Dear Srila Prabhupada,
You have gone through so much trouble just to establish this Krsna Consciousness movement all over the world. You have shown us that we have to also try hard by flapping those wings of ours and follow the rules and regulations and not just space out.
It is by your mercy that we are all sitting here today at Sri Krishna Mandir celebrating your transcendental appearance day. It is said in the Sri Sri Gurv-Astaka, "Yasya prasadad bhagavat prasado yasya prasadan na gati kuto 'pi". By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement.
So here in this tiny island of Singapore, the struggle to make or rather build a temple is like an uphill task. Just give us a drop of your mercy Srila Prabhupada, to make this possible here in this country. Hoping you will hear this offering from your most fallen disciple.
Most fallen,
Mahaprabhu Das
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja 2008 Offering from Raghupati Das
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who is very dear to Lord Krsna having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Knowingly or unknowingly I have committed so many offences at your lotus feet but due to your mercy I am very fortunate to have the association of nice devotees. I am praying at your lotus feet to remain as a dust at your lotus feet.
My respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the western countries which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Singapore is no better than the western countries. So we need your special mercy to preach in this country.
Please help us to have a permanent temple so that we can worship the Lord more opulently.
Your humble servant,
Raghupati Das
Knowingly or unknowingly I have committed so many offences at your lotus feet but due to your mercy I am very fortunate to have the association of nice devotees. I am praying at your lotus feet to remain as a dust at your lotus feet.
My respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the western countries which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Singapore is no better than the western countries. So we need your special mercy to preach in this country.
Please help us to have a permanent temple so that we can worship the Lord more opulently.
Your humble servant,
Raghupati Das
Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja 2008 Offering from Krsna Caitanya Das
My respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
By your mercy it has been possible to understand the position of the living entity in this material world. This forms the sum and substance of all knowledge and is the highest of all that one can endeavor to conquer. Though in my life it is pretty much in theory than in practice, you have enabled me to make an honest attempt to try and become eternally happy. My success or failure in this journey is entirely in hands of you and Krishna. Nevertheless I should thank you with folded hands and wish to gain strength as I move forward into the householder life.
Your servant,
Krsna Caitanya Das
By your mercy it has been possible to understand the position of the living entity in this material world. This forms the sum and substance of all knowledge and is the highest of all that one can endeavor to conquer. Though in my life it is pretty much in theory than in practice, you have enabled me to make an honest attempt to try and become eternally happy. My success or failure in this journey is entirely in hands of you and Krishna. Nevertheless I should thank you with folded hands and wish to gain strength as I move forward into the householder life.
Your servant,
Krsna Caitanya Das
Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja 2008 Offering from Tattva Vit Das
Jaya Srila Prabhupada
Oh! Kali Yuga is an ocean of vice;
So dark, so ugly that nothing is nice.
All the souls that are here to rot
Are by far the most condemned lot.
The blokes of heaven
Have ceased to come by,
Their wives ecstatic
To have them by their side.
Contented with their luxuriation
They rejected this planet
Just like excretion.
Then auspicated the Golden Era
Lord Caitanya manifested the Supreme Goloka.
He inaugurated the Maha-mantra
And foretold that the Holy Name would spread
In every town and village that man had tread.
The commoner doubted His prophecy
Only to realize it was his fallacy.
Srila Prabhupada’s felicitous descent
Turned the fetid Kali Yuga fragrant.
The entire world he inundated
With pure love of Godhead.
The unfortunate turned fortunate,
The ignorant became wise.
The blind being endowed with vision
Became fixed on their path
Towards the supreme destination.
By his unfathomable spiritual prowess
Kali Yuga has become most glorious.
By conferring upon us the following benison
He put to shame the dwellers of Eden:
“Just fill your mouths with the Holy Sound,
Rest assured, you won’t come around!”
Thank you Srila Prabhupada!!
Trying to be your humble servant,
Tattva Vit Das
Oh! Kali Yuga is an ocean of vice;
So dark, so ugly that nothing is nice.
All the souls that are here to rot
Are by far the most condemned lot.
