New Vrindaban’s Transcendental “Throwback Thursday” – 12/19/13
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

NV TBT 12-19-13

It’s time for New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday!

Each week we highlight an earlier era in the history of ISKCON New Vrindaban and ask our readers to identify devotees in the photo.

This week there are ten people who can be named.

Extra credit if you spot the special “accessories” one of them is wearing.

Post your best guesses on the “who, what, when & where” in the comment section at the New Vrindaban Facebook Page.

Technical stuff: We post the photo Thursday and confirm known details Sunday.

Let’s have a bit of fun and see who knows their New Vrindaban history!

Visit from HH Sivarama Swami
- TOVP.org

Mayapur is livening up as devotees fill the campus from around the world. With courses, kirtans and kathaa in plenty, the community is enjoying the influx of visitors and residents. The offices at the TOVP have also benefited from the inspirational association of some of ISKCON’s leaders.

HH Sivarama Swami recently visited the TOVP and was taken on a tour of the site. Known for his ecstatic kirtan, Maharaja brought that same enthusiasm and vigor to his walkabout. Having a background in metallurgy, he expressed an interest in the materials being used in the fabrication of each design element. His attraction extended to him jokingly commenting that he was jealous the TOVP devotees had such an exquisite seva. He was also pleased by the regard and camaraderie shown amongst the TOVP staff and toward their guests. Furthermore, Maharaja was thrilled by the progress being made and he was so eager to see everything that his tour expanded into a three hour sojourn. His time with the TOVP devotees ended with an open invitation for him to join the round table.

The staff at the TOVP always enjoy giving tours. Not only is it an opportunity to guide visitors through what is being done, but the appreciation and excitement of the guests motivate the TOVP devotees to continue in their dedicated seva. This project serves as a meaningful milestone in ISKCON’s history, but he power of the support and encouragement from the international community ignites an immediate fire in the hearts of the TOVP staff.

The discoverer behind all discoveries
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The Lord inspires the individual soul to create what is already created by the Lord, and by the good will of the Lord a discoverer of something in the world is accredited as the discoverer. It is said that Columbus discovered the Western Hemisphere, but actually the tract of land was not created by Columbus. The vast tract of land was already there by the omnipotency of the Supreme Lord, and Columbus, by dint of his past service unto the Lord, was blessed with the credit of discovering America.

-       Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.17 purport

Find the devotee
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 October 2013, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.2-7)

devoted-monksWe should never think that somebody is not a devotee. We should think that everybody is a devotee! The uttama-adhikari sees everyone as a devotee. We should find the devotee in other people. The devotee is there; we should just find it!

We treat someone as not a devotee then they may also say, “Yes, I am not a devotee.” But if we find the devotee; awaken the devotee… There is a devotee in every person!

 

 

 

 

The Symptom Of Good Japa
→ Japa Group

  • The symptom of good Japa is that we like to chant.
  • The symptom of poor Japa is lack of taste and a struggle to complete our rounds.
  • Lack of taste is reinforced by the mood of, "I have to do chant" rather than in proper mood of "I want to chant, I get to chant, I love to chant."
  • I have to chant sends a message to Krsna in the form of Nama Prabhu that we don’t like spending time with Him.
by Mahatma dasa

Big celebration at Iskcon Detroit – The Bhaktivedanta Cultural Centre(Album 43 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

Inspired by the spiritual teachings of His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Alfred Brush Ford(great-grandson of Henry Ford) and Elisabeth Reuther Dickmeyer(daughter of United Auto workers President, Walter Reuther) jointly purchased the Fisher Estate in 1975 as the site for the Bhaktivendanta Cultural Center Read more ›

Produce Department Head Position Available
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

butternut

This is in New Vrindaban  for the 2014 growing season. This is a compensated position.

Contact Madhava Gosh for details

gourdman8(at)gmail.com

Service Description

Department: Gardens & Produce

Mission: Make the gardens attractive, a place where pilgrims, visitors, and community members can find their connection with a natural way of living, create a proper service mood among the staff and support the temple with outstanding produce.

Goal: Produce vegetables and flowers for the New Vrindaban community as per Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Make sure the garden looks attractive throughout the year. Engage staff and volunteers.

Job Title: Department Head Gardens and Produce

Authority: ECOV

Requirements/Skills:

Knowledge and experience in organic food production and garden management.
Interact and communicate in a friendly manner with visitors.
Supervise staff and volunteers, assign duties and evaluate service.
Value other people’s contributions and to express appreciation.
Deal with problems and time sensitive matters.
Organizational and administrative skills.
Steady, reliable, responsible, exemplary character.
Ability to follow budget and financial plan.

Responsibilities:

Plan the new season based on the needs of the temple.
Prepare the garden for each season (e.g. preparing the soil, planting the seeds, maintaining the crops, harvesting, etc.).
Managing daily operation of the gardens  including staff and volunteers.
Maintaining an attractive, healthy garden.
Managing budget and  controlling expenditures.
Inform  the kitchen one week in advance about planned harvest.
Food processing and storage.
Ensure safety for all staff members, volunteers and guests.
Comply with licensing laws, health, safety and and statutory regulations.
Care and maintenance of machinery and power tools as appropriate.
Attend meetings and training courses as required.

Does ISKCON promote subtle emotional enjoyment in the name of spiritual enjoyment?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Mrigank Sharad

Gita condemns sensual enjoyment, but
does repeatedly talk about some kind of 'spiritual enjoyment',
like in chapter 6, many times the bliss of associating with brahman has
been stated. while iskcon tries to discourage gross sensual enjoyment, but it in
factpromotes some kind of subtle sensual enjoyment. Mind is a subtle
sense and
emotional thoughts about love and affection are like subtle sense
gratification. It makes one crave for others' association' and imposes a
feeling of attachment. Like, I was listening to one of the ISKCON sanyasis
at Chicago temple:  " when you go to Krishna , he will welcome you, will
give you a hug, will play with you'... these sound like promoting subtle
sense-gratification, like the thoughts of emotional dependence
on some one. you may feel that i am questioning the concept of bhakti it
self, and am sounding more like adwaitis ( or mayavadis)). But these are
logic questions. I have not read any of their books. If i try to observe
what my mind is doing by thinking the way this prabhu thinks, i am just
allowing my mind to enjoy subtle pleasures , at the emotional level .   And
some people may get intoxicated with this kind of feelings.

Answer Podcast

Is ISKCON’s conception of God like the Abrahamic religion’s jealous God?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Mrigank Sharad

The main ISKCON theory is that Krishna is the only enjoyer and all
others are to be enjoyed. This is the ultimate truth and those who rebel
against it , violate their essential 'dharma' and a bound to fall down.
This is nothing better than the portrayal of God as an envious frowning
master by the Abrahimic religions!

Answer Podcast

Could the unbelievable stories about Krishna not be some poets’ fabrications?
→ The Spiritual Scientist

From Mrigank Sharad

ISKCON being related to the school of Gaudia Vaishnavism emphasises upon
the form of devotion that is generally termed as 'madhurya rasa'. You talk
about gopis, and Krishna's form etc. I have heard many stories being
discussed by ISKCON celibates which sound strange: one goes like this:
Radharani cooks new dishes for Krishna every day in the spiritual world,
and never repeats a dish'... this kind of man-made stories are hard to
believe!  And your slogan is to follow the foot-steps of acharyas! whats
the proof that the acharyas who told all these strange stories did not
fabricate them. for me Gita is logical, whether i look at it from the point
of view of dualism or advaita. Every rational person can connect with it.
But absolutely not with these kinds of stories.

Answer Podcast

The basic principle of missionary activities
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The pure devotees are not only satisfied by knowing everything about the Lord, but are also eager to broadcast the information to others, for they want to see that the glories of the Lord are known to everyone. Thus the devotee feels satisfied when such an opportunity is offered to him. This is the basic principle of missionary activities.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.9 purport

The Sound of Silence
→ Seed of Devotion

I walk through the cold and dark streets, the city night so quiet to me. I enter the park and walk past sludgy snow piled up against empty benches. Round street lamps bob in the night like so many candle flames. The almost full-moon hangs in the sky, surrounded by one or two glittering stars. The trees are all bare.

I gingerly sit on a cold bench before the Prabhupad Tree. I glance up at bare branches which seem to reach for the sky. Almost 50 years ago, Prabhupad came to sit under these branches to sing the holy name.Through his kirtan, he transformed hearts, he transformed the world.

Now, the word is silence - I seem to be surrounded by so much silence.

Every time I come here I feel this silence, and in that silence the emotion of gratitude always emerges. I feel grateful to Prabhupad for giving me a reason to live. I feel grateful that he persevered. I feel grateful to be breathing and to be on the path of love, true love.

I close my journal and rise to my feet, gazing at the Tree. I then kneel to the ground and touch my forehead to the cold concrete bricks in obeisance. When I stand again, I whisper, "Thank you Srila Prabhupad," and turn around to leave.

Walking away, I can still hear the silence.
Subscribe

Our sacred space
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2010, Sydney, Australia, Lecture)
10 December - Mayapur (1)We can choose what influences we allow to enter into our consciousness. We can declare our consciousness as a sacred space:

“This consciousness is something that I declare a sacred space and within this consciousness I’ll try and bring in influences that are uplifting, that are giving me strength and that are adding to my happiness.”

 

Initiation Ceremony, Gita Jayanti, Moksada Ekadasi, December 13, Vrindavan
Giriraj Swami

12.13.13_02.initiation12.13.13_01.initiation———————-
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Bhagavad-gita 3.34 and Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.11 during Ati Sundari dasi’s initiation ceremony.

