A) SAMBANDHA JNANA & cow protection:
goṣvan ga yavasadina (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.11.43)
I can be worshiped within the cows by offerings of grass and other suitable grains and paraphernalia for the pleasure and health of the cows,
(How can this be called as being related to Sambandha-jnana? Because, “Bhakti-yoga that is performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Vasudeva brings about detachment from all things unrelated to Him and gives rise to pure knowledge that is free from any motive for liberation and directed exclusively towards the attainment of Him” Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.2.7)
B) ABHIDHEYA & cow protection:
(I) Gomata - a partner in Vaidhi-sadhana-bhakti:
(a) 10th principle of Vaidhi-sadhana-bhakti (Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu,1.2.110_:
aṣvattha tulasi dhatri go bhumis sura vaiṣṇavaḥ
pujitaḥ praṇataḥ dhyataḥ kṣapayanti nṛṇam agham
In the Skanda Puraṇa it is directed that a devotee should offer water to the tulasi plant and Amalaka trees. He should offer respect to the cows and to the brahmaṇas and should serve the Vaiṣṇavas by offering them respectful obeisances and meditating upon them. All of these processes will help the devotee to diminish the reactions to his past sinful activities.
(b) Srimad Bhagavatam, Go-seva:
uktam bhagavatam nityam kṛtam ca hari cintanam
tulasi poṣaṇam caiva dhenunam sevanam samam
Reciting Srimad Bhagavatam daily, remembering Lord Hari constantly, nourishing the tulasi plant, protecting and caring for the cows, are all equally beneficial (because these acts are pleasing to Kṛṣṇa) (Bhagavata mahatmya, verse 40).
© Daivi-sampat qualitites imbibed due to association of mother cow
dhairyam
dhṛtisca santisca puṣṭirvṛddhiḥ tathaiva ca
smrtirmedha tatha lajja vapuḥ kirtistathaiva ca
vidya santirmatiscaiva santatiḥ parama tatha
yatra gavastatra lakṣmiḥ sankhyadharmasca sasvataḥ
(Varaha Puraṇa, 206.34-35)
By associating with the cows, by serving the cows and by consuming milk and milk products, it is said that one will be endowed with fearlessness, tolerance, peacefulness, strength, sharp memory, intelligence, shyness to act irreligiously, humility, health, fame, knowledge and progeny. Wherever there are cows, there is all prosperity and eternal spiritual knowledge.
(d) Dasyam (of sadhana bhakti) and cow protection:
karma svabhavikam bhadram (Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu, 1.2.185)
To follow svabhava-karma (Daiva varṇasrama dharma) for pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. Varṇa-samanya-dharma (common dharma for all is ‘cow protection’ and 'growing food’ (meaning, not for trade but for self-sufficiency. Trade is exclusive domain of mercantile class)
kṛṣistu sarva varṇanam
samanyo dharma ucyate
kṛṣrbhṛtiḥ pasupalyam sarveṣam
na niṣidhyate
Agriculture and cow protection are common duty for all the varNAs and they are not prohibited for anyone (Vṛddha Harita Smṛti)
(II) Gomata - a partner in Raganuga sadhana bhakti
tat-prapty-utkaṅṭayam ekadaṣi-janmaṣṭi-karttika-vrata-bhoga-tyagadini tapo-rupaṇi tathasvattha-tulasy-adi-sammananadini tad-bhavanukulany eva
The observance of Ekadasi, Janmaṣṭami, Kartikka vrata as well as the renunciation of sense pleasures and other austerities, offering respect to tulasi, the banyan tree, cows etc.; all of these activities executed with eagerness for attaining one’s most cherishable relationship with the Desired Object, because they are helpful and favourably disposed towards the attainment of this bhava are called bhavanukula sadhana (Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu Bindu, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarthi Ṭhakura)
A devotee may be desiring to associate with the Personality of Godhead as His cowherd friend. He will want to serve the Lord by assisting Him in controlling the cows in the pasturing ground. This may appear to be a desire to enjoy the company of the Lord, but actually it is spontaneous love, serving Him by assisting in managing the transcendental cows (Srila Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 15)
(III) Gomata - a partner in Bhava-bhakti
Impetus (Uddipana) - “Uddipana-vibhava to bhava bhakti
ye kṛṣṇas smarayanti te uddipana vibhava
Refers to all those things which stimulate remembrance of Sri Kṛṣṇa such as His dress and ornaments, the spring season, the bank of the Yamuna, forest groves, cows, peacocks, and so on.” (Srila Visvanatha Cakravarthi Ṭhakura, Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu Bindu)
C) PRAYOJANA & cow protection:
(IV) Gomata - a partner in Prema-bhakti
Santa-rasa and cows:
(a) Impetus for santa-rasa and cows:
parvata-saila-kananadi-vasi-jana-san
ga-siddha-ksetradayaḥ uddipana-vibhavaḥ
To live in pure and natural atmosphere devoid of crowded congestion of cities. Such places are known as vivikta-desa full of trees and natural surroundings (just like forests of Vrindavan).
(Of with course cows in such peaceful living. After all, that is how great rṣis lived in the past).
Cows gave pleasure to Sri Kṛṣṇa in Santa-rasa (Hence worthy of our service):
The land, the grass, the trees, the plants, fruits, or the cows in the transcendental world are supposed to be situated in the santa-rasa. As spiritual beings, they are all conscious of Kṛṣṇa, but they prefer to appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s greatness remaining as they are (Srila Prabhupada, Letter to Rupanuga, 12 Mar, 1968).
(b) Impetus for Dasya-rasa and cows:
Reverential affection to see Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd boy:
“When will that glorious day in my life come when it will be possible for me to go to the bank of the Yamuna and see Lord Kṛṣṇa playing there as a cowherd boy?”
© Impetus (Vibhava) and Anubhava in Sakhya-rasa and cows:
“ Kṛṣṇa going into the forest to tend the cows” is an impetus for saakhya-rasa.
vrndaraṇye samastat surabhiṇi surabhivṛndarakṣavihari (Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu, 3.3.66)
Anubhava symptom in sakhya-rasa and cows:
puras tairyatrikam
tasya gavaṁ sambhalanakriyaḥ
“Helping Kṛṣṇa herd His cows” (Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu, 3.3.95)
(d) Vatsalya-rasa and cows
According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura the cows loved Lord Kṛṣṇa in vatsalya-rasa, or the love of parents for a child, because the cows were always supplying milk to Kṛṣṇa.
Impetus for vatsalya-rasa and cows/calves:
vatsarakṣa vrajarbhyeṇa (Bhakti Rasamṛta Sindhu, 3.4.32)
Kṛṣṇa protecting and herding calves in the forests, is an impetus for Vatsalya-rasa.
(e) Impetus for Madhurya rasa and cows:
The impetuses of conjugal love are Kṛṣṇa and His very dear consorts, such as Radharaṇi and Her immediate associates (who are all gopis, or cowherd women).
“Dear Kṛṣṇa, what woman in all the three worlds wouldn’t deviate from religious behavior when bewildered by the sweet, drawn-out melody of Your flute? Your beauty makes all three worlds auspicious. Indeed, even the cows, birds, trees and deer manifest the ecstatic symptom of bodily hair standing on end when they see Your beautiful form.” (Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.29.40)
“When one gopi perfectly imitated how Kṛṣṇa would call the cows who had wandered far away, how He would play His flute and how He would engage in various sports, the others congratulated her with exclamations of “Well done! Well done!” (Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.30.18)
“Your lotus feet destroy the past sins of all embodied souls who surrender to them. Those feet follow after the cows in the pastures and are the eternal abode of the goddess of fortune. Since You once put those feet on the hoods of the great serpent Kaliya, please place them upon our breasts and tear away the lust in our hearts”. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.31.7)
“Dear master, dear lover, when You leave the cowherd village to herd the cows, our minds are disturbed with the thought that Your feet, more beautiful than a lotus, will be pricked by the spiked husks of grain and the rough grass and plants” (Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.31.11)
D) Tending cows - natural occupation of Kṛṣṇa in Goloka Vṛndavana
cintamaṇi-prakara-sadmaṣu kalpavṛkṣa-
lakṣavṛteṣu surabhir abhipalayantam
lakṣmi-sahasra-ṣata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-puruṣam tam aham bhajami
“Lord Kṛṣṇa is situated in a spiritual abode made of transcendental gems. In that abode he is surrounded by millions of desire fulfilling trees (kalpa-vṛkṣa), and he takes pleasure in tending the divine cows. He is always being served with great reverence and affection by hundreds of thousands of devotees. To that Supreme Lord, who is always trying to satisfy the senses of the cows, and who is the original person, I offer my worship.”
Brahma-samhita
Of course not touching about Karma-kanda, Jsana-kanda and cows.
Bharat Chandra Dasa, Date: 7/06/2016 

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=22008

Are Vedic texts or shastra antiquated and irrelevant, incompatible with modern life ? Is shastra weakened by the influence of time ?

What is Vedic Knowledge ?

The stupendous written texts of Vyasadeva, the empowered literary incarnation of the Lord, have enabled a vast body of knowledge to come down to us, passed on by scrupulously honest and scholarly acaryas, mercifully unadulterated. This reservoir of information is Vedic knowledge. Unless one is specifically empowered by the Lord, it is not possible for an ordinary human to put into text the worldly and spiritual knowledge covering all vital areas of the human experience, in just one lifetime. The Bhagavatam refers to Vyasadeva as Krsna Dwaipayana Vyasa. The medium is of course Sanskrit, the authentic language of Vedic scripture. Vedic texts, or shastra, have descended from the most exalted parampara or lineage of spiritual masters comprising Lord Visnu, Brahmaji, Narada Muni, Vyasadeva and Sukhdev Goswami (Bhagavatam 12.13.19).

Notwithstanding my own unworthiness, I shall make an attempt, however feeble, to examine Vedic knowledge from the perspective of one trained in science, and proffer a greenhorn’s cursory view of this sublime and fascinating treasure, humanity’s inheritance. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 A.D.), bhakti incarnation of the Lord and impeccable Vedic scholar, considered shastra as divine sounds which issued directly from the mouth of the Lord. It is therefore free from mistakes, illusion, imperfect senses or the propensity to deceive. Amongst shastra, the highest are the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, spoken directly by Lord Krsna to Arjuna amidst the two armies facing off at Kurukshetra, and the Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavad Purana), spoken by Sukhdev Goswami to King Pariksit, who had forsaken his kingdom prior to his impending death from a snakebite, while the assemblage of sages listened with rapt attention, on the banks of mother Ganga. The only way to understand shastra is unconditional acceptance from the mouth or writings of acaryas.

Vedic theism consists of a few sampradayas or systems, each representing the first guru in that lineage. Sri Caitanya’s Gaudiya theism has accepted the lineage from Brahmaji thru Madhavacharya. Hence this lineage is referred to as the Brahma-Madhava-Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya.

What method does one use to evaluate Vedic shastra ?

Normal everyday occurrences or phenomena can be verified by using the various standard and conventional methods available, for the satisfaction of rational minds by correlation of scientifically processed data with occurrences in nature. We shall see how the same methods are unsuitable and totally inadequate for the evaluation of Vedic shastra. 
1. In the physical realm, such as the disciplines of chemistry or physics, theories or propositions can be studied by carefully designed experiments in laboratories, results obtained, and theories authenticated therefrom. The experiment and its results are tangible. Laws of motion, gravity, chemical reactions, etc; are all directly provable in basic laboratories even by young students. 
2. In the study of macro natural phenomena such as typhoons, eclipses, volcanic eruptions, etc; scientists, by dint of knowledge collated so far in their respective fields, anticipate events and set up apparatus and sophisticated instruments. After study of the data provided by the natural phenomena, scientists are able to postulate their theories which are more or less accepted by the scientific community. The degree of scientific acceptance determines the general acceptance of any particular theory or hypothesis in human society. 
3. In the realm of biology, which embraces all the living bodies on earth and their internal physiology, structure and pathology, detailed scientific work and classifications of genus have been determined by successive generations of the scientific community and are more or less in place, and established, as a vital branch of the human knowledge base. 
4. It has been seen in many scientific fields that further scientific work either validates or even repudiates the earlier work, because the earlier hypothesis was too simplistic or not sophisticated enough to accept anomalies or deviations in available data. To illustrate this point, let us take the case of atomic theory. The ancient Greeks thought that matter was made up of atoms (atomos ) which actually meant ‘uncuttable’. This was more or less a philosophical concept. But scientific work at the turn of the twentieth century revealed that atoms comprised smaller particles which could exist independently and separately. Further work on the Higgs field within the last ten years now suggest the existence of still smaller sub particles whose physical verification is more by surmise and complex mathematical models than by material proof. In other words, human knowledge or awareness keeps changing with the latest scientific research, either adding to the existing knowledge base or negating certain earlier assumptions. 
5. Shastra is essentially spiritual knowledge. This is on a different realm or plane than material or physical knowledge. There is no established norm or any attempt made so far to logically authenticate spiritual knowledge in any civilization. As a rough example, one cannot use the principles of ayurveda to authenticate the physical processes in allopathy and vice versa. Since shastra deals with the realm of the soul, the Supersoul, their relationship and pre scientific Creation, humanity has not yet evolved any system for the audit or authentication of this knowledge by known means. On a related note, well documented ‘out of body’ or ‘near death experiences have forced even the doubters to think anew about the existence of the soul within all living bodies, the basic building block of Vedic shastra. 
6. The Ten Commandments which were supposedly spoken by God directly to the prophet Moses, stated in the Old Testament, are the moral boundaries for human behaviour, applicable to all cultures equally. No one has as yet refuted them, even though many doubt that God Himself had spoken to Moses. Validation of Vedic shastra must necessarily come from within it, by inter support, consistency, cross referencing and the unconditional acceptance by distinguished scholars and acaryas in the parampara and down history.

Scriptures are the basis of spiritual knowledge

Down the ages, Vedic texts or shastra have been clarified and validated by great scholars like Ramanujacarya, Madhavacarya and others. Additional validation came from poet saints such as Tulsidas, Meerabai, Jayadev, and many more, each of whom embellished different aspects of Vedic theism, and effected significant socio-cultural impact on society.

Modern science has built upon path breaking work by Newton, Galileo, Kepler, Mendeleev, Einstein, and many more. These scientists postulated fundamental laws of nature through mathematical models, enabling humankind to build steadily upon these foundations. If even one of these propositions was incorrect or flawed, the colossal edifice of modern pure sciences and applied sciences, and their widespread applications, would have crashed into irrelevance long ago.

Similarly, the Gita, the Bhagavatam, and supplementary Vedic texts, are the foundation of India’s spiritual, theistic and cultural tradition. Whereas the Gita is the primary treatise explaining fundamental principles, the Bhagavatam is an advanced treatise, revealing ways to be freed from material work, transcendental knowledge, renunciation and devotion.

Whereas the Gita unequivocally explains righteousness and duty, the Bhagavatam provides deep insights into transcendental knowledge. Anyone who sincerely endeavours to understand it, becomes liberated (Bhagavatam 12.13.18). Acaryas have explained that attaining release from the material condition should be the goal of all intelligent humans. “The Srimad Bhagavatam is declared to be the essence of all Vedanta philosophy. One who has experienced satisfaction from its nectarean mellow, will never be attracted to any other literature (Bhagavatam 12.13.15).”

Vedic texts are so flawless and sublime, that any attempts to disparage them by one not in the guru parampara, will be pernicious, and a ludicrous presumption in questioning the intellectual integrity and unparalleled scholarship of an empowered entity like Vyasadeva. In order to invalidate or repudiate Vedic texts, one would have to be an intellectual entity equalling or surpassing Vyasadeva, an impossibility for sure, with no claimants or takers since time immemorial.

Proof of widespread acceptance

Man’s intelligence is confounded and stupefied by mahamaya, the eternal creative and illusory potency of Krsna (Visnu). Lord Shiva, an uttama addhikary and controller of the material mode of ignorance, therefore prayed, “O My Lord, I, who is considered to be the best of the demigods, and Lord Brahma, and the great rishis, headed by Marici, are born of the mode of goodness. Nonetheless, we are bewildered by your illusory energy and cannot understand what this Creation is. Aside from us, what is to be said of others, like the demons and human beings, who are in the base modes of material nature ? How will they know You ? (Bhagavatam 8.12.10)”.

Common human intelligence and faculties, however refined, can never unravel on their own account the great mysteries of Creation and the conundrums of material life. Vedic knowledge or shastra, like the sun, empowers one to dispel the clouds of illusion covering material existence, and understand Creation and the Lord Creator, as also the journey of the individual atma and its relationship with the Paramatma manifestation of the Lord, resident within every living heart and Who is the witness and permitter for the actions of every living entity.

The subject matter of preaching by an overwhelming majority of today’s acaryas is based primarily on these scriptures, and not other texts, thus consolidating their trustworthiness and profundity. These scholars, hailing throughout India, provide contemporary endorsement that Vedic texts are as valid today as when they were first spoken and written. Irrespective of sampradaya or individual merit, whatever knowledge, range, and spirituality they possess, arise from Vedic texts only, and not from comparative philosophy, speculation or empiricism. Saints and scholars of all denominations and down the ages, have considered Vedic shastra the fountainhead of spiritual knowledge, unambiguous, indisputable and incomparable. Thus far, no subsequent text has even ventured to supercede or counter them. One who assimilates this knowledge fully, is freed from all illusion, and shapes his philosophy and lifestyle as Krsna desires, becoming a perfect yogi (Gita 18.73).

Many bestselling authors or spiritualists today live by their wits and earn their livelihood like ordinary people, hankering for and exhibiting materially opulent lifestyles. They deliver their version of knowledge or enlightenment to gullible or desperate persons, in some form of material exchange. Such are not gurus in the Vedic parampara or lineage, who have gifted shastra to mankind, due to unbounded and causeless mercy for the lost souls of kaliyuga.

Vedic knowledge is eternal

Since the Lord overrides time and is not subservient to it, Vedic knowledge or shastra, emanating from the Lord, is also timeless. The peaceful Vedic worldview has withstood centuries of dereliction and marauders from distant lands. Despite repeated buffeting, Vedic spirituality remains unsullied and undefiled, showing resilience and innate resonance. Because the knowledge is pure and incontrovertible, the tradition remains alive and robust. “Ramnaam satya hai, baaki sab asat hai”, (only the name of Lord Ram is truth, everything else is falsehood), alluding to The Supreme Personality of Godhead Who descended as maryada purushottam, the ideal man, eons ago. There is a saying in Bengal, “rakhe Krsna mare ke, mare Krsna rakhe ke ?” (He whom Krsna protects, who can kill ? He whom Krsna wants to kill, who can protect ?). Both these simplistic aphorisms, iterated by a vast majority of ethnic Indians, proclaim the highest underlying principle of shastra, simultaneously authenticating their widespread (even if limited) understanding, and acceptance.

Dedicated outreach and dissemination programs of spiritual organizations have enabled study of India’s Vedic treasure around the globe, utilizing user friendly and contemporary formats, with scholarly and faithful translations into Hindi and English as well as the other Indian and international languages. The Gita is now available in more than thirty major languages around the globe. Well begun is half done. If this peerless activity continues, Vedic shastra will perpetuate, and be assimilated and cherished by scholarly and honest men in the centuries and millennia to come. Future acaryas will be spiritual lighthouses in civilizations beleaguered by the increasing darkness of material eclecticism and speculative empiricism. 

Gautam Saha 
Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=22006

The publication Suddha-Nama Bhajan, by our beloved Gurudeva, Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja has been reprinted by popular demand and is now available for sale in India.

Suddha-Nama Bhajan, a must read for aspiring Vaisnavas, takes the reader through the three stages of chanting. The first chapter nama-aparadha (the offensive stage of chanting) gives a full explanation of the ten offenses. The second chapter describes Nama-abhasa (the intermediate stage of chanting), which is the first glimmer of the holy name. The last chapter, in two parts, portrays suddha-nama (the pure chanting of the holy name) the stage wherein one chants purely and sees the Supreme Lord face to face.

If you would like to acquire a copy of this very wonderful book please contact Lila-avatar prabhu, Pradosh Sahoo prabhu or tvpbooks.com.

This book is also available for download from www.issuu.com/tvpbooks 

Source:http://tvpbooks.com/2016/06/suddha-nama-bhajana-reprinted-by-popular-demand/

During the past year, many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples have written wonderful books to make Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy accessible to a broad audience. Jayadvaita Swami’s Vanity Karma features an account by a sage seeking answers on the meaning of life.Yogeshvara Das’s single volume biography of Srila PrabhupadaSwami in a Strange Land powerfully captures the remarkable journey of a holy man with a dream who changed the world.  Our Family Business: The Great Art of Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s Books by Vaisesika Das shares the history, key principles, and techniques of book distribution, drawing from a lifetime of experience. Finally, Shyamsundar Das’s forthcoming book Chasing Rhinos with The Swami is an intimate account of Srila Prabhupada’s preaching activities in San Francisco, London and Moscow.

Also released this year is The Journey Within: Exploring the Path of Bhakti by Radhanath Swami. In this follow-up to The Journey Home, Radhanath Swami draws from his personal experiences to demystify the ancient devotional path of bhakti, capturing its essence and explaining its simple principles for balancing our lives.

His down-to-earth writing simplifies spiritual concepts and answers timeless questions in a heartfelt narrative that brings this sacred philosophy beautifully to life. What is love? What is the soul? Who is God? How can we live in the physical world without losing touch with the spiritual? In concise and approachable language, Radhanath Swami sheds light on how to answer these vital questions and offers solutions to life’s challenges with the simplest of resources. With illuminating references to Western religions and ideologies, The Journey Within invites readers from all backgrounds to discover the simple truths that unite us all.

The book has received stellar reviews from academicians, thought-leaders, and celebrities. Dr. Cornel West, philosopher, activist, and author has said, “Don’t miss the gems of wisdom and courage that comprise this powerful book.” Comedian, actor, author, and activist Russell Brand shared: “Radhanath Swami has conveyed The Divine Light through his writing with the gentle and seductive effortlessness that he does in person. This book is a joyful way to move closer to the truth within you.”

The Publisher’s Weekly review claims, “Radhanath’s teaching … is highly accessible and a delight to read; newcomers will feel welcome to bhakti and intrigued by his conviction and compassion.” New York Times’ bestselling author Marci Shimoff,  known for her Chicken Soup for the Soul books, says “It combines the powerful wisdom of the East and the West, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel authentic, lasting happiness!” 

The Journey Within, along with the other books inspired by Srila Prabhupada will be able to enthuse devotees and also inform the general public further about the beautiful teachings of Krishna Consciousness.
 
http://iskconnews.org/the-journey-within-exploring-the-path-of-bhakti-by-radhanath-swami,5621/

On behalf of the World Holy Name Week Committee, I am honored to share with you some information and resources regarding World Holy Name Week 2016.

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21971

“People aren’t showing up with prepared speeches just yet,” jokes Chaitanya Mangala, MC of New Vrindaban’s fourth service appreciation ceremony since 2014. “But you can tell that what they’re sharing is much more thought-out.”

His quip illuminates just how much the ceremony has grown to mean to New Vrindaban residents, who are taking to heart Lord Krishna’s assertion, “I consider worship of My devotees to be better than direct worship of Me.”

At each ceremony, people are taking more time to think about and express their appreciations of their fellow devotees. They’re also digging deeper – while previously one or two would become misty-eyed, this spring’s ceremony on April 17th saw at least a dozen devotees deliver such heartfelt tributes that they were choked up with tears and had to pause for a few moments.

Preceding the open appreciations were Chaitanya Mangala’s Powerpoint presentations about each person’s life and service, beginning with Betty Hickey, retired caretaker of the Rose Garden at Prabhupada’s Palace – who was present with her son Glenn.

Vraja Johnson awards Betty Hickey her service appreciation plaque on April 17th.

Betty, who comes from a neighboring family of farmers, started at the Bahulaban greenhouse in 1983, moved to the Rose Garden in 1985, and managed it for most of her nearly thirty years of service until her retirement in 2011.

During that time she carefully cultivated it into an award-winning rose garden, named several times between 1988 and 1998 as one of the top 100 gardens in the United States by the American Rose Society.

Constantly making newspaper headlines, the Palace Rose Garden drew rose aficionados to New Vrindaban in droves. Also serving as the tour guide, Betty led them around, dazzling them with her botanical knowledge.

After the presentation, devotees praised Betty’s care, dedication, and kind-heartedness. Those who had worked with her in the Rose Garden over the years were grateful for her gentle, encouraging corrections when things weren’t up to standard, and for making them feel so valuable.

Betty’s late husband Jim Hickey, who passed away in December 2006, was also honored for his service. Jim worked as the head maintenance man at New Vrindaban during the 1980s, and was well-remembered for driving his blue flat-bed pick-up truck up and down the ridge, taking care of many things that needed repairing.

Like all the appreciation recipients throughout the evening, Betty was presented with a plaque by the ISKCON New Vrindaban and Eco-Vrindaban boards, commemorating her and Jim’s contribution.

“I think that it’s not work if it’s good work, and I always enjoyed my work here,” she commented, calling the devotees gathered “some of my best friends.”

Jaya Murari 2016 portrait.

Next, Jaya Murari Das was honored for his more than four decades of service. Joining ISKCON in the spring of 1975, he moved to New Vrindaban that November, and received initiation from Srila Prabhupada on July 29th, 1976.

For the early residents, Jaya Murari’s appearance in New Vrindaban was nothing short of heaven-sent. At the time, the backwoods community was extremely austere, with only one faucet, no proper toilets or plumbing, and widespread dysentery from the contaminated water.

Jaya Murari, about ten years older than most of the other devotees and already well into a career as a master plumber, turned up with four truckloads of tools and plumbing materials. He soon built a safe and reliable plumbing infrastructure for the community, which he continued to expand and improve upon over the years until his retirement in the 2000s.

Always a dependable presence, he is also well-known for his photography and for his delicious Sunday pancake breakfasts in the early days.

Although Jaya Murari couldn’t attend the ceremony due to ill-health, the many devotees who rose to share their appreciations were filmed for him. Tears flowed freely as they recalled how completely he had changed the New Vrindaban experience; how he exemplified the gentle brahminical nature Prabhupada described in his books; and how he was a “Prabhupada man” through and through.

