Lecture on Courage of a Devotee Pleases Krishna by Vishwarup Prabhu on 28 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Chowpatty
(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.)
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Lecture on We Need Strong Mayavadis by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 03 Mar 2014 at secunderabad
(His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami appeared in this world in 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON's founder-acarya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.)
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Lecture on The Illusion of Material Happiness by HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami on 12 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Mayapur
(Originally from New Zealand, Bhakti Caitanya Swami joined the Hare Krishna movement in London, early in 1973. Almost a year before, as a philosophy student at Auckland University, he had first seen his future spiritual master walking across the campus with his followers. Srila Prabhupada initiated Bhakti Caitanya Swami later in 1973, giving him the name Raghubir Dasa. )
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Lecture on Chaitanya Charitamrita (Adi Lila 08.17) by HH Guru Prasad Swami on 22 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Bhaktivedant Manor
(Guru Prasad Swami’s early contribution in ISKCON Costa Rica centered on administrative services and distributing BBT publications beginning in 1975 in the USA and from 1976-1978 in Central America. )
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Lecture on If You Dont Believe In Karma You Are An Atheist by Bir Krishna Goswami on 13 Mar 2014 at New Goloka
(Bir Krishna Goswami became a member of the Krishna conscious community in Gainesville, Florida in 1971. Shortly thereafter, he was initiated as Srila Prabhupada’s disciple.)
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Lecture on The Illusion of Material Happiness by HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami on 12 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Mayapur
(Originally from New Zealand, Bhakti Caitanya Swami joined the Hare Krishna movement in London, early in 1973. Almost a year before, as a philosophy student at Auckland University, he had first seen his future spiritual master walking across the campus with his followers. Srila Prabhupada initiated Bhakti Caitanya Swami later in 1973, giving him the name Raghubir Dasa. )
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Lecture on The Infallible Supreme Lord by Romapada Swami on 01 Jan 2014 at St.Louis
(The following year, Romapada Swami joined the movement in Boston and was initiated in 1971. Despite being admitted as a pre-med student, he decided to follow his spiritual path 100% and never looked back. He took sannyasa in 1983 and became an initiating spiritual master in 1985.
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Lecture on The Meaning of Spiritual by HH Niranjana Swami on 29 Mar 2014 at Istanbul
(The management and spiritual leadership experience Niranjana Swami gained during his tenure as president of ISKCON Boston from 1979 to 1983, and his service as regional secretary of New England in 1984, readied him for his GBC appointment in 1987.)
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Srimad Bhagavatam Class ( 1.8.20) by Hanumat Presaka Swami on 06 Sep 2013 at ISKCON Hawaii
(Hanumat Presaka Swami grew up in California and graduated in psychology from the University of California in 1970, with a minor in biology and electrical engineering.)
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H.H Radha Govind Maharaj mentions this incident on his flight from kenya to India...his flight had a transit via kuwait. due to some delay he had to wait for 4-5 hrs at Kuwait.
While chanting Hare Krishna in the airport lounge, 1 airport official watching the indian swami became intrigued and called him over to speak.
At first Maharaj was feeling somewhat reluctant to go ...as he was in a country which may not appreciate his path.
Gathering courage with faith in his Lord, Maharaj went to meet the man.
The official quickly opened the discussion with his introduction and then asked Maharaj if he was a Hindu swami.
Getting his answer yes, He asked " i heard hindus worship stone as God"
Maharaj immediately answered him in a way that he may understand.. "Oh, No , we don't worship stone as God but we worship God in stone"
This answer surprised the gentleman and intrigued him. Now he wanted to know how?
Maharaj then said "Actually as per your scriptures, Allah has a bluish face, he is playing flute and that he has many followers devotees staying with him."
Is it ? - asked the official...
Maharaj contd " Ofcourse not all have seen him, only those who are pure have seen him. So now if you love someone , many times people to remember the beloved and to cherish their memories , they make a beautiful painting or sculptor of the person. Similarly , in our tradition those who have seen god have beautifully painted them and carved his form for them to remember him and also help see those who have never seen them"
"Oh thats unique" replied the kuwaiti man.
Wanting to ask more , know more - the man was ready with his queries.
Just then some alarm rang announcing time for Namaz prayers.
Politely excusing himself, the man there and then opened up his mat put it on ground and began offering prayers.
He was not alone, literally the whole airport joined him .
Meanwhile Maharaj contd chanting the holy names on japa beads in his style.
Minutes later, the man was done with his prayers and so he joined back.
This time Maharaj opened the discussion with the question ....
" Are you sure that your prayers are being heard by Allah"...
YES came the stern and serious reply.
Maharaj, "So you mean your prayers,Allah can hear !"
Man quite annoyed remarked, " Just like you can hear me, Allah can hear all of us"
Maharaj, " That means Allah has ears to hear. Since i hear thru ears as per your logic"
( Maharaj mentions to the bhagavat saptah audience that at this time i didnt inform him that god need not have ears to hear......he can also hear from legs, mouth "angani yasya sakalendriya..." . He was not ready for this advanced version)
Maharaj contd " If he can hear you, can he also speak to you"
yes came the reply.
Maharaj "Then can he not see you when you are in trouble".
Sure came the reply.
Maharaj," It means Allah has ears, eyes, mouth- implies Allah has a form"
The gentleman couldnt believe how simple it could be...
Just then Maharaj heard the announcement for boarding of his flight to India.
Confirming from him the time, Maharaj asked for his leave....
Impressed by the swami, the officer asked " you do not have a watch !".
"No" said maharaj... The officer immediately went to a shop, bought one nice watch for maharaj and gave him as a gift saying " You may require to check timings for your prayers".
The officer was happy to meet Maharaj and they both parted.
Radha govind Maharaj was initially skeptic about the watch...should he take it or not.....anyways he carried it as it was bought in the airport,,,however he did not wear it....he reached India , showed the watch to his disciple and after full safety confirmation he wore it.
Hare krishna.
- Taken from a bhagavat saptah of H.H Radha Govind Maharaj at potomac.
Sri Sri Radha Giridhari, ISKCON San Diego
In the San Diego ISKCON temple in USA, there was a gentleman called *Mr. Prakash*. He was a reserved type of person who would come regularly to the temple feasts but never really showed a lot of enthusiasm.
One day he had a severe heart attack and was rushed to hospital. During the surgery he almost passed away on four occasions. It was touch and go and he slipped into a coma. He remained that way for several weeks after.
Badrinaraya Prabhu is a senior ISKCON devotee and was hence requested by Mr Prakash's wife to please visit her husband even though he was in a coma and pray for him.
Badrinarayana prabhu dutifully obliged and several times went to his bedside and read from shastra and chanted to the unconscious Mr. Prakash.
One day Badrinarayana got a call from Mrs. Prakash saying “Please come quickly to the hospital. My husband has come out of the coma but he only wants to speak to you.”
Badrinarayana went there to find some relatives and hospital staff gathered around his bedside. When he saw Badrinarayana he began to speak. “Badrinarayana, four times they came, four times they came!”
The relatives present thought he was talking about them. “Yes, we came several times but you were in a coma!”
Mr. Prakash shook his head to indicate that was not what he was talking about. “No. Badrinarayana, four times they came!”
So then the hospital staff said, “Yes, we almost lost you four times! You were in a coma but somehow we saved you.”
Again he shook his head. “No. Badrinarayana, four times they came!”
Badrinarayana started to realize what he was referring to. “Who came prabhu? *The Visnudutas?*“
“No, it was the bad people *[Yamadutas]*! They came the first time to take me away. But I told them ‘I am simply dependent on Lord Krsna.’ So they went away.”
“Then they came a second time. Again I told them, ‘Do whatever you must, but I am simply depending on Lord Krsna.’ Again they went away.”
“Then they came the third time, and told me they would take me away. I told them again, ‘You do whatever you must do, but I am dependent on Lord Krsna.’ Again they left.”
“Then they came a fourth time. But this time some of the good people came (Visnudutas). When the bad people saw them they said ‘OK, we have no jurisdiction here’ and they left. Then I came out of my coma.”
He called Badrinarayana close and told him, *“Badrinarayana, before I was not serious. But now, 100%!”*
Mr. Prakash recovered and became one of the most enthusiastic and humble servants at the temple.
From this you can understand that what is happening during coma is completely different for a devotee than a *karmi*. Mr. Prakash was not initiated but he had some sense of dependence on Lord Krsna, so Krsna gave him the chance to increase his attachment.
For some this true incident may enhance their love of God - for the skeptics maybe not...
But either way - I hope you find true happiness.
Your servant,
Rajesh Sharma
ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE AMAZING. HUGE! INCREDIBLE!
1. Between 1968. and 1977. He dictated total of 22,000 pages of text
2. He translated and wrote purports to 18,000 verses of only Srimad Bhagavatam.
3. Reading one verse with purport daily would take the reader 49.31 years to complete
4. He translated and wrote the purports to the 700 verses of Bhagavad Gita
5. Reading one verse with purport daily would take two years to complete
6. He translated and wrote the purports to the 17 volumes of Caitanya Caritamrita - in total 2,170 pages or 11,555 verses!!
7. Reading one verse with purport daily would take the reader 31.6 years to complete. Reading one page daily would take 5.9 years to complete
8. He also wrote Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Kapiladeva, Sri Isopanishad...
9. He created Back to Godhead magazine of which 1 million copies were being distributed
10.He wrote 7000 letters to His disciples, which were published in 5 volumes of books
11.Just the Srimad Bhagavatam lectures which he gave, are compiled in 11 volumes of books
12.Bhagavad Gita lectures are compiled in 7 volumes of books
13.His conversations have been compiled in 42 volumes of books
14.He produced inumerable recordings
15.He established 108 temples
16.He published 147 books. Reading one book monthly would take 13 years
17.If one started to read one book monthly now, in 2014, he would not finish till 2031
18.He traveled around the world 14 times
15.Beside this, he changed the lives of at least 5000 people who become his initiated disciples
16. And all of this Srila Prabhupada did in ONLY 9 years!! in the age between 70-80!!!
Srila Prabhupada: The Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, authored by Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, is officially endorsed by ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (GBC).
Jananivas Prabhu’s service was to bring frankincense to Srila Prabhupada’s room in the evening. He mentioned that usually after you fill a room with frankincense, you open the doors and windows so that the mosquitos go out with the smoke. Srila Prabhupada however liked to keep the smoke within the room and stopped Jananivas Prabhu from opening the doors and windows. Since it was Srila Prabhupada’s darshan time, there would usually be many western devotees in the room and these western devotees would begin to cough and their eyes would water since they were not used to the smoke.
On a different occasion Srila Prabhupada with great appreciation said that the frankincense produced such a nice transcendental spiritual atmosphere.Jananivas Prabhu had until then thought that the frankincense was simply meant to drive away the mosquitoes. It was only after Srila Prabhupada said this that he understood that Srila Prabhupada had a deep spiritual appreciation for the frankincense smoke.
Once 4 Rigveda priests from Nepal came to visit Srila Prabhupada in Sri Mayapur. Srila Prabhupada liked them and one of them got initiated by Srila Prabhupada as Gangaram dasa. These priests asked Srila Prabhupada if they could teach devotees some prayers that conform to our vaisnava tradition. Srila Prabhupada agreed and that is how they introduced the Purusa-sukta prayers. One of the priests also taught Jananivas Prabhu different recipes for the frankincense. One recipe involved using a bay leaf and so on. In the evening they would recite the Purusa-sukta prayers as Jananivas Prabhu would bring the frankincense from the temple to Srila Prabhupada’s room. One of the priests knew how to blow a conshell without stopping and he would blow not one but two conchshells simultaneously and non-stop. He would first blow his cheeks and then inhale in such a manner that the conchshells would sound continously. It was quite a ceremony beacuse they would walk up all the way from the temple with prayers, conchshells and frankincense. Devotees would call it Bhooth puja, puja to drive away ghosts. Srila Prabhupada would be talking to his devotees and guests while the frankincense team would arrive on the corridor with all the loud sounds and then enter Srila Prabhupada’s room. Srila Prabhupada would stop and look up. The first time it happened, Srila Prabhupada was patiently looking up at the priest who blew the conchshells. After a while, he realised that the priest was expert at blowing nonstop and would not stop. He was amused and began to laugh.
One day Srila Prabhupada saw Pankajanghri Prabhu mopping the corridor on either side of Srila Prabhupada’s room. He came out and asked “Do you have to do this? Is there nobody else who can do this?” Pankhajanghri Prabhu replied “Srila Prabhupada, I am not Jananivas Prabhu. I am his younger brother, Pankhajanghri das” Srila Prabhupada said “Then it is all right”
One day Pankajanghri Prabhu was posted outside Srila Prabhupada’s room to guard the door. Pankhajanghri Prabhu had a cast on one of his legs. So when he folded his legs, the sole of one his feet was exposed. When Srila Prabhupada noticed this, he said “Don’t you know that it is disrespectful to expose the sole of your foot to the spiritual master?” Pakhajanghri Prabhu apologised and immediately began to re-position his leg when Srila Prabhupada noticed the cast on his leg and asked “Have you injured your leg?” Pankhajanghri Prabhu replied “Yes” and then Srila Prabhupada said “No, no then it is alright, keep your legs as they are”
Once Jananivas Prabhu had a desire to hear from Srila Prabhupada’s lotus lips about what he had written in the Krishna book specifically how everybody in Vrndavan loves Krishna, the birds, the creepers, the residents, the cows and all other inhabitants of Vrndavan. The next day when he entered Srila Prabhupada’s room he was speaking one to one with his different leaders about the preaching activities in their temples and zones. After a while Srila Prabhupada changed topic and instead of addressing anybody one to one, he began to address everybody and narrated how all the inhabitants of Vrindavan love Krishna, the cows, the birds, the creepers, the gopis and all the fortunate residents of Vrndavan. Jananivas Prabhu said that the whole room became illuminated as Srila Prabhupada narrated about the love of the residents of Vrndavan for Krishna. Not only him but some others in the room also told him that they too had the same experience that the whole room became illuminated when Srila Prabhupada began to speak about Vrindavan. Srila Prabhupada’s eyes were sparkling as he narrated those pastimes.
There was a devotee who would bring fresh dab every day in the evening at 4.00 pm for Srila Prabhupada. In 1977 Srila Prabhupada was in Sri Mayapur during Gaura Purnima. He began to thank this devotee who would bring him dab. Then he began to thank Jananivas Prabhu. Like this Srila Prabhupada individually thanked all devotees for the various services that they rendered to him. Jananivas Prabhu thinks that Srila Prabhupada knew that he was leaving the planet that year and wanted to express his appreciation individually to all the devotees who served him in Sri Mayapur.
Once Jananivas Prabhu was in Srila Prabhupada’s room along with Satsvarupa Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada was chanting on his beads softly and gravely while walking back and forth between his darshan room and resting room. At one point, Srila Prabhupada stopped, looked at Jananivas Prabhu and Satsvarupa Maharaja and said in a very deep, serious voice “This chanting of Hare Krishna is transcendental, spiritual sound vibration”. Then he continued chanting while walking.
I asked Jananivas Prabhu about the history of the beautiful Pancha Tattva Deities on the top of the shelf behind Srila Prabhupada. Jananivas Prabhu replied that those Deities were made by Srimati Mataji and gifted personally to Srila Prabhupada. They were never worshiped. He mentioned that these Deities however have a special significance and They are above Srila Prabhupada’s lotus head by transcendental arrangement.He explained how in Deity worship one is first supposed to meditate on the spiritual master sitting at the lotus feet of Pancha-tattva. So Srila Prabhupada is sitting right at the lotus feet of Pancha-tattva in his room. As far as second generation and future generations are concerned, he explained that they can meditate on their spiritual master sitting near Srila Prabhupada who is sitting at the lotus feet of Pancha-tattva in his room.
He went on to mention how Srila Prabhupada had brought different devotees from the west headed by Baradwaj Prabhu and Rukmini mataji so that these devotees could learn how to make diaromas, dolls and learn various other similar skills. They went back and established the FATE museum in Detroit. However they could not put the skills that they learned in India to much use in the west as the conditions there were very different. In the west only sophiticated kilns were available unlike the simple equipments in India. Some people in India criticised Srila Prabhupada that he was making devotees in the west and bringing them to India to teach sudra jobs. As usual Srila Prabhupada was unaffected by it.
Jananaivas Prabhu mentioned that most of the time Srila Prabhupada would be grave while in his room in Sri Mayapur but sometimes he would be in a light hearted mood. Once, pointing to the beautiful picture of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur in his room which was done by Pushkar Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada teased Bharadwaj Prabhu who was considered the leading artist in ISKCON at that time “Pushkar has done better than you” and then smiled mischieveously.
Once Jananivas Prabhu entered Srila Prabhupada’s room as usual in the evening with frankincense. There was noboby in the room. Srila Prabhupada was intensely absorbed in some writing work. Jananivas Prabhu offered his obeisances and as he began to fan the frankinsense, he noticed that the sole of one of Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet was uncovered. Jananivas Prabhu’s eyes began to drink the beauty of Srila Prabhupada’s pink lotus feet. He began to pray that may he be able to firmly fix his mind on this fortunate sight of Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet at the time of his death,. Just as he was praying like this, Srila Prabhupada abruptly paused his work, lifted his head and looked up straight into Jananivas Prabhu’s eyes. It was as if the suddenness of that gesture clearly indicated that he had heard Jananivas Prabhu’s prayer. Jananivas Prabhu began to feel shy, looked down immediately and moved on with his frankincense fanning duty.
Lecture on Being Loyal to the Parampara by HH Niranjana Swami on 25 Mar 2014 at ISKCON Chowpatty
(The management and spiritual leadership experience Niranjana Swami gained during his tenure as president of ISKCON Boston from 1979 to 1983, and his service as regional secretary of New England in 1984, readied him for his GBC appointment in 1987.)
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Lecture on Seven Benefits By Chanting by His Grace Nirantara Prabhu on 20 Mar 2014 at Santiago
(His Grace Nirantara Prabhu got his 2nd birth. From 1973 until 1980 he served the mission as a brahmacari in the capacity of book distribution, either directly or as a back-up helper. From 1980 until the present, he has tried to serve the will of Srila Prabhupada by preaching through lectures and music concerts. )
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Lecture on Becoming meek and humble is outcome of advancement in Krishna Consciousness by 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.)
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Lecture on Appearance Day of Srivas Thakur and Disappearance Day of Sridhar Swami by Giriraj Swami on 24 Mar 2014 at Los Angeles
(Giriraj Swami has also taught at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education and continues to lecture and to give presentations at japa retreats and workshops around the world.)
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Lecture on Radha Krishna's Boating Pastimes by Sivarama Swami on 21 Mar 2014
(Sivarama Swami was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1949. In 1956, during the failed Hungarian revolution, he emigrated with his family to Canada.)
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Lecture on Janmastami with Srila Prabhupada by HG Narayani Mataji
(Her Grace Narayani Devi Dasi joined ISKCON in Boston in 1970. She has done many services for Srila Prabhupada including Deity worship in Calcutta temple, traveling book distribution in Western India for the Bombay temple, and teaching Bhakti Sastri, Bhakti Vaibhava and Bhaktivedanta courses in the VIHE in Vrndavana. )
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