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
→ Dandavats"

Sat-tila Ekadasi is also known as Trisprisha Ekadasi. This Ekadasi occurs in the dark fortnight of the month of Magha (January/February). The glories of Sat-tila Ekadasi are narrated in the Bhavisyottara Purana in a conversation between the sage Dalbhya and Pulastya muni.

This is the third Ekadasi of the year 2024. It is an auspicious start for the rest of the year, and we encourage devotees reading this to kindly consider donating on this day to help complete Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Wing in the TOVP, scheduled to open from February 29 – March 2, 2024. Please go to the Give To Nrsimha Fundraiser page on the TOVP website and select one of several seva opportunity options.

  NOTE: Sat-tila Ekadasi is observed on February 5 in most of North America and February 6 in India. Please refer to your local calendar through www.vaisnavacalendar.info.

  View, download and share the TOVP 2024 Calendar​.

The Glories of Sat-Tila Ekadasi

From Bhavisyottara Purana

Sri Dalbhya Rishi said to Palastya Muni, “When the spirit soul comes in contact with the material energy, he becomes sinful and performs such heinous acts as stealing, killing, and illicit sex. He may even go to the extent of killing a brahmana.

“O purest of personalities! Please tell me how these unfortunate souls may escape hellish punishments by just simple austerities as offering a little charity.” Pulastya Muni replied, “O fortunate sage, you have asked me an important, confidential question. Please listen very carefully as I reply.

“At the arrival of the month of Magha (January – February), one should carefully control his senses by giving up lust, anger, pride, jealousy, fault-finding, and greed, and meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna. On the day when the constellation of Purvashadha nakshatra arrives, he should bathe, collect some cow dung before it touches the ground and after mixing it with sesame seeds and cotton, prepare 108 balls from it. Then he should strictly observe Magha-krishna Ekadashi as I will now describe.

“After bathing, the aspirant should worship the Supreme Lord. Praying to Lord Sri Krishna by chanting His holy name, he should vow to observe the Ekadashi fast. The devotee should perform an Arati to the Lord – the holder of the conch, disk, club, and lotus – which includes applying sandalwood paste to his feet and offering incense, camphor and a bright ghee lamp. Naivedya (an offering of tasteful food preparations) should then be offered to the Lord. He should keep awake all night and perform a fire sacrifice (homa). The devotee should offer the 108 balls of cow dung, sesame seeds, and cotton wool into the sacrificial fire of the homa while chanting the Purusha-sukta hymns and the Lord’s holy names. He should then offer the Lord pumpkin, coconut, and guava. If these items are unavailable, betel nut may be substituted. Throughout the day and night, the devotee should observe the standard Ekadashi vrata of fasting from all grains and beans.

“The devotee should pray to Lord Sri Janardana, the benefactor of all living beings, thus: ‘O Lord Sri Krishna, You are the most merciful Personality of Godhead and the giver of liberation to the fallen souls. O Lord, we have fallen into the ocean of material existence. Please be kind to us. O lotus-eyed Lord, please accept our humble, affectionate and respectful obeisances. O Supreme Spirit, origin of all forefathers, may You and Srimati Laxmi-devi, Your eternal consort kindly accept our humble offerings.’

“The devotee should then try to please a qualified brahmana with a warm welcome, a pot full of water (purna kumbha), an umbrella, a pair of shoes, and clothes (dhoti, and anga vastra). The devotee should request the brahmana to bestow his blessings for developing unalloyed love of Godhead. If means permit, one must also donate a black cow to the brahmana, particularly if he is well versed in the injunctions of Vedic scripture. One should also offer him a pot of sesame seeds.

“O exalted Dalbhya Muni, black sesame seeds are especially suitable for formal worship and fire sacrifices while white or brown ones are meant to be eaten by a qualified brahmana. One who can arrange to give both kinds of sesame seeds (black and white or brown) on this Sat-tila Ekadashi day will be promoted at least to the heavenly planets after leaving this present body and will live there for as many thousands of years as the number of seeds that would be produced if the seeds he donated were sown in the ground and grew into mature, seed-bearing plants. On this
Ekadashi a faithful person should:

• bathe in the water mixed with sesame seeds,
• rub sesame seed paste on his body,
• offer sesame seeds into the fire in sacrifice,
• eat sesame seeds,
• give sesame seeds away in charity,
• accept charitable gifts of sesame seeds.

These are the six (sat) ways in which sesame seeds (tila) are utilized for spiritual purification on this Ekadashi. Therefore, it is called Sat-tila Ekadashi.”

Palastya Muni continued, “The great Devarishi Narada Muni once asked the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, about the result one obtains by observing Sat-tila Ekadashi. Lord Krishna replied, ‘O best of the twice born, I shall narrate to you an incident I personally witnessed.