Ananga Manjari awards Sukhavaha dasi her service appreciation plaque.

Next to be honored was devotee care manager Sukhavaha Dasi. After she joined in 1974 and was initiated by Prabhupada in 1975, she began helping the Pittsburgh and New Vrindaban temples with their bookkeeping. She was then put in charge of New Vrindaban’s “red trailer store,” distributing all the supplies devotees needed for their health and services.

In 1976, New Vrindaban installed industrial washing machines, and Sukhavaha headed up the laundry department; while in the 1980s, she spent much of her time on the road, fundraising. During this phase, she had her son Bhagavan, and daughters Sukadevi and Narahari.

More recently, she started ISKCON New Vrindaban’s devotee care program, and will be turning the “Prabhupada House” near the temple into a Wellness Center that will provide many physical, emotional and mental health services.

Offering appreciation, the devotees gathered described her as full of enthusiasm, always there to help, and very dedicated to working on herself. The greatest example of the latter was expressed in a very moving moment when her son Bhagavan, who was present, spoke about his mother. Like a lot of ISKCON parents in the early days, he said, she had focused on her services to the detriment of caring for her children.

“But a decade ago, you called me up one night, and said you wanted to talk about the past, and take responsibility for it,” Bhagavan recalled. “And since then, we’ve worked through many of our issues, and I couldn’t be happier with our relationship today.”

Bhima Walker awards Sarvasaksi and Viduttama dasi their service appreciation plaque.

Finally, husband and wife Sarvasaksi Das and Viduttama Dasi were honored for their life of service. Joining ISKCON in 1974 as a married couple and moving to New Vrindaban that same year, they were initiated by Srila Prabhupada on Janmastami 1975.

Both did early services connected to the cows, which were a central part of New Vrindaban life at the time, with about 100 cows to 150 people.

Sarva helped milk all the cows by hand and herded them in and out of the Bahulaban pastures daily. Viduttama churned cream into butter for the Deities and devotees, also by hand. Both were photographed and featured in a 1976 Back to Godhead magazine article.

Later, as construction began on Prabhupada’s Palace, Sarva worked with the heavy equipment department. He then spent a decade as a silversmith, casting and making jewelry for a local New Vrindaban business. He is now semi-retired.

Viduttama, meanwhile, did the laundry in the days before washing machines came to New Vrindaban, washing everyone’s clothes by hand, outside, with cold water, rocks and ashes. Next, she worked in the Palace gift shop, where she enjoyed meeting and interacting with guests. She and Sarva also had two children – a son, Sudarshan, and a daughter, Radhastami.

Last year, Viduttama came full circle, as she began working for Govinda’s Groceries gift store and doing laundry for the Palace Lodge — the exact same services she did all those years ago. “And I love it!” she blurted out at the ceremony. “I couldn’t be any happier!”

A whole host of devotees recalled their many fond memories of serving with Sarva and Viduttama, as well as their kindness, devotion, down-to-earth natures and enthusiasm. The outpouring of love moved the couple to tears.

Ekadasi cake made by Lakshmanesvara das.

According to Srila Prabhupada’s purport in Verse 4 of the Nectar of Instruction, MC Chaitanya Mangala pointed out, these kinds of loving exchanges between devotees were exactly what ISKCON had been established to facilitate.

In conclusion he also quoted a 1972 lecture by Prabhupada in which he said, “In the lower stage, a devotee is concerned with the Deity worship, but he does not take much care of the devotees. But when one is advanced further, he can see Krsna and His devotees also.”

“Clearly, in the early days of ISKCON, we were at that lower stage,” Chaitanya Mangala says. “Now, let’s collectively evolve to the next level, where we worship Krishna in the temple, and also care for the devotees around us.”

That care continued to be shown into the evening, as devotees drank herbal tea, tucked into a celebratory Ekadasi cake made by Laksmanesvara Das, and chatted, furthering the loving connections made throughout the ceremony. 

Source:http://www.brijabasispirit.com/2016/06/10/service-appreciation-reaches-new-depths-in-fourth-ceremony/

Observe the undivided attention the artists and the chanters exhibit during the kirtana under the leading of BB Govinda Swami. (14 min video). To some devotees this video brought tears in their eyes.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/ue7hsP

How can we always know that the decisions we take are the correct ones? That they are pleasing to both guru and Krishna?

Such questions are simultaneously easy, yet difficult to answer and even more difficult when it comes to practical application. One such area that falls into this category is when a senior devotee falls from the highest standard of spiritual practice and how our society deals with it.

In a simple sense once a devotee falls down then they are fallen, and while no vaisnava would wish to make their existence more difficult than it is, while fallen, they would have to be relieved of any responsible position or role.

But how to do that without disgracing the person involved and what was the example given to us by Srila Prabhupada in this regard?

In a general sense Prabhupada was very clear about this issue:

“In brahma-sukha one is no longer attracted by lusty desires. Indeed, when one is no longer disturbed, especially by lusty desires for sexual indulgence, he is fit to become a sannyasi. Otherwise, one should not accept the sannyasa order. If one accepts sannyasa at an immature stage, there is every possibility of his being attracted by women and lusty desires and thus again becoming a so-called grhastha or a victim of women. Such a person is most shameless, and he is called vantasi, or one who eats that which he has already vomited. He certainly leads a condemned life. In our Krsna consciousness movement it is advised, therefore, that the sannyasis and brahmacaris keep strictly aloof from the association of women so that there will be no chance of their falling down again as victims of lusty desires.” SB 7.15.37 Purport

So that is clear enough, if we take to the spiritual path and in particular if we enter the sannyasa asrama, then failure is not really an option, as it both discredits us, discredits the asrama and calls into serious question our motive and honour as far as entering this asrama in the first place.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out why the standards are so high. From a social and cultural point of view – all over the world – those in the religious/spiritual order of life are afforded so much respect. This respect is given on the basis of trust. So a rabbi in a Jewish community, a priest in a Christian community, an imam in a Muslim community or a sannyasi in Vaisnava community are automatically afforded so much reverence purely as a result of the dress they wear. Therefore if they do not live up to the basic standards required of that way of life they have voluntary accepted, then the mercy, or lack of it, awaits;

Prabhupada: “There is a temple, Tarakesvara, in Hoogli district. So Lord Siva… So people, I mean to say, pray that “If my this disease is cured or if I get this victory, I shall become a sannyasi for a month.” (laughs) So that system is going on. They become sannyasis for one month. There are hundreds and thousands. This is called “one month sannyasi” That is not mentioned in the sastra, but it has come into custom and if he returns, he is called vantasi, yes, “eating the vomit.” Conversation April 14th 1974

Notwithstanding the above it doesn’t necessarily follow that the best course of action is to publically expose every fallen sannyasi, particularly if their motive was not as shallow as mentioned in the above quote. In ISKCON’s case most, if not all sannyasis, enter this asrama with a sincere desire to help with Prabhupada’s mission of spreading Krsna consciousness. Prabhupada once said to be surprised at those that stay, not at those that leave, so it is hardly surprising that there are some casualties. Prabhupada both understood and dealt with this situation sensitively and very much practiced what he preached. What follows is Prabhupada’s reaction when he heard the news that Madhuvisa’s difficulties had become public within ISKCON.

“Pusta Krsna Maharaja spent a long time on the phone in the evening, informing all the temples in Madhudvisa’s zone on the East Coast that he has fallen and he is no longer the GBC. However, when he came in to report his actions to Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada was angry. Prabhupada was made aware of the initial suspicions in Australia, but his idea had been to keep the affair quiet until he reached New York, where he could see Madhudvisa personally and attempt to clear everything up without a scandal. He wanted to save him, and he was upset that news of Madhudvisa’s falldown was now widespread. He rebuked Pusta Krsna. “Now you have made it impossible for him to return.”

He was also angry with Gurukrpa Swami. “That Gurukrpa! I told him not to tell anyone.” Although Prabhupada found no fault in Tamal Krishna’s approaching Madhudvisa because he had done it as a friend, he said that Gurukrpa had disobeyed him by discussing it with Tamal.” A Transcendental Diary Volume 2.

One thing that is interesting to note is that ISKCON’s current leaders do not have the same scope for following this example of Prabhupada’s. The dynamic surrounding this issue is the same so naturally the leaders want to follow the example of Prabhupada but often when they do they are charged with being in an ‘old boys club’ and engaged in a cover up! In the above example both Pusta Krsna and Gurukrpa are being rebuked by Prabhupada for doing the very thing that today’s leaders come under a lot of pressure to do – make everything public.

Some years ago one leader told me an interesting story that highlights this point. One of his senior managers/preachers in his area of responsibility was having some difficulty and had had a recent fall down. This leader, in consultation with a few senior god brothers, decided a course of action and rectification with the explicit aim of strengthening this devotees spiritual life and hopefully have him return to his regular duties as soon as it was clear that he had fully recovered from his difficulties. While the devotee involved was undergoing his rehabilitation, some news of his difficulties somehow became known to a few others. At this point these other devotees approached the leader dealing with the situation and asked him for clarification regarding the rumours. The leader concerned felt he now had to inform these devotees as they were also senior men. After explaining the situation these devotees expressed a little upset at the fact that they had not been informed earlier and felt that the leader concerned should have been more open and not just shared this situation with a couple of senior god brothers. The leader concerned expressed his difficulty in wanting to deal with the situation but not overly exposing it thus making it very difficult and humiliating for the devotee at the centre of it all. While they understood his motive the devotees still felt there was something of a ‘cover up’ involved. At that point the leader apologised for any shortcomings in his approach to this difficult situation and then asked the devotees what should be done now, should all the devotees of the yatra now be informed, given that all the leaders now know and also their expressed concern about not covering things up? The reaction of the devotees was quite interesting, notwithstanding their upset about initially not being informed of this issue, they now did not want it further publicised and felt (for all the same reasons that dictated the original course of action) that best, particularly for the devotee and the success of his rectification, that the yatra should not be informed. It was then pointed out to these devotees – have they now joined the ‘old boys club’ and are they now part of a cover up!

So this story is very revealing in so far as how on one level we all want to be very open and deal with things in a way that matches our desire for integrity, honesty, morality, duty and freedom from duality. On the other hand it shows how, when faced with specific situations, there are many other considerations that come into play and very much muddy the waters.

We learn the following from none other than Bhismadeva, who has an entire Parva of the Mahabharata, the Shanti Parva, dedicated to his instructions on morality. In addition Lord Krsna says of Bhisma:

“When that great man leaves (Bhisma), so all kinds of knowledge about morality and duty will leave with him. No one can deliver instructions comparable to his, not even Me.” Mahabharata – translation by Krishna Dharma das

So Bhisma is indeed as high an authority on the subject of morality as we will find, and here is what Bhisma said when directly asked by Draupadi about her plight after the gambling match:

“O blessed lady, knowing that one who has no wealth of his own cannot stake that belonging to others, but knowing also that wives are always at the command of their husbands, I am unable to answer the point you raised. The ways of morality are subtle. Yudhisthira can abandon the whole world full of wealth, but he will never sacrifice morality. The Pandava played with Sakuni even though he knew that no one could defeat him at dice. He has staked and lost both himself and you, O princess. Therefore I am confused upon this matter.” Mahabharata – translation by Krishna Dharma das

I guess at the very least these quotes convey that dealing with these kinds of matters is never easy, never black and white, hence the title of this piece ‘Krishna give us guidance, oh Lord we need that now”.

We can but do our best and ultimately, as we learn from sastra, the truth will be revealed according to time, place and circumstance and no doubt Krishna will reveal, in any given situation, what each individual needs to know and what is best for all concerned, in due course.

Your servant
Praghosa dasa

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=22002

Bhaktin Constance: I read my daughter’s Muhammad Ali article a few days ago and was inspired to write one of my own. See, writing was my mainstay in many of the legal assistant & managerial positions I held over the years. Since my two only children both became devotees of Krsna close to four decades ago, being very close to them both, Krsna had to become a pretty big part of my life too. They each had devotees over to meet me in my Brooklyn home; Raga even brought her guru BT Swami over with some of his disciples with ice cream on my birthday one year. My son, serving as the Brooklyn tem-ple’s VP for 12 years meant, I was frequently going back and forth there to drop off things for him. On one occasion I even notarized an official letter written to Raga and Hladini by a famous Black leader Raga knew who decided to give Krsna and Prabhupada a glowing endorsement. Today, as a senior citizen, I’ve now retired to So Florida and the 3 of us still maintain close relations, talking by phone several times a week & sometimes visiting in person.

My biggest Krsna adventure occurred when I visited both of my kids in the Midwest where they had each settled. This was around my birthday (June 14th) which happens most years the same day as the New York Ratha Yatra. That year I flew to St. Louis where Raga threw a birthday party for me in the house she’d just bought & invited many of her friends. During that trip, we visited a museum, went to an EWF concert and I and some of Raga’s girlfriends dined out at Thai places & at Whole Foods. I was 80 at the time, and against a few warnings not to, I decided on a Sunday to take the 6 hour drive to my son & his wife’s house in Winfield, Ks. Before I set out, Hladini’s wife warned me about strict law enforcement on the highway. I’d also been warned that all of Kansas was a tornado zone but now to my shock, the radio was suddenly announcing a tornado alert, which I found particu-larly unnerving because I didn’t know where I was or any of the different counties they were mention-ing. Soon, all kinds of cars & trucks seemed to speed up. In my rear view mirror I saw two trucks racing down my lane & decided to get over to let them pass. Seconds later, an unmarked car signals me to move off the road and an officer jumps out asking for my credentials. I ask why he’s stopping me & he says for speeding and failing to signal. He keeps me a long time but finally accepts my lane-change explanation and lets me go.

My knees almost shaking now, I drive some more and come to an exit where the toll booth lady tells me I look frightened. “You’re damn right I am,” I want to say but don’t. Meanwhile, she offers to direct me to a shelter, goes a little distance then lifts up a metal cover that reveals a deep but narrow underground enclosure made of cement. There are 6 or 8 strangers inside, all looking as frightened as I am, but everyone welcomes me and all 8 of us stay there for a half hour, during which time, one of my cell mates lends me a phone so I can call Hladini & explain all the delays. That night I calm myself by sleeping in a hotel room, but you can believe all the day’s activity have been so stressful, I get very motivated to chant the Hare Krishna mantra I already know & start doing it much more seriously!

Even now, many years later, I still chant Hare Krishna with some regularity, especially when I feel endangered, but I admit on most mornings I do Transcendental Meditation like my son taught me to do years ago. I’m not ready to commit to doing a certain amount of rounds per day just yet, but what I have done devotionally is talk a lot by phone to both my children, who seem to be so stuck on Krsna they’ll hardly talk about much else for long. I’m also doing what I hear is called Sadhu Sanga by asking each of them questions, like for example what are the pros and cons of my continuing to chant, and what can I expect from doing it. I’ve also learned from talking to them both that prayer requests are permissible in the devotee community. It’s even stressed that the prayers of numerous devotees has more much impact, so this is my humble request.

My baby brother Richard Roger Melbourne (born one day before me but four years later) came to Florida years after I did. He relocated here just five years ago in fact, but very suddenly this year he developed a medical problem. He’s never been as careful with his health as I’ve been. As a retired engineer, he also does the couch potato thing, eats a lot of junk food, & won’t walk around enough to maintain his health. Richard’s not yet a vegetarian like I’m trying to be and probably won’t ever become one. Still, my prayer concerns are this. One Sunday morning 6 months ago I found Richard unconscious on his kitchen floor. After this, he was hospitalized for several weeks, then moved to a rehab center. Eventually an emergency guardian was appointed for reasons that are still unclear.

My brother and I have been nearby each other for 80 or more years straight. When he was healthier, he would always come by and help repair my & my daughter’s cars. He is a fine man but I now understand that like me and a whole lot of us, he’s an unfortunate resident of the material world. For all these reasons I’m mustering humility to request the devotees’ prayers.
Age wise, I’m obviously a little bit ahead of some of you all, but I hear that Srila Prabhupada said that old age and death would happen to all of us. Still maybe you all will kindly pray for me and Richard that we will have a good outcome in our court case & that he will have an easy journey.

We’ve probably all noticed that Injury and insult often walk hand and hand, & that old people often preyed upon by “the system!” But my daughter often reminds me that years ago, one time in the streets of Ft. Greene Brooklyn, Richard and I actually participated in a Harinam procession. I had recently turned 65 and just retired. We got tricked into this Harinam actually because Raga had rented a large space that the manager had accidentally double booked. We therefore had to waste a little time and move between the owner’s personal home address &the Creative Concerns venue Raga secured. We were especially concerned because Raga had done a radio show to announce this big bhakti event & had arranged to co-produce & host it.

I hear that Krishna never forgets a gesture done for Him by even a new devotee, so maybe this Harinam parade we did will be enough to attract Krishna & His devotees’ mercy to help my brother and I in this troubled time. I thank you all for considering my prayer & hope you’ll also bless us on our birthdays (Richard’s on June 13th & mine on the 14th ). Please also pray that my taste for chanting will continue to blossom. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many devotees. Nartaka devi visited my condo in So. Florida years ago and I’ve also met the wonderfully talented artist Pushkar, who went to high school with Hladini when it was still called Music and Art. Thank you for your prayer and help.
Your grateful servant, Bhaktin Constance

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=22010

A historic day celebrating ISKCON’s 50th anniversary with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who performed the ground breaking ceremony for Bhaktivedanta Manor’s new Shree Krishna Haveli.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21999

Those are most unfortunate who spend most of their spare time in entertainment. No higher goal defines their life.

