MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. – The Ramkumar family piled into their van early Saturday morning and drove five hours west from their home in the Washington suburbs into the American heartland.

They passed cows and horses, church after church, Trump-Pence yard signs. And then they arrived at the Palace of Gold.

They parked, took off their shoes and entered the temple. They lowered themselves all the way to the ground, foreheads touching the floor in obeisance. Then they took their seats and began to chant: “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna.”

The Palace of Gold – ornate, lavish and completely unexpected on this remote hilltop – was built by early devotees who taught themselves to cut marble and stained glass in order to pay homage to the traditions of India.

Back then, members of the Hare Krishna faith – more formally known as ISKCON or the International Society of Krishna Consciousness – were mostly young, white hippies drawn to a new version of counterculture spirituality. They gave up their jobs and their homes and then gave up alcohol and drugs and extramarital sex. They went to live in remote communes and proselytized to strangers in airports.

Today on the 50th anniversary of this homegrown religion, something remarkable has happened. After waves of migration to the United States from India over the past two decades, the vast majority of Hare Krishna’s believers in America are no longer white Americans. They’re Indian immigrants like the Ramkumars, who hold down regular jobs and drive to temples to worship, rather than live in communes.

With its roots in centuries-old Hindu beliefs, the religion invented in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada reminded Ramkumar Manoharan and his wife, Jeyasree Jeyabalan, of the complex faith of their childhoods.

“We used to worship different forms of God, all the forms of God. . . . We were like a supermarket of gods,” said Manoharan, an IT contractor for the Department of Homeland Security .

Not long after Manoharan and Jeyabalan moved to the United States in the late 1990s, they were told by a relative about a palace in West Virginia built in the style of an Indian shrine. So they decided to take a sightseeing trip.

“And right in this place,” Manoharan says, pointing at the ground in the West Virginia temple, he picked up his first copy of one of Prabhupada’s many books. Now, standing in the same spot years later, he points out the book that changed his life to his 10-year-old daughter Hamsika.

He came to believe what the book said, he tells Hamsika – that there was only one God, Krishna, and that he should worship only the deities who are forms of Krishna.

After that trip, Manoharan and Jeyabalan started chanting the Hare Krishna mantra at home. Now, they spend two hours every day repeating the three-word chant, praising Krishna over and over again. Hamsika makes an offering on the family altar each morning before skipping off to elementary school, and her 16-year-old sister, Sunethra, chants the Krishna mantra as a break from her SAT prep.

Burke Rochford, a Middlebury College professor who has studied the Hare Krishna movement since 1975, said that like the Ramkumars, many of today’s Hare Krishna believers started out looking for Hindu temples like those they left behind in India. They soon discovered that Hare Krishna temples and centers were often easier to find in American cities, Rochford said.

As Hare Krishna’s following has grown more mainstream, its profile on the American faith landscape has faded.

In the 1960s and ’70s, Hare Krishnas were a fixture in popular culture. George Harrison sang their mantra in his 1970 hit “My Sweet Lord,” and the mantra resounded on Broadway in the musical “Hair.” Hare Krishnas showed up in their orange robes and mostly-shaven heads as recurring characters in the 1980 comedy “Airplane!” – and in almost every traveler’s experiences in real-life airports too.

“Twenty years ago, when I’d walk into a class and ask people if they knew who the Hare Krishnas were, virtually everybody would raise their hands,” Rochford said. “There was hardly a middle-class person in America who ever went to an airport who didn’t know the Hare Krishnas were in that airport.” Today, Rochford said, about half his young students have never heard of the Hare Krishnas.

Although the berobed men in the airports drummed up donations, the attention on the religion was largely negative. The communes where devotees gave all their earnings to the temple and raised their children communally were viewed as cults. Then far darker news came out – ISKCON publicly confessed in 1998 to egregious physical and sexual abuse at the boarding schools where Hare Krishna parents often left their children while they traveled to solicit donations and souls for the movement.

Nowhere are ISKCON’s darkest moments better known than at New Vrindaban, the West Virginia spot where devotees originally set out to build a house for their revered founder, then turned the edifice into a palace dedicated to his memory when he died while it was still under construction.

Kirtanananda Swami, the leader of New Vrindaban’s 400-member commune, inspired extreme devotion in his followers – even when he was arrested and sent to prison on mail fraud and racketeering charges in connection with the murders of two followers who disobeyed him. The New Vrindaban community, which was once supposed to house the founder of the faith, was kicked out of ISKCON entirely.

Today, five years since Kirtanananda’s death, New Vrindaban is back in the fold. In fact, ISKCON showcases the spectacular Palace of Gold in its worldwide marketing material. Although 150 followers are living communally here, the West Virginia attraction serves primarily as a beacon for thousands of Hare Krishna families on pilgrimages, like the Ramkumars, who typically make the drive from their Chantilly, Va., home a few times a year. Tourism from those outside the faith is picking up again, too.

There’s even talk at New Vrindaban about adding a yoga center on the lush grounds, where cows and peacocks roam free.

They may not be in airports anymore – many airports banned them, and ISKCON lost a Supreme Court case claiming a constitutional right to proselytize in the terminals – but the Hare Krishnas still believe in spreading the word about their faith far and wide. Manoharan has traveled with fellow members of the ISKCON temple in Potomac, Md., to distribute literature in cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa.

The religion has found another route to recruitment in the country’s current fascination with Eastern spiritual practices. After all, Hare Krishnas were doing yoga long before moms in America were wearing yoga pants. And meditation is at the core of their faith. The Hare Krishna mantra consists of three words praising Krishna that are repeated over and over in a precise pattern to clear the mind.

Urukrama Das, a Hare Krishna devotee who was visiting the West Virginia temple the same weekend as the Ramkumar family, marvels at how mainstream culture seems to be moving closer to Hare Krishna culture in the years since he joined the faith in 1995.

A native of Estonia, Das was a full-time religious worker in Denver and then in Kansas City. “Now, if you want to join and be full time in the temple, they look at you like, ‘Do you really want to do that? Finish your education first,’ ” Das said. “Back then, the attitude was, ‘Drop everything and come on in.’ “

At age 30, he took his first job outside the faith. He now drives a delivery truck for United Parcel Service in Columbus, Ohio.

He spotted a poster in the UPS break room recently, advising employees about tips for healthy living. Get enough sleep and eat your vegetables, the poster said. And for stress relief, try meditation.

“What the hell is meditation?” a fellow UPS driver grumbled upon seeing the sign. Another driver pointed to Das: “Ask him.”

It was the perfect opening. Das found himself explaining his spiritual practice to his colleagues.

Sitting in the temple at New Vrindaban, he looked around at his fellow devotees. They all get it – they had come to this place this weekend to chant all day long Saturday. Under a stained-glass skylight, they sang the mantra to an ever-changing tune, taking breaks from their ecstatic worship to humbly offer food and candles to the deities sparkling on their altars.

“This is an age of the mind,” Das said. “Wow! Right there in the UPS hallway. Even UPS is preaching our way.”

harekrishnas

Source:https://www.abqjournal.com/876347/after-50-years-hare-krishnas-are-no-longer-berobed-hippies-who-proselytize-in-airports.html

On behalf of ISKCON Desire Tree, we would like to express our sincerest and deepest gratitude for helping us maintain Srila Prabhupada's web-seva! We are able to reach significant devotee and soon to be devotee audiences. 

On the auspicious occasion of Damodar Month, any pious act done during Kartik month is 1,000 times more beneficial! We humbly request you to donate and support ISKCON Desire Tree (IDT).  IDT employs 35 full-time devotees. In addition, we bear high maintenance costs. Our monthly expenses are about 8 lakh rupees (~ 12,000 USD). We are in dire need of funds. 

Once, this Azerbaijan devotee, Garuda Vahana Das and I were at the University of Utah, where practically everyone is fixed up in Mormonism, and we approached a student reading outside on a bench.
Garuda: (Russian accent) Excuse me, I have book for you, about Yoga, you know, meditation.
Student: That sounds great, but I think I’m okay.
(Garuda always wears common cloth, and I always go in dhoti, so at this time the kid starts seeing me and begins to understand what’s up)
Garuda: No this is a spiritual yoga. It talks about karma, you heard of karma?
Student: Oh I see, which religion are you? I’m Mormon and (holding Easy Journey) I think that this stuff is against my religion.
Me: But you are a student here right? Surely you have studied Darwinism, and Big Bang Theory right?
Student: Yeah…..well…
Me: Well that’s against your religion, we are for creationism also, this book scientifically proves the soul and God.
Student: (Feeling a bit embarrassed, but amused) well, I guess you are right, okay I’ll take it..
Another time at Utah Valley State, I was approaching people outside. I learned this really corny but funny line when I used to hippie around to all the Phil Lesh Grateful Dead shows back in the day. We would go around the parking lot and try to make everyone smile especially people who looked morose. So I decided to use it as a cold approach.
Me: (Seeing a morose-faced girl coming) Hey excuse me you dropped your….(pointing to the ground) ……your smile.
(People by reaction immediately smile to this cheesy one)
Me: Here I have a book for you….have you heard of stress
Her: Have I ever!
(Seeing that she also had bulging belly, being serious now, I asked)
Me: So How many months pregnant are you?
Her: That’s what I’m so stressed out about, I’m not pregnant! I have this beer belly from hell, I’m poor, I have no money….I’m always depressed.
(I could tell she was serious, but still she was kind of smiling, so I was confused a little because I swear she was pregnant, she looked like it! but she seemed serious).
Me: Oh….. I’m so sorry. I’ll tell you what, in this book here it talks about how we are not the body, but spirit soul and how we can end all misery in life by mantra meditation. Just give a small donation for the printing.
Her: Okay (she said firmly) I only have 5 dollars. It’s all I have to my name. It better be good. Is it?
Me: I swear it!
ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA, WHO BY HIS MERCY ALLOWS US TO ENGAGE IN SUCH A SERVICE. ALL GLORIES TO THE AMAZING SPIRITUAL MASTER WHO PICKS UP FALLEN CRIMINALS AND OUTLAWS OF DHARMA AND ENGAGES THEM AS IF THEY WERE ALREADY ON THE DEVOTIONAL PLATFORM!
Your Servent, Bk John
Spanish Fork, Utah

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32829

Compiled by Mother Gandhari dasi – Ayurvedic Lifestyle and Bhakti Yoga Instructor

Diwali comes from the word Dipavali which has two words dipa means light and avali means carrier. Therefore Dipa or Diya (1) signifies ‘coming to light’. In the Vedic Literature it is mentioned: “Tamasa Ma, Jyotir Gamaya” means ‘Do not remain in Darkness, Come to Light’, meaning ‘come to spiritual awareness or awakening’.

In the Bhagavat Gita Chapter four verse seven and eight Lord Krsna says: ‘yada yada hi dharmasya glani bhavati bharata, abhyudhan dharmasya, tadatmana srijyamya ham, Pavitranaya sadhunam, vinasaya ca duscritam’. Translation is ‘Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious principles and predominant rise in irreligion, I descend Myself again and again to kill the miscreants and to re-establish the principles of Dharma’ This is illustrated in the Diwali celebrations which are in the rememberace of Lord Krsna’s various pastimes. Unless the true meanings of these celebrations are understood they will become merely commercialized These events have been celebrated for millions of years. E.g. Lord Rama and his whole entourage had appeared on earth in Treta Yuga

*(2) the stories of Ramayana are still alive because the devoted people have been singing them since time immemorial. All the places of His various pastimes are still there with their original names and are visited by devoted bhaktas from all over the world. Reciting these pastimes of the Supreme Lord Rama, Krsna, and His incarnations purifies a person’s existence and releases them from cycle of samsara.

*(3) or rebirth. The histories of the following incarnations are remembered during Diwali season. Lord Krsna, Rama, Vaman, Purshurama, Kurma, Dhanvantari and his associates like Kuvera, Yamaraj, Durvasa, Pandavas, Vikramditya, Bali, Indra and other managers of the universal affairs like Laxmi, Amba, Kali and Surabhi. All these stories are in Srimad Bhagavad and also some Puranas. Presently we are very fortunate that A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami had translated the Bhagavad Purana into English and is available in many other languages on www.krsna.com (books on line). Diwali also celebrations give opportunity for the householders (grhasthas) to perform Pancha Yajnas to counteract the sins commited daily by humans beings. 1)Performing sacrifices to the Supreme Lord in His various incarnations or His managers. 2) Reciting the scriptures. 3)Offering oblation to forefathers (Pitris). 4)Feeding human beings (which include Brahamans). 5)Feeding and taking care of other living entities including the cows. Devotees of Krsna, if they have fully surrendered to the instructions of their guru and Krsna may not need to follow the worldly duties. The wise will still follow the Varnashram principals to show examples to others and not to disrupt the social system (principals of Varnashram System as laid down by Supreme Lord Krsna Himself).

Diwali is celebrated for the following reasons and more: a) Return of Lord Ramachandra from His exile for 14 years.

*(4) Lord Rama is an incarnation of Krsna. b) The appearance of Laxmidevi from the ocean of milk.

*(5) during the Churning of the Ocean of Milk and Lord Visnu (Krsna took the form of Kurma – Tortoise and Mohini Murti (Krsna’s incarnation). c) Appearance of Lord Dhanvantari (also an Incarnation of Krsna), who gave Ayurveda. d) Lord Krsna’s release of the 16,100 princesses from clutches of the demon Narkasura. e) Return of Bali Maharaj to his kingdom for one day from the Patal loka (lower planetary system) where he was sent by Krsna’s Incarnation of Vamana Deva. f) Observance of Kartika in Vrindavan for whole month for Lord Krsna’s pastimes of Damodar Lila. g) Duryodhan was killed on this day so all the Brijabasis had also celebrated Diwali and the return of Pandavas after their exile for one year during Lord Krsna’s pastimes on Earth 5000 years ago. h) Kuvera (the treasurer of the universe) was appointed at his post one of the universal managers appointed by Lord Krsna. i) Yamaraj (also an appointed managerial post of Lord of the Death for judgments of all actions of all living entities in the universe, appointed by Lord Krsna). j) King Vikramaditya was ordained on this day therefore the Vedic Calendar starts from then. k) Surabhi cow

*(6) had appeared from churning of the Milk Ocean (Kshirsagar) so the cows are worshipped and honored. l) Lord Krsna lifting the Govardhan Hill for seven days to protect the residents from Indra’s devastating rain.

*(7) m) Appearance of Lord Parasur Rama (incarnation of Lord Krsna) during this Season. n)Pandavas also return from their one year exile from the forest on this day. Many other reasons for celebration Diwali by the Sikhs, Jains and others also in India. Once Lord Indra was cursed by his guru Durvasa Muni to lose all his opulence because he disrespected him. Durvasa Muni was visiting Brahmaji (the Creator of this universe) and had received a garland from him which he gave to Indra who was riding on his Airavata the Elephant with many trunks. Indra was feeling very proud at that time and put the garland on the elephant’s head, who dropped it on the floor and trampled it. Durvasa Muni saw all this, and became angry and cursed him to be bereft of all his opulence. Thus Laxmidevi from his kingdom into the ocean. Without Laxmi, there cannot be any happiness or joy. The material world was sunk into gloom of darkness, and the Danavas (demons) were taking over the posts of Devas. That is when Lord Visnu devised the plan to churn the ocean of Milk to get the various jewels from the ocean including the Divine Goddess Laxmi. During Diwali everything in India comes to a standstill except family life, feasting, gifting and greeting. It is the last day of the Vedic Calendar therefore there is the significance of ending the year with festivities and preparing to welcome the New Year with auspicious beginnings. The present Vedic calendar is started from the rule of the dynasty of the great king Vikramaditya (102 BC to 15 AD) that is why it is called Vikram savant which is 2063. Diwali festivities begin on the 10th day after the full moon on Dussera. Dussera literally means killing of ten headed (which was Ravana with ten heads). ‘Patasa’ (sugared candies) are profusely distributed because of Lord Ramachandraji’s killing of Ravana, the evil King of Lanka who had kidnapped Queen Sita. Preparations for Diwali are made one month ahead by thoroughly cleaning, painting and decorating homes, temples and businesses. It is considered to clear away the negativity of the past year and start the new year with fresh beginning.

