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Now Parikrama has circumambulated half of Navadvipa mandala. Today the devotees came to Champahatti the sweet abode of Gaura Gadadhara. There was exciting dramas to watch of the pastime of Samudragarh as well as of Jayadeva Goswami. Jayadeva Goswami spent some time at Champahatti where he composed the Gita Govinda as well as other compositions. […]
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Chant: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare And Be Happy!! | ||||||||||||||||||
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WHO WILL BE CROWNED KING?
Discontent, depression, disconnection,
or dissatisfaction, are our friends
if we take them as messengers
to help us to change course
pushing us to leave our comfort
zone and get off the couch,
to be uncomfortable to strive
more than merely survive.
This is such a common theme,
(for me) but sharing's still important
as many on a spiritual path,
or those who strive for excellence
confront obstacles to realizing
their goals and life mission
so please don’t mind my repetition,
only think if it can help you rise up.
Anger towards children.
H G Mahatma Prabhu here writes to a devotee how to deal with children when they don’t listen and what to do when that might makes us angry..
“Nothing can make you angry if you don’t allow it.
Don’t teach your children to respond to situations with anger; teach them to respond with kindness, understanding and help. How do you teach them? You act with kindness and understanding. Your kids will be just like you. You are their acarya. What they see you doing as they are grow up tells them that this is how to live, how to respond to difficulties, etc.
Make the decision to improve and pray to Krsna for help. Understand that He will help you only if you want to be helped. Once you deeply decide to improve it will not be difficult to make changes in your attitude. You have to take the first big step. Then Krsna will do His magic in your life.
One big test for us is to be nice to those we don’t have to be nice to. Of course, we must be nice to our superiors, so we do it. But to be nice to equals or juniors is more difficult because we can more easily get away with being unkind. However, we are meant to show compassion to juniors, not anger.
Anger sometimes has its place. It can be used to teach a lesson. For example, if a lesson cannot be communicated in any other way, we may show anger so that the children know we are serious. But understand two things: when we show this kind of anger, we are not angry, and we only rarely show anger. When we only rarely show it, they know you are serious and are thus angry for a good reason. When you show anger often, they won’t take it seriously.
I hope this helps you.
Hare Krsna, Mahatma Das”
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 June 2016, Radhadesh, Belgium, BTS Memorial Evening)
Even before coming to Krsna consciousness, Bhakti-tirtha Swami was not an ordinary person. Even before coming to Krsna consciousness he was a public leader at university, one of the first entering an all-white environment, majoring psychology and African studies. He was the one who was part of the movement that changed America, linking up with personalities like Martin Luther King Jr. Even then he was not an ordinary man, even then he was a leader, the one who was thinking beyond his self-interest. Even then he was one who would look at the benefit of others.
Once he met Srila Prabhupada and saw love in Prabhupada’s eyes, he was a changed man. As he stated many years later, ‘Although, you, Prabhupada, gave us everything – still we have failed to fully realize what you gave. But let us remember that everything we have came from you. Some of us are now serving as gurus, but let us remember that all we got we got from you, otherwise we will “be a mouse again”!’
Then, after meeting Srila Prabhupada he was sold out and was ready to take any risk for preaching. Preaching behind the Iron Curtain, in communist countries, he was somehow or other trying to put Prabhupada’s books in libraries, sometimes at great risk, like in East Germany facing the notorious stasy (secret police). But somehow or other Krsna protected him on that mission. And he was careful to seek Krsna’s protection – by chanting more than prescribed minimum number of rounds, by really dedicating himself full time.
It was not that sannyasa came somewhere later on as an afterthought, rather it was within him all the time. Because all along he had that extraordinary eagerness, a force greater than what the others showed – in his sadhana, in his preaching, in his dedication. Not surprising that he took sannyasa.
One of the things he was famous far, was being a dancer. He would dance! One thing about his dancing that always struck me – because I was there so many times when he danced in South Africa in Ratha-yatra kirtans – but the thing was that he never danced alone but somehow engaged everyone, taking us by the hand. I was there so many times, and it was so typical for him that he would take us by the hand and make us run forward and backward, because he was so inclusive. Everyone was moving! Or driving the gurukula boys mad in Mayapur.
