There comes a time, sometimes regularly, where we may feel, Oh, Krishna. I can’t do this anymore. This ‘this’ will be different for everyone. It happened to Arjuna in the Gita – he wanted to give up, not to fight, and go off to the forest to be alone. He did not want to deal with people and life’s problems. He told Krishna: I’m not fighting, I can’t do it, I can’t see the point, better if I don’t act and move to the side.
If it can happen to Arjuna, who had everything going for him, including
High streets are intriguing places; a microcosm of modern life. It’s where people descend in their thousands, searching for something extra to enrich their existence. These urban hubs are a melting pot of entertainers, campaigners, shoppers, beggars and advertisers, a marketplace for the latest commodities and ideas, a space for meeting, sharing and exploring. Here you’ll find people from every imaginable socio-economic background, swarming like bees around a hive.
Enter the monks. Yes, you r
Tell me if I am wrong. There is a growing trend among ISKCON devotees including seniors to shy away from three very important aspects of the movement.
1. Hesitation to use always the name KRISHNA while referring to God
2. Wearing of TILAK in a clear and Eye catching manner. It would be nice if devotees from West choose to apply Tilak with Radha Kund Sacred Mud which will contrast with their white skin.
3. SHIKA. It appears the days of shaven heads with golden shikas are gone. More and more devote
Just as a very good sweet will have something hidden inside of it, or a company will have the inner group of key people, the Gita has a core made up of four verses. These are called the Catur Sloki (catur = four, and sloki = verses), and they summarize the entire Gita.
The eighteen chapters of the Gita are themselves divided into 3 parts. The middle six chapters focus on bhakti and are “protected” on either side by teachings on karma-yoga (the first six chapters) and jnana yoga (the focus of t
JPS
Like Maharaj JPS
a devotee of Krishna hardly there is
how much he did and still he does
to his Gurudev Srila Prabhupada please
Mayapur is blooming like a big lotus golden
with petals billion
under Maharaj's supervision
Round the globe even now he goes
despite health issues and bodily woes
to push forward mission Mahaprabhu's
Everyone knows
He is carrying on back his
the karmic cross
of his disciples not serious
and knives thrown by knaves
whom he gave spiritual lives
Still acc
I found today’s blog in a shop window. ‘Give Presence’, the sign said. How clever I thought. In the gifting season of the year, the greatest gift of all is the gift of our presence, on all levels. Whether it is being present in a conversation, being present with our meditation, being present while driving – what does ‘being present’ or ‘giving presence’ mean?
It’s simply ‘being with’. Not half being with, not almost being with, but fully being with. We can’t do this all the time, but we surely
True spirituality teaches one how to live a dutiful life of contentment and true compassion.
Contentment comes from sincere service to God and all living beings. True compassion is to engage a living being in the service of the Lord so that that living being can find contentment.
Contentment is the foundation of real happiness and since the Lord is eternal, contentment in His service leads to everlasting happiness. Contentment does not mean passivity; it means to be happy with one's sincere e
I hear the geese before I see them. The loud calls cause me to look up and watch their beautiful V formation move across the sky. They are heading south, to warmer shores. Wise birds.
Life is a journey and we are also going somewhere. Whether we are flying, or being flown, we will arrive somewhere. Nothing is static in this world, we are at all times being pushed forward. Where do we want to go? – that’s the question we should ask ourselves. Or, Where must we go? Or where can we go to find our
Atheists write volumes of books explaining how or why God does not exist. But they cannot even explain why or how things that they believe exist exist; unless of course you consider chance as a logical, reasonable, and convincing explanation.
Due to some reason the atheists have got estranged from God. So much so that they are willing to be dogmatic about their chance explanation rather than allowing even a possibility of God.
Science was initially hailed as the search for truth but now it ha
I longed to become an officer IPS
Luckily that dream did not come true
Instead somehow Iskcon I was attracted to
Now I can put after my name the title JPS
anandgopaldas JPS
We live in the age of Kali, which is a difficult age. Here’s what is said about it: “O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men but have short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.”
With such a flattering background, it’s not surprising that early morning spiritual practices are hard for us. If it’s the choice between more sleep or getting up for meditation, it can be a battle between the mind and the mattress. We know getting up is good for us
There seems to be a tension between comfort and aspiration in our lives. We seek to explore, to grow, to achieve, yet we also desire security, safety and certainty. It’s clear, however, that we often have to sacrifice one to get the other. If we opt to remain in the comfort-zone, we may have to live with the inevitable feelings of being humdrum, run-of-the-mill and unexciting. On the other hand, if we dive for our dreams we’ll have to ready ourselves to brave the rocky road of uncertainty and o
Come in from the cold
And warm your hands
By the fire of Krishna’s
Love for you
A love so real and true
But we are so cold
It’s hard to feel it
Come in from the cold
Areas of your mind
That separate you from
Light and comfort
And make you think
-and sometimes do-
Unwanted things
Come in from the cold
And warm your heart
By the fire of the holy name
The Temple is warm
The music sweet
Accept the invitation
And be at peace
Source:http://iskconofdc.org/come-in-from-the-cold/
When Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of ISKCON, was recorded in a morning japa practice with his disciples, at one point on the tape we can hear him admonish someone – “Sit properly!” His voice is strong and makes us all sit up. It’s a reminder that how we do our chanting practice is as important, if not more important, that just doing it.
When we chant we are inviting Krishna into our day, our moment. It’s a big deal, a big opportunity to connect with the source of all life and to allow h
This Little boy is missing in my life since many lifetimes. Whoever finds Him please let me know His whereabouts!!!
Color: blackish blue
Dress: yellow silk
Identification marks: will have peacock feather over His head
Last known location: Groves of Vrindavan with cows
Other details: Moonlike face to charm anyone in the universe, uses flute to mesmerize people
Is there an absolute “best” way to eat? One that tastes great, makes us feel good, doesn’t destroy the Earth, doesn’t inflict unnecessary suffering on other living creatures, and isn’t harmful to our health?
How about vegetarianism? Veganism? Lacto-vegetarianism? Raw food-ism? Juice fasting? Should we just do whatever feels good? Modified ovo-cannibalism? Maybe total fasting is the way to go?
What makes one way of eating (or non-eating) “better” than another? And who decides what’s “best,” anyw
Raga-Dvesha, The Cause Of Bondage
Raga (attraction), Dvesha (repulsion) and Tatastha Vritti (indifference) are the three important Vrittis of the mind. Raga and Dvesha (like and dislike or love and hatred or attraction and repulsion) are the two currents in the mind which bind a man to the Samsaric wheel of birth and death. Raga and Dvesha are the two Doshas or faults in the mind that have brought you to this world. The Svarupa of Bandha (bondage) is Raga and Dvesha. The Svarupa of Ajnana is
Even if one chants the holy name imperfectly, he still easily attains liberation:
[A disciple of Prakasananda Sarasvati to an assembly of disciples]: “In this age of Kali, one cannot attain liberation without taking to the devotional service of the Lord. In this age, even if one does not chant the holy name of Krsna perfectly, he still attains liberation very easily.”
– Sri Caitanya caritamrta Madhya lila 25.30
Even imperfectly uttered, the holy name frees one from sin:
[Haridasa thakura to Lor
Giriraj Swami spoke on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila,22.83:
krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’
krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga
“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” (Cc Madhya 22.83)
“Sacinandana Swami made the point that if we are in a humble mood, we will see our godbrothers and godsisters—people similar to ourse
