Prayer Prayer

Krsna

jñānam asti tulitaṃ ca tulāyāṃ

prema naiva tulitaṃ tu tulāyām

siddhir eva tulitātra tulāyāṃ

kṛṣṇa-nāma tulitaṃ na tulāyām

Knowledge, yes, that can be quantified,but love can never be quantified.Now, yogic powers, they can be quantified,but Kṛṣṇa's name cannot be quantified.

(Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmī, Padyāvalī 15)


This is a translation of a beloved Sanskrit verse, rendered by a dear devotee in the UK, who is now (hopefully) recovering from the corona virus.All the best,Rukmini WalkerPatreon.com/RukminiWalker

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Prayer Prayer

Prayer for a Pandemic

This is a beautiful meditation for the time we're in right now. We have to remember that this is happening for us and not to us. It's written by an anonymous author. ~ Be safe, be well, be blessed, Rukmini Walker.


~Author Unknown

May we who are merely inconvenienced Remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors Remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home Remember those who must chose between preserving their health or making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close Remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips Remember those that have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market Remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home Remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, Let us choose love. During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.

Amen.

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Prayer Prayer

Nityananda Trayodasi Meditation 2

~by Śrīla Vṛndāvanadāsa Ṭhakura

Gauracandra has candidly proclaimed that Nityānanda Svarūpa is God.

By Nityānanda's grace one may know Gauracandra. By Nityānanda's grace one may understand his devotees.  By Nityānanda's grace, one's criticism of others will cease. By Nityānanda's grace one gains devotion to the Lord.No criticism of others flows from the mouth of Nityānanda's servants. Day and night, with great joy, they sing the fame of Caitanya. Nityānanda's devotees are always attentive.Caitanya is the treasure of Nityānanda's servants' lives. A little piety does not make one a servant of Nityānanda---indeed, Gauracandra himself is revealed to them! [...]All glory to Nityānanda, whose shelter is Gauracandra! All glory, all glory to Nityānanda, who [as Ananta] has a thousand mouths! All glory to the king of Gauḍa, Nityānanda Rāya!Who can obtain Caitanya without your grace? He who loses a Lord like Nityānanda will not find joy anywhere for as long as he lives.Will that day come when I will see Caitanya and Nityānanda together, surrounded by their followers?The Lord of my Lord is the beautiful Gaurāṅga---this is the great hope I harbour in my heart. [...]Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Nityānandacandra are my very life. Thus, I, Vṛndāvanadāsa, sing the glories of their feet.(Śrīla Vṛndāvanadāsa Ṭhakura, Caitanya-bhāgavata 2.22.134-148)-------------------------------------Happy Nityānanda Trayodaśī!All the best,Rukmini Walker

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Prayer Prayer

“Blessings”

with Br. David Steindl-Rast

We invite you to find a quiet place to experience the serenity of six blessings for everyday life as read by Br. David Steindl-Rast in this short, meditative video.   Experience the serenity of six blessings for everyday life in this new meditative film, "Blessings." Read by Br. David Steindl-Rast, "a man whose humble teachings," filmmaker Doug Menuez writes, "have helped millions to navigate the uncertainty and suffering bound up with being alive." Allow yourself to be reminded of the sacredness of every moment and to live from the great fullness of your heart. Video by: https://www.instagram.com/dmenuez/ Learn more at: https://gratefulness.org  Get connected on Facebook: https://facebook.com/Gratefulness.org  Join the Conversation on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gratefulnessorg

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDoNHGnJLwU&feature=emb_title[/embed]

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Kirtan, Prayer Kirtan, Prayer

Damodarastakam prayers

Click below to listen to a beautiful recording of Gaura Vani and Sri Vani Devi Dasi together singing the Damodarastakam prayers. Every year for one month we offer a special 8 verse prayer to Krishna called Damodarastakam. It is sung either in the morning or the evening along with the offering of a ghee lamp.This year, the month of Damodar ends on November 11 and the last five days from November 7 until the 11th are called Bhisma Pancaka and they are the most important of all.  I hope you enjoy the recording.All the best,Rukmini    [embed]https://soundcloud.com/iskconofdc/sri-damodarastakam-gaura-vani-and-srivani-devi-dasi[/embed] 

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Prayer Prayer

The Price of a Ticket Back Home: Meditations Part One

The month of Kartik which is dedicated to Srimati Radharani begins on Monday, Oct. 14th. Here are some priceless meditations to inspire you for the month of Kartik from my dear friend and sister Srimati who lives in Sri Vrndavan Dham. ~ Rukmini Walker


The mega-merciful month of Karttika is fast approaching each and every one of us. Are we ready for it? Some of us may be – especially if we are painfully aware of our crucial need for a heavy dose of causeless mercy – and we know something of Karttika’s boundless grace and potency. In that case, we may well be already planning our Karttika “mercy-begging” schedule to attract the blessings of Sri Krishna:
  •  No sweets for the whole month
  •  25 rounds every day for the month
  •  No criticism for the month

So many ideas and plans may come to mind....And, of course, we can’t afford to forget the 16th villasa of Hari-bhakti-vilasa which deals exclusively and extensively with Karttika and Karttika-vrata.

~Inspiration for a Successful Karttika~

[perfectpullquote align="full" cite="" link="" color="" class="" size=""]  "I surrender myself at the lotus feet of Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha - Damodara. Sri Damodara is the predominating Lord of the month of Karttika. By His influence, the month of Karttika has become glorious."  -- Excerpt from the Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa of Srila Sanatana Gosvamī; HBV 16.1 [/perfectpullquote]

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Poetry, Prayer Poetry, Prayer

Meditating on the Divine Feminine ~ Sri Radha

by Rukmini Walker

Friday, September 6th is the holy Appearance Day of Sri Radha, Lord Krsna's divine feminine counterpart. Here is some explanation of who exactly she is, as quoted from Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi Lila 4.96-98:

The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krsna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord.
 
Lord Krsna enchants the world, but Sri Radha enchants even Him. Therefore She is the supreme goddess of all.
 
Sri Radha is the full power, and Lord Krsna is the possessor of full power. The two are not different, as evidenced by the revealed scriptures.
 
Thus Radha and Lord Krsna are one, yet They have taken two forms to enjoy the mellows of pastimes.
 
Radhastami is the day when we most meditate on and celebrate the ideal of the Divine feminine, Sri Radha. She is the personification of Krishna‘s most compassionate nature and we are advised to approach her to intercede on our behalf when we try to approach Sri Krishna.

A most joyous Radhastami to you all!

All the best,
Rukmini Walker

Following is a beautiful recording of the poem Radhar ki hoilo antare byetha written by Chandhi Das one of Lord Chaitanya's favorite poets, sung by Srivani devi dasi.  

I hope you enjoy it!

[audio m4a="http://www.urbandevi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Radhar-ki-hoilo-antare-byetha.m4a"][/audio]

Radhar Ki Hoilo Antare Byetha

----------

Radhar ki hoilo antare byetha

Boshiya birole thakoye ekale 

Naa shone kaharo katha

Sadai dhyane chahe megho pane

Naa chole nayoner tara

Biroti ahare rangabash pore

Jemote jogini para

Elaiya beni fuler o gathuni 

Dekhoye khashaye chuli 

Hasito bayane chahe megho pane

Ki kahe du hatha tuli

Ek dithhi kori mayur mayuri 

Kantha kore nirikhone 

Chandidas koy naba porichoy

Kaliya bandhuro sane

TRANSLATION:

Radhar ki hoilo antare byetha

(What is the cause of Radha’s heartache)

Boshiya birole thakoye ekale 

(Sitting by Herself)

Naa shone kaharo katha

(She does not listen to anyone)

Sadai dhyane chahe megho pane

(In deep meditative mood she stares at the clouds)

Naa chole nayoner tara

(Her eyes aren’t moving)

Biroti ahare rangabash pore

(She doesn’t eat or dress up)

Jemote jogini para

(Her appearance is that of a hermit)

Elaiya beni fuler o gathuni 

(Flowers from Her hair are falling off)

Dekhoye khashaye chuli 

(Her hair is disheveled)

Hasito bayane chahe megho pane

(With a smiling face, She looks at the rain clouds)

Ki kahe du hatha tuli

(She raises her arms in obeisance)

Ek dithhi kori mayur mayuri 

Kantha kore nirikhone 

(She looks intently at the peacock and peahen’s neck)

Chandidas koy naba porichoy

Kaliya bandhuro sane

(Chandidas says “this is the effect of Radha’s new found love for Krishna”)

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blog, Kirtan, Prayer blog, Kirtan, Prayer

ReTreat Yourself!

