In the Christian year 1590 (Sakabda 1512), on the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik, during the night of the festival Dipamalika, when the houses are decorated with rows of lamps, Sri
Rasikananda Deva made his appearance in this world. His father was Sri Acyuta Deva, the king of Rohini. After passing many years without having a male issue, Sri Acyuta Deva, by the mercy of Sri Jagadisa (Jagannath), was blessed with this jewel of a son. The village of Rohini or Royni was situated within the country known as Mallabhumi, encompassed on one side by the Suvarnarekha River (Suvarna meaning golden and rekha, a line). This Suvarnarekha River cleansed the sins of all the local people.

Near Royni was another village of the name Barayita, by the side of which flowed the Dolanganadi River, whose banks were adorned with beautiful gardens. Raja Acyuta Deva very affectionately maintained his subjects and was famous for impeccably observing the rites attendant upon kings. In the village of Royni the son of King Acyuta appeared as the sun appears in the eastern sky and became dearly beloved by the people. He was known as Rasikananda and also Murari. As he grew up, shining qualities appeared by degrees in his person that caused the further exaltation of his family, just as the waxing moon gradually expands its influence in the night sky and causes the sea to rise. At a very young age he became quite proficient in all of the scriptures. He was very devoted to his parents, especially his mother, whose name was Bhavani. His father married him at very young age. Murari's wife Syamadasi was a mine of good character who hailed from the village of Ghonta Sila, not far from Royni on the banks of the Suvarna Rekha, where in days of old the Pandavas had lived in exile.

One day, Murari was sitting in a lonely place, wondering when and where he might become so fortunate as to get shelter at the lotus feet of a spiritual preceptor. Just then a voice from the sky dressed him, "Don't be in anxiety, you will become the disciple of Sri Syamananda." Having heard this proclamation, Rasik Murari became very jubilant, and began to repeatedly murmur the name Syamananda, as though chanting japa. From moment to moment his eagerness increased without diminition, as tears flowed from his eyes by his chanting of the name of Syamananda. He was in such a state that he spend most of the night sleeplessly, calling to his master Syamananda. Finally, towards the early morning, he drifted off to the land of dreams, where he saw his spiritual master, the very figure of charm and grace. Smilingly, Syamananda informed him, "When tomorrow the eastern sky becomes tinged with pink, you will obtain me." Saying this, Syamananda disappeared. Rasikananda's heart began to swell in ecstatic bliss. Then, with the first rays of morning which dispel the dense darkness of the world, the wise Murari sat silently watching the path. After some time Syamananda approached from the distance, looking as beautifully effulgent as the sun and surrounded by his disciples like Sri Kishora dasa and others. His smiling face was like the lotus flower that opens to greet its friend the sun, and his chest was as broad as a door. His captivating appearance was made all the more irresistable by the sweet sounds of 'Sri Krsna Caitanya-Nityananda' emanating from his lotus mouth. Absorbed in intense love he moved along the path like the clouds move in the sky.

When Rasika caught sight of this divine form, he fell down in front of him to touch his lotus feet. In great ecstasy Shyamananda embraced him and began to bathe him with his tears of ecstatic love. Sri Rasika Murari then felt himself to be one of the most fortunate living beings within this universe. On an auspicious day Syamananda initiated Rasika and his wife in Radha-Krsna mantra. After that, Rasikananda began to travel with his guru, during which time he became a very intimate disciple. Syamananda then bestowed upon him the service of Sri Radha- Govinda Deva at Sri Gopiballabhapur. Rasikananda became totally engaged in their Lordships service, and the devotees were charmed by his excellent services. At Gopiballabhpur and other places he began to seriously take up the preaching of the message of Sri Gaura-Nityananda. By his influence many atheists and unbelievers were transformed into devotees of Sri Gaura- Nityananda. "By the tremendous influence of Rasikananda's preaching, many rogues, robbers and atheists were delivered from their sinful activities and received his mercy. He distributed the jewel of devotion even to the infidel Mohammedans, as he travelled from village to village, in the company of his disciples. He even converted the wild elephant which was sent for his destruction into his disciple and engaged him in the service of Krsna and the Vaisnavas. That wicked miscreant who sent the elephant, a Mohammedan, bowed at his feet when he realised his mistake. It is not possible to count the number of living entities that were extricated from the ocean of material existence by Rasikananda Deva's association. He was always intoxicated with the chanting of the Holy Name. Who cannot but be overwhelmed by hearing about his uncommon qualities?" [B.R. 15.86] By Sri Rasikananda's mercy many Mohammedans, who were actually just impious and wicked atheists, became worshipers of the Supreme Lord.

Also many virtuous kings and zamindars such as the king of Mayurbhanj named Vaidyanatha Bhanj, the king of Patashpur known as Gajapati and Candrabhanu, the king of Moyna, took shelter at his lotus feet. What to speak of those pious and noble gentlemen, even the sinful zamindar Bhima, the Mohammedan Suba Ahmadbeg and the wicked atheist Srikar also surrendered themselves at his lotus feet. A vicious, wild elephant was tamed by Rasikananda's transcendental influence and henceforward was known as Gopala das. Later, two jungle tigers likewise gave up their ferocious nature. Accepting the order of his guru, Sri Syamananda, on his head, Rasikananda preached the message of Sri Gaursundar in the world for approximately 16 years. Thereafter he entered into his eternal pastimes through the lotus feet of Gopinatha at Remuna. On the first day of the bright fortnight in the month of Phalguna, Sakabda 1574 (Christian year 1652), Rasikananda quietly slipped out of the village Santa without anyone's notice and walked to Remuna. Arriving there, he discussed Krsna-katha with the devotees there for a while and instructed everyone to serve Sri Krsna with devotion. Then, after requesting them to begin sankirtana, he entered the temple of Sri Gopinatha, and after touching Kshira-chora Gopinatha's lotus feet, which bestow complete fearlessness, he entered into their ultimate shelter.

Rasikananda prabhu’s samadhi is at the Temple of Kshira-chora Gopinath at Remuna just in front and to the right as you go in the main gate, with the temple to the left, and admin’ offices straight ahead.

Sri Rasikananda had three sons: Sri Radhananda, Sri Krsna-Govinda and Sri Radha-Krsna. The present servants of Sri Sri Radha-Govindadeva at Gopiballabhapur are their descendents. He composed Sri shyamananda-sataka, Srimad Bhagavatastaka as well as other hymns and songs. His Sripat Gopiballabhpur can be reached from Calcutta by taking a train to Khavagpur, and a bus to Gopiballabhpur from there. There is also a temple of Rasikananda at Puri. One year, during Lord Jagannatha's Ratha-yatra festival, Rasikananda Deva was preaching somewhere in the country, but when he realised that it was time for Ratha-yatra he dropped everything and rushed like the wind in order to come to Nilacala in time for the festival.

 But in the meantime the festival had already begun. Lord Jagannath, Who felt reciprocal separation from His dear devotee Rasikananda, caused the Rath to stop. Though the king summoned his elephants to push the Ratha, under no circumstances could they budge it, not even an inch. Then Lord Jagannatha, seeing that the king was becoming frustrated, informed him that he was waiting for His devotee Rasika. Finally Rasikananda Deva arrived, carrying with him many offerings of silk clothes and other presents. He fell down to offer his dandavats before Lord Jagannatha, and the king requested him to pull the rope at which the cart began to easily move along the road, just as the clouds move in the sky. Later the king requested Rasikananda to accept a gift of land so he might establish a temple there. Rasikananda requested the place known as Fultota Math, which is now known as Kunja Math. There he installed the Deity of Sri Bat Krsna.  The Deity is now known as Sri Sri Radha-Rasika Raya.

Read more about Radha Kunda on www.harekrishnacalendar.com
Photos of Radha Kunda on www.iskcondesiretree.com

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, drafted a message to Hindu communities world-wide on the occasion of Diwali, or Deepavali, the Hindu or Vedic New Year. Cardinal Tauran led the Catholic delegation to the first Hindu-Catholic Dialogue in the United States. Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON's Minister of Communications represented ISKCON at that historic event. 

In his message, Cardinal Tauran highlights the Pope's Encyclical Letter Laudato Si, wherein the Church calls for greater environmental awareness and action. Such a message is in solidarity with Vaishnava values, wherein we understand that everything within the universe is owned and controlled by God, and thus is meant to be engaged in His service. The Cardinal's message,  Christians and Hindus Promoting Human Ecology Together, is below:

Dear Hindu Friends, 

1. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sends you warm greetings as you celebrate Deepavali on 11 November 2015. May your celebrations across the glove lead you to and experience of happiness and harmony in your families and communities.
2. His Holiness Pope Francis, in his Encyclical Letter Laudato Si, has recently addressed the environmental and human ecological crisis threatening our planet. Thus we deem it opportune to share, in keeping with our cherished tradition, some thoughts on the need to promote human ecology, and to foster a rediscovery of the interconnectedness of creation. Human ecology points to the relationship and responsibility, which humans have towards the earth and the cultivation of “ecological virtues.” These virtues include a sustainable use of the earth’s resources through adoption of policies, at national and international levels, which respect the interconnectedness and interdependence of human beings and nature. These issues, as we know, have a direct bearing not only on the current health of our earth – the home of the human family – but also for generations to come.
3. Human selfishness, as evidenced in consumerist and hedonistic tendencies in some individuals and groups, nurtures an insatiable desire to be “masters” and “conquerors” rather than “guardians” and “stewards” of nature. We are all called, regardless of religious belief or national identity, to live with greater responsibility towards nature, to nurture life-giving relationships and, most of all, to reorder our lifestyles and economic structures according to the ecological challenges facing us. Your tradition stresses the “oneness” of nature, humanity and divine. The Christian faith teaches that the created world is God’s gift to all human beings. As stewards of the created order, we are called to care for it responsibly and resolutely.
4. There is an inseparable link between our harmony with creation and our peace with one another. If peace is to prevail in the world, we must, together and as individuals, consciously give ourselves to “protecting nature, defending the poor, and building networks of respect and fraternity” (Laudato Si, 201). Promotion of human ecology requires formation and education, at all levels, in ecological consciousness and responsibility, and in the wise stewardship of the earth’s resources. This begins in the family, “the first and fundamental for ‘human ecology’… in which man receives his formative ideas about truth and goodness, and learns what it means to love and to be loves, and thus what it actually means to be a person” (John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 39). Educational and governmental structures have a responsibility to form citizens in a proper understanding of human ecology and its relationship to the future of humanity and the created world.
5. United by our humanity and mutual responsibility, as well as our shared values and convictions, may we Hindus and Christians, together with people of all religious traditions and good will, always foster a culture which promotes human ecology. In this way, there will be harmony within us, and in our relationships with others, with nature and with God, which will “favor the growth of the ‘tree of peace’” (Pope Benedict XIV, Message for the World Day of Peace, 2007). )
6. Praying for a healthy ecology and creating awareness of the various ways to care for creation is a truly ennobling work. Pope Francis has instituted, therefore an annual ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ to be observed on 1 September. It is hoped that this initiative will increase awareness among all people of the need to be good stewards of creation and, thereby promote a true human ecology.

 With these sentiments, we wish you all a joyous Deepavali!
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President
 P. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ, Secretary

Source: http://iskconnews.org/vatican-emissary-sends-divali-message-of-goodwill,5195/

Srila Prabhupada departed from this world in Vrindavan dham, India, on the 14th of November 1977. One would not usually celebrate the disappearance day of a person, especially one so loved and revered as Srila Prabhupada. However, the departure of a pure Vaishnava gives cause for jubilation because he returns to his eternal service at Krishna’s lotus feet in Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual world.

“He reasons ill who says that Vaisnavas die,
When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the holy name around.”
(Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur)

Although Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically with us, on the spiritual platform he is very much present. He is present in his deity form, in his books and through his instructions. His mercy is available to all those who seek it.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=21404

Freedom of speech?

Are we free in devotional circles to express a view or opinion, or is anything contrary to the management position simply aparadha?

Fear of being ostracised or seen as a trouble maker is not a healthy position to be in, this doesn’t matter if your in devotional circles or outside of devotee circles. Openness is always needed, but is their a fine line between openness and being critical?

Their is a fear that if one speaks out against something they feel is unjust that this will be seen as anti, indeed a senior devotee expressed concern that here in my blog I am anti-ISKCON because of my being honest in feelings and struggles, but also being outspoken when there is a feeling that some injustice is being done.

It is not that I am anti, but I am anti individual’s leaving and listening to the reason’s given; indeed I have come to a point several time’s were leaving appears the best option.

Forgetting that the greatest gift and motivator in all we do is love

Love motivates, Loving exchanges, The need to be wanted and accepted

Each one of us have strength’s and weaknesses, during one interview I was asked what my weakness in work is well that’s easy paperwork; so I do the legal documentation but anything else well that’s an aspiration.

My service at the temple is due to the amazing loving exchanges, care and feeling of being needed, this is love we need to feel needed understood and wanted.

Over the years I can safely say that these individual’s have been the greatest mentors, accepting my weakness working on my strength but also allowing most importantly freedom of expression; even if they disagreed with my conclusion.

I was reminded of my early day’s in ISKCON their was much freedom to express view’s even those which looking back could have been seen as offensive; but the devotee’s tolerated knowing that it would take time for changes to take place. Their aim was simple to slowly take me as an individual and make sure I had the skills for a lifetime in devotional service.

Mentor-ship should not be Tormentor-ship

Mentor-ship should be a way of getting to know the individual, their strengths and weaknesses and then come up with a way to develop them into life long devotees focused on service

Mentor-ship is not dictatorship

Mentor-ship should be a way of getting to know the individual, and then seeing how best to help the individual progress in devotional service.

Their is however one problem, if you have a single one way system and the mentor-ship system is to force an individual down this single route; this is Not Mentors-ship. For you are denying the individual.
If you then say, ow and you have to do this or that course and there is a cost involved, then sadly their will be criticism; you are running a business and initiation and montor-ship is a way of making money. It is hard to argue against this even if the reality is somewhat different; perception is everything.

So if someone expresses such a view are they ANTI, against or creating aparadha; or is it giving an opportunity to engage discuss and look at things from a different point of view; how can we engage such individual’s.

To silence those who may not agree or have a different view is not always the best way to handle things; to give individual’s a voice is necessary for a health society; remove an individual’s voice then we remove their ability to love and feel love.
Action is better than inaction; devotional service is better than devotional head sloka knowledge.

Forms tell you nothing as there is no way to verify them; best just speak to the individual and find out what their daily/weekly schedule; what is our reading and listening schedule, and what as an individual are you doing to expand Srila Prabhupada’s mission. For many this is more acceptable than a form those who speak out against form filling are not anti-iskcon or anti-managment but anti form.

Courses and classrooms have their place, some love this; but for others it’s a sure way to make them want to run away; this also includes online courses. But the greatest question should be has it moved from head knowledge to heart knowledge? The heart is the seat of motivation, it is also were our greatest love is; isn’t it better to know little but be moved into serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission than to know lot’s and still do nothing?

Discretion is something that Srila Prbhupada demonstrated; he initiated the hippy drug fuelled westerners who were unqualified on many levels, not one had filled out a form or done a course but who because of his mercy became amazing devotees. Given a chance despite disqualification they changed their hippy ways moved not by empirical knowledge but because of love, pure love.

