Here are the latest updates for
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: VYASA-PUJA OFFERING
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: My Vyasa-Puja Offering
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Vyasa Puja Offering to My Beloved Guru Maharaj
- Japa Group: Prime Means To Come To Krishna
- Kurma dasa, AU: More Marmalade
- Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: A counselor receives the real cure for social ills
- Book Distribution News: A counselor receives the real cure for social ills
- H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday September 20th, 2010
- 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
- ISKCON News.com: Who's the Mother of Magic Realism?
- ISKCON News.com: Hindu Swastika Sparks Controversy at Irvine Museum
- ISKCON News.com: Spirits Rise High with Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival
- ISKCON News.com: Banks Grow Wary of Environmental Risks
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 80
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Prabhupada Smaranam
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Single-minded Attention
- Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC
- ISKCON News.com: New York Muslim-American Leaders Show Support for Park51
- Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC
- ISKCON News.com: Hare Krishnas Can Be Barred From Soliciting at LAX
- Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Seeing Krsna like seeing one's face in a mirror
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.7.30 Saastra Or Sastra
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.7.25 If Krsna Wants To Kill You, Nobody Can Protect You
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.7.21 The True Purpose Of Ayurveda
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.7.19 Renouncing Both Happiness & Unhappiness For Krsna
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.7.18 Questions About Sannyasa Asrama
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.7.18 Remaining A Humble Servant Of Krsna
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.3.23 Proper Discrimination In Association
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.3.22 Deity, Galagraha- Pain In The Neck Or Vigraha- Transcendental Form
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.3.20 Mayavadi Snake Holes
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.3.18 So-Called Power User Having Less & Less Power
- Sastra Dana, San Diego, USA: September 2010
- New Vrndavan, USA: Kitchen Cleanup
- Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: A Textbook Example: Why American Schools Must Go Green
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Seminar On Śaraṇāgati – Day 5
- Maddy Jean-claude Durr, New Govardhana, AU: A Class About Mystic Siddhis and Mantras (Given in Berlin)
- Australian News: Harinam Sankirtan Grassroots Revolution- SYDNEY: Where's yours?
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Seminar On Śaraṇāgati – Day 4
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Seminar On Śaraṇāgati – Day 3
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Seminar On Śaraṇāgati – Day 2
- H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Seminar On Śaraṇāgati – Day 1
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: Death is the obligatory stage of sannyasa for everyone
- Mayapur Online: Glorifying Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakura-Celebrations at Godrumadvipa
- ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Srila Prabhupada Memories Movie Night - TOMORROW!
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: MOTIVATION
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Chadrashekar Prabhu
- Gouranga TV: Radha Londonishvara – Jayadeva Prabhu and the Mantra Choir – Janmashtami 2010
- ISKCON Melbourne, AU: 12 Hour Kirtana - Roster
- More Recent Articles
- Search Planet ISKCON
Champakalata Dasi (Durban – ZA) Dear Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Sri Vyasa-puja I feel rather embarrassed to be sending you this belated Vyasa-puja offering… just that I received 3 new child abuse cases in the past week – and [...]
Rasa Vihari Krishna das (London) Nama om visnu padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale Srimate Bhakti Charu-svamin iti namine Nama om visnu padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale Srimate Bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine Namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine Nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine Dearest Gurudev, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Your lotus feet. I am very sorry that [...]
Krishna Govinda das, Shyam Priya devi dasi, Prahlad das, Radhika Priya (London) Vyasa Puja Offering to My Beloved Guru Maharaj, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami 17th September 2010 Dearest Gurudev, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. On this auspicious day, and every day I pray for the blessings of my dear [...]
I am trying to understand Krishna by chanting. I am trying to love Him, to invoke my dormant love by the process of chanting. My early morning japa sessions are a great opportunity, and I must take them with all seriousness and concentration. Prabhupada gave us the japa as the prime means to come to Krishna. It is Lord Caitanya's introduction: He used to chant a numerical count of names on a knotted string, and He used to loudly chant in sankirtana. Both kinds of chanting are valid and help us to understand the Lord.
From
Bhajan Kutir #78 The big Kumquat tree on my patio is a very generous soul. The recent blossoms were so profuse and fragrant that the whole yard was fragrant for days. The seasons appear to have overlapped, so yesterday I picked some ripe fruits that were still there and made another batch of marmalade.
8 medium fruits (250g) make a couple of good-sized jars - it's truly amazing how much yield you get. This is not a photo of my tree, but my tree is the same species (there are a few different types of Kumquat). When my tree is in full fruit it looks identical.
Some of my earliest childhood memories are of returning home from primary school in England and finding the whole house perfumed with sweet citrus aromas, and seeing big pots of seville orange marmalade bubbling away on the stove, the steam misting up the cold windows of the kitchen. I am carrying on the tradition, and I think my mother would be proud of me.
Here's my recipe. It really works well.
Kumquat Marmalade
Kumquats look like miniature oranges, and although they are closely related to the citrus species, they belong to a different genus altogether.
Whereas most citrus fruits are considered sub-tropical, kumquats are very hardy and grow easily in home gardens. The round, ornamental variety of kumquats are common, but the more firm, oval variety are generally the ones available in Australian fruit markets. Whatever variety, all kumquats yield a delicious marmalade which is both refreshing and tangy. It is a favourite with those who don't like their marmalade too sweet.
STANDING TIME: overnight (that's the fruit and water standing, not you!), PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: about 1 1/4 hours, YIELD: about 4 cups.
250g kumquats, 3 cups (750ml) water, sugar (yes I know I haven't mentioned a quantity - read whole recipe).
Wash the kumquats and slice them as finely as possible. Larger slices will yield a chunkier marmalade. Remove the seeds, if any, and reserve them. Combine the sliced fruit and water in a bowl or jug and leave overnight.
Next day, place the fruit and water mixture in a non-stick 3-litre/quart saucepan. Gather the reserved pips and tie them in a square of muslin to form a little bag. Drop the bag into the kumquat and water mixture and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, and simmer, tightly covered, for about 1 hour. By this time the fruit will be tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Discard the muslin bag of pips. Pour the mixture into a bowl, measuring exactly how many cups there are. Add an equal volume of sugar and return the mixture to the saucepan.
Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Return the mixture to the boil, and cook without stirring for 10–15 minutes, or until a spoon of the marmalade sets on a cold plate. You may like to keep the plate in the freezer for a quick set test.
Remove the marmalade from the heat. Skim off any scum from the surface and let the marmalade rest and cool in the saucepan for 15 minutes. Spoon it into hot, sterilised jars. Cover immediately, and seal when cold.
While distributing books at Purdue University (in West Lafayette, Indiana), I met a student who told me his mother was very interested in Vedic ideas and that she was a counselor in Purdue's Office of the Dean of Students. He suggested I go to her office and present her a copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. So I did just that.
When I handed her the book, she said, "Oh, the Bhagavad-gita!" We talked for a couple of minutes; she wanted to know who I was and what I was doing on campus. She then asked if she could give me a donation for the book. I shrugged and said I wanted to give it to her as a gift. She insisted on giving a donation, however, and reached into her purse and handed me a hundred dollar bill. "This is for your organization, " she said. "Keep up the good work."
She then showed me the magazine article she had been reading just before I arrived: "The Transformative Nature of Om." She marveled at how I happened to come along with the Bhagavad-gita at that time. As a counselor she helped students with all kinds of problems -- from questions about their academic paths to suicidal thoughts -- and she said she hoped to incorporate Vedic ideas into her work and facilitate east-west dialogue on the Purdue campus.
I left thinking that this "time bomb" had been placed in good hands.
Danakeli Dasi
Vijaya (das) HDG (USA) wrote: > > Hari bol Dravida Prabhu, could you please edit this for me. > Your servant, Vijaya das > > > While distributing books at Purdue University (West Lafayette, > Indiana), I met > a student who told me that his mother is very interested in Vedic > ideas and > that she is a counselor in Purdue's Office of the Dean of Students. He > suggested that I go to her office and present her a copy of > Bhagavad-gita As It > Is, so I did just that. When I handed her the book, she said, "Oh, the > Bhagavad-gita!" We talked for a couple of minutes as she wanted to > know who I > was and what I was doing on campus. She then asked if she could give me a > donation for the book. I shrugged my shoulders and explained to her > that I was > intending to gift it to her. She insisted on giving a donation, > however, and > reached into her purse and handed me a hundred dollar bill, saying, > "This is > for your organization. Keep up the good work." She then showed me the > article > she was reading just before I arrived entitled "The Transformative > Nature of > Om," and she marveled at how I happened to come with the Bhagavad-gita > at that > time. She counsels students in all areas, from their academic paths to > suicidal thoughts, and she shared her hopes to incorporate Vedic ideas > into her > work and to facilitate "east-west" dialogues on the Purdue campus. I left > thinking that this "time bomb" got placed into good hands. > > Danakeli dasi > (Text D:3556540) ------------------------------------------- > > ------- End of Forwarded Message ------ > (Text D:3568754) -------------------------------------------
------- End of Forwarded Message ------
While distributing books at Purdue University (in West Lafayette, Indiana), I met a student who told me his mother was very interested in Vedic ideas and that she was a counselor in Purdue's Office of the Dean of Students. He suggested I go to her office and present her a copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. So I did just that.
