Mahamantra Piano Tune

A very kind devotee has asked me to share with you a piano composition of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, which is her rendition of another composition. I haven't heard it yet but perhaps those of you who play the piano can try it out and post your feedback! Enjoy :)

A new drinking cup for Krishna!

One of the places I travelled to last week was Zurich. I bought a little steel cup as a souvenir for my friend. It's maybe about three inches high, with the Swiss flag and 'Switzerland' written on it. So I gave it to my friend today, and she was going to open it, but kept it aside, thinking she'd open it later. Before I left, I told her to open it. So she did. And she sat there in shock, with goosebumps all over her. She went ecstatic! Turns out, she was just thinking about how she had been neglecting her ladoo gopal (a little Krishna deity that she has to take care of). She was thinking about starting to take care of the deity again, and she needed utensils. She was looking at her cups and they were all too big for the ladoo gopal. She had wished to get a smaller cup that would be suitable for the deity. And voila! She merely expressed this desire, and Krishna fulfilled it! My mother had seen these cups in Zurich in a shop we visited on a day tour, but we never purchased it. We then went looking around for it and couldn't find it. My mother really wanted to buy these cups. She liked them a lot. So one day I was souvenir shopping, and I came across this shop that sold these little cups and we bought a few.  Looks like Krishna really wanted it too, huh :)

For more personal stories like these, please check the category, 'Testimonies + Miracles +  Mercy Stories'

How to chant Hare Krishna properly

AMAZING tips, truths and thoughts!

Please please visit this website to learn how to chant properly and how to realize the power of the Holy Name: http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/japa-chanting.htm

I just read it, and I did my rounds for the day after reading it. I have to say, it really really helped. I was feeling so blissful! I was thinking that Radha and Krishna are here, I need to "welcome them" as the article suggested. So I did. And I needed to realize that the Holy Name is all I have and all I will ever ever need. I was feeling little chills. I was thinking wow if this is how people feel when they chant, what would happen if I trembled while chanting like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would?!

It really is true, you guys. The Holy Name has special powers that we cannot even begin to understand. Please read the article. It really will help you experience the Holy Name! All we have to do is ask! We just need to ask Krishna to plant the seed of devotional service. We just need to ask Him to show us some mercy!

Aindra Dasa has gone back to Godhead + Quotes on death

I never really knew Aindra Prabhu. Never heard much about him, never met him, never read about him. Today, when I logged on to Facebook, I saw everyone's statuses talking about a great soul's disappearance.

TONNES of mercy!

Oh, today today today...

Sigh...

Today was just wonderful. So much mercy! SO MUCH!

I was waiting for my friend to call me since she was going to take me with her to today's Hare Krishna Youth Class from the metro station. I would walk, but the weather is just awful now. 44 degrees and soaring! Not cool, man!

Ratha Yatra 2010 in Dubai

Hare Krishna, everyone!

I attended the ISKCON Ratha Yatra festival in Dubai today. It was taking place in the Sindhi Ceremonial Hall in Bur Dubai. Before this, my grandmother and I went to the Bur Dubai Sinaji mandir. Even there they had made a special chariot for Ratha Yatra. The pujari or head priest was pulling the chariot forwards and backwards throughout the aarti ceremony.

Sadhu sanga: Hanging out with Hare Krishna devotees!

Today, I went to this place my friends go to every week for a discourse or lecture on Krishna Conscious topics. Everyone's been trying to get me to go there for ages. So I went today, and, BELIEVE ME, it was incredible. I don't care if people call me stupid or too religious, and say that I'm wasting my time, wasting my life, running after things that haven't been "proven"... I really couldn't care less. The feeling Krishna gave me today is more than enough to banish every negative atom around. Seriously.

Sleepless Night + 26 Qualities of a Devotee

It's past 3 am and I just cannot sleep! I'm sick... AGAIN. Excess mucous, sore throat, stuffed nose, blocked ear... GRRRRRR! Well I'm feeling better now, though. I swear, I don't know, call me crazy but before I chanted my round today, I prayed that Krishna would heal me. And oh my gosh, I started feeling better while chanting. Like I was finding it a lot easier to breathe. Cool beans, huh? :)

My First Kirtan

Today, I attended my first kirtan. For those who don't know, a kirtan is when people come together to join in singing the Holy Names of Lord Krishna:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

I waited with eager excitement for the Hare Krishnas to arrive.

Donate... at no cost!

Hey guys!

Have you been looking around, trying to find a way to help, but have been held back?

Fear not, there is a way!

Now you can help online! This website, www.goodsearch.com, gives money to charity organizations based on YOUR searches! It's a search-engine and it's very simple to use. All you have to do is visit the website, enter your chosen organization, 'Verify' it, and there you go! For every search you make, the organization gets some amount of money.

P.S. I'm supporting Food For Life Global :) This is their website.

By the way, I came across Little Gokul's website after eons of searching, thanks to the search engine mentioned above (Goodsearch.com). Here it is.

Great Day

...And I owe it all to Krishna.

Yesterday, 4 others and I presented to a well-known fast-food company for a marketing project at University. I messed up and I was very being very hard on myself for making mistakes. I stammered, got stuck, forgot some main points, and I "handed over" the presentation to the wrong person. I apologized to my group-mates who said it was okay but I couldn't stop beating myself up about it.

Today was the award ceremony. I have been living in anticipation since yesterday.

"Association of Devotees" - This story gave me goosebumps! Haribol!

Source:

http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/profiles/blogs/the-importance-of-the?xg_source=activity

or www.krishna.com

"The importance of the 'Association of the Devotees / Saadhu Sanga' is narrated in the following illustration from the Shaastra.

Once the great sage Narada was intrigued by a doubt. He was sure that Lord Vishnu would clear it for him. He proceeded to the Ocean of Milk and found his Lord reclining on the giant hooded serpent-bed Shankarshana, His beautiful consort, Lakshmi devi beside Him.

Sage Narada offered his obeisance to Lord Vishnu and put his question to Him. "Oh Lord, what is the value of Vaishnava Satsang, the Association of Vaishnava Devotees?" Lord Vishnu smiled charmingly and said, "I will answer your question. But first you must do something for me. Look at that village on planet Earth. Can you see a small worm crawling on the ground over there?"With his yogic vision, Sage Narada perceived it and nodded.
"Go over there and ask your question to that worm. I'm sure you'll get your answer."

Sage Narada was puzzled, but he nevertheless did as instructed. In response, the worm looked up at him, promptly rolled over and died.Sage Narada was shocked. He hurried back to Lord Vishnu and told Him what had
happened. Lord Vishnu merely smiled and told him, "Oh, is that so? Never mind. Now do one more thing. Go over to that cow-shed you see over there, in that town. A calf was born there a while ago. Please ask the same question to that calf."
Sage Narada was still recovering from what had happened earlier."Oh no, my Lord! What if that calf dies as well? I cannot risk committing the unforgivable crime of `go-hatya'!" Lord Vishnu however, was able to persuade him and sage Narada left on his new mission. Warily, he made his way into the cow-shed. It was in the middle of the night and he approached the calf unnoticed. He put the same question to the calf. In response, the calf looked at him with its large brown eyes. And then rolled over and died! Sage Narada was horrified. Using all the yogic powers at his disposal, he fled the scene and arrived at the abode of Lord Vishnu, shaking with fear.
"Oh my Lord! What have I done! The worst sin expected of anyone; the killing of the animal most dear to you!"
Lord Vishnu pacified the trembling sage and assured him that no sin would accrue to him. "And in the bargain, my Lord, I haven't even got the answer to my question?!" sage Narada complained.
Lord Vishnu smiled and told him that he would have to do just one last thing for Him. "You see that vast kingdom over there? The Queen has just given birth to her first child. All you have to do is ask that child your question and you will get your answer." "No, my Lord! Please don't ask me to go there. I have no doubt that some harm will befall that child as well. I simply cannot take that chance." But Lord Vishnu remained adamant. What could the sage do? Nervously, he set forth towards planet Earth. Arriving on the balcony where the young prince was lying unattended, sage Narada cautiously approached him. The baby looked at him and gurgled with joy.

Hesitatingly, the great sage asked the child, "What is the value of Vaishnava Satsang?' The child looked at sage Narada, and to his surprise, began to speak. "O great Sage. Your question has already been answered. When you, the greatest of Vaishnavas, had first granted me your association, I was an insignificant worm. As a result of my contact with you, I left that body and was awarded the body of the most pious animal, the calf.

You graced me with your association once more, and I left that body to gain the birth of the prince and heir of this vast kingdom. And by your causeless mercy, you have granted me your exalted association yet again.
Now I have no doubt that this is my last birth on this Earth. Your association will help me attain that Supreme Destination; the abode of Lord Hari Himself!"

Krishna Conscious Music

For quite some time, I have been looking for bands and singers who perform songs about Krishna. The most common songs are mostly bhajans in Sanskrit or Hindi, or perhaps recordings of the maha mantra. I was looking for songs that had English lyrics and music that is similar to the songs released today. Now while there are apparently many Krishna conscious bands, as my friends tell me, I don't think they're very popular. So I'm going to list out some of the bands I know of and have come to love deeply. I will provide links wherever I can :)

Miracles and Experiences in Krishna Consciousness

Here are true stories of miracles and profound experiences that have happened to me, my friends, my friends' friends, and devotees all over the globe

• This true story is about a woman and her family being haunted by a ghost for 9 years


• Another story about how Bhaktivinode Thakur drove away a brahmana ghost


• Nrishinga Deva saves his 5-year-old devotee [Note: Many other short stories of miracles related to Nrishinga Deva are in the comments section on the same page]


• Krishna's milk miracle

A bad day, a baptism, a birthday, a book and a blog

I had a horrible day yesterday. I had a class at 8:30 in the morning and so, since I take the metro to Uni, I had to leave my house by 7:15 at the latest, to get the 8 am shuttle bus that my Uni provides. What happened was that I left my house in a fabulous mood. I was even singing. That's how good I was feeling. My friend's name ends with 'lova' so I was singing Mr Boombastic, exchanging Mr Lova Lova for Miss **lova Lova, while making a mental note to tell her about it have a few laughs.

So I was like "Mr Boombastic, say me fantastic, touch me in me back she say I'm rooooooooooooomatherfacker!!!"

My Experiences with the Hare Krishna Mantra

Here I am, with a post on my personal experiences with chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. This was due a long time ago, but I had exams and assignments to work on, so my apologies.

So here's all the coolio stuff that happened to me with regard to the mantra:

The first time I heard a studio recording of the Hare Krishna mantra with careful attention,

Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra

Today, I thought I'd write about chanting the mahamantra or the Hare Krishna mantra.

The Hare Krishna Mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

1 round of chanting means repeating the above 16 words or the mantra 108 times. This is called a japa.

Krishna in My Dreams

This morning, I woke up feeling good because Krishna paid me a visit in my dreams =) Well, I was horribly lazy and a bit stressed out, to be honest, but the dream was very nice! And what followed was rather freaky.

The dream is rather vague now but I will try my best to remember it correctly. Cannot guarantee the exactness, though.

In my dream, Radha and I were in a room. And then Krishna came and

Janmashtami 2009

Vaishnavas all over the world eagerly waited for the appearance day of their dear Kanha which fell on August 14th 2009. It's 2 days past now but I have still not gotten over the beauty of the Janmashtami festival.

For a quick overview on Janmashtami Today, it is the festival where people climb on top of one another, making a human pyramid to break the "dahi-handi" or "pot of yogurt" which is hung on a string tied to and from building tops. This is one of Krishna's pastimes enacted on the day of his birth. His birth too is a great story. Devaki and Vasudeva were locked in a prison cell because Devaki's cousin brother, Kamsa, was destined to be killed by Devaki's 8th son. So he ordered that all her children be killed upon birth. But when Kanha was born of divine birth, Vasudeva was instructed to

Driving Motor Vehicles II: Driving Motor Vehicles SAFELY

Irony, best beloveds, IRONY! Let me tell you why:

I almost had a car accident today.

WITH A COP!
WITH A COP! A POLICEMAN! I ALMOST HAD A COLLISION WITH A POLICEMAN! HOLY CANOODLE! A COP! A COP! THEY HAVE GUNS! HE COULD HAVE TAKEN AWAY MY LICENSE! EGAD! A COP!

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me tell you how: