The Prime Symptom of Love

BY HH JANANANDA GOSWAMI
THE PRIME SYMPTOM OF LOVE IS THAT THE DEVOTEE WANTS TO SEE THAT HIS LORD’S NAME FAME ETC. BE SPREAD EVERYWHERE.

In New Vrndavana on September 5th 1972, Srila Prabhupada was lecturing on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6. “One who is engaged in devotional service of the Lord in love and devotion. What is the symptom of love? The symptom, the prime symptom, most important symptom of love is that the devotee wants to see that his Lord’s name, fame, etc. become widespread. He wants to see that “My Lord’s name be known everywhere.” This is love. If I love somebody, I want to see that his glories are spread all over the world. And Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, na ca tasmat manusyesu kascit me priya-krttamah, anyone who preaches His glory, nobody is dearer to Him than that person..”

We hear a lot about the need to be loved. Interestingly enough there are few references to the need for this but quote after quote stating our need is to love. The nature of the soul is to love. What better and easier way to express and develop this than to give the holy names to others. “In every town and village my holy names shall be heard and chanted”.
golokera prema-dhana hari-näma-sankirtana rati nä janmila kene täya

GBC Preaching Committee Report

BY KAUNTEYA DAS

Since ISKCON is a branch of the Caitanya tree, we are all assistants of Lord Caitanya sankirtan mission. Therefore, a most important part of ISKCON is to spread “the message”. Our committee is making an effort to propose and implement strategies for spreading that message.

We wanted our discussions in New Vrindavan to be relevant, and feared that for two reasons they might not be:

1. That the topic of “preaching” is so vast, it practically encompasses all of our movement. How could our little committee do something tangible with such a topic, and

2. That so much of spreading the sankirtan movement is based on time, place and circumstance considerations. We questioned: “How can we discuss this on a GBC/global level and make it relevant?” After considerable discussion, we settled on two topics:

1. The growing need to address multiple ISKCON projects in the same city/geographical area. Until now, there have been questions as to whether to encourage multiple projects and how they will fit into the authority system ISKCON has established. We felt strongly that by encouraging devotees to develop new initiatives based on their inspiration, we will increase the movement dramatically. This principle was accepted universally in our committee and also there was a consensus amongst the GBC body when we reported our discussions to them.

NewVraja Dham, Hungary : Photos from the Harvest festival

BY ADI RADHIKA DASI

PHOTOS BY GAURA SAKTI DAS

 

 

In this years harvest festival Govindanandana, Anthardi prabhus and others serving in goshala prepared a very beautiful ox cart, making everyones hearts greatly pleased. The cart and the oxen you are seeing in this picture are completely made from wood, manure and straw. Another nice side of this is that these oxen are zebus that we are desiring to breed in our farm in the future. I guess their appearance on this auspicious harvest day is a sign that soon they will be with us.

Great service opportunity! Give Krishna To Soldiers

BY MAHA-TATTVA DASA

Aristide LaVey is a US Army soldier, a devotee of Sri Krishna. He first found out about the Bhagavad-gita as a child when he received a copy from a sankirtana devotee. Ever since he’s been a regular reader of Srila Prabhupada’s books and a visitor to the Iskcon Los Angeles temple. Recently he was called to active duty service in the Army and is based in Ft Bragg, North Carolina.

Aristide distributes Bhagavad-gitas to Army Chaplains and Chapplain assistants. He gives them a few copies to give to the soldiers who are looking to read the Bhagavad-gita. He also gives them out to anyone who sees him reading his and asks about it. “I try to be a good devotee through my service and example.” says Aristide.

Though the Department of Defense has authorized the recruitment of “Hindu” Chaplains since 1998, they have yet to attract any. It is Aristide’s dream to become the first.

Concerns Raised over the production of Ghee

BY MADHAVENDU DAS - SSM (Vrindavan - IN)

Dear Devotees, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Recently India TV and other channels telecasted the abominable way of Ghee production in many factories all over India. Before showing that horrible seen the news alert everyone that if you are vegetarian then you will be shocked and if you are non-vegetarian then you will give up eating Ghee for your entire life time. Of course it is very difficult to buy pure Ghee from market.

It shows that in the factories profusely animals dead bodies all around. Some where its fat is boiling in a big big drum and some where it is hanging. They boil it for some time and finally they mix only a little pure ghee or ghee perfume for the smell. Then they nicely pack it and send it to market.

Ratha Yatra Worldwide

Hare Krishna followers brought the annual Ratha Yatra event to Liverpool last Saturday. Devotees believe they receive spiritual benefit by pulling the chariot of Jagannatha, the Lord of the Universe. [Photo: Elliott Housego and Angelo Velardo]

Jul 19, PURI, ORISSA (THU) — More Ratha Yatra stories from around the world.

“Jaya Jagannatha!” - New Publication from the BBT

BY BHAKTIVEDANTA BOOK TRUST

Jul 19, PURI, ORISSA (SUN) — “Jaya Jagannatha! The Culture and Worship of Lord Jagannatha East and West“

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is pleased to announce the publication of a long awaited book titled Jaya Jagannatha! The Culture and Worship of Lord Jagannatha East and West, by His Grace Dhruva Maharaja dasa, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada who has been residing in Jagannatha Puri for almost twenty years.

The book includes six sections, 45 colorful photos, 322 pages, and was written for a very wide audience. Below is an outline to give readers an idea of what Jaya Jagannatha! is about.

Part One: The advent and installation of Lord Jagannatha is narrated in a section of the Skanda Purana called Purusottama-ksetra mahatmya. Part One is essentially a direct rendition of this mahatmya.

Part Two: Every culture is comprised of various components; arts, music, dance, cuisine, festivals, architecture, etc. Part Two describes these aspects of Jagannatha worship. Of special note is detailed information about Navakalevara, the mystic procedures and rituals for changing the wooden deities periodically.

Rathayatra Wakes up Puri

BY SARABHANGA

Jul 18, PURI, ORISSA (WED) — Rathayatra festival reports from Jagannatha Puri.

 

The hugely majestic and colorfully decorated chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Goddess Subadhra drawn by lakhs of frenzied devotees, moved along the road to Gundicha temple after the conduct of rituals associated with the world famous Rathayatra here.

The sea of humanity, as it is often described, surged forward as the deities came out of their abode to mingle with commoners and proceed on their annual sojourn to Gundicha. Amidst chants of slokas, traditional music and dance the rituals were completed almost as per schedule. The pahandi carrying the deities out of the temple, their swaying mesmerized one and all, including the foreigners for whom, it is the only chance to see the deities (entry to the temple is banned for them).

Over a Million Witness Chariot Festival in Orissa

SOURCE: IANS

Jul 17, PURI, ORISSA (TUES)— More than an estimated million people yesterday witnessed the world famous Rath Yatra, the annual chariot festival, with devotees driven to a frenzy to catch a glimpse of the chariots. Residents clad in saffron and foreigners, members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), were part of the sea of people.

The chorused chant of hymns, beating of the traditional drums and other musical instruments and the roar of the teeming crowds were loud enough to drown the roar of the waves by the seashore. “As pulling of chariot is restricted after evening, it couldn’t be pulled up to Gundicha temple. The chariot which is half-a-km away from the temple will be again pulled today morning,” a temple official said.

“The unique annual event has caught on in different parts of the country, but the celebration at Puri continues to be special as the triad comes out and is visible to those who are normally barred from entering the temple,” Surya Narayan Rath Sharma, a Jagannath cult researcher said.

Parishad: Swarupa Damodar Goswami and Shivananda Sen

Jul 16, KUALA LUMPUR (MON) — Disappearance Day of Srila Swarupa Damodar Goswami and Srila Shivananda Sen.