When I handed her the book, she said, "Oh, the Bhagavad-gita!" We talked for a couple of minutes; she wanted to know who I was and what I was doing on campus. She then asked if she could give me a donation for the book. I shrugged and said I wanted to give it to her as a gift. She insisted on giving a donation, however, and reached into her purse and handed me a hundred dollar bill. "This is for your organization, " she said. "Keep up the good work."
She then showed me the magazine article she had been reading just before I arrived: "The Transformative Nature of Om." She marveled at how I happened to come along with the Bhagavad-gita at that time. As a counselor she helped students with all kinds of problems -- from questions about their academic paths to suicidal thoughts -- and she said she hoped to incorporate Vedic ideas into her work and facilitate east-west dialogue on the Purdue campus.
I left thinking that this "time bomb" had been placed in good hands.
Danakeli Dasi
Vijaya (das) HDG (USA) wrote: > > Hari bol Dravida Prabhu, could you please edit this for me. > Your servant, Vijaya das > > > While distributing books at Purdue University (West Lafayette, > Indiana), I met > a student who told me that his mother is very interested in Vedic > ideas and > that she is a counselor in Purdue's Office of the Dean of Students. He > suggested that I go to her office and present her a copy of > Bhagavad-gita As It > Is, so I did just that. When I handed her the book, she said, "Oh, the > Bhagavad-gita!" We talked for a couple of minutes as she wanted to > know who I > was and what I was doing on campus. She then asked if she could give me a > donation for the book. I shrugged my shoulders and explained to her > that I was > intending to gift it to her. She insisted on giving a donation, > however, and > reached into her purse and handed me a hundred dollar bill, saying, > "This is > for your organization. Keep up the good work." She then showed me the > article > she was reading just before I arrived entitled "The Transformative > Nature of > Om," and she marveled at how I happened to come with the Bhagavad-gita > at that > time. She counsels students in all areas, from their academic paths to > suicidal thoughts, and she shared her hopes to incorporate Vedic ideas > into her > work and to facilitate "east-west" dialogues on the Purdue campus. I left > thinking that this "time bomb" got placed into good hands. > > Danakeli dasi > (Text D:3556540) ------------------------------------------- > > ------- End of Forwarded Message ------ > (Text D:3568754) -------------------------------------------
------- End of Forwarded Message ------
The Essence Beyond Time
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
This morning my legs brought me to Samson Trail. It was here that Canada's first iron rail was laid in the year 1836. Eventually the railway beginning from here was extended to reach the Pacific coast. The first freight was coal. Since that time so many transitions have taken place which is what time does to all things.
For instance, what was a railway line has now been removed to become an excellent walking trail. A short strolls' distance away is a spank new building, the head office, of Sobey's food enterprise, a rather large family business that has a progressive chain of grocery stores across the country. It wasn't there before. Indeed time changes the names, the shapes, the colours of all places.
Formerly this east coast territory was the inherent land of the indigenous Mic Mac tribe. In time the region fell into the hands of the British and Scottsmen. In fact Nova Scotia means New Scotland. People of Scottish origin and then Irishmen had come to settle here for over two hundred years.
As the day passed on evening came upon us and our venue for a bhakti (devotion) presentation was at a home in the Pictou area. People of British Isles descent were present. They were keen to know what is our position on destiny and Jesus. Is there a God? What is a mantra? Do you monks get married? Are you vegetarian? These were questions asked. They were sincere questions of course. We shouldn't fail to mention one more - "why all the walking?"
Our group of listeners were in the average age between 55 and 65. They were people who had seen several phases of time from post-war and on. 'Experience' might be the best word that capsulizes a description of them. All has been seen and done by them. One gentleman had even been to India and had witnessed a Bengal tiger in the wilderness. "They have been there and done that" - all except for chanting which to them was like a breath of fresh air. Our monks and possibly a new laity were relishing the sacred sound.
We were transcending time.
14 KM
1966 September 23: "Today Visa office sent their decision not to extend further to me to stay. All the members startled. They want me to stay. We went to perform Kirtan at the Ananda Ashram and it was nice."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966
1967 September 23: "I entrusted this matter to him but he has disobeyed which has given me a shock. He disobeyed my order before and he has again disobeyed me. Obedience is the first law of discipline. If he sets such example it will be a great impediment."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967
1967 September 23: "The MacMillan transaction is not successful. Let me begin the printing immediately we have wasted so much time. I am now fit to return back. I am going first to Calcutta to visit Lord Caitanya's birthplace."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967
1968 September 23: "I shall be glad to know about your meetings in the Hindu center. These people might be impersonalists, it does not matter what they are. We can perform Kirtana in any place. By our Kirtana process we have to influence others."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
1968 September 23: "You will be glad to know we are preparing another record, Cintamani Prakara Sadmasu, and other songs and speeches, 20 min. each side. And it will come out very soon. If you want we can send you for selling there."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968
1972 September 23: "Now I can understand people will come in large numbers just to hear this Bhagavata-dharma discourse. Now you GBC men, I leave it to you to hold this festival all over the world. This will be the success of our movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
1972 September 23: "There is immense potential and immense land for development, gradually develop. Raise so many kinds of fruits and vegetables and keep cows. That will be the ideal Krsna Conscious community for living."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
1975 September 23: "Each issue is an improvement on the previous one. This is very good. We can talk with anyone. Marx, Darwin, all professors and politicians, we can challenge and defeat them. Our philosophy is so perfect. So go on exposing them, that is the purpose of Back to Godhead."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975
By Mukunda Goswami on 23 Sep 2010
 | Few care to realize that there is a reality to 'other-worldliness' and that it is not so inaccessible, after all.
|
 | Controversy flared up at Pretend City, a children's museum in Irvine, when a few visitors recently complained about a Hindu swastika woven on a tapestry in one of the museum's exhibits.
|
 | In its sixth year, the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival is a testament to the world's changing spiritual climate.
|
 | Blasting off mountaintops to reach coal in Appalachia or churning out millions of tons of carbon dioxide to extract oil from sand in Alberta are among environmentalists' biggest industrial irritants.
|
www.sdgonline.org. 
From Namamrta by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
"By chanting offenselessly, one attains love of Godhead:
"[Lord Caitanya to Sanatana Goswami]: "Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 4.7)
"When one is on the transcendental stage of chanting the holy name, he attains love of God:
"By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can directly associate with the Lord by sound vibration. As one practices this sound vibration, he passes through three stages of development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. When one is situated on the transcendental stage, he attains the most coveted position—the stage of loving God. Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings. (Teachings of Lord Chaitanya)
In the company of devotees, Haridasa Thakura was discussing the glories of the holy name. Some people present there said the result of chanting the holy name was to free one from the reactions of sinful life. Others said simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord a living being is liberated from material bondage. Haridasa Thakura protested that these two benedictions are not the true result of chanting the holy name. He said that these are insignificant results and that the real result of chanting is to develop love of God. Ecstatic love at the lotus feet of Krishna is the real result of chanting. I can say that I like to chant, but I cannot claim to have attained this third transcendental stage of love for God. Haridasa Thakura says, "When this takes place a person is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not chanting for outsiders." This is not a generic stage of official love of God but a most coveted position and it comes at the termination of material existence. This love is dormant within everyone, and it becomes manifested by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna. The great fruit of love of Godhead is distributed through the medium of chanting, and Prabhupada, in a purport to Caitanya-caritamrta, states his own confidence of the success of the distribution of the great fruit of love of Godhead through the maha-mantra. He had practical experience that anyone who accepted this fruit and sincerely tasted it immediately became able to give up all his bad habits and become intoxicated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s gift. The ultimate result is that one’s heart becomes cleansed, one’s love for Krishna and eternal relationship with Him is revived, and one goes back to Godhead. It’s to be understood that any person who is constantly engaged in chanting the holy names of the Lord has attained a transcendental affection for Krishna, and in any condition of life he remains satisfied simply by remembering the Lord’s name in full affection and ecstatic love.
I had dreams during the night and woke at nidnight and got up from bed. For some reason, my chanting was lethargic and slow. It took me a long time to complete each round. But I had gotten up so early that I finished all my 16 rounds by 3:30 A.M. Gradually my pace increased, so that by the end of the quota I was chanting at a normal rate.
Chanting slowly is not
the best. It takes you
over three hours to
finish your quota.
Something is not right.
But you accept it and
move along even with
hampered speed. The
quotes for the morning
spoke of attaining the stage
of ecstatic love, and
my japa did not rise
to such a height.
read more from SDGonline - daily updates Viraha Bhavan journal
www.sdgonline.org.
One Hundred Prabhupada Poems, #37
The individual and collective memories
of his disciples,
I want them both.
I must remember
that he rubbed my back when he sent
me to Boston.
Years later I learned
I was not a most favorite.
We're all his favorites and anyone
can rise up in the transcendental competition.
Or better yet, don't compete, cooperate.
I need to know I was alone with him.
He said and wrote things about me,
didn't say of me "He's a first-class gunda."
But even the gunda has a place in his heart.
Collective memories I need,
Prabhupada nectar is everybody's.
I will live in any memory
and make it my own.
It's not my fault that I favor
Prabhupada's statements that suit my way.
When he talks of writers and
how we should grow up and use our own
initiative. I like his rose-soft,
private expressions.
Don't kill the ants he says, and
he doesn't turn the girls away;
he likes children, he remembers his
childhood, he sits with me in the
late-night plane terminal and when
a kid with a toy goes by he says
"I used to have toys like that."
I'm guilty of not loving him.
But I'm storing up the memories.
We live in them
and in his books
in his service,
he leads us to eternal youthful Krishna.
www.sdgonline.org.
Free Write
I turned at random to Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto One, Chapter Eight, "The Prayers of Queen Kunti," verse 42:
"O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto you without being diverted to anyone else."
Perfection of devotional service is when your attention is turned entirely to Krishna. Queen Kunti prayed for this. It’s not possible to cut off our feelings of affection for others. This is a symptom of life. Desire can’t be negated. But when your desire is changed for the satisfaction of the Lord, then it’s devotional service. It is not wrong to have affection for other devotees and even feelings of compassion for the fallen souls, but it should all be centered around Krishna. With devotees we share the bliss and work of devotional service. Toward the innocent nondevotees we show mercy and try to share Krishna consciousness with them.
Usually people are distracted from service to the Lord and serve other things. They try to serve many things, starting with their senses and mind and expanding to family and to larger services like community or nation or even world services. But when the senses are purified in relation to service to the Lord it is called pure unalloyed devotional service.
The Bhagavatam’s image is nice of the Ganges flowing to the sea without hindrance. We should aspire for such powerful, single-minded attention without hindrance by lesser things. The river’s flow cannot be stopped, and our desire to serve Krishna should be so powerful and headlong.
During my morning nap I had a nightmare. I was in a van with some sailors. We were going to a double feature movie. One movie was about Lord Caitanya and one was about Lord Krishna. A sailor asked me what books I was reading. I said Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrta. He said Cc. was only for very advanced persons. I said I was a sannyasi. He said still, it was only for advanced sannyasis. I told him that Prabhupada personally told me to read the Cc. That’s a fact. The streets of Norfolk, Virginia were wild. There were many Christian fundamentalists harassing people, and other cults and street gangs. There were about ten of us sailors, and we protected each other. But then I got separated from the group, and I was on the crowded, milling streets alone. It was dangerous. I met up with some women who were like devotees. My fallen past was exposed, and I felt sad and disappointed. I lost a folder I was carrying. The Christian groups harassed me. I tried to find a taxi. There were strange vehicles on the road, and I finally found one that appeared to be a taxi. It was run by several Hindus. The driver was sleeping. I told the other men to take me to the movies, but although I had seen partial videos of the films before, I couldn’t remember their titles, so they couldn’t take me to the movies. I woke up about here, frustrated. I dreamt that I had woken up, and I told devotees about the dream, and they said they had similar experiences. One hinted that I should have threatened the girls.
"Some people think that meditation takes time away from physical
accomplishment. Taken to extremes, of course, that's true. Most people,
however, find that meditation creates more time than it takes."
Caught in a world of progress and achievement, we rarely stop to give ourselves the time of day or take personal nourishment for, not only our body, but mind and soul as well. Meditation is gradually being seen in the Western world as a substantial way to relieve stress and focus the mind. Plus, after each meditation, we serve a healthy breakfast. This week it was fresh dosas!
By Vivienne Foley for
CNN.com on
21 Sep 2010  | A group representing more than 55 mosques and Islamic organizations in New York City voiced its support for the Park51 project.
|
Standing before an assembly of students in Athens, Solon, one of the seven great Greek wise men, held up an apple. It was rotten and decayed. He questioned them, "how can we regenerate and make new this apple?" Unable to provide an answer, the students remained silent. "You can not revive a rotten apple." At that time, Solon cut the apple in half and removed the seeds. Holding the seeds he remarked, "this is how the apple can be regenerated. By proper care and use of it's seeds, a new apple can be made." Who are the seeds of society? They are indeed the youth, and the spiritual values, morals, and ethics that the students of today hold in their lives, qualify them to regenerate society and make a better tomorrow as they move to become the future leaders, managers, and parents of the future. What are the values that you hold dear in your life? What are the values you feel pressured to keep by society? Where do we get are values? These questions and others were discussed in our Wednesday night Reflections.
 | A federal appeals court has ruled again that airport police can enforce a city ordinance barring the Hare Krishnas and other groups from soliciting immediate donations at Los Angeles International Airport.
|
To do what is good means to accept everything favorable to the discharge of devotional service, and to reject what is not good means to reject everything not favorable for discharging devotional service. In our Krsna consciousness movement, we accept this principle by rejecting four prohibited items -- namely illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and flesh -- eating -- and accepting the daily chanting of at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and daily meditation three times a day by chanting the Gayatri mantra. In this way one can keep his brahminical culture and spiritual strength intact. By following these principles of devotional service strictly, chanting twenty-four hours a day the maha-mantra -- Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare -- one makes positive progress in spiritual life and ultimately becomes completely fit to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Because the ultimate goal of studying or understanding the Vedic knowledge is to find Krsna, one who follows the Vedic principles as described above can from the very beginning see all the features of Lord Krsna, the Absolute Truth, very distinctly, as one can see one's own face completely reflected in a clear mirror.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.21.42
SB 02.07.30_Saastra Or Sastra_2001-04-04 Lecture – SB 2.7.30 Saastra Or Sastra 2001-04-04 Radhadesh
SB 02.07.25_If Krsna Wants To Kill You, Nobody Can Protect You_2001-03-29 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.25 If Krsna Wants To Kill You, Nobody Can Protect You 2001-03-29 Radhadesh
SB 02.07.21_The True Purpose Of Ayurveda_2001-03-23 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.21 The True Purpose Of Ayurveda 2001-03-23 Radhadesh
SB 02.07.19_Renouncing Both Happiness & Unhappiness For Krsna_2001-03-21 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.19 Renouncing Both Happiness & Unhappiness For Krsna 2001-03-21 Radhadesh
SB 02.07.18_Questions About Sannyasa Asrama_2001-08-01 Lecture – SB 2.7.18 Questions About Sannyasa Asrama 2001-08-01 Radhadesh
SB 02.07.18_Remaining A Humble Servant Of Krsna_2001-03-20 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.18 Remaining A Humble Servant Of Krsna 2001-03-20 Radhadesh
SB 02.03.23_Proper Discrimination In Association_2000-10-03 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.23 Proper Discrimination In Association 2000-10-03 Radhadesh
SB 02.03.22_Deity, Galagraha- Pain In The Neck Or Vigraha- Transcendental Form_2000-10-02 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.22 Deity, Galagraha- Pain In The Neck Or Vigraha- Transcendental Form 2000-10-02 Radhadesh
SB 02.03.20_Mayavadi Snake Holes_2000-09-29 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 02.03.20 Mayavadi Snake Holes 2000-09-29 Radhadesh
SB 02.03.18_So-Called Power User Having Less & Less Power_2000-09-27 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 02.03.18 So-Called Power User Having Less & Less Power 2000-09-27 Radhadesh
Sri Sri Radha-Vrindaban Chandra’s’ Kitchen Maha Clean Up
October 6th from 2pm till 8pm
Help clean bhoga room, wash pots, clean stoves etc…
Come for an one hour or stay all day
Prasadam served at 7:30PM
Madhu Sri Das
Published: September 8, 2010
Schools are a black hole for energy consumption. The buildings, which often serve as the hub of communities, are open from early morning to late at night. With air conditioning or heating systems that run continually, it is not unusual for a single building to use hundreds of thousands of gallons of fossil fuel each year. While this energy consumption is a major concern to students, teachers, administrators and the community – who all wish to lessen dependence on fossil fuels – school systems are moving at a glacial pace when it comes to making environmentally conscious decision regarding what technologies should power their facilities.
One of the primary reasons why school systems get cold feet at the idea of going green is the perceived cost of deploying renewable energy systems. School budgets across the United States are incredibly tight, a situation that is exacerbated by the nation's current economic condition. As a result, school boards are faced with having to lay off teachers and cut core programs just to remain financially viable. Now is not the time, most seem to believe, to be introducing major infrastructure projects such as solar-or wind-power systems that have large price tags attached.
These perceptions, however, are far from reality. Schools can go green by deploying rooftop solar systems or tapping into wind energy projects by using a model that requires little to no upfront costs and can result in annual savings related to powering a facility. More importantly, though, these green projects can become a showpiece for the community to see how to successfully implement a renewable energy system.
For instance, they can provide value environmental education opportunities for students. In addition, they can serve as an example to other public facilities, private buildings or even homeowners of how to effectively invest in green technology. And finally, they can serve as engines of job creation and innovation not only in their city or county, but throughout their state and across the United States.
Leveraging a Public/Private Partnership – One Successful Partnership
When faced with the prospect of electricity costs rising 4-8% annually, the Northwestern Regional School District No. 7 in Winsted, Conn., began investigating what it would take to put a solar array on the roof of its 250,000 square foot high school building. While it could technically be done, the question of how to finance such a project loomed large. The school board considered three different ways to fund it:
- Outright Purchase – The school system could pay for building and maintaining its own solar infrastructure. This model was rejected because it required bonds, which were impossible to secure at the time.
- Lease/Purchase Arrangement – Instead of bonding the full project, the school district could lease the system from a company that would finance and build the system. This model often comes with higher upfront and monthly costs and down the road would require the school district to own and operate its own solar array.
- Public/Private Partnership – With this option, the school district could find a private company to install and maintain the solar facility on its rooftop, and through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) pay a discounted rate for only the power produced onsite.
Ultimately, the school district concluded that the most financially sound option was to enter into a public/private partnership with MP2 Capital. MP2 provided the financing for the project and contracted with groSolar to build the system, which is comprised of almost 2,000 panels spanning 40,000 square feet of roof space. (See image below, right.)
Because MP2 is a private, for-profit entity, it could take advantage of numerous tax benefits and incentives that resulted in building the system more cost-effectively than the school district could had it attempted to do so on its own. With this agreement in hand, the school district sought and obtained a $1.72 million grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, which significantly offset the costs of the solar project. The arrangement with MP2 also allowed the school district to have the benefits of going green without the risk and complications that can come with implementing a solar solution of its own.
By initial counts, the PPA arrangement will save the school district approximately $25,000 in the first year. Those savings could grow if electricity rates in Connecticut continue to rise faster than the fixed escalating rates established in the PPA.
The savings are not the only resulting benefit. The school district received a grant from a large corporation with a local office, Alcoa, which has made a goal of investing in sustainable energy projects through grants. With the Alcoa grant, the school district was able to hire a part-time teacher, who built a curriculum centered on green science and technology, including classes that even utilize data generated from the rooftop solar panels as part of the lesson plan. That teacher also leads a "green schools" group of students, who meet to talk about ecological conservation and renewable energy issues.
Another favorable outcome is the partnership that has developed between the public school district and neighboring Northwestern Connecticut Community College. This partnership resulted in plans for an associate's degree in Green Technology and Science at the college. Students from both the high school and college campuses take part in these shared classes, which can lead to green jobs for graduating students at a variety of entry levels. This "workforce" initiative is a key spinoff of the implementation of renewable energy programs at Northwestern Regional School District 7. Additionally, because the school district relied on contractors and suppliers in Connecticut, it was able to positively contribute to the local economy in the near-term.
Northwestern Regional School District No. 7 is not alone in leveraging this public/private partnership model for renewable energy projects. Schools across the country – including many in California and Colorado – are utilizing their rooftops and PPAs to go green in an affordable and socially responsible way.
