Gunacuda Dasi: Sri Mayapur International School has a service opportunity for an Early Years teacher beginning in August 2016.
We require a trained teacher for our class of 4 and 5 year old students. The successful candidate should have previous experience teaching young children. Knowledge of teaching reading and writing ,using synthetic phonics, is essential as well as experience of working with children who have English as an additional/second language.

We require an enthusiastic devotee who can plan teaching, learning and assessment of a Krishna conscious curriculum. The applicant must be able to provide an educational environment conducive to the learning of the children in the class in line with the school educational philosophy based on the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.

We are looking for a caring teacher who can understand the needs of the individual children in the class, structuring their learning so that they progress at a rate which challenges them in a secure devotional environment.

If you would like to live and serve in Sri Mayapur dham, please email your CV and details of professional and devotional referees to mayapurschooloffice@gmail.com There may be other vacancies for suitable candidates in the Primary school.
More details of the remuneration will be given on receipt of your application. 
Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20182

ISKCON Communications Conference 2016. 
On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON we have a very interesting and rich Conference with many known speakers:
- Srila Prabhupada The Greatest Communicator by Anuttama prabhu
- How to discuss and resolve controversial and sensitive issues in ISKCON by Kaunteya prabhu
- ISKCON and Interfaith by Radhika Ramana prabhu
- Video Skills for High Impact Communications by Krishna Lila dasi
- Preaching, Undue Influence and Religious Freedom – Panel Discussion by Shaunaka Rsi, Prof. Raffaella Di Marzio and Maria Cristina Carratu
- First Draft Screening of Joy of Devotion and Feedback session by Krishna Lila dasi
- ISKCON Communications Europe report by Mahaprabhu dasa
- Communications Reports by participating Yatras
- 50th Anniversary report by Madayanti dasi
- Outing to Florence. We will meet interesting people and visit amazing places.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/9eT7jY

How Did ISCOWP Start?

By Balabhadra dasa

In 1981, our family (myself, Chayadevi, son Baladeva and daughter Lakshmi) moved to the farm community called Gita Nagari in the state of Pennsylvania, USA.

In the mid 80’s the farm started a program called “ADOPT-A-COW” which was to raise funds to help support the cows. By that time we had a herd of 157 cows and it was way to many cows for the land that we had to work with. We were the 1st ISKCON farm in North America to stop breeding along the commercial dairy way of doing things. It was realized that if you are not killing your unproductive cows and male offspring as a commercial dairy does, then you lose your economic profit. So it was necessary to raise funds to pay for the feed that we could not grow on the farm. My wife and I ran the “ADOPT-A-COW” program from 1988 to 1990. During this time we also were in charge of the agriculture department on the farm.

It was during the celebration of Govardhan Puja and Go Puja in 1989 that a devotee by the name of Adwaita Chandra paid us a visit and had an idea that he wanted to discuss with us. At that time each of the North American ISKCON farms each had a cow protection program. There was “ADOPT-A-COW,” “SAVE A COW” and “MOTHER COW,” each dealing with a specific herd of cows. Adwaita Chandra’s idea was to develop a cow protection program that was universal in application, global not regional. We talked for many hours over that weekend and came up with the name of “INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR COW PROTECTION’ as well as a basic list of goals that have since evolved into the present day goals of ISCOWP. We parted company after the festival and he said, “Think it over and if you want to go ahead with ISCOWP, go ahead.” He is an idea man, consultant type of person, not a cow man or farmer. We decided to organize ISCOWP as a non-profit charitable incorporation. We legalized everything in March 1990.

The spring of 1990 we started traveling to all the North American Rathayatra festivals, the Earth Day Festival, and other programs. We took a team of oxen and led the Ratha Yatras during the parades. At the festival site we would have the oxen available for people to pet, touch, and photograph. The festival visitors were completely in awe of the beauty and size of the oxen. We also had a booth where we sold t-shirts, distributed literature, and had many pictures of the farm and what the oxen did at the farm. “THE OX IS THE BACKBONE OF THE FAMILY FARM, NOT THE SOUP BONE” was one of the slogans that we used to show the usefulness of the oxen in our lifestyle. We did this for approximately 4 summers in which we received positive press coverage throughout the USA. In the meantime we acquired some small acreage (3 acres) in North Carolina to establish a small family farm.

Beginning in 1990 my wife, Chayadevi, began writing and publishing the ISCOWP quarterly newsletter. This newsletter is still printed today. She also started a children’s newsletter and materials but could not find many persons to subscribe, so it was discontinued. Chayadevi does most of the correspondence, fund raising, accounting, photography, curriculum development, designing of original ISCOWP T-shirts and display paraphernalia. In 1993 she began the ISKCON COM cow conference that had approximately 90 members from about 20 different countries. The cow conference formulated cow protection standards that are now ISKCON Law 507 so that mistakes aren’t made and repeated in cow care facilities. Since the beginning of 2005, we have not been active with the cow conference. Now we have a presence on the social networks: Facebook, YouTube, etc.

On the 3 acre North Carolina property we acquired in 1991 we grew wheat, rye, and vegetables with the help of the oxen only, no machines. Eventually we found this acreage to be too small for our family, 2 oxen, and the crops we wanted to grow. A friend of ours had bought a large parcel about 2 hours away in which there was approximately 20 acres in bottom land. An oral contract was made that we could cultivate that property to expand our program. There was no electricity, no water system, and the land had not been worked for years. I lived there in our school bus that we used to travel coast to coast with the oxen and began to cultivate the land with our ox team, Vraja and Gita. We developed a hand water system drawing water from the nearby stream. The living situation was austere. Oil lamps for electricity, hand pumping all water, and living in the school bus that had no facilities but shelter. Here we grew large vegetable gardens, dry land rice, wheat, and rye. No machines were used for farming or living on this property.

For approximately 3 years we cultivated this land until we received an invitation in the beginning of 1995 to live at New Vrndavana and join Varsana Maharaja’s disciples work towards self-sufficiency. It was proposed I would teach the younger devotees the skills I knew so they could get established on the land. We were enthused to make the big move so that we could gain energy and association on the path to establishing cow protection as Srila Prabhupada desired.

We sold our 3 acres, our trailer home, and made numerous trucking trips long distance to move all the ox equipment and household to New Vrndavana. During the first year we trained approximately 10 teamsters and 20 oxen from the New Vrndavana herd. Due to financial difficulties of the New Vrndavana administration our project could no longer receive strong support from New Vrndavana. At this point we had the opportunity to purchase land from New Vrndavana as they were selling land to minimize their financial pressures and to attain funds for expenses. In 1996, we acquired a 57 acre parcel which was the heart of an old family farm. The devotees had worked it about 15 years ago. Some of the buildings were still standing but most were not in good repair. Numerous springs, a stream, pastures, and forest were some of the features that attracted us to purchase the property.

In 1998, I was appointed the ISKCON Minister for Cow Protection and Agriculture to advise and instruct ISKCON centers and devotees protecting cows. To this end, ISCOWP and the members of the cow conference created the Minimum Standards for Cow Protection which is ISKCON Law 507. I traveled to various ISKCON centers and cow protection projects worldwide for the purpose of establishing these standards and distributing cow protection knowledge. It was my pleasure to also acquire knowledge through these travels. In 2012, I resigned from this position due to on-going, unresolved health problems..

In the last 19 years we have been working to establish ourselves on the ISCOWP Farm. We have built two modified earth shelter homes and one cabin for trainees, refurbished the old standing barn, built a new barn adjoining the old barn, built a hay barn, a geriatric barn and an equipment storage/workshop building, installed new fencing (ongoing process) and a new water system, reclaimed the pastures from rose bush weeds (ongoing project also) and removed truckloads of garbage. Twenty-four cows and oxen (mostly rescues) reside here protected and loved in a beautiful environment. Since 1996 we have acquired two adjoining parcels and another parcel that will make the land holding 165 acres. Now we have more facility for the cows and oxen.

We have been growing much of our food and preserving it by canning and drying. There is a big deer and groundhog population here that tries to eat much of the garden. A very important resident, Rudra the dog, guards the garden and has been quite successful in scaring off the wild animals. However, the deer became so profuse that we built a 9 foot fence around the 1 acre garden with the help of our donors.

We have come to realize that no matter how many cows one can rescue, save and care for, there will be thousands more suffering and in the need of love. Both the meat and commercial dairy industries make profit from exploiting the cow, her brothers and her children. If you can become vegetarian and not take milk from the commercial dairy industry but only from life-protected cows (Krsna – Dairian), then you are contributing to lessening the demand for meat and commercial dairy products. The less demand the less the supply and the less suffering for Mother Cow. One person’s diet change a drop in the bucket? That is why we feel education is so important to saving more cows. Many people do not realize the correlation between diet change and saving cows. Once people understand the correlation and how much Mother Cow is suffering because of the meat and diary industries, they will be encouraged to make a diet change. Our goal is to not only protect the ISCOWP herd but to spread information about diet change and the need for cow protection. We are looking forward to hearing from you at:iscowp@gmail.com. and please feel free to explore this website.

Written By :
William E. Dove (Balabhadra dasa)
President of ISCOWP

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20188

By Radha Mohan das

As part of ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, Bhaktivedanta Manor’s main drama group The Bhaktivedanta Players were invited to perform in ISKCON Mayapur for its huge international Gaura Purnima festival.

As part of the evening stage program, they performed different dramas over five consecutive nights. This included the premier of Jaya Prabhupada: Every Town and Village which covered Srila Prabhupada’s journey to America and his time in New York with Dr Misra, in the Bowery and rounding off in 26 Second Avenue when ISKCON officially began.

Other plays included Jaya Prabhupada: The Gaudiya Foundation, The Golden Avatar, Tales of Narada Muni and the highly popular Musical Ramayan.

“The international stage program pulled together wonderful mixed audiences from across the ISKCON world and it was an honour to be part of it, ” said Players Director Jaya Krishna das. “…and the feedback was excellent!”

“We considered it a great privilege to perform this drama seva in the Holy Dham, especially in observance of ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary” added actor Radha Mohan das 

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20135

Los Angeles temple wins 3 awards!
Los Angeles temple (New Dwarka) recently received 3 major awards in India during the 2016 Mayapur Gaur Purnima Festival. 
#1 book distribution award for best temple in North America 2015. #1 book distributor Award to Bhakta Jay Khush. 
#1 Senior Disciple book distribution award to Bhrigupati Prabhu. A total combined effort of over 249,000 book points! 
All for the pleasure of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! 

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20141

by Vikrama Govinda Dasa

To get the special mercy of Lord Caitanya ISKCON Kanya Kumari is organising a padayatra covering the 5 places He visited during His tour of South India . We seek your blessings and also request you to kindly join us and bring as many devotees as possible.

In the Kanyakumari District Lord Caitanya visited these five places, as mentioned in Caitanya Caritamrita ( 2.9.225 to 229) :
1. Kanyakumari – Bhagavathiamman temple
2. Suchindrum – Sthanumalayan temple.
3. Tovalai – Subramaniya Swami temple
4. Bhootapandi – Bhoothalinga Swami temple
5. Thiruvattar – Adikesava temple

Tentative Schedule :

• Friday October 7, 2016 : 5.30 a.m.
  Inauguration of the 50 km walk at the Kanyakumari Temple.
  16,5 km to Suchindrum.
  Evening Public outreach program in Suchindrum (expected crowd of 400 people)

• Saturday October 8, at 5.30 a.m.
  Walk from Suchindrum to Tovalai : 16.5 km
  Evening Public outreach program at Thovalai (expected crowd of 400 people)

• Sunday October 9, at 5.30 a.m.
  Walk from Tovalai to Bhoothapandi : 17 km
  Trip Bby bus to the Adikesava Temple (a distance of 35 km)
  Evening Public outreach program at the Adikesava Temple with

NB : The final schedule will be posted later. This above schedule is subject to changes.

Registration :

A registration fee of Rs.300/- includes simple accomodation in mandapam, bus fare to the Adikesava temple and return to Nagercoil. Prasadam is served free to all the padayatris.
Due to space constraint the registration is limited to 200 people.
Devotees are requested to bring a permission letter of their local ISKCON temple.

Contact :

Vikrama Govinda das
iskcon.kanyakumari<AT>gmail.com
Tel : 098 946 00108 

Source: http://www.padayatra.com/50-kms-walk-in-the-footsteps-of-lord-caitanya-for-the-50th-anniversary-of-iskcon/

One of my favourite quotes is from the business mentor Stephen Covey, who said that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. In other words, don’t lose your focus. To achieve that of course, I need to have a clear aim in life on which to focus. For many years I grappled with that, not being altogether clear what I was trying to achieve beyond survival and hopefully a bit of fun now and again. Finding myself struggling on both counts I eventually consulted the intelligent Mr Covey via his books. This resulted in a bit of navel-gazing and, after I recovered from that, I constructed a personal mission statement which I actually look at from time to time.

For me life’s chief aim is a spiritual one. It’s about finding out who I really am, beyond the temporary names and labels given by this world. Ultimately it’s about attaining the divine abode of God, where I believe I truly belong. I therefore welcome holy celebrations and festivals, because they bring my often misaligned endeavours back into focus, reminding me of the sacred goal of life. Easter is not in my tradition but I have always been an admirer of Christ and his teachings. I see his messages to be very much in line with those of my own Krishna faith, and indeed with those given most spiritual traditions.  From my own experience it seems to me that most faith’s teach that we are not merely material beings, and instead are spiritual souls meant for everlasting happiness, not just the ephemeral variety offered by this world.

Christ famously said that it profits a man nothing if he gains the world but loses his soul. In other words, if our happiness depends only upon the temporary things of this world it will be lost sooner or later. So, as we remember Christ this Easter I shall revisit my mission statement and make sure I’ve got the main thing of my spiritual practise firmly front and centre. 

Source: http://www.krishnadharma.com/pause-for-thought-bbc-radio-2-march-24th/

“Drishti – Bharat Leads The World” | Mega Youth Festival | 20th March 2016 | ISKCON Pune

On the auspicious occasion of ISKCON’s Golden Jubilee, to fulfill the desire of Srila Prabhupada and GBC, we made our humble and best attempts. With little or no idea to start with, the planning and execution of the event was majorly done in past 3 months.

Publicity

– Phase I:

o In a span of only a week (March 9-16), 135000 students got free passes in more than 70 colleges all over Pune.

o Principals and institution heads were given VIP passes along with a brochure about youth preaching activities. Practically all of them gave us red carpet welcome to distribute passes and welcomed us to hold such events and other educational programs for their students in their own premises.

o Online tickets booking was also enabled on townscript.com and bookmyshow.com. Also online facebook publicity was done and website was created for this event.

– Phase II – The registration for the festival was through a “missed call service” mentioned on the free pass. We got 23,000+ unique missed calls.

FREE GIFTS was another attractive feature of the event. Passes given to attendees had 2 coupons – Dinner Prasadam meal coupon and free gifts coupon. Free gifts included

– Vodaphone sponsored free simcards with talktime and data pack

– Another company sponsored free fruit jellies

– Another company sponsored discount coupons for rental cars.

– We also distributed one Srila Prabhupada small book for each attendee.

The highlights of the actual event

– On the day of the program, almost 4 thousand students were waiting before we opened gates.

– The event was attended by 17,000-18,000 students.

– Special stage was erected of size 40×60 feet for performances.

– Our honorable speakers for the events were HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj, HG Gauranga Prabhu and HG Gaur Gopal Prabhu. HH Hanuman Preshak Swami Maharaj also graced the event.

– The VIPs were principles of various colleges, Mr. Vishwajeet Kadam – leader of youth congress in Maharashtra, The education commissioner of Pune, VIPs from police department etc.

– The cultural performances included

o A drama by HH Bhaktimarga Maharaj “Vande Arts” Team

o A shadow drama on Bhagavad Gita by students of IIT Kharagpur

o Short Videos on ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada

o Kirtans by Vrajvadhus band from Vrindavan

o Marathi dance performance on “Mauli” with dialogue between Tukaram and Shivaji Maharaj

– Dinner Prasadam was distributed to all students. Around 13000 students got full plate prasadam and those who left early got drona prasadam.

– 6 Marathi newspapers published articles about the event

– March 26, 2016 – Saturday, 9:00 AM – Doordarshan broadcasted highlights of the event. Another channel “generation next” will broadcast on Sunday. 

Source: http://www.iskconpune.com/drishti-youth-festival/ ;

Humility is our main topic of the day. I was thinking that humility also includes other qualities. For example, humility includes forgiveness because if you cannot forgive then there is no question of being humble. Forgiveness comes because we do not consider ourselves so important. When we are very important, then we cannot forgive, “How could you do this to me! YOU did this to ME! I will never forgive you for this!” There is a false concept of the self in lack of forgiveness. So, I see forgiveness as a quality of humility.

I see generosity and being magnanimous, these kind of qualities, also in humility because again, one has to be able to put one’s own concerns in second place, then you can be magnanimous otherwise one is all the time thinking about ME, and MY condition and MY needs… As long as we are concerned with our own comforts, then humility is very difficult!

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2016/03/humility-2/

In the course of his Skype call to devotees in Mumbai, during their Mitrotsava, Giriraj Swami read some verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.15.25-27):

TEXT 25

rajas tamas ca sattvena
sattvam copasamena ca
etat sarvam gurau bhaktya
puruso hy anjasa jayet

Translation: One must conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by developing the mode of goodness, and then one must become detached from the mode of goodness by promoting oneself to the platform of suddha-sattva. All this can be automatically done if one engages in the service of the spiritual master with faith and devotion. In this way one can conquer the influence of the modes of nature.

Purport: Just by treating the root cause of an ailment, one can conquer all bodily pains and sufferings. Similarly, if one is devoted and faithful to the spiritual master, he can conquer the influence of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna very easily. Yogis and jnanas practice in many ways to conquer the senses, but thebhakta immediately attains the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the mercy of the spiritual master. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. If the spiritual master is favorably inclined, one naturally receives the mercy of the Supreme Lord, and by the mercy of the Supreme Lord one immediately becomes transcendental, conquering all the influences of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna within this material world. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate). If one is a pure devotee acting under the directions of the guru,one easily gets the mercy of the Supreme Lord and thus becomes immediately situated on the transcendental platform. This is explained in the next verse.

TEXT 26

yasya saksad bhagavati
jnana-dipa-prade gurau
martyasad-dhih srutam tasya
sarvam kunjara-saucavat

Translation: The spiritual master should be considered to be directly the Supreme Lord because he gives transcendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being, everything is frustrated. His enlightenment and his Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant.

Purport: It is recommended that one honor the spiritual master as being on an equal status with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Saksad dharitvena samasta-sastraih. This is enjoined in every scripture. Acaryam mam vijaniyat. One should consider the acarya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant. An elephant bathes in a lake quite thoroughly, but as soon as it comes on the shore it takes some dust from the ground and strews it over its body. Thus there is no meaning to the elephant’s bath. One may argue by saying that since the spiritual master’s relatives and the men of his neighborhood consider him an ordinary human being, what is the fault on the part of the disciple who considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being? This will be answered in the next verse, but the injunction is that the spiritual master should never be considered an ordinary man. One should strictly adhere to the instructions of the spiritual master, for if he is pleased, certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ’pi.

TEXT 27

esa vai bhagavan saksat
pradhana-purusesvarah
yogesvarair vimrgyanghrir
loko yam manyate naram

Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, is the master of all other living entities and of the material nature. His lotus feet are sought and worshiped by great saintly persons like Vyasa. Nonetheless, there are fools who consider Lord Krsna an ordinary human being.

Purport: The example of Lord Krsna’s being the Supreme Personality of Godhead is appropriate in regard to understanding the spiritual master. The spiritual master is called sevaka-bhagavan, the servitor Personality of Godhead, and Krsna is called sevya-bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is to be worshiped. The spiritual master is the worshiper God, whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the worshipable God. This is the difference between the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Mitrotsava 2016, Carpinteria to Mumbai

Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=10745

By Madhava Smullen

It’s hard to beat Festival of Inspiration for sheer variety.

This year’s ISKCON 50 special edition of the Appalachian spiritual retreat in New Vrindaban, West Virginia will overflow with the best Krishna consciousness has to offer: seminars, kirtans, entertainment, and the tastiest prasadam this side of the spiritual world.

Hundreds of devotees from all over the East Coast of the United States and Canada are expected to pour in for the May 6th to 8th weekend.

Each day of the festival will begin with an extended themed Srimad Bhagavatam class. Author Yogesvara Das will speak about his new biography of Srila Prabhupada for a mainstream audience, entitled “Swami in a Strange Land.” And the class on Sunday – Mother’s Day – will focus on the importance of honoring mothers in the Vaishnava tradition.

The centerpiece of the seminars, meanwhile, will be two special panel discussions to commemorate ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary.

“In the first, entitled ‘ISKCON 50 Years Ago,’ early Prabhupada disciples like Malati Devi, Shyamasundar Prabhu, and Yogesvara Prabhu will talk about their struggles and victories in expanding the movement, and how Prabhupada encouraged and enthused everyone,” says organizer Vrindavan Das. “They’ll be joined by Sally Agarwal, who sponsored Prabhupada when he first arrived in the U.S.”

The second panel, ISKCON’s Future in North America, will be facilitated by Gainesville Krishna House Director Kalakanatha Das and feature Varshana Swami, Vaisesika Das, educator Urmila Dasi, and more. They’ll discuss how to learn from the mistakes of the past to improve the future, how to care for the needs of current devotees, and how to reach out to more new people.

And that’s just the beginning. New Vrindaban’s own Sankirtan Das will present his Powerpoint on Prabhupada coming to America, which has been very well-received in colleges. He’ll also facilitate an open discussion on developing strategies for presenting Prabhupada to the public.

Urmila Dasi will offer practical and clear instructions for overcoming obstacles in spiritual life, setting our “compass” to the right direction, and finding the ultimate spiritual attainment.

Kalakantha Das, who has spoken out in favor of women gurus in ISKCON, will talk about the role of women in the society, and about Krishna conscious marriage.

Veteran book distributor Vaisesika Das is likely to speak about his new book, Our Family Business, in which he shares key principles and techniques of book distribution.

And ISKCON pioneer Shyamasundara Das will tell amazing stories from his upcoming book Chasing Rhinos with the Swami about ISKCON’s early days in San Francisco and London, as well as about his travels in India and Russia with Prabhupada.

As usual, parents will be able to attend these and the many other seminars on offer while their children have fun at a supervised kids’ camp with face painting, clowns and more.

At mealtimes, devotees will sit at picnic tables on the sunny lawn and socialize as they tuck into a tasty blend of Eastern and Western prasadam. There’ll be lots of healthy options such as salad and soup, as well as traditional Indian dishes and comfort food like macaroni; while many of the dairy dishes will be made with the milk of protected New Vrindaban cows.

In the evenings, everyone will focus on singing the Lord’s praises. Friday will see the continuation of a bhajan program that became an instant hit when it was introduced last year.

“Devotees rarely get to sing bhajans, because at most kirtan festivals they only chant the Hare Krishna mantra,” says Vrindavan. “So they’ll appreciate the chance to sing traditional songs of the Vaishnava Acharyas with some of the best bhajan singers in ISKCON like Agnideva Prabhu, Havi Prabhu and Ekendra Prabhu.”

Participants will get to immerse themselves in the Maha-mantra too, however, with a Nama-Yajna on Saturday evening.

The grande finale will follow on Sunday, with the hugely popular Transcendental Entertainment show at midday. Ekendra Das will lampoon both ISKCON and material life through song as his comedic alter ego Yama Niyama Das Brahmachari, Bhaktimarga Swami and his team will bring one of their epic dramas, and more top performers are yet to be announced.

After the show, a traditional Sunday Feast of rice, dahl, subjis, pakoras, chutney, puris, sweet rice, and gulabjamuns will be served. Devotees will return to their homes satisfied, relaxed, and yes, inspired.

“This year’s festival is a great way to celebrate ISKCON’s 50th anniversary, with so many excellent speakers covering the achievements of the last 50 years and motivating us about what we can do in the next 50,” says Vrindavan.

“It’s also a wonderful opportunity for participants to get inspired in Krishna consciousness and then return to their communities and enthuse others in devotional service.”

To register, please visit http://www.festivalofinspiration.net/registration/

By Kevala Bhakti das

With recent news of the tragic passing of former Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, many devotees of Toronto’s Hare Krishna Community have been fondly recalling how the then-Mayor visited our annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) in 2014.

It was the second day of our grand two-day annual event on Centre Island and word quickly got around that the Mayor had arrived at the festival site. He first visited the Deity booth, diligently removed his shoes and then took darshan (audience) of Lord Jagannatha (Lord Krishna). He was then garlanded by one of our pujaris (priests).

Mayor Ford was then brought to the main stage where he shared a proclamation from the City of Toronto, honouring our annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra). The highlight was the Mayor enthusiastically yelling out to the crowd, “Hare Krishna!” and receiving a jubilant “Hare Krishna” back as seen at the end of the video below!

Mayor Ford then toured the rest of the festival site, indulged in some prasadam (sanctified vegetarian food) and shook hands with what seemed to be an endless throng of people!

Toronto’s Hare Krishna community extends our prayers and condolences to the members of the Ford family during this difficult time. We hope that those who are mourning the loss of Rob Ford can take solace in knowing that he most certainly received great spiritual benefit by chanting the words “Hare Krishna” with all of his heart.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20056

The so-called husbands, political leaders and guardians.
There are many people all over the world—indeed, throughout the universe—who claim for some time that they are husbands, political leaders or guardians, but in due course of time the Supreme Lord desires their removal from their posts, and their careers are immediately finished. Therefore those who are actually learned and advanced in spiritual life do not accept any leader, husband or maintainer other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 5.18.20, Translation and Purport:
He alone who is never afraid but who, on the contrary, gives complete shelter to all fearful persons can actually become a husband and protector. Therefore, my Lord, you are the only husband, and no one else can claim this position. If you were not the only husband, You would be afraid of others. Therefore persons learned in all Vedic literature accept only Your Lordship as everyone’s master, and they think no one else a better husband and protector than You.
Here the meaning of husband or guardian is clearly explained, people want to become a husband, a guardian, a governor or a political leader without knowing the actual meaning of such a superior position. There are many people all over the world—indeed, throughout the universe—who claim for some time that they are husbands, political leaders or guardians, but in due course of time the Supreme Lord desires their removal from their posts, and their careers are immediately finished. Therefore those who are actually learned and advanced in spiritual life do not accept any leader, husband or maintainer other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lord Krsna personally states in Bhagavad-gita (18.66), aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: “I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions.” Krsna is not afraid of anyone. On the contrary, everyone is afraid of Krsna. Therefore He can actually give protection to a subordinate living entity. Since so-called leaders or dictators are completely under the control of material nature, they can never give complete protection to others, although they claim this ability due to false prestige. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum: (SB 7.5.31) people do not know that real advancement in life consists of accepting the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one’s master. Instead of deceiving themselves and others by pretending to be all-powerful, all political leaders, husbands and guardians should spread the Krsna consciousness movement so that everyone can learn how to surrender to Krsna, the supreme husband.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20066

Vanifun Crossword Puzzles. 
We hope you enjoy solving these online interactive crossword puzzles which are made from phrases and words (English and Sanskrit) as used by Srila Prabhupada.
The goal of these puzzles is to expand your English and Sanskrit vocabulary and to come closer to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings by using the Vaniquotes website to find the answer to the clues.
This puzzle is made up of words and phrases (English and Sanskrit) used by Srila Prabhupada. (Some English words have American spelling.)
Click on the first clue to highlight where to type your answer in the crossword and start typing from the yellow square.
Solve it online here: http://goo.gl/ABu3W6

From Back to Godhead

By Caitanya Carana Dasa

I said to Sandip, “I read about a form of addiction that is increasingly being recognized by specialists as the world’s most widespread and least discussed form of addiction: sexual addiction.”

“Sexual addiction? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just as alcoholics don’t have control over their desire for alcohol, sex addicts don’t have control over their sex drive. Drug addicts, for instance, are not necessarily evil or criminal but are in the grip of a habit that makes them act irrationally and sometimes even illegally. So with sex addicts.”

“What’s the point of calling it an addiction? That they shouldn’t be held responsible because they are addicted?”

“No, being addicted doesn’t mean the addict can’t be held accountable for his or her actions. Alcoholics who assault someone in a drunken stupor are punished, but they are also helped to treat their addiction. Why can’t the same thing be done for those who are not bad people but who do something bad due to lust? Sexual addiction needs to be treated, not neglected by the simplistic division of people into heroes and villains. Sexual addiction can afflict even common people who otherwise lead normal, responsible lives. Sex addicts may be addicted to many distorted forms of sexual expression like stalking, voyeurism, or stripping, but they are most commonly addicted to pornography.

“Did you know that the porn industry is among the world’s biggest and fastest growing industries? In the United States alone, porn revenue is greater than the combined revenues of all professional football, baseball, and basketball franchises.”

Sandip’s eyebrows shot up. “That big?”

“Yes. And sexual addiction is often more entangling than all other forms of addiction.”

The Most Entangling Addiction

“Why more entangling?”
“Because, in today’s society addicts just can’t get away from it. Alcohol and drugs are available at specific places, but sexual provocations are present everywhere. Other addicts have to spend time, energy, and money to get to alcohol or drugs, but sex addicts often have to spend time, energy, and money to get away from sexual provocations.”

“What do you mean? How do they spend time, energy, and money to get away?” “Billboards can act as triggers for sexual addicts. To avoid those triggers, they often have to take another route, which obviously requires time and energy. And with internet access available almost everywhere and porn sites on the net running into the thousands, temptation is always just one click away. Addicts seeking recovery just can’t resist temptation when it is so easily available. Experts insist that a vital first step in curing porn addiction is restricting access to the internet. Installing filters on computers requires money, and now that people have multiple devices with net access, they need multiple filters, which means spending more money.”

