In The Late Eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, European scholars and scientists began to come in contact with the culture of India. Many were impressed by the antiquity of Vedic civilization and the deep spiritual and material knowledge contained in the Vedic literature. But other European intellectuals were dismayed by these developments. For example, in 1825 the British scholar John Bentley wrote of his conflict with the scientist John Playfair, who was an admirer of Indian culture:
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2016, Vrndavana, India, Bhagavad-gita 3.34)
It is interesting that when speaking of prema (pure love for Krsna) in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the example is given of the intermediate devotee, the madhyama-adhikārī. Not the kanishta-adhikārī (the neophyte), but of the madhyama, someone a bit more advanced, a devotee who has shown determination. It is provided: īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2
By Chaitanya Charan Das
We long to be free. And we long for love. Yet love and freedom don’t seem to go together.
Why? Because love apparently restricts freedom. We are finite beings with finite resources such as time, energy and emotions. When we love someone, we have to focus on developing a connection with them. And this focus decreases the resources available for us to connect with others. Moreover, to connect with anyone, we need to do the things that please them and avoid doing the thing
Srila Prabhupada: In the beginning, the Vedic purpose is pursued in three ways (trayi) — by karma-kaṇḍa, jsana-kaṇḍa and upasana-kaṇḍa. When one reaches the complete, perfect stage of upasana-kaṇḍa, one comes to worship Narayaṇa, or Lord Viṣṇu. When Parvati asked Lord Mahadeva, Lord Siva, what is the best method of upasana, or worship, Lord Siva answered, aradhananaḿ sarveṣaḿ viṣṇor aradhanaḿ param. Viṣṇupasana, or viṣṇv-aradhana, worship of Lord Viṣṇu, is the highest sta
By Madhava Smullen
The Lord’s Holy Names continue to be chanted in every town and village, no matter how exotic or remote. Devotees on Réunion Island held their second annual Rathayatra in the city of St. Pierre on Saturday December 8th, summertime for the island.
The festival was small yet ecstatic, and was warmly received by locals.
Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean, is a “department” of France. With a total population of about 800,000 people, its only spoken language is French.
ISK
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
Why I love kirtan? I don’t know if I love kirtan but I am addicted to kirtan! Love is such a big word that I am afraid to use it, because love means really that Krsna is our all-in-all. I cannot say that but somehow or other, I have developed some attachment to kirtan. Of all the material elements, it is said that the ether is the most subtle and within the ether, there is only sound, whereas in other realms there are touch, taste, sound, smell… but in ether, there is on
By Karnamrita Das
The ideas expressed here are especially relevant in dealing with conflicts in communities and families. By our consciousness and actions we can further add to the problem or be part of the solution. Everything in existence is energy—even science tells us that—though as followers of Bhagavad-gita we understand that there is the spiritual energy behind matter. The material world is called in the Gita’s 7th chapter, Krishna’s separated energy. Then, this one energy as a whole, is
By Madhava Smullen
“What’s a Woman to Do?” a new 32-page booklet written by Srila Prabhupada disciple and author Visakha Dasi, and released on Gita Jayanti day, reflects on women’s services in Srila Prabhupada’s Hare Krishna Movement. The booklet is available to read via PDF here: https://www.vaishnaviretreat.com/what-s-a-woman-to-do
Visakha produced the work after she was asked to make a presentation on the topic for members of the Pandava Sena youth group in England earlier this year. She
By Madhava Smullen
Two of the Hare Krishna Movement’s most well-known singers, Jayadev Das and his daughter Gaurangi Devi Dasi, are featured on a new charity record for the California Camp Fire, entitled “Tears Aren’t Enough.”
The Camp Fire, which ran from November 8thto 25th, was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history to date. It caused 86 civilian fatalities, covered an area of 153,336 acres, and destroyed 18,804 structures, causing an estaimated $7.5–10 billion i
“Preaching can be a difficult, thankless task, but a preacher must follow the orders of the Supreme Lord and be unafraid of materialistic persons.”
– Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.39, purport
His Grace Sudama Das (ACBSP) recalled when Srila Prabhupada was leaving Tokyo to go to India. “He (Srila Prabhupada) said, ‘I have opened the West. Now I will take my dancing white elephants to India.’” Srila Prabhupada wanted to show the people how these ‘dancing elephants’ gave up their “perfect” western life t
Kurma das: Dipak had volunteered for the service of cooking lunch for Prabhupada during his visit to Melbourne. Yet Dipak, usually a proficient cook, was today not his usual confident self. He was nervously dropping butter on the floor, sliding chapatis off the stove and boiling over the milk when he noticed Srila Prabhupada at the kitchen door.
Prabhupada, standing bare-chested after his bath, was smiling as he watched Dipak’s attempts to cook lunch. Returning to his room, Srila Prabhupada app
By Kadamba Kanana Swami
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.52)
Humility is something alien in the modern world. We had a comic in Holland; I saw it as a kid but it made an impression on me. It was a simple man; he had a cap on – a labourer type – and he was coming for a job interview which was happening in a big hall. The interviewer was sitting behind a glass with a screen so you couldn’t see him but his voice was coming out through a loud speaker
Active Listening
Adapted, with permission, from The Art of Teaching, by HG Bhurijana Prabhu
Who Owns the Problem?
The first step in trying to solve a problem is to identify who owns it, because you need to approach the situation differently if you own the problem or not. The owner is whoever is tangibly and concretely affected by the problem.
If the problem belongs to the other person, it is appropriate to listen, trying to understand exactly what is going on. If you own the problem, the counse
We may not be fully Krsna conscious, our love for Krsna may not be so deep and there may be other desires. But this is just restlessness. How much faith do we have in these other desires? Which devotee can claim to have full faith in sex life? We may be attracted to sex life but do we have full faith that it will make us happy? After having heard transcendental knowledge, it is hard to have full faith in material enjoyment. Still, we may have a flirtation with these desires here and there somet
On the 28th of February devotees will arrive for Sravana Utsava & Kirtan Mela, followed by the Pancha-Tattva Haha-Abhishek, festival inauguration, various festivities, Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama, and the grand celebration of Gaura Purnima on the 21st of March.
Click here for: GAURA PURNIMA FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
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By Kenneth R. Valpey (Krishna Ksetra Swami)
Introduction
In recent decades we witness increasing public awareness about the profoundly damaging effects of accellerating human production, consumption, and mobility on ecosystems of the world; and this awareness is accompanied by a deepening sense of urgency that “something” must be done to stop the current trends of environmental destruction. Environmental activism is now a mainstream activity for all sorts of individuals and groups, not least pe
By Karnamrita Das
Everyone falls short, or doesn’t progress as fast as they would like, on their spiritual journey. Can we ever think we love or serve Krishna sufficiently, when even great souls consider themselves deficient in devotion? Therefore, I always feel it is essential to portray my struggles as well as successes, so that devotees will be comfortable accepting and acknowledging where they fall short—at least with a select group, or a confidential friend. It is a sad truth that too
By Sri Nandanandana das
As the age of Kali-yuga moves forward, many people are wondering how bad social conditions will get before they improve, and what can we do about it now. Yet the Vedic texts contain a specific prescription for staying free from the heavy influence that this age of Kali-yuga brings.
In spite of all the changes predicted to happen in society and on the planet, there are still many ways, both material and spiritual, to stifle or even get free of Kali-yuga’s influence. If we
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
My dear Vidura, I have summarily explained the causes of devastation. One who hears this description three times attains piety and washes the sinful contamination from his soul.
One should chant of the character and activities of Dhruva Mahārāja both in the morning and in the evening, with great attention and care, in a society of brāhmaṇas or other twice-born persons.
SB 4.12.48, Translation and Purport:
The great sage Maitreya rec
By Sacinandana Swami
Recently I received a letter in which someone wrote: “I am struggling with the concept that Krishna fully loves the living entities. When I look at the way He deals with someone who does not surrender to His desires, it seems He is quite annoyed and punishes him with heavy circumstances like war, rape, death, doubts about the purpose of his life and many other sufferings. Is someone who creates cruel circumstances for all those who don’t do His will really full of unconditi