“‘Long ago on earth there lived an old brahmana lady who worshipped Me every day with controlled senses. She faithfully observed many a fast, especially on the days honoring Me (Janmasthami, Rama-navami, Vaman Dwadasi, Nrisimha Chaturdasi, Varaha Dwadasi, Gaura Purnima, etc.) and selflessly served Me with full devotion. Her austerities made her quite emaciated and weak. She gave charity to brahmanas and to young maidens (kanyas), and even planned to give away her house in charity. Yet, although the spiritually minded woman gave charity to worthy people, oddly, she never offered food to the brahmanas or devas (demigods).

“’I reflected about the woman and felt she had purified herself by offering Me strict devotional worship by fasting on all auspicious occasions. She certainly had become eligible to enter My personal abode, which is a rare achievement. So, I came down to this planet to understand her queer behavior. Disguising Myself as a follower of Lord Shiva, complete with a garland of skulls draped around My neck and a begging pot (bhiksha patra) in My hand, I approached her.

“’She said, “O respectful one, please tell me truthfully, why you have come here.” I replied, “O beautiful one, I have come to beg for some alms.” Hearing this, she got angry and threw a lump of mud into My begging pot! O Narada Muni, astonished at the miserliness of this otherwise magnanimous lady, I wordlessly returned to My personal abode.

“’Eventually this austere lady reached the spiritual world without discarding her earthly body. So great was her fasting and charity! I transformed the lump of mud she had offered Me into a beautiful home for her. However, O Narada, this house was just like the mud devoid of any edible grains. It had no furniture or ornamentation, and when she entered it was only a bare structure. She approached Me and said, “I have fasted on so many auspicious occasions, making my body weak and thin. I have worshipped You and prayed to You in so many different ways for You are truly the master and protector of all the universes. Yet despite all this there is no food or wealth to be seen in my new home, O Janardana, please tell me why?”

“‘I replied, “Please return home. The wives of the demigods will pay you a visit out of curiosity to see the new arrival. Do not open your door until they have described to you the glories of Sat-tila Ekadashi.”
“‘The wives of the devas arrived at her home in due course as I had foretold and called out to her, “O beautiful one, we devapatnis have come to see you, please open the door.”

“’The lady replied, “O dear ones, if you want me to open the door, please narrate to me the merit of observing the sacred fast of Sat-tila Ekadashi.” One of the wives beautifully related the sublime nature of this sacred Ekadashi. And when the brahmana lady finally opened her door, they saw that she was not a celestial being like a demigoddess, a Gandharvi, an asuri, or even a Naga-patni. She was just an ordinary human being.

“’The lady observed Sat-tila Ekadashi, which awards both material enjoyment and liberation at the same time. She finally received the beautiful furnishings and grains she had expected for her spiritual home. Her ordinary material body was transformed into a beautiful, spiritual sac-cid-ananda form with a fine complexion. By the grace of Sat-tila Ekadasi, both the lady and her new home in the spiritual world were radiant with gold, silver, jewels, and diamonds.

“’O Narada, a person should not ostentatiously observe Ekadashi out of greed, with the hope of attaining wealth dishonestly. He should selflessly donate sesame seeds, clothes, and food according to his capacity, for by doing so he will achieve good health and exalted spiritual consciousness, birth after birth. Ultimately, he will be released from the bonds of this world (liberation) and granted admittance into the Lord’s supreme abode. That is my opinion, O best of devarishis.’

“O Dalbhya Muni,” Pulastya Rishi concluded, “One who properly observes this wonderful Sat-tila Ekadashi with great faith becomes free of all kinds of poverty – physical, mental, intellectual, social, and spiritual – as well as all kinds of ill luck and evil omens. Indeed, observing this Ekadashi fast by donating, sacrificing, or eating sesame seeds, undoubtedly frees one of all past sins. One need not wonder how this happens. The rare soul who properly performs these acts of charity in the right devotional mood, following the Vedic injunctions, will become free of all sinful reactions and go back home, back to Godhead!”

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Magh-krishna Ekadasi or Sat-tila Ekadasi from the sacred Bhavishya-uttara Purana of Srila Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa.

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The meeting commenced with the reading by Madhu Sevita Das. The main agenda discussed during the meeting was Guru Projects and Guru Dakshina. Several years ago, the GBC embarked upon developing a systematic plan for the future of ISKCON. They selected several issues of primary importance to the movement and formed committees to discuss them. […]

The post Report of January 24, 2024 Online GBC Meeting appeared first on ISKCON News.

The science of advancing and making progress in life, material and spiritual, requires learning and growing. Guru Tattva is the name of the science of this process in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a principle found in all bonafide traditions. There are three primary and specific types of gurus: vartma-pradarsaka-guru, diksa-guru, and siksa-guru. Let’s unpack this in our […]

The post COMING OF AGE #12 – The Guru Has 3 Eyes! appeared first on ISKCON News.

