The other day I was informed of a special celebration for my Guru Maharaja’s Vyasa Puja, although the mataji arranging it although having both my e-mail and mobile phone number has not even contacted me with the date even though everyone else has been informed. I am saddened in two ways she is my Guru Maharaja’s [...]

In yesterday’s lecture, Prabhupada said that one who hears from the right source will have his love for Krishna increase. The real purpose of life is to renounce the material body, but people are not interested in liberation. They want material benefits. But material benefits are all fixed by the body you have.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami - June 20, 3:30 A.M.

I had a peaceful night but woke up several times during the night. I finally got up around 3:30 A.M. Narayana came up, and we talked some before I began chanting.

4:52 A.M.

Japa essay

When you miss your big block of japa in the morning, you have to remain calm and assure yourself that you’ll get them done during the day. There’s no doubt about it. Just be sure you don’t rush them. Stay calm and enunciate the mantras. Try in the future to ensure you get those big blocks in the morning, when you can stretch out and chant lots of mantras. We’ll be going to the beach, and I can chant there in the car. Keep the mind fixed on the goal of the mantras, the yearning to reach Radha and Krishna. Reciprocate with Them in your mind. Chant from your lowly position, and reach out. You have nothing to regret, no reason to panic. Everything will go all right. You may just have to chant a little more in the late morning. But that will be fine also. Relax in your chair and utter the Hare Krishna mantra in peace. With such a high priority to the mantras, you cannot fail. The pain of missing the big block of chanting early in the morning creates a greater desire to do them. Chanting Hare Krishna is your greatest friend. You will not desert Him, and He will not desert you. Better than writing this essay, I should go and chant.

Chanting in a hurry

creates a worry.

Better to slow down

and creach the crown.

There’s no question you’ll reach the quota

not even an iota.

So don’t be anxious,

just feel your pulse

and pray to Hari

without a hurry.

The time is the same,

the boy is the same,

it’s just a little time difference,

so don’t make a big inference

that you failed Nama Prabhu.

6:46 A.M.

We decided not to go to the beach because I could chant my rounds better in the yellow submarine. So far, I have chanted thirteen rounds.

In yesterday’s lecture, Prabhupada said that one who hears from the right source will have his love for Krishna increase. The real purpose of life is to renounce the material body, but people are not interested in liberation. They want material benefits. But material benefits are all fixed by the body you have. Those who have American bodies have comfortable life, and those who live in the desert do not. Our dharma in life is not our particular religion but is the tendency to serve. People render service to their country or family, but real service is to the Supreme. God is not a servant. He is the only master and enjoyer. So love should be reposed in Him. If you serve maya, you will never be satisfied. Neither the master nor the servant is satisfied because Krishna is missing. If you serve the stomach, then the whole body will be satisfied. One who understands, “I have to die,” is intelligent.

Prabhupada said that when he went to the bank, he saw a billboard that said, “Is there sex after death?” They think that if there is sex, then that is life. They will have sex after death, but it may be as cats and dogs. The higher inquiry should be about spiritual sex. There is sex in the spiritual world in Radha and Krishna, but it is not abdominable. There, sex is happy, eternal and blissful. The mayavadis see that the result of sex in the material world is miserable, and so they want to make it zero. But sex in the spiritual world is blissful.

1

Give us another poem,

just a little one, something

to remember. Put

Krishna in the center of it,

in Vraja now 114 degrees

in summer.

He is walking the path just

as he did five thousand years ago

and can be seen by pure

devotees. Others can hear

His names chanted in

the roadside kirtanas and the

asramas and temples

accompanied by gongs and drums.

Give us another poem with

Krishna in the center, our

hankering to please Him with

a verse about His majesty.

Give us Krishna in the morning

in your clumsy lines,

at least His name and

your attempt to capture

His fame—He conquered

the demons and danced with

the gopis.

Give us an attempt at verse

about your dearmost,

when you don’t have pain

explain why you love Him.

Because he’s lovable.

2

My Radha-Govinda stand

before me erect and still,

not dancing.

I like Them the way They are

in yellow, red and silver,

Krishna with His flute,

Radha with Her extended hand

and delicate lips.

They give me consolation

that I’m not in Vrndavana

but can see the Divine Couple

right before me.

I don’t care for Them enough,

bathe them only once a week, but

They are patient with me

and glow Their effulgence

to my tired eyes

and pressured head. They

are my room’s best possession.

They are a boy and girl

in love.

I’m an old man in love

with Them.

11:00 A.M.

Free write

Better write while you can before a headache comes. You like to make smooth, personal Krishna consciousness. There is so little time. You try to concentrate. What’s the subject matter? The quiet life. Making up my rounds this morning. Overcoming constipation. Time eaten up. You sit in the yellow submarine and wait for a good idea. Tiger Woods is behind in the U.S. Open. It doesn’t look like he will win. That shouldn’t matter to me. I’m concerned how Under Dark Stars reads. I haven’t had free time to keep reading the whole book. My time gets stolen. It’s a book that does well to be read parts at a time, not trying to read the whole thing through at once. But I read 129 pages, and so far, so good.

The headaches are devastating. One in the morning and one all afternoon yesterday. I spoke with Dr. Nitai-Gaurasundara this morning, and he has no solution for them. We work to stop them when they come, but it often doesn’t work, or it works for a while or after a while. I live with it, and it definitely keeps me confined. You’re lucky to get the journal in.

Narayana continues to write poems every day. He writes them for his survival. He writes confesionally and eloquently. Eventually he’s going to select the best ones and print them. I encourage him; I think he’s good.

In Brhad-bhagavatamrta, the form of Vishnu in Brahma Loka advised Gopa-kumara to go to Vraja and see the Lord’s sweeter pastimes there. Gopa worried that he’d been away so long, the place may have changed, but Vishnu informed him it is the same eternal dhama. Gopa-kumara will go, but he will still have many detours before he reaches Goloka Vrndavana. It is a bit frustrating.

It’s starting to rain again, and it’s a good feeling to be dry and inside a quiet house. I’ll probably get together again with the swamis. Maybe we’ll read. Listening to a Prabhupada lecture is a good addition to my day. They are a great legacy and should not be neglected. Hearing him speak is close association. He’s speaking about how Maharaja Pariksit gave up everything and heard Srimad-Bhagavatam from Sukadeva Goswami in the last even days of his life. It’s a great narration, the setting is a favorite story of mine. And then it’s told again by Suta Goswami—who was present for the first telling—to the sages at Naimisaranya. It gets told faithfully in disciplic succession again and again, and the Swami told us in 1966.

I think I’ll try to read Under Dark Stars now that I’m clear, then look for a break to make my daily prayer. Each day I face Krishna with a different prayer. I try to open to Him (and Radha) person to person. They are true communications, and I marvel that They let me continue to do it. I pray that I may continue to pray.

12:00 P.M.

My Dear Lord Krishna...

I thank You for letting me write to You. You make me feel that You are actually listening to me. I feel that You and Srimati Radharani are reading my words and reciprocating with me. And as Supersoul in the heart, You dictate to me what to write. Today I want to write about this fact of reciprocation with You. According to the Vedic authorities—guru, sastra and sadhu—You invite me to speak to You. In Bhagavad-gita, You ask us to worship You, bow down to You, and offer homages to You. I am here offering an homage, written words of respect and prayer. I am praising You in parampara in the way You advise in the words You suggest. I am repeating Arjuna’s words, “You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the absolute truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest” (Bg. 10.12-13).

I am praising You in my own words too. You are my dearmost friend and guide. You reside in my heart as my individual guru, and You tell me what is best for me. I pray to follow Your instructions and not go against them or be independent of them. (As I write this, there is thunder in the sky, and heavy rain—a mighty manifestation of Your material nature. And as I write this, You are playing in Your pastimes in the undisturbed spiritual sky.)

You and Srimati Radharani are in every way persons, individuals, with particular tastes and likings. I want to know them and serve them. I want to serve You. I am serving You, and all living beings are serving You, but we are not doing it exactly according to Your liking. Some are serving Your material nature by force and denying Your spiritual personhood. I am not like that. I believe in You as the Supreme Person, and I want to serve You with love. I want to please You.

I’ve learned Your teachings as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu from my spiritual master, and I know You can be easily pleased by the chanting of Your holy names in the mahamantra. I want to attain offenseless chanting and enter krsna-prema. I know that is not easy, but I aspire for it and chant daily with devotion. I pray for Your mercy that I may come to the stage of suddha nama (perfected chanting) and experience the ecstasies of a pure chanter. You will grant this if I act sincerely to serve Your mission in this world. I am like a dwarf trying to touch the moon in saying I am trying for this, but I cannot help but think of it. Suddha nama is the boon I seek, even though I am millions of miles away from attaining it. I cannot help but admit it is my hidden, helpless desire.

You know my disqualifications and lack of adhikara, my lack of intense greed. I write like a fool. But I ask You for help in improving my condition. I should pray to You, praise You, and chant Your names in the perfect stage, because You deserve it. And I should strive for it. I should not chant Your names offensively or fail to serve Your mission. I am ashamed of my failures. But I maintain hope against hope that I can still please You. I wait for the day when I can chant Your name purely and help others to do so. Please give me the desire to strive for this.

from #108→

By Kristina Arriaga on 20 Jun 2009

According to news reports, the University of California in Los Angeles yielded to media pressure and agreed to allow a graduating student to thank Jesus in her personal statement. UCLA student Christina Popa claimed the school’s Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology was denying her freedom of speech when a faculty advisor told her that she could not mention “Jesus” in her graduation remarks.

“Public universities don’t get to censor student speech just because the speech is religious. That’s called viewpoint discrimination, and it’s unconstitutional. Let’s hope that UCLA’s biology department knows more about biology than it does about constitutional law,” said Luke Goodrich, legal counsel to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

According to email exchanges that Popa posted on Facebook and that were reported by the press, UCLA Biology Professor Dr. Pamela Hurley deliberately censored Christina’s proposed speech, and emailed Christina saying: “UCLA is a public university where the doctrine of separation of church and state is observed,” and the professor proposed a censored version of Christina’s proposed speech, deleting any reference to Jesus Christ.

When Christina objected, Dr. Hurley threatened, “If you prefer, Christina, I can read none of what you wrote. I am very sorry that this is a problem for you.”

“The Becket Fund will defend any graduate from a public institution who wants to exercise his or her First Amendment right to engage in religious speech,” added Goodrich.

The Dallas Rathayatra parade.  Fired up Kirtans by Chaitanya Chandra Prabhu, Giriraj Swami, Hari das, Amala Kirtan das and probably others that I've left out.

Dallas, TX
2009-04-25

Download: 2009-04-25 - Rathayatra - 2 - Parade.mp3

Twenty four hours has come come and gone, but the kirtan is still going on! Again, log on to www.krishna.com/nv24 to catch the end!

By Deena Bandhu dasa

One day, one devotee, who wishes not to be named, came to see me. He said he had a large donation and he wanted to see Sanatan Goswami's Samadhi repaired and wanted to know if I could do it. I was completely amazed as just the day before I was thinking about this.

While crowds went wild yesterday, at Barrack Obama's inauguration ceremony, people danced and chanted "Obama, Obama!"

The previous day, thousands gathered at the Church of the Holy City, within sight of the White House, and burst into exuberant chanting and dancing to ancient, sacred mantras - "O Rama, O Rama"



The first "Inaugural" kirtan, Chant4change, was a huge success. Tickets were sold out days in advance, and to facilitate those who hadn't managed to get one, there was a live webcast. All the most famous American kirtaniyas appeared and sang, such as Jai Uttal, Krishna das, Gaura vani, Shiva Rea, David Stringer and more.

From the very young to the quite elderly, everyone there felt it to be a tremendous occasion. Gaura vani who conceived the idea and orchestrated the event is a young kirtaniya of extraordinary energy and dedication - he has a website here. from which you can buy his CD. I have it and it is excellent!

This jovial cartoon was designed for Chant4Change. Chant4Change, an intrepid group of chanters in Washington DC, have organised a prestigious kirtan event for the inauguration of the new president, next week. You can read about it and even buy a tee-shirt here. If any of our readers live in Washington, there are still some tickets left. And Mr Obama, if you are reading this - why not go along too! All proceeds to charity.

I like the way the cartoon shows chanting as transcending the differences between so many designations and bringing all into a consciousness of harmony and delight. And the inference in the name chant4change that the change so many people are hoping and longing for can only come from a purified heart, free from the negative qualities of greed and selfish desires.

The inspiration for the cartoon must surely have come from the episode pictured below of the medieval saint Sri Chaitanya, chanting and dancing with wild animals in Jarakhanda forest.

Karunamayi dasi: Saturday, July 4th marks the annual Jagannath Rathayatra in Saranagati, BC. Kindly join us for a wonderful procession through the valley and culminating in a wonderful feast at the festival site by the lake.

Isvara Dasa: Srila Prabhupada came to this world to fulfil the order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that His name will be chanted all over the world.

By Kesava Krsna Dasa

Many devotees, who were previously active in preaching when living full time in the temples, feel that now - living outside and earning a living – those “good old days” remain just distant topics of nostalgia. Will those days ever return, they wonder?

By Deena Bandhu dasa

Everyone was anticipating when we would get darshan of the original Kunda excavated by Srimati Radharani and Her sakhis with their golden bangles, kankans. However the pumps that were pumping out the water were getting clogged with mud and each time they got close, they would break down.

By Devaki Prana das

After several days of battling with the upsurging waters coming into Radha Kunda from Kancana Kunda with pumps breaking, clogging pipes and goverment disunity amidst general mismanagement (a body without a head), despite such shortcomings, Sri Radha has finally allowed a darshan of Her sacred lila stan.

By Keshava Murari das

We find that in our material endeavors, we often invoke the name or memory of someone as a way of bringing good luck. Athletes often carry good luck charms given to them by legendary figures in their sport.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.10.1 - Devotees must be very careful to remember the presence of the Supreme Lord while engaged in devotional service. A classic class.

From the May 23, 2009 edition of ISKCON News

Click here to read a great article about "The Social Role of Cows"

“Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry.” Letter to Rupanuga 18 December 1974

Our friends at The International Society For Cow Protection have posted their 2009 ISKCON Farms Power Point Presentation.

It's informative, challenging, and inspiring, a vision we can get behind to restore Prabhupada's vital call for rural prosperity and self-sufficiency.

You can download the presentation at the ISCOWP website by clicking here

Kirtan.

Spoken by Srila Prabhupada on 31March 1975 in Maypur (from Adi1.7): "We have to follow the sastra; otherwise there is no other alternative to understand the exalted position of Krishna, how He expands in different forms, as Visnu, as Narayana. Sometimes they argue that Krsna is incarnation of Visnu. That is also truth. You'll find in Caitanya... Truth in this way, that when any incarnation comes, He comes through the Ksirodaksayi Visnu. But Ksirodaksayi is partial expansion of Krishna.

read more

Jaya Radha Madhava.

