Breaking News!! Statue of Nirākāra Brahman was stolen from the temple!

At around 11:08 last night His Grace Ayudhya Prabhu and Nirguna Rupa looked everywhere for the statue and concluded that it must have been stolen.  An anonymous donor had paid the high price of $16,108 for the inconceivable statue and records have shown that the statue was duly shipped.

(This is where the statue was going to be installed – Picture by channel 12 news)

When interviewed by the news, Avyaktā Das and his wife Arupina Devī Dāsī revealed,

“It is really hard to figure out how are we going to find this statue, for we do not know what it looks like, it’s color, it’s height, nor do we even know how we feel about it being missing.  Even Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita 12.5 says that to find Nirākāra Brahman is very troublesome.”

Oh and by the way HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY

You can also read about:

Hare Krishna Miniature Goat Farm Opening day at ISKCON Dallas

MEET ISKCON TORONTO'S NEW PET MONKEY!!!

A NEW INITIATIVE TO BE MORE ECO-FRIENDLY!

KIRTAN 101: Śrīla Prabhupāda’s style of kirtan–the magic is in the mantra

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s kirtan leading was always very meditative, deep, and focused.   He would often end in a crescendo but it was steady, long, and unrushed. 

“Gaura Gopala: I was right next to Prabhupada through the whole ceremony, playing the drum. He particularly liked to sing one tune through the whole time. He put his hands up in the air. He was dancing.” Ref. VedaBase => SPL 44: Let There Be a Temple

”It was clanging and banging. Kīrtana should be sweet and melodious.”

We had a kīrtana at the Rāma-līlā grounds, 1976 March, and Dīnanātha was leading, and tens
of thousands were attending and chanting. After the program Śrīla Prabhupāda and I were alone
in the back tent waiting for his servant and the car. As you know, he would often ask rhetorical
questions, and he asked me, “So, what did you think of the kīrtana?” Understanding this was
just a lead-in to his giving me an instruction, I answered with a bland “It was OK.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s definition to me then was as follows: “No, it was not nice. It was clanging
and banging. Kīrtana should be sweet and melodious. Come let us go to the ashram and have
kīrtana.”
And so we went — Śrīla Prabhupāda, his servant, Baradrāj, and myself. Except for his servant,
the three of us sat in his room and Baradrāj played harmonium on the request of Śrīla
Prabhupāda, and we had a long kīrtana. . . . On Śrīla Prabhupāda’s signal, the kīrtana ended. He
looked at me, smiling, shaking his head a little, and said, “So . . . sweet and melodious.” And
then he moved on with the rest of preaching and hearing. I had heard him say, and heard that
he also said, sometimes stopping kīrtana, “No screaming and shouting.” [remembrance by
Tejiyas dāsa, 12 Nov 2002]

I personally feel that if one becomes more focused on the Holy Name of Krishna with love and worry less on changing the melody their leading of kirtan will become more and more ecstatic.   This is especially in the case of those who are new to leading kirtan or who are not regular kirtan leaders.  In their nervousness or anxiety, they change the melody, perhaps thinking that others are bored.  This changing of melody may happen over 6 times in just a 15 minute period.  (BTW I not talking about the different parts of a melody but rather changing to completely different melodies)  Whereas kirtan stalwarts such as Indradyumna Swami, BB Govinda Swami, Madhava Prabhu and others keep it very steady and focused.  

Once I noticed a devotee chant Hare Krishna for the 30 minute Sandhya Ārati for a total of 2 minutes.  First he sang the standard Gaura Arati song and then the Hare Krishna Mantra for 2 minutes. (he also completely changed to different melodies within that 2 minute period)  Then he stopped chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra because he wanted to leave enough room for Jāya’ing at the end of the kirtan.   Śrīla Prabhupāda never was Jāya’er himself, so it is not actually necessary to do a Jāya session at the end of kirtan.  But the main thing is not to Jāya at the expensive of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.   It is called the Maha Mantra for a reason, it is the greatest mantra.   So my basic advice to new kirtan leaders is to keep steady the melody, even the parts of the melody should be steady, don’t shift it back and forth every few mantras and then run out tricks 2 minutes later.  

In the past I have given advice to new kirtan leaders for the arati as follows.  Chant the first part of the melody at least 10 times, then second at least 10 times.  Then you can go back to the first part and pick up the tempo.  The rest is up to you but starting if off like this is a good foundation. 

So all the best to you.  One simple item to test the efficacy of the one’s kirtan is to see if it creates smaraṇaṁ, even on a material level.  Will those who have heard it have it dancing through their minds throughout the rest of the day?  From śravaṇaṁ & kīrtanam comes smaraṇaṁ, rememberance. 