What has kept these disciples motivated, not forms, not courses but LOVE, love for Srila Prabhupada and the friendships made of those who too LOVE Srila Prabhupada; these friendships carry one from the ups and downs of material life. Has smoothed out the mind, brought clarity were their has been nu-clarity.

Mentor-ship should be about developing this LOVE.

But also allowing the individual to express a feeling, understanding that that view even if we may strongly disagree should never be dismissed.

That we should look at how to make individual’s qualified not disqualified based on artificial demands.

For me I would say, you demand I have to do a course for second initiation; you want me to pay, this is business not devotion and sadly it doesn’t matter what you say this feeling will not go away. You want me to buy initiation! Their is no loving exchange, you are for me killing the love.

Feeling the lack of love and seeing it as simple business one wants to leave, it is my love of my guru maharaja and love for those devotee’s who truly know me that keeps me focused; but I understand why others leave based on this perception.

It returns me to my original thought, freedom of speech and expression of view should not be seen as negative, mentor-ship should not feel life tormentor-ship, and a view that is different from yours should not be seen as anti.

Srila Prabhupada understood this so simply asked that we try to get on

And if we are trying to get on then we need to understand the uniqueness of iskcon, that until the introduction of a one size fits all it could accommodate many different types of individual’s inspiring them into service.

So before you judge of condemn or say well this person is anti, ask why they are expressing such a view; may be their is an opportunity to see ow best to accommodate a different type of personality and add to the many colourful characters that makes ISKCON unique and a home for all.

Source: http://david.deltaflow.com/?p=3279

By Abhaya Mudra Dasi

Even though the relationship between the living entity and Shri Krishna is always present, it remains beyond the control of this material world. Often neophytes when coming in contact with Krishna consciousness ask, “How can I be sure that Shri Krishna loves me?” The answer is that Shri Krishna is not an ordinary man, even though He is called Purusha which literally meanings man. Shri Krishna describes Himself in BG 9.11:

avajananti mam muḍha manusim tanum ashriitam
param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta-maheshvaram

Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.

In order to understand how Shri Krishna is neither a material man nor even a human being, although to the atheists He may appear to be so, we need to understand the basic elements of psychology that drive the material world. Then we can move on to understanding Shri Krishna’s loving relationships with each living entity.

Here in this material world there are two basic prototypes or personalities: male and female. Although we all know that in reality all males and females have their own distinctive personalities, we disregard the personal characteristics in favor of the prototypical characteristics. Thus, if some living entity takes birth as a woman, she will have certain qualities of a woman. And if one is born as a man, then he develops masculine traits. Even so, people tend to generalize gender characteristics while disregarding the personal individual’s own characteristics.

It is practically observed that unless one is a fully self realized soul he or she is influenced by gender-based judgments—the first thing that registers in the mind is whether one is male or female. Following that are certain embedded reactions based upon gender generalizations. In this world only two archetypes or “personalities” make the variety: male and female. Although it is more or less obvious that under these twosome coverings everyone is an individual, it is also obvious that everyone is conditioned to accept the body as the self and hence act accordingly.

It may be speculated that there is no use of having two genders. After all, Brahma, the first living entity secondary creator of the universe, was born from Lord Vishnu. Many great sages were born solely from Brahma. Although in this way Brahma is engaged in the design and construction of the universe, he is not active in fulfilling the desires of all the conditioned living entities, including their desire to procreate. It is said that Brahma can create, Lord Shiva can destroy, but only Lord Vishnu can maintain.

Even when living entities harbor inimical desires towards Shri Krishna, He satisfies them. Shri Krishna’s arrangement of male and female prototypes in the material world creates an illusion of genuine relations between two different energies. And through the interaction of male and female entities other bodies take birth. The material world mimics (or reflects in a perverted sense) the spiritual world wherein there is constant interaction of Shri Krishna with His innumerable liberated servants, friends, mothers, fathers and lovers. In the material world the variety of personal characteristics is limited only to two. The material world does not have the facility to satisfy the spiritual seeker who is after the unlimited variety of the spiritual world.

“The ambitious conditioned soul wants to be very happy in this material world with his family, but he is compared to a traveler in the forest who desires to climb a hill full of thorns and small stones. As stated in the previous verse, the happiness derived from society, friendship and love is like a drop of water in the scorching heat of the desert.” (SB 5.13.8 Purport)

Shri Krishna interacts with everyone whether they are conditioned or liberated. He is not even slightly affected by the illusory bodily covering of the conditional living entities. His perspective is vast. He is like a bee who likes to taste the personalities of every living entity which for Him are like flowers. But the living entity is small and his perspective is always limited whether it is conditioned in the material world or liberated in the spiritual world.

The individual soul’s relationship with Shri Krishna is sufficient to accommodate every one of his desires. The limited nature of the living entity cannot contain a deep personal interaction with other living entities unless those relationships are filtered through his bond with Shri Krishna. Thus, the connection of the living entity with the Supreme Lord is always a unique and one-on-one relationship. But when the rebellious entity seeks to falsely disconnect from Lord Shri Krishna he falls down into this material world. Here his one-on-one relationship with Shri Krishna is translated into the relationship of male and female in this material world. This is actually evidence that the living entity who needs reciprocation cannot exist without Shri Krishna because he constantly reflects on the nature of his relationship with the Supreme Lord.

In this reflective material world, the characteristics of the female prototype are linked to her body and the characteristics of the male prototype are linked to his body. For the purpose of reproduction a woman has a womb while the man does not. A woman comes into her body with a clear perspective of her role and that her role is important. In the mind of the conditioned entity, procreation is the actual goal of existence because through reproduction of the species the living entity falsely thinks that he or she creates other individuals and in this way somehow becomes equal to God.

For this reason a woman holds an important position in this world. A conditioned man seeks to receive his share of credit as the creator and the only way to achieve that is through union with the woman. Thus his objective becomes sexual union and the woman an object of his desire. The man does everything to show others that he is as multifaceted as the woman is. The ego of the conditioned man is very fragile. He may try to flatter the woman in order to receive her favor although ultimately what he desires is to be recognized as a creator and to diminish the role of the woman as such. This is one aspect of the never ending battle of the sexes.

On the other hand, the woman attracts a man to share in her great burden of creation. She knows she is important and secretly regards the man as inferior. She becomes bitter when she discovers that he is with her only because of his own self-interest. This is the underlying principle of this material world, that there is no real love between the man and the woman because both have conditions that they place on the other person. Because both genders speak different languages and they have different means of achieving what they desire in life, nether understands the other. Therefore in this material world there are innumerable misunderstandings going on between the man and the woman. Neither has any genuine understanding that the other person covered with an illusory material form is a spirit soul who has zero to do with the demands and conditions of the body.

Offspring produced of the male and female are regarded as individuals only for the short period of time until they also take their turns in the reproductive cycle. The different personalities that the mother and father appreciate in the individual children are only related to relative matter.

But the reflective prototypes of males and females do not tell us all about the characteristics of Shri Krishna Who created them. Shri Krishna neither reflects the man or woman in this material world. But from the angle of limited, conditioned material understanding He may seem to possess trends from both male and female prototypes. He has a position which cannot be disputed just like the females in the material world are predestined as prototypes to give birth. Shi Krishna’s position as the Supreme Lord cannot be disputed. He is also the maintainer of the whole universe just like a man maintains his family. Yet Shri Krishna does not have the limitation of the woman for only one significant relationship because He relates always with all of His parts and parcels. He is also neither like the man who is woven by a fragile ego. Shri Krishna is called the Purush or the Supreme Man yet that mainly serves to define the limited position of the living entity who has no capacity to form a loving relationship with more than one individual. Everyone knows that a woman would have a very hard time having more than one husband at a time. Thus, the living entity may well be called prakriti or female.

