New Vrindaban Preschool Reopens

by Lilasuka dasi

The preschool takes shape.

The academic school in New Vrindaban has gone through many changes throughout the years.   From “Nandagram School” back in the 80’s, to the “New Vrindavan School” in the 90’s, to the current “Gopal’s Garden Home School Co-op”, all ages of kids and teachers have come and gone. Many of the graduates have expressed fond memories of their time spent in those Nandagram classrooms.

These days, a new wave of enthusiasm is hitting New Vrindaban in the form of a preschool! It is a welcome phenomenon that truly happened by surprise. Recently, one of the newest mothers in New Vrindaban was searching for a babysitter for a few days a week. The search didn’t exactly bear fruit, but something even better took place. In talking to several other mothers with young children, the possibility of a preschool came up. The idea was an immediate hit.

Older student Brinda plays with preschoolers.

That same weekend, on Nov. 9, 2014, Mother Ruci held a meeting with the four interested mothers. Mother Ruci said, “I was totally surprised at the enthusiasm, energy and commitment coming from these mothers for a preschool. It must be that the time is right for this to happen. I think it’s a great idea and I’m enlivened. We’re ready for the New Vrindaban Home School Co-op to expand.”

The very next morning, all four mothers were down at the school building, working together to clean out the preschool classroom and bring in the paraphernalia provided by Mother Ruci. Lalita Gopi dasi, who cares for another mother’s toddler, Nadia, and who was instrumential in getting the project off the ground, was found enthusiastically sweeping the new classroom and arranging the tables. Sundari dasi said, “I’m very excited about this class for my two year old daughter, Bhumi. Just having this class here will attract more families with young children to New Vrindaban, I’m sure of it.”

The happy face of Nadia

Bhumi snacking.

Almost ready.

Vilasini dasi won’t be able to personally assist in the classroom, as she is going to school for nursing and also working, but she and her husband are very excited for their three year old, Malini, to attend. She confirms, “If they need us to shop for the class, I’d love to do that!”

One young mother, Priti dasi, was born in New Vrindaban back in the early ‘80’s and is a graduate of the school herself. She now has two little children of her own, one of whom will be attending the preschool. Priti said, “When I heard about the possibility of this preschool, I was very excited. My three year old, Rama, is ready for this. I’m really enthusiastic about helping to provide him a situation where he can learn to socialize with other kids his age in a Krsna conscious setting.”

Srila Prabhupada visits Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Natha at the original New Vrindaban farmhouse, June 1976.

“In Vrindavan there are so many temples, they say 5,000, or in Vrindavan every home, every cottage is a temple. As far as possible, try to develop New Vrindaban on this standard.” – Srila Prabhupada, August 1970.

Click here to read the rest of the letter at the Brijabasi Spirit website.

2014 11 02 SB 10 52 24 Being Eager to hear about Krishna Radhanath Swami ISKCON Chowpatty

Bhaktivedanta Research Centre Acquires Manuscripts From Advaita Acharya’s Line
The Bhaktivedanta Research Centre in Kolkata, India has added some new treasures to its vast library of over 15,000 works that includes all the major Puranas and Vedas and many important and rare works by Vaishnava acharyas.
Amongst the recent acquisitions are seven hand-written manuscripts donated by Sri Sanjay Goswami of Vrindavan, a 14th generation descendent from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s intimate associate Sri Advaita Acharya.
http://goo.gl/bI92PX

Flying above Mayapur (Album of 15 beautiful photos)
This album shows the beautiful Temple of Vedic Planetarium at sunrise this morning from above. So much more work has been done!!
http://goo.gl/rKoWSB

BY SIMHESWARA DASA

LANCANG - To our delight, we get German tourists wanting to help out in our farm. Something that the locals are not particularly fond of doing. From making tapioca chips, harvesting jackfruits, making cow dung fertilizers, they throw in a helping hand. News at our farm was also featured in our local Tamil daily. Datuk Saravanan, the Youth and Sports deputy minister who made a visit to our farm in Lancang, has kindly agreed to assist ISKCON Malaysia in our farming ventures which include sugar cane, guava and jack fruit plantation. With this strong endorsement from the deputy minister, ISKCON Malaysia's Lancang farm also known as New Godruma Dhama has a very bright future in Malaysia. 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 29 September 2014, Pretoria, South Africa, House Program)

Two years ago in Vrindavan, there was a devotee from a South American background who asked Brahmananda, “Brahmananda, in the early days with Prabhupada, it was very intimate, very close with only few devotees, but later it became a bigger movement. Do you feel that anything had changed in the relationship?”

Brahmananda said, “Look. When you are a child, your father is your father and when you are grown up, your father is still your father. What is the difference? Prabhupada was my spiritual master!”

The South American devotee said (Spanish/Portuguese accent), “I think, I think that for you Prabhupada is God.”

And then Brahmananda said, “Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. I made that mistake once in 1970. Oh no, Prabhupada is not God, Prabhupada is as good as God, he is as good as God.” He said, “But these days, these days, I think he is better than God because he came to the Lower East Side and saved me.”

Then he was overwhelmed by emotion and the whole crowd, we all felt this wave of emotion. It was dead silent…

Tulasi Vivaha is a festival where it is said that tulasi devi, in this world in the form of a plant, marries Krsna, in the form of Saligram Sila.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast

The Bhaktivedanta Research Centre in Kolkata has added some new treasures to its vast library of over 15,000 works that includes many important and rare works by Vaishnava acharyas. Amongst the recent acquisitions are seven hand-written manuscripts donated by Sri Sanjay Goswami of Vrindavan, a 14^th generation descendent from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s intimate associate Sri Advaita Acharya.

ISKCON in Hong Kong is a growing community of dedicated devotees. ISKCON Hong Kong conducts several unique outreach programs. ISKCON GBC Member Tirtharaj Dasa speaks more about it.

Students visit ISKCON Delhi (Album 14 photos)
“Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma (Supersoul) in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 1.2.17)
http://goo.gl/n0QzWH

The Art of Renouncing Everything While Giving up Nothing
Before you head for the Himalayas to renounce the world, stay to find out about what the Bhagavad Gita has to say about renunciation. Hint: It’s about the internal, not the external.
http://goo.gl/WU1RcZ

TOVP Design Used in Jagaddhatri Puja
In Bengal it is popularly believed that Maharaja Krishna Chandra of Nadia started Jagaddhatri Puja. Around 1750 Maharaj had a dream of Durga Devi who asked him to observe a festival in her honor. From that day the King and his followers started celebrating the festival in Chandranagar, but eventually it was moved to Krishnanagar. Every year the festival organizers choose a different famous architectural monument from which to model the temple for Jagaddhatri, and build it from bamboo, cloth and flowers. This year they chose the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium as a significant monument of art and recreated its shape, making a beautiful temple for Jagaddhatri.
http://goo.gl/QlE0I2

Opening of the Second Largest ISKCON Temple in the World in Kanpur
Tens of thousands of devotees and members of the public attended the recent opening of the grand new Sri Sri Radha Madhava Mandir in Kanpur, India – the second largest ISKCON temple in the world after the society’s headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal.
Among the guests in attendance were Uttar Pradesh Governor Sri Ram Naik and Nagaland Governor Sri Padmanabh Acharya, who presided over the inaugural ceremony.
ISKCON VIPs present included Governing Body Commissioners Gopal Krishna Goswami, Bhakti Charu Swami, Radhanath Swami and Anuttama Das, as well as senior Prabhupada disciples Bhurijana Das, Deena Bandhu Das, Lokanath Swami and many more.
http://goo.gl/2aghmV

Attendees can experience devotional lifestyle at Bhaktivedanta Manor amongst devotees and likeminded students. They learn to built up a regular sadhana (devotional practise) by attending the daily morning and evening program in the temple room.

The purpose of this book is to inspire and enliven all devotees as to the reality of the living presence of ISKCON-founder Srila Prabhupada now.

