Hare Krishna News - Vina Gaudiya News: 2009

Hare Krishna Explosion at Times Square

On Saturday evenings devotees meet at 45th street and Broadway for Harinam. Last night, March 10, 07 we had another ecstatic 2 hour chanting session. As usual many people joined us chanting and dancing in bliss. Ever since we started bringing the mantra sign the participation in chanting has been really heightened. Here is a young group of passers by joining in enthusiastically. Hare Krishna, Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Ratha Yatra

More Photos

Classic ISKCON Vinyl – Vrindavana LP from France and/or Holland

Vrindavana
Parampara Productions
RPI 102

The Vrindavana LP, released by Parampara Productions, is tied for my favorite Classic ISKCON record with Temple Radha Krsna, also released by Parampara. It’s got almost everything you could want, including an amazing rendition of “Kesava Kali Mala” by Acyutananda Swami.

Sure, if you wanted to, you could see this as the poor-man’s Radha Krishna Temple (the George Harrison-produced LP that everyone has). Vrindavana seems to be trying mimic Radha Krishna Temple to a large degree. Most of the instruments are traditional, save a bass guitar and an often haphazardly played flute.

To me, however, the Radha Krishna Temple LP has always seemed over-produced. It’s too slick in many places and while a beautiful album, it doesn’t capture what you’d hear in the temple. Vrindavana pretty well fills that gap. It’s fairly well produced, but keeps enough of the temple spirit to satisfy my uselessly picky tastes.

Sit Properly

Sivarama Swami Receives Hungarian Gold Cross

Sivarama Swami Receives Hungarian Gold Cross
Post a Comment Send to friend Printer-friendly version Download a PDF version of this page.
By Govardhana Dasa on 7 Nov 2009
Image: Kep Fenyek
Minister for Higher Education and Science, awarded Sivarama Swami with the Gold Cross at the event, saying it was in appreciation of his “charitable, humanitarian and value-creating work.”

ISKCON guru and leader Sivarama Swami received the Gold Cross of the Hungarian Republic, the second highest award in the state, during a Diwali celebration this October 20th.

The Diwali Dinner, commemorating the Hindu New Year, was organized by the Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness at the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest. Károly Manherz, the Junior Minister for Higher Education and Science, awarded Sivarama Swami with the Gold Cross at the event, saying it was in appreciation of his “charitable, humanitarian and value-creating work.”

Radha Krishna Mandir y Ayurvadic Center

Ramnavami - the birthday of Lord Ram - Goa - Cities - The Times of India

Shri Ram was a legendary ruler of Ayodhya who gave topmost priority to the well-being of his subjects. He was a benevolent ruler and his birthday is celebrated as Ramnavami on the ninth day of the first fortnight of the Chaitra, the first month in the Hindu calendar.

Shri Ram is regarded as one of the seventh incarnations of Vishnu. Madhvacharya, a well known spritual leader, propagated his philosophy in the early days of the 13th century and popularised the cult of Ram bhakti.

In Goa, there are various temples of Shri Ram. The temple of Ramchandra and Sita in Pilgao, Bicholim, which was destroyed by the Mughal army in the 17th century, was later rebuilt in the 18th century. In Cuncoliem of Salcete, shrines of Shri Ram and Shri Krishna were destroyed by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

In Canacona, Partgal of Poinguinim is famous for the Gokarn Partgal Jeevottam Math, which is respected by Gaud Saraswat Vaishnava Brahmin sect. In the Math an inscription mentions that the temple of Shri Ramchandra was founded between 1811 and 1812. At the Math, a number of festivals are observed throughout the year. But the festival of Ramnavami is the principal festival which commences from Chaitra Shuddha Panchami and lasts up to Navami. In front of the math, at the entrance, a pillar is erected called the Dhvajastambh, where religious performances are organised during Ramnavami.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Gaura Lila Part 1 - Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Appearance

Devotional song from a bengali movie, with Asim Kumar

A scene from Nader Nimai, a bangla movie [1957]about Sri Chaitanya's pastimes until the age of 24.
Here Srivas Thakur gets the news of Nimai's absorbtion in devotional singing, called Kirtan. Mukunda Datta is starts to sing a bhajan concerned with Sri Krishna's beloved Radha, who is absorbt in Purva Raag, i. e. a deep feeling of love, after having heard about Sri Krishna. When Nimai arrives there, Mukunda stops the song, considering Nimai Pandit not suitable to listen to such deeply esoteric meaning, not realizing that the same Krishna, whom he worships, is now right in front of him.

