NASN March 2023 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of March 2023. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN March 2023 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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Brisbane Rathayatra
→ Ramai Swami

I recently attended the Brisbane Rathayatra, which started and finished at the Town Hall square. This event was held a little earlier than the normal Rathayatra date because it was the only time of the year the devotees could book the square, which was full up with other events all year long.

After leaving Town Hall, Lord Jagannatha, Balarama and Subhadra were taken on Their Ratha down various streets in the city and ended back there about an hour later. This year, the smaller Gold Coast cart was used because the bigger one was under repair.

There were well over one thousand devotees and friends that accompanied Their Lordships with kirtana and dancing. The kirtana continued for a while after the parade finished and then there were stage performances of dance and drama. Of course, the many stalls sold books and paraphernalia, while there was free sumptuous prasadam for all.

The Eco Teaching Farm at New Raman Reti Celebrated its 6th Annual Earth Day Eco Festival
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Eco-Farm director Akuti Dasi makes fresh mozzarella cheese for guests On Saturday, April 22nd, the Eco Teaching Farm at New Raman Reti in Alachua, FL, celebrated its sixth annual Earth Day Eco Festival. Established in 2017, the Eco Teaching Farm’s mission is to develop, through hands-on learning opportunities, a fully functional and dynamic, self-sustaining, ecologically […]

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The Travels of Jiva – A Poem By Bhaktimarga Swami
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There once was a tiny anti-material particle Not reported in any regular news article Jiva was the name of this glowing entity Who somewhat lost purpose and identity In its wanderlust it really liked to move Feeling as though life would then improve Yes, Jiva was up for travel far and wide A wish that absolutely […]

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Hare Krishna Valley is a Spiritual Oasis in Rural Australia
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Retreatants at Hare Krishna Valley Hare Krishna Valley was founded in 1987 as a rural community for the members of the Hare Krishna Movement in Victoria, Australia. The beginning years saw the development of a great deal of infrastructure, including residential buildings, a retreat center, ashram buildings, a bridge, a dairy, and a market garden. Our goal […]

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GBC College Welcomes Students from Nine Countries to Latest Zonal Supervisor Training
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The GBC College for Leadership Development has recently begun its next Zonal Supervisor Training course that includes thirty leaders from nine different countries worldwide.   The GBC College has successfully offered this training fifteen times worldwide in different languages since 2015. It aims to train candidates to become zonal supervisors who will assist their local GBC […]

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Village of Love – Uplifting Women in Rural India
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Vaishnavis gathered at the inauguration event. The Village of Love is a nonprofit organization that helps provide goods, services, and resources for women and children in Mayapur, India, the international headquarters for ISKCON. The organization was inaugurated during the ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry Sanga, led by Radha Devi Dasi, GBC Vaishnavi Minister, and held in Mayapur, […]

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The Temple of Unity will be a New Landmark for ISKCON in Mauritius
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Artist rendering of the new ISKCON Temple being constructed in Mauritius The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is constructing a new temple in Mauritius that will be a significant milestone for devotees on the island. This project signifies the organization’s sustained presence in Mauritius and will serve as a haven for those seeking spiritual […]

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COMING OF AGE #3 – Making Good Decisions
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Have you ever made a bad decision in your life? Who hasn’t? In hindsight, review a couple of your bad decisions. Then ask yourself if you made those decisions on your own or if you may have consulted the wrong people. When His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami engaged me as his long-term secretary, there were […]

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ISKCON Naperville Installs New Deities and Inaugurates Their Temple
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Devotees gather in the new extensive temple room to participate in hours of uplifting kirtan and dance. Festivities abounded in Naperville, Illinois as ISKCON devotees prepared to install the Deities of Sri Sri Radha Syamasundar and Lord Caitanya and to inaugurate a new temple building for Their Lordships. The event lasted three full days (April […]

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New film with memories of Jayananda Prabhu (2023)
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Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glory to Srila Prabhupada! Dear devotees, we present to your attention new film with memories of Jayananda Prabhu. This film is compiled from the memories of devotees of the first ISKCON saint, namely Srila Prabhupada, Madhudvisha das, Revatinandana das, Tamal Krishna Goswami, Mahatma das, Dina Bandhu das,
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Krishna’s Home Adult Care Facility in Tucson Holds Pre-Opening Event
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The Krishna’s Home Adult Care facility in Tucson held a pre-opening event on April 21, 2023, to celebrate the completion of their facility near the existing temple community. This joyful gathering of devotees occurred during the auspicious time of Akshaya Tritya inside the new building itself. Welcoming guests at the event, ISKCON Tucson Temple President […]

