ISKCON Desire Tree's Posts (19926)

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Bhakti Raghava Swami: As part of the on-going efforts to establish Varnasrama Colleges in different parts of India, IDVM-India will be inaugurating the ISKCON Varnasrama College (IVC) on Monday, January 4th, 2016 at the recently established Rural Community called “Sahyadri Goloka Dham” located near the Town of Hebri, in the District of Udupi, South Karnataka.

IVC will offer Weekend Retreat Courses to a limited number of interested devotionally inclined individuals during the entire month of January and invites anyone interested to contact its Coordinators, Sriman Kisora das at kisorakrsna@yahoo.com and Sriman Sri Rama das at +91 96 42 330011.

Sahyadri Goloka Dham rests at the foothills of the Western Ghats also known as Sahyadri Mountain adjoining a flowing river that feeds into the Sita River. The location can easily be accessed from Udupi Town itself or from Karkala Town, both approximately 30 KM away.

Visiting Faculty members will include the following: HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami (Dharma Shastri), Sriman Kisora das (Carving, Agriculture), Sriman Prananatha das (Yoga and Health), Sriman Krsna Balarama das (Bee Keeping, Nature Study), Sriman Vivek Devarajan (Panchagavya Products), Sriman Raghu Mishra (Organic Farming), Dr Sreekumar.S (Cow Care and Grazing) and Sriman Venu Gopal das (Spoken Sanskrit).

The Sahyadri Goloka Dham project is overseen by Sriman Srinivas Pejathaya who hails from Mangalore itself and who can be contacted at +919019404030.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=1782

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Bhagavad Gita in a few words

Introduction

Bhagavad Gita is fundamentally built on the platform that the soul is eternal and the body is temporary and that both are unique and distinct but co-existing. The entire theme the reader will encounter in the later chapters are founded on this fundamental idea. If we miss this point, Bhagavad Gita will seem incompatible with practical life. If we assimilate this point, Bhagavad Gita is the most practical book in life. So it is a matter of consciousness, are we reading the book as a spiritual being or a material being?

Karma

Krishna then envelops layers of thought (like an onion) around the body-soul paradigm. The first layer is the idea of doing one's duty. Krishna urges Arjuna to perform one's duty. He urges him to rise above the three modes to perform duty with equanimity of mind to success or failure, honor or dishonor, heat or cold etc. This equanimity of mind, Krishna tells is the foundation of yoga. To perform one's duty without attachment to the fruits of one's labor is superior to performing one's duty with attachment. Krishna also warns Arjuna that it is better to doing one's duty faultily (that is with attachment) than without doing it at all.

Gnana

Krishna envelopes a further layer of thought called brahman or brahma-nirvana. He says that as one performs one's duty without attachment to the fruits of labor thus maintaining equanimity of mind in yoga, and also by controlling the breathing process within ashtanga (eight fold system), one is able to attain to the pure state of consciousness called brahman. In this state Krishna says one can find happiness in the self. The stage of brahman is above the stage of performing result-free duty. 

Knowledge of this world

On the other side, Krishna also shows the contrast of lifestyle of one who is on the bodily platform, those who are mired by the three modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Constantly harassed by the modes, the jiva is shuttling up and down, left and right and is struggling with the six senses which include the mind. The struggling jiva driven by kama and krodha worship different gods and aspire to acquire possessions within this world not knowing that the gods and this world are under Krishna.  However, Krishna says to those miscreant jivas,  I come as death. Krishna displays His universal form to prove His Supreme status of all the worlds and gods. Krishna says to Arjuna to not seek shelter within maya (this world) for Krishna says maya (world) is under "My" control and is "Mine". Krishna impels Arjuna to give up this materialism by fighting for Him - Krishna God of Gods.

Ananya Bhakti 

The final super layer of thought enveloping all ideas is ananya bhakti (unalloyed devotional service). Krishna says if one can raise above the stages of the three modes, karma, and brahman one can reach the stage of ananya bhakti which Krishna says is the final refuge for the conditioned jiva. Because through ananya bhakti only, can one know Krishna in full truth. Other paths are progressive paths to this stage of ananya bhakti. Henceforth, Krishna urges Arjuna to bow down to Him in surrender and unconditional bhakti. This Krishna says is the most confidential of all truths spoken within the pages of Bhagavad Gita. By simply engaging in bhakti under the guidance of a spiritual master, Krishna says one can transcend this world of death and attain to His abode of eternality and bliss.

Summum Bonum

After saying all this, Krishna looks at Arjuna with compassion and says to him you may do as you like Arjuna! Arjuna with mind cleared up and doubts dispelled surrenders to the words of Krishna with a desire to execute the order of Krishna. Such willful surrender in devotion of the jiva to Krishna is the pinnacle of yoga and represents the summum bonum of this esoteric book called Bhagavad Gita.

Hare Krishna
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A world-class show celebrating ISKCON’s 50th anniversary entitled “Transcendental Journey: Krishna 50 Years On” is set to play at the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia on Saturday August 20th, 2016.

Transcendental Journey will repeat twice, with a matinee performance at 2pm and an evening one at 7:30pm in one of the Sydney Opera House’s state-of-the art theaters, “The Studio.” With sophisticated sound and lighting systems, its comfortable crimson-red tiered seats will sit 350 each time for a total of 700.

Organizers hope that about thirty per cent of the audience will be members of the general public attracted by a high-quality show, while ISKCON devotees and the wider Indian congregation will make up the rest.

VIPs such as the Prime Minister of Australia Mr. Michael Turnbull and High Commissioner of India in Australia Mr. Navdeep Suri are being invited, along with other senior politicians and famous actors and musicians.

One of Srila Prabhupada’s seniormost disciples and most renowned ISKCON pioneers, Mukunda Goswami, is expected to attend, health permitting. Australian kirtan singer Sri Prahlad Das has confirmed. And ISKCON gurus Radhanath Swami and Bhaktimarga Swami, as well as GBCs for Australia Ramai Swami and Devamrita Swami, are also being invited.

Like the Academy Awards, the 90-minute show will use video on a large screen to link live music, dance, and drama performances, all combining to tell the story of Srila Prabhupada’s life and the development of the Hare Krishna Movement -- from its cultural roots 5,000 years ago up to the diversity and unity that is ISKCON today.

“One of the opening scenes will feature an actor as Srila Prabhupada, walking up the gangway onto the steamship Jaladuta to travel from India to the U.S.,” says producer Damodara Pandit Das. “Video explaining that Srila Prabhupada was an emissary in the Gaudiya Vaishnava line, going back to Sri Chaitanya, will then connect to a Bengali kirtan performance.”

Next, the story will follow Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Orissa, presenting a traditional Odissi dance by the Naktya Shakti Dance troupe from the New Govardhana Farm in New South Wales.

After a Rasa-Lila dance in Lord Krishna’s hometown of Vrindavana, India, the story will return to Srila Prabhupada as he arrives in America. Highlights there, such as the beginning of ISKCON at 26 2nd Avenue in New York City, and the kirtan Prabhupada led on San Francisco’s Hippie Hill in 1966, will be portrayed by actors and musicians.

“We’ll also have scenes looking at ISKCON’s achievements and where it is today, as well as ISKCON’s younger generations and its future,” says Damodara Pandit. “The show will end with a grand finale kirtan, which we hope to get everyone up and dancing for!”

After the performance, audience members will be able to browse Srila Prabhupada’s books in the foyer. There will also be a commemorative program for the event.

Transcendental Journey is being produced by Mukunda Goswami, Damodara Pandit – who is the co-chair of the Vande Arts group -- Temple of the Vedic Planetarium acoustics designer Deva Gaura Hari Das, and husband-and-wife Pratapana Das and Jaya Sri Dasi, senior devotees who run Sydney’s uber-successful Govinda’s restaurant.

The team also plans to livestream Transcendental Journey: Krishna 50 Years On, and to make a CD and DVD of the event.

The show will be part of a weekend retreat at Govinda Valley, an ISKCON yoga center just south of Sydney. The retreat will include ecstatic kirtans, classes, feasting, Srila Prabhupada remembrances by his disciples, and a mega Harinama in downtown Sydney.

“Our goal in holding this event is to increase the appreciation and profile of Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement,” says Damodara Pandit.

* * * 

Artists who are interested in being a part of the Transcendental Journey show are invited to contact Damodara Pandit Das at yakdas@hotmail.com

Source: http://iskconnews.org/sydney-opera-house-to-host-iskcon-50th-celebration,5292/

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Gita Jayanti, December 21, Houston

 

“When I first went to the temple as a guest the devotees from Canada would always ask me, ‘When are you going to surrender?’ I would say, ‘I am an American. We don’t surrender. Surrender is for weak people. When people are strong they don’t surrender.’ The temple president said, ‘You are a fool. You are surrendered to so many things. You are surrendered to your family, your job, your friends your country.’ Even those of us that were part of the counter-culture had to surrender to the call of nature. We had to surrender to the urge to speak the urges of the mind, the urge of anger, the urge of the tongue, belly and genitals. And when any of those six knock on the door we must surrender. So, the devotees told me, ‘You are already surrendered. Now you just have to decide to whom you are going to surrender. Who has true value for you to surrender to?’ And they explained to me that it was Krishna.” —Rtadvaja Swami

Giriraj Swami Kirtan, Houston
Giriraj Swami Talk, Houston
Rtadvaja Swami Talk, Houston

Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=10473

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I Am Here

I woke up at 5am and checked my email and Facebook. I know, lovely way to start the day, right? Well in fact, it was lovely! I read an email that offered personal growth wisdom. Facebook was brimming with beautiful news and pictures - awards for my friends, gatherings of communities to celebrate the lives of special people, the smiling and effulgent faces of people with so much love etched in their eyes. Announcements and exciting travel plans and worldwide experiences of kirtan, sharing Krishna with the world...

When I placed my phone on a table and readied myself to begin my morning mantra meditation, I felt a little squeeze of sadness in my heart: I have nothing to share with the world that's that special. 

I leaned against the wall and began to murmur the holy name, fingering my beads. Tiredness fell over me like a soft sheet. So I gently laid my body down. I slipped under the soft waves of tiredness, half-conscious. Nevertheless, my murmurs continued on, the holy name kept spiraling onward, my fingers kept moving across my wooden meditation beads. 

Something interesting happened. I seemed to float out of my body and have this vision of seeing myself from above, lying there chanting japa, the predawn light slowly filtering into the room. Suddenly I was surrounded by the words: I am here, and I am chanting the holy name. 

The feeling behind those words was:

How glorious! How triumphant! I am complete. I am enough. I am here, I chanting the holy name. 

I am here.

I am chanting the holy name.

How glorious. 

For half an hour, the holy name encircled me, encircled me, and those words kept surrounding me, surrounding me. I kept coming back into my space on the floor, then zooming out to look at myself from the ceiling, the words reverberating: I am here, I am chanting the holy name.

I am enough. 

Dude, I was lying down, half-awake. Not exactly an accomplishment to trumpet on Facebook. And yet the holy name was so loving and so kind. Even though I was lying down and half-asleep, none of that mattered. I felt that the Lord saw my sincerity, my desire to chant, and that tiny little spark - no matter how hidden under sheets of sleepiness - was as pure and brilliant as the sun.

At last when I rose from the floor, I went to wash my face. I felt washed with gratitude and wonder. I didn't feel sticky or groggy or embarrassed. I just felt grateful. Grateful for another day to spend with the holy name, and that is enough, I am enough, He is enough. 

Source: http://seedofdevotion.blogspot.in/2015/12/i-am-here.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+SeedOfDevotion+(Seed+of+Devotion)

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Last Push for the UK Sankirtan

Last Push for the UK Sankirtan devotees who try to reach the goal of 100.000 books distributed during the December marathon

Last Push for the UK Sankirtan devotees who try to reach the goal of 100.000 books distributed during the December marathon. 
Sutapa Das: The finish line is in sight - now the marathon runners close their eyes, shut out all other thoughts, and draw on every last bit of energy - all the hard work culminates here! 88,000 reached - we need 12,000 books distributed in 2 days! Its the last push…
Special thanks for the “100k Effort” goes to Tanmay prabhu. For the last month, he has been offloading pallets, giving out books, updating the thermometer, and running around all day facilitating the book distributors. Over 40,000 books must have passed through his trusty hands! Always smiling, no complaints. Tanmay prabhu - you’re the best!
And for that matter, we would like to thank all the devotees doing ‘background services’ (driving, cooking, covering services) to facilitate the devotees distributing books. Without you, the marathon doesn’t happen. Thank you, thank you, thank you

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17790

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Cast Iron Factory Located in Kolkata

 
 
 
 
 

As research continues, we always try to find the best materials for the TOVP construction work. Sometimes they come from Europe, South America and other faraway places. But other times we find them locally, right here in West Bengal.

Sadbhuja prabhu recently visited an iron factory in Kolkata. The factory has been operating for over 100 years and they have more than 600 workers! They also export to many other countries. In the photos we can see samples of cast iron work that the factory has produced.


Source: http://tovp.org/news/art-architecture-design/cast-iron-factory-located-in-kolkata/

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Five rare wooden sculptural masks made in India—recently acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art—will be highlighted in the special exhibition Encountering Vishnu: The Lion Avatar in Indian Temple Drama, opening at the Met on December 19. Worn by actors in dramatic plays that were presented during religious festivals in southern India, the masks represent a largely unrecorded category of late medieval devotional art from India.

The exhibition is made possible by The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation Fund.

The appearances of Vishnu in many guises, known as avatars, are most famously celebrated in his Ten Avatars (Dasavatar). In this exhibition, Vishnu’s Narasimha (man-lion) appearance will be celebrated with several dramatic sculptural depictions. They all explore the theme of Vishnu in his man-lion form, revealing himself at the court of an evil king in response to the king’s attempts to slay his own son for his unwavering devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu. A frightful battle ensues in which Narasimha finally overcomes the protective magic with which the evil King Hiranyanatakam surrounds himself, and Narasimha disembowels the king. Order is thus restored to the universe. This narrative is dramatically represented in sculptures and painting, and when staged it is given heightened drama by the wearing of these powerfully expressive masks. This temple drama, known as Hiranyanatakam, is still performed in the Kaveri delta region of Tamil Nadu, in villages around Thanjavur in southern India.

Along with the masks, the exhibition will present works in bronze, sandstone, and wood, as well as miniature paintings, lithographic devotional prints, and early photography, all of which illuminate the theme of Vishnu’s divine appearances. Dating from the 6th to the 20th century, the 30 works will be drawn from the Met’s collection, as well as private collections, and will include an extraordinary seated sandstone Narasimha from the sixth or seventh century. Education programs include a Friday Focus lecture on April 1 and exhibition tours.

The exhibition will be organized by John S. Guy, Florence and Herbert Irving Curator of the Arts of South and Southeast Asia.

Exhibition location: Florence and Herbert Irving Galleries for the Arts of South and Southeast Asia, Asian Wing, third floor, Gallery 251

Source: http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/press-room/exhibitions/2015/encountering-vishnu

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Finland has been one of the most successful countries in the world in education, - and perhaps because - the universities and educational institutions are open to different educational concepts. Among other high-quality educational programs, Finland is exporting the concepts of creative education to different countries - to India, too. Tattvavada Das has been part of the Finnish Council for Creative Education  (CEE) team since 2014 tour in Pune and Mumbai, traveling and lecturing. Their group was very warmly welcomed everywhere. 

Tattvavada is a pioneer of interpreting Krishna-conscious concepts of culture and education in Finnish schools, universities and teacher training in colleges where he has been visiting for more than two decades, at the beginning with Suhotra Swami and later on with Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami.

"This autumn I realized that many Finnish universities showed their increased interest towards the concepts and strengths of the traditional Indian education", Tattvavada says. He has just recently returned from the University of Eastern Finland where he lectured about the concepts of the Indian traditional educational system. His lecture was part of the course called “a teacher as a profession.” The response in the educational faculty has been enthusiastic.

“I’ve never thought how practical and deep this old science of education is “, says Heidi who is completing her further studies to become a headmaster of a medical college. Before she was heading one department in a big hospital in Helsinki. She and a number of other students and their teachers were very interested and asked good questions. At the end of the lecture, the university teacher of history gave Tattvavada a nice present, a book he had written together with his colleagues.

The Archbishop of Finnish Protestant (Lutheran) Church Kari Mäkinen, Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami and Tattvavada Das 

”Nowadays we can only afford to invite two special visitors yearly. Timo (Tattvavada) is surely one other of them”, says Vesa Hirvonen, Phd, who always introduces Tattvavada as the “number one pundit” of the Veda culture and philosophy in Finland.

In the university of Tampere, teacher Mrs Tuovi Pääkkönen has developed a course called Eastern Philosophies. It has been going on there in their teacher-training college already over 15 years. Tattvavada has been a permanent visiting lecturer in that course from the beginning. This autumn the interest among the students has been wide and the course has been nicely participated and gathered a full classroom of students.

 ”Similar types of courses are starting in other parts of Finland, too – for instance around Turku region,” Tattvavada continues.

It is worth noting that the course material is partly based on Srila Prabhupada's and Swami's books.

”Mrs Pääkkönen has created a nice course and the students seem to be very inspired to study this vast topic,” Tattvavada says.

In the university of Oulu there is a course called Global Education in the educational faculty. It is a part of the international MA program. Early December Tattvavada lectured there about the principles of Vedic education. These lectures and discussions took one full study day because of the enthusiasm of the students and their teachers.

”Timo’s (Tattvavada’s) mind-expanding lectures are strengthening the quality of our teachers education. No doubt that these lectures assured us that universal pedagogy and ethics surely  exist", Johanna and Markku said respectfully. They are working as teachers of this program. 

Tattvavada’s next Oulu University lectures will take place in February 2016. He is also invited to lecture in the university of Tampere soon after. Besides of the main universities he is also lecturing in the main colleges.

Like in Oulu he lectured in four other colleges. Those were successful as well. It was full house in everywhere. “Our lectures fit well to different courses. Like in IB college we lectured in the courses called foundations of the civilizations ( history) and in the theory of knowledge course (philosophy). Last autumn, I got more invitations and opportunities to lecture than there are the days in my calendar, “ Tattvavada says. 

Source: http://iskconnews.org/interest-in-vedic-pedagogy-increases-in-finland,5286/

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What to Take with Us

We have arrived at the end of the year and are being moved unceremoniously into the next. We have no choice in the matter – we are pushed forward by time – away from the past and into the future. For some, they can’t wait until the year is over. For others it’s been the best year of their life.

Entering a new year is always a good time to reset – to clean the closet of our heart and mind and decide how we want to live the next year differently. For so many, instead of living life, life lives us. I just saw a man waiting for his dog to finish his business. He had the kind of blank expression his face that said – ‘Here I am, with a big house in a wealthy neighborhood, waiting to pick up my dog’s poop. What am I doing with my life?’

In the 16th Century, a great scholar of language, philosophy, and science, later known as Sanatan Goswami, became famous in the Bhakti tradition for asking the simple question – ‘Who am I? I know so much, am considered one of the greatest scholars, and yet I cannot honestly answer this question.’

As we move into 2016 let’s take this who-am-I question with us and make time for it in our life. Let it pop up in all the wrong places and make us uneasy. Let it seep into our thoughts in the middle of our work and pull our attention. Let it greet us first thing in the morning and challenge us to respond. Let it guide our meditation. Let it power our search for meaning. Let it be the question we come back to again and again to nourish us, inform us, educate us and ultimately cure us from the disease of illusion – the disease of not knowing.

“The highest truth is that which distinguishes reality from illusion for the welfare of all,” Srimad Bhagavatam says.

When we ask the question ‘Who am I?’ we begin the process of distinguishing reality from illusion. We question the status quo and we can listen to a deeper consciousness trying to speak to us. We open ourselves up to the possibility of a completely different take on our individuality and our place in the world. As we keep asking, the question becomes a friend and a guide. As we keep asking it leads the way.

The highest truth, like the highest mountain, is not easy to attain. There are all the pitfalls of an earthly climb. But we are made for this journey and will remain here in this world, celebrating new year after new year, until we complete it. It is our ultimate challenge and, when successful, our ultimate fulfillment. May we enter 2016 with an earnest desire take this road less travelled, and let it make all the difference.


Source: http://iskconofdc.org/what-to-take-with-us/

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Gita Jayanti at ISKCON Scarborough‏

 

Hare Krishna! 

Please accept our humble obeisances! 
All glories to Srila Prabhupada! 
All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! 

On Monday- December 21st 2015 two auspicious events took place: 
- Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita(Gita Jayanti) 
- Moksada Ekadasi 

ISKCON Scarborough devotees chanted the English and Tamil translations of the 700 verses in two groups on this glorious day. 

A sumptuous Ekadasi feast was served after the event. 

A group of ISKCON Scarborough devotees then went to Richmond temple and chanted the Hare Krsna Mahamantra along with some newcomers. 

Source:http://iskconscarborough.blogspot.in/2015/12/gita-jayanti-at-iskcon-scarborough_23.html

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We belong in the Holy Dhama

We belong in the Holy Dhama

I always tell devotees that we should understand that Vrindavan or Mayapur is our home! This is where we live and now at one point, when we go from here to some foreign country, then we are like tourists – we are only visitors there whether it is New Zealand, Spain, Denmark or UK and so on.

Wherever we maybe, in all of these places, we should know that we are tourists. We live in Vrindavan or Mayapur, we live in the dhama. It does not matter if you are only one day in a year in the dhama – still that is home, that is where we belong and this is the right consciousness! It says, “One should live in the dhama or at least desire to live in the dhama and mentally live in the dhama.”

So a devotee should at least mentally live in the dhama where the mercy is very accessible and very available. Therefore when we come here to these holy dhamas, we very quickly get the mercy!

Srila Prabhupada also made the point that devotees should go every year to the holy dhama. That is why he started the Mayapur and Vrindavan dhama festivals because he wanted all of the devotees to go to the dham. He said, “To become purified of the possible contamination that one might get from the Western world, one must go to the dhama.”

In the dhama, the spiritual energy of the spiritual world is very much manifest. One can very very quickly relate to it and we are all experiencing that!

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Increased youth interest in Gita

Today on sankirtana, on three occasions, students came to my table and looked at the Bhagavad-Gita and flatly interrupted me while I was trying to show it to someone else, saying, "I want this. How much is it?" This has happened before, but three times in one day is a charm. The kids I talk to nowadays are concerned about global warming and terrorism. They do not have the same assurance of the somewhat predictable world that we grew up in. College hatha-yoga classes are offered, always with a strong emphasis on relief from stress. I feel confident in saying that there should be a devotee at a book table on every campus in America. Today, one determined student rode his skateboard all the way home to get $6 in quarters from his grandmother's coin jar and bring it back to take a Gita.

One girl came to the table and took a book and gave a small donation. Then she asked, "Could you explain to me what meditation is?" I said that we do mantra meditation. I showed her my japa beads. She had impersonal notions, so I told her that it is recommended in these books to meditate on the Lord's lotus feet; out of respect and humility we keep the Lord's feet in our hearts. She was a simple girl. She said, "O my God, I am getting goose bumps hearing this!"

One boy showed me all of his nine dollars in his wallet in order to buy a Gita, but then he kept four to buy a hamburger.

I warned him, "You know, eating meat is not good for yoga practice. You don't have to be a vegetarian to read this book, but we are vegetarians." His response was, "You have got to be kidding me!" He ran off to get the hamburger. About twenty minutes later he came back and said, "You have got to explain this to me! Why are you vegetarian?" It was as if he had never heard of such a thing. We talked for ten minutes or so.

By meeting young people and giving them their first glimpse of spiritual life, we are doing the best service for them, for every living being, for the future of the planet, and especially for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to the generous preaching management of New Dwaraka Dhama!

Your servant,
Karuna Dharini dd

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Children Programs

Hare Krsna 

Dear Devotee,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The ISKCON Congregation Development Ministry is currently researching successful methods for running children programs in our ISKCON centres. We humbly request you to provide us with some valuable information to determine the most important aspects of these programs so that we can assist other yatras in establishing such programs for our little ones :)

Please take time to answer these few questions if you are running a children's program. If you know someone that is running a program please forward this email to them or provide us with their contact details so that we can communicate with them.
Questions:
1. How many children are in your program?
2. What is the age group of the children you are engaging?
3. Do you have any divisions of age groups within your program?
4. How often do you have these programs?
5. Where are your children programs held?
6. Is the place you meet suitable?
7. How long has your program been running for?
8. What do you do in your programs?
9. Do you have a team? Or are you running it by yourself?
10. How many people are in your team?
11. Do you have experienced people in your team that have had training, vocation, have studied, etc.?
12. How involved is the temple in your programs?
13. How much support are you getting from the parents? 
14. What problems do you and your team face in running these programs? What is the biggest challenge?
15. Do you have a financial budget?
16. How do you fund raise or support these programs financially?
Thank you for taking the time to read this and sending us your valuable information. I hope you are doing well and blissful in your Krsna Consciousness.
Your humble servant,
Gourangi Gandharvika dd
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ISKCON Aligarh- Bhoomi Pujan – 2015

By Mohan Sunder Das

With a pure desire in their heart to spread Lord Sri Chaitanya’s message to one and all, Aligarh devotees worked day in and day out on the land donated by Dr. Maheshwar Pratap Varshney.

Dr. Varshney, an ardent follower of the Bhagwad Gita, donated 4 acres of land to ISKCON because he had firm faith on ISKCON for spreading Lord Sri Hari’s ‘Gita’, Bhagwad Gita.

The devotees worked very hard and finally saw the very eventful day of ‘Ground Breaking Ceremony’ on 13th November’2015 in the auspicious presence of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, HH Navyogendra Swami Maharaj, HG Devakinandan Das and HH Kratu Maharaj himself.

The preparations started for the event started three days before it where the members of IYF-C2C distributed invitations in all parts of Aligarh by performing Nagar Kirtan’s in various places, markets and localities. A beautiful house programme was also organised by Mr. Kalyan Singh, who happens to be the Governor Rajasthan and Himachal pradesh. The previous night of the programme, disciples of HH Kratu Maharaj themselves dug the land for Lord Ananta Shesha to rest in it.

The next morning began with enlivening kirtan and dance performances by the members of IYF-C2C. The yagya began in the presence of HH Kratu Maharaj, his wife HG Amrita Keli Dasi and the senior disciples of HH Kratu Maharaj.
The presence of HH Navyogendra Swami Maharaj, HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj and HG Devakinandan Das made the whole environment divine who then installed Ananta Shesha in the ground followed by gau daan.