Jayadeva Gosvāmī was a contemporary of King Ballāla Sena, who greatly honoured him. Jayadeva’s bhajana-kuṭī was on the Gaṅgā’s eastern bank some distance from Ballāla Sena’s royal palace, but when an obstacle arose in his bhajana, he left there with his wife Padmāvatī and came to a solitary and charming garden.

Once, as he was composing the verses of Gīta-govinda, a pastime in which Śrīmatī Rādhikā entered Her sulky mood (māna) appeared in his heart. Kṛṣṇa’s repeated attempts to remove Her māna all failed. Then the mood entered Śrī Jayadeva’s heart in which he understood that to pacify Śrīmatī Rādhikā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa put His head at Her lotus feet. This filled Śrī Jayadeva with fear and he could not bring himself to write it.

He thought, “Śrī Kṛṣṇa is everyone’s worshipful Supreme Lord and He possesses all potencies. Śrīmatī Rādhikā is His potency and maidservant. How is it possible for Śrī Kṛṣṇa to put His head at Rādhikā’s lotus feet? That would transgress the principles of religion.” His hand trembled and lost grip of his pen. He could write no more, so he went to take bath in the Gaṅgā. Meanwhile, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the topmost relisher of transcendental mellows, assumed the form of Śrī Jayadeva and went to his house. 

He asked Padmāvatī to bring Him the manuscript  and then personally completed the verse smara-garala-khaṇḍanaṁ (“the deadly poison of amorous love”) that Jayadeva had begun to write, by adding mama śirasi maṇḍanaṁ dehi pada-pallavam udāram (“is counteracted by decorating My head with Your flower-like feet”).

Śrī Kṛṣṇa left the house and a short time later, Jayadeva returned. Surprised, his wife asked, “How were you able to come back so quickly? Just a short while ago you returned, wrote something in your book, and again went out to take bath.”

Jayadeva Gosvāmī asked for his manuscript and upon opening it saw that his unfinished verse was now complete. Filled with wonder, he told his wife, weeping, “O Devī, you are blessed. You had darśana of Śyāmasundara Kṛṣṇa, who personally came here and completed the verse I feared to write. Kṛṣṇa is brought under control by prema, not by devotion based on rules and regulations.”

After some time, Jayadeva Gosvāmī and his wife moved to Jagannātha Purī. Gīta-govinda is so beautifully sweet that even Jagannāthadeva Himself is eager to hear it. Once in a garden, a deva-dāsī [a dancing girl in the Jagannātha Temple] was singing the verses of Gīta-govinda, and Jagannātha came out of the temple and swiftly ran towards that garden.

As He ran, thorny bushes tore His cloth and scratched His body. When he had heard all the verses He returned to the temple and took His place on the altar. When the pujārī opened the door he was astonished to see Śrī Jagannātha’s condition. The head pujārī and the king were informed and everyone was filled with concern.

The next night Śrī Jagannātha appeared to the head pujārī in a dream and revealed to him the secret that He heard verses being sung from Gīta-govinda, and in His haste to go to the source of the sound, His cloth was torn. When Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara recited Gīta-govinda verses to Śrīman Mahāprabhu, He became immersed in ecstasy.

Sometimes we are asked why we are building the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. People say there are already so many temples in India, especially in ISKCON. What is the need for another? We have presented below twelve of the top reasons why we need to build this temple, and why every devotee and member of ISKCON should do their utmost to help.

1. Srila Prabhupada told us to build the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium
2. This will be the long-awaited new home of our beloved Mayapur Deities
3. The TOVP will become known as the largest Vedic temple in modern history
4. The TOVP will “attract the people of the whole world to Mayapur”, as Srila Prabhupada said
5. Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy will reach a worldwide audience like never before
6. The enactment of mass sankirtana yajna in the TOVP will benefit the entire world
7. More transcendental books will be distributed in Mayapur than anywhere else
8. The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra will reach a scale never before seen, in every town and village
9. The Vedic knowledge presented in the TOVP will challenge the “rascal scientists” (ref: Srila Prabhupada)
10. The Deity worship in the TOVP will be of the highest standards in the world
11. Srila Prabhupada’s glories will become expanded throughout the universe
12. This is ISKCON’s flagship project at its World Headquarters in Sridham Mayapur

 
Whether you’ve contributed to the TOVP already or not, now is another opportunity to help by giving to the completion of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Wing in the TOVP, the largest Nrsimhadeva temple in the world. Go to the Give To Nrsimha Campaign page on the TOVP website today and give according to your means.

Miracle in the Making – Home of Our Divine Protector

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