Vedic Literature Says Caste by Birth is Unjust
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By Sri Nandanandana dasa

The modern caste system is seen to usually dictate one’s varna or caste merely by one’s birth family, as if one automatically inherits the caste of one’s father, which is why there is a growing dislike for it. This is not the traditional Vedic system of Varnashrama. This is the difference and the problem. The traditional Vedic system calculated one’s occupational class by recognizing one’s natural talents, interests, tendencies, and abilities. It was similar to the modern system of having high school counselors adjust a student’s academic courses by discussing with the students their interests in conjunction with the results of their IQ tests. Thus, such counselors see what occupational direction is best suited for the students so they can achieve a fitting career that is of interest to them and helps them be a contributor to society at the same time. And the four basic divisions of society, as outlined in the Vedic system, are natural classifications and found everywhere, in every society, call it what you want. Plus, the traditional Vedic Varnashrama system was never so inflexible that one could not change from one occupation or class to another. The rigidity of the present-day caste system, based on jati or one’s birth family, is actually leading us away from the flexibility, and the common sense, of the Vedic varna system. Continue reading "Vedic Literature Says Caste by Birth is Unjust
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Harinam at Thompson Square Park, 50 years after Srila Prabhupada…
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Harinam at Thompson Square Park, 50 years after Srila Prabhupada sat there and performed Harinam in the west for the first time.
One of the Park’s most prominent features is its collection of venerable American elm (Ulmus americana) trees. One elm in particular, located next to the semi-circular arrangement of benches in the park’s center, is important to adherents of the Hare Krishna religion. After coming to the United States in September, 1965, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), the Indian spiritual leader, founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York. He worked from a storefront on nearby Second Avenue that he used as the Society’s American headquarters. Prabhupada and his disciples gathered in Tompkins Square Park in the fall of 1966 to introduce the East Village to the group’s distinctive 16-word mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
On October 9, 1966, Prabhupada and his followers sat beneath this tree and held the first outdoor chanting session outside of India. Participants chanted for two hours as they danced and played cymbals, tambourines, and other percussive instruments; the event is recognized as the founding of the Hare Krishna religion in the United States. Prabhupada’s diverse group that day included Beat poet Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997). Krishna adherents continue to return to the tree to acknowledge its significance.

Service Appreciation Reaches New Depths in Fourth Ceremony
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

By Madhava Smullen

Gaura Saksi expresses his gratitude for Jaya Murari das.

Gaura Saksi expresses his gratitude for Jaya Murari das.

“People aren’t showing up with prepared speeches just yet,” jokes Chaitanya Mangala, MC of New Vrindaban’s fourth service appreciation ceremony since 2014. “But you can tell that what they’re sharing is much more thought-out.”

His quip illuminates just how much the ceremony has grown to mean to New Vrindaban residents, who are taking to heart Lord Krishna’s assertion, “I consider worship of My devotees to be better than direct worship of Me.”

At each ceremony, people are taking more time to think about and express their appreciations of their fellow devotees. They’re also digging deeper – while previously one or two would become misty-eyed, this spring’s ceremony on April 17th saw at least a dozen devotees deliver such heartfelt tributes that they were choked up with tears and had to pause for a few moments.

Preceding the open appreciations were Chaitanya Mangala’s Powerpoint presentations about each person’s life and service, beginning with Betty Hickey, retired caretaker of the Rose Garden at Prabhupada’s Palace – who was present with her son Glenn.

Betty Hickey

Vraja Johnson awards Betty Hickey her service appreciation plaque on April 17th.

Betty, who comes from a neighboring family of farmers, started at the Bahulaban greenhouse in 1983, moved to the Rose Garden in 1985, and managed it for most of her nearly thirty years of service until her retirement in 2011.

During that time she carefully cultivated it into an award-winning rose garden, named several times between 1988 and 1998 as one of the top 100 gardens in the United States by the American Rose Society.

Constantly making newspaper headlines, the Palace Rose Garden drew rose aficionados to New Vrindaban in droves. Also serving as the tour guide, Betty led them around, dazzling them with her botanical knowledge.

After the presentation, devotees praised Betty’s care, dedication, and kind-heartedness. Those who had worked with her in the Rose Garden over the years were grateful for her gentle, encouraging corrections when things weren’t up to standard, and for making them feel so valuable.

Betty’s late husband Jim Hickey, who passed away in December 2006, was also honored for his service. Jim worked as the head maintenance man at New Vrindaban during the 1980s, and was well-remembered for driving his blue flat-bed pick-up truck up and down the ridge, taking care of many things that needed repairing.

Like all the appreciation recipients throughout the evening, Betty was presented with a plaque by the ISKCON New Vrindaban and Eco-Vrindaban boards, commemorating her and Jim’s contribution.

“I think that it’s not work if it’s good work, and I always enjoyed my work here,” she commented, calling the devotees gathered “some of my best friends.”

Jaya Murari

Jaya Murari 2016 portrait.

Next, Jaya Murari Das was honored for his more than four decades of service. Joining ISKCON in the spring of 1975, he moved to New Vrindaban that November, and received initiation from Srila Prabhupada on July 29th, 1976.

For the early residents, Jaya Murari’s appearance in New Vrindaban was nothing short of heaven-sent. At the time, the backwoods community was extremely austere, with only one faucet, no proper toilets or plumbing, and widespread dysentery from the contaminated water.

Jaya Murari, about ten years older than most of the other devotees and already well into a career as a master plumber, turned up with four truckloads of tools and plumbing materials. He soon built a safe and reliable plumbing infrastructure for the community, which he continued to expand and improve upon over the years until his retirement in the 2000s.

Always a dependable presence, he is also well-known for his photography and for his delicious Sunday pancake breakfasts in the early days.

Although Jaya Murari couldn’t attend the ceremony due to ill-health, the many devotees who rose to share their appreciations were filmed for him. Tears flowed freely as they recalled how completely he had changed the New Vrindaban experience; how he exemplified the gentle brahminical nature Prabhupada described in his books; and how he was a “Prabhupada man” through and through.