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Great-Grandmother Celebrates Multiple Generations Taking Up Bhakti
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Urmila Devi Dasi (Dr. Edith Best), an initiated disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, feels very blessed that multiple generations of her family have taken up Vaishnava bhakti. As a practitioner and teacher of Bhakti Yoga since 1973, she regularly visits temples and holy places worldwide to hold discourses on topics of yoga, mantra meditation, […]

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Mohini Ekadasi and the TOVP, 2023
- TOVP.org

Mohini Ekadasi vrata, also known as Vaisakha-sukla Ekadasi, is observed in the auspicious Vedic month of Vaishakha. It is one of the most important of the 24 Ekadashi vratas and is observed on the 11th day during the Shukla Paksha or the Full Moon fortnight.

This year Mohini Ekadasi is observed on May 1 worldwide and coincides with the Give To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching Fundraiser ending on May 4, Nrsimha Caturdasi. It is an auspicious day to give a donation for the completion and opening of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s TOVP Wing in October, 2023, as part of the TOVP Marathon to open the temple in 2024. Ambarisa prabhu is triple matching all donations, large and small; that’s $3 for every dollar! Please visit the Give To Nrsimha 36 Day 3X Matching Fundraiser website page and support this effort.

Sign up for the Nrsimha Maha Homa Yajna to have your name read to the Lord.

  NOTE: Mohini Ekadasi is observed on May 1 worldwide. Please refer to your local calendar through www.gopal.home.sk/gcal.

  View, download and share the TOVP 2023 Calendar​.

 

The Glories of Mohini Ekadasi

From Kurma Purana

Sri Yudhisthira Maharaja said, “Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight (sukla paksha) of the month of Vaisakha (April-May)? What is the process for observing it properly? Kindly narrate all of these details to me.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh blessed son of Dharma, what Vasishtha Muni once told to Lord Ramachandra I shall now describe to you.

Please hear Me attentively.

“Lord Ramachandra asked Vasishta Muni, ‘Oh great sage, I would like to hear about the best of all fasting days that day which destroys all kinds of sins and sorrows. I have suffered long enough in separation from My dear Sita, and so I wish to hear from you about how My suffering can be ended.’

“The sage Vasishtha replied, ‘Oh Lord Rama, Oh You whose intelligence is so keen, simply by remembering Your name one can cross the ocean of the material world. You have questioned me in order to benefit all of humanity and fulfill everyone’s desires. I shall now describe that day of fasting which purifies the whole world.

‘Oh Rama, that day is known as Vaisakha-sukla Ekadasi, which falls on Dvadasi. It removes all sins and is famous as Mohini Ekadasi. Truly, Oh dear Rama, the merit of this Ekadasi frees the fortunate soul who observes it from the network of illusion. Therefore, if You want to relieve Your suffering, observe this auspicious Ekadasi perfectly, for it removes all obstacles from ones path and relieves the greatest miseries. Kindly listen as I describe its glories, because for one who even just hears about this auspicious Ekadasi, the greatest sins are nullified.

‘On the banks of the Sarasvati River there was once a beautiful city named Bhadravati, which was ruled by King Dyutiman. Oh Rama, that steadfast, truthful, and highly intelligent king was born in the dynasty of the Moon (Chandra-vamsa). In his kingdom was a merchant named Dhanapala, who possessed a great deal of wealth of food grains and money. He was also very pious. Dhanapala arranged for lakes to be dug, sacrificial arenas to be erected, and beautiful gardens to be cultivated for the benefit of all the citizens of Bhadravati. He was an excellent devotee of Lord Vishnu and had five sons: Sumana, Dyutiman, Medhavi, Sukriti, and Dhrishtabuddhi.

‘Unfortunately, his son Dhrishtabuddhi always engaged in greatly sinful activities, such as sleeping with prostitutes and associating with similar degraded persons. He enjoyed illicit sex, gambling, and many other varieties of acts aimed at gratifying the senses. He disrespected the demigods (devas), the brahmins, the forefathers and other elders of the community, as well as his family’s guests. The evil-hearted Dhrishtabuddhi spent up his father’s wealth indiscriminately, always feasting on untouchable foods and drinking alcohol to excess.