All the divine personalities including Dr. Varshney and Mr Kalyan Singh expressed their feelings about the temple and ISKCON’s philosophy which encouraged a large number of people to give some amount of their earnings to the temple.

A sumptuous prasadam and Vaishnava songs by the youngsters winded up the day in absolute bliss and satisfaction.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17767

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Rath Yatra in Indonesia

First Ratha Yatra in Tanggamus, Lampung, Indonesia

By Hari Narayana Das

Kota Agung is a small town located in Tanggamus, Lampung. Being the capital, it is also the most important city in Lampung. Situated at the foot of Mount Tanggamus and nearby the Gulf Coast Semaka it stands as a beautiful location for tourists. At present there are no devotees living in Tanggamus. Those who do live in Lampung, live in the ‘Gita Nagari Baru’ farm community established by HH Bhakti Raghava Swami, a five hours drive from Tanggamus!

Devotees in Indonesia received an invitation from the Tanggamus Government a few weeks prior, requesting to hold a Ratha Yatra festival there. The Government were to hold a public festival called ‘Teluk Semaka’ on the 21st Of November. The aim of the festival was to promote tourism and cultural diversity in Lampung. Devotees were ecstatic upon receiving the news and immediately made arrangements to head to Lampung. It was definitely the Lord’s mercy upon the residents of Kota Agung giving them an opportunity to come in contact with Krsna Consciousness.

”Nothing is impossible for the Supreme Lord, but all His actions are wonderful for us, and thus He is always beyond the range of our conceivable limits” SP SB 1.8.16 Purport

The journey to Kota Agung through Mount Tanggamus was not the easiest. Most devotees arrived from other parts of Indonesia the day before the festival. The chariot team assembled the Lord’s cart in the city garden.

The next morning, Jagannath, along with Baladeva and Subhadra arrived along with a group of enthusiastic devotees. Final bits and pieces were put together and all was good to go. At 11.00am devotees gathered in front of Their Lordships and arati was performed. The sun shone brightly creating a peaceful atmosphere for all. Kirtan was then sung until the parade began. At 3pm, devotees pulled the chariot to the local fields, the starting point of the parade. Many locals were surprised as they had never seen Jagannath or Vaisnavas before and started to take pictures.

“If we get opportunity we shall be able to overflood your country with the waves of transcendental bliss, by the grace of Krsna.”- SPL to Aniruddha, 7th July, 1968

Finally the festival started and Jagannath’s chariot got moving. The Mayor of Tanggamus was also present at the festival. Great appreciation was shown for the Lord when He entered the stage of honor along with the other acts. The Ratha Yatra committee presented the Mayor a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and a flower garland offered to the Lord. Things really got going when the chariot reached the main road. Whilst other participants slowed down to display their acts to the public, devotees turned the kirtan up a notch leaving the public struck with wonder. The chariot was pulled around the city thus giving everyone a chance to take darshan of the Lord. One ton of oranges, kindly donated by Dina Dharini devi dasi, was offered to the Lord and distributed to all. Within a short time all the oranges ran out and still people were asking for prasadam! A group of students followed the Ratha the whole journey and also chanted with the devotees. One student commented, “This is an unforgettable experience. I am so glad we can just sing and dance freely, it makes me so happy!” The kirtan party, led by Premadhana das melodiously chanted the maha mantra throughout the festival allowing all the chance to hear the holy names.

“It doesn’t matter if you can or cannot establish a temple there, but if you can introduce the Ratha-yatra, surely it will be a great success. So try to execute this will as far as possible.” (SPL to Yamuna, 27th May 1969)

We would like to take this opportunity to thank HH Bhakti Raghava Swami for his blessings and encouragement. Our respects to HH Kavicandra Swami and HH Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their support and guidance to always look for new avenues for sankirtan. Our humble obeisances to HH Subhag Swami for always reminding us of the importance of the Sankirtan movement of Mahaprabhu and inspiring us with the dedication of Sriman Jayananda Prabhu, for bringing us closer to Srila Prabhupada and keeping us united in family of ISKCON. We thank the leaders of Indonesia Hindu Parisad. Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the Lampung devotees who worked hard for the success of the festival. They are as follows: Atvata dasa, Santa Kumara dasa, Jadabharata dasa, Kesava dasa, Krishna Prema dasa, Dharmatma Dasa, Sudharsan dasa, Janesvara dasa, Teja Vrsaya dasa, Visvakarma dasa, Narayani devi dasi, Vibawati devil dasi, Mrganitri devi dasi, bhakta Gede, Dharmaraj dasa, Dhananjaya dasa, Radha Govinda devi dasi, Bhaktin Ganga. , Sarvajnana dasa, Ganga Narayana dasa, Pak Kadek Sayang, Vyasa deva, Sruta Deva dasa, Kalindi devi dasi, Vainateya dasa, Bhakta Mesi, Vamana dasa, Trivikrama dasa and Buddhi Yoga Dasa.

We hope that we can hold more festivals here in the years to come.

Jay Jagannath

Jay Srila Prabhupada

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2 positions sought for ISKCON South London

Role – Congregational Youth Minister

ISKCON South London is looking for candidates who are able to work and help growing the temple membership and temple activities. Brief Job descriptions are as follows:

Congregational Youth Minister – candidate has to work as a Pastoral care to youth of the Congregation with aim to develop and increase our temple’s youth membership, maintain strict sadhana (Morning Worship, Chanting 16 Round of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra daily, following Four Regulative Principles: No Illicit sex, No Gambling, No Meat Eating, No Intoxication). As well as any other duties as required to support the temple, Candidate has to make sure that temple cleanliness is maintained to a high standard.

Working Hours – Candidate has to work for 40 hours including weekends.

Pay – What we will give you – We will provide you accommodation in our newly renovated premises and with Prasad together with a clothing allowance. You will also get £200 per month.

If you are interested please email me your details on nnd.kds@gmail.com or call on

0044 (0)7545 318772

Your servant

NabhiNandan Das

Role – Pujari with Pastoral duties

Duties – Pujari with Pastoral duties– candidate has to serve as a Pujari at the temple and also work as a Pastoral care to the community with aim to develop and increase our temple’s congregation, maintain strict sadhana (Morning Worship, Chanting 16 Round of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra daily, following Four Regulative Principles: No Illicit sex, No Gambling, No Meat Eating, No Intoxication). As well as any other duties as required to support the temple, Candidate has to make sure that temple cleanliness is maintained to a high standard.

Working Hours – Candidate has to work for 40 hours including weekends.

Pay – We will provide you accommodation in our newly renovated premises and with Prasad together with a clothing allowance. You will also get £200 per month.

If you are interested please email me your details on nnd.kds@gmail.com or call on

Anchor0044 (0) 7545 318772

Your servant

NabhiNandan Das

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17771

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Sailing to Jambudwipa

By Mayesvara dasa

The Vedic Planetarium in Mayapur, West Bengal, India (presently well under construction as of December 2015), is an attempt to depict the map of the Universe according to the ancient Vedic literature, primarily the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam as translated and presented by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Canto 1, chapter 5, verse 11 of Srimad-Bhagavatam predicts that this literature will bring about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization
(janatagha-viplavo). To this end, the Mayapur Vedic Planetarium, which is based on the Srimad Bhagavatam’s cosmography, is one of Srila Prabhupada’s main projects to counteract the prevailing materialistic world view of life and the cosmos.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam’s depiction of the universe,however, immediately creates a clash of world-views that most people may prefer to avoid, and that includes many of the followers of the Vedas who either don’t understand, or can’t conceptualize the Srimad-Bhagavatam’s depiction of Earth and its relation to the greater universe. We have all grown up with an image of Earth as a rotating ball in space, and we’re pretty happy with that. But how did we get that image and conception of a globe into our heads? Is the globe-shaped Earth an authentic image, and is the Earth truly a round planet rotating in space around the sun? Will it come to be, that one of the most earth-shattering events in our life is the discovery of the real nature of Earth itself? What will the Mayapur Vedic planetarium reveal? To quote from the Book of Revelations, a Christian book of prophecy:

And I saw a new heaven and a new Earth, for the first heaven and the first Earth were passed away (Rev 21.1)

Will the Mayapur Vedic Planetarium reveal a new looking Earth? Or will it look like the one that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) has been presenting ever since the first photographs of Earth taken in 1969, reputedly taken from outer space as the Apollo spacecraft made its way to the moon? This subject can be of interest to all of us; not only because we certainly ought to know the location and shape of the Earth that we live on, but also because the position and shape of the Earth has wider implications in regard to the world views we will adopt, created by either a materialistic or transcendental perspective. We have on our hands a clash of world-views that is truly mind-blowing. *Sailing to Jambudwipa; The Mayapur Vedic Planetarium and the Flat Earth According to Srimad Bhagavatam* can be found in the link below:

http://krishna.ie/images/docs/sailing-to-jambudwipa-20151221-2006.pdf

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17778

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