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"Planet ISKCON" - 35 new articles
- H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 7 July 2011--Travelling to Make World Krishna Conscious--and--Do You Have Time to Answer Questions?
- Vraja Kishor, JP: Aindra’s first Disappearance Anniversary
- Jayadeva das, USA: On the Downswing of Krishna Consciousness
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
- Japa Group: You Will Feel So Much Ecstasy
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: 9 QUESTIONS FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SUCCESS
- Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Death: The Elephant In The Room
- H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
- Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: benefit of worshiping tulasi
- Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Bollywood Megastar Rocks ISKCON
- Gouranga TV: Harinama Yatra 2011
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Srila Prabhupada's Letters
- Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: 2011 tour – Melbourne
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: Adhoksaja Krsna asks whether Krsna can turn a jiva into visnu-tattva
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: APPLY THE BHAGAVAD GITA WITH THE HELP OF A COACH
- ISKCON Toronto, Canada: 12-Hour Kirtan - July 15th!
- Madhavendra Puri, New Govardhana, AU: Won-Durr Boiz from Belgium to Berlin
- Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: A Modern Day Saint
- New Vrndavan, USA: New Vrindaban Rathyatra Saturday July 9th
- Mayapur Online: West Bengal Tourism Minister Visits
- Mayapur Online: Ratha Yatra 2011 - Pictures Posted
- Matsyavatara das (ACBSP), Italy: How to transform a rebellious mind into a Wonderful Mind (2/2). By Matsyavatara das (Marco Ferrini)
- Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Greasy Burgers, Sausages Don't Belong In President's Photo-Op
- Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: 24 Obeisances to Aindra das an exemplary disciple of Srila Prabhupada & exalted devotee
- Japa Group: Why Do We Chant?
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: USA Retreat 2011 – pictures
- Kurma dasa, AU: Burfi, the Queen of Fudge
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
- More Recent Articles
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H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 7 July 2011--Travelling to Make World Krishna Conscious--and--Do You Have Time to Answer Questions?
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Thursday 7 July 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: Travelling to Make World Krishna Conscious Uploaded from Los Angeles, California, USA On 6 July 2011 when we were checking in for our Qantas Airlines flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles the friendly, helpful check-in agent noted that we were traveling on an around-the-world itinerary. She curiously inquired why we were traveling. I told her that we are doing so for the purpose of telling everyone about Krishna. I then asked her if she had heard of Krishna and she said, Yes. I was very happy to hear this. The more that people have heard about Krishna, the more our movement is progressing. This was the most auspicious way to begin our 14 hour flight across the Pacific Ocean. It is fact that simply by hearing about Krishna from a devotee everyone becomes blessed with the seed of the revival of their original enlightened consciousness. Therefore as much as possible all the devotees should always be telling everyone about Krishna as per the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Telling People About Krishna on WYN Radio Melbourne, Australia--2 July 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Melbourne_Radio.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Do You Have Time to Answer Questions? Please accept my most humble dandavats at your lotus feet. My question is : Since You are extensively travelling globally like Srila Prabhupada was, do you really answer all our questions being asked to you on e-mail by yourself? Or does your personal secretary answer us? If you do, then how do you manage your time for that in your such a busy schedule for travelling, lectures etc.? Your servant, Devchand India Answer: I Work Hard to Make the Time Just as Srila Prabhupada personally answered his correspondence, I do the same. I work very hard to maintain my correspondence. For example, now I am on a flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles. After taking some sleep I woke up at 12:30am and chanted my rounds. After completing my rounds I will now work through the night to answer emails until we land in Los Angeles at 7am. I have burning desire to see that the entire world should become Krishna consciousness as soon as possible, therefore I sacrifice my personal comforts as far as my health will allow so that I can free up as much time and energy as possible for pushing forward this Krishna consciousness forward all over the world. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at:http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. 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•Vraja Kishor, JP: Aindra’s first Disappearance Anniversary
Image by mlhradio via Flickr
I am trying not to really pay too much attention to what happened just about 1 year ago today. All this time I was fucking around doing all sorts of crazy stuff in life, totally off the deep end. But Aindra Prabhu constantly remained seated in my heart and mind, always saying, “Hey, you can come to Vrindavana and stay here for a while and augment the kirtan with us.” I was always saying, “Yeah man! That is going to be so cool one day.” Then last year I got news that Aindra passed away.
There is no tomorrow. There is only today. There is nothing else important but tasting my eternal relationship to Sri Krsna which is so easily and fully available in Hari-Nama-Sankirtan. There is nothing else to desire or lament. I only desire deeper and more Nama-Sankirtana, I only lament my lack of the same.
Sankirtan… In that word the “San” part implies being involved with other people. When there are a lot of people doing the same thing – the power of that thing increases. Baseball games are more fun with a big enthusiastic crowd, concerts with 1 uninterested atendee are really depressing, but with a room packed full of sincere fans the place goes nuts almost before the first song starts. SAN-kirtan means having a crowd of people doing the Nama-kirtana.
Where will I find such a crowd of fans of Krsna-nama? Aindra is now no more. He has abandoned that identity and is someone else now, somewhere else. Is it possible to find him somewhere? Is it possible that others can play a similar role. Without Aindra Ji, where is the SAN in sankirtan? Aindra alone accounted for a Yankee Stadium full of enthusiastic devotees singing the names of Krsna. Now that he is gone, the stadium feels like a ghost town. Soda and beer is spilled all over the sticky stands, and paper garbage lazily blows across the neglected field. The temples are silent all day long, a tape recorder laments its constant overuse.
Dear Sri Krsna!!! Please send us again your devotees who are IN LOVE with your sweet names. Please put them in places and circumstances where they can loudly, sweetly and sincerely chant and sing and dance. And he Hari, please put me somewhere in range of the echoes of their voices.
Spiritually sad, as always it seems,
Dukhi Vraja Kishor dasa
•Jayadeva das, USA: On the Downswing of Krishna Consciousness
I was just thinking today, "I really seem to be on a downswing in my Krishna Consciousness." For the past week or so I've just been really complacent about my spiritual life. I remembered blogging about this feeling sometime back and just now re-read those posts. They pretty much capture the same feeling that I'm having right now.
Sometimes religion and spirituality just seem like such a big waste of time. The problem is that the spiritual side of our existence is so subtle and so vastly different from the physical, material, sensory world in which we are used to living that it seems so unreal and imaginary.
The battle with our mind and senses is an ongoing struggle that seems to have no end. We are constantly torn between our material and spiritual natures. We have some attraction towards God, devotion, the soul and following a spiritual path, yet at the same time we still want to watch TV, eat at restaurants, have sex and get intoxicated.
This is precisely why so many people give up the spiritual path(s), because they find a sense of hypocrisy or of not living up to the standards. It's like struggling and struggling to swim against the current before you just say, "Ah, fu*k it!" and letting your self be swept away down stream.
It's a fact that living in maya is so much easier than strictly following the process of Krishna Consciousness (or any genuine, spiritual path). As Srila Prabhupada once said (I believe) that taking up Krishna Consciousness is like declaring war on maya. It's a fight. It's a struggle. Even in those religions where so-called "works" are frowned upon, you still have to make an effort to be a sincere follower. It's not just saying, "I believe in God" that makes you a saint. It's also your thoughts and actions.
I've been riding the edge of mixed-devotion for so long that I don't even know if I'll ever get to the higher stages of bhakti-yoga in this lifetime. My consciousness is just too polluted, my desire for Krishna too weak and my mind too strong.
I look at others who appear to be fixed up in Krishna Consiousness. They look so happy, so care-free. I wonder how they can be so "fired up". Then I realize that many of them have no other obligations. They're not married, they don't have kids, they don't have jobs, they don't go to school, they don't pay bills, they don't have credit cards, they don't have debt, etc. Then I think back to my brahmacari days and remember how simple and joyful my life was. Of course the external circumstances (varna-ashrama) don't guarantee that you'll become a pure devotee or attain Krishna prema.
So does that mean Krishna Consciousness is impossible to strictly follow if you don't live in a temple and have no other obligations? I wouldn't say impossible, but definitely more difficult. It would be like trying to swim upstream with sand bags tied to your arms and legs.
I don't regret any of the choices I've made in this life. At this point in time I'm simply playing out my destined karma. As the old saying goes, I can't change my circumstances, but I can change how I respond to them. It's all a matter of changing consciousness, changing perspective, to see things from a higher view point. No matter what circumstances we're in we have to try and find the Krishna factor.
When I moved out of the temple my Guru Maharaja said to me that I "enjoy the roller coaster ride" and that now I would have an opportunity to experience it. I guess it's inevitable on a roller coaster to experience these lows. Perhaps tomorrow will bring a new high. Perhaps one day I'll stop wasting time and just get off the ride.
•ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
Lord Nityananda is bathing us with an intriguing glance today, which reminds us of a prayer by Sanatana Goswami:
"You reverse the natural tendencies of all moving and nonmoving beings. O melter of stones and logs, enlivener of lifeless objects, please protect us".
Nitaichandra! With that unfathomable glance of Yours, You melt our hearts of stone and also melt the log in our eyes that prevent us from appreciating the full extent of Your beauty.
O Nitai Gosai, by gracing us with Your darsana You reverse our conditioned tendency to look away from You thus protecting us from an inauspicious fate.
•Japa Group: You Will Feel So Much Ecstasy
That is quality. When you will feel so much ecstasy in chanting Hare Krsna, that is quality. Not artificially "Chant. Chant. Otherwise get out." This is not quality. This is in expectation that someday you may come to quality. That requires time. That requires sincerity. But quality is there.
SP Morning Walk
November 2, 1975, Nairobi
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: 9 QUESTIONS FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SUCCESS
1. How can I enlighten my mind with the wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita?
2. How can I discover and apply the success principles of the Bhagavad-gita?
3. How can I discover and use my potential?
4. How can I find solutions that exactly meet my needs?
5. How can I awaken my original identity?
6. How can I start my personal life revolution?
7. How can I appreciate and optimize what I already have?
8. How can I discover new possibilities?
9. How can I get inspired to contribute to the lives of others?
•Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Death: The Elephant In The Room
Gadadhara Pandit Dasa at the Huffington Post
Since I'm an only child, and since my parents and I migrated from India away from our immediate family in 1980, I haven't directly experienced the loss of someone close to me. I was very close to my grandmother, but by the time she passed away from the world, I had already been in America for over 12 years, and time had diminished any attachment I had for her.My dad cried like I had never seen him cry before. His father had passed away when he was only seven years old, so he was quite close to her. His major regret was that he couldn't be with her when she passed.
These memories come upon me every once in a while, as I meditate on the rooftop of our monastery in the East Village. Looking across the street I witness a hearse pull up to the funeral home. The driver opens the back door and pulls out a coffin with a recently deceased individual and rolls it into the home.
It's a constant reminder that, all around me, restaurants, delis, and a variety of other businesses are opening or going out of business, but the one establishment that seems to remain constant and unaffected by the economy is that funeral home.
I also can't help but wonder how not too long ago, the person in that casket was a living, breathing individual with family and friends, and now they're gone. What must it be like for those they left behind? What was their final experience the few moments before their departure? It seems like such a mystery. A few moments before, they were here and now they've disappeared off the face of the earth.
There's little doubt that it's an unpleasant experience. The entire body and all its functions are coming to a halt. Everything we hold dear is on the verge of being stripped away from us. Losing simple things such as a cell phone or wallet can be quite stressful and frustrating, so what to speak of losing everything, all at once! Often times, death can show up at the door without giving any kind of an advance notice.
Is there anything we can do to prepare for that final moment of our lives? Or, are we to remain helpless victims? I heard one of my teachers explain that "Life is the preparation and death is the final examination." Obviously, we're not going to be able to ward off death. The death rate is and always will be one hundred percent.
However, just as we prepare for any exam in our life, whether it's a driving test or an academic test -- preparation for death is very much required. The more we prepare, the better equipped we'll be in dealing with the inescapable truth of the situation. Death is not a test we can cram for the night before.
We have a subconscious tendency to deny our mortality. Even though it's happening all around us, and everyday we're reminded of it in so many ways, we just never think that it'll actually happen to us. Driving by a cemetery might make us a little reflective, but somehow we're not able to connect that to our own life.
Death is like the elephant in the room. It can't be ignored, but we do a really good job of it. It's natural for us to be fearful of our own mortality.
This reminds me of a conversation that takes place in the famous Hindu epic Mahabharata between a wise king and a realized sage. The sage asks the king, "What's the most amazing thing you've seen in life?" The king replies that "The most amazing thing I've seen is that death is taking place everywhere, but no one ever thinks it's going to happen to them."
The Hindu scriptures explain that we come into this world with a certain number of breaths and the countdown begins the moment we exit the womb. Since we don't really know when it's going to happen, every moment should be lived in such a way that we're preparing our consciousness for the final moment.
This doesn't mean that we're constantly thinking of our demise and getting depressed by such thoughts. It means living life in such a way that we're constantly endeavoring to create a balance between our material and spiritual lives.
The wisdom found within the Hindu/Vedic tradition of India can provide us with a less fearful and brighter outlook on our own mortality, while teaching us to better prepare for our final moments. Their teachings can also help us better deal with the loss of a loved one.
As an example, I'd like to share a few passages from the Bhagavad Gita, which can provide us with a beautiful and broad perspective on life, death, and our ultimate existence:
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
These verses alleviate our very basic and most fundamental concern, the fear of ceasing to exist. The Gita explains that the only thing about us that deteriorates and dies is the body, which is compared to an old set of garments.
The real person, the soul, continues to live on without being affected by any of the elements of this world, including the factor of time, which is ultimately responsible for diminishing the life of all matter. Time, however, has no effect on the spiritual self (soul).
This isn't our first life and it's not going to be our last. The soul is eternal and it will continue to exist even after the demise of the body. Knowing this can provide some solace about our own existence and the existence of those we care for.
It also teaches us that in order to properly prepare for that final exam, we need to engage in spiritual acts, which will help us to realize the nature and reality of our soul, and simultaneously help distance us from the bodily concept of life.
Follow Gadadhara Pandit Dasa on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nycpandit
•H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
Acceptance!
Terra Cotta, Ontario
I spent a glorious few hours with Bob, Judy, their daughter, Raj and Surabhi in the village of Terra Cotta. Red clay is prevalent in this nestled away sweet place with the Credit River running through it; the rusty earth tone explains the name of the hamlet.
Bob and Judy are school teachers and I put them in the category of Brahmin friends. Their approach to spirituality, Christianity, may be a slightly different approach than their guests, yet I hold it in high admiration that they are as accepting of us as they are of their own follow worshippers. In fact over a scrumptious lunch and the trek on Bruce Trail they kept encouraging us to seriously consider purchasing the property next to their lovely home so that they could have mutual-thinking neighbours by their side.
What a fantastic couple and family!
I had a continual progressive day from the stand point of acceptance and harmonization. From Terra Cotta I visited three more households in the area, of people of our community. These were people who took time for bonding and gaining an increased understanding though simple dialogue. The end result in each case was, “Hey we are all family!”
As I wound up the day with final contemplations of the day’s stock I was humoured by my first contacts of early morning, a group of young men who identified themselves from the Sikh and Muslim tradition. They were very amiable with me as I walked Yorkville Ave in Toronto. They did smoke. They did probe.
“Are you Buddhist?”
“No!… Hare Krishna!”
“Oh yeah! How did you get into this?… And what is the co-relation between ganja and the Ganges?”
At this question I had to laugh knowing what was important to them. At least I was not dismissed by the group. When you consider that both the Ganges and ganja were dear to many of us who became monks in due course of time someone has to befriend such fellows and give them hope that there are such things more precious than smoking your life away in dreams.
10 Km
•Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: benefit of worshiping tulasi
Siddha-svarupananda: Tulasi grows profusely in Hawaii. Prabhupada: That's a good sign. Siddha-svarupananda: Yes. Many people, hundreds of people, are worshiping tulasi. Even people we don't know, they, somehow or other, they have gotten tulasi, and they are worshiping. Prabhupada: Very good. They will become devotee. Without any fail, they will become devotees. If they chant Hare Krsna and worship tulasi leaf, they'll be liberated without any fail, and they will become devotee.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- February 4, 1975, Hawaii
•Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Bollywood Megastar Rocks ISKCON
I wanted to embed this video but following each of the two different ways WordPress (my blog hoster) said to do Vimeos multiple times neither worked. Help wasn’t any good, as the suggested way they laid out it out had twice as many negative responses to the “Did this Help” poll as positives.
I emailed Support but after two days no response so here it is. The picture links to the video on Vimeo.
Might be a bit of cult humor. :-)
Filed under: Jokes
•Gouranga TV: Harinama Yatra 2011
Harinama Yatra 2011
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1968 July 6: "If somebody adopts me as a child I can get the permanent visa but what you will do with an old child who is going to die very soon? But if there is possibility then you can try for it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1968 July 6: "To do business for sense gratification is the cause of material bondage but to act for Krishna is the cause for opening the door of liberation. So, I shall not implicate you in business if you are not ready to award the profit for Krishna's benefit."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1966 July 6: "Chaturthi. In the meeting at 26 Second Street Store, it is settled that the Society shall be incorporated and the name of the Society shall be: International Society for Krishna consciousness. Eleven Trustees were agreed."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1975 July 6: "By chanting and giving prasadam you will get so many devotees. Purity is attractive. Our only asset is our purity. You cannot reach Krsna without being pure, because He is the supreme pure."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1973 July 6: "Thank you for appreciating my humble efforts on behalf of my Spiritual Master. Whatever I have done it is due to His potency in Krishna Consciousness. My only achievement is that I have not changed what He has taught."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1971 July 6: "All these initiation beads should be kept very carefully and protected. You should be careful and instruct others also. So keep your beads in a bag and keep the bag around your neck. Then you won't lose."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1971 July 6: "The menu items are kachori, luglu, samosa, sweet balls, simply wonderful, vegetables, chutneys, puspana, halava, etc; Anyone who pays more than $5.00 can be presented with a small book and a copy of our magazine."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
•Srila Prabhupada's Letters
1971 July 6: "The restaurant proposal is very nice. In the center should be Guru Gauranga altar. Everything prepared should be offered and kept on a table and the guest should come and take prasadam on a plate to his full satisfaction."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
•Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: 2011 tour – Melbourne
I spent the last 9 days of May in Australia’s booming center of Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir.
A National Trust listed building and former boys school, the Melbourne temple was opened by Srila Prabhupada in May of 1975. The main building is aptly called “Prabhupada House”
I am intimately familiar with the property having spent many months in late 1974 and early 1975 working full time on its renovations. In those days the back yard was just a tarmac school yard but now it has been transformed into a transcendental garden where devotees like to relax, chant or chat (when the famously fickle Melbourne weather allows them! — Yes, it did rain quite a bit during my visit).
Its a wonderful facility and is being put to full effect. One of the most attractive features is Srila Prabhupada’s room which has been preserved exactly as it was when he was in residence in 1975 and 1976. It is one of the few original residences of His Divine Grace in the world.
The same harmonium he played on is preserved in the room, along with the chaise lounge he received his guests on
One of the most famous pictures in ISKCON was taken here by Ugrasrava prabhu:
The walls are still adorned with beautiful charcoal drawings depicting Srila Prabhupada in various moods representing the eight prayers glorifying the spiritual master. These were all done by his artist disciple Shyamananda dasa:
I was pleased to see that some personal effects of Srila Prabhupada that I had presented to the temple in 1978 when the room was set up as a memorial were still well cared for and preserved in elegant glass show cases. Within lay a full set of Srila Prabhupada’s clothes, his hair, the airplane slippers he wore coming over for his 1976 visit and other artifacts presented by other devotees including an original India-print Srimad Bhagavatam and his walking cane presented by his personal servant Upendra prabhu
Its a great place to chant japa and meditate on our lord and saviour His Divine Grace.
Throughout my stay I gave twice daily SPTLB seminars on the topic of prasadam. I actually managed to finish the whole seminar and had time on my last day to give a special one on the beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful Melbourne Deities.
The first Deities in ISKCON Australia reside here, chota Radha Vallabha, brought over from India by Upendra prabhu’s wife Chitralekha. They reside in splendor on the central altar surrounded by a small host of saligram-silas
The next oldest residents are Sri Sri Jagannatha, Balaram and Subhadra, Who are the first Deities to be made in Australia by Sriman Dipak prabhu and Dwaipayana prabhu for the first Rathayatra in 1972
Here are the two Brothers giving the impression of being carried by Their carvers in 1973-Lord Balaram in the arms of Dipak and Vidyaranya; Lord Jagannatha in the arms of Dwaipayana and myself
I am very fond of Their Lordships, having being given the charge of constructing Their Rathas for the first three years of the festival
The year after Lord Jagannatha’s appearance, the main Deities of Sri Sri Radha Ballabha were installed by Srila Prabhupada himself in February 1973
And finally, in 1975 at the temple opening, Their most merciful Lordships Sri Sri Gaura Nitai made Their transcendental presence available for the benefit of the many thousands who have seen and worshiped Them since
They were at that time the largest brass Deities of Gaura Nitai in the ISKCON world. Nowadays of course They are surpassed in size by our Mayapur Deities. Srila Prabhupada was so pleased with Them that he renamed the temple Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir and he commented on his arrival a year later in 1976 that the Deity worship in Melbourne was at the same high standard as that in Los Angeles and New York even though there was not as much expenditure. I can say that the worship now, 35 years after that comment was made, is even better and I am sure that Srila Prabhupada is extremely pleased with the devotees for their continued care and dedication.
It was great to see two dozen devotees for every mangala-arati, and the same for even the midday aratis, what to speak of the evenings. Their Lordships are certainly all-attractive.
OK, enough for now, the rest of the trip comes in part two…
•H.H. Sivarama Swami: Adhoksaja Krsna asks whether Krsna can turn a jiva into visnu-tattva
•Akrura das, Gita Coaching: APPLY THE BHAGAVAD GITA WITH THE HELP OF A COACH
Gita Coaching is a process of learning, renewal, application, and feedback that will help you develop the essential skills necessary to live the Bhagavad Gita As It Is. It is a step-by-step path for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, human dignity and spiritual intelligence. With a coach, you can actualize this spiritual, principle-centred approach for achieving your personal, spiritual and professional goals and solving all kinds of problems.
How Does A Gita Coach Assist You?
• Gita Coach helps you to envision and clarify what and where you want to be
• Gita Coach holds you accountable to act on your highest priorities
• Gita Coach holds you responsible for taking action to create results
• Gita Coach helps you improve how you approach interaction with others and create a foundation of trust and mutual benefit
• Gita Coach doesn’t work on you but for you and with you.
