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(Not only) For new Devotees

Online group (not only) for new devotees—offering introductory articles, manuals and instructions, and personal experiences and realizations about Krishna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada, among other content.

Readers are invited to join this group and contribute their own thoughts, ideas, realizations, and questions!

Latest Posts Here

Good Association

August 20, 2008 - 4:12pm — David Haslan

This is an amazing clip available on youtube about association, well edited and put together, it’s a must to be checked out

Watch Video

The Nature of the Self: A Gaudiya Vaisnava Understanding

August 19, 2008 - 6:59pm — Ravindra Svarupa

by Ravindra Svarupa das

The Sparks of God

The soul, or self (atma), is described as a separated, minute fragment of God, the Supersoul (paramatma). God is like a fire; the individual souls, sparks of the fire. As the analogy suggests, the self and the Superself are simultaneously one with and different from each other. They are the same in quality, for both the soul and the Supersoul are brahman, spirit. Yet they differ in quantity, since the Superself (param brahman—"supreme brahman"—in Bhagavad-gita 10.12) is infinitely great while the individual selves are infinitesimally small.

About ISKCON & Srila Prabhupada

Who is Srila Prabhupada?

September 7, 2007 - 8:07pm — phani

founder.jpg

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

This online-book collates information about Srila Prabhupada from different sources. If you are aware of other resources regarding his life, please share them with us!

Pillars of Success: The Principles and Practices of Reform in ISKCON

August 16, 2008 - 7:49pm — phani

by Ravindra Svarupa das

In this essay, Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu describes his involvement in ISKCON's guru reform movement, instrumental in ending the "zonal acarya system," the dark ages into which ISKCON descendet soon after Srila Prabhupada's disappearance from this planet.

Analysing what went wrong with ISKCON at that time, Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu arrives at conclusions that are important to today's issues as well.

"The point is that the difficulties that precipitated the guru reform movement are intimately connected with psychological patterns and styles of relationships that began to establishing themselves from the beginning. These are grounded in the inability of many devotees to acknowledge and deal fruitfully with their own spiritual shortcomings and failures, or, in traditional vocabulary, their inability to execute the process of anartha-nivrtti (the eradication of "unwanted things" from the heart)."

And while the zonal acarya era is a thing of the past, ISKCON, the institution and we, it's members, would do well to apply the remedial measures he recommended at that time in our own lives and spheres of influence.

"...I concluded that the only way I could responsibly conduct research on such a loaded subject was to attempt to entrust myself to the guidance of Supersoul, the indwelling guide and director of intelligence. I feared more than anything else my own stupidity. I was the Straw Man, and I needed a brain. I decided to entrust myself to Prabhupada's instructions for attaining direction from Supersoul. Thus, as a remedial measure, I undertook to rigorously restore my sadhana to a strict level." ...

"At the beginning of the reform movement, I tried to show how within ISKCON concealment of failure leads to isolation. This principle holds as much for relations among communities as among individuals. Progress in spiritual life, individually and institutionally, depends first of all on the frank acknowledgement of shortcoming, errors, and mistakes. Without that, all "progress" is mere bluff."

ISKCON Pioneers 'Down Under'

August 7, 2008 - 10:49pm — phani

by Gauragopala das

In April 1972, the Melbourne City Council in Australia began a campaign to try and move the Hare Krishna devotees away from the city streets. This struggle with the Council would continue on for another three years.

Not only were we now continuously harassed on the streets by the Council, we were also harassed in our own Temple with middle of the night Police raids looking for devotees who had never paid their fines for chanting on the streets, distributing books, and performing drama plays in the City square.

Photo: Kurma Prabhu being dragged away to jail for chanting Hare Krishna on the streets of Melbourne, Australia in the early seventies.

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ISKCON & BBT Websites

Japa-group
Latest Post

Quality chanting.

August 21, 2008 - 11:12am — RasaRasika108

It is very Important to chant or 16 rounds very nicely but Qualitatively. Quality is a very important factor in terms of Japa. Prabhupad says that Quality is not cheap. But it does not mean that we should not strive for quality chanting.
One of the most important and practical way to improve our Japa IS TO GET UP EARLY IN MORNING AND COMPLETE OUR 16 ROUNDS BEFORE SUNRISE. Then this practise will in itself help us in quality chanting.
Secound most important point in chanting is that WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE FOUR REGULATIVE PRINCIPALS VERY VERY STRICTLY . Or else the quality will not come and we will just chant MANUALLY.
IF WE GET UP EARLY AND COMPLETE OUR 16 ROUNDS BEFORE SUNRISE THEN WE WILL SEE THAT FOLLOWING THE FOUR REGULATIVE PRINCIPALS WILL BECOME EASY!!
Yes and this am telling according to what i have experiance.

Hari Bol.

Manuals & Instructions
Video by Mahatama dasaRasaRasika108

Here is a very nice video broadcast on krishna.com live where Mahatama dasa talks about the mood of chanting and how we should be aware of pronounciation and concentration on the sound vibration.

[Watch Video]
Ten tips for the aspiring devotee of KrishnaDavid Haslan

Short video clip with real tips, accompanied by funny pictures.

[Watch Video]
Sita-pati Analyzes Examples of Live Debatesphani

Sita-pati Prabhu explains what to do and which mistakes to avoid during public debates, using video clips of online discussions between different opponents.
How to organize the roomsita-pati

Great points from Seth Godin, easy to apply to a Krishna Conscious outreach program - especially if you are free from the layers of constraints and expectations imposed by doing a traditional program in a temple. My comments, based on doing the Hare Krishna Sunday Feast in Brisbane's Govinda's restaurant for two years, inline:
Quoting out of contextsita-pati

That is to say, if I take a whole lot of things that Srila Prabhupada said on one subject in different environments to different people, and then stick them all together and present this aggregation in a different environment I may be "quoting Prabhupada verbatim", but I'm doing so in a way and a context that he himself did not do, and one that does not necessarily reflect the same intent that he had when he made those statements.
VedaBase Hint: Copying Large QuotesMadhava Gosh

Madhava Gosh Prabhu shows how to quote larger sections of text from the folio without having to stitch together small pieces.
Preaching at the Workplacephani

Kesava Krishna Prabhu explains that preaching to people who are not interested in Krishna consciousness, but who we have to live with on a daily basis, requires more than quoting quotes and explaining the philosophy: we have to make them like and respect us before we can expect them to listen.
Public Speaking: A Few Tipskmdasa

Kripamoya Prabhu shares some useful tips for devotees not used to public speaking.
The "Giving Class" - Classsita-pati

"Here's some more nectar on giving class. This is a guide to giving class written by Mahavan prabhu, who heads up the Parama Karuna Men's Ashram in Wellington, New Zealand. It's very detailed and specific and is nicely complemented by the comic book I published the other day."
Stem Cells at the Water Coolerphani

"That can get tricky, especially when someone tosses me the inevitable “So, what do you guys think about _____” type of question. Fill in the blank with the hot topic du jour – immigration, Iraq, the environment, same-sex marriage – and suddenly… is it me, or did it just get a bit hotter in here?"
Brahmacaryaphani
How to Prepare and Offer Prasadamphani

Explanation of the basic principles and prayers to offer suitable food to your home deities via Srila Prabhupada, published by Sankarshan Prabhu at his website, Ultimate Self-Realization.
Setting up Your Altarphani

Basic Instructions on setting up your home altar, published by Sankarshan Prabhu at his website, Ultimate Self-Realization.
Krishna Consciousness at Homephani

The principles of Krishna consciousness, explained for new devotees who want to take up the process at home.
How Many Devotees Have Tulasi at Home?kaunteya
Bhakti-vriksha Manualphani

An important publication of the Congregational Development Ministry where the Bhakti-vriksha Program is explained in detail. The online-publication is almost complete; some references and report-forms are still missing. You can purchase a hard-copy of the book in our Online Bookshop, at this address.

More Posts in this Channel

Brooms and Other Cleaning Utensils in Srila Prabhupada's Room

August 19, 2008 - 5:08am — kaunteya

by Kaunteya das

In the temple where I am at the moment there is Srila Prabhupada's room. Actually Srila Prabhupada visited twice this temple, and therefore his room is "really" his room. There is also a Deity sitting in the room (in the "holding the translation microphone" mudra), and in front of the deity sit, day and night, brooms and other cleaning utensils.

Life in Boxes

August 14, 2008 - 3:20pm — David Haslan

As I sat overlooking the small Welsh Valley village were I live one thing occurred to me the importance of BOXES in our lives.

We live in a box, and we watch or listen to a box.
We then get into a box, this takes us to work we like to call it a car or public transport.

We work in a box or use boxes for work, surrounded by boxes that contain instruments for us to use or boxes to help us produce write or communicate.

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 19

August 13, 2008 - 10:41am — partha-sarathi

Today is Rupa Goswami's disappearance day. It was also the day of the last program in Iraq. This program was with the Indian-bodied contract workers here on the base. While going over material to discuss during the class it made perfect sense to speak about the pastimes of this pure soul, Srila Rupa Goswami. ...

