"Planet ISKCON" - 27 new articles
H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Friday 11 June 2010--Millions of Times Better Than Sex--and--God Conscious Without Religious Dogma?In this material world sex is accepted universally as the ultimate pleasure. Sigmund Freud theorized that everything we do in this material world is based around sex and he was right So how is it that a Krishna conscious person can derive unlimited pleasure, energy, and satisfaction by completely focusing all of his energy on Krishna and totally giving... H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 1.8.1-17 Bhagavatam's Intro to Krishna 2SB 01.08.01-17_Bhagavatam’s Intro To Krishna 2_2005 Lecture – SB 1.8.1-17 Bhagavatam’s Intro to Krishna 2 – 2005 Helsinki H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 1.7.12-58 Bhagavatam's Intro to Krishna 1SB 01.07.12-58_Bhagavatam’s Intro To Krishna 1_2005 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.12-58 Bhagavatam’s Intro to Krishna 1 – 2005 Helsinki H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos from Vyasa Puja 2008H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 1.7.11 Mayavadis by Nature, Need to be AttentiveSB 01.07.11_Mayavadis By Nature, Need To Be Attentive_2005 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.11 Mayavadis by Nature, Need to be Attentive 2005 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – 1.7.10 Atmarama VerseSB 01.07.10_Atmarama Verse_2005 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.10 Atmarama Verse 2005 Helsinki Japa Group: The Importance of Chanting
There is a nice quote from Srila Prabhupada explaining these three stages: "There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. The first stage is the offensive chanting of the holy name, and the second is the reflective stage of chanting the holy name. The third stage is the offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the second stage only, the stage of reflection, between the offensive and offenseless stages, one automatically attains the stage of emancipation. And in the offenseless stage, one actually enters into the kingdom of God, although physically he may apparently be within the material world. To attain the offenseless stage, one must be on guard in the following manner.[guard against the ten offenses of chanting]" Purport Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.30  ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Aniruddha PrabhuSrimad Bhagavatam 11.21.17 - To spread Krsna consciousness effectively devotees must know how to apply devotional principles appropriately. Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Don't be a cheaterSo Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu made one condition [when excusing Jagai and Madhai], that "Your life is full of sinful activities. So if you simply promise that 'I shall not do anymore,' then I can accept you." So they said, "Sir, I'll not do. We'll not do anymore." This is required. When you are initiated, you promise "No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." And if you do privately all these things, then what kind of man you are? Don't be cheater. Be plain. When you promise that "We shall not do these things," don't do it again. Then you remain in goodness. That's all. Nobody can disturb you. And if you pollute yourself silently, then this goodness will go on. So this is the warning. Once you are initiated on the promise that you shall not do these all nonsense, then you remain perfectly in goodness. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti. Maya cannot do anything. But if you cheat yourself, cheat your spiritual master, cheat God, then you will be cheated by maya. >From Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.26, Los Angeles, October 1, 1972 Kirtans in Oxford, UK: 24 Hour Kirtan in Birmingham
 H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: '463' from The Yellow Submarine4:14 A.M.I slept alright and woke with the alarm at 2:30. But I immediately had a headache and had to take medicine. Then while walking in the room my ankle collapsed, and I fell to the floor. I didn't sustain any injuries, but it was a shock. With the headache my chanting was slow, and I haven't chanted eight rounds so far. I'll be a little bit behind on my writing, but everything will get done alright. My chanting was not clear but with the pressure of pain and distraction. I've been reading Japa Transformations and enjoying the concentration on harinama and the sincerity of the effort. But even there, there is frequent mention of my not doing the best. But I forgive myself and pray to harinama. I like the book, and I'm proofreading it for mistakes. This morning because I'm a little bit behind I have to calm down and not get feverish. Just rest assured that everything will get done by the end of the day. Use your time well, and you'll come out on top. A crippled harinama H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'Little Drops of Nectar: The Gayatri' from The Yellow SubmarinePrabhupada smaranam
