03 May 2021
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Maha-mantra, Mantra Meditation, Mantra Rock, Music, Padmapani das, Prabhupada Connection
Tags: Allen Ginsberg, Big Brother & The Holding Company, chanting Hare Krishna, mantra meditation, Mantra Rock, Moby Grape, Padmapani das, Prabhupada connect, Srila Prabhupada, The Grateful Dead
This is an older Editorial by my good friend Padmpani Prabhu over at Prabhupada Connection. I never tire of reading and re-reading his posts.
The Prabhupada 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 around 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 Feb 2020
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Jagannatha dasa babaji
Tags: chief amongst the vaisnavas, Jagannatha dasa babaji, jagannatha pranati, Prabhupada connect, Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji, Vaisnava Sarvabhauma
Honoring Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji
compiled by; The Prabhupada Connection
Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja was respected by all the Vaisnava community and was thus known as Vaisnava Sarvabhauma, or chief amongst the Vaisnavas.
Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja (1776–1894) spent many years in Vrindavan where he became famous as a perfect devotee, though more than this is not known of his early years and pastimes. What we do know, however, is that he was particularly enthusiastic in serving the Lord’s devotees and performing kirtan. In later life his servant, Bihari Lal, used to carry him on his shoulders in a basket, though when he would hear a kirtan or himself be engaged in kirtan, his body would extend itself out of the basket like a beautiful banyan tree and he would loudly shout, “Nitai ki nam eneche re! Nitai, ki nam diteche re!” “O Lord Nityananda, what a wonderful name you have brought! O Nitai, what a wonderful name you have given!”
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15 Jun 2019
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Padmapani das, spiritual advancement, Uncategorized
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna consciousness, Padmapani das, Prabhupada connect, spiritual advancement, Srila Prabhupada
Spiritual Advancement – The Simple Method
by Padmapani Prabhu
Sometimes it appears very difficult to make advancement in Krsna consciousness, and we become impatient. If we expect immediate results and they aren’t forthcoming, we can easily become discouraged. For those of us who are unable to live in a temple (or even near a temple), this is especially true. So what’s the solution?
In November of 1969, while speaking in London’s Conway Hall, Srila Prabhupada stated the following:
“The process is very simple. Just keep a picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates. Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates — Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa. One simply has to keep this picture. One can keep it anywhere. It is not that one has to come to us to see this picture. Anyone can have this picture in his home, chant this Hare Krsna mantra, and thus worship Lord Caitanya. That is the simple method. But who will capture this simple method? Those who have good brains. Without much bother, if one simply keeps a picture of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at home and chants Hare Krsna, then one will realize God. Anyone can adopt this simple method. There is no expenditure, there is no tax, nor is there any need to build a very big church or temple. Anyone, anywhere, can sit down on the road or beneath a tree and chant the Hare Krsna mantra and worship God. Therefore it is a great opportunity.”
In this brief statement, Srila Prabhupada underlines the simplicity and accessibility of Krsna consciousness for everyone. Nothing fancy is required. Srila Prabhupada says here that one simply has to chant Hare Krsna, and keep a picture of Lord Caitanya and His associates (Sri Panca-Tattva) in his or her home. “That is the simple method,” he declares. But who will take to it? “Those who have good brains.”
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25 Mar 2017
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna Consciousness, Uncategorized
Tags: causeless mercy, Krishna consciousness, liberated, Nectar of Devotion, Prabhupada connect, respectful obeisances, rightful claim, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, transcendental abode
This is perhaps my favorite sloka from the Srimad-Bhagavatam. It fills me with hope, and helps me to learn patience.
In the Tenth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 8, it is said; ‘My dear Lord, any person who is constantly awaiting Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him, and who goes on suffering the resultant actions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible to become liberated, for it has become his rightful claim.’
This statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be the guide of all devotees. A devotee should not expect immediate relief from the reactions of his past misdeeds. No conditioned soul is free from such reactionary experiences, because material existence means continued suffering or enjoying of past activities. If one has finished his material activities then there is no more birth. This is possible only when one begins Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, because such activities do not produce reaction. Therefore, as soon as one becomes perfect in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, he is not going to take birth again in this material world. A devotee who is not perfectly freed from the resultant actions should therefore continue to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, even though there may be so many impediments. When such impediments arise he should simply think of Kṛṣṇa and expect His mercy. That is the only solace. If the devotee passes his days in that spirit, it is certain that he is going to be promoted to the abode of the Lord. By such activities, he earns his claim to enter into the kingdom of God. The exact word used in this verse is dāya-bhāk. Dāya-bhāk refers to a son’s becoming the lawful inheritor of the property of the father. In a similar way, a pure devotee who is prepared to undergo all kinds of tribulations in executing Kṛṣṇa conscious duties becomes lawfully qualified to enter into the transcendental abode.”
(Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 10)
text pasted from; Prabhupada Connect
29 Oct 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Essays & Articles, Free Downloads, Padmapani das, Vaisnava Journal
Tags: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pabhupada, free pdf download, Iskcon, Krishna, Krishna consciousness, Padmapani das, political parties, Prabhupada connect, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vaisnava Forum, Vaisnava Journal
Recently my good friend Padmapani Prabhu, sent me this link to his page Prabhupada Connect where he has just posted the Vaisnava Journal in a pdf format. We will be posting all five issues here as well, for our readers, so you can download and save to your computer or just read online. Today we are posting Vol. 1, No. 2 as a free pdf download.
click on link to veiw or save; Vaisnava Journal
Note: this may take a few moments to load.
The Vaisnava Journal
by Padmapani das
The Vaisnava Journal was created to help devotees work through our differences in a respectful and co-operative manner with the aim of preserving the loving mood in our spiritual family after the physical departure of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Although only five issues were printed and distributed over the next two-and-a-half years, the magazine was popular and well received by many leaders, members and friends of ISKCON.
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25 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Festivals, Janmastami, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness Movement, Krsna Consciousness, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jai Sri Krishna, Krishna, Krishna Janmastami, Krishna Janmastami Celebration, Krsna consciousness movement, Prabhupada connect, quotes by SrilaPrabhupada, Srila Prabhupada
janma karma me divyam 
Today marks the auspicious celebration of the Appearence Day Of Lord Sri Krishna, Janmastami. We will fast all day and have a small feast at midnight. The following are some selected quotes by Srila Prabhupada on understanding Krishna.
“Let us understand Krishna. That is Krishna consciousness movement. Let us understand Krishna. And if you simply understand Krishna, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah… Tattvatah, in truth, not superficially. Learn this science of Krishna. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). This is the instruction: if you simply try to love. The process is that you worship the Deity, you take the prasadam, you chant the holy name, you follow the instruction of the spiritual master. In this way you’ll be trained up how to understand Krishna, and then your life is successful. This is Krishna consciousness movement.” (Srila Prabhupada lecture, September 9, 1973)
“Some way or other, be in relationship with Krishna, and you’ll be happy. You’ll be happy, this life and next life.
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti kaunteya
This is the simplest point. You simply try to understand Krishna. There is no difficulty. If you do not foolishly misinterpret Bhagavad-gita, it is very easy to understand Krishna. Very easy. There is no difficulty. But we are rascals. We misinterpret.” (Srila Prabhupada lecture, January 7, 1973)
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13 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Science of Self Realization, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: Caitanya Mahaprabhu, causeless mercy, Krishna consciousness movement, Padmapani das, Prabhupada connect, Science of Self Realization, The Hare Krishna Movement
My friend Padmapani Prabhu (the webmaster for Prabhupada Connect has been coming out with so many beautiful posts of late…we share another one with you here. Please visit his site if you get the chance.
“This Krishna consciousness movement is not something new, something that we have introduced or manufactured. It is authorized on the Vedic principles, authorized by acaryas like Caitanya Mahaprabhu and others. And the method is very simple; there is no loss. We are not charging anything, we are not asking for fees and giving the people some secret mantra and promising them that they will become God. No. This is open for everyone — children, women, girls, boys, old people — everyone can chant and see the results.” (Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 5)
Full Chapter More
14 Jun 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krishna Consciousness, Practicing Krishna Consciousness at Home, Varnasrama Dharma
Tags: brahmanas, krsna consciousness, Krsna Consciousness is for Everyone, Padmapani dasa, Prabhupada connect, Prasadam, spiritual food, spiritual solutions, Srila Prabhupada's teachings, varnasrama-dharma
…In order for his movement to be successful, Srila Prabhupada emphasized that there is no room for politics in Krsna consciousness: “Politics means planning for one’s own happiness. That is politics. So in our society there should be no diplomacy, no politics. Everyone should be eager how to do good for others. That is Vaisnava.”
Krishna Consciousness is for Everyone
By Sriman Padmapani Prabhu
Oftentimes those who are practicing Krsna consciousness are challenged that merely tending to spiritual life can’t possibly solve one’s problems in the real world. How can chanting Hare Krsna help someone who is constantly worried about putting food on their dinner table? So-called spiritual solutions seem vague and impractical. However, if we make the effort to study Srila Prabhupada’s teachings in full, we soon discover that he was always down-to-earth along with being committed to living and preaching a godly life.
In early 1974, Srila Prabhupada instructed his leading disciples to start organizing his movement according to the principles of varnasrama-dharma: “Everywhere, wherever we have got our centers, a varnasrama college should be established to train all divisions: one class brahmana, one class ksatriya, one class vaisya, and one class sudra” (Srila Prabhupada, Vrindavan, March, 1974). These four divisions of society are described in the 18th chapter of the Bhagavad-gita where Lord Krsna states that such divisions are naturally “in accordance with the modes of nature” (B.G. 18.41). In the varnasrama system, the brahmanas are the priests, the ksatriyas are the administrators, the vaisyas are the producers of food and the sudras are the workers. By co-operating together, these four parts of the social body are able to maintain a healthy and well functioning society. On the basis of Vedic scripture, Srila Prabhupada guaranteed that there would be no scarcity if the principles of varnasrama were properly established in human society. “Come and join us,” he said. “We shall give you food, shelter, everything. This is Krsna consciousness.”
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01 Jan 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Krishna Consciousness, Spiritual Life
Tags: bona fied spiritual master, mahat-tattva, master of spirit, Padmapani das, Prabhupada connect, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada
Prabhupada connect
by Padmapani Prabhu
Yet many times we still receive letters asking us how to connect with Srila Prabhupada now that he is apparently absent from our material vision. This should not be a mystery, since after all, Srila Prabhupada is a bona fide spiritual master, i.e. a master of spirit.
“A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material covering by the effect of his devotional service. The conditioned souls are within the coverings, whereas the liberated soul is far beyond the cover.”
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