The 2016 Srila Prabhupada Tributes book – “the open Vyasa-puja book” – is now available as a pdf file from www.sptributes.com. Physical books have already been mailed. Each year, all initiated disciples of Srila Prabhupada are welcome to write offerings for the book. And any disciple who sends an offering will receive a physical copy of the book.If you were initiated by Srila Prabhupada but didn’t receive an invitation to contribute, please write to sptributes (at) gmail.com in order to be added to the mailing list.

Below is a random offering:

Dearest Srila Prabhupada, please accept my humble obeisances and commitment unto your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace!

In this holy day of your appearance I would like to join the chorus of my god-brothers and god-sisters who are glorifying you in such a sincere and heartfelt way.

When I met you I immediately became aware of having in front of me an extraordinary personality. And as time went, this perception not only solidified but it became more and more verified and enhanced.

I became attracted especially by these qualities of yours:

Your concise way of speaking. You always described the Absolute Truth with a few and properly chosen words.

Your sense of detachment. You acted with urgency and involvement but at the end you withdrew your self out and let the results develop in their own way.

The integrity of your character. You were not influenced by your surroundings. You were always your self.

The true humility of your personality. You never took credit for all the success you were meeting, attributing everything to your spiritual master and the good will of the Lord.

Your vast knowledge of sastras and your ability to cite them in each and every circumstance.

Your steadiness. You performed your duty in all times, places and circumstances.

You were able to set your priorities correctly. So you executed the most important and the necessary. No wasting time in secondary engagements.

You were expert judge of place, time and circumstances. I saw you how you reacted and behaved in different kinds of situations and it was always perfect, appropriate and pleasing. I never have seen any other vaikuntha man acting like this while being in the same “mundane” plane where we were!

Once, in Los Angeles, when you were residing in your apartment which had a window towards the street, and if you were standing up, then you could be seen from the outside, I was passing that very street and looking up I saw you. And what you were doing? You were standing in front of a picture of your Guru Maharaja and offering him obeisances or prayers with your hands folded in the namaskar position. I was so moved by this manifestation of your love you were exhibiting in a solitary place!

The energy and creativity you generated was unbelievable, even though you were in a body so fragile and of advanced age.

You were always engaged with intensity, concentration and seriousness in whatever you were doing. You had complete control of your mind and your other senses and you submitted your body in austere and demanding conditions like traveling from one continent to the next and adjusting it immediately to the local timetable, climate, food etc.

Your faith to the Lord, the previous Acaryas and the sastras was so complete that you were able to move your disciple’s consciousness drastically and swiftly to the transcendental dimension.

You were balanced in your relations with others, even when confronting extreme elements, offensive behavior or craziness, still you didn’t overreacted and didn’t departed from your being a perfect gentleman.

Although you were like a general with the most important mission to save humanity still you had also the heart of a mother and never sacrificed an individual soul for the sake of your mission.

These elevated and attractive qualities could be experienced constantly by anyone fortunate to be in your presence. You had a taste for Krishna katha and you were 100% committed in the Sankirtan Yajna of Lord Chaitanya, which you carried with no signs that you were doing some austerity or sacrifice. You were always satisfied within, blissful and free from anxiety.

The benefit that all these qualities created for me, Srila Prabhupada, is that they brought me to the point of surrendering and offering all my energy to you, and through you to the Lord.

We all have the tendency and need to love, but in the material world, being continuously disappointed with our relations with the others due to the impurities, we can’t find any person we consider worth of our love, service and surrender. And as our nature is to be happy only when we experience love and express it through service, not finding a person deserving our trust and love we often end up with serving and loving nobody.

But for the fortunate souls, like us, who met your Divine Grace, finally these loving energies were liberated and manifested in the proper way, to the proper person and for the proper cause.

So, Srila Prabhupada, thanks to your personality, the personification of Bhagavatam, I found my way towards back Home, back to Godhead.

Every year my faith increases and the appreciation, gratitude and love I feel for you becomes deeper and bigger.
Your biggest gift, the chanting of the Holy Name, still reigns supreme in the center of my existence, and your teachings are still the favorable winds pushing my vessel towards the supreme destination.

I am your creation Srila Prabhupada, one of your miracles. From ignorant, lost and sleeping soul to aspiring servant of the pure devotee! What a fortune in the Kali Yuga times humanity is going through! Thank you Srila Prabhupada for bringing me back to life! I was unconsciously dreaming some nonsense and you brought me to the beautiful reality again!

You spent hours and hours translating the best of the Vedic literature so that you could convince us about the potency of the Holy Names of the Lord.

So if you engaged the most valuable time of your days for this goal then, following your example, I am considering that the highest benefit I should also strive to contribute to others is this development, maintenance and increase of their faith to the Holy Name. Because once one comes in regular contact and with faith for the Holy Name then the Name Himself will do the rest for the upliftment and perfection of that soul.

People in general may not understand why the devotees chant repeatedly these same words and they tend to think that the value and potency attributed to this chanting is exaggerated. So you have taught us to distribute your books to help them come to the proper conviction.

After all, in each and every religion, either through the prayer, the public worship, eucharistic rites or study of the holy scriptures, according to its particular beliefs, customs and traditions, all is based in the medium of the sound, pronounced silently, loudly or read, individually or collectively, as a means of connection. The same sound I am even using right now to express respectfully my deep esteem, love and gratitude for your Divine Grace.

You have described this transcendental sound to be like the favorable wind which is pushing our human life towards the supreme destination. You have also indicated that for the chanting to bring about its beneficial result there must be submissive and concentrated hearing.

So, dear Srila Prabhupada, through the chanting of the Holy Name every day, with all humility in my command and power of recollection, I am praying to continue being allowed to perform some small part in the Sankirtana movement and try, like this, to please you, reciprocating the mercy received.

Thank you for having me accepted as your disciple!
Please intercede with the Lord for this lowly soul to be able to attain His shelter! I know I am not up to the standard but if you talk to Him He will surely show some more mercy… And please help us cooperate among ourselves for your service! You are the unifying factor, if not you who else?

Mercy Srila Prabhupada!!! Mercy!!

Your aspiring servant
Citraka; dasa

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30686

The harmonium was born in Europe – so how did it become synonymous with Indian music?
The Indian harmonium similarly made its way to the United States in the first half of the 20th century, but it was the Asian immigration wave in the 1950s-1960s that popularised it.
This was also the period of the American Counterculture, an anti-establishment cultural movement fuelled by such disparate elements as women’s rights, race relations, and the Vietnam War. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known was ISKCON, was assisted in his early years in America by Beatniks like Allen Ginsberg.
As the harmonium was by this time an established vehicle for devotional music, ISKCON members using it became a common sight. Beatniks and hippies gravitated towards the instrument. Ginsberg played it constantly, most famously when he whipped it out and chanted the Hare Krishna mantra to the conservative writer and commentator William F Buckley Jr on his “Firing Line” television show in September 1968.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/k1voGq

Source : http://m.dandavats.com/?p=23670

 The hole in the ground has been there for a month now, but Caru Das can’t stop admiring it.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) By Lee Bensen Deseret News

Aug 18, 2016

Who’d have thought? A Krishna temple in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley?

Caru (Cha-roo) and his wife, Vai Bhavi, are local leaders of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, started in New York City in 1966 by a devotee of Krishna — “God,” in the Hindu vernacular — named A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It’s more commonly known as Hare Krishna, a branch of Hinduism.

An early Hare Krishna enthusiast was George Harrison of The Beatles, whose support helped the new religion gain its popular footing.

As for Caru, it wasn’t Beatles music that attracted him to the Hare Krishnas, but rather a search for a spiritual foundation that would carry him through this life and the lives to come.

Born in 1946 in Pennsylvania as Chris Warden, Caru traveled the world in the ‘60s, making his way to the Canary Islands, France, Israel, India and finally Australia, where he ran into Hare Krishna missionaries on George Street in Sydney. He was 24 years old and working construction at the time.

“I’d seen it all: beaches, palm trees, beautiful lands,” Caru says 45 years later. “But that horizon wasn’t as attractive to me as the inner landscape” those devotees helped him see.

He went all in, as did his wife, Christine (she’s from England; they met in Australia). In 1970, they were baptized as Krishna devotees and given their new spiritual names — preparing them both for further enlightenment and, as Caru likes to quip, rid them of the problem of “People calling on the phone and asking for ‘Chris’ and us having to ask, ‘Which one?’”

Whatever your mental image of a Krishna consciousness leader, add in humor, friendliness, kindness and charisma and you have Caru Das, a man whose ability to transcend borders, ideologies and religious differences has enabled him, and his religion, to survive and thrive in the middle of Mormondom.

He and Vai first came to Utah in 1982 to purchase a small AM radio station in Spanish Fork, along with the five acres the station sat on.

Ten years later, they had expanded to 15 acres and announced plans to build a temple. The ornate structure, believed to be the only legitimate example of Rajasthani architecture in the United States, was designed by Vai, opened in 2001 and has become not only a gathering place for Hare Krishna followers, but also a tourist site that attracts some 50,000 people a year. The annual Color Festival held on the temple grounds has evolved into a Utah County rite of spring, attended by thousands, many of them college students from Utah Valley University or LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University.

“We did it the hard way,” says Caru. “We opened our first temple in a place that’s 90 percent LDS. If we’d done our R&D, that would have never happened.”

But if converts weren’t exactly beating down their door, the neighbors, Caru adds, nonetheless welcomed them with open arms.

“Great neighbors, great friends,” he says. “The LDS Foundation gave us $20,000 just to get started.”

The only part that confused the locals, Caru recalls with a grin, was the accessibility of the temple. Mormon temples aren’t open to the general public, while Krishna temples, in addition to being houses of preaching, ritual and worship, are also community centers with places to eat, play music, study, socialize and even stay overnight — with no restrictions.

“People kept asking, ‘Will the public be invited?’” says Caru. “I was like, ‘Well, yeah.’”

Suffice it to say that the success in Spanish Fork paved the way for plans to build a similar, if smaller, temple in Salt Lake County on property the Hare Krishnas own just east of 900 East and south of 3300 South.

Also designed by Vai, the completed temple “will be exquisite,” promises her husband.

Caru envisions the Salt Lake temple as a beacon of spirituality for not only the 100 families active in the faith in the valley, but for others looking for positivity and enlightenment as well.

“Salt Lake City is a different story than Spanish Fork,” he says. “There are more here who need ministration. We can make a difference in more lives here.”

It took three years to get enough funds pledged and secure the proper building permits to get started, but on July 10, after a ceremony apologizing to Krishna for disturbing Mother Earth (but for all good purposes), track hoes moved in and dug the hole Caru has been admiring ever since.

Soon enough, the foundation will be poured and the temple will take shape. The domes and cones that will grace the exterior, Taj Mahal-style, have already been built and are in storage, awaiting the walls to get framed.

“We’ve got the batter and we’ve got the icing,” muses Caru, putting Krishna consciousness on a level all can understand. “Now we’ve just got to bake the cake.”

Source : http://news.hjnews.com/logan_hj/krishna-among-the-mormons-hindu-based-sect-plans-temple-in/article_3765db85-8a5f-5afb-836f-8fb856bcd8af.html

Hundreds of devotees and guests attended two programs at the Sydney Opera House. One in the afternoon and the other at night.

The theme was, “The Transcendental Journey,” which depicted Srila Prabhupada’s coming to America and incorporating ISKCON 50 years ago.

It was a wonderful day with plays, dancing, kirtana and speeches.

Source : http://www.ramaiswami.com/opera-house-function/

“Mrs. Nair’s husband died, and eventually she had a a change of heart. She surrendered to Srila Prabhupada and said, ‘I really didn’t go along with my husband; I didn’t want him to do that.’ Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘Don’t worry. You are like my daughter. If a man is going on the wrong path in the morning and comes to the right path in the evening, he is not lost. Now you have taken the right path and have reached home. You can stay in any of our centers; we will take care of you. Now you just devote the rest of your life to Krishna, chanting Hare Krishna and serving Krishna. Everything will be all right.’

“The registrar had come out to Juhu, and Mrs. Nair and Srila Prabhupada signed the documents. Then a big feast was served. Afterwards Srila Prabhupada leaned back on his asana and said, ‘It was a good fight. Someone should write a book about it.’ ”

Source : http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=11328

The Bhagavad-gita likens knowledge to a sword (jnana-asina). Its sharp edge can lop off our doubts and give birth to firm conviction. Yet, the acquisition of knowledge comes with a great responsibility. If one neglects to cultivate the appropriate devotional disposition, the sword of knowledge can actually be misused in one’s spiritual journey. Ancient sages therefore placed immense emphasis on the development of character, especially for those who were receiving the gift of wise words.

Knowledge without humility can give someone a falsely over-rated notion of their own spiritual status. Complacent and proud, their internal growth is stunted, leaving them highly susceptible to attacks of illusion. Knowledge without compassion and soft-heartedness can render one insensitive, condescending and judgmental. It can impair one’s vision of others, and block them from having the necessary discernment to mediate human relationships. Knowledge without a deep sense of selflessness can lead to exploitation, manipulation and deviation, creating a crisis of faith amongst unassuming followers. A leader is not ascertained simply by how much he knows, but by who he is. Knowledge without practical application can lead one into the deserts of dry philosophizing and mental gymnastics, falling way short of the incredible spiritual experiences that come from walking the talk. Krishna stresses that one who is actually in knowledge gives their heart and soul in the spirit of service. 

It was Socrates who said that real education is not about filling up a basket, but about rekindling a light from within. The sages who scribed so many verses and offered the world so much knowledge, repeatedly warned us not to simply read the books in a scholarly or academic way, but understand the spirit and call to action of the divine words. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly stressed that real education is character development. His name reminds us of the balance we have to strike – “Bhaktivedanta: knowledge with devotion.” I'm seeking the company of those who have perfectly married these principles, for I have neither. That’s the winning formula.

Source : http://sutapamonk.blogspot.in/2015/08/double-edged-sword.html

The International Society of Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishna Movement, turned 50, last month. The Rising Sun has therefore decided to take a closer look at its achievements and the impact they have on society.

Residents have all seen devotees along the streets wearing a doti, sari, tilaka and chanting Hare Krishna with an assortment of instruments including the mrdanga and kartalas.

ISCKON has a sister organisation called Food For Life Global, which over a period of 50 years has distributed over three billion plates of vegetarian food. The food is said to be spiritual or karma-free, nourishing both the body and soul because it is first offered to Krishna (God). This is how the movement makes its contribution to curbing the poverty of the stomach, mind and the soul globally. In Durban alone, more than 10, 000 plates of food are distributed a day in schools, rural communities and to the homeless.

The main mission of the Hare Krishna is sharing for the betterment of society. Sharing their happiness with others via eatables, taking to the streets and chanting holy names of Krishna, which is always accompanied by dancing, this is activity called ‘Harinama Sankirtan’ or congregational chanting of the holy names. Fundamentally, the mission of the Hare Krishnas is to bring people closer to God.

Distribution of spiritual books is another critical element of ISKCON and in the 50 years that it has been around, the movement has distributed over 516 million books worldwide.

Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, Swami Prabhupada in this connection has said, “Books are the basis; purity is the force; preaching is the essence; utility is the principle.” Book distribution happens mostly on a one-on-one basis, where devotees take to the streets, malls, airports, people’s homes and concerts to share books with people for a small donation, to help print more books.

You can also find their books in book stores, online and in a ‘Smart-Box’. A Smart-Box is a portable book shelf with a donation slot usually kept in doctor’s offices and shops. These books carry the entire philosophy of the movement.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness which combats issues of physical, mental and spiritual starvation was legally founded on July 13 1966 by 70-year-old A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

In the spirit of service to God and all living entities and to celebrate the golden jubilee the movement has pledged to distribute 500, 000 books, 50 million plates of vegetarian sanctified food or ‘Krishna prasadam’ adding to the three billion already distributed since 1966, temples all over the world are also hosting Hari-Kirtan (chanting of the holy names) events such as the 50 hour Kirtan.

Source : http://risingsunchatsworth.co.za/67148/iskcon-celebrates-50-years-of-community-service/

The TOVP Art Team has completed the sculpture of Garuda. It will go in Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Dome.

Source : https://tovp.org/construction/garuda/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=garuda

RUSSIA: Anti-sharing beliefs law first use

A Hare Krishna adherent has become the first person to be charged under Russia's new law restricting sharing beliefs. Anti-extremism police in the North Caucasus republic of Karachai-Cherkessiya arrested 19-year-old Vadim Sibiryev on 28 July on suspicion of violating the Religion Law by handing out religious literature in the street. But a judge acquitted Sibiryev on 15 August, when his lawyer successfully argued that his actions did not fit the law's definition of "missionary" activity.

On 20 July, only two days before Sibiryev's alleged "offence", amendments to the Religion Law and Administrative Code had come into force restricting the sharing of religious beliefs in public and introducing heavy financial penalties for those who violate these restrictions (see F18News 8 July 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2197). Had he been convicted, Sibiryev could have received a fine of up to 50,000 Roubles.

A fine of 50,000 Roubles (6,400 Norwegian Kroner, 690 Euros, or 780 US Dollars) represents about six weeks' average wages for those in work.

So far, no other religious associations have reported similar cases involving their members. Council of Churches Baptists confirmed to Forum 18 on 19 August that none of their adherents have been prosecuted under the law restricting sharing beliefs.

There have been many violations of freedom of religion or belief in Russia in recent years – especially against Muslims who read the works of the theologian Said Nursi and Jehovah's Witnesses - through the use of anti-"extremism" Laws (see Forum 18's Russia "extremism" religious freedom survey http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1724).

In 2012, prosecutors in Tomsk tried to ban "The Bhagavad Gita As It Is", a key text for Hare Krishna devotees, as "extremist". The attempt failed after a public outcry both locally and in India (see F18News 21 March 2012 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1682).

Definition of "missionary" activity "is such that it can be interpreted as anything"

The attempted prosecution of Sibiryev brought a mixed reaction from lawyers and human rights activists. In a 7 August piece on her own website, published before the verdict was issued, lawyer Inna Zagrebina remarked that, even with a positive outcome, the case does not bode well for future application of the amendment, as it demonstrated the "low threshold of legal and religious knowledge of police officers in the regions".

Noting that Sibiryev had told the police that he was not an official representative of a religious association (a key provision of the amendment) and had insisted on his right to legal defence, Zagrebina also pointed out that individuals need to educate themselves in the law to protect themselves from possible prosecution.

The amendment's definition of "missionary" activity "is such that it can be interpreted as anything", Sibiryev's lawyer Mikhail Frolov commented to the "Vedomosti" newspaper on 15 August. He added, however, that the court had taken an informed decision and expressed hope that judicial practice would continue to respect individuals' rights.

Human rights activist Pavel Chikov also observed to "Vedomosti" that the Judge in Sibiryev's case, Viyneger Dzhankyozov, "was probably not prepared to set a precedent". The decision is a "good signal", he continued, "which demonstrates the irrationality of the amendments. The first case of application [of the law] has caused a conflict between opposite interpretations of the rules by police and courts. This means that from the very first instance of application, a foundation has been laid for a subsequent challenge of the law."

Detained for offering religious literature

Sibiryev, a student from Nizhny Novgorod Region, was handing out religious literature in the centre of Cherkessk, where he was visiting a friend. Unemployed lawyer Rashid Zitlyauzhev reported this to the police. In his written complaint of 27 July, seen by Forum 18, Zitlyauzhev claims he saw two young men whose "behaviour seemed strange to me, since they were trying to talk to passers-by". One of them "introduced himself as a follower of Krishnaism" and gave Zitlyauzhev a book, which he later found to be about Hare Krishna beliefs.

Zitlyauazhev adds that he "found out from the internet that distribution of religious literature is permitted only in specially designated places" (an inaccurate reference to a provision of the "missionary" law, Forum 18 notes). He asks the police to bring administrative charges.

The complaint was passed on to the anti-extremism police, who found and arrested Sibiryev the next day. According to the 28 July police report, also seen by Forum 18, he was charged under Article 5.26, Part 4, of the Administrative Code with distributing "literature of a religious character" in violation of the 1997 Religion Law. He was not held in pre-trial detention and his companion from the time of the alleged "offence" was not involved in the case.

It is usual for anti-extremism police to take on "religious" cases across Russia, lawyer Frolov explained to Forum 18 on 16 August, even if the incident under investigation bears no relation to "extremism".

Article 5.26, Part 4, punishes "the conducting of missionary activity in violation of [the Religion Law]". For individuals, this carries a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 Roubles – for religious organisations, a fine of 100,000 to 1 million Roubles. The new Part 5 fines foreign and stateless persons 30,000 to 50,000 Roubles for the same offence. The new Part 3 fines religious organisations 30,000 to 50,000 Roubles for activities (including the distribution of literature) carried out without displaying their official full names.

Acquittal

At the final hearing in Sibiryev's case on 15 August at Cherkessk's Magistrate's Court No. 3, Judge Dzhankyozov "agreed with all the arguments of the defence", lawyer Frolov told Forum 18 on 16 August. Specifically, the Judge agreed that Sibiryev had been distributing religious literature as a private person, not as an authorised representative of a religious association, and not with the aim of involving anyone in a religious association. According to the written verdict, seen by Forum 18, his actions therefore "do not contain the set of attributes of missionary activity".

The Religion Law defines "missionary activity" as "the activity of a religious association aimed at the dissemination of information about its beliefs among [non-members], with the goal of involving these people as participants". The law's rules on who may perform missionary activity state that those doing so on behalf of a religious group or organisation must carry written authorisation from that association. There is no explicit mention of individuals sharing beliefs purely on their own initiative.

Frolov pointed out in court that the police report did not specify which legal norm Sibiryev had violated, only that he had "distributed literature of a religious character" in contravention of the Religion Law – which does not forbid such an activity.

Reached by Forum 18 on 19 August, Judge Dzhankyozov refused to comment on the case, explaining that the verdict had not yet come into force and the police still had the right to appeal against it within ten days of the decision.

Police handling of the case illustrates the margin for misinterpretation of the law on missionary activity by law enforcement agencies, Forum 18 notes. Asked by Frolov which legal provision outlawed the handing out of religious literature, Major Azat Dzhankuriyev, who compiled the police report, answered that he believed it was Article 24.1, Paragraph 2, of the Religion Law (part of the amendment which came into force in July).

Article 24.1, Paragraph 2, however, only lists locations in which missionary activity may be conducted "without hindrance" (which include religious buildings and adjoining land, pilgrimage sites, and cemeteries, among others). It makes no mention of where it is banned. The only locations in which the public sharing of beliefs is expressly prohibited is on residential premises (Article 24.1, Paragraph 3) and in other religions' places of worship without written permission (Article 24.1, Paragraph 4).

Forum 18 telephoned the office of Colonel Aubekir Esherov, head of the Karachai-Cherkessiya police anti-extremism centre, on 17 August to ask why they had initiated the case in the first place, whom Sibiryev's actions were thought to have harmed, and whether the police in Karachai-Cherkessiya had received any guidance from the federal Interior Ministry on how to implement the new law restricting sharing faith. A spokesperson in the office told Forum 18 to ring back after half an hour, but all subsequent calls between the 17 and 19 August went unanswered.

When Forum 18 called the Karachai-Cherkessiya police press office on 18 August, a spokesperson appeared unaware that Article 5.26 of the Administrative Code had gained three new Parts under the July amendments. He said he was unable to find information on Sibiryev's case. He asked Forum 18 to send the details of the case by email - Forum 18 did this by the middle of the Cherkessk working day of 18 August, but has received no reply as of the afternoon in Cherkessk on 19 August.

Controversial "anti-terrorism" legal amendments

President Vladimir Putin signed the amendments into law on 6 July as part of a controversial package of "anti-terrorism" legislation proposed by United Russia deputy Irina Yarovaya and Senator Viktor Ozerov. The package had been causing unease in Russia for several months because of its requirement for telecoms companies to store metadata about calls and messages and the criminalisation of failure to report possible terrorist activity.

The section introducing new restrictions on "missionary" activity was added in mid-June, just before the bill's second and third readings in the State Duma. The restrictions triggered protest from religious leaders and human rights activists (see F18News 8 July 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2197).

Mikhail Fedotov, Chair of the Presidential Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights, complained to President Putin on 1 July that the amendments "create unjustified and excessive restrictions on the freedom of conscience of believers of all religions, and encroach upon the fundamental constitutional principle of non-interference by the state in the internal arrangements of religious associations" (see F18News 4 July 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2195).

Individuals - including Hare Krishna devotees, Baptists and particularly Jehovah's Witnesses - have long encountered problems when expressing and sharing their faith in public space. Forum 18 found 122 prosecutions (principally of Jehovah's Witnesses) in 2015 under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code, which punishes unapproved "public events" and is often used to punish those talking publicly of their faith (see F18News 18 May 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2179). (END)

For more background, see Forum 18's surveys of the general state of freedom of religion or belief in Russia athttp://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1722, and of the dramatic decline in religious freedom related to Russia's Extremism Law at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1724.

A personal commentary by Alexander Verkhovsky, Director of the SOVA Center for Information and Analysishttp://www.sova-center.ru, about the systemic problems of Russian anti-extremism legislation, is at F18News 19 July 2010http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1468.

A personal commentary by Irina Budkina, Editor of the http://www.samstar.ucoz.ru Old Believer website, about continuing denial of equality to Russia's religious minorities, is at F18News 26 May 2005 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=570.

More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Russia can be found at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?query=&religion=all&country=10.

A compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments can be found at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1351.

A printer-friendly map of Russia is available at http://nationalgeographic.org/education/mapping/outline-map/?map=Russia.

Twitter: @Forum_18

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All Forum 18 material may be referred to, quoted from, or republished in full, if Forum 18 <www.forum18.org>; is credited as the source.

Source : http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2209

Bhakti Vijnana Goswami: Prayers requested for ailing Krishna devotee, Radha Damodara prabhu.
Kirtiraja das: For those of you who followed the Campaign of The Committee to Free Soviet Hare Krishnas many years ago, Radha Damodara prabhu was then known as Sucharu dasa (Sergei Zuev). Much emphasis was given to his case because he was imprisoned in a Soviet labor camp and endured very harsh treatment there. 
Radha Damodara prabhu has given almost forty years of his life in serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission in the Soviet Union and Russia as he was one of the original Moscow devotees. 
Radha Damodara prabhu is one of the most sober and serious devotees I’ve ever met AND at the same time he has a jolly streak. Whenever I would experience Radha Damodara prabhu making a joke or a funny comment, he would break into a smile and it made me smile. 
He is a wonderful devotee and has done so much extremely valuable service for ISKCON in Russia especially in the area of governmental affairs. Radha Damodara prabhu’s service laid the foundation so Krishna Consciousness in the former Soviet Union could be what it is today. 
The world, yes the world, owes a debt of gratitude to Radha Damodara prabhu for the service he’s done. 
I specifically say the world because Srila Prabhupada said that the inevitable war between the Soviet Union and America could be avoided if we distributed his books in the Soviet Union. Radha Damodara prabhu was instrumental in making that book distribution possible
Please pray to the Lord and Srila Prabhupada for his safe journey home. Radha Damodara prabhu ki jaya!

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30646

Los Angeles temple receives top awards!
Jaya Chaitanya Das and Svavasa Das share 2015 awards for #1 book distributor and temple in North America!

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30651

The fragrance of incense, variety of beautiful colourful flowers, illumination of glittering lights, melodious chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra and glow on the faces of shaved headed tilak borne devotees transformed the auditorium of Prabhupad Samadhi Mandir at ISKCON Mayapur into a transcendental heavenly planet. To mark the Golden Jubilee celebrations( 1996- 2016) of International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the devotees organised the programme- “Homage to Srila Prabhupad” to pay tribute to His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupad, founder Acharya of ISKCON. Fifty years back when a lone 70 year old saffron clad Swami with only three translated volumes of Srimad Bhagvatam left the shores of Kolkata and ventured into the crude materialistic world of the United States of America to spread the message of Sri Chaitanya MahaPrabhu and bhakti yoga, few would have envisaged the formation of a global Vaishnava cult know as Hare Krishna movement. Today ISKCON has more than 600 centres, 65 eco-farms and 110 vegetarian restaurants. Its affiliated Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is the world’s largest publisher of Vaishnava literature and has distributed 516 million books and magazines. In addition, ISKCON’s affiliated Annamrita Food Relief program feeds 1.2 million school children every day in India.

On the occasion of Golden Jubilee celebrations good wishes and rich tributes have poured in from all over the world in the form of messages from The Hon’able President of India Sri Pranab Mukherjee, The Prime Minsters of India and United Kingdom, singer Lata Mangeshkar to name a few. As a tribute to the movement, The President messaged “I pay my humble tribute to the contributions of HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad who incorporated ISKCON in 1966 and whose teachings continue to resonate in the hearts of Krishna devotees all over the world even today”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated ISKCON and written “journey has been manifestation of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam integration core of philosophy”. Theresa May PM UK in her message mentioned “For fifty years since its foundation by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the men and women behind ISKCON have dedicated their lives to the words of Lord Krishna to achieve peace and unity.” Bharat Ratna and renowned singer Lata Mangeshkar in her words wrote “As an artist, I am most grateful for Srila Prabhupada’s efforts toward bringing about a religious cultural revival of Indian classical arts in all parts of the world. By the blessings of Lord Krishna, many talented disciples of Srila Prabhupada have virtually mastered the arts of bhajana and kirtana and classical dance”.

Srila Prabhupad considered Mayapur as very sacred land and called it his place of worship so the devotees left no stone unturned to make the it a programme which will be cherished for long. Eminent personalities from various walks of society – senior educationists , top administrative officials, columnists, scholars, performers, revered people from judiciary, and many direct disciples of Srila Prabhupad attended the programme. The programme started with “Sasti vachan” presented by the students of Gurukul and lighting of lamps by senior devotees. HG Sankarshan Nitai Das, MAC member welcomed the guests.Next the audience was left spellbound when renowned Bengali singer , Haimanti Shukla rendered bhajan and Hari nama in her captivating voice.

In the opening speech, HG Basu Ghosh Das, Vice Chairman of ISKCON Bureau India and also President of ISKCON Baroda temple shared his personal experience with Srila Prabhupad way back in 1974 when he met him for the first time. Although an American by birth, Das gave his speech in Sanskrit and recalled how he was deeply influenced by Srila Prabhupad’s simple way of explaining the highest spiritual knowledge. Further, he shared Srila Prabhupad’s vision of reviving the practice of Sanatana Dharma by spreading the message of pure love for Lord Krishna. Srila Prabhupad emphasised on living a simple lifestyle and instructed his disciples to practice sadhana bhakti, japa, listen to the glories of the Lord and distribute Krishna Parasad to every living entity of the world, informed Das. He said that moving forward ISKCON aims to spread the Sankirtan movement ( congregational chanting) to every household of the globe. Siraj ul Islam, prominent columnist discussed about the relevance of Bhagavat Geeta and the role of Srila Prabhupad in spreading it. He strongly expressed that the teachings of Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Geeta is not restricted to any one specific religion. He exhorted every one to study Bhagavat Geeta as it will result in uprooting all the dirt that exists in the mind of the people. Dr.Ashok Das, Principal, Assannagar Tarkalankar College, Nadia, eulogised the efforts of Srila Prabhupad in uniting the people of the world under the umbrella of ISKCON. He narrated the early life , treacherous journey of Srila Prabhupad to United States on the ship named Jaladuta and the giant achievements that followed. A documentary on the life of Srila Prabhupad was shown to the audience.

While paying his tributes, HG Jagadhatria Das, coordinator of the programme, felt that the globally stature of Srila Prabhupad surpasses of being merely a spiritual master. He said that Srila Prabhupad will stay in the hearts of the people of the world who dedicated his entire life in integrating the diversified masses by promoting the culture of universal brotherhood. Das said, under Srila Prabhupad’s direction ISKCON as a society has taught the world to break the barriers of caste, color, creed, nationality and unite together to please Lord Gour Hari as is mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam that the only aim of a living entity should be “ Hari tosanam”- satisfying The Lord Hari. He thanked all the key speakers, volunteers and people for participating in the programme.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30659

 Many cultures today have a tradition for offering prayers while preparing a meal. A transformation takes place when seemingly ordinary ingredients are combined, prepared nicely, and then offered with love. The result is known as “prasadam” (Sanskrit) which means “The Lord’s mercy”.
God is very happy to receive offerings like this. It is said that the consciousness of the cook enters the food while s/he is cooking. References to the benefits of conscious food preparation are found in a variety of scriptures - both Eastern & Western - going back thousands of years.
I ran into a clear example of this at Govinda’s Cafe in west LA this afternoon. This small vegetarian cafe close to Culver City offers specialty dishes on Sunday (all maha Deity prasadam).
Today’s stellar dish: a cauliflower & squash curry in yogurt sauce with cumin, curry leaves, a touch of salt & turmeric. Words fail to even begin describing the aura & flavor of this curry. Let’s just say it was outstanding and mood of the chef was ‘spot on’…his heart was definitely in the right place. This dish seemed like it landed from another planet. Such is the power and benediction of sanctified cooking.
Anyone can do this. This is not rocket science. It is a science, but simple to do. The most important ingredient of all: the desire to do so. Benefits? better health, clearer skin, less burden onto the planet, a nice connection with the Lord … the list is long. Also: this approach to cooking does not COST ANY MORE than what most are spending on meal preparation now. Often your cost is less. The taste? You cannot even imagine the different things you can make and prepare consciously. Literally thousands upon thousands.
Now we return to this simple unassuming bowl of yellow curried vegetables. Dive in ….

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30675

ISKCON Leicester has welcomed Sri Sri Radha Madhava from ISKCON Belfast to accept worship in Leicester, UK.

A special welcome ceremony took place today (Sunday 21st August) to receive the beautiful brass Deities Who have been worshipped in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the last 35 years.

The community offered abhishek to the 2.5 feet tall Deities to welcome Them to Their new home in the heart of Leicester City Centre. Devotees travelled from all over the country to witness the special event, and celebrated the arrival with a yagya, and a full day of kirtana.

UK GBC Pragosa Dasa, and Shaunaka Rishi Dasa, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies shared memories of Sri Sri Radha Madhava and blessed the congregation to serve Them wholeheartedly.

Praghosa Dasa, GBC for the UK said: “Having known Radha Madhava since 1983, I cannot remember a more auspicious and blissful event in Their association than today in Leicester”

City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby and Deputy Mayors Cllr Manjula Sood and Cllr Piara Singh Clair also attended the event, and shared their appreciation for ISKCON on its 50th anniversary.

In an exchange of love, ISKCON Leicester has given their Panca Tattva Deities to ISKCON Belfast, in a solid expression of gratitude.

KUALA LUMPUR -  On July 11, 1966, Srila Prabhupada officially registered his International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York. At that time, he had one small storefront on New York’s Lower East-Side, and a handful of students. Today, there are nearly four hundred ISKCON centers all over the world, and thousands of ISKCON devotees. ISKCON is now gearing up for its 50th anniversary, with plans for celebratory events all over the world throughout 2016.

To mark the significance of  His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada's maiden visit to USA in 1965, ISKCON Malaysia will be launching the ISKCON 50th anniversary 60 sen philately stamps by the Malaysian postal office, Pos Malaysia on the 29th August at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple opening in Seberang Prai, Penang.

Source : http://www.iskconmalaysia.com/profiles/blogs/iskcon-50th-aniversary-60sen-stamps-to-be-launched-during-temple-

It was a truly uplifting and festive time for ISKCON of Los Angeles from August 4th to 7th recently, with celebrations for both the 40th anniversary of the city’s Rathayatra festival, and the 50th anniversary of ISKCON in full swing.

The ISKCON of LA property looked fresh and beautiful for the festival, with temple president Svavasa Das and his brother Naikatma Das completing an ambitious renovation project just in time.

All the windows were replaced and the temple, Govinda’s buffet and kitchen buildings sandblasted and re-stuccoed. The temple entrance received a face lift, with new ornate wood decor, a beautiful stone tile entryway and a grand maroon canopy. The area in front was also re-designed with drought resistant landscaping and stone tile work to handle the increased flow of foot traffic for festivals and general increase in daily visitors.

To read the rest of the article click here: http://iskconnews.org/los-angeles-celebrates-40th-rathayatra-and-50th-of-iskcon,5758/

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On account of the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON, we, at ISKCON Ahmedabad, have been working together as team, for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. Under the kind guidance of HG JashomatinandanPrabhu (ACBSP) and by Krishna’s mercy, our core committee, while churning for the nectar, derived at an amazing and innovative idea of conducting an outreach program for the top-notchcorporate tycoons,based in and around Ahmedabad.We had two prime factors to validate this event. 1. ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary and 2. A new temple project at our Gaushala. Hence, we started working on this project and could manifest it in the following manner:

This event wasorganized strictly for the well-known businessmen only and hence, we selected‘Padmashri’ Dr. Karsanbhai Patel (Chairman &Managing Director of NIRMA) as our chief guest. Otherbusiness magnates who were selected as the guests of honour were ShriBipinbhai Patel (President – GCCI - Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry),ShriShankarbhai Patel (Chairman of the Green Society), ShriChimanlalAgrawal (Real-estate Expert) and Dr. Shri K. U. Mistry (Ex-Chairman of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board). In all we had invited about 300 industrialists, along with their families, for this program. 11th August 2016 was selected for materializing this event, between 6.30 PM to 9.30 PM. A designated team of 50 devotees with excellent communication skills, attractive personality, humble and aristocratic behavior, distinctivecourteousness and who are philosophically well-versed, were pre-trained to execute various services during this event.

As soon as the guests arrived, the volunteers of thededicated team for the vehicle parking management,led the drivers to their appropriate places and if the guests weren’t chauffeur driven, our drivers helped them park their vehicles. Two welcome teams and escort teams were formed (for two gates each), which welcomed the arrived guests with flowers, sprinkled rosewater, appliedchandan on their foreheads, appliedShriNrsimhadeva’s scent on their hands and led them towards the shoes stand.Then they were led towards the altars in the temple, with a decorated plate of aarati, once the formality of their registration was accomplished.After the performance of aarati, they were led to the Jhulan for swinging Their Lordships and thenthey were led towards Srila Prabhupada’s deity,where the chief male member of the family garlanded Srila Prabhupada and in turn, the principal couple in their family was garlanded back by the volunteer devotee couple, with Srila Prabhupada’s prasadam garlands. Finally, they were led towards their seats in the main temple hall, where the program was organized. A huge dais with Srila Prabhupada’s cutout in the center, sitting arrangement for the guests of honour and a podium for the speakers were arranged on the right hand side of the deities.A wooden prototype of the temple under construction at our Gaushalawas placed on the left of Srila Prabhupada’s deity, which was to be unveiled by the chief guest. A huge LED screen was installed on the left of the stage, for our presentation videos. The most remarkable of all was that the complete decoration of the event, from the beginning until the end, was done all in the combination of ‘BLUE & WHITE’ as that of ‘Krishna &Balarama’.So much so that the lamps which were lit all around the temple for decoration were floating in Blue & White colored water, most of the matajis woreSaris with bluish tone, the backdrop, the banner, deities’ attire, curtains, flower decorations, balloons, festoons, and everything else,wherever possible, were all in Blues& Whites.