He is very serious. It is an internal meditation. He is not in this world. This is a pictorial representation of the boons promised to one who chants the gayatri mantras purely. It shows the intimacy one gains with Krishna and how gayatri helps one go back to Godhead. This is one of several photos that shows Prabhupada chanting gayatri without covering the thread with his hand or cloth. This disproves the ISKCON rumor that if you don't cover your hand when you chant gayatri, the demigods will become envious. Prabhupada first gave second initiation and gayatri mantra to his disciples in May 1968, in the storefront temple in Boston. At first he said that women did not receive gayatri mantra and second initiation. This was a policy of the Gaudiya Matha. But Govinda dasi, who was serving along with her husband Gaurasundara as Prabhupada's servant, protested and cried profuse tears in front of him. At first she boycotted the ceremony and stayed in Prabhupada's apartment. But then she could not bear the separation and ran ten blocks nonstop to the temple to be with him. Prabhupada relented and allowed women to take second initiation, but he did not give them the sacred thread. Some of Prabhupada's godbrothers and smarta-brahmanas in India criticized Prabhupada for giving second initiation to women. Prabhupada defended his policy of preaching according to time and place and gave proof of its bona fide nature when writing in the Srimad-Bhagavatam translation where Narada is teaching Dhruva Maharaja to practice "in consideration of place, time and attendant conveniences and inconveniences." (Bhag. 4.8.54.) Prabhupada writes in his purport as follows: "Those who are not actually in the line of acaryas, or who personally have no knowledge of how to act in the role of acarya, unnecessarily criticize the activities of the ISKCON movement in countries outside of India. The fact is that such critics cannot do anything personally to spread Krishna consciousness. If someone does go and preach, taking all risks and allowing all considerations for time and place, it might be that there are changes in the manner of worship, but that is not at all faulty according to sastra. Srimad Viraraghava Acarya, an acarya in the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja Sampradaya, has remarked in his commentary that candalas, or conditioned souls who are born in lower than sudra families, can also be initiated according to circumstances. The formalities may be slightly changed here and there to make them Vaisnavas." (Bhag. 2.8.54, purport) There are seven gayatri mantras and an extra one given to sannyasis. The first mantra is to the sun god, but we actually address Surya Narayana, who lives in the sun planet. The next two mantras, which are my favorite, are to the spiritual master. Prabhupada translates one as follows: "Let me try to understand my Spiritual Master, who is always in blissful Krishna consciousness." I like the emphasis of trying to understand my spiritual master. It reminds me that he has an ultimate identity which may not be revealed to me, but I pray to know it. The next two mantras are to Lord Caitanya. The last two mantras are in a madhurya-lila-rasa and are addressed to Krishna, the lover of the gopis. "Let him be enlivened by the transcendental Cupid." Here in this picture Srila Prabhupada is deeply absorbed in the gayatri mantras and one may use this example to induce ourselves to saying the mantras in all attention and seriousness. H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 'The Sastras and My Little Life' from The Yellow SubmarineLord Caitanya pumped
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Here a woman religiously dips in the sacred Yamuna River, the river Krishna played in when He advented in Vrndavana five thousand years ago. Nowadays the Yamuna is being polluted by industrial waste from New Delhi, but stalwart devotees still bathe in the waters. In the background is the skyline silhouette of the Madan-mohan Mandir which was constructed under the supervision of Sanatana Goswami almost five hundred years ago. There is also a well used by Sanatana which is near the temple. Also near here is the Kaliya Ghat and the waters where the poisonous serpent Kaliya used to reside. Krishna personally drove Kaliya from the Yamuna after dancing on his hoods. When Sanatana Goswami lived here he worshiped the Deity of Krishna. But he was so poor he could not make nice offerings of food to the Deity. Once the Deity spoke complainingly to Sanatana for not at least putting salt on the chapattis he offered to Him. Sanatana replied: "Sir, I am a poor mendicant and I can not obtain any salt, You will have to accept the chapattis as I offer Them." The worship was so intimate that Sanatana and Krishna conversed, and Krishna submitted to Sanatana and accepted the chapattis without salt. In the similar fashion to the way the woman is bathing in the Yamuna, the young gopis bathed near here and observed the vow to Goddess Katyayani, praying to her to get Krishna as their husband. One time they bathed without their clothes in water up to their neck, and Krishna came and took all their saris and would not give them back until they came out of the water and received them from His hand. He then in essence, accepted them as His wives and said in the future He would perform the rasa dance with them. Although so-called modernization and commercial development of Vrndavana is changing it drastically from the garden-like atmosphere that pervaded when the Six Gosvamis lived there, the essence of Vraja can not be taken away, and sincere devotees continue to find the essence beneath the encroaching changes. Kurma dasa, AU: Kurma in Russia
Well, almost. I was there, on three occasions. But alas, that was before my blogging days, and before I bought my first digital camera. But the actual reason for today's blog is to remind you that many of the recipes from my very first cookbook 'Great Vegetarian Dishes' have been translated into Russian. So if Russian is your mother-tongue, and you'd like to partake of this service, or you're just curious, click here.