He was an original thinker, say a free spirit if you like. A man who worked by inspiration and from the heart. That was not always understood. I remember his cane with the lion head – not everyone liked it. I did! And when he was told that it was not suitable, ah, I dreaded that day! But that cane was just perfect – a cane with a big lion mouth right there in a front. I liked it!
So he was ready to embrace people, to be one with them. He went to Africa. He took sannyasa from Kirtanananda Swami who had his history, a different side to his nature, and there was a friendship between the two. So when ISKCON leadership dealt strongly with Kirtanananda Swami due to his activities and decided to expel him, Bhakti-tirtha Swami did not like it. He would have liked another approach, an approach to make him turn around, an approach to bring him back in and as a result Bhakti-tirtha Swami left. He did not leave ISKCON but he left America and went to Africa, alone, to no man’s land. In Nigeria, Ghana etc. there were no devotees – he was the only devotee in these places. But somehow or other he turned it around and connected with people so deeply, and was ready to reciprocate.
He was made an honorable chief and he wore an honorable dress. At that time he also created his Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology in Washington DC. I also went there. He became so close to the people he was involved with, by extending himself completely to anyone and everyone. Any outsider could see that here is a saint, here is a wonderful person because he was emanating love. That was everywhere. Thus, what he did in Africa was not only creating a few followers by initiating a few people, but he turned the minds of heads of state. He was able to create many temples at that time, all alone, and now his sannyasa disciples who are now leading, are all from there.
In South Africa he was dancing in Soweto, a place where there is a history of bloodshed and violence due to racial oppression. So Krsna consciousness coming with Bhakti-tirtha Swami to Soweto was not a timid appearance. It was really a victory march or victory dance rather! Everyone danced and he danced in front and everyone knew how to dance and jump. But that was just like in the case of Caitanya Mahaprabhu dancing in front of Jagannatha at the Ratha Yatra in Jagannath Puri when he jumped way above the crowd and everyone was just looking. People were saying, ‘Who is that man!?’ His life was also, just like that dance in Soweto, a victory march in so many areas.
After having been in Africa for so many years, he left again. GBC stared having sort of feeling, ‘Where is our Bhakti-tirtha Maharaj? He should come back…’ Eventually he came back. And when he came back in Mayapur, he brought a glorious lecture where he described an amazing glory of ISKCON and success of Prabhupada’s movement. He was saying how it was changing the world and how the demigods are reciprocating and appearing and coming down. The spirit from that class that I remember, as I was there, was again a spirit of victory. He came back into ISKCON and brought in something that was forgotten. Into the society that had become regimented he brought back the heart. When he came back we all felt, ‘Yes, the heart is back again! We are here together in one family and together we are all somehow or other going back to Godhead!’
He created this incredible sense of community and doing it all together on our way back to Godhead. So in this way his life was a great victory, no doubt about it. But yet we see that he gave up all these things, his previous identities, as he wrote in his last Vyasa-puja offering to Srila Prabhupada, ‘Goodbye Johnny Boy, John Favors, Abdul Toshombe, Ghanasyam, Bhakti-tirtha Swami, Swami Krishnapad…’ He was saying goodbye to all his identities! And that is death, that one has to say goodbye to whatever and it does not come as nicely as one plans it. Death comes in its own way and it just takes away. It took away the foot of a dancer – what can we say?
But he was not defeated by his own slot of destruction, because even while leaving he left by bringing everyone together. Never have we seen such a departure, where someone brought everyone together, sharing his last moments with so much depth and so much love. It was just extraordinary!
And there also we can see again that he was victorious over death, entering into the pastimes – maybe pastimes with Prabhupada, maybe pastimes in the spiritual world, or maybe both! In the spiritual world dancing in the dancing competition, surely now with spiritual feet, jumping higher than ever. And yet also somewhere with Prabhupada again, as one of Prabhupada’s trusted men upon whom he can rely, and to whom he can give an impossible order – and it will be done! How eager was Prabhupada to hear the reports from Ghanasyam about his preaching! Srila Bhakti-tirtha Maharaj, ki jaya!
American pop artist Miley Cyrus to have a Hindu wedding.
She has often posted photos of herself reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and recently published some of her house turned into an ashram. She is now planning to get married with Vedic ritual, dressed in a sari, somewhere in Nepal.
There is a lot of talk in the media about her interest in the Vedic culture, a careful google search will reveal a lot of relative information.