The blokes of heaven
Have ceased to come by,
Their wives ecstatic
To have them by their side.
Contented with their luxuriation
They rejected this planet
Just like excretion.
Then auspicated the Golden Era
Lord Caitanya manifested the Supreme Goloka.
He inaugurated the Maha-mantra
And foretold that the Holy Name would spread
In every town and village that man had tread.
The commoner doubted His prophecy
Only to realize it was his fallacy.
Srila Prabhupada’s felicitous descent
Turned the fetid Kali Yuga fragrant.
The entire world he inundated
With pure love of Godhead.
The unfortunate turned fortunate,
The ignorant became wise.
The blind being endowed with vision
Became fixed on their path
Towards the supreme destination.
By his unfathomable spiritual prowess
Kali Yuga has become most glorious.
By conferring upon us the following benison
He put to shame the dwellers of Eden:
“Just fill your mouths with the Holy Sound,
Rest assured, you won’t come around!”
Thank you Srila Prabhupada!!
Trying to be your humble servant,
Tattva Vit Das
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sadhu Sanga - Another Realization
Hare Krsna!! The following is another realization by a bhakta from Cairns, Australia. He stayed at Sri Krishna Mandir for 2 days. He wrote the following note addressed to Sundar Gopal Prabhu, the President of the Sri Krishna Mandir here in Singapore.
Sundar Gopal Das,
My humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada – the eternal spiritual master. Hare Krsna!
I am very grateful to be given the good family place, to be here in Sri Krishna Mandir. By Krsna’s merciful arrangement, I was able to steer clear of associating with smokers, drunkards and meat-eaters during my stay in Singapore.
In the process of getting a temple in Russia, many sacrifices were made including imprisonment of devotees. Similarly, some of the devotees here remind me of the Pandavas! After they finished their allotted austerities of the forest, they worked with Dharma and varied skills and worldly disguises awaiting Krsna’s divine call to action.
I hope to find good association back in Australia and be in Krsna Consciousness. My prompt return will surely be distracted by woman and children. I am very much interested to participate in the pilgrimage to India amongst the temple archipelago and also in the development of the farm community in Malaysia. Alas, Krsna’s Maya is strong and may submerge me for some years. When we emerge from it, we shall endeavor to return.
Please accept my deep gratitude for the wonderful Prasadam, instant-loving blessed (Pandavas) family and good safe bed to sleep. There is less furrow on my forehead now because I feel more safe and relaxed in Sri Krishna Mandir (with the Pandavas). Sri Krishna Mandir ki jai!!
I believe some of the devotees (especially the Brahmacaris) would do well coming to Australia Padayatra on a temple pilgrimage.
Lastly, I will certainly be always attracted to live near waterfall, fruit trees and have a milking cow. This is Vaikuntha and the desire to stay in such a farm is utmost in our heart of hearts.
I am very thankful to all who helped to make my stay here possible.
Your friend and devotee of Radha-Krsna
Thomas
Sundar Gopal Das,
My humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada – the eternal spiritual master. Hare Krsna!
I am very grateful to be given the good family place, to be here in Sri Krishna Mandir. By Krsna’s merciful arrangement, I was able to steer clear of associating with smokers, drunkards and meat-eaters during my stay in Singapore.
In the process of getting a temple in Russia, many sacrifices were made including imprisonment of devotees. Similarly, some of the devotees here remind me of the Pandavas! After they finished their allotted austerities of the forest, they worked with Dharma and varied skills and worldly disguises awaiting Krsna’s divine call to action.
I hope to find good association back in Australia and be in Krsna Consciousness. My prompt return will surely be distracted by woman and children. I am very much interested to participate in the pilgrimage to India amongst the temple archipelago and also in the development of the farm community in Malaysia. Alas, Krsna’s Maya is strong and may submerge me for some years. When we emerge from it, we shall endeavor to return.
Please accept my deep gratitude for the wonderful Prasadam, instant-loving blessed (Pandavas) family and good safe bed to sleep. There is less furrow on my forehead now because I feel more safe and relaxed in Sri Krishna Mandir (with the Pandavas). Sri Krishna Mandir ki jai!!
