July | 2023 | The Hare Krishna Movement

The Dearmost Person

29 Jul 2023 2 Comments

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, Prahlada Maharaja, Srimad Bhagavatam Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, demigods, demons, Krishna, Pralada, Pralada Maharaja, Srimad Bhagavatam, the dearmost person

The Dearmost Person

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 6, 1968

Today I shall speak to you of the history of a boy devotee named Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was born in a family that was stubbornly atheistic. There are two kinds of men in this world: the demons and the demigods. What is the difference between them? The main difference is that the demigods, or godly persons, are devoted to the Supreme Lord, whereas the demons are atheistic. They do not believe in God because they are materialists. These two classes of men always exist in this world. At the present moment, due to the Age of Kali (Age of Quarrel), the number of demons has increased, but the classification has existed since the beginning of creation. The incident I am narrating to you occurred very, very long ago, a few million years after the time of creation.

Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of the most atheistic person and the most materially powerful as well. Because the society was materialistic, this boy had no opportunity to glorify the Supreme Lord. The characteristic of a great soul is that he is very eager to broadcast glorification of the Supreme Lord. Lord Jesus Christ, for example, was very eager to broadcast the glorification of God, but demoniac people misunderstood him and crucified him.

Eggless Banana/Zucchini Bread

26 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Vegetarian Cooking, Vegetarian Recipies Tags: gardening, vegetarian banana bread, vegetarian cooking, zucchini bread

I don’t know if any you have planted a garden this year, but mine is doing very nicely, with tomatoes, okra, Swiss chard, and zucchini all coming into full production. The Zucchini has done particularly well this year, and I have an over abundance. I have tried freezing some (with good success) but then I saw some very ripe Bananas on the counter and it hit me to make some Banana/Zucchini bread loaves. I found that a loaf would keep very well without refrigeration for week, and also the loafs freeze very well.

Basic Recipe

Vaikuntha Men

23 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotee's, Jananivasa das, Pankajanghri das Tags: devotees of Krsna, Jananivasa, Krishna, Krishna consciousness, Pankajanghri, Srila Prabhupada

Jananivasa And Pankajanghri Prabhus!

Tamala Krsna: These two pujaris, the two brothers…

Prabhupada: They’re ideal.

Tamala Krsna: …they look like they’re out of the Caitanya-caritamrta. They appear as two persons right out of that book.

Prabhupada: Yes. Very good boys.

Tamala Krsna: Vaikuntha men.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. They do not know except the Deity. Very good boys.

Tamala Krsna: Perfect team of brothers.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Therefore Krsna has brought them here in Mayapur. Previously they were advanced. All of you. You are simply born because the mission was to be started. Just like in Yadu-vamsa Krsna ordered all the devotee demigods to “Go and take birth there to help Me.” Similarly, you are also… You were born in Europe, America, to help this. Otherwise you were devotees in your past lives.

– Room Conversation — February 16, 1977, Mayapur

Built to Last

15 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Hare Krishna Movement, ISKCON, ISKCON History, Mukunda das Goswami Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, incorporation of ISKCON, Mukunda Goswami, Srila Prabhupada, Swamiji

INCORPORATION OF ISKCON

By Mukunda Goswami

ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) was incorporated in New York City, in the State of New York in the US, on 13 July 1966, around 53 years ago. This first incorporation of ISKCON was executed at Srila Prabhupada’s behest – then known to his followers only as ‘Swamiji’ and to others as A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

The lawyer under whose aegis the fledgling movement was officially instituted was Mr Steven Goldsmith, an attendee at Srila Prabhupada’s Second Avenue lectures. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect Mr Goldsmith’s legal fees were low or non-existent.

One early (for me) morning in July of 1966, I was awakened and asked to sign papers pertaining to the incorporation of ISKCON. As a US citizen and resident, my signature appeared to be necessary. So I rather perfunctorily signed the document, thinking at the time it was a sort of ‘flight of fancy’ of Srila Prabhupada’s. Later I was instrumental in getting ISKCON incorporated in the State of California (US), as well as in England and India.

The constitution of these other three corporations was based on that of the original New York Corporation. I’ve drawn the conclusion that Srila Prabhupada’s vision in doing this was for ISKCON to endure in the face of his own and his followers’ inevitable physical disappearances. ‘Built to last’ was a slogan that wasn’t lost on Srila Prabhupada’s institution. In pursuance of Srila Prabhupada’s vision, as far as I know the highest administrative levels of ISKCON have been discussing and examining the ‘culture of succession’ principle.

My Devotee is Never Vanquished

05 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotee's, Letters by Srila Prabhupada Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Mukunda, My devotee is never vanquished, Srila Prabhupada

“So don’t be worried, do your best and success or failure does not matter. Krishna is absolute, so there is no such thing as success or failure in Krishna Consciousness, or in other words, there is no question of failure in Krishna Consciousness, whatever we do it is success. Whatever one may do in the material world, if he is even Rockefeller, it is all failure, defeat, because it will not exist beyond this body. He does not know that next life I may be dog or cat. But whatever service we can do for Krishna, even if somebody is not able to execute fully Krishna Consciousness, whatever amount of service he does it never goes in vain. It will eternally remain. And it will act. Even somebody does small amount of service, and not even very willingly, still, he is assured to get human body in next birth, and chance to execute some service further. So there is no question of failure in Krishna Consciousness. It is only success. Krishna says, My devotee is never vanquished. So we must try sincerely, that’s all.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 15, 1968)

Full Letter

Good Management

02 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Brahmananda das, Devotee's, Gargamuni Das Tags: Brahmananda das, disciples, Gargamuni Das, guru, Iskcon, Kirtanananda, Satsvarupa, Srila Prabhupada, temple president

“…Prabhupada had an uncanny way of knowing how to engage different disciples in various services according to their natures”

Good Management

by Gargamuni Prabhu

The first acting officers of ISKCON were appointed by Prabhupada in the Fall 1966. We were sitting in Prabhupada’s room, only five or six of us, when He asked, “So Who should be president?” Everyone looked at each other and then Brahmananda suggested, “I think that Kirtanananda should be the president because he was the first to join.” There were other suggestions but Prabhupada didn’t approve, and then said, “No. I think that Brahmananda should be the president.” Why? Because he was actually maintaining the temple by giving his entire paycheck; $400 a month, as a NYC public substitute school-teacher. We both stayed in the temple-storefront. All the other working devotees had apartments and so they couldn’t give much money or time. So Brahmananda became the first president of ISKCON and Satsvarupa was appointed as secretary. I became the first treasurer/accountant. Prabhupada had an uncanny way of knowing how to engage different disciples in various services according to their natures. I was sure that he chose Brahmananda because he was a natural leader. He had been the president of his senior-high school class, and was captain of the football team and was captain of the wrestling team, for which he received a scholarship to the USA Naval Academy at Annapolis. He had a natural tendency to lead. He had his own club called The Playmakers, for which he was president, and they had their own jackets which they wore to school. He was a born leader and Prabhupada knew that just by looking at him. He made Satsvarupa the secretary because he was an intellectual—an excellent writer and editor. He made me the treasurer because I was by nature interested in business. When I was seven I started my own business selling cherry bombs (a very powerful kind of firecracker) at school. The kids would buy them and blow up mailboxes. The police were called and they found out it was me, but because I was only seven, they didn’t do anything. Even as a child I made my own office out of card-board and played with my father’s old business letters. I never told Prabhupada about my business activities, but he knew my nature just by looking into my eyes. It is a common understanding that the eyes are the ‘mirror of the mind’. I didn’t know anything about accounting but Prabhupada taught me. He explained accounting the following way: