miércoles, 8 de junio de 2011

ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Vraja Krsna Prabhu









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"Planet ISKCON" - 46 new articles

  1. H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Wednesday 8 June 2011--My Eternal Spiritual Master Saved Me--and--How Can We Fall from the Spiritual Sky?
  2. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: 12 Hour Kirtan
  3. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
  4. 16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Bhakti-Yoga- In Search of a Lost Love
  5. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Vraja Krsna Prabhu
  6. 16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Don’t Cry
  7. 16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Mad Milk for a Mad World
  8. 16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: The Ism Schism Game
  9. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Sunday, June 5th, 2011
  10. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, June 4th, 2011
  11. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday, May 30tth, 2011
  12. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, May 15th, 2011
  13. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, June 3rd, 2011
  14. H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 334–Poem for June 7th
  15. H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS
  16. Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: He Inspires and is leading a sankirtan revival.
  17. Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Krsna's special favor for those who take risk
  18. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  19. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  20. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  21. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  22. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  23. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  24. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  25. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  26. Mukunda Charan das, SA: Darshan Of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Sri Nrsimhadeva And Sri Sri Pancha Tattva At ISKCON Mayapur
  27. 16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Let’s Get Real for a Minute
  28. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 5.1.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn’t Like Criticism 2011-05-23
  29. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.32.26 Verse Only
  30. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 4.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism
  31. Japa Group: Present Before Us Personally
  32. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: PERSONAL STRENGTHS PROFILE
  33. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: LIFE-TRANSFORMING QUESTIONS
  34. H.H. Sivarama Swami: The substance of accepting a spiritual master
  35. Bhakti Lata, Alachua, USA: Atlanta Panihati Photo Essay
  36. H.H. Sivarama Swami: If I were no longer a GBC I would string garlands for the deities
  37. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: POSSIBILITIES
  38. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHAT GITA COACH DOES?
  39. Australian News: Slideshow of Melbourne’s Mahaprabhu Mandir: Don’t miss it
  40. Deva Gaura Hari, AU: A Moderate Muslim Country
  41. ISKCON News.com: Update: ISKCON Bangalore Moves Case to Supreme Court
  42. Gaura-shakti Kirtan, Toronto, CA: Criss-Crossing Across the GTA for Kirtan! Oh, What a Day!
  43. H.H. Sivarama Swami
  44. Matsyavatara das (ACBSP), Italy: How to build up constructive and lasting relationships. By Matsyavatara dasa (Marco Ferrini)
  45. Japa Group: The Mood Of Chanting
  46. Gouranga TV: 12 Hour Kirtan Madhava
  47. More Recent Articles
  48. Search Planet ISKCON
  49. Prior Mailing Archive

H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Wednesday 8 June 2011--My Eternal Spiritual Master Saved Me--and--How Can We Fall from the Spiritual Sky?

A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Wednesday 8 June 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: My Eternal Spiritual Master Saved Me Uploaded from Mauritius I will forever, literally for all of eternity, remain the subordinate servant of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is by his causeless mercy that I have been restored to my original pure identity as a servant of Krishna. For countless eons I was lost in the cycle of birth of death sometimes thinking myself to be a demigod, sometimes a human, sometimes a plant, and sometimes an animal. But now, by the pure loving kindness of Srila Prabhupada I have been freed from my prison sentence in this material existence and allowed to re-enter into the divine association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. How can I ever repay the debt I owe to Srila Prabhupada? It is impossible. Therefore I must simply serve him for all of eternity as a small token of gratitude for his having saved me from the unlimited miseries of material existence by bringing me into the most blissful, ever-expandingly more exciting adventure of Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Srila Prabhupada With Sankarshan Das (standing directly behind Srila Prabhupada) (Photo is from the early 1970's) http://www.backtohome.com/images/Personal/Prabhupada-SD.jpg Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How Can We Fall from the Spiritual Sky? Thanks for all your answers daily. I appreciate all your efforts in helping people to become Krishna conscious. I am trying my best to live a Krishna conscious life and hope I will have your blessings. How to understand that we, the living beings, could ever fall from the spiritual world? In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 3.16.26 Srila Prabhupada explains: The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiritual world, or Vaikuntha planet, for it is the eternal abode. But in a lecture he gave on the Bhagavad-gita on 6 August 1973 Srila Prabhupada states: "We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." I am bit confused by this. Can you please enlighten me in the right direction? AK Answer: We Only Dream That We are Not There You most certainly always have my blessings for your rapid advancement in Krishna consciousness. I am trying my best to awaken the sleeping souls of this planet to their actual identities as the eternal servants of Krishna, but when someone wants to remain asleep it is difficult to awaken them. Even though the two statements you have quoted appear to be contradictory, they are nonetheless both true. Such a phenomenon is known in philosophy as a paradox. Instead of thinking that one statement is correct and that the other is incorrect, we have to understand how both of them are true. You are wondering how we could have fallen from Vaikuntha if no one falls from Vaikuntha. The answer is that both statements are true. We simply have to understand from the authoritative statements of Srila Prabhupada how both of them are true. Srila Prabhupada has explained this paradox as follows in his answer to a question by a disciple, Bhaktijana Das. This question was answered at the end of a Caitanya Caritamrita Lecture given on 18 February 1967 in San Francisco: You are liberated. You are liberated. Simply just a cloud has covered you. Drive away the cloud. There is no question that you were ever (conditioned). You are ever-liberated. That, the sky is always spiritual, but it is sometimes overcrowded with cloud, this maya. This is called maya. Actually, you are not conditioned. You are thinking. Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream. Don't you sometimes dream that tiger is eating you? Is there any tiger? You are simply thinking. So if you keep in Krishna consciousness, that nonsense thinking will go away. Therefore we have to keep ourselves always in Krishna thinking so that this dream will never come. If you are always awakened, then dream never comes. So keep yourself always awakened by Krishna consciousness. In other words, no one really falls from Vaikuntha. Instead we have simply entered into a dreamlike condition in which we think ourselves to be somewhere else. We are dreaming ourselves to be in this material world. That's all. When we awaken from this dream by reviving our dormant Krishna consciousness, we will see that actually we were in Vaikuntha, the spiritual world, the entire time, that we never left the Lord's resplendent kingdom. We will then pick up where we left off. We will resume our activities as intimate associates of the Lord in His unlimitedly astonishing transcendental pastimes. 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/Ultimate.Self.Realization 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:

 
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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: 12 Hour Kirtan

12Hr

 

Here is a slideshow of the 12Hour Kirtana that was organised by Caru Caitanya Prabhu, Acyuta Nanda Gaura Hari Prabhu and all the fired-up devotees of the Western suburbs on Easter Sunday.

To activate the slideshow, please click on the play button at the bottom, on the first thumbnail of the photos.

 
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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana

Lord Jagannatha and His immediate entourage steal the show once again.

08/06/2010

In his book: 'The Pastimes and History of Lord Jagannatha in Rajapur', Pankajanghri Prabhu reveals to us that "Lord Jagannatha is the Master of tricky, playful and loving pastimes with those who serve Him, who pray to Him, who interract with Him in a personal way.
His reciprocation is swift, clear and an impetus for His devotees to love Him more and more. Who can resist such a Person?!"

And who can resist His darsana?!

 
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16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Bhakti-Yoga- In Search of a Lost Love

If the love one offers is met with hate, it doesn’t die, rather it manifests in the form of compassion. That is universal love. It is not just a sentiment. It cannot be manifested merely by a shift in mental disposition. It can only come from inner cleaning, an inner awakening. This inner cleansing is the goal of all spiritual practice.

Mother Nature is always speaking. She speaks in a language understood within the peaceful mind of the sincere observer. Leopards, cobras, monkeys, rivers, and trees; they all served as my teachers when I lived as a wanderer in the Himalayan foothills. They shared with me the kind of lessons that elevate the spirit.

One particularly illuminating lesson from the forest comes in the form of the Himalayan musk deer. The musk deer is referenced in Sanskrit poetry and philosophy owing to its peculiar behavior. Prized by the perfume industry for its exceptional aroma, musk is one of the world’s most expensive natural products, fetching more than three times its weight in gold. The aroma of musk is so alluring that when the stag’s sensitive nose catches wind of it, he roams the forest day and night in pursuit of its source. He exhausts himself in a fruitless quest, never realizing the bitter irony: the sweet fragrance he was chasing resided nowhere but within himself. Musk, you see, is produced by a gland in the stag’s very own navel: it was searching without for what was all along lying within.

Radhanath Swami

The sages of India found in the musk deer an apt description of the human condition. We are all pleasure-seeking creatures wandering a forest of some sort — replete with pleasures and perils alike. Moreover, we are prone to the same type of folly as the deer: we seek our happiness externally. Misconceiving our true needs, we wrongly equate our fulfillment and self-worth with possessions, positions, and mental and sensual thrills. We are often drawn into superficial relationships which hold the promise of lasting satisfaction, yet leave us feeling empty.

The true treasure lies within. It is the underlying theme of the songs we sing, the shows we watch and the books we read. It is woven into the Psalms of the Bible, the ballads of the Beatles, and practically every Bollywood film ever made. What is that treasure? Love. Love is the nature of the Divine. Beneath the covering of the false ego it lies hidden. The purpose of human life is to uncover that divine love. The fulfillment that we’re all seeking is found in the sharing of this love.

The power of love is most profound. It has various levels. In its crudest sense, the word love refers to acts of physical intimacy, and its influence over society is obvious. But on a deeper, more emotional level, not simply of the body but of the heart, there is no greater power than love. For the sake of money and prestige, one may be willing to work long hours, weekends, even holidays. A mother’s love, on the other hand, is selfless and unconditional. There’s nothing she won’t do for the well-being of her child, and she asks for nothing in return.

When love is pure it has the power to conquer. Lover and beloved conquer each other by their affection. The source, the essence, the fullest manifestation of love’s conquering power is the love of the soul for the supreme soul, or God. The sages who authored India’s sacred texts found that the most astonishing of all of God’s wonders was His willingness and eagerness to not only be touched by our love, but to be conquered by it. The cultivation of that dormant love is called the path of bhakti (devotion). This love is within all of us. It is the greatest of all powers because it is the only power that can grant realization of the highest truths and the only power that can reveal the deepest inner fulfillment in our lives. On the strength of this love we can overcome envy, pride, lust, anger, and greed. There is no other means of conquering these diseases within us.

One who loves God sees everything in relation to God. Therefore their love flows spontaneously toward everyone, at all times, everywhere. They even love those who wish them harm. If you love God, you can’t hate anything or anyone. If the love one offers is met with hate, it doesn’t die, rather it manifests in the form of compassion. That is universal love. It is not just a sentiment. It cannot be manifested merely by a shift in mental disposition. It can only come from inner cleaning, an inner awakening. Then that love becomes the reality of life.

This inner cleansing is the goal of all spiritual practice. Every prayer offered, mantra chanted, or ritual performed should be for the purpose of removing the impurities which impede the full blossoming of unconditional love and compassion. This is the only way to peace, both individually and collectively. When our intrinsic love is awakened and our divine qualities shine through, we will not only find the pleasure we’ve been seeking but also become powerful agents of change in the world.

We are all searching, roaming the forest like the musk deer, seeking the pleasures without. When we recognize what we are really looking for and begin searching for the lost love within, at that point, the real journey of human life begins.

 
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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Vraja Krsna Prabhu

Srimad Bhagavatam  12.9.1-6 - Sri Krsna's illusory energy can bewilder anyone from atheistic scientists to great demigod Lord Siva, muhyanti yam surayah.

 
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16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Don’t Cry

When typing my seminar “There is No Death,” Sadanandi Dasi, my secretary, suddenly stopped and asked me in her innocent way, “Will you write a poem for me when I have gone and send it to everyone who is dear to me?” Well, with a lot of pain in my heart, I sat down today, only three days after her departure, and wrote this poem for her. In it I try to see things from Sadanandi Dasi’s perspective and say to you what she would say. I pray that she is pleased by it and so are you.

Don’t Cry

If you see me on the day of my death
laying with a pale face in the cold coffin,
don’t cry.

Do you cry when the shell of an oyster breaks
and the pearl rolls free?

Do you lament when the struggle is finally over
and the butterfly leaves the dead cocoon?

This is only one of the evenings of my life.
The sun has set in the west
but somewhere it will rise again
announcing the dawn of a new birthday.

Maybe I have even joined
the dance divine
on the sandy banks of the Yamuna River
in the deathless world.

By Sacinandana Swami

 
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16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Mad Milk for a Mad World

Now They are Inserting Human Genes In Cows’ DNA

You already know that the processed milk sold in shops remarkably differs from the cow’s original gift of love. Now, clever scientists want to distort the miracle food even more. They do this by cloning cows—altering them by inserting human genes into their DNA. The process entails implanting genetically modified embryos of dairy cows into surrogate mother cows.

Since not every woman nurses her children, and formula milk for babies is known to be an inferior substitute, biotech investment money senses a market. The scheme? By scrambling the DNA of cow embryos with human genes, a “supermilk” will flow—concocted to have all the goodness the cow’s udder gives plus the high quantities of key nutrients a woman’s breast provides.

The research leader says, “For the ‘human-like milk’, 10 years or maybe more time will be required to finally pour this enhanced milk into the consumer’s cup.”

The lab reveals they have built up a herd of around 300 cows that are able to turn out “humanized cow’s milk.” Described in the scientific peer-reviewed journal “Public Library of Science One,” these transgenic animals, as they are called, physically resemble normal cows.

Tucked away in China, where the biotech laws are lax and the controversy zero, the experiments continue, while the rest of the GM food world waits. The scientists involved have, so far, managed to produce three generations of altered cows, but commercial production of the cow-human milk would require much larger herds.

In two particular trials, of 42 modified cows birthed, 26 died—10 immediately after birth and another 6 a few months later.

Biotech scientists throughout the world readily accept that the cloning technology used in genetic modification can affect the development and survival of cloned animals. The admitted scientific mystery, though, is why.

Insisting that the “human-like milk” is as safe as that from ordinary cows, the director of State Key Laboratories for AgroBiotechnology certifies its flavor: “The [concocted] milk tastes stronger than normal milk.” The medium and long range affect on the cows, humans, and nature? Unknown.

Trust them.

The invisible hand of the market economy and its ethics, monitored by the virtuous politicians we’ve elected, will see us through.

 
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16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: The Ism Schism Game

The Squabble for Religious Affiliation

Earth Day, San Diego, CA, 2011. Waling around Balboa Park, my eyes look upon a myriad of signs, leaflets, and banners, all proclaiming first hand all-exclusive truth. I walk around the bend to see a gruesome display of real-life abortion photographs with shouting Pro-lifers fending themselves off from the Pro-choicers who warn people of the extremists that lie beyond. As I continue to walk through the park, I see familiar big-bellied ex-prisoner looking, militant Born-Agains…

They wear big dark “Terminator” shades, sleeveless T’s, long scruffy beards, and hold signs which inform others of a place called “HELL”, pointing their fingers at anyone who seems not to surrender to their prophetic order and make the cut of “redemption”.

Meanwhile, upset, justice-seeking liberals spew their bleeding-heart rhetoric with the strong conviction of having the one and only ultimate solution; propagating that all religions, beliefs, and lifestyle become “right” simply for the sake of incurring peace, inferring that liberality and tolerance is itself the higher truth of life. They plead with us that objective truths must be ignored if it doesn’t lead to mutual co-gratification of each other’s ideals, if we ever hope to achieve a living utopia under Democratic rule.

CHOOSE YOUR FAITH

It seems like every group wants you to become a member and support their cause, doesn’t it? “Become a feminist, become pro-lifer, become a Christian, become Green, become a democrat, become this, become that, and most importantly become like us…”

But why should we? And more importantly what happens to our life after when we do?

I mean you have to pick ONE right? You have to check all the little boxes next to your correct race, your political views, your stance on certain pressing issues and then ultimately you have to choose only ONE of the boxes for your chosen “faith”, which is basically just one of many different “belief systems” out there, right? This is how religion works in today’s world, doesn’t it?

Isn’t that what religion today is about, just a name-tag on your list of hobbies, another “ism” to throw up on your Facebook page? Put up your cosmetic spiritual affiliation and once the obsequious adulation is done and over, you are able to move on to all of your empirically real needs, interests, and hobbies. This way we avoid feeling guilt by securing ourselves a spiritual insurance policy. You never know, there could always be a slight chance that there is some kind of God who is going to stand before us and judge all of our actions after death. Right?

That is precisely the problem here.

Some guy at a concert shouting, "Satan's music" at Kenny Chesney fans.

 

Maybe the crux of the confusion regarding religion today is too much concern with religious affiliation and not actually understanding the philosophies of the religions themselves. It is neither religion nor the diversity thereof that is the source of most conflict; it likely is our denigrated approach to it.
In America today, it is as if we have completely forgotten what place spirituality is supposed to have in the life of a human being. We have taken it out of its proper place to guide us in making important decisions, choosing life values, and more importantly allowing it to serve as an anchor for grounding our everyday lifestyle into a sane, objective reality. Rather, it has become simply a one-day weekend retreat from an otherwise materialistic lifestyle.. Out of such frustration due to a lack of clarity, authenticity, and consistency in the presentation of religion today, most of us have become so frazzled that the liberal view of accepting all paths at once seems quite palatable.

On second hand, personally as much as I like to have a cake, spaghetti, and salad dinner topped-off with a milkshake, I wouldn’t dare to mix them together in one pot and pretend to feel the same satisfaction as seeing them in their original forms as compliments to each other, which is similar to the attempt of New Agers who try to end the perpetual conflict of the fundamentalist orthodoxical religious confusion. This personally doesn’t appeal to me as a viable solution, because there are obvious objective truths that an intelligent person cannot ignore. Therefore, we should be more concerned with developing a conscious awareness of objective truths, and not overly concerned with relative religious affiliations. Ironically, the development of true spiritual understanding could actually make it possible.

“People are encouraged by TV, media, and magazines to be that shallow. They are encouraged to accept religion for name’s sake and spend the rest of our time concentrating on politics, economy, and the American dollar.”

THE CAUSE OF ALL CAUSES

“Krishna” refers to the original cause of all causes. Krishna is the supreme intelligent underlying principle of life that exists within and without everything in this manifested universe. As pearls on a necklace are held together by an unseen thread, all energies in nature are acting and operating according to the direction of a supremely intelligent director. That is the most rudimentary understanding of Krishna Consciousness.

To paint a picture of a rose flower, we have to take a brush, mix the colors on the palate, and exhaust our brain to make the picture look beautiful. But in a garden, you see not only one rose, but thousands of roses blooming and it is like they have been very artistically “painted” by nature. We should go deeper into this daily phenomenon and ask, “What is nature?” Nature is a working instrument. Without some sophisticated energy working, how could the rose bloom so beautifully? There must be energies at work, but it acts so effortlessly and imperceptibly that we cannot see or understand how it is happening.

The energies of life seem to be working alone, but actually there is a cosmic intelligence behind them. When you see a painting, everyone can understand that there was an intelligent living being that was the cause of it. Similarly, a real rose is also worked out by several energies, with an intelligent being as the creative force behind it all. Don’t think that the rose has been created automatically. Nothing is created automatically. The rose is created out of the energies of Krishna, but these energies are so subtle and perfectly composed that a nice flower can bloom overnight. So, Krishna is that brain behind nature’s modus operandi.

Therefore, when we talk of Krishna Consciousness we are talking about an actual educated vision of reality. And speaking of religion and roses, does not a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Does it matter what you call it, as long as the subject under discussion is the same?

SPIRITUALITY DEFINED

We must understand that life is spiritual in nature and not simply chance chemical interactions. Spirit by definition means the animating principle of existence. Now-a-days people use the word to indicate a feeling or belief, as in “I feel spiritual today” or “This belief of mine is a spiritual one”, but spirit by definition refers to that living energy which is responsible for animating the physical body with the symptoms of life.

When the living spirit soul, which is the actual personality and observer, is residing inside a body, the body is called alive. When the living spirit soul leaves the body, which is nothing more than a combination of material elements, the body is called dead. That is the difference between a living body and a dead body. The living force is what we actually are, not a body made of flesh and blood. As long as we reside in this body, it appears to move and is animated, but when the two energies, material and spiritual, become separated it becomes observable as death of the body. The body ceases to subsist in the absence of that superior spiritual energy – the soul.

So, when we say the body is dead, does that mean the actual living entity inside has died? No, it is not possible, the body dies because it is made of matter and all matter goes through the three stages of creation, maintenance, and destruction, but the living spiritual energy is not material and therefore has no beginning and no end, it is eternal in nature.

We are eternal. We are not this body. The essential universal truth that all religions of the world have come to teach us is that our true identity is spiritual. Due to ignorance we have based our identity on our bodily designations. It gets worse when we bring that into the religious arena, which is the very knowledge that is supposed to free us from the materially biased conception of life altogether.

So, the problem is not diversity. The problem is our inability to fully understand these universal conclusions about the existence of spirit.

One soul is thinking, “I am a human”, another is thinking, “I am a mouse”, another is thinking, “I am a cat”, another living being is thinking, “I am a ferocious dog”. Amongst humans, someone is thinking, “I am American, I am Russian, I am gay, I am a conservative, I am a liberal”, etc. But pinch the body of the cat, pinch the body of the gay Russian, or cut the body of the old American conservative man and no matter who we think we are, we are all going to have something very big in common, we are all going to say “OWW that smarts! “ (Bow-wow respectively )

MODERN SPIRITUAL LAZINESS

The religious books of mankind are like road maps meant to bring our mind and intelligence to the universal conclusions about spirit and the source of the spirit. Today the problem is that people are standing around with the road maps in their hands, but are not actually going anywhere. In modern times people are filled with laziness. The fact that most Americans prefer to eat fast food, and keep a library of magazines in their bathroom really starts to tell you something about the American mentality. We want things fast and easy, so we can use our extra time to sit around and space out on trivia. So, does it surprise me that when it comes to religion there is a general unwillingness to buckle down and take the time to get serious and deep about the most important ontological questions of life?

Modern spiritual laziness culminates in the audacious attitude of those who claim and preach to others that they have arrived at the destination of spiritual consciousness simply by holding the road map (the religious book) in their hands. But, you can know when you have arrived at its destination when you can see the living spiritual force in all things. There are no cat-souls, dog -souls, and human-soul. The different bodies are simply different vehicles for the same spiritual living entity that is operating those particular bodies. So such people read the passage in the Bible about “do unto others” and then proceed to cut a leg off of a chicken, fry it up, and sit down to watch the “holy” Super Bowl.

People are encouraged by TV, media, and magazines to be that shallow. They are encouraged to accept religion for name’s sake and spend the rest of their time concentrating on politics, economy, and the American dollar. Do you really think that these people running the media parade have our best interest in mind? No wonder why people become atheists in this country. The absurdities committed in the name of spirituality, culture, and education today are mind-numbing.

In others words, what does simply calling yourself a Christian, Hindu, or Muslim really do for you?
If it doesn’t help you gain knowledge of the difference of spirit and matter, and detachment from the modern materialistic modus vivendi, (a.k.a the materialistic dance for dollars), then, frankly, all this so-called born-again status of any religion is useless.

It is simply some keen people adding some sprinkles on top of their real philosophy called Epicureanism in the name of religion. I guess it makes their psychological hedonism more digestible to the ego after adding their religious “Alcheseltzer” to the bar tab.

But real spirituality is learning to live and breathe it daily. It means reading the road map and having the guts to go on the journey by following the path. This is what makes you feel truly alive, because you are embarking on the ultimate adventure of human life; the quest for the truth of our origin.

Whether you are Christian, Hindu, Muslim, or whatever, those are great starting points but you have to use the road map that those religious affiliations give you and make it a real journey, and only after going on this journey can we truly see that the essence of these different paths is to bring us back to our original spiritual nature in union with all other living beings in service to the Supreme.

OM TAT SAT

ME? I AM JUST WATCHING YOU.

 

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Sunday, June 5th, 2011

Are we losing Our Attraction?

Vaughan, Ontario

At the work place of one of our members a large room designed specifically for a satsang program (spiritual gathering) was the venue for our chanting session. It was predominantly a Punjabi group. One elderly man, 92 years of age, posed a question:

"Is the movement of Krishna Consciousness losing it's attraction for the people of non- East Indian origin?"

My answer: "Certainly there is a great amount of enthusiasm experienced among Indian people for devotion to Krishna. It is natural for them, as Krishna devotion is inherent since childhood. The first people to take to this process when the Krishna movement started in the west were youthful Jewish and Christian Americans. Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, ignited this awareness with their help. However, in more recent years there has been, by circumstance, an emphasis towards catering to devotional immigrants.

"My particular observation is that the world is changing and that the novelty and wonder that Krishna Consciousness provided in the sixties somewhat waned. Our administrators in Krishna Consciousness haven't always stepped up to move with the world of changing attitudes. The interest in spirituality has always kept alive. The marketing has been weak.

"Recognizing this weakness a few thoughtful persons in the local area decided to take a fresh approach such as opening an Urban Edge Yoga Centre, offering vegetarian cooking classes, conducting intimate chanting groups and Gita classes geared towards a new audience. There has been some level of success in this endeavour. Some attendees at Urban Edge have taken to the process very seriously.

"There is hope for more international involvement."

After a rather full day of speaking, counselling, sharing and cleansing I lay down to rest at 11 PM, but I couldn't go to sleep. I couldn't understand, why the restlessness? It suddenly dawned on me. I hadn't walked, not even a few metres. I had taken a long ride from Ottawa. So I pulled off the bed covers and went for a walk until becoming tired.

7 Km

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, June 4th, 2011

Some Happenings!

Ottawa, Ontario

"How is your dharma doing?" asked the white-haired Caucasian man over the sound of our kirtan. Our small chanting processional group was stopped at a red light when the question come to my ear.

"Absolutely gone. I'm doing my dharma right now. And how is your karma?" I asked him.

"I guess I'll be coming back," he said admitting his succumbing to the world again through the process of reincarnation.

"That's what happens to us."

"How do you know for sure?" he was curious. "Can anyone testify to that?"

"There are those who have come back."

Half joking he said, "I'd like to meet them," when the light turned green permitting both pedestrian and motorists to move.

We were near the Rideau Centre and the market square of Ottawa when the exchange took place. It's always interesting to see and hear people's reactions. Also earlier on in the town of Russell, where Anthony and I stayed overnight, a japa walk got someone really inquisitive. Coming toward me from behind in this sleepy hollow town the motorist slowed down substantially to catch a view, forged ahead and did a U turn just to make sure he saw what he saw.

A second motorist stood arrested at a blinking red. There was no traffic whatsoever to wait for. Only until I got close enough did the driver make a 45 degree turn, then stop, rolled down the window and say, "Now you have a good day, eh!"

"I sure will, and you likewise."

If someone asks if I like this kind of attention the answer is a resounding, "Yes". It's not that I reek self-aggrandizement here. I'm not particularly photogenic. I'm happy people are taking notice to the tradition of renunciation. I believe it provokes thoughtfulness and inspiration.

17 Km

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday, May 30tth, 2011

Turns His Back

The Canadian Shield, Ontario

In his book, "Miracle On Second Avenue" Makunda Goswami quotes Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" :

... "Tis a common proof,

That lowliness is young ambition's ladder,

Where to the climber-upward turns his face;

But when he once attains the upmost round,

He then onto the ladder turns his back,

Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees

By which he did ascend."

This description of Mukunda's past of "turning his back... Scorning the base degrees" is very much the story of everyone's life who joined the Swami, Srila Prabhupada, in his Mission in the late sixties and seventies, myself included. In deliberation of past errors I personally feel very relieved to put sin behind and feel no compulsion to revisit it outside the occasional mental perusal.

As our drama/kirtan group drove back home via the Trans Canada Highway through some real vistas of splendour, of lakes, forests, and the most ancient rocks in the world I dwelt on the point Mukunda made. He shunned yesterday's illusions and looked to tomorrow's realities. Actually I have always admired Mukunda as an outstanding monk and devotee. Come to think of it, I have so many "cool" brothers and sisters. They are such savvy saints.

5 Km

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, May 15th, 2011

A Soul

Toronto, Ontario

He was about ten years my senior and as my pace for walking overtook him I had many questions and thoughts milling through my mind about him.

Is he homeless? No! He's dressed rather well to mediocre. He was hobbling. There was a sadness about him. His head was bent by the neck tilted to the side and almost resting on his chest as he walked. Something clinically not perfect here. I wanted to make eye contact, to offer at least a nod but he was set in moving ahead and didn't notice me. It wasn't really an aimless walk. In fact he forged ahead reather determinedly.

I meandered several streets chanting on my beads when I came upon him again. This time it was face on but he still didn't notice me. It seems he was on a wayward whimsical route as well. I looked back as he trailed his way down a lonely street with a hobble and his head buried to his chest.

It was night. Where was this soul going? I only imagined he has a history and a karma that is unique to anyone else. Whether it is to be shared or not who knows? It crossed my mind that he knew pain. I admired him though for his walking about -- this mystery man. "He's making the best use of his situation," I thought.

Krishna, please bless him. Bless him a lot. He may have no friends except for you.

6 KM

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, June 3rd, 2011

New Words

L'Orleans, Ontario


Here's a new word - "Prunch". It rhymes with "brunch" which means eating in between breakfast and lunch or late morning. Since those of us in the Vaishnav tradition eat sanctified food known as prasadam, we took the liberty to consider that time of day and the type of food we consumed to be called "prunch". It was delicious!

Anthony and I were hosted at the home of Kacper and Vraja in the town of Russell. Avocado and tomato salad wrapped in chappati bread, excellent kichari, a mung dahl with rice and veggies, also smoothies and mango. This kind of meal, this "prunch", means a lot to Anthony. It's not that he's on the spiritual trail as a food fiend. Being with him now for the last week has allowed me to understand that his affinity for Krishna goes beyond the cravings of the palate. He's keen with the philosophy, food, friends and realizes the natural phenomena of karma.

With walking through the town of Russell and hitting a bike trail, a former railway line, you could see signs all over the place; signs which read "Dump the Dump NOW!" Apparently the town is being proposed for a dump site and residents are not swallowing the idea. I spoke with Anthony and Kacper about karma being like trash. "You try to dispose of it but no one wants your dump. You have to take care of it yourself."

A second walk for me with the boys was along the Rideau River in Ottawa at Strathcona Park. Just before a great meal (should we call it 'prinner' instead of dinner?) Anthony spotted a black swan. It took our attention as it did a woman about 60, who started to converse with us. She had heard of kirtan and how it curbs karma.

Our evening led us to a community centre in L'Orleans run by a Transcendental Meditation group. They had completed their session of meditation when we sat in a circular fashion with invitees for kirtan. It began soft and low in pitch and gradually built up pitch level, volume and even the stance, from lotus pose to standing and dancing. It was a small group, nine of us but quality folks they were, to the exception of myself. Let's exercise modesty.

After kirtan we enjoyed snacks or pracks.

10 Km

 
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H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 334–Poem for June 7th

www.sdgonline.org. SDGonline Daily updates

5:27 A.M.

A Writer of Pieces

New format–I will begin with the 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 June 7th

I woke late after 3:00
and rushed into my rounds, was
still chanting when Narayana came
up, dispatched them before 5:00
not in the highest consciousness.

Vidura was qualified to inquire from
Maitreya. He was Yamaraja in a former
birth but was cursed by a sage. Yamaraja
said the sage should be pierced with a
lance because he pierced an ant as a child.
The sage thought this punishment was too
severe and cursed Yamaraja to take birth as
a sudra. But it turned out well for
Yamaraja, who was born as the son of
Vyasadeva, wed to a sudra maidservant.
He got all the benefit of being raised
in the royal Kuru family but
unlike Duryodhana and company he
became a great devotee of Krishna and
the Pandavas. He didn’t ask Maitreya
to first talk of the gopis but inquired
into the nature of creation.  This is
connected to Krishna-kathah because Govinda
is sarva-karana-karanam,
the cause of all causes. Maitreya
had been unsure where to begin,
but taking this hint from Vidura
he began speaking on the purusa-
avataras.

Narayana worked quickly so I
could get back to my japa but
we discussed the improvement in his
back and the fact that he had
gotten up early and finished most
of his rounds. And we
discussed how Baladeva had
done all of his shopping yesterday
including getting the seven-foot-
tall cedar fence to block out
our neighbors’ barbecue
and sunbathing scene.

I’ve summarized seven fiction
books for my autobiog and now
I’ll attempt some genre-
benders like Under Dark
Stars
and I’ll try to read
some of the big novel
Sanatorium and retell
the story of the censorship
Writing about my books as autobiog is natural because
they are the most important
part of my life, as much as
managing on the GBC
or being true to Prabhupada.

The poem is lively
filled with the song
of the instrumentalists.
They blow and I play
Krishna-centered thoughts
over them. I offer
incense to Radha-Govinda
and pray to Them to bless
me with the bhava
for the Divine Couple.
I don’t travel to festivals
but come to my Deities
and to my writing and
japa as service
performed in the
sankirtana movement of
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 
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H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS

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From Vrndavana Writing

Here is a verse from Vrndavana Mahimantra that catalogues the poet’s disqualifications. He means it. But despite all his lackings, he will take shelter in Vrndavana. Some wonder why spiritual persons still have so many faults. They prefer to go to sadhus who claim to have a deep taste for rasa. The fact is, a holy man sees his own faults; he’s good at that. It saves him at death. He takes shelter of the all-forgiving Lord. At least those sadhakas who still have faults need to admit them. Those who are completely pure admit faults they don’t have. They are trying to teach others.

“‘I, who am a great palatial mansion where the most painful sufferings of hell reside, who am arrogant, deceptive and shameless, who am bitten by the serpent named woman, who am not peaceful, who, deep in my heart, has love neither for Lord Madhava nor His devotees, who am dull and stunted, who has no power to understand the land of Vrndavana . . . who is not firmly fixed in celibacy, whose host of sins make it difficult for me to obtain the mercy of saintly persons, and who have other shelter, shall now take shelter of Sri Vrndavana.’ (V.M., Sataka 12.67-68)

“When Lord Caitanya wandered in the forests of Vrndavana, a male and female parrot appeared on a tree and began to speak. They spoke with intense rasa, the male praising Krishna and the female praising Radha. When our Lord saw the bluish necks of the peacocks, His remembrance of Krishna awakened and He fell to the ground in ecstatic love. Balabhadra, the Lord’s servant, sprinkled Him with water, began fanning Him and chanted the holy names. The Lord then gained outer consciousness and began rolling on the ground. He then ordered His friends, ‘Bol! Bol!’ and they chanted Krishna’s names. The Lord’s friends became anxious to protect Him because He was in uncontrollable ecstasy from one moment to the next. This is Vrndavana as it is, experienced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

“‘When Sri Caitana Mahaprabhu was elsewhere, the very name of Vrndavana was sufficient to increase His ecstatic love. Now, when He was actually traveling in the Vrndavana forest, His mind was absorbed in great ecstatic love day and night. He ate and bathed simply out of habit.’ (C.c. Madhya, 17.228-9)

“Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami says it is impossible to fully describe Lord Caitanya’s ecstatic manifestations while He walked through the forests of Vrndavana. We read it today and store it somewhere in our empty hearts for future reference. Don’t say I have no taste. I have very little taste. Lord Caitanya has all taste. For what does it matter who I am? Let us hear together of Lord Caitanya and Raghunatha Gosvami and those great saints to whom Vrndavana revealed all her secrets. They are our solace.

“Prabhodananda Sarasvati says the great souls who drink the nectar flowing in Vrndavana, have left us. ‘Now we are dead and can associate only with their names.’ He says they who became overwhelmed with prema when they saw the gunja-berries in Vrndavana,

‘who muddied the ground with their tears . . . have abandoned the world in Kali-yuga and attained Radha-Krishna’s lotus feet. Now we are left only with persons like ourselves. Now our hearts have become withered, dry, and we are no longer able to maintain our lives.’ (V.M., Sataka 12.59-61)

From Dear Sky: Letters from a Sannyasi

Dear Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhupada,

“Please accept my humble dandavats in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Gurudeva and Gauranga. I know I’m being presumptious to write to such a great acarya as yourself.  It’s one thing for me to write to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, because he lifted me out of maya and made me a devotee. But Prabhupada has said that the Six Gosvamis are our siksa-gurus, and that we may worship you by reading your books.

“Although I can’t understand philosophy very well (being an example of Kali-yuga, dull intelligence), I hear your teachings regularly. Your Sandharbas have been respoken in the teachings and writings of Bhakisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and my own Srila Prabhupada is his disciple.

“I’m writing in appreciation. Last night my friend Madhu and I read Sankalpa Kalpa Drumah and enjoyed hearing Krishna’s pastimes from you. I think of you more as a philosopher than a rasacarya like Rupa Gosvami or Visvanatha Cakravarti. But I know that you, Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhupada, are also full of the nectar of Krishna consciousness. You always give us the conclusions of Krishna consciousness according to the scriptures, and Krishna’s pastimes are revealed to you in your heart.

“May I recite for your pleasure a few of the things I particularly liked in your book? Sometimes in the verses you refer to Krishna as ‘your beloved Krishna.’ We know that Krishna is the beloved of Radharani and all the residents of Vrndavana, but in some verses, you include us, the readers of Krishna-kathah, and tell us about ‘your Krishna.’ Thank you for including us in that way.

“You said in one verse, ‘O Krishna, as the King and Queen of Vraja daily meditated on You, so we have given these pictures of You. We have not invented anything.’ (2.64) I thought, ‘Yes, that is Jiva Goswami assuring us that what he has given us is in no way concocted.’ I know you do this so that devotees who come after you, like ourselves, can defeat doubters and show that everything about Krishna is true reality backed by authoritative Vedic references.

“I like the sweet exchanges you describe between Mother Yasoda and Krishna, such as when she asked if she could come into the forest every day and cook for Him there. You have also given us some sweet verses on Srimati Radharani pining away during the hours when Krishna is in the forest and She has to stay at home. You describe how Srimati Radharani asked one of the eunuch guards in Her house to go to Krishna’s palace, find out what He was doing, and come back to tell Her. We have a nice narration by the guard, with many details of Krishna milking the cows, taking sweet rice for breakfast, joking and playing. Thank you for giving us all this nectar.

“This morning when I thought of writing a letter to someone,
your name came to mind spontaneously. I hesitated because you are such a grave personality. But then I thought, ‘If I decide I can’t write to Jiva Gosvami, then neither can I write to Rupa Gosvami or Raghunatha Gosvami, or Gopala-bhatta or Raghunatha-bhatta, or Gopala-bhatta, or Visvanatha Cakravarti, or any past acarya. Then I certainly can’t write to Krishna Himself.’ Therefore I decided not to waver but to write to the person who inspired me by his book, Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhupada. Please, therefore, forgive me for this presumptuousness. It is done out of affection and a desire to worship your lotus feet. I wish to be a follower of the Six Gosvamis by following Srila Prabhupada and serving in ISKCON.

“Although I’m talking childishly, I know that there is a serious link between us. We are in one spiritual family as followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All you great souls, who exist simultaneously in your nitya-lila as manjaris with Radharani and as pure devotees in Caitanya-lila, are always experiencing the greatest bliss. We wish to add to your bliss, if possible, by giving you the satisfaction of seeing that the works you left in this material world are not being neglected. They’re not being secretly kept by a few babajis in India. Neither are your works slowly rotting away on palm leaves, nor being destroyed by poor people who use them for fuel. Your works have been translated, reprinted, and repeated in essence through acaryas like Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and our Srila Prabhupada. As a result, we can all be strong in Krishna consciousness. Every day we use your examples as part of our regular preaching.

“I make repeated dandavats to you and all of the Six Gosvamis. I hope that you will allow me to speak to you on occasion. I will remind my friends that we may all approach our spiritual predecessors and that you accept our service and wish to bring us up to the standard of pure Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much.”


From The Worshipable Deity and Other Poems


Stanzas of Praise to Radha-Damodara


“To the devotees of Radha-Damodara, who inspire me to write of Their Lordships:

1.

“Golden Krishna, You
first appeared on a rock-opera road show
and gave people darsana on crowded city streets,
rode happily on a Greyhound bus all over the USA,
Your name linked in history
with brahmacari preaching.
Radha-Damodara, You are
living now on the Gita-nagari Farm,
as dancing, playful
Protector of the cows.

2.

“Gathered for mangala-arotik
are children, mothers, men–
it’s cold outside, dark A.M.
Inside, Radha-Damodara is
brighter than the warming sun.

3.

“The curtain behind You
is an inexpensive rug
pictured with peacocks,
Your throne, walnut, homemade,
seems fine to me.

4.

“See golden metal
or God’s forms sublime?
He’s Krishna,
but according to your mind
what you see
depends on your devotion.

5.

“Tomorrow again I will see You,
Queen and King,
unless I die tonight.
I doubt that will happen,
but tomorrow morning
will I fail again
to see You with love-anointed eyes?

6.

“Over the years I don’t have
a close relationship with You,
but I’d like to start now
with real feeling
and praise You in a hundred heartfelt stanzas
even though they are pure and of little form.

7.

“Radha-Damodara, I am living
in Your home,
in the last days of the year,
supposedly sick, but recovering.
All of us have but a few years
in which to attain pure devotion
to Your Lordships
so before it’s too late—I pray—
please help me.

8.

“You are too elusive for photos.
One has to come and see You in person.
Your eyes especially
defy the camera lights.
Even our eyesight is not enough:
we have to come in reverence and awe
to see Radharani
standing by Your side.”

(To be continued)

.


 
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Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: He Inspires and is leading a sankirtan revival.

Yesterday our home was blessed with the oppurtunity to serve 2 great Vaishnavas and senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada, Vaisesika Prabhu and Nirakula Mataji.
Last time he was in town my dad invited him and he was kind enough to remember. Shyama Mohini Mataji kindly made all the arrangements.

Vaisesika Prabhu has made a few trips to Toronto and has fired up sankirtan in the yatra. However, every time he comes my schedule does not match so with the exception of a bhajan night I did not get much association. So during his last trip I heard his discourse for the very first time and I could understand why he was inspiring so many to hit the streets with Srila Prabhupada and Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy. As a result there are a few young people that are organizing sankirtan so nicely that even  useless devotees like me can participate in Mahaprabhu's sankirtan movement.

It is not only inspirations that they are both at it so many years later but the mood is trancedental. So here is someone leading a sankirtan revival.

Sankirtan! Sankirtan! Sankirtan! It is the best way to serve.  Admin will always be there but it is glorious to see a sankirtan revival in the making. I think Srila Prabhupada would be very happy to see everyone out on sankirtan again...senior or junior; bold or meak; Indian or American accent; old or young; saffron or white; it just does not matter...at least when you are around sankirtan leaders like Vaisesika Prabhu!

~ Indresh
 
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Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Krsna's special favor for those who take risk

I am very glad to hear that Amogha is returning to Jakarta along with others for continuing our preaching work there. He may send me regular reports how work is going on. Krsna is always prepared to give special favor to His devotees who take special risk to spread His name in the far away places and who do not care very much for the comfortable surroundings. Thank you very much for helping me in this way.Letter to Madhudvisa and Amogha, 24th August, 1972 Now you are working very seriously and sincerely for Krsna, and you have taken great risk and courage to work in far off place on His behalf, so you may expect that He is giving you His all blessings at every turn and will continue to fix you up in the bliss of His devotional service more and more.Letter to to Amogha, 13th September, 1972

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1968 June 7: "It is Krishna's desire and blessings; as a Sannyasin, I should not fix up at a certain place and take your service comfortably. Krishna wants me traveling throughout the whole Western world. So don't mind very much that I have not received the permanent visa."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1968 June 7: "I'm going to London and if you all wish to come there, then you can prepare for the trip. If we can organize a nice Kirtana party and if we can travel in the European countries supported by our books and literatures, than I am sure it will be a great success for our missionary work."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1969 June 7: "So your main business should be to spread Sankirtana, becoming as tolerant as the tree and humbler than the grass. If you have any trouble do not leave the company of devotees. That will not help you, even though there may seem to be so many difficulties."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1969 June 7: "I have appreciated so much your letter. How much potency is there in this Sankirtana Movement. There is nice potential there so try to establish a very good center and I think Krishna is already giving impetus for this purpose."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1969 June 7: "The roar of your Sankirtana in Hawaii will soon be heard in neighboring places including Japan and Hong Kong. The Goddess of Fortune was born by the churning of the ocean so the ocean will also help in spreading the glories of the ocean's daughter."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1971 June 7: "All my disciples are requesting me to revive my translating work and I would like to do so for the remaining days of my life. So you have to help me get it done as quickly as possible. When I go there I shall give you so much press work you will be over-burdened."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1974 June 7: "It is certainly miraculous how he is distributing so many books. If he takes sannyasa he may not be able to assume disguise for selling books in public. So I have decided for the time being not to award sannyasa order."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1974 June 7: "I have placed one picture of Radha Giridhari on my desk and I am always admiring the beautiful decoration and the transcendental beauty of these deities. So if you can maintain and increase this standard in deity worship, everything will come out successfully."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

 
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Mukunda Charan das, SA: Darshan Of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, Sri Nrsimhadeva And Sri Sri Pancha Tattva At ISKCON Mayapur

Padmanabha and I passed the tulasi grove of the brahmacari asrama and made our way to the rear entrance of the Temple.  We left our capalas by the doorway, rang the bell and entered.  We quickly offered obeisances and headed for Srila Prabhupada’s murti.  We offered dandavats to Srila Prabhupada, touched his feet and offered obeisances to Lord Sthana-Nrsimha, Sri Sri Pancha-Tattva and Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava and the Asta-Sakhis.  Everything about Mayapur was big.  Chunky.  The two Temple rooms, the chandeliers, the tulasi plants on their mandaps, the altars and, of course, the Deities.  Radha-Madhava’s exalted pujaris, Jananivas and Pankajanghri prabhus, were there as always.

The Temple Room reminded me of an airport hangar.  ISKCON wanted to fulfill Lord Nityananda’s 500 year old prophecy of an adbhuta mandir in Mayapur .  Sri Sri Mayapura-candrodaya Mandir was not complete like Krishna-Balarama Mandir in Vrindavan or Radha-Rasabihari in Mumbai. ISKCON’s Founder-acarya, Srila Prabhupada, had placed Ananta-Sesa in the foundation-stone in 1977.  It was his wish that his disciples build the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.  His Holiness Jayapataka Maharaja related another prophecy by Srinivas Acharya.  Srinivas Acharya had a vision in which he saw what appeared to be life-size Deities of the Pancha-Tattva, on the altar of a wonderful Temple, in Sri Mayapur Dhama.  These Deities were being worshipped by devotees from different parts of the world.  When Srinivas looked closer, however, he saw that the figures on the altar were not Deities but the Pancha-Tattva Themselves!  About a hundred years ago the great Vaishnava acarya, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, had a vision of a beautiful Temple and Celestial City on the site of ISKCON Mayapur.

One of our South African devotee-teachers, Nrsimhananda prabhu, was giving Bhagavad-gita class upstairs – so I rushed up the stair-case to catch the tail-end of his class.  I marvelled at how much progress had been made on the Mayapur Campus since my first visit in 1997.  Everything w very pakka.  I mentioned this to the Director of ISKCON Mayapur, His Holiness Bhakti Purusottama Swami, and he humbly said, ‘It is because of the Festival’.

Padmanabha prabhu and I attended Gaura Arati, the auspicious worship of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the Temple of the Pancha-Tattva.  The kirtan was attended by about 40 brahmacaris and a handful of grihastas and pilgrims.  It was jubilant.  I got quite sweaty dancing in the kirtan, but the large fans in the Temple room kept me cool.  After arati, I met some devotee acquainances.  I met Subhaga Maharaja, whom I had met in Vrindavan in 1997.  He informed me that he had had a brain tumour and that it had been removed.  He remembered me from Vrindavan.  I also saw one of the cooks from Chowpatty Temple, Saci Suno prabhu.  He was visiting his guru’s matha down the road from ISKCON Mayapur.

I presented one of the pujaris with carob from my friend Nanda Kumar prabhu.  He gave me some of Radha-Madhava’s jewellery to give to him in reciprocation for his gift.  Padmanabha and I took some hot milk and moori with the brahmacaris, then went back to the ashram to take rest.


Filed under: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chowpatty Temple, India, Realizations, Spiritual Life Tagged: adbhuta mandir, brahmacari asrama, chaitanya mahaprabhu, ganges river, gaura arati, ISKCON Mayapur, postaweek2011, river ganga, sri dhama mayapur, sri sri radha madhava, srila prabhupada, srila prabhupada mayapur, temple of the vedic planetarium, tulasi
 
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16 Rounds to Samadhi Magazine, LA, USA: Let’s Get Real for a Minute

Isn’t it annoying when we have something important to do, but we just cannot seem to get off the couch, so we procrastinate, then run around in anxiety, trying to get the chore done before it is too late?

What if someone told us that today we will have to face all our shortcomings and character defects, and start doing something to improve ourselves? It seems that most people would become a little (or a lot) worried or outright scared to face them so abruptly. For those who do accept the challenge, courage is required. But before one even gets to the point of mustering up the courage for a genuine self-appraisal, one has to be sincere about wanting to become a better person. Without sincerity and courage we will not be able to improve our lives significantly.

Do any of you reading this article know anyone with perfect character? Has anyone ever met a person who always acts with class and dignity in public? Has anybody ever met someone who never lies, cheats, steals, gambles, smokes, drinks, is never lazy, always thinks carefully before they act, never becomes unnecessarily angry or violent when provoked, never gets jealous, always wishes others well, even enemies, always keeps their body, home, vehicle, and possessions clean and well organized at all times, and is always ready to help others and do their part to make the world a better place? Unless you have met some enlightened master or a great saint, you have probably not encountered a person who has all these characteristics.

So I would make the guess that nobody reading this article has perfect character. And if we all agree that none of us has perfect character, then logically shouldn’t we all be actively trying to better ourselves? Does it feel good when we lose our temper at someone we love, and then feel terrible about what we said later? Isn’t it annoying when we have something important to do, but we just cannot seem to get off the couch, so we procrastinate, then run around in anxiety, trying to get the chore done before it is too late? Is it a problem when we, out of fear, do not face a challenge, and therefore miss a good opportunity in life?

"Human beings are the only animals of which I am thoroughly and cravenly afraid" - George Bernard Shaw

 

So if we could all benefit by bettering our character, making our lives easier, happier, and our relationships with others better, then why aren’t most people in the world making it a priority to everyday consciously try to live better lives? The short answer is insincerity and lack of courage. If we are too mentally lazy and comfortable in our niches, then we will not likely be sincere about making a tangible change in our character. If one becomes fearful upon seeing glimpses of the skeletons they keep in their closet, perhaps they do not have the required about of bravery necessary to conduct and honest self-appraisal.

So at this point one might ask “Assuming one has the sincerity and courage to change, how do we go about actually changing”? Well, I would say that if we are truly ready to change, then we will already have a general idea about how to go about it. For example, it seems that most people in the world know that drinking, smoking, having promiscuous sex, gambling, lying, cheating, stealing, fighting, murdering, not being forgiving (we have all offended others in our lives, and if we would like it if others forgive us, then we should be forgiving), etc., are low class, undesirable things to do. If you added up all the Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists in the world, it would be almost the whole population of the Earth. And all of these religions clearly agree that one shouldn’t indulge in the bad habits I just listed.

So therefore almost every human being on this planet already knows what the standard of personal character is, but many choose to ignore it, or try to justify their bad habits. Why? Primarily, lack of courage and insincerity.

In the olden days the purpose of formal education was to produce adults of high character and learning. So if we start teaching our children that having good character makes one’s life successful, and not that becoming rich makes one’s life successful, then one day we might have politicians who actually change things for the better. A politician with good character will not take bribes, because it’s a despicable thing to do. They will not support some oppressive, evil dictator just because he sucks up to America, while he simultaneously tortures and murders his own citizens. A politician with impeccable character will decrease support for oil and logging companies, while increasing support for sustainable energy sources. He or she will not sneak lovers in the back door of the White House, or engage in sexual acts while sitting at their desk in the Oval Office, because it’s really low class and unethical. Such a leader would have to be sincere about leading their constituents, neighbors, and friends to the best of their ability. And they would need to have the courage to resist the temptations of lust, greed, and fear. Such a person could honestly and effectively lead the world to true happiness and prosperity.

“Bravery is necessary to conduct and honest self-appraisal”

The philosophy of a modern capitalistic society, getting your share even if you have to step on other living beings to get it, is morally reprehensible. But, it’s not that we should completely throw out capitalism and try communism again (O God), but we should simply make doing the right thing the highest goal, not gathering objects. Of course doing the right thing takes the sincerity to resist our lower urges and the courage to not back down in the face of threats from envious people. This is really what it means to “keep it real”.

 
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H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 5.1.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn’t Like Criticism 2011-05-23


H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn’t Like Criticism 2011-05-23 Radhadesh



SB 5.1.22: Svāyambhuva Manu, with the assistance of Lord Brahmā, thus fulfilled his desires. With the permission of the great sage Nārada, he delivered to his son the governmental responsibility for maintaining and protecting all the planets of the universe. He thus achieved relief from the most dangerous, poisonous ocean of material desires.

SB 5.1.22: Ainsi, avec l'appui de Brahmā, Svāyambhuva Manu put combler ses désirs. Avec la permission du grand sage Nārada, il confia à son fils la responsabilité gouvernementale du maintien et de la protection de toutes les planètes de l'univers. Il s'arracha de la sorte à l'océan empoisonné et extrêmement dangereux des désirs matériels.

SB 5.1.22: De este modo, con la ayuda del Señor Brahmā, Svāyambhuva Manu vio satisfechos sus deseos. Con el permiso del gran sabio Nārada, dejó en manos de su hijo la responsabilidad gubernativa de mantener y proteger todos los planetas del universo. Con ello, se liberó del venenoso océano de los deseos materiales, que está lleno de peligros.

SB 05.01.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn’t Like Criticism 2011-05-23


H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn’t Like Criticism 2011-05-23 Radhadesh

Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn’t Like Criticism 2011-05-23 Radhadesh

SB 05.01.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn't Like Criticism 2011-05-23 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.22 Even Lord Krishna Doesn't Like Criticism 2011-05-23 Radhadesh
 
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H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.32.26 Verse Only


H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.26 Verse Only 2005-10-02 Hartford



SB 3.32.26: The Supreme Personality of Godhead alone is complete transcendental knowledge, but according to the different processes of understanding He appears differently, either as impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead or as the puruṣa-avatāra.

SB 3.32.26: Seul le Seigneur Souverain représente le parfait savoir spirituel et absolu; mais selon différents modes d'entendement, Il apparaît différemment, soit comme le Brahman impersonnel, soit en tant que le Paramātmā, et parfois encore en tant que la Personne Souveraine ou l'avatāra puruṣa.

SB 3.32.26: Sólo la Suprema Personalidad de Dios es conocimiento trascendental completo, pero según distintos procesos de comprensión, Se presenta de diversas maneras, ya sea como Brahman impersonal, como Paramātmā, como Suprema Personalidad de Dios o como puruṣa-avatāra.

SB 03.32.26 Verse Only 2005-10-02


H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.26 Verse Only 2005-10-02 Hartford


Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.26 Verse Only 2005-10-02 Hartford

SB 03.32.26 Verse Only 2005-10-02 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 3.32.26 Verse Only 2005-10-02 Hartford
 
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H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 4.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism


H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism 2005-03-28 Hartford



SB 4.31.22: Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient, He becomes dependent on His devotees. He does not care for the goddess of fortune, nor for the kings and demigods who are after the favors of the goddess of fortune. Where is that person who is actually grateful and will not worship the Personality of Godhead?

SB 4.31.22: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios es autosuficiente, pero aun así, acepta depender de Sus devotos. A Él no Le importa la diosa de la fortuna, ni los reyes y semidioses que persiguen los favores de la diosa de la fortuna. ¿Qué persona verdaderamente agradecida no adoraría a la Suprema Personalidad de Dios?

SB 04.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism 2005-03-28


H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism 2005-03-28 Hartford


Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism 2005-03-28 Hartford

SB 04.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism 2005-03-28 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 4.31.22 Out Of The Forest Of Arasa Atheism 2005-03-28 Hartford
 
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Japa Group: Present Before Us Personally


The Lord is so kind to us that He can be present before us personally in the form of transcendental sound, but unfortunately we have no taste for hearing and glorifying the Lord's name and activities. We have already discussed developing a taste for hearing and chanting the holy sound. It is done through the medium of service to the pure devotee of the Lord.

SB 1.2.17 purport
 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: PERSONAL STRENGTHS PROFILE


Click on the title for a free online assessment.

DISCOVER WHAT DRIVES YOU

If you want to know the real holdbacks to your success, and how to align with your own true personality traits for not only achievement but a life of fulfillment, take this free 15-minute online assessment right now!

More than two million people have taken this test to better understand their behavioral styles and personality types: both organizations that want to best integrate high-performance teams, and individuals who want to identify and maximize their personal strengths. This $250 profile is yours free of charge.

Research shows that the most successful people share the common trait of self-awareness. They recognize the situations that will make them successful, and this makes it easy for them to find ways of achieving objectives that fit their behavioral style.

They also understand their limitations and where they are not effective and this helps them understand where not to go or how not to be as well.

Those who understand their natural behavioral preferences are far more likely to pursue the right opportunities, in the right way, at the right time, and get the results they desire.

This Personal Strengths Profile, or Disc Index, is a modern interpretation of Dr. William Marston's behavioral dimensions. Marston's research uncovered four quadrants of behavior which help to understand a person's behavioral preferences. This Disc Index will help you understand your behavioral style and how to maximize your potential.

 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: LIFE-TRANSFORMING QUESTIONS

What questions could make the greatest positive difference in your life?

What questions, if you ask them every day, could transform your life?

Here are some that helped me so far:

If not you - who? If not now - when?

What would you like to have in your life - excuses or results?

What do you want?
What are you going to do about it?
When?

Are you ready to pay the price of success and happiness?

Are you a giver, or a taker?

If you would have an unlimited time and money, what would you do?

What activity inspires you the most?
What activity you can put your heart into?

 
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: The substance of accepting a spiritual master


H.H. Sivarama Swami: The substance of accepting a spiritual master

Sivarama Swami




June 6th, 2011
(talk with aspiring disciples)
[ 7:23 ]

H.H. Sivarama Swami: The substance of accepting a spiritual master

(talk with aspiring disciples)

 
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Bhakti Lata, Alachua, USA: Atlanta Panihati Photo Essay

Last weekend I jumped in a van and headed up to Atlanta for the Panihati Festival. I rode the waves of serendipity - when I arrived, I did not even know where I was going to stay.

I'll tell you a secret, though - I belong to the biggest family on the planet. Within oh, maybe a half an hour, a godbrother found me a place to stay with absolute strangers who became instant friends. 

That's what happens when people have Krishna in common. 

This particular Panihati Festival brought me straight to Mayapur - Bengali prasadam, Bengali bhajans, and most of all Jayapataka Swami himself. I felt so honored and so happy to be amidst such a whirlwind of color and devotees and kirtan and devotion.  



































 
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: If I were no longer a GBC I would string garlands for the deities


H.H. Sivarama Swami: If I were no longer a GBC I would string garlands for the deities

Sivarama Swami




June 7th, 2011
Conversation with Scottish devotees.
[ 23:30 ]

H.H. Sivarama Swami: If I were no longer a GBC I would string garlands for the deities


 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: POSSIBILITIES

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this:

You haven’t!

 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHAT GITA COACH DOES?

Gita Coach helps you to learn, accept and apply the timeless success principles from the Vedic literature, especially from the Bhagavad Gita As It Is.

Gita Coach also highlights your worth and potential and provides life-transforming questions for your progress, happiness and success.

 
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Australian News: Slideshow of Melbourne’s Mahaprabhu Mandir: Don’t miss it

IMG_7445

If you are away from Melbourne and missing Sri Sri Radha Ballabha; or if you are so proud of your local Mahaprabhu Mandir and want to share the nectar with your friends and family, here’s a slideshow covering our Melbourne Temple’s facilities.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW

Share this story your way:PrintFacebookTwitterGoogle BookmarksStumbleUponYahoo! Buzzdel.icio.usDiggLiveMySpacePDF

 
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Deva Gaura Hari, AU: A Moderate Muslim Country

Coming to the end of a week in Malaysia, where we have just returned to Kuala Lumpar after working on the new temple in Penang state, which is four hours to the north. Having been born to Australian RAAF parents in Penang in 1969, it is also nice for me to return to the place where I was born. Some people say that there are invisible connections between a person and his birthplace, and when they return they get some strength back. I am not sure about this, but its certainly nice to go there.

The temple is to be called the Sri Sri Radha Krishna, "Temple of Devotion & Understanding" , and you can read about it here http://www.iskcon.com.my/Phases/temple-project-update.html

The temple is unique, in that it will have the ten incarnations of the Lord as murties surrounding the main temple area which houses the form of Sri Sri Jaganatha Baladeva and Subhadra. We are designing 16 multimedia presentation which will sit within the alcoves of the octagonal temple, showing the pastimes of the ten dasavataras, as well as Lord Rama, Balaji, Ranganatha, Varaha-Nrsimha, Lord Caitanya and Jaganatha.

The project is being headed up by my dear senior Godbrother Simheswara Prabhu, and his vision is that the project will be an educational centre to showcase the Vedic culture and philosophy to all parts of Malaysian society. Malaysia has a unique mix of races and religions. While it is officially a Musiim country, it is a very moderate Muslim country, and there is a high degree of religious tolerance. In fact, the government has recently started a campaign that they want to go beyond religious tolerance, and they are promoting religious respect. Muslim Malays, Chinese Buddhists, and Hindu Indians, all live and work together in harmony.

Malaysia gives a good opportunity to share the Vedic teachings with Chinese also. Last night I met a Chinese man who asked about my religion, and when I told him I was a Hare Krishna, he said, "Oh, I am officially a buddhist, but I also worship Hindu gods, I have faith in Hindu gods."

I asked him to tell me more, and he explained that he was once in India on a business trip, and he had a mystical experience in a Ganesha temple where he had a vision of a lotus and two eyes within his mediation in front of the Deity.

After that he brought back over 200 Ganesh muftis for his shop, and he has since sold all of them - and surprisingly 95% were sold to other Chinese. It seems the Chinese buddhists are quite open to worshipping some of the Hindu gods if they see that there is  benefit there.

In our mulitmedia presentations in the new temple, we are placing the subtitles in English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese; and we will present the Vedic evidence that Krishna is the source of all incarnations, and only He can give the ultimate benediction of freedom from repetition of birth and death, and His eternal loving service.

In Penang we also attended a nice pandal program and 3 hour bullock cart Harinam procession, where the chief guests were the local Muslim rulers, and the class was translated into Tamil. It reminded me of the Caitanya Caritamrita how the Muslims are in government, but they are very tolerant of the Hindus practices.