The World Vaisnava Association - Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha

View more presentations from wva.vvrs. (tags: hindu vrindavan)

World Vaisnava Association - Visva-Vaisnav-Raj-Sabha

SRI NITYANANDA PRABHU

SRI NITYANANDA PRABHU
by Krishna das Kaviraj Goswami / Srila Prabhupada

vande shri-krishna-chaitanya-
nityanandau sahoditau
gaudodaye pushpavantau
chitra shandau tamo-nudau

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krishna Caitanya and LordNityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisensimultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness ofignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all."(Cc.Adi.1.2.)

Like the sun and moon appearing in the horizon, Lord Caitanya andLord Nityananda appeared along with the pancha-tattva to dissipate theveil of ignorance that covered the hearts of the conditioned souls.Eternally known as brothers, Nimai and Nitai performed sankirtan in thestreets of Nadia and thus uplifted the hearts of many of it's residentsand thus krsna-prema or love of god was able to manifest in hearts thatwere once considered barren. Even those that evaded Mahaprabhu's gripswere unable to escape the merciful grips of Lord Nityananda for he wasrelentless. Though the Supreme Lord of all, Lord Nityananda humblybegged each door he went to chant the name of "Gauranga" and thusfulfil life's goal.

Lord Nityananda is very dear to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and thus thosewho want his favor must humbly take shelter of Lord Nityananda who isvery merciful even to the most fallen and destitute devoid of any goodqualities. By thus surrendering to Lord Nityananda with faith andhumility and imploring His mercy one can thus receive allauspiciousness, end the cycle of ignorance and firmly be situated inthe boat of krsna-prema.

www.vina.cc

Vrindavan map

www.shaktipeethas.org

Australian School of Meditation & Yoga - Gauranga

Gaura-Nitai: The Most Merciful

by Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Gosvami Maharaja

"The Supreme Lord Krishna manifests Himself in the material world in four forms as the Vaishnava, tulasi, the Ganges, and Srimad-Bhagavatam . The Deity Form of the Lord becomes worshipable only after it has been consecrated ritually and the Lord's presence has been invoked. These four things, however, are innately sacred."
(Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 21.81-82)

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada comments on this verse in his Gaudiya-bhashya commentary: "The Lord appears in the material world in these four forms. Upon seeing them, it is not immediately evident to ordinary people that they are the Lord Himself. However, because of their intimate connection with Him, they are called His prakasa-vigraha, or visible manifestations.

"Generally people think that the Deity Form of the Lord is only worthy of worship after being formally installed (prana-pratishtha). These four prakasa-vigrahas, however, are considered to be naturally worshipable; there is no need for any kind of ritual in order to elevate them to that status. We should look upon them as in the position of the enjoyer, or bhokta, as the master or prabhu, and as bestowers of divine grace and knowledge.
"Mahaprabhu himself says, 'Those who worship Me directly but neglect My devotees are in illusion and cause Me pain. Their offerings feel like a shower of burning cinders on My body. Just because one is chanting is no guarantee of success. I destroy anyone who tries to hurt My devotees:

je amare dasera sakrt ninda kare
mora nama kalpa-taru samhare tahare

'If someone blasphemes My servant even once, then My Name will destroy him rather than fulfilling his desires."
(Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.209)

www.bvml.org/SBPPG/GNtmm.html

Radha Shyam Krishna - Dwarkadish Das - Vrindavana Audios

Vrindavan Audios

Cooking for Krishna - 3 Episodes

Kirtan in Brighton - Govinda Jaya Jaya Gopala Jaya Jaya

WVA 1st meeting Vrindavan Govindaji mandir 1995

http://www.youtube.com/user/gaudiyavaishnava

Taiwan: 'The Magic of Sound' Tour Well Attended

His Holiness Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami and a three piece devotional band toured in the northern and central part of Taiwan for a week last December.

ISKCON Taiwan's Bhakti-yoga Cultural Center organized the tour entitled "The Magic of Sound" to promote kirtan yoga in Taiwan. The band successfully performed seven times in various venues and in front different types of audiences.

The venues were as follows:

Taipei county: Quchi city Middle School, Dabangen Hotspring Resort, Xizhi city's Yoga Association, and the Taiwanese Buddhist organization Huayen World during an interfaith dialogue

Taipei city: Eslite Bookstore Auditorium

Taichung city: Yogilini Yoga Center and the National Hotel

Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa - Science of Identity Foundation

JAGAD GURU Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa is a world renowned philosopher and teacher of the Science of Identity. Blog also contains works of other Vaishnava masters.

Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa is a highly respected yoga guru (teacher) coming in a long line of authentic spiritual masters in the ancient Vedic tradition known as Vaishnavism. He is the founder of the Science of Identity Foundation and has expertly taught students all over the world in the science of yoga. Many serious individuals inspired by Jagad Guru have now taken on the role of teachers to assist him in spreading yoga wisdom.

As a long-time proponent of nonsectarianism, Jagad Guru has worked in union with other Vaishnava acharyas (teachers), including Puri Maharaj, Paramadvaiti Maharaj, Triparari Maharaj, Tirtha Maharaj, etc., to establish the World Vaishnava Association, an umbrella organization composed of more than 30 different Vaishnava missions around the world.

Vaishnavas recognize that despite the various ways and methods that different acharyas teach, the apex of perfect yoga, and the ultimate goal of the human form of life, is the achievement of pure bhakti, or spiritual love. Yoga can be simply compared to a ladder. The lowest rung is yoga asanas and the highest rung—the culmination and definition of yoga—is perfect spiritual love.

Next: Jagad Guru’s Historical Spiritual Lineage Read More >>

Lord Krishna Bhajans

Kaliya and Krishna video

Interview: The Darwin Delusion

I was a convinced believer of evolution from childhood and neverdoubted it. I was trained in science in college and was absolutely, even militantly, atheistic. But instead of continuing my science studies at home in Denmark, I travelled around the world for a few years. My experiences with nature and other people finally convinced me that God does exist, and from then on I was completely into spiritual life. By this time I had forgotten all about Darwin and evolution and didn’t even consider whether or not it was consistent with what I had recently realized.

I came in contact with ISKCON through Srila Prabhupada's books in 1982 when my sister gave me Beyond Birth and Death and a few others. I was basically convinced from the first day and quickly joined the devotees.

news.iskcon.com

Food for Life Vrindavan Wins 2008 Asian Charity Award

Despite tight economic times, guests and dignitaries at the prestigious 8th Annual Asian Achievers awards reached into their hearts and wallets to pledge help Food for Life Vrindavan (FFLV) build its third school for desperately poor children and their families in Vrindavan, India. Held on December 3 2008 in London, Chief Guest at the ceremony was the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools & Families, where FFLV Director Rupa Ragunatha was awarded the coveted 8th Annual Asian Achievers Award in the category of the Charity of the Year.

The Asian Achievers Awards are a unique event in that members of the public nominate candidates and an independent panel of judges select the winner after much deliberation. This year a record number of high calibre candidate nominations were received from across Asia, with FFLV selected as the most outstanding among them.

news.iskcon.com

FOLK News Feb-May 2009 on site

In FOLK News you will find advance notice of festival programs, background stories to those festivals and Le Carnaval Spirituel, news from the farm, and more.

Sacred Journey's Gaura Purnima Festival

For registration, lodging or volunteering
Contact: sacredjourney108@gmail.com
www.newvrindaban.com

Devotees throng at heaven's gate

Bangalore: A festival for cleansing all sins and entering the gates to heaven marked a solemn Wednesday. Temples of Lord Vishnu across
the city were decked up for Vaikunta Ekadashi. Hundreds of devotees queued up before temples, eager to seek the Lord's blessings. The festival is considered one of the most auspicious.

Iskcon temple lined up special events throughout the day, starting with the traditional `abhisheka' performed on the idols in the morning, to installation of a `vaikunta dwara'.

times of india

Year in Review: Ten Stories that Shaped ISKCON in 2008

As we welcome in 2009, ISKCON News Weekly takes a look back at ten stories that helped to shape the last twelve months. It was hard to narrow the list down to just ten, and we wanted to make sure that we tried to capture the diversity of people, places, and things that made headlines in 2008. From the inspiring to the informative, the tragic to the heart-warming – these are ten stories that changed ISKCON, and us, forever.

http://news.iskcon.com

Interfaith Prayer

by Dr. Amid Farid Isahak.

I recently spent nearly two weeks as a vegan, interfaith explorer and peace-pilgrim at the world headquarters of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more popularly known as the Hare Krishna movement) at Sri Mayapur, West Bengal, India.

I was there with about 300 members and youths of URI (United Religions Initiative, www.uri.org) for our triennial global assembly, hosted by ISKCON and the Bhaktivedanta Institute of Manipur.

Mayapur is about 100km north of Kolkata, but the journey by 4WD took three hours because the road was full of potholes and the trip was more like an obstacle race, zigzagging to avoid craters, rickshaws, bicycles, cars and cows. Then there were the oncoming buses and over-laden lorries threatening to smash us head-on as the vehicles on both sides took turns transgressing into the wrong side. I was praying frantically through much of the journey, which was appropriate as I was going there as a pilgrim of peace!

http://www.mayapur.com

New finds take archaeologists closer to Krishna

Chennai: The conch and the Sudarshana Chakra are unmistakable. Although the figures do not match popular images of Kirshna sporting a peacock feather, archaeologists are convinced that the coins are of Krishna, revered as an avatar of Vishnu.

"These square coins, dating back to 180- BC, with Krishna on one side and Balram on the other, were unearthed recently in Al Khanoun in Afghanistan and are the earliest proof that Krishna was venerated as a god, and that the worship had spread beyond the Mathura region," says T K V Rajan, archaeologist and founder-director, Indian Science Monitor, who is holding a five-day exhibition, In search of Lord Krishna,' in the city from Saturday.

http://www.hindujagruti.org

Siddhaswarupananda Science of Identity Foundation

Siddhaswarupananda Science of Identity - But is the body really the self? Are you really your body? Do you exist at this moment? Did you exist five years ago? Are you your body?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEdASqzGnWQ

SUPERSOUL CONNECTION - Odpiramo ventil

Krishna's Universal Form of His Love for His Part and Parcels

George Harrison BHAJA BHAKATA & GAURA ARATI

George Harrison AWAITING ON YOU ALL Prabhupada Krishna

Care for Cows in Vrindavan Newsletter - January 2009

CFC January 2009 Newsletter
Download Full

http://careforcows.org

Gratitude

What is Sannyasi ?. Sannyasis are only for help others. Lecture by Srila B.V.Puri Maharaj

Hare Krishna In Hollywood part 1 - 2

Undrop - Mantra Rock Hare Krishna festival

Forbidden Archeology

Kirtan at the Gandhi Hall - Lenasia, South Africa

Our penultimate concert in South Africa took place at the Gandhi Hall in Lenasia, a suburb of Johannesburg. The ISKCON temple is also situated in Lenasia, so much of the audience was made up of congregation, friends, family and supporters of the temple. However, our hosts had also been hard at work selling tickets and advertising in local shopping centres and in other small businesses. Considering it was a week night, the turn out was very good, with a great deal of the 1000- seater auditorium being filled.

http://www.gauravani.com