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"Planet ISKCON" - 47 new articles
- Kurma dasa, AU: The Soul
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Prabhupada Smaranam
- H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
- H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Thursday, September 30th, 2010
- Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Kirtan at Laya Yoga in Brasilia
- Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: How Maya Can Spoil Everything
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 93
- Kurma dasa, AU: Krishna Valley Bhakti Yoga Retreat October 2010
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 93
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Prabhupada Smaranam
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Monk’s Dream
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Free Write
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: ISKCON Ujjain update 6th October, 2010
- Japa Group: Glorification Of The Holy Name
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: CHOICE
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: TAKE SANNYASA AT ANY TIME
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SOLUTION FOR ALL FEAR
- Dandavats.com: First Jagannath temple made out of….Lego!
- Dandavats.com: Why Cow Protection does not work in Iskcon
- Dandavats.com: Bhaktivedanta Hospice Opens in Vrindavan
- Dandavats.com: Ecstatic chanting & dancing of Devotees in the Rathayatra of Agra
- Dandavats.com: Food for Life Global (October 2010 Newsletter)
- 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
- Australian News: Nimai Books Online Store, come and get some, you won’t regret it.
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: BASIC DETERMINATION AND FAITH
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: PASSING OF TEST
- Australian News: Harinam Sankirtan with HH Kadamba Kanana Swami in Sydney DON’T MISS IT!
- Ananda Subramanian, Iowa, USA: True religion is founded on objective inquiry
- Maddy Jean-claude Durr, New Govardhana, AU: Inauguration of the 2010/11 Year at Bhaktivedanta College (Belgium)
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: FIGHTING DETERMINATION
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: The Extraordinary lives of the Sisters Bodor (Part 8)
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: If chanting OM gives the same result as chanting Hare Krsna, why don’t we do that? Skype conference with Russian disciples. (Russian/English)
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: If chanting OM gives the same result as chanting Hare Krsna, why don’t we do that?
- Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: Bhaktivedanta Research Centre (BRC) First annual report
- Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Told To Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries
- Gouranga TV: Bhajana in Budapest
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Kadamba Kanana Swami
- H.H. Sivarama Swami
- Japa Group: The Story Of Krsna dasa
- More Recent Articles
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TABLAS de CONTENIDOS
- Tabla de Mitologías
- Concepto Hinduista 1428SC
- Concepto Hinduista 2919SK y 2592SK
- Tabla de Materias en General
www.sdgonline.org. 
One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #50
Prabhupada, I am in Wicklow, I went
on a walk, I am your disciple.
You know me, I heard they found a diary
you kept from January to July 1966;
it was a day-timer. They said I am mentioned
as giving a donation. Maybe it was
the $400, my savings
I was gonna use to go to some “green place”
I had in mind, Canadian island where I thought
I’d find peace and write for
maybe six months before coming back
to New York City.
Now by your grace I have
as much of green places
and writing as I desire.
But the goal of devotional service is different
nothing is done for karmic gain
or knowledge for its own sake
without practical purpose.
Practical means you love Krishna,
and He is pleased with you.
You do it by serving His servant.
Never Roam
Toronto, Ontario
The massive fallen over tree had a yellow slip lain partly upon its trunk. Nirguna, Patrick and I maneuvered under the massive chunk. I picked up the slip to note it was a parking ticket. Indeed the tree was parked. It was there to stay. The slip gave us a laugh.
And speaking of "slip", that is what I did. The path in that ravine was wet and became the perfect setting for losing one's balance. So I ended up being a chocolate looking mess. No problem there in the underpopulated ravine, until it was time to hit the residential areas and having to cross busy Yonge Street. Freshly moistened leaves became my wash cloth and the air became my towel. Any embarrassing smudges on my robes would be hidden by the strategic placement of the bodies with me. Patrick was to walk by my right side, and Nirguna to my rear. It's all an adventure which never ceases.
Upon returning back to the temple/ashram, I discovered that my keys were missing. They must have dropped on the path I now call "slippery" when I fell. So a search party went out including a couple, Nick and Moni, to hunt for the missing chain of keys. Rains came to make it "adventure plus". Still no keys. Time passed by so quickly, with darkness slowly setting in. We gave up the search and headed back to the temple for a party--a birthday party. Mine.
I guess that was one of the reasons for the walk in the first place, despite the light challenges that mud provides. I needed quiet before the attention would come in so forcefully. And that attention was on behalf of our guru, Srila Prabhupada.
I put closure to this long day by reading a poem of appreciation from Jaganath Puri Dham. His chorus line ended with "faith that will surely never roam." How interesting is that concept. We roam on muddy or dry land, but our faith should never roam.
7KM
AGM, Fire
Wakefield, Quebec
As owner Todd stoked the fire by the rustic mantel, I asked him which wood is the best.
“The most dense is oak, then maple. Beech is good, and birch- although it looks nice, gives less of a long lasting flame,” he said confidently.
