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Vraj Mandal Padayatra 2016 – video

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By Parasuram dasa

When the full moon, marking the beginning of the month of Kartik, rose in the sky, we knew this was the start of a new adventure on the open road. Everything is there on Padayatra, the Harinam, Prasad distribution, book distribution, Deity worship, cow protection and adventure. There is nothing like preaching in Vraj. The Brajbasis love kirtan, love to feed the devotees and have a great sense of humour. 9 devotees went out this year, coming from UK, Ireland, Russia, Czech Repu

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How to Chant and Meditate Better.

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As we move towards the end of the year we should be thinking how to do better in 2017. Endings are a natural time to reset, to take a good look at where we are and where we want to be. As chanting japa (mantra meditation) is one of the key ways we develop our relationship with Krishna the following excerpt by HH Sacinandana Swami shares some ways to be more focused and move to deeper levels of meditation in our chanting:
“At the very least, try to chant without external interruptions. Attach yo

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Chant Hare Krishna and Be Happy

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I ran across this above image this morning on Facebook, and was inspired to do a post on chanting.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

“Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy. Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture & Initiation Seattle, October 20, 1968)

“…chant dance, take prasadam and be happy.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Saksi Gopala 6 December, 1975)

“Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness mo

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December 13, 2016: ONLY TWO MORE PADAYATRAS TO REACH OUR GOAL OF 50 BY THE END OF 2016! We may even do more. Stay tuned, and even better, add your own to the list. One day walks are accepted.
Padayatras on the road all year long: 2
1- Padayatra India: on the road since Sept 1984; led by Acarya Dasa since September 2009
2- Andhra Pradesh/Telangana (India): on the road since the end of 2012; led by Visnuswami Dasa
Annual padayatras: 11
1- Odisha (India) : ISKCON Bhubaneswar’s annual walk since 19

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Natural Economy replaces Capitalism

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By Dusyanta das

Now we can follow the Global Economic model and hear the comprehensive reports and opinions on Capitalistic health it has now become apparent that the capitalistic model is on the cusp of failing and disappearing. It’s not that an economic model that has been conceived by man will last forever as long as we maintain its veracity. All things created by man are imperfect, transient and liable to fail. And today in 2016 the Capitalistic model has reached its zenith and now is on th

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IT’S EASIER TO DISTRIBUTE FIVE CASES OF BHAGAVAD GITA’S THAN TO DISTRIBUTE ONLY FIVE BOOKS IN THE STREETS

AN AUDIO SEMINAR BY H.H. BHAKTI MADHURYA GOVINDA GOSWAMI

Who would believe that is easier to distribute five cases of Bhagavad Gitas (160) or even ten cases (320) than selling five or ten Gitas in the streets. Some prabhus work very hard all day long for ten hours and are happy if they can sell 32 Gitas. In this audio seminar, however, you will learn how to distribute cases of Gitas very ea

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Introducing “Aquafaba”

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Citraka dasa: One more useful vegetarian and vegan ingredient, discovered recently, for rendering Krishna’s cuisine more attractive.
Aquafaba is the name for the cooking liquid of beans and other legumes like chickpeas. You may know it as the typically discarded liquid found in retail cans and boxes of beans, or as the liquid left over from cooking your own. 
To give you a brief glimpse of what you can do with aquafaba, here are just a few vegan recipes you can make: Raw: Fluffs, whips, nice cr

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ISKCON 50th Anniversary.
Bhagavad Gita was distributed to all the 225 members of the parliament of Sri Lanka on the Gita Jayanti Day 10th December 2016.
The pictures show the Bhagavad Gita being handed over to the
Honorable Prime Mister - Mr.Ranil Wickramasinghe 
Honorable Speaker of the House of Parliament- Mr.Karu Jayasuriya
Honorable Deputy speaker - Mr.Thilanga Sumathipala
Honorable Minister - Mr.V.S.Radhabhava Gaur Das
Honorable Member of Parliament - Mr.Yogeshwaran
The Temple President Ma

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Drumila das: 1rst time was in San Francisco. I had never been out on Sankirtan before, I was only three months in the movement. A brahmacari named Hrdayagovinda dressed me up in a Santa suit, and put me on the streets of San Francisco, where I was immediately mobbed by about 15 kids attacking me, literally for the candy canes that I started to hand out. I started running and had to ditch them inside a building. I was petrified. Somehow I mustered up the determination to keep going and I became

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Steadiness in spiritual life.

