By Kevala Bhakti das

With recent news of the tragic passing of former Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, many devotees of Toronto’s Hare Krishna Community have been fondly recalling how the then-Mayor visited our annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) in 2014.

It was the second day of our grand two-day annual event on Centre Island and word quickly got around that the Mayor had arrived at the festival site. He first visited the Deity booth, diligently removed his shoes and then took darshan (audience) of Lord Jagannatha (Lord Krishna). He was then garlanded by one of our pujaris (priests).

Mayor Ford was then brought to the main stage where he shared a proclamation from the City of Toronto, honouring our annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra). The highlight was the Mayor enthusiastically yelling out to the crowd, “Hare Krishna!” and receiving a jubilant “Hare Krishna” back as seen at the end of the video below!

Mayor Ford then toured the rest of the festival site, indulged in some prasadam (sanctified vegetarian food) and shook hands with what seemed to be an endless throng of people!

Toronto’s Hare Krishna community extends our prayers and condolences to the members of the Ford family during this difficult time. We hope that those who are mourning the loss of Rob Ford can take solace in knowing that he most certainly received great spiritual benefit by chanting the words “Hare Krishna” with all of his heart.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20056

The so-called husbands, political leaders and guardians.
There are many people all over the world—indeed, throughout the universe—who claim for some time that they are husbands, political leaders or guardians, but in due course of time the Supreme Lord desires their removal from their posts, and their careers are immediately finished. Therefore those who are actually learned and advanced in spiritual life do not accept any leader, husband or maintainer other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 5.18.20, Translation and Purport:
He alone who is never afraid but who, on the contrary, gives complete shelter to all fearful persons can actually become a husband and protector. Therefore, my Lord, you are the only husband, and no one else can claim this position. If you were not the only husband, You would be afraid of others. Therefore persons learned in all Vedic literature accept only Your Lordship as everyone’s master, and they think no one else a better husband and protector than You.
Here the meaning of husband or guardian is clearly explained, people want to become a husband, a guardian, a governor or a political leader without knowing the actual meaning of such a superior position. There are many people all over the world—indeed, throughout the universe—who claim for some time that they are husbands, political leaders or guardians, but in due course of time the Supreme Lord desires their removal from their posts, and their careers are immediately finished. Therefore those who are actually learned and advanced in spiritual life do not accept any leader, husband or maintainer other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lord Krsna personally states in Bhagavad-gita (18.66), aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: “I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions.” Krsna is not afraid of anyone. On the contrary, everyone is afraid of Krsna. Therefore He can actually give protection to a subordinate living entity. Since so-called leaders or dictators are completely under the control of material nature, they can never give complete protection to others, although they claim this ability due to false prestige. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum: (SB 7.5.31) people do not know that real advancement in life consists of accepting the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one’s master. Instead of deceiving themselves and others by pretending to be all-powerful, all political leaders, husbands and guardians should spread the Krsna consciousness movement so that everyone can learn how to surrender to Krsna, the supreme husband.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20066

Vanifun Crossword Puzzles. 
We hope you enjoy solving these online interactive crossword puzzles which are made from phrases and words (English and Sanskrit) as used by Srila Prabhupada.
The goal of these puzzles is to expand your English and Sanskrit vocabulary and to come closer to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings by using the Vaniquotes website to find the answer to the clues.
This puzzle is made up of words and phrases (English and Sanskrit) used by Srila Prabhupada. (Some English words have American spelling.)
Click on the first clue to highlight where to type your answer in the crossword and start typing from the yellow square.
Solve it online here: http://goo.gl/ABu3W6

From Back to Godhead

By Caitanya Carana Dasa

I said to Sandip, “I read about a form of addiction that is increasingly being recognized by specialists as the world’s most widespread and least discussed form of addiction: sexual addiction.”

“Sexual addiction? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just as alcoholics don’t have control over their desire for alcohol, sex addicts don’t have control over their sex drive. Drug addicts, for instance, are not necessarily evil or criminal but are in the grip of a habit that makes them act irrationally and sometimes even illegally. So with sex addicts.”

“What’s the point of calling it an addiction? That they shouldn’t be held responsible because they are addicted?”

“No, being addicted doesn’t mean the addict can’t be held accountable for his or her actions. Alcoholics who assault someone in a drunken stupor are punished, but they are also helped to treat their addiction. Why can’t the same thing be done for those who are not bad people but who do something bad due to lust? Sexual addiction needs to be treated, not neglected by the simplistic division of people into heroes and villains. Sexual addiction can afflict even common people who otherwise lead normal, responsible lives. Sex addicts may be addicted to many distorted forms of sexual expression like stalking, voyeurism, or stripping, but they are most commonly addicted to pornography.

“Did you know that the porn industry is among the world’s biggest and fastest growing industries? In the United States alone, porn revenue is greater than the combined revenues of all professional football, baseball, and basketball franchises.”

Sandip’s eyebrows shot up. “That big?”

“Yes. And sexual addiction is often more entangling than all other forms of addiction.”

The Most Entangling Addiction

“Why more entangling?”
“Because, in today’s society addicts just can’t get away from it. Alcohol and drugs are available at specific places, but sexual provocations are present everywhere. Other addicts have to spend time, energy, and money to get to alcohol or drugs, but sex addicts often have to spend time, energy, and money to get away from sexual provocations.”

“What do you mean? How do they spend time, energy, and money to get away?” “Billboards can act as triggers for sexual addicts. To avoid those triggers, they often have to take another route, which obviously requires time and energy. And with internet access available almost everywhere and porn sites on the net running into the thousands, temptation is always just one click away. Addicts seeking recovery just can’t resist temptation when it is so easily available. Experts insist that a vital first step in curing porn addiction is restricting access to the internet. Installing filters on computers requires money, and now that people have multiple devices with net access, they need multiple filters, which means spending more money.”

