Kripamoya Das: Lord Vamanadeva appeared within this world from the womb of Aditi, the mother of the gods. He appeared at midday on the shravan-dvadasi, the 12th day of the lunar month of Shravan when the moon is waxing.

There are many lessons for Vaishnavas to learn from the narration of His activities, as found in the 8th canto, 18th chapter of the Bhagavat Purana (Srimad Bhagavatam). Amongst the lessons are these:

1. That God comes to this world in many forms; not just once, in one form, or even many times in the same form, but many times in many forms. He is never limited by the form, but remains all powerful.

2. That all other gods are meant to offer homage to Him. They did this when, appearing as a young child, he was awarded the sacred thread by Brihaspati, the guru of the gods. The sun god gave Him the Gayatri mantra and His father, Kasyapa Muni, a straw belt. Mother Earth gave Him a deerskin and Lord Brahma gave Him a waterpot. Kuvera, the heavenly treasurer gave Him a monk’s begging bowl, and the wife of Lord Shiva gave Him the first alms. In this way, the gods all offered the best of what they had to the Supreme God. Each of us, in our own way, must also give the best of what we own – our talents, intelligence, words and wealth – as a gift to that same God. He gave it to us along with our birth, and we can offer ot back to Him.

3. Upon seeing the lad from a distance, King Bali noticed his remarkable sun-like effulgence. He welcomed Him and washed His feet. Thinking of himself as a great proprietor of the Earth, Bali then asked Vamanadeva what He would like to be given in charity, as this was the custom of the king. Vamana replied that He only wanted three paces of land, as measured by His own short steps. The king smiled at the thought of such a small request. He was soon to discover that just as God comes in disguise, so His requests to us are often disguised as simple acts of devotion. Many people smile at the thought that God asks us for only three words: Hare, Krishna, and Rama, spoken as a mantra. But as we speak those three small words we begin to realise that He is changing our life forever from within our hearts.

4.Vamanadeva teaches Bali that enlightened human beings are meant to be satisfied with what comes to them. Those who are not satisfied with what they actually need will never be satisfied, even if they gain the whole Earth. And a man or a woman practising the spiritual life must never be dissatisfied, for by such dissatisfaction they sprinkle water on the inner fire of their spiritual potency.

5. Bali Maharaja’s guru, Sukracarya. was perceptive enough to understand what was happening, who the young boy was, and what was about to happen. But he counselled the king to deny the request, even though he knew that it was Vishnu Himself asking. Thus Sukra was an atheist, even though learned in the Vedas. Such a guru, who stands in the way of his disciple’s emancipation, is fit to be rejected.

6. Bali turns to his guru and says that telling lies, or not keeping a promise once spoken, is the most sinful act. He explains that Mother Earth once said: ” I can bear any heavy thing except a person who is a liar.” Therefore, a person living according to dharma must scrupulously avoid lying.

7. He explains that the opportunity to give in charity to a qualified, saintly person is very rare. It must never be regarded as a time of loss, but as a moment when auspiciousness is drawn towards the giver. When we give we don’t lose, rather God – and the universe – gives us even more in return.
8. Sukra curses his own disciple, thus revealing the actual relationship that sometimes exists between an official religious priest and a member of the faith.

9. Vamana responds to Bali’s promise by expanding his size. Although God may appear as a child, He is the oldest of the old, the immeasurably largest of all large things, and the most powerful of all. This lesson would later be learned by Lord Brahma, who tested the Lord’s power when He appeared as child Krishna. God is also the ultimate owner of everything since everything emanates from Him.

10. Vamana takes His first two steps which, due to His size, encompass the entire cosmos. When He asks where He should place his third promised step, Bali realises that there is only one thing left to give Him – his very self. The king surrenders fully to God at that moment. The surrender of Bali, although offered in a moment of abject desperation, is nonetheless to be emulated by all of us. We don’t own countries, but we do regard ourselves as proprietors of our domestic domains. Most of these, in truth, never quite belong to us legally, and in the grand scheme of things we can claim no factual ownership at all. Death will come very quickly and take everything away from us, so better to give it all to God now. We do this by dedicating everything we own to His service. The result? Curiously enough, the same result that Bali achieved: that we are given everything back and that God draws us nearer to Him and His eternal abode.

Courtesy : Dandavats 

This paper aims to present the contribution of Bhaktivinoda Thakur to the establishment and development of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). It regards his personal life as the role model for the practitioners of Vaisnavism, and it considers his input in expanding preaching techniques, both innovative and traditional ones.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur: role model for ISKCON members

Being born in a non-Vaisnava family, educated in Christian and Westernized Hindu schools and colleges, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, more than many other spiritual teacher in Gaudiya tradition, is the reference point for ISKCON, many of whose members have been born in and molded by the Western civilization. The historical context in which Bhaktivinoda Thakur commenced his spiritual quest can be portrayed as a time of serious encounter and conflict between Hindu traditionalists and a Westernized and secularized Bengalis intelligentsia. Because of his studies in and appreciation for Western ideologies, Bhaktivinoda Thakur experienced profound religious doubts and did not take for granted the philosophical and theological doctrines of Vaisnavism. This disproves the claim that ISKCON represents a merely incongruous transplant in Western civilization. On the contrary, Bhaktivinoda’s example shows how acceptance of Vaisnavism is a meter of personal conviction and not geographical and cultural conditionality.

Another point which makes Bhaktivinode Thakur the role model for ISKCON members is the way in which he has practiced his sadhana (spiritual discipline). Like most ISKCON members, he was a family man with many worldly responsibilities. Nevertheless, he had very intense sadhana. And despite having demanding a post as a deputy magistrate in government service, and a big family, he always found enough time for writing books on Vaisnavism and organizing preaching activities.[i] His life showed that becoming practitioner of Krishna consciousness does not mean to exclusively become a renouncer (tyagi). Rather it showed how to be responsible in worldly duties and engage them in service to Krishna.[ii] Shukavak (1999, 258) notes that ‘In the scarcity of viable role models for Gaudiya-Vaisnavas in the West, Bhaktivinode presented an excellent example of responsible worldly engagement and Vaisnava practice.’ His personal example can guide ISKCON devotees how to be in this world but not of it; and thus facilitate ISKCON’s integration into the society and help it avoid identification as a sect.
Saragrahi Vaisnava

Bhaktivinode Thakur’s involvement with Bengal’s intelligentsia and his attempts to present Vaisnava philosophy in a scholarly and inclusive manner definitely presents a solid framework for ISKCON’s attempts to express its own intellectual perspectives in a way suitable and relevant to Western intellectual and academic developments. Bhaktivinode Thakur’s concept and personal example of a saragrahi, an “essence seeker” who can step beyond a parochial position and meet the requirements of modern theology such as self-criticism and comparative scholarship, has been a great help in ISKCON’s efforts to find its place in the world of contemporary academia. (Shukavak, 1999, 140). Again, as with his private life, Bhaktivinoda Thakur with his theological perspectives sets an ideal example which if followed by ISKCON devotees will assure them a stable and influential role in contemporary society.
Bhaktivinoda Thakur, a preacher with vision and a mission plan

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (the founder-acarya of ISKCON) very often emphasized the importance of Bhaktivinoda Thakur in regard to the establishment of ISKCON. For example, he said, ‘We should take it for granted that whatever is happening at the present moment by my humble endeavor, it is all by the grace of Bhaktivinode Thakura’. (Prabhupada, 1994, 256). Bhaktivinode Thakur did not deserve such a eulogy from ISKCON’s founder-acarya only because of his successful preaching in India, but because of his deep conviction that Krishna consciousness would spread all over the world. This is displayed in his writings: “Sriman Mahaprabhu did not descend to deliver a certain number of human beings in the land of India, but rather His purpose was to deliver all living beings in all countries of the world.” (Dasa, 1989, 195). Bhaktivinoda Thakur was not only the prophet of Krishna consciousness in the West but also the first one to send his writings to the West. In 1986,[iii] his book Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts reached various thinkers and institutions, including the library of McGill University in Montreal, marking the beginning of the most important missionary activity of ISKCON, book distribution.[iv] Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s idea of introducing Krishna consciousness to intellectuals was carried on by A. C. Bhaktivedanta, who very much emphasized book distribution to libraries and colleges. Following the example of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, who was a prolific writer (he has written or published about a hundred literary works), A. C. Bhaktivedanta translated and wrote numerous books and fully encouraged his disciples to write.

Another significant preaching technique of Bhaktivinoda Thakur that has been accepted and developed by A. C. Bhaktivedanta is the concept of the nama-hatta preaching program to spread the practice of chanting the holy name. The nama-hatta, or the “marketplace of the holy name,” was a highly developed and organized preaching plan with detailed job description for all participants. Devotees traveled to different places and established and maintained meetings in rented halls or in the homes of people interested in Krishna consciousness.[v] Taking Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s idea of the nama-hatta as the basic model, A. C. Bhaktivedanta established many preaching centres that facilitated association of devotees and preaching activities even in the places without temples. As the expansion of ISKCON’s members went more in the direction of congregational members than in the initial direction of priests who lived in the temples, nama-hatta became a key method of congregational preaching.
Conclusion

As Shukavak notes, in spite of Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s global spirit of nama-hatta and his universal perspective of the saragrahi, his outreach to the world at large was relatively limited. (Shukavak, 1999, 253). However, we may conclude that the crucial influence of his personal example, his prolific writings, and his systematic teachings and preaching techniques were not limited only to the Gaudiyas’ mission in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but inaugurated and echoed in the preaching attempts of his successors, in particular his son Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati and Sarasvati’s disciple A. C. Bhaktivedanta.
Bibliography

· Shukavak, N. Dasa (1999) Hindu Encounter Modernity. Los Angeles, SRI

· Dasa, Rupa-vilasa (1989) The Seventh Goswami. Mumbai, Sri Sri Sitaram Seva Trust

· Prabhupada, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1994) Collected Teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Los Angeles, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

[i] For detailed daily schedule of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, please refer to Dasa, 1989, 140.

[ii] Engagement of material possessions in devotional service (yukta vairagya) as opposed to false renunciation (phalgu vairagya) has been one of the main principles of Gauidiya-Vaisnava theology. The evangelizing spirit of Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s and A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s preaching missions was perfect embodiment of yukta vairagya.

[iii] It is interesting to note that 1986 happens to be the year when A. C. Bhaktivedanta was born.

[iv] The McGill library is where ISKCON devotees first found the book.

[v] For detailed information on nama-hatta, please refer to Dasa, 1989, 170

Courtesy : Dandavats

Krishna does not have work to do; everything is simply going on by his desire. Whatever Krishna desires will happen. If we should have this power, it would be dangerous. If whatever we desire would happen, we would be in trouble since we have conditioned desires which we sometimes regret later. We always have to work for a long time for our desires to be fulfilled which is good because we then have time to rethink our desires. There is always an element of struggle for us. But struggle for Krishna is nice because then struggle becomes meaningful.

There is the story of a boy who worked hard to buy a ring for a girl. He was thinking of her the entire time he was working, therefore he actually worked for her! Similarly, we must work for Krishna then we can be in a state of mind where we are not affected by material conditions whether we are in hell or somewhere else. If we change our condition instead of trying to change our surroundings, we can actually be happy with whatever situation we are in.

Kunti devi prayed for trouble because in troubled times she always remembered Krishna . She was not affected by the hardships of this world; she had a state of being equipoised. We maybe cannot reach that state but we can get close to it. We can create distance from the mind; from our emotional experience. Thinking, feeling and willing are functions of the mind but we can spectate on those once we are distant from it and get grounded in our spiritual life.

