Bhakti Sundar Goswami Brings Vrindavan
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On September 9, His Holiness Bhakti Sundar Goswami, a prominent disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada,  visited the students.    When a spiritual teacher visits, what do you do?

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 4.34 has the answer, “Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him.”   And that’s exactly what the students did.  Index cards with neat little questions had already been written, each student eager to find out about this cool Swami.

New student Quinn was first.  “What is it like in the spiritual world?” he asked sincerely.   Maharaj began speaking of magical lands, wish-fulfilling desire trees that give samosas when you ask, the ground made of jewels, stones that move out of the way “when you ask them to” and “so much fun you can not imagine!”  As he spoke, even the teachers had tears in their eyes.

Other questions:  How did you feel when you first met Srila Prabhupada?  How can we get taste in Krishna consciousness like you have? What is your favorite story about Krishna?  Your favorite sweet?

His favorite story is a tale of Krishna stealing butter, while conquering a lazer maze type bell system, and ultimately getting caught!  Do you want to hear the whole thing?  Next time you see a TKG Academy student, ask them.

Brinda’s question:  Where have you traveled in the world?   “I have been traveling since I was 2.”  Maharaj spoke of his childhood journey from Lebanon, to Spain, and then on a boat to South America, and back to Europe, all before he was 20 years old!  Now Maharaj never stays in the same place for more than a week.  As a matter of fact, “I have stayed here in Dallas for almost 3 weeks!  That’s longer than anywhere else!”

We hope he really does come back very soon to share Krishna with all of us.  Lucky for us, his favorite sweet is BURFI!!  We just happened to have two big pieces of maha burfi from the morning program today that we were able to offer to him.

Service and questions.  That’s how we ended the day.  We love these saintly visitors who bring us the spiritual world.

 

Seventh Bull Calf Born in New Vrindaban in 2014
→ New Vrindaban

In the original Vrindavan, where Lord Krsna and His brother, Balarama, used to herd the cows and calves out to the forests every day, it was always a cause for celebration whenever a new calf was born. 

Well, in the same way, a new baby bull was born in New Vrindaban Sept. 9th, 2014 in the afternoon at 2 PM. and we joyfully celebrated that.   The new calf's name is Balarama.  He is the 7th bull calf born this year in the dhama.  He and his mata are doing well at the comfortable Goshalla across the street from Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra Mandir.

The next time you visit New Vrindaban, please stop by the Goshalla to see Balarama's progress.

Oh, and Balarama and his mata both love molasses balls!

Hare Krsna.

Meet the saint of the Lower East Side, serving 150 plates of delicious Prasadam 5 days a week at NY’s Tompkins Square Park (19 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Had the opportunity to visit NY and reconnected with dear Adi after 14 or so years. He's the saint of the Lower East Side, serving 150 plates of delicious Prasadam 5 days a week at, of all places, Tompkins Square Park. He is a brilliant manager and organizer and the sweetest, kindest and most compassionate devotee. He's been distributing Prasadam for at least 12 years. What's truly amazing is how he engages so many non devotees in this service and how some of them take to Krishna Consciousness. I was both inspired and humbled in his association. If you're ever in the city stop by and see him, you won't regret it. Read more ›

A Day at the Park
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Our adventure began with the “Imagination Playground”, a creative activity at the Klyde Warren Park. Students selected various sizes and shapes of big blue foam blocks to build sculptures of their imagination. After a brief snack break, we headed to the actual playground area near-by and enjoyed climbing up the bars and spinning on the merry-go-round. For the last hour we joined the “Music & Stories” program. We listened to  - and sang along – several stories, all about colors. We danced and sang with egg shakers and sticks and made colorful scarves into soaring kites. A multi-colored parachute was but one of the highlights of the day and the cherries on the cake were big bubble wands! What an amazing day at the park!

When a mother stops a child from doing something harmful why does Krishna not stop the soul from wrongdoing?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Subash

This (the problem of evil) is a profound topic that has got me deeply thinking. What we understand is that the soul has to make choice between spiritual, sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic actions (with the last two (Rajasic and Tamasic) causing maximum misery, but for the conditioned soul, perhaps the most happiness in material terms). Now if we consider Krishna as the mother and father of all souls, then if we take a real example of a kid with diabetes, will it’s mother allow it to take sweets, the mother will rather force the child not to take the sweet at all costs and have the child cry, because it can have devastating consequences for the child if it were to take the sweets, but are we saying Krishna does not behave like the mother, He doesn’t forcibly prevent the child from eating sweets, but only instructs the child about the bad consequences, is that good enough or as effective ? The only difference I can think of is that Krishna knows that the bad consequences have a beginning and an end (and thus insignificant from the absolute state), and for the soul to be deprived of the material pleasure it’s craving for may be much more painful for the soul (than even the bad consequences) as it evolves towards perfection. Is this explanation correct ?