“Above them are the devotees of the Lord, who neither aspire to enjoy the material world nor desire to get out of it. They are after the satisfaction of the Lord, Sri Krsna. In other words, the devotees of the Lord do not want anything on their personal account. If the Lord desires, the devotees can accept all sorts of material facilities, and if the Lord does not desire this, the devotees can leave aside all sorts of facilities, even up to the limit of salvation. Nor are they self-satisfied, because they want the satisfaction of the Lord only. In this verse, Sri Sukadeva Gosvami recommends the transcendental chanting of the holy name of the Lord. By offenseless chanting and hearing of the holy name of the Lord, one becomes acquainted with the transcendental form of the Lord, and then with the attributes of the Lord, and then with the transcendental nature of His pastimes, etc.” —SB 2.1.11 purport

Initiation Talk

Sunday, December 15th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

Nine Point Sixteen


Burnaby, British Columbia

The sun had burst through the clouds.  It’s been a while since seeing it.  With winter and what it is – snow, fog, rain and the coastal dynamics, you begin to miss something, the sun.  You can never say, however, that even with the sun’s absence or it’s obscurity, “I forgot what it looked like.”  No, you can’t say that.  The impression of the sun is deeply imprinted in the memory recesses.  The mere mention of the sun brings to mind that happy ball of heat and light that’s above us.

Taking advantage of this moment, this breakthrough, I and two other companions took to a spontaneous walk towards the neighbouring greenhouses.  I wanted to show my friends my regular escape area.  To get to this escape you have to spend at least ten minutes trekking along Marine Drive.  Although Sunday, it’s crazy for traffic.  Christmas time doesn’t help.  Yes, Christmas, perhaps the most materialistic time of the year.  I think Christ would be disgusted, what do you think?  Sorry, I’m a Scrooge.

Our stroll took us along Meadow Avenue, past the nursery called “It’s About Thyme” (“I am the healing herb ,” – Bhagavad Gita 9.16).  We passed by a boarded up school house and farm houses and fields, and as we ambled along we had our companion of the Hare Krishna mantra (mantro ham “I am the mantra,” – Bhagavad Gita 9.16).  We thought we started with three of us, but actually there were four of us.  Oh, no, the sun is also there, that makes five.

One hour went by as we concluded our escape route.  Then I dashed off to fulfill an obligation, to speak to our community members at the ISKCON Centre.  I entered into the temple where the arati (ritual) had just been completed (aham kratur – “I am the ritual,” – Bhagavad Gita 9.16).  As I was about to speak, the offering of good food – fruit, veggies, grains, were presented before the Krishna deity (aham hutam – “I am the offering,” Bhagavad Gita 9.16).

I opened to the page from the Gita selected for me, it was 9.16 from the Gita.  The main theme that was highlighted from this topic was the notion of sacrifice, aham yagyah – “I am the sacrifice,” Bhagavad Gita 9.16.  I emphasized the importance of sacrifice in the form of kirtan.

Here’s how the whole verse reads from 9.16:

“I am the ritual, I, the sacrifice, the offering to ancestors, the healing herb, the transcendental chant, I am the butter, and the fire, and the offering.”

After the talk, I indulged in the food cooked in ghee (clarified butter – Bhagavad Gita 9.16).  Today I embraced this verse.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

Saturday, December 14th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

A New Kind of Saturday Night

Vancouver, British Columbia

Here we are in Vancouver, a world class city, rated the number one place to live in for a number of years in a row.  Yet, the district a few of us pulled into this evening is a dingy embarrassment to the human race.  It’s the infamous Hastings and Main area.   Just around the corner is popular and touristic Gas Town.  Acid heads, crack pots and drunks frequent and live in the area.  Because of the relatively moderate temperatures Vancouver enjoys, even in winter, it helps to jump up real estate value, but it also attracts the country’s more down and out, at least in the winter.  At the same time, this area of Hastings and Main is a hopeful nook, a nest with eggs about to crack open.  I’ll explain further on.

The entrance to tonight’s event was a dodgy alley way door.  Then you go up two flights of stairs to an old creaky floored warehouse type deal.  No need to worry, attendees to the event have come to a kirtan ecstatic yoga program.  They came alcohol/substance free.  Speaking of which, I guess you put them in the ‘free spirit’ category.

I was introduced as The Walking Monk and did my version of trance dance through mantra and movement.  The person who preceeded me was the real hero, and who uses this space as his yoga studio, and believe it or not, he has made yoga accessible to poor people.  In fact, the people here generally come for yoga to rehab, to relax, to believe.   Emmerson is the hero’s name and I had the pleasure to engage him in one of our dramas last summer.  Many of his clients who come by donation are male.

When you talk to Emmerson, you can feel that he’s at the brink of something big.  He’s just about to open location number two and says he’s getting calls from all over the world from people who want to hear his success story.  When he was conducting his session, it was fun to see how he got people to move to the Hare Krishna mantra.

It is a fact and as real as the nose on your face that the modern world is driving people to a vacuum, to a space and life lacking ‘meaning’.  Who, after all, wants to be homeless or be on a binge?  It all depends on the mode of life you’ve chosen for yourself.  Some folks, however, are not in such a position to make major choices.  But climb the stairs after walking a back alley, becoming sober and agreeing to sit quiet, breathe, and chant, almost anyone can do.

I was impressed with the kirtan crowd of tonight.  I can’t imagine what Emmerson does during the week when the real needing ones come to see him.  In 1996 I walked through this neighbourhood as part of the route across Canada.  I could see it needed attention.  It looks like some people are taking advantage of the hand that’s being extended to them.

May the Source be with you!

5 KM