Author Archives: Dandavats.com

The devotees from the Govinda restaurant and Patisserie of Benesov, Czech Republic organize home delivery of their prasadam!
Srila Prabhupada: You said that your job is maya, but you must know that maya is illusion. As soon as there is absence of Krishna Consciousness—that is maya. But you are working just to help and push Krishna’s interest; therefore, it is not maya. Anything used in Krishna Consciousness is real renouncement. Letter to Jayagovinda, February 3, 1970
For more information: https://goo.gl/ddGXDJ

April 8. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Harvey Offers Prabhupada His Studio on the Bowery.
Prabhupada had lost his spirit for living in Room 307. What would prevent the janitor from stealing again? Harvey Cohen and Bill Epstein had invited him to relocate downtown and had assured him of a more interested following among the young people there. It had been an attractive proposal, and he began to reconsider it. Then Harvey offered Prabhupada his studio on the Bowery.
Harvey had been working as a commercial artist for a Madison Avenue advertising firm when a recently acquired inheritance spurred him to move into a loft on the Bowery to pursue his own career as a painter. But he was becoming disillusioned with New York. A group of acquaintances addicted to heroin had been coming around taking advantage of his generosity, and his loft had recently been burglarized. He decided to leave the City and go to California, but before leaving he offered the loft for Prabhupada to share with David Allen.
David Allen had heard that Harvey Cohen was moving to San Francisco if he could sublet his loft. Harvey hadn’t known David very long, but on the night before Harvey A.I.R. was supposed to leave, he coincidentally met David three different times in three different places on the Lower East Side. Harvey took this as a sign that he should rent the loft to David, but he specifically stipulated that the Swami should move in.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=7

Into the Mouth of The Red Dragon (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: This afternoon myself and a team of 14 devotees arrive…

Post-modern Perspectives on the Guru-disciple Relationship.
Kripamoya Das: Despite the success of Vaishnavism as a worldwide phenomenon, there are yet some persistent difficulties faced by converts in understanding and implementing the ancient guru-disciple tradition. Partial understandings of source texts combined with highly selective use of quotes has only served to exacerbate the divisions of thought. This is particularly true of the writings on the delicate subject of guru-disciple.
This is probably as much as can be expected considering the prevailing climate. Whether we term it ‘post-modernism’ or not, the current intellectual and philosophical climate in the industrialised world has contributed to a particular perspective on the Vedas and the guru-disciple culture which is at its heart. The post-modern paradigm has several elements which may be helpful to the spirituality required to fully understanding the guru-disciple relationship. Conversely, it has some that directly militate against it:
1. Relational rather than hierarchical – Post-modern people are suspicious of the mainstream in any area of life and much prefer flat or networked organisations to hierarchies. Post-moderns want to humanise the world and are drawn to marginalised people; they are relationship centred. They give a higher priority to building a relationship than maintaining a building or structure. This view of the world probably helped to create the Hare Krishna movement back in the 1960s and 1970s.
However, as the role of the guru in the Hare Krishna movement has become augmented with organisational position and corollary power, there have been more complaints about the ‘position of guru’ being used to preserve the ‘institutional hierarchy.’ As the movement has gone from the social fringes to a more ‘mainstream’ position, the post-modern observers have re-categorized it from a ‘spiritual movement’ to a ‘religious institution.’ Although there is only a difference in size and complexity, that is enough for some to regard the guru-disciple relationship as an instrument of a religious hierarchy – and to react against it.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/jnOXgn

Letting out of the Cows!
Each spring, the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s New Gokul farm goes through the “letting out of the cows” ritual, whereby the cows and bulls are overjoyed to be let out again in the fields after being kept sheltered inside for the winter. Everyone laughs and cheers as the herd race across the fields, jumping and moo-ing in happiness. A truly delightful and entertaining experience for both cows and humans alike!
When: Sunday 10th April at 9.45am
Where: At New Gokul (The Manor’s farm – UK)

The King’s Finger.
Once upon a time, there lived a king. The king was very kind and ruled his people very well. One day he accidentally cut his finger. The king cried aloud and his minister who was a devotee of Krishna came running and saw that the king has cut his finger.
The minister tying a cloth to the king’s finger said, “Dear king, don’t worry, whatever happen it’s is the mercy of Krishna. So be happy and thank your luck and thank Krishna”
The king got very angry and said, “What nonsense you are talking. The blood is coming out. I am crying in pain. You say this is the mercy of Krishna. You are a big fool. I will throw you in jail”. Shouting thus, the king got his minister thrown in jail. The minister smiled and said aloud, “Whatever happened is the mercy of Krishna! Thank you Krishna!”
But one fine morning the fat king went alone for hunting in the forest. There were no guards no ministers with him. He soon lost his way in the forest and landed in an enemy’s tribal kingdom.
Suddenly the tribal king and his soldiers rounded up the king and tied him to a tree. The tribal soldiers then drank and danced around the king and shouted, “Let this king be sacrificed to our Kali”. Shouting thus, they all prepared the king for the big sacrifice to Kali devi.
The king was sad as there was no minister with him to advise how to escape. He was weeping with tears running down his eyes.
The tribal king and the priest came to inspect the king and saw that the king had a bandage on his finger.
The priest then said to the tribal king, “Sir, this king has already cut his finger and the blood has already come out of him. But for our Kali we need fresh blood and a whole body without any cuts. Therefore, this king is unfit to be sacrificed and let him go back to his people.” The tribal king agreed and set the king free.
The king got back to his kingdom and related the story to his minister who was in jail. The minister then smiled and said, “See I told you that whatever happens is the mercy of Krishna and is for our own good !
On that day, you cut your finger it saved your life ! And when you put me in jail it also saved my life !” The minister said smiling.
The king was surprised and asked, “How’s that !”
The minister replied, “See, wherever you go I have to be with you. But on that day I was in jail. So I did not come with you. If I had come with you, the tribal king would have sacrificed me because my body was whole and there were not cuts on me. This way I too was saved !
You cutting your finger and me going to jail both happened to our own good! That is what I believed. And this is the moral philosophy that everyone should believe… “whatever happens, happens for our own good and it is the mercy of Krishna !”
If we strongly believe in this moral philosophy we will really stop worrying and make our lives happier and happier… forever and ever ! Putting our lifes in hands of Krishna is the most secure way to live our life.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Cows Protection Purifies The Heart (3 min video)
A short announcement by the Harinama Mandir community.
Srila Prabhupada: …

Preaching program in the University of Cincinnati (Album with photos)
The University event was sponsored by the UC Bhakti Yoga …

What a vow!
Kadamba Kanana Swami: Let us for a moment concentrate and meditate on Madhavendra Puri and his vow. His vow was basically not to make any arrangement for anything to eat. Why such a vow? That vow was not followed by him in the mood of austerity, it was not, “From now, let me do some extraordinary austerity. I will not a make any arrangements for anything to eat.”
No, that was not it. If you think of it, all problems start with eating. It’s because we have to eat that we have to work and then you need to cook, and so on, and before you know it, it’s a huge entanglement. It takes away time – time away from the essential activity, and that was what was mood of Madhavendra Puri who did not want to take away any time from glorifying Krsna. He did not want to, for one moment, just stop his chanting. So, therefore he was not going to bother with anything else. He just let it go, he renounced it, he said, “I will leave it up to Krsna and I will only chant.”
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/mz71pX

April 7. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Discussing Plans to Return to India.
Prabhupada had told Joseph Foerster, the Scindia ticket agent, that he would be returning to India in a couple of months. That was seven months ago. Now for the first time since his arrival, Prabhupada had returned to the Scindia office in Brooklyn. He talked about the theft to Mr. Foerster who responded with, “Welcome to the club,” and told Prabhupada about the recent theft of his own automobile. Such things, he explained, were not unusual for New York City. He told Prabhupada of the dangers of the City and how to avoid thefts and muggings. Prabhupada listened, shaking his head. He told Mr. Foerster that American young people were misguided and confused. He discussed his plans for returning to India and showed Mr. Foerster one of his Bhagavatams.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=7

