During its ISKCON 50 festivities this month, Indonesia added some rich local culture to proceedings as its over 5,000 devotees focused on uniting together to serve Srila Prabhupada.

Celebrations included a brahmachari sankirtan party touring with a Prabhupada murti through the thirty-two ISKCON temples, centers and Namahattas on the island nation; and a youth camp bringing together youth from across the island of Bali.

The highlight, however, was the International Leadership Sanga (ILS) and the Bhakti Festival and Rathayatra from July 5th through 10th.

Both events were held in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali. As a predominantly Hindu Island – with its own regional brand of Hinduism – in an 86% Muslim country, Bali is the natural headquarters of ISKCON Indonesia.

Guards in ceremonial Balinese attire protect Lord Jagannath

Around forty temple presidents, leaders and senior devotees attended the International Leadership Sanga from July 5th to 8th at a local Denpasar hotel, for the first ILS ever held outside of Mayapur, West Bengal (where the idea originated).

Leaders hailed from the Indonesian islands of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and even far away Papua, marking the first such gathering in the history of ISKCON Indonesia.

Each day of the ILS was packed with seminars from the morning program through to dinner, given by experts in their subjects.

Each spoke on multiple topics. Kaunteya Das from Mayapur, a key member of the GBC Strategic Planning Team, talked about organizational development and strategic planning; how to improve Sunday programs; and why the growth and stability of our movement depends on unity in diversity.

Lord Jagannath's ceremonial guards

Kaunteya’s wife Sri Radha Govinda Dasi, Director of Bhakti Marriages online premarital courses, spoke about how to build relations among devotees through appreciation, listening and speaking skills.

Another husband-and-wife team, Bhakta Das and Bhakti Dasi of ISKCON Communications Australia, taught participants practical communications skills to deal with the media, VIPs and other external audiences.

Separately, Bhakti spoke about how to practically add Krishna to our daily lives; while Bhakta talked about how to make a better community by applying compassion in our personal dealings with devotees, and how to effectively communicate with people of different religions. He also gave Srila Prabhupada: The Greatest Communication, a seminar on how Prabhupada applied communication skills in his dealings with multiple key audiences.

Meanwhile Melbourne temple president Aniruddha Das explained what the ISKCON Disciple Course is all about, discussed what Srila Prabhupada wanted for ISKCON’s management, and talked about how to raise money for temple programs through prasadam distribution – something he has lots of successful personal experience in.

High school children recite Bhagavad-gita verses

The ILS was a very bonding experience, with devotees also taking three prasadam meals a day together, residing together in the hotel (half of which had been booked for the event), and doing kirtan together.

On July 8th, the leaders, along with GBCs Ramai Swami and Kavicandra Swami, also held the first ever Annual General Meeting of ISKCON Indonesia’s National Council, just created in October 2015.

“With this event we really focused on building unity in diversity within our own community,” says Indonesian communications director Ravinjay. “When you have devotees in the same country trying to achieve the same goal, but remaining disconnected from one another, it’s pretty difficult. So we throught ISKCON’s 50th was a perfect time to make sure that we go forward for the next fifty years as family, together, with the same mindset. It was the first time we had ever had all the Indonesian temples represented, talking about how we can actually work together as one unit to serve Srila Prabhupada.”

Following the ILS on July 9th and 10th was the Bhakti Festival, which shared its theme, “Celebrating the Joy of Devotion,” with ISKCON 50, and was the first attempt at opening up ISKCON Bali’s Rathayatra to the general public.

Kirtan, Indonesian style

Held at the Bajrasandhi Monument park in Denpasar, the festival drew about 3,000 devotees and 1,000 members of the public.

A gala prasadam dinner on the 9th welcomed representatives from the provincial government of Bali and the Indonesian Hindu Dharma Council, along with a representative who read a statement by the Director General of Hindu Dharma from the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs.

“Seeing this movement of Bhakti, now presented as a festival, I would like to say how important this event is in accommodating the Hindu community to positively contribute [to the society],” the statement by Director General I Ketut Widnya read.

Widnya also said that the Bhakti Festival displayed “the harmony, unity and boundless fraternity of the ISKCON members in Indonesia.”

After the dinner there was a showing of the 20-minute ISKCON 50 film “Fifty Years of Joy and Service,” and several performances that showcased the wonderful devotional Balinese culture. The Gopi-Bhakti Dance mixed Bharatanatyam with Balinese dance, the Pancha Tattva Bhakti Dance saw devotees portraying Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates but dressed in Balinese costumes, and the hour-long Ramayana musical utilized both full Balinese outfits and music.

Performing another stunning Balinese musical for Lord Jagannath

“Ramayana and Mahabharata are very intrinsic to the entire Indonesian culture, especially in Java and in Bali, where still to the present day every single person, even if they’re Muslim, knows the characters,” says Ravinjay.

The next day, there was a morning program on site at the park, as well as yoga and a seminar on the glories of cow protection. These were followed by a reading of Bhagavad-gita verses by local high school children, and a Balinese-style kirtan utilizing traditional instruments such as the gamelan, an Indonesian xylophone.

Huge two-meter tall Jagannath Deities, carved in Indonesia, were then taken out on a five-kilometer Rathayatra parade past the governor’s office, government buildings, and through the main streets of Denpasar.

Performances afterwards included a “mantra jazz” acoustic set of Jaya Radha Madhava, Nrsimha prayers and other chants, and a Balinese musical version with full traditional outfits of Krishna defeating Kamsa.

Meanwhile a full prasadam meal blending Indonesian, Balinese and Indian cuisines was served out to 4,000 people.

Next up for ISKCON 50, ISKCON of Indonesia is holding an appreciation night to thank devotees for services they’ve rendered.

“ISKCON 50 for us is definitely more about strengthening our community from the inside,” says Ravinjay. “Historically, we’ve had a lot of splinter groups and miscommunication. And so ISKCON 50 is really an opportunity to bring the country back together, reunite all the devotees, and figure out how in the future we can make better and happier devotees.”

Source:http://iskconnews.org/indonesia-adds-local-flavor-to-iskcon-50-festivities,5688/

What does it really mean to advance in Krishna consciousness? According to Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami, advancement is measured by the amount of love and attachment one has for Krishna. (Madhya-lila 22.71) Advancing, therefore, means developing one’s personal loving relationship with Krishna.

The Krishna Institute of Alachua, Florida will soon offer two workshops that will enable devotees to do just this by heightening their practice of two of bhakti’s most potent angas: worshipping the deity with devotion and chanting the holy names.

Jayananda Prabhu, the North American Minister of the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry, and Raghunath Prabhu, an exceptionally enthusiastic and expert younger generation purjari of New Raman Reti, will facilitate the Temple Worship Workshop at Alachua’s Bhaktivedanta Academy (August 20 – 21, 10 am – 1 pm and 3 – 6:30 pm each day).

In this workshop devotees will learn the proper mood of worship, and then the procedures for waking and putting the deities to rest, dressing them, and offering them bhoga and aratis. Through this meditation and service, a pujari gradually enters into a personal relationship with the Lord. Sometimes he dreams of the deity, and the deity makes particular requests.

Srila Prabhupada writes in Teachings of Queen Kunti,

“When we associate with the deity, we associate with Krishna personally. Because Krishna is invisible, He very kindly takes a form that is visible to us. . . Even in the form of stone or metal, Krishna can act as Krishna, and one who worships the deity will perceive that.Svayam eva sphuraty adah. The deity, although apparently stone, may speak with a devotee.”

