"A devotee is not afraid of going to hell if he has the opportunity of hearing the glories of the Lord constantly. This is the advantage of chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare/ Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. One may be put in any condition, but God gives him the prerogative to chant Hare Krishna. In any condition of life, if one goes on chanting he/she will never be unhappy."

SB-3.15.49 Purport

I was really hoping that this program, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day here in England, would get put on the internet. It was quite amazing to see such a broadminded and thoughtful program on Christmas day - normally saturated with movies, sitcom specials and carol services. What was even more interesting, was [...]

Recently I was reading the third canto of SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM regarding the birth of Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. The events that their birth precipitated sounded very much like current news and weather reports.
Last summer it was droughts, hurricanes and fires in many parts of the USA.
In the winds and rains have caused much damages. The frequency on force of the tornados has greatly increased. Ice storms cut thousands of people off from electricity and water supplies. The list goes on and on.

“The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety.”

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 12.2.10

On the birth of the two demons there were many natural disturbances, all very fearful and wonderful, in the heavenly planets, the earthly planets and in between them.
SB 3.17.3

sahacala bhuvas celur
disah sarvah prajajvaluh
solkas casanayah petuh
ketavas carti-hetavah

TRANSLATION
There were earthquakes along the mountains on the earth, and it appeared that there was fire everywhere. Many inauspicious planets like Saturn appeared, along with comets, meteors and thunderbolts.
PURPORT
When natural disturbances occur on a planet, one should understand that a demon must have taken birth there. In the present age the number of demoniac people is increasing; therefore natural disturbances are also increasing. There is no doubt about this, as we can understand from the statements of the Bhagavatam.
SB 3.17.4

vavau vayuh suduhsparsah
phut-karan irayan muhuh
unmulayan naga-patin
vatyaniko rajo-dhvajah

TRANSLATION
There blew winds which were most uninviting to the touch, hissing again and again and uprooting gigantic trees. They had storms for their armies and clouds of dust for their ensigns.
PURPORT
When there are natural disturbances like blowing cyclones, too much heat or snowfall, and uprooting of trees by hurricanes, it is to be understood that the demoniac population is increasing and so the natural disturbance is also taking place. There are many countries on the globe, even at the present moment, where all these disturbances are current. This is true all over the world. There is insufficient sunshine, and there are always clouds in the sky, snowfall and severe cold. These assure that such places are inhabited by demoniac people who are accustomed to all kinds of forbidden, sinful activity.
SB 3.17.5

I will try to write something about the EU sankirtan festival held at Simhacalam, Nrsinghaksetra, Germany at the end of the 2007. As usual close to 300 devotees, both full time book distributors and congregational members attended.
It was very nice to see His Holiness Sacinandana Swami in very bright health and as usual leading ecstatic kirtans. His dancing brings to mind such names from CAITANYA CARITAMRTA like Vakresvara Prandit, Advaita Acarya and Srila Haridasa Thakura. They are always mentioned as chief dancers chosen by Sri CAITANYA Mahaprabhu Himself.
His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami as usual led amazing kirtans. And one big surprise was a one hour Guru puja kirtan by HG Mahadyuti Prabhu. He was dancing like a young boy. No one wanted it to end. By the wil of the Lord, we finally stopped dancing and continued with the rest of the programs. For many months, after renouncing his long tenure as President of the very successful London Soho St Temple, Mahadyuti Prabhu has been traveling and preaching all over Europe. For us that is “going to the forest”–panchas ordhvam vanam gacchet. And due to his training the Soho Temple is still flourishing.
Everyone credited the influence of the association of so many devotees who were dedicating their lives for books distribution. There were householder couples who travel for distributing. There were long time brahmacaris, matajis, new bhaktas and bhaktins and also congregational members all meditating on the nectar of book distribution. Hearing all the scores was blissful, especially learning that so many devotees were taking part in the marathon. The devotees in Finland, in spite of the absence of their long time leader Caitanyaananda Prabhu, distributed more books than the previous year. They were inspired by seeing the glorious departure of Caitanyaananda Prabhu and their faith in book distribution increased. It is wonderful to see the same devotees coming back every year still dedicated to the book distribution mission. It is also blissfull to see new devotees enthusiatically taking up the work.
The devotees from Germany, especially from the east, i.e. Berlin and Leipzig continued their steady increases. Again the biggest distributors in Germany were Sadbhuja Prabhu (brahmacari and TP in Leipzig) and Paramatma Prabhu (a householder whose wife Jalangi devi also distributed). Neither of them are native Germans. He is from Russia and she is one of the early devotees from Poland.
Lord Nrsinghadeva enjoyed His abhisheka and the kirtans and prayers of so many devotees. HE surely gave HIS mercy that we can all purify our hearts and carry on with the blissful mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Besides the ecstasy of all the sankirtana energy I was very happy to hear that the Simhacalam project is developing steadily and nicely.. They are producing many vegetables and have good plans for using the place for various seminars. It’s central location in Europe is conduccive for that. H G Dina Sharana devi (ACBSP) is doing a wonderful job of organizing the devotees in Germany. She is very personal and spends time with everyone to learn just what is needed and is tireless to work for transcendental results..

This morning during Srimad Bhagavatam class, Srila Gurudeva relayed to us that he received one inquiry from one of his readers regarding why Guru Maharaja is always saying that Krishna Consciousness is total bliss, when from the reader’s perspective, he does not observe that devotees are “blissed out” all the time. Srila Gurudeva than told [...]

Another half hour ten rupees train ride brought me to the furthermost beaches of South Goa, Palolem and Patnem. Several of the disembarking travelers from the train rode with their baggage in the back of a truck to Patnem Main Street, a charming downtown which flows right to the beach. I had only to walk about ten paces before I was the lessee, for about $12.00 a day, of a "beach hut."

JIV JAGO

Last summer we witnessed the glorius passing of my dear god brother Nirguna Prabhu. I few days ago I saw a movie of him at the big festival in Ukraine. It was either 2006 or 2007. Either was that was not long ago. He was dancing blissfully and looked healthier than the young boys. I started thinking about how I could have to go at any time, and how I am not ready.
It was not long after that festival that he began feeling ill. After some time a large inoperable tumor was found. He tried various treatments before blissfully accepting that he would soon have to give up that body.
His glorious example was well documented on dandavats.com. Janmastami prabhu he brought the whole Mayapura community together. Sometimes I feel like dhrtarastra. There are so many warning signals, but I think I will live for ever, or at least for a long time. During Kartika I heard of the passing of another god brother, Sanjjay Prabhu. I had met him only two years before and he still seemed like the young teenager I knew from the Radha Damodara Party.. He was quite bit younger by birth than I.

I pray fo the mercy of the vaisnavas to keep me busy in kirtan and preaching. Alone I have little enthusiasm and less bhakti. Devotees are so kind that they always want to go for harinam or hear krsna katha. Someone I can continue to pretend to be a vaisnava and hope that someday I will really develop some taste for the holy name and devotional service.

All glories to the assembled devotees.

When I first heard that I thought the devotees were puffed and glorifying themselves. Gradually I realized that it was a humble appreciation of devotees.

Text Seven
kinibo, lutibo, hari-nama-rasa,
nama-rase mati’ hoibo bibasa
rasera rasika-carana parasa,
koriya mojibo rase anibar
SYNONYMS
kinibo–I shall buy; lutibo–I shall plunder; hari-nama-rasa–the mellows of the name of Hari; nama-rase–by those mellows of the holy name; mati’–becoming intoxicated; hoibo vivasa–I shall become stunned; rasera rasika–of those great souls who relish those mellows; carana parasa–by touching the feet; koriya majibo–I will be immersed; rase–in the sweet nectar; anibar–constantly.
TRANSLATION
I will beg, borrow, or steal the nectar of the name. By the name’s effect I will feel paralyzed. Oh! Enjoyer of the nectar of the name, When will I touch your lotus feet till the end of time? When, oh when will that day be mine?

.
Krsna is showing that young, at least not so old, and apparently healthy devotees may, one way or another, suddenly have to leave their bodies. He is also showing us the old age and invalidity cannot protect even a long ime devotee, from falling into sense gratification. We have to hold tight to the lotus feet o guru and krsna. We have to stick to the basics of devotional practices.

There was a song when I was young that should have been for KRSNA. It went like this, “I keep my eyes wide open all the time, because you’re mine, I walk the line.” “Walk the line”, serve devotees, keep strict sadhana, study Srila PRabhupada’s books and teach them to others.

There are many sentiments that would be very good if they were directed to KRSNA. I have to learn to do everything for Krsna’s pleasure.

In Bhagavad-gita (9.23) the Lord Himself confirms this in the following sloka:
ye ‘py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante sraddhayanvitah
te ‘pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam
“Whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kunti, is really meant for Me alone, but it is offered without true understanding.”

Oxford dictionary gives the following definition of “god”
3 ( god) an adored, admired, or influential person : he has little time for the fashion victims for whom he is a god.
• a thing accorded the supreme importance appropriate to a god : don’t make money your god.

Area Grhasta Vows to Speak to No Woman Except Wife

SAYER, MD - Area grhasta, Krsnakarna dasa, vowed this past Ekadasi to speak to no women, apart from his wife. The decision came after realizing the pujari service he was doing brought him into contact with several women, which would naturally lead to a fall down.

“If I were to even talk to one woman, soon we would be having nice conversation and then, immediately there would be sexual relations, like that,” Krsnakarna said.

“It is not that I would want to fall down,” Krsnakarna said. “I myself, though the most fallen, only desire to serve Krishna. I am concerned for these poor matajis who are not as strong in their devotion as men.”

He added: “They may see me and become agitated, immediately casting off their saris to attract me.”

When asked who would be taking care of day-to-day errands such as banking and bhoga runs, where encounters with women are most likely to occur, Krsnakarna replied, “Yes, I will simply chant very nicely on beads, like that, and Krishna will arrange nicely.”

Krishna apparently arranged for Vrnda Devi, Krishnakarna’s wife, to take care of such things. She was spotted at the local grocery store, Wal-Mart and Jiffy-lube, juggling three children, two boys and a girl, who Krsnakarna has not spoken to since Ekadasi. When asked about the arrangement, Vrnda had no comment.

It has been rumored that she is no longer speaking to Krsnakarna.

Area matajis living in the temple had mixed reaction to Krsnakarna’s vow. “Does this mean he’s going to stop preaching to the college girls?” Asked temple commander Mother Yamuna, “There are a few brahmacaris who have already volunteered to take over this service. I would ask him myself, but…”

“I guess this means that he’ll be talking about sex even more when he gives class now,” newly converted Bhaktin Jennifer said, adding “What’s up with that? It’s kind of creepy.”

Since Ekadasi, Krsnakarna has avoided all women, speaking only to his wife. This is a radical departure from the accepted ISKCON practice of speaking to all women, except the wife.

Everything belongs to the Supreme, and therefore one should not usurp another’s property. We have a tendency to manufacture many things. Especially nowadays, we are building skyscrapers and developing other material facilities. We should know, however, that the ingredients of the skyscrapers and machines cannot be manufactured by anyone but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The whole world is nothing but a combination of the five material elements (tejo-vāri-mṛdāḿ yathā vinimayaḥ). A skyscraper is a transformation of earth, water and fire. Earth and water are combined and burnt into bricks by fire, and a skyscraper is essentially a tall construction of bricks. Although the bricks may be manufactured by man, the ingredients of the bricks are not. Of course, man, as a manufacturer, may accept a salary from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is stated here: tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ. One may construct a big skyscraper, but neither the constructor, the merchant nor the worker can claim proprietorship. Proprietorship belongs to the person who has spent for the building. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has manufactured water, earth, air, fire and the sky, and one can use these and take a salary (tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ). However, one cannot claim proprietorship. This is perfect communism. Our tendency to construct great buildings should be used only for constructing large and valuable temples in which to install the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then our desire for construction will be fulfilled.

SB 8.1.10

Everything is property of Krishna. What a cool point. Sometimes we stop process of bhakti-yoga because we don’t feel inspired. Or it becomes boring, or we become “too lazy”, “too fallen” etc.

But actually, if we have spiritual knowledge, we should understand from this point that if Krishna is owner, it is out duty to serve Him, and try to please Him because He supplies us with air, water etc. That is minimum. This is our duty, it’s not matter of emotions, inspiration etc.

Same as regular job. If we get salary from somebody, our duty is to work for that person. We can’t say “I am not inspired today.” Who cares for your inspiration? It is our duty to repay our debt to Krishna. It is not matter of inspiration or emotions. It is matter of understanding philosophy.

We use Krishna’s mercy to get away with stupid excuses like that. Because Krishna usually doesn’t stop water, sun or air if we don’t satisfy him. He just tolerates. But that doesn’t mean He is happy. It still makes us thief. And any normal person doesn’t want to be thief.

We might think we tricked Krishna, “Since he supplies everything anyway, why should I repay.” But when material energy sees that we are not repaying, she will reduce resources more and more. And we will become more and more poor. So, only lack in the world is lack of Krishna conscioussness, nothing else is needed.

So, why do we see so many persons who are rich but don’t serve Krishna? To understand that, we must look in the past, that person did something pious for sure. But wealth is usually great curse for materialists, because they degrade more and more if they are rich. And we must also look in terms of time, how long that person will be rich, and where is he going after this life.

So, serving Krishna is our duty, it is not matter emotions or inspiration. Therefore, understanding basic points in philosophy is making us more strong in Krishna conscioussness.

And, it can also be honor. Once we understand how Krishna is great, it becomes honor to serve him.

Ananda Vrindavana dd: Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School, Vrindavan is now accepting student applications for the school year 2008-2009, which begins March 26th 2008.

Yesterday I made it to California. Right now I am at my mothers house, just outside Los Angeles.

The traveling has been quite exhausting but it has been ecstatic because I’ve been reading two amazing books by Srila Rupa Goswami, Vidagdha Madhava and Lalita Madhava.

Srila Prabhupada writes in the Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 8.31:


"In the beginning one should very regularly chant Sri Gaurasundara’s holy name and then chant the holy name of Lord Nityananda. Thus one’s heart will be cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach Vrndavana-dhama to worship Lord Krsna. Unless one is favored by Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, there is no need to go to Vrndavana, for unless one’s mind is purified, he cannot see Vrndavana, even if he goes there. Actually going to Vrndavana involves taking shelter of the six Gosvamis by reading the Bhakti rasamrta sindhu, Vidagdha madhava, Lalita madhava and the other books that they have given. In this way one can understand the transcendental loving affairs between Radha and Krsna. Kabe hama bujhaba se yugala-piriti."

On the flight from Mumbai to London, the gentlemen sitting next to me, Pablo, asked me,

"What were you reading? It looked like you were in another world."

I couldn’t help but smile thinking that these books really do transport one to another world.

Nectarshare.com was developed to have an online Directory of Classified ads, Service opportunities, Announcements, etc, for devotees.

This website is filling a real need for devotees communication in this matter, a gap filled until now mainly by devotee news sites. This service is free forever, with no attached strings, all webmasters can use it as well for their audiences advertisement needs.

Nectarshare.com is the second of a series of websites that are now in the works.

Stay tuned,

Hare Krishna!

 

www.nectarshare.com         Classifieds site where devotees can share online.

Reggeli lecke Budapesten a SB.4.12.29 versből.

• Sales and distribution of Suddha-bhakti-cintamani.

This is a class given on 24 January 2008 in Ujjain, India.

To download the lecture, right click the download link and choose either “Save link as” or “Save target as”

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.10.7 - Chapter 10: Bhāgavatam Is the Answer to All Questions

This is a class given on 24 January 2008 in Ujjain, India. To download the lecture, right click the download link and choose either ldquo;Save link asrdquo; or ldquo;Save target asrdquo; Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.10.7 - Chapter 10: Bhāgavatam Is the Answer to All Questions

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.80.04 - Bhakti yoga for life

This is a class given on 22 January 2008 in Ujjain, India.