Today while cleaning up the winter debris in our backyard garden, I removed a stringy pile of dead leaves from our Japanese iris. Just below this dry tangle I suddenly beheld a set of tiny, but vibrant new shoots that had eagerly poked their heads above the ground.
Seeing these little green treasures emerging from the frozen soil, I was suddenly invigorated and sat admiring the enthusiasm and spontaneity of this little plant.
The miracle of life in ones bhakti garden is sometimes covered by the debris of mental cares and useless desires for happiness in this material world. Just below the surface however, lives the instinctive urge to love Krsna, the life and soul of every living being.
During this dim season, clear away the old leaves and shriveled matter that have accumulated in your bhakti garden and look carefully for signs of life and growth.
Remember how you were first attracted to Krsnas names and wanted desperately to be near His devotees. Remember how good you feel and how the problems in your life evaporate just by giving your God-given attention to the most basic bhakti practices. Make some new vow or a goal that will spirit you forward until spring arrives.
The roots in the bhakti garden are always alive and well below the ground and with a little care from the gardener, they freely send forth their beautiful shoots, buds and flowers.
Vaisesika das
A letter of appreciation to the devotees of the Christchurch temple in New Zealand on the occasion of the inauguration of their new temple. Their original temple was destroyed in an earthquake in 2011.
Indradyumna Swami: Dear Devotees of the Christchurch yatra,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the presiding sannyasis, His Holiness Ramai Swami and His Holiness Bhanu Swami.
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the momentous re-opening of your temple. Yesterday, I watched the live streaming of the installation of Sri Sri Nitai Gauracandra, and I was deeply touched by the devotion shining in your eyes as you welcomed back your beloved deities who so sadly disappeared from your vision on that fateful day of February 22, 2011. The phoenix of a glorious temple has now arisen from the dust and ashes of that terrible tragedy; the temple has been built not only with bricks and mortar, but with your budding love for the Lord as well.
That genuine devotion, brought on by years of separation and expressed so beautifully during Sri Prahlada’s opening kirtan yesterday, reminded me of a prayer by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in his Gitavali:
“My eyes are streaming with tears like a downpour in the rainy season and the world has become void. In Govinda’s absence my life airs no longer stay within me. Tell me how I can go on living? I have become so anxious. Still, taking shelter of harinama once again, Bhaktivinode calls out to Radha’s Lord: ‘Please show yourself to me. Please save me, or surely I will die.’”
The Lord works in mysterious ways. It’s almost as if He disappeared from your vision to increase your attachment to Him. As I continued watching the installation ceremony, I remembered another verse from Srimad Bhagavatam spoken by the Lord to a young Narada Muni. The Lord had briefly appeared to him but had then disappeared:
sakad yad darsitam rupam
etat kamaya te ‘nagha
mat-kamah sanakaih sadhu
sarvan muncati hrc-chayan
“O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.” [ Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.22 ]
Certainly your material desires were greatly diminished by working together to maintain your community in the aftermath of the earthquakes. The Lord left your vision, but never left your hearts. Now, after many long years, you once again have a place to congregate and to serve Nitai Gauracandra together. By doing so, not only will your love for the Lord increase, but your love for each other will also deepen. Please take full advantage of your great fortune and visit the new temple in every spare moment you have. In essence, the temple is your real home. Here you have an ongoing opportunity to glorify the most beautiful Gaura Nitai deities in our entire ISKCON movement.
On this special occasion it’s important to remember and glorify the great effort and sacrifice made by His Grace Ramanuja Prabhu. He has worked hard and selflessly for so many years to manifest the temple in all its glory. No doubt, this new temple is a manifestation of the love he has in his heart for Srila Prabhupada and his mission. We should all understand that without Ramanuja, this temple would not exist. Thank you Ramanuja Prabhu! And thank you to your good wife Bhaktin Carolyn who has stood by your side and supported you in your efforts for the last six years. She herself has been absolutely indispensable to the rebuilding of the temple: as a chartered accountant, she had the contacts through which you were able to secure the insurance settlement after the earthquake. The payment was uncertain for a long time, and it took her hundreds and hundreds of hours of communication and correspondence to obtain the money built this temple.
Let us also remember the pioneering efforts of Alalanath Prabhu, the first temple president in Christchurch. He planted the seeds of devotion that have now matured into the community you see before your eyes. Thank you Alalanath Prabhu! And let us not forget Laksmi Nrsimha dasi who gave her inheritance as the deposit for the Bealey Ave property on which the new temple sits.
Then there is my good friend Kalasamvara Prabhu who held the position of temple president for many years. He watered the seeds that Alalanath Prabhu planted and developed those seeds into a thriving devotee community. It was during that time that I had the good fortune to first visit the Christchurch temple. Oh the kirtans we had! The feasts we relished! And the festivals! It is all etched in my heart of hearts forever!
Many devotees are to be glorified today for their contributions over many decades: devotees like Jahnava-mata dasi, Karunika dasi, Laksmi dasi, Yasoda-dulal Prabhu, and Bhakti-rasa Prabhu who passed away in 2008 and is missed today. It is a long list and I hesitate to mention more names for fear of leaving anyone out. I will simply offer my respects to all devotees – past, present and future – who are part of the Christchurch temple.
sakala vaisnava-pade mora namaskara
ithe kichu aparadha nahuka amara
hoiyachen hoiben prabhur jato bhakta vrnda
vandana kori’ sabara charanaravinda
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of all Vaisnavas, praying I will not commit offences in my attempts to please them. To all Vaisnavas who have ever been, and to all Vaisnavas who will ever be, I offer my obeisances to their lotus feet.” [ The poet Devakinandana dasa ]
Due to my great misfortune I am not able to be present with all of you today. Nevertheless, by the grace of science and technology I am able to witness your great happiness and joy on this special occasion. And we all know that Srila Prabhupada is present through the transcendental medium and is showering you with his causeless mercy.
Let us always remember that the ideal worship of Gaura Nitai is to bring fallen souls back to the shelter of Their lotus feet. The ultimate purpose of the new temple therefore will be achieved when hundreds and thousands of new guests get the opportunity to behold the moon-like faces of Nitai Gauracandra over the coming years. Srila Prabhupada once said that our temples are bases for going out to preach the divine command.
Sastra states:
“Chanting the holy name constantly can purify even the most fallen sinner, and after he becomes purified, he in turn is to be counted amongst the saintly persons who can purify others by his association.” [ Brhad Naradiya Purana ]
I offer my humble obeisances to all of you! All glories to your services! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Sri Nitai Gauracandra! All glories to Giri-Govardhan!
“May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.” [ CC Adi-lila, 1.4 ]
Your Servant,
Indradyumna Swami
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The post Did many devotees leave ISKCON because they couldn’t see suffering as Krishna’s mercy? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
By Bhaktivedanta Research Centre devotees The BRC Manuscripts Mission Team found an entire manuscript collection solely related to Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. Over 100 such manuscripts were cataloged and digitized. "In all of West Bengal, we have not found anything else like this," said Smt. Bharati Roy, BRC's Archivist and Assistant Librarian. BRC Manuscripts Mission team has recently finished their latest project in Chinsura Kisorpragatisangha Sahar Granthagar, a 100-year-old library in the Hoogli district of West Bengal. It is maintained by Kishor Prayati Sanga. Continue reading "Bhaktivedanta Research Centre News Gaura Purnima 2017
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[Evening program at Atlanta, USA]
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Sundar Nitai asks who would be his guru in his next life and Balarama about the personification of the acintya-sakti.
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KKS_SA_DBN_17February2017_Kirtanuity_Kirtan_2
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By Nitai Candra dasa The perigee (the point situated nearest the earth in the orbit of a celestial body around the earth) of the orbit of Venus (the gross planet out there) coincides with the outer coast of the ocean of ghee (clarified butter). The perigee of Mars is the inner coast of the ocean of milk. The perigee of Mercury is the outer coast of the ocean of milk. The perigee of Venus is the inner coast of the ocean of sweet water. The apogee (the point of the orbit of the moon, or a planet or a satellite that lies the farthest of the earth) of the planet Mars is the outer coast of the ocean of sweet water. The apogee of Mercury is Manasottara. The perigee of Jupiter is the inner edge of Kancana Bhumi (the golden land SB 5.20.35). The apogee of Saturn is the adrsya drsyaka giri, the Lokaloka-parvata (drsya means visible and loka inhabited; parvata or giri means mountain).
Continue reading "Srila Prabhupada and Moon Landings 2
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By Lokanath Swami Prahlada Maharaja said: O Supreme Lord, because You are so merciful to the fallen souls, I ask You for only one benediction. I know that my father, at the time of his death, had already been purified by Your glance upon him, but because of his ignorance of Your beautiful power and supremacy, he was unnecessarily angry at You, falsely thinking that You were the killer of his brother. Thus he directly blasphemed Your Lordship, the spiritual master of all living beings, and committed heavily sinful activities directed against me, Your devotee. I wish that he be excused for these sinful activities. Continue reading "From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir – Srimad Bhagavatam class, February 25, 2017
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By Navadwip Mandal Parikrama devotees We heard from HH Jananivas Prabhu about the process of Ritudvipa named, archanam (worshipping the deity). He gave a most beautiful description about how deity worship descends from Goloka Vrindavan. Specifically from the forest of Vraja. "Golden Champaka trees are bending forward to Radha Krishna like a ghee lamp offering . The breeze is collecting pollen from the flowers and in a whirl pool making all the pollen close together like a fragrant umbrella over the head of the divine couple." Like that Jananivas Prabhu showed to us how the forest of Vrindavana or Navadvipa is conscious and it's alive. The Parikrama jubilantly held Katha at Vidyanagar and Sarvabhauma's house. At Vidyanangar Vyasadeva compiled the Puranas, Valmiki wrote the Ramayana, all the 6 schools of logic wrote their thesis. Mahaprabhu planted 5 writing pens in the ground , which grew into beautiful trees. They shade blesses one with transcendental knowledg. In Navadvipa Dhama all trees are wish fulfilling kalpa vrikshas. Continue reading "Sri Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama- day 4
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By Hari Narayana Das Our ever grateful obeisances are due to HH Kavichandra Swami and HH Ramai Swami, the GBCs of Indonesia, for their support and guidance to always look for new avenues for sankirtan. Our humble obeisances to HH Subhag Swami for his inspiration and always reminding us of the importance of the Sankirtan movement of Mahaprabu and for inspiring us with the dedication of Sriman Jayananda Prabhu, for bringing us closer to Srila Prabhupada and keeping us united in family of ISKCON. Continue reading "The first temple in Indonesia celebrates its first Ratha Yatra
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In an exuberant mood
, Syamsundara Prabhu, the temple president in Houston, wrote me, “Thank you, Maharaja, for your divine presence in our lives. How fortunate we are to have you among us. Please live forever.”
Reflecting on Syamsundara’s words, I thought of Srila Prabhupada’s statement “I will never die. I will live forever in my books, and you will utilize.” And I took what Syamsundara Prabhu wrote as a confirmation that I should continue focusing on writing the history of Srila Prabhupada and Juhu—a book which Prabhupada himself requested.
Please bless me.
Hare Krishna.
Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami
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A letter of appreciation to the devotees of the Christchurch temple in New Zealand on the occasion of the inauguration of their new temple. Their original temple was destroyed in an earthquake in 2011.
Dear Devotees of the Christchurch yatra,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the presiding sannyasis, His Holiness Ramai Swami and His Holiness Bhanu Swami.
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the momentous re-opening of your temple. Yesterday, I watched the live streaming of the installation of Sri Sri Nitai Gauracandra, and I was deeply touched by the devotion shining in your eyes as you welcomed back your beloved deities who so sadly disappeared from your vision on that fateful day of February 22, 2011. The phoenix of a glorious temple has now arisen from the dust and ashes of that terrible tragedy; the temple has been built not only with bricks and mortar, but with your budding love for the Lord as well.
That genuine devotion, brought on by years of separation and expressed so beautifully during Sri Prahlada’s opening kirtan yesterday, reminded me of a prayer by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in his Gitavali:
“My eyes are streaming with tears like a downpour in the rainy season and the world has become void. In Govinda’s absence my life airs no longer stay within me. Tell me how I can go on living? I have become so anxious. Still, taking shelter of harinama once again, Bhaktivinode calls out to Radha’s Lord: ‘Please show yourself to me. Please save me, or surely I will die.’”
The Lord works in mysterious ways. It’s almost as if He disappeared from your vision to increase your attachment to Him. As I continued watching the installation ceremony, I remembered another verse from Srimad Bhagavatam spoken by the Lord to a young Narada Muni. The Lord had briefly appeared to him but had then disappeared:
sakad yad darsitam rupam
etat kamaya te ‘nagha
mat-kamah sanakaih sadhu
sarvan muncati hrc-chayan
“O virtuous one, you have only once seen My person, and this is just to increase your desire for Me, because the more you hanker for Me, the more you will be freed from all material desires.” [ Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.22 ]
Certainly your material desires were greatly diminished by working together to maintain your community in the aftermath of the earthquakes. The Lord left your vision, but never left your hearts. Now, after many long years, you once again have a place to congregate and to serve Nitai Gauracandra together. By doing so, not only will your love for the Lord increase, but your love for each other will also deepen. Please take full advantage of your great fortune and visit the new temple in every spare moment you have. In essence, the temple is your real home. Here you have an ongoing opportunity to glorify the most beautiful Gaura Nitai deities in our entire ISKCON movement.
On this special occasion it’s important to remember and glorify the great effort and sacrifice made by His Grace Ramanuja Prabhu. He has worked hard and selflessly for so many years to manifest the temple in all its glory. No doubt, this new temple is a manifestation of the love he has in his heart for Srila Prabhupada and his mission. We should all understand that without Ramanuja, this temple would not exist. Thank you Ramanuja Prabhu! And thank you to your good wife Bhaktin Carolyn who has stood by your side and supported you in your efforts for the last six years. She herself has been absolutely indispensable to the rebuilding of the temple: as a chartered accountant, she had the contacts through which you were able to secure the insurance settlement after the earthquake. The payment was uncertain for a long time, and it took her hundreds and hundreds of hours of communication and correspondence to obtain the money built this temple.
Let us also remember the pioneering efforts of Alalanath Prabhu, the first temple president in Christchurch. He planted the seeds of devotion that have now matured into the community you see before your eyes. Thank you Alalanath Prabhu! And let us not forget Laksmi Nrsimha dasi who gave her inheritance as the deposit for the Bealey Ave property on which the new temple sits.
Then there is my good friend Kalasamvara Prabhu who held the position of temple president for many years. He watered the seeds that Alalanath Prabhu planted and developed those seeds into a thriving devotee community. It was during that time that I had the good fortune to first visit the Christchurch temple. Oh the kirtans we had! The feasts we relished! And the festivals! It is all etched in my heart of hearts forever!
Many devotees are to be glorified today for their contributions over many decades: devotees like Jahnava-mata dasi, Karunika dasi, Laksmi dasi, Yasoda-dulal Prabhu, and Bhakti-rasa Prabhu who passed away in 2008 and is missed today. It is a long list and I hesitate to mention more names for fear of leaving anyone out. I will simply offer my respects to all devotees — past, present and future — who are part of the Christchurch temple.
sakala vaisnava-pade mora namaskara
ithe kichu aparadha nahuka amara
hoiyachen hoiben prabhur jato bhakta vrnda
vandana kori’ sabara charanaravinda
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of all Vaisnavas, praying I will not commit offences in my attempts to please them. To all Vaisnavas who have ever been, and to all Vaisnavas who will ever be, I offer my obeisances to their lotus feet.” [ The poet Devakinandana dasa ]
Due to my great misfortune I am not able to be present with all of you today. Nevertheless, by the grace of science and technology I am able to witness your great happiness and joy on this special occasion. And we all know that Srila Prabhupada is present through the transcendental medium and is showering you with his causeless mercy.
Let us always remember that the ideal worship of Gaura Nitai is to bring fallen souls back to the shelter of Their lotus feet. The ultimate purpose of the new temple therefore will be achieved when hundreds and thousands of new guests get the opportunity to behold the moon-like faces of Nitai Gauracandra over the coming years. Srila Prabhupada once said that our temples are bases for going out to preach the divine command.
Sastra states:
“Chanting the holy name constantly can purify even the most fallen sinner, and after he becomes purified, he in turn is to be counted amongst the saintly persons who can purify others by his association.” [ Brhad Naradiya Purana ]
I offer my humble obeisances to all of you! All glories to your services! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Sri Nitai Gauracandra! All glories to Giri-Govardhan!
“May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal love.” [ CC Adi-lila, 1.4 ]
Your Servant,
Indradyumna Swami
https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/posts/10208560626196089
On February 26th, under the direct inspiration and guidance of His Holiness Bhakti Caru Maharaja, the TOVP Fundraising Team consisting of Jananivas prabhu, Ambarisa prabhu, Mother Svaha and Vraja Vilas prabhu held a fundraiser at the Kolkata temple and raised an incredible $400,000 in pledges to everyone’s amazement.
