06 Oct 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Hayagriva das, Vrindavan, Vrndavana
Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG, hayagriva das, Krsna, material covering, prabhupada, real dhama, Srila Prabhupada, Vrndavan, vrndavan dham
Seeing The Real Vrndavana
by Hayagriva Dasa
excerpted from Back To Godhead Magazine
Oct 1, 2006 Volume-03 Number-31 (Indian)
Learning from Srila Prabhupada how to see beyond the material coverings to perceive the real dhama
I bend down to get through the door and enter a small, sparsely furnished room. Suddenly, I’m face to face with Srila Prabhupada. He’s sitting on the floor behind a low desk piled with books and papers.
“Jai!” he says. “Our Hayagriva has arrived.”
I pay dandabat obeisances by prostrating myself and touching his feet with my right hand. Then I place my hand to my forehead. To remember the spiritual master’s lotus feet is to remember Krsna. The effect is as cooling as sandalwood.
“nama om visnu-padaya krsna presthilya bhu-tale srimate bhaktivedanta- svamin iti namine,” I say, offering respects. Then I sit before him, and he smiles.
Although seventy-six, Prabhupada seems as ageless as ever. His head is freshly shaved, and the aroma of mustard- seed oil tells me that he has just received a massage. His complexion is radiant, his eyes clear, his face full and healthy. This is the face that attracted me that day when I was walking down New York’s Houston Street and first met him, the face that brought so many young seekers to that little storefront temple on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights. For us, his face embodies all the attractive qualities of devotion, for it’s a pure, truthful, and compassionate face. It is both happy and grave. It is magnanimous, gentle, and forgiving. It is also determined and self-controlled, and, above all, most learned and intelligent. It’s a face not afraid to love and give all in love for Krsna.
Indeed, Prabhupada’s face conjures all those virtues that lead to love of Krsna. It’s not an ordinary man’s face. It transports an entire spiritual fact, the Vedic culture, an atmosphere of bhakti . I first began realizing his potency just by Jlooking at his face. Whenever I’m Kr,na conscious, it makes me joyful. Whenever I’m not, I’m afraid to look at it; it accuses me, makes me ashamed without uttering a word. What power there is in the spiritual master’s face! What magne tism! What volumes of wisdom! ‘
“I’m glad you invited me here, Srila Prabhupada,” I say.
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21 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Temple of Vedic Planetarium, Temples, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, Vrndavana
Tags: devotee of Lord Sri Krishna, ISKCON Bangalore, Mayapur Chandodaya Mandir, Srila Prabhupada, temple construction, Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, Temples, TOVP, vedic planetarium, Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir
“This is Krishna conscious vision: ‘Oh, there are so many skyscrapers. Why not construct a nice skyscraper temple of Krishna?’ This is Krishna consciousness.”
– Srila Prabhupada
As long as I can remember, I have taken and interest in Architecture. Perhaps this was because I grew up in the city of Chicago, where the skyline was an ever changing array of looming Skyscrapers. I studied Architectural drafting & design in college, and for some time, thought that was my calling. Although I never became an Architect, I did in fact become a builder/carpenter/woodworker and my interest in Buildings, especially large monumental construction projects has always remained. Two project I have been keeping my eye on, are the two large temple projects being undertaken by devotees in India. Namely the Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, and the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. Today we are posting some images and information on both projects with some links for you to follow for more information.
Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir
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Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir
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04 Dec 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Gopis, Vrindavan, Vrndavana
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, ecstasy, gopis, great demigods like Brahma and Siva, krsna and the gopis, Lord Krsna, notorious as a teasing friend, Prabhupada books, SB3.2.14, Srimad Bhagavatam, The damsels of Vraja, transcendental love, unalloyed affection, Vrindaban, Vrndavana
…In His boyhood at Vṛndāvana, Lord Kṛṣṇa was notorious as a teasing friend in transcendental love to all the girls His age. His love for them was so intense that there is no comparison to that ecstasy, and the damsels of Vraja were so much attached to Him that their affection excelled that of the great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva. Lord Kṛṣṇa finally admitted His defeat before the transcendental affection of the gopīs and declared that He was unable to repay them for their unalloyed affection. (from purport SB 3.2.14)
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09 Jul 2014
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Spiritual World, Vrindavan, Vrndavana
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, abode of lord krsna, as it is, Bhagavad Gita, Goloka, goloka vrndavan, Krsna, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, Spiritual Life, spiritual sky, Spiritual world, Syamasundara, Vrindavan, Vrndavana
click on image to enlarge
…The Lord descends to this mortal world to show His pastimes in Vṛndāvana, which are full of happiness. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was in Vṛndāvana, His activities with His cowherd boy friends, with His damsel friends, with the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana and with the cows were all full of happiness. The total population of Vṛndāvana knew nothing but Kṛṣṇa. But Lord Kṛṣṇa even discouraged His father Nanda Mahārāja from worshiping the demigod Indra because He wanted to establish the fact that people need not worship any demigod. They need only worship the Supreme Lord because their ultimate goal is to return to His abode. (from Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
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20 Nov 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Back to Godhead, Brahmananda das, Spiritual Life, Spiritual World, Vrndavana
Tags: Back to Godhead Magizine, Brahmananda Swami, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, Kusum Sarvara, Spiritual Life, spiritual qualification, Spiritual world, Srila Prabhupada, Vrndavan
Kusum Sarvara
Please click on image to enlarge
Vrndavana – Land of No Return
by Brahmananda Swami
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine 1975 Vol.10, No. 11
I once visited Vrndavana, India with His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. As I accompanied him on his daily walk one morning we suddenly came upon a particularly beautiful spot. The cool sands were thick with foliage; the tall trees full of singing birds. As the sun brightened the clear morning sky, peacocks filled the air with their peculiar call.
Srila Prabhupada looked over his shoulder and said to me, “So, Brahmananda, this is Vrndavana. How do you like it?”
“It’s wonderful, Srila Prabhupada,” was all I could reply. I felt that he was actually revealing the glories of Vrndavana to me even though I had no particular spiritual qualification.
Vrndavana is the place where the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna appeared five thousand years ago. Lord Krsna descended there from His own spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndavana to attract us by displaying His supernatural pastimes. Srila Prabhupada has explained that when Krsna descends to the material world, this same Vrndavana descends with Him just as an entourage accompanies an important personage. Because when Krsna comes His land also comes, Vrndavana is not considered to exist in the material world. Therefore devotees take shelter of the Vrndavana in India, for it is considered to be a replica of the original Goloka Vrndavana.
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30 Oct 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Childhood Pastimes of Krsna, Krsna Consciousness, Spiritual World, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vrndavana
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, asura, Bakasura, BBT, Bhaktivedanta purports, cowheard boys, fruit vendor, go carana, Gokula, Krishna and Balarama, Krsna, Mother Yasoda, Nanda, Nanda Maharaja, pastimes of krsna, SB 10.11, Srimad Bhagavatam, Vatsasura, yamala arjunas, Yasoda
Today is Rama Ekadasi (fast from grains and beans), so on this auspicious day, in the auspicious month of Damodara, we wanted to do a special post. The following is the entire 11th chapter of the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam entitled “The Childhood Pastimes of Kṛṣṇa”.
The following two verses are just an example of the nectar one will find in the following chapter…
…The gopīs would say, “If You dance, my dear Kṛṣṇa, then I shall give You half a sweetmeat.” By saying these words or by clapping their hands, all the gopīs encouraged Kṛṣṇa in different ways. At such times, although He was the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead, He would smile and dance according to their desire, as if He were a wooden doll in their hands. Sometimes He would sing very loudly, at their bidding. In this way, Kṛṣṇa came completely under the control of the gopīs.(Text 7)
…To pure devotees throughout the world who could understand His activities, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, exhibited how much He can be subdued by His devotees, His servants. In this way He increased the pleasure of the Vrajavāsīs by His childhood activities. (Text 9)
Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Canto 10, Chapter 11
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23 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Ecstasy, Krishna Nectar, Spiritual Life, Vrndavana
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, divine ecstasies, Krishna's friends, Krsna, Krsna-katha, lotus flower, lunch with krssn, Pariksit, SB 10, Srila Prabhupada's divine ecstasies, Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Goswami, whorl of a lotus flower
Today, being Monday, and the start of another workday week, I wanted to focus my mind, not on all the work ahead, but rather, on some Krishna Nectar from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavatam. We share with you a few of Srila Prabhupada’s divine ecstasies. As we mentioned is a previous post, there are two kṛṣṇa-kathās; narrations spoken by Kṛṣṇa, and narrations spoken about Kṛṣṇa. Please note text 5 & 6 which is spoken by Krsna.
…devotees who have accepted the essence of life, are attached to Kṛṣṇa in the core of their hearts, and He is the aim of their lives. It is their nature to talk only of Kṛṣṇa at every moment, as if such topics were newer and newer.
Like the whorl of a lotus flower surrounded by its petals and leaves, Kṛṣṇa sat in the center, encircled by lines of His friends, who all looked very beautiful. Every one of them was trying to look forward toward Kṛṣṇa, thinking that Kṛṣṇa might look toward him. In this way they all enjoyed their lunch in the forest.
Among the cowherd boys, some placed their lunch on flowers, some on leaves, fruits, or bunches of leaves, some actually in their baskets, some on the bark of trees and some on rocks. This is what the children imagined to be their plates as they ate their lunch.
Srimad Bhagavatam
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Canto 10, Chapter 13, Text 1-12
Translations and purports More
19 Sep 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Narottama das Thakur, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Spiritual World, Vrndavana, Vrndavana
Tags: Narotama das, Radha and Krishna, Radharani's beauty, spiritual sky, Srimati Radharani, touchstone, transcendental beautiful place, Vrndavan
This morning I woke up in maya. I had bodily aches and pains and decided to just skip rising early and to go back to sleep. When I awoke for the second time, my mind was disturbed by bad dreams and feelings of dread. I should have gotten up early as was my duty, but now I am running late, I am not very Krishna Conscious, and in spite of the extra sleep my body still aches. So what to do???
Just try to fix my mind on Sri Sri Radha and Krishna…
Vrndavan is a transcendental beautiful place. It is the spiritual sky, where everything is made of touchstone, which fulfills all desires. All the temples there are bedcked with costly jewels, In that far distant place is the River Yamuna, which is full of lotus flowers, In the midst of that throng of lotus flowers there is a golden boat, appearing like another big lotus flower, with eight petals, who are none but the eight chief gopis who always surround Radha and Krishna, In the surrounding petals there is a golden throne where the two transcendental lovers, namely Radha and Krishna are seated, but of all of them the governing Deity is Srimati Radharani. There is no comparison to Radharani’s beauty and the luster of Her transcendental body. The so-called beauty of the moon has fallen on the ground in the presence of Radharani’s beauty. In that assembly of Radha-Krishna and their principal associates there is a flood of laughing and joking as they address one another. Narottama das says that the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krishna from day to day are full of transcendental pleasure, Let us all remember them now and then and thus become happy even in this material world. (Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas 1974 Edition)
There that’s better.
Full song with transliteration and English equivalents More
16 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caaitanya-caritamrta, Vrndavana
Tags: cowherd girls, goddesses of fortune, Gopinatha, gopis, Govinda, Krsna, Radha-Krsna, surabhi wish-fulling trees, touchstone, Vrndavana
click on image to enlarge
It is late at night and I was searching for some late night reading…The Teachings of Lord Caitanya was there on the shelf, so I opened it and began to read the Introduction. The Introduction was originally delivered by Srila Prabhupada as five morning lectures on Caitanya-caritāmṛta before the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, New York City, April 10–14, 1967. This is the conclusion of the Introduction and proved to be a good choice for late night reading and an early morning post.
Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī petitions the blessings of Lord Gopīnātha: “May that Gopīnātha, the master of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, bless you. May you become blessed by Gopīnātha.” The author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta prays that just as Kṛṣṇa attracted the gopīs by the sweet sound of His flute, He will also attract the reader’s mind by His transcendental vibration.
…Govinda resides eternally in Vṛndāvana. In the spiritual world of Vṛndāvana the buildings are made of touchstone, the cows are known as surabhi cows, givers of abundant milk, and the trees are known as wish-fulfilling trees, for they yield whatever one desires. In Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa herds the surabhi cows, and He is worshiped by hundreds and thousands of gopīs, cowherd girls, who are all goddesses of fortune. When Kṛṣṇa descends to the material world, this same Vṛndāvana descends, just as an entourage accompanies an important personage. Because when Kṛṣṇa comes His land also comes, Vṛndāvana is not considered to exist in the material world. Therefore devotees take shelter of the Vṛndāvana in India, for it is considered to be a replica of the original Vṛndāvana. Although one may complain that no kalpa-vṛkṣa, wish-fulfilling trees, exist there, when the Gosvāmīs were there, kalpa-vṛkṣa were present. It is not that one can simply go to such a tree and make demands; one must first become a devotee. The Gosvāmīs would live under a tree for one night only, and the trees would satisfy all their desires. For the common man this may all seem very wonderful, but as one makes progress in devotional service, all this can be realized.
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05 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Narottama Dasa Thakura, Spiritual World, Srimati Radharani, Vrndavana, Vrndavana
Tags: golden throne, gopis, Krishna, Narotama das Thakura, Radha and Krishna, Radha Krishna, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, spiritual sky, Srimati Radharani, touchstones, transcendental beautiful place, transcendental lovers, Vrndavan
Vṛndāvana
by Narottama das Thakura
Vrndavan is a transcendental beautiful place. It is the spiritual sky, where everything is made of touchstone, which fulfills all desires. All the temples there are bedcked with costly jewels, In that far distant place is the River Yamuna, which is full of lotus flowers, In the midst of that throng of lotus flowers there is a golden boat, appearing like another big lotus flower, with eight petals, who are none but the eight chief gopis who always surround Radha and Krishna, In the surrounding petals there is a golden throne where the two transcendental lovers, namely Radha and Krishna are seated, but of all of them the governing Deity is Srimati Radharani. There is no comparison to Radharani’s beauty and the luster of Her transcendental body. The so-called beauty of the moon has fallen on the ground in the presence of Radharani’s beauty. In that assembly of Radha-Krishna and their principal associates there is a flood of laughing and joking as they address one another. Narottama das says that the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krishna from day to day are full of transcendental pleasure, Let us all remember them now and then and thus become happy even in this material world.
Full Song Lyrics More
07 Feb 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Vrndavana
Tags: Gopinatha, Govinda Gopinatha, jaya krsna, jaya radhe, jaya vrndavana, krsnadas kaviraja goswami, Madana-mohana, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, sri govinda, The Holy Places of Vrndavana, Vrndavana
The Holy Places of Vrndavan
by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami
1)
jaya rādhe, jaya kṛṣṇa, jaya vṛndāvan
śrī govinda, gopīnātha, madana-mohan
jaya rādhe jaya kṛṣṇa–all glories to Srī Srī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa; jaya vṛndāvana–glories to the transcendental realm of Vṛndāvana; śrīgovinda gopīnātha madana-mohana–glories to the three presiding Deities of Vṛndāvana : Govinda, Gopīnātha and Madana-mohana.
All glories to Radha and Krsna and the divine forest of Vrndavana. All glories to the three presiding Deities of Vrndavana–Sri Govinda, Gopinatha, and Madana-mohana.
2)
śyama-kunḍa, rādhā-kuṇḍa, giri-govardhan
kālindi jamunā jaya, jaya mahāvan
śyāma-kuṇḍa–glories to the personal lake of śyāma; rādhā-kuṇḍa–glories to the personal lake of Rādhā; giri-govardhan–glories to Govardhana Hill; kālindī yamunā jaya–glories to the Yamunā river, known as Kālindī, the daughter of the Kalinda mountain; jaya mahāvana–glories to the great forest of Mahāvana, the place of Kṛṣṇa’s childhood pastimes.
All glories to Syama-kunda, Radha-kunda, Govardhana Hill, and the Yamuna River (Kalindi). All glories to the great forest known as Mahavana, where Krsna and Balarama displayed all of Their childhood pastimes.
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02 Feb 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Vrndavana
Tags: Krishna, Narottama das thakura, radharani's beauty Radha-Krishna, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, spiritual sky, Srimati Radharani, Vrndavana, vrndavana is a transcendental beautiful place, vrndavana ramyasthana
by Narottama das Thakura
Vrndavan is a transcendental beautiful place. It is the spiritual sky, where everything is made of touchstone, which fulfills all desires. All the temples there are bedcked with costly jewels, In that far distant place is the River Yamuna, which is full of lotus flowers, In the midst of that throng of lotus flowers there is a golden boat, appearing like another big lotus flower, with eight petals, who are none but the eight chief gopis who always surround Radha and Krishna, In the surrounding petals there is a golden throne where the two transcendental lovers, namely Radha and Krishna are seated, but of all of them the governing Deity is Srimati Radharani. There is no comparison to Radharani’s beauty and the luster of Her transcendental body. The so-called beauty of the moon has fallen on the ground in the presence of Radharani’s beauty. In that assembly of Radha-Krishna and their principal associates there is a flood of laughing and joking as they address one another. Narottama das says that the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krishna from day to day are full of transcendental pleasure. Let us all remember them now and then and thus become happy even in this material world.
Bengali lyrics; More
The Hare Krishna Movement 