ISKCON Desire Tree's Posts (19460)

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Devotees Worldwide Pray for Mukunda Goswami.
Maharaja is currently in the Intensive Care Unit, and his orthopedic surgeon plans to operate on his hip today. According to the surgeon, as well as the general risks of the operation associated with old age, Mukunda Goswami is especially high-risk due to having just undergone a major six-hour triple bypass surgery on top of his already weak heart. However, delaying the operation also carries a high mortality risk, as Maharaja’s lungs have begun to rattle because of his long period of immobility in hospital, which increases the chances of pneumonia. So, doctors say, getting him up and moving is extremely important.
We now beg all of you to please pray to Srila Prabhupada, Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Lord Nrsimhadeva,” says Krsna Kirtan.
Devotees Worldwide Pray for Mukunda Goswami.
Maharaja is currently in the Intensive Care Unit, and his orthopedic surgeon plans to operate on his hip today. According to the surgeon, as well as the general risks of the operation associated with old age, Mukunda Goswami is especially high-risk due to having just undergone a major six-hour triple bypass surgery on top of his already weak heart. However, delaying the operation also carries a high mortality risk, as Maharaja’s lungs have begun to rattle because of his long period of immobility in hospital, which increases the chances of pneumonia. So, doctors say, getting him up and moving is extremely important.
We now beg all of you to please pray to Srila Prabhupada, Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Lord Nrsimhadeva,” says Krsna Kirtan.

Source... www.dandavats.com

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Giriraj Swami's photo.

Hearing Srila Prabhupada on Sarat-purnima . . Last night was sarat-purnima, and I listened to Srila Prabhupada’s dictation of Krsna book, “The Rasa Dance: Introduction,” and was especially charmed by the following section:

“When Lord Krsna began to blow His flute, the gopis all over Vrndavana became enchanted. . . . Immediately upon hearing the vibration of the flute, they all left their respective engagements and proceeded to the spot where Krsna was standing. While they ran very swiftly, their earrings swung back and forth. . . . Some were engaged in serving their husbands, and some were themselves engaged in eating, but caring neither to serve their husbands nor eat, they immediately left. Some of them wanted to decorate their faces with cosmetic ointments and to dress themselves very nicely before going to Krsna, but unfortunately they could not finish their cosmetic decorations or put on their clothes in the right way because of their anxiety to meet Krsna immediately. Their faces were decorated hurriedly and were haphazardly finished; some even put the lower part of their clothes on the upper part of their bodies and the upper part on the lower part.

“When a person becomes attracted by Krsna and is in full Krsna consciousness, he does not care for any worldly duties, even though very urgent. Krsna consciousness is so powerful that it gives everyone relief from all material activities. Srila Rupa Gosvami has written a very nice verse wherein one gopi advises another, ‘My dear friend, if you desire to enjoy the company of material society, friendship, and love, then please do not go to see that smiling boy Govinda who is standing on the bank of the Yamuna and playing His flute, His lips brightened by the beams of the full moonlight.’ Srila Rupa Gosvami indirectly instructs that one who has been captivated by the beautiful smiling face of Krsna has lost all attraction for material enjoyments. This is the test of advancement in Krsna consciousness . . .

“Maharaja Pariksit heard Sukadeva Gosvami explain the situation of the gopis who assembled with Krsna in the rasa dance. When he heard that some of the gopis, simply by concentrating on Krsna as their paramour, became freed from all contamination of material birth and death, he said, ‘The gopis did not know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They accepted Him as a beautiful boy and considered Him to be their paramour. So how was it possible for them to get freed from the material condition just by thinking of a paramour?’

“On hearing this question from Maharaja Pariksit, Sukadeva Gosvami replied, ‘My dear King, your question is already answered, even before this incident.’ . . . Sukadeva Gosvami then reminded Pariksit Maharaja about the salvation of Sisupala. Sisupala was always envious of Krsna, and because of his envy Krsna killed him. But since Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sisupala gained salvation simply by seeing Him. If an envious person can get salvation simply by concentrating his mind on Krsna, then what to speak of the gopis, who are so dear to Krsna and always think of Him in love? There must be some difference between the enemies and the friends. If Krsna’s enemies could get freed from material contamination and become one with the Supreme, then certainly His dear friends like the gopis can achieve such freedom and much more.

“Sukadeva Gosvami continued to inform Maharaja Pariksit that Krsna is not an ordinary person but rather the Supreme Personality of Godhead – imperishable, immeasurable, and without any material qualities but full of all spiritual qualities. He appears in this material world out of His causeless mercy, and whenever He appears, He appears as He is, without change. . . . The conclusion is that if one somehow or other becomes attached to Krsna or attracted to Him, either because of His qualities of beauty, opulence, fame, strength, renunciation, or knowledge, through affection or friendship, or even through lust, anger, or fear, then one’s salvation and freedom from material contamination are assured.

“In the Bhagavad-gita, Eighteenth Chapter, the Lord states that one who is engaged in preaching Krsna consciousness is very dear to Him. A preacher has to face many difficulties in his struggle to preach pure Krsna consciousness. Sometimes he has to suffer bodily injuries, and sometimes he has to meet death also. All this is taken as a great austerity on behalf of Krsna. Krsna therefore has said that such a preacher is very, very dear to Him. If Krsna’s enemies can expect salvation simply by concentrating their minds on Him, then what to speak of persons who are so dear to Krsna? The conclusion should be that the salvation of those who are engaged in preaching Krsna consciousness in the world is guaranteed in all circumstances. But such preachers never care for salvation, because factually one who is engaged in Krsna consciousness, devotional service, has already achieved salvation.” (Krsna, Chapter 29)

I pray to follow in the footsteps of the gopis and the stalwart preachers of pure Krsna consciousness, such as Srila Prabhupada, and give everything for the pleasure and satisfaction of Krsna – and His most beloved devotees.

Hare Krsna.

Source... 


Source...https://www.facebook.com/giriraj.swami.7

 
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Preaching program in Vilnius, Lithuania

On the 30th of July, 2015 at a prestigious new concert hall built recently in the very heart of downtown Vilnius, Radhanath Swami shared stories from his autobiography “The Journey Home”. The luxurious hall provided a perfect venue for an evening of spiritual wisdom, where Radhanth Swami shared experiences from his journey from suburbs of Chicago to mystical India.

Radhanath Swami was joined on stage by popular Lithuanian musician and songwriter Amberlife (Edgaras Lubys) who performed live. Amberlife’s fan base has also reached Latvia, Russia and Scandinavia; and he has also recently worked with Steven Tyler from Aerosmith and the Backstreet Boys.

Approximately 2000 people purchased tickets to attend this evening of stories and music, with 500 of them purchasing books. The event received substantial media attention, being broadcast on TV and featured in major publications.

The event was also attended by the famous Lithuanian Žydrūnas Savickas, powerlifter and professional strongman, who has won the world’s strongest man title seven times and has set new world records.

You can see a gallery of photos from the event as well as a video of the evening below.

Source... www.dandavats.com

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Offences and their Consequences

Lecture on Offences and their Consequences by HH Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami at ISKCON Mauritius

(His Holiness Bhakti Dhira Damodar Swami is from West Africa. He is the first Sannyas disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami. He is known for his years of dedicated services to ISKCON. He is very dear to devotees from Africa.)

To Listen and Download - click here

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                           For complete results           go to www.SankirtanNewsletter.com (password: wsnhome)             Deadline for scores is the 15th of the next month            WORLD           WORLD     SANKIR       NEWS      LETTER           WWW             WWW    SSS     TAN     NEWS       NEW            WWW           WWW    SSS       SSS    NEWSLE     NEW             WWW   WWW   WWW       SSSSS          NEW NEWS   NEW              WWW WORLD WWW           SANKIR      NEW   NEWS NEW               WORLD WORLD      SSS        TAN    NEW     LETTER                WWW   WWW        SAN      SSS     NEW      NEWSL                 WW   WW            KIRTAN       NEWSL      ETTER           *********************************************************            W O R L D    S A N K I R T A N    N E W S L E T T E R          *********************************************************                                September 2015          10/23/2015                 For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this page       contains the following results for the month of September 2015.              World Totals                                 Page 2             Monthly Congregation and Weekend Warriors    Page 2             Monthly Continents                           Page 3             Monthly Top Ten Temples by Size              Page 3             Monthly Top Ten Temples by Continent         Page 4             Monthly Top Teams and Individuals            Page 5             Monthly All Countries                        Page 6             Monthly All Temples                          Page 7             Monthly All Prabhupada Disciples             Page 8             Cumulative Top Ten Countries                 Page 9             Cumulative Top Ten Temples                   Page 9             Cumulative Top 50 Individuals Worldwide      Page 9    **** Page 2 ****        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *      *              -- OFFERING TO SRILA PRABHUPADA --               *      *                                                               *      *    During the month of September 2015, 139 temples reported   *      *    distributing the following number of books:                *      *                                                               *      *                   132,912 Maha-big books                      *      *                    51,721 Big books                           *      *                    53,470 Medium books                        *      *                   196,358 Small books                         *      *                    53,267 Magazines                           *      *                     1,506 BTG subscriptions                   *      *                       698 Full sets                           *      *                                                               *      *                   496,764 literatures for the month           *      *                 4,086,766 literatures year-to-date            *      *               516,663,711 literatures worldwide since 1965    *      *                                                               *      *                All glories to Srila Prabhupada!               *      * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *                             WORLDWIDE BOOK DISTRIBUTION                         Total Literatures Distributed  Books (Millions) 16.......................................................................... .    X 14.XX....................................................................... .    XX       x 12.XX.......X............................................................... .    XX       X 10xXX.......X.x.x.................x......................................... .   XXX     x X X X             x X X _ x _ 8.XXX.....X.X.X.X...........X.X.X.X.X.X..................................._. X   XXX X   x X X X X         x X X X X X X                             x X X X 6XXXX.X...X.X.X.X.X.X.......X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.......................x.X.X.X.X. X  XXXX X X X X X X X X     X X X X X X X X X                   x x X X X X X X 4XXXX.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.....X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X...........x.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X. X  XXXX X X X X X X X X     X X X X X X X X X X _       x X X X X X X X X X X X 2XXXX.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.x.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X. X  XXXX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 0XXXX_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_X_ X  75 78  80  82  84  86  88  90  92  94  96  98  00  02  04  06  08  10  12 14                              World Sankirtan Newsletter                           CONGREGATIONAL PREACHING                                September 2015      Congregation and                   %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs     Weekend Warriors         Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Nama Hatta Dept  May Ind 2990.00  -26%   637    299    162   5344*    0   2 WW Team ISV Week Sil USA 1463.00  -70%   695      0      0    292     0   3 Bhakti Lounge Ph Phi USA  592.95 +124%   223*    23     92    311     2   4 WW Dallas        Dal USA  514.00*+310%    68*   281*   101*   186*    0   5 WW Toronto WW    Tor Can  399.85  -24%    47     15     89    985*    1   6 Hungary Guests   NVr Hun  123.75  -61%    34      7     64     45    55   7 WW Bhakti Lounge Bha Can   75.00  -85%    29      1     19     26     0   8 WW Los Angeles   LA  USA   17.50   -9%     2      1     15     20     0   9 WW Vologda WW    Vol Rus   15.00   na      0      1     13     30     0                                     (%)Change compared        (*)New record                                     to monthly average        for this year    **** Page 3 ****                           World Sankirtan Newsletter                              MONTHLY CONTINENTS                                September 2015                                  % of  M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs Full   Continent (temples)   Points  World Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags Sets   _________________________________________________________________________  1 Asia (29)           226795.65  56%  83618  17457  16783 107953 38672  620 2 North America (21)   66066.50  16%  21446   9889   9093  29160 14358   72 3 CIS (25)             51292.00  13%  16827   5799   9377  28602     0    0 4 Europe (31)          29214.05   7%   7377   6662  11083   6899  5318    0 5 Latin America (14)   19100.90   5%    989  10359   5514  16006    54    0 6 Australasia (6)       7352.25   2%   2400   1390   1211   1929   745    5 7 Africa (13)           2647.35   1%    255    165    409   5809  3156    1                             World Sankirtan Newsletter                           TOP TEN TEMPLES BY SIZE                                September 2015                                         %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs                              Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags     _______________________________________________________________________        TOP TEN LARGE TEMPLES (41+ devotees)    1 Mayapur            Ind115096.75 +117%  48202   5359   7964  37407*    0   2 Moscow             Rus 20041.25* +58%   7312*  2523*  1033   9511*    0   3 Mumbai-Juhu        Ind 19360.25  -18%   7857    961   1879   6983     0   4 New Delhi          Ind 17669.20  -20%   4920   1448   2751  14232 14477   5 Vrindavan          Ind 17055.75   -5%   3229   6229      0  17475     0   6 Los Angeles        USA 15902.00   -2%   5488   2306   3760   2960     0   7 Pune               Ind  8411.60   -9%   3323    209    255   4446  2150   8 Bhaktivedanta Mano Eng  5994.00  +39%   1266   2388*  1687    922     0   9 St. Petersburg     Rus  5955.25   -8%   1855    898    916   3557     0  10 Budapest           Hun  2082.65  +50%    560*   536*    15    529  2869*        TOP TEN MEDIUM TEMPLES (21-40 devotees)    1 New Delhi(Punj.Bag Ind 12621.95   +3%   3565    545*  1626* 11611  7676*   2 Salem              Ind  9526.65* +79%   3506    957*     0   5019* 1167*   3 Moscow-Jagannath   Rus  8944.00  +27%   3535    737   1306*  1936     0   4 Ahmedabad          Ind  6983.75  +16%   2692      0    406   2787  1680   5 Denver             USA  5319.50* +60%   1552   1108    906   2510*  270   6 Sydney-North       Aus  4554.65  +27%   1855    263*   764    705   234*   7 London-Soho        Eng  3935.00   -4%   1150    328*  2373    482     0   8 VV Nagar           Ind  2808.70  +67%    811    468*   412   1402  1622   9 Mexico City        Mex  2344.50  +16%    214    150   1660*  3746     0  10 Ujjain             Ind  2188.00  -69%    381    586   1005   1350     0        TOP TEN SMALL TEMPLES (6-20 devotees)    1 RupanugaVedicColle USA 15015.70  +18%   5200   3140    727   2218  5577   2 Surat              Ind  5781.25  +11%   1745     90      0    615  4914*   3 Cueramaro          Mex  4525.00  +74%    440   2129*  2080   1904     0   4 Chicago            USA  3040.45* +76%    867*   674    754*   951   177   5 Kazan              Rus  2806.75* +44%    768*   342    864   1987*    0   6 Sankirtan Dham TST Ita  2498.50  -61%    882      0   1469      0     0   7 Curitiba           Bra  2371.50  -18%    210   1499    553*   704     0   8 Krasnodar          Rus  1788.75  -25%     86    289   1287   2737     0   9 Auckland Br. Ashra NZ   1708.30  -37%    270    938     24    856    43  10 Nizhny Novgorod    Rus  1594.00  -24%    713     76    145     78     0        TOP TEN MAHA-SMALL TEMPLES (1-5 devotees)    1 Baltimore          USA 10893.25*+273%   3341*   210*   335  12173* 7905*   2 Nitai Gauranga TSK Bra  6393.00    0%     28   6181    307     10     0   3 TBB TSKP           USA  3456.45* +86%    652   1060*   923   2503*   52   4 Sofia              Bul  1904.00  +31%    608    434*   189    638     0   5 Monterrey          Mex  1337.50  +55%     40      0    480*  4070     0   6 Prabhupada Bhavan- Cze  1203.00  -11%     57   1089      0      0     0   7 Bhakti Lounge (Phi USA   592.95 +124%    223*    23     92    311     2   8 Hartford           USA   414.50*+130%    163*    38      4    194     0   9 Brahmapur          Ind   404.25  -65%     86    154     41    159   180  10 Zagreb             Cro   332.00   -7%      7     69    432    132     0   **** Page 4 ****                           World Sankirtan Newsletter                         TOP TEN TEMPLES BY CONTINENT                                September 2015                                        %    M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs                              Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags                             _______________________________________________         TOP TEN TEMPLES - ASIA    1 Mayapur            Ind115096.75 +144%  48202   5359   7964  37407     0   2 Mumbai-Juhu        Ind 19360.25   -8%   7857    961   1879   6983     0   3 New Delhi          Ind 17669.20  -11%   4920   1448   2751  14232 14477   4 Vrindavan          Ind 17055.75   +8%   3229   6229      0  17475     0   5 New Delhi(Punj.Bag Ind 12621.95  +17%   3565    545   1626  11611  7676   6 Salem              Ind  9526.65 +105%   3506    957      0   5019  1167   7 Pune               Ind  8411.60   +6%   3323    209    255   4446  2150   8 Ahmedabad          Ind  6983.75  +30%   2692      0    406   2787  1680   9 Surat              Ind  5781.25  +27%   1745     90      0    615  4914  10 VV Nagar           Ind  2808.70  +91%    811    468    412   1402  1622        TOP TEN TEMPLES - NORTH AMERICA    1 Los Angeles        USA 15902.00  +10%   5488   2306   3760   2960     0   2 RupanugaVedicColle USA 15015.70  +35%   5200   3140    727   2218  5577   3 Baltimore          USA 10893.25 +326%   3341    210    335  12173  7905   4 Denver             USA  5319.50  +80%   1552   1108    906   2510   270   5 TBB TSKP           USA  3456.45 +109%    652   1060    923   2503    52   6 Chicago            USA  3040.45  +98%    867    674    754    951   177   7 Gainesville        USA  2061.75  +24%    608    588    405    221     0   8 Dallas             USA  1740.00  +18%    636    295    132    416    30   9 Silicon Valley(ISV USA  1463.00  -66%    695      0      0    292     0  10 Hillsborough, NC   USA  1336.85 +161%    500     67    178    713    26        TOP TEN TEMPLES - CIS    1 Moscow             Rus 20041.25  +85%   7312   2523   1033   9511     0   2 Moscow-Jagannath   Rus  8944.00  +70%   3535    737   1306   1936     0   3 St. Petersburg     Rus  5955.25  +14%   1855    898    916   3557     0   4 Kazan              Rus  2806.75 +188%    768    342    864   1987     0   5 Perm               Rus  2185.00  +28%    489    205    979   2050     0   6 Krasnodar          Rus  1788.75  -10%     86    289   1287   2737     0   7 Nizhny Novgorod    Rus  1594.00  -13%    713     76    145     78     0   8 Minsk              Bel  1503.25  -15%    467     63    216   1593     0   9 Ekaterinburg       Rus  1119.25  +44%    423    273      0      1     0  10 Kherson            Ukr   923.50 +116%    155      1    447   1556     0        TOP TEN TEMPLES - EUROPE    1 Bhaktivedanta Mano Eng  5994.00  +57%   1266   2388   1687    922     0   2 London-Soho        Eng  3935.00   +8%   1150    328   2373    482     0   3 Sankirtan Dham TST Ita  2498.50  -53%    882      0   1469      0     0   4 Budapest           Hun  2082.65  +71%    560    536     15    529  2869   5 Simhacalam (NJNK)  Ger  1959.50  -43%    693    179    789      0     0   6 Sofia              Bul  1904.00  +48%    608    434    189    638     0   7 New Vrajadham-Hung Hun  1652.15  +75%    485    276     83    705  1884   8 Prabhupada Bhavan- Cze  1203.00    0%     57   1089      0      0     0   9 Kaunas             Lit  1051.75 +105%    398     54      0    807     0  10 Milan              Ita   975.50  +18%    142      0   1383      0     0        TOP TEN TEMPLES - LATIN AMERICA    1 Nitai Gauranga TSK Bra  6393.00  +20%     28   6181    307     10     0   2 Cueramaro          Mex  4525.00  +98%    440   2129   2080   1904     0   3 Curitiba           Bra  2371.50   -6%    210   1499    553    704     0   4 Mexico City        Mex  2344.50  +33%    214    150   1660   3746     0   5 Monterrey          Mex  1337.50 +106%     40      0    480   4070     0   6 Buenos Aires       Arg   832.50  -46%      0     35      0   3190     0   7 Itajai             Bra   402.75  +63%     38    150     47    613     0   8 Natal              Bra   341.55  +59%      5     82      0    977    53   9 Recife             Bra   202.50  -71%      0     32    247    188     0  10 New Vrajadham-Braz Bra   139.85  -66%      4     92     70     19     1        TOP TEN TEMPLES - AUSTRALASIA    1 Sydney-North       Aus  4554.65  +42%   1855    263    764    705   234   2 Auckland Br. Ashra New  1708.30   -6%    270    938     24    856    43   3 Melbourne          Aus   465.75    0%    195     13     50    151     0   4 Wellington         New   251.85  -40%     17    173      1    157    51   5 Brisbane           Aus   188.90 +459%     10      3    266      0   329   6 Perth              Aus   182.80   -2%     53      0    106     60    88        TOP TEN TEMPLES - AFRICA    1 Durban             Sou  1314.55 +179%    117     65     92   2695  2958   2 Phoenix(MA)        Mau   733.60  -27%     76     63    109   1838    46   3 Nairobi            Ken   273.90  -47%     30     21     20    686   114   4 Sandton            Sou    86.05  -52%      8      3    114     37     8   5 Cape Town          Sou    72.00  +17%      6      3      0    216    30   6 Kisumu             Ken    41.00  -55%      2      7     33     54     0   7 Mafikeng           Sou    31.00 +305%      0      0     29     66     0   8 Kumasi             Gha    19.75  -24%      0      0      0     79     0   9 Port Harcourt      Nig    18.75  +16%      4      0     10     23     0  10 Pietermaritzburg   Sou    18.50  -67%      1      0      0     66     0   **** Page 5 ****                              World Sankirtan Newsletter                            TEAM BOOK DISTRIBUTION                                September 2015                                         %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs     Individuals              Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Vallabh Caitanya Pun Ind 2307.35 +223%  1040     92     59    363    56   2 Sunder Madhav d  New Ind 2093.50   -9%   293      0    355   5320     0   3 Ganesh d         Pun Ind 1144.55   na    452     45     89    433   162   4 Sri Caitanya Can Pun Ind 1003.50   -4%   434      0      0    542     0   5 Krishna Katha d  Pun Ind  329.75   na    114     24     25    261     0                                     (%)Change compared        (*)New record                                     to monthly average        for this year                              World Sankirtan Newsletter                              TOP 50 INDIVIDUALS                                September 2015                                         %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs     Individuals              Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Madhusundar d    New Ind 9329.25  +51%  2765   1270*  2055   6007     0   2 Caitanya Candra  Cen Bra 6393.00   +4%    28   6181    307     10     0   3 Keshava Balaram  New Ind 6069.70 +103%  2298      0    700*  2100  5531*   4 Govind Murari d  Mum Ind 5221.00*+199%  2507    207*     0      0     0   5 Bk Jay Khush     LA  USA 5123.25  +75%  1794*    96   2869*    19     0   6 Radha Krsna d    Mum Ind 4772.50  -21%  1961    291    567   1104     0   7 HH Jayapataka Sw May Ind 4000.00*  -6%  2000*     0      0      0     0   8 Paramesvara d    RVC USA 3280.05   -2%  1095    830    128     61  1808   9 Deva Krsna d     RVC USA 2827.25  +21%  1252    260*     0    253     0  10 Ananda Kirtan d  LA  USA 2682.50  +12%  1098     18    930     14     0  11 Hemagiri d       Mum Ind 2661.75  -12%   903    207    506   1583     0  12 Bk Gopal         May Ind 2560.00*+111%  1275*    10      0      0     0  13 Krishna Bhagavan RVC USA 2396.50  +28%   818    521    110    338  1000  14 Bk Nirmal        May Ind 2333.25*+196%  1131*     0     55*   175*    0  15 Radha Vrajaraj d Mum Ind 2255.25*+999%  1123*     3      6     13     0  16 Keshav Murari d  New Ind 2245.00  -16%   400    200    400   4180*    0  17 Brajananda d     RVC USA 2003.15   -3%   697    499      0    207   584*  18 Ghanashyam Govin Syd Aus 1905.25  +58%   821    101*   249    151     0  19 Srivasprem d     May Ind 1760.75*+190%   745*    98*     8    675*    0  20 Bipin Bihari d   May Ind 1760.50* +31%   668*   388*     0    146*    0  21 Udar Gour Sundar May Ind 1735.75* +20%   697*   322*     0     79*    0  22 Krishna Caran d  Mum Ind 1689.75  +49%   551    208*   694    131     0  23 Arun Govinda d   May Ind 1677.50*+185%   811*    17*    34*    86     0  24 Dasya Prema d    RVC USA 1543.90   +7%   558    280    192      0   519  25 Nidra dd         Den USA 1435.50* +46%   562*   204    119    192     0  26 Satyakrit d      Ahm Ind 1418.75*+171%   500      0    100    175   780*  27 Bk Carlos        TBB USA 1394.00* +59%   304    282*   513    990     0  28 Smita Krishna d  Mos Rus 1392.00  +43%   696      0      0      0     0  29 Bk Anupam        May Ind 1319.50*+132%   658*     3      1      0     0  30 Brajendra Nandan May Ind 1277.50*+317%   434*     0    381*   876     0  31 Shyam Gaura Hari May Ind 1276.25*+160%   466*    87*    21*   987*    0  32 Anupam Krishna d Mos Rus 1273.00   -2%   589      0      0    380     0  33 Sacitanoy d      LA  USA 1218.75* +89%   283*   566*     0    347*    0  34 Mohanasini dd    New USA 1205.25  -29%   502     19    341     47     0  35 Bhrgupati d      LA  USA 1204.00  -11%   516     32    226    108     0  36 Gopal Balak d    May Ind 1192.50* +88%   570*     0    105*     0     0  37 Padapadma d      May Ind 1185.75*+119%   400*   225*   298*    47     0  38 Bk Eric          LA  USA 1177.75  +17%   333    244    405    261*    0  39 Maharaja d       LA  USA 1174.00*+113%   496*   113*    62*   152*    0  40 Mahapuran d      May Ind 1133.00  -55%   406      7     11   1234     0  41 Bk Binay Krishna May Ind 1125.25*+129%   522*     3    132*    49*    0  42 Banamali Mukunda May Ind 1110.00* +15%   555*     0      0      0     0  43 Tirtha Govinda d May Ind 1092.00* +45%   377*   117*   207*   470*    0  44 Parama Karuna d  Chi USA 1084.75  -10%   375    198    216    115     0  45 Bk Tyler         Den USA 1080.50* +51%   379*   299     47      0     0  46 Parameswar d     May Ind 1078.75   +1%   157*   380    432    675     0  47 Kamal Nayan d    May Ind 1072.00*+156%   476*    55*    52*   156*    0  48 Bk Carlos        Gai USA 1064.50  +79%   301    331    204    118     0  49 Harinama d       RVC USA 1056.90   -6%   293    277     58    466   484  50 Shastra-krt d    LA  USA 1056.00   +1%   523      0      0     40     0                                     (%)Change compared        (*)New record                                     to monthly average        for this year   **** Page 6 ****                               World Sankirtan Newsletter                                  ALL COUNTRIES                                  September 2015                                       %    M-Big   Big  Medium  Small   BTGs    Country (Temples)        Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books   Mags    ________________________________________________________________________   1 India (19)            225487.20  +21%  83120  17444  16747 106832  38660  2 United States (18)     64764.75  +29%  21149   9727   8781  27663  14335  3 Russia, CIS (12)       46168.00 +101%  15641   5415   7377  23130      0  4 United Kingdom (2)      9929.00 +129%   2416   2716   4060   1404      0  5 Brazil (8)              9883.90  +13%    285   8043   1227   2608     54  6 Mexico (4)              8249.50  +40%    704   2279   4220   9810      0  7 Australia (4)           5392.10  -25%   2113    279   1186    916    651  8 Italy (5)               5103.60  -64%   1391      0   4633      0     51  9 Hungary (2)             3734.80 +119%   1045    812     98   1234   4753 10 Ukraine, CIS (12)       3620.75   +5%    719    321   1784   3879      0 11 GermanyAustria (5)      3085.50  -26%    995    378   1435      0      0 12 New Zealand (2)         1960.15  +69%    287   1111     25   1013     94 13 Bulgaria                1904.00  -42%    608    434    189    638      0 14 Czech Republic (2)      1651.00  -48%    154   1257     12    320      0 15 South Africa (6)        1537.10 +111%    136     71    236   3106   2996 16 Belarus, CIS            1503.25   