Hare Krishna
Dear Devotees,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The second edition of “The Book of Icebreakers” is now available.

Sometimes, even among devotees, there can be a little – or a lot – of awkwardness in the air. Either no one knows what’s going on, or no one knows who anyone is. The problem still remains the same: it’s awkward.

That is why we have come up with The Book of Icebreakers, perfect for “breaking the ice”.

This book is not only for introductions. It has more than 300 ideas for your Bhakti-vriksha meetings, home programs, youth retreats, seminars, decision-making sessions, reunions, and any time you want to add spice to a gathering. It is full of fun games and activities which can take only a few minutes, and has proved to be a great success.

We would like to thank the following devotees for their kind donations which have been directed to help cover the costs for the editing and printing of the books:
Srivallabha Prabhu
Janesvari Mataji
Divyangi Lalita Mataji
Lakshmi Gopi Sundari Mataji
Kesava Gaura Prabhu
Ramani Radhika Mataji

We need USD 437.5 more to completely cover the rest of the cost. If you would like to contribute towards this project, please visit this link: http://www.iskconcongregation.com/projects

Get your book today at: http://www.iskconcongregation.com/content/book-icebreakers-0

Your servant,
Gourangi Gandharvika devi dasi

Jagannath Katha by Lokanath Swami on 15 June 2015 at Chamorshi

(Born in Aravade, a small village Maharashtra, Indian, he went to Mumbai for studying. In the year 1971, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was touring India with his foreign disciples and had organized a pandal program in Mumbai.)

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Lecture on Failure and Success in Krishna Consciousness by HH Giriraj Swami on 31 May 2015 at Gita Nagari

(Giriraj Swami was born Glenn Phillip Teton in the home of a respected Chicago lawyer. He met His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)

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Lecture on Shikshastakam - Verse 02  by HG Kundal Krishna Prabhu on 07 June 2015 at ISKCON Mira Road

(His Grace Kundal Krishna Prabhu is a disciple of His Holiness Radha Govind Goswami Maharaj.He is preaching in Bhavnagar (Gujarat) and in ISKCON Mira Road.)

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Lecture on The Fruit of Abhyasa Yoga by HH Niranjana Swami on 04 June 2015 at Beltsi Moldova

(His Holiness Niranjana Swami was born on December 10, 1952, in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. In 1972, his spiritual search took a turning point when he saw a Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, on the counter of a bookshop in Washington, DC.)

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Varnasrama-dharma Comes Later

By Kesava Krsna dasa – GRS

For many years the debate has raged on about varnasrama-dharma. Is varnasrama-dharma feasible? How to implement it? How do we identify our own caste? Is it workable? Do we need it? And so on and so on. As of yet, though varying opinions abound, we have not reached a consensus.

We know Srila Prabhupada wanted the system up and working. We also know that present conditions within Iskcon may not accommodate a sudden dividing of the social orders. Why so? Because the ‘Vaisnava’ factor overrules much of the expectations derived from varnasrama-dharma.

Let us take the great soul Sriman Jayananda prabhu for example. As a Vaisnava he was performing multi-tasks befitting actions performed in all the varnas. As the happy transcendental dustbin man [Sudra activity] he managed the temple’s waste. As a taxi driver he earned much needed income for the temple [Vaisya activity]. When guests arrived, he would be the charming host and hospitality representative able to preach about Krsna [Brahmana activity]. In matters of temple maintenance he managed the temples’ affairs [Ksatriya tendency]. All these actions combined enacted from a Vaisnava standpoint endeared him to Srila Prabhupada and the devotees. In this situation, who needs separate bin men, drivers, hosts, preachers and the rest? The Vaisnava can criss-cross the varnas for the pleasure of Sri Sri Guru and Krsna. BG 4.13 purport says: “And as Krsna is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Krsna consciousness is also transcendental to all divisions of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community, nation or species.”

This is not to say however, that for society as a whole; and our International society for Krsna consciousness, we must not incorporate varnasrama-dharma. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has warned in his Chaitanya Siksamrta, third rainfall, that any society which functions without varnasrama-dharma will never last. He gave the example of India. Ever since the beginning of Treta-yuga the divisions of human society remained intact. Since the time of Sri Parasarama, friction ensued between the brahmanas and ksatriyas, which led to a gradual erosion of standards culminating in a caste system based on birth. In Kali-yuga this rigid and unjust tradition corrupted the orders by allowing unqualified people to man the positions. Unqualified brahmanas meant impiety. Less than able ksatriyas could not defend against foreign outcaste invaders leading to centuries of subjugation. The vaisyas then lost the entrepreneurial zest contributing to economic decline. The sudras lost their livelihood and many converted to outcaste religions. In spite of foreign occupation, resilience in the people kept them committed to Sanatana-dharma due to varnasrama-dharma. This sustaining power is required if Iskcon is going to weather the storms meted out by the agents of Kali. Srila Prabhupada concurs: “In the best interest of human society there must be such divisions of human life, otherwise no social institution can grow in a healthy state.” SB 1.2.13 purport.

We often hear that varnasrama-dharma is for everybody. Is it? It is naturally present in all societies and practiced by all people knowingly or unknowingly, as BG 4.13 says. But theirs is done in outcaste mode without respect for devotional service. It is only meant for human beings. How many human beings are there? Very few indeed. In the purport to SB 1.15.39 Srila Prabhupada states; “the system of four orders of life and four castes in terms of quality and work, known as varnasrama-dharma, is the beginning of human life….” Elsewhere he says: “The varnasrama-dharma is prescribed for civilized human beings just to train him to successfully terminate human life.” SB 1.9.26. Clearly, varnasrama-dharma is meant for those who accept a spiritual master and are a living a life worthy of progressive Aryans. Those who do not come to this standard are outcastes.

If we calculate how many people worldwide fit the relevant human description, in terms of belonging to a bona-fide sampradaya and displaying civilized conduct, we are looking at a tiny sample. In fact we can only look to the initiated devotees or seriously aspiring congregation members to plan any varnasrama scheme. With so few we can hardly be expected to make a workable model for versatile vaisnavas. Introducing varnasrama-dharma would be a useless exercise if not done properly: “The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.” SB 1.2.8.

Quite often devotees who take to the grhastha asrama wonder what their actual varnasrama status is. After a spell in the brahmacari asrama, or in some cases the sannyasa asrama, one takes to married life outside the temple and begins earning money. How the money is earned is not always in line with the natural inclination of the devotee. If a devotee sells goods at a flea market, but his inner mood is to write or paint, does this make him a Vaisya? Certainly not. His means of livelihood are circumstantial and do not reflect his real tendency by which his real Varna position can be gauged. His is more an act of duty, not necessarily an inclination.