*Special sweets and savories are made for the festive season. Gifts, gold and fireworks are bought. Greeting cards Diwali and New Years cards are sent to relatives and friends wishing them prosperity, joy, and happiness for the coming year. Unique sweets are only made on this occasion. Ekadasi 11th day (Vaisnavas fast from grains and worship Lord Krsna and perform spiritual austerities like doing extra parikramas around the temples, increase the number of Japa mala they do of the Lord’s holy names, visit special holy places of pilgrimages and temples, worship the deities and Tulasi plant with more opulence, give charity to brahamans, feed the cows. Any austerities, charity and sacrifices done on these days, multiplies the beneficial results thousand times. Dhanteras- 13th day or (Yamadeepan). Dhan

*(11) means wealth, so all the sources of income are honored and worshipped Goddess Laxmi, Lord Dhanvantari, Kuver (the treasurer of the Universe) and Yamaraja (the Lord of Death) are worshipped for various reasons according to the historic event that happened many yugas ago. Goddess Laxmi is bathed and worshipped on this day because she is the personification of wealth and she had appeared on this day from the churning of the ocean. Kuvera was ordained on his post on this day and since he is the treasurer of the universe, he is honored to get his grace to increase wealth and prosperity for the coming year. Something metal is bought for the household on this day especially new pots for the kitchen and gold ornaments for the wives. Lord Dhanvantari is honored for continuous health and longevity because he had appeared on this day from the ocean of Milk and had brought the knowledge of Ayurveda (science of longevity or science of life). In the villages, cattle are decorated because they represent Surabhi Cow

*(5) which had also appeared from the churning of the Ocean of Milk, and she is also the personification of wealth for the farmers and she gives the nectar of life (milk). In fact, Gau-mata (Holy Cow), is honored by devout Vaisnavas everyday to get spiritual blessings because Lord Krsna protected the cows and gave them in charity to brahmans dialy, while He was performing his pastimes on earth 5000 years ago. Seero (halavah) is offered to the deities. Small footprints of rice flour and kurn are drawn all over the house marking arrival of Laxmi Devi. Lord Yamaraj is given respects on this day so there will not be an untimely (death) to their family. Strings of diyas are kept on all night in the remembrance of the following story. Dhanteras History Once King Hima was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. That night his wife did not let him sleep. She placed all her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance and lit innumerable lamps all over the place. She sang songs and told stories to keep him awake. When Yama arrived in the guise of a serpent, his eyes were blinded by the dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the King’s chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of gold ornaments and coins and sat there the whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quickly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband’s life from the clutches of death. Since then Dhanteras is known as Yamadeepan – Lights that kept Yamaraja (death personified) away. This is also the start of rangolis season. Rangolis (sacred designs)

* (9) enhance the beauty of the courtyards and entrances for next two weeks. Rangolis are still drawn everyday in many homes in South India. They have many important material and spiritual benefits listed below. Toran

*(10) (festoons and garlands of mango leaves or beads with sacred symbols

*(8) decorate the doors to ward off negativity and bring auspiciousness. Displays of fireworks, festive foods and devotional music bring in the loving atmosphere. Kali Chaudas 14th day. (or Narak Caturthi). Celebrated on 14th day after the full moon. In Gujarat, black vada (puri like preparations made from Urad – black mung flour) are thrown in four directions with water, signifying (all negativity is put into those vada so they will carry away all negativity) clearing of all misunderstanding and negativity from the household. The auspicious lights, rangolis and chanting the glories of Lord Rama keep away the negative spirits. Special groups of people come to sing the glories of Lord Rama and His pastimes for donations (similar to Carol Singers) this may be going on only in the remote Northern India. This is also called Narak Caturthi in South India because Bali Maharaj returns to his kingdom for one day to light the first light of Diwali.

Diwali – Dipavali (Dark moon night – 30th or Amavash) Since Diwali falls during the dark moon fortnight, the whole city of Ayodhya was lit up with diyas to guide the Pushpak Viman

*(8) (flowered airplane of Lord Rama) to the place where His brother Bharat was eagerly waiting for Lord Rama to return or he was going to give up his life. This day was celebrated in the mood of receiving and welcoming Lord Ramachandra with His Divine Consort Mother Sitadevi and brother Laxman accompanied by Sri Hanumanji for their return to Ayodhya after His 14 years of Exile in the forest. Therefore the tradition is still carried on of decorating the cities, shops, streets and homes with beautiful lights, flowers, rangolis, scented water, waterpots, festoons, fireworks, music and sweets and gifts for one month.

Diwali is the last day of financial year so Vedic businessmen perform Chopra pujan (the new accounts books). Laxmiji is worshipped because of her appearance from the churning of the Milk Ocean. Her coins also receive abhishek (13). People draw holy swastika (the symbol for Laxmidevi) made of kum kum in her honor. Special sweets are made for meals on this day. Laxmijis glories are sung. Dinner parties are held in every home. Fireworks, rangolis and lamps are lighted for two weeks. Narkasura was killed by Lord Krsna’s Queen on this day. People in South India smash a bitter vegetable and smear their bodies with red kumkum signifying the blood of the demon as Lord Krsna had done. Men take their ceremonial scented baths after their smudging tumeric and sandal paste. Distribution of sweets and musical parties bring in the festive spirit. The story goes that Markasura had stolen Queen Aditi’s (the mother of devas) earring and Satyabhama (one of Lord Krsna’s eight special queens) was related to Aditi and wanted to avenge the demon, so she went with Lord Krsna on the chariot to defeat him. By providence Sri Krsna became unconscious and gave her the special strength to slay the demon. Then Lord Krsna released the 16, 100 princesses from Narakasura’s jail and married them upon their request.

*(12)New Year’s Day or Bestavarsh marks the coronation of King Vikramditya (16) and Vikram – Samvat (Era) 2063 ago was started on this day. Most people get up at Brahma Muhurta(17), do the pujas to the devas and pay respects to the elders by bowing and touching their feet to get the blessings. Gifts or money are given as good wishes. Usually the whole day is spent in visiting kinsmen for paying respects and greetings for the New Year. The day is to forgive everyone for any offenses of the past year and start the New Year with loving feelings. (Forgiving is one of the main quality of a Brahman). Exchange and display of sweets in every homes. Married daughters with their families are invited for dinner at her parent’s home thus the day is also called Guddi Padva. ‘Govardhan Puja’ or Annakut. is celebrated by Vaisnavas and all the Hindus because Lord Krsna had lifted the Gorvardhan Hill on this day. Everyone brings cooked preparations for the Deities and places them in big mount forming Govardhan Hill. Special dramas are performed enacting the pastime of Lord Krsna lifting Govardhan hill to protect the Brijabasis from Indra’s wrath. This Annakut or mound of Prasad is distributed profusely. Lapsee (cracked wheat halavah and green mung (18) are cooked on this day in homes to start the year with auspicious foodstuff. This is the day when the cows are fed and worshipped because Lord Krsna personally did that and requested everyone to honor and worship the cows and brahmans. This is the time when people donate cows to the brahamans. Older generation of people from Vedic Tradition would always donate at least one cow during their lifetime. There is a very nice story in Garuda Purana, that one should donate a cow when one is younger in age so when the person dies, then the same cow he had donated will help him cross the Viraj River which is filled with abominable items and it is very painful for a sinful person to cross on his own. There are stories even now where if one saves and protects a cow, she will come in the time of need and help the person. This benefits of cow protection is presently lost. One should check out the website www.careforcows.com and pledge a donation for cow protection. Among senior generation of people from Vedic tradition, it was a very common practice in Indian homes first to place small amount of food offering in the fire with a little ghee as and offering to Lord Visnu, then feed a guest, a cow, a dog and a beggar before eating. Even the greetings consist of inviting a person to their homes (Avajo = please come to our home) and Rama Rama (please remember Rama and Jai Sri Krsna = All glories to Lord Krsna.). Bhaibij – second day after the New Year (19) In Vedic tradition, at the time of the vedic wedding of a sister, all her brothers and cousin brothers in some cases, make a vow to take care of their sister in her family life. They take a vow by throwing grains in the fire in front of all the witnesses. We can see in the examples of Kamsa escorting her sister Devaki to her home after the wedding. Krsna, Balaram were considering where to get their sister Subhadra married. There are many other examples of brother’s duty towards their sister (making sure that she is happy in her married life). So on this day, the brothers are invited for dinner with their families to the sister’s home and bring a gift of new sari, gold jewellery or a household item. She performs a small arati for him to give him blessings of long life, health and wealth. Surya Narayan (the Sungod) his wife left him because she could not tolerate his brilliant effulgence although she had two children who were Yamaraja and Yamuna. She left her own shadow called Chayya as their mother. So this shadow step mother was mistreating the children very much so they left her. Being separated for many years, Yamaraja thought to find and visit her sister. He had brought her gifts for their reunion. Yamunaji asked for a boon and said that whoever visits their sisters on this day and brings her a gift will not see death untimely. Since then this celebration is going and is considered sisters day. Brother’s day falls on Rakshabandhan. So in Vedic tradition everyone is honored and cared for. The parents and grandparents day is everyday because one should pay respect and honor them daily. The blessings are sought from sisters, parents and elders. During whole month of Kartika (October – November) Vrandavan is lit up with diyas. Prayers, lamps and sweets are offered to Baby Krsna. Lord Krsna was tied by his mother with a rope because He stole some butter. Baby Krsna pulled down the Yamala Arjuna trees(20) with the mortar that He was tied to, therefore He got the name Damodar. The Diwali festivities continue for a couple more weeks with relatives visiting each others homes for dinners to start the beginning of renewed relationships and honoring feasts at every home as per duty of the householders. So we can see that all the festivals are celebrating the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Participating with the remembrance of His superhuman activities grant the persons great spiritual benefits. More Detailed Explanations

*(1) Diya is a home made lamp made from red clay with wick soaked in ghee. Diya (light) signifies knowledge. There is famous Vedic mantra that says Tamaso Ma, Jyotir Gamaya means don’t stay in darkness, come to light, meaning give up the ignorance and come to mode of goodness through spiritual knowledge. Another meaning is – where there is light, there cannot be darkness of ignorance. So it is the duty of every human being to study the scriptures and become enlightened into the spiritual path and thus get out of the darkness cycle of samsara. Diya is very significant in giving this reminder on the beginning of the New Year celebrations and for the rest of the year. So this signifies the New Years resolutions of making more efforts on spiritual path. Just as the setting of the sun takes away a person’s life daily and brings him closer to death, therefore, Diya is the light to remind a human being of his on going journey of spiritual salvation.

*(2) Treta Yuga lasted 1,296,000 years. Following that Dwapara Yuga lasted 864,000 years and the present Kaliyuga is going to last for 432,000 years out of which 5000 years have already past.

*(3) Explanation of Samsara – All beings are going through the cycle of birth and death of 8,400,000 species of life and only in human form of life can a living entity can make a choice of getting out from this perpetual cycle. The method is made easy by the Supreme Lord through the process of Bhakti. Bhakti means to worship the Supreme Lord Krsna or any of His incarnations. There are nine process of bhakti. Sravan, kirtan, Smaranam, archanam, vandanam, padasevaya, sakhyam, atmanivedanam. Any one of these process of bhakti can grant a person liberation but hearing, chanting and remembering Lord Krsna’s names, forms, pastimes and activities, are specially recommended in this age of Kali because it is the most simplest method and most powerful. His divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has made this method so easily available that people from all nations are now participating and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Krsna by chanting the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra -HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE. People from Alaska to Tasmania and from Russia in the far north to the tip so South America, Australia and Africa are now Chanting the holy names of the Supreme Lord and are experiencing the bliss of personal association of the Supreme Lord in his Holy Name. One has to only try and experience this simple method. Lord Caitanya, an incarnation of Lord Krsna who came only 500 years ago had predicted that His name will be sung in Every Town and Village. This prediction is coming true as we can all see. The desire of the Supreme Lord was to re-establish Vedic culture as it was 5000 years ago, so presently by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, this prediction is coming true because there are 350 Hare Krsna centers around the world and devotees from all cultures are practicing the ancient Vedic traditions by first chanting the Holy Names of Lord Krsna and reading about His pastimes and taking Lord’s Prasad.

*(4) Lord Rama was ordered by his step mother (Kaikeyi) to go to the forest for 14 years so her own son Bharat can be the King. But Bharat did not want to be King. So the Kingdom waited for 14 years for Lord Rama’s return. These plans were devised by the Supreme Lord himself so that He could go to the forest and visit the sages who were very eager to associate with the Lord directly. While in the forest, Lord Rama and his brother Laxman killed many demons including Ravan (ten headed demon). Lord Rama returns on Diwali day to Ayodhya, His Kingdom. It was dark moon night, therefore the citizens of Ayodhya had lighted the whole kingdom with diya to bring light and also to guide the puspak viman (flowered airplane which had been stolen by King Ravan from Kuvera the treasurer) and welcome Lord Rama at home. Diya was also the sign of joy and celebration signifying that the light of their life has returned in their lives.

*(5) Churning of Milk Ocean – This event is also based on very ancient pastime of Lord Visnu (Krsna). Originally the Danavas (people with demoniac mentality) wanted to rule the universe. So Lord Visnu had devised a plan where they and the devas would churn the Ocean of Milk to get the pot of nectar of immortality. They were using the Mount Meru (an upside down mountain) as the churning rod and Vasuki snake (which is very large king of snakes). The mountain was toppling so Lord Visnu took the form of Tortoise and became the pivot and also set on top of it to hold it in place by his weight. During the churning of the Milk Ocean 14 items came out and they were distributed to great personalities. They are listed below. Lakshi – goddess of fortune who was reunited with Lord Visnu Lord Dhanvantari brought Ayurveda – (science of healthy living). Surabhi cow (wish fulfilling cow). Ucchaishrava, – Flying Horse. Airavata with many trunks and eight pairs of elephants that can go in any direction was given to Indra who is the King of the heavenly planet and in charge of the rain. Kastubha Mani – Jewel given to Lord Visnu who placed it on his chest. Parijata tree was given to heavenly King, which Lord Krsna had once brought back for Queen Satyabhava from while they were residing in Dwarka (on the Coast of West India. This place is considered as one of the four Holy Dhams or places of Pilgrimage in India). Apasara – heavenly dancers Moon – the crescent moon – was placed on Lord Shiva’s head. Panchajanya – a conch-shell was given to Lord Visnu Haridhanu the bow of Hari – was given to Lord Hari. Varuni – the goddess of liquor resides in heavenly planets. Initially there was the poison that came out from the ocean which Lord Shiva drank it and held it in his throat, which became blue that is why he is called Nilakantha.

*(6) Surabhi cow was given to the devatas on the heavenly planets. She is very special because she can fulfill the desires of her owner. She can Give unlimited wealth and fortune. Most people worship the cow in the mood of remembering Surabhi cow, to get all the good luck.

*(7) Govardhan Puja – Time to celebrate special pastime of Lord Krsna when He had held Govardhan Hill on his little finger for seven days to protect the local citizens from torrents of rain from Indra (the rain god) who was angered because Lord Krsna was showing the Brajabasis, (residents of Vrindavan) that He is the supreme Lord and they should make all offerings to Him and stopped the offering to Indra. Thus Indra poured rain for seven days and nights. After seeing Lord Krsna’s power, Indra was humbled and accepted Lord Krsna as his Lord. This is when the ornamentally decorated cows are also worshipped and given in charity to Brahmans (by those who can afford them). The cows are fed and worshipped because Lord Krsna personally did that and asked the residents to do that also because their milk nourishes the human beings. There are 33,000,000 million devatas residing in the body of a cow. Since everyone brings some food there are lots of offerings and thus it is called Anaakoot (Anna means food and Kuta means hill). Lord Krsna had turned Himself into Govardhan Hill and accepted all the offerings. Presently Devotees from all over the world do parikrama of Govardhan Hill and offer some milk at the tongue of the Hill.

*(8) Vimans – flowered airplanes were common during Lord Ramachandra’s time. They were propelled by mantras. Most of the warriors in Lord Rama’s Army and even in Lord Krsna’s army was fully competent in using mantras for creating various weapons. These mantras will not be effective if the person using them does not follow the discipline required.

*(9) Rangolis have very special meaning. They are similar to yantras which are sacred geometry for interaction and inviting Devatas to our homes. They bring great auspiciousness, joy, health, wealth and happiness. These rangolis engage the young girls and ladies in beautiful artwork which is pleasing to the mind and soul. This is one of the sixty four arts practiced by Srimati Radharani. Rangolis also have some unique healing powers. The geometrical figures exercise the brain and keep it alert. Presently in the western countries, the Gujaratis hold Rangoli competitions in every town and Vedic temples. There is another purpose for rangolis. Since it is the duty of the households to do Pancha Yajnas which include feeding other living entities. Creating rangolis enables them to feed the tiny living creatures with atta flour (grain flours). Therefore doing rangolis with grains, enables the householders to share their grains with the tiny living entities, like bugs, insects, ants etc. It is harmful to use chemical colors, metals, ground glass or saw dust to make rangolis because if these tiny insects eat those chemicals, then the people get reaction for killing them. The other Panca Yajnas are reading and reciting the scriptures daily, feeding the ancestors, performing sacrifice daily to the Devas for the exchange of earth, water, fire, light, air and ether and feeding humans and all living entities. These Yajnas are to nullify the sins humans perform daily in their homes in five places while cooking on the fire, at the water place, while grinding, while sweeping and many other sins performed daily.

*(10) Toran – Stringed or Beaded decorations with sacred designs of holy swastikas of goddess Laxmi and Ganesh who removes obstacles and brings auspiciousness.

*(11) Dhanteras – On this particular day, people buy new pots for the house and jewellery for the women. In those days the pots and utensils were made of gold and silver and were assurance of increase in wealth. These items can be bartered in the times of need.

*(12) Upon the request and desire of the princesses, Lord Krsna married them all and built beautiful palaces in Dwarka for each princess and they all had 10 boys each. Lord Krsna was present with each and everyone at the same time. That shows that He is the Supreme Lord who is omnipresent and omniscient.

*(13) Abhishek – bathing with pancamrita (panca means five and amrita means nectar) – milk, honey, sugar, Ganga water, yogurt.. Abhhishek is done for the deities also on special occasions like appearance days of the incarnations. (14) King Bali, the benevolent demon king of the Patal loka (netherworld) was so powerful that he became a threat to the devas. Intimidated by his expanding empire and taking advantage of his well-known generosity, they sent Vishnu as the dwarf mendicant Vamana, to dilute Bali’s power. Vamana shrewdly asked the king for land that would cover three steps. The king happily granted this gift. Having tricked Bali, Vishnu revealed himself in the full glory of his Godhood. He covered the heaven in his first step and the earth in his second. Realizing that he was defeated against the mighty Vishnu, Bali surrendered and offered his own head inviting Vishnu to step on it as the third step. Vishnu pushed him into the nether world with his foot. In return Visnu promised to be his doorkeeper in his palace. He also gave him a blessing that Bali could return to his people once a year to light millions of lamps from this one lamp so that on the dark new moon light of Diwali, the blinding darkness of ignorance, greed, jealousy, lust, anger ego, and laziness would be dispelled and the radiance of knowledge, wisdom and friendship would prevail. (15) King Vikramaditya was named after his grandfather as Chandragupta II, He was known as the most prosperous King and had minted many gold coins that is still being found in archeological finds. (16) Lord Vamana is one of the 10 main incarnations of Lord Krsna (Visnu). The other nine are Matya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Nrshimha (half lion, half man), Vamana (dwarf), Purshurama (warrior), Rama, Krsna Balaram, Buddha, Kalki. All these incarnations of the Lord perform superhuman pastimes as mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam and all their places of pastimes can be traced back. Srimad Bhagavatam is known as the incarnation of Lord Krsna Himself so every home should have Srimad Bhagavatam and it is said in the first chapter that one should daily recite. (17) Brahma Muhurta, it is the auspicious time before the sunrise (between 4.00 am and 6.00 am). This is a mode of goodness time and it is very good for spiritual life and meditation because it is very peaceful at that time. One’s memory can increase if one studies at this time. (18) Lapsee (is made from wheat lets and brown sugar) . Mung and lapsee are made on auspicious occasions. Some of the sweets and savories that are made in Gujarat are Gughara, Ghari, Ghaja, Sakarpara, Burfi, Penda, Aradiya, Mohanthal, Mesubpak, Magaz, Amritpak, Toprapak, Badam Pak, Mandvi Pak, Chakri, Chevdo, Mauthiya, Fafda, Farsi Puri, Sev, Seva Mamra, Gathia, Fully Gadhia, Fafda, Gathia, Suterfehni, Bombay Halvah. Other sweets are Bundi, Churma Ladwa, Kheer, Sev, Gulab Jammu, Rasagulla, Rubri, Lapsi, Jalebi, Siro and Khir. (19) History of Bhaibij. Yamaraja had visited his sister Yamuna on this day. They were twins and were separated by their step mother Chayya, the shadow incarnation of the wife of the Sun God. They hadn’t seen each other for so long so one day Yamaraj visits his sister who asks for the boon that the brothers who visit their sisters on this day and bring a gift will not have to see Yamaraj untimely. In north India, sisters and brothers take bath in Yamunaji.

*(20) Yamala Arjuna Trees – were two demigods in heavenly planets called Nalkuvera and Manigriva who were bathing naked in a pond in open public place and did not respect Narada muni (respected sage of the Devas) when he arrived at that place. So he cursed them to become trees for millions of years until Lord Krsna would personally come and release them from their tree bodies.

Happy Diwali and New Year’s Celebrations. Please chant the glories of Lord Krsna by chanting His Holy Names. HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=4784

Kartik is a very special month when the mercy of the Lord is easily available for all of His devotees. My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada told us that even ‘unserious persons’ who execute devotional service during this month are easily awarded the Lord’s personal service. To follow the kartik vrata (vows) can be as simple as offering a light to Lord Damodara each morning or evening, or both. Of course, for devotees who already have a daily spiritual practice (sadhana) kartik is a time when they like to absorb themselves much more in hearing and chanting the Lord's glories. Thus it is good if devotees together and inspire each other by sharing spiritual insights and inspirations. It is for this end that I wish to to offer daily inspirations (not longer than 3 minutes) so that you all may feel nourished and inspired. Every morning you will be able to listen to and download new inspirations, as well as share them with your friends... Let us associate through sound and thus please the Lord and His most beloved, Srimati Radharani and thereby access new levels of our Krishna consciousness.

Your humble servant

Sacinandana Swami

Source:http://www.sacinandanaswamipilgrimage.com/kartik-inspirations-2016/

Processed fast food is very popular in the world today, and even devotees often take bread, chips and other items. You may be aware that many of those products are not healthy, but what some people don't know is that many of them are also not vegetarian.

Even if you read the label, it can be misleading. For example, "natural flavors" can often refer to non-veg items. Such ingredients are very common in processed food today. An article last year on CNN reported:

"In the Environmental Working Group's Food Scores database of over 80,000 foods, "natural flavor" is the fourth most common ingredient listed on labels. The only ingredients that outrank it: salt, water and sugar."

"Natural flavors" can have anywhere from 50 to 100 different ingredients in them. Here are a few natural flavors and other innocuous sounding items that are definitely, or possibly not vegetarian:

Vanilla or Raspberry flavors:

These are often made from castoreum, a bitter, orange-brown, odoriferous, oily secretion that is found in two sacs between the anus and the external genitals of beavers. Again, the only identification for castoreum may be the words, “Natural flavors” on the label. (So much for many of the so-called, "vegetarian" ice-creams. Hare Krishna.)

Red Colored Candies:

Any candy (or anything else) that is colored with natural red dye #4, (including some ice cream, yogurt and fruit punch) contains carmine. Carmine is made of beetles (yes, the insect) that are crushed up and then boiled in ammonia or sodium carbonate to produce a red dye. Aside from being called, a natural flavor, on labels carmine is sometimes called: Natural Red 4, Crimson Lake, Cochineal, C.I. 75470, and E120.

Confectioner's Glaze or Shellac:

This gives a shiny coating to jellybeans, candy corn, chocolates and some vitamins. It may sound okay, but it's made from the female lac bug, an insect found on trees in India and Thailand.

Gelatin:

Gelatin is made from the skin, bones, and connective tissues of animals (generally cows and pigs). It is found in Jello, marshmallows, gummy candy, and many yogurts. Sometimes it is slipped into the ingredient list as, a natural flavor or as "hydrolyzed collagen protein."

Beer and Wine:

I sincerely hope that devotees are not taking any alcoholic beverages, but you may want to inform any of your non-devotee vegetarian friends that most beer brands (especially it seems, the British ones), as well as some wine manufacturers add an innocuous sounding item called, "isinglas", to their product. Isinglas is composed of ground up fish bladders. They add this to take out the cloudy appearance in beer and wine.

Potato Chips:

These are very popular with some devotees, especially in the West. Even if you are careful to avoid the flavors that are obviously non-veg, some brands and flavors of chips contain chicken fat and pork enzymes. Most chips are fried in vegetable oil, but there are some that are fried in beef or chicken fat. They may also use animal fat or flavorings to add a smoky, meaty flavor to the chips. Again, on the label such non-veg additives are often only identified as, "natural flavors".

White Sugar:

Most people know have heard that white sugar is extremely bad for health. But many may not know that white sugar has recently been shown to be 8 times more addictive than cocaine! (Interestingly, white flour, and white rice have also been found to be addictive, although not as much so as white sugar. White sugar, white flour, and white rice are all related to insulin resistance, obesity and heart disease). Aside from that, most sugar is also non-vegetarian. It is made from processed cow bones, which are used to produce the white color. Although popular with devotees (and yes, I know Srila Prabhupada said we could cook with them), neither white sugar, nor white flour, nor white rice were used at the time of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They are all modern inventions.

Ghee:

Carvaka Muni has recommended that one should beg, borrow or steal money to purchase ghee — kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. However, what many persons sadly don't know today is that most of the brands of ghee available on the marked in India are mixed with animal fats. We heard about one company a few years ago in Vrindavan that was offering what they proclaimed to be, "pure ghee". It had a very nice yellow color and was packaged with a picture of Krishna. Many of the major temples in Vrindavan were purchasing the product and using it to cook for the deities. Finally, one ISKCON devotee sent a sample to a lab in South India. They charged him RS 10,000 and sent back their findings, which were something like: 65% cow ghee, and 35% chicken fat!

It is any wonder then that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada flatly forbade the devotees in his maths from purchasing store bought ghee or sugar, both of which he said were not vegetarian and not fit to be offered to the deity. (We can note that these items are certainly not purer today than they were at that time, 100 years ago.)

[Regarding ghee and other milk products, I'm not going to get into speaking about the horrendous way that commercial dairies treat cows and calves. That is a connected, but separate and lengthy topic. I'll simply say that after learning of the practices and behavior of these factory dairies, many devotees today, and many leading devotees, refuse to offer such milk to the deities or take it themselves unless it is from protected cows. Whichever side you may be on that fiery debate; no one can argue that it is a much higher standard of deity worship to only offer milk from protected cows.]

Bread:

This is also an item often taken by some devotees, who sometimes find it a time saving device. Aside from the questionable nature of eating grains imbued with the consciousness of non-devotees, even if the product claims to be vegetarian, many are not. If they contain the ingredient, L-cysteine, don't purchase it. L-cysteine is made from one of the following items: Human hair that is purchased from barber shops and saloons in China, India and other places (yuck!); Duckfeathers (poor ducks!); or pig bristles.

Packaged Orange Juice:

Usually people think that orange juice is very healthy, but what most don't know is that it often contains added omega-3s, which are often extracted from fish, such as anchovies, tilapia, and sardines.

Here is a link to a video that describes some of the above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THX...

Closing Thoughts:

Mahaprabhu's associate Srila Raghava Pandit is famous for rejecting some coconuts because the bearer carrying the coconuts touched the upper part of a door frame and then the coconut that was to be offered to Raghava's deities (see Cc. madhya 15.69-87). It's my firm opinion that if Raghava Pandit were present today he would not accept any of the items mentioned in this article as fit to be offered to the Lord.

Yes, sometimes devotees are preaching in difficult circumstances in which it's very hard or impossible to find pure items. In such cases, Srila Prabhupada famously allowed them to offer and use commercial milk that contained Vitamin D12 in it (which, at least in those days was made from fish oil). Srila Prabhupada said something like, "If there is nothing else that can be found then what to do."

Preaching is of the essence and we should do whatever is necessary to spread Mahaprabhu's movement. However, that should obviously be within reason. Srila Prabhupada and our acaryas sometimes made allowances in special circumstances. However, we can also bear in mind that Bhaktivinode Thakur once stated, "The symptom of an apa-sampradaya (or a group deviating from our Krishna consciousness tradition) is that they take an extraordinary time, place, and circumstance instruction from an empowered acarya, and make it a general standard (Sajjana-toshani magazine). If pure vegetarian sugar or ghee is available (or can be made), then to not use it, in preference to something cheaper is simply offensive.

I pray that these thoughts may be somehow useful for the followers of Sri Sachinandana Gaura Hari.

