice and 1 pound of sugar. The lime is like the opulence  and the sugar is like the sweetness. Vrindavan is like the 100 gallons of juice which has more opulence than Vaikuntha and yet is still sweeter to the taste than the 10 gallons of lime juice with 1 pound of sugar.”

To download, right click and choose ‘Save As’.
Kirtan
Caitanya caritamrta Madhya 14.228

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 September 2016, Midrand, South Africa, Sunday Feast Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 9.9)

Continued from Elusive Krsna…

Our Yogendra Maharaj is a very powerful preacher and he was giving a lecture in India. At one point, he asked the crowd, “Who is ready to give his life to Krsna.” There was no response. Are YOU ready to give your life to Krsna? (Audience: yes) Some are hesitating. Some are smelling a rat. Are you ready? (Audience: yes) ARE YOU READY? (Audience: loud yes) This Christian thing (laughter), I knew it would get much result, it is amazing.

Anyway, Yogendra Maharaj did something like that and he carried on and then he made the audience offer all their jewellery and their watches and everything. They sent baskets around and people put it all in there. It was a big collection! It was a large program; big pandal program. So he cleaned up. I do not know if it was the Ratha Yatra or the new temple extension but something was covered by this collection. We can try it at a big function.

Then you give it all that and Krsna keeps his neutrality, still neutral. So much we have done already and… Where is Krsna now? I mean, have you seen him yet? Did he give you a darshan? Does he speak to you? Did he appear in your dreams? Some will say, “Yes, yes, yes. He appeared in my dream.” Lucky you! I’ve never had dreams of Krsna, only mundane dreams.

Krsna maintains that neutrality. He is not just going to make himself available. He wants to see that we really come to that point of eagerness where we really want it and where we really say, “Okay, I had enough. I had enough of this material world. It is just enough.” I mean look at it. We try and squeeze some enjoyment out of the material energy and when it does not work. Then we think, “Krsna is the supreme controller! So he is the one who is responsible for all my suffering!” No, he is not because he did not desire it. 

Anyway, what to do? Krsna, he knows that the living being is independent and wants to do these things so what can he do? He can only remain neutral. He cannot force. Say well, “He can, he is the Supreme Lord.” Yes, but then the spiritual world becomes a concentration camp. Force! Gopis with boots and cowherd boys with whips, “Everyone serve, Krsna!” That will not quite make it. It has to be voluntary. So Krsna is neutral because he waiting for us to voluntarily come. It is very important that we understand this. But in his heart, Krsna is not at all neutral. Krsna is seeing, “Oh no, not again! Already in the last birth you did all these things. Not again!”

Varnasrama Series.

The post Discussion with farm and community leaders of the CIS appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The work on the Dome Kalashes is progressing very successfully. Currently, one of the engineers from Moscow, Russia, Yurii Tereshkov, is here to assist us with perfecting the measurements and dimensions of our TOVP Kalashes.

Each of the side Domes Kalash frames are layered in 3 sections. On Sunday September 25, 2016 we installed the topmost section (Layer 3) of the Kalash frame onto the Planetarium Wing Dome. The stainless steel section was lifted with a crane to the top of the Dome.

Next, we will lift and install the topmost section (Layer 3) of the Kalash Frame onto Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome. Then Yurii and other TOVP engineers will personally climb into the Kalash frames to measure the dimensions. From those measurements they will perfect and finalize the dimensions that will be required to construct the titanium nitrate coverings in Moscow.

After the measurements are finalized here in Mayapur, the engineers in Moscow then may begin the official construction of the Kalash outer shell coverings. We are now moving full speed into this wonderful construction project.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

The post The Kalash Frame on the Small Dome is Complete appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

By Madhava Smullen

A new Yoga Pavilion currently being built by ISKCON New Vrindaban’s own devotee construction crew, and aiming to be open next year, is expected to draw a large Western audience.

“We have been highly focused on reaching out to Indians living in the USA,” says temple president Jaya Krsna Das. “But Srila Prabhupada came to preach to Westerners, so we want to now make a major concerted effort to reach them too.”

Yoga, of course, is an interest that both Indian and Western people share. According to a 2012 study by Yoga Journal magazine, more than twenty million people practice yoga in the U.S. And of current non-practitioners, 44.5% of Americans call themselves “aspirational yogis” – people who are interested in trying yoga.

ISKCON around the world has had major success in connecting with yoga practitioners, who already have an interest in spirituality, Eastern philosophy, and kirtan. Many yoga groups visit temples such as Radhadesh in Belgium, Govardhana Eco-Village in India and more, and a sizeable number of yoga practitioners and teachers have become Krishna devotees, finding Bhakti-yoga to be the natural next step in their practice.

ISKCON New Vrindaban’s new Yoga Pavilion aims to be a big draw to this audience. Set on the waterfront at Kusum Sarovara Lake, it’s the perfect serene setting, with swans gliding by, and views of the stunning emerald Appalachian mountains as well as New Vrindaban’s exotic peacocks and local wildlife.

The yoga studio or “Yoga Pavilion” will be a 1,850 square foot space – large enough for fifty people to practice yoga at once. It will be surrounded by three-quarter length sliding glass windows that will let in the light and surrounding nature; have a finished hardwood floor; and be well insulated with electricity and heating so it can be used even in the winter time.

Already, there is a lot of interest from yoga teachers and practitioners around the country, and even from local people who are delighted to hear that yoga will be offered soon near them.

Meanwhile, staff are starting to market by advertising in yoga magazines, spreading the word through contacts at the Astanga Yoga headquarters in Karnataka, South India, and registering as a teacher-training center with the Yoga Alliance.

When it gets underway, the Yoga Pavilion will have several different teachers. First of all, there will be two in-house experienced devotee yoga teachers, who will teach ashtanga yoga classes from a Krishna conscious perspective every day from spring to fall.

“Just like the yoga vacation program at Shivananda yoga, people will come, spend a few days learning yoga, and go,” says one of the teachers, Gaurnatraj Das. “Others will sign up for special study programs like our one-month teacher-training program, which will cover the Bhagavad-gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. We will also offer yoga classes to our own community residents and congregation as a healthcare option.”

Secondly, ISKCON New Vrindaban will invite other devotee yoga teachers from around the country to hold their own retreats at New Vrindaban, and will assist them.

And thirdly, outside yoga groups will be invited to use New Vrindaban as a destination for their retreats.

While these groups will have their own curriculums, they will naturally be steeped in Krishna consciousness, staying in the holy dhama of New Vrindaban; eating prasadam; and associating with devotees.

Devotees will also work with them to include kirtans and temple programs in their reteats, along with karma-yoga, or service to the Lord.

As well as retreats held by outside groups, ISKCON New Vrindaban will also hold its own three-night retreats regularly with specialized side-subjects such as vegetarian cooking. And once a year, there will be a four to five night gala retreat, with yoga, ayurveda, acupressure, and other types of alternative healing.

With all this, ISKCON New Vrindaban hopes to double its visitors within the next couple of years, and make better use of its lodge and restaurant facilities during spring, fall, winter and weekdays.

“New Vrindaban has so much potential, and this is one big step towards attracting open-minded Western people from all over America, just as Srila Prabhupada wanted,” says Gaurnatraj. “Eventually, we’d love to build a huge retreat center here and see New Vrindaban become a major center for education.”

As part of the ISKCON50 program series, Vaishnavas in Hungary organized a two-day national book distribution event, taking place at different locations of the country. Devotees who had never distributed books before, or had not taken part in sankirtana for a long time were also involved. During the two days, 36 participants from the farm sold 619 books, while the 195 devotees on the streets of Budapest distributed 2,650 books. 

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Is not being disturbed amidst problems indicative of apathy or of bhakti? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Parikshit was ready to slay a cow-killer – should we follow in his footsteps? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Why is cow protection recommended in one religion and cow killing in another religion? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post If chanting Hare Krishna is the only way, what will be the destination of people from other paths who chant other prayers? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Why does every religion claim that it is the best? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post When caring for our small children takes a lot of time, how can we enhance our spirituality? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​If problems help people to grow, does that mean we shouldn’t help others when they have problems? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Talk at Princeton University with H G Govinda Pr, Co-Temple President, ISKCON Chowpatty

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Tragic Hero – Life Lessons from Karna – Princeton University appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Radhanath Maharaja has requested that my godsisters and I speak something. Last night, after we left the transcendental program and before I took rest, I was thinking how incongruous it was—you know, I have been a devotee for thirty-odd years, and it’s quite rare that I am asked to speak. In fact, it’s extremely unusual, so I am not practiced at it. And as I told you yesterday, I rarely spoke when Srila Prabhupada was here. He asked various disciples to speak, but I told him clearly that I wasn’t comfortable with this, and he was a little kind upon me and only on occasion he would ask me to speak. So, anyway, I’ll fumble through as best as I can. Continue reading "Adventures in Krishna Consciousness—Chanting the Holy Names
→ Dandavats"

“In this Age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyasa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.” (Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Krsna-janma-khanda 185.180) Nevertheless, we see that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself accepted sannyasa and approved of the sannyasa of His elder brother, Visvarupa. It is clearly said here, bhala haila,—visvarupa sannyasa karila pita-kula, mata-kula,—dui uddharila. Therefore, should it be thought that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made statements that are contradictory? No, actually He did not. It is recommended that one accept sannyasa to dedicate his life for the service of the Lord, and everyone must take that kind of sannyasa, for by accepting such sannyasa one renders the best service to both his paternal and maternal families. But one should not accept the sannyasa order of the Mayavada school, which has practically no meaning. We find many Mayavadi sannyasis simply loitering in the street thinking themselves Brahman or Narayana and spending all day and night begging so they can fill their hungry bellies. Mayavadi sannyasis have become so degraded that there is a section of them who eat everything, just like hogs and dogs. It is such degraded sannyasa that is prohibited in this age. Actually, Srila Sankaracaraya’s principles for the acceptance of sannyasa were very strict, but later the so-called Mayavadi sannyäsis became degraded because of their false philosophy, which propounds that by accepting sannyasa one becomes Narayana. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu rejected that kind of sannyasa. But the acceptance of sannyasa is one of the items of the varnasrama-dharma. How then can it be rejected? Continue reading "A Deeper Understanding of the Significance of Sannyasa (in Kali-yuga)
→ Dandavats"

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​If I don’t feel disturbed when my loved ones face problems, am I becoming heartless? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post When Christians don’t have much knowledge of God, how can they develop love of God? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Will Christians who accept Jesus as their saviour but don’t live purely attain God’s kingdom? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post If I am destined to meet an accident, can I do anything to avoid it? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

It can sometimes be tough being an intellectual in Iskcon. The tendency to keep one foot in the empirical camp and the other in the devotional arena can cause incompatibilities of faith, especially when continuing to grapple with “oddities” like elephant sized mangoes, airborne mountains, talking hyenas and bodily exuded cosmic bubbles. Almost everything is interesting for an intellectual. How things work, or don’t. Statistics and comparisons, complex and more complicated, beyond comprehension and ridiculously out of bounds, all can pose challenges when faced with the “simplicity” of Krishna consciousness. And more so when fantastic and marvellous Vedic accounts remains fabulously beyond belief. Does “simple living” dull down our inquiring spirit to the point of unquestioning obedient acceptance of everything taught to us? Will “high thinking” allow us free reign to explore that which confounds the greatest material thinkers? “Prove that God exists,” Srila Prabhupada would say. This seems the most certain way of engaging a lively intellect. How many sprightly and bouncy intellectual devotees are convinced of this, especially when having to explain in terms of elephants and swans that do inter-planetary travel, and other faith shaking concepts? Continue reading "Intellectual Simplicity
→ Dandavats"

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Is it better to chant in the morning and do very simple Deity worship or to do nice Deity worship and chant later in the day? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Is it self-centered to call out to Krishna only when we have problems and not at other times? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​How can we attract people who don’t find ISKCON adequately traditional in its cultural aspect? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

TOVP: The Kalash Frame on the Small Dome is Complete (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: The work on the Dome Kalashes is progressing very successfully. Currently, one of the engineers from Moscow, Russia, Yurii Tereshkov, is here to assist us with perfecting the measurements and dimensions of our TOVP Kalashes.
Each of the side Domes Kalash frames are layered in 3 sections. On Sunday September 25, 2016 we installed the topmost section (Layer 3) of the Kalash frame onto the Planetarium Wing Dome. The stainless steel section was lifted with a crane to the top of the Dome.
Next, we will lift and install the topmost section (Layer 3) of the Kalash Frame onto Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome. Then Yurii and other TOVP engineers will personally climb into the Kalash frames to measure the dimensions. From those measurements they will perfect and finalize the dimensions that will be required to construct the titanium nitrate coverings in Moscow.
After the measurements are finalized here in Mayapur, the engineers in Moscow then may begin the official construction of the Kalash outer shell coverings. We are now moving full speed into this wonderful construction project.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/MRHOvX

​Congregation program at ISKCON, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​The quest for happiness is frustrated materially and fulfilled spiritually appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

​Congregation program at ISKCON, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​God helps those who help themselves – Common understanding, misunderstanding and devotional understanding appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Ratha Yatra in Philadelphia, USA (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The process of chanting the holy name of the Lord is al...