Elizabeth is a communications consultant who is active with her Episcopal Church here in Washington, DC. She also loves kirtan, the call and response chanting of the many holy names of God in our Bhakti tradition.  Actually, the Biblical instruction to make a joyful noise unto the Lord transcends all religious boundaries. Here's what Elizabeth has to say about her multicultural experience on retreat. ~ All the best, Rukmini Walker


I might be a retreat junkie. I’ve been on two already this summer. At home, my prayer life is at best irregular. Getting some time away from distraction, to read and learn and reflect, is sustenance.In June, I attended a women’s retreat at Shrine Mont, which belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The vibe there is part summer camp, part genteel old resort, with rocking chair-filled porches and honeysuckle vines everywhere. The brilliant author/professor/priest Lauren Winner gave engaging talks throughout the weekend on by her latest work, “Wearing God.” In the weeks since, I've thought often of Winner’s illuminating exploration of the wealth of figurative language in the Bible, and of fellow retreatants who’ve been coming to Shrine Mont for decades.A few weeks later, I joined my yoga teacher and some other students from her studio at a Hare Krishna ashram in West Virginia.I’ve long admired the Krishna devotees’ full-hearted and full-throated worship, and as I rode the rise and fall of the energy in the temple, I felt Christ’s presence, even there. I participated in maybe one-third of the 24 nonstop hours of chanting, but sleeping in a room just off the temple I couldn’t help absorbing many more. On the way home, I stopped at Sheetz for gas and coffee, and could have sworn I heard the Krishna mantra playing on the mini-mart sound system.Neither of these retreats was silent (the Krishna one was quite the opposite), but I do love a good silent weekend. It’s sort of a relief not to have to make small talk with strangers, letting your soul decide for itself what it wants to do through meals and strolls and journaling. One of the best places to try that is Holy Cross Monastery on the Hudson River in New York.You don’t even have to leave town for a retreat! Twice, I’ve done the “Retreats in Daily Life” organized by Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Georgetown. Over a week, you engage in daily Ignatian-style reflections on assigned Scripture passages, and meet with a spiritual director. Both times I’ve been surprised by insights into my spiritual identity.If you haven’t gone on retreat, think about trying it. And if you have, I want to hear about it!
Elizabeth Terry is a communications consultant based in Washington, DC. She is a parishioner at All Souls Episcopal Church in Washington. 

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Prayer Prayer

NECTAR PRAYERS: RAMA NAMA

It is well known that the Lord’s name is the most compassionate - even more merciful than the Lord´s form. Here is an ancient prayer to Lord Rama’s name, which I found in one of my many notebooks where I had written down numerous gems of inspiration.

Lord Rama built a long bridge across the ocean, to transport many monkeys and bears over the waters but by Rama Nama unlimited numbers of souls have crossed the ocean of samsara.Lord Rama conferred immortality to his faithful servants like Sabari and Jatayubut Rama Nama has delivered many wretched people without asking for any qualification.Lord Rama killed demons like Ravana, Kara and Dushasanabut Rama Nama has extinguished innumerable demonic qualities.Lord Rama touched and liberated one Akalya, who was imprisoned in stonebut Rama Nama has broken down so many prison walls of Maya.Lord Rama purified forests like Chitrakuta and DandakaranyaRama Nama however has cleansed so many jungles of the heart.Lord Rama gave shelter to Bibhishana and SugrivaRama Nama however has sheltered uncountable souls.It is an open secret that Rama’s name has qualities like forgiveness and compassion- qualities that the nirguna brahman lacks.All glories to Lord Rama and His Name.

~ Sacinandana Swami, April 2012


Sacinandana Swami has been a monk in the bhakti tradition for 42 years. With a highly developed divine feminine side than most, He is known for his significant contribution to the practice of contemplation and meditation for modern practitioners of bhakti.  Sacinandana Swami has published numerous books and CDs, and offers an array of retreats and seminars. Thousands of enthusiastic singers and dancers visit his kirtan concerts.  He teaches at the Vrindavana Institute for Higher Education in India and the Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium.  
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