— Vaiṣṇava-kṛpā-prārthī (praying for the mercy of the Vaiṣṇavas),

Madhavananda Das (Jagannath Puri Dham, 30 October 2016)

Source:https://www.facebook.com/notes/madhavananda-n-krishnakund/not-so-vegetarian/10154286401844340

* DAMODARA VRATA – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks about some devotional activities for the month of kartika.
* DIVINE DEEDS OF DAMODARA – Some comments from Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja about the pastime of Krishna being tied to the wooden grinding mortar.
* BINDING THE BOUNDLESS – A fresh translation done for this issue of of an excerpt from Srila Jiva Goswami’s Bhakti-sandarbha.
* BLIND, DEAF, AND DUMB IN VRINDAVAN – Another fresh translation from Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati’s Vrindavan-mahimamrtam.
This issue can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu386

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32860

Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita on December 25, 1975 in Sanand:
When we speak of knowledge, jnana, it must be learned from a person.
Vyasadeva does not say “Krishna uvaca [Krishna said],” but “Bhagavan uvaca [the Supreme Personality of Godhead said].” This is because sometimes people have differences of opinion about Krishna.
“If we approach some speculator, we cannot get real knowledge. So those who are speculators, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore they commit mistake that ‘God is like this,’ ‘God like that,’ ‘There is no God,’ ‘There is no form.’ All these nonsense things are proposed, because they are imperfect.”
“We don’t manufacture any concocted things. We simply distribute the message given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And this is becoming effective practically. You can see practically these Europeans and Americans, Australians, all over the world, they did not know four or five years ago, or say ten years ago, since I have begun this movement, they did not know what is Krishna. Although Bhagavad-gita was being presented by so many swamis and yogis, not a single man became a devotee of Krishna. So our, this presentation, because it is pure, without any adulteration, it is acting very nicely.”
“Even the Christian priests, they become surprised when they see that these boys, their boys – they were Christians or Jews – they became surprised that ‘These boys were never coming to the church. They were never interested in understanding what is God. Now, since this Krishna consciousness movement is there, how these boys have become so mad after God?’ The only reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We preach that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna says also in theBhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So this is being effective, that if we really want to understand Bhagavad-gita, we must understand as it is presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
If I am eternal, why am I accepting death? That is the real question.
We should be anxious to understand what I am. Aham brahmasmi [I am spirit.] That is the real solution to all problems.
The real business is to increase your attachment for Krishna.
“We request all Indians to take part in this Krishna consciousness movement and be yourself happy, be yourself guru, and deliver all other persons who are in ignorance. And to become guru is not very difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha tare kaha ‘krishna’-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128] You become guru. It is not very difficult. How? Now, because you have to simply repeat what Krishna has said. That’s all. So Krishna says everything in the Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. These four things if you accept – to think of Krishna always, to become devotee of Krishna, to offer obeisances to Krishna and to worship Krishna ­– these four things if you do, you become Krishna conscious, a devotee of Krishna, and you can preach all over the world. It is not at all difficult.”
“Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge.”
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.27–29:
You are doing something. Just change your consciousness so you are doing it for Krishna.
If you act for Krishna, there will be no reaction.
Either good reaction or bad reaction, you have to accept this body.
Do not think because you are getting a birth in rich family you will enjoy. Because you have a material body, you will still get the material miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease.
In Krishna consciousness, you become free from all reactions and attain the spiritual world.
If I am involved in sinful activity and if you take my money, you get involved in the sinful reactions.
Sannyasa means becoming free from the actions and reactions. This is possible by acting for Krishna.
“God is neutral. Samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. . . . If He is sama – sama means neutral—then how we find different grades of people or different grades of species of life? . . . Now, I will give you a crude example. Suppose I am a shopkeeper. I have got different varieties of goods. Now, if you pay me less, then I can supply you inferior quality of goods. Another customer is paying me a good amount; then I will supply you superior quality of goods. Now, I supply to some customer inferior quality of goods; to another customer I supply superior quality of goods. Is there any partiality? No. That is not partiality. So God gives you result of your actions. Samo ’ham. He is impartial. If you do good acts, then you get good result. If you do bad acts, then you get bad result.”
Those advanced in Krishna consciousness always see Krishna, and Krishna always sees His devotee.
God is very cheap if we adopt the means, if we become a pure devotee, therefore we should adopt the practice by which we can become a pure devotee.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.11–14 in New York City on November 27, 1966:
You may not believe in God, but who is giving you this speaking power to say, “I do not believe” in God. If that speaking power is withdrawn, you are no better than stone.
When Krishna was present, 99% of the people did not recognize that He was God.
Krishna performed superhuman activities when He was present, the authorities say that Krishna is God, and Vedas say that Krishna is God. With all this evidence, if you still you will not accept that Krishna is God, you are asuram bhavam asrita [possessed of a demoniac mentality].
You cannot see the sun at night by your own endeavor, but at 5 a.m. the sun reveals itself. If you cannot even see the sun at night, how to you expect to see God by your own endeavor? Like the sun, God can be seen when he reveals Himself. 
Although the materialists are always increasing their wealth, they do not attain ultimate happiness. If one wants real happiness, which has no end, one must endeavor to be Krishna conscious.
Formerly, people would dedicate their whole lives to attaining self-realization and even then sometimes not meet with success. Lord Caitanya has made self-realization easily. You just have to spare some time to hear. You do not have to even pay a fee.
‘I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Krishna.’ That is [the thinking of a] mahatma [a great soul].
This service of Krishna begins with chanting. Come here, chant, and become a mahatma.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 5.7–13 in New York on August 27, 1966:
It is not possible to renounce without Krishna consciousness. If I am in one room, if I have no other room to go to, I cannot leave.
Krishna says if one renounces without Krishna consciousness the result will be misery. (Bg. 5.6)
Everything has a relationship with Krishna. That is what is to be realized.
Because the material world is a manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Lord it has an intimate relationship with the Lord, and thus we should utilize it properly.
“If I think that ‘Every thing, every eatable things, they are sent by Krishna or God for everyone, let me take whatever I want,’ then there is peace in the world. Of course, that is not possible because it is such a world that we are always anxious to stock, or you’ll ask always to take more, then more, then more. Nobody is satisfied.”
“A Krishna conscious person, he never thinks that ‘I am doing something.’ Even if you ask him that ‘Are you going to such and such place?’ Suppose it is settled that he’s going to such and such place. If you ask him, ‘When you are going?’ He’ll say that ‘I do not know when I shall go, but when Krishna will ask me or allow me to go, I shall go.’ I am saying this from my practical experience from my Guru Maharaja, from my spiritual master. He would never say that ‘I am going,’ ‘I am doing.’ No, ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall do it.’ ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall go.’ Like that. Always depending on Krishna. This is calledvisuddhatma.”
From a letter to Upendra, written in Los Angeles on February 1, 1969:
“Simply engage yourself in Krishna’s service. That will protect you from any attack of maya. Maya can take Krishna’s place in our heart as soon as there is a slackness on our part. Otherwise, if Krishna’s seated always, maya has no opportunity to occupy the seat.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.6.6, purport:
“One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Finished sixteen rounds. The first seven were ‘good,’ but then I suffered from plan-making. Letters I wanted to write came to mind. I tried to make a few notes, brief notes, as the thoughts occurred – ‘Write editor on production of reprints’, ‘Tell M. to give me a haircut’ – then stopped.” 
“Someone once asked me, ‘Isn’t japa actually an ideal time to access deeper creative thinking?’ Harer nama should not be used like that. There are plenty of other occasions when the creative muse can visit and fill our minds with Great Plans and Great Worries. Anyway, this morning I made a few token notes on the mind’s demands and tried to return my attention to the holy name. The world won’t end if I don’t remember to look for my lost sock or if my hair doesn’t get cut for another day. Just chant.”
“Harer nama is cintamani (touchstone), but I’m not touching it with attention. So that which I can’t do, I pray for. ‘Please bring me love of God. Please let me serve You and be pleasing to You.’ These prayers are included in the prayer to be faithful.”
Candrasekhara Swami:
Although Krishna easily defeats so many demons, sometimes when playing with His intimate friends, He is defeated.
Janananda Goswami:
People spend their whole lives to adjust their happiness and distress but they actually becoming more distressed by their attempts.
As long as we are pursuing what we like, we will definitely stay in the material world.
“Markine Bhagavata Dharma” is like a mission statement for Srila Prabhupada. Everything is there about becoming Krishna consciousness, depending on mercy of the holy name and his guru’s instructions.
No one in New York City, even those attending his programs at 26 2nd Avenue knew what Srila Prabhupada doing in starting his International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada wanted to leave his body preaching Krishna consciousness. 
When I joined, an average day was 8 hours of harinama sankirtana, six and a half days a week. Sunday was a half day because of the Sunday Feast. We would spend the whole week inviting people to the Sunday Feast. 
We should not become attached to facility. The facility is meant for our service.
We should be preaching and not depending on the results, not depending on facilities.
The whole idea is to become free from our dependence on material sense gratification and to become dependent on the mercy of Krishna.
On Prabhupada’s disappearance, one of Prabhupada’s godbrothers said, “Bhaktivedanta Swami is the only one who understood our guru’s mission. While others were discussing this or that, he attacked sense gratification and science. He actually did the work.”
Preaching is to get people chanting Hare Krishna, somehow or other.
The early devotees were shocked when Srila Prabhupada proposed that they chant in a public park. They thought it was just for inside.
Prabhupada had Hayagriva Prabhu read from his Srimad-Bhagavatam at the first Washington Square Park harinama.
The “Peace Formula” was derived from what Srila Prabhupada spoke at a United Nations peace vigil.
The incorporation document that was sent to the lawyer included promoting a healthy vegetarian diet, establishing varnasrama, and removing the conception of dividing society by birth.
Alan Ginsberg suggested the devotees go to and chant in Tompkins Square Park.
No one knew anything about Hare Krishna, when they saw the first harinama.
It was about four months I was coming to the temple before people explained the philosophy to me. We emphasized harinama and engagement in service.
Prabhupada brought everyone in.
In London every week, there was one guy who would dump a bucket of urine on the Saturday nightharinama from four floors above. I do not know why we went the same way each week.
Sometimes people say they are too busy solving different problems to go on harinama, but sankirtana,the congregational chanting of the holy name, is the solution to all problems.
In Vondelpark in Amsterdam, Srila Prabhupada said it was worthless to give a lecture to the drugged out hippies. He told the devotees to just do kirtana and prasadam. When he chanted there, Prabhupada chanted “Haribol” because it was easier for them to follow than “Hare Krishna.” That is the only time on record that Srila Prabhupada chanted “Haribol.”
Srila Prabhupada chanted with his pure heart, calling out to Krishna, in a tune everybody could follow.
Do not stop until you drop.
I calculated that in the 1970s every devotee did harinama an average 20% of the time. Now it is more like 0.002%.
Mahavirya Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada:
You had to bring at least one person back to the Sunday Feast, otherwise you weren’t preaching.
You could not sit with another devotee during the Sunday Feast. You had to talk with the new people.
In the beginning, we could not really understand the philosophy. We could understand harinama and book distribution.
One of the reason, I stayed with the Hare Krishna was that every day was an adventure. You never knew what would happen.
Don’t offend the karmis, the devotees, the matajis, the dogs. That will cover your love for Krishna, who is present everywhere.
I have turned down colleges and jobs, but I could not turn down Krishna.
Sadaputa Prabhu:
From “Rational ‘Mythology’” in God and Science:
“But in pure monism, what becomes of love of God, or indeed, love of anyone? If the ultimate reality is pure oneness, and personal existence is illusory, then love is also illusory. Love requires two, and not just two of anything. Two persons are needed for a relationship of love. If such relationships do have spiritual reality, then at least two spiritual persons must eternally exist.”
From “High Technology and the Ground of Being” in God and Science:
“One might object that the human mind acting on its own could not possibly demonstrate the truth of the personal conception of the supreme whole. Therefore, one should adopt a more cautious conception that is abstract and impersonal. The point can be made, however, that any conception of the Absolute generated by the finite mind is as mundane as any other, including both personal and impersonal conceptions. One then may as well forego all metaphysical speculation and restrict one’s attention entirely to the manifest world of interacting material energies.
“But if one does want to introduce ideas about the Absolute derived from revealed knowledge, then the Vedic literatures give concrete indication of how direct realization of this knowledge can be attained. Although the Supreme Lord is inaccessible to the mundane mind, the Lord will reveal Himself to persons who surrender to Him and serve Him with love. This, of course, is also a perennial philosophical conclusion.”
“The theory of creation by sound vibration involves transcendental levels of reality not accessible to the mundane senses, and thus in one way it is more unverifiable than the purely physical Darwinian theory. However, if a purely physical theory turns out to be empirically unverifiable, then there is nothing further one can do to be sure about it. In contrast, a theory that posits a supreme intelligent being opens up the possibility that further knowledge may be gained by internal and external revelation brought about by the will of that being. Of course, the dynamics of obtaining such knowledge are different from those of empirical, experimental science and mathematical analysis. Instead of forcing nature to disclose its secrets, one surrenders to the Supreme Lord in a humble spirit and pursues a path of spiritual discipline and divine service.
“This approach to knowledge and to life also constitutes one of the great perennial philosophies of mankind, but it has tended to be eclipsed in this age of scientific empiricism. To obtain the fruits of this path to knowledge, one must be willing to follow it, and one will be inclined to do this only if one thinks the worldview on which it is based might possibly be true. Establishing this possibility constitutes the ultimate justification for constructing theories, such as the one considered here, linking physics and metaphysics.”
From “Primordial Alphabet Soup” in God and Science:
“Darwinian evolution calls for a self-reproducing system of molecules. Indeed, one of the main tasks of origin-of-life theories is to explain how the first self-reproducing system arose. In living organisms, self-reproduction is a dauntingly complex process involving proteins, deoxyribonucleic-acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). If Darwinian evolution can’t take place until such a complex system is operating, scientists are at a loss to explain how that complex system has come about.”
From “The Universe of the Vedas” in God and Science:
“In the Bhavagatam, the context-sensitive approach was rendered particularly appropriate by the conviction that reality, in the ultimate issue, is avak-manasam, or beyond the reach of the mundane mind or words. This implies that a literal, one-to-one model of reality is unattainable, and so one may as well pack as much meaning as possible into a necessarily incomplete description of the universe. The cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana is a sophisticated system of thought, with multiple layers of meaning, both physical and metaphysical. It combines practical understanding of astronomy with spiritual conceptions to produce a meaningful picture of the universe and reality.”
Shyamananda Prabhu:
The final analysis in Vraja is “Lord Narayana must have saved Krishna or we must have done some pious activities so Krishna is saved.”
Radhanath Swami tells of a yogi who could bend an iron rod against his chest, but after that impressive feat, he was begging for a few paisa for food.
People trained in Vedic culture do not say “in my opinion” because they consider “who am I?”
The Sanskrit “cancalam” (flickering) comes from the word “cala” which means “to move.”
Krishna disagrees with Arjuna’s different proposals until Arjuna says the mind is very restless, and then Krishna agrees.
It is said the five verses comprising Rukmini’s letter to Krishna are verbatim.
When Giriraj Swami joined ISKCON he thought every devotee was a pure devotee. But now after 30 years in ISKCON, I think there are no pure devotees in ISKCON. What is wrong?
Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:
So many very heavy examples are given in the Bhagavatam itself and in Srila Prabhupada’s purports such as the wild animal and paramour who kills the husband to stress that the uncontrolled mind can completely destroy our spiritual life.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu:
To realize that the mind is something other than oneself is the beginning of conquering over it.
Some of the derelicts in the park express some amazing realizations, “I read in the books that the holy name is so powerful it can purify the whole block, maybe even two blocks.”
Bhakta Cesar:
Srila Prabhupada explains in a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavtam 5.6.4 that the varnasrama system is to help us control the mind. He concludes human civilization is meant to develop love of God.
Devotional service is so powerful that it can benefit any class of men to the extent of attaining the highest perfection of love of God.
There is a pastime of Rasikananda, who lived just after the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he was attacked by a mad elephant, he threw a few drops of water on the elephant, and then the elephant began to chant Hare Krishna.
Because Murari Gupta played the role Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu in his previous existence, he presented himself to Lord Caitanya in that way, and Lord Caitanya sportingly climbed on his back and rode him around the courtyard.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: If someone has offended us, that is their ignorance, but if we take it as an offense, that is our ignorance.

