Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Romapada Swami - SB 10.2.15 - Dealing with Reversals

Planet Iskcon 2 may 2011

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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 32 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Monday 2 May 2011--Saving the Entire World from Misery--and--What Should Be Our Goal of Life? ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Angry Birds™ Yoga – How to Eliminate the Green Pigs in Your Life, Part I Gaura Yoga, NZ: Come Hear an Ayurvedic Master! H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.20.16-17 Higher Consciousness Will Make Us Happier H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.5 Understanding & Practical Manifestation Of Surrender Japa Group: Engage The Mind Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Romapada Swami - SB 10.2.15 - Dealing with Reversals Deva Gaura Hari, AU: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.60.36 Brisbane, Australia Mukunda Charan das, SA: Prashadam H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.1-2 Full Absorption In Krishna Consciousness New Vrndavan, USA: Long-range Community Vision & Planning ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Sunday Feast Live! David Haslam, UK: You Never Forget 7 Bury Place Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Easter Yoga Retreat in Pandavas Paradise Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Thoughts on the Royal Wedding - "The purpose of life is to enjoy". H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 297—Poem for May 1 H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: "Kirtan Unites" Syamesvari dd: The Flute and the Holy Name Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Gosh Plants Early Tomatoes H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sudha Mehta, asks ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Bhajan - Bhakti Rasamrita Swami ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhurijana Prabhu and Bhakti Rasamrita Swami ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhurijana Prabhu Dandavats.com: Maharani dd (aka Poly Styrene) departs Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: The Intersection-Faith And Freedom Dandavats.com: Krishna-Avanti Primary Free School, Leicester seeks a Qualified Classroom Teacher Gouranga TV: Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana Dandavats.com: New Orleans Rath Yatra Festival- 21st and 22nd May,2011 Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Monday 2 May 2011--Saving the Entire World from Misery--and--What Should Be Our Goal of Life? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Monday 2 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: Saving the Entire World from Misery Uploaded from Kaunas, Lithuania The entire human population has been captured by illusion and is thus being exploited in the worst possible way. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has inaugurated the sankirtana movement 500 years ago in India just to save the suffering humanity from its precarious pitiable condition. This movement is based on chanting the holy names of God. Now this sankirtana movement has been spread all over the world by the profound mercy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We are inviting all compassionate people throughout the world to join with us in the mission for saving the entire world from misery. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu the Great Inaugurator of the Sankirtana Movement http://www.backtohome.com/images/Krishna/Caitanya.jpg Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: What Should Be Our Goal of Life? What should be the goal of our life: serving mankind, our nation and nature, or living in Braj-Vrindavana, or something else? N.S. Answer: Surrender to Krishna, the Root of Existence The ultimate goal of life is to fully surrender to Krishna. Anyone who does this is automatically the best servant of mankind, his nation, and nature. This is so because just as when you water the root of tree all its leaves and branches are nourished, in a similar way when you give your love to Krishna, who is the root of all existence, your love is automatically fully distributed in the best possible way to all living beings wherever they may be. Such a soul who is fully surrendered to Krishna possesses enlightened spiritual vision and is thus always living in Braj-Vrindavan no matter where he may be living within this material world. 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. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed:http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought Sankarshan Das Adhikari on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SDASITE Thought for the Day on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ultimate-Self-Realization-Course-tm/115602131855817 Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. 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 • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Srimad Bhagavatam 12.5.5 - The faults of Mayavada philosophy can be easily defeated with strong Vaisnava arguments (...ghata-patiya murkha tuni bhakti kanha jana).   • Email to a friend • •   Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Angry Birds™ Yoga – How to Eliminate the Green Pigs in Your Life, Part I This is the first part of the “Angry Birds™ Yoga” series. Other parts will be published in the upcoming days. The Yoga Masters of yore would often derive lessons from common events of village life and nature. Gone is village life and hardly anyone gets to live in nature, so where should we look to for those important life enhancing yoga teachings? Well, Angry Birds™ of course! What does each bird really represent? What are those green pigs? What is the hidden meaning of those different blocks? What is the slingshot? All this will be revealed, and your path to enlightenment and a blissful life made clear. Angry Birds™ is the world’s most popular mobile game and was developed by Rovio Mobile Ltd., with over 50 million downloads by late 2010. In it you have to use different kinds of birds, propelled by a slingshot, to break apart bricks of different materials, to eliminate green pigs! Who would have guessed that behind this bizarre scenario lay gems of wisdom! Yoga is an ancient path of wellbeing, both physical and mental, and ultimately a path of enlightenment, that continues to rapidly grow in popularity throughout the world. The ancient texts of the “Yoga Sutra” and “Bhagavad-gita” are the most famous in the tradition, but others, such as the Upanishads and the Srimad Bhagavatam (or Bhagavata Purana) are studied by those seeking a richer understanding. to be  continued…   • Email to a friend • •   Gaura Yoga, NZ: Come Hear an Ayurvedic Master!   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.20.16-17 Higher Consciousness Will Make Us Happier H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.20.16-17 Higher Consciousness Will Make Us Happier SB 10.20.16: During the rainy season the roads, not being cleansed, became covered with grass and debris and were thus difficult to make out. These roads were like religious scriptures that brāhmaṇas no longer study and that thus become corrupted and covered over with the passage of time. SB 10.20.17: Though the clouds are the well-wishing friends of all living beings, the lightning, fickle in its affinities, moved from one group of clouds to another, like lusty women unfaithful even to virtuous men. SB 10.20.16-17 Higher Consciousness Will Make Us Happier 2006-01-05 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.20.16-17 Higher Consciousness Will Make Us Happier 2006-01-05 Melbourne H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.20.16-17 Higher Consciousness Will Make Us Happier   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.5 Understanding & Practical Manifestation Of Surrender H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.5 Understanding & Practical Manifestation Of Surrender SB 10.9.5: Mother Yaśodā then embraced Kṛṣṇa, allowed Him to sit down on her lap, and began to look upon the face of the Lord with great love and affection. Because of her intense affection, milk was flowing from her breast. But when she saw that the milk pan on the oven was boiling over, she immediately left her son to take care of the overflowing milk, although the child was not yet fully satisfied with drinking the milk of His mother's breast. SB 10.9.5: Madre Yaśodā abrazó a Kṛṣṇa, dejó que Se sentase en su regazo y, llena de amor y cariño, se entregó a la contemplación del rostro del Señor. Su cariño era tan intenso que de sus senos comenzó a fluir la leche. Sin embargo, cuando vio que la leche que hervía en la cocina estaba a punto de salirse de la cacerola, dejó inmediatamente a su hijo y acudió a atender el fuego, aunque el niño no había satisfecho plenamente Su deseo de beber la leche de Su madre. SB 10.09.05 Understanding & Practical Manifestation Of Surrender 1997-09-03 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.9.5 Understanding & Practical Manifestation Of Surrender 1997-09-03 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.5 Understanding & Practical Manifestation Of Surrender   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: Engage The Mind Hare Krsna dear devotees. Here is a very beautiful prayer so the mind can engage in the proper activities related to the Lord. O my dear mind, in order to attain the direct service of Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari, who are always entranced by amorous desires, and the service of Their eternal associates, one should drink the pancamrita described by Srila Rupa Gosvamipada. This pancamrita is ambroasial nectar comprised by the following ingredients of service: 1) Arcana, worship of Sri Yugala 2) Sankirtana, chanting the glories of Their names, forms, qualities and pastimes 3) Dhyana, meditating upon Them 4) Pranams, offering loving obeisances to Them 5) Worship of Sri Govardhana daily in accordance with precepts of bhakti. Sri Mana Siksa - Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami your servant, Aruna   • Email to a friend • •   Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Romapada Swami - SB 10.2.15 - Dealing with Reversals http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ClassesAndBhajans/~3/yEi3xz0L8yk/801-Lecture-Romapada-Swami-SB-10.2.15-Dealing-with-Reversals.html Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Romapada Swami - SB 10.2.15 - Dealing with Reversals Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Text 15 titled "Dealing with Reversals" given by Romapada Swami.   This series of lectures was given during the 2011 TP/GBC Meetings held here in Dallas.  Dallas, TX 2011-01-29 TRANSLATION SB 10.2.15: When the child of Devakī was attracted and transferred into the womb of Rohiṇī by Yogamāyā, Devakī seemed to have a miscarriage. Thus all the inhabitants of the palace loudly lamented, "Alas, Devakī has lost her child!" PURPORT "All the inhabitants of the palace" includes Kaḿsa. When everyone lamented, Kaḿsa joined in compassion, thinking that perhaps because of drugs or some other external means, Devakī had undergone this abortion. The real story of what happened after Yogamāyā attracted the child of Devakī into the womb of Rohiṇī in the seventh month of Rohini's pregnancy is described as follows in the Hari-vamsa. At midnight, while Rohini was deeply sleeping, she experienced, as if in a dream, that she had undergone a miscarriage. After some time, when she awoke, she saw that this had indeed happened, and she was in great anxiety. But Yogamāyā then informed her, "O auspicious lady, your child is now being replaced. I am attracting a child from the womb of Devakī, and therefore your child will be known as Sańkarṣaṇa." The word yoga-nidra is significant. When one is spiritually reconnected through self-realization, one regards his material life as having been like a dream. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.69): "What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage." The stage of self-realization is called yoga-nidra. All material activities appear to be a dream when one is spiritually awakened. Thus yoga-nidra may be explained to be Yogamāyā.  Download: 2011-01-29 - Romapada Swami - SB 10.2.15 - Dealing with Reversals.mp3   • Email to a friend • •   Deva Gaura Hari, AU: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.60.36 Brisbane, Australia SB 10.60.36: Your movements, inscrutable even for sages who relish the honey of Your lotus feet, are certainly incomprehensible for human beings who behave like animals. And just as Your activities are transcendental, O all-powerful Lord, so too are those of Your followers. Download mp3 <?php print $node->field_mp3[0]['view'] ?>   • Email to a friend • •   Mukunda Charan das, SA: Prashadam What Is Prashadam? Krishna is the Supreme Lord (isvara) and the Supreme Enjoyer (purusa).  The living entity, or the jiva, is the enjoyed (prakriti).  It is the jiva’s eternal function to serve God.  That is called sanatana-dharma, or ’eternal religion’.  We are all servants of God. Since Krishna owns everything, it is only proper to honour His proprietorship by offering everything back to Him.  The Bhagavad-gita describes the process of sanctification of food in the Bhagavad-gita – patram puspam phalam toyam/yo me bhaktya prayacchati/tad aham bhakty-upahrtam/asnami prayatatmanah – ‘If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it’.  Sanctified foodstuffs are called prasadam (the ‘mercy’ of the Lord). Being the Supreme Proprietor of everything and the Supreme Master, He does not require our meagre offerings. The Lord does, however, accept our devotion.  Krishna is bhava-grahi, which means that he accepts the intent behind our offering.  It is, therefore, essential that our offerings are imbued with love for Him. Offering Food To Krishna  The process of offering foodstuffs to the Deity of the Lord in the Temple is restricted to brahmana initiated Vaishnavas. Everything should be offered to the Lord.  Therefore, a simple process for offering foodstuffs to the Lord is prescribed for the uninitiated.  Such offerings are made before pictures of one’s personal guru, Srila Prabhupada, the disciplic succession and various Deities of the Lord. Vaishnava Kitchen Etiquette Our kitchen should be clean or suci.  The cooking paraphernalia of a suci kitchen is the exclusive property of the Lord.  The Lord also has a separate plate with various thalis (bowls) that He eats from.  Strict devotees make sure that their own condiments (spoons, cups and plates) are not mixed with those reserved for the Lord.  This generally means that our own condiments and those reserved for guests are not stored in the kitchen. Devotees do not taste food until it has been offered or eat from the Lord’s pots or with the Lord’s cooking equipment.  If the Lord’s equipment is used by mistake, it is considered contaminated and should not be used cooking or offering to the Lord again.  The act of eating, which is considered unclean, is also prohibitted in a suci kitchen.  We do not use the sink to wash our plates or hands after eating.  The kitchen sink is for washing vegetables, running water for cooking and for cleaning the Lord’s pots.  Devotees generally wear shoes reserved kitchen use only (‘kitchen shoes’) as a further standard of cleanliness.  Women generally cover their hair while cooking (which also applies to men with long hair). The cook should, ideally, be suci or clean.  On the strictest level this means that cook should have showered and should be wearing clean cloth.  If you eat, evacuate, go outside or enter a toilet then you are considered ‘dirty’ again.  If you touch your eyes, nose or ears you should wash your hands (in a suci basin outside the kitchen, not in the toilet!).  Women should not enter the kitchen while they are “off the altar” (ie. during their monthly period).  We are also considered contaminated if we take rest for longer than 45 minutes.  If we do so, and we want to follow the highest standards of cleanliness, then we should take bath and get into some fresh clothes. Three Important Factors In The Preparation Of Offered Foods: Cleanliness, Quality of Ingredients and Good Consciousness I read an interview one of Prabhupada’s female chefs in a Back To Godhead magazine where Prabhupada emphasized three important factors in the preparation of devotional offerings – cleanliness, quality of ingredients and consciousness.  We have covered cleanliness to some degree.  We should use the best quality foodstuffs if we can.  If possible, we should use organic vegetables, pure cow’s ghee, non-irradiated spices, sea salt or pure salt.  Ideally, we should grow our own fruit, vegetables and shrubs for Krishna and milk cows bred exclusively for the pleasure of the Lord.  This is not always possible in modern cities.  Soya, mushrooms, cakes made with flour, bread and canned foods are not offered to installed Deities in the Temple.  They can, however, be offered to pictures of the Lord at home (in the case of mushrooms they should be growing naturally in a field, not on stool).  Krishna does not accept offerings of onions and garlic. The quality of our consciousness is also very important when preparing foodstuffs for the Lord.  Our consciousness should be spiritual.  How do we achieve this?  We should, if possible, be chanting a minimum of 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.  Our kitchen should be clean, like the altar of our Temple.  We should not cook if we are in bad consciousness (for example if we are angry or feeling lusty thoughts).  We should listen to spiritual discourses or devotional music and only discuss spiritual subject-matters or subjects related to our cooking service with the other cooks.  