"Planet ISKCON" - 31 new articles
Candidasa dasa, UK: My wedding (with photos)It seems about time I posted something on this blog. I has been quite a while. News of the moment: I have gotten married. On the 1st of January 2010 I, Candidasa dasa, married the lovely Visnumaya devi dasi. Or, if you prefer, our western names: Julian Malik Seidenberg and Susan Elizabeth Burrows (now Seidenberg). Lots of great pictures from the event (thanks to Thakur Saranga and Sukanthi Radha for taking the pictures):  Candidasa & Visnumaya Wedding Photos The wedding was traditional Vedic/Hare Krishna style. Here are some of the fun traditions depicted in the photos:
• Email to a friend • Related •  •H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Monday 15 February 2010--Shun Herd Mentality and Realize Yourself. ...Nowadays it is considered very egalitarian to think that no matter which pathway one takes it will lead to the same goal. Try to going to an airport to see if you can make this philosophy practical by taking any airplane and reaching the same destination. While such notions of doing anything and getting the same result may be the embodiment of political................. ================================================================== Thought... • Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON Melbourne, AU: St Kilda Festival - Sunday 14 FebruaryYesterday's harinama at the St Kilda Festival was a total success! • Email to a friend • Related • •Japa Group: Everything Depends On Practice
Hare Krsna my dear devotees. I hope your weekend is going well and your japa too. Here today everything was very peaceful. As I normally do, I cooked for the Deities some salad, pasta and a nice fruit salad with some strawberry lassi...the Summer in Brazil is being very strong, today was very hot and almost impossible to do anything but by the Lord's mercy we could prepare everything....bathe our Deities and serve Them properly. I will be having 2 days holidays here because Brazil celebrates a Carnival these days so I am happy because I don't need to work and can concentrate more on my service and japa. I found a quote from Srila Prabhupada talking about the importance of practice and how we should stick to chanting and hearing.Srila Prabhupada: "Practically everything depends on practice abhyasa-yoga- yuktena cetasa nanya-gamina - Bhagavad-Gita 8.8. Abhyasa-yoga means yoga practice. Practise it. The whole Krsna consciousness movement is a practice to learn how to transfer from one kind of consciousness to another. For that we require practice. Just like one man can run a few miles. I cannot run even one mile. The difference is, he has practice. The strength of the heart is increasing by practice. By practice everything can be attained. Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how is it possible to practise? Therefore this one practice—chanting Hare Krsna and hearing—that is very nice and praying to Krsna: "Please give me strength." "Hare," "O energy of Krsna, o Krsna, I am fallen, I have no strength. Please accept me." That's all. I have no qualification. I am frail. I am trying, but I am failing. All these appeals should be made. And Krsna is all powerful, He can do everything." I liked very much this part that Srila Prabhupada talks about the importance of chanting, hearing and praying....asking the Lord to accept our service, putting ourselves in a humble position and saying we have no qualifications to chant but still we want to have the Lords mercy to be accepted by Him. Krsna is so merciful that He reciprocates with every little effort we make. I notice how my efforts of cooking, even in the hot weather, became successful because I had good japa with the boys before - this made me more powerful and I could be calmer and experience the nectar of my service. I really wish you can have nice realisations on your service and experience the Lord's mercy in any situation. your servant, Aruna devi  • Email to a friend • Related • •Kurma dasa, AU: Calling all Kannada- or Tamil-Speaking Kitchen Ladies
A. M. from Chennai wrote me: "Can you please tell me what are these called in kannada/tamil: 1. Water chestnut (singhada/singhoda in hindi) flour 2. Amaranth seed (Amaranthus) (rajgira in marathi) flour 3. Buckwheat (kuttu in hindi) flour Any ideas, dear readers? • Email to a friend • Related • •Kurma dasa, AU: UpmaRohini from South Africa wrote asking for a recipe for Upma Here's my Upma recipe: Breakfast-time Cashew-Studded Upma Upma is a traditional grain dish much loved all over India. It consists of roasted semolina (sooji) and sauteed spices, with added vegetables and nuts combined with water to form a moist, savoury pudding. Though upma's texture resembles Italian polenta or North African couscous, its flavour is unique. Served with fresh lemon juice and a little yogurt, it makes a delicious breakfast. Serves 6 - 8 persons.
1½ cups coarse-grain semolina, ¼ cup ghee or oil, 1½ teaspoons black mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons split urad dal, 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, 2 hot green chilies, seeded and minced, 2 cups cabbage, finely shredded, 1 red pepper, seeded and diced, 1 cup peeled potatoes, cubed, 1 cup orange-fleshed sweet potato, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 3 cups hot water, 1 cup green peas, cooked if fresh, thawed if frozen, 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 cup roasted cashew pieces, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Toast, yogurt, lemon wedges, or chutney to accompany (optional). Dry-roast the semolina in a large, heavy dry frying pan over moderate heat for 6 - 8 minutes or until the grains darken a few shades. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy 4 or 5-litre/quart saucepan over moderately high heat. Saute the black mustard seeds in the hot oil until they crackle. Add the urad dal and cumin seeds and saute them until they darken; add the chilies and, stirring, add the cabbage, peppers, zucchini, potatoes, and turmeric. Stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and continue to cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until the vegetables are limp and partly cooked. Carefully add the hot water and bring to the boil. Add the cooked fresh peas or thawed frozen peas. Add the semolina, stirring continuously. Add the salt; reduce the heat to very low, and half-cover with a lid, stirring often until the upma becomes a light, fluffy pudding (about 5 minutes). If the upma appears too dry, add a little warm water. Remove the upma from the heat, stir in the cashew nuts, lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves, and serve hot with suggested accompaniments.
• Email to a friend • Related • •H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, February 9th, 2010Someone Has Gone  • Email to a friend • Related • •H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, February 13th, 2010Don't stop Checking!  • Email to a friend • Related • •HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 347Lord Caitanya's elders advented before He did—Saci Mata, Jagannatha Misra, Advaita Acarya, Nilambara Cakravarti, Baladeva, Srinivasa Thakura, Haridasa Thakura. Lord Caitanya stayed in the womb of His mother for thirteen months and was born in 1486 A.D. His childhood activities were naughty, like Lord Krishna's. He would steal milk and break pots from the neighboring homes, and if He could not find anything He would pour water in the ears of the younger children. He would go down to the Ganges where the twelve-year old girls were making offerings and prayers to lord Shiva for good husbands. Without the girls' permission, Nimai would steal the offerings and tell the girls not to worship lord Shiva but to worship Him. Big heaps of snow are piled up in the streets were the plow trucks cleared a way. When we walk there, there are ice patches and puddles. People are still out shoveling their driveways and car-paths. "Is your free write sufficiently Krishna conscious?" "Yes I think it is. I think I got the birth date right for Lord Caitanya's advent." "Have you noticed how close it is to the sailing of Christopher Columbus westward in 1492?" "There is nothing important about that coincidence. Lord Caitanya's appearance is immensely more important although most historians are not aware of it. Columbus was not even the first sailor to discover the "New World", whereas Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the first to deliver sankirtana, which is the process of pure love of God. Prabhupada's 1965 sailing to America is a follow-up of Lord Caitanya's work and is of infinite more importance than Columbus' "discovery" of the land in the western hemisphere. Even our little groups' joining the Swami and founding ISKCON in 1966 is more important than Columbus' voyage." "How can you say that? The discovery of the New World opened the way for the discovery of the United States of America as well as South America and Canada. Surely they are more important than the forming of the Indian religious sect in New York City and its subsequent world-wide spread as ISKCON." "Not true. Even materially speaking, the establishment of ISKCON saved the west from its downward path in immorality and vice of Kali yuga. Without the chanting of Hare Krishna the world as we know it would be in the dark ages. There is no other means of God realization in Kali yuga except the chanting of Hare Krishna. Spiritual evidence is more conclusive than historical records or growth of commerce and nationalism. Time will prove this true." • Email to a friend • Related • •H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, February 12th, 2010I'm Happy / I'm Sick  • Email to a friend • Related • •Akrura das, Gita Coaching: DEVOTEE MUTUAL COACHINGIn Mutual Coaching, each devotee acts as both the coach and the coachee (or client). The likely result is increased personal and interpersonal effectiveness in all areas of life.  • Email to a friend • Related • •Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: get a little power, become puffed upThis material nature is such thing that as soon as you get little power, you become puffed up. That is demonic nature. 731212SB.LA • Email to a friend • Related • •Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: delaysProbably until early April I won't be able to regularly attend to email, so please excuse delays in replies. • Email to a friend • Related • •Japa Group: Attainment Of Prema Bhakti
Chanting the holy names makes us more aware of our consitutional position of eternal servants. Here is a nice quote from the Sri Caitanya Candramritam: svadam svadam madhurimabharam sviya namavalinam Always absorbed in chanting and relishing his own holy names, Gaurasundar becomes intoxicated with ever-increasing passion. Sometimes he swoons, falling to the ground in a display of ineffable exultation. The Lord invites everyone, repeatedly encouraging them to sing the wonderful qualities of Sri Krishna, the prince of Vraja. But those who have never seen or perceived him in meditation, even only briefly, for them the attainment of prema bhakti is almost impossible. Sri Caitanya Candramritam by Prabodhananda Sarasvatipada - Excerpt of his prayers. The symptoms of one who is fully engaged in the process of chanting with love is difficult to describe but we have an idea of the love our acharyas showed while chanting, first feeling lots of mercy and love for every living entity trying to engage every one of them in Harinam Sankirtan. Goura Purnima is coming soon and this verse is to remind us of the great love Lord Chaitanya showed so we can have an idea of this pure love of Krsna, prema. I pray so I can constantly chant the holy names of the Lord and receive association of the great vaisnavas so I can always be reminded of my position as eternal servant of the Lord. Wishing you all a very good week of chanting and lots of inspirations and blessings coming from the Lord. your servant, Aruna devi  • Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Sunday Feast - Live!! • Email to a friend • Related • •New Vrndavan, USA: NV's New Temple President Weathers His First StormNew Vrindaban recently experienced a 3-1/2 day power outage. Although this was Sikhi Mahiti’s first winter storm in NV, he remained calm throughout the outage and assisted the devotees in their service. As a result, the Deity service and devotee care continued uninterrupted throughout the entire storm. This was the first major crisis for Sikhi Mahiti dasa, who assumed the post of Temple President in July 2009. "It was not that bad considering what I used to do before I came to New Vrindaban," said Sikhi Mahiti with a smile. "Before becoming Temple President, I worked for AT&T for twelve years. One of my jobs was to handle the major outages of AT&T's most important clients. So I was prepared to handle this snow storm." By the mercy of Sri Sri Radha – Vrindaban Chandra, New Vrindaban During this snow storm, New Vrindaban made an urgent appeal on its website for donations to cover the cost of the generator. Within hours, a single guest made a donation to cover the entire cost. Until Sikhi Mahiti installed the new generator, however, Ranaka dasa generously lent the generator from his own home. Thus, although Ranaka and his family were without light, the service of Sri Sri Radha – Vrindaban Chandra continued uninterrupted. During the storm, Sikhi Mahiti gave special protection to the women and children of New Vrindaban. Many families and single women stayed in the guest rooms and offices next to the temple. Thanks to the guests, the kirtanas at mangala arati were ecstatic! This storm was actually a blessing in disguise. It forced many devotees to come and take shelter of the Deities and the temple. The storm also gave many devotees the opportunity to view first-hand some of the positive new changes in New Vrindaban. Jaya Prabhupada! Jaya Sri Sri Radha – Vrindaban Chandra! • Email to a friend • Related • •Bhakti Lata, Alachua, USA: A Glorious Encounter In Mexico, there is a mystical place called Agua Azul where a series of waterfalls cascade down a mountain. Once a year, the Bus Tour visits for one glorious day. So after many adventures, towards evening I made my way to the main waterfalls to chant japa. Tourists crowded behind the railing, snapping pictures. I grinned and ducked under the railing. I nimbly walked along a narrow strip of rock until it ended in a little spot just big enough for one person to sit. I had dubbed this The Radhanath Swami Rock, so named because once Radhanath Swami had sat upon a rock in the middle of the Ganges River in meditation for one whole month. When he had committed to a final act of surrender, the Ganges had given him the holy name, the maha mantra. I settled on the little promontory. The majesty of the waterfalls enfolded my vision, and the roar drowned out the sounds of tourists. I unwound my beads from their bead bag and held them between my hands so that anyone who saw me would know I was meditating, and not just mumbling to myself. I chanted and fell into a trance. I wondered if I listened closely enough the roar of the waterfalls would reveal the holy name to me. I've tried this a lot around large bodies of water ever since I heard Radhanath Swami's story, but mostly I just get an earful of water. Suddenly, I heard someone call my name. I turned around to see a friend from the Bus Tour behind the railing, holding a plate of prasadam for me. I rose, walked to the railing, gratefully took the plate, and then my friend left. I ate the pasta as fast as possible - I wanted to return to chanting. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an elderly couple observing me in silence. "Excuse me," the woman suddenly asked in Spanish, "But were you chanting 'Ha-dee Kish-na Ha-dee Kish-na...'" she recited the entire maha mantra. Dumbstruck, I replied in Spanish, "Yes," "And you go around the beads 16 times?" "Yes! How do you know this?" "There are Hare Krishnas in Veracruz, where we are from," she said. "Wonderful people." "Tell me," the husband asked. "What do you believe?" I lowered my plate. "Well... Ah... This is the science of how to love God, and how to love one another. It is the same in all religions, is it not? This," I gestured to my beads, "is how I connect with God, by calling out His name with love. God may have many different names, but ultimately, God is God." "Beautiful." the woman said. "God is so miraculous, isn't He? He created all this," the man gestured to the panorama in front of us. The sun was setting behind the turquoise waterfalls, the jungles were lit in emerald, and the sun danced through the mist in golden clouds. "God is amazing," I said. "God is amazing," they agreed. We bowed farewell to each other, enlightened. I threw away my plate and once more tiptoed out onto The Radhanath Swami Rock. Just as I had settled down, an undulating black ribbon began to stream from behind the waterfalls and fill the sky. Bats! Hundreds and thousands emerged from the waterfalls in the twilight to loop through the sky in dizzy circles, and then flew off into the jungles for their evening hunt. Had the elderly couple witnessed this glory of creation, too? I twisted around to look for the couple, but they had vanished. I closed my eyes and began to chant. Suddenly I realized that the waterfalls had revealed to me the holy name - the elderly woman, in her broken way, had recited the entire maha mantra. Even out here, in this far-flung country of Mexico, the mercy of Srila Prabhupad had found an elderly couple; and in the jungles of Agua Azul, that mercy had found me. Sometimes I see so little difference between the glory of God and the glory of His devotee. Subscribe  • Email to a friend • Related • •Dandavats.com: Live from Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir! HH Bhakti Vinoda SwamiBy Bhakti Vinoda Swami Philosophical research culminates in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After achieving this understanding, when one becomes free from the material modes of nature, he attains the stage of devotional service. Either by devotional service directly or by philosophical research, one has to find the same destination, which is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. • Email to a friend • Related • •Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Energy Diversification: A National Security Imperative by T.J. Buonomo, Former U.S. Military Intelligence Officer According to the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. imports about 60% of its oil, with more than two-thirds of it used for transportation. Oil is essential to the basic functioning of the global economy, from the production of goods in factories overseas and across the country to their delivery to local markets. Without oil our military would not be able to defend the country from external threats. In short, we are critically dependent on this non-renewable resource. The vital importance of oil and the corresponding impulse to control or safeguard its supply and price has led to repeated Western interventions in the Middle East and other parts of the world, sparking militant nationalist and revolutionary movements and causing deep and lasting resentments. In the case of the Middle East, outside intervention against secular nationalist movements has led to the rise of Islamist terrorism as an alternative solution for a relatively small but very determined minority. Though limited military action may be necessary in the short term to respond to this threat, America’s long-term security ultimately requires intelligent public policy in support of a vibrant domestic market for renewable energy. Our dependence on foreign sources of energy has made America vulnerable to militant religious fundamentalists spawned by repressive regimes — elites whom our government has in some cases covertly placed in power and whom it is pressured to continue to support, either due to lack of friendly, viable alternatives or fear of the unpredictable outcomes of successful popular movements. To minimize such vulnerabilities and the moral and security dilemmas they create, we must put an end to the mad pursuit of fossil fuels across these war-torn and politically volatile parts of the world. As a matter of civic responsibility and obligation to the men and women who keep us secure, the American people should press their elected representatives to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. The longer our elected officials remain beholden to powerful private interests, the more our families and communities will suffer. Supporting our troops means not only taking care of them when they get home but also working to minimize the likelihood of them being sent into harm’s way in the first place. This effort will not be without formidable political obstacles. Supposed conservative media figures have in recent months frequently insinuated that subsidies to the renewable energy industry are socialistic — a damning term among true conservatives — while conspicuously neglecting to point out that the much more well-established fossil fuel industry received over $72 billion in federal subsidies from 2002-2008. Federal subsidies to the wind and solar industries amounted to about one-sixth of this figure in the same time period based on the Environmental Law Institute’s figures. Since America was founded, our government has always provided limited support for innovation in emerging markets that further the national interest. Clean energy should be no exception. Alexander Hamilton, Founding Father and first Secretary of the Treasury, was a strong advocate for government support of industrialization as a matter of national security. The case for government support to the renewable energy industry is no less urgent but will require sustained public pressure from across the political spectrum against entrenched private interests conflicting with the national interest. T.J. Buonomo is a former Military Intelligence Officer. He holds a B.S. in Political Science and Middle East Studies from the U.S. Air Force Academy and has spent the past 5 years researching the nexus between multinational corporations, markets, U.S. covert operations and political instability in developing countries, with a primary emphasis on the Middle East and Latin America. Filed under: Cows and Environment       • Email to a friend • Related • •H.H. Jayadvaita Swami: "Gita changes" for Chapter 3 now onlineBBT Press release The “changes” for chapter three of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is are now online at www.BBTedit.com/changes. Perhaps the most notable feature of this chapter is that the revisions to the purports are so few. As in the rest of the book, when revisions are warranted they are made, and otherwise the text is left unchanged. In this chapter fewer revisions are needed, so fewer are made. Still, there are several revisions worth seeing. You’ll see:
This happens twice in the purport to text 20 and once each in the purports to texts 30 and 37. You’ll also see:
The changes for the Preface, the Introduction, and the previous chapters are already online. See them all at www.BBTedit.com/changes. • Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON News.com: Mayapur GBC Meetings: Day 5
• Email to a friend • Related • •Mayapur Online: Gaura Purnima Festival 2010- Inauguration pictures!
• Email to a friend • Related • •Dandavats.com: GBC Meeting Report #3By Sraddhadevi Dasi Day five of the Annual General Meeting of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission began with presentations by the Succession and Leadership Training Committee and Devotee Care Committee. Tamohara dasa, on behalf of the Succession and Leadership Training Committee reported that replacement of GBC and Zonal Secretary positions most often occur in emergency situations and are subsequently rapid appointments, many times without thorough training. In order to better this situation, the Succession and Leadership Training Committee developed and initiated a second stage of Leadership Training Courses in North America, Europe, and India. • Email to a friend • Related • •Friends of the BBT: Meet the New Editor• Email to a friend • Related • •Friends of the BBT: Amplifiers, Adrenaline and an Arsenal of Bhagavad-gitas: The Warped Tour Book Distribution Team• Email to a friend • Related • •Hanuman das, Croatia: Lotusimprints Blog » Blog Archive » All those years ago…Lotusimprints Blog » Blog Archive » All those years ago…  • Email to a friend • Related • •David Haslam, UK: seek and you will findAs some of you that read my blog you will be aware that I came from a background of being raised and for some time a full time preacher within the Jehovah’s Witness faith; which was actually a happy time for me. But one scripture always came to mind that simply states "seek and you will [...] • Email to a friend • Related • •Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Govardhana Hill Finds A New HeritageMATHURA: American landscape experts, who are drawing up a conservation plan for Mount Govardhan -- significant in Hindu mythology -- feel the hill deserves to be recognised as a world heritage site."Goverdhan hill is unique in the world, visited by more than ten million people annually. However, its ecosystem is in a shambles, the water bodies have been destroyed and the green cover almost disappeared," Amita Sinha of the Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, US, told IANS.Sinha and her team have completed a weeklong study of Goverdhan hill, which Lord Krishna is believed to have lifted on his little finger to protect residents from the wrath of Indra the god of rain.The study is to be presented to the university and the Braj Foundation, which is currently engaged in the restoration of ancient heritage sites in the entire Braj Mandal area in and around Vrindavan, Mathura and Agra, filled with references to Lord Krishna. The team will prepare a watershed map of the hill. They have identified vegetation patterns, surveyed historic and other structures, observed pilgrimage rites and conducted interviews with pilgrims and resident devotees.A member of the team told IANS: "The experience was truly amazing. The information we gathered through intensive interaction with pilgrims, priests and the ordinary people helped us work on a holistic project keeping the spiritual and cultural features of the area in mind." The team will come out with a detailed report in August.The report will be useful in putting together a conservation plan for Mount Govardhan that will be taken forward by The Braj Foundation in association with the Uttar Pradesh government for getting Govardhan Hill world heritage site status, said Raghav Mittal, project director at Vrindavan.  • Email to a friend • Related • •Manorama dasa: Zöld rendőrség2 videó. Mind a kettőt nézzétek meg. Az első nagyon vicces, a második pedig interaktívan játszható. Egy igazi zöld rendőr tesz fel neked kérdéseket • Email to a friend • Related • •Gouranga TV: Nitai Pada KamalaNitai Pada Kamala • Email to a friend • Related • •ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Ram Krishna PrabhuSrimad Bhagavatam 11.17.40 -The different types of vidya (the knowledge); avidya, aparavidya and paravidya. • Email to a friend • Related • •More Recent Articles |
Once a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada that why he is insisting in devotees attending Mayapur festival. As the traveling costs in those days will be around $500, he said,’Srila Prabhupada, wouldn’t be better if we use this money in preaching activities instead of buying flight tickets to Mayapur’. Srila Prabhupada replied that it would be even more better if we stop eating and save that money for preaching. In other words, Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to attend Mayapur festival, as it was very necessary for their progress in spiritual life.
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Nitai Pada Kamala
28 de enero de 2010
Nitai Pada Kamala
Bhajan By: Narottama Dasa Thakura
Sung by: Jahnavi, Tulasi & other Bhaktivedanta Manor youth on Nityananda Trayodasi
Parama Karuna Pahu Dui Jana
28 de enero de 2010
Parama Karuna Pahu Dui Jana
Bhajan By: Locana Dasa Thakura
Sung by: Jahnavi, Tulasi & other Bhaktivedanta Manor youth on Nityananda Trayodasi
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