Swarupa Damodar Goswami

Mahaprabhu’s alter ego

The Lord accepted Shikhi Mahiti’s sister as one of Radha’s friends. In the entire world, there were only three and a half devotees who were so worthy. They were Svarupa Damodar Goswami, Ramananda Raya and Shikhi Mahiti. His sister was the half person.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.2.105-6)

Sri Svarupa Damodar Goswami was one of Mahaprabhu’s three and a half most intimate associates. Elsewhere Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has called him the most important of the Lord’s companions. Two persons knew the Lord best: Paramananda Puri and Svarupa Damodar.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.124-5)

I have already shown that preaching the sankirtan movement was the external cause for the Lord’s descent. There is another, primary purpose for the Lord’s incarnation. This is the personal work of Krishna, the foremost enjoyer of loving exchanges. This very confidential cause is three-fold, as has been revealed by Svarupa Damodar Goswami. Sri Svarupa Damodar Goswami was extremely close to the Lord and thus was able to know all these matters.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.4.103-5)

Eleven Countries Censured for Abuses Against Hindus

BY ISHANI CHOWDHURY

Jul 14, WASHINGTON, D.C. (SAT) — Human rights groups censures eleven countries for abuses against Hindus - Hindu American Foundation releases third annual Hindu Human Rights Report.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), the leading U.S. based Hindu human rights group, released its third annual report (slow loading) today on the discrimination against Hindus in countries across the world. The report was released today at the foundation’s Washington, D.C. area offices. The expansive, two hundred page report documenting abuses against Hindus in eleven countries and regions is already receiving widespread support by members of the U.S. Congress, community leaders, scholars, and several international human rights groups.

As in years past, the chairs of the Congressional India caucus and other members of Congress reviewed a pre-release version of the report. Congressman Joe Wilson (R- South Carolina) stated that “Human rights abuses must be taken seriously, and this survey provides valuable information to keep my colleagues and me informed about unfortunate threats against Hindus around the world.”

This year’s report includes documentation of significant human rights abuses directed against Hindu communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago. The report is prefaced by a detailed executive summary that provides specific recommendations that the foundation is proposing to improve the human rights situation in each listed country.

Parishad: Sri Gadadhara Pandit

Jul 14, KUALA LUMPUT (SAT) — Disappearance Day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit.

shri-radha-prema-rupa ya pura vrindavandeshvari
sa shri-gadadharo gaura-vallabhah panditakhyakah
nirnitah shri-Svarupair yo vraja-lakshmitaya yatha
pura vrindavane lakshmih shyamasundara-vallabha
sadya gaura-prema-lakshmih shri-gadadhara-panditah
radham anugata yat tal lalitapy anuradhika
atah pravishad esha tam gaura-candrodaye yatha

The incarnation of love who previously was the queen of Vrindavan, Radha, is now the beloved of Gaura named Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Svarupa Damodar himself indicated that he was Vraja’s goddess of fortune, the Lakshmi who was previously the beloved of Shyamasundara in Vrindavan. She today has become the goddess of fortune of love for Gaura and is known as Srila Gadadhara Pandit. Lalita, who is also known as Anuradha, is Radha’s closest friend and confidante. She has also entered into Gadadhara, as was shown in the play Chaitanya-candrodaya.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 147-150)

Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur

Srila Thakur Bhaktivinoda - The Pioneer of the Program for Benedicting the Entire World
with Krsna Consciousness by the Instructions of Lord Caitanya

Jul 14, KUALA LUMPUR (SAT) — Today is the auspicious Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.

namo bhaktivinodaya saccidananda-murtaye
gaura-shakti-svarupaya rupanuga-varaya te

I offer my obeisances to you, O Bhaktivinoda, the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, the incarnation of Gaura’s potency and the best of the followers of Rupa Goswami.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s transcendental identity is revealed to the members of his spiritual family. He is the best of the followers of Rupa Manjari who is the leader of Lalita Sakhi’s entourage. Lalita Sakhi is the foremost of Radharani’s eight girlfriends. In various places in his own writings, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has indicated this divine identity:

yugala-sevaya, shri-rasa-mandale, niyukta kara amay
lalita-sakhira, ayogya-kinkari, vinoda dhariche pay

Bhaktivinoda holds your feet and asks you to engage this unworthy servant of Lalita Sakhi in the service of the Divine Couple while they are performing the rasa-lila.
(Kalyana-kalpataru)

In the song Siddhi-lalasa in his Gita-mala, also, Bhaktivinoda Thakur gives his eternal spiritual identity as Kamala Manjari, the servant of Sri Rupa Manjari. Her kunja is in the bower of Lalita, Vrajananda-sukhada-kuïja, where she sets the standard of worship to the Divine Couple.

McDonald’s Supersizes Hindu Endowment

SOURCE - HPI

Jul 10, KAUAI, HAWAII (TUE) — Remember: McDonald’s Fries Still Contain Beef!

HPI reports that following the US $10 million judgment against McDonalds in 2005, “Hindu vegetarians around the world may wish to take note of the little-publicized fact that McDonald’s made no changes in their fries, which are still beef-flavoring saturated. Sure, the oil is vegetable. But make no mistake about it. There is meat in those luscious Golden Arches french fries.”

Ranji Singh notes, “this issue is forgotten. Every Hindu with whom I have spoken about this matter believes that McDonald’s no longer use their beef flavoring since they lost the lawsuit.”

$10 million settlement-includes $255,000 for Hinduism Today, an international magazine published by Kauai’s Hindu Monastery.

They deceived the public about beef flavorings in their “vegetarian fries.” They got caught. They were sued. They settled in court. This week the food giant McDonald’s mailed a check for $254,773.19 to Hinduism Today magazine’s endowment fund (Hindu Heritage Endowment), one of a handful of elite vegetarian-friendly institutions in America chosen as recipients of the court-ordered $10 million settlement.

It was all started by a Seattle lawyer, Harish Bharti, a vegetarian Hindu who makes a habit out of identifying the ingredients in purportedly vegetarian foods. He examined McDonald’s french fries. Back in 1990, news reports appeared that stated, for example, “McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King are switching to all-vegetable oil to cook their fries.” The reason was to reduce the saturated fat content (bad for the heart), which, in McDonald’s case, went from 42 grams to 23 grams for a two-ounce serving of fries. Previously, the fries were cooked with beef tallow. Our on-line dictionary appetizingly defines tallow as, “Hard fat obtained from parts of the bodies of cattle, sheep or horses, and used in foodstuffs or to make candles, leather dressing, soap and lubricants.” Yum.

Yogini Ekadasi

Jul 11, KUALA LUMPUR (WED) — From the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard the glories of the Nirjala Ekadasii, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May - June). Now I wish to hear from You about the suddha Ekadasii that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June - July). Kindly describe to me all bout it in detail, Oh killer of the Madhu demon (Madhusudana).”

The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, then replied, “Oh king, I shall indeed tell you about the best of all fasting days, the Ekadasii that comes during the dark part of the month of Ashadha. Famous as Yogini Ekadasii, it removes all kinds of sinful reactions and awards supreme liberation.

“Oh best of kings, this Ekadasii delivers people who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence and transports them to the shore of the spiritual world. In all the three worlds, it is the chief of all sacred fasting days. I shall now reveal this truth to you by narrating a history recounted in the Puranas.

“The king of Alakapuri - Kuvera, the treasurer of the devas (demigods) - was a steadfast devotee of lord Shiva. He employed a servant named Hemamali as his personal gardener. Hemamali, a Yaksha like Kuvera, was very lustfully attracted to his gorgeous wife, Swarupavatii, who had large, enchanting eyes.

Jagannath Ratha Yatra - Mounting the Chariot Part 2 of 2

Jagannath Ratha Yatra - Mounting the Chariot Part 1 of 2

Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannatha Puri 5 of 5

Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannatha Puri 4 of 5

Ratha Yatra in Sri Jagannatha Puri 3 of 5