But to my amazement more people kept coming, and more and more! When the program started the place was packed, there was no sitting room. I made a remark that all of Mosul is in there, and one man said "Prabhu, this is the last program, everyone is here because we don't know if a devotee will ever be in Mosul again."

Invocation: “Entering the Inner Kirtana”

August 12, 2008 - 7:57am — Ravindra Svarupa

The following is an invocation recently given by Ravindra Svarupa dasa to ISKCON youth participating in a japa retreat in Saranagati Village as part of the Krishna Culture Festival Tour.

First, let me tell you how happy I became when Purusa-sukta Prabhu informed me that you all have made this retreat a part of your bus tour.

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 18

August 7, 2008 - 8:32pm — partha-sarathi

I was approached by one officer in my Squadron, she wanted to relay a story about an event that happen to her lately. She told me she was at headquarters and two senior sergeants were standing at the smart box that is set up in the little recreation center, holding two books. She said oh, great those books again.

They asked her, "Ma'am, do you know what these books about?" She said "Yes, I do. They are from Sergeant Sonnenberg."

Munchies for the Mind II

August 6, 2008 - 5:17am — Ravindra Svarupa

Prayer

I throw myself down in my chamber, and I call in, and invite God, and his Angels thither, and when they are there, I neglect God and his Angels, for the noise of a fly, for the rattling of a coach, for the whining of a door.

John Donne (1572-1631)

Love

To fall in love is to create a religion that has a fallible god.

Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

Romeo:
What shall I swear by?

Juliet:
Do not swear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And I'll believe thee.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Austerity

The greater the pain, the greater the gain.

(pleeon kopos, polu kentos)
Ignatius of Antioch (35-110)

More Words of Wisdom from Vaisesika Prabhu

August 14, 2008 - 6:10pm — gauranga kishore

Here at ISKCON Silicon Valley we are in the middle of our Janmastami Vyasa Puja Sankirtan Festival, which is another two weekend event. We've completed the first weekend and we are heading into the second. Below are the emails that Vaisesika Prabhu has sent out to inspire us to perform the sankirtan yajna.

 

Gajendra and the US Army

August 13, 2008 - 7:00pm — partha-sarathi

Mother Mitravinda is also a soldier, she joined the Army some time ago and has made the transition to her first assignment. Below is a letter she sent today about some preaching she is doing.

"...Sitting there in the motor pool I was able to give a book report and tell of the pastimes of Gajendra. The soldiers were so excited that i called BBT and ordered more books, I was low and need to stock up again."

Toilet Blues

August 12, 2008 - 2:09pm — kaunteya

by Kaunteya das

The building has some unofficial affectation at officially representing ISKCON in town, and we were shocked to observe some of the incongruities in appearance and accommodation, towering among them the inappropriateness of the bathroom facilities.

Rules of Kindess - what pleases the Lord more?

August 8, 2008 - 10:54am — Sara Brett and ...

There has been some confusion in my mind lately and some sadness. One friend has decided to go brahmacari (not officialy even, he lives at home with his parents still). To him brahmacari means not talking to any ladies at all. Not the ones who he used to be good friends with, not the ones who introduced him to Krishna in the first place. Is this fanaticism? Is this pleasing to Krishna when many delicate feelings of other devotees are being hurt and tears are being shed?

Back to Basics... I Mean, Forward to Basics

August 6, 2008 - 9:40pm — kaunteya

by Kaunteya das

Competing brands of Gaudiya-vaisnavism at times claim that Srila Prabhupada only gave the basics, and that ISKCON people need to take shelter in their representatives to accede to higher dimensions of bhakti.

I beg to disagree. Besides the insulting and indefensible remark that ISKCON's Founder-Acarya didn't provide his followers with enough directions to achieve whatever is there to achieve, I would propose that ISKCON—or at least a good percentage of its members—need to go in a different direction. My observation is that devotees would tremendously benefit by absorbing themselves in the narrations of Mahabharata and Ramayana, thus imbibing the fundamental ethical values presented therein.

Wonderless Wonderfulness

August 4, 2008 - 4:25pm — kaunteya

by Kaunteya das

With this post I officially inaugurate a campaign against the overusage of the word ‘wonderful’ in the Krishna consciousness movement.

The term is so ubiquitously presented, so monotously applied, that such prodigality defeats the very purpose and intention of the adjective, that is, to point out how special a person or behavior is.

Every devotee is wonderful. Every culinary preparation is wonderful. Every service in wonderful… If everything is wonderful in one sense nothing is really wonderful. Does everything really warrant an intense condition of wonderment?

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