lunes, 3 de octubre de 2011

Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Importing Higher Knowledge








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"Planet ISKCON" - 41 new articles

  1. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: TRAIN LESS FOR MORE
  2. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: Seed of Devotion: A Profound Interview
  3. Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Importing Higher Knowledge
  4. Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Kirtan SEP 29 2011
  5. Japa Group: Our Strength
  6. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: THAT IS THE GREATEST OFFENSE
  7. ISKCON Transcriptions: Семинар по Вайшнава этикету и культуре Часть 5 (Russian version of the seminar)
  8. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, September 30th, 2011
  9. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
  10. H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, October 1st, 2011
  11. ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Deity Darshan: Sunday, October 1, 2011
  12. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHY FORGIVENESS?
  13. Sita-pati dasa, AU: Madhava's Sankirtan Band
  14. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: TEN OFFENSES IN CHANTING LECTURE
  15. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HIGHLY IMPORTANT - PREMARITAL COUNSELING
  16. Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: For Durga puja
  17. Akrura das, Gita Coaching: FREE FROM DOUBTS
  18. Bhakti Lata, Alachua, USA: A Profound Interview
  19. Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Help From Google to Get Your Solar System?
  20. Sutapa das, BV Manor, UK: Tattva - See Inside Out
  21. Sutapa das, BV Manor, UK: Split personality
  22. ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Video: Maha-Mantra Festival Highlights!
  23. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  24. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  25. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  26. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  27. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  28. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  29. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  30. Srila Prabhupada's Letters
  31. ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Video: Maha-Mantra Festival Celebrations in Toronto!
  32. Karnamrita das, NC, USA: We Love Krishna, Therefore We Are: The Importance of Serving with Affection part 2
  33. New Vrndavan, USA: Article On Palace in Pittsburgh Magazine
  34. Dandavats.com: My Wonderful Teacher
  35. Dandavats.com: Service opportunity: managing and running a restaurant project in Sweden
  36. H.H. Sivarama Swami: Vijaya Laksmi in China wants to know
  37. Japa Group: Prayer, Posture & Pronunciation
  38. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Sara Dasa
  39. Atma Yoga, Brisbane, AU: Mayapuris – Brisbane kirtan concert Monday 24 October 6pm
  40. Gouranga TV: Kirtan Mela 2011: HH Kadamba Kanana Swami
  41. H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Monday 3 October 2011--Compassionate Diet Will Eliminate Hunger--and--Why Did God Create Us?
  42. More Recent Articles
  43. Search Planet ISKCON
  44. Prior Mailing Archive

Akrura das, Gita Coaching: TRAIN LESS FOR MORE


14. Train Less for More

People need to be trained around the core principles they need to know, not an endless amount of  information that is nice for them to know.

"Train less for more" is ideal.

We believe these six essentials are critical to leading well:

• Keeping the life-change goal in front of leaders challenges them to keep their groups purposeful.
• Relationships require regular intentional deposits.
• Promote participation within the group.
• Leaders to intentionally apprentice someone in their group for future leadership.
• Leaders need to understand the primary way we provide care to our attendees is through community groups. It equips the leaders on how to deal with challenging situations in their groups.
• Multiplying their groups.

At both of our annual training events, we take one essential and drill down designing an entire event around it. This allows leaders to be trained on all six essentials every three years.


Creating Community: 5 Keys to Building a Small Group Culture
By Andy Stanley and Bill Willits
Multnomah, 2004

 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: Seed of Devotion: A Profound Interview

Seed of Devotion: A Profound Interview: My fellow writer, Madhava Smullen, is writing an article for BTG Magazine on the phenomenon of gurukulis (second generation devotees of Kris...

 
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List Building for Bloggers: Proven email stategies that build your audience, increase engagement and grow your income. Launch pricing available thru May 23, 2011.

Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Importing Higher Knowledge

Accepting and wearing brand name designer clothes from Italy, isn’t any kind of attempt to pose as an Italian. Rather, we accept and import the brand because it is a nice quality product. Similarly, higher knowledge which is of superior quality, should be accepted from any religious tradition without unnecessary fear of religious or cultural indoctrination.

 
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Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Kirtan SEP 29 2011

 
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Japa Group: Our Strength


Our strength is in following the regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds japa. Then Krsna will give you protection.
Letter to Visvadharini dasi
12th January, 1977
 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: THAT IS THE GREATEST OFFENSE

Now we have explained the mantra that as soon as one chants Hare Krsna, immediately, bahyabhyantarah sucih, he becomes purified.

Now if one takes advantage of this holy name, "Let me commit sins..."

Just like sometimes in the Christian church they take advantages that by confessing sin one becomes free from sinful reaction. So go to church and confess, and again come out and do all sorts of sins, and again confess. This sort of (laughs) minimizing is nonsense. It is fact.

When you confess before the church, before God, you are free from all sinful action. That's all right. But if you commit again, then next confession will not be accepted. They do not know this. You cannot...

Suppose a child has committed some mistake. Father says, "All right, don't do this." If he again does it, there is no excuse. They do not know that. They think, "We shall commit sin and go to church and confess and finish. So let us do this balancing business." Yes.