I believe some of the devotees (especially the Brahmacaris) would do well coming to Australia Padayatra on a temple pilgrimage.
Lastly, I will certainly be always attracted to live near waterfall, fruit trees and have a milking cow. This is Vaikuntha and the desire to stay in such a farm is utmost in our heart of hearts.
I am very thankful to all who helped to make my stay here possible.
Your friend and devotee of Radha-Krsna
Thomas
The Effects of Sadhu Sanga - A Realization
Some of the readers of this website might have heard or read about the tremendous effects of Sadhu Sanga (associating with devotees of Lord Krsna) in great scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta and the like, translated as they are, by Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The following testimonial by Dolène and Didier Huitelec confirms all the affirmations of the Vedic scriptures.
Dolène and Didier Huitelec, a devotee couple from La Reunion, French colony, wanted to come to Singapore for a holiday. They were introduced to Krsna Consciousness a year ago but they do not have much association there as there is no temple there. The island only has a very small devotee community. They searched in the internet for a Hare Krsna temple in Singapore. They found the Sri Krishna Mandir website and consequently emailed us of their arrival on the 12th of July, 2008. They had a fabulous spiritual holiday which started off with the Ratha Yatra in the Toa Payoh stadium on the 13th of July. By Krsna's arrangement, the house that they rented happened to be very near to the temple. This made it very easy for them to frequent the temple everday for mangala arati and the morning program. After they reached their home back in La Reunion island on the 28th of July, they emailed the temple. So instead of we describing their stay here in Singapore, we would like to show a copy of their email below. Let us hear from their own words.
Dolène and Didier Huitelec, a devotee couple from La Reunion, French colony, wanted to come to Singapore for a holiday. They were introduced to Krsna Consciousness a year ago but they do not have much association there as there is no temple there. The island only has a very small devotee community. They searched in the internet for a Hare Krsna temple in Singapore. They found the Sri Krishna Mandir website and consequently emailed us of their arrival on the 12th of July, 2008. They had a fabulous spiritual holiday which started off with the Ratha Yatra in the Toa Payoh stadium on the 13th of July. By Krsna's arrangement, the house that they rented happened to be very near to the temple. This made it very easy for them to frequent the temple everday for mangala arati and the morning program. After they reached their home back in La Reunion island on the 28th of July, they emailed the temple. So instead of we describing their stay here in Singapore, we would like to show a copy of their email below. Let us hear from their own words.
Hare Krishna to all the devotees!
Please accept my respectful of obeisances ! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
We arrived On Monday at 8p.m at home and spent the whole day in the plane with many connecting flights. We felt very sad to leave you and missed mangala arti very much.
Since I left Singapore I can't help thinking of the daily activities at the temple and the moments we spent with each of you. We felt so moved when we left you that we couldn't express our deep gratitude to you. You brought us so much that we feel indebted to you and we now know that we are not alone anymore. I hope we can remember every word Prabhu Sundar Gopal told us and I am sure Prabhupada will help us. Actually living among you, near the temple was like living in a sacred place and I really felt inspired within the place. You are so much fortunate to render service to the deities and take darshan every day. I thank Prabhupada for giving us your association.
To Syamansundar I want to express my gratitude for having given us a taste of nectarean bliss, you are so much involved in your service that all you explained us will stay in our mind forever.
Thank you to the matajis who gave me the chance to help in the kitchen, I feel so much at ease with them as if they are part of my family. They will be my source of inspiration in my everyday cooking.
Thank you to Raghupati Das, Govardhan, Tattva Vit Das and the devotees for their sublime kirtans in the morning which I tried to recall every moment, they were transcendental sound which raised our consciousness and love for Krishna. Hearing Prabhu Sundar Gopal Das every morning chanting helped us a lot to stay alert while doing japa mala. I still can hear his tone of voice and this encouraged us to get up early in the morning. Here it's a bit colder (18° in the early morning and 24 in the day).
We haven't installed the deities yet, Didier is going to build a nice altar in the coming days and they will be properly settled.