na     467     63    216   1593      0 17 Lithuania (2)           1410.50 +374%    482    174      9   1072      0 18 Canada (3)              1301.75  -39%    297    162    312   1497     23 19 Argentina                832.50   +2%      0     35      0   3190      0 20 China (8)                827.50   na     352      0     17    460      0 21 Mauritius                733.60  -46%     76     63    109   1838     46 22 Portugal                 637.50   na      38    510      0    206      0 23 Slovenia                 401.50 +390%     14     41     24   1282      0 24 Sing                     356.35   na      88     13      5    655     11 25 Croatia                  332.00   na       7     69    432    132      0 26 Kenya (2)                314.90  -80%     32     28     53    740    114 27 Spain (2)                178.00  -63%     58     62      0      0      0 28 Norway                   171.40   na      60      0      0      0    514 29 Sweden (2)               160.00   na      22      4     69    310      0 30 Puerto Rico              135.00   na       0      2     67    398      0 31 Indonesia                124.60  -93%     58      0     14      6      1 32 Romania                  110.00   na      17     32      0    176      0 33 Bosnia                    66.00  -85%      3     50      1     38      0 34 Switzerland               59.25 +119%     13     26     11      7      0 35 Ghana                     19.75   na       0      0      0     79      0 36 Nigeria                   18.75  -56%      4      0     10     23      0 37 Zambia                    17.50  +23%      6      3      1      8      0 38 Ivory Coast                5.75   na       1      0      0     15      0                                    (%)Change compared                                      to Sep last year   **** Page 7 ****                             World Sankirtan Newsletter                                 ALL TEMPLES                                September 2015                                        %    M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs     Temples (size)           Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Mayapur (L)        Ind115096.75 +117%  48202   5359   7964  37407*    0   2 Moscow (L)         Rus 20041.25* +58%   7312*  2523*  1033   9511*    0   3 Mumbai-Juhu (L)    Ind 19360.25  -18%   7857    961   1879   6983     0   4 New Delhi (L)      Ind 17669.20  -20%   4920   1448   2751  14232 14477   5 Vrindavan (L)      Ind 17055.75   -5%   3229   6229      0  17475     0   6 Los Angeles (L)    USA 15902.00   -2%   5488   2306   3760   2960     0   7 RupanugaVedicColle USA 15015.70  +18%   5200   3140    727   2218  5577   8 New Delhi(Punj.Bag Ind 12621.95   +3%   3565    545*  1626* 11611  7676*   9 Baltimore (MS)     USA 10893.25*+273%   3341*   210*   335  12173* 7905*  10 Salem (M)          Ind  9526.65* +79%   3506    957*     0   5019* 1167*  11 Moscow-Jagannath ( Rus  8944.00  +27%   3535    737   1306*  1936     0  12 Pune (L)           Ind  8411.60   -9%   3323    209    255   4446  2150  13 Ahmedabad (M)      Ind  6983.75  +16%   2692      0    406   2787  1680  14 Nitai Gauranga TSK Bra  6393.00    0%     28   6181    307     10     0  15 Bhaktivedanta Mano Eng  5994.00  +39%   1266   2388*  1687    922     0  16 St. Petersburg (L) Rus  5955.25   -8%   1855    898    916   3557     0  17 Surat (S)          Ind  5781.25  +11%   1745     90      0    615  4914*  18 Denver (M)         USA  5319.50* +60%   1552   1108    906   2510*  270  19 Sydney-North (M)   Aus  4554.65  +27%   1855    263*   764    705   234*  20 Cueramaro (S)      Mex  4525.00  +74%    440   2129*  2080   1904     0  21 London-Soho (M)    Eng  3935.00   -4%   1150    328*  2373    482     0  22 TBB TSKP (MS)      USA  3456.45* +86%    652   1060*   923   2503*   52  23 Chicago (S)        USA  3040.45* +76%    867*   674    754*   951   177  24 VV Nagar (M)       Ind  2808.70  +67%    811    468*   412   1402  1622  25 Kazan (S)          Rus  2806.75* +44%    768*   342    864   1987*    0  26 Sankirtan Dham TST Ita  2498.50  -61%    882      0   1469      0     0  27 Curitiba (S)       Bra  2371.50  -18%    210   1499    553*   704     0  28 Mexico City (M)    Mex  2344.50  +16%    214    150   1660*  3746     0  29 Ujjain (M)         Ind  2188.00  -69%    381    586   1005   1350     0  30 Perm (M)           Rus  2185.00  +12%    489    205*   979   2050     0  31 Budapest (L)       Hun  2082.65  +50%    560*   536*    15    529  2869*  32 Gainesville (M)    USA  2061.75  +11%    608    588    405    221     0  33 Simhacalam (NJNK)  Ger  1959.50  -50%    693    179    789      0     0  34 Mumbai-Kharghar (L Ind  1904.25  -46%    834     94     58*   453*    0  35 Sofia (MS)         Bul  1904.00  +31%    608    434*   189    638     0  36 Krasnodar (S)      Rus  1788.75  -25%     86    289   1287   2737     0  37 Dallas (M)         USA  1740.00   +5%    636    295*   132*   416*   30  38 Auckland Br. Ashra New  1708.30  -37%    270    938     24    856    43  39 New Vrajadham-Hung Hun  1652.15* +55%    485*   276*    83    705  1884*  40 Nizhny Novgorod (S Rus  1594.00  -24%    713     76    145     78     0  41 Minsk (M)          Bel  1503.25  -30%    467     63    216   1593*    0  42 Silicon Valley(ISV USA  1463.00  -70%    695      0      0    292     0  43 Bhopal (S)         Ind  1419.75   -8%    587    164*    85    157     0  44 Monterrey (MS)     Mex  1337.50  +55%     40      0    480*  4070     0  45 Hillsborough, NC ( USA  1336.85*+132%    500*    67    178    713    26  46 Durban (L)         Sou  1314.55*+148%    117     65     92   2695* 2958*  47 Laguna Beach (S)   USA  1211.85  +11%    493    126*    20    279   201  48 New Talavan (S)    USA  1205.25  -31%    502     19    341     47     0  49 Prabhupada Bhavan- Cze  1203.00  -11%     57   1089      0      0     0  50 Tirunelveli (S)    Ind  1178.55  -32%    442     15     10    399  1748  51 Amravati (S)       Ind  1143.85*+252%    483*    10     88*   413*   54  52 Ekaterinburg (M)   Rus  1119.25  +28%    423*   273      0      1     0  53 Toronto (S)        Can  1107.00   +7%    245    140    231   1384*   23  54 Madurai (S)        Ind  1093.70  -37%    358     12      6    454  2492*  55 Kaunas (S)         Lit  1051.75* +82%    398*    54      0    807     0  56 Milan (M)          Ita   975.50   +1%    142      0   1383      0     0  57 Kherson (S)        Ukr   923.50  +92%    155      1    447   1556     0  58 Buenos Aires (M)   Arg   832.50  -55%      0     35      0   3190     0  59 Tyumen (S)         Rus   787.50* +48%    183      6    427    808*    0  60 Chandigarh (S)     Ind   769.00  -50%     89    143    161   1470     0  61 Phoenix(MA) (S)    Mau   733.60  -35%     76     63*   109   1838    46  62 Lisbon (S)         Por   637.50  +52%     38    510*     0    206     0  63 Villa Vrndavana (L Ita   615.10  -13%    133      0    688      0    51*  64 Zaporozhye (S)     Ukr   610.50* +56%     82*   115    449*   428*    0  65 Bhakti Lounge (Phi USA   592.95 +124%    223*    23     92    311     2  66 Berlin (S)         Ger   583.00  -35%    170     96    294      0     0  67 Rome (S)           Ita   557.50   +8%     45      0    935      0     0  68 Dnepropetrovsk (S) Ukr   527.25   -6%    134     11    199    595     0  69 Melbourne (L)      Aus   465.75  -11%    195     13     50    151     0  70 Prabhupada Desh (M Ita   457.00  -40%    189      0    158      0     0  71 Kirov (S)          Rus   450.50   -1%    143      3    252    142     0  72 Prague (M)         Cze   448.00  -22%     97    168     12*   320     0  73 New Orleans (S)    USA   446.25  -28%     30      0    135   1275     0  74 Simferopol (S)     Ukr   421.25  +44%    131     88     98     89     0  75 Ivanovo (S)        Rus   421.00  -27%    110     53    151    290     0  76 Hartford (MS)      USA   414.50*+130%    163*    38      4    194     0  77 Kiev (L)           Ukr   405.00  -84%     46     61    319    370     0  78 Brahmapur (MS)     Ind   404.25  -65%     86    154     41    159   180  79 Itajai (S)         Bra   402.75  +40%     38    150*    47    613     0  80 Ljubljana (S)      Slo   401.50  +64%     14     41     24   1282*    0  81 Vilnius (S)        Lit   358.75  -25%     84    120      9    265     0  82 Sing (S)           Sin   356.35  -17%     88     13      5    655    11*  83 Natal (S)          Bra   341.55  +32%      5     82      0    977    53  84 Zagreb (MS)        Cro   332.00   -7%      7     69    432    132     0  85 Odessa (S)         Ukr   279.75*+141%     77     21     72    275     0  86 Nairobi (S)        Ken   273.90  -53%     30     21     20    686   114*  87 Wellington (S)     New   251.85  -47%     17    173      1    157    51  88 Miami (S)          USA   234.55  -53%     38     50      8    411    18  89 Berkeley (S)       USA   231.20  +31%     67     18     53    180*   77*  90 Goloka Dhama (S)   Ger   228.50*+622%     77*    34*    81*     0     0  91 Liaoning (S)       Chi   220.00   na     110      0      0      0     0  92 Recife (MS)        Bra   202.50  -75%      0     32    247*   188     0  93 Sacramento/TYM (S) USA   199.25  -39%     94      5      8      9     0  94 Brisbane (S)       Aus   188.90*+179%     10      3*   266*     0   329*  95 Kishinev (MS)      Ukr   187.50  -49%     20     19    155    204     0  96 Hunan (S)          Chi   186.00   na      78      0      0    120     0  97 Perth (S)          Aus   182.80  -16%     53      0    106     60    88  98 Cologne(Gauradesh) Ger   176.00  +49%     48     27    106      0     0  99 Oslo (S)           Nor   171.40   na      60      0      0      0   514 100 Shanghai (S)       Chi   158.00  -61%     51      0     17*   190     0 101 Chengdu (S)        Chi   152.00   na      73      0      0     24     0 102 New Vrajadham-Braz Bra   139.85  -72%      4     92     70     19     1 103 Heidelberg (MS)    Ger   138.50  -65%      7     42    165      0     0 104 Naval Kunda (S)    Spa   136.00  -17%     37     62      0      0     0 105 Gurabo (PR) (MS)   Pue   135.00  -37%      0      2     67    398     0 106 Lutsk (S)          Ukr   132.75  -54%     51      0     29     65     0 107 Almvik (L)         Swe   125.00*+131%     22*     4*    25*   258*    0 108 Bali (S)           Ind   124.60  -93%     58      0     14      6     1 109 Vancouver (S)      Can   119.75  -36%     23     21     62     87     0 110 Timisoara (S)      Rom   110.00  +19%     17     32*     0    176     0 111 Sandton (S)        Sou    86.05  -60%      8      3    114     37     8 112 Bhakti Lounge (Tor Can    75.00  -85%     29      1     19     26     0 113 Vologda (MS)       Rus    74.75   -8%     24*    10     17     33     0 114 Cape Town (S)      Sou    72.00   +2%      6      3      0    216    30* 115 Vellore (S)        Ind    70.00  -92%     10      0      0      0   500* 116 Sarajevo (S)       Bos    66.00  -61%      3     50      1     38     0 117 Zurich (S)         Swi    59.25  -68%     13     26     11      7     0 118 Tiraspol (S)       Ukr    55.25*+119%     15*     1     16     65     0 119 Rovno (MS)         Ukr    47.75  -78%      2      0      0    175     0 120 Shenzhen (S)       Chi    47.50  -97%      8      0      0    126     0 121 Saltillo (MS)      Mex    42.50   na      10      0      0     90     0 122 Spain BBT (MS)     Spa    42.00  -93%     21      0      0      0     0 123 Kisumu (S)         Ken    41.00  -64%      2      7     33     54     0 124 Stockholm (M)      Swe    35.00  -40%      0      0     44     52     0 125 Mafikeng (S)       Sou    31.00*+224%      0      0     29*    66*    0 126 Yunnan (S)         Chi    28.00   na      14      0      0      0     0 127 Hangzhou (S)       Chi    26.00   na      13      0      0      0     0 128 Ubatuba (S)        Bra    24.25  -43%      0      0      0     97     0 129 Kumasi (MS)        Gha    19.75  -40%      0      0      0     79     0 130 Port Harcourt (S)  Nig    18.75   -3%      4      0     10     23     0 131 Pietermaritzburg ( Sou    18.50  -70%      1      0      0     66     0 132 Lusaka (MS)        Zam    17.50   -6%      6      3      1      8     0 133 Chernigov (MS)     Ukr    15.50  +77%      0      2*     0     54     0 134 Pretoria (MS)      Sou    15.00  -84%      4      0      1     26     0 135 Uzgorod (S)        Ukr    14.75  +16%      6      2      0      3     0 136 Foshan (S)         Chi    10.00   na       5      0      0      0     0 137 Fortaleza (MS)     Bra     8.50  -10%      0      7      3      0     0 138 Abidjan (S)        Ivo     5.75   -4%      1      0      0     15     0                                     (%)Change compared          (*)New high                                     to monthly average            this year   **** Page 8 ****                             World Sankirtan Newsletter                             PRABHUPADA DISCIPLES                                September 2015                                         %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small  BTGs     Prabhupada Disciples     Points Change Books  Books  Books  Books  Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 HH Jayapataka Sw May Ind 4000.00*  -6%  2000*     0      0      0     0   2 Nidra dd         Den USA 1435.50* +46%   562*   204    119    192     0   3 Mohanasini dd    New USA 1205.25  -29%   502     19    341     47     0   4 Bhrgupati d      LA  USA 1204.00  -11%   516     32    226    108     0   5 Gaur Sundar d    LA  USA  988.50  +30%   429     90     51     60     0   6 Drumila d        New USA  221.25  -53%     0      0     80    725     0   7 Yadavendra d     Bri Aus  188.90*+195%    10      3*   266*     0   329*   8 Kamalini dd      Hil USA  175.05*+385%    55*    29*    46*    45    18*   9 Cakri d Dallas   Dal USA  114.00  -26%    40      0      0    124    30  10 Visala d         Mia USA  106.30  -29%    11      7      0    306     8  11 Lalita dd        Ber USA   96.70  +60%    31      8     24     52*   17  12 Apurva d         Hil USA   25.55  -32%     3      8     14*    15*    8  13 Misra Bhagavan d Dal USA    6.00  -28%     1      0      6      4     0                                     (%)Change compared        (*)New record                                     to monthly average        for this year   **** Page 9 ****                            World Sankirtan Newsletter                        TOP TEN COUNTRIES (CUMULATIVE)                         January thru September, 2015                                     %   M-Big    Big   Medium   Small   BTGs    Country (Temples)    Points  Change Books   Books   Books   Books   Mags    ________________________________________________________________________   1 India (31)         1721602.65 -16% 611186  148140  137018  858335 421554  2 United States (35)  499578.50 +15% 159943   74554   95224  196896  81001  3 Russia, CIS (35)    281251.80 -12%  90020   36316   63918  131492    638  4 Brazil (19)          83852.40 +20%   3230   61741    6095   50222    484  5 United Kingdom (3)   78567.75 +51%  22646    5483   48588   13995      0  6 Italy (7)            53959.50 -37%  17039       0   39662       0    486  7 Mexico (7)           46329.50 +19%   5557    5623   22982   72406      0  8 GermanyAustria (9)   41739.40 -16%  15283    4723   12897       4      9  9 Ukraine, CIS (16)    40770.25 +52%  13090    2146   11597   26583      0 10 Australia (5)        40747.10 +45%  17185    1057    6329    7948   1686                                 (%)Change compared to Jan-Sep 2014                             World Sankirtan Newsletter                         TOP TEN TEMPLES (CUMULATIVE)                         January thru September, 2015                          Points        %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small   BTGs     Temples (size)        (Months) Change Books  Books  Books  Books   Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Mayapur (L)   Ind 540069.00(9)  -25% 221497  38116  45201 137934   4500   2 Mumbai-Juhu ( Ind 208551.00(9)  +11%  86881  10215  20148  58000      0   3 New Delhi (L) Ind 195351.70(9)  -45%  59436   6243  28645 157514 165357   4 Los Angeles ( USA 145487.05(9)  +21%  42944  22845  48331* 46399   9888   5 Vrindavan (L) Ind 143326.25(8)* +36%  24492* 53161*     0 164725      0   6 Tirupati (L)  Ind 114562.25(8)  -17%  37343   5605   5628  76487  85222   7 RupanugaVedic USA 104128.75(8)* +52%  34733* 26480*  3981* 12735* 30085*   8 New Delhi(Pun Ind  98773.60(8)   +7%  31936   1453   3208  90740  54508   9 Moscow (L)    Rus  95987.75(7)  +44%  35014  10587  15309  30873      0  10 Pune (L)      Ind  63844.20(7)  -34%  26036   1643   2167  26020  18339                                    (%)Change compared        (*)Better than                                       to Jan-Sep 2014             last year                             World Sankirtan Newsletter                      TEAM BOOK DISTRIBUTION (CUMULATIVE)                          January thru September, 2015                          Points        %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small   BTGs     Individuals           (Months) Change Books  Books  Books  Books   Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Madhusunda Del Ind 41935.75(2)   na   13224    822   5590  35483  30000   2 Kesava Bal New Ind 18368.70(1)   na    4000      0      0  40000   3231   3 Sunder Mad New Ind 15936.25(7)   na    2926   1500   6230  21377   1250   4 Gopisvar d New Ind  3840.75(1)  -76%    932    288    510   5635    250   5 Sri Caitan Pun Ind  3103.75(3)   na    1396      0      0   1247      0   6 Vichitra K New Ind  3050.25(2)   -2%    837    200   1090   2525      0   7 Vallabh Ca Pun Ind  3021.85(2)   -2%   1265    169    155    921     56   8 Dauji Nita Pun Ind  1960.00(3)   na     980      0      0      0      0   9 Brajvilas  Pun Ind  1738.45(3) +101%    865      1      0      1     34  10 Radheshyam Pun Ind  1241.75(2)   na     473     79    149    569      0  11 Ganesh d   Pun Ind  1144.55(1)   na     452     45     89    433    162  12 Lalit Madh Pun Ind   953.00(2)   na     358     90     78    432      0  13 Kanai Thak Pun Ind   800.00(1)   na     400      0      0      0      0  14 Jugalkisho Pun Ind   728.00(1)   na     364      0      0      0      0  15 Deena Naya New Ind   555.50(1)   na      24      6     97   1792     50  16 Sundarvar  Pun Ind   514.00(1)  -15%    257      0      0      0      0                                    (%)Change compared        (*)Better than                                       to Jan-Sep 2014             last year                             World Sankirtan Newsletter                        TOP 50 INDIVIDUALS (CUMULATIVE)                          January thru September, 2015                          Points        %   M-Big   Big  Medium  Small   BTGs     Individuals           (Months) Change Books  Books  Books  Books   Mags     _______________________________________________________________________    1 Radha Krsn Mum Ind 53209.50(9)*+103%  21975*  3553*  5806* 11214*     0   2 Madhusunda New Ind 46516.50(7)  -46%  15106   1924   9734  38054      0   3 Caitanya C Cen Bra 37258.50(6)  +73%    107  35841*  1977    860      0   4 HH Jayapat May Ind 33702.00(8)  -40%  16851      0      0      0      0   5 Bk Jay Khu LA  USA 28479.95(9)*+718%  10431*  1776* 11406*   351    512   6 Hemagiri d Mum Ind 26906.75(9)  +10%   8110   2596   5661  21041      0   7 Paramesvar RVC USA 26608.25(8)  -17%   7269   9838   1171   1337* 13125   8 Tirtha Kri Tir Ind 24547.10(8)   +7%   8888   1445   1554  16916   2194   9 Keshava Ba New Ind 23979.40(7)  -48%   6382    289   1647  25488  34117  10 Nandananda Tir Ind 23013.45(8)  -16%   8409   1243   1258  16345   1612  11 Ananda Kir LA  USA 21766.95(9)*+172%   8813*  1544   4204*  1977      7  12 Saciputra  Mum Ind 20403.50(6)   na    9864    483    221    328      0  13 Bharadwaj  May Ind 19597.75(4)   +1%   7573     10   5007   7753      0  14 Deva Krsna RVC USA 19192.00(8)   +7%   9003    704      0   1928      0  15 Bhagavat A Mum Ind 17778.75(9)  -31%   7679    745    657   5389      0  16 Bk Rakesh  New Ind 16562.50(6)  -88%   8265      0     15    100      0  17 Brajananda RVC USA 16451.35(8)   +3%   5676   4421*     2   1389   3301*  18 Keshav Mur New Ind 15622.25(6)   -2%   6680    550*   400*  6049      0  19 Krishna Bh RVC USA 15502.60(8)*  na    5119*  3585*   775*  2456*  6781*  20 Bhrgupati  LA  USA 12048.55(9)  -66%   4635   1072   1361*  4007*   243  21 Dasya Prem RVC USA 11599.10(8)* +38%   3877*  2479   1115   1782   3631*  22 Nityananda Dal USA 11460.00(8)*  na    5730*     0      0      0      0  23 Mohanasini New USA 11374.50(7)   -1%   4415    690*  3298*   822*     0  24 Advaita Si Ujj Ind 11195.25(8)*  na    3709*  2416*  2092*  1261      0  25 Bipin Biha May Ind 11140.25(8)  +48%   3940   2552*   230   2373*     0  26 Nava Gaura Tir Ind 10913.75(3)   na    3736    723    626   9483     84  27 Govind Mur Mum Ind 10465.25(4)  -17%   5088    273     10     45      0  28 Udar Gour  May Ind 10419.50(7) +104%   4972    402*    29    236      0  29 Satyapriya Mum Ind 10245.00(8)   na    5120      5      0      0      0  30 Surottam d Ahm Ind 10000.00(1)   na    5000      0      0      0      0  31 Kalki d(2  Gai USA  9598.75(9)* +85%   2526*  2791*  2474*  2075*     0  32 Shastra-kr LA  USA  9407.00(9)   -3%   4584    154      0    340      0  33 Visnu d    Kie Ukr  9405.75(5)   na    4601     14     48    663      0  34 Nidra dd   Den USA  9323.50(9)   -4%   3481   1231   1091*  2340*     0  35 Bk Eric    LA  USA  9250.75(9)* +59%   2475   2401*  3350*   441   1145  36 Nitai Lila Cat Ita  9075.60(6)  -36%   3428      0   4430      0     46  37 Anupam Kri Mos Rus  9040.00(7)  -23%   4296      8     96   1568      0  38 Harinama d RVC USA  8947.45(8)*  na    2610*  2508*   919*  1563*  3692*  39 Vrajasunda Cat Ita  8845.00(6)  -42%   3390      0   4119      0     55  40 Neel Kanth New Ind  8680.00(9)   +2%      0      0      0      0  86800  41 Mahapuran  May Ind  8670.00(4)  +97%   3118    679    762   5496      0  42 Bk Gopal   May Ind  8636.25(6) +144%   4293     45*     3     15      0  43 Gadadhara  Cat Ita  8578.40(6)  -30%   3291      0   3982      0     54  44 Raya Nitai TBB USA  7964.50(9)  +12%   2470*   741*  2591   3952      0  45 Nama Sanki Lon Eng  7954.75(9)*  na    3458*   128*  1635*   373      0  46 Ghanashyam Syd Aus  7952.25(6)*  na    3450*   222*  1220*   877*    10  47 Krpa Sindh Sim Ger  7938.50(8)  +69%   3856*    81    291      0      0  48 Dharmaraja RVC USA  7698.10(9)   na    2053   3130    239   1184    466  49 Acharyarat Per Rus  7616.50(8)  +46%   3365      0   1773      0      0  50 Bk Storm   LA  USA  7505.55(9)*  na    2188*  1376*  2519*  1789    468                                    (%)Change compared        (*)Better than                                       to Jan-Sep 2014             last year
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Seminar on Damodar Lila

