Thursday 20 February 2014

We’ll stop chanting without association!

Yogesvara Dasa recounts:

In my very first letter, which was my initiation letter in 1970 in London, Srila Prabhupada acknowledged in my letter to him an appreciation for my senior godbrothers and senior godsisters.

He said, "This is Vaisnava!", in his reply to me.
"This is very good that you understand the importance of taking guidance from your senior godbrothers and godsisters. Take guidance from them and go on with your devotional service; Krishna will bless you!”

That association with the devotees and that receiving of guidance from senior vaisnavas is actually more important than chanting. Because the chanting, while it is our number one principle of devotional service unless it is backed-up with association which gives us the information and the understanding, the working through of whatever problems that we may have that get in the way of chanting, the chanting will go away! We’ll stop chanting without association! We’ll dry up."

So actually association with the devotees of the Lord is the most important principle of devotional service!

Wednesday 19 February 2014

You can design a disco and go to hell

Bhavananda Prabhu recalls:

When Srila Prabhupada came back to Los Angeles in 1970, I was appointed to design and decorate the temple's altar. Suddenly Srila Prabhupada appeared while we were at work and asked me, "Oh very nice. You have done this?"

I replied, "Yes Srila Prabhupada."

Srila Prabhupada exclaimed, "You see the difference: you are designing. You can design a disco and go to hell. Or you can design Krishna's temple and altar and go to Vaikuntha!"

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Harinama on Hollywood Boulevard

Deena Bandhu Prabhu relates:

I remember we were doing harinama at ‘Diamond Jims’ in Hollywood Boulevard.

Visnujana was there chanting the Hollywood melody. And suddenly his eyes just got big and he said: PRABHUPADA! And he hit the ground and we all turned around and there was Srila Prabhupada in this little Ford Pinto, a small car; Srila Prabhupada was there making pranamas.

I was thinking, “We’re like mlecchas or something. And yet Srila Prabhupada was so happy to see the devotees out on Harinama, preaching the holy name in such a degraded place. So Srila Prabhupada was so happy and folding his hands to us in pranamas.”

We all just paid our obeisances, right there on the street; we all just hit the deck.
Srila Prabhupada was just so pleased to see us out there preaching.

Sunday 16 February 2014

Temple of the Vedic Planetarium Newsletter

Read the newsletter of the Temple of The Vedic Planetarium here.

tovp_front_main_2

"The fulfillment of the desire of visionaries, from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu down to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, saints and incarnations, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is a unique and ambitious project to make the vast culture and philosophy of the timeless Vedic tradition accessible to everyone.


Rising from the plains of the holy land of Sri Mayapur, on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium will be a shining beacon to all aspiring spiritualists who are searching for answers to the questions of life.

The temple is being designed according to the sacred architecture that has facilitated spiritual self-realisation for millions of people throughout the ages. Simply seeing the outside of the temple will evoke an appreciation, and awaken the dormant devotion for God in every sincere seeker." (From the Opening Statement)

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Nityananda Trayodasi 2014

This evening's celebration in honour of Lord Nityananda was particularly sweet.

Vijaya Prabhu related the most poignant pastimes of Nitai Rama. Then the bathing ceremony followed with Jad Bharat Prabhu and Vraja Krishna Prabhu leading kirtan successively.

Nitai Gosai was smiling radiantly so see so many devotees participating in His abhishek. He seemed to be equally beaming to have so many  more devotees  singing their hearts out, with their eyes glued on Him!

Hot from the press, here are the photos of the bathing ceremony.

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Videos of "Love, Lust and Bhakti; Lessons from Caitanya Caritamrta" Seminar by HH Devamrita Swami.

Love, Lust and Bhakti; Lessons from Caitanya Caritamrta Seminar by His Holiness Devamrita Swami. 29 January 2014 at Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir. Click YouTube link to download videos. 

Videos of 63rd Vyasa Puja of HH Devamrita Swami

Celebrating 63rd Vyasa Puja of His Holiness Devamrita Swami in his personal presence, Saturday 18 January 2014, at Port Phillip Town Hall, Port Melbourne. Click YouTube link to download videos.

Monday 10 February 2014

There's something strange about this man

The devotees were trying to get some important people to meet Srila Prabhupada because he requested that. You know, like ministers of government, heads of department, ministers of religion and even I think a bishop came, and a high official from the catholic church. So Srila Prabhupada was sitting and preaching to all these people.

And then someone brought in a gentleman; the devotee announced that he was such and such and gave his title. The gentleman sat down. Sitting behind his desk, Srila Prabhupada asked, “So... you have any question?”

But this man he was just looking at him; he was just sitting…and he was wide eyed! He looked a little…unstable actually to me! (hearty laughter). He didn’t say anything; he was just silent!”

Srila Prabhupada just began preaching to him. He didn’t wait for any reply. I mean the man was silent; he didn’t say anything.

So Srila Prabhupada started preaching that ‘you are not the body’, very basic teachings. ‘You are part and parcel of God’; ‘the name of God is Krishna’. He went on and on and on…for a long time! And the gentleman was just sitting; he didn’t say anything.

And at the end that man had this same expression: wide eyed, just looking at Srila Prabhupada.

Then Srila Prabhupada stopped and he said, “So… give him some prasadam.”

So the devotee gave him some fruit or something. Srila Prabhupada thanked him for coming and the whole time he hadn’t said anything! And then they let him outside.
After he left Srila Prabhupada turned to the devotees and declared:
“That man was ghostly possessed!”

Srila Prabhupada immediately knew. But still the wonder of it was that he just preached to him. He wasn’t fazed by his condition or anything. He’d been brought in as a guest and Srila Prabhupada treated him as a guest, no matter what his condition was.