Planet ISKCON

A video by Ananta Vrindavan.

“Vaishnav Songs!”, a new app for Android smartphones, promises to bring users deeper into the meaning of prayers written by our Vaishnava Acharyas. The app was created by Jay Prakash, who completed his Bachelor of Technology at IIT Bombay, one of the most prestigious institutes in India. He also led the tech team at Housing.com, one of India’s leading startups of 2012.

In the hopes of launching a support network for ISKCON farms around the world, the GBC Ministry for Cow Protection and Agriculture is holding conferences on simple living in four continents this year. The first two, in South America and North America, were held last month with encouraging results. The South American conference took place at the Goura-Vrindavan farm in Paraty, Brazil. The second continental farm conference held this year was the North American one in Gita Nagari, Pennsylvania.

Harinama with the devotees of ISKCON Auckland, New Zealand (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Regardless of time or place, o...

TKG Academy, Dallas: Students recite Srimati Radharani’s holy names (6 min video)
Gopi Gita: This was just the highlight of my morning Sadhana Class today. The kids researched such beautiful names of Srimati Radharani.. it was so powerful as we were speaking about them in the classroom.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/EP04s8

The post Welcoming guests at Narada and Zsuzsa’s wedding in Krsna Valley appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Radha Kunda Seva: August 2016 Photos and Updates (Album with photos)
The rains were relentless this month. And while our gardens and the foliage carpeting the Holy Dhama soaked it up with relish, our crew and the ladies we care for suffered from monsoon related ailments like dengue fever, typhoid, and malaria. And yet, our workers soldiered on, covering for each other when needed, and showing up for their services as soon as they were able. And our ladies’ medical needs were covered thanks to your generous contributions! So far so good. Everyone has survived a challenging rainy season. Like last month, we had to serve the feast to our Radha Kunda ladies in packets-to-go since the rain wouldn’t let up long enough for them to sit comfortably (albeit a little cramped) in our small rented facility as they usually do. But again, they were happy to collect a feast-to-go. :) Thank you, dear friends, for coming forward so enthusiastically to support feeding these worthy Radha Kunda ladies. We began this month with 62 widows sponsored out of the 80 we are presently feeding, and with your help we are now at 70 sponsored! http://radharani.com/daily-meals/ A major donor who was sponsoring 23 widows has retired and is now living much more simply, but because of you, 13 more are again sponsored! Thank you!!! We are excited to announce that construction on the kitchen is supposed to begin this month! We will keep you updated with the developments as they happen. Everything was on pause due to the very heavy monsoon season. Tomorrow is Radhastami, the appearance of Srimati Radharani. Her holy lake, Radha Kunda is non-different from Her, and as such any service we do here is service directly to our Swamini, Sri Radha. Thank you for joining our humble efforts to serve our Lord’s beloved Lady. Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com. Your servants, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, Urmila Devi Dasi, and Mayapurcandra dasa.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/xH6ESM

he hema-kāra! para-duḥkha-vicāra-mūḍha!

kiṁ māṁ muhuḥ kṣipasi vāra-śatāni vahnau?

sandīpyate mayi suvarṇa-guṇātireko

lābhaḥ paraṁ tava mukhe khalu bhasma-pātaḥ

he hema-kāra! — O goldsmith!; para-duḥkha-vicāra-mūḍha — who is oblivious to others’ suffering; kim — why; mām — me; muhuḥ — constantly; kṣipasi — do you throw; vāra-śatāni — hundreds of times; vahnau — in fire; sandīpyate — keeps increasing; mayi — in me; suvarṇa-guṇātirekaḥ — the excellence of golden color; lābhaḥ — gain; param — highest; tava — your; mukhe — on mouth; khalu — but; bhasma-pātaḥ — the deposit of soot and ash;

“[The golden ornament says to the goldsmith]: O goldsmith! You are oblivious to others’ suffering! Why do you constantly throw me in fire hundreds of times? [Nonetheless, even if you do so,] the brilliance of my golden color keeps increasing in me, whereas your only gain is that your face progressively becomes covered with more soot and ash.”