To download the lecture, right click the download link and choose either “Save link as” or “Save target as”

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.10.5 - Chapter 10: Bhāgavatam Is the Answer to All Questions

This is a class given on 22 January 2008 in Ujjain, India. To download the lecture, right click the download link and choose either ldquo;Save link asrdquo; or ldquo;Save target asrdquo; Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.10.5 - Chapter 10: Bhāgavatam Is the Answer to All Questions

My disciple, Bhavani devi dasi, from Vancouver, Canada has written a very wonderful prayer that captures the essence of Krishna bhakti. It is the mood of complete absorption in serving and pleasing Sri Guru and Sri Krishna which fixes one solidly and completely in ecstatic Krishna bhakti twenty-four hours a day. ===================================================================== Thought...

1966 January 25 :
"Lectures delivered in the studio on the test of spiritual realization. People appreciated. Decided today to purchase one Martel Tape Recorder from the New York Times advertisement. No expenditure."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1967 January 25 : "It is very encouraging. Four devotees have been initiated and two devotees have been married. In the morning class there are not less than 25 students and in the evening there are 30 to 50 students."
Letters :: 1967

1969 January 25: "Your Sankirtana Movement is growing in popularity, and you must immediately have a nice place. The five-story building is quite suitable. If the Beatles come forward, you can take the risk."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 January 25: "If you take this leaf and the other leaf and you press them both, you will see the taste is the same. And from the taste you can understand that both leaves are from the same tree. The taste is the conclusion."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 January 25 : "I want to send daily one tape. Transcription and editing takes about one week. If there are four or five transcribing, then at least four finished manuscripts come out per week. Please give me your directions about this."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 January 25 : "It is best to do the most ideal thing but whatever mode of living you chose the most important thing is to always remain one hundred percent in service of Radha-Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 January 25 : "Whatever conditions increase your facility to preach should be accepted. Adopt this principle and all these discouragements etc., will disappear."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 January 25: "I have got good reports of your dioramas. I will be pleased to see your work when I come to Mayapur. Blow up photographs of our propaganda work. A photographic exhibit is an important part of our Caitanya Festival there."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

On Saturday we had a full crew of about 50 devotees attend the New York Regional Burning Man Festival at the Queens Museum of Art. Kuva, Caitanya Nitai, Soma and I set up a camp with stage, tent, yajna kunda, etc. Gauravani, Ananta, Bali, Kish, Vis and extendid Kirtan Crew kept our camp [...]

CANBERRA (Reuters) - The death of elderly man in his Sydney apartment, which went undiscovered

A comedy routine performed at Karuna Bhavan on the weekend:

We live in a world of enticingly packaged, processed foods where nobody really cares what they’re eating, so long as it looks good. As a child, I remember seeing a guest on a TV chat show say that they were allergic to various products, and therefore had to check the ingredients on everything when they went shopping. “Oh my God!” the host exclaimed in horror. “That must be such a pain! I could never do that!”

read more

NEW DELHI: Buying a new car? What about going to a dealer who, along with freebies, offers a free puja for the car with a priest in attendance? As priests hop from household to household performing pujas in the capital, they now have a new job opening, performing quick puja for the customers at showrooms before they drive away with the four-wheeler.

read more

From Haribhakta’s blog:

Gopilila got out of the hospital yesterday. She was glad to get back home and so were the kids and I. It snowed last night and she was out there playing in the snow and making a big snow ball. Today she played in the snow with Gopala and Vrinda. We are trying to appreciate her company and make the time we have together meaningful.

There seems to be an underlying sadness to everything that we are doing now - for Gopilila’s folks and myself. I find myself getting edgy and more irritable than usual.

Gopi looks much better than when she went to the hospital. Then again, six pints of blood should make just about anyone look better.

The folks from the hospice came by today to give us some info about what they have to offer. according to the nurse, hospice services are usually offered to those who have six months or less left.

Seeing Gopilila’s progressive illness makes me remember Kunti Prabhu’s return to New Vrindavan and how she left so gloriously. It was quite magically. She was so immersed in Krishna consciousness. I am realizing that while getting entrance into Sri Krishna’s pastimes is our goal, it is certainly not an easy feat.

Here are some recent emails sent in response to recent posts.
Thank you all for sending your love.

1.
Dear Balaram Chandra,

Haribol, I just read this letter over and it's a bit intense. So brace yourself.

I was reading your blog from January 1st, and I feel such a bittersweet resonance with what you were going through - especially with the deities. Ever since I took the Japa Retreat seminar, I have felt a deep void and loss of faith that Krishna is really there. I feel as though I call out and call out and nothing's there. But I haven't spoken with very many - if ANYone - about this because I feel as though s/he will not understand. And (deep breath) I feel a loss of faith in guru that he can really help me when I'm going through such hurdles of faith - personally, eye-to-eye. I think that's the worst part.

Sigh, I wanted to write to you because your post soothed me. It let me know that others go through what I'm going through... and that Srila Prabhupad still encourages those who are stumbling and committing so many offense like I have been.

I hope you're doing well and that you continue to write,

2.
think what you're doing is incredibly amazing and inspiring. I thing ISKCON is an amazing organization. I remember there was an article printed back when we were in high school about Krishna Consciousness in Spin magazine (I think) and I remember thinking what an amazing thing to be a part of. I wish that I had gotten a chance to know you better in high school, but I myself was unstable, struggling to find a place to live, and didn't really want anyone to know what I was going through. I guess I was afraid of the possible rejection or humiliation from my peers. I basically kept to myself and tried to stay as invisible as possible. I don't think I ever really discussed my living situation with anyone at school, but I probably should have. I don't even know if you remember who I am, but I felt inclined to drop you a comment and let you know that what you are doing is incredibly inspiring.

3.
Balarama Chandra Prahuji, You are a true inspiration to me, as I have recently fallen down, seriously broken the principals I have no devotee association. We did meet breifly at your stay at Bhaktivedanta manor,but you probably don`t remember my fallen self. Keep posting as your everything I could wish to be, a simple and honest surrendered soul.

4.
Thank you Prabhu
Thank you for the inspiration.
You're such a solid, wise example for this bumbling fool who is trying to follow in so many footsteps.

See ya in a few! I'm ready for the Yoga Crew!

Beleive it or not Im still above water!

Its really amazing how sometimes I can be totally beat up and torn to pieces. Then out of no where I am being bombarded with love and affection!

The past week has been another one of those weeks where I've been crying out of astonishment in reflection on the Lords blessings. I'm not quite the South Indian Brahmana pouring tears into the Bhgavad Gita. You know that story of Lord Chaitanya meting him and asking about his tears. He reveals that he is filled with emotion while thinking of Krsna's loving position as the charioteer driver of Arjuna. I'm not quite like that but some real feelings are there.



This present Kripalu trip is facilitating more emotional release than expected. I am so grateful. I am in awe of the potential of asana practice.

The rising cost of prasadam distribution...

The Hare Krishna has been offering hot, inexpensive, vegetarian meals to University of Florida students every week since 1971. On any given day the karma friendly group can serve up to 1,000 students. But due to the rising cost of food as well as the eco-friendly plates and silverware, the group is running short on money.

Last night we had a nice preaching program in the city of Wasa on the West coast of Finland. The programs are enlivening but it was near to midnight when we were finally taking rest.

It was around 5.30 am when I had finished our simple puja-seva and was ready for Japa. I was sooo tired - after four rounds I was ready to go back to sleep.
"Anyway, maybe one more round and some fresh air." It went nicely..."Maybe still two more rounds."...Soon I was quite nicely awake and didn't have any special need for sleeping.

This reminds me about the comment of one of our sannyasis to his disciple - who has a tendency to take nabs in the middle of his morning japa:
"In that situation the only way is to forcefully continue chanting..."

Sometimes when one is tired, chanting is simply a struggle...but if it is possible just continue to try to minimize sleeping during the brahma-muhurta time.
Sometimes we are really tired but the feeling of sleepiness has also a lot to do with our state of mind - we may feel sleepy even if we did sleep well.

Sometimes we can realize that chanting purifies the dull mind and gives us energy.

By Gopijan ballab dasa

Continuous Harinam and profuse Prasada distribution at ISKCON Mayapur’s Pandal drew large amount of pilgrims in Ganga Sagar Mela 2008. Ganga Sagar Mela is a three days fair, where over 6 lakhs pilgrims assembled to take a holy dip at the place of confluence of river Ganges on the Makara Sankranthi day.

By Ila devi dasi

Everyone agreed that the kirtana was magical, more ecstatic than ever before, and knew it was due to the presence of the Lord Himself in His Deity form.

By Shyama - gopika devi dasi

Pushpa Abhiseka or shower of flower petals on Sri Radha-Madhava was a two hour transcendental feast to the eyes, heart and soul. Continuous pouring of flower petals on the Lord along with the melodious Harinam by Naru gopal Prabhu took transported everyone to a transcendental realm of happiness.

By Giriraj Swami

Srila Prabhupada has said in many places that we can recognize someone as a bona fide spiritual master if he repeats the message of Krsna; he gives relevant instructions which if followed can elevate the disciple to the level of Krsna consciousness, to the stage of vasudeva.

By Your servants at sadhusanga com

This year the appearance day of Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami is Sunday, January 27th (on the Krsna-Balarama Temple Calendar). To honor that blessed event we are offering his audiobook "Sri Krsna-premamrta" for only $1.

By Jatayu dasa

In the lives of all devotees events take place that are very extraordinary and wonderful. Because such occurrences cannot easily be explained logically then one might label them as being miracles.

Nava Jauvana prabhu wrote a nice piece on his experience of the 70s and 80s in ISKCON. Like "Betrayal of the Spirit" by Nori Muster it left me with feelings of separation. We really missed out on the party! If I had only come 30 years earlier, I could have been a zonal acarya by now, or at least been hanging out with one, firing an M16!

Instead all I get to do is go out on harinam.

Anyway, we have to be satisfied with what Krishna gives us. I draw a lot of inspiration from thinking of Visnujana Swami and his "inspired individual initiative" style of propagating Krishna Consciousness.

Not much out of me lately - we have a major platform release looming at work, so I'm head down tail up at weird hours to stay close to the peeps on my team in the US and the UK.

This weekend and next weekend we have our local retreats - Yoga retreat tomorrow and Bhakti retreat the weekend after, so I'll take a break from work for those.

Srimad Bhagavatam says that even fear personified is afraid of the holy name of Krsna. So if we chant Hare Krsna constantly, we will become free from all our fears.

It has become a tradition to bathe Radha-Madhava in lots of flowers at the beginning of Magh month (Krishna pusya abhishek) - an excieting and colorful festival of flowers and colors in the middle of winter.
Devotees really enjoy participating in this festival.
After Gaura Aroti utsav Radha-Madhava are brought out on the platform and bathed in flower petals, at the same time in the main altar big Radha-Madhava and Sakhis are showered with a flower rain.
All deities are wearing flower dresses made by the hands of community devotees.



Radha-Madhava darsan in flower dress offered on Pusya Abhishek day in ISKCON Mayap[ur temple:



devotees making flower outfit for Sri Sri Radha-Madhava and Sakhis:

Eternal answers from Yudhisthira Maharaja.

A recent talk by Sivarama Swami, transcribed by Hari Dasa.

NEW DELHI: Buying a new car? What about going to a dealer who offers a free puja for the car

Beszélgetés jan. 23-án a sivaramaswami.com üzemeltetéséről és továbbfejlesztéséről.

The flights from Mumbai to New York were fairly pleasant, I had good company all along the way which always make the time go by more quickly.

This is my friend Pablo, he is an engineer from Spain and was in Mumbai for four days on business. When I told him I had a blog he said he would email me this picture he took of us so I could put it up on the blog.

I also had lots of good company in New York. Chaitanyananda Prabhu was kind enough to pick me up at the airport in the middle of the night, let me stay at his house for 24 hours and drop me off at the airport the next day.

The thing that I found most striking about coming back to America was just how miserable everyone looks. In India you see people living in abject poverty, but they look happy. Here people have so much but you can see that inside they are starving.

The saddest thing is to see India abandoning its spiritual culture without even realizing what they are doing.

So much work to be done.

GERMANY: Florian was nasty piece of work: a pathologically aggressive binge-drinking 16-year-old who attacked his mother and beat up a teacher.

Here are some pics I took. It was the best catering festival to date.

I hesitate to share this because it is neither transcendental nor tragic. It’s a part of my personal history and the tiniest of footnotes in the story that was Iskcon in the 70’s. I always thought that if i had been gifted to be a novelist, i could have written a classic book based on my experiences in the “good old days.” But this is not where my talent lies. So the reader will need to lower his expectations and forgive my clumsy prose.

This little story is related to my personal encounters with leaders back in the glory days of Iskcon. I met and knew almost all of them, some more, some less. But enough to know, by 1984, that i could no longer keep my personal integrity and remain within Iskcon. That was already 24 years ago, a double yuga of years have passed since. Some of the new leaders like to say that Iskcon has changed, and i agree. But change is not always progress. My impression is that in Iskcon’s case, change is regressive, from a movement flawed by ambitious and sick leaders but which had the pure force of Srila Prabhupada's desire, to a sophisticated institution that has become banal and corrupt. The prove of the pudding, at least in the West, is that the preachers, pujaris and cooks are all imported.

But this is a story about the past. It begins when i first moved into a temple in 1970. It was early winter, in Chicago. That is where i met my first “leader,” Bhagavan das. Even in those days, he rarely used the “das” in the name given to him by Srila Prabhupada. He was always arrogant, but he was also very serious about his role as a leader. He personally drove with me from Chicago to his own temple in Detroit, answering my questions as a new man. At that time the devotees had rented a freezing storefront in Chicago, so Bhagavan took me to Detroit where there was a “real” temple, a heated house filled with incense wafting thru it, transcendental paintings on the walls and Lord Jagannath deities on the altar. It was full of enthusiastic young men and women who were eager to get up at 4 am to chant and engage in austerities. Bhagavan ran it like a boot camp. We had four or five classes per day, with arotiks, prasadam and street sankirtan squeezed in between. We did everything together— like clockwork— from rising to taking rest. Bhagavan participated in most of the activities, except going out on the street. The atmosphere was military-like but transcendental. This was 10 years before the gold plated bathroom fixtures and closets full of cashmere sweaters. Bhagavan was a controller, but a modest one.

It was in Detroit that i shaved my head and decided to give this new philosophy and the path offered by Srila Prabhupada a real try. But the discipline and mood of Bhagavan's was a bit rough on me, so as soon as a chance for a more liberal adventure came by, i took it.

That came in just a few weeks time when Kirtanananda turned up on a brief stopover on his way back from India. He was like a special forces colonel (Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now?) compared to Bhagavan’s role as an upcoming lieutenant on the front lines. Kirtananda had just returned from India, and his reputation as Iskcon’s first sannyasi (at that time there were fewer than 10 sannyasis in the whole movement) preceded him. I asked him if i could go with him to New Vrindavan. He replied that only a handful of brahmacaris were spending the winter there and they had to chisel ice out of their shoes when they got up in the morning. But, i could accompany him to Pittsburg, where he had a city temple he told me. I signed up, and because he outranked Bhagavan, i was on my way to Pittsburg.

I was a little awe-struck by Kirtanananda when we first met. He played the role of the charismatic ascetic so well. He spoke with power and conviction. He had a grasp of the philosophy that i was just starting to know. He seemed genuinely austere and determined, generating that “first disciple” aura. But as soon as we got to Pittsburg, i knew i was in trouble. The temple was in a giant former Polish dance hall. It was filled with toxic fumes from vats of chemical dyes used for dipping incense sticks. It was the home of Spiritual Sky. I guess it was funding Kirtanananda’s work because he seemed to love the smell. After the trip from Detroit to Pittsburg, i had very few personal dealing with K. He was busy, and it was up to me to find some engagement in Pittsburg. He never did anything overtly evil or suspect, but i never felt completely comfortable around him. He always seemed ambitious, on the make. For a long time, i thought that was his desire to serve. Only much later i understood he had his own internal demons he was fighting. And his ambition had a ruthless, even sadistic quality to it.

