Care For Cows
by Kurma Rupa Das
click on following link to read or save the Care for Cows Newsletter; Care for Cows NewsJanuary2015
Bringing People to Srila Prabhupada
07 Jan 2015 Leave a comment
in Giriraja Swami, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, Vyasasan das Tags: devotional service, disciple, giriraj swami, Godbrothers, guru, guru and disciple, guru tattva, Krishna, prabhupada, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, service to guru, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Vyasasan das, Watering the Seed
Recently I was staying at a friends house, and in the room where I was spending the night there was one book by Giriraj Swami entitled “Watering the Seed”. I happened to open it and began reading from the Preface:
…from that first meeting with Srila Prabhupada, my whole life’s purpose became to bring people to meet Srila Prabhupada. And I was able to do that for many years. But when he passed away, I wondered ‘what will be my service now?’. My whole service had been to bring people to Srila Prabhupada.
Now I understand that Srila Prabhupada is always present, and that by speaking of him, hearing about him, remembering him, and, most significantly, by studying his books and following his instructions, we can experience his presence. So I can continue doing what I was doing when he was personally present-introducing soul’s to Srila Prabhupada-and that is what I feel most natural doing. Because I know that somehow or other, if someone comes in touch with Srila Prabhupada, his life will become successful. (Watering the Seed, Preface)
Now, I am always encouraged when I hear my Godbrothers speaking in this way, because this is how I have always felt, and continue to feel. That my main purpose, as a disciple, is to bring people to Srila Prabhupada, and there-by bringing them to Krishna.
Stay High Forever
23 Dec 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, BTG magizine, Hayagriva das, Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Explosion Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, East Village hippies, Golden Gate Park, Haight Ashbury, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Mantra, hayagriva das, hippies, Lower East Side, New Vrindaban, Old Vrindaban, Stay High Forever, the hare krishna explosion
I enjoy reading and re-reading to old issues of Back to Godhead Magazine. And it seems the older the issue the more relishable the content, as is the case with this 1969 issue…
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine 1969 Vol. 1, No. 26
The joyful history of a dynamic transcendental movement
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare vibrates from a walkup temple on New York’s Lower East Side, from the sidewalks of Haight Ashbury, from Golden Gate Park, from a London flat, from student quarters in Hamburg and Amsterdam, from a storefront in Santa Fe, an exbowling alley in Montreal, a sprawling university campus in Ohio, from Old Vrindaban in India to New Vrindaban in the West Virginia mountains, and from Boston and Buffalo to Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver and across the Pacific to Hawaii.
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The voices chanting the magic vibrations are invariably young. The chanting, accompanied by khartals (small hand cymbals), tambourines and drums, is often loud and frenetic. The dancing is vigorous. The middle-aged and elderly usually stand in doorways or look through windows, watching in amazement, unaware that they are witnessing a process of spiritual realization that has been practiced on this planet for thousands of years. They do not understand. No one really understands. The chanting just spreads. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna …
Srila Prabhupada The Founder-Acarya of ISKCON
18 Dec 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya, ISKCON, Ravindra Svarupa Das, Srila Prabhupada Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuada, Iskcon, ISKCON GBC Press, Ravindra Svarupa Das, Srila Prabhupada, The Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
There is a nice book that was published recently entitled ““Srila Prabhupada: The Founder-Acarya of ISKCON”, written by Ravindra Svarupa Das and published by ISKCON GBC Press.
In our Mission Statement on our About Us Page we have stated;
…”to put it rather simply, we are promoting Srila Prabhupada; The Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, his Original writtings, his teachings, and his instructions for the world.”