​Sunday feast class at ISKCON, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Holy Name seminar – Becoming conscious of our consciousnss, our distractions and our Lord appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

KK Bindu #384: With first time translation of a little known song describing Lord Gauranga going to battle.
CONTENTS INCLUDE: * CHILDREN AND KRISHNA BHAKTI – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada gives instructions to some of his disciples.
* FLOWING WATER AND MOVING SADHUS – Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami. Maharaja speaks of the only business for saintly persons.
* REMEMBERING KRISHNA – A fresh translation done especially for this issue of Bindu from Srila Jiva Goswami’s Bhakti-sandarbha speaking about different levels of remembrance of the Lord.
* GAURA GOES TO BATTLE – A first time translation done especially for this issue of Bindu of a little known medieval Bengali song.
* EVEN WHEN REJECTED BY THE REJECTED – Another fresh translation from Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati’s Vrindavan-mahimamrtam.
This issue can be downloaded here:
https://archive.org/details/bindu384

Saturday Night Harinam London (24th Sept 2016) (5 min video)
Following are three predictions made by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur:
1. “A personality will soon appear and he will travel all over the world to spread the teachings of Lord Caitanya.”
Jaya Srila Prabhupada !!!
2. “Very soon the chanting of Harinama sankirtana will be spread all over the world. The day will come when people from America, England, France, Germany, Russia will take up karatals and mrdangas and chant Hare Krishna in their towns.”
Jaya Srila Prabhupada !!!
3. “The day will come when the fair-skinned foreigners will come to Sri Mayapur Dham and will join the Bengali Vaisnavas to chant "Jaya Shachinandan, Jaya Shachinandan”.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada !!!
All of these wonderful predictions have come to pass due to the determination and spiritual purity of His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
At the start of the following video clip you will see a blonde lady join in the Kirtan in China Town. Nothing unusual about that. It happens every week, maybe not always a blonde - but members of the public spontaneously join in every week. What is really unusual about this particular video is that shortly after you will see two young Chinese girls approach the Kirtan Party with the clear intent of joining in the fun. The result is that very quickly you will see an English lady dancing away merrily with one of the Chinese girls. I think if you had asked either of them earlier in the day if they thought that before the day was out they would be dancing merrily in such a way in China Town neither of them would have believed it.
The Holy Names are so powerfully attractive that these kind of things are happening everyday all over the world were the Samkirtan Parties regularly go out.
To all the followers of Srila Bhaktivinoda, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and Srila Prabhupada, please take up the challenge of taking the Holy Names out on to the streets. Practically everyone in this movement has been out on Harinam. Remember how blissful it is and try to make it happen again for our own ETERNAL benefit and for the eternal benefit of all human kind
Param Vijayate Sri Krsna Samkirtanam
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada !!!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/awhCsZ

Harinama in Suva, Fiji’s capital (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: Today we arrived in Suva the capital city
of Fiji and Jaya Ram Prabhu the Temple president greeted us very nicely and we all went out on Harinam for the joy of the local people.
Harinam Sankirtan is always the winner!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/hSpmUe

Hare Krishna festival in Borehamwood, UK.
Hundreds are expected to attend the upcoming Hare Krishna festival next Friday.
Next week the Hare Krishna festival will be held at the Fairway Hall, in Brook Close, Borehamwood at 7pm with live music, dance and vegetarian food and is open to the public.
ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) and local members of the Hare Krishna movement have teamed up to invite the public to the festivities.
Giridhari Das, a Hare Krishna monk who heads the UK festival team, said: “Probably best known from the Glastonbury Music Festival or for singing in the streets of central London, as the Hare Krishna Festival team we tend to appear all over the place. Whether local carnivals, theatres or town halls we like to be with the people.”
The Hare Krishna Movement follows ancient teachings of devotional yoga with roots in the Vedic culture of India, dating back more than 5,000 years.
It became popular in the 1960’s when its message was brought to western countries by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada – an Indian guru, aged 70, who left Vrindavan, India, and set sail for the United States in 1965 with just a few dollars in his pocket.
Within a year of his arrival he set up ISKCON, and today the movement has more than 700 temples and centres worldwide, including 60 farm communities, 50 schools and 90 restaurants.
The Borehamwood festival, and other festivals across the UK this year, is part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Hare Krishna movement.
Bhaktivedanta Manor, in Aldenham, has been a spiritual retreat for thousands ever since it opened in 1973.
Nathan Hartley, who looks after PR & Communications at ISKCON Festivals, said: “Our philosophy is very rich and attractive to many people. In a world that’s becoming increasingly competitive, and has people believing they will only be happy through material gain, we are showing a deeply positive alternative.
"The Krishna Consciousness message is for everyone. A universal, non-sectarian message of love, simple living, service and above all – connecting the self with the original spiritual source, Krishna.”