We look forward to seeing you again in the nearest future.
Remaining the humble servant of Prabhupada's devotees!
HUITELEC DOLÈNE AND DIDIER.
Now, that sums it up!! Hare Krsna!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Sweet poison versus bitter medicine
Hare Krishna everyone!!
The Hare Krishna movement is existent to convey to everyone of our eternal nature in the kingdom of God (Vaikuntha) in the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as opposed to our temporary life full of miseries. To benefit everyone, we make as much propaganda as possible.
The main propaganda work of the Hare Krishna movement is done through book distribution. While out on the road, we meet so many people with diverse conceptions of life. But the Krishna Consciousness philosophy that we have is so potent that there is answer for every single question that they put to us.
Sometimes, people say this (it is quite common): Don't force me into buying a book. Of course, it is up to them to take the book. Even Lord Krishna, after speaking the entire Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, asked him to do as he likes. (Arjuna, being intelligent, followed whatever Lord Krishna has said without reservation.) But although it seems like Lord Krishna is giving us freedom to do whatever we like, it is trickier than we thought it is.
Why is that so? If we carefully observe, we have two options. Either we surrender to Krishna or we do not. One can put forward so many reasons and theories to avoid surrender to Krishna or God. But the principle is the same - to defy God. Actually, because we chose to defy God from time immemorial, we are here in this material world. And no way are we free here. Either we are controlled by Krishna directly or through his material nature. But we cannot be totally independent. Our only independence is to choose between the two types of dependences - either Krishna or Maya (the illusory material nature).
So whenever someone comes up with this statement, we always put the statement back on them, of course in a polite way: "If you ask me not to force you, it is not that you are not forced. How about the force of death? Can you say, 'Don't force me into dying'? So you are forced either way. So why not accept the positive force? By buying this book, you will know of your eternal nature and you can escape this force of death which everyone wants to." This works! Usually, the person ends up buying a book!
Although it appears like we are tricking them, it is actually presenting the facts as they are. As a Brahmana, one is expected to speak the truth. We are not so much into pleasing the general public. We are here to speak the truth in a straightforward way without distortion in order to awaken the people to reality. Which is better - Sweet poison or bitter medicine?
The Hare Krishna movement is existent to convey to everyone of our eternal nature in the kingdom of God (Vaikuntha) in the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as opposed to our temporary life full of miseries. To benefit everyone, we make as much propaganda as possible.
The main propaganda work of the Hare Krishna movement is done through book distribution. While out on the road, we meet so many people with diverse conceptions of life. But the Krishna Consciousness philosophy that we have is so potent that there is answer for every single question that they put to us.
Sometimes, people say this (it is quite common): Don't force me into buying a book. Of course, it is up to them to take the book. Even Lord Krishna, after speaking the entire Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, asked him to do as he likes. (Arjuna, being intelligent, followed whatever Lord Krishna has said without reservation.) But although it seems like Lord Krishna is giving us freedom to do whatever we like, it is trickier than we thought it is.
Why is that so? If we carefully observe, we have two options. Either we surrender to Krishna or we do not. One can put forward so many reasons and theories to avoid surrender to Krishna or God. But the principle is the same - to defy God. Actually, because we chose to defy God from time immemorial, we are here in this material world. And no way are we free here. Either we are controlled by Krishna directly or through his material nature. But we cannot be totally independent. Our only independence is to choose between the two types of dependences - either Krishna or Maya (the illusory material nature).
So whenever someone comes up with this statement, we always put the statement back on them, of course in a polite way: "If you ask me not to force you, it is not that you are not forced. How about the force of death? Can you say, 'Don't force me into dying'? So you are forced either way. So why not accept the positive force? By buying this book, you will know of your eternal nature and you can escape this force of death which everyone wants to." This works! Usually, the person ends up buying a book!
Although it appears like we are tricking them, it is actually presenting the facts as they are. As a Brahmana, one is expected to speak the truth. We are not so much into pleasing the general public. We are here to speak the truth in a straightforward way without distortion in order to awaken the people to reality. Which is better - Sweet poison or bitter medicine?
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