Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Bhakti Life Retreat @ Gita Nagari.
We are very happy and excited to share with you that for the very first time ISKCON of Richmond is arranging a Bhakti Life retreat (in its real sense!) with HG Radhika Ramana Prabhu at Gita Nagari Yoga Farm. Rest, the poster says it all…
Here is the link to registration: http://goo.gl/forms/IV4ntjWpkt7HvMoD2
Google directions: https://goo.gl/PjcCeu
ISKCON Hosts 2nd European Yoga Congress.
ISKCON of Radhadesh, Belgium hosted the 2nd European Yoga Congress from May 27th to 29th, sharing insights and techniques with thirteen different yoga schools from twelve countries.
The seeds of the event were sewn in November 2014, when many different yoga organizations met at Yoga Vidya in Germany, Europe’s largest yoga ashram, to explore commonalities and possibilities for cooperation.That gathering, attended by a delegation of a dozen ISKCON members, resulted in the creation of the European Yoga Confederation, and an agreement to hold a European Yoga Congress every two years.
This year’s event in Radhadesh was held in a giant nearly 1,000 square-foot tent on the grounds, as well as a satellite classroom in the temple. Some 160 to 180 people attended.
Yadunandana Swami, Rector of the Instituto de Estudios Bhaktivedanta in Spain, and Vaiyasaki Das, a Prabhupada disciple and renowned kirtaniya, represented ISKCON Belgium along with several other devotees.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/jQ8SEF
Stockholm Harinam, Sweden (11 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: The process of chanting the holy name of the Lord is always superbly effective, but it is especially effective in this age of Kali. All the great authorities of bhakti-yoga recommend the devotional process beginning with the chanting of the holy name of Krishna (tan-nama-grahanadibhih). (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.1.21 Purport)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/kToauE
New Bhagavad-gita Exhibit Opens at MOSA Belgium.
A brand new exhibit of artwork from Kim Waters and Chris Murray’s classic 1980 book, Illuminations from the Bhagavad-gita, opened at the Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA) in Radhadesh, Belgium on May 28th.
The exhibit features all Kim’s original illustrations from the book, which is illuminated with translated verses from Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The uniquely charming, colorful images depict Krishna and Arjuna, Radha Krishna, Krishna Balarama, Vishnu, Pancha-Tattva, Nrsimhadeva, Sita Rama, and more.
The exhibit also includes Kim Waters’ cut-out, stand-up illustrated altars of Vrindavana Dhama, Devi, and Buddha, as well as other assorted works.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/M3wxGe
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Harinama in Tel Aviv, Israel 04.06.2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: This Krishna consciousness movement insists that everyone take to this path by adopting the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The preachers of Krishna consciousness go from door to door to inform people how they can be relieved from the miserable conditions of material life. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 5.14.39 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/f8GpiW
Preaching Krishna consciousness in the prison of Huntsville, Texas.
Phalini Devi Dasi: One of the most memorable experiences during our last visit to Houston was our trip to the Estelle Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice near Huntsville, Texas on September 19, 2015.
Although we had not planned it into our schedule, Krishna apparently had, so we went along with Krishna’s plan. It’s always good to cooperate with Krishna’s plan.
We were invited to participate by Gopal Krishna Prabhu of the Houston Temple. An enthusiastic and dedicated prison-preacher and alternates with Sridhara Shyama Prabhu from the Dallas Temple, to conduct regular, open-call Hare Krishna services—which comes under the wider umbrella of “Eastern Religions.” But this was not just any ordinary program. It was their Janmastami celebration, so they had invited a huge number of inmates for the festival.
After clearing security, we entered a room full of men–maybe forty or fifty–who sat ready and waiting for the Hare Krishna Festival to begin. Comfortable sitting cushions were arranged around the edge of the room, and the devotees had set up a microphone and amplifier with speakers.
My husband started the kirtan. The inmates joined in enthusiastically from the very start, singing robustly like old kirtan veterans. As the kirtan picked up to a livelier pace, the men almost all stood up to dance. They bounced and jumped back and forth, up and down the length of the room, chanting more and more loudly and grinning from ear to ear as they felt more and more jubilant with the intoxicating sound of Lord Krishna’s holy names. Even His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami joined in the dancing. The men formed a train, each man holding onto the shoulders of the man in front of him. They weaved and hair-pinned around the room like expert dancers from the old Agnideva kirtans of the seventies.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/zMkSFi
A promotion video of Govinda Valley retreat, just south of Sydney, New South Wales. A video by Nick Collins.
Krsna’s holy names resounded through the hills and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina at the recent Sadhu Sanga Retreat. Two thousand devotees relished each other’s association at one of ISKCON America's biggest functions of the year, celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the country 50 years ago. A video by Ananta Vrindavan.
June 5. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Irreplaceable Swami.
Every night we were listening to that bongo drum, Swamiji’s fingers on that drum. I remember one guy who came, that rascal named Eliot, who I knew before I started coming to the storefront. He said, “The Swami gets some good licks in; I want to hear him play.” They came to hear Swamiji just as they went to the park to hear the bongo drummers there. I used to apologize to them, “The Swami is a very proficient mrdanga player. You can’t judge him by what he’s doing now. He’s doing the best he can with this little drum. He doesn’t normally play a one-headed bongo, but we don’t have any of the drums that he plays in India.”
“All right, granted, but let’s hear what he can do with this one drum.”
So you can hear him. His fingers walk on the drum. People speak of Olantunji and his talking drums. Prabhupada’s drum talks from his walking fingers (tick-tick-tick, tick-tick-tick, one two, one two three four, one two.) It’s a simple thing he’s got going with his fingers on the drum, accentuating his walking beat, along with his own singing and the karatalas and tambour. It seemed that sometimes he played it strictly, like a metronome’s measured beats. But sometimes it was uneven, more human-like, hitting his fingers in rougher beats. None of it was very fast. He played that drum to accompany his own singing. I thought, “Gee, he’s over seventy years old and thumping on that drum to his own singing.” Yes, you could come to the storefront just to hear him play the drum. Of course, he had a lot more to give than that – Lord Caitanya’s philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, the Hare Krishna mantra.
The drum is for kirtana. You chant over the drum, but still you can be fascinated by hearing Prabhupada’s very simple fingers walking on the head of that brownish and already worn bongo head. There will never be anything like it, even now that we have many accomplished mrdanga players in ISKCON. Nobody plays a bongo drum like Prabhupada did – simulating a mrdanga and yet not simulating a mrdanga. Just playing on that little drum.
And his voice. It was not velvety smooth like cream, but a little rough, some grating there. Not unpleasant, but like a man at the end of the day with a stubble of beard, or the way a leader of men is sometimes a little rough in his speech. It is an appealing roughness that comes from working and from singing, not a pampered, delicate thing. An old man’s singing. And not a “man” – but an aged, pure devotee. His singing has its own appeal. It goes along with the drum, the uneven finger beat, and the rough voice. We were attracted by these things, almost hypnotized by each thing he did.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=9
Irreplaceable Swami
By Kavicandra Swami My dear god brother H H Purna Candra Goswami went to his samadhi some time back and we heard many praises. HH Bhakti Vijnana Goswami was lamenting that Purna Candra Prabhu was not so well known world wide since he had much to offer. He did leave us a very beautiful book that I think should be studied by anyone who is serious about spiritual advancement while serving, in any position, within ISKCON. The book is titled, UNSPOKEN OBSTACLES ON THE PATH TO BHAKTI. The title says a lot. Most of the devotees who spoke at his samadhi function mentioned his deep philosophical thinking extensive scriptural knowledge. HH Sivaram Swami mentioned that his meetings with Purna Candra Goswami were always refreshing since the talks were always philosophical. In this books he has spoken out very frankly, sometimes it seems to be very much criticizing, but looking carefully we find compassion and a helping hand. Continue reading "In Memoriam and book review
→ Dandavats"
By: ISKCON-London Communications
On Saturday 28th May, ISKCON-London had our first Open Day event of the year. Every year, we organise several Open Days during the summer months to welcome new and inquisitive souls to the Temple.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of ISKCON, and to increase the public’s awareness and appreciation of the movement, the theme for this year’s Open Days is “50 Years of Contribution to the Global Community”. Attendees start a journey of self-discovery and gain insight into topics including the science of the soul, attaining inner and world peace, mantra meditation, yoga and vegetarianism – many of these being new concepts for the attendees.
Whilst we welcome new guests to the Temple on a daily basis, the Open Days provide a structured series of interactive sessions for the public to learn about our philosophy and culture. It provides an opportunity to answer questions such as what goes on inside a Hare Krishna Temple, what are the Hare Krishnas’ beliefs and other questions that often cross the minds of passers-by or the spiritual seeker.
Our first Open Day of the year had over 80 guests attending, the majority who had never visited a Hare Krishna Temple before. They attended sessions based on the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita, mantra meditation and a Questions & Answers Hub where they could stay for as long as they liked and ask questions to a resident senior monk. Attendees also had the opportunity to join the 6 Hour Kirtan in the Temple Room to put into application the power of chanting the holy names.
Feedback from attendees have been positive:
“I can’t wait to come for next one.”
“It was wonderful and peaceful.”
“I like the music and looking forward to come for Sunday programme.”
Attendees left with a complimentary copy of Higher Taste and a prasadam sweet and several attendees were interested in buying further books.
Looking to introduce a friend, family or colleague based in London to our beautiful philosophy? You can invite them to one of our Open Days.
Dates: 25th June, 30th July, 20th August, 17th September.
For more information or if you wish to volunteer, please email events@iskcon-london.org.
Your servant,
Bhaktin Natasha
ISKCON-London Communications Secretary
By Govinda caran das
Dear devotees,
Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
We just celebrated ISKCON’s 50th anniversary at the Sadhu Sanga Retreat last week. To thank all the sponsors and core volunteers who work for the retreat all-year, we have a tradition of gifting them a sweatshirt. This year, we wanted to do a very special design for the sweatshirt to commemorate ISKCON50.
The inspiration for the design came from His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja who had come up with the title “The Seven Petals of ISKCON” for his Gita Nagari retreat last weekend to discuss the seven purposes for which Srila Prabhupada founded ISKCON. The pun here is the fact that there are seven petals in the ISKCON logo, which can be taken to mean the seven purposes of ISKCON. (By the way, I’m curious to know who designed the ISKCON logo originally and if this pun is intended).
One of the things I’ve been having difficulty with is remembering the seven purposes of ISKCON – as they are a bit long. Modern companies have figured out that remembering the mission is important to ensure all the activities of employees are aligned with the mission of the organization. For e.g. Google leaders repeatedly emphasize their mission of “organizing the world’s information and making them universally accessible” over and over in meetings so that employees keep that in mind when developing any product.
So we thought of making it easy to remember the seven purposes of ISKCON through the design of the sweatshirt. To do that, we did the exercise of taking each purpose and boiling it down to its core essence to fit in just two words so that we can use that as a mnemonic to remember the whole purpose. Here is what we came up with based on Romapada Swami’s explanation of these purposes in this article http://www.dandavats.com/?p=11900
1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world. => *Spiritual Education*
2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna (God), as it is revealed in the great scriptures of India, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. => *Krishna Consciousness*
3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus developing the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna). => *Loving Relationships*
4. To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God, as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. => *Congregational Chanting*
5. To erect for the members and for society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the personality of Krishna. => *Temple Construction*
6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, more natural way of life. => *Farm Communities*
7. With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings. => *Book Publication and Distribution*
After doing this distilling exercise, our appreciation for Srila Prabhupada grew so much more as it helped us understand what a great visionary His Divine Grace is. Even when most of these purposes hadn’t manifested yet, Srila Prabhupada had such a futuristic vision with which he had encoded a spiritual blueprint for our Society in these purposes. Fast forward fifty years from then – still we are doing exactly just these things in ISKCON!
So we put these two words on the sides of each petal. And now, how do we easily remember these two words for each purpose? For that, we came up with an image for each purpose that helps us remember the corresponding two words easily – after all a picture is worth a thousand words. Putting all these together, this is the final design we came up with:
The front of the sweatshirt has a customizable design where each individual Temple/project can put their logo.
We printed 250 sweatshirts for Sadhu Sanga and 120 sweatshirts for Gita Nagari Memorial Day Weekend retreat and all of them were sold out! Since there is so much interest amongst devotees, we are making this design available for any Temple/project to customize it for their own congregation.
To start with, we’ve customized the sweatshirt for the first ISKCON Temple which Srila Prabhupada started at 26, Second Ave in New York in 1966 as a way of helping with the maintenance of the 26 Second Ave Temple as mentioned here: http://krishnanyc.com/iskcon-50th-anniversary. The designer of the sweatshirt, Mother Jaeme from ISKCON Laguna Beach, has kindly offered to donate 50% of the profits towards the maintenance fund for the 26 Second Ave Temple. Here is the link to buy http://sundaram.life/collections/apparel/products/iskcon-50-anniversary-hoodie this really high-quality sweatshirt. Please help spread the word: the more people buy, the less the printing costs are and the more funds we get for this holy tirtha in NYC.
Who wouldn’t want to get this beautiful sweatshirt, anyway?
And, next time, when you happen to stand in a long Prasadam line behind a person wearing this sweatshirt, you probably wouldn’t mind the wait – as it’s yet another opportunity to remember Srila Prabhupada’s greatness!
Hare Krsna,
your servant,
Govinda caran das.
Kirtan In The Blue Ridge Mountains (6 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Krsna’s holy names resounded through the hills and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina at the recent Sadhu Sanga Retreat. Two thousand devotees relished each other’s association at one of ISKCON America’s biggest functions of the year, celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the country 50 years ago.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/KYNTnN
Muhammad Ali Talks About Meeting God (10 min video)
Kavicandra Swami: While distributing books in the airport of Chicago, me and other book distributers we would often meet with Muhammad Ali and we would stop him to give him a book. In 1974 I met him and gave him one of Srila Prabhupada’s books. In the beginning he thought that I wanted him to sign it but when I asked him to take it and give a donation, he immediately took out his wallet and gave a 20 dollar donation.
In many other occasions also he received Krishna conscious books from other devotees as he was quite friendly with all. Did he read them??
Judge for your self from this video where he preaches about God during a TV show, repeating almost verbatim Srila Prabhupada’s teachings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofUhct5Bk_g
Below is a brief description:
Muhammad Ali Talks About Meeting God.
A little boy asked Muhammad Ali, “I’d like to know what you’re going to do when you retire from boxing?” Ali’s answer couldn’t be more inspiring as he takes his time and gives this young fan an answer he’s sure to never forget. With news of Ali’s death, it is reassuring to know that he prepared for where he wanted to go. Ali said:
When I retire from boxing, I want to say something right here. Life is not really long. Let’s say the average person (is) 30-years-old. If you’re 30 years old you are not but about seven years old…how can I prove it? Add up all the seven, eight, nine hours you slept for 30 years. Out of all the years last night when you went to bed and woke up this morning, you don’t remember a thing. You’ve been unconscious for about eight years…if you’re 30-years-old you slept about eight years. Ok, how much traveling have you done in 30 years, from the television station to home, to another country, to another city, to school, to church…you’ve probably traveled two years your life just getting back and forth to where you’re going. So there’s eight years of sleeping, two years of traveling, There’s 30 years out of your life before you ever accomplish anything. How long do you sit in school? In America we sit in school from the 1st grade to the 12th grade. Six hours a day for 12 years, break it down, you sit in the classroom for three years! Without leaving. Ok, two years of traveling, eight years of sleeping, three years of school. Probably two years of entertainment. By the time you have children, by the time you have made a way for your children, by the time you’ve paid for your home you’re pushing 60-years-old. So…life is real short.
What am I gonna do in the next sixteen years? What’s the best thing I can do? Get ready to meet God. Owning real estate, going in business, teaching boxers…that won’t get me to heaven.
The boxing champ goes onto ask how many people in the audience believe in God, believe that a higher being is behind the earth, moon, the sun and the stars? Most raise their hands that they do. When he asks who doesn’t, not many go up. But Ali questions one of them. He holds up a glass of water and asks if she believes the glass made itself, if the tv studio and her own clothes made themselves. He talks about the moon and planets, and how someone had to have made them, and he believes that someone is God. Because of this, Ali’s mission is to help people because one day he is going to be judged. God is watching him, and he wants to do good. He said:
He wants to know how do we treat each other? How do we help each other? We need someone in the world to make peace. This is a test to see where will we spend this life, heaven or hell? This is not the life here. But your soul and your spirit never die. So God is testing us on how we treat each other and how we live to see where our real home be in heaven. So this physical stuff don’t last us so long. We don’t stay here. We’re just trustees. The most important part thing about life is what’s going to happen when you die. Are you going to heaven or hell?
Looking very serious, Ali talks about just how long forever really is, and the reality of burning in hell versus living in heaven for an eternity. It sounds like Ali has earned his way to the latter.
Our Japanese style cooking class is coming on Friday (10 June 2016) at 6pm till 8pm. Contact us now & save yourself a spot. Bookings essential, please email theloft.akld@gmail.com to book Cost: $20 Student ID $25 waged Please visit the Cooking class details!
The post Cooking Class on 10 June 2016 appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.
A collection of short bhajans from Krsna Valley’s children namely Narada, Premavati, Tilakini, Arati and others.
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The post Daily Darshan: June 4th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Gaura Nitai: Sign or coincidence? Fábri-Tóth Kriszta – The dharma of women? Vecsei Tamás – How to maintain determination without devotee association?
The post Answers to Questions appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Muhammad Ali in 1975 was received with a flower garland by a devotee of Iskcon during his visit to Frankfurt Trade Fair.
Bhaktitirtha Swami and Brahmananda prabhu with Muhammad Ali.
Bhaktitirtha Swami had a way of striking up a spontaneous friendship with celebrities such as Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali also shared the spotlight with Srila Prabhupada, at an anti-war peace concert Ali had organized.
Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) in 1975 was pleasantly surprised when he was received by a devotee of the “International Society for Krishna consciousness” during his visit to Frankfurt Trade Fair with a flower garland and was gifted Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita.
Harinama under the rain in Sydney (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: We’re chanting in the rain
Just chanting in the rain
What a glorious feelin’
We’re happy again
We’re laughing at clouds
So dark up above
Krishna’s in our hearts
And we’re ready for his love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
We’ve a smile on our face
We walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just chanting
Krishna’s name
in the rain
Find them here: https://goo.gl/9GFeMc
[A disciple of Prakasananda Sarasvati to an assembly of disciples]: “In this age of Kali, one cannot attain liberation without taking to the devotional service of the Lord. In this age, even if one does not chant the holy name of Krsna perfectly, he still attains liberation very easily.”
Lunch at 26 Second Avenue
June 4. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Lunch at 26 Second Avenue.
It’s amazing to think how, in the beginning of ISKCON in America, Prabhupada used to eat lunch with the devotees. He used to serve them prasadam. That’s mentioned in the Prabhupada-lilamrta and some devotees’ memoirs. Prabhupada would walk between the devotees seated on the floor and he would dish out the prasadam, just as our brahmacari servers do now in the temples. The devotees would see Prabhupada’s bare feet, and he would ask them what kind of prasadam they wanted. It’s inconceivable to us now! After a few weeks, some of the devotees learned to cook, and they then began to serve Prabhupada. But still, he used to sit in the midst of all the devotees. He was like a father with his family. He sat in one corner. I’ve been to 26 Second Avenue and I saw the room in his apartment where it took place. Prabhupada used to sit in a corner near a table where he kept his worshipable pictures, including a picture of Panca-tattva. Prabhupada didn’t have a special mat, but he just sat there, and devotees came out of the kitchen with hot preparations to serve the Swami and the other devotees. Prabhupada would look at the other devotees and encourage them to “Eat more, eat more.”
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=9
By Madhava Smullen
Evo-Vrindaban members Krsna Nama das, Nitai Chandra das, Lila, and Chaitanya Bhagavat das begin planting this year’s strawberry patch in New Vrindaban’s Community garden.
With ISKCON celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout 2016, ECO-Vrindaban – New Vrindaban’s self-sufficiency wing – is making many special efforts to honor Srila Prabhupada’s desires for the community.
One of these is to put a special focus on growing grains, which Prabhupada instructed his New Vrindaban disciples to do early on. “These duties are there in New Vrindaban, and we shall have to live there self independently, simply by raising cows, grains, fruits, and flowers,” he wrote in 1969.
“So we researched what grain best suited the local environment, and found that traditionally corn was grown here by Native Americans hundreds of years before European settlers,” says Garden Manager Nitaicandra Das. “It’s also being grown very successfully by locals today.”
To begin with in this first year, Nitaicandra plans to dedicate about five acres to corn production at the Nandagram farm recently acquired by ECO-V. He also aims to grow oats, barley, spelt, wheat, quinoa and amaranth in quarter-acre test plots.
In keeping with Prabhupada’s desires, a large variety of vegetables will be grown too, in the New Vrindaban community gardens. And of course, the Deity Flower Garden crew, headed by Vidya Dasi, will be busy producing tons of flowers for Sri-Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra.
“Produce. Make the whole field green,” Srila Prabhupada said during a conversation in Vrindavana, India in 1977. “Therefore I am asking so much… ‘Farm, farm, farm, farm.’ That is not my program—Krishna’s program.” He even later added, “Krishna is the Farm Acarya. Baladeva is holding a plow, and Krishna is holding the calf.”
Another 2016 goal of ECO-V’s, that was also a priority for Prabhupada, is to teach its growing herd of oxen to pull carts.
“We now have a state-of the art ox training facility at Nandagram,” explains Nitaicandra, who serves as the ox trainer too. “My goal is to train our oldest ox team, Hari and Priya, to pull a cart and help transport vegetables and tools in the garden this year. By New Vrindaban’s 50th anniversary in 2018, we aim for them to be ready to pull Prabhupada’s murti on a tour of Govardhana Hill.”
Ananda Vidya das and Lalita Gopi devi dasi serve the cows in a freshly painted goshala.
The cow care program is also getting special attention, with Ananda-Vidya, Lalita Gopi and other staff members freshly painting the milking goshala near the temple and insulating it to ensure the cows and their caretakers stay warm. The cows themselves are producing around twenty-six gallons of milk per day, which is made into butter and ghee for the temple and its presiding Deities and residents.
ECO-V Project Manager Mukunda Das, meanwhile, is also busy with offerings to Srila Prabhupada for ISKCON’s 50th. He is renovating and re-purposing New Vrindaban’s former brick factory and milk parlor as facilities for cleaning, canning and storing vegetables and grains.
“We want to improve ECO-V’s capacity to supply ISKCON New Vrindaban with as much of its food supplies, and for as much of the year as possible,” he says.
The facilities are already being used, and will store this year’s harvest beginning in July; although the full conversion will be a multi-year project.
Chaitanya Mangala das reports on the above earth-based home built by devotees in Madhuban during the spring INV Board Meetings tour.
Another exciting effort is the restoration of special sites of Prabhupada’s pastimes. One of these is a small, off-the-grid, earth-based home built by devotees in Madhuban from Prabhupada’s own design. Prabhupada visited the home in 1974, appreciating the construction and the simple life of its householder residents. Sitting on a rocking chair, he said, “You should make thousands of these nice houses.”
“It’s in major disrepair right now, so we’ll start by assessing its condition, and preventing further decay,” says Mukunda. “Then we’ll gradually restore it as a sacred historical site, with a picture of Prabhupada on a rocking chair. It will be a place where visitors can spend a moment with him, and see what simple living in New Vrindaban used to be and what it could be again.”
In addition to its own local efforts, ECO-V is taking ISKCON 50 as an opportunity to support simple living throughout ISKCON. It will provide a grant for Kalakantha Das, the ISKCON Minister for Agriculture and Cow Protection, to travel to four farm conferences he has organized this year in South America, Europe, Asia and North America.
ECO-V will also sponsor the registration fees for fifteen devotees to attend the North American conference in Gita Nagari this August, and will send its own representatives to talk about New Vrindaban’s efforts.
These will likely be Nitaicandra and Mukunda, who are thrilled at the opportunities they’ll get this year to connect with Srila Prabhupada, by spending ISKCON’s 50th anniversary serving a project so close to his heart.
By Madhava Smullen
Evo-Vrindaban members Krsna Nama das, Nitai Chandra das, Lila, and Chaitanya Bhagavat das begin planting this year’s strawberry patch in New Vrindaban’s Community Garden.
With ISKCON celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout 2016, ECO-Vrindaban – New Vrindaban’s self-sufficiency wing – is making many special efforts to honor Srila Prabhupada’s desires for the community.
One of these is to put a special focus on growing grains, which Prabhupada instructed his New Vrindaban disciples to do early on. “These duties are there in New Vrindaban, and we shall have to live there self independently, simply by raising cows, grains, fruits, and flowers,” he wrote in 1969.
“So we researched what grain best suited the local environment, and found that traditionally corn was grown here by Native Americans hundreds of years before European settlers,” says Garden Manager Nitaicandra Das. “It’s also being grown very successfully by locals today.”
To begin with in this first year, Nitaicandra plans to dedicate about five acres to corn production at the Nandagram farm recently acquired by ECO-V. He also aims to grow oats, barley, spelt, wheat, quinoa and amaranth in quarter-acre test plots.
In keeping with Prabhupada’s desires, a large variety of vegetables will be grown too, in the New Vrindaban community gardens. And of course, the Deity Flower Garden crew, headed by Vidya Dasi, will be busy producing tons of flowers for Sri-Sri Radha-Vrindabanchandra.
“Produce. Make the whole field green,” Srila Prabhupada said during a conversation in Vrindavana, India in 1977. “Therefore I am asking so much... ‘Farm, farm, farm, farm.’ That is not my program—Krishna’s program.” He even later added, “Krishna is the Farm Acarya. Baladeva is holding a plow, and Krishna is holding the calf.”
Another 2016 goal of ECO-V’s, that was also a priority for Prabhupada, is to teach its growing herd of oxen to pull carts.
“We now have a state-of the art ox training facility at Nandagram,” explains Nitaicandra, who serves as the ox trainer too. “My goal is to train our oldest ox team, Hari and Priya, to pull a cart and help transport vegetables and tools in the garden this year. By New Vrindaban’s 50th anniversary in 2018, we aim for them to be ready to pull Prabhupada’s murti on a tour of Govardhana Hill.”
Ananda Vidya das and Lalita Gopi devi dasi serve the cows in a freshly painted goshala.
The cow care program is also getting special attention, with Ananda-Vidya, Lalita Gopi and other staff members freshly painting the milking goshala near the temple and insulating it to ensure the cows and their caretakers stay warm. The cows themselves are producing around twenty-six gallons of milk per day, which is made into butter and ghee for the temple and its presiding Deities and residents.
ECO-V Project Manager Mukunda Das, meanwhile, is also busy with offerings to Srila Prabhupada for ISKCON’s 50th. He is renovating and re-purposing New Vrindaban’s former brick factory and milk parlor as facilities for cleaning, canning and storing vegetables and grains.
“We want to improve ECO-V’s capacity to supply ISKCON New Vrindaban with as much of its food supplies, and for as much of the year as possible,” he says.
The facilities are already being used, and will store this year’s harvest beginning in July; although the full conversion will be a multi-year project.
Chaitanya Mangala das reports on the above earth-based home built by devotees in Madhuban during the spring INV Board Meetings tour.
Another exciting effort is the restoration of special sites of Prabhupada’s pastimes. One of these is a small, off-the-grid, earth-based home built by devotees in Madhuban from Prabhupada’s own design. Prabhupada visited the home in 1974, appreciating the construction and the simple life of its householder residents. Sitting on a rocking chair, he said, “You should make thousands of these nice houses.”
“It’s in major disrepair right now, so we’ll start by assessing its condition, and preventing further decay,” says Mukunda. “Then we’ll gradually restore it as a sacred historical site, with a picture of Prabhupada on a rocking chair. It will be a place where visitors can spend a moment with him, and see what simple living in New Vrindaban used to be and what it could be again.”
In addition to its own local efforts, ECO-V is taking ISKCON 50 as an opportunity to support simple living throughout ISKCON. It will provide a grant for Kalakantha Das, the ISKCON Minister for Agriculture and Cow Protection, to travel to four farm conferences he has organized this year in South America, Europe, Asia and North America.
ECO-V will also sponsor the registration fees for fifteen devotees to attend the North American conference in Gita Nagari this August, and will send its own representatives to talk about New Vrindaban’s efforts.
These will likely be Nitaicandra and Mukunda, who are thrilled at the opportunities they’ll get this year to connect with Srila Prabhupada, by spending ISKCON’s 50th anniversary serving a project so close to his heart.
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.83.
“krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’
krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga
Translation: “The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential. (Cc Madhya 22.83)
“Sacinandana Swami was making the point that if we are in a humble mood, we will see our godbrothers and godsisters—people who are superficially similar to ourselves—as being more advanced. And that would fulfill the condition; sadhu sanga sato vare. He gave the example of the two of us; Superficially we appear to be equals. But he is thinking. ‘Oh, Giriraj Swami is more advanced than I am, I can learn from him.’ And Giriraj is thinking—and this part is true. ‘Sacinandana Swami is more advanced than I am and I can learn from him.’ In that mood we are getting sadhu-sanga.”
Kitan, Sadhu Sanga
Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.83, Sadhu Sanga
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 July 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Spirit Matters Program)
Question: Do you have any nice words to remind us not to have doubt whenever we have fear or doubt?
There are two types of doubts. One type of doubt comes from sinful activity and attachment to sinful activity. The other type of doubt comes from intelligence because we are also investigating something and cannot just accept everything blindly. So, there is also a healthy doubt. In the third canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Kapiladev explains to his mother these two types of doubt. About the other doubt, the one coming from sinful activities, one senior vaishnava said that instead of thinking about my doubts, I think about my faults and when I try to improve my faults then my doubts go away!