The program commenced with a welcome note and an introductory speech by the anchor, specially invited for this event. The chief guest and the guests of honor were requested to come on to the stage and light the lamp, so as to inaugurate the event.  After welcoming the chief guest and the guests of honor sitting on the dais, by offering a shawl and a Maha-garland, a welcome speech was given by the president of ISKCON Ahmedabad, His Grace Jashomatinandan Das. What follows is a brief summary of the speech given by his grace:

“I am glad to invite our chief guests, Karsanbhai Patel, Bipinbhai Patel and all the invited guests, without whose cooperation, this temple (ISKCON Ahmedabad) would not have come to existence. In the same way the new temple project that is coming up at Kathwada village, is also not possible without you.

This organization (ISKCON) is based on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. Krishna said twice in the Bhagavad Gita; once in Ch. 9 and then in Ch. 18, man manabhava mad bhakto….  Engage your mind in always thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisance to Me and worship Me.  The organization that is based on this principle is THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, ISKCON, which has completed 50years.

When Srila Prabhupada first met his guru in 1922, his guru told him “you are very educated young man, so please preach Bhagavad Gita in English language.” In 1937 just before his guru left his body, heagain instructed Srila Prabhupada to preach and to make western people devotees of Krishna. In 1965 Srila Prabhupada left in a cargo ship to America. After the struggle for one year, few Americans became devotees of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada gave lectures on Bhagavad Gita and taught Hare Krishna Mahamantra to them. In this way, by chanting this Mahamantra, the movement began through many lanes of the city and gradually he had many disciples and hence, this historic movement was formed.”

Thereafter His Grace spoke about Srila Prabhupada’s achievements and glories. Later he mentioned about the Gaushala and the ongoing temple project, so that the audience can aid in raising funds for the same. He also mentioned about the care of the cows and the organic farming, executed by us.

Our chief guest Dr. ShriKarsanbhai Patel, the next speaker after Prabhuji, astonished the audience with his marvelous explanation about the spiritual science. Here is a brief summary of his speech:

“Hare Krishna to everyone!

50 years ago Srila Prabhupada started ISKCON or Radha-Krishna worship or let’s say the preaching of Bhagavad Gita. The kind of preaching that Srila Prabhupada did, of Bhagavad Gita across the whole world,has never been done before. We should offer our obeisances to him and thank him and also thank all those who are spreading this movement across the world. We pray to him to give all success and that people continue this service of the Lord and also that he keeps enlightening us.

Actually speaking, if we desire to serve theLord, we should not ask anything from Him. Why should we ask?In reality, living beings and the nature are dependent on the supreme soul. Supreme soul is independent. We run after the happiness, prosperity and peace. Whatever we do, we do it merely for this. We try to find them outside. We may get these things externally for a few moments, but it is not permanent in nature. Those things that give you happiness and peace can be a cause of misery tomorrow. Whenever you go to the Lord, do not ask anything for yourself. Ask for others. If you selflessly pray for others, sincerely, then surely it will be answered.

We should assist JashomatinandanDas in building the new temple. Anywaythe templeis going to come up. There is no hindrance in the service of the Lord. But we all should take the maximum benefit in this service of the Lord.

With these few words, I thank you all.”

ShriBipinbhai Patel delivered a concise speech, mainly focusing on the aspect of contributing to the new temple project,by inviting the audience to step forward for the divine cause.After the speeches, we projected a slideshow pertaining to the new temple project, with the cows in the gaushala, the organic farming, ongoing construction, future plans and various devotional activities going on regularly at the project site. Thereafter, all the guests of honor, along with the chief guest, were requested to unveil the model of the new temple project. Subsequently, after the model was unveiled, many generous donors declared their amounts that they wished to donate to this new temple project. Consequently, some of the senior devotees of the committee offered a shawl and a garland to these generous donors. We concluded this event by projecting the ISKCON 50thAnniversary video, depicting the activities of ISKCON worldwide, downloaded from the official website of ISKCON50.

All the guests were finally requested to oblige us by honoring the Mahaprasadam love feast, organized by usaristocratically, apposite to their tastes,with various majestic cuisines. Not only that, before their departure, parting giftscontaining a lot of devotional paraphernalia and Srila Prabhupada’s books, were handed over to them respectfully and were requested to visit us during this Janmashtami andall other festivals that we celebrate. Most importantly, for our follow-up team to work on, we collected their details on separate data cards, so as to accomplish the real purpose of this mission, which was to cultivate them carefully and gradually inspire them to take up Krishna Consciousness.
 

Please visit our photo gallery: HERE

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and the 50th anniversary of ISKCON!

On behalf of the ISKCON Ahmedabad 50th Anniversary Core Committee (IACC),

Your humble servant,

Daamodara Dhananjaya Das

ISKCON Ahmedabad

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=30600

“Balarama is considered the original spiritual master because he performs the two functions of the spiritual master. One is that He serves Krishna, and the other is that He gives knowledge of Krishna. In His desire to serve Krishna He wants to serve Krishna in every possible way. In terms of rasa, or transcendental mellow, or relationship, sometimes Balarama is in the mood of servitude (dasya). He also serves Krishna in sakhya-rasa, in the mood of an equal. And because He is elder to Krishna, He serves in the mood of vatsalya-rasa, or parental affection. And finally, because one can enter madhurya-rasa with Krishna only in a female spiritual form, Lord Balarama manifests Himself as Ananga Manjari, the younger sister of Srimati Radharani, and serves Krishna in that relationship. He wants to serve Krishna in every possible way.” — Giriraj Swami

Source : http://www.girirajswami.com/?p=11301