September 1st,2015
Dear disciples: all 5 classes from the seminar, “Lessons Learned From The Life of Ajamila” given in Ukraine last week are now available on www.narottam.com.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 4th,2015
Serving Lord Gauranga’s Devotees – By Gour Govinda Maharaja
“Nityananda Prabhu is more merciful than Mahaprabhu. Unless you get the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu you cannot get the mercy of Mahaprabhu, and unless you get the mercy of Mahaprabhu you cannot approach Radha-Krishna. This is our process.
Moreover, guru is the manifestation of Nityananda or Balaram, so guru is more merciful than Krishna. He is a devotee of Gaura; gaura-priya-jana — he is very dear to Gauranga Mahaprabhu. One who is a gaura-priyajana is more merciful than Gaura. Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati has said:
acarya dharmaṁ paricarya viṣṇuṁ
vicarya tīrthāni vicārya vedān
vinā na gaura-priya-pāda-sevāṁ
vedādi-duṣprāpa-padaṁ vidanti
Prabodhananda Saraswati says that you may strictly follow ācarya-dharma, the principles of religious life; paricarya viṣṇu, you may offer very opulent worship to the deity of Vishnu; vicarya tīrthāni, you may visit all the holy places of pilgrimage; vicārya vedān, you may study and become proficient in Vedic knowledge; whatever you may do, but vinā na gaura-priya-pādasevāṁ vedādi-duṣprāpa-padaṁ vidanti — without serving the lotus feet of a gaura-priya-jana, a dear devotee of Gauranga, you cannot attain prema. You cannot get prema merely by reading or acquiring Vedic knowledge. Only if you get the mercy of a gaurapriya-jana will everything be manifest before you, and you will get everything. Getting Krishna means getting everything, and Krishna is bound up by love or prema.”
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 4th,2015
“One has to learn how Krsna takes birth. It is not ordinary birth. Had it been ordinary birth, then why we should observe the Janmastami ceremony? It is divyam, divine, transcendental. Everything of Krsna is divine.”
[ Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam class, Bombay, November 13, 1974 ]
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 7th, 2015
Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan. The beautiful city, with many old rustic houses, has a population of just over one million people, 90% of whom are Sunni Muslims. Somehow, by the special grace of Lord Caitanya, ISKCON has a temple not far from the center of the city. Because it is an Islamic republic there are some restrictions on our preaching. For example, on Janmastami day we were given permission to chant in a square where there were very few people. But in general the citizens are very friendly and appreciative of our activities.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 7th, 2015
Today, here in Moscow, we will pick up our visas for Mongolia. The name Mongolia conjures up violence and brutality at the hands of Genghis Khan and his hordes of warriors. Yet for many historians careful study of the country’s history reveals this to be a distorted picture painted by early European writers. My godbrother, Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja, has said that Mongolians are – and have always been – simple rural people, many of whom are highly educated. He adds that they are very friendly people. Many are still nomadic people and we look forward to meeting and sharing with them Krsna consciousness in our travels throughout their country in a few days time. [ Pictured: 17th century painting of Genghis Khan ]
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 12th, 2015
Mongolian Expedition – Our Arrival
Wearing traditional Mongolian coats at the request of local authorities, we spent our first day in the capital of Ulaanbaatar exploring the country’s ancient customs. In the evening we held a blissful program at our local ISKCON temple for devotees and guests alike. Our initial impression of Mongolia was thus filled with the resonating sound of Buddhist mantras and the sweet singing of Krsna’s holy names. Tomorrow we head for the ancient city of Kharakhorum where we’ll perform harinam samkirtan for the first time ever. A great adventure in service to the Lord!
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 16th, 2015
A Rain Of Mercy in the Gobi Desert
Yesterday was an historic day in the Mongolian yatra. We performed harinam samkirtan for the first time in the country since 1992. In the early morning, when the Gobi desert sun was still tolerable, we took to the streets of Sainshand, a town of 23,000 people, with mrdungas, kartalas and the sweet chanting of Krsna’s holy names.The people loved it and chanted and danced alongside us. In the afternoon we held the first Krsna conscious hall program in the town. Finally, in the cool air of the desert evening, we held a Hare Krsna concert in the town square. We pray that such pioneer preaching will satisfy Srila Prabhupada, who desired that the holy names be broadcast in every town and village of the world, in accordance with the will of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 17th, 2015
In 1996 several foreign devotees who were visiting Mongolia held kirtan in the streets of the capital, Ulaanbaatar. They were immediately arrested and deported. For almost 20 years now there has been no public chanting of the holy names of Krsna here. Our renewed status as a religious organization, however, now allows us to sing freely everywhere with prior permission. So for the first time in two decades we took to the streets of Sainshand in the Gobi desert and chanted and danced along with the local people. It was yet another milestone in the history of Lord Caitanya’s samkirtan movement. Later in the evening we held a program in the town hall. All glories to Sri Krsna samkirtan!
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204842901455294
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 19th, 2015
When Mongolia’s main television channel, Mongolian National Broadcaster, learned about our historic tour through the country, they invited me to speak on their news program. They said, “You will have the opportunity to address the entire nation.” I eagerly accepted their invitation and yesterday spoke on the evening news at prime time about our philosophy, way of life and how Krsna consciousness can contribute to Mongolian culture. After the program the lady who interviewed me smiled and said, “Don’t be surprised now if everywhere you go in Mongolia people recognise you.”
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204856014663116/
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 20th, 2015
Two days ago we ventured 500 kilometers from the capital of Mongolia to Erdenet. The 9-hour drive on rough roads took us through some of the most breath taking scenery in the country. We are visiting all these towns and villages for the first time. Previously our movement didn’t have permission to do harinam and public programs. Now that we do, we find people spontaneously chant Hare Krsna and dance with little or no encouragement. For those who can tolerate austerity, Mongolia is a great adventure on behalf of the Lord.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 20th, 2015
On this auspicious day of Radhastami I long to be in Vraja, celebrating the Queen of Vrindavan’s appearance with all the beloved Vrajavasis. Instead, I find myself on the remote steppes of Mongolia, sharing the message of Lord Caitanya with the people of this isolated country. Despite the many austerities involved in traveling and preaching here, I have decided to extend my stay for yet another month. I pray Srimati Radharani will glance this way and noticing my humble efforts one day grant me eternal residence in Her transcendental abode, far from the cold and windy plains of this distant land.
“I wander over this earth meditating on Her, who is a moon shining in the rasa-dance arena, who is a host of bright lamps in Vrsabhanu’s palace, and who is the central jewel in the necklace of Goloka.” [ Narada Muni, Garga Samhita 1.8.12 ]
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 21st,2015
Mongolia’s vast steppe is home to one of the world’s last surviving nomadic cultures. Situated between China and Russia, the Mongolian steppe remains mostly intact, and its nomadic way of life has been largely unchanged for generations. Some herding customs alive today pre-date the era of Genghis Khan. Slowly, however, the steppe’s landscape is changing, as more and more of its nomadic population move to urban areas in search of education, employment, and modern conveniences. On our 8-hour drive to Erdenet for our first public program in the city, we passed many nomadic people herding their cows, horses and sheep. The program that evening was especially sweet as we enjoyed watching so many people enjoy chanting Hare Krsna for the first time.
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204862739671237
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 22nd,2015
Much of the Mongolian population lives below the poverty line and many families struggle just to get by. It is common, especially in the capital Ulaanbaatar, to see children who have been abandoned. They are typically a product of social upheaval caused by alcoholism, rapid urbanization and poverty. Little is known of the history of most of the 80 children in the orphanage we visited in Erdenet. Many were abandoned at birth in hospitals, or left simply on the side of the road. Because of such backgrounds they were especially appreciative of our visit. After I told them animated stories from Krsna Book they all chanted and danced in great happiness with the devotees. They especially loved prasadam at the end of our visit. The mercy of Lord Caitanya is now spreading everywhere in this distant land of Mongolia. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204867716115645/
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 23rd,2015
Two days ago we did a public program in a hall in Ulaanbaatar and then an initiation in a traditional “yurta” in a forest outside the city. Krsna consciousness is slowly taking root in Mongolia.
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204867716115645/
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 25th,2015
I would like to request devotees everywhere to pray for little Lalita dasi, an 8 – year old girl from St. Petersburg, who is in the intensive care unit in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia. She contracted Meningococcemia, a dangerous and deadly blood infection. Doctors say she may not survive. Her and her twin brother, Klim, are wonderful devotee children, always happy and blissful in Krsna consciousness. If she were to pass away it would simply break my heart.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 26th,2015
Dear Devotees: Thank you for your response to our appeal to pray for Lalita dasi, the 8-year old girl in critical condition in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia. Unfortunately, her condition has deteriorated and the doctors say there is little hope she will survive. But where there is life, there is hope, and therefore I request you all to please continue to pray for this sweet soul, that she may somehow survive by the will of the Lord. Both her and her twin brother are pictured in this photo taken not long ago.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 26th,2015
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 27th, 2015
We took a break from our traveling around Mongolia and spent 5 days in the capital Ulaanbaatar having programs in our small center in the city. We also used the time to rest and stockpile supplies for our next journey which begins tomorrow – a 3,500 kilometer journey in 3 jeeps to the most remote areas of the country to do harinama and programs in numerous towns and villages.
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 28th, 2015
We’re on the road again, taking the holy names of Krsna to as many towns and villages as we can during our 3,500 kilometer journey through the remote areas of Mongolia. There’s a special satisfaction pioneering Krsna consciousness in a place where people have never seen devotees before, or heard of Lord Caitanya. Yesterday in Darhan people immediately crowded around us as we began harinama, eager to hear our message and buy books. Some of them followed us back to a hall where we had a two hour program. Step by step we are conquering the hearts of the people of this beautiful country.
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204898395162602/
Original post and comments on Facebook
September 30th,2015
Yesterday in our travels here in Mongolia we visited two cities; one of them Chinggis, the legendary birthplace of Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire. As we entered the city and asked for directions, one of the citizens reminded us of Genghis Khan’s famous statement, “One Mongolian is worth a hundred foreigners.” Despite the warning, we found the people of Chinggis to be as open to Krsna consciousness as anywhere else in the country. Soon after harinama we had a hall full of people listening attentively to the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita and dancing in ecstasy during kirtan. Such is the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10204906258159172/