By Chaitanya Charan dasAdmittedly, the problem of hating the mind is far less common than the problem of believing it naively. But just as dualities characterize almost everything in the material world – heat-cold, pleasure-pain, honor-dishonor – so too can they characterize our attitude towards our mind. We can oscillate from attachment that manifests as unhealthy trust in the mind to aversion that manifests as unhealthy loathing of the mind. However, such loathing is unscriptural and unworkable. <...
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- 23 Feb 2015
By Prahladananda SwamiSrila Prabhupada once wrote to me. He said, "The boys and girls in your country are generally good souls. That's why they have taken birth in such a nice country. So now let them utilize everything in Krishna's service. That will make their life perfect. As Krishna sees that you are working seriously to help bring His other children back to the spiritual kingdom, then He will bestow all of His blessings upon you. Krishna is never ungrateful for our efforts to serve Him. Rest assured."
- 23 Feb 2015
By Arcana Siddhi Devi DasiIn a famous story from the Mahabharata, Krishna once met with Yudhishthira Maharaja and Duryodhana. Desiring to glorify His devotee Yudhishthira, Krishna requested him to find a person lower than himself, and asked sinful Duryodhana to find a person greater than himself. Yudhishthira had all good qualities. He was peaceful and self-satisfied. No doubt he had healthy self-esteem. Yet he could not find anyone he considered lower than himself. Again, this is the example of an advanced Vaishn...
- 22 Feb 2015
By ISKCON Communications Pancaratna Dasa, a member of the 50th Anniversary International Steering Committee, presented an elaborate report on the progress made so far along with the list of events being planned. As this year also marks the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s departure to the West, devotees in Kolkata and Mayapur have been working on organizing ‘Srila Prabhupada’s Legacy Night’ in a stadium in Kolkata along with a mega Padayatra from Mayapur to Kolkata.
...- 22 Feb 2015
By Mayapur staffWhile others are forced to renounce belongings at death, sannyasis do so voluntarily for Lord Krsna and attain Him. A sannyasi in bhakti cult is characterized by having full absorption in hearing & preaching glories of Lord Krishna. He emphasized that sannyasis in our movement following Srila Prabhupada are parivrajkacarya meaning they constantly travel and preach. Whereas a mayavadi sannyasi tries to give up activities and may engage in study of vedanta/ sankhya philosophy.
...- 21 Feb 2015
By Mayapur staffA Sankirtan award distribution ceremony took place in Temple on 19th February morning. This year Mayapur Temple enjoyed a special success by securing the first position worldwide for annual distribution in 2014. The ceremony took place to honor top book distributors connected to Mayapur.
...- 21 Feb 2015
By Sacinandana SwamiNarada Muni, knowing well that the Lord would not appear again to him, made a conclusion. "Thus, I began chanting the holy name form of the Lord by repeated recitation, ignoring all of the formalities of the material world. Such chanting and remembering of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are blessing one and all. In doing so, I travel all over the world, fully satisfied, humble, and unenvious."
...- 20 Feb 2015
By Niranjana SwamiAll of us have gathered to relish the sweet taste of Krishna's names here in the association of devotees. But as servants of the holy name, we should never try to selfishly relish that sweet taste ourselves. Our duty is to go out and to give it to others. That is the auspiciousness of this event that has been created for all of us to take part in - to go together and to relish these sweet names
...- 20 Feb 2015
By Sridama DasSrila Prabhupada: "My idea is to attract people of the whole world to Mayapur". 2015 will be the official year of the TOVP whose purpose is to fulfill this desire of Srila Prabhupada. Watch this new video about the Temple of Vedic Planetarium in High Definition with the messages of GBC Chairman Praghosa prabhu and of TOVP Chairman Ambarisha prabhu.
...- 19 Feb 2015
By Pancaratna dasPresently, AFFCAP is formulating a proposal for a Pilot Project with the goal of identifying this region’s registered cows. According to Ministry records, there is presently over one and a half million cows officially registered in government programs throughout the State. Of course, the devil is in the detail, but we will report back regarding our success or failure in designing and implementing the Ahimsa Verification Program throughout these first 284 gaushalas.
...- 19 Feb 2015
By Sri Radha Govinda DasiA writer, speaker, movie maker and fighter of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON is no more with us. The cremation took place in the all auspicious holy dham Mayapur yesterday the 17th of Feb at the Ganga, while some 150 devotees sang the holy name. His desire to leave his body in Sridham Mayapur was fulfilled and his inspiring association will be greatly missed. A few months ago on the Mayapur Forum there was discussion on devotees getting sick, their health care and death; Jnanagamy...
- 19 Feb 2015
By Sarvabhauma DasaHow inspiration to become a devotee of Krishna came from two unlikely sources: an interest in wrestling, and words from the founder of Transcendental Meditation. As a student, I competed in the sport of wrestling for eight years, from 1963 to 1971, but happiness eluded me. In high school, even when I won the California Interscholastic Federation championship at 123 pounds, I felt strangely empty inside. At the University of California at Berkeley, wrestling was a diversion, but I couldn't forge...
