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Does ISKCON have a Phobia for the Tenth Canto

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 13, 2014 at 4:40pm

Lecture on Does ISKCON have a Phobia for the Tenth Canto by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu

(His Grace Caitanya Charan Prabhu is a monk and spiritual teacher in the time honored tradition of bhakti yoga. He is a editor of Back to Godhead, which is the official international magazine of the Hare Krishna movement.)

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Kartik Navadvipa Mandal Parikrama 2014

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 13, 2014 at 3:00pm

Navadwipa Mandal Parikrama 2014

Dear devotees, Hare Krsna!
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This is a pleasent reminder for the upcoming Kartik Navadvaip Mandal parikrama 2014.

It is our great pleasure to announce ISKCON MAYAPUR's 2nd annual six day Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama during the most auspicious month of Kartik (organized by the Mayapur Chadnra's). The Parikram begins on October 22nd and will end on October 29th, 2014.

There will be two days break, one for Goverdhan puja (24th October) and the other for Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day (27th October), so that devotees can participate in the festivals.

For this year also, the parikram will not stay overnight; we will leave each day from the ISKCON Mayapur campus at 5 AM and return no later than 5 PM. In order to give more time to chanting and hearing pastimes in the holy places, we have reduced some of the walking, and devotees will be transported faster to the various places via boat and vehicles.

The cost of the parikram is Rs. 1,500 per person. This price includes all transportation, snacks, breakfast, lunch, and drinking water for 6 days.

Kartik is the most auspicious month to perform spiritual activities, and the weather is extremely pleasant and favorable, so please do not miss this opportunity to associate with the devotees, to hear and chant the glories of Lord Chaitanya, to bathe in the Ganges, and honor prasadam together in the various holy places.

For more information you can write to us Via
e-mail: Mayapur.chandras@pamho.net or
visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Mayapur.Chandras

Booking will begin on 22th August, 2014. Please kindly note that booking is not refundable. limited seats are available.

Details of our parikrama path.

ANTAR DVIP
"       Siva doba
"       Madhai Ghat
"       Barkona Ghat
"       Mahaprabhu Ghat
"       Nagaria Ghat
"       Bharadvaja Tila
"       Jaydev Sripath
"       Ganga Nagar
"       Yogapith
"       Khol Bhanga Danga
"       Advaita Bhava
"       Srigadadhar Angan
"       Srivas Angan
"       murari gupta sripat
"       Prithu Kund
"       Suklambhar Brahamachari Ashram
"       Site of Lord Brahama's meditation
"       Chaitanya Math
"       Bhakti Siddhanta's Samadhi

SIMANTA DVIP
"        Chand kazi Samadhi
"        Simulia
"        Jagannath Temple
"        Kola Becha Sridhar
"        Sabar Danga and Mayamari
"        PanchananTala

GODRUM DVIP
"       Nrisimha Palli
"       Harihar Ksetra
"       Amghata
"       Subarna Bihar
"       Suravi Kunj
"       Bhaktivinod Thakur's
"       Bhajan Kutir and Samadhi
"       Gadi Gacha
"       Gaura Daha
"       Alokananda River

MADHYA DVIP
"       HamsaVahan
"       Naimisaranya
"       Ucchahatta
"       Kuruksetra
"       Brahamapuskar
"       Hat Danga
"       PanchaVeni

RITU DVIP
"       Nandan Acharya House
"       Radhakund & Shyamkund
"       Ganga Das Pandit's Tol
"       Vidyanagar (Sarvabhauma house)

 KOLA DVIP
"       Dhameswar Mahaprabhu
"       Jagannath Das Babaji-Bhajan Kutir& Samadhi
"       Samudragar
"       Champahati
"       Poramatala


MODADRUM DVIP
"       Saranga Murari's Sripat 
"       Vasudev Datta's deity
"       Vasudev Datta's House
"       Vrindavan Das thakur Sripat
"       Vaikunthapur
"       Mahatpur
"       Arkatila

JANU DVIP
"       Janu Muni Asram


RUDRA DVIP
"       Nidaya Ghat

SIMANTA DVIP

"       Rukumpur
"       Panchavatra Siva
"       Belpukur (Madan Gopal Deity)
"       House of Nilambar Chakraborty

Don't forget to book your sits for this Memorable Journey!!

To see pictures of previous year parikrama 2013, Please see our Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/Mayapur.Chandras

Your servants,
The Mayapur Chandra's team
Hare Krishna!

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Bhagavad Gita Class (13.21)

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 11, 2014 at 5:48pm

Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Class (13.21) by HH Bhakti Charu Swami on 23 Oct 2006 at ISKCON Ujjain

(Bhakti Charu Swami is from a Bengali family and spent most of his early childhood in urban Kolkata. He met with Srila Prabhupada at the end of 1976 after a long and intense search for a spiritual teacher. This initial meeting resulted in Bhakti Charu Swami being assigned to translate the books of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust into the Bengali language.)

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Nama destroys the Contamination caused by Kali

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 11, 2014 at 5:36pm

Lecture on Nama destroys the Contamination caused by Kali by HH Romapada Swami in 07 May 2014 at Chicago

(Romapada Swami‘s first encounter with Krishna consciousness came in Buffalo, in the shape of a lecture at the State University of New York in 1969. The lecturer was His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following year, Romapada Swami joined the movement in Boston and was initiated in 1971.)

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Krishna is Hungry - Feed Him

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 11, 2014 at 5:34pm

Lecture on Krishna is Hungry - Feed Him by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 30 May 2014 at Dallas

(His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami appeared in this world in 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON's founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)

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Caturmasya Begins

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 11, 2014 at 2:30pm
Hare Krishna dear devotees

Chaturmasya is the starting on 13 July this year. The CHATURMASYA VRATA is for FOUR MONTHS. The dates to be followed for these months, with some details regarding the importance of these months are as below.
 
13th July 2014 to 10th August 2014 - First month of Chaturmasya. (Fast from Shak, green leafy vegetables, for one month)
 
11th August 2014 to 09th September 2014 - Second Month of Chaturmasya. (Fasting from yogurt for one month)
10th September 2014 to 08th October 2014 - Third month of Chaturmasya. (Fasting from milk for one month)
 
09th October 2014 to 06th November 2014 - Fourth month of Chaturmasya - KARTIKA MONTH. (fasting from Urad dahl for one month) 

06th November 2014 - Chaturmasya ends KARTIKA MONTH ENDS. 

Srila Prabhupada states in the Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya lila 4.169 purport:

"The Chaturmasya period begins in the month of Asadha (June-July) from the day of Ekadasi called Sayana-ekadasi, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. The period ends in the month of Kartika (October-November) on the Ekadasi day known as Utthana-ekadasi, in the fortnight of the waxing moon.

This four-month period is known as Chaturmasya. Some Vaisnavas also observe it from the full-moon day of Asadha until the full-moon day of Kartika. That is also a period of four months. This period, calculated by the lunar months, is called Chaturmasya, but others also observe Caturmasya according to the solar month from Sravana to Kartika."
 
"Chaturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a grhastha or a sannyasi. The observance is obligatory for all asramas. The real purpose behind the vow taken during these four months is to minimize the quantity of sense gratification. This is not very difficult.

In the month of Sravana one should not eat spinach, in the month of Bhadra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Asvina one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian food during the month of Kartika. ... On the whole, during the four-month period of Chaturmasya one should practice giving up all food intended for sense enjoyment."

Various vows and austerities during Chaturmasya and Their respective results.

"O King, one who is My devotee and is fixed in vow, whether man or woman, for the purpose of Dharma, should accept these various austerities and observances. I shall now describe to you all of them along with their respective results.

01) No salt - One's voice becomes sweet.
02) No oil - One's life is prolonged and gets progeny.
03) No oil massages - One's body becomes beautiful.
04) No cooking with oil - One's enemies are vanished.
05) No licorice and oil - One becomes wealthy.
06) Give up wearing unoffered flowers - One becomes a Vidyadhara in Devapura.
07) Give up six kinds of tastes (spice, sour, bitter, sweet, salty and harsh)- One never becomes ugly, smelly, or obtains a bad birth.
08) Practice of yoga - One goes to Brahmaloka.
09) No betal nuts - One becomes happy.
10) No cooked food (raw fruits & Vegetables) - One obtains purity.
11) No honey - One becomes lustrous.
12) No yogert or milk - One attains Goloka.
13) No cooking with earthen pots - One gets . (?)
14) No hot food - One gets offspring with a long life.
15) Take rest on the ground or on stone - One becomes an associate of Vishnu.
16) One who gives up meat & honey is a yogi and muni.
17) No intoxicating liquors - One becomes powerful and free from disease.
18) Fast for one day - One is honored in Brahmaloka.
19) No cutting of hair and nails - One gets the benefit of taking bath daily in Ganges.
20) No speaking of grama katha (nonsense) - One's order will never be disobeyed.
21) Eat food on the ground without dish or plate - One obtains a kingdom on Earth.
22) Chant the mantra Namo Narayana - One obtains the result of giving in charity 100 times.
23) Offer prayers to the Lord - One gets the result of giving cows in charity.
24) Touch the lotus feet of the Deity - One becomes a successful person.
25) Clean the temple of the Lord - If one is king he remains so for a Kalpa.
26) Circumambulating the temple three times offering prayers - At the time of death one will mount a swan airplane and go to Vaikuntha.
27) Singing or playing musical instruments in the temple of the Lord - One goes to Gardharvaloka.
28) Take pleasure in studying the sastras - One goes to Vishnuloka.
29) Sprinkle water in the temple - One goes to apsaraloka.
30) Take bath in a holy place - One's body becomes pure.
31) Worship Lord Vishnu with flowers - One goes to Vaikuntha.
32) Eat panchagavya - One gets the result of observing candrayana fasting.
33) Eat one meal a day - One gets the results of performing an Agnihotra.
34) Eat at night only - One gets the result of going to all the places of pilgrimage.
35) Eat at noon only - One attains Devaloka.
36) Take food not obtained by begging or any extraneous endeavor - One gets the results of opening water stands and digging wells.
37) Take bath daily - One will never see hell.
38) No eating on a plate - One gets the result of bathing at Pushkara.
39) Eat on a leaf - One obtains the result of living at Kurukshetra.
40) Eat on a stone - One obtains the result of bathing at Prayog.
41) Giving up drinking to six hours - One will not be attacked by diseases.
42) During the Chaturmasya, garlands, caranamrta, candana and water from the conshell of the Lord, mahaprasadam, Deity garlands must be accepted.

In this way one who performs this vrata for the satisfaction of Lord Kesava and Lord Gauranga becomes satisfied himself. O best of the Pandavas, among My devotees, he whoaccepts these vows and austerities during the Chaturmasya goes to my abode at the time of death, of this there is no doubt. 

Vishnu Rahasya - Lord Brahma to Narada Muni.

If one accepts all these Vaisnava austerities and observances with devotion, one attains the supreme destination O Narada. One who desires within himself to execute all these Vaisnava austerities and vows, his sins obtained within one hundred births is destroyed. If one is exclusively devoted, peaceful, takes daily bath, is fixed in vow and worships the Lord during these four months, he goes to the abode of the Lord. He who accepts the austerity of sleeping on the ground this time when the Vishnu Deity is sleeping in yoga nidra underwater, he goes to the abode of Laxmi.

Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita. Madhya-lila 4.169. purport

"One should carefully give up attachment for material assets. People in general have spontaneous attachment for house, household paraphernalia, clothes, ornaments, wealth, wife and children's health, their own health, eatables, trees, and animals. Some people are so addicted to smoking, chewing pan, eating fish and meat, and drinking alcohol that their practice of spiritual life is obstructed.

The procedure for giving up grief is explained in the Padma Purama:

sokamarsadibhir bhavair akrantam yasya manasam
katham tasya mukundasya sphurttih sambhavana bhavet(8)

Within the heart of one who is full of anger or pride, or lamentation on the state of his wife or sons, there is no possibility of Krsna and Gauranga being manifest.

One should accept only those things necessary for his devotional life, as stated in the Naradiya Purama:

As one progresses in this way he offers prayers similar to Prahlada Maharaja's in the Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.39):

naitan manas tava kathasu vikuntha-natha
sampriyate durita-dustam asadhu tivram
kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaisanartam
tasmin katham tava gatim vimrsami dinah (11)

My dear Lord of the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always seeks more and more money.

Thus it has become most polluted and is never satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities? O Krsna! How will I get attachment for topics concerning You?And how will I meditate on Your pastimes?

The Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.40) explains how a living entity attracted to sense objects such as form and taste is completely vanquished:

jihvaikato 'cyuta vikarsati mavitrpta
sisno 'nyatas tvag-udaram sravanam kutascit
ghrano 'nyatas capala-drk kva ca karma-saktir
bahvyah sapatnya iva geha-patim lunanti (12)
  
My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex

with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to useless talks. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.

By taking shelter of the holy name, attachment develops. The symptoms of this attachment are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.29.34):

Prabhupada mentions it to be done (in cc Madhya as an austerity offered to the lord)

Another deep meaning that is that like Ekadasi vrata, it is meant to reduce the bodily conception of life.as per BG 16.1-3, sattva samshuddhi, (for..Jnana yoga vyavasthiti.. sense gratification is opposite of those goals, so to promote it during the heavy rainy season where sadhus can't go out and preach freely in India it was done.
  
