ISKCON Ministry Of Educational Development - Standards for Awarding the Bhaktivedanta Degree. 
Any ISKCON center can apply for recognition by the Board of Examinations as a Bhakti Vedanta degree-awarding center provided the center certifies that it will conduct its program according to the minimum standards specified below. The application must be accompanied by a description of the planned program that includes the following information as a minimum:
• The devotee community to be served. (From where, as a general rule, the enrolled students will come.) • The language of instruction. • The time frame of the course. (How many weeks or months of instruction, how it will be broken into modules, how it will be interspersed with breaks, how much total time from the beginning to the end of the course, and the various attendance options that will be offered to the students, if any.) • The instructor(s) and their qualification. • The administrator and his/her qualification. • Physical location(s) where the students will attend. • The admission, instructional, assessment, and other methods and policies to be followed by the center that meet the requirements spelled out below in this standard. (This document does not include standards for online courses or distance learning. Such standards will be spelt out in a separate document at a later date). I. Admission Individual centers shall have their own admission policies and procedures for admitting a candidate for the Bhakti Vedanta degree. Such policies shall require, at a minimum, that all candidates meet the following requirements: 1. The prospective candidate must • be second initiated, and • have a Bhakti-sastri degree, and • have a Bhakti Vaibhava degree or should have been assessed as successful in the completion of an approved Bhakti Vaibhava program, awaiting formal issue of the degree. 2. The candidate must be recommended by an ISKCON authority who knows the candidate well, certifying that the candidate is engaged favourably in the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for at least the previous six years, with a past record of regular participation in direct preaching activities. 3. The candidate must have successfully completed the VTE Teacher Training courses (TTC 1 and 2) or a recognized professional teaching / training course before enrolment. II. Learning Outcomes to be Assessed: a. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the philosophy contained in SrimadBhagavatam Cantos I to XII. b. Knowledge and memorization of at least one hundred verses found in SrimadBhagavatam Cantos I to XII. c. Expertise as a Bhagavatam speaker and preacher. d. Evaluative skills, wisdom and maturity reflecting principles consistent with Srimad Bhagavatam. e. Personal behavior that reflects the principles and values found in the Srimad Bhagavatam. 
III. Course Assessment In order to ensure a basic minimum standard and at the same time allow a degree of flexibility, approved centres may establish their own assessment policies within the following boundaries: 
To read the rest and download the pdf: https://goo.gl/yI9PvU

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31657

We are surrounded by imperfection. Sages rubber-stamp the world as an ocean of faults, where hypocrisy hits an all-time high. In this climate, you don’t have to look far to catch someone doing something amiss, though they’re often completely oblivious to it! I guess it’s difficult to see the picture when you are inside the frame. Thus, for someone who has a little bit of knowledge and is somewhat observant, life is replete with a plethora of opportunities to correct other people. And, truth be told, we do like to be right. The urge to rightfully correct someone, however, must be exercised with caution.

Will they digest it? Even if you are right, and even if your feedback is beneficial, deeply consider whether the person will actually be able to take it. When we know they can’t digest it, yet our overwhelming urge drives us to force-feed them, we actually do a disservice. It’s another type of violence because our inability to communicate appropriately cements them further in their illusion. People raise their defenses and become stubbornly unwilling to change. Remember that correcting someone is a service – its ultimate aim is to assist and encourage that person to grow.

Will you digest it? The process of correction can awaken our own pride and ego. As soon as we offer some words of advice, even if we are right, we automatically place ourselves in a superior position. We assume the position of a teacher. This sense of superiority can easily create an illusion and pride which diverts our attention from the internal upgrades that we require. Remember that correcting someone is a service – it should facilitate the evolution of our own humility and progressive spiritual consciousness.

There you have the wrongs of being right – because we neither helped the individual, nor did we help ourselves. Life is not about being right, it’s about doing right. It’s not simply an objective call, but an internal mood. They look similar, but are oceans apart. Too many times, we fall into the trap of being right, but doing wrong. It can break people, it can break us and it can break relationships. When issues need addressing, we could consider the array of alternative ways to ‘get the message across’. Question is, do we have the patience, sensitivity and poise to employ them?

Source:http://iskconnews.org/the-wrongs-of-being-right,5826/

The ancient teachings of the Vedas say there are 5 things humans can do everyday to be happy. We would say that these are directly connected to an effective spiritual practice.  If we understand that life is meant for self-realization then the following 5 support and help us achieve that goal, while being happy along the way.

Here they are:

1.   Get up before the sun

2.   Get clean

3.   Worship the Lord

4.   Give in charity

5.   Receive guests

Get up before the sun – this sounds easy but we all know it can be oh so difficult to pull ourselves from the comfort of the comforter. Planning ahead is the key – this means early to bed, which means turning off screens, which means being determined to value the early morning hours. What’s so good about the time before sunrise? Rise early and you will see!

Get clean – this is not just about teeth and body. This is also about our space. A clean body and a clean space really help control the mind. This is a good thing as the mind, according to the bhakti teachings, is the source of all misery. If cleaning is not your thing, try setting your phone timer for 15mins and do a blitz. You will be amazed how much can be achieved and how good you will feel.

Worship the Lord – whether it’s for 5 minutes or 15 or for a few hours, the absolute best thing to do before anything else is to connect with Krishna. Of course we can do this at anytime during the day, but the tendency is to get busy and forget.  Get up, get clean and get absorbed in some worship – in our practice it can be mantra meditation, or offering flowers or incense at an altar, or reading something wonderful about Krishna and His associates.

Give in charity – this is such a nice reminder. It is described that there is a difference in giving to those in need and giving to God, who is not in need. Giving donations to those in need shares our wealth; giving to Krishna acknowledges the source of our wealth and the importance of deepening our relationship with Krishna through our giving.  Giving is such a core component of self-realization – giving up, giving away, giving back, but it’s also a complex and nuanced activity. We should reflect on the spiritual call to give and do so in small and big ways every day.

Receive guests – in the traditions of the Vedas, guests are to be treated as good as God. Especially unexpected guests – they are signs of good fortune. No matter if we are at home or at work, we can try to interact with others as if they are guests in our space. Treat them as guests for that moment and be happy in their company. Offer water or some refreshment and kind words. Receive at least one guest into your life every day and be blessed.

Source:http://iskconofdc.org/5-things-to-do-everyday-for-happiness/

True spirituality teaches one how to live a dutiful life of contentment and true compassion.

Contentment comes from sincere service to God and all living beings. True compassion is to engage a living being in the service of the Lord so that that living being can find contentment.

Contentment is the foundation of real happiness and since the Lord is eternal, contentment in His service leads to everlasting happiness. Contentment does not mean passivity; it means to be happy with one's sincere efforts to serve, knowing well that the results are not determined by one's efforts alone.

Compassion without connection to God is incomplete and one-sided, and hence it's ineffectual in the ultimate analysis. Godless material well-being alone cannot lead to contentment and happiness, nor can it naturally lead to spiritual sentiments. On the other hand, spirituality does not preclude material well-being at all; in fact most material activities, including compassion in terms of material well-being, can be spiritualized easily. Spiritualized welfare activities are in fact spiritual activities of true compassion since they use material situations to connect people to God; such service leads to contentment and happiness for both the servers and the served.

May all social workers, who really want to do all-round good to all, provide the God-connection to all whom they serve.

Source:http://thebandwagonofmoltengold.blogspot.in/2014/12/contentment-compassion-and-god.html

15 Sept. 2016

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. By Krishna’s grace, everything is going well with the Samadhi this year. I apologize for my lack of communication. I am even more delinquent with the Newsletter than usual for reasons beyond my control, mostly material.

We probably have around 100,000 followers who can never repay their debt to Srila Prabhupada. It is a therefore a little surprising that the donations do not reflect that attitude. If everyone in the movement gave just a yearly token $50 donation to Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi, or more, especially as a Kartik vrat, we would be able to build up the Fixed Deposit requirement in no time to cover the maintenance costs with the interest, and also cover future costs of major repair to the aging structure. One’s service, charity, austerities, is benefited 1000 times in Vrndavan; in Kartik, 1000 times that. At one time many devotees actually made yearly pledges. Now would be a great time to resume your pledge.

The collectors rarely inform me what donations are coming in. So in case anyone made donations towards the previously approved Museum exhibits of 5 dioramas and small asana at a central preaching station, I must apologize, and I am most sad to say—They were canceled, because the GBC preferred to keep a mall in there downstairs. Your donations went into fixed deposit. The dioramas of Prabhupada in his Radha Damodara Rooms and boarding the Jaladutta are also no more. We pray that in the near future, Prabhupada’s Museum can actually be so, for which it was originally collected.

I have therefore spent more time making Prabhupada’s Samadhi and Museum upstairs into a facility for direct contact preaching to offset the shopkeeper phenomenon. We used to have an office in the information center for holding talks with groups. Regrettably, the preaching room got replaced with a computer room; so our different preaching groups were forced to wing it individually. Luckily, the devotee who runs the computer concession, spends his quiet hours of the business day, networking with the 10s of thousands of Nama Hatta congregation members (more about that below)! Previously we started out as a simple Free Temple Tours program, which eventually developed into a Nama Hatta program (which did finally get its own office); a revived and improved Market of the Holy Name program (with up to 900 people a day chanting one round of japa upstairs in the Samadhi); and a Rural Development program (which diversified into Self-Sufficiency programs, Kadhi items, and more).

We still have a few stalwart preachers (left over from the Free Temple Tours) meeting and greeting the people coming in. One nice brahmacari from the Youth Ashram, sits at a table on the promenade on the way from the entrance, wearing his MAY I HELP YOU ID badge handing out maha Tulasi prasad and free advice. One mataji stations herself in the Samadhi in the evening, greeting pilgrims with a brief talk and gets them all to chant Hare Krishna. They all leave with big smiles. A few devotees meet groups and give tours around the temple, after which most of them take books home with them. Another devotee greets groups of foreign tourists, explaining the philosophy in simple ways so they understand what they are looking at. A few are stationed in the temple. All in all, we are trying to make personal connections, as we want to share the personal way of living and give them the great chant for deliverance for the Age of Kali.

The Nama Hatta program has expanded so much, they hold isthagosthis with their growing numbers of congregational members, and home programs and also take advantage of wonderful preaching facilities upstairs in the Museum (historical time line; Changing Bodies Diorama; Parampara Deities and Displays). Some of the congregational members from this Nama Hatta program came forward and actively helped put on our Vrndavana Rathayatras the last 2 years. And it all started here at the Samadhi!

Our ladies’ Kirtan Mandal revived the afternoon session of their kirtan in addition to the morning session. They have completed 9 years. It’s so wonderful to hear their sweet voices singing for Srila Prabhupada at his Samadhi. And it’s so wonderful to see the pilgrims joining in and chanting Hare Krishna with enthusiasm.

With these multifarious preaching efforts, we all hope we can please Srila Prabhupada in some way, as he sits as the Grand Master in his eternal resting place. And we hope these efforts are contagious for others to spontaneously join in.

We had a good monsoon last 2 years, so Prabhupada’s Samadhi gardens finally have good hedges under the peacock stairs year-round. The garden strip along the boundary grill have lush fragrant mehndi and night queen year round also, which practically cover the grill all the way up. I planted baby parijata, which may flower next year. Now we just have to periodically add seasonal flowers when we can get them, in the spaces within the hedges.

****The on-going work****

The Samadhi can accept inspired donations for (check the Vrindavana web Samadhi brochure complete list for your favorite item):

1. The normal work repairing, cleaning, stone polishing, painting, etc., Rs. 1.5 laks

2. Replacing display lights for the domes, Rs. 20,000.

3. New, state of the art metal scaffold assembly, non-rotting, easily stored, easier to assemble, Rs. 70,000. I was reluctant at first because it seems to be a big expense. In the long run though, we won’t have to keep buying bamboo, which rots in a couple years, and disappears little by little anyway by someone “borrowing” here and there. It’s hard to store bamboo discreetly where they’re unreachable.

4. Gardens, Rs.30-40,000.

5. Maintenance of or replacement of different equipment (fans, heaters, inverter batteries, geyser, AC, tools, etc.), Rs.30,000 on an average.

6. Up-grading the altar and exhibits, Rs. 40,000

7. Repairing damage due to environment and aging, Rs. 2 laks

***ANNUAL INCOME***

1. The Vrndavana Samadhi Maintenance Fund presently has @Rs1,32,00,000 in fixed deposits, generating @ 7.5% interest for the next couple years. Eventually, the interest will cover the annual minimum costs, not including special projects. These donations perpetually serve Srila Prabhupada with the interest.

2. Many devotees have expressed the desire to make a large donation in the form of a bequeathment and/or trust from which the interest will be eternally donated to the Samadhi. Many hesitated, wondering whether or not it would end up in the right place for posterity and really go to Prabhupada’s Samadhi/Samadhi Museum FD account eternally. ***You will all be pleased to know the VEB judiciously passed a resolution this year stating that NO ONE may remove monies from the Samadhi Account without the express permission of the VEB.*** Feel comfortable it is secure to make your large commitments as you wish.

3. This last year many of you donated from your hearts while you were here or sent in donations from India and abroad, and I hope I have listed you all. I’m sorry that I did not receive all your names and contacts. Your service does not go unnoticed, and I thank each and every one of you on behalf of Srila Prabhupada.

4. If you didn’t get a proper receipt and gift, please do inform me of your contact information, as I will be happy to do so.

The following lists the majority of the devotees who offered generous donations for Samadhi Maintenance Fund and we thank them for helping us to serve Srila Prabhupada better:

Nalini Patel (Rohini devi dasi), Bombay Sri Deepak Vaid

Devananda Pandit das Brahmacari (Vrn.) Sri Chopra Danu

Smriti dasi and Jagannath das, Gokula Dairies, Guj. Sri Debnath

Divya Radha dasi, London Anonymous, Vrn. HH Dhanudhara Swami Nalinikanta, US

Mukunda Datta das ACBSP, Vrn. Aravindaksha das

Tatania Arkhipova, Russia Anonymous, Dubai

HH Kesava Bharati Swami Kamalasundari dasi

Anonymous, Bangalore Anonymous, Doha

Haripad das and Phalini devi dasi Radha dasi USA

Nanda Gopa Jivan das, Delhi

5. Total donations from individuals: @ $6,000.

6. Hundi donations @ $11,000 this year, about the same as last year.

7. We still did not need to dip into the FD for our normal expenses, or projects.

***WHAT YOU CAN DO***

1. Substantial donations to any of the above mentioned projects for the working account.

2. Srila Prabhupada’s Vrndavana Samadhi Maintenance Fixed Deposit Fund needs you now! We aim to build up a fixed deposit of $500,000 to generate interest for expenses beyond the donations for special projects. I had originally thought we needed less, but to accommodate the rate of inflation, the goal has been revised. These donations perpetually serve Srila Prabhupada with the interest.

The interest will cover inevitable yearly costs and give an increased cushion for future surprises in the aging structure. All participation is welcome. SRILA PRABHUPADA IS ACTUALLY SITTING PERSONALLY IN SAMADHI HERE AND RECIPROCATES WITH YOUR SERVICE. No donation is too large or too small.

3. See the Vrindavan web page to choose a convenient method for your personal service to Prabhupada’s Samadhi Mandir and Samadhi Museum. The Samadhi website even provides a way to get a tax rebate if you are donating from the US.

4. Set up Trust Funds specifically for the Vrndavana Samadhi/Museum Monument.

5. Bequeathments for the Samadhi/Museum Monument.

***HOW TO HELP***

You can send a bank transfer (cheaper than wiring) to ISKCON Vrndavana for

Foreign Donations. Whether you wish to make a bequeathment; give to the Vrndavana Samadhi Fixed Deposit; or to some specific project of the Samadhi, kindly contact me please.(parvati.acbsp@pamho.net) here in Vrndavana. I will let you know the easiest and least complicated way to send your donation, and will be very happy to answer any other questions you may have. There is probably one of our reliable representatives near you who can carry your generous donations directly to Vrndavana.

On-line donations:

www.iskconvrindavan.com.

Rupee donations within India:

SBI Samadhi ac#10684301765

IFSC Code SBIN0016533 ISKCON Vrndavana Branch

Andhra Bank, Samadhi ac#10100 30840

IFS Code – ANDB0001885 Andhra Bank Branch Vrndavana

Checks or Online donations in Foreign Currency:

ISKCON Foreign A/c # 9100100-1456-52389

SWIFT code no. AXISINBB086

IFSC code # UTIB0000794 Axis Bank Vrndavan

For US Tax Exemption

www.vedic-cf.org

However you do it, communicate it to me so I know to look for it in case of technical delays. To insure appropriate handling, if you mail it or send it by hand, address your envelope to Samadhi Maintenance Fund, attention Parvati devi dasi WITH A COVERING LETTER. Please state your name, address and the purpose of the donation, so proper documentation can be made and receipts and GIFTS can be sent.

I thank all of you for helping me to serve the Samadhi better and beg to remain

Your servant,

Parvati devi dasi, Samadhi Office

P.S. KINDLY PRINT AND POST ON YOUR NOTICE BOARDS. THANKS.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31595

The 7 female qualities Krishna mentions in Gītā 10.34 are:

1. Sri – Beauty
2. Kiriti – Celebrate-ability
3. Vak – Speech
4. Smrti – Thoughtfulness
5. Medha – Intelligence
6. Dhrti – patience
7. Ksama – forgiveness

Śrī – Beauty / Ornamentation

Everyone can see that women are more beautiful then men. Everyone can also see that they are much more ornament-able, and much more expert in ornamentation.

Men are also “attractive,” but male attractiveness doesn’t come so much from beauty as it comes from male qualities like strength, power, stability, reliability, bravery, etc.

Kīriti – Celebrate-ability / Fame

Everyone knows how easy it is to be carried away by thinking about, looking at, talking about and celebrating a woman. Even women spend most of their time thinking about and celebrating other women. This is why, for example, women are on the covers of most men’s magazines, and on the covers of most women’s magazines, too.

Vāk – Speech

Speech is the vehicle which expresses thought. This is why the god Brahmā (lit. “knowledge”) is so attracted to the goddess Vāk / Sarasvatī (lit. “speech”). Everyone can easily notice that women use words much more often and with much more finesse than men.

Smṛti – Memory / Thoughtfulness

Everyone can easily see that women remember details better than men – birthdays, etc. Another aspect of smṛti means not forgetting what is right and wrong. It is easy to see that women are much less dangerous and well-behaved then man. Criminals are primarily male. Another aspect of smṛti means being thoughtful of others.

Medhā – Intellect / Prudence

There are different types of intelligence. One is “wisdom” or “prudence.” Everyone can easily notice that women are far lass rowdy than men, and are less inclined to take risks. Another type of intellect is the ability to communicate: this was already covered by the concept of vāk (the ability to use words).

Men also have a type of intellect they excel in: decision making and giving commands. Thus we can all easily notice in society that women reflect more about things, contemplate and discuss more deeply – while men come to conclusions more easily and take more decisive actions on those conclusions.

Some people have difficulty accepting that this is the Vedic outlook about female intelligence. They should please refer to this article: According to the Veda, Are Women Less Intelligent than Men?

Dhṛti – Patience / Forbearance

Women have the forbearance to hold a child within their womb for nine months and then push it out into the world through an opening that is remarkably small for such a task. They also have the forbearance to deal with the needy (like children and husbands who don’t have patience to put their dirty socks in the right laundry bin, what to speak of doing laundry themselves).

Kṣamā – Forgiveness

Everyone can easily see that the vast majority of violence in the world is carried out by men. Women prefer to forgive and find ways to cooperate.

Does Every Woman Excel in These Seven? Does Every Man Lack Them?

No.

But nonetheless these seven are seen on average more prominently in women – and this is why Krishna says “I am the beauty, fame, speech, thoughtfulness, intellect, forbearance, and forgiveness of women.”

The physical body is a result of the mental body. We get female physical bodies as a result of having  primarily feminine qualities in our mental makeup. Visa versa for men. Not every woman is equally feminine. Not every man is equally masculine. Some people are in a borderline zone between the two and experience that their physical gender doesn’t perfectly match their mental self, or sometimes physically display both genders. But on average women definitely have more female qualities than men, and visa versa. That is why, on average, we find the seven excellent qualities mentioned here most naturally and fully manifest among women. And it is also why the divinities personifying these qualities are all goddesses, not gods.

Source:https://vicd108.wordpress.com/2016/09/22/the-seven-female-qualities/

Our purpose is fixed and we should not let obstructing circumstances to block us permanently. Somehow or other, we must find a way to fulfill our purpose which is to chant sixteen rounds and to follow four regulative principles. This is our first austerity, to chant these rounds and to follow the principles.

But we also need support. It is not just a matter of the right frame of mind. It is also a matter of favourable conditions so that it becomes feasible and possible. One must protect our rounds. One must put other undesirable things out of one’s life and then focus on our japa, otherwise it is not going to happen. One cannot just think, “I’ll see how far I get today,” then there is a good chance that it will not work. So chanting sixteen rounds is about making an arrangement to chant sixteen rounds. That planning is actually so important!

It is not all about the mood and getting absorbed. That comes after. If the arrangement is wrong then how can you get absorbed? First the arrangement has to be in place then stage two comes, “How to get absorbed?” I find that the one thing which helps me is to read a little bit. It is not that we just get up and are immediately in the mood, “Okay, let’s get these rounds done! I’m up so let me quickly get stuck in then it is over,”

That is one way of chanting but another way is where we say, “Okay, I’ll read for five or ten minutes.” And I read until I come across something that strikes me and then I start chanting and that gives me some energy to get into the mood. Then the mood starts happening. Like that there are impetuses. Ālambhamis there, the impetuses in spiritual life that help us to awaken our attraction for Krsna.

Source:https://www.kksblog.com/2016/09/planning/

Srila Prabhupada Memorial Festival And Vyas Puja Of Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj At ISKCON Ujjain

I have written several articles on vows and feel that any discussion on vows wouldn’t be complete without addressing sexual restraint. Plus, men often ask me how to control sexual desire and I felt that to do justice to this question I would need to write an article.

I am approaching this issue mainly from the male perspective (obviously because I am a man and also because the scriptures approach it more from that perspective). Still, although men and women are wired differently and thus respond to physical, sexual attraction differently, the basic principles of sexual attachment and material bondage transcend gender.

The purpose of this article is to better understand how sexual attachment affects our spiritual lives. There wasn’t room to discuss the positive aspects of Krsna conscious grihastha life, and this article in no way is meant to demean married life, attachment and affection for one’s spouse, providing for a family, or being responsible parents, although it could appear that way.

And it is not meant to minimize or criticize those who are not practicing celibacy.

For those who haven’t taken initiation, vows, or who are not practicing celibacy, my hope is that you will better understand the role of sex in spiritual life and how to gain more self-control.

The exercises I suggest you do are contained within the main body of the newsletter.

May you always think of Krsna,

Mahatma das

If You Want To Play, You’ve Got To Pay

Recently I spent a week in England. On the way back the devotee driving me to the airport said, “I’d like to become more renounced.” Without thinking for a second I immediately said, “That’s not really difficult because the material world is just sex and working to pay for it.” Surprised that I so spontaneously blurted that out, he laughed and said, “Wow, you’re right. That’s all it really is.”

“Karmis work very hard simply to enjoy sex. Modern human society has improved the materialistic way of life simply by inducing unrestricted sex life in many different ways. This is most prominently visible in the Western world.” (SB 4.26.26)

In the early days of the movement a devotee explained Sigmund Freud’s theory to Prabhupada that everything one does is motivated by sex. The devotee disagreed and said he felt people are primarily motivated by a spiritual yearning. Prabhupada said no – Freud was actually right. Why did Prabhupada say this? Because Srimad Bhagavatam clearly explains that sex attraction, subtle or gross, is the impetus behind all material activities. Thus Prabhupada wrote in one letter:

“If one can just get free from sex desire, he is 50% liberated.” (Letter, 15/02/68)

So it follows that minimizing the gross and subtle forms of sex is the means of getting out of material life.

It’s Hard Work

It is obvious that people work hard to enjoy sex. To find a girlfriend or boyfriend is hard work. Women especially go out of their way to attract men (dieting, exercising, having facials, going to hair salons, injecting Botox, having plastic surgery, etc.).

Next time you are at a mall notice how many clothes, jewelry, sunglass, cosmetic and shoe stores there are. And don’t forget the hair and nail salons. Compare that number to the number of stores which cater people’s “spiritual yearning” and you’ll be able to see that Freud knew what he was talking about.

Once a relationship is established with the opposite sex, it takes more effort to maintain it than it took to establish it. And speaking of work, raising children takes a tremendous amount of work and time. And on top of this we have to work forty or more hours a week to maintain the family.

What’s The Price?

So enjoying with the opposite sex, even religiously, comes with a price. And there is an even higher price to pay for enjoying illicit sex: unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and the karmic reaction for having an abortion. And ultimately the big price we pay for uncontrolled sex is taking another body. And what do we do when we get that next body? That’s right. We work hard again to maintain the body so we can enjoy the opposite sex. It’s kind of a rotten deal, especially when you know there are much better options – like dancing eternally with Radha and Krsna in the spiritual world.

“So purification means getting free gradually from sex desire.” (SB 2.2.12)

For most of us, “gradually” means becoming Krsna conscious grihasthas. Becoming attached to one’s Krsna conscious family is actually the means for ultimately becoming detached.

Subtle Sex in the Form of Pride

But even if you want to practice celibacy you still have to work hard to overcome the whole realm of subtle sexual attraction. Krsna wasn’t kidding when He said in the Gita that we are “struggling hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” There’s really no easy way out.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam (2.2.12), Srila Prabhupada explains what subtle sex desire means. He refers to a domino reaction that follows the attraction of male and female: marriage, accumulating wealth and property, raising children, working hard, establishing some reputation for oneself and family, etc.

The subtle aspect of sex – the one that lurks under everything we do – is the desire to control, be recognized and be honored. In other words, the desire to have power and prestige (to imitate Krsna) is simply sex desire luring its ugly head in a subtle form. So when Prabhupada says things like, “The more we forget sex life, the more we are advancing in spiritual life,” he is referring to all the trappings and aspects of both subtle and gross sex.

Do people work hard for subtle sex? I saw an interview with Donald Trump and he said he only sleeps four hours a night. Why? Obviously he doesn’t need to work that hard for money. He’s busy enthusiastically building up his empire and reputation. Certainly that’s not motivated by a spiritual yearning. Yes, the material world means sex and working to pay for it. Even Donald Trump is working hard for it.

After all, imitating Krsna is hard work.

Actually, Prabhupada said the material world means “the shackles of sex.” The great heroes are not the Donald Trumps, who build huge empires in this world. The real heroes are the ones who get out of this world.

Getting Free

Naturally the question arises, “If purification means freedom from both the gross and subtle aspects of sex desire, how do I become free from them?” Good question. I am glad you asked.

First we have to put sex in its proper place in our spiritual lives if we are going to be able to successfully control it.

“Sex life is the background of material existence. Here also it is repeated that demons are very fond of sex life. The more one is free from the desires for sex, the more he is promoted to the level of the demigods; the more one is inclined to enjoy sex, the more he is degraded to the level of demoniac life.” (SB 3.20.23)

When the scriptures or Srila Prabhupda speak about sex in a negative way, they are referring to sex for purposes other than producing Krsna conscious children. Yes, I know that’s a very restricted definition, but ultimately we are meant to become free from sex desire.

“Sex life, licit or illicit, is practically the same, but through illicit sex one becomes more and more captivated. By regulating one's sex life there is a chance that one may eventually be able to renounce sex or renounce the association of women. If this can be done, advancement in spiritual life comes very easily.” (SB 4.25.62)

Wow. That’s some really good news about celibacy. We always wanted the easy road, the fast food way to Vaikuntha. And here it is: all you have to do is renounce sex and immediately you’ll be half way to the spiritual world. We have found Easy Street to Vaikuntha. Haribol!

The only problem is that renouncing sex is not easy. It’s probably the most difficult thing we’ll ever do. So how do we do it? I am proud of you for asking that question because only a few rare souls ever ask it. Everyone else will ask, “Where can I get some Viagra?”

The Key is Determination

The first thing, the main thing, and ultimately the only thing we can do to conquer this obstacle is to be determined to control it. That is the magic formula. Of course, chanting Hare Krsna is the ultimate “magic formula,” but if one is not determined to control oneself, chanting will not be very effective.

“Maya is so strong that unless one is determined not to fall victim, even the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot give protection.” (Cc. Madhya 17.14)

But why is it so hard? Prabhuapda said maya is strong because your purpose is not strong. Or as the saying goes, “Obstacles are those things you see when you lose sight of the goal.” Translated into a Krsna conscious context this means:

Sex desire is what you see when you lose sight of Radha and Krsna.

One god brother of mine told me that Prabhupada said maya doesn’t have anything to do because she created sex desire. Since she has everyone bound by sex, her work is pretty much on automatic pilot.

Once when Prabhupada gave sannyasa, he said that it’s not that your sex desire will go away, but now you cannot act on it. So determination (and tolerance) is the key. Sex desire will be there to some degree as long as we have a material body. It’s a question of whether or not we choose to control it.

“By making plans with determination, one should give up lusty desires for sense gratification.” (SB 7.15.22):

Therefore we can conclude that if we are having difficulty controlling either the subtle or gross aspects of sex, we need to be more determined. Although it might decrease with age, it is not just going to completely go away on its own. Prabhupada said it will continue right up until death if we don’t make the effort to control and purify ourselves. I think you can agree that you probably have better things to think about at the time of death.

So let’s get to work on this problem. And when do we start? YESTERDAY!

“Beginners in Krsna consciousness have a tendency to relax their efforts in a short time, but to advance spiritually you must resist this temptation and continually increase your efforts and devotion.” (SPL Ch. 19)

Have you ever seen the T-shirt that says, “I am in no shape to exercise”? Do you ever feel this way about your spiritual exercises? Actually, you don’t have to tell me. I already know the answer.

So how do we develop this determination? You need to get some leverage. Meditate on the consequences of illicit sex. Think in a way that helps you put out the fire, not in a way that increases it.

You Have the Solution

Actually, we are surrounded by obvious solutions to help us gain more self control and advance spiritually. The problem is we don’t care to see them. How can I say that? Well, get out a piece of paper and write down a few things (or think of a few things) you could do that would help you become more Krsna conscious (or do it later if you don’t have time now). Obviously, you can easily think of a few right away. You could probably think of a lot if you took the time. So you have access to solutions if you want them.

If we would just think about how to advance in Krsna consciousness as much as we think about other things, overcoming the gross and subtle forms of sex would be a much less difficult task.

Don’t Make It Hard On Yourself

The more you think of something, the more you want it. This works either for us or against us. The more you think of Krsna, the more you want Him. And the more you think of sex, the more you want that.

Samskaras are mental impressions that become implanted in our subconscious. Contemplating sex, looking at the opposite sex, watching movies and hearing songs about sex, seeing pictures about it, putting too much attention on how we look, all add more sexual samskaras to our already overflowing stock. This just makes it that much more difficult to control sex desire.

And unfortunately, it makes it more difficult to want to control it.

Therefore, if we want to conquer this desire we can’t do it while creating more sexual samskaras. Men create these mental impressions primarily by looking at women’s physical features, either in person, in magazines, on TV, in movies or on the internet. By the way, I had a high school teacher who told us that our motive to fix up our cars was just sex. It’s true. Sometimes even cars are referred to as “sexy.”

Women do this by spending lots of time and money making themselves attractive. And watching romantic and sexually explicit movies, either for men or women, just makes it that much more difficult to be sexually controlled and think of Krsna. Radha and Krsna have the best romance. We are meant to hear about Their loving affairs, not the so-called loving affairs of actors in movies.

If you are having difficulty controlling either the subtle or gross aspects of sex, look at your activities and ask yourself what you are doing that is making it difficult for you to control this enemy. Why not make a list and see what you find? Hopefully that will give you some ideas to get you going. And if you decide not to make this list, can I ask you a question? Why not? You don’t have to answer me. Just answer yourself. Of course, if you are a liberated soul I can understand that you wouldn’t have anything to put on your list. But if you are not, I am sure you will find a few things that you should be working on. And those few things can help you tremendously.

So get to work on that list.

They Did It

In the modern world celibacy is obviously not popular. But that wasn’t always so. Here’s a short list of some great men in the material world who practiced celibacy.

Cervantes (who wrote Don Quixote while in prison), Dante (who wrote his Divine Comedy while in exile), Milton (who wrote Paradise Lost when blind and when he did not indulge in sex), Sir Isaac Newton (active in intellect until the age of 80), Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Kant, Beethoven, Herbert Spencer, Mahatma Gandhi. Many other philosophers, artists and scientists have preferred to sublimate the sex drive in order to increase their creativity and concentrate their energy on intellectual pursuits.

If They Can Do it, Why Not You?

There is a way out and we all can do it.

“If we become staunch devotees of Krsna these material sex impulses will vanish. Because even Cupid becomes attracted by Krsna. We are attracted by Cupid, but Cupid is attracted by Krsna, therefore Krsna is Madana-mohana. That is the only remedy. If you stick to the lotus feet of Krsna—‘Krsna please save me’—then this material thing, sex agitation, will not disturb you. This is the only way.” (Lecture, 08/04/75).

Prabhupada writes in the Srimad Bhagavatam that we actually come into the material world to enjoy beautiful women. But here Prabhupada makes it clear that if we really want Krsna’s lotus feet, He’ll give them to us. But I can tell you from personal experience that “really want” must really meanreally want if you really want to get Krsna. Otherwise, if you don’t really want Krsna, I don’t think you are really going to get Krsna. Really.

So get real. Otherwise, Krsna will give you more sex, the very thing you came here to get.

But you’ll have to work for it.

This article is taken from a monthly newsletter byMahatmaDas called Illuminations. If you would like to read previous issues, or get on his mailing list, go towww.mahatmadas.com.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=10675

An Illustrated Series Based on the Ramayana by Vrinda Sheth (Author), Anna Johansson (Illustrator).

On August 27th, a new book, the first one in an illustrated series based on the Ramayana, entitled as Shadows of the Sun Dynasty, has been launched in front of hundreds of people in the audience at the Cofrin Theater in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with the participation of the author Vrinda Sheth, a well-known classical Indian dancer and a writer, and the illustrator, her mother, Anna Johansson, a Swedish watercolor artist.

The mother-daughter team: Anna Johansson (left) and Vrinda Sheth.

The book launching was a spectacular cultural event on its own with lively musical performances by Gaura Vani, Vishvambhar Sheth and others, the author’s reading some of the most intriguing chapters while beautiful illustrations from the book were projected on the screen, also with bringing some of the most dramatic scenes in the story to life by extraordinary acting and dancing performances by Vrinda Sheth and Anapayini Jakupko. 

Vrinda reads from the book while there is live music on the stage and illustrations projected on the screen.

The Shadows of the Sun Dynasty is a deluxe illustrated novel adaptation of the Ramayana—the classic Hindu epic—pairing divinely inspired art with intimate portrayals of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Ravana, and many more. 

In the royal city of Ayodhya, a realm ruled by the Sun dynasty, where peace reigns among the citizens while discord simmers behind the palace walls, a prophecy predicts that a son of the Sun dynasty will slay the immortal Ravana and defeat his demon army—but how will a mere human succeed where all the gods have failed?

Vrinda Sheth (right) as Kaikeyi and Anapayini Jakupko as Queen Kaushalya did an extraordinary performance.

Meanwhile, Ayodhya’s emperor is torn between his own needs and the needs of the empire. His rebellious third wife, Kaikeyi, raised as a warrior, is haunted by her past. A defiant servant, stigmatized by her deformity, is willing to destroy the empire to achieve her own aims. A prince, unaware of his own divine origin, falls in love with a princess so extraordinary even the all-seeing sages cannot fathom her destiny. Shape-shifting blood-drinkers from the celestial realm fill the forests around the city, and the time of prophecy is drawing near—but will the blessings of the gods be enough to fend off the darkness growing in the heart of Ayodhya?

A truly original reimagining of the classic Indian epic, the Ramayana, as told primarily through the eyes of the women behind the throne, Shadows of the Sun Dynasty reveals an entirely new perspective on an ancient story.

Set in a world of kings and queens, celestial battles, invisible foes, and family rivalries, this epic tale forges legends in the fires of betrayal and prophecy.

Book signing after the performances.

Some opinions about the book:

“Vrinda Sheth’s brand new retelling of the Ramayana brings the great epic vividly to life. She weaves an insightful story around the original narrative, plunging us deeply into the drama filled lives of its many fascinating characters. A highly entertaining read that never loses sight of the profound spiritual themes that run through the revered classic. Moving and uplifting. I can hardly wait for the next two volumes.”—KRISHNA DHARMA, author of “The Ramayana: India’s Immortal Tale of Adventure, Love, and Wisdom.”

“Reader, be prepared for a treat. Vrinda Sheth’s Ramayana is far beyond routine story-telling. Her telling is full of the kind of personal detail and insight that comes from knowing her subjects at a heart level.” — RANCHOR PRIME, Author of “Ramayana: A Tale of Gods and Demons.” 

“What especially stands out in this edition of the Ramayana is the celebration of the feminine voice: the female characters who would normally be overshadowed by their male counterparts are now invested with agency and power. The extraordinary positive contributions from such female personalities leaves the reader with a fresh view of this amazing tale.” — GRAHAM M. SCHWEIG, PHD, author of “Bhagavad Gītā: The Beloved Lord’s Secret Love Song.”

Source:http://iskconnews.org/shadows-of-the-sun-dynasty-a-new-ramayana-book,5816/

It’s always inspiring to see how different ISKCON communities around the world bring their own creativity to their Vaishnava festivals, giving them new depth and adding new experiences.

Last week, we took a look at the recent Radhastami festival in Dallas, Texas, where devotees bathed Sri-Sri Radha Kalachandji in 50,000 roses and then took Them on a swanboat ride in a handmade pond. 

This week, we’ll visit the Sri Mayapur International School at ISKCON’s headquarters in West Bengal, India, where youth aged ten to seventeen impressively put on every single element of their own Radhastami festival.

“Mayapur is so huge, and so many pilgrims come for the main Radhastami celebration at the temple, that it’s not really a community celebration,” says parent and teacher Noam Hillel. “So we decided to hold our own festival the evening after the main one, with students, faculty, parents and all other community members who wanted to attend.”

The girls prepare the flowers for the Puspa Abhisekha

About fifty youth under eighteen worked hard to put on the festival, with boys and girls embarking on their own separate efforts and bringing them together on the day.

The boys marketed the event, designing and printing brochures which they then sold door-to-door in Mayapur. They prepared their ashram backyard for the festival, setting up electric and lighting, and illuminating the path leading into the yard with Chinese lanterns made from paper bags filled with sand and candles.

They also constructed a “fire sign” of the words “Jay Sri Radhe” out of bamboo, wires, jute and diesel, with guidance from Noam, who learned the skill in the Israeli scouts. And they purchased ingredients and cooked prasadam for nearly 300 devotees.

The boys chop veggies

Meanwhile the girls wrote and directed several dramas for different grades, elaborately decorated the yard, set up the altar and Deities, and created signs advertising the festival which were placed around the campus and temple.

“We divided everyone up into teams, and each team had their own task which they were responsible for,” says Noam. “Myself and my wife Shaili tried to let them do as much as possible by themselves, facilitating and supporting them but leaving the execution to them.”

Although the festival had originally been planned as a small event, the youth were so enthusiastic in bringing their ideas and energy to the table that it grew into a much larger celebration.

Performing a Radha-Krishna drama

Festivities began as dusk fell, with youth receiving senior devotees and singing bhajans in the atmospheric lighting. Looking over them was an altar decorated with fresh flowers and housing many different Radha Krishna Deities from community devotees’ homes.

One of the girls then began MCing the program, introducing two dramas by the younger grades – one on The Qualities of Srimati Radharani, and the other on how the gopis cured Krishna’s headache with the dust from their lotus feet.

A performance by the youth followed, in which Lord Krishna proved the superiority of Radharani above all others through an enchanting Vrindavana pastime.

“All the dramas were so sweet and touching,” says Noam.

Singing bhajans for Their Lordships

The girls, serving as pujaris (priests), then offered a puspa abhisekha, in which the Deities were bathed in flowers, and all the devotees offered lamps which flickered brightly in the darkness.

The “Jay Sri Radhe” fire sign was then lit, the sacred words blazing with tongues of flame as a raucous kirtan went on with everyone gathering, fascinated, around the sign and roaring out, “Jay Sri Radheeeee!”

Finally, children, youth and adults sat down to a delicious feast of rice, dahl, paneer and mixed vegetable subjis, lemonade, and halava for dessert.

Serving prasadam

“All the devotees were so happy,” Noam says. “They said this was the best community festival they had ever been at, and that it made them nostalgic for their home communities. They all encouraged us to do something like this again!”

For their part, the youth also had an extremely positive experience.

“It was their first time doing something like this, and it was such a success and was so appreciated by all the community members that they are very enthusiastic about doing more programs in the future, too,” Noam says. 

Offering lamps

They won’t have to wait for long – the next Sri Mayapur International School festival will be Ramachandra Vijayotsava on October 11th, when students will set up a dramatic burning of the demon Ravana.

And soon after that, on October 31st, will be Govardhana Puja, another perfect opportunity for them to engage their creativity in devotional service.

Source:http://iskconnews.org/mayapur-schoolchildren-put-on-their-own-radhastami,5817/

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust press release

The award-winning book Vanity Karma: Ecclesiastes, the Bhagavad-gita, and the meaning of life is now available as a high-quality ebook at the Kindle Store, on Google Play, and on iBooks.

What is life for? What may give it meaning? Does it have any meaning at all?

Such questions are independently explored both in the wisdom book Ecclesiastes and in the Bhagavad-gītā. InVanity Karma, wisdom meets wisdom as these two perennial classics come together, uniting in a fascinating exploration.

Jayadvaita Swami, an American monk in the Indian tradition of Krishna spirituality, offers us a deep and authentic spiritual understanding that, we may find, can infuse our lives with meaning and with joy.

“As a scholar of Ecclesiastes, I am deeply impressed with his grasp of the book’s message. I enthusiastically recommend this book to all.” –Tremper Longman III, author of the New International Commentary on the book of Ecclesiastes

Vanity Karma is the winner of the 2016 Benjamin Franklin gold award given by the Independent Book Publishers Association for the year’s best book in the category “Religion.”

Source:http://www.jswami.info/vanity-karma-ebook-announcement/

“Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains in his Anubhasya, ‘A person who has attracted the attention of the spiritual master by his sincere service likes to dance and chant with similarly developed Krsna conscious devotees. The spiritual master authorizes such a devotee to deliver fallen souls in all parts of the world. Those who are not advanced prefer to chant the Hare Krsna mantra in a solitary place.’ Such activities constitute, in the language of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, a type of cheating process in the sense that they imitate the activities of exalted personalities like Haridasa Thakura. One should not attempt to imitate such exalted devotees. Rather, everyone should endeavor to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in all parts of the world and thus become successful in spiritual life. One who is not very expert in preaching may chant in a secluded place, avoiding bad association, but for one who is actually advanced, preaching and meeting people who are not engaged in devotional service are not disadvantages. A devotee gives the nondevotees his association but is not affected by their misbehavior. Thus by the activities of a pure devotee even those who are bereft of love of Godhead get a chance to become devotees of the Lord one day.” (Cc Adi 7.92 purport)

Source:http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=11417

Hundreds are expected to attend the upcoming Hare Krishna festival this Friday.

On Friday the Hare Krishna festival will be held at the Fairway Hall, in Brook Close, Borehamwood at 7pm with live music, dance and vegetarian food and is open to the public.

ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) and local members of the Hare Krishna movement have teamed up to invite the public to the festivities.

Giridhari Das, a Hare Krishna monk who heads the UK festival team, said: "Probably best known from the Glastonbury Music Festival or for singing in the streets of central London, as the Hare Krishna Festival team we tend to appear all over the place. Whether local carnivals, theatres or town halls we like to be with the people."

The Hare Krishna Movement follows ancient teachings of devotional yoga with roots in the Vedic culture of India, dating back more than 5,000 years.

It became popular in the 1960’s when its message was brought to western countries by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada – an Indian guru, aged 70, who left Vrindavan, India, and set sail for the United States in 1965 with just a few dollars in his pocket.

Within a year of his arrival he set up ISKCON, and today the movement has more than 700 temples and centres worldwide, including 60 farm communities, 50 schools and 90 restaurants.

The Borehamwood festival, and other festivals across the UK this year, is part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Hare Krishna movement.

Nathan Hartley, who looks after PR & Communications at ISKCON Festivals, said: "Our philosophy is very rich and attractive to many people. In a world that’s becoming increasingly competitive, and has people believing they will only be happy through material gain, we are showing a deeply positive alternative.

"The Krishna Consciousness message is for everyone. A universal, non-sectarian message of love, simple living, service and above all – connecting the self with the original spiritual source, Krishna."

Source:http://m.times-series.co.uk/news/14759446.Hundreds_expected_for_the_Hare_Krishna_festival/

A small padayatra was held in Malaysia on August 14th. It was organized by ISKCON Teluk (Mayapur Baru) and commemorated ‘World Holy Name Week’ and ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. Srila Prabhupada visited the town of Teluk Intan located in the Hilir Perak district of Malaysia in 1970. He also visited the Mariamman Temple here. Now, years later it was decided that this temple would be the starting point of the commemorative padayatra.

The padayatra was set to take place at 5:30 pm. There were around 50 devotees gathered at the Mariamman Temple. We also carried a murti i of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. We had organized some media coverage from a local newspaper, ‘Tamil Malar.’ They were meant to cover the event from the beginning but unfortunately, because they had arrived late, it didn’t work out. They did, however; agree to publish the event later after we had completed the walk.

We made our way through housing estates, shops, and suburbs. There were many people who came to watch the procession. It was a happy event for all the devotees, even the children cheerfully carried around the maha-mantra signs. Our padayatris distributed small books, pamphlets, and souvenirs to the public.

At 10:00 pm that evening we ended the padayatra at the temple with puja, kirtana, and prasadam. The devotees that joined the padayatra saw their participation as special mercy. Everyone was happy to have had the opportunity to serve Srila Prabhupada.

For more photos click here: https://goo.gl/u9Dea2

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31566

On August 9th at 11am devotees gathered at the Lenasia Civic Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. Srila Prabhupada had met the people of Lenasia 41 years ago at this very center. This marked the first padayatra held in the province, and commemorated ISKON’s 50th anniversary as well as ‘National Women’s Day’.

Spreading the word

Once the date was set devotees rallied together to advertise the event –from Facebook to Twitter, to ISKCON newsletters and Sunday Love Feast announcements, everyone was hearing about the padayatra. We also partnered with a local radio station ‘East Wave Radio’ where Isvara Puri Dasa did a live telephonic interview the day before. He featured on the radio station’s ‘Drive Show’ which has a listenership of approximately 500 000 people. On the day of the padayatra I gave a talk on the same radio station during the ‘Breakfast Show.’ Our media partner was local newspaper ‘Southern Globe’ whose papers reach 30 000 people. We had an article and photograph of padayatra featured. In addition to this, devotees distributed pamphlets to houses on the route, surrounding areas and to various temples in Lenasia. We were honored also to have esteemed guests Rama Govinda Swami, Subhag Maharaja and a host of other senior members of ISKCON joining us as well as having the support of the entire community.

Srila Prabhupada’s grand entrance

Cars honked, conches were blown and devotees sang and danced. A murti of His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada was transported in a luxury Mercedes-Benz from the temple to the Civic Centre. He was welcomed by over 200 enthusiastic people who had all gathered to celebrate the momentous occasion. Srila Prabhupada was seated a top a vyasasana made especially for him which, fit snugly into the back of a pick- up truck. He was escorted throughout the entire padayatra by five police vehicles.

Speeches, kirtana, sweets and arati

We had arranged for two guest speakers to give inaugural speeches: Nandarani Dasi spoke on behalf of ISKCON and Mrs. LucySigaban, a female community leader in the Gauteng Province, also spoke. The speeches commemorated ‘National Women’s Day’ and ISKCON’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. The formalities also included an invocation by Vishnu Dasa and an arati conducted by both Rama Govinda Swami and Subhag Maharaja. After the ceremonials padayatra made its way down Rose Avenue escorted by street marshals and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officials. The local devotee ‘youth group’ performed kirtana throughout the walk. During the padayatra, we distributed sweetmeats, fruits and books to the public. We made our first stop at the ‘Shree Rameshwar Mahadev Mandir’ where Pundit Girish Bhai conducted arati. The procession then made its way to Rose Park where a team of devotees had already set up distributing sumptuous prasadam to the public.

Who is that?

During the padayatra, people would often ask us about Srila Prabhupada. They wanted to know why he was sitting and not saying anything, and others wanted to know if they could touch his feet. We took this as a good opportunity to explain to people about Srila Prabhupada. The sun was blazing but with a cool breeze accompanying it, the procession kept moving. It was a joyous walk with many African people joining us; they sang, danced and jumped in ecstasy as they all tried to get some mercy. We ended the padayatra at the park with Nrishmadev prayers. Devotees then settled down on the grass and took the prasadam that was being served. We thank the devotees and public for their participation in making this a successful event.

For more photos click here: https://goo.gl/4thTYo

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31571

A recently published news story quickly caught my attention. It suggested that there are principally four types of personalities. After carrying out a research project of its own style, researchers in Spain have concluded that the four distinct personality types are: Optimistic, Pessimistic, Envious, and Trusting. They also suggested there is a fifth one but the computer algorithm they used couldn’t accurately identify it. What I found interesting was the concept of four types of personalities, something that is elaborately and authoritatively explained in the Vedic scriptures as Varnashrama dharma.

“A study on human behavior has revealed that 90% of the population can be classified into four basic personality types: Optimistic, Pessimistic, Trusting and Envious. However, the latter of the four types, Envious, is the most common, with 30% compared to 20% for each of the other groups. This is one of the main conclusions of a study recently published in the journal, Science Advances by researchers from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, together with colleagues from the universities of Barcelona, Rovira i Virgili and Zaragoza. The study analyzed the responses of 541 volunteers to hundreds of social dilemmas, with options leading to collaboration or conflict with others, based on individual or collective interests.” (A study on human behavior has identified four basic personality types)

Four types of personalities

If you know about Varnashrama dharma you may immediately react saying this findings has hardly anything to do with Varnashrama; more specifically the four varnas. This is largely true in that Varnashrama dharma talks of four distinct types of people with specific sets of qualities while this research talks only about total four qualities. This in itself is a huge difference and shows how Varnashrama dharma is much more scientific, versatile and meaningful. The other reason that makes this research practically worthless is, as usual, their conclusion is based on a survey conducted on mere 541 volunteers out of more than a billion on the planet.

However, there is a reason to talk about this particular research; four types of personalities. By personality, they are basically referring to class of people as qualities or attitude is what defines a person’s character. Obviously the four qualities they have come up with, namely, Optimistic, Pessimistic, Trusting and Envious, are among the characteristics of human beings but to divide human temperaments into this four is too limiting and far from perceivable reality.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 4.13 that He, the Supreme Lord, has divided human society in four varnas and four ashramas according to their qualities and work.

chatur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah
tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam

TRANSLATION: According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable. (B.G. 4.13).

In verse 18.41, Lord Krishna again speaks about this:

brahmana-ksatriya-visham shudranam cha paran-tapa
karmani pravibhaktani svabhava-prabhavair gunaiḥ

TRANSLATION: Brahmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaishyas and shudras are distinguished by the qualities born of their own natures in accordance with the material modes, O chastiser of the enemy.

Although modern society tends to reject Varnashrama dharma in the name of rejecting caste system based on birthrights, Varnashrama dharma is actually based on guna (qualities) and karma (work) as mentioned in the verse above. Besides, simply by passing legislation we cannot change the laws of Nature. Accept or not, the four varnas, or the four fundamental classes of people; brahmanas (intelligent class), kshatriya (administrative class), vaishya (mercantile class), and shudra (working class) always exist regardless of what we name it. Similarly the four ashramas: brahmachari (students), grihastha, (householders), vanaprastha (retired), and sannyasa (renunciants) always exist.

Moreover, Bhagavad Gita clearly names the qualities with which each of the four classes of people operate:

“Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas work. Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the ksatriyas. Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaishyas, and for the shudras there is labor and service to others.” (B.G. 14.42-44)

Just as modern science is slowly getting closer to Vedic science and realizing that, apart from ours, there are other civilizations in the universe, researchers in other faculties have also begun to understand that human psychology, astrology, medical science and even military arts explained in Vedic scriptures is not only authentic but far more superior to what we have today. It is only the good fortune of mankind that the original teachings of Vedic scriptures is still available to us. The fact that many researchers and psychologists are lately talking about four types of personalities is a step forward in understanding Vedic concept of four classes of human beings.

Source:http://mayapurvoice.com/svagatam/researchers-get-closer-understanding-varnashrama-dharma/

One of the highlights for me at the recent Sadhu Sanga Kirtan Retreat was an instruction on mantra meditation. It was spoken by Sacinandana Swami in reference to the Gayatri Mantras that are chanted when one receives advanced initiation in the practice of Bhakti Yoga, but it’s a guide that can be applied to any mantra meditation practice: “Don’t starve your mantras”
Our devotional yoga involves the chanting of many mantras, the main one being the Hare Krishna mantra. A successful chanting practice needs both regulation and attention. When we neglect either of those, the mantra becomes weak and has little or no impact in our efforts for transcendence.
When we skip days in our practice, sometimes chanting, sometimes not, we are starving our mantras. When we chant mindlessly, just getting the prescribed number of mantras done, without attention or emotion, we are starving our mantras.
When we starve the mantras they leave us.
They will also come back to us, to our life, when we give them time and attention. The mantras themselves don’t need anything, they are transcendental sound vibrations, but will not work without our participation. If we chant with committed regulation, and chant with deliberate attention, they have the potency to shift our lives to higher ways of thinking and being. The sound purifies, frees our mind from misery and reawakens our original love for Krishna. This is their magic, the gift they give to us.
So don’t starve your mantras. Give them the time and attention then need, which is really the time and attention you need.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31579

Sacinandana Swami: As practitioners that chant the holy name we all know how difficult it is to connect the mind with the holy name because by definition, the mind is only able to grasp material things. The mind can think of holidays at the beach or any other material subject. It is especially attracted to think about how to increase one’s wealth and how to engage in sexual activities. These are things we can easily think about because the mind is shaped like this. It wraps itself around money and the opposite sex very easily; it’s made like this, it’s a perfect material match. but the mind has great difficulty to stay with Krishna. Since we have come to the world, this is our problem: we have turned our back to Kåñëa, and this bahir-mukha, being outwardly faced, especially manifests when we try to chant the holy names. In other words, our basic envy of god, our feeling ill at ease with the lord manifests to a very obvious degree when we chant the holy name.
As long as you turn away from Krishna, you cannot chant his holy name. You can try to concentrate, but after some time you can’t stay with it any longer. The mind will go back to the material subjects it is made for. Chanting the holy name is therefore only possible if you turn back to Krishna, in other words, if you chant with a sense of a relationship. Therefore we say during kirtana, when you chant – call out for Krishna! Without overcoming this tendency to turn away from Krishna there is no way that you will learn to chant Hare Krishna There is no way if you remain a bahir-mukha, an outward looking person. You can make kirtana which has a nice melody or rhythm or which is sung by a nice voice, but after some time you will give it up. You will switch it off like you switch off music that you have heard for too long. Only if you learn to get away from these external distractions, only if you learn to chant with your heart for Krishna, you will chant throughout the evening and the night. It’s that serious. You have to become a god-lover in order to love the holy name, or you have to love the holy name in order to love Krishna When we talk of the holy name, we talk of a love affair with god. Just as a lover will always think of the beloved, the devotee who engages with the holy name will always think of Krishna and therefore he will repeat the names of the Lord again and again. It will not be mindless repetition; it will be a loving journey. So this one offence, turning away from Krishna, is the root cause of all other obstacles. It is the primeval disease. Haridasa Thakura says about this, “Even if one successfully overcomes all the other offences in chanting and even if one chants the name continuously, prema or love may still not appear. The reason for this is that if one commits the offence known as pramada or inattention the progress to prema will be blocked.” (Hari-nama-cintamani, ch. 12) You may respect the devotees, you may respect lord Vishnu, you may respect your guru, you may respect the sastra, you may do all the other things, but as long as you have still turned your back to Krishna and are not thinking of Krishna while you do all the other things, you are still in the material world. Therefore, you must turn to Krishna, you must correct this one primeval, original problem of turning away from Krishna

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31579

Q: You mentioned in your video, diksha refers to getting the mantra and shiksa refers to getting instructions on how to chant it…

Dīkṣā means acceptance into the educational process (aka “sādhana”) of a given school. This acceptance is accomplished by giving the student the school’s study materials (mantra and śāstra)

Q: We already got the mantra from some devotee, we may not even remember whom. Would a formal initiation ceremony benefit us?

Hearing a mantra from someone on the sidewalk is a haphazard dīkṣā at best. Real dīkṣā should be intentional. The person giving it should be recognized by the school as worthy of evaluating whether a candidate is worthy of being inducted into the school. And the induction should be done deliberately.

Just hearing a mantra doesn’t mean I am inducted into the school that uses the mantra. Induction into a school involves being given their mantras, but simply hearing their mantras doesn’t mean you have been inducted into their school.

Q: Siksha guru plays more significant role than diksha guru?

Dīkṣā is the beginning of śīkṣā. The aren’t two different things, and generally its best if the dīkṣā guru is also the primary śīkṣā guru.

But if for some reason the primary śikṣā guru is different from the dīkṣā guru, then yes, the śīkṣā guru is practically more important – for dīkṣā is the beginning of śīkṣā, śīkṣā is the main process, dīkṣā is the beginning (“initiation”) of it.

Q: In the current scenario, the siksha gurus who guide us daily are mostly not authorized by the ISKCON institution to give diksha. In this case, should one aspire to receive dīkṣā initiation from the diksha guru of one’s siksha guru, based on the assumption that since his siksha guru is so great, the diksha guru must be great as well – because a deer cannot give birth to a lion?

If you feel that a person represents a school very authentically and deeply, and want to be joined to the school via that person – but that school (or a branch of it in this case)  does not agree that the person is worthy – you will have to figure out who is wrong: you or the branch of the school. Either your opinion of that person is wrong, or your opinion of the value of that school-branch is wrong. If you decide that the branch is wrong, then leave the branch. If you decide the person is wrong, leave the person. If the person will not induct / “initiate” you, then ask that person what to do (after all, you are their student).

Q: The diksha gurus authorized by ISKCON are often too busy having thousands of disciples, and may not have time to talk to his disciples directly. Most of the instruction comes through others, the councillors or siksha gurus. In such a situation, how will the formalities of initiation help a practicing devotee?

If the dīkṣā guru is authorized by an empowered branch of the school to accept you as a member of the school, then you are accepted. If that dīkṣā guru is too busy to instruct you carefully he or she would assign you to an appropriate śīkṣā guru, and would not interfere with the instruction you receive there, knowing his practical limitations. If he or she does not entrust you into the care of a śikṣā guru then the dīkṣā guru is not sincere, for they do not truly desire to benefit the disciple.

Such people should be corrected, and if that is impossible, they should be renounced.

Q: Can one person have more than one guru?

An individual should accept one school, or at least one at a time. It generally difficult to attend two schools simultaneously. Therefore there should be need for only one successful dīkṣā (per school, at least) So, basically, there should only be one dīkṣā guru per disciple. But everyone in the universe and everything should become our śikṣā guru. We should have multiple śīkṣā gurus, infinite śikṣā gurus, but there should be order and priority amongst them. The dīkṣā guru would ideally be the śīkṣā guru of highest order and priority. Others further along in our own school are other high-priority śīkṣā gurus. Others from other schools, or just random people and animals are also śīkṣā gurus, but their teachings are understood in context of the teachings of the higher-priority śikṣā gurus.

Śrī Krishna Dās Kavirāja therefore says, “vande ‘haṁ śrī guroḥ, śrī guruṁ vaiṣṇavamś ca” which means “Obeisance to my guru (singular, dīkṣā guru), and also to my gurus (plural, śikṣā gurus), especially the Vaiṣṇavas (the highest-priority śikṣā gurus).

Source:https://vicd108.wordpress.com/2016/09/21/important-questions-about-gurus/