We are delighted to inform you that 2016 marks the golden jubilee of incorporation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Over the past 50 momentous years ISKCON has nurtured human society through spiritual education and training. At present there is an international network of 600   spiritual universities in 75 countries all over the globe.

Members of ISKCON practice bhakti-yoga, or Krishna Consciousness in their homes and also worship in temples. They also promote bhakti-yoga through festivals, the performing arts, yoga seminars, public chanting, and the distribution of the Vedic literatures. ISKCON members have also opened hospitals, schools, colleges, eco-villages, free food distribution projects and other institutions as a practical application of the path of devotional yoga.

To mark the magnanimous occasion of Sri Krishna Janamashtami ISKCON Punjabi Bagh temple is organizing an article writing contest . The purpose of the contest is to share the “Joy of Devotion” with our near and dear ones. A participant can share his/her personal experience, a community realization or even a grand national occasion which cultivated the ecstasy of pure love within the heart towards everything and everyone without. The Grand prize for the contest is a KINDLE E BOOK READER. There are many other prizes to be won for runners-up like power banks, bluetooth speakers, pen drives, smart watches etc.

Anyone who participates in the competition agrees to the following rules and regulations: –

1. Topic / Theme for the article is “Joy of Devotion”.
2. One entry per person only.
3. Express yourself in a maximum of 1000 words.
4. Only original work of the writer /participant is eligible for competition. By submitting an entry the participant declares that he has full copyright to the article submitted. In case of disputes ISKCON shall not be held responsible for infringement of intellectual property rights by the author or original owner of the article.
5. The article shall not have been previously published (in part or as whole) elsewhere or accepted for publication elsewhere.
6. No identifying or personal contact information shall appear in the article.
7. Article should be written in English only.
8. Format the entries as per the following scheme: –
   1. All entries to be submitted in Microsoft Word .docx / .doc file.
   2. File should be named in the following format:
      Joy “author’s name”
   3. Font size: 14 pt
   4. Font Face: Times New Roman.
   5. Document Alignment: Justified
9. Last date of Submission: 20th August 2016
10. Results will be declared on the website on 26th August 2016
11. Manuscripts / submissions will not be returned. Entry into competition implies permission for your article to be property of ISKCON Punjabi Bagh and shall be published, propagated and used by ISKCON as deemed fit in print, e-media or whatever means considered appropriate by ISKCON.
12. In case of dispute the decision of ISKCON Punjabi Bagh shall be final.
13. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence shall be entertained in this regard.
14. All claims and disputes relating are to be filed / settled within the jurisdiction of NCT of New Delhi, India.
15. All prizes have to be claimed from ISKCON Punjabi Bagh temple 41/77 Srila Prabhupada Marg, West Punjabi Bagh, West Delhi, Delhi, 110026 within 10 days of publishing of results, otherwise prize will be given to next best entry.

Queries:

Mobile No: +91-9999197259

Email : iskconpb.vani@gmail.com

Judgement Criteria:

• Use of imagination.
• Originality of thought and interpretation of theme.
• Entertaining content that is thought provoking, intriguing, and moving.
• Accurate use of spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Meet our judges for the contest. Click Here

Urmila Devi Dasi Seminars – Manah Siksa-01-04-08 – 2016-04-05 Houston

O mind, I grasp your feet and beg you with sweet words: Please cast away all hypocrisy and develop intense, unprecedented love for my spiritual master, Vrajabhumi, the people of Vraja, the Vaishnavas, the brahmanas, the Gayatri mantra, the holy name, and the transcendental shelter that is the fresh young couple of Vraja, Radha and Krishna. O Mind, don’t concern yourself with the pious and impious deeds described in the Vedas. Rather, intently serve Shri Shri Radha-Krishna in Vraja. Always remember that Lord Chaitanya is the son of Maharaja Nanda and that my guru is most dear to Lord Mukunda.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30342

‘Sixteen rounds done! It’s over! The happiest moment of the day!’ Is this our spiritual life? Is this how we are practicing every day? Was there any attentive round? Can you remember one moment today when chanting was attentive? Can you then remember any moment, while chanting was attentive, that you actually felt something for Krsna?

Rupa Goswami said, ‘Give me millions of ears and millions of tongues while chanting Hare Krsna!’  This is when everything becomes magic; when Krsna consciousness becomes magic. Things become magic when we love it. Everything you do out of duty is not magic; it is only when we love it that it is magic. And the more we love it, the more magic there is!

When we encounter the limit of our love for Krsna, then what do we do? Sooner or later, no matter who we are, we all will encounter the limit of our love for Krsna then what do we do?

Then we turn to Lord Caitanya and take up his magic, the magic of touching other people, the magic of giving people Krsna consciousness. And when we see that they are transformed, then it is amazing. When you actually change someone’s life and they start to take to Krsna as a result, something happens in your heart! There is something that really goes deep and touches the heart. You get so excited and you feel like you never felt before and you just carry on in your own Krsna consciousness. So this is the magic that Srila Prabhupada gave us because when it comes to love for Krsna during our chanting, it is not too much!

Therefore if we can see the magic in giving out this mercy then a change of heart will come. When we are busy serving Krsna, when we are busy giving out mercy of Krsna then naturally we cut the tree ofsamsara (material existence). In this way everything happens automatically. In this way the ancient example of the Upanisads, example of the banyan tree, the asvathama, meaning ‘the tree of no tomorrow’ is easily cut down by the devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by the followers of Srila Prabhupada. This is the amazing grace that rests upon this Krsna consciousness movement!

