By Romapada Das

ISKCON Baroda organised three major Harinama processions to celebrate the World Holy Name Week for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary, which drew thousands of devotees and passers-by into the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. The first Harinama procession was held on 6th August at Padra Village, the second one on 7th August in Baroda, and the third one was at the holy pilgrimage town of Dakor near Baroda, which has the renowned temple of Ranchhodraiji, a form of Lord Krishna. The final celebrations included a 24-hour kirtan programme on 14th August that coincided with the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s first Harinama procession in 1966 on the same day from 26 Second Avenue to Washington Square Park in New York. Continue reading "Baroda’s triple celebrations for the ISKCON 50 World Holy Name Week
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By Ram Murari Das

In Commemoration of ISKCON Golden Jubilee Celebrations, Department of Postal Services of India has released a special cover. This limited edition cover will be available in post offices for purchase at Rs 10 each. In a grand function at the premises of Buckingham Post Office in the heart of Vijayawada, this special cover was released. The meeting was presided over by the Vijayawada SSPS Head Sriman S V Prasad. Postal Services Director Sriman K Somasundaram was the Chief guest. Sriman K S V Venkateswara Rao, Superintendent of Postal Storage also participated. Sriman Revati Ramana Dasa, ISKCON GBC Member & Andhra Pradesh Zonal Secretary as well as Sriman Ram Murari Dasa, Vijayawada Temple President and In-Charge of Krishna & Guntur Districts graced the occassion. All the speakers praised the spiritual and social services that ISKCON has been rendering. His Grace Sriman Revati Ramana Dasa shared with the gathering how Srila Prabhupada had changed the lives of many across the globe through his teachings for practical application of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!!! Continue reading "Special Honour to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON
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It’s 8:30 pm. I am back at the temple in Tirupati. A few days back we went to the hospital and had a variety of checkups on my leg and one on my neck. As a result the head surgeon suggested we visit today to see what condition my leg inflammation was in and the radiologist wanted us to do an MRI because of what he saw as a serious problem with my neck including a trapped nerve.

We did the MRI first and I will show it to the local neurologist and my neurologist in Hungary. Then I went to the hospital and saw the surgeon who said this is a serious abscess that must be operated on immediately. So after a series of tests I went to the theatre and had the operation under full anaesthetic. 3 hours later I was in the car back to the temple. Now I have to stay in Tirupati 10 days for treatment and will go to Delhi the 29th and return to Budapest September 1st.

I could write a lot about how I feel about missing Radha Syama’s 20th anniversary, but I assume the readers will have a good idea of that anyway. Hare Krsna.

The post A short health update as of night of 19th appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskC2ESWM

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Giving Money for Krishna’s Mission

The post August 20th, 2016 – Daily Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Gita verse-by-verse podcast

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Lord Balarama Jayanti Festival in Mayapur, 18th August, 2016 (Album with photos)
I worship Him who has a shining pure crown, with bangles, with moving curles of hair on His cheeks, with His lotus face decorated with earings, etc, wearing rich blue clothes and carrying His huge plough and club.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/oIVfM8

TOVP’s Garuda (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: The TOVP Art Team has completed the Sculptor of Garuda. It will go in Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/gZsNyh

**Janmashtami Special Edition** NBS#43: Deliverance of Putana.
NBS # 43 Features:-
1) Deliverance Of Putana
Srila Su...

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 August 2016, Zadar, Croatia, Balarama’s Appearance Day Lecture)

Kirtan is our meditation. We can meditate on so many things – freedom, sex, money, etc. but meditation on kirtan is the ultimate goal of life. It is deeper as it stays with us always. This connection never changes. If the connection with kirtan is strong then there is nothing in this world that we cannot face – even death, death is just temporary. The mahamantra is known as the great mantra. Mantra means to deliver the mind, man refers to the mind and tra is to deliver. The mind goes into many things and things go into the mind… We still think about the past, it is still in the mind but actually, it is unnecessary. Kirtan lifts us above the mental platform and above the physical platform to the platform of the soul. 

Philosophers around the world have tried to understand who God is. There are so many different religions and why is that!? Because we cannot see God with our eyes. Christians used to believe that God is a person and heaven is above the clouds. Now this is seen as mythology. Believing that God is all pervading love is how they got rid of the personality aspect. In the world there are so many personalities. The argument is: If there is a God and this material world is his creation then how can the creation can have qualities that are not in the creator! The creation tells us something about the creator. For example, a car has “eyes” and a “nose” and exhaust pipe. So then, if God is a personality what would he look like? Since he can choose, of course he will be young and attractive, etc.

In the spiritual world, people have bodies made of spirit. There is no war and no problems. Everyone is interested only in the Supreme Lord, and there is a constant festival. Sometimes the Lord comes to this world. Krsna came 5000 years ago and he brought the spiritual world with him and he performed pastimes in Vrindavan together with many cows and with Balarama. Today is Balarama’s appearance day!

He appears first. He is said to be an expansion of Krsna. Krsna is svayam rupa and Balarama is svayam prakash. Balarama is non-different from Krsna but Balarama’s mood is that of a servant. It is in our nature to be servants! The husband has to serve the wife, the wife and the husband serve the kids, etc. If we think we are masters, then we are in illusion. Masters are in control and we are definitely not in control. 

By following Balarama’s example, we can become perfect servants of Krsna and become qualified to enter into the spiritual world. There are many pastimes about Lord Balarama. Krsna went with the cows and the cowherd boys into the forest and there were these special fruit trees. Balarama went ahead and collected the fruit. However, a powerful demon, Dhenukasura, lived there and attacked Balarama. He kicked Balarama with his hind legs but Balarama caught him, spun him around and threw him; and the demon died. This demon, in the form of an ass, represents being loaded up with material things! Therefore he could not think of higher things. If one wants to achieve higher things in life then we have to give up material things first!

Another demon, Pralambasura, who represents lust for women, greed, desire for worship and position, was killed by Balarama too. If we want to experience a higher reality then we have to give up illicit sex – not having one woman today and another one tomorrow. If we don’t care about the heart and only about sex, we become cruel.

We have to become pure; we have to give up greed because it will possess us. We should not focus on ourselves. It is not about what we can get but what we can give. This is the lesson of Balarama: GIVING! Then we can become a servant

*Notes taken by Nimai 

By Daamodara Dhananjaya Das

On account of the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON, we, at ISKCON Ahmedabad, have been working together as team, for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. Under the kind guidance of HG Jashomatinandan Prabhu (ACBSP) and by Krishna’s mercy, our core committee, while churning for the nectar, derived at an amazing and innovative idea of conducting an outreach program for the top-notch corporate tycoons, based in and around Ahmedabad. We had two prime factors to validate this event. 1. ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and 2. A new temple project at our Gaushala. Continue reading "Innovative Outreach Event for celebrating ISKCON 50th Anniversary
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Balarama Purmima 2016 in New Vaja Dhama in Hungary (Album with HR photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one wants success in practical y...

Blissful ceremonies in Auckland, New Zealand for Sri Baladeva!(Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When one is free from offenses in chanting Hare Krishna, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakasru. Pulaka means “symptoms of happiness,” and asru means “tears in the eyes.” The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.15.25 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Ezfwf4

Podcast

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New Raman Reti temple devotees overjoyed for the celebrations of Balarama Jayanti (Album with photos)
Abhisheka of the Lord, ev...

Harinama Sankirtana from the Iskcon of Silicon Valley devotees (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The demigods are pleased w...

By Madhava Smullen

It was a truly uplifting and festive time for ISKCON of Los Angeles from August 4th to 7th recently, with celebrations for both the 40th anniversary of the city’s Rathayatra festival, and the 50th anniversary of ISKCON in full swing. The ISKCON of LA property looked fresh and beautiful for the festival, with temple president Svavasa Das and his brother Naikatma Das completing an ambitious renovation project just in time. All the windows were replaced and the temple, Govinda’s buffet and kitchen buildings sandblasted and re-stuccoed. The temple entrance received a face lift, with new ornate wood decor, a beautiful stone tile entryway and a grand maroon canopy. The area in front was also re-designed with drought resistant landscaping and stone tile work to handle the increased flow of foot traffic for festivals and general increase in daily visitors. Continue reading "Ambitious renovation project for the LA temple completed
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A Neophyte Prepares for Initiation (Part 2)

“Balarama is considered the original spiritual master because he performs two functions that are performed by the spiritual master. One is that He serves Krishna, and the other is that He gives knowledge of Krishna. In His desire to serve Krishna he wants to serve Krishna in every possible way. In terms of Rasa, or Transcendental mellows, sometimes Lord Balarama is in the mood of servitude. He also servers Krishna in sakhya rasa in the mood of an equal or His brother. Because he is older he also serves Krishna in the mood of vatsalya rasa or parental affection. One can only enter madhurya rasa with Krishna in a spiritual feminine form so lord Balarama manifests Himself as Ananga Manjari, the younger sister of Srimati Radharani, and serves Krishna in madhurya rasa. He wants to serve Krishna in every way”

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Balaram-purnima, Carpinteria

A Very Happy Balaram Jayanti To All

 

11:00 - Tulasi Arati     & Kirtan                                              
11:15 - Guru Arati & Kirtan                                                
11:30 - Aarti & Kirtan                                                                      
11:55 - Sri Nrsingadev Pranama                                          
12:00 -Special Discourse
12:45 -Pushpabhisheka Ceremony
  1:00 - Cloing Kirtan  
  1.30 -  Sanctified Free Vegetarian Feast Maha Clean-up in preparation for Janamastami
On Aug 21st,2016,after the program

We humbly request everyone to stay behind for the pre-Janamastami festivities and help with the cleaning of the temple.



Sri Krsna Janamashtami(Fasting till midnight)

Celebration on Thu Aug 25 ,2016 -Open all day!!
(Mangala Arati program @ 5.00am)
Evening Program @ 6.30 pm till Midnight

Sponsor a Kalash
If you and your family would like to participate in the bathing ceremony(Mahabhiseka Ceremony) of lord Krishna,please don't forget to sign-up for a kalash-$108/family.
**We've limited no of Kalash**

 Offerings for Sri Krsna
You are invited to bring vegetarian offerings (no onion, garlic, eggs, vinegar) of food for Krishna.[In brand new aluminium one or two serving sized container]
*Nothing store-bought. Must be fresh and homemade.
*No tasting or sampling. Krishna must be the first to taste your offering.

**Detailed  program will follow shortly**

Appearance of Srila Prabhupada(Fasting till noon)
celebration on Aug 26,2016 (7.30pm-9.30pm)

**Detailed program will follow shortly**

 

 

The post August 19th, 2016 – Daily Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

A couple posts back I was thinking that a good trajectory for where I’m at now in life is to try & be the best person I can possibly be. While I think it’s still a good target to have in mind, it neglects taking into account the relativity of good & bad. What’s good […]

Gita verse-by-verse podcast

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The post ​Gita 11.10 The first impression of the universal form is astonishing appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta is unique like no other in the sense it highlights the aspect of divine love that is experienced in separation from the beloved. Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is Krishna in the mood of Radha exhibited this specific aspect of prema or love. In India worship of Krishna or Vishnu is a universal concept. In fact, it is said that once the entire planet earth worshipped Krishna or Vishnu. So worship of Vishnu or Krishna is not anything new. However, Mahaprabhu introduced this confidential aspect of prema or divine love in separation through His own mood when He was present on earth 500 years ago. Ever since, Mahaprabhu’s followers consider this specific aspect of love as summum bonum of religion or dharma.

Mahaprabhu externally speaking, took up this mood at a specific time in His earthly pastimes in line with Madhavendra Puri. In other words, it was Madhavendra Puri who first displayed this aspect of love in separation. Madhavendra Puri took initiation from Lakshmipati Tirta in the line of Madhvacharya who preached dualism. Prema in madurya rasa was a foreign idea or one can say suppressed idea for Madhva followers or tattvadis. This can be proven by the fact that Mahaprabhu Himself introduced prema in this unique way to tattvadis when He went to Udipi.

So although Gaudiyas follow Madhvacharya line, the traditional tattvadis do not fully acknowledge or recognize this spontaneous love in separation as summum bonum. Strict Madhva followers still adhere to the aishwarya aspect of Godhead.

The verse that Madhavedra Puri prayed to externally show his mood of separation is this ;

ayi dīna-dayārdra nātha he 
mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase 
hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁ 
dayita bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham 

O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now? – CC Madhya Lila 4.197

One can say this verse is the foundational verse that the entire mood of Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta is set on. Mahaprabhu just by reciting this verse would fall to the ground in ecstasy and thus began His display of fantastic emotions of love of Krishna in separation from Krishna.

This verse unlocks one’s own feelings of separation from Krishna. While one must follow in the footsteps of great souls, meditating on this verse will give insights into the mood of Vraja. Sripad Madhvendra puri was the first person to express this pure feeling of love and Lord Chaitanya who is Krishna Himself by getting initiated in Madhvendra Puri’s line sanctions this prayer for all time to come.

Hare Krishna

It was a truly uplifting and festive time for ISKCON of Los Angeles from August 4^th to 7^th recently, with celebrations for both the 40^th anniversary of the city’s Rathayatra festival, and the 50^th anniversary of ISKCON in full swing. There was a kirtan mela with international kirtaniyas, a series of seminars and video presentations, a tour of places where Prabhupada frequented in LA,  and the biggest Rathayatra festival yet.

A Transcendental Tour (44 min video)
A video by Siddhanta Prabhu from a recent tour of Srila Prabhupada’s favorite morning walk locations in Los Angeles.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/eKi3Fr

As many as 10,000 people from multiple faiths and backgrounds are set to sing God’s names together in what could be the biggest chant gathering in American history on October 8^th, exactly one month before the U.S. presidential election. Organized by second generation ISKCON devotees, the free event “Chant 4 Change” will take place in Washington D.C. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke his famous “I have a dream” speech.

A unique type of event for ISKCON devotees, the Bhakti Yoga Health Retreat from September 11^th to 18^th this year in Bulgaria will care for participants’ physical health as well as their spiritual wellbeing. The retreat will be held at the Vita Rama Health Center, a clinic run by two devotee brothers – Lokaguru Das and Sudama Das – along with their father, dietician Georgi Slavov.

About 140 devotees from Spain, Portugal, Holland, the UK and Russia bonded in calling out to Lord Krishna during the third annual Holy Name Festival in Spain this summer. The festival ran from August 11^th 14^th in Srila Prabhupada’s Gardens at the New Vrajamandala farm.

Celebrating Independence Day 71th of Indonesia (Album with photos)
The devotees did Hari Nam, book and prasadam distribution along Sindhu beach and Sanur beach.
Srila Prabhupada ki jay….!!!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tjbxYh

On Balaram Jayanti, I was flying from Mumbai to Bangalore for the evening Balarama Jayanti class. As is standard on this sacred day, I was fasting from water till noon.

For my body type, fasting is not difficult. I fast every week, but I usually take water. On appearance days of the Lord and the saints, I try to fast from water, but I find it draining. And the parched throat makes speaking difficult too.

On Balaram Jayanti, I reached the security clearance at around 11.50 for the flight at 12.30. There, they found something suspicious in my laptop bag. When it turned out to be nothing but my water bottle, they asked me to drink that water to demonstrate that it didn’t contain anything toxic. As this is standard procedure that I have encountered earlier, I instinctively sipped some water. As soon as the water touched my tongue, my parched throat seemed to heave a sigh of relief. And I remembered that I was supposed to be fasting.

I was disappointed that I had unwittingly broken the fast. But then it struck me that the water had not yet gone down my throat; so, I still had a chance. As I tried to hold the water in my mouth without letting it go down the throat, I remembered the pastime of Shukadeva Goswami when he passed a similar, though far more excruciating, test set by Maharaja Janaka. He was told to hold a lump of sugar in his mouth for quite some time. And through it all, he didn’t even secrete any saliva to moisten the sugar. Such was his total sense control!

Taking inspiration from his example, I resolved to hold the water in my mouth for the next ten minutes. With my wheelchair wobbling while moving up and down some inclines, preventing even a drop from going down the throat was difficult. Some droplets might have trickled down below my conscious awareness, but I tried my best to prevent any drop from consciously going down.

Those few minutes gave me a profoundly enhanced appreciation for Shukadeva Goswami’s phenomenal self-restraint. Eventually, when I broke the fast after noon by drinking water, I felt grateful and blessed to have got a deeper appreciation for the guru who gave us the Bhagavatam on the appearance day of the adi-guru Balaramji.

The post Fasting from water while holding water in the mouth appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Baladeva Das

Lord Balarama is constantly serving Lord Krishna in every respect. In all of Krishna's incarnations and manifestations. In Rama-lila, Balarama serves Lord Ramachandra as His younger Brother, Laxmana. In Kali-yuga, Sri Balarama spreads the Sankirtan movement of Sri Caitanya as Lord Nityananda. Lord Balarama serves Sri Krishna in all five rasas (mellows), santa to madhurya rasa. In santa rasa Lord Balarama fulfills Sri Krishna's desires for blissful transcendental pastimes by expanding Himself as the holy dhama of Vraja Mandala. All of Krishna's personal possessions such as Krishna's crown, bed, clothes, throne, ornaments; and any other objects that Krishna utilizes are all expansions of Lord Balarama. Continue reading "The Pastimes of Lord Balarama
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Beauty of Nitai
Sri Caitanya Mangala Madhya Khanda
Chapter 4 “The Beauty of Nitai”
Lord Gauranga met Nityananda Raya in the home of Nandanacarya. Nityananda’s beautiful golden-colored body had a slightly reddish hue. Glistening ornaments adorned His enchanting form. Bright yellow cloth carressed His hips. A yelloe turban the color of a golden campaka flower, decorated His head. As He walked, His anklebells chimed sweetly “Jhuni, Jhuni, Jhuni”.
His eyes were wide and long like a deer. He removed the shyness of young girls with His brilliant, lightning-like smile. His roaring like a lion, louder than monsoon clouds, sumdued the mad elephants of Kaliyuga. Lord Nityananda walked with the gait of a maddened elephant. His peaceful lotus face was beautiful to behold when He cried tears of love. Absorbed in deep love of Krishna, His body would shiver, perspire, and erupt all over with ecstatic symptoms.
Holding a golden stick in His hand, He smashed the pride of Kali. Golden necklaces hung on His chest. Marvelous gem-inlaid earrings dangled on His cheeks. His hands were reddish like a night-blooming lotus. Attractive bangles intensified the beauty of His strong, golden arms. In ecstasy, Nityananda Prabhu, almost falling on the ground, uttered “Where is My Kanai Gopala [Krsna]?”
Adopting the sentiment of a cowherd boy, Nityananda cried, laughed, and begged Revati for some honey. At one moment, He jumped like a frog. The next moment He acted dumb and speechless, or said something unintelligible. Who can understand the Lord’s transcendental mellows? The sweet aroma of Nityananda’s body stole the housewives from their, and crushed to dust the pride of chaste girls.
Sri Nitaichandra Ki Jaya!!!! All glories to Sri Avadhuta Raya the son of Rohini Devi, who is non-different of Lord Gaurahari.

By Drutakarma Das

One barrier to acceptance of interactionist models for mind/body dualism is a shortage of conceptual resources. Turning to the ancient Sanskrit writings of India, we find in the Bhagavata Purana of India the allegory of the City of Nine Gates, which provides a complex model from mind/body dualism. This model, rich in imagery, allows one to account for such varied phenomena as phantom limbs, out of body experiences, past life memories, traveling clairvoyance, and perception of qualia. Is there a conscious self that is distinct from the physical mechanism of the body? Is there a mind that is distinct from the brain? Those who give positive answers to such questions are called dualists, but they are not numerous in contemporary science and philosophy. Continue reading "The City of Nine Gates: A Complex Model for Mind/Body Dualism from India’s Bhagavata Purana
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The post All glories to Lord Balarama appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Ratha yatra parade at the Golden Gate Park of San Francisco, California. August 14th 2016 (3 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: The h...

Why did Balaramji favor Duryodhana?
Chaitanya Charan das: It is because Krishna enjoys rasa in different ways with different people. So just like Krishna is God, but Mother Yasoda sometimes chastises Krishna, she ties Krishna, threatens him. Why does she do that? Because that’s the way Krishna rejoices in maternal rasa with her. She is in that relationship. So Krishna enjoys a fraternal rasa with Balaramji. Although Balaram is at one level non-different from Krishna but He is also His own Person. And when Krishna wants to do something and Balaramji opposes that, then there is an adventurousness and excitement in resourcefulness for Krishna in making that happen.

By Giriraj Swami

Today is Balarama Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Balarama, the first expansion of Lord Krishna, who plays as Krishna’s older brother. Listening to Sri Caitanya-bhagavata this morning, I happened to hear a description of Lord Chaitanya’s special affinity for the mood of Lord Balarama: “Every day, Lord Chaitanya, accompanied by Lord Nityananda, visited various Vaishnava’s homes and enacted transcendental pastimes. The Lord was constantly engaged in His ecstasies, manifesting the moods and behaviors of different incarnations—Matsya, Kurma, Narasimha, Varaha, Vamana, Ramachandra, Buddha, Kalki, and Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. Lord Chaitanya displayed these moods, as and when He desired, and then quickly hid them. Continue reading "Lord Chaitanya in the Mood of Balarama
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