You don't need to be intellectually or skillfully special to have a goal. Material goals do require such qualifications, but not spiritual goals. Everyone can strive for personal spiritual upliftment irrespective of social, monetary, intellectual, or skill  status. Spiritual goals add meaning to living, and to life itself.

Entertainment centered life is meaningless, hence unfortunate. Goal centered life is purposeful, hence fortunate.

Source: http://thebandwagonofmoltengold.blogspot.in/2014/08/goalful-fortunates.html

by Sacinandana Swami

The Tree of Life is a simple model that shows how we can lead a vibrant, inspired spiritual life and help others to do the same. It consists of three parts that bring your life to a level where you can live with a deep connection to the Lord.

We need to visit these three parts of our life daily. If all of them are well taken care of we can “stand tall and not fall” even in the midst of difficulties. These three parts are: individual nourishment, a supportive lifestyle, and our contribution to the lives of others. Life can be compared to a tree.

Just as a tree needs to have deep roots, a strong trunk and a flourishing crown, we all need to have roots in eternity, a supportive life style, in which physical, emotional and social needs are met, and the fruits of contributing to the lives of others.

The Roots – Spiritual Cultivation

The Tree of Life will dry up and fall to the ground if its roots are not deep. In the ancient Vedas these roots refer to one’s own relationship to God (sambandha), and the practices of spiritual life (abhideya). These practices include reading and realizing sacred texts, chanting the Lord‘s names, visiting holy places, prayer and worshiping the Lord in various ways.

The roots of the Tree of Life are not visible to others. In order for your personal relationship with the Lord to be nourished, it must be kept private. If you take the flame of a candle out into a storm it will extinguish. In the same way the fruits of your spiritual life – your deep realizations and insights – will vanish if you take them out into the public. Although the roots of a person often remain “beneath the earth” so to speak – they are the most important.

The Trunk – Physical, Emotional, Social and Mental Well-Being

One’s lifestyle is of similar importance. Only if we live properly, can we think and act properly. According to Ayurveda, a person’s mental and physical well-being stands on three pillars: a healthy diet, good sleep and a beneficial lifestyle. Lifestyle is composed of both physical and mental cultivation.

Physical cultivation includes cleanliness, regular exercise and engaging the senses in service. Mental cultivation includes truthfulness, refraining from theft, giving up bad association, simplicity (not taking more than we need), religiosity, celibacy, refraining from unnecessary talk, forgiveness, fearlessness, purification of the heart and an attitude of service.

The Crown – Contributing to the Lives of Others

Finally, is our enriching the lives of others. It is like the fruits on the crown of the tree. Our help to others may be small like giving inspiration, or large like managing a project or even a country.

How deep are your roots? How strong is your trunk? Do you have fruits on your crown?

Source: http://iskconofdc.org/the-tree-of-life/

Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami: I recently heard a story about a guru and disciple relationship. The Guru was Ramanuja Acarya and he had one disciple his name was Dasati. This Dasati, after Ramanuja, he was probably the greatest scholar in the whole world. He was really a wonderful-wonderful vaisnava. And he knew, he really-really knew the Vedas nicely. So one day he went to Ramanuja Acarya and he said: “Guru Maharaja, I would like for you to explain me Krishna’s final statement in the Bhagavad Gita.” That statement is:

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

Krishna says we should abandon everything that we have and surrender to Him. So he said: “Guru Maharaja, please explain to me all the internal and esoteric meanings of this verse.”
And Ramanuja said: “Actually, I’m not qualified to describe this. But I know in one village there is this very old saint, and he knows so much, go there and serve him”. So Dasati followed Ramanuja’s instructions, he went there and he found this very old and saintly sadhu in the village. And he served him so faithfully. He did everything for the sadhu.

And finally one day that saintly sadhu looked at Dasati and said: “Maharaja, you’ve been serving me so nicely! What can I do for you?” So he said “Please explain to me all the meanings of this verse from Bhagavad Gita”. And that sadhu looked up and said “For me to even say something to you would be totally foolish, you know so much more than myself, therefore all that I can say is go back and serve Ramanuja”. So he went back to the place where Ramanuja was.

Just at that time one lady from a far village came to see Ramanuja. She was from a brahman family. And she had just gotten married into a family and she said: “Ramanuja, these people that I married into their family, they treat me like a slave. They expect me to cook all the food, wash all the pots, and wash all the clothes, and keep the house clean and the worst thing is that the well is at least 3 kilometrs from the house. And they expect me to go and collect the water also. It’s too much for me. And they always abuse me and they speak badly to me and I just don’t know what to do”.
Ramanuja said “Well, it’s easy. You need to get a servant to carry the water and do the cooking.”

Just at that time Dasati arrived, and Ramanuja said “He can go with you as a servant, he can carry the water and do the cooking”. And without saying anything Dasati just went with that lady. 
And every day he started doing all the cooking, carrying all the water, cleaning everything, and the people in the house would abuse him and they didn’t even know that next after Ramanuja he was the greatest scholar in the whole world.

That went on for about 8 months. And then one day one great-great scholar came to that town and he was giving a lecture on Bhagavad Gita. And this scholar he was a horrible impersonalist. And he was saying such things in his lectures like “God has no form”, “God has no senses”, “God is only unmanifested Brahman”. And everybody from the [indistinct] went to hear this lecture. And Dasati was given permission by the family to go and listen. And Dasati was becoming crazy listening to this impersonalist speak.

So finally the man finished his lecture and Dasati said: “Sir, you have said that God is impersonal. But actually this is foolishness.” This man looked at Dasati “If you know is correct then you establish the truth”. Dasati immediately stood up and very elaborately established how Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to all the Vedic understandings.

And all the people of the town were looking at this person and they were saying “Who is this?” and the man on the platform was saying “You’re just a water-carrier! You’re just the cook! What do you know about Veda? What do you know about the truth?”

And Dasati spoke – everyone was amazed. And the man came off his platform and on the spot he surrendered to the feet of Dasati. And Dasati went back to the house to cook and collect water. 

Then finally the word got out that this was Dasati. And Dasati had defeated that great Mayavadi and people went to Ramanuja and they told him how Dasati had defeated this Mayavadi. But what Dasati was doing was just He was carrying water and cooking for some karmis. And he was happy doing that.

They said “Maybe we should bring Dasati back to You”. At that point Ramanuja said “No-no, I will go to Dasati”. And so he went there and Dasati saw his Guru Maharaja come and he was in so much ecstasy, he fell down and embraced the lotus feet of his spiritual master. And he [Ramanuja Acarya] said “Now let us go back to Sri Rangam”. And there on the way he walked alone with Dasati, he said:
Now I will explain to you the meaning of verse 18.66 from Bhagavad Gita, because you have shown that truly you are a prideless person. You have shown that you are not attached to the concept of being the greatest scholar in the world.

You have shown that you are not attached to the concept of being such a great sanyasi. You have shown that you are not attached to the concept of being a temple president. You have shown that you are not attached to the concept of being a GBC. You have shown that you are not attached to the concept of being the best harmonium player. Or the best camera person. You see. You have shown that you are not attached to all these things.

“You have shown that you are just attached to following the instructions that you receive from Your spiritual master. Therefore you are qualified to understand Bhagavad Gita.”
So this is the natural relationship between a disciple and the spiritual master.

A disciple should follow the instructions of the spiritual master. Very happily, just like Dasati, who could go carry water and cook. You see. It was very easy for him to do. You see.
So we should look at ourselves – are these things easy for us to do? To chant 16 rounds. To follow 4 principles. To read Prabhupada’s books. To conduct our affairs in just the way affairs are conducted in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. You see. To dress the way that we dress in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Some people can’t even dress properly. See. To eat the way we’re supposed to eat, to eat Krishna prasadam.

So basically a disciple means one who follows. And remember the example of Dasati. He would follow so much that even though he was the greatest-greatest of all Vedic scholars he could just go and carry water for karmis.

Initiation talk from “Lectures 2007-2008” [00:00:00-00:16:57]
Sri Vrindavan Dham farm, Kazakhstan

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21991

By Mina Sharma

The Bhaktivedanta Manor marked the start of a new chapter in its history on Friday 10th June, as the groundbreaking ceremony for the long awaited Haveli building was led by UK Prime Minister David Cameron. The ceremony formed part of the Manor’s offerings to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ISKCON, upon which Mr Cameron heartily congratulated ISKCON on by praising Srila Prabhupada on his creation of a “global mission”.

A reception of over 300 people, including Parliamentary Secretary Under State Shailesh Vara, devotees and patrons, was held in a marquee over the spot where the new Shree Krishna Haveli will be built. HH Bhakti Charu Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Sivarama Swami and HG Praghosa Das GBC were also in attendance.

After being shown the Temple Room and deities of Shree Shree Radha Gokulananda, the Prime Minister went on to garland the deity of Srila Prabhupada, stating “if only he had lived to see what the Manor has become; a mock Tudor country house donated by a Beatle, serving as a hub of worship, celebration and selflessness.”

The Prime Minister also congratulated ISKCON on its 50th anniversary, joking that he too will celebrate his 50th birthday this year. He went on to say: “I look at what you have done in the past fifty years and I think how much you can achieve in the next fifty. In fact, the next half century begins right now as we begin building the new Krishna Haveli, and I’m delighted to be putting the first tool in the ground.”

Shailesh Vara MP praised the Prime Minister for pioneering the term ‘British Indian’ and for forging better trade links with India. He said “the Prime Minister visited India more times than any other country, and took the largest trade delegation there… this Prime Minister cares about an inclusive modern Britain.”

Srutidharma Das, Temple President of Bhaktivedanta Manor thanked the Prime Minister for attending, and spoke of the important role of the Haveli and the need to “promote the spiritual values of tolerance, kindness… we at Bhaktivedanta Manor aim to embody these principles at large.”

Speaking about the Haveli, Managing Director of Bhaktivedanta Manor Gauri Das said: “This is a historic time for the Manor. The Haveli fulfils the needs of the Temple, respects the concerns of the local village and received full support from Hertsmere Council. It is a profound honour that the Prime Minister has put the first spade in the ground.”

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21985

Harinam at Thompson Square Park, 50 years after Srila Prabhupada sat there and performed Harinam in the west for the first time.

One of the Park’s most prominent features is its collection of venerable American elm (Ulmus americana) trees. One elm in particular, located next to the semi-circular arrangement of benches in the park’s center, is important to adherents of the Hare Krishna religion. After coming to the United States in September, 1965, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), the Indian spiritual leader, founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York. He worked from a storefront on nearby Second Avenue that he used as the Society’s American headquarters. Prabhupada and his disciples gathered in Tompkins Square Park in the fall of 1966 to introduce the East Village to the group’s distinctive 16-word mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
On October 9, 1966, Prabhupada and his followers sat beneath this tree and held the first outdoor chanting session outside of India. Participants chanted for two hours as they danced and played cymbals, tambourines, and other percussive instruments; the event is recognized as the founding of the Hare Krishna religion in the United States. Prabhupada’s diverse group that day included Beat poet Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997). Krishna adherents continue to return to the tree to acknowledge its significance.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21979

By Vrsabha das

The Albanian Trip 2016

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu foretold that the holy names would be sung in every town and village even in Kali-yuga. Owing to Srila Prabhupada, Krishna consciousness has spread almost all over the world. However, there are still some countries where there are no devotees or Krishna’s temples. Albania is one of those countries.

The first attempt to spread the sankirtana mission in Albania was in the late ’80s when HH. Bhakti-Vaibhava Swami (then HG. Avinas-Candra prabhu), together with three devotees from the former Yugoslavia, spent several days in Tirana. Then, in 2010. and 2011; a handful of devotees from the Karlovac temple (Croatia), led by Mohan prabhu, had a Harinam tour of Albania. Both times they stayed for five days and were holding Harinams in Tirana, Shkoder and Durres. In addition to singing the holy names, they were distributing Isopanisads and Atma magazines to passer-bys. After that, only in March of the last year, four Vaishnavas stayed for five days in Tirana and distributed around 700 Isopanisads in the Albanian language. These four devotees were: Lakšminath prabhu from Slovenia and three devotees from Croatia – Nayanananda prabhu, Vaikuntha-murti prabhu and Kripalu-Krishna prabhu.

However, it is important to emphasize that the sankirtana mission of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books would not have been possible without two Vaishnavas. Višvabhavana-Krishna prabhu financially sponsored the printing of 2,000 copies of the Albanian Isopanisad, and the book was translated into Albanian by Murlidhara-Krishna prabhu from Prishtina (Kosovo). The last year’s experience of the devotees was so inspiring that there was enthusiasm to return back to Albania. Since due to personal commitments, three devotees from the last year’s mission did not have the time or opportunity to go on the mission this year – I took the opportunity and made myself and my car at Nayanananda prabhu’s disposal. He was the organizer of the mission ” The Albanian Trip 2016.”

In addition Nayanananda prabhu (a disciple of HG. Rohini-suta prabhu) and myself (a disciple of HH. Smita-Krishna Swami), about half a year prior to our departure to Albania it was known that the third member would be Trilokatma prabhu from the Czech Republic (a disciple of HH. Bhakti-vaibhava Swami). A few days before our departure it was uncertain who would be the fourth member of our team. However, Krishna gave a chance to the one who had the greatest desire – bh. Peggy (Predrag) from Split (Croatia). Although still without a guru and initiation, bh. Peggy is quite an experienced devotee who has been a member of ISKCON for 20-odd years. I witnessed his enthusiasm two years ago at the Woodstock Festival in Poland where he was enthusiastically distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books.

On the 3rd of May, a day before our departure to Albania, Trilokatma prabhu arrived at the Zagreb temple. Though we didn’t know each other by then, his face was familiar to me, perhaps from some of our Vaishnava festivals. He has been a member of ISKCON for nearly 30 years. After distributing books for many years in former Czechoslovakia, in the last decade Trilokatma prabhu has been a prominent preacher who gives public lectures and is responsible for public relations. After special and demanding training in Mayapur, in the last two years he has performed functions as a GBC supervisor for the Czech Republic and Slovakian yatras. Besides his numerous duties and responsibilities, he uses his talent of handling the photo and a video camera. He is also the cinematographer of the documentary film “Simple living, high thinking.” Owing to him and his professional camera, we now have high quality photo records of our tour. I am convinced that these photos will one day have archival value when the future Albanian Vaishnavas remember our pioneering mission to establish Krishna consciousness in Albania.

On Wednesday, the 4th of May at 6am, Trilokatma prabhu, Nayanananda prabhu and I set off from Zagreb to Split, where we ‘picked up’ bhakta Peggy. The car was full. Because of the four of us, our luggage and seven packages (800 books) – the shock absorbers were weighed down heavily. Fortunately, my Renault Scenic has a roof rack. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to take everything we needed. To cut a long story short, that day I drove over 900 km. We drove along the Adriatic coastal road, passed by Dubrovnik and continued along the coastal part of Montenegro. It was getting dark when we were driving along a narrow, rural road into Albania. We trusted the blessings of Sri Narasimhadeva should customs officers question us about 800 books. What could we have answered? However, everything went fine except that we were quite tired when we got to our destination an hour before midnight – at a youth hostel owned by a tourist company “Albanian Trip”. Even at that late hour, the traffic in Tirana was quite lively, and people were on the streets. After unloading the car and unpacking luggage in our rooms – we fell fast asleep. We had to rest for the next (the first) working day. The next morning we rested from the long journey, but we used the time to agree on a strategy and service assignment.

Since he is a good cook, it was logical that bhakta Peggy (except for the book distribution) takes responsibility for bhoga shopping, cooking and cleaning the kitchen. Trilokatma prabhu and Nayanananda prabhu were to focus exclusively on the book distribution and collection of e-mail addresses. I alloted myself two additional services. Firstly, I made a commitment to photocopy the sankirtan flyers. This is a flyer that I compiled ten years ago, which was translated into Albanian by Murlidhar-Krishna prabhu. It consists of two sheets of A4 paper that says what is ISKCON, who is Srila Prabhupada, what is Vaishnavism, the meaning of the Hare Krishna mantra, and next to Srila Prabhupada’s picture I put the contact e-mail address and our two website addresses for those who understand English (www.krishna.com and www.iskcon.org). I brought from Croatia 170 flyers, but very soon I need to photocopy more. To my surprise, photocopying in Albania is almost twice as expensive than in Croatia. The photocopied flyers I had to staple together and fold every morning. We were distributing flyers along with the books and going on Harinam. In my estimation, we distributed a total of about 1,000 flyers.

My second assignment was related to the desire to give a public lecture to students in one of the six universities in Tirana. While my three friends went out after breakfast to distribute books and flyers, I wandered around Tirana and visited three universities where local authorities were polite, but they offered me only false hopes and nothing more than that. Two days before leaving Tirana I got in touch with an English teacher from one of the other three universities. She and her authorities were interested, but there was too little time for them to be able to organise my speech because my offer came at a very short notice. This will most likely occur the next time we go to Tirana. In the meantime she started reading the book “The Science of Self-Realization’. I have started e-mail correspondence with her. Furthermore, I went (twice) to the headquarters of the national television, but I was denied by a suspicious receptionist lady. I have devised a plan how I will get around her the next time. But I will not talk about it now.

While I was on the first day vainly visiting various universities, my friends were distributing books on the streets of Tirana. The very first day they emptied a box of 115 books. On that day we didn’t have Harinam because we wanted to ‘feel’ how people would react and what their consciousness was like. Of course, Nayanananda prabhu had already known that, having an experience from the previous year. The success of the three of them, encouraged me to get out on the streets the following morning and try to distribute books. On a quiet promenade within only 70 minutes I managed to distribute as many as 13 books. I was encouraged. Now I will share with you some realisations that all four of us have experienced. The first realisation: It is extremely easy to stop people in Albania, especially when they see that you are a foreigner. For example, out of 10 people that we tried to stop, eight of them did stop and listen to what we wanted to say (providing they understand very little English).