Source:https://www.kksblog.com/2016/08/the-magic-of-krsna-consciousness/

Growing every year in size and popularity under a second generation team, Toronto Rathayatra has inspired younger devotees to take on more and more leadership in their community, and senior devotees to hand more and more to them.

Seventeen years ago, when he was only eighteen, just one second generation devotee, Kevala Bhakti Das, became part of the Rathayatra organization team. Today, the festival is put on by thirty-two younger devotees from high school kids to thirty-somethings, heading up twenty different departments.

This year’s Rathayatra, Toronto’s 44th annual, was the biggest yet. It began with a ‘pre-festival’ on June 26th, giving the public a taster of what to expect three weeks before the parade.

“It was at Yonge-Dandas Square, Toronto’s answer to Times Square, where up to 100,000 people pass by on any given day,” says Kevala Bhakti, who is now 35 and serves as the festival chairperson. “We had kirtan, yoga, cooking demos, vendors and more for them to experience.”

The main festival then kicked off with a twelve-hour kirtan on Friday July 15th at ISKCON Toronto, featuring B.B. Govinda Swami, Agnideva Das, Amala Kirtan, and more. 

Amala Kirtan Das leads the chanting at the 12-hour kirtan

On Saturday, three forty-foot plus chariots carrying Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra were pulled in a parade down Yonge Street, famous for being the longest street in the world. Over five thousand devotees, congregation and public participated, with devotees passing out flyers, books and Rathayatra coupons to the thousands more spectators.

With a designated kirtan group for each chariot, the chanting roared on, reaching fever pitch as their Lordships passed through the Toronto Tunnel, a railway line underpass that makes the acoustics explode and the devotees go wild.

After the parade, festivalgoers took a ferry to Centre Island, where the largest numbers yet – about 40,000 people – enjoyed two days of celebrations geared towards the general public.

“The first thing people saw when they came off the ferry was our Mystical Temple Tent, with Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra and Srila Prabhupada,” says festival PR head Tarun Kandala, 33, who has been with the team for eight years. “It’s decorated with fabric, chandeliers and drums to create the feel of a Vedic temple, and has non-stop kirtan. People really get transformed when they go there.”

Meanwhile 30,000 plates of a free prasadam feast were served out, and innovative book distribution techniques led to a major increase in the amount of Srila Prabhupada’s books sold. There was a special teenagers-only tent called “The Bhakti Cloud,” a gopi dots, tilak and saris tent, and a spiritual ecology tent, explaining devotees’ contribution to the environmental issues that are so pressing today.

“We also expanded our stage program this year from the Indian dances it used to mainly consist of,” says arts and culture manager Gita, 29, who is going into her third year on the Rathayatra team. “One unique show featured artists painting pictures of Krishna live onstage, accompanied by live kirtan and readings of the story in the painting. At the end of the show, people were practically falling over themselves to buy the painting, and it was sold immediately after.”

The painting of Krishna created live at Toronto Rathayatra

Another highlight was a fashion show in which devotees explained the meaning behind different elements of Vaishnava dress, such as why men wear dhotis and women wear saris, why celibate monks wear saffron and married men wear white, and why sannyasis and priests on the altar dress in certain ways. There were then live demonstrations of how to put on the different items of clothing, which drew rounds of applause from the audience.

As well as these unique shows, there was also of course kirtan and Bharatanatyam dance with Anapayini, a Toronto Rathayatra favorite.

As if that wasn’t enough, there was the biggest ever Yoga Meltdown, a festival within a festival which saw a dozen Toronto yoga studios offering free yoga classes outdoors to nearly one thousand people. While yoga teachers taught the physical practice of yoga, devotees handled the spiritual element. They provided a mantra meditation tent for learning japa and philosophy, and vegan cooking demos with classes on the importance of one’s consciousness while preparing meals.

Guiding new chanters in the japa meditation tent

All these creative outreach ideas were generated by second generation devotees from high school kids to university students and young professionals; all of them nurtured, in an encouraging atmosphere, to bring their own ideas to the table and run with them.

This has created a mood where young devotees are so enthusiastic to serve that they’re fighting for a space on the Rathayatra team. But that’s not all. They’re also taking the services they’ve become expert at providing during Rathayatras on to leadership at the Toronto temple.

High school students are organizing ISKCON Toronto’s biggest festivals, such as Janmastami, and other second generation devotees are heading up the community’s massive book distribution team.

Meanwhile four years ago, Toronto became perhaps ISKCON’s first temple to hand over its overall management to second generation devotees like Kevala Bhakti and Rukmini Dasi, who now make up the temple council that serves in place of a temple president.

The Toronto Rathayatra team in the midst of a planning meeting

“We wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the senior devotees who have served in the temple management for many years, like Bhaktimarga Swami, Praharana mataji, Krishna Das Prabhu, and Rupanuga Prabhu,” says Rukmini, 27, who has been on the Rathayatra committee for a decade. “They encouraged us to get going, allowed us the space to explore and try new things, and fail, and try again. They’ve created such an encouraging culture -- almost anything that a young devotee wants to try to do, they’re welcome to try to do it.”

Kevala and Rukmini hope that senior devotees at other ISKCON temples follow suit and give their young devotees a chance to take on responsibilities too.

But that empowerment begins, they feel, with the second generation developing a great relationship with the senior devotees in their community.

“That relationship starts with serving your senior devotees,” Kevala says. “And then hopefully they will reciprocate by offering opportunities. Take on those services, bring your full heart, body, mind and soul into them, and always remain eternally thankful to the senior devotees and their guidance.”

The resulting service, as seen in Toronto, can give young devotees an opportunity to use their skills, discover what they’re interested in, and bring talents they’ve developed in service on to their professional lives too – many second gen have gotten jobs on the strength of Rathayatra experience listed in their resume.

Beyond that, of course, is the spiritual benefit.

“When you serve the Lord, face challenges in service with your devotee peers and make friends through it, that can really strengthen your Krishna consciousness,” says Kevala Bhakti. “We’ve seen it happen year after year. Young devotees become much more serious in their Krishna consciousness, because they have that opportunity to serve together.” 

The team, bonded and happy in service 

Source:http://iskconnews.org/toronto-rathayatra-inspires-second-gen-leadership,5740/

The recent incident in Gujarat of what has been called “cow vigilantism” has attracted widespread condemnation. While cows are immensely sacred for us, the followers of the Vedic tradition, most people in today’s world don’t share this sentiment. In fact, many find our caring for cows so incomprehensible that the term “holy cow” has come to be used as an informal expression of astonishment or disbelief. In an increasingly post-modern world, trying to impose one’s values on others backfires badly, even if those values are valid and valuable.  I am reminded of how the tide turned decisively against the pro-life group in the the battle against the legalization of abortion. While many consider the US court decision in the Roe vs Wade case the defining defeat in this battle, the loss therein was largely legal. In the public eye, the battle was lost when some Christian extremists killed some doctors who regularly performed abortions. By that abortion vigilantism, the anti-abortion campaign came to be associated with right-wing religion. Totally drowned out were the strong philosophical and even scientific arguments supporting the fact that the embryo is essentially human and deserves the human right to life. Tragically, the movement for cow protection in India seems to be headed towards similar alienation, with the many financial and social benefits of cow protection not even being considered amidst the fear and furore about right-wing religion. Nowadays, attempting any form of imposition is almost certain to backfire — spreading awareness about the rationale for cow protection is the only feasible way ahead.

Source:http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2016/08/cow-vigilantism-fanaticism-even-good-cause-blinds-people-goodness-cause/

The Berlin air, hot and stale, hung heavy above us as sleepy passengers slowly shuffled forward to the immigration desk, one by one.

"What's your final destination?" the German man in uniform barked.

"Hopefully, Vaikuntha" I joked, muttering under my breath as I handed my father our passports.

My father's eyes were merry, but his face shone no hint of amusement as he turned back to face the immigration officer. As Indian citizens that were U.S. permanent residents, we seemed a little out of place, especially considering we were headed to what many would not consider a tourist hotspot. I more than understood my father’s wariness with borders control and immigration checkpoints.

"Poland, sir" he told him. The man glanced up at our faces, down at our passports, and back up one more time before he nodded and sent us on our way.

My father let out a breath I did not realize he had been holding. "That was the easiest immigration check I've ever experienced," he smiled. "All glories to the mercy of Srila Gurudeva!"

Twenty minutes later, as I watched the same tired canvas duffel make its fourth trip on the conveyor belt, its luggage tag waving at me teasingly as it turned around the carousel, our spirits soured. Our checked-in luggage had not made it from America. Annoyed with the inefficiencies of international travel, we made our way up two flights of stairs to the worn-down Lost & Found desk. There, an overworked man asked us to wait behind the two other disgruntled passengers who had also found themselves in our same predicament.

As I looked around, trying to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of Germany, it was hard to shake the feeling of oncoming dread. What was I doing here, in Europe, for the very first time? Going to the Polish Woodstock? Me? A teenage girl who was a homebody, who was so attached to her possessions that she got frustrated over lost luggage, who had lately been struggling with her japa and her relationship with Krishna? My faith was wavering. I had been struggling to strike a balance between my Krishna Consciousness and my daily life and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the prospect of the coming week. Mother Malati's words to me rang in my head like a warning bell, "Woodstock will be a week of austerity." I had been spoiled by American middle-class luxury; how was I going to survive the physical hardships of the demanding feat that is Woodstock? Was I disciplined enough for the service, for the austerity?

Suddenly, just when I was losing all hope, I was broken out of my reverie by a slight tap on my shoulder and a merry greeting, "Hare Krishna!" Relief washed over me when I heard those familiar words in such a foreign place.

I whipped around to see a smiling man, with his arms stretched wide in a welcoming gesture. His eyes twinkled as he asked, "Are you Symanandi?" glancing down at a neatly folded piece of paper in his hand. Yes, I nodded, before motioning towards my father. "And this is Saci Suta. Hare Krishna!"

Armed with nothing more than that piece of paper containing our names and phone numbers and a sweet attitude of service, this wonderful devotee had driven over two hours to pick us up and had ultimately recognized us by our neck beads and japa bags.  After he helped us communicate with the airport officials about our luggage, he led us to the van waiting outside.

As we finagled our way through the city traffic, the world outside my window eventually melted into a blur of green vegetation and endless blue sky. I settled back and tried to prepare myself for what would be an awesome but trying week, and eventually dozed off. When I came to, I opened my eyes to the most charming of scenes.

In the sleepy little town of Kostrzyn, Poland, there was a large redbrick structure, four stories high. I later learned this was called the Red School by devotees, aptly named. The pebbled courtyard was teeming with activity, even this early in the morning on the devotees' rest day. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes to take in the colorful articles of clothing that hung swaying from the many clotheslines that had been assembled, the steaming red buckets of fresh prasadam, the devotees doing yoga and running through routines on the track field adjacent. Almost immediately, a flurry of devotees surrounded our van, helping to unload our luggage and eager to get us situated in our respective rooms. Inside the building, the cold stone staircases, the wide hallways filled with natural light streaming in from the windows, and the cool breeze whipping through high ceilings made me feel as if I were in India. Ganga Mataji led me upstairs as a nice devotee sweetly offered to carry my bag. "You'll be staying in the international room with the English-speaking girls," she revealed, eyes glinting. "In every other room, you'll only hear Russian." She walked me to a heavy wooden door, outside of which several rows of sandals and shoes were neatly aligned. "Here you are!" she sang, as she opened to door to reveal a most interesting sight.

The walls were lined with diagrams of different organisms, posters, and a chalkboard. In one corner, there was a sink, and in another, someone had set up an adorable altar. Laboratory tables were spread around the room in somewhat of a grid-like fashion, separating rows of sleeping bags and open suitcases. The tops of the tables were littered with neatly arranged bobby pins, mirrors, and small bags of cosmetics and jewelry. From the open windows hung colorful towels and shawls, laid out to dry, bathing the room in bright hues. It was the perfect setting for a weeklong slumber party, if you were to have one in a science classroom! The Matajis I met in that room came from all over the world, places such as Amsterdam, Ecuador, New Zealand, Ukraine, and Macedonia, to name a few, and they welcomed me with an open heart and open arms. Over the course of the week, we would all get to know each other well, going out of our ways to look after one another. There was nothing that was not shared, including clothes, tilak-application skills, germs, and sisterly advice. I am forever grateful to them. They will be lifelong friends and sources of inspiration to me.

That evening would be istagosthi, and devotees bustled to prepare for the arrival of H.H. Indradyumna Maharaja and the inspiration and instructions he would provide for the week ahead. I decided to take a quick nap to ward off any oncoming jet lag, and unfortunately slept through lunch. However, I awoke to a full plate of prasadam next to me, reminding me of the never-ending thoughtfulness of the devotees. And the bread.. oh, the bread. If you know any devotees that has gone on the Polish tour, ask them about the bread. They will rave about it. All glories to the devotee who bakes this delicious bread for the devotees every day!

The night began with a sweet musical performance by some devotees, and then, after a short kirtan, Indradyumna Maharaja began his talk, available here http://www.narottam.com/2016/07/johnny-appleseed-woodstock-istagosthi/.

In his talk, Maharaja impressed upon the devotees the importance of the preaching opportunity that lay before us. Woodstock was an event of magnanimous proportions, and it would take the dedication and service of every devotee to make it a success. ”This was yuga dharma,” he said. “Planting the seeds in millions of hearts.” After Indradyumna Maharaja's invigorating pep talk for Woodstock, services were assigned to the devotees, and then, by dusk, everyone began filing inside to get a good night’s sleep before what would certainly be a very big day.

Nothing could have prepared me for the wonderland that was Woodstock.

As we departed the bus that transported us from the Red School to the festival site, I was surprised to see the area teeming with activity. Despite the fact that the Woodstock festival would not officially begin for another two days, there were already hundreds of tents pitched in every possible location, thousands of youth milling around, and millions of opportunities to spread the glories of the Holy Name. I followed the devotees towards a chain-link fence we all slipped through to enter Krishna's Village of Peace. I held my breath as I took in the sight - it was just as H.H. Indradyumna Maharaja had described! There was a gigantic stage and tent set up on one end of the site, complete with bright, colorful lights, a state-of-the-art sound system, and barricades for safety. Next to the stage was the prasadam distribution tent, with a huge banner reading Food For Peace. Across the site was a row of tents, varying in size, with banners in Polish that advertised the many things offered inside, such as yoga lessons, astrological knowledge, kirtan in the Mantra Yoga tent, a Questions and Answers tent with a quiet place to sit, Srila Prabhupada's books, water, face painting and henna designs, Indian clothing and jewelry, to name a few. In the center of it all was a barricaded area that held the Ratha Yatra chariot, a decorated symbol of Krishna's Village of Peace.

How do I begin to describe the experience that is the Polish Woodstock?  

That first day, Indradyumna Maharaja wanted to go on harinam to begin handing out flyers and advertising for Krishna's Village of Peace and everything it had to offer. As the kirtan party began singing the Holy Name,  I joined the Matajis as they got in formation and lead the way by dancing in front. It dawned on me that the devotees are a well known and quite beloved presence at Woodstock, because almost immediately, festival-goers joined in, dancing with us and clapping along to the kirtan. Many already knew the Mahamantra, and were singing jubilantly. I was astonished - where was I? Who were these people that already had so much love and appreciation for the Holy Names?

We were stopped many times along the way for photographs and high-fives, but even under the heat of the Polish sun, the harinam seemed to end too quickly. The devotees were parched, and everyone headed to the area that was marked off for devotees only to recuperate. There we were served a delicious lunch, with, once again, the delicious bread!