- 18 Feb 2015
By Mayapur.comAfter sravan utsav, kirtan mela is the next big event happening in Mayapur. Kirtan mela adivas took place on 15th evening. HH Loknath Swami led kirtan. Devotees danced along with kirtan. HH Sacinandana Swami and HH Kadamba Kanana Swami were also present on the occasion. The venue for the kirtan mela (Panca tattva hall) has been specially decorated with a blue tent covering the ceiling. Also, Deities of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Srila Prabhupada are placed with...
- 18 Feb 2015
By ISKCON CommunicationsThe third day of the ISKCON GBC’s Annual General Meetings opened with a presentation by Madhavananda Dasa, a member of the ISKCON Chowpatty in Mumbai. He informed the GBC body of a mega kirtan festival, Chant for Change, being planned in Jagannath Puri to coincide with the Navakalevara festival wherein the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra are changed once in 19 years. The most unique element of this kirtan festival would be that spiritual leaders and members of the four...
- 17 Feb 2015
By Mayapur Sasi dasaFor the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of November. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5
...- 17 Feb 2015
Rama dasa: Jnanagamya Prabhu, disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left his body this morning, February 17th 2015, around 9 am in the holy Dham Sri Mayapur India....
- 17 Feb 2015
By Mayapur.comThere was chanting of mantras by students of Bhaktivedanta academy. Next, there was a coconut breaking ceremony to invoke auspiciousness. Following that, some sanyasis spoke on the occasion. HH Gopal Krishna Goswami told devotees to take advantage of the sadhu sangha, get charged up and preach with enthusiasm on returning back. Compared to earlier situation of Mayapur, present Mayapur Gaur Purnima is surely a festival. Maharaj predicted that next year festival marking 50th anniversary of ISKCON...
- 16 Feb 2015
By Radhanath SwamiOne day, he met a great devotee, Vakresvara Pandita. He was so attracted by the compassion and devotion of Vakresvara Pandita that he wanted to serve him. He invited Vakresvara Pandita to live in his ashram. When Vakresvara Pandita would perform kirtan, he would stand with a stick to make sure that nobody crashed into him or disturbed his dancing. When Vakresvara Pandita in ecstasy would fall, he would catch him. He would clean his body with his own hands. Because he was deeply appreciating the...
- 16 Feb 2015
By Badrinarayan GoswamiI was at one of our temples. The archetype hippies showed up with bells and long hair in a pony tail. It was a husband and wife, couple. The wife's name was Wish. His name was Comet. So naturally I asked, "Where did you get those names?" They said that they gave them to themselves. So naturally I asked why. The wife said, "Because I'm always saying that I wish I had this, I wish I was there, I wish, I wish, I wish." So naturally I asked the husband, "Where'd you get the name Comet?" He said,...
- 15 Feb 2015
By Arjun BhattacharyyaThe people originating from India who have been residing in Trinidad for generations have been cut off from India due to circumstances. However, it was enlivening to see that they kept their original Vedic culture intact in so many ways. Through time they forgot their native Indian languages and English has become their only language of communication. The devotees at Trinidad were extremely loving and caring and they made Deena Bandhu Prabhu’s stay very homely due to their hospitality and ...
- 15 Feb 2015
By Mukunda dasOur Panca-Tattvas Shastra Dana program has now existed for almost six years. The purpose of the Shastra Dana is to enable everyone to participate in the distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books and other Vedic literature. Our goal is to present the spiritual knowledge contained in these books to as many people as possible. The books we donate and puts out to various institutions around the country.
...- 14 Feb 2015
By Rukmini Mohana DasOn 9th February, devotees from ISKCON Patna organized first ever program in, Ranchi at Khel Gaon. The program was aimed at providing the basic understanding about following - The purpose of ISKCON, Bhagavad Gita, contribution of Srila Prabhupada to unabridged humanity. Of course the program also had other usual Krishna conscious attractions like Mantra Rock show and prasadam. Rambhadra Das spoke about the problems and shortcomings in today's modern society and how teachings of Bhagavad gita ar...
- 14 Feb 2015
By Damodar Prasad dasSukadeva Goswami says: “These sins are like the dried leaves of creepers beneath a bamboo tree, which may be burned by fire although their roots remain to grow again at the first opportunity” (SB 6.1.13). The problem of sinful desires, or what may be more neutrally called addictive behaviours, has been of great interest in modern psychology. Different schools of thought have approached the problem differently, but perhaps the most prominent in recent modern history has been the behaviour...
- 13 Feb 2015
By the GBC CRO of the Strategic Planning NetworkDay three immediately built on the enthusiasm and camaraderie developed over the first two days of the SGGS. On this third and last day, participants took on the task of looking seventy years into the future, when all of Srila Prabhupadas disciples – and even most of the devotees who took initiation not long after Srila Prabhupadas departure – will certainly have left the planet.
...- 13 Feb 2015