Anuttama das: The other day I was downtown and meeting with the US ambassador and International Religious freedom representative and it was about 15 people there from different religious traditions talking about what’s going on in Russia and they asked me to speak because they know the Hare Krishna devotees were the first ones to get arrested under this new law and people that are in the know are very much concerned, very frightened about these new laws in Russia that rolling back what was for a while very reasonably liberal laws about religious communities, and they are overturning those only going back to like communist era. So they want us there because they know we are Cutting Edge on religious freedom issues. They want to know what’s happening to us what is our experience.

A beautiful video is coming, hopefully will be released during Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day. It talks about Eco communities and focuses on Hungary and this community of Iskcon in Brazil.
The video mentions about our farm in Hungary being the largest conscious living Green community in all of Europe and people come there to study in to see what we’re doing.

To listen to the whole audio lecture: https://soundcloud.com/iskconofdc/sb-1181-anuttama-dasa

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32424

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32, verses 16 to 22.

” ‘But the reason I do not immediately reciprocate the affection of living beings even when they worship Me, O gopis, is that I want to intensify their loving devotion. They then become like a poor man who has gained some wealth and then lost it, and who thus becomes so anxious about it that he can think of nothing else’ (SB 10.32.20). It happens: We get something with great difficulty and then we lose it and become obsessed with the loss. Or we may take something for granted, and when we lose it we appreciate what we had.

“Then Krishna says, ‘My dear girls, understanding that simply for My sake you had rejected the authority of worldly opinion, of the Vedas, and of your relatives, I acted as I did only to increase your attachment to Me. Even when I removed Myself from your sight by suddenly disappearing, I never stopped loving you. Therefore, My beloved gopis, please do not harbor any bad feelings toward Me, your beloved’ (SB 10.32.21). Here Krishna is saying that it is not true that He did not reciprocate their love. He did, in such a way as to increase their attachment for Him. He was reciprocating—because the gopis‘, or any pure devotee’s, only desire is to love and serve Krishna and to increase their love for Him and their service to Him. And so by removing Himself from them He was reciprocating with their hearts’ deepest, innermost desire—to increase their love for Him.”

To download, right click and choose ‘Save As’.

Source:http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=11495

Endeavour is required to make progress in this material world and austerity is part of it but austerity is not the goal. In Krsna consciousness also, whatever austerities are connected to initiation is not the goal; that is not the meditation. When we speak about four regulative principles, they are actually four prohibitions. So prohibition, restriction and austerity seem to come in that line but the Bhagavad-gita speaks about the regulative principles of freedom which is a different interpretation, a different understanding. In the Bhagavad-gita the regulative principles are not looked upon as restrictive but rather as liberating. This is interesting because generally, we experience these things as restrictions. When we get involved with the Hare Krsna Movement, we cannot eat this and we cannot eat that… there are so many complications… men and women interactions, there are so rules governing the whole thing. So many restrictions that we also tend to perceive these regulative principles as restrictive, even when we take initiation… this is the price we have to pay so we can go back to godhead if all goes well.

But the truth is that these regulative principles are restricting nothing but our maya, our illusion! And actually all these things that we are giving up were the cause of our pain, they were a thorn in our side. They were actually all along the sources of our suffering – eating inedible things is the source of so much suffering, gambling is insanity as it just destroys one’s life, illicit sex and intoxication just bind us in suffering so naturally as we give it up, it is very nice as we become free. We are giving up nothing but suffering!

I learnt this from my spiritual master who summed it up very simple. When he was in New York, a policeman saw him in his robes and asked, “What is it that you guys have to give up??” and his answer was, “SUFFERING!”

We should always remember that we are just getting liberated from all this suffering. We are very fortunate actually… it is very wonderful to live by these principles even if our stubborn, obstinate minds are sometimes rebelling!

Source:https://www.kksblog.com/2016/10/the-regulative-principles-of-liberation/

Indradyumna Swami: Lalita Sakhi is one of Srimati Radharani’s 8 principle girlfriends. Her home in Unchagaon is close to Radharani’s residence in Varsana. Our parikrama party visited Unchagaon on the 1st day of Kartika and enjoyed many wonderful hours of Krsna katha, kirtan and association with the villagers who live in that sacred abode.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/yQh17E

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32429

Sivarama Swami’s latest book, the fourth volume of the Krishna In Vrindavana series, is hot off the press. Shri Damodara-janani weaves a captivating tale of the glories of Mother Yashoda. No other person has ever received the unique mercy that Krishna showed His own mother, teaching devotees for all time that the binding force of love for Him is more powerful than even His own supreme will.

The dedication

A pastime that stopped the demigods in their tracks, captivated the residents of Gokula, and even stunned the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, this most powerful and beautifully scripted spotlight on Mother Yashoda is a revelation that will bind the devotees’ hearts, and in turn, detail the path to hopefully binding the heart of our beloved Sri Krishna.

Totalling 464 pages, with a 40 page introduction, 12 chapters of detailed descriptions of the pastime, and 8 unique, interesting appendices, the book is based on commentaries of the damodara-lila section of theBhagavatam by Shridhara Svami, Sanatana Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, Shrinatha Cakravarti, Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura, Baladeva Vidyabhushana, and the purports of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

The author receives the first printed copy of his new book

At Sivarama Swami’s request in the spring of 1999, Gopi-paranadhana Das translated all the above acharyas' Sanskrit commentaries to the verses relevant to the damodara-lila as an audio recording. Incorporating these recordings and scriptural references from Padma Purana, Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Brhad-bhagavatamrta, Ananda-vrndavana-champu, Sanatana Gosvami’s commentary on Sri Damodarashtakam, and Gopala-champu, this unique retelling of this special pastime is written as a wonderful narrative like the Krishna Book and it's a flood of sweet nectar. There is also a fresh rendering of the Damodarashtaka prayer.

* * *

To order please visit www.srsbooks.com or write to Bhakti Devī Dasī at srsbookclub@1108.cc and have a wonderful Kārttika month meditation.

Source:http://iskconnews.org/sivarama-swamis-latest-book-praises-motherly-love,5812/

KavicandraSwami: I recentely spent a few blissful days at SRI SRI Radha London Isvara Mandira. 
They were just starting a KRSNA BALARAM marathon. Many devotees, about half of them Bhaktas and Bhaktins, were going out with great enthusiasm and distributing many books while charming the people on Oxford street and other parts of London.
Bhakta Simon was leading in distribution when I left for Africa. Some of the Bhaktas had never distributed before but were telling me that they would probably continue after the marathon.
They even let me go with them a bit. It was interesting that I met one boy from Germany who had seen devotees in Japan (where I serve as GBC). He happily took a Srimad Bhagavatam. It is a small world and we never know were the results of our preaching will fructify.
It is nice to see that so many people in London are very appreciative of the “Hare Krsna”.
Letter to: Jagadisa Hyderabad 18 November, 1972
“The thing is, our main business is to distribute books, either here or there it doesn’t matter. So if there is transcendental competition for increasing sale of books, that is good. If he buys one book his life may be turned, that is best preaching work.”
letter to: Hrdayananda Maharaja Hyderabad, November 23, 1972
“And distribute books, as many as you can and I think you can distribute many millions of books alone, that Krishna will help you do.”
letter to: Rupanuga Sydney, Feb 14 1973
“If someone has desired to distribute books all day he may do this, but he must always follow the principles of rising early, chanting 16 rounds, etc. Just as some rich men have no inclination for studying, but still he opens many schools for others to study at. Like this, all of my students may not be inclined to study but they are very much eager to give others the opportunity to read my books and this should not be discouraged. All programs must go on but it is a fact that this book distribution program is very very important.”
letter to: Balavanta Vrndavana, Oct 4, 1976
“The main thing is to distribute books more and more. That remark by the man in Houston is to your credit, that this movement is becoming an epidemic. Actually, everywhere envious people are against this movement, especially communists, because this movement is a threat to them. The main thing is to distribute books the communist idea is spread practically all over the world on account of distributing huge amounts of literature, but they have no substance. Introduce Rathayatra very nicely and distribute books.”
In the photo: Book distribution in Bali.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32440

Dear Devotees,
Hare KrishnaPlease accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad.For my upcoming book about Srila Prabhupada in Bombay, we conducted a personal interview with Srinathji Prabhu. In the interview with Srinathji Prabhu, he described his very first encounter with the Hare Krishna devotees.As an offering to HG Srinathji Prabhu, I would like to share his excerpt from the upcoming book.Your servant,
Lokanath Swami

EXTRACT FROM UPCOMING BOOK
It was around March 71, that Srila Prabhupada had come with over 20 of his senior most disciples to the house of Mr N D Desai, a big industrialist, son of a Member of Parliament and a follower of Cinmaya mission. Because of the Cross Maidan Pandal most Bombayites had heard of Srila Prabhupada. Using the opportunity, Prabhupada visited several well known people’s homes making them life members and to see how they could be engaged in Krsna’s service.
Srinathji: My father and I always came home for lunch. I was shocked to see these European and American boys and girls, singing, jumping and dancing in my garden wearing dhotis, saris and tilaka. My very first impression was, ‘What will the neighbours think?’ I was about to be initiated into the original Sankara sampradaya and right then Prabhupada had come into our life and today he was right inside our house. So Ihad kept aloof from all this, because I had read in the papers that they might be CIA, and so on. So, here I saw Prabhupada for the first time and watched him closely in action. 
Even though Mr Desai was influenced by Mayavada, he could not avoid being impressed by Srila Prabhupada’s demeanor and moods which he describes:
He had a shining lustre. Because of his orange sannyasi clothes he looked like a very bright orange type of personality. He was very clean shaven, very neat and clean. Everything was in the correct place and he seemed to be very particular about everything. All the devotees, even though they sang and danced in ecstasy, when they sat down all the boys were on one side and all the girls on the other side, in a very neat way. They were not haphazard at all.

Then it was prasada time. However, Mr Desai could not appreciate the devotees prasadahonouring spirit. When the devotees sang the sarira avidya jal prayers and unreservedly gobbled up so muchprasada, it left Mr Desai mildly irritated. He compared these devotees to the Mayavadis and as far as he was concerned, these devotees had failed hopelessly. Brahma satyaà jagan mithyam – the only reality is the brahman, which translates to the meaning that all else in this world is false. Sounds and forms including tastes, are all false. In this way, when Mayavadi’s taste food, they consider this to be maya, whereas for devotees the taste of food offered to Krsna is non-different from Krsna. That prasada is Krsna, and hence it is relished.

Soon Srila Prabhupada expertly went into business mood.
Upon hearing that Mr Desai’s father was familiar with the Bhagavad-gita and loved Prabhupada’s books, Prabhupada gave him every book he had – the Krishna book, his first set of MacMillian Bhagavad-gita,teachings of Lord Caitanya, Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu and two books or booklets of Srimad-Bhagavatam.Srila Prabhupada’s glorification of his disciples became the impetus for the next bombshell. Prabhupada explained that these boys and girls rise early in the morning, chant a minimum of 16 rounds daily and only eat vegetarian prasada. These Westerners had given up smoking and even drinking tea. After hearing the praise of the disciples Mr Desai was waiting for another bombshell.
Srinathji: So I was thinking, ‘Why is Prabhupada talking so much? There must be some hidden agenda coming up soon.’ Prabhupada knew that my father was treasurer of the Congress party. And sure enough, Prabhupada said, ‘I need visas for all my disciples’. First thing, please realize they are not CIA. You must see that in parliament they stop the inquiry against my pupils and me. My father said that he had a friend who was the minister in charge and he would talk to him and definitely do something.
The third bombshell wiped Mr Desai off his feet. Prabhupada wanted American born Jayapataka who was in his early twenties to be given Indian citizenship.
Prabhupada: I want you to adopt him. There is a procedure for making a foreigner an Indian citizen. You have to stand guarantee.
Srinathji: I thought Prabhupada was either nuts, because I was in the opposite camp, or he is terribly bold, to ask a member of parliament to give a guarantee for someone who we didn’t even know, and that too a foreigner. So my father looked at Jayapataka and he liked him and he said, ‘Yes, I will help him.’ I still have Maharaja’s letter when he became an Indian citizen, thanking my father.
With the last bombshell, Prabhupada signed up my father as ISKCON life member number thirty-nine.
Prabhupada: I have this scheme of making life members, I have so many centres all over the world. You can stay there and have prasada everywhere, but you only have to pay 1111 rupees. To my great shock, my father said, ‘I will just get the money.’ So I went after him to his room and I said, ‘We discussed that you won’t make any more commitments. My father was determined. “No, I think I must help them.” So, Prabhupada got the Rs.1111 and my father became one of the first life member no. thirty-nine.
As a direct result of Prabhupada’s mercy, instead of becoming a disciple of Mayavadi guru, Mr N D Desai became a life member, ardent follower and staunch supporter and eventually Srinathji Dasa, an ISKCON initiated disciple.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32444

Damodarananda Das: BMI-Bhaktivriksha organised and celebrated the First grand Ram Vijayotsava in Bloomington IL on Saturday Oct 15 with burning of 15 feet effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnatha. About 500 people attended a fair like celebration. Festival of India put up many displays. The other highlight was first ever Ram Leela enactment of SundarKanda. The children really enjoyed the performance of an energetic Hanuman and others. There has been a very positive feed back from the community. The local newspaper also covered the celebrations.
Jai Shri Rama!

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32450

Somendranatha Das: The summary of Srimad Bhagawatam (Hierarchy of Universe in the 51st year of Brahma). One of the subject matter of Shrimad Bhagwatam is (Hierarchy of Universe). Starting from first canto to tenth Canto, the file contains hierarchy and roots of all generations during the 51st year of Brahma (upto 28th Chaturyug of seventh (Vaivaswat) Manu).
To download the entire article as a doc document click here: http://dandavats.com/wp-content/uploads5/heirarchy%20of%20brahmand.doc

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32456

Today morning on 18th Oct. HG Vrajendranandan Prabhu met and presented Gita to Smt. Menka Sanjay Gandhi Minister of Women & Child Development of India.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32458

For a sannyasi to associate with mundane persons is like willingly drinking poison! And not only for a sannyasibut for a devotee too. One should not associate with women who are addicted to lusty desires nor should one associate with men who are addicted to such women. This is not recommended for one who is serious about going back to Godhead because it is said that sex life is the chain, maithunya argara, it is the chain that binds us in the prison of material existence. 

But you may ask, “Isn’t sex life natural? You cannot be artificial. It is one of the natural inclinations of the body just like hunger and thirst! It is also not only that… it is like a means to express affection and love.”

Yes, one must also make a distinction between the gross lusty activities which, for example, are going on in the red light district of Amsterdam and the exchanges in a loving relationship. That is also a fact. A distinction is made and therefore exchanges between a husband and wife is a different thing. In the Vedic culture, a husband and wife would together go for spiritual life but nowadays that is not always there. Spiritual life, if it is at all there, is something symbolic and for most, it is something in the background. It is not a very prominent thing. But in Vedic culture, spiritual life was in the foreground. It was an important element in life – prominent and it should be! Therefore, sex life should be within religious principles, within marriage.

For all of us, it is not beneficial to associate with people who are in the grip of lust. If one becomes very friendly with mundane people then after some time, we also become mundane.

Source:https://www.kksblog.com/2016/10/association-with-mundane-people/

On the morning of 18 Oct, Sriman Vrajavasi Prabhu, a Srila Prabhupada disciple from Mexico, left this world. He was in a coma for a week, with his loving family caring for him as best they could.

He was one of the first, and biggest, sankirtan devotees of Mexico. At one point in the mid and late 70s, he would distribute as much as 500-700 big books a day.

After marriage, he was the temple president for Mexico City for some time. Then he moved to a smaller town, Celaya Mexico, where he set up a small business to maintain his family. He was very strict with his sadhana thoughout his family life. He dedicated himself to translating essential books for preaching into Spanish, even the Brahma Samhita.

He would hold regular classes in his home, and organize vaisnava festivals, especially for young devotees.

Whenever the sankirtan devotees would distribute in that area, he vacated a cottage and rooms in his home for their stay. His last translationg work was the Srila Prabhupada Siksamrta, and the first installation was the section on distributing books. He is suceeded by his wife and two Children, Lalita and Abhaya, both initiated devotees, who are also very strict in their spiritual lives, following in the footsteps of their father.

His example and dedication have inspired hundreds of devotees to follow Krsna Consciousnes. All glories to Sriman Vrajavasi Prabhu!

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32460

Following are excerpts from some scriptures (Puranas) describing the glories of lamp offering:

The sins accumulated in millions of kalpas vanish in an instant when a dipa is offered during Kartika. O great brahmana, listen to this dipa’s virtues, which are dear to Keshava. By offering a dipa in this month a person will not take birth on earth again.

This dipa-dana bestows all the benefits available at Kurukshetra during solar eclipses and at Narmada during lunar eclipses, multiplied by the millions. O great sage, what is the value of Ashvamedha sacrifices for someone who in this month lights ghee or sesame oil lamps? By this offering to the Lord, all prescribed activities, even if devoid of mantra, rituals and cleanliness  are brought to perfection. Anyone who offers dipa to Keshava during Kartika is actually performing all sorts of ablutions and sacrificial ceremonies.

On the other hand, all the pious deeds of the three worlds are not effective if this Kartika dipa does not burn before Lord Keshava.
O brahmana, since time immemorial the ancestors are praying, ‘If a scion who can please Lord Keshava by this dipa-dana would appear in our lineage, we would certainly all become liberated by the mercy of the Lord, who has a cakra on His hand.’

Moreover, even if the volume of one’s sins equals Mount Meru, this dipa-dana can certainly incinerate them. Be it in a temple of Lord Vasudeva or in one’s private house, this offering yields amazing results. Indeed, the person who lights this dipa before Madhusudana is fortunate and glorious, because even hundreds of sacrifices and ablutions in holy places cannot match the results instantly acquired by this dipa-dana.

Even one who never performs religious rituals or even the worst sinner will surely be purified by this offering. O Narada, in the three worlds there is no sin that can stand before this Kartika dipa. In fact, by presenting this dipa before Lord Vasudeva, the eternal abode can be reached without obstruction.

Now I will tell you about the merits accruing to one who offers a dipa with camphor throughout Kartika, or particularly on the day of Dvadashi. O Narada, all the born or to-be-born members of one’s family line, including all the innumerable forefathers, will enjoy in heaven for a long time according to their wishes, and will attain liberation by the grace of Lord Hari, who has a cakra on His hand.

In this month, O great brahmana, a person who illuminates Lord Keshava’s temple even for the sake of gambling purifies his family up to seven generations. And those who kindle this Kartika dipa in a temple of  Lord Vishnu will prosper with wealth, progeny, good reputation, and fame. Just as friction manifests the fire inherent in any wood, so this dipa-dana undoubtedly manifests dharma (present in any action).

O eminent brahmana, the destitute should also arrange for this offering throughout the month, until the full-moon day, even if it is necessary to sell his own person to do so.
The fool who does not offer this dipa in Lord Keshava’s temple during Kartika, O sage, should never be considered a Vaishnava.
(Skanda Purana, dialogue between Brahma and Narada)

Between the offering of all existing wealth and the offering of a dipa during Kartika there is no comparison – in fact, the latter is certainly more precious.
(Naradiya Purana, dialogue between Rukmangada and Mohini)

A person who kindles an akhanda-dipa before Lord Hari will leave for the Lord’s abode on a effulgent vehicle and live there in bliss.
(Padma Purana, dialogue between Shri Krishna and Satyabhama)
“Of all gifts, the gift of a lamp during the month of Kartik is the best. No gift is its equal.”

Source: http://www.iskconvrindavan.com/virtues-of-lamp-offering-during-month-of-kartika/

On October 16th the United Nations and the world celebrates World Food Day. In their communications the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) emphasizes: “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.” And they urge everyone: “Let's adapt agriculture to climate change to build the Zero Hunger Generation.”

According to Vladimir Rakhmanin, the European regional director of FAO, “while we have enough food to feed the entire human population, there are still millions out there starving. The problem is, he says, is not the quantity of the food we produce, it is the unbalance in distribution.” 

Rakhmanin also pointed out the importance of adapting the agriculture to the effects of climate change, by switching to sustainable, local agriculture. 

Volunteers of different faith groups discuss the tasks before the food distribution begins.

With its organic farm Krishna-valley, ISKCON Hungary has been one of the most well known champions of sustainability in Europe. To respond to the appeal of the UN FAO about the balanced distribution of food, on Sunday October 16th, ISKCON Hungary organized a major free food distribution event to the needy in Budapest.

Volunteers have distributed 1,600 plates of hot lunch, and gave out tons of dry food, including pasta, flour, vegetable oil, rice and other items from which families can cook from for weeks.

Hare Krishnas, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists worked together to help the needy on World Food Day.

The special feature of the charity event was that at this time, people from other religious communities have also joined the Krishna devotees in their effort in helping the poor. Dozens of Hungarian Muslim, Jew, and Buddhist volunteers contributed with money, food and their time to make the World Food Day free food distribution program in Budapest a great success.

People on the receiving end not only appreciated the food and kind words they got from people of different faiths today, but also the good example they witnessed in their way of cooperation, and their acting upon shared values.

Source:http://iskconnews.org/iskcon-hungary-organizes-interfaith-ffl-on-un-world-food-day,5867/  ;

Since its construction, Srila Prabhupada’s Palace has been the heart and soul of the New Vrindaban community in West Virginia. A sacred Smriti Samadhi, it is the greatest memorial to ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya in the Western World.

What’s more, it was beloved by Prabhupada himself, who wanted to retire to it to translate his books, and repeatedly asked when it would be completed.

“When my palace will be ready I shall go there and stay,” he wrote in 1974. “I like very much that place, very calm and quiet.”

So it is inspirational for many that this year has seen renewed energy and attention at Prabhupada’s Palace, as devotees work to again increase the international recognition it receives.

An important step was enlisting a qualified person to facilitate the effort. Enter new Palace Manager Vrajadhama Das from Toronto, who has been a devotee for twenty years and worked as an office manager and sales trainer before joining Prabhupada’s Palace this March.

“Serving Srila Prabhupada nicely is our priority,” he says. “If we’re not doing that, it doesn’t really matter what other improvements we’re making.”

To that end, a priority for Vrajadhama was to renovate a room in the Palace for a pujari, Srinama Das, to live in so that he can attend to Srila Prabhupada’s care full-time.

Devotees are also renovating the Palace kitchen, so that Srinama can prepare Prabhupada’s meal offerings onsite rather than transporting them up the hill from the temple.

The next priority is, of course, making sure that the devotees serving Prabhupada are happy.

“One way I try to do that is by recognizing and appreciating the devotees for the hard work that they’ve been doing here for so many years,” Vrajadhama says. “I walk the grounds of the Palace every morning, and stop and talk to everyone to see if they need anything and if they’re satisfied in their service. I also try to make sure that people are engaged in activities that suit their personal abilities, which was Srila Prabhupada’s philosophy of management.”

These efforts have resulted in increased staff enthusiasm and numbers, with four local people and twenty-one devotees engaged in various capacities, up considerably from previous years.

With the staff numerous and active, Prabhupada’s Palace is also seeing increased attendance at several unique programs that utilize its atmosphere of personal association with Srila Prabhupada.

One of these is the monthly Prabhupada Sangam, started in Spring 2013 by husband and wife Kripamaya Das and Krsna Bhavi Dasi, both Prabhupada disciples, and maintained today by Vrajadhama and his wife Nityananda Dasi.

“The evening starts off with grand disciples or second generation devotees talking about what Prabhupada means to them,” says Vrajadhama. “We then have Prabhupada disciples speak about their personal experiences with him – both local disciples as well as visiting devotees like Nanda Kumar Prabhu or Srutakirti Prabhu, who had lots of one-on-one time with him. It’s very sweet.”

The Sangams are an attempt to bring Prabhupada’s Palace to life. “I really wanted to bring the New Vrindaban community members back to the Palace,” says Vrajadhama. “To let them know, this is not just a place for tourists, but this is Prabhupada’s home – he’s here, and he wants you to come and visit.”

Each event is filmed and archived on the New Vrindaban YouTube page, and the last one was livestreamed on Facebook, an exciting new step in utilizing modern technology.

Meanwhile, as a way of reaching out to the public Kirtan Experience events are held on the First Friday of every month. Introduced in April this year, they are advertised locally in Wheeling and surrounding areas as a way to “enliven, unite and inspire through transcendental music.”

Between 30 and 50 people usually attend these programs, many of them general public who appreciate the sweet and informal vibe. Devotees from different ISKCON New Vrindaban departments take turns leading each time, starting off with slow bhajans and building until everyone is jumping up and down, spinning in circles, and having an all round great time.

Sharing that joy of Krishna consciousness with a much larger public audience was this year’s fifth annual Festival of Colors on September 17th, held on the Palace grounds. Drawing nearly three thousand local people despite rainy weather, it saw families and students chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, dancing, throwing colors and taking tours of Prabhupada’s Palace.

Feedback has been very positive, and weather providing in future years Vrajadhama feels the Festival can again hit previous heights of 4,500 and beyond.

It’s a reasonable expectation: this year, overall tourism at Prabhupada’s Palace already increased from 20,000 annually to approximately 30,000. Vrajadhama attributes this to stronger social media presence, as well as an increasing interest from TV, radio and print media.

“It’s really about getting ourselves out there,” says Vrajadhama. “Because we have so much to offer. People are becoming aware that we’re doing a lot of work here, and that we’re ready to reintroduce ourselves to the world. They’re excited about that, and they want to come and see what we’re up to.”

In addition to Srila Prabhupada, the regular events and Palace tours, there’s a lot to see these days, with many physical improvements being made too.

A new Smoothie Shack opened at the Palace on Memorial Day in May, with devotees repurposing and renovating an unused gazebo. Painting it the Palace Wall’s signature salmon pink, they added four matching bistro-style tables with umbrellas, and began serving fresh fruit smoothies, freshly squeezed organic lemonade, and ice cream.

In the future, there are plans to add a grill to offer sandwiches and other hot snacks. More benches will also be added in shaded areas to make the Palace grounds more welcoming.

“It’s an added service for guests who’ve come a long way,” Vrajadhama says. “Now they can sit down and look out over our lotus pond with a refreshing Strawberry Bananarama or Mango smoothie, and just take time to absorb the serene atmosphere. This is a place of pilgrimage, so we really want people to slow down, and see Krishna everywhere in the natural beauty of New Vrindaban.”

Meanwhile, Prabhupada’s Palace itself is undergoing a major restoration project, with beautiful new rose and black granite steps, and a new drainage system to protect against water damage. The outer wall is being stabilized with rebar and concrete, and given a new durable stucco finish, a saffron topping with lotus designs, and ornate black window frames in Jaipur-style arches.

As the construction team does this work, Vrajadhama is overseeing painters who have repainted the Palace’s ornate black and gold exterior, its railings, and its chattras, or lookout towers, giving a fresh new appearance.

Next, the Palace roof, which has been leaking and causing internal damage for years, will be stripped and rebuilt, along with a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

Whatever work devotees do, Vrajadhama feels, it will be successful as long as they keep Srila Prabhupada in the center and remember that he is always present at his Palace. As he told devotees in 1974, “I am already living here and always will be.”

“And that’s evident to both devotees and guests,” says Vrajadhama. “One woman took the tour this summer after she saw the Palace in a commercial. During the tour, she was listening very intently, really absorbing all the information. Then, when we turned the corner, entered Srila Prabhupada’s study, and saw him behind his desk writing in his murti form, she began to cry. Tears were running down her face, and she was overwhelmed with emotion. The others on the tour felt it too. And at that moment I knew that Srila Prabhupada is here – and that although he might physically appear to be absent, he will always be in his Palace.”

“This,” concludes Vrajadhama, “Is what makes Prabhupada’s Palace such an important place, and why it’s so important for us to continue improving and caring for it. Not only for us, but also for our children, and their children, and for the people of America – to be able to come and experience its gifts far into the future.”

Source:http://www.brijabasispirit.com/2016/10/16/new-vrindaban-devotees-serve-prabhupada-at-his-palace-with-renewed-enthusiasm/

First day of the GBC meetings in Mumbai. Wonderful gathering of amazing sadhus. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=32373

On behalf of Jananivas, Ambarisa, Svaha and Braja Vilas prabhus and the entire TOVP Team, it is with great sorrow and bereavement that we have learned of the passing of one of the TOVP’s first heroes, His Grace Sri Nathji prabhu (Dr. N.D. Desai) yesterday, October 17th. We are in shock at his sudden departure at the age of 76 due to heart failure during a visit to Bhutan. It is truly a dark day of loss for the TOVP and for his family. We offer our condolences to his wife, two sons and daughter during this challenging time. His cremation ceremony will be held on October 18th in India. He will be greatly missed by us all.

Yet we are also blissful and confident that he has been blessed by Srila Prabhupada in his forward journey to the Lord’s abode. As Srila Prabhupada told Mr. Sethi regarding his helping to build the temple at Juhu, Mumbai, “If you help build this temple, the Lord will build a great temple for you in Vaikuntha”, Sri Nathji prabhu will no doubt be similarly rewarded for his seva to the cause of Sridhama Mayapur. As Braja Vilas prabhu relates:

“In 2011 I was living in America and working when Ambarisa prabhu mercifully offered me this greatest seva opportunity to help with fundraising for the TOVP. I agreed even though I had absoulutely no experience doing anything like that before nor any connections in India, having left there years before. In the first month of my new service I somehow had the opportunity to meet Sri Nathji prabhu at Radha Krishna prabhu’s house in Chowpatty and we introduced ourselves. I explained to him about the TOVP project and how Ambarisa prabhu had given the seed funding of $22 million to start the project and that it was well underway. He was so inspired by the idea and to hear of Ambarisa prabhu’s dedication that, to my surprise and without me even asking, he immediately said he would give $1 million. Ambarisa prabhu and I later visited his home and he immediately gave the full amount. We later found out that this money was originally supposed to be for the Chowpatty temple, but Sri Nathji prabhu, with the permission of his guru, His Holiness Radhanath Swami, had decided to help the TOVP instead. Even at a recent program at his home he received Lord Nityananda’s Padukas and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Sitari with great pomp and celebration and performed an abhisheka and arati for Their service. He became like a Grandfather to me, full of love and caring feelings, and always enthusiastic, energetic and entertaining. Our connection was such that I felt I knew him from a previous life. I am deeply aggrieved at this loss and am remorseful that he will not be with us at the Grand Opening of the TOVP in 2022. He was the first donor to the TOVP after Ambarisa prabhu’s initial seed funding and this literally kick-started the entire fundraising campaign, and for this service to Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada’s mission we are eternally indebted and grateful.”

Sri Nathji prabhu was born Narendra Dharmsind Desai on May 22, 1940 in Baroda, Gujarat in India. His mother, Shanta Ben, a Krishna bhakta, prayed that he would become a great devotee of Krishna, even while still in her womb. As explained by Satyaraja das (Steven J. Rosen) in his biographical book, Bhakti-Yoga in Business, The Spiritual Journey of Dr. N.D. Desai, “When she was pregnant, she prayed several times each day before that picture (of Lord Krishna) for a son that would serve Lord Krishna with full enthusiasm. Years later, when he took initiation as a Vaishnava, she confessed that she was fully satisfied – Krishna had answered her prayers.”

Even after earning his Ph.D. in engineering and eventually becoming a successful businessman, Sri Nathji prabhu incorporated his devotion to Lord Krishna on a practical level. As he explains in Satyaraja prabhu’s book, “Both my mother and father, of course, supported the idea that everything belongs to Krishna, and so we eventually incorporated the standard Vaishnava principle of giving fifty percent of our profits to devotional activities, which we did through ISKCON or through other charitable organizations.” Satyaraja prabhu adds, “In due course, he would give much, much more than fifty percent. He would give his all.”

He finally met Srila Prabhupada in 1971 and his life changed forever. “I first met Srila Prabhupada, my spiritual teacher, in March, 1971 and this changed my life. Meeting a pure devotee has that effect – it brings one to another stage of existence.”

With that devotional attitude and with inspiration from Ambarisa prabhu, Sri Nathji prabhu gave his full support to the TOVP. Ambarisa and Svaha prabhus are grateful and thankful for his endearing devotion and we at the TOVP are all eternally indebted to him for his service. Jananivas prabhu will be organizing a special Nrsimha puja in his honor, among other observances.

We wish to conclude with this statement from Srila Prabhupada:

“If you help build this temple in Sridhama Mayapur, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur will personally come and take you back to Godhead.”

We believe this is certainly the case with Sri Nathji prabhu. He was a living example of the ability to live a spiritual life while actively taking part in the workaday world, and is a shining example to all Vaishnavas in that regard. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is undoubtedly pouring his blessings upon him.

All glories to His Grace Sriman Sri Nathji prabhu.

For further biographical information and inspiration about the life of Sri Nathji prabhu, a copy of Satyaraja prabhu’s book, Bhakti-Yoga in Business, The Spiritual Journey of Dr. N.D. Desai, can be purchased here:

http://store.krishna.com/bhakti-yoga-in-business-the-spiritual-journey-of-dr-n-d-desai/

Dr. N.D.Desai (Srinathji Prabhu) 

Industrialist with a Mission 

(22.05.1940 - 17.10.2016)

A successful Bombay engineer seeks to inspire purity in his daily world of business and finance

Every evening at 6:00 Narendra Desai leaves his office in downtown Bombay. His chauffeur drives him home through Streets crowded with cars, trucks, ox-carts, rickshas, eight million people, and an occasional elephant. They pull up at a seven-story building overlooking parks, swimming pools, and the Arabian Sea. Upstairs, Dr. Desai bathes, changes into white silk robes, applies two lines of sacred clay to his forehead, and enters the marble temple in his apartment. He places three drops of water in his right hand, then three drops in the left, lights three sticks of incense, and begins reciting Sanskrit verses of prayer.

Soon his wife and three children join him. Tiny burning wicks of clarified butter throw soft light on the devotional paintings and tapestries. Everyone's attention is focused on the smiling Deities of Lord Krsna and His consort Radha. After the last prayer has been recited and the last flower offered, parents and children bow to the floor in submission to the Deities and then prepare for a dinner of vegetarian dishes first offered to the Lord.

The Desai family repeats the procedure each morning and evening, seven days a week, 365 a year. Brought up by pious, well-to-do parents, Dr. Desai has known the significance of the arati ceremony since childhood. In fact, so have most Hindus. The same elaborate offering to the Deity takes place in millions of homes across the subcontinent and around the world. Krsna, the ceremony proclaims, is the Supreme Lord and enjoyer of all works and sacrifices. He is the real master of the home, and His pleasure is the true goal of one's daily activities.

For Dr. Desai, however, the ceremony does not end with the last ablution. As an initiated devotee of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, he has dedicated his words, wealth, intelligence, and life to spreading the teachings of Lord Krsna. His spiritual name, Nathji dasa, means "servant of Lord Krsna, who is the master of all creation."

An ordinary day for Nathji begins at 4:00 A.M. After morning duties he takes a brisk walk around Seaface Park while chanting Hare Krsna on prayer beads and then joins his family in their temple room by 6:30 for ceremonies and a reading fromBhagavad-gita. At breakfast, father and children trade stories from the epic histories Ramayana and Mahabharata. At 8:00 Nathji brings his children to school and continues on to his office, where duties may include reviewing company accounts, evaluating new equipment, calling the minister of finance in Delhi about a new export factory, or visiting the refinery in Trombay, a Bombay suburb. Nathji returns home by 7:00 for evening temple ceremonies, an offering of foods to the Deity, and then dinner with his family. Before retiring at 10:00 he may read from scriptures or prepare notes for his Sunday lecture at ISKCON's Bombay temple and cultural center.

Nathji is the chairman of the board and managing director of several private companies, whose total combined sales exceed $40 million annually. Among his factories are India's largest producer of light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, and other lighting supplies and the country's second largest supplier of active electronic components. Despite the importance of his various enterprises, Nathji's real attention remains focused on his projects for spreading Krsna consciousness. In addition to providing financial backing for temples, cow protection centers (go-salas) like the one at the ISKCON asrama in Hyderabad, and the printing of Vaisnava literature, he has designed a traveling temple, built on a large Tata company truck chassis that will broadcast Bhagavad-gita to villages all over India. He sponsors gatherings as well sometimes in tents holding fifteen thousand people, sometimes in the privacy of his own apartment to teach bhakti (devotional service to Lord Krsna) and encourage membership in ISKCON. Nathji also serves as General Secretary to Bombay's Bhaktivedanta Institute, a branch of ISKCON dedicated to presenting Vedic scriptural conclusions in scientific terms.

At age twenty-one Nathji graduated with a masters' in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. That same year he secured a contract from Sunoco to open a nonfuel oil refinery outside Bombay. and soon thereafter he finished his Ph.D. One evening in 1971 he met devotees for the first time at his parents' house. His father, a member of Indian Parliament and president of several Bombay factories, often received religious people at his home. He greatly appreciated Srila Prabhupada's purity and world preaching efforts and invited him to come with disciples for chanting and a lecture. That evening Nathji's father became one of ISKCON's first Life Members, but Nathji remained skeptical. He had read several editions of Bhagavad-gita commented upon by impersonalistic scholars, and the nondevotional, monistic school appealed to him more than the idea of a personal God.

Still, Nathji began to visit Srila Prabhupada whenever Prabhupada came to Bombay. "I would argue that the Vedas describe every living entity as brahman, spiritual energy, and that Krsna is just one expression of that spiritual energy. Srila Prabhupada would correct me immediately. 'You may be brahman, but Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. He is the source of everything, including the brahman energy. You are a tiny particle of brahman, and He is the complete whole. Where have you picked up this nonsense impersonalistic idea? You are God? Did you create the universe? What is your authority to speak? Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita. Can you speak such wisdom?' In this way he would defeat me."

Despite philosophical differences with Srila Prabhupada, Nathji was attracted by his explanations and broad vision of theological matters. Studying the books of Krsna consciousness and attending classes at the Bombay temple led Nathji to adopt the chanting of Hare Krsna as a daily meditation. Eventually he even relinquished his impersonal conceptions of truth in favor of the Vaisnava explanation that the soul retains individuality eternally in loving service to the Supreme Person.

Relatives and acquaintances looked askance at the idea of a highborn Hindu taking initiation from an American. "I told them there was nothing American left in him, that he had completely dedicated himself to Krsna's transcendental loving service. But many of them remained socially offended. I had been in Bombay five years, accumulating 'friends' like sins, and after my initiation many of them at first shunned me."

The notion that only born Hindus can accept spiritual initiation or perform the initiatory rites is widespread in India yet erroneous. According to Vaisnava scriptures, offering initiation into spiritual life is the prerogative of anyone fully conversant with the science of Krsna consciousness, and any sincere person can be a candidate for initiation. Nonetheless, social custom has made guruship and discipleship the privileges of those born in brahmana, or high-caste, families. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who promulgated the Krsna consciousness movement in Bengal five hundred years ago. defied this artificial restriction and, on the authority of scripture, accepted disciples from middle-class, low-class, and even outcaste families. The spiritual masters in succession from Him have followed His example.

Nathji was not disturbed by the criticism ("I didn't become a devotee to win friends," he says), and he continued his devotional practices openly. Paintings of Lord Krsna and His many incarnations adorned the walls of his office and home. Holiday gifts to clients included posters of the Deities at New Vrindaban, his spiritual master's rural community in West Virginia. 

Not long after Nathji's initiation, a young Communist union leader instigated a strike at one of Nathji's factories. Nathji rejected the strike leader's ambitious demands and instead handed him a copy of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita.

"This has nothing to do with religion," the union organizer said. "We are talking worker-management relations."

"Then consult the real owner of the factory," Nathji replied. "My workers know I am a devotee of Lord Krsna. They know I manage this place on His behalf. They also know I try to encourage them by setting an example of fairness and concern for their well-being. These are qualities Lord Krsna praises in the Gita. But your demands are unreasonable by any standards except your own. If you want to negotiate successfully with me, I suggest you take this book home and read it."

Nathji noted that the workers were impressed by hearing him speak so strongly about the Gita's teachings, and after a few meetings they signed an agreement. Nathji later learned that the union leader, like many of his contemporaries, had received training in Bhagavad-gita as a boy and that the negotiations had rekindled his appreciation for its teachings. After the strike the union leader even commented that work, after all, "wasn't everything." Eventually he quit the Party and took to regularly studying the sacred text.

"I had never heard of a strike being argued in quite that way," Nathji says, "but one must have the strength of his convictions. Especially in business, where corruption is so widespread, Bhagavad-gita has been for me an important guiding force for knowing how to act in the right way."

Acting "in the right way" is a lesson Nathji imparts gently to his children, whom he feels have been "entrusted" to him. "Lord Krsna describes in the Gita that unsuccessful yogis take their birth in affluent or devotee families, a position from which they may easily complete their course of self-realization. By Krsna's arrangement, I am able to offer my children a favorable situation for becoming Krsna conscious, and I therefore take it that they are very elevated souls.

"When I talk to them about the eternality of the soul and our loving relationship with Krsna, they take it seriously. It's not that I impose the Gita's teachings on them; they actually understand and follow. Of course I still play the role of father, but they know that in a higher sense Krsna is their real Father and I am more like a guardian."

Nathji also teaches his children not to fall for what he calls "sweet talk, " that is, the allurement of materialism without carefully considering the consequences. "A classmate may invite them to smoke or drink or indulge in some other distraction, so we have an agreement. Before accepting any proposal they are not sure is truly beneficial, we discuss: What do the scriptures say? What will the effect be? What is the authority behind the suggestion, its motive? Naturally, the main thing is for them to see good examples in their father and mother. Children are so perceptive, they see even the slightest flaw. In that way they are forcing us to become Krsna conscious."

Nathji's mother, an elderly woman who has done much social service and received several requests to run for public office, was at first suspicious that such a large organization as ISKCON might have been infiltrated by the C.I.A. Her suspicions were allayed when Giriraja Swami reassured her that any agent capable of chanting Hare Krsna on beads for the two prescribed hours daily, following the rules of a devotee no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxicants (including coffee, tea, and cigarettes), and no gambling would be a true agent of intelligence and a most welcome member of the community. Mrs. Desai has been a well-wisher of ISKCON ever since.

"Srila Prabhupada's message to the world was not one of artificial renunciation," Nathji says, "but of devotion. Whatever you may be family man, businessman, professional add Krsna to your life and be happy. Business, after all, is an essential element of society. But if you work for Krsna, your life becomes sublime."

Source: http://www.backtogodhead.in/n-d-desai-industrialist-with-a-mission-by-yogesvara-dasa/

Dear Devotees,