Answer Podcast

Can we realize our spiritual identity only by bhakti and not by intelligence?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Raj

Comment on Our intelligence can be overcome by illusion, yet it is also the key to overcome illusion

As intelligence being materially the superior-sense, some of them misidentify themselves with the intelligence. So I guess only through devotional-service, can one distinguish himself/herself from the intelligence, and be elevated to a spiritual platform where the true identify of being a soul is revealed.

Answer Podcast

Is the insignificance of the duration of evil from an eternal perspective the only explanation for evil?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Subash P

The problem of evil is a very difficult problem in theology for many religions. The answer is given in Gita by Nasato Vidyate and also by Prabhupada when Prabhupada gives the analogy of tiger in a dream. And when SP gives us glimpse into the absolute state by saying the released soul perceives His bondage as just a twinkling in eternal time. In the absolute state all suffering and evil experienced in bondage is perceived in an unaffected manner and in the same way by all liberated souls even if there existed differences, as explained in chapter 14

Answer Podcast

Is the problem of evil inconceivable and beyond explaining through words?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Subash P

Krishna being aware of the absolute state of the soul apparently makes a decision which we view as sanctioning evil but from Krishna’s perspective is actually sanctioning good because no evil qualities can exist in Krishna. Unless we get Krishna’s perspective which not even Brahmaji can, words such as Krishna sanctions evil but doesn’t ordain it, must be taken as human attempts to explain phenomena that apparently contradict the verdict of scriptures the Krishna is free from any defects and is of the nature of pure goodness, a verdict we are sure of and we can perceive intuitively but is not easy to express.

Answer Podcast

What is the actual difference between mind and intelligence?
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From Krishnanama P

I would like to know the difference between mind and intelligence. During chanting many thoughts comes and series of background planning activities starts, do not know if this is fantasy or imagination or illusion, but whenever awareness comes back, i realize that thoughts are going on in back ground and chanting is not effective. Whenever, such situation arises, i get doubt what is real difference between mind and intelligence? is mind controlling the intelligence or other way? or intelligence under illusion? etc. How to separate these 2 (mind & intelligence) and how do we effectively apply these for chanting?

Answer Podcast

Ratha Yatra Little Kids sing: You are Not this body! ISKCON Melbourne (10 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

Srila Prabhupada: The first step is to know the difference between a living body and a dead body. What is the difference? The difference is that when someone dies, the spirit soul, or the living force, leaves the body. And therefore the body is called “dead.” So, there are two things: one, this body; and the other, the living force within the body. We speak of the living force within the body. That is the difference between the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is spiritual, and ordinary material science. As such, in the beginning it is very, very difficult for an ordinary man to appreciate our movement. One must first understand that he is a soul, or something other than his body. Read more ›

Indian Union Minister Uma Bharati: Yamuna will be cleaned before Ganga
→ Dandavats.com

The clean-up operation of Yamuna will have three stages, she said. "In the short-term plan, pollution caused by discharge of articles used for worshipping would be stopped while in the second stage discharge of drains into Yamuna would be stopped," the minister said. "In the third-term plan, adequate water in Yamuna would be ensured and parallel drains would be constructed," she said. The union minister, who is also the vice president of Ganga river basin authority, claimed that after four years the water of Yamuna would be clean. Read more ›

TALES FROM THE GARDEN: Brijabasi Spirit newsletter – April 29th, 1974
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Madhava Gosh New Vrindaban

Madhava Gosh at a New Vrindaban Village Self-Sufficiency Meeting, 2014.

Below is an article transcribed from the second (ever) Brijabasi Spirit newsletter, published April 29th, 1974.The author is “Bhakta Mark,” who is none other than New Vrindaban’s very own Madhava Gosh prabhu.
This article was published in April, 1974 and Gosh was formally initiated by Srila Prabhupada at Bahulaban just a few short months later in July, 1974.
Here’s proof positive he really has been a garden and cow activist in New Vrindaban for over 40 years.
The next time you see him please take the time to thank him for his years of dedicated service.
———————————————–
TALES FROM THE GARDEN
- Bhakta Mark (aka Madhava Gosh)
New Vrindaban will come another step closer to self-sufficiency this summer due to a large increase in the amount of space and time devoted to gardening. Although more increase will be needed to bring us to the point of meeting the year-round demands of the devotee prasadam program, enough will be produced and stored to enable us to offer the Deities a vegetable preparation year round.The temple gardens have expanded to 1 1/2 acres this year. Progress in these gardens shall be reported in Brijabasi Spirit weekly. Many householders have also enlarged their gardens. What is most encouraging is the number of grihastas that have taken up gardening for the first time. The best gardens are usually small plots where each plant entity can be given more intensive care.The temple gardens were plowed and disked by horsepower this spring. Planting began with asparagus seed and rhubarb roots. These are perennials that won’t be ready for another 3 and 2 years respectively, but one established, are the first to produce in the spring before most vegetables can even be planted.Next planted were peas, followed by beets, carrots, and radishes. These root crops were planted between where the rows of tomatoes, peppers, and fall cabbage will be transplanted later. By the time the late maturing plants grow enough to need the room these early crops will have already been harvested. Fall root crops such as turnips and rutabagas will be planted where the spring peas were and should benefit from the nitrogen that peas, a legume, fix in the soil.

