Author Archives: Temple of the Vedic Planetarium

Sat-Tila Ekadashi is also known as Trisprisha Ekadashi. This Ekadashi occurs in the dark fortnight of the month of Magha(January/February). The glories of Sat-tila Ekadashi are narrated in the Bhavisyottara Purana in a conversation between the sage Dalbhya and Pulastya muni. This being the second Ekadasi of the year 2022, we encourage devotees to take

In a previous article, The Many Meanings and Forms of Radha Madhava, we presented various historical and theological perspectives of the names of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, as well as the history of the large Radha Madhava/Ashta Sakhi murtis. Below is a short explanation by Bhavananda prabhu of the arrival of the original chota Radha

Many devotees may not be aware that this year commemorates the 100th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada receiving the order to preach in the West from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (see the story below). This highly important and significant event and its eventual fulfilment should be the subject of our deepest contemplations. The words paschatya desha tarine

Published in: Michael Cremo (2010) The Forbidden Archeologist, Bhaktivedanta Book Publishing, Los Angeles, pp. 215—219. Originally published in Atlantis Rising magazine in 2008. My main interest is archeological evidence for extreme human antiquity. But I am also interested in other questions. One of them is the history of the Vedic culture in India. By Vedic

Pictured below are some images of the first model of the TOVP, made under Srila Prabhupada’s personal guidance and direction in 1971. Later, he changed the design to include a dome that resembled the US Capitol Building dome in Washington, D.C.. Below is Bhavananda’s recollection of this first showing of the TOVP model by ISKCON’s

On the most auspicious occasion of the Welcome Ceremony of Srila Prabhupada’s new murti to the TOVP on October 13 and 14, 2021, the first ISKCON organized Vaishnava Acharyas Sampradaya Samelan (Summit) took place online, inspired by TOVP Director of Development His Grace Braja Vilasa das, and organized by His Grace Gauranga das. Acharyas and

Putrada Ekadasi falls on the 11th lunar day of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the Vedic month of Pausha (December/January). This day is also known as Pausha Putrada Ekadashi, to differentiate it from the other Putrada Ekadashi in the month of Shravana (July/August), which is also called Shravana Putrada Ekadasi. This being the

In the world of modern science, consciousness is reduced to a fading epiphenomenon, left over after the brain has been physically explained.

In this video Sadbhuja Prabhu, Managing Director of the TOVP project construction, gives an update regarding the three museum floors of exhibits visitors will view as they ascend the stairways of the main temple hall.

Once again, we are approaching the end of another year as Kali-yuga progresses. As the saying goes, “Time and tide wait for no man.” Imperceptible time rolls on, and representing Krishna Himself, is the destroyer of all things. For devotees, however, time brings us to Krishna as we continue to endeavor in His service and

Saphala Ekadashi is one of the most pious and favorable fasting days. It takes place in the ‘Pausha’ month during the Krishna Paksha on the 11th day (waning phase of the Moon). The Saphala Ekadashi is also well known as ‘Pausha Krishna Ekadashi’ which usually falls in the months of January or December as per

The photos below are a small sample of a larger collection of construction update photos for 2021 now available to view on the TOVP Media Gallery. Work on the TOVP continues unabated despite many setbacks over the last almost two years since the pandemic started. The Grand Opening is now scheduled for some time in

The year 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the installation of Chota Radha Madhava in the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir by Srila Prabhupada himself. The TOVP is planning a huge, 4-day festival from March 2-5 to celebrate this event, as well as four other very important anniversaries this year, the Radha Madhava Golden Jubilee Festival. The

Celebrating 5 Anniversaries in 1 Festival Braja Vilasa prabhu announces the celebration of the Radha Madhava Golden Jubilee Festival, a 4-day festival from March 2-5, 2022 observing the anniversaries of five important events in ISKCON Mayapur and ISKCON history: 50th Anniversary of Chota Radha Madhava’s Installation 50th Anniversary of the ISKCON Mayapur Gaur Purnima Festival

With TOVP’s state-of-the-art Flipbook service, we are able to increasingly offer various publications, calendars and promotional materials as viewable, downloadable, shareable and printable Flipbooks on the TOVP website. Now available are the North America and India 2022 calendars, set to the theme of the Prabhupada Welcome Ceremony from October 14 and 15 this year celebrating

This is a short video by Sadbhuja das explaining the process of external facade cleaning of the TOVP GRC (glass reinforced concrete) which will take place annually after the monsoon season. The TOVP will be maintained in an immaculately clean condition externally for years to come, and rightfully so.   TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES –

From door knobs to big domes – the work continues on. Adjustments, refinements and accuracy on the drawings to fit the site conditions are in full swing for various elements of this grand building. Sharing some Architectural frames in this report.

AN INSTITUTION WITH SOCIAL CONSCIENCE We have been reaching out to the poor and needy in West Bengal since 2013 to make sure that they don’t go to sleep on an empty stomach. We feed half a million people annually, completely free of cost. A wholesome meal comprised of Dal (bean soup), Chawal (rice) and

Celebrating 5 Anniversaries in 1 Festival The TOVP Team is pleased to announce the upcoming, all-auspicious Radha Madhava Golden Jubilee Festival from March 2 – 5, 2022. This will be a festival to beat all festivals, commemorating the anniversary of five important years in the history of ISKCON. 50th Anniversary of Chota Radha Madhava’s Installation

Moksada Ekadasi, observed on the 11th day of Shukla Paksha (the waxing phase of the moon) during the lunar month of Margashirsha, is a very special Ekadasi in two regards: it is the all-auspicious day on which Lord Sri Krishna spoke the Srimad Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra at the place

Signs of Life: A Semantic Critique of Evolutionary Theory By Ashish Dalela (Rsiraja Das) This book challenges the fundamental ideas in the Neo-Darwinian theory of evolution from the perspective of mathematics, physics, computing, game theory, and non-linear dynamics. It argues that the key ideas underlying evolution—random mutation and natural selection—are based on notions about matter,

Sri Navadvipa-Dham Mahatmya by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur represents the revelation of the glories of the Holy Places of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birth and early life’s pastimes in Navadvipa, equating the entire Navadvipa mandala to Vrindaban. Its nine islands represent the nine processes of devotional service. This edition, translated by His Holiness Bhanu Swami and prepared

We would like to announce the passing of one of ISKCON Mayapura’s most loyal and devoted supporters, Srimati Madhavi Bhattacharya, wife of Dr. Sri Bhattacharya. She left her body on the auspicious day of Krishna Rasa Purnima, November 18, in her home in Kolkata. She and her husband were the biggest supporters of the ISKCON

Dear Friends, Yesterday, after more than four months of absence, I finally returned to Sridham Mayapur. Burning with impatience this morning I went to the construction site of the TOVP, accompanied by our Construction Manager, His Grace Premavatar Gauranga prabhu, who showed me the various directions in which work is now underway. We bowed to

As everyone knows, the Nrsimhadeva Deity will be installed on a separate altar in the East Wing of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The temple room of Nrsimhadeva will be smaller than the central hall, but nevertheless it will be beautifully decorated and very majestic. The Grand Opening of this wing is scheduled for

Godhead is Light. Nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no nescience. These words were immortally etched on Srila Prabhupada’s original Back to Godhead magazines in the mid-1940s. They are forever true, and the Hare Krishna movement was founded with this underlying principle in mind. The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, as envisioned

The 11th day of the waning phase of the Moon (Krishna Paksha) in the month of Margashirsha (November–December) is observed as Utpanna Ekadasi. It is believed that fasting on this Ekadasi relieves one from the reactions to sins of past and present lives. This day is also known as Uttpatti Ekadasi. The narration below of

Stephen Hawking on Trial: Confronting the Big Bang By Pierre St. Claire (Vaiyasaki Dasa) The wee Doctor behind the electronic voice on trial? Stephen Hawking’s influence was significant. Nonetheless, renowned cosmologists have detected serious errors in his Grand Design theory of the universe. Stephen Hawking On Trial documents the flaws in the final theory of

This short video by Mayapur TV and the TOVP presents Srila Prabhupada sitting on his Vyasasana in his quarters at the TOVP located on the Pujari Floor. He receives daily Guru Puja and offerings of foodstuffs, while he views the construction work on his personal CATV video screen. Srila Prabhupada’s presence in the TOVP cannot

Below is a narration of a conversation between His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and Bhavananda prabhu in Mayapur, 1977: In 1977 I was on the roof of the Lotus Building with Srila Prabhupada. He was walking the perimeter and chanting japa. At one point he stopped on the North side and was looking across the

The annual worldwide GIVING TUESDAY event is scheduled this year for Tuesday, November 30th. This day is set aside by world leaders as a day to help make the world a better place to live and improve life for all by giving to the charity of your choice. While giving in charity for hospitals and

This Ekadasi has four names: Utthana – Haribodhini – Prabodhini – Devotthani, and it is the second Ekadasi (Kartik Shukla, light fortnight) in the month of Kartik. It is said that Lord Vishnu goes to rest for four months during the period known as Chaturmasya. Starting from Sayana Ekadasi, which is the first Ekadasi that

The article below appeared in WUFT News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Meet Alfred Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford and a Gainesville resident When most people hear the name “Ford,” they think of cars. But one heir to the company wanted to change that in

Forty-four years ago this year, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left this world for the divine abode of Sri Krishna and His pastimes. During his empowered life as a preacher of Krishna consciousness from 1965-1977 he accomplished more than practically any acharya in history, bringing the opportunity for the highest attainment of Goloka

The 11th day of Krishna Paksha (Moon’s waning phase) in the month of Kartik (October – November) is celebrated as Rama Ekadasi, named after Lord Vishnu’s consort, Goddess Rama. The day is also known as Rambha Ekadasi or Kartik Krishna Ekadasi. It’s recommended to fast, chant extra rounds and stay up all night chanting and

The Festival of Diwali, lights, has become India’s largest and most important annual holiday and is celebrated by over 1 billion people, mainly of the Hindu religion, and can last up to five days depending on the celebrants. It is observed by the lighting of dipas or lights usually made of ghee wicks, placed in

By Michael A. Cremo (Drutakarma Das): The Forbidden Archeologist I presented this paper at The Sanskrit Tradition in the Modern World conference at the University of Newcastle, England, on May 19, 2000. The interactions among science, Hinduism, and Christianity are as complex as those in the three-body problem of astrophysics. In practice, astrophysicists select a

Every Krishna bhakta looks forward with great anticipation to Kartik Maas, the month of Damodar. During this time we make a special effort to remember the pastime of Mother Yashoda binding her naughty son with a rope to a grinding mortar as punishment for stealing butter. In her frustration to bind the unbindable Supreme Lord

Life and Origin of the Universe (Vedanta and Science) By T.D. Singh, PhD (HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami) Since the dawn of civilization, all philosophical, scientific, religious and even artistic works, in principle, have centered around the study of life, its meaning and the origin of the universe. What is life? What is the origin of

On October 14 and 15, ISKCON worldwide celebrated the Grand Welcome Ceremony of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP). Through Mayapur TV, the two-day event was broadcast live on YouTube and multiple ISKCON related Facebook Pages, and viewed by hundreds of thousands of devotees, and attended