“All this sounds reasonable, but I’m still not convinced we should be calling attraction to sex an addiction. After all, sex is not like alcohol, which is not a fundamental human need. The desire for sex is a natural biological drive that’s present in all species.”

“Yes, sex is natural, but very little is natural about the current culture’s commodification of sex?” “Commodification?”

The Commodification of Sex

“Yes, our culture makes sex into a cog in the economic wheel. And it does so at three levels: sex is used to sell commodities; sex is made into a commodity for sale; and people are made into saleable commodities as sex toys.”

“That went by too fast. Can you explain?

“Sure. The first level is the most obvious and widespread. Everything from cellphones to cars is promoted using sex as bait. Ad agencies know that nothing catches people’s attention as much as sex, so they use sexually alluring images to grab people’s attention and then direct that attention to the products they want to sell. The second level is when sex is itself made into a commodity. That happens in offices where people take and give sexual favors in return for jobs, increments, or promotions. And it happens in hotels where sex is made into one more thing customers can tick along with optional conveniences like food, air-conditioning, etc. The third level is the flesh trade, where people are seen as nothing more than sex toys. And of course, there’s pornography, where people are reduced to virtual sex toys.”

“For a monk, you sure know a lot about sex?”

“Not about sex. About lust.”
“What’s the difference?”

“The difference is huge. Knowing more about sex means knowing how to do it better, longer, in new ways, and to enjoy it more. Knowing about lust means knowing about the force that makes people obsess over sex, that makes them do terrible things for its sake. It means understanding ‘Mr. Lust’ to be Public Enemy Number One. Most people don’t recognize lust as an enemy, but monks do. That’s often one of the reasons they become monks. And it’s certainly one of the ways they continue as monks. We need to know our enemy well and know how he acts as an enemy. That’s why I read about sexual addiction it shows how lust binds people.

“Another way to understand the difference is to look at the purpose of knowing people read about sex because they want more of it, whereas monks study lust to get the impetus to avoid it completely. By understanding how lust deludes people and drives them to selfdestructive actions, we protect ourselves and others from being similarly deluded.”

Sandip nodded. “Ok, the difference makes sense. Where were we?”

“On the point that the current commodification of sex is not at all natural. No species in nature commodifies sex the way humans do. What to speak of no species, no other civilization in human history has made such an extensive business of exploiting the sexual vulnerability of other human beings. No wonder there is so much sexual violence in today’s society.”

Sandip objected, “Again this seems like shifting blame for sexual violence from the person to the environment.”

“We’re not shifting blame; we’re just looking at all the relevant factors. Suppose our city is ravaged by arson. To counter the menace, we would strongly punish the arsonists and improve the firefighting services. Additionally, we would investigate an underlying cause: are city buildings made of inflammable stuff? If so, then we would try to correct that, wouldn’t we?”
“Yes.”

“Similarly, to counter the fire of sexual violence, we absolutely must punish the criminals swiftly and severely, and at the same time provide better security to potential victims. Additionally, we need to look for an underlying cause. As all actions start with thoughts the stuff of the mind we need to check whether people’s thoughts are made of sexually inflammable stuff. And they certainly are.”

“You know, all this is interesting though some of it is debatable but can we get back to the topic of your monkhood?” “Actually, that’s exactly what we’re talking about the discussion about sexual addiction came up as further vindication of what I’d been feeling: that everyone, I included, needed a way to regulate sexual desire, and that we can’t assume that when we have sexual desire, we’re all like heroes who would never do anything the villains did.

“In that context, I found the bhakti philosophy and bhakti practices so relevant. In the Bhagavad-gita (3.36), Arjuna asks Krishna, ‘What is it that makes people act sinfully, even against their will?’ And Krishna answers (3.37), ‘It is lust, lust that degenerates into anger and is the enemy of the world.’ Reading and comprehending that was one of the biggest Eureka moments of my life, all the more so when I understood that lust is a distortion of our original love for Krishna. The more we revive our love for Krishna, the more lust loses its power over us.

“Where the philosophy illumined, the practices empowered, especially the practice of mantra meditation. Once I discovered the holy name’s power in beating away unwanted thoughts, the scales in my inner battle changed dramatically. That discovery was so empowering.” “Empowering?”

“Definitely. Imagine a child who’s been bullied for years. Suddenly one day the child looks down and finds he’s got fists as big as the bully’s if not bigger. Next time the bully comes to hit him, the child hits back. ‘Take that! And that! And that. For all the years you tormented me, I’m going to get back at you now.’

“I felt something like that when I realized the power of the holy name. My chanting became like fighting in a war. I had envisioned meditation to be peaceful. This mantra meditation sure wasn’t peaceful, but it was better it was fruitful. I slowly started enjoying the war, because I could clearly see I was gradually getting the upper hand on lust. Its grip on me was decreasing. Not that I have knocked down or completely driven away the bully of lust by no means. Lust is too slippery and too wily. It always gets away before you can deliver a fatal blow. It doesn’t allow you to get the conviction that it’s so bad you need to be done with it forever. Then, when it comes back next time, it’s at its wily best or, you could say, wily worst. It has such a sweet smile on its face that you think it’s your best friend. And though you have the iron fist, instead of using it, you embrace My Sweet Smile. Just when you’ve lowered your guard, lust strikes. You end up doing something you never thought you could have done.”

“You’re quite worked up about this war metaphor, aren’t you?”

“I’ve found very few metaphors that describe reality as accurately as this one. I strongly feel that the more people confront their lower self, that fewer outer confrontations they will have to face. Inner war increases outer peace. And compared to all other methods for self-mastery, the holy name is in its own league. Due to its power, I felt confident about choosing monkhood.”

Restraint is not Deprivation

“So that’s how you became free from sex desire?”
“I didn’t say I was free from anything.” “But aren’t you making that claim by wearing the dress of a monk?”

“A monk is someone who’s decided not to engage in sex and is striving to become free from sex desire not necessarily someone who is already free.” “So you’re admitting you have sex desire?” “Srimad-Bhagavatam says that no one, except Lord Narayana and the sage Nara-Narayana, is free from lust.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. So, the question begs itself: If you have sex desire, then why deprive yourself by not fulfilling it?

“Do you sometimes feel sexually attracted to women other than your wife?

“What?” The shock was evident on his face.

I kept a straight face. “You heard me.”

“Well, that’s personal.”

“You’re asking me a personal question too. So it’s only fair that you be ready to answer one.”

“But I’m Sherlock Holmes, not you. Here you’re meant to answer questions, not me.”

“Agreed. But my question to you is a part of my answer. I need to hear your answer before I respond. Don’t worry, my question is not meant to make you feel guilty; it’s meant to highlight a universal feature of human behavior.”

“Well, OK. I’m just like everyone else. Sometimes I do feel sexually attracted to other women.”

“Then why deprive yourself by not fulfilling that desire?

“But that would be immoral, scandalous, maybe even dangerous.”

“Those are all negative motivations. Isn’t there a positive motivation for being faithful to your wife?”

“Yes, definitely. I want to have an honest and deep relationship with my wife, to look her in the eyes whenever we share our hearts. And I know I can’t do that if I cheat on her.”

“Well said. That means refusing to act on an existing desire doesn’t always have to be a deprivation especially when there’s a higher purpose.”

“When you put it that way, yes . . . I can see what you’re driving at.”

“The same principle of a higher purpose underlies the self-restraint of a married man as well as that of a monk. The difference is that the monk’s self-restraint is, so to speak, one level higher whereas a married man restricts sex to his wife, the monk doesn’t engage in sex at all.”

