(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 February 2013, Vrndavan, India, Caitanya Caritamtra Seminar Part 2)

Madhavacarya was extraordinary because he was worshiping Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We find Madhavacarya seated at the foot of Govardhan at Govinda Kunda and we find him there deeply absorbed in his chanting of the holy name so much so, that he would not let anything in this world interfere with that chanting.

The vow of Madhavendra Puri is something else. Let us for a moment concentrate and meditate on Madhavendra Puri and his vow. His vow was basically not to make any arrangement for anything to eat. Why such a vow? That vow was not followed by him in the mood of austerity, it was not, “From now, let me do some extraordinary austerity. I will not a make any arrangements for anything to eat.”

No, that was not it. If you think of it, all problems start with eating. It’s because we have to eat that we have to work and then you need to cook, and so on, and before you know it, it’s a huge entanglement. It takes away time – time away from the essential activity, and that was what was mood of Madhavendra Puri who did not want to take away any time from glorifying Krsna. He did not want to, for one moment, just stop his chanting. So, therefore he was not going to bother with anything else. He just let it go, he renounced it, he said, “I will leave it up to Krsna and I will only chant.”

So therefore, if we think about that for a moment, we can realise how deep his level of Krsna consciousness was. His chanting was not the chanting of a sadhika. His chanting was not the chanting of a devotee in practise, who was trying to get purified in practise by his chanting day-by-day; by trying to become more fixed up like most of us. His chanting was the chanting of one who was relishing the glorification of Krsna, who was hopelessly attached to glorifying Krsna and could simply not stop for a moment in that activity. So then, that kind of consciousness that attracts Krsna.

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2013/03/what-a-vow/

The King’s Finger. 
Once upon a time, there lived a king. The king was very kind and ruled his people very well. One day he accidentally cut his finger. The king cried aloud and his minister who was a devotee of Krishna came running and saw that the king has cut his finger.
The minister tying a cloth to the king’s finger said, “Dear king, don’t worry, whatever happen it’s is the mercy of Krishna. So be happy and thank your luck and thank Krishna”
The king got very angry and said, “What nonsense you are talking. The blood is coming out. I am crying in pain. You say this is the mercy of Krishna. You are a big fool. I will throw you in jail”. Shouting thus, the king got his minister thrown in jail. The minister smiled and said aloud, “Whatever happened is the mercy of Krishna! Thank you Krishna!”
But one fine morning the fat king went alone for hunting in the forest. There were no guards no ministers with him. He soon lost his way in the forest and landed in an enemy’s tribal kingdom.
Suddenly the tribal king and his soldiers rounded up the king and tied him to a tree. The tribal soldiers then drank and danced around the king and shouted, “Let this king be sacrificed to our Kali”. Shouting thus, they all prepared the king for the big sacrifice to Kali devi.
The king was sad as there was no minister with him to advise how to escape. He was weeping with tears running down his eyes.
The tribal king and the priest came to inspect the king and saw that the king had a bandage on his finger.
The priest then said to the tribal king, “Sir, this king has already cut his finger and the blood has already come out of him. But for our Kali we need fresh blood and a whole body without any cuts. Therefore, this king is unfit to be sacrificed and let him go back to his people.” The tribal king agreed and set the king free.
The king got back to his kingdom and related the story to his minister who was in jail. The minister then smiled and said, “See I told you that whatever happens is the mercy of Krishna and is for our own good !
On that day, you cut your finger it saved your life ! And when you put me in jail it also saved my life !” The minister said smiling.
The king was surprised and asked, “How’s that !”
The minister replied, “See, wherever you go I have to be with you. But on that day I was in jail. So I did not come with you. If I had come with you, the tribal king would have sacrificed me because my body was whole and there were not cuts on me. This way I too was saved !
You cutting your finger and me going to jail both happened to our own good! That is what I believed. And this is the moral philosophy that everyone should believe… “whatever happens, happens for our own good and it is the mercy of Krishna !”
If we strongly believe in this moral philosophy we will really stop worrying and make our lives happier and happier… forever and ever ! Putting our lifes in hands of Krishna is the most secure way to live our life.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20360

Despite the success of Vaishnavism as a worldwide phenomenon, there are yet some persistent difficulties faced by converts in understanding and implementing the ancient guru-disciple tradition. Partial understandings of source texts combined with highly selective use of quotes has only served to exacerbate the divisions of thought. This is particularly true of the writings on the delicate subject of guru-disciple.

This is probably as much as can be expected considering the prevailing climate. Whether we term it ‘post-modernism’ or not, the current intellectual and philosophical climate in the industrialised world has contributed to a particular perspective on the Vedas and the guru-disciple culture which is at its heart. The post-modern paradigm has several elements which may be helpful to the spirituality required to fully understanding the guru-disciple relationship. Conversely, it has some that directly militate against it:

1. Relational rather than hierarchical – Post-modern people are suspicious of the mainstream in any area of life and much prefer flat or networked organisations to hierarchies. Post-moderns want to humanise the world and are drawn to marginalised people; they are relationship centred. They give a higher priority to building a relationship than maintaining a building or structure. This view of the world probably helped to create the Hare Krishna movement back in the 1960s and 1970s.