TKG Academy Science Video (4 min video)
Take a look at how TKG Academy students explore Science every day! Listen to their discoveries in Krishna’s magical creation.
TKG Academy (Dallas, TX) is the first Gurukula school established in the Western world by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna consciousness.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/djPvAM

Iskcon Nepal: Brief Emergency Relief Report (Album with photos)
Food for Life Nepal was quick to respond to this massive earthquake that devastated the region.
• Volunteers started serving hot meals from the very first day.
• Over 200,000 meals served for 2 months.
• 2600 blankets distributed.
• Rescue Health Camp Organized in dozens of affected places.
• 47 Temporary shelters built with collaboration with Lumanti.
• Food Materials Distributed to More than 10,000 victims.
• Clothes or tents were distributed to more than1000 victims.
• We reached out to Nuwakot, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Sakhu, Dharmasthali, Dhading, Gorkha etc.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/SaM3cf

Harinama in Arbat Street (mainly referred to in English as the Arbat, is a pedestrian street about one kilometer long in the histori…

Snana-yatra 2016 Festival (Album with photos)
Snana-yatra festival at New Govardhana, San Diego. April 3, 2016
Srila Prabhupada: One cannot capture the blowing wind. And it is even more difficult to capture the turbulent mind. One must engage one’s mind fully in Krishna. Only then will there remain no other engagements to agitate the mind. (Bhagavad-gita 6.34, purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/nKla0R

Radha Kunda Seva – March 2016 Photos and Updates (Album with photos)
March was a quiet, uneventful month of steady seva. Cleaning and prasadam distribution every single day.
We could tell you about all the developments we’re waiting for because… well, because it’s India, but we won’t bore you with all that. I think you know anyway. Kitchen! We’re waiting to build our kitchen!
Only, we’re not waiting and twiddling our thumbs. Thanks to your ongoing support, we get to keep serving and serving.
Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com.
Your servants, Mayapurcandra dasa, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, and Urmila Devi Dasi.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/6EQDsZ

North Indian Carrot Halava.
Kurma dasa: Since so many have asked, here is my recipe for carrot halava. It is not the usual milky version. I like this one better because the taste of the carrots comes through.
Unlike the Middle Eastern sesame based halva, Indian halavas are more like fluffy puddings, and can be made with grains, vegetables, fruits, seeds or legumes. In my ultra-simple version of the famous North Indian dish, fresh sweet carrots are shredded and cooked with ghee or butter and sweet spices, then folded with dried fruit and nuts to form an aromatic dense pudding. Carrot halava is delicious, and ideal when you want to prepare something a little different. Serves 4 – 6 persons.
2/3 cup unsalted butter, or ghee, about 140g
900g (almost 2 pounds) carrots, trimmed, peeled and coarsely shredded (weighed after trimming and peeling)
1 teaspoon powdered cardamom seeds
¾ cup raw sugar
¼ cup sultanas
½ cup toasted almond slivers, pistachios or cashews
Light cream to serve
Melt the butter or ghee in a large non-stick saucepan over low heat.
Add the shredded carrots, increase the heat to moderate and, stirring frequently, cook the carrots and butter together for 30 minutes, or until the carrots are very reduced, dry and completely soft.
Add the powdered cardamom, sugar, and sultanas, and stirring steadily to prevent scorching, cook for about 10–12 minutes, or until the orange coloured ghee oozes out of the pudding, and the mixture is again nearly dry. Remove the carrot halava from the heat, fold in the nuts and serve hot or warm.

