Planet ISKCON

ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 02/26/2017

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes simple living, cow protection, engaging oxen, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Directors: Chaitanya Mangala, Kripamaya, Ranaka, Sri Tulasi Manjari (Chair) & Vraja.

Participating Advisors: Jaya Krsna

Participating Managers: Ranaka & Nitaicandra

Recording Secretary: Kripamaya

1. 2017 Farm Conference

The ISKCON North American Farm Conference will take place in New Vrindaban Oct. 13-15, 2017. Sri Tulasi Manjari has been meeting with the Farm Conference Planning Committee on an ongoing basis.

2. Ranaka’s Monthly Report

• Bhagavan, Gintaras and Jai Nitai completed most of the electrical upgrade project at the Temple Barn. This project included putting L.E.D. floodlights in front of the barn.
• Six cows are currently being milked at the Temple Barn. The cows are delivering approx. twenty gallons of milk a day. Three heifers also reside at the Temple Barn.
• Ray has been working at Gopal’s Garden school to expand the classroom facilities. He also repaired the GMC truck at the Temple Barn and with Ranaka’s help repaired one of the old tractors.
• The new tractor for the Nandagram farm arrived. This tractor is more environmentally friendly than many of the older models.
• Ray moved manure from the Temple Barn to the Community Garden area.
• One of our cows, Dantari, was transported to the O.S.U. veterinarian hospital and had a cancerous tumor removed from her brain. She can now see more clearly.
• ECO-V’s new mailing address is 164 Surabhi Lane, Wheeling WV 26003.

3. Nitaicandra’s Monthly Report

• Chaitanya Bhagavat repaired posts for the new ox paddock and bull pen that will be constructed soon at Nandagram. As weather permits Chaitanya Bhagavat has also been training the oxen.
• Suchandra has been working in the flower gardens. She has been mostly focusing on putting up fencing for pest control.
• Nitaicandra has been working with Anuradha to put together hands-on work stations and presentations for the Festival of Inspiration. Such presentations will include compost & soil building, planting, preserving and identifying wild herbs.
• Nitaicandra is developing a gardening outreach program with local schools in collaboration with Lalita Gopi.

4. Reallocation of Village Association Funding

WHEREAS: The Village Association reports it no longer needs funding for a liaison part time salary, previously approved by ECO-V in June 2016, because Lakshmi Honest agreed to serve as the Village Association liaison on a volunteer basis.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V Board authorizes broadening the use of these funds for additional purposes, including paying legal the costs required to start a new non-profit association and covering the costs of monthly gatherings.

5. Monthly Joint Board Meetings

The Joint Board meetings now include the Village Council.  So far there have been two meetings, which have primarily focused on sorting out ways in which the Village Council and the Board members will interact.

6. Herd Share Program Update

The West Virginia Alliance for Raw Milk met with West Virginia State legislators and found out that Herd Share programs can now legally operate in West Virginia. The next step is for ECO-V’s management team and INV to put together a Herd Share agreement (with the help of a lawyer) and file that agreement with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.

7. Internal Funding Request: Additional $500 for Spring 2017 Shirts

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to acknowledge the dedication of long time community members, as well as offer a token of appreciation to the INV and ECO-V staff and volunteers.

RESOLVED: The Board approves up to an additional $500 as a budget for plaques and t-shirts to distribute during the March 2017 meeting weekend.

The post Daily Darshan: Mar 22,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

“One day we decided to do Govardhan parikrama together. I was feeling pretty sick but I was thinking I didn’t want to disappoint Maharaja. He was also feeling sick and he was thinking. ‘I don’t want to disappoint Giriraj Maharaja’ so he kept pushing on. Pretty soon after that we were both in the hospital — he for his liver problem, and I had a heart condition. While he was in the hospital in Bombay, Tamal Krishna Goswami, Kesava Bharati Maharaja and Giridhari Swami came from Vrindavan to visit him. Having cirrhosis of the liver and cancer, he was considered a terminal patient. They advised him that he should just go to Vrindavan and chant and hear. Much as he appreciated their visit and respected them as senior godbrothers, he thought about it and concluded, ‘That’s not me. I want to live the way I am’. So, he kept travelling and preaching practically to the very end.”