The deity may not speak to every pujari, but every pujari will enter more and more into a loving personal relationship with the deity by sincerely and properly executing this service. Such a devotee will more and more meditate on his relationship with the Lord and how he can best please Him. This pathway ahead will become clear to participants in this dynamic workshop.

On Labor Day Weekend (September 3 – 5, 10 am – 12:30 pm, 3 – 5:30pm daily) Chaitanya Charan Prabhu, well-known for his prolific and relevant writing, as well as for his engaging workshops, will facilitate Relishing Siksastakam: Meditations for Connecting with Krishna and His Holy Name at Alachua’s Bhaktivedanta Academy.

Before Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu speaks the first verse ofSiksastakam in Antya-lila, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami quotes Him as saying:

“Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Krishna.”

In this workshop Chaitanya Charan Prabhu will facilitate clear access to Mahaprabhu’s eight-verse roadmap that will lead sadhakas to this love for Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada writes in the preface to the Nectar of Instruction, “Advancement in Krishna consciousness depends on the attitude of the follower.”  By attending this workshop devotees will be able to fine-tune their attitudes according to Mahaprabhu’s and our acaryas’ guidance, making deeper connection with Krishna and His holy name viable.

To strengthen your spiritual life and your relationship with Krishna, please go to Krishnainstitute.org to register or for more information, or write to us at info@krishnainstitute.org 

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29596

Question: Spiritual wisdom-traditions often glorify forgiveness as a virtue, but isn’t it impractical and foolish to forgive someone who repeatedly hurts us?

Answer:

When someone hurts us, forgiving that person is our best response. But often our indignant emotions make us overlook the subtle but vital line that differentiates forgiving a person from trusting a person: forgiveness is for the past; trust is for the future. We are urged to immediately forgive, but not immediately trust, the wrongdoer. Let’s explore this difference.

Whatever wrongs a person has done in the past can’t be changed; as long as we resent the past, we stay stuck in it. Consequently, our thoughts, words, actions and even lives may become resentment-driven, causing us to either clam up or blow up. When we clam up, we drive our anger deep within, thereby unnecessarily inflicting ugly scars on our psyches that may distort our personality. When we blow up, we drive our anger outward not just to the wrongdoer, but to whoever crosses our way at the time of blowing up, thereby creating an undesirable public image of being irritable. Thus both the resentment-driven responses – clamming up or blowing up – are unproductive, nay counter-productive.

Therefore, the best response is that which frees us from resentment – and forgiveness alone can do that. When we forgive a person, we accept the ground reality that the other person being a fallible human is imperfect – as are we. We too may err tomorrow and be in need of forgiveness. In fact, the logic of karma suggests that we may have hurt someone in the past, just as someone has hurt us now. We then see the wrongdoer not as the cause, but as the vehicle, of our suffering, which originated in our own past insensitivity. Underscoring this philosophically informed vision, Srila Prabhupada would recommend that we eschew becoming angry with “the instruments of our karma.” Even if our indignant feelings make the logic of karma difficult to digest, still forgiveness retains its potential to free us from resentment.

So, we needn’t make our forgiveness conditional to the other person’s seeking it, but we should certainly make our trust conditional to that person’s earning it by sustained improved behavior. Conveying our forgiveness helps that person avoid the pitfall of self-justification, and holding back our trust avoids the pitfall of that person remaining oblivious to the past wrongdoing. Forgiving a person certainly doesn’t mean that we let the other person continue the hurting behavior; that would be masochism and there’s nothing laudable or spiritual about masochism. At the same time, it needs to be stressed that there’s nothing intrinsically laudable or spiritual about cultivating and actualizing revenge fantasies. So, we need to find that balanced course of action which allows both us and the other person to grow spiritually. This balance can be better grasped through historical and practical examples.

1. A good scriptural example of offering forgiveness-but-not-trust comes in the tenth canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam in the dealings of king Vasudeva, the father of Lord Krishna, with the demoniac tyrant Kamsa. When due to an unexpected turn of events, the tyrant had an apparent change of heart and sought forgiveness from Vasudeva for the past atrocities. Vasudeva promptly forgave Kamsa, but didn’t naively trust him and divulge Krishna’s whereabouts; in fact, Vasudeva cautiously and tactfully did all that was possible for him to keep Krishna’s whereabouts hidden from Kamsa. It soon became evident that Kamsa’s change of heart had been only momentary; he relapsed into his past malevolence by re-imprisoning Vasudeva and by repeatedly sending deadly demons to kill Krishna. Thereupon Lord Krishna, taking cognizance of the demonstrated incorrigibility of Kamsa and the need to protect the innocent from his viciousness, chose the necessary punitive measure of freeing Kamsa’s soul from the vengeful mentality inherent in his material body, thereby enabling the thus-purified soul to progress on the onward spiritual journey. In this incident, we see that when Kamsa did not use the forgiveness graciously offered to him to mend his ways and re-earn the lost trust, then eventually he was administered the required purificatory punishment commensurate to his misdeeds.

2. Another example of giving forgiveness-without-trust, wherein the wrongdoer reformed himself, comes in the Mahabharata in the dealings of Vidura with his elder brother and the reigning monarch, Dhritarashtra. The saintly Vidura, who is also the speaker of the celebrated Vidura-niti (the moral codes of Vidura), repeatedly counseled the blind monarch, Dhritarashtra to choose morality over nepotism. Unfortunately, the kind, due to his attachment to his son, Duryodhana, continued tacitly sanctioning the latter’s nefarious schemes to harm the Pandavas, who were the rightful heirs to the throne. At one time after the Pandavas had been dispossessed and exiled in a rigged gambling match, Vidura’s beneficial but unpalatable pronouncements about the vicious nature of Duryodhana and its dire consequences became intolerable to the attached Dhritarashtra, who censured and banished his well-wishing younger brother. However, the king soon came back to his senses and sent his secretary, Sanjaya, to seek forgiveness from Vidura and to call him back. Vidura returned and forgave Dhritarashtra, but didn’t trust him; by withholding his trust, he was able to keep track of further recurrences of nepotism. But by not withholding his forgiveness, he was able to maintain a congenial relationship with Dhritarashtra, thereby eventually helping the king see the futility and folly of his attachment and to finally take up the path to wisdom and enlightenment.

3. Returning to our contemporary scenario, if the hurting behavior continues, we may need to create a safe, healthy distance between the person and the facility or the power or the position used to perpetrate the hurting behavior, so as to provide that person the room necessary to reform. If a spouse becomes overly dominant, we may have to do the needful to prevent abuse, but if we refuse to forgive our partner, who thereby feels branded as an abuser, we may soon find ourselves at the receiving end of a spate of counter-brandings, thereby taking the relationship on a doomed downward spiral.

4. If a child repeatedly neglects studies due to being infatuated with video games, we may have to restrict access to those games, but we needn’t restrict access to our love. A child who feels unloved, un-forgiven and labeled as irresponsible may get mentally caught up in trying to justify the video games, maybe as an ‘aid to learning’, instead of focusing on actual learning through studies. But a child who feels reassured of the parents’ love and forgiveness, and inspired by the opportunity to re-earn their trust by studying wholeheartedly, may secure good marks, get a taste for studies and thereby naturally give up the video-game infatuation.

5. On the spiritual path, if a practitioner misappropriates a resource meant for outreach for one’s personal benefit, we may have to withhold that resource till the errant tendency is reformed, but we needn’t withhold our forgiveness, for that forgiveness may well be the impetus necessary to inspire the desired reformation.

To summarize, forgiveness involves our cultivating virtue independent of the other person, whereas trust is our reciprocation conditional to that person’s cultivating virtue. By carefully understanding the difference between the two, we can transform unfortunate episodes in our relationships into spiritual growth opportunities at least for ourselves – and possibly even for the other person.

Source:http://www.dandavats.com/?p=12404

VRINDAVAN: If you thought designer dresses and clothes are for mortals only, you are mistaken, as there are designers who toil throughout the year to make our revered gods look their very best.

In the holy city of Vrindavan, at the Chandrodaya Temple, a group of six people, led by 35-year-old Sangini Indulekha, a management graduate who did a course in fashion designing only to pursue her passion to "serve the lord", design clothes for the idols of Kirshna and Radha. These clothes and dresses are sent to temples under the Hare Krishna movement, which are part of Iskcon, across the world and sometimes a single dress can cost as much Rs one lakh.

Attires of the deities have also undergone a sea change over the years - from usage of simple colours and attractive beads to stylish cuts with applique work (needlework technique in which patterns are created by the attaching smaller pieces of fabric to a larger piece of contrasting colour or texture) with Zardosi Aari embroidery. The clothes are now designed to make the "gods" stand out and look more appealing to the devotees at first sight.

Talking to TOI, Sangini said many decades ago, the styles were very simple and in "braj shaili" (style) where only simple silk with some pearls, thread work and flowery embroidery were used. She said later the Mughal concept took over where the use of velvet fabric, with thread work depicting domes and monuments became common.

In the 70s, the styles took a slight western turn, and the traditional braj shaili was experimented with the use of Kora and dapka embroidery. Sangini said the present day trend is to use of large varieties of bright coloured fabrics - pure silk, satin, tissue and shimmer- with applique work and stylish cuts.

Sangini said presently two styles of embroidery, Zardosi and Aari, are in vogue and various styles of stitches, including chall zamki, zigzag, fashavuda and pipalgray, are used to make the clothes attractive.

She said while the deities have a set of 50 dresses, which are changed every day, five special occasion dresses are designed every year for festivals. She said a normal dress for a three and a half feet deity idol takes about three weeks and special occasion ones, which have heavy work, can take over a month to design and stitch.

She said these dresses cost anything between Rs 45,000-75,000 and are sold to other temples, after including costs of material, design and labour.

Sangini said dresses for the deities were made earlier too but those who did the work had no formal design knowledge and picked up styles from here and there. However, things have changed now and the work is done more professionally by use of select colours, material and jewellery while keeping the occasions and people's expectations in mind.

Sangini admitted that there is a "competition" in temples and everyone wants their deity idol to look the best and attractive.

Anant Veer Das of Chandrodaya Temple Trust dresses designed here are are sent to temples across the world and only recently they had received orders from Dallas ISKCON temple in USA. He said recently, this centre is also making a dress for Tirupati Radha Krishna temple for Janmashtmi.

Girdhari, a worker at the design centre, said that he has been working here for the last few years and this job had provided him the satisfaction like none else. The team also has Ashit and Rambhir who have over 12 years experience in stitching and related work. Shyam Mistry, who has an experience of 28 years, is the man responsible for sketching the concepts created by Sangini on paper and then explaining them to the workers.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/Gods-too-wear-designer-clothing/articleshow/53202587.cms

1 book distributor in North America hits a record!
Jaya Chaitanya Das distributes over 9,000 pieces of literature last month (June 2016) with a 72% increase! Here are the final scores and figures:
book points: 6399.00* +72%
maha-big:1258*
big:1976*
medium: 1440*
small: 4664*
magazines: 210
All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s mission to distribute these books to the masses and awaken Spiritual consciousness throughout the world! All glories to the Sankirtan army!

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29602

From the News Tribune an article appeared, authored by Ben Hohenstatt in the city of La Salle, Illinois.
He’s a Trip Monk
If you saw a man with a shaved head in orange robes in the Illinois Valley Thursday that wasn’t an oddly dressed flagger.
A walking journey from New York to San Francisco took Bhaktimarga Swami “The Walking Monk”, a Hare Krishna monk originally from Canada, through Ottawa, Peru and La Salle Friday.
“I’ve been to Chicago, but I’ve never been here,” he said. “We’ve met a lot of nice people…There’s a lot of sweet people…People in the Midwest carry some good values”
In the past, he has crossed Canada four times and walked across Guyana, Ireland, Israel, the Fiji islands and Trinidad and featured in documentaries.
Swami said this walk was to promote physical and spiritual health as well as to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada incorporating the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
“The walk is to encourage people to have a workout and a work-in,” the 63-year-old monk said.
Around 11 a.m. Thursday, he stopped to eat mangoes and cherries in Pulaski Park in La Salle. Swami said his day’s walk began in Ottawa around 5 a.m.
Despite covering dozens of miles a day in weather that is “almost never perfect”, encountering bears and schlepping through the Appalachians and downtown Gary, Ind., Swami said sometimes it can be tough to pause his journey.
“It gets to the point sometimes where it’s hard to stop,” he said.
Swami said he would follow U.S. 6 toward Peru before continuing west toward Davenport, Iowa, and he will be excited to continue westward and cross the Mississippi River.
“I might swim it,” he said. “We’ll see if I can swim it.”
He said he thinks he will be able to make it to the middle of Nebraska before other commitments will cause him to put his walk on hold before being resumed next year.
“Next year, I’m hoping to finish walking to San Francisco
Swami said during his cross-country trek he expects to wear out about four pairs of shoes and several robes, which become faded from sunlight.
While marathon walking, he said he encounters people, wildlife and all manner of weather and tries to engage with his surroundings.
However, the rhythm and repetition of walking also makes it easy to get lost in thought.
“It’s an everyday experience,” he said. “You are very much present, but you’re also someplace else; it’s a great time to dream. Your feet are on the ground, and you’re head definitely isn’t in the clouds.”
Thanks Ben!
May the Source be with you!