Schools Have a Unique Opportunity
While all of us in the United States should be considering what we could do to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and end global warming, school systems have a unique opportunity to serve as a textbook example for promoting use of renewable energy. Not only can school buildings serve as a showcase for solar or wind projects, the lessons learned by students and the community are perhaps even more valuable when it comes to sustaining interest in and expanding the use of renewable energy resources.
Filed under:
Cows and Environment 
The following lecture was given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami onnbsp;Śaraṇāgati on September 18th, 2010, at ISKCON Ujjain.
In Berlin I was given a chance to give many classes. This was the third morning class that I gave, on Dhruva Maharaja. I chose to speak about the the mystic siddhis (spoken about by Sri Krsna to Uddhava in the 11th Canto/Uddhava Gita) and the power of the Holy Name.
Your servant, Madhavendra Puri Dasa.
[http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/a-class-about-mystic-siddhis-and-mantras-berlin-2010]
THIS IS HARINAM SANKIRTAN: Tonight devotees descended on an unsuspecting Sydney city to blast away the top layers of the dust of Kali Yuga and reveal to the world the Holy Names of Lord Sri Krishna. Starting at 580 George Street, right in the middle of the swelling crowd of Thursday night revelers, the Mrdangas and Kartalas cracked a hole in the material world and the bliss of Harinam poured into the world onto the heads of anyone within hearing distance.
As can be expected the sounds of Sri Harinam excite the spirit sould dwelling deep within the suffering hearts of people and they smile, wave, laugh, sing and dance along as the Sankirtan Party weaves its way through the ‘madding crowd.’
You can tell from the visual clues that the bliss of the Harinam leaks out fom the very pores of the skin of those calling out the Mahamantra. Once you start is is hard to stop. People coming by can tell there is something going on and they are compelled to watch, take photo’s and to call out. You can hear the Sankirtan Coming down the block as the nectar of the names resounds of the wall of the tall buildings and fills the ears of anyone within the reach of the sound waves.
What’s that, he says and he turns around to look because he can’t believe what he is seeing, is this the only sankirtan party on the planet earth where they are distributing Back to Godhead magazine. It’s enough to bring tears to the eyes.
“Here they come, a dancing down the street, they get the funniest looks from, everyrone they meet…. HEY HEY ITS THE HARI’S!!!”
Share this story your way:
The following lecture was given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami onnbsp;Śaraṇāgati on September 16th, 2010, at ISKCON Ujjain.
The following lecture was given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami onnbsp;Śaraṇāgati on September 14th, 2010, at ISKCON Ujjain.
The following lecture was given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami onnbsp;Śaraṇāgati on September 13th, 2010, at ISKCON Ujjain.
The following lecture was given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami onnbsp;Śaraṇāgati on September 12th, 2010, at ISKCON Ujjain.
Its Visvarupa mahotsava and answering a question from Renitha Singh on the recent disappearance of a senior devotee.
On the appearance day of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, Saraswat Gaudiya Vaishnava association gathered at the residence and Samadhi of Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur to glorify this great Acharya on his appearance day. On behalf of ISKCON Mayapur, HH Jayapataka Swami, HG Jananivasa prabhu and other senior management members participated in the program.
read more
We are currently celebrating the Maha-Mantra week at ISKCON Toronto! This festival celebrates the arrival of Srila Prabhupada to the west in 1965. This was a very significant movement as his arrival to the US began the Hare Krishna movement which began at a small storefront in New York and today has grown to numerous temples around the world.
We thought what better way to honour Srila Prabhupada than to watch movies about him and the Hare Krishna movement! Join us this Thursday as we watch a movie about Srila Prabhupada with popcorn and juice and a small surprise :)!
The movie will be played from 6:30pm - 8:00pm and will be in the temple room.
Hope to see you there!
Also, check out how we are doing on our Japa Challenge of collectively chanting 45,000 rounds! (Updated at 5:45pm EST)
Motivation requires "motive."
Be clear about why you are doing what you are doing.
What you really want to accomplish?
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.24.12 - Know what you are not and what you are.
Radha Londonishvara – Jayadeva Prabhu and the Mantra Choir – Janmashtami 2010
So here it is: the roster for this Sunday's 12 Hour Kirtan.
Kirtaniyas, you are asked to please be on time, stick to your slot and to the 'Hare Krishna' Maha-mantra.
As you will probably tell it is an international mix; Srila Prabhupada has indeed built a house in which the whole world can reside.
See you all there for the festival of all nations!
More Recent Articles
