Today's reality - an illustration

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Hare Krishna

chappan bhog offering

On account of our deities 10 year anniversary, I requested for a chappan bhog offering. Below is one picture we took.

Hare Krishna

Journey of Lord Rama in pictures

Jai Sri Ram!

Hare Krishna

Rare picture

Rare photo of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada and one of his disciples. Earlier I mentioned that he is Abhaya Charanaravinda dey but I was wrong.

Hare Krishna

Pioneer of the Hare Krishna movement!

Today is the merciful appearance of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinod Takur. He was born 178 years ago in India to spread the mission of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is called the 7th Goswami because he re-established Mahaprabhu’s movement in Mayapur in an authentic manner strictly adhering to the principles of suddha bhakti as enunciated by the Six Goswamis.

His core principle was twofold (1) nama ruchi (2) jiva doya. In fact, this is the core value of all our sampradaya acharyas. There is no contradiction in these two principles.

1. Nama ruchi or attachment (spiritual taste) to chanting the Holy Names of God is the primary principle where the fallen soul re-establishes his lost relationship with God and is on-track to the spiritual kingdom. 
2. Jiva doya or compassion to the fallen soul is the second principle where one is encouraged to show compassion to the lost souls in this world by helping them connect back to God through His names. 

Srila Bhaktivinod Takur dedicated his whole life in spreading these two core ideas to the bigger world followed by his son and by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Following in the enlightened path of these great masters, on this day, I humbly seek the blessings of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivindor Takur!

Srila Bhaktivinod Takur Maharaj ki jay!

Hare Krishna

Prabhupada and Kaliya

In 1976, when Srila Prabhupada visited New Vrindaban for the last time, the community was caring for four working teams of oxen and over 150 cows. A new barn had been erected in Bahulaban, and Prabhupada visited it to see the cows and four new-born calves. He let one of them lick his hand as a devotee told him how the cows were yielding about 120 gallons of milk every day, which they were turning into ghee, cheese and buttermilk. Prabhupada was pleased. But there was one cow he still hadn’t seen. Kaliya, now fourteen years old, was the retired matriarch of New Vrindaban’s herd. She had given birth to eight calves herself, and up until the previous year, had still been producing about six gallons of milk a day for the Lord and the devotees -- despite having maladies common to aging cows of her breed, such as blindness in one eye and respiratory problems.

Writing in Brijbasi Spirit magazine, cowherd Amburish Das described how Kaliya -- the smallest cow in New Vrindaban at 800 pounds -- never pushed and shoved to eat grain as the other cows did, but stood patiently waiting her turn. “There may be some mild cows, but Mother Kaliya is even more than mild -- she is a devotee,” he said. “Her humility is unmatched.” This rare soul was finally reunited with Srila Prabhupada after seven years in a meeting that left an indelible mark in the minds and hearts of those who witnessed it. Towards the end of his visit,

Prabhupada walked with a large group of devotees to go see Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Nath in the farmhouse temple at the old Vrindaban farm, where Kaliya resided. It was a beautiful morning, the rays of the rising sun shining hazily through a light mist. As Prabhupada rounded a curve and spotted the Vrindaban farmhouse in the distance, one of the devotees, Advaitacarya Das, pointed to a small herd of cows far up at the top of “Govardhana Hill,” which rose to their left. “Srila Prabhupada, look!” he said. “There’s Kaliya. She’s our first cow. You used to drink her milk.” Suddenly, as Prabhupada looked up at her, Kaliya broke away from her herd and made her way alone down the steep bank. Matching the devotees’ pace, she stepped out right in front of Srila Prabhupada, and began walking with him as if she were his pet calf. “Ah,” Srila Prabhupada said simply. “My dear old friend Kaliya.”