After lunch, and for most of the rest of the festival, I spent my time in the Mantra Yoga tent. I was assigned midnight service in the prasadam tent, which meant my shift was from midnight until approximately 2 AM, give or take, so that freed up my whole day to spend singing and dancing and engaging with the festival-goers in kirtan. Once the kirtans began, they did not stop. That meant hours of mind blowing, incredible chanting led by world-renowned kirtaniyas and musicians, such as, Bada Haridas dasa, Madhava dasa, H.H. Sacinandana Swami, H.H. Indradyumna Swami, Mahatma dasa, Sri Prahlad dasa, and Acyuta Gopi dasi.

However, that first night was a challenge. I struggled to focus my mind and meditate on the Holy Names. Interestingly enough, the setup of the stage was almost identical to that of the Sadhua Sanga kirtan retreat, which is held annually at a yoga center in the majestic mountaintops of Boone, North Carolina. There were the same kirtaniyas, the same ambience, the same beautiful artwork decorating the area. So why was I unable to absorb the mood and engage fully in the kirtan?

It was not until hours later that the answer was revealed to me by Gaura Prema dasi. A humble, sweet, Russian devotee, whom I began to look up to as a motherly presence, gathered all us “international girls” that next morning. “Gurudeva wants us to engage with the festival-goers,” she revealed. “Nothing gives him more happiness than to see them dancing and singing with us hand in hand. We must work together to coordinate how best we can do this service for Srila Gurudeva.” And that’s when I realized.

Woodstock is not for us. It is not for the devotees; it is not for the volunteers. It is not for our own spiritual advancement; it is not for our immersion in Krishna consciousness. It's not. Krishna's Village of Peace at Woodstock is wholly and entirely for the benefit of those who attend. It is about the hundreds of thousands of young adults who walk through our site. It is for the hundreds of thousands of people who relish the hot prasadam, who dance in the kirtan tent, who ask questions they didn't know they had as they explore Vedic philosophy, Srila Prabhupada’s, astrology, yoga, and Indian culture. It is about their exposure to Krishna. It is about awakening in them their innate desire to know the Lord and to say his Holy Names and to sing his glories. Every day I was there, I felt insanely blessed to be in the presence of such exalted souls, souls who had traveled so far over multiple lifetimes to arrive here and experience and interact with Krishna consciousness in such an innocent, ecstatic way. The looks on their faces as they chanted the mantra for the first time, the way they danced with abandon, and their pure inquisitiveness were all incredibly inspiring. Their appreciation and love for Krishna increased my own, tenfold. And that is the most amazing thing about Woodstock.

That first morning, my legs ached. I felt like an old woman, but I could not have been happier. This was the best kind of bodily pain, the kind that lets you relive every moment of dancing and ecstasy from the day before with every limping step you take.

The second morning, I was in even more pain. Matajis left and right offered me multivitamin juices, yoga stretches, and massages to soothe my body as they fretted over me with love. Just a few days ago, these Matajis had been complete strangers, but now they gave me the utmost comfort.

The third morning, I woke up feeling rejuvenated. My muscles felt as if they had gotten stronger, as had my resilience. I could do this. I could handle the toilet-paperless bathrooms, the cold 3 AM showers I took after I finished my shift serving prasadam, the calloused feet and sore muscles I got from 10 hours of nonstop dancing in kirtan. In fact, not only could I handle this, I loved this. I loved venturing outside of the safe haven that was the Mantra Yoga tent, encouraging festival-goers to come inside, gently grabbing their hands and pulling them inside to dance and sing. Something my mother always laughs to me about came to mind. She cooks for the deities at our Detroit temple, Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari, and she always tells me that she never feels any pain while she is in the deity kitchen. The hours she spends on her feet in the heat never affect her in any way - so long as she is in the kitchen. But by the time she comes home, her feet ache and she is suddenly exhausted. It is as if while she is engaged in service, her bodily pains cease to exist. That’s what it felt like at Woodstock. There was no such thing as sore feet when you were jumping wildly to the ecstatic kirtans in the Mantra Yoga tent. There was no such thing as an aching back or tired arm when serving prasadam in the Food For Peace tent. Everything was bliss. That’s the magic of Krishna Consciousness.

Serving prasadam in the Food for Peace tent was one of the sweetest experiences I had during the entire festival. It was somehow even more intimate than dancing with the festival-goers. As they came up to the serving table, one by one, I was humbled to hear their stories and see their sweet smiles, to engage with them as they thanked me with a shy, “Hare Krishna!” They were so grateful for the hot prasadam and beyond excited to eat it. Many of them told me they have been coming for years, and that they ate our prasadam for every meal. Still others revealed it was their first time, and I was delighted to see them return for more later in the week.

On the last day of the festival, the Ratha Yatra was bittersweet. The festival-goers seemed more enthusiastic than ever to see the devotees coming down the street in front of the beautiful Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, and Lady Subadhra on the tall chariot. They joined in, pulling the rope and singing and dancing with the devotees. I remembered H.H. Indradyumna Maharaja had mentioned that our festival site was known for being particularly clean at Woodstock - and boy, was he right. Outside of our bubble, the ground was littered with beer cans, trash, and discarded clothing and shoes. I barely noticed or appreciated the devotees picking up trash around the clock in our festival site, but suddenly, outside of the bubble that was Krishna’s Village of Peace, the filth was apparent.. This was a glowing reminder Krishna consciousness can provide a safe haven just like this in the material world.