— (Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra, Suvarṇa-kāraḥ, Page 246, Verse 23)

 

This Subhashita helps us see unfair criticism positively, as a refiner of character –as is fire for gold.

In life, few things are as hurting as criticism. Even more excruciating is unwarranted criticism, that is, criticism based on misunderstandings or untruths.

We tend to respond to such criticism in one of three broad ways.

Clarify: We try to defuse the antagonism by clarifying the situation. If the critic is too hostile to have a rational discussion with us, we may clarify through an intermediary whom both parties see as trustworthy or at least as neutral. Clarification offers the best possibility for resolution, all the more so if the critic is reasonable. If the clarification works, both sides understand each other better and may even come closer than earlier.

Counter: A more instinctive response to criticism is to refute it, to objectively point out errors in the criticism. Such countering can work if the critic is intellectually honest and is ready to admit limitations in their perspective. They acknowledge the validity of our perspective of things, even if it is different from theirs. Sometimes, even if our perspective doesn’t become acceptable, it becomes at least intelligible, and they agree to “live and let live.”

Ignore: Some people stick to their opinions, whatever the facts or however valid the counter-arguments. About such people, it is rightly said, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

With such people, clarifying and countering are both wastes of time. The more the discussion prolongs, the more acrimonious it becomes. The only way to stop the nastiness is by ignoring the criticism.

No doubt, ignoring is extremely difficult. We fear that others may think we have been defeated – that in our refusal to argue any further, we have admitted our inability to argue any further. If such a fear goads us into dragging on an unfruitful interaction, we can check ourselves by contemplating a graphic quote of George Bernard Shaw: “I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”

Characterizing a critic as a pig might be uncharitable and inaccurate even. If so, then we can use this metaphor to drive home not the nature of the critic but the nature of the fight – some battles are just not worth fighting.

Either way, to ignore criticism, we need to exercise our tolerance muscles. In this context, tolerance means calling off our war with reality – the unpalatable reality that some people are going to have negative opinions about us, and nothing we do is likely to change their opinion.

The Bhagavad-gita urges us to tolerate distresses by meditating that such distresses are temporary (02.14), whereas we ourselves are eternal (02.13). We are indestructible spiritual beings whose essential core can’t be hurt by anything (02.22) – not even criticism, no matter how caustic. The more we realize our spiritual essence, the more we get the inner fortitude necessary to tolerate criticism.

The easiest way to gain such spiritual realization is by practicing bhakti-yoga diligently. In fact, bhakti offers an even higher realization – not just the indestructibility of our souls, but also the infallibility of Krishna’s love for us. When we relish the comforting shelter of absorption in Krishna and feel reassured that he loves us, no matter what the world thinks about us, we recognize that our critics’ opinions are not all that consequential. And the hurts thereof become more bearable.

To further boost our determination to tolerate, we can contemplate this verse’s metaphor: Just as exposure to fire makes the gold’s effulgence more evident by purging alloys from it, exposure to criticism makes a person’s core character more evident. Their capacity to tolerate reveals how they are far higher than most people, who can’t resist the impulse to argue endlessly.

Still, while the increased shine of gold can be seen by everyone, the exalted character of the criticized person who tolerates is not seen by everyone – critics may believe they have proven their rightness. Such critics are like those who close their eyes to the gold’s increased effulgence. Little do they realize that their unrelenting criticism and self-congratulation ends up exposing their petty-mindedness and vindictiveness – just as a goldsmith’s face gets blackened.

Just as the sighted appreciate the gold’s effulgence, the intelligent appreciate the fortitude of those who refuse to engage in an arguing match. Most importantly, Krishna appreciates their fortitude. And ultimately, his view is the only view that matters.

The post Criticized? Clarify, counter – or ignore? (Subhashita commentary) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Devotional artist Sriman Jayadeva prabhu has created this new 5 min. musical video about Srimati Radharani.

 

«Странствуя по земле этой, медитирую на Нее,
луну, сияющую на арене танца раса,
хозяйку ярких светильников во дворце Вришабхану
и главную драгоценность в ожерелье Голоки».

[ Нарада Муни, «Гарга Самхита» 1.8.12 ]

Washington to Host Two Major ISKCON 50 Events.
Washington, DC—The capital city of the United States will host two major events over the next month celebrating in style and en masse the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON and the power of chanting God’s names to change the world.
Featured speakers include U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Vaishnava Philanthropist Alfred Ford, Religion Professor Graham Schweig, Islamic Scholar Sanaullah Kirmani, U.S. Commission on Religious Liberty Member Kristina Arriaga, Indian Embassy Minister NK Mishra, Maryland State Delegate Kumar Barve, Catholic scholar Father Leo Lefebure, and ISKCON Governing Body Commissioner Chairman Sesa Das.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/azOzzW

Prayers to the Queen of Goddesses, Shrimati Radharani.
In his Sri Prarthana-paddhati [Stavamala], Srila Rupa Goswami prays: “O Queen of Vrndavana, O Radharani, Your complexion is like molten gold, Your doe-like eyes are captivatingly restless, a million full and brilliant moons wane before Your lustrous countenance, and a blue sari, having stolen the hue of a fresh rain-laden cloud, has enwrapped Your exquisite form. O Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrndavana, fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower. Your sublime form is adorned with priceless jewelry, and you are the best of all the charming and intelligent gopis. You are decorated with all wonderful excellences and surrounded by eight dedicated and beloved cowherd girls known as the asta-sakhis. "The ambrosia of Your beautiful lips, red as the bimba fruit, is life-giving syrup to Krsna. O Radha, I am rolling on the banks of the Yamuna, my poor heart filled with anticipation, praying to You with all humility. I am guilty of being an offender, a rascal, a useless wretch–yet I beg You to kindly engage me in even the smallest service to Your lotus feet. O most merciful Lady, it will not become You to ignore this most distressed soul, for Your heart is always overflowing with compassion and love.”
Many more beautiful prayers here: http://goo.gl/NQZunm

Heaven On Earth! (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: New Vraja Dhama, ISKCON’s 300 acre farm in Hungary, is the largest eco village in Europe. It is situated in a small village in the southernmost part of the country, 2 hours drive from Budapest. It was established in 1993 with the purpose of educating people about the values of self sufficiency, cow protection and a natural, God centered lifestyle. It’s aim is to put Srila Prabhupada’s motto, “Simple living and high thinking” into practice. The entire project has manifest from the heart of Sivarama Swami as an offering of love to Srila Prabhupada and the presiding deities of Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/uhI6r1

By Sri Nandanandana Das

Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess. She is most always seen with Lord Krishna. It is described that She is the Chief Associate and devotee of Lord Krishna, and topmost of all Goddesses. Her name means the She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna. However, She is also an expansion of the Lord's energy. Since She is also an extension of Krishna, She is the feminine aspect of God. Thus, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, God is both male and female. They are One, but Krishna expands into two, Himself and Radharani, for the sake of divine loving pastimes. If They remained as One, then there is no relationship, there are no pastimes, and there can be no dynamic exchange of love. (Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 4.55-56) Actually, if we all remained merged or amalgamated into one single force or light, then there is no further need of anything else. There certainly would be no need for the material manifestation to provide the innumerable conditioned souls with the means to seek out the way to satisfy their senses, minds, emotions, desires for self-expression, intellectual pursuits, and on and on. Continue reading "Srimati Radharani – the Supreme Goddess
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By Hari Narayana das

Ramadewa is a rural village where the most of the residents are Hindus from Bali. Actually there was no devotee in this village. So how could Lord Jagannath reach this rural village? On one of the ratha yatra in Lampung a year ago, a parliament member of Lampung, Mr. I Komang Koheri, SH, from Ramadewa was invited to participate in the festival. He fell in love with the festival. He approached the devotees in Lampung to also organize a ratha yatra in his village. The devotees were surprised to hear this request. The request was then communicated to the other devotees to coordinate with team Ratha Yatra Nusantara (Ratha Yatra in the Archipelago) whether it would be possible to organize the event there. By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada the devotees accepted the opportunity to do the ratha atra in Ramadewa village. Soon the preparation started and the devotees collected the necessary paraphernalia for the ratha yatra. It took 4 hours to reach the village from Lampung city. The village was so beautiful with agricultural fields in view. It look like miniature Bali because the houses there use Balinese architecture. This is the first transmigration village in Lampung. Continue reading "Rathayatra In Jogjakarta and Ramadewa, Indonesia
→ Dandavats"

By Chaitanya Charan das

1. Tattva of Srimati Radharani 2. Parakiya-rasa which Srimati Radharani demonstrate through the emotion of Maha-bhava 3. One pastime from Anand Vrindavan Champu which demonstrates the service attitude of Srimati Radharani Continue reading "Appreciating Radharani’s position and devotion
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The capital city of the United States will host two major events over the next month celebrating in style and en masse the 50^th Anniversary of ISKCON and the power of chanting God’s names to change the world. On September 13, in the Presidential Ballroom of the Capital Hilton Hotel three hundred people will gather for a formal ISKCON 50 Gala Evening. Picking up right where the Gala ends—with kirtan—on Saturday October 8th, the celebration will move just a mile away to the foot of Washington’s famed Lincoln Memorial.

Dear Devotees, Donors, and Well-wishers,

Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I want to share with you the latest news from the TOVP project in Sridham Mayapur.

Construction continues to move forward with emphasis on the completion of the kalash and finishing work on the domes by the end of the year. The design and execution continue to be refined, and pink sandstone and sky blue tiles enhance their beauty as work progresses daily. Once finished and the domes are capped we will begin the interior finishing work .

Fundraising continues unabated worldwide and the new office in the United States is now fully operational and meeting with enthusiastic response. Our second tour in South Africa is scheduled for September with Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s divine lotus shoes and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s sitari (helmet) from the Mayapur Chandodaya Mandir, accompanied by His Grace Jananivas prabhu. Braja Vilas prabhu and Ambarisa prabhu with Svaha devi dasi will also join in the campaign. We are also planning several tours in India in the remaining months of this year and into 2017 which include Gujarat and South India. Our presence at His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaja’s recent Vyasa Puja celebration met with enthusiastic support and we raised over $350,000. Many of these devotees have already donated to the TOVP but were inspired to give again. Many thanks to them and to all our worldwide donors.

This temple continues to amaze visitors and will be a watershed event in the history of the Krishna consciousness movement. As His Grace Ravindra Svarupa prabhu writes in his brilliant treatise Revealing the Heart of ISKCON,

“When, by our cooperative efforts worldwide, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is completed at the heart of ISKCON, all of its associated centers everywhere will become more fully manifest as entranceways to the spiritual world. This will be a major achievement—a crowning achievement—of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s project, following Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, of “the respiritualization of the entire human society,” empowering the whole world to “convert the illusory consciousness into Brahman.”

Let us all push forward together to assist in manifesting this most divine accomplishment in the service of Guru and Gauranga. Thank you all for being a part of this glorious endeavor. We will continue to bring you exciting updates throughout the years ahead.

Your humble servant,
Ambarisa das

The post TOVP Chairman’s Quarterly Report – September 2016 appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

4 km

Why We Hear.
Sacinandana Swami: “There is no death” wrote Herman Hesse, “only fear of death. But that can be cured.”
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, King Pariksit who was cursed to die within seven days asked his exalted spiritual master Sukadeva Goswami about overcoming the fear of death. Sukadeva gave a very practical answer in which he explained how one can transcend material consciousness and become fixed in god consciousness.