She continued to walk with him for some time, a quiet connection hanging between them that the devotees all felt. Then, finally Kaliya picked up her pace and disappeared over the horizon. “For me, it was a mystical experience,” says Advaita. “Srila Prabhupada was always preaching that we’re all trying to get to Vrindavana, where Krishna and his cowherd boy friends are eternally playing and taking care of the cows. And to see Kaliya come down the hill and walk with him like that just made it all very real.”

- memory by Madhava Smullen (source)

Hare Krishna

Care for Kruma Rupa Prabhu

Care for Cows is an organization started by HG Kurma Rupa das prabhu in Vrindavan. The organization protects abandoned cows. Today I heard that HG Kurma Rupa prabhu is in an advanced stage of cancer. He may leave his body at any moment. Please pray for prabhuji so he can go back to loving embracing arms of Sri Gopal and their transcendental cows.

Below is an email from H.H BB Govinda Swami maharaja who met HG Kurma Rupa prabhu yesterday in Vrindavan.

Hare Krishna

From BB Govinda Maharaj:

June 25th, 2015

Dear All,

Obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Our wonderful god-brother Kurma Rupa Prabhu is dying of cancer in Vraja. Today may be his last day. He was diagnosed a few weeks ago with stage four cancer .. a big tumour at the base of his stomach. He has lived in Vraja approximately 31 years. 

He served with the Gurukula and later started the “Care For Cows” program. I went to see him the other evening. He was very weak but we spoke for about an hour. I asked him about his japa and he said he was too weak to chant. But then he shared that for many years he had chanted 64 rounds a day. And he said that during those rare, special moments of his life when Krishna would bless with a drop of mercy .. he could see that his only desire and aspiration was to serve Sri Gopal and His cows. He said that many great souls speak of service to the servants of Sri Radha, and, that he offers his obeisances to them millions of times. But all he prays for is the service of Sri Gopal and His cows. The next day he was planning to leave the room he was staying in return to “Care For Cows.” 

He said he wanted to be there to “hear the cows, smell the cows, have the dust of the cows walking cover his body.” Take a moment and offer a prayer to Sri Gopal that He quickly embrace Kurma Rupa Prabhu . and that arm and arm they walk together amidst 900,000 cows.

Hare Krishna. 

Affectionate regards.
Your servant,
BB Govinda Swami 

Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaj

An original photo of Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, recently discovered by the Bhaktivedanta Research Centre in Kolkata. The photo was found inserted between the pages of an old book previously owned by a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati. 

Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaj was the sovereign emperor of the Gaudiya Vaishnava world. No human talent can ever describe his fathomless love for Lord Goursundar (Gauranga). He spent many years in the adoration of Sri Radha-Govinda in Sri Vrindavan. He was a highly revered personality. Everywhere he was renowned as "Siddha Baba" (a great devotee who has reached the Goal or attained Ultimate Success).

Generally devotees talk about the contribution of Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji in confirming the birth place of Lord Caitanya. However, there is also one more very important contribution, which probably is even more important than confirming the birth place of Lord Caitanya, which is never or rarely discussed. This is that, Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji is the first person in our guru parampara who chanted the Pancha tattva maha mantra as with "Jaya Sri Krishna Caitanya...".Before the time of Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji, the Panhca Tattva maha mantra was chanted as " Jaya Sri Gauranga Prabhu Nityananda....". Devotees following the guru parampara from Srila Jaganatha dasa Babaji then followed the same.. "Jaya Sri Krishna Caitanya.."

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur beheld his lotus-feet for the first time in Vrindavan in 1880 and received many precious pieces of advice about Haribhajan from him. Srila Babaji Maharaj said 'there is the danger of committing ten offences while chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra. But there is no consideration of offence in uttering Pancha Tattwa –"Sri Krishna-Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Adwaita Gadadhar Srvasadi Gour-bhakta-vrinda."

