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ECO-Vrindaban On-Site Board Meeting Minutes 11/2/2014

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes a simple, sustainable lifestyle centered on the care and protection of cows, local food production and the loving service of Lord Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Members of the ECO-V Board of Directors: Anuttama, Chaitanya Mangala, Krpamaya, Navin Shyam and Ranaka.

1. Radha-Krsna Devi dasi as Advisor

WHEREAS:  The ECO-V Board wishes to cultivate potential future directors in advance of vacancies on our Board.

RESOLVED: The Board appoints Radha-Krsna Devi Dasi as an advisor, with an initial term of one year.

2. INV Bahulaban Utility Building Roof & Window Repair

WHEREAS:  The ECO-V Board wishes to increase the allocation for repair of the Bahulaban utility building to be able to install a new roof and gutters.

RESOLVED: The Board votes to increase the allocation to $30K.

3. General Manager Candidates

The ECO-V Board decided to move ahead with hiring Mukunda prabhu. Ranaka and Chaitanya Mangala are delegated to work out details of the contract.

4. Construction of INV Apartment Building

WHEREAS:  The ECO-V Board wishes to invest a significant portion of the proceeds from the Utica Shale gas lease to fund an endowment for the future care of the cows, and simultaneously support the growth of the INV community.

RESOLVED: The Board approves a loan to INV for the construction of a new apartment building and proceeds from the loan will be used to start a cow protection endowment.

Mayapur. Distributing Prasadam by Boat (4 min video)
This prasadam distribution was sponsored by Paul and Margot from New Zealand.
Prasadam and Hari Nama..What more can you ask for..Srila Prabhupada ki jai!
http://goo.gl/oVzKHW

What does “Krishna” mean?

The meaning is immediately evident to anyone who knows any of the thousands of śāstric statements like “The All-Attractive himself is Krishna” (kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam). It is immediately clear to anyone who has been able to hear Krishna’s glories described by a realized paramparā. It is even immediately obvious to anyone who has heard about Krishna from countless conventional sources. As soon as we hear this name, “Krishna,” the object that immediately becomes manifest in our mind (i.e. the person, Krishna) is the primary meaning of the word. As soon as we pronounce even the first syllable of this name, “Krishna,” our minds immediately comprehend the direct and obvious meaning.

“Krishna: (1) His complexion is blue-black like the Tamāla tree, he is breast-fed by Yaśoda, and he is the Supreme Spiritual Substance.” — Nāma Kaumudī

“Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Vaikuṇṭha express the same meaning… Kṛṣṇa is Vasudeva’s son.” — Amara-kośa

“Kṛṣ is a word that means ‘existence.’ Ṇa means ‘carefree.’ Taken together, as Kṛṣṇa, they denote the Supreme Spiritual Substance.” — Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣada, Pūrva 1.1

[The above is translated from Tattva-Sandarbha 47.2. Amara Kośa and Gopāla-tāpanī references are given in the commentary of Śrī Satyanārāyaṇa dāsa Bābājī.]

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 15 September 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Evening Lecture)

To always see Krsna everywhere and never forget him for a moment, to see everything connected to Krsna, is Krsna consciousness! In that way, we see Krsna’s energy and we see Krsna behind it. It may be that we see Krsna everywhere but that is not satisfying to the heart because that does not fulfil the relationship. We want to see Krsna in person so we can personally serve him because it is devotional service that is the essence. The key is devotional service! Therefore Krsna consciousness means to accept a service and to, somehow or other, just take that service and dedicate oneself to that service with full energy, with all one’s personal might and ability. That is the spirit to taking up a service!

The amazing Food For All feeding the poor team have touched so many lives over the years with a small team of amazing hard working and humble devotees; who reach out and touch so many people with simple wholesome prasadam

So when approached by one of the UK dynamic comedians who wanted one thing at his book launch, the devotees and plates and plates of prasadam; their was only one thing to do.

It shows how when people see the sincerity and loving care of the devotees they immediately become attracted, so HG Parsharam Das has again asked me to help share this with a beautiful small video.

Enjoy, and we hope to see you soon at one of the many Food For All events were free nutritious prasadam will be waiting; and if you feel the desire come and join the team.

Hare Krishna

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

”This time, the FFL went to the picturesque town of … Cavan in Ireland.
(Album 13 photos)
Wroclaw FFL - thanks to the hospitality Krishna devotees from ”Krishna Island” - had occasions to become a part of this event. Initiator and organizer was Bhakta Dado. & Gopalacarya Prabhu( tempel president) . We distributed 26 plates. Prasadam distribution : Dado, Madhava Krishna Prabhu Ji and Mata Trisakti, Vishnupatni Dasi. Books: Madhurya Gauranga Mata Ji, Madhava Krishna Prabhu, Trisakti Mata Ji. Bhajan Ananda Da;blin Nitai Prabhu, Bhakta Matthew Vishnupatni Dasi.
Sold 28 books: Hare Krishna !
http://goo.gl/fUkl7G

Bliss In Bali (Album 116 photos)
Indradyumna Swami: On our way to Australia and then Hong Kong, Bada Haridas and myself have stopped off in Bali, Indonesia for a short break. But we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go on harinam with the local devotees and yesterday joined them for a massive 3-hour kirtan along one of the beautiful beaches than adorn this island. Though Indonesia is typically Muslim, people in Bali are mainly Hindus. So the reception was wonderful. Many tourists also joined in the chanting and dancing!
http://goo.gl/t3hsiH

Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara’s Servants on Samkirtan (15-11-2014)
(2 min video)
Bhajahari das: Last Saturday the Harinam was wonderful. It seems that we have now finally figured out a really great way to get the best out of the powerful little sound system that was gifted to the weekly Kirtan group by His Grace Vasudeva prabhu.
In the short video clip below you will see over 50 devotees, along with quite a few members of the public, joyfully chanting and dancing in the arcade just besides Coventry Street.
Next week promises to have even a bigger turnout as there will be a festival at Matchless Gifts in Kings Cross on the Saturday afternoon to celebrate the birthday of the much missed and most inspirational devotee of our Yatra, His Grace Tribhuvantha Prabhu.
This will be followed by a Maha Harinam throughout the West End commencing at 7.30 from Soho Street.
Please come along and help make the celebration a great success.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
http://goo.gl/h1Yrp2

Srimad-Bhagavatam class in Mayapura. (English/Bengali)

The post The Visnudutas hear Ajamila saying the name of Lord Narayana, and they come to save him appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Sunday Feast at Kalamunda Temple, Australia - 16 November 2014 (Album 92 photos)
The hatha-yoga system, or breathing system, is especially recommended for those who are very absorbed in the concept of bodily existence, but one who can perform the simple process of chanting Hare Krishna can fix the mind more easily. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.28.9 Purport)
http://goo.gl/9WqT6X

Program in KIrov, Russia 16 Nov 2014 (Album 50 photos)
For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krishna, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.25.33 Purport)
http://goo.gl/ScQDPc

A birds eye view tour of Mayapur and the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, a short video by Prananatha Das. Music by Gunagrahi Das.

The post November 17th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Harinama in Tel Aviv, Israel. Dance through the night!!! (Album 53 photos)
One who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krishna, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacaris and grhastas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.21.45-47 Purport)
http://goo.gl/u4BnFk

Preaching program in Kiev, Ukraine (Album 310 photos)
The Hare Krishna movement still expanding despite the war!
http://goo.gl/fEXmrB

2014 10 11 SB 10 51 44 Mucukunda Passed the Test Of Krishna Devamrita Swami ISKCON Chowpatty

Is Guru More of an Authority Than Śāstra?

I encounter a lot of people who feel that Śrīla Prabhupāda (our guru) is the primary authority, and all other gurus before him and even the śāstra itself have to be understood in a way that conforms with his teachings.

This is a complex and delicate issue although in theory it is very simple.

The Simple Theoretical Truth

The very simple theoretical fact is that śāstra is the ultimate authority, and guru represents śāstra and therefore carries the authority of śāstra. Guru conforms to śāstra. This conformity establishes equivalency, endowing guru with the “weight” of śāstra.

Vedic culture is unequivocal on this point: śāstra is the ultimate authority. To suggest that guru (not śāstra) is the ultimate authority is against the Vedic conclusion. Period. If you are doubtful about this, I recommend you read the opening section of Śrī Jīva’s Tattva-sandarbha, which is itself replete with elaborate references.

The Complicated Practical Reality

The complicated reality is that teachers (guru) and textbooks (śāstra) are inseparable. By studying the textbook a student comes to better understand the lesson given by the teacher. And by paying attention to the teacher’s lessons, the student better understands what is written in the textbook.

Teachers teach the textbooks, therefore they are as authoritative as the textbooks. However, if a teacher contradicts the textbook, the school district corrects or terminates him and his authority in the school becomes nil. So although the guru and śāstra share the same authority, it is the śāstra which is the root source of the authority, and the guru which shares that authority by virtue of conformity to it.

I Think My Teachers Taught Something That’s Not In The Textbook

This means either (a) your teacher needs to be reported to the district, or (b) you misunderstood. Being that the teacher is an authorized graduate, option B is far more likely.

“OK, but what did I misunderstand? (a) the teacher, or (b) the textbooks?” Or (c) both?

Probably C, so the next question: “What should I do about it?”

The answer is not “Nothing, just accept what you think you heard your teacher say, there is no need for textbooks when you have such a great teacher.” Nor is the answer the opposite extreme, “Nothing, there is no need for teachers when we have textbooks.”

So, what’s the answer? What should we do when it seems like our teacher is at variance with his teachers and their textbooks? The answer is study harder.

If you know that your teacher is a bonafide master of his subject, then you have to study both his teachings and the textbooks he uses, until you realize how he has masterfully expressed the textbook science in a way that is relevant to a very specific time place and circumstance.

The Telephone Effect

If you let students graduate with the idea that its OK to understand the teacher in a way that is variant from the previous teachers and the textbooks, what is going to happen soon to your school? It’s not going to be “your” school anymore. It’s going to change dramatically very soon, and start teaching all sorts of things you never originally intended.

Even if the guru is pure and bona-fide, the disciple is not. We disciples understand guru’s instruction through our own knowledge-filters and with our own bias. What happens when such a disciple acts in the role of guru (by trying to communicate what he or she has learned to others)? They can only give the version they comprehended – which is slightly different from the original version (śāstra). Now, what will happen on the next iteration? The “slight” differences will become less slight. And after a few iterations? The original teachers would hardly recognize it as their own subject.

Thus, it is catastrophic to believe that śāstra conforms to guru. Such a theory destroys paramparā and demotes it to the status of a pantha (a systematized idea without conformity to śāstra).

How to Study

Śāstra is the ultimate authority.
The guru — every guru — must conform to it.
The disciple — every disciple — must make the effort to harmonize the divergent statements of his guru and śāstra.

It is not an easy or simple thing to do. Śāstra has many apparently contradictory statement, because they are directed to different people in different circumstances. Similarly, guru often appears to contradict himself, because he speaks to many different people in many different circumstances.

Therefore it takes a great deal of scholarship and humility to really understand either and both guru or śāstra. “Cut and paste paṇḍits,” “FaceBook commentators,” and “WWW mudslingers” will only prove exhausting for those making the effort. We have to find living gurus who have realized the conformity and harmony of all the above, and we should study in their study-groups. But this will be impossible without purely sincere and humble motive.

We must always look for new, fresh inspiration and over time, you need more instead of less. In the beginning, you can do amazing austerities on relatively little nourishment because you are nourished by the belief that you have just taken on the right path after experiencing so much frustration in material life. This gives incredible strength to just go on, but later, we realise more and more that we really need nourishment. This is a big thing that we need to focus on.

Collect nectar! Lots of it! Nourishment means happiness, and every devotee needs to be happy, at least sometimes! We have to have happy moments to remember. Happiness is there in spiritual life. If you do not see it, look better. Search more, because it is there.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

Mayapur. A Bird’s Eye View (8 min video)
Prananath prabhu with his flying video-camera is taking you high in the sky to show you beautiful Mayapur and the Temple of Vedic Planetarium from above!
http://goo.gl/6bclFV

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The post Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami gives Bhagavatam class in Mayapura (English/Bengali) appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Nayika dd asks whether one can put the picture of one’s siksa guru on the altar appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Lord Jagganath’s festival of India Guadalajara Mexico (Album 74 photos)
“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” If one practices chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, he is naturally expected to chant Hare Krishna when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Krishna) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death.
(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.15 Purport)
http://goo.gl/opXlhP

Devotees friends reunite after 30 years
During the recent Holy Name Retreat I took my seat next to a sariclad lady. As we exchanged glances she enquired, “Urvasi?” I looked at her quizzically, and she repeated “Urvasi, don’t you remember me
- Lorett?” Stil not sure how she knew me, and racking my brain trying to remember her, she then said, “St Vincent’s Hospital - nurse
- remember, you used to come to the nurses’ quarters to do your laundry when the machine at the brahmacharini ashrama was full?”
http://goo.gl/JaZH43

SRIMATI TULASI DEVI Excerpted from: The Art of Caring for Srimati Tulasi Devi by Isanah devi dasi and the ISKCON Times: Journal of the Hare Krishna Movement.
http://goo.gl/iFWOpz

CONGRATULATIONS to the new initiates!
Bhakta Scott Ward and Nirmala Vardan were initiated by His Holiness Bhakti Marga Swami last week. Bhakta Scott was given the spiritual name Shashvata dasa and Nirmala was given the name Namamrita devi dasi. Our community joins together to congratulate these nice devotees on this very important step taken entering into the spiritual line of Srila Prabhupada, on their way back home, back to Godhead.

Why I Tithe
by Nandini Kishori devi dasi
Being from India, I had no idea what tithing was or even how to pronounce the word “tithing.” Slowly, I learned both. Few years ago, I was reading Bhagavad Gita and realized that if we give in charity to a wrong cause or to a wrong person, we get bad karma. For example,if I give to a beggar and if he eats meat with that money, I get bad karma. So it is important to choose carefully how we give. I started donating at a local Hare Krishna temple in Washington DC and really got fascinated by the simplicity, joyous atmosphere, prasadam, and philosophy I found there. I inquired more over the years and later simplified life and moved to Florida.
I am really fascinated by how many projects the Alachua Temple supports directly or indirectly. My favorite projects are environmental - green projects - using stainless steel plates, care for cows, organic gardens, and organic fruit orchards. I may not be able to sponsor a big Sunday feast or help all projects, but just by giving whatever I can, I make slow advancement. I see many single moms, students, and couples facing hardships, who give in the form of tithing. Inspired by their example I tithe - whatever I can.

Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama 2014 - Six days in the unlimited ocean of Lord Chaitanya’s mercy (photos)
http://goo.gl/IzuwHj

2014 10 11 Prerna Festival Bidding Farewell to Life’s Problems Devamrita Swami ISKCON Chowpatty