Source : https://www.kksblog.com/2016/09/fulfilling-desires/

September 2016 will mark the undertaking of the second TOVP fundraising tour in South Africa in commemoration of ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and Srila Prabhupada’s sacrifices for the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The first tour in 2013 was a major success bringing in over $3 million (U.S.) in pledges from the devotees. However, this time Lord Nityananda’s padukas (shoes) and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s sitari (helmet) will grace and bless the tour and will be accompanied by His Grace Jananivas prabhu and Ambarisa, Braja Vilas and Svaha prabhus.

The tour begins on September 15th and will continue for ten days visiting temples and homes in the cities of Durban, Cape Town, Botswana and Johannesburg. Devotees are ecstatically making arrangements to greet the Lord and His associates for the tour in order to maximize attendance. Daily reports will be posted on the TOVP website and Facebook Page and on ISKCON social media sites.

We want to thank His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami, the GBC, and all the South African leaders for their continued support and wonderful cooperative spirit in making this tour possible. This is not the project of a few individuals but a worldwide effort of all ISKCON devotees and well-wishers. Together we can make this project happen and take the credit for pioneering the great Samkirtan movement in the history of modern human civilization. This will bring real spiritual good to both ourselves personally and the world in general.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31280

Japa is the name of the mediation a Krishna devotee does while using beads. A string of beads has 108 beads on it and the complete Hare Krishna mantra (link to our webpage here) is chanted on each bead. When you complete 108 beads you have done 1 round, which usually takes about 7 minutes. Devotees who have taken first level vows chant 16 rounds or more every day. That is 108×16 = 1726 mantras each day. If done properly this is a powerful meditation that purifies the heart and mind, and awakens love for Krishna. Mostly we don’t chant properly and therein lies the problem. Mahatma Prabhu offers a pointed and humorous reminder to help us do better.

From The Japa Workshop by Mahatma das

1. To Do List Japa – Meditating on your to do and shopping lists, sometimes adding and deleting items between mantras. This may also include mentally balancing your checkbook or mentally going over which bills you have to pay. Caution: This process can cause you to lament about how many bills you have to pay, and thus changing your prayers from “Oh Lord, please engage me in your service,” to “Oh Lord, please add a few more zeroes to the end of my bank balance.”

2. I Hate Him Japa – While chanting, meditating on who hurt you, how badly you were hurt, how much you hate that person, and what you’ll do to get back at him. By the end of 16 rounds your hatred has increased tenfold and you have developed excellent plans and strategies to take revenge.

3. I am Right Japa – Meditating while chanting on how right you are and how wrong someone else is, and with every mantra you become more convinced how right you are. Also know as “Pump Your Ego Japa. ”

4. Watering the Weeds Japa – Chanting so poorly that by the time you finish you feel disgusted, depressed and miserable. Gone are the days of “Chant and Be Happy.” Now it is, “Chant and Be Miserable.”

5. Beat the Clock Japa – You chant as fast as possible in an attempt to get those bothersome rounds over with, sometimes trying to break your previous record of one round in 3 minutes 59 seconds – which was formerly thought to be humanly impossible – until you proved it could be done if one is intensely motivated to get his chanting over with as soon as possible!

6. Robot Japa – You chant like a robot. Chanting while totally disconnected from the mood of the mantra. You sometimes wish another devotee or a robot could chant your rounds for you.

7. Firing Blank Mantras Japa – Krishna's name is chanted, but your mind and heart are somewhere else – and so is He. The sound Krishna comes out of your mouth, but because there is no consciousness, it is like firing blank mantras.

8. Killing Time Japa – Chanting, but thinking of things to entertain yourself with while you chant so you won’t be so bored just listening to the mantra. In this way you kill time while chanting and thus make chanting 16 rounds quite tolerable by making it much less painful than usual.

9. Creative Japa – Using japa as a time for brainstorming, thus doing some creative thinking, generating new ideas, and finding solutions to your problems. It is useful to have a pen and paper handy to write down your ideas. Although you may get very few rounds done, and you won’t get the nectar of the name – you have spent the past two hours in a such a high degree of passion that you will definitely have a long list of good ideas. (But is it really a good idea to ruin your japa to get some good ideas?)

10. Novocain Japa – Your heart is so numbed that you feel absolutely nothing when you chant.

11. Driving Japa – Chanting while distracted by the task of driving, sometimes accompanied by cursing at people who cut you off (i.e. the anti-trnad api sunicena mantra). Of course, the reason you chant while driving is that you get up late.

12. No Japa, Japa – While holding your beads you converse with another devotee, moving your beads as you talk. In this way you sometimes finish a so-called round or two by the end of the conversation. (Oh God, help us!)

13. Prajalpa Japa – You chant a few mantras and then speak a few words of prajalpa (gossip) to your friend. You chant a few more mantras and then listen as they speak some prajalpa to you. Then you respond with some even more juicy gossip. This process often continues for the entire japa session.

14. Call and Response Japa – You talk to someone, and while listening to you they chant japa. Then they reply and while listening to them you chant japa.

15. Reading Japa – Reading and chanting at the same time. (Note: This would not be a problem if you had two or more heads.)

16. Left Hand Japa – Chanting japa while doing something with your left hand (cleaning, cooking, tinkering, organizing, washing your car, etc.). This is very useful for developing left arm strength.

17. Bubblegum Japa – Chanting in a way that sounds like you are chewing bubble gum while chanting Hare Krishna .

18. New Mantra Japa – Chanting a new form of the Hare Krishna mantra, such as “here kitty, kitty, here kitty, kitty,” or “nish, nish, ram, ram, ari, ari.”

19. Entertainment Japa – Chanting while watching TV or a movie. Note: watching TV while not chanting, but chanting during the commercials is also no good! (And, Krishna conscious video is also included in TV Japa.)

20. Internet Japa – A few mantras and a few emails, sometimes chanting and reading at the same time. Inevitably, the beads get put on the table and the right hand lands on the keyboard.

21. Window Shopping Japa – Chanting while window shopping (this commonly happens when making the attempt to knock out some rounds while in the shopping mall).

22. Boredom Japa – You are so bored while chanting that you feel like killing yourself.

23. Relaxing Japa – Lying down or relaxing in a hammock while chanting (often accompanied by coconut water in your left hand).

24. Slumber Japa – Taking advantage of japa to get a good nap. Another variety of “Slumber Japa” is trying to fight off sleep, but continually failing. This is also known as “Dive Bomb Japa” due to the head constantly rising and falling (diving).

25. Bitter Medicine Japa – Your experience of the holy name is like bitter medicine and your face turns in disgust as you chant.

26. Painful Japa – Your mind is so out of control that it is painful to try to control it. Thus, the expression on your face while chanting appears similar to the expression of a person with a knife in their back (or a person with severe constipation).

27. Shaking Japa – (Also known as “Ants in Your Pants Japa”) – You chant as if you were a toy monkey that was just wound up.

28. Radar Japa – Looking around at anything and everything – and everybody – while chanting.

29. Audio Japa – Chanting japa while listening to a lecture, kirtan, song, or the radio. This is especially challenging while listening to the radio (unless, of course, it is one of your favorite songs or some juicy news).

30. Sightseeing Japa – Walking or driving and chanting while doing some serious sightseeing.

31. Shopping Japa – Nish, nish, ram, ram, ari, ari-ing your way through the supermarket or mall.

32. Apathy Japa – Chanting with absolutely no desire or enthusiasm to chant.

Courtesy : Dandavats

Celebrating 50 years of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

It all started back in August 1965, when the 69-year-old Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, popularly known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, boarded the cargo vessel Jaladuta from a port in Calcutta. Instructed by his guru to go to the west and preach Vedic knowledge, in his possession were his translations of Srimad Bhagavatam and a heart devoted to Lord Krishna.

His mission was to spread a love of God through the chanting of the ‘Hare Krishna’, also referred to as the maha mantra, and so A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

This year is particularly special for ISKCON devotees as the organisation celebrates the 50thanniversary of its formation through a worldwide festival. Spread across 600 cities in 75 countries, this highly recognised and rapidly growing spiritual movement has touched many hearts. Popular for their beautiful temples, bhajans and kirtans, vegetarian food, service to community and festivals, ISKCON has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception. It is estimated that more than nine million people, known as the Hare Krishnas, worship at ISKCON temples each year.

ISKCON’s presence in Perth can be traced back to the mid-1970s. While en route to Melbourne, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada stopped over in Perth and stayed for 10 days. He laid the foundation for future activities, and over the years devotees have increased in numbers. At present, around 500 Perth families are associated with ISKCON.

The temple is located in the scenic Kalamunda area in Perth. It offers evenings of chanting, dancing, and feasting, and runs many community programs such as Bhakti Vrksa, a dynamic program which enables devotees to understand and practice the principles of Bhakti yoga in a small classroom experience. Their Friday evening Harinam through Perth CBD and prasadam, the sanctified food, is very popular among the locals. A proposal for a larger temple, which will extend the facilities at the present location, enabling the community to participate in larger numbers, is currently under consideration.

Janmasthami celebrations

One of the most important dates on the Hare Krishna calendar is Janmashtami, the famous festival celebrated across the world to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna. This is very special festival marks the epitome of love and celebration for any Krishna devotee.

This year’s celebrations at ISKCON Perth included a kirtan evening and Maha Abhisheka concluding with the midnight aarti. Great joy and fervor marked the celebrations as some four thousand devotees attended.

The beautifully decorated Lord Krishna and Radha deities stood on the altar, surrounded by flowers and incense. The ringing bells symbolised bhakti which every Hare Krishna holds close to their heart.Bhajans, kirtans and aarti filled the air of the temple with a sense of pure devotion and calm. Little children dressed like Krishna, Radha, gopis and gwalas were looking gorgeous and amazed the audience with their innocence.

Messages from the eloquent His Holiness Bhakti Rasayana Sagar Swami and His Grace Bhurijana Prabhu were a treat to hear. Not only did they talk about the core values of a Krishna devotee’s life, but they also wonderfully spoke about the pastimes of Lord Krishna in the simplest way. A Hare Krishna would have heard Lord Krishna’s tales many times, but each time it fills their hearts with happiness and brings out a deeper inner meaning.

Dance, drama and music performed by youngsters were filled with the essence of devotion and enthusiasm. This is in tune with the fact that the ISKCON promotes an artistic lifestyle. Children are encouraged to hone their talents and use them in Krishna consciousness. The dance performance by Narthanalaya School of Indian Classical Dance, and the concise Geetopadesh act by ISKCON Perth Drama Group were brilliantly executed and captured everyone’s attention.

Stalls outside the temple, staffed by committed volunteers, along with the prasadam corner, gave the event the feeling of a large family gathering.

Marking the occasion of its 50th year anniversary, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through a special message to the ISKCON family, acknowledged ISKCON’S journey of selfless service to society. He paid tribute to its effort to manifest ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, a Sanskrit word which means ‘the world is one family’.

There is certainly much more to the Hare Krishnas than their vegetarian restaurants, dancing, singing, and orange Indian-style robes. For the hundreds of thousands of disciples, followers, friends and well-wishers of this movement, ISKCON lies at the centre of their lives, forming a sacred connection to each other and in the service of their guru, Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna. Hare Krishnas hail from different ethnicities, countries, gender and age groups, but the factor which unites them is their undying devotion to Krishna.

Courtesy : Indianlink

Cicago-A 40-foot high, colorfully decorated and hand pulled cart-surrounded by thousands of chanting and dancing devotees-will roll down the streets of downtown Chicago on Saturday, September 17 to kick off a national celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), better known as the Hare Krishna Movement.

The "Chariot Festival - Ratha Yatra Parade" begins at 2 PM at theBuckingham Fountain (Columbus Drive) in the downtown area and meander its way through Madison Ave., Michigan Ave., and State Streets and joins the "Hare Krishna Festival of India" at Daley Plaza for an afternoon of free vegetarian food; stage performances of classical Indian dance; a dramatic rendition of the ancient history connected with "Jagannath;" and multiple booths about reincarnation, meditation, and yoga.

"ISKCON's founder, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, first came to New York City from India in September, 1965 to spread the teachings of Lord Krishna to the western world," said Amrita Hari, spokeswoman for the Krishna society. "It's very special for us to kick off the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON where he began right here in New York." ISKCON is part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition within the broader Hindu culture. It teaches bhakti, or devotional yoga, and advocates that the perfection of life is to awaken love of God, or "Krishna," in the Sanskrit language. Krishna, or "the all-attractive Supreme Person" is best known in the west as the speaker of the classical Indian spiritual text, the Bhagavad-gita.

Bhaktivedanta Swami, today known as Srila Prabhupada, arrived alone in New York City at the age of 70 to fulfill his guru's order to spread Vaishnava teachings to the English speaking world. Prabhupada arrived in America with just $7 and several trunks of his translations and commentaries on ancient Sanskrit texts. After struggling for almost a year, the Swami attracted a core of followers among the young spiritual seekers of the 1960's, and on July 13, 1966 he incorporated his fledgling community as the "International Society for Krishna Consciousness."

Dr. Harvey Cox, Emeritus Professor at Harvard Divinity School, once wrote "I am impressed with how much the teachings of one man and the spiritual tradition he brought impacted themselves into the lives of so many people. In my view Srila Prabhupada's contribution is a very important one and will be a lasting one." Despite its humble beginnings, over the past 50 years ISKCON has grown to a global community of over 600 temples, 110 vegetarian restaurants, and 65 farms and eco villages. The affiliated Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has sold 516 million books and magazines on Krishna consciousness, and Hare Krishna Food Relief programs feed a free vegetarian lunch to 1.2 million school children each day in India.

Celebrations later this year will include dozens of Ratha Yatra parades in cities worldwide including Washington, DC, Los Angeles, London, and Paris, and gala events at the Sydney Opera House, European Parliament, and other major venues.

EVENT DATE: Saturday, September 17, 2016
LOCATION: Buckingham Fountain (Columbus Drive). Parade Starts at 2pm,
Festival at Daley Plaza from 3PM to 8PM
CONTACT: Nachi Lolla: (847) 452-7753 or nachi.lolla@gmail.com

Courtesy : Chicago Tribune

The Puranas relate a story concerning the divine appearance of Srimati Radharani as follows. One day, Vrishabhanu Maharaja, who was living at Ravel at that time, went to the bank of Yamuna at around noon to take a midday bath.

As he approached the bank of the Yamuna, he saw a golden lotus flower floating on the water and shining brightly like a thousand suns. Vrishabhanu immediately waded into the river and when he came near to the golden lotus flower, he beheld the most beautiful and radiant form of baby girl lying within the petals of the lotus.

At that same moment, Lord Brahma suddenly appeared in the sky and speaking in a grave voice, informed Vrishabhanu that in his previous life, Vrishabhanu and his wife Kirtida had performed great austerities in order to get the consort of Lord Vishnu as their daughter.

Lord Brahma told Vrishabhanu that this girl was the origin of the goddess Lakshmi and that he should take great care of Her. Lord Brahma then placed the baby girl in the arms of Vrishabhanu who became overjoyed, and after taking permission from Lord Brahma, returned to his home.

Seeing the beautiful baby girl shining like millions of autumnal moons, mother Kirtida was overcome with joy and immediately arranged for all kinds of religious rites to be performed and donated thousands of cows to the brahmanas.

At that time baby Radhika was placed in a gem-studded cradle and gently rocked back and forth by all the little girls of the village. Day by day Her luster increased just like the digits of the moon.

Within a short while it was observed that the baby girl made no noise and had not yet opened Her eyes. Vrishabhanu and his wife feared that their baby girl was perhaps blind from birth and also dumb.

At that time, Srila Narada Muni visited the home of Vrishabhanu and informed him that regardless of the girl’s apparent blindness, they should continue with the birth celebrations.
Vrishabhanu therefore made elaborate arrangements for a lavish birth celebration and sent out invitations to all the residents of Ravala and Gokula and especially to his dear friend Nanda Maharaja and his family.

On the appointed day, the guests had assembled and the birth celebrations were going on in great jubilation. Nanda Maharaja and Yashoda Mayi had arrived with Rohini and also brought their small children Krishna and Balarama.

Kirtida met with Yashoda and told her that she was very happy to have such a beautiful daughter, but was feeling rather distraught because her child was both dumb and blind.

Krishna had just passed His first birthday and was happily crawling around the courtyard on His hands and knees. Arriving at the cot in which Radhika was lying, Krishna held on to the sides and managed to lift himself up, He then peered into the cot where His gaze fell upon the beautiful moon-like face of baby Radhika.

As soon as baby Radhika smelt the exotic fragrance of Krishna’s transcendental body, She immediately opened Her eyes for the very first time, and looked directly at Krishna, who was the first person that She had ever seen.

As Krishna gazed lovingly at baby Radhika, He began smiling ecstatically. Radhika then suddenly began to cry and for the very first time she made a sound. Vrishabhanu and Kirtida, along with all the assembled Vrajavasis, were overjoyed to find out that their beloved daughter Radhika, was not blind nor dumb after all.

In the Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi it says. “So powerful is the glancing of Her eyes, that the flute slips from Krishna’s hands, His peacock crown starts to slip, and His yellow shawl becomes displaced as He swoons and falls to the ground. Alas, will I ever get the chance to serve with love and devotion such a person as Radharani.”

Source : http://www.iskconvrindavan.com/appearance-day-of-srimati-radharani/

Gopal Krishna Maharaja 2016 Vyasa Puja – $350,000 in Pledges Raised

Management to facilitate preaching is spiritual, not material.
Srila Prabhupada: Everywhere, in the office, there is some immediate boss. So you have to please him. That is service. Suppose in office, in a department there is office superintendent. And if you do in your own way, “Yes, I’m doing my business,” and the office superintendent is not pleased, do you think that kind of service is nice? No. Similarly, everywhere we have got immediate boss. So we must work. That is systematic. If everyone manufactures, invents his own way of life, then there must be chaos.
SUDAMA: Yeah, that’s true.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Now we are world organization. There is spiritual side, and there is material side also. That is not material side. That is also spiritual side, systematic management. Otherwise how it will be done? 
Conversations, Vol. 6, Los Angeles, December 5, 1973

Management is a sign of intelligence. Srila Prabhupada even proved the existence of God through arguments based upon the intelligent management of the universe.
Srila Prabhupada: Demigod means almost God. They have got all godly qualities, and they are controllers of the atmospheric affairs. Some of them are controlling rainy season, some of them are controlling heat. As you have got controller here, some departmental director of this department, director of that department, similarly why don’t you think that this cosmic manifestation, there is a great brain behind it and there are different directors and there is management? People do not accept it. Nature. What do you mean by nature? Such nice things, such wonderful things are going on automatically, without any control? You see?
Journalist: Well, I know that’s a question that, of course, one asks oneself all the time, I guess. It’s part of man’s quest to find himself and . . .
Srila Prabhupada: But they should have common sense that you are trying to float one sputnik, so many scientific brains are working. And millions of wonderful sputniks which are called planets, they are floating in the air, there isn’t brain behind it? What is this? Is that very good reasoning?
Journalist: I don’t know. I must ponder that.
Srila Prabhupada: You should know it. How can it be? There must be a very big brain behind this. They are working. 
Conversations, Vol. 1, Los Angeles, December 30, 1968

To manage anything smoothly requires intelligence. Effective teachers apply their intelligence to maximize the actual time they spend teaching. Here are six basic managerial principles that should help.

Principle One: Cultivate the Mode of Goodness 
Cultivate the mode of goodness within yourself, your classroom atmosphere, and your students. Teaching thrives on maintaining steadiness and regularity. These qualities are born of an atmosphere of goodness.

sattvat sanjayate jnanam
rajaso lobha eva ca
pramada-mohau tamaso
bhavato ’jnanam eva ca

From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develop foolishness, madness, and illusion.

Purport: Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living entity, Krishna consciousness is recommended. Through Krishnaconsciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there. When they are actually educated in the mode of goodness, they will become sober, in full knowledge of things as they are. Then people will become happy.
Bg. 14.17
A key element of goodness is cleanliness. It is no wonder that Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Your country, America, will become very degraded. They will appreciate our revolutionary cleanliness. Our revolutionary medicine will be experimented on these children, and it will be seen to be the cure.” (Letter to Satsvarupa dasa, February 28, 1972)
Because cleanliness and goodness are the cure, teachers should be vigilant about protecting their students from slovenliness, passion, and ignorance.

jaya-kale tu sattvasya
devarsin rajaso ’suran
tamaso yaksa-raksamsi
tat-kalanuguno ’bhajat

When the quality of goodness is prominent, the sages and demigods flourish with the help of that quality, with which they are infused and surcharged by the Supreme Lord. Similarly, when the mode of passion is prominent the demons flourish, and when ignorance is prominent the Yaksas and Raksasas flourish. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone’s heart, fostering the reactions of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. 
Bh€g. 7.1.8

Basically, goodness is required because it makes us receptive to Krishna consciousness. 
YOGESVARA: Is there some, any qualities, in the sense that some people have more receptivity towards the divine than other people?
Srila Prabhupada: That I explained, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Those who are in sattva-guna, they can understand easily. Those who are in rajo-guna, they have got difficulty. And those who are in tamo-guna, they cannot.
Madame Devi: (French)
YOGESVARA: Is this degree of covering, whether they are in goodness, in passion or in ignorance, is that a question of their physical body? Is it a question of their hormones or chemical state? Is it a chemical state that some people are more covered than others by the modes of nature?
Srila Prabhupada: Covered means with some dirty things. That’s all. 
Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 15, 1974

For a further explanation of the relationship between Krishna consciousness and the mode of goodness, please refer to chapter 5, “Teaching and Disciplining in the Modes of Material Nature,” and the essay “Elevation to Goodness” in the appendix.

Principle Two: Preach Strongly, Yet Be Sensitive
Srila Prabhupada once said that preaching brought management to one’s fingertips. When teachers effectively preach, students cooperate and cause few problems. And the students should preach as well. “It is especially nice to hear,” Srila Prabhupada wrote, “that the boys are becoming first-class preachers. That is essential. Without preaching, our institution becomes all rubbish.” (Letter to Dayananda dasa, April 11, 1974)
The preaching, to be effective, should be realized and strong. Prabhupada’s preaching example was to the point.
MAKHANALAL: There was that one notable, so-called incarnation. He supposedly lost all his potency. 
Srila Prabhupada: : Eh?
MAKHANALAL: He said he gave away all his potency. 
Srila Prabhupada: He’s a rascal. What potency he has got?
Dr. Patel: Who?
Srila Prabhupada: Any rascal who has called himself incarnation of God. There are so many rascals.
MAKHANALAL: Wasn’t that Ramakrishna who said he gave away everything; he had nothing more except . . . 
Srila Prabhupada: What Ramakrishna? Don’t talk of these nonsense. Simply they have misled. That’s all.
Dr. Patel: Simply you bhaja Krishna and don’t think anything else. And you get all your intelligence there.
Srila Prabhupada: Therefore Krishna has said, mam ekam. “Don’t go to these foolish rascals.” Mam ekam. You’ll be misled. Because they are misleaders, rascals.
Dr. Patel: You are so very hard.
Srila Prabhupada: I must be hard.
Dr. Patel: Hard, harsh, and hard and harsh. 
Srila Prabhupada: The whole world is spoiled by these Mayavadis. Therefore I am very much hard. 
Dr. Patel: I don’t say hard. Hard and harsh. 
Srila Prabhupada: No, we must be harder and harder.
Dr. Patel: Hard and harsh! Doesn’t matter . . . 
Srila Prabhupada: I don’t make any compromise with these rascals. No words. No, no. I never made that. Even if I don’t get any disciples, I’ll be satisfied. But I can’t make any compromise like these rascals. I cannot make. Ekah candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. If I can create one moon, that is sufficient. I don’t want many stars. That was my Guru Maharaja’s principle and that is my principle. What is the use of having a number of fools and rascals? If one man understands rightly, he can deliver the whole world. 
Conversations, Vol. 7, Bombay, March 23, 1974

Although at times as hard as iron, Srila Prabhupada was also discriminating. Our preaching, especially to our students, should be individually prescribed and not fanatical.
YOGESVARA: You didn’t find it necessary to enter into any kind of discussion with this French professor just now. There was no real discussion of philosophy. I was wondering why that didn’t happen.
Srila Prabhupada: He did not raise any question. And he is simply translator. He has no philosophy. I asked him, “Which philosophy you are . . . ?” “So I make comparative study.” I think he did not like to enter into philosophical . . . Is it not? 
Devotee: Most of these gentlemen who come here, when they see you and begin talking with you, like you said, they show their ignorance when they begin to speak. So they prefer not to speak. They always make some excuse that they have an appointment because they know that if they speak, they will be in real trouble.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Tavac ca sobhate murkho yavat kincin na bhasate: “A foolish man is very nice as long as he does not speak. As soon as he will speak, his foolishness will be captured.” So therefore, sometimes they do not like to talk. Remain as a nice man, (Laughs.) without being discovered. 
Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 14, 1974

Principle Three: Keep Strong Krishna Conscious Relationships
Make management easier by keeping strong Krishna conscious relationships with your students.
Brahmacari means living under direction of guru. Guror hitam. How can he be simply thinking of benefitting the spiritual master? Unless that position comes, nobody can serve guru. It is not an artificial thing. The brahmacari, the disciple, must have genuine love for the guru, then he can be under control. Otherwise why one should be under the control of another person? Therefore it is said, €caran d€savat. Servant, not only servant, but menial servant. Less than domestic servant. So a disciple is expected to live in gurukula, at the shelter of the guru, as menial servant gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah. This can be possible when one is really thickly related to the guru. Otherwise, ordinary relationship will not do. One who has actually the convictionyasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadoone who is convinced that if I please my guru then Krishna will be pleased. This is called suhrdah, full faithyasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi. And if I displease my guru, then I have no place. In this way. Guru cannot be false guru. False guru has no such thing. If guru is genuine and disciple is genuine, both of them are benefited and they go back to home, back to Godhead. 
Lectures, Bombay, April 12 and 14, 1976

Know your students. Call the students by their names. Write down the names of the students in your class and see which ones you can’t remember or which ones you think of last. Note what qualities those students have. Deal with each student personally, either with a question, a comment, or a few words connected with the day’s occurrences, each day or during each lesson or section of the day. Be personally interested in each student. Informally speaking with students at different times of the day develops relationships. 
However, etiquette should always be observed in the dealings between a teacher and his students. Otherwise, a teacher’s “friendly” relationships will turn to familiarity, which breeds contempt. 
Guest: The Hare Krishna movement has started in the United States. Why did it start in the United States rather than India?
Srila Prabhupada: Because the United States, they are our best customer. A businessman goes to a place . . . Just like you come here. Why you have come here? Wherever there is best possibility of doing your business, there you must go. I went to the United States because these people are not poverty-stricken. And our Indian people, they have been trained to think that they are poverty-stricken. Actually, they are not poverty-stricken, but the leaders have educated them that, “You are all poverty-stricken.” This is India’s position. So far I knew that it would not be successful in India. The government would not help. The public is educated in a different way. They are after technology. So, “familiarity breeds contempt.” They say, “What is this Hare Krishna movement: It is known to us since a long time. What effect it will have?” 
Conversations, Vol. 3, Hong Kong, April 18, 1972

Just as Srila Prabhupada circled the world many times to add enthusiasm, instruction, and strength to his temples, circulate amongst your students. Know what and how they are doing. Know their strengths. Commend them for work well done. Know their difficulties. Offer help and advice to inattentive students. Document their troubles and achievements. 
Maintain a positive atmosphere. Avoid nagging, sarcasm, and frequent negative comments — tension between the teacher and his students cannot fail to exist within an atmosphere where these constantly go on. Sincerely praise whenever possible. Think of plenty of exact words that can be used instead of “good” and “nice” (delightful, imaginative, superb, great, remarkable, original, fascinating). Remember that chastisements are most effective within a basically positive atmosphere. Keep your word. Fulfill your promises. Don’t bluff. Remember: problem students need more positive reinforcement. 
Interact with the students. When lecturing, look at specific students in succession, each for a few seconds, in different parts of the room. This gives the teacher a feel for how the entire group is doing. Speak loud enough for students to easily hear. Use questions, not to catch the inattentive, but to check whether the material is being understood. If wrong answers are returned, the teacher should understand that he may have to re-explain in a simpler way or use examples. Using questions in this way will tend to keep the atmosphere positive.

Principle Four: Start and End All Activities Carefully 
A careful start . . . 
Be there first, before the students arrive. Make sure the surroundings are neat and tidy. Make sure student seating or student order is pre-organized. At first, this can be done in an arbitrary way, and later, after you have established yourself in control, student placement and order can be rearranged.
Be prepared. Know in advance what you will do. Have all materials and their distribution already organized. 
Start on time. This immediately establishes the teacher’s authority. The students naturally feel respectful, knowing the teacher is on top of his service.
. . . An effective ending
Plan in advance how the activity will end, how the dismissal will take place, and how a smooth transfer to the next activity will occur. 
First, go over it mentally in detail and write it out. Then, practice and master it. 
Plan ahead. Leave sufficient time for the orderly and efficient collection of materials and for the dismissal, thus allowing an effective summary to occur. 
Plan the end of the activity. Consider first what was the goal of the activity. Then sum it up. Don’t let one activity merge into the next. If possible, at least mentally prepare the students for their next activity.

Principle Five: Make Sure Your Procedures are Efficient 
Know your objectives. Frequently check your results against your goals. Change or adjust procedures if necessary.
Use variety. Consider student interest, curiosity, and motivation. Keep in mind your students’ attention span: two short activities may be better than one long activity. Alternate preferred activities with boring ones, familiar activities with new ones, quiet individual work with group work. But don’t let variety become confusion.
Vary pace. Although the general tendency towards briskness in activities appears desirable — the ability to vary pace, and to know when to teach less and allow more time for practice — is also important. Short periods of practice followed by rest or by a different activity seem most effective.
When engaging your students, make sure each student knows what he should be doing and when he should be doing it. Just knowing without a doubt what one should be doing by having heard precise instructions removes, for most students, the temptation to misbehave. 
Make sure you have your students’ attention before you give instructions. Also make sure that your students are actually capable of carrying out your instructions. 
King Pariksit said: O great sage, never before has it been heard anywhere that an order from Yamaraja has been baffled. Therefore I think that people will have doubts about this that no one but you can eradicate. Since this is my firm conviction, kindly explain the reasons for these events.
Srila Sukadeva Goswami replied: “My dear King, when the order carriers of Yamaraja were baffled and defeated by the order carriers of Visnu, they approached their master, the controller of Saˆyaman-pur and master of sinful persons, to tell him of this incident.” 
The Yamadutas said: “Our dear Lord, how many controllers or rulers are there in this material world? How many causes are responsible for manifesting the various results of activities performed under the three modes of material nature?”
Purport: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that the Yamadutas, the order carriers of Yamaraja, were so disappointed that they asked their master, almost in great anger, whether there were many masters other than him. Furthermore, because the Yamadutas had been defeated and their master could not protect them, they were inclined to say that there was no need to serve such a master. If the servant cannot carry out the orders of his master without being defeated, what is the use of serving such a master? 
Bh€g. 6.3.2-4

Consider your instructions before expecting students to follow them. As the Yamadutas became confused because they were incapable of carrying out the orders of their master, students who find themselves unable to carry out the orders of their teacher may similarly become confused or even angry. 
Also take care to make sure your instructions do not contradict those of another teacher or authority.
If in this universe there are many rulers and justices who disagree about punishment and reward, their contradictory actions will neutralize each other, and no one will be punished or rewarded. Otherwise, if their contradictory acts fail to neutralize each other, everyone will have to be both punished and rewarded.
Purport: Because the Yamadutas had been unsuccessful in carrying out the order of Yamar€ja, they doubted whether Yamaraja actually had the power to punish the sinful. Although they had gone to arrest Ajamila, following Yamaraja’s order, they found themselves unsuccessful because of the order of some higher authority. Therefore they were unsure of whether there were many authorities or only one. If there were many authorities who gave different judgments, which could be contradictory, a person might be wrongly punished or wrongly rewarded. According to our experience in the material world, a person punished in one court may appeal to another. Thus the same man may be either punished or rewarded according to different judgments. However, in the law of nature or the court of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there cannot be such contradictory judgments. The judges and their judgments must be perfect and free from contradictions. 
Bh€g. 6.3.5

Principle Six: Handle Basic Disruptions Without Losing Momentum
Following effective management procedures, like the above principles, will help eliminate most disruptions to teaching. But as happiness comes of its own accord, so does trouble. Minor disruptions are irritating. Even giving attention to them causes interruptions. 
Minor misbehavior is difficult to deal with because the offender can easily hide behind innocence: “I didn’t do it on purpose.” And because it is often difficult to recognize the culprit, suitable responses are difficult to find. Be tolerant and careful. Don’t overreact, treating minor disturbances as a threat or challenge to your authority. If wrongly handled, these disruptions can develop from minor irritations to major confrontations. 
Even when a teacher is quite certain that misbehavior is intentional or provocative, he should be wary of too strong an immediate response. Dramatic punishments are especially counterproductive as nothing is kept in reserve for more serious cases. Even simulated anger is troublesome. Rather, a teacher should look for a series of responses which are cool, calm, and carefully calculated.
Here are some technical-sounding names for simple techniques that help teachers effectively handle these “surface” problems:

Planned ignoring
Ignore simple affronts meant to cause disruption. Students often stop misbehaving when they do not get the attention they seek.

Interference
Inhibit behavior with eye contact or disapproving facial expressions to inform the student that the source of disturbance has been spotted and that the disturbance is not pleasing.

Quick conference
Peacefully call the student up to your desk and quietly whisper in his ear that he please stop the activity.

Proximity control
Stop restlessness by moving to the troubled area. An on the spot “quick conference” can also help.

Interest boosting
Display interest in the student’s activity with a specific comment, such as during japa, “How’s your listening been the past few beads?” instead of, “How’s your chanting today?” You can also correct the student’s work, bring him closer to you, or praise his work. The idea is to refocus the student’s attention and remotivate him. Sometimes distractions result from the student’s inability to cope with required work.

Hurdle help
See how the student is doing. If he is having a problem with his work, help him push beyond the difficulty.
If the above techniques fail, try these:

Humor
Diffuse a tense situation with a joke, showing that you don’t take it seriously or that you can see the funny side of it.

Affection
Search for an appropriate reason and sincerely give praise or show some affection, like a wink, a pat on the back, or a friendly smile.

Personal appeal quick conference
Call the student up, take him aside, and gently request that he desist from the behavior. Tell the student that you can’t allow him to continue acting in this way. Tell him the reasonsothers cannot hear the story, you cannot concentrate, it is making it impossible for you to teach, and so on. Then ask, “Do you think this is an unfair request? If you want to run around, you’ll have time later. But you can’t run now.” Try to avoid the threat, but as a last effort, it can be used. “Look, if you continue, I’m going to have no other choice but to give you a detention.”