Kripamoya dasa, UK: Preachers of hatred urge killings of reformist MuslimsLast week 86 worshipping Muslims were massacred in two mosques in Lahore, Pakistan. It was the bloodiest event in this country for many years. In a world which is rocked every day by the news of Muslims killing Muslims in some far off part of the world, this one event may not immediately alarm us, and it may be forgotten quickly. But these particular were not Shi’ites or Sunis, the two groups that are at war in Iraq. The 86 that died were all members of the Ahmadiya movement, a preaching movement which explains that jihad refers to the internal spiritual struggle, and that true religion must be expressed as love and consideration for others. The Ahmadiya movement is very active in interfaith initiatives, and seeks to preach a different kind of Islam. For that reason the group invited us Vaishnavas to come and meet them last year and learn a little of their teachings. Any deaths in the name of a religious cause are regrettable, but particularly so when the people killed are trying to promote peace and understanding. In this case, it appears that once again, the power of religious rhetoric from charismatic preachers has spawned hatred, injury and death. For more on this massacre, and the group involved click here.       ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Panihati Festival - This Sunday!!!
 H.H. Sivarama Swami: India moves to make it easier for couples to divorceSRS: If you look at the statistics at the bottom you will note that ISKCON’s rate if divorce more resembles the USA than India. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10284416.stm Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Accepting What Is Within Reach“And if you go materially, satisfy your hunger, this, that, this, that, this, that, oh, it is simply illusion. It will never be finished. Just like you are advanced in material prosperity than other country. Does it mean that you are satisfied? Why there are hippies? Why there are so many frustrated youngsters? The richest country in the world. “That, this richness of material world, the rascals, they are following that “If we become like America and some industrial, we shall become happy.” That is rascaldom. Actual happiness is how you learn to love God. Then you get happy. That can be achieved without any material advancement. Anywhere you can have, without any expenditure, without any effort, without any education, without any knowledge. Simply chant Hare Krsna and you develop that love.” Lecture Excerpt — Boston, May 5, 1969 “Why can we not be content with an ordinary, secret, personal happiness that does not need to be explained or justified? We feel guilty if we are not happy in some publically approved way, if we do not imagine that we are meeting some standard of happiness that is recognized by all. God gives us the gift and the capacity to make our own happiness out of our own situation. And it is not hard to be happy, simply by accepting what is within reach, and making of it what we can.” Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander (New York: Image). p. 56. Filed under: Thomas Merton       H.H. Sivarama Swami: Bhakta Heeren, London, asks
Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Are There Dangers In Being "Spiritual But Not Religious?"June 4, 2010 1:28 p.m. EDT  Being "spiritual but not religious" means you do not need a church or a community, some say. A beach will do. (CNN) -- "I'm spiritual but not religious." It's a trendy phrase people often use to describe their belief that they don't need organized religion to live a life of faith. But for Jesuit priest James Martin, the phrase also hints at something else: egotism. "Being spiritual but not religious can lead to complacency and self-centeredness," says Martin, an editor at America, a national Catholic magazine based in New York City. "If it's just you and God in your room, and a religious community makes no demands on you, why help the poor?" Religious debates erupt over everything from doctrine to fashion. Martin has jumped into a running debate over the "I'm spiritual but not religious" phrase. The "I'm spiritual but not religious" community is growing so much that one pastor compared it to a movement. In a 2009 survey by the research firm LifeWay Christian Resources, 72 percent of millennials (18- to 29-year-olds) said they're "more spiritual than religious." The phrase is now so commonplace that it's spawned its own acronym ("I'm SBNR") and Facebook page: SBNR.org. But what exactly does being "spiritual but not religious" mean, and could there be hidden dangers in living such a life? Did you choose "Burger King Spirituality"? Heather Cariou, a New York City-based author who calls herself spiritual instead of religious, doesn't think so. She's adopted a spirituality that blends Buddhism, Judaism and other beliefs. "I don't need to define myself to any community by putting myself in a box labeled Baptist, or Catholic, or Muslim," she says. "When I die, I believe all my accounting will be done to God, and that when I enter the eternal realm, I will not walk though a door with a label on it." People seem not to have the time nor the energy or interest to delve deeply into any one faith or religious tradition. --June-Ann Greeley, theology professor BJ Gallagher, a Huffington Post blogger who writes about spirituality, says she's SBNR because organized religion inevitably degenerates into tussles over power, ego and money. Gallagher tells a parable to illustrate her point: "God and the devil were walking down a path one day when God spotted something sparkling by the side of the path. He picked it up and held