So it is with this mind, we share with you this nice publication
click on link to openSrila Prabhupada the FounderAcharya to read or save
Ox Barn Renovation at New Vrindavan
07 Dec 2014 1 Comment
in Cow Protection, New Vrindavan, Oxen, Vyasasan das Tags: bahulavan, cow protection, ox barn, ox barn renovation at new vrindavan, oxen, Oxen Project, oxen project at New Vrindavan, Srila Prabhupada, varsana maharaja, Vyasasan das
Ox Barn Project at New Vrindavan
Ox Barn Renovation at New Vrindavan
by Vyasasan das
Back in August of this year, I began the overwhelming task of rebuilding the barn at New Vrindavan, West Virginia. As you will be able to see from the following pictures, the neglected barn was sadly in a state of disrepair and dilapidation. The building had been completely abandoned and neglected for over twenty years, and was filled with unspeakable garbage and debris. You could say it was a hazard and an eyesore. Actually the building was scheduled to be torn down…but then a remarkable thing happened. Male bulls started being born here at New Vrindavan. One after another, ten in a row, male bulls were appearing and the oxen program was born.
Gita Jayanti / Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita
02 Dec 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Gauri das, Gita Jayanti Tags: Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, astanga-yoga, Battlefield of Kurukshetra, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, bonafide spiritual master, dhyana yoga, diksha, gita jayanti, HG Gauri prabhu, karma yoga, Karmayoga-Action in Krishna Consciousness, Kurus, or the Discharge of One's Prescribed Duty in Krishna Consciousness, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, Srila Prabhupad, The matter of Karma-yoga, Vrindavan Gurukul
click on image to enlarge
Today marks the advent of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, orherwise known as ‘Gita Jayanti”. So we honor this auspicious day with a reading of the entire text.
We ran across this nice overview, or study guide, of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, on the Sampradaya Sun and thought we would share it with all of you.
The Glories of Srimad Bhagavad-gita
By: Sun Staff Cananda (SUN)
Summary Overview of Bhagavad-gita As It Is
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter One
Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra
The armies of Pandava’s and Kaurava’s have assembled at Kurukshetra. As Kurukshetra is dharmakshetra and Krishna is dharma personified, so the side, having Krishna with them will be victorious. Thus Duryodhana feels apprehensive due to the prowess of the Pandavas army. However, he pacifies himself by expressing the glories of his own army to his martial Guru Dronacarya. Thus starting with Bhishma, all warriors blow their conchshells to herald the beginning of the war. A ferocious uproar results, shattering the hearts of the Kurus.
How the Hare Krsna Movement Came to Africa
30 Nov 2014 1 Comment
in Back to Godhead, Brahmananda das, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Back to Godhead Magazine, brahmacari, Brahmananda das, Brahmananda Swami, BTG, BTG Vol.10 No. 12, How the Hare Krsna Movement came to Africa, krsna consciousness, prabhupada, preaching in Africa, The Hare Krishna Movement
How the Hare Krsna Movement Came to Africa
by His Holiness Brahmananda Swami
Excerpted from; Back to Godhead Magazine 1975 Vol. 10, No. 12
The story of how the Hare Krsna movement came to Africa starts in 1971 in the United States. I was in Tallahassee, Florida, teaching an experimental course in Krsna consciousness at the state university, when I received a letter from my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, instructing me to go immediately to West Pakistan for preaching work. I had very little money, and I knew the trip to Pakistan would be long and arduous. However, a disciple takes his spiritual master’s order as his very life and soul, and I was determined that nothing would stop me.
Conversations with George Harrison
29 Nov 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, George Harrison, Photos by Gurudas, Sriman George Harrison Tags: George Harrison, Krsna Book, Mukunda, philosophy, photo by Gurudas, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada conversations with George Harrison, Srila Prabhupada's books
click on image to enlarge
Conversations with George Harrison
London, England – July 26, 1976
Srila Prabhupada: “Are you reading sometimes my books? Which one?”
George Harrison: “Mainly Krsna.”
Srila Prabhupada: “That is the main book.” [laughs)
George Harrison: “Mukunda gave me the new books, but there’s so much to read.”
Srila Prabhupada: “Philosophy.”
George Harrison: “I don’t know how anybody could have written it, it’s is difficult to read all that amount”
Srila Prabhupada: “Sometimes, they are surprised how one man can write so many books, but it is Krsna’ s grace. Otherwise, not possible. Human being, it is not possible.”
