Hare Krishna Kirtan by H G Amiya Ras Das on 04 August 2014 at ISKCON Juhu

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 08/14/14.

Similar to last week, since the people in the photo are not easily recognizable we’ll ask a broader question.

This week’s challenge: How many devotees can you name who were part of the New Vrindaban construction crew around the time of this photo?

Extra credit: When and where was this photo taken? (hint: same as last week!)

What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the Brijabasi Spirit Website.

Technical stuff: We share a photo Thursday and confirm known details Sunday. Let’s keep it light and have a bit of fun!

Special request: If you have a photo showing New Vrindaban devotees in action, share it with us and we’ll use it in a future posting.

“You want to make big plans for centralization of management. I do not at all approve of such a plan. Do not centralize anything. … The movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments and action not for making  bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled. There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility…”
(Letter to Karandhar in ‘72)

- Srila Prabhupada

From Ajay Gauranga Prabhu

During Moghal empire the kings broke many temples as well as beautiful deities. Few Sultans kept those deities as stepping stone of their Mosques so that people would trample it. It gives chance to impious people or Mayavadis to say that Lord is not able to protect Himself because He is currently under influence of Maya. So He will not be able to protect His devotees also. Hence what should be our answer to them?

Answer Podcast

From Ajay Gauranga Prabhu

Recently I read few pages about Indian history. I was shocked to know how India was till 10^th century & how it is now. There were beautiful temples having beautiful deities. There were many spiritual universities. There were many nice vaishnavas.

But Moghals ruled around 500 years followed by Britishers for about 200 years. There were lots of persecutions done by Moghals. Each & every ruling Sultan destroyed innumerable temples, killed Vaishnavas, broke beautiful deities just because there was some cultural & philosophical difference between what they followed & what Indians followed.

Also King Shivaji could resist these invaders in quite good amount in Maharashtra, Kranataka as well as Tamilnadu. Then why his descendants were not enough empowered like him?

Also we see in consecutive years there was Maratha kingdom but due to lack of cooperation between each other they lost their ruling thus few Britishers could easily rule India. Thus Britishers systematically destroyed Indian spiritual heritage simultaneously killed many cows.

Hence should we see this as Lord’s plan to create impious atmosphere because living entities in kaliyuga don’t want spiritual atmosphere. Also is this right understanding that Lord wants to create impious atmosphere as per the karma of the people in this age?

Answer Podcast

From Shubham R Gole

how do u maintain consistency in ur activities? prabhuji what u do when u feel bored of writing? from two years i m reading gita wisdom u r so consistent prabhu.

Answer Podcsat

Check out some interesting articles and videos on the Enough! magazine website here!

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 09 May 2014, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England, Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.23.36)

In the Nectar of Devotion, we have a description of Kamsa’s moment of doubt. I like it! Kamsa sits on his throne in Mathura, in his ultimate mood of demoniac nature, and he is thinking, “Hah, what can Krsna do to me? Nothing! I have powerful malice. So many. I mean Keshi, you know Keshi, the ultimate personification of power. What is this Krsna going to do to me?”

Just then, the messenger runs into the court, “Your majesty, your majesty, your majesty. Tragic news!”

Kamsa, “WHAT?”

“Your majesty… Keshi!”

 Kamsa, “Noooo, not Keshi!”

“Your majesty, Keshi is no more.”

Kamsa, “No, he (Krsna) is too powerful, he is inconceivable! How is it possible? Maybe, maybe I should just surrender unto him? But what would people say, imagine me, Kamsa! No, I could not do that! Maybe then I should just go to Vrindavan and inflict pain on the residents. But how can I go when I’m too afraid to leave the palace because of Krsna.”

Isn’t it nice that even Kamsa, for a moment, was thinking, “Maybe I should just surrender!” Just see, that gives us hope. If that can come up in Kamsa’s head and heart then anybody has a chance. That is nice. Even the demons are touched by Krsna. Krsna is Bhagavan.

Beautiful new entrance to the teaching garden.

As we have entered into August the weather has been anything but typical.  The abundant rain has allowed us to use almost no irrigation. But the lack of sunshine, cold temperatures, and constantly wet plants has caused  devastation to our crop of tomatoes. Late blight has struck nearly all of the 600 tomato plants in the Garden of Seven Gates.  Next year we will move the crop, use all new supports, and increase the potassium in the early season.   For more information about late blight check out this link. http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm.   On a very positive note we have been doing tons of flowers and vegetable harvesting. We are currently picking: tomatoes, peppers, swiss chard, kale, green beans, basil, mint, beets, radishes, cucumbers, dill, watermelons, lettuce, bittermelon, raspberries, and much more.  Within the next few weeks we will be harvesting squash, sweet potatoes, soy beans, amaranth, sunflower seeds, and pole beans. Flowers have been thriving and we have a beautiful abundance and great variety.  Each day flowers are picked for the deities and for the Pushpa Abhishek festival we were able to pick 154 gallons of marigolds.

First two ripe golden watermelons.

The rain has been great for germinating new seedlings.  This week we started  fall seedlings: cabbage, beets, kale, spinach, kohlrabi, and peas.  We are also starting to plant cover crops.  One of the fields that has been resting to increase soil fertility first had a crop of buckwheat and has now been planted with daikon radishes.  With 1 acre we will have unlimited greens and radishes and what we don’t use will be used as a ground breaking compost.

Seeding cover crops

Daikon Radish field

The most exciting improvement in the Garden of Seven Gates has been the reconstruction of two former greenhouses.  We are building a hot house (heated green house) for both our spring and fall seedlings.  We are also building two high tunnel greenhouses one for year round greens and the other for season extending flowers. The three greenhouses are located within the gates of the Garden of Seven Gates.  As we enter into the late summer we will continue to plant and harvest while plans for next years gardens are already being drawn out. Happy Harvesting!

Marigolds in the Teaching Garden

New Vrindaban dhambasi, Dharma, the Bull

Last month,  New Vrindaban cowherd: Ray built an outdoor facility for resident bull, Dharma. The previous facility proved to not be strong enough to contain Dharma as he had a history of break outs which have led to the impending welcoming of at least 5 new calves in the months to come. With the new outdoor facility Dharma will be able to sunbathe as often as he likes as opposed to being confined to his pen inside the big barn.

Dharma’s New Bullpen

Currently an addition is being added to the milking barn in order to provide a roomier loafing area for the milking cows & a nicer feeding isle set up. Vyasanana Prabhu (one of New Vrindaban’s expert carpenters) and Rafael (now known as Radhanatha Prabhu) as his assistant, have been diligently working on this project. The extension on the barn will allow the yard to stay drier (from the snow/rain) & provide the cows with an outdoor resting area that is separate from where they eat. These improvements will hopefully facilitate the cows staying as clean as possible in anticipation of the pilgrims braving the frigid winter weather to get their darshan.

back side of the barn, shows loafing area in the calves pen

new roof over the expanded feed isle.

Front view of the improved feed isle / roof on the milking barn

Come by any day of the week at milking time (7am or 6pm) to see the updated facilities, as well as, Caitanya Bhagavat & crew’s freshly painted red fence surrounding the milking cows pasturing grounds.

"The idea of an organized church in an intelligible form indeed marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dykes and the dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose. They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona fide spiritual master.

11 August ’14 Sringar Darshan at ISKCON Juhu, Sri Sri Radha Rasabihariji Temple

“You say ‘they mistake.’ Who are they? You say, ‘you do mistake’ don’t say ‘they.’ This is bureaucracy, ‘they.’ You are all ‘they.’ (conversation in ‘76 in Hyderabad).

- Srila Prabhupada