Yesterday,  back in KL temple, I heard some Bengali devotees talking, and it was the first time I had heard Bengali in 3 months, because I have been teaching in Australia for the past 3 months. It was so nice to hear it again, and I excitedly had a nice conversation in Bengali with the devotees. It was like meeting old friends again to meet the Bengali devotees - very sweet.

This morning in the KL temple I was very surprised to see Hari Sauri prabhu in the temple, and he greeted me warmly. It was so nice to see this stalwart Prabhupada disciple, and Prabhu gave a very nice class on Srimad Bhagavatam verse from second chapter about how one should not use religious or occupational duties to cultivate material gains, and if material gains do come, a practicing devotee should not use them to cultivate sense gratification.

Hari Sauri Prabhu gave a nice insight into this verse also: he said that when one Professor who was studying Srimad Bhagavatam had come to meet Srila Prabhupada, and asked Prabhupada what was the essential part of the Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada had quoted this verse 1.2.9, saying this is the essence of Srimad Bhagavatam. Hari Sauri Prabhu was also saying how, as devotees, we have to very careful to weed out desires opposed to devotional service from our hearts, otherwise, gradually we lose our taste for service, and it becomes painful to be in the association of pure devotional service, and we will make some excuse or other to leave the association of devotees.

 

 
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ISKCON News.com: Update: ISKCON Bangalore Moves Case to Supreme Court

By Parijata Dasi for ISKCON News on 7 Jun 2011

In 4 weeks the Supreme Court will decide whether to admit the case or not. If it does, then the hearings shall proceed further. If it does not admit the case, the Bangalore unit presently headed by Madhu Pandit Das will have to respect the High Court order and hand the property over to ISKCON Mumbai.


 
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Gaura-shakti Kirtan, Toronto, CA: Criss-Crossing Across the GTA for Kirtan! Oh, What a Day!

On Saturday, April 16th, 2011 Gaura-Shakti was invited to be part take in three different kirtans on the same day... that's right three different kirtans! As if this wasn't crazy enough, the three programs would have us criss-crossing the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)! How could we say no the three programs: some close friends who invited us to lead kirtan at a private function at a west-end banquet hall, we were scheduled to lead kirtan at the Annual Yoga Show & Conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and, finally, we were invited to lead kirtan at drama evening back in Mississauga.


Wow... it was definitely a wild experience when you put everything together!

The day began as we headed out to a banquet hall in Mississauga in the morning. One of our dear friend's father had a gathering and he decided to celebrate it in a spiritual way. At first, we thought that we were being invited to a formal event and didn't really expect people to respond to our kirtan! But we were mistaken! Guests of the function were really enjoying themselves. They were clapping and chanting with all of their hearts! :) Thanks to our dear friends, Shashank and Satyabama, who invited us to chant! After honouring a mouth-watering lunch, we decided to split up in order to be on time for the other kirtan events. Keshava, Radha, myself and Arusha drove to the Yoga Show right away and Milind and Dhira went to the drama hall to set up the sound system for us for the night time event.

A little tired, but still enthusiastic, we left for the Convention Centre. There, we were surprised to see so many people attending the Yoga Show! There were so many different booths with the most interesting "yoga" things! We also met our friends, like mother Demi at the Govinda's booth, Andrea Olivera, Pat, Maie and more! Keshava started working out the sound requirements right away as we waited for the incredible moment to unite in kirtan with all the participants!

After some time, Dhira and Milind arrived and soon we all went on the main stage. The experience of sharing kirtan with others cannot be described in simple words! When I saw hundreds of people chanting, clapping and dancing my breath stopped for a moment. I felt like ALL of us were part of a spiritual sphere where the Divine was the only source in the centre and we were all connected, like parts and parcels of the Divine! Kirtan can give everyone an eternal spiritual high that cannot be experienced by anything else! Alas, our Yoga Show experience was soon over and I woke up from the dream and we were suddenly off to our last kirtan of the day!

It was a little bit more relaxing when we got to the hall where drama evening was taking place. Our friends greeted us as we got ready and started off the evening with a mellow kirtan! The experience was different than the Yoga Show, though. It was similar to a concert, where lights blind your eyes and a big stage physically separates you from the audience. But still, it was very sweet! Finally, after going on the stage for the second time and concluding the evening with a rocking kirtan at around 10pm, we were out of energy! We all got samosas packed for home and, with satisfied souls that got reconnected to the Divine through the chanting, we drove back home.

The experience of that day made me more grateful to the Divine (Krishna) for giving us such brilliant opportunities to share kirtan with others and to have so many beautiful friends in life who give us these opportunities! Hare Krishna!

--Tara
 
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H.H. Sivarama Swami

Nobody should sit idle. But he must work according to his capacity. Brain must work for giving direction. Hand must work for giving protection. Belly must work for supplying food, energy. And leg must work for carrying the body. So similarly the society must be divided: the brain of the society, the arms of the society, the belly of the society and the legs of the society. That will make perfection.

- Srila Prabhupada

 
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Matsyavatara das (ACBSP), Italy: How to build up constructive and lasting relationships. By Matsyavatara dasa (Marco Ferrini)

People suffer for not being able to bring harmony in relationships and at the same time tend to start new conflicts due to their conditionings. There are more people suffering from relational difficulties than people suffering for the wars or for epidemics and, on the other hand, good relationships are the biggest patrimony we can build up for our well-being; and this doesn’t cost anything. Experiencing peaceful and tension-free relationships is the very basis for building up relationships set on a shared system of values and lofty principles. These are the grounds, while the top of the structure is made up of common purposes and of the mutual reliance on the fact that nothing can ruin the relationship anymore, not even the hardest trials or difficulties, because we don’t bring forward any suspects, doubts, misunderstandings, but, on the contrary, estimation, affection, love rule the relationship. The duration of a relationship is not the only principle on which we can judge its quality. What really makes the difference is a constructive and developing attitude.
On which basis should we found our relations?
The human being is struggling between his impelling need of freedom and harmony on one hand, and the strings with which he constantly binds himself through his bad choices, on the other. It’s a terrible paradox: we wish we could be free and happy, but we continue to bind ourselves through our own actions. For this reason human relationships are that difficult, and only few people are able to manage them at the best. Our personality is on the way: we build it up trough our decisions, one after another, and for this reason it’s essential to learn how to act with a clear consciousness. In this growing process of harmonization, our willpower has a central role. If we manage to use our willpower properly we can understand the great truth the rishi convey to us: the difference between being and not-being, between life and death. The worst suffering is caused by a situation of struggle between opposites; if we experience this situation inside ourselves, we can’t help bursting it out even outside, on our relationships with the others. Contraposition tears. It’s an engagement to make our opposite parts dialogue with one another: it implies the wish of becoming disciples of enlightened guides, because if we continue to judge people and situations from our limited subjective perspective, we will never be able to cross the threshold of our limits. In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna explains that the one who relies on Him with faith has an unbiased vision. This equanimity is the essential presupposition to cultivate good relationships. Samah darshinah is “the one who has an impartial vision”. Darshana is inner vision, the only one that allows us, despite the differences we perceive externally, to join us to the essence. Differences refer to immanence. Equanimity is the natural impulse when we experience the transcendental dimension. Even more, in the Gita Krishna says: “The one who sees everybody inside Me and Me inside everybody, is extremely dear to Me”: this is the very basis of equanimity. In the origin nobody is, from an ontological point of view, good or wicked: everybody is good. The one who has a vision which transcends time, loves the spiritual essence of any person, without disregarding the personal historical experience of that particular individual in order to understand how to relate with him at the best. Another essential element to keep good relationships is having a bent for forgiveness. The one who feels offended by the mistakes of others, often going wrong in judging his own responsibilities and those of the others, isn’t able to build up harmonic and deep relationships. If you don’t practise a spiritual discipline, you can easily mistake an ant for an elephant or vice versa, while a wise person isn’t prone to distortions; on the contrary he is an expert in the art of all arts: forgiveness. We are conquering our own freedom when we practise forgiveness in all circumstances, when we forgive small as well as big mistakes. If we learn to forgive small mistakes, step by step, we will be able to forgive even big mistakes. Another important ingredient to build up healthy relationships is the ability to understand the peculiar characteristics of the others, accepting the diversity. To do this, first we have to know ourselves deeply. In relationships concerning love we should not burn out the stages: we need to act gradually. Prudence is the life of relationships. Step by step we should try to identify the elective affinities which link us to the others, the only ones which can connect us deeply. Excitement makes us move jerkily and makes us experience the hell in this world, being unable to weigh what are the right decisions to take. Without an orientation we experience an everlasting anxiety. If we act frenetically, we lose a far-sighted view, while the control over our impulses is the essential basis to recover harmony within ourselves and with the world.
 
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Japa Group: The Mood Of Chanting


The mood of chanting the holy name combines the actions of mind and heart-namely thinking and feeling. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised all devotees to be free from false ego, and to think oneself lower than a blade of grass. With feelings of deep submission and surrender one should beg Sri Radha for service.

From Art Of Chanting Hare Krsna
by Mahanidhi Swami
 
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Gouranga TV: 12 Hour Kirtan Madhava

12 Hour Kirtan Madhava

 
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