Updates form Prabhupadnuga

So if you are able to follow these principles without fail, then you are as good as my disciple | Letter to Sriman Suresh Candra Posted: 13 Aug 2012 11:26 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mBqvv2_Kjs video: Krishna Balaram Mandir, Janmastami 2012 Letter to: Suresh Candra, London 11 August, 1972 Sriman Suresh Candra District Administrations Officer, Guyana My dear Suresh Candra, Please accept my blessings. I have received your letter from Guyana dated 16 July, 1972, duly forwarded to me at my London address. Thank you very much for the [Click here to read more]

Gurudev! Kripa bindu diya Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JwKlTIEoJc video: Iskcon Bangalore Group This is a video offered by Bhakta Bharat Singh as his offering to Srila Prabhupad on the occasion of Vyasa Puja 2012. Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon Bangalore is one of the most popular Iskcon Temples in the world. It is dedicated towards spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. It is [Click here to read more]

Plant wildflowers not corn, say German beekeepers | TheLocal.de Posted: 13 Aug 2012 06:51 AM PDT Published: 13 Aug 12 14:51 CET — German beekeepers worried that too much corn will lead to a decline in bee populations are proposing wildflowers be used to fuel biogas plants instead. “For beekeepers, growing wild plants for biogas installations would be the ideal alternative to corn,” said Petra Friedrich of the German Beekeepers Association. [Click here to read more]

First Shringara Aarti of Sri Sri Radha Krishna-Chandra Posted: 13 Aug 2012 06:41 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oVferEVZSA video: Iskcon Bangalore Group Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon Bangalore has one of its new branches at Vaikuntha Hill Kanakapura Road.The deities here were installed on 9th August and received their first sringara arati. This is a video of the first arati which was offered to their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna-chandra at Rajajinagar where the [Click here to read more]

Freemont Rathayatra (California) Posted: 13 Aug 2012 03:59 AM PDT Hare Krishna Dear Devotees and Friends, With the major festival season coming to a close (Snana Yatra, Rathayatra,  Jhulana Yatra, Lord Balarama purnima, Sri Krishna Janmastami & Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja), we would like to thank all of you who helped in one way or the other to make these festivals possible. The temple is maintained solely by the [Click here to read more]

Greenpeace: Arctic threatened by oil companies Posted: 12 Aug 2012 11:15 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtGIECJafmE GreenpeaceVideo, 03.08.2012 Usinsk, Russia — Oil from Russian drilling operations gushes from damaged pipelines directly into local rivers. Trees are left dead and black. The rivers which serve as the only source of drinking water for many in the area is heavily polluted. The local Komi people claim their traditional way of life has [Click here to read more]

Rathayatra Amsterdam 2012 Posted: 12 Aug 2012 10:07 PM PDT Parade starts at 12:30 From Van Hilligaerstraat Festival on Dam Square From 15:00-19:00 for more information visit http://www.festivalsofindia.nl/ Tweet

Tulsi Gabbard “What Matters” Posted: 12 Aug 2012 09:49 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp787hesnks video: VoteTulsi Visit http://www.votetulsi.com to learn more about Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi Gabbard Commercial on “Fresh Leadership” and “What Matters.” Tweet

Notes from the Bhagavatam 15 Posted: 12 Aug 2012 09:17 PM PDT Submitted by Hastigopala Das “Gurus, teachers, who are simply interested in this material world are described in this verse as andha, blind. Such blind men may lead many other blind followers without true knowledge of material conditions, but they are not accepted by devotees like Prahlada Maharaja. Such blind teachers, being interested in the external, [Click here to read more]

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Organic Farming: En-route to Quality Nutrition,Sabina Ranger in UK raises 6400 pounds for Akshaya Patra Foundation

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Organic Farming: En-route to Quality Nutrition Posted: 12 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Lush green farm, chirping sparrows, farmers busy reaping: This is just another country-side farm but with a difference! Mon, 2012-08-13 read more

Sabina Ranger in UK raises 6400 pounds for Akshaya Patra Foundation Posted: 12 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Sun, 2012-08-12 LONDON: An Indian-origin girl student in the UK has raised over 6,400 pounds by organising a '5K walk' for the world's largest NGO-run school meal programme which provides food for 1.3 million children daily in India. Mon, 2012-08-13 Promote to news Off LONDON: An Indian-origin girl student in the UK has raised over 6,400 pounds by organising a '5K walk' for the world's largest NGO-run school meal programme which provides food for 1.3 million children daily in India. Sabina Ranger, a second year university student organised the 5K walk for The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India that provides food for school children across 9 states and 19 locations. read more

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Updates from Prabhupadanuga

The significance of Srila Prabhupada’s appearance Posted: 11 Aug 2012 08:18 AM PDT "So my dear boys and girls, about six years ago I came to your country single-handed, with this pair of cymbals. Now you are so many chanting Hare Krishna. That is my success. It was the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara hoibe mora nama (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126) Lord [Click here to read the rest]

108 Offerings on Janmashtami Posted: 11 Aug 2012 06:38 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrlDutq08ng video: Iskcon Bangalore Group Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon Bangalore is one of the most popular Iskcon Temples in the world. It is dedicated towards spreading Krishna consciousness all over the world. It is one of most visited spots in Bangalore. Through this website we wish to discuss about the progressive developments taking place in the [Click here to read the rest]

TV9 Special: ’2012-Krishna Janmashtami’ Pooja At Bangalore ISKCON Temple – Full Posted: 11 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkETFNEuKSE video: tv9kannadanews TV9 Special: ’2012-Krishna Janmashtami’ Pooja At Bangalore ISKCON Temple – Full Tweet

Srila Prabhupada – Appearance Day – Vyasa Puja – August 11, 2012 Posted: 11 Aug 2012 01:00 AM PDT Today is the 116th birth anniversary or Vyasa Puja of His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The broad way of Hinduism has been intellectually present in the West since the time of Paramahamsa Yogananda and the World Conference of Religions in Chicago of 1893. It [Click here to read the rest]

TV9 News: ‘Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2012′ At ISKCON Temple, Bangalore Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:50 PM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K21Hwj3OlLY video: tv9kannadanews TV9 News: Bangalore ISKCON Celebrates ‘Sri Krishna Janmashtami-2012′ Tweet

Your Right To Believe Srila Prabhupada Is Your Diksa Guru Posted: 10 Aug 2012 07:57 PM PDT Krishna has given each and everyone of us the freedom of choice, and as in most things it is ones God given right to choose to believe and accept Srila Prabhupada as one's diksa/only /Guru without intimidations by those who enforce the current status quo. And in one respect this is the key to the [[Click here to read the rest]

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Sri-Guru-Carana-Padma,The Most Blessed Event; Śrī Vyāsa Pūjā-ISKCON

Sri-Guru-Carana-Padma By Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, is performed here by Acyutananda dasa. Sri-Guru-Carana-Padma From Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas śrī-guru-caraṇa-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma, bando muñi sāvadhāna mate jāhāra prasāde bhāi, e bhava toriyā jāi, kṛṣṇa-prāpti hoy jāhā ha’te The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krsna. guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koribo aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, ei se uttama-gati, je prasāde pūre sarva āśā My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires. cakṣu-dān dilo jei, janme janme prabhu sei, divya jñān hṛde prokāśito prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte, vede gāy jāhāra carito He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my Lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character. śrī-guru karuṇā-sindhu, adhama janāra bandhu, lokanāth lokera jīvana hā hā prabhu koro doyā, deho more pada-chāyā, ebe jaśa ghuṣuk tribhuvana Our spiritual master is the ocean of mercy, the friend of the poor, and the lord and master of the devotees. O master! Be merciful unto me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet. Your fame is spread all over the three worlds.

The Most Blessed Event; Śrī Vyāsa Pūjā  Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:16 AM PDT click on image to enlarge Today is the Apperancee Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. We offer our profound gratitude and respectful obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada! Vyasa-Puja Homage Dear Srila Prabhupada Please accept my most humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my offences. On this most blessed event; Sri Vyasa-Puja, the appearance day of my beloved spiritual master, I am filled with a sense of gratitude and wonder. I cannot even imagine where my life would be today, if you had not appeared and blessed us all with your divine benediction. The fact that you have always resided in my heart, and have been my most constant friend and ever well-wisher, even without your physical presence, proves our eternal relationship with you. So many friends and family have come and gone, but you Srila Prabhupada, have remained in my life as the one constant I could always turn to. You are present in your vani; your books and instructions. You are present still in your pictures and murti's. You live in the hearts of your sincere devotees. You have touched us all so deeply; we cannot help but remember you. Srila Prabhupada, I am most unworthy to have received your mercy, and because of knowing my insignificance, it has caused me to be even more grateful and appreciative of your blessings. In the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, there is one verse I would like to use to describe my mood and feelings. “Indeed, I am just like a dwarf who wants to capture the moon. Although I am completely unfit, a desire to receive Your mercy is awakening within my mind.” This is my position, I am completely unworthy, and most fallen, therefore by showing me your mercy, your mercy is most successful. For you are patita-pavana, the savior of the fallen souls, and who is more fallen than me? I have no good qualities; born of low birth, without good intelligence, without beauty, or wealth, I am a fallen soul, desiring only for your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon me. In writing this homage, I am reminded of a dream I had recently. In my dream you were reclining on your right side, propped up on your elbow and I was kneeling down in front of you. I said "Srila Prabhupada, my Krsna Consciousness is still very child-like". Your face lit up and your Lotus eyes became very large. "Oh!" You said. "My favorite picture of you is still the very first one I ever saw", I replied. And I then began to cry. You leaned forward and very gravely but kindly said "Yes, it is alright to have love and affection for your Spiritual Master". I awoke from the dream and offered my obeisances thinking of your extraordinary magnanimity and kindness and your ability to ease our suffering and allow us to love you even more. In writing this homage, I went through my library and found my very first Hare Krishna journal that I began as a young brahmacari. One of the very first entries I read when I opened it was: "My Dear Lord, any person who is constantly awaiting Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him, and who goes on suffering the resultant actions of his past misdeeds, offering you respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible to become liberated, for it has become his rightful claim.” I don't know why this particular verse was so important to me, so many years ago, or why it was one of the first entries in my journal. But it is still my child-like wish that your causeless mercy be bestowed upon me, as I continue to offer you my respectful obeisances from the core of my heart. You have stolen my heart, and I cannot help, but to love you. In writing this homage, I also went to an offering that you wrote to your Spiritual Master; Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, entitled "Phalgun Krishna Panchami". Your writing is so wonderfully profound, and brilliant. In the First Vasistya: line two, you wrote: "On this auspicious day I have come with this offering just to worship you, remembering your lotus feet." Just from reading this one line, I understand the meaning of writing a Vyasa-Puja offering. Remembering you in love, is worshiping you. . Begging to remain forever in Your Divine Service Vyasasan das Text pasted from; http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/offerings83.html

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Updates from PRABHUPADANUGA

Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasapuja 2012 Posted: 10 Aug 2012 11:11 AM PDT Dear Srila Prabhupada, please accept our humble obeisances. As humble attempt of service to your lotus feet, we try to preserve your original books and teachings in their German translations, for the benefit of interested German language speakers. For your pleasure, the German translation of your Macmillan Bhagavad-gita As It Is from 1974 can now [Click here to read rest of the article]

Sri Krishna Janmashtami Abhishekam 2012 Posted: 10 Aug 2012 01:25 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrc8Eg1GK9k video: Iskcon Bangalore Group Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna-chandra receive many elaborate abhisheka sevas on the occassion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami a two day festival at Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon Bangalore. This is the video of Abhisheka that was offered to Their Lordships at 7.00am on 9th August at ‘Dwarakapuri’ conventional hall in the [Click here to read rest of the article]

These are the different steps for highest platform of spiritual life Posted: 10 Aug 2012 01:18 AM PDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZMrI_0sRvw video: Vande’ Ham sung by Srila Prabhupada Srila Prabhupada, New York, April 27, 1966: [...] So these are the techniques. So adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah atha bhajana-kriya tatah anartha-nivrttih syat. Anartha means… Anartha means that creates my miseries. Material activities will continue to increase my misery. And if you adopt spiritual life, then your [Click here to read rest of the article]

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Krishna Janmastami

Posted: 09 Aug 2012 05:26 AM PDT Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! he Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! he Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! rakṣa mām Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! pāhi mām Rāma! Rāghava! Rāma! Rāghava! Rāma! Rāghava! rakṣa mām Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! Kṛṣṇa! Keśava! pāhi mām Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 7.96) Today, here in the Western half of the World, we are celebrating Janmastami: the appearance day of Lord Sri Krishna. So let us take advantage of this auspicious day and hear, chant, and   remember the pastimes of the Lord. Hare Krishna! Janmāṣṭamī Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Appearance Day Lecture By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Montreal, August 16, 1968 Devotees: govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi Prabhupāda: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs. 5.29] (repeats govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi and devotees respond) veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda sundarāṅgam kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs. 5.30] (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi) ālola-candraka-lasad vanamālyavaṁsi ratnāṅgadam praṇaya-keli-kalā-vilāsam śyāmaṁ tribhaṅga-lalitaṁ niyata-prakāśaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs. 5.31] (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi) aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti ānanda-cin-māyā-saduj-jvala-vigrahasya govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs. 5.32] (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi) advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs. 5.33] (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi) panthāstu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānāṁ so ‘pyasti yat prapada-sīmny-avicintya-tattve govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi) So today, the birth appearance ceremony of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9] “My dear Arjuna, any person who simply tries to understand about My transcendental birth or appearance and disappearance and activities, janma karma…” The Personality of Godhead is not niṣkriya, without activities. So anyone who can understand that what kind of activities the Lord has and what kind of birth He accepts, simply by understanding these two things one gets wonderful result. What is that? Tyaktvā deham. By quitting this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9], he does not take any more birth in this material world. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. Some of us may think that punar janma naiti means he becomes vanquished. No. Punar janma naiti, but mām eti, “He does not come to this material world, but he comes to Me.” Mām eti. Mām eti means, then… [break] …abode where we can go. Simply by understanding the nature of His appearance and activities. So today is that auspicious day, Janmāṣṭamī, when Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years ago in India, Mathurā. Those who are Indian ladies and gentlemen present, they know very well where is Mathurā. It is about ninety miles south of New Delhi. Mathurā is still existing and it is eternally existing. Kṛṣṇa appeared in Mathurā in His maternal uncle’s house in a very precarious condition. That birthplace, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birthplace, is now maintained very nicely. One who goes to India, they see. So anyway, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared on this planet five thousand years ago. Now Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. Divyam means “not ordinary.” It should not be understood just like we take our birth. Kṛṣṇa does not take his birth like us. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa, “My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are speaking that formerly You spoke this yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god. That means it is millions and trillions years ago You spoke. How can I believe it?” Because Kṛṣṇa was contemporary to Arjuna, so he was thinking that “Kṛṣṇa is my friend, is my cousin brother. How it is possible that He spoke this Bhagavad-gītā yoga to sun-god?” So what was the reply? The reply was this, that “You also appear many, many times; I also appear many, many times. The difference is that I can remember. You cannot remember.” That is the difference between God and ordinary living creature, that we are also taking birth after birth. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and so long we are in this material world, we are cycling round this birth after birth. So Kṛṣṇa’s birth is not like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg. 4.9]. Tattvataḥ means in truth. Not superficially. Scientifically, one who knows, he can get immediately liberation. And how one can understand the same truths? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvan yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]. Again the same thing, tattvataḥ, in truth. If anyone wants to know God, or Kṛṣṇa, in truth, not superficially, then he has to undertake the process of devotional service. Bhaktyā. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. “Any person who gives Me a little fruit, little flower, little water, but with devotion, bhaktyā…” That is the only qualification. So Kṛṣṇa says, tayā bhaktyā upāhṛtam aṣnāmi. “Because he brings it with devotion and faith and love, I eat.” Kṛṣṇa eats. We are offering in the temple prasādam. So He eats because He says “I eat.” How you can say that He does not eat? Some gentleman asked me that “Swamijī, you offer prasādam in the temple, but do you think Kṛṣṇa or God eats?” I answered, “Yes, why not? He says, ‘I eat.’ How you can say He does not eat? But you do not know how He eats.” Due to poor fund of knowledge, you think that God does not eat. But eat…, His eating process is different. That is answered in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti [Bs. 5.32]. God’s senses, Kṛṣṇa’s senses are as powerful as other senses. Just like I can see with my eyes, but Kṛṣṇa can eat also with His eyes. That is… Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti. Just like… There is many examples. Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the first creation is that Garbhośāyī (Garbhodakaśāyī) Viṣṇu lying on the ocean and Brahmā was created from His navel. There was a lotus stem grown from the abdomen of the Lord, and Brahmā was born. Now Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, was just sitting. But as we understand that if we beget child, we require the cooperation of wife, but here we see that wife was sitting, but He begot Brahmā from the navel. This is called sarva-śaktimān. He does not require anyone’s help. He can beget child. Not exactly as we beget child. Therefore janma karma me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. He is within your heart, He is everywhere, so He can appear from everywhere. Just like sun rises from the eastern side. It does not mean that eastern side is the mother of sun. We simply see that sun is rising from the eastern side. In this way, if we try to understand in truth, then we can understand what is God. Superficially, if we try to understand by our experimental knowledge, then it is not possible to understand God. panthāstu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānāṁ so ‘pyasti yat prapada-sīmny-avicintya-tattve govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi The Brahma-saṁhitā said that if one starts on the chariot of air and makes progress on the speed of mind, still one cannot understand what is God. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. He cannot be understood simply by studying Vedas. Traiguṇya viṣayā vedaḥ nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. One has to transcend the position of Vedas also. Then one can understand what is God or what is Kṛṣṇa. So that process is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvan yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]. So this bhakti, devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, is so nice. And under that bhakti category, this Janmāṣṭamī… Of course, this Janmāṣṭamī ceremony is observed by all Hindus. Irrespective of becoming Vaiṣṇava or not, this ceremony is observed in India every home. Just like in your Western countries the Christmas is observed in every home, similarly Janmāṣṭamī is observed in every home. Today is a great ceremonial day. So our program is, at twelve o’clock night the Lord will take birth and we shall receive Him. And just now it is ten o’clock. For two hours our program will continue in kīrtana. Kīrtana means sometimes chanting with music, and sometimes speaking. Both of them are kīrtana. Kīrtayati iti kīrtanam. Whenever we glorify the Lord, that is called kīrtana. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam reading is also kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsakī kīrtane. Vaiyāsakī, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he achieved the highest perfection, liberation, simply by reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrī-viṣṇu-śravane parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he simply heard. There are nine processes of devotional service. Śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Chanting, hearing. First hearing, then chanting. Without hearing, nobody can chant. Śravanaṁ kīrtanam. And what sort of śravanaṁ kīrtanam? Viṣṇoḥ, of Viṣṇu. Not anything else. śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātmā-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] These are nine processes of devotional service, of which śravanam, hearing, is most important. Without hearing, nobody can understand the science of God. Therefore the Vedic mantras are called śruti. Śruti means it is to be heard. It is not to be experimented in the laboratory. It is simply to be heard. Therefore it is called śruti. So śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam. Vandanam, offering prayer. We also offer prayer. The other religious sect, just like the Christians, they offer prayer; the Muhammadans, they offer prayer. So prayer, offering prayer is also one of the items of bhakti. Chanting, hearing, meditating, offering prayers, arcanam, worshiping the Deity in the temple, all of them are together devotional service. So out of the nine… If you can execute all the nine, it is very good. But it is not possible. So even if you can execute one item, you become perfect. It is so nice. Śrī viṣṇu śravane parīkṣit. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he simply executed the function of hearing, he got perfection. Similarly, abhavad vaiyāsakī kīrtane. Vaiyāsakī means Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he simply glorified the Lord. Prahlādaḥ smarane. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was simply meditating. There are many examples. Simply by following one principle of this devotional service, they got the highest perfectional life, liberation, back to home, back to Godhead. So we shall invite today to speak about Kṛṣṇa from our students, as well as all the members who are present here. So I shall request Janārdana to speak something about his realization of Kṛṣṇa. (pause) All right. Let him speak. Janārdana: nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhūtale śrīmate bhaktivedānta svāmin iti nāmine Kṛṣṇa, we know, is the ultimate Supreme Personality of Godhead. The name Kṛṣṇa has a meaning. The meaning of the name Kṛṣṇa is “the supreme attractive.” Whatever there is that holds any attraction, that attraction is given by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa explains this Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. So in our life in this material world, we have so many different attractions which we are pursuing in order to build what we think will be our happiness. All this attraction is the attraction of Kṛṣṇa’s inferior energy. Kṛṣṇa’s māyā holds a great attraction for all the conditioned souls. And by following this attraction of Kṛṣṇa’s māyā, they are continuing in the circle of birth and death. We are born into this world because we desire to enjoy something, so Kṛṣṇa provides us with a body that is suitable for that enjoyment, and He provides us also the objects of the enjoyment that we desire. However, also to remind us of our highest possible potential, that of the spiritual, unconditioned existence, we have along with these material enjoyments various kinds of suffering. These material enjoyments, although they are temporarily real, come to an end, and then there is feeling of bereavement and regret. So we are now enjoying the māyā of Kṛṣṇa’s external potency in our ordinary life. Unless we realize the personality of Kṛṣṇa Himself… We must have personal realization, personal contact with Lord Kṛṣṇa. So long as we are enjoying these objects of our senses and thinking that these objects belong to us, and so long as we don’t know to whom all these objects belong, to whom belongs the land, the money, the foods that we eat, the clothes that we wear, our families—so long as we do not know to whom all these belong, then we are enjoying in a state of ignorance. Factually we are being thieves. We cannot be happy in such a condition. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. He provides us with all these objects of enjoyment, as we like them. But we can achieve a far happier state, not only for ourselves but for the whole human kind, if we realize that Kṛṣṇa, who is the supreme source of all the attractive objects that we are enjoying, is a person who is ready to receive as His loving servants the moment we want to surrender all our false ideas of ownership and come back to the spiritual platform. So Lord Kṛṣṇa for this reason has appeared. He wants to call the conditioned souls back to Godhead. He wants us to realize that He is the source of the whole universe, He is the owner of the universe, He is the supreme enjoyer, the supreme knower of everything, and that we are always welcome to associate with Him by the grace of His devotees, by the grace of a spiritual master. And so He has appeared, and we are now celebrating the Janmāṣṭamī day, the day when Lord Kṛṣṇa came to this conditioned plane out of His own transcendental power, with His full spiritual potency, in order to reveal the supreme nature of sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1], eternal knowledge, consciousness, and bliss, to all the conditioned souls so that they might be attracted to Him, and so that they might come out of the miseries of material existence and of ignorance. At this particular time in the world it is very much necessary that all people hear about Kṛṣṇa and that they should become attracted to chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa, to hearing about Kṛṣṇa’s wonderful pastimes. So that by this exquisite attraction for Kṛṣṇa they might forget their lower desires, which are now leading everybody to a hellish condition of life in which it seems inevitable there are going to be wars and pestilences and starvation, diseases, all kinds of social injustice. All these things are unavoidable so long as the world at large does not understand who owns everything, who owns the land, who owns the money, who owns the food. So long as they don’t understand that Kṛṣṇa is the owner and enjoyer of everything, so long as they don’t understand that it is the highest enjoyment for the living soul to serve Kṛṣṇa, it is the perfect harmony in this condition to serve Kṛṣṇa, so long there will be fighting due to ignorance and deluded cross purposes. This International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement is meant for spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the whole world so that people might realize their spiritual existence, and so that the whole atmosphere of the world can become spiritualized by chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa. So we welcome everybody who comes to this temple to inquire about how to make your life perfect by tuning in to the desires of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. You’ll find that this is such a pleasant proposition, that all insignificant lower desires will be forgotten. There will not be any need for unnecessary fighting among the people of the world if they can only understand the spiritual plane of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The way to realize Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very simple. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare Chant this mahā-mantra under the guidance of the spiritual master and the results will be very quick. Thank you very much.

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Akshaya Patra celebrates its billionth meal with music and hope

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Posted: 08 Aug 2012 11:23 PM PDT Thu, 2012-08-09 Off Promote to events On August 5, 2012, The Akshaya Patra Foundation celebrated serving of its billionth meal. The celebration took place in Bangalore in the presence of a host of government functionaries, corporate representatives, and philanthropists who have been associated with Akshaya Patra. The highlight of the event was the announcement that Shankar Mahadevan will henceforth be the Goodwill Ambassador for Akshaya Patra and spread its message across the world. Thu, 2012-08-09 read more

Shankar's new song in the name of children Posted: 08 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Wed, 2012-08-08 Please read article by DW(Deutshwelle), Germany.

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