Letter on Initiation
29 Nov 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Hansadutta das, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Ritvik Initiation, Spiritual Master Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Ama das, Atmavidya das, Durgama das, Gobhata das, hamsadutta prabhu, Hrimati dasi, Jnanavigraha das, Kamaksi dasi, letter to hamsadutta, Nikhilananda das, Premchand das, Ram Mohan das, Ramgati das, Revantinandana Swami, Santimati dasi, Srila Prabhupada, Tirthada das, Uktal das, Vaidyanath das
I read this letter today, by Srila Prabhupada to Hamsadutta Prabhu, written in 1973, putting in practice, the process of ritvik initiation (although we did not have a name for it then, it was simply how it was done); “…Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 7, 1973 and am pleased to accept the following boys and girls as my initiated disciples.
I am also enclosing Gayatri Mantras for the 14 disciples and 10 sacred threads duly chanted upon by me for the men disciples. You show them how to count on the fingers, and let them hear the mantra chanted by me on the tape through the right ear.”
What I find interesting is how devotees today will decry and belittle the Ritvik Process of initiation, but this was how the initiations were performed in the early days of our movement. The majority of disciples, initiated by Srila Prabhupada when he was personally present, received initiation exactly as it was described in above letter. We almost all recieved Ritvik initiation from Srila Prabhupada. I know I did.
Anyway, food for thought.
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Photos by Gurudas
27 Nov 2014 Leave a comment
in Guru das, Photos by Gurudas, Roger Siegel, Srila Prabhupada, Yamuna devi Tags: Gurudas, kirtan by Yamuna devi, morning walks with Srila Prabhupada, photos by Gurudas, Roger Siegel, srila prabhuopada in san franscio, Srila Prabhupada, walks with prabhupada, Yamuna devi
Photos by Gurudas
16 Nov 2014 3 Comments
in Guru das, Photos by Gurudas, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhpada, Gurudas, morning walk with Srila Prabhupada, Photos of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada at Bury Place, Srila Prabhupada in London
Photos by Gurudas
Morning Walks in London
Somehow or other, I have a large collection of Photo’s taken by Gurudas Prabhu. It is the first snowy day, and I am inside the house staying warm and looking at this large collection of photos on our computer. It would be remiss of me not to share some of these vintage photos with our readers and visitors to The Hare Krishna Movement. So this will be the beginning of our new series entitled ‘Photos by Gurudas’.
Krishna Conscious Children and the Gṛhastha Ashram
15 Nov 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Indira devi, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Women, Women in ISKCON, Yogi Tags: Bhaktivindode Thakura, ch, children of devotees, devotional service, family life, family life in Krsna consciousness, Indira devi dasi, Krishna conscious children, perfect yogi, sannyasa, Vamanadeva das, Vikuntha
My wife read me following letter this morning, that she saw on FaceBook. It is a letter written by Srila Prabhupada in 1971 to his female disciple Indira devi dasi, and is explaining how to practice household life (gṛhastha ashram) in Krishna consciousness.
My Dear Indira,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter. So far your son leaving you, his parents, at 5 years, that is not necessary. Especially our Krishna Conscious children; they are already living in a asrama. The children of our devotees may live with their parents perpetually because you are all living in the temple and already engaged in devotional service. Other instructions are for those not engaged in Krishna Consciousness. Any family engaged in Krishna’s service is living not in this material world. Such a home is considered as Vaikuntha. That is the verdict of Bhaktivinode Thakura.
