Devotees Vaishnavas: January 02, 2011 - Planet ISKCON

jueves, 3 de febrero de 2011

January 02, 2011 - Planet ISKCON - 18 new articles

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"Planet ISKCON" - 18 new articles
ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana

Akrura das, Gita Coaching: ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Fixing the mind on Krsna

Japa Group: Japa Resolutions 2011

Kurma dasa, AU: 20 Things You Should Know About GMO

ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Prabhupada Festival LIVE!

Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?

H.H. Sivarama Swami: 2010 New Years Eve bhajan in Budapest

Akrura das, Gita Coaching: PEOPLE NEED

Syamesvari dd: Happy Hopeful New Year!

ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Prabhupada Festival Tonight - Start 2011 on the Right Note!

H.H. Sivarama Swami: 2010 New Years Eve bhajan in Budapest

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Discussion with devotees

Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Happy New Year!

Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: The Prabhupada Marathon in New Zealand

Book Distribution News: The Prabhupada Marathon in New Zealand

Gouranga TV: Śrila Indradyumna Swami – “Jaya Radha-Madhava”

Japa Group: Japa Workshop #1 of 6

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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana

The Deities arise and shine in a field of mandarins and cherries today in this deep orange and ripe pink set.

They relentlessly bring all auspiciousness to our existence on this newly-born year.

May the radiant sun of Their Lordships' darsana dissipate all the darkness of illusion that loom in the hidden corners of our hearts.

Here is the slideshow.
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Everything belongs to Krsna. Why you are claiming yourself, as nation or individual or community? That's not proper.

Just like pickpocket and a gang, gangsters, organized rogues, thieves. It does not change the quality.

There was some talk, you know, between Alexander the Great and the robber. The robber proved that "You are a greater robber. That's all. Why you are trying to punish me?"

Alexander the Great arrested one robber, and he was going to punish him. So the robber explained that "Why you are punishing me? You are also a robber. You are going under the name of conqueror, and because I am not as great as you are, therefore you are trying to punish me. So why you are...?" So Alexander the Great, he was very, mean, highly advanced in... He immediately released him. "Yes. I am also a robber. Why shall I punish you?"

Stenayor sa ucyate. Everyone in this material world, one who has no Krsna consciousness, he's a thief, he's a rogue, he's a robber. Everyone.

Just like the Americans. They occupied the land of America by killing the Red Indians, and now they are claiming proprietor, and there is immigration department: "Nobody can come here. It is our land." This is going on.

- Srila Prabhupada
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Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Fixing the mind on Krsna
When a person fixes his mind on the eternal, exquisite form of Syamasundara, the blackish, beautiful Lord Krsna, all distress and anguish are vanquished. In the initial stages, the attempt to fix the mind on Krsna may be unsuccessful, but with regulated practice (abhyasa-yoga) it becomes possible.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => RTW 5.1: The Highest Use of Intelligence
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Japa Group: Japa Resolutions 2011

Today is New Year's day, as I reflected on my Japa for 2010 I realised this is a very good opportunity to commit to change and to improve for the next year.

I have much to improve in regards to keeping attentive and really hearing deeply the Holy names for each and every round - really relishing the Holy names as I would tasty prasadam, chewing properly and tasting everything. This will be my resolution for 2011.

I hope you have a great year of chanting and maybe you can commit to at least 1 resolution in Japa.
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Kurma dasa, AU: 20 Things You Should Know About GMO

