Planet ISKCON

Answer Podcast

The post When things go wrong, how can keep faith and avoid feeling the pinch? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Villaggio Hare Krsna ceiling mural (Album with photos)
Rudradeva Das: “This large ceiling mural, comprised of 56 wooden panels, each approximately 200cm X 150cm X 1cm, has been my most ambitious painting project to date. It also took the longest amount of time to complete, around 5 years. The process went like this: After staining all panels with a terra-cotta colored gesso, I employed a small opaque projector in my darkened studio, to project my miniature drawings onto the proper positions of all panels, and then laid out the design with white pencil. Next it was time to block in the underpainting for all 56 panels. Unlike the ceiling I did in Prabhupadadesh 10 years earlier, where I used oil paint for all layers, this time I employed fast-drying acrylic from jars to get the underpainting laid-in. This worked well, in that this acrylic under-layer dried very fast, and if I blocked-in one panel, it was completely dry and ready for adjustments or changes within 20 minutes time. In the final steps of the overpainting and details, I used artists’ grade oils from tubes, Rowney and Winsor-Newton mostly. When all my painting work was finished, the panels were then affixed to the ceiling by Krsna-ksetra prabhu, employing an ingenious method of using scaffolding, beams, lifts, and precise measuring of spacing in between the panels, to achieve, with a minimum of touch-up by the artists, the appearance of a nearly-seamless mural spanning the entire length and width of the temple ceiling.

All-in-all, this lengthy project provided wonderful substance for meditation for an artist. On one-half of the mural: Krsna & Gopis, Krsna & His cowherd friends, baby Krsna & His parents, and Krsna accepting service from His devotees. And on the other half: The Six Goswamis, The Panca-Tattva, the modern Parampara, and modern-day devotees on Harinam sankirtan. So although ambitious and not always easy, this project was one of the best and most enjoyable services I’ve performed.

During the process, the temple president-GBC-overseer Madhusevita prabhu set deadlines for completion a couple times, but I was unable to meet them, so he kept giving me extensions. But the last one, to have it ready for Janmasthami 2014, was very tight and could not be again compromised. So when I saw that my pace was still too slow to meet this final deadline, we decided to audition some artists to assist me in the final stages. In this way, we finished in time, and the panels were mounted on the ceiling when guests arrived for Janmasthami Day. The aftermath of the project was me and my main assistant, Bhakta Francesco, climbing the scaffolding and touching up all the screw holes, joins, and last-minute corrections and minor improvements. This was done in the 2 months after Janmasthami. Below are some excerpts from an article in "Movimento ISCKON”, the devotee newsletter of the Italian community, Published a few months prior to the unveiling, by Vasudeva datta and Lalita devi dasi:
​
FINESTRE SUL MONDO SPIRITUALE (WINDOWS ON THE SPIRITUAL WORLD)
​
This is how Srila Prabhupada defined the conscious art of Krishna: a chance to look beyond the material. The name, the form, the pastimes and qualities of Krishna are situated on the absolute level. The artistic expression that translates painting a picture of Krishna and His devotees encompasses all these revelations and only a matter of realization divides us from receiving these gifts. Rudradeva Prabhu is undertaking a large painting service, with the collaboration of Bhakta Francesco, producing 56 panels that will occupy the area of ​​about 200m2 of the temple of Sri Sri Radha Ramana ceiling. The ceiling will be divided lengthwise into two halves: in one of these halves, there will be a further division of four parts to represent the four main rasas: Madhurya, Vatsalya, Sakhya, and Dasya. The other ceiling half will be comprised also of four equal divisions: The Panca tattva, the six Goswamis, the Parampara, and an ecstatic modern-day Harinam procession, staged in front of Srila Prabhupada’s present-day Samadhi Building, at ISKCON Vrndavana’s temple complex. Rudradeva prabhu humbly hopes that the final work will help devotees and people in general, to become inspired to continue or increase their spiritual quest, and upon entering the temple room and viewing these depictions on the ceiling, feel compelled to learn more about Srila Prabhupada, and Krsna and His associates.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/gvVPZN

Harinama at Coolangatta (the southernmost suburb of City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia) - 12 November 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The powerful hari-nama is so strong that even if one unconsciously or consciously they imitate; “Hare Krishna.” They have no intention to chant the holy name of Krishna, but they imitate or criticize, “Hare Krishna.” That also has effect. Calcutta, January 10, 1971.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HN85ro

A Lecture by HG Shubha Vilas Prabhu at the Hare Krishna Temple in Melbourne: Stop Worrying and Start Living! (video)
Watch it h...