I asked him that having known that the soft woods consume quickly. The warmth was emanating from the fire place on this damp night as fellow devotees watched with delight the magic of dancing flames. We were revving up by chilling out for our very own AGM for Canada.
In a figure of speaking, there would be no serious fires to put out at the meetings, which is a calming relief. We can reserve time for visionary and strategic work. I guess you could say that we were relishing the calm before the brainstorms of tomorrow by the fire. It will be the largest anticipated attendance (30 plus people) since our inception of national regional get-togethers.
Our location this year is a homey place in the countryside and as you enter the ponderosa-like property you see the signs RB and BB. Hmmm! BB stands for Bed and Breakfast, maybe. RB could be Rhythm and Blues. No, of course not! Consequently, we will chant each morning together for the coming three days and we will primarily discuss hoping to implement good action plans.
On further inspection, I realized I read the sign wrong. It was P and R, and R and R. This confirms the imperfect senses. How deficient we are. I presume that’s why our guru, Srila Prabhupada, wanted us to produce with collective intelligence. It’s a better check and balance.
I’m looking forward to the next day for the collaboration as we sip away the evening on tea (Subuddhi’s home brew), and as the dancing fire crackles away the fatigue hits from the five hour drive here. I did fit in some walking through a valley, cemetery and busy street before embarking on the drive to Wakefield. On the way up we spoke about the bed bug epidemic in North America. So the night ended with the mantra “Good night! Sleep tight! And hopefully there’s none of them that bite!”
8 KM
Last weekend we were invited to perform kirtan at the Laya Yoga school in Brasilia, as part of their offer to help us raise funds for Pandavas Paradise. The event was the finale of their “Week of the Divine Mother”, in honor of Sri Lakshmidevi.
Many of our local ISKCON devotees joined in for the fun, playing, singing, dancing or just helping out by selling books and distributing flyers to the guests.
Three of us lead the kirtan.
First Sadhu Sanga Prabhu, the music teacher to many members of our congregation…
followed by me.
Then my wife, Carana Renu, beautifully singing Bajahu Re Mana, followed by the Hare Krishna mantra.
At the request of the owner, I spoke to the guests about our campaign to raise money to rebuild our burnt-down Shanti guest house. She suggested I use a bowl to get the donations! It was kind of funny… but it worked!
I also gave one of my books to their leader, who had flown in just for the closing ceremony, a lady from another important city in Brasil, Belo Horizonte. She’s the “acharya” of Laya Yoga in Brazil. The next day she wrote to me:
“I liked very much the content covered and the way in which the book was written. I found your writing very acessible and a pleasure to read, without distorting the teachings of Yoga. I wish you happinness and success in your work of spreading the teachings of Yoga.”
By the end of the almost three hours of kirtan, the devotees were deep in the bliss of the holy names, dancing, singing and laughing!
Click here to see more pictures of the event.
...if we fall down in following the regulative principles such as rising before four, chanting 16 rounds, like that, if these things are not strictly observed then maya will enter and spoil everything.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Madhumangala — Hyderabad 18 November, 1972
www.sdgonline.org.
3:29 A.M.
Namamrta by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
‘One must not sin with the intention of chanting Hare Krishna to neutralize the reactions:
“The chanting of the holy name is so auspicious that it can free everyone from the reactions of sinful activities. One should not conclude that one may continue to sin with the intention of chanting Hare Krishna to neutralize the reactions. Rather, one should be very careful to be free from all sins and never think of counteracting sinful activities by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, for this is another offense. If by chance a devotee accidentally performs some sinful activity, the Lord will excuse him, but one should not intentionally perform sinful acts.” (Bhag. 6.3.31, purp.)
This is a perverted form of chanting. It is taking the chanting as a black kind of art. Chanting is to clear sins, but one should not commit sins and to think that one can get release from them by chanting. Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih: the Lord’s holy name certainly has the potency to neutralize all sinful activities, but if one repeatedly and intentionally commits sins while chanting the holy name, he is most condemned. Prabhupada used to speak against the proposition that the person would commit sinful activities for a week and then go one day to a temple or church and admit his sinful activities so that he can be washed off sins and again begin his sinning. This is most nonsensical and offensive, and it is not accepted by the author of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. A person should be ashamed of his sinful activities and not use the chanting as the means to eradicate them and then go on sinning. It is not admitted in devotional service that one can repeatedly commit sinful activities and clear them up. It is sinister. Chanting will give one the power to not commit the sins again and one has to chant in that spirit. An accidental committing of sins is forgiven, but it is a completely different concept than deliberately thinking that chanting can counteract repeated sins. One should be very careful not to use the chanting as the counteraction to sin before taking initiation one promises to have no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating, and this vow should strictly be followed. Then one will be clean. If one keeps oneself clean in this way and always engages in devotional service his life will be a success.
