Historic Rathyatra & Record Book distribution in Surat
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Dear devotees, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glory to Srila Prabhupada. Jay Jagannath… Jay Baldeva… Jay Subhadra… This year, Surat experienced the largest and grandest Rathyatra in the past 25 years. The day dawned with brilliant sunshine, illuminating the Rath and creating an atmosphere of transcendental happiness and celebration. The city was filled with
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Three Grand Ratha Yatra Celebration in Jhenaidah, Bangladesh
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On the 20th of June, 2023, the city of Jhenaidah in Bangladesh celebrated the three grand Ratha Yatra, a vibrant and significant event in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition. Rath Yatra, the grand procession of Lord Jagannath, is a momentous spiritual event celebrated annually in the city of Jhenaidah, Bangladesh. Jhenaidah District, located in southwestern Bangladesh
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The TOVP Prayer
- TOVP.org

We are pleased to present the TOVP Prayer, written by H.G. Sriman Kalakantha prabhu, to all devotees. It is an appeal to the Lord to help us all do our part to complete this great and magnificent temple, Srila Prabhupada’s dearmost project, and the new home of our beloved deities at ISKCON World Headquarters in the sacred place of Sridham Mayapur.

Oh Sri Sri Radha Madhav, Asta-sakhis, Sri Mahaprabhu,
Oh Sri Pancha-tattva, great acharyas! If it pleases You,
Build Your temple, born of Srila Prabhupada’s heart.
Oh Lord Nrsimhadeva, please help me. Let me do my part.

This October, the next phase of the project will be completed with the opening of the entire West Wing, the largest Nrsimhadeva temple in the world, during a three-day festival. This will herald the forthcoming Grand Opening of the TOVP during a four-month-long festival from December, 2024 until Gaura Purnima, 2025 when all the Deities will be relocated.

Funds are still required to complete Lord Nrsimhadeva’s temple this year and all donations are being used for that sole purpose. We encourage our readers to visit the Give To Nrsimha 2023 Campaign page and select a sponsorship option to help the cause. Large pledges can be paid monthly in 2-3 years.

You can also go to our Online Pledge Form and make your sankalpa. We will contact you afterwards to explain the methods of payment.

Please show your love for our Divine Protector, Mayapur Nrsimhadeva and help complete His new home in the TOVP today!

A Miracle in the Making ~ Home of Our Divine Protector

 

 

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Hera Panchami
→ Ramai Swami

Hera denotes seeing, while Panchami denotes the fifth day.

The great festival of Hera Panchami is held on the fifth day after Rathayatra. Lord Jagannatha departed the temple in Jagannatha Puri (representing Dwarka) on the day of the Rathayatra and traveled to the Gundica temple (representing Vrindavan).

Before departing, Sri Jagannatha assured His wife Lakshmi that He would return the following day. But the fifth day passed with no word regarding Sri Jagannatha. So Lakshmi summoned her servants and gathered an army to bring Lord Jagannatha back. She made a big display and pompous entrance to the Gundica shrine. When they arrived at the temple, they began beating and seizing Lord Jagannatha’s servants before forcing them to commit to returning Him as soon as possible, preferably the following day.

The Nandigosh cart, the Ratha of Lord Jagannatha (which transported Lord Jagannatha to the Gundica shrine), was attacked by Mother Lakshmi’s servants as they returned from the temple, and a small piece of the cart was broken off for them to capture.

Hera-pancami: “Seeing on the Fifth Day”
Giriraj Swami

After Snana-yatra, when Lord Jagannatha falls sick, He spends two weeks in His private apartments in the company of His wife, Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune. At that time, He develops an intense desire to go to Vrindavan. So, on the pretext of participating in the Ratha-yatra festival, the Supreme Enjoyer leaves Nilacala (Jagannatha Puri) on His cart and journeys to Sundaracala, which is full of beautiful flower gardens that look just like Vrindavan. There, He takes up residence at the Gundica temple, which is a replica of Vrindavan, and absorbs Himself in the mood of Vraja, wandering from flower garden to flower garden. Although He promised Laksmidevi that He would return the next day, He does not return.

After waiting for two or three days, the goddess of fortune begins to feel neglected and becomes resentful. In an angry mood, she decorates herself gorgeously and mounts her golden palanquin, accompanied by many members of her family, all of whom exhibit extraordinary opulence. Carried by four men and bedecked with many different kinds of jewels, Laksmidevi’s palanquin is surrounded by people carrying umbrellas, camara (white yak-tail hair) whisks for fanning, and flags, and it is preceded by musicians and dancers. Hundreds of maidservants, all attractively dressed and wearing valuable necklaces, carry water pitchers, cämara whisks, and boxes for betel nuts.

When the procession arrives at the main gate of the Gundica temple, angry Laksmidevi orders her maidservants to arrest all the principal servants of Lord Jagannatha. The maidservants then bind the servants of Jagannatha, handcuff them as if they were common thieves, and make them fall down at the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune. Being pushed and shoved and chastised by the maidservants, Lord Jagannatha’s servants almost lose consciousness. “Why did your Lord Jagannatha abandon the great opulence of the goddess of fortune and, for the sake of a few leaves, fruits, and flowers, go see the flower garden of Srimati Radharani?” the maidservants ask. “Your master is so expert at everything, but why does He do such things? Bring Him before the goddess of fortune.” Saying this, the maidservants begin to beat the Ratha car with sticks, and Lord Jagannatha’s servants submit to the goddess of fortune with folded hands, assuring her that they will bring Lord Jagannatha before her the very next day.

Being thus pacified, the goddess of fortune returns to her apartments, and the next day Lord Jagannatha mercifully returns to Nilacala.

Gundica-marjana
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Hare KrishnaBy Giriraja Swami

After throwing out all the debris, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates cleaned the temple a second time, looking for finer grains of sand and dust that they might have missed. Then they thoroughly washed the temple. With hundreds of devotees throwing hundreds of pots of water, they cleansed the ceiling, the walls, the floor, and everything else. Sri Caitanya Himself personally washed the sitting place of Lord Jagannatha with His own two hands. Even then, Lord Caitanya was concerned that dust would again come into the temple, and so He had His devotees clean the area outside the temple as well—throw water outside the temple, so no new dust would come in. Continue reading "Gundica-marjana
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Formation and Recognition of the North American Governing Body
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GBC Annual General Meeting (passed on February 11, 2023) [Category] – Administrative Order Whereas the GBC body has encouraged the establishment of continental committees (GBC Resolution 404/2002. Regional and Continental Governing Bodies) Whereas North America has been designated as a ’Region’ with 5 ’Zones’ encompassing the United States and Canada Whereas the North American GBC
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ISKCON joins White House Greeting for India PM Modi
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Thursday, June 22–Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON’s Global Minister of Communications, participated in a White House gathering this morning of several thousand guests—mostly Indian-Americans—when US President Joseph Biden welcomed India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an official visit. Prime Minister Modi and President Biden both offered remarks after witnessing marching bands and a 21-gun salute on the […]

The post ISKCON joins White House Greeting for India PM Modi appeared first on ISKCON News.

GBC Releases Three More Resolutions from the 2023 Annual General Meeting Held in February
→ ISKCON News

The 2023 GBC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was only partially completed during the February gathering in Mayapur.  The three resolutions linked below were passed at the February meetings, reviewed by the SABHA, and are now being published.  The titles of the three resolutions are: Amendment to Deputies Duties 2023, Informed Decision-making by GBC Members is […]

The post GBC Releases Three More Resolutions from the 2023 Annual General Meeting Held in February appeared first on ISKCON News.

Second Holistic Health Fair Hosted by Vaishnavas Care Mexico
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During the weekend of June 3-4, 2023, the Vaishnavas Care Team (Mexico), presented their Second Holistic Health Fair which was held at the ISKCON Mexico City temple. Vaishnava healthcare professionals and well-wishers participated in the two-day event by offering their skills to congregational members and guests who came from the neighboring areas. Free services included
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“Ratha Yatra Celebrated Successfully in Chandaikona, Bangladesh”
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A grand celebration of the Jagannath Ratha Yatra was held in Chandai Kona, Sirajganj, under the guidance of His Holiness Subhaga Swami Gurumaharaj. The auspicious occasion of the Rathayatra festival brought together devotees to celebrate the divine presence of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra Maharani. HG Haridev Prabhu, a disciple of HH Subhag Swami, wholeheartedly
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Jagannatha Rathayatra
→ Ramai Swami

The devotees at Sri Sri Radha Rasesvara temple organised a beautiful Rathayatra parade around the temple and hundreds attended. Their Lordships, Jagannatha, Balarama and Subadra were pulled with devotees chanting and dancing in ecstasy.

The Lord stopped half way and was offered puja and prasadam and some vaisnavis danced in traditional Balinese style for His pleasure. I followed with a talk on Lord Jagannatha and Rathayatra and at the end everyone enjoyed a sumptuous feast.

On The Waterfront
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Swarup Hebel: A longshoreman is a dockworker who loads and unloads cargo vessels. The dockworkers, especially in New York, are a rough and tumble lot They are part of the AFL-CIO which is the most powerful labor union in the world. The movie starring Marlon Brando, On the Waterfront, depicts the violent early days of
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