Harinam during the Car Free Day @Bajrasandi Park, Bali 19.11.2017 (Album with photos)
Chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and…… Be Happy!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/LRZEKC

A devotee from Radhadesh, disciple of Prahladananda Swami, left his body.
Hrdaya Caitanya Dasa: Dear devotees, Hamsa Avatara Prabhu left his body today at 2 am, Indian time, in the hospital of the auspicious Mathura Vrindavan Dhama, while the devotees in Radhadesh were doing kirtan on his behalf.
Hamsa Avatara Prabhu’s mother, on the advice of the doctors, agreed to stop the life support machine, this was done yesterday at 10 pm Indian time, four hours later he left his body. For the last four hours he was constantly listening to Srila Prabhupada bhajans. He was in the ICU ( Intensive Care Unit ) but on the request of Madhavi Mataji they had moved Hamsa Avatara Prabhu to the next room so that they could chant for him freely. They were also informed by the doctor just before 2 am that he had only a few minutes to live. He left this world in the presence of his mother, Madhavi Mataji and two doctors.
Hamsa Avatara Prabhu joined ISKCON in the early 90’s, took initiation from Prahladananda Swami and dedicated himself for many years to book distribution in the Benelux.
He also took pleasure in studying Srila Prabhupada’s books and was invited in the different preaching centers and Namahatta centers to give lectures. He was very close friends with Prema Siddhi Ananda Prabhu from Radhadesh and Premarnava Prabhu who is now serving ISKCON Soho.
Later on he was requested to serve as Temple President in Amsterdam, in difficult circumstances, where he met Bhaktin Paula, who became his wife and they have three nice children ( Mira, Maya and Abhaya ). He was also a member of the ISKCON Dutch Council.
Recently, in the month of August, when he got to know that he had cancer and that the cancer was already in a developed stage, he became very serious about his spiritual life. He was so happy to meet his Spiritual Master in Radhadesh, on the 26th of September, he had a long meeting that really pacified his heart and he was now ready to go to Vrindavan with his blessings.
Nobody had thought that his last journey would be so short but some or other, he had rented an apartment near the ISKCON tempel and three days ago his health was deteriorating so fast that the guards informed the devotees and they brought him next day to the hospital on the way to Mathura where he was only for last two nights.
Devotees in Vrindavan, this morning after Mangala Arotika announcement chanted loudly the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra for his spiritual benefit.
Madhavi Mataji ( sister of Pitambara Mataji from Den Haag ) was looking after him in the hospital and she is also making arrangements with the authorities for the cremation, she thinks that things will be clarified with the Dutch Embassy and the FRO tomorrow and that the cremation should be taking place on Tuesday morning.
Hamsa Avatara Prabhu did a lot of service for the ISKCON Benelux and Srila Prabhupada’s mercy is with him. Krsna reciprocated so much with him to allow him to leave his body in Vrindavan Dhama in auspicious circumstances. Our prayers are with him.
Your servant,
Hrdaya Caitanya dasa

ISKCON Auckland NZ: Rathyatra 2017 festival time (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Lady Subhad...

“Could I be Krishna conscious and still be a soldier?”
Pragosh (ACBSP): When I was introduced to Prabhupada in Washington, Hari Sauri said, “Prabhupada, Pragosh was trying to learn how to sell your books like full sets like an encyclopedia.”
Prabhupada asked, “So how did that go?”
I said, “Well, Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krishna Maharaj and I had attempted this but it was pretty clear that the BBT didn’t have all the full sets in stock. Also, generally speaking, the common man is not going to be able to buy this many books at one time.”
Then he said, “So what are you doing now?”
I said, “Well, I went right back to the airport, Srila Prabhupada, like I was for the last few years.”
Prabhupada looked at me for a second and he kind of smiled and said,
“Yes, whatever increases book distribution, we accept. Whatever decreases it, we reject.”
It was a simple statement and I took it as a sort of a very specific instruction, which I look back on my life and I realize that I made many decisions that really didn’t increase my book distribution.
Another thing that Prabhupada said in that particular time was when he asked about prasadam distribution in New York.
He asked, “So they are selling prasadam in New York City on the street?”
I said, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada.”
He said, “What are they selling?”
I said, “I don’t know Srila Prabhupada. I’m not sure.”
Then he looked at me and asked, “Kachoris? They are selling kachoris?” His eyes got big.
I said, “I don’t know Srila Prabhupada if they are selling kachoris.”
Prabhupada said, “Oh, they must, they must. First class kachoris cooked in ghee. Then the meat eaters will lose their taste for meat naturally.”
We had all heard about Srila Prabhupada as “kachori mukha” as a child liking kachoris.
Then he asked me, “Do you stay here in Washington?”
I said, “No, Srila Prabhupada, I am living in New York.”
He said, “Oh, I began in New York”, again very childlike.
Then he asked, “Are you coming to Ratha-yatra?”
I said, “I wouldn’t miss it for anything, Srila Prabhupada.”
He said, “Yes, Ratha-yatra in New York City has always been my dream. America is the most important country in the world, and New York the most important city in America. And 5th Avenue is the most important street in New York.”
It was just a very warm and friendly kind of revelation.
It was a very personal interaction.
Previously when I told Srila Prabhupada about the soldier who had given me eighty dollars and took four books, the soldier asked me,
“Could I be Krishna conscious and still be a soldier?”
Srila Prabhupada looked at me and asked, “So how did you answer?”
I said, “I told him that the Bhagavad-gita was spoken to the greatest warrior in human history.”
Prabhupada was charmed because he looked over at Hari Sauri as if to say,
“This guy really knows how to lay it on.” (laughs)
Then he looked back at me, waited for a second and then said,
“You have answered rightly. Arjuna was a military man.”
Just like that.
He was enlivened by the simple frankness of it.
And Prabhupada confirmed it.
—Pragosh

Havi das (Ilan Chester), a disciple of Srila Prabhupada received recently a Grammy Award in Las Vegas for his extraordinary musical career as a musician, singer and composer. Millions of people attended or watched the ceremony while Havi das took the opportunity to include Krishna conscious messages in his speech of acceptance, translated into English in this report. Continue reading "Grammy Academy Award for Havi das
→ Dandavats"

The post Daily Darshan: 19 November, 2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

While in Gainesville, Gayatri convinced countless students and young people to join Krishna consciousness. Simultaneously, she made more true friends than I can ever recount. However, it was after we moved to the Los Angeles in July, 1982, that Gayatri’s true character fully blossomed. In addition to the hundreds of friends that Gayatri had made in Gainesville and all over the world, including and especially Srila Prabhupada’s sister, Pishima (who often referred to Gayatri as her “daughter”) she made hundreds of new friends on the West Coast, and developed a special bond with devotee children. She was also the “Inventor” of the modern version of Gauranga Potatoes, and is famous for the renowned “4:00 offering” that she would cook everyday for Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai when the Gainesville Temple was located on Depot Avenue. Continue reading "A Belated Appreciation Of Srila Prabhupada’s Spiritual Daughter And Disciple – HG Gayatri Devi Dasi
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Answer Podcast

The post If bhakti doesn’t protect us from troubles, then what is the point of practicing it? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The famous kirtan leader, Sri Prahlada, was scheduled to head up the chanting at the Bhakti Tree in Newcastle on Friday evening, but everyone was pleasantly surprised when Indradyumna Maharaja accompanied him and gave a talk as well.

Maharaja was visiting Australia to see his friend, Agnideva Das, who was in hospital and also attend the wedding of his disciple Vraja Kumari Devi Dasi and her husband Prahlada das.

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed)
[Reposted from 10-29-2007]
In the Gita's 7th chapter Shri Krishna tells us that four kinds of pious people approach him to render service: the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of he Absolute. And once we have come to Krishna, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur describes four levels or motivations for service: fear, prospect, duty, and love. One point in these two types of analysis is that there are many ways people come to Krishna, and different stages to aspire for once we do---the highest being serving out of love.

Another way to look at how we are motivated to serve Krishna is by dividing them in two broad categories, of positive and negative.

Negative impetus for serving Krishna is by our experience of the miseries of the material world. Preaching based on this emphasizes how bad the material world is, entangling its' relationships, simply awful and gross the body is plagued by, bad smells, imperfections, disease, old age, death, and even birth (which is touted as being such a happy thing).

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asks Kodarnad Ganesh, Bhakta Josh asks if Krsna only exhibits pastimes as a youth in Goloka, Akincana Krsna asks about mlecchas, yavanas and candalas and Isvara Smarana asks about preaching based on talks of psychologists, astrologers, etc.

Life Of A Devotee - His Grace Iweshwar Das (video)
“People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around.”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/JinrV9

Srila Prabhupada’s Transcendental Book Distribution ki jaya! (Album with photos)
This is Shyam das. He is 9 years old. He is originally from Ukraine. While we were out on Harinama on the campus in Mayapur, I happen to notice him distributing small books to onlookers. I could see “That Look” in his eyes as he approached people. He had the determination and enthusiasm to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. He accepted his invitation to do Big Books in the morning with us. His second day of distributing he managed to do 8 sets of books. There was no quit in Shyam das. He kept on with his seva till there were no guests around. Then and only then did he stop.
Come enjoy his and others association as we give out the nectar every day at 6am in the temple room. It will be a very rewarding 15 minutes of your day.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/C6hAev

Distributing books at Dreamforce, a salesforce conference (1 min video)
At this conference, held from November 6-9 in San Fransisco, I had these experiences.
On the first day, a person came up and told me, “I have read the whole Bhagavad-gita, and I wanted to meet other devotees. It is a miracle that is happening.”
He told me that he chants Hare Krishna whenever possible, and he has never met a devotee before or been to a temple. He took some books and gave a donation.
On the second day, he came again, and we talked for a while and he accepted some prasadam.
On the third day, during the closing hours of the conference, we were talking again, and I casually suggested that he come to the temple with me in the car. He agreed, and he heard the Wednesday evening class given by Shubha Vilas Prabhu. At the end of the serving of prasada, he asked whether he could render service and help clean the kitchen.
Through all the conversations we had, he never looked as though he were a person new to Krishna consciousness. He was saying that before reading Bhagavad-gita As It Is, he read five other editions, and none of them made any sense to him. He was also telling how he has read about many of the sciences of the world (being in the technological field for eighteen years), and this was the culmination of all the sciences he has read.
Here is a video of him speaking about the value of the Bhagavad-gita: https://youtu.be/1Jq9p6joYls
Your servant,
Madhava Govinda Dasa

The Power of Prayer.
For the duration of last year’s Srila Prabhupada’s book marathon I was traveling with Hriman Krishna in the South Island. When we stayed in Dunedin, Hriman Krishna suggested that I do a day trip to Oamaru which is roughly an hour and a half drive north of the city.
When I arrived in Oamaru I grabbed my book bag and enthusiastically jumped out on to the street. For the next 3 hours all I heard was “No!!, I don’t want to know!!” “Go away!!” “Your doing the work of the devil!!” By lunch time I’d had enough, I was thinking that I have driven all this way, a 3 hour round trip and no books are going out. The previous day I had watched a you tube Video of Kripa Moya prabhu explaining that when you are having a tough day on book distribution pray to Narada Muni, Srila Vyasadeva, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the Parampara to please make me a suitable instrument to pass on this transcendental message to others.
By lunch time, I was definitely ready to offer a sincere prayer. So I begged for the mercy of the Parampara took some Prasad and tried again. It was amazing!! Everything changed! $20 bills were flying out of the wallets of the conditioned souls in to my bag and they were walking away with stacks of books. One exchange was particularly rememberable.
I was at the van reloading with books when I saw a camper van enter in to the car park. the car park was practically empty and of all the places it could have stopped, It parked right in front of me, as the drivers door flung open I raised my arms and shouted “Congratulations! Well done! You made it to Oamaru!”
The lady laughed, I walked over and I placed a ‘Science of Self-realisation’ in her hand and told her that it was a book on yoga and meditation.
Her jaw dropped and she exclaimed “I knew there was a reason why I parked here!”
Laura told me her story. She was from Oxford in England and was engaged to marry a multi millionaire, she had all the wealth and security that a young lady would want in life, but she realised that she wasn’t happy. After breaking off the engagement and selling all of her possessions she moved to New Zealand. It was her hearts desire to start an eco-village in New Zealand but when she found out about the mass carpet bombing of various chemicals throughout the land which had polluted the soil and water, it burst her bubble. That’s when she started seeking for genuine spiritual knowledge.
Extremely elated to have Srila Prabhupada’s books in her hand she happily gave $20 and took an ‘Hiding in Unnatural Happiness’ as well.
Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental book marathon Ki! Jai!
Your servant
Stambha bhava das

Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education - VIHE (Album with photos)
In the sublime atmosphere of Giriraja Govardhana, devotees immersed themselves in the magical world of Krsna’s pastimes in the association of HHSacinandana Svami, HG Bhurijana Prabhu, HG Jagattarini Mataji, HG Madhavananda Prabhu and HG Adi Purusha Prabhu (Retreat Organized by VIHE).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/X99iax

When you advance in Krishna Consciousness, it is more difficult to tolerate being honored than to tolerate being dishonored. The world will appreciate you if you give time to Maya and devotees will appreciate you if you give time to Krishna. So you decide whom to serve. Fighting against Maya is a blissful thing in the world. For a non-devotee, Maya convinces not to surrender unto Krishna. But for a devotee, she convinces to postpone the surrender. The happiness of the material world also disturbs us because it makes us forget Krishna. There is enough happiness in this world to keep you attached to your sufferings. The only way we can make this world a better place is to transcend it. Continue reading "Words of Transcendence
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Havi das, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada received recently a Grammy Award for his extraordinary musical career in Venezuela. This is his speech during the ceremony of his Grammy Award: “ Good morning to all, thanks to the Grammy awards for recognition.
As time is limited, I prefer to put the thanks, which are extensive, on social media. But if I would like to take this opportunity to offer Venezuela my most heartfelt gratitude and a loving and special appreciation to my wife Merci Majorca for her talent, her dedication and her enormous contribution to the work that together we did these almost 20 years.
On one occasion Dustin Hoffman asked actor Laurence Olivier: ” what motivates us to do this work we do?“ and Olivier replied: ” it’s very simple: look at me, look at me, look at me!“
And since you are looking at me and listening, I would like to share a short reflection inspired by the sacred texts of India which I consider important.

We talk about democracy, equality, freedom, when since the United Nations project was set up in 1945, we humans have fought 140 wars. Only 240 million people died in world war I. On the other hand, very few are aware that 65 billion animals are slaughtered annually in the name of protein and good food. We sing and talk about love when since 1980, 1.5 billion abortions have been carried out. Not to mention the levels of consumption of alcohol, drugs, pornography, racial discrimination, paedophilia, systematic destruction of forests, water pollution… these are just some of the symptoms of the disease. And nature responds, because every action that is not in harmony with the laws of God and nature will inevitably result in suffering; individual and collective suffering. Karma is stored and when it comes to a critical point, it blows and something happens… conflicts, wars, diseases, earthquakes, tsunamis, miserable governments, etc.

I have a friend, a great devotee of Krishna whom I love and admire. On the occasion of recognition in Las Vegas I told him that I would have liked to say something substantial, something important for the benefit of those who could be watching or listening. At 15 minutes I command this text with which I fully identify:

” there are undoubtedly great causes in this world but the great cause is the one that has the ability to lead us to freedom, looking inward.
Beyond the skin and the bones, it is to discover that we are spiritual and eternal beings as parts of divinity. Only so, from this crucial discovery is that we can be truly useful, by offering the world the best version of ourselves.“

Thank you very much.

Iskcon devotees meet with the King and Queen of Belgium to petition official recognition of their religious status.
A delegation from the Hindu Forum of Belgium (HFB), including two ISKCON devotees, met with the King and Queen of Belgium as well as many influential Indian politicians last week in Delhi, India. Their aim was to gain support to make Hinduism an officially-recognized religion in Belgium.
While all religions have the freedom to operate in Belgium, only six are officially recognized: Catholicism, Protestantism, Anglicanism, Orthodox, Judaism, and Islam. Buddhism is soon to be recognized too. But Hinduism, the third largest religion in the world, is not – yet.
In the photo, Iskcon representative Mahaprabhu Das (left) speaks with King Philippe of Belgium.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/FBRtvh

The post Daily Darshan: November18,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Two days ago I left Vrindavan for a short preaching tour in Australia, which will conclude with the wedding of one of my disciples next week. Shortly after, I will go to South Africa for a large public festival program in Durban. So happy to be sharing the mercy I received while staying two months in Vraja. The words of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati give me great inspiration:

“Everyone’s auspiciousness will come by preaching about Lord Caitanya. Like itinerant merchants you should take the wares of Caitanya-vani throughout the globe. If necessary, go to all four corners of the earth. Violence to oneself and others under the name of nirjana-bhajan must be stopped. Every single door must be knocked on at least once. If the inhabitants sincerely inquire as to which manner of hari-bhajan may be performed aright, tell them that the only way is through the bhaktivinode-dhara, the line of Bhaktivinode Thakur.”

Два дня тому назад я уехал из Вриндавана на недолгий проповеднический тур в Австралии, который завершится на следующей неделе свадьбой одних моих учеников. Чуть погодя поеду в Южную Африку на большой фестиваль в Дурбане. Я счастлив делиться милостью, которую получил за два месяца во Врадже. Меня очень вдохновляют слова Шрилы Бхактисиддханта Сарасвати:

«Благоденствие кого бы то ни было идет от проповеди о Господе Чайтанье. Подобно странствующим купцам, вам нужно развозить товары Чайтанья-вани по всему земному шару. Если понадобится, идите по всем четырем сторонам света. Принуждение себя или других под именем ниржана-бхаджана нужно остановить. В каждую дверь нужно постучать хотя бы раз. Если вас искренне спросят, каким же образом хари-бхаджан можно проводить правильно, говорите, что единственный путь – это бхактивинод-дхара, линия Бхактивинода Тхакура».

[ из обращения в день ухода Шрилы Тхакура Бхактивинода в 1936 году. Цитируется по “Бхактисиддханта Вайбхаве” том 1, Бхакти Викаши Свами. Также в “Шри Кришна Катхамрита Биндху”, выпуск 412 ]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210573655440562&set=a.3707173840886.2134384.1321748113&type=3&theater

Answer Podcast

The post How can we act on the spiritual platform instead of the bodily platform? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

A delegation from the Hindu Forum of Belgium (HFB), including two ISKCON devotees, met with the King and Queen of Belgium as well as many influential Indian politicians last week in Delhi, India. Their aim was to gain support to make Hinduism an officially-recognized religion in Belgium.

Where is your hometown? 

Syama Kunda was raised in Cambridge, Maryland.

When & where did you get married? 

While living in Maryland in 1969, Syama Kunda met his wife Girindra Mohini, the youngest girl of 10 siblings. When he was 16 and she was only 15, they were married by her minister father.

When did you first meet devotees?

Syama Kunda initially saw the devotees chanting on the streets of Greenwich Village, New York City while on his way to Canada. He thought they had taken too many drugs. Later, while in a mall in Denver, CO, Syama Kunda and his wife met Kamalavati Dasi (also a long time NV resident), who gave them their first book: “Krsna, The Reservoir of All Pleasure.”

What initially attracted you to Krishna Consciousness? 

Syama Kunda was a Beatle kid and had been listening to George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” regularly. In 1971 while working in Denver, he met some vegetarians. One day while visiting their home, he saw a Krsna Book on their counter. The attractive red picture of Radha and Krsna standing together, grabbed his attention and he asked:  “Where did you get this?” They said a few Hare Krsna devotees had come by yesterday. Syama Kunda was searching for real love, the love of sisters, brothers and friends. The Beatles songs inspired Syama Kunda & he felt if the Beatles were into Hare Krsna, it was worth checking out.

When & where did you first join ISKCON? 

After receiving the booklet on Krsna in the mall, Syama Kunda and his wife decided to go to the Sunday Feast at the Denver temple. Here Syama Kunda approached the Denver temple president about moving in and becoming a full time devotee

When/where did you first hear about New Vrindaban? 

Syama Kunda first read about New Vrindaban in a Back to Godhead magazine. The temple president of ISKCON Denver, who happened to be Tulsi das (who lives in NV), suggested that since Syama Kunda was a married man with a son, they go to New Vrindaban where there was space for families and that his talents as a carpenter would also be much appreciated there.

When did you move to New Vrindaban? 

Syama Kunda and family moved to New Vrindaban in 1971.

When & where did you get initiated? 

Syama Kunda was initiated on Janmastami day, 1972 at the Bahulaban temple in New Vrindaban during the Bhagavat Dharma Discourses given by Srila Prabhupada. Both he, his wife, along with Mother Kunti devi (Karnmarta’s mother) were all initiated the same day.

What is your favorite part of New Vrindaban? 

In the early days at New Vrindaban, Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra were Syama Kunda’s favorite part. Currently, his favorite part is Radha Kunda at Govardhan Hill near the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple. This Holy Dham is non-different from Krsna. And when everyone is engaged in devotional service, New Vrindaban is non-different from the spiritual world.

What were your main services in each decade, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, current? 

Since Carpentry was his forte, in the 70’s Syama Kunda was instrumental in the construction of the facilities at Bahulaban which were needed to expedite the building of Srila Prabhupada’s palace: This included the first barn (the home of the first cows and many of the first devotees), the utility building (which comprised housing, the mold shop, the marble shop, the wood shop), along with the guest house. After leaving New Vrindaban in the 80’s, Syama Kunda went on to renovate the Tucson, Arizona temple and later on he spent considerable time in the Los Angeles temple working on a number of renovations, including Srila Prabhupada’s bookcase in the temple room.

What was your favorite service? 

Although he only spent his early years in New Vrindaban as a pujari, it was by far his favorite seva. He fondly remembers waking The Deities every morning before work and then putting Them to rest in the evenings. Sunday was the most special day. He would roam around New Vrindaban to gather flowers, branches and even moss to decorate the altar so that it would appear just like the forests of Vrindavan. Each Sunday he would strive to make the decorations more and more opulent.

Anything specific you’d like mentioned about your family?

Syama Kunda was happy that 8 of his children were born in New Vrindaban Dham. His daughter Vishakha was the first girl born here. He was also very grateful that his son, Kiba Jaya, had the opportunity to personally stand near Srila Prabhupada and receive a cookie from his hand. Kiba jaya also got to travel to India. Syama Kunda feels very grateful that his family had the opportunity to participate in Krishna Conscious village life in the early days.

Anything in particular you’d like us to highlight not covered above?

Although Syama Kunda began his devotional life in New Vrindaban, after leaving he spent a lot of time in the Los Angeles temple which became his 2^nd home. The more he gazed upon Rukmini on the altar (Rukmini-Dwarkadish), the more She captured his heart. She made Syama Kunda cry for Krsna. So the highlight for him was working at the LA temple while begging for the mercy of Sri Sri Rukiimini-Dwarkadish.

Any advice to newer and future residents?

In the beginning of New Vrindaban, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books was put on the back burner in order to do the needful for the development of this Holy Dham. He felt there was a lot of misunderstanding of Prabhupada’s teachings that has since been rectified by the increase of focus on reading Prabhupada’s books. Please take 20 to 30 minutes every day to read HDG Srila Prabhupada’s books. This keeps us in a personal relationship with him.

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