“That’s not just one level higher. It’s an entirely different ball game. You make it sound as if it’s a dietary preference: whether to be an omnivore or a herbivore. But I would say it’s like choosing between eating and not eating at all. Sex is like food it’s a basic bodily need.”

“Maybe I should give you some sound punches on the nose.” Though I knew a smile would belie my words, I couldn’t stop it from creeping on my face.

Sandip’s face showed that he hadn’t caught the joke. “If you have to resort to force as a replacement for argument, then you have already lost the argument.”

“I’m considering force not as a replacement, but as a complement.”

“A complement?”

“Your argument is that sex is a necessity, like food. If that were true, then all of us monks should be dead, shouldn’t we? If talking with a monk for several hours doesn’t convince you that he’s alive, then what’s that monk supposed to do? Probably an experiential learning session with your nose as a punching bag for the monk’s fists might convince you that he is indeed alive.”

A smile broke across his face. “OK, point conceded. I’ll admit that sex is not quite on par with food as a necessity. Still, the desire for sex is irresistible for most people, if not all.” He spoke in a tone that invited challenge.

But some challenges are worth neglecting, especially when an opening is available elsewhere. “Irresistible isn’t the same as essential. Alcoholics feel that alcohol is irresistible. And it may well be for them, depending on how strong the grip of the addiction. But, just because the urge for something is irresistible, it doesn’t make that something essential. ‘Irresistible’ refers to that which we feel we can’t live without, whereas ‘essential’ refers to that which we actually can’t live without. Food is essential. Alcohol and sex may seem irresistible, but they aren’t essential.”

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20060

By Subhag Swami

Empowered among all the disciples of Srila Prabhupada is Jaya Pataka Maharaj. I was seeing in Mayapur around 45 years how he is preaching, village after village, country after country and expand. Bhakti Vinod Thakur says people from all part of the world will get together and do a maha milan. He preaches through Bhakti Vriksha. Very wonderful. Of course Prabhupada said I’m doing and you are all my assistant. You have seen now outside 1000s, lakhs and millions of people coming.

Actually according to the government today is Holy. But today’s only not just holy but today is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance day. Like full moon coming from the ocean, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also coming from the ocean of the womb of mother Sachi like Krishna appeared and is different from Krishna, little bit different, Krishna is Madhurya, embodiment of all sweetness. And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is more on other side, Madhurya is there, but he is Audharaya, mahavadanya most broad minded and the people are most fallen. (2:11)

And Nityananda prabhu is bringing everybody to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and one person asked, if you approach the lotus feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, his treasure, he can understand the mystery of what is Bhakti. Bhakti is called sometimes mystery the great, by the law of nature. I would request you so today’s appearance day, Nityananda sakthi, He is the most powerful expansion of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Today Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance day, Nityananda one song is very important you can even by heart it if you chant Gouaranga’s name. So I request you, may I request you to , can you chant with me?

Devotees: Yes

Yes please chant with me, Srila Prabhupada also sang this sometimes not always.

bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga
laha gaurangera name
ye jana gauranga bhaje
sei amara prana re

This Nityananda prabhu used to sing which means, bhaja gauranga means if I become a devotee of Gauranga, you try to become the devotee of Krishna, chanting Krishna’s name staying in Vridanavan Dham is alright but Radharani is very strict. If you commit offense, then it is difficult to make progress so it is dangerous. Offense and sins are not same things, subtle difference is there. Unless the person whom you offend forgives, it’s very difficult. Whereas Panchattava, Nityananda and Lord Gaurnaga’s name there is no such thing. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is very very broad minded, Rupa Goswami said “Om namo mahavadanyaya”, he is giving the highest thing, love of God, “Krishna Prem,” He is Audarya, very broad minded he is very compassionate. These things you don’t see in any other incarnations much as it is prominent especially as in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s case. At that time when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appeared 530 years ago from now and in Navadvip people are watching so many things, not Krishna. So Advaita Acharya was very sad and at one point he said by any means I will bring Krishna here. Krishna is very pleased with tulasi and, he worshipped tulasi with Ganga jal. When we come, we just come but he is asking Lord to come, Gaura Nitai. By worshiping and speaking he agitated him saying wake up and the Lord has to come to preach Krishna Consciousness. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to this Nadia district so the whole world comes here. You see Bhakti Vinod Thakur says I’m seeing foreign people, English men, American, all will be coming here, everyone. To start devotional service here at least you can become fastly become liberated, detached from material life of sense gratification

“Vairagya-vidya and bhakti-yoga”

And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s father and mother they are not rich but very simple in the true sense they are rich with love of Godhead. They are lover of great devotee, they were not brahmins, but caste Brahmin keep himself in material world, everybody is hankering after these things, high birth, coming from high education, beauty, power, wealth all these things . But brhamin great sages keep themselves in a very lower position, in improvised state so that he does not become puffed up at the same time we can be humble. This is the most important point Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, to understand God is to be humble. So in kaliyuga lord, Garga Muni is saying that Krishna varnam tvisha Krishnam….

SB: 7.9.38

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

Previously it is said in Canto 7 of Srimad Bhagavatam 9th chapter 38 he said in this lord has appeared as human incarnation, animal, great saintly person, demigod, fish, tortoise and he maintained creation in the planetary system, killed the demons, and protector of principles of religion. But In Kaliyuga he did not clearly state, chana avatar, he came covered, in kaliyuga he came as a devotee. Because when Krishna came he is saying he is Supreme Personality of Godhead, and religion means to completely surrender unto Me only. He wants complete surrender. Many scholar say its too much, it is demanding, who is He to demand such thing, and why only surrender we have got so many reasons, this and that why? So, the Lord came as Chana avatar, covered in kaliyuga. He also comes in three yuga avatar, incarnation. How do we know, this, it is said sadhu sastra & guru and accept the authenticity.

shruti-smriti-puranadi

pancaratra-vidhim vina

You have to substantiate not that whatever I say it is avatar. In India in many district and many places sometimes many avatars are still there. So, we see this feature is there Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has been mentioned in many places. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is mentioned in Mahabharata, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is mentioned by Rupa Goswami, accepted by Vrindavan das Thakur and accepted by Sarvabhuma Bhattacharya like that in many places.

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

These people, those are intelligent they can understand, he will come to preach sankritan dharma in Kaliyuga. Only Krishna kirtan, not any other kirtans. Others introduced so many kirtans. No only Krishna Kirtan. So this was told by Karbhajana Muni to kill Nimi how we will know or recognise the Lord?

Sometimes it is said in Nadia he will come in the bank of Bhagirathi, mother Sachi all these things like that the proof is there. You have to know, who is God. In Kaliyuga it is the yuga dharma, dharma of the yuga. There are different avatars, six types mentioned by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lila avatar so many avatar. Yuga avatar, lila avatar, shaktiavaesh avatar that ways and in this case he is chana avatar. Also triyuga avatar. Chana means covered. He came as a devotee. And then as he is telling the same thing as Krishna says as in the mood of his greatest devotee, Radharani. This is Radharani’s place. In another scripture it is said Radharani manifested a very beautiful dham it is Navadvip dham. In other scriptures it is mentioned, so that Krishna came and He is teaching us how to serve in the mood of Radharani, He is teaching us how to serve, He is teaching us by kirtan, Krishna kirtan. Surrender to Krishna, submissiveness and it requires qualification. He didn’t come as Vamana, Nrshimha or Ramachandra but as a devotee, most magnanimous incarnation. Krishna says you have to surrender, but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not saying like that. He said, you chant this name, you become devotee of the Lord, you surrender to Him, He himself, who can teach? A devotee can teach. So He is teaching us Himself by acting as an Acharya. Devotee can become an Acharya provided he comes from parampara.

BG:4.2

evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh

So what God said exactly He said, they are saying guru, disciple being qualified then he becomes guru he teaches them. The same system is going on till now by four sampradayas. The lord gave this knowledge to Lakshmi Devi, He gave this knowledge to Rudra, Lord Shiva. He gave this knowledge to Brahma, Brahma’s four sons Sanat Kumaras like that. Like that four sampradayas still exist. Anybody outside this sambrpadaya cannot give this knowledge. Because they are simply repeating what Lord says. So we find many in Bhagavad Gita , 760 of them. At That time when Srila Prabhupada started he discarded them, why? One lady asked, he said because I don’t accept these things, why? They are giving their own Bhagavad Gita about what they think like that, many I don’t want to mention. Thinking body as Kurushetra, Panchapandava as five senses. It is not that we have to surrender within ISKCON. It is not Krishna we should surrender to but something within Krishna, this is against scripture. So Prabhupada gave the name Bhagavad Gita As It Is, as Krishna said “Man mana Bhava”. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said think of Krishna. Who said? Krishna said.

BG:18.65

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ‘si me

Mad bhakto – become my devotee, Krishna Bhakta. Same Krishna came as Gauranga and it is so simple to chant Gauranga…Gauranga!!!!! Very easy and in that no offense.

He can do anywhere else, of course in Kaliyuga everyone is in animal platform. According to the law one is absorbing in only eating, mating sleeping and defending. How to eat nicely how to sleep nicely how to have sensual pleasure, man woman. That is what animals are doing, they know nothing but this. And 98% of people in the name of material advancement only absorbed in this, how to enhance this. This is called materialistic civilization, leading to they don’t know where they are leading to but we know where it is leading to. So Chaitanya mahaprabhu he is very compassionate, Nitayananda prabhu actually is,

parama koruna, pahu dui jana
nitai gauracandra saba avatar

Essence of all avatar, incarnation Kevala Ananda. Very simple chant and dance, that’s all. He cannot dance you ask him any people he cannot, but Bhakta can dance for hours and hours unless he is realised how can he dance? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave this, neither you have to push your nose, neither leave your husband, neither leave wife, neither leave your family, house and children and go to Himalayas neither beard, have matted hair, measuring how big that Sadhu is. No, no not like that. It is also external, Bhakti Vinod Thakur says in the heart if we place Krishna we make our heart clean. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says Kundicha…marjanam. Cleaning your heart by cleaning the temple very simple. Chant and dance. Nityananda will say like this chant like this:

“bhaja gouranga..”

To make a quick advancement when you chant,

sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara
srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

For that we have to qualify ourselves, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s statement. Eight verses and very simple. Everything is there, whole Vaishnava philosophy. Please chant all the time, nobody is chanting all the time. But Haridas Thakur is chanting why? Because he is qualified to chant

“tranad api sunichena….”

I’m simply repeating, like Jayapataka Swami Maharaj I also have association with Prabhupada long time. Who will try to be shouted by others, anybody like being shouted by others and humiliated? Nobody. Then how you will become saint? Saint doesn’t become a factory made saint. Any saint made in the factory? No? We have to qualify. Once a saintly person was asked by his disciple I see we are reading these demoniac quality and divine quality, BG 16th chapter I think. Please correct me, if I’m wrong. I may be fallen, but I repeat what Srila Prabhupada said whether one likes it in this class that is one’s duty. No one should be after Kanaka, kamini and prastistha very difficult. Wealth, attraction of oppostie sex, name, fame position. You know, what this all leads to. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said one should think I am more fallen, sinful. Bhakti Vinod Thakur said

“āmāra jīvana, sadā pāpe rata..”

Prabhupada actually said, in this Bhativinod Thakur says, all I did was sinful activity, I was very proud when somebody is in distress I enjoy. For my fame I sometimes cheat others. Actually Prabhupada said he is actually steady but what a conditioned soul should be introspecting and search within him to see how much I become qualify to become the devotee of the Lord

So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is saying that

“trnad api sunichena”

He doesn’t protest. He said example of tree, severe cold you know who come from Siberia, Alaska. Somebody may be cutting the tree, mentality scorching heat Dubai even bus going air conditioned everything air conditioned anything I go inside I find there is air conditioner. Again cold countries, Toronto sometimes in TV they advise don’t stay outside even three minutes if you go out you will be frozen ice and you will die, so at once go inside. But tree cannot do like that, he did something in his past life and it is standing like a tree, may be no clothes nothing enjoy. So many clubs there may be In the name of beauty sometimes like that. Son is puffed up so much when his father has got wealth naturally , so when disciple asked the guru and he is reading that Verse

Dharmo datvo ahakarasya…

Symptoms of men who easily get angry, ignorant, puffed up, very arrogant, this is the quality of Asura. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said so how do you chant the name of God all the time? Surrender, become “tranad api sunicena”. Become very tolerant like tree. Tree is giving you when there is scorching sun giving soothing shadow like that. In India in north India if you go there is amla tree especially neem tree if you go under that it is very cooling. He is giving all these things, leaves, barks, flowers, but nice fragrant flower sometimes king of all fruits, variety of all fruits he is giving all these things. But in spite of we taking all that we are cutting down, put fire but he is not saying why you are doing this to me I gave you these, why you are giving me such hard time, you are treating me cruelly he doesn’t say, I’m in this position, “DANDAVATS” ( devotees laughing) he doesn’t expect respect from anyone. Never expect any respect from others, within everybody the Lord is there

BG 18:61

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthat

Theoretical knowledge and also practical knowledge, he realise in service surrender. He respects everyone, even an ant. It is vigyana, he is Brahmin he is perfect Brahmin, he becomes Vaishnava he doesn’t have to have social in a ashram any varna simply by qualification he becomes a vaishanva. He may be Grahasta, may be a woman, or he may be vanaprasta.

Bhaktivinod Thakur was going in a train, he was a magistrate. As usually in India a bad habit I think. Before entering the train a man, someone threw a handkerchief on the seat and said, Hi this is my place you cannot sit here, What? Yes before the train system started by British, Bhaktivinod Thakur, a magistrate in that area was thinking he will go by train. Before him everyone sat down, so he put some mat on the floor and sat down on the floor of the train. Suddenly one of them who was sitting, he got the seat or not, but it wasn’t mentioned like his son younger than Prabhupada’s gurumaharaj Bhakti Siddanta Saraswathi Thakur, he told in his book, in his biography Bhakti Vinod Thakur’s biography he has written. There he is saying one person got up and said, “you are all sitting here but do you know who the top person in this area is”? Yes, there might be some top men like dean, district magistrate like that. Would you sit when he is here? Why are you asking such question, naturally we will not. He asked so what you are doing, what do you mean, he is really our magistrate really? But he is so humble he is not taking anything, demanding. Never demanding simply sitting there. Just like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When they were putting down Chaitanya Mahaprabhu this in Banaras, Prakasananda Saraswathi he has got so many followers. They were sitting & one of them said, one from Bengal one sentimental sanyasi came and instead of speaking Vedanta he is simply chanting and dancing and millions of people were going. Bhakti is in the heart not in knowledge. If you give your heart, then Krishna will give you knowledge, automatically:

BG:10.11

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

If you really have bhakti, if you really open your heart to the Lord by surrendering first then the Lord gives automatically knowledge, this is the result of Bhakti yoga. “janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ” automatically get detachment from material enjoyment because you get higher pleasure, sukam that pleasure is not available in material world that pleasure is only available by chanting the holy name

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

One should always be hankering, we are always hankering for sense gratification. When one is hankering, praying, and crying from core of his heart more service, more service, more service to the Lord and His pure devotee that is what ISKCON is all about. That is why ISKCON is expanding throughout the world unlike other organisation. This is supposed to go according to Bhaktivinod Thankura, upto 10,000 years it will go, nobody can stop 10000 years it will go. So we have got a great responsibility as Prabhupada taught us, I made this movement to build character. If you want to become Vaishnava you want to go back to Godhead, we have to develop Godly character. Doesn’t matter if you are distributing book, if you are a sanyasi, house wife or you are a grahasta. Opportunity is knocking to everybody and is open to everybody this world to become a first class, but everybody may not be qualified. You are a first class person, so you become a pure devotee, how? First you qualify yourself then you go back to Godhead and then take many people to God head. What is the difficulty? It is open. The ISKCON, Prabhupada made, in his book all the ideal questions and ideal answers are there. You simply have to accept it and act and you become pure devotee and go back to Godhead

Prabhupada got a disciple his name is Jayananda prabhu. When Prabhupada was there everyone knew he is there in night working from menial service to responsible service like opening a centre. In those days opening a centre, is like just get some money regularly somehow or the other by doing job and then take house or apartment, preach to others and call some boy or girl, come here chant Hare Krishna, try to take Prasad, don’t eat anything else. At once may not give up everybody. I’m talking about 1970 or little before. I joined in 70s. Staying in the temple and he was doing everything.

Again story how he is humble. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when Tapan Mishra told we cannot tolerate they are insulting you please one day come, here. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted to come one day after insisting so much. He went and he didn’t say anything but calm and quiet. Where everybody is washing their feet He washed His feet there, and sat down there. But at once all the other sanyasis came, why you are sitting here? You can see? Same thing about Bhaktivinod Thakur same about this Jayananda prabhu. Prabhupada said after his disappearance, Prabhupada said when one of the authority talked about Jayananda. Prabhupada said, exactly don’t remember, “this life he will go back to godhead”. So any of us sitting here, not be known by others may go back to God head in this one life. It is to be qualified as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said. Prabhupada said he is free from all these things. He gets all the wonderful qualities of the Lord simply by surrendering, how:

BG: 4.11

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante

According to one’s surrender to Krishna. He develops all these wonderful qualities of Krishna, may be little drop of Krishan what Krishna has in devotion just a purity just in quality and then there may be many others, just like in the forest, there are many flowers that may not be appreciated by others, nice fragrance there very beautiful like that.

So Jayananda prabhu will be like that and then one day started ratha yatra. He was driving, took humble service to get money came to know about this movement and then joined and since then what he did was day and night hard work, ask others please help me to do these like this and engage others in service. He is wonderful devotee, devotee could see what he was but till Prabhupada recognised when he is going morning walk he will go and see what he is doing inside the temple.

He used to tell one incident. One day he used to go to many places like police station to get help to start ratha yatra, preach to them. Then people later on came and asked where is this boy where is this boy (Jayananda). Srila Prabhupada said everywhere throughout the world put his picture in front of Jagannath so that everyone could see him. Even today we can see.

So what happened is one man came to see him for some reason and he said that is he there? Yes he is available, you see. Then long time past he said, please wait you will see him. Small building hardly he started the temple of course I wasn’t there and the time is going and this man become impatient and asked is this man in the house? Yes. He went and go through all the room, small building and he came back and said I can’t find him anywhere. May I ask you sir, yes! Are you the man? Immediately he said, yes sir. He was shocked to see he is in charge, he was carrying garbage. Srila Prabhupada said litter means to most menial to top service. When he had leukaemia, blood cancer then he had money from his family members $5000 at that time it is lot of money. He insisted Prabhupada take this money. No its’ for your treatment. Prabhupada no this body I know it won’t be cured so it is better you take. Both of them having war, he say take and Prabhupada won’t take and then Prabhupada thought he accepted teachings of Teachings of Lord Chaitanya and used up the money. Again he heard again the same thing he did, another time he gave. Prabhupada appreciated and then he had to accept it.

Like that there are many wonderful devotees might be there. They are not recognised but Lord recognises them. There are pure devotees here not recognised so Lord Chaitanya’s movement is there and you have come from different countries of the world how much sacrifices in different places they did in Africa, Russia in the beginning of this movement so many devotees went to jail torture may be new generation don’t know. Time will come when then they will find out that is Bhaktivinod Thakur said real Sadhu sanga, you want to do real Sadhu sanga? How Prabhupada worked hard before he went to America and how he went? How he faced hard days struggling before making this worldwide movement. When they asked Prabhupada, his answer different from time to time. Every time he may not say but sometimes he will say. He is like the newspaper boy himself printing himself cannot pay the fare for printing cost, book, and magazine. Vrindavan to Delhi at that time in 1970 before that whole day you cannot come back Srila Prabhupada was staying in Delhi, scorching days much different from Bengal. It is still cold and still hot he will be still distributing books. I can’t go after half past 7 in Vrindavan , morning and noontime and whole day distributing his magazine Back To Godhead, it’s so just to just to save a little small amount of money 1/16th of a rupee its nothing now, we cannot get 1/80 th time. Now 80 time more than that. He was just like a little boy buy some peanut and eat and save some money he will be walking I know many devotees scarified like that. Many girls distribute books they give money, they get so much money but they give every penny and never took any money they are no less than sanyasis. So there are many wonderful devotees like that.

And Prabhupada one day was unconscious, fall down in the street and somebody later on when he see splashed water on his face and said swami, its India especially any Sanyasis they are respecting. And nobody dare to insult a sanyasi. Still this culture is there and Prabhupada tried to introduce this vedic culture to the world. If a perfect Brahmin is qualified he can become a sanyasi he can become Vaishnava or Vaishanvi. These are subject of the thinking of somebody should be introspective think how much progress have I made? How much closer did I come to Krishna? In the mode of pure goodness.

Golokera Prema Dhana Harinama Sankirtana

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave Harinam party and it is not material sound vibration it is as good as the spiritual world. So saintly persons when they chant they will feel no difference between the spiritual world and here, he will see. Ask yourself and see you how you feel? Are you purified? Yes? It will be purified and it will be everlasting. I don’t want to say anything, Prabhupada asked me to repeat what h said. So what I heard from him what I know stay with him, Jayapataka maharaj knows Mayapur or any other place Calcutta west simply repeating. Prabhupada said repeat from my book, don’t be a vedic scholar and read so many books. First digest then it will take you whole life, you still cannot finish Prabhupada books

Digest it put in practice all these things simply tell them. So:

Tranad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna

That Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach us, to become a bhakta, by the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, then you will go back to godhead.

Gauranga suti patho….

Who treasure the lotus feet of Gauranga or Gaur Nityananda, sometimes Nityananda is more merciful, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes can reject but Nityananda is very merciful. Nityananda’s expansion is sad guru he suffers for him but we should know our position. We can’t be Vasudeva Datta who said, my dear lord let the whole world go back to Godhead by your mercy let me take their sin and suffer. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said Vasudev!, you are great devotee of the Lord , simply by your desire the Lord will fulfil you don’t have to suffer. But still you want to stay here. What will happen again and again more people will come and fill it up and again more people will go back and again people will come here to the prison house of material existence? But this movement’s purpose is to become a good devotee and the purpose is to bring others as much as possible to the lotus feet of Krishna, or Gauranga easier. Bhaktivinod Thakur said, did and said this is a goshtianandi movement and ISKCON is the movement made and how to propagate how to make more and more people, as many devotees take so many risks at the risk of being tortured. At the risk of their life they still do that many devotees. I think according to official time I have to finish it right now. Haribol, what next I don’t know. Dharshan…so let us go for dharshan of deities?

Gauranga!!!

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20122