Q (by Brajananda Prabhu): You have been distributing books for a year in New York City. My experience is it is the heaviest place, what is your experience.
A: I was distributing prasadam to one of the chess players at Union Square, and he became really agitated, and said, “What do you think I am? Your dog?” then he uttered so much profanity. Finally he spit in my face. I was thinking how Jagai and Madhai caused Nityananda so much pain yet he tolerated it and was merciful to them. And I actually felt good about my experience.
“Get a job” bothers you for the first month or so.
We are like people panning for gold. They look through so much mud to find a few golden flakes, and we talk to so many people on book distribution, hoping to find a few sincere souls.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: When we are treated negatively, we should not think it is the person, Krishna is doing something to teach us.
—–
Although as souls, we can experience an ocean of transcendental bliss by reconnecting with our source, Lord Krishna, we are so attached to the insignificant pleasures of this world, we will never experience it. Verses like the one below are meant to wake us up. We have to be careful what we value:
natah parataro loke pumsahsvārtha-vyatikramahyad-adhy anyasya preyastvamatmanah sva-vyatikramat
“There is no stronger obstruction to one’s self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one’s self-realization.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.32)

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32862

Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita on December 25, 1975 in Sanand:
When we speak of knowledge, jnana, it must be learned from a person.
Vyasadeva does not say “Krishna uvaca [Krishna said],” but “Bhagavan uvaca [the Supreme Personality of Godhead said].” This is because sometimes people have differences of opinion about Krishna.
“If we approach some speculator, we cannot get real knowledge. So those who are speculators, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore they commit mistake that ‘God is like this,’ ‘God like that,’ ‘There is no God,’ ‘There is no form.’ All these nonsense things are proposed, because they are imperfect.”
“We don’t manufacture any concocted things. We simply distribute the message given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And this is becoming effective practically. You can see practically these Europeans and Americans, Australians, all over the world, they did not know four or five years ago, or say ten years ago, since I have begun this movement, they did not know what is Krishna. Although Bhagavad-gita was being presented by so many swamis and yogis, not a single man became a devotee of Krishna. So our, this presentation, because it is pure, without any adulteration, it is acting very nicely.”
“Even the Christian priests, they become surprised when they see that these boys, their boys – they were Christians or Jews – they became surprised that ‘These boys were never coming to the church. They were never interested in understanding what is God. Now, since this Krishna consciousness movement is there, how these boys have become so mad after God?’ The only reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We preach that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna says also in theBhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So this is being effective, that if we really want to understand Bhagavad-gita, we must understand as it is presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
If I am eternal, why am I accepting death? That is the real question.
We should be anxious to understand what I am. Aham brahmasmi [I am spirit.] That is the real solution to all problems.
The real business is to increase your attachment for Krishna.
“We request all Indians to take part in this Krishna consciousness movement and be yourself happy, be yourself guru, and deliver all other persons who are in ignorance. And to become guru is not very difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha tare kaha ‘krishna’-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128] You become guru. It is not very difficult. How? Now, because you have to simply repeat what Krishna has said. That’s all. So Krishna says everything in the Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. These four things if you accept – to think of Krishna always, to become devotee of Krishna, to offer obeisances to Krishna and to worship Krishna ­– these four things if you do, you become Krishna conscious, a devotee of Krishna, and you can preach all over the world. It is not at all difficult.”
“Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge.”
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.27–29:
You are doing something. Just change your consciousness so you are doing it for Krishna.
If you act for Krishna, there will be no reaction.
Either good reaction or bad reaction, you have to accept this body.
Do not think because you are getting a birth in rich family you will enjoy. Because you have a material body, you will still get the material miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease.
In Krishna consciousness, you become free from all reactions and attain the spiritual world.
If I am involved in sinful activity and if you take my money, you get involved in the sinful reactions.
Sannyasa means becoming free from the actions and reactions. This is possible by acting for Krishna.
“God is neutral. Samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. . . . If He is sama – sama means neutral—then how we find different grades of people or different grades of species of life? . . . Now, I will give you a crude example. Suppose I am a shopkeeper. I have got different varieties of goods. Now, if you pay me less, then I can supply you inferior quality of goods. Another customer is paying me a good amount; then I will supply you superior quality of goods. Now, I supply to some customer inferior quality of goods; to another customer I supply superior quality of goods. Is there any partiality? No. That is not partiality. So God gives you result of your actions. Samo ’ham. He is impartial. If you do good acts, then you get good result. If you do bad acts, then you get bad result.”
Those advanced in Krishna consciousness always see Krishna, and Krishna always sees His devotee.
God is very cheap if we adopt the means, if we become a pure devotee, therefore we should adopt the practice by which we can become a pure devotee.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.11–14 in New York City on November 27, 1966:
You may not believe in God, but who is giving you this speaking power to say, “I do not believe” in God. If that speaking power is withdrawn, you are no better than stone.
When Krishna was present, 99% of the people did not recognize that He was God.
Krishna performed superhuman activities when He was present, the authorities say that Krishna is God, and Vedas say that Krishna is God. With all this evidence, if you still you will not accept that Krishna is God, you are asuram bhavam asrita [possessed of a demoniac mentality].
You cannot see the sun at night by your own endeavor, but at 5 a.m. the sun reveals itself. If you cannot even see the sun at night, how to you expect to see God by your own endeavor? Like the sun, God can be seen when he reveals Himself. 
Although the materialists are always increasing their wealth, they do not attain ultimate happiness. If one wants real happiness, which has no end, one must endeavor to be Krishna conscious.
Formerly, people would dedicate their whole lives to attaining self-realization and even then sometimes not meet with success. Lord Caitanya has made self-realization easily. You just have to spare some time to hear. You do not have to even pay a fee.
‘I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Krishna.’ That is [the thinking of a] mahatma [a great soul].
This service of Krishna begins with chanting. Come here, chant, and become a mahatma.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 5.7–13 in New York on August 27, 1966:
It is not possible to renounce without Krishna consciousness. If I am in one room, if I have no other room to go to, I cannot leave.
Krishna says if one renounces without Krishna consciousness the result will be misery. (Bg. 5.6)
Everything has a relationship with Krishna. That is what is to be realized.
Because the material world is a manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Lord it has an intimate relationship with the Lord, and thus we should utilize it properly.
“If I think that ‘Every thing, every eatable things, they are sent by Krishna or God for everyone, let me take whatever I want,’ then there is peace in the world. Of course, that is not possible because it is such a world that we are always anxious to stock, or you’ll ask always to take more, then more, then more. Nobody is satisfied.”
“A Krishna conscious person, he never thinks that ‘I am doing something.’ Even if you ask him that ‘Are you going to such and such place?’ Suppose it is settled that he’s going to such and such place. If you ask him, ‘When you are going?’ He’ll say that ‘I do not know when I shall go, but when Krishna will ask me or allow me to go, I shall go.’ I am saying this from my practical experience from my Guru Maharaja, from my spiritual master. He would never say that ‘I am going,’ ‘I am doing.’ No, ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall do it.’ ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall go.’ Like that. Always depending on Krishna. This is calledvisuddhatma.”
From a letter to Upendra, written in Los Angeles on February 1, 1969:
“Simply engage yourself in Krishna’s service. That will protect you from any attack of maya. Maya can take Krishna’s place in our heart as soon as there is a slackness on our part. Otherwise, if Krishna’s seated always, maya has no opportunity to occupy the seat.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.6.6, purport:
“One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Finished sixteen rounds. The first seven were ‘good,’ but then I suffered from plan-making. Letters I wanted to write came to mind. I tried to make a few notes, brief notes, as the thoughts occurred – ‘Write editor on production of reprints’, ‘Tell M. to give me a haircut’ – then stopped.” 
“Someone once asked me, ‘Isn’t japa actually an ideal time to access deeper creative thinking?’ Harer nama should not be used like that. There are plenty of other occasions when the creative muse can visit and fill our minds with Great Plans and Great Worries. Anyway, this morning I made a few token notes on the mind’s demands and tried to return my attention to the holy name. The world won’t end if I don’t remember to look for my lost sock or if my hair doesn’t get cut for another day. Just chant.”
“Harer nama is cintamani (touchstone), but I’m not touching it with attention. So that which I can’t do, I pray for. ‘Please bring me love of God. Please let me serve You and be pleasing to You.’ These prayers are included in the prayer to be faithful.”
Candrasekhara Swami:
Although Krishna easily defeats so many demons, sometimes when playing with His intimate friends, He is defeated.
Janananda Goswami:
People spend their whole lives to adjust their happiness and distress but they actually becoming more distressed by their attempts.
As long as we are pursuing what we like, we will definitely stay in the material world.
“Markine Bhagavata Dharma” is like a mission statement for Srila Prabhupada. Everything is there about becoming Krishna consciousness, depending on mercy of the holy name and his guru’s instructions.
No one in New York City, even those attending his programs at 26 2nd Avenue knew what Srila Prabhupada doing in starting his International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada wanted to leave his body preaching Krishna consciousness. 
When I joined, an average day was 8 hours of harinama sankirtana, six and a half days a week. Sunday was a half day because of the Sunday Feast. We would spend the whole week inviting people to the Sunday Feast. 
We should not become attached to facility. The facility is meant for our service.
We should be preaching and not depending on the results, not depending on facilities.
The whole idea is to become free from our dependence on material sense gratification and to become dependent on the mercy of Krishna.
On Prabhupada’s disappearance, one of Prabhupada’s godbrothers said, “Bhaktivedanta Swami is the only one who understood our guru’s mission. While others were discussing this or that, he attacked sense gratification and science. He actually did the work.”
Preaching is to get people chanting Hare Krishna, somehow or other.
The early devotees were shocked when Srila Prabhupada proposed that they chant in a public park. They thought it was just for inside.
Prabhupada had Hayagriva Prabhu read from his Srimad-Bhagavatam at the first Washington Square Park harinama.
The “Peace Formula” was derived from what Srila Prabhupada spoke at a United Nations peace vigil.
The incorporation document that was sent to the lawyer included promoting a healthy vegetarian diet, establishing varnasrama, and removing the conception of dividing society by birth.
Alan Ginsberg suggested the devotees go to and chant in Tompkins Square Park.
No one knew anything about Hare Krishna, when they saw the first harinama.
It was about four months I was coming to the temple before people explained the philosophy to me. We emphasized harinama and engagement in service.
Prabhupada brought everyone in.
In London every week, there was one guy who would dump a bucket of urine on the Saturday nightharinama from four floors above. I do not know why we went the same way each week.
Sometimes people say they are too busy solving different problems to go on harinama, but sankirtana,the congregational chanting of the holy name, is the solution to all problems.
In Vondelpark in Amsterdam, Srila Prabhupada said it was worthless to give a lecture to the drugged out hippies. He told the devotees to just do kirtana and prasadam. When he chanted there, Prabhupada chanted “Haribol” because it was easier for them to follow than “Hare Krishna.” That is the only time on record that Srila Prabhupada chanted “Haribol.”
Srila Prabhupada chanted with his pure heart, calling out to Krishna, in a tune everybody could follow.
Do not stop until you drop.
I calculated that in the 1970s every devotee did harinama an average 20% of the time. Now it is more like 0.002%.
Mahavirya Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada:
You had to bring at least one person back to the Sunday Feast, otherwise you weren’t preaching.
You could not sit with another devotee during the Sunday Feast. You had to talk with the new people.
In the beginning, we could not really understand the philosophy. We could understand harinama and book distribution.
One of the reason, I stayed with the Hare Krishna was that every day was an adventure. You never knew what would happen.
Don’t offend the karmis, the devotees, the matajis, the dogs. That will cover your love for Krishna, who is present everywhere.
I have turned down colleges and jobs, but I could not turn down Krishna.
Sadaputa Prabhu:
From “Rational ‘Mythology’” in God and Science:
“But in pure monism, what becomes of love of God, or indeed, love of anyone? If the ultimate reality is pure oneness, and personal existence is illusory, then love is also illusory. Love requires two, and not just two of anything. Two persons are needed for a relationship of love. If such relationships do have spiritual reality, then at least two spiritual persons must eternally exist.”
From “High Technology and the Ground of Being” in God and Science:
“One might object that the human mind acting on its own could not possibly demonstrate the truth of the personal conception of the supreme whole. Therefore, one should adopt a more cautious conception that is abstract and impersonal. The point can be made, however, that any conception of the Absolute generated by the finite mind is as mundane as any other, including both personal and impersonal conceptions. One then may as well forego all metaphysical speculation and restrict one’s attention entirely to the manifest world of interacting material energies.
“But if one does want to introduce ideas about the Absolute derived from revealed knowledge, then the Vedic literatures give concrete indication of how direct realization of this knowledge can be attained. Although the Supreme Lord is inaccessible to the mundane mind, the Lord will reveal Himself to persons who surrender to Him and serve Him with love. This, of course, is also a perennial philosophical conclusion.”
“The theory of creation by sound vibration involves transcendental levels of reality not accessible to the mundane senses, and thus in one way it is more unverifiable than the purely physical Darwinian theory. However, if a purely physical theory turns out to be empirically unverifiable, then there is nothing further one can do to be sure about it. In contrast, a theory that posits a supreme intelligent being opens up the possibility that further knowledge may be gained by internal and external revelation brought about by the will of that being. Of course, the dynamics of obtaining such knowledge are different from those of empirical, experimental science and mathematical analysis. Instead of forcing nature to disclose its secrets, one surrenders to the Supreme Lord in a humble spirit and pursues a path of spiritual discipline and divine service.
“This approach to knowledge and to life also constitutes one of the great perennial philosophies of mankind, but it has tended to be eclipsed in this age of scientific empiricism. To obtain the fruits of this path to knowledge, one must be willing to follow it, and one will be inclined to do this only if one thinks the worldview on which it is based might possibly be true. Establishing this possibility constitutes the ultimate justification for constructing theories, such as the one considered here, linking physics and metaphysics.”
From “Primordial Alphabet Soup” in God and Science:
“Darwinian evolution calls for a self-reproducing system of molecules. Indeed, one of the main tasks of origin-of-life theories is to explain how the first self-reproducing system arose. In living organisms, self-reproduction is a dauntingly complex process involving proteins, deoxyribonucleic-acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). If Darwinian evolution can’t take place until such a complex system is operating, scientists are at a loss to explain how that complex system has come about.”
From “The Universe of the Vedas” in God and Science:
“In the Bhavagatam, the context-sensitive approach was rendered particularly appropriate by the conviction that reality, in the ultimate issue, is avak-manasam, or beyond the reach of the mundane mind or words. This implies that a literal, one-to-one model of reality is unattainable, and so one may as well pack as much meaning as possible into a necessarily incomplete description of the universe. The cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana is a sophisticated system of thought, with multiple layers of meaning, both physical and metaphysical. It combines practical understanding of astronomy with spiritual conceptions to produce a meaningful picture of the universe and reality.”
Shyamananda Prabhu:
The final analysis in Vraja is “Lord Narayana must have saved Krishna or we must have done some pious activities so Krishna is saved.”
Radhanath Swami tells of a yogi who could bend an iron rod against his chest, but after that impressive feat, he was begging for a few paisa for food.
People trained in Vedic culture do not say “in my opinion” because they consider “who am I?”
The Sanskrit “cancalam” (flickering) comes from the word “cala” which means “to move.”
Krishna disagrees with Arjuna’s different proposals until Arjuna says the mind is very restless, and then Krishna agrees.
It is said the five verses comprising Rukmini’s letter to Krishna are verbatim.
When Giriraj Swami joined ISKCON he thought every devotee was a pure devotee. But now after 30 years in ISKCON, I think there are no pure devotees in ISKCON. What is wrong?
Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:
So many very heavy examples are given in the Bhagavatam itself and in Srila Prabhupada’s purports such as the wild animal and paramour who kills the husband to stress that the uncontrolled mind can completely destroy our spiritual life.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu:
To realize that the mind is something other than oneself is the beginning of conquering over it.
Some of the derelicts in the park express some amazing realizations, “I read in the books that the holy name is so powerful it can purify the whole block, maybe even two blocks.”
Bhakta Cesar:
Srila Prabhupada explains in a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavtam 5.6.4 that the varnasrama system is to help us control the mind. He concludes human civilization is meant to develop love of God.
Devotional service is so powerful that it can benefit any class of men to the extent of attaining the highest perfection of love of God.
There is a pastime of Rasikananda, who lived just after the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he was attacked by a mad elephant, he threw a few drops of water on the elephant, and then the elephant began to chant Hare Krishna.
Because Murari Gupta played the role Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu in his previous existence, he presented himself to Lord Caitanya in that way, and Lord Caitanya sportingly climbed on his back and rode him around the courtyard.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: If someone has offended us, that is their ignorance, but if we take it as an offense, that is our ignorance.

Q (by Brajananda Prabhu): You have been distributing books for a year in New York City. My experience is it is the heaviest place, what is your experience.
A: I was distributing prasadam to one of the chess players at Union Square, and he became really agitated, and said, “What do you think I am? Your dog?” then he uttered so much profanity. Finally he spit in my face. I was thinking how Jagai and Madhai caused Nityananda so much pain yet he tolerated it and was merciful to them. And I actually felt good about my experience.
“Get a job” bothers you for the first month or so.
We are like people panning for gold. They look through so much mud to find a few golden flakes, and we talk to so many people on book distribution, hoping to find a few sincere souls.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: When we are treated negatively, we should not think it is the person, Krishna is doing something to teach us.
—–
Although as souls, we can experience an ocean of transcendental bliss by reconnecting with our source, Lord Krishna, we are so attached to the insignificant pleasures of this world, we will never experience it. Verses like the one below are meant to wake us up. We have to be careful what we value:
natah parataro loke pumsahsvārtha-vyatikramahyad-adhy anyasya preyastvamatmanah sva-vyatikramat
“There is no stronger obstruction to one’s self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one’s self-realization.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.32)

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32862

Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita on December 25, 1975 in Sanand:
When we speak of knowledge, jnana, it must be learned from a person.
Vyasadeva does not say “Krishna uvaca [Krishna said],” but “Bhagavan uvaca [the Supreme Personality of Godhead said].” This is because sometimes people have differences of opinion about Krishna.
“If we approach some speculator, we cannot get real knowledge. So those who are speculators, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore they commit mistake that ‘God is like this,’ ‘God like that,’ ‘There is no God,’ ‘There is no form.’ All these nonsense things are proposed, because they are imperfect.”
“We don’t manufacture any concocted things. We simply distribute the message given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And this is becoming effective practically. You can see practically these Europeans and Americans, Australians, all over the world, they did not know four or five years ago, or say ten years ago, since I have begun this movement, they did not know what is Krishna. Although Bhagavad-gita was being presented by so many swamis and yogis, not a single man became a devotee of Krishna. So our, this presentation, because it is pure, without any adulteration, it is acting very nicely.”
“Even the Christian priests, they become surprised when they see that these boys, their boys – they were Christians or Jews – they became surprised that ‘These boys were never coming to the church. They were never interested in understanding what is God. Now, since this Krishna consciousness movement is there, how these boys have become so mad after God?’ The only reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We preach that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna says also in theBhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So this is being effective, that if we really want to understand Bhagavad-gita, we must understand as it is presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
If I am eternal, why am I accepting death? That is the real question.
We should be anxious to understand what I am. Aham brahmasmi [I am spirit.] That is the real solution to all problems.
The real business is to increase your attachment for Krishna.
“We request all Indians to take part in this Krishna consciousness movement and be yourself happy, be yourself guru, and deliver all other persons who are in ignorance. And to become guru is not very difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha tare kaha ‘krishna’-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128] You become guru. It is not very difficult. How? Now, because you have to simply repeat what Krishna has said. That’s all. So Krishna says everything in the Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. These four things if you accept – to think of Krishna always, to become devotee of Krishna, to offer obeisances to Krishna and to worship Krishna ­– these four things if you do, you become Krishna conscious, a devotee of Krishna, and you can preach all over the world. It is not at all difficult.”
“Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge.”
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.27–29:
You are doing something. Just change your consciousness so you are doing it for Krishna.
If you act for Krishna, there will be no reaction.
Either good reaction or bad reaction, you have to accept this body.
Do not think because you are getting a birth in rich family you will enjoy. Because you have a material body, you will still get the material miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease.
In Krishna consciousness, you become free from all reactions and attain the spiritual world.
If I am involved in sinful activity and if you take my money, you get involved in the sinful reactions.
Sannyasa means becoming free from the actions and reactions. This is possible by acting for Krishna.
“God is neutral. Samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. . . . If He is sama – sama means neutral—then how we find different grades of people or different grades of species of life? . . . Now, I will give you a crude example. Suppose I am a shopkeeper. I have got different varieties of goods. Now, if you pay me less, then I can supply you inferior quality of goods. Another customer is paying me a good amount; then I will supply you superior quality of goods. Now, I supply to some customer inferior quality of goods; to another customer I supply superior quality of goods. Is there any partiality? No. That is not partiality. So God gives you result of your actions. Samo ’ham. He is impartial. If you do good acts, then you get good result. If you do bad acts, then you get bad result.”
Those advanced in Krishna consciousness always see Krishna, and Krishna always sees His devotee.
God is very cheap if we adopt the means, if we become a pure devotee, therefore we should adopt the practice by which we can become a pure devotee.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.11–14 in New York City on November 27, 1966:
You may not believe in God, but who is giving you this speaking power to say, “I do not believe” in God. If that speaking power is withdrawn, you are no better than stone.
When Krishna was present, 99% of the people did not recognize that He was God.
Krishna performed superhuman activities when He was present, the authorities say that Krishna is God, and Vedas say that Krishna is God. With all this evidence, if you still you will not accept that Krishna is God, you are asuram bhavam asrita [possessed of a demoniac mentality].
You cannot see the sun at night by your own endeavor, but at 5 a.m. the sun reveals itself. If you cannot even see the sun at night, how to you expect to see God by your own endeavor? Like the sun, God can be seen when he reveals Himself. 
Although the materialists are always increasing their wealth, they do not attain ultimate happiness. If one wants real happiness, which has no end, one must endeavor to be Krishna conscious.
Formerly, people would dedicate their whole lives to attaining self-realization and even then sometimes not meet with success. Lord Caitanya has made self-realization easily. You just have to spare some time to hear. You do not have to even pay a fee.
‘I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Krishna.’ That is [the thinking of a] mahatma [a great soul].
This service of Krishna begins with chanting. Come here, chant, and become a mahatma.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 5.7–13 in New York on August 27, 1966:
It is not possible to renounce without Krishna consciousness. If I am in one room, if I have no other room to go to, I cannot leave.
Krishna says if one renounces without Krishna consciousness the result will be misery. (Bg. 5.6)
Everything has a relationship with Krishna. That is what is to be realized.
Because the material world is a manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Lord it has an intimate relationship with the Lord, and thus we should utilize it properly.
“If I think that ‘Every thing, every eatable things, they are sent by Krishna or God for everyone, let me take whatever I want,’ then there is peace in the world. Of course, that is not possible because it is such a world that we are always anxious to stock, or you’ll ask always to take more, then more, then more. Nobody is satisfied.”
“A Krishna conscious person, he never thinks that ‘I am doing something.’ Even if you ask him that ‘Are you going to such and such place?’ Suppose it is settled that he’s going to such and such place. If you ask him, ‘When you are going?’ He’ll say that ‘I do not know when I shall go, but when Krishna will ask me or allow me to go, I shall go.’ I am saying this from my practical experience from my Guru Maharaja, from my spiritual master. He would never say that ‘I am going,’ ‘I am doing.’ No, ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall do it.’ ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall go.’ Like that. Always depending on Krishna. This is calledvisuddhatma.”
From a letter to Upendra, written in Los Angeles on February 1, 1969:
“Simply engage yourself in Krishna’s service. That will protect you from any attack of maya. Maya can take Krishna’s place in our heart as soon as there is a slackness on our part. Otherwise, if Krishna’s seated always, maya has no opportunity to occupy the seat.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.6.6, purport:
“One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Finished sixteen rounds. The first seven were ‘good,’ but then I suffered from plan-making. Letters I wanted to write came to mind. I tried to make a few notes, brief notes, as the thoughts occurred – ‘Write editor on production of reprints’, ‘Tell M. to give me a haircut’ – then stopped.” 
“Someone once asked me, ‘Isn’t japa actually an ideal time to access deeper creative thinking?’ Harer nama should not be used like that. There are plenty of other occasions when the creative muse can visit and fill our minds with Great Plans and Great Worries. Anyway, this morning I made a few token notes on the mind’s demands and tried to return my attention to the holy name. The world won’t end if I don’t remember to look for my lost sock or if my hair doesn’t get cut for another day. Just chant.”
“Harer nama is cintamani (touchstone), but I’m not touching it with attention. So that which I can’t do, I pray for. ‘Please bring me love of God. Please let me serve You and be pleasing to You.’ These prayers are included in the prayer to be faithful.”
Candrasekhara Swami:
Although Krishna easily defeats so many demons, sometimes when playing with His intimate friends, He is defeated.
Janananda Goswami:
People spend their whole lives to adjust their happiness and distress but they actually becoming more distressed by their attempts.
As long as we are pursuing what we like, we will definitely stay in the material world.
“Markine Bhagavata Dharma” is like a mission statement for Srila Prabhupada. Everything is there about becoming Krishna consciousness, depending on mercy of the holy name and his guru’s instructions.
No one in New York City, even those attending his programs at 26 2nd Avenue knew what Srila Prabhupada doing in starting his International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada wanted to leave his body preaching Krishna consciousness. 
When I joined, an average day was 8 hours of harinama sankirtana, six and a half days a week. Sunday was a half day because of the Sunday Feast. We would spend the whole week inviting people to the Sunday Feast. 
We should not become attached to facility. The facility is meant for our service.
We should be preaching and not depending on the results, not depending on facilities.
The whole idea is to become free from our dependence on material sense gratification and to become dependent on the mercy of Krishna.
On Prabhupada’s disappearance, one of Prabhupada’s godbrothers said, “Bhaktivedanta Swami is the only one who understood our guru’s mission. While others were discussing this or that, he attacked sense gratification and science. He actually did the work.”
Preaching is to get people chanting Hare Krishna, somehow or other.
The early devotees were shocked when Srila Prabhupada proposed that they chant in a public park. They thought it was just for inside.
Prabhupada had Hayagriva Prabhu read from his Srimad-Bhagavatam at the first Washington Square Park harinama.
The “Peace Formula” was derived from what Srila Prabhupada spoke at a United Nations peace vigil.
The incorporation document that was sent to the lawyer included promoting a healthy vegetarian diet, establishing varnasrama, and removing the conception of dividing society by birth.
Alan Ginsberg suggested the devotees go to and chant in Tompkins Square Park.
No one knew anything about Hare Krishna, when they saw the first harinama.
It was about four months I was coming to the temple before people explained the philosophy to me. We emphasized harinama and engagement in service.
Prabhupada brought everyone in.
In London every week, there was one guy who would dump a bucket of urine on the Saturday nightharinama from four floors above. I do not know why we went the same way each week.
Sometimes people say they are too busy solving different problems to go on harinama, but sankirtana,the congregational chanting of the holy name, is the solution to all problems.
In Vondelpark in Amsterdam, Srila Prabhupada said it was worthless to give a lecture to the drugged out hippies. He told the devotees to just do kirtana and prasadam. When he chanted there, Prabhupada chanted “Haribol” because it was easier for them to follow than “Hare Krishna.” That is the only time on record that Srila Prabhupada chanted “Haribol.”
Srila Prabhupada chanted with his pure heart, calling out to Krishna, in a tune everybody could follow.
Do not stop until you drop.
I calculated that in the 1970s every devotee did harinama an average 20% of the time. Now it is more like 0.002%.
Mahavirya Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada:
You had to bring at least one person back to the Sunday Feast, otherwise you weren’t preaching.
You could not sit with another devotee during the Sunday Feast. You had to talk with the new people.
In the beginning, we could not really understand the philosophy. We could understand harinama and book distribution.
One of the reason, I stayed with the Hare Krishna was that every day was an adventure. You never knew what would happen.
Don’t offend the karmis, the devotees, the matajis, the dogs. That will cover your love for Krishna, who is present everywhere.
I have turned down colleges and jobs, but I could not turn down Krishna.
Sadaputa Prabhu:
From “Rational ‘Mythology’” in God and Science:
“But in pure monism, what becomes of love of God, or indeed, love of anyone? If the ultimate reality is pure oneness, and personal existence is illusory, then love is also illusory. Love requires two, and not just two of anything. Two persons are needed for a relationship of love. If such relationships do have spiritual reality, then at least two spiritual persons must eternally exist.”
From “High Technology and the Ground of Being” in God and Science:
“One might object that the human mind acting on its own could not possibly demonstrate the truth of the personal conception of the supreme whole. Therefore, one should adopt a more cautious conception that is abstract and impersonal. The point can be made, however, that any conception of the Absolute generated by the finite mind is as mundane as any other, including both personal and impersonal conceptions. One then may as well forego all metaphysical speculation and restrict one’s attention entirely to the manifest world of interacting material energies.
“But if one does want to introduce ideas about the Absolute derived from revealed knowledge, then the Vedic literatures give concrete indication of how direct realization of this knowledge can be attained. Although the Supreme Lord is inaccessible to the mundane mind, the Lord will reveal Himself to persons who surrender to Him and serve Him with love. This, of course, is also a perennial philosophical conclusion.”
“The theory of creation by sound vibration involves transcendental levels of reality not accessible to the mundane senses, and thus in one way it is more unverifiable than the purely physical Darwinian theory. However, if a purely physical theory turns out to be empirically unverifiable, then there is nothing further one can do to be sure about it. In contrast, a theory that posits a supreme intelligent being opens up the possibility that further knowledge may be gained by internal and external revelation brought about by the will of that being. Of course, the dynamics of obtaining such knowledge are different from those of empirical, experimental science and mathematical analysis. Instead of forcing nature to disclose its secrets, one surrenders to the Supreme Lord in a humble spirit and pursues a path of spiritual discipline and divine service.
“This approach to knowledge and to life also constitutes one of the great perennial philosophies of mankind, but it has tended to be eclipsed in this age of scientific empiricism. To obtain the fruits of this path to knowledge, one must be willing to follow it, and one will be inclined to do this only if one thinks the worldview on which it is based might possibly be true. Establishing this possibility constitutes the ultimate justification for constructing theories, such as the one considered here, linking physics and metaphysics.”
From “Primordial Alphabet Soup” in God and Science:
“Darwinian evolution calls for a self-reproducing system of molecules. Indeed, one of the main tasks of origin-of-life theories is to explain how the first self-reproducing system arose. In living organisms, self-reproduction is a dauntingly complex process involving proteins, deoxyribonucleic-acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). If Darwinian evolution can’t take place until such a complex system is operating, scientists are at a loss to explain how that complex system has come about.”
From “The Universe of the Vedas” in God and Science:
“In the Bhavagatam, the context-sensitive approach was rendered particularly appropriate by the conviction that reality, in the ultimate issue, is avak-manasam, or beyond the reach of the mundane mind or words. This implies that a literal, one-to-one model of reality is unattainable, and so one may as well pack as much meaning as possible into a necessarily incomplete description of the universe. The cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana is a sophisticated system of thought, with multiple layers of meaning, both physical and metaphysical. It combines practical understanding of astronomy with spiritual conceptions to produce a meaningful picture of the universe and reality.”
Shyamananda Prabhu:
The final analysis in Vraja is “Lord Narayana must have saved Krishna or we must have done some pious activities so Krishna is saved.”
Radhanath Swami tells of a yogi who could bend an iron rod against his chest, but after that impressive feat, he was begging for a few paisa for food.
People trained in Vedic culture do not say “in my opinion” because they consider “who am I?”
The Sanskrit “cancalam” (flickering) comes from the word “cala” which means “to move.”
Krishna disagrees with Arjuna’s different proposals until Arjuna says the mind is very restless, and then Krishna agrees.
It is said the five verses comprising Rukmini’s letter to Krishna are verbatim.
When Giriraj Swami joined ISKCON he thought every devotee was a pure devotee. But now after 30 years in ISKCON, I think there are no pure devotees in ISKCON. What is wrong?
Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:
So many very heavy examples are given in the Bhagavatam itself and in Srila Prabhupada’s purports such as the wild animal and paramour who kills the husband to stress that the uncontrolled mind can completely destroy our spiritual life.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu:
To realize that the mind is something other than oneself is the beginning of conquering over it.
Some of the derelicts in the park express some amazing realizations, “I read in the books that the holy name is so powerful it can purify the whole block, maybe even two blocks.”
Bhakta Cesar:
Srila Prabhupada explains in a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavtam 5.6.4 that the varnasrama system is to help us control the mind. He concludes human civilization is meant to develop love of God.
Devotional service is so powerful that it can benefit any class of men to the extent of attaining the highest perfection of love of God.
There is a pastime of Rasikananda, who lived just after the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he was attacked by a mad elephant, he threw a few drops of water on the elephant, and then the elephant began to chant Hare Krishna.
Because Murari Gupta played the role Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu in his previous existence, he presented himself to Lord Caitanya in that way, and Lord Caitanya sportingly climbed on his back and rode him around the courtyard.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: If someone has offended us, that is their ignorance, but if we take it as an offense, that is our ignorance.

Q (by Brajananda Prabhu): You have been distributing books for a year in New York City. My experience is it is the heaviest place, what is your experience.
A: I was distributing prasadam to one of the chess players at Union Square, and he became really agitated, and said, “What do you think I am? Your dog?” then he uttered so much profanity. Finally he spit in my face. I was thinking how Jagai and Madhai caused Nityananda so much pain yet he tolerated it and was merciful to them. And I actually felt good about my experience.
“Get a job” bothers you for the first month or so.
We are like people panning for gold. They look through so much mud to find a few golden flakes, and we talk to so many people on book distribution, hoping to find a few sincere souls.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: When we are treated negatively, we should not think it is the person, Krishna is doing something to teach us.
—–
Although as souls, we can experience an ocean of transcendental bliss by reconnecting with our source, Lord Krishna, we are so attached to the insignificant pleasures of this world, we will never experience it. Verses like the one below are meant to wake us up. We have to be careful what we value:
natah parataro loke pumsahsvārtha-vyatikramahyad-adhy anyasya preyastvamatmanah sva-vyatikramat
“There is no stronger obstruction to one’s self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one’s self-realization.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.32)

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32862

Srila Prabhupada:
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita on December 25, 1975 in Sanand:
When we speak of knowledge, jnana, it must be learned from a person.
Vyasadeva does not say “Krishna uvaca [Krishna said],” but “Bhagavan uvaca [the Supreme Personality of Godhead said].” This is because sometimes people have differences of opinion about Krishna.
“If we approach some speculator, we cannot get real knowledge. So those who are speculators, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore they commit mistake that ‘God is like this,’ ‘God like that,’ ‘There is no God,’ ‘There is no form.’ All these nonsense things are proposed, because they are imperfect.”
“We don’t manufacture any concocted things. We simply distribute the message given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And this is becoming effective practically. You can see practically these Europeans and Americans, Australians, all over the world, they did not know four or five years ago, or say ten years ago, since I have begun this movement, they did not know what is Krishna. Although Bhagavad-gita was being presented by so many swamis and yogis, not a single man became a devotee of Krishna. So our, this presentation, because it is pure, without any adulteration, it is acting very nicely.”
“Even the Christian priests, they become surprised when they see that these boys, their boys – they were Christians or Jews – they became surprised that ‘These boys were never coming to the church. They were never interested in understanding what is God. Now, since this Krishna consciousness movement is there, how these boys have become so mad after God?’ The only reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We preach that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna says also in theBhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So this is being effective, that if we really want to understand Bhagavad-gita, we must understand as it is presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
If I am eternal, why am I accepting death? That is the real question.
We should be anxious to understand what I am. Aham brahmasmi [I am spirit.] That is the real solution to all problems.
The real business is to increase your attachment for Krishna.
“We request all Indians to take part in this Krishna consciousness movement and be yourself happy, be yourself guru, and deliver all other persons who are in ignorance. And to become guru is not very difficult. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha tare kaha ‘krishna’-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128] You become guru. It is not very difficult. How? Now, because you have to simply repeat what Krishna has said. That’s all. So Krishna says everything in the Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. These four things if you accept – to think of Krishna always, to become devotee of Krishna, to offer obeisances to Krishna and to worship Krishna ­– these four things if you do, you become Krishna conscious, a devotee of Krishna, and you can preach all over the world. It is not at all difficult.”
“Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge.”
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.27–29:
You are doing something. Just change your consciousness so you are doing it for Krishna.
If you act for Krishna, there will be no reaction.
Either good reaction or bad reaction, you have to accept this body.
Do not think because you are getting a birth in rich family you will enjoy. Because you have a material body, you will still get the material miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease.
In Krishna consciousness, you become free from all reactions and attain the spiritual world.
If I am involved in sinful activity and if you take my money, you get involved in the sinful reactions.
Sannyasa means becoming free from the actions and reactions. This is possible by acting for Krishna.
“God is neutral. Samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. . . . If He is sama – sama means neutral—then how we find different grades of people or different grades of species of life? . . . Now, I will give you a crude example. Suppose I am a shopkeeper. I have got different varieties of goods. Now, if you pay me less, then I can supply you inferior quality of goods. Another customer is paying me a good amount; then I will supply you superior quality of goods. Now, I supply to some customer inferior quality of goods; to another customer I supply superior quality of goods. Is there any partiality? No. That is not partiality. So God gives you result of your actions. Samo ’ham. He is impartial. If you do good acts, then you get good result. If you do bad acts, then you get bad result.”
Those advanced in Krishna consciousness always see Krishna, and Krishna always sees His devotee.
God is very cheap if we adopt the means, if we become a pure devotee, therefore we should adopt the practice by which we can become a pure devotee.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 9.11–14 in New York City on November 27, 1966:
You may not believe in God, but who is giving you this speaking power to say, “I do not believe” in God. If that speaking power is withdrawn, you are no better than stone.
When Krishna was present, 99% of the people did not recognize that He was God.
Krishna performed superhuman activities when He was present, the authorities say that Krishna is God, and Vedas say that Krishna is God. With all this evidence, if you still you will not accept that Krishna is God, you are asuram bhavam asrita [possessed of a demoniac mentality].
You cannot see the sun at night by your own endeavor, but at 5 a.m. the sun reveals itself. If you cannot even see the sun at night, how to you expect to see God by your own endeavor? Like the sun, God can be seen when he reveals Himself. 
Although the materialists are always increasing their wealth, they do not attain ultimate happiness. If one wants real happiness, which has no end, one must endeavor to be Krishna conscious.
Formerly, people would dedicate their whole lives to attaining self-realization and even then sometimes not meet with success. Lord Caitanya has made self-realization easily. You just have to spare some time to hear. You do not have to even pay a fee.
‘I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Krishna.’ That is [the thinking of a] mahatma [a great soul].
This service of Krishna begins with chanting. Come here, chant, and become a mahatma.
From a lecture on Bhagavad-gita 5.7–13 in New York on August 27, 1966:
It is not possible to renounce without Krishna consciousness. If I am in one room, if I have no other room to go to, I cannot leave.
Krishna says if one renounces without Krishna consciousness the result will be misery. (Bg. 5.6)
Everything has a relationship with Krishna. That is what is to be realized.
Because the material world is a manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Lord it has an intimate relationship with the Lord, and thus we should utilize it properly.
“If I think that ‘Every thing, every eatable things, they are sent by Krishna or God for everyone, let me take whatever I want,’ then there is peace in the world. Of course, that is not possible because it is such a world that we are always anxious to stock, or you’ll ask always to take more, then more, then more. Nobody is satisfied.”
“A Krishna conscious person, he never thinks that ‘I am doing something.’ Even if you ask him that ‘Are you going to such and such place?’ Suppose it is settled that he’s going to such and such place. If you ask him, ‘When you are going?’ He’ll say that ‘I do not know when I shall go, but when Krishna will ask me or allow me to go, I shall go.’ I am saying this from my practical experience from my Guru Maharaja, from my spiritual master. He would never say that ‘I am going,’ ‘I am doing.’ No, ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall do it.’ ‘If Krishna desires, then I shall go.’ Like that. Always depending on Krishna. This is calledvisuddhatma.”
From a letter to Upendra, written in Los Angeles on February 1, 1969:
“Simply engage yourself in Krishna’s service. That will protect you from any attack of maya. Maya can take Krishna’s place in our heart as soon as there is a slackness on our part. Otherwise, if Krishna’s seated always, maya has no opportunity to occupy the seat.”
From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.6.6, purport:
“One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body.”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
From Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name:
“Finished sixteen rounds. The first seven were ‘good,’ but then I suffered from plan-making. Letters I wanted to write came to mind. I tried to make a few notes, brief notes, as the thoughts occurred – ‘Write editor on production of reprints’, ‘Tell M. to give me a haircut’ – then stopped.” 
“Someone once asked me, ‘Isn’t japa actually an ideal time to access deeper creative thinking?’ Harer nama should not be used like that. There are plenty of other occasions when the creative muse can visit and fill our minds with Great Plans and Great Worries. Anyway, this morning I made a few token notes on the mind’s demands and tried to return my attention to the holy name. The world won’t end if I don’t remember to look for my lost sock or if my hair doesn’t get cut for another day. Just chant.”
“Harer nama is cintamani (touchstone), but I’m not touching it with attention. So that which I can’t do, I pray for. ‘Please bring me love of God. Please let me serve You and be pleasing to You.’ These prayers are included in the prayer to be faithful.”
Candrasekhara Swami:
Although Krishna easily defeats so many demons, sometimes when playing with His intimate friends, He is defeated.
Janananda Goswami:
People spend their whole lives to adjust their happiness and distress but they actually becoming more distressed by their attempts.
As long as we are pursuing what we like, we will definitely stay in the material world.
“Markine Bhagavata Dharma” is like a mission statement for Srila Prabhupada. Everything is there about becoming Krishna consciousness, depending on mercy of the holy name and his guru’s instructions.
No one in New York City, even those attending his programs at 26 2nd Avenue knew what Srila Prabhupada doing in starting his International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada wanted to leave his body preaching Krishna consciousness. 
When I joined, an average day was 8 hours of harinama sankirtana, six and a half days a week. Sunday was a half day because of the Sunday Feast. We would spend the whole week inviting people to the Sunday Feast. 
We should not become attached to facility. The facility is meant for our service.
We should be preaching and not depending on the results, not depending on facilities.
The whole idea is to become free from our dependence on material sense gratification and to become dependent on the mercy of Krishna.
On Prabhupada’s disappearance, one of Prabhupada’s godbrothers said, “Bhaktivedanta Swami is the only one who understood our guru’s mission. While others were discussing this or that, he attacked sense gratification and science. He actually did the work.”
Preaching is to get people chanting Hare Krishna, somehow or other.
The early devotees were shocked when Srila Prabhupada proposed that they chant in a public park. They thought it was just for inside.
Prabhupada had Hayagriva Prabhu read from his Srimad-Bhagavatam at the first Washington Square Park harinama.
The “Peace Formula” was derived from what Srila Prabhupada spoke at a United Nations peace vigil.
The incorporation document that was sent to the lawyer included promoting a healthy vegetarian diet, establishing varnasrama, and removing the conception of dividing society by birth.
Alan Ginsberg suggested the devotees go to and chant in Tompkins Square Park.
No one knew anything about Hare Krishna, when they saw the first harinama.
It was about four months I was coming to the temple before people explained the philosophy to me. We emphasized harinama and engagement in service.
Prabhupada brought everyone in.
In London every week, there was one guy who would dump a bucket of urine on the Saturday nightharinama from four floors above. I do not know why we went the same way each week.
Sometimes people say they are too busy solving different problems to go on harinama, but sankirtana,the congregational chanting of the holy name, is the solution to all problems.
In Vondelpark in Amsterdam, Srila Prabhupada said it was worthless to give a lecture to the drugged out hippies. He told the devotees to just do kirtana and prasadam. When he chanted there, Prabhupada chanted “Haribol” because it was easier for them to follow than “Hare Krishna.” That is the only time on record that Srila Prabhupada chanted “Haribol.”
Srila Prabhupada chanted with his pure heart, calling out to Krishna, in a tune everybody could follow.
Do not stop until you drop.
I calculated that in the 1970s every devotee did harinama an average 20% of the time. Now it is more like 0.002%.
Mahavirya Prabhu, disciple of Srila Prabhupada:
You had to bring at least one person back to the Sunday Feast, otherwise you weren’t preaching.
You could not sit with another devotee during the Sunday Feast. You had to talk with the new people.
In the beginning, we could not really understand the philosophy. We could understand harinama and book distribution.
One of the reason, I stayed with the Hare Krishna was that every day was an adventure. You never knew what would happen.
Don’t offend the karmis, the devotees, the matajis, the dogs. That will cover your love for Krishna, who is present everywhere.
I have turned down colleges and jobs, but I could not turn down Krishna.
Sadaputa Prabhu:
From “Rational ‘Mythology’” in God and Science:
“But in pure monism, what becomes of love of God, or indeed, love of anyone? If the ultimate reality is pure oneness, and personal existence is illusory, then love is also illusory. Love requires two, and not just two of anything. Two persons are needed for a relationship of love. If such relationships do have spiritual reality, then at least two spiritual persons must eternally exist.”
From “High Technology and the Ground of Being” in God and Science:
“One might object that the human mind acting on its own could not possibly demonstrate the truth of the personal conception of the supreme whole. Therefore, one should adopt a more cautious conception that is abstract and impersonal. The point can be made, however, that any conception of the Absolute generated by the finite mind is as mundane as any other, including both personal and impersonal conceptions. One then may as well forego all metaphysical speculation and restrict one’s attention entirely to the manifest world of interacting material energies.
“But if one does want to introduce ideas about the Absolute derived from revealed knowledge, then the Vedic literatures give concrete indication of how direct realization of this knowledge can be attained. Although the Supreme Lord is inaccessible to the mundane mind, the Lord will reveal Himself to persons who surrender to Him and serve Him with love. This, of course, is also a perennial philosophical conclusion.”
“The theory of creation by sound vibration involves transcendental levels of reality not accessible to the mundane senses, and thus in one way it is more unverifiable than the purely physical Darwinian theory. However, if a purely physical theory turns out to be empirically unverifiable, then there is nothing further one can do to be sure about it. In contrast, a theory that posits a supreme intelligent being opens up the possibility that further knowledge may be gained by internal and external revelation brought about by the will of that being. Of course, the dynamics of obtaining such knowledge are different from those of empirical, experimental science and mathematical analysis. Instead of forcing nature to disclose its secrets, one surrenders to the Supreme Lord in a humble spirit and pursues a path of spiritual discipline and divine service.
“This approach to knowledge and to life also constitutes one of the great perennial philosophies of mankind, but it has tended to be eclipsed in this age of scientific empiricism. To obtain the fruits of this path to knowledge, one must be willing to follow it, and one will be inclined to do this only if one thinks the worldview on which it is based might possibly be true. Establishing this possibility constitutes the ultimate justification for constructing theories, such as the one considered here, linking physics and metaphysics.”
From “Primordial Alphabet Soup” in God and Science:
“Darwinian evolution calls for a self-reproducing system of molecules. Indeed, one of the main tasks of origin-of-life theories is to explain how the first self-reproducing system arose. In living organisms, self-reproduction is a dauntingly complex process involving proteins, deoxyribonucleic-acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). If Darwinian evolution can’t take place until such a complex system is operating, scientists are at a loss to explain how that complex system has come about.”
From “The Universe of the Vedas” in God and Science:
“In the Bhavagatam, the context-sensitive approach was rendered particularly appropriate by the conviction that reality, in the ultimate issue, is avak-manasam, or beyond the reach of the mundane mind or words. This implies that a literal, one-to-one model of reality is unattainable, and so one may as well pack as much meaning as possible into a necessarily incomplete description of the universe. The cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana is a sophisticated system of thought, with multiple layers of meaning, both physical and metaphysical. It combines practical understanding of astronomy with spiritual conceptions to produce a meaningful picture of the universe and reality.”
Shyamananda Prabhu:
The final analysis in Vraja is “Lord Narayana must have saved Krishna or we must have done some pious activities so Krishna is saved.”
Radhanath Swami tells of a yogi who could bend an iron rod against his chest, but after that impressive feat, he was begging for a few paisa for food.
People trained in Vedic culture do not say “in my opinion” because they consider “who am I?”
The Sanskrit “cancalam” (flickering) comes from the word “cala” which means “to move.”
Krishna disagrees with Arjuna’s different proposals until Arjuna says the mind is very restless, and then Krishna agrees.
It is said the five verses comprising Rukmini’s letter to Krishna are verbatim.
When Giriraj Swami joined ISKCON he thought every devotee was a pure devotee. But now after 30 years in ISKCON, I think there are no pure devotees in ISKCON. What is wrong?
Virabhadra Rama Prabhu:
So many very heavy examples are given in the Bhagavatam itself and in Srila Prabhupada’s purports such as the wild animal and paramour who kills the husband to stress that the uncontrolled mind can completely destroy our spiritual life.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu:
To realize that the mind is something other than oneself is the beginning of conquering over it.
Some of the derelicts in the park express some amazing realizations, “I read in the books that the holy name is so powerful it can purify the whole block, maybe even two blocks.”
Bhakta Cesar:
Srila Prabhupada explains in a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavtam 5.6.4 that the varnasrama system is to help us control the mind. He concludes human civilization is meant to develop love of God.
Devotional service is so powerful that it can benefit any class of men to the extent of attaining the highest perfection of love of God.
There is a pastime of Rasikananda, who lived just after the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he was attacked by a mad elephant, he threw a few drops of water on the elephant, and then the elephant began to chant Hare Krishna.
Because Murari Gupta played the role Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu in his previous existence, he presented himself to Lord Caitanya in that way, and Lord Caitanya sportingly climbed on his back and rode him around the courtyard.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: If someone has offended us, that is their ignorance, but if we take it as an offense, that is our ignorance.