Effective communication is not easy. Communication doesn’t happen merely by our sending the right message – it happens when our message is rightly understood.

“People keep chanting Radhe Radhe in the entire Raval but no one has ever thought of developing this village across the Yamuna river."

May, 2014.

Visit Iskcon Panjabi Bagh 2014! (Album 45 photos)
“For one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, or glorification of the name, fame and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.12)
http://goo.gl/18QNSk

Tens of thousands of devotees and members of the public attended the recent opening of the grand new Sri Sri Radha Madhava Mandir in Kanpur, India. A particular highlight was an elaborate dance presentation on Lord Krishna’s pastimes and the great saint Mirabai by Hema Malini. A longtime Krishna devotee and supporter of ISKCON, Malini is a legendary Bollywood actress and a Member of Parliament for Mathura.

And how much the needs of local congregation play in which deities should be installed and worshipped.

The post Varsana dd asks why Prabhupada installed deities other than Gaura-Nitai in his temples appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Diwali Celebration at the Massachusetts State House (5 min video)
“May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Sri Krsna, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, Text 5.18.9)
With these words the nation’s fourth oldest state capitol, the Massachusetts State House, located in Boston’s venerable Beacon Hill, heralded the advent of the month of Diwali with a public celebration.
http://goo.gl/krnckZ

Determination vs. knowledge
Kadamba Kanana Swami: We are all in a material situation and I sum it up as, “Sometimes you are on top of the elephant and at other times, the elephant is on top of you!” That is material life, it is not going to always be easy but we must protect our spiritual life and try to do something to stand up for Krsna consciousness.
http://goo.gl/bAIgq3

American actor Andy Garcia gets Srila Prabhupada’s book.
Drumila Das ACBSP: I was walking down the street heading back to my car. I had to walk through where a film crew had set up a set. I saw the actor Jim Sturgess the actor I had got a donation from and given a book to about a month ago. We exchanged pleasantries, then as i said goodbye,I looked up and there was Andy Garcia. I said “Andy, I have a gift for you.(he was putting on clothes getting ready for a shoot) I pulled out a book called Spiritual Yoga by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and handed it to him. He was putting on a scarf or something so he directed me to hand it to his assistant, which I did. It was all very spontaneous and fast how it happened.

Hare Krishna Soul Stirring Kirtan by Bada Hari Prabhu

Progress in the Early Stages of Sādhana Bhakti

In Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu (1.4.15–16) Śrī Rūpa divided the progress of bhakti-yoga into nine stages from its seed (śraddhā, conviction/attraction) to its mature fruit (prema, full-fledged love). Some generations later, Śrī Viśvanātha wonderfully elaborated on this nine-stage progression in a book titled Mādhurya Kādambinī.

Let’s discuss the early stages of development, as they are the most relevant to 99.9% of us.

First of all, when you get an initial interest in bhakti it is called śraddhā. When this interest is strong enough, it makes you seek the company of bhaktas, so you can learn more about bhakti. The company of bhaktas is called sādhu-saṅga. When you get their company sufficiently, they begin to help you actually practice bhakti-yoga. This practice is called bhajan which is a synonym for bhakti-sādhana. The stage where we begin bhajan is called bhajan-kriyā.

Śrī Viśvanātha says [MK 2.7]:

tato bhajana-kriyā sā va dvividhā – aniṣṭhitā niṣṭhitā ca.

This bhajan-kriyā has two stages: unsteady and steady.

Unsteady Bhajan

tatra prathamam aniṣṭhitā kramena – utsāha-mayī, ghana-taralā, vyūḍha-vikalpā, viṣaya-saṅgarā, niyamākṣamā, taraṅga-raṅgiṇi – iti ṣaḍ-vidhā bhavantīti svādhāraṁ vilakṣyati

The first stage, unsteady bhajan, goes through six sequential stages…

He describes the six stages of unsteady bhajana as:

1) Novice enthusiasm.

2) …which, when it wears off, turns into unsteady interest

3) …to get beyond which, we have to face myriad doubts

4) …after somewhat satisfying those doubts, we struggle with sense objects – trying to give up bad habits not conducive to bhakti-yoga.

5) …then we struggle to adopt disciplines that are conducive to bhakti-yoga

6) …finally, we are distracted by popularity and respect that comes as a result of passing successfully through the above five stages.

Purification

When we get beyond the sixth phase above, we come to a new major stage called anartha-nivṛtti (“clearing useless things from our character”). In this stage our focus turns firmly towards self-purification.

Śrī Viśvanātha describes it [MK 3.1] :

atha anarthānāṁ nivṛttiḥ. te cānarthāś catur-vidhāḥ: duṣkṛtotthāḥ, sukṛtotthā, aparādhotthā, bhakty-utthāś ca.

Now, in anartha-nivṛtti we get rid of unwanted things. There are four types of unwanted things: (1) The results of our bad deeds, (2) The results of our good deeds, (3) The results of our lack of affection and respect, (4) The side-effects available from practicing bhakti.

He describes [3.16] that the first two clear out relatively easily. The fourth takes longer, and the third is the most difficult to root out.

Steady Bhajan

Once we purified ourselves significantly , we begin to much more effectively focus on making our bhajan itself more deep and steady. When our primary effort as devotees is to make our bhajan deeper and steadier, we are at the stage of niṣṭhā.

Śrī Viśvanātha describes [4.2]:

niṣṭhā naiścalyam utpannā yasyā iti niṣṭhitā

”Steady bhajan is fixed and unwavering.

naiścalyaṁ bhakteḥ pratyahaṁ vidhitsitam apy anartha-daśāyāṁ lay, vikṣepa, apratipatti, kaṣaya, rasāvādānāṁ pañcānām antarīyāṇāṁ durvāratvān na siddha āsīt.

Although trying every day to become unwavering in devotion, the remaining unwanted character traits present five obsticles, preventing you from achieving the goal of steadiness.

These five are:

1) Drowsiness

2) If we are not sleepy, we are Unfocused.

3) If we are focused, still it is an Apathetic focus.

4) This apathetic focus is frequently, easily interrupted by Troubles & Worries about unpleasant things.

5) …or by Hopes & Ambitions for pleasant things.

He also explains:

kīrtana-śravaṇa-smaraṇeṣu uttareṣv ādhikyena

The problems are progressively worse in attempts to deeply practice kīrtan, śravaṇa, and smaraṇa.

In other words, it is easiest to attain niṣṭhitā in the practice of Kīrtan. It is harder to attain in while practicing śravaṇa (for example, listening to someone speak Śrīmad Bhāgavatam). It is the most difficult to attain in japa, where the focus is entirely on contemplation (smaraṇa)

And he says:

anartha-nivṛtty-anantaraṁ teṣāṁ tadīyānāṁ nivṛtta-prāyatvāt naiścalyam sampadyate iti, layādy-abhāva eva niṣṭhā-liṅgam.

”Because anartha-nivṛtti is not fully complete, now one has to focus on removing these five unearths, then drowsiness and so on will disappear and one will truly attain niṣṭhā.

By the constant effort (“every day”) to keep steady focus, not so apathetic that it can be distracted by our self-centered hopes and worries — this decreases the apathy. Decreasing apathy later becomes positive, “increasing sympathy.” As we become “sympathetic” to bhakti, we develop taste for it ruci.

This begins the next stage of bhakti-yoga (with two parts, ruci and āsakti) which I would describe as “advanced.”

I would call “novice” the stages of śraddhā and sādhu-saṅga and aniṣṭha-bhajan-kriyā. “Intermediate” bhakti-yoga I would describe as anartha-nivṛtti and niṣṭhā. “Advanced” is ruci and āsakti. And “perfect” is bhāva and prema.

Thank you for reading!

BY KALESHA DASA

PENANG - I had just received a call a few mins ago from Satya Narayana Prabhu (JPS) informing a sad but expected news that his father, Sudatanu Prabhu (JPS) 77 years, left his body peacefully in Kulim hospital due to multiple organ failure.