The devotees who came from all over the world to volunteer their time and energy are truly a special group. Not once, over the course of the whole week, did I hear a single complaint about anything. The devotees, especially the little ones who tailed Indradyumna Maharaja and acted as his adorable, personal entourage, were always engaged, enthusiastic, and eager to do more. There was never a shortage of work, but there was also never a shortage of people willing to step in and do what was needed. Everyone was bonded together in their shared goal to expose the people of Woodstock to the bliss that is Krishna Consciousness. Somehow, despite the dozens of languages spoken and immeasurable differences in backgrounds of the devotees, there was rarely any miscommunication. As His Holiness Indradyumna Swami said in his own words, Woodstock truly was the “United Nations of the spiritual world.”

In Indradyumna Maharaja’s own words: “Krsna’s Village of Peace has been an integral part of the Polish Woodstock Festival since it’s inception 22 years ago. This year was no exception as 550 devotees came together from around the world to create a veritable spiritual dhama in the midst of the 800,000 young people who attended the 3 day event on the Polish border, just 2 hours drive from Berlin. Utilizing kitchen facilities in 3 nearby schools, as well as two giant pots onsite, devotees distributed 100,320 full plates of delicious prasadam. They also distributed over 1,000 of Srila Prabhupada books and entertained people with a 5 hour stage show each afternoon in the main tent in Krsna’s Village Of Peace. One of the more popular scenes in the village was the Mantra Yoga Tent where prominent ISKCON kirtnaeers like Bada Haridas, Madhava dasa, Sacinandana Swami, Indradyumna Swami, Mahatma dasa, Sri Prahlad and Acyuta Gopi dasi held kirtan 12 hours a day. The tent was packed with guests day and night. Devotees also held Ratha Yatra, with a massive chariot, through the throngs of people on 4 separate occasions. All in all, it was truly a great yajna.”

I grew up reading these words in Indradyumna Maharaja's diary: Every step is dance, every word is song, every day a festival.” Living that truth was incredible. It was intense; it was exhausting, but in the most fulfilling of ways. Language held no barriers as devotees from all over the world interacted and engaged in devotional service together. Borders melted away as did my inhibitions and misgivings about Krishna Consciousness. I realized that it was not about striking a balance. it was about inundating Krishna into every aspect of your life, doing everything as a service to him. Woodstock was a gigantic effort of immense magnitude. It was a direct representation of the very ideals of our ISKCON movement. It offers full immersion into Krishna Consciousness. It demands discipline and compassion and an attitude of service. But the results were truly spectacular. And none of it would have been possible without the endless mercy of His Grace Srila Prabupada, and His Holiness Indradyumna Swami. As Indradyumna Swami said in his istagosthi lecture, “Even one Woodstock is enough to make the history books.” And this Woodstock 2016 surely did.

Check out His Holiness Indradyumna Swami’s Facebook page for more pictures and videos:https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/media_set?set=vb.1321748113&type=2

Picture/Video Credit: Ananta Vrindavan Das

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30345

In spiritual life we follow four regulative principles: no intoxication, no meat eating, no gambling and no illicit sex. However, in the present age of Kali people think that happiness in life is derived by breaking these principles. Sadly, this sometimes results in incarceration.

ISKCON Vrindavan’s Namhatta Department has been visiting various local prisons and the devotees are seeing a miraculous turnabout on the part of the prisoners whose lives were previously centered around breaking these principles.  Preaching the Yuga Dharma of Harinaam Sankirtan and chanting of the Lord’s Holy Names, the team, headed by RakhalRaja Prabhu and Brij Vilas Prabhu, has visited different city prisons namely in Agra, Mathura, Gwalior, Bharatpur and Dholpur over 45 times.

Strange as it may seem, the in-house prisoners have wholeheartedly taken to Harinaam Sankirtan. Additionally, they are reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and chanting 8 to 64 rounds of holy names on a daily basis. The jailors and the administration team gladly report the visible change in behaviour of the prisoners who are following spiritual standards. They eagerly express their gratitude to the ISKCON Namhatta Department and invite them to visit the prison houses over and over again.

Source:http://www.iskconvrindavan.com/jail-preaching/

I’ve been encouraged by Vijaya Prabhu, Bhrgupati Prabhu, and the Los Angeles Temple President, Svavasa Prabhu, to write this story. I would like to include a name and picture of the main person in the story, but considering the situation, it could be a bit risky. For now I’ll call my friend “Al”.
After the 2016 Orlando shootings due to religious violence, I was having a lot of doubts in my mind. I wasn’t too sure about Islam, and I was considering whether this was truly a bona fide religion. Hearing my doubts, Krishna then sent me the perfect person.
I was approached by a man in his thirties named Al, from Saudi Arabia, while distributing books at a book table. We spoke for about thirty minutes, and he was asking intelligent questions. He wasn’t challenging at all, and seemed very inquisitive. He ended up taking nine big books, and gave me a hundred-dollar donation. I was really impressed.
Two days later, he came to our Govinda’s restaurant with his Muslim friends, and we all had lunch together. I was really amazed to see how Krishna was clearing my doubts in such a mystical and perfect way. It doesn’t end there.
Recently, during the 2016 Los Angeles Rathayatra festival, Al dressed in a dhoti and kurta that he purchased there. He had a bag in his hand, along with all his old clothes, and said he “feels free now.” I couldn’t believe it. We had a great time connecting, and I introduced him to the BBT Trustee for the Far East and Middle East, Satyanarayan Prabhu. They got along great, and Al took more books in his own language.
Al will be going back to Saudi Arabia within a month. He was just here completing his masters degree at a university. He just messaged me today after the festival, and thanked me for such a wonderful time. He specifically said:
“The Rathayatra parade was a great and beautiful journey. I’m sure those excellent moments will carry my soul forever. ”
Krishna is amazing.
Jaya Caitanya Dasa