Day 4-The Great Hero Dhruva Maharaja 3.

Day 4-The Life of Srila Madhavendra Puri 5.

Day 3-Lila Kirtan 2.

Day 3-The Life of Srila Madhavendra Puri 4.

Day 3-The Great Hero Dhruva Maharaja 2.

Day 3-The Life of Srila Madhavendra Puri 3.

Day 2-Lila Kirtan 1.

Day 2-The Life of Srila Madhavendra Puri 2.

Day 2-The Great Hero Dhruva Maharaja 1.

Day 2-The Life of Srila Madhavendra Puri 1.

Day 1-Introduction and Presentation.

Visit to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold —- New Vrindaban egyik legkülönlegesebb látványossága a Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, ami Srila Prabhupadanak állított emlékmű.

As I type this, about 11 hours of the 24 Hour Kirtan still remain and HH Radhanath Swami is singing to a packed temple. If you are *not* one of the nearly 2000 devotees who have been viewing the live video/audio broadcast, there is still plenty of time left! Log on to www.krishna.com/nv24 and immerse yourself in the nectar of the holy name. Here are some photos:

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 5, No. 11
By Krishna-kripa das 
(June 2009, part one)
Antwerp, Amsterdam, Wroclaw, and Leipzig
(Sent from Leipzig, Germany, on 6/18/09)

Highlights

A Prabhupada Story
Harinamas in Antwerp and Amsterdam
First Annual Wroclaw Ratha-yatra
Sunday Feast in Leipzig’s Mariannen Park
Spiritual Encounters
Insight from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Kadamba Kanana Swami,
Dhananjaya Prabhu, and Others
Personal Reflections

Where I Am and What I Am Doing

I left France, with many nice harinama adventures behind me, and the blessings of the devotees to return. I went by bus to Antwerp, where I did the Sunday feast lecture, other lectures, and many harinamas, and then onward to Amsterdam, for another Sunday feast lecture and more harinamas. Next I went to Leipzig, and took a day trip six hours each way by train to Wroclaw, Poland’s first Ratha-yatra, and returned to Leipzig for great kirtana, prasadam, and the association of Kadamba Kanana Swami. 

A Prabhupada Story

In Amsterdam, Dhananjaya Prabhu told us that one time Srila Prabhupada, although he wasn’t feeling well, agreed to see George Harrison, who had a recording which he wanted Srila Prabhupada to hear. The song was entitled “Krishna, Where are You?” George had written the lyrics and arranged the music, and Ravi Shankar’s sister, Laksmi, was the singer. Prabhupada said it was in the mood of the Goswamis, and that if George Harrison continued writing songs like that he would quickly advance in spiritual life.

[Curious about the song, I did a search on the internet, finding a couple videos with pictures of Krishna accompanying the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJCmAWdD18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkYltwdtEYU ]

Harinama in Antwerp

My friend Janmastami Prabhu, a disciple of Lokanath Swami, makes Antwerp a happy place for me. He’s been playing accordion for years, even before he met the Hare Krishna devotees, and he loves harinama. Last year we chanted in Amsterdam, but now he is back in Belgium, his home. Also here is Amita Krishna Prabhu, who I met in Chowpatty and again in Tirupati, who is a native of Antwerp, and loves Krishna kirtana andkatha. We went chanting in Antwerp, which like many European cities, is blessed with an abundance of cafes with seating on the sidewalk. We passed out many invitations to their upcoming Ratha-yatra.

One day we came across two young Oriental men who are Christian by faith. One had an interesting T-shirt that said on it, “Say Your Prayers.” My camera was temporarily not working, and they emailed me a picture they took for our party.

Harinama in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is full of tourists and a great place for harinama. The devotees do harinama on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. for two hours each day, and about ten or twelve show up. I tried to have additional harinamas Monday through Wednesday, but no one came except for a bhakta from Slovakia, also a guest, but he did book distribution most of the time. I made some halava with chick pea flour and rolled it into balls for distribution, and tried to go out each day for three hours, with invitations, sweets, and books.

First Annual Wroclaw Ratha-yatra

Although Indradyumna Swami’s festival tour has put on many Ratha-yatras in Poland, none of the three Polish temples had done a Ratha-yatra in their home towns until June 13, when the congregation of the Wroclaw temple put on their first Ratha-yatra. I heard about the festival last September and had been cultivating a desire to attend. As I was traveling the six hours by train from Leipzig to Wroclaw, I was thinking the journey to be an insignificant austerity to have the pleasure of once again dancing for Lord Jagannatha, Lord of the universe.

One boy on the train was favorably impressed by seeing the devotees at Woodstock in Zary, his home town, and recalled eating the rice and halava. I invited him to take a Polish book I brought for the occasion, but he declined saying he did not believe in God. I told him the story of what Ravinda Svarupa Prabhu once said to someone who did not believe in God, “Tell me about the God you do not believe in.” When the man described God as an angry person who takes pleasure in making people burn in hell forever for a finite number of a offenses, Ravinda Svarupa Prabhu replied, “I don’t believe in that God either!”

As I was trying find the location of the Ratha site, I met another young man who had seen the devotees at Woodstock. Since then, he became vegetarian and has been vegetarian for five years. Jananivasa KCS, one of my translators from the tour, told me that in the art school his friend attends in Wroclaw, half of the students are vegetarian, a high percentage, especially for Poland.

Both the  parade and festival were held in Rynek Square, a large rectangular area, surrounded by many cafes with outdoor seating. Because it was the first time the city gave permission, they were restrictive, and the Ratha-yatra could go round within the square several times for a couple of hours but not go into streets, however, since the square seemed to be the most happening place in town, that was not so much of a problem. Many of my friends from the Polish summer Festival of India tour were there, playing their characteristic roles as MCs, kirtana leaders, Jagannath pujaris, translators, chefs, and organizers. The whole festival seemed like a beautiful way to begin a summer of festivals in Poland, and both the devotees and the observers were very happy.

I saw one lady in a café holding her fork motionless in midair as she watched Lord Jagannatha and His associates pass by with their cart.

A friend saw two Polish men staring at the cart and the devotees from a café, leaving their ever present beer mugs idle, at least for some time. Officials did not let the devotees distribute invitations or books, but I did not learn that till the end so distributed about a dozen Polish Hare Krishna mantra cards to people whose smiles, glances, and photography, made their interest obvious, and all but two of the people accepted them. A few observers danced along to the kirtana at the stage show afterward, but not as many as sometimes.

The Deities were made just for this festival, being painted for the first time just three days before, and Krishna Ksetra Prabhu did their installation ceremony on their Ratha cart. I praised him later for demonstrating Deity worship as well as writing books about it. Consistent behavior of the leaders strengthens the faith of the people in general. For me it is interesting to see the variety of jolly smiles on the different Jagannatha Deities, expressing the varying realizations of those blessed to be allowed be vehicles for their appearance. I thank Madhai Jivana Dasa for the picture.

Siva, a resident of Bangalore, visiting Wroclaw for a few days for a Hewlett Packard convention, was very happy to come across Lord Krishna’s devotees and their Ratha-yatra procession. He is a worshiper of Balaji, the famed Krishna Deity, of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and he stayed with us six hours for the whole Ratha-yatra and stage show. He said he had once heard in an ISKCON temple it is very important to chant the “Hare Krishna” part of the mantra first, and not “Hare Rama”, and he couldn’t understand why the devotee was so forceful about it as Krishna and Rama are the same. I answered the best I could and suggested the Krishna Ksetra Prabhu, who has studied Vaishnavism from the academic point of view as well as the devotional point of view may give a better answer. Krishna Ksetra Prabhu stressed the important principle is the Krishna and Rama are the same, so it does not really matter the order it is chanted in the mantra, and he told the story of how Lord Caitanya advised His devotee, Murari Gupta, the unalloyed Rama bhakta, to change his allegiance to Krishna. Not wanting to displease Lord Caitanya nor forsake Lord Rama, He stayed awake the whole night in a state of despair. When he revealed his mind to Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya accepted his devotion to Rama, saying it was just befitting him, as he was the incarnation of Hanuman. Siva was happy with Krishna Ksetra Prabhu’s answer, saying he could tell he was an elevated person by how he answered the questioned. We parted ways inviting him to the Wroclaw’s Sunday feast, and promising to keep in touch by email.

To see two albums of photos of the Wroclaw Ratha-yatra 2009, click on Album 1 and Album 2.

Sunday Feast in Leipzig’s Mariannen Park

I have heard that in the early history of ISKCON, sometimes the devotees would hold the Sunday feast in the park. In Leipzig, the devotees do that even now, on sunny days in the summer.

They bring an altar and Deities of Srila Prabhupada, Gaura Nitai, and Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and well as Giri-Govardhan. They do the bhajana, kirtana, and lecture in the park, and if the weather remains good, the feast as well. One benefit of this is that passersby get a chance to see what a Hare Krishna Sunday feast program is like, and become attracted. The day I was there, at least five new people came for the feast.

In the picture above, you can see one onlooker watching from behind the pujari.

Another benefit of being in the park is there is more room to dance!

I thank Bhaktin Sasha for taking the above pictures. For more of her pictures of the Sunday feast in the park, go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/--iskcon--leipzig--/sets/72157619774882342/

Spiritual Encounters

David of Antwerp is doing a video on the spiritual search, and the local Hare Krishnas are featured in it. He explained that early in his life he was not interested in religion, but now it had become an important concern of his. In his search he has discovered one characteristic that religious people have which he appreciates. No matter what religion they are with they, be it Christianity, Buddhism, or Hare Krishna, they tend to keep their appointments, an admirable trait. Those who callously ignore promises to others frustrate him.

   A young man from Niagara Falls, Canada, noticed the Bhagavad-gita on display as I chanted in a square in Amsterdam. He told me he met the devotees in Antwerp and bought a small book because he didn’t have enough money for a big one. Now he came across Bhagavad-gita when he had enough money to buy it and so he did.

   A jolly middle-aged lady, who was accompanied by her sister of a similar age, did a few dance steps along with my singing. I gave them sweets and invitations which they accepted. They said they were Christians. After one of them commented on my happiness, we had a brief conversation in which I made the point that our real pleasure is to glorify God, which they also agreed with. They ended up praying for me and continuing in a happy mood.

   One young lady from Ukraine just enjoyed listening to our singing, and after ten minutes or so, we stopped and talked to her. She had enjoyed seeing the devotees in several places in Ukraine, such as Kiev and Dnepropotrovsk. I told her how I liked chanting in Ukraine, in both Kiev and Kharkov, because the people were so receptive, and how we have big festival every year near Simferopol, attended by four thousand people, and with three hours singing in the evening. Tomas introduced the Isopansad to her and she decided to buy it.

    One lady from Tennessee asked if she could take a picture of me. She was developing an interested in Hinduism and already had a copy of Bhagavad-gita. I mentioned how I appreciated from that tradition the idea that all creatures, even plants and animals of living souls, and deserving of respect. 

   On a flight from Cologne to Leipzig, the lady who had the seat in the same row as mine knew very little English. As she said she was from Cologne, I decided to show her the invitation to their temple’s Sunday feast, which tells a little about the philosophy on it. She asked if our group originated from India, and I said “Yes.” She took a book from her bag, and in the white space on the back of the back cover, she wrote down the details about our program and returned the invitation card to me. When leaving, I gave her my business card and asked her to write me if she attends the temple and to let me know what she thinks. Perhaps she will go and have a wonderful experience. The Deities are beautiful and the devotees are friendly, why not?

Insight from Lectures and Reading

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Yellow Submarine, #91: “There are so many valuable devotees who render their service to guru and Krishna without being heralded and given great attention. But Krishna loves them, and He has room for them in His heart. You don’t have to be a superstar to be appreciated by Radha and Krishna. Just render steady service, and you’ll be deeply appreciated.”

Kadamba Kanana Swami:

When we chant we feel something uplifting but not the full manifestation of what is there, Krishna Himself. So much mercy is there, but we do not all realize all of it. Vaishnavas meditate on all all-attractive, wonderful features of Krishna. When we serve Krishna, He reveals His attractiveness. Because Krishna manifests in the Deity, we can easily serve Him.

Many people are religious but not happy because they worship God out of fear. We do not spend our daily meditating on giving up bad qualities but rather meditate on positive activities in relationship with Krishna and find the bad qualities gradually disappear. Actually the greatest Vaishnavas, although thinking themselves fallen, glorify the greatness of the Lord’s mercy for He can easily deliver them. Bhaktivinoda Thakura talks about receiving an auspicious desire tree from our guru but not properly caring for it. By properly caring for it, we can make to bloom. Some punish themselves in the name of bhakti saying they have made the greatest blunder, and can never progress, but this is not a proper meditation. As we absorb ourselves more in Krishna’s service and pastimes, the more we experience the spiritual world.

Kadamba Kanana Swami asked his disciple to pose a question on the lecture and answer it himself, an interesting teaching strategy.

Dhananjaya Prabhu, Amsterdam temple president:

In Alalanatha, at a temple of Vishnu said to be millions of years old, there is an impression of Lord Caitanya in the floor, where the stone melted in ecstasy, when Lord Caitanya had offered prostrated obeisances before the Deity.

Narottama Dasa Thakura states that simply by accepting that the associates of Lord Caitanya are perfect, one can attain the service of Krishna in Vrindavana.

Shyamananda Pandita spoke Krishna-katha so nicely that atheists, agnostics, and blasphemers became moved by hearing his words, and became his followers.

Time is running out for all of us. Therefore, we should approach Krishna.

If we existed before this creation, and we will exist after the annihilation, that means that we have nothing to do with this cosmic manifestation.

Janmastami (LOK) Prabhu:

In “Suddha-bhakati,” Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions observing Vaishnava holidays with care and attention. Similarly in “Guru Vadanam,” Narottama Dasa Thakura mentions one must bow down to the guru with great care and attention.

Direct smaranam is when we remember the form of the Lord, and indirect smaranam is when we remember Krishna as the taste of water.

In the beginning faith is the driving force in our spiritual life. When we reach the stage of ruci [taste], rati [attachment] is the driving force, and at prema [love] love itself is the driving force.

If we chant Hare Krishna, while trying to give up offenses, we will experience devotional service to be a happy experience.

Amita Krishna Prabhu:

Lord Caitanya is our only friend because He has the medicine to cure our disease.

The best service to help others is to give the holy name.

Lord Caitanya told Srivasa Thakura that by not disturbing my kirtana when your son died, you purchased Me, but still, next time you should tell Me.

Initially some people may reject the sankirtana, but if we persist, we will break through the resistance.

If your religion is for real, you can spread it by changing the people’s hearts. Other methods, such as politics, are bogus. 

If people come to understand that the Hare Krishna movement has relevant contributions to knowledge of religion, politics, medicine, and family relationships, they will appreciate us.

Mother Bhagavati:

When I prepare to give a lecture, I always listen to lectures by Srila Prabhupada’s disciples because they often illuminate aspects of the purport, which I completely miss.

