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)

Bhakti Charu Swami: “Another way that Krishna attracts is through His dealings with us and these dealings give rise to five principle relationships. Those five principle relationships are: neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parental and conjugal. In this progression one is greater than the other. The subsequent one is greater than the preceding one. First is santa rasa, and then more deep is dasya, dasya is more profound than santa. Then sakhya (friendship) is more profound than servitorship. Parental is even more profound than friendship, and conjugal is the most profound. And in conjugal also there are two considerations: svakiya and parakiya. Conjugal relationship is a relationship between a man and a woman, a young boy and a young girl. Svakiya is the relationship that is socially approved. Socially approved means the relationship between the husband and wife. Society has approved that relationship: okay, this man and woman can have a relationship. But parakiya is without social approval, a clandestine love affair. So that relationship is even more intense and that relationship is there in Vrindavana between the gopis and Krishna. That is considered to be the highest of all relationships. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has revealed that. This is the teaching of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching is ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita. [Chaitanya-matta-manjusa, by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura] The way the Vraja-vadhus, the cowherd damsels of Vrindavana, worship Krishna, serve Krishna is the highest form of relationship. Why? Because they didn’t have any other consideration. They did not care for social conventions. They didn’t consider what people will think about their relationship. They didn’t consider other relationships that they developed in their day-to-day life, relationship with their husbands, relationships with their superiors, relationships with their own children. All given up. So from the mundane perspective, “Oh, that’s not good”, but from the spiritual perspective that is the highest. When one is prepared to sacrifice everything for Krishna, that is the highest form of relationship. Sometimes some moralists raise that point, “Oh, why did Krishna have this relationship with the gopis like that? They were not married.” Yes, from the moral perspective that is not right, but from the spiritual perspective that is the highest stage, that is the highest consideration. I will give an example. When your wife becomes a devotee of Krishna, do you become jealous? Do you think it is wrong? When your wife runs after Krishna, do you think there is something wrong? So that’s how we have to see it. Rather, it is glorious! How many of you are proud that your wife is a devotee? There you are! [laughter] So the point is, first of all, you have to recognize who Krishna is, then only it becomes more and more clear.”
His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, Lord Krishna’s Pastimes Outside of Vrindavana, 29th May 2016, European Retreat, Island of Iz (Croatia)
Transcription by HG Ranga Radhika Dasi

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30214

A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.

First one must control his speaking power. Every one of us has the power of speech; as soon as we get an opportunity we begin to speak. If we do not speak about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we speak about all sorts of nonsense. A toad in a field speaks by croaking, and similarly everyone who has a tongue wants to speak, even if all he has to say is nonsense. The croaking of the toad, however, simply invites the snake: “Please come here and eat me.” Nevertheless, although it is inviting death, the toad goes on croaking. The talking of materialistic men and impersonalist Māyāvādī philosophers may be compared to the croaking of frogs. They are always speaking nonsense and thus inviting death to catch them. Controlling speech, however, does not mean self-imposed silence (the external process of mauna), as Māyāvādī philosophers think. Silence may appear helpful for some time, but ultimately it proves a failure. The meaning of controlled speech conveyed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advocates the positive process of kṛṣṇa-kathā, engaging the speaking process in glorifying the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The tongue can thus glorify the name, form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord. The preacher of kṛṣṇa-kathā is always beyond the clutches of death. This is the significance of controlling the urge to speak.

Source:http://www.iskconpune.com/a-perfect-man/

The immediate answer is that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How is that? Because He conforms in exact detail to descriptions of the Supreme Being, the Godhead. In other words, Kṛṣṇa is the Godhead because He is all-attractive. Outside the principle of all-attraction, there is no meaning to the word “Godhead.” How is it one can be all-attractive? First of all, if one is very wealthy, if he has great riches, he becomes attractive to the people in general. Similarly, if someone is very powerful, he also becomes attractive, and if someone is very famous, he also becomes attractive, and if someone is very beautiful or wise or unattached to all kinds of possessions, he also becomes attractive. So from practical experience we can observe that one is attractive due to (1) wealth, (2) power, (3) fame, (4) beauty, (5) wisdom and (6) renunciation. One who is in possession of all six of these opulences at the same time, who possesses them to an unlimited degree, is understood to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These opulences of the Godhead are delineated by Parāśara Muni, a great Vedic authority

We have seen many rich persons, many powerful persons, many famous persons, many beautiful persons, many learned and scholarly persons, and persons in the renounced order of life unattached to material possessions. But we have never seen any one person who is unlimitedly and simultaneously wealthy, powerful, famous, beautiful, wise and unattached, like Kṛṣṇa, in the history of humanity. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a historical person who appeared on this earth 5,000 years ago. He stayed on this earth for 125 years and played exactly like a human being, but His activities were unparalleled. From the very moment of His appearance to the moment of His disappearance, every one of His activities is unparalleled in the history of the world, and therefore anyone who knows what we mean by Godhead will accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is equal to the Godhead, and no one is greater than Him. That is the import of the familiar saying “God is great.

There are various classes of men in the world who speak of God in different ways, but according to the Vedic literature and according to the great ācāryas, the authorized persons versed in the knowledge of God in all ages, like ācāryas Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Madhva, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya and all their followers by disciplic succession, all unanimously agree that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As far as we, the followers of Vedic civilization, are concerned, we accept the Vedic history of the whole universe, which consists of different planetary systems, called Svargaloka, or the higher planetary system, Martyaloka, or the intermediary planetary system, and Pātālaloka, or the lower planetary system. The modern historians of this earth cannot supply historical evidences of events that occurred before 5,000 years ago, and the anthropologists say that 40,000 years ago Homo sapiens had not appeared on this planet because evolution had not reached that point. But the Vedic histories, such as the Purāṇas and Mahābhārata, relate human histories which extend millions and billions of years into the past

For example, from these literatures we are given the histories of Kṛṣṇa’s appearances and disappearances millions and billions of years ago. In the Fourth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna that both He and Arjuna had had many births before and that He (Kṛṣṇa) could remember all of them but Arjuna could not. This illustrates the difference between the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa and that of Arjuna. Arjuna might have been a very great warrior, a well-cultured member of the Kuru dynasty, but after all, he was an ordinary human being, whereas Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the possessor of unlimited knowledge. Because He possesses unlimited knowledge, Kṛṣṇa has a memory that is boundless

The knowledge Kṛṣṇa possesses is so perfect that He remembers all the incidents of His appearances some millions and billions of years in the past, but Arjuna’s memory and knowledge are limited by time and space, for he is an ordinary human being. In the Fourth Chapter Kṛṣṇa states that He can remember instructing the lessons of the Bhagavad-gītā some millions of years ago to the sun-god, Vivasvān

Nowadays it is the fashion of the atheistic class of men to try to become God by following some mystic process. Generally the atheists claim to be God by dint of their imagination or their meditational prowess. Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of God. He does not become God by manufacturing some mystic process of meditation, nor does He become God by undergoing the severe austerities of the mystic yogic exercises. Properly speaking, He never becomes God because He is the Godhead in all circumstances

Source:http://www.iskconpune.com/who-is-k%E1%B9%9B%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%87a/

How ISKCON devotees collect, manage, and spend Krishna’s laxmi generates much discussion, especially because we have little precedent as to how a structured Vaisnava organization conducts such matters. That said, few, if any, would argue the importance of the twin principles of accountability and using all monies received directly in the service of Krishna and ISKCON’s preaching mission.

Yes, the accounts must be kept very clearly. Then everyone will be pleased with us. Not a single farthing should be wasted. That will be our credit.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => How to Keep Accounts

Our sannyasis, they work very hard, preach, they collect money – but not a single farthing for himself.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sannyasa Initiation Lecture, November 18, 1975

When I first thought about writing this paper, I intended to focus only on the issue of ISKCON devotees accounting for the donations they receive. However, it quickly became clear that this topic is far broader than the specifics of bookkeeping and accounting. Rather, it has, as with most of devotional life, a philosophical aspect.

The indications from Srila Prabhupada about the importance of devotees being both accountable and detailed in their accounting are convincing.

The idea is although he was a Vaisnava, he was not a fool how to manage a state. It does not mean that a Vaisnava will be fool and rascal because he’s Vaisnava. No. Vaisnava, twenty-six qualifications. One of the qualifications is daksa: he must be very expert in doing things very nicely. Not that because one is Vaisnava he’ll be callous in the worldly things. No. Therefore I repeatedly request the management that you must be very expert in managing these temple affairs. Everything to the right point. Not a single farthing should be wasted. A Vaisnava must be daksa, expert in everything. This is no excuse, that “I have become a devotee. Therefore I am callous to all material things.”

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.40, Vrndavana, October 1, 1976

And even more specific:

I’m so glad to learn that a scientific bookkeeping system is being introduced in our different centers. If possible, some instruction may be sent here in Bombay for this scientific bookkeeping system. Here in India, although they are trying their best, still it is not satisfactory. Perfect accounts means every information regarding financial and stock situation must be ready for immediate reference and not a single farthing should be wasted.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Rupanuga, February 19, 1971

And:

You must also keep proper account. Not a single farthing should be wasted. I will see the accounts personally when I return to Bombay.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Giriraja, Evanston, Illinois, July 4, 1975

As with other areas of ISKCON life Srila Prabhupada often focused on the bigger picture and was hopeful that if his disciples followed the four rules and strictly chanted their sixteen rounds of japadaily, then most, if not all, of the details of management would fall into place. Of course, if details still needed addressing, he would ensure that happened either by giving direction or personally intervening. As far as accountability and money management is concerned, Srila Prabhupada again and again stressed the importance of not spending any of Krsna’s money on our own comforts.

Just like according to Vedic system, begging is allowed. Begging allowed for whom? For the brahmanas, for the sannyasis, for the brahmacaris, because they collect money, beg from door to door for their benefit. Suppose a brahmacari is going to a householder’s place or a storekeeper’s place, “Give us some contribution.” He is not collecting that money for his livelihood. He’s quite competent to work. But that one dollar which he contributes to Krsna consciousness movement, it is good for him. At least, some portion of his energy goes to Krsna. That is the philosophy. Not that “Some way or other, I may collect some money and live very comfortably.” No. We cannot do that. But you can accept Krsna’s prasada. That is a different thing. But for personal comfort you have to work.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture on the Bhagavad-gita, December 23, 1968

The renounced order of life is never meant for begging or living at the cost of others as a parasite. According to the dictionary, a parasite is a sycophant who lives at the cost of society without making any contribution to that society. The renounced order is meant for contributing something substantial to society and not depending on the earnings of the householders. On the contrary, acceptance of alms from the householders by the bona fide mendicant is an opportunity afforded by the saint for the tangible benefit of the donor.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 2.2.5, purport

Farms are especially meant for the grhasthas. Brahmanas and sannyasis are meant for begging food grains from the grhasthas. They depend on the grhasthas and the grhasthas treat them as their children. As the child is not a burden for the parents, so brahmanas and sannyasis are not a burden for the grhasthas. They simply take food grains to survive but they give transcendental knowledge for the benefit of society. They have no worries for producing and securing food. That is the business of grhasthas, but the sannyasis and brahmanas devote their time to spreading spiritual knowledge. That is the system.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Balavanta, July 8, 1976)

The benefit for both donor and receiver is clear provided donations are used properly – the converse being obvious if donations are not.

Grhastha? Grhastha means to live with wife. This is the meaning of grhastha. And a grhastha is supposed to support others who are not grhasthas, just like brahmacari. Brahmacari means student life. So grhasthas support them. [break] … sannyasis, other three classes. Because they are engaged in a different subject matter, they have no time to earn their livelihood, and therefore, those who are grhasthas, they take charge of him. This is the Vedic system. But they should live also on the bare necessities of life. They should not be luxurious. A brahmacari cannot be luxurious. A sannyasi cannot be luxurious. A vanaprastha cannot be luxurious. Luxury is allowed only to the householder because they are earning their own money. Others are dependent. So one cannot be luxurious at the expense of others. That is not allowed.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB Lecture, October 23, 1968

It may be that Srila Prabhupada was being generous when he suggested that grhastha’s can live luxuriously. ISKCON has generally been less generous with them. But it could be argued that ISKCON has been lenient toward “luxurious” sannyasis. Srila Prabhupada’s comment above and below would indicate that such leniency is misguided.

Sannyasis should not be given any money. They should manage themselves and maintain themselves by taking small alms from different persons – not a lump sum from one person.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Atreya Rsi, August 13, 1971

And here is clear instruction that all monies should be accounted for first, and then “necessary expenditure” can be handed back to the sannyasi(s) for their preaching:

I know you are a very good cook and I can understand that you have found the books useful for distribution. I have no objection to your printing it with the name Revatinandana Swami’s Cookbook, but the royalty should go to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Just as I am publishing Bhagavad-gita As It Is with MacMillan Company but the royalty is going to the BBT. I think this method is appropriate. If you yourself take the royalty it will be personal interest money and trade, and this will deviate your principle of sannyasa. Sannyasi means he is in renounced order and lives by begging alms for the bare necessities of life. It is not good to make trade to get money for personal expenditure. If the royalty is given to the BBT, we will keep a separate account from this royalty and necessary expenditures for your preaching may be supplied from the BBT.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Revatinandana Swami, January 9, 1974

Traditional Vedic Model vs. ISKCON’s Model

An argument is sometimes made that our ISKCON brahmanas preachers should be independent, and the Vedic model is used as supporting evidence. The reference below raises some interesting points.

A brahmana is supposed to devote his whole life to understanding Brahman. Brahma janatiti brahmanah: one who knows Brahman is called a brahmana. Thus charity is offered to the brahmanas because they are always engaged in higher spiritual service and have no time to earn their livelihood. In the Vedic literature, charity is also to be awarded to one in the renounced order of life, the sannyasi. The sannyasis beg from door to door, not for money but for missionary purposes. The system is that they go from door to door to awaken the householders from the slumber of ignorance. Because the householders are engaged in family affairs and have forgotten their actual purpose in life – awakening their Krsna consciousness – it is the business of the sannyasis to go as beggars to the householders and encourage them to be Krsna conscious. As it is said in the Vedas, one should awake and achieve what is due him in this human form of life. This knowledge and method is distributed by the sannyasis; hence charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brahmanas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 10.4–5, purport

We often read that traditionally, brahmanas and sannyasis went “from door to door.” One pictures them cold-calling on households where neither the preachers nor the householders know one another. But in ISKCON the brahmanas and sannyasis do very little cold calling; they know the grhasthas they visit, and many, if not most, of these grhasthas are already engaged in Krishna consciousness.

The traditional model promotes the idea of madhukari – collecting a little from many people. Themadhukari model naturally protects against material indulgence on the part of the preacher. Srila Prabhupada encourages adherence at least to the spirit of madhukari:

In the material world, all distresses are due to extravagance. One acquires money extravagantly and also spends it extravagantly. Such activities are sinful. All property belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all living beings, who are sons of the Supreme Lord, have the right to use the Supreme Father’s property, but one cannot take more than necessary. This principle should especially be followed by brahmanas and sannyasis who live at the cost of others.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 8.19.17, purport

Part of the spirit of madhukari is to give association to materialistic persons without becoming contaminated by their materialism. As mentioned, ISKCON’s brahmanas and sannyasis know most of the grhasthas they visit. As ISKCON grows, an increasing number of these devotees are not properly situated in their Krishna conscious practices. They are devotees who have lapsed in their sadhana or families from the Indian congregation who are favorable but who have never really committed to the ISKCON standard of sadhana. Srila Prabhupada warns:

It is very risky to accept money or food from materialistic persons, for such acceptance pollutes the mind of the charity’s recipient. According to the Vedic system, one should give charity to sannyasis and brahmanas because one who thus gives charity becomes free from sinful activities. Formerly, therefore, brahmanas would not accept charity from a person unless he were very pious. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this instruction for all spiritual masters. Materialistic persons who are not inclined to give up their sinful activities like illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating sometimes want to become our disciples, but, unlike professional spiritual masters who accept disciples regardless of their condition, Vaisnavas do not accept such cheap disciples. One must at least agree to abide by the rules and regulations for a disciple before a Vaisnava acarya can accept him. In fact, a Vaisnava should not even accept charity or food from persons who do not follow the rules and regulations of the Vaisnava principles.

>>> Ref. VedaBase =>Cc., Adi 12.50, purport

But the traditional Vedic model can’t be seamlessly transferred into our modern-day ISKCON context, which of course is operating within Kali-yuga. For example, Srila Prabhupada instructed Kirtanandana Swami to focus on “outsiders,” not “insiders,” when collecting funds for New Vrindavan. The idea of “insiders” and “outsiders” doesn’t so much apply to the Vedic model but very much applies to the kind of preaching we’re doing in Kali-yuga.

So he should immediately begin his bahudaka program and collect money from outsiders, not from insiders. And as he is in charge of New Vrndavana, he may invest all such collections for the development of New Vrndavana, and before this Hayagriva must transfer the property to the Society’s name.”

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Brahmananda, August 30, 1969

And:

The brahmacaris will fail to execute their vows and become generally unclean, the householders will become beggars, the vanaprasthas will live in the villages, and the sannyasis will become greedy for wealth.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 12.3.33

And:

In Kali-yuga, however, the entire system has gone topsy-turvy. The student lives in luxury at the expense of the father or the father-in-law. When the educated, indulgent student becomes a householder by the strength of university degrees, he requires money by all means for all kinds of bodily comfort, and therefore he cannot spare even a penny for the so-called vanaprasthas and sannyasis. The vanaprasthas and sannyasis nowadays are those who were unsuccessful in family life.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => LoB, verse 32

Another way that ISKCON differs from the traditional Vedic model is the relationship many sannyasis retain with their non-devotee families. When devotees first come in contact with ISKCON the relationship between them and their families is often strained, but it tends to improve over time. While this affords family members the opportunity to associate with their devotee relatives, devotees need to exercise caution if they find themselves regularly visiting or staying with their families, accepting service from them, and especially, accepting donations:

So Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, in the beginning he was accepting that four hundred rupees, but what he was doing, he was spending by inviting all the sannyasis, including Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So gradually Raghunatha dasa Gosvami said that all his men, father’s men, “You better go home. I don’t want your assistance. I don’t want this money. You go away.” The master …, so they went back. And there was no invitation. Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired his personal secretary, Svarupa Damodara. So Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was entrusted for training to Svarupa Damodara. He asked Svarupa Damodara, “We don’t receive any invitation from Raghunatha nowadays, what is that?” “No, he has refused his father’s money. He doesn’t take. These men have gone back.” Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu went, “Oh, that’s very nice. He became a mendicant by taking help from home, it is not good. He has refused, that is very nice. But how he is eating nowadays?” “Now he is standing on the staircase at Jagannatha temple. When the priests go home, they give him some contribution of the foodstuff. He is maintained.”

Then after few days Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from Svarupa Damodara, “Oh, nowadays I don’t find Raghunatha standing there, what he is doing?” Svarupa Damodara replied that “Raghunatha has given up that business standing on this. He thought that it is standing like prostitute. ‘No, I don’t want.’” Then, “How he’s eating?” “No, he is collects some rice which is washed away from the kitchen, and he eats that.” Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was doing that.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1–8, Stockholm, September 6, 1973

And a final reference, suggesting that ISKCON brahmanas should not have the same level of financial discretion described in the traditional Vedic model but should hand their donations to the local center where they were collected:

Regarding your question about who shall get the money that is collected by you and your assistant, Jimmy, I think that because practically a sannyasi belongs to every center whatever is collected should go to the same center where you are staying. That is best. But this question may be settled in the meetings held between all the temple presidents. If you collect something where there is no center, that money you can take to your own center, New Vrindaban. But I think that all these matters should be settled amongst yourselves with the presidents of different centers. Now as we are growing in magnitude we should manage things in such a nice way that there may not be any misunderstanding between one center and another. That is my request. Everything should be done on the basis of mutual agreement. So far my opinion is concerned, any amount collected from a particular center should go to the center. That means if you collect anything while in Columbus center, that should go to Columbus center, and similarly if you are in some other center.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter, October 11, 1969

Broader Aspects of Fundraising in ISKCON

In addition to the type of fundraising already discussed, we need to look at other areas of fundraising in ISKCON, such as our Life Membership program. Of course, none of these accountability issues should be considered in isolation, and any adjustments that may be required to broader areas, such as general fundraising policy, will be much more effective if our leaders are ideal in their own financial accountability, as clearly indicated by the references given from Srila Prabhupada. If the leaders are not setting a positive example, is it a surprise that others will not be ideal, including grhasthas who take a percentage of their collections to maintain themselves (Life Membership is one area where they do so)?

Tamala Krsna: So we should preach strongly and they should know that we also preach.

Prabhupada: Yes, they should know that it is for their benefit we are making them life members, not for our benefit. And that should be the motive.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with banker, Bombay, September 21, 1973

Prabhupada’s statement underlines that we should be putting as much effort into developing the Krishna consciousness of the donors as collecting their money. Part of helping them in their Krishna consciousness is ensuring that their money is properly used in Krishna’s service. If a percentage of a life member’s donation becomes the property of the fundraiser, there may be a conflict of interest.

Furthermore Srila Prabhupada strongly advises us about the pitfalls of accepting money given to charity for one’s personal use:

Also, if someone accepts charity, he becomes indebted, and that debt has to be repaid, just as borrowed money must be repaid. Therefore devotees should not accept charity from anyone unless they intend to spend it in Krsna’s service. For a devotee to accept donations just to satisfy his belly is a great sin. Brahmanas and sannyasis who accept charity from others must accept it with great caution.

>>> Ref. VedaBase =>A Second Chance

“With great caution.” It is unlikely that any of our ISKCON sannyasis or brahmanas are accepting donations simply to satisfy their bellies. Still, it’s true that some of our brahmanas and sannyasis are using at least part of the donations they collect to cover their personal needs and/or projects. This may fall under Srila Prabhupada’s warning: proceed with “great caution.”

The following quotations state it even more succinctly:

A brahmana or sannyasi is qualified to ask charity from others, but if he takes more than necessary he is punishable.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 8.19.17, purport

Unless the sannyasi is freed from all cares and anxieties, like a white cloud, it is difficult for him to do anything good for society.

LoB, verse 32, purport

Raghunatha dasa Babaji: “Bheka is more a social custom than anything else. When bhava is enthroned in the heart, relish of the spiritual realm increases and the attraction for sensual pleasures diminishes until it is finally eliminated. This is known as the stage of virakti. Hence, any devotee who takes bheka after attaining virakti for the simple reason of minimizing his bodily necessities is called a virakti-vaisnava. Anyone who puts on the robes of a renunciant before having reached the stage of bhava is a charlatan and his status is not bona fide. Sri Caitanya highlighted this principle by chastising Chota Haridasa.”

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Part Ten: The Initial Discussion of Prayojana, the Highest Goal of Life

Honouring the Wishes of Donors and Enhancing ISKCON’s Reputation

The topic of honouring donors’ wishes and thus enhancing ISKCON’s reputation for financial integrity has gained increasing attention over the years. There are, of course, two connected aspects to this topic. The first is honouring the request of donors that their donations be used for the purposes they have specified. In the past, ISKCON was a little cavalier about this, and donations were often merged with the general temple coffers and used in whatever way the temple or other authority chose. ISKCON has improved its accountability on this point over the years, although no doubt more progress could be made. Regarding enhancing ISKCON’s reputation for financial integrity, that too has improved as donors have come to learn that their gifts are not likely to be misused. When we misdirect donations to other needs, naturally our donors become less likely to donate in the future. This has been particularly problematic when we’ve asked for donations for food distribution but diverted the money elsewhere. Srila Prabhupada writes:

Regarding the controversy about book distribution techniques, you are right. Our occupation must be honest. Everyone should adore our members as honest. If we do something which is deteriorating to the popular sentiments of the public in favor of our movement, that is not good. Somehow or other, we should not become unpopular in the public eye. These dishonest methods must be stopped. It is hampering our reputation all over the world. Money collected for feeding people in India should be collected under the name “ISKCON Food Relief.” Not any other name. And every farthing of that money must be sent to India, or better yet, buy food grains there and ship them here and we will distribute. But every farthing collected for that purpose must be used for that purpose. I have already sent one letter to Ramesvara explaining these points.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Rupanuga Dasa, Bombay, January 9, 1975

I just saw your film last night and it was very nice. We can collect a lot of money with this film for ISKCON Food-relief program. But not a single farthing of that money should be used for any other thing. It should all go to our ISKCON food-relief fund, nothing else.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to Yadubara Dasa, Bombay, December 25, 1974

It’s clear from these references that Prabhupada was not in favour of playing footloose and fancy free with donations. It’s also clear that Srila Prabhupada was concerned with good communication with ISKCON’s donors and the public’s perception of his ISKCON.

Here’s another example of Prabhupada’s stress on using specific donations for the purpose they were given:

My Dear George,

Please accept my blessings. I am so much obliged to you for your valued cooperation in spreading my movement of Krsna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I beg to acknowledge receipt herewith of your contribution of $19,000 (nineteen thousand dollars) for publication of my book, Krsna, now going to the press within the week.

Please note that every farthing of this money will be employed in the service of the Lord.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to George Harrison, Los Angeles, February 16, 1970

Another challenge for ISKCON both now and going forward is how to honour the wishes of a donor who specifically requests that his or her donation is used directly for the benefit of an individual? Often but not always, this entails donations from disciples to their gurus. On the one hand it is a perfectly natural exchange, on the other if it grows to the point of near exclusivity and donations to ISKCON projects all but dry up, naturally that will be a major problem to the viability of ISKCON. Of course few if any disciples will have a problem if their guru chooses to direct their donation to an ISKCON project. Equally though the disciple will not have a problem if they don’t, so if all gurus were to choose the latter, ISKCON would greatly suffer. I don’t think there is an easy answer to this conundrum but it is something we all need to work on to find a practical solution. Either way of course all donations should still be accounted for.

Concluding thoughts:

It would seem that if one is a member of ISKCON, what to speak of one of ISKCON’s serving officers, and if we consider ourselves Prabhupadanugas, then it’s hard – if not impossible – to avoid financial accountability.

In essence, all monies received as a result of one’s service in and to ISKCON, regardless of varna orasrama, must be properly accounted for and spent exclusively for the service of the ISKCON mission. To avoid unnecessary criticism and the danger of mistaking our personal ideas about how best to spend money for the best way to use it, we should be careful not to leave financial decisions in the hands on a single individual. Financial decisions should be made by teams.

Ideally, the parameters for and reporting of this accounting should be guided by the GBC body, as Srila Prabhupada indicates:

GBC as a body, they should give direction to the sannyasis.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation, March 1, 1977

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=10947

Some devotees are concerned that Iskcon’s overall preaching has gone ‘soft,’ thus compromising true standards. They say we must be more ‘Strong’, ‘heavy’ and ‘bold.’ Sentiments of “See how Srila Prabhupada flayed those mayavadis… and how he blasted that individual… and oh how he smashed that perception…” add excitement to the cause. Let us examine what it really takes to be ‘heavy.’

There is excitement in reading of Lord Chaitanya’s conversion of Sri Prakasananda Sarasvati and his many followers, His tactful defeat of Keshava Kashmiri, and His extremely patient transformation of the heart of Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, what to speak of the martial-like preaching exploits of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur.

It would be prudent to note how most of the above was aimed at the deeply entrenched ‘Hindu-Vedantic’ mix of pancopasana and other diversions created by their own countrymen, and who are the real unscrupulous thought-leaders of innocent people. Srila Prabhupada came West and worldwide to encounter additional preaching challenges.

If we read Srila Prabhupada’s transcribed conversations, we shall notice how much of Srila Prabhupada’s heaviness or disdain was reserved again, for his fellow countrymen who advocated twisted versions of Vedic thought. He would partially agree with, disagree or dismiss certain philosophical trends pursued by major thought-leader philosophers as recorded in Dialectical Spiritualism.

Srila Prabhupada and his Guru Maharaja are pure Vasinavas. Just as the precepts of Bhagavata Sastra are self-evident, so the words and actions of person Bhagavatas are also self-evident. The way they preach is very different to the way we try to preach, having not yet attained true Bhagavata status. However, simply by hearing and repeating from higher authority we can preach what we know. Whether to enhance what we know with ‘strong,’ ‘heavy’ or ‘bold’ backing should be determined by our spiritual qualifications, or lack of them.

It is really a misnomer to use terms such as ‘strong,’ ‘heavy’ or ‘bold’ in the context of spiritual improvement and standards. Why? Because what we perceive as ‘strong,’ ‘heavy’ or ‘bold’ in the words and activities of self-evident pure devotees is their natural disposition from another plane of existence. That disposition is augmented by force – the force of purity. That force can change hearts with either soft flower-like words or thunder-like velocity – both are the same for them.

For any of us to claim that it is advantageous to change hearts and minds with ‘strong,’ ‘heavy’ or ‘bold’ words means that we have added relative values to a plane we are tying to reach. This does not match up to the natural ‘heaviness’ of self-evident truths spoken by pure souls. What is that natural ‘heaviness?’

“So tad-vijnanartham, if you want to understand spiritual knowledge, then you have to approach a guru. Guru. Guru means weighty, I mean to say, one who has got better knowledge. Heavy. Guru means heavy, heavy with knowledge. And what is that knowledge? “I have got so much knowledge.” No. Transcendental… Tad-vijnana. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12].” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.4 — Bombay, November 4, 1974)

One qualification is given – a pure soul is naturally ‘heavy’ or ‘weighty’ with Tad-vijnana in terms of what has been faithfully heard – srotriyam. We can all hear and repeat faithfully. That faith has added potency when spiritual qualifications are met. What are they? The excerpt from the above Srila Prabhupada lecture continues:

“That heaviness is brahma-nistham, how much one is attached to Brahman, Parabrahman, Bhagavan. That is guru’s qualification…”

What is that ‘brahma-nistham’ and why is it important here? Because, by trying to be ‘strong’ or ‘heavy’ without this spiritual qualification, means that we will rely on the modes of material nature to be our strength and heaviness. There is a big difference between natural heaviness and coerced heaviness. Srila Prabhupada continues:

“Therefore it is said, srotriyam. Srotriyam means “who has heard from the parampara system.” Srotriyam… And the result is brahma-nistham: “He is firmly fixed up in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Brahma-nistham. He has no other business. This is two qualifications…” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.4 — Bombay, November 4, 1974)

What does it mean to be “firmly fixed up…” with “He has no other business?” He is indirectly saying that any of us who struggle with anartha-nivritti which is a sub-nistha level, cannot be naturally heavy with tad-vijnanam. This is important because when devotees who are struggling with their anarthas are encouraged to be ‘strong,’ ‘heavy’ and ‘bold,’ without being properly ‘fixed-up,’ then these same triple attributes will more than likely be influenced by the gunas.

Even if the – srotriyam – hearing requirement is met nicely, the lack of true steadiness will still infiltrate. For this reason, it is better, when preaching, to simply be as we are, and to always leave a good impression with whomever we meet. False aggression is suspected by intelligent people to be a show of insecurity. And if we add ‘hatred’ – even of mayavadi concepts – this will further inflame an unsteady temperament.

What does it mean to be ‘bold’ in preaching? Since this word is synonymous with the word courage, we can assume that ‘bold’ means not to put on an unreal ‘strong’ and ‘heavy’ show of preaching, but rather to adapt to unlimitedly varied challenges. “Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, the servants of Lord Viṣṇu are always very expert in logic and arguments.” (SB 6.2.1)

Currently when many governments and sports bodies enact laws discouraging hate speech and related abuse – many of which were not even thought of during Srila Prabhupada’s time – and when people are suspicious of ‘end-is-nigh’ stereotypes and hate mongers, we certainly need to refine our preaching. The only way people will subscribe to hatred is by force, fear, and intimidation – not love. Trying to be unqualified ‘heavy’ will be counterproductive. The modes will direct our heaviness at the sinners rather than at the sin itself. Not to mention the fact that one can desire a ‘heavy’ reputation behind the heaviness – it is exciting.

“We actually saw during the partition days in India that although Hindus and Muslims were living together peacefully, manipulation by politicians suddenly aroused feelings of hatred between them, and thus the Hindus and Muslims killed one another over politics.” (Purport to SB 6.2.5-6)

Fixed-up steady Vaisnavas are naturally happy and secure. This is what the innocent masses want to see and hear from. They want assuring alternatives to their problem-riddled lives, and because unscrupulous thought and religious leaders mislead them, they deserve our sympathy and love, not more ego censuring.

“People in general are not very advanced in knowledge by which to discriminate between religion and irreligion. The innocent, unenlightened citizen is like an ignorant animal sleeping in peace with its head on the lap of its master, faithfully believing in the master’s protection.” (SB 6.2.5-6)

Innocent and unenlightened citizens who want peace in their lives and have good intentions, require “sa-ghrnah—who has a soft heart for the good of all people (SB 6.2.5-6)” But the same devotees may charge that it is easy to be soft on people. The converse can be argued that it is easier to simply be blunt and heavy with people while preaching, because that way one will minimise the quality of debate and meaningful enquiry.

This is the case say, for some class of people who call themselves agnostics but are yet waiting to be convinced if genuine and assuring truths bear upon them. They subscribe to humanist well-being and are fed up of religious squabbling and hatred. Most of their frustration is aimed at Abrahamic religious traditions. There is surprisingly little exposure to Vaisnavism, or none at all, and they are usually influential people who will engage in intelligent debates. Can we imagine these types of people to be attracted to intellectually numbing ‘strong’ and ‘heavy’ “Give them the sauce” missives?

Before generalised judgement is passed on to many sincere devotees who are polite but bold, soft-hearted but strict upon themselves, loving to all but heavily fixed up, should do well to find out why they need to be ‘strong,’ ‘heavy’ and ‘bold’ when in fact these same triple qualities are self-evidently abundant in happy, steady, self-assured fixed up devotees.

“Therefore the devotee gradually realizing that, “Yes, I am offering this flower directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am offering the food directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” He is eating. He is perceiving. He is taking the prasādam. He’s advancing. He’s chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is self-evident. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. This devotional service is directly appreciated. You haven’t got to take certificate from others.” (Bombay, October 9, 1973)

Such simplicity as this, when performed happily – su sukham – and when presented to the public as a happy, jolly smiling face, backed with substance and self-confidence, is far more effective than taking oneself too seriously, and expecting the whole of our devotee community to comply with one’s own ‘strict’ standards. Even Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, serious and ‘heavy’ as he was, was full of humour.

Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa – GRS.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=10919

We are very excited to announce that we will now be posting daily darshan of our beautiful Deities on our website!  You can find the daily darshan pictures posted on the right-hand side of the page.

Our pujari (priest) department has been capturing photos each day and have been sharing them on Facebook.  We've now added them to our temple website, through our temple's Instagram account.  You can also read more about our Deities by clicking here!

Source:http://iskcontoronto.blogspot.in/2016/08/new-feature-daily-darshan-for-our.html

One of the 8 teachings left behind by Sri Caitanya speaks of humility. It says that one must be in a humble state of mind in order to meditate properly. We should feel lower than a piece of straw in the street actually. What does that mean and what are the implications for our practice?
Humility is a huge topic and true humility can’t be faked. It is grounded in the deep realization that we are not these bodies and not the owner of our things nor the controller of our lives. It’s coming to the point of dependence on Krishna, of knowing we need help to figure out who we are and where we are going. To ‘solve this mystery before we’re history’ as the song goes.
To be happy being as insignificant as a piece of straw in the street happens when we are in relationship with someone who loves us. Not ordinary love, but spiritual love, Godly love. When we know we are truly loved to the deepest core of our sacred soul, that nothing material can change that love, that we also have a capacity to receive and give endless love, then humility is a natural by product.
Getting to humility can be painful, but if we want to free ourselves from the false sense of self, then that pain is welcome. When we feel the pinch of envy or the slap of pride, the fear of failure or the anger of offense, we know there is work to be done. As we progress in spiritual consciousness we face the challenge of more subtle layers of attachment and false ego. Genuine humility isn’t cheap but it is available if we really want it, and are ready to practice it. And what is that practice? With the help of the Gita and daily attentive personal chanting we can turn our pain into gratitude, and see it as a message to remind us that we are not the body and anything connected to it is temporary.
Pick up a blade of grass or a piece of straw. Keep it on your desk and let it remind you of Sri Caitanya’s lesson on humility. As with most things spiritual, it’s an inside job. Watch your reactions. See if you are willing to let go, let love, let Krishna. Let the straw be not the one that breaks the camel’s back, but the one that you lean on to grow strong and free from this material world.
Here’s the full humility verse with Sanskrit:
trinad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30207

As a family therapist, I counsel people both within and outside the Hare Krishna movement. I recently received an e-mail from a young woman devotee who was unhappy in her relationship with her abusive husband but was conflicted about leaving him.

“Maybe it’s good that I feel bad about myself,” she wrote, “because that will help me develop humility.”

This wasn’t the first time I had heard this logic.

The Bhagavad-gita teaches that humility is essential for spiritual progress. Unfortunately, devotees sometimes think that feeling bad about oneself is a prerequisite for humility.

I often see devotees struggling with the concept of self-esteem. Having read the prayers of saints in our line, they often think their own feelings should align with the self-effacing statements of these great souls. They may associate low self-esteem with spiritual advancement and perpetuate a lifelong attitude of feeling bad about themselves. They may then attract people into their lives who treat them in accord with how they feel about themselves.

The confusion comes from trying to equate feelings that come from our pure ego with feelings that come from our material, or false, ego. The great souls express sentiments arising from pure spiritual ego uncontaminated by the modes of material nature. When they feel, in Lord Chaitanya’s words, “lower than the straw in the street,” that is an exhilarating emotion. They see the greatness of the Lord, and they see all others as more qualified than themselves. They are imbued with love and appreciation for all of Krishna’s creation.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a superlative Vaishnava teacher, wrote many beautiful songs expressing his attraction and love for the Lord, songs about achieving the goal of his heart—unconditional love for the Lord—and self-denigrating songs in which he laments his lack of devotion. As a pure soul, he expresses his attachment and love for the Lord and at the same time his feelings of being unqualified and hopeless of achieving such love. These are both authentic feelings that spring from humility, attachment, and love for the Lord.

Acknowledging Our Faults

In the early stages of our spiritual journey, we may experience a semblance of these emotions, as Krishna prepares the soil to cultivate our devotion. I recall an important experience which I had before becoming a devotee. I had a difficult time accepting criticism and felt certain that my opinions were right. That mentality created numerous problems, both professionally and personally. For months I had been contesting my supervisor’s advice about how to do my job as a resident director in a university dormitory. My obstinacy was making my job very difficult and I was suffering. Finally, one day I had the powerful realization that I was wrong. Not only was I wrong about this particular issue but I was wrong about so many things.

I can’t describe how liberating it felt to accept my fallible nature. I no longer carried the burden of having to be right about everything. I felt lowly but at same time new possibilities opened up to me. For the first time in my adult life I could hear my authority with true submission. This mental shift prepared me to take shelter of my spiritual master and devotees. In instances when Krishna helps to free us from false pride, we can taste the sweetness of humility.

Sometimes, however, when we are still contaminated by the modes of material nature and identifying with our material mind and body, feeling lower than the straw in the street can lead to self-loathing and despondency. These feelings then impede the execution of our devotional practices. We have to judge whether our psychology is favorable for serving the Lord or an impediment. Paradoxically, most people need to develop a healthy material ego before they can transcend it and realize their spiritual ego.

I once heard a motivational speaker say that people with healthy self-esteem think of themselves less, not less of themselves. When we feel good about ourselves, we can devote more time and energy extending ourselves to others, rather than being absorbed in self-deprecation. High self-esteem also gives us more freedom to act according to our values and convictions. When we feel bad about ourselves, we may do things to please or placate others. In an effort to receive external validation, we may be easily influenced to do things that conflict with our beliefs.

Feeling Worthy and Competent

Nathaniel Branden, a well-known psychologist, defines self-esteem as “the disposition of experiencing oneself as competent in coping with the basic challenges of life and as being worthy of happiness.” How do these aspects of self-esteem—self-confidence and self-respect—relate to Krishna consciousness? Krishna wants all souls trapped in the material world to be peaceful and happy. Human life affords us the opportunity to engage our talents and abilities in serving the Lord. When we offer ourselves to the Lord’s service, we feel joyful. A friend once gave my husband and me a framed aphorism that says, “What you are is God’s gift to you, and what you become is your gift to God.”

Aside from confusing humility with low self-esteem, devotees sometimes correlate the concept of high self-esteem with pride and self-absorption. But it is actually the contrary. People who exhibit high self-esteem also exemplify a more humble attitude toward others. They show a willingness to admit and correct mistakes, whereas persons with low self-esteem are often defensive and feel a need to prove they are right.

In a famous story from the Mahabharata, Krishna once met with Yudhishthira Maharaja and Duryodhana. Desiring to glorify His devotee Yudhishthira, Krishna requested him to find a person lower than himself, and asked sinful Duryodhana to find a person greater than himself.

Yudhishthira had all good qualities. He was peaceful and self-satisfied. No doubt he had healthy self-esteem. Yet he could not find anyone he considered lower than himself. Again, this is the example of an advanced Vaishnava who embodies genuine humility.

On the other hand, the unrighteous Duryodhana searched the kingdom all day and couldn’t find anyone he considered superior to himself.

Duryodhana was contaminated by vanity and pride. He envied and abused great souls. He was in constant anxiety over his position, always trying to eliminate his competitors. His sense of self depended on externals such as position and power, and thus he knew of no inner peace. He was tormented by his own lust and greed.

Pride Versus High Self-esteem

Thinking oneself to be great is pride, not high self-esteem. A person with high self-esteem exhibits humility. The perfection of self-esteem is seen in persons completely free from false ego, where humility is a product of their spiritual realization.

In our conditioned state, we might identify more with Duryodhana’s mentality than with Maharaja Yudhishthira’s. But as we progress on our spiritual journey, we will see ourselves differently. The more we come to realize we aren’t the independent performer but the instrument, the healthier our self-esteem becomes. In material life the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance influence us. These modes mix and compete with one another to shape our state of mind, including how we feel about ourselves.

Persons steeped in the mode of ignorance are happy and feel good about themselves when their senses are pleased. Persons immersed in the mode of passion are happy and feel good about themselves when others value and validate their accomplishments. In these lower modes, our sense of self fluctuates constantly.

Persons in the mode of goodness are happy and feel good about themselves when they act in knowledge, adhering to their ethical codes and values. They are less reactive to external stimuli, so their self-esteem depends more on their inner life. Thus they have more control over how they feel.

As people move into pure goodness, they realize themselves to be instruments of the Lord. They no longer identify themselves as the doer of their activities.

Prabhupada’s Example

Our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, showed high self-esteem. Although small in stature, he seemed large to us. He always held his head high and moved with purpose and confidence. He spoke in a straightforward way, with conviction and courage. His actions were bold and daring, yet he had a humble attitude, knowing that his success was totally up to the Lord. His humility is exemplified in his prayers aboard the ship when he first came to the United States from India:

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 Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

With great humility, Prabhupada finished his letter, “Signed, the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.”

On the one hand this prayers shows that Prabhupada feels very lowly, but on the other hand he is confident he can do anything by the Lord’s grace. The prayer also gives us the key to developing qualities of pure devotion: faith in the holy name of Krishna. The stronger our faith in the holy name’s ability to transform our material consciousness, the more we will apply ourselves to the process of chanting. We will chant with as much focus and attention as we can and will carefully avoid offenses that hinder our spiritual progress.

We are less likely to exploit others when we see ourselves as their servant, realizing our—and their—true spiritual nature as part of God. We are glorious sparks of spiritual energy, with all good qualities, yet we feel tiny in the presence of the greatest, our Lord. With this true knowledge, the pure soul can have high self-esteem and humility simultaneously.

When I shared some of these points with the young woman who had e-mailed me her question, she wrote back: “It is a great relief to understand these points from this perspective. I now understand that I don’t have to keep living in shame and abuse to be spiritual.”