Japathon-Congregational Mantra Meditation 
Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
Celebrampton-Flower City Parade
Fasting For Bhima Ekadasi(Nirjala)
Sunday School
Gift Shop
Here is another way to have people pronounce the holy name with commotion and broadcast it to many thousands others who are listening! (4 min video)
There is this famous football player named Roy Krishna and every time he gets the ball the commentator tells his name, especially when he makes goals. Hear with how much intensity they pronounce the name of the Lord, unknowingly doing heaps of advancement!
[Sukadeva Gosvami to King Pariksit]: Even if he chants the Lord’s name jokingly or by chance, he and anyone who hears him are freed from all sins.
– Srimad Bhagavatam 5.25.11
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/gqQwls
The Gita teaches us that the soul’s amazing!
Though when I am trying to get up
I don’t feel very amazing.
It’s 20 before 3 in the morning—
I should get up before the alarm rings.
It’s 5 before 3 in the morning—
I should get up like I say I want to.
The alarm annoyingly rings at 3:15 am.
I want to leap out of bed like I used to,
though I’d rather sleep more.
I throw off the covers.
When I bow down to Prabhupada
I want to sleep, but I can’t, I must arise.
Feeling tired and not very amazing
I still push myself up, helped by the wood chest.
Walking to the toilet to relieve myself,
I say, “At least I’m up before 4 am.”
Back in my room I fold my bedding
thinking that even in my foggy condition
being alive and trying to wake up is amazing!
A brand new exhibit of artwork from Kim Waters and Chris Murray’s classic 1980 book, Illuminations from the Bhagavad-gita, opened at the Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA) in Radhadesh, Belgium on May 28th. The exhibit features all Kim’s original illustrations from the book, which is illuminated with translated verses from Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
ISKCON of Radhadesh, Belgium hosted the 2nd European Yoga Congress from May 27th to 29th, sharing insights and techniques with thirteen different yoga schools from twelve countries. The seeds of the event were sewn in November 2014, when many different yoga organizations met at Yoga Vidya in Germany, Europe’s largest yoga ashram, to explore commonalities and possibilities for cooperation.
By Yudhistir Govinda Das
On May 28, 2016, ISKCON celebrated the 500th anniversary of Lord Chaitanya’s visit to Vrindavan at the famous Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
The Festival of Inspiration, which was attended by nearly 8,000 people from Delhi-NCR and other parts of India, saw the presence of several senior vaishnavas such as:
HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja
HH Bhanu Maharaja
HH Lokanath Maharaja
HH Navayogendra Maharaja
HG Basu Ghosh Prabhu among many others
The festival was inaugurated by India’s Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Dr Mahesh Sharma. While addressing the audience he praised the contributions of Srila Prabhupada for taking the message of India all around the world and congratulated the devotees for the 50th anniversary of ISKCON. He also spoke with appreciation for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement.
The Hon’ble Minister later released a book on Vraja Mandala Parikrama authored by HH Lokanath Maharaja and was presented a memento by ISKCON India Chairman HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja.
The event showcased several presentations by national and international devotee artists who captivated the attention of the audience many of whom were donors and well-wishers of ISKCON.
Participants were treated to the likes of Bhaktivedanta Academy (Mayapur) who chanted mantras for bringing in auspiciousness and was followed by Dasavatar Odisi dance, Shadow Play on Bhagavad Gita by the students of IIT Kharagpur and Kirtan by the Mayapur International Preaching group along with talks by the visiting devotees.
The festival allowed the devotees to introduce Lord Chaitanya and Gaudiya Vaishnavism to many people who didn’t know about these subjects otherwise. The response, in terms of attendance and engagement, has been exceptionally good, beyond the expectations of the devotees.
The photographs of the event can be viewed by accessing the below link:
https://goo.gl/h5Z96j
Thank you.
Your servant,
Yudhistir Govinda Das
PS: Some other dignitaries who had confirmed their participation couldn’t make it due to the last minute celebrations organized by the BJP to celebrate their second anniversary in power.
Food for Life Vrindavan (http://fflvrindavan.org) is a humanitarian aid organisation officially recognized by the Indian government. For the last ten years, we have worked in the poorest villages in the Vrindavan area (120 Km south of New Delhi).