In the same Chaitanya Siksamrta, Srila Bhaktivinoda says that generally, after a person has been educated and before he commences work life, his – svabhava – or tendency can be determined and is subsequently identified with a particular caste. He further says that if one cannot work out his position he should consult a spiritual master, wise counsel or the community. In any case, the situation is somewhat different for a devotee. Srila Prabhupada writes: “Ultimately the aim of varnasrama-dharma is to turn a crude man into a pure devotee of the Lord, or a Vaisnava.” SB 1.2.2 purport. He is indicating, as Srila Bhaktivinoda does, that varnasrama-dharma is an assistant to bhakti, not the means itself. Lord Chaitanya says to Srila Ramananda Raya – eho bahy, age kahaara – “This is external. You had better tell Me of some other means.” CC Madhya 8.59. Srila Prabhupada further says in the same purport: “Anyone therefore, who becomes a Vaisnava accepted by the first class Vaisnava, or uttama-adhikari Vaisnava, is already considered a brahmana, regardless of his birth or past deeds.”

In Iskcon, everyone who accepts second initiation is a brahmana. Those in good standing may have an aptitude to do what is necessary to keep the temple engine running smoothly, by way of DIY fix-it jobs and more. If he were governed by a varnasrama arrangement he may not be allowed to cross the threshold as a Vaisnava would, and so end up being restrained in his desire to do anything for the pleasure of the Lord. Sri Narada Muni instructs Maharaja Yudhisthira: “If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, .even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.”SB 7.11.35.

Many brahmana devotees are naturally good at earning money. The ksatriya tendency can only be geared towards administration, management and a little protection. To be truly martial, a defence force would be required which in the eyes of a secular society, be a threatening para-military force. How many devotees are sudras? Could we have the audacity to label a Vaisnava in good standing a sudra? We see glimpses of varnasrama tendencies in various devotees, but Iskcon’s set up is too versatile for varnasrama-dharma at present. A devotee lawyer may volunteer to set up the question and answer booth during Ratha-yatra. A brahmana may volunteer to cut vegetables for the Sunday feast.

Iskcon is certainly established in the asramas. The well defined positions are as clear as the dress codes, though the vanaprastha asrama may need more attention. So far, Iskcon has persevered on this basis. In time, when more and more human beings join our ranks, who have more social connections and expertise to enable the establishment of devotee retirement homes, life assurance for dependents, business networking opportunities to employ devotees, and general devotee welfare and protection; and when Iskcon can offer some clout and influence in society and so on, then varnasrama-dharma will be needed to bolster the way forward into a healthy future.

Ys, Kesava Krsna dasa – GRS.

God Is Great—and Sweet

By Chaitanya Charana Dasa

Scriptures like the Srimad-Bhagavatam reveal that God is not only the omnipotent creator and stern judge, but a delightfully innocent child as well.

“I would believe only in a god who could dance,” wrote German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. During his times, God was generally portrayed as a frozen perfection—remote, static, and wholly unsociable. No wonder Nietzsche was disillusioned.

He might have been pleasantly surprised to hear about Krishna, the God who dances with spellbinding expertise on the hoods of the venomous serpent Kaliya; the God who dances to the tune of His mother just to get butter; the God who dances with the gopis during the rasa-lila, a celebration of divine love; the God known as Vrindavana-natabara, the best dancer in the pastoral paradise of Vrindavana.

Krishna is a mesmerizing blend of greatness and sweetness. All theistic traditions assert that God is great. Krishna graphically demonstrates that greatness. In the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita Krishna gives Arjuna a glimpse of His awe-inspiring greatness by displaying His universal form, one of the greatest mystical visions in world literature. Arjuna saw within the universal form—within Krishna—everything and everyone in existence. He saw all the planets, stars, and universes as well as all living beings, whether celestial, terrestrial, or subterranean. When Krishna was on earth He also exhibited His omnipotence by effortlessly conquering numerous powerful demons who were the scourges of the universe.

Most endearingly, Krishna delights, not in the magnificence of godhood, but in the sweetness of uninhibited love. This brings us to a concept unique to Vedic theology, that of lila, or transcendental pastimes, as well as to a related concept: maya.
The Mystery of Maya

“Maya is one of the most beautiful concepts in the history of religion.” This remark by Indologist Daniel H. H. Ingalls is intriguing because Maya is generally considered the illusory energy that tempts and misleads us into forms of enjoyment that end in suffering. How could Maya be considered beautiful? The answer involves unraveling the mystery of the dual aspects of Maya—Yoga-maya and Maha-maya.

The word maya means “energy,” but it can also mean “that which is not” (ma, “not”; ya, “this”). Maha-maya, the Lord’s illusory energy, makes “that which is not” seem real. She deludes those who want to enjoy independent of God into forgetting their true identity as souls, as eternal servitors of God. She allures them with various proposals for material enjoyment until they become fed up and finally turn back to God and His loving service.

And for those who want to love God purely, there is another kind of illusion, a divine illusion that enhances their loving exchanges with God. The word yoga means “to connect” or “to unite,” so Yoga-maya refers to the energy of God that makes possible our loving union with God.

Let’s see how.

God is often imagined as a judge who rewards the pious and penalizes the impious. If that’s all God had to do eternally, His life would be quite boring. But devotional scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam explain that being a judge is only a tiny part of God’s multifaceted, nay omni-faceted, personality. Krishna has His own life of eternal love with His devotees in His kingdom. There He delights, not in exhibiting His godhood, but in reciprocating His devotees’ love.

In Krishna’s pastoral paradise, Vrindavana, Yoga-maya covers the devotees so that they are no longer conscious that Krishna is God; they see Him only as the most special, sweet member of their village. And He plays that role to perfection. For example, with those devotees who love Him in vatsalya-rasa (parental affection), He becomes an endearing naughty child who steals butter from their houses. The women complain to Krishna’s mother, Yashoda, Krishna artfully feigns innocence, and Yashoda is mystified until telltale butter on Krishna’s lips incriminates Him.

So celebrated are Krishna’s Vrindavana lilas that hundreds of sweet songs have been composed about them and millions of Krishna devotees delight in singing them. Indeed the great Vaishnava poet Bilvamangala Thakura glorifies Lord Krishna as the ultimate thief: “My dear Lord, O best of thieves, You who are celebrated as a butter thief in the glorious land of Vrindavana, please steal away all my sins that have accumulated over many lifetimes.

Skeptics who ask why God steals miss the essence of lila: love. Besides, being God, Krishna owns everything, so there’s no question of His stealing anything. Yet Krishna “steals” to have fun-filled loving exchanges with His devotees.
Lila Dynamics

Though like a drama, Krishna’s lila is real. It is the highest reality, the reality of the intimate love between the Lord and His devotees. In the eternally real drama of krishna-lila, Yoga-maya is the director and Krishna is the hero. But the special twist is that Krishna is also the scriptwriter and Yoga-maya directs Krishna according to His own script. Thus in His lila Krishna is simultaneously in control, as the scriptwriter, and not in control, as the perfect actor who forgets Himself while playing His role.

