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"Planet ISKCON" - 34 new articles
H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Monday 11 April 2011--Heading West to Spread Krishna Consciousness--and--How to Get a Prestigious Post?A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Monday 11 April 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. (Click on photo to see a larger image.) Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. Today's Thought: Heading West to Spread Krishna Consciousness Uploaded from New Delhi, India After a very inspiring two weeks stopover in Krishna's holy land giving many lectures on the science of Krishna bhakti and visiting some holy places, today, 11 April 2011, we are heading westward to Europe to share the sublime nectar of Krishna consciousness with so many sincere souls who are eager to receive it. India is an ideal place for spiritual rejuvenation because it is the sacred land of Krishna's transcendental pastimes. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Revealing the Secrets of Krishna Bhakti Noida, India--9 April 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Noida_Lecture1.JPG Eager Hearers-Noida, India--9 April 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Noida_Lecture2.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Get a Prestigious Post? I want to take birth again in the human life in a prestigious post. What should I do? Ravi Answer: Go Only For the Ultimate Prestigious Post You should give up this foolish desire to take birth again in this material world for getting a prestigious post. The most prestigious post in this material world is the position of Lord Brahma, the lord of the universe. But even that post is miserable, as confirmed by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, because Lord Brahma, like everyone else in this material world, is forced to die by the stringent laws of this material nature. If you want a prestigious position, you should seriously chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra on a regular daily basis, because to become a devotee of God is the ultimate prestigious position, accepted by Lord Krishna as being even better than God's position. This is why Krishna or God Himself chose to become a devotee by appearing as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed: http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=714185709 Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address: • Email to a friend • • Gaura Yoga, NZ: Easter weekendGaura Yoga will be closed on Sunday 24 April & Monday 25 April. See you back for action on Tuesday 26 April! • Email to a friend • • Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Trip to Bahia – Salvador and Barra GrandeAfter an intense period of retreats here in Pandavas Paradise, we planned a trip to the Brazilian State of Bahia, with some rest and relaxation by the ocean. We arrived in Salvador, the State capital, on the 25th of March. Salvador is a 472 year old city, with beautiful baroque churches and a very colorful, historic city center. The local ISKCON devotees asked me to lecture on the “Citra Kavitvani”, Rupa Goswami’s beautiful poems. After the lecture we had an aratik for the most famous resident of Salvador – Lord Jagannatha! Carana Renu lead the singing with a sweet kirtan. Following the aratik I did a presentation on the administrative structure of ISKCON. We had decided, at the last meeting of the Brazilian National Council (CGB), that members of the Executive Committee should travel and explain to the devotees in general about ISKCON, the GBC, the National Council, and the different services we offer, in other words, how we can help the different temples and the individual members. The lecture is also a call for devotees to get more engaged in management roles in ISKCON. I was invited to be the speaker at the Sunday Program. I gave one of my favorite classes, on conscious and unconscious desires, and how they affect our bhakti. The next day we set off to the beautiful region of Barra Grande. We stayed in a house on the beach of Taipus de Fora, considered one of the six most beautiful beaches in Brasil. A real tropical paradise! In Barra Grande, a friend of ours, a yoga teacher who has participated in a retreat here in Pandavas Paradise, organized for me to give a lecture. Barra Grande is practically a little village and the roads are only sand. So, I was very surprised at the turnout with nearly 40 people in attendance. Barra Grande is one of those places where intelligent people, from all over Brazil and even abroad, come to live an alternative lifestyle, rejecting the rat race of the big cities. I did my “Karma – What It Is and How to Get Rid of It” lecture. Back on the beach…here I am exploring the natural beauty of the coral reefs of Taipus de Fora. When the tide goes down, the coral reefs form a natural pool and you can swim around with beautiful tropical fish in waist deep water (we even saw an octopus!). Oh, and did I mention the water temperature is amazing and we practically had the whole beach to ourselves? Here are some pictures we took of the fish! The trip rekindled a desire my wife and I have of setting up a beachside yoga retreat center in the Northeast of Brazil… In every town and village, right? • Email to a friend • • Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: A musicianChaturatma das: One night there was a darsana with one musician. I never got the understanding whether this was a person coming to Krsna consciousness or whether this was already a devotee. I always thought it was someone coming to Krsna consciousness that wanted to use their western rock and roll guitar style in service to Lord Caitanya, and Prabhupada was very adamant, and the guy kept bringing the point up two or three times and finally Prabhupada said "No!" and he pointed, there was this beautiful picture of Panca-tattva on the wall of his room. He said "You see Mahaprabhu; kartalas and mrdanga, that is all." Memories of Srila Prabhupada, DVD 51. (Available from www.prabhupadamemories.com) • Email to a friend • • Japa Group: Chant With Proper ConsciousnessKrishna has descended in this age in his name. And all the power of all the incarnations is within the name, because Krishna is non-different from his names. We simply have to chant with proper consciousness and reciprocate with his love that has descended in his name. When Krishna physically appeared five thousand years ago, very few people recognized him. So many people considered that he was just a powerful person. Similarly, when Krishna appears in his name—without association of Krishna’s loving devotees—we cannot understand, appreciate or reciprocate with the mercy of the name. Radhanatha Swami • Email to a friend • • Nityananda Chandra Das, Dallas TX: Latest twitter updates–Notes, Billy Corgan of SP, & Radhanath Swami Initiation videosBest talks R not only truthful but also beneficial.Not only beneficial but pleasing.Not only pleasing but not causing hurt to enemiesBG17.15 3 Russian Book Distributor Devotees Die in a Car Crash http://j.mp/hNx1vq please devotees drive careful & also please don't travel at night http://twitpic.com/3lbe3z super excited about reading this book, Śārārtha Darśinī Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1st & 2nd Canto • Email to a friend • • H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sankirtan devotees ask what it means to put everything into your service and not hold back“Be here now!” • Email to a friend • • H.H. Sivarama Swami: Bh. Rajiv, rephrased his question thus“Why ISKCON, as a matter of “policy,” does not officially preach against consumption of unethically produced dairy products, and sets an example by either consuming no dairy or only ethically produced dairy products at its temples and “affiliated” restaurants?” • Email to a friend • • Akrura das, Gita Coaching: GITA COACHING BENEFITSAmong other things, Gita Coaching also helps you to: • Email to a friend • • H.H. Sivarama Swami: Bh. Nicholas, Bh. Razvan, Nilim Jadhav, Toth Sandor, Shekar Kyatam ask about16,108 kirtan melodies, becoming dependent on Krsna, chanting japa, and different versions on creation between Bhagavatam and the Bible. • Email to a friend • • Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: Yuga Dharma, recommended method of self realisationIn this age, the performance of yajña has been forbidden because no one can properly chant the Vedic mantras. If Vedic mantras are chanted properly, the desire for which a sacrifice is performed must be successful. Therefore the Hare Kṛṣṇa chant is called the mahā-mantra, the great, exalted mantra above all other Vedic mantras, because simply chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra brings so many beneficial effects. As explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (Śikṣāṣṭaka 1):
• Email to a friend • • Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Dissappointment regarding Ramayana "Mythology"As temples around the world gear up to celebrate Ram Navami, it is disappointing to see the continuing trend to refer to Ramayana and other vedic texts such as Mahabaratha and the Gita being reffered to as Mythology.
To add to the disappointment is that this trend is primarily fed from India, the very same Vedic India where these great pastimes took place and these vedic texts were documented. For example in the past few weeks newspapers from "Times of India", "Daily Times" and "Hinustan Times" to "Economic Times", "India Express" and even "The Hindu" have referred to the Ramayan as "mythology" Mythology is defined as: my·thol·o·gy 1. A collection of myths, esp. one belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition. 2. A set of stories or beliefs about a particular person, institution, or situation, esp. when exaggerated or fictitious The media and commentators may not realize the affect it has on people's psychology, especially youngsters since over time it will be generally believed that these are simply a collection of myths. This is also why it is important that when we visit Sri Vrindavan dham, Sri Mathura dham, Sri Navadvipa-Mayapur dham, etc. that we show the young people where these pastimes took place and historical accounts. This way they can relate scriptural text to actual places and take in the nectar. So below are a few images collected recently showing actual places where Lord Rama perfomed His pastimes, to celebrate His appearance day this Tuesday, April 12th. Jaya Sita-Ram! We are not archaeologists or experts but all we know these are our vedic scriptures and at least in India, the Land of Krishna and Rama, these should not be reffered to as mythology. • Email to a friend • • H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 276—Poem for April 105:25 A.M. A Writer of Pieces New format—I will begin with a poem written on the day of its printing. Then I will print random excerpts of books I have printed over the last 30 years. I hope this variety will be pleasing. Poem for April 10
Narayana said they are subject
The astrologer’s conjectures
Keep writing of your personal
Wave your incense first to
• Email to a friend • • H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDSFrom Prabhupada Meditations, Volume II Prayer and Practice
“I like to converse with Srila Prabhupada. I pray to him, along with Krishna. I say their names, I go through Prabhupada to Krishna. The talking is also a form of heart-to-heart talk. “I speak, and then I listen to them. Again they are together. Krishna speaks directly in the Bhagavad-gita. He says, ‘One who understands Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages in My full devotional service.’ And after Lord Krishna speaks, Prabhupada elaborates and explains to me what Sri Krishna means. “After hearing from them, I speak some more to my masters. I tell them what I am trying to do, where I am at. I ask for help. I express my thanks to them and feel my loving connection to them. I think that this kind of communication is far more important than too much thinking about Prabhupada (rather than being with him). After all, I am not an academic scholar of Srila Prabhupada. I am a devotee. “Conversing with Srila Prabhupada is a form of meditation that can be done on a daily basis. As we face new predicaments, there is always new need to express ourselves to our guides. I try not to speak only out of pragmatic need but to enter a loving exchange. “I accompany my prayers with action. At the end of the day, I give thanks for the service connection that I have enjoyed during the day and the ways in which Prabhupada and Krishna came and touched me—as well as the ways that I failed them. “Let me cite my present situation. I’ve come to a London airport after a nine hour flight from Seattle, Washington. There’s a heat wave on in England, and it is 90 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m sitting with a traveling companion in a noisy airport hotel, with all the jet noises and impure air coming in the window. I’m certainly involved with all these immediate and temporary conditions, although I know they do not produce a very rarefied state of devotional consciousness. Why then should I waste Krishna and Prabhupada’s time by telling them, ‘Here I am. I am hot and bothered.’ Admitting my low state may be a starter, but I try to go beyond it. “Prabhupada meditation transcends time and place, although it can happen in any time and place. He can be with you even in a hot cubbyhole in a cheap hotel. And when he does come to you, your place becomes transcendental. “Rupa Gosvami has stated that everything can be used in the service of Krishna. Even the botheration of travel can provoke a fond meditation. For example, as soon as we came into this hotel room I took a shower. It occurred to me that I should give a cool bath to the Deities with whom I travel: Srila Prabhupada, Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra and Lasksmi-Nsrimha, and so I did, starting with Srila Prabhupada. It was a pleasure to give them a cool wipe-down and to bathe the Deities. In similar ways, we can always dovetail our ongoing situation with Prabhupada meditation of one sort or another. In the case of Deity worship, the Lord and the pure devotee accompany you in their personal forms and make you think, ‘How can I serve him now? What can I do to please him?’ “What about memories? Do you have any memories now of Prabhupada? Did any occur today? Or even if they did not occur, can you enter your memories now? “Trying again . . . I think of Prabhupada in his worship room at 26 Second Avenue. We would go in there especially before the kirtanas in the temple, and do whatever Swamiji did as he sat before the little coffee table. On hot nights in New York some of us started wearing no shirts, and so our arms were bare. We watched Swamiji carefully and tried to put on tilaka in approximately the same places on our own bodies. “Give respect to the memories of Swamiji. Just hold them in your mind, worship his lotus feet. You do not have to be a radio broadcaster telling everyone about it. It is a moment of remembrance for your own benefit. Appreciate that you were there; worship the minutes and hours. Prabhupada, I loved you, I do love you. I appreciate the Krishna consciousness that you have brought. I want to be carried out of this material world; please save me. Please let me remember that I am your menial sisya who types for you, who learns from you, who practices Vaisnavism under your direction.” From The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee (1983)
“‘Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Krishna and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities—lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave, compassionate, and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic, expert and silent.’ (Cc. Madhya 22.78-80) “It is not, however, that a devotee must work separately to achieve each of these qualities. As Sukadeva Goswami explains in Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15: ‘Only a rare person who has adopted complete unalloyed devotional service to Krishna can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive. He can do this simply by devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays.’ “Just by executing pure devotional service, a devotee attains all good qualities. In Bhagavad-gita (13.8-12), Lord Krishna mentions twenty items of knowledge. In the purport Prabhupada explains unalloyed devotional service as the most important item: ‘If one takes to devotional service in full Krishna consciousness, the other nineteen items automatically develop within him.’ “Prahlada Maharaja described devotional service as a nine-fold process beginning with chanting, hearing and remembering the Lord. If we perform devotional service , we will automatically develop all the transcendental qualities. Srimad-Bhagavatam states, therefore, that a devotee develops all the good qualities of the demigods. Control of the senses—it is very difficult even for the yogis—comes very easily to the devotee because he engages his senses in the service of Krishna. Monistic liberation seems hellish to the devotee. Only devotional service is perfect and complete. “Then what is the point of Lord Caitanya’s describing the devotee’s twenty-six qualities? One reason is to show us the richness of the Vaisnava’s character. It is glorification of the Vaisnava. Another reason is that we can see whether we are developing these qualities. Regarding the Gita’s twenty items of knowledge, Srila Prabhupada writes, ‘As for advancement in spiritual knowledge, one should have a test to see how far he is progressing. He can judge by these items.’ “By hearing how great devotees manifest these qualities, we can better understand transcendental culture. The Krishna consciousness movement is meant to sweep over the world, and these twenty-six qualities, therefore, must ultimately become the standard for all humanity. These qualities, beginning with mercifulness, must be understood in the transcendental sense, not as they would appear to an ordinary person. “Although the twenty-six qualities are not independent of devotional service, we may nevertheless strive to behave in devotional service so as to fulfill them. To be a devotee means many things. For example, although it is important to preach, if one’s behavior is not exemplary his preaching will be ineffective. Or, one may be very careful about cleanliness but not chant Hare Krishna. There are many things a devotee must be accomplished in. All his qualities are sublime. No one can find any fault in him.” • Email to a friend • • Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Weekly Round-UpThree weeks into the blog’s weekly round-up. If you are new to this, click the pic to visit the source link.