However, the relationship between the spirit soul and Shri Krishna transcends the material subjective concept of gender because only the personality traits play an important role in it. It is not that the spiritual personality is not visible in the material world but it is covered by a body and for a soul to be able to directly associate with Shri Krishna the gender identity should completely be dropped off. A genuine devotee should understand that the spiritual world has unlimited prototypes. In fact he is one of them. Everyone has his own spiritual unique “gender” that relates in a unique way with Shri Krishna. This is called rasa. And although there are five basic rasas of neutrality, survivorship, friendship, parenthood and conjugal love the variety in them is unlimited.

The personality of the living entity is ever present. Although covered in the material world, the relationship between Shri Krishna and the living entity is eternal. The love of Shri Krishna for the living entity is unconditional because the only thing He gains from the living entity is the taste of his personality and that is eternal and never diminishing. The living entity cannot escape from the fact that he is a person no matter how much he is trying to hide under the cloth of material genders. So, for Shri Krishna who is ever aware of the eternal nature and personality of the living entity there is no obstacles to love. There is not a single moment when the Supreme Lord does not love the individuality of the living entity. And because relationships are only possible on equal footing, the living enmity who desires to restore his eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna should start to understand that Shri Krishna is the Supreme Person.

Shri Krishna is dressed in a nice yellow dothi and has nice ornaments on His dark blue body. His eyes a like lotus petals and his moonlike face is adored by a nice smile. He plays His flute and is surrounded by His close associates everyone also coming along with their eternal personal characteristics. In the material world nobody wears the same cloths all the time because the cloths are not part of the personality of the persona that wears them. The cloths are just there to be created and destroyed or, in other words, enjoyed temporarily. Everything in the material world carries this false desire to be God and enjoy the creation created by other living entities. But because the material world is in denial of its eternal spiritual origins nothing works properly. A man who is undercover and has to play a different role not being able to show his true identity is never truly satisfied. But that is the cost a person has to pay if he wants to pretend being somebody else and not himself. This is the position of the living entity pretending to be God. And the confusion in the material world is great because everyone is undercover.

This material world may be a place for the enjoyment of the unintelligent, but for Shri Krishna this place is a playground for His pastimes. This is a place where some living entities come to become inimical to Him while others stay on His side. Thus this world is a stage for battles and wars where Shri Krishna is the ultimate winner. There are always constant wars going on in this world and peace is not possible due to the supreme dictum of epic enjoyment of Shri Krishna carried by Him personally in this world.

For example, the doorkeepers of Vaikuntha Jaya and Vijaya prayed to Shri Krishna to make them inimical to Him so his desire for fighting could be satisfied. Thus the great demons Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha were born and then killed by Shri Krishna in a cosmic-scale battle. Shri Krishna likes to fight and win as revealed in Bhagavad–gita (4.8):

paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge

“In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.”

Therefore whoever understands Shri Krishna’s nature is eligible to go back to His spiritual abode, for as the Lord tells Arjuna:

janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
 tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ‘rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Bg. 4.9)

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=21364

Please join us in prayers for our dear Caitanya Simha das, disciple of Srila Prabhupada and friend and well-wisher to so many devotees. He started so many on their path, built temples and opened farm communities, worked on Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi and now TOVP. He is in his last hours on this planet before taking the final journey to the next great adventure. Please give him your blessings that he has a safe and blissful journey back Home to Lord Krishna’s lotus feet. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada, for saving this soul, for saving all of us. Hare Krishna!

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=21372

Today Brahmananda Prabhu was placed in his samadhi in Vrindavan, and all the devotees present felt their hearts melt with love for Srila Prabhupada and Brahmananda Prabhu. I sent an offering to for the occasion, which Bhurijana Prabhu kindly read out for me.

One thing was certain in my mind—that I would be present for the dedication of Brahmananda Prabhu’s samadhi in Vrindavan—but as Srila Prabhupada said, “I have my plans, you have your plans, and Krishna has His plans.”

Brahmananda Prabhu left his body on the appearance day of Vakresvara Pandita, one of Lord Chaitanya’s most dear associates. A contemporary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu named Devananda Pandita had no faith in Mahaprabhu and thus avoided Him, but fortunately, Devananda Pandita developed great faith in Vakresvara Pandita and rendered service to him. And by Vakresvara Pandita’s mercy, he developed faith in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and ultimately achieved His shelter.

Concerning this incident, Sri Caitanya-bhagavata (Antya 3.485–487) confirms the efficacy of serving pure devotees and the results one attains by doing so: “The service of Vaisnavas is superior to the service of Krsna. All scriptures, headed by Srimad-Bhagavatam, confirm this. There may be a doubt whether the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will attain perfection, but there is absolutely no doubt that those who are attached to serving the Lord’s devotees will attain perfection. Therefore service to the Vaisnavas is the best means of deliverance.”

Brahmananda Prabhu had such faith in Srila Prabhupada’s service, and thus we are confident of his deliverance and ultimate destination.

Much has been and will be said about Brahmananda Prabhu’s extraordinary love for and service to Srila Prabhupada. His attachment to Srila Prabhupada was so great that any association with him, whether by vani or vapuh, markedly increased my loving feelings for Srila Prabhupada.

The last time I met Brahmananda Prabhu, in Vrindavan, I mentioned that for decades I had been getting messages from Srila Prabhupada that Brahmananda would be going back to Godhead at the end of this life. “Well,” he replied, “it’s funny you say that, because that’s not the message I’ve been getting”—which I take as his humility.

Just after Brahmananda Prabhu left, I heard a prayer, offered to Lord Chaitanya, that seemed to reflect his mood in relation to Srila Prabhupada—and the mood for which I aspire. “Birth after birth, You are our father, mother, son, and master. May we never forget Your lotus feet. O Lord, it does not matter where we take birth, but may we always have loving devotion for Your lotus feet.”

In any case, Brahmananda Prabhu is with Srila Prabhupada, engaged in his service, and that’s all I—or any of us—could ask for. And knowing that Brahmananda Prabhu is with Srila Prabhupada is an added impetus and incentive—an added attraction.

Brahmananda Prabhu, may your example of dedication to your spiritual master and kindness to others inspire us in our service to Srila Prabhupada and his devotees.

Please think kindly upon us and keep us close to your lotus feet, that we may engage in everlasting service to our eternal lord and master in the association of all his beloved servants.

Your eternal, aspiring servant,
Giriraj Swami

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=21377

When Krsna walks in Vrindavan as Madhava, carrying his flute tucked in his belt, then the trees which have branches laden with fruits and flowers, are trying to touch Krsna’s feet. The bees are just singing the glories of Krsna. Bhagavatam says that these bees must have been great devotee sages in their last life.

The trees are thinking, ‘We are so unfortunate. It is due to our sinful activities that we have taken birth as trees and therefore we cannot follow Krsna on his pastimes in the forest.’

Of course, Bhagavatam points out that Lord Brahma is praying to become a tree in Vrindavan so how can it be that they have committed sinful activities and offenses rather, these trees are the most fortunate because, after all, one moment of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one moment of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, is such great fortune!

Even if Krsna walks past these trees only sometimes still they are in the forest of Vrindavan! They may not be able to walk behind him but they can hear him. It is stated in the Mahabharat that trees have eyes and ears. It is said that trees can see and hear. So these trees are hearing and seeing Krsna! Quite auspicious, actually!

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2015/11/association-of-krsna/

Due to the extensive help from a large body of devotees here in Dallas the Govardhan Puja festival has been exceedingly grand this year.  Here is a video of the cake mountain preparations.

