This month, on February 29, all Gaudiya Vaishnavas worldwide will celebrate the most auspicious 150th Appearance Anniversary of the Founder-Acharya of the Gaudiya Math, and spiritual master of ISKCON Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: His Divine Grace Ashtotarashata Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada.

We cannot imagine our eternal good fortune for having come in touch with the movement created by Srila Saraswati Thakur over one century ago, for without him we would have never come in touch with our most merciful Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his followers. And those who come after will carry the same parampara torch of prema bhakti as freely delivered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to generations hereafter.

The purpose of this article is not for extensive glorification and appreciation of Srila Saraswati Thakur. That will be done on his Vyasa-puja day celebrations in ISKCON and Gaudiya Math temples throughout the world. Our purpose here is to inform the reader of the related celebrations at ISKCON Mayapur, and which will precede the historic opening of the Nrsimhadeva Wing in the TOVP on March 2, to be offered to Srila Saraswati Thakur and Srila Prabhupada at that time for their divine pleasure.

The Grand 150th Vyasa-puja celebration on February 29 is being organized by the Saraswata Gaudiya Vaishnava Association, an initiative of the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust that strives to bring together Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaishnavas, regardless of their institutional affiliations, for the pleasure of Srila Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada.

The festival will consist of glorifications of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati by ISKCON leaders and members of the Saraswata Gaudiya Vaishnava Association, pushpanjali, maha arati, kirtan and a feast in honor of His Divine Grace. However, a major event will be the offering of a unique exhibit named, Revolutionary Acharya Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada by the Kolkata-based Bhaktivedanta Research Center.

The exhibit will showcase the life of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada, from his appearance to his disappearance. It takes one through his rise to becoming a world acharya and preacher, the innumerable contributions he made to modern Gaudiya Vaishnavism, his extensive travels, the installation of the footprints of Mahaprabhu in eight locations, his theistic spiritual exhibitions held in various places of India, his prolific writing and publishing of innumerable books and articles, culminating in the opening of 64 maths throughout India.

On display will be original publications, rare photos, newspaper articles about the Gaudiya Math, handwritten manuscripts and documents and much more. This will be a memorable tribute to the life of the Founder-Acharya of the Gaudiya Math, to whom we are all eternally grateful.

We pray for his mercy that he will bless our endeavors in his continued service of preaching the message of Godhead throughout the world, and specifically through the completion of this landmark project of ISKCON, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. We consider this project to be one of his major limbs for the dissemination of the unique and most rare gift of Krishna consciousness, as distributed freely by Sriman Mahaprabhu for the benefit of the universe.

We wish to also remind the reader of the events celebrating the opening of the TOVP Nrsimhadeva Wing following the 150th Vyasa-puja of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, on March 1 – 2. Below is the entire schedule of the three days from January 29 – March 2 in an online form that is readable, downloadable and shareable. The entire program will be broadcast live on Mayapur TV:

Sri Nrsimhadeva Vaibhavotsava Announcement and Schedule

For more information about the Bhaktivedanta Research Center, visit their website at: https://brcglobal.org/.

Rare photos of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur

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The Supreme Lord Visnu has three different Saktis: Sri, Bhu, and Nila. Sri Vishnupriya is the internal potency known as Bhu-sakti. She appeared in Gaura-lila to assist Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with his mission of spreading the holy name of Krsna.

Vishnupriya Devi appeared in a very high brahmin family. There is mention of her father’s family. Her grandfather was Sri Durgadasa Misra. His elder son was Sri Sanatana Misra and the younger son was Sri Kalidasa Misra. Sanatana Misra’s daughter was Srimati Vishnupriya Devi.

In Sri Gauraganaddesa dipika it is written about Sri Sanatana Misra –

Sri sanatanamisrohayam pura satrajito nrpah,
Vishnupriya jaganmata yatbhrkanya svarupini.

Formerly, (in Krsnalila in Dvapara age) the King Satrajit, became Sri Sanatana Misra in the Kali Age. The mother of the universe Sri Vishnupriya was his daughter.

As was the case in 2022, the GBC met online regularly in 2023 to discuss matters of global importance and voted on proposals right up to the end of the year. The file [linked below] includes proposals voted on during the 2023 Annual General Meeting, those passed throughout the year, and those passed at the […]

The post 2023 GBC Resolutions Released appeared first on ISKCON News.

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The New Varshana devotees weren’t able to arrange the annual Holi festival, firstly because of the COVID, and last year there was a cyclone that flooded many parts of Auckland. However, this year was a grand success with over 10,000 people attending.

The Prime Minister accepted our invitation to be a VIP but unfortunately couldn’t make it because of another last minute obligation, but one of his ministers who is also the local MP came. There were multiple prasadam and book stalls and kirtan and dance went all afternoon.

It was great to be back at Sri Sri Radha Giridhari temple (New Varshana) Auckland. The deities were exquisite, as always, and the paddocks, flower gardens and fruit trees were looking wonderful.

The number of students at the school has expanded and two new school buildings were being finished off to accommodate them. Also, there’s another couple of units going into the grhastha area for new residents. Every night I was going to home programs.

By Hari Lila Das

For many years, Sridham Mayapur has had only a very basic medical facility. This has been a long-standing matter of concern both for residents and visiting devotees. However, this will no longer be the case, considering the focus and attention Mayapur management has provided since the post-COVID time, towards developing a robust healthcare infrastructure in Mayapur.

From a humble and basic clinic, today the Mayapur Community Hospital has developed into a well-equipped hospital with all basic amenities like general OPD, 10-bed In-patient facility, 24-hour emergency, 24-hour pharmacy, 24-hour ambulance, diagnostic lab, digital X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, etc.

The project is also attracting devotee doctors and nurses serving with dedication and love. The hospital team is expanding their services with more and more visiting specialists as well. With these expanded services there is already an immediate and visible impact on both the local population and the pilgrims. Our services are also well appreciated by the local Gaudiya Math sannyasis and brahmacharis. Naturally, the hospital services are becoming an important factor in helping to fulfil this instruction of Srila Prabhupada to unite the larger Gaudiya Vaisnava family in Mayapur.

The project is poised to take a major leap with the upcoming 100-bed multi-specialty hospital under development. The building construction is rapidly progressing. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.

Along with the 100-bed multi-speciality hospital, there are ongoing plans for having a palliative care centre, a natural birthing centre, a nursing training college and an ayurvedic hospital as part of the healthcare development. All these facilities will be developed in phases in the next 5 years’ time. Mayapur management has allocated 5 acres of prime land on the main road close to the temple for the entire development.

These developments will encourage more and more devotees to come and live in Mayapur. Sridham Mayapur will also become a hub for medical tourism where devotees from all over the world can come to get a wholesome treatment to heal the body and soul.

Naturally, these developments will have a huge positive impact on the overall well-being of the whole region. This will also open new career opportunities to resident devotees and the local dham vasis resulting in regional development. As the TOVP opens, the development of healthcare facilities in Mayapur is poised to play an important supportive role in the growing community and surging numbers of pilgrims and visitors.

You can learn more about the project and various ways to assist from the hospital website – www.mayapur.hospital

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A few evenings ago HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja and I gave class together at ISKCON Juhu. During the questions and answers, a devotee asked, “How can I recognize a pure devotee?” and in response I quoted Srila Prabhupada’s reply to a letter from Tusta Krishna dasa asking about pure devotees: “We advise everyone to address one another as Prabhu. Prabhu means master, so how the master should be disobeyed? Others, they are also pure devotees. All of my disciples are pure devotees. Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee—it may be Siddhasvarupa [a charismatic devotee who brought Tusta Krishna to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna consciousness] or others, a-Siddhasvarupa [not-Siddhasvarupa]. This must be very clearly stated. It is not only that your Siddhasvarupa is a pure devotee and not others. Do not try to make a faction. Siddhasvarupa is a good soul. But others should not be misled. Anyone who is surrendered to the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it doesn’t matter if Siddhasvarupa or non-Siddhasvarupa. Amongst ourselves one should respect others as prabhu, master, one another. As soon as we distinguish here is a pure devotee, here is a non-pure devotee, that means I am a nonsense. Why you only want to be in the spiritual sky with Siddhasvarupa? Why not all? If Siddhasvarupa can go, why not everyone? Siddhasvarupa will go, you will go, Shyamasundar will go, all others will go. We will have another ISKCON there. Of course, Mr. Nair must stay.”

Then that night I had a philosophical dream in which I noted that the different categories of devotees—kanishtha, madhyama, and uttama—are meant primarily for us to assess where we are in Krishna consciousness and make further progress—not to judge others.

Hare Krishna.

For decades Krsna's sincere devotees have blessed conditioned souls everywhere by distributing Srila Prabhupada's books--especially in December, the month of the Prabhupada Marathon. In December 2023, acting as Krsna's instruments, devotees worldwide distributed 4,461,211 books. Continue reading "World Sankirtan Newsletter — 2023 PRABHUPADA MARATHON & YEAR-END REVIEW
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