This is Krishna’s extraordinary world. Krishna-lila reveals the import of the saying “God is love.”
Greatness and Sweetness

For most people, and especially for the demoniac, Krishna’s greatness hides His sweetness. Krishna went as a peace messenger with sweet words to dissuade Duryodhana from the Mahabharata war. But when the arrogant prince tried to arrest Krishna, He foiled the attempt by revealing His gigantic universal form.

For the purest devotees, Krishna’s greatness gives way to His sweetness. During the rasa-lila, Krishna disappeared and then reappeared before the gopis in His majestic four-armed Vishnu form. When Radha, Krishna’s most beloved consort, bowed before Vishnu and asked Him where Krishna had gone, Krishna as Vishnu tried to artfully point in a false direction. But seeing Radha’s selfless love and Her intense anxiety caused by separation, Krishna could no longer keep up His guise. His two extra hands disappeared, and Radha beheld before Her the sweet Lord of Her heart.

As Krishna’s sweetness surpasses His greatness, so too does His love supersede His laws. The laws of karma impartially and unerringly deliver everyone their karmic dues sooner or later. But if we turn to Krishna with devotional love, He displays His sweetness as a forgiving father. His unequivocal promise in a concluding verse of the Gita (18.66) shows that His mercy transcends His justice: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

We can easily surrender to Krishna by chanting His holy names, which reveal both His greatness and His sweetness. The holy name has a great power that even nuclear weapons don’t have—the power to destroy all our negative habits and tendencies. And the holy name is so irresistibly sweet that saints desire thousands of mouths to relish its taste. Not only that, the holy name softens our heart and redirects our love to Krishna. When our heart becomes soft with love for Krishna, soft like butter, then makhana-cora (butter-thief) Krishna will come and steal it. Devotees pray and long for that ultimate love-theft.
The Ultimate Dance

Krishna and His devotees express divine love not only through humanly inconceivable ways such as thievery, but also through humanlike ways such as dancing. Spiritual savants consider the celebrated rasa dance the culmination of divine love. Although this dance appears similar to an ordinary dance involving boys and girls, we can understand its supra-mundane nature when we hear about it from faithful, learned devotees like Srila Prabhupada, who has explained it in his book Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed the rasa dance is so spiritually exalted that those advanced devotees who have absolutely no interest in mundane pleasures—like the celebrated six Gosvamis of Vrindavana—cherish and worship it in the innermost core of their hearts.

While we aspiring devotees can’t yet take part in the rasa dance, we can relish divine dance in the form of sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy names of Krishna. The exuberant singing and dancing of sankirtana are a profound and potent form of meditation. The purpose of meditation is to experience spiritual reality. Silent meditation tries to achieve this by negating the material, by deactivating the body and the mind. But since we’re habituated to physical and mental activity, wouldn’t it be easier and more natural if somehow the body and the mind could be used to raise ourselves to spiritual levels of consciousness? That is precisely what sankirtana does. Engaging the body in graceful dance for the pleasure of the Lord, and the mind in prayerful contemplation on the sound of His holy names—especially the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—quickly and efficaciously transports our consciousness to the joyful realm of divine love.

Thus sankirtana acts like spiritual-music therapy to heal the soul in the current Iron Age, Kali-yuga. Just as iron burdens the person carrying it, negative thoughts and emotions burden most people in the present age. Sankirtana floods the heart with positive, precious, golden emotions like love, faith, and joy and flushes away negative, burdensome emotions like hatred, anxiety, and sorrow.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared some five hundred years ago, revived and popularized sankirtana all over India. As the incarnation of Krishna for Kali-yuga, Lord Chaitanya displayed divine dance so enchantingly that His golden complexion, graceful gait, and intense devotional emotions charmed everyone—from aristocrats like the king of Orissa down to crime-hardened lowlifes.

Indeed, Sri Chaitanya’s dance charmed even the Muslim emperor Akbar, who lived half a century later: “Hail Thee, O Chaitanya, the victor of my heart. Mark the rhythm of this mystic dance, in lofty ecstasy quite alone. Merrily sounds the tabor, and the cymbals’ notes keep time… O my heart’s Lord, how can I express the love I have for Thee? Shah Akbar craves a drop from the sea of Thy love and piety.” (Quoted by D. C. Sen in Chaitanya and His Age.)

These verses composed by a Muslim emperor in glorification of one who is commonly considered a Hindu saint illustrate the universal appeal of the divine love Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu personified and propagated.

As a spiritual master in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s line, Srila Prabhupada, through his ISKCON, popularized the divine dance of sankirtana in our times. Chanting and dancing devotees are now a familiar sight in major cities all over the world. Given the deep theology and intense devotion that lies at its heart, this simple-looking dancing can well be called the ultimate dance.

Preaching program at Wedding Wire in D.C.

On June 10th, 2015 Radhanath Swami was invited to take part in the speaker series hosted by Wedding Wire where he was interviewed by Wedding Wire CEO Tim Chi on the subject of Happiness. Wedding Wire is a young Washington DC-based company that specializes in helping couples-to-be find anything they might need to make their wedding day as perfect as possible. They are also one of the most highly recommended companies to work for in the DC area. Tim Chi helped create a culture of friendship and teamwork among his growing staff of 200+ employees and has near 100% turnout on days of company wide service to help in the local DC community.

Radhanath Swami joked about himself being an unlikely choice for a speaker. He said he doesn’t know much about weddings being a celibate monk for the last 40 years, but he went on to give practical advice about life, relationships, life’s challenges, and foundations of lasting love. He shared about the early days of the respected charity and education projects he helped build in India and the challenges they faced. He repeatedly urged the crowd to place their love for each other, for humanity and even all creatures at the center of their lives and said true knowledge is seeing everyone as a brother or sister. He encouraged the staff to see their job of supporting weddings as an opportunity to help others build relationships of deep lasting love based on the connection of the soul. “Help people use the things they get as a way to express their love for each other. If you do that, every wedding can be a celebration of real and lasting love,” Radhanath Swami said.

Radhanath Swami’s visit drew more attendance than any speaker has so far in the series. The 120 employees that came to listen to him asked questions afterwards and spent an easy hour laughing with him, gaining wisdom and reflecting on their own journey through their lives as it was reflected in the life of Radhanath Swami. Wedding Wire staff, including John Yeung who helped organize this year’s visit, expressed gratitude for his time and inquired about him coming again next time he visits the United States.

Praying for the Welfare of Others

By Urmila Devi Dasi

On the path of pure devotion to Krishna, where does praying for others fit in?

“Thank you!” I said when a friend brought me a plate of lunch. “Can I do anything for you?”

“Please pray for me,” she replied. “Ask that I can do better service for Krishna.”

Later that day I saw a posted notice about a devotee’s illness that included a request for prayer. I often pray for others, and have also done my share of asking others to pray for me.

A few days before Sridhara Swami, an ISKCON leader and guru, left this world several years ago, I asked him if I could do anything for him. He requested me to research and write about praying for others, often called intercessory prayer.

“So many people say, ‘Would you pray for me?’ or ‘I’ll pray for you,’ but I wonder if that is just something people say, or if they really do it,” he said. “We should research how praying for others is part of spiritual life, what we pray for, and the mood we should have.”

For a deeper understanding of intercessory prayer, I turned to India’s ancient scriptures, especially the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Praying for Others

After the great war at Kurukshetra, one of the few warriors left alive on the defeated side was Ashvatthama, son of Dronacharya, the martial guru of the Pandavas. Ashvatthama wanted to ensure that the dynasty of the victors at Kurukshetra, the Pandavas, would end with them. He therefore killed the Pandavas’ five sons, but a grandson was lying in embryo within the young widow Uttara, wife of Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu.

Ashvatthama was a brahmana by birth though not by character. Still, he knew how to use supernatural weapons and could cause an abortion from a distance with a brahmastra that could home in on a specific target. Ashvatthama threw the weapon at Uttara’s womb, and she felt her child to be in danger. She raced to Arjuna and Krishna.

“Let the weapon destroy me if you like,” she prayed to Lord Krishna, “but please save my baby!”

Krishna then entered her womb in a four-armed form, foiling Ashvatthama. The Pandava line would continue.

In this historical account from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, a devotee of Krishna prays for another’s welfare. There are other notable examples in scripture of prayer for others. Prahlada asked the Lord to give mercy to his father, who had tried to kill him numerous times. King Ambarisha also prayed that his would-be murderer, Durvasa, be excused.

Some notable devotees have prayed for forgiveness for a family member who committed an offense to others. When the serpent Kaliya attacked Krishna, his wives prayed for his release. When the sage Samika’s son cursed King Parikshit to die, the sage begged Krishna for his son’s pardon.

There are also historical examples of devotees praying for others’ spiritual enlightenment. Vasudeva Datta, an associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, asked to take on others’ sinful karmic reactions so they could attain bhakti, love of God. Prahlada and Lord Brahma both implored the Lord to grant spiritual benedictions to people in general.

Although there are few instances in scripture of praying for others’ protection from disease, injury, and general harm, we do find that Yashoda Devi, Krishna’s mother, often prayed for her son’s protection, and the context seems to indicate that such prayers for others’ bodily safety were a common part of the cultural tradition that surrounds ancient India’s spirituality.
The Role of Mood

Prayer to God could be considered an inherently pure activity, but intent or mood affect the purity of prayer. So, while prayer to God is one of the items of pure devotional service, those who offer prayers for others should consider their own motives. We do not want to try to use God as our servant.

Often, prayer for others takes the form of asking God to relieve someone of suffering. Due to the law of karma, people suffer as a reaction to their own sinful deeds. Ultimately it is Krishna, or His deputed agents, who have ordained suffering for the person’s rectification. So, when we pray for others, are we presuming to know better than God how to run the universe, or one life within it? No. We are simply trying to develop our natural relationship of dependence on Him. Even the most exalted saintly devotees naturally turn to Krishna when they or others are in danger. Such dependence is the natural loving relationship of the pure soul to Krishna.

Praying for others focuses our attention on Krishna rather than on thinking ourselves the controllers of the world. If we don’t turn to Krishna, we might develop a mood of carelessness and irresponsibility in our dealings with others, even becoming cold-hearted in response to others’ difficulties. Taking our time and energy to pray for others helps us develop selflessness.

Those who pray for others in a mood of pure love for Krishna know that everything is up to Him. It is not the volume or intensity of prayer that changes a situation; it is Krishna and His will. It is true that there are cases in scripture where the Lord changes things at the behest of His devotees. But while Krishna may sometimes change His decisions out of love for those who petition Him, He always has the ultimate deciding power. Those who pray for others, therefore, think, “Whatever you want, Lord, is all good.”

Throughout the scriptures, those who want spiritual enlightenment are advised to do good for others. Activities to benefit others are both a prime symptom of spiritual advancement and an essential part of the process to achieve enlightenment. Offering intercessory prayer can enhance such a mood of openhearted service.

What Can We Pray For?

We have considered the mood of offering prayers for others, but what of the content? Is it within the realm of pure devotional service to Krishna to pray for others’ health, family, and finances? When we examine Prabhupada’s prayers for others, we find that he does include health or prosperity, but always within the context of spiritual service. [See the sidebar “Examples of Intercessory Prayer.”] Like Prabhupada, we can certainly ask Krishna to grant others a fit body for a long life in His service. Of course, since the definition of “service” to Krishna is what Krishna desires, those who pray like this accept that the best service a person could render might be in a situation different from what we imagine is best.

Asking Others to Pray for Us

So far we have considered prayers for others in circumstances where the person praying took the initiative without the request or expressed desire from the person for whom the prayers were offered. There are also, however, numerous examples of devotees who request others to beseech the Lord on their behalf. King Prataparudra asked many devotees to beg Lord Chaitanya to grant him a meeting. Srila Prabhupada would sometimes ask his disciples to pray for his recovery from disease so he could finish his spiritual master’s mission.

Asking others to pray for us is not contrary to the mood of pure love for Krishna we’re trying to cultivate. We are not trying to manipulate Krishna, but are asking others to pray for us because of a natural humility—a feeling that others’ prayers will be more valuable than our own. We do well to remember that when we ask spiritually mature persons to offer prayers on our behalf, they will think of our ultimate benefit, not just whatever we may be asking for. They might, therefore, ask the Lord for us to graciously accept His will, whatever it may be.

Both those who pray for others, whether asked or not, and those who request others to pray for them can remember that the results of prayer are not always visible or obvious. Krishna is happy to fulfill the honest prayers of His devotees, but sometimes He gives a better result than what is asked for. In our limited conception of reality, we may not always be able to see the greater good in the situation that Krishna arranges. God is all-good and all-merciful, the most powerful controller and our best friend. So, all that happens, whether bad or good from our limited material vision, is for our benefit.

Srila Prabhupada explains how a devotee views happiness and distress:

A fully Krishna conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the grace of the Lord, are minimized to the lowest. Similarly, when he is happy he gives credit to the Lord, thinking himself unworthy of the happiness; he realizes that it is due only to the Lord’s grace that he is in such a comfortable condition and able to render better service to the Lord.—Bhagavad-gita 2.56, Purport

In summary, for intercessory prayer to be part of pure devotional service to Lord Krishna, it should be free of desires outside of that service, and it should ask for something favorable to the Lord. Such prayers should not stem from excessive attachment to the world. We can engage in intercessory prayer to deepen our relationship with Krishna, to develop a mood of humility and compassion for others, and with a desire to glorify our beloved Lord.

Examples of Intercessory Prayer

Requesting others to pray for oneself

Srila Prabhupada: I came here [to America] with a great mission to execute my spiritual master’s order, but my heart is stabbing me. … If I die in this condition, my mission will remain unfulfilled. Please therefore pray to Prabhu Lord Chaitanya and Vrindaban Bihar [Krishna] to rescue me this time. My mission is still not finished. (Letter to Sri Krishna Pandit, 1967)

Requesting the Lord to forgive an offender

Prahlada Maharaja said, “O Supreme Lord, … [my father] directly blasphemed Your Lordship, the spiritual master of all living beings, and committed heavily sinful activities directed against me, Your devotee. I wish that he be excused for these sinful activities.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.10.15–17)

King Ambarisha said, “I wish … that this brahmana [Durvasa] be freed from the burning caused by the Sudarshana chakra.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.5.10)

Then the rishi [Samika] prayed to the all-pervading Personality of Godhead to pardon his immature boy, who had no intelligence and who committed the great sin of cursing a person who was completely free from all sins, who was subordinate, and who deserved to be protected. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.18.47)

“At least once, a master should tolerate an offense committed by his child or subject. O supreme peaceful Soul, You should therefore forgive our foolish husband [Kaliya], who did not understand who You are.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.16.51)

Requesting the bodily protection of another

Uttara said, “A fiery iron arrow is coming towards me fast. My Lord, let it burn me personally, if You so desire, but please do not let it burn and abort my embryo. Please do me this favor, my Lord.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.10)

[The women of Vrindavana prayed for Krishna’s protection:] “May Aja protect Your legs, may Maniman protect Your knees, Yajna Your thighs, Acyuta the upper part of Your waist, and Hayagriva Your abdomen. May Keshava protect Your heart, Isha Your chest, the sun-god Your neck, Vishnu Your arms, Urukrama Your face, and Ishvara Your head.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.6.22)

Requesting the welfare of the world

Prahlada Maharaja said, “May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9)

Vasudeva Datta to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: “My dear Lord, You incarnate just to deliver all conditioned souls. I now have one petition, which I wish You would accept. My Lord, my heart breaks to see the sufferings of all the conditioned souls; therefore I request You to transfer the karma of their sinful lives upon my head. My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life.” (Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya 15.160, 162, 163)

Various prayers in Prabhupada’s letters

“I pray to Krishna for your more and more advancement of Krishna consciousness.”

“I am thinking of you and your husband and of the nice devotional service you are performing, and I pray that Krishna will give you more and more intelligence to continue in this way.”

“I will pray for your ever increasing advancement in Krishna consciousness.”

“I am praying to Krishna to offer you all His strength in the discharge of His noble service.”

“I pray that you will live long for chanting Hare Krishna continuously.”

“I am praying always to Krishna that the boys and girls who have stretched their helping hand in this country in this connection may always be in good health and continue to assist me in my missionary activities.”

“I am praying for your long life and prosperity in Krishna consciousness.”

“I pray that Krishna may bless you with a long life with which to open many temples and that in this very lifetime you may return back to home, back to Godhead.”

“I am fully aware of your sincere service and therefore I pray always to Krishna for your all-round welfare.”

“I pray to Krishna that you may give a starting to such an ashrama in full Krishna consciousness.”

“I am praying to Krishna that He will favor you with that new house for conducting His preaching work.”

“I pray to Krishna that you all may use your intelligence for Krishna’s service and not for any personal ambition.”

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New Vrindaban's 24 Hour Kirtan 2015

Dear devotees,

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

The *24 hour kirtan is coming soon!* The kirtan festival will take place on
Saturday, June 20th through Sunday, June 21st. There will be many well
known kirtaniyas coming from all over the world, including Kadamba Kanana
Swami, Chandramauli Swami, Agnideva Prabhu, Amala Kirtan, Acutya Gopi, and
many more.

Please see the article below.

*New Vrindaban’s 24 Hour Kirtan to*

*Transport Participants to Vrindavana Dhama*

By Madhava Smullen

The ninth annual 24 Hour Kirtan festival in New Vrindaban, West Virginia is
set to give North American participants the experience of the 24 Hour
Kirtan that runs 365 days a year in the original Vrindavana Dhama, India
without having to travel thousands of miles.

Around 600 devotees from all over the U.S. and Canada are expected to
converge in the beautiful rural community that founder Srila Prabhupada
called “a new place of pilgrimage for you Western devotees.” During a 1972
visit he also commented, “This Vrindaban, that Vrindavan, no difference.”

The devotee participants will be joined by two groups of students, one from
Cleveland State University and one from Carnegie Mellon University in
Pittsburgh, attending for the first time.

Leading up to the festival, Europe-based spiritual teacher Kadamba Kanana
Swami will give three morning lectures at Sri Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra’s
temple from Thursday June 18th to Saturday June 20th on the importance of
chanting the Holy Name.

.There will also be an inauguration kirtan with Kadamba Kanana Swami,
Agnideva Das and other senior kirtaniyas on Friday evening from 7 to 10pm
at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold.

The 24 Hour Kirtan festival proper will then run from 11am on Saturday June
20th to 11am on Sunday June 21st in the temple, which will be decorated
with maha-mantra banners, harinama chaddars and lamps.

Participants will sit in a semi-circle facing the Deities. Each of the long
list of lead chanters will lead for around... one hour, and each will bring
their own flavor to an event packed full of variety.

.Kadamba Kanana Swami is known for his fired up, rocking kirtans. Agnideva
Das – who has been one of the world’s most popular chanters since the 1970s
and is now based in Trinidad – steals devotees’ hearts with his classic,
soulful style. And Brazilian kirtaniya Amala Kirtan Das, now based in
Austin, Texas, brings blissful ragas and astonishing virtuousity on the
harmonium.

.Meanwhile Ananta Govinda and Acyuta Gopi from New York raise goosebumps
with their soul folk kirtan; Mayapuri band member Krishna Kishor injects
youthful energy into proceedings; and Gaura Mani Dasi from the Vrindavana,
India-based band the Vrajadhus dovetails Bollywood songs in Krishna’s
service to create new Hare Krishna tunes that take off like wildfire.

.Local New Vrindaban chanters will also lead kirtan, including Rupanuga
Das, Abhay Das, Bhaktin Autumn, Ananda Vidya Das, and Lilasuka Dasi.

And youth and children will get a chance too – the boys from ISKCON
Alachua’s Summer Trip, aged 12 to 15, will chant for 45 minutes, while a
group of children aged 10 and under will chant for half an hour.

“It’s really important for them to have that opportunity to sing at a
festival,” says Shri-Ram Poddar, 18, who is organizing the schedule for the
festival. “They’ll love it, and it’s just a really good growing experience
for them too.”

Shri-Ram is speaking from experience. He first attended the New Vrindaban
24 Hour Kirtan in 2011 when he was 14 and uninterested in kirtan, staying
up throughout the night as an experiment. He calls it “the first devotee
festival I really enjoyed” and afterwards became passionate about kirtan.
Now he’s helping to organize both New Vrindaban’s summer and fall 24 Hour
Kirtans, and is inspired to manage other Krishna conscious events too.