Similarly, don't do this balancing business, that "Because chanting Hare Krsna will wash off all my accounts of sinful activities, so in the morning, from morning to night, let me do all kinds of sinful activities, and at night, at bedtime, let me chant Hare Krsna. Then finish." No. (laughs) Don't do that. Don't do that. That is the greatest offense. Yes. You'll never be forgiven.

Those who purposely do like that -- "I have got very nice instrument for washing off my sinful activities. So whole day let me do all sinful activities, and at night let me chant Hare Krsna. Let me meditate. That's all. Finish." -- no. You should note that the name, the holy name has got the power. Now, from this date, you are free from all sinful activities, reaction. But don't do it. That is the greatest offense. Yes.

Srila Prabhupada, Ten Offenses Lecture - Los Angeles, December 1, 1968
 
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ISKCON Transcriptions: Семинар по Вайшнава этикету и культуре Часть 5 (Russian version of the seminar)

Семинар по Вайшнавскому Этикету и Культуре , проведенный Его Святейшеством Бхактивидьей Пурной Свами в 1998 году.

Сегодня мы продолжим обсуждать вопросы. Может у кого-нибудь есть что-то по нашей теме   или что-то, что могло бы быть полезным  для нас, какие-то идеи?

Эмоциональный обмен

Суть в том, что согласно своей варне,   у каждого есть свой путь как лучше себя проявить, та зона комфорта, где он чувствует себя как рыба в воде. Но т.к.  мы имеем дело с религиозными принципами, то это накладывает на себя определенные ограничения. Таким образом, свобода дается для того, чтобы иметь возможность проявить лучшую сторону  своей природы и также есть ограничения, чтобы контролировать ее нежелательные черты. Если все устроено правильно, тогда достигается подходящая комбинация социальных отношений, которая работает. Проблема начинается тогда, когда берет верх плохая сторона, а хорошая либо подавляется, либо используется неправильно.

Это можно найти в каждом. Например, у детей, т.к. они  еще совсем маленькие, то естественно у них есть склонность к легкомысленности. Также их нельзя назвать и зрелыми личностями, т.к. у них еще  недостаточно жизненного опыта и знаний. Но если вы воспитаете в них такие черты как уважение к другим и способность работать и общаться с другими людьми, не допуская развития их фривольности, то со временем вы получите замечательного ребенка…. read full story

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, September 30th, 2011

"No" Signs

Toronto, Ontario

One of the ladies in the community here said in a rather familiar way, "Oh Maharaja, you look so bright eyed and bushy tailed!" Appropriate remark? Certainly it wouldn't fly in a traditional context, but her intent was really good. "Yes, I feel great, having tackled two provinces, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland on foot. I've shed some karma and some pounds."

I appreciate that she was at least consistent when she said, "You've got sun on your head and stubbles on your chin."

Again, well intended. Doctors inform me that after a marathon withdrawal symptoms usually occur. But I can't claim marathon status this time. I only went for two weeks, and a little less than 30 km per day, which is 10 km less than on the other previous cross Canada treks. I would say though that the legs get a little antsy, and want more than a mere 7 km I did today. Sadly, I have to submit to being back in regular mode. On day 1 of being back I took to the streets of the Rosedale neighbourhood, my original training grounds if you will. Funny to see signs of objection, like anywhere else in the country. This morning it was a sign pegged into someone's front yard that read, "No Mega Quarry". In Nova Scotia last week a sign I saw last week on someone's property read, "No Fracking". In the north, earlier in the summer, angry home owners set plaquards in their sod that read, "No Wind Turbines". Behind some of these protests, the Nimby principle applies, "You can do what you want to do but 'not in my backyard'". It seems folks are ticked about something.

The posting of "No Smoking" is a common message everywhere. And I give that a thumbs up. But being who I am, a renounced person in a spiritual order, I would love to one day see signs that read, "No Illicit Sex", "No Gambling", "No Intoxication" and "No Meat Eating". That would be a lot to ask of such a campaign. Just one serious attempt that one of the above four would save lives of self destruction, I believe.

If I was ever voted in for political office I would urge in this direction. That would sound scary to a secularist. I can just hear the protests now. I would then bargain for at least discouraging the above kind of bad habits. Let's settle then for me being some modest spiritualist, trying to promote these values of abstinence and replace them with positive engagements. If even a tiny sector of society could adapt to less self gratification, the impact would be enormous.

7 Km

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

What Sunday Should Be!

Duntroon, Ontario

Naturopath healers, professional runners, massage therapists and yoga practitioners were amongst listeners to my trekking pastimes in this small town near this Blue Mountain ski district. The time passed by rapidly as I was unfolding the various adventures of walking to the extreme. As usual I interweave philosophy into the presentation. "You must know your audience," as they say, so with this group I had come to understand that most of the participants had some "Vedic" connection, and hence, I could speak rather comfortably using the word sattvic, for instance, and eventually the word "God" and "Krishna".

When speaker and audience are on the same page there is a sense of harmony. Many questions came regarding the practical aspects of the marathon walks as well as the spiritual intent behind them. There were young children present and they also maintained a level of attention that was unparalleled. The chanting session we held at the end went over very well and refreshments to follow were for the health conscious.

My real good friend from Poland, Mahasrngha, cooked pasta for me and baked a delicious carob cake to be shared by all. Rami Bleckt, our host and ayur-veda astrologer, demonstrated his love by staging the event in his home. A real gentleman!

I was contemplating on the thought of Sunday evening being this way for the whole world' that a sense of community be the real experience for the entire human race and that real joy could be felt by all.

As Krishna states in the Gita, "susukam kartum avyayam." Chanting, honouring prasadam (sanctified food), some words of wisdom are all happily executed.

1 Km

 
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H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, October 1st, 2011

Rejection/Acceptance

Toronto, Ontario

Yesterday when our small party of 6 went in procession south on Avenue Road, a well dressed man in his, my guess, 60's, addressed us as idiots. We didn't respond. We were chanting and playing instruments while in procession. I was a little irritated by the remark, but left the negativity behind me, and immersed myself in blissful chanting. From thereon, responses by the public were phenomenal. When I described brief negative encounters to a group at a devotional gathering in a Markham home, they were rather surprised. "Someone would call some saintly folks idiots?"

Rejection is to be expected. So is acceptance. Accept both. This world is dual.

In a beautiful pastime to do with Krishna's friends, these cowherd boys were somewhat disappointed when they were refused food for Krishna when requesting some from Brahmin priests. One time a reporter asked our guru, Srila Prabhupada, "How do you deal with a world that sometimes rejects you?" He made a remark that you simply go on with what has to be done. There can be so many discouraging factors to deal with. It is our dharma, or duty, to keep us on track, even though rejection may be in the air.

Now, there's this annual event in the city called "Nuit Blanche" where streets are blocked off for pedestrian friendliness. Art displays go on into the wee hours of the morning. It's quite the party. Well, after our Markham program, a group of us, 20 or so, decided to wedge ourselves into Nuit Blanche with our drums, deities, conch shells, incense, balloons, and anything else artistically expressive. It was done. Boy! How we were accepted! People loved it.

8 Km

 
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ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Deity Darshan: Sunday, October 1, 2011


 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: WHY FORGIVENESS?

By Srila Prabhupada


It is said that forgiveness is a quality of those whoare advancing in spiritual knowledge.


A sadhu, a devotee, is never angry. Actually the realfeature of devotees who undergo tapasya, austerity, is forgiveness. Although aVaisnava has sufficient power in tapasya, he does not become angry when putinto difficulty.


A brahmana is highly qualified when he can control hissenses and mind, when he is a learned scholar in spiritual science and when heis tolerant and forgiving.


Theduty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which isilluminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleasedwith those who are forgiving.

 
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Sita-pati dasa, AU: Madhava's Sankirtan Band

Check it out on Youtube.

 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: TEN OFFENSES IN CHANTING LECTURE


By Srila Prabhupada

Revatinandana: Here it is, Prabhupada. Should I read, Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Revatinandana: "The ten offenses to avoid in chanting the maha-mantra. The first is blaspheming the Lord's devotee." Just read them?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Revatinandana: "Second, considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupada: This is very important point, blaspheming the devotees. The Lord's devotee, in many countries, many places... Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he's also devotee of Lord. Muhammad, he's also devotee of Lord. So it is not that because we are Krsna conscious, we shall unnecessarily decry any other parts, any other devotee. It may be, according to time, place, and country, the method may be different, but anyone who is preaching devotion to God, he's a devotee of God. So he should never be blasphemed. Yes.

Revatinandana: "Two. Considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupada: Yes. One should not put the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Just like the Mayavadi says, "The demigods and God, they are all the same." Because according to them, God has no form, so any form you accept, imagine, as the form of God, it is as good. But that is not the fact. There are demigods and the Supreme God also. So we should not place... Just like demigod, Lord Brahma or Lord Siva, Indra, Candra, they are demigods. So we should not place... In one sense, there is nothing except God, because everything expansion of God. But that does not mean I am equal to God. I am also expansion of God, that's a fact. Just like father and the son. Son is the expansion of father; still, the son is not the father. Don't mistake that. There is no difference between father and son because the same body is expanded as son, but still, the son is not the father. Father is father, son is son. This, I mean to say, variety, the Mayavadi philosophers, they do not understand. Then?

Revatinandana: "...or assuming that there are many Gods."

Prabhupada: God is one. There cannot be many Gods. If God is not one, there is no meaning of God. God means, according to Vedic definition, asamordhva. Asama means one who has no equal. Nobody is equal to God. And urdhva means nobody is greater than God. God is great. Nobody can be greater than God. Therefore God is one. Nobody is greater, nobody is equal. That means everyone is lower. Then?

Revatinandana: "Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master."

Prabhupada: Yes. This is one offense. These are offenses. When we accept spiritual master, it is understood that you cannot deny his order. Just like Krsna and Arjuna was talking as friends, but when Arjuna accepted Krsna as spiritual master, he was simply hearing, and whenever there was difficulty to understand, he was questioning. Not that he was equally arguing with Krsna. Before accepting Him, he was arguing. So this is the position. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool [Cc. Adi 7.71]." Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not a fool, but it is the good qualification of a disciple to remain a fool before the spiritual master. Therefore he'll never, I mean to say, dare to argue or disobey. That is offense. Now, go on. That does not mean that when you cannot understand, you cannot question. Question must be there. That is stated in this Bhagavad-gita, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Your relationship is to know from a spiritual master everything, but you should know that with three things. What is that? First of all you should surrender. You must accept the spiritual master as greater than you. Otherwise what is the use of accepting one spiritual master? Pranipat. Pranipat means surrendering; and pariprasna, and questioning; and seva, and service. There must be two sides, service and surrender, and in the middle there must be question. Otherwise there is no question and answer. Two things must be there: service and surrender. Then answer of question is nice. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The fourth offense is minimizing the authority of the Vedas."

Prabhupada: Yes. Scriptures, authority of Vedas, they must be accepted. Just like the other day I was explaining, the Veda says the conchshell is pure although it is a bone of an animal. In other places Veda gives you the injunction that bone of an animal is impure. But it says the conchshell is pure. It can be placed before the Deity, it can be used in the Deity room in His service. Now there may be argument, "Oh, this is a bone of an animal. How is that? Contradiction." No. So one should accept the injunction of the Vedas like that. Whenever it says this is impure, it is impure; when it says it is pure, it is pure. Now if there is any doubt, that should be understood by questioning submissively and with service from the spiritual master. The spiritual master is there. Then? But we should always accept the injunction of the scripture as truth. Just like there is a proverb, "Bible truth," "Biblical truth." Nobody can deny Bible. This should be the attitude. Bible is also part of Vedas. Therefore Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is, without any interpretation. Just like Bhagavad-gita is Veda. Why Veda? The Supreme Personality of Godhead personally speaking; therefore it is Veda. There is no mistake. One should accept -- no interpretation -- as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Yes. Go on.

Revatinandana: "The fifth offense is interpreting the holy names of God."

Prabhupada: Yes. No interpretation in the holy... Just like Krsna, the Mayavadi philosophers may... Just like Gandhi has written, "Pandava means the senses; Kuruksetra means this body; Krsna means the mind." No such nonsense interpretation. Krsna is Krsna. Yes. Go on.

Revatinandana: "The sixth offense is committing sin on the strength of chanting."

Prabhupada: Yes. Now we have explained the mantra that as soon as one chants Hare Krsna, immediately, bahyabhyantarah sucih, he becomes purified. Now if one takes advantage of this holy name, "Let me commit sins..." Just like sometimes in the Christian church they take advantages that by confessing sin one becomes free from sinful reaction. So go to church and confess, and again come out and do all sorts of sins, and again confess. This sort of (laughs) minimizing is nonsense. It is fact. When you confess before the church, before God, you are free from all sinful action. That's all right. But if you commit again, then next confession will not be accepted. They do not know this. You cannot... Suppose a child has committed some mistake. Father says, "All right, don't do this." If he again does it, there is no excuse. They do not know that. They think, "We shall commit sin and go to church and confess and finish. So let us do this balancing business." Yes. Similarly, don't do this balancing business, that "Because chanting Hare Krsna will wash off all my accounts of sinful activities, so in the morning, from morning to night, let me do all kinds of sinful activities, and at night, at bedtime, let me chant Hare Krsna. Then finish." No. (laughs) Don't do that. Don't do that. That is the greatest offense. Yes. You'll never be forgiven. Those who purposely do like that -- "I have got very nice instrument for washing off my sinful activities. So whole day let me do all sinful activities, and at night let me chant Hare Krsna. Let me meditate. That's all. Finish." -- no. You should note that the name, the holy name has got the power. Now, from this date, you are free from all sinful activities, reaction. But don't do it. That is the greatest offense. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The seventh offense is instructing the Lord's name to the unfaithful."

Prabhupada: Yes. Those who do not believe in God, atheists, what is the use of...? But not to bother him, but give him the chance of hearing. That will make him competent to come forward. Therefore we are distributing this holy name. Not that everyone will be immediately turned to Krsna consciousness, but we are giving chance. If they hear... You have got practical experience. Somebody's hearing, he's reforming. So we should give chance. But if one is staunch atheist, we should not talk very much with him about Krsna. He may say something against, offensive. Yes. Then?

Revatinandana: "The eighth offense is comparing the holy name to material piety."

Prabhupada: Yes. And another thing, just like we are holding this ceremony, initiation ceremony. It should not be accepted just we are functioning some ritualistic ceremony. No. It is different from ritualistic ceremony. Although it appears like ritualistic, it is transcendental. Ritualistic ceremony, they are meant for giving you advantage of become pious, from impious life. It also gives that, but this is not the ultimate aim. The ultimate aim is to give you love of God, which is far, far transcendental to the pious and impious activities. That is a different thing that belongs to the spiritual world -- love of God. It is not that it is a function to nullify your sinful activities. That is automatically done. Just like if you get one million dollars, the purpose of ten dollars automatically solved. Similarly, this acceptance of holy name of God will automatically wash off all your sinful reaction. That's a fact. But it is not meant for that purpose. It is meant for higher purpose, to attain to this platform of loving God, rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord. That is the aim. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The ninth offense is inattentive while chanting the holy name."

