DIY Kartik Lamps (Album of photos)
Kurma Dasa: Fed up with dripping paraffin wax all over the floor from nasty cheap candles?......
-
- 9 Oct 2022
Kadamba Kanana Swami: In the Bhagavad-gita 10.35, Krsna says that of all the months, “I am marga-sirsa,” which is a name for the November-December period. It is said that before Krsna, first comes Radha… Radha-Krsna, Radha-Syam, Sita-Rama, like that. First the consort of the Lord is mentioned. Therefore the month of Kartik, which comes before this month of marga-sirsa, is a month of Radharani. It is a month when we are meditating on pure devotional service because she is the proprietor of pure devotional service! No compromise at all, ...
- 9 Oct 2022
Visakha Dasi, shares some beautiful meditations on Vrindavan, Lord Krishna's childhood abode, during the holy month of Kartik
...- 9 Oct 2022
Whatever your situation—even if you live far from a Temple–try to be Krishna conscious as best you can, and pray for the mercy of Krishna and his devotees. There will be special benefit during this month. That can be an impetus for us for this month, but the idea is to make our entire life, day after day, month after month, and year after year centered around devotional service so we can offer our whole life to Krishna. Then we will go to a plain where the only activity is Krishna bhakti, performed with love and devotion.
- 9 Oct 2022
Ananda Vrindavaneswari Devi Dasi: As my bare feet hit the cold marble floor of the altar during the early morning service hours I whispered, ‘Oh, so cold!’. My fellow pujari turned and smilingly whispered back, ‘Austerity!’
It wasn’t the first time I was reminded that there is a sweetness to doing something difficult for Krishna. Actually, it’s only by intentional practices that we can begin to access spiritual tastes and emotions that are less obvious and more refined.
- 9 Oct 2022
Just as there is no yuga equal to Satya-yuga, no scripture equal to the Vedas, and no place of pilgrimage equal to the Ganges, so there is no month equal to Kartika. Even unserious persons who execute devotional service according to the regulative principles during the month of Karttika, and within the jurisdiction of Mathura (or Vrindavana) in India, are very easily awarded the Lord’s personal service". During the Kartika month millions of devotees worship Damodara Krishna with ghee lamps and devotional bhajans, glorifying His playful childhood pas...
- 9 Oct 2022
- 8 Oct 2022
A very nice explanation about the 3 levels of happiness and their symptoms by HH Gopal Krishna Goswami
- 8 Oct 2022
Kripamoya Das: Krishna is the Original Soul. If they were able, all souls could trace their ultimate origin to Krishna, the origin of everyone and everything. Just as the body has a soul within, so the soul also has a soul. The Soul of the soul is known as Atma-atma. But this Soul is never trapped or compromised as the individual soul is. This Soul remains ever free and above all. He is therefore known as the Over Soul or Superior Soul, or Supersoul, the Param-atma.
- 8 Oct 2022
Here HG Jagattarini Devi Dasi recounts her experiences living in the ISKCON Vrindavan Goshala in the early 80's, and shares a very profound story.
...- 8 Oct 2022
Srila Prabhupada: People are running around–“Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this. I am that. We know his politics, we have to defeat our competitors.” All these things are created just like a man creates a situation in a dream– svapna–drastur ivanjasa.
So when someone asks, “When did we come into contact with the material nature?” The answer is that we have not come into contact. By the influence of the material energy, we THINK that we are in contact. Actually, we are NOT fallen. We cann...
- 7 Oct 2022
Each devotee should receive care and individual guidance • Create groups of devotees at similar levels of advancement/commitment, and assign them for care and guidance to a more advanced and committed devotee.
...- 7 Oct 2022
Sacinandana Swami: Why bother? Considering how short life is, why should we bother about taking care of the different aspects of health? In the Sri Caitanya-siksamrta (chapter 2.1, p. 67-68) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains why: “If people do not follow these rules [regarding health of body and mind], they cannot pass through life smoothly. […] One will not be able to take the mind from material thoughts and direct it to thoughts of God. As a result, sinful thoughts and an atheistic attitude will dominate the mind. Finally, a person will ...
- 7 Oct 2022
Kavicandra Swami: Yesterday was a wake-up call day. I was asked to “bless” two cremations. Both were for elderly matajis who were serving up until the end, in spite of infirm bodies. The devotees, of course, were there and chanting. When we arrived at the second one the crematorium was so crowded that everything was behind schedule, so due to another temple program, I was not able to stay.
For the soul, there is neither birth nor death.
- 7 Oct 2022
Mahatma das: I happily and enthusiastically welcome the holy names every japa session.I easily chant my prescribed number of rounds with focus and attention.When I chant, I chant.I get to chant, I want to chant, and I love to chant.I treat the maha-mantra as Radha and Krsna, fully present in sound.I receive and feel Krsna’s presence, mercy and love in His holy names.I chant in full awareness that the holy name is my greatest treasure.I chant to please Radha and Krsna, not to gain anything material.I am out of my mind and in my heart, fully present t...
- 7 Oct 2022
Vaisesika Das: I can’t stop thinking about the big kirtans we had at ISV (our temple in San Jose, Ca) on Lord Rama’s appearance day. My mind keeps going back to those kirtans, wanting to relive them.
On that day, the devotees danced and sang together for hours in wild abandon: laughing, jumping, spinning, dancing, smiling and shouting with happiness.
I watched when a couple of devotees who arrived late walked into the big hall while the kirtan was roaring. The newcomers visibly turned bright, gradually shed their inhibitions and were...
- 6 Oct 2022
Meditation and Chanting Go Together.
In the Gaudiya way of bhakti, you offer everything to Krsna, the good, the bad – your life. You share everything with someone you are close to, the barriers are low, close friends are intimate. In bhakti this is called mamata, a strong sense of ownership, or relation to the Lord, that “He is mine and I’m His”. This type of love can be attained by two types of devotional service, as it is stated by Narada Muni in Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta: “One develops that love by practicing the devotio...
- 6 Oct 2022
- 6 Oct 2022
Transcendental knowledge becomes revealed. To whom it becomes revealed? It becomes revealed to such person who has got unflinching love for Krishna and for the spiritual master. Caitanya-caritamrta also says, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc Madhya 19.151]. [“By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”] One can come to the spiritual perfectional stage, or come to the spiritual platform, by the mercy of Krishna and the spiritual mast...
- 6 Oct 2022
- 6 Oct 2022
Mayavadis are those who consider the forms of the Lord to be temporary and made out of matter.
...- 6 Oct 2022
May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all....
- 5 Oct 2022
Lucy got the mercy!
Vijaya Dasa: While in Alachua, I gave a Bhagavatam class about book distribution. A Vaishnavi, Guru Prasad devi dasi, commented on an experience she had distributing books.
She was distributing at Dallas airport without much success, but she was still happily approaching people.
...
- 5 Oct 2022
The unity of the individual souls.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear sons of the King, I am very much pleased by the friendly relationships among you. All of you are engaged in one occupation—devotional service. I am so pleased with your mutual friendship that I wish you all good fortune. Now you may ask a benediction of Me.
- 4 Oct 2022