Websites from the ISKCON Universe
In today’s ‘motor car civilization’, one of the most profound thing to ask would be, ‘who owns the world’s biggest and the most exotic car?’ To get an answer to this question, you would have to go to the Eastern part of India, to Jagannath Puri.
Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:
The GBCs of Mayapur were supposed to go to Mayapur for the summer meeting. However, because of severe flooding, the meeting was held in Kolkata.
At he
r initiation ceremony yesterday, Rose Forkash received the name Rajani-priya dasi. Rajani is a name of Durga, an expansion of Srimati Radharani, who is the divine, universal mother. Rajani was also the name of Srila Prabhupada’s mother. Priya means “dear” or “dear to,” and dasi means “servant” or “servant of.”
During the ceremony, Rtadhvaja Swami, Niranjana Swami, and especially Indradyumna Swami encouraged Rajani-priya via Skype with words of appreciation, affection, and instruction.
Rajani-priya has deep attachment to the holy name, and even now, at almost ninety-five years of age, she continues to induce people from all different backgrounds and walks of life to chant and read Srila Prabhupada’s books.
As Srila Prabhupada wrote to Rose in 1977, “If the parents of our devotees study the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, there is not doubt they will benefit equally as their children.”
Rajani-priya’s daughter, Lila-sakti dasi, who was initiated by Srila Prabhupada forty-five years ago, left her body in late June. Just days before her departure, Lila told her mother, “Whatever happens, don’t stop chanting Hare Krishna.” The accompanying photo shows Rajani-priya holding Lila-sakti’s image shortly after her initiation. “I wish Lila could have been here,” Rajani said. “She would have been so proud and happy.”
Hare Krishna.
—Giriraj Swami
Rose Forkash was initiated by Giriraj Swami and given the name Rajani Priya dasi at 94 years of age.
“I was looking at you and Sam looking at each other so lovingly and I asked. ‘You have been together for sixty five years and you are so full of love. What is the secret to that kind of marriage?’ You and Sam looked at each other in the eye and simultaneously said. ‘Respect.’ You respected each other so much. I was just thinking how you respect every one of us. You respect everyone you come in contact with—like those homeless people. Unconsciously or consciously you see the spirit soul within all of us and you don’t judge people by the outside. You find that love in our hearts and you connect with us.”
—Urvasi dasi
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By: Madhava Smullen
Over the years, New Vrindaban has been famous for a long list of mouthwatering prasadam dishes – Hladini’s cinnamon rolls; Radhanath Swami’s sandesh; Madri, Dharmakala and Kutila’s cheesecake; Dharmakala’s baked goods and milk sweets; Taru and Amburish’s sweet rice; Vani’s dokla and idli, and many more.
But first, no story about New Vrindaban cuisine is complete without mentioning the legendary rice and oat water breakfast introduced in early 1976 and prepared by Sankirtan Das from 1977 until 1992.
It all began when Madhava Gosh read an article about how oat water was fed to inmates because of its energy-giving properties, and suggested it be adopted at New Vrindaban. Sudhanu Das then developed the first recipe and passed it on to fellow cook Tejomaya, who taught Sankirtan.
Oat water fueled the devotees who built New Vrindaban, and was symbolic of the austerities practiced in those early days. But, although an acquired taste, it could also be rather relishable.
“Oat water was not thick like oatmeal, but rather a savory liquid oatmeal brew,” says Sankirtan, who moved to New Vrindaban with his wife Ruci and their children on Gaura Purnima 1976. “I made it for 60 or 70 devotees, using 10 gallons of water, one gallon of oats, a cup of salt and ginger and raisins to taste.”
Sankirtan was one of those who relished oat water. “It was fantastic,” he says. “It was like having your morning cup of coffee before you got on the road. Sometimes it was sipped, and sometimes poured over the plain rice that went with it. In winter time, served hot, it warmed your insides and was a source of immediate heat against the cold.”
Just as the oat water symbolized the hardships of New Vrindaban life, it was also a challenge to cook.
From 1977 to 1979, Sankirtan prepared the rice and oat water breakfast in an outside kitchen in Bahulaban called “the pits,” which was just about as delightful as it sounds. Adjacent to the Deity kitchen, it had only a tin roof to protect one from the elements.
“I would collect my firewood the night before, because if it was wet, it would just smoke and wouldn’t ignite a decent fire to cook with,” he says. “I’d also fill the pot up with water at night.”
The next morning, Sankirtan would begin cooking at 5:00am, as in those days, devotees chanted most of their japa before mangala arati, had no japa period, and were finished the entire temple morning program and ready for breakfast by 7:00am.
The pits were literally three holes in the ground containing wood fires, with a grating over them on which the pots sat. Cooking over them was tricky.
“It was like a juggling act,” says Sankirtan. “You had to maintain a wood fire that would fluctuate if you weren’t attentive, while stirring the pot constantly so as not to burn anything. For the first few weeks until I got the hang of it, the rice was either uncooked, burnt, or mushy.”
The oat water was also a very precise recipe that could be easily ruined in a myriad of ways. At times over the years when Sankirtan was away for a few weeks, New Vrindaban residents would pray for him to return while his substitute undercooked it, oversalted it, or tossed in experimental ingredients to disastrous effect.
When each dish was done, Sankirtan struggled to lift the huge 20 gallon pots they were cooked in off the pits on his own, so that they wouldn’t burn. This left his apron covered in charcoal so black and all-encompassing that a visitor once mistook him for the mechanic.
The weather didn’t help, either.
“In the winter, it was an ordeal by both fire and ice,” Sankirtan says. “You were scorched on the side closest to the pits, but freezing cold on your back. And of course, if it rained or snowed you would be dealing with wet wood which didn’t give off too much heat but a lot of smoke.”
Sankirtan also cooked lunch six days a week, until the early 1980s. Fortunately, he had help with cutting vegetables and cleaning up from Shobavati Dasi. And in 1979, an indoor kitchen was built on the ground floor of the guest house in Bahulaban, making the cooking less challenging.
It was still hard work, however, and from 1981, what really kept Sankirtan going was pairing with fellow theater performer Lokamangala Das. Sankirtan would cook breakfast on his own, lunch with Lokamangala, and in the afternoon the two would work on developing plays.
“Sometimes we’d even rehearse our lines while cooking,” says Sankirtan. “It was kind of fun!”
Although he stopped cooking lunch when the devotee kitchen moved to the current temple complex in 1983, Sankirtan continued to cook breakfast until 1992. Both meals were plain – lunch was rice, dahl, chapatis, and later one subji too; what’s more, after lunch there was nothing to hold residents over until the next day but some leftovers.
Of course there were treats, too. On Sunday mornings, Jaya Murari would make a pancake breakfast with fresh homemade syrup. And Sunday Feasts would be a sumptuous spread, with New Vrindaban’s best cooks going all out, and families stashing the goodies for during the week.
But on an average week day, it was the oat water that woke the devotees up in the morning, and gave them the energy to go out and work hard to build Srila Prabhupada’s Palace, Sri Sri Radha Vrindabanchandra’s temple, the Palace Lodge, the residential cabins, vegetable and flower gardens, cow barns and everything else we think of as ISKCON New Vrindaban today.
“In the early days , devotees were performing austerities on a lot of different levels – the oat water was part of them,” says Sankirtan. “And personally I think that’s what built New Vrindaban. Everyone was performing the same austerities; we were all in it together. And that’s why, in one sense, there is a kind of comraderie between the older devotees here.”
Of his part, Sankirtan says, “I wasn’t a cook by nature. But I relished cooking because it was both a form of surrender for me, and a service to the devotees. And in that, I felt that I was helping to build New Vrindaban.”
We’ve modified the recipes for rice and oat water for home cooking and shared them with you below. Try them out and let us know how they inspire you with a flavor of that classic “Brijabasi Spirit!”
Rice (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
2 cups of water
1 cup of rice
1 teaspoon ghee (butter, or ghee impurities)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
(Approximate cooking time: 15 to 25 minutes)
1. Bring the water to boil in a sauce pan.
2. When the water boils, stir in the rice, salt, and ghee (if using), and bring it to a gentle simmer.
3. Cover the pot and turn the heat down low.
4. Start checking the rice around 15 minutes.
5. When done, the rice will be firm but tender, and no longer crunchy.
Oat Water (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
8 cups of water
1 cup of rolled oats
1 teaspoon ghee (butter, or ghee impurities)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Raisins & fresh ginger – to taste
(Approximate cooking time: 30 minutes)
1. Bring the water and salt to boil in a sauce pan.
2. When the water boils, stir in the oats, fresh ginger and ghee (if using) and bring it to a gentle simmer.
3. Stir occasionally and cook for approximately 30 minutes at a simmer.
4. The oat water is ready when the oats lose their form and become creamy.
5. Towards the end, add a few raisins so they get cooked enough to soften and plump up.
Srila Prabhupada repeatedly stressed that real education is character development. His name reminds us of the balance we have to strike – “Bhaktivedanta: knowledge with devotion.”
Vote of Thanks by Radhanath Swami at 50th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's Jaladuta Yatra at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Day 1 Afternoon Session on 13th August 2015.
Musical Symphony by Eklavya Das on Song Yadi Prabhupada Na Hoito at Srila Prabhupada's 50th Jaldutta Anniversary Journey to USA at Netaji Indoor Stadium Kolkata on Day 1 Afternoon Session on 13th August 2015.
Kiran Bedi Praising Srila Prabhupada's 50th Jaldutta Anniversary Journey to USA on Day 1 Afternoon Session on 13th August 2015.
Positive Psychologists are perhaps the first group of scientists willing to hold out an open space for God-related-ideas.
My trip to India brought a few surprises. It’s been some years since I was last there and things are changing fast. The cities are still the same bustling mess of teeming madness, much like anywhere else I suppose, but it’s in the outlying rural areas that I was most shocked.
ISKCON Taiping Ratha Yatra, Taiping, Malaysia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Krishna. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, preme pum-artho mahan: one’s main concern should be to increase one’s attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one’s love for Him. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.3.24 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/j4qvHi
ISKCON Boston invites everyone to attend what promises to be an unforgettable event. Srila Prabhupada's 50th Anniversary Arrival Festival will take place on Saturday, September 19th through Sunday, September 20th in Boston, Massachusetts. An array of prestigious guests and entertainment will be provided throughout the weekend, free of charge to all who take part in commemorating this most auspicious day.
August 18th (English/Russian)
The post Conference with Russian speaking disciples appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Hare Krishna! Unity in Diversity or Unity in Perversity: The challenge of a unified and diverse Iskcon (video)
Evening Class at Iskcon Chicago, Sri Kishore Kishori temple streamed live on Aug 19, 2015. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam on the strength of His philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. That philosophy holds that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation. That is to say, there is unity in diversity.
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19206
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Untitled Lecture)
The other day, I was reading one page of the Lilamrta and it was a description of a person who had come to the temple for the first time and who met Prabhupada. Prabhupada was lecturing and the person said it was almost impossible to understand him as his accent was so heavy. But he could see that this was an old man and it was not easy for him to do what he was doing! He could see that the old man had taken a tremendous effort to come to the West. He could see that Prabhupada was learned and that had spent many years spreading a message. And now, even though his accent was so thick, with difficulty still he was trying to communicate with others. So, the man felt compelled to try and understand even though he could not understand it well because he could see that Prabhupada was very genuine that he had no interest in impressing anyone.
Green Gathering Festival (Album with photos)
A wonderful week spent at Green Gathering festival situated in the Wye Valley, Chepstow, UK. The festival self-advertised as a festival “beyond hedonism” is a space for alternative, higher thinking people to connect. The presence of the Hare Krishna’s is very well recieved and with it being a small festival we encounter almost everybody there, and share the transcendental chanting, dancing and feasting. Hare Krsna!!
See them here: https://goo.gl/fROrzI
Joyful Harinama in Moscow (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the sastras it is said that if a person only once chants the holy name and completely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, the Lord immediately considers him His ward and is always inclined to give him protection. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.49 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/xr81tO
Hare Krishna! MVT – Vrindavan celebrates 50th Anniversary with prasadam distribution
As Vrindavan rejoiced in the Hariyali Teej festivals yesterday, MVT (Mayapur Vrindavan Trust), management, staff and residence decided to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s Jaladuta Yatra by distributing delicious kitchari prasadam cooked in desi ghee for over 3000 pilgrims and visitors to Vrindavan. The kitchari prasadam cooked with devotion by Gopal Das (ACBSP) in the staff kitchen, had everyone who tasted it come back for seconds. Manager of MVT Prem Kishore Das said “ISKCON world-wide is celebrating the momentous journey of Srila Prabhupada’s to the West, which is truly a legacy in the making. Indeed, a historical feat at the age of 70, overcoming all obstacles to bring us the glorious heritage of our parampara.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19204
Hare Krishna! Respect for Individuality
Urmila Devi Dasi: The individuality of the self is a central teaching in Vaisnava philosophy, but what is our practical understanding of this term? Individuality is present in all living beings on both a material and a spiritual level. This article translates how this concept needs to relate to education practices in ISKCON today. The author explores evidence in some of Srila Prabhupada’ writings and scripture that deal with the issue of individuality together with some more recent research by academics in the field. With this data, the author builds a persuasive argument for devotees to become more aware of the individual, both in themselves and in others so that they may respond with respectful awareness to the individuals needs.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19199
Hare Krishna! Golden Anniversary : Srila Prabhupada Arrival Festival in Boston
Several esteemed ISKCON sannyasis will be joining the celebration. They include: HH Jayadvaita Swami, HH Niranjana Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Giriraj Swami, HH Bhaktimarga Swami, HH Romapada Swami, HH Trivikrama Swami, HH Janananda Gowami, HH Candramauli Swami, HH Danavir Goswami and HH Bhakti Prabhupada-Vrata Damodara Swami. Many prominent government officials have also been invited to attend, including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, as well as the Chief Minister of West Bengal state, Mamata Bannerjee and Sovan Chatterjee, Mayor of Kolkata, West Bengal.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19195
Hare Krishna! “Swamiji at Sea” drama script
The Vande Arts Team would like to offer this special drama script depicting Srila Prabhupada’s epic voyage on the Jaladhuta. Devotees are welcome to use the script for there own celebrations of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the USA and throughout ISKCON’s 50 Anniversary Celebrations in 2016. This play is heavily musical (the main soundtrack theme is the beautiful “Prayers to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna” as recorded by Indradyumna Swami), with carefully choreographed scenes. A professional soundtrack has been recorded that provides background noise and the musical soundtrack (not the actual lines).
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19189
Hare Krishna! ISKCON Seattle’s Ananda Mela in its sixth year- Bridge Preaching Through Culture
ISKCON Seattle is making great strides in preaching the holy name to the greater Seattle, WA community. Anandamela, the festival of India is a unique cultural event that bridges east with the west. Organized by ISKCON seattle for the last five years, this event comes in the wake of the festival of colors – Holi that has captured imagination of folks in Redmond and neighboring cities representative of general America. The festival is designed to gradually introduce the general population filled with kama, krodha, and lobha to Krishna consciousness.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19186
Mangal Arati Of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath; 16th August 2015
From August 13th to 16th a massive event in Kolkata – celebrating the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s journey to the U.S. – drew 35,000 people, including representatives of 125 countries and many prominent politicians and VIPs. All were coming to pay their respects to the great spiritual teacher, who left his home alone at age 69, and struggled with little help in New York City before establishing ISKCON on July 13th, 1966.
Food For Life - Nepal: Today, 15th Aug 2015, Food For Life Nepal fed hot meals to 100 more students of Panchakanya school. (Album with photos)
The innocent children enquired if they could have such meals everyday. By now FFL Nepal is feeding total of 350 students in this school. The teachers expressed their heartfelt gratitude seeing their satisfied students.
All together, FFL Nepal is serving three different schools and one orphanage. Total of 520 students are provided their mid day meals everyday.
See them here: https://goo.gl/jiX139
Gurukuli Archives: 7 min video of New Vrindaban Gurukulis from sometime around 1980. Footage courtesy of ITV archives. Compiled and edited by Manu dasa. Songs “Oh Govinda” and “There is a Light” courtesy of Mangalananda dasa (Michael Cassidy).
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xhmXVi
Hare Krishna! Bhaktivedanta Hospice: Aid for the Journey Home
Shortly before passing away in Vrindavan, a devotee requested her spiritual master to establish a “Back to Godhead” clinic there for Srila Prabhupada’s followers. The land is adjacent to the parikrama road trod by pilgrims during their devotional walks around Vrindavan. It is a sacred grove of mostly kadamba and tamala trees known as Giriraj Bhag (“Giriraj’s garden”). For five generations it belonged to the family of Sri Padmanabha Goswami, hereditary priests and caretakers of Vrindavan’s Radha-ramana Temple.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15967
Hare Krishna! Spiritual Need, Pain and Care: Recognition and Response in ISKCON
In this presentation, Hari-dhama dasa discusses an important social issue for the Society: that of providing care for the terminally ill in the movement. Since Vaisnava hold very dear the hope of dying in the association of devotees and at a place of pilgrimage, ISKCON faces a challenging task in providing this facility and care for its members. The author argues that both spiritual care and medical care should be available to patients, be they in a secular hospice or in a religious institution. He goes on to present some possible methods of approach to both carers in ISKCON and the caring profession in general.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19180
Hare Krishna! How Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundar and Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Manifested in Jaipur
Sitala devi dasi, a resident of Mayapur Dham, had been ordering deities for ISKCON since 1975. Many temples around the world have used her services to obtain their deities. In the 1990’s the devotees of New Raman Reti asked her to order deities in India for our Temple. “It took a while for consensus to be reached among devotees here as to who should be the Lords of New Raman Reti,” she says. “Once the decision was made, Radha Shyamasundar manifested pretty quickly – about a year from order.” Sitala prabhu’s main service was to place the order with the murti wallah and ensure that the carving was in accordance with the desires of the Temple community. The Pandeys of Jaipur were Yamuna devi dasi’s choice for deity sculptors. She had ordered ISKCON’s first deities herself from them.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19175
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Scenes from Jacksonville Rathayatra -Festival of Chariots - August 15, 2015 (Album with photos) ( Thank you Mahattama Rahla for the great photos)
See them here: https://goo.gl/aXLTiQ