A video tutorial about use of Pinterest for devotees

- By Shruti mataji

or watch it here

Please give us your feedback

In Mangere Bridge, Auckland, after talking to a lady parked in her car, I jumped onto the footpath and saw  two nicely dressed young men, one Indian and one Maori, walking away from me. I yelled to them, saying something ridiculous, as usual, and walked quickly and confidently toward them, extending a Bhagavad Gita. I tried to make the impression that I had something important to tell them.

The Maori was somewhat familiar with devotees, having met one or two on the street before, maybe even seeing a harinam. He was quite favorable. We were joking a bit whilst he looked at the Gita. The Indian, though laughing and somewhat friendly, was a bit disturbing and a bit cheeky. I asked what he did for a living, and he said that he did sex changes (maybe joking). We parted on friendly terms, the Maori giving a small donation and taking a magazine (http://www.enoughmagazine.org/).

Fifteen minutes later, the same Indian young man approached me, this time alone, and passed me a $20 note. His mood had changed. He was showing much appreciation for book distribution and the Bhagavad Gita. Rahul even apologized several times for his previous behavior. Obviously, he had a certain image he wanted to conform to in the presence of his friend. I offered him a Gita, but he refused, because he has one and had been struggling to read it. Often Indian people I meet do not want to have anything to do with devotees on the street, or they are all talk, no walk.

Shortly after this exchange I went to grab another book out of my box, when I saw a Krishna book. I immediately realized that Rahul, struggling with the detailed philosophy in the Gita would be able to relish the Krishna book, full of transcendental romance, violence and comedy.

Only a few minutes had passed since I talked to Rahul, so I quickly started looking around whilst praying that Krishna would let me find him. There he was, very close to where I had originally met him. By the time I had caught up to him he was sitting in his car. I opened the passenger-seat door, lent across and put the Krishna book in his hand. As I explained what the book was and why he would like it, his face lit up. He asked how much it was, and I answered that it was his; he had already paid. He asked again, this time assertively. I explained that we try to get $10 for it. He grabbed his wallet and gave another $20. Rahul apologized again, explaining that he believed in God. He tried to show his sincerity by exclaiming Hare Krishna as I closed the car door.

Your aspiring servant,
Amani Gaurahari Dasa (Nick)

Lecture on Appreciating Different Definitions of Success in Devotional Service by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu on Oct 2014

( 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, the Shastric Advisory Council, which offers scriptural advise to the GBC (Governing Body Commissioner). He is the associate-editor of ISKCON's global magazine, Back to Godhead.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Sunday Feast Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 02 Text 46 by HG Tamohara Prabhu on 28 Sep 2014 at ISKCON Alachua

(Tamohara Dasa will take up the role of the new executive director after the GBC annual general meetings in Mayapur February 2012. With his appointment the GBC will have made a significant step forward in completing its executive strategies for strengthening ISKCON’s leadership.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto-04 Chapter-22 Text-20 Cleansing the Soul through the Association of Pure Devotees by HH Romapada Swami on 26 March 2014 at St Louis

(HH Romapada Swami Maharaja is a disciple of ISKCON Founder Acarya His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was first introduced to this movement of Krsna consciousness when he was a college student more than 37 years ago.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Discipline is the Dividing Line by HG Charu Prabhu

(His Grace Charucandra Prabhu is a disciple of H.H Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj. He is a Biomedical Scientist by profession and is based out of Washington, DC, USA. By the order of his Guru Maharaja, he has been conducting such courses (both online and in class) based on Srila Prabhupada's books on Vedic scriptures for more than 12 years now.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Shocking Experience’ – How I was electrocuted right in front of Srila Prabhupada

(Vrindavan India June 1977)

I got electrocuted right in front of Srila Prabhupada. I had been gathering his recording paraphernalia to take it downstairs and I noticed an extension cord that was rolled up and hanging on a hook on the wall. Some of the
visiting devotees wanted to help so they rolled it up and hung it there still plugged in. Thinking it must be unplugged snd ready to go, I grabbed it as I walked by. There was a bare spot on the cord which shocked me with 220 volts. I remember taking three steps and melting like a candle in front of Srila Prabhupada who was sitting in his chair waiting to be carried downstairs. Everything went black as I melted to the ground and I thought I died. At that time Srila Prabhupada couldn’t walk any more, so we carried him around in his rocking chair and paliquin. So even though he was just a few feet away from me, he couldn’t pull the plug that was shocking me as I rolled around on the roof. The roof has and inside room and bathroom and a couple outside areas some covered and some open. Srila Prabhupada went to the rooftop around sunset every evening during the hot season.

Upendra Prabhu was in the bathroom gathering a few things when he heard Srila Prabhupada shout, “Save him!” He was pointing at me rolling around in the wires. Upendra ran out and pulled the plug; probably saving my life. They said my heart had even stopped. Premana Swami pounded on my chest and massaged my heart. After about two hours I started to see the devotees faces above me. I didn’t recognize anyone or myself for about twenty minutes. After I had finally got my memory back I was told that Srila Prabhupada wanted to see me in his Prasadam room downstairs. I entered the room and offered my obeisance’s; still feeling embarrassed for making such a scene. Srila Prabhupada looked at me very compassionately and asked, “So, you are alright?” I replied, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada, I am alright.” Then he said, “So you should take this as a good lesson that death can come at any moment; and you should always be ready.” I Thanked Srila Prabhupada and offered my obeisance’s grateful to have such a loving, caring and compassionate well wishing Spiritual Master.

Actually it wasn’t so bad ‘leaving my body’ as I thought I had. Being in the service of the guru in Sri Vrindavan Dham would be the best way to go. The best part about staying is that I can serve and share my spiritual master
with others. This is the perfection of our lives. Afterall, death can come and any moment and we should always be ready.

When Srila Prabhupada arrived in Sri Vrindavan Dham on May 17, 1977 specifically, to leave his body, he said in his arrival talk that the body is meant for passing. But all souls are eternal, what to speak of a soul that has done great service. He said that he would still be present in his books and if we read his books and cooperate everything would go on nicely. Lets show our love for him and earn our return ticket back to Godhead where we will celebrate where the party never ends. Hoping this meets you well in Krsna Consciousness \o/

Your servant,
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa

Thirty-eight years ago, on 30 August 1976, for the first time  I met Shrila Prabhupada in a personal darshanai it was a turning point of my life, a wonderful inner journey! I was in an ashram in Rishikesh, at the foot of the Himalayas, studying the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In Italy I had been a successful designer, the manager of six companies. Upon returning from the trip I was supposed to get married, but at the time, in that place, I was seriously thinking of leaving everything and settle in India. That pseudo worldly success made me feel like prison, as not only it was no longer a source of satisfaction, but it became clear to me that it was the biggest obstacle to achieving happiness that I have been aspiring.

The recurring thought was to start a new life dedicating myself to the search of God and my spiritual essence. When I became aware of the voice of my soul I felt a strong appeal – it was an urgent need to revise my life, to
think over my motivations and purposes. I understood that it was a turning point.

On that trip I was with a friend who has been always sick. Feverish, he remained for most of the time in our ashrama right on the banks of the Ganges. There was no furniture in the room, only two mats on the floor, his huge suitcase, my smaller one, a small window with a grate and a door with a latch. Each time we left the room, through the grates of the window the monkeys came in; they were having a lot of fun, especially with the bottles of medicines that the doctor had given to my friend.

It was in that ashrama that I met a sadhu, the person who has changed my life. Instead of attending the lectures on Patanjali, we walked together on the banks of Mother Ganga.

One day he said: “If you do not discover Bhakti, nothing will satisfy you.” Bhakti, Bhakti i I asked to explain the meaning of this word. “If I explain its meaning to you, you won’t understand me.”

This sadhu spoke English with difficulty, but there was no need in too much words, it was a kind of telepathic communication.