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Srimad-bhagavatam, (verses 1.2.17-18), describes the progressive stages leading to steadiness in devotional practice:
1. Unsteady practice of devotional service (anistha bhajana kriya).
2. The gradual cleansing of inauspicious elements in a devotee’s heart (anartha-nivrtti).
3. The attainment of steadiness in devotional service (nistha-bhajana-kriya).
One advances through these stages of devotional service by regularly hearing and chanting in the association of devotees.
One might ask, if I’m n

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Standing Rock: An American Kumbha Mela

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I want to acknowledge the boldness, heroism and humility exhibited by the US veterans, both men and women, and including Tulsi Gabbard -- a warrior and congresswoman. In solidarity, they joined the Native Americans and many others at Standing Rock. They are truly warriors and leaders. I practice the Vaisnava/Krishna tradition. And these vets, and indeed all who have gathered at Standing Rock, are for me paragons of my tradition. Three reasons:

1- There’s a Krishna prayer that "one should think

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Eternal wealth by Kadamba Kanana Swami

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People are striving for wealth; they try to make material progress. This is not easy because we are not in control of destiny. One may get wealth but then, other circumstances may interfere and all the wealth may get plundered by some calamity. Therefore trying to secure wealth in the material world is an ongoing effort of hard work and one cannot be sure as to how destiny will unfold.

Today we are discussing a topic from the Bhagavad-gita of the eternal benefit of devotional service. Whatever

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By Rasika Sindhu Dasa

Reaching the venue I was myself very pessimist to what I was told for that area of the country is known for its tensions and occasional law and order issues with the lawbreakers. Few officers here and there roaming around, a quick zap to my mobile and it was still early. While slowly the hall began to fill up HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami also came accompanied by HG Ganga Prasad Prabhu the Nigerian Temple President. Today was not a casual program but was a unique one. Lig

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Srila Prabhupada: In the beginning, a conditioned soul is bereft of Krsna consciousness and is always morose in his material activities. Later, by associating with a pure devotee, one becomes inquisitive to know the Absolute Truth. In this way one begins to engage in the transcendental service of the Lord. Next, by the Lord’s grace all misconceptions are vanquished and the heart is cleansed of all material dirt. It is only then that the pleasure of transcendental bliss is awakened. By the Lord’

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A Book Marathon Message By Giriraj Swami

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krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah

“In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions.” (SB 11.5.32)

This verse refers to Lord Caitanya. Those who are intelligent (su-medhasah) will worshi

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Mantra Meditation

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This morning I was reading from the Forth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam about the process of mantra meditation. I have always loved this story of Druva Maharaja, and his determination in meditation, on the form of the Lord. We have included the entire text and purport.

O son of the King, now I shall speak unto you the mantra which is to be chanted with this process of meditation. One who carefully chants this mantra for seven nights can see the perfect human beings flying in the sky. (SB4.8.53

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Waving the white flag of surrender.

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By misfortune, I wandered into the forest of material enjoyment where I was captured, imprisoned, bound down by the unbreakable cords of material nature, and sentenced to hard labor.
In illusion, I accepted my captors as my allies and friends; my sentence to the drudgery of hard work as a benediction; and my selection of foot shackles – gold, copper, or iron - as a sign of my free choice.
In the Gita, Krsna deems this prison life, duratyaya, “impossible to overcome.” And the avanti brahmana of

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The English Dictionary defines the word “spiritual” as “Relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things”.

Now before we attempt to delve deeper into this topic, it is essential for us to understand as to who we actually are? The answer to this question will help us make sense of life, in the first place, and lead us to the gradual understanding of what truly is the goal of it. In other words,the more we discuss and brainstorm on our own identity, the

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You Are Never Alone

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“Don’t feel yourself to be alone because Krishna is always with you. Krishna is always with every living entity as Supersoul, and to His devotee especially He talks and gives instructions how to attain the perfectional stage of meeting Him. So don’t feel alone. Always chant whenever possible, read our books, and there will be no great difficulty.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 3, 1969)

“Please don’t feel lonely. Krishna is always with you and I shall pray for you and to Krishna also that you

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