Revelations about the Book of Revelation



By Jaganmohini Devi Dasi
My response to ‘Second Generation Devotee Conferred with a National Legal Award in Kuala Lumpur‘
Few days back as I took a short break to quickly browse through the titles of recent articles in this forum, there was one article that caught our attention.
Dear Hema, the brief extract narrating your award story intrigued me to read the full article. Being inspired by your story, I felt, I must respond to you and so today I set some time for it.
I was indeed moved by your life story not because of award, but it had much more to offer to several who have embraced Krishna Consciousness in their life. For many it could be a moment of joy or just an appreciation because of award, but I see this award as an instrument for recognition of a wonderful example of application of KC in work place. But for this award, many would not have known your astute approach adopted in your work place that was as a result of several years of effort of real time practice of Krishna Consciousness.
You spent your childhood in ISKCON atmosphere, but adopted a natural and simplistic approach to bhakti yoga. Without trying to be anything artificial or anybody other than yourself, you were influenced by the positive aspects of the culture. As you mentioned,
‘The concept of ‘I, me, and myself’ is non-existing in my team as we vouch for each other and ensure that we swim and steadily keep each other afloat together, as a team. I learnt this concept through my wonderful up-bringing in ISKCON.’
To put into practice even a small aspect of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, it needs persistent sacrifice through self-less approach.
You represent an individual representing the majority population living in this world and dealing with work culture that is moving very fast to keep up with competitive globalization challenges. You represent women community who normally grab attention of people in general only for wrong reasons while their finest contributions are rarely appreciated and encouraged. Most importantly you represent women in Krishna Consciousness who are seen more from a perspective of theoretical varnashrama dharma and accordingly guided but with no practical concrete direction given to them with regard to excellence in service especially in a noble working atmosphere like yours.
You have set a practical example of substance for all the above categories.
Your excellent upbringing which you credit to your single parent mother (great lady!) and other guardians are Lord Krishna’s special grace upon you which you received it through your spiritual master H.H. Jayapataka Swami.
It was only through the above pillars of your life as you have gracefully and rightly acknowledged, you became positively ambitious about your career and pursued higher studies and reached a position that you are today.
How many women practicing KC receive such encouragement?
Your life appears so naturally unfolding to serve your guru as your life and soul all for the right cause, that is to help push forward the teachings of Lord Caitanya to people at large. Your gurumaharaj might be very pleased with your service.
If my spiritual master was physically present, even he would have been very proud of his spiritual niece as I recall in this regard one of his room conversations with devotees in 1999. He gave a practical perception of Krishna Consciousness and having received this direct counselling for the first time, it changed our thinking of Krishna Consciousness and they were indeed different from what I had gathered before from other sources.
I share excerpt here for your pleasure.
He said, ‘Being spiritual is not just going to temple, church or mosque for few hours during the week and the rest of the time you forget about it. It is not like that. It is not a one-hour job. It has to be applied every day, every moment and in every face of our life, even in office…..you have dedicated that work in order to serve the Lord; In this way, there is meaning and purpose and hence you will want to do it very nicely. Suppose you want to cook, something for offering to the Lord, then your consciousness is already oriented in such a way that you have to put the right amount of salt. You cannot do it just haphazardly……Because generally when things are done with attention, the result is good. Similarly, when you go to office, you go in time, not necessarily to please the boss, but because you are doing this to please the Lord. Thus in this way, one becomes very responsible in one’s activity and one will not indulge in anything unwanted. These are the applications of devotional principles.”
So your award as a direct outcome of applying devotional principles is significant today.
At present, religious issues are predominantly a disturbing factor in several nations, leading to violence, bans and protests. At such a time a journey to human excellence based on Krishna Conscious practice can stand apart and nothing can come on its way. So from futuristic perspective at individual level it makes sense to focus on this scientific practice with a broad mindset. This can also validate the meaning of ‘Krishna Consciousness is a way of life’. As such every religion claims this, but their practices don’t help them evolve beyond the three of the four religion goals, and hence it is not easy to proclaim superficially, that religion is a way of life. But the uniqueness of Krishna Consciousness is its prime focus on the fifth dimension goal that is love of God, so this is the motivation that can help to evolve beyond the lower goals. Of course an appropriate grooming during childhood and youth can contribute significantly later towards the scientific practice of Krishna Consciousness for human excellence.
Dear Hema, we are sure you will continue in your journey of excellence and render service as a counsellor (practicing!) for future generation.
Kindly hold on to your pillars tightly and don’t give up.
Who knows, there could be another Tulasi Gabbard in the wait at Malaysia!!
It is grand disciples like you living outside a monastery, who can practically demonstrate to the society that Krishna Consciousness is a way of life or it is applied spiritual technology and that it is a journey towards human excellence and through this example carry the flag of our guru parampara and Lord Chaitanya with pride.
All the best to you Hema, and we pray to Lord Krishna that He continue to inspire you within to climb higher in the path of practical bhakti yoga.
Hope someday in the near future by His desire we shall meet.
All glories to Sri guru and Sri Gauranga!
Hare Krishna!
Your servant
Jaganmohini devi dasi (Disciple of H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Srila Sripada)