Seminar on Damodar Lila by Radha Govinda Swami at ISKCON Vrindavan

(H.H. Radha Govinda Swami, a direct disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), lives in Vrindavan, India.)

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Damodar Lila

Lecture on Damodar Lila  by HG Nirantara Prabhu on 19 Oct 2014 at Los Angeles

(Nicholas D'Angelo was born on May 20, 1950 and was raised a strict Roman Catholic. He went to Catholic school for 13 years, but did not even finish one semester of college at St. Johns University in New York City. Instead, the dormant lusty desires in his heart manifested and he became a "hippy" in 1968. - See more at: http://iskconleaders.com/nirantara-prabhu/#sthash.LRoHflha.dpuf)

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Expert at everything. That was Prabhupada. Shyamasundar: Once we were in Mayapur. We had an old—I think it was a 1948 Hudson or some old, big car. And I was driving. We had left the main road. If you have been on the main road you know how bad it is. You can imagine how bad this secondary road was like. We were going to visit Lalit Prasad, who was Bhaktisiddhanta’s living brother, who was a very old man then. We didn’t know the road, and we didn’t know the way very well. We knew that it was up that road somewhere. And we drove halfway up or so, and we came to a place where there was a cement bridge over a big gully. But the monsoon run-off had washed the bank away on both sides of three or four feet, as I recall. This may be an exaggeration, but it was some distance, maybe three feet. And we could see up and down this canal that there was no other way for the automobile to cross, and we still had five or six kilometers to go. So Prabhupada studied the situation. He didn’t even get out of the car. He just studied the situation a little bit. Brahmananda and some of the other big guys sat in the back. He said, “You boys get out. Shyamasundar, you back up, and get going very fast, and we will make it.” [Laughs.] I got back about fifty feet or so and just gunned that old tank. And off we went. Waaaow! We flew over that first gap, screaming across this cement bridge. Waaaow! It looked like a Steve McQueen great escape movie. And the boys walked down around and got back in and off we went. [Laughs.] He was expert at everything. He also used to know everything about engineering. He used to make drawings. In fact, this may not be well known how early the Mayapur project was actually started. Right after Tamal or somebody got that first little, tiny parcel of land in Mayapur, Prabhupada planned the whole thing out one day in London at Bury Place. He sketched it all out, the temples and the buildings. And he called and asked me if there were any English devotees that were architects or knew anything. There was one, Ranchor, and Nara-Narayan was there, the builder. So he had them come up, and he submitted this idea. He said, “We have only a few days until I must leave. I want you to work on a plan for a huge complex for Mayapur.” And that’s all he thought about for days. This must have been 1971 or ‘72. And we would walk in the park in Russell Square every morning then, and he would point to different buildings, and he would ask Ranchor and Nara-Narayan questions. You knew he knew the answers already, but he was testing their ability. Expert at everything. That was Prabhupada.

Expert at everything. That was Prabhupada. Shyamasundar: Once we were in Mayapur. We had an old—I think it was a 1948 Hudson or some old, big car. And I was driving. We had left the main road. If you have been on the main road you know how bad it is. You can imagine how bad this secondary road was like. We were going to visit Lalit Prasad, who was Bhaktisiddhanta’s living brother, who was a very old man then. We didn’t know the road, and we didn’t know the way very well. We knew that it was up that road somewhere. And we drove halfway up or so, and we came to a place where there was a cement bridge over a big gully. But the monsoon run-off had washed the bank away on both sides of three or four feet, as I recall. This may be an exaggeration, but it was some distance, maybe three feet. And we could see up and down this canal that there was no other way for the automobile to cross, and we still had five or six kilometers to go. So Prabhupada studied the situation. He didn’t even get out of the car. He just studied the situation a little bit. Brahmananda and some of the other big guys sat in the back. He said, “You boys get out. Shyamasundar, you back up, and get going very fast, and we will make it.” [Laughs.] I got back about fifty feet or so and just gunned that old tank. And off we went. Waaaow! We flew over that first gap, screaming across this cement bridge. Waaaow! It looked like a Steve McQueen great escape movie. And the boys walked down around and got back in and off we went. [Laughs.] He was expert at everything. He also used to know everything about engineering. He used to make drawings. In fact, this may not be well known how early the Mayapur project was actually started. Right after Tamal or somebody got that first little, tiny parcel of land in Mayapur, Prabhupada planned the whole thing out one day in London at Bury Place. He sketched it all out, the temples and the buildings. And he called and asked me if there were any English devotees that were architects or knew anything. There was one, Ranchor, and Nara-Narayan was there, the builder. So he had them come up, and he submitted this idea. He said, “We have only a few days until I must leave. I want you to work on a plan for a huge complex for Mayapur.” And that’s all he thought about for days. This must have been 1971 or ‘72. And we would walk in the park in Russell Square every morning then, and he would point to different buildings, and he would ask Ranchor and Nara-Narayan questions. You knew he knew the answers already, but he was testing their ability. Expert at everything. That was Prabhupada.