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29604

Swarup das (ACBSP): This story is from my memoirs (that I’ve been trying to consolidate into a book for the past few years).
I met Usika at the Henry Street, Brooklyn temple in ‘71. At the time his name was Ezekiel. He was initiated and given the name Usika in July of that year when Srila Prabhupada came to Brooklyn. Unlike just about all of us who were in our 20’s .. Usika was either just south or north of 50. He was crotchety, moody, cynical and impatient when it came to his dealings with “you young people” as he called us. He had strong convictions in the philosophy and had a deep and sincere reverence for Srila Prabhupada.
One day I found a pair of reading glasses with the name “Jack Stonebrook” glued to the inside of the frame. They looked like Usika’s eyeglasses but I remembered his name was Ezekiel and not Jack. I asked him if the glasses were his and he confirmed that they were. Next obvious question was “Who then is Jack Stonebrook?” “Oh, that’s me. That’s my real name. Ezekiel is the name my spirit guide gave me.” His answer certainly got my attention. I had to hear the story and he was more than happy to tell it.
Usika was the father of a devotee girl named Susan who was eventually initiated with the name Shasti. Shasti’s mother died at a young age and Usika raised her by himself. Shasti was the wife of Mohanananda who helped begin and run the Dallas gurukula for awhile. He left ISKCON in the late 70’s and tried to become a Hollywood Producer. He (Michael Walker was his legal name) was Associate Producer of one movie that I know of .. an animated film called “The Last Unicorn.” Anyway… Shasti, Usika’s daughter, was clairvoyant .. a medium. She channeled various spirits and sometimes using ouija boards or tarot cards made contact with beings from other dimensions. The first of several “spirit guides” gave them the names Ezekiel and Alice. They would ask all sorts of questions of these guides and as their questions got deeper and their thirst for knowledge of higher truths increased they were handed over to higher beings for the answers they were seeking.
The last of their guides was named “Kismet.” He told them that the knowledge they were looking for was in a book but he didn’t tell them the name of the book … just to go to a bookstore and begin looking. They did. They roamed around for over an hour and Alice wasn’t getting any signals nor clues. Finally they gave up and just grabbed some book about Zen and went to the counter to pay for it. While the owner rang up their purchase suddenly a book fell from a shelf behind the cash register. It was the first abridged Bhagavad-gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. They bought it, read it … and the rest, as they say … is history.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29620

By Kalasamvara Das

Dignitaries and well-wishers spent the afternoon at the local hare Krsna temple as part of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement receiving the mercy of the Deities, placing Garlands and performing the abhiseka of Srila Prabhupada.

They all spoke with great Enthusiasm about being in the Association of devotees and expressed how we have something very special, something they don’t find at other programs they attend.
They appreciated the spiritual contribution ISKCON has made through the distribution of spiritual knowledge in the form of Bhagavad Gita and the millions of people feed world wide.

Dignitaries attendance:
Mr Sanjiv Kohli- Indian high commissioner,
Dame Susan Devoy NZ Race relations commissioner,
Hon Phil Goff, and Mr Bakshi members of Parliament,
Hon Mayor, Cheryi Mai,
Vinoda Kumar- President of the Hindu Council and Trustee of Chinmaya Mission,
Dr.Kanthibhai Patel,
And members from the New Zealand Police Force, and their wives.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29629

Letters by Srila Prabhupada

Tittenhurst
19 September, 1969
69-09-19

My Dear Tamala Krishna,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated September 13rd, 1969, and I am so glad to learn that two new branches are now opened; one in Laguna Beach, another in Tokyo. With great interest I read the letter of Sudama, and I have also sent him a letter of congratulations. You have proposed to go to Japan next year, and I am very much pleased on this point. I wish to go with a big Sankirtana Party from Los Angeles. So if we can overflood Japan with this Sankirtana Movement, it will be a great great achievement in the Eastern countries, and if we move little further more into China and Russia, then we shall build up a strong belt all around the world of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Here in London the activities are going on. The place where I am now staying is a very big garden house, and the place allotted to us is a super-excellent temple site. The only difficulty is it is far away from the city, so the city people cannot conveniently come here. The temple in the city is not finished being constructed yet, neither is there sufficient space. It can be used as office and residence, but as a temple, it has no sufficient space. So things here are not yet very smooth, although the movement is accepted by the people in general as nice. The Hare Krishna record is selling very nicely. Yesterday, it sold 5,000 copies, and this week it is on the chronological list as #20. They say next week it will come to be #3, and after that it may come to #1. So they are very much hopeful of this record. Mr. George Harrison appears to be very intelligent boy, and he is by the Grace of Krishna fortunate also. On the first day, he came to see me along with John Lennon, and we had talks about 2 hours. He wanted to talk with me more, but he is now gone to his sick mother in Liverpool. So if this boy cooperates with our movement, it will be very nice impetus, for after all, he is monied man. These monied men and women have to be very cautiously dealt with in spiritual life. We have to sometimes deal with them on account of preaching work; otherwise Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has strictly restricted to mix with them for the Krishna Conscious people. But we get instruction from Rupa Goswami that whatever opportunity is favorable for pushing on Krishna Consciousness we should accept.

You write to say that you do not know what is my desire, but my desire is an open secret. I simply want all over the Western countries people may take this simple formula of chanting, dancing and eating Krishna Prasadam, and being happy. I am simply surprised that they should not accept this simple formula and be happy themselves. My only desire is that all people become happy and prosperous in Krishna Consciousness. My predecessors, Vaisnavas, they were so generous that they felt very much afflicted for the suffering of the human society. Sri Rupa Goswami tried to elevate them to real path of happiness by introducing this Govinda Ganamrta, the Nectarine of the Songs of Govinda. That will make them happy.

In England there is very good prospect for pushing on Krishna Consciousness. I am trying to make some arrangement with Mr. Lennon to have the facility for having this garden house. Here we can accommodate many devotees, and if the opportunity is offered to us, we can organize a very strong Sankirtana Party here and establish at least four or five branches in England. But the climate is not at all suitable for me. The idea you described in your letter about unifying the temples is very nice. I am enclosing herewith one newspaper cutting of our airport reception for your reference. Last Tuesday night we appeared on one very popular BBC television show for a forty-five minute interview, and it was very successful.
Please convey my blessings to the others. I hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Source : https://theharekrishnamovement.org/2016/07/17/letters-by-srila-prabhupada-chanting-dancing-and-eating-krishna-prasadam/

EAST HARTFORD — The modest house at 1683 Main St. would draw little attention during the week, but on Sundays, the unassuming yellow building attracts dozens of Hare Krishna devotees singing mantras, dancing, chanting and, finally, partaking in a vegetarian feast.

To many in the U.S., the words Hare Krishna conjure images of the 1960s and '70s, long-robed devotees handing out flowers in airports, and musician George Harrison, but the movement has survived to celebrate 50 years since Swami Bhaktivedanta founded the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in the United States in 1966.

Temple President Pyari Mohan Prabhu, 68, said the East Hartford congregation has been steadily growing since he became president in 1981 and the temple was officially incorporated.

Established in 1978, the temple is the only one in Connecticut. Originally, the movement rented a house on Silver Lane but after a few years bought the 1909 house on Main Street.

"When we first started the building was also very rundown … and we were getting probably about 10 people coming, maybe 15, and now we're getting at least 70 people on Sundays," Pyari said. "If we had a bigger place, we'd get more people."

Devotees are vegetarians and worship the Hindu God Krishna. They do not drink alcohol or have sexual intercourse unless it is to conceive children.

A typical Sunday feast starts at 3:30 p.m. with chanting, a lesson based on the Bhagavad Gita, more chanting of "hare kṛiṣhṇa hare kṛiṣhṇa kṛiṣhṇa kṛiṣhṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāmarāma rāma hare hare."

Music, played mostly on drums, castanets and small cymbals, follows the chanting and is often accompanied by spirited dancing. Finally, guests enjoy a free vegetarian feast of rice, a tortilla-like whole wheat flatbread called "puris," curried vegetables, a dessert of condensed milk called "kheer," and other dishes.

Dear Devotees,
Hare Krsna!
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to SrilaPrabhupada.

It is our great pleasure to announce ISKCON MAYAPUR's 4th annual six day
Kartik Navadwip Mandal Parikrama during the most auspicious month of Kartik.

 The Parikram begins on October 28th, 2016 and will end on November 3rd,
2016.

There will be a one day break for Goverdhan puja (on 31st October) so that
devotees can participate in the festival.

The parikram will not stay overnight; we will leave each day from the ISKCON
Mayapur campus at 5 AM and return no later than 5 PM. In order to give more
time to chanting and hearing pastimes in the holy places, we have reduced
some of the walking, and devotees will be transported faster to the various
places via boat and vehicles.

Kartik is the most auspicious month to perform spiritual activities, and the
weather is extremely pleasant and favorable, so please do not miss this
opportunity to associate with senior devotees, to hear and chant the glories
of Lord Chaitanya, to bathe in the Ganges, and honor prasadam together in
the various holy places.

For more information please call (+91) 959-353-8555 or write to
mayapurchandras1008@gmail.com

Booking will open up on 1st September 2016. Please kindly note that bookings
are non refundable. Limited seats available.

Parikrama fees are Rs. 2000 per person; this includes all transportation,
breakfast, lunch, snacks, and water for the full duration of the Parikrama.
We will be creating a Facebook event page with more details such as the
daily schedule soon!
Your servants,
The Mayapur Chandra's team

By Bhaktin Natasha, ISKCON-London Communications Secretary

July is a very special month in our ISKCON 50th Anniversary Year. On 13th July, 50 years ago the International Society of Krishna Consciousness was established.

ISKCON-London launched its 50th Anniversary celebrations in August last year, with a festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s departure from India to the West. Now, in this special month, ISKCON’s incorporation month, a number of wonderful events have been planned.

What better way to kick-off the celebrations than with the chanting of the holy names? The events commenced with London Mellows kirtan weekend on 9th and 10th July. Kirtaneers from across the UK community came together to make a special offering of 24 hours of kirtan for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada. It was recorded live by Radha Krishna Records, ISKCON-London’s record label, and we will be producing a 50th Anniversary album which will be released later this year.

On the actual incorporation day, 13th July, there will be an all-day festival at the Temple. This will be a glorious day of celebration and Their Lordships will be offered new outfits in honour of the occasion, there will be special themed classes, kirtan, maha harinama, and prasadam feast. ISKCON-London will join Bhaktivedanta Manor on a joint initiative themed “Day of Gratitude” to distribute 5000 cupcakes to commuters at key locations in central London.

On the evening of 15th July, there will be an evening with Yogesvara dasa who will be launching his new book, ‘Swami in a Strange Land’ providing the community with an opportunity to further meditate on Srila Prabhupada’s mood and pastimes.

The Incorporation Week will end with London Rathayatra on 17th July. Lord Jagannath will bring a splash of spiritual culture to the streets of Central London at the annual street parade from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, where the festival will culminate with stage performances, stalls and other festivities. This was one of Srila Prabhupada’s favourite festivals that he brought to the West. In honour of the 50th Anniversary, there will be a special 50th booth, literature and activities to raise awareness of ISKCON amongst the public.

Srila Prabhupada emphasised, “Books are the basis of our movement”. Any celebration is incomplete without the distribution of books. A 50th Anniversary Book Marathon will take place from 18th to 29th July. This is another opportunity inviting everyone of us to distribute books and take part in the ISKCON 50/50 campaign.

On 29th July there will be an evening of bhajans with HG Agnidev dasa as part of the ISKCON50 Holy Name Series.

The third summer Open Day of the year will be taking place on 30th July, encouraging the public to explore contributions of ISKCON in the last 50 years. Newcomers are invited to find out more about the philosophy and practices of Krishna Consciousness.

The grand finale will be the Kirtan on the Thames Boat Event on 31st July. This National Signature Event will be a day of chanting, dancing and feasting on a cruise around the famous landmarks of London. Special lineup of kirtaneers will include BB Govinda Swami, Kadamba Kanana Swami, Agnidev dasa, Radha Londonisvara dasa and Jahnavi Harrison.

As well as ISKCON-London community members, Temple Presidents, community members and congregational leaders are expected from UK yatras including Birmingham, Bhaktivedanta Manor, Brighton, Closet Krishna, Crawley, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and more, making it a truly national event. This will be a special event and one of the highlights of the year!

By Parama Rupa das

His Holiness Romapada Maharaj conducts retreats twice a year at the Gita Nagari Dham (http://www.theyogafarm.com/) on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.

Petals of ISKCON’s Lotus was the theme of this year’s Memorial Day weekend retreat. The celebrations commemorated 50 years of ISKCON’s formation, recognizing and honoring some of ISKCON’s contributions to the world today and gearing up for the next 50 years of service, devotion, and joy. Several of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples and senior devotees—including HH Romapada Swami, HG Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu, HG Tamohara Prabhu, HG Krsnanandini Mataji, HG Vraja Lila Mataji, HG Lokadhyaksa Prabhu and HG Vidarbha-suta Mataji (on behalf of HG Vaisesika Prabhu)—shared their profound realizations on various topics, complemented by ecstatic kirtans by kirtan teams from New York and Chicago.

Some snippets from the presentations made by the speakers:

• HG Vaisesika Prabhu’s team (HG Lokadhyaksa Prabhu and his wife HG Vidarbha-Suta Mataji) inspired the audience by presenting philosophical reasons for why and practical aspects of how all devotees should distribute books—it is our family business!

To strengthen these petals in one’s local community, there were smaller breakout sessions with the speakers, where devotees could discuss and understand more deeply the implications of these petals for their personal and community advancement. The devotees also immersed themselves for hours in the nectarean ocean of Sri Hari Nama Sankirtan in the presence of Sri Sri Radha Damodara, Sri Sri Lalita Visakha Sakhi and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai (the presiding deities of the Gita Nagari Dham), grateful to the devotional voices of HG Ananta Govinda Prabhu, HG Acyuta Gopi Mataji and their kirtan teams. The retreat concluded with a wonderful question and answer session.

All in all, the retreat proved to be a very enlivening and invigorating experience for all participants, filling them with renewed inspiration and instilling a sense of belonging individually and collectively to ISKCON. Importantly, the participants felt inspired to deeply imbibe the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada by following his instructions and actively participating in this glorious movement. It was a very blissful weekend of Krsna katha, inspiration, sadhu sanga, kirtan, and wonderful prasadam for all attending devotees.

Recorded videos playlist of all presentations, including kirtans, are available at :  http://romapadaswamimedia.com/the-sermons/gita-nagari-retreat-may-2016/

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29431

By Aravinda Krishna das.

Just like the waves of the Ganges River takes over Mayapur dham during the monsoon season, there was a flood of Krsna Consciousness drenching the UK Yatra devotees from June 15th to the 22nd this year, with one of the dear servants of H.D.G. Srila Prabhupada – H.H. Jayapataka Swami Maharaja. In fact, devotees and non-devotees whether these were onlookers, neighbours, doctors and therapists alike, -whether at airports, parking lots, shopping malls, hotels, or elsewhere-, were attracted to get the mercy just by seeing Maharaja’s enthusiasm to preach, the warmth of his dealings and his effulgent appearance.

Irrespective of his physical challenges, as always Jayapataka Maharaja had a busy preaching schedule from the time he landed to his departure date from the UK.

In a span of 7 days, Maharaja took part in several festivals and gatherings; the Birmingham Snana Yatra and Panihati festivals, the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Panihati festival, the Fundraising of Sri Krishna Haveli Project with HH Sivarama Swami Maharaja, the Maha Bhakti Vriksha convention in East London, amongst others. He also extended his kindness by performing various congregational devotees’ New born Nama Karana ceremonies & Deity Naming event in Birmingham & London; 3 home programs and many hours of Darshan and official meetings.

HH Jayapataka Maharaja spent tireless number of hours counselling, inspiring, cultivating and caring for devotees from the various ashrams and guests from different walks of life. These are some figures from this latest preaching tour of in the UK:

- 55 new people took up chanting

- 12 people committed to chant 16 rounds & follow 4 regulative principles.

- Approximately 24 hours of Darshan (which equates to 1 whole day!) About 500 devotees took Darshan (which involves counselling, cultivation, blessings etc)

- 12 hours of class & official meetings

- About 20 hours of Email correspondence – Answering many official GBC mails, addressing devotees’ issues, preaching/travelling updates etc.

- Raised around £5000 through Birmingham and Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Panihati festival

- Pledged his support & encouraged Bhakti Vriskha devotees to raise major funds for Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Sri Krishna Haveli Project. Sruti Dharma Prabhu (The Manor’s temple president) himself thanked Maharaja by saying “HH Jayapataka Swami is the first fund raiser for Sri Krishna Haveli project through the Panihati festival”.

All this was achieved despite Jayapataka Maharaja’s physical limitations to complete his basic daily needs and the considerable amount of hours he spends on his daily physical exercises, cycling, regular local doctor/therapist visits and his chanting, reading and hearing.

Currently Maharaja is also engaged in working on his new books on Srila Prabhupada, Sri Krishna Caitanya and Navadwip Mandal Parikrama.

These statistics prove how a sincere devotee applying “ahaituky apratihata”, unmotivated and uninterrupted devotional service, as mentioned in SB 1.2.6, can have such an strong impact on many people’s lives. We can actually see in the lives of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples how this is possible in a practical way.

The beauty of this phenomenon is that this unmotivated and uninterrupted devotional service is actually bestowing complete perfection (sarva siddhi) in people’s lives simply due to a moment’s association with a sadhu, “lava-matra sadhu sange sarva-siddhi haya” – (CC Madhya 22.54).

“As soon as one hears the glories of the Lord from the liberated devotees, he immediately becomes impregnated with Krsna consciousness.”
– SB 4.29.39-40 purport

It is very inspiring how pure devotional service attracts many sincere people and bhakti practitioners to take association from such a sincere and committed devotee and when they take that association just even for a split second then they become touched with that same spirit of devotion and start their journey towards uninterrupted and unmotivated devotional service through various means like chanting, service and association. This can be vividly observed when many devotees and non-devotees alike get inspired to take up chanting, increasing their commitment to serve Krishna and take the devotees’ association.

This spiritual inspiration can only be obtained by the presence of the brave sankirtan soldiers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu & Srila Prabhupada - who has the courage of a British soldier and the heart of a Bengali mother. H.H. Jayapataka Maharaja is one of such soldiers also exemplifying such characteristics. By constantly travelling all over the world and fearlessly waving the victory flag of the Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam Movement –he is inspiring all those who come into his contact to take up the chanting of the Holy Names of Krsna.

Source : https://www.facebook.com/cdmayapur/posts/1754509874824693

The Speaking Tree, a weekly spiritual supplement published by the Times of India with a coverage of 10 lakh copies, covered the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON in a near full-page story.
The story documents the movement’s history as well as the ongoing celebrations.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29540

An introduction: “Because the Mayavadis are great offenders and atheistic philosophers, the holy name of Krsna does not come from their mouths. I have come here to sell My emotional ecstatic sentiments in this city of Kasi, but I cannot find any customers. If they are not sold, I must take them back home. I have brought a heavy load to sell in this city. To take it back again is a very difficult job; therefore if I get but a fraction of the price, I shall sell it here in this city of Kasi.”
CC Madhya Lila Chapter 17 Texts 143-145
This is what Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to the Maharastran Brahmana after He was told of the inimical attitude of the mayavadi sannyasis towards Him in Vanerasi (Kasi).
I was wondering whether Sriman Mahaprabhu was having the same feeling about the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, while at the airport the local equivalent of the DEA were checking to see if the holy Salagram silas were containers of narcotics.
My life airs were in a shambles as one salagrama was being flicked and another was in the process of being broken in half. Arguing with Greek officials generally makes things worse, especially considering we were at their mercy and could very easily find ourselves on a flight back to Poland without the Salagrams. So I chose to speak some Greek to them.
There’s only one thing that a Greek loves more than a good Greek salad with local olives, bread, coffee and some baklava in a Café at 2 O’Clock in the morning, and that is finding another Greek where he didn’t expect to find one. We cracked some jokes and without checking our BBT box, our now jovial drug enforcement officials told us to go take a bath in the sea. 
After properly worshipping Giriraja and the abused Salagrams in a park by a beach I was ready for the next chapter in Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan adventure. The atheistic philosophers that Mahaprabhu condemned in Kasi were also in Thessaloniki. Due to the “saintly encouragement” of an overbearing Greek Orthodox Church, the youth of Thessaloniki have predominantly become atheistic. So in one sense they are innocent due to a normal youthful reactionary or rebellious spirit. Therefore even though the price of surrender had to be slashed to simple curiosity, it would be far better than just going back home and forgetting them.
“The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die and you to live. Which is the better, only God knows.” [Socrates]
There is a deep love of theistic philosophy in Greece. But it is simply jnana – there is little vijnana. Like everywhere else in Kali Yuga, sublime practice and realization is buried under the lust for base “enjoyments.” Sometimes you just have to leave it up to Srila Prabhupada to do something mystical through his words.
How many times have I knowingly gotten myself into a dead end discussion? It’s a mixture of curiosity, creativity and downright stubbornness on my part. But I keep telling myself that it can bring about fresh insights if undertaken with an experimental attitude.
George in Thessaloniki actually bought a Bhagavad Gita that he was not in the least interested in. Such is the mystic power of the Supreme Lord! Our brief exchange would have ended there and then had not his friend, Stavros, suddenly out of the blue asked me about how to control the senses? An interesting question if you know Greeks.
How do you explain this simple but elusive principle in such a way that someone who is not practicing self-control can understand it. Srila Prabhupada’s books are not on the mundane level of sense gratification and therefore require a special type of patience to comprehend.
So I thought I’d explain that for one to control the senses requires that one has a higher taste. We’re not impersonalists, we can’t give up everything for nothing. We have to shift our senses to something that will elevate and purify us.
In order to avoid the word “God” I tried to use an example of a person addicted to alcohol. “When he ends up in the gutter is he happy? But tomorrow will he give it up just like that? In order to stop being an alcoholic he will have to find something else to engage his senses in, something that will not degrade him. So he has to find a higher taste, right?”
George countered that when you drink alcohol it can help you to think more clearly. At this point I decided to wish him and Stavros a great day and enjoy the book.
Aisvarya das :-)

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29544

Mankind’s pursuit for happiness is never ending. Although we live in a finite world, our desires are infinite. What is our understanding of happiness?

An evening of exploring happiness from a Vedic perspective with His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, a renounced monk and travelling teacher for over 40 years, renowned all over the world for his depth of spiritual knowledge and practice.
This was an interactive seminar with an opportunity to ask questions and consider how we can better understand our role in creating our own happiness in our personal and professional lives.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/N45UXQ

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29546

By Mukunda-anghri das

The ISKCON/TAIWAN yatra celebrated the 50years of the establishment of ISKCON by holding a grand retreat at the resort in Daxi which is about 50km from the capital Taipei.

Devotees from all over Taiwan and visiting devotees from HongKong,China and Philippines attended this 2 nights 3 days celebration.The hall was decorated nicely with a Murti of Srila Prabhupada and posters all over the hall highlighting the achievement of ISKCON worldwide in last 50years.

The celebration was organized under the leadership of HH Giridhari Swami and HG Krishna Baldeva Prabhu.

HG Krishna Baldeva Prabhu spoke on the Markine Bhagavata Dharma Prayers which Srila Prabhupada wrote as a poem on the 18th of September at Boston Harbour.Krishna Baldeva Prabhu explained the mood of Srila Prabhupada when he arrived first at Boston and the deep philosophical meaning behind these prayers.All the devotees were very touched and moved to hear the deeper meaning of this prayers and realized how difficult it was for Srila Prabhupada when He first came to USA alone.

HH Giridhari Swami spoke on the 7 purposes of ISKCON in details.He nicely engaged the devotees during the talk as to how these purposes can be applied for the purpose of practical peaching purposes.Devotees were very encouraged by this talk.

Ecstatic kirtans were performed by the devotees from Taiwan and Philippines.

All the devotees were motivated by the association and helped them to realize the deeper concepts and appreciate the efforts made by Srila Prabhupada to make this a successful worldwide movement.

Devotees of the Taipei Yatra have also made a resolution to do 50 outdoor harinams this year to commerate the 50years of the establishment of ISKCON.

Hare Krishna,

Mukunda-anghri das

You can watch a short video of the retreat by following the below link

https://youtu.be/ypBX_9uEFYQ

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29553

By Madhavananda Das

Part one: THE OPULENT ANSWER

Many devotees ask how we are to understand the Ulta, or Bahudha return Ratha-yatra in Jagannath Puri? If (as Gaudiya Vaishnavas state) we consider the Gundica-yatra, or Ratha-yatra to respresent the ecstatic emotions of the residents of Vrindavan taking Krishna home from Kuruksetra. How do we then understand the return Ratha-yatra?

Is it a festival celebrating taking Krishna away from Vrindavan?

There are two sides, two answers, that can be offered to this question. To understand them, one first needs to consider something about the nature of Sri Jagannath Puri Dham. In his book, “The Embankment of Separation” (chapter 7), Srila Prabhupada’s Orissan disciple, Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja describes Lord Jagannath and Puri as: aisvarya-madhurya yugala-milana – “The combination of both opulence and sweetness.” This point is substantiated by Srila Sanatan Goswami who writes in his Brhad-Bhagavatamrta (2.5.212):

sri-krsna-devasya sada priyam tat
ksetram yatha sri-mathura tathaiva
tat-paramaisvarya-bhara-prakasa-
lokanusari-vyavahara-ramyam

“Just as Mathura-Vrindavan is eternally dear to Sri Krishna, so too is his abode of Purushottam Kshetra Jagannath Puri. There in Puri, Krishna displays supreme opulence and while at the same time presents pastimes that are full of sweetness.”

This may strike the learned readers as confusing, for in terms of siddhanta, there is a vast difference between the qualities of aisvarya, opulence; and madhurya, sweetness. When jnana and aisvarya, knowledge of the Lord’s opulence and position, are present then rati-sankucita ? love is shrunken. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has described in (Cc madhya 19.194):

aisvarya-jnana-pradhanye sankucita priti
dekhiya na mane aisvarya?kevalara riti

“When opulence is prominent, love of Godhead is shrunken. According to kevala devotion, however, even though the devotee sees the unlimited potency of Krishna, he considers himself equal with him.”

How then do we understand Jagannath Puri and the return Ratha-yatra?

A few years ago we wrote an article in issue 13 of our “Sri Krishna Kathamrita” journal, called, “Only Hindus Allowed”, which addressed the subject of why Jagannath doesn’t allow foreign devotees inside of the temple. In the course of discussing that topic from various angles, another topic came up which is very central to the return Ratha-yatra:

The marriage of Lakshmi and Jagannath.

The Gundicha temple is said to be the place where Lord Jagannath was originally carved by Visvakarma and where he was initially installed by Lord Brahma. Hence, Gundicha represents the sweet home of Krishna’s Vrindavan.

What many devotees don’t know is that the events leading to the Ratha-yatra actually begin several days before the actual event. On the Sukla Ekadasi day of the month of Jyaistha (May June), better known to devotees as Pandava-nirjala Ekadasi, there is a festival Rukmini-harana or Rukmini-vivaha. This event takes place inside the Sri or Jagannath temple, and consists of the priests ceremoniously marrying Lord Jagannath with Goddess Lakshmi.

It is a very romantic festival, part of which entails the ceremonial tying together of the cloths of Jagannath and Lakshmi. Four days later is the day known as Snana-Purnima, wherein Lord Jagannath has a public bathing festival called, Snana-yatra. Snana-Purnima is considered to be the day that the deity of Lord Jagannath was first installed by Lord Brahma.

After his public bath of hundreds of pots of water, Lord Jagannath falls “sick” and goes into seclusion to regain his health. This time is called, anavasara. During this period the newly wedded Lakshmi acts as the ideal wife, and for the next fifteen days she doesn’t sleep, but only nurses her beloved husband.

After fifteen days without rest Lakshmi eventually falls asleep (you can’t blame her!). At that time her newly married husband quietly unties the knot in their cloth and leaves to go see his girl friends Radharani and the Vraja-gopis.

We call that Jagannath Ratha-yatra.

Lakshmi Devi wakes up a few days later to find her husband gone. When she inquires where he is, Jagannath?s servant nervously explains that he went to see his girlfriends. Hearing this, Lakshmi leaves the altar, and goes to stay in the storage room of the Jagannath temple ? like a depressed wife might. She refuses to take bath or eat any opulent food, and dines like poor Orissan people on simple village rice and spinach.

In Odisha there is a sthala-purana known as the Vamadev-samhita. This book describes many aspects of the worship and activities of Lord Jagannath and is one of the main texts followed by the priests in the Jagannath Mandir. Chapter sixteen therein offers many details of the Ratha-yatra (for a more elaborate exposition of the contents thereof, interested readers can see our article in Sri Krishna Kathamrita). It states that after a few days Lakshmi Devi goes to ask advice from Goddess Bimala inside of the temple. To paraphrase things, she basically says, “This is not right! I’m a newly wedded wife! Why did my husband leave me? I was being so good taking care of him. Moreover, he took Subhadra with him, at least he could have taken me!”

Bimala Devi offers some womanly advice saying something to the effect, that, “Yes. I understand. All men are like this.”

Bimala then offers some magic churna or powder to Lakshmi, which she says will, ?Help restore your husband’s intelligence.”

The following morning, on the fifth day after Jagannath?s departure, Lakshmi wakes up in a sulky mood. She finally has a bath and puts on ornaments. Then, collecting some of her associates (traditionally represented by the deva-dasis), she is carried on a palanquin to the Gundicha Mandir to see her newly-wedded husband. This festival is known as Hera-pancami, and takes place on the fifth day after Ratha-yatra. Hera means ?to behold?, while pancami means ?the fifth day?. The festival is also sometimes called, Laksmi-vijayotsava, or ?the victory celebration of Lakshmi?.

Angry and jealous, Lakshmi Devi is in the mood of an adhira nayika, a restless, aggrieved heroine. By the time she arrives at the Gundicha Mandir, Lord Jagannath is already inside with his brother and sister. At that time Lakshmi and her girl friends and her harass the Pandas outside who are taking care of Jagannath’s cart and they break part of the cart.

In her angry mood, Lakshmi then goes into the temple to see her husband. She does not speak to Jagannath, but merely comes before him bows her head. Then she blows the magic powder at the Lord that she received from Bimala Devi. Finally, still without speaking, her and her girl friends depart from the temple.

She tells some of the servants of Lord Jagannath, “Tell your master that his wife has returned to their palace.”

Perhaps this makes Lord Jagannath transcendentally nervous as two days later he decides to return to the Jagannath Mandir to see Lakshmi. While Jagannath is returning the king of Puri performs an important function and goes to see Lakshmi Devi. This ceremony is called, Laksmi Narayana Bhet, and the king acts as a kind of go-between marriage counselor.

He shows Lakshmi that her husband has returned, “See his cart.” And tells her that he loves her and she should forgive him. At this time Jagannath traditionally, (not followed any more) sends an elephant for Lakshmi to ride on to come and see him.

Still in a sulky mood, Lakshmi refuses, and when Jagannath requests her a second time she finally comes out of the temple, surrounded by her girlfriends on a palanquin, (not by the elephant sent by her husband). She goes to Jagannath’s cart circumambulates her husband and then quietly goes back inside of the temple. This generally takes place on the tenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Asadha.

Jagannath wears a special dress the next day known as suna vesa. That day is known in Orissa as Bahudha Ekadasi or the ?return Ekadasi?. Having returned to the Sri Mandir, Lord Jagannath wants to pacify his sulky newly-wedded wife. Some say that it is for this purpose that on the evening of Bahudha Ekadasi he wears the suna-vesa, golden dress. This most opulent of all Jagannath?s dresses consists of solid gold hands and feet, and many, many gold necklaces, earrings and various gold ornaments. It?s said that on this day, between the three deities they are wearing more than one ton of gold ? an appropriate dress to pacify the goddess of fortune and assure her that he has left his girl friends and fthe simple village of Vrindavan.

The following day, the deities go back inside of the Sri Mandir. First Balaram and Subhadra return to their places on the altar. However, when Jagannath is about to get down from his cart to go inside, Lakshmi’s maidservants slam the Lion-gate shut and bar Jagannath’s entry. Following this there is a dialogue carried out in the form of Sanskrit songs between a representative of Jagannath and a representative of Lakshmi. Jagannath’s spokesperson goes to the gate and loudly proclaims something to the effect of, ?Jagannath loves his wife Lakshmi very much. He feels very bad, and is begging for her forgiveness.?

Many things take place after this, which would make our article unnecessarily long. Suffice to say that after many sweet words (and presents!) from Jagannath, Lakshmi finally relents and allows her husband back inside (it’s not only foreign devotees who are barred entry into the temple!).

Jagannath’s triumphant return to the Sri Mandir, is called the Niladri Vijaya and commemorates the day that he was first installed in the temple by Lord Brahma. Once he has returned inside the temple there is another final ceremony wherein they again tie together Lakshmi?s and Jagannath?s cloth.

The couple is finally re-united.

This is a brief description of the opulent reason for the return Ratha-yatra. With the blessings of Hari, guru and the Vaishnavas we intend to present something in part two of this series about the sweet reason behind the return Ratha-yatra.

Jaya Jagannath!

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=29556

By: Romapada Das

Major newspapers and TV channels across four continents covered the 50th anniversary of ISKCON’s incorporation on 13th July with positive stories that reached out to millions of people around the world.

The BBC UK, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Chicago Tribune, the Times of India and India’s government-owned DD National TV gave extensive coverage to the history of ISKCON, the achievements of Srila Prabhupada and local events happening in their area.

BBC London broadcast a two-minute clip about the 50th anniversary on a prime-time news slot. Titled ‘Hare Krishna celebrates 50 years in London’, the news story covered devotees handing out 5000 cupcakes, showed harinama processions on Oxford Street, and featured interviews with devotees who live professional lives while practicing bhakti-yoga at home. It concluded with positive comments from several passers-by.

The report featured an interview with Bijal Majithia, a member of the congregation who works in a top accounting firm. She explained that many Hare Krishna devotees lead normal and professional lives, but were committed to their spiritual practices.

A suited man working in the city said, “It’s absolutely fine, they (the Hare Krishnas) are a pleasure to be around, and I love their little marches.”

The news-reporter concluded by saying, “I hope they will be a part of London for the next fifty years.”

A video-clip of the telecast and the story about the event on BBC can be viewed by clicking here.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) report introduced Srila Prabhupada, his journey to the West and the current expansion of ISKCON’s preaching mission.  The report said that ISKCON ‘belongs to the Vedic or Hindu culture with its philosophies based on the Sanskrit texts the Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavat Purana and Srimad Bhagavatam. Devotees practice bhakti yoga and worship Lord Krishna.’

The ABC report introduced the activities of the New Govardhana community and featured interviews with several devotees whom they called ‘everyday Hare Krishnas’. The ABC report can be read by clicking here.

"India’s largest nationally circulated newspape, the Times of India, did a full-page featured editorial in the Speaking Tree." Titled ’50 years of Krishna Consciousness’, the story discusses Prabhupada’s epic journey to the West, his beginnings in New York, his encounter with the Beatles, and traces how the movement expanded rapidly.

The editorial concludes by saying, “Eventually, the worldwide message of warmth and love that the Hare Krishna movement has been striving to disseminate has overcome any setbacks of earlier years, paving the way for a new era of universal love and peace.”

To read the Times of India editorial in the Speaking Tree supplement, please click here.

India’s government-owned TV channel, Doordarshan National aired a one-hour programme about ISKCON on July 13th, featuring a studio interview with Keshava Murari Das, President of ISKCON Rohini (New Delhi), interspersed with several video clips about different activities of ISKCON. He explained how Srila Prabhupada started the movement and continued to speak about the achievements of ISKCON today such as the movement’s expansion into 650 centres, distribution of 300 million plates of free prasadam and 50 million books. The programme showed several clips such as the youth festival in Pune attended by 20,000 young people and the recent visit of the then Prime Minister David Cameron to Bhaktivedanta Manor in London to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

The Chicago Tribune featured a story on the ‘Walking Monk’ with a tagline that said, ‘Swami embarks on transnational walk to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hare Krishna tradition’. The story profiled Bhakti Marga Swami’s walk of 3,000 miles across the United States from New York City to San Francisco to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON’s arrival in the West and to promote a green style of living in America.

The story said, “Traveling on foot is a common practice in various spiritual traditions, and the walking monk believes that it's an effective way to reach out and communicate the importance of morality and ethical priorities.”

To read the Walking Monk story from the Chicago Tribune, please click here.

A key theme behind most of the stories was that they profiled the Hare Krishna movement of being made up of ‘normal’ people living in society who were practising spirituality while leading professional lives. 

Beyond the Incorporation day, there are several other major events being planned in America, UK, Europe, Australia, India and other countries, which are also expected to receive media attention and coverage.

Source : http://iskconnews.org/mainstream-media-across-four-continents-cover-incorporation-day-stories-in-a-big-way,5697/