GRC Dome Brackets
- TOVP.org

We have completed our first bracket for the Kalash on the Planetarium Wing Dome.

The bracket weighs 850 kilograms (1,874 lbs). The brackets for the Main Dome will be twice the size and will weigh 1,200 kg (2,646 lbs) each. Each Dome will have 24 brackets, and we have 3 Domes. Thus, the GRC factory will produce a total of 72 brackets.

Puka

The brackets are very ornate and detailed. They will help support the base of the Kalash. In a few days, we will lift the bracket in a crane up to the Planetarium Wing Dome.

Working

The post GRC Dome Brackets appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Message of Prime Minister of India for ISKCON50
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Hare KrishnaBy Vrajendranandan Das

We are pleased to inform you that we have received a very encouraging and inspirational message from India's Top Leadership - The Prime Minister's office personally signed by Sri Narendra Modi - Prime Minister of India, Congratulating ISKCON for 50th Anniversary celebration 2016 being observed worldwide. All ISKCON Temples, Communities and various Centers connected can utilize and propagate this message for their respective Public functions, Celebrations, Festivals, Display, and publications and also during Janmashtami Souvenir 2016. Thus our ISKCON Society's efforts has been highly acknowledged and appreciated by the Prime Minister of India for the ISKCON World and its community. Continue reading "Message of Prime Minister of India for ISKCON50
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Remain in Krishna’s army! Jayapataka Swami remembers: My father…
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Remain in Krishna’s army!
Jayapataka Swami remembers: My father he reacted very angry, he said “You come back immediately, otherwise I will turn your name over to the American Army and you will die in Vietnam. So I asked for how long, but my mother she didn’t know what to say. Later she came up to see me. Meanwhile I asked Prabhupada, “What should I do?” He said, “Better you fight in Krishna’s army. Rather than being in American Army be in Krishna’s army”

Devotees from Africa visit Mayapur and perform Harinama with…
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Devotees from Africa visit Mayapur and perform Harinama with enthusiasm (6 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: “My heart is always burning in the fire of material existence, and I have made no provisions for getting out of it. The only remedy is hari-nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which is imported from the spiritual world, Goloka-Vrndavana. How unfortunate I am that I have no attraction for this. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.1.22 Purport)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/GGf0fM

Appreciating the perennial learning mood of Radheshyam Prabhu
→ The Spiritual Scientist

One of the most astonishing events in India, ISKCON the recent years was Radheshyam Prabhu’s decision to go to the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha for studying the full course for a full two years. The full magnitude of this registered in me when I was there and the devotees showed me a whole picture book they had prepared of his stay there – his refusing to have a room for himself, his going double-seat on a cycle to reach in time for the classes, his diligently attending all the classes and excelling in all the exams. All these are glimpses of the many extraordinary characteristics of his that have attracted so many people to Krishna through him.

Far better than whatever appreciation that I, as one of his many students, can offer is the appreciation that his spiritual master has offered. I will conclude by quoting that:

“It’s quite extraordinary because he is senior to practically every teacher. He probably educated the people to become devotees, who educated the people who made the teachers. He is like a param-siksa guru to almost everybody in the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha. He is teaching so many, more than anybody, in the history of India, or ISKCON. He has been systematically training people, who are systematically training people, who are systematically training people and yet, what is it? A two-year course? And yet, he’s just come as a student. Just a humble student. He’s taking notes and he deeply appreciates all of his teachers, many are so junior to him in every single way, but still, he’s really just learning from them, it’s not a just formality. You can go to one or two classes, sometimes but two years! Every day! He’s really learning and appreciating because he doesn’t really see junior or senior.

He is just seeing that these people are repeating Srila Prabhupada, so they are repeating our guru-parampara, so they are supremely exalted.And his being a student, in my own estimation, is one of the great lessons of the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha. As you are studying, you are seeing somebody, who knows more than the teachers, humbly learning from them. at is Rupanuga. at is following the footsteps of Rupa Goswami. you Radheshyam prabhu! But I almost don’t want to give you your certiate because, after you leave, the college will not be the same… But it will be better actually, it will be one of the great legendary, historical trademarks of the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha, that he was a student here. ”

HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

The post Appreciating the perennial learning mood of Radheshyam Prabhu appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The basics of spiritual life
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2016, Durban, South Africa, Sunday Program Lecture)

SP_servingQuestion: Swamiji, can you please give me some basics on spiritual life?

