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The post ​Does chanting purely itself give rise to virtues or should we strive to develop virtues? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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The post When plants too have life, how is killing plants different from killing animals? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Offering Obeisances to the Spiritual Master

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Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Bhagavad-gita 9.13 on the morning after Radhasthami.

“In this verse the description of the mahatma is clearly given. The first sign of the mahatma is that he is already situated in the divine nature. He is not under the control of material nature. And how is this effected? That is explained in the Seventh Chapter: one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, at once becomes freed from the control of material nature. That is the qualification. One can become free from the control of material nature as soon as he surrenders his soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the preliminary formula. Being marginal potency, as soon as the living entity is freed from the control of material nature, he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature. The guidance of the spiritual nature is called daivi prakrti, divine nature. So when one is promoted in that way – by surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead – one attains to the stage of great soul, mahatma.” (Bg 9.13 purport)

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Bhagavad-gita 9.13.

Sri Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in 1838 in a wealthy family in the Nadia district, West Bengal. He revealed that he is an eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by his extraordinary preaching activities and prolific writing.

The original appearance place of Lord Caitanya had vanished under the indomitable Ganges River. In 1888, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura revealed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birth place at the Yogapitha

In 1896 he sent to universities around the world a book of slokas, Sri Gauranga-lila smarana which had a forty-seven page English introduction: “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts.”

in Sridhama Mayapur, living as a maha-bhagavata vaisnava, he stayed in the grhastha ashram until the last few years of his life. Then he renounced everything, went to Jagannatha Puri, accepted babaji, and entered samadhi, totally absorbed in the loving service of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-Madhava.

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 08/27/2016

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes simple living, cow protection, engaging oxen, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Directors: Bhima, Chaitanya Mangala, Ranaka and Sri Tulasi Manjari

Participating Advisors: Jaya Krsna, Vraja

Participating Managers: Mukunda, Nitaicandra

Recording Secretary: Jamuna Jivani

1. INV & ECO-V Monthly Joint Manager Meetings Update

The managers from INV and ECO-V intend to meet on a bi-monthly basis. So far, the managers met once in August and report it is already helping to improve communications and coordinated efforts between the two groups.

2. Kulimela 2016 Final Budget Report

Chaitanya Mangala presented the final KM16 budget report. $68,500 was collected and spent. This covered all expenses, except for post festival video editing, which will have to be raised separately by the organizers. ECO-V Board meeting participants commented that it was an important community building event and felt it was a good investment for ECO-V which should continue to offer positive impacts for years to come.

3. Bahulaban Barn Community Center Proposal Update

Mukunda met with Prakash Patel, who agreed to provide ECO-V with his recommendations of what we would need to do in order to utilize the space for “Community Center” purposes. Also, Mukunda met with the Fire Marshall, who provided important safety specifications, including a two-hour fire-rated floor, exit doors that open outward, raising the deck to the level of the door entrance, and fire blocking. Currently, he is waiting on information from the Health Department. Once he has those details, Mukunda expects to have some rough cost estimates within the next month.

4. Mukunda’s Monthly Report

• Mukunda continued assisting the Steering Committee to prepare for the election of a Village Council.
• He participated in the Governance Group meetings, brainstormed the creation of a voting process, drafted documents based on these ideas, and refined them based on feedback received.
• He participated in the selection of the Village Association Liaison: drafted and publicized an ad for the position, provided information to interested parties, conducted interviews, assisted the selected candidate (Sudha Krsna prabhu) in getting started with his new service.
• He continued organizing ECO-V’s bi-monthly personnel meetings.
• Sri Tulasi Manjari and Mukunda went to Gita Nagari to represent ECO-Vrindaban at the first North American ISKCON Farm Conference organized by Kalakantha and Parijata.
• He installed a new double-door at the deity flower garden shed.
• In the next month, Mukunda plans to install wall paneling inside INV’s milking goshala and get started on the two bull pens that are needed at the ECO-V valley barn.

5. Nitaicandra’s Monthly Report

• Ox training is on hold or a few weeks because of the excessive heat and flies at the Nandagram barn. The oxen have been put out in the pasture to relieve their discomfort.
• Caitanya Bhagavat and Krsna Nama are currently installing a new paddock so that the oxen can be available for daily work and still find shelter in the forest.
• The gardens are now producing nicely. We are regularly harvesting Swiss chard, mustard, kale, tomatoes, summer squash, basil, okra, peppers, cucumbers, and strawberries.
• The beets and carrots were lost to rabbits.
• Two groundhogs, a rabbit, and a raccoon have been live-trapped and relocated
• Vidya’s garden has produced a few hundred pounds of bitter melon thus far, and well over 20,000 marigolds.
• We were able to offer over 7,000 flowers for Janmastami and Srila Prabhupada’s Appearance Day.
• In July, one WWOOFER came to work in the garden. She had a good experience and plans to return.

Over the next month, Nitaicandra anticipates:

• Apple and paw paw harvest will begin
• A fall garden of brassicas will be planted.
• The oxen will be brought over to the garden for cover crop planting.
• There will be a second cutting of hay.
• Potato harvesting will commence in a few weeks. Community members will be invited.

6. ISKCON Cow Protection & Agricultural Ministry Additional Grant Request

Kalakantha dasa, the ISKCON Cow Protection and Agricultural Minister, requested an additional $1K grant to cover expenses he incurred while traveling to the four farm conferences held around the world. Because ECO-V is planning to host the 2017 North American Farm Conference in New Vrindaban, the managers determined it best to reserve any additional grant funds for that purpose.

7. Joint Board and Steering Committee Meeting Review

Earlier this month, the first formal tri-group meeting was held between ECO-V, INV and the Village Association Steering Committee. The Board members felt it was a positive and productive conversation. Some noted that the time of the meeting may need to be adjusted so that more members can participate. The next meeting is scheduled for September.

8. ECO-V Participation in North American ISKCON Farm Conference

Mukunda and Sri Tulasi Manjari participated in this three-day event held at the Gita Nagari Farm. Their presentation on ECO-V’s various projects in New Vrindaban was well received. This conference provided ECO-V with networking and educational opportunities. ECO-V is pleased to announce the next annual ISKCON North American Farm Conference will be held at New Vrindaban in October 2017.

9. November Appreciation T-Shirts and Plaque Budget

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to acknowledge the dedication of certain community members, as well as offer a token of appreciation to the INV and ECO-V staff and volunteers.

RESOLVED: The Board approves up to $2,000 as a budget for plaques and t-shirts to distribute during the November meeting weekend.

10. ECO-V Website Budget

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to re-establish a web presence for ECO-Vrindaban.

RESOLVED: The Board approves up to $3,000 to revamp the ECO-V website.

11. Increased Financial Transparency

The Board generally agrees that increased transparency would be beneficial towards building trust and increasing broader community engagement. Towards this goal, the Board discussed regularly posting financial reports on the soon to be revamped ECO-V website.

12. Bhima’s Board Retirement Announcement

Bhima announced his plan to step down from the ECO-V Board after the completion of his three-year term, in January 2017. The other Board Members expressed appreciation for Bhima’s significant contributions, especially that of Board Chair, and he has been requested to remain on as an Advisor for one year following the end of his current term.

For regular updates, visit the ECO-V Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/ECOVrindaban

Please Read Full Newsletter at: http://us10.campaign-archive2.com/?u=caceabd1dd05735f04418222d&id=a13b759ab1

Though we live in times of chronic movement, we must pause for thought, reflect, and carefully examine our desires and motivations. In a society where life’s success factors tend to be external and tangible ones, such ‘soul-searching’ doesn’t come naturally.

The Juggernauts at Rutgers University Sacred Sounds, April 28 2016. Gaura Vani Buchwald, Visvambhar Sheth, and Purusartha Dasa with special guests Vrinda Devi Sheth ( dance) and Andrea Brachfeld ( flute). "Sri Ram / Jai Ram Let the Shadow Be Undone" ; (words and music by Gaura Vani Buchwald and Marianne Sutin)

Srila Prabhupada, founder acharya of ISKCON, navigated through the tumultuous ocean on a cargo ship, Jaladuta on 13th August 1965, to the western world with a mission to propagate Krishna Consciousness in the western world. Today the Hare Krishna movement has spread all over the world and millions of people have become part of it.

Kirtan is a dynamic call-and-response sacred world music that incorporates the voices of the audience right into the performance. Kirtan is a spiritual journey, a form of bhakti yoga — the yoga of devotion.  A video by The Mantra Room.

Varnasrama Series at Black Sea Festival (3)

The post Varnasram developments in Hungary appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Some ISKCON temples have been adding new experiences to their biggest festivals to sweeten and deepen devotees’ absorption in serving the Lord, including this year’s Radhastami festival.In Dallas, USA, there were two Radhastami festivals this year, each with their own unique element. On the official Radhastami day itself, Friday September 9^th, devotees bathed Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji in an unbelievable 50,000 roses during a Puspa Abhisekha.

The post Daily Darshan: September 15th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Talk in Atlanta on the occasion of Haridas Thakura appearance day

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The post Religious tolerance intolerance and transcendence – Reflections on Haridasa Thakura pastimes appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

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Vamanadeva’s appearance day celebrations in Mayapur (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our Krishna consciousness movement is how to become one of the gopi-jana. Then Krishna will save us from any danger, even by lifting a hill or mountain. New York, July 20, 1971.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XSKhNp

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“На людных площадях славлю я Твою милость,что дарована даже ничтожным созданьям, и что позволила мне, низкорожденному, жить в лесу Враджа, где Твои великие преданные, исполненные чистой любви, стремятся родиться хотя бы лесной травинкой”.

[ Шрила Рупа Госвами, “Уткалика-валлари”, стих 65 ]

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Over 300 people attended the Gala event, seventy-five of them special VIP invitees including religious leaders, religious liberty experts, members of the media, government representatives and political leaders. The keynote speaker was Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who spoke of her personal appreciation for Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktivinode Thakur and the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. She then picked up her personal stringed instrument, which she dubbed a “Guitalele”, and asked the entire audience to get to their feet, and led them in a Hare Krishna maha-mantra kirtan.

Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk. Travel Journal#12.15: Polish Tour, Baltic Summer Festival, Ancient Trance Festival.
(Excer...

Niranjana Swami SB class.

The post Even those who are partially pure… appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Hare Krishna Cook Up! (7 min video)
The biggest vegetarian cook up in New Zealand recently took place at the Hare Krishna templ...

Haridasa Thakura said, “I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your pastimes within this material world. I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your pastimes. Before that time comes, kindly let my body fall down in Your presence. I wish to catch Your lotus like feet upon my heart and see Your moonlike face. With my tongue I shall chant Your holy name, ‘Sri Krsna Caitanya!’ That is my desire. Kindly let me give up my body in this way. O most merciful Lord, if by Your mercy it is possible, kindly grant my desire. Let this lowborn body fall down before You. You can make possible this perfection of all my desires.”

ISKCON-Delhi - Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Appearance : 15-09-2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: I know that if you main...

Palaki Procession at ISKCON Miraroad (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: By following the principles of devotional service s...

Harinama in London, United Kingdom (Album with photos)
By performing congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, one ca...

Varnasrama Series at Black Sea Festival (2).

The post Srila Prabhupada wanted Varnasrama appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) was sent by the Lord Krishna to fulfil Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction “Prtvithe ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara haibe more nama” - In every town and village of the world, My name will be heard. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote in his Sajjona-tosani, "Soon there will be a time when the chanting of Krishna's name will be heard in England, France, Russia, Germany and America." Srila Prabhupada is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent exponent of the teachings and practices of Bhakti-yoga to the Western world. He is a Gaudiya Vaishnava spiritual teacher and the Founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the "Hare Krishna Movement”. Continue reading "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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Mayapur Academy has been established to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire for the development of deity worship and brahminical culture in ISKCON. By creating an educational institution of excellence in Mayapur to teach brahminical culture, arts and sciences, deity worship, cooking, samskaras etc. this vision will be fulfilled. Continue reading "Mayapur Academy moves into its 10th year!
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