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur met Srila Babaji Maharaj for the second time at Amlajora village in the district of Burdwan in the month of Falgun 1298 Bangabda (Year of the Bengali era). Srila Babaji Maharaj observed the holy fast enjoined on the eleventh day of a lunar fortnight (Ekadashi) at Amlajora village and discoursed on God day and night. Though he was very old, he was fond of devotional dance and congregational singing of the Holy Name. Next day Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur established 'Sri Prapannashram' at Amlajora village. Srila Babaji Maharaj was very happy to see the ceaseless loving efforts of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in preaching and propagating the gospels of Lord Gouranga.

While staying in Navadwip, Srila Babaji Maharaj would remain absorbed in his Nam-Bhajan (the adoration of the Holy Name) on the bank of the Ganges at Kuliya. (His Bhajan-cottage and his Samadhi-temple still exist there) Srila Babaji Maharaj asked Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur to construct a shed in front of his cottage for the devotees. Srila Thakur gladly carried out his order.

In 1893 Srila Babaji Maharaj came from Kuliya, Navadwip to Sri Godrum Suravi Kunja and made Thakur Bhaktivinode and other devotees extremely happy. Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaj paid a kind visit to Sri Mayapur. It was with the divine inspiration of Srila Babaji Maharaj that Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode discovered the Birth-site of Mahaprabhu. Srila Babaji Maharaj ascertained that the discovery was true. He pronounced it to the entire world and danced in ecstatic joy in the holy Birth-place of the Lord. Devotees marveled at his wild dance at such a ripe old age. Dancing impetuously with loud roars, he swept the devotees away on the wave of transcendental enthusiasm. The sound of Sankirtan filled the three worlds and maddened the Vaishnavas present there.

Srila Babaji Maharaj had a great affection for Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur whom he asked to prepare a Vaishnava Almanac. From Srila Babaji Maharaj, the world has learnt that the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Magha is the day of Sri Vishnupriya Devi's appearance. 

Srila Babaji Maharaj disappeared from this world in Navadwip in 1895 at the age of about 147. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur described him as "the Old Commander of the army of devotees".

Some of his immortal messages to this world are;

• Those who make money by interpreting the Bhagavatam are offenders at the feet of the Holy Name. The transcendental words of Krishna never appear on their lips. Their attitude is more abominable than that of prostitutes. Those who listen to the talks of such speakers will be ruined.
• If you want final success in your Bhajan, you must maintain strict regularity in chanting the Name. Don't go to bed before completing the fixed number of chanting everyday. Stick to your vow even at the cost of your life. If you adore the Holy Name with such sincerity, you are sure to attain perfection or final success. At first you will have to toil hard. But ultimately you will get eternal rest at the blissful feet of Lord Gouranga.

Hare Krishna

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Between 1968 and 1977 Srila Prabhupada created a spiritual revolution around the world. This is an understatement. The following are simply his accomplishments which are tangible and document-able. To his sincere followers, Srila Prabhupada means more than words can describe, however if I want to write a resume on Srila Prabhupada's accomplishments, then perhaps we can cite the following.

• He dictated total of 22,000 pages of text.
• He translated and wrote purports to 10 cantos of Srimad Bhagavata Puranam - Reading one verse with purport daily would take the reader 50 years to complete
• He translated and wrote the purports to the 700 verses of Bhagavad Gita - Reading one verse with purport daily would take two years to complete
• He translated and wrote the purports to the 17 volumes of Caitanya Caritamrita - in total 2,170 pages or 11,555 verses! - Reading one verse with purport daily would take the reader 31.6 years to complete. Reading one page daily would take 5.9 years to complete
• He also wrote Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Kapiladeva, Sri Isopanishad.
• He created Back to Godhead magazine of which 1 million copies are distributed every year.
• He wrote more than 7000 letters to His disciples, which were published in 5 volumes of books.
• Just the Srimad Bhagavatam lectures which he gave, are compiled in 11 volumes of books.
• Bhagavad Gita lectures are compiled in 7 volumes of books.
• His conversations have been compiled in 42 volumes of books.
• He published 147 books. Reading one book monthly would take 13 years.
• If one started to read one book monthly now, in 2014, he would not finish till 2031.
• He produced innumerable devotional musical recordings.
• He established 108 worldwide temples.
• He traveled around the world 14 times.
• Beside this, he changed the lives of at least 5000 people who become his initiated disciples and numerous grand disciples.