Serve the devotees! That’s the basics. That is where it all begins. And when we serve the devotees, we serve their feet. We serve the lotus feet of the devotees and that means you have to bow down to the devotees – otherwise how will you get there? And bowing down to the devotees is not just a stretching exercise! Bowing down is not only about the gross body but we bow down our subtle body too. We bow down our will before the devotees and do whatever they say. In this way everything will come:

sadhu sanga, sadhu sanga – sarva shastra koya

lava matra sadhu sanga sarva sidhi hoya (Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 22.54)

From serving the devotees, all perfection will come. That is where it begins, that’s the basics – to bow down at the feet of the devotees.

​Gita 11.03 – Arjuna’s desire to know Krishna’s glory comes not from doubt but from devotion
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Gita verse-by-verse podcast


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Janmastami: “Today, Krishna, I am Your servant, I am Yours. Kindly accept me.”
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In spiritual parlance there are ‘thin’ places in the world. These are holy places, sacred spaces, where the line between the spiritual and materials worlds is very thin and the ability to feel and perceive our relationship with Krishna is heightened. It’s easier to chant there, to call Krishna deeply from the heart, and thus to call ourselves to experience our spiritual selves.
There are also thin days (and even thin times in the day). Janmastami is one such day. Although Krishna is unborn and eternal, he ‘takes birth’ in this world to share Himself with us and remind us of our relationship with Him. On this day He is extra-present.


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Lord Krishna’s presence in the Belgian Ardennes – a new documentary
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Hare KrishnaBy Vrsabhanu Das

My name is Vrsabhanu dasa. I work in film production and I also make programmes about the Hare Krishna movement as a contribution to the mission of Srila Prabhupada. This film shows some of the activities of the beautiful Radhadesh community and you will hear several interviews with local devotees talking about their lives. In the heart of the Belgian Ardennes, near Durbuy, lies the fairytale castle of Petite Somme. The castle has a long history which now houses the spiritual community, Radhadesh Ardennes. The new residents have thoroughly restored the castle and transformed it into a true spiritual oasis where you can explore the colorful culture of the Indian traditions. Continue reading "Lord Krishna’s presence in the Belgian Ardennes – a new documentary
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‘Walking Monk’ makes his way through Omaha on long, hot trek…
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‘Walking Monk’ makes his way through Omaha on long, hot trek across United States.
Maggie O’Brien / World-Herald staff writer: “The Walking Monk” made a stop in Omaha on Tuesday as part of his journey across America to celebrate his faith and promote an active, healthy lifestyle.
“It’s about going back to the basics,” Bhaktimarga Swami said. “Like Gandhi said, a simple life, high thinking. I see this as doing both of those things.”
Swami, 63, is a Hindu monk from Canada. He is walking from New York to San Francisco to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hare Krishna religious movement, which emphasizes spiritual well-being and clean, simple living.
Swami changed his name from John Peter Vis when he became a monk in 1973. He wears an orange robe and black Crocs on his feet.
He considers walking an ideal form of exercise, he said, because anyone can do it, and it allows time for self-reflection.
This tour is broken into three parts. He started last fall in Boston, went to New York, then into Pennsylvania. The second leg started again in Pennsylvania over Mother’s Day weekend and took him to Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska. He arrived in Omaha on Tuesday.
Next up is Grand Island on Wednesday, where he’ll stop his journey before completing the third leg of the trip next summer.
Swami, who also practices yoga, said he started walking long distances to get away from the chaos of the world.
He has walked across Canada four times. He’s also trekked through Ireland (he said it was wet), Israel (dry), Ghana (hot) and Trinidad (humid).
It hasn’t been easy walking through the Midwest, he said. Swami usually gets up at 4 a.m. to beat the heat and averages about 20 miles a day.
“It’s been a hot, sweaty summer,” he said.
Source: http://goo.gl/OEJaux

Krishna is always victorious!
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Hare KrishnaBy Krishna Kshetra Swami

"The Radharamana temple as embodied community”: Details about the daily worship at the ancient Radharamana temple in Vrindavana. “I spent four months living next door to the temple, because I had learned that [ISKCON’s founder] Srila Prabhupada had instructed some of his pujari disciples to study how they do deity worship there,”. “No one had really done that yet, so I thought, let me do this as a service for ISKCON. While there, I was able to get a copy of their daily worship procedure, which is only eight pages long and is in handwritten Brajabasha Hindi. Continue reading "Krishna is always victorious!
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Gopala-raya asks: Sb 7.10.4, says “…only when one is fully freed from material desires can one be purified, and only in that purified state can one serve the Lord”
→ SivaramaSwami.com

Does this imply that becoming freed from material desires isn’t quite what real purification is?

The post Gopala-raya asks: Sb 7.10.4, says “…only when one is fully freed from material desires can one be purified, and only in that purified state can one serve the Lord” appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Love of God-Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Jesus Christ – 2nd Avenue
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Hare KrishnaBy Dr. Graham M. Schweig

His Grace Garuda Prabhu is a disciple of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and known as Dr. Graham M. Schweig, at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of Christopher Newport University in Virginia. Garuda was one of the first ISKCON devotees to pursue a formal education. He saw a great opportunity to reach educated circles by inaugurating the field of Vaishnava studies. He earned his doctorate in Comparative Religion from Harvard University. Recently, Princeton University Press published his thesis under the title “Dance of Divine Love- India’s Classic Sacred Love Story: The Rasa Lila of Krishna." Continue reading "Love of God-Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Jesus Christ – 2nd Avenue
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Gracious Devotee family
→ Ramai Swami

imageimage

When I was in Seattle I had the privilege of staying in the home of Senthil Nallasamy, his wife Sujatha, his son Nithin and daughter Navyah.

Originally from India, they moved to Seattle around 15 years ago and became devotees in 2010. They regularly attend and serve at our temple in Sammamish.

image

Swiss Summer Camp 2016
→ KKSBlog

Written by Nimai

London Ratha Yatra (17 July) had been really great and Kadamba Kanana Swami enjoyed it a lot however he needed to take a few days of rest after such an exhausting event so he decided to go to Amsterdam before continuing with his European tour, and he stayed at the flat of Uddhava and Visakha. Maharaj enjoyed living very simple and peaceful there without having to stress about anything. He took me on several walks during our time in Amsterdam. On the first day, Maharaj took me to the Zandvoort beach front and on other days we went to different parts of the city, every time walking an average of almost 10 km per day. We were really nicely taken care of as well, and Uddhava made a lot of pizza on the day before our departure.

Amsterdam (13) Amsterdam (14)

Maharaj decided to stop in Cologne for a night (22 July), rather than going to Zurich directly. Our train got cancelled and we had to take the bus but eventually we arrived at the Cologne temple just in time for the evening class. Maharaj spoke in German that day and also spent some time with devotees he hadn’t met in a long time.

The next day we took a flight to Zurich, where we spent two nights at the temple in preparation for the 2016 Swiss Summer Camp. While at the temple Maharaj focused on writing his novel before leaving for the retreat which took place at a hotel a bit higher in the mountains, in a valley called Blümlital which translates to “flower valley”. The hotel was reserved completely for devotees for a whole week.

Swiss (4) Swiss (18)

Maharaj started his sequence of lectures by speaking about Uddhava trying to enter into Vrindavan, a theme which he developed throughout his lectures. It wasn’t focused on only that though, Maharaj spoke about many, many other things as well. When speaking about Vrindavan, Maharaj always shared a few personal experiences and stories. On one of the days Maharaj did a presentation entitled “Gouda Mandala”, where he showed pictures of an excursion to Bangladesh that he had done with a group of devotees in October 2011. The slideshow included pictures of Advaita Acharya’s birthplace, different ISKCON temples, Bangladeshi devotees and more. While presenting the slideshow, Maharaj explained what each picture portrayed and explained its significance. The presentation showed several trees too, representative of different holy places.

Sacinandana Swami arrived a few days after us. Many of the devotees at the retreat were his disciples and they couldn’t wait to see their Guru Maharaj. Sacinandana Swami also showed a slideshow, it was about Vrindavan and was really nice.

Maharaj went on a few walks during the retreat. On one day, Maharaj had been invited to go on a walk by an aspiring disciple who got initiated on the last day and received the name Adishekara Das. Together we walked a total of 12 km to see a beautiful waterfall!

Maharaj also agreed to give a “children’s class”. He told the story from the Krsna book where Kaliya is defeated. Some of the kids got a bit wild at the end and Maharaj said that this always happens when he teaches children because he was like that himself in his younger years and the kids can sense it. On that evening Maharaj sang in the final slot of a 12 hour non-stop kirtan.

On 28 July, we departed Switzerland and travelled back to London.

Visit Flickr to see all the photos. 

Swiss (17) Swiss (39) Swiss (40) Swiss (41)

 

Gita 11.02 – Freedom from delusion comes by understanding the ephemeral and the eternal beyond the ephemeral
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Gita verse-by-verse podcast


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Thursday, August 4th, 2016
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Thursday, August 4th, 2016
Eagle, Nebraska

Inside Out

As mentioned, we have broken into night-time walking.  En route to our starting point, an officer stopped us.  Apparently, Mandala (the driver) went 20 miles over the normal speed through town.  Well, it was hard to notice there was a town.  It was tiny.

The officer went through the usual procedure, asking for papers and license.  Mandala complied and as he was handing over documents, despite the darkness, the officer noticed the passenger.  Up until now it looked like a $240 fine was coming Mandala’s way.

“Oh, are you the Walking Monk?” the officer asked.  “They told us you were coming this way.”

Now, I would have to admit, the officer, from the beginning, was one of those stern and cold types.  Meeting someone different, however, seemed to lighten him up a bit.

Mandala and I were both relieved that, in the end, no fine was due us.  Just waving!

Whew!

Taking to the bike trail, in the dark, after the trail-end of a tornado storm whipped through the area, was rather exhilarating.  I was surprised to walk head-on into a massive spider web with its web-designer crawling all over my neck.  Remember, it was pretty dark, but that was the worst of it.

I came to one conclusion about self-analysis.  There’s more darkness inside of us than what is outside.  I began to chant at that point, hoping to turn myself inside out.

May the Source be with you!

16 miles

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2016
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Wednesday, August 3rd, 2016
Elmwood, Nebraska

For “Walking Monk” a Long, Hot Trek

Mandala and I decided, or rather the fireball (the sun) decided, that we would tackle night hours again.  The evening breeze was enlivening as we left the Omaha area and headed towards Lincoln, Nebraska.

Local radio had covered our story and so did the Omaha World Herald Newspaper.  Under the title above, Maggie O’Brien wrote:

“The Walking Monk” made a stop in Omaha on Tuesday as part of his journey across America to celebrate his faith and promote an active, healthy lifestyle.

“It’s about going back to the basics,” Bhaktimarga Swami said.  “Like Gandhi said, a simple life, high thinking. I see this as doing both of those things.”

Swami, 63, is a Hindu monk from Canada. He is walking from New York to San Francisco to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hare Krishna religious movement, which emphasizes spiritual well-being and clean, simple living.

Swami changed his name from John Peter Vis when he became a monk in 1973. He wears an orange robe and black Crocs on his feet.

He considers walking an ideal form of exercise, he said, because anyone can do it, and it allows time for self-reflection.

This tour is broken into three parts.  He started last fall in Boston, went to New York, then into Pennsylvania.  The second leg started again in Pennsylvania over Mother’s Day weekend and took him to Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska. He arrived in Omaha on Tuesday.

Next up is Grand Island on Wednesday, where he’ll stop his journey before completing the third leg of the trip next summer.

Swami, who also practices yoga, said he started walking long distances to get away from the chaos of the world.

He has walked across Canada four times.  He’s also trekked through Ireland (he said it was wet), Israel (dry), Ghana (hot) and Trinidad (humid).

It hasn’t been easy walking through the Midwest, he said.  Swami usually gets up at 4 a.m. to beat the heat and averages about 20 miles a day.

“It’s been a hot, sweaty summer,” he said.

May the Source be with you!

19 miles

Tuesday, August 2nd. 2016
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Tuesday, August 2nd. 2016
Cherry Hills, Nebraska

What the Blazes!

Maggie asked me if I had ever been in Omaha or Nebraska before, now that I’ve officially walked into the city.

“When we were growing up, on Sunday we would watch Mutual of Omaha’s TV show ‘Wild Kingdom,’ about African wildlife.  That is my reference to Nebraska,” I said to Maggie, one of the journalists with the Omaha World newspaper, the major paper in the state.  She was interviewing me.  We both had a good laugh.  I guess she has friends in the yoga industry because she also knew that OM is a sacred Sanskrit word, and I said, “If you were to further analyze, Maha mean--” to which she jumped in with “Great!”

Maggie O’Brien went on to write a beautiful article about our walking mission.

Now, what about our walking mission through Omaha and region?  Mandala, my support person, and I had decided that walking during the course of the day was too much.  I started trekking through a rain storm to begin with.  Then the weather turned into a densely humid, sun-blazing dynamic.  Unbearable!  Rainstorm! Sun storm! Brain storm!

“Let’s try night-walking,” I suggested.  “There’s this lengthy bike-trail called Keystone Trail.  It’ll be safe and we can walk it in the cool night.”

