A two-day spiritual care workshop.
Goloka Dhama, Abentheuer, Germany - A two-day spiritual care workshop was recently held as part of the Janmastami festival at Goloka Dhama in Germany. It was attended by devotees from across Germany and Belgium.
Hari-dhama dasa, a senior UK disciple of Mukunda Maharaja, conducted the workshop, which looked at the skills and knowledge needed for devotees to take care of the elderly and dying in the German yatra. The two-day event looked at the theory behind spiritual care and devotees where given the opportunity to put these skills into role-play practice. He has 30 years’ experience with working with dying hospice patients and currently works for the UK National Health Service as a Vaisnava chaplain and emergency care clinician.
Gavesi Dasi, his wife and a professional cognitive behavioural therapist, ran a session on counselling skills.
At the end of the workshop a network of 14 devotees was established to provide devotee care in their respective areas across the yatra. Further workshops will be held in other parts of Germany and Belgium giving devotees an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills. Those interested in the subject can contact him at haridhama@gmail.com
Please see his paper “Spiritual Need, Pain and Care: recognition and response in ISKCON” http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19180

By Yasodadulal Dasa

Krishna’s unbelievable reciprocation: I loved the spontaneity and excitement of the experience. I always felt that Radha and Krishna were alongside me and that Prabhupada was happy with my efforts. There were always people to help. I very quickly learned to see God within the hearts of all people. Krishna responded with unbelievable generosity. It was an incredible challenge, filled with the mystery of the unknown, heightened with risk and yet surrounded in the security of knowing my Lords and Masters were always there. They stretched my limited, well-sized faith, into an ocean of conviction that God Himself is ever present. He is a hands-on “Superman” Who works His magic into every moment. One gets addicted to the intoxication of witnessing the fix He injects into the bloodstream of His surrendered devotee. I felt far from fully surrendered, but whatever little steps I took He ran ahead and made all arrangements. All that way I just glanced at Them and would feel, “Yes, They are pacing it out, claiming Their detached ownership and sovereignty over New Zealand – the only real way to bring the black man, the white man and the yellow man together.” Continue reading "Dying To Live: Avadhuta’s Adventures In New Zealand
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Srila Prabhupada: Krishna is joyful. I am part and par...

Giriraj Swami: Today is Lalita Sasti, the appearance day of Srimati Lalita-devi, the dear friend of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, and we pray to her, following our previous acharya Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura:
sri radhika-giribhrtau lalita-prasada-
labhyav iti vraja-vane mahatim prasiddhim
srutva-srayani lalite tava pada-padmam
karunya-ranjita-drisam mayi ha nidhehi
“In Vrindavan everyone knows that Lalita’s mercy enables one to attain Sri Radha-Giridhari. Now that I have heard this, O Lalita, I will take shelter of your lotus feet and pray that you will cast your merciful glance upon me.” (Sri Sankalpa-kalpadruma 96)

Depending Deeply on Prabhupada

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 05 September 2011, Berlin, Germany, Radhastami, Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Lila 142-145)

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.

The topmost relationship in the spiritual world is parakiya rasa, which is a forbidden relationship of paramours. Not the conjugal love within marriage but forbidden relationship of paramours – those stolen moments are considered to be the topmost. Gopis cannot openly associate with Krsna – that is not possible because it is socially not acceptable that they mix with Krsna. Many are married, others are young girls under the authority of their parents – how can they openly mix with the young boy in the village? It is not possible. Therefore, in the relationship between Radha and Krsna it is not possible that they openly meet, as there are many obstacles. Some stolen moments are there which are very precious for that reason. There is great eagerness to finally have the opportunity to meet Krsna; that is usually very difficult.

When Srimati Radharani encounters Krsna, she is overwhelmed. It is described that when Radha sees Krsna in public that she cannot help but smile, but she is hiding that smile. So her smile is practically not visible, it is slightly there, by the corner of her lips, but Krsna notices that smile and therefore he also starts mildly smiling, also controlling his smile. Srimati Radharani notices that Krsna is seeing that she started smiling and therefore she begins to smile more. Krsna notices that she has noticed that he had noticed that she was smiling and therefore Krsna begins to smile more. Then she notices that Krsna has just noticed that she had noticed that he was noticing that she was smiling… and in this way, they go on with noticing until in the end, they cannot control the smiling anymore! So in this way, there is the intimate exchange but at the same time, it is covered by the separation. The essence of parakiya rasa is separation. The mood between Radha and Krsna is always one of separation with some stolen moments of coming together and then again increased separation. This is the basic theme of that topmost love.