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30359

Krishna-kripa Das: Dhirashanta Goswami, as part of his japa workshop at the Vaishnava Summer Festival (Baltic), graded devotees’ bead bags on a scale of 1 to 10. Cleanliness counts for a lot. He advises to wash them a minimum of once a week. Mine was not washed since the Czech Padayatra and Polish Festival tour and thus I only got 4 of 10. I shall try to keep the standard of washing once a week from now on. :-)

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30361

Kenneth R. Valpey (born December 18, 1950) is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Theologian who studied at Oxford University, St Cross College (1999–2004). While there, he conducted his research at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. He has a D.Phil. from Oxford University, where his dissertation was on Chaitanya Vaishnava murti-seva. He is also a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in which Krishna Ksetra Das (spiritual name given to him by Srila Prabhupada) acts as an initiating spiritual master, or guru. He is a professor at Bhaktivedanta College where the central program of study is in Vaishnava Theology. There he teaches courses in Vaishnava Vedanta. He teaches at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and has a Fellowship at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. At present he is working with Ravi M. Gupta on a ‘companion’ to the Bhagavata Purana, and on a translation of a 16th-century Sanskrit Vaisnava ritual texts in corroboration with Dr. Mans Broo (Abo Akademie, Finland). Having taught courses in Indian and Asian religions for the year 2006 at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and having taught for the academic year 2007-08 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, he continues to teach at Chinese University of Hong Kong each Autumn semester as a visiting scholar.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30304

“The Walking Monk” made a stop in Omaha on Tuesday as part of his journey across America to celebrate his faith and promote an active, healthy lifestyle.

“It’s about going back to the basics,” Bhaktimarga Swami said. “Like Gandhi said, a simple life, high thinking. I see this as doing both of those things.”

Swami, 63, is a Hindu monk from Canada. He is walking from New York to San Francisco to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hare Krishna religious movement, which emphasizes spiritual well-being and clean, simple living.

Swami changed his name from John Peter Vis when he became a monk in 1973. He wears an orange robe and black Crocs on his feet.

He considers walking an ideal form of exercise, he said, because anyone can do it, and it allows time for self-reflection.

This tour is broken into three parts. He started last fall in Boston, went to New York, then into Pennsylvania. The second leg started again in Pennsylvania over Mother’s Day weekend and took him to Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska. He arrived in Omaha on Tuesday.

Next up is Grand Island on Wednesday, where he’ll stop his journey before completing the third leg of the trip next summer.

Swami, who also practices yoga, said he started walking long distances to get away from the chaos of the world.

He has walked across Canada four times. He’s also trekked through Ireland (he said it was wet), Israel (dry), Ghana (hot) and Trinidad (humid).

It hasn’t been easy walking through the Midwest, he said. Swami usually gets up at 4 a.m. to beat the heat and averages about 20 miles a day.

“It’s been a hot, sweaty summer,” he said.

Source:http://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/fitness/walking-monk-makes-his-way-through-omaha-on-long-hot/article_ffcbeffb-3a1c-53eb-a579-d281a7a60853.html

Ananda Vrinavana Devi Dasi: In spiritual parlance there are ‘thin’ places in the world. These are holy places, sacred spaces, where the line between the spiritual and materials worlds is very thin and the ability to feel and perceive our relationship with Krishna is heightened. It’s easier to chant there, to call Krishna deeply from the heart, and thus to call ourselves to experience our spiritual selves.
There are also thin days (and even thin times in the day). Janmastami is one such day. Although Krishna is unborn and eternal, he ‘takes birth’ in this world to share Himself with us and remind us of our relationship with Him. On this day He is extra-present.
So, on Janmastami try to consciously seek a sense of Krishna. Make an effort to spend time with Him in a mood of appreciation and love. Whatever we do for an ordinary loved one’s birthday – buy a gift, write a card, spend some time – do for Krishna. Treat Him as a person, as an individual, because that’s ultimately what He is – the supreme personality of godhead.
If we make the journey to the Temple on Janmastami lets leave behind our petty material desires. They are like asking for pebbles instead of seeking gold. Remember it’s a thin day – that means that we can sense Krishna’s presence more easily. What do we want to be thinking when we stand before the Deities?
The great teachers, “acharyas”, say that we should pray for everything spiritual and nothing material. Material will come and go as it’s ordained, but spiritual we have to dig out, uncover, nurture, build, and grow. Pray for that – for enthusiasm to revive our lost relationship with Krishna, for service to deepen that relationship, and for strength to honor, treasure and protect our sometimes fragile link between ourselves and Krishna.
A sign in one temple in India reads “Leave your shoes and your ego at the door”. On this sacred day of Janmastami lets put our material ego in a box and keep it under the bed. Today, understand your true ego, your true self – as a servant of Krishna. Bring that with you and place it before the Lord. ‘Today I am your servant, I am yours. Kindly accept me.”
That is the best prayer and the best gift of all.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30315

We all like a good story. It makes our day, inspires our heart, and we experience a gamut of emotions. When it comes to Krishna’s birth story he doesn’t disappoint. In Sanskrit, stories about God are called Lila. This is to remind us that His stories are not of the world, although sometimes taking place in the world.

There are many reasons Krishna comes here, and they converge, layer upon layer, story upon story, to create ”Lila”. For his birth Lila, Janmastami, we’ll pick up the action in the prison house of Kamsa, a paranoid selfish king, who created seriously dangerous conditions for the citizens of the world. Krishna’s parents, Vasudeva and Devaki, were imprisoned there – part of Kamsa’s reign of terror as prophecy told that their child would be the ruin of Kamsa. When it was time for Krishna’s birth, his mother was more beautiful than ever before and Kamsa, who was waiting to kill the child, knew that this was the one. His time of waiting was over, and he had his target under lock and key.

The saying “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” is appropriate here. And Krishna says in the Gita, “Of cheaters, I am the greatest cheat.” So while Kamsa was sleeping, Krishna took birth quietly in the darkness of the midnight hour. To protect Him from Kamsa he was concealed in a basket and taken from the prison, carried across a wild and raging river, and brought to a small village called Gokul. There he was exchanged with a baby girl; she was returned to the prison house.

The baby girl, of course, was no ordinary one. This was Yogamaya, the powerful energy of Krishna. The following day, when Kamsa came to claim the newborn, she was ready. Being so fearful that this was the child who was destined to kill him, he took her from her mother and got ready to smash the delicate child on the ground. But Yogamaya slipped from his hands, took on her real form, and told Kamsa the real Krishna was elsewhere. Krishna was safe, Kamsa was devastated, and his parents elated.

More than just coming to remove the pride of the foolishly arrogant and greedy rulers, Krishna comes to delight, rescue, entertain and enliven his devotees. To those who depend on Him he brings Himself into their lives in thrilling scenes of last minute rescues and dramatic endings. This churns emotions and pulls the hearts of all who love Him. And we are also brought into these Lilas just by our very listening to them, our reflection and appreciation of them, and our growing affection for them.

Janmastami comes but once a year, but if we let the Lila sink in we can access the relationship that’s open to us with Krishna long after the bells are quiet and the midnight songs are sung. Being part of Krishna’s story will bring light and sunshine into our own. That’s the power of Lila.

Source:http://iskconofdc.org/janmastami-lila/

In the heart of the Belgian Ardennes, near Durbuy, lies the fairytale castle of Petite Somme. The castle has a long history which now houses the spiritual community, Radhadesh Ardennes. The new residents have thoroughly restored the castle and transformed it into a true spiritual oasis where you can explore the colorful culture of the Indian traditions. The castle is now one of the main attractions of the Ardennes and is open to visitors every day.

History of the Castle

The earliest record we have found about the castle dates back to the 11th century. It is said that in 1065 the owner of the castle, Gozelon de Montaigu, plundered the property of the Abbey of Saint Hubert. When he died his widow, feeling guilty about her husband’s misbehavior, offered the castle, the church, and her subjects to the Abbey of Saint-Hubert. As a result the area then belonged to the bishop of Liege. Later in the same century the castle became part of a defensive territory.

In the beginning of the 14th Century, Jean de Bohême added a tower to the castle. At that time the castle was included in the defensive strategy of the north of Luxemburg. Luxemburg had acquired the castle in lieu of a debt it was owed.

From 1461–1774 the castle became the property of the Hamal family, after which it was connected with several aristocratic families from the Benelux and beyond, including the Favereau family. There are no parts of the original castle still in existence.

Lord Charles de Favereau demolished what had served as the Hamal family residence and rebuilt a country home of bricks on its foundations. The castle remained the property of the Favereau’s until 1877.

Louise Marie Eulalie, who was related to Baron Victor Albert de Favereau, inherited the castle in 1877. At that time the new owners demolished the brick mansion built by Charles de Favereau and rebuilt the present castle in 1888 in the neo-egothic style. All that was left of the old buildings was a part of an outbuilding and a pointed door with the weapons of the de Hamal and the de Grane families. At that time most of the estate’s trees were cleared.

During WWI, the de Vaux family used the castle as a hospital to take care of the wounded. During the fighting several houses in the village of Petite Somme were destroyed and villagers found shelter in the castle. Some of the castle’s outbuildings were also burnt down.

Then in WWII, during the battle of Von Rundstedt, American soldiers occupied the castle. During that time many of the resistance fighters who were operating nearby were killed.

The earl, Charles de Jourda, died in 1946, at which time the castle with its 400 acres of forest was sold.

From 1948 to 1949, a group of philanthropists worked to establish the Château as a holiday center and rest camp for students and scholars. It contained a school, a youth hostel, a camp site, a hotel, and a restaurant.

The Château was sold in 1975 to Serge Fransevitch, a broker from Brussels. Thereafter it remained unoccupied for nearly 5 years. Then, in 1979 it was bought by ISKCON who initiated renovation work.