Damodara Program
→ Dandavats.com

With barely two weeks to the start of the auspicious Damodara month, which according to the Vaisnava scriptures is the holiest of all months, we are happy to offer you a user-friendly “Damodara-kit” to facilitate your celebration of this wonderful pastime. This can be used in the temple, devotees’ homes and where ever you may conduct the Damodara program. The Damodara program has been developed to assist the collective participation of congregations and has an outstanding success reaching over a 100,000 people in just one month in Malaysia. The Congregational Ministry wants to assist you in implementing this amazing program in your area. Read more ›

Srimad Bhavatam lecture by H.G Bhakta Rupa Prabhu at ISKCON Juhu of Mumbai, 2014-09-28 (video)
→ Dandavats.com

Simply by taking prasada and taking part in chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, ordinary persons are being considerably elevated. Saubhari Muni regrets that he had bad association even in the deepest part of the water. Because of the bad association of the sexually engaged fish, he fell down. A secluded place is also not secure unless there is good association. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 9.6.51 Purport) Read more ›

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-10-01 04:10:00 →

1951 October 1: "Mayavadins have cast a cloud over Bhagavad-gita and therefore common people are misled by them. It is not at all necessary that an ailing person shall oblige all classes of physicians for the sake of their being medical practitioners only. The patient must be treated by such physician only who is able to cure him."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64

ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Cultural Centre Charity Fund Raising Dinner Presentation
→ ISKCON Malaysia

BY  VANISHRI ADHARMA SATRU

PENANG - Held on the 28th September 2014, the Bhaktivedanta Cultural Centre in Seberang Jaya, Penang organized a gala dinner to raise awareness and funds for the almost complete Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion and Understanding. Highlighting some of the activities held at the temple currently, this presentation is based on a modern track in contrast to the previous presentation highlighting the ISKCON activities around the world.

Shankari the Cow’s Recovery
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

Shankari showing off her fancy red cast that Dr. Andy put on for her.

Shankari showing off her fancy red cast that Dr. Andy put on for her.

When we last reported on Shankari, she had just broken her leg & had been shipped up to OSU Vet Hospital to have metal plates/screws & a cast put on her leg.

Shankari sporting her blue, weight-bearing cast. Eagerly looking at the photographer for another handful of fresh cut grass.

Shankari sporting her blue, weight-bearing cast. Eagerly looking at the photographer for another handful of fresh cut grass.

In June, doctor’s came out & x-rayed her again & decided the red cast could be taken off & a weight-bearing blue cast could be put on next. After having the blue cast on for about a month, the local vet came out, gave another x-ray & decided she was ready to be cast free.

 

Shankari munching on some comfrey plants

Shankari munching on some comfrey plants

In August,  Shankari was given a little patch of pasture that she can munch on, though she’s still was not ready for much mobility. Radhanath Prabhu has been regularly bringing her comfrey plants to aid with her healing & monitoring her mobility to determine when she will be allowed to hang out in the small pasture at the Big Barn.

Shankari eating some hay. You can see her healed right leg which is larger than the left due to bone calcifying around the hardware.

Shankari eating some hay. You can see her healed right leg which is larger than the left due to bone calcifying around the hardware.

As of September, Shankari has been given the freedom to roam in the small pasture in front of the big barn. Radhanath Prabhu reported that she is doing well & that she will now run towards you if you happen to bring some jaggery when you come & see her. It seems Shankari’s injury has made her all that much sweeter. She loves to have company especially if they bring food (please consult with the cowherds prior to feeding her anything).

Shankari licking her nose after a refreshing drink of water.

Shankari licking her nose after a refreshing drink of water.

Thanks to everyone who sent well wishes, prayers, good vibes, donation & whatever else to aid in Shankari’s recovery. Without the support of the community it would not have been possible for Shankari to have such an amazing recover. Go-Mata Ki Jaya!

Let Other Things Wait
→ Japa Group

Doing other things while chanting is not good. Still, sometimes out of expediency you do it. But you should try to put off so-called expedient actions until after chanting. Chant at a designated time and chant loudly. Let other things wait.

From Japa Reform Notebook
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Monday, September 29, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

North York, Ontario
 
Back In
 
I am back in Canada, but still moving around. I was booked with Krishna Club at York University to speak on “A Day in the Life of a Monk.”  To reach the location on campus for sitting in the round, I decided to walk two thirds of the way there to Sheppard and Bathurst.
 
A young woman, Sonia, was waiting at the street corner near Holy Blossom Synagogue, when she saw me cross.  I heard her audible question over the traffic noise. “Are you a monk?”  I did a pedestrian u-turn and got to the spot of her standing point.
 
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”
 
We got to talking. I wish she could have attended the talk I was delivering.  All along my trek on Bathurst I could see there were responsive people, including Jewish private school students, and Catholic Filipino folks now off from work.
 
I was reminded of the multicultural world we live in, not much different from the town I was raised in.  We had people of varying backgrounds, a veritable potpourri of folks.  English, French, Belgian, Dutch, Czechs, Italians, etc.  Even a brown Trinidadian man came to move to town to teach mathematics at the high school.
 
Eventually I did get picked up by Yura and Aastha for the balance of the trip to York U.  Aastha does standup comedy.  On her request, she had asked for topics she might include in her act.
 
“Why not open the Bhagavad-gita and derive some ideas from there – topics such as karma , dharma, the three modes, yoga, liberation, and happiness to begin with?”  Happiness is a topic she’s already been toying with, hence the question, “What else?”
 
We met with students in the round and delineated on a day in the life to a degree.  I believe the young minds were transported.  But I think the kirtan at the end of the session allowed themselves to travel for a moment extra-terrestially.  
 
May the Source be with you!
 
10 KM

Sunday, September 29th, 2014
→ The Walking Monk


Philadelphia, Pensylvania
 
Germantown and Beyond
 
Nikhil, a chap from Virginia, and I took to trekking along Germantown Avenue.  Architecturally, it has a European flavor with its homey-looking shops, cobblestone roads, tight lanes, and just charm.  Going east, it starts to take on a more gloomy, almost ghetto-like feel.
 
Being Sunday morning, you see the odd person at 7am on their way to work. A coffee shop employee, perhaps.  There is always a very devout mama who’s dressed in her Baptist best, hat a la mode and all.  A young teenaged black dude was darting down the street in a stark white shirt, tie, and spiffy suit.  As I was told last year on my visit here, this area became the first integrated neighbourhood in America.  Blacks, whites, southerners, northerners, new immigrants and earlier established folks all got along.  Spirituality may have had something to do with that.  Nikhil and I can see plenty of churches, even seminaries in the districts. The Lutherans have a gorgeous ground for their seminary students, just minutes from our ISKCON centre.
 
Several theology students did visit our temple and in fact, watched our play, “Little Big Ramayaan.” The audience – students and congregants – were so responsive. It seems that the signature line to this play is the final one.  When narration tells, “Relationships have always been complicated. Even on the divine Absolute realm.”   And of course what resonates with the audience also is Ravana’s line “You disgust me,” amplifying the general disdain that a worldly person has for the world.  Ravana is the nemesis of ego, something we can all relate to.

May the Source be with you!

8 KM

Mayapur ToVP
→ Ramai Swami

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Rainy season in Mayapur doesn’t stop construction going on at the Temple of Vedic Planetarium. The stainless steel superstructure for the main dome is progressing steadily and a lot of work has been done on the planetarium structure itself.

Even though at this time of year it is hot, humid and rainy, there are still numerous visitors to Sridhama Mayapur. In the afternoon the devotees hold talks and kirtan in the parks and many people gather around to hear and participate.
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Gurudeva offering
→ simple thoughts

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Dear Gurudeva,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All Glories to you on this special day of your appearance.
Were would I be without the shelter of your lotus feet, were would I be without your guidance and direction, what would I be doing if it wasn’t for your instructions?
During your latest UK visit their was great sadness at Bhaktivadanta Manor the feeling of neglect and separation in hearing your wonderful class and direction the inspiration in distributing your guru maharajas own books, the diligence in keeping it real with practical guidance on how to increase our desire to read and hear about Krishna and to serve others.
It is for me anyway easy to become neglectful forgetting how fortunate one is having the shelter of such an amazing and tolerant servant as yourself; dedication and focused on keeping each and every one of your disciples and aspiring disciples enthusiastic in our own service.
Words are inadequate as always to express the feelings one has, remaining humbled and inspired and with immense gratitude for being under the shelter of one such as you.
Thank you
Yours Humbly
Dhirabhakta Das

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Unfavorable Christian Helps Sell Srila Prabhupada’s Books!
→ Dandavats.com

My husband (Prithusrava dasa) & I went to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for four days of book distribution. On the first day, a Christian carrying a 6' x 10' sign reading "Surrender now to Jesus before it's too late" plus other Christian warnings, was shouting and parading back and forth just fifty feet from us for about an hour. When he noticed us distributing Bhagavad-gita, he took it upon himself to inform the students how demonic the Gita is and to warn them to stay away from "those Moonies." A number of students approached us and, whether interested in a book or not, thanked us for our peaceful style. Read more ›

A short presentation of the upcoming Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion and Understanding in Seberang Jaya, Malaysia (5 min video)
→ Dandavats.com

Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple of Devotion and Understanding. The first Iskcon temple in Malaysia, a temple for spiritual worship, a temple that combines the best of both the magnificant Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan and the majestic Jagannath Puri temple in Orissa, and a temple desired by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Read more ›

Prabhupada Letters :: Anthology 2014-09-30 15:22:00 →

1967 September 30: " There is no necessity of stopping questioners by dogmatic statements. We are not lacking in philosophy - by the grace of Krishna we have got ample stock to answer anybody's intricate philosophical questions. You must now be careful so that people may not misunderstand us to be a second edition of the hippy movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967