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Our power comes from Krishna!
To get into that mood of absorption
Vyasa Puja and Queensday
Protected: Vyasapuja 2012 photos and videos
Queensday photos 2012

Posted: 02 May 2012 02:39 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Soweto South Africa, 15th April 2012) Lecture: CC Talk

If Krishna is the doer of the activities then why do we get the reactions for our actions?

Well Krishna gives us independence. Everything is in Krishna's power. Without Krishna's power we cannot lift our fingers, since it is Krishna who gives us the power to lift our fingers, it all comes from Him. He gives us this power and with it He gives us independence. For instance He gives us this body and whatever power it has is limited, and with that power we can do what we want to some extent. Within the limits of our power we can choose. We can use the energy for the kirtan or we can go across the road. We can drink some fresh water or we can have another bottle, that's our choice, which Krishna has given us!

Srila Prabhupada said that in the Bhagavad-Gita Krishna says:

'I'm the taste in water!'

And Prabhupada said:

‘Yes, and Krishna is also the taste in alcohol.'

He is, since it's all Krishna, everything comes from Krishna, but the alcohol is meant for the outside and not for the inside. You can use it on the outside for disinfecting but it's not meant to go inside. I know someone who drinks petrol, seriously, a little bit at a time. He drinks petrol and says:

'It's really good for health!'

Sure! He's from Czech Republic. You know how he is into health, and he always has some special medicine and he drinks petrol! I wouldn't advise it. Anyway petrol is supposed to go into the car, and in the same way I wouldn't advise to take alcohol since it is suppose to be for the outside. Like whisky is very useful if you have a cut, you put some whisky onto the cut, and then job done, no problem.

So it's not that Krishna is just the doer of the activities since Krishna is the original of everything, and He gives us the power and then we can use that power. So He also gives us the independence! So you can either be on this side of the street or that side.

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To get into that mood of absorption

Posted: 02 May 2012 02:19 PM PDT

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Soweto South Africa, 15th April 2012) Lecture: CC Talk

How do we connect or, better relate to the previous acaryas like the Goswamis?

The Goswamis would be absorbed in hearing and chanting. They were not interested in material things and would put their energy into spiritual things – we can take that principle. We may not be on the level where we forget to eat and sleep. I don't have that problem. I never forget to eat and sleep. It hasn't happened yet! So that we cannot imitate but definitely we can take that mood where we say:

'All right lets get absorbed in hearing and chanting about Krishna.'

That is the juice and they are the living proof! They were so ecstatic that they went deep, and they became so ecstatic. Therefore we can take inspiration from them!

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Vyasa Puja and Queensday

Posted: 02 May 2012 09:52 AM PDT

Please find below a very nicely elaborated article on Kadamba Kanana Maharaja’s Vyasapuja in Radhadesh as well as the Queensday, written by Ragalekha Devi Dasi.

“Once again, it was party time in the Benelux region with a three day festival that included the official Vyasa Puja celebration and Queensday Harinama.

The Vyasa Puja was held in Radhadesh on Sunday, 29 April 2012. However, the excitement started days earlier with intense planning and preparations. Maharaj's arrival in Belgium on Wednesday prompted an influx of disciples who decided to come in advance to cash in on the nectar, as in the days leading up to the Vyasa Puja, Maharaj gave morning classes at the temple. He also spent many hours in a day walking around the castle and surrounding fields, using that time to bond with disciples.

The festival was inaugurated on Saturday evening with a disciple program which included an ice-breaker, 30 minutes of mellow bhajan by Maharaj and two dramas enacted by the students of Bhaktivedanta College. The evening ended there for some but not for those who began transforming the Radhadesh Community Hall into a landscape of Vrndavan. It took all night but the successful end result made it worth all the effort.

On Sunday morning, Maharaj led the Guruvastakam prayers at Mangal Aarti, in a packed temple room. Disciples, overwhelmed by the special significance of the day, danced enthusiastically and the celebratory mood continued at Guru Puja when Maharaj led the kirtana once again. In the Caitanya Caritamrta class that followed, Maharaj gave many personal instructions where he encouraged devotees reaffirm themselves to spiritual life.

Shortly after the morning class, the Vyasa Puja began with a traditional foot-bathing ceremony. Many of the disciples then shared their heart-felt offerings of gratitude to Maharaj after which he addressed the audience in response to what was said. A Vyasa Puja book containing homages from disciples all over the world was presented to Maharaj. An ecstatic Guru Puja and kirtana followed and finally, a feast 'fit for royalty' was served out.

At 5 pm that day, an initiation ceremony was performed in the temple room where 9 devotees received first initiation and 4 second. Beautiful names were given like Antardvipa das, Godruma das, Jaya-Radhika dd, Matsya das and Surabhi dd, to mention a few. Another ecstatic kirtana brought the day's proceedings to an end for some of the devotees, while others joyfully entered the kitchen to prepare prasadam-packs for the next morning's bus journey to Amsterdam, for the Queensday Harinama.

Two double-decker buses departed Radhadesh at 5.30 am and the ride to Amsterdam took about 4 hours. Queensday is a national public holiday in Holland, in celebration of the birthday of the Queen. It's a day when locals engage in street parties and dress creatively in orange, which is their national colour. In keeping with the spirit, devotees adorned themselves in orange garments which didn't take too much effort from the bramacharis!

The Harinama started from Amsterdam temple at 11 am. HH Kavicandra Swami joined the party and the other main kirtana leaders present were: HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, HG Kripa Moya Prabhu (UK), HG Vidyavichaspati (CZ), HG Vraja Krsna Prabhu (SA) and Bhakta Prahlad (CZ). The Harinama party consisted of approximately 200 devotees which included many accompanying musicians on accordion, mrdanga, djembe, whompers and kartals. Devotees took a 90 minute lunch break at a site in the middle of Amsterdam when a tent and stage was set-up, and during this time the kirtana continued on stage. The fantastic Harinama ended at 7 pm at Amsterdam temple from where it started. Devotees boarded the buses there and returned to Radhadesh at around midnight.

On Tuesday morning, devotees bid farewell to each other and started to journey back to their respective countries. Not only did this Vyasa Puja and Queensday festival provide the opportunity to show our love and appreciation for Maharaj, but it also served as a meaningful team-building exercise for all the devotees who participated.

The festivities go on this coming weekend as devotees from all over Europe, including Maharaj, congregate at the Nrshimacalam farm in Passau (near Munich) in celebration of Nrshima Caturdasi (4-6 May).”

If you cannot view the slide show, just visit flickr.

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Protected: Vyasapuja 2012 photos and videos

Posted: 02 May 2012 01:58 AM PDT

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Queensday photos 2012

Posted: 02 May 2012 12:57 AM PDT

Queensday was again upon us and has happened in a big way. At least 200 devotees joined the many visitors of the Amsterdam Queensday festival. And it was ecstatic again like always. Kadamba Kanana Swami, Kavicandra Swami, Parasurama prabhu and Kripamoya prabhhu all joined to lead the wonderful mega huge harinam through the streets of Amsterdam for over 8! hours. We chanted Hare Krishna on top of our lungs and danced our feet into blisters. All for the mercy and to enlighten the visitors of Amsterdam. Parasurama prabhu from Ireland even brought his whole soundsystem plus deity cart. Check out the photos !!

If you want to see more photos from the queensday then checkout these albums on facebook :
(You need to login and to be friends with these people to see the photos)

Photo Album Nama Rupa dd
Photo Album Sanatani dd

Here are some photos from the Queensday 2012