.While many other kirtan festivals follow the two 12-hour days format, Shri
Ram loves New Vrindaban’s because it remains a straight 24-hour event nine
years in. This features gets participants intensely focused on the Holy
Name, and combined with New Vrindaban’s Brijabasi mood it truly recreates
the original Vrindavana 24-Hour Kirtan.

The Vrindavana mood will be particularly evident during the night time
hours, when devotees like Amala Harinama and Govinda Das, who both spent
time as part of the 24 Hour Kirtan Mandali in Vrindavana under Aindra Das,
will chant.

“Govinda Prabhu has been there since at least the early 2000s, and was with
Aindra Prabhu for at least ten years, as one of his main mridanga players,”
says Shri-Ram. “His kirtan really has Aindra’s mood.”

Most devotees will attend only select parts of the kirtan, taking rest in
between in the comfortable motel-style rooms at New Vrindaban’s Palace
Lodge (now booked up), in local hotels in Wheeling and Moundsville, or in
tents on the ISKCON New Vrindaban grounds.

Every year, however, some brave souls are so inspired that they manage to
make it through the entire 24 hours.

The prasadam helps – breakfast on Saturday and Sunday will include kichari,
granola, yoghurt, chutney, and a drink. For lunch on Saturday there’ll be
fancy rice, dahl, two subjis, macaroni, pakoras, puris, chutney, sweet
rice, and mango lassi.

The primetime evening kirtan slots from 6pm to 10 or 11pm on Saturday will
be the most packed and energetic, as will Agnideva’s grand finale on Sunday
morning, followed by a delicious Sunday Feast at 12:30pm.

Afterwards, participants are usually left hungry for more – more kirtan!
“People always say they feel very enlivened and recharged,” says Vrindavana
Das, who organizes the festival with assistant coordinator Gauranga Prasad
Das. “They always look forward to coming back again.”

And New Vrindaban has what they’re looking for. A fall 24 Hour Kirtan is
coming up on October 31st and November 1st, during the sacred month of
Kartik – which, of course is one of Vrindavana, India’s most famous
festivals.

With a more sweet, mellow mood, devotees will get to offer candles to New
Vrindaban’s beautiful Deities, and once again get the Vrindavana Dhama
experience without having to travel to India.

“Srila Prabhupada said New Vrindaban is non-different from Vrindavana,”
says Vrindavana Das. “So those who are unable to go to Vrindavana in India,
can get the same blessings and mercy of the dhama by visiting New
Vrindaban.”

 

The Departure of Sriman Brahmananda Prabhu uploaded from Hong Kong, China by Sankarshan Das Adhikari - blog - tag :"Brahmananda Prabhu"

I have sad, heart breaking news to report. Sriman Brahmananda Prabhu, one of the very first devotees who surrendered to Srila Prabhupada in 1966 in New York has now passed a few days ago from this world in the holy land of Vrindavana. This news brought tears to my eyes as I remembered this great Vaisnava. Before the Srimad Bhagavatam class we sang the song "Ye Anilo Prema Dhana" to lament our separation from this great Vaisnava.

Brahmananda Prabhu was chosen to be the first temple president soon after Prabhupada started ISKCON in New York and was subsequently given other positions of authority in Prabhupada's movement. Very personal exchanges, both while in proximity and through correspondence, testify to the fact that Srila Prabhupada and Brahmananda Prabhu were close. This is a matter of public record: Prabhupada’s faith in Brahmananda as a highly capable assistant and the love shared between the two manifested early in the movement’s history.

Here are Brahmananda Prabhu's own words describing how he first experienced the Hare Krishna mantra:

"I had brief contact with the Hare Krishna mantra before meeting Srila Prabhupada, or Swamiji as he was called at the time. I went into a book shop in the West Village and there were these little leaflets. They advertised the kirtan and Swamiji’s program at 26 Second Avenue. And it gave the mantra, but it said that one should 'Practice Transcendental Sound Vibration.' And then it said, 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.' It interested me because I was studying the Bhagavad-gita at NYU, so I knew it had something to do with that. But I couldn’t understand: What did it mean by 'Practice' Transcendental Sound Vibration? How does one practice a sound vibration? It was totally alien to me, that is, until I went down to Swamiji’s storefront. But the kirtan really impressed me. I didn’t intellectualize it; I just got into the feeling of it. The intensity of the emotion. I really loved it right from the beginning."

To tell the full extent of the great sacrifices that he made to assist Srila Prabhupada, in Krishnizing the world,  such as pioneering our movement in Pakistan and Africa, would fill volumes. I am thankful that I was blessed with the association of this great Vaisnava, Sriman Brahmananda Prabhu.  I look forward to his eternal association in the most wondrous spiritual sky.

NBS#14 Srimad Bhagavatam, The Postgraduate study of the science of Godhead

Brajsunder das
On behalf of Nityam Bhagavata-sevaya team

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!

Srimad Bhagavatam is the ripened fruit of the desire tree of Vedic literature. It has been bestowed to the world in this age of Kali by Srila Sukadev Goswami and has become more nectarean by the touch of his lips. It is the direct means of attaining Lord Krishna, and it eternally bestows love of God.
— The Glories of Srimad Bhagavatam —

NBS # 14 Features:-

1) Catuh-Shloki-Bhagavata
His Divine Grace A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

2) Means To Achieve Unflinching Faith
Srila Sukadev Goswami

3) Listening Harikatha
Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur

4) The Ten Basic Principles
Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur

5) The Ten Topics of Bhagavatam
Srila Jiva Goswami

We offer this edition at the lotus feet of our ever well wisher, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We pray this issue brings some inspiration to the devotees.

Srimad Bhagavata Anusthan for Purushottam Masa

For the upcoming Purushottama Masa(17tth June- 16th July) we would like devotees to take a sankalpa to fully absorb themselves in the reading of Srimad Bhagvatam. This would require 3-4 hours per day. Interested devotees can reach out to us at nityambhagavatasevaya@gmail.com.

Self Study Course on Srimad Bhagavatam
Devotees who would like to take advantage of the self study course on Srimad Bhagavatam can also write to us at above e-mail address.

Current issue can also be viewed through these links:

Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/doc/268367365/NBS-14-Srimad-Bhagavatam-The-Postgraduate-study-of-the-science-of-Godhead

Issuu: http://issuu.com/nbsmag/docs/nbs_14

Previous issues are available on:

Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/collections/11467839/NBS-Mag

Issuu: https://issuu.com/nbsmag/docs

ISKCON Desire Tree: http://ebooks.iskcondesiretree.com/index.php?q=f&f=%2Fpdf%2FNityam_Bhagavata_Sevaya

2015 Gita Essay Competition- Open to everyone

Haribol dear devotees,

We are running the ‘Bhagavad Gita As It Is’ Essay Competition for the second year running.
This year it is open for everyone globally to enter the competition.
There are over A$10,000 in prizes over 3 categories.
A devotee living near the New Govardhana farm in Northern New South Wales, Australia, Padma devi dasi, won the $10,000 prize last year (see picture).
Bhakti Charu Swami gave a speech on the Gita, at the award night presentation in Sydney.
Please tell everyone in your congregation about the Essay Competition and that it is open to everyone. It can be used as an outreach preaching tool, especially Youth Outreach.

