Gods_children

“We are all God’s children” – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

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“We are all God’s children” – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

“Yesterday we participated in ‘Color Splash’ a multi-cultural festival in Durban, South Africa. Various ethnic groups showed off the best of their music, dance and theater. It began with a parade along the beachfront with Zulu warriors, Scottish bagpipes, boy scouts, a marching band and of course our blissful harinama. At the festival site we were prominent with kirtan, prasadam distribution and a Holi festival; throwing colored dyes to the accompaniment of a blissful kirtan. My address on social cohesion – a hot issue in South Africa – was well received. I stressed that social harmony will only come to the people’s of South Africa when everyone realizes what they have in common. That essential truth is that we are all God’s children – brothers and sisters in the real sense.”

Written by Indradyumna Swami in a facebook post from December 4, 2017. To see the original post, please click here.

prabhupada

“The most important characteristic of a disciple” – Tamal Krishna Goswami quoted by Indradyumna Swami

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“The most important characteristic of a disciple”

– Tamal Krishna Goswami quoted by Indradyumna Swami

I once asked my godbrother, Tamal Krishna Goswami, what is the most important characteristic of a disciple. He immediately replied, “Guru-nistha, faith in the spiritual master.” You embodied that faith, and it was your most endearing quality. I then asked him, “What is the greatest challenge in becoming an initiating spiritual master?” He paused for a moment and then replied softly: “Sometimes you are obliged to accept disciples who are more advanced than yourself.”

Quoted by Indradyumna Swami in a facebook post from November 15, 2017. To see the original post, please click here.

Gurudeva_Prabhupada

A most precious gift – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

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A most precious gift – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

My godbrother, Yadubara Prabhu, sent me a most precious gift: a photo of Srila Prabhupada with myself and several other devotees accompanying His Divine Grace on a morning walk in the early 1970’s. My dear spiritual master! Memories of you give me strength to continue my services with the hope that one day I’ll be privileged to walk by your side again.

Posted by Indradyumna Swami on his facebook on April 30, 2014 – To see original post please click here.

Gurudeva_chanting

“Are You Chanting All Your Rounds?” – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

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“Are You Chanting All Your Rounds?” – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

It was the first time I had ever missed chanting 16 rounds. I had completed 14 and was so tired I rationalized that it was better to take rest and make them up the next day, as we had been told we could do.

When I went into Srila Prabhupada’s room early the next morning, the first thing His Divine Grace said to me was, “So, are you chanting all your rounds?” As always, he knew everything without requiring any outside information.

I told Him about missing two rounds the previous day, and that I was going to make them up that day.

Srila Prabhupada said:

“When you are regularly chanting 16 rounds, it is like a young child learning to walk with the help of the mother. Because the mother is holding the child’s hand, when the child starts to fall, the mother holds them up and they don’t actually fall. It is the same with chanting.

“If you are completing 16 rounds and start to fall down, Krishna will hold you up and not allow that to happen.”

Then with His eyes open very wide and a transcendental move of his hand back and forth in front of his face, His Divine Grace said:

“However, if you are not chanting at least 16 rounds every day, your whereabouts are unknown, and you will definitely fall down.”

(Nanda Kumar dasa, Srila Prabhupada’s servant in the early 1970s)

Posted by Indradyumna Swami on his facebook on December 21, 2016 – To see original post please click here.

Russia

Rishiya, the land of the rishis – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

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Rishiya, the land of the rishis – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

“Srila Prabhupada once told Govinda dasi that formerly in Vedic times the land of Russia was known as ‘Rishiya’—the land of the rishis. The area of Russia was populated by many yogis and sadhus who went to the mountains of the Himalayas and beyond to perform penances and austerities in the frozen terrain, far from the hubbub of worldly life. Srila Prabhupada told Govinda dasi that the descendants of those rishis who live in Russia now have the sukriti to easily take to Krishna consciousness. Such an amazing statement was never more evident than at the recent Russian Yatra festival where over 5000 Russian devotees come together for a week of chanting, dancing, Krsna katha and prasadam. How pleased Srila Prabhupada must be!”

[ Written on September 11, 2014 ]

Posted by Indradyumna Swami on his facebook  – To see original post please click here.

Prabhupada_Russia

Prayer at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada – Written by Indradyumna Swami

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Prayer at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada – Written by Indradyumna Swami

Srila Prabhupada, may I always follow you wherever you go within these 3 worlds to spread the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

Before leaving Moscow yesterday we stopped near Red Square at the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral. I make it a point to visit there whenever I can. For me it is a place of pilgrimage because my spiritual master’s lotus feet graced those grounds on his one and only visit to Russia in 1971. It was from there that the samkirtan movement in Russia began and continues to this very day.

Posted by Indradyumna Swami on his facebook page on September 18, 2014 – To see original post please click here.

Prabhupad beadbag

“He’ll do the needful” – Srila Prabhupada Anecdote Quoted by Indradyumna Swami

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“He’ll do the needful” – Srila Prabhupada Anecdote Quoted by Indradyumna Swami

“In my horoscope there was written there, ‘After seventieth year this man will go outside India and establish so many temples.’ I could not understand. ‘What is this, that I have to go outside India? That is not…’ And Guru Maharaja foretold. He told my Godbrothers, Sridhara Maharaja and other that, ‘He’ll do the needful when time comes. Nobody requires to help him.’ He told in 1935. And after all, this was true. Guru Maharaja told. And in the beginning, first sight, he told, ‘You have to do this.'”

[ Srila Prabhupada, room conversation, Vrindavan, June 17, 1977]

Posted by Indradyumna Swami on his facebook page on December 1, 2014 – To see original post please click here.

Kshpira

Remembering the Kshpira river – Post by Indradyumna Swami

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Remembering the Kshpira river – Post by Indradyumna Swami

This is the Kshpira river. It is said that by bathing in the Ganges river one is purified, by taking darshan of the Narmada river one is purified and by remembering the Kshpira river one is purified. The Kshipra river manifested from the heart of Varaha.

Posted by Indradyumna Swami on his facebook page on December 23, 2011 – To see original post please click here.

Gurudeva

Running after Srila Prabhupada – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

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Running after Srila Prabhupada – Anecdote by Indradyumna Swami

“Once in Vrindavana after a public program, you and your servant left by ricksha for the Krsna Balarama Mandir in the dark night. I started walking home with some godbrothers, but I lagged behind and soon found myself alone. Suddenly your ricksha appeared as if from nowhere. You stopped the ricksha. ‘What are you doing here?’ you asked me. ‘I am lost, Srila Prabhupada,’ I said. You smiled. ‘Then follow me home,’ you said.

So I ran behind your ricksha the whole way back to Krsna Balarama Mandir. My dearest master, may I continue running behind you all the way back to the spiritual world, and there, in that transcendental abode, may I serve your every need and desire.” [Excerpted from Srila Gurudeva’s Vyasa Puja offering, 2012]

Written by Indradyumna Swami in his diary; December 23, 2012 – To see original post please click here.

indradyumna-swami-chanting

Woodstock 2017 – Taking shelter – Anecdote of Indradyumna Swami

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From Poland: His Holiness Indradyumna Swami Maharaja didn’t come for breakfast today. Later someone informed us that Srila Gurudeva is so anxious about the success of the Woodstock Festival. His anxiety is warranted, as the political situation is especially tense this year with the festival happening against government pressure to stop it. Srila Gurudeva was so intensely chanting in his room this morning.

Meanwhile, I was left musing to myself: how often do we skip our own meals to take such genuine shelter of the Lord?