April 6. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Burglary in Prabhupada’s Room.
April 1966: Someone broke into Room 307 while Srila Prabhupada was out and stole his typewriter and tape recorder. When Prabhupada returned to the building, the janitor informed him of the theft: an unknown burglar had broken the transom glass, climbed through, taken the valuables and escaped. As Prabhupada listened, he became convinced that the janitor himself was the culprit. Of course he couldn’t prove it, so he accepted the loss with disappointment. Some friends offered replacements for his old typewriter and tape recorder. In a letter to India he described the theft as a loss of more than a thousand rupees ($157.00).
It is understood that such crime as has been committed in my room is very common in New York. This is the way of material nature. American people have everything in ample, and the worker gets about Rs 100 daily wages. And still there are thieves for want of character. The social condition is not very good.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=7

Bharatpur Rathayatra (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Rathayatra for the first time in Bharatpur, Rajasthan! On Sunday, Radha Shyamasundara Prabhu arranged for Rathayatra and the people of Bharatpur opened their hearts to the devotees. Every block they arranged to distribute juice, water, and other cold drinks to the dancing devotees. For ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary, another Rathayatra for Srila Prabhupada! Relish the joy through Vittalrukmini’s pics!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/krDvTY

Gaura Purnima Festival at Bhaktivedanta Academy, the Hare Krishna School in Alachua, Florida.
Jaya Sri Radhe devi dasi: The students of the Krishna Sharanam classroom (7th-9th grade) at the Bhaktivedanta Academy recently put on a project to celebrate Gaura Purnima with their classroom Panca Tattva deities. Putting on a festival like Gaura Purnima helps the students build leadership and practical life skills. Each area of the project –decorations, jewelry, backdrops, and abisheka – had a student leader. The leader organized and prepared the necessary materials and engaged other students. They all collaborate together on the theme for the festival. This year’s theme was from the prayers by Queen Kunti, “As the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.” The students also wanted to portray Mayapur Dhama village as well as the Ganges flowing to the sea. They had only a small budget so everything was made by hand. This year’s feature was handmade banana trees, and a miniature replica of Navadwip featuring Srivas Unga, Yoga Pitha, and Narasimha Palli. The day before the Festival, there was an abisheka where the school was invited to view the Deities. On the day of the Festival, the class finishes up their Holy Name marathon, and the school and parents and guests are invited to chant with them and take darshan.
Krishna Sharanam
This yearly celebration is a time when whole class gets together and works on a project centered around Krishna. The excitement builds as the students see to all the details involved in making the festival a success. Madhuri Fitch was the leader of creating the village scene, Ksina Valdez was in charge of the altar decorations, Janvi Shah was in charge of classroom decorations that included the Ganges design, Anasuya Rico painted the backdrops which featured tropical foliage and flowers, Nishtha Kowlessar designed and coordinated the jewelry making, Haridas Leslie was in charge of the abisheka, and many other students assisted such as hunting and gathering in the woods to get the raw materials to make the Navadwipa village, making garlands, etc. Everyone had a hand in it. For many students, it is the highlight of the year…they develop sincere closeness to Panca-tattva, and realize the rewards of becoming part of something bigger than themselves.

Gaura Purnima in Iskcon Silicon Valley (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “You are doing your duty very nicely. That’s all right. But by doing your duty, if you do not develop your Krishna consciousness, then you are simply wasting your time.” Bombay, January 6, 1973.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/afSRhe

Cultural Iskcon program in Hungary (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “When one becomes Krishna conscious, he loves everyone. If you chant loudly Hare Krishna, even the ants and insect who is hearing, he’ll be delivered, because it is spiritual vibration.” Bombay, January 4, 1973.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/NG38b5

ISKCON 50 printed clothing.
Colourful range of t-shirts, hoodies, zipper jackets, polo shirts, caps produced by mantradesignpri…