it in the palm of his hand. "Ah, Truth," he said. "Here, give it to me," the devil said. "I'll organize it." Gallagher says there's nothing wrong with people blending insights from different faith traditions to create what she calls a "Burger King Spirituality -- have it your way." She disputes the notion that spiritual people shun being accountable to a community. "Twelve-step people have a brilliant spiritual community that avoids all the pitfalls of organized religion," says Gallagher, author of "The Best Way Out is Always Through." "Each recovering addict has a 'god of our own understanding,' and there are no priests or intermediaries between you and your god. It's a spiritual community that works.'' Nazli Ekim, who works in public relations in New York City, says calling herself spiritual instead of religious is her way of taking responsibility for herself. Ekim was born in a Muslim family and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. She prayed to Allah every night, until she was 13 and had to take religion classes in high school.Then one day, she says she had to take charge of her own beliefs. "I had this revelation that I bow to no one, and I've been spiritually a much happier person," says Ekim, who describers herself now as a Taoist, a religious practice from ancient China that emphasizes the unity of humanity and the universe. "I make my own mistakes and take responsibility for them. I've lied, cheated, hurt people -- sometimes on purpose. Did I ever think I will burn in hell for all eternity? I didn't. Did I feel bad and made up for my mistakes? I certainly did, but not out of fear of God." Going on a spiritual walkabout The debate over being spiritual rather than religious is not just about semantics. It's about survival. Numerous surveys show the number of Americans who do not identify themselves as religious has been increasing and likely will continue to grow. A 2008 survey conducted by Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, dubbed these Americans who don't identify with any religion as "Nones." "I don't need to define myself in a box labeled Baptist, or Catholic, or Muslim." --Heather Cariou, a spiritual but not religious seeker Seminaries, churches, mosques and other institutions will struggle for survival if they don't somehow convince future generations that being religious isn't so bad after all, religion scholars warn. Jennifer Walters, dean of religious life at Smith College in Massachusetts, says there's a lot of good in old-time religion. Religious communities excel at caring for members in difficult times, encouraging members to serve others and teaching religious practices that have been tested and wrestled with for centuries, Walters says. "Hymn-singing, forms of prayer and worship, teachings about social justice and forgiveness -- all these things are valuable elements of religious wisdom," Walters says. "Piecing it together by yourself can be done, but with great difficulty." Being a spiritual Lone Ranger fits the tenor of our times, says June-Ann Greeley, a theology and philosophy professor. "Religion demands that we accord to human existence some absolutes and eternal truths, and in a post-modern culture, that becomes all but impossible," says Greeley, who teaches at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. It's much easier for "spiritual" people to go on "spiritual walkabouts," Greeley says. "People seem not to have the time nor the energy or interest to delve deeply into any one faith or religious tradition," Greeley says. "So they move through, collecting ideas and practices and tenets that most appeal to the self, but making no connections to groups or communities." Being spiritual instead of religious may sound sophisticated, but the choice may ultimately come down to pettiness, says Martin, the Jesuit priest, who writes about the phrase in his book, "The Jesuit Guide to (Almost Everything)." "Religion is hard," he says. "Sometimes it's just too much work. People don't feel like it. I have better things to do with my time. It's plain old laziness." Mayapur Online: Mamgacchi - More nectar
Hare Krishna! On 9 June is the auspicious Appearance Day of a great Vaishnava acarya Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura, the last initiated disciple of Lord Nityananda and author of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata. The Life and Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are very elaborately described in Sri Caitanya Bhagavata. Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura took initiation at the age of 16. He was the dear-most disciple of Lord Nityananda. H.H. Sivarama SwamiCleansing the temple as clean as glass, always. Everyone remarks this that - Srila Prabhupada H.H. Bhakti Caitanya Swami: More photo's of the Russian tourJaya Kesava Das, USA: LONG BREAK.... But I'm still here.   Gouranga TV: Aindra Hare Krishna Kirtan – Vrindavan – 1-11-2009 Part 2/6Aindra Hare Krishna Kirtan – Vrindavan – 1-11-2009 Part 2/6 Japa Group: Don't Get Distracted
It is often very difficult to keep one's attention on the holy name while chanting japa. This is because the mind is not trained to bear prolonged attention. It gets bored with the monotony of japa and runs to more pleasing things. By increasing one's interest or taste in japa, one will be able to chant attentively. From the Art Of Chanting Hare Krsna by Mahanidhi Swami  More Recent Articles
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“During japa how can we be conscious of the supremacy of Lord Krishna, as displayed by his universal form and thereby not risk getting into a sentimental feeling?”
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