How Does Gita Coaching Help You?
• Gita Coaching helps you apply the process of deep understanding of other people to create interdependent and mutually beneficial relationships
• Gita Coaching plugs you into the power of 1+1=3, helping you work with others to discover the best solution
• Gita Coaching helps you release your potential by helping you make time for the things that renew and enliven you
•ISKCON Toronto, Canada: 12-Hour Kirtan - July 15th!
There is a festive buzz in the air as we prepare for the 39th Annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra)! To celebrate this year's festivities, we are thrilled to announce that we will be holding a 12-Hour Kirtan Festival on July 15th, from 10:00AM - 10:00PM. We will be creating a spiritual explosion with kirtaneers from around the world including HH Bhaktimarga Swami, HH Niranjana Swami, HH Gunagrahi Swami, Gaura Mani and of course, Madhava Prabhu! What better way to commence festivities than dancing to your heart's content for 12 straight hours?
•Madhavendra Puri, New Govardhana, AU: Won-Durr Boiz from Belgium to Berlin
[The Won-Durr Boiz diary series is based on four ex-gurukuli brothers (surname: Durr) coming together for the first time to share Krsna consciousness with the outside world. Madhavendra Puri (the author and middle elder) has been waiting in Radhadesh (Belgium) for his brothers to arrive. Nitai Canda (the eldest) and Rupa Gosvami (the youngest) arrive first, and Bhisma Deva (the middle younger) is scheduled to come half way through. Their adventure takes them through Belgium, Germany and Poland, for rathayatras, festival tours and kirtana events. These diaries aim to bring inspiration and joy to the readers, and hopefully encourage others to entangle themselves in Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtana movement – whether for the spiritual benefits or simply for the fun.]
Sunday 19th, June 2011.
I was shocked we had everything in our bags in time. I scampered downstairs to look for a driver at last minute. It is never a chore to find a driver in Radhadesh; every man and his dog seems to rent out their car in Radhadesh. It seemed to be the once in a blue moon that I was not anticipating. I searched the whole vicinity, under grey skies and a miserable drizzle. Each door bore no response. My brothers patiently waited, as I surrendered to Krsna for a speedy result. I finally found Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu, who didn’t seem eager at all to drive us but let me put him down as a complete, last minute emergency. The conch blew and it was time to greet the Deities; perfect timing. We could greet the Deities and keep an eye out for a driver in the program (I call this “mixed devotional service”).
Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu turned to me, just before the curtains opened. “Actually, don’t bother looking for another driver. I will drive you, as long as you guys stay for kirtana” he said. The contract was drawn and we decided to put in everything we had for Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu and to see off Radha Gopinatha for the summer. The kirtana roared from start to finish.
We were well on time when we made our way to the Marloie train station. I left some Byron Bay Bliss Balls (Australian sweets) on Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu’s dash and we ran off to the platform. Our trains were all on time, without any complications. We managed to go through our airport check-ins with plenty of hand luggage also. It seemed like no time when the plane came to a rocky landing in Berlin.
We quickly made our way to the temple via the German’s efficient public transport. It was one of the most problem free journeys I had ever been on. The devotees warmly greeted us and let us settle into the temple. We soon found Bhakta Harry, our Aussie travelling companion, nestled in the library of the Berlin temple.
Once the boys knew their space, I settled their stomachs into German prasadam. “Welcome to Berlin” I jeered. At this point of the journey, I saw a large amount of enthusiasm in their faces. After prasadam, we found three more devotees from Mexico who were joining our crew, hidden away in Jagannatha’s temple room. We took darsana of the Deities and then I briefed them on the roughs of our travel plans.
We comfortably settled into our German home, talking on into the night. Jagannatha was taking care of us now so we had no more worries. The next few days were going to be to rest, rejuvenate and building up the numbers for our expected journey ahead. We were all very content to make the most of our visit and to be as ready as ever for the coming Polish Tour.
Read original post: [http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/won-durr-boiz-3]
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•Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: A Modern Day Saint
•New Vrndavan, USA: New Vrindaban Rathyatra Saturday July 9th
Saturday, July 9th at 12 Noon is the NEW VRINDABAN RATHYATRA FESTIVAL
Come Early & help prepare the Rathyatra Cart, for more Blessings on this Auspicious Event.
GO THE BLISSFUL COUNTRY MILE WITH THEIR LORDSHIPS SRI JAGANNATH, SUBHADRA & BALADEV
Dancing Chanting & Feasting until the sun goes down, then followed by Jagannath Swan Boat Festival and Kirtans & Exotic Fireworks!
Honored guest H H Bhakti Sundar Goswami
Dedicated to ISKCON Founder Acharya A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
You can Sponsor the Feast, the Garlands, the Flowers, the Cake, the Dress,the Cart , the Fireworks, or the Entire Festival.
Contact: Malati dd: 304-845-9591 servingkrishna@aol.com
•Mayapur Online: West Bengal Tourism Minister Visits
Before the Ratha Yatra commenced we had a special visit by the new West-Bengal Tourism Minister, Mr. Rachpal Singh. While addressing the audience gathered at the inauguration of a recent tourism fair, Mr. Singh assured the public that his department is working actively to help the state once again regain its prime tourism status in the country.
•Mayapur Online: Ratha Yatra 2011 - Pictures Posted
A few days ago we celebrated the wonderful festival of Ratha Yatra. At their beautiful Rajapur temple their lordships Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra were eagerly awaited for by a crowded temple grounds full of anxious devotees. The Lords then came out of their temple to be greeted by thousands of loving on lookers.
•Matsyavatara das (ACBSP), Italy: How to transform a rebellious mind into a Wonderful Mind (2/2). By Matsyavatara das (Marco Ferrini)
•Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Greasy Burgers, Sausages Don't Belong In President's Photo-Op
Last month, two food-related stories dominated the press. First, the World Cancer Research Fund announced that no one should eat processed meat ever because of its incontrovertible link to colon cancer. Second, President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron made sausage the centerpiece of their photo-op during the president's trip to the United Kingdom.
The World Cancer Research Fund's new report, the most comprehensive ever conducted on colon cancer, confirmed that both red and processed meats play a significant role in the development of colorectal cancer. The authors found that 45 percent of all colorectal cancer cases could be prevented if we ate less meat and more fruits and vegetables and made other lifestyle changes.
You can't begrudge heads of state a bit of choreographed symbolism (pour the Guinness now, please). But when obesity, heart disease, cancer and other food-related conditions are epidemics costing hundreds of billions of dollars and a great many lives, the president needs to lead, not follow. He should set an example. So far, it's been in the opposite direction.
First, it was a well-publicized motorcade to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, Va., with the Vice president. Then, a repeat performance -- same place, same menu -- with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Five Guys burgers, meaty chili and similar junk food used as props of choice show a president who is out of touch with health.
Just as the previous administration ignored the pleas of the president's cancer panel to stop subsidizing unhealthy foods, the current one has similarly treated health and nutrition with indifference.
The First Lady's signature anti-obesity campaign -- Let's Move -- is no match for the administration's ongoing purchases of sausage, cheese, burgers and other fatty foods that are sent to schools everyday. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to bow to the interests of meat lobbyists and heavily subsidize the production of meat and other unhealthful foods.
It's time for the administration to acknowledge the clear and convincing scientific evidence linking processed meat to increased cancer risk. And it's time for action to protect our children: The president and the USDA should work to get hot dogs, bacon, pepperoni pizza and other processed meat products out of school lunches.
The president should also reconsider photo-ops that promote unhealthy foods.
Certainly, no political leader wants to appear aloof, and beer, burgers and sausage lend a "regular guy" image. But I don't want a regular guy as president. My plumber, my accountant, the pharmacist are all regular guys. And none of them should be running the country, much less setting a dietary example. Most "regular guys" die of heart disease, and half will develop cancer.
The fact that the Obama-Cameron photo-op served food to British soldiers doesn't excuse the unhealthful choices. British Ministry of Defence recently reported that 57 percent of its troops are overweight or obese. Many American soldiers are in the same predicament.
There is no shortage of healthful choices, as Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron demonstrated with an agile pair of salad tongs. The sooner our leaders break the pattern of catering to the worst of health problems, the better off we'll all be.
Neal D. Barnard, M.D., is a nutrition researcher and president of the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
•Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: 24 Obeisances to Aindra das an exemplary disciple of Srila Prabhupada & exalted devotee
This week marked the 24th anniversary of the 24 hour kirtan program at ISKCON's Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan. It was held in seperation of His Grace Aindra Prabhu who left us earlier this year to be in Krishna's abode.
Every year I go to Vrindavan for pilgramage and this will be the first time in recent memory that I will not see Aindra Prabhu. I will miss his warm embrace, his caring words and his memories. Without fail he would genuinely and kindly ask about my family, health and mutual God Brothers. When he saw Indresh a few years ago in Vrindavan he was surprised happy to see him all grown up and earlier this year he saw Ashalata after a very long time and shared old memories of Chicago and he remembered her cooking. We served together in Chicago but in the hustle and bustle of the temple I did not truly understand his truly exhalted position as a genuine and exemplary Vaishnava.
Aindra Prabhu was truly a renounced since he left it all behind and moved to Vrindavan. Something that I certainly have not been able to do. Something that needs to be even more appreciated for someone brought up in a western living standard. He was the leader of the 24 hour kirtan but he went beyond that by being constantly immersed in the holy name and the worship of Radha Krishna...just see his altar and quarters. He revived Srila Prabhupada's wish for 24 hour kirtan. Organizing and managing it in a first class way, just like Srila Prabhupada would have wanted it and it became so attractive for visitors, guests and devotees from far and wide.
So we should all look to Sriman Aindra Prabhu and his example and maybe, just maybe we can try to catch an instruction from Srila Prabhupada and try to please Srila Prabhupada as this wonderful Vaishnava did.
your worthless servant,
Subhavilasa das
{See Aindra Prabhu in fine form during Kartik kirtan from a few years back on the attached You Tube clip.}
•Japa Group: Why Do We Chant?
Hopefully it will be the last....and if it's not, then we need to change something and chant in a way that we feel the Lord and his spiritual energy.
Let's put mechanical chanting behind us, let us pronounce each word very carefully and let us hear the words very carefully - after all the Lord has descended as the sound vibration of the Hare Krsna mantra. Let us chant with devotion by following the basic instructions given to us by Srila Prabhupada.
•H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: USA Retreat 2011 – pictures
Sent in by H.G. Rupanuga Prabhu & Bhakta Ajay Click here for more pictures
•Kurma dasa, AU: Burfi, the Queen of Fudge
I try not to recycle blogs, but the other day I found this image that has been lost for years in the deepest crevices of my photo files. Miniature versions exist, but this large image captures every 'pore' of its buttery, caramelly, toffee-almondy, mouth-melting fudgeness. So, drool and lust all you like. It is prasadam.
The image is from my second book 'Cooking with Kurma'. And, just as an excuse to share this photo with you, I've included the fabulous recipe. By the way, if you ever had trouble preparing this, the original recipe had a misprint. Here's the tried-and-true version.
Almond Toffee Fudge
I can honestly say that I've cooked more fudge than any other one preparation in my 35-year kitchen career. Different versions of the same basic recipe, often prepared in 2,000-5,000 piece batches, have been devoured with delight at innumerable expos, food fairs, alternative life-style events and catering programs. I've supplied the recipe hundreds of times to "fudgeaholics".
Here's the original almond variety, immortalised in print. You should know that the best-tasting fudge requires top quality unsalted cultured butter, premium quality cream and, most important, full-fat powdered milk.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: about 30 minutes, YIELD: about 50 pieces of fudge.
250g good quality unsalted butter (I prefer Danish style), 1 1/2 cups raw sugar, 1 cup pouring consistency pure cream, 1 cup whole unblanched almonds, oven-roasted or fried, and very coarsely chopped, about 3 1/2 cups full cream powdered milk, extra toasted, crushed, slivered, flaked or whole almonds for decorating the surface of the fudge (optional).
Gently melt the butter in a heavy 5-litre/quart saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar, increase the heat to moderate and, stirring constantly, cook for about 3 minutes or until the sugar melts into the butter and becomes frothy.
Cook for a few minutes more until it develops a light caramel colour. The caramelised sugar will give off a light toffee fragrance. Be careful to avoid over-darkening the sugar at this point; excess caramelisation will give the fudge a bitter flavour. The butter will probably be completely separated from the caramelised sugar at this stage, but that's normal.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and nuts. Using a wire whisk, gradually mix in the powdered milk a little at a time, whisking vigorously to avoid forming any lumps. When the mixture just hangs onto the whisk, it is ready. If it reaches this stage before you've added all the powdered milk, don't add any more. If it's still too runny after adding it all, add a little more.
Very lightly butter a 25cm-30cm (10-inch - 12-inch) tray. With a spatula, scrape the hot fudge mixture into the tray. Smooth it out and sprinkle the top with the optional nuts. Allow the fudge to set in a cool place for 1 hour. Cut into approximately 3.75cm(1-inch) squares, and stand back.
•ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana
Their Lordships look exquisite; Their servants really went all out for Their pleasure.
Sri Sri Gaura Nitai were dressed by Bhakta Prabhu; chota Gaura Nitai by Rasa Krsna Prabhu.
Sri Sri Radha Ballabha by Gokula Rani Mataji; Sri Sri Radha Krsna by Govinda Kunda Mataji.
And Sri Sri Jagannatha, Balarama and Subhadra Mayi by Bhakti Lata Mataji.
All glories to their service: here's the darsana.
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