Shocked then Shocked Again!
Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books to the coal-mine workers.
The bus party of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath temple Chowpatty went to the coal mines.
After a couple of days of good book distribution we decided to try the head-office. Jagganatha Prabhu met the head officer and obtained the permission and the next day we set up a stall beside the vehicle parking inside the gate. It was 8 am and slowly the officers were trickling in. Sun had just begun to show its face dissipating the early morning fog and it was warming up. From the corner of my eye I saw a security man, who had just arrived, rush at our table. He had a fair complexion, a shikha and tilak and when he arrived nearer I noticed on his name plate a surname that showed that he was a Brahmin. But what he did next was anything but brahminical. “Stop this!” he shouted. “Stop this immediately. You are not allowed here. What do you think? Is this some vegetable market that you can enter inside and sell your stuff? Come on get out. Just get out.” Our bus had just left out of the gate, but seeing the commotion, Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu stopped. I called the man and assured him that we had the permission of the officer to do the exhibition. But he did not listen. He physically began to move the crowd away from the table and shout expletives. I got so angry that my voice choked up. I had the urge to grab his collar and give him a smack but seeing his age I checked myself. I got the permission papers and with shaking hands showed him the signature of the authorities, but he just did not listen. “You first stop this and shift your table outside the gate. Just go out,” he said. “We are not going out,” I said. “We have the permission and just now the secretary to the head officer had come and sanctioned our stall, if you have a problem you meet him.” “No, you meet him,” he shouted back, “and ask him to call me in my office.” I stormed to the office of the secretary and told him the events. “Please call your security and tell them to allow us.” “Sorry, I can not do that. You have to move out,” he said. “But we have the permission of the head officer,” I said, “We met him yesterday.” “That is ok, but some men are objecting to this religious exhibition.” “I want to speak to the head officer,” I said. “OK,” the secretary called the head officer, but before I could speak to him, he briefed him about the objection raised by a certain section of office staff against us. The head officer sympathized with me but said that he was unable to help. Crestfallen I returned to the stall and told the devotees that we had to move out of the complex. The problem was that once we moved out hardly anyone would have come to our stall. Most men had vehicles and they would speed away once out of the gate. Only a rare soul would cross the road and come to us. I explained the situation to Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu. “Just show that you are shifting,” he said. “Move some boxes and meanwhile continue to distribute on the table. If someone again comes show that you are going but since some customers are there hence you are entertaining them. Wait till 11:30 am and then shift to some other location. I will take the bus to next mine.” I did as he told me. We packed 4-5 cartons and one devotee stood with them across the road while another continued the sales on the table. Then I went to the security man who had charged at us and said that we were shifting. He called me inside his cabin. “I am extremely sorry Maharaja,” he said folding his hands. “What you are doing is a very noble thing. See I am also a Brahmin,” he took out his sacred thread, “but what to do, we have to act rough. There were certain men at your stall who are against our dharma and simply to appease them I behaved in such a bad way. I know that your man had come yesterday and got the permission, still I troubled you only to make those men go away. Now you can continue your sale. Only thing is do not keep many books on the table. You can keep the excess in my office and when you need them you can take them from here.” “Hey Dharmu!” he called his man, “go get Swamiji’s books from the road.” His men brought all our boxes from the road to the office. “And please give me a set of books,” the security man requested me. My jaw hung in sheer shock at the turn of events. I gave him the books and continued low-key distribution even when the head officer arrived. Later we met him and he gave us a vehicle on which two of us carried 12 sets and went to a peripheral office and sold all of them.
Sankirtana Yajna ki jaya!
Your Servant, Murari Gupta Das

Dhruva and Parijata (7 min video)
The story of how two highly successful individuals in the corporate world came to run an organic farm in Port Royal, PA.
Farm life transforms one’s conception of “success”. In this short video hear from our dear leaders, Dhruva and Parijata, how it continues to transform their hearts.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/kRp1MJ

Gaura Purnima Celebration at SJMKL (Album with photos)
Gaura Purnima was attended by more than 400 guests at Sri Jagannatha M…

April 5. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Invitation Downtown.
David Allen, a twenty-one-year-old seeker who came up from the Paradox, had just moved to the City, optimistically attracted by what he had read about experimentation with drugs. He saw the old group as “a kind of fussbudgety group of older women on the West Side listening to the Swami’s lectures.”
David: We weren’t known as hippies then, but it was strange for the people who had originally been attracted to him. It was different for them to relate to this new group. I think most of the teachers from India up to that time had older followers, and sometimes wealthy widows would provide a source of income. But Swamiji changed right away to the younger, poorer group of people. The next thing that happened was that Bill Epstein and others began talking about how it would be better for the Swami to come downtown to the Lower East Side. Things were really happening down there, and somehow they weren’t happening uptown. People downtown really needed him. Downtown was right, and it was ripe. There was life down there. There was a lot of energy going around.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=7

New issue of Bindu.
K Bindu #372 includes: Why Quarrel, plus a continuation of crucial points for advancing in bhakti from Vallabhacarya. The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released. This issue includes: * Why Quarrel? – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains why people in different religions argue. * Why Quarrel? – Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja speaks about why devotees in Mahaprabhu’s movement sometimes quarrel. * WISDOM, PATIENCE AND SURRENDER Part Three – A first time translation done especially for this issue of Bindu of some writings of Srila Vallabhacharya regarding three crucial points for making advancement on the path of devotion. * Committing Sins for Attaining Vrindavan – A fresh translation done for this issue of a verse by Srila Prabhodananda Saraswati Thakur. It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu372

NBS#34 Devahuti attains Vaikuntha.
Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All g…

Pilgrimage to India and Bhakti Shastri (Sabbatical Course)
For those who are proficient in their understanding of Krishna Consc…

Veda Course.
The residential Veda Course is designed for those wishing to gain a foundational understanding of bhakti-yoga. Ov…

St. Augustine Festival of Chariots April 9.
11th Annual Festival of the Chariots
and Ratha Yatra Parade
Saint Augustine, FL Saturday, April 9, 2016
MEDIA RELEASE
Contacts: Bhadra das at 352 316-4560 or Bhadradas@gmail.com,
WHAT: An Indian multi-cultural parade and festival will be celebrated with entertainment for the whole family. There will be live music, theatre, classical dance, books, and lots of free delicious vegetarian food. The Ratha Yatra Parade is the oldest known parade in the world.
WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 2016. Mayor Nancy Shaver inaugurates the procession at 10:15 AM. The Parade begins at 10:30 AM. at the Plaza and returns there by noon. At 1 PM there will be an hour long procession down St. George Street without the Chariot. Then at 2 PM cultural program begins. The free food will be served out all day from 11 AM onwards. The festival continues until 3 PM
WHERE: The Plaza de la Constitucion at St. George Street and Cathedral Place.
WHO: All are welcome. Free admission. Wholesome fun for the entire family.
SPECIAL: VERY VISUAL event with colorful traditional costumes and flower decorations. Photography is permitted.
If you’ve ever dreamt of visiting colorful, exotic India, we have a treat for you. Get a taste of India without leaving Florida.. Saturday, April 9, 2016. The 11thAnnual Festival of the Chariots & Ratha Yatra Parade, an Indian multi-cultural extravaganza, will take place at the main plaza in St. Augustine from 10:30 AM to 3 PM. This year St. Augustine Mayor, Nancy Shaver, will inaugurate the procession at 10:15 AM
There will be lots of family-friendly activities and entertainment: live music, a play, classical Indian dance, books. But the big draw is the delicious vegetarian food. There will be a sumptuous feast served free of charge to all, starting at 11 AM.
The procession route is about 2 miles long and can be easily walked by all age groups. It begins at 10:30 AM at the Plaza and returns to the same location. The parade will move in a leisurely fashion, stopping here and there along the route, giving way to song and dance. The procession’s unique feature is a huge chariot with a blue, red and yellow canopy decorated with swans, lotus flowers, flags, Hanuman and a brass chakra on top. This chariot has two very thick ropes attached to it that are over one hundred feet long. These ropes are pulled by the parade-goers, propelling the chariot along the parade route. Riding on the Chariot are the beautiful Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, decorated with stunning silk outfits & real flowers. It’s a vision from another world. Accompanying the procession is lively Indian music and dancing, backed by double-headed mrdanga drums & karatala hand cymbals. It’s an ecstatic, exciting event.
The festival is sponsored by ISKCON Alachua, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness whose Founder/Acharya, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, came to America from India 50 years ago and introduced the timeless tradition of the Festival of the Chariot (called Ratha Yatra in India). Since the 60’s this festival has been held yearly in over 50 major cities in the United States, Canada, and all over the world. Eight Ratha Yatras are held yearly in the state of Florida: Clearwater, Jacksonville Beach, Tallahassee, UCF Orlando, Tampa, UF Gainesville, Daytona Beach & St. Augustine.
All are warmly invited to attend this joyous, colorful festival, free of charge. Take advantage of a rare chance to experience the vibrancy of India, right here in Florida. Questions? Call: Bhadra das at 352 316-4560 or Bhadradas@gmail.com.
Please check out our website and our facebook page:
http://festivalofchariots.org
http://facebook.com/rathayatras