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Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day
27 Oct 2014 2 Comments
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lokadrsti devi, Vyas-puja, Vyasasan das, Vyasasana Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, bhagavad-gita, disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada, Hari Nama devi, Krishna, lokadrsti devi, Maha Laxmi devi, Pushpanjali, Srila Prabhupada, Vyasasan das, Vyasasana
click on images to enlarge
Picture taken before Guru-puja
Today we honored His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s disappearance day here at New Vrindavan Farm Community, with beautiful offerings, a Pushpanjali (an offering of flowers) followed by an amazing feast The beautiful Vyasasana decoration was done by Her Grace Lokadrsti devi dasi, with assistance from Hari Nama, Maha Laxmi, and Christine prabhus. More
Sailing Back to Godhead
24 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in Back to Godhead, Narahari das, Simple Living, Spiritual Life Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, bonafide religion, BTG, chant Hare Krsna, every town and village, God, Iskcon, Krsna, Narahari, narahari das, read Srila Prabhupada's books daily, Sailing Back to Godhead, Spiritual Life, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, the hare krsna's, transcendental knowledge
Yesterday I was cleaning out the abandoned barn at Bahulavan, which is now being put back together again, and I found an old issue of Back to Godhead Magazine mixed in with so much debris. I pulled it out, cleaned it off, and added it to my collection of Back to Godhead Magazines. I had always heard of this famous sailing ship, and finally got a chance to see it.
Sailing Back to Godhead
Article excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine Vol. 16, No. 6, 1981
A teakwood ketch and a devotee’s determination help bring Lord Krsna’s message to the Hawaiian Islands.
“…Krsna consciousness is the only established religion I know of that openly respects all other bonafide religions. My wife and I chant Hare Krsna and read Srila Prabhupada’s books daily. It’s added a dimension to my life that I feel is essential.”
The Secret of Success in Spiritual Life
13 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ananda devi dasi, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Sankirtan, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada vani, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: Ananda devi dasi, disciples, guru, sankirtan movement, SB 3.25.21, Spiritual Life, spiritual master, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami, The Words of the Spiritual Master, vani, vapu
click on image to enlarge
“The Words of the Spiritual Master”
by Ananda devi dasi
“Believing in the words of His Spiritual Master, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the Sankirtana movement, just as the present Krishna Consciousness movement was started with belief in the words of our Spiritual Master. He wanted to preach, we believed in his words and tried somehow or other to fulfill them, and now this movement has become successful all over the world. Therefore faith in the words of the Spiritual Master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the secret of success. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu never disobeyed the orders of His Spiritual Master and stopped propagating the Sankirtana movement.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami, at the time of his passing away, ordered all his disciples to work conjointly to preach the message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. Later, however, some self-interested, foolish disciples disobeyed his orders. Each one wanted to become head of the mission, and they fought in the courts, neglecting the orders of their Spiritual Master, and the entire mission was defeated. We are not proud of this, however the truth must be explained. We believed in the words of our Spiritual Master and started in a humble way-in a helpless way – but due to the spiritual force of the Supreme Authority, this movement has become successful.” (From the Chaitanya Charitamrita written and presented by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada Cc Adi 7.95-96)
Loving Krishna
07 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Kirtanananda Swami, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, New Vrindavan, Radha Krishna, Radhastami, Srimati Radharani
click on image to enlarge
The above image was taken at New Vrindavan at 12:00 noon, at the moment of Srimati Radharani’s Appearance. The altar looks particularly nice today, and Srimati Radharani is overwhelmingly beautiful on this her appearance day. Jaya Radhe!
…Agriculture and protecting the cow, this is the main business of the residents of Vrindaban, and above all simply loving Krishna. The cows, the trees, the cowherd men and Gopis, their chief engagement was loving Krishna, and in New Vrindaban we want to create this atmosphere and thereby show the whole world how practical and sublime our movement is. (Letter to Kirtanananda July 27, 1973)
Full letter and more images More
Sri Krishna Sandarbha
06 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in Devotee Books, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Jiva Goswami, Kusakratha das Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, appearance of Jiva Gosvami, Bengali Vaisnava, Books by Srila Jiva Gosvami, classical Sanskrit, Dina Sharana das, Gaudiya Vaisnava, initiated disciple of His Divine Grace, jiva gosvami, Krishna Institute, Kusakratha das, Kusakratha Prabhu (ACBSP), literary treasures, prabhupada.de, Radha-Carana das, Sri Krishna Sandarbha
Today marks the appearance of Lord Vamanadeva and of Srila Jiva Goswami. In honor of the appearance of Srila Jiva Goswami, we share with you one of the great literary works written by Jiva Gosvami, and translated into English by Kusakratha Prabhu, as a free download. The work is entitled “Sri Krishna-sandarbha”.
