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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 40 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 5 May 2011--Dive into this Ocean of Bliss--and--Can God Create a Rock He Cannot Lift? New Vrindavan, USA: PALACE OF GOLD & PALACE ROSE GARDEN TO BE FEATURED ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darshan H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry Japa Group: New Improved Facebook Japa Group Krishna-kripa das, Mayapura: Travel Journal#7.7: Tallahassee, Upstate New York, New York City Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Your chance to support "Today We Have The Power" New Vrndavan, USA: Spring Cleaning Dandavats.com: Jhulan Yatra 2011 Dandavats.com: Bhakti Tirtha Swami eBooks Have Arrived / Subscribe to B.T. Swami’s Words of Wisdom Dandavats.com: Krishna Temple set to close on second temple site Dandavats.com: New Vrindaban’s Community Vision & Planning Team Dandavats.com: Govinda’s Buffet Looking for a Cook Dandavats.com: Birth, love, holiness - Birth in the Vedic culture Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HELPING PEOPLE SUCCEED ON THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Marathon Of Book Disribution H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 A Devotee Is Equipoised Due To Absorption In Krishna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.5 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Artificial World Improvement H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 300–Poem for May 4th H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SIMPLE TEMPLE Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Toronto's Ajamila Das In the News in San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Current) H.H. Sivarama Swami: Dhira Bhakta dasa, Gyongyosi Angel and B. Fernando ask questions H.H. Sivarama Swami: Remembering the appearance day of Gadadhara Pandita ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana Book Distribution News: One of the "fruits" of Grand Canyon SKP: Gouranga TV: (HD) Queensday Harinama Amsterdam 2011 Japa Group: Fixing On One Point Vraja Kishor, JP: Internal Purity? More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 5 May 2011--Dive into this Ocean of Bliss--and--Can God Create a Rock He Cannot Lift? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Thursday 5 May 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. (Click on photo to see a larger image.) Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. Today's Thought: Dive into this Ocean of Bliss Uploaded from a boat on the Gulf of Finland Have you heard the news? We are celebrating like anything right now because the greatest victory in the history of the universe has now been won. Our greatest enemy, death, is now conquered. Come and dive with us into the ocean of immortal bliss and become deathless. You've got nothing to stop you except for your lack of faith. So throw off the shackles of faithlessness and dive into the ocean of bliss today. It's not difficult. All you have to do is unabashedly chant and dance the holy names of God along with us. You will taste the jubilation. Your eternal spiritual identity will be rejuvenated. Do not miss this greatest of all opportunities. Dive into this ocean of unlimited bliss right now. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Departure Kirtan--Riga, Latvia--May 3, 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Riga_Departure.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Can God Create a Rock He Cannot Lift? I have been asked two questions: 1.Can God create a rock that He can't lift? If God can't do this, then He isn't omnipotent, and if He can, then He still isn't omnipotent, because then there is something, that He can't do - i.e. lift the rock. 2.God is supposed to be omniscient (all-knowing), and humans supposedly have a free will. But how can humans have a free will, if God in advance knows what is going to happen? There can be no choice in any meaningful sense of the word, if there is only one possible outcome to each and every situation (that is the outcome that God has foreseen). When in the Srimad Bhagavatam He says that in the age of kali (Kali yuga) lots of bad thing are bound to happen how do we possess free will? A.M. Answer: Yes, and Then He Can Lift It The first question you have raised is one of the questions that is often used to express a classical issue known in philosophy as the omnipotence paradox. This paradox has vexed philosophers for many centuries. Wikipedia has defined it as follows: The omnipotence paradox is a family of related paradoxes addressing the question of whether the existence of an omnipotent entity is logically possible. The paradox states that if a being can perform any action, then it should be able to create a task it is unable to perform, and hence, it cannot perform all actions. Yet, on the other hand, if it cannot create a task it is unable to perform, then there exists something it cannot do. As long as one remains a mental speculator one will continue to be vexed by this paradox. But when one awakens to the transcendental self-realization plane the paradox evaporates. The answer is that there is an omnipotent entity who can do absolutely anything, even if it is logically impossible. What is the proof? Lord Sri Krishna has demonstrated such omnipotency in His transcendental pastimes. For example, being all-powerful there is no one that can bring Him under their control. But yet we see that Mother Yasoda was able to bring Him completely under her control when she bound Him with ropes. Your second question is also puzzling to the mental speculators. How can one truly have free will if God knows what he is going to do? In this connection one need only become aware that from the absolute perspective there is no such thing as past, present, or future. In other words, there is nothing you can do that you have not already done. Your free will is to decide whether you want to remain in the realm of relativity as a slave of birth, death, old age, and disease, or whether you want to be a liberated soul relishing an eternal life, full of bliss, and knowledge in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually even though you are not aware of it, you are already in that transcendental existence. Now you simply must awaken from the dream of relativity and fully realize who you are and where you are by fully surrendering yourself to the Lord. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. 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Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address:   • Email to a friend • • New Vrindavan, USA: PALACE OF GOLD & PALACE ROSE GARDEN TO BE FEATURED ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS http://www.newvrindaban.com/newsevents/240-palace-of-gold-a-palace-rose-garden-to-be-featured-on-cnn-headline-news-.html New Vrindavan, USA: PALACE OF GOLD & PALACE ROSE GARDEN TO BE FEATURED ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS   This May and June, the Palace of Gold and the Palace Rose Garden will be featured on CNN Headline News.  The five-minute interview with Damodar dasa, Vice President of Guest Services in New Vrindaban Community, will air approximately 50 times in over 875,000 homes in the Pittsburgh, Laurel Highlands and Ohio Valley regions.  The interview was conducted by Comcast Newsmakers, whose guests include federal and state legislators, local elected officials and nonprofit organizations.  Comcast Newsmakers is seen on CNN Headline News by Comcast subscribers. “The Palace of Gold is being featured due its international and historical significance,” said Damodar.  “The Palace Rose Garden is being featured due to the extraordinary beauty of the rose varieties, as well as the fact that this garden blooms three times a year from June through September.”      Last year, the Palace of Gold received over 15,000 visitors from around the world.  “The Palace was a labor of love,” explained Damodar.  “It was built by young Hare Krishna devotees as an offering for their teacher or guru, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the modern Hare Krishna movement.”     • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darshan "Whether you are a householder or a sannyasi, constantly chant 'Hari! Hari!'. Do not forget this chanting, whether you are in a happy condition or a distressful one. Just fill your lips with the hari-nama." (Sri Nama in Gitavali by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura) While taking darshana from The Lord and His associates, we should always remember that we are never seperated from Him as long as we keep taking shelter from His Holy Names. Pray to The Lord and ask Him to purify our desires...so that one day, all we desire is to be with Him while serving Him with the utmost love and affection.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In BG 7.25: I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible. BG 7.25: Yo nunca Me les manifiesto a los necios y poco inteligentes. Para ellos estoy cubierto por Mi potencia interna, y, por lo tanto, ellos no saben que soy innaciente e infalible. BG 7.25: Je ne Me montre jamais aux sots ni aux insensés ; par Ma puissance interne [yoga-maya], Je suis pour eux voilé. Ce monde égaré ne Me connaît donc point, Moi le Non-né, l'Impérissable. BG 07.25 Unfriendly White House Break In 2004-05-22 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In 2004-05-22 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity BG 7.25: I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible. BG 7.25: Yo nunca Me les manifiesto a los necios y poco inteligentes. Para ellos estoy cubierto por Mi potencia interna, y, por lo tanto, ellos no saben que soy innaciente e infalible. BG 7.25: Je ne Me montre jamais aux sots ni aux insensés ; par Ma puissance interne [yoga-maya], Je suis pour eux voilé. Ce monde égaré ne Me connaît donc point, Moi le Non-né, l'Impérissable. BG 07.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity 1993-01-23 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity 1993-01-23 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 Transcendental Palmistry 2004-10 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry 2004-10 Houston home program. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: New Improved Facebook Japa Group Dear Facebook Japa Group members, Facebook is upgrading all old groups to a new format and unfortunately it could mean "The Japa Group" will be archived and all the members are lost. I have decided to create a new group simply called "Japa Group" and I am gradually adding all the current members from the old "The Japa Group". IMPORTANT: If you want to join as a new member, please visit http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_214059835280229 and click the join group button - this will save me alot of time as there is 2,500 members in the old group to be added. For those who were accidently added to the new group - please accept my apologies - you can visit at the above link and easily leave the group if you desire. The improved format has many new features including group chat and document sharing etc. NOTE: The new group does not affect http://japagroup.blogspot.com - this notice is ONLY for Facebook members. Yours in the service of Lord. RRD   • Email to a friend • •   Krishna-kripa das, Mayapura: Travel Journal#7.7: Tallahassee, Upstate New York, New York City Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 7, No. 7 By Krishna-kripa das (April 2011, part one) Tallahassee, Upstate New York, New York City (Sent from Amsterdam on May 4, 2011) Where I Was and What I Did I went to Tallahassee to attend the Gita class, the Ratha-yatra, a prison program, and a Sunday Feast. I think their Ratha-yatra was better than last year. Then, after a day in Gainesville, and a few words of farewell, I went to Albany, New York, via New York City, to make kofta balls, pakoras, and mango lassi for my sister’s fiftieth birthday, and then to Stuvyesant to see and serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami for a couple days. Then in New York City, I did harinamas, three hours a day, almost every day. While in the Bhakti Center in Manhattan, I took notes on inspiring lectures by Srila Prabhupada, Radhanath Swami, and some of the enthusiastic senior and junior devotees of the Bhakti Center, and I think you find a lot of great realizations among them. Itinerary Amsterdam: April 30–May 6 Rotterdam: May 6–8 Antwerp: May 8–11 Cologne: May 12–13? Munich: May 14–15 Simhacalam: May 16 Munich or Simhachalam: May 17 London: May 18–May 27 Birmingham:  May 27–30 Belfast: May 30–June 12 London: June 12 Stonehenge: June 21 Scandinavian Ratha-yatras: July 8–16 Prague Ratha-yatra?: mid July Lithuanian Festival?: last week in July Czech Padayatra?: usually 4th week in July Poland Woodstock: August 1–6 Croatian Harinama Tour: rest of August Kirtana-mela, Leipzig: August 29–September 4 Kharkov, Ukraine: September 6–beginning of Ukraine Festival Ukraine Festival: second full week of September Boston Ratha-yatra and Prabhupada festival: September 17–18 New York: September 19–23? Philadelphia Ratha-yatra: September 24–25 Albany: September 26–30? Florida, Arizona, Nevada: October–December Tallahassee Ratha-yatra In Tallahassee our Ratha-yatra is our participation in the Springtime Tallahassee parade. This year I surrendered a little more than usual by chopping potatoes for the feast and printing invitations to our lunch program and Bhagavad-gita class, if only at the last minute, so we would have them for the Ratha-yatra and the harinama afterwards. I took a city bus most of the way from the copy shop to the start of the parade, fearing I would be late, but I still got there in plenty of time. The great thing about Tallahassee is that the Ratha-yatra is just half the event. The rest is a harinama through a very crowded street festival. There were many policemen at that street festival, and although any one of them could have stopped our chanting party, none of them did. I felt that Lord Caitanya was really protecting us. After the parade, was the wonderful feast cooked by Daru Brahma Prabhu with help from Nama Kirtan Prabhu. I am always impressed by the taste, variety, and reliable of the prasadam at the event. Both the Ratha-yatra and harinama were better this year because Kaliyaphani Prabhu made sure the devotees stayed in lines and danced in an organized pattern. Just a little bit of organization goes a long way to making a better presentation. I felt Garuda Prabhu’s hand painted pictures of Krishna enhanced the beauty of the cart, but others felt they were too unorthodox. The funny thing for me was I just read the Ratha-yatra pastime in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita that very morning, and amazingly enough, I happened to remember that pictures were one of the items decorating the original Ratha-yatra carts in Puri: “Everyone was astonished to see the decorations on the Ratha car. The car appeared to be newly made of gold, and it was as high as Mount Sumeru. The decorations included bright mirrors and hundreds and hundreds of camaras [white whisks made of yak tails]. On top of the car were a neat and clean canopy and a very beautiful flag. The car was also decorated with silken cloth and various pictures. Many brass bells, gongs and ankle bells rang.” (Cc. Madhya 13.19–21) One could argue that perhaps the pictures in Puri were smaller, relative to the size of the cart, and that we might adjust for next year, but the idea of pictures as decorations appears authorized according to Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami. I was surprised that some of the Florida State University students did not even know about Springtime Tallahassee, probably the largest parade in their city, until hearing about it from me. One such student was a girl who had come to my table and began attending our lunch program, having learned about it from me. She came to the parade, enjoyed watching it, and even joined with the devotee girls and danced in the harinama afterward, later telling me she had a great time. I sent her some videos of devotees dancing on harinama which she also liked. Although we, as devotees, know many varieties of naturally enjoyable devotional activities, so few people take up our invitations to try them. I felt happy that on my last visit to Tallahassee this spring, at least one student accepted my invitation to participate in our Ratha-yatra and thus got to taste another level of transcendental happiness. Farewell Gainesville Although I spent one day in Gainesville in April, I think I should say a few words of appreciation for Kalakantha Prabhu and the devotees there. Gainesville is my official home, and I stayed there about two months this cold season. Just since December at least five new devotees have begun chanting japa and regularly attending programs, and it is just so very inspiring to see. Almost everyone has a really great service attitude, and there is a lot of attraction to kirtana. One day the last week I was there 28 devotees came to their mangala-arati [morning service], and another day I counted 15 devotees at the evening chanting. I remember, perhaps eight years ago, when only two or three attended the morning program, and I could not convince anyone to chant with me in the evening. I want to thank Kalakantha Prabhu, his wife, Mother Jitamrita, the director of the lunch program, Hanan, and the director of the academic program, Mother Ali Krishna, and the many assisting devotees, for all the work they have done to maintain and expand the program in recent years. As last year, several devotees from the Krishna House program took initiation this April. It is so inspiring to see Krishna consciousness expanding in America. Keep up the good work. New York Harinamas Almost every day we did three hours of harinama in New York City. For a period of three consecutive days we had six devotees chanting each day. One of those days was extra special. One devotee said it reminded him of his days as a brahmacari [celibate monk doing fulltime service]. One lady said it was the best sound she had heard in a while. She gave a $5 donation and then another $5 when I gave her a Gita. She works as a DJ and wanted to get some of our music to play. One man who was listening for some time said that he regularly came to our restaurant on 55th Street back in 1980, and mentioned he had not seen us around recently. Many people stopped and took pictures. Bhakta Dan Bellen is one of the most enthusiastic devotees I know as far as harinama is concerned. He is almost always ready to go out. I found out that he returned to New York from Vrindavana, after five months in Aindra Prabhu’s 24-hour kirtana party, on the very same day I returned to New York from wintering in Florida and Arizona. I suggested we do a harinama at 7:30 p.m., a good two and a half hours afterward his flight arrived, to give him time to take prasadam and have a nap, but he was delayed and arrived from the airport at 7:30 p.m. He was so enthusiastic about harinama that he went out with me and a couple others on harinama for an hour and a half, after a 16-hour flight spanning ten and a half time zones, without having a bite to eat or a nap. That really blew my mind! It is rare to see such dedication to harinama! I noticed that there is a possibility that if we do harinama leaving the Bhakti Center after their Sunday feast program, there is a chance of getting their congregational members, who do not often have opportunities to do harinama, to come join us. The first week we had sixteen devotees and then the second week, ten devotees, on that Sunday afternoon harinama program, and I am hoping they can maintain it in my absence. Visiting Satsvarupa Das Goswami During my two-day stay I found Satsvarupa Das Goswami to be in much stronger health than after his December bout with pneumonia, but not quite as strong as before that. He used to walk three laps around the neighbor’s backyard and now just does two and is quite tired afterwards. He is very excited about his present writing project, an autobiography. He told me he took inspiration from Mark Twain’s biography, which had just recently come out, since his will stipulated it be published one hundred years after his death. Mark Twain had difficulty with the standard cradle to grave telling of one’s life and had thus developed another strategy: write what you feel inspired to say about your life, and when that inspiration wanes, write about something else, and beyond that, also include some material from the present, interspersed throughout the whole work. Thus Satsvarupa Maharaja is writing his autobiography a little each day, in the way Mark Twain suggested. Narayana Kavaca Prabhu, who is on the sannyasa list, feels I should also be on the sannyasa list, since my lifestyle resembles that of a sannyasi to a certain extent, and thus he asked Satsvarupa Das Goswami what he thought about that. He said that he thought it was a good idea. I am planning to write a couple of my siksa gurus about that, but I have procrastinated doing that so far. In at least a couple ways, I do not think I am mature enough to be a sannyasi. And not even considering those ways, I am sure sannyasa would be a mixed blessing, like everything else in the material world. Bhakti Rasamrita Swami made the point at the European brahmacari conference that sannyasa is more something that is conferred upon one and not sought after. Srila Prabhupada’s example was not to rush into sannyasa [although he was supremely qualified], even when his guru appeared several times in dreams. Narayana Kavaca Prabhu kindly also made sure had appropriate luggage for traveling and a camera, as my previous one died. When I visit Satsvarupa Das Goswami, his servant Baladeva Prabhu cooks, and I do the dishes, which suits both of us just fine. I also get to serve Maharaja his meals and read to him while he eats, and go on with him on his walks. My Sister Karen’s Fiftieth Birthday Party I decided to make whatever my sister liked for her fiftieth birthday, and she chose kofta balls, eggplant and broccoli pakoras, and mango lassi. When I cook I always play the Badahari CDs which I gave her because she likes mellow music. I also included in the meal some spinach and panir [fresh cheese] which I know she likes and which I engaged Baladeva Prabhu, my guru’s cook, in making. Cooking at my relatives is always a test of my patience. You have to worry about cats jumping on the table and snuggling against your leg, and you always have to warn your helpers not to taste anything before it is offered, even though after twenty-nine years you think they should know by now. Karen, a mental health counselor, had clients the whole day and did not return till almost 8:30 p.m. She was happy dinner was ready on time, perhaps the first time ever. I suggested that if dinnertime was always 8:30 p.m. then dinner would probably be on time more often. People liked everything, but Baladeva Prabhu’s spinach dish was clearly superior. I am just not so expert in spicing everything that it comes out first-class. Sweets are the only thing I am good at. My family appreciated my meal and my coming home, and I always appreciate sharing prasadam, one of Srila Prabhupada’s most accessible gifts to humanity. Insights from Lectures Srila Prabhupada: Second birth is from the spiritual master who is the father and the Vedic knowledge who is the mother. Brahmanas do not charge anything for teaching, but they can accept charity. Similarly we do not charge anything. Students would beg door-to-door and give the result to the guru. If one does not understand Krishna, one’s education is useless. Scientists are all sudras, and therefore they accept one teaching for sometime, and then they realize it is useless, discard it, and accept something else. Everything is there in Bhagavad-gita. We just have to accept it as it is, and then this world will become like Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. Without cow’s milk there is no civilization. You will not have the thinking capacity for having higher knowledge. Just a pound [two cups] or even half a pound [one cup] of milk is sufficient. Now they are interested in dog protection. They are willing to spend millions of dollars for dog protection, but they have no interest in cow protection. Lord Caitanya wanted everyone to become guru—a real guru, not a false guru. We require many millions of gurus to enlighten the masses of people. There is no need for education. We just repeat what Krishna has said. The instruction is already there. We just have to speak it. Radhanatha Swami [from a recorded lecture to ashram brahmacaris]: Srila Prabhupada would always tell us that no external force can stop the sankirtana movement. But when there is disunity among the devotees within the movement, that is the greatest disturbance and the only impediment. The most important thing is to strive for purification by following the four rules and chanting Hare Krishna daily. Without this, even if we are very nice to each other, there will be no spiritual potency. We must follow Lord Caitanya’s teachings, headed by humility and tolerence. If one has these qualities, then will there be arguments over selfish details, which are 99% of all arguments? In this age of Kali, there is quarrel over the most trifling occurrence. Lord Caitanya, as the avatar for the age, has come to bring unity, purity, and love in place of quarrel and hypocrisy. To the degree that we want respect, we will become quarrelsome. And we will create enmity with others. The two greatest enemies are (1) not following the principles and chanting and (2) demanding respect. We should know each day maya will send us reasons to be proud and reasons to disrespect others. We must be ready to fight this. We should understand our spiritual relationships are much, much deeper than any superficial disagreements and thus we should not take such disagreements very seriously. If someone is treating us unfairly, we should consider it the mercy of God, and respond with love and respect. Thus Krishnadasa Kaviraja says we should wear this verse about humility and tolerance around our necks, strung by the thread of the holy name, and if we do that, the influence of the material energy can never overcome us, because the holy name brings us to the transcendental plane. The string keeps the necklace with you, and thus it is most important. Generally most quarrels are based on misunderstanding. The advanced devotee knows this verse is the key to our success in chanting the holy name. If no one disrespected us we would not have the opportunity to practice humility. If no one causes us affliction, we would not have the opportunity to practice tolerance. Thus we should be grateful for such opportunities to practice Lord Caitanya’s most sacred instruction. When we come together to chant the glories of the Lord, we forget all our insignificant differences. The unity in the kirtana exposes our disunities as insignificant. Maya can thus make us more strong and empowered if we take shelter of this instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Do you understand how sacred our relationships are? We should not allow other things to separate us. Our serving our guru together and chanting together are so important they render all else as insignificant. If we neglect to practice this instruction, we do not only cheat ourselves of our own purification, but we cheat humanity of the opportunity to encounter the real spirituality that their lives require and which there are missing. We must address each other as Prabhu and not use nicknames to minimize each other. Living in an ashram is difficult because you always have to remember that you are the servant of the servant. If you are living alone, you can have any state of consciousness you want, but not if you live in an ashram. Thus for those who take is seriously, it is a great boon to live in the ashram. The programs are not ours. We are just assisting with them. Even if we are the leader, we are just assisting by playing the role of the leader. If people offer us respect, we should see that because I am serving my spiritual master, I getting respect. I am just collecting respect on his behalf. When go out the people may respect us as God’s respresentative, but when return to the ashram we are just another brahmacari. We clean the floor and toilet like everyone else, and sit on the floor like everyone else. This is good for us. Through this practice of humility and tolerance, we become empowered to preach. Comments by Dauji Prabhu: Radhanatha Swami always makes that point that when people see that we are united, then they will be inspired to change their lives. The real challenge is to tolerate being falsely accused. Comment by Vasudeva Prabhu: When we quarrel, we become implicated in hypocrisy, because we are teaching people how to live a godly life, but not acting that way. Bhakta who wished to remain anonymous: Tolerating does not mean keeping something bottled up, but to talk about the problem with someone so you can get past it. Radha Vallabha Prabhu: I never heard a satisfying explanation of Sita’s banishment to the forest at the end of Ramayama until I heard one given by Bhakti Tirtha Swami toward the end of his life. Bhakti Tirtha Swami explained that Lord Ramacandra was so intent on teaching ideal leadership that he was willing to give up that which was most to him [Sita] to show how the leader being willing to sacrifice everything to benefit the citizens, even the most lowly among them [who had criticized Rama for accepting Sita back after she stayed with Ravana]. After we have a revelation of our own insignificance that inspires us in devotional service, our false ego does everything to make us forget it. Lord Ramacandra is very much concerned about establishing dharma but Krishna appears not to be so much so, because he was showing the extent of His pastimes as the independent Supreme Lord. I remember a kirtana in 1997 with Lokanatha Swami that was so wonderful we all left as changed people. There was another kirtana with Sacinandana Swami in Boston that was so intoxicating that Maharaja had to take a break in the middle during which he appeared like an inebriated man. Although I was a visitor and did not know anyone in the temple I felt I connected with people in a deeper way than I do with 90% of people. Ghanashyam Prabhu: War arises from the polluted consciousness of individuals, and therefore purifying our own consciousness will help us reduce war, and the purer our own consciousness, the more we can help others. If we could actually see how we suffered in our many previous lives, then we would take the path of liberation more seriously. The alternative to taking direction from the spiritual master, the saints, and the scriptures, is to rely on our own minds, which have shown themselves to be fallible in the past, and are thus a bad bet. Preaching means giving people the opportunity encounter Krishna’s instructions. Krishna gives people this opportunity through His devotees. The whole plan of the Lord is that He wants to engage in loving relationships with the individual souls. Gaura Govinda Maharaja asked his listeners why they came there to hear about Krishna while others did not. Many devotees proposed different answers, and then Maharaja explained the answer, simplicity. A simple person can understand he does not know the truth, and when someone speaks the truth, therefore, he is willing to hear. Maharaja was asked the source of that simplicity, and he explained it is a natural quality of the soul. The opposite of that simplicity is not complexity but duplicity. Dauji Prabhu: “But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated — for him there is no duty.” (Bg. 3.17) This is the qualification for one who is able to perform jnana-yoga. The difficulty is that many people in the beginning of spiritual life think they are on this platform when in reality they are not. Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that one who is not advanced and who takes to this process has renunciation like that of a monkey. The monkey eats very simply, has no residence, wears no clothes and so appears to be very renounced but at the same time has relationships with many female monkeys. Karma-yoga is better than jnana-yoga because we are accustomed to performing so many activities before coming to spiritual life it is difficult to stop this all of a sudden. According to Baladeva Vidyabhusana, the karma-yoga in Chapter 5 of Bhagavad-gita is niskama-karma-yoga [without selfish desires]. The foundation of Krishna consciousness is to understand that we are the servant of the servant of the Lord. If we do not understand this, then even though we may appear to be a great leader, we will come crashing down, and the sound will be heard all over the world. Then we will not stay around the devotees anymore because we will be too embarrassed. The great souls, Bhaktisiddhana Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada, although playing the role of gurus, saw themselves as serving their disciples by giving them knowledge. In material life we try to control others more and more, and in spiritual life we try to serve others more and more. If you love everyone, they will love you, but unless you can see everyone’s relationship with Krishna, you cannot love everyone. Why do we think that we are the doer? Because we are thinking we are the body. Our ignorance is so deep rooted that although we hear repeatedly that we are not the body, we still foolishly identify with the body. We must practice yoga the whole life to be successful. Karma-yoga means you do activities that you like to do, but because of developing transcendental knowledge, you give the results to Krishna. When I was teaching mathematics, I would come to the temple and give regular donations, and I felt so purified and relieved when I did so. When we are doing service for our own personal enjoyment we will not enjoy such peace of mind as we do when we do services for Krishna. Our time is a precious thing which we cannot get back. Therefore we should not work hard for material gain at the expense of our spiritual life. You have been spending hours working on a garden, carefully tending to all the plants, but one elephant can destroy all your work in a moment. In the same way, an offense to a great soul, one who has taken shelter of Krishna, can destroy all the benefit of many hours, days, or even years of spiritual practice. If we do a spiritual activity, and we do not feel the benefit of it, then we are doing it mechanically. If you have a child, you will have to spend 24 hours a day just to serve the child. In the Ramanuja sampradaya the married men would spend the week in the temple and the weekend with their wives and children. One man skipped going home on the weekend. The mother-in-law complained to Ramanujacarya, so Ramanujacarya told the man to do his duty and spend the weekend at home. When he went home, he chanted the whole day and even at night when he was laying down with his wife. He was unable to engage in the act of procreation. His mother-in-law again complained to Ramanujacarya. Ramanujacarya inquired from the man who explained that he felt uncomfortable engaging in the act of procreation because he felt the Supreme Lord Narayana was present. Hearing this, Ramanujacarya told the man it was time for him to enter the next ashram, vanaprastha, retirement from household life. Do your work but in a spirit of devotion, is the message of Bhagavad-gita. You may appear to be doing really well externally, and then all of a sudden you go away. Nobody sees you anymore. This is because something else was going on in your mind other than just devotional service. Therefore, it most important to be honest with yourself, and it is not so important what other people think of you. “I want to do every to elevate all the people around me”: This is the mentality of one who has grasped the understanding that he is a servant of the servant of the Lord. Hari Prasada Prabhu: It is the trickery and the humility of Lord Caitanya that He presented Himself as a jiva soul [like us] and protested being called God Himself. When Lord Caitanya was praised for His tears of ecstasy, He claimed it was just imitation. If He really had love for Krishna, how could He live apart from Him in this material world? We get a glimpse of selfless love in this world, but it is temporary whereas love for God is eternal. If we really absorb ourselves in devotional service, then at the very least, we will learn a lot about ourselves. If you are running from your problems, you may be running, but you are carrying a heavy burden. Even if people go away, they cannot escape the fact they have experienced something beyond the ordinary, and Krishna likes to remind them of that. Q: Can you explain hope against hope? A: The mountain I am trying to climb is insurmountable, but I am completely confident that Krishna is making arrangements for my success, and therefore I will be successful. Bhakta Peter: I always knew there was a God, and when I became burned out on material life, I naturally began to search for God. I was talking to someone yesterday whose house burned down. He was sitting on the steps wondering what to do. We are so fortunate, if something happened to our ashram, God forbid, we have many centers in this world we could move to. If you feel bummed out, you can always come and see the deities, and you can pray to them and get inspiration. You can clean the temple, listen to a lecture, and see the deities, and you become calm and peaceful. When I first tasted prasadam I was stunned. Whenever I came to the temple, I thought about the taste of the prasadam. If I have a question, I find I hear a lecture or read a passage that answers it. Q: You can say if you are bummed out you can see the deities, but someone else get a beer or a shot of heroin. What do you say to that? A: From those things there is only a temporary happiness. Comment by Adi Purusa Prabhu: In the Judeo-Christian tradition, there is a story that a goat herd boy prayed to God, “I would like to fix Your broken shoes and remove the lice from Your hair.” Moses reprimanded him, “God does not have broken shoes and lice in His hair.” The Lord then corrected Moses, saying He was pleased by the boy’s desire to serve Him. ----- yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāḿ tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā “By giving water to the root of a tree one satisfies its branches, twigs and leaves, and by supplying food to the stomach one satisfies all the senses of the body. Similarly, by engaging in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord one automatically satisfies all the demigods and all other living entities.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.31.14)   • Email to a friend • •   Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Your chance to support "Today We Have The Power" "Today We Have The Power" is a dynamic and thought-provoking documentary by my friend and fellow monk Christopher Timm. You can click here to check out the trailer and the fundraising page to help him get his project on the move. Click here to check out the film's website Today We Have The Power is a feature documentary that delves beneath the mayhem and madness of the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle, examines the economic and social issues that brought people to Seattle, and then dives into the spiritual crisis at the root of the problems. The goal of this film is to facilitate conversation about the connection between activism and spirituality that many people have come to see as essential for our societies progressive evolution. For one week in 1999 the sight of Seattle police brutally attacking ordinary American citizens that came to protest the World Trade Organization transfixed the world. The story most people remember is that a peaceful protest was disrupted by a small band of masked anarchists intent on violence, forcing the police to intervene. Ten years later, people still don't know why unprecedented numbers of people from all walks of life came to protest the WTO. Ten years later most people still don’t know what the WTO actually is. The blasts of tear gas, rubber bullets and shattered windows may have obscured the reasons for the protests, but the reasons for the clash have not gone away: denigration of human life, species extinction, environmental destruction and social decay remain the heavy tolls we pay for the way we have gone about globalization. Now in 2011, the Seattle protesters seem like prophets, as the effects of globalization continue to take their toll on our world. But still missing in the public discussion is the strong belief held by many that at the real problem—and the solution to it—is not an economic or political issue, but a spiritual one. Today We Have the Power challenges us to consider the deep spiritual issues at the core of these events. The film achieves this by drawing out the spiritual angle from the people engaged on all sides of the Seattle WTO protest event, who reiterate and expand upon the eternal spiritual truth best expressed by Mahatma Gandhi: You must become the change you wish to see in the world. The film features interviews with David Korten, Norm Stamper (former Chief of Police in Seattle), Mike Moore (former Director-General of the WTO), Vandana Siva, Jagadish Bhagavati, John Zerzan, Tom Goldtooth, Sister Catherine Pinkerton, Radhanath Swami and many more. About the Kickstarter Funding We are inches away from launching the film. We need this funding to do post production, including sound and color correction, as well as for graphic design work for the film and its promotional materials. Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing fund raising platform. That means if we don't make our goal of raising 11.5k in this month we don't get anything! Anything raised beyond what we are shooting for will go to help create a buzz about the film. So please contribute, stay tuned, and help to spread the word! Thanks again for checking us out. Project location: Manhattan, NY   • Email to a friend • •   New Vrndavan, USA: Spring Cleaning Typically spring brings us out of the darkness of winter, shining it’s light on many things that we didn’t or couldn’t tend to in the colder, dormant months. In spring, we clean our houses and sometimes we do a personal physical cleanse through fasting and diet. We clear the clutter (toxins) out of our bodies, homes and minds. I personally have had many devotees approach me with their deep concerns for creating real community. I would like to invite all residents of New Vrindavan and surrounding areas to partake in a Spring Cleaning to clear and remove stagnant energy and create a refreshing, rejuvenating atmosphere in New Vrindavan. If you choose, here are some ways you can participate: · Create the intention to clean up and clear out. This could be done by simply writing down your intention and posting it where it will catch your attention (fridge, bathroom mirror, etc.) so you can reflect on it and see how to initiate some actions to clear. · Attend the daily chanting of the Nrsingha Kavaca prayers. This will be happening between May 1st and June 18th at the morning and evening programs. It will culminate at the 24 hour kirtan, a final release to the Holy Names. · Clean up the environment of clutter. This could range from cleaning your own home, room, car, etc., to cleaning the temple and/or the surrounding temple areas where stagnant energy has accumulated. · Find positive and effective ways of communicating and resolving issues. When circumstances don’t go the way we expect them to, rather than complain to others, find straight forward means to clear any upset. Some strategies might be: ? working to directly resolve the issue with the other person. ? asking for a mediator if needed. ? looking to have everyone’s needs considered and met. ? considering the impacts our complaints have on ourselves and the larger community. · Pray to increase our awareness and consciousness in removing stagnant, negative energy, the old, conditioned habits that are not in our highest good or benefit. Spring is about new growth. So, how about it? All in favor, jump in the Spring Cleaning mood and set your intentions for the next 48 days. Let’s see how much of a difference we can make by aligning our thoughts, words and deeds in clearing a space to create a NEW New Vrindaban, where all Devotees Care. Thank you for your concern and participation. Your servant, Sukhavaha dd   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Jhulan Yatra 2011 By Saranagati dasi Each year the Mayapur Vaisnava Youth organize the Jhulan Yatra festival for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Madhava under the guidance of H. G. Jananivas Prabhu and H. G. Pankajanghri Prabhu. The festival runs for five days and this year will herald the 25th Anniversary in Mayapur. It has become one of the highlight festivals of the year   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Bhakti Tirtha Swami eBooks Have Arrived / Subscribe to B.T. Swami’s Words of Wisdom Jayananda dasa: Instant gratification for the soul! The vast majority of Hari-Nama Press books written by His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami are now available in eBook format for online purchase and instant download from our website. Just click, purchase, and download to start reading your new eBook right away!   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Krishna Temple set to close on second temple site Daily Herald: The Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork has raised $400000 to buy a 4-acre property in Salt Lake City, and will close the deal this month   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: New Vrindaban’s Community Vision & Planning Team Soma dasa: On March 27 and 28, New Vrindaban Community hosted a series of management meetings. Many of the attendees reported that the meetings were very positive and a feeling of moving forward from the past   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Govinda’s Buffet Looking for a Cook Sandamini dasi: Our dedicated cooks of 9 years are going to visit Mayapur for two months at the end of May with their two children. We are in need of an experienced cook to come to Tucson for approximately 10 weeks and cover their service. It can be a single person, a couple or family with a small child   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Birth, love, holiness - Birth in the Vedic culture bh. Tibor: The planet's most ancient Vedic culture and wisdom, many featuring the culture. Teachings of the scriptures and authentic discipleship chains are also available through today   • Email to a friend • •   Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HELPING PEOPLE SUCCEED ON THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY Click to enlarge and read everything in the picture. "I Ask Only Three Steps" - The Vamanadeva Approach By Abhinandana Nitai dasa We trust that Lord Vamanadeva will not mind that, for describing preaching activities in ISKCON, we are using the famous words He spoke when He conquered the entire universe. Since ISKCON's goal is to flood the whole world with Krishna consciousness, I feel that this analogy is suitable and justified. As told by His Holiness Giriraja Maharaja: We remember Srila Prabhupada's last days with us, and our last exchanges with him.i Prabhupada asked me, "Do you think this movement will go on without me?" I replied, "As long as we are sincere and chant Hare Krishna and follow the regulative principles, the movement will go on." Srila Prabhupada listened. Then, again with great difficulty and ever so softly, Srila Prabhupada responded. He uttered the word, " "Organization. "Organization and intelligence." I was startled. But later I considered the significance of Srila Prabhupada's pragmatic reply. Although sincerely chanting sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles are the basis of Krishna consciousness, intelligence and organization are also required, especially to spread Krishna consciousness and fulfill Srila Prabhupada's and Lord Krishna's mission. (Talk given on 11 November 1999, Los Angeles) The mutual cooperation of all spiritual masters within ISKCON is what makes us different from other spiritual organizations in India, and the result is obvious. Yet it is no secret that there is still much scope for improving cooperation and organization. The Vamanadeva Approach is a conceptual overview of all preaching activities in ISKCON and of their interconnection and interdependence. First step: Contact In this level of preaching are: book distribution, harinama, prasadam distribution, festivals, Sunday Feast programs, Padayatra, and Krishna consciousness in the media. These are the activities through which an individual first comes in touch with Krishna consciousness. On this level ISKCON is strong and effective. Most devotees are engaged in preaching on this level, and ISKCON focuses most of its attention on this step. Yet although it might be the strongest, without the other two it is incomplete. Why? Because if we stress only this step, we are like a farmer who enthusiastically sows grains here and there but does not also water and care for the sprouted plants, or does not even remember where he planted them. In this example, simply to plant seeds is more important than the crop yield! In this world it is rare to meet a soul who has seriously cultivated spiritual practices in previous lives and for whom his first contact with ISKCON is sufficient for him to immediately become dedicated to devotional service. Most conditioned souls need ongoing personal attention and continued care from devotees to become serious in spiritual life. We can give attention to someone only if we know how and where to find him again. It's therefore essential to collect names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of interested people. So in this context "contact" doesn't just mean that someone came in contact with ISKCON, but that a representative of ISKCON can contact him again. On this level the most important task for preachers-especially those acting in the field of book distribution, organizing festivals, and caring for the congregation-is to understand the importance of obtaining contact information from everyone they meet. Second step: Cultivation This step could be called the missing link in the preaching chain of most ISKCON centers. Only a few keep a list of all members and friends and have a team of devotees to systematically and professionally take care of people who show interest in Krishna consciousness. Those persons should be invited for temple programs, should be visited in their home, and should be assisted in their spiritual development. This is key for increasing the yatra's membership. (In Slovenia, fifty percent of all guests first came to the temple on the invitation of a friend.) Those email addresses and telephone numbers can help ensure that new contacts don't get "lost in a crowd" and become forgotten until some future time when they might again be met by a sankirtana devotee in the street. In order to offer spiritual care to those who have shown interest in Krishna consciousness, we need to keep a database of important information about them-for example, their skills and the kinds of service they prefer, or what special facilities or assistance they might require. Building a personal relation with them, with special attention to fulfill their needs and becoming friends with them, is the essence of cultivation and follow-up. Third step: Care On this level, new devotees receive a mentor, establish deep friendships, begin to regularly attend Nama-hattas, Bhakti-vriksha or Counselor groups, start advancing in the Siksa Program, study Srila Prabhupada's books, and may join a Bhakti-sastri course. They gradually come to the point of taking shelter of an ISKCON spiritual master. Care can encompass emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of a person's life; but it doesn't happen automatically. Initially it may be that we care for others only out of duty, because we understand that it's an important part of our spiritual culture. But in the long run, care must come from the heart, from a deep appreciation for all living beings, the eternal parts of Lord Krishna. By his example, Srila Prabhupada, a genuine representative of Krishna, showed us the meaning of the word care. To properly apply care we need to come to the level of sattva-guna and think about the long-term benefit of the devotees. Conclusion The effectiveness of our preaching can be evaluated only when we know how many people have begun chanting, how many are engaged in educational programs, how many have become initiated, and so on. But only a few devotee communities keep track of such data. The overall task delineated in the Vamanadeva Approach is not necessarily easy, as all preaching programs must run parallel to achieve the best results. Evaluating how well applied and integrated the three steps are, gives us an idea of the development of a yatra. ISKCON is strongest in the first step (Contact), but the second step (Cultivation) is missing in many places. The third (Care) could be more deeply assimilated in our culture and applied more systematically. For the proper functioning of any yatra, it is essential that all three steps exist and properly function-with the optimum number of devotees engaged, investment of time spent, volume of resources used, and so forth. Our "chain" of preaching will be most effective only if its links (all three steps) are strong and firmly connected.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna 2005-01-11 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.1 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna 2005-01-11 Melbourne (external pastimes). H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Marathon Of Book Disribution H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Marathon Of Book Disribution BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 Marathon Of Book Disribution 1993-01-01 Lecture - BG 7.1 Marathon Of Book Disribution 1993-01-01 Radhadesh (Book Distribution). H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Marathon Of Book Disribution   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural 2001 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.1 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural 2001 Sydney. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please 2005 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.1 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please 2005 Helsinki. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love 2002-04-15 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love 2002-04-15 Amsterdam. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 A Devotee Is Equipoised Due To Absorption In Krishna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 A Devotee Is Equipoised Due To Absorption In Krishna 2003-01-31 Lecture – Bhagavad Gita 7.1 A Devotee Is Equipoised Due To Absorption In Krishna 2003-01-31 Perth. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 A Devotee Is Equipoised Due To Absorption In Krishna   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness BG 6.47: And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me — he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion. BG 6.47: Y de todos los yogīs, aquel que tiene una gran fe y que siempre se refugia en Mí, piensa en Mí y Me presta un amoroso servicio trascendental, es el que está más íntimamente unido a Mí por medio del yoga, y es el más elevado de todos. Ésa es Mi opinión. BG 6.47: Et de tous les yogīs, celui qui, avec une foi totale, demeure toujours en Moi et M'adore en Me servant avec amour, celui-là est le plus grand, et M'est le plus intimement lié. BG 06.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness 1992-04-19 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 6.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness 1992-04-19 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.5 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.5 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego BG 6.5: One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. BG 6.5: Uno debe liberarse con la ayuda de la mente, y no degradarse. La mente es la amiga del alma condicionada, así como también su enemiga. BG 6.5: Le mental peut être ami de l'âme conditionnée, comme il peut être son ennemi. L'homme doit s'en servir pour s'élever, non pour se dégrader. BG 06.05 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego 2006-11-04 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 6.5 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego 2006-11-04 Houston H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.5 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 Different But One Toronto, Ontario These days I don't have to feel guilty about being like an animal. How so? Well, when taking to walking I have not always a set route to take. I meander any street and follow any wayward direction. It's animalistic. It's fun and adventurous. I do make sure to stay on sidewalks though, and avoid trespassing. These days I don't have to feel guilty about chanting my mantras with some volume while walking. In these times every other pedestrian makes noise talking by themselves. Of course, they are on their cell. And they are rather loud about it. The culture is definitely changing with so many wires and gadgets to be connected to. These days I don't have to feel shy about being dressed in traditional attire. The world with its cosmopolitan flavour welcomes the diversity. And so when I went to the dental clinic, the employees there and patients smile but don't bat an eyelash over the "different look" because that notion is dissolving. You have got so many people in any given place that are so diverse in belief and look that anything goes. Personally, I like it this way. The variagatedness is like on of those ice cream shops with multiple flavours - an incredible range - and yet its all icecream. To draw perhaps a cheesy analogy, humans have become quite diverse in look and outlook and yet we are all humans. Nay, we are all spirit souls. 5 KM   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love BG 5.29: A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries. BG 5.29: Una persona que tiene plena conciencia de Mí, que Me conoce como el beneficiario último de todos los sacrificios y austeridades, como el Señor Supremo de todos los planetas y semidioses, y como el benefactor y bienqueriente de todas las entidades vivientes, se libra de los tormentos de los sufrimientos materiales y encuentra la paz. BG 5.29: Parce qu'il Me sait le But ultime de tous les sacrifices, de toutes les austérités, Souverain de tous les astres et de tous les devas, ami et bienfaiteur de tous les êtres, le sage trouve la cessation des souffrances matérielles. BG 05.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love 1993-01-03 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 5.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love 1993-01-03 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Artificial World Improvement H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Artificial World Improvement BG 5.29: A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries. BG 5.29: Una persona que tiene plena conciencia de Mí, que Me conoce como el beneficiario último de todos los sacrificios y austeridades, como el Señor Supremo de todos los planetas y semidioses, y como el benefactor y bienqueriente de todas las entidades vivientes, se libra de los tormentos de los sufrimientos materiales y encuentra la paz. BG 5.29: Parce qu'il Me sait le But ultime de tous les sacrifices, de toutes les austérités, Souverain de tous les astres et de tous les devas, ami et bienfaiteur de tous les êtres, le sage trouve la cessation des souffrances matérielles. BG 05.29 Artificial World Improvement 1992-04-17 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 5.29 Artificial World Improvement 1992-04-17 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Artificial World Improvement   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash BG 5.29: A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries. BG 5.29: Una persona que tiene plena conciencia de Mí, que Me conoce como el beneficiario último de todos los sacrificios y austeridades, como el Señor Supremo de todos los planetas y semidioses, y como el benefactor y bienqueriente de todas las entidades vivientes, se libra de los tormentos de los sufrimientos materiales y encuentra la paz. BG 5.29: Parce qu'il Me sait le But ultime de tous les sacrifices, de toutes les austérités, Souverain de tous les astres et de tous les devas, ami et bienfaiteur de tous les êtres, le sage trouve la cessation des souffrances matérielles. BG 05.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash 2005-10-03 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 5.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash 2005-10-03 Hartford. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 300–Poem for May 4th www.sdgonline.org. 4:54 A.M. A Writer of Pieces New format–I will begin with a poem written on the day of its printing. Then I will print random excerpts of books I have printed over the last 35 years. I hope this variety will be pleasing. Poem for May 4th The lamp is broken and I have only one feeble desk light to penetrate the darkness and my head hurts but despite the disadvantages I chant japa steadily thinking theoretically that the name is the same as Krishna. I feel His presence in the room. Finishing my quota, today is Narayana’s last day, he will say goodbye and then be gone. Sanatana was in jail but received a cryptic note from Rupa that said, ‘Where has Mathura and Ayodhya gone? Make your mind steady on the eternal, the universe is unreal.’ Sanatana became happy and approached the jailkeeper and flattered him and asked him to release him for seven thousand gold coins. He was set free and traveled on the back roads to Benares. I’m writing in the semi- dark, my heart is free waiting for Narayana to come up the stairs one last time. I’ll be alone with Baladeva, we’ll manage our quiet ashrama and visitors will come. Narayana told me his plan for Trinidad, to preach to devotees individually and try to make them come forward and take responsibility. It’s raining outside and beating on the house, the birds are singing bravely, I draw from this simple life a song of my good feelings and tolerable health, Krishna conscious readings and walks in the afternoon. I’m satisfied with the routine and broadcasting writing broadly every day.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS www.sdgonline.org. From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name “Nine rounds done averaging 7.30. Notice (when you can) that your mind is dwelling in foolish spaces, consorting with demons and chimeras, going to places not fit for a devotee-sannyasi. notice and bring the mind back to hearing the Hare Krishna mantra. Then bring it back again. And again. Can I ask for more than this? That would be asking for Krishna’s mercy. To be able to feel myself his fallen servant filled with anarthas; to be able to feel the mercy of harer nama; realizing everything in the maha-mantra, tears of remorse, tears of joy, the unfolding of Krishna’s pastimes . . . the resolution for service . . . the unending attachment for chanting His names and qualities and pastimes. “I plan to chant sixty-four rounds today, Ekadasi. I will have to keep chanting as much as possible. ‘it is important to concentrate on the quality of the chanting and not try to artificially increase the number of the holy names. The name of the Lord should be pronounced distinctly. Only by the grace of the Lord can this be achieved.’ (HNC, p. 84) I don’t want the day to be one big space-out in counting poor rounds. “Chanting gives one forbearance. That means, among other things, that I have to tolerate my lower state. Yes, I want to reform as soon as possible, but a wife has to wait nine months to bear a child. I am ‘pregnant,’ doing the japa-yajna on Ekadasi. Be patient and keep refocusing your attention on what you are doing. ‘This practice of forbearance (trnad api sunicena) is very difficult, but when one actually engages in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, the quality of forbearance automatically develops.’ (C.c. Adi 17. 27-28, purport) “Chanting the holy name is the foundation of spiritual life. Such a nice, simple act for the people of Kali-yuga. Unfortunately, devotees neglect their rounds. “When you adopt a submissive attitude and chant, realization begins from the tongue.’ “I am the common man, the one who needs to control his mind and senses, the fallen one, the atheist, the agnostic, the one with no spiritual education. I am the one who should take to the chanting of Hare Krishna. I am the one who should be the object of mercy for the preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement. ‘Become a devotee of the Lord by continuously chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. You don’t need to change your position, but give up all endeavors to understand the absolute truth by speculative reason.’ It is I who should try to learn to become a servant of those who are in knowledge of the Supreme Lord. “Was this written for me? “‘By minimizing bodily necessities, one can primarily devote his time to the cultivation of Krishna consciousness through the chanting of the holy names of God.’ (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, p. 31) “Why should I doubt it? I am doing the most important thing. Lord Caitanya said to Sanatana Goswami, “‘Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses,  one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.’ (C.c., Antya, 4.70-71) “Commenting on this verse, Srila Jiva Goswami writes, ‘Chanting the holy name is the chief means of attaining love of Godhead.’ I am neither too advanced for this instruction nor too fallen. Everything is attainable even for one such as me, if I simply chant the holy name of the Lord offenselessly. And the rectification for offensive chanting? To chant without ceasing. “The tenth offense in chanting is to not have complete faith in the holy names and to maintain material attachments even after receiving so many instructions in this matter. Bhaktivinode Thakura says this is the worst kind of offense. It means that although you take initiation and begin to chant, you don’t change your life. In a very central way, you still maintain your bodily designations—you think of yourself as a member of a certain family, and a member of a certain race, and you make your commitments based on these limited designations. What is the use of all your endeavor to become a devotee and to chant if you don’t change in this basic way? “When we think about this offense, we realize that chanting Hare Krishma has to become a whole life’s endeavor. It is not limited to the two or three hours of fingering our beads. We are meant to change our perspective and our goals and to surrender to the holy name. That is faith in chanting. “Bhaktivinoda Thakura tells us that the only way to rectify ourselves is to completely surrender to the holy name. The tenth offense is the sum total of all namaparadha. If we are committing it, it means we need a total overhaul. Chanting is not a light activity. It is not meant to be a relaxing meditation. It is not something to be dispensed with quickly so we can get on with our lives. This offense is the final statement on the aparadhas; total surrender to the holy name is the final remedy. “Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that the ten offenses are, in one sense, just a negative way of expressing things. We have to go beyond merely avoiding the ten offenses. He then quickly turns around each of the ten offenses and expresses them in their true, positive light. We should not only avoid offending Vaisnavas, we should love them and serve them. We should not only theoretically understand that the holy name is the same as Krsna and that Krishna’s name is supreme, we should always chant it with joy and surrender. We should not only avoid disobeying the order of the guru, but he should be our best friend and we should dedicate our lives to him. We should read the Vedic literature with faith in the transcendental word of sastra. We should forever rid ourselves of the whole concept of sin and lead a saintly life. We should never think of the holy name as pious activities, but serve it wholeheartedly. And we should preach the glories of the Lord to the faithful. “In a word, Bhaktivinoda Thakura is telling us to get serious. He almost seems to be telling us to give up all material responsibility, take voluntary poverty, and chant from morning to night. If we cannot do that, then we have to work for the essence of it. We have to free our lives from as many material entanglements as possible, depend on Krishna, and chant His holy names. This was the life recommended to Mrgari by the sage Narada. “The ten offenses are severe handicaps, so we have to be serious to overcome them. The prescription is to surrender. Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes, “‘If one is sufficiently greedy for attaining pure devotion, he will chant free from the ten offenses. He must diligently avoid each of the offenses with feelings of deep repentance for having ever committed them. He should pray sincerely at the lotus feet of the holy name and chant with determination. Only then will he be blessed with the mercy of the holy name, which will destroy all of his offenses. No other activity or penance can possibly exculpate his offenses. “‘Offenses to the holy name of the Lord are dissolved solely through constant chanting. When they are thus destroyed, they can never reappear. Constant chanting means, apart from a minimal time for rest and other bare physical necessities, one should chant throughout all hours of the day with intense contrition. No other penance or ritual is as effective as this. When the offenses are destroyed, the pure holy name blossoms within the heart. The pure holy name of Krishna delivers bhava and finally prema’ (HNC, pp. 91-92). “Of course we thrill to Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s statement that we should chant with intense contrition. Perhaps we have the right idea when we are feeling sorry about our inattentive chanting and think that we are not making any progress. Now let’s just go deeper into our feelings of unworthi-ness. We should not complain about our poor chanting just for the sake of complaining, but with a willingness to get beyond the dryness and the inattention. To go deeper, we have to be willing to plunge into our feelings of inadequacy and approach intense contrition. Then we will be able to chant constantly.”   • Email to a friend • •   Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SIMPLE TEMPLE Here you can download the ebook Simple Temple that describes a caring devotional community in Mumbai: http://www.sendspace.com/file/wyw4rr   • Email to a friend • •   Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Toronto's Ajamila Das In the News in San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Current) Ajamila Dasa leading kirtan. Behind, Gunagrahi Swami and his belltree. Live & Local: Ashram 5 Monks at G.I.G. on the Strip By Enrique Lopetegui The Hare Krishnas have mellowed out. Long gone are the fundamentalist pointing fingers, the stalking at the airports, the scandals. And from the beginning of their call-and-response percussion-led chants, or kirtan, the night of May 1 at the G.I.G. (the second monthly installment of the devotionals they’ve been presenting along with several other local, secular singer-songwriters) sent a loud message: the Hare Krishnas are finally in San Antonio, the only major city in the United States that so far has resisted their presence (legendary Vishnujana Swami tried in the early ’70s, with little success). While last month’s kirtan was fine but not perfect, this time the devotees and spectators gave a lesson of how a kirtan should sound. In the kirtan world you have the professionals who make a living of it (Krishna Das and Jai Uttal are my favorites); then you have the devotees who live for it and never charge a cent. Gunagrahi Swami (an American-born, Argentina-based celibate guru who performs and preaches around the world) belongs to the latter group, and he was fine singing and playing a couple of tubano drums inside G.I.G. Still, it was a Canada-based Bengali devotee named Ajamila who stole the show. His voice is the typical Bengali voice: pitch-perfect, melodious, and sweet, but with character. He knew when to speed up and when to slow down, and he communicated perfectly with the Swami. The group was completed by Advaitacarya Dasa (a Croatian devotee who leads the San Antonio temple) on mrdanga (an Indian two-headed drum), Edhani Dasa on kartalas (cymbals), and local singer-songwriter Kimberly Cotton also on kartalas. They all played for about an hour, dividing the kirtan into two non-stop 30 minute sets. For the first one, they started very slowly singing the pranam mantras (prayers to their guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who brought the chanting to America in 1965), and went on with prayers for Krishna and all present, ending in a growing chant-and-response of the maha-mantra, or “the great chant of deliverance”: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. (Krishna and Rama are two names for God, and Hare is the name of the female pleasure potency, or hladini shakti, of Krishna. In other words: God, the woman.) The crowd was divided into the enthusiastic participants (dancing and playing cymbals, tambourines, or just clapping their hands), the respectful observers, and a handful of bystanders who exited quickly. But the kirtan was strong and, after furiously peaking at the 30-minute mark, gradually descended into a subtle percussion fanfare, to start all over again. This time, it began with the om namo bhagavate vasudevaya prayers (obeisances to Krishna, “the son of Vasudeva,” sung before holy scriptures are read). Why the Swami (who used to be a professional musician) used western drums instead of mrdanga, only he knows. He’s obviously a good percussionist in the academic sense (he knows how to put his hands on the skins, and he was playing an Indian pattern in an AfroCuban style), but why not just use a mrdanga? Call me a purist, but the mixing of East and West unavoidably dilutes the power of kirtan. If he thought, “I could play a bucket, but this guy Ajamila is going to steal the show anyway,” he would’ve been right. Article at: http://sacurrent.com/music/story.asp?id=72368   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Sivarama Swami: Dhira Bhakta dasa, Gyongyosi Angel and B. Fernando ask questions H.H. Sivarama Swami: Dhira Bhakta dasa, Gyongyosi Angel and B. Fernando ask questions May 4th, 2011 Among others, about the value of school preaching, sacrificing time meant for children for sadhana and teaching devotees martial arts. Among others, about the value of school preaching, sacrificing time meant for children for sadhana and teaching devotees martial arts. [ 13:05 ] One Response to “Dhira Bhakta dasa, Gyongyosi Angel and B. Fernando ask questions” Dhira Bhakta Dasa says: May 7, 2011 at 9:16 pm Dear Maharaja Thank you for your kind and thoughtful answer Humble Yours Dhira Bhakta Dasa H.H. Sivarama Swami: Dhira Bhakta dasa, Gyongyosi Angel and B. Fernando ask questions   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Sivarama Swami: Remembering the appearance day of Gadadhara Pandita H.H. Sivarama Swami: Remembering the appearance day of Gadadhara Pandita May 4th, 2011 Skype conference with Russia devotees, May 3 (Russian/English) [ 32:15 ] H.H. Sivarama Swami: Remembering the appearance day of Gadadhara Pandita Skype conference with Russia devotees, May 3 (Russian/English)   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana "The treasure of divine love in Goloka Vrindavana has descended as the congregational chanting of Lord Hari's holy names. Why did my attraction for that chanting never come about? Day and night my heart burns from the fire of the poison of worldliness, and I have not taken the means to relieve it." (Ista-deve Vijnapti in Prarthana by Narottama Dasa Thakura). Please, have the darsana of the beautiful faces of Their Lordships while praying and continually asking Them for Their mercy so that you will be more and more attracted to chanting the Holy Names of Lord Hari.   • Email to a friend • •   Book Distribution News: One of the "fruits" of Grand Canyon SKP: Hare Krsna Prabhus, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. The following is a letter sent to Ganapati Swami who has been distributing books at the colleges in the USA for four decades and is one of my siksa sankirtan gurus, a great soul. Vijaya das Hello, Hi, I'm Pierre, I'm a french guy. I just found your email address in one of my pants pockets printed on a small card. I'm sure you don't remember me, but I do remember you. Last summer in August I met you at the Grand Canyon, there you gave me a beautiful book, the BHAGAVAD GITA. I just wanted to thank you for the great gift you've given to me. Today I'm a new man, my life has changed. I've not finished the book yet, I'm reading it slow because I appreciate each word, and I hope that I'll never finish it. Thank you.   • Email to a friend • •   Gouranga TV: (HD) Queensday Harinama Amsterdam 2011 (HD) Queensday Harinama Amsterdam 2011   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: Fixing On One Point Today I heard a lecture by Giriraj Swami from a very nice Japa retreat. He was talking about the principle of focusing on one point to control the mind. He spoke about how our eyes tend to wander as we chant and this causes the mind to wander also, following the path of the eyes. Today I tried this method - I focused on one point and chanted my rounds like this and it worked! My mind remained fixed and I was able to hear the Holy names properly. Please try this method and you will be surprised by the results. All glories to the chanting of the Holy names of the Lord!   • Email to a friend • •   Vraja Kishor, JP: Internal Purity? शृण्वतां स्वकथाः कृष्णः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनः । हृद्यन्तःस्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत् सताम् ।। १७ ।। नष्थप्रायेष्वभद्रेषु नित्यंभागवतसेवया । भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके भक्तिर्भवति नैष्थिकि ।। १८ ।। śṛṇvatāḿ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. (17) naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaḿ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī (18) “Discussing Kṛṣṇa in a humble and loving mood is the best thing to do, it is the main practice of devotion. It impels Kṛṣṇa to purify his dwelling place, your heart. As the heart becomes more pure, one engages even more attentively and fixedly in this practice of devotion.” The above quote (Śrīmad Bhāgavat Purāṇa 1.2.17 & 18) describes the progress of divine love from the third to the fifth stage. The third stage of divine love is Practice. Above all, the primary way to practice divine love is by “hearing and chanting” about the beloved, Kṛṣṇa. This quote says that discussing Kṛṣṇa in a devotional mood, full of humility and love, is the most auspicious way to practice divine love. This auspicious practice – the third stage of devotion – stimulates the fourth stage of development: Purification. When we lovingly discuss Kṛṣṇa, his presence in our hearts resonates more and more loudly and brightly. Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate purity, so the amplification of his presence in our hearts stimulates our spontaneous internal purification. As we become more pure, our practice of divine love comes more into the fifth stage of development. It becomes more deep, sincere, attentive and steady. In a word, it becomes more Fixed.     • Email to a friend • • More Recent Articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Wednesday 4 May 2011--We've Got This Message Through--and--How to Attain Complete Surrender? The Loft, Auckland, NZ: The Fire Of Desire H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.18 Understanding Reality H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.18 Can’t Win, Can’t Break Even H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.1 Healthy And Nice

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