Simply following the above points will stop most casual offenders, although it will not stop a student “saboteur.” The teacher, however, should initially assume that basic disruptions and minor transgressions are motivated either by desire for attention, by boredom, or by inadequacy. If this is so, when the teacher gives attention to the task, not to the behavior, conflict is avoided. Concentrating on what the student is doing, rather than why he is doing it, can often defuse a potentially tense situation. 
Even if the transgression is caused by a student’s personal animosity, all but the most determined seekers of confrontation will be diverted by the above simple manoeuvres. If a confrontation seems to be looming, avoid itsomehow or another.

Remember . . .
Remember that a student always engaged in Krishna conscious activities will have less tendency towards mischievous activities.
Srila Prabhupada: Just like, somebody, a child. A child is active, but his frivolous activities, or mischievous, have to stop when he’s active in taking education. You see. The same child, his energy for becoming active is transferred for taking education. He’s no more acting mischievously, breaking this, doing this, doing that. The activity is there. Now that is purified. Similarly, spiritual life means the spiritual activity, that is purified activities. These boys, they have given up drinking, meat-eating. That does not mean they stop eating. They’re eating better things. Therefore they have given up the nonsense eating. So that is spiritual life. Spiritual life means purified activity.
SYAMASUNDARA: Rationally, I was thought to be intelligent. I went to college, got so many degrees, but I could not in the least control my senses and control my mind, even though I tried. I studied philosophy so hard. But, by simply chanting Hare Krishna and coming to the platform of service for God, all my activities became dovetailed in one direction so that the other things were automatically brought under control as a result.
Srila Prabhupada: Param drstva nivartate. The exact word is there that if one gets good engagement, he can give up bad engagement. But he cannot make it inactive. That is not possible because the soul is active. It is living. How he can make it inactive? That is not possible. Nirvana means stop nonsense, but take to spiritual life. That is next: athato brahma-jijnasa. Nirvana does not mean to stop activities; to stop nonsense activities. Come to the real activity. 
Conversations, Vol. 3, London, September 4, 1971

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31261

Dear Devotees: There are certain priceless treasures that I keep close to my heart as I travel and preach around the world. Things that give me great inspiration; like the holy names, my beloved deities, instructions that Srila Prabhupada gave me and certain special items like a bead from Srila Jiva Goswami's japa-mala and a small piece of cloth from Lord Caitanya Maharaprabhu. I also carry the following 1994 Vyasa Puja offering of Sivarama Swami everywhere I go. I must have read it hundreds of times... and each time I read it I cry. For me, it reveals the essence of Lord Caitanya's samkirtan movement and the heart of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. Some of you may have read it and others not. In either case, it's a masterpiece and can be read again and again.

Your Servant,
Indradyumna Swami

********************

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to you on the celebration of your appearance day.

While planning a composition for your offering, I was also attending to my regular correspondence. One letter stood out among the others. I enclose it here, translated into English, for your pleasure.

Dear Sivarama Swami,

Hare Krishna . Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I hope you do not mind my writing to you. I have never written to a spiritual master before. You do not know me.

My name is Bhaktin Dora and I live in Pecs, Hungary. I am 14 years old and I live at home with my mother and older sister. In 1992 I went to the Hare Krishna Festival with a friend. I was not very interested, but I enjoyed the chanting and dancing at the end. After it was over I bought a book, The Science of Self-Realization. I do not know why, generally I never read. I think it was because of the chanting. I took the book home and cannot remember what happened to it.

One day my mother found it and was very angry with me. She thought that I was reading this kind of thing. You see, our family members are all very strict Catholics. They thought Krishna 
consciousness was some kind of "brainwashing". Actually, I wasn't reading the book, I had forgotten all about it. Somehow, it just "appeared". Anyway my mother was going to throw it away.

My grandmother, who is 68, was in the kitchen at that time. She lives in the apartment upstairs. She came in and took the book. She looked at it and scolded me in a very heavy way. I thought that would be the end of it. I did not mind it so much as I was in a lot of maya at that time. About a week later, I overheard a conversation between my mother and grandmother. Granny was saying that this was not an ordinary book. She said that what Prabhupada was saying is what Jesus Christ said and that Krishna is God. I was very surprised. She said that we should listen to what Prabhupada said and chant Hare Krishna because that was the religion for this age. There was a lot of
talk about how Christianity was no more, and no one was following the Bible, but what Prabhupada said was pure and perfect.

Things really took a turn from there. One day my grandmother visited the nama-hatta center here and began to chant on beads. She also began to buy Prabhupada's books one by one. She was spending all her pension on buying what she called the "beautiful, holy Bhagavatam". Sometimes she could only afford to eat potatoes, but she kept buying the books. The devotees even came to her flat and helped her set up an altar. When I went upstairs, they had taken all the pictures down, and there were Krishna pictures everywhere.

That was really the beginning. One night, granny had a dream about
Prabhupada. Something really happened to her then. I don't know what it was, but she began to get very enthusiastic. Next she began to get the whole family involved. I mean, not just me and my mother and sister, but her two sons, their wives and six children as well as her brothers, sisters and relatives. Before she used to carry a Bible with her and quote Jesus Christ. Now she has a Bhagavad Gita and quotes, "the good Lord Prabhupada". She became a veritable transcendental terror. Everyone in the family has to chant at least one round a day. In addition, granny made everyone become a vegetarian including my dog Sikra, and we offer our food to a picture of Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya.

Now, I am also getting out of maya and chanting and reading a little also. Where I go to school my friends inquire about Krishna , as they know I am a devotee. The whole family goes to the nama-hatta, all sixteen of us. During the Christmas Marathon, we all tried to distribute Prabhupada's books. Even granny would take books with her to the market and sell them to the vendors. Everyone is afraid of her because she is fearless. They all think she has gone crazy, but she does not care.

Now she is saving to go to Budapest to see the newly installed Deities. She has heard that Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda "came" to Hungary and are being worshipped there by the devotees. She says she wants to see God just once in this life.

At this year's Hare Krishna festival, you were speaking to the guests after the kirtana. You must remember my grandmother because she came and sat right beside you and asked so many questions. At the end when you stood to leave, she even kissed your hand, remember? I also wanted to ask a question, but I was shy. Could I please ask you now? I hope you do not mind, Maharaja.

I want to know what kind of man Srila Prabhupada was. He must be so dear to Krishna to have spread this message all over the world. What are these books that changed my family so much? How is it possible that he can speak so powerfully through them? You must feel very fortunate to be his disciple. How great a man he is. Sometimes when my granny chants in front of a picture of Krishna she cries. How does Prabhupada do that? I want to cry like that too. Granny dreams of Prabhupada, and sometimes she talks to his picture. Although it says on the cover of the book that he passed away, is Prabhupada really dead, or is he still alive? Do you think I can meet him someday?

I am sorry that I have gone on so. I would like to be a good devotee one day and help you and Prabhupada spread Krishna Consciousness. Please could you answer my questions ?

Your servant,
Bhaktin Dora

*******************

Srila Prabhupada, what is this brand of mercy that you gave this old lady I just barely met, that you never gave to me ? She never met you, never saw devotees, she is not even initiated by you. What is this kindness that you bestow upon her, that you do not give me, "your fortunate disciple?"

What am I referring to? It is just this. After having come in contact with you for just a few months, what inspiration did you give this granny in that dream? What did you move in her heart that made her change her life in its final days? That made her turn against the current of banality and tradition and strike out alone to change her world. No sympathy, no association, no institutional support. Boldness I do not possess, changes I do not have the strength to make.

Srila Prabhupada, I want to know what is that you say to her from your picture when she talks to you? I have so many pictures.You do not speak to me through them.

Although I worship Deities daily, I continue to see them as made of marble and wood. How is it this old lady has the conviction that God has "come" to her country ? Why have you not given such vision to me? Where did she get the conviction that a pilgrimage to the city capital would yield the final goal of her life?

One last thing, Srila Prabhupada, how is it that when Dora's granny chants in front of a picture, she cries ? How do you do it ? I want to cry like that too. When will you give me that mercy ?

Srila Prabhupada, this is one letter, from one girl who came in contact with you. How many millions of such souls are there who have yet to write, who are directly experiencing your mercy daily, who read your books with implicit faith, whom you talk to in dreams and pictures, whose lives you change abruptly and reward with tears when chanting the holy names ?

How many people cross the boundaries of rules and regulations by the strong boat of your mercy and practice and taste Krishna Consciousness in a realm beyond logic and argument? I think these people are meeting you every day. How will I acquire their good fortune? When will you one day bestow some of this special mercy upon me that you give to them?

If I am not to acquire it directly, even after begging for it, then I will
serve such souls who have reached your mission. I will offer them prasadam, give them your books and show them how to practice. I will chant with them. Thus I can hope to gain a new perspective of your greatness, even though I may never fully understand it.

Your insignificant servant,
Sivarama Swami

Courtesy : Dandavats

Sri Radhikastaka
from the Govinda-lilamrta, by Srila Krishna dasa Kaviraja

Her gold complexion steals the pride of golden lotus tinged with red.

    Her fragrance mocks the scent of lotus bloom with saffron powder spread.

Her skill in satisfying Sri Hari is perfect and complete . . . 

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Her wondrous silken garments shame the splendor rubies can display.

    She is a blooming garden where the bee of Krishna loves to play.

She worships Surya every day so She and Madhava can meet . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Eclipsed by Radha’s tenderness, the fame of budding blossoms dims.

    The moon, the lotus, sandal paste, and camphor serve Her cooling limbs.

When Krishna burns with love’s desires, Her soothing touch dispels the heat . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Though youthful goddesses adored by all adore the goddess Sri,

    She lacks Sri Radha’s beauty, youth, and every other quality.

So when it comes to lovers’ sports, with Radha no one can compete . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

In arts like dancing, singing, joking Radha is by far the best.

    She shines with countless traits divine, like love and gorgeous form and dress.

Among the famous gopis of Vrndavan, She’s supremely sweet . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Eternal pastimes, beauty, youth, and love for Krishna make Her rich.

    The loving gopis tremble just to see that love, at highest pitch.

Her meditation on Sri Krishna's form and pastimes is complete . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Perspiring, trembling, hairs on end, and crying, falt’ring of the voice,

    Impatience, joy, and guile--these signs of rapture make Her friends rejoice.

For Krishna's eyes these many gemlike ecstasies provide a treat . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Apart from Krishna for a moment, Radha feels anxiety

    And restlessness and other moods--the highest kind of ecstasy.

But when She meets Him with some effort, all Her sufferings retreat . . .

    May Radhika bestow on me the service of Her lotus feet.

Exalted goddesses like Parvati can hardly ever see

    Sri Krishna's lover, Radhika. But if a humble devotee

Recites these verses, then Sri Radha, who enjoys with Sri Hari,

    Will pour the nectar of Her service down on him eternally.

Courtesy : Dandavats

“The word Radha means the greatest worshiper of Krishna . No other gopi in Vrndavana has such a significant name as Sri Radha. of course, all the Vraja gopis love and give pleasure to Krishna . However, compared to Radhika’s ocean of love for Krishna , the other gopis are merely pools, ponds and rivers. As the ocean is the original source of all the water found in lakes and rivers, similary the love found in the gopis, and in all the other devotees has its origin in Sri Radha alone. Since Radha’s love is the greatest, she gives the greatest pleasure to Krishna .

Radha’s lake is named after Her because, like Radha, it pleases all the transcendental senses of Krishna . Krishna ’s eyes enjoy seeing Radha-kunda. Krishna ’s nose relishes the smell of Radha-kunda’s waters and its lotus flowers. The touch of radha-kunda’s cool water pleases Krishna ’s body. The sounds of the singing birds and buzzing bees satisfy Krishna ’s ears. Krishna ’s tongue enjoys tasting the ambrosial water of Radha-kunda.

Radha-kunda is named after Sri Radha because it has the same power that She has to attract and enchant Sri Krishna . This is confirmed in the Caitanya-caritamrta, adi 4.95: ‘Krishna enchants the whole world, but Srimati Radhika enchants even Him. Therefore, Radha is the Supreme Goddess.’ Chanting Radha’s name and bathing in Radha-kunda both attract Krishna as confirmed by sri Narottama das Thakura: ‘O brother! If you sing Krishna ’s name, you will attain the lotus feet of Sri Radhika, if you chant Radha’s name, you will attain Krishna candra.’

‘In Vrndavana, people are accustomed to chant Srimati Radharani’s name more than Krishna ’s name. “Jaya Radhe!” If you want Krishna ’s favor, then just try to please Srimati Radharani. This is the way.’ (SPT 75/82)

‘Even a single utterance of the two syllabes Ra Dha immediately attracts Sri Krishna , the Lord of Gokula. All the goals of human life seem insignificant for one who becomes full of love for the name of Radha! Lord Madhava Himself also lovingly chants japa of this mantra. May the two wonderful syllables of Ra Dha become revealed to me. (Radha rasa-sudha-nidhi)

Once Syamasundara came to the Vrndavana forest to meet Srimati Radhika. The gopis met Him and said that Radha’s superiors kept Her locked up at home, even though Radha was actually hiding in a nearby kunja. Syama became upset, and asked the gopis how He could meet Radhika. The gopis advised Krishna to just sit down, become absorbed in chanting Radha’s sweet name, and surely She wouls come to Him.

After chanting for sometime, Krishna stopped and said, “Hey sakhis! Why hasn’t Radha appeared yet?”

One sakhi jokingly replied, “look syamasundara! I think You’re not getting any result because You’re committing offenses against the holy name of Radha!”

Then the sakhis gave further advice, “Look Syama, just clap Your hands, and loudly chant the divine name of Radha. This will remove Your offenses, and make the holy name pleased with You.”

With tears-filled eyes and a heart full of ecstatic love, Sri Krishna joined the sakhis in a blissful Radha-nama kirtana. Forcefully attracted by the ecstasy, srimati Radhika left Her hiding place, and blessed Madhava with a loving embrace…

Offenses are the main obstacle to making spiritual advancement. One will attain love of God only when one’s offenses are destroyed, and one purely worships the Lord. Although Krishna never tolerates an offender, nor gives him any mercy, He will become favorable if this person takes shelter of the compassionate name of Radha. Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati Thakura says that Krishna becomes so pleased with one who chants Radha’s name that He nullifies all their offenses. Not only that, but Sri Krishna considers engaging him in Radha’s personal service. This is confirmed in Radha rasa-sudha-nidhi:

“O Sri Radhe! Madhupati (Krishna ) completely disregards unlimited vaisnava aparadhas of anyone who even once relishes the nectareen mellow of Your holy name. Overwhelmed in the greatest prema, Krishna considers bestowing upon him the supreme gift of Radha dasyam (Radha’s personal service). Therefore, Who can imagine the limitless fortune of one whose mind is firmly fixed only in Your service?”

The Sanskrit word sara means lake, but by reversing the syllable sa and ra, it becomes rasa, which means the sweet flavor of Radha and Krishna ’s playful pastimes. Therefore, those who understand this great secret will bathe in Sri Radha’s lake, Radha-kunda, and relish the sweet mellows of madhurya-rasa…”

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31198

Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 10.30.34) says, in the context of romance, that men are pathetic (dainya) and women are wicked (duratma).Even more surprisingly, it says that Krishna and Radha display (darśayan) the same traits! This is a difficult statement to understand, but is extremely profound. First lets understand  why men are “pathetic” and women “wicked misers.” Then let’s ask why Radha and Krishna would actually like that dynamic and display it themselves.

Men are Pathetic

In romance, men are pathetic because they are so hungry for what the woman possesses. It makes them extremely weak and manipulable, and makes them do humiliating, “pathetic” things in the attempt to convince a woman that she should give him what he so desperately wants.

Women are Wicked

In romance, women are “wicked” (“miserly” – not magnanimous or compassionate) because although they posses everything the man needs to end his pathetic condition, they withhold it and refuse him. In fact they taunt the man to want it even more, but keep it out of his reach and make him belittle himself for even the smallest morsels of what he seeks.

And the Supreme Man and Woman…?

Now let’s ask the more baffling question: Why would Radha and Krishna themselves enjoy this male/female dynamic.

The verse itself explains (with words like atma-rata, and atmarama) the key distinction between the actions (karma) of self-ignorant entities and the play(lila) of pure consciousness: Ignorant entities act out of need. Perfect consciousness, on the other hand, acts out of joy. Ignorant men and women do what they do because they are empty inside and believe they can fill that emptiness by acquiring better things and better situations. They dedicate their unique strengths only to achieving this goal.

The male strength is muscle and ambition, with which he boldly contests with others to win the objects he desires. How pathetic indeed that he is conquered by delicate creatures with no muscle at all!

The female strength is beauty and subtlety. With these she can control even the male muscle and thus be the superior gender (with not only her beauty and wit, but also the male muscle and ambition working for her interests).

In the realm of pure consciousness, however, neither masculinity nor femininity has any emptiness, or need to fill. There is only joy to express.

The joy (hladini) of the Absolute Consciousness (advaya-jñana) exists in the form of the most desirable and enchanting woman, the Supreme Woman, Sri Radha. Krishna expresses and experiences his own joy by celebrating and experiencing her. To celebrate her, he manifests the “pathetic” male dynamic by humbling himself before her and begging for her compassion to quench his “burning lusts.” Radha in turn, does not easily give Krishna what he wants. She withholds compassion for Krishna’s desires, and thus displays the quality of “wickedness” and “miserliness.” Why does she do this? Because things which come easy and cheaply are not valued as dearly as things that require great effort and high price. Radha increases Krishna’s appetite for the joy that she embodies by withholding it in just the right measure. She gives just enough, then taks away, leads on, smiles, but then frowns, looks at him, but then looks away, teasing, taunting, heightening his appreciation for her. Breadcrumb by breadcrumb.

This “miserliness” is an expression of her joyful devotion. Those who do not know much about the art of romance may not get it, but those who have some grasp of the art form understand this truth right away. It is her joy to increase Krishna’s appetite, and thus increase and extend his eventual enjoyment of the “meal”!

Everyday romance has the same shape as Radha and Krishna’s romance, because everyday romance is a product of the same “stuff” that Radha and Krishna’s romance is a product of: consciousness. Everyday romance, however, is a product of consciousness in ignorance, while Radha and Krishna’s romance is a product of consciousness in perfect joy (brahma-nirvana). Therefore everyday romance is literally a contest between the pathetic and the wicked. Radha and Krishna’s romance, however, is an ever-expanding, ever-intensifying expression of divine joy, which utilizes the vehicles of begging and witholding as the means to effect that ever intensifying expansion.

 – Vraja Kishor

Kadamba Kanana Swami: I like the comparison, of the love of Srimati Radharani to a mirror which reflects the qualities of Krishna – as she discovers more and more qualities of Krishna , her love is just responding to those qualities. In this way, the love of Srimati Radharani is eternally growing. This explains the nature of love in the spiritual world and how one is increasing in one’s devotional service and one’s devotional experience eternally. Krishna becomes captured by this love which increases his experience of love; so that exchange eternally continues.

The topmost relationship in the spiritual world is parakiya rasa, which is a forbidden relationship of paramours. Not the conjugal love within marriage but forbidden relationship of paramours – those stolen moments are considered to be the topmost. Gopis cannot openly associate with Krishna – that is not possible because it is socially not acceptable that they mix with Krishna . Many are married, others are young girls under the authority of their parents – how can they openly mix with the young boy in the village? It is not possible. Therefore, in the relationship between Radha and Krishna it is not possible that they openly meet, as there are many obstacles. Some stolen moments are there which are very precious for that reason. There is great eagerness to finally have the opportunity to meet Krishna ; that is usually very difficult.

radha Krishna When Srimati Radharani encounters Krishna , she is overwhelmed. It is described that when Radha sees Krishna in public that she cannot help but smile, but she is hiding that smile. So her smile is practically not visible, it is slightly there, by the corner of her lips, but Krishna notices that smile and therefore he also starts mildly smiling, also controlling his smile. Srimati Radharani notices that Krishna is seeing that she started smiling and therefore she begins to smile more. Krishna notices that she has noticed that he had noticed that she was smiling and therefore Krishna begins to smile more. Then she notices that Krishna has just noticed that she had noticed that he was noticing that she was smiling… and in this way, they go on with noticing until in the end, they cannot control the smiling anymore! So in this way, there is the intimate exchange but at the same time, it is covered by the separation. The essence of parakiya rasa is separation. The mood between Radha and Krishna is always one of separation with some stolen moments of coming together and then again increased separation. This is the basic theme of that topmost love.

I find very interesting this image of the love of Srimati Radharani being a mirror reflecting the qualities of Krishna and then eternally discovering more qualities because it shows how one eternally makes spiritual advancement – there is no limit to it! It is very profound and it does not just apply to only Srimati Radharani, it applies to all devotees – especially to all the eternal associates of the Lord and even to us! We are also discovering little-by-little, more and more, about the nature of Krishna and the qualities of Krishna . Maybe, at this stage, our love is not very developed but some attraction is there – it is unavoidable even! One of meaning of the word Bhagavan, as told by Srila Jiva Gosvami, means, ‘Krishna is irresistible, you have to worship him!’ So this is the situation – there is no question of not coming to the point of loving Krishna !

Courtesy : Dandavats

Mother Yasoda wants only the best for her son so she grows very special grass which is fed to very special cows who then produce very special milk. Then early in the morning, she calls for Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani, at that time, is staying with her in-laws in the village of Yavat, some two kilometers away from Nandagrama, a little further from Varsana where her parents, Vrsabhanu and Kirtida, are still living.

Srimati Radharani, from the house of her in-laws, is brought to the house of Yasoda in the morning. Although Jatila, her mother-in-law, is not so eager to let her go, she is forced to do so by her elders. The elders were saying, ‘How can you disobey the queen of Vrndavana?’ And mother Yasoda wants Srimati Radharani to cook for Krishna because Srimati Radharani had pleased Durvasa Muni once and she got the benediction that whatever she cooks will provide long life to whoever eats it plus it will taste like nectar! So mother Yasoda is very eager that Krishna will get a long life because like any mother, she is always worried. That is the nature of mothers, they always need something to worry about; something can possibly go wrong and mother Yasoda is not any different. So she is reciting all kinds of different mantras on the body of Krishna and in different ways, trying to protect him from all possible dangers and she wants him to have a long life. Therefore, she insists that Radharani has to cook for Krishna .

So early in the morning, Srimati Radharani leaves home, carried in a palanquin by various gopi servants, who are carrying her along the pathway, fanning her and transporting her to the house of Yasoda. Rohini has already started the fire early in the morning and started some preparations and is cooking away when Radharani arrives. Then Radharani begins to prepare so many of Krishna’s favourite preparations! She is very expert in making various sweet preps like kheer and rasagula for the pleasure of Krishna , who is very fond of such sweets. That is the nature of Krishna and Radharani is there every day.

Early in the morning, Krishna rises and the very first thing that Krishna does, even before bathing, is to milk the cows because the udders of the cows are full in the morning and they cannot wait so that must be done first.

Then when Krishna takes his bath, it is a festival because the gopis are assisting in the bathing as well as the cowherd boys. In that way, the spiritual world resembles the deity worship which we are performing here in this world. Behind the altar, there is a whole crew of devotees who are preparing things for the worship of Krishna . So in the same way, that is going on also. The dressing of Krishna is done by many in the spiritual world. Krishna is not dressing himself.

Source : https://www.kksblog.com/2016/09/the-excellent-cook/

All glories to His Grace Sriman Radha Damodara Prabhu who took so many risks on behalf of Srila Prabhupada to preach Krishna consciousness under extremely difficult circumstances. Surely he will receive the divine blessings of Lord Krishna and His beloved pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada, without a doubt.

“Just like during war time, a farm boy or ordinary clerk who goes to fight for his country on the front, immediately becomes a national hero for his sincere effort. So Krishna immediately recognizes a preacher of Krishna consciousness who takes all risks to deliver his message. It is called dhira vrata — determination. These boys and girls are mahatmas, mahatmanas tu mam partha, daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajantyananya manaso, jnatva bhutadim avyayam [Bg. 9.13] ‘O son of Pritha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.’ This verse is applicable here, if these boys were under material nature they would not take so much risk, they are mahatma, they are real mahatma, not that long beard and saffron cloth mahatma. They are unswerving in their determination, dhira vrata.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 11, 1975)

“If you want to become quickly recognized by Krishna, then make propaganda, this Krishna consciousness movement. And once recognized by Krishna, then your going back to home, back to Godhead, guaranteed.”

(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, July 5, 1975, Chicago)

“He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die,
When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the holy name around!”

(Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca
kripa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namaha

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees and can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.”

(Sri Vaisnava Pranama)

  Your Servant
 Padmapani Das

Courtesy : Dandavats

5th Jagannath Ratha Yatra at Chaukhutia, Uttarakhand

Govind das: Deva-bhoomi or land of the demigods, otherwise known as Uttarakhand in North India, is indeed a place worth visting and what more can be said when Lord Jagannath Himself is present there with His enthusiastic devotees. It is the common belief that within the vast tract of land known as Deva-Bhoomi, Chaukhutia, located in Almora district, was the place where the demigods resided for this is a valley lying between lush green hills of the lower Himalayas and divided by the meandering Ram-Ganga river and at times you get to touch the clouds that comes down occasionally in the cool early mornings. 
Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra Devi has taken shelter at the Prayageshwar temple in Bhatkot Village where They reside in the company of Lord Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and, of course, Hanumanji. Devotees arrived on 29th August and stayed at the humble accommodation at Prayageshwar temple. Clear and refreshing mountain stream water quenched the thirst of the devotees, of course mineral water too was provided, and the same stream served the purpose for other necessities as well…cooking and bathing. Living in tune with nature is what would describe the surrounding areas. Strolling beside the Ram-Ganga early in the morning with the japa beads in your hands, hearing the water flow through the pebbles at the river bed, the eagle staring down at you sitting atop the pine tree, the group of monkeys patrolling the hill slopes, the small schoolkids waiting for their school buses calling out to you saying ‘hare Krishna’, …makes you feel that there is something special about this place.

2nd September, as a prelude to the Ratha Yatra festival we had a school program at Disha Convent School, Chaukhutia. Ramanuja Das gave a short lecture for the seven hundred students (primary till 12th) on importance of values and character, how one can be a scientist and a spiritualist as well and that how as students today they have inherited the legacy to become responsible leaders tomorrow. Examples citing Prabhupada, Eisntein, how God can be perceived in all that we observe…helped in interacting with the students. A small quiz was conducted by Sitakanta das and winners were given Srila Prabhupada books as prizes. Interestingly all the students, including the ones in primary sections, began to dance happily when the devotees began singing hare Krishna mahamantra. Indeed Srila Prabhupada is definitely correct when he mentioned that, “this chanting of Hare Krishna is so nice that even a child can take part.” The program was made complete by the distribution of halava mahaprasad. The teachers requested our devotees to visit their school and interact with the students more frequently. Later few students expressed that during the program what they liked best was the chanting and dancing.

3rd September, devotees started preparing sweet items for the ‘chhapan bhoga’ or the traditional fifty six items preparation to be offered on the day next for the ratha yatra, the cooking continued till the next day with the savoury items. A nagar sankirtan was also carried out in the market place of Chaukhotia. Many guest from the village and nearby areas came to take part in the festivities, devotees performed kirtan and also gave a lecture on pastimes of Lord Jagannath. There was a bhandara or feast arranged for the guests where all visitors took prasadam. 
4th September, devotees chanted their rounds after mangal arti, some decorated the chariot with flowers, some dressed the dieties, and some were still engaged in cooking varieties of items. Morning was sunny with a dark patch of cloud hanging in the sky. At 12.30 pm the raj bhog was offered to Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra after which the deities took Their place on the chariot. The chief guest Mr. Madan Bisht, MLA of Chaukhutia was offered prasadam cloth offered to the deities and all the honoured guest proceeded to break the coconut for auspiciousness of the event. After arti was offered and prasadam for distribution was arranged on the chariot, all the visitors began to pull the chariot with devotees leading a fired up kirtan. The ratha yatra started from Prayageshwar temple going through Chandi khet and Chaukhutia market and finishing at Agneri temple where a huge feast for all the visitor was arranged. Hundreds of people followed the chariot and many more watched from their homes and from atop buildings. Prasadam was distributed all throughout the way. Just as the ratha yatra came to the Agneri temple rain started and it rained so heavily as if it had waited so long for this particular moment. 108 books were distributed…28 maha big books including Bhagavad-gita and Krishna book. Around two thousand or more visitors took prasadam at the Bhandara. Within that rain the deities were brought back to the temple. Interestingly there was no umbrella to cover the deities and devotees ran about to borrow an umbrella. One person gave his umbrella and by so doing…even without his knowledge he did the most wonderful service of protecting the Lord of the Universe from the unexpected downpour. Truly Jagannath had come out on His chariot to bless even those who would not come to see Him or make them lend Him their umbrellas.

Evening approached with a sense of triumph having seen the chariot festival of the Lord of the Universe, the village ladies coming back to their homes with huge pile of grasses for the cows, smoke rising from each of the houses on the hill slopes, the Ram-Ganga flowing down singing its own songs now imbued with a taste from the devotees’ kirtan….and everybody else sharing what they felt at the festival. As devotees laughed and shared happy instances of the festival Lord Jagannath also smiled as He went to take rest for the night with His elder brother and Sister. Next day after a sumptuous bath in the Ram Ganga river devotees parted from Chaukhotia with happy hearts and fond memories with a desire to return back to this small village marked with the Ram-ganga and flanked by the mountains…truly known as Deva-Bhoomi. Driving upon the cliffs and the passing through the clouds devotees passed through the Corbett National Park as they went on towards their next destinations…expressing their heartfelt gratitude to Srila Prabhupada who had so nicely brought Lord Jagannath from the sea shores of Puri to the mountains of the Himalayas. We sincerely thank all the devotees, friends and well-wishers for their support and kind prayers due to which we have been able to conduct this ratha yatra festival as a humble offering unto the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada and all our previous acaryas….we pray to remain so engaged always in their loving service.

Jai Jagannath! Jai Srila Prabhupada! 

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Courtesy : Dandavats

Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess. She is most always seen with Lord Krishna. It is described that She is the Chief Associate and devotee of Lord Krishna, and topmost of all Goddesses. Her name means the She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna. However, She is also an expansion of the Lord’s energy. Since She is also an extension of Krishna, She is the feminine aspect of God. Thus, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, God is both male and female. They are One, but Krishna expands into two, Himself and Radharani, for the sake of divine loving pastimes. If They remained as One, then there is no relationship, there are no pastimes, and there can be no dynamic exchange of love. (Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila, 4.55-56) Actually, if we all remained merged or amalgamated into one single force or light, then there is no further need of anything else. There certainly would be no need for the material manifestation to provide the innumerable conditioned souls with the means to seek out the way to satisfy their senses, minds, emotions, desires for self-expression, intellectual pursuits, and on and on.

So, similarly, the spiritual world is the manifestation wherein all souls have the opportunity to engage in a multitude of pastimes in loving relationships in full spiritual variety, without the many hindrances we find in this material world. The only difference is that the spiritual world is centered around the Supreme Being. And that Supreme Personality has expanded Himself into Radharani for exhibiting the supreme loving relationship, in which so many others assist Them.

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows:

devi krishna-mayi prokta
radhika para-devata
sarva-lakshmi-mayi sarva
kantih sammohini para

“The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.”

To explain further, Srimati Radharani is also the source of the other goddesses, who are expansions of Her. Just as Lord Krishna is the source of all other expansions and incarnations of God, Radharani is the source of all other expansions of the energies of God, the shaktis, or other goddesses. Thus, Vishnu, Rama, even Shiva are all expansions of the one Supreme Being, and similarly Lakshmi, Sita, and even Durga are all expansions of this Supreme Feminine form of God, Radharani.

It is explained that the beloved consorts of Lord Krishna are of three kinds, namely the goddesses of fortune or Lakshmis, His queens, and the milkmaids of Vraja called the gopis. All of them proceed from Radharani. The Lakshmis are partial manifestations, or plenary portions, of Srimati Radharani, while the queens in Vaikuntha and in Dvaraka are reflections of Her image. The Vraja-devis or gopis are Her expansions and assist in the increase of rasa, or the divine loving pastimes. Among them there are many groups that have various sentiments and moods, which help Lord Krishna taste the sweetness of the rasa dance and other pastimes. (Cc.Adi-lila. 4. 75-81)

“Among the gopis of Vrindavana, Srimati Radharani and another gopi are considered chief. However, when we compare the gopis, it appears that Srimati Radharani is most important because Her real feature expresses the highest ecstasy of love. The ecstasy of love experienced by the other gopis cannot be compared to that of Srimati Radharani.” (Ujjvala-nilamani 4.3 of Srila Rupa Gosvami)

Radharani has many names according to Her qualities and characteristics. Some of the names that Radharani is known by include Govinda-anandini–She who gives pleasure to Govinda [Krishna]; Govinda-mohini–She who mystifies Govinda; Govinda-sarvasa–the all-in-all of Lord Govinda; Shiromani Sarva-kanta–the crown jewel of all the Lord’s consorts; and Krishnamayi–the one who sees Krishna both within and without. She is also called Radhika in the Puranas because Her worship [aradhana] of the Lord consists of fulfilling His desires. Aradhana is the root of the name Radharani, which indicates one who excels in worshiping the Lord. She is also called Sarva-lakshmi, the original source of all the goddesses of fortune. This also means that She is the supreme energy of Lord Krishna, and represents His six opulences, which include fame, fortune, strength, wealth, knowledge, and detachment. She is also known as Sarva-kanti, which indicates that all beauty and luster rest in Her body, and all the Lakshmis derive their beauty from Her. It also means that all the desires of Lord Krishna rest in Srimati Radharani. As Lord Krishna enchants the world with His beauty and charm, Sri Radha enchants Him. Therefore She is the Supreme Goddess. Sri Radha is the full power, and Lord Krishna is the possessor of full power. (Cc.Adi-lila, 4.82, 84, 87-96) Thus, the two are non-different, as the sunshine is nondifferent from the sun, or as the energy is non-different from the energetic or source of energy.

In this way, without Radha there is no meaning to Krishna and without Krishna there is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, in the Vaishnava tradition we always pay respects first to the Lord’s internal energy in the form of Radha, and then to the Lord. Thus They are referred to as Radha-Krishna, or in other names as Sita-Rama, Lakshmi-Narayana, and so on. In this way, Radha and Krishna are one, but when Lord Krishna wants to enjoy, He manifests Himself as Radharani. Otherwise, there is no energy in which Krishna can attain pleasure outside Himself.

To understand Himself through the agency of Radha, or the hladini-shakti, the Lord manifests Himself as Lord Chaitanya, who is Lord Krishna but with the super-excellent emotions of Radharani’s love toward Lord Krishna. This is because the Lord accepts a position and the emotions of a devotee in order to fully taste His own sweetness.

