Websites from the ISKCON Universe
One night in the month of Vaishaka, Krishna brought the gopis to Kumudavana with the desire to enjoy a rasa dance in the charming atmosphere. Radhika gathered some flowers growing plentifully there and as the other gopis watched so many flowers that he looked like the personified deity of spring. She made a crown and […]
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Radha Kunda Seva - April 2016 Photos and Updates.
We are excited to share photos with you of the progress on the building of Srila Prabhupada’s temple on the property adjacent to ours in Govardhan. The dome has appeared and is clearly visible from the Govardhana Parikrama path! Construction for the kitchen is scheduled to begin as soon as the temple is complete.
If you’d like to be a part of Prasadam distribution in Radha Kunda, this is an excellent opportunity. More about the project at http://radharani.com/build-a-kitchen/
The service of cleaning and prasadam distribution in Radha Kunda and Govardhan is continuing despite these days of extreme heat and sporadic, extreme storms with baseball-sized hail.
And on this most auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya (the first day of Chandan Yatra), we want to express our humble gratitude for your support and prayers. Thank you!
Please browse our latest photos and join our efforts by visiting www.radharani.com.
Your servants, Campakalata Devi dasi, Padma Gopi Devi dasi, Urmila Devi Dasi, and Mayapurcandra dasa.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/YJO4nI
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In the morning, for the pleasure of Sri Narasimhadeva the Maha Sudarshana Yajna was performed. The yajna took place in the courtyard of the temple facing Sri Narasimhadeva. 7 pujaris from the Gurukula performed the sacrifice seated in both sides of the sacrificial arena. The pujaris were anointed with chandan and sprayed with rosewater for […]
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By Kesava Bharati Dasa Goswami ARE YOU READY to hear about a miracle? Don't worry, I won't bore you with yet another story about some pseudo-miracle-worker. This story is about a seventy-nine-year-old woman completely set in her ways who, at the most difficult time of death, had a change of heart that brought her from the brink of terror to tears of joy. The woman was my mother. Born Nadine Alma Eastlack, she was conservative to the extreme. Her early life read like a chapter from John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. Her family narrowly escaped the dust bowl by migrating from Grinnell, Kansas, to the "Promised Land" of Southern California, landing in the fire of the Great Depression. After struggling to put herself through college and marrying a minor war hero, Leslie Waldo Beck, she attained middle-class status. While raising me, their only child, in the northern California town of Oroville, my parents both worked he as a parts manager of a local car dealership, and she as a high school teacher of sewing, cooking, and home economics. My parents watched with pride as their only son excelled in music, scholarship, and athletics, achieving numerous awards culminating in the "Young Man of the Year Award" for the class of 1964 at Oroville High. After high school, I attended UCLA, graduating with honors in 1968 and landing my first job as assistant to the studio manager at Columbia Pictures. About a year later, however, shortly after sweeping my mother off her feet with a whirlwind tour of the studio, I left that promising career, disillusioned with the superficiality of the Hollywood scene. Continue reading "A Son Helps His Mother Prepare For The Ultimate Test
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Rain does not stop the Harinama party in Lithuania (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “As a result of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead. The holy name of Krishna is so powerful that by chanting even one name, one very easily achieves these transcendental riches.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.28)
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ISKCON pins hopes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Krishna temple in Moscow
Indiatimes.com (http://goo.gl/InVviV) Moscow, May 1 (IANS)
It was in the forefront to stall a ban on the Hindu holy book, the Bhagavad Gita, in a Siberian city, but somewhat like the story of Lord Krishna, whose address at birth was said to be a gloomy dungeon in ancient Mathura, the address to Moscow’s only Krishna temple is in a basement in a rented building.
And quite like the story of persecution of Lord Krishna’s parents Devaki and Vasudev, the temple run by ISKCON’s Moscow chapter dedicated to the Hindu god, has had to be shifted to the makeshift subterranean abode, due to what is being perceived as sustained non-cooperation by the authorities as well as conservative religious groups, which have in the past, thwarted attempts to construct a temple on land officially allotted to the New York-founded society.
But for Sadhu Priya Das, who has been pursuing the issue for ISKCON in Moscow, the arrival of Narendra Modi as the Indian prime minister, who has already visited Russia twice since assuming office in 2014, could well be a catalyst in ensuring that a temple for Krishna comes alive in the land of the Kremlin.