• Email to a friend • • H.H. Jayadvaita Swami: Posters for BBTedit and BBTonlySome devotees have asked for copies of posters advertizing BBTedit.com and BBTonly.com. So I’m attaching them as files you can download. • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1966 April 10: • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1969 April 10: "I eulogize your attempt for improving the Center. Do it very nicely, and when I go there I shall see that you have done so much for Krishna Consciousness." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1970 April 10: "As soon as a center is opened it gives me Vaikuntha bliss. Such news is life-giving ambrosia, so the more you open branches, the more I increase my duration of life. Go on opening nice branches as many as possible." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 April 10: "I am very much puzzled by the whole business. You have passed so many resolutions and made so many other changes. Therefore I have not approved of it, and I have suspended the GBC." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 April 10: "Now I have given you everything, but I do not see that even the basic principles of advancement are there and instead we become carried away by big big talk. So I am still thinking how things will go on." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1974 April 10: "So many criticisms he alleges you are making. This is not good. Let them work peacefully. This fighting spirit will ruin our great movement." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1975 April 10: "The process of opening a center somewhere is that we go there and hold classes for one week on the teachings of Bhagavad-gita and if the people like, then we'll open a center." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1975 April 10: "I am very glad that you have come forward, one of the leaders of the community. Our ideology is standard. It is not anything new, but it is very old. It is not anything concocted." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1966 April 9: "Panchami. Today I went to Dr. Mishra's apartment. I cooked some khichuri and took it. After a little rest, I took my typewriters and came down to my room at 72nd St. From there I came to Paul's loft. In the evening Susman met me. He brought some grains." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1968 April 9: "He has taken the step as a matter of diplomacy but will come back when I return to India. I am not astonished for his behavior but I am sorry for my Godbrother's behavior. He is a neophyte and so he may commit so many mistakes, but my Godbrother should not have commited such a mistake. It is not approved." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1968 April 9: "How one is successful in his work is tested by whether or not Krishna is satisfied. The Impersonalists cannot enjoy this bliss of satisfying Krishna. They make Krishna dead, so they will remain dead, never to understand Krishna." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1970 April 9: "As you are trying your best to make our preaching propaganda as authoritative as possible, Krishna will certainly help you. The book I sent you will help - and the balance Krishna will teach you. Always remember this, time is very short - we want to understand our business only and not become very scholarly." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 April 9: "Your very sincere attitude for serving your Spiritual Master is the only way. Offering the same highest respects to the Spiritual Master as to the Supreme Person, makes one bona fide to receive spiritual knowledge by revelation so I pray to Krishna to bestow upon you all his blessings." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 April 9: "We are selling our books not for making business but for pleasing Krishna, and by preaching we should sell books, not by cheating. If this simple method is followed, there will be tremendous success in selling of our books, and the public will appreciate and take great benefit from our preaching." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1972 April 9: "In every endeavor our only purpose is to make advancement in pleasing Krishna. You are working so hard only out of love for me, so if love is there how can there be any question of force? We should never force anyone or reduce our Society to an impersonal business exchange - that will kill everything." • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters1975 Aprill 9: "Regarding your affliction, simply take the proper treatment. The dust from the lotus feet of the Spiritual Master is never to be used for material benefit. That is a great misconception. Chant your rounds and follow all the rules and regulations in this way even if afflicted you will fully understand the mercy of Krishna and the Spiritual Master." • Email to a friend • • Gouranga TV: Bhajan – 24hr Kirtan – Amrta • Email to a friend • • Dandavats.com: Great New Desktop Player for Mayapur.tvAntardwip das: Experience the new Mayapur TV desktop player for watching live video from around the ISKCON world. The advantage of this player is that you don't need a browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox etc in order to watch live video. • Email to a friend • • More Recent Articles
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