8 km

5th Jagannath Ratha Yatra at Chaukhutia, Uttarakhand.
Govind das: Deva-bhoomi or land of the demigods, otherwise known as Uttarakhand in North India, is indeed a place worth visting and what more can be said when Lord Jagannath Himself is present there with His enthusiastic devotees. It is the common belief that within the vast tract of land known as Deva-Bhoomi, Chaukhutia, located in Almora district, was the place where the demigods resided for this is a valley lying between lush green hills of the lower Himalayas and divided by the meandering Ram-Ganga river and at times you get to touch the clouds that comes down occasionally in the cool early mornings.
Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi has taken shelter at the Prayageshwar temple in Bhatkot Village where They reside in the company of Lord Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and, of course, Hanumanji. Devotees arrived on 29th August and stayed at the humble accommodation at Prayageshwar temple. Clear and refreshing mountain stream water quenched the thirst of the devotees, of course mineral water too was provided, and the same stream served the purpose for other necessities as well…cooking and bathing. Living in tune with nature is what would describe the surrounding areas. Strolling beside the Ram-Ganga early in the morning with the japa beads in your hands, hearing the water flow through the pebbles at the river bed, the eagle staring down at you sitting atop the pine tree, the group of monkeys patrolling the hill slopes, the small schoolkids waiting for their school buses calling out to you saying ‘hare Krishna’, …makes you feel that there is something special about this place.
2nd September, as a prelude to the Ratha Yatra festival we had a school program at Disha Convent School, Chaukhutia. Ramanuja Das gave a short lecture for the seven hundred students (primary till 12th) on importance of values and character, how one can be a scientist and a spiritualist as well and that how as students today they have inherited the legacy to become responsible leaders tomorrow. Examples citing Prabhupada, Eisntein, how God can be perceived in all that we observe…helped in interacting with the students. A small quiz was conducted by Sitakanta das and winners were given Srila Prabhupada books as prizes. Interestingly all the students, including the ones in primary sections, began to dance happily when the devotees began singing hare Krishna mahamantra. Indeed Srila Prabhupada is definitely correct when he mentioned that, “this chanting of Hare Krishna is so nice that even a child can take part.” The program was made complete by the distribution of halava mahaprasad. The teachers requested our devotees to visit their school and interact with the students more frequently. Later few students expressed that during the program what they liked best was the chanting and dancing.
3rd September, devotees started preparing sweet items for the ‘chhapan bhoga’ or the traditional fifty six items preparation to be offered on the day next for the ratha yatra, the cooking continued till the next day with the savoury items. A nagar sankirtan was also carried out in the market place of Chaukhotia. Many guest from the village and nearby areas came to take part in the festivities, devotees performed kirtan and also gave a lecture on pastimes of Lord Jagannath. There was a bhandara or feast arranged for the guests where all visitors took prasadam.
4th September, devotees chanted their rounds after mangal arti, some decorated the chariot with flowers, some dressed the dieties, and some were still engaged in cooking varieties of items. Morning was sunny with a dark patch of cloud hanging in the sky. At 12.30 pm the raj bhog was offered to Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra after which the deities took Their place on the chariot. The chief guest Mr. Madan Bisht, MLA of Chaukhutia was offered prasadam cloth offered to the deities and all the honoured guest proceeded to break the coconut for auspiciousness of the event. After arti was offered and prasadam for distribution was arranged on the chariot, all the visitors began to pull the chariot with devotees leading a fired up kirtan. The ratha yatra started from Prayageshwar temple going through Chandi khet and Chaukhutia market and finishing at Agneri temple where a huge feast for all the visitor was arranged. Hundreds of people followed the chariot and many more watched from their homes and from atop buildings. Prasadam was distributed all throughout the way. Just as the ratha yatra came to the Agneri temple rain started and it rained so heavily as if it had waited so long for this particular moment. 108 books were distributed…28 maha big books including Bhagavad-gita and Krishna book. Around two thousand or more visitors took prasadam at the Bhandara. Within that rain the deities were brought back to the temple. Interestingly there was no umbrella to cover the deities and devotees ran about to borrow an umbrella. One person gave his umbrella and by so doing…even without his knowledge he did the most wonderful service of protecting the Lord of the Universe from the unexpected downpour. Truly Jagannath had come out on His chariot to bless even those who would not come to see Him or make them lend Him their umbrellas.
Evening approached with a sense of triumph having seen the chariot festival of the Lord of the Universe, the village ladies coming back to their homes with huge pile of grasses for the cows, smoke rising from each of the houses on the hill slopes, the Ram-Ganga flowing down singing its own songs now imbued with a taste from the devotees’ kirtan….and everybody else sharing what they felt at the festival. As devotees laughed and shared happy instances of the festival Lord Jagannath also smiled as He went to take rest for the night with His elder brother and Sister. Next day after a sumptuous bath in the Ram Ganga river devotees parted from Chaukhotia with happy hearts and fond memories with a desire to return back to this small village marked with the Ram-ganga and flanked by the mountains…truly known as Deva-Bhoomi. Driving upon the cliffs and the passing through the clouds devotees passed through the Corbett National Park as they went on towards their next destinations…expressing their heartfelt gratitude to Srila Prabhupada who had so nicely brought Lord Jagannath from the sea shores of Puri to the mountains of the Himalayas. We sincerely thank all the devotees, friends and well-wishers for their support and kind prayers due to which we have been able to conduct this ratha yatra festival as a humble offering unto the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada and all our previous acaryas….we pray to remain so engaged always in their loving service. Jai Jagannath! Jai Srila Prabhupada!
For pictures please go to: https://goo.gl/hHnlar

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Vision of Eternity.
Sutapa das: On 13th July 1966, exactly 50 years ago today, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It was a humble beginning with a grand vision.
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
I often look at your photos and wonder what you were seeing. What does the world look like through the lens of a pure devotee? What is the vision of someone whose eyes are anointed with the salve of love? What must it be like to perceive the presence of Krishna at every moment? Every aspect of your deep spiritual vision captures my imagination.
You arrived in a foreign land as an elderly and penniless mendicant, to compassionately offer people a message completely contrary to the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll they were accustomed to. You never saw impossibility or impracticality, but saw an undeniable order from your spiritual master. Thus you came.
You wandered into a New York park, sat cross-legged and closed-eyed, chanting from the core of your heart, as bemused onlookers stood on in complete amazement. You never saw danger, awkwardness or rejection, but saw the irresistible power of the holy name that would penetrate their heart. Thus you chanted.
You triumphantly founded an International Society with a worldwide manifesto, though living in a decrepit storefront in the Lower East Side, in the company of a handful of fledgling followers. You never saw obstacles or limits, but saw the inevitable and unstoppable prediction of providence. Thus you thought big.
You made your disciples into pioneering preachers, gurus, sannyasis and powerful leaders, sending them in all directions, despite their troubled backgrounds and internal struggles. You never saw weakness or shortcomings, but saw sincerity, devotion and a spark of potential to fan. Thus you empowered and encouraged.
You met with colossal success, making the Hare Krishna a household word, while thousands waited on your every instruction, ready to surrender their life to please you. You never saw it as your ability, purity or power, but saw everything as a product of Krishna’s divine grace and mystic potency. Thus your glory expanded.
I don’t have such vision, and can’t imagine that I ever will. Nevertheless, by meditating on you, I hope I’ll get a glimpse of what you see. I often stop and consider, “what would Prabhupada do?” I’ll keep that mantra central to my life, as I navigate the chaos of the world and try to do my little bit for your glorious mission. Thanks for displaying the vision of eternity. Thanks for making my life a purposeful, exciting, transcendental adventure. I can never repay you.

Srimati Radharani: a mirror which reflects the qualities of Krsna.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: I like the comparison, of the love of Srimati Radharani to a mirror which reflects the qualities of Krsna – as she discovers more and more qualities of Krsna, her love is just responding to those qualities. In this way, the love of Srimati Radharani is eternally growing. This explains the nature of love in the spiritual world and how one is increasing in one’s devotional service and one’s devotional experience eternally. Krsna becomes captured by this love which increases his experience of love; so that exchange eternally continues.