‘One day Dhanapala kicked Dhrishtabuddhi out of the house after he saw him walking along the road arm-in-arm with a known prostitute. From then on, all Dhrishtabuddhi’s relatives were highly critical of him and distanced themselves from him also. After he had sold all of his inherited ornaments and become destitute, the prostitute also abandoned him and insulted him because of his poverty.

‘Dhrishtabuddhi was now full of anxiety, and also hungry. He thought, “What should I do? Where should I go? How can I maintain myself? He then began to steal. The king’s constables arrested him, but when they learned who it was, and that his father was the famous Dhanapala, they released him. He was caught and released in this way many times. But at last, sick of his arrogance and total disrespect for others, and their property, the ill-mannered Dhrishtabuddhi was apprehended, handcuffed, and then beaten. After whipping him, the king’s marshals warned him, “Oh evil minded one, there is no place for you in this kingdom.

‘However, Dhrishtabuddhi was freed from his tribulation by his father and immediately thereafter entered the dense forest. He wandered here and there, hungry and thirsty and suffering greatly.

Eventually he began killing the jungle animals, the lions, deer, boars, and even wolves for food.

Always ready in his hand was his bow, always on his shoulder was his quiver full of arrows. He also killed many birds, such as chakoras, peacocks, kankas, doves and pigeons. He unhesitatingly slaughtered many species of birds and animals to maintain his sinful way of life, the sinful results accumulating more and more each day. On account of his previous sins, he was now immersed in an ocean of great sin that was so relentless that it appeared that he could not get out.

‘Dhrishtabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, during the month of Vaisakha, by the force of some of his past merit he chanced upon the sacred Ashrama of Kaundinya Muni.

The great sage had just finished bathing in the Ganges River, and water was dripping from him still. Dhrishtabuddhi had the great good fortune to touch some of those droplets of water that were falling from the great sage’s wet clothing. Instantly Dhrishtabuddhi was freed of his ignorance, and his sinful reactions were reduced. Offering his humble obeisances to Kaundinya Muni, Dhrishtabuddhi prayed to him with joined palms: “Oh great brahmana, please describe to me some of the atonement I may perform without too much endeavor. I have committed so many sins in my life, and these have now made me very poor”.

‘The great rishi replied, “Oh son, listen with great attention, for by hearing me your life will change, and you will become free of all your remaining sins. In the light fortnight of this very month, Vaisakha (April-May) there occurs the sacred Mohini Ekadasi, which has the power to nullify sins as vast and weighty as Mount Sumeru. If you follow my advice and faithfully observe a fast on this Ekadasi, which is so dear to Lord Hari, you will be freed from all the sinful reactions of many, many births.

‘Hearing these words with great joy, Dhrishtabuddhi promised to observe a fast on Mohini Ekadasi according to the sage’s instructions and direction. Oh best of kings, Oh Ramachandra Bhagavan, by fasting completely on Mohini Ekadasi, the once sinful Dhrishtabuddhi, the prodigal son of the merchant Dhanapala, became sinless. Afterwards he achieved a beautiful transcendental form and, free at last of all obstacles, rode upon the carrier of Lord Vishnu, Garuda, to the Supreme abode of the Lord.

‘Oh Ramachandra, the fast day of Mohini Ekadasi removes the darkest illusory attachments to material existence. There is thus no better fast day in all the three worlds than this.’

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “and so, Oh Yudhishthira, there is no place of pilgrimage, no sacrifice, and no charity that can bestow merit equal to even one sixteenth of the merit a faithful devotee of Mine obtains by observing the Mohini Ekadasi. And He who hears and studies the glories of Mohini Ekadasi achieves the merit of giving away one thousand cows in charity.

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Vaisakha-sukla Ekadasi, or Mohini Ekadasi, from the Kurma Purana.

 NOTE: If the holy fast falls on Dvadasi, it is still called Ekadasi in the Vedic literature. Furthermore, in Garuda Purana (1:125.6), Lord Brahma states to Narada Muni:
“Oh brahmana, this fast should be observed when there is a full Ekadasi, a mixture of Ekadasi and Dwadasi, or a mixture of three (Ekadasi, Dwadasi, and Trayodasi) but never on the day when there is a mixture of Dashami and Ekadasi. This is also upheld in the Hari Bhakti Vilas, Vaishnava smriti shastra, and upheld by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupad in his Navadwip Panjika introduction.

 

 

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