“We are very hopeful that in the current tenure of Mr. Modi our temple will be built,” Das told this visiting IANS correspondent.
The history of the Hare Krishna movement’s efforts to build the temple appears as chequered as it seems mystifying.
The Hare Krishna movement was first legalized in the then Soviet Union 1988, after an initial spell of suspicion in the government establishment about the cult on account of its American lineage as well as unique methods of worship.
The real trouble however began in 2004, when its first and only temple located on the Begovaya avenue was demolished by the civic authorities on account of an urban development project. The Society was then awarded an alternative plot of land on the tony Leningradsky Prospekt, a move which saw strong protests from the conservative Russian Orthodox Church and was eventually stalled.An offer of another patch of land in the suburbs of Moscow was also withdrawn by the government just as construction of the temple was about to get under way.
“We have gone through a very long procedure for constructing the temple and finally the land was taken back by the government. Almost five years ago, we were promised another piece of land for the temple construction, but so far nothing has happened. The temple is currently located in a rented building in a basement,” Das said.
The Krishna temple, according to ISKCON, would not just facilitate the religious needs of the 15,000-strong population of Indians and more than 25,000 ISKCON followers living in the Russian capital but also serve as a social and cultural centre for South Asians in general.
Apart from the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government being at the helm in India, what has given a fresh lease of hope for ISKCON Moscow followers is the permission granted by the authorities in India to build the country’s first Russian Orthodox Church in the national capital New Delhi last year, following requests by the Russian embassy.
Many like Das are perhaps hoping that the Indian government is able to calibrate a diplomatic swap between a church for Christ in Delhi and a temple for Krishna in Moscow.
“If the government of India has approved the construction of the (Russian) Orthodox Church in India that is very good sign of our friendship and a good gesture. I am sure that a Hindu temple in Russia by ISKCON will soon be a reality,” Das said.
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Elevate Your Consciousness At Govinda’s Vegetarian!
Like any nice Jewish boy ought to, I decided to have lunch at a Hare Krishna temple.
Govinda’s Vegetarian Restaurant opened in 2007 in the basement of the ISKCON New York Hare Krishna temple at 305 Schemerhorn Street (just off Nevins Street) and it’s only open Monday through Friday from 12pm – 3:30pm.
“If you eat, healthy, good fresh home cooked food, you’re gonna feel happy and lighter and it’s gonna elevate your consciousness,” said Satya, who is both the manager and the chef.
This is Satya, the chef/manager of Govinda’s.
I was surprised to learn that Govinda is much a chain or, as Satya put it, “like a franchise.” They have successful locations in Los Angeles, Tuscon, and in Hawaii as well as elsewhere around the world.
ISKCON New York opened Govinda’s in 2007 as a means of spreading their message and raising funds.
“Hare Krishnas are known for their food, fresh homemade, no preservatives, as healthy as possible,” said Satya.
The food is served cafeteria-style and seating is the same. The no-frills approach masks the many splendors of the meal. Depending on the number of items you get, it can run anywhere from $7 to $12 (cash only.) The menu is always vegetarian, as the name implies, and sometimes it’s vegan, but the emphasis is on whole ingredients and not things like isolated soy protein.
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Grade 5 activities for Lord Nrisimhadeva’s appearance day at Sri Mayapur International School (Album with photos)
Face painting and chanting extra rounds for Lord Nrisimhadeva’s pleasure.
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Vrndavana Vilasini was attached to a hippie life of independence but found that lifestyle to be no protection from painful events and the intense suffering they caused. In her travels around America, she met devotees, heard the holy name, and took prasada. Finally, she ended up back in Seattle, Washington, her hometown.
One day, I was visiting the Seattle temple when the president, Makhanlal, said to me, “Do you want to meet someone who loves God more than anyone else?” I said, “Sure!” A little later, on June 8, 1972, he invited me to join the devotees on a six-hour drive to the Portland, Oregon airport to meet that special person, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. I had no idea how powerful a meeting that would be.
May 19. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Prabhupada’s Gift of Intimacy.
Aside from age and cultural distances, there is always a distance between two persons until they get to know each other. In the beginning, you try to see whether you will be able to be intimate with another person. Prabhupada was able to establish intimacy with hundreds of persons. He did not merely give us lessons in perfection delivered from a mountaintop. Rather, his physical association was always nearby. The awkwardness of not trusting him soon changed, and he also reached forward and pulled us toward him in a spiritual relationship.
Srila Prabhupada removed the awkwardness by convincing us that we did not belong to a different religion than he. He referred to the transcendental level at which all things come together. He used to say, “No one should object and say that they can’t chant Hare Krishna because it is a foreign name and it is not one’s own religion. This is transcendental sound vibration. We are all spirit souls, part and parcels of Krishna.” In this way, he established spiritual intimacy.
Prabhupada taught that all souls have an intimacy with Krishna and any feelings we had of alienation were not based on fact. They were illusion, based on false designation. Thus he gave a new consciousness and a new way to see reality.
As for Srila Prabhupada’s own unfamiliarity with Western culture, it was a feature that simply made him more dear to us. One time a devotee told Prabhupada that he might get fired from his job. Prabhupada was astonished and said, “Fired? They would fire on you?” Prabhupada thought the devotee would be fired with a gun. The devotee replied, “Oh no, Prabhupada! Fired just means they would release me from the job.” We would all laugh together about his not knowing these words. We did not expect him to know such things, but neither did we think of him as a “foreigner.”
Prabhupada knew the transcendental world, the real home. To be unaware of the material world was just another sign of his detachment. We did not expect that eventually he would educate himself in such things. He was not interested. They were all in the category of ignorance and passion.
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 May 2015, Simhachalam, Germany, Nrshima Caturdasi Morning Lecture)
om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
When Srila Prabhupada was lecturing on the appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadev in Bombay, he was lecturing immediately after a play and he was glorifying Hiranyakasipu because the part was played so well. Then he explained more about the pastimes of Lord Nrsimhadev and at the end he said, “If I had more time, I would have spoken about the prayers of Prahlad.” These prayers of Prahlad were particular favourites of Srila Prabhupada and in a sense, the most important, because Prahlad is a devotee and we are following in his footsteps and are trying to be devotees of the Lord. Therefore, in these prayers, when Prahlad is praying from his position as a devotee, these are especially relevant for us. Of course, when we hear about Hiranyakasipu, we realize that there is a little Hiranyakasipu in us too! So every aspect of the pastime has its relevance but still, because Prahlad is a devotee, we want to give some special attention to his words.
So, I shall start with a very short introduction. The situation was that Lord Nrsimhadev´s anger had been aroused by Hiranyakasipu. Lord Nrsimhadev’s anger was so extreme and so strong that it was still raging even after Hiranyakasipu had been killed. This whole pastime took place in the celestial regions and the demigods who were present felt the incredible, overwhelming anger! Due to the heat of that anger, they felt thrown back and they were just overwhelmed by fear and by no means could they go near the Lord. Even Laxmi Devi did not dare go near the Lord but for another reason. Laxmi Devi had never seen this form of the Lord and because Her chastity is to the Lord Visnu, She had some doubt whether She was really dealing with Lord Visnu. So, even Laxmi did not appear before the Lord. No one could. Lord Brahma could not, Lord Siva could not. None of the demigods could possibly go near the Lord!
So Lord Brahma pushed Prahlad forward and said, “Well, He appeared because of you, so you go and pacify Him!” Well, it does not look very heroic when you shove a five year-old boy forward like, “You go and deal with Him!” (Laughter)
No, we should not take it in that way, we should see that Lord Brahma is most intelligent and therefore very deeply analysed the situation and also realized Prahlad is not just a five-year-old boy, he is extremely powerful – nothing could kill him, nothing could possibly kill Prahlad! So many attempts were made to kill him but nothing worked.
Then the Lord benedicted Prahlad and placed His lotus hand – I guess it is a hand or transcendental paws or whatever it was. He placed His hand on the head of Prahlad and then, it is said that Prahlad was purified, further purified from any possible influence of his demoniac birth and subsequently Prahlad started to offer prayers.
So after having offered various prayers, Prahlad comes to this prayer that I chose, (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.11)
naivātmanaḥ prabhur ayaṁ nija-lābha-pūrṇo
mānaṁ janād aviduṣaḥ karuṇo vṛṇīte
yad yaj jano bhagavate vidadhīta mānaṁ
tac cātmane prati-mukhasya yathā mukha-śrīḥTranslation: The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always fully satisfied in Himself. Therefore when something is offered to Him, the offering, by the Lord’s mercy, is for the benefit of the devotee, for the Lord does not need service from anyone. To give an example, if one’s face is decorated, the reflection of one’s face in a mirror is also seen to be decorated.
And I will read Srila Prabhupada’s purport which is not so long:
In bhakti-yoga it is recommended that a devotee follow nine principles; śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam/ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam (SB 7.5.23). This service of glorifying the Lord by hearing, chanting and so on is not, of course, meant for the benefit of the Lord; this devotional service is recommended for the benefit of the devotee. The Lord is always glorious, whether the devotee glorifies Him or not, but if the devotee engages in glorifying the Lord, the devotee himself automatically becomes glorious. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (Siksastakam 1). By glorifying the Lord constantly, the living entity becomes purified in the core of his heart, and thus he can understand that he does not belong to the material world but is a spirit soul whose actual activity is to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that he may become free from the material clutches. Thus the blazing fire of material existence is immediately extinguished (bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam)…
So to comment a little bit… I found this quite important that the Lord does not need our glorification, especially because we are members of the sankirtan movement which is a movement dedicated to constant glorification of the Supreme Lord. Sometimes the question is raised, “But why does the Lord need to be glorified all the time? Is He enjoying this to hear His own glory? Is it almost like vanity? What is this quality in the Lord that He likes to be glorified and that we have to chant all His glories all the time? Why? What is this in the Supreme Lord?”
But from this verse, we see what the key is to the entire glorification of the Supreme Lord because Prahlad makes it very clear. Now Prahlad, as Srila Prabhupada states, is one of the mahajans (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.20).
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ, kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
Prahlad Maharaj is one of the twelve mahajans, one of the authorities, therefore whatever Prahlad speaks is to be taken as authorized instruction. And Prahlad is stating that the Supreme Lord is atmarama, He is satisfied within the self, He does not need our glorification but the amazing thing is that by glorifying the Lord, the person who glorifies Him is purified. Just as when we decorate our face and when we look at our reflection, it is also decorated. So when we decorate the Lord in glorification, we ourselves become glorified and purified. As it is said in the Caitanya Caritamrta, Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami says (CC Madhya 22.75) sarva mahā-guṇa-gaṇa vaiṣṇava-śarīre, and then it says kṛṣṇa-bhakte kṛṣṇera guṇa sakali.
He says that all the good qualities of Krsna will manifest within a vaisnava. So it is very interesting that by serving Krsna, the vaisnava gets the qualities of Krsna. The entire glorification of the Lord is actually decorating ourselves. Although we offer Him this praise and endless glorification, our own glories are increasing. And that is a very important point made by Prahlad which really struck me very much.
Then I would like to go to one more prayer of Prahlad and then I will end, (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.15)
nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te ’tibhayānakāsya-
jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt
āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān
nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrātTranslation: My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies…
So throughout scripture, Lord Nrsimhadev is described as frightening, like in Nrsimha Tapani Upanisad, He is called bhisana or very frightening appearance. But the frightening appearance of the Lord is not at all frightening for the devotee, not frightening for Prahlad nor for the devotee because as Srila Prabhupada explains, a lion is very fearsome to all animals but not to his own cubs, right!
His own cubs are not at all afraid of the lion because the lion is their protector, so rather than being afraid, they feel very well-protected. Just as children like to say, “My father is a policeman,” or something like that, just to scare off other kids, “You can’t do anything to me. My father…” So when your father and protector is Nrsimhadev, then one is very comfortable. So in this way, the devotees are rather very comfortable, very happily discussing the intestines of Hiranyakasipu hanging as a garland around the neck of the Lord…
Srila Prabhupada says, “Prahlad stands next to the killer of his father and he has a garland ready. He wants to garland the killer of his father.” It is very transcendental and quite difficult to understand for the materialists. Sometimes people come into our temples and they see the painting of Hiranyakasipu and they see it for what it is and they say, “What is this?” And the devotees say, “Oh, it’s our Lord Nrsimhadev.” Because we see this all as the great mercy of the Lord, who is so affectionate, so much full of love towards His devotees that He will not tolerate, not tolerate any violence towards His devotees and thus the devotees, by worshiping Lord Nrsimhadev, become fearless.