By Harikatha Das
It was a Sunday evening and I alongwith another devotee Smita Krishna Das decided to distribute Sri Prabhupada’s books in the new bus stand of Dharwad, Karnataka. So, we packed ourselves with Big as well as small books of Srila Prabhupada. We had apprehensions and shyness as we have not much experience in it. In fact, for Smita Krishna prabhu, it was the first day he went out for book distribution by getting motivated by the daily thoughts from the www.ultimateselfrealization.com website broadcasted by H.G. Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari. So, we kept our heavy bags full of books on a cemented bench in a dark corner of the bus stand and looked at the crowd eagerly waiting for their buses. Smita Krishna prabhu asked me, Prabhuji, how to start, whom should we approach first? The same question was looming around in my mind. Then I pointed towards a man and he reluctantly saw towards me as he had no prior experience. He forced me to approach him first so that he can learn from me. But deep inside, I knew I too have no confidence but I did not want to express it as he would get discouraged. So, we together moved towards that man. But, before I start the story, I would like to present the linguistic demography of Karnataka. Here, the majority of the population speak Kannada and then Marathi and Tulu. The muslim population speak hindi mix Urdu among themselves. So, anyone speaking Urdu/Hindi is considered to be a muslim first (Pattegars/Kshatriyas also speak a similar language) as the north Indian population is too low in North Karnataka. As I am from North India and still not learnt Kannada properly so I approached that man and started in my manageable Kannada and then shifted to Hindi. To my delight, that man also spoke in Hindi and I explained him about Bhagavad Geeta and requested him to purchase one copy of it. But He blatantly refused. I wanted to request him again but wait, I got a doubt in my mind, “How does he speak nice Hindi”? I did not want to force that reluctant person so, to create a friendly atmosphere I asked his name to know whether he is Marathi, Pattegar or luckily some North Indian? He replied in Hindi, “Mera naam Farooq Hai (My name is Farooq)”. So, I changed my way of preaching by citing similar verses present in Koran and Vedic scriptures. Resultantly, he showed interest and started turning the pages of Srimad Bhagavad Geeta and asking few spiritual questions.
Suddenly, a loud strong feminine voice screeched our conversation, “Who is Muslim among you”? All three of us (including Smita Krishna Prabhu) turned towards that voice and found a fat middle aged lady, veiled from head to toe by burqa with only eyes uncovered sitting little far on a bench with a big purse on her shoulder.
I tried to ignore her question and started preaching that man again but the lady did not stop and shouted again boldly, “I am asking who is muslim among you?” The man turned towards her and said,”I am”. The lady immediately asked me, “Then, what is your business with him, what are you talking to him?”
I asked her politely, “Mohtarama (Madam), why do you want to know this?”
The woman replied,” Since you people are talking in Hindi, so at least one amongst you must be a Muslim” and gazed towards our dhoti Kurta and made us understand her dissatisfaction.
Without going for any argument, I turned towards that man and requested him to take BG but by this time, his facial expressions were changed and he started slipping from us, intermittently looking towards that unknown woman fearfully.
The woman again shouted from that far attracting the attention of others standing nearby, “Why are you forcing him to take all those things?” “Who is Muslim here?”
Seeing the situation already gone worst and that man slipped from us, I turned towards her, went near her and replied very politely, “I am a Muslim or better say Musalman or better say Musallam iman”. She shocked and looked towards my Vaishnava attire again and asked my name. I replied , “ Is the name enough to make someone Muslim or Hindu.”
I continued politely saying, “What does Musalman means actually? It is actually Musallam iman. So, anyone who is walking on the path of goodness and piety, cent percent, is a Musallam iman, Musalman, So, I am a Musalman.”
The woman interrupted, “Oh,that is the definition you are talking about.”
I interrupted, “Is the definition only for the books or we have to practice it, follow it in our day to day life?”
She shook her head indicating positive response. It was becoming difficult for me to talk to her concentrating on her two eyes as this was the first time since my birth I was talking to any burqa clad woman.
I asked her, “How can you say someone Muslim or Hindu, just upon birth? Or just upon their family background? Many people are orphans. Many leave religion and convert afterwards. So, what is your parameter, madam. Our Guru in ISKCON teaches us that one have to practice the principles, then he can claim to be of that religion otherwise we all become Dharmadhvajis (Flag-holders), And then I explain the meaning of dharmadhvajis and the damage meted by such people to humanity and the religion itself.
The woman got pacified and spoke in a mild voice, “Actually I also organize classes for people and speak about Koran and other religions.” After hearing this, I understood she loves reading books so I put the SSR book on her hand and I exclaimed, “Wonderful. Do you conduct ijtema classes on Fridays for women.”
She looked surprisingly at me and continued, “Do you know about our classes? “I know all these things present in your books. I have read everything. I speak about all religion.”
The conversation continued and I requested her to take Science of Self-realization but she refused saying that she can not accept our books since it is of different religion. I replied with a concern, “I know, you can not take hindu books to your house. Even though we have Bhagavad Geeta, we are not requesting you to take that book because you can not read that book freely anywhere so please accept SSR.
She repeated, “I know everything, I have read all these things. That’s why I am able to conduct classes.”
I enquired, “Have you read Bhagavad Geeta or any book from ISKCON?”
She answered, “Although I have never read Bhagavad Geeta or whatever books of hindus, but I know everything. And overall, I do not know Kannada and English so I can not take your books.
I continued,” Its always better to read Bhagavad Geeta or koran ourselves rather than listening from here and there. Generally, people are biased and forgetful so you might have missed many points. If you pay us advance and provide your address and contact no, then we can arrange the Urdu version of SSR within one week. If you don’t know Kannada then you can request some kannada knowing person to read for you because after all its not Bhagavad Geeta which you would hesitate to take out in front of others. And moreover, after reading this book, you can preach your ladies with this extra knowledge and you would certainly become a better preacher than now.
She enquired, “What is the cost of this kannada version(of SSR)?”
We told her the rate and handed her the book and happily she take out money from her purse and paid the amount to us. She immediately kept the book inside her purse. We proceeded towards a next soul waiting for Srila Prabhupada’s books.
This was the first ever book distribution experience for Smita Krishna prabhu and after that he, with his continuously evolving skills, has been distributing books more efficiently and enthusiastically than me.
Your humble servant,
Harikatha Das.
Dharwad,Karnataka.
By Bhakti devi dasi, Iskcon Communications Officer, Melbourne, Australia.
As part of our ongoing efforts to establish good relations with the wider Hindu Community,
ISKCON’s Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir Temple was honoured to welcome Swami Baba
Ramdev, the famous yoga teacher from India, on Friday 10th April. It was just a short visit
(part of an official welcome to Melbourne) as Swami Ramdev gave his yoga programs
elsewhere.
Swami took darshan of the Melbourne deities Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Ballabha and
Sri Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra, and very much enjoyed his tour of the temple, especially
Srila Prabhupada’s rooms
ISKCON Communications director for Australia, Bhakta dasa, comments: “My impression of
Swami Ramdev is that he is a very humble and sincere personality. During the time of his
visit with us we developed a respectful friendship. I discussed some of our Melbourne
development projects with him including the new kitchen and our interests to establish a
Vedic School in the Western Suburbs in the near future. Swami Ramdev showed interest in
supporting such a school that teaches the various aspects of yoga to its students.”

ISKCON Studies Institute Conference 2015 – Registration Information
By ISKCON Studies Institute
The ISKCON Studies Institute cordially invites you to attend its upcoming conference to be held at Radhadesh (Belgium) from May 22-24, 2015. This year’s conference theme is Devotional Ethics, Community, and Practice in Caitanya Vaisnavism.
The ISKCON Studies Institute Conference 2015 features an outstanding array of academic scholars from around the world. The conference schedule is now finalized and a list of speakers and presentation topics is included below. Presentation abstracts are also available at the following link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3eq_hjmlPuLRUlMbjhYWU1IeU0/view?usp=sharing
For conference e-registration, please fill in and submit the following online form:
http://goo.gl/forms/UvztGWZW6E
The deadline for registration is April 30, 2015. Because space is limited, kindly register as soon as possible. Please note that a 40€ registration fee will be collected from all participants at the beginning of the conference.
The ISKCON Studies Institute is committed to cultivating scholarly discussions in conference forums that cherish a devotionally respectful and academically rigorous ethos meant to foster critical thinking in relation to concerns of ISKCON and its broader cultural, religious, and intellectual environments.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference. For further questions and inquiries, please write to: iskconstudiesconference@gmail.com.
ISI Conference 2015 Speakers & Presentation Topics
Dr. Kiyokazu Okita (Kyoto University, Japan)
When a Royal Pandit is Refuted: Court, Conflict, and Controversy in Eighteenth Century Bengal
Lucian Wong (University of Oxford, UK)
Bhadraloka and Brahmanical Polemics Against Vaisnava Deviance
Dr. Ricardo Sousa Silvestre (Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Brazil)
Some Philosophical Reflections on the Ethical Aspects of the Theory of Karma in the Teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Dr. Kenneth Valpey (Oxford Center for Hindu Studies, UK) /
Javier Pera López (University of Wales, UK)
Ethical Reflections in ISKCON Autobiographical Writing: The cases of Tamal Krishna Goswami and Satsvarupa Das Goswami
Claire Robison (UC Santa Barbara, USA)
The Negotiation of Caste Identities in Pursuing Caitanya Vaisnava Ethics of Service
John Fahy (University of Cambridge, UK)
An Ideal Vedic City of Ideal Vaisnava Selves
Dr. S. Kreitzer (University of Florida, USA)
ISKCON’s Views on Science and Vaisnavism: Comparing the 1979 Life Comes from Life project with the archival transcripts of the recorded conversations
Cyril Wohrer (University of California Riverside, USA)
Demons in Dhotis, Vaisnavas in Pants: The issue of dress-code in ISKCON
Dr. Rembert Lutjeharms (University of Oxford, UK)
How Worms Become Wasps: An exploration of hatred for the divine
Dr. Ravi Gupta (Utah State University, USA)
Dialogue or Debate? Lessons from Sri Caitanya’s Encounter with the Qazi of Navadvipa
Huber Robinson (Ricardo Palma University, Peru)
Bridging West and East: Carl Jung and the Bhagavata
Dragana Jagusic (University of Leuven, Belgium)
The Ethics of Desire, Unity of Love: Transplanting the seeds of bhakti into the Greek-Roman soil
Christopher Fici (Union Theological Seminary, USA)
Caitanya Vaisnavism as Liberation Theology: The Matrix of Material and Spiritual Liberation
Benjamin McClintic (University of Virginia, USA)
Visions of the Eternal by Way of Temporal Motifs
Dr. Sthita Dhi Muni (University of Florida, USA)
The Richard L. Thompson Archives: A memorial archival-library project dedicated to a pioneering ISKCON scholar

Bhaktivedanta Academy Hiring Middle School Subject Area Teacher
The Bhaktivedanta Academy, a spiritually-centered pre-k thru 10th grade school, located in Alachua, Florida, is seeking applicants for the position of Middle School Subject Area Teacher for our International Baccalaureate 7th through 10th grade Middle Years Programme*.
We are seeking qualified candidates who possess an enthusiasm for working with teens in a highly collaborative teaching environment. If you are a self-starter who wants to be part of a mission-driven school that provides an opportunity to grow personally and professionally, we encourage you to apply.
Bhaktivedanta Academy follows a 175 day school year with time off during summer and holidays. This is a salaried full-time position that will begin in August 2015.
Click to download the full job description and employment application.
Interested applicants should download the employment application and may either scan and email the completed application along with current resume to office@bhaktischool.org, fax to 866-944-8834, or mail to 17414 NW 112th Blvd, Alachua, FL 32615. Send all correspondence to the attention of Visvambhara Das, Head of School.
Applications will be accepted through April 20th, 2015.
*Bhaktivedanta Academy is a candidate school for the Middle Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy — a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education — that we believe is important for our students. *Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) or the Diploma Programme (and in addition the IB Career-related Certificate). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.
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Bhaktivedanta Academy Hiring Pre-Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant
The Bhaktivedanta Academy, a spiritually-centered pre-k thru 10th grade school, located in Alachua, Florida, is seeking applicants for the position of Teacher’s Assistant for our pre-kindergarten/kindergarten Montessori class.
We are seeking qualified candidates who possess an enthusiasm for working with young children in a highly collaborative teaching environment. If you are a self-starter who wants to be part of a mission-driven school that provides an opportunity to grow personally and professionally, we encourage you to apply.
Bhaktivedanta Academy follows a 175 day school year with time off during summer and holidays. This is a part-time position that will begin in August 2015.
Click to download the full job description and employment application.
Interested applicants should download the employment application and may either scan and email the completed application along with current resume to office@bhaktischool.org, fax to 866-944-8834, or mail to 17414 NW 112th Blvd, Alachua, FL 32615. Send all correspondence to the attention of Visvambhara Das, Head of School.
Applications will be accepted through April 20th, 2015.


By Ravindra Svarupa dasa
1. We all have a relationship with Krishna.
A. We are fully and eternally related with Krishna on the spiritual platform.
B. The relationship is there whether we are theists or atheists, practitioners or non-practitioners.
C. We may be conscious of the relationship or not, and our consciousness may also be in various manners strong, weak or distorted.
2. If we are not pure devotees, that relationship is to some degree or another broken.
A. The full relationship is prema.
B. Brokenness in various ways characterizes all else.
3. Maha-mantra japa is, in the beginning, a preliminary demonstration of interest in restoring the relationship.
A. The use of the vocative case in three names Hare, Krishna, and Rama voices our request for a relationship, for a re-union.
B. We call to Krishna, and he responds.
C. The next question to confront us is: “Are we interested in pursuing this relationship-building further—and how far?”
4. At each step we must decide to go forward, to hesitate, to back out somewhat or altogether.
5. Since there is a broken relationship, it must be concluded that we have reasons for having broken it.
A. As we come closer to Krishna through chanting, his utter perfection and kindness become revealed to us.
B. We then must acknowledge the fact that we alone are wholly responsible for the breach, and the standard finding of “fault on both sides” by counselors and mediators does not apply in this case.
C. Another name for a broken relationship with Krishna is “sin.”
6. The reasons will become revealed to each of us, so that we can confront them.
A. We are not fully aware of them.
B. It will become clear that we harbor deep feelings of animosity, resentment, anger, and so on toward Krishna.
C. We become repentent and humble.
7. We become grateful to Krishna because we realize that although we turned away from him he did not turn away from us.
A. In spite of everything, we are able to chant the holy names.
B. Krishna has sent his agents to bring us back, and they have labored tirelessly.
8. Frankness and humility are foundations of progress.
A. Concealment, or being in a state of self-concealment (“in denial”) must be vanquished.
B. Pride is the symptom of a broken relationship and of concealment also.
9. Signs of advancement are increasing honesty or frankness and humility.
A. The false ego is being dissolved.
B. We experience its dissolution as self-destruction and hence as painful to the degree that we still identify with the body and mind.
C. Gradually what is painful becomes delightful.
10. To the degree that we become frank and humble to that same extent our appreciation and love for Krishna increases.
11. In this way we become fixed in our practice and attain a natural, ever-increasing appetite for devotional activities.

By Sunanda das
On the morning of Saturday, April 4th after a short stop to the home of Devakinandana prabhu and his family for breakfast prasadam, we made our way to attend a celebration of Jayapataka Maharaja’s Vyas Puja at the home of Sukhada das and his family in Feastieville, Pennsylvania.
Many devotees came including Sikhi Mahiti and Visnu Gada prabhus from the Philadelphia temple. Srila Prabhupada’s disciples spoke in glorification of Maharaja and his achievements in Srila Prabhupada’s service, and Maharaja also personally spoke to the devotees via a live phone call. Kirtan and guru puja took place and finally a wonderful feast was served.
In the evening we returned to Plainfield, New Jersey for our main TOVP presentation at the temple, a recently acquired large church complex. After kirtan and abhisheka of the Padukas, a few local leaders, including Madhupati prabhu, Temple President of both New Jersey temples, and Devakinandana prabhu, spoke and began the program. Radha Jivan then introduced Ambarisa prabhu who had come for both the New Jersey programs, and together with Jananivas prabhu they urged the 150+ devotees to make a sacrifice for the TOVP despite the large financial burden of the new facilities. Devotees responded enthusiastically and the pledges amounted to over $325,000 by the end of the program. Prasadam was served to all the Vaishnavas.
This was originally a public email exchange between myself and His Grace Ganesha Prabhu on Jan 16, 2008, while I was in Delhi recoperating from the injuries sustained in acar accident. I have edited and enlarged on it for the sake of completion.

Dear Maharajas, Prabhus and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Bhakti-vighna-vinasa Narasimhadeva Bhagavan ki jaya!
I wrote:
However the depiction of Canakya as a contemporary of Alexander the Great is a common misconception first propagated by the British but not supported by Sastra. Canakya was from 16th century BC not 4th century BC.
Ganesha Prabhu responded:
This statement is not according to Srila Prabhupada's words.
Srila Prabhupada:
"That is a fact-the brahmanas were accepted. They formed the advisory committee of the king. For example, Candragupta, the Hindu king, was in the age of Alexander the Great. Just before Candragupta, Alexander the Great went from Greece into India and conquered a portion. When Candragupta became emperor, he had Canakya as his prime minister. Perhaps you have heard this name Canakya?" Science of Self Realization
ys ganesadasa

Click to see larger version.
My response:
"James Ussher, the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh deduced that the first day of Creation began at nightfall preceding Sunday October 23, 4004 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar, near the autumnal equinox." wikipedia
This was widely believed to be true by most Christians in pre-Darwinian Europe including Sir William Jones. Jones who was a member of the Supreme Court of Calcutta, and founder of the Asiatic Society lived in India from 1783 till his death in 1794. He was studying various sastras and Sanskrit literature with Bengali Pandits in Kolkata. It was Jones who famously noticed the similarity between Sanskrit, Latin, Greek and Persian; and you may say that he was the father of both Indology and linguistics.
In any case Mr. Jones while studying puranas found it difficult to fit the puranic timeline which spanned over 311 trillion years with that of the Bible, which stated that the world had been created about 5,794 years before. He wanted to make Indian history fit in with Noah and Moses. To do so he had to find the “linch pin” of ancient Indian history, that point in time where ancient European history intersected with India's. That point could only be 326 BC when Alexander the Great invaded India. Ancient Latin and Greek authors -- Diodorus of Sicily, Curtius Rufus, Arrian of Nicomedia and Plutarchof Chaeronea wrote on the life of Alexander and mentioned the names of various Indian kings who were contemporary of Alexander. These were not in Sanskrit but in Greek forms, names such as Xandrames, Sandracottus, and Taxiles, etc.

Jones tried to find names of Indian kings similar to the Greek versions and deduced that it was Candragupta. The only problem was that there were two Candraguptas who founded dynasties -- "Candragupta Maurya" and "Candragupta" of the Imperial Gupta dynasty who were 1200 years apart. In order to fit Indian history into his procrustean bed and make it agree with the Biblical version Jones purposely chose Candragupta Maurya as the contemporary of Alexander and thus neatly cut off 1200 years of Indian history. However, it was Candragupta and Samudragupta of the Imperial Guptas not Candragupta Maurya who were contemporaries of Alexander.
Kaliyuga began in 3101 BC, after 36 years of rule by Maharaja Yudhisthira. According to the regnal dynsties recorded in the Vayu, Visnu, Matsya and Srimad Bhagavat Puranas it states that the Brhadratha Dynasty lasted for 1000 years, see Srimad Bhagavatam (SB)9.22.46-48 and 9.22.49. (The count started at 3137 BC during Battle of Kurukshetra with the death of Sahadeva son of Jarasandha - not the Pandava.)
Then came Pradyota Dynasty which lasted for 138 years, see SB 12.1.3. 1 Then Sishunaga Dynasty for 362 years (Bhagavatam says 360), see SB 12.1.6-8. Then Nanda Dynasty which lasts for 100 years, SB 12.1.10.
1000+138+362+100=1600 therefore the Nanadas lasted till 1537 BC (3137 - 1600 = 1537).
The Nandas were destroyed by Canakya Pandita who then enthroned Candragupta Maurya (SB 12.1.11). Hence, Candragupta Maurya flourished circa 1537 BC, not 326 BC as Sir William Jones wanted to believe.

However, it was the British who were in control of the educational system, and especially with Macaulay they sought to destroy traditional Sanskrit education in India. Thus, the British enshrined their distorted history of India in all of the world's history books and schools. And, in the 225 years since Jones a lot of “scholarship” has added many thick encrusted layers to support this mistake. And, this is what we were all taught. However, since the independence of India there has been some effort to undo the damage done by the British, but a lot more is needed.
The mischief of the British was not only in relation to Candragupta Maurya, so much of Indian history was distorted it is hard to imagine the extent of the damage. For exampleLord Buddha is not from the 6th BC but from 18th BC. Why? Ashokavardhana the grandson of Candragupta Maurya became a Buddhist and converted India to Buddhism. Buddha lived about 3 centuries before him. Hence 18th century BC.
This of course flies in the face of current academic historical dates for everything in early Indian history and mainstream scholars think it is madness and cries of “radical saffron revisionism” are heard.
However, there is one thing that you have to remember and that is when an artifact is found it doesn’t say on the back “made in 215 BC” or something similar. Dates if mentioned at all will be in regard to various epochs most often in the form of “year X in the reign of king Y” and all these pieces of the puzzle have to be sorted out and aligned with a known date. That is why who was contemporary to Alexander is so important and the "linch pin" because once that is known then you count backwards and forwards from that time. But since Jones purposely chose one that fit in with the Biblical timeline then all dating by scholars for last the 200 years has been in relation to the wrong date and the error magnified a million times over. And, considering that a lot of political pressure, academic prestige and reputations have been invested into this mistake it will take a lot of effort from courageous scholars to reverse it.
Other civilizations also had long histories. Berossus (fl. 280 BC), in his Bablyoniaca 2 , recounts the vast ages that preceded the Babylonian civilization and especially uses the number 432,000 years as a significant one in their history (the exact same length as Kali-yuga). He claimed that civilization was not the product of human action over time, contrary to the conventional Greek view of the early Hellenistic period, but was given intact by the gods to men at that early date. In the recorded fragments of his writings he tells how men had no civilization and behaved liked animals. Until a god, whose name he translates into Greek as Oannes, who had a body like a fish but with human appendages, came on the land and revealed all types of useful knowledge, both mundane and spiritual, to King Alorus and the people. This knowledge became the basis for human civilization. This occurred 432,000 years before the flood. According to various fragments of Berossus, the flood took place from 33,000 - 36,000 years before Alexander the Great. This incident with Oannes is remarkably similar to that of Matsya-avatara recounted in the Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 8.24), in which the fish incarnation of the Lord saves the Vedic knowledge and then redispenses it.

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According to Porphyry (c. 300 AD), Callisthenes, the companion of Alexander the Great in the Persian wars, dispatched to his uncle, Aristotle, Babylonian records of eclipses that spanned 31,000 years. Iamblichus (4th century AD) claimed on the authority of the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus that the Assyrians had made observations for 270,000 years and had kept records for the return of all seven planets to the same position. 3 “Epigenes of Byzantium insisted that the Babylonians had tablets for 730,000 years of observation. . . Simplicius . . . . stated that Chaldean observations had extended over more than 1,440,000 years.” 4
The Egyptians, as recorded by Manetho (fl 300 BC), also had very vast histories dating back tens of thousands of years before the Hellenistic period in which he wrote. According to Eusebius 5 (fl 300 AD) , Manetho gives six dynasties of Kings that lasted for 24,925 years before the flood. And the Roman, Simplicius, stated that the Egyptians had records stretching back 630,000 years.6

Clearly the peoples of classical antiquity didn't flinch when it came to long spans of time except for the Jews and especially the Christians. These vast time cycles all became mythologized, ridiculed and finally cut down by them to fit the Biblical timeline. We see from the Manetho fragments that the first known Christian scholar to alter beyond recognition the Egyptian historical time-line was Eusebius. This Christian scholar, historian, and friend of Emperor Constantine, in an attempt to align the history of Egypt with that of the Bible, felt no compunction in changing everything to suit himself. "In the introduction [of his Chronicles], Eusebius gives as one of his aims to ‘reprove the boasting of vainglorious chronographers.’"7 His problem was that the Bible contained very little history prior to about 1,500 BC. Everything was very murky and then there was the creation by Jehovah in seven days. Thus it was thought that the world was just newly created and hardly more than 4,000 years old. According to the Jewish calendar the date of creation was 3761 BC 8 This hardly allowed for Egyptian dynasties of 24,925 years. As a solution Eusebius changed all the years to months and thus was able to neatly compress the untidy sum of 24,925 years by a factor of twelve to 2206 [sic] solar years so that they fit into his Biblical notion of history. 9 However recent research by Egyptologist, John Anthony West, (and geologist Dr. Robert M. Schoch) strongly suggests that Manetho was correct and Eusebius wrong. West's many investigations point to an Egyptian civilization very much older than anyone previously thought possible. He along with Dr Schoch have redated the Sphinx to 10,000-5000 BC. Their work was presented in an award winning documentary.10

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Berossus suffered a similar fate:
"This synchronism, however, was purely the product of Panodoros’ creative calculations. In order to bring the Babylonian and Egyptian antediluvian chronologies within the bounds of Biblical time, he adopted the principle that units of time had once been confused. In those primordial days before the flood, a year could mean a day, or a month, or a season. … In the case of Berossos, this was fairly straightforward. The massive Babylonian time period of the sar was, according to Panodoros, not 3,600 years but only 3,600 days, so the 120 sars of the 10 antediluvian kings in Berossos equaled 432,000 days not years. In other words (dividing those days into ‘real’ years): 1,183 years and 6 5/ 6 months. The Babylonian record of history, therefore, began in Anno Mundi 1059, a date that fits nicely within the antediluvian chronology of the Bible - and, moreover, allows Babylonian chronology to be subordinated to Biblical."11
Thus, the ancient history of several world civilizations have been put on the Christian chopping block and made to fit their procrustean bed. None have suffered worse than the Vedic culture. It is not that we automatically believe everything that an ancient culture may say about itself but we don’t disbelieve it either. The whole endeavor of modern secular historians, in continuation of their Christian inheritance, has been to cast out, as mythology and wild imagination, anything that doesn’t fit within their worldview of linear history.
We have hardly done justice to the subject but have at least adumbrated the types of arguments than can be made. The evidence strongly suggests that the British conquerors of India, all avowed Christians, starting with Sir William Jones et al., have totally distorted Indian history so that it practically has no resemblance with reality. Yet it is still taught in all schools in India and abroad.
Regarding the following quote by Srila Prabhupada:
"That is a fact-the brahmanas were accepted. They formed the advisory committee of the king. For example, Candragupta, the Hindu king, was in the age of Alexander the Great. Just before Candragupta, Alexander the Great went from Greece into India and conquered a portion. When Candragupta became emperor, he had Canakya as his prime minister. Perhaps you have heard this name Canakya?" Science of Self Realization
Srila Prabhupada was just repeating what is found in every textbook on ancient Indian history in the world, texts that were authored by the British and other Europeans or Indian collaborators.
I asked Hari Sauri Prabhu a similar question regarding a discussion about Ceylon versus Sri Lanka here was the critical part:
"So on some mundane topics, geography, historical claims, Srila Prabhupada was not necessarily fixed. I think the key thing though is that in the SB 4.22.36 purport mentioned above, he says " from historical references in the Puranas". Whenever there was some controversy or question of authenticity, Srila Prabhupada would always refer to sastra. He would often ask, "Is it in sastra. What do the Purana's say?""
So I have shown what the puranas say on the topic.
dasa dasa anu dasa
Shyamasundara Dasa
krsne matirastu
www.ShyamasundaraDasa.com
1 "Ripuñjaya" named in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.22.49 is the "Purañjaya" in Srimad Bhagavatam 12.1.1-2, the first two syllables in the names have been transposed.
2 Berossus, pp. 7, 13–24.
3 Cramer, p. 18.
4 Ibid.
5 Manetho, pp. 3–7.
6 Cramer, p. 10.
7 The World of Berossus, pp. 259, 267
8 AHD, p. 189.
9 Manetho, pp. 3–7. Footnotes in the book deserve special attention.
10 Mystery of the Sphinx and Magical Egypt
11 The World of Berossus, p. 220
AHD - American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language, The, 1969, New York: American Heritage Publishing House.
Berossus, 1980, translated from the Greek by Stanley Mayer Burstein with introduction,The Babyloniaca of Berossus, Malibu, CA: Undena Publications.
Cramer, Frederick, 1954, Astrology in Roman Law and Politics, Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society Volume 37, Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society.
Manetho, 1964, translated from the Greek, Latin and Armenian, by W.G. Waddell,Manetho, History of Egypt and Other Works, The Loeb Classical Library Series, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
World of Berossos,The; Proceedings of the 4th International Colloquium on --The Ancient Near East between Classical and Ancient Oriental Traditions--, Hatfield College, Durham 7th-9th July 2010, 2013, edited by Haubold, Lanfanchi, Rollinger and Steele; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag
Did William Jones have ulterior political motivations?
Organized efforts of the British to destroy Indian culture
First effort of Jones (1784) and the secret planning
Two more attempts of Jones to mutilate Indian history
Double voice amplification kirtans and the missing silence
By Chandrashekhara acharya dasa (Cyril Wohrer)

This paper is about what I call “double voice amplification kirtans.” These are
kirtans in which the lead-singer sings into the microphone, after which, on the
response, another devotee also sings into a microphone. The result is an
uninterrupted amplification of two lead-voices throughout the entire kirtan. I think
this type of kirtan is problematic for several reasons, which I explain as follows.
No evidence of such kirtans in Srila Prabhupada’s own teachings nor in his
personal example:
All evidence seems to show that Srila Prabhupada did not approve of double voice
amplification kirtans, and that he himself never performed them. The
Bhaktivedanta Archives reveal only audio recordings of Srila Prabhupada leading
kirtans in which he is singing exclusively alone into the microphone, with no one
singing after him into any microphone on the response. To my knowledge, there is
not a single audio recording (nor video footage) of Srila Prabhupada leading a
kirtan followed by someone else responding in the microphone on the response.
This is significant because the (Founder) acharya teaches by example.
We also have the incident described in Hari Sauri prabhu’s Transcendental Diary.
According to Hari Sauri prabhu, one day in Iskcon Vrindavan during the noon
aroti, there was nobody in the temple except one devotee. This devotee sang into
the microphone on the lead, and then he - again - sang into the microphone on the
response. He was in effect doing a double voice amplification kirtan, by himself.
According to the account, when Srila Prabhupada - who was staying nearby in his
house - heard this devotee singing like this, he told Hari Sauri prabhu to go to the
temple and tell him to stop singing into the microphone during the response. We
thus have evidence that not only did Srila Prabhupada never perform double voice
amplification kirtans, but he did not approve of such kirtans. They never happened
during his time. And when they did - as the example above shows - Srila
Prabhupada disapproved of them.
Double voice amplification kirtans destroy the delicate harmony of proper
śravanam kirtanam.
My understanding of the proper dynamic of kirtan is this: it is responsive kirtan.
When the lead-singer sings during the lead, everyone else present in the kirtan is
supposed to listen carefully to his (or her) voice. At that point in time, the leadsinger is performing attentive kirtanam, and everyone else is performing attentive śravanam. Then, after the lead-singer finishes singing the mantra, there is supposed to be a respite in which everyone is supposed, in turn, to carefully chant and listen to their own voice (as well as to the combined voices of all the other devotees present - I’ll speak about this later). At that point in time, the lead-singer is performing attentive śravanam (by listening to the combined voices of all the
devotees) and everyone else is performing attentive kirtanam by listening to their
own voices and the combined voices of everyone. However, in order for this to
happen - in order for everyone to listen to their own voices and the voices of others
during the response, there cannot be a second amplified voice overpowering their
voices. Indeed, it is very difficult (read impossible) to do attentive kirtanam if
someone else is singing into the microphone at the same time. We end up being
forced to listen to that amplified voice instead of ours. We are thus forced to hear
the lead-singer on the call (that is okay), and then forced, again, to listen to
someone else on the response (that is not okay). What ends up happening, in such
cases, is that instead of performing śravanam/kirtanam, we end up performing
śravanam/śravanam. Two devotees sing alternatively into the microphone, and
everyone else passively hears both of them only, as a concert audience passively
listens to a duo concert of two professional singers doing a performance. There is
no respite, no non-amplified “silence” which enables us to hear our own voices and
the collective voice of the entire group.
Hearing our own voice attentively on the response solidifies the mahamantra which
we just heard from the voice of the lead-singer. Aside from this act of hearing our
own individual voice, there is also something very powerful about hearing the
collective voices of many devotees together. This makes for a very moving,
transcendental experience. In a kirtan where there are several hundreds or
thousands of devotees present, one feels spiritual peace, confidence and enthusiasm when hearing all their voices harmoniously responding to the lead-singer.
However, such an experience is impossible when there is one amplified voice
prevailing over our own voice and the voices of everyone else. In such a situation,
one cannot help but listen to that one amplified voice that is imposing itself on
everyone. In short: śravanam/śravanam is simply not the proper way to perform
kirtan.
As I mentioned in a similar article several years ago, these double voice
amplification kirtans have spread throughout the world of ISKCON. One may add
that this is especially the trend in India (this tendency may have been imported
from various Gaudiya Vaishnava mathas and from the general practice of public
amplified performance of religious functions in that country). However, it has now
spread globally. Very often, at different 6, 12, or 24-hour kirtan festivals around the world, I witness two or more microphones as part of the set-up, amplifying the
lead-singer and - to a lesser or most often equal degree - one or more responders,
in effect creating a non-stop amplification of at least two voices that constantly
drown out all other voices on the response, without respite. Nobody in the kirtan is
able to attentively listen to their own voice on the response. The simple point is
that should be zero amplification on the response. Two devotees can take turns on
the lead. Two or more devotees can even sing together simultaneously in harmony
on the lead. In all cases, however, the lead singer/singers must be fully aware to
always leave room - un-amplified, silent room - for the rest of the devotees to
clearly hear themselves singing on the response, without any amplification over
their head and ears.
In many ISKCON temples in India and in some temples in the West, during the
various arotis of the day, it has become a custom to have two separate microphones
stands, next to each other. Two devotees, standing side by side, take turns singing
into their own microphone. We cannot even ascertain who is leading the kirtan. In
ISKCON Mayapur, devotees have begun performing double voice amplification
kirtans as early as the end-part of the morning Tulasi aroti, not to speak of all
throughout the day, including the evening Gaura aroti. I wonder if they will start
performing double voice amplification kirtans during mangala aroti. At this rate, it
is probable. Indeed, if it is okay to perform such kirtans during the evening aroti,
why, theoretically, is it be wrong to perform them during mangala aroti? Why not
set up two microphone stands, with two microphones, in every ISKCON temple, as
early as 4:30am, and perform only double-voice amplification kirtans throughout
the day, every day? At least we would be consistent.
For as long as I can remember (at least a decade or a decade and a half), during
what one could say is the most important kirtan of the year in ISKCON Mayapur
namely the kirtan during the Abhisekha at sunset on the lawn of the lotus building
on Gaura Purnima day, there are always two devotees singing, one after another,
non-stop, into two (blaring) microphones, throughout the entire kirtan.
Incidentally, these two kirtaniyas alternate every year. Yet they invariably are
always Bengalis. This racial favoritism, however, is another issue for perhaps
another article. Thus, the most significant kirtan of the year literally becomes a
concert of two amplified voices, while all the thousands of devotees present are
forced to submit to a constant amplification of two voices, leaving them incapable
to hear their own voices - nor the collective voices of everyone - on the response.
Again: there should be zero amplification on the response.
One may argue that Lord Chaitanya said that there are “no hard and fast rules.”
Granted. However, we cannot ignore the over-arching theological framework of
kirtan. Proper śravanam/kirtanam is a foundational, sacred, and non-negotiable
principle of kirtan. Moreover, we are duty-bound to abide by Srila Prabhupada’s
specific directives on kirtan. For example, Srila Prabhupada placed maximum
emphasis on the mahamantra over all other names of Krishna. He also stressed the
chanting of sixteen rounds per day for initiated devotees. We cannot ignore his
example nor his commands.
Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami, one of my favorite kirtan leaders in ISKCON,
rightly says that when he is leading a kirtan, he puts all efforts into carefully
hearing the mahamantra coming from his own voice. He adds that when the other
devotees are singing on the response, he puts all efforts into carefully hearing the
mahamantra coming out of their mouths. This, I think, is the ideal meditation that
illustrates the proper mood of proper śravanam/kirtanam. All devotees have the
right to hear the lead singer with attention and devotion. Of equal importance, all
devotees also have the right to hear their own voice on the response, free from the
competition of one devotee’s overbearing amplified voice over theirs.
I humbly appeal to devotees world-wide to make sure that kirtans in their areas do
not become double voice amplification kirtans but, rather, that they continue to be
the responsive, graceful, balanced conduits of proper śravanam/kirtanam, so that
everyone in the kirtan - not only the “fortunate” devotees behind the microphones can dive deep into the nectar of the Holy Name.

By Devaki Devi Dasi
On Sunday, 22 February 2015 the Institute for Spiritual Culture in Mayapur conducted a unique symposium entitled ‘Celebrating the Glories of Our Mothers’.
For the event we had arranged a large pandal in the open area of the Mayapur Goshala. The warmth of the pandal colours and the beautiful flower decorations created a welcoming and festive atmosphere. Guests were received with flower garlands while devotees were chanting in kirtana.
HH Candramauli Swami had introduced the theme already with his Srimad Bhagavatam class that morning, connecting it to the importance of giving the highest respect to our mothers. Several times in the class he referred to the afternoon symposium to be held at the Goshala, which encouraged many in the audience to attend.
Although it was the first day of the Navadvip Mandala Parikrama, nevertheless around 300 devotees eagerly participated. HH Candramauli Maharaja, HH Bhakti Purusottama Maharaja, HH Smita Krsna Maharaja, and HH Sivarama Maharaja were enlightening us by giving deep insights into the important role mothers are playing.
We were focusing on the five human mothers, leaving mother earth and mother cow aside for the time being. This was because unless we learn to cultivate respect towards our human mothers, it will remain difficult for us to more deeply respect mother cow and mother earth.
In material life and its culture, where sense gratification is the goal of life, mothers don’t have a very respected and valued position at all. Indeed, it is a down-trodden and pitiful one – the mother is the slave at home! She can’t go out and enjoy life by having a career, developing her talents, and earning money. To be ‘just a mother and housewife’ is not given any importance and value as a rule.
However, in spiritual life and its culture where self-realization is the goal of life, it is understood that mothers are the most important, most valued and honored members of human society. In fact, Krsna even gives us five human mothers – one is not enough! These are:
– The physical mother, who is the very first guru for the living entity
– The wife of a brahmana
– The wife of the guru, which also includes our siksa gurus
– The wife of a king, and we could broaden this to managerial leaders
– The nurse, meaning a physical care giver
All these five mothers play a critical role – they are the balancing force within human society, and the selfless care givers on all levels. Unfortunately, in modernity this knowledge of their important role is almost lost and forgotten.
HH Candramauli Maharaja reminded us of Prabhupada’s instruction, that our children are not ordinary children, but ‘Vaikuntha children’. And in a letter to Arundhati Mataji, Prabhupada clarified the priorities of service: “For you child worship is more important than Deity worship.” Mothers are serving as the backbone to society, giving emotional and spiritual strength, nourishment and care to everyone.
HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami highlighted the special and unique position of mothers, who serve in such selfless mood and thus control all family members with their affection. The young daughter is considered the jewel of the family, and once she grows up and is married she becomes the Laxmidevi of the house. The mood and flavor of father’s love and mother’s love a very different: the father represents the aspect of awe and reverence, but the mother’s energy is surcharged with care, warmth, emotional security and intimacy. Obviously both moods have to be there, but according to Manu Samhita mothers do occupy a superior position, being a thousand times more important than fathers.
HH Smita Krsna Maharaja gave insights into the interdependence of father and mother, and HH Sivarama Maharaja gave the final words of wisdom, elaborating on Krsna’s perfect social structure: the varnashrama system, which gives certain obligations and rights to all sections of society, including our mothers.
We also invited three senior ladies from the Mayapur Community to share personal realizations on the merits of being a (physical) mother and serving in the mood of a mother: Karuna Mataji, Rasesvari Mataji, and Krsnalaulyam Mataji.
We heard a heart-moving story which took place in Prabhupada’s days: One young boy one day exclaimed: “I hate Krsna!” When questioned about the reason, he gave a striking answer: “Because Krsna is taking my mother away from me!” When Prabhupada heard about this incident he was very upset, and for several mornings he spoke on the important role of mothers, and on raising children within Krsna consciousness.
Finally several ladies who had taken the January course ‘Exploring the Roots of Spiritual Culture’ performed a little skit illustrating in a humorous way the different world views and attitudes of two young mothers influenced by the two opposing cultures.
A group of male students who had taken the course ‘Men in Spiritual Culture’ had also prepared a role play, showing the importance of the spiritual mother in devotees’ lives. It ended on a powerful note: “Mother means ‘the harmonizing and balancing force’! Mother means ‘the selfless care giver’! Mother means ‘no showing off, no sexual vibes’! Mother means ‘I am last – everybody else comes first!’ When, oh when will the day come, when ISKCON will have thousands of caring mothers?”
Krsnarupa Mataji (ACBSP) from Australia shared with me how she had never heard any sannyasis in all her 43 years of devotional life speak so respectfully and appreciatively about the role of women and mothers. She said this day was truly “revolutionary” for her. She humbly requested that wherever the Maharajas would travel to, to please give such classes! Then there could be some chance for ISKCON to gradually transform – until we will have thousands of caring mothers and their place in the society universally understood. The successful event concluded with kirtana and prasadam.
To view the entire program and announcements on upcoming courses, please visit: www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
Lecture on Don't just see the Provision see the Provider by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu
(HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu is a celibate spiritual teacher (brahmachari) at ISKCON, Pune. He has done his Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering from the Govt College of Engg, Pune. He is a member of ISKCON's topmost intellectual body)
To Listen and Download - click here
Lecture on Spiritual Perfection in Household Life Session by Sankarsana Das Adhikari Prabhu on 20 Dec 2014 at Australia
(Since that time he has been regularly traveling and lecturing extensively all over the world for reviving the dormant Krishna consciousness in the hearts of all living beings.)
To Listen and Download - click here
Love and Lust by HH Lokanath Swami on 09 Aug 2014 at ISKCON Noida
(Lokanath Swami born in Aravade, a small village Maharashtra, Indian, he went to Mumbai for studying. In the year 1971, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was touring India with his foreign disciples and had organized a pandal program in Mumbai.Intrigued, maharaj attended the whole Hare Krsna Festival and heard from Srila Prabhupada.)
To Listen and Download - click here
Lecture on Why Men and Women should sit separately by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami on 16 Jan 2015 at Salem, Tamil Nadu
(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.)
To Listen and Download - click here
On Monday April 13th, Mayapur author Braja Sorensen’s Lost & Found in India will be released internationally in e-book form on Amazon. And for the first three days, it’s free...
Since Prabhupada set foot on New York soil, “Hare Krishna” has become a household word. What many don’t know, however, is that he wanted, too, that “Mayapur” become similarly known to the world. “I want that the whole world be attracted to Mayapur,” he told Ambarisa Das, the man responsible for the majestic temple now rising from the soil of that sacred land.
When Ambarisa repeated those words to Braja Sevaki in London in the ‘90s, the seed of Lost & Found in India was planted. Soon after, Braja and her husband, Jahnu, moved to Mayapur, and her writing began. “I knew that writing of the beauty of Mayapur was a way to ‘attract the whole world.’ Prabhupada didn’t say he wanted the whole world to visit, but to be attracted. The written word is a powerful thing, and Mayapur is the most powerful vehicle of that written word.”
The beauty, peacefulness, and mantra soundtrack of Mayapur decorate the pages of Lost & Found in India, weaving their way through what is otherwise one person’s story of why they live in India. Each chapter ends with words from the Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam. It’s a one-way ticket to Mayapur, minus the expense and austerity, and on Monday morning, free flights are available, when Lost & Found in India will be released internationally in e-book form on Amazon—free for the first three days as part of Amazon’s promotions.