Krishna has amply provided us with sufficient wild greens such as mustard, dandelion, burdock, and chickweed so only a small amount of lettuce and spinach for the Deities has been planted. Swiss chard, which last year proved to be a big yielder for the space required, has been planted & should be a regular companion of the abundant wild greens.

The peas and radishes are now both up and growing vigorously after this past week’s welcome and needed rain. Radishes should be ready in 4 to 6 weeks depending on the weather.

This past week’s activities included planting more beets, carrots, and radishes as well as 150 feet of kohlrabi.

The main project was preparing for the transplanting of the cabbage family: cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Holes were dug in a grid pattern with rows 36″ apart and 18″ from hole center to hole center for cabbage and broccoli, 20″ for cauliflower (making marks 6 inches apart on a shovel or other tool handle serves as a handy guide for spacing). These holes were big enough so that a part forkful of rotted manure or compost could be put in and after the hole was filled in again it would be about 2″ below the level of where the plant’s roots will be after transplanting. Each hole center was then marked with a twig.

This year the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower plants were ordered from a professional nursery in Georgia and should be arriving by UPS any day now. Anyone who wants some and have not yet placed an order should contact Adi Patit immediately.

Anyone having any helpful suggestions is encouraged to share them through this column. Also, questions regarding gardening will be welcomed and answered to the best of our poor fund of knowledge (with maybe a quick peek in Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening or hopefully the advice of some local longtime gardener to fill our gaps).

All glories to the Sri Krishna Sankirtan!

Brighton Rathayatra 2014
→ simple thoughts

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A beautiful Sunday September morning and Sri Jagannath comes to Brighton Sea Front pouring his mercy on all those who come along;

David C Photography: 21/09/2014 Brighton Ratha Yatra &emdash;

The Brighton Rathayatra was also accompanied by three of our wonderful Sanyas who’s presence along with leading Kirtan singers supercharged the whole event

David C Photography: 21/09/2014 Brighton Ratha Yatra &emdash;

David C Photography: 21/09/2014 Brighton Ratha Yatra &emdash;

David C Photography: 21/09/2014 Brighton Ratha Yatra &emdash;

Here is a small video of the day:

Prasadam was provided by the wonderful Food For All team

David C Photography: 21/09/2014 Brighton Ratha Yatra &emdash;

This is one of the last rathayatra’s of the year to be held in the UK and is also one of the most intimate

David C Photography: 21/09/2014 Brighton Ratha Yatra &emdash;

come join Lord Jagannath by the sea side next year and join in fun dancing and singing

Hare Krishna

( Pictures kindly provided by Bhakta David Crick the full gallery can be seen here http://davidc.zenfolio.com/brighton_ratha_yatra_2014/slideshow )

Taking shelter
→ Servant of the Servant


When we have difficulties in life, severe or mild, we are trained by our predecessor teachers or acharyas or saintly people to take shelter of Krishna in humility. Because when we experience anxiety, depression or other negative emotions like anger, self-pity etc, it is very difficult to control the mind on our own. Therefore taking shelter of Krishna in humility during these difficult times, as devotees, will help us solve our problem and take us closer to Krishna.

Shelter in humility means to give up our attachment to the result of our negative experience and simply accept the result of the negative event as an award from Krishna. We may not like the result given to us, we may feel unfairly treated, we may harbor anger and or hate but still if somehow we  tolerate the outcome and accept all of it as the hand of God and take shelter of Him in humility, then the same bad experience will act as an incident in our life in cleaning our dirty heart and because of the cleaning we will actually feel relief followed by a sense of happiness followed by stronger faith upon Krishna. This is how we get closer to God.

So what is the heart actually cleansed of or what is really dirty in our heart?- It is our attachment as the cause (or doer) of activities in this world and our identity with this reality.  As a result of this attachment we either rejoice or revel in sadness.

As this false sense of identity and doer of activity is cleaned, we will experience more and more joy ultimately bringing us to the platform of Brahman or pure consciousness. From this anti-material platform...one can never forget God Krishna or service to God. Unconditional and uninterrupted service and bhakti begins from here.

So let us try our best in moments of despair to take shelter of Krishna with whatever humility is at our disposal and pray that the Lord protects us from the external problems and also our internal negative mind. Krishna says in the Gita 6.7 for one who has conquered the mind, the supersoul is already reached.

