Why bhakti is on top of the paths

The process of uniting oneself with the Supreme is called yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti yoga; all other yogas lead to it, the final destination. From the journey's start in karma yoga, to its end, it is a long way to self-realisation.

When karma yoga grows in knowledge and renunciation, that stage is called jnana yoga. When jnana yoga grows in meditation to the Supersoul, and the mind is on Him, it is called ashtanga yoga. And when one comes to the point of the Supreme Person of Godhead Krishna, it is called bhakti yoga, the culmination.

This is confirmed by Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad Gita, "And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me, he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."

Bhakti yoga is the last link in the yogic chain, the link that binds us to Lord Krishna. Without this final link, the chain is practically useless.

dnaindia.com

Messenger at ease

"HE GIVES Krishna devotees some great food for thought. A mechanical engineer with a shaven head, he is fair-skinned and light-eyed, clad in a saffron dhoti with an accordian around the chest and Bhagavad Gita in hand. That’s Sankirtan Das for you. A Swiss by origin and a Krishna devotee. “Gita gave meaning and direction to my life when I first read it in 1985. I love and live to share its wisdom with whoever I can.” he says. Sankirtan was in Pune where he distributed the book on behalf of ISKCON Pune at a concessional price of Rs 120 (English) and Rs 70 and Rs 80 (Hindi and Marathi, respectively). Das is based in Vrindavan from where he travels worlwide. Interestingly, he also conducts Bhakti Shastri classes and courses on devotional Vedic texts. So from India, he heads to South Africa to spread his love and devotion for Lord Krishna."

cities.expressindia.com

Dwaraka : The eternal city

In the early eighties an important archaeological site was found in Bharat, at Dwaraka, the site of the legendary city of Lord Krishna. Dwaraka was submerged by the sea right after the death of Lord Krishna. This inscription refers to Dwaraka as the capital of the western coast of Saurashtra and still more important, states that Sri Krishna lived here. The discovery of the legendary city of Dwaraka which is said to have been founded by Sri Krishna, is an important landmark in the history of Bharat. It has set to rest the doubts expressed by historians about the historicity of Mahabharata and the very existence of Dwaraka city. It has greatly narrowed the gap in Indian history by establishing the continuity of the Indian civilization from the Vedic Age to the present day.

www.keralaonline.com

Hindus unite in West Virginia to celebrate life of important religious figure

Vrindavan holds an important place in the Hindu mythology; it is the place where Lord Krishna spent most of his childhood. The believers and the devotees still see the Lord dancing and playing in the garden of Vrindavan. Today the traces of this scared place can be found to the south of the Indian national capital, Delhi. Not much is left today in Vrindavan and Mathura today. Many towns and cities with high rise buildings have left the place behind in glamour. Still, the music of bell ripping from 4,000 temples infuse the air with sacred celebration. The place remains holy for the devotees of lord

The Student Operated Press

Indian President will take up Hare Krishna temple issue with Russia

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Russian President Vladimir Putin will focus on ways to enhance defence and energy cooperation between their respective countries when Dr. Singh arrives on a four-day visit to Moscow from Sunday (December 4).

Briefing the media ahead of the visit, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said today that this second visit of the Prime Minister to Russia was one in series of significant bilateral visits that had taken place over the past several years.

He also confirmed that India had taken up the issue of the destruction of an ISCKON-managed Krishna Temple in Russia with concerned authorities in Moscow….

www.prabhupada.org

Jagannath Puri Temple: Western Devotees may be allowed



Will January 2006 bring cheer to the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains of foreign origin by opening the doors of Shri Jagannath Temple along with several other Hindu places of worship, which have so far been out of bounds for them? Well, it just might. For, all those who have a say in the matter are set to assemble at Muktimandap of Shri Jagannath Temple and take a decision on the centuries-old tradition.

www.vina.cc

Justin Connor - Kaliyuga

Gorgeous post-apocalyptic pop music that recalls early Pink Floyd and Radiohead.

Justin Connor’s debut album, Kaliyuga, boldly sets out to go where no CD has ever gone before. Can you imagine floating through a sonic montage of spacy melodies, introspective lyrics, and a soulful, meditative voice reminiscent of a young Roger Waters?

"The album title, 'Kaliyuga', is a Vedic reference to the age that we’re all currently living in – an age defined by war, greed, consumption, decadence, and an overall deterioration of human existence. After months of pouring through various Vedic texts,” Justin says reflectively, “I began to sense a strong correlation between many of the deeper truths and questions that I was having trouble understanding in my own life, to the many obstacles that this time period reflects…so I guess this album evolved in an attempt to elicit consciousness, while remaining aware of the many pitfalls that 'Kaliyuga' may present along the way."

www.justinconnor.com

ISKCON Nepal


Please take the Darshan of their Lordship Budhanilkanthaji the self manifested deity of Lord Vishnu in Nepal. This deaty is just next to Iskcon (Hare Krishna) Temple in Kathmandu Nepal.

iskcon nepal

Mayapur 2006: Experience Navadvipa Dhama's Ever Increasing Sakti

Srila Prabhupada started the Mayapur Festival in 1972 as a facility for his followers to enter Sridhama Mayapur for enlivenment, empowerment, and purification. From its humble beginnings, the Mayapur Festival has developed dramatically and now attracts thousands of devotees, who, upon entering Mayapur, experience the incredible glories of Kali-yuga's most powerful dhama.

www.chakra.org

Gita Jayanti, Festival of the Bhagavad Gita - Sunday December 11

Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) is the crest jewel of India’s ancient wisdom. Five thousand years ago Lord Krishna spoke these 700 verses to His friend and disciple, Arjuna. They have illuminated and guided the path of Indian civilization ever since.

Part of the celebrations will be a ceremony in which offerings will be placed on the sacred fire while chanting each of the 108 principal verses. There will be a drama called “Dracula Gets A Gita”, music, dancing and feasting. A power point presentation on the big screen will tell you ‘everything you always wanted to know about the Gita.’ Hot meals will be served throughout the evening.

www.utahkrishnas.com

WVA Meeting Report Kartik 2005

The 12th annual meeting since the foundation of the WVA was conducted in the Vinod Vani Gaudiya Math next to the temple of Sanatan Goswami in Vrindavan, Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan. It was nice to see the new magazine of the WVA came out for kartik and an increased participation of members showed up.

Srila B.B. Tirtha Maharaja, the president of the WVA gave a very inspiring speech. The meeting went until a large parikrama party arrived and a great feast was served.


www.vina.cc

Mexico Spiritual Adventure Bus Tour

Organized by volunteers of ISKCON Youth Ministry, this tour is ideal for young people age 15 and up to experience Krishna conscious adventures in a shorter time period than the 10-week Summer festival tours. Get your feet wet on the Winter tour and see how you like it. Caution: You might catch the bliss bug.

www.krishna.com

'Care for Cows' Mailing List Now Open

The 'Care for Cows' Project in Vrndavana is helping many abandoned cows in Sri Vrndavana dham. We presently need to acquire more land for their protection. The Care for Cows Mailing List has been activated to share ideas and information in this regard. Devotees and well-wishers wanting to join this mailing list are welcome to sign up at

groups.yahoo.com/group/CareforCows

Pearls of Devotion - New book releases

This book is a collection of divine sermons of a pure devotee—Most Revered Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, the most affectionate disciple of Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad, the founder-acarya of Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math. These thought-provoking sermons are empowered with divinity and are the cure for our material miseries.

www.vina.cc

Braj Rakshak Dal - A formidable forum to serve the dham



Braj Mandal is the unique place of Pilgrimage in the world. There are 1300 villages in Braj Mandal and many hills and forests. And of course the most famed places of Krishna lila such as Vrindavan and Gokul, Varsana and Nandagram and practically all these forests, villages and mountains relayed to the wonderful pastimes of the divine couple Radha Govindaji and their many lilas. The Srimad Bhagavatam describes many of these pastimes and many acaryas have further elaborated on them. And the entire cultures of India, practically all music and dance styles are inspired by what happened in this special region. We cannot think of any other place in the world with such an extensive influence on India and on the planet and which has been a place of pilgrimage since times unaccounted for in history practically.

www.vina.cc

Food for Life's Change Of Heart

Food for Life, Vrindavan, has printed 100,000 copies of this picturesquely illustrated booklet in Hindi, for free distribution to visiting pilgrims and residents of Vrindavan. It is a novel take on the desperate need for urgent action to save Vrindavan and Brajbhumi. An English edition will be printed shortly.

www.vina.cc

First official Diwali celebration on Staten Island

Members of the of Staten Island Indian community celebrated Diwali in Snug Harbor on November 3 --the first such event to be sponsored by a City Council Member in Staten Island.

Council Member Michael McMahon (D-North Shore) who was welcomed by cheers and applause by the crowd, said, "The pride of America is in its cultural diversity and the pride of its individual communities rest upon the foundation of shared experiences, cultural contribution and trust between and among the diverse group. Our Indian Community is proud of its historic contribution to the American way of life and to the life here in Staten Island, notably your community in all its diversity express itself in business, medicine, culture and arts and the Diwali festival of lights celebrates this positive force of this in Indian community. Together as one community of Staten Island we share this festival of lights, triumph of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness so that we may not only be happy of our own but the world at large and pledged to continue the ceremony every year."

The event began with the lighting of the lamp by Rabindranath Panda, the education consul at the Consulate General of India in New York, Michael McMahon, Gadadhara Pandit Das, priest and teacher at the Hare Krishna Temple in Manhattan, Dr. Krishne Urs, Chairman, Staten Island Hindu Temple, Banthe Kondanna, Staten Island Sri Lankan Buddist Temple and Rajiv Gowda, Council Member, District 31, NYC Community Education Council.

Following the ceremony, the guests were treated to delicious vegetarian food from Taste of India II and Diwali Sweets from Staten Island Hindu Temple.

www.indiapost.com

Prisoners celebrate Kartik Purnima in Baripada Jail

The inmates of 120-year-old Baripada circle jail today participated in a day-long "Bhajan and Sankirtan" inside the campus to celebrate Kartik Purnima.

The prisoners chanted "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna-Krishna Krishna Hare Hare" while moving round a flower bedecked pedestal on which the portrait of Krishna and Radha was placed.

In the morning, 31 women prisoners, had visited the temple of Lord Hanuman located just in front of the jail and paid their obeisance.

news.webindia123.com

George Harrison Concert and Memorial Service


On December 4th, our Iskcon temple here in Tucson, Arizona, will celebrate our 5th Annual Sriman George Harrison Memorial Service & Concert. George did so much to assist his beloved spiritual master in the spreading of Krishna consciousness around the world, that we try to show our humble appreciation every year with a festival in his honor during the Sunday Feast program.

All you need is love (Krishna).

www.vnn.org

Yah Elah - Hare Krishna

Ya Elah is a group born out of a longing to illuminate the beauty, mystery and power of the world's many Spiritual Paths. "Our music combines the sacred texts and liturgies of many traditions to reveal the deep knowing of our hearts, that all life is one. We send these songs out as prayers on the breath of our hearts. May they help to bring healing and a sense of wonder at the ways we have named and connected to the Divine."

Song: Yah Elah - Hare Krishna (2:57 min, Mp3, 2.8 MB)
License: CC-by-nc-sa 1.0
Source: magnatune.com

Hare Krishna - Matchless gifts


flickr photos

Hare Krishna holds peace festival

Devotees from different parts of the world, including India, Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroun, and Nigeria, attended the festival, which kicked off at the Palmgrove Estate gate, Ikorodu road.

As early as 8:00 a.m hundreds of joyful and excited devotees and invited guests had converged on Palmgrove Estate entrance for the take off of the event.

Later, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Praveen Verma, formally declared the festival open by sweeping the road in front of a beautifully decorated chariot, which bore the symbols of peace.

In his vote of thanks, Bolaji Rosiji, executive director of the Guranga Foundation, said: “The event signaled the beginning of a revolution in Nigeria, as we see different religious and ethnic nationalities coming together and working joyfully together.”

sunnewsonline.com

Lord of the Epics

The Mahabharata. Hindu mythology's greatest epic might just become Bollywood's biggest ever cinematic venture. The magic of this powerful epic is currently being recreated by producer Bobby Bedi into a trilogy with a budget of Rs 300 crore.

"The trilogy will capture the battles, intrigues, spiritual complexity and cultural aesthetics of India, 4,000 years ago. This will be my big project for the next three years," says Bedi, adding that he discovered the power of the Mahabharata's storyline after reading Girish Karnad's script for Agnivarsha.

What will bring the superstar touch to the Mahabharata is the cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan (together on the screen for the first time) and Rani Mukherji.

"While Rani will play Draupadi, Shah Rukh and Aamir will play Karan and Arjun, but I can't reveal who's who. I hope to make a historic movie series in the manner of The Lord Of The Rings.

My Mahabharata will have the same imagination, special effects and creativity of Peter Jackson's trilogy.

In fact, we've asked The Lord Of The Rings' team to work with us on this project. Mani Ratnam will direct the trilogy, which will roll soon," says Bedi,the chairman of CII's entertainment committee.

Times of India

Hare Krishna Devotees greeted Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon From Arizona, Usa

Devotees from Sri Sri Radha Madhava Hari Dham, Hare Krishna Temple, ISKCON Phoenix, Arizona greeted the Mayor of Phoenix Phil Gordon during the groundbreaking ceremony of Ekta Mandir. The Mayor was garlanded by HG Jaya Gaur Sundar, President, ISKCON of Phoenix.

The Mayor greeted by saying Hare Krishna in response, and gracefully accepted the blessed garland, promising to visit the Hare Krishna Mandir in near future!

Earlier, HG Vijay Gauranga performed the groundbreaking ceremony puja for the forthcoming EktaTemple building, which will be ready in two years at the cost of three million dollars!

www.chakra.org

Massimo Schuster’s puppets retell the Mahabharata in contemporary light

Like many visitors to India, puppeteer and storyteller Massimo Schuster professes his love for the country. ‘‘I’ve been visiting India for the past 15 years, but I don’t love India blindly,’’ he says.

Schuster is the president of UNIMA, an international body of puppeteers, and is in the city to perform his puppet show Mahabharata, at National School of Drama’s Abhimanch Auditorium, today. As he instructs the light men at NSD, lights bathe the decidedly Western looking, child-sized puppets fashioned by the noted Italian artist Enrico Baj. "The idea was to make the puppets partially Indian and partially Western. While there is no attempt to copy Indian art, the costumes use Indian shawls," says Schuster. He performs alone, relating the stories, as light and sound create an effect on the stationary puppets

Mahabharata has completed 100 shows and toured Africa, the US, and most of Europe. But does his largely Western audience relate to these quintessential Indian stories? "True, Mahabharata is the spirit of India, but for the Westerner, it gives a peek into what other cultures have developed as their value system," he says, emphasising on the need of such stories in an increasingly "Americanised" world.

"We need epics today. We live in a world driven by money. Epics speak about the human spirit, about values and culture," he says.

cities.expressindia.com

Kalam to participate in Mahabharata Utsav

President A P J Abdul Kalam is scheduled to take part in the nine-day ''The Mahabharata Utsav'' to be held here from November 13.

Addressing a press conference here, Former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachaliah, also the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Mahabharata Samshodhana Pratisthanam organising the Utsav, said the event was a national festival of Indian cultural heritage.

The teachings of Mahabharatha were relevant even today and provided an answer to many problems. Even the mighty Pandavas could ultimately win the war only with the guidance of God and this was a message the epic gave to all generations, he said.

news.webindia123.com

Sri Gopastami



On this day Radhika is able to join Krishna for His gostha lila (cowherding pastimes), disguised as a cowherd boy. How does She manage that?

On this day Krishna feels great separation from Sri Radhika in the morning. His friend Subala (who looks just like Radhika) decides to help Him out by saying, “Just sit and wait here, Kanai! I will bring Your beloved here in no time!” He hurries over to Yavata, the village where Sri Radhika lives (with Her husband), and knocks on the door of Her mother-in-law Jatila’s house. Jatila opens the door and asks him: “Subala, what do you want here?”

gaudiyadiscussions.com

Observing Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day

Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Here is the extraordinary person who dedicated his life to teaching the world about Krishna consciousness, ancient India’s most noble message of spiritual wisdom.

Srila Prabhupada wrote more than forty volumes of translation and commentary on such classics as Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), Chaitanya Charitamrita, and the Bhagavad-gita.

Vaishnava blog feeds

Govardhana Puja in Vrndavana 2005 picture gallery




www.iskcon.net.au

ISKCON UK on TV

ISKCON UK will appear in a Channel 4 religious “reality documentary” on Saturday the 26th of November and again on Saturday the 3rd of December 2005 at 7 pm. We have not been given confirmation of the title but this I will make public in due course.

The previous ISKCON UK National Communications office has been instrumental in ensuring that ISKCON UK devotees, training as priests, were going to represent the UK Hindu community as part of a series which shows how the major religions in the UK prepare and train their followers. At times it was an arduous task convincing Channel 4 that ISKCON is truly a representative of ancient Hindu (Vedic) culture.

Vaishnava blog feeds

Diwali in Governor’s Mansion



Last night Utah history was made with the first Diwali celebration in the Governor’s mansion.

Ambassador Sen explained that Diwali means “row of lights.” As light dissipates darkness, it represents the triumph of good over evil. We must resist darkness and ignorance by allowing the light from within to brightly shine.

Vaishnava blog feeds

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir celebrated Govardhan Puja


Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir celebrated ‘Govardhan Puja’ on November 3,2005.
The program started at 12.00 noon with bhajans and kirtans which went on for an hour. After which H.H.Radhanath Maharaj delivered a lecture extolling the nature of Govardhan Hill and how he is always serving Krishna and pleasing Him by his service.

Vaishnava blog feeds

The Godfather of Russian Rap



Long before the birth of MC Pavlov, Alexei Pavlov went through a spiritual rebirth when he became a Hare Krishna devotee in the mid-1980's. The first among his friends to start smoking and drinking (at age 14), he was also the first to give those habits up, quitting cold at age 20 because he already realized he was "doing it too much," he says.

Soon after, Pavlov met a man who was distributing photocopies of the Bhagavad-Gita, the 5,000-year-old scripture of the Krishna faith. He struck up a conversation with the man, and told him of his recent conversion to clean living. "So, you've given up smoking and drinking," said the man. "Now it's time to give up eating meat." "Why?" asked Pavlov. "Because it's nothing but dead flesh," said the man. And from that moment on, says Pavlov, he has not had a bite of meat, fish or eggs. "It's dead flesh!" he says, with his characteristic conviction. "Oh, man, it's so simple! Who wants to put dead, rotting flesh in their mouth? As soon as he said that, I couldn't even imagine eating meat anymore."

www.russianchronicles.com

Fireworks, Lights Brighten Diwali Hindu Festival

Diwali may be news to many U.S. residents, but "it is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the world, being a national holiday in India, Fiji, [Nepal], and Trinidad," G. Padmanabhan of the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Flushing, New York, said in an e-mail interview.

Diwali comes from the Sanskrit words deepa and avail and literally means "row of lights." Padmanabhan explains that one story holds that on Diwali, the Hindu Lord Krishna destroyed Narakasura, the demon and titan of hell who conquered and plundered heaven and Earth.

In northern India, Hindus also worship the god Krishna at his abode, the sacred hill Govardhana. Krishna, believed to be the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, has deep religious significance to Vishnu devotees.

Nationalgeographic.com

Chant-astic Krishna crew in town

MEN in orange robes, hypnotic chanting and vegetarian Indian food it can only mean one thing.

The Hare Krishnas, those perpetually happy, tambourine-shaking God-worshippers that you bump into at Glastonbury at four in the morning and have discussions about "the meaning of it all" descended on Ealing Town Hall last Thursday for the annual Hare Krishna Festival UK.

www.ealingtimes.co.uk

Here, watch Krishna lifting an edible Govardhan hill

A mountain of freshly cooked rice, ponds full of milkshakes and hills of barfis — this may sound like a scene from a fairy tale. However, here we are not talking about any fairy tale, but the Govardhan Puja festival organised by ISCKON at the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, Girgaum, Chowpatty. On Thursday, as part of the festivities, a tableaux made entirely of food items on were display.

The ‘mountain of prasad’ depicting the Govardhan hill that Lord Krishna had effortlessly balanced on his little finger for seven days was clearly the centre of attraction for thousands of devotees who thronged the temple to offer their prayers and partake the prasad with divine blessings.“Most of the food has been prepared by the regular members of the congregation at their homes. I prepared about 5 Kg of burfi,” said Shoba Fernandes, a regular visitor and closely involved with the temple’s affairs.

dnaindia.com

Spiritual solutions begin with tolerance

The Interfaith Alliance Hawai'i held its annual dinner and celebration on Oct. 15. It was a wonderful evening of honoring the strength, wisdom and beauty of our spiritual diversity. In a time of such religious polarity and exclusivity, it was an inspiring and hope-filled time.

We were led in silent reflection by a Buddhist minister, a minister of Unity Church chanted a traditional Hawaiian oli, members of Hare Krishna offered their music and chants and a minister of the United Church of Christ led our closing Circle of Peace. In addition to these spiritual traditions, we heard reports about the participation of other faiths: Muslim, Jewish, Bahai and Hindu, as well as a wide variety of Christian denominations.

starbulletin.com

More than 10,000 people from different regions of the UK would participate in Diwali celebrations at Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple,

London: More than 10,000 people from different regions of the UK would participate in Diwali celebrations at Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple, near Watford, on November 6.