BTW here is a link to the Harinama Sankirtan Handbook by Indradyumna Swami

Santa in the Bhagavad Gītā

"The devotees of the Supreme Lord, or the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are called santas, and they are always in love with the Lord as it is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38): premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. The santas, being always in a compact of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all pleasures), or Mukunda (the giver of liberation), or Kṛṣṇa (the all-attractive person), cannot accept anything without first offering it to the Supreme Person." -  Bhagavad Gītā purport 3.13

Ekadasi–the first Hare Krishna Zombie short film

Many are familiar with the Hare Krishna Zombie movie Dharmageddon featuring the devotees of the San Antonio.  But years before this movie hit the box office there was another.  A short inspired by the mind of Jagannatha Puri Dham Das.  This short is for all of those who are watching the clocks tick by this fasting day. 

Star Wars Smarana VS. Krishna Smarana Or Newest Album by Madhava

Logging into Krishna.com I see this tiny thumbnail.     It is for a new album by the great Madhava Das.  However due my material conditioning the thumbnail to me looked like a picture of Darth Vaders’ DeathStar, a silhouette of a Star Destroyer and sadly I even thought that it was Darth himself on the right.  However on closer inspection I see that it is Sri Krishna Himself amidst a beautiful scene.   The album can be found here.  Oh Woe-is-me

If the dress is superficial, why should you change your dress to please people who are so serious about the superficial?

Prabhupada: Why your dress is not as a sannyas?

Tusta Krsna: The robes make people uncomfortable, Prabhupada. They see you as different and can’t relate. They won’t relax enough to listen when I wear robes.

Prabhupada: But sannyasis must dress in saffron with robes and shaved head.

Tusta Krsna: I am following all the principles, but the dress is external and superficial. Why should we let it hamper the preaching?

Prabhupada: If the dress is superficial, why should you change your dress to please people who are so serious about the superficial? [Pause.] You understand my point? Superficial people become controlled by superficial and external things. Why do you dress to please superficial people? You should dress to please Krsna.

Tusta Krsna: So you would like me wear saffron and shave up?

Prabhupada: Yes, I want you to promise this. Only wear saffron and keep your head shaved. This is sannyäsi dress. You should promise.

Tusta Krsna: Yes, Prabhupada. I promise.

Hare Krishna Miniature Goat Farm Opening day

Mother Sarasvati after years of research studied various venues of approaching the public with spiritual culture. 

“We need something that simply attracts the heart, and what is more attractive that a cute little miniature pygmy goat”

So today we had the grand opening of her year long project, a pygmy goat farm right here at the Dallas temple.    Hundreds of guest came and partook in prasadam and enjoyed the kirtan that was playing in the background. 

This Sattva, Raja, & Tamas

Parashuram Das

They also developed a playground for the pygmies.

Oh and by the way HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY

Halloween Block Party Maha Harinam Kirtan 2009

(led by Caitanya Chandra Das, and HH Giriraja Swami)

(led by Nityananda Chandra Das)

About 100,000 people every year attend this event in Oak Lawn, the gay & lesbian district of Dallas Texas.   Each year thousands upon thousands of Martians, animals, zombies, presidents, popes, cartoon characters, seasons, babies, and so on joined in singing and dancing in the kirtan.  


His Holiness Giriraj Swami, who drove in from Houston to attend this event, remarked in the Sunday feast class that everyone is getting Krishna mercy through the Holy Names.  That the souls of the ancient Romans, and Vikings and so many other types of beings are out there now in so many new bodies.   They are now appreciating the holy name. 

His Grace Mishra Bhagavan said,  "I heard in a class that Srila Prabhupada gave in New York 1976 that once someone dances in the harinam sankirtan Krishna takes note of it and makes sure that person soon goes back home, back to Godhead."


I had to leave at midnight but the rest of the devotees stayed to 2:30 am.  Haridas took the kirtan to another level after we had left.  He gave out several dance orders of "throw your hands in the air"  "squat of the ground," "Now jump up high" and several others that the crowd obediently followed. At this time the crowd dancing with the devotees was in the hundreds.  The police at that time asked the devotees to stop, telling them that the festival is supposed to end at 2am and that if the devotees did not stop their kirtan no one would leave.  


One of the dancers, Frankie Hart, took the following photos.

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

Originally uploaded by frankie hart

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

, originally uploaded by frankie hart.

Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

Here is a video that an onlooker caught on camera last year.