The Real Gift.
Nandini Mataji: At Borivali Station, I was distributing books. Taking a break, I sat on the bench. Nearby I saw an educated young man standing. So I went and showed her the books. While talking to him, I smelled that he was little drunk. He happened to be working for a big company Mahindra & Mahindra tractors. He was a young man of only 24. He opened up showing his distress. No one listens to anyone. Everyone is selfish. He went on and on venting out his distress. Finally, I told him the glories of reading this book and that it has the solution for all problems.
The man gathered courage and took the Gita and promised that he will surely try. However, I gave him by mistake a hindi Bhagavad Gita instead of Marathi Bhagavad Gita. I also gave him our Temple card and number. After few days. He met me again at Borivali station. He looked more peaceful. He came and told that by mistake he had taken the Hindi book instead of Marathi. But nonetheless, he read few pages. And really he felt very good. Since that day, he said he hasn’t taken any drink. He said he had promised his girlfriend and also his family member that he won’t drink in future. Just by taking that book and reading few pages I felt so good. He thanked me and left. He said that this is real gift‐ to give this message of Gita instead of gifting pens and water bottle.

Tight Knit Group (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Our last stop in New Zealand was Christchurch in the south island. Sti…

Today’s program: Book and prasadam distribution at Besakih Temple, Bali. April 3, 2016.
We distributed 5000 glasses rosela water, 3500 prasadam cakes.
Happy seva with friends and Russian devotees.
Srila Prabhupada: If by the tongue you chant Hare Krishna mantra, and by the tongue you taste prasadam, you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things. London, July 12, 1973.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XypmbZ

April 4. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: The New Hip Crowd.
The new group from The Paradox was young and hip, in contrast to the elder, more conservative uptown people who had been attending Prabhupada’s classes. In those days, it was still unusual to see a person with long hair and a beard, and once such people started coming to the Swami’s meetings on the West Side, some of the older people were alarmed. As one of them noted: “Swami Bhaktivedanta began to pick up another kind of people. He picked them up at the Bowery; or some addicts. And they came with funny hats and grey blankets wrapped around themselves, and they startled me.
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How to instantly win people’s hearts?
Point out the good qualities of their children, or even their pets. How to make people dislike you? Insult or harm someone dear to them.
Similarly, the most grievous way to block the Lord’s mercy is to have contempt or irreverence for those who love and serve Him, especially those sacrificing to teach others about spiritual life. If we offend Krishna by insulting His dear sons and servants, we will fail to feel the ecstasy of love of God when we chant His holy names, as in the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
—Urmila Devi Dasi

Powerful dynamic preaching in Hong Kong (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Adi Purana Krishna tells Arjuna: “Anyone who is engaged in chanting My transcendental name must be considered to be always associating with Me. And I may tell you frankly that for such a devotee I become easily purchased.” (Nectar of Devotion, 12)
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Recipe – Peanut Butter Cookies (5 min video)
There is this specific statement in the Padma Purana: “A person who honors the prasada and regularly eats it, not exactly in front of the Deity, along with caranamrita [the water offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, which is mixed with seeds of the Tulasi tree], immediately can achieve the results of pious activities which are obtained through ten thousand performances of sacrificial rites.
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Scenes from the Nandagram- Farm Community, Gujarat, India (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our centers are like the oasis …

Preaching program in Moscow, Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Pure devotees chant the Hare Krishna mantra, and simp…