Led by the Lord in the form of His Padukas and Sitari, the TOVP Team inspired the devotees with the vision of this great world-changing project, bringing not only a sense of unity to all the devotees for the local preaching, but for the worldwide mission of Lord Gauranga’s samkirtan movement. Momentum is building as more and more devotees become enthused to help complete the TOVP construction and see the fulfillment of Srila Prabhupada’s vision. This is due to the fact that it is bringing the members of ISKCON together for a common worldwide cause, above and beyond their local interests, and that this worldwide cause is, in fact, inspiring the local causes to expand and grow. It is as Srila Prabhupada said:
“The more you help develop Mayapur, the more Lord Chaitanya will bless your area of the world and it will flourish”
Letter to Hari-sauri
We are now planning other tours in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and China and Sivarama Maharaja has begun discussions with us about tours throughout Europe. We look forward to bringing the Padukas and Sitari along with Jananivas prabhu wherever we can to enliven the devotees and receive support for this grand project.
To make a donation go to: https://tovp.org/donate/seva-opportunities/
The post Kolkata Fundraiser Brings Lakshmi to Narayana appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
Recently, BTG Magazine published an article with the above title to reveal some of the facets of the planetarium within the main dome of the TOVP. It is reproduced below:
The post The Unseen Universe appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
This first container from Moscow had come to Kolkata Port just 3 days ago and by the mercy of Sri Krsna and Srila Prabhupada the process of customs clearance took only 3 days!
Today we were able to finish unloading and take a peak at the items.
In this container arrived the first parts of the Planetarium Wing Chatris Kalash and frames for the Planetarium Dome Kalash.
In the next few days the second container will arrive at port with the Planetarium Dome Kalash (one of the small domes) and the other containers that will follow from Moscow will bring all Kalash, Chatris Kalash and Chakras.
The images show us the frames and the titanium nitride Kalash.
Sadbhuja Prabhu, Prem Avatar Gouranga Prabhu and Giri Goverdhan Prabhu inspected the goods, felt it was even better then they imagined.
Sadbhuja Prabhu peels off the protective plastic to show you the brilliance of the materials.
This is all very magnificent and the devotees are ecstatic!
The post The Kalashes Are Arriving appeared first on Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.
When we hear about people being barred from entry into the temple of Jagannath, the all-loving Lord of the Universe, we naturally feel sad and hurt. However, I have found over the years here in Odisha that perhaps this policy is not as offensive and objectionable as one may think.
After a very productive year in 2016, the team working on ISKCON’s upcoming flagship temple – the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) – have reported that the superstructure of the 520,000 square foot building has been completed. In addition, plastering and brickwork of the whole building has been finished, as well as external concreting of the three domes, including the 370-foot-high main dome.
On a balmy day in the bustling tourist city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, traffic came to almost a standstill as “Harmony of the Seas”, the largest cruise ship in the world, pulled into the harbor. Locals and visitors alike flocked to the port district to observe the impressive dimensions of the ship. Hundreds of cruisers stepped off the ship to explore the Boricua shore. Unbeknownst to the gathering crowds, they were about to witness a joyous procession of singing and dancing starring their lordships, Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra.
KOLADVIPA KI JAY! This island represents the process of pada sevanam, serving the lous feet. On this regard the devotees were led on a meditation on the symbols of the Lord’s lotus feet. Very sweet.We also heard that Giriraja Govardhana is manifested here! How ecstatic.The Delhi devotees performed a drama on the sublme character of […]
The post Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama-Day 3 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
A rescued dairy cow whose previous babies were all taken from her, hides her newborn calf in a field so the humans won’t find her and take her away. A video by Buzz60.
The drama was all over within 48 hours. Police visits; learning that they’d broken into five other houses the same night; clearing up the mess and discovering much they’d left behind, and a few things lost. I thought about what treasures can never be lost – though the externals of a situation may be shocking or distressing.
Amalaki Ekadasi
Gaura Purnima(Appearance of Lord Caitaniya)
SPONSOR A KALASH:
Japathon-Congregational Mantra Meditation
Monthly sankirtan Festival(MSF)
IB Vaishnavi Sanga
The Mentorship Program