Ananga Manjari awards Sukhavaha dasi her service appreciation plaque.

Ananga Manjari awards Sukhavaha dasi her service appreciation plaque.

Next to be honored was devotee care manager Sukhavaha Dasi. After she joined in 1974 and was initiated by Prabhupada in 1975, she began helping the Pittsburgh and New Vrindaban temples with their bookkeeping. She was then put in charge of New Vrindaban’s “red trailer store,” distributing all the supplies devotees needed for their health and services.

In 1976, New Vrindaban installed industrial washing machines, and Sukhavaha headed up the laundry department; while in the 1980s, she spent much of her time on the road, fundraising. During this phase, she had her son Bhagavan, and daughters Sukadevi and Narahari.

More recently, she started ISKCON New Vrindaban’s devotee care program, and will be turning the “Prabhupada House” near the temple into a Wellness Center that will provide many physical, emotional and mental health services.

Offering appreciation, the devotees gathered described her as full of enthusiasm, always there to help, and very dedicated to working on herself. The greatest example of the latter was expressed in a very moving moment when her son Bhagavan, who was present, spoke about his mother. Like a lot of ISKCON parents in the early days, he said, she had focused on her services to the detriment of caring for her children.

“But a decade ago, you called me up one night, and said you wanted to talk about the past, and take responsibility for it,” Bhagavan recalled. “And since then, we’ve worked through many of our issues, and I couldn’t be happier with our relationship today.”

IMG_0752

Bhima Walker awards Sarva Saksi and Viduttama dasi their service appreciation plaque.

Finally, husband and wife Sarvasaksi Das and Viduttama Dasi were honored for their life of service. Joining ISKCON in 1974 as a married couple and moving to New Vrindaban that same year, they were initiated by Srila Prabhupada on Janmastami 1975.

Both did early services connected to the cows, which were a central part of New Vrindaban life at the time, with about 100 cows to 150 people.

Sarva helped milk all the cows by hand and herded them in and out of the Bahulaban pastures daily. Viduttama churned cream into butter for the Deities and devotees, also by hand. Both were photographed and featured in a 1976 Back to Godhead magazine article.

Later, as construction began on Prabhupada’s Palace, Sarva worked with the heavy equipment department. He then spent a decade as a silversmith, casting and making jewelry for a local New Vrindaban business. He is now semi-retired.

Viduttama, meanwhile, did the laundry in the days before washing machines came to New Vrindaban, washing everyone’s clothes by hand, outside, with cold water, rocks and ashes. Next, she worked in the Palace gift shop, where she enjoyed meeting and interacting with guests. She and Sarva also had two children – a son, Sudarshan, and a daughter, Radhastami.

Last year, Viduttama came full circle, as she began working for Govinda’s Groceries gift store and doing laundry for the Palace Lodge — the exact same services she did all those years ago. “And I love it!” she blurted out at the ceremony. “I couldn’t be any happier!”

A whole host of devotees recalled their many fond memories of serving with Sarva and Viduttama, as well as their kindness, devotion, down-to-earth natures and enthusiasm. The outpouring of love moved the couple to tears.

Ekadasi cake made by Lakshmanesvara das.

Ekadasi cake made by Lakshmanesvara das.

According to Srila Prabhupada’s purport in Verse 4 of the Nectar of Instruction, MC Chaitanya Mangala pointed out, these kinds of loving exchanges between devotees were exactly what ISKCON had been established to facilitate.

In conclusion he also quoted a 1972 lecture by Prabhupada in which he said, “In the lower stage, a devotee is concerned with the Deity worship, but he does not take much care of the devotees. But when one is advanced further, he can see Krsna and His devotees also.”

“Clearly, in the early days of ISKCON, we were at that lower stage,” Chaitanya Mangala says. “Now, let’s collectively evolve to the next level, where we worship Krishna in the temple, and also care for the devotees around us.”

That care continued to be shown into the evening, as devotees drank herbal tea, tucked into a celebratory Ekadasi cake made by Laksmanesvara Das, and chatted, furthering the loving connections made throughout the ceremony.

Service Appreciation Reaches New Depths in Fourth Ceremony
→ New Vrindaban

By Madhava Smullen

Gaura Saksi das expresses his gratitude for Jaya Murari das.

“People aren’t showing up with prepared speeches just yet,” jokes Chaitanya Mangala, MC of New Vrindaban’s fourth service appreciation ceremony since 2014. “But you can tell that what they’re sharing is much more thought-out.”

His quip illuminates just how much the ceremony has grown to mean to New Vrindaban residents, who are taking to heart Lord Krishna’s assertion, “I consider worship of My devotees to be better than direct worship of Me.”

At each ceremony, people are taking more time to think about and express their appreciations of their fellow devotees. They’re also digging deeper – while previously one or two would become misty-eyed, this spring’s ceremony on April 17th saw at least a dozen devotees deliver such heartfelt tributes that they were choked up with tears and had to pause for a few moments.

Preceding the open appreciations were Chaitanya Mangala’s Powerpoint presentations about each person’s life and service, beginning with Betty Hickey, retired caretaker of the Rose Garden at Prabhupada’s Palace – who was present with her son Glenn.

Vraja Johnson awards Betty Hickey her service appreciation plaque on April 17th.

Betty, who comes from a neighboring family of farmers, started at the Bahulaban greenhouse in 1983, moved to the Rose Garden in 1985, and managed it for most of her nearly thirty years of service until her retirement in 2011.

During that time she carefully cultivated it into an award-winning rose garden, named several times between 1988 and 1998 as one of the top 100 gardens in the United States by the American Rose Society.

Constantly making newspaper headlines, the Palace Rose Garden drew rose aficionados to New Vrindaban in droves. Also serving as the tour guide, Betty led them around, dazzling them with her botanical knowledge.

After the presentation, devotees praised Betty’s care, dedication, and kind-heartedness. Those who had worked with her in the Rose Garden over the years were grateful for her gentle, encouraging corrections when things weren’t up to standard, and for making them feel so valuable.

Betty’s late husband Jim Hickey, who passed away in December 2006, was also honored for his service. Jim worked as the head maintenance man at New Vrindaban during the 1980s, and was well-remembered for driving his blue flat-bed pick-up truck up and down the ridge, taking care of many things that needed repairing.

Like all the appreciation recipients throughout the evening, Betty was presented with a plaque by the ISKCON New Vrindaban and Eco-Vrindaban boards, commemorating her and Jim’s contribution.

“I think that it’s not work if it’s good work, and I always enjoyed my work here,” she commented, calling the devotees gathered “some of my best friends.”  

Next, Jaya Murari Das was honored for his more than four decades of service. Joining ISKCON in the spring of 1975, he moved to New Vrindaban that November, and received initiation from Srila Prabhupada on July 29th, 1976.

For the early residents, Jaya Murari’s appearance in New Vrindaban was nothing short of heaven-sent. At the time, the backwoods community was extremely austere, with only one faucet, no proper toilets or plumbing, and widespread dysentery from the contaminated water.

Jaya Murari 2016 portrait.

Jaya Murari, about ten years older than most of the other devotees and already well into a career as a master plumber, turned up with four truckloads of tools and plumbing materials. He soon built a safe and reliable plumbing infrastructure for the community, which he continued to expand and improve upon over the years until his retirement in the 2000s.

Always a dependable presence, he is also well-known for his photography and for his delicious Sunday pancake breakfasts in the early days.

Although Jaya Murari couldn’t attend the ceremony due to ill-health, the many devotees who rose to share their appreciations were filmed for him. Tears flowed freely as they  recalled how completely he had changed the New Vrindaban experience; how he exemplified the gentle brahminical nature Prabhupada described in his books; and how he was a “Prabhupada man” through and through.

Ananga Manjari awards Sukhavaha dasi her service appreciation plaque.

Next to be honored was devotee care manager Sukhavaha Dasi. After she joined in 1974 and was initiated by Prabhupada in 1975, she began helping the Pittsburgh and New Vrindaban temples with their bookkeeping. She was then put in charge of New Vrindaban’s “red trailer store,” distributing all the supplies devotees needed for their health and services.

In 1976, New Vrindaban installed industrial washing machines, and Sukhavaha headed up the laundry department; while in the 1980s, she spent much of her time on the road, fundraising. During this phase, she had her son Bhagavan, and daughters Sukadevi and Narahari.

More recently, she started ISKCON New Vrindaban’s devotee care program, and will be turning the “Prabhupada House” near the temple into a Wellness Center that will provide many physical, emotional and mental health services.

Offering appreciation, the devotees gathered described her as full of enthusiasm, always there to help, and very dedicated to working on herself. The greatest example of the latter was expressed in a very moving moment when her son Bhagavan, who was present, spoke about his mother. Like a lot of ISKCON parents in the early days, he said, she had focused on her services to the detriment of caring for her children.

“But a decade ago, you called me up one night, and said you wanted to talk about the past, and take responsibility for it,” Bhagavan recalled. “And since then, we’ve worked through many of our issues, and I couldn’t be happier with our relationship today.”

Bhima Walker awards Sarva Saksi and Viduttama dasi their service appreciation plaque.

Finally, husband and wife Sarvasaksi Das and Viduttama Dasi were honored for their life of service. Joining ISKCON in 1974 as a married couple and moving to New Vrindaban that same year, they were initiated by Srila Prabhupada on Janmastami 1975.

Both did early services connected to the cows, which were a central part of New Vrindaban life at the time, with about 100 cows to 150 people.

Sarva helped milk all the cows by hand and herded them in and out of the Bahulaban pastures daily. Viduttama churned cream into butter for the Deities and devotees, also by hand.  Both were photographed and featured in a 1976 Back to Godhead magazine article.

Later, as construction began on Prabhupada’s Palace, Sarva worked with the heavy equipment department. He then spent a decade as a silversmith, casting and making jewelry for a local New Vrindaban business. He is now semi-retired.

Viduttama, meanwhile, did the laundry in the days before washing machines came to New Vrindaban, washing everyone’s clothes by hand, outside, with cold water, rocks and ashes. Next, she worked in the Palace gift shop, where she enjoyed meeting and interacting with guests. She and Sarva also had two children – a son, Sudarshan, and a daughter, Radhastami.

Last year, Viduttama came full circle, as she began working for Govinda’s Groceries gift store and doing laundry for the Palace Lodge  -- the exact same services she did all those years ago. “And I love it!” she blurted out at the ceremony. “I couldn’t be any happier!”

A whole host of devotees recalled their many fond memories of serving with Sarva and Viduttama, as well as their kindness, devotion, down-to-earth natures and enthusiasm. The outpouring of love moved the couple to tears.

Ekadasi cake made by Lakshmanesvara das.

According to Srila Prabhupada’s purport in Verse 4 of the Nectar of Instruction, MC Chaitanya Mangala pointed out, these kinds of loving exchanges between devotees were exactly what ISKCON had been established to facilitate.

In conclusion he also quoted a 1972 lecture by Prabhupada in which he said, “In the lower stage, a devotee is concerned with the Deity worship, but he does not take much care of the devotees. But when one is advanced further, he can see Krsna and His devotees also.”

“Clearly, in the early days of ISKCON, we were at that lower stage,” Chaitanya Mangala says. “Now, let’s collectively evolve to the next level, where we worship Krishna in the temple, and also care for the devotees around us.”

That care continued to be shown into the evening, as devotees drank herbal tea, tucked into a celebratory Ekadasi cake made by Laksman Isvara Das, and chatted, furthering the loving connections made throughout the ceremony.

2016 ISKCON GBC Resolutions
→ ISKCON News

ISKCON's Governing Body Commission (GBC) held its annual general meetings in Mayapur between February 22 and March 5th, 2016. Among many other topics they have discussed the new zonal configuration of Northern America, including the administrative responsibilities of the zonal supervisors, as well as topics concerning ISKCON's 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Cultivating non-judgmental attitude – Three-part series at Brisbane on Bhagavatam (11.28.1-3)
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The post Cultivating non-judgmental attitude – Three-part series at Brisbane on Bhagavatam (11.28.1-3) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Appreciating Gaudiya Vaishnavism – Three-part series at Sydney
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The post Appreciating Gaudiya Vaishnavism – Three-part series at Sydney appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Uddhava Gita nectar – Four-part series on Bhagavatam (11.12.10-13) at Sydney
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The post Uddhava Gita nectar – Four-part series on Bhagavatam (11.12.10-13) at Sydney appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam – Four-part series on Bhagavatam (2.9.33-36)
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The post Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam – Four-part series on Bhagavatam (2.9.33-36) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Devotion amidst persecution – Lord Chaitanya delivers Chand Kazi
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The post Devotion amidst persecution – Lord Chaitanya delivers Chand Kazi appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Holy name is everything
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The post Holy name is everything appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Salted Bread: The Book about ISKCON’s Early Days in the USSR Is Back
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The book is an account of painful experiences of the first attempt to spread Krishna consciousness in the USSR, which was Srila Prabhupada’s desire; stories of devotees’ trials in jails and psychiatric hospitals, their encounters with the KGB, but the author Sarvabhavana Das doesn’t lack in humor when he recalls, as he puts it,  “his painful but blissful past”.

What’s Your Vow? Ananda Vrindavana Devi Dasi: Being austere is…
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What’s Your Vow?
Ananda Vrindavana Devi Dasi: Being austere is not highly regarded in contemporary culture. We over eat, oversleep, over mate, and over defend. The concept of having less or doing less is something that may be admired from a distance but generally not considered so welcome when it’s closer to home.
In yoga teachings, austerity is considered the wealth of those who seek self-realization and an understanding of how to discover our love for Krishna. Wealth. Think about that for a moment. Who does not want wealth? However, this wealth is all about the things that money can’t buy. Austerity, when done properly, brings a veritable treasure – wisdom, an opening of the heart, feelings of love for Krishna and an understanding of everything around us!
Vows are part of the practice of austerity and the Kartik month, which started yesterday, is considered the best month of the year to take a vow. Depending on who we are and where we live, our vows will be shaped. Many go to Vrindavan India for this month and practice austerities like eating once a day, chanting 64 rounds on japa beads, or walking without shoes to Krishna’s sacred places.
For us here in the comfortable USA we can choose vows that work for us (not a good idea to go barefoot to the office :). It can be a small thing that we do for Krishna every day, for one month, but it should stretch us. We should feel the pinch a little bit and in that struggle, the offering becomes sweeter.
We don’t have to tell anyone our vow, although it is helpful to have a ‘vow buddy’ whom we can lean on. The mind loves to take down vows so we may need a support group :)
Here are some ideas to get us started. Do something. Our life will be all the better for it.
give up sweets
chant 4 extra rounds
read 10 Gita verses a day
do a daily act of charity
give away a book about Krishna every day
don’t criticize others
don’t complain
take a cold shower
do menial service
do what no one else wants to do
give up TV
give up Starbucks
sleep on the floor
join the outdoor kirtan on the weekends
become a monthly donor
skip a meal
give up chocolate
be a vegetarian
drop caffeine
drop alcohol
give 50% of your income away for that month
only take ahimsa milk
offer a ghee lamp every day to Krishna
sing the Kartik prayer
don’t watch the news
pray more, speak less
love more, hate less
live more, give more, and be more

Love of an Indian Mother. Mohini Madhavi devi dasi: Trembling…
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Love of an Indian Mother.
Mohini Madhavi devi dasi: Trembling voice; moving train; eyes seemingly will be showered with tears; feeling of a warm hand and compassionate glance;
Glance of a loving Mother!
My friend Nilam, her sister Nisha, their mother and I were going in the train to the station. It was time when I visited Mumbai for the first time.
I was studying in Mysore. But on the first vacation I decided to visit one of the world famous Temples - Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir in Girgaun, Mumbai. Temple is famous not because of its wealth but because of wonderful congregation. Place where Devotees take care of each other so nicely. Where big, big persons, industrialist, the wealthiest personalities do menial services like washing pots and collecting shoes of guests; where big or small you are, no matter what, you are accepted and loved equally…
It was the place where I meet my friends Nilam and Nisha and then they invited me to stay at their small, rented room.
Room was so small that when 4-5 people lie down room gets filled up. But still family was so kind. Father and younger brother slept on the top roof of the room so that girls could sleep down. It was a small room like place above that small room. It is a traditional room in a crowded Mumbai with millions of people. They had tiny room but ocean like hearts!
First evening they cooked puran puri, rice, dhal, and chapatti and offered me Prasadam on a banana leaf. They taught me how to eat the food; telling me what should be taken first, second and last.
In this way I stayed with them for few days. My vacation came to an end. I had to leave Mumbai.
The last day I went to the Temple and wanted to spend some more time there and directly leave to the station. Nilam was with me. She was taking me to the station. On the way we meet her mother and sister Nisha. Then we sat on a city train. Nisha brought out a huge plastic box out of mango sweets. But that was filled up with some food. She handed me the box and told that it was cooked by her mother especially for my long trip to Mysore.
I was touched with their care and said that there was no need; I could buy some fruits on the way. Nisha told ‘no, no. Journey is so long. You will be hungry. So my mom did not sleep at night but made this especially for you.’
She continued: ‘it is a rice papad. She could not find rice flour late evening so had to buy rice and make flour out of that herself. Then she fried all these papads in ghee.’ ‘So she made it for you, please take!’
I did not eat rice, plus fired rice for over 5-6 years. But in order to accept her love I accepted it to make her happy. But that was external.
From within I felt so much of her love, care that while all we were sitting tears flow from my eyes. Nisha’s mother noticed it and immediately came up to me and embraced me. My voice was chocking I could not speak for a while. Later I told that my own mom would never ever cook for us when we go to school. Of course she was a working lady of a Soviet Union time when everyone was starving with no food and money.
But still, I grew up wanting and yearning for the food from the hand of my mom; which never ever used to happen. So our lunch used to be a piece of Russian bread and margarine applied on it.
But here I saw and felt so much of motherly love. She did not sleep for whole night, doing all that flour out of rice and then frying them one by one; and it was not for her own kids but for someone whom they know only for few days.
While saying all these I continued crying. Tears were flowing from my eyes. Mother started worried herself, started to dry my tears with her hand saying something in Hindi followed by ‘Aree, aree!’
It was the time when I meet a true Mother. Indian Mother! Loving and caring Mother!
It says that Mother is a first guru to a child. So by her examples mother teaches her kids. And the best education is not that we know much; not that we can earn much;
But the best education is when we gain good qualities! We learn lovingly to take care of others!

Timeless Possessions
→ ISKCON News

 Whether its shoes, gadgets, clothes or cars, most things I buy seem to break down, play up or fall apart, costing me a small fortune in the process! One acquisition, however, that has stood the test of time, is the wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita.

On behalf of the World Holy Name Week Committee, I am honored to…
→ Dandavats



On behalf of the World Holy Name Week Committee, I am honored to share with you some information and resources regarding World Holy Name Week 2016.
Dates: 28th July – 14th August
28th July is the lunar calendar date of The Incorporation of ISKCON in New York.
14th August is the solar calendar date of Srila Prabhupada’s first historic Harinam Sankirtan in Washington Square Park, New York City, USA.
Download Posters in PDF:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw7fh3dQppfARE0wRVZOM0RJQWc/view?usp=sharing
Download Posters in CDR (you can modify with Coral Draw Program)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw7fh3dQppfAeVdsd0pLeVZnb1E/view?usp=sharing
Your servant,
Ekalavya Das
Secretary - World Holy Name Week

The Journey Within: Exploring the Path of Bhakti by Radhanath Swami
→ ISKCON News

Radhanath Swami draws from his personal experiences to demystify the ancient devotional path of bhakti, capturing its essence and explaining its simple principles for balancing our lives. His down-to-earth writing simplifies spiritual concepts and answers timeless questions in a heartfelt narrative that brings this sacred philosophy to life. What is love? What is the soul? Who is God? How can we live in the physical world without losing touch with the spiritual?

Krishna In The Heart Of London (Album with photos) Indradyumna…
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Krishna In The Heart Of London (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: As we held a beautiful and colorful initiation ceremony in our temple, just off Oxford Street in the heart of London, the city awoke to a beautiful warm summer morning. Radha London Isvara’s blessings seemed to be present everywhere. [Photos by Ananta Vrindavan dasa]
Find them here: https://goo.gl/E9M1Ep

RY (Festival of India) Launch Party – Sun, June 26th
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) Launch Party!
Date: Sunday, June 26th, 2016
Time: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Location: Yonge-Dundas Square (southeast corner of Yonge and Dundas)
TTC Subway: Dundas Station

To kick off the official countdown to the 44th Annual Festival of India, a special day-long launch party will be held at Yonge-Dundas Square. The festival will include a cavalcade of activities, attractions and performances, including live art, vegetarian cooking demonstrations, free yoga classes, a South Asian bazaar, delicious food from Govinda’s, henna tattoos, face-painting, dress-in-a-saree booths, and more.

Also, be sure to stay until the evening to participate in an incredible, interactive mantra concert (kirtan) in which ancient sounds from the east will reverberate and grace Toronto’s busiest corner!

June 10. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations. Satsvarupa…
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June 10. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Can a Pure Devotee Have Personal Preferences?
The first time I encountered this question was in 1966. Devotees were taking lunch prasadam with Srila Prabhupada one day when a young, rather unsubmissive man came into the Swami’s apartment for lunch. I remember that Prabhupada was sprinkling hot sauce on his meal. This young man asked Prabhupada why he was eating this sauce. He replied that he liked it.
The young man became doubtful when Prabhupada said that. He said something to the effect: “You use hot sauce just because you like it? You mean there’s no special spiritual significance?” The young man looked around at us as if to show that he had caught Srila Prabhupada in some relative position, or as if he had defeated him in a debate. I remember thinking that this man’s attitude was ridiculous and offensive, but I also saw the point he was trying to make.
Is Prabhupada’s sprinkling of hot sauce on his meal in this category? Is he doing it for his own sense gratification? Who can know Prabhupada’s inner meditation when he sprinkled that sauce? Also, Vaisnavas are not extreme tyagis. They do not have to prove their devotion by sprinkling ashes on their food or not eating at all. They accept Krishna’s mercy in the form of prasadam. What is the harm if they add seasonings to their food? Prabhupada himself ate very simply. He was elderly and ate things that stimulated his digestion.
His preferences were expressions of Krishna consciousness to us. We were always intrigued and happy to find out the little things that Prabhupada liked. It brought us closer to him. It taught us how to serve him better. In fact, an expert disciple was one who knew exactly how Prabhupada liked his room to be arranged, how to cook for him, how to arrange his schedule, and so on. Even today, the more things you know about how Prabhupada conducted things, the more qualified you to serve in ISKCON.
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Sydney Opera House ISKCON 50 Event Sells Out in Three Days
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Back in January 1967, Mukunda Goswami was instrumental in putting on The Mantra Rock Dance in San Francisco, a key counter-cultural event of its time that put Srila Prabhupada and his disciples on the map. Now, nearly fifty years later, he has been a driving force in organizing the hugely ambitious Transcendental Journey, a spectacular show at Australian landmark the Sydney Opera House in celebration of ISKCON’s 50th anniversary.

Beginning at Second Avenue
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A documentary about Srila Prabhupada's beginning of ISKCON at 26 Second Avenue. NY. The film is based on interview with Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, one of the most senior of Srila Prabhupada''s disciples who is also the author of the biography 'Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita". ISKCON Cinema, BBTI and other copyrighted material used with permission. To arrange public viewing please report to sdg@sdgonline.org and visit http://www.sdgonline.org

An open invitation
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 24 April 2014, Radhadesh, Belgium, Caitanya Caritamrta Lecture)

lord caitanya in forest

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
vicāra karite citte pābe camatkāra (Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 8.15)

Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami is saying that the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is just amazing, and the more one tries to logically understand it, the more amazing it is. I like to call this verse, the open invitation to the Caitanya Caritamrta. I see this verse as an important verse because it shows us the proper attitude by which we are meant to look at the life of Lord Caitanya. We are looking at his mercy and that is what we are trying to uncover, more and more.

paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare (Song: Parama Karuna by Locana Das Thakura)

It is said that the animals (paśu), the birds (pākhī), will chant, and the stones (pāṣāṇa vidare) will melt in the chanting of the holy names. Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur said that even when a bird chants the holy names of the Lord, that bird will go back to Godhead. So, although Prabhupada told us, ‘No parrot-like chanting,’ still, the parrots get the mercy when they chant!   

Monday, May 30th, 2016
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Monday, May 30th, 2016
Toledo, Ohio

Good in the End

There are a host of theories as to the origin of the term, 'holy Toledo'.  Like the phrases, 'holy moley', 'holy tamoles', 'holy cow', they are just sayings, and I suppose they are irrelevant.  I must say that my first encounter with the city of Toledo on this walk after leaving the Maumee State Park area was blessed indeed. 

God knows I'm on a holy pilgrimage, in America, and India with its rich history of spiritualism, or Spain with a famous trail like the Camino, can't claim exclusive rights on what's holy or sacred. 

Gopal, my navigator assistant on this trip, parked the van demarcating the final step for the day.  It was comfortably parked under the shade of a tree in front of someone's home located just inside the border of Toledo's east end.  It was Uttama, Arjuna, and I, who did the last leg of the day's walk together.  Gathered at this spot, the proprietor of the home got curious.  It was the home of Sharon King, a sandy coloured lady, and my guess, a baby boomer, who came out and did the holy thing of offering water. 

"I saw a bunch of yogis in front of my house and I thought they might need something."  A conversation began and Sharon admitted to being a TM'er, so we got to talking about The Beatles, Bhakit Yoga, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Bhaktivedanta Swami, etc.  I pulled out a small publication of 'Chant and Be Happy' from the van.  It's essentially a book on the power of chanting, and in it are dialogues of John, Yoko, and George, learning from our guru. 

I consider our exchange with Sharon to be most holy.  "Let me know what you think of the book after the read," I said. 

"I will," she said, with a grateful smile on her face.  Today is Memorial Day.  Many folks I saw today are having a steak and drinking.  Sadly, there seems to be little done to honour war veterans. 

One more item that sticks out in my mind regarding today was a most unholy remark coming from a countryside home owner, when I took a moment to pause, a break, just outside his home. 

"What the F____ are you doing here!?" asked the loud voice, to which I didn't respond.  I moved on.  In retrospect, I'm happy to have ended the day with preciousness, with Sharon. 

May the Source be with you!

19 miles



Sunday, May 29th, 2016
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Sunday, May 29th, 2016
Ottawa Natural Wildlife Reserve, Ohio

Do You Speak English?

Uttama and I were trekking, rather enjoying a coolness after a fresh rainfall, which tends to draw out frogs galore.  They are sensitive to the sound of our footsteps, and so their defense is: if you're not in the creek's water, then you will have to get in, "splash!"

We have been moving through a wetlands area.  Lots of life apart from the frogs.  We also came upon an atomic energy plant.  For hours we were curious as to what this massive vat with smoke billowing out of it was - as we approached it.  Then signage told all.

Around a bend on Highway 2 we met a motorist who wanted to share but was unwilling to accept an exchange of words.

"Do you speak English?" asked the man with an accent.

"Yes." 

He held up mini-versions of the New Testament.

"I already have a copy, thank you!  We share a lot of the same values and principles.  It's best to concentrate on similarities."

"No, but the difference is important.  Jesus said there's only one way."

"That's enough, thank you.  I hope you will enjoy the wall you have built up for yourself."

He continued to make a case for exclusiveness and made a remark about the inferiority of our ancient text 'Bhagavad-gita.'

"God bless you!" I said, and Uttama and I made our way west to stretch our trail.

May the Source be with you!

18 miles


Saturday, May 28th, 2016
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Saturday, May 28th, 2016
Port Clinton, Ohio

Crash of Glass

There was a crash of glass just ahead of us to break the silence, and even more than that - a human voice coming from an angry woman shouted, "And don't come back!"

With that emerged a man of good build, an Afro-American, as was she, telling by the voice.  The door had slammed at this early hour of 4:30 am.  The oncoming man noticed us and so I took the lead in conversing with him.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's alright!"

"We're walking to San Francisco!" and so a friendship began.  "Don't let that, whatever was going on back there, bother you!" I suggested.

"No, I won't, but I tell yah I've never met a monk before.  You've made my day!"  And he then ventured off happily to work, or so he said he was doing.

Another precious moment came when Uttamananda and I met a security person, Bonnie, outside a factory of sorts.  She sent a message after our exchange via email.

"Good morning to the Walking Monk.  I met you while on duty this morning."

May the Source be with you!

18 miles



Friday, May 27th, 2016
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Friday, May 27th, 2016
Sandusky, Ohio

23 miles

Along the shale cliffs of the Erie shore, Jay Terrelli found fossils of a 'terrible fish' around 1867.  It was some time ago, in the millions of years that the Dunkleosteus fish, with shearing jaws, was the dominant predator, appearing in sizes much larger than the Great White Shark.

There is great wonder in this area of the great lakes such as the 'Dunklie' fish of yore, but now, at 5 am, the police were also in great wonder.  "Who are these people (three of us - two in robes) taking to the road at this un-godly hour?"

So we explained to the two officers and they were impressed; being who they are they must most certainly have a last word, "Please just walk on the side of the road against the traffic."  They were nice about it.

The summer heat is on.  It's Memorial Day weekend.  Passions are at a peak with traffic.  Streams of bikers make a presence as they - the bikers - rev up their engines and bomb away.

Some motorists take notice.  I receive the occasional honk.

What becomes relieving is the scent of the honey suckles that are thrown out into the air in as much as the wild mustard plants.  Unfortunately we cannot reciprocate and toss some fragrance back to them.

Our hosts Mike and Paurnamasi, from Cleveland, have been looking after our food and lodging needs.

The basketball play-offs are on and it is between two teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.  Even within the devotee community, everyone is rooting for their own team. For myself, more subtly, I would like to see the Canadian team win!

May the Source be with you!

23 miles




Thursday, May 26th, 2016
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Thursday, May 26th, 2016
Vermillion, Ohio

People on the Way

It is Route #6 that becomes the trail for the day.  To join me, is Uttamananda from Bangladesh, who lived in our ashram in Toronto for five years.  He's with our little party as an assistant.  He became a walking companion for the day,  from Avon Lake to Vermillion, a distance of 20 miles.  Not bad for a first day.

Who did we meet along the way?

First of all, we met the lake, the big one, Lake Erie, several times.  It has a square mileage of (I asked Google and it answered) 25,744 square kilometres.

When we gained access to it, it became a resting spot, especially at the end of the trek, when we took a dive and swim at Vermillion.

We met people as well, among them pedestrians and motorists.  Our motorist who gave directions also gave a spankin' new hundred dollar bill - a donation.  We didn't ask, he just let his heart speak.

A woman offered to take us to our destination.  I told her, "We're going to San Francisco."  She blushed, but also gave some fruit- as she had just bought groceries.

In Lorain, the town, we met a pedestrian with her small dog.  She is a puritan Catholic who loves hearing and reciting the old mass in Latin.  She declared a damnation on the all-pervading drug culture but she was keenly curious about Krishna Consciousness.

"I want to be educated," she said.

She was happy to know we denounce intoxication but don't condemn those who try to kick the habit.  On our list of interactions was also a young man pushing his young daughter in a baby stroller.

"I'm an atheist but I respect what others believe in.  My mother-in-law, who's Christian says I'm going to hell for my conviction."

It sounds like he's living with the issue.  Tolerance is one of the greatest virtues.

May the Source be with you!

20 miles


Wednesday, May 25th, 2016
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Wednesday, May 25th, 2016
Cleveland, Ohio

Walking Monk Makes a Stop in the City

This article appeared in 'The Vindicator' on Saturday, May 14th, 2016.  The title above is as it appeared and the text is by Bruce Watson of Youngstown.

Sitting underneath a tree by the main library near the corner of Wick and Rayen avenues, a man known simply as 'The Walking Monk' enjoyed a quiet Friday afternoon.  Arriving for the first time in the city on his pilgrimage across the US.  His only supplies: a cellphone he rarely uses, prayer beads, a watch, some business cards and the bright orange robes and sandals he wears while he traverses the land.  Bhaktimarga Swami, 63, is a Hare Krishna monk who started his pilgrimage just three days ago when he began in Butler, PA.  He plans to walk entirely on foot to San Francisco, walking 20 miles a day.  He left no timetable for his arrival on the West Coast.  The monk arrived in Youngstown on Thursday night and had the opinion that people are easier to talk to in the city, finding them vocal and approachable. 

"I'm here to encourage people more toward introspective walking," he said.  "Just to get out of the car, give it a break, experience more of the car-free, care-free lifestyles.  Take a little down-time for yourself and make a prayer for it."

The walk is to celebrate Bhaktimarga's guru or teacher, Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a spiritual teacher and founder of the Hare Krishna Movement in 1965 in New York City as well as a new form of yoga called Bhakti Yoga.

According to religious facts.com, Hare Krishna is the popular name for the International Society of Krishna Consciousness.  It is based on Hinduism. 

The Hare Krishnas worship the Hindu god Krishna as the one Supreme God.  Their goal is "Krishna Consciousness" and their central practice is chanting the Hare Krishna mantra for which they are named.

Growing up Catholic in Ontario Canada, Bhaktimarga said he became interested in older civilizations and cultures and found his teacher through meeting monks in Toronto in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"When I was Christian, I used to wonder, 'What does it mean: Our Father which are in heaven, hallowed be thy name?" he said.  "And when I became a Krishna monk I said 'Oh there's the name, Hare Krishna.'"

He's been a monk for more than 30 years, traveling and spreading the message of inner peace, spirituality and the teachings he learned from his guru.

As he makes his way across the country, Bhaktimarga says he survives on the kindness of strangers for food, shelter, and hospitality.

In the 20 years he has performed his pilgrimages, he said he's rarely met dangerous people but he recalls some close-encounters with bears.

The nomadic monk also is accompanied by his assistant, Gopala Keller, 32, a follower of Hare Krishna from West Virginia who travels ahead of Bhaktimarga to ensure he's appropriately accommodated and protected, making preparations for his arrival into towns and cities.

After Youngstown, the monk plans to go in the direction of Cleveland and further west afterward.

May the Source be with you!

0 miles



Tuesday, May 24th, 2016
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Tuesday, May 24th, 2016
Toronto, Canada

Happiness and Ourselves

This is my last full day in Canada, on a break-of-sorts, before I depart for America to reconvene the US Walk.  It does get exciting knowing I'll be on the road again.  It's when I'm on that road, that I'm the happiest and when I get the best rest.  Yes, I had to say that insomnia hit again - now that I'm not in full regimen.  I'm sure if a survey is done, you will find a good amount of people are not happy due to many reasons, one of them being economics- or lack of it.  But many folks are unhappy with too much wealth, too!

I did do some research about happiness.  It was interesting to find some stats about happiness.  For instance, an article from a UK paper, 'The Huffington Post,' maintained by author, Kathyrn Snowdon, found that religious people from all different faiths are happier than those who have 'no religion.'  Of all the faiths in the UK, Hindus are the happiest, scoring well above the average and just under the demographic of people who consider themselves to be 'in very good health' according to data compiled by the Office for National Statistics.

Christians of all denominations were the second happiest, followed by Sikhs and Buddhists.

In a TED Talk with Matt Killingsworth, it was revealed that if you want to be happier then you 'stay in the moment.'

Gallup had interviewed more than a million Americans since 2008, enough to map out happiness.  And no surprise; on a state-wide level, Hawaii heads the top ten.  But this isn't about good weather, because Wyoming, North Dakota, Alaska, and Colorado are next.  No southern state made the list.

Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, never conducted a survey on the topic of happiness, but he had proved that those who gave up bad habits and took to chanting became quite satisfied.

"Chant and be happy!" he used to say.

May the Source be with you!

7 km



Monday, May 23rd, 2016
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Monday, May 23rd, 2016
Caledon, Ontario

More Farming

"People usually consider walking on water or on thin air a miracle.  But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.  Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes.  All is a miracle."
-Thich Nhat Hanh 

The above quote was shared by Bob Soltys, photographer and writer, whom I met at John's Diner at Lakewood just west of Cleveland.  We went on and on extolling the glories of moving feet through time and space.

It was today that I had the good fortune to visit a sixty hectare farm recently purchased by a family from our community.  There, we had kirtan and had a look at the place - walking the fields, checking out the farmhouse, and barns.  Vishal, proprietor of the place, said "our family is going off the grid with this place.  We will incorporate solar panels, have our own water, plant fruit trees and gardens, along with bringing in a breed of cows from India."

I offered my congratulations for the move the family made.  They are going in the direction of 'simple living and high thinking.'

What attracted me to this place in the Caledon area, north of Toronto, was the fact that the Trans Canada Trail runs right at the edge of the property, apart from all the other dazzling features of the farm.  The place is clean and it's green.

May the Source be with you!

5 km

TOVP: Cast Iron Grill Work. Here is a finished ‘mock-up’ of the…
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TOVP: Cast Iron Grill Work.
Here is a finished ‘mock-up’ of the cast-iron grill design, made by our new CNC machine.
By hand, this would have taken more than a month to complete (without the precision), while by machine it only took 8 hours, (with perfect alignment).
So this machine is really a “God-sent”! It will be duplicated on the other side, so both sides will be exactly the same.
1 piece will weigh around 200 kgs. The next step is to make molds for casting.

A visit to New Godruma Dhama, Lanchang, Malaysia. (Album with…
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A visit to New Godruma Dhama, Lanchang, Malaysia. (Album with photos)
Every year when the Sugam Karnatica organises their annual children farm retreat, I thank and appreciate the kids who have to be up early in morning and be on a one and a half hours 118KM ride. And as soon as they arrive at our farm they are to actively participate in bhajan, hearing Krishna pastimes, tree planting activities, farm walk, bathing cows, making dung patties etc. Seems tiring. Yet they come back every year. So I guess there must be some excitement. Otherwise why come back? But for most other city dwellers, farms and cows are simply not too exciting. Not important. Not urgent. For many parents and teachers, childhood and teenage times are simply too precious that to be spending time with mother nature and mother cows. In any case our city supermarkets are providing the necessary fruit, vegetables and milk. So what is the need to go see cows and be with nature? This selfishness is not uncommon nowadays. The Srimad Bhagavatam and all Vedic scriptures will never compromise stating the need to serve mother nature and cows. This is real knowledge.
Credit goes for the Sugam Karnatica group organisers, parents and teachers for not only encouraging their kids to come to the farm but to be also with them all through the day retreat. This year they even got the children to be dressed green, simply attractive. Without the teachers and responsible elders these children will be deprived of the exposure to farms and cows. These experiences actually build goodness in personalities. The number of video clips posted in the facebook depicting the loving affection between cows, animals and children are increasing. It is a sure sign that cows and nature have an important part in our lives, especially our children. In many countries it is becoming a trend that families and friends get out of the cities during holidays and spend their times with mother nature and ahimsa farms.
The Srimad- Bhagavatam describes in detail how Lord Krishna takes the cows and calves every morning to graze on the pastures of Govardhana Hill. There are hundreds of thousands of cows at the palace of Nanda Maharaja (Lord Krishna’s father), and each cow has her own name. Whenever Lord Krishna plays His flute and calls the cows by name, the cows, intelligent and affectionate, come running toward Him.
The Vedic literature enjoins us to satisfy the needs of the cows daily (with food, shelter, and so on) before we satisfy our own needs. This is how Aryans—civilized persons—should serve the cows.
Worshiping the cows: The Vedic scripture states that all the demigods and demigoddesses reside in the body of a cow. This explains why the body of a cow is divine and holy. If we worship Mother Cow, we attain the same material benefits we’d get by worshiping the demigods and demi-goddesses individually. The Garuda Purana says that anyone who has even once worshiped Mother Cow will be saved after death from the great suffering of hell (Naraka). Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, gave more importance to the worship of the cows than to the worship of the king of the demigods, Indra. Therefore in India even today many millions of pious Vedic followers worship Mother Cow at least once a year on Govardhana Puja day.
Protecting the cows: If we accept the cow as our mother, she deserves our veneration and love. And we should protect her from all dangers. In Vedic times it was the duty of everyone, especially kings, to protect the cows at all cost.
If you have some influence over children and youths, and more so parents, please take your time to talk to them and encourage them about farm activities during holidays. Please write to simheswara@zoho.com or just give me a call at 012-3798743 or to our farm manager Gopesa Govinda prabhu at 016-527 4001 to schedule farm visits. We will do our best to serve you. Thank you.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/0VwkTk