And all of this Srila Prabhupada did in ONLY 9 years in the age between 70-80!!!

Therefore we say "Al glories to Srila Prabhupada"

Hare Krishna

Autobiography of Srila Prabhupada

Below are Prabhupada’s own words about his life in short. This was before he left for the US and the formation of ISKCON.

I was born 1st September 1896 in Calcutta as the third son of my father Late Gaura Mohon Dev and mother late Rajani Devi in the family of one of very respectable Gold merchant aristocracy of Calcutta. I was educated in the Scottish Churches College (B.A. 1920) and Netaji Subhas Candra was my college mate.  I left education influenced by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 and joined for some time in the national liberation and other social service movements. I was secretary of the Social Union movement of which Late Mr. J. Choudhury Bar-at-law was the president. In this movement there was a great stir for intercaste marriage in favor of Patel's (Vithalbhai) bill.

I was married during my student life in 1918 with Radharani Devi and she is in Calcutta with her sons and daughters five children and a few grand children also.  After my education I was appointed (1921) as the Asst. Manager of Dr. Bose's Laboratory Ltd of Calcutta and then engaged myself in my personal business in the chemical line. I was a research student in chemical and medicinal composition and for the first time in India, I introduced Gadine preparation in the medical profession.

I met my spiritual master Late Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami in 1922 and he desired me to preach in the foreign countries the spiritual movement started by Lord Caitanya for enlightenment of all materialistic men all over the world. He gradually turned my mind from matter to spirit and I was accepted as his disciple in 1933 after full association of ten years. He left this world in 1936 and insisted to explain the mission in English. I started my paper Back to Godhead in 1944 and left home for good entirely to execute the order of my spiritual master in 1954. Since then my H.Q. is at Vrindaban and devote in literary work.

By Srila Prabhupada written on April 18 1961

Chennai ISKCON Temple

I got introduced to Krishna Consciousness in Chennai, India and used to visit the temple regularly. At that time Chennai ISKCON was located in the bustling shopping center of Chennai called T-Nagar. Now, they have moved to a more spacious and scenic place near the beach of Bay of Bengal.

They are at the entrance of completing a landmark Temple Project - ISKCON CHENNAI. It has taken them 9 long years to come this far, with little more help they will accomplish this glorious task for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

I dedicate this post to the Chennai devotees, and H.H.Bhanu Swami Maharaj for making this a success. Below is a link I urge the readers of this post to donate approximately $65 to complete the project.

Please see link for more details  - Link

Hare Krishna

Nitai Das - A Poignant moment of truth

The picture captures a poignant moment of truth. The two persons are holding a lump of matter which once was thought to be Nitai Das. Any sane individual has to admit Nitai Das at the end of the day cannot be that what is shown in that picture- lump of ash? Unfortunately, modern science has convinced every one that ultimately we are that matter!

The picture was taken in Mayapur this month. The two individuals are holding the final remains of Nitai Das who died in a car accident this month in Florida. He was 31 years old. The final remains is the ash left over after the body was burnt. The two individuals are going to immerse the final remains into the sacred river Ganga. This is a traditional custom for people following Vedic culture. This is the most auspicious and spiritual act one can do to a departed soul. Nitai Das is very fortunate that his own spiritual master is performing his last rites.

While my deepest condolences go to the family, at this moment we have to be grave and philosophical. Every one of us, one day, will have to die and leave this body and that means we have to leave behind our money, house, car, spouse, children, grandchildren, jobs, everything. What we have worked so hard all our life, at the end, we have to just drop everything and move to our next destination and start from scratch. This is the law of nature. No one is exempt from it. Yet, when great souls such as Srila Prabhupada try to preach this truth, people think it is not important. More important for people is to settle in life, and increase one's wealth and social prestige and not worry about what happens after death!

Death always has the last laugh. However that statement is true only for individuals who are material minded. But for devotees of Krishna such as Nitai Das, death actually is an elevating moment. At death Krishna surely remembers His devotees and this bond between Krishna and devotees gives the devotees the strength to face life and also death with an open heart, never discouraged and always happy.

Vaishnavas never lose in life or in death  as this famous poem reads;

He reasons ill who says that Vaishnavas die,

When thou art living still in sound!

The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try

To spread the holy name around.

By Srila Bhaktivinod Takur - saint, philosopher and poet - 19th century

The glories of a Vaishnava are unlimited. The glories of Krishna are unlimited.

Hare Krishna

HG Nitai Das prabhu will be dearly missed!

With great sadness and heaviness in my heart, I want to bid farewell to my beloved godbrother HG Nitai Das prabhu. He just died in a vehicle accident on Jan 31 2012.

I first met him in 2008 24 hour Kirtan festival in New Vrindavan and ever since our friendship extended. Although my personal association was limited to few meetings, still I considered him a good friend and godbrother. Both and I and my wife will dearly miss him. More than me, my wife is upset because of his departure. The last we saw him was in november 2011 just 2 months before the fatal day. He drove cross-country and came to our house and stayed overnight with us.

It was the month of Damodar. We talked till 2.00am in the morning and he was showing all his photos on Burning Man and his different experiences there. I was thinking one day may be I can travel with him to Burning Man. We also offered Damodar lamps and sang Damodarashtakam together to our deities. It was a pleasure to have him in our house. The night Nitai prabhu came to my house, I asked him about how his driving especially as it was late. He assured me he drives safe and he said "many devotees have left their bodies in car accidents". His tone implied that it is such a waste to die in such a fashion. The irony is he passed away in a similar fashion.

With sadness in my heart, he will be missed dearly. More than me I think his close friends, and family will be grieving. I sincerely pray that the Lord takes Him to His abode.

My heartfelt condolences to his wife and family and friends.

He is relatively a young man. If anything, from this death, we have to learn that this world is temporary and we may die at any moment. This message rings in my head loud and clear. I pray that the Supreme Lord gives me the proper consciousness when I depart from this world.

Good luck prabhu!! We will miss you!!

Hare Krishna

Goshala service - your vote requested

Dear prabhus & mataji

Please Accept My Humble Obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

Project mentioned in below mail is for improving Goshala at Naigaon, about
30 km from ISKCON Pune temple.  This Goshala is connected to ISKCON Pune and
is being run under the guidance of ISKCON Pune. The cows and the calves are
kept in perfect natural condition and are treated with love and respect.

Our goshala team has requested us to kindly support them
by following the procedure given below.  If you do,
our goshala team will receive upto 4 lacs for GO-SEVA.  Thank you
for participating in Gomata's seva.


For Facebook account holders :

Go to http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5096

Click on Vote in green colour

Click on Login and Vote

Click on facebook symbol

Log with facebook id and click on allow

Go to Agriculture and Rural Developement Tab

Click on Krishi Go Sanskriti Project and Vote



Other Users

Go to http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5096

Click on Vote in green colour

Register on Left Hand Side of Sign Up page

Go to your email account and open email from sparktherise.com and activate
ur account

Go to http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5096

Click on Vote in green colour

Login with your email id as log in and putting chosen password

Go to Agriculture and Rural Developement Tab

Click on Krishi Go Sanskriti Project and Vote



If we win, we'll get lot of media coverage and a grant of minimum 4 lacs (up
to maximum of 40 lacs). For this, we need more than 5000 votes. Kindly vote
the project and get everyone you know to put their votes.

Kindly vote in next 2-3 days as the last date is 30th Dec.

Please contact Gopal Agrawal at +919881255331 or Ram Vilas das at
+918390907239 for any assistance.


Thanks and Regards,  Hare Krishna.

your servant
Radheshyam das

Save Bhagavad Gita in Russia!

Any of you reading this post, I request the reader to sign the online petition -

http://www.petitions24.com/gita

The online petition is garnering support to prevent Russia from banning the age old Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita.  Below is official language from ISKCON requesting you to sign the petition. It is simple and takes 2 minutes. Please sign the petition to save Bhagavad Gita from being banned.

On Monday, December 19th, in Tomsk, Russia, a historic court case is taking place. Some of our movement’s detractors are making a major court case, attempting to establish that Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is is is “extremist literature” and on these grounds have it banned throughout the
country. The implications for ISKCON in Russia and even in the former USSR are far reaching.


If the devotees lose this case all Srila Prabhupada’s books may be banned because they are full of quotations from the Gita. Seeing all of our activities are based on Bhagavad Gita it could conceivably lead to attempts to close our movement in some places.


The prosecutors are pushing this absurd case with great determination and vigor. There have already been three court hearings, in which the testimony of the so called “experts” gathered by the prosecutors was recognized as being inadequate. However, the prosecutor’s office has requested new testimony, not from well-known experts on Hinduism from Moscow, but from some unknown academics from a local Siberian university. This move clearly suggests that a particular court decision is being engineered. Their approach brings to mind the Inquisitions of the Middle Ages, witch hunts, and the burning of books and persecution of dissidents during the Soviet period of Russian history.

The GBC Executive committee

Govardhan puja pictures

I and my wife cooked for Govardhan puja. These are some pictures.

GiriGovardhan Maharaj ki jay!!

Hare Krishna

Desire to chant

Please chant Hare Krishna!

Hare Krishna

H.H.Radhanath Swami meets the President

H.H.Radhanath Swami (my spiritual master) has recently met the President of the USA Barack Obama in a private meeting in Florida. This happened on June 13 2011. More information can be found here.

It is said in the scriptures that a moment's association with a pure soul can award one liberation from birth and death. Even by the action of touching a pure soul, one advances spiritually. We can see Mr. Obama touching H.H.Radhanath Swami. I hope Mr.Obama took advantage of this meeting.

Hare Krishna

21st century River Yamuna

River Yamuna is one of the most sacred rivers in India. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself performed many pastimes in this holy river in the land of Vrindavan. Unfortunately this river has been exploited to such an extent that even before it enters the land of Vrindavan, all the water is taken up by the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and what enters Vrindavan is just the sewage and chemical pollutants from Delhi and nearby areas- so much so, that it has been officially declared as a dead river after Delhi. Like you more than 8 crore pilgrims visit Vrindavan every year and take a bath and sip water from what they think is River Yamuna, but land up becoming sick or even die drinking this polluted water.

Issues:

1. At Hathini Kund Barrage, out of the 82 cumecs of original natural water flow, only 2.7 cumecs is left to flow on Yamuna bed.
2. Before Delhi, whatever little mixed flow of water remains is then totally taken away by the city and hence the river ceases to exist.
3. The Yamuna bed in Delhi stretch is used as a sewage canal to carry its waste water upto Agra canal at Okhla Barrage.
4. The dry bed beyond Okhla barrage is fed with shahdara canal sewage and polluted water of Hindon river.
5. What reaches Vrindavan-Gokul-Mathura is a cocktail of various polluted waters.

Hare Krishna

21st century "less"

Our communication - Wireless
Our phones - Cordless
Our cooking - Fireless
Our food - Fatless
Our Sweets - Sugarless
Our labor - Effortless
Our relations - Fruitless
Our attitude - Careless
Our feelings - Heartless
Our politics - Shameless
Our education - Worthless
Our Mistakes - Countless
Our arguments - Baseless
Our youth - Jobless
Our Ladies - Topless
Our Boss - Brainless
Our Jobs - Thankless
Our Needs - Endless
Our situation - Hopeless
Our Salaries - Less and less

courtesy of my inbox

Hare Krishna