By Antony Brennan for ISKCON News: There are now more than 500 million active users of the Facebook social networking service. A social networking service is an online website that focuses on building social relations among people who share interests and activities. Internet based social network services make it possible to connect people across political, economic, and geographic borders.
Discussing social networking in an article on Dandavats.com, Dushyanta Dasa said, “There is a high number of individuals aggressively seeking spirituality and genuinely seeking answers to unanswered spiritual queries.”
With so many people around the world using Facebook to communicate with each other it has become a natural field to engage people in Krishna consciousness.
In his article, Dushyanta says complacency in exploring the potential opportunity of outreach on social networking sites like Facebook could be to the detriment of the ISKCON outreach mission.
“Facebook has been a very effective tool for Krishna conscious outreach,” says Nityananda Dasa, a devotee at the Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji Mandir, in Dallas, Texas.
“Every year, I perform temple tours for thousands of college and high school students,” says Nityananda. “I invite these students to add me as a friend on Facebook and then I can continue to communicate with them in that way. I have over 100 contacts that are just from the tours alone.”
He continues: “Every week I post many things to my Facebook page: reading notes, Krishna conscious photos, quotes, links, and more. I also invite those friends to any events that I think would be great for them such as kirtan concerts and major festivals, plays, or seminars. The nice thing is that anything I post on my Facebook page appears on their page as well.”
Nityananda says he has found using Facebook as an outreach tool a lot more effective than sites like MySpace. “Anyone who is curious about Krishna Consciousness can follow along without even having to write,” he says.
The Facebook ‘Like’ button allows people to indicate they are interested in a message, or a photo with a single click. “The ‘like’ button is genius,” Nityananda says. “It is so simple, you don’t have to write anything and it gives the writer acknowledgment and encouragement.”
Other devotees, however, have pointed out that there could be issues for devotees using social networking. In another article on Dandavats.com, Sridevi Dasi says there is evidence that shows social networking can be addictive.
“There are devotees already justifying their presence on these sites,” she comments. “We keep in touch with so many devotees worldwide; we know what’s going on in ISKCON worldwide, but at what cost?”
In a response to Sridevi’s article, Dhanesvara Dasa writes, “Some devotees on Facebook write about being very isolated—not having much association on a regular basis. For them Facebook IS their association.”
Although it can be said that the jury is still out on the true value of social networking, it has also been said that to ask if social media could be useful for religious organisations is like asking, 100 years ago, whether the use of telephones could be helpful.
Do not chant for material advancement. That is a completely contrary plan. The japa is meant to release us from the life of material striving, we should chant with the desire to minimize our wants and increase our desire for serving Krishna. When you utter Nama Prabhu, you should be alert and moving rapidly through the rounds. This is an indication of eagerness and application of will. I do not like this slough and seek to throw it off and move like a sprinter or a long– distance runner with strength for the meet. From Viraha Bhavan 95
Sacred statues stolen from Hare Krishna temple $5,000 reward offered for return of icons By PEGGY O’HARE HOUSTON CHRONICLE Oct. 8, 2010, 10:42PM These two sacred statues, known as deities, were stolen by burglars who broke into Houston’s oldest Hare Krishna temple at 1320 W. 34th St. “I felt as if someone in the family had passed away,” said Chirag Bhatt, a spokesman for thetemple. Officials with Houston’s oldest Hare Krishna temple are asking the vandals who stole two sacred statues from the house of worship this week to return them, promising no questions will be asked.The thieves probably stole the deities from the ISKCON of Houston Temple at 1320 W. 34th St. because they mistakenly thought the statues were made of gold, but they are made of brass, said Chirag Bhatt, a spokesman for the temple. The crime, worshippers said, would be akin to stealing a crucifix from a Roman Catholic church.A $5,000 reward is being offered for the deities’ return.“To be very honest with you, yesterday morning when I found out, I felt as if someone in the family had passed away,” Bhatt said. “According to our Hindu scripture, because those deities are invited to be present in their form in the temple and they were taken forcefully by the person from their location, this particular person has committed a major sin. That person and their family may face very serious consequences not only in this lifetime, but in generations to come.”Worshipped by thousands The northwest Houston temple has never before been burglarized. “That’s probably why this is a bigger shock,” Bhatt said. “It’s beyond the imagination of everyone who visits the temple on a regular basis.”The burglary happened between 9:15 p.m. Wednesday and 4:30 a.m. Thursday when the intruders broke in through the temple’s locked back door. The temple’s alarm system was not activated because of ongoing construction at the building.The deities, which weigh about 15 to 20 pounds and are about 18 to 24 inches long, are known as Sri Sri Radha Giridhari. They have been worshipped by thousands of Hindus in Houston. Worshippers revere them as personalities because the deities are invited to be present in the temple as a gesture of accepting the congregation’s devotional services.The intruders also tried to take other deities that were apparently too heavy for them to lift, Bhatt said.Houston police have alerted pawn shops and businesses that purchase brass objects to be on the lookout for the items.Bhatt asked the thieves to return them, suggesting they could anonymously drop the statues off at the temple in the middle of the night.“If they’re embarrassed by the action, they can come back in the middle of the night, place them somewhere and just leave them anonymously,” he said. The deities, he added, “don’t belong anywhere but their own home. All we can do is ask for them to bring them back, no questions asked.”Services to continue Worship services will continue at the ISKCON of Houston Temple, which is the oldest of its kind in the city. The temple originally opened in 1969 in downtown Houston at 1111 Rosalie. It moved to its current location on West 34th Street in 1984.More than 100,000 Hindus are in Houston, said Vijay Pallod, a spokesman for Hindus of Greater Houston.Share this story your way:
Today I feel so grateful. Some people really value my presence in their lives. I do not deserve this, and this value that they see is due to Krsna consciousness. If I can draw their attention to the holy name and the eternal principles of success given by God from time immemorial, then my contribution to their lives will have value. The opportunity to serve sincere seekers of the truth is a blessing and a privilege for me. Krsna is sending more of them into my life and I see it as a benediction. I was thinking today who would be my ideal client, or the ideal person I want to serve as a coach. It would be a spiritual warrior ready to improve and contribute day by day, week by week, month by month, year after year. Someone who does not blame anything or anyone and who is grateful for an opportunity given by God as a human form of life. Someone who is humble but bold. I was also thinking, if I would die today, what would I regret. I would regret that I was not preaching about Krsna enough and chanting enough the Lord's holy name. But one thing certainly I would not regret. One thing I am so grateful for. That I have met so many amazing people, interested in God.
www.sdgonline.org. 3:47 A.M.From Namamrta by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:‘Effects of Offensive Chanting“The holy name eradicates sins, but if one offends the holy name, he will not be delivered
“In the Padma Purana it is stated that even a person whose life is completely sinful will be completely protected by the Lord if he simply surrenders unto Him. So it is accepted that one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes freed from all sinful reactions. And even when a person becomes an offender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he can still be delivered simply by taking shelter of the holy names of the Lord: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, the chanting of Hare Krishna is beneficial for eradicating all sins; but if one becomes an offender to the holy names of the Lord, then he has no chance of being delivered. (The Nectar of Devotion)
An offense at the lotus feet of the Lord is extremely dangerous. Once some students offended Lord Caitanya in chanting. He warned everyone not to even see those students’ faces, and the Lord, even without changing His garments, took a bath in the Ganges. In His Siksastakam, Lord Caitanya stated that Lord Krishna had very liberally taught the holy names and put all His energies in them, but He declared Himself very unfortunate because He committed offenses to chanting and therefore could not attain attachment to the holy name. It is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta that if one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, then despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead which is the ultimate goal of chanting. It is a terrible waste to think that one can chant for many lifetimes and not achieve the result. How important it is, therefore, to carefully try to avoid the ten offenses.
I woke at 1:30 A.M. this morning with a headache. I took medicine but 20 minutes later I still had the headache and took more medicine, although I was chanting all the while. Despite medicating, the headache did not go down for the whole duration of my chanting, all the way to 3:30. But my slump of slow chanting went away. I was able to chant rapidly and hear the chanting clearly. This I did despite the impairment. Fortunately I was not physically sleepy but was mentally alert. I felt very grateful to Nama Prabhu for visiting me this morning and allowing me to chant at a decent pace.
You can chant for
millions of births and not
get love of God if
you chant with offenses.
This is the difficult
side of the process
which is advertised
as “easy.” Unless we
are very, very careful
the offenses will creep
in. How to do it?
“Just hear,” says Prabhupada,
and this morning I was
successful. I didn’t
enter spontaneous ecstasy
but chanted at a
rapid, attentive pace
and my heart was satisfied.
How much support should we give? To whom and how much? And isn’t giving support a gamble, if so should we be involved in it? Over the years I’ve supported colleges/clients through personal problems and professional problems, during work disputes and MNC hearings to hard pressing child abuse cases; and it takes it’s own personal [...]
“Wherever I turn, Prabhupada’s wisdom.
I find it mostly in a lack of wisdom
the nondevotees speak and act.
They don’t even know the first lesson,
‘You are not this body.’
Prabhupada called them for that—
they don’t know who they are yet
they claim, ‘I am scientist,
I am poet, philosopher,
I am president.’
He charged them all with rascaldom.
We have to admit he’s right. “Most people don’t know you, Prabhupada.
They’re occupied with leaders
who don’t know Krishna.
‘Men who are like hogs, dogs, camels and asses,
praise those men who never listen
to the glories of Lord Krishna.’
It was Sukadeva Goswami who called them hogs
and Lord Krishna’s word is ‘mudha.’ Prabhupada said,
‘My way is easy, I just repeat
like a parrot. I don’t have to research
like Dr. Frog. I can’t compromise.’
That’s my master. He’s headlong
further and further into Krishna consciousness,
daring anyone to stop him
but no one can. No one can check
Lord Caitanya’s movement.”
I remember running down the street
when I was living by myself on the
Lower East Side, before I met you.
My left ankle was all right then,
and I could run fast
in my dirty sneakers.
I ran on the edge of the curb,
avoiding the pedestrian traffic
and the car traffic,
unimpeded, running fast
block after block.
I didn’t stop to look
at anyone or talk to anyone
although there were many people
on the streets. I just
ran away from them,
on my own. I didn’t stop
in any stores or movie houses
or churches. I didn’t stop
for prostitutes, and
I met no friends.
Sometimes I had to stop at
a red light, but I kept
running in place, and then
running full steam. I
kept it up for as long
as I could at full speed.
I felt great freedom
doing this, and I would
do it often. Just running.
This was before I
met you. It was
somehow connected to
not having you, to
waiting for time to catch
up to when I would meet
you.
I was staying disentangled
so I’d be free to go to
you. I was running away
from the material world.
When I got out of breath
I had to stop and walk
and then finally I’d go back
to my apartment and maybe
read or listen to music
or write.
Since I met you I don’t
run like that anymore,
although I sometimes hurry
to carry out errands on your
behalf. But not that
sheer escape-running.
I like to think of it though,
and I think I know what I
was doing. I was thinking
I could run away from maya if I only kept
moving fast. But of
course, I couldn’t
escape, and eventually
I’d be out of breath
and caught by drugs
and sex.
But now I don’t have
to run—and neither can I do it in my
old and crippled body.
But I’ve found you
and I’m safe and
don’t need to run
away from anything.
I’m trying to
reach You now,
and it’s a kind of
inner running but
not the same. You
are with me and
Prabhupada is with
me and I don’t have
to be afraid
or run away.
I turned deliberately to Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 5, Chapter 5, verse 1: “Lord Rsabhadeva told His sons: ‘My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been rewarded this human form should not work hard simply for sense gratification, which is available to the dogs and hogs who eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity in order to attain the divine position. By such activity one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this position he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.”
I used to frequently choose this verse to give the Sunday feast lecture in a temple when traveling. It contains so much of the philosophy in summation and lends itself to progressive points for a structured speech. Lord Rshabadeva tells His sons about the importance of human life. You introduce the point that the spirit soul transmigrates through many species, and attaining the human species is very rare. It should not be wasted by using it like the life of a hog or dog. Human beings should voluntarily accept suffering to attain the divine life. It is not like the suffering of animals. It is called tapasya, and it is purifying. When one’s heart is purified by tapasya, he attains eternal, blissful life. This is above material happiness and lasts forever. It is an instruction taught by a father to his sons. It’s the responsibility of the government and the natural guardian, the father, to educate subordinates and bring them to Krishna consciousness. People are not being taught in this way but are being educated how to work very hard for sense gratification and there is no sublime aim in life. People are just taught to travel to the workplace, work hard all day, travel back home and then eat, watch TV, have sex and go to bed. But by practicing bhakti-yoga one can find a solution to all problems and become eligible to return back home, back to Godhead.
Just read more Bhaktivinoda Thakura songs with Rama Raya. As he said, they were “intense.” Full of cries for surrender to the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna.
Admissions of lack of qualification but single-minded conviction that there is no alternative to devotional service to Krishna. It is nice how he puts his own name in the songs, “Bhaktivinoda simply prays for Your mercy, or else he cannot survive.”
I hear about Lord Caitanya. He performed a dance-drama in which He played the role of Rukmini. He said only those free of material desires could watch. The devotees became morose and thought they could not watch. But He assured them He would give them the power to watch without being influenced by material desires. And when He danced as Rukmini, and then the other feminine goddesses of His energy, Durga, Laxmi, etc., they appeared motherly to the devotees. So they had no difficulty, and in the morning the Lord manifested as Mother Laksmi and had each of His devotees come forward and drink milk from His breast. This pastime is hidden even from the Vedas. The performance was held in Srinivasa Acarya’s house, and for a week afterwards the house remained filled with a transcendental effulgence. Lord Nityananda took the part of an elderly gopi and assisted Rukmini.
On August 26th 2010, two days after the appearance day of Lord Balarama, Bhaktivedanta Hospice was inaugurated. Finally the Back-to-Godhead Clinic, the late Arca Vigraha Dasi’s dream, had been realized.
The Eco-Valley Foundation-a non-profit organization run by ISKCON devotees in Hungary—received an invitation from the United Nations this September 20th for the COP16 Climate Summit in Cancun, Mexico.
1966 October 9: "Sitting under a tree in a Lower East Side park, fifty followers of a Hindu swami repeated a sixteen-word chant for two hours yesterday afternoon to the accompaniment of cymbals, bells, and a small reed organ."
[From the New York Times, October 9, 1966]
1968 October 9: "We can take part in politics only which is sanctioned by Krishna. This political struggle is reaction of man's sinful activities. Unless they accept Krishna Consciousness, there is no possibility of peace in the world."Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
1971 October 9: "It is not that everyone will be able to understand this philosophy. Still if some intelligent section of the human society understands it, there will be tremendous change in the atmosphere."Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
1971 October 9: "The important matter is that the children are taken care of nicely. That is the first duty. They must have sufficient quantity of milk and then dhal, capatis, vegetables, and fresh fruit will keep them always fit."Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
1971 October 9: "Recoup your health, Delhi climate is now very good. Soak sugar candy overnight in water and take early in the morning and that will help you. Also take green vegetables with lime juice. Green papaya boiled is also nice."Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
1971 October 9: "Yes, Visnujana Maharaja is personally a nice devotee so he has created nice devotees. Lord Caitanya also behaved personally and then He taught others. So every one of us should follow His principle."Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
1972 October 9: "STOP ALL NEGOTIATIONS. DO NOT PAY A FARTHING UNTIL CONVEYANCE EXECUTED. SENDING KARANDHARA TO TAKE CARE. --A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI"Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
1974 October 9: "Yes, it is understood that your paintings are offered to the Deities when they appear in my books or on our temple walls. Regarding asking me questions, yes you can ask, but unless it is sanctioned by me, you cannot act on it."Prabhupada Letters :: 1974
Thirty devotees from the East Coast and across the US attended Level 3 of Bhagavat Life’s Japa Retreat from Saturday September 25th to Sunday October 23rd, continuing their mission to develop a deeper relationship with the Holy Names of Krishna.
Since the passing of Aindra Dasa earlier this year, many second generation Australian devotees seem to have taken up the karatals and added fuel to the fire of the kirtan revolution.
The ninth inauguration ceremony began with speeches by the Principal, Yadunanadana Swami, the Administrative Director, Jaya Krishna Dasa, Trustee and Instructor Braja Bihari Dasa, and another visiting teacher, Urmila Dasi.
By Shyamagopika Dasi for Mayapur.com on 3 Oct 2010
Sixty students from the North Point Senior Secondary Boarding School in Kolkata visited ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal for a day trip organised by Mayapur Tourism recently.
What was once an old steam train in 1899 and later became dieselized in 1952 became our passenger carrier for the four of us along with tourists from America, Europe, and the Orient. I take it that most of these folks lead fairly comfortable lives because once we took to the water (as in swimming) in the Agawa river our fellow travellers became astounded. Cameras clicked.
They did once again when we sipped water from the streams fed by waterfalls. We didn't think twice about the sip or the dip. This was my lifestyle for years on the road as a brahmacari (junior monk), being rigid yet wild and free at the same time.
The canyon cannot be reached by road, only by rail so we were indeed out "in the sticks". One couple came to me while on the eight hour train ride to ask if I was a Hare Krishna.
"Yes, I am".
"Well, Yah know we used to live in West Virginia at the Hare Krishna village and looked after Malini, the elephant."
Speaking of animals, one member of the train staff told me that one bull moose stood stubbornly on the tracks even thought the train was approaching. The train stopped and then slowly edged forward nudging the beautiful beast onward until he moved off. Sadly on another occasion a moose leapt in front of the train which knifed him in half, one part of the body to the left and one to the right.
Fascinating to hear was how one 10 mile stretch a very difficult terrain, took 2000 men to construct the line with obstacles of rock, bush fires, blackflies and booze all in one summer. The determination at work is always inspiring to me.
The train adventure through utter wilderness was not just a birthday gift to myself but an opportunity to hear and meet some real good people while on the journey.
The sign read, " Common sense is like deodorant. Those who need it most don't use it ."
Geet, Deva Datta, my two companions, and I just completed a rigorous trek through trails at Fork York Creek, when we read this light comment on a sign board. We snickered. But I took it a trite bit more serious. Perhaps I'll stretch to say that the remark is rather "absolute". It is often enough that those who are needing are resistant when offered.
For example, you get all excited when a person comes to town to conduct a workshop on reflective hearing, especially when rendered in the most professional and serious way. You have someone in mind who can benefit from such a workshop. In fact non-empathic listening is their chronic weakness. You really believe in the program because you reaped a great harvest from it yourself. You want to share it but your buddy is not willing. Does it sound familiar? He or she will resist like the plague.
How about the conflict between a couple? Counseling can do wonders but both party members must agree to participate. The ,"No way Jose" attitude will not permit for reconciliation. And so we see that the reluctance to talk the issues over puts everything at a stalemate. Everything freezes.
One great sadhu (holy man) Rupa Goswami, actually encouraged speaking to someone mature to lead to a resolve. It is speaking confidentially that helps a person win the game to reach deeper understanding . In fact this humble monk offers much advice on breaking stalemates between people in his book, "Upadeshamrita". (The Nectar Of Instruction)
Back to the "common sense" remark, our guru, Srila Prabhupada encouraged common sense action. Spiritual life inclusive of common sense. We must use practicality otherwise you run on superstitions and that can be extremely dangerous.
Chanting of Hare Krishna is meant to bring us attachment to Krishna Himself, to please Krishna and eventually to invoke our pure love for Krishna. We should chant with that in mind.
The subject of Brahma’s meditations, and why Krsna shows himself to motivated persons like Daksa and not to us. (English only)
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