I find very interesting this image of the love of Srimati Radharani being a mirror reflecting the qualities of Krsna and then eternally discovering more qualities because it shows how one eternally makes spiritual advancement – there is no limit to it! It is very profound and it does not just apply to only Srimati Radharani, it applies to all devotees – especially to all the eternal associates of the Lord and even to us! We are also discovering little-by-little, more and more, about the nature of Krsna and the qualities of Krsna. Maybe, at this stage, our love is not very developed but some attraction is there – it is unavoidable even! One of meaning of the word Bhagavan, as told by Srila Jiva Gosvami, means, ‘Krsna is irresistible, you have to worship him!’ So this is the situation – there is no question of not coming to the point of loving Krsna! 

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Radha’s 25 transcendental qualities, by which She controls Krsna. The first version is from CC Madhya 23. 87-91 and next to it is a slightly different version from the “Teachings of Lord Caitanya” Ch. 14. The original reference is said to be Ujjvala-nilamani, Sri-Radha-prakarasa (11-15).
(1) She is very sweet.// She is sweetness personified;
(2) She is always freshly youthful.// She is a fresh young girl;
(3) Her eyes are restless.// Her eyes are always moving;
(4) She smiles brightly.// She is always brightly smiling;
(5) She has beautiful, auspicious lines.// She possesses all auspicious marks on Her body;
(6) She makes Krsna happy with Her bodily aroma.// She can agitate Krsna by the flavor of Her person;
(7) She is very expert in singing.// She is expert in the art of singing;
(8) Her speech is charming.// She can speak very nicely and sweetly;
(9) She is very expert in joking and speaking pleasantly.// She is expert in presenting feminine attractions;
(10) She is very humble and meek.// She is modest and gentle;
(11) She is always full of mercy.// She is always very merciful;
(12) She is cunning.// She is transcendentally cunning;
(13) She is expert in executing Her duties.// She knows how to dress nicely;
(14) She is shy.// She is always shy;
(15) She is always respectful.// She is always respectful;
(16) She is always calm.// She is always patient;
(17) She is always grave.// She is very grave;
(18) She is expert in enjoying life.// She is enjoyed by Krsna;
(19) She is situated at the topmost level of ecstatic love.// She is always situated on the highest devotional platform;
(20) She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula.// She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula;
(21) She is the most famous of submissive devotees.// She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees;
(22) She is very affectionate to elderly people.// She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors;
(23) She is very submissive to the love of Her friends.// She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates;
(24) She is the chief gopi.// She is the greatest amongst Krsna’s girl-friends;
(25) She always keeps Krsna under Her control. In short, She possesses unlimited transcendental qualities, just as Lord Krsna does.// She always keeps Krsna under Her control.

Simple Daily Meditations
How to know Krishna? How to get a sense of who He is, a feeling towards Him? How can we think about Him naturally throughout the day and not just while we battle with our mind during our chanting practice? In other words, can we meditate off the mat and into the day?
Meditation is mind work. For some it’s emptying the mind of everything. For us it’s filling the mind with thoughts of Krishna. Letting the mind drift to His side, lean into His space and rest there.
Arjuna asked Krishna such a question – “How shall I constantly think of You, and how shall I know You? In what various forms are You to be remembered?” In the Gita’s beautiful poetic verses, Krishna invites us to breathe deep the extent of his presence everywhere and to let our minds connect with that. Simple, beautiful, daily meditations.
Here are my 12 favorites.
Of lights I am the radiant sun
Among stars I am the moon
Of bodies of water I am the ocean
I am inexhaustible time
Among beasts I am the lion
Of purifiers I am the wind
Of seasons I am flower-bearing spring
Of letters I am the letter A
Of the wise I am wisdom
Of the splendid I am the splendor
I am all devouring death and
I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be.

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Barsana Wonderland in Rainy Season (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Yesterday we went to visit Barsana. In rainy season, even by your material eyes, you can see it’s not part of the material world! We started with a small group, but as soon as we got out of the car, Vanamali came with a bus of devotees from Mira Road, Mumbai! Come along with us on Parikrama of Barsana by the pics of Vittalrukmini Das!
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A visit to the beautiful Hare Krishna Temple in Zurich (Album with photos)
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The Hare Krishnas are part of the history of Croome. Devotees have a special place on the National Trust’s ‘history of Croome’ display board.
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Shri Sita Thakurani is to be worshiped just as much as Sachidevi herself, as the mother of the universe. She is the eternal wife of Shri Advaita Acharya. She was the daughter of Shri Nrishinga Baduri. She was married to Shri Advaita Acharya in Phuliya Nagara. After their wedding, Advaita Acharya went to Nadiya, to live in Shantipura. Sita Thakurani was always absorbed in vatsalya prema for Shri Gaurasundara Prabhu, and, out of parental concern used to instruct Jagannatha Mishra on how to care for the boy.

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By Mathura Lilesvari Devi Dasi

Year after year many soldiers of Srila Prabhupada are leaving us bereft of their association. These are great Prabhupadanugas who has dedicated their lives for the mission of Srila Prabhupada. There is so much to learn from their lives. Her Grace Kaulini Devi Dasi was born on August 30, 1946 in Sacremento, California. She grew up there and joined ISKCON in 1972 in San Francisco with her then husband, Keshava Bharati Prabhu (now Keshava Bharati Swami). While in San Francisco, she was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in May 1973. During that time, her family lived in the same home as Jayananda Prabhu. In fact, her first service was going on Harinam with Jayananda Prabhu's sankirtan party. Over the next three years, she continued to serve in San Francisco, Saint Louis and Florida. After her husband took sanyasa, Kaulini devi put on white cloth and as Satsvarupa Maharaj noted, "flourishes in chaste renunciation". In 1976, she moved to Gita Nagari, where she lived and served for over 30 years. Continue reading "Remembering Mother Kaulini
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By Braja Vilas das

On this most auspicious occasion of the appearance day of Srimati Radharani, we at the TOVP would like to extend our best wishes to all of you. We hope that on this day everyone can receive Her blessings, which are needed to attract Lord Krishna’s mercy. Srila Prabhupada wrote the song ‘Krishna Tava Punya Habe Bhai’ in his Jaladuta diary, where he explained: “O, brothers! The Supreme Lord Krishna will bestow virtue upon you -- but He will do this only when Srimati Radharani first becomes pleased with you. This I surely declare to you.” From the very beginning of his preaching in 1966, Srila Prabhupada told us that Radharani is the best devotee of Krishna because She loves Him the most. He told us not to approach Krishna directly, but that if we prayed to Radharani, she could recommend us to Krishna, and then Krishna would be obliged to give us His shelter. This is the secret behind the power of the Maha-mantra. Continue reading "Happy Radhastami from the TOVP team
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By Madhava Smullen

Devotees at ISKCON New Vrindaban, West Virginia are in the midst of major renovations on Srila Prabhupada’s Palace. And they’re launching a campaign to help them continue restoring the renowned Smriti Samadhi, or memorial shrine to ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya, to its full glory. The effort is a labor of love, just as it was when devotees first started building the Palace in 1973, intending it as a residence for their guru, who expressed a strong desire to retire there and translate his books. “Regarding New Vrindaban I was very happy when I was there,” he wrote to them in 1974. “I am expecting very soon to go there and live in my proposed palace at least for some time.” When Prabhupada passed away in 1977, the Palace – which opened to the public in 1979 – became a monument to his astounding achievements and gifts he gave to the world; a place where he resides in spirit through his instructions; and a major attraction for pilgrims and tourists. Continue reading "Prabhupada’s Palace Launches Campaign to Support Restoration
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It was nice to be invited to hear my guru maharaja HH Devamrita Swami give a small discourse on unnatural happiness at Anna Loka in Cardiff.

The audience were captivated by the insights on what we class as happiness, it’s tempory nature and how to gain true happiness; their was some insightful questions afterwards. Here is an MP3 recording of the class

Bhakta Adam and his team then gave a lovely plate of Prasadam, and hearing that one of those attending had special dietry need’s made sure it was totally complient so all could enjoy; now that’s a lovely example of service.

Hare Krishna

His Holiness Bhakti Charu SwamiMaharaj launched his recent book “Ocean of Mercy” on 4th September 2016 in Sri Sri Radha Radhanath temple, Durban,  South Africa. Below are the links to videos and pictures of the event. Pictures Video

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