Please forward this information to your database and preachers in your community.

Our website has all the details about the Competition: http://www.bgasitisessay.com.au

If you have any questions please contact me at: enquiry@bgasitisessay.com.au

Please forward me your temple email address so I can forward you on the flyer and pictures

Yours in service Satya Maharani dasi

Giving and Accepting Shelter

By Devaki Devi Dasi

Over the Easter holidays we conducted a four-day retreat in the Cologne temple with the topic of “Giving and Accepting Shelter”. It was the first time for the devotees to host such kind of event. Around 25 to 30 devotees had assembled for four days to receive insights into this deep and so relevant theme, which accompanies us throughout our entire spiritual life. Giving and accepting shelter is the very essence of spiritual practice: we are ongoingly endeavoring to take shelter – in the holy name, in Guru, Krsna and the Vaisnavas. And we are meant to qualify ourselves more and more in order to reach out to others and give shelter. It is interesting to understand how the principles of giving and accepting shelter are connected to culture. Jiva Goswami expresses this in the Madhava Mahotsava: “Though one usually ignores others in attaining one’s goals, those aspiring for prema accept dependance on others with similar goals and tastes. Thus, cooperating with each other, they worked together keeping in mind the goal of prema.”

In material life and its culture, where sense gratification is the goal of life, people ignore each other or even push each other down and out of their way. The survival of the fittest, as we call it. Competition and envy enters the relationships, which are superficial and have a business deal mentality, based on sense gratification: I scratch your back, you scratch mine. There is a lack of respect and selfless service mood towards each other. Everyone is focused on their own schedule and very busy, hardly willing to sacrifice time for others. Relationships are impersonal and self-centered, and a higher standard of life gives the illusion of independence and freedom.

In spiritual life and its culture, where self realization is the goal of life, things are quite the opposite: people like to accept internal dependance on others who have a similar mood and taste. Relationships are based on respect and selfless service towards each other, and it is most natural for seniors and more experienced persons to reach out to youngers to affectionately uplift them. And it is most natural for juniors to offer respect and service to seniors and inquire from them in submission in order to receive guidance. And thus the relationships are deep and meaningful.

Garuda Purana explains: “One cannot be liberated without association with a pure devotee of the Lord. And unless one shows mercy to those in an inferior position, one’s life will be superficial.” And not only one’s life, but one’s relationships as well.

Material relationships are based on sense gratification. As devotees, we want to eliminate this basis, but unless we replace it with something higher, there will be a vacuum in our relationships. We have to replace sense gratification with the principles of giving and accepting shelter. Only then our life and our relationships will become deep and meaningful. Otherwise we will simply surround ourselves with “haribol-relationships”: exchanging small-talk, and lots of ‘haribols’. Talking about ourselves, instead of inquiring from seniors and more experienced devotees.

We can clearly observe this in our communities. As soon as we cultivate this mood of giving and accepting shelter, then relationships become deep and meaningful. But if this is not there, then we have a rather impersonal atmosphere, where devotees are simply busy with themselves and their services, running past each other. Unless we come to the point in our spiritual development, where we genuinely and selflessly want to reach out to others and uplift them, we remain kanistha: simply focusing on ourselves. There is such a thing as so-called spiritual selfishness: my sadhana, my service, my schedule, my trip to India, my reading time – mine, mine, mine….! It is still selfishness, even though employed in Krsna consciousness.

The main two keys for community development are the following: moving the Deities of the Community in the very center of our lives, and cultivating giving and accepting shelter amongst the devotees. Only the Deities being the center will not be enough. It still leaves room for impersonalism amongst the devotees. After all, Krsna says: “Not he is My devotee who claims to be My devotee, but he who claims to be the devotee of My devotee
– he is My real devotee.” Service to the devotees attracts Krsna’s attention. And what better way is there to serve devotees than giving them shelter, guidance and inspiration to move forward in their spiritual life?!

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s states in Amrta Vani: “One who gives personal instruction to each and everyone does more for others than the platform speakers do. Generally, whatever platform speakers say cannot solve the problem of everyone in the audience, nor can it always benefit every individual. A person’s defects are better rectified in a private tutorial class or private coaching than in hearing lectures in a school or college. Therefore those who instruct particular persons separately can award them something more permanent.”

It is noteworthy that even Bhaktisiddhanta knew the term ‘coaching’. And his statement expresses very clearly how important it is to have such aloof brahminical adviser, who has no other interest except helping us to improve ourselves. Simply hearing lectures might not always be so effective in this attempt.

One may wonder what precisely the characteristics are of a sheltering relationship? What is the deeper meaning of being sheltered? It means there is a senior, confidential friend and well-wisher in our life, who we can fully trust and confide in. This person is a role model for us and is able to give inspiration and guidance. We can see qualities in him/her which we are striving to also develop. We can share our innermost struggles, fears and shortcomings with this experienced friend, knowing very well that he/she has no other interest except helping us in our spiritual growth and development. No financial interest, no emotional interest – even no managerial interest.

Sometimes managerial interests and needs of a project can clash with our personal interest as struggling sadhaka. This is not meant to be a criticism of our managers. Being a manager is a tough service – no doubt. And one’s vision can easily be clouded by managerial goals and needs. This is exactly why in former times the kings always had an aloof brahminical advisor – a Chanakya Pandit, who would give directions. Prabhupada expresses this in the purport to SB.2.7.9: “The brahmanas, by their learned labor of love, would instruct the administrator-king’s how to rule the country in complete righteousness, and thus the process would go on as a perfect welfare state.” This principle is also there on the level of our yatras. It is a very important part of brahminical culture – the need for an aloof brahminical adviser, which is the main function a brahmana is meant to play. A true brahmana is not interested in title, position, power, control or money. He simply keeps aloof and gives learned advice, so everything goes on for everyone’s ultimate welfare as spirit soul, progressing towards Krsna.

Not only administrator-king’s need such aloof brahminical advisor, but we all do. As long as we have some material desires and attachments, we cannot objectively assess ourselves. Our vision of ourselves is clouded, and too easily we cut corners and disregard aspects of spiritual practice which might infringe on our sense gratification or material attachments.