Sri Krishna-sandarbha
Written by Srila Jiva Gosvami
Translated by Kusakratha Prabhu
click on link to read online or save; Sri Krishna-SandarbhaSri Krishna Sandarbha Kusakratha
Yamuna Devi: A Life of Unalloyed Devotion
05 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in Devotee Books, Dinatarine devi, Yamuna devi Tags: A life of Unalloyed Devotion, Autobiography of Yamuna devi, Dinatarine Devi, Srila Prabhupada's disciple, unalloyed devotion, Yamuna devi
This link to pre-ordering the book “Yamuna Devi A Life of Unalloyed Devotion” by Dinatarine devi, appeared in my email box this morning. I thought I would share it with all of you as well. I went ahead and pre-ordered the two-set edition at the 20% discount, using my pay pal account. You can follow the link below to do the same and visit the books website.
Yamuna Devi A Life of Unalloyed Devotion
by Dinatarine Devi
Autobiography Now Available!
Now available for pre-ordering, at 20% discount, the long awaited autobiography of Yamuna devi dasi, one of Srila Prabhupada’s earliest disciples. Learn more about the book, “Yamuna Devi: A Life of Unalloyed Devotion” and how you can reserve your copy now. This and sample pages and chapter layout may be found by going to the book’s website: Pre-order Now
Some Day the Tiny Soul Will Want to Get Out of Illusion
09 Aug 2014 Leave a comment
in Back to Godhead, Soul, Spiritual Life, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vishnujana Swami Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, Bhagavad-gita 2.59, BTG, His Holiness Visnujana Svami, illusion, illusory energy, mercy of the Lord, neophytes, regulative principles, soul, Spiritual Life, the Hare Krsna movement, vairagya, Visnujana Swami
Some Day the Tiny Soul Will Want to Get Out of Illusion
Instructions to the devotees of the Hare Krsna movement
given in New York City, March 31, 1974
by His Holiness Visnujana Svami
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine 1974 Vol. 1, No. 65
…As soon as one gets the association of the bhakti-vedanta, the pure devotee or spiritual master, and hears from his lips the nectarean waves flowing just like the wonderful River Ganges, these waves enter his ears and his heart and purify him. Thus he is freed from the seeds of contaminated material desires. When he hears sufficiently, his intelligence becomes satisfied, and he agrees to act on the instructions of his bona fide spiritual master. The more he acts on these instructions, the more he becomes freed from past bad habits and the conditional responses of this material world. Thus his conditional association is completely vanquished. This, of course, is where he achieves a spiritual taste (ruci) and spiritual strength (vairagya).
full lecture More
Resident of Krishna Loka
07 Aug 2014 Leave a comment
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Mukunda das Goswami, Spiritual Master, Spiritual World Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna, Krishna Loka, letters by prabhupada, liberated person, Lord Caitanya, Mukunda dasa, resident of Krishna Loka, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada
…Unless one is a resident of Krishna Loka, one cannot be a Spiritual Master. That is the first proposition. A layman cannot be a Spiritual Master, and if he becomes so then he will simply create disturbance. And who is a liberated person? One who knows Krishna. It is stated in BG, fourth chapter, anyone who knows Krishna in truth is immediately liberated, and after quitting the present body, he immediately goes to Krishna. That means he becomes a resident of Krishna Loka. As soon as one is liberated he is immediately a resident of Krishna Loka, and anyone who knows the truth of Krishna can become Spiritual Master. That is the version of Lord Caitanya. So to summarize the whole thing, it is to be understood that a bona fide Spiritual Master is a resident of Krishna Loka. (Letter to Mukunda June 10, 1969)
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The Hare Krishna Movement 