Knowledge is to know the living entity, the material nature, and the Lord who controls the other two.

Chanting Hare Krishna offensively is like taking a shower with dirty water.

Q: How can we explain that Krishna’s quality of nirguna does not mean He has no qualities?

A: We have qualities and we emanate from Krishna, so Krishna must also have qualities.

Personal Reflections

I served out the Sunday feast in Amsterdam. After serving, I ate alone as the others were finished and on their way. It reminds me of long ago, before doing the book tables at the Alachua feast, when I would have the same experience—sitting, and eating alone. Now, as I did then, I pray to Krishna, who always remains when our other friends go, and who we can thus realize is our supreme friend—always ready to pay attention to us, as we pay attention to Him.

The temple president in Antwerp invited me to give a series of lectures on the holy name, and I did four, but after that I decided I would rather hear the realizations of my friends, Amita Krishna and Janmastami Prabhus. You have to be really advanced to be able to give so many lectures to the same people without hearing them speak as well. For me it seems artificial.

When I chant japa while traveling, I tend to worry about my different travel connections. Noticing that I began preaching to myself , “Listen to the Krishna’s names, and He will made your travel connections work out.” I think that helped both my chanting and my traveling to go smoother.

As I took the train from Leipzig to Wroclaw, I noticed in the all small East German towns I passed, the tallest building was always the church, reminding us of a day when religion was given more importance.

-----

"If even a candāla [dog-eater], simply out of curiosity, sees the Lord on the cart, he becomes counted as one of the associates of Vishnu." (The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9)

"It is so much better to chant early in the morning, when the mind is calm and the atmosphere is quiet. It’s the best time of the day to chant. You’re usually alert and awake for an early-morning burst. The mind is willing to go along with attentive chanting for a stretch. It seems the later the morning gets, the less your potency. The brahma-muhurta hour is recommended as the best time for spiritual duties."

From Bhajana Kutir #105

We don’t know the story behind this picture. We ran into it somewhere on the Internet. We found it very blissful and wanted to share it with you. The shot was taken somewhere in Russia.

By Indradyumna Swami

I am happy in Krsna consciousness. With each rising and setting of the sun, I come closer to the goal of my life. I constantly thank Krsna for allowing me to meet with Srila Prabhupada's books and my eternal spiritual master in this life.

1968 June 21 : "We cannot divert our attention for money making activities. If we direct our attention like others, then it becomes karma. And karma is very dangerous for persons who want to go back to Godhead."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 June 21 : "We are indebted to father and mother in so many ways. Your main business is to keep in Krishna Consciousness, if you keep that point in view, you can deal with others according to social conventions without being attached."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 June 21 : "By the grace of Krsna I was born of a pious father and brought up in one of the richest, aristocratic families of Calcutta (Kasinath Mullick). The Radha Krsna Deity in this family called me to meet Him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 June 21: "Although I had immense opportunities, throughout my whole life I do not know what is illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating or gambling. Nor do I remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krsna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 June 21: "A Spiritual Master is always liberated. In any condition of His life He should not be mistaken as ordinary human being. This position of a Spiritual Master is achieved by sadhana siddha, krpa siddha, and nitya siddha."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 June 21 : "Yes, my order still stands. Sankirtana Party and distribution of our magazines and books is our real program. Other things are secondary. Attention diverted to business is not a very good sign."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 June 21 : "The regulative principles are our life, so why they will not follow? If there is any discrepancy, send me their names. Yes, he may teach a class, I have no objection, but without salary - our work is honorary."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 June 21 : "Why are you giving them spiritual names? You are not authorized to do this. Spiritual names are given by the spiritual master at the time of initiation. It is done strictly according to regulative principles."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1975 June 21: "Whatever money you pay, you print books. Our work must go on. The world is suffering on account of not taking up Krishna consciousness, so we have to try to save them. So you kindly help me to do this."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 June 21: "So go on collecting, and I shall tell you how to spend. I am presently negotiating and if we get the opportunity I may construct a Varnashrama College and Temple in Kuruksetra."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1966 June 20 :
"Tritiya. One artist has drawn a picture of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. So I have hung over the present Lord Chaitanya's picture. It is looking nice. There was meeting: 16 persons attended and the contribution was $9.00, book collection $1.25."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1968 June 20: "Your simplicity is a great asset for Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is very kind to the meek and simple. Better to remain dull and simple as you are, and thus make advancement in Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 June 20: "This is very good opportunity that your mind, hand, and attention are all absorbed in Krishna samadhi, and tongue chanting Hare Krishna. This is first class samadhi, and the highest position of the greatest yogis."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1972 June 20 : "We have got enough followers, let us train them up perfectly. Unless all of my students become very much fixed up in their spiritual progress, what is the use of so many programs for expansion?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 June 20 : "If we are able to make a whole generation of our children into fine Krsna Conscious preachers, that will be the glory of our movement. But if we neglect or if we lose even one Vaisnava - that is very great loss."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1975 June 20: "It is my habit to see that money is not being squandered. We are collecting with great effort, if money is spent unnecessarily, I feel very badly. Now I am very much doubtful. I think there has been some cheating."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 June 20: "Yes, I shall arrange to pay. Don't worry. This I have already said. Why are you speaking of a loan when you have already taken two lakhs from the Book Fund? What do you mean that you want another loan?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 June 20: "My mission started by selling my books, and still whatever money we are getting it is coming from selling my books. You simply have to apply your brain to selling my books - then you will have plenty of money."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

Things are just warming up here, but here are some photos from this morning:

Wednesday, 3 June 2009. I awoke. I had only made it into bed around 1am today. It was nijala ekadasi. It seemed Krsna had a plan of austerity coming up, seeing as he combined jet lag with fasting. This was most likely a plan to counter my own lazy nature. How merciful… I decided I would take water at some time and keep my ekadasi austerities to the minimum.

I quickly stole some internet with my wireless to let everyone know I arrived in one piece. When Jaggi came around we hit the town of Watford. Some preliminary things needed to be taken care of for the upcoming venture. Jaggi cut me some keys and I took some time to gather my bearings (ie walked around hoping not to get lost).

I spent the day walking the peaceful, back street gardens of Watford, chanting the holy names on beads and reading. It was a nice green environment to assist the focus on the holy names of the Lord (achieving this focus being my usual difficulty).

The day wrapped up at Sanatana’s, moving out of Jaggi’s for the night, and I scoped out some Veda base about ekadasi. I recommend, unless you want to take your tapasya to the next level, to not read up on that one. After some time wasting and some catching up it was time to hit the hay.

Thursday, 4 June 2009. I awoke as if I were going to Mangala arti. 3:45am. I didn’t plan this (Krsna’s plan) but I decided to take advantage of my awkward body clock and read some Bhagavatam (gotta love Veda base!). After this I decided to try sneak in a couple hours more sleep but it seemed it was not my allotted karma. I should have just nailed my rounds for a full morning program!

My day plan was pretty simple: Sadhana and make some chapattis. I spent half the day aimlessly trying to find the cheap supermarket, Tesco. I decided while I was there I would pick up some halava ingredients also. I realized at the check out I was flat broke and decided halava could be another day.

The kitchen was in a share house of 3 or 4 boys so it was a bomb shell. I made sure to purchase some sanitary aid while collecting chapatti ingredients at the supermarket and so I gave the place a good work over. I decided to leave the other half for another day and started to make use of my working space. It occurred to me about half way through the process that there was to much water in the mix as everything was sticking to me. I was now wearing gloves of atta flour. Next it seemed the ghee was burning in the pan (which I speculated by adding in the first place) and the smoke was bellowing.

After offering and honouring the chapattis/rotis I decided to cook up the next batch based on the lessons I had learned from my previous mistakes. I doused the chapatti balls with flour and tried again, leaving out the ghee. This time the flour burned holes in the chapattis and created even more bellowing smoke. The holes also ensured a roti result. After utilizing Jaggi’s kitchen and giving him some jagannatha prasad, I made my way back to Sanatana’s to rest up for the coming day’s excitement.

Friday, 5 June 2009. I awoke in the land of Sanatan. We readied our chariot, in this case motorbike, and scampered off to the Manor. It was becoming a ritual by now to sing my morning prayers on the back of the bike. This served the purpose of keeping my mind regulated by continuing what I would normally do at home (where ever that may be?) and also doubled as a reassurance while looking down at the fast moving tar road beneath me.

I arrived to catch the end of class in temple room. I bumped into Annirudha Prabhu, from Melbourne, as I scoped out a spot to sit. The class was a special power point presentation on many global cutting edge preaching projects going on. At first it was a great inspiration to see all wonderful projects of abroad giving me great faith in this sankirtana movement’s speedy succuss. It appeared that everyone was a cut above our humble arrangement in Australia…or so it seemed until the slides flipped over to Woodford. Woodford is an end of year folk festival held in Australia attracting between 200-300 thousand young people. Our many catering crews participate at this event and distribute many thousands of plates of prasadam. The speaker also complimented the great mood of prasadam distribution which is being acted on all throughout Australia.

The meeting dissipated and I took a more careful look around the room. I noticed HH Ramai Swami, sitting next to Annirudha Prabhu. I cursed myself for missing him seeing as he was only a meter away from me when I passed by. I contemplated if it looked like I ignored him. It was time to forget and move onto the next surrender. Prasadam was served and it was prepared in celebration for…something. Whatever it was I had forgotten by the end of the three courses of flat rice and sweet yogurt! Flavoured with mango, strawberry, something else, another yogurt, kiar and maha savoury to finish it off with!

I spent some quality time roaming the Manor grounds to chant some rounds. I went on a woods walk accompanied by Gita verses written on the sides of the path. It ended with a advertisement to purchase Gita from the temple shop. After this amusing tour I decided to see the gosala. After visiting the bullocks, cows and calves I felt a childhood connection to the whole place. While I was young in New Gokula, Australia, my father used to tend to bullocks (oxen). It was soon after this that I realized that the presiding deities of the Manor were Radha Gokulananda and I was in fact in the English version of my old childhood temple. I glanced longingly at the white complexioned Gokulananda and my thoughts traced back to my dark complexioned Gokulananda, with his intoxicated red eyes.

I decided after this spiritually fulfilling experience to visit the boys doing their work down at the wedding tent. The gurukulis were expertly employed in the temple wedding events. Some did the catering staff and the others were ushers and set up staff. This was a perfect angle to set myself up with some prasadam. To the wedding staff this was peasant food, eating it every time there was a function on, but to me it was excellent. The preps were all delicious, except maybe the wasabi carrots (who would think of such a thing?!), but especially the srikana, which I had been hankering for since London Rathayatra last year.

After taking prasadam the catering crew took time off and we found a sweet spot outside the TP’s office to “look busy” (ie hang out). We tested out the prasadam from the local temple shop including some carob fudge (REAL CAROB! Not even that imitation chocolate stuff!). When all the guys wondered off I decided to mingle in and meet the locals. I met a couple of the sankirtana and temple devotees, had additional prasadam (which was not really required) and the mood changed to something a little more conservative. The philosophy section of the conversation notched up and it was unfiltered Krsna katha.

After some lovely association I went back to distract the gurukulis from their duties. They packed up and we prepped for bhajan. Just when we were about to go I heard my name being called. At this point in time, although everyone knew me, it was hard to tell if many even knew my name, so I was quite shocked. I turned to see Jasmine/Rasesvari, from Australia! After this little catch up all gurukulis, including a gurukuli sanyasi, entered the temple and cooked up a storm (not a prasadam cook up though sorry).

The bhajan started a little awkward for me. I was sad to note after 2 months of sankirtana, ecstatic preaching adventures and all the rest, that I still had no taste for chanting the holy name. Eventually I surrendered and savoured some joy of the mantra. Some time after relishing some mantras I decided it was time to whip out some beats. I stole some wampers from Sanatan and he picked up some kartalas. I pumped a good ole fashion syncopated rhythm. It was going good until someone mentioned SOMETHING to me, not sure if it was good or bad and my false ego folded. I sat down the wampers and tried again to taste the holy name.

The whole scene was ecstatic. After bhajan we were out in the reception hall until someone kicked us all out. Me and Sanatan hopped on his might stallion and rode away. On the ride home we held our own bhajans and they were even more ecstatic than the bhajans we just had (all credit is due to the original bhajans for bringing the rasa to this point - for all those who choose to take offence to my comparison). After some time wasting me and Sanatan hit the hay. Singing kirtana and bhajan on a bike, cruising down Watford made me realize that Krsna consciousness can be included in any activity, we simply have to make the desire to invite Krsna in.

Morning lecture given by Giriraj Swami on the day of the Dallas Rathayatra.

Dallas, TX
2009-04-25

Download: 2009-04-25 - Rathayatra - 1 - Morning Lecture - Giriraj Swami.mp3

Dear Devotees,

Thanks to the efforts of Manu Prabhu and Shyam Pandey, we are broadcasting live video from the 24 Hour Kirtan now! Please visit:

www.newvrindaban.com (click on the video)
www.krishna.com/nv24

Tune in from wherever you are in the world and immerse yourself in the nectar of the holy name!

Hare Krishna!

Your servants from the 24 Hour Kirtan Team

Kirtan Schedule (all times in EDT)

24 Hour Kirtan Schedule

Saturday June 20 to Sunday June 21

7:30 am: Darsana-arati, Gurupuja to Srila Prabhupada, and opening ceremony with Srila Prabhupada’s original drum as played in Tompkins Square Park, 1966 (with procession to Srila Prabhupada’s Palace, weather permitting).

8:00 am: The Mayapuris (Visvambhara)

9:30 am: As Kindred Spirits (Gaura Vani)

10:30 am: NYC Kirtan Group (Ananta Govinda)

Noon: Youth Bus Tour (Manu)

1:00 pm: Uttam Bhakta & Damodar

2:00 pm: New Vrindaban (Thakur)

3:00 pm: Columbus (Dhira Lalita)

4:00 pm: Dallas (Rupa)

5:00 pm: Gaura Prem Bhajan Band (Madhava)

7:00 pm: Agnideva Das

9:00 pm: Radhanath Swami

10:00 pm: NYC Kirtan Group (Ananta Govinda)

11:00 pm: New Vrindaban (Abhay)

Midnight: To be Announced (open slots)

5:00 am: Toronto Kirtan Party (Ajamila)

6:00 am: Gaura Prem Bhajan Band (Madhava)

7:00 am: Agnideva Das

8:00 am: Radhanath Swami

(schedule is subject to change)

Dear devotees,

We will be broadcasting live video and sound for the 24hr Kirtan and thus we will be requiring every bit of bandwidth we can get. In order to facilitate proper and uninterrupted live webcast, we will be blocking the internet connectivity in RVC temple from  Saturday June 20th starting at 6 am to Sunday 21st morning 8 am till the kirtan festival ends.

Please let me know if anyone needs internet in emergency situation.

Thank You

ys
Shyam

Find link to 24 Hour Kirtan at:  http://www.newvrindaban.com/

June 20, New Vrindaban, West Virginia – This weekend sees devotees and guests from all over North America and the world pour into ISKCON’s New Vrindaban community for the third annual 24 Hour Kirtan Festival, a celebration of India’s ancient practice of call and response chanting. The event is modeled after the original 24 Hour Kirtan in Vrindaban, India. First launched in 1975, the program faded away three years later, but was revived in 1986 by Srila Prabhupada disciple Aindra Dasa. Since then, devotees at ISKCON’s Krishna Balaram Mandir have chanted God’s names non-stop—24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Inspired by the legendary “chipped rice festival” described in Caitanya-Caritamrita, ISKCON’s International School in Mayapur, India transformed into the ancient village of Panihati this June 6. The original festival was held 500 years ago during the time of Gaudiya Vaishnavism founder Sri Chaitanya, when Chaitanya’s close associate Nityananda Prabhu directed his follower Raghunatha Dasa Goswami to organize a festival and feed all the devotees with yogurt and chipped rice.

New Guest house coming up in Ekachakra dhama!

We are happy to inform that construction of new guest house at Sri Ekachakra dham is under steady progress. Devotees visiting Ekachakra dhama have always desired to stay in Ekachakra dhama for few days in the tranquil atmosphere and visit the holy places where Lord Nityananda prabhu performed many of his childhood pastimes. Ekachakra is a beautiful village where one can feel the warmth of relaxing in the Mother Nature’s lap. Many holy ponds provide cooling waters and soothing breeze rejuvenating one’s body, mind and soul.

read more

Devotees who have served in ISKCON for at least five years will now be entitled to fifteen days of free accommodation and food per year at Sridham Mayapur, ISKCON’s headquarters in India. “The offer is a gesture of appreciation for devotees’ dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s movement,” says Padmanayana Dasa, Head of International Devotee and Guest Care. “We want all ISKCON devotees to think of Mayapur as their home.”

International School in Mayapur now accepting enrolments for new School year!

The Sri Mayapur International School’s holistic approach to education engages the body, mind, intelligence and words of devotee children from all over the world. It prepares them to fulfill their life’s purpose spiritually, at the same time providing internationally accepted skills, training and academic education.

SMIS immerses students in an alternative educational system that balances traditional, eternal spiritual values and contemporary international academics.

read more

To anyone committed to bringing about a transformation in the iniquitous ways of this world’s misdirected civilization I recommend an ancient system as guide for this undertaking. The system is a science, containing, like any science, both theory and practice. By theory I mean an organized set of categories that illuminate the workings of the world, and by practice I mean the application of the theory to the world so as to bring about desired changes.

Over a thousand rockers danced as the sounds of electro rock fused with the building. Shouting out each and every word, the fans were absorbed in the catchy riffs and tunes that jumped from the stage. Some noticed an unfamiliar scene adjacent the stage. An excellently dressed Krishna girl dressed in a wonderful red sari with full regalia. An equally well dressed little Krishna girl and along with the dad. The dad's white tilak and white dhoti glowed under the black light.


Last night two wonderful souls, Jessica and Lisa of The Veronica's, invited us to visit their show at The House of Blues. The day before I received this message from them, "Hare Kṛṣṇa ♥ We are going to be in Dallas tomorrow, and plan to Visit the Temple for Lunch or Dinner! :) We hope to see you again :)"



Last year we met the two twins lead singers as their tour brought them to Dallas. Everywhere they go, they said, "We look for a temple to eat prasadam." Delicious vegetarian food offered to Lord Krishna. This year they were very happy to bring their mom along as well. When they arrived she was gifted with one of Krishna's beautiful garlands.

We had a nice lunch at Kalachandji's and then gave their mom, and their friends, members of the band Carney, a tour of the temple and the grounds.


The band members of Carney asked some questions about Krishna Consciousness and were also quite nice. After the temple tour Lisa, and Jessica invited us to their show. Jessica said, "We will put your name on list with 5 other all access back stage passes." They were so friendly that we could not refuse. They are both a very sweet and friendly souls. So my wife and I and little baby Visakha as well ventured downtown to the very familiar spot, the House of Blues. Every few weeks we passed this area with around 60 devotee chanting the holy name on harinam.

We had 4 extra back stage passes so we simply passed them on to whoever came us to us to ask us about our attire. We went on the the backstage which had only band members. There we saw their mom again who happily greeted us. Jess and Lisa were on stage and the were preparing for curtains to open for their headline show. But, as soon as they saw us the ran off the stage to give us a big hug and a thanks for coming.

After the rocking concert was over they came over to again talk to us. The curtains were still open, so hundreds of fans simply watched and cheered in curiosity as the Veronica's welcomed their strangely dressed guests. Some also during the show noticed our little Visakha dancing along to the music.



They then invited us to tour their tour bus. An apartment on wheels; 10 beds, a kitchen, a shower, and two lounge areas with wireless internet. Both Lisa and Jessica has Krishna items to accompany them on their beds.


So if you see these nice souls in your town don't hesitate to bring them some delicious prasadam, they will be eternally grateful.
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

Necessity is such a strong term. For something to be a necessity it’s got to be almost a matter of life or death. Eating, sleeping, mating, and defending yourself from harm, these are necessities. What’s the proof? The lengths to which we are willing to go in the name of necessity are proof. Even if such necessities push us to dehumanizing behavior.

If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents.

"In Amsterdam, Dhananjaya Prabhu told us that one time Srila Prabhupada, although he wasn’t feeling well, agreed to see George Harrison, who had a recording which he wanted Srila Prabhupada to hear. The song was entitled “Krishna, Where are You?” George had written the lyrics and arranged the music, and Ravi Shankar’s sister, Laksmi, was the singer. Prabhupada said it was in the mood of the Goswamis, and that if George Harrison continued writing songs like that he would quickly advance in spiritual life."

- Krishna-kripa Dasa

If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents.

In a Mayapur lecture from from CC Adi 1.4 on 28 Mar 1975 Srila Prabhupada stated, "Our mission is to establish the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is our business."

This is to inform all the devotees that MIHET Bengali Bhaktisastri course will begin at Sri Mayapur dhama from 5th of July to 19th September 2009. The course details and schedule are as below. Apart from other breaks for festival days, Study Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction and Sri Isopanisad at Mayapur.

Classes timings are convenient for attendees who have regular seva, temple residents and Grihastha devotee’s. More hours of classes will be covered over weekends.

read more

Farming in New Vrindaban, Amish, Lehman farming store

Lord Krishna is portrayed in multiple images as the naughty child, divine lover and eternal philosopher. And television producers and filmmakers are cashing in on his aura to woo audiences. While TV shows like Jai Shri Krishna and the latest animated show Little Krishna have been entertaining viewers, the big screen has also been abuzz with animated movies like Bal Krishna and Krishna: Aayo Natkhat Nandlal in recent times.

The Obama Administration continues to insist, all Congressional evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, that Uncle Sam has no interest in running the U.S. auto industry. About the tobacco industry there is no such Washington scruple on either end of Pennsylvania Avenue. President Obama is poised to sign a bill passed by Congress this week that authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products for the first time.

How much faith should the faithless put in Barack Obama? The president said in his inaugural address that the United States is “a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers.” And in his commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame, he said that the Golden Rule binds “people of all faiths and no faith together.”

MATHURA: At a time when Indian students are becoming targets of racial attacks in Australia, a girl from Down Under tied the knot with an Assamese youth in Vrindaban. Amidst Vedic hymns, the duo got married according to the Hindu rituals at an ashram. The bride's parents were present during the marriage ceremony that took place on Wednesday.

Indian beef production is predicted to increase by 5% in 2009. This is reported to be due to strong export demand and rising domestic consumption (ZMP and Brazilian Meat Monitor). According to reports, production of mainly buffalo meat is set to rise to approximately 2.7 million tonnes. Around a third of production (850,000 tonnes) is predicted to be exported, mainly to South East Asia and the Gulf states.

According to news reports, the University of California in Los Angeles yielded to media pressure and agreed to allow a graduating student to thank Jesus in her personal statement. UCLA student Christina Popa claimed the school's Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology was denying her freedom of speech when a faculty advisor told her that she could not mention "Jesus" in her graduation remarks.

Live Webcast from the 2009 24 Hour Kirtan Festival.

24 Hour Kirtan Schedule

8:00 am: The Mayapuris (Visvambhara)

9:30 am: As Kindred Spirits (Gaura Vani)

10:30 am: NYC Kirtan Group (Ananta Govinda)

Noon: Youth Bus Tour (Manu)

1:00 pm: Uttam Bhakta & Damodar

2:00 pm: New Vrindaban (Thakur)

3:00 pm: Columbus (Dhira Lalita)

4:00 pm: Dallas (Rupa)

5:00 pm: Gaura Prem Bhajan Band (Madhava)

7:00 pm: Agnideva Das

9:00 pm: Radhanath Swami

10:00 pm: NYC Kirtan Group (Ananta Govinda)

11:00 pm: New Vrindaban Kirtan Party (Abhay)

Midnight: Toronto Kirtan Party (Ajamila)

1:00 am: Pandava Sena USA (Nama Rasa)

2:00 am: Montreal Kirtan Party (Moti)

3:00 am: Festival of India (Ramananda)

4:00 am: Chicago Kirtan Party (Soul Connection)

4:30 am: Shobamayi dd NYC

5:00 am: Chicago Kirtan Party (Nirantara)

6:00 am: Gaura Prem Bhajan Band (Madhava)

7:00 am: Agnideva Das

8:00 am: Radhanath Swami

Lord of Universe, Jagannatha, along with His brother Balarama and sister Subhadra are bathed by devotees 2 weeks before Ratha-yatra parade. On this ocasion not only priests, but lituraly EVERYONE is allowed to bathe and touch the Lord. It is once a year ocasion.
Snana yatra - bathing of Lord Jagannatha. The story is that the deity is bathed (on this ocasion everyone is allowed to come and bathe, touch the deity, normally only priests can do it).
Then Lord "catches cold" after so much bathing and goes to bed for 2 weks, when He is given a special medicine to get better, it made of mixed curd, cream, candy and butter with cinamon.
After He gets better we will have even a bigger festival, Ratha-yatra, Lord Jagannatha will go out of His temple (once a year ocasion) in a big cart with large wooden wheels pulled by people. He goes around streets and everyone can come and offer service to the Lord, even people who normally don't go to the temple, animals, etc - all are given darsan and mercy of the Lord on that day.

On Friday July 3 join us at Fusion Hot Yoga for an evening of ecstasy with the World Sankirtan Party serving us earthy music and sacred chant.

Fusion teachers Josh and Jolie are part of the World Sankirtan Party, a world music band that sing sacred Sanskrit mantras in an interactive call-and-response fashion (kirtan). Free your voice and the rest will follow! The evening will be equal parts meditative, relaxing, and shake-your-booty funky, as befitting the Fusion vibe.

The evening kicks off at 7.30 pm after the last class on Friday, and light refreshments will be served. We are asking for a $10 collaboration for the event. The money collected is going towards bringing over Gaura Vani, a kirtan artist from the US, who will be bringing his kirtan party over later in the year.

Here are the deets:

World Sankirtan Party kirtan concert
Where: Fusion Hot Yoga
219 Wynnum Road, Norman Park
Brisbane, Australia

When: Friday July 3, 2009
7.30 pm

In case I missed you via SMS and facebook, here's a heads-up.

No Harinam tomorrow, because we'll be going to this.

I just left the following comment on Dandavats, on the post New Book Reveals Fundamental Flaw in Darwin’s Theory.

I would like to read something that is not a reactionary "Darwin is dogma, we reject it", and something that is more contributive to human understanding. How do you explain the development of different species of life?

A magical one-off event of interventionist creation by the intelligent designer is the Judeo-Christian idea. However, a fossil record that demonstrates multiple mass extinctions and the appearance of new species renders that insufficient as an explanation.

Without another mechanism it seems that magical intervention creationist will have to postulate multiple magical interventions.

The Srimad Bhagavatam does not describe multiple magical interventions. And by magical I mean an event that suspends the ordinary operating laws and procedures of nature - the birth of any living entity is in one sense a "magical" moment, but it is within the ordinary operating parameters of nature. The Bhagavatam speaks of a single magical creation event by the Supreme Being who afterwards remains aloof from the creation, which then carries on under the influence of His energies. Evolution of a species by natural selection is an explanation for species development that places it within the operation of nature. In that sense it seems more in tune with both observable phenomena (the fossil record) and the scriptural version of a single magical event followed by the operation of natural forces.

Arguing that only magical interventionism can be theistic, and that any attempt to explain development of species through natural forces is a priori atheistic, to me, seems incorrect. The origin and nature of life (as in consciousness) is a different issue, and theories of evolutionary development of species should be examined separately from explanations of "consciousness from matter".

This isn't to say that "Darwin's theory is right!", but rather that I want to see another alternative explanation that tallies with the observed facts (and doesn't rely on the "well, science is wrong anyway because it's based on sense perception" get-out-of-jail-free card) and also tallies with philosophy of the Bhagavatam.

I don't find fundamentalist Christian explanations do this, and I don't find that neo-Christian-fundamentalist-Vaisnava mash-ups do either.

Am I the only one?

The comment is still in moderation, but it will be interesting what discussion it generates (aside from the predictable "this is illegal thinking!"). As you probably know, it's a topic I am quite interested in.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.9.32-33 - Krishna can reciprocate with all His devotees simultaneously in different rasa.

Free Audio

1
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-713331961
2
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-713332157
3
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-713332409
4
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-713332619

Mahatma and Akrura discuss hot topics!

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Comfort Zone
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-712968041

Connecting With Your Dharma
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-712968201

Possibility Thinking
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-712968521

Power of Questions
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-712968803

Responsibility
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-712969081

Self Confidence
http://www.humyo.com/F/4987769-712969383

1972 June 19: "You must encourage the students to read our books as much as possible. Let us concentrate on training our devotees very thoroughly by discussing always and in so many ways instruct them in the right understanding."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1970 June 19: "The first and foremost thing is regular printing of our Back to Godhead magazines. Our next printing will be KRSNA, second volume, minimum 5,000 copies, but if we get good response on the first volume, then it may be increased to 10,000 copies."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1968 June 19: "Your sentiments expressed in this letter are transcendentally relished. Certainly you are mine and I am Krishna's, therefore you are also Krishna's. By following the disciplic succession, beginning from Krishna, everything becomes ultimately connected with Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 June 19: "I wish to send some free copies of KRSNA Book to George Harrison for distribution amongst his intimate friends as he likes. Recently I have recorded some songs. If you so desire, I can send them for George."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 June 19: "Now my desire is that I completely devote my time in the matter of writing and translating books, and arrangement should now be done that our Society be managed automatically. I think we should have a central governing body for dealing with important matters."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970