Hare Krishna

Kartika – The Holiest Month
→ New Vrindaban

Kartika-masa, also known as Damodar-masa, in accordance with Vaishnava calendars, is described in the scriptures as the best among months, for performing austerities for spiritual advancement.

Lord Sri Krishna says, “Of all plants, the sacred Tulasi is most dear to Me, of all months, Kartika is most dear, of all places of pilgrimage, My beloved Dwarka is most dear, and of all days, Ekadasi is most dear.

(Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda 112.3)

The following activities may be observed throughout the entire month of Kartika.

  • Japa - Chanting the Holy names of the Lord
  • Worship Lord Damodara by offering ghee lamp (diyas), flowers, incense and food etc. and sing the Damodarashtakam.
  • Practice Brahmacharya (celibacy)
  • Daily worship of Tulasi devi by offering lamp
  • Give charity
  • Perform austerities
  • Eat only Krishna prasadam

In the month of Kartika, one should worship Lord Damodara and recite the prayer known as Damodarashtakam, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Damodara. (Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa 2.16.198)

Virtues of Offering Deepa (Deepa-Dana)

Please hear the glories of offering a lamp/deepa during the month of Kartika, an offering that is very pleasing to Lord Krishna. O’ King of brahmanas, a person who offers a lamp in this way will not take birth again in this world.

(Text 100, Kartika-mahatmya, Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa)

Even one who never performs religious rituals or even the worst sinner will surely be purified by this offering. O’ Narada in the three worlds there is no sin that can stand before this Kartika Deepa. In fact, by presenting this deepa before Lord Krishna, the eternal abode can be reached without obstruction.

(Text 113, Kartika-mahatmya, Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa)

Here is your chance to offer a Lamp to the lord

  • $51 - Sponsor a lamp on Diwali day (in family name)
  • $51 - Kartika Deepa-Dana for a day
  • $351 - Kartika Deepa-Dana for entire Kartika month
  • $5001 - Sahasra Deepa-Alankar on Diwali day (lighting 1008 lamps/diyas)
  • $108 - Fire sacrifice on Govardhan puja day (in family name)
  • $551 - Fire Sacrifice Diwlai Night
  • $1251 - Govardhana Parikarama with path tree planting
  • $108 - Go-Puja on Go-puja day
  • $ 216 - Feed a cow for a month in the holy month of Kartika (oct 8 – Nov 5 ) 

Kartika - Diwali 2014
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New Vrindaban’s 3rd Festival of Colors Draws Media and 5,000 People
→ New Vrindaban

Thousands of people chanting, dancing and, of course, throwing colors - for peace, love and unity!

New Vrindaban’s third annualFestival of Colors brought out 5,000 participants to “color their lives and throw their worries to the wind!” This was the message that hit home with most all of the festival goers that day.   Everyone had the time of their lives.

“As you can see, the Festival of Colors in Moundsville today was a complete success!”  This was the declaration made by Sarafina Brooks, a reporter from the local TV Channel, WTOV 9 who appeared on TV Sat. Sept. 13, 2014 ­­covered from head to toe in green powdered chalk.  It’s clear that the local image of New Vrindaban is changing to one of peace, love and unity.

One young man who was there for his very first Festival of Colors was excited to say, “When we threw the colors up in the air, it was just like standing in the middle of a rainbow!”  Every half hour there was a wild color throw, accompanied by live music from one of five bands who played continuously throughout the day. The bands enthusiastically engaged thousands of people present in chanting the Holy Name, dancing, and throwing colors.   People also got to enjoy delectable vegetarian food known as “prasadam”, including New Vrindaban home grown, home cooked sweet potato fries and other delights.  Over 100 Krsna conscious books were sold to eager buyers.

This Festival of Colors was featured on the front page of a prominent local newspaper.  There was huge media coverage, with WTRF Channel 7, WTOV Channel 9, WV Public Radio, and three other newspapers.  Two of the TV channels even came before the Festival to do previews.  This type of coverage was unprecedented in all of New Vrindaban’s Festivals of Color to date.  Channel 7 announced, “ There might have been mostly gray skies over most of the Ohio Valley Saturday, but  there were rainbows over the Palace of Gold in Marshall County.“

Many of the guests also took tours of Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold and the Rose Gardens, wanting to know more about the beautiful and transcendental tourist attraction surrounding them.  Some bikers attended for their first time and one of them said, “This really isn’t a biker thing, but it’s a blast!  It’s all about love.  It’s a good time. Just hanging out with the people and nobody being mad.  You couldn’t do this with a bunch of bikers!”

Vrindavana das, organizer of the Festival commented, “This year it was more than just a good time.  This Ohio Valley has so many good people and they are feeling like this is becoming their festival.  People from all backgrounds are promoting love, friendship and unity.  They’re celebrating life together!  What could be better?”