I rose this morning about 1:30 A.M. with a clear head. But my chanting went very slowly. I was struggling with drowsiness. In two hours of chanting I completed twelve rounds, and not even that. It is frustrating to chant so slowly and with the lack of keen attention. The exercise of chanting is not profound and is neglectful. At least one is up early and is making the effort but one wants to do better than that.
Committing sins
on the strength of chanting is a grievous
offense, the worst abuse.
I think I’m free of
this condemnation. But
there are other anarthas,
my chanting too slowly
and without alertness.
You may excuse yourself
and say it’s a physical
condition. But it must
be overcome. Keeping
awake is an attitude,
a fight in which you
must succeed. It comes
from lethargy and lack
of devotion. You can
overcome it with
share determination and
the blessings of harinama.
Our second Bhakti Yoga Cookery Retreat for 2010 is over. It was even better than the first one. Spring is here in Australia, and the favourable weather added an extra lightness to the 2-day event. Here's our crew, in the well-equipped farm kitchen.
Veda Priya (kneeling, far left) and husband Keshava (standing second from right) are full-time residents on the farm. Assisted by Manigriva (at the back, in yellow) and Gandiva (in white hat, back, fifth from right), they co-ordinate the day-to-day running of the farm.
For those of you that haven't heard of this event, Krishna Valley is in country Victoria, surrounded by State Forest. And if you don't know your geography, the 200 acres of beautiful rolling countryside is a couple hours outside of Melbourne, Australia.
The yoga of cooking is the theme of the retreat. There's lots to learn, lots to eat, and great company. Here's Jacqui, sister-in-law of Keshava, Lauren and her mother Lynn.
Many retreats are held here, such as a Vedic Astrology retreat next week wih Bhanu Swami. Great accomodation facilities make it a real haven. And did I mention the spiritual food?
Places are already being booked for the next Krishna Valley Bhakti Yoga Retreat in 2011, so don't delay if you want to come. Here's the details:
Bhakti Yoga Cookery Retreat, Hare Krishna Valley, Bambra, Victoria, Saturday, Sunday 2,3 April 2011, A weekend of cooking, learning and eating!, Bookings/enquiries call Veda 0405 577 453.
www.sdgonline.org.
3:29 A.M.
Namamrta by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
‘One must not sin with the intention of chanting Hare Krishna to neutralize the reactions:
“The chanting of the holy name is so auspicious that it can free everyone from the reactions of sinful activities. One should not conclude that one may continue to sin with the intention of chanting Hare Krishna to neutralize the reactions. Rather, one should be very careful to be free from all sins and never think of counteracting sinful activities by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, for this is another offense. If by chance a devotee accidentally performs some sinful activity, the Lord will excuse him, but one should not intentionally perform sinful acts.” (Bhag. 6.3.31, purp.)
This is a perverted form of chanting. It is taking the chanting as a black kind of art. Chanting is to clear sins, but one should not commit sins and to think that one can get release from them by chanting. Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih: the Lord’s holy name certainly has the potency to neutralize all sinful activities, but if one repeatedly and intentionally commits sins while chanting the holy name, he is most condemned. Prabhupada used to speak against the proposition that the person would commit sinful activities for a weak and then go one day to a temple or church and admit his sinful activities so that he can be washed off sins and again begin his sinning. This is most nonsensical and offensive, and it is not accepted by the author of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. A person should be ashamed of his sinful activities and not use the chanting as the means to eradicate them and then go on sinning. It is not admitted in devotional service that one can repeatedly commit sinful activities and clear them up. It is sinister. Chanting will give one the power to not commit the sins again and one has to chant in that spirit. An accidental committing of sins is forgiven, but it is a completely different concept than deliberately thinking that chanting can counteract repeated sins. One should be very careful not to use the chanting as the counteraction to sin before taking initiation one promises to have no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating, and this vow should strictly be followed. Then one will be clean. If one keeps oneself clean in this way and always engages in devotional service his life will be a success.
I rose this morning about 1:30 A.M. with a clear head. But my chanting went very slowly. I was struggling with drowsiness. In two hours of chanting I completed twelve rounds, and not even that. It is frustrating to chant so slowly and with the lack of keen attention. The exercise of chanting is not profound and is neglectful. At least one is up early and is making the effort but one wants to do better than that.
Committing sins
on the strength of chanting is a grievous
offense, the worst abuse.
I think I’m free of
this condemnation. But
there are other anarthas
my chanting too slowly
and without alertness.
You may excuse yourself
and say it’s a physical
condition. But it must
be overcome. Keeping
awake is an attitude,
a fight in which you
must succeed. It comes
from lethargy and lack
of devotion. You can
overcome it with
share determination and
the blessings of harinama.
www.sdgonline.org.
One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #50
Prabhupada, I am in Wicklow, I went
on a walk, I am your disciple.
You know me, I heard they found a diary
you kept from January to July 1966;
it was a day-timer. They said I am mentioned
as giving a donation. Maybe it was
the $400, my savings
I was gonna use to go to some “green place”
I had in mind, Canadian island where I thought
I’d find peace and write for
maybe six months before coming back
to New York City.
Now by your grace I have
as much of green places
and writing as I desire.
But the goal of devotional service is different
nothing is done for karmic gain
or knowledge for its own sake
without practical purpose.
Practical means you love Krishna
and He is pleased with you.
You do it by serving His servant.
www.sdgonline.org.
A monk had a dream
that he was purified and
was qualified to return
to Goloka Vrndavana. He
anticipated meeting his
spiritual master as Brijbasi
who would lead him in
intimate service to Radha.
But when he woke from
the dream he sadly discovered
he was still incomplete.
He had material attachments
and dirty things in his mind.
After weeping tears of regret
he composed himself
and set to work on
self-improvement. He
took out his beads
and began to finger
them diligently. He
prayed for service.
He took up his master’s
instructions to be pure
in habits and to
preach Lord Caitanya’s mission.
He went out on harinama and
distributed books. He wrote
from his creative self
based on the sastra.
He controlled his tongue
away from prajalpa and
spoke of Krishna with his
devotee friends and innocent
nondevotees.
He controlled his eating and didn’t
associate loosely with women. The next
time he dreamed he
again saw himself as
purified. It was a happy
dream, but he woke
back in a conditioned
state, still with
anarthas and offenses
against the holy names.
The monk felt let down
and told himself: “I don’t
want to have these false
dreams of going to Goloka.”
He straw in his waking
hours to be a standard qualified
sadhaka. Gradually, the dreams of attaining back to Godhead
stopped occurring, and he dreamed
of seeing his guru in a material
world, purifying himself to
work hard with devotion.
He felt better about these dreams,
thinking that they were more realistic
and they spired him to serve
with vigor.
Occasionally he read of Krishna and Radha
in Vrndavana and relished the
rasas. It seems to him
the perfection of devotional service.
But he restrained himself from
thinking he was already there.
There was so much work to
do on Krishna’s behalf in this world,
he concentrated on his service
and went on chanting and hearing.
www.sdgonline.org.
I turned at random to Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto One, Chapter 19, verse 2:
“King Pariksit thought: Due to my neglecting the injunctions of the Supreme Lord I must certainly expect some difficulty to overcome me in the near future. I now desire without reservation that the calamity come now, for in this way I may be freed of the sinful action and not commit such an offense again.” Maharaja Pariksit was repentant for committing an offence to a faultless brahmana. He expects he will receive punishment. He desires wholeheartedly that the calamity come right now. In this way he will be free from the sinful reaction and he will commit any sins in the future. He also does not want the sinful reactions to fall on his family members but he wants to receive it alone. Generally, a person’s personal misconduct affects all his family members. But Maharaja Pariksit wanted to suffer alone and counteract his sins so that his family descendants would not have to suffer. This is how the responsible devotee thinks. Similarly, his family members shared good effects of his service to the Lord. “A devotee son in the family is the greatest book or blessing of the Lord. “
Maharaja Pariksit was so powerful that he could have counteracted the curse of the young, untrained brahmana boy, Srngi. But he was pious that he accepted the curse upon himself. This also brought about his immediate detachment from all material affairs and it brought upon the occasion that he will spend the last seven days of his life in constant hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam from the perfect sage and devotee, Sukadeva Goswami. This made Maharaja Pariksit perfect for going back to Godhead.
I’m in Viraha Bhavan, writing a poem about a devotee who dreamt he went back to Godhead but then woke to discover he did not had the adhikara. He determined to stop dreaming of attaining Goloka and work for his spiritual master’s mission in the world. It was not a great poem but it had a simple point. Everyday I will beg the muse for some simple lines of poetry to share with my readers. I also share what we are reading in Srila Prabhupada’s books and Caitanya Bhagavata. Rama Raya mentioned today that Srila Prabhupada said 90% of the eternal spirit souls are safely with Krishna in the spiritual world of eternity bliss and knowledge. Only small percentages are fallen and rotating in the species of life in the world of temporality and misery. Krishna wants all souls to come back to Him, back to Godhead. Those compassionate souls who work in this world and try to convert sinners to saintly persons are very much appreciated by the Lord. There are ever willing to give up their liberated status to work in the preaching mission in the material world. They are guaranteed to go back to Godhead, but they prefer to go the Lord’s missionary work. They come from the spiritual world to save sinners. I’m living in the material world and I’m not working fully in preaching actions. Just today I had a migraine headache and had to take Summatriptim pills. I managed to do some writing in-between headaches but I can’t live the active life of a lecturer and travelling sannyasi. How will Krishna judge me? I have done some active service earlier in my life but now I’m slowed down. I would like to back to the spiritual world, but I think I lack the qualification, krsna-prema. I want to please my spiritual master and serve him in my next life, but if I could do it with him in Goloka…
It is up to guru and Krishna where they send me next. I want to accept it without regret and continue my devotional service, as they place me. I don’t want to be a phony or a hypocrite. But I need the strength to be brave.
Article sent by His Grace Mukunda Prabhu The rain clouds have left Ujjain and the sun is shining brightly with the temperature in the afternoon touching 35*C while in the early morning it is a little chilly. Since my last post on 24th September we have had several groups visiting our temple, one group of [...]
To think that glorification of the holy name is an exaggeration or to interpret the glories of the holy name are offenses against the holy name.
From Namamrta by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
99% - happiness is a personal choice.
1% - it is circumstances or other people.
It is not that one has to accept sannyasa in ripe old age like me, seventy years or seventy-five years. Not that. Caitanya Mahaprabhu set up the example, that for Krsna's service one can take sannyasa at any time. So He did it by His personal example. ... That Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave up His opulent family life. When He was... He took sannyasa. At that time, His wife was only sixteen years old, and He had His affectionate mother, Sacidevi, very old. Nobody was to take care of him, her. But still, He took sannyasa for giving mercy to the poor human society in this age.
- Srila Prabhupada, The Nectar of Devotion, Vrndavana, October 21, 1972
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.15
apannah samsrtim ghoram
yan-nama vivaso grnan
tatah sadyo vimucyeta
yad bibheti svayam bhayam
Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krsna, which is feared by fear personified.
PURPORT
Vasudeva, or Lord Krsna, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is the supreme controller of everything. There is no one in creation who is not afraid of the rage of the Almighty. Great asuras like Ravana, Hiranyakasipu, Kamsa, and others who were very powerful living entities were all killed by the Personality of Godhead. And the almighty Vasudeva has empowered His name with the powers of His personal Self. Everything is related to Him, and everything has its identity in Him. It is stated herein that the name of Krsna is feared even by fear personified. This indicates that the name of Krsna is nondifferent from Krsna. Therefore, the name of Krsna is as powerful as Lord Krsna Himself. There is no difference at all. Anyone, therefore, can take advantage of the holy names of Lord Sri Krsna even in the midst of greatest dangers. The transcendental name of Krsna, even though uttered unconsciously or by force of circumstances, can help one obtain freedom from the hurdle of birth and death.
Vikram Chakilam: Last Sunday afternoon kids were playing with Lego blocks and I suggested and guided them to build a Krishna temple, the result is the photos you can see in this gallery...
By Dusyanta dasa
Perhaps you may not agree with the premise that the question alludes to. Perhaps you think Cow protection is alive and well and living in Iskcon. My answer is that you would be wrong. Cow protection in Iskcon is more akin to a Cow protection show or Cow protection zoo
By Deena Bandhu Das
Giriraj Swami presented the project to Radhanath Swami and leaders of Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Bombay, and they also jumped at the chance to serve the Vaisnavas in this most significant way. Meanwhile, Giriraj Swami, along with Sangita Dasi, the foremost authority in ISKCON on hospice care, found a most excellent facility in San Diego upon which to model the project
By Lakshman das
Sri Jagganath Baladev Subdhra came to Agresen Seva Sadan in a procession on 16th Sept. Pandal program was start on Sep 16. H. G. Devaki Nandan Prabhu was speaker in that Program. Bhajan snadhya , Nandotstav and a drama on Rukimini Haran was played be ISKCON Vrindavan Gurukul students on same day
Food for Life Global: October 2 -- Food for Life Global affiliate, SKBP team visited the Hyderabad district and set up an outdoor kitchen at one of the many refugee camps. Relief Spokesperson, Vanamali das said, "We made many types of vegan meals, including basmati rice, vegetable curry and biryani, and served 500 to 600 woman and children...
1955 October 6: "My Dear Sripada Gosvami Maharaja, I am anxiously awaiting your articles. So please send per return post and oblige. I am glad you have purchased one Remington Typewriter. To conduct the Sajjan Tosani Patrika it is absolutely necessary."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64
1967 October 6: "One who does not please the bona fide Spiritual Master cannot have any access in the realm of Krishna Consciousness. He has developed a consciousness of Maya and thus he loses all importance in Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967
1967 October 6: "He has lost his link on account of disobedience. He must rectify his mistake. His lectures anywhere now will bear no spiritual significance. By lips he says that he is a surrendered soul but by action he is thinking differently."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967
1968 October 6: "Why they have become silent all of a sudden? It is not good for them to remain as guests of this person or that person, without doing something tangible for our society. They must do something tangible. If not, they may come back. There is vast work to be done here."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
1970 October 6: "You say that 'the communist goal is to achieve a paradise on earth' but Krsna says 'from the topmost planet down to the lowest, all are places of misery' -- so what kind of paradise can they achieve? Any society without religion is animal society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970
1973 October 6: "Go on with your book distribution as you were doing there is no harm. I thought you were becoming like hippies. In Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Movement, everyone is preacher, whether man or woman it doesn't matter."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1974 October 6: "Let there be re-election in the presence of two GBC men. I am prepared to give you fair chance, but you cannot criticize. In material life there is simply envy but in spiritual life one encourages another, 'Oh you are doing very nice.'"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974
1975 October 6: "We need not give up the association of devotees simply because there is a difference of opinion how to preach. Our principle is to simply repeat what we have in our books. If your conviction is strong and evidential, then convince them of your ideas for spreading Krsna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975
At Janmastami this year the ISKCON Sydney Book Distribution Team launched Nimaibooks.com, a non-profit web site aimed at bringing you good quality books at great prices.
The goal of Nimai Books is to help in the disribution of books to interested people in Australia in the most convenient way possible. At the web site you can order books on-line and have them delivered to your door.
Visitors to the site can expect to find and browse through almost all the current BBT books and many other Krishna Conscious books
Many people on the book team came up with names for the web site but it was hard to pick one. Eventually the web site name was chosen by Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha at Sydney Temple.
“We couldnt choose a good name because they were all good,” Hiten Pindoria says. “So we wrote all the names on paper and we put them in a hat.” Hiten says. “Then we went into the temple and stood before Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha and picked out a one of the names.” Nimai Books was the name chosen.
So have a look yourself and share the internet address with your friends. What are you waiting for?
Click here to go to Nimai Books now, go on!
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“It is a simple task to make things complex, but a complex task to make them simple” (Meyer’s Law)
The starting point of simplification is to reduce the number of things that we do in our service or work or personal life.
We can only make a best use of our time to the degree to which we stop tasks that are of little value.
We need to stop doing things that we have become accustomed to doing over the years.
We even need to stop doing some things that we do well and which we enjoy, if they are of little value.
Unless the basic determination to become successful in Krsna consciousness is there, any type of occupation or any place where you are serving Krsna will similarly become a source of restlessness and troubling of your mind.
Therefore, my advice to you is simply this: that you search out in yourself whether that basic determination and faith in our Krsna consciousness program is strong in you, and whether if, by going here or going there or doing this or doing that, this determination and faith will be enhanced.
Sometimes Krsna may put us into some difficulty just to purify us and force us to advance in Krsna consciousness.
The devotee should always see his difficulty in this light, that Krsna is so kind upon me for creating this condition of struggling, thus He is relieving me of so many billions of lifetime of sinful reactions by this very insignificant and temporary condition of suffering something.
- Srila Prabhupada, Letter to: Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29 December, 1972
Faith means that you are meant for giving some service to Krsna. You should stick to that service, that path, in spite of all impediments. That is the passing of test. Generally, just like we are meant for preaching Krsna consciousness. So there may be severe test, but still we shall remain determined. That is wanted. There may be so many impediments, punishment, still you should do that. That is wanted. That is test. Not that as soon as there is some difficulty I give it up. There may be severe test, but still we shall not give it up. We must go on. That is determination.
- Srila Prabhupada, Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF.
Its been confirmed that HH Kadamba Kanana Swami has agreed to lead theh Sydney City Harinama Sankirtana next week on Thursday 14/10/10. That makes this a “Maha Harinama Sankirtana” that should not be missed.
Usually the Harinam goes for 1 hour from 7pm to 8pm. On this special occasion we will extend the bliss for an exra hour so we will crash the gates of Kali Yuga from 7pm to 9pm. Maharaja relishes Harinama, and we can halp support his efforts here in Sydney by bringing as many people by car/bus/train or boat, for this Extra Special Event.
Unconfirmed reports indicate Sri Prahlad may also join in the Thursday Night Sankirtan revolution.
Arrangements are also being made to video this exra special Harinam. This gives us a great oppurtunity to show and promote Harinama Sankirtan to the world.
So make the decision right now to come along and join us all with Maharaja and lets make this a very special night in the history and future of our Yatra.
To get in some practice come along tomorrow night and we’ll offer the Holy Names to the people of Sydney. They Love it! (and so do we…)
Click here to got to the facebook page and find out more. Whilst you’re there let us know you’re coming.
You can email bhakta_michael@yahoo.com.au or call him on 0423208468
We will be waiting for you, don’t be late. See you on the corner of George and Bathurst Streets at 7pm every Thursday. On Thursday 14th we’ll be looiking out for you.
Click here for Sri Harinama Sankirtana every Thursday. If you are not there, where are you?
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Stephen Hawking in 2010 said about science and religion “There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, [and] science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works”
Personally, I don’t quite fully agree with his statement as I think it is too general and simplistic. I think science is also authoritative and not entirely based on observation and reason. For example, in schools especially, one does not have much freedom to question based on observation & reason and take a position against the curriculum books unless you want to fail in class. Knowledge albeit “scientific” is thrust upon children with fertile brains. So by the time, they reach college, they take sides supporting or rejecting scientific theories but all within the umbrella of “science”. I don’t think there is an alternate school of thought encouraged or developed if a young child chooses. So in that sense, I think modern science is as authoritative if not more as religion. In fact, out of pressure to maintain one’s social and economic identity, one is forced to choose one way or the other…again within the umbrella of science. Every sphere of life, today, from politics to sports to entertainment is based on the principles of modern science which functions based on authority.
I do agree, however, that modern religion due to unscrupulous leaders has become an appendage with no practical value or reason. Because religious leaders could not bridge the gap between real world life and religious principles, the aspect of authority was stressed and highlighted as the end all. While there is authority in all spheres of life including science and I think authority is necessary for proper order in society, unfortunately, religion simply orders people to do things in the name of higher authority which otherwise puts the followers in face with “eternal damnation”. Therefore out of fear to such authority, by and large people approach religion. When we remove practical reason out of religion, it simply becomes a symbolic value and nothing more. This, in my opinion, is not because “religion” as a concept is false but because the so called torch bearers of religion failed to maintain purity of heart and appeal to the practical matters of the general public.
You see modern science and philosophy is a rebellious offshoot to religion. But this religion is based on a Judeo-Christian tradition. Historically, the forefathers of science moved away from dogmatic religion to empirical science simply to disprove the Judeo-Christian version of reality. The church during the middle ages mishandled their authority and thus gave birth to science. On the other hand, Vedic science is modeled around dialogue. All the great knowledge of Vedic science such as the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavata Purana etc is based on a dialogue of question and answer between the speaker and questioner. The dialogues originate based on observation and reason and culminates in surrender to a sublime authority (not mundane). In the same breadth, random unreasonable questioning is also discouraged.
Therefore, going back to the original statement by Hawking, true religion which is based on non-sectarian values and beyond external rituals and form actually starts with reason and not authority. But for one to go beyond the external form requires intentional effort from the seeker – that which is founded upon open, humble and introspective inquiry.
Anybody who keeps aside (at least temporarily) his or her preconceived ideas about this world and God, and have faith in a higher power, approaches it with an unmotivated, sincere and humble heart, and in that mood observe and ask questions not to criticize but to learn, to such a heart, true religion will be automatically revealed.
True religion culminates in surrender to a pure authority but is founded on objective inquiry and sustained through sincere and determined practice. True religion will also win as it works!
Hare Krishna
The morning announcements were short and to the point. The College was going to have a opening day for their new building (although it was still somewhat a construction site, at least on the outside), and there was going to be an inauguration ceremony to greet the new students of the College into the community (that’s me!).
We were already studying up for the Bhakti Sastri, jumping back into the land of Bhagavad-gita. I skipped through the Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is; Srila Prabhupada’s power packed, hardly short introduction to the great ancient epic.
I skipped from skipping through pages off to Prasadam. Prasadam seva now had a particular flavour to it (not talking about the eating side of it); I’d meet with Partha Sarathi Prabhu somewhere at the back of the tent, preferably near the sun (on the rare occasions that it manifested). The subject matter was usually lofty, esoteric and genuinely good for the digestion. Devotees would sit around us, either participating verbally or simply nod along enthusiastically. Today’s topics were war preaching, something Partha had plenty of experience in. We delved into the whole subject matter, from boot camp to the front line; anywhere Partha went with Krsna, distributing the mercy.
We finished off our final orientation class with HG Anuradha Mataji, and then we headed to our cherished library, while the teachers facilitated the community members visiting the new school building. We dabbled through some notes and some emails before the time came to make our ways to the Community Hall for the Inauguration ceremony. Rama and I made a detour to the cool room to check on the strawberry sweet rice. Rama had made four buckets of sweet rice for the ceremonial feast that was going to take place after the main part of the function.
The ceremony started with an introductory bhajana by the students and then talks by the College bigwigs. HH Yadunandana Swami started off with a speech about the potential, far future of the College. HG Braja Bihari Prabhu spoke next, speaking of the College’s original creation. HG Urmila Mataji finally spoke and summed up the present, the magic of the now factor.
Now that Urmila Mataji had brought us back to reality, Anuradha Mataji stepped up to the podium. She was now going to introduce all the new students (that’s me) one at a time. She had been studying us over the last week of orientation, taking notes and was now introducing us with her collected information. We had wrote our lives out on paper and revealed our minds in confidence to her; little did we know she was going to announce the purport of it all to the whole community! I had hidden my life behind metaphors and my introduction was as vague as it could have possibly been. Suspecting secretive character, Anuradha Mataji also had a sneak peek at our College application letters just to juice it up a little bit more. All of a sudden I was being introduced as a jack-of-all-trades, wiring expert and drama expertise (some fluffed up words from a few good friends of mine). I stepped down, as all the other students did, sufficiently embarrassed.
To wrap up the session they introduced three new students who had just arrived. They had missed the orientation sessions and so now they were fresh, not only to the community but to the other students as well. Each student stepped up to the microphone, spontaneously, and introduced themselves. With that, we begged the blessings and good wills of the devotional community for our years of study ahead, which we would then attempt to use for the pleasure of Radha Gopinatha and service Srila Prabhupada.
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Sravanadi means this process. Just like you have come here; you are hearing about Krsna. This is the process. You may be illiterate, you may be rich, or you may be poor. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come, sit down and hear. But in the hearing process, there is so many impediments, maya.
Just like people are coming here to hear, but there has been impediment: "Oh, sir, our lift is being to much used. The electric supply will cut off." Maya is always there. They will, I mean to say, spend electric energy in so many ways, that is not loss. But people were coming for half an hour and one hour, gentlemen, "No. Electricity will be spoiled." This is maya.
Maya is always after this checking process. So we have to fight against the maya, then we come to Krsna consciousness. That fighting determination must be there. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. One must be determined. So maya may check my progress in Krsna consciousness, but I must fight maya. This determination wanted.
Drdha-vratah. Bhajante mam drdha-vratah. That is wanted. "All right let me do. All right, not. That's all right. Let me do my business." No. One must be very serious. Drdha-vratah. Drdha-vratah and firmly convinced. These things are required to revive your Krsna consciousness.
- Srila Prabhupada, Bombay, January 5, 1973
An interview with my mother and sister that gives a picture of life in the first half of the last century.
Skype conference with Russian disciples. (English)
The BRC just passed its first year of operations and an annual report has been published for the pleasure of the devotees.
A postcard sent by the daughter of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to her father in 1904. This was discovered in the Sundarananda Vidya Vinoda collection, gifted to the BRC in 2009.
Anyone wishing to see it please go to: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=8904
Click here to read the full article from the New York Times
It’s been a busy week for vegetables.
The baby-carrot industry tried to reposition its product as junk food, starting a $25 million advertising campaign whose defining characteristics include heavy metal music, a phone app and a young man in a grocery cart dodging baby-carrot bullets fired by a woman in tight jeans.
On the East Side of Manhattan, crates of heirloom vegetables with names like Lady Godiva squash were auctioned for $1,000 each at Sotheby’s, where the wealthy are more accustomed to bidding on Warhols and Picassos than turnips and tomatoes.
Both efforts, high and low, are aimed at the same thing: getting America to eat its vegetables.
Good luck. Despite two decades of public health initiatives, stricter government dietary guidelines, record growth of farmers’ markets and the ease of products like salad in a bag, Americans still aren’t eating enough vegetables.
This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a comprehensive nationwide behavioral study of fruit and vegetable consumption. Only 26 percent of the nation’s adults eat vegetables three or more times a day, it concluded. (And no, that does not include French fries.)
These results fell far short of health objectives set by the federal government a decade ago. The amount of vegetables Americans eat is less than half of what public health officials had hoped. Worse, it has barely budged since 2000.
“It is disappointing,” said Dr. Jennifer Foltz, a pediatrician who helped compile the report. She, like other public health officials dedicated to improving the American diet, concedes that perhaps simply telling people to eat more vegetables isn’t working.
“There is nothing you can say that will get people to eat more veggies,” said Harry Balzer, the chief industry analyst for the NPD Group, a market research company.
This week, the company released the 25th edition of its annual report, “Eating Patterns in America.” The news there wasn’t good, either. For example, only 23 percent of meals include a vegetable, Mr. Balzer said. (Again, fries don’t count, but lettuce on a hamburger does.) The number of dinners prepared at home that included a salad was 17 percent; in 1994, it was 22 percent.
At restaurants, salads ordered as a main course at either lunch or dinner dropped by half since 1989, to a mere 5 percent, he said.
The nation has long had a complicated relationship with vegetables. People know that vegetables can improve health. But they’re a lot of work. In refrigerators all over the country, produce often dies a slow, limp death because life becomes too busy.
“The moment you have something fresh you have to schedule your life around using it,” Mr. Balzer said.
In the wrong hands, vegetables can taste terrible. And compared with a lot of food at the supermarket, they’re a relatively expensive way to fill a belly.
“Before we want health, we want taste, we want convenience and we want low cost,” Mr. Balzer said.
Melissa MacBride, a busy Manhattan resident who works for a pharmaceuticals company, would eat more vegetables if they weren’t, in her words, “a pain.”
“An apple you can just grab,” she said. “But what am I going to do, put a piece of kale in my purse?”
No one really wants to admit that they don’t eat vegetables. A nurse who works at the Hospital for Special Surgery on the Upper East Side openly acknowledges that vegetables make her gag. Still, she begged to not be publicly identified because she is in the health care field and knows that she should set a better example.
David Bernstein, who lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, is sheepish about the lack of vegetables in his diet. He waits tables at the hip M. Wells restaurant in Long Island City, Queens, and knows his way around the Union Square Greenmarket. But his diet consists largely of bacon, yogurt and frozen stuffed chicken breasts.
“It’s just like any other bad habit,” he said. “Part of it is just that vegetables are a little intimidating. I’m not afraid of zucchinis, but I just don’t know how to cook them.”
His Holiness Sivarama Swami Bhajana in Budapest
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.25.11 - Krsna's devotees are special and therefore they should do something special for Krsna.
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