October | 2019 | The Hare Krishna Movement

Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day

31 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada

Picture taken before Guru-puja

Today we honor His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s disappearance day. We are observing today with a half day fast, with beautiful offerings, a Pushpanjali (an offering of flowers) followed by a feast The beautiful Vyasasana decoration was done by Her Grace Lokadrsti devi dasi, in 2014

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day homage
by Vyasasan das

Dear Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my fallen obeisance’s, and my love, on this auspicious day of your disappearance. With your arrival on the shores of America, you brought with you the shinning lamp of knowledge; the wisdom on India and the Supreme Absolute Truth. You appeared on the shores of America the way the sun appears on the Eastern Horizon. Slowly revealing itself at first, then dominating the sky with its blazing effulgence. Illuminating the entire world with its golden light. Where there is light there is no darkness. And wherever your words are being sung and repeated, there is a glimmer of hope for the materially conditioned souls.

Your words and instructions are the very life and soul of a genuine disciple. It is said that the best process of understanding Krishna is to hear about Him, either from Krishna Himself as given in statements from the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, or from the self realized pure devotee. One does not even need to change his worldly position; he simply has to hear the message of Krishna.

It is from you only, Srila Prabhupada, that I know anything at all about Krishna or the spiritual world. By your grace only, the knowledge is revealed, and you become revealed to your disciples and listeners. Anyone who submissively hears from you, either by reading your books, or hearing your lectures, can attain the highest perfectional platform. Just as there is the sun and the sunshine, so, there is Krishna and Krishna’s pure representative. When we feel the sunshine, we know the sun is there, and when we hear from you, we know that Krishna is there.

Your fallen servant

Vyasasan das

after Srila Prabhupada’s Pushpanjali

The Original Bhagavad-gita As It Is

27 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 Edition Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, as it is, Bhagavad-gita, great science, Macmillan Company, Srila Prabhupada

“… When I was in America in 1966, one American lady asked me to recommend an English edition of Bhagavad-gītā so that she could read it. But honestly I could not recommend any one of them, on account of their whimsical explanation. That gave me impetus to write Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. And this present edition, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, is now published by Macmillan Company, the biggest publisher in the world. And we are doing very nice. We published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in 1968, in small edition. It was selling like anything. The trades manager of Macmillan Company reported that our books are selling more and more; others are reducing. Then recently, in this 1972, we have published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, complete edition. And Macmillan Company published fifty thousand copies in others, but it was finished in three months and they are arranging for second edition.

So this Bhagavad-gītā should be read by every individual person to know the science of God. It is a great science.”

[SP Lecture:
Bhagavad-gītā 7.1
Sydney, February 16, 1973]

Kartik: Month of Prayer and Giving

13 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Damodara, Kartika Tags: ghee lamp, kartik, Krishna, month of Damodar, spiritual advancement

Kartik: Month of Prayer and Giving

Kartik, or the month of Damodar, is considered the best of months and is most auspicious for spiritual advancement. In the Skanda Purana it is stated:

“As Satya-yuga is the best of yugas, as the Vedas are the best of scriptures, as Ganga is the best of rivers, so Kartik is the best of months, the most dear to Lord Sri Krishna.”.

Also in the Skanda Purana it is stated:

“A person who offers a ghee lamp to Lord Krishna during Kartik burns away a collection of sins as big as Mt. Meru or Mt. Mandara, will not take birth again in this world and attains to the eternal spiritual realm where there is no suffering. Even if there are no mantras, no piety, and no purity, everything becomes perfect by such an offering.”

The Padma Purana describes the month of Kartik as Krishna’s favorite month. Devotional activities performed during this holy month are rewarded with greater spiritual results than usual so devotees often take vows to increase their spiritual practices or to simplify their material needs for the entire month. It is a way that they can remember Krishna more and increase their service to Him.

Month of Damodara (Kartika)

13 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Childhood Pastimes of Krsna, Damodara, Damodarastakam, Kartika, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas Tags: Damodara, Kartika, Krishna, month of Damodara, Mother Yasoda, namamisvarm, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Sri Damodarastaka, vishnujana swami

” Upon seeing His mothers whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, who is bound with His devotee’s love, I offer my humble obeisances.” (Damodarastakam)

We are now in the month of Damodara (Kartika). In honor and in celebration of the month of Damodara, we will be focusing our attention on the pastimes of Krishna in Vrndavan. Especially Krishna’s childhood pastimes. The following song is sung morning and evening and it is customary to offer a candle or gee lamp as well to a picture of Lord Krsna and Mother Yasoda.

Following song lyrics is a link of Vishnujana Swami chanting the Damodara Prayers

Full song
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Formula for Success: Without a Doubt

02 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Chanting Hare Krishna Tags: Adi-lila 21-23, chanting Hare Krishna, eva, Hare Krishna, harer nama, Maha Mantra, mantra meditation, names of the lord

Srila Prabhupada describes the formula for success: “Our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this harer nāma mahā-mantra offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus, their success will be assured without a doubt.”

The World Acharya Dream

01 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Art, Govinda dasi, Srila Prabhupada Tags: Govinda dasi, mother earth, Srila Prabhupada, the world acharya dream, visionary dream, Vyasasana

His Divine Grace
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

The following is the written memories and description by Govinda dasi, of her dream which inspired the above picture and her description of the painting.

About “The World Acharya Dream”
by Govinda dasi

Some time after Srila Prabhupada left this world, I had a very powerful dream….In that visionary dream, I saw Srila Prabhupada sitting on a huge lion-flanked and jewel-bedecked Vyasasana. His Vyasasana rested on the brightly shimmering globe of Mother Earth, and was positioned just above the sacred land of India. Behind him, the vast curvature of the earth planet was visible. A silvery bluish-white light emanated from the center of the vision, forming a giant oval, in which Srila Prabhupada sat.

Below him were many crowds of people–all races, nationalities, and all ages–all the people of the world, reaching out from darkness. They were pointing toward Srila Prabhupada, in awe and wonder, exclaiming, reaching out, praising, and acknowledging him according to their various abilities. Many were in darkness, in worldly life, yet they were all reaching out toward Srila Prabhupada, seeking his mercy.

Above Srila Prabhupada, in the shimmering silver-blue sky, many swan-shaped airplanes circled. In these airplanes, devas were singing praises and showering flowers. Cascades of colorful blossoms tumbled down from their swan planes, as they glorified Srila Prabhupada. With sweet sounding instruments, and heavenly chorus, they sang “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare…” Their joyful mood spread throughout the universe.