However, as the role of the guru in the Hare Krishna movement has become augmented with organisational position and corollary power, there have been more complaints about the ‘position of guru’ being used to preserve the ‘institutional hierarchy.’ As the movement has gone from the social fringes to a more ‘mainstream’ position, the post-modern observers have re-categorized it from a ‘spiritual movement’ to a ‘religious institution.’ Although there is only a difference in size and complexity, that is enough for some to regard the guru-disciple relationship as an instrument of a religious hierarchy – and to react against it.

2. Spiritual rather than rational – Post-modern people, it is said, are more inclined to honour feelings along with rationality. They are drawn to signs, symbols and mysticism and love to hear stories of miraculous or mysterious experiences. Social psychologists suggest that this may have something to do with the ‘feminisation’ of society – and they may be partially right, since some aspects of masculinity are being challenged – but it may also be because spirituality itself has been subjugated to the principle of mere religious conformity for a prolonged period. The mystical element of religion, the tangible experiences of a higher reality, have been so rationalised away that people now crave this very real dimension of life.

Though all of this would seem to support people entering into the guru-disciple relationship, it has actually led, in some cases, to blind acceptance of self-declared, somewhat under-enlightened guru figures and belief in their pseudo-spiritual revelations. This alarming state of affairs has, by turn, led to the growth of evangelical rationality, as evidenced by the profusion of the ‘anti-God’ books written by neo-atheists. Within the Hare Krishna movement, this post-modern trend has often led to initial credulity of the guru’s qualifications, without any prior checking, followed by disenchantment some time later. Some post-modern Hare Krishna members have consequently become very influenced by the ‘new atheist’ writings and have placed rationale as their new guide to reality, completely foregoing their previous convictions in direct mystical experience. In this condition, some have rejected the Vedas entirely.

3. Explorative rather than possessive – Post-modern people dislike boundaries. ‘To travel is more important than to arrive.’ To explore is OK, to say that you have arrived is pride, and to then package what you’ve discovered is exploitation. They distrust notions of progress and tend to refuse to judge anyone else. They don’t like the differences between one person and another or between one religious group and another, and tend to want to de-emphasise them, preferring to think of every person and every path as equal. Again, this makes the Bhagavad-gita very interesting reading for them since Lord Krishna speaks of the soul present in every physical form and the inherent equality of all life. But the post-modern mind doesn’t like there to be any superior path to God-realisation because that makes others ‘inferior.’ Similarly, they don’t like the guru to be a person who knows it all and who can teach them. Rather, they want the guru to be more of an equal – a ‘soul friend.’ Of course, the guru is the best friend of the soul, but he is more, and must be regarded as more if the real benefit of having a guru is to be ever obtained.
4. Inclusive rather than exclusive – Because they don’t like to judge or pigeon-hole others, post-modern people tend to want to draw out the possibilities in others and seek to include them. Rather than regarding others in terms of their spiritual commitment or membership of a spiritual group, they would prefer to see them in terms of their potential. They are most likely to find some aspects of religious identity – where a spiritual practitioner chooses the company of like-minded others – as cultural aloofness or elitism. Buildings and organisational structures are not as important as the building of communities based on spiritual relationships.

Again, all of this may sound very good but a rejection of good discrimination can cause ineffectiveness in helping others. Different people have different spiritual needs, for instance, and require different approaches of teaching and guidance. And an extreme example of inclusivity in eating, for example, would see a vegetarian post-modern person sit down for a non-vegetarian meal out of respect for the dietary decisions of a friend. But not everyone’s dinner is suitable for an aspiring transcendentalist, and judgement is therefore required. Krishna speaks of categories of faith, practise, friends, types of personal discipline and stages of mystical revelation, and reality – according to Him, the One who sees reality as it really is – is made up differences between things, at least as much as similarities.

So although inclusivity is important, not everything or everyone can always be included in everything. Social inclusivity is no doubt the hallmark of Vedic culture since no-one is left out and everyone is on the path back to God. However, the disciplines necessary to develop higher states of awareness rest upon the ability to carefully discriminate between what to do and not; what to study and recite and not; what to eat and drink and what to avoid. After initiation the disciple is meant to honour the instructions of his guru above all others; and to practise the disciplines he has been given as a daily choice. Failure to do this – to try to establish a moral and spiritual equivalence amongst all instructions and all people – simply leads to the ultimate loss of regard for the guru and an inability to honour ones vows.

5. Culture friendly rather than ‘anachronistic’ – Post-modern religion, if a person chooses any religion at all, is religion a la carte. People select the ingredients with which they feel most comfortable. That will, inevitably, include elements of contemporary political or philosophical thought, speech, dress and culture being added to traditional time-honoured practises. They tend to view history as progressive and incrementally revelatory, a procession of human enlightenment leading to some ultimate revelation of peace and truth for all humanity. Ideas expressed in the past – simply because they were in the past – are less relevant than those expressed today. What this linear view of history does is to relegate the Vedas to a less enlightened period of human development, a period that produced some good ideas and noble thoughts, but cannot claim to have all the answers.

While intellectually a post-modern thinker may be drawn irresistibly to the logic of Vedanta he will almost unconsciously place a limitation on his beliefs since he anticipates another set of ‘Vedic’ revelations coming along soon. The guru-disciple relationship itself is also subjected to this view of history. The submission required to understand the Vedas may be regarded as an anachronism, as is the guru himself. The spiritual aspirant or disciple regards the guru as a helpful notion – for the people of another country, in another era – but can’t see the relevance of such an antiquated relationship in ‘today’s world.’ After initiation, the ‘post-modern disciple’ may begin to regard the vows he made as historical and therefore less relevant than those he might make today. By constantly reinventing himself in the light of his new experiences and understandings, such a disciple must be extremely careful not to reinvent himself out of his commitment to his guru’s instructions.

The added difficulty for anyone approaching the Vedas and the guru today is that none of us are accustomed to serving anyone in order to gain knowledge. If we need to learn something we simply pay a class or course fee, sit in front of the teacher, listen carefully and make notes. We don’t have to ‘surrender’ to the teacher or ‘make submissive enquiries,’ or make any extra effort to please the teacher by ‘rendering him service,’ all of which are recommended in the Vedas. There is no relationship we are obliged to enter into, and there is no question of ‘obedience.’ Logic also commands us to answer the question: “If the Vedas are written down and are now published in the form of a book, why can I not just pick up the book and read it?”

In the modern world, since 1450 at least, we Europeans have learned about the Divine through the medium of the printed word on paper. Great Protestant Christian martyrs have been publicly burned to death in England for daring to declare that God can be revealed through English language print. They suffered a painful end for insisting that no priest was required as an intermediary. If any lands are totally unsuitable for the guru-disciple method of teaching it must surely be the Protestant countries. These are the countries which rebelled against the notion that a priest was required to pass down messages from God or to take our prayers to Him. The Vedas would agree – to an extent. They explain that God does indeed reveal himself in the form of the written word – but that we can learn even more if we have a genuine guru.

In the early 21st century the internet search engine promises to provide us all the information we can possibly take in. Never before in human history have we been able to access so much information, store it and share it with whomever we like. The invention of information technology has revolutionised human communication in a way never thought possible some decades ago. Surely this has changed the way we can learn and understand the Vedas?

But there is a difference between information and knowledge, and a difference again between knowledge of something and a true understanding of it. The development of a true apprehension of higher reality comes as a result of incremental mystical revelation. And that, say the Vedas, can only be obtained by serving the guru – the one who is speaking the words of God – and serving him as a representative of God.

Source: https://deshika.wordpress.com/

Each spring, the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s New Gokul farm goes through the “letting out of the cows” ritual, whereby the cows and bulls are overjoyed to be let out again in the fields after being kept sheltered inside for the winter. Everyone laughs and cheers as the herd race across the fields, jumping and moo-ing in happiness. A truly delightful and entertaining experience for both cows and humans alike!
When: Sunday 10th April at 9.45am
Where: At New Gokul (The Manor’s farm - UK)

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20366

The Krishna Institute (KI) launches its service to the Vaishnava Community on Saturday, May 21, 2016, at ISKCON of Alachua with His Holiness Sacinandana Swami and Madhava das facilitating the two-day (Saturday and Sunday) interactive Dharma Workshop: “Discover Your Mission in Life.” Recognizing the significant contribution the KI will make to Srila Prabhupada’s mission in the U.S., the International Coordinating Committee for ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations has scheduled KI’s inauguration as a National Event.

Offered in a newly developed retreat facility surrounded by nature’s beauty in a secluded area of the Temple property, the Dharma Workshop will benefit attendees of all ages regardless of how many years they have been ISKCON members. Even a senior devotee can “get a new lease on life” or a renewed and revitalized outlook, as well as potentially discover a deeply satisfying “second career (service to Krishna)” by participating in this workshop and accessing the wealth of knowledge and realization coming in our Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. This workshop is the ripened fruit of His Holiness Sacinandana Swami’s fourteen years of research into the best way to discover one’s mission in life.

After the Dharma Workshop the KI will offer many other workshops, along with retreats, seminars, and courses that will systematically equip each participant with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to fulfill their unique mission.

• Monday, May 23, 2016, Madhava das and Radhika devi dasi will offer “The Qualities and Mood of a Kirtaniya: Realizations from Five Years of Kirtan with Aindra Prabhu”
• Tuesday – Thursday, May 24 to 26, 2016 – His Holiness Sacinandana Swami and Madhava das will lead “The Holy Name Retreat.” Both events will offer deeply satisfying experiences, and they are included in “Kirtan – From Your Heart to the World.”
• Monday, May 23 to Monday, June 27, 2016 – “Kirtan – From Your Heart to the World“, a five-week traveling kirtan experience that will go from Alachua via the Youth Ministry bus to the Sadhu Sanga Retreat, New York Ratha-yatra, and New Vrindavan’s Kulimela and 24-hour Kirtan.

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20344

Despite the success of Vaishnavism as a worldwide phenomenon, there are yet some persistent difficulties faced by converts in understanding and implementing the ancient guru-disciple tradition. Partial understandings of source texts combined with highly selective use of quotes has only served to exacerbate the divisions of thought. This is particularly true of the writings on the delicate subject of guru-disciple.