It is also described that the potency of love of God is called hladini, the Lord’s pleasure potency. Whenever the Lord wants to enjoy pleasure, He exhibits His own spiritual potency known as hladini. And the essence of that love is in the emotion called bhava. The ultimate development of that emotion is mahabhava, or great bhava. Mahabhava is full of the pleasure potency, and it is an exhibition of the highest love for Lord Krishna. Sri Radharani is the embodiment of that transcendental consciousness found in mahabhava. Her mind, senses and body are steeped in that highest sort of love for Krishna. She is as spiritual as the Lord Himself. In fact, being the personification of the hladini-shakti, the pleasure giving energy of the Lord, She is the only source of enjoyment for the Lord. This pleasure potency manifests spiritually as Radharani in a way that attracts even Lord Krishna. He takes no pleasure in anything material. The Lord could never enjoy anything that is less spiritual than Himself. Therefore Radha and Krishna are identical. Then She expands Herself into different forms, known as Lalita, Visakha, and Her other confidential associates that increase the mood of divine love. However, being the Lord’s hladini feature, She is also the ultimate source of all happiness for all the living beings. In other words, everything that gives pleasure and happiness within the spiritual or the material worlds is because of Her and the energy that emanates from Her. (Cc.Adi-lila.4.68-72) That same pleasure potency expands and spreads throughout the spiritual worlds, and then descends into the material creation into the many forms of happiness that is experienced by the conditioned soul, though it may be called by different names and perceived in assorted ways. Since we are all parts and parcels of the Lord, we also have that pleasure potency within us to a minute degree. But we are trying to enjoy it in the material world. Therefore we are like sparks that are dying out because we have left our place which is in the blazing fire of Lord Krishna’s association.

The Hare Krishna mantra also directs one’s attention and devotion to Radha as well as Krishna. Radha is also known as Mother Hara, which is the name Hare in the vocative form within the mantra. So in chanting Hare Krishna, we are first approaching the Lord’s internal potency and asking Radha to please engage us in the service of Lord Krishna. Concentrating on Krishna through His names is one form of that service. In other words, it is through Radha that one more easily attains Krishna and service to Krishna. This is the advantage of approaching Lord Krishna through Radharani.

The descriptions of the beauty of Radharani are wonderfully poetic and descriptive. Actually, the residents of Vrindavana care more for Radharani than they do for Lord Krishna. They know that Krishna can be influenced through Radharani. They know that Radha can bring one to Krishna. She is also the compassionate nature of the Lord, and thus more easily approached than trying to reach Lord Krishna directly. And when we read these descriptions of Radha, it is no wonder why they are devoted to Her. For example, it is explained that Srimati Radharani has unlimited transcendental qualities, of which twenty-five are principal. These include: 1) She is very sweet. 2) She is always freshly youthful. 3) Her eyes are restless. 4) She smiles brightly. 5) She has beautiful, auspicious lines. 6) She makes Krishna happy with Her bodily aroma. 7) She is very expert in singing. 8) Her speech is charming. 9) She is very expert in joking and speaking pleasantly. 10) She is very humble and meek. 11) She is always full of mercy. 12) She is cunning. 13) She is expert in executing Her duties. 14) She is shy. 15) She is always respectful. 16) She is always calm. 17) She is always grave. 18) She is expert in enjoying life. 19) She is situated in the topmost level of ecstatic love. 20) She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula. 21) She is the most famous of submissive devotees. 22) She is very affectionate to elderly people. 23) She is very submissive to the love of Her friends. 24) She is the chief gopi. 25) She always keeps Krishna under Her control. In short, She possesses unlimited transcendental qualities, just as Lord Krishna does. (Ujjvala-nilamani, Sri-radha-prakarana 11-15)

In describing Srimati Radharani, it is also said in the Vidagdha-madhava (1.32) by Rupa Gosvami, “The beauty of Srimati Radharani’s eyes forcibly devours the beauty of newly grown blue lotus flowers, and the beauty of Her face surpasses that of an entire forest of fully blossomed lotuses. Her bodily luster seems to place even gold in a painful situation. Thus the wonderful, unprecedented beauty of Srimati Radharani is awakening Vrindavana.”

“Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face be compared?” (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)

“When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her cheeks, and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee, moving unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has bitten the whorl of My heart.” (Vidagdha-madhava 2.51)

There is much more to be known about Srimati Radharani, but this should suffice for now. Thus, the spiritual exchange of divine love between Radha and Krishna is the display of the internal energy of the Lord, and is very confidential and difficult to understand. No materialist can begin to understand this topic of the relationship between Radharani and Lord Krishna. But the more we awaken our dormant love for God, which is natural state of being for a fully awakened soul, then the more we can comprehend and actually enter into such spiritual loving exchanges.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31223

Lord Jagannath Ratha Yatra and Mayor of Central Lampung at Ramadewa village, Lampung, Indonesia

Getting perfection in devotional service to Lord Krishna is one’s main goal in life. The devotee more or less depends on his transcendental patience, enthusiasm and firm conviction. Those things will surely help him to reach perfection. Being enthusiastic will bring devotees closer to the Lord. When devotees are enthusiastic in devotional service Lord Krishna will give the facility whereby they could do more devotional service to Him.

“Krishna is unlimited, His service is unlimited and the energy of His servants is unlimited. (SPL to Tamala Krishna , 18th March, 1969).

By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and previous acharyas, the field of devotioanal service is ever expanding and so also the energy of the devotees is increasing similarly. The devotees in Indonesia were busy preparing and conducting ratha Yatra in every parts of Indonesia. The ratha yatras took place in just a difference of about a week’s time and many places saw ratha yatra in two places together on the same day. It increased the pleasure of the devotees to participate in the festival. The devotees contributed in many ways to help make then event successful.

Srila Prabhupada stated that “For serving the Lord we require to sacrifice our life, our wealth, our intelligence and our words. One can serve the Lord with these four possessions. If not, with three, if not then with two or even one, and that is sufficient to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead…..One has to make the best use of his talent for the service of Krishna . That is wanted. Best example is Arjuna, that he utilized his talents, military science, in the service of Krishna .” (SPL to Gargamuni, 7th June, 1968). The latest Ratha-yatra festivals were performed on August 22 in Jogjakarta and August 23 in Ramadewa Village, Lampung.

Devotees got a boost in enthusiasm during the Ratha Yatra at the Anniversary Carnival of Pulang Pisau, Kalimantan held on 11 August this year. There the Jagannath Ratha Yatra was awarded the first prize for the Cultural Category. Previously also Jagannath Baladeva and Subhadra received awards in Carnivals at Bandung, Jember and other cities. On August 22 the devotees took the Ratha yatra and participated in the cultural parade for the Indonesian Independence Day celebrations at Malioboro Street, Jogjakarta. The chariot was decorated with beautiful flowers bouquets. The deities of Sri Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra came from Bantul Centre, Jogjakarta. The deities were beautifully dressed and They took Their respective places on the chariot. Devotees came by bus from Bali, Jember, Lombok and other parts of Indonesia. The presence of the guests from Jogjakarta Hindu Parishad gave moral support to the devotees organizing the ratha yatra.

At 12.00, the ceremony started The Pujaris offered arati and continued by the coconut offering. Coconuts were offered to the Lord to invoke auspiciousness. Then the chariot was pulled from Kepatihan to Garuda Hotel in the area of Malioboro. The devotees did kirtan lead by Sundar gopal das. After waiting for an hour, the committee asked the devotees to enter the Malioboro Street. People had already crowded the street. A fired up kirtan lead by Sundar Gopal das and Sesa das made all devotees dance energetically. The devotees also gave flower garlands that was already offered to the Lord as well as Bhagavad Gita to officers at the carnival. After one hour of singing and dancing, the chariot arrived at the finish line and all devotees joyfully honoured prasadam. After some rest the devotees returned to Narayana Smriti preaching centre. Some devotees had to rush to the airport to catch the flight to Jakarta because next day they had to join the Ratha yatra in Ramadewa Village, Lampung.

Arriving in Jakarta the devotees continued their journey to Lampung by car. About 2.5 hours from Jakarta to Merak Harbour, then 3 hours by ship and another 4 hours’ drive from Bakauheni to Ramadewa…altogether 9.5 hours from Jakarta. A long distance no doubt but no distance is too long for devotees eager to get the mercy of Lord Jagannath. This time Lord Jagannatha would give His mercy to the people of Ramadewa village, a transmigration area. As “Lord Caitanya predicted, His name will be chanted and praised in every town and village throughout the world” (SPL to Krishna dasa, 28th July, 1969)

Ramadewa is a rural village where the most of the residents are Hindus from Bali. Actually there was no devotee in this village. So how could Lord Jagannath reach this rural village? On one of the ratha yatra in Lampung a year ago, a parliament member of Lampung, Mr. I Komang Koheri, SH, from Ramadewa was invited to participate in the festival. He fell in love with the festival. He approached the devotees in Lampung to also organize a ratha yatra in his village. The devotees were surprised to hear this request. The request was then communicated to the other devotees to coordinate with team Ratha Yatra Nusantara (Ratha Yatra in the Archipelago) whether it would be possible to organize the event there. By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada the devotees accepted the opportunity to do the ratha atra in Ramadewa village. Soon the preparation started and the devotees collected the necessary paraphernalia for the ratha yatra. It took 4 hours to reach the village from Lampung city. The village was so beautiful with agricultural fields in view. It look like miniature Bali because the houses there use Balinese architecture. This is the first transmigration village in Lampung.

The devotees brought the chariot from Gita Nagari Baru, Lampung, it is about 2 hours to the village. The chariot was decorated beautifully with flowers. At 10 am devotees arrived from other parts of Lampung. Most of them took two until three hour journey to get to the village.

At 12.00 noon the devotees offer coconuts to the Lord to mark the commencement of the ratha yatra. The devotees pulled the chariot to the monument of the village where the ceremony and the festivities took place. After waiting for some time it started to rain cats and dogs. The devotees took shelter in the house of the villagers nearby. After the formal ceremony finished the Mayor of Central Lampung came and inaugurated the parade. The Mayor, Mr. Mustafa and his wife then requested whether they could go up on the chariot. The devotees obliged and allowed them to sit on the chariot then all devotees and the villager started to pull the chariot to go around the village. They started singing and dancing, meanwhile the Mayor tried follow in singing the mahamantra sung by the devotees. Arriving at the village office, the Mayor got down and joined in pulling the rope of the chariot. He pulled the chariot and also sang hare krisna mahamantra “hare Krishna…hare…krishna…hare rama..hare rama…” while giving sign to others to sing together. He felt Joyful. Then the devotees continued the ratha yatra around the village. After some time the rain came again but the devotees continued even under the rain. They were becoming more spirited and were all fired up in singing hare Krishna mahamantra led by Sundar gopal das. A ton of fruits were distributed. The chariot arrived in finish point in the evening. Arriving in the base camp, the devotees honored prasadam. It was simply wonderful that how Jagannath fulfilled the desire of a Mayor and agreed to visit his village along with His chariot and all His wonderful devotees.

It doesn’t matter if you can or cannot establish a temple there, but if you can introduce the Ratha-yatra festival, surely it will be a great success. So try to execute this will as far as possible” (SPL to Yamuna, 27th May, 1969)

We would like thank each and every one who helped to make this ratha yatra manifest within such a short period of time, especially the Mayor and all the residents of Ramadewa village. Prabhu Raghava, Bhakta Edy and team who took care to prepare the chariot, the team of cooks, Kirtan party, Sankirtan team, the organizers and all well-wishers…we extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all the wonderful devotees. We are ever indebted to His Holiness Kavichandra Swami, His Holiness Ramai Swami- the GBC’s of Indonesia; His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami, His Holiness Subhag Swami for their ever encouraging support to continue these festivals. At times there are differences but we would like to thank all senior vaisnavas who have always been inspirational…and have always supported the festival. We pray that Srila Prabhupada is pleased with our small efforts and ask for blessings we are able tobecome instruments in the hands of our previous acaryas.

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Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31220