Source: http://iskcondallas.blogspot.in/2015/11/15-foot-cake-mountain-for-govardhan.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+iskcondallas+%28Kalachandji%27s+Community+Blog,+ISKCON+Dallas%29

United States Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been a practicing Hindu since her teens. Specifically, she is a Vaishnava. According to India Abroad, she is a student of Sidhasvarupananda, who was himself initiated into the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya by ISKCON Founder A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. She describes the Bhagavad-gita as being her primary scripture, and follows the path of Bhakti yoga, or loving devotion to God.

Since her entering into office in 2012, she has had many opportunities to meet with ISKCON Leaders, travel to India and appreciate Srila Prabhupada's contributions to the world.  Below, you will find a very nice video of her sharing a Diwali message!  Hare Krsna!

Source: http://iskcontoronto.blogspot.in/2015/11/diwali-message-from-congresswoman-tulsi.html

Congratulations! At least they admitted it, once again, in the same pattern, that what they thought to be right, and what they taught most of the world, has turned out to be wrong. Modern scientists now say that our planet, mother Earth, described as Bhumi devi in Vedic scriptures, is 300 million years older than what they believed she was. Well, rest assured, they will again come back saying the present thought was wrong. The reason is, their calculation is based on a wrong concept.

"The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still."
"A millennium before Europeans were willing to divest themselves of the Biblical idea that the world was a few thousand years old, the Mayans were thinking of millions and the Hindus billions."  -Dr. Carl Sagan, (1934-1996) famous astrophysicist (Source)

Before I go further, let me say I am aware that I used the term “she” for the Earth. I did it on purpose, and the purpose is to let the readers know, in case they don’t, that Earth is a gigantic body of a person called Bhumi devi, who has a female body. Hmm… if you think this is a mythology from Hindu scriptures and cannot take it then it’s understandable. There was a time when people couldn’t imagine that the moon can be a place where spacecrafts could land. Now they know they do. It’s all about knowing more of science.

The science described in the Vedas is infallible. Modern science is extremely confused and is bound to get even more confused. Although gradually it is coming closer to understanding what is mentioned in the Vedas and Upanishads it is still in its infancy. It is not possible to understand all of the universe by ordinary human beings due to their limited senses and meager brain power. Not to speak of understanding, present-day scientists cannot even see how the universe is operated by higher beings, called devatas or demigods. The only way to get an idea of it is, first accept what is mentioned in the Vedas. By following Vedic process one can transcend his or her present material senses and come to know the higher science.

The calculation of the age of Earth is meticulously presented in the Vedas. In short, Earth is as old as this universe is. The age of this universe is calculated to be equal to the age of its secondary creator, or engineer, Lord Brahma, whose one day is equivalent to 4,320,000,000 solar years. His night is of the equal duration, and he lives for 100 full years. Now he is 50 years old. As mentioned, the universe is of the same age. With this calculation, the current age of the Earth is 155.5 trillion solar years. No surprise if our scientists take many more births to even come close to this conclusion.

Researchers have found evidence in Western Australia that Earth may be 300 million years older than we thought. Related: Astrophysicist: Bible supports scientific evidence on age of Earth Life on Earth may have started almost instantaneously, he said in a statement. With the right ingredients, life seems to form very quickly. Because Earths rock record only extends to 4 billion years, earlier periods of history are accessible only through mineral grains deposited in sediments, the researchers wrote.

UCLA’s Mark Harrison was one of the researchers whose study concluded that Earth was 300 million years older than previously thought. (Reed Hutchinson/UCLA)

That is the conclusion from a team of geochemists at UCLA and Stanford University who found evidence that life likely existed on Earth at least 4.1 billion years ago and may have begun shortly after the planet formed 4.54 billion years ago.

“Twenty years ago, this would have been heretical; finding evidence of life 3.8 billion years ago was shocking,” said Mark Harrison, professor of geochemistry at UCLA and the co-author of the research published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”

There is one more interesting observation:

“Life on Earth may have started almost instantaneously,” he said in a statement. “With the right ingredients, life seems to form very quickly.” Earth may be much older than we thought, scientists say | Fox News

It is said by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita:

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātry-āgame ‘vaśaḥ pārtha prabhavaty ahar-āgame

Translation: Again and again, when Brahmā’s day arrives, all living entities come into being, and with the arrival of Brahmā’s night they are helplessly annihilated.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains:

“The less intelligent, who try to remain within this material world, may be elevated to higher planets and then again must come down to this planet earth. During the daytime of Brahmā they can exhibit their activities on higher and lower planets within this material world, but at the coming of Brahmā’s night they are all annihilated. In the day they receive various bodies for material activities, and at night they no longer have bodies but remain compact in the body of Viṣṇu. Then again they are manifest at the arrival of Brahmā’s day. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19): during the day they become manifest, and at night they are annihilated again. Ultimately, when Brahmā’s life is finished, they are all annihilated and remain unmanifest for millions and millions of years. And when Brahmā is born again in another millennium they are again manifest. In this way they are captivated by the spell of the material world. But those intelligent persons who take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness use the human life fully in the devotional service of the Lord, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Thus they transfer themselves, even in this life, to the spiritual planet of Kṛishna and become eternally blissful there, not being subject to such rebirths.” (Source)

This is another reason why we ought to hear from Vedas if we are serious about knowing the science of cosmic manifestation. Instead, the modern scientists, being themselves misled by their defective senses, are misleading the masses. It is high time the world turns to India’s Vedic wisdom and learns from it.  Hare Krishna.

Source: http://mayapurvoice.com/svagatam/previously-thought-age-of-earth-turns-out-to-be-wrong-it-had-to/

Most everyone at some point hears about the Bhagavad-gita, but do they know what it really contains, or how profound and deep is the knowledge that it provides?

Besides being the classic Eastern text that it is, and the summary of most Upanishadic information, it is the core of the deepest levels of spiritual knowledge. It is also like a handbook for life. Just as when you purchase an appliance of some kind, like a refrigerator, television or computer, you get a manual that teaches you how to use it. So in the same way, if God created this world and put us here, doesn’t it seem that He should also tell us what is the purpose of this life and how to use it accordingly? The Bhagavad-gita is such an instruction manual for anyone. It provides the basic answers that most people have about life, and the universal spiritual truths that can be used by anyone, anywhere, and at any time in history. In this way it is timeless.

So let me explain a little of its importance and why we should take it seriously. I will not go into all of the details of what the Bhagavad-gita teaches, but I will provide a quick overview and summary of each chapter to give you an idea of the information you can discover and the benefits if you read it.

Of course, we know it was spoken on the battlefield at Kurukshetra as the forces prepared for war, a war meant to uphold the Dharmic principles against those who were bereft of them and before things became more evil then they already were, so there was little time in which to speak the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore, it was a brief conversation between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.

So, once the scene is set in the first chapter, from the second chapter it begins to explain some of the highest spiritual realizations known to humanity. It begins to explain exactly who and what we really are as spiritual beings. Without this knowledge in a person’s life, the Vedic literature says that humans are little better than polished animals.

The reason for this conclusion is that the human life is especially meant for spiritual inquiry because in no other species of life here on earth does the living being have the faculty, such as the intelligence and the means to understand spiritual knowledge. Otherwise, this implies that there is little difference in the purpose of life between humans and animals who are mostly interested in merely eating, sleeping, mating, and defending what they think is theirs.

However, human life is not merely the means to acquire knowledge from the teachings and explanations of others, but it also offers the facility to realize it within oneself by practice. It is a matter of uplifting one’s consciousness so that one can perceive the higher dimensions that exist all around us. This is more than merely accepting something on faith alone, but it is a matter of attaining direct perception of what the Vedic literature discusses.

So, from the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, we begin to learn our real identity as the soul within these bodies. The Bhagavad-gita explains the size and nature of the soul, and how it is completely transcendental or beyond the body itself. It is beyond time and beyond the effects of the three dimensional world. It is beyond the limitations of the body and mind.

This teaches us many things. It shows that regardless of our physical limitations, we can rise above them because, spiritually, we are already above them. We simply have to realize that. What does it mean to realize it? It means to directly perceive that truth, to see it as plain as day. And then live according to that realization. This teaches us that regardless of our situation, socially or physically or economically, we can rise to higher levels of existence, both in this world and in the next.

This teaches us that no matter what kind of pressures we may feel from our classmates at school, or what good or bad biases that may come from our fellow workers, or what kind of labels they put on us, or how much they may purposefully demean or criticize us, or even how great we think we are, we can be grounded, fixed in understanding who and what we really are as a spiritual being inside the limited material body. That is how we should see ourselves. And then we can be confident that regardless of what others may say, we know who we are and can go through life fixed in perceiving our real identity and our purpose in this life and what really is our higher potential. As an old saying points out, it is better to see yourself truly than to care how others see you.

When you are spiritually grounded, it is no longer necessary to always try to convince others of your self-worth, or of your social status, or of trying to make it into the right clique or group of people. We become convinced of who we are. We work in our own way to provide a contribution to society, to make something of ourselves that has meaning, beyond the typical superficialities and meaningless and worldly gossip that occupy the minds of most youth and adults today. We know that as long as we keep working in our own way, both intellectually and spiritually, attaining the skills that will enable us to do something significant, that our time will come when we can make a mark on this world in our own sphere of influence, which may continue to expand from there.

So we may be popular in school or not, or recognized in our career or not, but by our spiritual knowledge, as provided in the Bhagavad-gita, and by the confidence it gives us, we work to always become better, more uplifted, more refined, and more realized than we are, always making ourselves into a better person. Then we can help ourselves and others in more effective ways. This is just some of what the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita can provide if we look into it carefully and understand who we really are and what is our greater potential.

As we proceed through the Bhagavad-gita, in Chapter Three, Lord Krishna discusses Karma-yoga, the knowledge of how every action creates an opposite and equal reaction. Fifty years ago in this country of the USA, hardly anyone spoke of karma, unless they were students of yoga or Eastern philosophy. Now everyone talks of karma, it is a part of the vocabulary, whether they really understand it or not. But the point is, where do you think that came from? How do you think they started to know about karma, or yoga for that matter, except for the fact that the teachings of the East and yoga, which are centered around the Bhagavad-gita, continued to spread throughout the West.

Similarly, considering all the knowledge that the Bhagavad-gita has within it, do you think that you will learn such things in the colleges or university courses? Hardly. You have to go beyond that. You have to take separate or alternative studies, like in studying the Bhagavad-gita or other Vedic texts, or listening to those who know about it. Then you can also begin to learn the basic laws of the universe as outlined in the Bhagavad-gita, as in the laws of karma. Otherwise, how will you begin to understand that your present circumstances and tendencies may be carry-overs from a previous existence? Or even from many previous existences that we have experienced. You only begin to understand these things by studying the Bhagavad-gita, the teachings of which are also expanded in the Upanishads, and then even more elaborated in the Puranas and other Vedic texts and commentaries.

In Chapter Four, called Transcendental Knowledge, it is explained to Arjuna how this knowledge was given down through the parampara, or disciplic succession. Lord Krishna explains the purpose and the transcendental nature of His appearance in this world. Also how to perform one’s actions so they are spiritual activities, which can then enable a person to reach the spiritual abode.

In Chapter Five, Karma-yoga, Action in Krishna Consciousness, it is explained how to perform one’s actions in the right consciousness of bhakti-yoga, and the way to focus on the natural, self-sufficient happiness within.

In Chapter Six, Sankhya-yoga, we find the instructions on how to conquer the mind to attain the natural inner happiness–beyond the senses–and become established in self-realization, the perception of one’s real identity. And then to see all else, all things around you with a steady mind, free from desires and possessiveness.

Then Lord Krishna gives instructions on how to practice yoga and meditation so that we can eventually perceive the spiritual dimension all around us, of which we are a part. Then we can enter and experience boundless transcendental joy and bliss, free from maya or illusion, and in touch with the Supreme Consciousness. Then such a person can see God everywhere and every being in God. Thus, he is never lost.

In Chapter Seven, Knowledge of the Absolute, we have the instructions on how to know God, and how to see that everything rests and depends on God, like pearls strung on a thread. Also, how to recognize the power of God in all the powerful aspects of nature. Thus, we become aware of God and His potencies in all things around us until we reach the abode of God.

Chapter Eight, Attaining the Supreme. This chapter gives more specific information about the ways of material nature, how to get free of it, and how our consciousness at the time of death, developed by our thoughts, words and deeds, determines our next life, our next destination. Therefore, if we are remembering God, Krishna, then we can attain Him. So the instructions include how to think of Lord Krishna and attain Him through devotional yoga. Also, there are instructions in how to understand the higher and eternal nature, beyond all matter, which is the ultimate destination of us all.

In Chapter Nine, The Most Confidential Knowledge, Lord Krishna gives advice that this spiritual knowledge is the king of all knowledge, the most secret of all secrets, and by following it we can attain direct perception of the self by realization. Lord Krishna goes on to explain how everything is working under Him, but fools will never be able to recognize this. But by engaging in devotional yoga, the mind becomes spiritualized enough to understand God as He is by realization, far beyond any mental speculation. Lord Krishna goes on to explain that He is impartial to all, but becomes a friend to those who offer loving service. By engaging in this process systematically, you can reach the highest abode.

In Chapter Ten, The Opulence of the Absolute, we find explanations on how everything, all spiritual and material worlds, emanate from the Absolute Truth–God. Those who know this engage in devotional yoga to God, and with that love, Lord Krishna gives them the understanding by which they can come to Him.

Then Lord Krishna tells Arjuna how He is situated in all the powers and powerful things throughout the universe, whether it is the radiant sun, the tranquil moon, the water of the ocean, the transcendental Om, the chanting of the holy names as in japa meditation, and in the immovable Himalayas, and much more. But it is only with a single fragment of His energy does Lord Krishna pervade and support this entire universe. This leads to…

Chapter Eleven, The Universal Form. It is in this chapter wherein Lord Krishna shows Arjuna, by giving Arjuna divine eyes, how He is spread throughout the entire universe by His energies and expansions. Some of what Arjuna sees is beautiful beyond compare, and other things that he sees in this universal form are terrible and frightening. Some are hundreds of thousands of multicolored divine forms, as well as demigods, planets, past and future events, and a splendor so bright it would equal hundreds of thousands of suns. Both birth and death could be seen within this amazing universal form that spread in all directions, both near and far throughout the universe.

This made Arjuna humble, who then requested Krishna to relieve him of this view and show him His four-armed form, and then again His more familiar and lovable two-armed form.

Now Arjuna was convinced that Lord Krishna was the Supreme and everything both within and beyond this material manifestation, as well as the father and creator of this material manifestation.

Then in Chapter Twelve, Devotional Service, Lord Krishna explains the ultimate goal of life, and the essence of how to practice bhakti-yoga, focusing especially on how to serve and fix our mind and intelligence on the Supreme as Lord Krishna in all our activities and undertakings.

Then we have Chapter Thirteen, Nature, The Enjoyer, and Consciousness. This explains how the body is the center of the field of material activities, and how we should understand the body as the vehicle in which both the soul and Supersoul–Paramatma–reside. Also, that the body is not our real identity, but we should see through the body to recognize the living being within. The soul is beyond the body and illuminates the body by consciousness. This is the symptom of the soul within. Now we merely have to spiritualize our consciousness to directly perceive the soul, and then see the difference between the body and soul.

The field of activities also includes the five elements, ego, intelligence, the senses, mind, and various emotions that project from the mind, along with all moving and non-moving things. Aside from all this, Lord Krishna explains the characteristics of His expansion as the Supersoul and how to perceive Him within.

In Chapter Fourteen, The Three Modes of Material Nature, Lord Krishna describes the three modes or gunas and their characteristics as goodness (sattva), passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas), and the nature of those according to how they are situated in each of these modes of nature. This also determines if one is progressing upward while acting in the mode of goodness, or simply maintaining while in the mode of passion, or regressing downward in ignorance or darkness. This analysis will also reveal the condition of one’s next birth. As explained in verses 14 and 15 in this chapter: “When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains the pure higher planets. When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when he dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom.”

So the goal is to know how to act in order to rise above these three modes, which Lord Krishna clearly explains as being the process of devotional yoga.

Chapter Fifteen, The Yoga of the Supreme Person. Here Lord Krishna emphasizes how to engage in that yoga process which can elevate you to rise above all material inebriates and limitations, and material happiness and distress, in order to reach the spiritual abode.

Even though the living beings are all parts of the Lord, they are struggling very hard with the mind and the mental interpretations of our experiences within this material field of activities and the way we see ourselves in this world. Furthermore, until these conceptions are purified, they are carried from one body to the next, one life to the next, just as air carries aromas. One who is spiritually ignorant cannot understand how this takes place. But the progressing transcendentalist can clearly see all of this. Krishna also explains that one who knows Him as the Supreme Being knows everything and engages in devotional yoga to Him, and his endeavors will know perfection.

Chapter Sixteen, The Divine and Demoniac Natures. Here Lord Krishna makes it clear how to recognize the Divine qualities and actions, as well as the demoniac, both of which are in ourselves and in those around us. It is only the divine qualities that are conducive to spiritual progress and liberation, whereas the demoniac actions and qualities will keep you bound in material existence for many lifetimes. So the next step is to associate with those of a divine nature and develop such qualities in ourselves, and avoid the demoniac. The demoniac can never approach God nor the spiritual world, but reach progressively lower forms of existence.

Chapter Seventeen, The Divisions of Faith. In this chapter Lord Krishna explains that there are different kinds of faith and religions depending on what level of the modes of material nature are displayed by the living being, such as goodness, passion or ignorance. Therefore, some religions will be more materialistic, based on ego, or the bodily identification and attachment and pride, while others will be more spiritual. So there is a difference between various religions, as explained in this chapter. They are not all the same, which sometimes people like to say. Lord Krishna describes the difference herein in a way we can clearly see the varieties and categories to which they belong. It is up to us to study this carefully to understand this.

So as we go along in our study of these chapters, we begin to see a pattern or repetition in these teachings. There is much knowledge on various aspects of life and spiritual understanding, but time and again Lord Krishna expresses that it is He who is the Supreme Being, the creator of the universe, and it is He who should be the center of our worship and meditation. Furthermore, all of this knowledge is meant to raise our consciousness so we can return to the spiritual world. That is what this is for. Lord Krishna repeats this in several chapters herein. This is not some kind of philosophy to contemplate, but it is an action plan for the benefit of humanity so we can directly attain a spiritual vision and perceive the spiritual reality all around us, up to the point in which we can enter that spiritual domain, which is our real home. The material world is temporary and can never give the joy we are seeking. This is why Lord Krishna is explaining all of this, to motivate us to act according to His directions and attain the realm of eternal happiness and bliss, which is our eternal and constitutional nature. And He summarizes this in the final chapter of Bhagavad-gita.

Chapter Eighteen, The Conclusion, The Perfection of Renunciation, or Yoga of Renunciation for Moksha–Liberation from Material Existence. Herein Lord Krishna explains the way to become spiritually perfect through the proper means of renunciation or detachment from activities, but also how to continue with prescribed duties. Yet, out of all we may do or practice, Lord Krishna finally concludes with the instructions on the ultimate way of perfecting one’s spiritual life and realize the highest truth, which is by performing devotional service, bhakti-yoga, and in this way rekindle one’s relationship with God and then reach the eternal and imperishable spiritual abode.

In this way, a person can cross over all obstacles of conditional life by Lord Krishna’s grace. Otherwise, a person will remain lost in the whirlpool of material existence. By surrendering unto Him, and then by His grace you can attain peace and the supreme abode. Lord Krishna then concludes that this is the most confidential of all knowledge given for your benefit. He instructs that if you think of Him, become His devotee, worship Him, just surrender unto Him, then you will be free from all sinful reactions and come to Him without fail.

It is further concluded that anyone who studies this conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna worships Lord Krishna with his or her intelligence. And simply by listening with faith to this conversation a person becomes free from sinful reaction and at least attains the planets of the pious.

So these are the basic instructions that are related in the Bhagavad-gita, and some of the benefits of studying it. So, in this way, a person can acquire proper direction in life, a deeper realization of one’s true identity, and attain a level of self-confidence and peace by inward reflection and realization that can never be reached through ordinary, materialistic studies or endeavors. Furthermore, these can be applied to assist us in all aspects of life to help bring us to our higher potential in everything we do, materially or spiritually. This is the power and the importance of the Bhagavad-gita and the instructions of Lord Krishna found within it.

Thank you very much,
Jai Sri Krishna.

Source: https://stephenknapp.wordpress.com/2015/10/28/importance-of-bhagavad-gita-in-this-day-and-age-by-stephen-knapp/

New Delhi: India has moved up one position to become the world’s seventh most valued ‘nation brand’, with an increase of 32 per cent in its brand value to USD 2.1 billion.

The UK is ranked 4th, Japan is at fifth position and France is sixth on the list. However, the surge of 32 per cent in India’s ‘nation brand value’ is the highest among all the top-20 countries on the list. India World’s 7th Most Valued ‘Nation Brand’; US on Top: Report

Source: http://mayapurvoice.com/svagatam/indias-nation-brand-goes-up-by-32/

Even Halloween can be engaged in Lord Krsna’s service. At TKG Academy we celebrated the Fall Festival with the students dressed as characters from our devotional scriptures. The costumes included some of the Lord’s main incarnations, such as Lord Nrsimhadeva, Lord Vamanadeva, Lord Ramacandra along with His wife Sita, Their devotee Jatayu and Ahalya, Lord Parasurama and Kurma Avatar. There were other manifestations such as The Universal Form and Mohini Murti and some demigods, like Agni and Lord Siva. Lord Krsna’s personal weapon, the Sudarsana Cakra was present. We also had Lord Krsna Himself, in His original form as a cowherd boy in the village of Vrndavana, along with His mother Yasoda, His most beloved Srimati Radharani, other gopis and cowherd boys and the river Yamuna. We had some characters from the Mahabharata, such as Bhismadeva and Yudhisthira. The goddess Kali appeared in her very ferocious form and the most recent and merciful incarnation of Lord Nityananda joined as well. Everywhere you looked you were reminded of Krsna and His various pastimes. In fact, the students enacted those pastimes, according to the particular personality they were dressed as, thus further immersing our minds in remembrance of the Lord and absorbing our consciousness in Him.

Photos courtesy of Bhismadeva Prabhu. To view the full album please follow the link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37681717@N02/albums/72157660620754185

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By Kesava Krsna Dasa

Because we think we are “not the body”, it can lead us to do so many wrong things in the name of Bhakti.  It can induce false detachment and renunciation.  That is, pushing oneself to be detached without spiritual taste to replace it – it becomes an off-the-body form of mind and body deprivation that does not last, because it is exerted by passion, not natural spiritual progress.

An artificial renouncer might think, “I am denying myself of all trappings of sense gratification, so why should others also not share in my renunciation?” Because one is depriving oneself and demands others to do the same, is a reflection of envy. Self-punishment is not the way to get off the bodily platform.

It can turn us into impersonalists by our actions and words.  This is, because we think I am not the body and everyone else is not the body, we must not attach much importance to the body, meaning it is not important how others feel emotionally to our vigorous application of chastisement, strictness, conformity, and other demands. Bhakti is a voluntary offering of mind, body and words in love.

It can turn us into indifferent ‘psychopathic’ cases while tending the Bhakti creeper that will hardly grow. Krishna-prema remains just a theory.  We may think, “I am not the body, you all are not the body, so who cares about what I do or say and why should others care about what I say or do to them… just get off the bodily platform… stop being mental about things…”

It can cause insensitive and uncultured behaviour towards others.  Vaisnava culture holds the highest form of respect for others in matters of reception, hospitality, affection, care for the body of others, comfort, nourishment and so forth. Properly renounced Vaisnavas do not impose their own renunciation on to others.

It can cause extreme and strange applications of austerity, celibacy, self-denial, and more – all made difficult by self-loathing. If it is bad to have a material body in envy of the Lord, then punishing it seems to be the means to apply not-the-body philosophy. This is not Bhakti-yoga.  It is dominated by jnana.

An erroneous understanding of “I am not this body” will transfer responsibility for love, care and welfare for others on to others’ bad karma, nature or God.  This relinquishing of responsibility is an extended form of selfishness. “Let Krishna take care of him or her… why should I care for someone else’s body if that is their due punishment or mercy of the Lord?…” Such selfishness is not Bhakti-yoga or the philosophy of Krishna consciousness.

For instance, if a devotee suffers with high fever and illness, but is still coerced into taking a freezing bucket bath and do energetic services as normal, because, “You are not the body”, it is a dereliction of duty. To not care for another in the name of not-the-body philosophy is without balance. To care for the bodies of devotees is not illusion or Maya.

Because “we are not the body”, it does not mean we can say to someone who has a bald patch on the head and say openly, in front of everyone, “Gosh!  You are losing hair quite rapidly, but don’t worry about it – we are not these material bodies”.  To cause embarrassment like this is not in line with Vaisnava culture.  To pick out or joke about any past-karma physical anomaly is uncultured, even among those who understand not-the-body concepts.

“We are not the body”, but we still have to identify with it to preserve health and to try for God-centred peaceful coexistence.  We are not the body and yet we act with our mind, words and deeds in dealings with other embodied souls.  Our bodies are the means to reach perfection of our lives in Bhakti.  Our bodies are used in service for the Lord.  Our bodies are past-karmic reactions to be made the best use of bad bargains.

Without our human bodies we cannot perform Bhakti and progress spiritually.  A human body engaged in devotion to the Lord is awash of past karma.  Physical anomalies are no hindrance at all in the execution of Bhakti.  Bhakti makes all physical anomalies glorious because they can somehow please the spiritual master and Krishna. 

To not be the body is to develop a balance of seeing and overlooking human realities. Human potential is the driving force, and not bodily appearances.  Genuine Vaisnava culture heeds this balance.  So long as we are in preaching mode, this balance remains.  

Vaisnavas are the first persons to show affection and love to others because they are balanced.  In fact, we can say “All glories to that human body being selflessly engaged for the Lords’ pleasure”, because such a body is a gift to the world, and is not material. Devotees view their own bodies as useless and bad, but other devotees see those same bodies as potential for service.

Not-the-body philosophy is knowledge of the soul within the body. It is jnana with useful application in Krishna consciousness. If however, we retain off-balance not-the-body concepts and practice Bhakti-yoga with this dominance, our outlook is jnana-mishra-bhakti, not pure devotion. Bhakti dominated by jnana causes problems and its effects are experienced by others.

When we preach not-the-body concepts, they are basic tenets of Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava culture includes care for the body of others in a selfless mood. To give of ourselves in service, without selfish motive, is the real – not-the body – application of philosophyin practiced on a deeper level. All glories to the spiritualised bodies of all devotees engaged in Krishna consciousness.

Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=21238

It is Srimati Radharani’s special month, the month of Kartika, also known as the month of Damodara. During this holy month, when devotees are converging in Radha Kunda from all over the world, we revel in the fact that we have been given the opportunity to do some small service in this most sacred of places day after day, year after year, 365 days a year. Since our service is here, our thoughts are here also. And what a blessing it is to have our thoughts, like busy bees, buzz from one place to another and one service to another in our Swamini Radhika’s holy land.

Our happy news this month is that, finally, after a full year of endeavor, we have an India bank account in the name of Padma Charitable Trust! Now people residing in India can donate straight to PCT.

The next step is to obtain the final architectural drawings for the kitchen, office, and a guest house for volunteers and donors so that fundraising can begin in earnest. Again and again we are recognizing the great urgency of having our own land and kitchen.

We did a lot of painting at various spots around Radha Kunda in preparation for Kartika. The acrylic latex paint for which we waited with great anticipation and applied with high hopes to the walls of Sakhi Kunda unfortunately adheres to the local plaster just as poorly as normal paint. So we’ve switched back to the way everyone else does it …normal paint and painting every so often as needed. Welcome to India.

Meanwhile, the cleaning continues. And prasadam is daily finding its way to those who need it. Thank you, dear friends for being a part of our Radha Kunda seva efforts. We are so grateful.

Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com.
Your servants, Mayapurcandra dasa, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, and Urmila Devi Dasi.

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Devotees of our community have the opportunity to deepen their appreciation of the jewel of India's spiritual wisdom, the Bhagavad Gita.  There is an international competition with more than $10,000 (Australian Dollars) of prizes. The competition is on "Bhagavad Gita As It Is", by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Everyone is eligible to enter - all global citizens are invited. You can be living anywhere, be of any age and engaged in any occupation or studies.  The essay competition deadline is December 31, 2015.

Source: http://iskcontoronto.blogspot.in/2015/11/international-bhagavad-gita-essay.html

By Yolanda Amelia

THERE are many ways one can celebrate an anniversary.

Some throw lavish parties and others do a simple get-together.

The International Society of Krishna Consciousness of ISKCON, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, distributed free meals to pupils to promote vegetarianism recently.

It was carried out under the Sastra Dana Anna Dana programme organised by ISKCON Malaysia together with Bhaktivedanta Books Trading Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Food For Life Society Malaysia.

The group visited selected Tamil schools in Kuala Lumpur and Klang.

Last month, they made their first stop at SJK(T) Vivekananda in Petaling Jaya, where Food For Life Society gave out 720 meals to pupils and teachers there.

The session started off with the pupils singing the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.

Copies of Vedic scriptures called the Bahagavad Gita were also given out to the Hindu community.

ISKCON general secretary, Food For Life Society president and Bhaktivedanta Books Trading Sdn Bhd director Simheswara Dasa said they were targeting to distribute 10,000 meals and scriptures to pupils.

“The aim is to spread awareness on vegetarianism and distribute the Bhagavad Gita scriptures to pupils and teachers.

“We target Tamil schools but we will also visit colleges and universities, said Simheswara.

On the scriptures, he said they were given out to youngsters, to discourage them from negative influences.

“The scriptures’ teachings focus on discipline and morals that will help students in their spiritual and material life. It is easier to teach them while they are young,” he added.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/Metro/Community/2015/11/07/Society-distributes-meals-to-pupils-Campaign-to-promote-vegetarianism-held-to-mark-groups-50th-anniv/