Source....  www.dandavats.com

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October 28. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations. Appropriately, Prabhupada had described himself as “a man not to be disappointed.” He was convinced that if there was a center where people could come, hear from a pure devotee, the genuine God consciousness culture of India could begin in America. Yet, because he had made his plans depending on an expensive building in Manhattan, his goals seemed unreachable. Still, he was persistently writing to prominent devotees in India, although they were not interested in his plans. “Why should they not help?” he thought. “After all, they were devotees of Krishna. Shouldn’t the devotees come forward to establish the first Krishna temple in America?” Certainly he was qualified and authorized to spread the message of Krishna. As for the place, New York was perhaps the most cosmopolitan city in the world. He had found a building – not very expensive, a good location – and there was a great need for a Krishna temple here to offset the propaganda of the Indian Mayavadis. Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490/#28

October 28. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Appropriately, Prabhupada had described himself as “a man not to be disappointed.” He was convinced that if there was a center where people could come, hear from a pure devotee, the genuine God consciousness culture of India could begin in America. Yet, because he had made his plans depending on an expensive building in Manhattan, his goals seemed unreachable. Still, he was persistently writing to prominent devotees in India, although they were not interested in his plans. 
“Why should they not help?” he thought. “After all, they were devotees of Krishna. Shouldn’t the devotees come forward to establish the first Krishna temple in America?” Certainly he was qualified and authorized to spread the message of Krishna. As for the place, New York was perhaps the most cosmopolitan city in the world. He had found a building – not very expensive, a good location – and there was a great need for a Krishna temple here to offset the propaganda of the Indian Mayavadis.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490/#28

Source....  www.dandavats.com

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Kartik! Day - 1 at ISKCON Vrindavan

Kartik! Day - 1 at ISKCON Vrindavan (Album with photos) At 7:00pm daily, the Damodarastakam prayers, heralding the Lord’s famous Damodar pastime, are sung. Meanwhile, thousands of devotees line up to offer small ghee lamps to the Deities of Sri Sri Krishna Balarama, Radha Shyamasundar, and Gaura Nitai. “It’s a stunning, awe-inspiring sight,” says Deena Bandhu. “The entire temple room and courtyard is filled with an ocean of glowing lamps.” Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZjEnfW

Kartik! Day - 1 at ISKCON Vrindavan (Album with photos)
At 7:00pm daily, the Damodarastakam prayers, heralding the Lord’s famous Damodar pastime, are sung. Meanwhile, thousands of devotees line up to offer small ghee lamps to the Deities of Sri Sri Krishna Balarama, Radha Shyamasundar, and Gaura Nitai.
“It’s a stunning, awe-inspiring sight,” says Deena Bandhu. “The entire temple room and courtyard is filled with an ocean of glowing lamps.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZjEnfW


Source.... www.dandavats.com

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Vraja Mandala parikrama Day -1

By ISKCON Vrindavan

One of the major highlight of Kartik in Vrindavan is, of course, the parikramas, or pilgrimages. Every year, ISKCON guru Lokanath Swami heads up the massive Braj Mandala Parikrama, which drew 1,500 devotees last year for its 25th anniversary, and is expecting a similar attendance this year.

Participants travel by foot from holy place to holy place in and around the town now called Vrindavan for the entire month of Kartik, camping in tents or sleeping in local school buildings.

Rising daily at 4:00am and chanting Krishna’s names congregationally as well as on their japa beads, they begin walking early and average fifteen kilometers per day—sometimes up to twenty-five.

At each holy place, Lokanath Swami and other senior devotees tell stories related to the location and speak about Krishna’s glories.

Meanwhile, for those who prefer a bed and a roof over their head at night, Deena Bandhu takes a group of devotees out on pilgrimage every day by bus, leaving in the morning and returning to Krishna Balaram Mandir for lunch at 3pm.

Occasionally, they’ll eschew the bus and take a boat ride down the river Yamuna to return to the temple. Often, they’ll meet up with the larger Braj Mandala Parikrama.














Source....  www.dandavats.com

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By:  for ISKCON News on Oct. 23, 2015

Namamrita Das, who started the initiative

A new “Second Generation Initiative” was launched in Alachua, Florida – the Western World’s largest ISKCON community – on Saturday October 17th, and is generating a lot of energy and excitement.

Although the words “second generation” often refer to those born into the Hare Krishna Movement, the initiative aims to help all 25 to 45-year-olds  who attend Alachua’s New Raman Reti temple, regardless of how they came to Krishna consciousness, to find balance and inspiration in their lives. It also aims to facilitate succession.

Namamrita Das, a married disciple of Radhanath Swami in his thirties who balances a job as a commercial airline pilot with caring for his special needs daughter, has been working on the effort for the better part of a year.

“When I joined the temple board here two years ago, I soon realized that the best way I could contribute would be to reach out to my peers,” he says. “Because I assumed that most of them  would have similar struggles with balancing family responsibilities, careers, and trying to be Krishna conscious. And on top of that, the responsibility of the movement is going to fall into our hands pretty soon.”

With the input and support of the Alachua temple board, Namamrita began by sending out a comprehensive survey to his peers to find out this specific age group’s needs and desires, as well as how they situated themselves spiritually.

The initiative is aimed at the 25-to 45-year-olds of ISKCON Alachua

The survey gathered information about people’s age, marital status, and whether or not they had children. It asked about their spiritual goals, how often they attended the temple, how connected they felt to the temple, what devotional areas they’d like to improve, which senior devotees in the community they were inspired by, and what type of spiritual programs they’d like to attend.

The survey then asked what temple services they would be interested in participating in, with a list including leading kirtan, offering guru-puja, making garlands, dressing the Deities, and cooking for the devotees. It also listed the requirements for each service, such as following the four regulative principles, chanting a certain number of rounds, and first or second initiation.

Namamrita received 102 responses. They revealed that a majority of this age group were married with children, were gainfully employed, and wanted to improve their spiritual practice, with more and better japa being the top area they wanted to focus on.

Many felt “somewhat disconnected” from the temple, but still were overwhelmingly enthusiastic to help in temple services, with festivals, devotee care, and cow care coming in on top of the list, followed by garland-making, offering guru-puja, leading kirtan and Deity service support.

100 people – around the same number that had responded to the survey – attended the “New Raman Reti Second Generation Initiative” launch at Alachua temple board member Radhikesh Das’ home recently.

Around one hundred devotees gathered for the launch event

The program began with kirtan, prasadam and an introduction explaining the initiative by Visvambhar Aguilera, who joined ISKCON at the age of 13 and is head of Alachua’s Bhaktivedanta Academy Montessori school.

Three second-generation temple board members then gave informative Power Point presentations: Radhikesh Das explained what ISKCON and its Governing Body Commission were doing in terms of succession planning. ISKCON Youth Ministry’s Manorama Das showed a bird’s eye view of ISKCON Alachua and zoomed in to each department to educate the group on what it takes to manage a temple. And Namamrita presented the survey results.

“I also asked for volunteers to be liaisons between the people that want to do different services and the relevant temple department heads, and got a lot of responses.” Namamrita says.

Finally, Padma Dasi presented three main programs that the iniative is implementing based on the desires expressed in the survey results.

The first is the Guest Speaker Program, which is specifically designed with topics that will be relevant and interesting to the 25 to 45-year-old age group, and with speakers that survey takers specifically named as inspiring to them. It begins on November 3rd.

Upcoming talks include What it Means to be a Grihasta Today by Gainesville Krishna House president Kalakantha Das; Q&A with a Professional Family Counselor by Bhakti Dasi; The Four Regs and Me by Brahmathirtha Das; Gita Values We Can Live By with GBC Minister of Education Sesa Das; and Challenges Confronting the New Generation of Devotees by author and academic Yogesvara Das. There will also be a talk on finances and spirituality.

Ekendra Das performs in character as Yama Niyama Das Brahmachari

The second program is the Scripture Study Program, in which participants will read and discuss Srila Prabhupada’s books – beginning with the Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- in a structured format, and share their realizations. It will begin on November 17th.

The Guest Speaker and Scripture Study Programs will rotate so that there is a program every two weeks. They’ll be held on Tuesdays at 6pm, with potluck prasadam, at a different devotee’s home each time.

The third program is the one-on-one Mentoring Program, with senior devotees cited in the survey as being most admired. Along with those cited above as guest speakers, they include temple president Mukhya Dasi, GBC Tamohara Das, Devarsi Das, Madhumati Dasi, Caturatma Das, Nanda Dasi and many more. Most have had previous mentoring experience, while those that did not took a one-time training session with professional counselor Bhakti Dasi.

“This is about connecting with the many wonderful senior devotees that we have in our community, Prabhupada disciples who have a lot of love, care and concern for our generation,” Namamrita says.

During the launch meeting, Namamrita also asked for volunteers to organize different small groups, such as men’s groups, women’s groups, reading groups and more. And he invited attendees who were interested to tick a box in a provided form saying “Yes, I am interested in joining a committee to discuss our future at New Raman Reti,” with a view to finding candidates interested in managerial positions further down the line. 

The event ended on a light, fun note, with dessert and a performance by Ekendra Dasa’s parody character Yama Niyama Das Brahmachari, who delivered his usual razor-sharp comedy act satirizing ISKCON life in general and the survey in particular.

“Alachua is a flagship community in ISKCON, known for its great number of congregation members, excellent schools and high standard of deity worship,” says Namamrita. “So I hope we can be an example in succession too.”

He adds, “Personally, I always feel the weight and honor of being Srila Prabhupada’s grand disciples, with this amazing mission of Lord Chaitanya being handed down to us – it’s a wonderful, spiritual responsibility. So I wanted to try to unite my peers, with Krishna in the center, on this exciting journey, so that over time we can become strong enough to actually be the next leaders of Srila Prabhupada’s movement. I think it all starts with personal connection.”

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The poster for Srila Prabhupada's Arrival Festival in Butler with Sally Agarwal and Bhaktimarga Swami

 

Fifty years of steady dedication, fifty years of non-stop commitment, fifty years of building memories and accomplishment. A 50th anniversary is known as a golden anniversary and throughout this year and the next, ISKCON devotees all over the world are celebrating a golden milestone of achievement of their spiritual master and Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.  The celebrations began in Calcutta, India where Srila Prabhupada left behind the land of his birth on his mission of mercy, and continued in Boston, Massachusetts where His Divine Grace's lotus feet first touched American soil.

And now, on October 24th, devotees from all over North America will gather to glorify Srila Prabhupada's activities in Butler, PA. 

Srila Prabhupada's arrival in Butler was a momentous occasion in his lifetime of meditation on spreading the glories of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and fulfillment of his spiritual master's instructions.  This was the first place in America he began a steady preaching program and giving his association to inquisitive souls.  Srila Prabhupada spent his time in Butler meeting with local people and speaking to them about the relevant topics of awakening the spirit soul and developing one's lost relationship with Krishna. 

Srila Prabhupada's stay in Butler was made possible by the kindness of Gopal Agarwal and his wife Sally Agarwal. The young couple, although unable to shelter Prabhupada in their home, arranged all his stay at the local YMCA, to meet with local interested people, and to cook his meals at their home. Sally describes Srila Prabhupada's association (and cooking particularly) during this time as “sublime.” 

On October 24th, there will be a celebration and commemoration of Srila Prabhupada's stay in Butler, PA.  The event will take place at the Grand Ballroom in Butler, PA. The building, the old YMCA, where Prabhupada personally resided can be seen from the window of the Grand Ballroom.  This historical event will include performing Harinama Sankirtana while touring the places of Prabhupada's pastimes, kirtan, glorification of Prabhupada and mouth-watering prasadam. 

This event will also mark the halfway point of Bhaktimarga Swami's walking tour of the eastern United States. Swami is performing this pilgrimage in honor of the first travels of Srila Prabhupada in America.  He will also be present at the celebration in Butler and will enliven participants with his kirtan and association. He will then continue by walking to New York City and will also attend the celebrations there.

Also in attendance will be Sally Agarwal, who relishes the opportunity to share her memories of Srila Prabhupada. 

Devotees and congregation members from all ISKCON centers are invited to attend the celebrations on October 24th at the Grand Ballroom in Butler, PA from 4-7pm to celebrate the accomplishments of their dear Srila Prabhupada. The harinama will take place from 2:30-3:30pm and will start and end at the Grand Ballroom. 

Venue Address:

Grand Ballroom- 3rd floor (elevator accessible)

201 South Main Street

Butler, PA 16001

Please email (nvfestivals@gmail.com) or call (304-312-4177) for more information on this event.

Source.... iskconnews.org

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ISKCON Kondaveedu bhumi puja function

Bhumi  Puja at ISKCON Kondaveedu



By Basu Ghosh Das

Pictures of the program can be seen by all (no need of being a Facebook
user) at this link:

http://tinyurl.com/qf7s7qs

Kondavvedu is a historical place, where Rajas (Kings) of the then Reddy
dynasty built a fort on a hill, located in the Guntur district of Andhra
Pradesh, in South India.

The ruins of the old Kondaveedu fort on top of that hill, is located near a
small village some 25 kilometers West of Guntur city.

More information on the place and it's history can be seen on the internet
here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kondaveedu_Fort

It is significant that the New Capitol of the recently bifurcated State of
Andhra Pradesh is going to be constructed at Amaravati, just 50 kilometers
North of Kondaveedu.   Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the
new capitol of Andhra Pradesh yesterday.

Presently one of the leaders of ISKCON in Andhra Pradesh, Sriman
Satyagopinath Das, who is temple president of three temples, at Rajamundry,
Anantapur, and Guntur, through his efforts has obtained eighty one acres
land from the Andhra Pradesh State Government at Kondaveedu .

Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated two years ago into two States, i.e. Andhra
Pradesh remains the name for thirteen mostly coastal districts of the old
A.P. State, and a new State of Telangana was formed from land-locked
districts surrounding Hyderabad city, and some outlying areas.  The word
“Telangana” is derived from “Trilinga Pradesh” - the land of three Shiva
lingas.  The land was allotted before the bifurcation.

Yesterday. October 22, 2015, on the auspicious day of Sri Rama Vijaya
dashami, bhumi puja (worship of the earth) and installation of a Deity of
Ananta Shesha was performed on the Kondaveedu land.

ISKCON GBC for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sriman Revati Raman Das, ISKCON
Baroda temple president Basu Ghosh Das, ISKCON Nellore temple president
Sukhadeva Swami, ISKCON Chandigarh Temple President Bhaktivinoda Das, and
Ram Murari Das, temple president of ISKCON Vijayawada were present at the
function.   Acharya Samskritananda Hari of Kaushalya Pitham at Baroda also
was present.

The Swarna Hamsa (Golden Swan) temple will be constructed on sixteen acres
of land.   The projected cost of the temple and surroundings is Rupees two
hundred crores.

Several donors were introduced, and felicitated at the conclusion of the
function.  Their immediate gifts to the project were announced during the
function.

The bhumi puja rituals were performed by Shitalanga Gauranga Das of Udupi.
He performed sthala shuddhi, kalasha sthapana, bhagavad avaahnam,
shodashopachara and anantadev pratishtha.   Also prithivi puja, bhuta and
devata bali.  Vaastu aradhana, purusha sukta, sri sukta, and vastu yajnas.
Prayaschitta homa, vaishnava homa and purnahuti.

Then in a pit excavated for the shilanyaas, he performed the shilanyaas
rituals, along with leading devotees and donors.   Anantadev and navashaktis
were installed in the excavated pit.

Many congregational devotees and donors, mostly from Guntur, attended the
function.  Three buses of congregational devotees came from Rajahmundry to
attend the function.

Students of the Gayatri Nritya kala niketan (dance academy) from
Rajahmundry, dancing in the traditional “kuchipudi” style that originated in
Andhra Pradesh, performed several traditional dances to entertain the
gathering.   The performance was well received by audience.   The dances,
performed in traditional costumes, were quite attractive and well performed.

Prasad (full meals) was distributed to devotees at the function, as well as
in the nearby villages.   Prasad was prepared for five thousand persons.

Nearby the Swarna Hamsa temple land, ISKCON Kondaveedu is running a goshalla
situated on twenty two acres of land.  Presently there are thirty six cows,
calves, and bulls that reside there.

More information on the project can be seen on the project website:

http://iskconkondaveedu.com/

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The Spectacular Miracles of God

People often enquire - Do miracles still happen today? Does God still care?
 
Everything around us is a miracle - the rising and setting of the sun, the birth of a child, the formation of rainbows, the air we breathe, the wonderful and unique living creations around us, the waterfalls, the hills, the valleys, the forests, the desert, the existence of our subtle bodies like our mind, the perfect mechanism of how our bodies function,the myriad of emotions we experience, All these awe inspiring elements are nothing but a reminder of the existence of the Supreme, the Creator, God or Krishna. 
 
Krishna is the all attractive object of our soul’s love. Every living being is seeking pleasure. The essence of pleasure is the pleasure of love. Without loving someone and being loved by someone, life seems empty, void and superficial. The origin of that love is the soul’s love for God and God’s love for the soul. We are generally attracted by someone who is beautiful, someone who is powerful, someone who is learned, someone who is famous, someone who is renounced, someone who has wealth. These are opulences that attract our heart.
 
The name 'Krishna' means one who possesses all opulences in entirety. He is the source all beauty, all strength, all knowledge, all wealth, all fame, and all renunciation. Krishna’s love for us, for the souls, who are His parts and parcels is unlimited and unconditional.
We can feel God through the path of bhakti or devotion. Bhakti is the process God has given us through which we can feel him 24 hours a day. God resides within our hearts. He is within the heart of every living being. He is inside every atom and in between atoms through his various energies. But ultimately, the source of everything is that divine person, that all powerful, all loving and all attractive person who we are eternally longing to be reunited with - the Supreme Lord Krishna.
 
If we look around us, if we just uncover the blanket of illusion covering our material eyes, we would be able to open the windows of our soul to the countless miracles that God manifests through His perfect cosmic design.
 
God, through His magnificient miracles serves a constant reminder of our prime duty in this conditioned world i.e. to revive our original love with our source, with God, through acts of devotion—by remembering about him, by chanting his names and his glories, by praying to him, by worshiping the deity, by rendering service to him, to his devotees and to all living beings. These are impeccable ways by which we can always feel the divine presence of God, the power of His pure love in our lives and express our gratitude to Him for showing us the gateway to His spiritual Kingdom through His spectacular miracles.
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