Sridhar Swami’s Disappearance

The post Daily Darshan- Mar 21,2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Seema Verna takes her oath of office on Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita.
Indian-American Seema Verma swears-in as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services head, places hand on Bhagavad-Gita. NEW YORK: Seema Verma, President Donald Trumps choice for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was sworn-in by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, as she placed her hand on the holy Hindu text- Bhagwad Gita in the presence of her family. Verma was surrounded by her husband Sanjay, daughter Maya, son Sean, as well as her mother and sister as she took the oath, following which she was introduced by Pence as one of the leading experts on state-based healthcare solutions in the country, chosen by President Trump. The President has asked you to bring your expertise to D.C. Were confident that youll help restore health care decisionmaking to the states, and in the process help make the best healthcare system in the world even better, Pence said. After her swearing-in ceremony, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., and Verma took their first joint action, cosigning a letter to the nations governors affirming the Departments intent to work with states to improve the Medicaid program and the lives of those it serves. White House press secretary Sean Spicer had said earlier in a briefing that President Trump looks forward to having the spectacularly qualified and experienced Administrator Verma finally onboard, especially as the U.S. Government continues to lay the groundwork for the reform of the healthcare system. Verma was confirmed by a divided U.S. Senate which voted largely along party lines and after Democratic attempts to delay what was an inevitable appointment in a Republican majority Senate. This was unlike the confirmation of most other Indian-Americans in the past who have usually been endorsed in a bipartisan vote or by a large majority. However, Verma faces an uphill task now as the Congressional Budget Office, considered a non-partisan body, estimated that the first tranche of the GOPs American Healthcare Bill, for repealing and replacing Obamacare, would leave 14 million people uninsured in 2018 and 24 million by 2026. Verma is now second Indian-American to be in charge of a plum administration post, after Nikki Haley- the US Ambassador to the United Nations.

A court in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand has granted the same legal rights as a human to the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, considered sacred by nearly a billion Indians.

Uttarakhand HC declares Ganga, Yamuna living entities, gives them legal rights!
The Uttarakhand high court on Monday declared the Ganga and Yamuna living entities, bestowing on them same legal rights as a person, a move that could help in efforts to clean the pollution-choked rivers.
The order also ends the five-day reign of New Zealand’s Whanganui River as the only one in the world to be granted living entity status.
The court’s order will allow complaints to be filed in the name of the two rivers, held sacred by millions of Hindus. It also gives the Centre eight weeks to set up boards for cleaning and maintaining the rivers.

“It means now Ganga and Yamuna rivers will be treated like a natural person but only through a designated person,” advocate MC Pant told HT.

A bench of justice Rajeev Sharma and justice Alok Singh allowed the director general of Namami Gange project, Uttarakhand chief secretary and advocate general the right to represent the Ganga.

The Namami Gange is the Modi’s government’s ambitious plan that brings together various efforts for cleaning and conserving the river.

The world’s third largest river, the Ganga is the holiest Hindu river and also among the dirtiest in the world, with toxic industrial waste and untreated sewage reducing it to a dirty trickle at several places.

Reverentially referred to as Maa Ganga (Mother Ganga) for the water it provides to millions and fertile plains it feeds, the 2,500km river originates from Gangotri in Uttarakhand and criss-crosses several states before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

The Yamuna is its largest tributary and originates from Yamunotri in Uttarakhand.

Hearing a petition for removing encroachments from the Shakti Canal on the Yamuna in Dehradun district, the high court asked the district magistrate to clear the areas in 72 hours or face legal action.
Source: https://goo.gl/1tLz6O

By Parvati Devi Dasi

When you are in Vrndavana, please take the opportunity to visit the awesome newest display of 39 of our Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Sampradaya Acaryas framed inside those beautiful carved marble archways directly above Srila Prabhupada's altar on the first floor parikrama. (Half the photos came from H.H. Danavir Swami's Acarya poster.) The significance of the guru parampara is illustrated in texts in English and Hindi along side the walls on the first floor parikrama. We think it is a magnificent supplement to the classic long standing 8 bronze dioramas of Srila Prabhupada exemplifying the Samsara Prayers, as you enter on the left, beginning from the entrance. Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada Samadhi Mandir, Vrndavana
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Highest Happiness in Sri Lanka (Album with photos)
Oh Hrsikesa, the world becomes joyful upon hearing Your name, and thus ever...

By Deena Bandhu das

On Saturday evening March 18, ISKCON Vrinda Kunda very ecstatically celebrated the annual Yamuna Boat Festival on the opposite side of Yamuna from Sringar Vat. All the devotees gathered at Srila Prabhupada's Samadhi in the afternoon to take the special festival large Deities of Radha Shyamasundar along with Radha Govinda, the personal Deities of HH Radha Govinda Maharaja, on procession to the boat ghat. Our dear godbrother Punyatama Prabhu arranged flags of a hundred different countries for the devotees to carry to show that Srila Prabhupada has brought Krishna Consciousness to the whole world! With the enchanting Deities in a decorated van and a hundred country's flags swirling in the wind against the clear blue sky of a pleasantly sunny day, the devotees danced joyfully through the streets of Vrindavan. It was so inspiring to see this river of colorful flags flowing through the lanes of Vrindavan to meet the Holy River Yamuna, appearing like a new confluence or sangam. As the procession arrived at the banks of Yamuna, Their royal swan boat fully decorated with colorful flowers was still on the other side with devotees making the final decorations. Continue reading "Yamuna Boat Festival 2017
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By Uma devi dasi

When Arjun Bhattacharyya started telling us that Agnideva Prabhu, the legendary Agnideva Das, was coming to Detroit, most of us didn’t believe him. In the spirit of serving a dear and surrendered disciple of Srila Prabhupada, many of us offered to assist in preparing his residence. But our hearts weren’t quite ready to accept that he would actually come; it would be too painful if it didn’t work out and with Prabhu so in demand, we had every reason to think it wouldn’t. But Krishna can make anything happen and He sure did! Agnideva Prabhu came and his depth for kīrtan and bhajan stole the hearts of Detroit, Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Novi, Farmington Hills… the heart of Michigan. Continue reading "The Legend is Back in Mo-town!
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By Daiva dasa

Iskcon Silicon Valley has a most solid reputation for taking wholeheartedly the order of guru and Gauranga, with 'books are the basis', as their battle cry. There is no doubt that this community of hard-working, humble and empowered Vaishnavas, will manifest amazing results with this latest venture into cow culture, knowing that all the books that have been distributed, all the seeds of bhakti that have been planted will one day result in millions of people wanting to take up the life of bhakti.  Then we will be sufficiently ready on the farms, where the 'cows and bulls create the oasis', for all to take up 'simple living, high thinking', living as Krishna Himself lives surrounded by cows and bees in the land of milk and honey. Continue reading "Books Are The Basis bulls And Cows Provide The Oasis
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By Chandan Yatra Das

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madha-lila chapter 9 verse 79 describes: Sri Ranga-ksetra (Srirangam) is a very famous place. It lies in the district of Tiruchchirapalli, about ten miles west of Kumbhakonam and near the city of Tiruchchirapalli, on an island in the Kaveri River. The Srirangam temple is the largest in India, and there are seven walls and seven roads surrounding it. The ancient names of these roads are the road of Dharma, the road of Rajamahendra, the road of Kulasekhara, the road of Alinadana, the road of Tiruvikrama, the Tirubidi road of Madamadi-gaisa, and the road of Ada-iyavala-indana. The temple was founded before the reign of Dharmavarma, who reigned before Rajamahendra. Many celebrated kings like Kulasekhara and Yamunacarya (Alabandaru) resided in the temple of Srirangam. Yamunacarya, Sri Ramanuja, Sudarsanacarya and others also supervised this temple. Continue reading "Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple at Srirangam
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By Hari Priya Devi Dasi

On the 24th of February the Institute for Spiritual Culture conducted their annual program in Mayapur. This year the overall theme was "The Glories of Our Vaikuntha Children", bringing attention to the importance of moving our children into the center of our communities. The chief guest speakers were HH Sivarama Maharaja and HH Lokanath Maharaja, followed by several senior grhasthas. The program took place on the premises of the Old Gurukula on the way to the Goshala. A big pandal was constructed to conduct the event, with its open sides allowing a pleasant breeze to go through. And the nice flower decorations created a festive atmosphere. It was a perfect setting: peaceful, with green surroundings and plenty of space for the children to play outside, and some little parallel program with Krsna conscious story-telling was offered to our youngest participants. Continue reading "Our Vaikuntha Children
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Pusta Krishna das: This morning, March 17, 2017, our friend and godsister, Gayatri devi dasi, passed on.

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You are cordially invited to a service appreciation ceremony.

Honorees: Kelly J. Howard Carter, Tejomaya & Kelly, Advaita & Madri.

When: Sunday March 26th, 2017

Time:  3:30 PM, immediately following the Sunday Feast

Where: Community Hall, under the Palace Lodge

Please come and celebrate their many years of friendship & service in the development of New Vrindaban.

 

 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 05 March 2017, London, United Kingdom, Soho Sunday Feast, Srimad Bhagavatam 9.5)

Everything within the universe is going on according to the arrangement of the Supreme Lord and the universe is arranged in an interesting way. In the Brhad Bhagavatamrta, it is said that we are in the middle planetary systems which are ruled by the mode of passion. Then there are the higher planetary systems – the abodes of the demigods which are predominated by goodness. The heavenly planets, Swarga, are where the demigods are enjoying. And above the heavenly planets are the Mahar-, Jana- and Tapaloka which are the planets of the great sages.

In the Maharloka are the prajapatis who are concerned with creating progeny and populating the universe. They are part of the early living beings of this universe. Above that are the sages. These sages are simply performing austerity and trying to get purified – Janaloka.

Then you get Tapaloka which is the abode of the brahmacharis. And above that is Brahmaloka which is the abode of the sannyasis. Not the vaisnavas but just brahmacharis and sannyasis. This all is explained in the Brhad Bhagavatamrta and the interesting point is that according to how one is involved with sex life, one gets a particular place in the universe!

In the higher regions, celibacy rules. As we come down, then we get very pious sexuality, for the sake of creating progeny. Then we get very pious personalities who always act in goodness according to prescribed duty but also engage in sexual activity for enjoyment – the demigods. Then we come down here to this planetary system where, you know, it is the mode of passion – do it first and then think later… follow the passion! Then there are lower planetary systems for those who have engaged in lusty activities in a degraded way, they are there suffering for it.

So, it is interesting that in this whole system, the whole order in the universe as explained in Brhad Bhagavatamrta, that sexuality is the key to where is being placed. This is food for thought!

Beautiful Transcendental Boat Festival 2017 in Krishna-Balarama Mandir, Vrindavana (Album with photos)
When Prabhupada first came to India traveled with his disciples in a group from one home to another. When they arrived in one place, Acyutananda asked Prabhupada, “What will our program be here?” Prabhupada replied, “Our program is to cry for Krsna.” From Prabhupada Meditations by SDG
Find them here: https://goo.gl/IMgGKZ

Radha Mohan das: This focuses on the ancient Indian treatise The Surya Siddhanta and its similarities with Modern Astronomy. As well as drawing upon remarkable consistent data between the Surya Siddhanta and modern calculations, I also touch on the various connections with the Bhagavat Purana, a devotional literature.

A few days ago, Niranjana Swami wrote me a letter in which he said, “I meditate a lot on Sridhar Maharaja. I miss him.” And when I asked him to tell me more about his meditation, he replied, “I honestly can’t fully explain it. He became so unbelievably dear to me in Mayapur—the way he loved his godbrothers, the way he loved me.

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A few days ago, Niranjana Swami wrote me a letter in which he said, “I meditate a lot on Sridhar Maharaja. I miss him.” And when I asked him to tell me more about his meditation, he replied, “I honestly can’t fully explain it. He became so unbelievably dear to me in Mayapur—the way he loved his godbrothers, the way he loved me.

“One of my often-remembered meditations of him is the time I sent a message to him one evening just after the GBC meeting had finished for the day. I usually came to his room to chant with him and the other devotees in the evening, after the meeting. This particular evening, however, I had a terrible headache and sent him a message, apologizing for not coming, due to the headache. While walking back to my room, I began thinking, ‘Here I am, not going to tonight’s kirtan because of some headache, and there’s Sridhar Maharaja, whose condition can’t even be remotely compared to my little headache, lying in his bed, having kirtan with the devotees!’ So I decided to turn around and go back.

“When I arrived at the door of his room, his room was, as usual, packed with devotees chanting. Sridhar Maharaja looked up at me, sat up in bed, and gestured for me to come through the crowd of devotees to sit next to him on the bed. The devotees parted to allow me through, I sat on the bed, and he turned to Mayapur das, his personal servant, and said, ‘Give me the Tiger Balm.’ Then he sat there, using the Tiger Balm to massage my head. I can’t remember exactly how long he massaged, but it wasn’t just a gesture; he massaged vigorously for quite some time.

“I cry every time I think about this, as I am crying right now as I am typing this. Practically speaking, I cry every time I think or talk about Sridhar Maharaja. He seemed so selflessly a friend to me, and I felt so undeserving.”

—Giriraj Swami

 

Today is the disappearance anniversary of His Holiness Sridhar Swami Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada’s staunch disciple and our dear godbrother. As I wrote in Many Moons, “Three days after Sridhar Maharaja left, while on my daily walk, in Santa Barbara, I suddenly began to feel blissful, and I felt Maharaja’s presence. Then I imagined that he gave me two instructions. The first was ‘I am still here. Be happy.’ And the second was ‘Just be yourself. Each one of us has his own contribution to make, so just be yourself and make your contribution.’ And then he left.

“After he left, I considered what had happened. Clearly, his two instructions were meant not only for me. They were meant for everyone. And his instructions covered all points. Especially his last statement had said it all: ‘Just be yourself and make your contribution.’

“Thank you, Maharaja. We love you.”

Hare Krishna.

Your aspiring servant,
Giriraj Swami

If you’ve started to notice clouds of color every spring, it’s not your imagination. The Hindu festival of Holi (pronounced “holy”), which involves throwing brightly colored powders, is spreading around the globe, says Ravi M. Gupta, a religion professor at Utah State University. “It’s well known now. I don’t need to tell my students what Holi is. It has spawned this whole industry of colorfests and charity color runs.”

The post Daily Darshan Mar 20, 2017 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

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ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 01/29/2017

Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes simple living, cow protection, engaging oxen, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON New Vrindaban.

Participating Directors: Anuttama, Chaitanya Mangala, Kripamaya, Ranaka, Sri Tulasi Manjari (Chair) and Vraja.

Participating Advisors: Bhima, Devala and Jaya Krsna

Participating Managers: Nitaicandra

Recording Secretary: Jamuna Jivani

1. Bahulaban Barn Community Center Proposal Update

Based on conversations with the health department, and concerns over fire code, & considering the main use of the building is to serve cows, etc., the ECO-V Board decided the Bahulaban Barn is not an appropriate space for a proposed community center.

2. Finalized 2016 Operating Budget

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to review ECO-V’s income and expenses for the previous year.

RESOLVED: The Board approves a finalized operating budget of $323K for 2016.

3. 2017 Operating Budget Approval

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to set projections of ECO-V’s income and expenses for the upcoming year.

RESOLVED: The Board approves an operating budget of $350K for 2017.

4. Ranaka’s Monthly Report

• A new calf was born at the Temple Barn
• The cows are producing 20 gallons per day, which is being used as milk, ghee and butter
• Three cows are expecting this year
• Ray finished what he can do on the electrical work at the Temple Barn. Now Bhagavan will finish the job.
• Ranaka completed the end-of-the-year payroll and the auditor came to review
• He spent time researching a new tractor
• The new ECO-V address will be finalized soon
• He has been advertising hay for sale
• To stay out of the cold weather, Ray has been working on the school and at the ghee plant

5. Nitaicandra’s Monthly Report

• At Nandagram, Caitanya Bhagavat has been regularly working with the oxen and he is training and caring for young Madhu.

6. 2017 Farm Conference Update

Sri Tulasi participated in a meeting where the event organizers discussed the topics for presentation, made a list of farms (both ISKCON and otherwise), and decided the theme to be “Back to the Basics.” Madhava Smullen wrote an article about the conference that will be posted on ISKCON News and other sites on the internet.

7. New Tractor Funding Request

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to invest in equipment to support its ongoing farming-related projects.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V Board approves up to $55K for the purchase of a new tractor for use at the Nandagram Farm.

8. Gopal’s Garden School Funding Request

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to support the educational needs of the youth in New Vrindaban.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V Board approves up to $10K for building renovations to the school building.

9. Joint Board Meeting Review

The ECO-V Board recapped the new tri-group meeting. The Directors who participated agreed the first meeting was overall positive and also allowed room for improvement as the month’s progress.

10. ISKCON Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture Funding Request

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to support cow protection and local agriculture efforts throughout ISKCON.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V Board approves up to $5K towards the expenses of the ISKCON Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture with the following stipulations:

• When appropriate, it should be made known that ECO-V is a sponsor
• The Minister should ask the locations he is visiting to help with travel expenses
• The Minister should provide ECO-V with an end-of-year report on how the grant was used.

11. New Vrindaban Folklorist Funding Request: $17.5K

WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to support the documentation of New Vrindaban’s history.

RESOLVED: The ECO-V Board allocates up to $17.5K for the New Vrindaban Oral History and Folklorist Project with the following stipulations:

• The interview questions be reviewed by an expert
• A professional archivist be consulted
• A professional videographer be consulted

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