28 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Care for Cows, Cow Protection, Devotee's, Kurma Rupa das
Tags: Care For Cows, careforcows, cow protection, cows, Kurma Rupa das
Kurma Rupa Prabhu Passes
Kurma Rupa left us on the morning of Sunday 28 June, Ekadasi-tirtha in the Vaishnava calendar, in the most auspicious month of Purushottama, in the sacred land of Vrindavan.
Kurma Rupa is always overcome with bliss and love, an affectionate and kind soul who will be missed. We bow down to him, salute his sacrifices, honour his legacy, and lament his leaving us. Thank you, my dear friend, from all of us…
Visit the cows online, and support Kurma’s legacy:
http://www.careforcows.org
Untill The Cows Come Home
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27 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Ekadasi
Tags: ekadasi, fasting, fasting from grains and beans on ekadasi, observing fasting on ekadasi
Today is Padmini Ekadasi. We honor it by fasting from grains and beans. The following I found in my mailbox this morning, submitted by Vidura Prabhu.
“In the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekādaśī day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one’s faith and love for Govinda, or Kṛṣṇa. The real reason for observing fasting on Ekādaśī is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing similar service. The best thing to do on fasting days is to remember the pastimes of Govinda and to hear His holy name constantly.” (NoD 7: Evidence Regarding Devotional Principles : Observing Fasting on Ekadasi)
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27 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Diksha, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Hencefoward, July 9th Letter
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Acharya, disciples, diska, guru disciple, Initiation, initiation system in Iskcon, initiations ceremonies, Iskcon, officiating acharyas, ritvik, ritvik representatives, Satsvarupa das Goswami, Srila Prabhupoada, Tamal Krishna Goswami
There is an ongoing debate on how initiations were to go on after Srila Prabhupada’s physical disappearance. Many devotees don’t like to talk about it or think about it, so conditioned are we to accept the status quo. But I think it is important not to turn a blind eye on the issue of initiation, and how it was meant to go on, as initiation (accepting a spiritual master), is a very important step in progressing in spiritual life. Success in spiritual life is in following the instructions of the spiritual master. So for the sake of keeping the very important issue alive we present the following post that we saw recently on the Prabhupada News website.
It is widely known that Srila Prabhupada instituted a ritvik or representative (proxy) initiation system throughout ISKCON as early as 1971 in order to meet the growing need to initiate his disciples worldwide. However what is not widely known is that he instructed his disciples to continue initiating new disciples on his behalf even after his physical disappearance.
He called those disciples who performed the initiation ceremonies ritvik representatives of the acharya (officiating acharyas). Below are quotes directly from Srila Prabhupada for the evidence of these instructions as well as explanations, philosophical insights, and historical background.
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26 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam Index
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jan Alexander, Krsna, Srimad Bhagavatam, Srimad-Bhagavatam Index, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Topical Guide
Sometime back one of our readers submitted this Index on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and asked if I could post it. It is truly a very impressive piece of work, and represents a great deal of time and study. We applaud the effort that Jan has put into this Index, and with great pleasure we post it here, in the hopes that others can benefit.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Index, Notes, Topical Guide
compiled by Jan Alexander
This was written to help me find, understand and remember the massive truth found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Every abbrieviated, shortened, misused, form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s name, fame, and pastimes is just in attempt to cram the Srimad-Bhagavatam into this being that I am. I hope that this will be of great help to others who are studying the Srimad-Bhagavatam. I offer this handful of rice to the Lord.
– Jan Alexander
This file is so large we will have to post it in parts. This Third part is letters L – P
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20 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Lectures, Nectar of Devotion Lecture
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Narayana, Nectar of Devotion Lecture, prabhupada, Pradyumna das, Vaikuntha, yamadutas, Yamaraja
click on image to enlarge
The Nectar of Devotion Lecture
given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vṛndāvana, October 19, 1972
Pradyumna: (reading) “…happiness immediately terminates with his body as long as his life, as soon as his life is over. Death is therefore taken as the representative of God for the atheistic class of men. The devotee realizes the presence of God by devotional service, whereas the atheist realizes the presence of God in the shape of death.”
Prabhupāda: Yes. This point we have discussed last night that everyone can see God. To see God is not very difficult job. There are so many points described in the Bhagavad-gītā. For the devotees, those who are serious about seeing God, they can see God. God is present everywhere. And God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, is describing, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg. 7.8]. So everyone drinks water. Now Kṛṣṇa says, “The taste of the water, I am.” So who has not tasted the water? Everyone drinks water at least four times, five times. So as soon as you drink water, the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, “I am this.” Kṛṣṇa has described Himself in so many ways. “Amongst the trees, I am this. Amongst the aquatics, I am this. Amongst the nonmovable, I am this.” So why not see God in that way? The atheist class of men, they say, “Can you show me God?” So why don’t you see God? Why you close your eyes? If you have got eyes to see, you can see God everywhere.
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12 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Absolute Truth, approaching a fona fide spiritual master, Bg 13.8-12, bhagavad-gita, cleanliness, humility, knowledge, nonviolence, pridelessness, renunciation, self-control, sense gratification, simplicity, steadiness, tolerance
Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth-all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.
Full text and purport More
08 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Brahmananda das, Guru & Disciple
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Brahmananda dasa, leaving vrindavan, Sriman Brahmananda Prabhu, Vrindavan Dham
Brahmananda das Departs
We are sad to report the departure of Sriman Brahmananda Prabhu, on of the very first disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was well loved by many.
The following is a report from the Sampradaya Sun News and a letter that arrived in my mailbox this morning from Aprakrita Dasa, reporting the news.
Jun 07, 2015 — CANADA (SUN) — We have received news of the departure of Brahmananda das (ACBSP), who left his body in Vrindavan-dham earlier today. Brahmananda Prabhu (Bruce Scharf) joined Srila Prabhupada in New York in September 1966, as one of Prabhupada’s first disciples in New York. He was ISKCON’s first temple president.
Brahmananda was involved in nearly all aspects of Srila Prabhupada’s early preaching mission, from Ratha yatra to harinam and book sankirtan, and publishing the first issues of Back to Godhead magazine. He also arranged many lectures and meetings for Srila Prabhupada.
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05 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Devotee's, Hansadutta das, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Mantra Meditation
Tags: books by Srila Prabhupada, chanting, chanting Hare Krishna, Handadutta das, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, holy name of Krsna, mantra meditation, philosophy of Krsna Consciousness, Srila Prabhupada
I have been going through my older files of late, and ran across this fine article posted by Hansadutta Prabhu some years ago on his site Krsna World.
Although Srila Prabhupada wrote many books, he one day asked me, “So why did I write all these books?” I said, “So we can know the philosophy, learn the philosophy.” He said, “No, the purpose of all these books is to convince you to chant the holy name of Krishna.”
The Holy Name Is All There Is
by Hansadutta das
Chanting is exactly like the simple method of inhaling and exhaling. Although it seems like a very simple act, it is nevertheless the essence of the whole thing. Without that inhaling and exhaling, none of the other activities can take place. We also understand that no one simply inhales and exhales, but all the other activities are supportive of the inhaling and exhaling.
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04 Jun 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Madhudvisa das, Spiritual Master
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotee, disciple, guru, Iskcon, Krishna, Madhudvisa das, prabhupada, pure devotee, quotes by Srila Prabhupada, spiritual master
click on image to enlarge
The following is a very nice post written by Madhudvisa Prabhu, it is heavy, but is backed up by scripture and quotes by Srila Prabhupada himself. It was worth my time reading, and thus I share it with all of you. Hare Krishna!
The Guru Is A Pure Devotee!
by Madhudvisa dasa
During Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence there was no confusion in ISKCON over the qualifications and qualities of a bona fide guru. Srila Prabhupada was personally present and he exhibited all the qualities perfectly and all the devotees understood the spiritual master was a pure devotee. That’s what Srila Prabhupada demonstrated by his personal actions, that’s what he wrote in his books, that’s what he preached in his classes and that’s what the devotees understood and accepted. The spiritual master is a transparent via-medium to Krishna. His words are non-different from Krishna’s, hearing him is just as good as hearing Krishna personally. And his words are absolute and perfect because he is not presenting his own ideas, he is simply repeating what Krishna and the previous acaryas have said in a way suitable for the understanding of the audience. He’s not changing the message, adulterating it or adding in any ideas of his own, he’s presenting Krishna’s words and Krishna’s philosophy AS IT IS.
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29 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: Allen Ginsberg, Beatles, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Hare Krishna Movement, Jack Kerouac, Janis Joplin and Big Brother, Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape, Owsley Stanley, prabhupada, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Srila Prabhupada, the Hell's Angels, The Peace Formula, The Yoga of Love, Timothy Leary
My dear friend from the Prabhupada Connection, Padmpani Prabhu, sent me the following post in my mail box the other day and gave me his permission to post it. So with great pleasure we are posting it here.. Please, if you havn’t already, check out his famous site The Prabhupada Connection
Whatever Happened to the Revolution?
For many of us who came of age in the Sixties and Seventies, the counterculture and its promise of an alternative society based on love and peace was an important part of our lives. Art, music, poetry, philosophy, ecology and human rights were just a few of the buzzwords floating through the collective psyche of the Sixties generation. Revolution was in the air. “The establishment” was doomed and soon to be replaced with a kinder, gentler society. Peace would reign supreme and all peoples of the world would unite and be free from the chains of oppression. Or so we thought.
At the time, it appeared that massive cultural changes were about to sweep away the capitalist system (or the “military industrial complex,” as we used to call it). Every day there was a new victory for change. Underground newspapers proliferated, broadcasting the latest progress reports: the sit-ins, the love-ins, the be-ins, the antiwar and civil rights demonstrations, the Democratic National Convention of 1968, the Chicago Seven Trial, Woodstock, etc. Something was happening here, and it was big.
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24 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in FAQ, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, ISKCON, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotees, devotional service, diksa, disciple, FAQ, frequently asked questions, gambling, Initiation, International Society of Krishna Consciousness, Iskcon, Raganuga bhakti, regulative principles, spontaneous devotional service, vegetariian diet
Hare Krishna FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Some years ago I happened across this interesting internet page called “Hare Krishna FAQ”. The page was located at; http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/faq.htm I quickly read through it and copied it to my files to re-read at a later time. I read it again this evening and found it very interesting and at times amusing. We share it with our readers here at The Hare Krishna Movement.
Hare krishna FAQ
• About “Hare Krishna”
• About Srila Prabhupada
• About ISKCON
• About Gaudiya-math
• About regulative principles
• About the Vedas
• About India
• About devotional service (bhakti)
• About initiation (diksa)
• About the disciplic succession (parampara)
What is the meaning of Hare Krishna?
It is the short form of the maha-mantra, the great spiritual sound of final liberation:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
“By vibrating this transcendental sound, the meaning of everything, both material and spiritual, is revealed. This Hare Krishna is nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead.” (from Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada Commentary, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.24.40)
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22 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Lectures
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion Lecture, photo by Gurudas, prabhupada, Pradyuma dasa, Vrndavana October 19 1972
click on image to enlarge
The Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vṛndāvana, October 19, 1972
Pradyumna: (reading) “…happiness immediately terminates with his body as long as his life, as soon as his life is over. Death is therefore taken as the representative of God for the atheistic class of men. The devotee realizes the presence of God by devotional service, whereas the atheist realizes the presence of God in the shape of death.”
Prabhupāda: Yes. This point we have discussed last night that everyone can see God. To see God is not very difficult job. There are so many points described in the Bhagavad-gītā. For the devotees, those who are serious about seeing God, they can see God. God is present everywhere. And God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, is describing, raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg. 7.8]. So everyone drinks water. Now Kṛṣṇa says, “The taste of the water, I am.” So who has not tasted the water? Everyone drinks water at least four times, five times. So as soon as you drink water, the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, “I am this.” Kṛṣṇa has described Himself in so many ways. “Amongst the trees, I am this. Amongst the aquatics, I am this. Amongst the nonmovable, I am this.” So why not see God in that way? The atheist class of men, they say, “Can you show me God?” So why don’t you see God? Why you close your eyes? If you have got eyes to see, you can see God everywhere.
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17 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chanting Hare Krishna, krsna kesava, Krsna! Krsna!, pahi mam, raksa mam, rama raghava, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas
Caitanya Mahāprabhu while passing on the road, He used to chant:
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
“O Lord Kṛṣṇa, please protect Me and maintain Me. O Lord Rāma, descendant of King Raghu, please protect Me. O Kṛṣṇa, O Keśava, killer of the Keśī demon, please maintain Me.”
If one always chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, gradually one is freed from all reactions of sinful life, provided he chants offenselessly and does not commit more sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way one is purified, and his devotional service causes the arousal of his dormant love of God. If one simply chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and does not commit sinful activities and offenses, one’s life is purified, and thus one comes to the fifth stage of perfection, or engagement in the loving service of the Lord (premā pum-artho mahān).
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14 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Spiritual Life
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, braja-jana-vallabha, gopis, kunja-vihari, lover of Radharani, purport to Jaya Radha Madhava, Radha-Madhava, songs of the vaisnava acharyas, Srila Prabhupada chanting jaya-radha-madhava, srila prabhupada playing kartals, Srimati Radharani
click on image to enlarge
Purport to Jaya Radha Madhava
By Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
(New York, July 20, 1971)
[Sings Jaya Radha-Madhava.]
Srila Prabhupada: So this is the original nature of Krsna, original nature of Krsna. He is Radha-Madhava. He is the lover of Srimati Radharani. And kunja-vihari, always enjoying the company of the gopis within the bushes of Vrdavana forest. Radha-madhava kunja-vihari. So He’s not only lover of Radharani, but braja-jana-vallabha. The whole residents of Vrndavana, they love Krsna. They do not know anything else. They do not know whether Krsna is God, or not; neither they are very much harassed, that “I shall love Krsna if He is God.” “He may be God or He may be whatever He is. It doesn’t matter, but we love God, Krsna.” That’s all. That is called unnalloyed love. “If Krsna is God, then I shall love Him” — this is conditional love. This is not pure love. Krsna may be God or whatever He may be, but by His wonderful acts, the Vrajavasi, they are thinking, “Oh Krsna, He is very wonderful child, maybe some demigod. Maybe some demigod.” Because people are generally under impression that the demigods are all-powerful.
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10 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG, Govinda, govindam adi-purusam, Krsna, love of God, Placing our love in Krsna, The Original Person
click on image to enlarge
Placing Our Love in Krsna
A talk given in September 1968 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, at the Hare Krsna temple in Seattle.
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine Vol. 16, No. 10
Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. Our program is to worship Govinda, the original person, with love and devotion. This is Krsna consciousness. We are teaching people to love Krsna. That’s all. Our program is to direct your love toward the proper place. Everyone wants to love, but they’re being frustrated because their love is being misplaced. People do not understand where to place their love. First of all you love your body. Then, a little extended, you love your father and mother. Then you love your community, then your country, then the whole human society. And at last you love all living entities. But all this extended love will not give you satisfaction—until you reach the point of loving Krsna. Then you’ll be satisfied.
For example, when you throw a stone into a lake, a circle begins expanding. The circle keeps expanding, expanding, expanding … And when the circle touches the shore, it stops. Until the circle reaches the shore of the lake, it must go on increasing. So we have to go on increasing and increasing our love until we love Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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10 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam Index
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jan Alexander, Srimad Bhagavatam index, study guid to Srimad Bhagavatam, Topical Guide
Sometime back one of our readers submitted this Index on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and asked if I could post it. It is truly a very impressive piece of work, and represents a great deal of time and study. We applaud the effort that Jan has put into this Index, and with great pleasure we post it here, in the hopes that others can benefit.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Index, Notes, Topical Guide
compiled by Jan Alexander
This was written to help me find, understand and remember the massive truth found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Every abbrieviated, shortened, misused, form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s name, fame, and pastimes is just in attempt to cram the Srimad-Bhagavatam into this being that I am. I hope that this will be of great help to others who are studying the Srimad-Bhagavatam. I offer this handful of rice to the Lord.
– Jan Alexander
This file is so large we will have to post it in parts. This Second part is letter F – K
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09 May 2015
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, George Harrison, John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Tags: 690911rc.lon, and George Harrison at Tittenhurst, Bible, Conversation With John Lennon, George Harrison, John Lennon, Mukunda, prabhupada, Sanskrit, yoko ono
Conversartion with John Lennon, Yoko Ono and George Harrison at Tittenhurst, England
Prabhupāda: Would you like to record or not?
George Harrison: Don’t mind.
Prabhupāda: Give this garland.
Śyāmasundara: Haribol.
George Harrison: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa’s blessings.
George Harrison: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is a verse in Bhagavad-gītā,
yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
itaras tad anuvartate
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
BG 3.21
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