In Pittsburg, i got involved in acting in some plays that we performed for guests on Sundays. And trying to keep my sanity at nites from what appeared to be a number of ghosts who frequented the temple. Perhaps some long deceased jilted Polish lovers.

Soon i was again feeling restless. My friend, whom i had been living with before he joined Iskcon, Marz Attar (who later became Atreya Rishi), was now living in the New York temple. They had recently moved from Second Avenue to Henry Street in Brooklyn. So New York was my next stop. Bhavananda was TP, or TA, Temple Autocrat. Bhavananda was always surrounded by beautiful young brahmacarinis. We called them the “gopi club.” It had nothing to do with philosophy: the girls just served Bhavananda’s wishes. Everyone thought he was so renounced to engage these pretty young girls without becoming attracted to them. That was 15 years before he was outed as a flaming gay queen. His choice of decor should have tipped us off, but we were really innocent kids at the time.

Bhavananda’s istagostis and classes were exercises in power politics. It was fear, not love that ruled. No one had the courage to raise an objection without inciting his sarcasm or wrath. In class, if you asked a question starting with “I think,” you were told to go into the closet. It was the beginning of cult consciousness. After a few months in New York, i told my friend Marz, that the movement would fail because the leaders i had seen were all egomaniacs. Marz didn’t disagree with me, but he excitedly told me that we could change Iskcon. Within six months, his desire to lead was recognized by some of the others and he was added to the GBC, only to be removed by Srila Prabhupada (who temporarily disbanded the GBC for acting without his approval). Later, Prabhupada requested him to join the newly reactivated GBC.

Marz, who became Atreya Rishi that summer, was a different type of leader. He was more intellectual and professional than the rest. He was a graduate of Harvard Business School and a CPA working for a multinational company. He was also coming from a different cultural background, from Iran. Because we had been friends prior to joining, i had a different relationship with him than with the other leaders. It was closer and i trusted him more. He took a lot of crap from the others; he was seen as a misfit and an oddball. He made alliances with some of them, but in the end, after 15 years of being the class clown he left Iskcon, along with his own doubts. To this day, i think he remains traumatized by his experiences with his colleagues on the GBC.

My next encounter was with Rupanuga, a GBC at that time. We shared a plane ride. I had left the movement just before Srila Prabhupada returned to the US in the summer of 1971. I had Prabhupada's darshan for the first time in Detroit, then i sat directly behind Prabhupada on a plane going to Boston. Rupanuga sat next to me. I had wanted to meet Prabhupada personally, but i could not find the right words to introduce myself on the flight, so i kept quiet, listening to Rupanuga. He was trying to convince me to rejoin Iskcon. His argument was that Iskcon was destined to become a big organization, and i could get in on the ground floor. It was basically a sales pitch to join a corporate start up and work my way up the ladder. As a musician and semi-hippie, i thought his rationale was way off-base. I was thinking, i'm here because of that pure devotee who is sitting in front of me, not because i want to join a company. But his words show that even way back then, in 1971, the leaders were already thinking about power and success, not about love or even about Prabhupada.

I failed to meet Prabhupada personally that summer, but i did send him a tape of a couple of songs about Krishna i recorded, and he wrote me back a short but inspiring letter, to use my artistic abilities to please him and Krishna. I immediately decided to join a group of devotees who were forming in New Vrindavan, in what was to become known as “The Road Show.” Again, that meant to be under the influence of Kirtanananda, but i didn’t mind, since i would be with a group of talented devotees, doing what i enjoyed most: music and theatre.

Rehearsals with the musicians at New Vrindavan went pretty smoothly for a few weeks, until an extremely agitated and pushy brahmacari came to join the band. His name was Harikesa, who later became a Swami and one of the infamous zonal acaryas. His self described style of music was jazz-rock, but in my opinion he was just a terrible musician. Worse, he was a bully, and forced his style on the rest of us. I lasted about 2 months with the “Road Show.” Soon after a letter arrived from India giving me my spiritual name in Hari Nama initiation by Srila Prabhupada, i left Sarasota, Florida where we were rehearsing.

That spring (1972) i went to L.A. It was one of the best organized and largest temples in Iskcon at the time. It had a recording studio and produced a weekly radio show. That was where i met Jayatirtha who was the TP at the time. Jayatirtha was always a gentleman with me. This was a welcome contrast for me. He had a more inclusive style and generally seemed a lot less of a sociopath than the others i had seen. I enjoyed the time i spent in L.A., and the great bonus for me was that Prabhupada spent 4 months there, giving morning Bhagavatam classes that spring and summer. He also gave private darshans in his room in the late mornings, and regularly i was allowed to attend those, and occasionally readings of Krishna Book in his small garden just outside the temple. Looking back, i was foolish to leave L.A. when i did. But i was feeling agitated by all the young brahmacarinis at the time. I went to the Chicago temple and worked with a brilliant artist named Jaya Rama on a newspaper project i named “Easy Journey to Other Planets,” after Prabhupada’s book of the same title.

In the spring of 1973 i left Chicago to return to New York. By then Atreya was making plans to go to Tehran to open the first branch of Iskcon in the Muslim world, and he had asked Prabhupada if he could bring me along. After 6 months of preparations and delays, i left for Iran in September. Tehran was really off the beaten path of Iskcon. There were only 4 of us there at first: Atreya, myself and our 2 wives. We were joined by a young sannyasi, Paribrajakacarya, in 1974. I spent probably the 4 best years of my Iskcon life in Tehran, doing a bit of preaching, selling a few sets of Prabhupada’s Bhagavatams to the Iranian Parliament’s Library, doing street kirtan in the park on Fridays (the Muslim holy day of the week), and best of all, spending 11 days with Srila Prabhupada during his 2 visits to Tehran.

I had to leave Iran twice. Once i left after Prabhupada’s final visit in 1976, to get some career training in the US. I needed to work in Tehran, to maintain my visa, so i left for 18 months. I returned and got a great job as the director of a health club for the elite of Tehran, only to be forced to leave during the revolution against the Shah of Iran in early 1979. I went to London (after spending 24 hours at the Tehran airport trying to get a booking— all flights overbooked, everything on strike, high tension in the air and a possible civil war at any moment). In London i met a Bengali doctor who invited me to go to Calcutta with him. I took him to Mayapur and introduced him to Bhavananda (who was now the King— & Queen— of Iskcon’s World Headquarters) and Jayapataka. This was in the early days of Zonal Acaryaism. The jury was still out as we, the godbrothers were naive and still hopeful that Iskcon would continue with the faith Prabhupada had given us. We were, in retrospect, partially responsible for the inevitable outcome by our ignorance. We were complicit. I certainly was. I needed an engagement. I couldn’t return to Iran. So i asked Rameswar if i could go back to L.A. to become his personal secretary.

He didn’t know me well. I had known him as a super sincere, dedicated brahmacari. Now he was a sannyasi and guru. It was a big mistake for me to work for him. When i got to L.A., I was so emotionally disturbed by what i experienced in his office, i could not eat any solid food for 3 weeks. I lived on buttermilk. Rameswar was a meticulous fault finder. He criticized anyone and everyone. He spent thousands of dollars each month on international phone calls. He had his own private Mercedes which he would use to go to see films. The Godfather was his favorite. He would put on an expensive hair piece and karmi clothes and slip into his Benz at nite. I assumed that watching films was all he did. That’s what the resident president at the time, Dhira Krishna, another sannyasi, told me.

After 4 months of being his secretary, i somehow convinced Sruti Kirti to come from Hawaii and take over for me. But during that period, i met all the Zonals who came over for a big meeting. Jayatirtha, one of my few friends amongst the leaders, had started taking drugs. He was going into “trance” while sitting on the vyasasan. One of the 2 gurus who was still a householder at that time, the other zonals brought him to the meeting in L.A., and confronted him. They told him to take sannyas, or they would out him as an LSD user and remove him as "acarya." The poor guy was attached. He put on saffron. That was the end of his marriage and the end of any chance he had to rectify himself. It was not the end of his taking drugs. He later left Iskcon to start his own apa cult, only to be brutally murdered by one of his own disgruntled disciples.

It was at that meeting i met the rest of the Zonals. Of course i knew Satsvarup from BTG days. He was quiet but restless and dictatorial. Hrdayananda was the most blatantly arrogant, like a gifted child who was completely spoiled. He was also a glutton, stuffing himself with chocolate cake whenever he could. (The zonals always had special cooks and the very best prasadam.) Tamal was there as well. He invited me to go with him on a one week visit to Fiji. I accepted his invitation. We ate very well during that visit. Besides the prasadam, all i remember is him arguing with the local devotees about the exact dimensions that was needed for his vyasasan in the temple in Fiji. Everyone of the zonals was playing a role. None of them showed any transcendental symptoms. Rather they acted like Mafia bosses who sometimes cooperated and sometimes fought with each other.

The next year, i left L.A. to rejoin Atreya in San Francisco. By then, the revolution in Iran had forced him to leave as well. He started a small community in S.F., called the Bhaktivedanta Fellowship. The idea was to create an alternative within Iskcon based not on megalomania but on brahminical standards. We had a brahminical council that met weekly, and while our exchanges were more collegial than in the typical temple, none of us really had any idea of how to interact as brahmins. In addition, all of us were already tired from a decade of mismanagement. I noted that Atreya, who was the leader, wanted to do the right thing, but wasn’t fully committed himself. And neither were any of us. The Fellowship was doomed.

During that time i met Hamsadutta. He was across the Bay in Berkeley. I walked into his room one evening while he was going on about the glories of Hitler. I just sat there listening for about an hour. After that one session, i was afraid of visiting the Berkeley temple again until after he left. My instincts were correct. He was soon busted for shooting up an auto showroom in Berkeley with automatic weapons.

It’s been a long time— 30 plus years — and memories fade. But what i do know is that i don’t think i will see such madness, and such disparity between potential and reality again in this life. That was Iskcon then. What it is now does not attract me. As Rocana has written, not a single leader has invited me, over the past 24 years, for any service or association. On my own, i have spent a bit of time with 1 or 2 leaders of the new Iskcon. They were polite to me. I am addressed as a "senior devotee," which in my opinion only marginalizes me. Iskcon appears to be more polished and saner now than it was 30 years ago. But for me, it's also lost its own heart and soul. That is the heart and soul of Srila Prabhupada.

1966 January 24: "Saw Mr. Larry Boghart in his office. He advised me to write to Mr. Felix Morrow for an appointment to see. So I am writing him & sending some literature of Srimad Bhagwatam."
Prabhupada Journal ::1966

1969 January 24: "We cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshipping Laksmi-Narayana."
Letters :: 1969

1969 January 24: "There are two kinds of Spiritual Master, initiator and instructor. Anyone who can give instructing in spiritual life is treated as Spiritual Master. So the husband can help the wife as instructor."
Letters :: 1969