This is probably as much as can be expected considering the prevailing climate. Whether we term it ‘post-modernism’ or not, the current intellectual and philosophical climate in the industrialised world has contributed to a particular perspective on the Vedas and the guru-disciple culture which is at its heart. The post-modern paradigm has several elements which may be helpful to the spirituality required to fully understanding the guru-disciple relationship. Conversely, it has some that directly militate against it:

1. Relational rather than hierarchical – Post-modern people are suspicious of the mainstream in any area of life and much prefer flat or networked organisations to hierarchies. Post-moderns want to humanise the world and are drawn to marginalised people; they are relationship centred. They give a higher priority to building a relationship than maintaining a building or structure. This view of the world probably helped to create the Hare Krishna movement back in the 1960s and 1970s.

However, as the role of the guru in the Hare Krishna movement has become augmented with organisational position and corollary power, there have been more complaints about the ‘position of guru’ being used to preserve the ‘institutional hierarchy.’ As the movement has gone from the social fringes to a more ‘mainstream’ position, the post-modern observers have re-categorized it from a ‘spiritual movement’ to a ‘religious institution.’ Although there is only a difference in size and complexity, that is enough for some to regard the guru-disciple relationship as an instrument of a religious hierarchy – and to react against it.

2. Spiritual rather than rational – Post-modern people, it is said, are more inclined to honour feelings along with rationality. They are drawn to signs, symbols and mysticism and love to hear stories of miraculous or mysterious experiences. Social psychologists suggest that this may have something to do with the ‘feminisation’ of society – and they may be partially right, since some aspects of masculinity are being challenged – but it may also be because spirituality itself has been subjugated to the principle of mere religious conformity for a prolonged period. The mystical element of religion, the tangible experiences of a higher reality, have been so rationalised away that people now crave this very real dimension of life.

Though all of this would seem to support people entering into the guru-disciple relationship, it has actually led, in some cases, to blind acceptance of self-declared, somewhat under-enlightened guru figures and belief in their pseudo-spiritual revelations. This alarming state of affairs has, by turn, led to the growth of evangelical rationality, as evidenced by the profusion of the ‘anti-God’ books written by neo-atheists. Within the Hare Krishna movement, this post-modern trend has often led to initial credulity of the guru’s qualifications, without any prior checking, followed by disenchantment some time later. Some post-modern Hare Krishna members have consequently become very influenced by the ‘new atheist’ writings and have placed rationale as their new guide to reality, completely foregoing their previous convictions in direct mystical experience. In this condition, some have rejected the Vedas entirely.

3. Explorative rather than possessive – Post-modern people dislike boundaries. ‘To travel is more important than to arrive.’ To explore is OK, to say that you have arrived is pride, and to then package what you’ve discovered is exploitation. They distrust notions of progress and tend to refuse to judge anyone else. They don’t like the differences between one person and another or between one religious group and another, and tend to want to de-emphasise them, preferring to think of every person and every path as equal. Again, this makes the Bhagavad-gita very interesting reading for them since Lord Krishna speaks of the soul present in every physical form and the inherent equality of all life. But the post-modern mind doesn’t like there to be any superior path to God-realisation because that makes others ‘inferior.’ Similarly, they don’t like the guru to be a person who knows it all and who can teach them. Rather, they want the guru to be more of an equal – a ‘soul friend.’ Of course, the guru is the best friend of the soul, but he is more, and must be regarded as more if the real benefit of having a guru is to be ever obtained.
4. Inclusive rather than exclusive – Because they don’t like to judge or pigeon-hole others, post-modern people tend to want to draw out the possibilities in others and seek to include them. Rather than regarding others in terms of their spiritual commitment or membership of a spiritual group, they would prefer to see them in terms of their potential. They are most likely to find some aspects of religious identity – where a spiritual practitioner chooses the company of like-minded others – as cultural aloofness or elitism. Buildings and organisational structures are not as important as the building of communities based on spiritual relationships.

Again, all of this may sound very good but a rejection of good discrimination can cause ineffectiveness in helping others. Different people have different spiritual needs, for instance, and require different approaches of teaching and guidance. And an extreme example of inclusivity in eating, for example, would see a vegetarian post-modern person sit down for a non-vegetarian meal out of respect for the dietary decisions of a friend. But not everyone’s dinner is suitable for an aspiring transcendentalist, and judgement is therefore required. Krishna speaks of categories of faith, practise, friends, types of personal discipline and stages of mystical revelation, and reality – according to Him, the One who sees reality as it really is – is made up differences between things, at least as much as similarities.

So although inclusivity is important, not everything or everyone can always be included in everything. Social inclusivity is no doubt the hallmark of Vedic culture since no-one is left out and everyone is on the path back to God. However, the disciplines necessary to develop higher states of awareness rest upon the ability to carefully discriminate between what to do and not; what to study and recite and not; what to eat and drink and what to avoid. After initiation the disciple is meant to honour the instructions of his guru above all others; and to practise the disciplines he has been given as a daily choice. Failure to do this – to try to establish a moral and spiritual equivalence amongst all instructions and all people – simply leads to the ultimate loss of regard for the guru and an inability to honour ones vows.

5. Culture friendly rather than ‘anachronistic’ – Post-modern religion, if a person chooses any religion at all, is religion a la carte. People select the ingredients with which they feel most comfortable. That will, inevitably, include elements of contemporary political or philosophical thought, speech, dress and culture being added to traditional time-honoured practises. They tend to view history as progressive and incrementally revelatory, a procession of human enlightenment leading to some ultimate revelation of peace and truth for all humanity. Ideas expressed in the past – simply because they were in the past – are less relevant than those expressed today. What this linear view of history does is to relegate the Vedas to a less enlightened period of human development, a period that produced some good ideas and noble thoughts, but cannot claim to have all the answers.

While intellectually a post-modern thinker may be drawn irresistibly to the logic of Vedanta he will almost unconsciously place a limitation on his beliefs since he anticipates another set of ‘Vedic’ revelations coming along soon. The guru-disciple relationship itself is also subjected to this view of history. The submission required to understand the Vedas may be regarded as an anachronism, as is the guru himself. The spiritual aspirant or disciple regards the guru as a helpful notion – for the people of another country, in another era – but can’t see the relevance of such an antiquated relationship in ‘today’s world.’ After initiation, the ‘post-modern disciple’ may begin to regard the vows he made as historical and therefore less relevant than those he might make today. By constantly reinventing himself in the light of his new experiences and understandings, such a disciple must be extremely careful not to reinvent himself out of his commitment to his guru’s instructions.

The added difficulty for anyone approaching the Vedas and the guru today is that none of us are accustomed to serving anyone in order to gain knowledge. If we need to learn something we simply pay a class or course fee, sit in front of the teacher, listen carefully and make notes. We don’t have to ‘surrender’ to the teacher or ‘make submissive enquiries,’ or make any extra effort to please the teacher by ‘rendering him service,’ all of which are recommended in the Vedas. There is no relationship we are obliged to enter into, and there is no question of ‘obedience.’ Logic also commands us to answer the question: “If the Vedas are written down and are now published in the form of a book, why can I not just pick up the book and read it?”

In the modern world, since 1450 at least, we Europeans have learned about the Divine through the medium of the printed word on paper. Great Protestant Christian martyrs have been publicly burned to death in England for daring to declare that God can be revealed through English language print. They suffered a painful end for insisting that no priest was required as an intermediary. If any lands are totally unsuitable for the guru-disciple method of teaching it must surely be the Protestant countries. These are the countries which rebelled against the notion that a priest was required to pass down messages from God or to take our prayers to Him. The Vedas would agree – to an extent. They explain that God does indeed reveal himself in the form of the written word – but that we can learn even more if we have a genuine guru.

In the early 21st century the internet search engine promises to provide us all the information we can possibly take in. Never before in human history have we been able to access so much information, store it and share it with whomever we like. The invention of information technology has revolutionised human communication in a way never thought possible some decades ago. Surely this has changed the way we can learn and understand the Vedas?

But there is a difference between information and knowledge, and a difference again between knowledge of something and a true understanding of it. The development of a true apprehension of higher reality comes as a result of incremental mystical revelation. And that, say the Vedas, can only be obtained by serving the guru – the one who is speaking the words of God – and serving him as a representative of God. 

Source:https://deshika.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/post-modern-perspectives-on-the-guru-disciple-relationship/

From Back to Godhead

By Cintamani Dhama Devi Dasi

“ONE WHO CANNOT deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother, or a worshipable demigod” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.18).

As a parent I often wonder if I am up to the task. After all, full engagement in devotional service is the only way to become free from the cycle of birth and death. Prahlada Maharaja instructs us in nine methods of devotional service: “Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind, and words) these nine methods are accepted as pure devotional service” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.23)

Any devotee parent will attest that practicing these methods becomes so much more difficult when one has children. Sometimes devotional engagements seem impossible. During the arati service in the temple, my attention is always with the children what are they up to now? I can’t absorb myself in the kirtana anymore. I’m just trying to stop Madhva from creating havoc, I’m getting him endless glasses of water or snacks, or I’m feeding baby Radhika.

Bhagavatam class? Tougher to attend. Japa … after every other mantra I have to speak to the children or do something for them. And if they happen to both fall asleep at the same time, I’m so tired out that I have to struggle not to snooze. I’m surprised I don’t fall back into the whirlpool of material life myself, what to speak of saving my children.

Yet many parents do maintain their spiritual lives. Even single parents, for whom the problems are compounded, have proven it’s possible to stay in devotional service and bring up children as devotees too. Often such parents seem even more fixed in devotional service than childless devotees who don’t struggle with the same impediments.

“Well,” I moan to myself, “the parents who manage must be superhuman. They obviously don’t need to eat or sleep, and they’re immune to mental and physical exhaustion.”

But in more honest moments I have to admit they’re people not much different from me. So what’s the secret of their success?

Well, I’m hardly in a position to give definitive answers, but I’d like to share some thoughts and realizations about Krishna conscious parenting.

The first is that being a parent is as much devotional service as being a cook, book distributor, manager, or gardener, if we do this service for Krishna’s pleasure. That is to say, our motivation should not be just to equip our children for material life but to help them become Krishna’s devotees so they need never again take birth. Like any service, parenting has its austerities and its advantages. Its austerities we know too well. So now, what are its advantages?

The adage “Man proposes, God disposes” seems to hold one essential ingredient for success in spiritual life: If we really want to surrender to Krishna, He’ll help us. Why should we doubt it? After all, He is fulfilling the desires of even the materialists who don’t worship Him, so why shouldn’t He fulfill the desire of someone who wants to surrender to Him? The problem is we don’t want to surrender to Krishna, because that means giving up our illusory independence and sense gratification.