20 Things You Need To Know About GMO
Genetically modified (GM) foods are “plants or animals whose genes have been changed in the laboratory by scientists.” Recently, GM salmon have taken the spotlight in today’s health and consumer news. The FDA will soon decide whether or not to approve GM salmon as food. If approved, the GM salmon will be the first GM animal officially authorized for human consumption in the United States. In a freaky twist of nature, scientists have been able to engineer the salmon’s genes to continually produce growth hormone, which allows them to grow to full size in fewer than 250 days. In nature, it takes around 400 days for an Atlantic salmon to grow. Read on to learn more about this untested science and what it means for our food supply.
1. The terms "genetically modified organism" (GMO) and "genetically modified foods" (GM foods) refer to plants or animals whose genes have been changed in the laboratory by scientists. All living organisms have genes written in their DNA. They are the chemical instructions for building and maintaining life. By modifying the genes, scientists can alter the characteristics of an organism. In agriculture, genetic engineering allows simple genetic traits to be transferred to crop plants from wild relatives, other distantly related plants, or virtually any other organism. Manipulating the genetics of foods is not new.
-Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
2. We have entered an era of genetically modified foods, which are just that — genetically mutated foods that are not necessarily better for you. The health implications not only to humans but also to the environment is a hotly contested debate; the introduction of genetically altered food could have serious consequences, such as allergic reactions and increased resistance to certain antibiotics. Two of the prime targets for genetic engineering — soy and corn — are America's cash crops.
- Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps
3. Genetically modified (GM) foods may look and feel the same as conventional foods, but they are drastically (and possibly harmfully) different. These types of foods have been altered by taking the genetic material (DNA) from one species and transferring it into another in order to obtain a desired trait. The FDA does not require any safety testing or any labeling of GM foods, and introducing new genes into a fruit or vegetable may very well be creating unknown results such as new toxins, new bacteria, new allergens, and new diseases."
- M.D. David Brownstein, The Guide to Healthy Eating
4. Apart from the fact that corn contains a high amount of sugar and often a lot of mold, most corn you buy in the United States is genetically modified (GMO). GMO corn was lauded by farmers and biotech firms for its ability to be disease- and pest-resistant and more bountiful. Genetically modified organisms are different from hybridized plants, which are naturally occurring. An example of hybridization is one breed of dog mating with another. An example of a GMO would be mating an eggplant and a dog in a Petri dish, which is, obviously, not naturally occurring. GMOs are not good for us.
- Frank Lipman, Mollie Doyle, Spent: Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Feel Great Again
5. Organically grown soybeans are grown without pesticides and are not from genetically modified seeds. This is an important issue for soy foods in particular, as genetically modified soy crops have increasingly dominated in the agriculture business. Fortunately, there are farmers and manufacturers who are committed to raising and producing organic soy products. The optimal use of soy would be to start early in life and eat a diverse array of soy foods with a total dietary intake of 50 to 150 mg of soy isoflavones per day.
- Tori Hudson, N.D., Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness
6. If manufacturers are so sure there is nothing wrong with genetically modified foods, pesticides and cloned meats, they should have no problems labeling them as such. After all, cancer will kill one in every two men and one in every three women now alive, reports Samuel Epstein, chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. Like our ancestors, we act in ways that will bemuse future societies. The military-industrial complex lubricates the mass-agriculture system with fossil fuels. Tons of heavy metals and other hazardous, even radioactive, waste is sprayed on American agricultural soil.
- Adam Leith Gollne, The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession.
7. The typical North American diet used to be higher in beta-sitosterol, but with increased consumption of processed foods and genetically modified foods, our diet has become relatively deficient. I have no doubt that this deficiency has contributed to the rise in both heart disease and cancer. I recommend supplementing your diet with beta-sitosterol, particularly if you are a woman with breast tenderness, fibrocystic breast disease, or high cholesterol.
- Phuli Cohan, The Natural Hormone Makeover: 10 Steps to Rejuvenate Your Health and Rediscover Your Inner Glow
8. About 90 percent of all soy is genetically modified (GMO). Soy is also one of the top seven allergens, and is widely known to cause immediate hypersensitivity reactions. While in the last forty years soy has occupied an important place in the transition from an unhealthy meat-based diet to vegetarian and vegan cuisine, it is time for us to upgrade our food choice to one having more benefits, and fewer negative possibilities. In 1986, Stuart Berger, MD, placed soy among the seven top allergens — one of the "sinister seven.” At the time, most experts listed soy around tenth or eleventh.
- Gabriel Cousens, There Is a Cure for Diabetes:The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program
9. I would avoid any product that contains genetically modified (GMO) corn, because there are still questions regarding the long-term health effects of genetically altered foods on the human body have not been thoroughly tested. Sugars are also sneaked into tons of different foods, especially foods marketed to kids. Again, study the labels carefully before buying.
- Deirdre Imus, Growing Up Green: Baby and Child Care: Volume 2 in the Bestselling Green This! Series (Green This!)
10. Stress increases our nutritional needs, but, sadly, today's standard diet of refined, enriched, preserved, irradiated, genetically modified, pasteurized, homogenized, hydrogenated, and otherwise processed foods doesn't begin to meet our increased nutritional needs. Today's foods are less nutritious than their counterparts of yesteryear, owing largely to methods employed by modern agribusiness to increase agricultural yield and shelf life — at the expense of nutrient content and consumer health.
- Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps
11. Stop eating unfermented soy and genetically modified corn. While soy and corn are less detrimental and Spent-causing than sugar or gluten, they do add to the body's burden and can throw us out of rhythm. For the last twenty years, soy has been touted as the ultimate replacement for animal protein, fish, and dairy products. The thinking goes that Asian societies are healthier because they eat large amounts of soy. But the truth is that Asian cultures consume soy foods in small amounts (about 2 teaspoons a day) as a condiment and not as a replacement for animal foods.
- Frank Lipman, Mollie Doyle, Spent: Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Feel Great Again
12. Since plants cannot be patented unless genetically modified, drug manufacturers will not research and promote as medicinal any natural foods or herbs, even though they generally result in far less harm and are far less toxic than laboratory drugs. There is simply no huge profit markup in natural healing. Yet diet is most certainly key when all of the research is examined. Dr. Campbell reached the conclusion that "nutrition [is] far more important in controlling cancer promotion than the dose of the initiating carcinogen."
- Susan E. Schenck, The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet
13. We are eating hybridized and genetically modified (GMO) foods full of antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, and additives that were unknown to our immune systems just a generation or two ago. The result? Our immune system becomes unable to recognize friend or foe — to distinguish between foreign molecular invaders we truly need to protect against and the foods we eat or, in some cases, our own cells. In Third World countries where hygiene is poor and infections are common, allergy and autoimmunity are rare.
- Mark Hyman MD, The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing Your Body First
14. Since the body becomes what we feed it, genetically modified foods and produce will have a negative influence on one's cellular structure.
- Ron Garner, Conscious Health: A Complete Guide to Wellness Through Natural Means
15. The FDA's letter to Monsanto regarding its MON810 Bt corn is typical: 'Based on the safety and nutritional assessment you have conducted, it is our understanding that Monsanto has concluded that corn products derived from this new variety are not materially different in composition, safety, and other relevant parameters from corn currently on the market, and that the genetically modified corn does not raise issues that would require premarket review or approval by FDA...."
- Jeffrey M. Smith, Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods
16. Laura Krause, like other American farmers who choose not to grow genetically modified corn, are now paying the price for the unwanted consequences of a technology they did not ask for. They are discovering that their economic fate is tied, through the complex connections of the agricultural commodities market, to the efforts of those French farmers to remove Monsanto's fingerprints from their soil, and from the sentiments of European consumers who don't want them in their supermarkets.
- Mark Schapiro, Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What's at Stake for American Power
17. If a farmer with a one-hectare plot plants a single row with genetically modified seed, it will overtake the natural corn in only seven years.
- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods
18. Cows given genetically modified growth hormones make more milk, but have painful swollen udders, have ulcers, joint pain, miscarriages, deformed calves, infertility, and much shorter life spans. Their milk contains blood, pus, tranquilizers, antibiotics, and an insulin growth factor that can cause a fourfold increase in prostate cancer and sevenfold rise in breast cancer. This is the milk used in our school lunch programs and served to our children. This is the milk that you buy every day. This is the milk used in all cheeses, yogurts, butter, and cream.
- Kevin Trudeau, More Natural Cures Revealed: Previously Censored Brand Name Products That Cure Disease
19. In 1994, the Flavr Savr* tomato (engineered to resist rotting) was the first genetically modified food reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for human consumption. FDA-employed scientists warned that altered products such as the Flavr Savr® could create toxins in food and trigger allergies. Shockingly, the FDA approved the "Frankenstein" tomato anyway with claims, "... the Flavr Savr passed muster so well that the rigor of its testing will not have to be repeated for other bioengineered foods."
- Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, Health Begins in the Colon
20. The introduction of genetically modified foods (GMO) tampers with the essence of life in an experiment with an unknown outcome and no real way to undue the damage. The FDA purposely does not require labeling of GMO food, since no one who understands the issue would ever purchase it. This makes it all the more difficult to locate healthful food.
- Byron J. Richards, The Leptin Diet: How Fit Is Your Fat?
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ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Prabhupada Festival LIVE!

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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?
At the start of a new year I want to ask you:

What is your dream?

What is your vision about your ideal life, ideal contribution?

What do you want to BE, DO and HAVE - ideally?

What one great thing would you dare to dream to achieve if you knew you could not fail?

What is IT?

I want to encourage you to write down your dream. There is a magic in writing down your dreams and goals. They are more likely to be realized.

And if on top of this you make a plan and take action - your dream may really come true, for God help those who help themselves.
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: 2010 New Years Eve bhajan in Budapest

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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: PEOPLE NEED
Most people need encouragement, at least in the beginning.

Later on, when they become strong and more intelligent, they need challenge.
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Syamesvari dd: Happy Hopeful New Year!

Happy New Year!
As 2009 turned into 2010 last year, my life had been irreversibly altered. I held a tiny 12 day old baby in my arms. All the time and energy I devoted to myself turned into energy I devoted, almost completely, to her.
And now, as 2010 turned into 2011, I have a little toddler - energetic and untiring in her endeavours to learn everything she can as she explores the world in she lives. Combine that with being in school, trying to complete my BCom degree, and be a devotee...well, I've felt myself spread a little thin.
Most of my time and energy is devoted to my daughter - and that is a service I am so, so happy to have; the chance to bring up a little Vaisnavi and teach her everything I can about Krsna, and being a vaisnava (although, as it happens, she is the one who teaches me a whole lot of things on that topic!)
But my spiritual life has taken a back seat and for the longest time I have felt disconnected from Krsna. I know that it comes with the territory of being a new mom - but it's disheartening nonetheless.

And so as 2010 neared it's end, I read the wonderful resolutions of friends around the world on Facebook - resolutions designed to increase their devotion, to live more Krsna-conscious lives and to give Krsna to as many people as they could - I admired, and admittedly, envied them. Where was my resolution that would bring me closer to Krsna? I didn't even feel motivated to make a resoultion! Instead, I felt...hopeless. When you feel disconnected and unmotivated for long enough, well, you tend to give up a little - you start to feel like maybe Krsna is beyond your reach and may have actually forgotten about you.
I've felt so scattered over the past year - moving from Canada to South Africa, spending some time in New York, back to SA and finally returning to Canada a few weeks ago; combine that with caring for a baby, spending as much time as I can with my family and studying for exams and the result: My relationship with Krsna had begun to feel a little superficial and habitual.

And then this morning, I came across this wonderful e-mail written by HH Sacinandana Swami. It is truly a message of hope:

With More Strength than a Million Suns ....
A New Year's Message of Hope

Night is falling quickly this winter evening, and it is snowing again. I am sitting in our little Gaura Bhavan Ashram, on the shore of Lake Wannensee, and thinking about each of you whom I met during the past year. I want to send you a message of hope - realistic hope.

Throughout my pilgrimage to Vrindavan, India, a sweet realization entered my awareness again and again. That is, Krishna is unlimitedly merciful. We simply need to be willing to accept His mercy and turn to Him.

The problem is, though, that often His mercy is not easy for us to recognize, and that's especially true when we're overburdened by challenging life situations or plain, old doubts. I learned something about doubt on this trip to India, because while sitting under a tree at Govinda-kunda I met one practitioner of bhakti who expressed his doubt to me. He said, "I have been practicing bhakti-yoga now for more than ten years, but I cannot even control my agitated and self-centered mind what to speak of develop love for Krishna. There seems to be obstacles on my path as tall as the Himalayan Mountains, and both the darkness of material consciousness and the general atmosphere of Kali-yuga are overwhelming. On some days I feel hopeless."

Fortunately, I was well equipped to answer his doubt since just that morning I found a message of hope in the eighteenth chapter (text 56) of the Bhagavad-gita. There Krishna says, "Under My protection My devotee reaches
My eternal abode."

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse: "To a devotee who is engaged in Krishna consciousness, the Lord is very, very kind. In spite of all difficulties, he is eventually placed in the transcendental abode, or Krishnaloka."

And two verses later, Krishna emphatically declares: "If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all obstacles of conditioned life by My grace."

Please note: It is not by our own strength that we can conquer the darkness
that surrounds us but by the strength of Krishna, which is more powerful than the power of one million suns.

Coming to the Turning Point

Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami expresses the same point in this famous verse from the Chaitanya-charitamrita, (Madhya-lila 22.33): "One is immediately freed from the clutches of maya if he seriously and sincerely says, 'My dear Lord Krishna, although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I am surrendering unto You. I am Your sincere and serious servant. Please engage me in Your service.'"

So it seems the only requirement for being accepted and protected by Krishna is that one comes to the turning point and sincerely surrenders to Krishna, renouncing all other shelters.

Someone who has found Krishna's shelter is not inconvenienced by adverse circumstances. The Sanskrit word ashraya, or shelter, comes from the root word sri, which means "to be brilliant and dazzling." For a devotee who surrenders to Krishna's direction the cloud of anxiety enveloping an unsurrendered soul lifts, and he begins to shine with Krishna conscious happiness. Krishna has personally fortified and empowered such a devotee with His own spiritual energy - more brilliant than the sun. Srila Prabhupada writes: "The foolish cannot understand this great freedom from anxiety."

Another feature in the life of a devotee who has given himself into Krishna's hands is that he is not so easily exhausted. When I visited Srila Prabhupada in 1974 in his room in Germany, he gave me several personal instructions, one of which was to become a water-carrier. I used to wonder exactly what he meant by that until one day I came upon an old well in Serbia and watched how it served many people. I remembered my spiritual master's instruction and then wrote this small poem:

Never Exhausted

An old well gave water to all -
the young, the old, the happy, the sad -
every day without hesitation or delay.

When I first came to him thirsty, I was amazed:
Did giving water again and again
not exhaust him?
So I decided to ask.
"No problem," he said, "I am only the well,
not the spring, which supplies me
as long as the connection is there."

Let's live like the well -
live in the higher connection.
You will be happy to pass on
what the source gives you,
never to be exhausted.

Why am I writing this? Simply to encourage you. There is good reason to be hopeful. Krishna is very, very kind to and supportive of His devotees. He waits patiently for them to turn to Him, and then He responds immediately. Often He Himself takes the first step toward them. "He is so kind, so very
kind," as Srila Prabhupada used to say.

We have only to accept that Krishna's kindness follows His own mind and not
always our expectations. This means He gives us exactly what we need at any
given time.

So now my question these days is, How can I live in relationship with Him? As I ponder this question I look out at the winter night. The stars blink in the distance. Is the Lord as far away as those stars or is He closer? How can I connect with Him?

During the last year I learned some things that help me make that connection. I'd like to share them with you:

1. Become aware that Krishna is the goal of your life.
2. Offer as many acts as you can in His service. Activate your relationship with Him and ask for guidance how to further activate it from those who have
an active relationship with Him, like Srila Prabhupada and your other
spiritual masters.
3. Train your mind to connect with Krishna through devotional thoughts. Convince your intelligence of the truth of Krishna consciousness.
4. Take full and unreserved shelter in the processes of bhakti - the hearing and chanting and reading the scriptures under the guidance of great
devotees.
5. Most importantly, pray, pray, pray. Bring your spiritual heart into your prayer.
Pray like the bird who sits in the nest waiting fervently for its mother to bring it food.
Pray like the thirsty calf who tugs at the rope binding it to a stake so it can run forward to its mother's udder.
Pray like the morose wife who yearns for her husband when he is away from home.

You will soon find that Krishna is only a prayer away. He is not like the stars in the winter sky, which are distant, cold, and unapproachable. When you reach Him in devotion, Krishna will respond to you in ways beyond your boldest imagination. Yes, the Lord is only a prayer away!

On the eve of 2011, I didn't have a single resolution - now I have five.
On the eve of 2011, I was hopeless - now I am hopeful.
Here's to a year of surrender, deepened awareness of Krsna's mercy and most of all, prayer.

Happy 2011!!
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ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Prabhupada Festival Tonight - Start 2011 on the Right Note!
After ringing in the new year at City Hall with incredible drumming, dancing and singing, the festivities are still underway as the Toronto Hare Krishna temple will be hosting our annual Prabhupada Festival, traditionally celebrated on January 1st.

Usually one of the biggest festivals of the year, the program will kick off at 6pm with kirtan (chanting) and will feature a jam-packed evening that will promise to get your 2011 started on the right note!

The program will be as follows (subject to change):
6:00pm to 6:25pm - Kirtan (Arati)
6:25pm to 6:45pm - Guru Puja
6:45pm to 7:00pm - Welcome & Announcements
7:00pm to 7:40pm - Initiation Ceremony
7:40pm to 8:00pm - Comedic Drama
8:00pm to 8:30pm - Kirtan (Arati)
8:30pm to 9:30pm - Prasadam

We hope you and your family can join us for this special program this evening. It is a festival that is not to be missed!
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: 2010 New Years Eve bhajan in Budapest
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: Discussion with devotees
What are some basic tips on writing about Krsna?
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Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Happy New Year!
May there be good fortune throughout the universe,
and may all envious persons be pacified.

May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga,
for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other's welfare.

Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Sri Krishna, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him.

svasty astu viśvasya khalah prasīdatām

dhyāyantu bhūtāni śivam mitho dhiyā

manaś ca bhadram bhajatād adhoksaje

āveśyatāḿ no matir apy ahaitukī

Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.9
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Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: The Prabhupada Marathon in New Zealand
Hare Krsna Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I just attended the post-Prabhupada-Marathon festival in New Zealand. Sixty-two devotees went out and had great success, far exceeding last year's marathon. Devotees related various sankirtan adventures. Here are a few highlights:
Sukanthi Radha-devi dasi: "I was reading the Bhagavad-gita while waiting for someone to come by, and I came across my favorite verse (9.2), which I was deeply appreciating. Just then a young man walked past, and as I gestured to the open Gita I said to him, 'Please read this. It's amazing.'
"'Sure, OK,' he replied. I handed it to him and he read, '"This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self through realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed."' Then he looked at me and said, 'How much do you want for this?' He gave $20 and received the purest knowledge."
Interesting technique.
Gopesvari-devi dasi: "I was distributing and having a hard time. No one would take. Then I looked at the picture of Srila Prabhupada on the cover of "Your Ever Well-Wisher" and started to pray to him to help me in this important mission. Then the books started to go out so quickly I was amazed. I approached one young man who was putting on a facade of being real cool. I tried to get him to take a book, without much success. Then he off-handedly asked, 'Who's picture is that on the book?'
"I replied, 'Oh, he's our spiritual teacher, a monk.'
"He couldn't believe what he'd heard. He gave up his facade and very innocently said, 'I've been looking for books about monks for weeks but haven't found anything, anywhere. Now you come walking right up to me with books about monks. This is amazing!' Needless to say, he happily walked away with several of Prabhupada's books."
The power of prayer is mystical.
I'm sure there are many more nectarean stories out there from the marathon. Please send them in.
Your servant, Vijaya das
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Book Distribution News: The Prabhupada Marathon in New Zealand
Hare Krsna Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I just attended the post-Prabhupada-Marathon festival in New Zealand. Sixty-two devotees went out and had great success, far exceeding last year's marathon. Devotees related various sankirtan adventures. Here are a few highlights:
Sukanthi Radha-devi dasi: "I was reading the Bhagavad-gita while waiting for someone to come by, and I came across my favorite verse (9.2), which I was deeply appreciating. Just then a young man walked past, and as I gestured to the open Gita I said to him, 'Please read this. It's amazing.'
"'Sure, OK,' he replied. I handed it to him and he read, '"This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self through realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed."' Then he looked at me and said, 'How much do you want for this?' He gave $20 and received the purest knowledge."
Interesting technique.
Gopesvari-devi dasi: "I was distributing and having a hard time. No one would take. Then I looked at the picture of Srila Prabhupada on the cover of "Your Ever Well-Wisher" and started to pray to him to help me in this important mission. Then the books started to go out so quickly I was amazed. I approached one young man who was putting on a facade of being real cool. I tried to get him to take a book, without much success. Then he off-handedly asked, 'Who's picture is that on the book?'
"I replied, 'Oh, he's our spiritual teacher, a monk.'
"He couldn't believe what he'd heard. He gave up his facade and very innocently said, 'I've been looking for books about monks for weeks but haven't found anything, anywhere. Now you come walking right up to me with books about monks. This is amazing!' Needless to say, he happily walked away with several of Prabhupada's books."
The power of prayer is mystical.
I'm sure there are many more nectarean stories out there from the marathon. Please send them in.
Your servant, Vijaya das
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Gouranga TV: Śrila Indradyumna Swami – “Jaya Radha-Madhava”
Śrila Indradyumna Swami – “Jaya Radha-Madhava”

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Japa Group: Japa Workshop #1 of 6
This is the first in a 6 part series of Japa Workshops conducted by Mahatma dasa.

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