Even a Paparazzi

sabe eka doṣa tāra, haya pāpācāra

pāpa-rāśi

dahe nāmābhāsei tomāra

SYNONYMS

sabe — in all; eka — one only; doṣa — fault; tāra — of them; haya — they are; pāpa-ācāra — attached to sinful activities; pāpa-rāśi — volumes of sinful activities; dahe — become burned; nāma-ābhāsei — simply by the dim reflection of chanting the holy name; tomāra — of Your Lordship.

TRANSLATION

"Jagāi and Mādhāi had but one fault — they were addicted to sinful activity. However, volumes of sinful activity can be burned to ashes simply by a dim reflection of the chanting of Your holy name."

to read more of the Caitanya Caritamrta go to http://caitanyacaritamrta.com
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

BenLoka's stay at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple

Famous Youtube Comedian, BenLoka recounts his 3 month stay, in the Bhakta Program, at the Hare Krishna temple in England, the Bhaktivedanta Manor.
He has also posted a full length lecture of His Holiness Radhanatha Swami, that was filmed at the Manor, which can be found on his other youtube page.
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das
ps. Don't forget to subscribe to his channel

The Twelve Month Sandwich

In effort to compete with Sabjimata Mata and Kurma Prabhu's delicious prasadam blogs I hearby submit our twelve month sandwich. There are five main cooks who are always involved. The first one is Gaurachandra and on His right side stands Nitaichand and His left side stands Gadadhara. Nearby cooking is Advaita and Srinivas is holding the spatula. Sweet Mrdanga sauce is mixed in with spicy kartals accompanied with side orders of conch and bells. All the demigods headed by Lord Brahma line up to get an opportunity to relish this sandwich. In fact the flavor of this sandwich conquers the flavor of millions upon millions of curd sabjis. Lord Shiva, Sukadeva Goswami, and Narada Muni are all there and are choked in ecstacy to get but just a taste.

This sandwich is what we have had the pleasure to honor for the past twelve months. The ISKCON sandwich. During Srila Prabhupada's time he established a program of spiritual purification by which one can make steady progress in Krishna Consciousness. It was nicknamed the ISKCON sandwich, a Krishna Conscious Program of bhajan, kirtan, artik and class every morning and every evening. Many devotees eager to rapidly expand Krishna Consciousness asked Srila Prabhupada if it were ok to miss the evening program in the event of late evening book distribution and other such outreach functions. However when such late activities were decreased also the habit of returning back to regular programs in the evening waned. Instead of live chanting during the Gaura Artik more often it would be found that there was simply a tape playing. This one slice sandwich was not enough to fill up the spiritual staved soul therefore the devotees decided to return to the healthy diet of the double slice, Mangal mustard, Gaura Artik greens and a class ever few days for proper nutrition.

We have seen many health benefits to this diet given by Srila Prabhupada. Even our restaurant customers are finding new energy in their spiritual attraction. Before, in the evening, if they ventured into the temple they were greeted only by an electronic kirtan, hardly enough to encourage one to start singing with full lungs. But now we are serving the real organic kirtan, fresh from the hearts of the devotees. And as they say local is more healthy, these local lungs are inspiring to hear for all who enter. So whether you are at home, at the gym, watching TV, or out on book distribution make sure to get some daily doses of the ISKCON sandwich. Thank you
Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

* for an actual translation of the Gaura Artik song click here.

Lord Jagannatha Appears in a Potato

A day before Dallas Ratha Yatra and everyone is in ecstatic preparation for the Lord festival. The Lord kindly gives His appearance prior to his debut Chariot festival. Pritha was peeling potatoes for tomorrows feast and while blissfully engaging in that seva she discover the smiling face of Lord Jagannatha. My hope is that He will soon also appear in my heart. Hare Krishna
Your humble servant,
Nityananda Chandra Das

Home Program with HH Giriraja Swami

We had wonderful program Sunday mid day with His Holiness Giriraja Swami. He gave very nice lecture about chanting without offenses. The following is a great quote that Maharaja gave during the class about devotee relations. Haribol

[Child making some noise] Once Srila Prabhupada was giving a lecture and one of the children started to make noise. And Prabhupada said, "Please keep the child quite." So mother started to chastise the child. And then Prabhupada said, "You know in Vedic culture one cannot, one does not punish a child, young child." So then the husband of the mother started to chastise the mother [laughter] for chastising the child. And Prabhupada said, "You know we don't punish women," [laughter] So then the temple commander [laughter] started to chastise the husband and then Prabhupada said, "We don't punish brahmanas,"[laughter] and then he said, "Our whole society is nothing but women, children, and brahmanas so we cannot punish anyone." [Laughter] So we just gently correct them, offer obeisances and beg forgiveness and carry on.

Maharaja lectures from Dallas can be downloaded here. RadhaKalachandji.com
Your humble servant
Nityananda Chandra Das