“Bhakti is difficult to explain, only your heart can define it.” And he began to chant this mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

We would spend hours chanting along with this mantra, then we would immerse in the waters of Mother Ganga: a rushing stream that takes away everything. “You have to meet Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: he will make you know Krishna. Go to Vrindavan to meet him.”

Hearing that voice deep inside me, without pondering too much, I left for Delhi along with my sick friend. From Delhi we took a train to Mathura and then in Mathura we took a cart for Vrindavan. Having arrived to Vrindavan in
two days, I began to look for Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

MATSYA AVATAR DAS ADHIKARI

Lecture on Kartik Mahatmya 2013by Vishwarup Prabhu

(Introduced to the movement of ISKCON in 1983 during medical college days. Started chanting 16 rounds in 1984. Acquired MBBS degree in 1985. Received first initiation in 1986 and Brahmin initiation in 1987.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 03 Text 01 Sunday Feast - Lust to Love God by HG Dravida Prabhu on 14 Sep 2014 at ISKCON Alachua

(HG Dravid prabhu is a vaishnava scholar, musician and poet. He has edited Back to Godhead magazine and other books published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust for over 25 years. From 1983 to 1989 he was part of the team that produced the last six 1,000-page volumes of the magnum opus of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: a commentated English translation of India's jewel of Vedic wisdom, the 18,000-verse Shrimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). He also helped produce the revised version of Srila Prabhupada’s nine-volume Chaitanya-charitamrita during 1995-96 and his Krishna book from 1994-95)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 01 Text 06 Their Great Warriors counter balance our greater strength 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.)

To Listen and Download - click here

By Basu Ghosh Das

On the auspicious day of Sri Rama Vijaya Dashami, aka "Dassera", October 3, 2104, ISKCON inaugurated a grand new temple for Sri Sri Radha Madhava, on the outskirts of Kanpur city, the largest city in India's largest and most populous state, Uttar Pradesh.

Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Sri Ram Naik, and the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Sri Padmanabh Acharya, presided over the inaugural ceremony.

A number of ISKCON leaders of ISKCON, including ISKCON Global Governing Body Chairman Anuttama Das, ISKCON India sannyasis Gopal Krishna Goswami, Bhakti Charu Swami, Radhanath Swami, Bhanu Swami, Navayogendra Swami, Lokanath Swami, Bhakti Vinoda Swami, Radha Raman Swami, Bhakti Rasamrita Swami, Atmanivedana Swami, Vedavyaspriya Swami, Bhakti Ashray Vaishnav Swami, Prabodhananda Saraswati Swami, and Murali Krishna Swami attended.

Senior ISKCON devotees such as Bhurijan Das, Deena Bandhu Das, Pancharatna Das, Bhaktarupa Das, Mahaman Das, and Basu Ghosh Das participated.  ISKCON London, UK leaders, Shrutidharma Das, Prana Bandhu Das, and Gauri Das were present at the function.

ISKCON India leaders Braja Hari Das, Pancharatna Das (Jaipur), Dayaram Das, Sri Jeeva Das (Gauhati), Bhaktivinode Das (Chandigarh), Pancharatna Das (Brahmapur, Odisha), Surdas, Radheshyam Das, Sanat Kumar Das, Sumitra Krishna Das, Vanamali Das, Krishna Kripa Das, Adhokshaja Das, Advaitacharya Das, Surapati Das, Vrajendranandan Das, Sanak Sanatan Das, Murli Mohan Das, Shrestha Das, Nityananda Ram Das, Paramatma Das, Ekalavya Das, and Vishnunam Das were present.

Sunil Madhava Das and Shyam Krishna Das from the USA, and Krishnapriya Das from London were amongst the NRI devotees who attended the opening ceremonies.

Srinathji Das, along with his wife, from Bombay, and Vedavyas Das, from New Delhi, both major supportors of ISKCON India projects, also attended the function.

Devakinandan Das, Zonal Secretary for ISKCON in Uttar Pradesh, and ISKCON Global Minister for Fund Raising, who is the driving force behind the project, presided over all aspects of the temple construction and inauguration.  Due to his efforts, the project at Kanpur, located on 17 acres of land on the Betur Road, has come up in almost record time!

He was assisted by a team of devotees, several of the University grads, as well as Lila Purushottam Das of IIT Kanpur, who is also principle of the ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Swami school at Vrindavan.

The day before the pran prathishta and maha-abhishek (bathing the Deities) ceremony, the netra unmilanam of the Deities was performed.

The installation rituals were conducted by Shitalanga Gauranga Das, Sevatulya Das and their assistants. Elaborate rituals following Gopal Bhatta Goswami's satkriya saar dipika, and other agama shastras, accompanied by the chanting of vedic and upanishadic mantras were ably performed by these devotees.

Devotees in large numbers from ISKCON Bombay Juhu and Chowpatty (Bombay) temples, as well as ISKCON New Delhi assisted the devotees of ISKCON Kanpur in serving the visiting devotees and visiting members of the general public.

ISKCON Chowpatty devotees took charge of cooking during the festival.

There were a number of devotees from all over India who joined the festival who's names are too numerous to mention.

There were lectures and kirtans by the senior leaders, and there were a number of cultural programs performed on the stage in the evening for the benefit of the visiting public, including an elaborate Krishna lila and Meerabai dance program by Smt. Hema Malini and her troupe.

Prem Kirtan Das from Bombay coordinated the sound systems, and Shyam Pandey from Baltimore, USA, coordinated the videography, and live streaming video of the function on ISKCON TV on the internet.

A number of prominent businessmen of Kanpur, who generously supported the project attended the opening ceremonies with their family members.

Besides the temple program, there was a "Natkat mela" area for children, mass prasad distribution to the visitors, prasad sales booth, kirtan and bhajan programs by outside artists, and kirtans and lectures in the temple by various devotees.

Thousands of members of the public at Kanpur attended the opening ceremonies on all three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

 To View Photo Gallery : Click on  

http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/photo/albums/iskcon-kanpur-temple-inauguration-i
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/photo/albums/iskcon-kanpur-temple-inauguration-ii
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/photo/albums/iskcon-kanpur-temple-inauguration-iii

Lecture on Lord Balarama Appearance Day at Russian Festivals by HH Nitai Chaitanya Goswami on 10 Aug 2014 at Kursk

(His Holiness Nitai Chaitanya Goswami Maharaj, is one of the first sannyasis of Russia and one of senior most devotees from the times of USSR. He served as ISKCON temple president in Ukraine and later and to this day as a Regional Secretary of Central Russia region. Dedicated to preaching in the Central Russia that he supervises, he opened first purpose-build temple of the area in 2012.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 51 Text 01 We See Yet We don't by HG Kaunteya Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty on 14 Nov 2013

(H.G. Kaunteya Prabhu a disciple of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami has been serving as Co-Minister of the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry (www.namahatta.org), as a member of the GBC Strategic Planning Team and as Co-Chair of the GBC Organizational Development Committee.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 01 Text 03 The Politician seeks martial dedication by Emotional Manipulation 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.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Lecture on Stress Management by HH Romapada Swami on 16 Sept 2014 at Brandeis University

(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.)

To Listen and Download - click here

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krsna!

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

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 (Rs 1500 doesn't actually cover the cost but with the help of some generous devotees we are able to do this service, so any donations in this regard are more than welcome).

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 and booking  you can call on this no +918697806727 or you can write to us Via e-mail: Mayapur.chandras@pamho, or visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Mayapur.Chandras

for russan devotees you can call Akarshani Matajee phone number: 8944001377

Thank you

Your servants
Mayapur Chandra's team

Lecture by Amal Bhakta Prabhu on 21 Sep 2014 at Los Angeles

(Amal Bhakta was born in New York City and attended New York University. He moved to Santa Monica, California in 1954 and worked in motion pictures for three years.)

To Listen and Download - click here