WSN June 2019 – World Sankirtan Newsletter – ISV No. 2 temple in the world and No. 1 in North America!
→ Dandavats

By Vijaya das

Vaisesika Prabhu says that the initials ISV, which stand for ISKCON of Silicon Valley, also stand for "individual, spontaneous and voluntary service." These devotees were, in colloquial language, "fired up" in June. They did 47,082 book points, which means they were the No. 2 temple in the world and No. 1 in North America. I once asked Vaisesika whether he had had an exchange with Srila Prabhupada. He said he did. Prabhupada said to him, "Read my books." He took that instruction to heart and expanded on it by encouraging hundreds of other devotees to read the books. And on top of that, he inspires devotees worldwide to distribute millions of Srila Prabhupada's books, giving nondevotees the opportunity to read Prabhupada's books, too. He's a Vaikuntha man in our midst Continue reading "WSN June 2019 – World Sankirtan Newsletter – ISV No. 2 temple in the world and No. 1 in North America!
→ Dandavats"

Success… Failure ….. Suicide
→ Dandavats



Success… Failure ….. Suicide
Ever wonder what drives people like VG Siddhartha (founder Cafe Coffee Day), or Kate Spade (Top Designer) to commit suicide? They were at the pinnacle of success but then they were lonely, surrounded by their family and friends. They were weak emotionally, their fears haunted them and pushed them to commit such a sin.

Reading Rathayatra 27th July 2019
→ simple thoughts

Share

Temperatures in the U.K. reached an all time high, ever recorded, 39’C , it was unbearably hot but the next day Reading Rathayatra was hit with monsoon like rain.

While cooking in the morning I was thinking that nobody going to attend this festival, but we cooked anyway as if all was good.

Then by Lord Jagannath’s mercy the blue skies came and the Lord’s devotees came out in the masses.Vishal Gauranga and his wife Amala Manjari Prabhus are the main preachers out here. Running the Nama Hattas, Prasad Distribution, Festivals, and Rathayatras in 3 cities, Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke.

A great example of what can be done when the congregation get together and focus on the mission of Srila Prabhupada. 

Reading is an historical city, in 870 Wessex was invaded by the Vikings, and Reading became their HQ , King Ethelred and Alfred the Great ( not so great) were defeated by the Vikings here. Then in 1121 King Henry built Reading Abbey and in 1361 the Black Death wiped out 60% of the population eeer, bad time to be around , but in the last 12 years the town is being blessed by the Lord of the Universe who rides His chariot surrounded by the chanting of the Mahamantra.

These days the residents of Reading can easily access the Lord’s mercy simply by being on the High Street as the Lord rides past.

Full gallery can be found here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GSzegd1uz4jKTJxH6

https://spiritualnutcase.zenfolio.com/p758827182

Jai Jagannath

Jai Srila Prabhupada 
Your servantParasuram das 

A Taste Of What Is To Come (Album of photos)
→ Dandavats



A Taste Of What Is To Come (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Two days before Polish Woodstock [ Pol'and'Rock ] begins we were in full-action mode. Only a fraction of the 2.2 million people expected at the grand event were present but we couldn’t resist to go out on harinam and begin prasadam distribution. A little taste of what is to come in our Maha-Yajna! Just see how happy the devotees are!

NASN June 2019 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats

By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of June 2019. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN June 2019 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
→ Dandavats"

Radha Kunjavihari Temple
→ Ramai Swami

The Klungkung area of Bali is the smallest regency on the island with only two hundred thousand people. By Krsna’s mercy there are about 120 devotee families who come regularly to the temple.

For a long time there was no temple and programs were held in devotee houses. However, by devotion and hard work, the devotees secured land and built a small but nice facility that houses Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha Kunjavihari and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai.

I always go for programs there.

Surprise in the Cow Pasture
→ Dandavats

The two Brown Swiss oxen you see running about, Dhruva Laddhu and Kalyan Tamal, were rescued from a dairy where they were living in tiny hutches and fed by a milk drip. Balaji, who is in many ISCOWP cow sanctuary videos, vlogged them moving from the back pasture to the front pasture where he found a surprise in the cow pasture!

Calm Before the Storm (18 min. video)
→ Dandavats



Calm Before the Storm (18 min. video)
Indradyumna Swami: Preparations are in full swing for this year’s Polish Woodstock festival - renamed the Pol’and’Rock festival. Two and half million young people are expected. Our devotees are busy setting up our famous “Krsna’s Village Of Peace.” Devotees are arriving from Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia, Macedonia, France, Germany and a number of other countries. It’s the 25th year of the Pol’and’Rock festival and the whole area is buzzing with activity. Many people are arriving early and all of them are asking when we’ll start our food ( prasadam ) distribution. We’re almost ready - most of the 48 tons of foodstuffs we’ll use to distribute approximately 160,000 plates of prasadam has arrived. And our kirtan tent is ready to resound with the holy names day and night. A massive maha yajna is about to begin. I have no doubt the demigods are also arriving in their flower airplanes!

Indecision is Unhealthy! (9 min. video)
→ Dandavats



Daily Quotes by His Grace Mahatma Prabhu. Mahatma Das joined ISKCON in 1969 and has served as temple president, book distributor, sankirtana leader, college preacher, membership director, and VIHE teacher and co-director. He is well known in Iskcon for his recorded music and his seminars. He is the co-director of Bhakti Life, a non-profit organization that teaches the practices of devotional service through interactive workshops, retreats, online courses and counseling.


Read More...

Reading Rathayatra, UK, 27th July 2019 (Album of photos)
→ Dandavats



Reading Rathayatra, UK, 27th July 2019 (Album of photos)
Parasuram dasa: Temperatures in the UK reached an all-time recorded high - 39C - it was unbearably hot but the next day Reading Rathayatra was hit with monsoon-like rain. While cooking in the morning I was thinking that nobody is going to attend this festival, but we cooked anyway as if all was good. Then by Lord Jagannath’s mercy, the blue skies came and the Lord’s devotees came out in the masses. Vishal Gauranga and his wife Amala Manjari Prabhus are the main preachers out here. Running the Nama Hattas, Prasad Distribution, Festivals, and Rathayatras in 3 cities, Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke. A great example of what can be done when the congregation get together and focus on the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Reading is a historical city, in 870ad Wessex was invaded by the Vikings, and Reading became their HQ, King Ethelred and Alfred the Great (not so great) were defeated by the Vikings here. Then in 1121 King Henry built Reading Abbey and in 1361 the Black Death wiped out 60% of the population, bad time to be around then, but in the last 12 years the town is being blessed by the Lord of the Universe who rides His chariot surrounded by the chanting of the Mahamantra. These days the residents of Reading can easily access the Lord’s mercy simply by being on the High Street as the Lord rides past. Jai Jagannath Jai Srila Prabhupada.

Padayatra in the Czech Republic (Album of photos)
→ Dandavats



Padayatra in the Czech Republic (Album of photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “As a result of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead. The holy name of Krishna is so powerful that by chanting even one name, one very easily achieves these transcendental riches.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.28)

The culture of ISKCON
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 June 2019, New York, United States of America, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.20)

There is a culture within this movement. Srila Prabhupada brought the transcendental knowledge from India and brought the culture from India as well. Seated on the floor, eating with the right hand, chapattis, puris, sabzis and so on. In the philosophy that we get through the scriptures, the knowledge is preserved. In the culture we get from the devotees, the knowledge is also preserved.

What Srila Prabhupada brought from India was the establishment of this ISKCON culture and many such things coming from the parampara. It is not only that the parampara is listed in the front of the Bhagavad-gita as the thirty two names before Srila Prabhupada. No, the parampara is everywhere. There is a way that Prabhupada wanted things done. He found certain people, he trained them and then he instructed them to pass it on. So this parampara, it lives through our ISKCON culture.

The article " The culture of ISKCON " was published on KKSBlog.

TOVP Architecture Department Weekly In-house Report, June 2019 – Edition #3
- TOVP.org

The theme of this week’s Architecture Department Report is ‘Ornamental Embellishment Research’. Recently the TOVP AD Research Team visited Gujarat and Jaipur to analyze complex ornamentation work undertaken by the country’s leading temple designers and makers – the Swaminarayan Group. It was interesting to see the various parallels drawn between ISKCON and Swaminarayan in terms of their design and construction processes.

One of the striking outcomes of this study is that the TOVP GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) factory is manufacturing master designs of world standard quality, but at a minimal cost. Please read on to see their research.

Click here to see it in your browser or download a copy to your desktop for offline reading.

The post TOVP Architecture Department Weekly In-house Report, June 2019 – Edition #3 appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

TOVP Construction Team Manager’s Inspection
- TOVP.org

The managers of the TOVP construction team regularly visit the site to make sure that steady progress is being made, as well as to ensure that the quality of the placement of the numerous embellishments is being maintained, and to make plans for upcoming work.

From the photos you can see that a good deal of the marble and GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) pieces have been placed onto the temple interior and exterior walls. You can also see the progress of the art department which is moving forward quickly and in fine quality.

[See image gallery at tovp.org]

 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit us at: www.tovp.org
Follow us at: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch us at: www.youtube.com/user/tovpinfo
View us 360° at: www.tovp360.org
Phone App at: http://tovp.org/news/announcements/new-tovp-phone-app-goes-live/
Mailing List at: https://goo.gl/forms/ojJ2WcUUuqWh8bXt1
RSS News Feed at: https://tovp.org/rss2/
Buy from us at: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/
Support us at: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/

The post TOVP Construction Team Manager’s Inspection appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Gurudeva!
Giriraj Swami

While I was chanting japa this morning, my mind was flooded with a verse from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s song Gurudeva!:

jogyata-vicare, kichu nahi pai, tomara karuna sara
karuna na hoile, kandiya kandiya, prana na rakhibo ara

“Upon examining my value, I find that I have none; your mercy is essential to me. Therefore, if you are not merciful I will constantly weep and I will not maintain my life any longer.”

Later, I saw just how appropriate and relevant the rest of the song was to my effort to chant.

                                    gurudeva!
krpa-bindu diya, koro’ ei dase, trnapekha ati hina
sakala-sahane, bolo diya koro’ nija mane sprha-hina

“Gurudeva! By a drop of your mercy, make this servant of yours humbler than a blade of grass. Giving me strength to bear all trials and troubles, make me devoid of all desires for personal honor.”

sakale samman, korite sakati, deho’ natha! jathajatha
tabe to’ gaibo, harinama-sukhe, aparadha ha ’be hata

“O lord and master! Please give me the power to properly honor all living beings. Only then will I sing the holy name in great ecstasy and all my offenses cease.”

kabe heno krpa, lobhiya e jana, krtartha hoibe, natha!
sakti-buddhi-hin, ami ati din, koro’ more atma-satha

“O lord and master! When will this devotee, obtaining your mercy, become blessed? Devoid of all strength and intelligence, I am very low and fallen. Please make me your own servant.”

Srila Prabhupada, please bless me with a drop of your mercy.

Hare Krishna.

Your eternal servant,
Giriraj Swami

Bhaktivedanta Manor (UK) Shree Krishna Haveli construction…
→ Dandavats



Bhaktivedanta Manor (UK) Shree Krishna Haveli construction update.
Haveli Pathway Underway: The Haveli is nearing completion in the coming months, now work has begun to pave the pathways to and around the building. Were so excited for the building a facility for our generations to come…
‘One has to ascertain the right path for his activities by following in the footsteps of great saintly persons and books of knowledge under the guidance of a spiritual master’ - A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
T​he Shree Krishna Haveli will provide facilities ​to bring our community together for cultural activities, education and spiritual rejuvenation and ​no matter​ who we are, each of us can contribute to building this spiritual oasis. Support the Gita Walk and ​invest in the cultural and spiritual ​upliftment of society and future generations
​The Haveli project is the culmination of decades of struggle and sacrifices made by the community to secure their right to worship Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda.

Calm Before the Storm (Album of photos)
→ Dandavats



Calm Before the Storm (Album of photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Polish Woodstock ( Pol’and ‘Rock ) is less than a week away. A big storm is gathering on the horizon: both materially and spiritually. The weatherman is predicting 3 days of rain and hail. Better now than later. But we’re predicting a tsunami of mercy in the form of Krsna’s Village Of Peace and all that it entails. In the meantime, we’re busy with last-minute preparations. My heart is pounding and I can’t sleep at night!

Bonds of Brotherhood
→ Dandavats

By Indradyumna Swami

“Let’s talk later about making a Hare Krsna base here in our Romani community,” Shaban said when we reached the car. “Let’s not just talk words; let’s do something tangible. It can be connected to the culture we share. It can remind gypsies of their origins and can facilitate the deeds of your community as well. Let’s construct a building or monument that will stand for a hundred or two hundred years. Something glorious to represent our combined cultures. This day of our meeting should go down in history in the collective memories of our people.” He took both my hands and said warmly, “You are so wonderfully dressed! Before you go, let’s walk through the streets of our community so you can meet my people. We can take a few photos as well to remember this momentous day.” Continue reading "Bonds of Brotherhood
→ Dandavats"

Reflections while Singing the Nrsimha Prayers
Giriraj Swami

While singing the Nrsimha prayers today, I was struck by the juxtaposition of two very different moods of the Lord—prahladahlada-dayine: He gave bliss to Prahlada, and hiranyakasipor vaksah-sila-tanka-nakhalaye: He cracked the stonelike chest of Hiranyakasipu with His sharp chisel-like nails.

namas te narasimhaya
prahladahlada-dayine
hiranyakasipor vaksah-
sila-tanka-nakhalaye

“I offer my obeisances to Lord Narasimha who gives joy to Prahlada Maharaja and whose nails are like chisels on the stonelike chest of the demon Hiranyakasipu.”

And I thought of the great Bhagavatam commentator Sridhara Svami’s beautiful verse in which he juxtaposes the Lord’s kind and ferocious dealings:

ugro ’py anugra evayam
sva-bhaktanam nr-kesari
kesariva sva-potanam
anyesam ugra-vikramah

 “Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although ferocious to nondevotees like Hiranyakasipu, Lord Nrsimhadeva is very, very soft and kind to devotees like Prahlada.” (Sridhara Svami, commentary on SB 7.9.1).

All glories to Lord Nrsimhadeva and His devotees, among whom I pray to be counted.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

End of Life
→ Dandavats

Radha Selvester: We have had quite a few devotees experience the passing of loved ones – parent, spouse, sibling, or child. In spite of knowing that we are not these bodies and that the soul is eternal, it is still an emotional struggle to cope with the loss. It is also a logistical challenge to make funeral arrangements, deal with insurance, disperse the loved one’s properties, and so much more.