We can also chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. A Simple Food Offering The following is a very basic method of offering, usually within a devotee’s kitchen or on a simple altar with pictures of the Lord.  In a more sophisticated Temple set-up, the devotee would close the curtain of the alter while offering food, and perform a more elaborate ritual before offering food to the Lord. Devotees perform acamana (pronounced ‘achamann’) before the process of offering.  Acamana is a purificatory process involving mantras and the sipping of water from an acamana cup and acamana spoon.  (This process need not be followed by beginners).  The devotee takes the acamana spoon in his right hand and pours three drops of water on the same right hand.  The devotee then pours three drops of water on the left hand and chants ‘Om keshavaya namah’, then sips the water from the base of the palm of the hand.  Having done this, the devotee pours three drops of acamana water on the bell and then takes the bell in his/her left hand.  The bell has to be rung while the mantras for offering are recited.  The bell is only stopped when the final mantras have been chanted.  Devotees usually take off their socks, aprons and head-coverings when offering bhoga to the Lord. Devotees do not feel themselves qualified to offer foodstuffs directly to the Lord.  The devotee, therefore, offers the food to the Spiritual Master, all the time reciting the Spiritual Master’s mantras.  The devotee then offers the food to Lord Chaitanya, reciting Rupa Goswami’s prayers (namo maha vadanyaya).  The devotee finally offers the bhoga to Radha and Krishna, reciting the relevant mantras.  While offering the bhoga to Lord Chaitanya and Radha-Krishna, the devotee thinks himself the servant of his guru and understands that his guru is actually performing the offering.  The offering will be offered from disciple to guru, through the entire guru succession, until it finally reaches Krishna. The following mantras are recited three times before the pictures of (1) Srila Prabhupada; (2) The Pancha Tattva/Gaura-Nitai; and (3) Radha-Krishna: 1.  Prayers To The Spiritual Master (Srila Prabhupada Pranati) nama om vishnu-padaya/krishna-presthaya-bhutale/srimate bhaktivedanta/svamine iti namine – ‘I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet’ namas te sarasvate-deve/gauravani-pracarine/nirvesesa sunyavadi/pascyata-desa tarine – ‘Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Goswami.  You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism’ 2.  Prayer To Lord Chaitanya (Sri Gauranga Pranama) namo maha-vadanyaya/krishna-prema-pradayate/krishnaya krishna-caitanya/namne gaura-tvise namah – ‘O most munificent incarnation!  You are Krsna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.  You have assumed the golden colour of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna.  We offer our respectful obeisances unto You’ 3. Prayer To Lord Krishna namo brahmanya-devaya/go-brahmana hitaya ca/jagad hitaya krishnaya/govindaya namo namah – ‘Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krishna, who is the worshipable Deity for all brahminical men, who is the well-wisher of cows and brahmanas, and who his always benefitting the whole world.  I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Krishna and Govinda.’ hare krishna hare krishna/krishna krishna hare hare/hare rama hare rama/rama rama hare hare On reciting these mantras the devotee humbly beseeches the Lord to accept these offerings, ‘Please, my Lord, accept these offerings from Your servant.’  The devotee then stops ringing the bell, and leaves the altar room.   The devotee then bows at the side of the altar.  The Lord may now accept the devotee’s offering. Filed under: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Arcanam, ISKCON, Spiritual Life, Vegetarianism Tagged: bhagavad-gita as it is, chaitanya mahaprabhu, hare krishna maha mantra, postaweek2011, prabhupada, prashadam, pure vegetarian, sanatana dharma   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.1-2 Full Absorption In Krishna Consciousness H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.1-2 Full Absorption In Krishna Consciousness SB 10.9.1-2: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: One day when mother Yaśodā saw that all the maidservants were engaged in other household affairs, she personally began to churn the yogurt. While churning, she remembered the childish activities of Kṛṣṇa, and in her own way she composed songs and enjoyed singing to herself about all those activities. SB 10.9.1-2: Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continuó: Un día, al ver que todas las sirvientas estaban ocupadas en otras tareas domésticas, madre Yaśodā se puso a batir el yogur ella misma. Mientras lo hacía, recordaba las actividades infantiles de Kṛṣṇa, y disfrutaba cantando acerca de todas esas actividades con canciones que ella misma componía. SB 10.09.01-02 Full Absorption In Krishna Consciousness 1997-08-30 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.9.1-2 Full Absorption In Krishna Consciousness 1997-08-30 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 10.9.1-2 Full Absorption In Krishna Consciousness   • Email to a friend • •   New Vrndavan, USA: Long-range Community Vision & Planning 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.  One of the main topics of discussion during the meetings was the long-range planning for New Vrindaban. The result of the discussions is the formation of the Community Vision and Planning Team.  Three devotees, Soma dasa (Chairman), Dayavira dasa, and Gaura Shakti dasa have agreed to serve on the Community Vision and Planning Team. The team received two mandates at the management meetings. The first mandate for the Community Vision and Planning Team is to survey all the full-time residents of New Vrindaban, as well as many pilgrims and guests.  “Srila Prabhupada’s vision is that New Vrindaban is a place of pilgrimage in the Western world,” said Soma.  “Therefore, New Vrindaban must offer facilities for the people who visit the holy dham.” The data from the surveys will be analyzed and then combined with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions for New Vrindaban.  The main points that Srila Prabhupada stressed are cow protection, sustainable agriculture, simple village life, a place of pilgrimage in the West, a place of higher learning, and above all a place for people to develop their love for Krishna. The second mandate for the Community Vision and Planning Team is to design a long-range plan for New Vrindaban.  “Right now, the team is studying how other communities go about long-term planning,” explained Soma.  “After choosing an appropriate model, we will engage as many devotees as possible in the design phase, and also hire professionals as necessary.” “The potential in New Vrindaban is unlimited,” said Soma enthusiastically.  “Therefore, it will require the input and expertise of many people.  I urge everyone to come forward to offer assistance to the Community Vision and Planning Team.” If you have any questions or you would like to offer any specialized skills for the design phase, please contact Soma dasa at Soma108@gmail.com or Vijaya Radha devi dasi at VijayaRadha108@gmail.com.   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Sunday Feast Live!   • Email to a friend • •   David Haslam, UK: You Never Forget 7 Bury Place So at times we need to hear practically how Krishna never let’s go; well those who took association way back in the early days of ISKCON at Bury Place may look and wonder what about those who came, so many but how many made it a life time mission? I know for sure and can [...]   • Email to a friend • •   Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Easter Yoga Retreat in Pandavas Paradise We had a beautiful yoga retreat during the Easter Holiday here in Pandavas Paradise, from the 20 to the 24th of April. The retreat was made special by the presence of a group of Spiritists from the north-eastern coastal city of Natal. This musical and educational group is the Spiritist equivalent of a Nama Hatta that gets together almost every day (!), to chant devotional hymns and perform charity work. Their main philosophy is Christian Spiritism (Allan Kardec), but they have lately been expanding their horizons and now call themselves Universalists. Thus, they were very eager to learn more about Krishna consciousness. They also took to japa very seriously and especially loved kirtan, since they practice it almost every day in their own way. Not only were the people from this group serious spiritualists, but, this time, it so happened that just about everyone else on the retreat was too, something normally found only in our bhakti devotee retreats. Add to that delicious prasada and amazing weather and we had the perfect ingredients for a beautiful retreat. Here are some pictures of our walks. My wife, Carana Renu, is getting more and more inspired in her photography (and she also just got a new wide-angle lens). She took amazing pictures. Here the guests are enjoying one of our waterfalls. It’s becoming a tradition now for guests to enjoy the therapeutic effects of a natural mud bath. It leaves your skin very soft. (It also makes for hilarious photos!). Here are the guests enjoying Mahavira Kunda, so named in honor of Mahavira Prabhu (ACBSP), a great friend and mentor of mine, and one of the major pioneers of the Hare Krishna movement in Brazil. The guests always love the prasada, and this group were especially gifted in their abilities to consume large quantities of it! (What is it with being more spiritual that makes you eat more prasada?). The prasada was mostly prepared by Manjari DD and our dedicated assistant Dani (in the picture above). At night I Iectured on different themes of Krishna consciousness to an attentive audience. We had a couple in charge of the yoga classes: Premananda DD and her husband Rafael – Iyengar style. Here are some of the comments left by our guests: “In one sentence? An unforgettable and transforming experience. Without a doubt I can sum up all these days in Paradise with this sentence and, in it, include everything: the wonderful place, Mother Nature in all her forms, the temple and the prayers which touched me profoundly, the hospitality, the wonderful cooking and, for course, the enlightened people, which, I’m sure, were carefully chosen to be together in this retreat. Thank you all for the opportunity of getting to know you. Everything was really special and transforming for me.” – Natália, Natal-RN “The dictionaries explain that the word ‘paradise’ comes from the Persian word meaning a walled garden. The meaning and tone of words change through the centuries. Thus, paradise lost its walls and went from the terrestrial plane to the celestial Eden, but it left a fragment here in the Cerrado. A piece big enough to remind us that magnificent nature and good-hearted people help us find our inner paradise. Thank you.” – Márcia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. “In a simple way, I can say that this was a transformative experience, the kind we remember for a long time and carry with us for the rest of our lives! I’m profoundly grateful for everything! I hope to come back soon, in another yoga retreat or a vegetarian cooking retreat, because I confess that the prasadam was unforgettable. : )” – Andrea, Brasilia-DF. “My stay there was divinely enchanting. Charana’s voice still rings in my ears and my heart. I want to come back as soon as possible” – Giovana, Brasilia-DF “It was a very pleasant surprise participating in this yoga retreat in Pandavas Paradise. I felt like all of us were part of one big family. Everyone’s mood and vibes seemed very harmonious and left me very relaxed, in peace and at home.” – Rosa, São Paulo, SP Click here to see lots more amazing pictures from the retreat.   • Email to a friend • •   Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Thoughts on the Royal Wedding - "The purpose of life is to enjoy". Princess Kate and Prince William. Picture from the 'Royal Wedding' In the last week we have been surrounded by comments, news and anticipation of the Royal wedding. In our time zone it meant that many people were rising at bramha muhurta but instead of  participating in spirtual activities they were participating in sense enjoyment and the illusion that somehow they were "part of the royal wedding". Although we did not partake in the actual "live" coverage, it must have certainly been full of pomp and pageantry and of course got the recap in the news.  As Srila Prabhupada states, "So one has to take his birth in a nice family or in nice nation, good education, good looking, nice opulence.... Janmaishvarya-shruta-shrih [SB 1.8.26]. Janma means to take birth in good family, good nation, and aishvarya, opulence, very rich. Janmaishvarya-shruta. Sruta means knowledge, education. And shri, and beauty." So this position, opulence and capability is very nice. And for many people in the west and most people we know personally to one degree or another they have "nice nation, good education, good looking, nice opulence". So what is the difficulty?   Srila Prabhupada said the pupose of life is to enjoy. But then Srila Prabhupada said the problem is that we don’t know that our real enjoyment is found in serving the reservoir of all pleasure, Krishna. The real purpose of Life is to make spiritual advancment and ultimately go Back To Godhead. So of course it is nice that Prince William and Princess Kate have so much facility with many people ready to serve them.  It is our wedding wish that they also have time to discover real enjoyment in life which is serving the reservoir of all pleasure Krishna. And we should all remember that although not to the same degree, we in general have so much facility as Srila Prabhupada talks about and this actually gives us added capability to enjoy life. But "real enjoyment" does not come from sense enjoyment but from serving Krishna and His pure devotees.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 297—Poem for May 1 www.sdgonline.org. 5:20 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 1 Dina-dayardra writes me from Italy. He had been yearning to enter the gopi-manjari bhava. I cautioned him to pray for humble purification and the siddha-svarupa will be revealed. He acknowledges this but quotes from Prabhupada that the specific narration of rasa-lila will purify the heart of sex desire. He is old now and cannot chant with his vocal chords. Sacinandana Swami visited and assured him he can do internal chanting, and he gave a class on the universal language of the heart which was appealing to Dina-dayardra. Narayana did not come up this morning, he’s not feeling well, but Baladeva brought the dictaphone and the book excerpts for the Web. Our ashram is a quiet monastery where everyone is up chanting early. It’s peaceful and active with writing and reading, and I’m satisfied to live here without moving to Ireland or Italy. The routine is sufficient throughout the day and night. Lord Caitanya is teaching Rupa Goswami that in santa- rati there is no intimacy, just contemplation on the impersonal and localized Paramatma, appreciation that God is great. In dasya- rati there is active service to the Person, as Hanuman did so gloriously. In sakhya-rati there is equality and more confidence. Sometimes the boys climb on Krishna’s shoulders and sometimes He climbs on theirs. My song today is moving in a simple way. I improvise here to tell you that I’m alive and feeling well. Worshiped my Deities with not much meditation but fixed concentration on Their Forms in my eyes. The muse is not calling me on an extraordinary ride, and I have to be satisfied with the music of the day and the chirping of the neighborhood birds and the chill outdoors of darkness.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS www.sdgonline.org. From In Praise of the Mahajanas and Other Poems (1983) “Lord Kapila, Son of Devahuti “Lord Kapila was a golden-haired Vishnu-avatara, whose mother and father were far from ordinary souls. When Kardama left home for a renounced vow, Lord Kapila gave to Devahuti His ambrosial words and now all hearers may share her great fortune. By analysis, Kapiladeva counted twenty-four and more elements in life. Tallying the five, earth, water, fire, air, as well as sky, and then the  subtle, like mind, intelligence and ego, He said we must find a twenty-fifth element, the spirit-soul, and the twenty-sixth requirement is the Supersoul. It is Lord Krishna who makes the elements appear and by Kapildeva’s count we see what is matter, what is spirit, and where is God. “He told how the soul comes into the womb where there is hardly any room to breathe and he grows in miserable stages. After birth, he passes through the human ages at each step pain for every soul that fell, until he dies and is dragged to hell for further suffering (no peace in the tomb). Eventually, he is born into another fitful womb. “After His discourse, Devahuti praised Him by rapturous description of His holy name: ‘O how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name.’ Kapiladeva replied in gravity that His mother should take up the path He had described. What is hard becomes easy when we follow His words. “Constant remembrance, as attained by Devahuti, is still possible today, freedom from the pangs of matter, transcendental bliss, attainment of the goal, eternal residence with Him, by hearing from the mahajanas. From Srila Prabhpada Samadhi Diary “We stride in past a group of Indian visitors. They watch us bow down and take our seats in the rear of the samadhi. We know our purpose in coming here. They don’t make full dandavats to your golden form, but we do. Yet how deep does it go? Is my striding in and out of your mandir just a show? I pray you’ll accept me as sincere. “What do you think of the Samadhi Mandir, Srila Prabhupada? In your last days, you asked only that the hole be dug and the proper ceremonies and procedures take place. I don’t think you gave any instructions as to what kind of a memorial building should be made. The devotees decided to do it in grand style, but it bogged down over a decade of delayed construction. Now it is almost completed. I think you like it when many devotees gather here as they did this morning, and when visitors come and go during the day. You did not want people to worship you; you wanted people to worship Krishna. If you could serve the Supreme Lord as His representative and collect ‘taxes’ as the king’s viceroy, you were willing to do that. Thus you have written in your purports to convince us of the topmost position of the founder-acarya of this Krishna consciousness movement. “When you left us in New York City in January 1967, we felt keen separation. You wrote back from San Francisco that the main association with the spiritual master is by hearing and following his vani. You said that if we felt too much separation, we could put your picture on your sitting places. These days gave us the first indication of what we now experience all the time. “Then, your separation was only for a few months; now it’s much longer. “A poor, skinny man begs Madhumangala to give him caranamrta. Madhu does so gladly. Workmen are making noise and talking loudly on the mezzanine. A female cinema star is warbling over a loudspeaker somewhere, complete with badly-played violin. And you sit here, golden Srila Prabhupada. Of course, I must not think that you have to endure the noise. You are transcendental, like the Supersoul who sits even in the beast’s heart but is never affected. You are present in the Samadhi Mandir in a mysterious way. I come here to be strengthened by your association. “Prabhupada, ISKCON has some strange characters, and I am probably one of them. Let us be gentle with each other. One devotee just sat and had his picture taken with his back to your altar—he sat at your feet. When the photographer did something wrong, the devotee got angry, clapped his hands, and shouted in annoyance in Spanish. An Indian family watched all this with interest. I was worried that they would get a bad impression of ISKCON devotees, but when the Spanish devotee left, the Indians also sat just as he did and had their picture taken by a member of their family. This too is a way to observe a visit to your Samadhi Mandir. At least they want to be seen sitting beneath you: ‘I was there with Prabhupadaji.’” From Niti-Sastras: Sayings of Canyaka and Hitopadesa as Quoted by Srila Prabhupada “Translation: Whatever one has in his possession had better be spent for the cause of sat, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because one cannot take his possessions with him at death. “Commentary: “This point is elaborated on by Lord Kapiladeva in the Third Canto chapter, ‘Description of Adverse Fruitive Activities:’ “He goes alone to the darkest region of hell after quitting the present body, and the money he acquired by envying other living entities is the passage money with which he leaves this world. “In the purport to this verse, Prabhupada explains that when a man earns money by unfair means, and then maintains his family with that money, his family members enjoy the money, but the man goes to hell alone. His family members may get a little reaction for their father’s illicit activities, but the father will be especially punished. “The result of material enjoyment is that one takes with him the sinful reaction only, and not the money. The money he earned is left in this world and he takes only the reaction. In this world also, if a person acquires the money by murdering someone, the family is not hanged, although its members are sinfully contaminated. But the man who commits the murder and maintains his family is himself hanged as a murderer. The direct offender is more responsible for sinful activities than the indirect enjoyer. The great learned scholar, Canakya Pandita, says, therefore, that whatever one has in his possession had better be spent for the cause of sat, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because one cannot take his possessions with him. . . . The best use of money as long as it is within our possession is to spend it to acquire Krishna consciousness. “Devotees usually ask the following questions whenever moneymaking is discussed: how do we spend money in Krsna consciousness? How much of our income should be spent on spreading Krishna consciousness? “These questions are important for anyone who has to maintain himself and his family, and yet at the same time, who wants to practice Krishna consciousness. No one wants to become entangled in sinful reaction. “These important questions are details and can be worked out one way or another. First, we have to accept the truth of this Niti-sastra verse. If we have a desire to free ourselves from the karma of keeping material possessions, we will find a way to free ourselves. The spiritual masters in disciplic succession are practical and don’t make impossible demands on their householder disciples. Individually, devotees can decide how to divide their earnings according to their family’s needs, their ability to save for emergencies, and the needs of the Krishna consciousness movement. Rupa Gosvami set the example for how to divide our earnings when he left his government service and went to meet Lord Caitanya. “I had my first experience of sacrificing for an eternal purpose when I met Srila Prabhupada. First, I purchased the three volumes of the First Canto from him. Later, I continued working at the welfare office and gave him all my earnings. I also donated whatever savings I had, about $600. I was not rich when I met Srila Prabhupada, but I learned to give up whatever I had. Not only did I give up the money, but I gave away my dream of using the money to leave the squalor of New York City life and to move somewhere green, maybe an island off the Canadian coast, and write. As soon as I met Prabhupada, I could see he needed money, and gradually, I began to give him some of mine, twenty dollars here, forty dollars there. Finally, I took out the remaining savings—about $400—and brought it all to him. Reflecting on that later, I wrote a little haiku poem: “’My life saved, I gave him my ticket to hell.’”   • Email to a friend • •   Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: "Kirtan Unites" Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: "Kirtan Unites" Estatic kirtan video. At around the 2:30 mark onwards you will see HH Bhakitmarga Swami dive into the crowd and then join other souls chanting the Maha mantra estatically. Earlier this year my dad and I wento see Maharaj in the hospital after he had hernia surgery and there was a brief discussion about an upcoming program and I liked what he said...."kirtan unites". As they say...proof is in the pudding...and the pudding is as sweet as Krishna's name! (written by Indresh) http://radhashyamasundar.com/2/post/2011/05/kirtan-unites.html   • Email to a friend • •   Syamesvari dd: The Flute and the Holy Name " The vibration of His flute is just like a bird that creates a nest within the ears of the gopis, and always remains prominent there, not allowing any other sound to enter their ears. Indeed the gopis cannot hear anything else , nor are they able to concentrate on anything else, not even to give a suitable reply. Such are the effects of Lord Krsna's flute." ~ Lord Caitanya to Sanatana Goswami The vibration of Krsna's flute is always prominent in the ears of the gopis. Naturally they cannot hear anything else. Constant remembrance of the holy sound of Krsna's flute keeps them enlightened and enlivened, and they do not allow any other sound to enter their ears.   Since their attention is fixed on Krsna's flute, they cannot divert their minds on any other subject. The vibration of Krsna's flute is represented by the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.   A serious devotee of the Lord who chants and hears this transcendental vibration becomes so accustomed to it that he cannot divert his attention to any subject matter not related to Krsna's blissful characteristics and paraphenalia.   ~ Purport to CC Madhya Lila, 21.144     • Email to a friend • •   Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Gosh Plants Early Tomatoes Here the average last frost date is May 7th, the “safe” date is May 15th and that is the  normal time we target  most of our tomato seedlings for transplant into the garden. We do start some earlier, an early variety which this and last year was Red Alert. This comes into bearing faster than most varieties. Vidya grows them on into a 4″ pot instead of the smaller cells we do the most of them into so they get bigger earlier. Yesterday, April 30th,  I put 3 of them out. The hope is to have tomatoes by the 4th of July, while most varieties come into full bearing  later in  July or August in our climate. I put  a half cup of worm castings with them when transplanted and removed the small lower leaves, burying the stem deeper than where it was growing. Tomatoes are one of the exceptions to the rule of transplanting to the depth plants grew in the nursery, as they will sprout roots all along the buried stem. Before transplanting we set the plants in a container with water enhanced by liquid seaweed. The seaweed lessens transplant shock. Of course, we harden off the seedlings before transplanting. Here they are after their first night in the garden. Today is cloudy and transplanting on cloudy days or the evening before makes the transition from pot to garden soil a little easier. Lets them settle in and get a lsome new root growth before having to deal with full sun and the increased demand for  transpiration. Even in sunny weather we transplant in the evening so they at least have the night before dealing with the sun. The broccoli I also set out has no protection and doesn’t really need any for normal weather this time of year unless there is a hard killing frost when I would cover with some floating row cover. The seaweed does give some frost hardiness to plants, even tomatoes which I have seen with frost on them in the past once and they didn’t burn like regular tomatoes, and it was after seaweed treatment. A light frost for sure but even a light frost will toast a tomato normally. These methods are sometimes known as season cheaters, as the season becomes longer and yields can go up by using these tricks. Filed under: Cows and Environment   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sudha Mehta, asks H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sudha Mehta, asks H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sudha Mehta, asks “I read from Prabhupada’s books that eating non vegetarian kills mercifulness in human being. We know that revered souls like Mother Teresa and Florence Nightangle etc. were not vegetarians but still they did so much for humanity. Will they go back to godhead? I also know many good people who are non-vegetarians. What about them?”   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Bhajan - Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Gauranga Tomi More - O Lord Gauranga, please don't withold Your mercy from me   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhurijana Prabhu and Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Srimad Bhagavatam 12.5.5-13, 12.6.1-10 - Srila Sukadeva Goswami's final instructions to Pariksita Maharaja and his departure from an assembly of sages.   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhurijana Prabhu Class give on 30-5-2011 Srimad Bhagavatam 12.5.4 - The actual self, the soul, is distinct from the body.   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Maharani dd (aka Poly Styrene) departs Parasuram das: HG Maharani dd passed away last Monday 25th April. Known to millions of people as Poly Styrene from the band X-ray Spex. Her body was battling cancer