Bahir nrisimho hridaye nrisimho, He is everywhere and outside of us is Lord Nrsimhadev, the Lord is in the heart. Yato yato yami tato nrisimho, everywhere we are Lord Nrsimhadev is there. In this way, we are feeling very safe and very happy to commemorate this pastime with all its bloody descriptions. I´ll end here. Thank you very much!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Transcribed by Tattvavati dd
Giriraj Swami participated in the occasion in Mumbai via Skype.
“It is so wonderful that Mother Arca Vigraha had it in her heart to give her house in Vrindavan to Guru Maharaja. She knew that she was not going to live for too long so when she built that house, in her heart she built it for Guru Maharaja. It is such a lovely service that she did for him. It should inspire all of us to serve Guru Maharaja in whatever way we can—be it big service or small service. It is not that we all have to give a house to serve our Guru but whatever is our capacity. It is the love in our heart, the feeling in our heart that actually matters. The eagerness and laulyam or greed to do service.”
—Haripriya Dasi
Talk by Giriraj Swami, Dallas
Talk by Haripriya dasi, Mumbai
Talk by Vraja Sundari dasi, Mumbai
The Journey Within – book trailer (2 min video)
In this long-awaited follow-up to his international bestseller “The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami”, renowned spiritual leader and social activist Radhanath Swami shares intimate stories from his decades of experience as a guru of Bhakti Yoga that illustrate the basic teachings of the ancient philosophy. With illuminating references to Western religions and ideologies, The Journey Within invites readers from all backgrounds to discover the simple truths that unite us.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/dvp8om
Daytona Beach Festival of the Chariots, Bhakti Yoga Culture & Wellness Fest.
Daytona Beach, FL Sunday, May 29, 2016
MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Bhadra das at 352 316-4560 or Bhadradas@gmail.com
WHAT: An Indian multi-cultural parade and festival will be celebrated with entertainment for the whole family. There will be live music, singing, classical dance, books, bazaar, and lots of free delicious vegetarian food. The Ratha Yatra Parade is the oldest known parade in the world.
WHEN & WHERE: Sunday, May 29, 2016. There is an inauguration ceremony at the Daytona Beach Bandshell located at 70 Boardwalk. The parade begins at 4 PM going North on the beach several blocks, then turns back South, returning to the Bandshell where the free feast and cultural festival take place from 6 to 9 PM.
WHO: All are welcome. Free admission. Wholesome fun for the entire family.
SPECIAL: VERY VISUAL event with colorful traditional costumes and flower decorations. Photography is permitted. Performances by international guest musician, DJ & sound healer Srikology; healthy living booths; yoga/gong workshop (please bring your mats).
If you’ve ever dreamt of visiting colorful, exotic India, we have a treat for you. Get a taste of India without leaving Florida on Sunday, May 29, 2016. The Festival of the Chariots, Bhakti Yoga Culture & Wellness Fest, an Indian multi-cultural extravaganza, will take place starting at 4 PM at the Daytona Beach Bandshell located at 70 Boardwalk. A parade starts here and also ends at the same place, the Bandshell at 6 PM with free food and a cultural program from 6 to 9 PM.
There will be lots of family-friendly activities and entertainment: live music, classical Indian dance, drama performance, face painting & henna, mantra meditation, bhakti yoga. But the big draw is the delicious vegetarian food. There will be a sumptuous feast served free of charge to all.
The procession route is about 2 miles long and can be easily walked by all age groups. The parade will move in a leisurely fashion, stopping here and there along the route, giving way to song and dance. The procession’s unique feature is a huge chariot with a blue, red and yellow canopy decorated with swans, lotus flowers, flags, Hanuman and a brass chakra on top. This chariot has two very thick ropes attached to it that are over one hundred feet long. These ropes are pulled by the parade-goers, propelling the chariot along the parade route. Riding on the Chariot are the beautiful Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, decorated with stunning silk outfits & real flowers. It’s a vision from another world. Accompanying the procession is lively Indian music and dancing, backed by double-headed mrdanga drums & karatala hand cymbals. It’s an ecstatic, exciting event.
The festival is mainly sponsored by ISKCON Alachua, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness whose Founder/Acharya, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, came to America from India forty-five years ago and introduced the timeless tradition of the Festival of the Chariot (called Ratha Yatra in India). Since the 60’s this festival has been held yearly in over 50 major cities in the United States, Canada, and all over the world. Nine Ratha Yatras are held yearly in the state of Florida: Miami, Jacksonville Beach, Tallahassee, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Clearwater Beach & St. Augustine.
Local sponsors of this festival include Kale Café, Space Girl Organics, Evolution Health Club, Sacred Strength Healing Arts, and Daytona Wellness.
All are warmly invited to attend this joyous, colorful festival, free of charge. Take advantage of a rare chance to experience the vibrancy of India, right here in Florida.
Questions? Contact Bhadra das at 352 316-4560 or Bhadradas@gmail.com
Please visit our website at www.festivalofchariots.org
Devotee, inventor of “kurma the frog” character left his body.
Jagadambika Devi: HIs Grace Shom Prabhu left the temple around 5:00 p.m. We had to wait until the police investigated, doctor signed off on Death Details, cremation place etc. At first the police would not let the devotees touch Shom’s body. They finally figured it out that there was no foul play. Apparently Shom Prabhu got up at 5:00 a.m. to bath and get dressed for his service. Then Anadi Das Prabhu, roommate, did not hear Shom leave by 6:00 a.m. yet, so he went to his room to check and he was face down on the bed. He was already dressed. So he must have left his body somewhere between 5 a.m. - 6 a.m.
Shom Prabhu’s body was in the house all day. As they took his body away by transport, the devotees were out chanting Hare Krsna to see him off. Then some of us went and opened all the temple doors outside so he could get one final darshan of Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakadisa. The mortuary transport stopped in front of the temple so Shom Prabhu could say goodbye. I opened Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra’s doors. Other devotees opened the other Deity doors. His body was the color of Krsna. He must have seen Krsna. I’ve seen many dead bodies but have never seen anything like it. He was really blue and had a big smile on his face. He became blue so quickly. He must have had another seizure. He’s had them a lot lately.
All glories to Her Grace Kriya Shakti Mataji! She’s cool calm and amazing! She was with Anadi Das Prabhu and Shom Prabhu’s body all day, arranging everything. She went through Shom Prabhu’s phone and got some close relatives contact, contacted a mortuary, etc. to pick up Shom Prabhu’s body. Mother Kriya Shakti Mataji arranged all the details for Shom Prabhu’s body, garlands and all. His Grace Rabindranatha Das Prabhu, Head Pujari came also. Mother Kriya Shakti must be exhausted from such a long day. I notice whenever a devotee is in need she’s always there to help out. She did such an amazing service with this sudden passing. She even got Shom’s family to allow the devotees to do everything for Shom Prabhu’s body from cremating, etc. There will be a Memorial for Shom Prabhu later. I don’t think they need to do an autopsy since doctor signed off.
It’s times like this I’m so grateful to be around devotees like Mother Kriya Shakti, and all the New Dwaraka Devotees. Family always come together when needed. They are always there. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! Such an auspicious day to pass!
This is his facebook page, active until few days ago: https://goo.gl/K21942
While blissfully absorbed in swinging, Radha and Krishna hurl color powders on the gopis. The sakhis return the volley with their powders, and Radha and Krishna reveal a unique state of fresh beauty. If any powder bomb happens to hit the dark blue body of Krishna, Radhika happily wipes it off with her soft hands […]
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By Upendra Dasa Krsna consciousness is not a tower of Babel to Krsna. There are two processes in spiritual life, the ascending and the descending. Through the ascending process one tries to construct a ladder up to Krsna by processes of yoga, meditation, word jugglery, logic, dry philosophy, etc. However sincere, Krsna is acyuta, unapproachable, that process will never be successful But if the unapproachable Krsna wants to come to us, then nothing can stop Him. That is called the descending process, Krsna consciousness. Krsna is presenting Himself to you and I through the authorized disciplic chain of Vedic teachers. This is the oldest family tree in the universe. Knowledge of Krsna (which is non-different from Krsna Himself) is coming down to us without any tinge of contamination through this unbroken disciplic succession, and His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the contemporary representative of this line. Continue reading "True Happiness Must be Eternal
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