One morning my mom shook me awake, whispering, "Honey, it's time. Your father."

Unquestioningly, with bleary eyes, I jumped out of bed and followed my mother down the hall to my father's room. There was spiritual chanting of God's names, called kirtan, going on in my dad's room. The past several days this kirtan had been going on twenty-four hours a day, non-stop. When I entered the dimly lit room, my father's bed was surrounded by several soft and somber faces. Suddenly, I was struck by how beautiful my father was. 

So beautiful. 

My father was lit by lamps that cast pools of soft bronze light.  He wore a flower garland that encircled his entire body. He was emaciated. His bones were protruding from his elbows and legs, I seemed to see his thigh bones through his thin cotton cloth. His face had become all angles, his eyes sunken into his head. His skin had lost its luster.  

My father's body was deteriorating and yet his beauty was growing. So many people, from Bengali villagers to travel-monks, had come by in steady streams to see him, to offer their respects, to reminisce, to offer appreciation. Some gave him gentle massages, some sang for him, some prepared medicine or oat water. Some would read to him for hours on end from scripture. My father would receive the presence of each person with folded palms and with a smile that completely disarmed me. In all my life I had never seen my father smile in such a way. He was beautiful. He seemed to evoke deep, profound love of people he had never even met before. 

Who was this man?  

For the past couple weeks I had been quiet and kept my distance, and my father seemed to be receiving other people more than my mom or me. We mainly helped the nurses with their services. We seemed to understand that dad was reconnecting with a whole other life, a whole other worldwide community that he needed to find closure with in his final days.  

That fateful morning, mom and I entered my father's room and immediately his gaze turned to both of us. He smiled that beautiful smile, and suddenly my chest filled with heat and tears stung my eyes. 

Stay strong, I reminded myself. 

Mom and I approached his bed and he looked at us, his eyes luminous. He looked at my mother and murmured so softly we had to lean in to hear him over the music, "I love you." She began to weep and weep and he just looked at her. Then he turned to me and said with deep conviction, "I love you."

"Dad, I love you," I said, the unabashed tears flowing down my face. I wanted to ask him so many questions. I wanted to go for a walk in the park, like we used to do almost every day, even in the snow, even in the rain. I wanted to hug him. I wanted him to stay.   

He looked at me lucidly, thoughtfully. Then he said, "Eliza,"

My stomach dropped. His tone of voice was so grave. I took a breath and leaned in further.

"Promise me one day you will lead kirtan."

Kirtan? Lead kirtan? What was going on right now, this singing with those instruments? I don't sing. I don't even know what kirtan really is. I can barely follow the words. Lead? Lead kirtan? Just one kirtan? Or all the time? This all whirled through my head, the thoughts jumbling and bumping into each other. 

"Promise me."

There could be only one response. I nodded. 

My dad smiled and moved his hand towards mine, and I took his frail hand. I would hold his hand until he left this world.  

Dawn filtered into our room, the birds began to sing, and more and more people filled the space. The kirtan continued nonstop. Confusion and fear whirred through me, and I found myself listening to the kirtan, wondering why, why, why would my father give this to me as his dying wish. 

At one point, the music rose, the voices rose in a tumultuous sound. My father's eyes were closed, his breath shallow and irregular. His lips were faintly moving to the holy name being sung, and then, he breathed one last time, a big sigh. 

Tears were pouring down almost every face, even the wise swamis. Where my father had once been,  giant, empty chasm ripped open wide in my heart. But then when the kirtan rose in volume, I had a curious experience. That hole filled with the holy name being sung, like warm liquid being poured into a vessel. I felt safe, whole, protected, loved. I was absolutely astonished with the realization that my father not only wanted me to experience this, but to give this to others. Later on, this feeling would fade away and that raw emptiness returned. But in those moments I understood. I understood. 

Source:http://seedofdevotion.blogspot.in/2015/09/day-11-mysterious-wish.html

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it”. Bhagavad-gita VII.14

In the Bhagavata Purana the “ocean” of the material existence is described as something scaring, terrifying, in which the jivabhuta – the conditioned living entity – life after life is forced to experience birth (jati), old age (jara), disease (vyadhi) and death (mrityu).

Dear Prabhus

I hope this letter meets you and your family well and that you are all enjoying the continued blessings of Lord Krishna.

Fifty years ago this summer, Srila Prabhupada and a small group of young followers signed into existence the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The young people who
put their signatures to the founding document were all a bit puzzled, especially by the word ‘International.’ Their new society extended to a mere thirty people who regularly gathered in a small shop front in a not so salubrious back street of New York.

The vision for what the Society would become all belonged to Srila Prabhupada, who saw it expanding across the world and into every town and village. He knew it would take the determination of every member, but he knew that with Krishna’s help, it would ultimately be a success. And we are all enjoying that success today.

2016 sees us with more than a dozen centres around this country and nearly 55 small groups. The number of members is in the thousands now, with many projects and programmes for attracting the public to the spiritual messages, celebrations, music, art and cuisine of Krishna consciousness.

You are one of our valued members who is taking forward Srila Prabhupada’s movement and by your efforts you are inspiring existing members and attracting our future members.Whether you look after a group, sing kirtan, distribute books or manage a centre – or whether you are offering spiritual support to friends – your participation in ISKCON is making a real difference.

So in this 50th anniversary I’d like to invite you to the second ISKCON National Convention. Last year over two hundred devotees came to the one-day event in the new temple in Leicester. We all got to meet each other, learn from the informative workshops, sing kirtan together, and share ideas. Devotees came from Scotland, Ireland, Leeds and Lowestoft as well as all other UK centres. Feedback was very positive with all participates saying that it was an event they’d like to come to again. The new Leicester temple is quite spectacular, a former Victorian bank with impressive architecture, a vast interior which has recently been refurbished on two floors.

This year, I would like to meet you there and hear from you your suggestions how to improve our members’ experience of ISKCON. How can we serve our members better, and what do we need to provide them? The more representatives from around the country who attend, the more ISKCON in the UK can be moulded to accommodate the growing needs of our ever-expanding movement.

The National Convention will be a one-day event, from 9.30am to 5pm, it will involve some travel and possibly even an overnight stay; but if you come I can promise you wonderful association, informative workshops and a unique opportunity to share best practice and further development ISKCON UK. So please make every effort to attend.
Saturday 1st October 2016
Leicester Temple 
31Granby Street , Leicester, LE1 6EP

If your group, project or centre has been particularly innovative or active this year, I’d really like to share your contribution with all the members through a three-minute video which will be played during the conference. Please email iskconukconvention@gmail.com and we will send you brief guidelines for creating the video, submission deadline is 15th September. I intend to publish the schedule shortly.

In order to secure your place at this year’s convention please register FREE at https://uknationalconvention2016.eventbrite.co.uk NOW (please note registration on the day £5 admin donation, online registration closes 10th September, Limited spaces)

I would like to thank you for your service, giving your time and look forward to seeing you at this special event.

Your servant

Praghosa das

I’d like to make a confession (nothing major). While driving on the M25 last week, I sped ahead on the main carriageway and then abruptly cut into the junction exit road; a convenient way to avoid the huge tailbacks and get to my destination pronto. As you can imagine, I got quite a few angry horns and unsavory looks. It prompted me to think about whether spiritualists need to worry themselves with worldly morality. How important is it to follow social niceties? Is ‘good’ and ‘bad’ simply a subjective and relative worldview based on the prevailing cultural milieu of the day? Isn’t a spiritualist automatically moral? Does following such ethics contribute anything to the divine journey?

Although following a transcendental path, a healthy amount of down-to-earth morality may not go amiss:

• It helps the world - morals, ethics and conventions govern human interaction, creating peaceful and progressive civilization for everyone. Spiritual or not, we’re all living in the world and it helps to keep things in order
• It helps us - following moral codes fosters a more considerate consciousness within ourselves. We develop a sense of respect, empathy and thoughtfulness, which supports our spiritual endeavours. 
• It helps our purpose - Although the average Jo may not value profound philosophical understanding, they will likely be impressed by a ‘good’ person. Immoral spiritualists may find that their lofty presentations only go so far.

Yet is seems that this innate sense of morality, an inherent sense of right and wrong, has a deeper spiritual drive behind it. We have a sensitivity and selflessness programmed into us, which instinctively checks us from madly pursuing what we want and completely disregarding others. It seems there is someone within, prompting that sensitivity and selflessness, reminding us that cultivating these qualities will bring us to a higher state of consciousness and a deeper sense of happiness. The repeated message reverberates loud and clear - "we find ourselves, by thinking of others."

Source:http://sutapamonk.blogspot.in/2015/09/immoral.html

The genuine spiritual realization, which is to be found on a much higher level than that of religiousness, is the experience of a fulfilled soul, of a sage, of an enlightened person who, precisely for being wise, sees the creation, the creatures and the Creator simultaneously and as an integrated unity. For this reason the service he offers to the Creator works automatically also for the well-being of the creatures and of the creation as a whole.

The philosophical concept of ahimsa, non-violence, obviously is not to be limited to human beings, as the respect for life includes all living entities and the creation itself.

The research for spiritual realization, for the highest self, focal point of the personality, corresponds to the discovery of God and to a loving relationship with Him.

When we are placed out of our centre, not only we vanish as an identity, but even God disappears, and it is only when we find again God that we find again ourselves, inconceivably two and One at the same time.

Source:http://matsyavatara.blogspot.in/2015/09/union.html

His humility disarmed my illusion to the point that I could sincerely ask him a question.
At first, when I raised my hand he ignored me. He waited until somebody else in the room raised their hand, and he answered their question.
This happened three or four times and in my mind I was rephrasing my question. Then I asked my question. I closed my eyes and said, “Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami?”
I said his name and for a moment I became disoriented. I couldn’t even go on with the question.
Srila Prabhupada very patiently waited for me. It was an intense moment because his glance and his mercy were upon me.
I said, “How is it that the Absolute, which is at this point, for me, beyond human comprehension, how can it take this form of Krishna-Radha?”
Prabhupada said, “It is His mercy.” Then he said something astounding, a mystical thing that broke through my hippie misconceptions.
Srila Prabhupada said, “The Bhagavatam says that if you want to understand God, His name, His quality, His paraphernalia, His form, it is not possible by your present senses. Your senses are so contaminated that it is not possible for you to understand God by speculation. Then?”
“How it is possible? God reveals Himself to you by your service attitude. And that service attitude begins from your tongue. How? You chant Hare Krishna and taste Krishna prasadam. Two things.”
"You cannot understand what is God, but God will reveal to you, ‘Here I am.’ Just as you cannot ask the sun, 'Please rise up I want to see you.’ Oh, the sun is not your servant. But when the sun reveals himself to you, you see yourself, you see the sun, and you see the whole world nicely. You have to wait for that revelation.”
Six months before this, after I’d fasted for days, I had climbed a mountain all night long and was sitting on the edge of a cliff meditating on om.
My plan was that when the sun rose, I would merge with it and become one with the One. But the day was cloudy and when the sun rose I couldn’t see it.
The night before I had come to Krishna consciousness, I had prayed to a deity of Lord Shiva to please help me know the answer for everything, and then the next day I met Srila Prabhupada. How everything happened was wonderful.
After Srila Prabhupada’s lecture, he went back to his apartment and we all got ready for bed. 
Thirty minutes later word got out that Srila Prabhupada had come back. We scrambled together, came into the temple room and sat there expectantly.
Srila Prabhupada was grave. At first he didn’t say anything. He played a tape of Vande 'ham with himself on the harmonium and said, “I have just received a telegram from India saying that His Holiness Keshava Maharaj, my sannyas guru, is no more. He has entered Krishna’s abode.”
Srila Prabhupada said that Keshava Maharaj (in te photo) was a Vaishnava, an ocean of mercy, and he said, “I am offering my respectful obeisances to him along with my disciples.”
As he talked, he remembered Keshava Maharaj, and a tear slowly came and hovered a little while.
That tear was like the shining diamond of his separation from his sannyas guru, it was such a beautiful tear. And at last it fell.
Srila Prabhupada had written a resolution of bereavement and asked everyone to sign it. One girl, Madhavi-lata, took it around.
She wasn’t going to let another guest and me sign but Srila Prabhupada said, “No, no, everyone here, they are all witnesses.”
Then I knew that Srila Prabhupada was accepting me as a part of something that was happening. It was a wonderful experience.
Excerpt from “Memories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint” 
by Siddhanta das
www.prabhupadamemories.com 

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30212

It’s raining! ..and raining some more in Govardhan. This is good of course, but also adds challenges to our various services.
July 18th was Guru Purnima, the biggest parikrama day of the year. And sure enough, it was as busy as ever. But it was raining! Non-stop rain. Fortunately, by Radha and Krishna’s mercy we were able to distribute prasad as we usually do on the full moon day each month.
On the 28th, we prepared our monthly feast for the widows of Radha Kunda. But again, it was raining. We couldn’t serve them sitting down in the courtyard of our rented facility as we usually do, but had to give them packets-to-go instead. They were happy to get a feast-to-go. So no worries. :)
Thank you, dear friends for so generously stepping up to sponsor daily prasad meals and medical care for our ladies in Radha Kunda. Of the 23 who had lost their funding, 5 are now fully sponsored! Thank you!!! It’s such a relief to know that we will be able to keep caring for them. We are hopeful that more sponsors will come forward for the remaining 18.
As always, in spite of the rain, daily cleaning and prasadam distribution are continuing. And we are excited that construction on the kitchen is scheduled to start after the rains stop!
Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com.
Your servants, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, Urmila Devi Dasi, and Mayapurcandra dasa.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30218

One of the main attractions of the Ananda Mela in Seattle was the “Vedic Village” section.

A ten metre long diorama was erected showing the descent of the Ganga from the toe of the Lord, through the Himalayas, through various holy places like Hrsikesa, and finally going out into the ocean at Ganga Sagara.

Other parts of the village included a pen for two of our cows, roti making using traditional clay and cow dung oven, produce from our farm etc.

Source:http://www.ramaiswami.com/vedic-village/

This morning I was doing some study on the different yugas, or ages. I have included a verse from the Bhagavad-gita, one from the Srimad Bhagavatam, as well as a brief description of the four yugas from the Bhakta Handbook.

The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahmā, and one day of Brahmā consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas or ages: Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Tretā-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvāpara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avatara, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again. These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day of Brahmā, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night. Brahmā lives one hundred of such “years” and then dies. These “hundred years” by earth calculations total to 311 trillion and 40 million earth years. By these calculations the life of Brahmā seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the causal ocean there are innumerable Brahmās rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahmā and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux. (from purport to Bhagavad-gita 8.17)

Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter 8, Text 17

sahasra-yuga-paryantam
ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ
rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ
te ‘ho-rātra-vido janāḥ

sahasra—thousand; yuga—millenniums; prayantam—including; ahaḥ—day; yat—that; brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahmā; viduḥ—know it; rātrim—night; yuga—millenniums; sahasra-antām—similarly, at the end of one thousand; te—that; ahaḥ-rātra—day and night; vidaḥ—understand; janāḥ—people.

TRANSLATION

By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahmā’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.

PURPORT

The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahmā, and one day of Brahmā consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas or ages: Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Tretā-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvāpara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avatara, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again. These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day of Brahmā, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night. Brahmā lives one hundred of such “years” and then dies. These “hundred years” by earth calculations total to 311 trillion and 40 million earth years. By these calculations the life of Brahmā seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the causal ocean there are innumerable Brahmās rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahmā and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux.

In the material universe not even Brahmā is free from the process of birth, old age, disease and death. Brahmā, however, is directly engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord in the management of this universe-therefore he at once attains liberation. Elevated sannyāsīs are promoted to Brahmā’s particular planet, Brahmaloka, which is the highest planet in the material universe and which survives all the heavenly planets in the upper strata of the planetary system, but in due course Brahmā and all inhabitants of Brahmaloka are subject to death, according to the law of material nature.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto One, Chapter 1, Text 21

kalim āgatam ājñāya
kṣetre ‘smin vaiṣṇave vayam
āsīnā dīrgha-satreṇa
kathāyāṁ sakṣaṇā hareḥ

kalim—the age of Kali (iron age of quarrel); āgatam—having arrived; ājñāya—knowing this; kṣetre—in this tract of land; asmin—in this; vaiṣṇave—specially meant for the devotee of the Lord; vayam—we; āsīnāḥ—seated; dīrgha—prolonged; satreṇa—for performance of sacrifices; kathāyām—in the words of; sakṣaṇāḥ—with time at our disposal; hareḥ—of the Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Knowing well that the age of Kali has already begun, we are assembled here in this holy place to hear at great length the transcendental message of Godhead and in this way perform sacrifice.

PURPORT

This age of Kali is not at all suitable for self-realization as was Satya-yuga, the golden age, or Tretā- or Dvāpara-yugas, the silver and copper ages. For self-realization, the people in Satya-yuga, living a lifetime of a hundred thousand years, were able to perform prolonged meditation. And in Tretā-yuga, when the duration of life was ten thousand years, self-realization was attained by performance of great sacrifice. And in the Dvāpara-yuga, when the duration of life was one thousand years, self-realization was attained by worship of the Lord. But in the Kali-yuga, the maximum duration of life being one hundred years only and that combined with various difficulties, the recommended process of self-realization is that of hearing and chanting of the holy name, fame, and pastimes of the Lord. The sages of Naimiṣāraṇya began this process in a place meant specifically for the devotees of the Lord. They prepared themselves to hear the pastimes of the Lord over a period of one thousand years. By the example of these sages one should learn that regular hearing and recitation of the Bhāgavatam is the only way for self-realization. Other attempts are simply a waste of time, for they do not give any tangible results. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached this system of Bhāgavata-dharma, and He recommended that all those who were born in India should take the responsibility of broadcasting the messages of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, primarily the message of Bhagavad-gītā. And when one is well established in the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, he can take up the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for further enlightenment in self-realization.

The Four Yugas
from the Bhakta Handbook

Each yuga is an age with specific characteristics in which incarnations of Krsna appear. The four yugas make up a cycle called divya-yuga, which lasts 4,320,000 years. One thousand of these yugas equal one day of Brahma, which is called a kalpa. Brahma’s lifespan is 100 years of his time. In each yuga there is a specific process of self-realization (yuga dharma).

SATYA YUGA – (sometimes also called krta-yuga): the golden age lasts 1,728,000 years. The process of self-realization in this yuga is meditation on Visnu. During this yuga the majority of the population is situated in the mode of goodness and the average life span at the beginning of the yuga is 100,000 years.

TRETA YUGA – also called the silver age, lasts 1,296,000 years and the process of self realization is the performance of opulent yajnas(sacrifices). The average life span is 10,000 years and the godly qualities decrease one fourth compared to the Satya yuga.
It is during this age that Varna-asrama-dharma is introduced.

DVAPARA YUGA – or the bronze age, lasts 864,000 years and the process of self realization is the worship of the deities within temples. Godly qualities are reduced to 50% by now and the average life expectancy is only 1000 years.

KALI YUGA – the iron age of hypocrisy and quarrel lasts 432,000 years. Lord Krsna appeared in His original, trancendental form right before the beginning of Kali Yuga. The process of self realization is sankirtana, the chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. God consciousness is reduced to 25% of the population and life expectancy is only 100 years. By now already 5000 years of Kali yuga have passed and it is predicted that by the end of the yuga people will hardly be older than 20 years and their only food will be meat.

Source :https://theharekrishnamovement.org/2016/08/09/the-four-yugas/

His Grace Garuda Prabhu is a disciple of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and known as Dr. Graham M. Schweig, at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of Christopher Newport University in Virginia. Garuda was one of the first ISKCON devotees to pursue a formal education. He saw a great opportunity to reach educated circles by inaugurating the field of Vaishnava studies. He earned his doctorate in Comparative Religion from Harvard University. Recently, Princeton University Press published his thesis under the title “Dance of Divine Love- India’s Classic Sacred Love Story: The Rasa Lila of Krishna.”
—–
“The traditions of Jesus Christ, the traditions that focus on the Divine person of Jesus Christ and the traditions that focus on Sri Krishna and Sri Krishna Caitanya – these traditions come to us through written words – through scriptural texts.
“Many people say, who are not so religious or who may be agnostic or atheistic, they say ‘religion is manufactured by humans’… “look who wrote the scripture” …”obviously a human has written the scripture”… “look who has written this text or that sacred text”. “These are texts written by humans so therefore humans have manufactured religion.”
Here Srila Prabhupada says that ‘Religion can only be manufactured by God.” So, how is it that we have written words and then we have the Supreme Lord? What is the relationship between God and the writing of humans? What kind of literature is scripture?

World famous plastic surgeon Dr. Ivo Pitanguy, known also for his philanthropic spirit and interest in spiritual life left this world after receiving a Krishna conscious book authored by Srila Prabhupada’s disciple HH Dhanvantari Swami.
Sri Bhakti Das and Indira Jahnava D.D.: Recently we had the opportunity to meet with him and give him the beautiful book “Jewels of Truth”, written by a great spiritual master, who in turn is also a scientist, and maxillofacial surgeon and Dr. Ivo Pitanguy´s compatriot, HH Dhanvantari Swami.
We pray for the soul of Dr. Ivo Pitanguy and for the comfort of all his family members, disciples and friends.

The following poem (translated from Bengali) was written by Srila Prabhupada (the Founder-acarya of ISKCON) when he first arrived in America 50 years ago on September 18th (tomorrow). It would take almost a year before ISKCON was officially established. Here is an unique glimpse into Prabhupada’s heart, as he reached Boston and seriously faced the reality of his spiritual mission. It was daunting and we can feel his devotional attitude as he considers the work ahead and the courage it would take.

We can also see his complete dependence on Krishna through his ardent calls for help. We are touched by his expressions of vulnerability and humility. No pretense there and, as it would became clear in future years…no pretense ever. Here was a genuine saintly person only wishing to give the chance of spiritual happiness to all. It’s an extraordinary piece of writing that begins an extraordinary story that continues to impact the world today in great and wonderful ways.

Markine Bhagavat Dharma

My dear Lord Krishna, You are so kind upon this useless soul,
but I do not know why You have brought me here.
Now You can do whatever You like with me.

But I guess You have some business here
otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place?

Most of the population here is covered
by the material modes of ignorance and passion.
Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy
and satisfied, and therefore they have no taste
for the transcendental message of Vasudeva.
I do not know how they will be able to understand it.

But I know Your causeless mercy can make everything possible
because You are the most expert mystic.

How will they understand the mellows of devotional service?
O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy
so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.

All living entities have become under the control of the illusory energy by Your will,
and therefore, if You like, by Your will they can also be released from the clutches of illusion.

I wish that You may deliver them.
Therefore if You so desire their deliverance,
then only will they be able to understand Your message.

The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation,
and if a sober person repeatedly receives it with submissive aural reception,
then he will be able to understand Your message. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21):

“Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted. By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy. Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association. Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.”

He will become liberated from the influence
of the modes of ignorance and passion
and thus all inauspicious things accumulated in the core of the heart will disappear.

How will I make them understand this message of Krishna consciousness?
I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen.
Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them,
for I am powerless to do so on my own.

Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You.
Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like.

O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message,
so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding.

Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure.
I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts
they will certainly feel engladdened
and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands.
So if You have brought me here to dance,
then make me dance, make me dance,
O Lord, make me dance as You like.

I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge,
but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krsna.
I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta,
and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

Signed—the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,
on board the ship Jaladuta, Commonwealth Pier,
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
dated 18th of September, 1965

I am prepared to live in Hell even, if I am able to serve the Lord.
In his diary for Sunday, March 6, 1966, Srila Prabhupada noted that this day in India was being celebrated as the day Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came into the world. “Devotees are enjoying the celebration” he wrote, remembering the elaborate feasts and blissful chanting that took place in Gaudiya Maths on Mahaprabhu’s Appearance Day “ I am here alone without any devotee company but I have come here to serve the Lord and not for personal happiness. I am prepared to live in Hell even, if I am able to serve the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that His mission should be propagated all over the world and that is my objective. I do not find the inconvenience personally felt” ~ SWAMI IN A STRANGE LAND BY Joshua M. Greene / Yogesvara dasa P. 89

By Tan Sin Chow

BUTTERWORTH: Sanskrit is Greek to most people but for Bhanu Swami Maharaj (pic) the ancient language is a cinch to master.

The Canadian of Japanese descent said the sacred language of Hinduism may seem complicated but it was easier than most languages because it was phonetic-based.

“There are vowels and consonants but you only have to memorise 60. Reading it is easy. It is unlike the character-based Chinese or Japanese languages where you have to remember 6,000 to 10,000 characters,” said the scholar, 67.

However, he said that while Sanskrit words were pronounced exactly as they were written, “it can also be difficult as there are many conjugation and declension of nouns and verbs”.

He has translated 29 books from Sanskrit into English. His significant works involve the Brahma Sutras, Bhaktirasanrta Sindu, Brahma Samhita and the Srimad Bhagavatam from Volume One to 12.

Bhanu Swami, a scholar in Sanskrit and Bengali, spoke of the difficulties in translating the books due to the meaning of certain words.

“One word can have the opposite meaning sometimes. And there is scripture like Brahma Sutras which is particularly difficult because the words are in a condensed form,” he explained.

He said he was deeply influenced by the teachings of Srila A.C. Bhaktidedanta Swami Prahhupad, who came from a long line of spiritual masters in India.

Bhanu Swami, who joined the Hare Krishna movement in India in 1970, has travelled extensively in Europe, Russia, Australia, Malaysia and Japan.

He was a speaker at the Hindu Civilisation and Heritage Exhibition at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Kanhaiya Temple of Devotion and Under­standing in Seberang Jaya yesterday.

Talks and the exhibition will go on at the temple until Aug 14.

The exhibition highlights historical records of the Bujang Valley, Kedah Tua, Gangga Negara and Langkasuka; the Hindu history of Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Prambanan (Indonesia), and places in China, Korea, Japan, Australia, North America, South America, Russia, the Vatican and Egypt.

It is organised by the Bhaktivedanta Science Unit of International Society for Krishna Consciousness Malaysia.

The public is welcome to view the exhibition from 9am to 9.30pm on weekdays and from 8.30am to 11pm on weekends. Admission is free.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/08/07/its-not-so-hard-to-learn-sanskrit-says-bhanu-swami/

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 10 April 2016, Durban, South Africa, Sunday Program Lecture)

Let us dedicate our whole life to Krsna. Let us gradually get rid of interruptions. It is said that pure devotional service is that which is uninterrupted. But what we do is a little service and then we think we deserve some sense gratification, “Okay, I did some service at the temple, so now I can watch TV.” In this way we are interrupting our service but gradually, we have to un-interrupt it. There should be no more time in between. Everything should be service. Every place should be a holy place. Your home should be a temple, your car should be a temple and even at work something sacred should be there. Somehow or the other, every place should be dedicated to Krsna, every action should be dedicated to Krsna. In this way, we can improve our spiritual life.

"Let's enjoy now, because we might not get another chance". This is a popular notion amongst those who identify themselves as fun lovers. Despite its peppy tone, this statement reveals the fun lovers' unfortunate dependence on fun. It evokes a picture of someone who gives one's heart to someone or something, knowing well that that someone or something will desert one's life anytime. It evokes pity.

One doesn't need to seek fun to have fun. Joy comes from within for one who has given one's heart to the eternal. This is so because each one of us is an eternal soul whose natural joy is in loving the supreme eternal - God.

Know who God is, know how beautiful and loving he is, know about his glories and qualities, know about his activities. And then, give your heart to God.

There is no other way to fun and happiness.

50 years ago, at this time of the year, a 69 year old sadhu (saintly person) was on a cargo ship traveling from Kolkata to New York. He was alone on this journey and his journals at that time are a moving read. Within a year he would officially establish the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in a store front in the Lower East side of New York. Today ISKCON is flourishing throughout the world all because of the journey of this one man – our Founder-Acharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

We can list hundreds of things that we have learned from Prabhupada but here I will share just three:

1. It’s Never too Late to Start

At 69, Prabhupada set out on this long and arduous journey. It was the request of his spiritual teacher to bring the teachings of Krishna to the West. This request had been given when he was a much younger man; the time wasn’t ripe then.

Sometimes we may feel we have missed our chance, or it’s too late to begin, or we are afraid to fail. Prabhupada didn’t let his age, or similar misgivings or circumstances stop him. Neither should we – especially when it comes to important and meaningful spiritual actions and activities.

2. Early Morning Treasure

Every day, no matter where he was in the world, Prabhupada would rise very early in the morning (from 1.30am onwards) to write his translations and commentaries of sacred Sanskrit literature belonging to the Bhakti tradition. He planned his day so those hours were protected and available for him. It was there he produced his masterpieces – his books that can bring the greatest spiritual insights to anyone who reads them. The early morning hours are available to all of us. It’s the open secret of spiritual advancement.

3. Individuality

The essence of the Bhakti practice is developing our personal relationship with Krishna. Prabhupada again and again stressed the individual and personal nature of God and our unique and personal relationship with Him. This is perhaps his greatest gift to us and our greatest lesson – we belong to Krishna, are eternally related with Him, and thus we are never alone. Despite whatever desperate circumstances we may find ourselves in, we are never, ever, alone.

5 Ways to Love Janmastami
Janmastami is just one day, but how we spend it can deeply inspire us for the whole year.
Krishna consciousness mean we are conscious of Krishna. He becomes an active part of our life – like a close friend or an affectionate family member we love to be around. Krishna consciousness, then, is loving to be around Krishna.
Here are 5 ways to love and be with Krishna on his birthday:
1. Come early, stay late – be close to Krishna today, close to the Temple. This is our day with Krishna. There will be classes, music, beautiful meditations, readings, lots of time for quiet chanting by the creek, and lots of opportunities for service…
2. Read Krishna Book – to love someone is to know them. Krishna Book is one of many books that describe Krishna. Start reading something about Krishna everyday. 
3. Fast till mid-night – this is the fast traditionally done on Janmastami, as Krishna appeared at midnight. If we can’t do a complete fast, eat less, or eat only fruit. Fasting can give us a great boost of energy, a great clarity of mind.
4. Do some service – our mood towards Krishna is one of a servant. We don’t usually see ourselves as servants, busy as we are in the center of our own little universe. But if we think about it a bit, as we walk our dog, go shopping, or clock in to work, we are always serving. If not others, then at least ourselves. So on Janmastami, or leading up to it, we can practice seeing ourselves as a servant of Krishna. Contemplate and reflect on that and see what Krishna inspires you to to do. Some practical service opportunities are here.
5. Increase your chanting of Krishna’s names – today is the day that we should find a quiet place and add more mantras to our mind. If you already sit for 15 minutes a day, do 30. If you chant for 5 minutes do 10. If you chant 4 rounds on beads try to make 8. Janmastami is a day for less talk and more thought, less me and more Krishna, more devotion, and deepening our call, our desire to rekindle a long lost relationship. Chant on this day and your life will be sublime.

Submitted by: Atmarama Das – Secretary, Festival of India-Lagos Organizing Committee
In the final countdown to the much anticipated first-ever Festival of India in Nigeria, hundreds of thrilled Indians and Nigerians witnessed the colourful Chariot Inauguration Ceremony which took place at the expansive compound of Gaurapad Charities, an ISKCON affiliated Non-Governmental Governmental Organization (NGO), at Maryland, Lagos on Sunday the 31st of July 2016.

The three towering, beautifully decorated Chariots are the central spectacle of the Festival of India which has an unforgettable impact on the minds and hearts of its countless visitors and active participants in major cities worldwide.
In celebration of ISKCON’s 50th year anniversary, devotees in Nigeria have planned for this year’s Ratha Yatra Festival to be an “international media event for distributing Lord Jagannatha’s Mercy, centred around Vaisnava seva, preaching and entertainment.”

The proposed venue for the 2016 Festival is the historic landmark Tafawa Balewa Square, Race Course, Lagos Island where the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode is participating as the Chief Host.

Bali Das, the founder of Gaurapad Charities and a former President of the Performing Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN), who is also the Chairman of the Festival of India Organising Committee explained, “The Festival of India is not only about fashion, jewellery, culture and Bollywood. There is a higher purpose. We are also using the Festival platform to forge diplomatic, cultural and commercial ties with the world’s fastest growing economy – India.”

Co-Chairman of the Festival Organizing Committee, Mr Diwesh Mishra reminded the audience that the Festival would include a colourful display of various Indian costumes, dressing and dance groups representing different states in India as well as cultural groups from Nigeria – “This is in line with the overriding goal of the Festival which is “Celebrating Cultural Unity & Diversity for national and global peace – vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family.)”

The Festival of India’s stage will host an unprecedented kaleidoscope of internationally renowned traditional and contemporary music stars from India and Nigeria such as the multiple-award winner Anup Jalota, as well as a host of other traditional and contemporary stars, dancers, and dramatic artists.

ISKCON GBC, HH Kavicandra Swami, Regional Secetary of ISKCON West Africa, HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami, and other visiting sannyasis – HH Bhakti Nityananda Maharaj, HH Bhakti Nrsimha Swam, HH Bhakti Carudesna Swami and other senior devotees from different countries will be at the Festival to speak to the up to 50,000 guests expected at the event.

Mother is first guru.
Padmapani das: When I was a young man preaching in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman to the East Indian community there, I was often asked how my mother was doing. Our life members and friends were curious to know what kind of a woman would give birth to a son who became a member of the Hare Krishna movement at an age when most young men would be avidly persuing a career or attending university. It seemed rather unusual to them that a Canadian lady would have a son who eschewed the western way of living to adopt the path of Krishna consciousness. I’ll always remember their oft-repeated comment that “Mother is first guru.” I have to be honest. I didn’t take that comment too seriously then, but now I know different. I was blessed with a mother who was truly a guru to me in all respects. She helped set the scene for me to meet my eternal spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. For that – and for many other reasons – I’ll always be grateful and indebted to my dear mother, Rita Sarah McNaughton (nee Lindsay), for pointing me in the right direction.
When I joined the Hare Krishna movement fresh out of high school, my mother was very happy for me. She accepted Srila Prabhupada as a bona fide spiritual master and pure devotee of Krishna. She often said that she knew I was in safe hands. From that day on my mother never worried about me even when I was running off to dangerous foreign lands to try and spread Krishna consciousness. And even when I was imprisoned in Beirut during civil war, she knew in her heart that Krishna would save me. “Krishna can do anything” was one of her favorite sayings.
My mother passed away on August 6, 2015. Last year I wrote a eulogy for her which you can read by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page. Some of her Krishna conscious artwork is reproduced there as well. Here are a few entries I wrote on this website one year ago.
August 5, 2015: Momji, one of the first “Hare Krishna Moms,” is now in the final stages of her life. She has been chanting the holy names since 1974 and has performed many services for Srila Prabhupada’s movement and his followers. May we humbly request all devotees to kindly say a prayer on Momji’s behalf. (Momji lives in Victoria, Canada – age 93.) Thank you sincerely.
August 6, 2015 (early morning): Many thanks to all those devotees and friends who have sent e-mails expressing their concern for my mother, Momji. Apologies that I can’t reply to each one personally right now, but please know that every message is most appreciated.
Momji is resting quietly with either live chanting of Hare Krishna, Prabhupada bhajans or her favorite song, “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison playing in the background. Although she is not moving physically (or taking food and water), her nurses say that she can still hear. Whenever another message arrives, I read it to her aloud. Momji loves the devotees. This has been going on for three days now. Let’s see what Krishna has in mind, but it shouldn’t be too long before Momji departs. Due to her many years of chanting, sincere service and absolute faith in Srila Prabhupada, Momji’s future is a bright one, I’m sure. A picture of Prabhupada watches over her at all times – the same photo which sat above my father’s head when he left his body years ago.
Please join me in prayers and love for a great soul who was always a humble servant and well-wisher of everyone. Thanks again for all your kind words and thoughts. More later as things unfold.
August 6, 2015 (evening): “Momj has left the house.” These are the words Momji herself chose to describe her imminent departure just a few weeks ago in conversation. She said that it perfectly describes the situation of the soul which is just passing from one dwelling to another. No big deal – just moving on, hopefully to a better place.
So the good soul known as Momji has had enough of this place. She left at about 8:00 o'clock this morning (August 6th). No big fanfare or hooplah. Just a quiet passing. She is now free from the burdens of her old body and the weight of the world which she carried on her shoulders.
Thank you, Momji. You left this world a better place because of your presence here. All glories to your genuinely humble attitude and service. We can all learn from your pure example. Your life was not in vain by any means. Quite to the contrary.
I’ll be writing a eulogy soon. Thanks to one and all for your genuine concern and love. Much appreciated indeed.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Note: In her last hours, my mother was breathing quite heavily. Realizing that her time had come, I encouraged her, “Say Hare Krishna, Mom.” My mother slowly uttered, “Hey Kish-hhhh…” She was unable to say more. I then reassured her, “Don’t worry, Mom, Prabhupada will save you.” She replied with a deep conviction in her dying voice, “Yeahhhhhhh…” Those were her last words.
(In the photo my mother and me in Estevan, Saskatchewan, June 1958)