The book's title page
On top of that, by downloading a copy and posting a review, readers enter the draw to win a free Kindle.
“Amazon has changed the world of publishing, and I love it,” Braja says. “US author John Locke was the first to hit the million mark with his e-books that were free for a few days and then sold at 99c, $1.99, and similarly low prices. He has been a driving force in the changing face of publishing, and there are thousands of authors worldwide who benefit from his experience.”
Braja has already published India & Beyond: Plane Reading for Part-time Babajis on Amazon, and it’s sequel, Mad & Divine: Collected Writings will be published this summer.
But for Lost & Found in India’s e-debut on Amazon on Monday April 13th.
Check the link below to secure a free copy, and just maybe a free Kindle…
The Sadhu Sanga Retreat, to be held from May 22nd to 25th, has been completely booked up since last weekend, although offsite accommodation spots are still available.
The retreat will be held at the Art of Living Foundation’s International Meditation Center in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone, North Carolina, where there are motel-size rooms with private bathrooms.
Fifteen minutes’ drive away, rooms are still available at three offsite hotels specially booked for the event, although they are also expected to sell out soon.
Launched as recently as 2011 as a small gathering for a few ISKCON gurus and their disciples, the Sadhu Sanga Retreat has quickly become the biggest kirtan festival in ISKCON North America.

The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the venue's balcony is breathtaking
From just 250 attendees in its first year, 1,600 to 1,700 are expected this May from 41 U.S. states and several countries around the world, including not only ISKCON devotees but also members of the public interested in Bhakti yoga.
The Sadhu Sanga Retreat is designed as a completely immersive kirtan experience, with attendees chanting from morning till night in the company of senior Vaishnavas who have a deep taste for the Holy Name.
Kirtans from 7 to 10:30pm on Friday and 9am to 1pm on Monday will sandwich the main weekend event. The days will begin early with the traditional ISKCON temple morning program including mangala-arati, tulasi puja, and japa meditation.
Attendees will gather for this in the huge main kirtan hall, which Australian artist Krishna Murari Das will transform with cloth hangings and stencils of trees, flowers, cows and Radha and Krishna to create a meditative, spiritual atmosphere. And amidst these, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada will look out from the stage.

A devotee chants japa on the lawn outside the venue
Meanwhile the line-up of inspirational senior Vaishnavas who will be helping attendees immerse themselves in Krishna’s names is frankly jaw-dropping, and likely hard to find anywhere else.
The Bhagavatam class after japa will be given by Jayadvaita Swami on Saturday, Radhanath Swami on Sunday, and Giriraj Swami on Monday.
After breakfast, consecutive one-hour kirtans will run from 9am to 10:30pm with breaks for lunch and dinner. They will be led by return guests Sacinandana Swami, Indradyumna Swami, Radhanath Swami, Badahari Das, Madhava Das, Prabhupada disciple Mukunda Datta Das, and second generation kirtaniyas Gaura Vani, Ananta Govinda, and Acyuta Gopi.
As if that wasn’t quite enough, they will be joined by retreat first-timers Niranjana Swami, Vaisesika Das, and Sri Prahlad Das, who toured for many years with Indradyumna Swami.

(From left to right) Indradyumna Swami, Radhanath Swami and Sacinandana Swami dance with the devotees.
Other senior devotees not leading the chanting but participating as attendees will include Trivikrama Swami and Kavichandra Swami. Meanwhile Temple of the Vedic Planetarium director Ambarisa Das and priest Jananivasa Das – leaving India for the first time in over thirty years – will stop by on their fundraising tour for the Mayapur temple with Lord Nrsimhadeva’s helmet and Nityananda Prabhu’s shoes.
There’s no doubt that the Sadhu Sanga – or “devotee association” Retreat is truly living up to its name. But of course, the main focus is the kirtan, and as usual it’s expected to deliver there, too.
Every style of kirtan is present at Sadhu Sanga. Each chanter brings their own flavor. The early part of the day often brings melodious, meditative kirtans with seas of devotees closing their eyes and swaying to the Holy Name.
Then there’s the rocking, stomping evening sessions that see devotees jumping, spinning in circles and even crowdsurfing as they roar out to the Lord; and everything in between.

The Sadhu Sanga stage at the 2014 retreat, beautifully decorated by Krishna Murari Das
It’s a rejuvenative experience where anything can happen.
“I remember seeing senior Vaishnavas like Indradyumna Swami, Radhanath Swami, Giriraj Swami, and Sacinandana Swami dancing in circles with all the devotees for the first time in a long while,” says Rama Vijaya Das, who co-organizes the event with Rasika Siromani Dasi, her husband Govinda Charan Das, and other devotees from around the U.S. “And our ecstasy was doubled and tripled just by seeing them dance the way they did.”
In between kirtans, attendees spend quality time with each other against the peaceful backdrop of vivid blue skies and rolling green mountains. And they’re served delicious prasadam meals cooked in the Meditation Center’s 100% pure vegetarian kitchen facility.
This year, due to popular demand, organizers will provide more healthy options, such as granola from devotee company Pure Bliss Organics, Ahimsa dairy products from Pennsylvania’s Gita Nagari farm, chapattis, fruit and at least one vegan option in every meal.

Attendees tuck into delicious and healthy prasadam meals in the sunny dining hall
“One of the reasons why the festival is successful is because we try to improve the quality of experience for the attendees every year,” says Rama Vijaya.
As well as healthy prasadam, this year for the first time the retreat will have special activities for children of three different age groups so that their parents can attend kirtans and Bhagavatam classes. And fees continue to be reduced, with three nights of accommodation, nine prasadam meals, and access to all kirtans and classes offered for a subsidized price of $150 per person onsite, and $175 offsite.
“We also do our best to get sponsorships for devotees who can’t afford the event, to make sure that not a single devotee who wants to attend is left behind,” Rama Vijaya says. “We are very grateful to all the devotees who come, and we encourage them to keep coming in more and more numbers.”
And they do. Most attendees return the following year, and many bring at least one newcomer with them.

Giriraj Swami chants
The reason for this is evident in feedback sent to organizers, with comments like “I never had such a blissful experience,” “My faith increased so much,” and “this was a perfect getaway from the material world of stress and daily grind of problems” flooding in every year.
“The overall experience is that devotees feel very rejuvenated in their spiritual life,” says Rama Vijaya. “Because it’s all about how we can get closer to Krishna’s Holy Names – that’s the spirit of this retreat.”
* * *
Registration for the Sadhu Sanga Retreat with offsite accommodation is still open athttp://www.sadhusangaretreat.com/
The Sadhu Sanga Retreat, to be held from May 22nd to 25th, has been completely booked up since last weekend, although offsite accommodation spots are still available.
The retreat will be held at the Art of Living Foundation’s International Meditation Center in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone, North Carolina, where there are motel-size rooms with private bathrooms.
Fifteen minutes’ drive away, rooms are still available at three offsite hotels specially booked for the event, although they are also expected to sell out soon.
Launched as recently as 2011 as a small gathering for a few ISKCON gurus and their disciples, the Sadhu Sanga Retreat has quickly become the biggest kirtan festival in ISKCON North America.

The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the venue's balcony is breathtaking
From just 250 attendees in its first year, 1,600 to 1,700 are expected this May from 41 U.S. states and several countries around the world, including not only ISKCON devotees but also members of the public interested in Bhakti yoga.
The Sadhu Sanga Retreat is designed as a completely immersive kirtan experience, with attendees chanting from morning till night in the company of senior Vaishnavas who have a deep taste for the Holy Name.
Kirtans from 7 to 10:30pm on Friday and 9am to 1pm on Monday will sandwich the main weekend event. The days will begin early with the traditional ISKCON temple morning program including mangala-arati, tulasi puja, and japa meditation.
Attendees will gather for this in the huge main kirtan hall, which Australian artist Krishna Murari Das will transform with cloth hangings and stencils of trees, flowers, cows and Radha and Krishna to create a meditative, spiritual atmosphere. And amidst these, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada will look out from the stage.

A devotee chants japa on the lawn outside the venue
Meanwhile the line-up of inspirational senior Vaishnavas who will be helping attendees immerse themselves in Krishna’s names is frankly jaw-dropping, and likely hard to find anywhere else.
The Bhagavatam class after japa will be given by Jayadvaita Swami on Saturday, Radhanath Swami on Sunday, and Giriraj Swami on Monday.
After breakfast, consecutive one-hour kirtans will run from 9am to 10:30pm with breaks for lunch and dinner. They will be led by return guests Sacinandana Swami, Indradyumna Swami, Radhanath Swami, Badahari Das, Madhava Das, Prabhupada disciple Mukunda Datta Das, and second generation kirtaniyas Gaura Vani, Ananta Govinda, and Acyuta Gopi.
As if that wasn’t quite enough, they will be joined by retreat first-timers Niranjana Swami, Vaisesika Das, and Sri Prahlad Das, who toured for many years with Indradyumna Swami.

(From left to right) Indradyumna Swami, Radhanath Swami and Sacinandana Swami dance with the devotees.
Other senior devotees not leading the chanting but participating as attendees will include Trivikrama Swami and Kavichandra Swami. Meanwhile Temple of the Vedic Planetarium director Ambarisa Das and priest Jananivasa Das – leaving India for the first time in over thirty years – will stop by on their fundraising tour for the Mayapur temple with Lord Nrsimhadeva’s helmet and Nityananda Prabhu’s shoes.
There’s no doubt that the Sadhu Sanga – or “devotee association” Retreat is truly living up to its name. But of course, the main focus is the kirtan, and as usual it’s expected to deliver there, too.
Every style of kirtan is present at Sadhu Sanga. Each chanter brings their own flavor. The early part of the day often brings melodious, meditative kirtans with seas of devotees closing their eyes and swaying to the Holy Name.
Then there’s the rocking, stomping evening sessions that see devotees jumping, spinning in circles and even crowdsurfing as they roar out to the Lord; and everything in between.

The Sadhu Sanga stage at the 2014 retreat, beautifully decorated by Krishna Murari Das
It’s a rejuvenative experience where anything can happen.
“I remember seeing senior Vaishnavas like Indradyumna Swami, Radhanath Swami, Giriraj Swami, and Sacinandana Swami dancing in circles with all the devotees for the first time in a long while,” says Rama Vijaya Das, who co-organizes the event with Rasika Siromani Dasi, her husband Govinda Charan Das, and other devotees from around the U.S. “And our ecstasy was doubled and tripled just by seeing them dance the way they did.”
In between kirtans, attendees spend quality time with each other against the peaceful backdrop of vivid blue skies and rolling green mountains. And they’re served delicious prasadam meals cooked in the Meditation Center’s 100% pure vegetarian kitchen facility.
This year, due to popular demand, organizers will provide more healthy options, such as granola from devotee company Pure Bliss Organics, Ahimsa dairy products from Pennsylvania’s Gita Nagari farm, chapattis, fruit and at least one vegan option in every meal.

Attendees tuck into delicious and healthy prasadam meals in the sunny dining hall
“One of the reasons why the festival is successful is because we try to improve the quality of experience for the attendees every year,” says Rama Vijaya.
As well as healthy prasadam, this year for the first time the retreat will have special activities for children of three different age groups so that their parents can attend kirtans and Bhagavatam classes. And fees continue to be reduced, with three nights of accommodation, nine prasadam meals, and access to all kirtans and classes offered for a subsidized price of $150 per person onsite, and $175 offsite.
“We also do our best to get sponsorships for devotees who can’t afford the event, to make sure that not a single devotee who wants to attend is left behind,” Rama Vijaya says. “We are very grateful to all the devotees who come, and we encourage them to keep coming in more and more numbers.”
And they do. Most attendees return the following year, and many bring at least one newcomer with them.

Giriraj Swami chants
The reason for this is evident in feedback sent to organizers, with comments like “I never had such a blissful experience,” “My faith increased so much,” and “this was a perfect getaway from the material world of stress and daily grind of problems” flooding in every year.
“The overall experience is that devotees feel very rejuvenated in their spiritual life,” says Rama Vijaya. “Because it’s all about how we can get closer to Krishna’s Holy Names – that’s the spirit of this retreat.”
* * *
Registration for the Sadhu Sanga Retreat with offsite accommodation is still open athttp://www.sadhusangaretreat.com/
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