Prabhupada: Yes. This is ninth offense. While you chant, you hear also. You don't turn your attention to anything else, mechanically chanting and thinking of something. Thinking of Krsna is all right, but if I think something which is not in Krsna consciousness... Best thing is that I shall chant Hare Krsna and each word I shall hear; then it will be very much effective. Yes.

Revatinandana: "The tenth offense is attachment to material things while engaged in the practice of chanting."

Prabhupada: That I explained. This is the disease, aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. The material disease means I am thinking this body, "I am," and everything belonging to this body or in relationship with the body -- "Mine." This is material disease. So we shall see. By chanting we shall see how much we are making progress, how much I am free from these two concept of life, that "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine." This is the test, how we are becoming free from these two concept of life. If there is still the concept that "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body is mine," then you have to chant very cautiously to make progress. That's all. These ten kinds of offenses you should guard against.

Srila Prabhupada, Ten Offenses Lecture - Los Angeles, December 1, 1968
 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HIGHLY IMPORTANT - PREMARITAL COUNSELING


Many people spend lots and lots of money on their weddings.

They spend lots of time planning and usually, there are many people involved, family, friends, association, employer, neighbors, etc. 

According to Modern Bride magazine, the average American wedding is about $20,000. About 2.3 million couples marry each year in this country and they spend approximately 72 billion dollars. 

Yet, not often enough do we find couples that spend a mere fraction of their time and a small amount of their money to get premarital counseling or education. 

Listen to what our beloved founder/acharya, Srila Prabhupada says about this matter:

"The two marriages recommended by you may be performed at that time as well, but only after having sufficiently counseled the respective devotees. This marriage business should not be taken as a farce, but is a very serious matter." 

Letter to Bhagavan, July, 1971.

From the "Vaisnava Family Resources Newsletter"
 
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Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: For Durga puja

The blazing fire of material nature is supervised by Durga. Often she is portrayed with weapons in her hands. She has ten hands, and each holds a different type of weapon. This indicates that she is ruling all ten directions of this universe. She wields the different weapons to chastise the demons. There is one famous picture of a demon struggling with a lion, and the goddess Durga is pulling the demon's hair and pushing her trident against his chest. If we study this picture we can determine that we are the demon and that the trident is the threefold miseries of material existence from which we are always suffering. Some miseries are inflicted by other living entities, some are inflicted by natural disasters, and some are inflicted by the mind and body themselves. In one way or another we are always struggling against these three types of miseries. No one in the material creation can say that he is free from them. The trident of this material nature is pressed against everyone's chest, and because of this, pure happiness within this material world is not possible. We may try to satisfy Mother Durga by worshiping her or by giving her some bribe, but Durga is not so easily bribed.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => EK 5: Knowing Krsna's Energies

 
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Akrura das, Gita Coaching: FREE FROM DOUBTS

Asammoha, freedom from doubt and delusion, can be achieved when one is not hesitant and when he understands the transcendental philosophy.

Slowly but surely he becomes free from bewilderment.

Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution.

Srila Prabhupada

 
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Bhakti Lata, Alachua, USA: A Profound Interview

My fellow writer, Madhava Smullen, is writing an article for ISKCON News (news.iskcon.com) on the phenomenon of gurukulis (second generation devotees of Krishna) who have received formal initiation. He interviewed me and quite a few others via e-mail.

His questions have prodded me to reflect deeply upon the commitments I have made.

Who initiated you?
Radhanath Swami

Where and when did you get initiated?
Alachua, Florida, May 31st, 2010

What age were you when you got initiated?
23

What were your full names before and after initiation?
My name before initiation was Bhakti lata bij, and after initiation my name became Bhakti lata.

Please explain in a detailed, thoughtful way why you made the decision to get initiated.
        I often hear parallels between marriage and initiation - both are very grave steps in life that involve very profound vows. Of course, marriage is more of a common phenomenon, something that humans can universally relate to, so I'll start from there. So one may ask, why get married? Why make those vows when you can just live lives together as a very committed couple? I have come to the conclusion that there is something about taking those profound vows in front of the world and in front of God that gives the couple the strength to weather the storms.

In very related respects, I was born to devotee parents who gave me a spiritual name at birth. I have followed the four regulative principles my whole life, and Radhanath Swami loves me unconditionally, whether I would have ever received initiation from him or not. So one may wonder - why take that formal step of initiation? For me, it was about committing to those vows in front of the world and in front of God. The vows of initiation are so powerful that sometimes I feel chills to meditate upon them. Those vows carve and shape my life, and give me a safe place to fall. Receiving initiation is like marriage in the sense that now I belong to someone, now I can rest my soul, knowing that I am connected to a family who can carry me in the fiercest of spiritual storms.


What major and subtle changes have there been in your life now that you are initiated? What do you think initiation will continue to change in your life?
        The most profound change I experience is the peace I feel in my heart. I feel settled. I feel grounded and sure and safe. I feel strong - I no longer am only accountable to myself, I am accountable to my spiritual master, to Srila Prabhupad, to all of the devotees. That accountability gives me great strength to set an example for others. I feel that initiation will continue to change my life by giving me the sureness and strength to offer every breath of my life in service, knowing that it shall be offered in the right direction, like water not just poured upon any soil, but soil with seeds underneath.

Why do you think gurukulis have typically been slower about getting initiated? Do you think that is changing now, and if so why?
          I sense that gurukulis have been slower about receiving initiation because they're already immersed in Krishna culture. What's the point in making such heavy vows when one is already IN the flow, chanting, doing service...?

         But the biggest reason for the slower movement towards initiation, I believe, is chanting 16 rounds. It's a huge commitment. For me, getting to the point of actually steadily chanting 16 rounds every day has been the greatest challenge of my entire life, and it still is. I chant a lot slower than even most people, so it takes me around 3 hours every day. And although gurukulis love to chant in kirtan - sometimes for 24 hours straight! - there's something very austere about chanting japa for us. Several years ago, Radhanath Swami once gently commented to me (after I had told him yet again that I was still struggling with chanting), "Yes, you gurukulis would rather feel sincere about japa all the time, or not chant at all."

        I think the trend towards initiation amongst gurukulis is growing, but only very slightly. In my experience, most gurukulis ask this question: "Why initiation?" and usually don't feel very satisfied with the answer.

A question and a concern that the older generation often have is, will gurukulis step up and continue this movement when they are gone? Do you think more gurukulis getting initiated means positive things for the future of the movement?
         I'm not sure if initiation will address the issue of succession. But I do know that where powerful vows of commitment are made, vigor and strength naturally follow. I personally find it incredibly inspiring to witness my peers take to this process so seriously. It gives me hope that my own children shall take to this process naturally as well. That yes, Krishna Consciousness is the nature of the soul, and the process that Srila Prabhupad has given us is complete.
 
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Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Help From Google to Get Your Solar System?

Interested in solar electricity for your home but can’t afford the upfront costs? Check this out (it works for them because they take advantage of tax credits and various writeoffs):

From The Official Google Blog:

Taking in more sun with Clean Power Finance

9/27/2011 09:00:00 AM

(Cross-posted from the Green Blog)

This morning, at the Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF-West) in San Francisco, I announced a new $75 million investment to create an initial fund with Clean Power Finance that will help up to 3,000 homeowners go solar. This is our second investment in residential solar, and we've now invested more than $850 million overall to develop and deploy clean energy.

As we said when we made our first residential solar investment, we think it makes a lot of sense to use solar photovoltaic (PV) technology—rooftop solar panels—to generate electricity right where you need it at home. It greens our energy mix by using existing roof space while avoiding transmission constraints, and it can be cheaper than drawing electricity from the traditional grid.
Purchasing a solar system is a major home improvement, but the upfront cost has historically been one of the biggest barriers for homeowners. Solar installers across the country don't always have the resources to find financing for customers, or the capital to provide it themselves. And for investors like Google, banks and others, it can be difficult to enter a fragmented solar market with many companies, and get connected to individual homeowners.

That's where Clean Power Finance comes in. They've developed an open platform that connects installers with investors like Google to provide financing to homeowners. Solar installers sign up with Clean Power Finance to get access to the company's comprehensive sales solutions, including consumer financing from investors, like the Google fund. This enables installers to sell more systems and grow their business. The installer builds the system, the investor (in this case, Google) owns it, and homeowners pay a monthly payment for the system, at a price that's often less than paying for energy from the grid. Maintenance and performance are taken care of by Clean Power Finance and its network of installers. …


Filed under: Cows and Environment
 
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Sutapa das, BV Manor, UK: Tattva - See Inside Out

In the late 60's, after NASA had completed a series of groundbreaking space adventures, they interviewed different people to guage their reaction to the events. When they reached a grave-looking monk he shocked the reporter with a radically different perspective. He was saddened by the direction of modern civilization, and wasn't overly excited by the recent astro-travel. When quizzed why, he responded "now man is diverting his attention further and further outside for answers, for purpose, for happiness - but actually we have to explore deeper and deeper within."

In the modern materialistic climate, our vision, analysis and interaction with the world can be on a very superficial level. Despite this all-pervading influence, many philosophers, theologians, scientists and great thinkers have discussed and debated with a view to understanding the world in a more profound way. The ancient sages of the East were no different. In the body of literatures known as the Vedas, they documented a spiritual understanding of the self, the universe and our deeper purpose in the journey of life. This became known as 'tattva' - essential truths and principles which underpin universal reality. Knowledge of this tattva can help one to excel physically, emotionally, socially, and most importantly, spiritually.

This blog is a humble attempt to discuss elements of this tattva. The posts are diverse and cover topics ranging from religion to relationships, science to sociology, leadership to lifestyle management. We hope they will be 'food for thought' in a world that (consciously or unconsciously) is yearning for fresh perspectives and newer pardigms.

