Planet ISKCON

Lavanya-keli and Isvari-kesavi are producing short outreach videos to give people some small insights into the Hare Krishna lifestyle. Subscribe to their channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0QQqSBqrjLoLZPoZ_Xy9wQ

Introduction to ISKCON Connection.

New website iskconconnection.org hopes to get an accurate count of all ISKCON members for the first time ever, and to help them feel part of an international family by connecting them to all the inspirational activities in ISKCON around the world. The website is the face of ISKCON Connection, ISKCON’s global membership program, developed by the GBC and based at ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal.

Mansarovar in Braja (Album with photos)
Once in while you come across a hidden place of such stunning beauty that you wonder how it has remained `undiscovered’ for so long…

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami went with devotees of Surat, Ajmer and Ujjain to Sridham Govardhan for a yatra from 2nd November to 5th November 2016. Maharaj spoke on the glories of Govardhan, Barsana and Nanda Gaon on the first two days. Maharaj also described...

The post Govardhan Yatra With Bhakti Charu Swami appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

Index of Names in Bhagavad-gita
This index lists, explains and provides verse locations for 237 names occurring in the texts a...

Transcending the Times.
Does transcendence mean we ignore current events? Does it mean ‘we are spiritual’ and ‘that is material’ and we don’t get involved? Does being detached mean we don’t care? Yes and no.

MotelGita Report, Nov 17, 2016

MotelGita has distributed ten thousands of Bhagavad Gita’s in hundreds of motels and hotels across the United States of America in the last couple of months.
With the help of a call center, MotelGita is making sure that all the hotel/motel owners get new or replacement books in a timely manner so that Srila Prabhupada’s books are in the rooms.

Nandagram Karttika 2016 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Our visit to Nandagram begins with Uddhava Kyari, the place where Sri Uddhavaji delivered Krishna’s message to the gopis. This the place of Srimati Radharani’s conversation with the bumble bee! Next we visited Pavana Sarovara and the Bhajan Kutir of Srila Sanatana Goswami. After taking darshan in Nanda Bhavan, we concluded at my lovely Vrinda Kunda! Relish these photos of Vittalrukmini Das!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/TCIg2S

A Damsel of Vraj, Nadia Weds the Gentle Cowherd, Krishna premi (Album with photos)
In the milk soaked land of Vraj, where honey drips from the trees, the beautiful damsel Nadia married the gentle cowherd man, Krishna premi of 24 hour kirtan at KiKi Nagala amongst the well love cows of “Care for Cows”!

By Bhaktisiddhanta Swami

Srila Prabhupada, our most noteworthy example, established an international society amidst overwhelming physical handicaps or apparent setbacks that became a precursor to a worldwide society. Then there are his sincere followers, whose tests and trials amidst obstacles, have realization, trying their best to fulfill his will. Apart from what should be a 'main concern' of positives; victories, satsanga, kirtans and good times, let us examine the difficulties that we may individually/collectively undergo as we traverse the path of devotion in this present field. We may have an ax to grind with regard to an individual, guru, management, or society. Possibly, we may feel taken advantage of, manipulated, abused, and used within arenas that proclaim spiritual values, where material agendas have sadly arisen. Has politics pushed us into the background? Has our response to various scenarios been accommodating or reactionary? Do we focus on the grains of sand of 'an event' rather than the instructing panorama of the Lord's arrangement with regard to an individual or collective? Continue reading "Difficulties In Devotion: A Blessing in Disguise?
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By Damodar Prasad das

“A person is not considered a great sage unless he disagrees with another sage”. This adage suitably describes the career of La Mettrie, whose contentious writings during the eighteenth century were almost universally reviled by his contemporaries during the age of the Enlightenment. Even Frederick the Great, who afforded him protection and patronage following his banishment from France and Holland, declared that one could attain peace of mind by not reading La Mettrie’s works. Notwithstanding the general distaste with which they were met, the ideas he espoused have proved long standing and influential in the modern science of medicine, psychiatry, neurology and psychology. Perhaps his most provocative work was entitled “Man a Machine” in which he makes a number of extraordinary claims, many of which we will pass over. The main thrust of the work was that only physicians (amongst whom he could count himself) had the right to speak on the soul, because, he felt, the soul itself was a product of the interaction of the organs of the body. Continue reading "The Man in the Machine
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ISKCON Auckland NZ: Friday night Harinam! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: You are asking what should your preaching work be now that you are attending the university. So the first preaching work is that yourself should become an ideal devotee. Lord Caitanya said that one should first make himself perfect and then attempt to instruct others. There is no point in telling another man to stop smoking if you yourself are smoking cigarettes. Even though you are mixing with all kinds of the student class at the university, you must strictly refrain from the four prohibitive sinful activities, and as an initiated student you must not let a day pass when you do not chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krsna Mantra. If you can follow just these things nicely that in itself will be strong preaching by behavior. You should also always wear Kunti beads around the neck and wear the marking of tilak. People will inquire from you and you can tell them about Krsna Consciousness and sell them books also. You should also try to associate with the devotees in England and Scotland. If possible, visit the temple on Sundays and whenever you can, and always read my books. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Niranjana — Hyderabad 23 April, 1974
Find them here: https://goo.gl/G3hGds

By Krishna Kishore Das

On, 17th of November 2016, Institute of International Social Development – New York, an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations awarded a special award to His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami. Over the years, Institute of International Social Development, has grown from a small organization to a vast Non Governmental Organization, helping those in disadvantaged areas. The organization is very grateful for all the support His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj gave them on behalf of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in spreading the message of spirituality for the World Peace and Understanding between Nations and Civilizations. Institute wanted to show him their appreciation, with this small token of love and sincerity. Continue reading "Institute of International Social Development, United Nations (NY) awards Iskcon leader
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Bhkshu Gita 1 – Minimize misery by identifying the misery caused by the mind (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.42)
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Allen Ginsberg Arrives on the Storefront Scene

Institute of International Social Development 2016 Annual Award Ceremony, 20th Anniversary and Book launching of ‘Ocean of Mercy’ by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami On, 17th of November 2016, Institute of International Social Development – New York, an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic...

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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 07 September 2003, Radhadesh, Belgium, Lecture)

In this material world, everything is so gross and cheap. Here, when there is a meeting between lovers then within no time, it is the full embrace – that is what it is all about… Right down to the action! The main thing! Let us not waste any time! Acceleration from zero to a hundred in two seconds, right!? That is the material experience. Very quick and very shallow and with strong exchanges.

But in spiritual loving exchanges, things are very different. In spiritual loving exchanges, everything is so meaningful that slight little exchanges are performed again and again, and give so much satisfaction.

When Srimati Radharani becomes aware that Krsna has left, has left her alone and that she is faced with separation then she faints… boom! She falls unconscious and as she hits the ground, just there on the ground, there are flowers of which the scent reminds her of Krsna. Krsna wears those flowers on his garland. The scent enters her nostrils and immediately she jumps off the ground in ecstasy! So, again, inconceivable! Inconceivable intensity!

So here, we have our dull loving exchanges in the material world, “Yes, I love you…” This is our level of material exchange. I love you today, and tomorrow I love someone else, because how deep is the loving experience in this world? Very shallow!

Cooperation is Higher Than Integrity.
Mahatma das: Today I heard a wonderful story. A devotee wrote Srila Prabhupada because his disagreed with the tactics devotees were using to raise donations, tactics supported by the Temple President. He expressed his specific concerns in his letter to Srila Prabhupada. In Srila Prabhupadas reply, he did not address the issue. He did not say he favored one idea over the other. All he said was, I just want you to work well together. Some argue that it is not right to cooperate when we believe that something wrong is being done. Yet Srila Prabhupada makes it clear that more important than who or what is right, is learning to work well together despite our differences. Some will say this is a compromise of ones individual integrity because one is acting against ones core beliefs. It doesnt mean we remain silent or pretend nothing is wrong. What it means is we mature to a level in which we can still work enthusiastically and cooperatively even when we disagree. I would call this a far higher form of integrity than non-cooperation. And what is the use of that integrity that ignores Srila Prabhupadas desire.

Transformation: Second birth in Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Continue chanting and associating with devotees and your spiritual growth will be assured. In this way, be happy, that is my blessing. I want to see the whole world happy in this way - that is my only ambition. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Tracy and Rita, 15 February, 1977
Find them here: https://goo.gl/8Ncwsk

Sharing Krishna Consciousness in Bangkok (Album with photos)
Singing, Discussing, Feasting-The Spiritual bliss.
Sharing H...

Memorial program and a feast honoring Jagajivan Prabhu, in Mumbai (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: …there are so many processes how to get out of this material world, but Prahlada Maharaja and all the devotees, especially Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He has recommended that “Chant Hare Krsna.” harer nama harer nama harer nama iva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Cc. Adi 17.21] And that, you benefit. Very easy, you take it and chant it sincerely, without any offense. You haven’t got to follow these, what is called, mauna-vrata-sruta-tapo-‘dhyayana [SB 7.9.46]. It is not possible nowadays to be a very learned scholar in Vedic literature or to remain silent or to take some vow, then to remain in solitary place, then japa, samadhi, to remain in trance as the yogis try. They are impossible. They are recommended processes for getting liberation, but in the Kali-yuga it is not possible. So we are so fallen, it is not possible to execute all these processes. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the mercy incarnation, that “These people, so fallen, they cannot do anything.” So He has recommended a simple thing, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Chant (devotees chant simultaneously) Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.46 – Vrndavana, April 1, 1976
Find them here: https://goo.gl/DfrW0S

Remember!
Bhaktimarga Swami: “On this day, Remembrance Day, men and women whose lives were sacrificed in recent wars are honoured for their service.” After these opening remarks at our ISKCON Canada AGM, I also included mention of one of our own veterans, if you will, an ISKCON pioneer for Latin America, Jagajivan, who passed away this week from heart failure. He was likeable, loveable, and a firm, stalwart man for our guru, Srila Prabhupada, and his mission. He surely will be missed.
Eventually, we all will be missing after making that exit from this body. The solid truth of life is that we will be missed and we will miss those we leave, so don’t miss the chance for dharma. The Vedas say boldly, “Don’t miss this point!” as you are now a human, after travelling through successive lives to reach the opportunity for self-realization.
Let’s show what real humanity is by addressing, first, our obligation to ourselves.
While the process for self-realization is a human obligation, in our meetings of today, we brought to the table a presentation, by a Brampton devotee, on mental disorders, and how they impact an individual and a community that’s striving for normalcy—whatever that is. We all know that each and every one of us has some level of flaw within our chemical nature, even if we endeavour for spiritual perfection. Other topics were presented. For our group, this was cutting edge. It was a wholesome discussion.
After a day of talk and feedback, a walk was necessary. A full day of talk can challenge sanity. A few of us took to the country road as we heard the coyotes sing.
May the Source be with you!
Friday, November 11th, 2016
Bolton, Ontario

Even when a person becomes an offender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he can still be delivered simply by taking shelter of the Holy Names of the Lord: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, the chanting of Hare Krishna is beneficial for eradicating all sins, but if one becomes an offender to the Holy Names of the Lord, then he has no chance of being delivered.

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Everyone should become a Vaisnava Goswami - Sri Upadesamrta Course.
Upadesamrta means, the nectar of Instruction. Upadesa: instruction, amrta: nectar. Srila Prabhupada in his Preface explains that the Krsna consciousness movement is conducted under the supervision of Srila Rupa Goswami. He is the head of the Gaudiya vaisnavas and together with the other Goswamis of Vrndavana, teaches the whole world about the science of bhakti yoga. To attain pure love for Krsna one must participate in the mission of Lord Caitanya (appearing in the mood of Radharani) and follow in His footsteps. And in order to do that, one must follow in the footsteps of the six Goswamis. The two main factors to spiritual advancement is 1) control of the senses and 2) the attitude. Without controlling ones senses, one cannot understand spiritual life. Rupa Goswami is teaching us to come to the platform of goodness so that everything connected to Krsnas service is assimilated. Everyone should become a Vaisnava Goswami, or a fully controlled devotee of Lord Krsna. Then one can proceed on the path of perfection.

By Parsada dasi

I watched the happy look on my friends face and gave her, her first assignment, “Please take that pan from this mataji and you go to that part of the barn and fill it up with cow-dung.” With an amazed look her face, she turned to me, “You can’t be serious!” she said. After giving her a practical demonstration, she went down on her knees and picked up her first handful of cow-dung. And in no time she had the pan filled up. She was having so much fun; she then carried it on her head and took it to the area where it would be made into cow-dung cakes. Sitting among the ladies who were already making them, she made over a dozen cow-dung cakes! Continue reading "A Day With Krishna’s Cows In Vraja
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Tivon and Cheyenne are an African American couple in their mid-twenties. She works in a steakhouse, and he’s in marketing. Cybil, in her fifties, is a real estate agent. Jorge is a student. Lauren is a professor of music at Towson University. Maria is retired from her government agency job. Ravi is doing his postdoc in medicine at John Hopkins. Kate is a nurse and a Buddhist. And Henna works on a horse farm. They’re as diverse a group as possible, but they all have one thing in common: they’re all regular attendees at the recently re-opened Bhakti Lounge in Baltimore. 

By Cintamani Madhavi Devi Dasi

On Saturday, November 12, the Chariot Festival Ratha Yatra was held in Chile, with thousands of people pulling Lord Jagannath's car through the main avenue of the capital, followed by a cultural show in fron of the Government Palace La Moneda. In an unprecedented event, Santiago's main street, Avenida Libertador Bernado O'Higgins, was used exclusively by the majestic chariot that carried the Lord of the Universe and the people who pulled its ropes, filling the streets of Santiago with joy and colors like never before. It all started as a dream. When Sri Bhakti Das, in charge of the Department of Culture of ISKCON Chile, visualized Lord Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra in front of La Moneda, he felt that it would be a beautiful offering for Srila Prabhupada on the 50th anniversary of the International Society for Consciousness Krishna. Continue reading "Historic Ratha Yatra Held In The Heart Of Santiago, Chile
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By Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute

H. G. Jagajivan Prabhu joined ISKCON in the year 1970. He was initiated by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada in the year 1972. Throughout his stay at the Hospital H. G. Jagajivan Prabhu was extremely cheerful and always spoke enthusiastically about the preaching mission. He will be fondly remembered by the Hospital team which considers itself fortunate to receive an opportunity to serve this dear devotee of the Lord. Continue reading "An account of the Last Journey of H. G. Jagajivan Prabhu (ACBSP)
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Prabhupada’s Greed

The Pastimes of Lord Ramachandra by HH Bhakti Charu Swami on the occasion of Diwali. 30th October 2016, at Bhaktivedanta Manor, London.

The post “Lord Rama Returns To Ayodhya” Lecture By Bhakti Charu Swami appeared first on Bhakti Charu Swami.

By Madhava Smullen

Few prasadam stories from New Vrindaban’s history are as legendary as those of the late Amburish Dasa’s sweet rice and Pitambar Dasi’s ice cream.

Straight from the cow barn and prepared by the cowherd couple with deep love and devotion, they were much-craved treats in the austere lives of New Vrindaban’s early devotees.

Neither Amburish nor Pitambar had any cooking or cow-care experience before becoming devotees. Amburish, a city boy from Denver, Colorado, stopped at New Vrindaban on a road trip in 1971 just after high school, and instantly knew he was home. He moved to New Vrindaban and was initiated by Srila Prabhupada that same year.

Pitambar met devotees chanting at a craft show while living as a hippy in California’s Santa Cruz mountains. When one of the devotees told her all about New Vrindaban, she was similarly drawn to the place – she stayed over night at her first visit on Radhastami 1976, and never left.

Soon after, she received the service of caring for the calves, and met her husband-to-be Amburish in the barn, where he was in charge of the cows.

Amburish made an instant impression. An excellent kirtan leader and pujari, he was well known for his dedication, hard work and enthusiasm. “He could often be seen running from one service to another,” recalls his long-time friend Advaita Das. “He did not walk, he ran.”

But most of all, Amburish loved serving the cows.

“They were his heart and soul,” Pitambar says. “They weren’t just cows, they were like mirrors of his family. There were hundreds of them, and he named them all, and remembered their names. He involved our children, too – when our first son was born, he sat him on a cow when he was just two hours old. And our three sons – Nitai, Acarya and Anandamaya – were always playing in the barn while we were milking.”

Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Amburish kept meticulous records of all the cows’ activities, births, deaths, names, locations, and milk production amounts. He worked in the barn from early morning till late at night. He attended veterinarian school, so that he could deliver and breed the cows, and take care of all their medical needs.

And he saw Krishna in all of it. “He would tell us, ‘When you clean the barn, clean it so nicely that Krishna will want to bring Radharani here to take a walk through it,’” Pitambar says. “He would blast out the Govindam prayers to call the cows in from the pasture. And he always chanted while milking them.”

The fresh, whole milk from cows protected with such love and devotion was an essential part of Amburish’s legendary sweet rice.

But so, too, was the way he applied that same care and devotion to preparing the dish.

“First he would go take a shower, and get dressed in his dhoti and brahmana thread, as if he was getting ready for pujari work,” says Pitambar.

Then Amburish would carefully measure out all the ingredients, which at different times included spices like bay leaves, camphor, and cardamom but eventually were reduced to a pure blend of just four items: fresh milk, rice, sugar and raisins.

Cooking outside over a wood fire in a huge 30 gallon pot, he would alternately scrape the bottom of the pot to keep the sweet rice from burning, and aerate the milk with a one gallon ladle. Consistency was king, and Amburish wanted it to be perfect. Meanwhile, he chanted bhajans the entire time without cessation.

“It was just so magical to watch,” says Pitambar.

Depending on the time of year, Amburish would then cool the sweet rice in a stream, a root cellar, or a snowbank. The resulting dish was a Sunday or festival treat that inspired feverish devotion in a New Vrindaban community that lived on an austere diet during the week. One tradition on Balarama Rasayatra saw Amburish hiding the sweet rice out in the pasture for Lord Balarama and his Gopis, which the devotees would hunt desperately for at night, to no avail.

“I had experienced sweet rice before, but Amburish’s sweet rice took the experience to a new level,” says Advaita. “To this day I have never tasted sweet rice anywhere – at any other temple or restaurant – that even comes close.”

Another much sought-after treat was Pitambar’s ice cream, rich in flavor as it was also made with the excess milk from Krishna’s cows. “I would blend milk, sugar and fruit in an ice cream machine, put it in a five-gallon bucket, take it to the prasadam room, and sell it for 35 cents a cup,” she says. “Back then, it was so austere, that anything sweet was like, ‘Oh, boy!’ What’s more, it was something different – not on the Vedic menu. The cups just flew out!”

For New Vrindaban’s three biggest festivals at the time – Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, which all ran over three-day weekends and drew thousands of devotees, pilgrims and tourists – Pitambar would make an incredible 100 gallons of ice cream a day.

“I would stay up for three days straight, not sleeping at all, to make it,” she says. “I’d have to make it only four gallons at a time, because that’s all the milk the machine would hold. And I made a different flavor of ice cream each day: carob, using a Hershey-like syrup; strawberry; and orange-mango, using real fruits rather than concentrate.”

Pitambar also worked extremely hard the rest of the year, too. In the early days, she made chapatis and washed pots, scrubbing them with ashes from the cooking fires because there was no soap.

Later, she took care of the calves as diligently as Amburish did the cows. “I just loved them,” she says. “They were like my children. They were so much fun, and so sweet. I would feed them bottles of milk, and I’d look down, and my entire sari would be in their mouth!”

Pitambar also cleaned the calves’ pens, brushed them, and fed them grain and hay as they got older, walking from one farm to another to care for calves of different age groups.

They were inseperable. At one point early on before she was married, Pitambar attempted to leave New Vrindaban and move to the temple in Berkely, California. “Then I dreamt about the calves,” she recalls. “They were crying, asking me to come back. I started packing my bags right away. The Berkely leaders begged me to stay, offering me trips to India, saris, a new apartment. I said, ‘No, I have to go back to my calves!”

Pitambar also made ghee and milk sweets from New Vrindaban cow milk for the Deities and guests, and churned butter by hand. She had to churn it in a stream in the summer to keep it cool, and on the coals of the cooking fires in the winter to keep it from solidifying.

From 1976 to 1980, she and Amburish ran a full snack bar from the barn, with her ice cream, French fries cooked in ghee, Bhima burgers, and pizza with home-made cheese. During this period, she also worked at Prabhupada’s Palace until its opening in 1979, doing gold-leaf and touching up moldings.

From 1983 to ’84, Amburish and Pitambar oversaw the teenage boys’ ashram, which Pitambar says was ‘like a big, happy family.’

Former students agree. “We lived at the Vrindaban farmhouse, which, at the time, was quite remote and removed from the rest of the community,” says alumni Chaitanya Mangala Das. “This meant the adolescent boys were able to engage in a lot more fun activities that weren’t really allowed before or after that period. For those in that ashram there is a general consensus this was our favorite time in gurukula, and Pitambar and Amburish were our favorite ashram teachers.”

Later, the couple worked at ISKCON’s restaurant in Pittsburgh, and supplied the Rainbow Kitchen for the homeless with food.

In 1989, Amburish passed away in New Vrindaban, and his ashes were scattered at the Kusum Sarovara Lake there.

In his absence, Pitambar started her own herbal goods cottage business to support herself and her boys. Taking her tinctures, homeopathic medicines, dried flower arrangements and herbal-infused creations to local craft fairs she worked hard and became well-known in the area, making the cover of the Wheeling Register.

In 2001, she finally left New Vrindaban to take care of her mother in Pittsburgh. Today, she still lives there while her son Nitai and other caregivers take care of her, as her advanced Parkinson’s leaves her disabled and homebound.

“Pitambar is a kindhearted, gentle and humble devotee, whose caregivers say she has ‘taught them a lot about life,’” says Pitambar’s closest friend Tilakini Dasi, who calls every day to keep her spirits up.

“She’s a generous and empathetic soul who cares a lot about others, and a fiercely dedicated mother,” adds Rupa Dasi, another lifelong friend.

Sure enough, Pitambar herself hopes she’ll be remembered for always trying to be kind to everyone, and says that being a mother was her favorite and most important service.

She is very proud of her grown-up sons Nitai, who works at an irrigation company as well as caring for her; Acarya, who serves in the U.S. Navy; and Ananda, a former combat medic, who recently got engaged and is now attending ultrasound tech school.

“They might have very different lives now than they did growing up,” Pitambar says. “But Ananda says his happy place will always be laying on a blanket in Radha-Vrindaban Chandra’s temple room during mangala arati.”

New Vrindaban is Pitambar’s happy place, too. “It’s where I spent most of my adult life,” she says. “There was good and bad there, but it was home. I miss it terribly. I wish I could physically go there more, but my health won’t currently allow it.”

Pitambar has potent advice for the next wave of New Vrindaban residents. “Our lives are precious and go by fast. We don’t always know Krishna’s plan, so we should use our time wisely.”

She concludes, “New Vrindaban is a very special place. It is the home of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra, and so many wonderful Brijabasis. So please, let’s do our best to love and respect each other in the Holy Dhama.”

Amburish’s Heavenly Sweet Rice

(Makes about 12 cups)

“Of the many wonderful dairy-based recipes from the pioneer days of New Vrindaban, Amburish’s sweet rice remains my all-time favorite,” Pitambar says. “Of course, the most important ingredient was his enthusiastic devotion, every time he made it. Made with the same care, this heavenly sweet rice is a wonderful way to honor Lord Krishna, His cows and cowherds.”

Ingredients:

1 gallon fresh milk (whole milk, from protected cows, if possible)

1 cup long grain rice (creates a better consistency and flavor than basmati)

3 cups white sugar (cut down if too sweet)

Small palm full of raisins

Directions:

Combine milk and rice in a thick-bottomed pot. Cook on a medium heat, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot constantly so that the milk will not stick and burn. When the milk begins to boil, begin ladling the milk as well as stirring it – this serves to aerate the milk and keep it from boiling over.

After half an hour, add raisins. When the mixture has been cooking for about 45 minutes, begin watching it closely. Consistency is key – it should be neither too thin nor too thick. Pick up some of the sweet rice in the ladle, swish it around, and check that the rice is floating on top of the milk and that the milk itself leaves a thin coating on the ladle.

When it reaches this point, remove the sweet rice from the fire and stir the sugar in thoroughly.

Chill the sweet rice, offer to the Lord and serve ice cold.