She suggested I write an article on the subject for BTG. I took her suggestion to heart, since other devotees have asked similar questions over the years. I hope it will be useful to others as well.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30209

In honour of ISKCON’s 50 year anniversary, ISKCON London organized a Boat Festival on the River Thames this past Sunday (31 July). Over 500 guests boarded the Dixie Queen at midday and for six hours we sailed up and down the Thames, with a nonstop kirtan taking place. 

The festival was advertised as a “Chant for Peace” campaign and it was covered in the media. While we travelled on the subway to the city centre to board the Dixie Queen, people recognised us as Hare Krsnas and greeted us very warm-heartedly! One of the touristic highlights of the cruise was when theDixie Queen approached the famous London Tower Bridge, which then opened for the boat to pass through. Devotees were waving from the bridge with “Chant for Peace” signs in hand and many other people were watching.

There were many senior devotees and famous kirtan leaders on board, making it a really wonderful event and more than just a public stunt. Radha Londonisvara Prabhu was first on the line-up, and he set the scene with a light melody while everybody got comfortable on the boat. As the main room of the boat had filled up, devotees were eagerly waiting to hear Kadamba Kanana Swami sing. He started hiskirtan in a mellow fashion, building up to the high-pace style that many had hoped for. With Jahnavi on the violin, Varun on the mrdanga and Ravi as back-up singer, Maharaj had an excellent team of musicians on the stage with him. Towards the end, Maharaj engaged the crowd even more by making them chant loudly together for about ten minutes.

In reflecting thoughts about the event, Maharaj thanked the organisers and everyone who had participated and emphasised the importance of peace, represented by the Hare Krsna movement.

While lunch was starting to be served downstairs, Dina Bandhu Prabhu sang a beautiful Vrindavan styled kirtan ending with a long and loud, ‘Radheee Shyam!’ Then Mahatma Prabhu started his “reggae-dance” kirtan as he jokingly referred to the tune.

Agnidev Prabhu was next on the stage. He sang gauranga bolite habe first, followed by different beautiful melodies of the maha-mantra. By his unique voice, he created an ecstatic atmosphere. He expressed his deep gratitude to Srila Prabhupada for everything that Prabhupada had gone through for his disciples and said that Prabhupada would have been proud to see devotees have a Boat Festival on the famous Thames in London!

Last but definitely not least, BB Govinda Maharaj started leading kirtan after a few introductory words. He started very slowly and beautifully but eventually speeded up and got everyone to stand up and dance. It was a wonderful finish to the successful 50 year anniversary festival of ISKCON in London!

*photos by Arjun Bhattacharyya

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30190

ST LOUIS, MO -- The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organized a Hindu chariot procession, Rath Yatra, from Hindu Temple of St. Louis to Queeny Park in Ballwin on July 6.

It included a chariot pulled by dozens of devotees over a mile using big ropes with the playing of drums and cymbals along with Lord Krishna chants.

The celebrations also included a cultural program, kirtan, yoga, henna body art, meditation, free community vegetarian meal, arati, etc. The procession road was blocked for about an hour for the parade. A few hundred people participated in the celebrations, whose organizers included Dr. Ashok Kumar, Ramacarya Das, Narayana, etc.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, has commended efforts of the organizers and St. Louis area community to realize this wonderful festival, said to be exhibiting the richness of Hinduism.


Rath Yatra is said to be the oldest known parade in the world and it is believed that pullers of this Lord Jagannatha’s chariot receive immense spiritual benefit. Popularized outside India by ISKCON founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, this annual parade festival has reportedly been held annually in major cities of the world since 1960s. 

The original Ratha Jatra is held on a grand scale in Puri (Odisha, India). The presiding deities of Sri Mandira—Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra—with celestial wheel Sudarshana are driven on the chariots to two miles north Gundicha temple in an elaborate ritual procession.

The huge colorfully-decorated chariots are drawn by thousands of devotees. After a stay for seven days, the deities return to their abode in Sri Mandira.

A glimpse of Lord Jagannatha on the chariot is considered to be highly auspicious and even a touch of the chariot is believed to yield benefits equivalent to several pious deeds. Many poets have written its glories.

Source:http://ianslive.in/index.php?param=news/Religious_fervour_marks_Rath_Yatra-520439/Community/54

When sites for Sunday temple feasts become dining destinations

For many Americans, the common perception of the Hare Krishna faith is young men with shaved heads and saffron robes professing their faith in airports and city centers. Founded in the 1960s by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Hare Krishnas, or International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), formed to encourage the spread of bhakti yoga, a Hindu spiritual practice in which followers devote all actions and intentions to God. In ISKCON, an offshoot of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition, that attention is devoted entirely to Krishna, the movement’s supreme deity.

According to a 2014 piece in the Brookyln Quarterly, in the United States, the movement’s rise is often associated with “attracting converts who were inspired by the spiritual experimentation of the 1960s but had become disenchanted with the period’s excesses” — notably, white young adults who considered themselves members of the counterculture. The association of Hare Krishnas with cult stereotypes, particularly in the West, is perhaps why the restaurants operated by temples across the globe remain one of the best-kept secrets in dining. Often housed in lush, meticulously maintained temples, Krishna restaurants serve a dual purpose — nourishing the bodies and souls of both devotees and people from the surrounding community who dine there.

Food and the Hare Krishna movement are intrinsically linked. “The Krishna movement has always been interested in food,” says Graham M. Schweig, a professor of religion at Virginia’s Christopher Newport University. “It’s a natural consequence of the temples opening their doors to the public every Sunday for a feast.”

In the 1960s, Prabhupada taught his first disciples how to prepare Indian dishes that follow the Krishnas’ strict dietary guidelines (including an adherence to a vegetarian diet and use of ingredients considered “sattvic” — those that promote “purity, strength, and clearness of the mind” like fresh fruits, vegetables, rice, legumes, and dairy products). Temples across the globe began opening their doors for “Sunday love feasts,” in which people in the community were invited to the temple to enjoy prasadam, or food prepared by devotees in offering to Krishna.

According to Schweig, temples began opening restaurants in the 1970s. “The whole motivation to engage in a rather work-intensive business like a restaurant is grounded in the sense of serving a divinity,” he says. “It’s not the profits — sometimes those restaurants don’t make much of a profit. It really comes down to part of their service to God and to humanity.” Now, nearly 30 years later, more than 50 of these restaurants are still operating all over the globe, from San Francisco to São Paulo to Sydney. The restaurants are separate from — though usually adjacent to — the actual temple, and are for the most part staffed exclusively by Krishna devotees.

“It’s important for us to offer the food to Krishna and nourish people spiritually.”

Operationally, Krishna restaurants function just like any other eatery. There are cash registers, steam tables, and (of course) plenty of seating. Many, like Kalachandji’s in Dallas and Govinda’s in Los Angeles, have been open for decades, earning praise from diners and critics alike.

Kalachandji’s, operated by the Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji Mandir Hare Krishna Temple in Dallas, TX, is considered to be one of the best Hare Krishna restaurants in the world: Open for lunch and dinner, it serves more than 30 sweet and savory dishes each day, all of which are prepared from scratch by the temple’s devotees. Here, no frozen or canned vegetables are allowed inside the kitchen.

Danny Thomas, a Krishna devotee since the late 1970s, manages the kitchen at Kalachandji’s. Open since 1982, the original cooks trained under Prabhupada or with his closest disciples. “These recipes are not just concoctions. They’re timeless recipes,” says Thomas. “Here in Dallas, the wife of the temple president cooked for one of Prabhupada’s closest disciples, and she taught a lot of people how to cook. But they all say that she’s the best.”

As far as the food is concerned, most of the restaurant’s dishes are familiar to fans of Indian cuisine — think soft, fluffy chapati and richly spiced lentil dal. At Kalachandji’s, a salad bar is piled high with fresh veggies ready to be doused in house-made green goddess or lemon-tahini dressing. A rotating selection of vegetarian dishes, maybe Asian okra braised in coconut milk or potato-eggplant curry, changes every day, even from lunch to dinner. “We just try to make it as fresh as possible. Each preparation is cooked one pan at a time,” says Thomas. And it’s not uncommon to find veggie burgers and dishes from other cuisines on offer: Kalachandji’s also serves vegetarian enchiladas and nachos. On a recent visit to the Hare Krishna temple in Mumbai, Schweig spotted pizza.

Dairy’s place in Hare Krishna cooking

Dairy products, specifically milk and milk-based sweets, also have a unique significance to Hare Krishna devotees and a prominent place in the restaurants. “Cows are very dearly loved because Krishna, the supreme Lord, plays and frolics around with cows. He loves cows, the cows love him, and Krishnas love him and the cows,” says Schweig. “Milk is part of that whole divine scenery, but the interesting thing is that were Krishna to receive milk from cows raised at slaughterhouses, he wouldn’t want it.”

The issue of factory farm-produced dairy is a complicated topic for Krishnas. According to the Hindu principle of ahimsa, or non-violence, animals should never be slaughtered, but at most modern dairy farms, cows are killed once their productive years are over. In response, Krishnas across the globe have begun operating “slaughter-free” dairy farms, like Pennsylvania’s Gita Nagari Yoga Farm, where cows are lovingly raised and allowed to graze naturally.

Preparation at Kalachandji’s begins early in the morning, once meditation and prayer has been completed. A devotee comes into the temple first thing to bake whole wheat and cinnamon raisin bread. Pappadams are prepared, rolled out, and dried in the sun. Raw milk sourced from local dairy farms is transformed into fresh paneer.

Though similar to a traditional Indian curry house or buffet, the fundamental difference at restaurants like Kalachandji’s is that food is prepared first and foremost for Krishna. Thus, it reflects a strict set of dietary and preparation standards, including the adherence to a strict vegetarian diet. Krishnas believe that animals, like humans, are children of Krishna and born with a soul, thus killing them for consumption is considered an affront to the deity. “We’re interested in propagating vegetarianism,” Thomas says of the vegetarian menu at Kalachandji’s, “but it’s much more important for us to offer the food to Krishna and nourish people spiritually.”

Devotees also only cook (and eat) foods classified as “sattvic,” which means that unlike many Indian dishes, food prepared by Krishnas do not contain any onions or garlic. Alliums are considered unfit for offering to the deity and are believed to have a “toxic” influence on the body.

Strict rules for preparation are followed: Though outside help is sometimes brought in to handle some kitchen tasks, only Krishnas devotees do the cooking. This has much to do with the idea that food — and thereby, the person who eats it — takes on the emotions or energies of the person who prepared it. In order to prepare food at the restaurant, cooks must be members who have reached the second level of initiation, which requires a rigorous course of study. Newer members are taught by the restaurant’s more experienced cooks, and typically start out in the kitchen doing prep work or cleaning.

Cleanliness is a crucial component, and devotees wash their hands frequently throughout the cooking process and keep meticulously clean work stations. Uniquely, cooks in ISKCON kitchens also avoid eating — and smelling — bhaga, or un-offered food, while it is being prepared. “They don’t taste it at all during the cooking process, they don’t figure out if there’s enough salt,” says Schweig of the kitchen practice. “Everything is done as an aesthetic judgement, and food is only tasted after it has been seen as offered to divinity.”

“Cooking is initially intended for the offering; in some sense, the food is a remnant of that.”

Once the food has been prepared, it is covered and then brought out into the restaurant for a sacred ritual offering to Krishna before the restaurant opens for the day. Devotees will chant mantras and pray around a shrine or sacred image of Krishna and Radha (Krishna’s feminine counterpart) and arrange small portions of each dish into platters and bowls in front of the sacred image. “Cooking is initially intended for the offering, and then it’s thought that the food is, in some sense, a remnant of that sacred offering,” Schweig says. “Everyone who partakes in the prasadam is participating in that offering.”

In keeping with the Krishna principle of feeding those in need, the restaurants are generally very affordable. At Govinda’s in Los Angeles, an all-you-can eat buffet with dozens of dishes costs only around $10. Prices are often listed as “suggested donations,” and the organization does run large-scale feeding operations for homeless and disadvantaged communities across the globe. In India, Hare Krishna temples feed millions of people each year.

In terms of profitability, all funds are reinvested back into Hare Krishna programs, or, in the vast majority of cases, used to keep the temple afloat. In cities like London, where the Hare Krishna temple is located in a very popular area of SoHo, operating costs like rent and utilities can be exceedingly high. “The free Sunday feasts, paying the bills, those things cost money. The restaurants are there to support the temple’s projects,” Schweig says. “They keep the doors open. There’s a lot of sacrifice involved, and it works out ecclesiastically as well as economically.”

Devotees who work full-time at Kalachandji’s are paid a living wage, though they only take what they need, and some, like Thomas, decline to be paid (outside of tips for waiting tables) altogether. “We don’t think of it as a job. Really, thinking of it as a job is the worst way to look at it,” he says. “We’re doing this work in service to Kalachandji, the money is really incidental.”

In addition to a commitment to spiritual growth, the intention of Krishna restaurants is ultimately to provide pleasure to those who dine there. “It’s just delicious, it really is. There’s an ethical stance that you don’t just avoid harming living beings, you give them pleasure,” says Schweig. “You make them happy, and diet is one of the best ways to do that. The food is very healthy, very nourishing, very clean. It’s a gift they give.”

All photos taken at Kalachandji’s in Dallas by Kathy Tran.
Amy McCarthy is a writer and editor in Texas, from where she serves as editor of Eater Dallas and Eater Houston. She enjoys lipstick, cocktails, cooking, and fighting with celebrities on Twitter.
Editor: Erin DeJesus
Source: http://www.eater.com/2016/8/4/12364764/hare-krishna-restaurants-vegetarian#6599195

A lone, broke and aged man once embarked on a cargo ship to an unknown land. He suffered three heart attacks but what kept the him going was a mission which was not even his own but his guru’s. A perfect beginning to the history in making. Decades later he is celebrated on CNN as one of the top 10 successful men who launched their careers after 50.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada or simply Prabhupada, in a span of five decades, has inspired thousands and established hundreds of temples globally. Amongst his biggest contributions are the English translation of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and over 60 other titles that are now translated in over 80 languages.

This year ISKCON centres all over the world will commemorate the arrival of Srila Prabhupada to the West from July 28th - August 14th. In Toronto, we will have an 18 day festival with a mix of a variety of events- seminars, Harinamas, readings and more. Also known as the 'World Holy Name Week', this really is a festival of gratitude and appreciation for what Prabhupada has given us via the medium of learning and sharing the (Holy) word! Be engaged in the following variety of ways.

Weekday Events:

• Daily 15 min readings from Srila Prabhupada’s Lilamrta

  • Time: 9:00pm - 9:15pm

  • A lifetime spent in preparation to build a house the world could live in. Who is this 70 year old remarkable man who continues to change lives in this universe and beyond, way after he moved on to the eternal realm in 1977? Sound ethereal yet? Let's discover his unbelievable journey with 15min of daily readings and celebrate the man himself.                                              To participate, call: (416)-800-4317; conference code: 8440353#

• Thursday, Jul 28: Inaugural Kirtan

  • Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm

  • The festivities kickstarted with the right mood of welcoming the Holy names. It was a sweet evening and the Deities looked stunning in pink!

• Tuesday Sanga with Laxmimoni Dasi,

  • August 2, 2016

  • Key Elements of Vaisnava Etiquette

• Wednesday, August 3 and 10: Weekly Kirtan

  • Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm

  • The attempt of these kirtans will be to focus and meditate by diving deeper into the resonance of the Holy name in congregation. 

Weekend Events:

• Saturday, Jul 30: Monthly Sankirtan Festival

  • Time: 11am - 2pm

  • Join us for the monthly sankirtan festival, this month in honour of Srila Prabhupada's entrance to the Western world. We will continue to celebrate with more kirtan, prasad and smiles - this time with the residents of Toronto. Location TBD.

• Wednesday, Aug 3 and 10: Seminar: How to Study Srila Prabhupada’s Books

  • Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

  • So there is "reading a book", and then there is "studying with scrutiny". A gulf of difference between the two. We might have read some of Prabhupada’s books and thought them to be philosophically appealing; how about reading them in a light that would turn and transform your life? It is possible. It has happened and continues to happen. Come find out how.

• Sunday, Aug 7: 32+ Rounds Japathon

  • Time: 4:30 am onwards

  • Kirtan is a collective prayer while japa or chanting on beads is a personal one-on-one. Here is a chance to connect deeper with the Holy name by chanting 32+ rounds with the support and association of others!

• Saturday, Aug 13: Maha-Harinam

  • Time: starting 4pm from temple

  • We will head out to the Old City Hall, as we've done so in the past, and bring these positive vibrations to those in Downtown Toronto. There will be singing, dancing, jumping and lots of smiling.

When Prabhupada came to the West, among the few sparse items that he brought with himself was a book of his translated Bhagavatam. As a part of the ISKCON50 celebrations, embrace yourself with the 50+ Bhagavatam Challenge! All one needs to do is pledge to distribute one set by August 14th!

18 days of mindfully embracing the Holy names! See you there! For further information, please feel free to contact- Hladini Gopika Devi dasi: 647-989-1806 or email:toronto.sankirtan@gmail.com. 

Source:http://iskcontoronto.blogspot.in/2016/08/maha-mantra-festival-july-28-to-august.html

Krishna Ksetra Swami (Kenneth Valpey): Prof. (retired) Tom Buford, who founded the Personalist Seminar 25+ years ago, graced us with his presence at yesterday morning’s session of the “Eleventh Biennial Personalist Seminar: Hindu Personalism and Schopenhauer,” here at Western Carolina University. My two presentations at this event went well: the first was a 45-minute introductory talk in preparation for my 1.5-hour talk the next morning, which I titled “The Bhakti Logos: Exploring Personalism in Hindu Theistic Devotionalism” (sorry, no written paper for this). This is a fine, small group of scholars (15 of us altogether, both professors and doctoral candidates in philosophy), discussing topics related to the two themes ‘from all angles of vision’ all day for four days.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30120

In downtown San Antonio there is a a large blackboard on the side of a building that reads “Before I Die…”. Beneath the heading there are spaces for people to fill in the blank – Before I die I want to ___________.

Death is surely the great milestone of our life. It hovers close by, although we do our best to forget about it because of fear and pain. And so, even though we hear of others dying daily, we somehow think we will never die. Or that it won’t happen to us for a long time. When it does come close to home, when a near or dear one moves on, we are affected by it. A relationship is suddenly cut. It’s over and we are left with grief and memories.

For most, death means the end of life completely. But those in the practice of Bhakti know it’s just the end of the body, not the end of life. Not the end of me, the soul, the consciousness. The Gita explains it is is just like taking off one set of clothes and putting on another. Or moving from one house to another. One place to the next. Death is a change, an end of something but always a beginning of another.

When asked what is the definition of old, one may say – someone close to death. In that sense we can’t really tell who is “old”, as anyone can die at any moment. We never know when our existence in this life will be over. It’s like a drop of water on a leaf – our position in this body, in this world, is so tenuous.

A question about impending death was the catalyst of the great philosophical treatise the Srimad-Bhagavatam. A good and noble king, Maharaja Pariksit, was informed he had 7 days before his death. He gathered the wisest men around him and asked them – What is the best thing I can do to prepare for death?

That’s how he would have filled in the blank. Before I die I want to … find out how I can best be ready for that moment.

They told him – just hear about Krishna. This is the most important relationship you have to work on at this time. No need for anything more for the body – now bring the soul forth, bring the spiritual to the front, immerse yourself in this most important relationship and there you will discover your true and original self. This is a golden opportunity.

Who sees death as an opportunity? But for one in Krishna consciousness it is. It is the moment we can step out of the cycle of birth and death (samsara) that has us captured since time immemorial. it is that moment between one body and other where we can grasp the hand of Krishna and be pulled out of the ocean of material energy.

The Gita teaches that wherever our mind is at the time of death, that will determine our next destination. Better not leave that to chance as our mind is undependable. In a split second it goes off on any emotion, both good and bad. Before we die, therefore, we need to practice what state of mind we want to be in at the time of death. That’s the practice of Bhakti. If our heart is filled with affection for Krishna, then at that critical moment we will call out to Krishna, and place our heart, and therefore our mind there. Love conquers all, especially the mind. If we love Krishna, that is where we will go for shelter. And that is where we will go at the time of, and after, death.

So, what do we want before we die? Things that will help us die well. Start making your list today and fill in the blanks.

Source:http://iskconofdc.org/before-i-die/

The first question often asked about the Bhagavad-gita is why was it spoken on a battlefield? Despite a common view that religion is a major cause of war, the general view is that the two should remain separate. Religion or spirituality should result in peace not conflict. If one’s spiritual practises bring about the bloodthirsty desire to eliminate the followers of some other faith then they must be suspect. That would surely seem to make sense.
Nevertheless the Gita did arise from a war, the great Battle of Kurukshetra. Not only that, but its final message to Arjuna—a mighty warrior who had suddenly veered towards pacifism—was to give up his “petty weakness of heart” and sally forth to slay his enemies in battle. How then is it a religious text?

Perhaps we should begin by defining religion. Dictionaries usually describe it as a system of belief in some supernatural power. That is where the conflicts tend to arise. My beliefs may well be different to yours, and human nature is such that we identify with these to the point where we create divisions based upon them. Hence we have many religious communities going under different names—Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc. In most people’s minds this is what is meant by religion, all these various designations. The Gita however gives a broader definition.

In Sanskrit, the language of the Gita, the word for religion is dharma. This translates more accurately as the essential nature of a thing. In the case of a person this nature is to serve. We are always serving someone or something, be it our boss, family members, country, or maybe just our dog. We cannot avoid service. Even if we have no one to serve we will still serve our own mind and senses, which constantly demand satisfaction in one way or another. We cannot sit peacefully for very long before one bodily demand or another impinges upon us and we have to act to satisfy it.

Vedic wisdom tells us that this service propensity is actually meant for God. This is real religion, the dharma of the soul. No doubt the adherents of all the above named faiths and most others will concur with this, despite their external differences. Whatever our practises the ultimate aim must be to know and love God, to unite with him and serve him eternally. When we serve anything other than God we are never satisfied; we constantly search for the lasting fulfilment that no amount of sensual pleasure or material relationships can provide. As Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless till they rest in Thee.”

This is the message propounded by the Gita. It speaks of all beings as eternal parts of God having an unbreakable loving relationship with him. Arjuna’s dilemma as a warrior who was not inclined to fight was only the external context for a far deeper message than just getting him to take up his weapons. That message is encapsulated in the Gita’s key verse in the ninth chapter, where Krishna says, “Always think of me, offer me your respects, worship me and become my devotee. Surely then will you come to me.” This is the essence of all religion and it was what Arjuna had forgotten. He was thinking he had so many other duties which had all begun to seem onerous, conflicting and ultimately impossible. He got to the point where he did not know which way to turn or what to do. Krishna’s response was simple; just do what I want and you will be peaceful and happy.

As it happened at that time Krishna wanted Arjuna to fight. After all, sometimes fighting and violence are required when there are disturbing elements in society. We need the forces of law and order, which was Arjuna’s duty, but that’s not the real point. The ultimate message of the Gita is not about fighting or any other specific kind of work. It is about surrendering to God, acting only for his pleasure, recognising that this is truly in our own and everyone else’s best interests. When Arjuna understood this point his dilemma was over and he became peaceful. “My illusion is gone,” he told Krishna. “I am now free of duality and prepared to do whatever you ask.” And as Krishna asked him to fight that very fighting became a pure spiritual activity that led Arjuna to the highest point of self-realisation.

All of us are like Arjuna in so many ways. We stand on the battlefield of life faced with all kinds of challenges which often seem overwhelming. Sometimes we too don’t know which way to turn but the message of the Gita is also there for us. “Turn to me,” says Krishna. “I will always protect you and in the end bring you back to me.” That is the fight facing us all, turning from illusion towards Krishna, but with his help we like Arjuna will surely emerge victorious.

Source:http://www.krishnadharma.com/winning-lifes-battles/

August 1, 2016

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

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

Please share the following information with your local temple and community leaders around the globe.

We are just under a month away from Janmastami, the Appearance Day of Lord Sri Krishna. Janmastami this year offers a special opportunity-for many temples the best opportunity-to promote ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and connect with the media, dignitaries, and other vips in your area.

To date many wonderful ISKCON 50 events have been celebrated around the world, inspiring devotees and informing larger audiences about the relevance and important contributions of Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON society.

For temples and communities that have not yet capitalized on the opportunity that ISKCON 50 provides, I am writing to remind you that with Janmastami coming-NOW IS THE CHANCE!

For ISKCON communities Janmastami is our biggest and most important Holy Day. It’s a great opportunity to take advantage of the natural attention that Krishna’s Appearance Day draws.

Janmastami gives us a chance to tell your community’s story-ISKCON’s story, Srila Prabhupada’s story-widely. And, to gain favorable media exposure and build long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with your local government, religious, academic, neighborhood, and other leaders and vips.

And, with ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary celebration continuing through this Janmastami, its an even bigger opportunity. I pray you will take full advantage.

To help you in planning and executing of your ISKCON 50 Janmastami, please find attached a sample Janmastami 50th Anniversary Media Release to localize & send to your media. *You are welcome to use this as is–with local information inserted–**or create your own release based on this standard style.*

In closing, don’t forget these simple steps for the temple/community itself:

. Place ISKCON 50 banners and posters around your temple and grounds

. ISKCON 50-ize Janmastami by referencing ISKCON 50 in all flyers, announcements, decorations, invitations, etc.

. Plan talks on Janmastami Day focused on Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON achievements over 50 years

. Purchase “The Hare Krishnas Celebrating 50 Years” magazines and distribute to devotees and friends at Janmastami

. Show the “Fifty Years of Service and Joy” film to visitors on Janmastami Day and other special events

For more support or to answer any questions you may have please contact:

Your regional ISKCON 50 Coordinator, or your regional ISKCON Communications Director, or Romapada das Global ISKCON 50 Coordinator. Or, my office at communications@iskcon.org

Thank you!

Your servant,

Anuttama dasa Minister ISKCON Communications

Links:

news.iskcon.org (For general news about ISKCON and ISKCON 50 Events)

communications.iskcon.org (For access to ISKCON Media Kit, Interfaith Statement, Communications Regional Directors)

iskcon50.org (See Resources for official logo, banners, posters, logo, etc)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44OoZ6GfmK0 (Link to 20 minute video “Fifty Years of Service and Joy”) For a HD version contact the director, Krishna lila dd at<krisztinadanka@gmail.com>

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30178