“All this sounds reasonable, but I’m still not convinced we should be calling attraction to sex an addiction. After all, sex is not like alcohol, which is not a fundamental human need. The desire for sex is a natural biological drive that’s present in all species.”

“Yes, sex is natural, but very little is natural about the current culture’s commodification of sex?” “Commodification?”

The Commodification of Sex

“Yes, our culture makes sex into a cog in the economic wheel. And it does so at three levels: sex is used to sell commodities; sex is made into a commodity for sale; and people are made into saleable commodities as sex toys.”

“That went by too fast. Can you explain?

“Sure. The first level is the most obvious and widespread. Everything from cellphones to cars is promoted using sex as bait. Ad agencies know that nothing catches people’s attention as much as sex, so they use sexually alluring images to grab people’s attention and then direct that attention to the products they want to sell. The second level is when sex is itself made into a commodity. That happens in offices where people take and give sexual favors in return for jobs, increments, or promotions. And it happens in hotels where sex is made into one more thing customers can tick along with optional conveniences like food, air-conditioning, etc. The third level is the flesh trade, where people are seen as nothing more than sex toys. And of course, there’s pornography, where people are reduced to virtual sex toys.”

“For a monk, you sure know a lot about sex?”

“Not about sex. About lust.”
“What’s the difference?”

“The difference is huge. Knowing more about sex means knowing how to do it better, longer, in new ways, and to enjoy it more. Knowing about lust means knowing about the force that makes people obsess over sex, that makes them do terrible things for its sake. It means understanding ‘Mr. Lust’ to be Public Enemy Number One. Most people don’t recognize lust as an enemy, but monks do. That’s often one of the reasons they become monks. And it’s certainly one of the ways they continue as monks. We need to know our enemy well and know how he acts as an enemy. That’s why I read about sexual addiction it shows how lust binds people.

“Another way to understand the difference is to look at the purpose of knowing people read about sex because they want more of it, whereas monks study lust to get the impetus to avoid it completely. By understanding how lust deludes people and drives them to selfdestructive actions, we protect ourselves and others from being similarly deluded.”

Sandip nodded. “Ok, the difference makes sense. Where were we?”

“On the point that the current commodification of sex is not at all natural. No species in nature commodifies sex the way humans do. What to speak of no species, no other civilization in human history has made such an extensive business of exploiting the sexual vulnerability of other human beings. No wonder there is so much sexual violence in today’s society.”

Sandip objected, “Again this seems like shifting blame for sexual violence from the person to the environment.”

“We’re not shifting blame; we’re just looking at all the relevant factors. Suppose our city is ravaged by arson. To counter the menace, we would strongly punish the arsonists and improve the firefighting services. Additionally, we would investigate an underlying cause: are city buildings made of inflammable stuff? If so, then we would try to correct that, wouldn’t we?”
“Yes.”

“Similarly, to counter the fire of sexual violence, we absolutely must punish the criminals swiftly and severely, and at the same time provide better security to potential victims. Additionally, we need to look for an underlying cause. As all actions start with thoughts the stuff of the mind we need to check whether people’s thoughts are made of sexually inflammable stuff. And they certainly are.”

“You know, all this is interesting though some of it is debatable but can we get back to the topic of your monkhood?” “Actually, that’s exactly what we’re talking about the discussion about sexual addiction came up as further vindication of what I’d been feeling: that everyone, I included, needed a way to regulate sexual desire, and that we can’t assume that when we have sexual desire, we’re all like heroes who would never do anything the villains did.

“In that context, I found the bhakti philosophy and bhakti practices so relevant. In the Bhagavad-gita (3.36), Arjuna asks Krishna, ‘What is it that makes people act sinfully, even against their will?’ And Krishna answers (3.37), ‘It is lust, lust that degenerates into anger and is the enemy of the world.’ Reading and comprehending that was one of the biggest Eureka moments of my life, all the more so when I understood that lust is a distortion of our original love for Krishna. The more we revive our love for Krishna, the more lust loses its power over us.

“Where the philosophy illumined, the practices empowered, especially the practice of mantra meditation. Once I discovered the holy name’s power in beating away unwanted thoughts, the scales in my inner battle changed dramatically. That discovery was so empowering.” “Empowering?”

“Definitely. Imagine a child who’s been bullied for years. Suddenly one day the child looks down and finds he’s got fists as big as the bully’s if not bigger. Next time the bully comes to hit him, the child hits back. ‘Take that! And that! And that. For all the years you tormented me, I’m going to get back at you now.’

“I felt something like that when I realized the power of the holy name. My chanting became like fighting in a war. I had envisioned meditation to be peaceful. This mantra meditation sure wasn’t peaceful, but it was better it was fruitful. I slowly started enjoying the war, because I could clearly see I was gradually getting the upper hand on lust. Its grip on me was decreasing. Not that I have knocked down or completely driven away the bully of lust by no means. Lust is too slippery and too wily. It always gets away before you can deliver a fatal blow. It doesn’t allow you to get the conviction that it’s so bad you need to be done with it forever. Then, when it comes back next time, it’s at its wily best or, you could say, wily worst. It has such a sweet smile on its face that you think it’s your best friend. And though you have the iron fist, instead of using it, you embrace My Sweet Smile. Just when you’ve lowered your guard, lust strikes. You end up doing something you never thought you could have done.”

“You’re quite worked up about this war metaphor, aren’t you?”

“I’ve found very few metaphors that describe reality as accurately as this one. I strongly feel that the more people confront their lower self, that fewer outer confrontations they will have to face. Inner war increases outer peace. And compared to all other methods for self-mastery, the holy name is in its own league. Due to its power, I felt confident about choosing monkhood.”

Restraint is not Deprivation

“So that’s how you became free from sex desire?”
“I didn’t say I was free from anything.” “But aren’t you making that claim by wearing the dress of a monk?”

“A monk is someone who’s decided not to engage in sex and is striving to become free from sex desire not necessarily someone who is already free.” “So you’re admitting you have sex desire?” “Srimad-Bhagavatam says that no one, except Lord Narayana and the sage Nara-Narayana, is free from lust.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. So, the question begs itself: If you have sex desire, then why deprive yourself by not fulfilling it?

“Do you sometimes feel sexually attracted to women other than your wife?

“What?” The shock was evident on his face.

I kept a straight face. “You heard me.”

“Well, that’s personal.”

“You’re asking me a personal question too. So it’s only fair that you be ready to answer one.”

“But I’m Sherlock Holmes, not you. Here you’re meant to answer questions, not me.”

“Agreed. But my question to you is a part of my answer. I need to hear your answer before I respond. Don’t worry, my question is not meant to make you feel guilty; it’s meant to highlight a universal feature of human behavior.”

“Well, OK. I’m just like everyone else. Sometimes I do feel sexually attracted to other women.”

“Then why deprive yourself by not fulfilling that desire?

“But that would be immoral, scandalous, maybe even dangerous.”

“Those are all negative motivations. Isn’t there a positive motivation for being faithful to your wife?”

“Yes, definitely. I want to have an honest and deep relationship with my wife, to look her in the eyes whenever we share our hearts. And I know I can’t do that if I cheat on her.”

“Well said. That means refusing to act on an existing desire doesn’t always have to be a deprivation especially when there’s a higher purpose.”

“When you put it that way, yes . . . I can see what you’re driving at.”

“The same principle of a higher purpose underlies the self-restraint of a married man as well as that of a monk. The difference is that the monk’s self-restraint is, so to speak, one level higher whereas a married man restricts sex to his wife, the monk doesn’t engage in sex at all.”

“That’s not just one level higher. It’s an entirely different ball game. You make it sound as if it’s a dietary preference: whether to be an omnivore or a herbivore. But I would say it’s like choosing between eating and not eating at all. Sex is like food it’s a basic bodily need.”

“Maybe I should give you some sound punches on the nose.” Though I knew a smile would belie my words, I couldn’t stop it from creeping on my face.

Sandip’s face showed that he hadn’t caught the joke. “If you have to resort to force as a replacement for argument, then you have already lost the argument.”

“I’m considering force not as a replacement, but as a complement.”

“A complement?”

“Your argument is that sex is a necessity, like food. If that were true, then all of us monks should be dead, shouldn’t we? If talking with a monk for several hours doesn’t convince you that he’s alive, then what’s that monk supposed to do? Probably an experiential learning session with your nose as a punching bag for the monk’s fists might convince you that he is indeed alive.”

A smile broke across his face. “OK, point conceded. I’ll admit that sex is not quite on par with food as a necessity. Still, the desire for sex is irresistible for most people, if not all.” He spoke in a tone that invited challenge.

But some challenges are worth neglecting, especially when an opening is available elsewhere. “Irresistible isn’t the same as essential. Alcoholics feel that alcohol is irresistible. And it may well be for them, depending on how strong the grip of the addiction. But, just because the urge for something is irresistible, it doesn’t make that something essential. ‘Irresistible’ refers to that which we feel we can’t live without, whereas ‘essential’ refers to that which we actually can’t live without. Food is essential. Alcohol and sex may seem irresistible, but they aren’t essential.”

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20060

By Subhag Swami

Empowered among all the disciples of Srila Prabhupada is Jaya Pataka Maharaj. I was seeing in Mayapur around 45 years how he is preaching, village after village, country after country and expand. Bhakti Vinod Thakur says people from all part of the world will get together and do a maha milan. He preaches through Bhakti Vriksha. Very wonderful. Of course Prabhupada said I’m doing and you are all my assistant. You have seen now outside 1000s, lakhs and millions of people coming.

Actually according to the government today is Holy. But today’s only not just holy but today is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance day. Like full moon coming from the ocean, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also coming from the ocean of the womb of mother Sachi like Krishna appeared and is different from Krishna, little bit different, Krishna is Madhurya, embodiment of all sweetness. And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is more on other side, Madhurya is there, but he is Audharaya, mahavadanya most broad minded and the people are most fallen. (2:11)

And Nityananda prabhu is bringing everybody to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and one person asked, if you approach the lotus feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, his treasure, he can understand the mystery of what is Bhakti. Bhakti is called sometimes mystery the great, by the law of nature. I would request you so today’s appearance day, Nityananda sakthi, He is the most powerful expansion of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Today Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance day, Nityananda one song is very important you can even by heart it if you chant Gouaranga’s name. So I request you, may I request you to , can you chant with me?

Devotees: Yes

Yes please chant with me, Srila Prabhupada also sang this sometimes not always.

bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga
laha gaurangera name
ye jana gauranga bhaje
sei amara prana re

This Nityananda prabhu used to sing which means, bhaja gauranga means if I become a devotee of Gauranga, you try to become the devotee of Krishna, chanting Krishna’s name staying in Vridanavan Dham is alright but Radharani is very strict. If you commit offense, then it is difficult to make progress so it is dangerous. Offense and sins are not same things, subtle difference is there. Unless the person whom you offend forgives, it’s very difficult. Whereas Panchattava, Nityananda and Lord Gaurnaga’s name there is no such thing. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is very very broad minded, Rupa Goswami said “Om namo mahavadanyaya”, he is giving the highest thing, love of God, “Krishna Prem,” He is Audarya, very broad minded he is very compassionate. These things you don’t see in any other incarnations much as it is prominent especially as in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s case. At that time when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appeared 530 years ago from now and in Navadvip people are watching so many things, not Krishna. So Advaita Acharya was very sad and at one point he said by any means I will bring Krishna here. Krishna is very pleased with tulasi and, he worshipped tulasi with Ganga jal. When we come, we just come but he is asking Lord to come, Gaura Nitai. By worshiping and speaking he agitated him saying wake up and the Lord has to come to preach Krishna Consciousness. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to this Nadia district so the whole world comes here. You see Bhakti Vinod Thakur says I’m seeing foreign people, English men, American, all will be coming here, everyone. To start devotional service here at least you can become fastly become liberated, detached from material life of sense gratification

“Vairagya-vidya and bhakti-yoga”

And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s father and mother they are not rich but very simple in the true sense they are rich with love of Godhead. They are lover of great devotee, they were not brahmins, but caste Brahmin keep himself in material world, everybody is hankering after these things, high birth, coming from high education, beauty, power, wealth all these things . But brhamin great sages keep themselves in a very lower position, in improvised state so that he does not become puffed up at the same time we can be humble. This is the most important point Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, to understand God is to be humble. So in kaliyuga lord, Garga Muni is saying that Krishna varnam tvisha Krishnam….

SB: 7.9.38

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

Previously it is said in Canto 7 of Srimad Bhagavatam 9th chapter 38 he said in this lord has appeared as human incarnation, animal, great saintly person, demigod, fish, tortoise and he maintained creation in the planetary system, killed the demons, and protector of principles of religion. But In Kaliyuga he did not clearly state, chana avatar, he came covered, in kaliyuga he came as a devotee. Because when Krishna came he is saying he is Supreme Personality of Godhead, and religion means to completely surrender unto Me only. He wants complete surrender. Many scholar say its too much, it is demanding, who is He to demand such thing, and why only surrender we have got so many reasons, this and that why? So, the Lord came as Chana avatar, covered in kaliyuga. He also comes in three yuga avatar, incarnation. How do we know, this, it is said sadhu sastra & guru and accept the authenticity.

shruti-smriti-puranadi

pancaratra-vidhim vina

You have to substantiate not that whatever I say it is avatar. In India in many district and many places sometimes many avatars are still there. So, we see this feature is there Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has been mentioned in many places. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is mentioned in Mahabharata, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is mentioned by Rupa Goswami, accepted by Vrindavan das Thakur and accepted by Sarvabhuma Bhattacharya like that in many places.

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

These people, those are intelligent they can understand, he will come to preach sankritan dharma in Kaliyuga. Only Krishna kirtan, not any other kirtans. Others introduced so many kirtans. No only Krishna Kirtan. So this was told by Karbhajana Muni to kill Nimi how we will know or recognise the Lord?

Sometimes it is said in Nadia he will come in the bank of Bhagirathi, mother Sachi all these things like that the proof is there. You have to know, who is God. In Kaliyuga it is the yuga dharma, dharma of the yuga. There are different avatars, six types mentioned by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lila avatar so many avatar. Yuga avatar, lila avatar, shaktiavaesh avatar that ways and in this case he is chana avatar. Also triyuga avatar. Chana means covered. He came as a devotee. And then as he is telling the same thing as Krishna says as in the mood of his greatest devotee, Radharani. This is Radharani’s place. In another scripture it is said Radharani manifested a very beautiful dham it is Navadvip dham. In other scriptures it is mentioned, so that Krishna came and He is teaching us how to serve in the mood of Radharani, He is teaching us how to serve, He is teaching us by kirtan, Krishna kirtan. Surrender to Krishna, submissiveness and it requires qualification. He didn’t come as Vamana, Nrshimha or Ramachandra but as a devotee, most magnanimous incarnation. Krishna says you have to surrender, but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not saying like that. He said, you chant this name, you become devotee of the Lord, you surrender to Him, He himself, who can teach? A devotee can teach. So He is teaching us Himself by acting as an Acharya. Devotee can become an Acharya provided he comes from parampara.

BG:4.2

evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh

So what God said exactly He said, they are saying guru, disciple being qualified then he becomes guru he teaches them. The same system is going on till now by four sampradayas. The lord gave this knowledge to Lakshmi Devi, He gave this knowledge to Rudra, Lord Shiva. He gave this knowledge to Brahma, Brahma’s four sons Sanat Kumaras like that. Like that four sampradayas still exist. Anybody outside this sambrpadaya cannot give this knowledge. Because they are simply repeating what Lord says. So we find many in Bhagavad Gita , 760 of them. At That time when Srila Prabhupada started he discarded them, why? One lady asked, he said because I don’t accept these things, why? They are giving their own Bhagavad Gita about what they think like that, many I don’t want to mention. Thinking body as Kurushetra, Panchapandava as five senses. It is not that we have to surrender within ISKCON. It is not Krishna we should surrender to but something within Krishna, this is against scripture. So Prabhupada gave the name Bhagavad Gita As It Is, as Krishna said “Man mana Bhava”. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said think of Krishna. Who said? Krishna said.

BG:18.65

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo ‘si me

Mad bhakto – become my devotee, Krishna Bhakta. Same Krishna came as Gauranga and it is so simple to chant Gauranga…Gauranga!!!!! Very easy and in that no offense.

He can do anywhere else, of course in Kaliyuga everyone is in animal platform. According to the law one is absorbing in only eating, mating sleeping and defending. How to eat nicely how to sleep nicely how to have sensual pleasure, man woman. That is what animals are doing, they know nothing but this. And 98% of people in the name of material advancement only absorbed in this, how to enhance this. This is called materialistic civilization, leading to they don’t know where they are leading to but we know where it is leading to. So Chaitanya mahaprabhu he is very compassionate, Nitayananda prabhu actually is,

parama koruna, pahu dui jana
nitai gauracandra saba avatar

Essence of all avatar, incarnation Kevala Ananda. Very simple chant and dance, that’s all. He cannot dance you ask him any people he cannot, but Bhakta can dance for hours and hours unless he is realised how can he dance? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave this, neither you have to push your nose, neither leave your husband, neither leave wife, neither leave your family, house and children and go to Himalayas neither beard, have matted hair, measuring how big that Sadhu is. No, no not like that. It is also external, Bhakti Vinod Thakur says in the heart if we place Krishna we make our heart clean. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says Kundicha…marjanam. Cleaning your heart by cleaning the temple very simple. Chant and dance. Nityananda will say like this chant like this:

“bhaja gouranga..”

To make a quick advancement when you chant,

sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara
srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

For that we have to qualify ourselves, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s statement. Eight verses and very simple. Everything is there, whole Vaishnava philosophy. Please chant all the time, nobody is chanting all the time. But Haridas Thakur is chanting why? Because he is qualified to chant

“tranad api sunichena….”

I’m simply repeating, like Jayapataka Swami Maharaj I also have association with Prabhupada long time. Who will try to be shouted by others, anybody like being shouted by others and humiliated? Nobody. Then how you will become saint? Saint doesn’t become a factory made saint. Any saint made in the factory? No? We have to qualify. Once a saintly person was asked by his disciple I see we are reading these demoniac quality and divine quality, BG 16th chapter I think. Please correct me, if I’m wrong. I may be fallen, but I repeat what Srila Prabhupada said whether one likes it in this class that is one’s duty. No one should be after Kanaka, kamini and prastistha very difficult. Wealth, attraction of oppostie sex, name, fame position. You know, what this all leads to. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said one should think I am more fallen, sinful. Bhakti Vinod Thakur said

“āmāra jīvana, sadā pāpe rata..”

Prabhupada actually said, in this Bhativinod Thakur says, all I did was sinful activity, I was very proud when somebody is in distress I enjoy. For my fame I sometimes cheat others. Actually Prabhupada said he is actually steady but what a conditioned soul should be introspecting and search within him to see how much I become qualify to become the devotee of the Lord

So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is saying that

“trnad api sunichena”

He doesn’t protest. He said example of tree, severe cold you know who come from Siberia, Alaska. Somebody may be cutting the tree, mentality scorching heat Dubai even bus going air conditioned everything air conditioned anything I go inside I find there is air conditioner. Again cold countries, Toronto sometimes in TV they advise don’t stay outside even three minutes if you go out you will be frozen ice and you will die, so at once go inside. But tree cannot do like that, he did something in his past life and it is standing like a tree, may be no clothes nothing enjoy. So many clubs there may be In the name of beauty sometimes like that. Son is puffed up so much when his father has got wealth naturally , so when disciple asked the guru and he is reading that Verse

Dharmo datvo ahakarasya…

Symptoms of men who easily get angry, ignorant, puffed up, very arrogant, this is the quality of Asura. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said so how do you chant the name of God all the time? Surrender, become “tranad api sunicena”. Become very tolerant like tree. Tree is giving you when there is scorching sun giving soothing shadow like that. In India in north India if you go there is amla tree especially neem tree if you go under that it is very cooling. He is giving all these things, leaves, barks, flowers, but nice fragrant flower sometimes king of all fruits, variety of all fruits he is giving all these things. But in spite of we taking all that we are cutting down, put fire but he is not saying why you are doing this to me I gave you these, why you are giving me such hard time, you are treating me cruelly he doesn’t say, I’m in this position, “DANDAVATS” ( devotees laughing) he doesn’t expect respect from anyone. Never expect any respect from others, within everybody the Lord is there

BG 18:61

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese ‘rjuna tisthat

Theoretical knowledge and also practical knowledge, he realise in service surrender. He respects everyone, even an ant. It is vigyana, he is Brahmin he is perfect Brahmin, he becomes Vaishnava he doesn’t have to have social in a ashram any varna simply by qualification he becomes a vaishanva. He may be Grahasta, may be a woman, or he may be vanaprasta.

Bhaktivinod Thakur was going in a train, he was a magistrate. As usually in India a bad habit I think. Before entering the train a man, someone threw a handkerchief on the seat and said, Hi this is my place you cannot sit here, What? Yes before the train system started by British, Bhaktivinod Thakur, a magistrate in that area was thinking he will go by train. Before him everyone sat down, so he put some mat on the floor and sat down on the floor of the train. Suddenly one of them who was sitting, he got the seat or not, but it wasn’t mentioned like his son younger than Prabhupada’s gurumaharaj Bhakti Siddanta Saraswathi Thakur, he told in his book, in his biography Bhakti Vinod Thakur’s biography he has written. There he is saying one person got up and said, “you are all sitting here but do you know who the top person in this area is”? Yes, there might be some top men like dean, district magistrate like that. Would you sit when he is here? Why are you asking such question, naturally we will not. He asked so what you are doing, what do you mean, he is really our magistrate really? But he is so humble he is not taking anything, demanding. Never demanding simply sitting there. Just like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When they were putting down Chaitanya Mahaprabhu this in Banaras, Prakasananda Saraswathi he has got so many followers. They were sitting & one of them said, one from Bengal one sentimental sanyasi came and instead of speaking Vedanta he is simply chanting and dancing and millions of people were going. Bhakti is in the heart not in knowledge. If you give your heart, then Krishna will give you knowledge, automatically:

BG:10.11

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

If you really have bhakti, if you really open your heart to the Lord by surrendering first then the Lord gives automatically knowledge, this is the result of Bhakti yoga. “janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ” automatically get detachment from material enjoyment because you get higher pleasure, sukam that pleasure is not available in material world that pleasure is only available by chanting the holy name

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

One should always be hankering, we are always hankering for sense gratification. When one is hankering, praying, and crying from core of his heart more service, more service, more service to the Lord and His pure devotee that is what ISKCON is all about. That is why ISKCON is expanding throughout the world unlike other organisation. This is supposed to go according to Bhaktivinod Thankura, upto 10,000 years it will go, nobody can stop 10000 years it will go. So we have got a great responsibility as Prabhupada taught us, I made this movement to build character. If you want to become Vaishnava you want to go back to Godhead, we have to develop Godly character. Doesn’t matter if you are distributing book, if you are a sanyasi, house wife or you are a grahasta. Opportunity is knocking to everybody and is open to everybody this world to become a first class, but everybody may not be qualified. You are a first class person, so you become a pure devotee, how? First you qualify yourself then you go back to Godhead and then take many people to God head. What is the difficulty? It is open. The ISKCON, Prabhupada made, in his book all the ideal questions and ideal answers are there. You simply have to accept it and act and you become pure devotee and go back to Godhead

Prabhupada got a disciple his name is Jayananda prabhu. When Prabhupada was there everyone knew he is there in night working from menial service to responsible service like opening a centre. In those days opening a centre, is like just get some money regularly somehow or the other by doing job and then take house or apartment, preach to others and call some boy or girl, come here chant Hare Krishna, try to take Prasad, don’t eat anything else. At once may not give up everybody. I’m talking about 1970 or little before. I joined in 70s. Staying in the temple and he was doing everything.

Again story how he is humble. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when Tapan Mishra told we cannot tolerate they are insulting you please one day come, here. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted to come one day after insisting so much. He went and he didn’t say anything but calm and quiet. Where everybody is washing their feet He washed His feet there, and sat down there. But at once all the other sanyasis came, why you are sitting here? You can see? Same thing about Bhaktivinod Thakur same about this Jayananda prabhu. Prabhupada said after his disappearance, Prabhupada said when one of the authority talked about Jayananda. Prabhupada said, exactly don’t remember, “this life he will go back to godhead”. So any of us sitting here, not be known by others may go back to God head in this one life. It is to be qualified as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said. Prabhupada said he is free from all these things. He gets all the wonderful qualities of the Lord simply by surrendering, how:

BG: 4.11

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante

According to one’s surrender to Krishna. He develops all these wonderful qualities of Krishna, may be little drop of Krishan what Krishna has in devotion just a purity just in quality and then there may be many others, just like in the forest, there are many flowers that may not be appreciated by others, nice fragrance there very beautiful like that.

So Jayananda prabhu will be like that and then one day started ratha yatra. He was driving, took humble service to get money came to know about this movement and then joined and since then what he did was day and night hard work, ask others please help me to do these like this and engage others in service. He is wonderful devotee, devotee could see what he was but till Prabhupada recognised when he is going morning walk he will go and see what he is doing inside the temple.

He used to tell one incident. One day he used to go to many places like police station to get help to start ratha yatra, preach to them. Then people later on came and asked where is this boy where is this boy (Jayananda). Srila Prabhupada said everywhere throughout the world put his picture in front of Jagannath so that everyone could see him. Even today we can see.

So what happened is one man came to see him for some reason and he said that is he there? Yes he is available, you see. Then long time past he said, please wait you will see him. Small building hardly he started the temple of course I wasn’t there and the time is going and this man become impatient and asked is this man in the house? Yes. He went and go through all the room, small building and he came back and said I can’t find him anywhere. May I ask you sir, yes! Are you the man? Immediately he said, yes sir. He was shocked to see he is in charge, he was carrying garbage. Srila Prabhupada said litter means to most menial to top service. When he had leukaemia, blood cancer then he had money from his family members $5000 at that time it is lot of money. He insisted Prabhupada take this money. No its’ for your treatment. Prabhupada no this body I know it won’t be cured so it is better you take. Both of them having war, he say take and Prabhupada won’t take and then Prabhupada thought he accepted teachings of Teachings of Lord Chaitanya and used up the money. Again he heard again the same thing he did, another time he gave. Prabhupada appreciated and then he had to accept it.

Like that there are many wonderful devotees might be there. They are not recognised but Lord recognises them. There are pure devotees here not recognised so Lord Chaitanya’s movement is there and you have come from different countries of the world how much sacrifices in different places they did in Africa, Russia in the beginning of this movement so many devotees went to jail torture may be new generation don’t know. Time will come when then they will find out that is Bhaktivinod Thakur said real Sadhu sanga, you want to do real Sadhu sanga? How Prabhupada worked hard before he went to America and how he went? How he faced hard days struggling before making this worldwide movement. When they asked Prabhupada, his answer different from time to time. Every time he may not say but sometimes he will say. He is like the newspaper boy himself printing himself cannot pay the fare for printing cost, book, and magazine. Vrindavan to Delhi at that time in 1970 before that whole day you cannot come back Srila Prabhupada was staying in Delhi, scorching days much different from Bengal. It is still cold and still hot he will be still distributing books. I can’t go after half past 7 in Vrindavan , morning and noontime and whole day distributing his magazine Back To Godhead, it’s so just to just to save a little small amount of money 1/16th of a rupee its nothing now, we cannot get 1/80 th time. Now 80 time more than that. He was just like a little boy buy some peanut and eat and save some money he will be walking I know many devotees scarified like that. Many girls distribute books they give money, they get so much money but they give every penny and never took any money they are no less than sanyasis. So there are many wonderful devotees like that.

And Prabhupada one day was unconscious, fall down in the street and somebody later on when he see splashed water on his face and said swami, its India especially any Sanyasis they are respecting. And nobody dare to insult a sanyasi. Still this culture is there and Prabhupada tried to introduce this vedic culture to the world. If a perfect Brahmin is qualified he can become a sanyasi he can become Vaishnava or Vaishanvi. These are subject of the thinking of somebody should be introspective think how much progress have I made? How much closer did I come to Krishna? In the mode of pure goodness.

Golokera Prema Dhana Harinama Sankirtana

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave Harinam party and it is not material sound vibration it is as good as the spiritual world. So saintly persons when they chant they will feel no difference between the spiritual world and here, he will see. Ask yourself and see you how you feel? Are you purified? Yes? It will be purified and it will be everlasting. I don’t want to say anything, Prabhupada asked me to repeat what h said. So what I heard from him what I know stay with him, Jayapataka maharaj knows Mayapur or any other place Calcutta west simply repeating. Prabhupada said repeat from my book, don’t be a vedic scholar and read so many books. First digest then it will take you whole life, you still cannot finish Prabhupada books

Digest it put in practice all these things simply tell them. So:

Tranad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna

That Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach us, to become a bhakta, by the mercy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, then you will go back to godhead.

Gauranga suti patho….

Who treasure the lotus feet of Gauranga or Gaur Nityananda, sometimes Nityananda is more merciful, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes can reject but Nityananda is very merciful. Nityananda’s expansion is sad guru he suffers for him but we should know our position. We can’t be Vasudeva Datta who said, my dear lord let the whole world go back to Godhead by your mercy let me take their sin and suffer. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said Vasudev!, you are great devotee of the Lord , simply by your desire the Lord will fulfil you don’t have to suffer. But still you want to stay here. What will happen again and again more people will come and fill it up and again more people will go back and again people will come here to the prison house of material existence? But this movement’s purpose is to become a good devotee and the purpose is to bring others as much as possible to the lotus feet of Krishna, or Gauranga easier. Bhaktivinod Thakur said, did and said this is a goshtianandi movement and ISKCON is the movement made and how to propagate how to make more and more people, as many devotees take so many risks at the risk of being tortured. At the risk of their life they still do that many devotees. I think according to official time I have to finish it right now. Haribol, what next I don’t know. Dharshan…so let us go for dharshan of deities?

Gauranga!!!

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=20122

“Devotees are infused with bhakti-sakti, and Krishna consciousness comes out through every pore in their body. Just as someone can get a person’s disease by eating the remnants of his or her food, because devotees are infected by Krishna consciousness, by coming in touch with them—through the dust of their feet, the water that has washed their feet, or the remnants of their food—one can get that infection. And we want that infection.

bhakta-pada-dhuli ara bhakta-pada-jala
bhakta-bhukta-avasesa—tina maha-bala

‘The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful substances.’ (Cc Antya 16.60)

“It is by the association of devotees that one comes to Krishna consciousness. And even after developing love for Krishna, the association of devotees is still most essential.

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’
krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga

‘The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.’ (Cc Madhya 22.84)”

—Giriraj Swami

Source: http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=10727

HOW CAN WE USE OUR SORROW, PAIN OR GREAT LIFE REVERSES TO INVOKE GOD'S GRACE THAT IS HIDDEN BEHIND IT: To be human is to experience pain, betrayal, disappointment, and various kinds of suffering. We may ask, "Why me?" To which I would reply, "Why not you?" We all have our litany lists of wrongs done to us or to those we love. What do we do with this list?

One natural tendency is that we would rather avoid pain than to experience happiness, so in the face of pain, violence, or loss, we tend to either repress it or be angry or resentful about it. I have experienced both of these reactions to life situations. Unfortunately, such reactions are only helpful in the short term, but do little to help us grow as a person, and self-improvement, and ultimately spiritual awakening are, to me, the purpose of life. Otherwise, we have a pointless dog eat dog world, with death being the end of everything.

Could there be some benefit, even great benefit in these experiences? Some will be angry just at my asking this question, and yet, if we don't ask it, we can remain ever in reaction to the past, and keep playing it out in relationship to others.

We also find that even what everyone else thinks is good fortune or an ideal situation can be interpreted by the person in the middle of it as a terrible or awful experience. So while we have all heard this before, the simple yet powerful truth is that our attitude is really what gives meaning to the events of our lives or a statement we hear. This means that we can change our feelings about an experience by changing the meaning we give it, or by using it as a way to improve our lives.

Even more deeply than this is that whatever has occurred in our life is actually a gift to be unpacked, and is meant for our highest good--but, and it can be a big but--we have to believe this, and look for the good which is often hidden in our pain. As I have often shared, we tend to find what we are looking for. Again, our attitude colors our vision and becomes a lens by which we see, or really evaluate what we see. Whether something is good or bad is really a value judgement based on our attitude.

Think about some great calamity or difficulty in your life, and if you haven't already done so, ask yourself with faith, "What was or is the benefit in this,--or--what COULD be the benefit? Stay with that until you find the benefit or benefits. Honestly, we really can change our lens and the meaning we give to life events. This simple attitude is life affirming and life changing, and more than anything else can bring you peace and happiness, and what to speak of having a spiritual practice where you cultivate a relationship with that beneficent force that wants the best for you, and is only a prayer or mantra away. When we bring the light of God into our lives that brings our life meaning and purpose.

To my best ability this is how I live, though I can tell you, it took many years to come to this point in my life. If I stumble in the mud of pity or complaining, I remember this fact and my history applying it. This is one perspective that I most frequently share.

OUR LOSES, REVERSES, AND PAIN, CAN REVEAL WHAT WE MOST NEED, WHAT WE CHERISH, WHAT WE VALUE THE MOST, AND OUR HIDDEN STRENGTHS: Much of our attempts at being happy is trying to avoid the negative and to seek comfort or facilities to make our life easier. We do more to avoid potential pain than we do to seek pleasure, and yet, without experiencing what we don’t want to, or feeling emotional or physical pain, we often don’t grow as a person or have much depth of character. These situations are opportunities for personal and spiritual growth in disguise as difficulties or even catastrophes. They challenge us to become more.

Great people are great because they have gone through trials, tribulations, life tests, intense challenges, or persons who hurt or hindered them without becoming broken or permanently damaged. Instead great persons have used difficulties or calamities as stepping stones to make helpful contributions to the world. They teach us what is possible. We celebrate anyone who overcomes tremendous odds to obtain success, and yet the greater message is that we too must rise above difficulties and our lower nature.

Think of the challenges of Shrila Prabhupada in trying to come to America, or his first year on the Lower East Side of NYC. We celebrate his overcoming what appeared to be impediments. If he had just easily flown by plane to the US and easily set up ISKCON, his success wouldn’t have been as glorious. Who would have heard of Prahlad Maharaja, without the intrigues of his father? Where would Jesus be without the betrayal of Judas, or not giving in to the temptations of the devil? To rise above mediocrity or in just existing, we require to successfully deal with our personal challenges.

I have recently written that I don’t recommend we pray for difficulties or problems since they will come anyway of their own accord. At the same time our life would be flat and lifeless without them. In a sense, our response to our personal challenges determines our character and who we really are as a person. Thus, I recommend that we pray to have the strengthen, faith, and positive character traits necessary to deal with our life reverses; that we become personally enriched and rise to the occasion by discovering our greater strength by connecting to our soul and God. Thus we’ll gain new courage and power to deal with any situation. Many of us came to spiritual life as a result of intense suffering and disillusion with the material world. Without such suffering we would have had no necessity to search out beyond the conventional materialistic offerings of the world.

Appreciation is at the root of our spiritual journey. Often it takes the loss of something we take for granted, some means of support, facility, or person in our lives, to teach us what we really need and value. The loss of a loved one can teach us to the importance of regularly expressing our love and appreciation for them. A life threatening illness can teach us the value of each moment and in realizing what we most need to do and learn in life. Suffering from a lack of meaning and spirituality can lead us on the search for God.

My guru, Shrila Prabhupada, taught that spiritual, or Krishna, consciousness, among many things, means to become conscious, or we could say, showing up to life as fully as possible. You might take some time to write out how your personal difficulties, loses, or life reverses, have helped you be a better person, or how they could if you thought about them beyond appearances. As I often share, whatever happens to us has many purposes, the most important of which is to facilitate our highest good or potential and to help us find our spiritual shelter beyond the ephemeral world.

Source: http://www.krishna.com/blog/2016/03/28/great-life-reverses-can-reveal-gods-grace-and-show-what-we-most-need-what-we-cherish

QUESTION: Why did Lord Rama abandon Maa Sita?

This is not my specialty, I am a devotee of Krishna, who, I’ve heard, was Rāma in a previous life. :) Nonetheless, I will try to share with you whatever I know about this heartbreaking topic.

Why did Rāma abandon Sītā?

The answer is simply this: Rāma’s reason-for-being is not prema, it isdharma. Specifically, Rāma’s reason-for-being was to illustrate rāja-dharma, the moral duty of kings.

If you are a king, duty to your citizens supersedes your duty to anyone else, even including family. This is why, for the sake of the citizens, some of whom did not approve of our beloved Sītā, Rāma had to abandon her.

Personally, I would rather have seen such citizens decapitated, but then that is probably why I would not make the best king. As Rāma showed, a king must be willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of his subjects. Sītā Jī came with him in this avatāra of her own accord, knowing what would happen. She sacrificed herself to assist him. This is prema. She is always the emblem of Prema, for she is Sri Radha.

In Rāma līlā, the better character for us is Sītā, not Rāma, I think.

Sincerely,
Vraja Kishor
www.vrajakishor.com

Appearance day of Sri Sri Chaitanya   Mahaprabhu
(Gaura Purnima) festival was celebrated by Iskcon, Ludhiana.A large number
of people enthusiastically participated in the festival. Deities Sri Sri
Jagannatha, Baldeva and Subhadra and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai was looking  very
beautiful in their colorful dress. There was Aarti of their Lordship and
Panchamrit abhishek of Sri Gaur Nitai..

Harinam sankirtan was recited by HG Rammurti dasa, HG Kanahiya Dasa and
other temple devotees.HG Narottamanand Das, Temple President gave lecture on
past time of Sri Sri Chaitanya mahaprabhu.People were seen dancing on
mahamantra and there was also Pushp Holi (Flower Holi) More than twenty five
thousand people participated in this mega festival.

Chhapan Bhoga  was offered to Their Lordship. People were seen in queues for
Darshan of Their Lordship. Then fasting prashadam was distributed to the
people. For more picture please visit www.iskconludhiana.com or follow link
https://picasaweb.google.com/115668040485111901122/GauraPurnima2016

Question: You have said that we are on our own and it is up to us to go back home, back to Godhead. What are we supposed to do?

Take devotional service very serious. Take it very serious! That is what we are supposed to do. Really, all I can say is: Be serious about serious things.

We can have lots of fun. Everyone wants some fun – so we can joke, we can play, we can feast and so on, but let’s be serious about serious things! Serious about chanting sixteen rounds, serious about following four regulative principles, serious about reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, serious about devotional service, serious about our ashram. Let’s be serious about serious things and then we will find that gradually we have become very focused and that we have become very serious about going back to Godhead.

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2016/03/42864/

Posted by Ramai Swami

Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Video coverage of the blissful Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat at New Govardhan in Australia. Devotees came from all over the country to chant and dance together in one of ISKCON’s largest communities nestled in the beautiful green rolling hills of New South Wales.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/P52ZLw