Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Busy

PLANET ISKCON

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Here are the latest updates for "Planet ISKCON" - 40 new articles Japa Group: Japa Workshop #6 of 6 ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Temple Shop's 'April-Only' Specials HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: '393' from The Yellow Submarine HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Prabhupada’s Garden' from The Yellow Submarine HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Public Obligations' from The Yellow Submarine Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Busy Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Why go to such men [like university professors] for knowledge? ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Jaya Radha Madhava - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Nityananda Chandra Das, Dallas TX: Hare Krishna Miniature Goat Farm Opening day ISKCON News.com: Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaja Passes Away After Long Life of Service ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Vows to Fight LA Airport Ban on Soliciting Donations ISKCON News.com: Time for Real Change ISKCON News.com: In God We Trust ISKCON News.com: Rutgers Students Dance With Abandon to Kirtan ISKCON News.com: The Visnu mas issue of "The Eight Petals" now available 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 Ananda Subramanian, Iowa, USA: Albert Einstein’s Letter to Phyllis Dandavats.com: Ratha Yatra in St. Augustine Dandavats.com: Eight Petals for Vishnu Mas Released Gaura Nitai das, Mayapura, IN: Resuming in Delhi Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: determined to give the mercy Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Yamuna Today And Yesterday Book Distribution News: determined to give the mercy ISKCON Toronto, Canada: A New Initiative to be More Eco-Friendly! Kaunteya das, Mayapura: Sharing, at different levels, from different sources... Dandavats.com: Live Webcast from Durban Ratha Yatra Kaunteya das, Mayapura: Link to: "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group David Haslam, UK: Japa and mental health Jahnavi, UK: My Symphony Gouranga TV: Guru puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!! Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!! Italy ( part 2) Gaura Sakti das & Adi Radhika dd, New Vraja Dham, Hungary: Gaura Purnima day with devotees from Istanbul More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Japa Group: Japa Workshop #6 of 6 In this final session of the japa workshop featuring Mahatma dasa, Badahari dasa and Harinama Cintamani dasi - participants share their realisations and describe the progress that they have made. • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Temple Shop's 'April-Only' Specials TEMPLE SHOP UPDATE The Temple-song book is back in print, and in stock Special deal: Vicco toothpaste - cartons only (20x100 grams) just $60 (reduction of $1 per piece) APRIL-ONLY SPECIALS * Large plain colour, fine woollen shawls reduced to $50 * Embroided Kashmiri ladies shawls 30% off marked price * Women's cotton gaggra/kurti 3-piece sets below cost, only $25 • Email to a friend • Related • • --> HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: '393' from The Yellow Submarine www.sdgonline.org. 4:05 A.M. They kept me late last night telling stories about 1966 with Prabhupada. I woke up at 3:00 A.M. and started my chanting. A batch of puppies was born next door, and their yelping on their second day of life is disturbing the peace, along with early morning birds, who are up and squawking. I try to concentrate on my japa in the jungle. At least I’m feeling wide awake, and I have no pain. I chant in my mind, mechanically moving through the mantras and the constant repetition of the thirty two syllables as I have been doing all my life. I pray for improvement and going deeper, but it doesn’t seem to come. At least I keep my spirits up and remain optimistic that the power of the holy name and the constant practice of it is keeping me above the water of this material ocean of birth and death. Chanting despite distractions of the mind and senses. Just three more days to go in the tropics. But what’s to say your chanting will be better up North? It all depends on your mind and heart. You focus on the meaning of the names and disregard your location and your problems. Life is full of problems, and you have only the chanting to lift you out, wherever you are. • Email to a friend • Related • • HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Prabhupada’s Garden' from The Yellow Submarine www.sdgonline.org. Prabhupada Smaranam This is Srila Prabhupada’s garden adjoining the Los Angeles temple. It was a simple and not large space, but Prabhupada was very pleased with it. He used to come out in the late morning and late afternoon and sit on a platform there. The ground was covered with long grass, and flowing trees climb the walls which were covered with simple cinderblocks. It took many months to construct it nicely. I remember being in Los Angeles in the very beginning of the construction and seeing Karandhara Dasa breaking up the cement ground with a jackhammer. The weather was almost always nice in Los Angeles, and the flowers and trees bloomed healthfully. Prabhupada would almost always have someone read aloud from the Krishna book and the group of senior devotees listened attentively. He would have the reader open the book randomly because he said that the Krishna book was like a sweetball, and you could bite it on any side and find it delicious. Prabhupada would mostly simply listen but sometimes interject a comment. I remember once a devotee was reading about the attacks of the Dvivida gorilla, Prabhupada remarked that gorilla would often come to the assembly of sages making loud noises and ruining their sacrifices by dropping stool and urine upon them. Prabhupada remarked that Dvivida was not an ordinary gorilla, but very powerful because he had to fight with Lord Balarama Himself and so he had extra mystic powers. Nevertheless the Lord killed him for the great relief of the sages. Prabhupada was very relaxed during the garden reading, and it became one of his favorite activities during his visits to New Dvaraka where he could be just himself and listen to hari-katha while having it read to him by his students. • Email to a friend • Related • • HH. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Public Obligations' from The Yellow Submarine www.sdgonline.org. Free Write Guyana has many jungle leaves and flowers and greens. The watering areas are drying up now and the plants are dying. We have made a daily for my participation. I write and chant my rounds and rest (maybe survive a headache) up until lunch time. Then I take lunch along with the other devotees. At 2 P.M. we have book selling program. Paramatma has cartons of my books like Gurudeva and Nimai, Japa Reform Notebook, Niti-sastas, Prabhupada Nectar, and we brought down a selection of newer books. I will read selections from some of the books and they will open them for sale. I will autograph a copy of book which anyone buys. I can only last for about an hour with my health so we will do book reading-selling and signing for about an hour. Then we gather again at 6:15 P.M. and sing my “signature” bhajana song, the eight stanzas to the son of the King of Braja. Then I either give an informal lecture or read from the remainder of Prabhupada’s collected poetry. Tonight I think I will improvise on the story of Saksi-gopal. Then I will sign some of my books and distribute them. Last night I had a bad headache at 4:00 P.M. and I thought I had to cancel the 6:00 P.M. program. But I took various medicines and the pain subdued just in time for me to give the class. There were 30 people present – we restricted it to devotees only – and I was fortunate that I did not have to cancel. I usually get a headache in the morning also so it’s touch and go each day, if I be able to fulfill my public obligations. • Email to a friend • Related • • Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Busy Too busy in garden to do any blogging Filed under: News, Ramblings or Whatever • Email to a friend • Related • • Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Why go to such men [like university professors] for knowledge? You are to be congratulated -- you have defeated the rascal scientist Mr. Roger Reville from the Big University. Actually, it is not a very difficult task, they have no definite ideas, everything they put forward is doubtful, even they say -- "I think'', "perhaps'', "it may be'', "theoretically speaking'', and like that. Vedic knowledge is definite. Take for example Padma Purana, there it is said there are 8,400,000 species of life: two million trees, one million insects, four hundred thousand humans. Nowhere do we find about so and so many, but exactly the number is given. Or we see the description of Kali yuga, and we are experiencing it. "People of this age will keep big bundles of hair and thus think themselves very beautiful.'' So this is going on. "For want of bathing the population of this age will appear like Pisacas'' -- hippies. Everything is given in Vedas exactly. Why should we go to such men for knowledge? >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Karandhara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 27 July, 1973 • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Daily Class - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu SB 11.18.44: One who worships Me by his prescribed duty, having no other object of worship, and who remains conscious of Me as present in all living entities, achieves unflinching devotional service unto Me. SB 11.18.44: Aquel que me adora por su deber prescrito, no teniendo ningún otro objeto de la adoración, y que sigue siendo consciente de Mí como presente en todas las entidades vivientes, alcanza el servicio piadoso firme hacia Mí. Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.44 - Whatever our social position is we all have a body, mind and words with which to serve Krsna, the Supreme Lord. 11.6MB Posted by Tirthapada Dasa at 2/4/10; 8:09:44 AM to the Daily Class dept Download: Daily Class - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Jaya Radha Madhava - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Jaya Radha Madhava - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Length: 8:00 29.4MB Posted by Tirthapada Dasa at 2/4/10; 8:06:39 AM to the Bhajana dept Jaya Radha Madhava - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu Download: Jaya Radha Madhava - Gopa-vrndesh Prabhu • Email to a friend • Related • • Nityananda Chandra Das, Dallas TX: Hare Krishna Miniature Goat Farm Opening day Mother Sarasvati after years of research studied various venues of approaching the public with spiritual culture. “We need something that simply attracts the heart, and what is more attractive that a cute little miniature pygmy goat” So today we had the grand opening of her year long project, a pygmy goat farm right here at the Dallas temple. Hundreds of guest came and partook in prasadam and enjoyed the kirtan that was playing in the background. This Sattva, Raja, & Tamas Parashuram Das They also developed a playground for the pygmies. Oh and by the way HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON News.com: Srila B.S. Govinda Maharaja Passes Away After Long Life of Service By Madhava Smullen on 1 Apr 2010 Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaja, the President-Acharya of the international Gaudiya Vaishnava group Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, passed away at 4:30am on March 27th, 2010, at the age of 81. • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Vows to Fight LA Airport Ban on Soliciting Donations By Madhava Smullen on 1 Apr 2010 Amarendra Dasa, a lawyer representing ISKCON, has vowed to challenge a March 25th ruling by the California Supreme Court that bans Hare Krishna devotees and other groups from soliciting donations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON News.com: Time for Real Change By Krishna Dharma Dasa on 1 Apr 2010 Until our leaders incorporate Krishna’s message into their manifestos we will be voting for more of the same, changing only from one state of dissatisfaction to another. • Email to a friend • Related • • By Sesa Dasa on 1 Apr 2010 For Srila Prabhupada, trust and God were inseparable concepts that have a tangible expression in the character of man and his civilization. • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON News.com: Rutgers Students Dance With Abandon to Kirtan Rutgers Students Dance With Abandon to Kirtan Rutgers Students Dance With Abandon to Kirtan If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents. • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON News.com: The Visnu mas issue of "The Eight Petals" now available By Vrndavanlila Devi (Dr. Vrinda Baxi) on 1 Apr 2010 The newsletter covers varnasrama issues. • Email to a friend • Related • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1961 April 1: "After the Congress I wish to make an extensive tour of Japan, China and America for preaching this culture of Human spirit. Lord Krishna, Lord Buddha, Lord Christ, Hazrat Mohammed, Acarya Sankara, Acarya Ramanuja, Lord Caitanya, all lived for enlightening men on Human spirit." Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64 • Email to a friend • Related • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1966 April 1: Dwadasi. One Mr. Pop came to see me. He saw the books and took one copy of the 1st Part and paid $6.00. Mr. Greene paid $5.00. Income book & contribution $11.00. I passed the night at Paul's place. It was nice. In the evening the meeting was experimentally held at Paul's 94 Bowery Place. The attendance was four." Prabhupada Journal :: 1966 • Email to a friend • Related • • 1970 April 1: "Deity worship is for old and experienced students; it is not good for new students to be given sacred thread. This Deity worship is exclusively for advanced students. Yes, staunch faith in Spiritual Master and Krishna makes one perfect in spiritual understanding." Prabhupada Letters :: 1970 • Email to a friend • Related • • 1970 April 1: "If George Harrison gives us a place at his house, just like John Lennon gave us a place in his garden, then you can start a temple there. But unless there is a tangible program, do not divert your attention. Regarding George's center, if he opens it, I shall give him direction how to do it." Prabhupada Letters :: 1970 • Email to a friend • Related • • 1971 April 1: "Everything must be done with clear intelligence according to the Parampara revealation of the Absolute Truth and Krishna will give you good understanding for this purpose. Our Krsna consciousness is so nice. By painting, your love of Krishna will become mature." Prabhupada Letters :: 1971 • Email to a friend • Related • • 1974 April 1: "Your program to meet her Majesty and Prince Charles will be a great opportunity. If the leading personalities cooperate we can have the whole Parliament as Krishna conscious men including her Majesty the Queen." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 • Email to a friend • Related • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1974 April 1: "My next program is to reinstate the Vedic divisions of catur varnyam. If England and America as well as France and Germany can understand this philosophy there will be a great theistic revolution which can counteract the atheistic philosophy of Marxism." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 • Email to a friend • Related • • 1975 April 1: "Encourage Siddhasvarupa to continue to speak as much as possible and give him all facilities. Whenever there is some question or if he speaks something incorrect, you may humbly correct him or if need be, I can also give correction by mail. His booklet is very nicely done." Prabhupada Letters :: 1975 • Email to a friend • Related • • In 1936, Albert Einstein wrote the following letter to a sixth-grade student, Phyllis Wright, in response to her question as to whether scientists pray, and if so, what they pray for. January 24, 1936 Dear Phyllis, I have tried to respond to your question as simply as I could. Here is my answer Scientific research is based on the idea that everything that takes place is determined by laws of nature, and therefore this holds for the actions of people. For this reason, a research scientist will hardly be inclined to believe that events could be influenced by a prayer, i.e., by a wish addressed to a supernatural being. However, it must be admitted that our actual knowledge of the laws is only imperfect and fragmentary, so that, actually, the belief in the existence of basic all-embracing laws in Nature also rests on a sort of faith. All the same this faith has been largely justified so far by the success of scientific research. But, on the other hand, everyone one who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe – a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is indeed quite different from the religiosity of someone more naïve. I hope this answers your question. Best wishes, Albert Einstein • Email to a friend • Related • • Dandavats.com: Ratha Yatra in St. Augustine By Folio Weekly We celebrated Ratha Yatra in St. Augustine, FL 2 weeks ago and this week the cover story in the Folio Weekly newspaper is all about it with 13 full color photos, really well done. • Email to a friend • Related • • Vrndavanlila dd (Dr Vrinda Baxi): With the blessings of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga, seventh issue of Varnasrama Newsletter: THE EIGHT PETALS for Vishnu Mas is available at: http://www.varnasrama.org/files/Vishnu_Mas.pdf The issue in consideration focuses on ‘Village’. • Email to a friend • Related • • Gaura Nitai das, Mayapura, IN: Resuming in Delhi Since I had my laptop computer stolen a few months ago I have not posted any blogs. Instead of using a word processor I have been using these old fashion items like pen and paper. I am sure if you ask your parents they might tell you something about the good old paper and pen days. Several devotees have asked me to start posting again on the Truth and Beauty through Bhakti blog. I used to have the URL Gauranitaidas.com but I have yet to renew that address. When I have time I will try and renew and direct that URL to the blog. Otherwise here is the generic blog address: http://gaura-nitaidas.blogspot.com/ . https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8H9Wd5Xc856LbCPk6_EylrQQPtLknuxZhqqqf_sKHjUbB97hHH-jaImLHCltAlo9riPGhXscEcbsYoACm3KeXxymD0TXmKEtFhv0wgu8T_u7XjZBr6CdicxEjXBATLc1-GuNykDZwpqs/s1600/kal.jpg My family and I have been spending some time in Delhi. The last time I was in Delhi was 17 years ago and if I remember correctly the temple was a small run down building. In 1997 the devotees here in Delhi headed by Gopal Krishna Maharaja constructed a marvelous temple. The temple is a very popular place and I have seen there are many, many youth coming to chant and dance, take prasadam, associate with other devotees and take an active role in practical temple affairs. It is probably one of the most ripe areas for bringing all types of people to the blissful path of devotional service. The congregation consists of energetic and ambitious youth, wise elders of Bharata Varsa (India), and especially the growing middle class families of the land. The scene here reinforces my conviction that when the absolute truth is presented without selfish or ulterior motives it is attractive to everyone sincerely seeking truth. The temple campus utilizes modern attractions like the museum, the light shows, multimedia presentations, robotics and many other exhibitions. These tools are used present the philosophy, history, culture and lifestyle presented in the Vedic literatures like Bhagavad-Gita, Mahabharata, Ramayana and others. It is very impressive. There are only a limited few who will utilize their time by opening up and studying one of these sacred books. The various multimedia presentations attract those people who would not otherwise hear spiritual subjects. The kids especially love these exhibitions. My son went through the Bhagavad Gita exhibition many times and was very attentive to the accompanying narrations. Everyday that I have been here I have seen many different classes of primary and secondary schools coming. When they leave it is obvious that they have had a substantial spiritual experience and of course some maha prasadam sweets. Here is the address to their website: http://iskcondelhi.com/ When my son Balagopal is not at one of the exhibitions or taking prasadam he always ventures towards the temple to play mrdanga in the kirtan. The guests are very excited and curious to see a young western boy playing the various complicated mrdanga beats. Just yesterday Bhakti Caru Swami gave the morning Srimad Bhagavatam class. I was sitting just outside the temple while Bhakti Caru Swami sang the celestial Radha Madhava bhajan so I did not see who was playing the mrdanga. I was surprised and happy when I heard that it was my eight year old son Balagopal was playing mrdanga. Bhakti Caru Swami praised his mrdanga playing before he began the class. He asked Balagopal to stand up and asked all of the devotees to bless him. Needless to say he was encouraged by the blessings of such wonderful souls and especially happy to receive Bhakti Caru Swami’s garland. These experiences he will remember for the rest of his life. These are the best of samskaras! • Email to a friend • Related • • Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: determined to give the mercy In a Pak 'N Save parking lot in Hamilton, New Zealand... Despite the frigid temperatures, wind chill and light rain, Ramadas Prabhu and myself were persistently presenting Srila Prabhupada's books to the exhausted Hamiltonians, some of whom were just getting off work at 9:00 PM. A fortunate few dropped into their local supermarket, Pak 'N Save, on the way home, completely unaware that Srila Prabhupada's unlimited mercy was following through the parking aisles. I approached a tall Gujarati fellow while he was loading groceries into the back of his car. Frozen chicken samosas, coca cola, cereal... Not very sattvic. I said, "Hello sir, have you got everything?" "Yes." He glanced at me apprehensively. (This isn't the safest part of town to be doing late-night sankirtan). "Actually, you've forgotten this Bhagavad Gita! Haribol!" My clever joke and bright smile failed to inspire him so he tried to deflect me with the classic "I am already knowing" lecture. I had my counter-attack ready: "Therefore you know how important it is to take this Bhagavad Gita and give some charity for Krishna's seva." His ugly side made it's unencumbered appearance as he raised his voice aggressively: "What am I going to get from this Bhagavad Gita!!??" I raised my voice to meet the challenge: "If you read this book you will get Krishna prema!" His face became tense as the corners of his mouth dropped into a pathetic frown. He looked like a man who had never smiled in his life. He growled at me angrily, "I am *filled* with Krishna prema..." After tossing a few things onto the driver's seat he then stormed off with the shopping trolley, to return it to the supermarket. I was unconvinced by his statement but determined to give him something. I noticed an elderly man (his father) sitting in the passenger side of the car just begging to be an instrument in the Lord's service. I approached him from the driver's side window, which was already rolled down: "Aap ke sahe? Krishna book lelo, bis dollar dedo! Tike?" (In amateur Hindi this means: How are you? Take this Krishna book and give me twenty dollars, ok?) He smiled broadly, nodded his head side to side in that quintessential Indian way and reached for the wallet on the driver's side seat and gave a donation receiving the mercy of Krsna and Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada ki JAYA!! your servant, Yasodeva das • Email to a friend • Related • • Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Yamuna Today And Yesterday Yamuna today is what Thames was 150 yrs ago From MSN India Malvika Baru Sharma | New Delhi The river Yamuna, having been declared dead with its water all poisonous from 22 drains from all over Delhi feeding 800 million gallons of sewage into it per day, can kill a healthy human being. It's the rapid industrialisation that is helping the inevitable pollute to the river, pointed out Robert Oates, Director, Thames Rivers Restoration Trust (TRRT, and the industrial revolution of India is 10 times that of England when it took place. "It is not just Government's but every citizen of Delhi's responsibility to make sure that the river's cleanliness is restored and its purity revived," he said. The Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) South Asia Network for Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), Toxics Link and Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan (YJA) organised a lecture by Robert Oates of TRRT in the Capital on Tuesday. In a presentation, the TRRT detailed how the whole Thames river restoration project was undertaken. TRRT is an independent charity in the UK dedicated to improving the Thames river in London and its tributaries to benefit people and nature and it has done some pioneering work in recent years. Robert explained that what all difficulties TRRT had to face 150 years back will not be faced by Delhi's governance with all its knowledge and technical advances like GIS at their behest. "It might not take as long as 50 years for the whole restoration project of Yamuna. It might take even less than 15 years if all goes to plan," he said. Yamuna today is what London's Thames was 150 years ago, with all its water polluted almost irrevocably. It seemed impossible to restore it to its natural state, but it was good governance that brought life back to the river. Oates was there to share all the experiences of his to revive the Thames and if there were any lessons for the efforts to help revive the river Yamuna in Delhi. SK Mishra, Chairman, INTACH, Ramaswamy Iyer and Manoj Mishra of YJA pointed out along with Oates the right measures that should be undertaken to improve the health of Yamuna. The drains dumping the sewage and the encumbered water flow are the two major causes that impede the river. "There are just 17 sewage treatment plants which are not functioning to their designed capacity, to serve the drains feeding 1,200 km of the Yamuna... Instead, the Government is investing 1,500 crore rupees on an interception treatment plant which is not even capable of treating the sewage," said the presentation. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said Yamuna river cannot be cleaned before the Commonwealth Games that are scheduled to take place Oct 3-14 in the national Capital. “Yamuna can’t be cleaned in a time of just few months. It will take time. We never promised to clean it before the Commonwealth Games,” Dikshit said. “We are making efforts to clean it. We are making interceptors to stop sewage flowing into Yamuna,” she added. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s 10-month-long monitoring of the Yamuna at Nizamuddin, the Yamuna water is unfit not just for drinking but even for bathing. Originating in the lower Himalayas, the Yamuna is 1,376 km long. The 22 km stretch that passes through Delhi is one of the most polluted. Recently spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar announced a three-month campaign to clean the river. “We are installing interceptors to segregate sewage from flowing into the river. It will take time to clean the river... It took years for authorities in London to even clean the Thames,” she said. Officials said the government will continue to lay interceptors along major drains in Delhi in bringing down the pollution level in the Yamuna. The main Opposition BJP has been accusing the city government of bungling funds given by the Centre to clean the river. According to the government figure, over Rs 1,500 crore has been spent in the last couple of years on various projects to clean the river. • Email to a friend • Related • • In a Pak 'N Save parking lot in Hamilton, New Zealand... Despite the frigid temperatures, wind chill and light rain, Ramadas Prabhu and myself were persistently presenting Srila Prabhupada's books to the exhausted Hamiltonians, some of whom were just getting off work at 9:00 PM. A fortunate few dropped into their local supermarket, Pak 'N Save, on the way home, completely unaware that Srila Prabhupada's unlimited mercy was following through the parking aisles. I approached a tall Gujarati fellow while he was loading groceries into the back of his car. Frozen chicken samosas, coca cola, cereal... Not very sattvic. I said, "Hello sir, have you got everything?" "Yes." He glanced at me apprehensively. (This isn't the safest part of town to be doing late-night sankirtan). "Actually, you've forgotten this Bhagavad Gita! Haribol!" My clever joke and bright smile failed to inspire him so he tried to deflect me with the classic "I am already knowing" lecture. I had my counter-attack ready: "Therefore you know how important it is to take this Bhagavad Gita and give some charity for Krishna's seva." His ugly side made it's unencumbered appearance as he raised his voice aggressively: "What am I going to get from this Bhagavad Gita!!??" I raised my voice to meet the challenge: "If you read this book you will get Krishna prema!" His face became tense as the corners of his mouth dropped into a pathetic frown. He looked like a man who had never smiled in his life. He growled at me angrily, "I am *filled* with Krishna prema..." After tossing a few things onto the driver's seat he then stormed off with the shopping trolley, to return it to the supermarket. I was unconvinced by his statement but determined to give him something. I noticed an elderly man (his father) sitting in the passenger side of the car just begging to be an instrument in the Lord's service. I approached him from the driver's side window, which was already rolled down: "Aap ke sahe? Krishna book lelo, bis dollar dedo! Tike?" (In amateur Hindi this means: How are you? Take this Krishna book and give me twenty dollars, ok?) He smiled broadly, nodded his head side to side in that quintessential Indian way and reached for the wallet on the driver's side seat and gave a donation receiving the mercy of Krsna and Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada ki JAYA!! your servant, Yasodeva das • Email to a friend • Related • • ISKCON Toronto, Canada: A New Initiative to be More Eco-Friendly! As many of our regular temple-goers know, the temple decided last year to begin using steel plates during our weekly Sunday Feasts to reduce the amount of disposable plates used by our community. At that time, a special committee was formed at the temple to make recommendations about new environmentally-friendly initiatives that our community can undertake. The Hare Krishna temple would like to announce that, in an effort to reduce our temple's eco-footprint (and also to go to a more Vedic way of hygiene), we will no longer have toilet paper in the temple washrooms. We encourage people to use water for personal cleansing after using the washroom. According to environmental statistics, the average person will use a total of 20,805 sheets per year! That is quite the burden on the environment. We hope that this humble effort will do it's part to reduce that impact. While the Hare Krishna temple acknowledges that this may be an unpopular decision at first (similar to our switch to the use of steel plates), we hope our community will support this effort to help the environment. To allow for an adjustment period, devotees will be allowed to bring their own toilet paper from home to the temple for the next 90 days as a grace period. If you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to let us know. For those of you who figured we are too spiritual to play tricks on you, we'd like to wish you a Happy April Fool's Day!!! We promise the washrooms will be stocked with toilet paper... we promise! (Check out last year's April Fool's joke) • Email to a friend • Related • • Kaunteya das, Mayapura: Sharing, at different levels, from different sources... I noticed this in groups that become very close, intimate: The members begin to share personally, from their lives, experiences and thought-processes, even reaching levels of transparency and honesty they would have never imagined possible. After some time the personal exchanges are substituted by "quotes": Instead of saying what's on our mind, instead of sharing our own insights, we start sharing someone's ideas and insights. The love for the other members is still there, the desire to be in touch is still there, but it seems that something becomes colder and more distant. We become "dispensers" of other people's wisdom, instead of sharing from our heart and mind. I have noticed this tendency starting to creep in my blog. From evolving and articulating my own views to offering links to other people's views. Of course, I wouldn't share views that I don't consider worthy or useful, and of course the time factor is an important one (it takes time to write something I think may be of use within the august assembly of Vaisnavas). Frankly, I am not sure if to start to post simple links to something that I would like ISKCON devotees to know and integrate indicates a lessening of my commitment to share; it's a shortcut - sure - but after all there are many people out there (practicing bhakti-yogis and not) who can contribute to our lives and services through the mental work they do. I am a strong believer of the principle Srila Prabhupada explains many times, for instance in "Krishna Consciousness, The Matchless Gift": "Canakya Pandita says that one must catch what is right from any source. If there is a glass of poison with some nectar in it, he says, one should take out the nectar and leave the poison. In the same way, if one finds gold in a filthy place, he should take it. Similarly, although according to the Vedic system of education one must be given instruction by intellectual persons like brahmanas, if someone lower on the social scale has learned the truth, one should accept him as a teacher and learn from him. One should not think that just because one is lowly born he should not be accepted as a teacher." So, I have the tendency to appreciate and even integrate good ideas from lay sources - after all doesn't Lord Krishna identify Himself - within the category of "great thinkers" - with Usana? Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to Bg 10.37: "Among the kavis, Usana, Sukracarya, was the spiritual master of the demons; he was an extremely intelligent and far-seeing politician. Thus Sukracarya is another representative of the opulence of Krishna." There are many (lesser, much lesser) Sukracaryas around nowadays, people that due to their contemplation and intellectual growth (even in previous lives) became vehicles to deep intuitions in various fields of knowledge. Of course, there is a thin, delicate line between the legitimate act of extracting gold from filthy places and getting sullied in the process, imbibing values non conducive to pure devotional standards. In this connection, another expression used by Srila Prabhupada comes to mind, catching the fish without getting wet. But Srila Prabhupada warned us (letter of 31 Dec 1972) that, "not everyone is able to catch the big fish without themselves becoming wet." So, this practice of extracting valuable information on the workings of material nature from non-devotional sources has its advantages, but we need to be extremely careful to avoid imbibing degrading, disorienting values. Anyway, I just wanted to share about a close group I belong to, the GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT). Being part of it offers me the possibility (and the duty) of semi-constant sharing on what is on our mind regarding the steps needed in facilitating the GBC to create a better future for ISKCON. We have two phone conferences a week, we exchange hundreds and thousands of emails, and we meet personally two-three times a year. We actually have a lot to tell to the rest of ISKCON about the strategic planning work of the GBC in the last three years; we have written seven articles that are basically ready to go, but we are just waiting to identify and engage a communication officer who would take care of reporting to the world and getting the feedback of the world to us. I am hoping to finalize the candidate soon (we went through dozens of names who for one reason or another - mostly lack of time - couldn't commit to the service). Let's see if within this weekend we could get someonei Anyway, what was the point? Yes, well, there were a few: 1. Groups tend to "depersonalize" a bit their communication by submitting edifying stories and concepts from other people. 2. This is natural, as other people have produced valuable intellectual contributions, at the same time we need to consider if we are hiding behind those quotes to avoid expressing our own views and emotions (less "safe" than quoting someone else. 3. Taking ideas from materialists on practical aspects isn't fundamentally wrong, but it does present its dangers and challenges. 4. A group I enjoy being part of is the SPT, where we are always sharing our thoughts and ideas, and we feel safe enough to disagree with each other till we get to a point of agreement by dialogue. We don't deal much - as a team - with touchy-feely matters, but by working together we have come to like and even love each other. 5. You will hear more from us as there are many interesting news and opportunities in relation to the creation of a better future for the best spiritual movement on earth, ISKCON. Permalink | Leave a comment » • Email to a friend • Related • • Dandavats.com: Live Webcast from Durban Ratha Yatra Anandamaya Krishna das: We are excited to announce that there will be a live webcast of Durban Ratha Yatra. The web address is www.livestream.com/DurbanRathaYatra2010 • Email to a friend • Related • • Kaunteya das, Mayapura: Link to: "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" We are in the business of communicating ideas. Here you will find a few tips on how to make them easier to grasp, assimilate and remember. http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net/2007/01/10/made-to-stick-why-some-idea... Permalink | Leave a comment » • Email to a friend • Related • • Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member: rasa108@gmail.com ys Rasa Rasika dasa • Email to a friend • Related • • David Haslam, UK: Japa and mental health Chanting a mantra or hymn softly and slowly is called japa, and chanting the same mantra loudly is called kirtana. For example, uttering the maha-mantra (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) very softly, only for one’s own hearing, is called japa. Chanting the same mantra [...] • Email to a friend • Related • • Jahnavi, UK: My Symphony To live content with small means To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; To listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; To bear all cheerfully, to do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never; In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the uncommon. This is to be my symphony. -William Ellery Channing • Email to a friend • Related • • Gouranga TV: Guru puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!! Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!! Italy ( part 2) Gaura Purnima 2010 ecstatic kirtan in Villaggio Hare Krishna-Italy!!!!!! ( part 1) Guru Puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!!!-Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!!(Part 1) Italy Subido por danaharibol el 02/03/2010 Guru Puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!!!-Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!!(Part 1) Italy Lead by Madhusevita prabhu. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!!!!!!!! Gauranga!!!!!!! Guru puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!! Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!! Italy ( part 2) Guru puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!! Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!! Italy ( part 2) Subido por danaharibol el 02/03/2010 Guru puja- Gaura Purnima 2010!!!! Villaggio Hare Krishna!!!! Italy ( part 2) Lead by Madhusevita prabhu. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!!!!!! Gauranga!!!!!! • Email to a friend • Related • • Gaura Sakti das & Adi Radhika dd, New Vraja Dham, Hungary: Gaura Purnima day with devotees from Istanbul On Gaura Purnima day we were together with our friends in Istanbul. • Email to a friend • Related • • More Recent Articles Radha Priya dd, Austin, TX, USA: Solace Within the Storm ISKCON News.com: American Muslims Increasingly Turn to Home Schooling ISKCON News.com: New Yoga CD Features Big Name Artists ISKCON News.com: Babies 'Cry in Mother's Tongue' ISKCON Education: Sri Mayapur International ad for Teacher