The second realisation: There are a lot of young people in Albania. Women are clearly more numerous than men. There are a large number of students in Tirana. They will be happy to take a book, but you have to bother with them a little to persuade them to give you a donation. The books that we were distributing were already pre-sponsored so we did not have to bother about covering BBT costs. For that reason we were giving books even to those who offered less than what we had expected. For example; we were expecting at least 100 Lek. (1 euro = 138 Lek). Most of them gave less than 100 Lek. On the contrary, some rare individuals would give 200 and more Lek for a book. While distributing books, we tried to collect as many e-mail addresses as possible. In the end, we collected 54 of them.

The third realisation: Their police are great! Minding their own business they didn’t approach us when they saw that we were selling ‘something’ on the street. We held five Harinamas. Three in Tirana, one in Elbasan and one in Durres. Without notifying the police, we would sit down (with tilak, in Vaishnava robes) wherever we wanted to and play for about two hours. Although at times the police officers passed by us, it didn’t occur to them to ask us who we were and what we were doing. I guess they were satisfied that we did not create havoc, and that our performance was peaceful. All of our Harinams had the same strategy. Bh. Peggy and I played instruments (he played the karatalas and I played the harmonium), while Trilokatma prabhu and Nayanananda prabhu were easily stopping people and distributing books. Within 90-120 minutes they would together sell about 60 books and give out as many leaflets.

The fourth realisation: In contrast to northern Albania, which is mostly inhabited by a Muslim population – southern and central Albania are multicultural, where people of different religions live. Most of them are Catholics mixed with a small number of Orthodox Christians and Muslims. As far as I could see – in Tirana, Elbasan and Durres there were as many mosques as there are in Zagreb. To my surprise, there was a statue of Pope Francis in Tirana. Those who are obviously Muslim ladies are mostly tourists from Turkey. Such religious diversity and mutual tolerance was a great relief for our sankirtana mission.

A handful of (mostly young) people asked us if we had a centre or temple where they could come, listen to lectures, learn something and associate with us. With a heavy heart we had to tell them that for now we didn’t have such a facility. All of these numerous realisations confirm that Albania is fertile ground for the spreading of the sankirtana movement. The potential is huge. There are a lot of young, intelligent people who could be cultivated and trained in Krishna consciousness. A lot of things can be done. I’m almost sure that a good public program (with lectures, bhajans and prasadam), could trigger an avalanche of changes in the lives of a large number of Albanians. Though not aware of it, they are ready for such a change. How about us, ISKCON missionaries and ISKCON as an institution – are we willing to invest efforts and resources in various projects with the aim of spreading Krishna consciousness in this, so far unconquered part of the world?

There is not a problem with the lack of enthusiasm and good will of a few of us who are willing to take on responsibilities and make efforts for the satisfaction of our beloved Srila Prabhupada – to create an Albanian-yatra. The problem is the lack of material facilities and financial resources. The four of us want to go back to Albania this autumn. However, in order to be more effective, we want to rent an apartment or house for about 2-3 months in which we could invite interested people. Unfortunately, the four of us do not have regular financial income to be able to cover the costs of renting a house (or apartment), heating, food, fuel for the car, and so on. Also, for now we depend on my car, in which we can accommodate a limited amount of books, which we can bring to Albania. Finally, we have a limited number of books leftover. And this is only one book – Sri Isopanisad. We need more titles. As you can see, we have enough of good will and enthusiasm. If you think that you can help in some way – please let me know. This support can be financial, printing or photocopying flyers, donation of books in English, a good idea or proposal, and so on. You can contact me at the e-mail address vrsabha@gmail.com

One day Albanian Vaishnavas will start coming to Mayapur and Vrindavan. The time will come when in Tirana and other major cities in Albanian there will be ISKCON temples, massive distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books, public programs, etc. Only time separates us from our goals. However, if we are not quick and efficient – time is not on our side. Rather, it works for the demonic forces that steadily undermine the moral, traditional and spiritual values ​​of people throughout the world, including Albania.

After the collapse of the dictatorial regime of Enver Hoxha and the fall of the Iron Curtain, the Albanian society began to open to the world; mainly the western, materially developed countries. And from there,only a few good things can come. It is obvious that in the foreseeable future, due to the negative impact from the West (mainly U.S.A.) the Albanian society will become imbued with various plagues of deep materialism and all kinds of madness that go along with it. Therefore, we need to act quickly and efficiently. We welcome all of you who would like to join our team in distributing books and preaching. Srila Prabhupada ki jay!

Your servant, Vrsabha das

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21983

A conversation between His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami and Rohilesh Singh, Creator of the Happiness Platform.Have you sat back and thought about just how mentally healthy or unhealthy your workplace is and your life in general? Have you thought about what actually fulfils you or why despite all your accomplishments, you are still chasing some dream? What is that dream?

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, a monk for 40 years, is the incoming Chairman of ISKCON with over 600 temples, and has dedicated his whole adult life to selflessly serving his soul and that of others, shares with us ancient Vedic knowledge on what is important and how to attain sustained happiness.

Read the transcript below from The Leadership Show or Click and watch on YouTube or download from Soundcloud or iTunes. It’s free. Aren’t all the great things in life!

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=21993

The school’s Panihati festival which marks the end of Sri Mayapur International School academic year, took place on Thursday June 9. This festival is particularly dedicated to His holiness Jayapataka swami who brought and made this wonderful pastime of the Lord known all over the world. Inspired and re-enacting the glorious passage of Caitanya Caritamrita where Raghunath Goswami is punished by Lord Nityananda, to organize a huge festival and feed all His devotees. All the school members i.e. parents, staff members, students, teachers, etc. Come together to offer our community a wonderful day of kirtan, drama and glorification of the Lord.

The preparations for the festival usually start much earlier right after Gaura Purnima, with the decoration of the clay pots, hand painted by our wonderful students.

This is a long process that engages all the students but also parents, teachers and anyone who is inspired to please the Lord and His devotees. This year about 200 pots were offered for the pleasure of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada, filled with necterean preparations  and finely decorated with unique toppings by a wonderful team of students and teachers headed by Sri Janavi mataji, our PE teacher.

We had two wonderful dramas, the first one was about the original pastime of Raghunath das and Lord Nityananda and was performed by an amazing grade 5 led by Gunachuda mataji. The second drama was about the first meeting of Lord Nityananda and  Gauranga Mahaprabhu and was wonderfully performed by the grade 7 girls headed by Hemagopi mataji.

We are very fortunate that His grace Jananivas prabhu has been a regular supporter of our festival and blessed has with his precious association and presence.

We also would like to thank His Grace Ganga prabhu for conducting the auction of the pots. Our special appreciation goes to Vrajanath Prabhu who punctually raises the majority of the funds that make this festival possible. A special thanks and obeisances to all the families and devotees who helped or participated in this wonderful event! See you next year!

 ‘A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage, and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened.’ (SB 2.3.17 purport)

“God, or Krishna, is perfect and complete. And when we are established in our relationship with Him, we feel completeness. Without our eternal relationship with Krishna we feel incomplete, and so we try to overcome the feeling of incompleteness with so many things—’If I get this record, I will feel complete. If I get this job, I will feel complete. If I get this spouse, I will feel complete. If I have a child, I will feel complete’—whatever it may be. But we never feel complete with those things, because we are complete only in relationship with the Supreme Complete Whole, Krishna.” 

Source:http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=11137

The deities of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram, Radhe Shyam and Nitai Gaura were being transported from Jaipur to Vrindavan to be installed in their new temple on Ramnavmi day. It was the middle of the night, very quiet. Suddenly, just as the transport vehicle was coming close to the temple, hundreds of peacocks started to loudly ke-ka, all around the temple area. Sometimes the peacocks will crow when there are clouds in the sky or when they know clouds are forming. But this time there were no clouds. It was a transcendental call of happiness from the peacocks.  They were experiencing great bliss as if they knew that Lord Krishna was coming to stay in Vrindavan.

Just like, just before the monsoon season in Vrindavan, there may be some small thunderstorms with thunder and lightning. You can hear the peacocks jubilantly crowing because they know the rain will start soon. So this is that season, and the peacocks and brijwasis are very happy the hot summer was end soon.

In pauganda age Krishna wears clothes of different colors, but when He gets a little older he wears clothes the color of lightning. So when we see the lightning in the sky at the onset of the monsoon season and the dark clouds, we can immediately think of beautiful Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada wrote that full absorption in thought of Krishna is the highest platform of bhakti-yoga. (SB 7.1.27p)

Source:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.in/2016/06/a-short-story-about-how-krishna-and.html