Mandala was game and so we set out on the adventure.  The sun sank at 9 p.m.  I hit the trail.  Mandala was there for me, pumping me with juices and water at intersections.  Though temperatures didn’t go below the 80’s for some time, and muggy weather persisted, we pushed a six and a half-hour, non-stop trek and completed it at 3:30 a.m.

Jaya!

“Jaya” means awesome, in Sanskrit.

May the Source be with you!

19 miles

Monday, August 1st, 2016
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Monday, August 1st, 2016
Omaha, Nebraska

In Any Case—Kind

I hadn’t quite entered the largest city of Nebraska, nor truly entered the state yet, but being that our hosts live in Nebraska, some time was devoted to milling around the edges of the city of Omaha.

I met Ray at a gas station.  Ray was curious, warm and inviting.  While gas was being pumped into his boss’ vehicle, Ray came toward me to ask, “A monk?” 

A friendly dialogue started from there.  He introduced me to his co-worker who was in the driver’s seat and just outside the driver’s seat, with the door open, a young woman known to him for two days--as Ray explained--started being frivolous.  By that I mean, necking with Ray’s friend, quite out in the open.  She even gently grabbed him in a certain region in a kind of lover’s horse-play.  It was a scene monks just don’t usually view.

Ray and I went on about the simplicity of a monk’s lifestyle as a renunciate.  He was keen.

“Can I be a monk?”

“Oh you could.  Your buddy’s got a ways to go (Laughter).”  My remark didn’t halt the frivolity.

This reminds me of a time when I went to a costume house to purchase items for a theatre production.  It was in Gainesville, and a couple--customers who came to rent or purchase--mistook me for being part of the staff, dressed-up.  The woman was particularly all over the man, in love, but in the shop.  He figured it out that I was a customer and a genuine monk.  So he told her, “Chill, I think he’s the real thing,” respecting my vocational position.

Anyways, the couple of today showed less shame, but I won’t judge them in any major way.  They were kind to me and that seems to matter.

May the Source be with you!

12 miles

Sunday, July 31st, 2016
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Sunday, July 31st, 2016
Panora, Iowa

Before Omaha

Either before or after they pass me, most cyclists don’t have a clue as to who or what I represent when they see the saffron/orange cloth from the distance.  Some, however, I could hear saying, “Monk” or “Swami” while in their own conversation, far enough away that they think I’m not hearing them, but I am.  I even heard one cyclist remark among his peers, “We’re supposed to say ‘namaste,’ instead of ‘Hi.’”

In the very least, passersby with their fast bikes take note that “here’s someone a little different.”

When I met Dave, 61, retired, he asked about my stance on Christ.

“He’s the perfect son!”  I stated.

“What made you leave Christianity?”

“I never left.  I added on Krishna.  The fundamentals are the same.”

Dave agreed.  The values are universal.

Sam, I also met for the second time on the trail.

“I looked you up on the internet.  You’ve been to all kinds of places,” he said.

“Like Ireland, where it’s so wet?”

“Yeah!”

“And Israel, which is so dry?”

“I’m sure!”

I explained that as a sanyasi, a monk, there’s an obligation to see the world.  With that, I implied that we view the world from the angle of sacredness.  The world is divine, after all.

May the Source be with you!

14 miles

Looking for the Comedy clip cited by Prabhupada in Montreal to…
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Looking for the Comedy clip cited by Prabhupada in Montreal to the three couples going to London.
We’re writing on behalf of HH Mukunda Goswami to request if anyone might have seen or know of anyone who might have seen the comedy movie clip that Srila Prabhupada narrated to the devotees who were leaving for London to start the movement. It is a clip where Charlie Chaplin (or perhaps Max Linder or perhaps an impersonator) sits on a bench and some boys put glue on it so his coat gets stuck. When he gets up there is a rip and then he starts dancing with a ripped coat tail. He starts to dance with a lot of gusto and enthusiasm that everybody thinks it is a new fashion and they also go and rip their own coat tails and start dancing. In this way he starts a new trend.
Maharaj has been looking for this clip for over 12 years. After talking to film historians we realize that it is even possible that this was not even a Charlie Chaplin movie and could have been done by Max Linder or even an impersonator. If you can kindly spread this message and if we can somehow dig out this piece of our history that would be a wonderful offering to Srila Prabhupada on this 50th year. Our request is if we can share this message on your Facebook pages that might help us reach a much wider group of people who might be able to give us any lead.
If you’ve any leads about this clip, please contact us at: LAGARWAL108@GMAIL.COM
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Vidarbhasuta devi dasi & Lokadhyaksa dasa