 
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Sutapa das, BV Manor, UK: Split personality

Many of us on the spiritual path lead double lives. Carefully avoiding the image of a scripture-bashing religious nerd, we often end up hiding our spirituality and even compromising our principles just to fit into the crowd. Initially, people may appreciate the added spiritual dimension to life, but when one's interest grows, commitment deepens and priorities begin to change, that's when the alarm bells start to ring. Parents are happy with the morality and principles that the practice of spirituality brings, but later they fear you may become too detached from the world, lose your drive for success and renounce your duties towards the family. Friends think it's cool and funky to 'think deeper', but later they complain that you've changed and how your company no longer stimulates them. How do we balance our spiritual journey with our worldly relationships? Is it possible to maintain one's principles without becoming a social outcaste?

In the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita Krishna explains that "what is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage." Once, when asked what the purport of this statement was, Srila Prabhupada replied "they think you are crazy and you think they are crazy!" Materialists look at spiritualists and pity what they see as a conservative life of self denial and childish fairytale. Spiritualists look at materialists and lament their illusory pursuits for pleasure, foreseeing the frustration that comes from seeking substance in the shadow. Everyone has their own take on life. I guess the most important thing for a spiritualist is to come to terms with who they really are. There comes a point when you realize that life is too short to put up false pretenses and masks. If you're not comfortable with yourself, we can't really expect anyone else to be.

Interestingly, as a spiritualist matures, he is not only unaffected by the skepticism of others, but by his conviction and enthusiasm he can often inspire and transform those very same people. On a deeper level, we realize we have lots in common with others. Everyone, despite their desires, aspirations and goals in life are all actually looking for the same things – peace, love, achievement, relationships, security etc. The only difference is that we are all looking in different places. In this way, a spiritualist need not see himself as a black sheep, standing out like a sore thumb in society. Rather they can be likened to a drop of red ink thrown into a pool of water – by boldly taking the plunge and confidently expressing themselves, they will colorfully enrich the lives of everyone around them.

 
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ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Video: Maha-Mantra Festival Highlights!

Some video highlights of the recently-celebrated Maha-Mantra festival in Toronto which included chanting on a double-decker bus, harinamas and chanting at a Beatles Festival in Orillia!

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1967 October 3: "He was so much frenzied to meet his old friends that he forgot the order of Krishna and indulged in a sort of sense gratification. It is certainly a shocking incident which I never expected from a disciple like him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1967 October 3: "Whenever there is new branch of our society for Krishna Consciousness I become very very happy and my blessings in heart and soul are with you. Although I am not physically present there, spiritually I am always with you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1967 October 3: "Regarding my return. I may inform you that I am now 90% cured and I can immediately return but I want to return with permanent visa. Please therefore do all the necessary action."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1968 October 3: "I am very happy to learn that you are going to various homes and lecture halls, and holding kirtana and delivering lectures from these transcendental literatures. Continue to preach in this way to all you meet."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1970 October 3: "It is very simple: God is great, everyone is His servant. Nobody can be equal to or greater than God. In quality we are one, but in magnitude we are different. This is the whole philosophy of the four Vaisnava sampradayas."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1971 October 3: "You are alone doing such marvelous work and it is impossible for a person without being blessed by Krishna. So you should always be conscious of this special favor upon you and continue to work more vigorously."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1971 October 3: "I am so glad to hear there are many new devotees. All newcomers should be welcomed and well treated. Out of many thousands one may come. So it is our duty to help them. That is one of our most important activities."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

 
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Srila Prabhupada's Letters

1974 October 3: "The materialists are trying to adjust the disturbances of nature in so many ways. But after so many attempts have they been able to stop suffering? After so many attempts still they are suffering and still they do not ask why."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

 
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ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Video: Maha-Mantra Festival Celebrations in Toronto!

Toronto's Hare Krishna community recently celebrated the annual Maha-Mantra Festival.  The festival involved a wide assortment of activities and events that proved to be wonderfully spiritually inspiring!  Check out some of the highlights via the video below:

 
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Karnamrita das, NC, USA: We Love Krishna, Therefore We Are: The Importance of Serving with Affection part 2

Lord Chaitanya appears on Earth
Krishna has a perfect sense of timing. As so often happens in my life, He has helped me in my tiny service. While I was thinking of how to expand my four paragraphs in this second part about affection, I heard a very appropriate tape of a Prabhupada lecture, with pertinent details about feeling that I never remember hearing before: In his travels, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to a town where He observed a brahmana who appeared to be reading the Bhagavad-gita. As he was turning its pages, he was sometimes crying. Passersby were mocking this brahmana's "reading" of the Gita, since it was known that he was illiterate. Curious, Lord Chaitanya humbly approached him and inquired how it was that he was reading the Gita. The brahmana felt the sincerity of Shri Chaitanya's inquiry, and answered that he was illiterate, but since his guru asked him to daily read the eighteen chapters of the Gita, he was somehow trying to follow his guru's order by just seeing the pages. "Oh," asked Lord Chaitanya, "you are not simply seeing it, since you also are crying." "Yes, Maharaja, I am crying also." "Then if you are not reading, how you are crying?" "Maharaja, I am not reading, but I'm feeling the Gita."

read more

 
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New Vrndavan, USA: Article On Palace in Pittsburgh Magazine

The Palace is mentioned in an article in Pittsburgh magazine.

Read about  it in an article titled Step Into the Twilight Zone.

“Come with us on our search for the weird, the spooky and the just plain odd in our mysterious city.”

About the Palace: “Simply put, it's one of the most beautiful places on earth.”

 

 
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Dandavats.com: My Wonderful Teacher

By Bhagiratha das

Just last year I was discussing with him to arrange a program for him in Indonesia around this year or the latest will be the midle of next year, but he left us so quickly. He is a rare personality, though was a great scholar still he is humble and present himself like some one who doesn't know anything

 
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Dandavats.com: Service opportunity: managing and running a restaurant project in Sweden

Tapas das: Govindas, a lunch restaurant located in the city of Gothenburg in Sweden (the second largest city in Sweden after Stockholm) is preferably looking for a couple who can manage and run its day to day activities

 
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H.H. Sivarama Swami: Vijaya Laksmi in China wants to know

What in Bg 5.15 Srila Prabhupada means when he refers to the living entities’ “littleness of his existence.”

 
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Japa Group: Prayer, Posture & Pronunciation


The second session of the Japa Room brought many devotees together to discuss many amazing points about Japa.


One devotee mentioned about the three P's in chanting - Prayer, Posture and Pronunciation. We need to prayer to ask the Lord to help us in our attempts - we need to sit properly so we don't become sleepy or inattentive and pronounciation has to be very clear - no more "Nish Nish Nam"...we have to give respect to the Holy names.

This reminded me of a quote that I often use in the the Japa Room sessions, it makes it very clear that we need to pronounce and hear the Holy names with clarity and distinction.

"Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally. Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the hearing."

Letter to Radhaballabah das
6 January, 1972
 
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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Sara Dasa

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.7 - Persons who are actually intelligent should endeavor only for the that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Patala] (tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido...).

 
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Atma Yoga, Brisbane, AU: Mayapuris – Brisbane kirtan concert Monday 24 October 6pm

Mayapuris live in Brisbane

Awesome news! The Mayapuris are coming to Atma Yoga.

The Kings of Kirtan are back in Australia – this time with the full 5-piece singing, drumming and dancing troupe. Prepare yourself for a wild night of kirtan on Monday 24th October from 6pm.

Tickets are $20 presale / $25 door – available at Atma Yoga in advance, and at the door on the night.

 
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Gouranga TV: Kirtan Mela 2011: HH Kadamba Kanana Swami

Kirtan Mela 2011: HH Kadamba Kanana Swami

 
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H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Monday 3 October 2011--Compassionate Diet Will Eliminate Hunger--and--Why Did God Create Us?

A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Monday 3 October 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. For Transcendental Association Connect With Other Members of this Course. Join this Conference: http://groups.google.com/group/sda_students Today's Thought: Compassionate Diet Will Eliminate Hunger Uploaded from Tallinn, Estonia On Saturday 1 October I spoke on compassion at the first vegetarian fair ever held in Estonia. It was a momentous opportunity to demand that there should be compassion for all creatures and that those without compassion should not be in leadership positions anywhere in the world. Those who eat violence in the form of murdered animals are guilty of having participated in that animal's murder and are subject to being punished by the stringent laws of material nature. For each animal of whose flesh they have partaken they must take a birth in that particular species and be slaughtered and eaten. So, the blood-thirsty carnivores who insist on maintaining their compassionless diets will pay a heavy price indeed. I advocated for the entire world population a vegetarian diet of food that has been made sacred by being offered to God before being eaten. Such a diet will free up a quantity of food grains sufficient to sumptuously feed the entire human population and thus completely eliminate hunger all over the world. And the spiritual potency that such foods acquire by being offered to the Lord will sanctify the brain cells for higher spiritual understanding of anyone who has the great fortune to partake of such foods. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Compassion Lecture at Vegetarian Fair Tallinn, Estonia--1 October 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/Tallinn_Veg_Lect3.JPG Compassionless Leaders Are Spoiling the World http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/Tallinn_Veg_Lect4.JPG Many Young People Were Attracted to Our Message http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/Tallinn_Veg_Lect2.JPG Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why Did God Create Us? Why did the Lord create us? Why did He make karma? Life seems to be too cruel to be created by an all-merciful God. In need of help: Stephen from Austin Answer: For Enjoying Loving Relationships God is manifesting us from Himself for the purpose of enjoying unique, personal, eternal, loving relationships with each and every one of us. Just as a child who foolishly runs away from the home of his loving parents creates all kinds of difficulties for himself, we become entangled in all kinds of karmic reactions when we foolishly run away from God's kingdom to become wandering vagabonds here in the cycle of birth and death. Just as it is not the fault of the loving parents when the foolish child runs away from home, it is also not the fault of the all-merciful God when his foolish children abandon His kingdom to try to enjoy separately from Him here in this material world. 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 Thought for the Day on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ultimate.Self.Realization 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:

 
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