Q (by Brajananda Prabhu): You have been distributing books for a year in New York City. My experience is it is the heaviest place, what is your experience.
A: I was distributing prasadam to one of the chess players at Union Square, and he became really agitated, and said, “What do you think I am? Your dog?” then he uttered so much profanity. Finally he spit in my face. I was thinking how Jagai and Madhai caused Nityananda so much pain yet he tolerated it and was merciful to them. And I actually felt good about my experience.
“Get a job” bothers you for the first month or so.
We are like people panning for gold. They look through so much mud to find a few golden flakes, and we talk to so many people on book distribution, hoping to find a few sincere souls.
Comment by Adi Purusha Prabhu: When we are treated negatively, we should not think it is the person, Krishna is doing something to teach us.
—–
Although as souls, we can experience an ocean of transcendental bliss by reconnecting with our source, Lord Krishna, we are so attached to the insignificant pleasures of this world, we will never experience it. Verses like the one below are meant to wake us up. We have to be careful what we value:
natah parataro loke pumsahsvārtha-vyatikramahyad-adhy anyasya preyastvamatmanah sva-vyatikramat
“There is no stronger obstruction to one’s self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one’s self-realization.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.32)

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32862

Krsna’s beauty is stunning! It is said that those devotees who look at Krsna, they gradually become stunned! I am worshipping Krsna in the form of Giriraja Govardhan. It is said that Govardhan Hill is non-different from Krsna. Somehow or other, my Giriraja is really nice, extremely nice. He really is very beautiful! Look on the internet if you want to see Him.

Srila Prabhupada said that if we worship the deity of Krsna then we must try to decorate that deity very nicely and if you do so, then you will lose all your taste for worldly beauty. So I am trying to do so and I must say that indeed there is a lot of taste! Such kind of taste is the awakening of spontaneous service.

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2016/10/worshipping-giriraja/

Krsna’s beauty is stunning! It is said that those devotees who look at Krsna, they gradually become stunned! I am worshipping Krsna in the form of Giriraja Govardhan. It is said that Govardhan Hill is non-different from Krsna. Somehow or other, my Giriraja is really nice, extremely nice. He really is very beautiful! Look on the internet if you want to see Him.

Srila Prabhupada said that if we worship the deity of Krsna then we must try to decorate that deity very nicely and if you do so, then you will lose all your taste for worldly beauty. So I am trying to do so and I must say that indeed there is a lot of taste! Such kind of taste is the awakening of spontaneous service.

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2016/10/worshipping-giriraja/

Srila Prabhupada's 50th festival lights up Montreal's cultural landscape. 

As you walk  towards the twin-towered Complexe Desjardins, in the heart of downtown Montreal's popular festival district, just opposite the prestigious Place-des-Arts, you are beckoned  by the elegant Bharatnatyam dancer on the 15x18 ft. banner at the main entrance to come inside to explore the exotic cultural event of September 2nd and 3rd entitled as “Journey to the Heart of India.”

Upon entering the impressive central foyer with its 80 ft. ceiling adorned with skylights and saffron colored flower umbrellas, you can glimpse below at the fascinating vista: the 50,000 square-foot venue now filled with the colorful array of 20 booths surrounding the large stage, where the best of India's traditional devotional arts of dance and music captivate the hundreds of eager attendants.

During this unique showcasing of India's deep spiritual culture, the over 15,000 people who attended were treated to an in-depth presentation of Srila Prabhupada's amazing contributions, richly illustrated within 20 professional displays: Sacred Literature, Bhagavad-gita, Hommage to Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON Celebrates 50 Years, Spiritual Solutions, Eco-Village, Harmony with the Earth, Higher Taste, Ayurveda etc. Many of the thousands in attendance were thoughtful spiritual seekers already acquainted with spiritual India's ancient yoga and wisdom traditions, who also donated towards the 500 books and 1,500 meals distributed.

This unique and very successful event has created quite a buzz within Montreal's prolific cultural landscape, allowing so many to become more deeply aware of Srila Prabhupada's immense spiritual legacy.

The second part of ISKCON Montreal’s 50th Anniversary festival, under the theme “Joy of Devotion - Srila Prabhupada in Montreal”, took place at the ISKCON temple on September 4-5th. Over 600 devotees and guests from all over Canada celebrated with grateful hearts Srila Prabhupada's miraculous achievements. Several guests of honor, including Guru Das, Suresvara Das, Malati and Srutirupa, were able to share their very inspiring personal memories of their close association with Srila Prabhupada, to the delight and upliftment of all present. A special Maha-Abhishek was also offered to Srila Prabhupada with 125 golden kalasas.

Another popular highlight was Monday's maha-harinam of over 60 devotees who chanted throughout downtown  Montreal for over two hours, as they made their way to Srila Prabhupada's residence during his historic  stay here during the summer  of 1968.

ISKCON Canada leader, Bhaktimarga Swami, also commented: “The organizers reached a milestone with their presentation...  The stage event and displays held in this prestigious complex were attractive, smart-looking, relevant, comprehensive and spiritual.” Malati devi dasi also expressed her sincere appreciation: “…to present ISKCON 50 to the city of Montreal in such a fabulous manner...was just so classy and well done. Thank you again from my heart for another show of determined dedication to His Divine Grace.” 

Thus Montreal's 50th celebration was crowned with success. And such a milestone event has so much enthused ISKCON Canada's widespread community that more plans are being discussed for a possible repeat event to mark the 50th anniversary of  Srila Prabhupada's historic visit to Montreal in 1968.

Source:http://iskconnews.org/joy-of-devotion-in-montreal,5872/

Hare Krishna

Dear Devotees,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We are happy to inform you of our latest addition to our book shelf. We now have the Bhakti Vriksha Teacher’s Handbook available.

This Book is a comprehensive guide to help the Bhakti Vriksha Servant Leaders in undertaking their classes.

Some Special Features of this Book:

* Set Aims and Objectives of each Week of the Module.

* Relevant topics given to the each week.

* Guide to conduct the Bhakti Vriksha comprehensively.

* Covered all the parts of Bhakti Vriksha Week: Spiritual Edification, Nectar of Holy Name and Preaching is the Essence.

It is available on our website (http://www.iskconcongregation.com/product/bhakti-vriksha-teachers-hand-book/) for only $2.99

Wishing you a happy learning and teaching experience,

Ys Manjulali M.S. dd

Communications Office. 

The search of love usually starts with a feeling of  loneliness, it is not just a problem of physical company, rather of awareness and inner power. Loneliness originates from a fragmented psychological image which as a consequence produces a kind of separation of a person from other people, from all the creatures, from the world and its Creator.

The solution of the problem of loneliness  is not to be found in a partner, so as to compensate the fear of being alone, nor it can be found  through the greedy possession of luxury items, nor through holidays as an “escape from reality”, nor by diving into a crowd of people, nor by burning out through a job that does not bring any satisfaction, nor by following religious principles in a conservative and passive sort of way. It will work instead, by starting to love people around us sincerely, without any selfish interest, with an attitude to expand even more the circle of love – never secluded to a single exclusive species –  and in doing so gradually heal our feelings of loneliness, uncertainty and frustration.

The charming prince or the fairy with turquoise hair of the fairy tales, that will love and trust us, will unlikely appear unless we start to appreciate and love everybody else. After all  love is not something that lands on us accidentally: we experience and grow it with the attitude and the behavior of our daily life. By learning to relate with the persons around us with love, and making this mind-set a life practice - since to feel affection is a potential capability of all living beings - by practising love this quality develops and becomes an effective ability to love.

Paradoxically enough, if nowadays couple relationships do not last it is because love is not considered as a priority any more, but other aims are being focused on: useful and comfortable means like gratification of senses,  social and economical status. But love requires respect of the beloved as a spiritual essence, as a unique person; only in this way we may be able to help the others to realize their potential values, and find deep satisfaction by rediscovering and expressing the best version of themselves. For this reason love means knowing the other deeply.

Love and thus the solution of the problem of loneliness, is the ripe fruit of a conscious, active and dynamic effort towards reaching our deep self until we experience a real feeling of communion and reunion within diversity, by appreciating the peculiarities of each person, without falling in affectionate dependency or strong attachments. We can share something with the others only when we really possess it. 

Love relationship, when thoroughly experienced, reaches its height in the realization of our relationship with God, the unique source of the variety of human beings and all that exists, being the source of love itself.

Love is a universal and indispensable quid, an intrinsic  modality of the being, that must be neither denied nor repressed, rather oriented and gradually elevated towards constructive evolutionary levels. Within love, the female and male features try to unite in order to find again the fulfilment and deep satisfaction in order to integrate themselves. By reaching maturity such integration may be conceived on the individual level as well.

Source:http://matsyavatara.blogspot.in/2013/06/why-are-we-lonely.html

Jananivas, Ambarisa, Svaha and Braja Vilas prabhus, along with the entire TOVP Team would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to His Holiness Bhaktimarg Swami, the Canadian TOVP Team, and all the Canadian Yatra devotees who have to date sent over $1 million to the TOVP.

Back in June, 2014 we published an article about the formation of the Canadian TOVP Team. Since then, and specifically during our TOVP Canadian Tour in 2015, $3 million has been pledged of which over $1 million has gone to specific projects at the TOVP. These include the Lightning Arresters which will go in various places atop the temple and the waterproofing of specific areas of the temple.

The Lightning Arresters have been received and the work of installation has begun. There are 3 main Arresters, one for each Dome (blue space-like ones), and 40 conventional copper ones for other places. The different phases of waterproofing continue on an ongoing basis.

Again, we are most thankful to the Canadian devotees for their service to the TOVP, and their example of combined and cooperative surrender is certainly most pleasing to Srila Prabhupada.

“The more you help develop Mayapur, the more Lord Chaitanya will bless your area of the world and it will flourish”.

Srila Prabhupada

The TOVP Team

Source:https://tovp.org/fundraising/thanks-canadian-yatra-devotees/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thanks-canadian-yatra-devotees