The occasion will also be marked by a memorial service for the victims of the Delhi serial bomb blasts which killed 64 and injured hundreds on October 29.

''While celebrating Diwali, we thought we should also remember the victims of the bomb blasts,'' said Gauri Dasa, President of Bhaktivedanta Manor.

newkerala.com

Haryana to bring the holy city of Kurukshetra on international tourist map

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the state government was making all out efforts to bring the holy city of Kurukshetra on the international map of religious and historical tourism.

"Steps are being taken to provide better facilities to the pilgrims and tourists coming to the land of Gita," Mr Hooda said while speaking at 'Shri Mahachandi Maha Yajna Sammelan' here.

He urged the people of Haryana to work hard for the speedy development of the state in line with the celestial message of Lord Krishna who "taught us to perform our duties without the hope of getting anything in return".

webindia123.com

Mathura resonates with holy chants by ISKCON members

Hundreds of Lord Krishna devotees today took out the 'Vrindavan Parikrama' to mark the 'Nirvana' day of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) founder Prabhupad.

The devotees comprised both Indian and foreign ISKCON members, who were showered with petals along the Parikrama path.

webindia123.com

Mahabharata on a puppet string

Schuster emphasises that texts like the Iliad and the Mahabharata are necessary to encourage people to know and respect cultures other than their own.

French artiste Massimo Schuster has chosen to use puppets to narrate the Mahabharata.

“The Mahabharata belongs to all humanity. Everyone should know that there are great stories outside their own culture,” Mr Schuster says, justifying his choice of the classic Indian epic for a production travelling primarily in Europe.

www.deccanherald.com

Let your hair down with the Hare Krishnas

YOU may have see them dancing in the street from time to time, but now people have the chance learn more about Hare Krishnas.

The annual Hare Krishna Festival UK summer tour culminates this year with a show on Thursday, October 27, incorporating drama, dance, music, philosophy and more.

The Nitai Dance Company will perform their blend of traditional and contemporary dance, and traditional Indian mantra music will sound chants dating back thousands of years.

The Bhaktivedanta Players will also provide entertainment. Audience members will also be able to discuss issues such as karma and reincarnation. Entry is free.

www.ealingtimes.co.uk

New Magazine of the WVA (Kartik 2005 Issue)

(From the Editorial)

Change is happening in this world so fast, that what is new today is already old tomorrow. One may argue that it has always been like this in the material realm, but if one sees how fast a country like India has changed over the last few years, one wonders how long this can continue. In a city like Bangalore air conditioned shopping malls are being pumped out of the ground as if they want to catch up with Singapore overnight. More then ever there seems to be a necessity for moderation and sanity in a world heading towards disaster.

This issue of the WVA features a number of articles of projects that seek to propagate Vedic knowledge and culture in the modern world we live in. We can only hope that more individuals will take responsibility in taking up environmentally sane lifestyles. Ecological awareness is closely related to spiritual awareness. In fact, the one presupposes the other.

www.vina.cc

Vegan cooking class spreads Hare Krishna ideals

Three young men step out of an old diesel Mercedes Benz run by fast food kitchen grease and greet Ohio University students who are eager to help cook a vegan feast prepared every Tuesday.

speakeasymag.com

Welcome to the Heart of Hinduism

Heart of Hinduism is an educational resource that explains the Hindu traditions in clear terms. It is produced by practitioners of the tradition and is meant for all who wish to broaden their knowledge of Hindu traditions. The main content is listed to the right. The site also contains a comprehensive index, glossary, and more about the team and ethos behind this site.

hinduism.iskcon.com

Sri Vyasa-Puja of Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj



Picture Gallery

Gokul Magazine Kartik 2005

Human beings have been in the grip of miseries for eons-ever since they fell from their original state, entered the realm of time and mind, and lost awareness of the self and the Supreme. Since then, they have been trying to lord it over this material world.

Suffering is inevitable as long as one identifies with the mind and body, i.e., as long as one is unconscious, spiritually speaking. Suffering is not only due to external agents. Our inner feelings of resentment, hatred, anger, depression, jealousy, and so on are all forms of suffering. And every pleasure contains within itself the seed of pain: each an inseparable opposite, which will manifest in time. Many people also know from their own experience how easily and quickly an intimate relationship can turn from a source of pleasure into a source of pain. Seen from a higher perspective, both the negative and positive polarities are two sides of the same coin; they are both part of the underlying pain that is inseparable from the mind identified with the egoistic state of consciousness.

www.vina.cc

Sedona Center of Vedic Culture Home Page

India's timeless spiritual culture (referred to in ancient times as the "Vedic Culture"), has an allure that has beckoned millions over countless centuries to its rich heritage of spiritual tradition. It is no exaggeration to state that when one contemplates the past and present world cultures, whose civilizations have imbibed the greatest heights of spirituality, India stands as "the crown jewel".


The proposed Sedona Center of Vedic Culture will be a synergistic and spiritual enhancement to the already noted chakra of the unique landscape we know as... Sedona!

www.sedonavedicculture.com

NPR/National Geographic’s "Radio Expeditions" Visits Heaven On Earth - The Ancient Indian City Where Krishna Followers Believed He Lived

In Three-Part Series Airing On "Morning Edition" October 31-November 2

Alex Chadwick Explores Vrindavan, India, and Its Role on Hindus’ Beliefs in the Afterlife

Washington, D.C. -- Is there really heaven on earth? For the latest NPR/National Geographic "Radio Expeditions" series, "Geography of Heaven," Alex Chadwick explores Vrindavan, India, an ancient town south of Delhi that is regarded by devotees of the Hindu god Krishna as the most sacred place on earth.

"Radio Expeditions: Geography of Heaven - Vrindavan" will air on Morning Edition October 31, November 1 and November 2.

Webwire.com

Hindu Monkey God Stars in India Animation


While Bollywood stars often achieve a mythical status in film-crazy India, the star of India's first animated feature film is a genuine deity drawn from the Hindu pantheon.

Over the years India's burgeoning animation and special effects industry has cut its teeth working for foreign production houses — drawn to South Asia by lower costs — but "Hanuman" is the industry's first full-length, homegrown animated movie.

In promos being aired on Indian TV, Hanuman, wearing an orange loincloth, gold armlets and anklets, wields a mace as he battles fire-breathing dragons and ferocious demons in the 90-minute film.

lancasteronline.com

American hailed a hero at event

An American who was deported from South Africa as an 18-year-old some 30 years ago, was hailed as a hero when he returned to attend the anniversary celebrations of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness at the Shri Radha Radhanath Temple of Understanding in Chatsworth yesterday.

Bhakti Caitanya Swami, commissioner of the Governing Council of the Society in South Africa, recalled how Kshudy das - who was white, then 18 years old and the first devotee in South Africa - was summoned to the then dreaded John Vorster Square in Johannesburg.

"The security forces told him that they objected that he was mixing with Indian people.

"Kshudy das told the officers that we are all eternal spiritual beings and that the bodies we have are mere vehicles which we discard in another life," said Bhakti Caitanya Swami.

www.dailynews.co.za

Hare Krishna wedding ceremony attracts hundreds

Dousing the fire with purified butter, a priest chanted in Sanskrit as the oils fueled the celestial flame.

The fluid motion of the priest's arms implored the lord to watch over this most popular ceremony of the Hare Krishna religion - a wedding.

Friends and family, as well as devoted Krishna lunch patrons and two religion classes, helped celebrate the wedding of Andy Hunter and Meryl Strauss on Friday on the Plaza of the Americas.

www.alligator.org

ISKCON celebrates Navaratri, Dussehra

Thousands of devotees congregated on Sunday at Bhaktivedanta Hare Krishna temple in Watford to observe Dussehra and witness the burning of a colourful thirty-foot tall effigy of the ten-headed demon Ravana.

Costumed artistes dressed as Lord Rama and his warriors shot fire arrows at the effigy to accompaniment of tumultuous music to make sure that the entire effigy, which was filled with fireworks exploded in flames.

www.hindustantimes.com

Sacred Space: Religious groups flock to National Mall

Anuttama Dasa, a spokesman for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, joins fellow Hare Krishnas on the Mall each Fourth of July, when they offer passersby free vegetarian food and displays on reincarnation.

"In an environment like that, when we are really uplifting those finer sentiments of the human spirit, it brings us to that mode of goodness," he said. "It's open. It's grassy. It's kind of a pure environment that in a sense is a steppingstone toward God, toward the divine."

www.journalnow.com

WVA Meeting Vrindavan Kartik '05



We kindly request the respective secretaries and representatives of the member missions to attend the managerial meeting of the WVA on 10. November, 2005.

The Official Meeting of WVA will be held in Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math on 12. of November, 2005 on the occasion of the Vyasa-puja of Srila B.D. Madhava Goswami Maharaja.

Managerial Meeting of the WVA:

Date: 10. of November, 2005
Time: 10.30 A.M.
Place: Vinod Vani Gaudiya Math
near old Madan Mohan Mandir, Vrindavan

Schedule:
-Mangalacaranam
-Review of the current state of the WVA
-Review of the different committees
-Discussion of new proposals
-Maha-prasadam

Who can attend:
Acaryas, Sannyasis, Secretaries of member missions and senior Gaudiya Vaishnavas with interest to further the goal of the WVA.

Official Meeting of the WVA:

Date: 12. of November, 2005
Time: 10.30 A.M.
Place: Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
Mathura Road, Vrindavan

Schedule to be announced shortly

All Vaishnavas are invited to attend the meeting

www.vina.cc

Srila Prabhupada In Britain - Were You There?

A new illustrated book telling the story of Srila Prabhupada's time in Britain is to be published by the BBT in 2007. I have the honour to write this book and I am gathering devotees' memories. I invite any devotee who was present during any of His Divine Grace's visits to Britain, and who would like to share their recollections, to send me their cherished memories.

www.chakra.org

Shri Krishna Janamashtami Celebration In Accra, Ghana

For the first time in the history of ISKCON/Ghana and with Srila Prabhupad and several ISKCON Guru's full blessings, Janamasthmi was celebrated here last month in Accra, capital of Ghana in West Africa. A group of professional expatriates from Bharat Varsha pooled their expertise and resources for organizing this festival on the appearance day of Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupad. About 300-350 people, mostly people from Bharat Varsha, joined us in this celebrations that was organized at a rented Government hall.

www.chakra.org

Transcendental Videos wanted for Public Broadcast

by Mayesvara dasa. I am happy to report that for the last three weeks the citizens of Ojai Ca, have been treated to a full hour of transcendental video’s. In an agreement with the local Public Access Cable Television station, Adelphia Channel 10, local Vaishnava’s operating under the name “American Vedic Association,” (AVA) have been awarded one hour per week to broadcast ISKCON Television (ITV) shows such as Healthy Wealthy & Wise; Nandulal; Fate (The Bhagavad Gita Museam); The Golden Avatara; Vrindaban, The Land of Krishna; Only He Could Lead Them and numerous outtakes of Srila Prabhupada teaching Gaudia Vaishnava philosophy.

We thank Sriman Nrsimhananda Prabhu from ITV for granted the permission necessary which allows us to air his productions to the general public. Los Angeles playwright Sriman Anadi Dasa has been kind enough to provide the necessary technical assistance required to splice the available video material into the one hour formats that includes thematic music, Bhagavada Gita Slokas, and numerous other Graphic enhancements that makes the “Vedic Hour” show a very professional look & feel presentation.

www.vina.cc

The Falsity of the Aryan Invasion Theory Recognized

One of the most controversial ideas about Hindu history is the Aryan invasion theory.

This theory, originally devised by F. Max Muller in 1848, traces the history of Hinduism to the invasion of India's indigenous people by lighter skinned Aryans around 1500 BCE.

The theory was reinforced by other research over the next 120 years, and became the accepted history of Hinduism, not only in the West but in India.

There is now ample evidence to show that Muller, and those who followed him, were wrong.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir Internet Radio Station

Free site for daily lectures & archives of lectures, bhajans & kirtans

Station 1: Srila Gurudeva Uvacha Station 2: Radio Chowpatty

rgl.amieo.com

A Warm Invitation for a unique journey across the land of Krishna - Sri Radha Rani Braj Yatra

Starting October 15th, this 41 day journey across the Braj region is an experience of its own. It explores and traverses some of the most exotic and wonderful places of Braj which remain generally unknown to other Yatras.

With round the clock harinaam sankeertan on classical tunes, the Yatra is a real blend of spiritual festivity and adventure.

hare-krishna yahoo group

Performing Devotional Service in Karttika

“One of the most important of these ceremonial functions is called Urja-vrata. Urja-vrata is observed in the month of Karttika (October-November); especially in Vrndavana, there is a specific program for temple worship of the Lord in His Damodara form. “Damodara” refers to Krsna’s being bound with rope by His mother, Yasoda. It is said that just as Lord Damodara is very dear to His devotees, so the month known as Damodara or Karttika is also very dear to them.

www.prabhupada.org

Gopakumar devi dasi's photos


www.flickr.com

Mayapur Katha Magazine

Sri Mayapur Publishers is pleased to announce the return of the popular Mayapur Journal after a hiatus of almost three years.

Published by Gaura-lila das for ten years, the Journal now returns quarterly in full color, delivered to your door. Capturing the beauty of Mayapur through poetry, writing, and art, the Journal embodies many elements of the Vaisnava culture with which Srila Prabhupada said we could "conquer the world."

Download Mayapur Katha - April 2005 Issue
Click on the magazine

www.mayapur.com

Jagannath yatra enlivens city streets

BHAGWAN Jagannath Shobha Yatra was taken out in city with great pomp and show with thousands of ISKCON devotees who gathered to pay homage to Lord Jagannath.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda flagged off this rally by using brooms. Two brooms were used for this which were made out of pure gold and silver with precious stones including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pukhraj, panna, etc. ‘‘Thirty precious stones have been used in each broom,’’ said president of Bhagwan Jagannath Shobha Yatra Committee, Rajeev Duggal.

This year, the yatra was dedicated to Lord Jagannath and warrior Arjun in whose honour, Geeta Gyan Jyoti Sar Kurukshetra Shri Krishna Arjun Mandir is being built at Kurukshetra. The frame of the rath was made at Kurukshetra but decorated colourfully in Ludhiana itself.

Expressindia.com

New Issue Of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Magazine

Gopal Jiu Publications is pleased to announce that issue #10 of Sri Krishna Kathamrita magazine, "Putana -- False Gurus, Institutions, and the Holy Name", will be available in Vrindavan for the month of Kartika.

www.vnn.org

Faith - Holy time for area Hindus

"Hinduism has unity in diversity - we may celebrate differently from one another, but all the gods and ideas are the same"

November with Diwali, the biggest holiday of all. It marks the triumphant return of Rama and his wife to mainland India, where they established a golden age of civilization, said Sonia Chopra, a media volunteer at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or Hare Krishna, temple in Potomac.

"Rama returned to India in the evening, so people welcomed him with lamps - that's why Diwali is called the 'festival of light,' " said Chopra. "It is light vanquishing the darkness."

www.dcexaminer.com

Britain to fund first Hindu school

Britain has announced that it would provide 9.8 million pounds for setting up of the first state-funded Hindu school in the country.

The school, to be set up in indian-dominated Harrow in northwest London by 2010, will be run by the I-Foundation, a religious partner of the International Society of Krishna Conciousness (Hare Krishna) movement.

rediff.com

Guess the Hindi song that tops world music chart

London: Hare Ram, Hare Krishna's opening track Dum maro dum, is one of the best-known songs in the world, according to David Harrington, leader of the Kronos Quartet and who is "up there with Stravinsky" as an orchestrator and as good as Schubert as a writer of melodies.

www.indiamonitor.com / www.hindustantimes.com

Varsana is Historical National Monument of Colombia

The Colombian Government has recognized the Yoga Monastery within the "Ecological Gardens of Varsana", which is situated near Bogota, as a 'Historical National Monument' or 'Heritage'.

This special honor was given to the "Heart of the Vrinda Mission", where Srila Bhakti Bhimala Harijan Swami and Srila Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami first founded the Vrinda Mission under the divine protection of Sri Sri Gouranga Radha Vrajesvara. Primarily the excellent devotional and social services offered by the devotees to visitors and society at large was the reason for this recognition.

The Yoga Monastery is placed in a beautiful, natural environment. The monks living there are inviting you to visit the Historical National Monument of Colombia and find out about the philosophy of Vaisnavism and universal love, where you will find the connection with your true self and the creator. A healthy way of life and the Meditation Park is a perfect place to face the challenges of everyday life and regain natural physical and mental strength.

Varsana is a center of the Vaisnava Academy. Here you will find a great variety of courses for beginners and advanced students on subjects such as the arts, yoga, astrology, vegetarian cooking, ayurveda, ecology, vastu shastra and more.

We invite you to visit the "Ecological Gardens of Varsana" to explore the variety and values of Vaisnavaculture and programms.

Vrindanews.com

Bali Terror Bombings

Hare Krishna members sing during an interfaith prayer at the site where bomb attacks happened at Jimbaran beach in Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. The attacks at crowded restaurants on Saturday night killed at least 22 people and wounded more than 100. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Yahoo news

Lord Krishna`s Dwarka was not in Jamnagar but in Junagadh: Isro

Giving a totally new twist to the location of Lord Krishna’s birthplace Dwarka, satellite pictures taken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) have indicated that Dwarka did not exist in Jamnagar as the historians believe but in Junagadh district of Gujarat.

A senior scientist with space application centre of Isro, P S Thakker, who has worked on this project, said “What is interesting is that the findings of Isro corroborates the geographical location in the Vedas and other ancient scriptures, but it does contradict claims of modern historians, who claim Dwarka was in the present-day Jamnagar district in Gujarat.”

www.business-standard.com

Students find ways to eat without breaking the bank

In a city where some college students spend $25 to $60 on trendy food like sushi on any given night, other students look for a more frugal way to fill their growling bellies.

Other students, like Prasoon Diwakar, a 26-year-old graduate student from Allahabad, India, do lunch with the Hare Krishna's, where students have a vegetarian feast while surrounded by nature, in exchange for a $3 donation.

"I used to go two to three times a week," Diwakar said. "Now I try to go at least once a week when they have the halwa," he said, referring to the "mushy fruit dessert" that many students said they crave.

Diwakar said he budgets his money each week by eating the Hare Krishna lunch and at the Reitz Union.

www.gainesville.com

Ludhiana Ratha Yatra LIVE on Zee TV

Keeping in mind the desire of the people who cannot join the parade, there will be LIVE TELECAST of Ludhiana Ratha Yatra on worldwide tv channel Zeetv(Jagran).

The telecast will start at 4 PM (IST) and will continue uptill the end of the parade. So tune up your tv sets and have glimple of Lord Jagannath, Baldeva and Subhadra.

The date is 15th Oct. 2005 Yours servant, Rajsuya dasa

Vraj Mandal Parikrama 2005

Since 1986, the Vraja Mandala Parikrama has been a major highlight in Sri Vrindavan Dhama. This one-month tour offers a special opportunity to visit many holy tirthas of Vraja. Accompanied by expert guides, devotees walk along the same route taken by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when He visited Sri Vrindavan Dhama. They achieve full experience of twelve forests of Vraja.

www.prabhupada.org

Bangkok Ratha-Yatra pictures



www.dipika.org

7th Ratha Yatra Festival In Sri Lanka


ISKCON Sri Lanka celebrated the 7th Ratha Yatra festival on the 17th saturday and 18th sunday of September 2005.

www.chakra.org

Happy World Vegetarian Awareness Month


Happy World Vegetarian Awareness Month - October World Vegetarian Day - October 1st

World vegetarian day has been observed since 1977 bringing together vegetarians from all over the world for a common cause. It brings awareness to the ethical, environmental, health and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. We're observing growing trends, especially since Foot and Mouth and Mad Cow diseases, but about one million people a year become vegetarians in the US alone, and millions in Europe, Australasia too. Everything that we are doing is making a difference, and every little bit helps.

www.hknet.org.nz

Vaisnava sanga

"We are creating this website with the hope of establishing a place where devotees, who find themselves anywhere in the world, can connect and communicate with others. So far we found that already-existing forums are often reserved for certain groups or subject matters (for example the gurukulis). We invite everyone who is interested in and practices Krishna Consciousness."

www.vaisnavasanga.com

Vrindavan Lila picture gallery



Vrindavan Lila picture gallery

Govardhana Puja / Diwali edition of the FOLK News



FOLK News (Friends of Lord Krishna)

Mythotherapy for relief to humanity

The modern materialist bases his idea that existence is only chaos. The Vedas refute out of hand the idea that everything is chaos and present a cosmological vision of a cosmology that is not found parallel in humanity, and which also coincides to a large degree with modern scientific discoveries. Mythotherapy creates a circumstance which we call the mystical healing cross. This cross is produced when the myth, the revelation, crosses with the logo, or the appreciation of the human intellect. Mythotherapy is in no way an imposition which tries to bring in people through fear into an institutional dogma.

www.vrindanews.com

Sadhusanga - Vaisnava Audio Books

Sadhusanga.com is dedicated to recording books written by Gaudiya Vaisnava acharyas. Readings by Dhruva Maharaja Dasa and Samapriya Devi-dasi.

Listen to audio sample

Sadhu Sanga