“Krishna is your best friend. He knows what’s best for you.”

‘They talk about death being a final exam. So at 65, I have to be studying for my final exam.’

IMAGE: Alfred Brush Ford and his wife Sharmila sing hymns during a ceremony at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Mayapur, 120 km north of Kolkata, February 23, 2004. Photograph: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters

Before he adopted the name Ambarish Das, he was known as Alfred Brush Ford. His mother is the daughter of Edsel Ford, Henry Ford’s son. That makes him a fourth-generation Ford from his mother’s side and a part of one of America’s most iconic families.

In the second part of his interview to Manu Shah for Rediff.com, Ambarish Das speaks about his stint at the Ford Motor Company, his wife Dr Sharmila Bhattacharya, the love that the two share, the Bhagwad Gita, among other things.

IMAGE: Alfred Brush Ford prays. Photograph: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters

What was your involvement with the Ford Motor Company?

I never really was too involved with the Ford Motor Company. I have been involved with the charities and the hospital in Michigan.

You had built a reputation as one of the foremost art dealers in Indian art.

Back in 1985, Sharmila and I were named the top collectors in Indian art by Arts and Antiques Magazine. I had a team of devotee friends who went to India and they would scour different galleries and palaces. We collected paintings, sculpture and art objects for the home and things like that.

Did you find a good market here?

It was an okay market. We sold a lot of things to my family members actually. My mother was the best customer. She loved the art and bought a lot of it for her houses. Detroit is not a hotbed for Oriental art.

How did you meet your wife, Dr Sharmila Bhattacharya?

I met her through a mutual friend of ours in Australia, who happened to be her initiation guru.

I was very impressed with her. I knew her parents were looking for someone to get her married to, as she was just finishing her PhD from the University of New South Wales. So I proposed that maybe I would marry her.

We were married in 1984. It was a Hare Krishna wedding with the fire sacrifice in front of the deities in a Hare Krishna temple in rural New South Wales, Australia. Many people came, there was a lot of press coverage.

Are your daughters Hare Krishna devotees?

They are because they were brought up in our house where we have always had the temple room and deities. My older daughter Amrita is married now. She lives in Washington, DC. She has her own temple and she carries on the tradition. The younger one, Anisha, is still in college.

How does one balance the material world with the spiritual world?

I can only speak for myself. I have to put my spiritual life first. In order for me to do that I have to put in the time, early in the day. I’m always up by 3 or 4 in the morning doing my meditation. My wife and I are up early and we do our japa, our offerings. We try to get centred early in the morning and then everything else comes after that.

If I can’t go to the temple, then I watch the arati on the Internet. I take care of the deities in the house, make an offering to the guru, read the scriptures. If I put all those activities in the beginning of the day, then the rest of the day kind of just flows.

Tell me about the Vedic temple, currently being built in Mayapur, West Bengal, the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

I am focused these days on getting the Vedic temple built in Mayapur. I did give the seed money for the temple, about $25 million. I was nervous as that was the time the Ford company was about to go bankrupt because of the economic downturn.

IMAGE: Alfred Brush Ford at the head office of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Mayapur, February 23, 2004. Photograph: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters

I’m glad that the transcendental project worked out beautifully and will help Westerners, Europeans and Americans come to Mayapur and chant Hare Krishna.

The opening date for the Vedic temple has been pushed back and hopefully we’ll be able to do the opening in 2022.

It is a very complicated building. It has a huge 350-feet high dome and we are putting up a big chandelier inside the dome of the universe according to the Vedas — so it’s a lot of work that needs to be done.

What about the international Himalayan ski village project you had proposed near Manali?

As far as I know, the whole venture is dead. It was a wonderful concept and the government of Himachal Pradesh was totally in favour of it. But then they had an election, a new government came and, more or less, they closed it down.

Do you speak any Indian languages?

No, not really.

Any experiences in India that you would like to share?

India has gotten much more user friendly, as they say.

When I first went in 1975, it was very difficult to negotiate (your way) around the country and I was very sick.

Back in those days really the only airline in and out of India was Air-India. You had to go down in person to confirm your ticket out of the country. So it was kind of very archaic in those days.

Now everything is very modern, very streamlined. My wife and I go a couple of times a year. It is very easy to get around and we love it.

Where do you stay when you are in India?

I am in Mayapur most of the time. I stay in the guest house there. I would like to build a small residence there. Sometimes I go to Mumbai too.

What are your other interests apart from the Hare Krishna movement?

I am 65 years old. I used to have a lot of other interests. As you get older you tend to focus more on what you are really trying to accomplish in life.

The reason I joined the Hare Krishna movement was to make some spiritual advancement.

The whole point of becoming Krishna conscious is when you give up this body, you evolve into a spiritual body, hopefully. Or at least another birth that may be more advanced than the one we are in now.

They talk about death being a final exam. So at 65, I have to be studying for my final exam.

IMAGE: Alfred Brush Ford during a ceremony to begin construction of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness temple in Kolkata, December 29, 2002. Photograph: Reuters

What is the message from the Bhagwad Gita you would like to see spread in the world today?

There are so many. I’d like to say Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto which means surrender to Krishna. He’s your best friend. He knows what’s best for you. There’s no reason to be fearful of him.

Yours is a fascinating story. I’m surprised there is no book or movie on you.

I am glad. I’m a very private person. My wife and I don’t seek publicity.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/business/interview/the-ford-who-loves-lord-krishna/20151201.htm

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17298

Source:http://www.ramaiswami.com/katyayani-vrata/

Answer by HH Romapada Swami

Question:People should help people just for the sake of helping them, and without any additional motivation. The propagation of that kind of behavior is the positive part of society in general. Doing everything for God negates the basic human decency of every good act, even though the outcome might be the same. The difference in motivation removes all of the good will from the equation. Essentially, people who do things only for indirect purposes are only automatons. I don’t consider the act nearly as positive for society, because people appreciate and gain inspiration from a gesture that is truly from the heart. If everyone acted in the name of God instead of their fellow humans, and nobody formed deep attachments to other people, would the world really be a better place, or would the best aspects of humanity be lost? Note: The word ‘human’ can be replaced with ‘animal’. They are interchangeable.

Answer: Although the ideal of a positive society you are presenting is noble, practically we see that it is unrealizable and utopian without acknowledging God in the picture.

In the last several decades, after having made the state secular, carefully keeping any mention of God out of educational institutions and relegating religion to a sort of personal hobby or an unofficial non-governmental Social Welfare agency, there has been no dearth of researches and reform movements and humanitarian efforts targeting the upliftment of others, seeking in various ways to help people. Thousands of good-willed social scientists, educators & psychologists are all trying their very best to come up with improved methods for character education for children, and so on. For all that effort, the world should be becoming increasingly more peaceful, people becoming increasingly courteous and loving and accommodating of each other etc – but any objective and discerning onlooker can see that the trend is in the reverse, with crime, fraud and social unrest on the rise every day; even neighbors think twice to trust each other and so on.

Thus, when God is removed from the equation, it becomes increasingly difficult for individuals or groups of individuals of differing interests to focus on a common goal or identity for want of a common center. It is only a matter of time before whatever goodwill is present will diminish and vanish.

Definition of good:

Please consider, in the scenario you have presented, how would one define what is actually good? Actual goodwill would have to go beyond just helping an old lady across the street or giving some donation to the salvation army, or more seriously dedicating oneself to a noble and worth cause and feeling very good about oneself – there are many who do this, but simultaneously their life doesn’t necessarily reflect a high standard of character in many other aspects. In fact by their very lifestyle, knowingly or unknowingly, they are often hurting and destroying so many helpless victims unintentionally, even as they are trying to be “good” to certain others.

The very concept of competitiveness and getting ahead of others in life, on the basis of which the whole society is operating, is opposed to the ideal of goodwill. Rob Peter and help Paul – that is also not a very nice definition of goodwill. But in this world, if you want to help one entity, without keeping God in the center, it would invariably involve hurting or exploiting another. Sympathizing with the cause of women’s freedom often ends up with the consequence of terrible neglect and imbalances for the cause of children; someone may champion the cause of feeding the poor at the expense of killing innocent animals; another person’s compassion may extend a little further to include the animals also, but then what about the trees, and what about the lesser forms of life, microbes and so on?

For want of an absolute authority, everyone is left to come up with their own definition and limits of goodwill – but that’s like trying to drive on the highway with no rules and simply depending on the goodwill and good judgment of one another! The definition of good in a godless society is arbitrary or at best conventional — based on the current opinion of the majority, which simply means might is right, and what is right keeps changing with the changing whims of the public.

Thus when God is removed from the equation, it is not even possible to ascertain what constitutes being truly good to each other and have everyone come to an agreement. In such a condition how are we to train people at large and inculcate such character in them if at all we are able to even define it?

Vedic conception of welfare:

On the other hand, followers of Vedic culture understand that God is the Supreme authority, and also the best well-wisher of every living entity. Dharma is the codes of conduct laid by God Himself. His laws are universally applicable for all times and places. By following the God-given laws, all living entities are simultaneously benefited, without any side-effects so to speak. Contrarily, any man-made set of laws is bound to be defective; limited by our own limited vision and cannot be universally applicable.

Furthermore, the Vedic understanding of welfare is long-term (shreyas), not short-term, stop-gap solutions (preyas). Real welfare is to bring one to the end of all miseries by connecting them back to God. Material amelioration is likened to giving a plate of food to a lost child, or like blowing over a boil to give temporary relief. Whereas real and true help is to take the child back to the parents, to find a permanent cure to the disease, to address the root cause which has brought upon this suffering to others. In the ultimate sense this means to connect people back to their relation with God — it may include offering some kind words or prasadam or relief, but it goes further than that.

Devotee of God develops good qualities:

You have stated that those who act nobly or help others only to please God are automatons and in this I beg to differ. One who is accomplished in the art of acting in his relationship with God, a pure devotee, automatically develops all good qualities worth possessing. When such a person acts compassionately, it is not simply out of courtesy, formality or religious obligation, but he actually feels and is moved deeply by feelings of compassion, not just in a limited, self-centered or self-extended way – but for all parts and parcels of the Lord. It is certainly done from the heart, more deeply and genuinely than the humane courtesy or obligation one may momentarily feel upon coming across a needy person.

This was practically and amply demonstrated by Srila Prabhupada through his personal example. When, for instance, Srila Prabhupada first arrived in California to fulfill the order of his spiritual master, the scene was one of tumult and madness – the youth had become disenchanted with materialistic goals of Western culture and turned hippies. Feeling lost and confused, high on LSD and other drugs, dropped out of mainstream society, home & school and flocking the streets of San Francisco – their cause had stirred great public concern, becoming an uncontrollable social problem. All public authorities and responsible citizens including the police, civic leaders, social workers, and even the doctors were completely at a loss and having no clue how to handle and help these wild, intoxicated youth. In the midst of this pandemonium walked in Srila Prabhupada, an elderly and cultured sadhu from Vrindavana, with no precedents or experience with dealing with any such crises, with no resources or support, and provided the hippies a transcendental refuge and a higher alternative. He welcomed and gave shelter to them, fed them, directed and engaged them, treated them gently yet confidently, administered the process of devotional service to them fearlessly and not only that – in time he reformed and trained many of them to in turn become saints! The authorities of San Fransisco were not just appreciative but struck by his effectiveness in doing this single-handedly where all their collective efforts had failed.

This was because Prabhupada actually knew the science of God and how to administer it suitably in all situations; he was not perplexed but knew for certain what is the absolute good for everyone and confident that only this could factually help humanity while all other solutions would be patchwork at best. And what he did was deeply heartfelt, not a routine religious obligation, or meant for achieving some indirect goal or personal salvation – indeed it would have been impossible to take that kind of risks and face the kind of challenges that he did by routine formulas or selfish motivations. Thousands of people from all walks of life became deeply moved, inspired and felt their lives transformed by coming in contact with him and experiencing his love and affection. If you read some of the accounts of his activities, one cannot fail to be deeply moved by the intensity of compassion and love he personally felt for humanity that drove him to make such sacrifices at such an advanced age. There are many such examples in the history of the world. The kind of sacrifices that Jesus Christ or Haridas Thakur undertook on behalf of humanity is inconceivable for a mundane humanist.

So-called good qualities in non-devotees are unsteady and do not bear the right results:

On the other hand, one who does not understand how everything and everyone is related to God cannot actually manifest these good qualities in a steady and consistent manner. Their attempts to be kind, truthful, co-operative etc will only go so far as the extent of their attachments – some may have a lesser degree of attachment than others, but the point where their sense-gratification feels pinched, there ends their practice of virtue.

Besides, whatever good they may do is also frustrated in time and does not bear ultimately good result because of their lack of proper knowledge of the true nature of things. It is like the attempt of trying to water the individual branches of a tree and neglecting the root. Real and proper welfare is to connect the branches back to the root and to water the root, then automatically the branches become nourished.

A devotee-in-practice:

I was so far describing the nature of highly accomplished saintly devotees of God. There may be others who are mere beginners in the science of God and who out of good faith and in good association begin to worship God. Such persons may themselves not have developed these good qualities but *if* they act under the direction of a bona fide devotee, their acts are also flawless and truly beneficial – just as a nurse functioning under the direction of a qualified doctor is also rendering valuable service that is authorized and not whimsical.

Or like a child who is lovingly induced and educated by the parents to give some of her toys in charity. Such beginners are not automatons; rather they are simply at a less mature stage of devotional perfection, but on the right track. The child on her own may have not yet developed the maturity to realize the need for sharing and helping others, but because she is acting without resentment and out of affection for her loving parents, quickly she will also acquire that quality. However, if the nurse or the child tries to whimsically do something to help others without guidance, they may not be very effective.

Good intentions are not good enough:

Srila Prabhupada narrates a simple incident that graphically illustrates this idea – one boy was suffering from very severe case of typhoid and his mother had placed him under very strict diet and medical care. The younger brother of this boy felt very sorry for his sick brother. Out of affection and goodwill, he brought to him fried samosas and puris, but his mother noticed this and reprimanded the little boy for his foolish act. Despite his fine sentiments, his well-intentioned act could have proved deadly to the sick boy. In other words, good intentions are not good enough. Just as the goodwill of a doctor is heightened by his/her efforts to properly learn the medical science, similarly one who really wants to do good to others would take the time to learn and practice the science of Bhagavata-dharma by which real help can be rendered.

Proper conception of God and spiritual training:

There are some spiritually poorly-informed people who hold a fallacious conception that the idea of ‘God’ was simply fabricated by some wise ancestral philosophers in order to instill virtue or fear among common men, in-order to extraneously motivate them to be good. If that were the case and people are induced in the fashion of a child being coaxed to do something based on false promises, then your concern may be valid that such a tactic spoils the motivation behind a good act.

But that is far from the truth, at least when devotional service is guided by bona fide acharyas who know the spiritual science – as in the case of a qualified doctor or parent in the above examples. Even if someone begins with an indirect motivation of wanting some piety, because of acting under proper authority they render more valuable help and also quickly come to the right standard of knowledge and motivation – the key being proper spiritual training under qualified authority.

God is a real person, the Supreme Personality, on whom all other living beings are dependent upon to fulfill their needs. He is the Supreme Father and Maintainer, perfectly supplying the needs of all living entities, and He is the most well-wishing friend of every living being. Those who have forgotten their relationship with him are placed in this material world, and are something akin to being in a spiritually sick condition – God is still providing for them but with many restrictions. If we find some scarcity or suffering in this world, it is because of the living entities’ own diseased state of forgetfulness and disconnection from God, it is certainly not because Krishna has somehow neglected them or incapable of helping them.

Therefore the real welfare that we can do for anyone is effected when we act under the direction of the Supreme Father, which means under the direction of scriptures and saintly persons who represent Him. Trying to do so independently will actually not prove helpful and could even bear adverse effect.

Relationships in proper perspective:

Keeping Krishna in the center doesn’t mean we have no relationships with others; rather, we then have the proper perspective of our spiritual relationship with all beings. On the other hand, attempting to have an independent relationship with other parts and parcels of the Lord is unnatural and ineffective – like the fingers trying to independently feed the different limbs of the body.

Again consider the example of a family – a mature son who has received training from the father to serve his other siblings also simultaneously develops deep affection, care and concern for them, he works with them and helps them according to the father’s direction – but that is not independent of the relationship with their most loving, common father.

When human society is trained in this way in the culture and science of God consciousness, naturally everything will be harmonious – humans, animals, demigods and nature will all act in full co-operation with one another in their common service to the Supreme Lord. Try to attain unity and harmony any other way, keeping the Supreme Father out of the equation, it is bound to fail; quarrels, misunderstandings and selfish concerns will prevail, as is amply demonstrated by the state of affairs in the world around us!

Source:http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17292 ;

Q: How is it possible that all the sins and so on from a deciple go to the guru, and the guru becomes sick? Is this true?

It is just a principle of karma that everyone involved in an activity gets some portion of the results.

This principle is even reflected in our conception of law. If several people conspired in different roles to execute a crime, for example, they are allpunished for it – proportionate to the nature of their involvement.

Our parents, teachers, rulers, and even older friends and siblings strongly our decisions and actions. Therefore they also deserve some percentage of the punishment or reward we get for those decisions and actions. That is why the parents, gurus, kings, leaders and so on get some portion of the karma of the people who are in their care.

The guru doesn’t “take all the karma of a disciple.” If that were so, the disciple would disappear immediately from the karmic world! It is just that the guru accepts the responsibility of guiding the disciple’s actions. Whatever good or bad the disciple does has something (not everything, but something) to do with the quality of the guru’s guidance, and that is why the guru receives some (not all, but some) good or bad karma as a result of the disciples good or bad karmic actions.

It also works in bhakti. Krishna feels grateful to the guru for whatever sincerebhakti a disciple performs, because the guru is partially responsible for it. Conversely Krishna is personally displeased with a guru whose disciples perform aparādhā and otherwise work against the principles of pure devotion.

Source:https://vicd108.wordpress.com/ ;

• Grand Radha Krishna Temple
• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum
• Lord Jagannath Lila Museum
• Library
• Amphitheater and auditorium
• Amusement park for chidren
• Govinda’s restaurant
• International Guest house
• Ayurvedic Clinic and Yoga center
• Inmate ashram & prasadam hall
• Convention hall
• Bhakta nivas (residence for devotees) – 500 units
• Vedic school
• Dharmashal (low cost residence for pilgrims)
• Vaishnav market area

When the ISKCON temple at Ujjain was inaugurated in 2006, we decided to buy three very large sized altars for our temple deities from Mumbai. However

By Basu Ghosh Das

Pictures of the bhumi puja can be seen on the internet here:

http://tinyurl.com/nm53ko4

Jagannath Puri is one of the four holy “dhamas”, sacred places of pilgrimage, described in the Puranas and is visited by thousands of Hindus on a daily basis. The Brahma and Skanda Puranas mention that city of Puri itself was built in ancient times by Raja Indradyumna. It is most famous today for the ancient temple of Lord Jagannath, His elder brother Baladev, and His sister Subhadra. This temple was built by the Rajas of Kalinga and Utkala (ancient names of present day Odisha), situated in East India on the bank of the Ganga Sagara (literally “Ocean of Ganges water”). 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, after accepting the order of sannyas, made his headquarters at Puri upon the request of his mother, Sachi Mata.   After traveling throughout much of India for six years, he resided continually at Puri for the last twelve years of his manifest presence. Namacharya Haridas Thakur also resided at Puri during the presence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and left his body before Mahaprabhu’s disappearance.   One of Mahaprabhu’s prominent pastimes at Puri was to personally place the body of Haridas into a samadhi on the ocean shore. For these reasons, Puri holds special importance for his followers, the Gaudiya Vaishanvas.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was posted as a Government Officer at Puri around 1870.  It was here that his son, Vimala Prasad, who was to become Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur was born.   And his disciple, ISKCON Founder-Acharya Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada expressed the desire that a grand center of ISKCON be established at Puri.  

The annual Jagannath Rathayatra festival (chariot festival), observed on the aashaadh shukla dvitiya (second day of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of aashadh) draws more than a million (ten lakhs) pilgrims to Puri.   Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu attended the annual festival during his presence five hundred years ago.   Srila Prabhupada instituted this festival around the world.  Nowadays this festival has become synonymous with ISKCON, almost everywhere!

Srila Prabhupada wrote to his godbrother, Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Maharaj on April 8, 1972:

“You have requested me in your letter to consider for purchasing another house. But there is one difficulty, because the present administration of Jagannath Puri sometimes do not allow us to enter the temple. Of course, for our vaishnavas this discrimination is spiritually illegal: Arche siladhi gurusu navamati vaisnave janavate: if one is dressed in vaishnava dress, according to vaishnava law, if he is considered not a vaishnava, then that is a hellish condition. You know this also. So I think so long Vishwanath Das, Chief Minister of Orissa, is there, he should pass some law to help us. Vishwanath Das knows everything, he can pass an act to allow foreign disciples into Jagannath Puri. Many hundreds of foreign disciples will be coming to India in the near future, and already we have got nearly 100 men there, so it is a great opportunity for the administrative officials of Puri to increase the fame and prosperity of Jagannath Puri all over the world, and it will be their misfortune if so many qualified devotees of the Lord are not allowed into the temple, simply because they have taken their birth in a faraway place. So if you are able to do something, and approach the right persons like Mr. Vishwanath then we shall be free to have our center in Puri.”

While the struggle for foreign devotees to enter the temple of Jagannath continues, it is a fact that despite the continued ban on entrance, thousands of foreign ISKCON devotees visit Jagannath Puri regularly.  To date ISKCON does not have a proper center to facilitate these devotees visits to holy Jagannath Puri dham.  

However, that is about to change.

After years of struggles of various types, including having to overcome a number of legal hurdles, ISKCON has inaugurated the beginning of a grand project at Jagannath Puri by performing the bhumi puja and installation of Ananta Shesha on the 18 acre ISKCON project land in a grand ceremony that was attended by thousands of devotees who participate in an annual three day Puri Parikrama (circumambulation of Jagannath Puri) organized by Bhakti Purushottam Swami, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commissioner for much of Eastern India, including his native Odhisha (formerly “Orissa”).

Seven to eight thousand devotees, mainly from Bengal and Orissa, but also from other parts of India and abroad attended this years Puri Parikrama. Teachers and students of the Bhaktivedanta Academy at Sridham Mayapur performed the bhumi puja rituals.    Headed by the Academy Dean Pritivardhana Das, the boys performed homas to satisfy Lord Jagannath.   Later on Krishna Chaitanya Das assisted Lokanath Swami in the installation of the Deity of Ananta Shesha, the expansion of Lord Vishnu who is the supporting power holding up the universe, in the ground where the foundation of the Radha Krishna temple will be constructed.

Twelve ISKCON sannyasis attend the bhumi puja, i.e. Jayapataka Swami, Lokanath Swami, Subhag Swami, Bhakti Purushottam Swami, Bhakti Vishrambha Madhava Swami, Bhakti Gaur Narayan Swami. Gauranga Prem Swami, Bhakti Nityananda Swami, Rama Govinda Swami

Prabodhananda Saraswati Swami, Bhakti Ashray Vaishnav Swami, and Bhakti Priyam Gadadhar Swami.

Several senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada attended the program, i.e. Turiya Das, Pankajanghri Das, Mayapur Chandra Das, Bhaktarupa Das, Basu Ghosh Das, Shakitmati Devi Dasi, Kusha Devi Dasi and Shubhangi Devi Dasi. Senior ISKCON devotees Braja Hari Das, Bhadra Charu  Das, Aravindaksha Govinda Das Madhavananda Das, and Vanamali Das were in attendance.

Bhakti Purushottam Swami spoke and described to the assembled devotees about the glories of Lord Jagannath’s Mahaprasadam.  He explained in great detail why the Lord’s prasadam is offered to the Deity of Vimala (Durgadevi) after being offered to Lord Jagannath.

Devakinandan Das, the Chairman of the Puri Project Committee, which has been mandated by the ISKCON Governing Body Commission as the zonal authority for the Puri Project, addressed the crowd in both Hindi and English and encouraged them to support the project.   Bhadra Charu Das translated his speech into Bengali and Oriya.

Jayapataka Swami and other senior devotees on the stage released the large verison of the Project brochure – a separate pamphlet was also released – detailing the various aspects of the proposed project. Jayapataka Maharaj himself told the crowd that Srila Prabhupada had a desire to construct a large temple and project at Puri and now that desire of his will be fulfilled. And guests pledged almost a million rupees (Rupees ten lakhs) towards the project on the spot.

The Puri project itself is situated on 18 acres of land at Sipasirubuli, on the Southwestern side of the town.  Some of the features of the ISKCON Puri Project, the estimated cost of which will be approximately Rupees one hundred crore (fifteen million US dollars) are:

·         Grand Radha Krishna Temple

·         Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum

·         Lord Jagannath Lila Museum

·         Library

·         Amphitheater and auditorium

·         Amusement park for chidren

·         Govinda’s restaurant

·         International Guest house

·         Ayurvedic Clinic and Yoga center

·         Inmate ashram & prasadam hall

·         Convention hall

·         Bhakta nivas (residence for devotees) – 500 units

·         Vedic school

·         Dharmashal (low cost residence for pilgrims)

·         Vaishnav market area

Detalied project plans can been seen on the internet at the Project website: www. puriiskcon.com.

Those who are interested to donate for the project or donate for a residence in the bhakti nivas, where one, two, and three bedroom/hall/kitchen facilites are to be constructed may contact Puri Project Director and Temple President Vanamali Das via e-mail at <puriiskcon@gmail.com>, or <vanamali.jps@pamho.net>, or contact him over the phone: +91-94370-65008.

Additionally, the ISKCON Puri Project is already operating a guest house to facilitate ISKCON devotees and life patrons.

The ISKCON Puri Project guest house is situated in a new building located just off the main Chakratirtha Road, behind the Purushottam Vatika on road near the Urban Hatt to Railway station road.  Nearby the Puri Railway station, which is only half a kilometer from the guest house.

Eighteen rooms are available, and all rooms have split air conditioners, and wifi internet.  All the rooms have attached bath rooms with hot water.

The project has already begun a Govinda’s Restaurant.  This fully air conditioined restaurant, is situated on the main Chakratirtha Road at Banki Mohan, not far from the Mayfair Hotel, and the Subhash Bose Statue.   Govinda’s runs on “alacarte” system.  Life Patrons can avail 20% discount at Govinda’s.

The Supreme Destination: Most people think America or the Heavenly Planets is the Supreme Destination.They fail to realize that there is birth, old age, disease, death, and misery in America and the Heavenly Planets. Only life on Goloka Vrindavan is free from the pangs of material life.

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Vrinda Devi’s Sacred Kunda (7 min video)

Indradyumna Swami: Our parikrama party spent almost an entire day at the famous lake of Vrinda Devi, who helps Purnamasi plan Radha and Krsna’s pastimes in Vrindavan each day. ISKCON has developed the area in a very tasteful way, keeping the rural setting and spiritual ambience intact. Hearing and chanting the glories of Vrinda Devi helped us to all become spiritually enriched.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/ezFBMr

Source...https://www.facebook.com/indradyumna/videos/10205159246723728/?l=6210676434514782898

By Anand caitanya dasa

ISKCON Govardhan Eco Village (GEV, www.ecovillage.org.in) a 100 acre sustainable farming community and retreat center, based near Mumbai, India received the Aqua Excellence Award for the category of ‘Outstanding Contribution towards cause of Sustainability – Social Sector’ in the IX World Aqua Congress (WAC). The Award Ceremony was conducted during the Inaugural Session of IX World Aqua Congress, Conference on Water & Environment on the 26th & 27th November 2015 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. GEV received this award from Sushri Uma Bharti – Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Every year the Aqua Foundation groups organizes the World Aqua Congress on a specific theme related to environment and invites abstract of papers from speakers all around the country. The IX world Aqua Congress was centered on the theme of reviving traditional water and environment conservation techniques. GEV’s abstract on the paper “Integrated Water Conservation and Protection Schemes for Rural Location” was accepted for the Conference. Following the award ceremony GEV was invited to present that paper to the various delegates present there. The conference was attended by various corporate heads, Government authorities, university professors, NGOs etc.

The “Aqua Excellence Awards” are the highest awards given by Aqua Foundation to its members, stakeholders and contributors in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the field of water, environment, energy, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, planetary sciences, pollution control and sustainability solutions. Aqua Foundation honors, in each WAC, individual / nominees of corporate members who have made a mark in their respective fields of expertise or have made a significant contribution towards Humanity

Source...http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17258

By Samapriya devi dasi

Small children are completely dependent upon their mother’s care, who is always attentive to their every need, in every way, all the time. Many children of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were obliged to make a great sacrifice when they were very young.

These children were asked to give up there mother’s constant loving care, for the benefit of the suffering conditioned souls in the world. Their mother’s were soldiers in Lord Caitanya’s army. Some were book distributors on the front lines of a great war against the material energy. Others were part of the intricate network that fueled, supported, and maintained the desire of Srila Prabhupada, to flood the earth with transcendental knowledge in the form of his books. Srila Prabhpada was the orchestrator of the greatest Brihat Mrdanga ever sounded. It’s tumultuous calls awakened the fortunate, to the opportunity of perfecting their lives.

These blessed children have now grown up, passing through severe battles of Maya’s attacks. Many of them have been wounded or permanently scarred. But most of them now walk through life with a treasure rarely possessed by anyone else in this world. Through all their years of painfully growing and trying to understand the unique circumstances their births, a deep love and faith in Srila Prabhupada has blossomed.

In Alachua Florida, a remote place far away from the Sri dhama Mayapur, these beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Srila Prabhupada, performed a yajna for the pleasure of the Lord and the welfare of all living entities. Through the strength of Srila Prabhupada’s love, they bonded together to execute a great sacrifice, “The Festival of the Holy Name’’. As the names of Krsna burst forth into song from the enraptured hearts of the devotees the transcendental sound vibration could be heard up to the heavens.

Thank-you to all who conceived of, organized and participated in this great yajna. You demonstrated to the world the glories of the Sankirtan Movement, by absorbing yourselves fully and using the precious gift you were given. You have made you lives successful by taking full shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s love. Thus, you have made our lives successful. Thank-you our darling children. May you continue to perform the Yuga Dharma with determination, taking nourishment from Srila Prahbupada’s transcendental love, of which you are the rightful heirs. For you have made it clear to the world that Srila Prabhupada is always with you.

Source...http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17278

by Gregory

Vrindavan. Recently, I was thinking and reading about Vrindavan. I thought about how it would be to go to Vrindavan. How does it happen? How would I do it?

To learn, I checked and researched. I found the ISKCON Vrindavan website. I saw Visit Vrindavan and Travel Assistance and read.

The information stated, “The most convenient airport for coming to Vrindavan is Delhi.” So, I searched several websites for flights from Jacksonville, Florida to Delhi, India. The flight times varied: 20 hours, 24 hours, 26 hours, 30 hours. All with two stops.

Then, I learned that the distance from Delhi to Vrindavan is about 165 kilometers. Some methods to travel are train, bus, and taxi. The time for the trip is roughly two to three hours. In Vrindavan, some accommodations listed included guest houses, hotels, and apartments.

When I studied a map of Vrindavan, I noticed the area of Raman Reti. On the mathuravisit.com website, I read, “As the name ‘Raman Reti’ (playing in the sand) suggests, Raman Reti is the place located in Gokul, Mathura where Laddu Gopal (childhood name of Krishna) was believed to play with his friends near the bank of the Yamuna during his childhood. The sand-filled place is very relaxing and is used by sages and saints to perform sadhana of Lord Krishna and do tapasya here.”

Also, on the mathura-vrindavan.com website, I read, “It is also said that Krishna and Radharani would meet here every night before going down to Vrindavana to enjoy their pastimes.”

I remember that the ISKCON of Alachua temple name is “New Raman Reti”. On the www.alachuatemple.com website in the Welcome to New Raman Reti page, I read, “Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder/acharya of ISKCON, founded New Raman Reti in 1977. It was named after Raman Reti in Vrindavan, India – a place of white sands where Lord Krishna and His brother Balarama performed Their childhood pastimes.”

Then, on the ISKCON Vrindavan website in Vrindavan Highlights, I read, “According to Srila Prabhupada, if one visits a holy place, he should search out the devotees residing there, take lessons from them and try to apply such instruction in practical life. Krishna is always present with His devotees and by their presence any place can become the place of pilgrimage.”

The full truth of the statement rang out to me.

Yes, going to the Alachua temple for aratis, kirtans, feasts, festivals, service to chop vegetables, wash dishes, or serve prasadam, and more can be a pilgrimage every time.

At a distance of about eight miles from my house, I drive, though I consider a bicycle ride or a walk on a day. Also, from my workplace, which is about four miles. All these options could be pilgrimage, regardless of the distance or the method of getting there. I understand that a pilgrimage is based on purpose, the deliberate intention of traveling to the place, which includes the traveling as well as the time and actions while there.

In addition to the Alachua temple and activities, the pilgrimage includes the people, as Srila Prabhupada noted: their greetings, welcomes, talk, association, and participation for prayer and service together. I am enlivened, rejuvenated, and thankful on every occasion.

One special time is when I arrive during the morning japa period. I park my truck on the side of the dark drive, then walk over toward the lights of the temple. Whether walking and chanting around the outside of the temple along the veranda, or inside the temple circumambulating the tulasi, standing, or sitting, the presence of the devotees chanting and the mix and blend of the devotees’ voices chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare is always fulfilling and inspiring.

In addition to visits to the temple, I realize that traveling to my Bhakti Vriksha group meetings at the home of Ramiya dasa prabhu and Ananta dasi mataji is another special pilgrimage repeated every week. Every week, I turn in their drive, park beside the usual trees, step under the night-blooming jasmine at the porch entrance, remove my shoes, enter through the front door, offer obeisances to the deities, and greet the hosts. More often than weekly, I give thanks for Ramiya dasa prabhu and Ananta dasi mataji, and for all in the group for their association, for the privilege to learn, give, receive, share prasadam, and participate in service to each other, all in service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our Lord Sri Krishna.

It is a new but familiar pilgrimage every visit that I value and cherish.

While I will keep a notion of the possibility of traveling to Vrindavan some day, I understand that my views about what a pilgrimage is have changed and expanded.

Now, I understand and consider my travels in Alachua as pilgrimage in every sense and nuance of the term. And I consider myself as a pilgrim in Alachua seeking and growing when journeying close to home with familiar places and people. I know pilgrimage in Alachua is essential, the essence of me developing as a devotee to our Lord Sri Krishna.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Source...http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17266

In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Goswami describes the six loving exchanges between devotees, two of which are offering and accepting gifts. As the holiday season is coming upon us, when we exchange gifts with our loved ones, we ask that you consider extending your gifts to our students as well.

“Kalpavrksa” is a wish-fulfilling tree, and the devotees are also known to be fulfilling desires. We are hoping for our wishes to come true, with your help. Big or small, every gift counts.
Thank you very much!

Gift Card from Staples
Gift Card from Office Depot
Gift Card from Hobby Lobby
Gift Card from Lakeshore Learning
Gift card from Sam’s Club
Gift card from Michael’s
Gift card from Best Buy
Laptops / Chrome Books
4 Small Wooden Chairs
Printer Paper
Outdoor Wooden Bench
Shoe Shelf
Electric Pencil Sharpener
White dry-erase board
Acrylic Paint
Tempera Paint
Trifold Display Boards
Poster Boards
Amazon Gift card
Construction Paper

You may also give the Gift of Education by becoming a monthly donor.
For questions or more information, please call: 214-886-4763

We wish you and your loved ones Happy Holidays and New Year!
With Gratitude,
TKG Academy staff and students.

Source...http://www.tkgacademy.com/news-updates/wish-fulfilling/

It’s coming very soon. And ISKCON devotees in 75 countries across six continents are determined to make their guru and Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada proud.

In the UK, an avalanche of major, inspirational events for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary are being planned throughout the year 2016, including some that will be tied into international efforts by all ISKCON temples.

ISKCON 50 reps at the 13 temples across the UK and Ireland have already held several events in 2015 in honor of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the US on the steamship Jaladuta.

They included a “Departing India” festival in which a book of Srila Prabhupada’s Markine Bhagavata Dharma poem written abord the Jaladuta was released; a Bhaktivedanta Players production about Prabhupada’s journey; and a kirtan tour of London’s most famous landmarks on open air double-decker buses with hundreds of devotees.

Devotees attend a national ISKCON 50 convention in Leicester

There was also a national convention in Leicester with International Communications Minister Anuttama Das, and GBC Bhakti Charu Swami, which offered information about plans for the 50th along with media training for devotees.

The official ISKCON 50 celebrations will kick off in January 2016 with an astonishing offering.

“We’re trying to get all 602 of ISKCON’s worldwide temples to read out their book scores from the December book distribution marathon to Srila Prabhupada on the same day,” says UK national coordinator Devaki Dasi. “We don’t yet have an exact date set, but it will be in January.”

After that, on the March bank holiday weekend before Gaura Purnima, second generation devotees at Bhaktivedanta Manor will organize a 50 hour kirtan of 12 hours a day over several days.

On April 23rd, an academic conference will be held at Bath University, which has sent its Hinduism students on annual trips to Bhaktivedanta Manor for the past decade. ISKCON devotees attending will include Bhakti Charu Swami, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Director Shaunaka Rishi Das, ISKCON Educational Services’ Rasamandala Das, and Professor Kim Knott, author of My Sweet Lord: The Hare Krishna Movement. 300 to 400 people are expected.

Professor Catherine Robinson (in red shirt) with devotees outside Bath University, where ISKCON will attend an academic conference in 2016

On July 13th, the date of ISKCON’s incorporation in New York in 1966 – which will be celebrated simultaneously by ISKCON centers around the world – UK devotees are organizing a prestigious event at either the House of Lords or the House of Commons in Westminster. The event will showcase Prabhupada’s and ISKCON’s achievements, and the plan is to invite some extremely distinguished guests.

“We’re trying to get the Prime Minister,” says Devaki. “That’s our ultimate goal. And it’s not an impossible task here in the UK – just this month, Bhaktivedanta Manor president Srutidharma Prabhu said the prayers at the Prime Minister’s Diwali celebration at Number 10 Downing St.”

Meanwhile renowned ISKCON chef Kurma Das will appear at several events to promote ISKCON’s culinary contributions. Possibilities include an event in London’s O2 Arena for Vegetarian and Vegan Week, which will showcase the Hare Krishnas’ 50 best cuisines for the 50th anniversary. Kurma may also do live demonstrations at Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Janmastami program, which draws 60,000 people.

In October, a massive ticketed event at Wembley Stadium is planned, which is expected to draw 10,000 people. It will feature some of ISKCON’s most prominent speakers, as well as a stunning cultural show including a rasa-lila performance by legendary Bollywood actress, Indian MP and ISKCON member Hema Malini.

Wembley Stadium, where a major ISKCON 50 event will be held

Other events don’t have any date or month assigned to them yet, but are just as exciting. Srila Prabhupada’s garden at Bhaktivedanta Manor, for instance, has been renovated and will receive an official opening. It features rose beds and pathway arches, a pergola and a variety of flowering shrubbery, while stones on either side of the garden will be inscribed with the qualities of the disciple and spiritual master as taught by Srila Prabhupada.

There will also be a screening of Yadubara’s film Acharya at a London cinema hall, and a concert at George Harrison’s garden at the Manor commemorating the Beatle’s relationship with Srila Prabhupada and spiritual contribution the world.

In Scotland, a national retreat will be held for all the devotees at the temple in Lesmahagow. In Wales, devotees are planning to open a new temple. In Manchester, there will be eight hour kirtans every month. And in Ireland, there will be a special “50 Years of Hare Krishna” event.

At London’s Soho St temple, devotees are planning fifty special events for the 50ththroughout the year, including Srila Prabhupada remembrance classes, boat parties down the river Thames, interfaith weeks and kirtan weekends.

Srila Prabhupada's Garden at the Manor, which will be opened in 2016

Other “50 for 50” events that will run throughout the year will include 50 house programs, and a push to inspire devotees to contribute at least 50 hours of devotional service to their local temple, and distribute 50 books in the year – one every week. One of the most exciting such projects is “50 Harinamas in 50 Towns,” with UK devotees heading into a different new town that has never been publicly chanted in every single week.

All ISKCON temples will also be encouraged to “50th-ize” all their Vaishnava festivals throughout the year, as well as to organize participation in public events such as World Vegetarian Week, Multi-faith Week and National Yoga Week, and the ISKCON event World Holy Name Week.

A raft of publication, stationary and merchandise will keep ISKCON’s 50th at the forefront of everyone’s mind through all this, including a commemorative magazine entitled “The Hare Krishnas: Fifty Years On”; an ISKCON 50 calendar; and t-shirts, hoodies and notebooks featuring the ISKCON logo and the tag line “The Joy of Devotion.”

Double-decker bus harinama for the 50th anniversary of Prabhupada's arrival

Devaki hopes that all this will inspire every individual in ISKCON to do whatever they can for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary.

“Sometimes devotees stop me and say, ‘What should I do for the 50th?’” she says. “And I always tell them, ‘Well, what do you want to do for the 50th? What’s going to be your personal contribution to Srila Prabhupada’s movement?’ This is a once in a life time opportunity – so get involved, and don’t miss out!”

Source...http://iskconnews.org/iskcon-50-plans-ramp-up-in-the-uk-worldwide,5231/

The One Stop Solution for Bad Karma (5 min video)
How do you make up for wrong when you know you’ve done it and you feel bad for that?
Speaking from the wisdom of the yoga texts, that which is right is that which furthers your spiritual development and that which is wrong is that which interferes with your spiritual development. Who decides what is right and what is wrong? In terms of rectifying those wrongs we’ve done, it’s practically impossible to deal with all our ‘bad karma’ piece by piece. Rather the conclusion of Bhagavad Gita (the timeless yoga text) tells us that we can make a one stop solution to all the bad karma. Such methodology is the essence of the Bhagavad Gita as it is.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/3lReJe

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ioAbNNo87k&list=PL3mtxwuJqZM2TxXhmcenVXrk55vI3EZn5&index=1

TOVP UK Tour.
Final House Programme - highest Pledge!
Our stars in the highest pledged category for home programmes pledging a total of £60,000 by the assembled devotees tonight. Our final house programme with the highest score! Majority of the devotees are silver patron pledgers pledging £7000 each! The TOVP team would like to thank the hosts Bhavesh Prabhu and Kundalata mataji for a very successful evening and a grande finale of the house programmes.

Source: http://m.dandavats.com/?p=17245

Source: https://www.kksblog.com/2015/11/whats-wrong-with-sex/