It has taken me many years to understand why sometimes devotees experience the feeling of “being used” or even “exploited”. Initially my reaction to such complaints was that this is nonsense, or simply maya, as we are serving Krsna, and He always accepts our service and thus we get so much spiritual benefit. However, only recently it dawned upon me that there are more subtle aspects to it. We can indeed easily feel used or exploited, if we don’t have such sheltering relationship in our life – a person who has absolutely no other interest except helping us in our spiritual development. Sometimes this vision of seeing a person’s spiritual need might get lost, and devotees can merely be viewed in terms of manpower to cover services, or as a source of donations and income. And this vision and attitude can make us feel used. We don’t feel cared and valued as individual spirit souls with spiritual needs, ongoingly endeavoring on our path home, back to Godhead. And then we usually don’t stay for very long in a project, but go somewhere else. However, we can not blame our managers. We ourselves have to recognize the need for sheltering relationships, and we have to eagerly desire them. Then Paramatma will witness this desire and will send along the perfect person at the right time, who can give us shelter.

When we are able to attract the interest of a senior Vaisnava in our spiritual development we receive true mercy. This is what it means to get the mercy of a Vaisnava – to receive this merciful glance and interest in our spiritual progress. His/her willingness to selflessly reach out to us and guide us. And our advancement is indeed dependent on such relationships.

At the concluding session of our retreat devotees shared how this seminar had finally given them some clear goals and targets to work towards, in order not to become stagnant, but rather ongoingly grow and spiritually develop themselves.

For more information on this topic please see the recordings on www.therootsofspiritualculture.net

Your servant, Devaki dd

By Vaisesika Dasa

A sampling of the thousands of pilgrims who honor sacred Govardhana Hill during the special month known as Karttika.

There’s not a more charming or mysterious place in the universe than Govardhana Hill in Vraja Mandala, some ninety miles south of Delhi. While present on earth Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill and held it for seven days to protect the residents of Vrindavan. He also revealed that Govardhana is identical to Himself. Now, fifty centuries later, millions of pilgrims come here to perform parikrama—a reverential walk around the hill—during the holy month of Karttika (October/November).

Only by the mercy of the Vaishnavas have I been allowed to stay here for a while in this magical place during this magical month. I’ve taken shelter of the Bhaktivedanta Ashrama, nestled at the base of Govardhana Hill and presided over by His Holiness Keshava Bharati Dasa Goswami. For my own purification, I’ve been making some notes. Here are today’s:

The precious powder clinging to the feet of the pilgrims who walk around Govardhana Hill is cintamani [spiritual] dust. One particle of this dust is more valuable than all the wealth in the material world.

See the varieties of pilgrims who come to walk around Govardhana.

Staunch and silent, a swift sadhu wrapped in saffron cloth flies by, his gaze fixed forward. Because he makes this journey daily, he knows every pebble, tree, and cow, having passed them hundreds of times before.

Three women, two young and one venerable, have banded together and sing songs to Giriraja (Govardhana) as they go. They seem to float around the hill, carried by the divine sound of their own voices.

A householder with dark brown skin and slick, jet-black hair, and wearing brown pants and a smudged white shirt, walks proudly along the path, his wife and kids in tow. The kids march, taking two steps to every one of their father’s, looking noble as they keep up the pace. Their sari-clad mother dutifully carries a bag brimming with a water bottle and biscuits and probably some other refreshments.

A sadhu on the path, bare-chested and wearing only a calf-length orange cloth, kneels next to a pile of smooth stones and then suddenly lunges forward, his lean back muscles rippling as he places one stone at a time on a pile of stones that lies before a simple shrine of Radha-Krishna. An incense stick stuck in the ground below the shrine billows fragrant smoke. He will throw 108 stones, one at a time, and then lie face down in the dust with each toss. After advancing his pile of 108 stones, he’ll move his entire operation forward one body length, only to start the ritual again. Nine months from now, he will complete his parikrama of Giriraja and will probably begin again.
A Different Kind of Circuit

To a man rushing to work on a freeway far away from this place, these pilgrims might seem mad. (After all, they are going in circles around a hill.) But the freeway driver runs his circuit too.

Every soul in the universe wants wealth and happiness and has been wearily searching for it around every corner. But “Alas!” says Prahlada Maharaja, “People are searching in vain, running after a mirage.” Every promise for happiness has been broken.

But at Govardhana, all these pilgrims have the same gleam in their eyes. They are connected to a spiritual current that runs through the path—they feel solace in it.

As a cook laboring to grind fresh spices soon relishes their scent and flavor, the pilgrims here feel Govardhana’s sweetness entering their souls with each step. It shoots up through the soles of their feet and into their hearts as they walk barefoot along the path. They become greedy for more of this ambrosia, and so they walk in circles around the hill.

These souls are fortunate, for they have discovered the secret of life: The happiness we have been so feverishly searching for—all over the universe—is hidden, like a treasure, within our own hearts.

The route to finding this treasure is the raja-vidya, the king of all sciences. But the amazing fact is that this science is an open secret.

Let those who have ears hear:

Lord Krishna reveals in the Bhagavad-gita (4.30) that by performing yajna, sacrifice to the Lord, we will taste eternal happiness and go back to Godhead.

“All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrifices, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.”
Sacrifice Is Life

In Kali-yuga, Lord Chaitanya has brought the supreme dharma of the age, sankirtana-yajna. Yajna is the wellspring of happiness. Drink there by performing sankirtana on the order of Lord Chaitanya, following the footprints of the six Goswamis. Please Srila Prabhupada by distributing his books throughout this short lifetime. Focus on this endeavor and try to increase it all over the world as Srila Prabhupada did, and then even the Supreme abode of the Lord, Vrindavan, the ultimate abode of all happiness, will open to us by the mercy of the Lord.

Sankirtana-yajna is life.

Govardhana-parikrama ki jaya!

In Honor of HG Brahmananda Prabhu by GBC's

By the GBC Executive Committee

In describing his first visit to Srila Prabhupada’s storefront at 26 2nd Avenue, Brahmananda Prabhu recounted, “I had the feeling that I was leaving the world, like when you’re going to the airport to catch a plane. I thought, ‘Now I’m leaving a part of me behind, and I’m going to something new.”

The journey Brahmananda Prabhu began that evening carried him all across the globe in service to his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

In the decades to come, Brahmananda Prabhu served as a pioneer in the establishment of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness. He was integral in every aspect of Srila Prabhupada’s mission, from the first printing of books to the first sankirtana party to becoming the first temple president in ISKCON.

Brahmananda Prabhu continually displayed his spirit of surrender and courage in undertaking the orders of his spiritual master, braving the challenges of preaching in Pakistan and introducing Africa to the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The GBC Body, along with the larger community of ISKCON members, is deeply grateful for the legacy of service and beautiful memories of Srila Prabhupada Brahmananda Prabhu has bestowed upon us all. His departure was sudden, but most auspicious. He left this mortal world in the holiest of dhams, Sri Vrindavan, in the association of Vaisnavas.

We pray that these auspicious circumstances, along with Brahmananda Prabhu’s deep desire to eternally serve Srila Prabhupada, now find him situated at the lotus feet of His Divine Grace.

May we all continue to take inspiration from Brahmananda Prabhu’s pioneering spirit and love in the service of Guru and Gauranga.