Eating green boiled papaya mixed with mung dhal rice kitchri with whole black pepper and only cumin seeds with ginger root once a day was very sattvic and very healthy.

The papaya ginger root and black peppercorns boiled inside helped digestion which is weak during the rain. No doubt it also protects health too.

It was so sattvic it really mellows out the passion in us. These are side benefits to be realized.

Of course it's tough (but not impossible) to follow it while you travel around the world during Chaturmasya instead of staying at one place. It's also a test on your resolve to stick to your vows. Especially if you remain strict with it even on the festival days like Janmastami, SP Tirobhava, Radhastami, when all the other devotees feast like anything.

Text 398

tatra caturmasya-mahatmye
catur-varam bhramibhis tu
jagat sarvam caracaram
krantam bhavati vipragrya
tat tirtha-gamanadhikam

In the Skanda Purana, Caturmasya-mahatmya, it is said:

"O best of brahmanas, a person who four times circumambulates the Lord attains the result of circumambulating the entire universe filled with moving and unmoving beings. He attains a result better than going on all pilgrimages."

Text 399

tatraivanyatra
pradaksinam tu yah kuryat
harim bhaktya samanvitah
hamsa-yukta-vimanena
visnulokam sa gacchati
 
In the Caturmasya-mahatmya it is also said:

"A person who with devotion circumambulates Lord Hari flies on a swan to Lord Visnu's world."

Hari bhakti vilasa eighth vilasa
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A Chapati Buttered on Both Sides

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 9, 2014 at 6:55pm

Lecture on A Chapati Buttered on Both Sides by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 30 May 2014 at Dallas

(His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami appeared in this world in 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON's founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)

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Bhagavad Gita Class (02.41)

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 9, 2014 at 6:30pm

Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Class (02.41) by HG Suresvar Prabhu on 06 July 2014 at ISKCON Alachua

(His Grace Suresvar Prabhu joined Srila Prabhupada's movement in 1970, serving as a preacher and book distributor across the U.S. He is currently teaching with MIHET in Sridham Mayapur. He is a contributor to Back to Godhead Magazine. )

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Need of the bonafide Spiritual Master

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 9, 2014 at 6:00pm

Lecture on Need of the bonafide Spiritual Master by HH Bhakti Charu Swami on 17 Nov 2012 at ISKCON Orlando

(Bhakti Charu Swami is from a Bengali family and spent most of his early childhood in urban Kolkata. He met with Srila Prabhupada at the end of 1976 after a long and intense search for a spiritual teacher. This initial meeting resulted in Bhakti Charu Swami being assigned to translate the books of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust into the Bengali language.)

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Whether accepting Government Grants is a good thing

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 9, 2014 at 6:00pm

Lecture on Whether accepting Government Grants is a good thing by Sivarama Swami on 07 July 2014 at Debrecen

(Sivarama Swami was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1949. In 1956, during the failed Hungarian revolution, he emigrated with his family to Canada. Sivarama Swami first came in contact with the books of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1970, becoming an initiated disciple of Prabhupada in 1973.)

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Jagannath Ratha Yatra

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 8, 2014 at 12:12pm

Jagannath Rath Yatra by His Holiness Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Swami on 29 June 2014 at Punjabi Bagh

(His Holiness Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Swami was initiated by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in October 1968, about two months before HH Jayapataka Swami, awarding him the name “Makhanlal das”.)

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Brahminical Culture Prasadam and Getting Krishna's Mercy

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 8, 2014 at 12:00pm

Lecture on Brahminical Culture Prasadam and Getting Krishna's Mercy by HH Sivarama Swami on 02 July 2014 at Romania

(Sivarama Swami was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1949. In 1956, during the failed Hungarian revolution, he emigrated with his family to Canada. Sivarama Swami first came in contact with the books of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1970, becoming an initiated disciple of Prabhupada in 1973. )

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The Beginning of Spiritual Life

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 8, 2014 at 11:38am

Lecture on The Beginning of Spiritual Life by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 28 May 2014 at Dallas

(His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami appeared in this world in 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON's founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)

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The Role of Madhavendra Puri and Devs in Gaura Lila

Posted by ISKCON Desire Tree on July 8, 2014 at 11:30am

Lecture on The Role of Madhavendra Puri and Devs in Gaura Lila by HG Madhavananda Prabhu on 24 Mar 2013

(Madhavananda Das, joined ISKCON in Los Angeles in 1982. He moved to Bhubaneswar Orissa in 1993 where he has been living since. He was instructed by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaj to edit his lectures into publications.)

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