Having children has helped me in two ways to strengthen my desire to surrender. First, now I’ve directly seen how painful and hazardous is birth. Even if by good karma we’re born healthy into a caring family, we’re still forced to suffer the agonies of cholic, teething, and nappy rash. Tame stuff, you might think, but not if you’ve ever had children and seen how acutely they suffer.

For a child, something with an innocuous name like “nappy rash” can seem as painful as third-degree burns. And that’s only the beginning. As a parent you become mindful of the dangers facing your child from electricity, bleach, and cars to deranged and evil-minded people. These dangers await a spirit soul born into the best circumstances. What if you’re born to people who don’t want you or can’t take care of you? Phew! It’s surprising anyone gets through childhood alive!

As a baby I was blissfully ignorant of these dangers, but now as a parent I see what it means to be a baby. From this vantage point I know: I don’t want to ever take birth again.

The thought of taking birth again scares me. This fear helps my spiritual life, because now I can more feelingly pray to Krishna to help me surrender to His lotus feet. I know that though I’m weak Krishna is strong and if I really want to get out of the material world He will help me.

Besides fear for myself, my love for my children also keeps me praying to Krishna for help and makes me more alert to how He is helping me. When I look at my defenseless children, I naturally think, “How can I protect them from the troubles that await them in life? Maybe by good schooling or good money.” But who am I kidding? How will these protect my kids from war, depression, or cancer? I know in my heart that the only thing that can save my children in any circumstance is knowing how to take shelter of Krishna. If we can remember Krishna, then we can transcend even the pain of death, what to speak of other difficulties.

In short, I know that if I really want to help my children, I have to help them become conscious of Krishna. To do that, I too have to become Krishna conscious. After all, you can’t give what you don’t have. Children are sensitive to hypocrisy. You can’t tell them “Chant Hare Krishna, offer your food to Krishna, don’t take drugs or have illicit sex” unless you practice what you preach.

If we want our children to be devotees, we have to teach by our own example. To me this is a powerful reason to set the best example I can and to pray constantly to Krishna to help me do better. I don’t want these children to suffer in ignorance and be forced to be born again. Since I love them, I want to help them get out of the material world.

When I was childless I didn’t feel the same urgency to become Krishna conscious. I’ll do my best, I thought, but if I don’t make it in this life, there’s always the next, or the one after … But now, though my material load makes devotional life harder to practice, I feel more urgency. I really have to pray to Krishna to help me and to give me the intelligence to recognize how He is helping me. I have to try to be serious. If I do this, I know He will help me, because that’s His promise. “Those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have” (Bhagavad-gita 9.22).

Also, feeling more dependent on Him forces me to remember Him more, which after all is the essence of devotional service: “Krishna, the origin of Lord Visnu, should always be remembered and never be forgotten. All the rules and prohibitions in the scriptures should be servants of these two principles” (Padma Purana).

So, fellow suffering parents, don’t give up. Keep trying. And if you have any doubts, realizations, or stories about how to cope, please write and share them with the rest of us. Hare Krishna.

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20348

Srila Rupa Goswami says one of the qualities of a devotee is patience. Lack of patience means we are hovering on the mental plane which is material. In material transactions, things fail or succeed in matter of time and we can witness that success or failure. We get a closure and move on. In Krishna consciousness, seemingly, it is endless. We chant, and chant and then chant and still feel we are in the same location. This perception of lack of progress is a mental yardstick which is a factor of time which is material. Since we are used to assessing progress based on time, we tend to assess our progress in Krishna consciousness similarly.

Actually, patience in Krishna consciousness does not mean like a mother waiting 9 months to give birth to a child, that is - the result is obtained after a certain time gap. That is material patience. In Krishna consciousness, patience means to realize our connection with Krishna which we have previously forgotten. To put it differently, the second we connect with the Holy Name and the spiritual master, we are instantly connected. No question about that! But we do not realize it from the depths of our heart due to our mental distractions. So the realization we are always connected with Krishna, for that idea to take hold in our hearts takes time and that means patience. Otherwise, without Krishna there is no question of anything existing.

As devotees, therefore, we should not doubt that we are disconnected and get frustrated and keep trying innovative so-called devotional techniques. Simply we follow the instructions of previous acharyas and perform our dharma materially and spiritually diligently praying to Krishna to give us the inner realization to see His Hand in all of our lives and through that inner vision, we will always be nourished and happy in our duties towards this world and Krishna.

For the prayer to work, we simply need to be focused and humble towards Krishna and gradually the dense fog of forgetfulness will rise to the point where we will see we were never separate from God or Krishna.

Hare Krishna 

Source:http://servantoftheservant-ananda.blogspot.in/2016/04/patience-in-krishna-consciousness.html

Sanatana Gosvami makes an interesting statement about austerity for the devotees of Krsna which is: tapas or austerity does not refer so much to the troublesome austerity of the body as much as to one-pointed concentration of the mind. That is really nice – that our austerity is one pointed concentration of the mind. When I read that, it sort of struck a chord with me because we often speak about how difficult it is to fix the mind during chanting; we struggle with inattentive chanting. But I think it is not just inattentive chanting – it is inattentive living; we are guilty of inattentive living. Everything we do, we just do it automatically, inattentively. We do not remember Krsna in every situation. If simply in every situation we try to focus on Krsna, that would make a great difference. 

Source:https://www.kksblog.com/2016/04/refocus-2/

The U.S. TOVP Team announces the Grand Opening of their new 

Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is always free from politics and institutional bashing or promotion. Just simply nectarean Krishna Katha! 

View ebook

Gaura Purnima Festival at Bhaktivedanta Academy, the Hare Krishna School in Alachua, Florida.
Jaya Sri Radhe devi dasi: The students of the Krishna Sharanam classroom (7th-9th grade) at the Bhaktivedanta Academy recently put on a project to celebrate Gaura Purnima with their classroom Panca Tattva deities. Putting on a festival like Gaura Purnima helps the students build leadership and practical life skills. Each area of the project –decorations, jewelry, backdrops, and abisheka – had a student leader. The leader organized and prepared the necessary materials and engaged other students. They all collaborate together on the theme for the festival. This year’s theme was from the prayers by Queen Kunti, “As the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.” The students also wanted to portray Mayapur Dhama village as well as the Ganges flowing to the sea. They had only a small budget so everything was made by hand. This year’s feature was handmade banana trees, and a miniature replica of Navadwip featuring Srivas Unga, Yoga Pitha, and Narasimha Palli. The day before the Festival, there was an abisheka where the school was invited to view the Deities. On the day of the Festival, the class finishes up their Holy Name marathon, and the school and parents and guests are invited to chant with them and take darshan.
Krishna Sharanam
This yearly celebration is a time when whole class gets together and works on a project centered around Krishna. The excitement builds as the students see to all the details involved in making the festival a success. Madhuri Fitch was the leader of creating the village scene, Ksina Valdez was in charge of the altar decorations, Janvi Shah was in charge of classroom decorations that included the Ganges design, Anasuya Rico painted the backdrops which featured tropical foliage and flowers, Nishtha Kowlessar designed and coordinated the jewelry making, Haridas Leslie was in charge of the abisheka, and many other students assisted such as hunting and gathering in the woods to get the raw materials to make the Navadwipa village, making garlands, etc. Everyone had a hand in it. For many students, it is the highlight of the year…they develop sincere closeness to Panca-tattva, and realize the rewards of becoming part of something bigger than themselves.

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20313 ;

By Urmila Devi Dasi

“No school!”

My student’s excitement ripples through his arms, which boast the muscles of early youth.

“I can sleep late!”

He smiles.

I sigh.

School for my students means not just academic study but also rising before sunrise to worship Krsna. Why doesn’t this student love the pre-dawn hours?

I look back on my life as a small child. Each morning my father would rise by 5:00 A.M. and wake me soon afterwards. Or did I wake spontaneously just to be with him? I would play in his office in our home while he showered. When I was very young we would play together, each of us with a doll. His doll told me stories of his life and taught me lessons of ethics and morality. As I got older, the play became a time to talk of the important things in our lives. My father squeezed fresh orange juice, made our breakfast, and forged our friendship. He made the early morning a time of peace, beauty, love, friendship, and understanding.

Mentally traveling forward, I remember sitting in a temple president’s office so many years later.

“I’d like to live here and dedicate myself to serving Krsna.”

“We wake up early in the morning,” he says. “Very early. Can you do that?”

I smile. “I’ve done that all my life.”

How easy now to spend the early mornings with my ultimate father, the Supreme Lord, Krsna! I sing His glories, dance to please Him, and study His philosophy. When chanting His names, I am personally with Him.

All day my father worked for our family, but the time we spent together, sometimes simply enjoying each other’s company, was often the most significant and satisfying. Now my sweetest time is spent in the morning just being with Krsna in His name, in His deity form on the altar, in the descriptions of His activities and philosophy. On days when I miss that time, I feel incomplete, even though I chant Krsna’s names and read His stories and instructions later in the day.

Rising early for prayer and study may become a chore, an obligation, as my student felt, and I wonder if I can give him the sense of wonder that my father gave me. I have read of medieval monks who woke each night at midnight for prayers and then slept a bit more until the next prayers before sunrise. They struggled sometimes, in those cold stone monasteries, to drag their sleep-heavy bodies and minds to the chapel. Some of them write of these practices as austerities or penance. We might similarly describe our Vaisnava devotions, yet are they not really rather a joy?

The ancient study of Ayurveda teaches us why the early morning so helps one’s spiritual advancement toward pure love of God. The controlling forces of the creation the three modes of nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance affect our consciousness, activities, and even the time of day or year. In early morning we more easily achieve goodness and, beyond that, transcendence. Passion increases with the day, as we consume our time with occupations and making money. At night, ignorance prevails, inciting inclinations toward degradation and crime.

Even if we don’t understand the workings of nature’s modes, most of us find focusing the mind difficult when pressed with the day’s demands. The early-morning hours can clear our consciousness, mellow our actions.

The challenge of focusing on spiritual practices at other times of the day is like trying to travel during a traffic jam, when arriving at our destination is a protracted business at best. When everyone else is on the road, we don’t want to be there. But during the off times, the same journey is fast and easy. Similarly, while we can spend time with Lord Krsna at any time and place, the early morning is an open highway. Our devotional thoughts can move freely, unimpeded. While nothing material, including time, can hinder spiritual life, if we’re sincere about spiritual progress we’ll aim to build our day and life around the favorable circumstances.

Logic and knowledge alone may not be enough to sustain us through a lifetime of daily practice. We’re part of the Lord, the reservoir of pleasure, so we also seek pleasure. To throw off the bedcovers each morning and embrace the day, our early-morning chanting and study must be a source of pleasure.

One can say, dogmatically, that the early-morning devotions are pleasure, and that one who practices regularly will surely come to feel the pleasure. The great spiritual teacher Rupa Gosvami tells us that even if devotion to Krsna tastes bitter, by practice it will turn to sweetness. But while waiting to feel that joy, we may become discouraged, like the shopper at the end of a long line who decides to shop elsewhere. Therefore, we cannot hope to achieve perfection simply by following a formula because it is the formula. We must feel a real connection with Krsna, which is joyful even in the stage of practice.

Is the practice hard? As I look at the young student who thinks it is, I’m not sure. I pray that Krsna will awaken him to the feeling that he is truly and completely with the Lord.

We can come to love worshiping Krsna early in the morning as naturally and easily as I loved being with my father. After all, Krsna is the most lovable person. All good qualities reside unlimitedly in Him, His love for each of us is unbounded, and we know enough about Him from the Vedas to saturate our minds and hearts with love for Him and with thoughts of His greatness. If we just look at Him fully, and hear Him fully, with focus and dedication, will we not find joy in His presence?

Urmila Devi Dasi and her family run a school in North Carolina. She is the major author and compiler of Vaikuntha Children, a guide to Krsna conscious education for children.

The Early Morning Practice of Devotion

This is the general program Srila Prabhupada gave us, in line with the traditional practices of saintly, pure devotees of Lord Krsna.

• Rise before sunrise, preferably by 4:00 A.M.

• Bathe and dress in clean clothes.

• Gather with others, if possible, and spend half an hour in responsive singing of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and other glorification of the Lord. Generally, devotees gather in a special room in their home where there are pictures or deity forms of Krsna, Lord Caitanya, and Srila Prabhupada. (Many devotees travel daily to a temple outside their home.)

• If possible, worship the sacred Tulasi plant.

• Chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra quietly to oneself. Devotees usually count the number of mantras they chant on a string of 108 beads. Initiated devotees in ISKCON chant at least sixteen times around the beads daily.

• Read the scriptures and discuss their meaning and application according to the teachings of great devotees. Our main scripture for morning study is the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20321

In Sastra class, the Upper Elementary students have been relishing Krishna’s appearance and childhood feats through their study of the book Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Students take turns reading aloud daily, summarizing, sharing reflections, posing thoughtful questions, and answering philosophical inquiries. We have just completed our study of chapter thirty-five, and students are eagerly anticipating the beginning of Krishna’s pastimes in Mathura. We look forward to continuing our study in the months to come! 

Source:http://www.tkgacademy.com/news-updates/in-the-classrooms/krsna-the-supreme-personality-of-godhead/

Many years ago, H. H. Tamal Krsna Goswami asked me to accompany him to China, where he had been pioneering Krsna consciousness for some years. I was unable to go at the time so he said, “Promise me you’ll make it there one day.” I agreed. Goswami, this evening I am flying to mainland China for the first time with a team of devotees to fulfill my promise to you. Please bless us to be successful in helping the many devotees who now, in your absence, are carrying on your great work there. 

Source:http://www.travelingmonk.com/35457/my-promise-to-you

Veda Course. 
The residential Veda Course is designed for those wishing to gain a foundational understanding of bhakti-yoga. Over a period of three months, the following modules are covered: Theology and Philosophy, Devotional Practice and Vaishnava Culture.
You will experience the early-morning devotional programme, practical temple services and the variety of festivals that make Bhaktivedanta Manor famous. Living in a spiritual community will help you to deepen your knowledge, strengthen your faith and build friendships that will last a lifetime.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/D52EDw

Pilgrimage to India and Bhakti Shastri (Sabbatical Course)
For those who are proficient in their understanding of Krishna Consciousness, the 6 month sabbatical course is an ideal opportunity to explore it further.
The first half of the Sabbatical takes place in India, where we discover the roots of the Vedic culture. There are seminars, practical workshops and training courses at ISKCON Chowpatty, a world-famous flagship centre of training and education. Living amongst 150 resident monks is certainly enlivening! There are also pilgrimages to holy places like Vrindavana, Mayapur and Jagannatha Puri. These unique trips offer us a glimpse into the spiritual world.
The second half of the course is based at Bhaktivedanta Manor focusing around completion of the Bhakti Shastri degree. Quality time is spent in studying the Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad and Bhagavad-gita. You will also gain an exposure to the variety of outreach activities at the Manor, and learn practical skills like public speaking, team leadership and project management.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/Qs2lFE 

At Easter, many people go on holidays and our temples are usually quite busy receiving guests from all walks of life.

New Gokula, even though in a little remote area of the country, welcomed 100-200 visitors every day at the Easter Holidays.

Source: http://www.ramaiswami.com/easter-crowds/ ;