Sudatanu Prabhu is one of the pioneer supporter in the early days when ISKCON was barely starting to preach in the north early 80s specifically in Pelam estate. In fact, many stalwart brahmacaries actively serving in ISKCON Malaysia came from Pelam estate. Prabhu very dedicatedly served traveling preachers who came to Pelam estate & also the famed Sri Rama temple where most festivals & programs was held as there was hardly any ISKCON centers established yet in the north those days.

After retiring, Prabhu was very active serving in the Kulim center and also became involved in the Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple project as a fund raiser, always inquiring about the status of temple development whenever I see him, always try to find ways and people he knows to give laxmi for the project. Even after he met with a motorbike accident, he still try his best to raise funds but being immobile hamper this service. Nonetheless, he was very very happy to know that we will be completing the temple by next year and that ISKCON will finally have a custom-built temple building to showcase Srila Prabhupada's legacy for all to see.

He was also a very active leader in the estate workers welfare and in the Telegu community as chairman for south Kedah Telegu Association.

We all know that Lord Krishna will take nice care of this dear Vaisnava and am happy that he is now at a better place. 

However, we hope devotees everywhere would extend their prayers to his family members to remain strong in Sri Guru and Gauranga's services.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 23 September 2014, Durban, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.4)

We are all in a material situation and I sum it up as, “Sometimes you are on top of the elephant and at other times, the elephant is on top of you!” That is material life, it is not going to always be easy but we must protect our spiritual life and try to do something to stand up for Krsna consciousness.

Nothing is easy; therefore first we have to work on our own conviction. We have to understand why we are doing this. The better you understand this, the more convinced you are.

I like the story of Karna. He was accepted as a disciple by Parasurama who had asked him before if he was a ksatriya. Everyone had told Karna that he was not a ksatriya so he said, “No, I am not a ksatriya.” So he was accepted by Parasurama and served him very nicely and he learnt all the astras and celestial weapons. Then, one day, Parmasurama was so pleased and was resting with his head on the lap of his disciple when an insect stung Karna in the leg. He did not want to disturb his spiritual master so with great determination, he managed to stay calm. Even though the pain was excruciating, he tolerated it and did not move. The spiritual master slept nicely but when he woke up, he saw the blood and asked what had happened. Then Karna explained that the insect had stung him in the leg. Then Parasurama smelt a ksatriya, he said, “How could you tolerate… How could you tolerate such pain? No one can tolerate such pain, except for a ksatriya!”

So, I like that point because it shows that in a moment, the tolerance of a ksatriya is stronger than a brahmana but in the long-term, the tolerance of a brahmana is stronger! But why? Because the tolerance of a ksatriya is based on determination, “I shall do it…” but how long can you say that… one day, one week, one month, one year, ten years, twenty years? It is difficult. But the brahmana, his tolerance is based on knowledge and because it is based on knowledge, therefore his conviction is stronger because he sees that he has no other alternative, “What else can I do? I know it is hard to be a devotee; I know it is a struggle but what else is there to do? There is nothing else; there is no alternative!”

Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Newsletter. It covers news from October/ November
Below: Russell Brand’s special orders
Comedian and actor Russell Brand personally requested devotees of the Food for All project to distribute their ‘blessed vegetarian food’ during the launch of his new book. At very short notice the devotees worked till the early hours in the Manor’s kitchen to cook something special.
Lila Jagganath Rathyatra Das and team attended the event in London and served over 500 meals to Russell’s invited guests and the media. That evening Russell also recommended the reading of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Again at Russell’s request, just a week later Food for All distributed hundreds of plates during a rally in Hoxton.
http://goo.gl/afOAhy

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.26

“Srila Prabhupada was paraphrasing a statement from the Nectar of devotion that if one wants to become important either in the material or spiritual sense, he can never really relish the sweet taste of Krishna consciousness. But the more one becomes the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna, the sweeter and sweeter and sweeter devotional service becomes. That is our opening to realize our actual identities and to really relish the nectar of Krishna consciousness.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28, Phoenix, AZ

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast