Lecture on Radhastami by HH Radhanath Swami on 13 Sept 2013 at Bhaktivedanta Manor
(In 1979, he left his pujari service and caring for cows at the farming community to pioneer educational programs in colleges and universities in the United States.Radhanath Swami took the vows of sannyasa in 1986 and returned to India.)
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Lecture on Qualifications of Parikshit Maharaj by Romapada Swami on 18 Aug 2013 at Detroit
(His devotional career began with management, first as president of the Manhattan temple (1977-78), then as regional secretary for New England (1979-82), and then again as president of the Brooklyn temple (1982-83). From 1996 up to 2008, he served continuously as a member of the North American Executive Committee (NA EC), and he was the chairman of the GBC EC in 2009-2010.)
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Sunday Feast Lecture by HG Sesa Prabhu at ISKCON Alachua on 29 Sept 2013
(Sesa Dasa was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1974 while he was traveling as a member of the initial Bhaktivedanta Book Trust library party. Sesa Dasa has a portfolio of two ministries: Minister of Educational Development and Minister of Justice, under which ISKCON Resolve works.)
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Class by Radha Govinda Swami at ISKCON Juhu on 27 Sept 2013
(Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 06, Chapter 01, Text 15)
(H.H. Radha Govinda Swami, a direct disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), lives in Vrindavan, India.)
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Lecture on Bhagvan Avashya Raksha Karte Hai by Bhakti Rasamrita Swami at ISKCON Mira Road on 01 Oct 2013
(He served as temple president in Mumbai, Belgaum and Vrindavan- which is the spiritual hub of world wide ISKCON temples. He has been preaching in many prestigious educational institutions all over India.)
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Lecture on Hearing is most Important by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami at ISKOCN Melbourne on 29 Sept 2013
(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami coordinated the construction of Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi in Mayapur. He took sannyasa in 1997 and is now an initiating guru.)
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Lecture on The Importance of Devotees by HH Giriraj Swami at ISKOCN Houston on 22 Sept 2013
(Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 10 Chapter 36 Text 16)
(In 1972 Giriraj Swami was appointed by Prabhupada to be president of ISKCON Bombay and trustee of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.)
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It was an amazing Rath Yatra festival at London. My perspective was limited, since I stayed by Srila Prabhupada's side, but it was filled with adventure. Srila Prabhupada was very enthusiastic. His Vyasasana was available on the Ratha cart, but he decided to walk with the devotees. Srila Prabhupada walked in front of the cart clapping his hands to the beat of the kirtan. He raised his hands in the air encouraging everyone to dance. He looked like the supreme puppeteer.
As he raised his hands, everyone leaped into the air in ecstasy. It didn't require any purification. If you were near him, you were in bliss. Except for the bobbies (policemen). They were looking for someone in charge. They wanted to calm everyone down. They were keen enough to realize that if they could control Srila Prabhupada, they could control the "unruly" crowd.
Somehow, they thought that I was an "associate" of His Divine Grace.
"You'll have to tell your leader to sit down," one bobbie said. "He's causing too much of a disturbance. Everyone is becoming wild and we can't control the crowd."
"All right," I told him, and then did nothing.
It was apparent that Srila Prabhupada was in charge of the festival. He wasvisibly ecstatic. The bobbies again approached me.
"You must tell him. He'll have to sit down," they firmly said.
Again I agreed. With fear of reprisal I tapped Srila Prabhupada on his shoulder and said, "Prabhupada, the policemen, they want you to sit down. They say you are creating havoc here in the parade."
Srila Prabhupada looked through me for a brief moment. He quickly turned away with his arms still raised in the air. Majestically, hecontinued walking with a bounce in his step. He allowed everyone present to enter into his world of bliss. He never stopped. He walked the length of the parade. The bobbies gave up their attack. They wereno match for the pure devotee and the Lord of the Universe.
Srila Prabhupada, like an ocean of mercy you distributed your waves of kindness to all who attended. Please forgive me for tapping you on your shoulder that day. Due to my dullness I attempted to distract you fromyour mission. Thank you for ignoring my countless shortcomings.
[Ref. Book: Srila Prabhupada Uvaca' by SP's Personal servant- H.G. Srutakirti Das, Chapter 59: London Rath Yatra]
[July, 1973, ISKCON London, UK]
Lecture on Lalita and Visakha Devi Installation Ceremony by Bhanu Swami on 11 Sept 2013 at ISKCON Nashik
(Bhanu Swami has been a GBC member since 2003. His zonal assignments cover South India, and he is co-GBC for Japan. His history in management is as a regional secretary for South India since 1986.)
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Lecture on Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava by Kesava Bharati Das Goswami on 19 Sept 2013 at Houston
(Kesava Bharati Das Goswami is an English editor and presently edits the books of the senior Sanskritist of ISKCON, Gopiparanadhana Dasa, and the books of one of the leading authors of the movement, His Holiness Sivarama Swami.)
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Lecture on Not Just Sentimentalists by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 03 August 2013
(From 1977 to 1979 His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami was based in India, mostly traveling in West Bengal preaching Krishna consciousness and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books.)
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Lecture on Lalita Sasti - Appearance Day of Lalita Sakhi by Kadamba Kanana Swami on 11 Sept 2013 at Durban, South Africa
(Kadamba Kanana Swami joined ISKCON in 1978 in Amsterdam. Until 1984 he managed projects in Vrindavana. From 1985 through 1990 he coordinated the construction of Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi in Mayapur.)
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Radhastami Lecture by Dina Bandhu Prabhu
(Dina Bandhu Prabhu is settled in braja. Although from a foreign country, he looks exaclty like one of the local brijawasis. He speaks the local braja language & nicely interacts with the locals.)
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Hare Krishna
Please come and join us.....!
HOLY NAME RETREAT FOR VAISNAVIS
From the 27th to the 31st of December 2013
At Ekachakra Dham/India
We will return to Mayapur on the 31st by lunch time, so we can join the New Year's Kirtan in Mayapur.
THIS RETREAT WILL BE OPEN FOR LADIES ONLY!
* PRICE : The only price to pay for attending this wonderful event is an intense greed for deepening our relationship with the holy name. Donations are welcome and complete the loving exchange.
* QUALIFICATION : This seminar is for seriously practicing devotees who are chanting some rounds regularly for at least one year.
For more information and registration please see
www.theholynameretreat.net
Looking forward to serve you,
Devaki dd
From time to time, the Indian press exposes some respected godman or sadhu for serious misbehaviour, such as sexual impropriety. For a renunciant sadhu, any sexual activity is an impropriety. In some cases, there are accusations of murder and sometimes in-fighting within the organizations of such sadhus. The incident becomes a big issue, and several repercussions follow. People get angry with the so-calledsadhu, many of his followers leave him, followers also become targets of public abuse; sometimes the ashrams of such sadhus are attacked. Further, the so-called rationalists or atheists take the opportunity to inform everyone that actually all sadhus are bogus: they are all cheating and such exposures prove this. The insinuation is that some sadhus are found out but probably most, if not all sadhus are doing something that they should not be doing.
The root cause of the entire problem is the lack of sincerity in the people to seek genuine spiritual guidance. The people in general are not very thoughtful; otherwise they would have realized that these so-called sadhus were bogus, even before they were exposed as bogus. They are not bogus particularly because of their sexual misdemeanor or any other misdemeanor, but they are simply cheating the public by presenting themselves as spiritual leaders while they do not give the actual teachings of śastra, nor the spiritual knowledge of Bhagavad-gīta. Instead of promoting Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead which is the only and ultimate spiritual truth and the only knowledge that can help people, they talk nonsense and take the money of their followers. Even if they don’t indulge in impropriety or gross immoral acts, the very fact that they are posing as spiritual leaders when they have nothing of spiritual benefit to offer is the worst immorality. Yet this is going on because in truth most people want to have a nice feeling of being somewhat spiritual and religious, but in fact they are totally materialistic. Therefore, they like the cheating sadhus who give blessings to their followers but never tell them to alter their consciousness and come out from the materialistic way of thinking and understand that everything in this world is temporary.
When these cheaters are exposed, people end up categorizing ISKCON devotees as being in the same league as the bogus sadhus who are now exposed. To be a member of ISKCON, one has to follow the four basic tenets of not eating meat, fish or egg, not gambling, not taking intoxication and not indulging in illicit sexual connections. An ISKCON member has to follow a rigid sadhana of rising early and following many spiritual practices. So it is quite illogical for people to categorize ISKCON devotees with these charlatans.
Unfortunately, most people do not know what sadhus are actually meant to be. They manufacture a stereotype of what they expect from a sadhu—ḥe should be nice, smile, gives blessing, tells you to be good, and makes you feel good—and there are many cheatingsadhus who like to fit into this category. People think this is spiritual. But a real sadhu is one who tells you that material life is not good and simply being so-called good or even simply giving up tobacco and alcohol, is not in and of itself actual spiritual life. Spiritual life means to give up all material desires and completely surrender to Krsna.
These comments on bogus sadhus are not meant as a sectarian diatribe, but should be understood in light of the teachings of Bhagavad-gīta As It Is, which unfortunately for the people of the world, and particularly so for Hindus, who should know it, is very little studied and even less followed. The Krsna consciousness movement recognizes that there are many pious sadhus who are not grossly cheating others or making a personality cult around themselves. The derogatory comments in this article are not specifically directed against them.
Sometimes members of the Krsna consciousness movement, including some of its prominent leaders, are also exposed for acts unbecoming of sadhus. However, a devotee of Krsna, particularly one who is seriously striving to surrender fully to Krsna, is always in a better position than anyone else including those sadhus who are not exclusively focused on Krsna yet rigidly adhere to moral principles. This may seem like a hypocritical statement, but it is not, because it is the statement of Sri Krsna himself in Bhagavad-gīta:
“Even if engaged in most abominable activities, one who is desirous of fully surrendering to Me, who has no other object in life, is certainly to be considered a sadhu.”
How is it possible that one who is fully focused on Krsna as the goal of life could indulge in most abominable activities? It is possible because of previous bad habits, that a devotee, even a serious devotee, might circumstantially slip. But a sincere practitioner would regret the lapse and immediately attempt to rectify his situation by continuing to serve Krsna with determination and enthusiasm.
Of course this does not exonerate habitually bad activities in the name of bhakti nor give a license for using the banner of bhakti to cheat others, even within the realm of devotion to Krsna. Cheaters should be distinguished from genuine saints.
Who is a real sadhu? A real sadhu is one who follows Bhagavad-gīta as it is, who understands the difference between matter and spirit, who is not interested in material sense gratification, who lives in this world for the benefit of others without any personal desire, simply to serve Krsna, who he understands from all the scriptures to be the supreme Absolute Truth. No one else can properly be termed as a sadhu. Real sadhu means vaco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ ihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam: “A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.” (Nectar of Instruction, Sloka 1) People should study this verse and the purport given by Srila Prabhupada.
So our call to the people is tamasi ma jyotir gama: “Come out of the darkness and come in to the light.” Krsna—sūrya-sama; maya haya andhakara yahaṅ Krsna, tahaṅ nahi mayara adhikara:“Krsna is just like the sun, and maya is just like darkness. If the sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Similarly, wherever Krsna is present, there is no possibility of maya'sinfluence. (Caitanya-caritamṛta Madhya 22.31)Utthiṣṭhata jagrata prapta varan nibodhata: “Get up, wake up and attain the boon of human life.” (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14)) How many people are ready for that? Do you want the truth or do you want to be cheated? The choice is yours.
- HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami
Lecture on What is the Tattva of Holy Name by HG Revati Raman Prabhu on 22 Sept 2013 at ISKCON Tirupati
(His Grace Revathi Raman Prabhu born in the year 1956 on July 21 in a Sri Vaishnava family. From the childhood he is a dynamic, straight and enthusiastic person.)
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Lecture on Law of Karma by Bhanu Swami
(Bhanu Swami has been a GBC member since 2003. His zonal assignments cover South India, and he is co-GBC for Japan. His history in management is as a regional secretary for South India since 1986.)
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Lecture on Srila Prabhupada Arrival in America by HH Giriraj Swami at Dallas on 25 Sept 2013
(HH Giriraj Swami quickly became a leading member of the Boston center, and he was soon given the opportunity to go to India with Srila Prabhupada and helped establish Prabhupada’s mission there. )
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Lecture on Divine and Demoniac Austerity and Penance by HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami on 09 August 2013 at Lika
(From 1977 to 1979 His Holiness was based in India, mostly traveling in West Bengal preaching Krishna consciousness and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books.)
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